Louis Melchor, principal of North Warren

Regional High School,

announced that Anna C.
Kellaher and Fiona C.
Schicho have been
named
Commended
Students in the 2015
National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of
Commendation from the
school and National
Merit
Scholarship
Corporation
(NMSC)
will be presented to these
talented seniors.
About 34,000 Commended
Students
throughout the nation are
being recognized for
their
exceptional
academic promise. Anna
and Fiona placed among
the top five percent of
more than 1.5 million
students who entered the
2015 competition by

taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/ National

Merit Scholarship Qualifying
Test
(PSAT/NMSQT).
The young women
being named Commended Students have
demonstrated outstanding
potential
for...
success, said a spokesperson
for
NMSC.
These students represent a valuable national
resource;
recognizing
their accomplishments,
as well as the key role
their schools play in their
academic development,
is vital to the advancement of educational
excellence... We hope
that this recognition will
help broaden their opportunities and encourage
them as they continue
their pursuit of success.

When Podiatrist Dr.

Amannda Richline was
thinking of ways to
thank her patients, a
community-wide open
house seemed like the
perfect idea.
Of course, we cant
forget the animals,
Richline said, excitedly.
As her patients all
know, the foot doctor is
not only passionate
about taking care of
people, but is an avid
animal rescuer as well.
This open house is a
great chance to interact
with some of her furry
and feathered friends,
visit the office, meet the
staff, and get some free
stuff as well! Therapy
dogs will be there, along
with the lucky parrots
who live in Sys Piece of
Heaven, Dr. Richlines
parrot sanctuary.
The fun-filled festivities at her Belvidere
office will start Saturday, November 1st from
9am to 2pm The open
house will feature the
doctors rescued cow,
Winchester, and his
friend, Daisy, at 11am to
1pm.
Its
by
popular
demand! My patients

always ask about him,

Richline said.
A special store representative will also be
on-hand from 11am to
1pm to give pointers on
how to find the right
fitting footwear, when
to replace running
shoes, and more helpful
foot tips.
I love this town and
wanted to show it!
Richline said.
Free foot exams will be
held throughout the day,
as well as a candy buy
backyou can trade in
your Halloween candy

for $1 a pound. The

latest fashions from Dr.
Richlines Shoe World
will be on display, and
free NuFoot yoga socks
will be given with every
purchase. There will
also be a buy one get one
free selection.
All those who come to
the open house will
receive a free T-shirt and
goody bag, as well as
complimentary refreshments and food including hot dogs, cupcakes,
and popcorn. Signing
the email list will get
you a $10 gift certifi-

cate. If you like them

on Facebook, theyll
bump the certificate up
to $15.
Dr. Richline is a
board-certified podiatrist whos been serving
the Belvidere community with quality care for
over 16 years. Besides
her
dedication
to
patients, she has devoted
much of her life to helping those in needanimals and people
alike.
For more information,
see Dr. Richlines ad on
page 11.

October is National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fight
breast cancer by creating a plan that detects
the disease in its early
stages at www.national
breastcancer.org.
During October the
Warren
County
Library, located at 2
Shotwell Drive in
Belvidere, will hold
October Spooktacular,
a month-long celebration of Halloween. Kids
can sign up for a reading
program
beginning
October 1st and turn in
their log at the end of the
month to receive a prize.
There will also be a
prize drawing, monster
movies, spooky storytime, crafts, and more!
For a complete listing of
events, see the calendar
at www.warrenlib.org.
Blairstown Township
will be holding a townwide cleanup on October 24th and 25th. As
in past years, a voucher
system will be used.
Each property owner is
entitled to two vouchers,

which allow residents to

bring items to the
Warren County Landfill
in Oxford. Only Blairstown property owners
are entitled to receive
these vouchers. Property
owners may pick up
their vouchers beginning October 14th at the
municipal building from
8am to 4pm, Monday
through Friday. Property
owners in possession of
valid handicapped parking permits may call the
municipal garage in
advance at 908-3628119 to arrange for
pick-up.
On November 15th,
Blairstown Township
will be holding a public
land clean up day.
Blairstown
volunteer
groups, Girl Scouts, Boy
Scouts. Church groups,
etc. can earn money, as
well as help out their
community. Each group
of six (one must be an
adult) can earn $200 or
more depending on the
number of volunteer
groups. There is a maximum of two groups per

