Looking towards Brooklawn from South Broadway, Gloucester City. A pedestrian, with water over his knees, is standing on the left side of the photo.
CLEARY’S NOTEBOOK File PHOTO
**JEER**– The striking photograph above from CNBNews files highlights the alarming state of South Broadway as it approaches Brooklawn from Gloucester City, where heavy rain has turned the road into a flooded hazard. Are we unreasonable to request additional funding from the County Commissioners to repave South Broadway in Gloucester City and New Broadway in Brooklawn? Despite promises made in 2012 by the Freeholder Board (now the Commissioners) to repair this vital road, residents are still faced with a treacherous landscape of potholes and flooding. The $5 million spent on a bridge in 2012 has done little to resolve the ongoing water issues that render the highway nearly impassable during storms. As the November 3 election approaches, it remains to be seen if these broken promises will resonate with voters in Gloucester City and Brooklawn.
**CHEER**-The Brooklawn, NJ Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Brooklawn Waterfront. The event, from noon to 5PM, is free and will feature live music, food trucks, local vendors, and kids’ activities.The festival will offer an afternoon of fall fun for the entire family, with entertainment, food, crafts, and giveaways. You can also find details on the Camden County website and the Borough of Brooklawn’s Facebook page.
Looking towards Brooklawn from South Broadway, Gloucester City. A pedestrian, with water over his knees, is standing on the left side of the photo.
CLEARY’S NOTEBOOK File PHOTO
**JEER**– The striking photograph above from CNBNews files highlights the alarming state of South Broadway as it approaches Brooklawn from Gloucester City, where heavy rain has turned the road into a flooded hazard. Are we unreasonable to request additional funding from the County Commissioners to repave South Broadway in Gloucester City and New Broadway in Brooklawn? Despite promises made in 2012 by the Freeholder Board (now the Commissioners) to repair this vital road, residents are still faced with a treacherous landscape of potholes and flooding. The $5 million spent on a bridge in 2012 has done little to resolve the ongoing water issues that render the highway nearly impassable during storms. As the November 3 election approaches, it remains to be seen if these broken promises will resonate with voters in Gloucester City and Brooklawn.
**CHEER**-The Brooklawn, NJ Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Brooklawn Waterfront. The event, from noon to 5PM, is free and will feature live music, food trucks, local vendors, and kids’ activities.The festival will offer an afternoon of fall fun for the entire family, with entertainment, food, crafts, and giveaways. You can also find details on the Camden County website and the Borough of Brooklawn’s Facebook page.
**CHEER** – With the arrival of each new season, the anticipation builds as we eagerly check the enchanting displays in the store windows of ESTI Jewelers. The creativity of the decorator never ceases to amaze us, whether it’s the festive decorations for the Christmas holidays, twinkling with lights and cheer, or the vibrant red, white, and blue themes for the Fourth of July celebration. Each window adds a splash of joy to our day. Owners Esti and his wife greet every customer with warm smiles and a genuine eagerness to help, making every visit feel personal. You can find them brightening the corner of South Broadway and Kohler Street in Gloucester City, or you can give them a call at 856-456-4113.
**CHEER** – This season, the Gloucester City Youth Soccer League has taken a significant step by dedicating its activities to Mental Health Awareness. In today’s society, an increasing number of individuals are navigating the challenges posed by mental illnesses, whether they stem from personal struggles or the hardships faced by loved ones. This surge leads us to ponder the escalating prevalence of these issues. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the percentage of adults in the United States suffering from any mental disorder grew from 18.1% in 2009 to a concerning 20.6% in 2019. This troubling trend has been particularly noticeable among young adults, with the rate of mental illness jumping from 29.4% to 34.2% in those aged 18 to 25 during the same timeframe.
An Ohio barista was fired after she wrote a disparaging message on a customer’s cup.
Since Charlie Kirk’s murder, a video of a young woman asking him what he orders at Starbucks has gone viral. Kirk revealed in the video that due to his frequent speaking engagements, he orders “literally just Mint Majesty tea with two honeys” to preserve his speaking voice.
Starbucks called the writing on the cup ‘unacceptable.’
Since then, Americans have honored the late activist by ordering his favorite drink at their local Starbucks. In Middletown, Ohio — the hometown of Vice President JD Vance — a woman said her local Starbucks proved to her exactly why she does not frequent the business.
