Commentary by Hank F. Miller Jr.

Tanabata Matsuri or Tanabata Festival is the essence of summer and summer festivals.

Held in Japan on early July 7th or August 7th in other Asian countries such as China and South Korea also hold Star Festivals.

Photo of Tanabata Festival

Tanabata Star Festival originated in China and is based on a legend that two stars-Aliair the Cowherd Star, and Vega, the Weaver Star-are allowed to cross the Milky Way, and meet on this special night of the year.

The legend says that Altair, the patron of agriculture, and Vega, patroness of silkworm raising and weaving, were passionately in love, but that god didn\’t like it and placed them on the opposite sides of the Milky Way.

Praying for the happy reunion of the two stars, many Japanese families with children place branches of cut bamboo decorated with strips of paper bearing poems, romantic aspirations and wishes in their yards or by their doorways.

Photo: Tanabata Festival, make a wish

Nowadays, some cities like Tabata and Fukuoka nearby take advantage of this opportunity and Lantern hold festivals in spectacular fashion the lanterns are in a pyramid shape with about 100 paper lanterns by with candles. With many men caring them on wooden frames while dancing and singing.

During the darkness of night this Lantern Festival is spectacular, thus it is a great tourist attraction.

Warm Regards from Kitakyushu City, Japan, Enjoy A Really Great Summer.

Hank F. Miller Jr. 

see more When East meets West

 

ClearysNoteBook is preparing our July Cheer and Jeer column also known as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

If you have anyone/anything that you feel deserves a Cheer or a Jeer now is the time to speak up.

Send your remarks to B[email protected].

Everyone can participate. You need not be from Gloucester City. So come on Brooklawn, Bellmawr, Mt. Ephraim, Westville, Collingswood, …..South Jersey get involved.

Send in your suggestions.

Related: Bill\’s Point of View

Link: DefenseLink News Article:

Troops in Afghanistan Kill Enemy Fighters, Capture 14, Seize Weapons American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2008 – Coalition and Afghan forces killed three armed militants, detained 14 suspects and seized weapons in Afghanistan this week.

Forces captured five militants during an operation yesterday in Helmand province. The detentions occurred as troops searched compounds in the Req district for a Taliban leader responsible for smuggling explosives and weapons, including bomb-making materials and heavy machine guns, into the area, military officials said.

Coalition forces also discovered and confiscated an AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition.

In Wardak province July 7, forces killed a targeted militant and caught two others during an operation to disrupt the Taliban network.

Link: CourierPostOnline.com | Courier-Post.

In the settlement announced last month, the oil companies agreed to pay $422 million to plaintiffs from several states.

Of that amount, $67 million is slated to come to New Jersey purveyors, and $40 to $45 million to the towns represented by Parker McCay.

Among those towns or purveyors are Camden, Gloucester City, Penns Grove, Bridgeton, New Jersey American Water Co., the Mount Laurel Municipal Utilities Authority and the Mount Holly Water Company.

The amount of the settlement coming to each town has not yet been determined, McGovern said.

Link: DefenseLink News Article: .

America Supports You: Fund Assists Severely Injured Veterans By Meghan Vittrup American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2008 –

An organization that focuses on helping severely injured veterans channels its efforts toward providing the kinds of assistance they don’t otherwise get.

The Independence Fund provides \”the tools, therapies and guidance that they are otherwise not receiving,\” said Steve Danyluk, the organization’s president.

The Independence Fund, he explained, is built upon three pillars of support. These pillars, according to the Independence Fund Web site, include providing specialized tools and therapies to troops and veterans, promoting the overall well-being of severely injured veterans through physical and leisure activity, and providing advocacy and guidance through veterans and family members who have experienced similar events and injuries.

For example, the Independence Fund provides assistance such as iBot wheelchairs and sports equipment that has been modified so disabled veterans can take part in athletic pursuits or leisure sports.

The fund also provides two different types of therapies to injured troops.

 

By John P. Schmidt

NEWS Correspondent

 The Brooklawn Board of Education approved an interlocal service agreement between the BOE and the Borough of Brooklawn.

