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New club helps kids chase their DREAMS
ElEcTion 2021
By Rebekah Schroeder
Each fall, the Hopewell Express sends questionnaires to candidates in contested municipal and school board races in the interest of giving voters a way to make informed decisions when filling out their November ballots. In recent years, few elections in Pennington or Hopewell Borough have been contested, and that is the case again this year. Pennington mayor James Davy is running unopposed to complete the term of former mayor Joe Lawver, who resigned in June. Davy was appointed by council to take the place of Lawver. Also running unopposed for Pennington council are Democrats Nadine Stern and incumbent Deborah Gnatt. Liz Semple, currently on council, is not running. In Hopewell Borough, Democratic incumbents Deb Stuhler and Samara McAuliffe are unopposed for re-election to borough council. However, there are contests in Hopewell Township, where Democrat Uma Parandare and Republican Ed “Jack” Jackowski are running. There are also three candidates running for two township seats on the Hopewell Valley school board. Our coverage of these races, as well as township mayor Julie Blake’s decision to take her name off the ballot, begins on page 13.
Melissa Burgos chose a hot air balloon as a logo for her achievement center Club DREAMS, highlighting the value of letting those with Down syndrome chase their aspirations into the skies and beyond. She holds multiple titles like president, executive director, as well as the founder of the group. The acronym DREAMS stands for Down Syndrome Recreation Enrichment Academic Meeting Space, highlighting the nonprofit organization’s desires to expand access for those with the developmental condition. Operated by The Down Syndrome Association of Central New Jersey, they originally wanted to unveil their location at 25 Scotch Road in Ewing in spring 2020. At the start of the pandemic, Club DREAMS began virtual programming, making their live grand opening on Aug. 21 a special step forward. Prominently featured at the picnic and festival-style celebration was a truly symbolic hot air balloon ride. “It was a great success,” Burgos said. Joyce Lembo, an artist, brought a collaborative canSee DREAMS, Page 6
Few contests on Valley ballots By Joe Emanski
A sign at the entrance to Woolsey Park warns visitors that the park is open to hunters five days a week, with only Sundays and Mondays free for hiking. Members of the Hopewell Township Deer Advisory Committee say that last year, too many park visitors disregarded the sign, knowingly or unknowingly putting themselves in jeopardy. (Staff photo by Joe Emanski.)
Deer crossing Township looking to raise awareness among hikers as hunting season commences By Joe Emanski
The sign in the parking lot of Woolsey Park is clear: hunting may be in progress. On Sundays and Mondays, the park’s trails are open for passive recreation. The rest of the week, hikers should stay away so as not to interfere with the hunters who
are participating in Hopewell Township’s deer management program. But whether they don’t understand it, or they just don’t like it, some hikers in recent years have ignored the sign at Woolsey, and others like it throughout the Hopewell Valley, and walked with their dogs or by themselves despite the bright orange warning. And while it’s true that many people consider hunting to be recreation, area hunters aren’t breaking out their shotguns and crossbows merely for fun. They have a job to do: to reduce the population of
white-tailed deer in the area, which has grown substantially and unsustainably in the past few years. For members of the Hopewell Township Deer Management Advisory Committee, a reduction of the deer population is vital to the overall ecological, not to mention economic, health of the region. Deer cause serious, often costly damage to the regions forests and to the farms that often sit at the woods’ edge. But safety for the community is what has members of the committee most conSee DEER, Page 8
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