Basking Ridge Fire Co. Holding Pancake Breakfast

Fire Co. invites public to hearty breakfast that also will raise funds for volunteer organization.

Editor's Note: The all-volunteer Basking Ridge Fire Co. has been holding popular pancake breakfasts again as a way of raising funds for the all-volunteer organization, and also letting the public learn about the fire company. Dear Editor, On Sunday, April 7, 2013, The Basking Ridge Fire Co. #1 will be hosting their 6th annual pancake breakfast. The breakfast will be held at the firehouse, 30 Washington Ave., Basking Ridge, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Adults are $7, children and senior citizens, $5 and children under 3 eat for free. The menu includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, tea and juice. All donations for this event were donated by local businesses. Come out for a great family fun breakfast while supporting your …

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Tree Cutting Concerns Raised in Bernardsville Resident's Letter

Resident suggest citizens contact Somerset Hills school board and Bernardsville Council members regarding proposal.

Editor's note: The following letter was submitted with comments by a resident of Old Colony Road in Bernardsville regarding plans to construct additional field space on a lower field below the existing turf field at Bernards High School. The Bernardsville Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. on Monday night. The meeting's agenda includes a closed-session discussion on contract negotiations regarding a use agreement for the proposed Chestnut Field behind the Bernardsville Middle School, a separate proposal. To the editor, Did you know that within the next week or two, upon final permitting, a controversial cut and fill operation will begin at Bernards High School? The plan, made public and approved all within just the past three weeks by …

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Resident: Town Should Celebrate Woods, Not Cut Them Down

The Somerset Hills board is considering plans that could cut down hundreds of trees near Bernards High School in Bernardsville.

To the Editor: Before the board of education Feb. 20, is a project that offers the chance to set an example to our town, our state and most importantly our children, of proper land use management of the 82.968-acre watershed area. This geographic area consists of 11 sub-drainage areas, studies of which have indicated is a critical tributary to Penn’s Brook flowing to the Passaic River Watershed. In fact, the headwaters start on the Bernards High School property, Block 64, Lot 1. As we move forward, are we prepared to inform aspiring student scientists and curious developing minds alike, that you, this board of education, decided to cut down hundreds, perhaps over 1,000 trees, that represent a prime example of northern New Jersey wooded …

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Far Hills Mayor Responds to Roads Maintenance Issue

Far Hills Mayor says negotiations will continue for road maintenance agreement with Bernard Twp., but borough has been paying fair share.

Editor's Note: The following is Far Hills' Mayor Paul Vallone's commentary regarding the Bernards Township Committee's decision on Feb. 12 that Far Hills should begin paying a greater percentage of the cost of maintaining Douglas Road and a portion of Mine Brook Road shared by both municipalities. The border for the towns runs down the center of both roads, officials said. To the editor, February 15, 2013   Re: Road Service Agreement between Far Hills and Bernards Township: Far Hills is paying it's fair share.   I would like to address several issues raised concerning the recent issue that has arisen concerning the Interlocal agreement of shared services between Far Hills and Bernards Twp. with respect to the maintenance of Minebrook Road …

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What to Be Thankful For After Sandy, Where to Improve

Letter writer takes looks a look at where area was lucky, and what was lacking after Sandy.

To the Editor, As we enter the Thanksgiving period, we should give thanks for the following in Somerset, Morris and Hunterdon counties. 1.We had plenty of warning that the storm was arriving. 2. The storm was NOT rated as a Hurricane, so the Hurricane insurance policy rider doesn’t apply and that massive deductible is waived for our insurance claims. 3. We did NOT have a degeneration of civility and massive looting. 4. The temperature was relatively mild. Except for a quick snowstorm, the weather was wonderful. This was NOT a dead-of-winter storm that would have led to much greater discomfort for an even longer period with hundreds of additional deaths. Because the temperature did not drop below 27 degrees, there was no risk of pipes …

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Sandy 'Unsung Heros' Lauded in Letter

Local resident thanks those workers from many states who answered call to help restore power for the area.

Editor's Note: The following open letter was submitted to Patch. To Our Unsung Heros! We were driving home from Pittsburgh on Route 80 yesterday, and we saw caravans of Cherry Pickers on their way back to Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, etc. I realized that these people had come all this way to help us in N.J.! Mind you — it felt like we didn't have much help at times, but seeing the number of trucks that day was a reminder that N.J. did have much help from across the country! I decided today to thank any of the people in town working to restore our power! I chatted with a few men from Indiana in the Kings parking lot as they rested in their truck and told them how grateful I was. They admitted they were exhausted and so I gave them a 10-…

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Letter to the Editor

Ridge Neighbor Wants to Set Record Straight on Traffic

Longtime resident says she takes issue with some other comments on high school traffic option, and explains why.

To the Editor: As a South Finley resident, I have been closely following the “Ridge High Traffic Problem”, and began to pay even greater attention after the Board of Education published the results of its traffic study in June. Since then, I have attended all BOE and Township Committee (TC) meetings and have addressed each group on several occasions, orally and in writing. I take issue with several recent comments by Patch readers. Based on my experiences and observations, as well as media reports throughout the better part of the year, I have learned or concluded that: Based on all of this, I don’t think that the TC can reasonably be accused of being “recalcitrant”, as a Patch reader suggested. But, to the extent that anyone might …

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Letter to the Editor

Ridge Traffic Draws Input from Former Ridge PTO President

Last year's Ridge High School president weighs in on Ridge busing issue.

Dear Editor,   I would like to weigh in on the Ridge High School (Ridge) busing issue. I fear that the best solution to the nightmarish morning traffic around Ridge — paving the access route from the Municipal Complex (MC) to Ridge for one-way bus traffic — will continue to be ignored by an inefficient Bernards Township Committee (TC).   The frustrating busing and traffic issue surrounding Ridge and Homestead Village is well known. In March, Homestead Village residents asked the TC to consider linking the MC to Ridge. Paving the existing gravel road between the MC and Ridge for bus drop-off makes sense on many levels — environmental, cost, and public safety. In addition, no other residential roads would need to be modified. Homestead …

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Letter to the Editor

Reconsider Decision to Pave Driveway to School, Resident Says

Letter to the editor asks for Township Committee to think again about paving gravel driveway between school and town hall.

To the Editor, We are Homestead Village residents writing in regards to the disastrous rerouting of Ridge buses through Homestead Village that began last spring a never ending discussion of traffic problems. We have attended both BOE and Bernards Township meetings, have asked many questions to only hear the same empty response — we are working on the problem. We have been patient. But our patience has run out and we are extremely angered that this dangerous situation has continued to go on into the new school year. We feel that we have been misled and strung along as a community for way too long. We are also increasingly disturbed by the thought that a blackout period instituted on South Finley each morning is a viable option to reduce car…

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