organization.
Groups
will meet at the old recycling center on Lambert
Road to sign up and get
started. If interested,
please contact Maureen
DeSimone at recycling
@blairstowntwp-nj.com
or 908-310-2910.
If theres one thing
Boy Scouts know, its
that the best part of
earning a badge is the
experience. And with
badges ranging from
backpacking to robotics,
there are tons of cool
experiences to be had.
So if your son is looking
for real adventure, get
him involved with Boy
Scouts of America.
Youll see firsthand how
once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities can lead to
a lifetime of success.
Join NJ Boy Scout
Troop 153; with members from Knowlton,
Blairstown, Frelinghuysen,
White
and
surrounding areas. For
more
information,
contact
Committee
Chair Laurie Meivogel
at
njbsatroop153@
gmail.com, ScoutMaster
Jeff Armstrong at 973214-0217, or Recruitment
Chair
Bob
Provencher at bob@
provencher.org; or visit

www.facebook.com/njb
satroop153.
The North Warren
Recreation Group is
welcoming
outdoor
enthusiasts that enjoy
things such as hiking,
bike riding, canoeing,
hunting, local fishing,
deep sea fishing trips,
golfing, archery and gun
target shooting, and
wildlife
sightseeing.
Hosting two activities a
month will be the goal
of the group. Email
Matthew at muconn47
@centurylink.net.
Say Happy Birthday to your loved
ones in The PRESS!
Send us their names and
birthdays and well print
them here for free! You
can also send a photo
and birthday wish for a
small fee.
Did you know that its
free to publish engagement, wedding, birth
and milestone birthday
announcements in The
PRESS? All you have
to do is send us a quality
photo along with the
announcement information you wish to include!
Email is best, but you
can also drop off or mail
your submissions to The
PRESS at 1 Broadway,
Bangor, PA 18013. This

is your community
newspaper and we need
your news to fill it!
We love hearing
from you! Send your
birthdays, anniversa-

ries and other info to:

The PRESS,
1 Broadway,
Bangor, PA 18013; or
thepressmail@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook!

The week of October

12th is National Veterinary Technician Week.
Veterinary technicians
are an important part of
the medical support
team at our hospital. We
currently have five
technicians on staff here
at Blairstown Animal
Hospital. They perform
a wide variety of functions that help make the
veterinarians
jobs
easier and improve the
quality of care for the
patients. They are in
charge of placing intravenous
catheters,
performing anesthesia
and dental cleanings,
taking radiographs (Xrays), drawing blood
and running bloodwork,
evaluating
cytology
slides (looking under the
microscope at samples),
dispensing medications
and monitoring our
surgical and medical
patients, to just name
some of their responsibilities. As you can see,
they act as nurses, dental
hygienists,
radiology
and pharmacy technicians, and phlebotomists
all at once.
Our technicians have
all attended a two-year
program in a recognized
veterinary
technician
school. It is a rigorous
curriculum that includes
courses in anatomy,
pharmacology, anesthesia,
microbiology,
emergency/ critical care,
radiology and many
others. Their training
involves not only dogs
and cats, but farm
animals as well and they
get plenty of hands-on
experience. That all
comes in handy when
starting work at our busy
practice.
Having
a
capable
technician
means that the veterinarian can bring a pet into

the hospital and hand

over the diagnostic and
treatment plan to her,
knowing that shortly, the
tests will be run and the
treatments
will
be
underway.
Here is an example of a
typical surgical case and
the technicians role.
Patients for surgery
arrive in the morning.
The doctors have rounds
to discuss the cases for
the day and to outline
the details of the procedures. Many pets need
to have bloodwork
before surgery. The
blood is drawn and run
by the technician so it is
ready to be reviewed by
the surgeon. They also
will run an EKG which
is sent remotely to a
cardiologist for interpretation. Once the schedule is set, the first pet is
given a sedative. The
dose is calculated and
administered by the
technician. When the
patient is comfortable
and relaxed, he is
brought into our treatment area and prepped
by the technician and an
assistant. This involves
giving an injection to
have
him
sleeping
deeply enough for an
endotracheal tube to be
inserted. Gas anesthesia
is administered, the
surgical site is clipped
and given the first scrub.
Pre-surgical pain medications are given and the
pet is then taken into the

surgical suite where he

is given the final scrub
while the surgeon gets
scrubbed and gloved.
During this time, monitors are hooked up
which will record respiration, heart rate, body
temperature,
blood
pressure, oxygen saturation and CO2 levels.
After
surgery,
the
technician takes the pet
back into the recovery
area, gives post-surgical
pain medication, and
continues
monitoring
until he is awake. If
there are any complications, she is then able to
alert the doctor right
away. As you can see,
the technicians are a
vital part of the surgical
team.
When I asked our
technicians what their
favorite classes were in
school, I got a variety of
answers, but the one at
the top of each ones list
was the nursing care
classes. That exemplifies the devotion they
have in giving aid to the
pets in their care.
If you would like to
learn more about what
veterinary technicians
do, visit the National
Association of Veterinary Technicians in
Americas website at
www.navta.net.
And
next time you visit us,
remember to thank our
technicians for all the
great care they administer to your pets.

