to the editor:

The Lyndhurst Health Department would like to thank six local restaurants who helped make the Senior Health Workshops a success. The delicious food donated by Bruno’s, Villa Italia, Ernie’s Deli, Shop-Rite, Appetizzio's and Pietro’s were enjoyed by local seniors as they learned tips for successful aging.

Joyce Jacobson

Lyndhurst Health Administrator

Not worshipped,
but honored

to the editor:

As a Catholic, I was pleased with your recent article "The Many Faces of the Virgin Mary."  I would like, however, to clear up one thing. Catholics do not worship Mary. I do appreciate Ms. Winters putting the word worship in quotes, but I’m afraid this may not be enough

Catholics believe worship is reserved for God alone.  To worship Mary would be a grave sin.  We do, however, honor her as the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.

While Catholics may pray before a statue of Mary (not to a statue of Mary), we are well aware that it is God who answers our prayers and He alone deserves our worship.

The rosary, a set of prayers most associated with Mary, is  also Christ-centered. As a matter of fact, anything Marian should always point us in the direction of her Divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  

             Sandra Kaufman

Rutherford

Article got it wrong

To the editor:

Regarding "The many faces of the Virgin Mary" article in Wednesday, April 30 Neighbors section, let's set the record straight:  we Catholics do not worship Mary. Worship and adoration belong to God alone. We do, of course, honor and revere her because she is the mother of Jesus, the Son of God.  We believe,  since she was chosen by God to be the mother of His Son, that she is deserving of our love and devotion and held high above all the saints in heaven.  Certainly, this pleases Jesus:  He loves His mother, and so do we, and we show it in many ways as part of our faith; but, worship her? No!  (and, she would be the first to tell you!)

Gene De Haven

Lyndhurst

Closed doors in the Meadowlands?

to the editor:

The last thing that the locals of South Bergen need is for the governor of New Jersey to meet behind closed doors as planned with Donald Trump. Everyone seems to forget the good old days when Jon Corzine and buddy Charles Kushner were nosing around the North Jersey Meadowlands.

Greed, graft, corruption and secret meetings have cost the New Jersey taxpayers $128 million in the Meadowlands. What we have for it is a proposed plan that would give us increased traffic, pollution, cancer, loss of quality of life, cheap liquor, increased crime, lack of accessibility to public land, obstructions to the skyline and blaring arrogant structures on the horizon.

Here’s what the voting citizens of South Bergen would probably tell you that they do need:

n A photo lineup and list of names of all public officials who have enabled this fiasco in the Meadowlands, so they can be fired with vote or public pressure.

n A remediated landfill-turned environmental park accessible to all in the last vestige of open space in South Bergen and surrounding area.

The days of land barons meeting behind closed doors to discuss how our children’s rightful heritage should be divvied up should be long gone.

Let the bald eagles soar in the Meadowlands.

Helen and John Dull

Rutherford

Calling for
aid restoration

to the editor:

I’ve been clear from the day Governor Corzine announced his budget proposal that we must restore the $189 million in municipal aid cuts to New Jersey’s small municipalities. Our small towns are among the most efficient in the state and these cuts would dramatically raise property taxes for countless families throughout the state and send the wrong message to taxpayers.

When you add in the fact that many of the towns that are facing municipal aid cuts just saw an increase in their school aid when we passed the new school funding formula, these cuts make even less sense. It’s like robbing Peter to just pay Peter the money back.

The legislature will need to find other places in the budget to cut to make up for this $189 million, but municipal aid is too critical to our communities to allow these cuts to continue.

There is certainly more that all municipalities can do, both large and small, to cut costs and make local government more efficient. But the cuts the governor proposed this year based on population are too arbitrary and too quick to allow our towns to make those changes.

The legislature should work this summer after the budget is passed to develop changes to the municipal aid formula that move our towns towards sensible consolidations and shared service agreements. Forcing these towns to go ‘cold turkey’ in a matter of months will only hurt New Jersey’s property taxpayers.

Senator Paul A. Sarlo

D- Bergen, Essex and Passaic

Healthcare
options available

to the editor:

A new report from the Institute of Medicine on the healthcare outlook paints a dim picture for the 78 million baby boomers in the United States. Simply put, the current healthcare system is not able to properly provide adequate care for the increasing number of aging and chronically ill people. Individuals born between 1946 and 1964 are living longer with more complex health needs that require specialized care and services. According to Caregivers of New Jersey, there are more than one million long-term caregivers in the state alone. Together we are facing a caregiving crisis.

The report recommended family members and other informal caregivers who assist the elderly or chronically ill receive adequate training. Most caregivers do not get training until the need arises, a time when they have little time to manage all of their new duties. Caregivers must balance work and family responsibilities while navigating the health care system, finding the right home health care agency and hiring the best person to assist them. This can be overwhelming.

Planning and organizing in advance can help to avoid some of the inevitable stress.

