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Editor CNBNews is gathering information for our CHEERS AND JEERS column, which we plan to publish the first week of January. You don’t have to be from Gloucester City to submit your remarks. And your opinion can be on any topic or about any public figure. Today’s technology opens up the entire world, meaning you can target anything or any public figure for a Cheer or a Jeer. We reserve all rights to edit your submission. And we reserve the right not to publish it if we feel it is slanderous or libelous. Send your opinion to [email protected] or post it below as a comment. If you don't want your name published, please let us know. The author of the above quote was Edward Everett Hale, (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian, and Unitarian minister, best known for his writings such as "The Man... Read more →

CNBNEWS OPINION The NEVER TRUMPSTERS are still lamenting Kamala's defeat to Donald J. Trump. Not only did she lose the election, but the margin by which she was defeated was staggering, leaving her supporters disheartened and frustrated. This hatred of him is endless. And, it is bemusing that some of these individuals are unable to give a reason for their hatred. Recently, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worker in Florida directed her staff who were helping hurricane survivorsnot to go to homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump. The Daily Wire reported that the supervisor, Marn'i Washington, 38, told workers to avoid homes advertising 'Trump'. Whoopi Goldberg, who rose to prominence as a comic, was chosen for The View in 2006. Over her 18 seasons, she went from being a comedian to somehow becoming an expert in all things social and political. She echoed resentment towards Trump throughout... Read more →

If you have a Cheer or Jeer for September, please forward it ASAP. The deadline is September 30, 2024. Your opinion can be on any topic or about any public figure. Today’s technology opens up the entire world, meaning you can target anything or any public figure for a Cheer or a Jeer. We reserve all rights to edit your submission. And we reserve the right not to publish it if we feel it is slanderous or libelous. Send your opinion to [email protected] or post it below as a comment. If you don't want your name published, please let us know. The author of the above quote was Edward Everett Hale, (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian, and Unitarian minister, best known for his writings such as "The Man Without a Country"... Wikipedia RELATED: CNBNEWS POINT OF VIEW CNBNEWS TIPS AND SNIPPETS Peyton and... Read more →

Blockchain technology, due to the intrinsic features of decentralization, immutability, and transparency, is currently disrupting a series of industries worldwide; among them is online gaming. The following article will elaborate on the applications of blockchain in an effort to increase security and transparency levels within the online casino industry. For those looking to experience these advancements firsthand, GGBet offers a cutting-edge online casino environment where the benefits of blockchain technology are fully utilized to ensure player security and transparent gaming experiences. Explore gg.bet/en/casino to discover a premier online gaming platform that integrates the latest in blockchain innovations. Core Features of Blockchain Decentralized: Blockchain runs on a decentralized-based network, compared to traditional systems, which revolutionizes the way in which casinos manage data. It eliminates any single point of failure, minimizing the possibility of data tampering. Immutability: Records stored in a blockchain can't ever be deleted or edited. This is what makes... Read more →

By Brett Rowland | The Center Square 2 hrs ago (The Center Square) – A Manhattan jury on Thursday convicted former President Donald Trump on all counts in his hush-money case, a history-making verdict that could reshape the 2024 presidential election. Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records for disguising hush money payments to an adult actress as legal costs ahead of the 2016 election. Under New York state law, falsifying business records in the first degree is a Class E felony that carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. Judge Juan Merchan has yet to set a date for sentencing. A jail or prison sentence could have implications for the 2024 rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden. A jail or prison sentence could have implications for the 2024 rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden. After the verdict was announced, a defiant Trump... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (May 27, 2024): This is just a reminder that every year for the past several decades, the City of Gloucester City has hired several city "kids" for summer employment at minimum wage. Traditionally, "kids" meant boys, and minimum wage decades ago was in the $7.00 to $8.50 per hour range. CNBNews graphic file Last summer, 2023, the minimum wage had increased to $14.13 per hour. Kids still meant boys, but instead of the jobs going to those whose families could benefit from the jobs and salaries, everyone hired had a relative in a high position on the city payroll. There were two Morrells', one Obey, and one Gorman. Question, could your child, boy or girl, have benefited from making $14.13 per hour? Did your child know where, when, and how to apply for these jobs? This is a reminder - after decades... