February Fun
This month, we started what we hope will be an ongoing column: Horse Sense. We also have a notice about a new series of Girl Scout Activities.

Looking ahead, Anderson House is delighed to announce that Comedian Jay Mohr will Perform a Benefit for them. The Oldwick Fire Company is also planning for their Gala in April. All this, and more,is on our Recreation Page, along with this month's TAA Update with news about sports registrations.

Hunting Season continues; if you need a Firearms Permit, check with the Police. There are also other winter-related items on our Police page.

Our Environment/Health page page has this month's About Your Health column, and information about the Hunterdon County Master Gardeners' Garden Helpline.

Our Library Page has the latest News From Your Library, and Friends of the Library Update.

Right here on the main page, we have details about a Girl Scout Helping the Food Pantry, plus the latest TEF News and Board of Education News, as well as the latest Letters to the Editor, and don't forget to let us know What You Have to Say!

Plus, there's lots more all over the site, so take a look around.
PBA Says "Thanks"
The Tewksbury Township PBA Local 386 would like to thank the citizens of Tewksbury Township and elsewhere for their generosity this past holiday season, with a special thanks to Scout Troops 199 and ACORN Montessori School.  The Toys for Tots program and the coat collection were again very successful.   This year the donated coats were split between BRIDGES Outreach, Inc. and the Market Street Mission in Morristown.
Board of Education News - February
The Facilities Committee of the Tewksbury Township Board of Education invites all community members to their next open committee meeting on Thursday, February 18^th, at 6:00PM, in the library of the Old Turnpike School, to learn more about the upcoming April 20^th referendum for OTS infrastructure upgrades.

This referendum addresses one of the more substantial non-educational costs the district has: the energy needed to allow students to learn in a safe, comfortable environment. The state has offered to share the cost of improving schools’ infrastructures. The state has approved our proposal to replace the forty-year-old boiler, the roof, lighting, doors, and to improve building security by altering the main entry. If we proceed, grants from the state will cover 40% of the cost.

On April 20, we will ask voters to approve a referendum to cover the district’s share of the remaining amount. The state aid is only available for a limited time. If the referendum is not approved, these repairs will still be necessary in the very near term, and the community would bear 100% of the cost, without the benefit of state subsidy.

The Board is well aware of the tough economic times and is working on our pledge to keep the school budget flat this year, with no expected tax increase, despite increasing costs. However, the projects that are to be covered by this special referendum are greatly needed. Also, due to the current economic climate, we anticipate that we will realize savings in construction costs.

If you are unable to attend this information meeting, the Board will have other opportunities this spring to learn about the upcoming referendum. More information, including a recent energy audit, can also be found on our website at tewksburyschools.org.
Tewksbury Board of Education
February TEF News
IN THE CLASSROOMS
Tewksbury Elementary School’s (TES) kindergarten participated in a very special cultural arts residency sponsored by the Tewksbury Education Foundation (TEF) on Tuesday, January 12^th and Thursday, January 14^th. Master dance teacher and renowned choreographer Kathleen Kececi conducted a workshop which explored the elements of dance and movement as related to trees, a theme of study in the kindergarten curriculum.

Students individually chose adjectives which described “trees.” They then used movement and gestures to express their adjectives, and ultimately created individual and then group dances.

Also in January, the TEF brought well known children’s book author and artist Dar Hosta into TES 1st grade classrooms for three days to conduct a cultural arts writing residency. First graders participated in paper painting, collage illustration and numerous writing sessions which will result in the publishing of a book for each of the four 1st grade classes highlighting all of the children’s individual work collectively.

In February, the TEF will bring master storyteller Bill Woods into 2nd grade classrooms to conduct a cultural arts residency. The workshop will focus on story development through oral storytelling.


SAVE THE DATE
The TEF's 15^th Annual Barn Dance will take place on May 15^th. It promises to be an event worthy of the organization’s crystal anniversary!

ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN
The Tewksbury Education Foundation’s 2009/2010 Annual Giving Campaign – which appeals to the entire community to contribute monetary donations which will go directly to Tewksbury schools, teachers and students through the TEF – is still underway.

To date, this year’s campaign has raised approximately $15,000 though the generous donations of individuals, families, community members and businesses.

To make an Annual Giving Campaign donation or for more information about the Campaign, the TEF and TEF programs, visit the TEF website. The TEF can accept donations in the form of checks, cash, Visa, or online through PayPal.

