January 14, 2019CNBNews CHEERS AND JEERS
CNBNews CHEERS AND JEERS
Monday, January 14, 2019
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet
CHEER—Here in Gloucester City our new mayor, Dan Spencer, had a rousing swearing-in ceremony held at the Gloucester High School auditorium last week. The celebration began with
the Ferko String Band playing music followed by Spencer, newcomer Councilman George Berglund and other council members doing the mummer strut up to the stage. Although Spencer's festivities were unique no one has ever matched Republican Bill Flexon who rode an elephant through town in the late '50s after he was elected as mayor. We first reported on Spencer in 1984 when he began his career as a politician on Gloucester City council. Hopefully, his administration will be more forthcoming and communicative with the public than the previous mayor was for the past 12 years. Residents deserved to be kept informed on how their tax dollars are being spent. Start with bringing back the local channel's coverage of council meeting. The public deserves to be treated with respect when asking a question at a council meeting. A reporter should be able to get an answer to his or her question without having to file an OPRA request every time they are searching for information. Council members get free telephones paid for by the taxpayers but their phone numbers are not available to the public. Let's change that practice too. Wishing you much success in your new position Dan!
JEER-Those who help elect Atlantic City Mayor Frank M. Gilliam Jr. to office in the 2017 election are having second thoughts, according to a Philadelphia daily
newspaper. Some of the reasons for their doubt include his involvement in a fist fight outside a casino, then a raid on his home by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service, never a good sign. Federal agents, two sources said, had to borrow a cash counting machine from the city’s police department to count the money. But how did this mercurial councilman who wanted to be a point guard for the city, a man whose volatile temper was known, whose work history was vague, whose personal finances resulted in a bankruptcy declaration, whose claim of a master’s degree in social work from the University of San Francisco was later debunked by the New York Times, whose cozying up to developers was well known, get elected in the first place? (source Philadelphia Inquirer).
CHEER- Congratulations to Gloucester Catholic senior basketball player Conor Regan who scored his 1000th career point in an 81-42 win against Wildwood on January 10 in Gloucester City. He is the 13th player in program history to reach that milestone. Regan is pictured with Gloucester City Police Officer Mike Calzonetti, Class of 2008, the last Ram to be added to the school's 1000th point club.
photo courtesy of Gus Ostrum
JEER-The "Washington Elite" continue to split this country in half with their political games. They are so out of touch with the people they serve. This latest disagreement over funding a wall to secure our borders is just one more example why citizens don't trust those in Washington. We are now heading into the fourth week of the government shutdown. Trump sits in the oval office waiting to sign legislation to end the shutdown while some members of Congress are sunning themselves on the beach in far away places. In the meantime, the border is not secured and there are 800,000 federal employees going without a paycheck. To make matters worst the presidential campaign for the 2020 election has already begun.
CHEER-Congratulations to area politicians, both new and old, who took office this month. We might not agree with some of your policies but we do want to thank you for stepping up to serve the residents of your community. It is a thankless job.
JEER -A 38-year-old man walking his dog with his fiancé in Philadelphia was killed by a guy who didn't like being told to harness his dog that was running loose. Drew Justice, 38, and his fiancée were walking their dog at Gold Star Park around 9 p.m. Saturday when Justice asked another man not to let his unleashed dog run free, police said. The other man apparently became angry and punched Justice in the face, causing Justice to fall backward -- and hit his head on the ground. Justice was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. To think that a disagreement over a dog could lead to a death is just horrific. What is wrong with our country? Our world? We offer our condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Mr. Justice.
CHEER-Congratulations to Dorien DePina, who plays for Clayton High School on scoring his 1,000th career point for Clayton in an 83-75 loss to Gloucester Catholic on Tuesday, January 9.
JEER-Robert Meddings of Bellmawr struck a fire hydrant in front of Gloucester Plumbing Supply (above CNBNews photo) on January 10 causing hazardous road conditions for travelers entering and leaving the city for approximately 18 hours. Meddings, who was allegedly drunk, fled the scene only be captured in nearby Brooklawn. The 38-year-old man should have known better. Fortunately, no one was killed. insert photo
CHEER- Happy for Pete Prelas, owner of Hoagie Heaven, in Gloucester
City, who retired recently after providing hoagies to the public for 21 years. Sad to see you go.
CHEER-The 2019 group of Camden County Freedom Medal recipients will be honored for their unselfish contributions to improving their community. at a ceremony on January 23. These 18 exemplary citizens, to be honored January 23, include: Rosy Arroyo, Pam Grayson Baltimore, Kathy Crane, Kimberly Dickstein, Carolyn Grace, Eartha Holland, Shirley Johnson , Sandra Kelly, Nurah Muhammad, Bill Orth , Mario D. Partee , Jennifer Richman , Al Schmidt, Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, Assemblyman Bill Spearman, Stella Sytnik ,Mayor Mary Ann Wardlow, and Robert Rocky Wilson