Women in the 11th Congressional District need Mikie Sherrill

The attack on women’s rights and access to healthcare has reached fever pitch on the federal level. In recent years, Republicans have attacked women’s rights and healthcare through legislation to withhold funding from Planned Parenthood, despite the fact that Planned Parenthood offers a wide array of affordable healthcare services for women, including cancer screenings.

This past year the house passed legislation to make the discriminatory Hyde Amendment, which restricts abortion funding for Medicare patients, permanent. The right to a safe, legal abortion, long guaranteed through Roe v. Wade, is threatened by the recent appointment of Neil Gorsuch and nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S.Supreme Court. We need to defend our rights and all women’s access to affordable healthcare against these restrictions and attacks.
Fortunately, those of us in Congressional District 11 have a clear choice for a representative who will fight for what is right: Mikie Sherrill. Mikie Sherrill, a veteran, lawyer and mother of four, will bring the full power of her intelligence and experience to Washington D.C. on our behalf. She has declared that she will be “a forceful voice against efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, restrict access to birth control, and limit a woman’s access to safe family planning services” (mikiesherrill.com).
In this upcoming election Nov. 6, every vote will count, and every vote for Mikie Sherrill is a vote for protecting women’s health and rights.

Lynn Fedele

Montclair

 

Rest in peace Mountie heroes, rest in peace

If you really know me you know that I’m not the most religious person, but I am a hopeless romantic in so many ways.

As a very young boy, my first love was for Montclair High School football. I’m known to some as an artist. I mention that because in my grammar school years and up I was surrounded by relatives, family, friends and neighbors that fought in World War II and the Korean War and had played Mountie football in high school. Though, they rarely if ever discussed the war, they loved to discuss MHS football past and present. Thus, my first art attempt was drawings of “army guys” and MHS football players.

These guys would talk about teams and players over the years that they had admired and the coaches themselves that they played under, “Mr. Offense” Clarence O. “Clary” Anderson and Mr. Defense Angelo J. “Butch” Fortunato, both legends. I would also witness them arguing about who could better fill the quarterback slot that very year. I’d stop my tricycle to listen.

I knew even then, I would  definitely play Mountie football. That was not to be.

All through my years in the Montclair school system and beyond I’d hear about Mountie football players and quality coaches that have passed away. Some I knew, and some I was fortunate enough to meet later in years. It was like meeting a famous ex-all pro player. These guys are my sports heros.

I would fantasize about a great mountie team in heaven coached by the best ever at MHS. The best ever players with a quite capable second team. I wish I could name them all here but that’s just not possible, so I will mention the great player I heard about just yesterday.

My friend Jimmy Eason told me that his teammate and talented running back classmate, Gary Testa died, I knew him, a good guy.

Whenever I hear about these players and coaches passing, it brings me back to my childhood when my Mountie football hero worship began.

VINCENT TANGO

Montclair