METUCHEN • EDISON • FORDS
WEDNESDAY, December 23, 2020
criterionsentinel.com
With a smile and thumbs up, five team members at JFK Medical Center receive first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
PHOTOS BY KATHY CHANG/STAFF
Five team members at Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center received the first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 17 at the hospital. The team members included an emergency medical technician, an emergency department administrator, an ICU nurse, and an ancillary support team member. By KATHY CHANG Staff Writer
EDISON – Hope. That is what Charlene Letsch, a registered nurse working in critical care at Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) JFK Medical Center, said of hearing about a COVID-19 vaccine. She was one of five team members, who also included Mercedittas Mallari, director of the emergency department; Armando Tamargo, one of the hospital’s emergency medical technicians (EMT); Samuel LaCapra, chairman and medical director of emergency medical services; and Christopher Tee, assistant director of environmental services at the hospital, to get one of the first administered Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Edison hospital on Dec. 17.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use approval to the Pfizer vaccine on Dec. 11. “When I caught word that the vaccine was going to be released, it was the first time in months that I felt hope,” Letsch said as she wiped away tears. “I feel that we’ve gone through so much with this and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We are still in the tunnel, but there it is, we can see it so I wanted to get the vaccine as soon as I could and be part of the solution.” The hospital received a shipment of 1,950 doses of the vaccine in dry ice on Dec. 17. The process was relatively quick. Pharmacists mixed the vaccine, which was in a small vial, into a syringe for each team member. And after answering a couple of questions, the team members one by one
recieved the vaccine. Many gave a smile and thumbs up afterwards. The team members then had to wait 15 minutes to make sure there was no adverse reaction to the vaccine. The team members said they felt “proud, honored and privileged” to have the opportunity to lead as a role model in the fight against the virus. Letsch said on a personal and professional level she has felt at times “helpless and hopeless” dealing with the coronavirus. “Back in March I actually got COVID-19 and I was sick for about eight weeks, I ended up in the ICU [Intensive Care Unit],” she said. “It affected me neurologically, I felt like it affected every single system of my body, my daughter got sick, I was miserable,” she said.
And on a professional level, she said it has been hard to sleep at night having seen what she has seen as a critical care nurse. LaCapra said COVID-19 has really been a long journey. “COVID-19 really truly is a horrible disease,” he said. “I’ve had people come up to me and ask me along the way ‘Is this COVID-19 real?’ Anyone who’s been in the hospital knows the devastating effects it can have on people. Truly it’s been very difficult to watch and experience the death it has caused, it is something that we really haven’t seen. In the ER (emergency room) we are used to dealing with difficult situations very often and unfortunate situations, really heartbreaking situations, almost on a daily basis. But this has been something really that has gone on for about nine months now.” (Continued on page 3)
2 THE CRITERION SENTINEL
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December 23, 2020D
Edison mayor requests county consider open space purchase on Glendale Avenue By KATHY CHANG Staff Writer
T
he Glendale and Silverlake neighborhood has garnered support from township officials and the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders to preserve the property at 41 Glendale Ave. as open space. Mayor Thomas Lankey has written a letter to Freeholder Director Ronald Rios requesting the county consider the purchase of the property through the Middlesex County Preserving Open Space program. The township’s Open Space Advisory Committee wrote a letter to the mayor and Township Council in support of preserving the area as open space. In the letter they recommended the township engage a professional land preservation organization such as The Land Conservancy of
New Jersey to manage the acquisition of the site. The organization has experience dealing with developers and knows how to apply for funding for preservation, the committee said. The council unanimously supported the mayor’s efforts and the Open Space Committee’s recommendations through a resolution at a meeting on Dec. 7. The site is currently proposed for warehouse development. The Planning Board began hearing two applications on Nov. 2 – a proposal for a minor subdivision for an existing contractor’s business, J. Sheer Industries, on one lot and warehouse/offices on a vacant lot and a proposal to construct a 176,630-square-foot warehouse with offices on the vacant lot at 41 Glendale Ave. The area is in the light industrial zone. Scott Turner, engineer for 41 Glendale Avenue LLC, testified most of the lots were vacant except for a one-story mason-
ry building, a two-and-a-half story structure, which was one time a residence, and two masonry garage buildings. Turner said the buildings are owned and utilized by J. Sheer Industries. During the meeting, an issue of whether or not tenants still lived at the former residential structure needed clarification before they could move forward. The hearing date on Dec. 7 was cancelled. The residents along Silver Lake Avenue and the intersecting streets have been protesting the proposal of the warehouse since they learned about it in August through resident Ron Loeffler. Signs of “Protect Silverlake – No Warehouse” line the street. Loeffler told the council the community is excited to explore open space and preserve the riverfront and wildlife in the area. Councilman Robert Diehl moved the resolution forward. He said their support of open space is not against development.
“I don’t think anybody here is against development,” he said. “We understand development and how important it is to our township. It is very, very important to the vitality of the township.” Diehl said the situation in the Glendale and Silverlake neighborhood is a quality of life issue. “Right now our town of [a population] of about 100,000 is 95% built out or better,” he said. “There’s not a lot of open space left and with parcels that are left, it is important that anything that we do with them does not negatively impact the residents that it surrounds.” The residents have set up a Facebook page Silverlake Edison and have a “No Warehouse Silver Lake Edison” GoFundMe page.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD A support group for public health employees will be held at 4 p.m. Thursdays in December. The open discussion will focus on the importance of nurturing emotional and mental health during COVID-19 and beyond.
