I read with interest the article regarding the dropping off of kids who attend Antheil Elementary School. I often wondered if the residents on Beth Ann way ever complained to the Township. Surely, there must be something that can be done to keep out people using the street in such a fashion. The nuisance goes beyond just Beth Ann Way. I live on Tyson Drive. Every morning when I leave for work, and approach Beth Ann Way, I encounter the large amount of cars that enter and exit our development.

On more than one occasion, I have had to dodge parents driving and/or rushing to get to Beth Ann Way to drop off their children. I even had a parent yell at me for not allowing him to speed past me with his kids in the car. Just imagine! This was a parent coming across Ewingville Road from directly across Colleen Circle - which is walking distance to the school.

I suspect some of these parents are too lazy to get up to get their kids on school buses or walk them to school, so instead they sleep in along with the kids, then race to drop them off at school via Beth Ann Way. I bet the school does not allow this nonsense, so they are circumventing the system by using Beth Ann Way.

There are mornings where the cars are parked and parents are standing around talking and socializing, which causes a traffic jam in and around Beth Ann Way as well as double parking, etc. The additional cars cause all residents to wait to get out of the development as cars are flowing in and out in addition to the normal traffic on Ewingville Road. For the life of me, I do not understand why these parents do not take their kids directly to the school. What is so difficult about doing so? Is there an area at the school for the dropping off of kids?

This has been going on for some time now. I shutter to think what would happen if emergency vehicles had to service anyone on Beth Ann Way or for that matter, the development itself since there is only one way in and out of the development.

It really is becoming a safety issue more than a nuisance.

Dear Editor:

My husband and I purchased our home in 1996. One of the great perks of living in Hamilton is the Recyle Center off of Kuser Road. Being an avid gardener, I thought the coolest thing about the recycle center was that you could drop off your garden refuse and pickup compost and mulch FOR FREE! How nice is that? You are helping the environment by recycling and getting something free in return. It makes paying higher property taxes a "little less" painful (just a little).

Well, what I would like to know is WHAT is going on at the recycle center this year? My husband got some mulch very early in the season but now there has been nothing available for the last 2 weeks. He has been told that it is not "ready to use" yet. The irony of that statement is that he has seen private contractors at the site getting loaded with mulch from the huge number of mulch/compost piles over there. Some of these private contractors had tractor trailers.

I would like to know what has changed that now the private tax-paying home-owner cannot get mulch/compost but private industry can. Are they now reaping our rewards? Are they paying taxes or are they paying for the mulch? And, if they are paying for the mulch - where is that money going?

Is anyone else out there getting a little bit annoyed? Something "rots" and I am not sure it is the compost.

Thank you!

The Board of Mercer County Chosen Freeholders passed a resolution on March 25, 2010 opposing the 25% fare increase and reduction in services by NJ Transit. In sponsoring this resolution and testifying at the hearing, I served as your representative to underscore the negative impact these decisions are making on the lifestyle of Mercer County residents. I am pleased to report that NJ Transit Executive Director Weinstein is looking at some adjustments to the original proposals. All Mercer County residents need to continue to make their voices heard; a final vote will take place on April 14. Call, e-mail and write the Governor, Legislature, and NJ Transit. Let them know how this decision impacts your life.

Beyond the economic impact, the environmental setbacks will be devastating. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, New Jersey residents breathe air that is 1,600 times dirtier than allowed by federal safety guidelines equating to more asthma attacks, cancer risk, and heart disease. Asthma alone costs NJ residents over $300 million annually. Cars and trucks account for approximately 80% of airborne carcinogens and 40% of the chemicals that form smog or ozone pollution. NJ Transit’s typical weekday ridership averages 271,000 riders, which removes approximately 239,000 cars from our roads. We cannot afford to place more cars back on our roads.

Mercer County’s residents’ health, economics, and quality of life, is of utmost importance to the Mercer County Freeholder Board, join us in opposing these regressive changes to our transit system.

In our neighborhood, in Mercerville, we are fighting a Popeye’s trying to renovate and add a drive-thru window to their business. We do not wish this to become part of our neighborhood; it offers nothing for us. It will create more traffic that we do not need. We are a walking community and the extra traffic would only make our streets dangerous for our children and the rest of us. It will cause more air pollution, which will cause us to close our windows and use more electricity to keep the air in our homes so that we can breathe more easily.

