SEWELL, N.J. & BLACKWOOD, N.J. - s4story -- The campaign of William O'Hanlon, Democratic candidate for Mayor of Washington Township, today responded to remarks by Star-Ledger columnist Karin Price Mueller in her recent opinion piece titled "I Believe in Second Chances."

In the column, Price Mueller refers to Washington Township as "South Philly South" and says "most people would have a hard time finding [it] on a map." Comments like these promote harmful stereotypes about South Jersey and demonstrate a lack of understanding about Washington Township, its residents, and local issues.

"It's disappointing to see such disrespectful language used to describe our community by a North Jersey columnist," said William OHanlon. "Washington Township is a diverse, hardworking town with a distinct identity separate from Philadelphia. We have our own locally owned businesses, community events, and civic organizations. It's clear Price Mueller did little to no research on our town before making these offensive generalizations."

The O'Hanlon campaign called on Price Mueller and The Star-Ledger to issue an apology and correction, and to commit to doing proper due diligence for future stories involving Washington Township. Failing to understand local communities results in journalism that misinforms readers and promotes unfair stereotypes.

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"William O'Hanlon is running for Mayor to give the people of Washington Township a voice and make sure we are represented accurately," said Michael Storch, spokesperson for the OHanlon Campaign. "It's unfortunate that even today, some still see us as merely a 'South Philly' suburb. We know that with O'Hanlon as our Mayor, Washington Township will get the respect it deserves."

The O'Hanlon campaign invites all members of the media to visit Washington Township, meet its residents, and learn what really makes this community special. Only by understanding towns like ours can we have journalism that brings people together instead of promoting division. Washington Township deserves fair and accurate reporting, not careless generalizations from those who have never set foot here.

For more information about the OHanlon Campaign:  https://ohanlonformayor.com

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