The groups will share about how the pandemic has impacted emotional health for public health employees, and discuss wellness strategies to manage stress and promote healing. Log into Zoom using Meeting ID 911 7223 6441 with
passcode 934178. This program is presented by New Jersey Hope and Healing. For more information, visit www.mhanj.org
December 23, 2020
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
THE CRITERION SENTINEL 3
Vaccines (Continued from page 1)
Speaking as a physician, LaCapra said they always try to have something to provide for their patients whether to comfort pain or fight a disease. Over time, LaCapra said they have learned different ways to treat the novel coronavirus and help people from getting more ill after treating others. “One thing a little tough to think about sometimes is yes we don’t have a big track record on the vaccine, but we know it’s been tested, we know what it can do,” he said, adding knowing what the virus can do helps take that leap of confidence in the vaccine in efforts to keep everyone safe. Mallari said as a nurse she believes in science. “I know there’s always doubts and that’s OK, but I do believe that the vaccine will end this [pandemic],” she said. “I know that it’s our first line of defense. … I’m happy and excited it is here finally.” Mallari said she is thankful for the opportunity to take the vaccine and show others to not be afraid. “Hopefully one day we will look back and say remember that year, that unforgiving year, we will look back and cherish our patients and family members who have perished, but also be thankful for what has happened afterwards,” she said. Tamargo said he is thankful to set an example for his co-workers and community in hopes they can one day go out without wearing a mask, have family dinner again without worrying and enjoy a few beers after a long day at work. For Tamargo, the vaccine is another piece of insulation for frontline workers. He said when they go on assignment they don their personal protective equipment (PPE) – two pairs of gloves, a gown, a P100 respirator, eye shields, a hat and sometimes booties. “Everything is there to protect me, but now I have another layer of protection inside, a shield that you can’t see,” he said. “We got some of the brightest minds in medicine that put something out there for me to take out into the street. It’s made from the entire spectrum of medicine from the smartest doctors and researchers to Mr. EMT.” Tee said seeing what COVID-19 can do to people just at JFK alone heightens the importance of the vaccine in the fight
against the virus. “I know a lot of people need a hug right now so hopefully one day if everyone gets the shot we will be able to give people hugs again during this hard time,” he said. He said along with the excellent job his fellow peers of doctors and nurses have been doing during the pandemic, his team has done an excellent job making sure patient rooms are disinfected correctly in efforts to stop the spread of the virus. JFK Medical Center is one of four hub hospitals, which also include Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center and Hackensack University Medical Center, receiving doses of the vaccines. The hub hospitals will distribute to spokes, or the remaining acute care hospitals in HMH’s network. JFK is distributing some 500 doses to Raritan Bay Medical Center Perth Amboy and Raritan Bay Medical Center Old Bridge on Dec. 18. The medical centers are prepared to begin vaccination immediately, initially to team members and physicians who wish to receive the vaccine as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At this time, about 80% of HMH’s network front-line team members say they will get the vaccine. Others are taking a wait-and-see attitude and only a small percentage said they will not get vaccinated, hospital officials said. Contact Kathy Chang at kchang@newspapermediagroup.com
PHOTOS BY KATHY CHANG/STAFF
Five team members at Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center received the first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 17 at the hospital.
“Everything is there to protect me, but now I have another layer of protection inside, a shield that you can’t see.” — Armando Tamargo, emergency medical technician
Automotive..................................................... 8 Classified...................................................... 12
on the web: www.centraljersey.com
Crossword...................................................... 9 Editorials....................................................... 10
Entertainment................................................. 6 Real Estate.................................................... 10
4 THE CRITERION SENTINEL
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December 23, 2020D
REGIONAL INTEREST
Author reflects on his time in Peace Corps during midst of Gaddafi coup d’etat By ANDREW HARRISON Staff Writer
W
hen author Randolph Hobler was in his early 20s, he embarked on new journey that took him to country he had never experienced before: Libya. The former Princeton resident and Princeton University graduate, who now lives in Norwalk, Connecticut, had this new experience due to an opportunity to serve in one of the Peace Corps Libya contingents in the late 1960s. He reflected on his time in Libya through a recently released memoir of not just his experience, but that of fellow Libyan returned Peace Corps volunteers, whom he interviewed. Those interviews of 101 fellow volunteers and his own experience are spotlighted in the memoir, “101 Arabian Tales: How We All Persevered in Peace Corps Libya.” Hobler’s time in Peace Corps Libyan contingent would only last from 1968-69, as his and that of his fellow volunteer colleagues time in the country was cut short with Muammar al-Gaddafi seizing control of the Libyan government from King Adris, through a bloodless military coup in 1969. He would not relinquish his authoritarian rule over the country for more than 40 years, until his death in 2011. “When we were there we had no idea something was brewing in the form of revolution. It was a surprise,” Hobler said. “Half of us were out of the country on vacation when it happened. I was in Lebanon. I was able to return to the country, as did others, even though it was difficult to get back in. There was concern from the state department and Peace Corps and also curfews at night and a lot of shooting in the air in jubilation of coup.” After the coup, it would take two months for Hobler to exit the country with fellow volunteers once they did return to Libya. When asked why he joined the Peace Corps in his early 20s in the 1960s, Hobler said there were four reasons: being inspired by President John F. Kennedy to serve in the Peace Corps, his interest in foreign cultures and travel, to do good before responsibilities of life made it difficult to have enough time to do enough good, and the Vietnam War. Northern Africa and Libya in particular were not on Hobler’s radar as a possible destination for his time in the Peace Corps when he first applied. He was looking to Latin American for a destination, because he already knew some Spanish from studying the language while at Princeton University. “They told me that all of the Latin American countries were taken care of, so we are going to assign you to Libya. So of course at the time, I did not know where Libya was and had to look it up on my globe,” he said. “I knew absolutely nothing about this place, so I was really starting from scratch.” Hobler would enter three months of training in
Randy Hobler, right, with a camel in Libya. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RANDY HOBLER
A young Randy Hobler was able, with a buddy, to travel during winter vacation of 1969 to Algeria and Tunisia.
