CNBNews

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 11, 2023)--The photo of the bench was taken on October 7, 2023, in the dumpster area behind the Cold Springs school complex. We first noticed it several weeks prior. Around the same time, and over the next few weekends, we saw lying on the asphalt 10-foot tables, several student desks, two metal bookcases, a small file cabinet, and office chairs. The only time we walk in that area is on weekends. We do this to check out the trash dumpsters, as we are curious about what the custodians are throwing away. There have been times that we have seen men in pickup and panel trucks picking through the trash and loading the stuff they want in their vehicles. Some items are damaged, and others have nothing wrong with them. 

CNBNews photo

Behind the Cold Springs School is an area explicitly used for trash and broken school equipment that is being thrown away. Usually, there are several dumpsters sitting there, also.

When you sit on the child bench, measuring approximately three feet wide and a foot and a half high, you will notice right away the bottom of it isn't level and, as a result, one end rises in the air while the other becomes lower. It appeared that someone had taken the supporting brackets off, maybe to try and fix it, as the nuts and bolts were scratched, putting the frame back in place. It was not built for adults as it sits low to the ground. We had intended to try to fix it and, if successful, give it to one of our grandchildren. If not, we were going to put it out for trash.

As mentioned, when we were informed that the bench was not trash, we notified the police and returned it shortly after. End of story, we thought.  

We circled where we found the bench, close to the loading dock on the right; trash was piled on the dockyard. The camera also shows some student desks. In the distance, the blue storage trailer on the left is where many discarded items are usually placed. There is a fenced area with a padlock on the gate where items not being thrown out are kept. 

The image was taken from the GCPD Facebook page. The police continued to play the video recorded on the school's security camera even though the bench had been returned on Monday, October 10, when it first went live. That video has received over 7000 views. 

It's pretty perplexing that this matter has not been resolved yet. The only plausible explanation we can come up with is that our fearless reporting over the last 50-plus years may have ruffled some feathers among certain members of the City Board of Education, the City Council, or the police department. However, we sincerely hope that this is not the case. It would be disheartening to think that someone could bear such animosity towards us to take such drastic and unfair actions for reporting the news as we see it.

~ William E. Cleary Sr.

CNBNews Editor

Publisher/Editor Emeritus Gloucester City News & Camden County Record

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GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 10, 2023)(CNBNews)--On Tuesday, October 10, 2023, a video was shared on the Gloucester City Police Department's Facebook page, which showed the Clearys taking a metal bench from a pile of discarded items behind Cold Springs School. The caption under the video implied that we being investigated for committing theft. It read The GCPD is investigating a robbery from Cold Springs School; if you recognize the individuals or vehicle, etc. 

Peyton and I often take walks in the area behind the Cold Springs School or around the high school, and we have noticed that defective items such as children's desks and chairs, chalkboards, file cabinets, both large and small, school computer tables, and office desks were being discarded at both schools. This practice isn't new; before Peyton came along, I walked our other dogs in the same areas, and the same items were discarded. In this situation, the bottom of the green bench in the trash pile was broken. 

On weekends, there have been times when I have alerted school officials of windows being left open in the Cold Springs School. 

When the video was brought to my attention, I immediately contacted the Gloucester City police and spoke with Officer Bennett about the incident. I explained that I had not stolen the bench and had been lying outside for weeks in a trash pile behind the school. We offered to give it to him or return it to the trash pile where it came from. Officer Bennett asked that we return it to the school.

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It is time to publicly admit that I have been a "Dumpster Diver" since I was a teenager. My family has sent me away to rehab to try and break me from this terrible habit. And I thought I was cured, but I still needed help. 

For the record, the broken bench has been returned. 

~William E. Cleary Sr./CNBNews Editor

A dumpster diver in action. Warning: being a dumpster diver is extremely dangerous. For example, we have heard of an individual being knocked out when the dumpster's lid hit him on the head. The man lay unconscious inside the dumpster for days before being rescued. One of the best dumpster divers in Gloucester City was The Worm, aka Bill Seddon. He taught many local men and women how to dive. He was a legend.   (image courtesy of https://matadornetwork.com/