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews We all know that our dollar buys fewer groceries and less gas, but can you still afford to take your family out for an occasional dinner treat? Parking lots of restaurants are full so some people can afford to eat out, or maybe they are living on credit cards. Here is a list of restaurants and fast-food places which are now on the "too expensive for what you get" list. OPINION The following pizzerias all got the same comment, that being "find a mom-and-pop pizza." Domino's Pizza Hut Sbarro's (Additional comment - it takes a lot to ruin a pizza) Papa John's - greasy pizza Traditional "Fast Food" McDonald's (they are releasing new $5 specials but for one month only) Kentucky Fried Chicken - boring Burger King - food taste like it was under the lights too long Chic-Fil-a - chicken is dry and boring Arby's... Read more →

CNBNews photo credit JEER--Approximately two years ago, the driver of a heavy-duty truck lost control of the vehicle and landed on the sidewalk in front of the CEDAR GROVE Cemetery on Market Street. When we first inquired about the delay in fixing the walk, we were told they were waiting on the insurance. Twenty-four months is long enough; fix the problem now. CNBNews photo credit JEER--The City of Gloucester City has received almost a million dollars to revamp the Johnson Blvd Jogging Park. However, despite the funding, the only visible changes have been the installation of new asphalt and the planting of 25 free trees. It's unacceptable that the dilapidated pavilion remains standing, and the conflicting signs at the park entrance regarding pet policies need to be addressed. If those in charge can't manage to take care of the little things, it's no wonder our increasing debt leads to higher... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin and William E. Cleary Sr. GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (May 18, 2024)(CNBNews)-In the August 24, 2023 edition of the Courier Post, there was a large article about upscale apartments to be built at Freedom Pier. However, nine months later, little activity was observed. I wondered if this is another of the many construction projects planned for the waterfront that have fallen through over nearly 40 years. Many of them were announced right before an election. Once the election was over, the plans were put on the shelf to gather dust. Not too long ago, ClearysNoteBook listed the many failed projects to refresh the public's memory. One of the biggest blunders was the 2004-05 plan known as Gloucester Vista. A month before the 2005 city election, a bus tour of the area sponsored by the incumbents up for election was offered to voters, showing where the new homes and marina... Read more →

DOROTHY PHILBIN | CNBNews The "most American" products, most of which we knew were American aren't American anymore. Here are a few that are hard to believe are no longer from the ole Red, White and Blue. Budweiser - Originally from St. Louis, Missouri Founded in 1850 Sold to a Belgian company in 2008 for $52 billion but the receipt has not changed. Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream - two friends opened an ice cream parlor in Vermont. Founded in 1978 Sold to Unilever, an English company in 2000 for $326 million. Burger King - Original Headquarters in Miami, FL Founded in 1954 Sold to Restaurant Brands International of Canada (the company has been sold many times over the years but still gets financial backing from the United States company.) Trader Joe's - Original Headquarters Monrovia, CA Founded 1967 Sold to Theo Albrecht of Germany. Albrecht is also the owner... Read more →

updated Cleary's Trial Postponed...Once Again! William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews editor “Are you sure you want to become a reporter? If you are looking for a job that will make you renowned, you have chosen the wrong field." ~George F. Cleary Sr. Gloucester City News & Camden County Record publisher / Editor Emeritus GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (February 11, 2024)—As you know, on October 10, my son and I were charged by the Cold Springs School Resource Officer Brian Green with stealing a child’s bench, which we thought was trash. It had been lying on the asphalt behind the school with other trash for several weeks. When we learned it wasn’t trash, we contacted the police and spoke with Officer Bennett. Shortly after explaining our mistake, we returned the bench to the school. We were also charged with trespassing for walking around the school grounds on a weekend. Our most... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin CNBNews Columnist No tinted windows on cars in the United Arab Emirates. Most states have some version of the same law but are rarely enforced. No right-hand drive vehicles in Russia for safety reason. Right-hand drive vehicles are common in the British Isles and Ireland. No dirty cars in Russia. Specifically, the concern is the license plates. Again, most states have some version of the same law. No cup holders between the front seats of a car. This applies to France and the fine is 75 Euros or $81.39 American. No Bluetooth headsets or headphones in Spain. The fine is 200 Euros or $217.04 American. No more than 110 pounds of potatoes in a car in Australia and a fine of $1,700 for an unlocked car. Running a red light will get you six months in jail if you drive in Bahrain. Driving while under the influence in... