JULY 2010 CHEERS AND JEERS
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
by Bill Cleary
Another month and another BIG CHEER to the people who have worked so hard on the Community Garden in Gloucester City. Even in this hot, humid weather there is always someone out there watering the plants, now that's dedication. The garden has become a great source of community pride, especially now that the plants are growing big and the flowers are in bloom along with the accent features it just looks great. And THANK YOU to all the people who put it together to make this once ugly empty lot into a beautiful garden everyone can be proud of.
JEER-Another scandal involving the commissioners/employees of the Delaware River Port Authority. Last week the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Michael Joyce, DPRA safety director gave his daughter a DRPA E-Z pass transponder that allowed her to cross the Delaware River for free. Besides this abuse it is alleged that Joyce improperly received pension credits for a part-time, $67,356 solicitor's job in Pennsauken. Records show he also received pension credits to which he was not entitled in 2008 for a second, $18,200 solicitor position with the Pennsauken Sewerage Authority. After the story was published Joyce resigned from his $189,000 DPRA job. Once again we hear the cry for reform of this agency; but once the story is removed from the front page, the DPRA will go back to doing what they have done for years, rob the public.
JEER – The state’s new law of stopping for pedestrians who are walking across the
street in a crosswalk has created a serious accident situation. Crosswalk or not pedestrians jump out on to the street in front of a car whenever they feel like it. They don’t even look up and down. As such drivers are force to jam on their brakes and take the chance of getting hit in the rear by the car following them. Or keep driving and hope the person walking realizes they made a mistake. Someone is going to get killed.
CHEER-ClearysNoteBook News Hounds for the month of July include: Bruce Darrow, Steve Skipton, Ken Doyle, Michelle Young, Rick Gonzales, Jessica Tussey. Thank you for your help. Have a tip, send to [email protected]
CHEER-The GCPD does an impressive job protecting our city and its residents. The crimes listed in the weekly report are standard in this day and age in every community. We are blessed not to have more severe and/or violent crimes in our town. As for the recent crimes at the senior citizens housing on Broadway, I think every senior complex has a responsibility to protect its residents and not allow any solicitation of any kind. The security there needs to be re-evaluated.
CHEER-Much credit to Governor Christie for balancing the state budget. If I have to balance my own budget every day to keep my house in good running order than so should the state. He is right the time of borrowing and raising taxes to balance the budget is over. You go gov, get this state in fiscal order.
KUDOS to the Gloucester City Girls Softball League and other volunteers on running their 17th Annual Girls All Star Softball Tournament held this month. This year 62 teams in five age groups, over 800 girls participated in over 120 games in less than 3 weeks at the Johnson Blvd Complex. It is one of the largest tournaments of its kind and couldn’t happen without all the people volunteering their time.
CHEER-Hats off to Joe Stecklair, of the Gloucester City Housing Dept. for responding swiftly to a potentially dangerous situation at an abandoned house in my neighborhood. "My neighbors and I are thankful for Joe's concern and problem solving skills. He addressed the situation and has come back to check on things. Joe's professionalism and response has given us peace of mind," said Bernadette Gorman.
JEER-Businesses and homeowners that do not take the time to pull the grass and weeds up from the cracks in their sidewalks shame on you. Perhaps while the clients outside of "My Father's House" are catching a smoke they could all bend over and pick up some debris and vegetation. The Post Office needs to take care of it sidewalk. Several corner sewers around town have debris and significant vegetation blocking the holes.
JEER-Employees that smoke at the entrance to the place of business where they are employed. Your customers don’t like having to walk through your smelly smoke to enter your place of business. Besides hurting your own health the second hand smoke is also damaging the health of those nearby.
A round of CHEERS to those union members and local governments sitting down at the bargaining table and working out cost-saving and job-saving contracts. It is nice to see the two sides working together
CHEER-The men working for the contractor hired to put in the new sidewalks on Market Street deserve a pat on the back. They have been polite and apologetic about the noise level, and have done an excellent job keeping traffic moving. Thank you gentlemen for being gentlemen (not using foul language).
CHEER-Thank you Mr. Stecklair of the Housing Office and Mr. Spags, of the Highway Dept. and the highway department workers for recently taking care of one of the eyesore in the Riverview Heights section of Gloucester City.
JEER-People who leave their dogs outside on these hot summer days should be ashamed of themselves. Also a Jeer to people that let their dogs outside early in the morning and late at night--the barking is intrusive.
CHEER to the US Supreme Court for voting to uphold the second amendment!! And a JEER to the Cities (Chicago) and other towns that still intend to make it very difficult to take advantage of the rights the second amendment guarantees us.
JEER- Drivers on Johnson Blvd and Nicholson Road and elsewhere talking on cell phones and not stopping at the stop signs.
CHEER-Great job being done by the Gloucester City feral cat committee.
JEER- “To the city citing people for not cutting grass and pulling weeds in this heat wave”, said Mrs. Jones.
Contributors (in no particular order), Dawn Watson, Karen Graves, Mildred Stubbs, Bernadette Gorman