Clearfield, Utah, for the Peace Corps during the summer of 1968. “I was in the second Libyan contingent group there were 150 of us in Clearfield, Utah, and another 150 people in Arizona. They chose Clearfield because there is a hot and dry climate, very much like Libya,” Hobler said. “There were a lot of pros and cons to the training. One of the students Hobler There was a lot of misman- taught during his time in agement involved in Utah. Libya in the late 1960s. We were supposed to be speaking Arabic all the time time and there was very little of that. There was a cadre of psychologists there – they had teachers, they had brought on 30 Libyan nationals who came to learn English from us and they taught Arabic to us.” He would be trained on how to learn TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), and practice taught at the Navajo school down in Arizona. Volunteers were spread out on reservations to teach English and to practice teaching their English. “Training was very spotty, but once we got into Libya, we were able to cope,” Hobler said. When arriving in Libya the main part of his formal job was to teach English (TEFL) to fifth grade classes in Liby-
an villages. “We were teaching English to students who had never been exposed to the language. We also were encouraged to do community projects,” he said. “We were also to make friends and be friendly with the local community and be a part of the local community.” One of Hobler’s regrets is not being able to start and complete his project to help fight against the disease called trachoma for his designated village in what would have been in second year in Belgassim Aribi was the the Libya. According to the principal at one of Hobler’s World Health Organization, two schools he taught at in trachoma is a disease of the eye responsible for blindness Libya. or visual impairment. “Eighty percent of the people in my village had it and is a disease carried by flies. Along the way, I learned there was a form of antibiotic in the form of something like Chapstick that you could put in your eyes that would cure the trachoma in the village,” he said. “I was looking forward to doing that as my project for my second year and one of the greatest disappointments in my life is to not have been able to do that, because all of our plans were upended by the Muammar al-Gaddafi revolution that hit us on Sept. 1, 1969.”
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD High school students are invited to enter their substance use prevention messages through their original music as part of the music and song writing competition, “Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey,” sponsored by New Jersey Broadcasters and 959.9-FM WRAT. The competition is designed to chal-
lenge New Jersey high school students to create original music and lyrics with powerful peer-to-peer substance use, misuse and prevention messages. Entries are accepted through Feb. 1. All music genres are welcomed from students interested in sharing their talent and inspiring messages about shouting
down drugs and raising up their voices to inspire their peers. The winner of the New Jersey Shout Down Drugs competition, as decided by judges and announced at the end of the Prevention Concert, will receive a $5,000 music contract. The second- and thirdplace performers will receive $3,000 and
$2,000 music contracts, respectively, with the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. For rules and information on how to enter, contact Diane Higgins at 973-2757985.
December 23, 2020
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
THE CRITERION SENTINEL 5
BUSINESS BRIEFS The Federal Home Loan Bank of mly has held several leadership positions New York (FHLBNY) recently an- including chairman and board member nounced that its members have elected of the New Jersey Bankers Association, board member of the Bankers Thomas J. Kemly to the Board Cooperative Group, president of of Directors. Kemly will serve the Financial Managers Society a four-year term commencing for the New York and New Jeron Jan. 1. sey chapter, and was a member “The Federal Home Loan of the OCC Mutual Savings AsBank of New York plays sociation Advisory Committee. a critical role in providing He presently serves as presimember banks access to ecodent of Northern New Jersey nomical wholesale credit,” Community Bankers, as immeKemly, president and CEO of diate former chairman of the Columbia Bank, said in a preNew Jersey Bankers Board of pared statement. “By providDirectors, as board member of ing such services, the Federal the New Jersey Bankers ChariHome Loan Bank is able to table Foundation, and as board advance housing opportunities member for the Commerce and for families of all incomes and Thomas Kemly Industry Association of New accelerate local community Jersey. development. I look forward For more information about to contributing to this mission Columbia Bank’s products and services, during my term.” With nearly 40 years of experience, Ke- visit columbiabankonline.com
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Business Briefs may be sent via email to news@emsentinel.com. Business Briefs may report the opening of a new business with a description of what the business offers, or hirings or promotions at a local business, or hirings or promotions of area residents at their place of employment.
