Voice of the People 1/28/05

Regarding the Jan. 19 letter, "Mayor interferes with schools":

I was appalled at Buena Regional Board of Education Vice President Sue Girard's attack on me. I was elected by the voters of Buena Vista Township to look out for their best interests, and I take my responsibilities very seriously.

First, let me state clearly that I support the need for a new middle school in the Buena Regional School District, regardless of Girard's misrepresentation of a quote that she used out of context.

Secondly, let me state that I don't have to agree with the process that the Board of Education is using to promote the building project. There have been some misrepresentations on the cost of the school, size of the building and dollar impact on the taxpayers. I have a right and a duty to both support our children's education and protect our taxpayers.

Showcasing the Cleary Middle School on national television to promote the building's shortcomings was a terrible move by our school district leaders. I make no apologies for the actions that were needed to overcome poor judgment by the Board of Education, which wanted to have Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie parade themselves in front of 11- to 13-year-old children. It was simply not age appropriate, yet Girard sat by and said nothing.

I think it is time that our school leaders do some self-examination.

CHUCK CHIARELLO

Mayor

Buena Vista Township

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Voice of the People 1/27/05

Letter unfair

to Chiarello

Regarding the Jan. 19 letter, "Mayor interferes with schools," from Sue Girard, vice president of the Buena Regional Board of Education:

Was this letter about "The Simple Life" fiasco or just another opportunity to take a stab at Mayor Chuck Chiarello?

The only thing that I've seen him guilty of doing with regard to the Buena Regional School District is keeping it in check. If any of the board members had any questions as to the operations of the township, I'm sure Chiarello would be more than happy to oblige. That's what makes a good democracy - checks and balances.

I have never seen a group more committed to their constituents. This mayor and committee are very hands-on. They are busy people, yet they make it a point to attend any function that they are invited to throughout the community. They are involved because they want to support the people they represent. To imply that Chiarello doesn't care about our children is just wrong.

This childish mudslinging has gone on long enough. As a resident of Buena Vista Township and a parent of two young children with one on the way, I want it to stop.

I want what is best for our children, as do all the parties involved. I support the new middle-school referendum, but I would still like the school district to continue exploring avenues of funding other than Abbott-district status or selling out our town's integrity for $5,000 and opening up our entire community to nationwide criticism for 15 minutes of fame on a stupid television show.

As far as "The Simple Life" is concerned, it was not "interference" for our political leaders to get involved - it was their responsibility. We need to keep our eye on the ball and understand that the real stars, our children and citizens, are standing right in front of us and should be celebrated.

EILEEN BALESTERI

Richland
 

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Keep our focus on real stars, not Ms. Hilton 1/24/05

After reading the letter from Sue Girard of the Buena Regional Board of Education, I felt really compelled to respond.

I was wondering if the letter was about "The Simple Life" fiasco, or just another opportunity to take a stab at Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello? I have never seen a group more committed to their constituents. This mayor and committee are very hands-on. They are busy people, yet make it a point to attend any function that they are invited to throughout the community. They are involved because they want to support the people they represent. They live here -- they are us.

To imply that Mayor Chiarello doesn't care about our children is just wrong. I think that this childish mudslinging has gone on long enough. As a resident of Buena Vista Township, and a parent with school-age children, I want it to stop. There are more serious issues at hand that need solutions -- such as funding. Perhaps the board could work with the same grant writers the township has used to gain thousands of dollars in funding for various projects. I know that they were invited to. The grant writers the board is currently using just don't seem to be getting the same kind of results.

I want what is best for our children, as do all the parties involved. I will be supporting the new middle school referendum, but I would still like the school district to continue exploring other avenues of revenue for funding other than Abbott district status or selling out our town's integrity for $5,000, and opening up our entire community to nationwide criticism for fifteen minutes of fame on a stupid television show.

As far as "The Simple Life" is concerned, I believe that it was our political leaders' responsibility to get involved in whether this television show would come here. This is our community; we would be the ones living with any repercussions that may have occurred had the filming gone ahead, however exciting it might have been.

