10-22 HE

Township council the only contested race in the Valley this fall

Write-in candidate likely to win seat on board of education

By JOe EMANsKi

Hopewell Valley voters will not have many choices when they open up their mail-in ballots at home or step into the voting booths on Nov. 8 — Election Day.

That is not necessarily news in Pennington or Hopewell Borough, where local Republican or, in a few cases, Democratic committees have failed to advance any candidates for local races.

And it is not the case this year in Hopewell Township, where both Democrats and Republicans have two candidates apiece for the two seats up for election. Committee members and Democrats David Chait and Courtney PetersManning — the township’s current mayor — are running against Republican challengers Jennifer DiDonato and Daniel J. Hanley, Jr. there.

But this year, the dearth of candidates willing to run for elected office has reached the Hopewell Valley Regional School District Board of Education — and

one might say the situation there has things kicked up a notch.

There are nine seats on the school board, one each going to Pennington and Hopewell Borough, and the remaining seven being filled by Hopewell Township residents. This year, the Hopewell Borough seat and two Hopewell Township seats are in play.

Jess Grillo, the incumbent borough representative, is not running for re-election, leaving first-time candidate Mark J. Peters as the only candidate there.

In Hopewell Township, incumbents Bill Herbert and John Mason have not sought re-election. First-time candidate Michael Wilson is the only person running — one candidate for two seats.

That being the case, township residents have an unusual opportunity: to vote for a write-in candidate with a real chance of winning a place in elected office.

According to a spokesperson from the Mercer County Clerk’s office, a write-in candidate would be required to have at least 10 votes to be eligible for election to school board. Among all write-in candidates with at least 10 votes,

See ELECTION, Page 11

‘Your Stage’ invites artists to blossom

By JAsMiNe Lee

Michelle Klein has always had a love for creating music and has been surrounded by it her whole life, and she decided to give other people a chance to take their talents and love of arts to the stage. No matter your forte, whether it’s comedy, poetry, acting, singing, or playing an instrument, all

are welcome to come and grace Hopewell Theater’s stage, several times a year, at Your Stage at Any Stage.

Your Stage is an open mic event at which all are welcomed to showcase their passions. Anyone who decides to brave the stage will be backed up by Hopewell’s supportive community, and, Klein hopes, may see it as an opportu-

nity to break out of their shell.

The most recent event took place last month, and the next is scheduled for Dec. 14 at the theater in Hopewell Borough.

“The theater has opened the doors and created this program to have any and all types of people to take the stage,” says Klein, coowner of Peasant Grill and host of

Olympic hopeful Annalise Newman-Achee focuses on the uneven bars at the July 2022 Pan American Gymnastics Championships, held in Rio De Janeiro. For the full story, turn to page 22.

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AROUND TOWN

Masons’ 3rd annual Oktoberfest set for Oct. 8

Trenton Cyrus Lodge No. 5 is set to host its 3rd annual Oktoberfest celebra tion on Saturday, Oct. 8.

The Masons say that the event will fea ture a pig roast, beer on tap, a live band, cornhole, pumpkin carving and other games. A raffle will be held with proceeds reportedly going to Children’s Dyslexia Centers of New Jersey.

The event will be held rain or shine at the lodge, 131 Burd St., in Pennington from 4 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $50 for those 21 and older and $25 for those ages 12 to 21. Kids under 12 are free.

For more information or to preorder tickets, go online to trentoncyrus5.org.

Fraud and scams the topics for Brown Bag Lunch Program

Fraud seems to be everywhere these days: in the mail, in telephone calls, in e-mail, in all types of advertising, and so on. How can seniors learn to recognize it? How can they be sure whether an offer is legitimate or fraudulent? And what can

they do to protect themselves against fraud?

An AARP representative will be on hand to answer those very questions,

and more at the next Brown Bag Lunch Program offered by the Older Adult Min istry Team of Pennington Presbyterian Church.

The free two-part program, entitled “Fraud Watch: Network Basics and Pro tecting Your Digital ID,” is set for Friday, Oct. 7 at the church. All members of the community are welcome to bring their own brown bag for lunch at 12:30. Bever ages and a light dessert will be provided. The hourlong program will begin at 1.

Annual Pumpkin Carve event set for Oct. 12

The Hopewell Valley Arts Council is set to host the 8th annual Amazing Pumpkin Carve this year from Wednesday, Oct. 12 through Sunday, Oct. 16 at Woolsey Park in Hopewell.

The event will feature 35 large pump kins carved by local artists. Typical pumpkins used for the carve weigh in at more than 125 pounds. The arts coun cil reports that 3,000 people visited the Amazing Pumpkin Carve last year.

This year, visitors can opt to view the pumpkins on a walk-through or a drive through tour. The walk-through dates are Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 12 and 13.

Viewing hours will be from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday.

See NEWS, Page 6

The most popular fall event in the Hopewell Valley!

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12 THRU

SUNDAY OCTOBER 16

WOOLSEY PARK IN HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP

See the 35 gigantic artist-carved and electrified pumpkins up-close and personal with walk-around viewing on Wednesday and Thursday. Then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Carve will be held drive-thru style — where visitors view the outrageously carved pumpkin from the comfort of their car.

All proceeds go toward artist/carver honoraria and funding art-related programs of the Hopewell Valley Arts Council.

“Precious Cargo” by Matt Derby at Amazing Pumpkin Carve 2021.

Hopewell Borough, NJ

$389,900

Brinton H West 609.462.0556

MLS# NJME2018624

Hopewell Township, NJ $3,300,000

Joan Loraine Otis 908.415.3062

MLS# NJME2006034

INBOX

Letters: support Peters-Manning, Chait for township committee

As of Sept. 24, Hopewell Township residents should have begun receiving mailin ballots for this year’s election. Whether they vote by mail, take advantage of early voting from Oct. 29 through Nov. 6, or vote in person on Nov. 8, I encourage voters to reelect Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning and committee member David Chait to the Hopewell Township Committee.

Courtney and David have worked tirelessly this year for the benefit of all Hopewell Township residents. The capstone of their work is a rarity—a property tax reduction. In a year when prices for everything seem to keep going up, it’s great to see something—our taxes—go down.

Hopewell Township, NJ

$995,000

Owen ‘Jones’ Toland 609.731.5953

MLS# NJME2021992

Hopewell Township, NJ $4,995,000

Jennifer E Curtis 609.610.0809

MLS# NJME313550

And what about their opponents? We know two things about them. First, they have a slogan of “Hopewell Values,” still trying to uncover what that means. And second, they went door to door with the Republican candidate for Congress, a

self-described Trump Republican and election denier.

As for Courtney and David, they have told us their shared values: welcoming, responsive, financially disciplined, and environmental champions. Through their work on the committee, they have shown us those values in action.

Furthermore, I think it’s safe to say that Courtney and David, along with the overwhelming majority of Hopewell Township residents, be they Democrats, Republicans or unaffiliated voters, accept the results of the 2020 election.

If a person wants to follow an election denier, that is certainly their right. But I don’t think that reflects our values.

Please join me in reelecting Courtney Peters-Manning and David Chait to the Hopewell Township Committee.

Jodi Viaud Hopewell

Hopewell Township, NJ

$1,199,000

Christina Phillips 917.208.5724

MLS# NJME2018484

Hopewell Township, NJ $7,750,000

Princeton Office 609.921.1050

MLS# NJME2012886

We are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Hopewell Express is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Gazette does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staff sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood.

EDITOR

Joe Emanski (Ext. 120)

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Rich Fisher, Jasmine Lee

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNISTS

Courtney Peters-Manning, Robin Schore, Lisa Wolff AD LAYOUT AND PRODUCTION

Stacey Micallef

Hopewell Township, NJ

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Hopewell Township, NJ

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American Founder Benjamin Franklin warned us that “nothing in this life is certain except death and taxes.” And taxes, it seems, are always going up.

But not in Hopewell Township.

Thanks to persistent budget discipline and savvy financial management, the municipal portion of our local property tax bills in Hopewell Township actually went down this year. It is the first decline in 15 years, and we can expect more reductions in coming years.

This was not a random event. Careful fact-gathering, rigorous analysis, and innovative use of provisions in state law drove smart decisions. Hopewell Township will still provide a full range of police protection, public works, and other services and fund our fair share of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District. But homeowner tax bills will be smaller.

Who made this work for Hopewell Township taxpayers? Hopewell Township Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning, Township Committee Members David Chait, Kevin Kuchinski, Michael Ruger, and Uma Purandare.

Courtney Peters-Manning and David Chait are running for Hopewell Township Committee seats this year. Voters can cast their ballots in advance by mail or at early voting locations and at regular polling locations on Nov. 8. Courtney Peters-

Manning and David Chait have demonstrated leadership that benefits our whole community, and they deserve our votes.

Bill Stolow

Hopewell Township Stolow is chair of the Hopewell Township Democratic Committee.

The truth about tax rates

I just watched the League of Women Voter interviews with all candidates running for the Hopewell Township committee and I am concerned about the possible spread of misinformation.

First, let me start with actual facts. Hopewell Township tax bills sent out over the summer indicated a property tax decrease and showed the allocations and calculations.

Since the lion’s share of our property taxes is the school tax, I asked Bill Herbert, the Chair of the HVRSD Board of Education Finance Committee about the 2022 school budget. He explained that both boroughs experienced a modest change in tax rates, while Hopewell Township experienced a significant decrease. (7 cents per $100 of assessed value.)

Mr. Herbert attributed the difference among the municipalities to “the fact that

Hopewell Township has seen a recent increase in its commercial ratables.”

During their League of Women Voter interviews, Jennifer DiDonato claimed, “Not a single taxpayer has said that their taxes have gone down.” While Daniel Hanley suggested that, “In parts of Hopewell Township, property taxes did not go down, but actually went up about 60% in some areas of the township.”

Conversely, Courtney Peters-Manning and David Chait both correctly stated that Hopewell Township has seen its first property tax decrease in over 15 years.

As a former school board leader, I follow property tax information closely. Since it is very rare that taxpayers are presented with positive information, it should be lauded and properly reflected.

