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Milestones: Richard R. Bird, Former Rutgers Graduate Registrar, is Mourned by his Highland Park Friends and Family

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Richard R. Bird, retired Rutgers University graduate registrar, passed away peacefully on June 17th, 2019. Richard was born in New York City-Governors Island, where his father was stationed during WWII. His father James Bird and his mother Mary Ames predeceased him. In high school, Richard was active in sports and was a first-rate ¼ miler for the Highland Park High School Track & Field team. After serving in the Army he attended Rutgers College, class of 1963, where he played La Crosse, and graduated with a degree in Geography. READ MORE

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Incumbents Win Primary – Community Now Needs to Shift Campaign Energy to Working Together for the Benefit of All

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Incumbent Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler and incumbent Borough Council members Phil George and Matt Hale won the June 4th Democratic Primary over mayoral challenger Monique Coleman and council member challenger (two seats were open) Austin Morreale by the following unofficial tally: mayor – Brill Mittler 1231; Coleman 874; council – Hale 1422; George 1276; Morreale 882. Commentary: The candidates all ran spirited and energetic campaigns with a fierce commitment to the social and economic well being of the community. The Highland Park Planet regrettably was unable to print all the letters of support for all the candidates. We can only hope that this level of community involvement continues past the election process into a sustained effort to create a better living environment for all residents. The one issue we heard in different campaign environments concerned the quality of Highland Park Pubic Library. READ MORE

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Former Council Member Urges Support for the Humane, Progressive, Thoughtful, and Result-Oriented Incumbent Democrats

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Highland Park must not be a flashpoint for the ills of society. That’s a useless exercise. What Highland Park must be is a leader in taking those big issues and figuring out how to implement solutions on the local level. As a community, we can’t assign blame elsewhere, we can’t point fingers at the state for under-resourcing communities, we have to act locally and put upward pressure on higher levels of government. READ MORE

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Responsiveness and Rooting out Systemic Racism in HP Are the Key Elements in the Coleman/Morreale Platform

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I am thrilled to endorse Monique Coleman for mayor and Austin Morreale for council. IMonique and Austin are committed to ensuring we have a transparent and open government that is responsive to all people who live in Highland Park. I first met Monique after her son was racially profiled by the Highland Park Police Department. Monique has tirelessly worked to root out systemic racism in our town — not just because it has affected her family but because this work is a continuation of her lifelong commitment to racial justice. Austin works to ensure people who are coming out of the county jail have the support and services they need. READ MORE

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Teacher Supports the Platform of Tolerance, Transparency, Inclusion and Social Justice in June 4 Primary Election

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Dear Editor:

I’m a partner and mother, an author and editor, a teacher and,
occasionally, when I can get it right, a mentor. I didn’t anticipate
that I’d ever help on the fringes of a local election campaign; yet
suddenly, my yard is sporting a sign, and my kids set off on a
canvasing adventure while I nursed a baby. They returned with
predictable reactions: my older, more introverted son needed to
recover, and my younger, more social son wanted to know when he could
do that again. And early in the campaign, because Monique and I work
together as teachers of the blind and visually impaired, I wrote the
following endorsement, by which I still stand, but which, now I
realize, almost too late, lacks the personal:

“Monique is a community minded individual who truly believes in
equality and equity in all services and experiences. The activities
she organizes foster tolerance and inclusion and help people to
understand what we all share. READ MORE

Filed under: Local News