Vital information for a caregiver should be simply organized and accessible. It is important for people to take the time to discover the long-term care options available for them and their loved ones and decide what is best for them before the unexpected happens. As a long term care expert, I encourage people to learn about long-term care options when they are healthy and not in a crisis situation.

Lorraine Spiotta, president

Senior Long-Term Care Insurance Brokerage, Inc.

Hardly mission
accomplished

to the editor:

Five years ago today, President Bush stood aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and made a claim that has become a symbol for his reckless handling of the Iraq war.

Standing below a banner that read ‘Mission Accomplished,’ the President declared an end to major fighting for U.S. troops and an end of America’s role as the major player in Iraq’s future. But since that time, America has lost more than 3,900 troops and is now spending $3 billion a week on the war. This is not ‘mission accomplished.’ This is a mission gone awry.

It’s long past time for our troops to come home. I will continue to fight in the Senate to bring an end to the war in Iraq, and I encourage the White House to start listening to the American people and do the same.

Senator Lautenberg

New Jersey

Balance economy,
environment

to the editor:

Obviously, the DEP has the best intentions in developing site remediation soil and water quality standards to ensure the greatest possible health and safety of local residents. However, we need to be aware that constantly shifting safety levels have a negative effect on the business community, and developers who are seeking to do the right thing in reclaiming environmentally tainted property in our State’s urban communities.

Today’s Legislative Oversight Committee gave us a good snapshot of where we are in terms of the implementation of new soil and water quality rules at the DEP. Moving forward, we need to seek greater balance between the economic and environmental needs of the State. Environmental regulation isn’t done in a vacuum, and we must recognize that new rules definitely have an impact on the business end of site remediation in the Garden State.

I was particularly concerned about the lack of finality for developers, as the State adopts ever-shifting environmental safety standards. When builders work within existing environmental guidelines, and act in good faith to rehabilitate polluted properties, there ought to be a mechanism in place that protects them from having to shift their goals halfway through a remediation process.

Pending legislation, introduced by the DEP, would speed up site remediation projects in New Jersey, and allow developers to pay into an insurance fund to protect themselves from future sanctions and penalties resulting from sliding scale rules and standards. I will be co-sponsoring that legislation, because I believe that certainty and finality are absolutely important to redevelop polluted sites in the Garden State.

The Senate Legislative Oversight Committee will continue to monitor the status of DEP and other State rules, to guarantee fairness in the redevelopment process, seek balance for all parties, and give developers an end point in site remediation. Environmental safety and economic growth are not mutually exclusive ideals, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure we get both in New Jersey.

Senator Sarlo

New Jersey

Tips to keep
your dog safe

to the editor:

Members of the Domestic Companion Animal Council have seen an alarming rise in dog thefts in recent months and warn pet owners to be vigilant.

In the first three months of 2008, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has tracked more than 30 thefts from news and customer reports, versus only 10 for all of 2007. Media reports from around the country have shown an escalation in the number of dogs being stolen. In New Jersey this past March, there were two incidents of show dogs being stolen from vehicles.

The Domestic Companion Animal Council offers these tips to protect your dog from being stolen:

n Never leave your dog unattended in a parked car or tied outside a store while you run inside, even if it’s just for a minute. It takes only seconds for a thief to steal your dog.

n Never leave your dog alone outside - even in a fenced yard.

n Keep your dog on a leash when you go for a walk. When your dog strays from your protection, he becomes an easy target for thieves.

n Make sure your dog wears a collar and identification tag at all times.

n Add extra protection by having your dog microchipped or tattooed which will provide permanent, non-removable identification.

If you suspect your dog has been stolen:

n Immediately call the police and animal control in the area where your dog was last seen.

n Have identifying information, such as photos and an accurate written description, ready to use to give to the authorities and for fliers.

We urge you to remain alert to protect your dogs from theft. Remember - the safest place for your pets is with you.

Nina Austenberg, chair

Domestic Companion Animal Council

Go vegetarian

to the editor:

If passed, the proposed "sin tax" on fast food--which is intended to help raise money for local hospitals--really should exclude healthy vegetarian items, including the BK Veggie burger. Vegetarian foods are far less likely to land people in the hospital with heart disease, strokes, certain cancers, diabetes and other diet-related diseases.

PETA has long advocated a tax on meat, partly because fatty, high-cholesterol hamburgers and fried fish sandwiches contribute to obesity and other health problems that have sent America’s health care costs skyrocketing. People can improve their health--and lower their medical bills--if they choose veggie burgers instead of Big Macs and Whoppers.

And if New Jersey residents are forced to fork over some extra green on meat, some may make "greener" food choices--vegetarian choices, that is. According to the United Nations, the meat industry is "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global."

Whether a fast food tax is implemented or not, we can make a difference-for ourselves, animals, and the environment-by choosing vegetarian options. See www.GoVeg.com for more information and a free vegetarian starter kit.

Heather Moore, senior writer

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals