26

WtHHibn

Cold Spring

July 1991

This is the hirnin# point of Summer, generally speaking It's all downhill from here Past experience has taught me. for in stance-, that once the Fourth o( July arrives, the rpsl of summer goes by like

tl* blink <4 an eye

Well beyond the so-called halcyon da>JC.of carefree youtW where the end of * summor/spelled the demise of freedom. I have reached the point now where I'm not eyen certain which ija my favorite season of the year (although, I belicVe I opted for spring in an

earlier i#tei

’ . Now. measure the turn mg point of summer'not in the psychological, downhill rush of a waning -season, tat m the actual, physical. changes noticeable in-my ' surroundings Like in my garden I can'tell when the patch out back has reached , its growing peak, it's always the same It corresponds to the torrid days of summer-late July, perhaps early August when the grow ingest plants in my garden are the weeds They seem in Might in raising their varied unkempf heads

Hbove the heretofore well cared for tomatoes, pejv pees, beans/ —challenging me to take them on In their own, mosquito infested

turf ,

Neighbor Norman clued me in on the benefits of a * deep hay mulch earlier in the season, and while the advice wasn't new to my caK fl'm a great one for

figment of my imagination; that I have a nerve talking about the imagined whizzing by*>f the summer in my youth as if. my thoughts a bout-weeds are any more real. But I tell • you those weeds are out there right now making terrible inroads in my garden and their movement is as • much a certainty as was

Country Note

reading.up on how to do everything), it did, for awhile, excite me—the prospects of a weed-free, less watered garden! Trouble is there's only a' certain brief period when you can mulch. It can t be too early. Ibst the plants you're trying to grow are smothered along with the weeds hiding just beneath’ .the surface. And if yoq wait'too long, those sneaky weed seeds explode ftk'e popcorn itldie sizzling sun * /.They say you can hear corn growing h swear, a grtat "deal of the rustling one hears in the summer breezes is the weeds stretching like a morning dog (plants, like roses, stretch like cats). You can say.this is only a

the motion in the old grain field across the street from our house. Granted the wind had a lot to do with the rustling of the dry cereal heads earlier in the month, and the subsequent combining by the farmer was certainly a man-made

noise

Part of my theory is that cultivated plants usually make noise only in their maturity; perhaps, like some people, complaining .about theid fate as they grow older; Corn cohles to mind as such a plant Tomatoes, on the other hand are qtiiet about going to seed; apparently more content With the metamorphosis from hirsute and green to glabrous and retf than corn which undergoes

reader's forum-

-4-

a similar hairy-to-smooth transition but hides Its yellow kernels in green to parchmenfwraps. Weeds, however, are different. While they may start out stealthily, once they reach the point where in their numbers they can overpower cultivated plants and civilized persons, they .become/ boisterous; some of th^ ^ moreymacho types actually tauntingly disrespectful of theifc human superiors (some of .whom are ' themselvesithe weed-like hoi polloi). f The point m tfiis dissertation is to announce that my 1981 summe^ garden is at the turning point of either being fpken over by those noxious weeds or being rescued by a valiant yours truly. By way of disclaimer, let me note that while I may temporarily throw in the towel with an eye toward my 1981 fall garden, there is the distinct possibility that my torpidity at this time of year is.a psychological, not a physical, state. But. come to think of it, it is often more difficult dealing with the imagined than with this real. \

—John A.

. • ' f . ■

Let's Get Together On Medical Care

by Joe Ward ' Obviously there dre many questions that must be anawared before ah intefllffent decision can Be rendered on the future o/arthritis'diagnosis and treatment in Cape May County Admittedly, as laymen we are not qualified to make a professional judgment as to the ode qudey.of medical services available to afthrltics In the county. • . '. ■ We do know, however, from years of experience in reporting on the Jersey Cape scene that there is a track record in this area of paying more attedtlon to attrac , ting people here than to the adequacy o/needed services^ for a growing population WE HAVE WITNESSED cnoi^h'mishmash over the years when it comes to planning in general to cohclude that the planning of such specific services as medical rare leaves room for improvement. This is not a blanket indictment. It is p call for consumer*, physicians and politicians to,sit down together with a goal of resolving dl//erences of opinion Afterall. It s one thing to allow tra//ic congestion taoccur - because of inadequate planning and quite anotherto permit even the bint.o/ insufficient medical care, because either the game,plan is missing or all the players aren't aware of its existence. EXCERPT FROM EDITORIAL. Herald and l/intern. March 18, 1981: - • i • Health Decisions Demand Involvement Both the Board of Freeholders and the County Health Dept respect the homfet opinions of the county medical community By their personal contact with both the arthritis patient and the arthritis chnic, the referring physi cian can provide valuable input in determining future plans for the detection and treatment of arthritis in Cape May County 1 . „ , ‘ There were 119 arthritis patients referred to the clinic by county physicians. The Board of Freeholders feels these arthritis clinic patients are well qualified to provide information relating to their personal satisfaction with the ‘ dinic and the medical services it provided. Also, to make ' recommendations for the improvement of the clinic’s services to the public.

