Link: MyCentralJersey.com.

An elite runner at Hillsborough High School who last month was named the Courier News Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year died Tuesday night when he was struck by a train, authorities confirmed today. Advertisement

Jason Walton, 18, described by one coach as \”tremendously focused and so easy to coach it\’s ridiculous,\” was killed by a train at 5:48 p.m. Tuesday on the Norfolk Southern tracks about 500 feet west of Beekman Lane, authorities said.

Walton was entering his senior year.

I graduated from St. Mary\’s Catholic High School in 1943. The same year, I received notice that I was drafted in the U.S. Army.

Sister sent a letter to the draft board asking that I could graduate before entering the army. As long as I kept up my grades and maintained good averages, I was allowed to graduate. If I failed, I had to report to the draft board.

I was able to graduate in June. Sister Maria DeChantal gave me a medal and made me promise to wear it at all times. I taped it to my dog tags.

Having being wounded, and serving in the Battle of the Bulge, I retuned home.

I showed Sister the medal, which she had given me.

I have many happy memories of St. Mary\’s now called Gloucester Catholic. It truly is a sad day for Gloucester. I am sorry to hear of this plan to leave Gloucester City.

Charles W. Bastien

Class of \’43 St. Mary\’s

Related: Bills Point of View

Related: Gloucester Catholic

photo by Bill

Looking south towards National Park from Freedom Pier(the old Coast Guard Base) in Gloucester City.

Weather forecast for today calls for a high of 88/real feel 96 degrees, mostly cloudy and humid with a strong thunderstorm. Tonight a low of 69. Heavy thunderstorms, rather cloudy warm and humid. There can be flooding in some areas.
Information provided by Accu Weather/see five day forecast

Raymond Cooney, age 77, of Gloucester City passed away on July 22. Raymond was born in Philadelphia and was a resident of Gloucester City for over 44 years. He proudly served our country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After his retirement from PLYGEM, Raymond worked many years for the Gloucester City Board of Education and the Gloucester City Highway Department Streets Division. Ray enjoyed the time he spent coaching football with Billy Flynn and baseball with Mr. Casey.

Loving and devoted husband of 54 years to Theresa Mary Cooney (nee Coons). Beloved father of Terry and husband Ed Severance and the late Raymond Cooney who died in 1997 (Surviving wife Eileen). Loving grandfather of Tracy, Raymond, Danielle, and Dean and great-grandfather of Jimmy and Angela Rae. Dear brother of Mary (Pat) Jablonowski, Alma (Peter) Mecchella and Eileen (Ron) Zacconi. Predeceased by his brothers Elmer and Alfred. Raymond is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

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

Interment with Military Honors in Eglington Cemetery, Clarksboro. There will be no evening viewing. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in Raymond\’s memory to Samaritan Hospice: 5 Eves Dr., Suite 300, Marlton NJ, 08053.

Please write Raymond Cooney in the memo of the check. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Raymond Cooney.

By Paula Carlton

NEWS Correspondent

If a picture is worth a thousand words, photographs of Gloucester City\’s veterans are priceless.

That is why Mayor William James, his advisory committee, and several of the town\’s numerous and extraordinarily dedicated veterans of foreign wars are putting out the hue and cry for pictures of the approximately 68 townsmen who gave their lives defending the United States and its allies.

Their campaign intends to bring 2 feet by four feet banners with photos and other relevant details for each lost veteran to existing poles along Broadway during the months of May and October, when the nation celebrates Memorial Day and Veterans\’ Day, respectively.

Project Leader Ted Howarth Jr., a Vietnam veteran who ran the town\’s Memorial Day parade from 1978 to 1998 and currently organizes Brooklawn\’s memorial services, said the genesis of the banners was a general idea to breathe life back into the town\’s Memorial Day events, to better honor what Howarth calls \”those who made the supreme sacrifice.\”click link below to read more

AGENDA

1. Call to Order:
2. Pledge of Allegiance:

3. Roll Call:

4. Sunshine Law: This meeting is being held in conformance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, otherwise known as the \”Sunshine Law\”. It has been legally noticed in accordance with the law and copies have been given to those requesting the same.

