Can eBooks ever replace print books — or that endangered species, the used book store? During his winter break from Ridge High School, I drove my son as far as Jiminy Peak Ski Resort in Massachusetts to let him have two days of skiing on natural snow, a rarity this winter. As he hit the slopes for several hours, I headed up to Bennington, Vt., in search of WiFi. I found what I was looking for, at the South Street Cafe, where computers pretty much seemed to have replaced books in this hub of New England intellectualism. And I ended up discovering another rarity. After filing a story or two, I'…
Now that Mitt Romney seems to have cemented his frontrunner status as the next Republican candidate for U.S. president, I'm left wondering what an online political commentator also has asked — why doesn't the candidate ever mention an incident in which he rescued a Hunterdon County family in a sinking boat? At the time, on July 4 weekend in 2003, I was a reporter covering Tewksbury Township for an area newspaper. That year, Mitt Romney was just starting his time as Massachusetts governor. Apparently, he was vacationing with his family on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, as was the …
Two years ago today (on Dec. 9), Local Editor Nathan Susanj kicked off the debut of the online Basking Ridge Patch, and then wrote a column about the experience. Patch was — and continues to be — a work in progress. While we are dedicated to the highest standards of journalism, those of us who jumped into this experiment with media are by nature interested in pushing the boundaries of how news is delivered. The Basking Ridge Patch has had two local editors, and we have had other contributors, including photographers, who have become familiar faces in the community. But even within the next …
By now, the official word is that Trick or Treating is required to be held another night — Friday — in Bernardsville due to the dangerous condition of walkways and even some streets in that hilly borough, where power outages and downed wires persisted into Monday. Here in Bernards Township, officials and the police are "strongly" urging parents to wait until Saturday to take their kids out trick or treating. So where does that leave us, as darkness falls on Halloween night? Well, I've handed out some candy, so there are trick or treaters out there in Bernards Township. Including some …
It would be odd indeed if there were no tales of hauntings in Basking Ridge and throughout the Somerset Hills, considering the area's numerous centuries-old buildings and its many levels of history going back hundreds of years. For the month of October, The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills has each Sunday opened its own 200-year-old headquarters, the Brick Academy on West Oak Street in Basking Ridge, to allow the public to view its exhibit about some of those alleged hauntings. The last showing of "Hauntings in the Somerset Hills: Fact or Fiction" is from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. …
Summer may be officially over, and kids are back in school, but as far as this beach lover is concerned, this is one of the best times of the year to hit the sand. With crowds thinned, and water temperatures still warmer than in early summer, the Shore continues to beckon, whether this week or well into October.For the next few days, the weather report is that it's supposed to get into the 70s in Belmar (to pick a shore town that's a day trip from Basking Ridge), despite some clouds. That sounds good enough for me — for some of us, there's no such thing as a bad beach day (unless it's …
To begin with, let me make it clear that I hadn't really thought things through when I expressed my enthusiasm for accompanying my son (Ridge grad, '07) and some of his friends to the "Mayhem Festival," with the metal band Megadeth as the headliner, in Camden on Sunday. I immediately backpedaled. I would only go if tickets weren't too expensive, or if he couldn't get enough of his friends (also Ridge grads from the same year) to join in on the trip. I even made age-appropriate plans with another adult to spend some rare open hours on a Sunday to visit a winery in New York's Hudson Valley. A …
I have been donating food now for the past few years through the county's annual June pickups for its Curbing Hunger program, in which orange bags are supposedly put on your blue recycling container prior to June to fill with nonperishable foods. The idea is to make it easy by putting out the bags along with the two recycling collections scheduled for June throughout Somerset County. But, by now, I'm ready to give up. It's not that I don't want to continue giving, and consider the donation of sufficient food to be filling the most essential of needs for my fellow human beings. It's just that …
Let's hope that virtually everyone in town has during 2010 had a chance to experience at least some of the special (or enhanced) events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Bernards Township's founding in 1755. The anniversary tea last February and May's Charter Day celebration, where the winners of a 250th anniversary essay contest for all ages were announced, just started the year rolling. The Northeast Navy Band Pops Ensemble performance in late May added the first concert to the celebration. At "June in June," Township Historian June Kennedy prepared and presented a display of historic …
The Board of Education's decision last week to reduce the number of hours in next year's kindergarten program from about six hours to two hours and 30 minutes unleashed a flood of comments and alternative suggestions among residents. Some of those proposed alternatives deserve some serious consideration before final plans are made for the 2011-12 school year. The subject brought forth the expression of strong feelings from audience members speaking before the school board, in private conversations, and during the many comments posted throughout the week on the Basking Ridge Patch.There's no …
Part of being a local editor for the Patch team means dedicating some time five times a year to volunteer in the community. Some of our editors (now numbering in the hundreds) donate their time in a way that creates new experiences for them. For me, the obvious choice for my first "Give 5" day on Thursday was to draw upon almost-forgotten experiences from a previous job. So I made contact with the Somerset Hills YMCA and offered my time for their after-care program. Full disclosure here: I was never a professional day care worker. But back when my son was in kindergarten, I had two part-time…
This past week I went to my 23rd Back to School night. (Yes, I have two sons.) A lot has changed in the 17 years since I went to the first Back to School event for kindergarten in Oyster Bay, N.Y. Then, and for years later, I came home hauling reams of paper and trying to remember what the teacher had said during a too-limited time. Then, a few years ago, I rushed home from work and literally ran to a Back to School night in the township. On that evening, I felt like a few too many teachers simply advised me to check their website and to contact them them through email with any questions. …
I confess I'm not a morning person. But whenever possible, I try to get out for a little walk somewhere between the time when I get my son off to school and begin my day. It wakes me up and at the same time allows me to focus on the tasks ahead. I'm not alone in my routine (or semi-routine, as the case may be). I see many people running on the sidewalks along Allen Road, power-walking or jogging at Harry Dunham Park or accompanying their children to the Oak Street Elementary School. (That counts, too.) Dogs, of course, are a way of guaranteeing a little mandatory exercise for their owners. …
I was one of the 135 township residents who last June signed up for the township's Toxic Waistlines Competition. The verdict, after 100 days: I officially lost 3.4 pounds, and half an inch from my waistline.Clearly, I will not be among the competition winners, whose names will be announced at the Oct. 12 meeting of the Township Committee. Those competitors will win anywhere from $500, for the grand prize, to $250 or $100 gift certificates for runners up, for losing the highest percentage of body weight before the competition officially ended on Friday. Time for a little confession here. I …