Whether a novice or
expert birder, a hike to
Raccoon Ridge to hawk
watch is an experience
not to miss on November 1st, from 9am to
4pm.
With
cooler
weather and reduced
daylight,
nature
is
signaling it is time for
our migrant raptors and
other birds to go south.
Set atop the Kittatinny
Ridge on the Appalachian
Trail,
the
outstanding view will
provide the perfect
backdrop for a day to
discover these amazing
birds with Mike Anderson, Sanctuary Director
of
New
Jersey
Audubons Scherman
Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary in Bernardsville.
On this field trip, you
will discover a variety of
migrating raptors such
as Coopers, Sharpshinned, Red-tailed and
Red-shouldered Hawks
as they continue their
fall migration. Not only
are these birds a beautiful sight to behold, they
are important indicators
of environmental health.
New Jersey Audubon
has a special-use permit
from
Yards
Creek
Pumped Storage Facility, which provides the
shortest access to the
ridge. The one-hour
long hike up is steep,
rocky, and wet in places,
so participants must
dress for the weather
and wear suitable shoes

for hiking this terrain.

There is a limit of 20
people and 10 cars and
everyone will enter and
leave
the
facility
together as a group.
Registration is required
by October 25th. Please
call 908-766-5787 to
register. Further information will provided
upon registration.

New Jersey Audubons

Scherman
Hoffman
Wildlife
Sanctuary
provides
educational
programs throughout the
year for adults and
children. To find out
more information on the
diverse offerings visit
njaudubon.org,
email
shws@njaudubon.org,
or call 908-766-5787.

Blairstown Senior Bus

Trip: Nov. 20th. Hunterdon Hills to see Playhouse Christmas. Sign
up Oct. 22nd, 1pm at
Town Hall. Entre selection at sign up. FMI, call
Mickey at 908-3628919.
North Warren Democratic Club Meeting:
Oct. 22nd, 7pm. Meeting room of the Catherine Dickson Hofman
Library, Lambert Rd.,
Blairstown. All Democrats & independents
invited to have pizza &
discuss Nov. election,
incl. the ballot questions
& election for members
of the board of education.
Refreshments
provided. FMI, call Fred
Cook at 908-362-6808
or email fpchistory

@yahoo.com.
Halloween-Themed
Pajama
Storytime:
Oct. 22nd, 6:30pm.
Warren Co. Library, 2
Shotwell Dr., Belvidere. Share a variety of
spooky & not-so-spooky
stories for the whole
family.
Costumes
welcome!
Free
Family
Law
Seminar: Oct. 22nd,
7pm-9pm.
Project
Self-Sufficiency,
127
Mill St., Newton. Registration required. Call
973-940-3500.
Teen Halloween Party:
Oct. 23rd, 6pm. Warren
Co. Library Headquarters, 2 Shotwell Dr.,
Belvidere. Learn to read
tea leaves, make candy

creations
&
more.
Costumes encouraged.
For those in 5th grade &
up.
Registration
required. FMI, visit
warrenlib.org.
Computer Class For
The Very Beginner
Mouse Skills: Oct.
24th, 10am. Catherine
Dickson
Hofman
Library, 4 Lambert Rd.,
Blairstown. This class is
for the very beginner
who has limited or no
computer experience.
Registration required.
FMI, call 908-362-8335.
Keep Calm & Fight On
2nd
Annual
5K
Run/Walk to Benefit
American
Cancer
Society: Oct. 25th.
Knowlton Lions Club
Pavilion. Registration
begins at 7:30am w/
run/walk starting at
8:30am. Reg. fees apply.
To register, go to
active.com or email
markk1013@gmail.com
FMI.
Bazaar: Oct. 25th,
9am-3pm. Presbyterian
Chapel of Hackettstown,
291 Main St. (across
from sanctuary). Tea
time 9am-11am, lunch
11:30am-1:30pm. Holiday sundries, handmade
items, white elephant
table & baked goods.
FMI, visit fpchacketts
town.org.
NW Lions Club Chili
Cook-Off: Oct. 25th,
noon-2pm. 1st UMC of
Blairstown, Stillwater
Rd., Blairstown. No
entrance fee, just come

at 11:45am to set up.