5. Public Comment Period: The Governing Body, in accordance with P.L. 2002, c. 80, have adopted the following guidelines relative to the Public Comment Period (PCP) at Caucus, Worksession, Special and Emergency Meetings of the Mayor and Common Council of Gloucester City: The PCP shall occur at the beginning of each meeting; it shall be no longer than one half-hour in length; every person wishing to speak may do so once during the period for no longer than five minutes. No changes have been made for the PCP of the regular monthly meetings.

6. Minutes of the Previous Meeting(s): June 19, 2008, June 26, 2008 distributed; July 7, 2008 (pending)

7. Reports: I. Departmental Reports

II. Committees of Council:

1. Celebrations

b) Finance & Administration

c) Fire

1. Housing
2. Licensing
3. Police

g) Public Works

8. Licenses: None

9. Resolutions:

R193 Authorizing Refunds on the Planning and Zoning Board Escrow Accounts

R194 Authorizing Adjustments on the Planning and Zoning Board Escrow Accounts

R195 Authorizing Placement of Municipal Charges On Tax Properties for Service Work

R196 To Correct Billing Charges on Utility Records

10. Ordinances:

for second reading and public hearing to be held on July 17, 2008

O14 Amending the Ordinance Regulating the Salaries of the Employees of the City of Gloucester City, County of Camden, State of New Jersey

11. Old Business:

a) Final Decision: GRC – Gorman v. Gloucester City

b) Request by BOH for recognition of service of Mike Hainsworth

12. New Business:

a) The Earth Machine – composter program

b) Draft rules – Senior and Community Center

c) Energy Conservation suggestions

d) 2007 Audit received and distributed, please review particularly findings and determinations section.

13. Communications:

a) \’Memorial\’ Operation Run for the Fallen – 08/24/08 – 1 mile

b) Request use of Martin\’s Lake park – Sunday, Aug 3, 2-4PM

14. Round Table:

15. Closed Session: Resolution #R -2008 to enter into closed session for discussion of:

16. Adjournment

RXD Pharmacy On Monmouth Street In Gloucester City Closing Down

 

Trinity United Methodist Church In Gloucester City Appoints New Pastor

(the Rev. Dr. Richard G. Leaver).

 

Westville Borough Receives $100,000 in Extraordinary State Aid

(this will decrease the amount of the tax increase).

 

World War II Monument Is Missing

 

She was Soooooooo Blonde .

She thought a quarterback was a refund.

She thought General Motors was in the army.
She thought Meow Mix was a CD for cats.
She thought Boyz II Men was a day care center.
At the bottom of an application where it says \’Sign here:\’ she wrote \’Sagittarius.\’

She Was Soooooooooooooo Blonde…
She took the ruler to bed to see how long she slept.
She sent a fax with a stamp on it.
Under \’education\’ on her job application, she put \’Hooked On
Phonics.\’

She was Sooooooooooooooooo Blonde...
She tripped over a cordless phone.
She spent 20 minutes looking at the orange� juice can because it said \’Concentrate.\’
She told me to meet her at the corner of \’WALK\’ and \’DON\’T WALK.\’

She tried to put M&M\’s in alphabetical order.

She was Soooooooooooooooooooo Blonde…
She studied for a blood test.
She sold the car for gas money.
When she missed bus #44 she took bus #22 twice instead.
When she went to the airport and saw a sign that said, \’Airport Left,\’ she turned around and went home.

She Was Sooooooooooooooooooooo Blonde...
When she heard that 90% of all crimes occur around the home, she moved.
She thought if she spoke her mind, she\’d be speechless.

She thought that she could not use her AM radio in the evening.

She had a shirt that said \’TGIF,\’ which she thought stood for \’This Goes In Front.\’

AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE:
She is sooooooooooooooooo Blonde…

She thinks Taco Bell is the Mexican phone company

Related: Chuckles

Bill’s Point of View:

\”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed, it\’s the only thing that ever has.\” —Margaret Mead…

Correction: The Gloucester City School District over the past three months has placed legal notices in the Gloucester City News. However, according to Albert Countryman, Publisher of The NEWS, there have been no advertisements for Help Wanted placed in the paper from the School District over that time period.

JEER-We have heard a number of complaints against the Gloucester City Board of Education/School District for not hiring local residents recently for teaching positions and other jobs. To add insult to injury the legal notices/ads for the jobs have not been placed in the local newspaper. In fact, according to the publisher Albert Countryman The Gloucester City News hasn’t received any Help Wanted ads from the School District in over three months.