Lisa Wolff Hopewell Township

Have something to say? Want to make your voice heard? Send your le�er to the editor of 250 words or fewer to jemanski@ communitynews.org. Le�ers not appearing in print will be posted to communitynews.org. The deadline for the next issue is Oct. 15.

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EOE

Walk-through tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for those under 18. Kids in strollers are free.

Drive-through dates will be Friday through Sunday, Oct. 14 through 16. Viewing hours will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 6 to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Drive-through pricing is $25 per vehicle if purchased online by Oct. 5, and $30 thereafter. Oversized vehicles will not be permitted.

The pumpkins will be carved onsite on Oct. 12. Carvers expected to participate in 2022 include Sarah Bernotas, Michelle Clark and Ben Clark, Jonathan Con ner, Michael Davies, Aleece Davis and Jill Thomas, Barbara DiLorenzo, John Goeke, Caroline Hall, James Kelewae, Britany Keyak-Potoczky, Kathy Kutz, Danyelle Lala, Kathy Lala and Linga Angela, Elizabeth Massa, Curtis May, Patrick Pasquito, Susan Roseman, Poppy Sangthong and Peter Buruschkin, Kathleen Sheehan, Elise Slafka, Alyssa Staffin and Gary Staffin, Jennifer Stevens, Joyce Vollmer, Jodi Walker and John Woodward.

Woolsey Park is at 221 Washington Crossing Pennington Road, Titusville. For more information or to purchase tick ets, go to hvartscouncil.org.

Local officials call on state for major shakeup at Trenton Water Works

Hopewell Township Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning, State Senator Linda Greenstein, Assemblymen Wayne DeAn gelo and Dan Benson, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, Mercer County Board of County Commissioners Chair Nina Melker, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Mar tin, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, and Lawrence Township Mayor John Ryan have joined together to call on the state Department of Environmental Protection to take over direct supervision and opera tion of Trenton Water Works after years of failure to comply with safe drinking water obligations.

TWW supplies approximately 29 mil lion gallons of drinking water daily to more than 200,000 people, including residents of Trenton and four neighbor ing municipalities: Ewing, Hamilton, Hopewell, and Lawrence Townships.

In 2020, the attorney general and DEP filed a lawsuit against TWW, which the municipalities served by the water util ity joined, seeking to compel the City of Trenton and the water utility to take the necessary actions after failing to comply with administrative consent orders to pro vide safe drinking water. These failures

include but are not limited to filling vacan cies critical to running the treatment plant and the covering of the Pennington Reservoir, for which funding was denied by the Trenton City Council months after the lawsuit was filed.

In September, the NJDEP sent the city and TWW a letter again citing failure to comply with these orders and stating that the DEP is “disturbed by the current city council’s continuing failures or refus als to authorize resolutions necessary to advance critical capital improvements and ensure that ordinary maintenance and operational needs crucial to the pro tection of public health are met.”

“Residents deserve safe drinking water. We are deeply disturbed by DEP’s findings regarding the lack of progress on long-term projects necessary to keep the residents of Hopewell Township and Mercer County safe,” said PetersManning in a media release. “Hopewell Township has appreciated our working relationship with the professional staff at Trenton Water Works. However, change is necessary.”

“The most recent inspection report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection validates the charge that, time and time again, the residents of this region have been failed by the Trenton City Council and Tren

ton Water Works,” said Senator Linda R. Greenstein. “Despite the actions of some to try and resolve these long-standing issues, it is readily apparent that a change in leadership is desperately needed. I call upon the State of New Jersey and NJDEP to immediately take all steps necessary to establish state control of Trenton Water Works, to ensure the health and safety of our residents remain top priority.”

“Access to safe drinking water and a well-functioning water system is not an unreasonable expectation by the Mercer County residents who have no alterna tive to the city-operated Trenton Water Works,” said Hughes.

“While I am encouraged by Mayor Reed Gusciora’s determination to address the ongoing compliance issues and substandard water quality noted by the NJDEP, I condemn the irresponsibil ity and recklessness of the City Council for its egregious neglect of the water sys tem, its disregard for the directives set forth by the NJDEP and the injustices it has placed on communities of color and on all Trenton Water Works customers.”

“The residents of Hamilton have suf fered far too long due to the failures of Trenton Water Works and left us with absolutely no confidence in their ability to operate the utility,” said Martin. “The

See NEWS, Page 11

HVRSD HIGHLIGHTS

WELCOME BACK!

On September 6th, excitement was evident in all of the buildings, as our students eagerly started their rst day of school. Our sta and teachers were there to greet them and to kicko the start of another great year in the Hopewell Valley Regional School District!

We’ve Been Busy!

• 3,452 Students currently enrolled

• 714 Staff Members ready to start

• 7 Buildings updated over the summer

• Transporting 2600+ students; 76 routes 5 days a week

• Technology updated and supported for staff and students

• Lunch services: fully returned to pre-covid operations

• Professional Development for new and returning Staff

• A Brand-New schedule rolled out at Timberlane Middle School

SENIOR SUNRISE

HELLOS AND GOODBYES…..

We are so pleased to welcome 67 new hires to the District!

4 Administrators

21 Support Staff

42 teachers

In June, we said goodbye to 23 of our staff and teachers. We will miss them and what they each brought to their roles with the District.

1 Administrators

6 Support Sta 16 teachers

ank you all for your service on behalf of the Hopewell Valley Regional School District!

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Schedule of Upcoming Meetings

October 17, 2022

November 14, 2022 December 19, 2022

January 2, 2023 - Reorganization

On Friday, September 9th, our Central High School seniors gathered to watch the sunrise over the Turf Field. Sponsored by the HVCHS PTO, the Class of 2023 families, Student and Faculty, this event was a great way to celebrate their first week of school. We thank all of those who supported this very special event for our seniors!

HARVEST FAIR

The Hopewell Harvest Fair held its 34th annual celebration on the grounds of Hopewell Elementary School on September 17th. It was another rousing success! is is a true community event which features local businesses, vendors, craftspeople, as well as old-fashioned games and family activities.

Many current and past Hopewell Elementary families are instrumental in planning and supporting the events - and their hard work and e orts are very much appreciated.

Congratulations to the HVCHS FBLA competitive event winners at the 2022 National Leadership Conference in Chicago, IL. e National Awards Program recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas. FBLA competitive events prepare students for successful careers in business by providing opportunities to apply classroom concepts in a workforce-simulated competitive environment. Eight HVCHS FBLA members traveled to the NLC in Chicago, June 28th-July 3rd, to compete in their respective events among 12,000 competitors from all 50 states and some US territories.

e team of HVCHS students-- Anand Parab, Kai Sugrue, and Lucas Zapata-Sanin were awarded 8th place nationally in the EBusiness event! is savvy EBusiness team was one of only a few HVCHS teams/individuals to have ranked in the Top 10 nationally in a competitive event. e HVCHS chapter reactivated its charter in February 2012 a er a long period of dormancy. Since then, student members have made it to nationals in 11 out of 12 years competing. e competitive event season starts in Nov-Dec with a round of Regional objective testing for those events with a testing component. e balance of the events begin at the State Leadership Conference in March at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. In 2022, the Top 4 nalists at the NJ FBLA State Leadership Conference held March 8th - 10th, 2022, quali ed to compete at the NLC in Chicago in their respective events:

NJ FBLA SLC - 2nd PLACE FINALIST

Rory Danieluk - Impromptu Speaking

NJ FBLA SLC - 3rd PLACE FINALISTS

Kelley Dwyer and Charlotte Kavanaugh - Hospitality and Event Management

Pranjal Mhetre and Nina Plazonic - Intro to Event Planning

NJ FBLA SLC - TOP 10 FINALISTS

Prithviraj Mohapatra - EBusiness

Julianna Silva - Public Service Announcement Abhijay Singireddy - Intro to Business Communication

MARCHING BAND COMPETITION

The Hopewell Valley Central High School Marching Black & Gold hosted a Marching Band Competition featuring twelve local high school bands and approximately 1,000 visitors on the afternoon of Saturday, September 17th on Ackerson Field.

Thank you to those who came to support the Marching Black and Gold!

DISTRICT GARDENS AND OUTDOOR LEARNING CENTERS

photosynthesis and agriculture practices in NJ. We have installed 2 raised beds with owers/vegetables and excavated around the rose beds. Future idea include: more raised beds with vegetables/herbs/ owers, repainting/re nishing the gazebo, laying pavers for expanded pathways and planting of more indigenous plant species attractive to pollinators, Stony Brook Courtyard

Bear Tavern

All classes use the outdoor learning area in so many di erent ways. We have even hosted events out there as well. We grow vegetables and herbs inside and outside of the greenhouse.

e multifaceted Outdoor Learning Center has classroom, performing arts, nature observation and garden areas as well as a beautiful pond and healthy meadow area. We are also working on restoring di erent areas around the property. We have a mini Pollinator Plot with plants for pollinators. We also have a pollinator Meadow that is about a quarter of an acre, another meadow with 700 plugs that students planted and about 20-30 White Pine Trees.

Central High School

We are redeveloping the garden at the high school and hoping to engage with a variety of classes and clubs in the gardening processes. Academically we are looking to use the garden area as we explore diversity within a limited ecosystem, photosynthesis, agriculture and resource management, biodiversity, ecology,

Our courtyard underwent some much needed care by an amazing group of retirees who came in and weeded, mulched, and trimmed back the overgrown plants as well as repaired and painted some of the raised beds. Kindergarteners planted sun owers from the seeds of last year’s crop. ey came back as rst graders this Fall to see that the small seedlings they le in the Spring have grown taller than them. Benches in the courtyard were repaired and repainted, then decorated by students in a rainbow theme. ese make for great exible seating options for classes to gather and learn together outside in the courtyard. Parts of our courtyard have become pollinator friendly. We planted several native plants and host plants in one section of the courtyard. Nearby, one of our raised beds was turned into a “caterpillar cafe” with host plants for butter ies in the hopes of attracting them and continuing their life cycle. Last Spring, 4th graders planned and built two trellises to arch over the walkway to support a Trumpet vine that had been planted earlier in the year. We are currently planning to have students and sta continue to design and plant pollinator friendly areas in the Courtyard as well as a Sensory Garden. Projected student building projects include a sundial and water fountain.

