In a recent letter, Michelle Capobianco, a Republican candidate defeated in her 2023 run for the Garwood Council, criticized Councilman Sean Foley and Mayor Jen Blumenstock for perceived slights against her and her husband (who was not reappointed to the Planning Board). Her husband previously serve...

A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism Program

I was incredulous reading Garwood Councilman’s alleged clinical analysis of Garwood’s mindset that the residents are full of “hostility” and “intimidation.” Being here only for 2 ½ years, he impetuously concludes. With my 25+ years of being involved with Garwood, attending around 99 percent of counc...

In recent days, we’ve seen lots of news reports about members of Congress around the country being confronted at town-hall meetings by at-times angry and frustrated constituents about some of the goings-on in Washington over the past several weeks.We think it’s high time for local Congressional repr...

Let’s celebrate unexpected friendships together in this time of uneasiness and global unrest. Unexpected friendships forged in apolitical common goals can transport us to a sphere of mutual regard and affection.“Why don’t you come with us, Patti, to measure champion trees?” offered Joli McCathran, a...

A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism Program

I was disheartened watching the last Garwood borough council meeting by some of the statements made during council member comments as well as a recent letter by Councilman Foley titled “Rejecting Extremism”. This is not the first, second or third time council members felt the need to discuss social ...

The Senate Judiciary Committee is currentlylookingtoconsiderabillaimed at addressing the situation in public notices and legal advertisements following the recent shutdown of the Star-Ledger and other print newspapers. On its surface, the legislation might seem logical: it requests that newspapers a...

Within the climate action planning space, there are mitigation actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and adaptation and resilience actions to prepare for and respond to the unavoidable reality of climate change impacts that will persist and accelerate into the foreseeable future. Thus, resilie...

Through two campaigns and the “Walking Garwood” initiative, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with many of you — neighbors, friends, and fellow residents — who share a deep concern about the tone of civic discourse in our community. Garwood has always been a town where people come together, where v...