MORE INFORMATION
For more information about the TEF or to find out about volunteer/support opportunities, please e-mail Bob Wittpenn, or visit the TEF website.

The TEF
Letters to the Editor
As per our Letters Policy, any letters that are too long to publish on paper will be presented here in their entirity. -editor


DEAR EDITOR:
The fight to preserve the Fairmount Historic District from a proposed JCP&L electric substation on Fox Hill Road continues with a vengeance.

JCP&L lost Round One of the fight with the Tewksbury Land Use Board’s (LUB) unanimous decision to deny the company’s application to build an electric substation. JCP&L won the second round when the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) overturned the LUB decision.

Round Three started on January 8th when the Friends of Fairmount Historic District (FFHD) filed an appeal with the New Jersey Appellate Court. One of our key arguments is that the BPU totally ignored the LUB’s findings that the proposed JCP&L project does not meet the requirements of our Master Plan and local ordinances.

Round Four will take place at the New Jersey Highlands Council. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has determined that because of the potential negative impact the project will have on the Fairmount Historic District, JCP&L’s site screening plans must be approved by the Highlands Council. The LUB determined that the project does not meet local screening requirements and we are confident that the Highlands Council will come to a similar conclusion and deliver a knock-out blow to JCP&L’s plans.

Rounds Five and Six involve the NJDEP. The FFHD has asked for an adjudicatory hearing to challenge JCP&L’s assertion that it is exempt from the Highlands Act. Round Six will come when JCP&L submits its application for a Flood Hazard permit.

As we continue the JCP&L fight, we want to thank the hundreds of residents who have attended town meetings and written letters. We are grateful for the dedicated work of the volunteers who make up the Tewksbury Land Use Board and the Environmental, Scenic Roads, and Historic Preservation Commissions. Our thanks also go to Township Committee members Bill Voyce and Dana Desiderio for their loyal support in the fight.

All have been true defenders of our Township’s Master Plan and have shown a true concern for the safety of our neighbors and the preservation of the Fairmount Historic District.
Jon & Angela Holt, Fox Hill Road
Friends of Fairmount Historic District
[Posted 2/7/10 - editor]


DEAR EDITOR:
The Johnson family’s recent zoning variance application to the Land Use Board to install a heliport on their Homestead Road farm property just doesn’t make sense for the township, the community or the neighbors.

Frequent helicopter flights can have a significant negative impact on our environment, our safety, as well as our quality of life and community tranquility. In a recent test run at the proposed heliport site, the noise and vibration generated by the jet engines and whirring blades was so loud that the neighbors’ houses shook. There is great concern that property values could decline as a result of the helicopter noise in this otherwise rural and peaceful area.

Equestrians and horse drawn carriages as well as automobiles frequently pass nearby the proposed heliport site on this scenic road. Our fear is that the noise could spook horses and motorists thereby jeopardizing the safety of horses, riders and bystanders alike. Local farms provide horses as therapy for children recovering from life threatening illness as well as children with special needs. Some of these youngsters are physically challenged. This situation enhances our concern for potential accidents.

This application for a private heliport in a Farm Preservation area just doesn’t make sense in these days of environmental sensitivity. A heliport is intolerable to neighbors who feel it intrudes on our peaceful way of life. It is contradictory for our township that prides itself as a pristine haven of country living.

Considering that there are local airports minutes away, a private heliport seems redundant. If this application is approved, surely others in the township will want to do the same, thus destroying our peaceful way of life.

Please watch the paper and Township web site for notice of hearings on this issue and let your voice be heard. If you are interested in or share our concerns please feel free to e-mail us, at noheliport@yahoo.com.
Tewksbury Concerned Residents
Chris & Lois Kennedy, Homestead Road

Note: this letter was sent in by Mr. Kennedy with the names of other “Tewksbury Concerned Residents” included. Because we did not have time to confirm all names, and for brevity’s sake, those names were omitted.
[Posted 2/7/10 - editor]


LETTERS POLICY
Please see our Letters Policy for submissions guidelines before writing to us.
Synergy at OTS
Each day, students in the Synergy Lab at Old Turnpike School participate in hands-on learning experiences to enrich what they have learned in their general education classes. They study a variety of topics. Joey Fernicola says, “Synergy is fun, because we get to learn about forensics, plastics, polymers, and weather.” Another student commented on how grateful she was to “better understand what [we] learned in science last week!” Teacher Kimberly Hill and her seventh and eighth grade students are eternally grateful for the work the Tewksbury Education Foundation put in to raise the funds for this fantastic learning environment.