Donation fee to taste
goes directly to 4 local
food pantries. A donation of non-perishable
canned goods, paper
products or personal
toiletry items would be
appreciated. 1st, 2nd &
3rd place will be
awarded. FMI, call
Wendy Geuther at 973383-0464.
A l l - Yo u - C a n - E a t
Breakfast Buffet: Oct.
26th,
7am-11am.
Franklin Twp. Vol. Fire
Dept, 37 2nd St., New
Village. FMI, call 908319-0379.
Family
Halloween
Costume Party: Oct.
27th, 3pm. Catherine
Dickson
Hofman
Library, 4 Lambert Rd.,
Blairstown.
Games,
crafts, snacks & treats.
Dont forget to wear
your costume! FMI, call
908-362-8335.
The Science of Addiction: Removing the
Stigma Drug Trends
Conference: Oct. 27th,
8am-1pm. Centenary
College. Presented by
The
Coalition
for
Healthy & Safe Communities, a program of
the Family Guidance
Center of Warren Co., in
collaboration w/ Warren
Co. Prosecutor Richard
T. Burke. Seating is
limited
&
preregistration is required.
Participants are eligible
of three hours of
continuing education or
professional development credits. FMI,
contact Chelsea Volyn at
cvolyn@fgcwc.org or at
908-689-1000.
Halloween Movie For
Adults: Oct. 30th,
6pm. Catherine Dickson
Hofman Library, 4 Lambert Rd., Blairstown.
Adults welcome to
enjoy a spooky movie
(Rated R) & Halloween
treats. FMI, call 908362-8335.
Hauntings of NJ: Oct.
30th, 7pm. Warren Co.
Library Headquarters.
See next edition FMI!

Blairstown, Knowlton
& Hope
A & P, Alpine Meats, Animal
Mansion, Ash Plumbing,
Asian Combat Arts, A-Tech,
Auto, Blair Tile, Blair Tire &
Auto, Blairstown Chiropractic,
Blairstown, Country Florist,
Blairstown Municipal Building,
Blairstown Eye Associates,
Blue
Ridge
Lumber,
Buckwood, Building Specialties, Burgdorff, BuzzWorks,
Caffe Nelle Cucine, Cannon
Country Real Estate, Columbia Post Office, Custom
Colonial, Dales Clocks,
Dale's Market, David Krawski
Dentist, DogHouse, Dominick
Pizza, Dr. Magalio: Dentist,
Ellias Restaurant, First Hope
Bank,
Fitness
Empire,
Fountain Mall Laundromat,
Frank's Pizza, Gallery 23,
Geo's
Pizza,
Gourmet
Gallery, Grand Rental Station,
Hair Company, Hairs 2 You,
Historic Blairstown Theatre,
Hope Deli, Hope Haircutters,
Imagine Computers, JD
Liquors,
John
Deere,
Kozimors Upholstery, Knowlton
Municipal
Building,
Lakeland Bank, Lebduska
Accounting, Marksboro Deli,
Mark D. Nelke: DMD, Medical
Associate,
Mediterranean
Diner,
Napa,
Nature's
Harvest, New HoHo, North
Warren Farm & Garden,
North Warren Pharmacy,
North Warren Truck Repair,
Old Stillwater General Store,
Pizza Express, PNC Bank,
Post Office (Both Locations),
Post Time Pub, R. Keiling,
Race's Farm Market, Radio
Shack, Remax, Shell Gas
Station, Skyland Bank,
Smitty's, Sunrise, Nutrition
Center, Sun Velocity, Sunoco,
The Auto Shop, The Inn at
Millrace
Pond,
Tile
Warehouse, Tractor Supply,
Tramontin Harley-Davidson,
US Gas, Voulas Hairway to
Heaven, Village Green,
Warren County Library, Wells
Fargo, Wilbur's Country
Store, Wine & Spirits, Woman
to Woman
Belvidere