“The girl at Starbucks thought she was cute,” wrote Autumn Perkins. The customer added that even though she is not a big fan of the company, she decided to support Kirk by ordering his favorite drink.
Attached to Perkins’ Facebook post was a photo of her coffee cup that showed the words “racists fav drink” written on it.
“Thank you Starbucks for proving to me exactly why I prefer to support my small local Christian owned and operated coffee shop,” Perkins added.
However, after revealing she had complained to the store manager, Perkins said she heard back from the location the following morning.
The Kroger in which the Starbucks is located contacted Perkins to let her know the employee had been fired, she claimed.
“Between last night and this morning I have had several Kroger employees reach out to me and they took this very seriously. As a long time customer of this particular Kroger location I am pleased with the way they quickly reacted and responded,” the customer wrote. “Thank you Kroger for doing what was right.”
A Kroger spokesperson provided comment to the Cincinnati Enquirer and stated the actions of the former employee do not reflect the grocer’s values.
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Starbucks called the writing on the cup “unacceptable.”
“We have clear policies that prohibit negative messages to help preserve a welcoming environment,” Starbucks added. The company also confirmed the employee in question had been fired by Kroger.
Typically, Starbucks baristas write the customer’s name on the drink, and while it is unclear if Perkins requested her own name or Kirk’s, the latter gesture has also become popular enough that Starbucks released a statement about it.
Videos have circulated showing Starbucks customers not only ordering Kirk’s favorite drink, but asking for his name to be written on their cup.
Starbucks said it had reviewed some incidents of customers claiming rude messages had been written on their cups instead, but in at least one instance, the message was written after the customer received the drink.
Nonetheless, Starbucks has plainly stated that “when a customer wants to use a different name — including the name Charlie Kirk — when ordering their drink in our café, we aim to respect their preference.”
Philadelphia, PA – The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy chilling cocktail experience is coming back to Philadelphia for a sequel for one exclusive weekend only. Following a sold-out, wait list only, extended run during its debut in 2023, this immersive pop-up dark speakeasy is back to celebrate the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Look for four new stories retold and reimagined by the event’s Poe historians. The event’s macabre lead mixologist will transform each of those stories into a four-part new cocktail experience that is paired with live entertainment. The speakeasy will take over The Fallser Club in East Falls, at 3721 Midvale Avenue, from October 9 to 11, 2025, with 12 dates and times to pick from. Tickets include the four cocktails, venue admission, interactive show and the immersive vibes. Tickets and more information are available now at edgarallanpoebar.com. This is a 21-and-up adult experience. “Over a century and a… Read more →
Philadelphia, PA – The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy chilling cocktail experience is coming back to Philadelphia for a sequel for one exclusive weekend only. Following a sold-out, wait list only, extended run during its debut in 2023, this immersive pop-up dark speakeasy is back to celebrate the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Look for four new stories retold and reimagined by the event’s Poe historians. The event’s macabre lead mixologist will transform each of those stories into a four-part new cocktail experience that is paired with live entertainment. The speakeasy will take over The Fallser Club in East Falls, at 3721 Midvale Avenue, from October 9 to 11, 2025, with 12 dates and times to pick from. Tickets include the four cocktails, venue admission, interactive show and the immersive vibes. Tickets and more information are available now at edgarallanpoebar.com. This is a 21-and-up adult experience.
“Over a century and a half after Edgar Allan Poe’s death, this cocktail experience brings the most beloved works of Poe to life off the page and onto the stage,” said Show Creator/ Creative Director Julia Tirinnanzi. “Come out for an immersive evening that pairs four tales with a dash and history and heavy libations. We love Poe’s works and wanted to celebrate it. This is our favorite national traveling show and we can’t wait to bring this new chapter to Philadelphia, where Poe found so much inspiration for some of his most famous stories. It was important for us to bring Poe to a city where Poe had such a strong connection.”
