To the Editor:
Wake Up to the Arts
On Sunday May 31, I attended a concert by the Bravura Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra at the Alliance Church in Plainsboro. I was so moved by the splendid performance of the orchestra, but above all, the caliber of the young soloists, most of whom are students at our high schools, that I am compelled to express my views to the Mayor and Council.##M:[more]##
West Windsor has gone a long way from a sleepy farm community to the current affluent suburban fully developed township. I recall when my youngest daughter was in a rag tag immature orchestra and the newly arrived orchestra teacher, Mrs. Mauro, asked my daughter to give up playing the violin to play the cello so she could have someone to play the cello. Our high school now has not one, but three orchestras of substantial caliber relative to years ago. This same daughter lives in Robbinsville, where the high school does not have an orchestra and is yearning, like others, to live in West Windsor so that her children can avail themselves of a rich musical education.
The purpose of this letter is meant as a wake up call to our town officials that we need to nourish and support the artistic talents in West Windsor. West Windsor-based WWFM is the only major classical radio station in New Jersey.
Opera New Jersey has been developed by Lisa and Scott Altman (West Windsor residents} into one of the nation’s outstanding opera companies. West Windsor is extremely fortunate in having an Asian community gifted in artistic talents. We have two indigenous West Windsor symphony orchestras in dire need of financial support. Hence the seeds are there to be nourished and supported.
As the saying goes “a great nation deserves great arts.” Our township, if it is to be developed as an artistic center in competition with Princeton, needs to support its artistic endeavor. I propose that the Township allocate a sum of $50,”000 to support the arts. This is an infinitesimal amount relative to the Township budget.
I heard some time ago that a group was interested in converting the old firehouse into an artistic center. If this could happen, Westminster Conservatory could be enticed to open a branch here so that my daughter and others do not have to drive through heavy traffic to Princeton for their music lessons.
Sam Greco
18 Hathaway Drive
Changes Needed In Cell Tower Rules
While the goal of the township Ordinance 200-243 (Wireless Communication Antenna) is to eliminate or reduce the need for freestanding towers and keep antennas on existing structures, there is no provision to restrict the locations of these facilities. As Township planner John Madden stated, “This application is consistent with the policy of the township in the past” (The News, May 29).
Well things are changing and in the present these applications can and do include freestanding towers in residential areas. It’s only a matter of time before more of these applications will be made.
I for one asked at the “heated” public hearing if it wasn’t possible to amend this ordinance. Discussion ensued on other topics and Mayor Hsueh directed my inquiry to the Planning Board chairman Marvin Gardner who deferred to the Board’s counsel, Mr. Muller. Although it was too late for an amendment to impact the installation of the T-Mobile cell phone tower, he did state that there is a 60 or up to 90-day process that could amend this ordinance. I would urge the Town Council as well as the Planning Board to immediately initiate the process to amend this ordinance. I hope it would exclude residential areas, limit the frequency on existing towers in residential area, and still comply with Federal regulations.
When you have angered this many residents of West Windsor it is time to realize that past policies have outlived their time and need fixing.
Pam Bainbridge
155 Penn Lyle Road,
Princeton Junction
Keep Bikes Rolling
All last month we blogged (wwbpa.blogspot.com) about our challenge to our community to use their bikes as much as possible during National Bike Month. The challenge was to bike to work, to school, or to shopping. Our grand total for the month of May: 2,”466 miles. If the average car gets 25 mpg, that’s 98.6 gallons of gasoline not burned, and the equivalent to saving roughly 1873 pounds of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere due to car commuting! Way to go, everyone who participated!
My personal heroes are the high school south student who bike commutes 14 miles roundtrip most days of the year from his home in Plainsboro to High School South, and a couple who live in Penns Neck and bike commute to Princeton University every day and to the grocery store once a week (they are carless). Amazing.
Even though National Bike Month is over, don’t lose momentum — keep on pedaling!! You are doing a lot to keep our planet green.
Ken Carlson
Vice President, West Windsor
Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance
www.wwbpa.org
Call For a Clean-Up
After complaining to all the proper channels for years (yes, years) — town purchasing department, mayor, manager — to no avail, I am writing to publicize the problem with cleanliness in Plainsboro’s recreation area and ladies’ room. (I haven’t checked the men’s room).
I take yoga and exercise classes every week in the large recreation area and the floor is always dirty, with pieces of dirt and hair throughout. The ladies room floor and counters are grimy and, I am sure, filled with bacteria. Gray dirt has covered the pink floor tile for years. Inevitably soap is missing from the ladies room.
I was told that a cleaning service is hired. However, it is obvious that no one checks up on or gives instructions to this service. The facilities look as if someone comes in and moves a dirty mop around. Our taxes are paying for this! Our officials need to see that the situation is remedied.
Perhaps this letter in print will get the officials responsible to take charge of this disgusting situation.
Phyllis Spiegel
Plainsboro
Fish Were Biting
On May 16 the Plainsboro PBA Local 319 and the WW-P Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse co-sponsored the annual youth fishing derby in Plainsboro. The event was attended by more than 25 boys and girls ages 7-12. Prizes were awarded to those anglers who caught the longest, shortest, first, and last fish.
The event would not have been a success without the support of Harry’s Army/Navy Store, Asian Food Market, and Frank’s Tackle Supply. Thanks to all of the volunteers and parents who assisted.
Lt. Chris Weidman
Vice President,
PBA-SOA Local 319A
My Daughter,
My Hero
All too often we hear about young adults and the choices that they make in a negative light. However, my daughter, Kate Rhein is my hero and my friend.
She graduated May 9 magna cum laude as a psychology major and sociology minor from St. Joseph’s College of Standish, Maine. A graduate of St. Paul’s School in Princeton and Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, Kate received early acceptance from Smith College’s Graduate School of Social Work and a $5,”000 scholarship from the University of New England’s Graduate School of Social Work.
She chose to continue working this summer with homeless teens in Preble Street Mission of Portland, Maine. Kate took the initiative to pursue internships and summer part time jobs in human services. In her junior year Kate worked at the Center for Grieving Children and fulfilled her duties there beyond the school year as a summer volunteer.
Last summer in Maine, Kate also worked for Providence, as a behavioral health professional and for Affinity, as a direct support staff member. It is her heart for helping others in need that makes Kate such a unique and remarkable person. It is inspiring to see a young person who long ago in third grade came to the Exchange Club of Princeton’s building to help her mom do an Easter Egg Hunt for a few homeless children.
Kate moved on to high school and came full circle by volunteering her mom and herself at the Notre Dame High School summer camp program for Homefront’s homeless children. Currently she has chosen to continue to serve the homeless teens of Maine and is anticipating the new internships that graduate will bring at the University of New England in September. Kate exemplifies the qualities of a true hero and my best friend.
Jeanne Rhein
Plainsboro
Rhein has lived in the Princeton Collection since 1981 and has taught integrated reading and writing at Community Middle School since 1998.