A & P, Al's Pizza, ACI Truck

Stop, Bagel Smith, Belvidere
Diner, Belvidere Spa, Clucas
Farm, Curves, Dee Doo's, Dr.
Amannda Richline, Food
Mart, Four Sisters Winery,
H&R Block, Hearth Shop,
Hickory Mortgage, Little
Johns Pizza, Mediterranean
Riverside Designs, Riverton
Hotel & Restaurant, Rosal
Jewelers, Short Stop, Skee's
Busy
Bee,
Skoogy's,
Steckel's Shell, Station,
Thisilldous, Uncle Buck's
Diner, US Gas, Vincent
Haircuttery & Plus, Zack's,
Zeeks
Washington
A & P, Bagelsmith, Fliegauff
Jewelers, Home Instead
Senior Care, Kaffe Kaprys,
Lost Ladies, Mediterranean
Bistro, MWC Racing, PrideN-Groom, Quick Check,
Rossi, Second Time Around,
Shopper Stop, Silver Stars
Bagel,
Smith
Dodge,
Stanley's Pizza, Town Market,
Washington Diner, Washington Shoe
Newton
A&G Pizza, Back in Motion,
BMW Dealership, Charm, Co.
Seat, Dunkin Donuts, Hampton Diner, Ho Hos, HobbyTown, Holiday Inn, Home
Furniture,
Warehouse,
Kathy's Restaurant, Newton
News Stand, Optical Center,
PB&J, Quick Check, Shop
Rite, Skylands Sport Shop,
Springboard
Shoppe,
Superior Shower Doors, The
Chatter Box, VW-Audi Dealership, Weis
Hackettstown
A & P, Bachs Home Healthcare, Cozy Corner, Golden
Skillet, Hacktettstown Free
public Library, Hackettstown
Guns & Ammo, Hackettstown
Sandwich Shoppe, Hackettstown Regional Medical
Center, Mama's Pizza/Cafe
Baci, O'Neill's Jewelers.
Prickley Pear, Quick Check
#2, Riverstar Diner, Tranquility General Store, Valley
Bagel, Weis, Willow Caf
Columbia
Ayers, Roses Cafe

(NAPSI)The use of
energy-efficient
and
environmentally responsible building materials
is an important consideration for homeowners,
developers, architects
and contractors. Spray
polyurethane
foam
(SPF) is a wise choice
for insulating homes and
structures as it can help
lower energy use and
bills. Lower energy use
means that less greenhouse gases, like carbon
dioxide,
are
being
produced in the generation of electricity or
other fuels that power
our buildings.
In California, which
ranks among the most
expensive states in
terms of energy prices,
SPF insulation can help
homeowners save about
$900 annually on their
heating and cooling

costs.
Additionally,
these energy savings
mean homes insulated
with SPF can reduce the
amount of carbon dioxide being released into
the states air by

800,000 metric tons, the

equivalent of removing
2,700 cars from the
roads there each year.
And these savings
arent limited to California. In Minneapolis,
with its cold and long
winters, a home with
SPF insulation can save
the equivalent of 2,400
barrels of oil over a 60-

year period. A home in

Houston, with its hot
and long summers, can
save the equivalent of
500 barrels of oil during
that same period. And
all these savings translate to less greenhouse
gases being pumped
into the environment.
SPF produces these
energy-efficiency
benefits through its high
R-value, which is the
measure
of
the
insulations ability to
resist heat flow. The
higher the R-value, the
greater the insulating
power. SPF can also act
as an air barrier and
sealant for cracks and
gaps.
This is important, as air
leaks in a home can
waste up to 40 percent
of the energy used to
heat and cool it.
Whether your goals are
energy efficiency, environmental stewardship
or both, SPF offers a
versatile product that
can meet all your needs.

Hello fellow readers,

Ill bet Bridget of Forks
Township, Pennsylvania
is not the only one who
wants to know the real
deal of what influences
the glorious colors of
fall. We all know it has
to do with cooler
temperatures and shorter
days, but why do some
trees turn red while
others stay orange and
yellow?
During the growing
season, leaves produce
chlorophyll, which uses
the suns energy to combine carbon dioxide and
water to make food for
the tree. This process is
called photosynthesis.
While there are multiple
forms of chlorophyll,
most reflect green light;
hence why most leaves
are green.
As the growing season
comes to an end, shortened daylight and cooler
air signals the tree to
hunker down for winter.
The tree cuts off the
leaves link to water and
minerals and they begin
to die as chlorophyll
production ends. Then
the sunlight breaks
down the chlorophyll in
the leaves, which uncovers
the
carotenoid
pigments
(yellow,
orange or red) previ-

ously masked by green.