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6 THE CRITERION SENTINEL
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ENTERTAINMENT BEST BETS
December 23, 2020D
TV, Movies, Celebrities & More
Dress Up And Enjoy The Prom By Paul Hall
I
t’s big, it’s bold, it’s flashy — it’s The Prom. The lowercase prom is also big, bold and flashy, regardless of where you are in the United States, but in this case The Prom is a new film from director Ryan Murphy (Glee). Broadway stars Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (James Corden) open their new musical to mostly scathing reviews. One critic delivers the harshest blow, calling them narcissistic celebrities. Of course they are, but they don’t like hearing that fact from someone else. So they find a cause du jour to exert their influence on: A young girl in Indiana is pushing for an inclusive prom. So it’s everyone on the bus from the Big Apple to the Midwest. The PTA is fighting young Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman), who just wants to attend
the prom with her girlfriend. They make it clear she is not welcome to bring another girl as a date to this school event. But school Principal Tom Hawkins (KeeganMichael Key) is on Emma’s side and is trying to find a way to help. Enter Dee Dee, Barry, Angie (Nicole Kidman) and Trent (Andrew Rannells). The stars descend on the unsuspecting town, attempting to use their status to help Emma. But are they really there for Emma or is this simply about rehabbing their own images? Get ready to sing and dance your way through some topical social issues in this fight to have a prom where everyone is welcome. This is a film that is going to polarize some. The country as a whole is split at the moment, and as one group is called out for their faults, they will fight back and the others will cheer, but when the tables are turned, the responses are reversed. The fact is, many individuals think
some of these stereotypes don’t exist. Because of the subject matter, many will be on the defensive and won’t let the true joy of the film come through, and that will be a shame. Streep, Corden, Kidman and Rannells embrace their roles as stereotypical Broadway celebs. From frontline stars to bit players, they embody characters who you hate for their vanity, but love for their heart. Pellman is an amazing talent who just must play Drew Barrymore’s daughter at some point in her career. A dead ringer for a young Barrymore, Pellman delivers a performance that soundly represents the feelings of teens across the country in similar situations. She is the backbone here, and I wish she would have had even more time in the spotlight. Her song and dance number to “Zazz” with Kidman had me standing and dancing (sure, I was in my own house, but it was catchy). And I really love Keegan-Michael Key. Between this and Jingle Jangle (Netflix), Key has
shown an incredible range that many of us always knew he had. The Prom does struggle a bit along the way, but in a year filled with dread and problems, it’s time to dance, sing and try to put the past in our rear view. Don’t forget your own personal struggles, but look forward to what a new day will bring. Don’t give up your dreams, whether an inclusive prom or a good review or both. Just find it within yourself to be the best you can be and “Love Thy Neighbor” because “Tonight Belongs to You.” The Prom gives us that message in song, but we all need to listen. Paul’s Grade: BThe Prom Rated PG-13 Stars: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Jo Ellen Pellman, Andrew Rannells, Ariana DeBose, Kerry Washington Director: Ryan Murphy
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December 23, 2020
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THE CRITERION SENTINEL 7
Sewa Diwali organization collects items for MCC Food Pantry
M
any Hindu organizations throughout the state joined in this year’s Sewa Diwali Food Drive, which benefited the Middlesex County College Food Pantry. Sewa Diwali is a collection of organizations and individuals rooted in Indic values that promotes service and giving back to the local community. “This very, very generous donation came at a great time, as many of our students have been struggling with food insecurity since the pandemic began and
our supplies were beginning to run low,” Amanda Lyons, MCC’s basic needs coordinator, said in a prepared statement. “This is a huge relief and a very generous gift. We are so very grateful.” “We are very grateful to the incredible support from the Sewa Diwali project,” MCC President Mark McCormick said in the statement. “This will make a tremendous difference to those students who are food insecure. No one should go hungry, and this effort will feed a tremendous number of people.”
For a complete list of community announcements, visit emsentinel.com or www. centraljersey.com. Any calendar items not appearing in the printed version of the newspaper will appear online.
BULLETIN BOARD
PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS PETERSON
Many Hindu organizations throughout the state joined in this year’s Sewa Diwali Food Drive, which benefited the Middlesex County College Food Pantry.
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Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey seeks compassionate volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. They read to the patient, reminisce about their lives, play cards, help with letter writing and provide respite for caregivers. Visits can be virtual, and are either during the day or early evening. Volunteers may also assist with administrative work within the hospice office. Patient care volunteers complete an application and attend a virtual volunteer training program that covers the role of a hospice volunteer. Day and evening virtual training programs are offered. To sign up for the next virtual training class, contact Volunteer Coordinator Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email deborah@dovehs.com.
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8 THE CRITERION SENTINEL
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
December 23, 2020D
ON THE ROAD PETER PERROTTA
2021 Nissan Rogue SL AWD
I
find most television car commercials to be almost fairy tale like, especially around holiday time. I mean, who really gets a new car for Christmas, or whichever holiday you happen to celebrate? However, the commercial for the newly redesigned 2021 Nissan Rogue breaks the mold a bit. It features a family driving the Rogue who can’t decide what they want to do: go to the mountains, off-road adventuring, drive in the snow or simply just go to the movies. Of course, it’s a good thing they have their new Rogue because with the all wheel drive model five drive modes are now available: off-road, snow, standard, eco and sport. All you have to do is engage the drive-mode selector mounted on the center console and off you go. Peter Perrotta Well, does life imitate commercials or is the commercial imitating life here? I will leave that one to the philosophers in the crowd. But, I would have to say that after driving the new 2021 Nissan Rogue SL AWD for one week recently, I really enjoyed the new look and feel of the Rogue, and especially had fun playing with drive mode selector choosing what style I wanted to drive in on any particular day. Nissan really went back to the drawing board in doing this redesign of its biggest selling model and gave the Rouge a muchneeded makeover from the ground up, inside and out. The previous generation Rogue, while popular, suffered from what I would call