For the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy’s return with Chapter 2, the immersive cocktail and story-telling experience returns to a city with great ties to Poe himself. Poe lived in Philadelphia between 1838 and 1844, spending the last year to 18 months at a house on North 7th Street. He crafted some of his most well known and important works while living here. Some have called Philly the crucible for Poe’s imagination, as those were some of the most productive years for his writing career. While living in Philadelphia, Edgar Allan Poe wrote:
“Murders in the Rue Morgue” “The Pit and the Pendulum” “The Tell-Tale Heart” “The Black Cat” “The Gold-Bug” “The Fall of the House of Usher” “The Masque of the Red Death” “The Purloined Letter” “The Cask of Amontillado” “A Descent into the Maelstrom” “William Wilson” “The Man of the Crowd” “The Oval Portrait” Continue reading “The Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy Returns to Haunt Philly this October”→
It takes 458 days on average for unions to get their first contract. That’s not by accident.Last week, I introduced the Faster Labor Contracts Act with Representative Pete Stauber of Minnesota and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien. This bipartisan bill will speed up the process of securing a collective bargaining agreement between a newly unionized group of workers and their employer. It requires negotiations to start 10 days after workers vote to unionize.I know how important the right to organize is because I have lived it. As someone who has sat across the bargaining table, I have seen how collective bargaining improves wages, hours, and working conditions. The Faster Labor Contracts Act will make sure employers come to the table quickly and in good faith instead of dragging out contract negotiations.
AmeriHealth teamed up with Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system, to host a vibrant and impactful Senior Health Expo last week at the Virtua Health and Wellness Center in Camden, N.J. The event brought together seniors from Camden and nearby communities for a morning of free health screenings, wellness resources, and expert guidance – all aimed at improving access to preventive care and addressing health disparities.Attendees received complimentary services including:
Blood pressure checks
Diabetic retinal eye screenings
Diabetic blood and urine testing
Advanced care planning education
Mammogram scheduling
Fall prevention and sit-to-stand testing
On-site support from Virtua representatives to help navigate available health and home care services
Social services and Camden municipality resources
Dr. Donna Raziano, network medical director at AmeriHealth, emphasized the importance of early detection and preventive care. “This expo is a vital opportunity to prevent problems and address health issues early,” she said. “We’re committed to helping seniors overcome barriers and gain access to quality health care.”Dr. Mary Campagnolo, medical director for value-based programs and payer contracts for the Virtua Medical Group physician network, echoed the sentiment.“It can be difficult for seniors to access the care they need to maintain their health as they age,” said Dr. Campagnolo. “This expo offered a friendly, convenient place to connect with Virtua Medical Group clinicians and staff, as well as other Virtua services. Our providers addressed gaps in each person’s care and guided them in their next steps toward their highest level of health. We are grateful for the collaboration with AmeriHealth on this event tailored to our Virtua Medical Group patients.”AmeriHealth representatives from Medicare, Health Coaches, Population Health, and Member Services were on hand to connect with attendees and offer personalized support. Nurses and community health workers from Virtua also played a key role in guiding participants through available services.About Virtua HealthVirtua’s not-for-profit, academic health system is committed to helping the people of South Jersey and beyond be well, get well, and stay well. With five hospitals, satellite emergency departments, ambulatory surgery centers, and over 400 locations, Virtua delivers health services directly into the region through Hospital at Home, rehabilitation, home care, and paramedic programs. Virtua is academically affiliated with Rowan University and partners with Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Virtua Medical Group is a network of physicians exclusively affiliated with Virtua Health, who are located throughout the region and practice a wide range of specialties. Learn more at virtua.org.About AmeriHealthFor 30 years AmeriHealth HMO, Inc and AmeriHealth Insurance Company (collectively AmeriHealth) has been dedicated to enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. AmeriHealth gives our members peace of mind knowing we have people who care, solutions that work and next-generation technology to handle all health care needs. We offer one of the largest networks, robust health and wellness programs, and a wide range of affordable health plans to meet the unique needs of individuals, businesses, municipalities and organizations across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and select regions nationwide. We also offer administrative services to self-funded groups. Named one of the Best Places to Work for the past 12 years, AmeriHealth is headquartered in Cranbury, NJ. For more information visit amerihealth.com.
More homeowners are choosing sustainability as a guiding principle when decorating their homes. Eco-friendly design isn’t just about looks—it’s about reducing waste, choosing responsibly sourced materials, and investing in furniture that lasts. The pieces you bring into your home have a direct impact on your lifestyle and on the environment.
