In the past weeks, I have been asked why I am running for council. My answer is simple. I have been volunteering for a long time—painting fences at a nearby church, sorting books and school supplies at an underserved school, spending time at a local food bank, greeting people, and doing anything tha...

EV Car Show Coming UpDid you know that 7 percent of all new cars sold in the US in the first half of 2023 were electric vehicles (EVs). Did you know that over 3 million EVs have been sold so far in the US? Did you know that EVs require very little maintenance? Now is a great time to buy a new electr...

If You Can’t Perform Two Positions, Don’t Hold Two PositionsAccording to The Leader, Board of Education Member Aziz was recently called to account for missing three consecutive meetings. She responded by asking whether fellow board member Brendan Gilligan had spearheaded a “collective attempt to rem...

I performed an OPRA request for Greenside Playground construction related documentation. The documentation I received reinforced my concern whether Scotch Plains Officials are incompetent or just don’t care to properly manage construction at Greenside Playground. The documentation I will be referrin...

BOE Within Their Rights to Consider Removal After Three Missed MeetingsAt the September 11 special board of education meeting, the Westfield BOE bowed to political pressure from BOE member Sahar Aziz (and her supporters) and rescinded their motion to consider Aziz’s removal for missing three consecu...

We Have Been Duped By Tom Kean, Jr.It shouldn’t be surprising to all of us who reside in CD-7, at least not for those of us who have been paying attention, that we have a Tom Kean, Jr. problem. Tom Kean, Jr. is lock step ready to support anything Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarth...

A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism ProgramNot to be ‘Mean’, But…“Did you hear her new song?” “Isn’t that lyric soooo good?” “Are you excited for her next album?” “Are you going to the Eras tour?” These are the questions I, a teenage girl inWestfield, N.J., am bombarded with ev...

How is it that after living inWestfield for 11 years, I have never heard anyone mention a single word about Dr. Virginia Apgar? Born and raised in Westfield, Dr.Apgar is responsible for saving the lives of countless babies all over the world, yet goes without proper recognition in her hometown. What...

“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be Astonished. Tell about it.”Those wonderful, wise words by the poet Mary Oliver inspire us to find joy in the everydayness of life. To love a sycamore when it sheds strips of bark and reveals its mottled trunk. To delight in seeing a dog on a hot day...

What’s the difference, you might ask, between gratitude and gratefulness? Here’s an example: Friends brought soothing soups and multi-hued flowers to my dear friend two weeks ago to sweeten her recovery from major surgery. Appreciating their kindness and expressing thanks is gratitude. In contrast, ...