Category: Independent Opinion
-

Obituaries
John F. Agosta Mr. Agosta, 81, of Manalapan, died March 11 at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he moved to Manalapan 11 years ago. Before his retirement, Mr. Agosta was a member of the International Longshoremen’s Association. He served with the U.S. Army during World War II. Mr. Agosta was predeceased…
-

Unexpected ‘stalemate’ on teachers contract
Sides disagree over terms in signed memo of agreement BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer BY TOM CAIAZZAStaff Writer Holmdel HOLMDEL – Members of the teachers union accused the Board of Education last week of violating the “status quo” clause of the memorandum of agreement signed in February, essentially reopening contract negotiations that were once considered…
-

Holmdel class tunes in to lesson on TV news
BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer BY TOM CAIAZZAStaff Writer HOLMDEL – Jim Driscoll commanded a captive audience of fourth-graders at Indian Hill School on Thursday morning. The attentive youngsters hung on Driscoll’s every word. So, he made them watch television. Driscoll, a veteran newsman and the assistant news director for Fox 5 News, was a…
-

A solid ‘no go’ to licenses for illegals
State representatives from Monmouth and Ocean counties should reject a proposal put forth by Assembly-man Joseph Vas (D-Middlesex) that would, if signed into law, permit illegal aliens to drive legally in New Jersey. The bill would allow illegal aliens and other people who cannot comply with the state Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) six-point rule to…
-

There’s a word for that, and the word is …
Coda Greg Bean My son was looking for some important paperwork recently when my aging brain went into full-tilt freeze mode. It not only temporarily erased one word I was looking for in my memory bank, it erased two. “Where did you say the papers were?” he asked. “They’re out there in the thing under…
-

Mom ventures into ‘The Man’s Domain’
Are We There Yet? Lori Clinch I know there are people who believe that walking into a boys’ bathroom is not a scary ordeal. But you show me someone who says it’s not surreal, and I’ll show you someone who’s never darkened the door of a boys’ bathroom. I have seen a boys’ bathroom; I…
-

Letters
Students being ‘left behind’ in nutrition education I want to thank Middletown School art teacher Rosemarie Smith for her letter in the Feb. 15 issue of the Independent. While President Bush’s NCLB Act attempts to raise higher standards in children’s test scores, it fails to take into account the size of the school district and…
-

Team supports writer’s effort to raise donations
The editorial team at Greater Media Newspapers is endorsing a staff writer’s effort to raise money for charity by taking part in the 100-mile “America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride,” to be held in Lake Tahoe, Nev., on June 4. A monumental ride in distance alone, this one is particularly special because of its support for…
-

There’s no saying like an old saying
Are We There Yet? Lori Clinch I called my mother last week to tell her that I seriously needed one of her infamous speeches for a teenager who thinks his mom is lame. “It’s not that I want him to nominate me for any awards or recognition,” I told her, “but a little nod in…