While online shopping offers convenience, it often leaves out key details about sourcing, materials, and durability. Many products are mass-produced with little transparency, and it can be difficult to confirm whether they meet sustainability standards. This makes it harder for eco-conscious homeowners to shop with confidence.
What’s New Furniture highlights that visiting a furniture store gives you the opportunity to make informed, sustainable decisions. By exploring materials firsthand, asking questions, and considering longevity, you can create a stylish home that also supports environmental responsibility.
Transparency in Materials
Sustainability begins with the right materials. Furniture made from reclaimed wood, bamboo, or recycled metals reduces environmental impact. In a showroom, you can see and feel these materials for yourself, checking for quality and durability.
Sales staff can provide details about sourcing, finishes, and certifications. This transparency is often missing from online listings, where descriptions are vague or incomplete. A store visit ensures you know exactly what you’re bringing into your home.
Longevity Over Trends
Eco-friendly design emphasizes durability. The longer your furniture lasts, the less waste you generate. Online shopping often encourages impulse buys that may not stand the test of time. By contrast, a showroom allows you to evaluate craftsmanship and construction.
Well-built items might cost more upfront but provide better value over the years. Prioritizing quality over trends ensures your home reflects both style and sustainability.
Testing Comfort and Function
Sustainable choices don’t matter if the furniture isn’t usable. A chair may look great in photos but feel uncomfortable, leading to early replacement. Testing items in person confirms that they meet both style and comfort needs.
Functionality also matters—storage pieces, modular designs, and versatile furniture reduce the need for multiple purchases. A furniture store provides the clarity needed to make smarter, longer-lasting choices.
Reducing the Risk of Returns
Every return creates waste, from packaging materials to transportation emissions. Online furniture shopping increases the likelihood of returns due to color mismatches, incorrect sizes, or unexpected discomfort.
Showroom visits eliminate much of this risk. By confirming dimensions, colors, and finishes in person, you make decisions that are less likely to require corrections later.
Supporting Local Communities
Shopping locally also supports sustainability. Local furniture stores often partner with regional suppliers, reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance shipping. Supporting these businesses helps strengthen your community while promoting greener practices.
What’s New Furniture emphasizes that choosing local benefits both homeowners and the environment, creating a cycle of support that extends beyond a single purchase.
Exploring Eco-Friendly Alternatives
Showrooms introduce homeowners to sustainable alternatives they might not encounter online. Options like low-VOC finishes, organic fabrics, and renewable materials are easier to discover when displayed in curated setups.
Seeing these alternatives in context helps you imagine how eco-friendly pieces will work in your home without sacrificing style.
The Role of Expert Guidance
Store consultants are valuable resources for eco-conscious shoppers. They can explain differences between materials, highlight sustainable collections, and recommend long-lasting options. This professional insight ensures that your purchases align with both your aesthetic and your values.
These conversations also provide clarity about care and maintenance, helping you extend the lifespan of your furniture.
Designing for Efficiency
Eco-friendly design also focuses on efficiency—using furniture that maximizes space and reduces the need for excess items. In a showroom, you can see examples of multipurpose furniture, such as beds with built-in storage or expandable dining tables.
By incorporating efficiency into your design, you minimize consumption while maximizing utility.
Building Habits of Mindful Shopping
A showroom visit encourages thoughtful decisions. Instead of impulse buying, you take time to consider how pieces fit into your home and lifestyle. This mindfulness reduces waste and ensures that every purchase serves a clear purpose.
Over time, these habits lead to a more intentional, eco-conscious home.
Final Thoughts
Sustainable home design is about more than following a trend—it’s about making choices that balance style, function, and environmental responsibility. Online shopping may offer convenience, but it rarely provides the clarity and confidence needed for eco-friendly living.
Visiting a furniture store ensures transparency, durability, and long-term satisfaction. What’s New Furniture encourages homeowners to view sustainability as an opportunity to design homes that are both beautiful and responsible. By choosing carefully and shopping mindfully, you create spaces that reflect your values and support a greener future.
Joan (Clark) Malony born on March 6, 1939 has set a new standard for angels in heaven on September 19, 2025. She was 86 years old.
Beloved wife of 64 years to the late Marty. Dear mother of Marty (Debbie), William (Marie) and Jim. Loving grandmother of 16 grandchildren and great grandmother of 28 great grandchildren. She is also lovingly survived by her sisters, Betty Ravendo and Nancy Bennett (Jack); brother and sister-in-law, Nelson and Alison Malony and numerous nieces and nephews.