“ho-hum-ness”. For most people, it was an OK compact SUV that could get the job done but didn’t offer anything overwhelming that would make it stand out in the crowd. The new Rogue offers more attractive styling – featuring a bit shorter and lower stance. It has a boxier, more rugged or sporty design. The interior has been upgraded with more up-to-date ergonomics and the 2.5 liter four cylinder engine gets a power boost to 181 horsepower. Moreover, the chassis and ride quality were also upgraded giving it more adept ride and handling capabilities. “The all new Rogue was purposely designed to meet all the needs of today’s young families,” says Mike Colleran, senior vice president, Nissan U.S. Marketing and Sales. “Rogue is playing to win in the midsize crossover game with the ideal mix of expressive design, advanced technology, safety, comfort and versatility.” The editors at Car and Driver seem to think the new design is an overall winner. “Historically, the Rogue has sold well against segment leaders such as Honda CRV, Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen Tiguan,” writes Car and Driver. “But, it wasn’t as good overall, languishing far down in our rankings. With this redesign, Nissan’s money maker turns up the charm in an attempt to shake off its history of mediocrity. We think they have been relatively successful (with the redesign).” I would have to agree. After driving this new Rogue for one week, I found it to be attractive – both inside and out – comfortable, peppy with enough new pizzazz to lift it out of the hohum category into a serious segment contender. The model I drove – the SL AWD – carries a base price of $33,400. My tester added premium paint as an option for $395, $385 for a floor mat and cargo area
2021 Nissan Rogue SL AWD
protection package and $1,095 for destination and handling. The bottom line sticker price on my tester came in at $35,275. The Rogue is also available in the base model S (starting at $26.745), SV ($28,425) and Platinum ($36,525). The fuel economy ratings for the new Rogue have not been released, but Nissan claims the fuel economy has been improved slightly to 29 miles per gallon overall for the all wheel drive model and up to 30 mpg for the front wheel drive Rogues. According to Car and Driver, on their 200 mile highway test drive, the new Rogue got an impressive 32 miles per gallon. The new Rogue is the first Nissan to feature the Japanese auto maker’s Nissan Safety Shield 360 technology. This new technology package includes: automatic emergency braking with pedestrian
protection; blind spot warning; rear cross traffic alert; lane departure warning; high beam assist; and rear automatic braking. Also new in this Rogue is something Nissan calls its Vehicle Motion Control. This feature works in conjunction with its four wheel drive system and drive mode selector to provide a smoother more secure ride by making adjustments depending on the driver’s driving style and road conditions. Overall, the newly designed Rogue is worth checking out if you are considering purchasing or leasing a compact to midsized SUV or crossover. Peter Perrotta’s On The Road column appears weekly. For comments or questions he can be contacted at peter@capitalmotorcars.com
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD Raritan Valley Road Runners, one of the largest running clubs in New Jersey, is accepting applications for a new scholarship program designed to help student runners in cross country or track and field who attend high school or community college in Middlesex and Somerset counties. A one-time award of $1,000 will be made to each of two outstanding athletes enrolling in post-secondary education.
The scholarships are not based entirely on speed or competitions won, but rather on strong academics, sportsmanship, citizenship and financial need. The scholarships are funded by individual donations, funds from club-sponsored races and business contributions. Eligible applicants will be graduating from high school in Middlesex or Somerset counties in 2021 or currently attending
community college in these counties. They will need to prove acceptance to a full-time (12 credits or more) associate or bachelor’s degree program. They will have a weighted GPA of 2.75 or higher as demonstrated by an unofficial transcript. And they will need to demonstrate passionate participation as a runner in a cross country or track and field in their junior and senior years of high school or while at community college.
Participation in extracurricular activities and community involvement will also be considered. For more information, application materials, or to donate to the scholarship fund, email scholarship@rvrr.org. The deadline to apply is Jan. 31. Scholarships will be awarded in April.
December 23, 2020
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
THE CRITERION SENTINEL 9
HAPPY HOLIDAYS New Jersey's Official Health Insurance Marketplace
Answers are on page 7
ACROSS 1. “Lord of the Flies” shell 6. *New Year’s Eve choice: Brut or Demi____ 9. Get-out-of-jail money 13. Convex molding 14. *“____ I Want for Christmas...” 15. Sign of life 16. Redo, to a carpenter 17. Flying saucer acronym 18. Often-missed humor 19. *Hanukkah toy 21. *____ Santa, giftgiving tradition 23. Ides mo. 24. Part of a hammer 25. Cook’s leaf 28. “Hey!” 30. Brain’s ____ system 35. Revered one 37. “____ Your Enthusiasm” 39. Capital of Egypt 40. Went by horse 41. “I do” spot
43. *____ Sandler’s “Eight Crazy Nights” 44. Scary movie consequence 46. Dexterity 47. Boundary line 48. Modern selfportrait 50. Superman’s last name 52. Actor’s domain 53. Wild plum 55. Mama sheep 57. *“I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my ____” 60. *African-American celebration 64. Town news announcer 65. Charged particle 67. Elephant poacher’s ware 68. Give new guns 69. *The night before Christmas 70. Present 71. *Like a Christmas sweater, often 72. Uncooked 73. Adherents of Sikhism
DOWN 1. Umbilical connection 2. *“Grandma got run ____ by a reindeer...” 3. *Santa’s “cheeks were like roses, his ____ like a cherry” 4. Request to Geico 5. Carriage on top of elephant 6. Pulitzer winner Bellow 7. *Santa helper 8. Bring to an end 9. Jefferson’s Vice President 10. Medicinal succulent 11. Negative contraction 12. Bovine hangout 15. Alfresco meal 20. Novelist Jong 22. Sushi restaurant choice 24. *Have a piece of Christmas Goose, e.g. 25. *“Five golden rings, four calling ____...” 26. Dig intensely
27. Cry of the Alps 29. *Time for log 31. Address with apostrophe 32. Stays somewhere 33. About to explode 34. *Vixen follower 36. Table extension 38. Diamond’s corner 42. Sign up again 45. Divest one of a gun 49. “Slippery” tree 51. Mark and Shania 54. Twig of a willow tree 56. End of a poem 57. Fortune-teller’s residue 58. Iranian coin 59. Suggestive of the supernatural 60. Was aware of 61. Fall asleep, with ‘out’ 62. Foot part 63. Pirates’ affirmatives 64. French vineyard 66. Female gametes
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December 23, 2020D
Coaches, athletes read children’s books focusing on Black culture
T
he Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced its Time Out for Black Lives initiative, which aims to inspire and educate youth, athletes, families and fans. Time Out for Black Lives has an interactive website where coaches and studentathletes from MAAC basketball programs contribute their time and resources to read children’s books in entertaining videos, all