Toll Gate Grammar Pollinator Garden

We have a beautiful pollinator garden, which was planted in 2021 to replace an older, overgrown garden. We had to replant it again this past spring due to storm damage. We raised money for the plants from a green initiative fundraiser where we sold reusable: bamboo utensils, sandwich bags, and straws. Parent volunteers cared for the garden all summer. e garden sits next to our new, amazing outdoor classroom. We have plans to plant more Native pollinator plants and possibly a rain garden in the future to help mitigate water more naturally.

Pic courtesy of Mike Schwartz

Trenton City Council’s refusal to autho rize public safety projects is putting peo ple’s lives in danger and has prevented TWW’s ability to provide safe and clean drinking water. I call on the Governor and the State of New Jersey to immediately place TWW under direct state control to end the years of gross incompetence.”

“The findings in this report confirm why Ewing joined with its neighbors Law rence and Hamilton to protect its citizens from this failing authority,” said Ewing Township Mayor Bert Steinmann.

“It is time for legislation that will pro vide a meaningful remedy to the subur ban ratepayers being held hostage to the Trenton City Council’s intransigence. On behalf of the citizens of Ewing, we implore DEP to act immediately to com pel TWW to correct these deficiencies and ensure the safety of the water pro vided by TWW to its more than 200,000 consumers.”

“On behalf of the Trenton Water Works customers within Lawrence Township, it is time for the operations of the water util ity to be taken from the City of Trenton,” said Lawrence Township Mayor John Ryan.

“For far too long, the customers of TWW have lived with the fear, and at times reality, that the water they drink and use daily is unsafe. The report from the NJDEP dated September 27, 2022, demonstrates that the City of Trenton cannot meet the needs of its water utility customers by producing clean and safe water. We stand with the other munici palities fighting for their residents’ health and safety. We must do better.”

Halloween Fright Fest coming to Hopewell Theater

Hopewell Theater’s Halloween Fright Fest is set to returns with a lineup of Hal loween, horror and thriller films from Wednesday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Oct. 30.

First up will be Dracula (1931) featur ing Bela Lugosi on Wednesday Oct. 26 at 8 p.m., followed by the classic Alfred Hitch cock thriller Psycho (1960) on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m., with an encore presenta tion Sunday, Oct. 30 also at 7 p.m.

Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall, is scheduled for two showings: Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 p.m. and Satur day, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.

Showtimes start earlier on the week end, with The Goonies (1985) set for a 2 p.m. viewing on Saturday, Oct. 29. The Goonies will be followed by director Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988), starring Michael Keaton, at 4:30 p.m.

Sunday’s shows are set to start at 4 p.m. with Ghostbusters (1984), starring Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Ayk royd and Harold Ramis.

Hopewell Theater says that patrons of any age who attend screenings in cos tume can receive a free small popcorn or bottled water at concessions. Limit one per person while supplies last.

Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult with a ticket to the same showtime. To buy tickets or for more information, go to hopewelltheater. com. Hopewell Theater is located at 5 S. Greenwood Ave. in Hopewell Borough.

ELECTION continued from Page 1

the one with the most votes would be declared the winner.

The scenario opens up the possibility that a person with fewer than a dozen supporters could end up being sworn in to serve on the Hopewell Valley Board of Education come Jan. 1.

In Hopewell Borough, Democratic incumbent David Mackie is running alongside newcomer Krista Weaver for two seats on the common council. Incumbent Chris Fossell is not running for re-election, and there are no Republican candidates on the ballot.

In Pennington Borough the situation is the same, with incumbent Democrats Charles “Chico” Marciante and Katrina “Kati” Angarone the only ones running for borough council.

Angarone is on the ballot for the first time, having been selected in February to fill the seat vacated in January by Beverly

Mills.

Valley voters will have some opportunities to make choices further up the ballot. There are four candidates for the Mercer County Board of County Commissioners: Democrats Nina Melker (incumbent—Hamilton) and Lawrence Township council member Cathleen Lewis; and Republicans Andrew Kotula and Michael Chianese (both of Hamilton).

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are in play, with experienced Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman again hoping to represent New Jersey’s 12th District, which includes all of Hopewell Valley even after the recent redistricting that was done after the 2020 U.S. Census. The redistricting takes effect in 2023.

Also running for Congress from the 12th District are Republican Darius Mayfield, of Helmetta, and Libertarian C. Lynn Genrich, of Allentown.

ELECTION 2022

Q&A: Hopewell Township Committee candidates

The Hopewell Express sent questionnaires to all four candidates who are running for Hopewell Township Committee this fall: two Democrats, who are both incumbents, and two Republicans, their challengers. Their answers are below, edited only for typographical errors.

David Chait, 37, is the founder and CEO of Travefy, a software company with three offices across the U.S., including one in Hopewell Valley. Chait and his wife, Amanda, have two children: Julia, 7, a second grader at Bear Tavern Elementary, and Sally, 4. He has lived in Hopewell Township for 3 years.

Chait, a Democrat, was appointed to the township committee in January, taking the place of Kristin McLaughlin, who was elected last year to the Mercer County Board of County Commissioners. He is the liaison to Public Works, Communications, Economic Development, the Affordable Housing Committee and the Lower Delaware and Scenic River Management Council.

Chait has also served on the planning board, been a classroom parent, and been a coach for youth sports.

Jennifer DiDonato, 45, is a selfdescribed “domestic CEO — in other words, I’m a stay-at-home Mom,” she says. The 10-year Hopewell Township resident is married to husband, Peter and has two children: a son, 13, who attends Timberlane Middle School, and a daughter, 17 and a senior at Hopewell Valley Central High School.

The first-time Republican candidate is PTO president at Bear Tavern Elementary School, co-chair of Bear Tavern Elementary’s International Night, and a member of the Bear Tavern Elementary Outdoor Learning Area planning committee. She is also a member of District Parent Council, Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance, Let Me Run Coach, the 2020 Parenting Conference Committee and the 44th Annual Pennington 5K Race and 1-mile fun Committee. She is co-chair of the Designer Handbag Bingo fundraiser for the CHS Class of 2023.

Daniel J. Hanley, Jr., 52, is a certified financial planner who has lived in Hopewell Township for 13 years. Hanley is married to wife Andrea (Consoli) Hanley, and have three children: Bryce and Austyn, who attend Hopewell Valley Central High School, and Hudson, a student at Bear Tavern Elementary.

Hanley, a Republican and first-time

candidate for committee, has served as a board member and treasurer of the Hopewell Valley YMCA and has been treasurer of Hopewell Valley Lacrosse and the Hopewell Valley High School Class of 2025 PTO. He has also been a Hopewell Valley recreational lacrosse coach.

Courtney Peters-Manning, 45, is the mayor of Hopewell Township. PetersManning is also director of finance and general counsel at the Cambridge School. A Democrat, she is married to husband Tomas Manning, who is originally from Dublin, and has two sons, Seamus, 14, and Conor, 12. She has lived in Hopewell Township for 13 years.

Over the years, she has been involved in a number of community groups, including on the board of the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and on the finance council of St. James Church. In addition to her duties as mayor, she is the township committee’s liaison to the Police Department and the Deer Management Committee, and has previously served as liaison to the Environmental Commission and the Senior Advisory Board. Between college and law school, she spent a year working with dolphins in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Tell us about the moment that you decided to run, or run again, for township committee.

Chait: I have always believed in service and effecting change in one’s community. This is why I served in the Obama Administration as senior policy adviser to the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration in the midst of the

Great Recession, and why I currently serve on the township committee. I want to continue this Committee’s great work in making Hopewell Township an even better place to live.

DiDonato: I was increasingly concerned with new developments rapidly being constructed near me. My husband reminded me, the grass is only greener where you water it. “Think Globally Act Locally,” has always been my mantra. I want to make sure these projects are run responsibly and with an emphasis on protecting our environment and its natural resources. I want to ensure the health and safety of our residents, including its human, animal, and insect inhabitants.

Hanley: During the height of Covid, I would walk outside and listen to my favorite podcasts. One of them resonated with me and inspired me to run for office. The podcast host proclaimed, “You must start local from the bottom up to change anything in this country”. Those words have put me where I am right now.

Peters-Manning: After the 2016 election, I decided to get involved in local politics. Wherever you stand on issues, I thought we needed to do better in terms of tone and civility. I have worked hard over the past three years to live that goal, and I am always willing to talk to anyone who has different opinions than my own. There is still work I want to do, especially with continuing to reduce residents’ property taxes.

Rate the job the committee has done in the past few years as it has dealt with the township’s affordable housing obligations.

DiDonato: I wish I had a better

account of what the Township Committee has done with regard to their affordable housing commitments but unfortunately, I don’t think they have fulfilled ANY of their affordable housing obligations in the past few years.

I believe affordable housing is essential for the growth, development, and diversity of our community while simultaneously freeing up funds within families tight budgets to spend on healthcare, food, and transportation. Affordable housing can be a huge asset to our community as it promotes social connection and can increase neighboring property values by bringing in new business and employment opportunities.

Hanley: The Mount Laurel court decision requires that each community in NJ must provide a ‘fair share’ of affordable housing. Each township has handled this differently. The township had negotiated a lower unit amount to 653 vs. 1756 units. The issue we have now, the developer is in full swing in building these units along with marketable units at two different locations simultaneously.

While the township is to provide a “realistic opportunity” for building. If there is not sufficient market demand for this number of affordable units or we experience another Real Estate crash, the needed affordable units will not be built. At this point in the process, we should be doing one project at a time, especially now with mortgage rates back to twentyyear highs. Affordable housing should be the priority, since this is the stated reason for the developments.

Peters-Manning: The unanimous, See Q&A, Page 17

Chait DiDonato

Hanley Peters-Manning

HEADLINES

@capitalhealthnj

TRENTON SENIORS GET IN STEP

with Capital Health’s Vascular Rehabilitation Program

Trenton residents Clara Boatwright and Alice Wells have a lot in common—including being schoolmates in their younger days— and after reuniting as patients in the Vascular Rehabilitation Program at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, they’re happy to be together again on the path to better health.

