In Your Own Words: How Dare You People

OUTRAGED BY HIGH GRASS CHARGE

This is a retraction to a woman\’s call to Mr. Bob Bevan about \"17248\" the condition of Cedar Grove Cemetery. Of all the years I spent there, and to get this as thanks.

How dare some of you people go over my head and complain to Gloucester City that the grass is too high!

I have had this cemetery since December 17, 1994. No one came forth to help me then, and I don\’t want it now.

This year is no different than any other. We have never started cutting the grass prior to Easter week. I always wait until the flowers die off before we start cutting.

I go to the local florist shop and purchase all the bulbs from the flowers that did not sell. Then, we plant them at the headstones that do not have flowers or heirs. I do this out of my own pocket. You dare say I don\’t care!

Yes, I am outraged to hear this. The grass is far from being high. Just you wait until we all go broke – then you will see high grass. The cemetery trust fund, which is managed by PNC Bank Associates, has lost more than $42,000 in the stock market.

I have not said any thing about this until now, but that did not stop me from keeping the cemetery clean from the old Christmas decorations.

I have managed to keep one man (part time) in my employ over the past years. I cannot begin to say what I would have done, had I not had Tom Havers, a big thank you to Tom.

I used to get some very sizable donations from various people every year, but that too has come to pass.

I will do the best I can do with what I have to do with.

Go cut your own grass and leave this to me.

My thanks go out to my many supportive friends.

Emery Bittmann, Gloucester City

Cedar Grove Cemetery

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In Your Own Words: Treatment of Paul Kain by City Officials Disappointing

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Officials Identify Soldier Charged in Camp Victory Slayings

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2009 – Military officials in Baghdad today identified a soldier who has been charged with shooting and killing five of his comrades yesterday at a combat stress center at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Army Sgt. John M. Russell, 44, of Sherman, Texas, is being held in military police custody at Victory Base Complex in Baghdad, and has been charged with five specifications of murder and one of aggravated assault, Army Maj. Hunter Holliday, a military spokesman in Baghdad, said.

Russell is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 54th Engineer Battalion, based in Bamberg, Germany.

Holliday said the Army\’s Criminal Investigation Command is investigating the incident, and that a separate investigation is looking at the overall behavioral health services being offered in Iraq.

Related Articles:
Obama Pledges to \’Fully Understand\’ Camp Liberty Shooting
Gates Expresses Horror, Regret Over Base Slayings
U.S. Soldier in Custody Following Slaying of 5 Americans in Iraq
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A Nice Crowd Attends Opening Day of City Farmers Market

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The Buck Report: If one was good, two is better

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St. Mary School Graduates in the News

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Taliban Forced Civilians to Remain in Targeted Buildings

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2009 – Taliban operatives shaking down villages for money appear to have forced civilians to remain in buildings that were bombed in the course of a long May 4 firefight, the commander of U.S. Central Command said today.

Gen. David H. Petraeus said on \”Fox News Sunday\” that a joint U.S.-Afghan investigation team looking into the incident addressed the events leading up to the aerial attack targeting Taliban fighters in which an undetermined number of Afghan civilians were killed.

\”The Taliban moved into these villages seeking to extort money from them,\” Petraeus said. The Taliban killed and be-headed three villagers and then attacked the Afghan police. This, the general said, led to the police asking the provincial governor for help from the Afghan National Army and coalition forces.

\”It was in that response that this very significant firefight broke out that ultimately resulted in the dropping of bombs that clearly killed Taliban and some civilians,\” he said. \”It appears the Taliban forced the civilians to stay in the houses from which they were engaging our forces.\”

Preliminary findings by the joint investigation team cite evidence that Taliban fighters may have caused civilian casualties in the villages. According to a statement issued jointly by the Afghan government and U.S. Forces Afghanistan yesterday, investigators interviewed the surgeon and staff of the Farah Hospital and the three doctors on duty the day after the incident. They treated 16 patients — five police and 11 civilians — for flash burns and small lacerations. Afghan doctors said the injuries could have resulted from hand grenades or exploding propane tanks.

\”The local doctors also confirmed that the Taliban were fighting from the roof tops while forcing the locals to remain in their compounds,\” the statement said. \”Locals receiving medical treatment repeated this information to the doctors several times. The doctors also received a call, while the investigators where present, indicating that the Taliban extremists had executed another civilian in the same village.\”

Petraeus said Centcom will conduct a thorough investigation of the May 4 incident, looking for lessons in how to prevent similar events in the future and ensuring the tactical battle doesn\’t impede the strategy.

The Afghan-U.S. statement issued yesterday contained a harsh rebuke of the Taliban\’s tactics.

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Stolen Laptops; New Supervisors; $11 Million Budgeted for City Employees Salaries,Wages, Benefits; $2 Million Lawsuit; Anti-Graffiti Ordinance

TIPS and SNIPPETS

By Bill Cleary

SNIPPET -In January two laptop computers and a computer monitor went missing from the Gloucester City Water Department office on Johnson Blvd… Recently I asked Police Lt. George Berglund if anyone was charged with the crime. His answer was no, \”the trail went cold\”. I also asked if there were any important files on those computers since a Water Plant would come under United States Home Land Security. His answer to that question was also no.

TIP-Gloucester City Mayor and Council appointed Steve Ciachetti to the vacant position of Supervisor for the Gloucester City Highway Department. Prior to his promotion \”Spags\” was a heavy equipment operator in the City Water Works Department. Ciachetti replaces John Gorman who retired some time ago.

Incidentally the other supervisor position, formerly held by retiree Don Souder is now being held by Alex Tedesco. He was elevated to that provisional title last year. The head of the department is Superintendent John \”Bowie\” Johnson.

How many employees in the public works department do the two supervisors and department head oversee; eleven.

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Gloucester City News Headlines for May 14th

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A Brief History of St. Mary Grammar School

By Dawn Burkhardt

Saint Mary School was established in 1858 by the pastor of Saint Mary Church, Rev. James Daly, in the parish rectory where a group of 26 pupils gathered around long tables and sat on wooden benches to receive their Catholic education.

Later that year, Father Daly constructed a two-story brick building on Cumberland Street, west of the present edifice, containing a large lower room and an upper room.

On August 26, 1873, four sisters of Saint Dominic under the charge of Sister M. Josepha, Superioress, from Newburgh, New York, opened a convent in Gloucester and started teaching in the school.

In 1893, the current edifice was constructed by the Dominican Sister of Hope.

Saint Mary School continues today as a Catholic elementary school where all are welcomed as family.

\”It is our endeavor to create an atmosphere where students from pre-school through eighth grade, strive to know God through prayer, scripture, and celebration; and they are encouraged to manifest their love of God by service to others.

\”The mission of Saint Mary School is to teach as Jesus did and to live the Good News of Jesus Christ.

\”We are called to build a Christian community, and to share Gospel values. While we are dedicated to academic excellence, we also believe that education embraces all life experiences and includes all aspects of development.

\”This results in an integrated person who strives for peace and justice, while living the Good News and assuming responsible citizenship of our country and the world.\”

CATEGORY: ST. MARYGRAMMAR/PARISH

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