focusing on Black culture, history, music and myths. The program comes as part of the MAAC’s United for Justice campaign that was announced over the summer. “The Time Out for Black Lives program is something the MAAC and its member institutions have been excited about launching for quite some time as we worked with our partners in Greece and the MAAC SAAC and basketball coaches
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and student-athletes,” MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor said in a statement from Rider University. “It’s an excellent way to give back to local schools and expand the familiarity of our basketball programs while also teaching important aspects of black history to our youth. Teaching children about these important parts of history is so important now more than ever, and the MAAC is proud to give back to its communities. We hope this program is just one of many included in the conference’s United for Justice campaign. Kudos to all involved in this project and for their support of social justice initiatives.” All videos will be highlighted on the new site built specifically for the reading program, timeoutforblacklives.com. Posted videos will feature short biographies on each coach or student-athlete, with kidfriendly information such as the reader’s hometown, favorite book and favorite basketball player. There are also “Let’s Talk About It” resource guides to help parents/ teachers start thought provoking discussions with the children viewing the videos. The first round of videos will feature: Rick Pitino (Iona) reads “A Nation’s Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis” by Matt De La Peña, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Kevin Baggett (Rider) reads “I Got Next” by Daria Peoples-Riley. Carmen Maciariello (Siena) reads “Obama: The Day the World Danced: a Family Heirloom” by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Jordan Henderson (Canisius) reads “Cool Cuts” by Mechal Renee Roe. Melik Martin (Monmouth) reads “I Am Every Good Thing” by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James. Heather Vulin (Manhattan) reads “Vote for Our Future” by Margaret McNamara, illustrated by Micah Player. Marc Mitchell (Saint Peter’s) reads “Henry’s Freedom Box” by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Jada Pierce (Niagara) reads “Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice and Sing In-
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spired Generations” by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Keith Mallett. Julianna Bonilla (Marist) reads “Good Night Martin Luther King Jr.” by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper, illustrated by Julissa Mora. Callie Cavanaugh (Fairfield) reads “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. Sajada Bonner (Quinnipiac) reads “Get Up, Stand Up” by Cedella Marley, illustrated by John Jay Cabuay. “The Time Out For Black Lives reading initiative is a fantastic program,” Iona Men’s Basketball Coach Rick Pitino said in the statement. “I am incredibly proud of the MAAC and every member school for taking steps to make this mission actionable.” “This basketball reading program is intended to help children develop reading, writing and thought-provoking skills while recognizing the outstanding contributions and achievements of many great Black leaders. This program is not about the actions of one, but the collective momentum of many, and Iona, as well as the MAAC, is committed to carrying that momentum forward.” Pitino partook in a similar program while coaching in Greece and was a strong advocate for the MAAC to launch its own program. Coaches throughout the conference felt strongly about the Time Out for Black Lives program and were eager to partake. “I’m proud to take part in Time Out for Black Lives,” Rider Men’s Basketball Coach Kevin Baggett said in the statement. “Being able to intersect two very important things like reading and social justice while reaching a young audience makes the initiative one that will no doubt have a meaningful impact.” Baggett and Pitino will be included in the first wave of released videos. Heather Vulin, head coach of the Manhattan’s women’s program and also part of the first (Continued on next page)
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THE CRITERION SENTINEL 11
REGIONAL INTEREST
Author Stephen Crane continues to impact alma mater By ANDREW HARRISON Staff Writer
A
uthor Stephen Crane has posthumously earned an induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He joined Fran Lebowitz, General Martin Dempsey and Eli Manning in the Class of 2019-20 during a virtual ceremony in October. Crane is known for the classic novel “The Red Badge of Courage”. The war novel first published in 1895 is about a young private (Henry Fleming) in the Union Army during the Civil War, who redeems himself in battle as the stander-bearer of his regiment after previously fleeing a prior battle. Crane would go on to also publish several essays, novels, and a volume of poetry, according to the Library of Congress. In addition, he would become a foreign war correspondent in Greece and the Spanish-American War in Cuba.
Even though he passed away at the authors, artists, or public figures to speak age of 29 from tuberculosis, his impact or perform on campus, according to the still lives on not just with his writings, school. Speakers have inbut at his former school cluded David Hale, U.S. once called The Pennington Special Envoy for Middle Seminary. The school he East Peace; Rudy Boschwitz attended as a student from ’47, former U.S. Senator, 1885-87 is currently known emissary who negotiated as The Pennington School. Operation Solomon; and “The Pennington School Loung Ung, author of “First would be honored to have They Killed My Father”. any alumnus named to the “Stephen Crane himself New Jersey Hall of Fame, has had an impact on the and are especially proud to school as an inspiration to find Stephen Crane on this students and faculty who list almost 140 years after study his literature. He has he attended,” said Emma not only inspired the StePHOTO COURTESY OF phen Crane Lecture Series, Wells, spokesperson for The THE PENNINGTON SCHOOL Pennington School. Stephen Crane, author but also a school-wide writOne of Crane’s imprints of ”The Red Badge of ing contest,” Wells said. on the school can be seen Courage,” is inducted into “Crane’s novels and short through the The Stephen the New Jersey Hall of stories such as ‘The Red Crane Lecture Series, a tra- Fame. Badge of Courage,’ ‘Magdition that invites prominent gie: A Girl of the Streets,’
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wave of released recordings, was also an enthusiastic supporter of the program. “I am so excited to be a part of the MAAC initiative Time Out for Black Lives,” Vulin said in the statement. “I feel it puts representation to the forefront and starts exposure and conversations on diversity, equality, and inclusion early for our children. The book I read, ‘Vote for our Future’, is a great example of the importance of using our right to vote and how voting impacts everyone’s future. I feel this program will be a wonderful resource for our local schools and an opportunity to get important conversations started. Plus, every child should be able to see someone that looks like them when they are learning about history and other important topics. We all truly gain when we embrace our differences and strengths.