The Vascular Rehabilitation Program is for people experiencing mild or severe pain in the legs due to lower-extremity peripheral artery disease or similar symptoms that are still present following vascular procedures.

“I thought I was having muscle troubles,” said Alice. “My primary care doctor sent me to Dr. Lotto, who confirmed I had poor circulation.” Dr. Christine Lotto, a board certified, fellowship trained general and vascular surgeon at Capital Health Surgical Group, referred Alice to the program.

“I was having pain in my calves when walking,” said Clara. “I told my heart doctor (Dr. Kristopher Young, Capital Health – Heart Care Specialists) what was going on, and tests showed that the circulation was bad in my legs. My specialist (also Dr. Lotto) recommended vascular rehab at Capital Health.”

Capital Health’s team of physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and registered dietitians work closely with referring physicians to help program participants achieve their rehab goals through personalized exercise, nutrition counseling, risk factor management guidance, and psychological support all aimed at helping participants meet their health goals.

“The program helped me a lot. When I first started, I had a lot of stiffness because I wasn’t very active,” said Clara. “We watched videos that helped us understand the things we were experiencing, and the exercise helped me get all the kinks out. The nutritionist also gave me a lot of insight on how to eat better.”

“They really keep you informed so you’re not in the dark after the program is done,” said Alice. “I got a lot of good handouts about

exercising, healthy eating, and stopping smoking. I enjoyed my time there, but more importantly, it still helps me!”

If you’re experiencing mild or severe cramping pain in the legs with walking as the result of lower-extremity peripheral artery disease or lower-extremity revascularization procedures, call Capital Health’s Vascular Rehabilitation Program at 609.537.6420 to schedule an appointment, or visit capitalheartandvascular.org for more information.

From left, Clara Boatwright and Alice Wells on the path to better health with Capital Health’s Vascular Rehabilitation Program.

Capital Health Employee Education Program Awards

Four Full Tuition Scholarships to Rider University

Capital Health has announced four winners of full-tuition scholarships to Rider University as part of an employee education benefits partnership with the university. The scholarship winners are immediate family members of Capital Health employees and include Rachel Burnett (education), Andrew Coates (communication studies), Gloria Owusu (accounting), and Johannah Stevenson (STEM). In order to be eligible for the scholarships, candidates or their immediate family members must be full-time, non-union employees of Capital Health for at least one year and meet additional eligibility requirements. Capital Health’s partnership with Rider launched in 2020 when Capital Health Medical Group began overseeing the university’s Student Health Center and providing primary care health services to students and employees.

“On behalf of Capital Health, I’m pleased to congratulate the inaugural winners of our full-tuition scholarships to Rider University” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “As our relationship with Rider grows, we’ll offer similar scholarship opportunities annually as part of a broader education benefits program for our employees and their families. Two of the four scholarships awarded this year went to students whose annual family incomes were under $100,000, and we look forward to helping more members of our Capital Health family reach their education goals in the years to come.”

RACHEL BURNETT of Morrisville, Pennsylvania is a graduate of Pennsbury High School. Daughter of Elizabeth De La Portilla-Stout, assistant nurse manager in Hemodialysis at Capital Health Regional Medical Center, Rachel is an education major in Rider’s College of Education and Human Services, which is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

ANDREW COATES of Levittown, Pennsylvania is the son of Kim Coates, a registered nurse and practice lead at Capital Health Occupational Health Center. Andrew is a graduate of Calvary Christian Academy of Philadelphia and his major is communication studies, with a minor in broadcast journalism. He intends to pursue a career in media.

GLORIA OWUSU of Hamilton, New Jersey is the daughter of Samuel Acheaw, Care Management nurse at Capital Health Medical

Center – Hopewell. Gloria is a graduate of Hamilton High School West and is an accounting major in Rider’s Department of Accounting, which is one of only 2% of programs worldwide with accreditation from the AACSB International.

JOHANNA STEVENSON of Lumberton, New Jersey is a graduate of Rancocas Valley Regional High School. Daughter of Robert Stevenson, tech specialist at the Sleep Center at Capital Health – Hamilton, Johanna plans to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in order to pursue a career as a secondary STEM teacher (grades 9 12) in a “high need” school district.

Undergraduate students (including those transferring to Rider University or enrolling in a continuing studies program) are eligible to receive these scholarships, which are awarded for four consecutive years or until completion of the academic program. Scholarship recipients must be full-time students, maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, and be students in good standing with Rider University at all times during the course of their enrollment. Full-tuition scholarships do not include room, board, or other related costs, such as textbooks.

Capital Health’s employee education benefits program also features a 50% tuition discount agreement with Rider University for nonunion employees and their immediate family members (cannot be combined with full-tuition scholarships). Other Rider education benefits for Capital Health employees include an application fee waiver; free, unofficial evaluation of transfer credits prior to applying; and a Rider academic advisor to help plan their schedule. Graduate student applicants can request a free evaluation of transfer credits as well as course and GMAT/GRE waivers and exclusive certificate programs for Capital Health employees are currently in development.

Winners left to right: Rachel Burnett, Andrew Coates, Gloria Owusu, and Johannah Stevenson

THREE EXPERIENCED PULMONOLOGISTS

Join Capital Health Medical Group

Drs. Akbar Obaray, Syed Asghar and Nasir Malik have joined Capital Health – Pulmonology Specialists, part of Capital Health Medical Group. These three experienced, board certified pulmonologists join colleagues Drs. Irene Hao, Diana Kolman, Naresh Nagella and Dolly Patel in providing care for patients in Mercer and Bucks counties with conditions that affect the lungs and respiratory system.

“Capital Health – Pulmonology Specialists launched four years ago to meet the needs of people in our community who are living with a variety of lung and respiratory conditions,” said Dr. Joshua Eisenberg, chief medical officer of the Capital Health Medical Group. “The addition of these qualified and experienced pulmonologists to our

already talented group of providers expands patient access to the best possible pulmonary care in the Mercer/Bucks region.”

DR. AKBAR OBARAY is a board certified pulmonologist with extensive experience in all aspects of pulmonary medicine, including respiratory intensive care, fiber optic bronchoscopy, transbronchial biopsies and pulmonary functional testing as well as the management of asthma, COPD, lung cancer and interstitial lung disease. Prior to joining Capital Health, Dr. Obaray was in private practice in Hamilton, New Jersey for more than 30 years.

DR. SYED ASGHAR is board certified in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. He sees patients with all types of pulmonary disease and has extensive experience in performing bronchoscopies. Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Asghar spent many years in private practice and as a hospitalist, attending physician, and in leadership roles at Capital Health Regional Medical Center and other hospitals in Mercer and Bucks counties.

Monday,

24,

Are you having a difficult time with lingering breathing issues and other long-term effects of a COVID-19 infection? Join DR. DIANA KOLMAN, a board certified and fellowship trained interventional pulmonologist, to discuss lung issues related to the coronavirus and treatment options available for those suffering from long COVID-19. DR. KRISTINA MCGUIRE, a licensed clinical psychologist, will discuss the psychological symptoms associated with long COVID-19, coping strategies and behavioral health treatments.

This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

DR. NASIR MALIK is board certified in pulmonary diseases and internal medicine. His areas of interest include asthma, COPD, lung cancer, interstitial lung disease, sarcoidosis and pulmonary hypertension. Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Malik served as a pulmonologist/critical care attending physician with Wellspan Healthcare in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Capital Health – Pulmonology Specialists specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the lungs and respiratory system. They have office locations in Hopewell Township (Two Capital Way, Suite 487, Pennington, NJ 08534), Newtown (3 Penns Trail, 2nd floor, Newtown, PA 18940) and Hamilton (1445 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite 111, Hamilton, NJ 08619).

Appointments are now available by calling 609.815.7390 or visit capitalhealth.org/pulmonology for more information.

Capital Health Welcomes New Director of Comprehensive Headache Center

Capital Health recently welcomed DR. DWAYNE BROWN, a board certified and fellowship trained neurologist, to its Capital Institute for Neurosciences as director of its Comprehensive Headache Center. In his new role, Dr. Brown leads the Center’s multidisciplinary approach to patients and offers a variety of services to treat migraine headache, tension headache, cluster headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalgia, CSF leak headache, high-pressure headache, facial pain and various secondary headache conditions. In addition, Dr. Brown offers procedures such as Botox for migraine, trigger point injections and nerve blocks.

“Over the past few years, Capital Health has steadily added new specialists to its broader neurosciences program,” said Dr. Joshua Eisenberg, chief medical officer of Capital Health Medical Group. “We welcome Dr. Brown’s significant expertise to our Capital Institute for Neurosciences and making specialized care for those who are suffering from headache conditions available here in a very convenient environment.”

Board certified in neurology, Dr. Brown completed his headache and facial pain fellowship training at Yale University School of Medicine

in New Haven, Connecticut. He earned his medical degree from Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia and completed his residency training at Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook, New York, where he served as chief neurology resident. He also earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in pharmacology from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C.

“I am extremely pleased to join Capital Health and Capital Institute for Neurosciences,” said Dr. Brown. “Capital Health has a reputation for providing a very high level of neuroscience care, and I look forward to being a part of its continued growth.”

Dr. Brown’s research has been published in national and international publications, including Neurology, Neurotoxicity Research, The Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, Neuroscience Letters and Neurochemistry International. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, Society for Neuroscience, American Association of Neurology and the American Headache Society.

Dr. Brown is now seeing patients in the Capital Institute for Neurosciences office in the medical office building attached to Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell (Suite 456). To schedule an appointment with Dr. Brown, call 609.537.7300 or visit capitalneuro.org for more information.

UPDATE AND THE MIND EATING PLAN

Thursday, October 13, 2022 | 6 p.m.

Location: Zoom Meeting

Join DR. DANIELLE CARCIA, a board certified family medicine physician with fellowship training in geriatrics, to discuss the latest research, treatments, and prevention strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Registered Dietitian MINDY KOMOSINSKY will discuss the MIND eating plan, which promotes the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of certain foods that may help lower the risk of dementia and slow the loss of brain function that can occur with aging.

