Category: Independent Opinion

  • Hazlet pols could spark ‘Total Recall’

    It’s rare when Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hazlet’s Paul Coughlin are mentioned in the same breath, but these two men are now linked for reasons beyond their physiques. The Hazlet Democrats announced their intentions to seek the recall of the beleaguered former mayor, a seldom-employed process that first brought “the governator” to office in California two…

  • Agin, Stallmeyer and Ryan deserve Middletown’s support

    Over the years, we’ve been pleased to support several candidates for the Middletown Board of Education — the individuals we have chosen to support all demonstrated to us a firm commitment to Middletown, and a belief in the importance of public education. This year, two of the candidates — Laura Agin and Rose Stallmeyer —…

  • Holmdel budget should be rejected

    This year’s Holmdel school budget has 71 pages and approximately 1,800 line items. It would be interesting to know how many on the school board and in township administration have reviewed it thoroughly. The estimated Holmdel school student population “increase” is essentially flat (from 3,587 to 3,589 total), whereas the best estimate — from the…

  • Schiavo case underscores importance of living wills

    Greg Bean Coda It’s now just over 20 years since my father lost his battle with cancer. He died on Father’s Day 1984. His illness was the only demon he ever faced that he could not conquer by sheer force of will, but he did not accept that going in. Days after he was diagnosed,…

  • Strickland is a ‘dedicated volunteer’ in Holmdel

    I am writing to urge Holmdel voters to reelect Karen Strickland to the Holmdel Board of Education. Karen has been a dedicated volunteer, working hard these past three years on behalf of all of Holmdel’s children. She has been part of a team that has guided our school system through a difficult and tumultuous period,…

  • Holmdel Board of Ed. has ‘lost its focus on children’

    One of the most important reasons I moved my family to Holmdel 12 years ago was the excellent quality of the public schools. Until recently, I have been pleased with the schools. However, the past few years, the Board of Education seems to have lost its focus on our children and become unresponsive to the…

  • For the Record

    The Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District’s proposed 2005-06 budget would increase the tax rate by about 17 cents per $100 assessed property value in Aberdeen and 8.7 cents in Matawan. Under that formula, an Aberdeen home valued at $150,000 would see a tax increase of $254.75, and a Matawan home valued at the same would have…

  • Obituaries

    Richard James Kernan Mr. Kernan, 71, of the Port Monmouth section of Middletown, died April 3 at home following a battle with cancer. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., he had been a resident of Port Monmouth for the past 31 years. Mr. Kernan was an elevator constructor at Local No. 1, Long Island City, N.Y.,…