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin CNBNews Columnist GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ(January 28, 2024)(CNBNews)--The average IQ for a "normal" person is between 80 and 120. Genius is usually defined as having an IQ of 150 or higher. Where do your favorite stars score? Cortney Cox ...........................122 Vladimir Putin ........................127 Jodie Fister ............................132 Tom Brady .............................135 Arnold Schwarzenegger .........135 Oprah .....................................136 Bill Clinton ............................137 Madonna .............................. 140 Steve Martin ........................... 142 Meryl Streep ............................ 143 Lisa Kudrow.............................. 154 Sharon Stone ..........................154 Cindy Crawford ........................154 Matt Damon ............................160 Ashton Kutcher ........................160 Bill Gates .................................160 Albert Einstein .........................160 Quentino Taratino ....................160 RELATED: THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY Columnist/Investigative Reporter DOROTHY PHILBIN Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews A few days ago Clearysnotebook printed a column about the number of out-of-town landlords and the effect these owners and their properties have on the city. There were addresses provided by the city's Custodian of Records. Many of the landlords' names were redacted with a big black line hiding the owners' names. The redaction is amusing if you have any computer skills at all. Property owners, city employees and salaries, city retirees and pension amount, even Postal Service employees are paid with your tax dollars and you have the right to know. CNBNews graphic file Datauniverse.com* is where you will find all this information. The data site also provides the average property value ($107,898) and the average property tax ($5,025) for Gloucester City. The average property value looks about right but there is something that just doesn't feel right about the average property tax. If you... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Monday, January 16 - Martin Luther King's Birthday - federal holiday/Three-day weekend. Wednesday, January 24 - National Peanut Butter Day (Note: At Walmart this week, Smucker's Uncrustibles cost $4.18 for four sandwiches, or about $1.04 each. At that price make sure your kids eat them at school.) CNBNews graphic file Friday, February 2 - We learn if winter will end soon or be extended by six more weeks. It is Groundhog Day. Monday, February 19 - Presidental Day/Three-day weekend (kids today get cheated out of a day off from school. Before Congress moved all federal holidays to either a Monday or a Friday, we used to get off from school on February 12th for President Lincoln's Birthday and February 22 for President Washington's Birthday.) Saturday, February 10 - Chinese (Lunar) New Year. This is the year of the dragon. Wednesday, February 14 - Valentine's Day. Wednesday,... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist If you have watched the news on TV or read the news online, you probably know that President Joseph Biden is talking about bringing back the military draft. If you were born after 1980, you might not know what a draft is. When you turned 18 and male, you had to sign up with the Selective Service. This is frequently done at school. President Ronald Regan (1980 - 1988) wanted an all-volunteer Army. Lord only knows why. Since then, the number of volunteers has decreased and in 2023 the registration is only 40% of what was planned. Our military is now the lowest level it has been since before World War II. 1917-1918 Draft Poster There are a lot of questions which need to be addressed before you get a letter which starts with "Greetings." If you are not an Army-type of person you can... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY NJ (December 28, 2023)--Sometimes being at the end of the list isn't a bad thing. This time, New Jersey comes in near the end of the list and that is a good thing. The list is the states with the Highest Concentration of Hate Crimes. Here is where New Jersey and neighboring states rate: Number 43 - New Jersey 39 - New York 26 - Maryland 24 - Vermont* 13 - Pennsylvania 7 - Delaware 1 - Wyoming * Two states that seem to be out of place are Vermont. Senior citizens tend to think of Vermont as being populated by former peace-loving hippies along with cows, Norman Rockwell, and Grandma Moses. The most startling state is Wyoming as number one. Again, the stereotype of that state The Marlboro Man, horses, cattle and mountains. What's to hate? _______________________ Source: 24/7 Wall St. http://www.msn.com/en.us/news/us/us-state-with-the-highest-concentration-of-hate-groups/ Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (December 19, 2023)--We have been hearing for a few years now that issuing the police/fire blotters to the public is "too much work" even though there are more employees on the city's payroll than at any prior time. This week I began to wonder if this is the reason. Living near Broadway I see a lot of emergency vehicles drive up and down the street. There are not always sirens to catch my attention but always lights beaming into my windows. Over the years I've learned to determine the difference among police, fire and ambulance sirens. The Carpenter's Square Apartments at Gorman Manor, on South Broadway shares space with Cooper Hospital's Urgent Care Center, so there is a lot of activity in this area. Friday, around dinner time, I was getting ready to go out when I heard a police car, with... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews NJSpotlight News announced on December 12, 2023, the results of the 2023 school year standardized testing. This year's results were also compared to last year (2022) and 2019, the last year before COVID. Gloucester City's results were embarrassing. High School - no results reported for 11th grade ELA (English Language Arts) or Math. Of the 160 students who took the Science test, only 10.7% scored passing or proficient in 2023. In 2022, 16.0% scored passing or proficient; in 2019, it was 4.5%. The good news is that about 2.5 times as many of our students scored well, but if the 11th grade scored 4.5%, there is no way to go but up. Middle School - the 142 8th-grade students almost scored well in ELA. There were 60.6% who scored passing or proficient in 2023. This is an improvement over last year (2022) when the number was... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist There are two No Parking Handicap signs in front of the CVS Store located on South Broadway. According to CNBNews columnist Dorothy Philbin, a few months ago on Labor Day, a Gloucester City Police SUV was parked in a way that blocked the handicapped parking spots, as well as prevented an elderly man from exiting his car. This image of the site was obtained from Google Street View. GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (December 11, 2023)--On Labor Day, I went to the CVS on South Broadway but couldn't park in either of the two handicapped parking spots. There was a police SUV parked caddy-corner blocking the handicap parking spots and blocking an elderly man from exiting his car. I noticed that the SUV was marked "SCHOOL RESOURCE." This was Labor Day, the school year had not started yet so there was no reason for this man to... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews columnist BELLMAWR, NJ (November 18, 2023)(CNBNews)--If you have reason to drive south on Route 42/Freeway, just before you get to where the former Harrison-Hugg house had been, look to your right. You can't miss graffiti with letters and symbols about five feet high. If you have reason to drive south on Route 42/Freeway on another day at about the same place, look to your left. It is new, but it appears that one graffiti "artist" became jealous of the former so now there is graffiti on both sides of the road. Again, it is about five feet tall so you can't miss it. These walls are new and have cost us many millions of dollars. What prompts someone to ruin what took us so long to finally get? A better question is, regardless of whether this was done during the day or night, could no one... Read more →

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government have released an interim staff report titled "The Weaponization of 'Disinformation' Pseudo-experts and Bureaucrats: How the Federal Government Partnered with Universities to Censor Americans' Political Speech." The report exposes how the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Global Engagement Center (GEC) of the State Department colluded with Stanford University and other entities to create the Election Integrity Partnership. This partnership was established to censor Americans' speech leading up to the 2020 election. The report further highlights how the Election Integrity Project (EIP) was created in the summer of 2020 to give the federal government a way to conduct censorship activities covertly, bypassing the protections of the First Amendment and avoiding public scrutiny. The report also reveals, for the first time, internal emails from EIP members... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ--There are certain events in every person's life that s/he will always remember. Where were you? What were you doing? How did you deal with the situation? CNBNews graphic file Next week, November 22nd, will be the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. You will have to be close to 70 years old to remember what happened. Tell us, where were you? How did you learn? What was your reaction? Let me be first. I was in Miss Girard's History class. I don't remember an announcement on the PA. An older student came into the classroom and whispered to Miss Girard and she told us. I can still remember her saying "I know it doesn't seem like it to you now, but the sun will come up tomorrow, and the world will go on." I was angry with her.... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (November 12, 2023)(CNBnews)--Back in the day, there were no fast food "restaurants." Mcdonald's, Wendy's, and others were in their infant stage and locally owned. If someone wanted to go out for dinner, it was usually on a Saturday night; a couple wore their best clothes and got a babysitter for their kids. Where did those days go? CNBNews graphic file Today, we have very few locally-owned restaurants; they are mostly chains. If you travel anywhere, you are pretty sure you will find a Walmart, Target, an Olive Garden, Longhorn, and a few more well-known chains. Now, people don't get dressed, they don't get babysitters, and, sadly, that means they bring their little darlings with them. However, not everyone in the restaurant loves your little darlings as much as you do, and the restaurants are starting to make that known to parents. A Georgia... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CIY, NJ --(NOVEMBER 11, 2023)(CNBNews)--NJ.com today released a list of the New Jersey's top 50 high schools' sports programs as provided by Niche.com. There are several schools in our area, but one is obvious by its omission. That is our own Gloucester High School. CNBNews graphic file The schools listed below are those in our local area. The number before the school's name is the place among public schools only. The number after the school's name is the place among public and private schools. 50. Delsea /74 48. Washington Township /72 46. Eastern Regional /70 37. Rancocas /58 23. Moorestown /40 22. Winslow Township /39 16. Cherokee /26 15. Shawnee /25 7. Haddonfield /16 Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 30, 2023)(CNBNews)--Station 97.3 ESPN recently listed the 25 restaurants in South Jersey that offer the most delicious breakfasts. Several are in our area and definitely worth the time and trip. Here are the restaurants close to us. Lamp Post on Little Gloucester Rd in Clementon. Sharky's on Somerdale Rd in Blackwood. Blair Mountain Biscuit on the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood. Chubby Chick's Cafe on Little Gloucester Rd in Blackwood. Meadows Dinner on the Black Horse Pike in Blackwood. The Eagle Diner on Blackwood-Clementon Rd in Pine Hill. Phily Diner on the Black Horse Pike in Runnemede. Bon Appetite! Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 16, 2023)--You have to have a lot of gray hair, or no hair at all, to remember when a Philadelphia-based department store opened a branch in Camden City. It was a very big store, 128,000 sq. feet over four stories. At about the same time, a Parkade was opened next door. Stores in those days were not open seven days a week as they are today. The only nights Lit's was open were Wednesday and Friday nights. All stores were closed on Sunday. It was a big deal to go shopping at Lit's, having parked in the adjacent arcade and walked over to the store. They also had a restaurant for a bite to eat before or after the chore of shopping. A historic building is being demolished in Camden City. (Photo above courtesy of The Courier Post). Lit Brothers opened in... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 6, 2023)(CNBNews)--A few days ago (10/4/2023 at 2:09 pm) Senator John Kennedy (no relation to President Kennedy) was asked during a Fox interview what he thinks the average American feels about our politicians. In his usual Southern drawl, he replied "The average American wonders how a politician found his way out of the birth canal." So true. These feelings don't apply only to federal politicians. Every now and then a politician comes along - local, county and state included who actually makes sense and seems to have something greater than himself at heart. Well, someday we might see that here in Gloucester City and if or when that happens, Cleary's Notebook will be the first to let you know. We will do so very loudly! But that time has not come yet. As a matter of fact, we seem to be... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBnews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (October 3, 2023)--A nationwide test of the emergency and wireless alert systems will be conducted Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 2:20 Eastern Daylight Time, when a message will be sent to all cellphones, televisions, and radios, according to NBCNews.com. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a news release titled "THIS IS A TEST of a National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed." A similar message will be sent to all televisions and radios between 2:20 and 2:50 Eastern Daylight Time. The test is a joint effort between FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission with the purpose of ensuring that the systems are and continue to be effective on the nationwide level. The system is used for severe weather, emergencies, and Amber Alerts. Once again, this is only a test, but usually, the system alert is a piercing signal. If you... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews CAMDEN CITY, NJ (September 15, 2023)(CNBNews)--Our Lady of Lourdes/Virtua Hospital is planning an expansion. The hospital announced to the Courier Post on August 20, 2023 that it has plans to construct a six-story tower addition amounting to 254,155 square feet. The expansion will not include any new patient rooms but will include new elevators and renovations to the existing hospital to be completed in two phases. The tower will include new operating suites for cardiac and neurosurgical procedures and for organ transplants. The helipad, which is currently at ground level will be raised to the rooftop level. Our Lady of Lourdes is the only hospital in Southern New Jersey that performs kidney, liver, and pancreas transplants. At night, Mary's crown is lit if there has been a successful transplant that day. As of August 20, 2023, the plans had been submitted to the city's Planning Commission.... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist It appears that some people think that handicapped parking spots are "suggestions." They are not. Here in Gloucester City, it was brought to the attention of the Dollar Tree that they have no parking spaces reserved for handicapped drivers. Now the problem has been sent to the corporate offices. Let's see if the problem is addressed. In Deptford, the Walmart (Clement's Bridge Road) employees use handicapped parking spots during their entire shift. We all know that not all disabilities are visible but on two occasions cars, without a placard or HC license plate, were parked in the reserved spots. On each occasion the employee came out to either put something into the car or take something from the car and then return to work. Walmart's management has been notified. Just today in a senior citizen's complex in Clementon, a man blocked the handicapped spots by... Read more →