We need to keep our eye on the ball and understand that the real stars, our children and citizens, are standing right in front of us and should be celebrated for the kindness, intelligence and sense of community we display -- which affords us the opportunity to lead a simple life.

Eileen Balesteri

Richland

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Voice of the People 1/22/05

'Simple Life' part

of bigger problem

A huge piece of the debate over the "The Simple Life'' and the Buena Regional School District was overlooked:

Any interest shown at all in reality TV only serves to perpetuate the decline of storytelling and American culture as a whole. While it is the purpose of TV to entertain, it is losing its grasp on the concepts of character and plot.

Put simply, the giants of television have stopped trying and now offer the public concepts instead of stories.

JEFF PAYNE

Pleasantville

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Children know 'Simple Life' is TV, not real 1/21/05

It's amazing. We can't even get a decent hotel in Buena, but when we get a hotel heiress who wants to visit everyone freaks out.

I loved growing up in Buena --- it was the "simple life" in the very best of meanings. My memories of Cleary Jr. High were some of the best in my life -- school dances, great friends and silliness that I'll remember for years.

How exciting for a television crew to come to your school! Then I remember back to my Cleary days and recall how even a love poem I wrote in a creative writing exercise was banned for the explicitness of its mention of an imagined kiss shared by a couple of love struck preteens. Meanwhile, that year we had three pregnancies in our eighth-grade class, and parents who almost got in a fistfight in front of all the kids when their daughter wasn't named Ms. Buena Braves.

Even in small rural towns and schools, kids can't be sheltered from the outside world. Kids were experiencing things way too early even back then. Unless Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were peddling their porn tapes, I didn't have an objection to their visit. The show pokes fun at itself as much as it pokes fun at the simple life we have here in "rural Buena."

Instead of being closed minded and appearing silly to the press, maybe we should have showed them how open, loving and welcoming Buena can be.

It is parents' job to protect their children, but sometimes you have to relax. It's not real to these kids -- it's TV. You know, the thing you let them watch all night while you are out at Five Points getting a drink with your friends.

Don't they teach us that experience builds character? Buena is full of colorful and wonderful characters who could run with the likes of Nicole and Paris any day.

Cheryl McVeigh Romanoski

Mom and Cleary Class of '87

Berwyn, Pa.

Voice of the People 1/20/05

I write this with a sigh of relief, and I am thankful that the infamous Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie did not come to Cleary Middle School. But I am embarrassed and dismayed that Diane DeGiacomo, Buena Regional School District superintendent, has expressed sorrow and disappointment for Fox network's decision to put the project on hold. It appears that parents and concerned citizens who opposed this matter didn't win the battle, because the matter was removed from the table by the network.

Buena Borough and Buena Vista Township are like hundreds of small grassroots communities around our country. Most of us work hard to give our kids a better life. We do our best to teach them good morals and ethics and try to be the best role models for them. We have a tough time competing with TV, movies, video games and the Internet, where our children are desensitized to violence, sexual situations and obscene behavior. I don't think we should have to worry about our educators making bad choices for our children. We entrust them to make our kids their No. 1 priority and make decisions based on that one fact.

DeGiacomo, the school board and the educators need to seriously ask themselves why so many people opposed their decision with such strong conviction. We don't want our children to be exploited and made fun of for the sake of a dubious TV show that features two young women who will walk away and leave us to pick up the pieces.

It is said that a new school is needed and the taxpayers would be heavily burdened to pay for it, but compromising the morals and ethics of children isn't the way to solve this dilemma. Please, for the sake of the children, make them your No. 1 priority and weigh your decisions on what is best for them.

DOLORES COMPARRI

Richland

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Hilton dishonors

A.C. firefighters

I am appalled that my husband and his brothers in the Atlantic City Fire Department have been slapped in the face once again. Two years of still working without a contract, but Mayor Lorenzo Langford can decide that two Hollywood starlets can appear at the firehouse?

The police and fire departments are no laughing matter. Hats off to Councilman Craig Callaway for taking a stand once again. My father spent 35 years of his life dedicated to the ACFD. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are a fiasco and a disgrace to the department. I wonder if the late John Jasper would be happy working without a contract and knowing that the firehouse named after him was home to a sex star.