By the way, the foliage
of some tree species
turns brown and never
show bright colors.
The remaining chlorophyll produces an abundance of sugar, which is
not used up by the tree.
Red pigments, called
anthocyanin, are created
through this excess
sugar
and
intense
sunlight.
These
pigments
essentially
serve as a sunscreen to
protect the leaves from
too much high intensity
light. Thats why leaves
in direct sun may turn
red, while those on the
shady side of the same
tree may be yellow.
Sunny days and cool
nights provide the best
weather for anthocyanin
production and this
years drought impacted
the
metabolism
of
plants, which added to
the red pigments.
The most vivid colors
emerge after a warm dry
summer (weve sure had
that) and early autumn
rains, which prevent
premature leaf fall. Our
dryness caused some
leaves to drop early, but
weve enjoyed sunny
days
and
frostless
nights, which has made
for a colorful trifecta.
It didnt occur to me
until Bridget asked the
question, there is a
sequence of color that
shows up in the fall; first
yellow, followed by
orange and ending in
red. Its during the midfall season when all the
colors overlap that we
enjoy the peak color
performance. What a
show!
Garden Dilemmas?
askmarystone.com

Blue Gold, Lifes

Crucial Resource
Residents, who have
barely recovered from
an ordinance ...TO
ESTABLISH
NEW
WATER CHARGES,
should know our valiant
leaders are now actively
pursuing sale of Blairstown Water Utility to
Aqua America, a private
for profit company
buying up water utilities
of towns and municipalities in 8 states,
including New Jersey.
Why are companies
like Aqua buying up
water utilities? Its about
the most important commodity on the planet,
Blue Gold, a clich for
fresh water, the single
natural resource that
keeps
every
living
breathing organism alive
and now Wall Street is
getting its hands on it, as
it has with oil and gold.
By 2025, consumption
of clean drinkable water
is expected to increase a
whopping 40 percent as
human
population
grows, making water the
most valued natural
resource of the 21st
century.
That is exactly what is
happening
to

Blairstowns fresh water

supplies. Aqua wants
Blairstown
Water
Utility. Privatization of
our nations fresh water
supply is the first step to
commodification
of
water, the process of
transforming water from
a public good into a
tradable
commodity,
also known as economic
good, which in the end,
will make water potentially unaffordable, and
places control and ownership of a limited fresh
water supply into the
hands of corporate profiteers
over
human
welfare.
Aqua currently hopes
to buy Sussex Boroughs
water/ sewage utility for
$11.38 million dollars.
The question will appear
by referendum for voters
there to decide during
the
November
4th
election.
Companies
like Aqua will seek to
recover the full $11
million dollar purchase
price on the backs of
water users through
future rate hikes. Sussex
Borough Councilwoman
Linda Masson states,
The sale price is an
expensive loan that
residents and local

businesses must repay

through increases in
their water bills . . .
ratepayers will be taxed
through
the
tap.
Around 1993, the association geniuses of Great
Gorge Village Condos,
sold their self contained
fresh water utility to
Elizabethtown
Water
and saw their quarterly
water rates increase 400
percent.
Sussex Borough Council may switch from
their current water
policies to one in line
with Aquas policy to
give people a chance to
see how these policies
work for them. We
shouldnt wait and have
it be done after theres
no possibility of reversing anything. I want it to
be like this so people can
see if they can live with
this or not, states Councilwoman Masson.
Aquas policies can be
found on their website:
www.aquaamerica.com,
and include water/
wastewater
tariffs,
which are charges not
for water itself, but to
recover costs of water
treatment, water storage,
and transporting it to
customers
through

networks of pipes. Customers must also establish satisfactory credit,

or Aqua requires a
deposit before they can
access water service:
The deposit amount
shall be determined by
taking the cost of service
for one year, dividing by
12, and multiplying that
figure by 2. Only after
satisfactory credit has
been established up to
the utilitys standards,
will
deposits
be
refunded or credited to
accounts. Switching to
Aqua means the Company may . . . suspend,
curtail, or discontinue
service . . . for any of the
following acts or omissions on the part of
customers: (1) Connecting...
any
piping...
including... lawn sprinkling on customers
premises... (2) Continuing waste of water by
customers after notice
from
the
utility
through...
imperfect
pipes, fixtures, or failure
to comply with restrictions... Water service
shall be restored when
conditions under which
such service was discontinued... are corrected
and upon payment of the
SPECIAL RESTORATION OF SERVICE
CHARGE OF $100.00
FOR EACH RESTORATION.
All taxpayers and property owners will be
affected by this sale,
including those on wells,
because school taxes
will most probably
increase.
Blairstown
Elementary School uses
town water. If we
change to Aqua, how
much will the school
district raise taxes to
cover the increased
amount they will have to
pay for their water
because higher water
rates will affect the
school? All of us pay
school taxes, even if we
dont have children in
school. Our taxes will
be increased if Blairstown Water Utility is
sold. Aqua promises not
to raise rates for 3-5
years.
Then
what
happens?
Companies like Aqua
think of water is a different way as a commodity in which to invest.
The idea water will be
bought and sold in a
quest for profit rather
than delivering to our
fellow citizens a public
service made me pause.
Mayor Shoemaker and
Committee
Member
Lance say its a good
thing to sell our water to
this company, because it
doesnt affect them and
they dont want a future
burden. Central to privatization of water utilities
is the hope of a more
efficiently
managed
utility. Not necessarily

