Courier-Post.

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, D-N.J said today he plans to ask President Barack Obama to block federal funding for a dredging project that would deepen the Delaware River by five feet and calls for the temporary deposit of sediment in New Jersey. In June, officials from the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed an agreement to partner in deepening the river from 40 to 45 feet.

By Chris Concannon

Bellmawr Schools Superintendent Annette Castiglione has unveiled Board of Education plans for 2009 and beyond.

An intelligent and engaging person, Ms. Castiglione outlined several Board of Education (BOE) plans, along with numerous improvements already in place, during an hour-long interview recently.

An educator for more than 30 years, she began her career upon graduation from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, including tenures in both the Philadelphia (PA), as well as Camden City (NJ) High School systems.

She said these positions helped prepare her to become a superintendent.

As a former Camden County Freeholder, Castiglione said there is an occasional need to confer with the current Freeholder Board, if the situation arises for the BOE to utilize available County resources.

written by Cassie Francis Grade 6, St. Mary Grammar School

www.smshope.org

 One day I woke to a big surprise,
Something very strange before my eyes;
I was a piece on a board and all I could see
Was everything to do with Monopoly!
 
I was low on money and about to be in jail
This game stunk I wanted to bail.
It was not easy but I somehow got out
And found my self fishing about!
 
\”Go Fish\”, someone said, and grabbed my back.
\”I fished my wish\”, back on track!
I am finally out of this crazy game!
\”King me\” I hear, this is just more of the same.
 
I am a red piece and holding my ground.
This is one of the scariest games around!
Oh no I say I am about to be jumped and taken!
But then I am finally awakened. 

Related: Category St. Mary Grammar/Parish

TIPS AND SNIPPETS

BY BILL CLEARY

There are 19 commercial properties in Gloucester City according to the real estate web site http://www.trendmls.com . Included in that number are *six taverns.

The properties are :

1. 217 Third Street at Powell Street, asking price $124,950. 

2. 138 N. Broadway, (next to pizzeria) asking price 149,900

3. 301 N. Broadway, (car lot) asking price 24,000

4. 308-310 N. Broadway (Davalls Plumbing Supply) 200,000

5. *401 N. Broadway (O’Donnell’s inc. LL) 495,000

6. *200 S. Broadway (Twin Bar inc. LL) 650,000

7. 401 S. Broadway (Quality Furniture) 800,000

8. *509 S. Broadway (Red Mill inc. LL) 150,000

9. *54 Crescent Blvd (Doll House inc. LL) 1.9 million

10. *301 Essex Street (Essex St. Pub inc. LL) 499,900

11. 430 Hunter Street (former deli) 189,900

12. *500 Jersey Avenue (Dave’s inc. LL) 280,000

13. 1043 Jersey Avenue at Broadway (car lot) 158,000

14. 200 S. King Street at Market (PAP) 400,000

15. 334 Nicholson Road (D&N Machine) 549,900

16. 716 Market Street (King Drug) 115,000

17. 531 Monmouth Street (next to Food Store) 144,900

18. 700 Monmouth Street (restaurant) 394,999

19. 520 Monmouth Street (no price) Lease for 950 a month

LAPTOPS TAKE A WALK-The Gloucester City Detective Bureau is investigating the theft of two laptops that were reported stolen from the Gloucester City Water Department. Also missing is a computer monitor and some tools.

2009 POLITICAL NEWS-The Save New Jersey Blog is reporting that Donald Norcross, brother of South Jersey party boss George Norcross and co-chairman of the Camden County Democratic Committee, is likely to replace Dana Redd as state senator in the 5th Legislative District. Redd supposedly is leaving the Senate to run for mayor of Camden City.

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• Tips and Snippets: Clearing Up the Rumors about the City Fire Dept.
• Bills Tips and Snippets
• A Few Thoughts
•  Bills Point of View

Link Bellmawr Fire

On Sunday afternoon January 25th, the Westville FD was dispatched to Route 295 @ the Big Timber Creek to assist police. 702 (E. Farley) arrived to find a partially submerged vehicle in the Timber Creek under the Rt. 295 bridge.

Chief Farley special called Rescue 32 due to the unknown status of the vehicle occupants. Rescue 32 arrived w/ 8 members and deployed 2 members in cold water suits into the water to search the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Searches of the vehicle were negative and the members assisted the tow operators with rigging of the vehicle for removal. Vehicle was removed from the waterway by the tow company.

Companies restored their equipment and returned to service with no reported injuries.

Early Morning Accident on Highway

Saturday, January 24, 2009

During the early hours of Saturday January 24, after responding to several runs through out the night, Bellmawr Fire companies were sent to Route 42 in the area of Exit 14 for an MVA.

 Engine 331 & Rescue 32 responded on the assignment along with BLS 317.

Engine 331 arrived to find a single vehicle MVA w/ one occupant who had self-extricated themselves prior to FD arrival.

E-331 secured the vehicle with EMS treating the occupant.

By Army Staff Sgt. Brock Jones
Special to American Forces Press Service

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, Jan. 21, 2009 – Dogs are known as \”man’s best friend,\” and in recent years, they also have become a soldier’s best friend.

Army Sgt. Jess Storie, a dog handler, and his \”battle buddy\” Jose, a Labrador retriever, take a break following an afternoon training session in explosives search on Camp Slayer, Iraq, Jan. 16, 2009. The dog and handler are one of only seven dog teams that support Baghdad and the outlying province. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brock Jones
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

With their keen sense of smell, dogs have taken on the dangerous duty of finding weapons and explosives in the combat zones of the Middle East.
Army Sgt. Jess Storie, an off-leash dog handler with the 94th Engineer Detachment out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Jose, his black Labrador retriever, are front and center in the constant battle to eliminate dangerous weapons before they can be used to hurt or kill.
They’re one of only seven dog teams that support Baghdad and the outlying province, officials said. 

