Enjoy N.J. cherry blossoms from a distance, please | Letters – NJ.com

Why, oh why, must the Star-Ledger every year print a photo of a child sitting in a Branch Brook Park cherry blossom tree (front page, April 4)? Sure, it’s cute, but it just encourages more people to do it.

Some of these trees are almost 100 years old and quite fragile. Actually, the old trees are the ones best suited for climbing. Every year I drive through the park after the cherry blossom festival and see broken limbs lying under trees. This is no way to respect our park.

This year I was cheered to see that the Essex County Parks Commission posted signs asking park visitors to not pick the blossoms or climb the trees. So, what example are parents setting for their children by allowing or even encouraging them to climb the trees?

We local residents are happy that so many people come here for cherry blossom season and enjoy it as much as we do. But, please, everyone should enjoy just looking at the trees and wandering through their beauty and fragrance. And, the Star-Ledger should not encourage bad behavior by printing inappropriate photos.

Catharine Longendyck, Newark

Where were the watchdogs in Clark?

Concerning the editorial “A culture of racist corruption in Clark Township”:

Yes, the Clark governing body should be called out for paying $400,000 in hush money to a whistleblower to keep secretly recorded racist comments by Mayor Sal Bonaccorso and two police officers hidden. However, from personal experience with scores of Clark residents, I do not see the town as racist. I see the people as betrayed, including by the media.

If your editorial is correct and the $400,000 payment was unanimously approved by the council in February 2020, based on the agenda from that meeting, Clark residents were told they were approving a “program of revaluation of real property in, by and for the township.” It should have raised an alarm that this was an “emergency” appropriation that, according to the township’s chief financial officer at the time, “might not be necessary” — but there was nobody to question it then or to report on it later.

The vast majority of the people of Clark that I know are friendly, welcoming people who are not racist in any way and and will do what is right if told the truth. Unfortunately, the mechanism for disseminating truth is apparently flawed in Clark, in Union County, and in most of this state.

John Bury, Kenilworth

Grateful for aid to immigrants

After almost two decades as an immigrant rights activist, I continue to be appalled by the needs and challenges facing the New Jersey’s immigrant community.

One of every four immigrants in New Jersey — over 500,000 — has no immigration status or only temporary status. I applaud the appropriations proposed in Gov. Phil Murphy’s fiscal 2023 budget to close the chronic gap in services for these underserved residents.

I am particularly grateful for increased funding for legal assistance to victims of exploitation, corruption, and out-of-control violence against women, children, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ persons and others at risk of deportation to horrendous conditions in their home countries. Agencies providing these services are starved for resources to address a growing backlog of cases and the chronic failure of Congress to adopt overdue reform of our outdated immigration legal code.

For decades, immigrants have replenished the indispensable first-line workforce. They have earned a rightful place in our society. Yet, we continue to relegate many of them to second-class residency. They struggle to navigate an insanely complex system and are exposed to predators who further exploit them because of their extreme vulnerability. A few weeks ago, a man was arrested for allegedly posing as an immigration officer in Mercer County and bilking clients by claiming he could expedite their cases.

The services funded by these appropriations will provide urgent relief. The return on investment to allow marginalized immigrants to finally become full-fledged members of our communities, will be manyfold.

Maria Juega, Princeton

Diversity and fun in Fair Lawn

Having grown up in Fair Lawn, I felt pride and joy reading about the town’s first-ever celebration of the Hindu festival, Holi, last month.

My family had the opportunity to visit southern India several years ago because our son works in Bangalore. We experienced first hand the love, hospitality and generosity of the people of India, and we applaud Fair Lawn’s Community Relations Committee for working to educate, advocate and respect the different cultures of their residents.

There is no better time than the blooming season of spring to celebrate love and nature. I hope more towns in New Jersey follow Fair Lawn’s lead in celebrating our state’s rich cultural diversity with fun, family events like this one.

Marjorie Egarian, Lambertville

Different kind of ‘boat check’ can solve a problem

Concerning NJ Advance Media’s special report, “Beached, docked & dumped,” and “As $550K boat removal inches closer at N.J. cove, officials strive for lasting solution,” a follow-up story:

How about this idea?

Whenever a new or used boat is purchased, the purchaser must open an escrow account with the state for, say, 20% of the purchase price.

When the boat is sold or otherwise disposed of, providing proof of the disposal would trigger the return of the escrowed funds.

Twenty percent may seem like a large amount of money, but it should ensure that more owners will take proper care of boats they no longer want.

Mickey Dwulet, Roseland

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