‘ V

CAPE MAY

COUNT

r H^ralfo

John H. Andrus II William J. Adams Ronnie Rrina Darrell Kopp

Editor Advertising Director General Manager Publisher

IN) Cofp AH AH p)op*f<T '*0*"* ,0 * **'• •-

DEADLINES » News & Photos Thursday \fU crlismi; Friday - 3 p.m. < iHssilird A«h«-rlisinn MomlHv.-Nwm , pj>7-3312 For News Or Advertising Information ] Srt«sTr parltrlppllnR pa*rrtl«m nor ihr ol Ihe MKRAI.D INI) I.4VTKRN »IH Sr rnpon«ISIr of luhlr for inlMnfnrmaflnn. »u i'p*j(rapMcal rmir* rl... in am K« ri|M lordll any iMIrr i

LANTERN

PrihlkahH Ever* Wrdnraday By TV Sra»a*r C'prparalkm

PU Ho*

CoM Spring N J 08204

AS A CONSUMER and senior citizen, I have prepared, with the help of other concerned citizens, A letter imthe form of a survey to be sent to the referring physicians and the 119 arthritis patiente of the county arthritis clinic. The clinic survey, arid the questionnaire, approved by the Board of Freeholders and the Cape, Mhy County Health Department were mailed out lasLweek to the physicians arid to ajl arthritis clinic patierill. The entire clinic survey should be comple||on or about OCt. 1. and should provide solid facts to determine future plans for the detection and treatment of arthritis in Cape May County. Actually this patient-physician survey of the county arthritis clinic is a long overdue exercise in plain common sense Good health is everyone’s concern. Joe Ward is d resident of West Cape May. ■ * •* . Show Out 1 Pride In Our Country by Ruth J. Hart ^ With the way other nations are in such a turmoil, with bombings, killing of the innocent and burning of flags, it is with much pleasure I am writing to thank a young local american, Bill Lennox, owner of the Parson’s Table, Villas. As vou enter his door, you will find a decal honoring our country and displaying our beautif&l American flag. It .s a’so noteworthy that these decals have been distributed throughout our township to his customers. Not oi ly have I seen them on homes and automobiles, but ali o at the drive-in window of our.local bank. As d istrict deputy of the Daughters of ^erica, this is extra .special to me. Let us all display not o!Uy decals, but ou • flag every day, not just special holidays, Let our country know we are proud of her, and the red white and bije of the flag for which so many have given their all th . we can still fly Old Glory proudly today. To Bill Lennox, thank you for not forgetting our flag and coun-

try.

Ruth J. Hart is a rfsident of Villas.

Beach Fees Up, Beaches Dirtier

J

by Mrs. m; Day

A few years ago a beach fee was charged in Stone Harbor because the local taxpayers were tired of paying to have the beach cleaned when vacationers were at fault Well, this year the fee went up and I have never seen the Stone Harbor beaches dirtier in 49 years. Today, my first visit to the ocean for a swim this season, was disgusting when I saw little children playing among washed-in garbage at 117th SI. The tractor rake never touched the tide water mark mess. It scratched the end and left piles of marsh grass to be taken out on the next tide. What happened to the beach fee purpose and this

beautiful beach?

Mrs. M Day is a resident of Vero Beach, Fla., unci a long-time vacationer in Stone Harbor.

viewpointThe Trouble with Unions by Jane Ann Cunningham Are strikes necensary? Almost every edition of the news features another strike. If it isn’t teachers, it’s hospital workers, transit workers, gabbagemen, firemen, miners, * and even baseball players. / We all know who loses - the general public Does anyone benefit? The only real gainers seem to be the unionWficials who can only justify their high salaries by calling,in strikes. THERE MUST BE BETTER WAYS of setting labor disputes. The unions, which performed valuable functions in the past by forcing employers to pay fair wages, ipiprove working conditions, add fringe benefits, increase vacatio" time and shorteivworking hours, helped America to become a better place. NowrOiey are helping to destroy

the, country.

Many.df the strikes are called for frivolous reasons, which often could be settled by the application of a little common sense. The unions, who demand more money and benefits for their members from employers, do not guarantee or acknowledge that there should bt more productivity, efficiency or dedication to *'ay for increases. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT for A-nerican companies to compete in the world market. Unreasonable demands by unions have forced many businesses to close, pushing more fflople into the ranks of the unemployed. Work stoppages directly affecting the public ate deplorable. Pickets around hospitals preventing doctors and nurses and ailing patients access are criminal. Those affecting the safety and welfare of the public - firefighters, police, garbage collectors — are reprehensible. . J _ . IT IS SAD TO SEE the once highly-respected prtoession of teaching descend to using the same tactics as those of the most belligerent of unions. While the teachers - have gained many justly-deserved benefits over the past three decades, these gains haven’t been balanced by producing

better educated students.

Even as a non-baseball fan, that strike seems to reach

the heights of absurdity. It is hard to feel much sympathy for professional sport members who may earn more in a

year than many of their fans earn in a lifetime. THE POWER OF UNIONS is disturbing and frighten-

ing. Money collected from the dues of members is used to support political candidates who arc expected to follow the union line in their decisions - which may not be in the best interests of the country. Some unions seem to have close ties with organized crime. Some are so powerful

they could completely shut the country down. This isn’t what most of those who fought and died for the

benef it of the working man by organizing unions, envisioned If the unions and th8ir members continue acting so irresponsibly, a day may come when the public has had enough. They will dtlmand that unions have strict govern-

flMjnt control and supervision with strikes forbidden.

^7ono Ann Cunningham is former publisher of the

Herald. ,

HAVE YOU VISITED the County Museum lately? A choice collection of cherished antiques and memorabilia await vou at the County Museum located in the historic John Holmes Holmes on Rt. 9, north of Cape May Court House Open Monday thru Saturday in until 4. you’ll be fascinated with the’ptfzed exhibits that include medical & pharmaceutical arMfacts, toys, dolls, needlework, -Victoriana and much more. •