John W. Stiefel of Gloucester City, formerly of Mickleton died suddenly on January 22, 

2009, age 46 years. John worked as a building inspector for Gloucester City and owned his own construction company. He was an avid Eagles fan and sportsman and enjoyed the horse races.

PHOTO: John Stiefel on the right with Joe Stecklair in front of the Gloucester City Building and Housing Office. Date July 2007

Survived by his beloved mother Joan Stiefel-Funk; and loving family Elaine; 2 daughters Barbara (Jason) Kane; Nichole Bebe; a brother Bill (Lynn); 3 sisters Sue (Eugene) DiLuigi; Carol Northdurft; Nancy (Glenn) Sweeten and 3 grandchildren, Joey; Brianna and Mia and many nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral services on Monday eve 8:00PM at the ELLIS-STIEFEL FUNERAL HOME, 301 Highland Ave., Westville, NJ, where friends may call after 6:00PM. Interment will be private.

The family request contributions be made in his name to the Animal Humane Shelter, 509 Centennial Blvd.,Voorhees Twp., NJ.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2009 – Iraqi soldiers and police, \”Sons of Iraq\” civilian security group members and U.S. soldiers seized several weapons caches and arrested two suspected roadside bombers during raids conducted throughout the Baghdad area yesterday, military officials reported.

The caches contained hundreds of rounds small-arms ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, boosters, artillery rounds, hand grenades, an anti-aircraft machine gun with ammunition, improvised explosive devices, explosives, timers, AK-47 assault rifles, rockets, fuses, blasting caps, and land mines. The two suspects were caught in the act of emplacing roadside bombs.
In other operations yesterday:
— Iraqi and U.S. soldiers confiscated several AK-47s during operations in Baghdad’s Rashid district.
— Sons of Iraq members found an improvised explosive device during a search in the Ghazaliyah neighborhood of northwest Baghdad.
— Iraqi soldiers discovered several rockets during a combat patrol in the Adl neighborhood in northwestern Baghdad’s Mansour district.
In Jan. 23 operations:
— Iraqi and coalition forces killed a suspected al-Qaida insurgent and captured another during operations in Hawijah, west of Kirkuk.
— Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers found several weapons caches and unexploded ordnance during operations in Baghdad’s Rashid district. The caches contained pistols, homemade bombs, AK-47s, rocket-propelled grenades, artillery and mortar rounds, rockets, anti-tank mines, and propane tanks.
— Sons of Iraq members thwarted a group of suspected al-Qaida operatives from murdering their leader while he played soccer in the Mahmudiyah community. Two of the three attackers were wounded by the Sons of Iraq leader, who pulled out and fired his pistol in self-defense. One of the Sons of Iraq members was wounded in the incident. Some of the attackers fled the scene, and the Sons of Iraq leader emerged unharmed. The incident is under investigation, officials said.
— Iraqi police and U.S. servicemembers teamed up to disarm bombs and seize weapons during operations in Baghdad’s Rashid district.
— U.S. servicemembers and Iraqi police coordinated to disarm a bomb found in Baghdad’s Arab Jabour community.
— Iraqi police and U.S. troops confiscated eight AK-47s and a pistol in the Shurta community.
— Iraqi police and U.S. troops confiscated another AK-47, a bag of machine-gun rounds and an old bayonet during a search in the Saha community.
— Iraqi and U.S. soldiers teamed up to find several weapons caches of munitions, rocket launchers, hand grenades, and other ordnance in the Baghdad area. 

In other news, Iraqi police discovered a weapons cache on a rooftop of a building in the New Baghdad district Jan. 22. The cache contained mortar rounds with fuses, some heat-seeking rockets, pistol parts, mortar tubes, and rocket and grenade launchers.
Also, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics squad seized a weapons cache during a Jan. 21 operation conducted north of Tikrit. The cache contained mortar and artillery rounds, fuses, and some mortar tubes. 

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

Related Sites:

Bill Bates

Mount Ephraim borough officials started off the first meeting of the New Year by applauding all of the work by the many organizations and borough departments over the holiday season. \”A tremendous job was done by all to make this holidays season a bright and cheerful one despite the sluggish economy\” stated Commissioner Bruce Greenwald. Similar comments were echoed by Commissioner Andy Gilmore and Mayor Joe Wolk.

Some of the highlights were the Touch New Jersey Incorporated (food pantry) collecting non perishable items for holiday meals, the Celebration Committee collecting new unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots, Troops Support 08059 sending over 300 gift bags to soldiers serving over seas, the Mount Ephraim Fire Department for hosting the annual Christmas parade, assisting the food pantry and for providing their hall to the Camden County Center Family Services to sort and distribute gifts, Celebrations Committee & the MEFD Ladies Auxiliary for hosting the lunch with Santa at MEPRI to the holiday concerts that were put on by the Public School System.

American Forces Press Service

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 25, 2009 – Coalition forces in Afghanistan killed 15 Taliban militants and detained one suspect during an operation in Laghman province Jan. 23, military officials reported.

The operation targeted a wanted Taliban commander and took place in the province’s Mehtar Lam district, northeast of Kabul. As coalition forces approached the militant leader’s compound, several armed insurgents emerged, and a firefight ensued. Nine militants were killed by coalition troops’ fire during the gun battle and four other Taliban fighters were dispatched by coalition air-to-ground support. 

Shortly afterward, the coalition force again was engaged by armed militants firing from inside some buildings. Coalition forces killed two more militants in the firefight. A search of the area yielded AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, RPG rounds, a hand grenade, ammunition and other military equipment. 

(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)