This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. Register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.

bipartisan settlement agreement for Hopewell Township’s affordable hous ing litigation was finished before I was elected. My job and focus over the past three years has been to make this a wel coming community for our new neigh bors, and to ensure that we are prepared for the coming changes. We have done this through financial agreements that will ensure that the township has the resources to provide the level of services that residents need and expect, as well as with careful coordination with the School District and the Fire/EMS providers to plan for the future.

Chait: A bipartisan township commit tee unanimously supported the current settlement in 2017, because the town ship’s affordable housing obligation is required by law. The settlement lowered the township’s obligation and protected residents from the skyrocketing taxes of building units directly or a higher obliga tion from a refusal to comply. All subse quent actions after the settlement have been the continuation of this settlement framework.

I believe this was the right thing to do. Otherwise, the township would be in up to $200 million of debt, endless litigation, or a 10-to-1 ratio for a builder’s remedy.

What do you believe is the best way forward for Hopewell in terms of future development? Lay out your vision for the next 15 years.

Hanley: There had been a master plan developed for the township back in the early 2000’s; this should be revisited regarding the guardrails they put in place for the future of Hopewell Township. Whether referring to where the devel opments should be, EPA standards that should be abided to, and complying with state regulations, care must be taken to craft a plan that does not place undue bur den on our residents.

As a fiduciary, I am required to act in the best interests of my clients and will always do the same for our constituents. PILOT schemes should be approached with caution; our current committee has been seduced with one by a developer that will clearly increase future tax bur dens for existing residents.

Peters-Manning: I have two goals over the next 15 years. First, we will attract pharmaceutical companies and other businesses to continue reducing the property tax rate. In 2022, the tax rate declined for the first time in 15 years, mostly due to an increase in commer cial taxpayers, such as with the redevel opment of the former BMS site. We will

continue to work hard to attract the right partners for Hopewell Township, who will work and pay taxes here while protecting our environment and open space.

Second, our new senior and commu nity center will be built, in coordination with the YMCA and the school district, giving us all a place to gather as a commu nity, and it will give our local swimmers a pool of our own.

Chait: Development and preservation should always go hand in hand. I recog nize the value of preserving green space and champion the conservation of our beautiful landscape, which drew my fam ily to Hopewell Township like so many others. To that end, I am proud of my record on the township committee sup porting open space purchases, of which open space and other preserved land now makes up approximately 43% of the township, as well as my personal support for organizations like FoHVOS. And I’m honored that Courtney Peters-Manning and I were recently endorsed by the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters for this work.

Additionally in my role as economic development liaison, I am committed to continuing to build our innovation econ omy to keep lowering taxes.

DiDonato: My vision for the future

of Hopewell Township for the next 15 years would be comprised of acquiring input from other fellow residents. Talk ing with students, parents, seniors, emer gency service staff, healthcare workers, local business owners and anyone who has a stake in our community to see what their ultimate vision of Hopewell might be. I feel it’s important to speak with all residents about this topic and get a real sense for what might fit best for all for our future. This is “OUR” Hopewell. I believe the best ideas are discovered collectively through collaboration. Our community members are the heart of what makes a healthy and thriving community.

What are two vital issues facing Hopewell Township today, and what will you do as a member of the town ship committee to address them?

Peters-Manning: Property taxes are a critical issue, and this year we accom plished the first tax rate decrease in 15 years by working hard to attract more commercial taxpayers to the township. If re-elected, I will continue to attract the right businesses to protect both the finan cial health of the community as well as our shared environment.

Preserving our open space and envi ronmental resources is also vital. Over

Q&A,

the past three years, 978 acres of open space and 240 acres of farmland have been preserved in Hopewell Township. I am a lifelong environmentalist, and David Chait and I are honored to have been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters this year. I will continue this work if reelected.

Chait: The single most important issue facing the township is finances. None of us wants to pay more than we have to for taxes. I’ve worked tirelessly to address tax and affordability issues and through a combination of reducing municipal debt, attracting new commercial ratables, and opening new sources of revenue. The success of these efforts is clear with this year’s tax rate decrease, which is the first decrease in 15 years.

But day-to-day issues are also impor tant. We work for everyone in the town ship, and I am committed to always lis tening to and addressing the needs of residents. For example, my recent leader ship on the no-knock ordinance and truck safety issues came directly from the con cerns of residents.

DiDonato: An important issue to me in the future would be the safety and well-being of our youth as they navigate through mental health struggles and the

newly accessible cannabis retail loca tions within our Township. I would like to ensure our approach is logical and takes into consideration its target consumers. I think we could work closely with these business on how they will give back and support the safety of our youth once they are rooted within our community.

Another vital issue facing Hopewell Township would be increasing transpar ency with our Township residents, while creating a more authentic dialogue. We need to present an easier method of not only accessing live committee meetings but also interacting with and or reviewing both past meetings and minutes.

Hanley: Jennifer and I have been spending time in several neighborhoods and can confirm the two vital issues fac ing the township are: development and taxes. Developmental projects must be done methodically and openly, so the public understand the ‘Why.’ To address this issue, I would propose town hall meetings in the neighborhoods, encour aging many to attend and contribute, but not limiting them to just three minutes, and open up discussion to any township concerns.

The tax levy is always a top issue where residents need us to represent them. The two key ways of lowering taxes are com

mercial economic encouragement and reduced spending. The current admin istration has been wrong on these two issues, and correcting this will be our major priorities.

Rate the committee in terms of openness, transparency, access and communication. Does the committee do a good job? What could it do better?

Chait: As a member of the township committee, I champion transparency and communication. In addition to open meet ings, the township now publishes a quar terly newsletter, and regularly updates all social media. I am personally committed to engaging with residents and am ready to take action, such as the recent noknock ordinance and road safety enforce ment among other areas. If residents have any questions or concerns, I can be reached at dchait@hopewelltwp.org.

DiDonato: I believe the current com mittee does their best with regard to openness, transparency, access and com munication given the constraints that the last 2 years have presented. However, there is always room for improvement. I will evaluate these process pressure points and find ways to streamline them while making them more accessible.

Hanley: The committee has a good

presence on the township website and I have seen them at public events. It’s been a tough couple of years for access and openness, however with Covid waning, I’d expect more lines of communication to open. They should hold office hours to meet with residents, and reach out to local businesses, restaurants & bars, and local large businesses to get a pulse of what is going on in the township.

Peters-Manning: I am extremely open and available to residents. I can be reached at cpeters-manning@ hopewelltwp.org or (609) 577-3312. Please contact me any time with ques tions, concerns, or problems.

Further, to increase public partici pation, Committee meetings are now hybrid, so residents can attend either inperson, or electronically from their own homes. Updates from the township are available via our newsletter, social media, email alerts, or articles in a variety of news outlets.

How would you rate Hopewell as a place to live for all people, regard less of race, background and income level?

DiDonato: My Great grandfather, an Italian immigrant, and great grandmother, a Jewish-German immigrant, migrated to Hopewell nearly a century ago seeking

a more inclusive place to live. They were welcomed holey by the community on many levels. My family experienced the same warm welcome from the community when we moved back 10 years ago.

Based off of our combined experi ences I would rate Hopewell very high with regard to being a hospitable place to live for all people, regardless of race, background, and income level. We can improve upon small business expansion. Small business acceptance would allow greater progress and would provide more opportunities to welcome more diversity. This would increase the knowledge of cultural sensitivity, fairness, and under standing which will create a better com munity throughout.

Hanley: I’ve called Hopewell my home for over a decade, and couldn’t be hap pier with a community that is inclusive to everyone. As a son of an immigrant, I know what my mother had endured when she first came to the country in the 1950’s from Germany. Hopewell is cre ating space for someone like my mom when she immigrated who can now live out their dreams. This is what makes Hopewell a wonderful community to live in. “Ich bin ein Hopewellian!”

Peters-Manning: As Mayor, it is my job to do everything in my power to make

Hopewell Township a welcoming commu nity for everyone. One example of how I have tried to accomplish this is in the naming of the streets in two new neigh borhoods coming to the township. When approached about street names, I imme diately thought to ask members of the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum Board to name the streets after prominent Black residents of the valley over history.

The contributions of our Black resi dents have been wide-ranging and histori cally significant, yet we do not see their mark on the roads and streets around town. With the coming of two new neigh borhoods, we have the rare opportunity to correct this.

Chait: Amanda and I chose to raise our family here and to build a business here because Hopewell is an extraordinary place to live. The township has a rich his tory and is a tapestry of neighborhoods, farmland, and businesses each with their own important and unique needs. One thing that unites much of our community is the desire to preserve our open space and to protect our environment — of which I’m a proud champion.

With amazing schools, restaurants, parks, and more, this is the ideal com munity to live in, which is why keep

ing Hopewell affordable for all people has been my priority on the Township Committee. In furthering that mission, I’m proud that 2022 is the first tax rate decrease in over 15 years.

What personal and professional experiences do you have that make you qualified to serve as a member of the Hopewell Township Committee?

Hanley: I’ve spent three decades in finance, the last 10 years working with individuals on anything ranging from retirement planning, tax planning, bud geting, and estate planning. As a fidu ciary, I hold my clients’ best interests before mine and would do the same for my fellow residents. As I have recently begun working locally to our community, I have been free to serve on several local boards, and look forward to other ways to give back to my community.

Peters-Manning: My professional background as a lawyer and a director of finance has given me the tools to be an effective member of the Township Committee. During my time on the com mittee, we have decreased the property tax rate, hired a new chief of police who is community-minded, responsive, and involved, immediately responded to resi dents’ concerns about illegal truck traffic and unwanted solicitation, developed a

“best of the best” ordinance to control can nabis businesses in the township, vastly increased communication with residents, and seen the preservation of 978 acres of open space and 240 acres of farmland.

Chait: As an entrepreneur and busi ness owner, I understand the issues small businesses face, have deep budgeting and financial experience, and have a strong appreciation for the need to stretch every dollar. As a former McKinsey consultant, I know how to solve complex problems. And as a former Obama Administration Official at the U.S. Small Business Admin istration, I understand economic devel opment. Most importantly, as a father of school age children and a community vol unteer, I have a profound appreciation for the unique aspects that make Hopewell Township an unparalleled place to live.