As impossible as everyone always says it is, somehow Joan was able to pull off perfection. Making her soups, meals and desserts from scratch. Creating a fruit turkey centerpiece, knitting everyone in the family their own stocking and making Halloween costumes. She had a way of putting her touch on every holiday to make it special for people she loved all the while finding time to beat you in a word game while humming along to the music and sipping her glass of homemade iced tea.
She loved being around people, hosting family and friends at home or inviting them to stay at their shore house. She was loved and admired by so many people. She loved with all her heart and had a knack of making whomever she was with feel special. She now gets to be in heaven with her husband, Marty, and who they love the most, God.
Funeral and interment will be private at the convenience of the family. Contributions may be made in her memory to your favorite charity.
Arrangements by the FOSTER-WARNE FUNERAL HOME, Collingswood and Audubon, NJ.
In response to U.S. Senator Cory Booker’s appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, where he stated, “I am not giving away my vote for a budget that’s going to hurt New Jerseyans or anybody in our nation,” anti-establishment progressive Democrat Lisa McCormick issued a direct challenge to New Jersey’s senior senator, demanding he lead the effort to fire Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for his capitulation to the Trump-Musk agenda.
After spineless Senate Democrats betrayed our trust, McCormick said Chuck Schumer must be fired as Senate Minority Leader.
“Schumer’s leadership has failed America, and those who refuse to remove him must be recognized as collaborators in Trump’s grand design to dismantle democracy,” said McCormick. “The time for empty rhetoric is over. The time for action is now. Chuck Schumer must go. And if Senate Democrats refuse to remove him, then they too must be removed.”
McCormick had previously launched a scathing attack on “Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and a handful of spineless Senate Democrats” for their apparent surrender to Republican demands, clearing the way for a House GOP-drafted continuing resolution (CR) that funds the federal government through September 30.
“Senator Booker’s righteous indignation on television would be more believable if he weren’t a key part of the Democratic leadership structure that enabled this disaster,” said McCormick. “Booker’s grandstanding should be called out for what it is. He wants to give an appearance that does not converge with the truth.”
“He saved Chuck Schumer by quelling a grassroots uprising with a feckless filibuster that did nothing but distract angry Democrats from the fact that their leaders threw them under the bus—a performance that netted Booker a cool $10 million in campaign donations from the same corporate donors who benefit from this surrender,” said McCormick.
McCormick pointed to the passage of a House GOP-drafted continuing resolution in March, which Senate Democrats under Schumer’s leadership allowed to clear, as the ultimate betrayal.
The bill funded the federal government through September 30 but legitimized the ongoing destruction of democratic norms and institutions by Donald Trump and his allies.
“While Booker now complains about a president ‘without the morals’ to work across the aisle, his record tells a different story,” said McCormick. “This is the same Cory Booker who openly declared that he ‘loves Donald Trump,’ defended the president’s children, and voted to confirm Charles Kushner—a convicted felon—as ambassador to France. His contrived outrage is a performance designed for the cameras, not a principle to be acted upon.”
McCormick argued that Schumer did not act alone but was propped up by cowardly enablers within the party, including Booker.
“Any Democratic official who is not aggressively working to remove Chuck Schumer as Senate Minority Leader must be considered equally responsible for allowing Donald Trump to get away with his crimes,” said McCormick. “Silence is complicity. The senators who voted against the bill are staying quiet, hoping this will all go away. It won’t. Those who elected Schumer must fire him, or admit they share his guilt.”
“The budget is indeed a moral document,” McCormick concluded. “And the moral failure of the Democratic leadership, including Senator Cory Booker and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, is written in every line of this disastrous GOP bill they allowed to pass. It’s time for Booker to put his vote where his mouth is. Fire Schumer, or stop pretending you’re fighting for us.”
About Lisa McCormick:Lisa McCormick is a progressive Democrat who challenged incumbent Senator Bob Menendez in New Jersey’s 2018 Democratic primary, earning 38% of the vote with a genuine grassroots campaign. She advocates for a Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and bold, urgent action to combat climate change and hold corporate polluters accountable, along with a $50 million cap on personal wealth based on Huey Long’s 1934 plan.
