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going ahead with plans to privatize the county jail system. As a result of this news families of 350 correction officers have been turned upside down wondering whether their love one will have a job this time next year. It seems that this project is on the fast track to be completed before the taxpayers know what is happening. Shame on the Board for keeping the public in the dark.

CHEER-John Banning, a Gloucester City resident and a Gloucester High School alumnus was installed as police chief of Haddonfield this past month. Banning, who joined the department as a patrol officer in 1983 and rose steadily through the ranks, succeeded Richard W. Tsonis, who retired in July. Banning has served as captain, the second-highest rank, since 2000, and as acting chief for the past four months. A longtime resident of Gloucester City, Banning is married with two adult sons.

JEER- My wife and I spent several hours shoveling our walk, and digging and shoveling out our cars after the heavy snow. We went to work the following day only to come home and find neighbors, who live on the other side of the street, parked in our spaces in front of our house. We were sorely disappointed to see just how much inconsideration these people can have. So it seems, when push comes to shove, consideration goes right out the window for these selfish individuals.  Shame on you all, learn some manners, start parking your cars on your own side of the street and have some consideration for your neighbors. ~ Earl Foster, Brooklawn

CHEER-Richard Sarlo, a Collingswood High School graduate, was named Chief of the Collingswood Police Department on December 31. He joined the borough’s police force in 1988. He became captain in 2005, making him the second in command. Sarlo, who is related to the Sarlo’s of Gloucester City, replaced Chief Thomas Garrity. Garrity left to become chief of investigators for the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Jeer-The railroad crossings in Gloucester City are deplorable. People are having their cars ruined as a result. Fortunately I heard that the City of Gloucester City is in the process of obtaining funds to repair these crossings with state of the art material.

CHEER-The Delaware River Port Authority Board of Commissioners (DRPA) voted recently to postpone the September 2010 toll increase. As such the tolls on DRPA’s four bridges – the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross will remain $4 until July 2011. To adjust for a portion of the revenue lost, the Commissioners voted to reallocate $8 million of economic development funds. This move allows the Authority to pay down its debt and delay increasing the tolls for next 10 months.

CHEER-To the caretaker(s) at Cedar Grove Cemetery (not sure if that's still Emery Bittman or not) for plowing the road within the cemetery to allow vehicles to visit their loved-ones during this Christmas holiday.  Even in my truck there were some tricky spots to navigate, but without the work that had been done, I would not have been able to get to the gravesites of my Father, Grandmother, Grandfather, Aunt and Uncle.  I really appreciate the effort, as do they. ~Ray Devoe

JEER – To the state legislators, both Republican and Democrat, who raided the unemployment fund during the 1990s and 2000s to pay other bills – and their own salaries. Now, because of the Great Recession, that unemployment fund is drying up. If the lawmakers had not gotten their greedy hands on that money – which should have been against the law to begin with – the state would not be in this predicament. The latest news from Trenton is that in order to replenish this fund, businesses will have to pay more into the fund. This is disgusting. Small and large businesses are struggling to just survive, and this is an unnecessary burden caused by the people we voted in to run the state. ~GCN Publisher Albert Countryman

JEER-To those letter carriers who seem to get pleasure out of throwing packages on their customer’s porches that are clearly marked fragile handle with care.

CHEER-To the Gloucester City Fire Department members that helped me get my mother into the house on Dec 23rd! I had just driven her from her home in Allentown and could not figure out how to safely get her from my car to my back door because of the snow. I called the police department, explained the situation and within 5 minutes a fire truck pulled up and came to our rescue! Here is a picture of my mother, Jean DeBord, with our three heroes! ~Dawn Watson

CHEER-The Borough of Westville recently set up a new recycling program that allows all residents to share equally in the amounts of rewards received from recycling pick-ups. I wonder why Gloucester City residents don’t get recycling rewards like other communities. Westville also obtained free recycling bins from Boat US that will be set up around the pond to collect old or damaged fishing lines. Kudos to the Borough for obtaining a $1,305 grant from the NJ State Arts Council to paint Children’s Murals in the park.

CHEER-Last June Sara Crawford, a teacher at Alice Costello School, asked students to make birthday cards for her grandmother who was celebrating her 80^th birthday. Mimi was overwhelmed by the cards. And to show her appreciation she spent the next six months knitting winter hats to give to the children. Mimi knitted over 200 hats, which were given out to the kids on December 21.

Contributors this month include: A reader, Albert Countryman, Ray Devoe, Mildred Stubbs, Earl Foster and Dawn Watson.

If you have a suggestion for a Cheer or Jeer send it to [email protected] 

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