DiDonato: I have a background in Environmental Science and Horticulture. I have a passion for nature and our envi ronment. I am a committed public ser vant and have served our community for the past 10 years. I am a lifelong learner. I love to take on new challenges and see where I can make improvements. I enjoy connecting with others and look forward to better understanding how I can serve the Hopewell Township community to the best of my ability.

from

Your Stage. “It’s your stage and any stage. You can be just starting out or a pro, but you are all welcome. The stage is for everyone.”

The format has changed over time, but in the show’s current iteration, performers including musicians, comedians and story tellers are invited to take part in a 90-min ute show starting at 7 p.m. Performances are limited to 10 minutes and their entry is free. Guests pay $20 to attend. There are concession stands and they offer an opportunity to bring your own beer.

Before Your Stage, Klein often hosted local musicians at The Peasant Grill, the restaurant she operates with husband Barry. Music has always been a part of Klein’s life, and she wanted to get more involved with the local community and the local music scene.

Klein said she would sometimes get up on stage herself and perform with the local musicians. She explained how that was something that slowly brought her out of her shell, and she thought it would be a good idea to give others the same opportunities.

As a direct result of the Your Stage series, Klein gained the confidence to go and record her own music. She is the vocalist in a group, Mine Road Band, with other members Chuggy Carter, Guy

DeRosa, Bill Flemer, James Popik and John Timpane.

“The stars have aligned for me, and I hope (at Your Stage at Any Stage) the other performers have felt appreciated and supported,” said Klein.

Klein said how she wanted to give young

people of all ages a chance to do what they love in a supportive environment. A lot of open mic events are hosted at bars and restaurants, where the environment can be loud and intimidating. The loud noises can only add to one’s nerves.

That can be a deterrent to younger peo

ple to try and get their music out there, or showcase their love for music. Klein wanted to create a space where young people could be taken seriously.

“It’s important at a young age to be encouraged, and so I wanted to make sure that we included younger people and so far they have amazed us all,” says Klein.

She explains how of course anyone can be prompted with nerves and jitters when they get up on stage, but as soon as those nerves go away you are just left having a good time.

Klein explained the challenge of get ting up on stage when someone performs something similar to what you will be per forming next. To try and avoid this, but to also create a more interesting show, Klein randomizes the lineup so that there are a variety of different performances within the lineup for the evening.

She also does it to avoid feeling like those who are taking part are competing against one another. After all, she wants to provide a supportive and encouraging environment.

“Give people a platform to pursue their passion and also to feel supported and encouraged. My hope was for someone who was just starting out could get over a little bit of stage fright and for people to recognize the talent they might not real ize they have,” Klein says.

Your Stage at Any Stage host Michelle Klein, third from left, with the other members of the Mine Road Band: Bill Flemer, Chuggy Carter, Klein, Guy DeRosa, John Timpane and James Popik.

Your Stage’s goal is to motivate people to get up and do what they love, despite the fact that they might not be perfect or are new.

“I had lots of fear and was self con scious for a very long time and that was the main reason why I wanted to provide people a safe place,” Klein says.

March 2020 was around the time that she got together with the people at Hopewell theater to discuss the idea of Your stage and get the gears turning on how to turn it into a reality.

“Michelle Klein is a gem,” says Sara Scully, Co-Founder of Hopewell Theater. “Your Stage at Any Stage was conceived between Michelle and Hopewell Theater’s development team right before the Covid19 pandemic forced us to close our doors.”

Klein postponed it until 2022, when things started to calm down a little bit and people started to be able to relax a little bit more regarding the pandemic. Your Stage was one of the first projects that Hopewell was doing to get people back in the theater after Covid.

“When planning for our reopening [last] fall, there was no question that Your Stage had to be on the schedule. Michelle and I met frequently to review performer submissions, collaborate on outreach efforts, and develop lineups for each eve ning. The amount of energy, enthusiasm,

and excitement Michelle brings as emcee and host is unparalleled. Co-producing Your Stage at Any Stage with her is noth ing short of an honor,” Scully says.

Your Stage at Any Stage is open to per formers of all ages, although children must have signed consent by their par ent or guardian. All acts must sign up in advance. and once accepted, will be con tacted by the theater to discuss technical requirements, arrival time, and expecta tions for the evening.

Scully says there is no shortage of true and diverse talent in Hopewell and our neighboring communities. “We are an indie venue who values accessibility and it is our honor to host a program that invites people to share our stage,” she says.

Klein said special thanks should go out to Hopewell Theater sound technician, Nick Mastalesz, who has helped perform ers plug in and feel comfortable while attending Your Stage. She also thanked Scully as well as Hopewell Theater’s Ken dra Thatcher and Mitchel Skolnick for their support.

She also said special thanks should go to Helen O’Shea, whio encouraged her to pursue a singing career, and her hus band, Barry Klein.

For more information or to sign up for the December Your Stage, go to hopewelltheater.com/special-series.

FALL IS FOR PLANTING!

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Olympic hopes for gymnast after success at Pan Am games

By Rich Fisher

It’s a good thing Annalise NewmanAchee’s family didn’t live in a ranch home when she was little.

Without a stairway device to play on, the Hopewell Valley Central High School senior may never have slid her way into the sport in which she now excels.

“I was first introduced to gymnastics when I was two,” Newman-Achee recalls. “I was always a very hyper kid and would be sliding down the banisters of my house, so my mom thought it would be a good idea to put me in gymnastics just so I could get my energy out. That was the start of my passion for the sport.”

OK, more than likely, Annalise would have found her niche without the banister sliding. But many Olympic hopefuls have a unique story to tell, so the banister can be hers if she makes it that far.

And it’s not something to take lightly at the rate she has been going.

“The Olympics are my ultimate goal,”

Newman-Achee said. “It would mean so much to me to be able to show off all of my hard work and represent my country at an Olympic Games. It would make my childhood dreams come true.”

First things first, however, and that would be the World Gymnastics Cham pionships that begin Oct. 29 in Liverpool, England. Newman-Achee will be rep resenting Trinidad and Tobago, as she has dual citizenship in America and her father’s homeland.

There will be 169 competitors at the event, and 120 of them will be part of teams. Annalise is one of just 49 gym nasts going as the sole representative for their countries.

“I would say there is some pressure trying to qualify as an individual,” she said. “But I really tried not to think about it. I am just trying to take it one step at a time and enjoy the whole experience.”

Her trip to Worlds actually started in 2021, when she was invited to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the Pan American

Games.

Due to Covid, Trinidad and Tobago was locked down longer than the U.S., and could not hold qualifiers for the Pan Am Games. But the country reached out to Annalise’s coach, Ann Kolasa, for video footage.

“We had to show her star values were up to par and that she truly was going to be competitive on an international stage,” said Kolasa, who owns Gymland Gym nastics in Hamilton with husband Valdi. Newman-Achee competes for Gymland’s Arena team.

After Trinidad and Tobago officials evaluated her footage, Newman-Achee was selected for the games. By virtue of reaching the finals in bars, she was invited back this year and killed it.

Newman-Achee finished 19th out of 77 competitors in the all-around, with a score of 46.266. She had 12.933 on vault, 12.067 on uneven bars (usually her top event), 10.333 on beam, and 10.933 on floor.

After taking the team scoring out of the mix (which accounted for 20 gymnasts), only 11 spots remained for individuals to qualify. Newman-Achee took ninth to advance.

“She’s amazing, she’s really good under pressure,” Kolasa said. “She loves to perform, she loves the big stage. She’s incredibly talented to go along with that. But she’s got that competitive edge, where some kids don’t want to step up to the moment. But she has that drive.

“There’s a skill involved in being able to compete under that much pressure and intensity. It’s something that is really hard to teach, that athletic edge.”

It’s basically the ability to not let the moment become bigger than the individual.

“A lot of kids can do it in practice,” Kolasa continued. “But to do it in practice and to also do it on the world stage, those are different talents.”

In looking back on the competition, which took place in July in Rio, Brazil, Newman-Achee felt pretty good about things.

“I was mostly happy with how I per formed at the Pan Am Games,” she said. “Despite having two falls on beam, I was really proud of myself for hitting my new bar routine, after an issue we had last year. I was also proud of how I car ried myself throughout the competition. I would say as a whole, I am grateful that I was able to qualify for Worlds even after

Hopewell Valley’s Annalise NewmanAchee at the Pan American Gymnastics Championships, held in July in Rio de Janeiro.

having a few setbacks.”

Annalise’s journey to Worlds began in Brooklyn, where she and her younger sister were home schooled on Tuesdays and Thursdays and went to public school the other three days. They attended gym nastics training every day. Due to her homeschooling, Newman-Achee was able to train numerous hours, allowing her to skip certain levels and head on to the elite track.

The family moved to Hopewell prior to Newman-Achee’s junior year, and that is when she found Kolasa.

“A previous coach of mine recom mended her gym to me when she found out I was searching,” Annalise said. “Ann welcomed me into her gym with open arms and ever since, so much has hap pened. Her coaching staff is amazing and she helped me grow so much, not just as

an athlete, but also as a person. I am grateful for her.”

When Newman-Achee arrived at Gymland, her new coach immediately knew she had a lot to work with.

“I saw the talent right away,” Kolasa said. “She’s got a unique combination of qualities. One of them being her height. She’s 5 7-½. That is a giant in our sport. It’s really beautiful. When she has to swing on the bars, in gymnastics we talk about long lines, long arms, long fingers, just that extension sort of like a ballerina. She has that qual ity but she’s also got extremely quick muscles so she’s quick and powerful. Just those two combinations of artistry and power are unique.”

That uniqueness has helped push her into the sport’s inter national spotlight, which New man-Achee naturally said “is such a big deal for me. I get to represent my country and I’m right there with all the other top gymnastics in the world.”

Kolasa and her student have worked on putting more dif ficulty into Alisa’s routines so if she nails them, it will mean higher scores. Newman-Achee says she is starting to feel more confident with the more chal lenging routines and feels she will be ready when the time comes. She is not, however, setting any goals on where she hopes to finish.