Board President Bruce Darrow said the district gave money to the Borough for shared services for the community center, ball fields, and other things.

\”The agreement is between us and the Borough, but it is really between us and the community,\” Darrow said. \”We\’re giving money back to the community.\”

Besides benefiting the district, this also helps the Borough with offsetting tax increases, he said.

In an interview, Brooklawn Mayor John Soubasis said the agreement solidifies the working relationship which the Borough has with the school district and the community, and has allowed the Borough to continue to work into the future to sustain the quality of life in the Borough.

\”We not only have to look at the children being effected, but most importantly all the taxpaying residents of the community. These are the kinds of things we have to do in the future to keep towns the size of ours strong and able to continue on,\” he said.

Besides approving the inter-local service agreement, the BOE accepted $117,716 in aid from No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

Superintendent Dr. John Kellmayer said the funding increased from last year.

\”The NCLB funding is based on the number of children receiving free and reduced price lunch,\” he said. \”The number of children receiving free and reduced priced lunch is up in Brooklawn.\”

The district also received funding for the 2008-09 Fiscal Year for School Choice. Currently the district has 79 students from out of the district. The total Choice Revenue for the fiscal year is $1,241,966.

Becoming a choice district has helped to save the district money and keep taxes down. The school district saves an average of $1,232 per home.

The BOE also approved a recommendation allowing for an additional 675 hours of library services.

The time was increased because to make up hours of a full-time librarian who retired a few years ago.

The additional hours were also approved last year, and are expected to increase next year also.

The Board also decided the future of longtime custodian John Waszewski.

Last month two eighth grade students, Mellissa Mackey and Meaghan Ryan, had addressed the board about the contract situation of Waszewski, and urged the Board to renew his contract, which was set to expire on June 30.

The BOE took no action on Waszewski\’s contract, and decided not to renew it.

Waszewski said, \”I just wanted to thank you all for the opportunity to work here.\”

The next meeting will be on August 21 in Borough Hall. The BOE will have a special meeting July 10 to award the contract to renovate the bathrooms at Alice Costello School.

Source: Gloucester City News, July 3, 2008

By John P. Schmidt

NEWS Correspondent

Gloucester City Mayor and Council presented two proclamations during last week\’s meeting honoring Library Director Elizabeth Egan and Mary Lou Adams, who recently founded the Cultural Arts and Heritage Society.

Egan received the NJ Library Association President\’s Award for 2008, which is given for outstanding public service to the library community.

She has been the library director in Gloucester City since 1989. Egan said she had planned to be here for five years and move on, but she decided to stay.

\”As time went on I realized the work never ends,\” Egan said. \”There is always something new that has to be done here.\”

Egan mentioned that since 1989 the library has gone under a revolution in service from being all paper based to being automated. But, it still has the role of educating the community.

During the meeting, resident Charlie Pie inquired about the schooner the City has purchased, and which will be docked at the former Coast Guard Pier.

Pie was concerned about the costs that this boat would incur would be placed on the taxpayers.

Bob Bevan, the former mayor and current Community Relations Specialist, who has been working on this project, addressed the public.

He said the City hopes to educate children on it about sailing. There are many other programs for the community, especially children, including the sciences.

Gloucester City plans to have the schooner be solar powered, and is trying to get the schooner registered as a 501C3 Non-Profit.

He explained that there are grants from many organizations out there interested about the schooner, and that it should be able to pay for itself and eventually generate revenue for the City.

Bevan also noted the schooner was purchased with Urban Development Action Grant money, which can only be used for economic and urban development.

This ship would bring a tremendous element of pride to our community, Bevan said. \”The one thing we\’re lacking anymore is the pride.\”

Gloucester City resident Charles Reed, who will serve as a captain on the schooner, also addressed the public.

\”We have a lot of people who want to volunteer. There are different organizations that want to come in and work on the teaching capacity, the schools are very interested in it and we have grants coming in for this,\” Reed said.

Mayor William P. James called the schooner a tangible asset.

