Category: Sentinel-NBS Opinion
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Preserving natural areas must be a major priority
The countryside we used to know is gone, replaced by wall-to-wall condos and townhouses. Approval is given to greedy developers. All of this strains our already burdened utilities. With the influx of people, schools have to be built and enlarged, increasing our property taxes, in turn forcing retirees to leave the area. There is no…
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Life is good when you are the youngest child
Lori Clinch Are We There Yet? Although I love my youngest sister dearly, growing up with her was as irritating as finding a sibling sitting on your bed, wearing your favorite shirt and eating your candy stash. Misti was the bane of my existence. She was into my stuff, crowding my space and inserting “I’m…
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The sign on the door says Gone Fishin’
Greg Bean Coda If you’re reading this and have a complaint that I’m not writing about taxes, corruption or weighty issues this week (is my boss listening?), I can’t help you. That’s because I’m on the Middle Fork of the Powder River in Wyoming, enjoying the scenery on a friend’s ranch and trying to coax…
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N.B. schools right to root out nonresidents
Note to North Brunswick school parents: Check your mail. In May, the school district began a process of soliciting proof of residency for about 1,500 students – about one-third of those enrolled – seen as possibly living outside of North Brunswick but attending its schools. To date, school officials say about 30 percent of those…
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Watching for terrorists on the Mighty Raritan
Greg Bean Coda They say a rising tide floats all boats, and that’s certainly true in Middlesex County, where the rising tide of Homeland Security grant money is apparently enabling the county to build its own navy. According to a press release last week from the Middlesex County Board of Freeholders, the county has dedicated…
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Obituaries
Pauline F. Cocco Mrs. Cocco, 86, of North Brunswick, died July 2 at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick. Born in Italy, she was a lifelong resident of North Brunswick. She was a retired sales employee of Connie’s Specialty Shop, New Brunswick. Prior to that, she was a seamstress at Bond Clothing Company, and salesperson…
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Partnership working to fight child obesity
Problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are quickly becoming realities for children. Overweight kids suffer emotionally as well, facing increased risks of suicide, depression, bullying and low self-esteem. In 2004, Congress got tough about these health problems of our nation’s children by passing the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act. The Act…
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Reckless laws are slowly eroding our civil liberties
What’s next? Ban smoking in our homes? Councilwoman Carol Barrett’s statement in the June 15 Sentinel, “Why should we just have one park that’s free of smoke and safe for our children? I think we should do this to all the parks” makes no sense. How are our children’s health and safety endangered by someone…
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Restore funding to Rutgers, other state universities
As both a proud alumnus and current employee of Rutgers University, I am concerned over the proposed budget cuts to New Jersey’s higher-education institutions. Higher education should be viewed as a serious investment in New Jersey’s future, not merely an expense to be dealt with at budget time. I urge concerned residents of New Jersey…