Vote Patrick Shymanski for ACFD local union president. And it will be a "simple life.''

AMY DeFEO-SHYMANSKI

Galloway Township

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I know Buena prides itself on being the "kindest town in N.J."

But I saw no kindness shown to the Buena Regional Board of Education, the superintendent of Buena School District or to Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie by some officials and residents opposed to the show "The Simple Life" coming to Cleary Middle School. All I saw was intimidation, selfishness and outrageousness.

If you pride yourself on being "kind," shouldn't you be "kind" to all people, not just the ones who agree with you and whatever you say?

You people are not the only ones who live in the area or have kids who attend that school. My son attends, and I had no problem with the visit. Maybe the town should have brought out the welcome wagon and showed some kindness, and then they wouldn't have to be concerned about the image that the show would portray of it. Maybe that's what they were afraid of, people actually finding out that they aren't kind like the signs hanging on the highway say.

I'm not saying the whole town is unkind, but people who live there need to see how the representatives of their borough and township really are. This past week -- they got their chance!

Tracy Fifer

Newfield

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I was appalled at Buena Regional school board member Sue Girard's personal attack on me in a letter to the editor "Township mayor didn't speak for all residents" (DJ-1/14). I was elected by the voters of Buena Vista Township to look out for their best interests, and I take my responsibilities very seriously.

First, let me state clearly that I support the need for a new middle school in the Buena Regional School District -- regardless of Mrs. Girard's misrepresentation of a quote that she used out of context. Secondly, let me state that I don't have to agree with the process that the Board of Education is using to promote the building project. There have been some misrepresentations on the cost of the school, size of the building and dollar impact on the taxpayers. I have a right and a duty to both support our children's education and protect our taxpayers.

Showcasing Cleary Middle School on national television to promote the building's shortcomings was a terrible move by our school district leaders. I make no apologies for the actions that were needed to overcome poor judgment on the school board's part to have Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie parade themselves in front of 11- to 13-year-old children. It was simply not age-appropriate; yet, Mrs. Girard sat by and said nothing.

Despite three years of taxpayer defeats of the school budget, which I have no control over, I can proudly say that not a single job or program has been cut. However, budget reductions were made each year with very specific suggestions and creative ideas to not hurt the taxpayers or the school district. Sadly, most of the recommendations were not followed by the school district after they agreed to the cuts.

Buena Vista Township received a $5,000 grant from Comcast Cable TV in 2003 (plus $2,500 in 2004) for a student video production class. Our school leaders could not find a room or a teacher to take charge of the three-hour-a-week program. We wound up educating almost a dozen talented students at our municipal building on Tuesday evenings in 2003 and 2004. This program was of much greater educational value and ethics then bringing the "Simple Life" to Cleary. Now, New Jersey Broadcasting and the New Jersey Education Association are willing to bring their Emmy Award winning show "Focus on Education" to Cleary and show the kids how a program is filmed.

And yes, we do send things over to the school district on township letterhead -- letting the district know about grants and other opportunities that might be of interest to our schools. Once again, I make no apology.

Recently, the school district allowed almost $10,000 to be spent on legal fees fighting a $10.20 public information request I made -- and still they didn't provide all the documents I personally requested.

I think it is time that our school leaders do some self-examination.

Mayor Chuck Chiarello

Buena Vista Township

Well, it happened, as I knew it would!

In reference to the Paris-Nicole issue, I was not surprised to see the picture of Mayor Chuck Chiarello of Buena Vista Township in an area newspaper. He takes it upon himself to criticize the Buena Regional School Board at any opportunity, calls the media and offers opinions without factual basis. He pushes the issue (without calling the school officials for the facts) and uses his office and political party for his support.

On occasion, the board members receive correspondence from him on official township stationary! This tells me that he is overstepping his authority in speaking for all township residents and costing the taxpayers money for promoting himself as the great guardian of our schools. If his intentions are sincere, he should be acting as citizen Chiarello!