For more information about this program, contact Kimberly Hill, at OTS: 439-2010 ext227.
Operation: Military Kids
Through the generosity of the Dollar Tree Corporation and its customers at the local Rio Grande store, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Operation: Military Kids/Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program were able to donate toys to the U.S Coast Guard Base in Cape May, for its annual children’s Christmas party. Kathleen M. Grant, Family Resource Specialist, Joe Orlando, District 17 Commander of the NJ Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Linda Horner, with the Cape May County 4-H Program, delivered the toys. The toy donation program is coordinated by Operation Homefront, which provides emergency assistance and morale to troops, to families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors.

There are over 16,000 military youth in New Jersey and the mission of Operation: Military Kids (OMK) is to support them by:
• Creating networks of people, organizations and other resources to support “suddenly military” children and youth where they live.
• Delivering a wide range of recreational, social and educational programs for military youth living in civilian communities.
• Acknowledging the strengths and sacrifices of military kids as everyday home front heroes.
• Supporting military kids coping with the stress of knowing their deployed parents may be in harm’s way.
• Educating the public on the impact of the deployment cycle on soldiers, families, kids and the community as a whole.

For information on Operation: Military Kids, contact Marie Waldron, at 973-285-8300, ext235, or see the web site.
2010 Census Jobs
The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. These short-term jobs offer good pay, flexible hours, paid training, and reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses, such as mileage incurred while conducting census work. Best of all, census takers work right in their own communities. Census taker jobs are excellent for people who want to work part-time, those who are between jobs, or just about anyone who wants to earn extra money while performing an important service for their community.

YOUR COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON YOU
Every 10 years, the Census Bureau takes a snapshot of our population, determining how many people reside within the nation’s borders, who they are, and where they live. The results help determine your representation in government, as well as how federal funds are spent in your community on things like roads, parks, housing, schools, and public safety. As a census taker, you’ll play a vital role in making sure that everyone is counted.

For more information phone 866-861-2010 or see www.2010censusjobs.gov.
New Book from Local Author
Beyond The Finish Line: Stories of Ex-Racehorses, by Tewksbury resident, Loren Spiotta-DiMare will be released this month. A photo-illustrated, coffee-table book, Beyond highlights 22 equestrians who have adopted both Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds off the track, and retrained them for other disciplines and activities. Several of the riders featured are from Tewksbury.

“I’ve spent the last two years running around to photo shoots with my equine photographer, Martin Kavanagh of Aberdeen,” Spiotta-DiMare says. “It was great fun and we were both impressed by the diverse talents of the riders and their horses. They were involved in everything from eventing, trail riding, saddle seat, and Western Pleasure, to Polo, and Civil War re-enactment.”

The author became interested in the plight of ex-racers when several of her friends adopted horses off the track. “Unfortunately these magnificent animals are often still young when their race careers end due to lack of speed, injuries or retirement,” she says. “Many wind up at Auctions which can be the last stop before a slaughter house—a cruel and unfitting end for any horse, but especially for those who have worked so hard for our sporting pleasure. I wrote the book to showcase the many viable alternatives for ex-racers.”

A lifelong animal lover, Spiotta-DiMare has been writing about her favorite subject for over 30 years. She has had three pet-reference books published, as well as seven picture books for children, including Madeline’s Miracle, Rockwell: A Boy And His Dog, Chelsea & The New Puppy, Daniel, Dog Camp Champ! Norman To The Rescue, and Caesar: On Deaf Ears.

Recognized by the Dog Writers Association of America, Humane Society of the United States, Doris Day Animal Foundation and New Jersey Press Women, the author’s work has been published both nationally and internationally.

To order an autographed copy of Beyond The Finish Line, send $28.54 (includes tax/shipping) to Loren Spiotta-DiMare, P.O. Box 301, Califon, NJ 07830.
Scouts Sell Firewood
Boy Scout Troop #199 is selling fire wood to help fund their trip to Sea Base Scout Reservation in Florida next summer. One phone call, and fire wood will be delivered to your home free of charge. The cost of the wood is:
• $ 70 Face Cord + $5 Stacking Fee
• $210 Full Cord + $15 Stacking Fee
Delivery Included.

