By Joseph Myers

 Posted Feb. 10, 2011

Photo by Greg Shutters

Instead of continuing to inspire inquiries on its presence, the SS United States soon may sate locals’ desires for a more enviable Delaware River waterfront.

Members of the SS United States Conservancy, the lifeline group for the 59-year-old vessel, announced their acquisition of the ship Feb. 1. The revelation occurred at IKEA, 2206 S. Columbus Blvd., and included two opportunities to board the historic 990-foot craft at its Pier 82 location.

The conservancy’s Board President Susan Gibbs and her allies will now seek the best possible new identity for the creation of her naval architect and marine engineer grandfather, the late William Francis Gibbs. Purchasing the ship from Norwegian Cruise Line/Genting Hong Kong, who had owned it since 2003, the conservancy amplifies its efforts to develop \”dynamic amenities\” to preserve the ship’s \”heart and soul,\” Gibbs said.

The $3-million acquisition caps a frantic two-year sale period and initiates a 20-month stretch during which the conservancy will court contributions through a $1 million fundraising campaign.

via www.southphillyreview.com

THANK YOU

I would like to thank my family and friends for their love and support, my wonderful neighbors for their comfort and support, the Gloucester City Police and Firefighters for their professionalism, courtesy and quick response. Without it, I might not be writing this and thank God that I had working smoke detectors during my recent house fire. There are not enough words to express my thanks for all you have done!

May God bless all of you and your families.

Sandy Saler, Gloucester City

THANK YOU

Thank you to the police officers and highway department men of Gloucester City for helping me with my truck during the snow storm on Wednesday, January 26, at 1 a.m. on Burlington and Somerset streets.

Tom Hayney

VFW Post 3620, Gloucester City

• By Jennifer Yachnin

File Photo

Rep. Howard Coble, who offered legislation to scale back Congressional pensions in the 1990s, said trying again now would be \”an exercise in futility.\”

Taxpayers are likely to foot the bill for at least $26 million in pensions for former Members of Congress this year, even as Congress embraces austerity by curbing its annual pay raises and voting to slash office budgets.

That estimate, drawn from data published by the Congressional Research Service, is based on payments to 455 former Members as of October 2009 and doesn’t include potential payouts to dozens of newly retired lawmakers who are eligible to draw their pensions.

While Members have taken aim at Congress’ internal spending habits in recent months — lawmakers voted against an automatic pay raise in the current fiscal year and the House voted last month to cut its office budgets by 5 percent — the Congressional pension program is rarely mentioned on Capitol Hill.

\”Along with the franking privilege, pensions represent a valuable perk to both political parties that lawmakers don’t want to touch,\” National Taxpayers Union spokesman Pete Sepp said.

Aside from passing a measure in 2007 to strip Members convicted of certain felonies while in office of their Congressional pensions, neither the House nor Senate has pursued major changes to their retirement program since the mid-1990s.

Rep. Howard Coble, among the leaders of a 1995 effort to overhaul the pension program, acknowledged that he eventually abandoned his legislative effort, although he continues to oppose the retirement plan.

via www.rollcall.com