Alright, folks, gather round for a little journey into the origins of one of the chillest ...
Letters to the Editor
By LAUREN KLEIN AND JENNIFER MANN
March 14, 2024
Our 11 year old children are victims of cyber crimes right here in Berkeley Heights, NJ. Trouble found them more than two months ago in the form of ongoing impersonation, harassment, hate speech, and threats. The toll it has taken on our children is devastating. We are writing this in the hope ...
Please take action now. New Jersey residents and elected officials throughout the state have expressed concern over A4/S50, the “fast-tracked” Affordable Housing Bill, which was passed in the Assembly on February 12th, and is now scheduled to be heard in the Senate Budget and Appropriations ...
It is interesting to note that many of the individuals responsible for the issues in the District suddenly acknowledge them. However, they appear to believe that the decades of unaccountability and secrecy that many families are concerned about are the responsibility of two new BOE Members who have ...
Below is an abridged version of an email that I sent to Mr. Daryl Palmieri last week in support of Dipti Khanna for Berkeley Heights Board of Education President. Mr. Palmieri, As a resident of the Berkeley Heights community and a parent of 2 children in the district, I feel compelled to ...
If you are not paying attention to what is happening on the Berkeley Heights BOE, you should be. At its reorganization meeting on January 4th and again on January 18th the Board was unable to elect a president and was deadlocked 4-4. As a result, the decision will be made by someone outside the ...
Dear Members of the Berkeley Heights Board of Education and Dr. Varley, As an educator for this district for over 20 years. I can honestly say I don't have any words for what transpired in the reorganization meeting. As an educator of first grade students, the 20 members of my community each ...
When I was Mayor of Chatham Township I made a concerted effort to increase the awareness of mental illness and suicide prevention. My interest in doing so stemmed from my early days on the Township Committee when I learned of a young father in town who died by suicide. This past September we ...
I am overwhelmed and humbled by the support I have received over the past three years. It has not been an easy journey for many parents who have been vocal about change. I am grateful beyond any measure for the number of people who came to the polls in support of change. Words cannot ...
As the outcomes of the Berkeley Heights Township Council election are now solidified, we, the 'Stop The Overdevelopment in Berkeley Heights' team led by Steve Mondragon and Edmund Tom Maciejewski, take a moment to commend both the process and the participants. Our congratulations go out to Margaret ...
This year, for BOE, I am supporting Natasha Joly. She is a fantastic human being as she has an ability to bring opposition together in a productive way. This is a need on our BOE. When Natasha speaks at BOE meetings (and in personal conversation) she is concise in her language and authoritative ...
I met Sai Bhargavi Akiri several years ago when running for Berkeley Heights Board of Education. Sai’s desire to learn about everyone she meets is enviable. Sai asks questions when others don’t. As a lifelong resident of Berkeley Heights, I have always been confident in the quality and ...
Sai has spent countless hours over the past few years attending board meetings, researching topics and analyzing data to help educate and inform the community about what is going on in our school district. While she spent her year-long term as a member of the Board of Education, she asked questions ...
There was a time when the Berkeley Heights School District performed well when measured against comparable nearby districts while at the same time maintaining a cost per pupil that was lower than most or all of its counterparts. While any school district can always do better, the operation and ...
Tom and Steve are deeply invested in our town and are dedicated to raising their school-aged children in the same close-knit, thriving community we currently enjoy. Tom is the best candidate we have. I’ve known him for several years and I ran with him myself. He always impressed me with his ...
The Berkeley Heights Republican Municipal Committee requests your support for incumbents, Senator Jon Bramnick, Assemblywoman Nancy Muñoz, and Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis. Bramnick, Muñoz, and Matsikoudis don’t hesitate to work with Democrats in Trenton to keep our property taxes under ...
As a 30+ year resident of Berkeley Heights, I've witnessed many changes to the town, both positive and negative. I've seen council members who claim to be true fiscal conservatives blow up budgets on poorly conceived and executed projects, while failing to address crumbling infrastructure, road ...
Berkeley Heights has the opportunity to elect two very qualified Board of Education candidates--Sai Bhargavi Akiri and Natasha Joly. They have been regular attendees at BOE meetings and have presented thoughtful, helpful suggestions and comments to the existing Board members. Sitting in the ...
I am writing to express my support for Natasha Joly for the Berkeley Heights Board of Education (“BOE”). While I originally wrote this letter in support of Ms. Joly for last year’s BOE election – one year later Ms. Joly remains steadfast in her commitment to education and continues to leverage her ...
Dear Editor, As a 30-year Berkeley Heights resident and nearly 17-year government employee, I feel compelled to clarify some misleading information I have noticed recently in some campaign literature pertaining to development in our community. The recent development we are experiencing is ...
I love living in Berkeley Heights. We have great people, schools, parks, restaurants, easy access to cities, airports and beaches, among so many other things. But despite all that great stuff, for some reason the tone of our local politics has seemed pretty brutal these past five or so years—maybe ...
Board of Education: Sai and Natasha Sai and Natasha have both worked extraordinarily hard over the past few years. They were present at most, if not all, BOE Meetings this year. It wasn't just showing up to meetings; they put in hours of research and effort in between to inform the community of ...
By and large, I am not a big fan of humans. But I make a big exception for one giant-hearted man, without whom I may not be here today. His name is Bill Machado. He is running for Berkeley Heights Township Council. And if chickens were allowed to vote in this country (and for pluck’s sake, they ...
There are many reasons we support Margaret Illis for Town Council: we share the same values, she has a proven track record of leadership, cares deeply about our community, and she is a good human - period. But what really makes Margaret a standout candidate is the combination of her work ethic and ...
There are many people we meet throughout our lives. Oftentimes we remember them for a special quality or event, or something they said or did that left a lasting impact on us. Teachers often come to mind. Or a special coach that pushed us to work harder and be better than we thought we ...
It’s election time again and I am not one for generally writing letters to the editor but in conversations with friends, neighbors, and other residents there seem to be a lot of questions and some not-so-accurate information or assumptions. I also understand there can be a lot to digest and where ...
Dear BH residents, Our mom, Margaret Illis is a loving, caring, and compassionate person who we look up to every day. Not only has she been an exceptional mother and friend, but she is also a tireless advocate dedicated to making Berkeley Heights a better place. From our earliest memory, our ...
I am writing in support of the Illis & Machado ticket for Berkeley Heights Township Council. Berkeley Heights, like numerous towns in New Jersey, is facing the challenge of supporting the mandated residential development that was required by the state, and I am proud that our town has been ...
As the third generation of my family to be born and raised in Berkeley Heights, I have always been proud of the Berkeley Heights School District. After learning about Sai Bhargavi Akiri’s vision for the District I am sure she will strive to attain and maintain the high standard of education that ...
I am writing this letter of endorsement for my father Bill Machado. Let me start by saying I’m 31, grew up in Berkeley Heights and graduated from Governor Livingston. I currently reside in New York City, but frequently return home to visit my parents who have been there together since 1997. The ...
I am 17 now and a Senior at Governor Livingston, but when I was 13, I found a squirrel on the road in front of my house. It looked like it had been injured and we tried to save it. “Call Bill Machado,” my mom said. “Who’s that?” I said. “He’s the guy who helps all the animals.” Not ...