There are many laws in place to protect us from this, but the board in Hamilton seems much more interested in listening to Popeye’s than to its citizens. I am not sure why we should be made to hire professional people for the board to hear us. But we do not have the same rights as the professionals from Popeye’s so we have had to put our monies together to pay professionals to speak for us (to the tune of thousands of dollars), when there are many of us ready to state our case ourselves in a professional manner. We have not been allowed the same time to give our defense of our needs and desires to see our community grow and prosper in the way we see it should. Popeye’s is always given the floor first, the right to rebuttal and ask us questions and we are not given the same rights or courtesies. It seems that we are second class citizens and Popeye’s is the townships first consideration.

So it seems to me, that the township is telling us to put our homes up for sale and move on. They do not seem to care what we have said, in our short time allotment. They seem to think that Popeye’s is the best thing since sliced bread and we are not intelligent enough to know it, a board member said that to us!! As Popeye professionals have said to us, our information and reasons why we do not want the drive thru does not count because we are not professionals. Are we living in a professional area OR is this area residential/commercial? Who says because we are only residents that we are not professionals? Who says that professionals are the ones to run our neighborhood? Is Hamilton Township telling us they want us to move and the only ones allowed in this township are professionals? Sorry to remind you that this is OUR neighborhood and you gave us the laws to protect it. So now it is your civic duty to make sure our voices are heard and the laws that you have put in place to protect us are upheld.

I think that the township should put its citizens first and hear what we have to say. If they wish to hear only from professionals, then they should have lawyers available for us at the cost of the township.

We are the citizens, Popeye’s is a business, who should have a say as to what will be in our neighborhood? I think it should be the citizens.

To the family and friends of the Wargo Family;

Dennis Wargo is a lifelong member of the Hopewell Valley community. He's a Vietnam Veteran who was recently inducted into the Hopewell Valley Central High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He's worked hard his whole like to take care of his family.

Dennis was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He's endured months of chemotherapy and radiation, and recently underwent surgery. The surgeons removed his pancreas, part of his stomach, part of his intestine, and his gall bladder. Due to the extensive surgery, his respiratory system was compromised, and he has a big struggle ahead for full recovery. They do feel they got all the cancer and his prognosis is good.

The problem is he and his wife, Marilyn, have some overwhelming medical expenses resulting from his illness.

Dennis and Marilyn live in Hopewell. Over the years, he has primarily worked for Shop-Rite, most recently as Dairy Clerk for the Rocky Hill Shop Rite. Marilyn works part time. Dennis had health insurance through his work, but because he is now unable to work, he has the added cost of paying his own monthly insurance.

Due to his serious condition, he had to go "out of network" for an oncologist with the expertise to handle his case. With combined "out of network" costs, deductibles and co-pays, the family is facing insurmountable expenses. And with Dennis not working he has other expenses adding up. He intends to work again when he heals, but in the meantime medical expenses are increasing with no end in sight, and a long healing process ahead.

As a friend or family member, if you'd like to help Dennis and Marilyn get through their struggle with cancer, donations are being collected. Let's help Dennis concentrate on a full recovery by helping with the financial side of his illness. Checks should be made payable to "Friends of the Wargo Family" and mailed to: Friends of the Wargo Family c/o Jim Morrison (HVCHS Class of '66) 118 W. Welling Ave., Pennington, NJ 08534.

An account for the fund drive has been established at Hopewell Valley Community Bank. The bank will keep a record of all contributions. The family will be notified of all those who contribute, but not the amounts. Even the smallest contributions will add up to help Dennis and Marilyn through this difficult time. Let's come together as a community to help this wonderful family.

Sincerely,

Terry R. Silvester, Colonel, US Air Force (retired); HVCHS Class of '66

Healthcare reform certainly isn't easy. But failing to pass a comprehensive overhaul shouldn't be an option.

Right now, more than 45 million Americans don't have health insurance. Given the current recession, that number is likely on the rise. And national healthcare spending continues to escalate at an alarming rate.

Congress's healthcare bills certainly have some flaws. But Americans of all political stripes recognize that we need reform. Republicans and Democrats alike can rally behind initiatives to expand coverage, remove waste and fraud from our system, accelerate the adoption of health information technology, prohibit insurers from denying coverage to patients with pre-existing medical conditions, and reduce the deficit.