We have been made aware of reports claiming that CNBNews published a story about the alleged passing of DelVal Football Coach Bill Manlove. We want to make it clear that we have not released any article regarding his death or any contradictory information Occasionally, we may re-publish an article that we believe readers would find interesting. On July 11, 2011, we published an article about Manlove's induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. On August 14, 2023, we re-published the same article with the headline "Memories of Gloucester City: GHS Football Coach Bill Manlove." We included a notation that the article was originally published in 2011. Nowhere in the headline or the article did we mention his passing. We stand by our reporting and find it disappointing that individuals would spread rumors about our reporting without verifying the facts. Like everyone else, we are not... Read more →

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews FOND MEMORIES OF THE BROWN STREET SCHOOL-Today, the demolition process of Brown Street School, Brown and Somerset Streets commenced. Gloucester City taxpayers will bear the cost of $324,265 for this work. Caravella Demolition, based in Newark, NJ, is the contractor assigned to carry out this task. The contract outlines the specific duties that Caravella must perform. 1. Environmental/Asbestos Abatement 11,800 SF 2. Demolition of Former School Structures, Contents and All Other Debris Whether Above or Below Ground at 51 South Brown Street, Block 151 Lot 15, Final Restorations and Grading to within 6" of Final Surface Grade 1 UN 3. Demolition of Existing Site Improvements and Removal of Impervious Surfaces, 6" to 12" Depth 10,000 SF 4. Backfilling 6" Subbase 240 CY 5. Topsoil to Grade, 6" Thick, Seed, Fertilizer, and Straw 13,000 SF Mulch Restorations 6. AST Removal and Disposal 1 UN 7.... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist Gloucester City, NJ (August 21, 2023)--On a recent talk show the subject was "What did (mostly) boys and men do before computerized games?" Was there "life" a century ago, as life is known today? The answer is, "yes, there was life and a much more active and social life, a century ago." cnbnews graphic file In doing research for something else an article jumped out. It appeared in the Morning Post (of Camden) on November 5, 1915. In those days it appears that people, primarily men (women weren't permitted to vote yet) attended city council and such meetings because they recognized how important such meetings were. It is possible that the subject matter was digested over a glass, or two, of beer. Who knows. If civic meetings didn't interest the 1915 you, you had your choice of silent films at the Hayes Opera House or... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist It first started in New York City; hourly employees thought they should be making at least $15.00 per hour. This is double the federal rate. Half the work force was cheering while the other half, usually the employers, were in shock that this might actually happened. It is happening in most of the Northern and Western states. New Jersey's minimum wage is now $14.13 per hour and is due to go up to $15.00 in January, 2024. This is good news and bad news. Almost on a daily basis someone complains on facebook about Walmart's self-checkout. There are usually no more than one or two live cashiers working at any given time. Walmart isn't the only company to encourage the customer to help himself. Target has quite few customer stations, CVS has some and even Dollar Tree in Wenonah is experimenting with the stations. Restaurants... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (August 13, 2023)--Radio Station 94.5 PST on July 24, 2023, announced the most unique towns in our state. Those towns familiar to most of us are: Princeton Cape May Bay Head (Ocean County) Cherry Hill (Croft Farm) Medford Barnegat Light Brigantine Collingswood Haddonfield On the same day, in the same article, 94.5 PST listed the most beautiful spots in New Jersey. Many of the towns listed above are on the list, with a few additional ones. Again, these are only towns with which most of us are familiar: Princeton Cape May Atlantic City Boardwalk Barnegat Light Red Bank Avalon Long Beach Island Smithville All these towns would be great one-day trips for the family. Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Investigative Reporter GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (SEPTEMBER 13, 2023)--Nepotism is new in Gloucester City if 1933 is considered new. The City Council, on November 10, 1933, approved using the Civil Service plan for getting and keeping employees. Before that, there were actually two police departments, two fire Departments, etc. However, only one group worked at a time, as there was a Democratic structure and a Republican structure. If the Democrats won the general election in town, the Democratic employees went to work, and the Republicans were unemployed. Some years it was the opposite. Here is a portion of an article from the Courier Post on January 3, 1933. "...others elected were William Fisher, Democrat, assistant city treasurer; James Hendry, Democrat, janitor - city hall, Edward Heade, Democrat, fire alarm inspector, Charles Haas, Jr., Edmund Whittington, and William Sharp, all Democrats, members of the board of health. "There... