Clinton Township Newsletter

1 J u n e 2 0 1 7 I'm leaving shortly for a visit to see my kids in Minnesota and I'm not looking forward to the hassle of flying. In the olden days when I traveled for business it was gloriously different. I would dress in a smart business suit wearing pantyhose and low heels, carrying an initialed briefcase and small carryon. My company furnished a long black limo to go to and from Newark Airport and appropriate transportation upon arrival to Washington or Chicago or Atlanta where a comfortable hotel awaited with vouchers for food and drink. I looked forward to the whole adventure. This is 2017 and I dread the two plus hour wait in Terminal C where the display board seldom reads "On Time" anymore. I leave home at 6 am to arrive in plenty of time for a 9 o'clock flight UNLESS Route 78 has one of its regular slow downs due to never-ending accidents and too many cars. I now have a TSA pass so the security line should be shorter and I no longer have to remove shoes and belt, but that is small consolation facing such a long terminal session. No wonder it is called "terminal". The plane will be packed and the overhead bin stuffed by the time I get to Seat 11C. That seat will be the right size for an anorexic toddler and my knees will spend the next hours hovering close to my chest. I could develop a blood clot from being so cramped for so long. The cabin will be uncomfortably hot while on the tarmac (and that could be as many hours as the flight itself). Not to worry, however, because the temperature will instantly switch to that of a walk-in freezer once we're airborne. Luckily I'll have a lined jacket even if it's mid-June. I remember being served a moderately decent meal or snack in the old days. And, if preceded with a Martini, the taste wasn't bad. Now I will be able to count eight honey roasted peanuts and three sips of ginger ale. The plane will have a stale odor, a dirty food tray and a frazzled flight attendant. I can only pray my seat mate will not be chatty and relate an abbreviated life story for the three or more hour flight as has happened on previous occasions. I've contemplated taking a train or bus to Minneapolis. But these are not direct routes and spending countless hours in Chicago at three in the morning is less than appealing and trains and buses offer no guarantee of safe arrivals either. Is it all worth it? If you had three grandchildren and three great grandchildren in Minnesota who will be waiting for hugs and kisses the answer is obvious. If the trip is a successful one there will be a July Newsletter column. In late April, we received the following written letter to the Editor: "I was taken aback by the Newsletter's May edition's obvious political bias via the advertisements; almost three full pages worth – really? And since when has the Newsletter become a political platform anyway? I may have second thoughts about reading any future Newsletters if this is the direction it will be heading. For shame! Signed, Anonymous" Well Anonymous, we hear you, and thank you for letting us know about your concern. We want to make it clear that we never, in any way, endorse any political candidate or party, as a rule. We do, however, accept paid political ads, and have since this publication's inception in 1982. We're happy to help get the word out to the residents of our great Township for any candidate who contacts us, but we do not alter content in any way on political advertising. We may however, suggest a comma here and there, and perhaps a capitalization. And please remember – even as proof-reading bulldogs, we do make mistakes – despite our best intentions. The United States has been heating up politically for several years – this past year especially. We at CTNL try our very best to keep this publication – truly, a community in publication form – light, friendly and optimistic. We respect all of our readers, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, political party, and a whole list of other things too. We try to keep our own political opinions to ourselves in print – however, we tend to be quite vocal in public. I'll add that the opinions expressed in this publication by others do not necessarily always match our own opinions. I'd like to reiterate the difference between Clinton Township Municipal and the Clinton Township Newsletter. We're actually two separate entities, but sort-of related... like cousins. We have a healthy respect and appreciation for our Township's Office of Mayor, Town Council, Superintendent, Board of Education, Police, DPW, Fire and Rescue, but they don't try to tell us what to do and we certainly don't try to tell them what to do. We've had readers call here with all manner of requests and occasional complaints, from leaf pickup to snow shoveling to questions about recycling to wanting the police. The "helper" in me really wants to take care of their issues. ("I'll be right over with my snow shovel!") The realist in me knows that I (and Ruth) actually have absolutely no authority in this Township whatsoever. However, I do forward those requests straight to our Municipal Offices and readily give out their phone number: 908.735.8800. (Tell 'em CTNL sent you!) It's the advertising that keep us in business so, as always, I want to say THANK YOU TO OUR ADVERTISERS! We very much appreciate your loyalty. Readers – please check out our advertisers, purchase their products and use their services. If they succeed, I feel we all succeed. Last, but certainly not least, THANK YOU to all of our readers for reading us – feel free to write us anytime! We hope you all enjoy the warmth and sunshine – Julie Fl�nn "Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower." ~ Hans Christian Andersen Jie Fly, Edit Since 1982

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