He added that the city is going to involve the youth of the community, and create relationships with other maritime personal.

\”The pier is one of our gems,\” James said. \”We haven\’t used it, and were going to begin to use it. We\’re starting to take action, we\’re going to make things happen.\”

City Council passed an ordinance on first reading regulating salaries for certain employees, including an administrative assistant for City Administrator Paul Kain.

City Finance Chairman Nicholas Marchese expressed concern that he was not notified about the proposed salary for that position, and requested the minimum salary would be $15.25 per hour to $21.00 an hour.

The proposed minimum salary was $17.25 per hour. The new assistant, Lori Kraft, was hired after Executive Session Thursday night.

The ordinance passed, 6-0-1, with Councilman William R. Hagan Sr. abstaining. The administrative assistant will be a temporary position for 10 weeks.

\”There is a lot going on in the City, and us as mayor and council are creating a lot more,\” Marchese said. \”The administrator position should require an assistant.\”

City Council also approved to hire a Regional Contribution Agreement (RCA) director by a 6-0-1 vote, with Councilman Marchese abstaining.

He said the state is mandating the city have an RCA director, which will be paid by the RCA – a state agency.

Council also approved a resolution to approve funding for a new water works facility in the amount of $9,445,000.

Public Works Chairman Jay Brophy in an interview said that construction will begin this year, after the bid process is completed.

Resident Janet Cowgill, who lives on Ridgeway Street, expressed concern about the Rock n Roll Festival, the amount of noise it created for residents, and the inconvenience it caused businesses.

Council members said in the future it would be located down on King Street, by the Delaware River.

Marchese apologized to the residents and the business affected by the event. He said it was not the Celebrations Committee, but the UEZ who organized the event.

Councilman Bruce Parry announced that planning for the 2009 Community Calendar is underway, and for information or to put events in it, contact the UEZ office.

Parry said the Fourth of July Celebration will be July 3^rd. The parade will begin at 6 p.m., starting at CVS and heading down Broadway to O\’Donnell\’s Restaurant. From 7-9 p.m., there will be live music at Johnson Boulevard, followed by fireworks at 9 p.m.

The annual Baby Contest will be held on July 4^th at Martins Lake at 11 a.m.

Councilman Hutchinson thanked the Business Association, who invited Mayor and Council to their event on the Flagship IV. The ship is a charter boat which currently sails out of the old Coast Guard pier.

Hutchinson asked that if any residents know where to attain pictures, or has pictures of fallen veterans from Gloucester City, if they could contact the Clerk\’s office.

Mayor James also announced that the PAL Center located on Brown Street will be open everyday throughout the summer from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

James said there will be a physical education teacher present for the weight room and basketball courts, a yoga instructor for yoga classes, as well as arts and crafts.

City Council meets again Thursday, July 24, at 8 p.m. in City Hall, 313 Monmouth St.

Source: Gloucester City News, July 3, 2008

 

 

 

WOOD Richard A., Sr. On July 7, 2008. Age 79. Of Bellmawr.

 

Loving husband of 26 years to the late Rita Ann Wood (nee McLaughin). Devoted father of Richard A. (Betsy) Wood, Jr. of McDonough, GA. and John J. Wood of Bellmawr. Beloved grandfather of Richard, III, Kristina, Katie, John-Thomas, Sarah and Patrick Wood. Loving great-grandfather of Hailey Johnson. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

 

Rich proudly served our county in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked 18 years for Owings Corning Fiberglass in Barrington. Rich was active at the Archway Senior Activity Center in Haddon Heights.

 

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Saturday morning from 9 to 11 am at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City.

 

Methodist service officiated by Pastor Richard Miles of Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church will begin at 11 am in the funeral home. Interment New Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. There will be no evening viewing.

 

Family respectfully requests in lieu of flowers memorial donations in Rich’s memory to the Donald L. Perry Foundation for Cancer Research, P.O. Box 7086, Atlantic City, NJ 08404. Please write in memo: Richard A. Wood, Sr.

 

Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Richard A. Wood, Sr.

 

Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ. Phone: 856-456-1142