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Investigative Reporter GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (August 10, 2023)--Over the past year or so, we have been hearing about the fire department's new Swift Water equipment. When investigating, the company's catalog showed a lot of costly equipment. The first question is, "Do we need this equipment?" Do other fire companies in the area have the equipment they could bring to Gloucester City in the event of an emergency? Remember, during the last two incidences involving water rescues, the Gloucester City fire department was the last to arrive. Surrounding towns got there first. During the water rescue between Gloucester City and Brooklawn, we were told that Gloucester City had to bring its Swift Water equipment. It goes without saying that time is of the essence during a drowning call. And, if it takes so long to assemble the kit, do we really need it? Unidentified firemen posing with... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ(August 5, 2023)--It has been decades since the summer jobs program (within the Gloucester City Department of Public Works) was begun. At the time, the jobs were well publicized, and the goal was to give some money to kids who needed extra money for back-to-school supplies. The jobs have always paid minimum wage ($8.00 - $8.50 per hour.) In recent years the jobs haven't been as well publicized as in years past. In recent years the minimum wage has increased until this summer when it is $14.13 per hour. That money could provide students with back packs, school supplies and clothes. Since that money didn't go to those who need it, churches and organizations around town are collecting supplies from those who have to buy their own kids' supplies and can't afford to help others. If the jobs and the $14.13/hour didn't go to... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Investigating Reporter CNBNews photo of Gloucester City Police Officers circa 2016 GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (August 3, 2023)--ClearysNoteBook (CNBNews) submitted an OPRA request for Police Officers, Police Managers, Firemen, and Fire Managers' current contracts. We obtained four contracts; the contract for the Police Managers expired on December 31, 2021, so either the police managers have been working for 15 months without a contract, or we received the wrong contract. That will be investigated. Also, the contract for Police Management has a paragraph that explicitly omits Brian Morrell (part-time Chief) and his brother, Michael Morrell, Captain. Although the Morrells' contracts were included in the OPRA request, these contracts were not provided, and this will also be investigated. These contracts will be explained in a series of articles. Following that, the City of Gloucester Employee Manual will be examined for the same reasons. This article addresses only the first... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin |CNBNews Columnist Most students in the 11th or 12th grade have read Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm or Huxley's Brave New World. These books, more than 50 years old, predicted what the world would look like in the authors' futures and our "now." In 2002 someone wrote to Ann Landers and asked her to explain all the "isms." Here they are: Starting on the left symbols for Socialism, Communism and Fascism Socialism - You have two cows. Give one to your neighbor. Communism - You have two cows. Give both cows to the government, and they may give you some milk. Fascism - You have two cows. You give the milk to the government, and the government sells it. Nazism - You have two cows. The government shoots you and takes the cows. Anarchism - You have two cows. Keep both cows, shoot the government agent and steal... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews As stated in a prior article, there are only two states with fully-funded pension plans. It shouldn't come to anyone's surprise that New Jersey isn't one of them. On tonight's news, a presidential candidate was interviewed. He said that he was very much against ESG. Say what? What is ESG? Is this new? CNBNews graphic file It turns out that ESG isn't new, it just hasn't received much press by design. ESG is a means of funding state pension plans and the reason not much has been made public about is - it doesn't work. There are 24 states limiting the use of ESG or not investing it at all. ESG stands for Environment, Social, and Governance. It is the word "Governance" which is most troublesome. President Ronald Reagan once said that the nine most terrifying words are "I'm from the government and I'm here to... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews You hear people talk about Millennials or Gen Xers, etc., but do you know who is what generation or even what a generation is? Traditionally, a generation is a group of people born within an 18 - 20 time span. Baby Boomers, for example, were born after the servicemen returned from World War II. The years assigned to Baby Boomers are 1946 to 1964. To clear up some confusion here are the years assigned to the other generations: CNBNews graphic file Gen X ......... was born 1965 - 1976 (11 years does not usually define a generation) Millennials born 1977 - 1995 Gen Z born 1996 - 2012 Snowflakes born 2013 - 2022 Other than Baby Boomers and Millennials, the other generations are shaky at best. How does one define a generation who is currently 10 years old at best? These dates are "best guesses" at... Read more →