Whether lawmakers decide to work with the existing proposals or start from scratch, it's important that they seize this opportunity. New Jersey Senators Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg have worked hard to fight for responsible healthcare legislation that works for all Americans. It's crucial that they keep up the good work.

Upon their death, would you be willing to assume the responsibility for repaying your parents and grandparents debt? You might say ... yes, no, or it depends on how much it is. Suppose it was the law that you had to repay. Let's further suppose that your parents were maxing out numerous credit cards and double-mortgaging their home. But, they used those funds for good works - buying internet connections and computers for schools, new bathrooms in national parks and needles for heroin users to lessen their chance of getting Aids.

You'd probably beg, plead and argue with them to stop accumulating debt - you might even take legal action to stop them.

If you wouldn't let your parents or grandparents do this to you, then why are you letting your politicians do this to you, your kids and your grandkids?

The government debt that has already been accumulated and will continue to pile up from spending on programs that are either unnecessary or could be cut or delayed is going to stifle your kid's life. The debt load will cause taxes to skyrocket because the government is obligated to repay the debt and taxes are the government's only source of income.

More government debt = higher payments = higher taxes = less income for citizens = less opportunity for your kids to live the life they want. Your kids will have less opportunity than you did to buy a house, start a business, support their favorite charity, send their kids to college or care for an elder parent because the government will be taking over 70% of their hard earned income.

Don't let the fancy jargon, politicians or talking heads fool you, this issue as is as simple as the example outlined above. If you wouldn't let Dad or Gran spend needlessly, don't let your politician do it.

I write in reference to the preservation of St. Michael’s Tract farmland (click here for the full article). I am filled with joy that the land has been preserved, that the land will not fall into the hands of developers, that the community will be able to enjoy such an amazing piece of property. My family has a very deep, personal connection to this property.

After reading Ms. Farmer's article on St. Michael’s farmland, however, I feel the need to correct some misinformation. The land was indeed NOT unused since 1973 when the orphanage was destroyed. My father & family worked tirelessly 7 days a week, 365 days each year on the farm. It was a very productive dairy farm, with approximately 100 cows (80 of them being milked twice daily). That did not include in the earlier years the chickens & pigs that were also a part of the farm. Fields & fields of crops such as soybeans, hay, corn, wheat, etc. were grown annually as well.

My father & uncle were business partners, hard workers, and raised hard working children & grandchildren that all participated in the farm work. After my uncle retired, my father kept right on going, never missing a beat. When he became ill about 10 years ago, he finally gave the farm back to the Catholic Diocese. Sadly, he passed away 2 years ago, but each & every one of his children, including myself have personal, fond memories of "our farm" & the sweat we poured into it. I guess you can say we feel a little protective of it.

If you are a person who has lived in Hopewell for any length of time, you know our family, you know our story. My mother & her siblings lived in the house that once stood on the property, growing up there during the depression. My grandparents were actually orphans that met at St. Michaels, so very long ago. As you can see, we are DEEPLY rooted.

Thank you for allowing me to set the record straight. I know that so many people will benefit from this wonderful preservation.

I wrote back early this year regarding the road condition at the intersection of Kuser and Yardville Hamilton Square Road. I got a response and also saw the publication in the newspaper stating that repairs would begin "on or about June" (can't remember if it stated the 1st or the 30th). Either way, June, July, August and 3/4 of September have come and gone and NOTHING has been done to that intersection!

The current sign says "On or about September 14". Today is September 24 and STILL NOTHING has been done!

Why can't someone specifically state the reason for the delay? First, you're waiting for Public Service, then you're waiting for Verizon. It seems that all existing poles have been removed for quite some time.

The unnecessary "roundabout" was completed, Klockner Road near the school was resurfaced. I don't know why, there didn't seem to be any problem with it-a section of Kuser Road was resurfaced!

CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IS THE PROBLEM-THE HOLDUP-with the intersection of Kuser Road and Yardville Hamilton Square Road?????

When can we expect to see the Township do something about all the stray cats in Sunnybrae area? Every day there are more cats and kittens turning up.

If you call Animal Control, they say they are full and cannot take anymore. Something needs to be done because it's out of control.

Licensing cats, just like dogs, may help, but I doubt it.

Mayor, do something.