Letters
National heritage area needed in New Jersey

Recently, acting Gov. Richard Codey signed Executive Order No. 48, which is aimed at assisting the passage of the federal bill pending in the House of Representatives, HR 87. This bill, sponsored by Reps. Rodney Frelinghuysen and Rush Holt, and co-sponsored by all of our other representatives, would establish a National Heritage Area in New Jersey focusing on historic Revolutionary War sites in New Jersey. An identical bill, S 825 sponsored by Sens. Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg, passed in July.

What is at stake is as much as $10 million in federal funds to help restore and preserve these sites, as well as create educational programs associated with the sites. Although the areas to receive funding do not include every possible revolutionary site, and sites in the south and northwest portions of the state have largely been left out, the current proposal includes 14 counties and more than 200 municipalities.

New Jersey was vital to the revolutionary cause. Washington had headquarters in New Jersey for three winters. More battles and skirmishes were fought in New Jersey than any other state, including the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Red Bank, Monmouth and Springfield. Space does not allow to recount the almost 300 other documented battles and skirmishes or retell the heroics and bravery of our great patriot ancestors. As it stands, small towns, private donors and patriotic organizations like the Sons of the Revolution are left with the task of preserving our state’s grand Revolutionary War history.

While the actions of acting Gov. Codey and our state representatives and senators are highly commendable, Congress must act fast before these precious sites are gone forever. Next year will mark the 225th anniversary of the march of Washington and French Gen. Jean B. de Rochambeau through New Jersey to Yorktown. Time is of the essence.

Unfortunately, Representative Frelinghuysen had proposed similar bills in the past two congressional sessions. The Senate’s recent passage of the bill and acting Gov. Codey’s executive order may help finally pass this legislation. But the House bill had been referred to a subcommittee on Feb. 3, and six months later it remains there today.

In July, the township of Belleville petitioned Congress to support HR 87 and S 825. It would be wonderful if all other towns — whether earmarked for funds or not — as well as private organizations followed Belleville’s lead and petitioned Congress for the speedy passage of the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area Act. The New Jersey Society, Sons of the Revolution is attempting to contact as many town councils as possible to urge petitions similar to Belleville’s. Let’s show our gratitude to our brave ancestors who fought for our liberty. It is time for the local government, private organizations and the residents to put the pressure on Congress to help us save these sites which were so instrumental to establishing our great country.

John F. Newman

board member

New Jersey Society

Sons of the Revolution

Freehold

Good behind-the-scenes work merits re-election for Baker

Since we are about to embark on the election season, I want to say that I strongly support Bill Baker, Old Bridge Township Council president, for re-election to the Ward 2 council seat this fall.

Not only was Mr. Baker instrumental in stopping the Legacy Grand development from coming to fruition in the Arbors, he supports preserving the Cottrell farm as a historic site.

Baker has presided over a council that has made our town safer by hiring more police, has begun work on Mannino Park, has brought a municipal golf course closer to reality, and has continually worked for the residents of Ward 2 and the township of Old Bridge. He has worked together with others to get things accomplished in this township.

Bill Baker has my vote for re-election on Nov. 8. I hope the rest of the ward’s residents see the good this man has done behind the scenes and vote him another term on the council come Election Day.

James R. Park

Old Bridge

High school service clubs collecting DVDs, CDs for troops

Due to an appeal from Sgt. Kevin Johnson, Iraqi Freedom veteran and founder of the Veterans of Foreign Wars DVDs4Troops program, the Spotswood High School History Club and Octagon Club community service organizations will conduct another drive to collect DVD films and music CDs for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This program has done a great deal to provide our troops with moments of peace and relaxation. Due to the success of the program, more Gulf-area bases have requested film and music libraries to be established in their areas.

All items may be dropped of at Spotswood High School, Summerhill Road, care of Frank Yusko.

For further information, call (732) 723-2201 or visit the Web site at www.DVDs4Troops.org. The drive will be conducted through October.

Feel free to include notes of encouragement, addressed to “Any U.S. Service Person.” We will send those along as well.

Frank Yusko

adviser

Spotswood High School History Club and Octagon Club

Proposed cable legislation falls short in several important areas

With all due respect to Robert K. Johnson (“Bill Aims to Improve Cable Services,” Your Turn guest column, Suburban, Aug. 18), as a 15-year veteran of the telecommunications industry, I resent the implication that I have been misled or influenced by cable operators. I’ll also note that what was not disclosed in that column is that despite the name Consumers for Cable Choice, the organization for which Mr. Johnson is president and general counsel is funded by Verizon and SBC, and both companies have a vested interest in these bills.

The goal of increased video choice to our residents is a wonderful objective. However, the proposed federal legislation fails several important criteria.

The first issue is that it does not provide a guarantee of services. My goal as an elected official in Jamesburg is to ensure that my community gets these new services.

The second issue is that the new service providers do not have to negotiate directly with the local communities but pay the same franchise fee that the cable operators pay. What this fails to take into account is that trade-offs in services, and other nonmonetary considerations such as community access channels, may be exchanged for lower franchise fees.

It is also interesting to note that Mr. Johnson points to the lack of competition as the reason for the rising cable costs. However, at the same time the cable industry has seen competition on the video side. According to some estimates, 25-30 percent of U.S. video customers now get their nonbroadcast video services from a provider other than cable operators. However, this increased competition has not had the desired impact on prices.

What Mr. Johnson failed to note is that in the same article to which he referred (“Official Takes Stand Against Cable Proposal,” Suburban, Aug. 11), I stated that I personally am in support of the statewide franchise agreement that Verizon has proposed for New Jersey. This is, of course, assuming that issues such as redlining can be addressed.

Chris Maloney

member

Jamesburg Borough Council

Therapy dog worked wonders with patient

I have never really been comfortable in a hospital environment, but I like helping people. So, I decided to volunteer my dog, Sami, to be a pet-therapy dog at Raritan Bay Medical Center.

Our first day on the job was near the end of August. As we were completing our rounds in the oncology ward at the hospital’s Perth Amboy division, a man beckoned us toward a room where a patient had previously been deemed “unresponsive.” The man asked if my dog would visit the patient, who was the man’s sister.

After the nurses gave us their approval, I brought Sami into the hospital room. The woman was actually sitting up in her bed, with a tracheal tube in her throat. Sami, an 8-year-old golden retriever, walked right up to the woman and placed her head on the woman’s stomach.

The patient began petting Sami, but then emotion overtook her. Leaning forward, she grabbed hold of Sami and hugged her tightly for a full minute, shaking with emotion as she sobbed. It was as if her life was fully restored, if just for a minute or two.

It was an emotional moment for everyone in the room, and I quickly realized how wonderful a visit from a therapy dog is. I promised to bring Sami back to Raritan Bay Medical Center on a weekly basis.

Both of us are eagerly looking forward to our next visit.

Jay Lillianthal

Marlboro