UPDATED/CORRECTED/UPDATED AGAIN JEER--There are some employees of the Gloucester City Public Works Department who have an attitude when it comes to doing the jobs they were hired to do. For example, in May 2022, eight beautiful marina banners were installed at Freedom Pier. In December 2022 those banners were destroyed by the high winds that blow on the Delaware River at that time of the year. Common sense would dictate that those banners be taken down during the winter months and stored in a safe place until spring. Because of the inepitude of those responsible the taxpayers are left with footing the bill for banners that are not useable. Will anyone be held accountable for this waste of tax payers money? I doubt it. ~signed WHO IS MINDING THE STORE? CHEER-To the Bellmawr's Highway & Sanitation Departments. I called about a new pothole at 6 am, and it was filled... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | Columnist/Reporter GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (JULY 4, 2023)(CNBNEWS)--It seems that everyone is running out of money. The average person is hurting financially; that's a given. But so many businesses are that, in the Deptford area, a strip mall is going to look like a ghost town. Here are the details. Behind the Outback are Bye, Bye Baby; Bed Bath and Beyond; Harmon Beauty; and the Christmas Tree Shop. ALL of them are closing. There won't be a single store in that area. The next strip after that houses David's Bridal. They are advertising "Going Out of Business" sales. A new company is looking at David's but nothing is certain yet. CNBNews graphic file In addition to the above stores, Walgreens is planning to close 150 stores. They haven't announced which stores yet. However, there is a closed Walgreens on Delsea Drive at Cooper St. also in Deptford. Lowe's... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin l CNBNews Research for another article led to the current Master Plan for Gloucester City. The Master Plan contains much information which is probably new to most, if not all residents who don't work for the city. Over the next couple of weeks you will get to know the facts about Gloucester City. One thing to keep in mind is that there are roughly 4,300 households in our city, of which 3,000 are apartments. Keep that in mind when you read the following. House Heating Fuel: Natural Gas 2,948 Bottled Gas 109 Electricity 255 Fuel Oil/Kerosene 818 Coal -0- Wood 15 Solar -0- Other -0- No Fuel Used -0- Selected Characteristics: Lacking Complete Plumbing Facilities 16* Lacking Complete Kitchen Facilities 3* No Telephone Service 92** * If someone knows that people don't have plumbing and/or kitchen facilities, why has the Board of Health not been called? ** As... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (JUNE 19, 2023)(CNBNews)--It seems that everyone, every company, city and state is filing for bankruptcy. Just this week there have been bankruptcy sales at Bye, Bye Baby, Harmon Cosmetics, Bed Bath and Beyond, and David's Bridal. They are just the companies in the Deptford Mall area. Let's move onto cities. Just the top 10 are New York City, Chicago, Honolulu, Portland, New Orleans, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Miami. It shouldn't be any surprise that most of these cities are in trouble, they have either defunded their police departments or are being over-run by illegal immigrants. Moving on to state pension plans. Get ready. Only two states, South Dakota and Wisconsin, have fully-funded pension plans. The other 48 states are in trouble. The most under-funded state pension plan is...you've got it. New Jersey! The next six are Illinois, Hawaii, Alaska, New Mexico,... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (June 8, 2023)(CNBNews)When it comes to the growing, processing and sale of marijuana some towns are saying "Over here, we want it." Other towns are saying "not in my backyard." Unfortunately, there are some towns where the residents don't want the pot in their town but the city/borough leaders do. Pot is taxed, providing more money for our leaders to spend. Woodbury Heights is one of those towns. courtesy of Westville Fire Department The residents of Woodbury Heights were fighting tooth and nail to keep pot out of their community but their leaders were bound and determined to have it. The designated area was the former Nova Bank building on Route 45, just behind the Hollywood Diner. Renovations were just beginning. Unfortunately, overnight between Monday, June 5th, and Tuesday, June 6th, the building was completely destroyed by fire. It needs to be... Read more →

Dorothy Philbin | CNBNews Columnist I couple of weeks ago I posted an article about the difficulties of dealing with the Office of Equal Opportunities concerning utility bills. I took my senior citizen friend as she was OPINION afraid to go around Airport Circle (which isn't there anymore.) We were the only people when we entered the building. Of course, we went in with smiles on our faces and said "please" and "thank you" as often as possible. Surprisingly, the employees were very nice and very helpful. The caseworker even asked my friend if she needed air conditioning for health reasons and gave her the form for the doctor to complete. Of course, there are two sides to every coin. While we were there two other people came in, seemingly very angry. The employees did not put up with verbal abuse for a minute. They put the customers in their... Read more →