Mayor, Councilwoman Patch Up Dispute Over Christmas Tree

According to NJ.com, on Thursday, Roselle Park, New Jersey borough council voted 4-2 to go along with Mayor Carl Hokanson and change the name of the borough's annual "Tree Lighting" to "Christmas Tree Lighting."  This led Councilwoman Charlene Storey to resign, arguing that the renaming changed the ceremony "from a non-religious event to a religious one."  The mayor said that in going back to the event's traditional name, he was just calling the tree what it is. The mayor reached out to Storey, and after they met she withdrew her resignation.  The mayor in turn set up a new committee on diversity that Storey will chair.  She says she hopes the committee will come up with a process for groups to propose additions to the Christmas Tree Lighting and display, as well as deal with other diversity issues.  Both Hokanson and Storey are Democrats; Storey was raised Catholic, but is now a "non-believer."