so. Many consumers

who previously received
municipal run water
found service actually
worsened and water
quality
unchanged,
which tosses that argument out the window.
Taking control over our
clean water supply is
achieved by turning
water into a commodity
privately owned by
corporations and banks.
It is wrong for rain
falling from skies to
belong to a private
entity.
Ownership
(power) over water
should rest with communities. Water is a local
issue and should be regulated locally. You cant
put a pipe in a local
watershed and sell it
elsewhere. The waterways are owned by the
people of the state,
stated Robert Kennedy
Jr. Keeping ownership
of Blairstown water
utility in townships
hands is actually a good
thing and in the long run
will be a positive experience for the whole township.
Sylvia Zika, Blairstown, sylviazika235@
gmail.com
Thank You
The Blair Woman's
Club would like to thank
all the people who
helped make this year's
Town Wide Yard Sale
such a huge success. Dr.
Fogelson put the notice
up in those scrolling red
and blue letters on the
NWR
announcement
board. It was the opening
notice to start the race.
Ravi and Gail Mason
Romano from RE/Max
Ridge Realty ordered
new signs that were
bigger and more colorful
then ever before. The
original white sandwich
boards went up and
attics, basements, and
garages all over town
could feel the vibration
that meant the challenge
was on to produce the
most coveted prizes for
the annual Town Wide
Yard Sale.
Over 100 residents
filled out the application
forms and mailed in their
fee to be part of the
excitement. Thank you
for your continued
support of this annual
fundraiser. It means so
much to the recipients of
The BWC educational
awards. The BWC annually gives two scholarships to our NWR
seniors, as well as
supporting
Project
Graduation, Girls Career
Institute, and Camp
Invention. BWC also
supplies reading materials as well as volunteer
readers to Blairstown
Elementary School.
This is also the time to
thank everyone who
purchased our maps.
This year the map was
even more attractive and
neater than before. There
was so much in the map
packet to devour. The
listings were extensive:
from automobiles to
wicker. A treasure for

everyone.
And what about the
sponsors in the map
packet? They helped us
to achieve our goals in
this fundraiser. They are
the silent supporters who
give us the help we need
to succeed in giving back
to our community both
locally and beyond the
Blairstown borders. The
Blair Woman's Club has
a motto, What we do
together matters. This is
certainly a fine example
of that statement.
This year we had a
'first.' We invited our
neighboring areas to join
in our annual sale. It was
such a good extension
that we plan to do it
again next year. Thank
you to our newest
participants.
So a hearty thank you to
everyone connected to
this important endeavor
for your continued
support.
The Blair Woman's
Club serves both our
local community as well
as the national and international communities.
BWC is involved with
supporting our local
food pantries, nursing
homes,
Wounded
Warriors, Relay For Life,
Heifer
International,
AARP Safe Driver
Course, and much more.
We truly appreciate all
your generous support.
Thank you, Rosemary
Woelfle,
Bobbie
Haebler, Sue Lachenmayer, Rita Gross and
Jackie Korosec
Our Annual Halloween Parade
I am writing this letter
to the editor to ask if
anyone can tell me why
the Halloween Main St.
parade that we all love
and have enjoyed for
decades, is not happening this year? Why is our
town council not watching after the events of
this town and actively
supporting them? Who is
in charge? The reasoning
for the parade not occurring on Main St. that I
heard from scuttlebutt
was that the Blairstown
Police were demanding
5 to 6 hundred dollars to
close off the road. The
Blairstown Rotary, who
sponsor the parade are
not able to afford that.
Why are the police
acting like a private
enterprise business? Do
we not pay enough taxes
for their services? Who
can give me and the
hundreds of children in
costume an answer as to
why we can't use our
"Main
Street"
like
normal towns, and why
they have to be pushed
onto Stillwater Rd. like
outcasts! We should
demand an answer and
we should not settle for
this police bullying
behavior. Correct me if I
am wrong, please!
Wynonna Long
Views and opinions
expressed in letters to
the editor do not necessarily reflect those of
The PRESS or its staff.