We hire outstanding professionals to run our schools, including the superintendent, business manager, supervisors, principals and many excellent teachers who are dedicated to the education of our children.

We also have a conscientious board that follows the state Board of Education ethic that states: "It is not in the power of the board to run the schools, it is in their power to see that they are well run!"

I might add here that I am proud to represent Buena Borough and also respect our mayor and council for their professionalism in dealing with the school community.

However, I was very disappointed to read Mr. Chiarello's statement in an area newspaper on Jan. 10.

Quote: "Six months ago, I would have supported the referendum for the new middle school, but I can't see how I can say that now." So, is he saying that because he disagrees with the school board, he will punish our children who are being deprived of educational facilities for lack of space and money?

On the one hand, he brags about his concern for our children and then will criticize and campaign to defeat the school building referendum! I feel that he is using the education of our children for his political podium. I believe that many township taxpayers would be dismayed to know how much time and effort he puts forth in his obsession with controlling the school district.

Your school board members are sincere citizens who are truly interested in doing the best for our children. We are very proud of so many outstanding programs taking place in Buena. It's too bad that these were overlooked during the past week!

Sue Girard

Vice president

Buena Regional

I feel that perhaps too much has already been said regarding the J.P. Cleary/Hilton circus that almost came to town. But after reading the comments made by one reader, it was obvious that there are some who still don't get it.

But of far greater concern was what would happen to the remaining four hours of video. This footage is not regulated by the FCC and it can be presented digitally anyway they wish. Last season's DVDs of "The Simple Life" boast on the front and back covers: "Outrageous Bonus Footage Never Seen on TV." "They're Rich, They're Sexy, They're Totally Out-of-Control." This type of comedy for adults may be acceptable by some, but certainly not for 11-13 year olds.

Just five minutes spent on a computer Web search would give you a profile of these women that would be the opposite of any role model a parent would hope for their 11- to 13-year-old. It is just too bad those responsible didn't do their homework researching these two very controversial women. Five minutes would have saved a week of embarrassing history for the Buena Regional School District.

I understand that New Jersey-PBS has offered to come to Cleary to show the children how a quality educational program is filmed and produced.

John Krokos

Milmay

Retired video and film media specialist/3M Corp.

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'The Simple Life' remains in sight ~Onlookers crowd into Dennis Twp. to see celebrities film Fox TV Show 1/14/05

DENNIS TOWNSHIP - Dave Abrego's house offered the best view of "The Simple Life," and all the neighborhood children knew it.

At least 20 children - friends of friends, friends of relatives - have peeked from his windows since Tuesday to glimpse the house 75 yards across the street, where two thin blondes worth their weight in Prada handbags stuffed with more Prada handbags were barely visible.

Shannon Craver, outside from 7 a.m. until at least 2 p.m., dragged her uninterested young daughter, Brooke, to watch for Paris Hilton.

"Annoying," the girl said, eyeing her mother like a child being forced to watch C-SPAN 2.

"She doesn't want to be here," Craver said. "I just want to be able to see them close up."

Hilton and Nicole Richie were anything but close up in the rural Cape May County town. Most of the morning, they were inside their host family's Woodbine Avenue home, leaving onlookers to wonder if their fleeting glimpses had been of Richie or of just a stagehand.

Thursday afternoon, Hilton and Richie shot arrows at a decoy deer in the back yard. Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife is investigating a reported poaching incident involving a real, dead deer on the 594 Woodbine Ave. property earlier this week.

"We have a report of deer poaching associated with the production of the show, and that report is under investigation," DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell said Thursday. "At this point, since it's under investigation, I can't really comment on the underlying facts."

Campbell said the deer came from near Belleplain State Forest. No citations have been issued yet, and there was no explanation on the carcass' role in filming.

In the past two years of "The Simple Life," a Fox TV reality-based show, millionaires Hilton and Richie lived with various families and worked jobs the privileged heirs would never encounter normally.

The show arranged for them to work cafeteria-type jobs at Buena Regional School District's Dr. J.P. Cleary Middle School, but some residents complained that Hilton - who starred in an X-rated home video that surfaced on the Internet - is an unfit role model. The idea was nixed, school officials said earlier this week.