I am proud to be a part of the MAAC, which has continually made it a priority to use our platform to raise awareness and support for the social justice movement.” Student-athletes will also be taking part in Time Out for Black Lives, as they have in past MAAC initiatives. Studentathletes are able to share their life experiences and lessons in a way that local students can easily connect to, as was evident in last year’s MAAC Gives Back program where basketball programs visited local elementary and high schools. “I am excited to be a part of the MAAC’s Time Out for Black Lives reading program,” Canisius junior guard Jordan Henderson said in the statement. “This program is a fun way to help children learn about the importance of reading, and I’m honored to be one of the student-athletes chosen to help share that message.”
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‘The Open Boat,’ and ‘The Blue Hotel’ are still studied at the school and stand as lasting examples of the power of literature.” Crane’s connection to what is known today as The Pennington School began with his father, Rev. Jonathan Townley Crane. Rev. Crane served as head of The Pennington Seminary from 1849-58, when the school was owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church. According to the school, it was under his leadership that the seminary added the Female Collegiate Institute in 1853, becoming one of the first boarding schools in the country to admit women. The school also began to take on its present form with construction of the east wing to Old Main in 1852. “While male and female students shared time together in the dining room and chapel, they had different courses of study and were under strict supervision at all times,” Wells said.
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Handypersons
KEY CONSTRUCTION HOME IMPROVEMENTS Interior HH Exterior We Accept Credit Cards
• Additio�s • Attics 10% • Baseme�ts OFF • Bathrooms Any JOB • Carpets Booked B� 12/31/20 • Carpe�tr� Mi�. $300 • Ceramic Tile • Cou�ter Tops • Decks • Doors • Dormers • Sheetrock • Floori�g (we are dustless)
• Gutters • Hardwood Floors • Kitche�s • Lami�ate Floors • Moldi�gs • Odd Jobs • Pai�ti�g • Power Washi�g • Repairs • Roofi�g • Sidi�g • Wallpaper Removal • Wi�dows
HARDWOOD SPECIALIST • NEW JERSEY’S BEST NJ Lic# 13VH06672000
www.ke�floorshic.com
732-952-5131
Home Improvements
AJ’s Home Improvement, LLC
Gutter Covers RooďŹ ng & Chimney Repairs Call for free estimate
732-579-2490
NM-00448401
Ann 27 th Cele iversary brati on
Fully Insured • Free Estimates • Owner Operated NM-00448356
Automotive Merchandise
Celebra-
Jobs
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
Fully Insured
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 732-358-5200
732-900-6087
CERTIFIED
Commercial & Residential
Exterior All Types of RooďŹ ng Flat & Shingles Repair or New Deck Repair & Staining Chimney & Fencing Shed Repairs Powerwashing
Interior Carpentry Painting Repairs Basement WaterprooďŹ ng
No Job Too Small or Big!
Quality Service – Quick Response Free Estimates ~ 24 hr. emergency service
Veteran Discounts Available
14 THE CRITERION SENTINEL
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
December 23, 2020D
BUSINESS & SERVICE
CALL OUR CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT TO ADVERTISE HERE 732-358-5200 Home Improvements
Home Improvements
Lawn Care
73 2 -354- 6 4 6 4
IMPROVEMENTS • Roofing Siding - Windows • Bathroom And Kitchen Remodeling
• • •
Kitchen Remodeling
Free Est. • Fully Ins. • 35 Years Experience
Bathroom Remodeling
NM-00447517
Powder Room Remodeling Specialists
• • •
732-572-2678
Home Improvements
Insurance Claims Basements Finishing General Repair
RooďŹ ng Repairs • Deck Repairs Cement Repairs Interior & Exterior Painting
Free Estimates
73 2 -354- 6 4 6 4
FREE Estimates Call 732-306-7113
NM-00448700
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 732-358-5200 Home Improvements
NM-00448525
/
INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE
LANDSCAPING INC.
Paver Walkways Patio • Driveways Snow Plowing
COMPLETE LANDSCAPE DESIGN 732-549-6387
www.dslandscapinginc.com
NM-00447521
Lawn Care
/
Landscaping
Lawn Care
/
• Fall Clean-Ups • Complete Lawn Renovation & Restoration • Complete Landscape ALL Restoration & Installation WORK • All Full Trimming & Pruning GUARANTEED • All types of Fall Seeding/Aeration • De-Thatching/Core Aeration • Slit Seeding
Landscaping
D&S
E.Z.L. CONSTRUCTION AnyType of Home Improvement No Job Too Small
Landscape Restoration Experts RESIDENTIAL & WORKING FOR COMMERCIAL A GREENER NEW JERSEY
Free Estimates • Fully Insured
Lawn Care
Free Estimates • Fully Insured
Now Accepting Most Credit Cards
CertiďŹ ed brick paver and retaining wall installer
732-257-5973 Lic. # 13VH08853200
CLEAN-UPS
NJ State Pesticide Lic.#97065A
FREE ESTIMATES
Landscaping
Landscaping
G.S. LAWN SERVICE & LANDSCAPING, LLC
732-548-1653
NM-00447520
/
Save $$$ With
TREE SERVICE
• Custom Seemless Gutters Leaf Guards
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
Lawn Care
• Tree Removal • Trimming • Pruning • Stump Grinding • FIREWOOD • Lots Cleared Serving: Edison, FIREWOOD Metuchen, Colonia, Woodbridge, N.Brunswick, Highland Park and “We Are TheMilltown, Most Recommended surrounding. Tree Service In The Areaâ€?