CHEER-The Gloucester City Police Department was able to save taxpayers several thousand dollars by brokering a deal with Rontan and Atlas Flasher to supply emergency lights on a new police car in return for allowing them to show the car at the Atlantic City Police and Security Expo. Kudos to Chief Crothers and everyone else involved in making this deal. It would be nice if more departments would follow their lead.

JEER-To the Brooklawn Board of Education for not renewing John Waszewski\’s contract. Linda Doherty, a Brooklawn resident writes, \”In my opinion he was a valuable asset to the Brooklawn School. He was a person that knew all the children that attended the school by name. He would also help out when needed and was always very friendly. I feel the Board made a big mistake by not renewing his contract. I feel they will not be able to replace a person like him. He will be missed!\”

JEER to all the fire trucks in the July 4^th parade in Gloucester City and elsewhere for blowing their sirens and horns nonstop and making every kid and some adults hold their ears in pain. The parade was great up until that point!

CHEER-The woman who works evening security at Proprietor\’s Park (Gloucester City) deserves many cheers. Joe Gorman writes, \”She has the unenviable task of asking dozens of people, most of whom are in the middle of doing something enjoyable, to leave the park at dusk each evening. Before she closes the park, she spends a good hour or so every night cleaning up every piece of litter and debris that was left at the park that day. How many people go above and beyond their job duties like this? She is a blessing to this city\”.

KUDOS to Gloucester City Councilman Bill Hagan. The front part of the fire house looks great. It’s a wonderful improvement to Nicholson Road and our City.

CHEER-Thank you Pat and Sis from Mercer St. and Bob Bevan (Community Relations Officer) for persevering and getting a street light placed on Filmore Ave. between Mercer and Morris Sts. Of course, now it\’s so bright at night none of us can sleep! Submitted by \”Saucer-Eyed\”

CHEER-Congratulations to Cpl. Raymond McIntyre Jr., who recently retired from the police department. \”Thank you for all years of service to the people of Brooklawn\”. From your friends, family and residents.

CHEER-Pat Murphy was recently appointed Athletic Director at Gloucester Catholic High School. Congratulations Pat and Good Luck in your new job.

THE UGLY-The Monmouth Street Business District is slowly dying. After 25 years RxD Pharmacy, 525 Monmouth Street has closed its doors. Across the street from the former pharmacy are two more vacant buildings that have been empty for some time. Take a drive through the City and you will find more vacant stores. Residents can only blame themselves for the decline in the places to shop in our community. We need to think twice before heading to the Mall. Ask yourself; can I buy that item in town? \”Stop the exodus, Shop Local\”.

If you have a Cheer or Jeer for next month’s column submit to [email protected]. It would be nice if you included your name but it is not necessary. www.clearysnotebook.com 

~ Article written by Bill Cleary

Related: Bills Point of View …………………………………………….Related: Bill\’s Tips and Snippets

news release

Senator Steve Oroho, Assemblywoman Alison Littell McHose and Assemblyman Gary Chiusano (R-24, Sussex, Morris, Hunterdon) sent a letter today to Commissioner Lisa Jackson of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection requesting that the Department publicly release its figures on the present bear population in New Jersey.

\”We are extremely concerned about the growing number of black bear sightings and incidents in rural and suburban New Jersey,\” Oroho stated. \”Human encounters with bears have become more commonplace, especially in the northwestern part of the state, and we want more-effective bear management practices enacted and enforced.\”

\”We are disturbed by reports that the Department of Environmental Protection is keeping information on the estimated number of bears and their impact on this State concealed from the media and the public,\” McHose said. \”It is frightening to think that the DEP may be withholding information that may affect citizens\’ public safety.\”

The latest monthly report on bear activity compiled by the State Fish and Game Council indicates that incidents involving bears have increased by 44 percent over the same period in 2007. Complaints include bears approaching children at a picnic, breaking into enclosed garages and greenhouses, and disturbing a sleeping sunbather. Yet the fiscal 2009 budget reduced the appropriation for bear management from $850,000 last year to $678,000.

\”Bears represent a significant public safety threat to children, tourists and family pets,\” Chiusano said. \”The so-called ‘comprehensive approach’ to bear management doesn’t seem to be working. We need to consider a new plan.\”

If the Commissioner doesn\’t release the information requested in a timely fashion, all three legislators are prepared to petition for the release of the information through New Jersey\’s Open Public Records Act.