For more information, or to place your order, phone 908-448-9419

Troop #199 thanks you for supporting their Venture camp experience in July 2010!
Township Notification System
The town-wide optional e-mail notification system is now up and running.  The system is designed to provide a means for the municipal offices to promptly notify Township residents of public service announcements.  This is a voluntary system and only those residents who sign up will receive the e-mail announcements.

To sign up to receive all future public service announcements the township may make, send an e-mail request, and specify which e-mail address(es) you would like to have included on the list.  All addresses will be kept confidential from the public and other recipients.   The system will only be used for municipal public service announcements such as bridge closings or road outages and not for political purposes or any private purposes.
Alarm Registration Reminder
It’s that time again. The Township has mailed House Alarm Registration renewal post cards, and the renewal fee is due by the end of November. If your house alarm is not registered with the police department, or if you have disconnected your alarm, phone Jean Marie DuHamel, at 439-3477, from 7:30AM-3:00PM.
Girl Scout Aids Food Pantry
The Open Cupboard Food Pantry began in 1993 as two closets in the United Methodist Church in High Bridge, serving 3 families. Recently, it moved from a space on Main Street, High Bridge, to much larger, more visible premises at 37 Old Highway 22 in Clinton. Last year, the Open Cupboard helped 151 families, including 12 new area families. It distributed 109,015 pounds of groceries, and purchased of 138,799 pounds of goods. Families come from all over northern Hunterdon County. Current economic conditions will only add to these numbers. The Open Cupboard now also has a Thrift Shop, where reasonably-priced items can be purchased, with proceeds going to the Food Pantry.

After the Holidays, Food Pantry supplies are low, and the cold winter weather makes demand higher. I have decided to make my Girl Scout Silver Award project all about helping this worthwhile local, cause. I am inviting everyone to help me help those less fortunate in Hunterdon County by placing non-perishable items in bins I have placed in the lobbies of Old Turnpike School and Tewksbury Elementary School. I will be taking the contents to the Food Pantry frequently.

Items needed include:
• Canned meat
• Powdered milk or Parmalat®
• 100% fruit juice
• Cold and hot cereals
• Macaroni and cheese
• Baked beans or pork and beans
• Canned beef stew
• Canned pasta in sauce
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Canned fruit
• Plain rice
• Canned or instant potatoes
• Bisquick®/ Pancake mix and syrup
• Coffee and tea
• Cleaning supplies
• Large size disposable diapers
• Toiletries and paper goods
...or any other non-perishable items.

Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Louise Gallagher, GS Troop 1017
Oldwick Fire Co. Serves You
Established in 1938, the Oldwick Fire Company (OFC) currently responds to 150 calls per year. This volunteer organization of thirty-five members relies on its two pumper trucks, a tanker/ pumper, and a brush truck to serve Tewksbury Township.

Monthly meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 8:00PM at the firehouse, on James Street. Their office phone number is 439-2448 (dial 911 for emergencies). New Members are always welcome.

BANQUET HALL OPEN
The Oldwick Fire Company’s new banquet hall is now available to host your next event. The facility can handle events up to 100 people. The banquet hall is suitable for weddings, business meetings, organization or club meetings, birthday parties, instructional seminars, or classes such as karate, dance etc.

The banquet hall is in the lower level of the Oldwick Fire House, at the intersection of Routes 517 and 523, and offers beautiful woodland views in its surprisingly secluded setting.

For more information, or to book your event, phone 439-2448, or drop a note to:
Oldwick Fire Company
attn Banquet Hall Committee
PO Box 83
Oldwick, NJ 08858.
New Affordable Housing
See our Affordable Housing page for information about Tewksbury Township's New Apartments For Rent!
What's Your News?
The Tewksbury Times--on paper and online--is ready to help your organization publicize its activities. Many Tewksbury residents look to The Times to keep them informed about local happenings, and community groups rely on us to help them get the word out.
The deadline for next month's issue of The Tewksbury Times (on paper) is always the 15^th of this month. Notices can be e-mailed to us or sent by US Mail to:

PO Box 434
Oldwick, NJ 08858

The deadline for The Tewksbury Times--Online is rolling. Announcements of upcoming events or activities may be e-mailed to us at any time, and will be added to this site at our earliest chance.

We're very interested in hearing from you! Whether you like what you see or have ideas for improvements, your thoughts are important to us. We'd also love to hear of any links you think we should add that would be of interest to residents of Tewksbury or visitors to the township. You can always GetEdwin@TewksburyNJ.com.

Please see our Letters Policy for submissions guidelines before writing to us.