Specializing in
FALC O D E S I G N
Landscaping
C.H.E.A.P.
TIMCO HOME
FAST AND RIGHT
/
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 732-358-5200 Lawn Care
/
Landscaping
UNITED
Residential/Commercial/Municipal
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
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Over 2,500 SatisďŹ ed Customers A&S JR. LLC Lic# 13VH03221500
• Hardwood Floors • Kitchens • Laminate Floors • Moldings • Odd Jobs • Painting • Power Washing • Repairs • RooďŹ ng • Sheds • Siding • Wallpaper • Windows
Will Serve The Monmouth Areas For Tree Work & Landscaping Only
24 HOUR PROMPT/EMERGENCY SERVICE
$100 OFF
Any Service of $1,000 or more
Must present coupon at time of estimate. Exp. 11/30/20
Storm damage/storm related issues excluded.
ALL WORK GUARANTEED !!! (Cell)
732-613-1115 973-818-0880
NM-00446897
www.buildwithasjr.com
NM-00447519
Free Estimates • Insured • Owner-Operated
(OfďŹ ce)
• • • •
$200 OFF
Any Service of $1,500 or more
• • • •
Must present coupon at time of estimate. Exp. 11/30/20
Storm damage/storm related issues excluded.
** DISCOUNTED FIREWOOD ** 1 Cord $185.00 • 1/2 Cord $100
732-257-1170
www.budgetpropertymaintenance.com
FULLY INSURED, FREE ESTIMATES
•
OWNER OPERATED
NM-00448402
• Additions • Attics • Basements • Bathrooms • Carpentry • Ceramic Tile • Counter Tops • Decks Over 30 years • Doors Experience • Dormers • Dry Wall • Flooring • Gutters
FALL CLEAN-UPS SNOW REMOVAL SNOW DAMAGE EMERGENCY SERVICE AVAILABLE Complete Landscaping & Maintenance Tree & Shrub Pruning Retaining Walls Storm Damage Mulch & Stone
(732) 238-2050
Commercial & Residential Free Estimates Fully Insured
Tree Service, Inc.
(Patios, Retaining Walls, Pavers, Sidewalks) Free Estimates Fully Insured Over 20 Years Experience 24 Hour Emergency Service Senior Citizen Discount
CALL NICK
NM-00445425
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 732-358-5200
732-207-3933 732-617-TREE
0December 23, 2020
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
THE CRITERION SENTINEL 15
BUSINESS & SERVICE
CALL OUR CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT TO ADVERTISE HERE 732-358-5200 /
Landscaping
Painting/Wallpapering
EXPERT
LANDSCAPING • TREE SERVICES STUMP REMOVAL • SPRINKLER REPAIR BULK MATERIAL DELIVERY
732-983-1520
FULLY INSURED
24 HR. ANSWERING SERVICE
Interior & Exterior Residential & Commercial Powerwashing Drywall Repair Taping & Spackling Handyman Services Snowplowing Services
732-713-1528 TOM 732-713-2008 BRIAN Masonry/Paving Fully Insured
NM-00446902
FREE ESTIMATE Brick Pavers - Natural Stone Concrete - Driveways - Patios Sidewalks - Steps - Retaining Walls
1-800-757-7747 BrickPaverExpert.com
NM-00447428
Free Estimates NJ State Fully Licensed & Insured
Glenn Kaune’s Custom Painting
Serving the area for over 31 years! Best from Europe!
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Quality Work • Affordable Wallpaper Removal • Sheetrock Repair Taping/Spackling • Interior/Exterior Reliable Prompt Service
POLISH
NM-00448548
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ALL WORK DONE BY OWNER
s Year
Free Estimates - Fully Insured
732-906-0385 Plumbing
David J. McConnell 732-257-6254
P Boilers Installed/Repaired P Water Heaters Installed P Drains & Sewer lines cleaned P Sewer & Water Mains installed P Kitchen & Bath Remodeling P Framing & Sheet Rock
H
NJ Lic#8843
#13VH04604300
Plumbing
3rd Generation
www.poloniaconstruction.com
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H
No Job Too Small
Painting/Wallpapering
All Phases of Brick, Stone & Concrete Work Free Designing Available
732-525-8118
DISCOUNTS 732-605-0362 AVAILABLE Over 30 yrs. • Free Est./Ins.

Plumbing • Heating Home Improvements
Painting/Wallpapering
Masonry/Paving
MASON
 ď€ď€Ľ
ART MOHR PAINTING
LAWN & LANDSCAPING, LLC
NJ Lic. 13VH3323100
Painting/Wallpapering
NM-00444807
Lawn Care
PAINTING
• All Phases Of Painting • Interior/Exterior • Moulding Installation •No Job Too Small
“Honest, Neat and Professional Service�
When quality, Reliability & Experience Matter
www.mattcoplumbing.com
Owned & operated by Joshua Ludlow Free Estimates • References • Fully Insured
Metuchen, NJ 08840 | info@mattcoplumbing.com
(732) 534-0548
  € �
plumbing & heating
NM-00445988
Lic#13VH06178600
732-418-0011
TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 732-358-5200
16 THE CRITERION SENTINEL
NEWSPAPER MEDIA GROUP • www.centraljersey.com
December 23, 2020