Category: Independent Opinion

  • Writer will never stop singing the praises of the Middletown police

    Unfortunately, not often enough do we take time out from our sometimes hectic lives to publicly acknowledge special acts of courage or compassion. I admit that I, too, am not free from guilt in this area and have no valid excuses to offer. On one occasion I did publicly express my gratitude for the care…

  • County’s Bayshore commuter ferry project a bust before it begins

    The project operator of the proposed Bayshore Ferry Terminal, New York Waterway, is now offering older, slower and fewer boats, making a small fraction of the trips at a much higher average fare than the company offered in their proposal last August. The project sponsors, our county freeholders, have rejected adding a bond to the…

  • Mid’town budget restoration annoys reader Where is state oversight and control, and accountable, responsible representation?

    Mid’town budget restoration annoys reader Where is state oversight and control, and accountable, responsible representation? The taxpayers of New Jersey do not have due process, do not have responsible representation and do not have referendum power. What the taxpayers do have is the vote for candidates and the school budgets, which is far too little…

  • Thanks for ‘Antique Roadshow’ support

    The Holmdel First Aid Auxiliary would like to thank the Explorers, Holmdel Police, and members of the First Aid Squad, who so generously gave of their time. Thanks also to the maintenance men of the Holmdel High School, the vendor who supplied the food and drinks for all, the appraisers from Time and Again, and…

  • Arts center might be good Mat-Ab joint venture

    I would like to comment on the debate over whether to remodel the old Broad Street high school building in Matawan or tear it down. I understand the building is being considered as a possible site for performance and rehearsal space, as well as offices and galleries for local artists. This is a worthwhile idea,…

  • Middletown mom spoke too soon and spoke in error

    In the July 19 issue of the Independent, Mrs. Edith Foley criticized the coaches of the 10-year-old’s Hazlet Tournament Team for protesting the baseball game played between Hazlet and Middletown for the District Championship. Middletown was forced to forfeit the game because they had ineligible players on the field. What she failed to mention is…

  • Bus companies are ignoring needs of disabled senior citizens

    I hope the letter I am writing today concerns everyone. I am the president of the Cullen Center Senior Citizen Club of Hazlet, with a membership of more than 200 seniors. There are two bus companies serving Hazlet. I called R. Helfrich & Son charter bus service, which recently acquired new buses, but they not…

  • Holy Family extends thanks to sponsors of summer golf outing

    The Holy Name Society, a nonprofit men’s organization of the Holy Family Church in Union Beach, ran its sixth annual Golf Tournament June 19 at the Knob Hill Country Club in Manalapan. This was our first year at Knob Hill, which accommodated the outing in a very professional manner. The outing was very successful due…

  • Oak Hill residents don’t want soccer fields; aren’t elitist

    This is in response to the letter to the editor by Gail Ritter that appeared in the July 12 edition of The Independent in response to a letter by Barbara DeSanto. It is just a fact that similar homes in Oak Hill have higher market values than Belford. Therefore, higher assessed values and comparable homes…