But the show remains in the area, drawing on certain locations in Atlantic and Cape May counties.

In Atlantic City today, Hilton and Richie are expected to briefly visit the John R. Jasper Jr. Fire Station at Maryland and Atlantic avenues, about a half-hour after sunrise. From there, they are going to Egg Harbor Township's Anthony "Tony" Canale Training Center on English Creek Avenue. While organizers are keeping details quiet, the Atlantic City Fire Department has reserved the fire-training building from 1 to 4 p.m. Hilton and Richie may visit this structure.

While the visit will generate publicity for Atlantic City, said event organizer Michael Mooney and Ernest Coursey, confidential aide to Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford, it won't enrich the city. Both said the city would not charge for the use of the Jasper station.

"It's a morale-booster," Mooney said. "We need that kind of thing."

But the pair's visit to the training center will at least enrich the Atlantic County Firefighters Association, which will receive a $5,000 donation from Fox.

The donation came after subtle suggestion by Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson.

Levinson said he wanted to make sure Fox had the proper insurance for Hilton and Richie in case one or both of them were injured while undergoing some training today.

"What I need clear was that we needed to protect the taxpayers of Atlantic County," he said.

Once the insurance issue was cleared up, Levinson said, he also suggested that a "sizeable donation" from Fox would be nice. While use of the training center didn't hinge on the donation, he said, the gesture "would go a long way."

"We welcome both Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie," Levinson said. "This is going to be very good for Atlantic City, in particular, and for Atlantic County, in general.

"It shows what our firefighters are doing day in and day out. Millions of people will be watching this on prime time."

In Cape May County on Thursday, Caprioni's Portable Toilets was prepared to welcome the duo with open arms - and stalls - but after several days of being expected to clean commodes, the comrades never showed. They may still wash them today, but nothing is definite, a company spokeswoman said.

Some employees who expected to see the skinny blondes up close were disappointed, but plans can change, she said.

As part of the show, the women have stayed at the house of Chuck and Lorraine Dougherty and their three daughters.

A handful of residents watched the wooden house with drawn curtains from the street Thursday morning.

"For little Belleplain, not too often (do) you see camera crews," said Kim Bailey, who sat in her Mitsubishi with her mother-in-law, both with cameras in their laps. "I'm going to jump out; I'm going to look like paparazzi."

By afternoon, about 30 onlookers tiptoed along the property line, which security guards monitored all day. Meanwhile, onlookers monitored the house, which sits just far enough back from the road that someone could see an upstairs curtain move, but not who moved it.

Abrego watched from across the street with his daughter.

"Even though they're not the greatest celebrities in the world, it's pretty interesting," he said. "For average people, it's pretty exciting."

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'Simple Life' at the Firehouse ~ A better idea 1/14/05

Now this makes sense.

Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie and ... drum roll, please ... Atlantic City firefighters.

The only folks who could object to this are maybe some of the firefighters' wives.

The idea of letting Hilton and Richie film an episode of "The Simple Life" at a Buena Vista Township school generated a highly predictable response from parents who felt that the racy heiress and her partying pal were not exactly the kind of folks you invite to a middle school. We agreed.

But an Atlantic City firehouse? This is an episode we would watch. Hilton and Richie report for duty today at the John R. Jasper Fire Station in Atlantic City. The pair will help out around the station and visit the Canale Training Center for firefighters in Egg Harbor Township.

Wait a minute. Didn't we call these two big-city party girls and their so-called "reality" show "vacuous" just the other day?

Well, yeah. But that was when the plan was to film the show in a school. But a firehouse? The opportunity for double-entendres alone - about heat, and starting and putting out fires - makes the idea fun.

Producers have made it clear that Hilton and Richie won't be fighting any real fires. And, well, firefighters are big boys. They ought to be able to handle themselves and stay focused on the job despite the distractions.

In fact, the only thing better that having Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie work a shift in the fire station might be to have them experience firsthand the exciting world of editorial writing.

Fox Broadcasting, we await your call.

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Tripod.com 1/14/05