Every Saturday on its editorial page, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.
Every Saturday on its editorial page, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.
CHEERS: To buying local. You heard the call a lot throughout the holiday season -- support your local merchants. Sure, the Internet, malls and big-box stores can make shopping fast and easy, but you are missing out on something. It's the convenience, interaction -- and satisfaction -- that comes with buying from your local stores. There are many gifts and services available from your hometown merchants that can't be found elsewhere. Along with that, you are helping to support a small business and its owners, and their families and employees. You are helping to keep that downtown storefront from being empty. As we prepare to enter the new year, let's keep the focus local and support those who are part of our hometowns.
CHEERS: To helping to keep the Garden State green. Officials on Monday announced the preservation of Mill Hollow Farms in Quinton Township in a unique deal which helped to save 118 acres of prime cropland and an important wooded riparian buffer. The effort was a joint public-private partnership that brought together the State Agriculture Development Committee and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. "I'm just happy to be part of it and contribute both to the farm agriculture community and preserving wildlife habitat," said farm owner Jeffrey Harris. The farm has been in his family since 1931.
JEERS: To an alarming appellate court decision announced this week regarding a case in which a man was accused of stalking, threatening and assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Jose L. Ortiz, 35, of Camden was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2014, but an appellate panel overturned that conviction and sentence and have decided to give him a new trial? Why? The appeals court found that the trial court made mistakes in jury instructions and in allowing the victim to testify about a previous alleged incident of domestic violence. The appellate ruling also vacated a restraining order that barred Ortiz from any future contact with the victim or her children. What kind of message does this latest decision send to other domestic violence victims seeking help from the justice system? Ortiz allegedly broke into the woman's apartment in 2012, beat her, chopped off her hair with a pair of scissors and threatened to kill her as her kids looked on, according to trial testimony. The appellate ruling doesn't suggest that Ortiz is innocent, just that mistakes were made in how his trial was conducted. Does that really warrant throwing out the entire case.
CHEERS: The Chabad of Gloucester County for making its annual Chanukah celebration an opportunity to help the needy in South Jersey. The holiday festivities will take place Monday, Dec. 26, at Deptford Skating Center. Kids will skate, play and enjoy Chanukah treats while the grown-ups pitch in to construct a giant menorah out of donated canned goods. Chabad is collected donations of kosher canned foods and will distribute those to area food banks after the event. What a great way to make an important religious observance both fun and beneficial to the community at a whole.
JEERS: To bad publicity. We're looking for a few good stories. What we witnessed can't be called anything other than a particularly bad week of press for Camden. Tyrone Fooks and Shaun Johnson became the city's 42nd and 43rd homicide victims of 2016, respectively. On Monday, we went to the scene of a double shooting at a corner neighbors dubbed "Dope City" and "Heroin Alley." On Wednesday, we canvassed downtown Camden to provide anti-drug information to people in need all too willing to accept it. These kind of stories aren't why we got into the field of journalism. Sure, we want to tell Camden's story -- good and bad -- but we need you to let us in on the positive ones. Readers with such pitches are encouraged to contact Supervising Reporter Greg Adomaitis at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com.
CHEERS: To not rushing to judgment. Waterford Township Superintendent Jason Eitner is in the middle of an educational firestorm. Thing is, it's not really clear how many accusations against him truly exist. Eitner, who is already on paid leave, saw the township board of education extend it through the end of this year following four hours of deliberations. That didn't please too many educators who allege ageism and sexism against Eitner, who called the complaints "frivolous" and said it's part of a push to force him out. While some teachers plan to file lawsuits, Eitner could return to work if the board doesn't hold another vote on his suspension. Running someone out of town on a rail is a pretty serious decision and a lot of the claims haven't been publicly aired. We reserve opinion until then.
If you know of someone or something you would like to nominate for a cheer or a jeer, please send the information to sjletters@njadvancemedia.com