“For me, it’s more about going out there and perform ing to the best that I can on that

day and hitting the cleanest routines possible,” she said. “I want to stay in the moment and enjoy the experience. One thing I would like to improve at these games is becoming more confi dent on beam when competing

in a big arena.”

Girls with the top 24 qualify ing scores reach the all-around finals, while gymnasts with the top 8 scores in each event will move on.

“She has an outside chance

to get into an all-around final or get into a couple of event finals,” Kolasa said. “We’re cer tainly aiming for those. That’s gonna come down to who com petes best at that moment. We think she’s not a top contender,

but she’s a contender. We’re really shooting for just compet ing at a personal best and add ing the difficulty on the agenda and being clean and proud and showing her character.”

However it works out at the Worlds, Newman-Achee’s gym nastics future is set for the next four years as she has received a full scholarship to the Uni versity of California-Berkeley, which has one of the nation’s top programs.

“I felt like it was the best fit for me knowing my background and the kind of family I come from,” Annalise said. “I knew it would be my home away from home.”

Kolasa helped her student through the process, which included offers from national powers such as Missouri, Geor gia, Florida and Arkansas.

“This is the perfect fit,” Kolasa said. “The coaches are really fantastic, they have a simi lar mindset to my husband and I, who have been working with her the last two years. They seem to have a great approach to the student-athlete and stu dents themselves, building them as women and students whereas some of these pro grams are all about winning.

“But they’re also a Top 10 pro gram. One of the head coaches (Elisabeth Crandall-Howell) is a highly ranked judge interna tionally so she’ll also be able to help her continue her quest for the Olympics in 2024.”

And it all started with that banister.

October 2022 | Hopewell Express23 Annalise Newman-Achee on the balance beam at the 2022 Pan Am Games.

When should you go to the emergency department?

Ask The Doctor

People often put off going to the Emergency Department (ED) or commonly termed Emergency Room when they shouldn’t wait. “They think their health issue will turn out to be nothing serious,” says Lasanta Horana, MD, Emergency Department Chair and a Medical Staff Officer at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton). “But with many emergencies, including heart attack or stroke, time is very important. Waiting too long after symptoms start can limit our ability to give effective treatment.” Are your symptoms nothing to worry about—or do you need a trip to the ED?

Warning signs that deserve to be checked right away include these common areas of concern:

Chest pain, especially if the pain is a type you haven’t had before, makes you anxious or is associated with shortness of breath or sweating. “We’re here to determine if anything life threatening can be causing your symptoms,” Dr. Horana says. “Come in so we can do appropriate tests.” Very often, if you go to an urgent care with this complaint, you will likely be referred to come to the ED so that we can perform the necessary evaluation including labs, imaging, or seeing a cardiologist.

Breathing problems. Any time you have serious breathing problems, especially if you have a chronic respiratory issue such as asthma or COPD, call 911. Emergency responders can help stabilize you with medication and oxygen even before you get to the ED.

High fever. Elevated body temperature, especially if it’s accompanied by shaking and chills, could be a sign of infection that has moved to the bloodstream. “We treat this very aggressively,” Dr. Horana says. For children especially, go to the ED if fever is accompanied by severe headache, rash, lethargy or other unusual behavior.

Abdominal pain, especially if it’s accompanied by fever, is localized in one area of the abdomen or is accompanied by severe vomiting or diarrhea. “Gastrointestinal concerns such as appendicitis and bowel obstruction are emergencies that may require surgery,” Dr. Horana says. If there is a serious issue, we have the appropriate surgeons and the GI physicians on staff that can respond quickly after we identify the source of the problem.

A head injury, especially if you were stunned or lost consciousness; are taking blood thinners; are elderly; or have symptoms such as weakness, numbness, confusion, lethargy, or change in their mentation or vision problems.

Stroke or neurological symptoms. If new and different neurological symptoms occur, such as weakness or numbness in any part of your body, unsteady gait, dizziness, asymmetric smile, or a change in speech or vision, call 911 and get to the ED as quickly as you can. If identified quickly we can often treat a stroke and provide a consult with a neurologist rapidly in the ED that can potentially lead to a better outcome with a stroke.

Behavioral crisis. If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself or others, or are suffering from a narcotic or alcohol overdose, call 911. “We can give

reversal agents for certain narcotic or other drug overdoses, monitor vital signs, administer fluid and connect people with counselors and recovery rehab services,” Dr. Horana says.

Don’t be embarrassed if a worrisome symptom turns out to be nothing. “We’re here to assess these issues,” Dr. Horana says. “We’re happy if chest pain turns out to be acid reflux and not a heart attack. But getting checked out ensures we don’t miss serious cases.”

“I was in the Emergency Room for a foot related injury, and I want to thank the nurses. They were so nice and took such good care of me. To show my appreciation I came back and brought them bagels, donuts and muffins. I appreciate all you do as essential workers. From the bottom of my heart, thank you,” shared Rob A., a patient who shared this public message on Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton’s Facebook Page after a recent visit to the Emergency Department.

Follow us on our social channels: Facebook, @RWJHamilton; LinkedIn, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton; Twitter, @ RWJHamilton; and Instagram. RWJUH_Hamilton.

To learn more about Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, visit rwjbh.org/Hamilton or call (609) 586-7900.

Coming up this month at RWJU Hospital Hamilton

For more information, call (609) 584-5900. To register for a program or for schedule changes go to rwjbh.org/ events.

MONdAy, OCTOBER 3

Chakras 101: Understanding Your Energetic Anatomy. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This workshop explores the chakras, energy centers within the body that interact with physical and emotional well-being. You will come away with an understanding of this energy system and the ways it can help you lead your best life! Michelle Gerdes, RYT-200 of Princeton Doula Center. $15

TUESdAy, OCTOBER 4

Tinnitus Sound Therapy – How Does It Work? 11 a.m. to noon. Many people suffer from noises they hear in their ears/head that no one else can hear. Join us as we demystify the problem of tinnitus and discuss whether sound therapy is for you. Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D.

THURSdAy, OCTOBER 6

Chronic Lung Problems Post Covid. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Are you still experiencing a cough, tight ness in your chest, fatigue, or shortness of breath? Are you wondering if your symptoms are related to having had Covid-19? Pulmon ologist, Anthony Ricketti, MD, and Infectious Disease Specialist, Seth Rosenbaum, MD, MMM, will address the pharmacotherapy, vaccine, and issues around “Long Covid.”

TUESdAy, OCTOBER 11

Antiques on the Road with Thomas Petrino of Time Travelers Antiques. 1 to 3 p.m. Bring two items to have appraised and perhaps learn some history about your treasures. Find out what’s hot and what’s not in antique and collectables market. Thomas Petrino is a full-time Personal Property Appraiser and is Certified by the Appraisers Guild of America. He also appraises for the Treasury, consults with banks, attorneys and insurance com panies to authenticate and appraise estates. Registration required. Seating very limited.

WEdNESdAy, OCTOBER 12

Wisdom for Your Bosom. Wed., October 12; 6 to 7 p.m. Matthew J. Lynch, MD is widely rec ognized as one of New Jersey’s top breast surgeons for cosmetic, reconstructive, aug mentation, and reduction procedures. Join Dr. Lynch for a discussion on these topics.

THURSdAy, OCTOBER 13

“You Are Not Alone” Book Signing. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Author Dr. Ken Duckworth, will be here to discuss and sign his book “You Are Not Alone,” a guide to navigating mental health, and the discussion that evening will include a panel of individuals who have experience in navigating the world of mental health.

MONdAy, OCTOBER 17

The Specialty of Family Medicine. 10 to 11 a.m. Likhitha Musunuru, MD, a RWJ Barnabas Health Medical Group provider, specializes in family medicine ages 4 and up. Connect with Dr. Musunuru as she discusses the im portance of establishing a good relationship with your primary care provider.

THURSdAy, OCTOBER 20

Breast Cancer: Facts and Myths. 5 to 6 p.m. Are you unsure of what is a fact and what is a myth when it comes to breast cancer? Find the truth with Firas G. Eladoumikdachi, MD, FACS. Dr. “Eladou” brings high quality care and clinical trial opportunities from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and has spe cial interest in breast cancer.

WEdNESdAy, OCTOBER 26

Soundtrack of Your Life. 2 to 3 p.m. Shelli Mo nacchio, CDP, HSAC, ADLS, Senior Vice Presi dent, Angelion Mobility & Singer/Songwriter sharing her expertise on creating our own personal soundtrack. A song can take you back to a time and place. Imagine creating an entire soundtrack of your life to bring you smiles and comfort when needed most.

SUNdAy, OCTOBER 30

Festive & Frightful VIRTUAL. 2 to 3 p.m. Learn new ways to keep the spirit in Halloween and support your health with a little more green! Focusing fruit as fun isn’t as hard as it may seem. Only one way to find out…come on and see! Alyssa Luning, RD, CSOWM.

Dr. Horana

No-knock ordinance intended to provide safety and privacy

Courtney Peters-Manning

From the township

A traveling salesperson ringing your doorbell during dinnertime may harken back to the days of encyclopedias, but unwanted commercial solicitation is still a very real problem in Hopewell Township.

When a group of residents brought this ongoing problem to the attention of the township committee, we immediately consulted with our chief of police and our township attorneys, and we began to develop an ordinance to address the problem.

Committee Member David Chait has led this effort. “As members of the township committee, we are committed to listening and addressing the needs and concerns of residents,” he says, adding, “This ‘no-knock’ ordinance will protect the safety and privacy of township residents and businesses.”

The ordinance sets the time allowed for commercial door-to-door solicitation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and it provides an updated framework for how commercial

peddlers and solicitors obtain permits with the township.

This includes a number of safety measures such as background checks and fingerprinting, as well as set hours and additional rules. No door-to-door solicitation is allowed in Hopewell Township without a permit.

Most importantly, the ordinance establishes a do-not-solicit registry (commonly referred to as a “no-knock list”), where township residents and businesses can entirely opt out of commercial peddling and solicitation activities.

For homes that are listed on the

residents and businesses an optional decal that can be placed in a doorway or property entrance that clearly indicates that the home is on the do-not-solicit registry.

However, even without the decal, solicitors may not legally approach homes who have signed up to be on the registry.