For decades the Blairstown Rotary Club has

sponsored and run the
Halloween
Parade,
which meant shutting
down Main Street from
the Post Office, up
Bridge
Street
and
Stillwater Road to the
Agway Feed Store. This
year, due to road closure
problems and confusion,

the parade will start and

end up back at the Feed
Store parking lot on
Stillwater Road.
The parade will start at
5pm and the rotary will
be judging kids from
infants to 16 years old in
five different categories:
cutest, funniest, scariest,
most original and best
overall. Younger contes-

tants are infants to six

years old and the older
group is sevem years old
and up. Cash awards
will be given.
The rotary will also be
offering free donuts and
cider at the firehouse for
all attendees.
For more on the Blairstown Rotary, visit blair
stownrotary.org.

Members
of
the
religious community,
social service organizations, civic groups,
educators,
medical
professionals, and local
officials are invited to
attend
a
luncheon
designed to introduce
them to the home visitation programs provided
by the agency to Warren
County
families.
Events will take place
on Thursday, October
23rd, from noon to 1pm
at
Hackettstown
Regional
Medical
Center, or on Wednesday, November 5th,
from noon to 1pm at the
Phillipsburg
Library
Community Room. The
one-hour long event will
highlight the services
available through the
agencys home visitation programs to lowincome expectant mothers and new parents.

Through the home

visitation programs at
Project Self-Sufficiency,
income-eligible,
first
time mothers, or those
who are pregnant with
their first child, can
receive free parenting
tips, baby items, information about childhood
health, and other topics
from certified nurses or
professional
home
visitors. The programs
combine home visits
with educational outings
for mother and child to
help
parents
boost
literacy levels, address
health issues, and help
prevent potential developmental
delays.
Women who are pregnant
or
parenting
infants, as well as those
with children up to the
age of three are eligible.
Mothers have the opportunity to meet regularly
with other women in
similar circumstances
by attending monthly
Mommy Parties held at
Project Self-Sufficiency.
Participants receive the
latest information about
household
safety,
parenting, health and
wellness, and other
topics, while enjoying
lunch and engaging in
craft projects with their
children. While on site,
mothers can also take
advantage of the other

programs and services

available to families at
the agency. Transportation to the monthly gatherings is available to
women in need. Project
Self-Sufficiencys home
visitation services are
available to incomeeligible residents of
Sussex, Hunterdon and
northern Warren Counties.
Getting information to
at-risk families is paramount, said Project SelfSufficiency Executive
Director
Deborah
Berry-Toon.
Each
individual invited to this
event has the opportunity to help vulnerable
families in our community.
The
Hackettstown
Regional
Medical
Center is located at 651
Willow Grove Street in
Hackettstown.
The
October 23rd event will
be held in the West
Wing
Conference
Room. The Phillipsburg
Library is located at 200
Broubalow Way in
Phillipsburg.
The
November 5th luncheon
will be offered in the
Community Room.
To find out more about
the programs offered at
Project Self-Sufficiency,
call 973-940-3500, or
visit
www.projectself
sufficiency.org.

By Doreen Rutherford

Nestled in the little

town of Hope is a quaint
yet resourceful antique
store that carries antique
and mid-century furniture and collectibles
called Hope Junction
Antiques. This store has
two stories that are
neatly laid out with each
inspiration visible. The
proprietors, Lisa and
Charles are kind and
helpful. Charles, having
been a cabinet maker in
Manhattan for 30 years
knows his furniture
well. He can find or
make anything that you
may need, from tables to
shelving. Lisa, a woman
of many talents has a
background in photography.
One of their specialties
that is a hard one to find
but needed greatly is
restoration and repair.
Most places these days
do not even think about
repairing, they just want
to get you a new one.
Charles and Lisa use
their creativity to offer
you all the options available to fit you with the
best outcome.
As you paroose the
store you will find
unique pieces such as
chunky old doors with
heavy hinges, french
mouldings (sometimes
even with the original
paint), wheeled carts
(they make) butcher

block kitchen cutting

tables, mirrors with
flare and many other
unique, hard to find,
items. Their prices are
very reasonable as well.
There is a wall with just
decorator fabric to help
get your creative juices
flowing. In each and
every corner you will
see things that can
enhance an antique

home or refresh a new

one. Most importantly,
if they don't have what
you need, they know
how to get it and will
help you all the way.
That is the kind of
people Charles and Lisa
are. So, plan a day and
spend some time getting
to know them and seeing
their shop in Hope, you
will not be disap-

pointed.
Hope
Junction
Antiques is located at
331 High Street in
Hope. The store is open
Wednesday
through
Sunday from 11am to
5pm and by appointment. For more information, call the store at
201-316-3328 or visit
w w w. H o p e J u n c t i o n
Antiques.com.