There are exemptions to this ordinance, including charitable

organizations, religious purposes, and political candidates, as well as exempt firefighters and honorably discharged military personnel, each of whom have their own separate licensing procedure.

This ordinance was introduced at the Sept. 6 township committee meeting and fully adopted at the meeting on Sept. 19. Anyone who is interested in signing up for the No Knock registry can check out the Hopewell Township website at hopewelltwp.org.

Information will be posted on the main homepage and the clerk’s page as soon as it is available.

Courtney peters-manning is the mayor of Hopewell Township, which provided this content.

We tend to support the things we value

Lisa Wolff nAtUre in the VALLeY

Over the past couple of weeks, two reports shared significant public health concerns that our community must address.

Last week, the Hopewell Valley Munici pal Alliance publicly presented a trou bling report indicating that local teen agers are engaged in several “at-risk” behaviors. Of the Central High School 9th graders surveyed last year, 30% reported in engaging in bulimic or anorexic behav iors consistent with eating disorders, 21% reported feeling sad or depressed, and 17% reported that they had attempted sui cide one or more times.

The week before, Pennington resident and New Jersey Commissioner of Health Judy Persichilli and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette released a sobering joint report explaining how the impacts of climate change are expected to exac erbate existing environmental and public health disparities.

An increased risk of cardiovascular disease, respiratory and gastrointestinal

illness, cancer and mental health chal lenges are all forecasted.

In addition, the risk of infectious dis eases spread by pests or insects, as well microorganism contamination of food and water supplies, are likely to become more prevalent.

These seemingly unrelated reports were both shared publicly for the same reason: to raise awareness in and motivate those who can effect change to take proac tive counter-measures in hopes of building vibrant, healthy outcomes for all people.

Not surprisingly, both reports shared a correlation between having positive sup ports in place with a reduction in nega tive impacts. Conversely, an absence of positive supports was associated with an increase in negative impacts.

For example, the Hopewell report refers to “assets” such as support, empowerment, boundaries, expectations and constructive use of time from fami lies, schools, neighborhoods, commu nity groups and other organizations. The data were clear: where more assets were indicated, fewer “at-risk” behaviors were reported.

Supports that reduced the risk of nega tive health impacts from climate change

include updated early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, reduced resource insecurity and better funding. Commu nities with less resilient infrastructure experience diminished air quality, which is associated with myriad health prob lems including asthma, COPD, and car diovascular disease. Greater availability of the supports noted above was associ ated with fewer health problems.

While we hardly need studies to tell us that better support systems are asso ciated with better outcomes, the telling similarity was the overlap of which type of support was most needed.

In the Hopewell Municipal Alliance report, school engagement, positive peer influence and family support were the most frequently reported assets avail able to those surveyed. Among the least reported assets was a sense that “Com munity Values Youth.” Only 24% of those surveyed believe that statement to be true.

The climate change health disparity report concludes that children, elderly, and people with chronic health problems are most vulnerable. Underserved com munities and those already overburdened by pollution and other stressors will also be disproportionately impacted.

role they play in the health outcomes of those they may not regularly consider. This newfound realization may increase the priority placed on advocacy, and there are signs that the necessary action is already emerging.

I saw a great example of raised aware ness leading to community support at the Municipal Alliance meeting. After coordi nator Heidi Kahme presented the HVMA results, many local leaders took responsi bility and actively sought out ways to help teenagers feel valued by our community. School officials discussed youth summits and messaging. Township Committee members committed to bringing back the Youth Advisory Board that was sidelined during Covid.

By finding opportunities for dialogue between our youth and community lead ers, we can raise the possibility that our young people perceive that they are valued.

Another good example is the Sept. 21 announcement that Capital Health and Bristol Myers–Squibb Foundation are investing $10 million in the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative to provide neces sary supports to improve public health.

Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health, said that the health of our community is about much more than hos pitals and medical offices, and he com mitted “to driving meaningful programs that will have an impact on the broader health and well-being of our neighbors.”

PROGRAM EXTENDED UNTIL

PROGRAM EXTENDED UNTIL MAY 31

The County of Mercer will be accepting applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for the 2022-23 beginning on October 3, 2022. Mercer County will continue accepting applications for the Universal Service Fund (USF) Program throughout the year. Residents who pay their own heating costs, and meet the following income guidelines, may be eligible to receive financial assistance with their winter heating bill. Residents with medical conditions may also be eligible to receive cooling assistance:

The County of Mercer will be accepting applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) until May 31, 2018. Mercer County will continue accepting applications for

These results demonstrate two sides of the same coin. Both the youth of Hopewell Valley and the children, elderly and underserved in the state seem to suf fer health disparities when they are not receiving the support and recognition that would demonstrate they are “valued by the community.”

We tend to support the things we value.

MONTHLY INCOME GUIDELINES

Universal Service Fund (USF) Program throughout the

Residents who pay

receive financial assistance with

own heating costs, and meet the following income guidelines, may

LIHEAP

winter heating bill. Residents with medical conditions may also be eligible to receive cooling assistance.

MONTHLY

Household

$4,530

My hope is that the greater community becomes more aware of the important

Looking to the future, there is hope that more examples like these will arise. When our community demonstrates genuine caring and value for those strug gling, we can work towards better out comes for ourselves and those around us.

Lisa wolff is the executive director of Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space. Email: lwolff@fohvos.org.

Locations

(Wednesday open until 6:30pm)

South Broad Street

NJ 08650

Hamilton Office - County Connection

and in person. Applications, forms, and information can be accessed at this site: http:/ www.mercercounty.org/departments/housing-community-development/housing-and-communitydevelopment-programs.

Rm

M-F 8:30am – 4:30pm (Wednesday open until 6:30pm)

Hamilton Square Shopping Center 957 Highway 33 at Paxson Avenue Hamilton, NJ 08690 Tues & Thurs 10:00am-12:00pm (by appt. only) Saturdays – 4/7 & 5/5 10:00am-1:00pm (walk-ins)

Director

Water, water, PFOS everywhere

Robin Schore sChore to pLeAse

On the day after Labor Day, mysterious droplets began falling from the sky. I asked around the neighborhood, but no one knew what it was. Pennies from heaven? Oobleck? Bird droppings?

Finally, I posted some photographs online and got the answer from some weirdos watching vintage cartoons. It was rain!

A year ago, most of the neighborhood had a foot or more of water in the basement. For many of us, the flooding occurred twice in 10 days. Books, clothing, and priceless artwork foolishly stored in the basement were turned into mush. Sump pumps spewed water every few minutes.

Then this summer arrived, the summer of the great drought.

Last year, 11.43 inches of water fell during the months of July and August, and that did not include the Hurricane Ida deluge in early September. This year, July and August produced a miserable 4.74 inches.

In the past, I usually didn’t pay much attention to water. When asked in a restaurant whether I wanted tap or bottled water, I had to control myself from repeating W.C. Fields’ gloriously obscene line about what fish do in water.

With this summer’s drought, water became an obsession. I began viewing wasting water on such things as car washing and lawns as crimes against humanity. When children began pouring water out of their kiddie pool, my crankyold-man persona leapt out, forcing me to yell, “If you pour it out, I’m not refilling it!”

I bought a 55-gallon plastic drum via Craigslist for $25, which I hooked up to a downspout with a $40 diverter kit. When it rained an inch, the barrel filled half-

way. I felt so virtuous. Then, sometime in July, the barrel ran dry.

While our household enjoys the bourgeois splendor of a dishwasher, to ensure that I’d go to heaven, I began collecting the water in the kitchen sink used for pots, pans and dishwasher-unsafe items in a plastic basin and dumped it on vegetables, flowers and the crackly brown

floss — you may have seen the list in the document that Councilman Mackie provided to the town —is omnipresent in the environment. Because it is water soluble, it is dispersed everywhere, reaching places far removed from any industrial site. It’s been around since the 1930s, but only in the past 10 years has it been tested for.

when there’s beer readily available.

PFOS was detected in Hopewell’s single functioning well. The others were shut down due to contamination by naturally occurring elements: arsenic, uranium, and radium. Who would have thought?

Councilman Mackie pointed out that 45% of the borough water comes from the well, while the balance is provided by New Jersey American Water, a huge private utility that charges us exorbitant rates: between $22,000 and $30,000 per month! You might have noticed those rates when gasping at the size of your quarterly water bill.

lawn. I was amazed at how much water we used: around six gallons per meal.

The only downside of pouring dishwater on the vegetable garden was that every time I bit into a tomato, bubbles came out of my ears.

All seemed relatively well until we got notified by Hopewell Borough that our water supply was contaminated with the industrial compound PFOS. I immediately panicked and bought an under-the-sink filtration system and transformed myself into a plumber.

Lying on my back under the sink, even with a pillow, was both awkward and painful, but it gave me greater appreciation for the plumbing profession. The connections haven’t leaked even once—so far.

Then, too late, I had a phone conversation with Hopewell Borough councilman David Mackie, a geologist who works with contaminant mitigation and who because of his expertise oversees the Borough’s water issues. He said that the presence of PFOS was “not a health emergency,” which is why a year will be spent to determine water treatment and find funding for what will be an expensive response.

PFOS, a compound used in such items as pizza boxes, fast-food wrappers, dental

The limit standard for PFOS is 13 parts per trillion. That’s right, a trillion! Only in April 2022 did Hopewell suddenly test at 14 parts per trillion, still an infinitesimally tiny amount, but it’s everywhere, and does not degrade. Over a lifetime of exposure, PFOS can be harmful, but scientists are still trying to figure out what concentration level poses a danger.

Perhaps I acted a bit precipitously in putting in the water filter, but since it removes the chlorine as well as the PFOS, it tastes a whole lot better, not that I’m really interested in drinking water

So why not dig another well and end the borough’s dependence on NJ American?

According to Mr. Mackie, having to create a treatment facility for that new source might result in no reduction in cost. Turning over the borough’s utility to the private conglomerate also won’t guarantee rate reduction.

My response to the bills has been to limit my showering to once a month, but less frequently in winter.

robin schore lives in Hopewell Borough.

When it rained an inch, the barrel filled halfway. I felt so virtuous. then, sometime in July, the barrel ran dry.

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