Netherwood Hts. fire.. Detroit scandal-Plainfield link?.. Crescent Presbyterian gets grant.. Gibson update..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

• "Why Caroline Kennedy Endorsed Obama" -- The REAL backstory.
  
• "Detroit mayoral scandal has Plainfield echoes"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "Learn How to Get Out the Vote"
Crescent Times: "School Policies Meeting"

Plainfield Trees: "The Beeches" -- NEW ENTRY on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch's NEW post (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Council President Gibson: "Plainfield official is home after surgery"
Crescent Avenue Church: "Historic sites in line for $1M in state grants"
Fire: "Netherwood Heights fire displaces three" -- Courier | Ledger -- Mary Lou and family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Toll Hike Town Hall: "Corzine speaks to 700 at Cranford meeting" | "Unions Sign On"
Cops and Web Anonymity: "ACLU supports Newark officer in suit"
Blue Cross ID Theft: "Legislators asking how Blue Cross lost laptop"
Jayson Williams Case: "Hearing date set in ex-Net's case"

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Saturday - February 2. 2 PM. Okra Dance Company: American Dance from Africa to Broadway. See the development of American dance from its African roots and European influences to soft shoe, tap, minstrel and social dancing -- concluding with today's Broadway and club dances. A Black History Month performance sponsored by the Plainfield Public Library. At the Library's Anne Louise Davis Community Room. See the Library's complete Black History Month programs on its website http://www.plainfieldlibrary.info/. Info: (908) 757-1111 x129. FREE.
  
  
• Monday - February 4. 7:30 PM. City Council Agenda Session. City Hall Library. 515 Watchung Avenue.
  
  
• Tuesday - February 5. 6 AM - 8 PM. Presidential Primary Election.
  
  
• Wednesday - February 6. 7 PM. Zoning Board of Adjustment. City Hall Library. Public invited.
  
  
• Wednesday - February 6. 8 PM. City Council Business Meeting. City Council Chambers/Courthouse. Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street.
  
  
• Thursday - February 7. 8 PM. Planning Board. City Hall Library. Public invited.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

---

7th Congressional District: "Kean Jr. backs Lance for Congress" -- Ledger | Courier -- To face Linda Stender.
Bikeway Grants: "Somerville gets $720K grant for bikeway"
Cory Booker: "The color of politics" -- Online teaser to a long New Yorker profile, 2/4/08 edition.
Diocese of Metuchen Parochial Schools: "Report offers plan for schools" -- Ledger | Courier |
Union Twp.: "Court to hear complaint over rejection of charter change petitions"


STATE

---

Presidential Primary --

• Dems:
• GOP: "Giuliani support in NJ could shift to McCain"
• Pols Realign: "New Jersey politicians quick to switch horses"

Chamber Train Ride: "NJ-DC train will be filled with state politicians, lobbyists" -- Will Plainfield pols ride the rails?
Chris Christie & Ashcroft: "Ashcroft and Christie are focus of hearing on monitoring deals"
Montclair State: "Funding is released to publish Montclair campus newspaper"
NJ State Museum: "Global warming exhibit in Trenton gets $500K PSEG grant"

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Primaries --

• Dems: "Moynihan Backed Clinton; His Widow Backs Obama"
• GOP: "Republicans' Four-Man Debate Dominated by McCain, Romney"
• John Farmer: "Tuesday not decisive, but builds inevitability"
  
• Overview - SL: "Presidential fields shrink for Super Tuesday"
  

Bond Insurers: "A Warning on Insurers Frays Nerves" -- MBIA, Ambac may face $14B further losses.
CIA Tapes: "Mukasey Hints at Wider CIA Probe"
The Markets: "Wall Street Blocked By Buyout Debt" -- Is Bernanke clueless? Or powerless?


OF INTEREST

---

Good Lawyer Gone Bad: "Ethics counsel calls for disbarment of Holocaust lawyer"
Military: "Soldier Suicides at Record Level"
'Junior Nobels': "Bayonne student is vying for 'junior Nobel' in Intel contest"

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |

'Push polls' early?.. CN letters: Santiago, Obama.. CeaseFire program.. The power of Bernice..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

• "Plainfield push poll season getting a headstart?"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "BOE Will Appeal" | "Progress in Plaza Cleanup"
Crescent Times: "Kudos to Bernice!" | "The Hidden Power"

Plainfield Trees: "The Beeches" -- NEW ENTRY on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch's NEW post (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Operation CeaseFire: "City unites with lights against gang violence"
Letters - Courier --

Police Chief:

• Robert Quinlan: "Efforts to force out chief of police are misguided" -- Quinlan is head of the UC Police Chiefs Ass'n.
• Roman Martyniuk: "No basis for eliminating chief of police position" -- Martyniuk is with the NJ Ass'n of Chiefs of Police.

Obama:

• Rashid Burney: "Non-Democrats can vote for Obama"
• Margaret Lewis: "Obama's opportunities won in past struggles"

Real Estate: "Foreclosure upswing spares Central Jersey" -- Sort of, and for now; ...read closely.
Horizon Blue Cross ID theft: "Swiped Blue Cross laptop puts 300,000 at risk"
Jayson Williams Case: "Appeals court to rule in ex-Net's case" -- Gannett | Ledger |

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Today - January 30. 7 - 9 PM. Town Meeting on the Toll Plan with Gov. Corzine. At Union County College's Roy W. Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. RSVP to (609) 777-2212 or email union.rsvp@gov.state.nj.us or fill out the online form here.
  
  
• Monday - February 4. 7:30 PM. City Council Agenda Session. City Hall Library. 515 Watchung Avenue.
  
  
• Tuesday - February 5. 6 AM - 8 PM. Presidential Primary Election.
  
  
• Wednesday - February 6. 7 PM. Zoning Board of Adjustment. City Hall Library. Public invited.
  
  
• Wednesday - February 6. 8 PM. City Council Business Meeting. City Council Chambers/Courthouse. Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street.
  
  
• Thursday - February 7. 8 PM. Planning Board. City Hall Library. Public invited.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

---

Cullen Case: "4 hospitals try to block suits over conduct of killer nurse"
New Brunswick: "St. Peter's slapped with whistleblower suit over financial problems"
Roselle Park: "Builder vs. borough dispute gets costly"
UC Freeholders: "County considering emergency alert system" -- Big Brother wants to reach you?
Union Twp.: "Court to rule on fight for governmental change"
Westfield: "Trio plead guilty to bilking 89-year-old man" -- Ledger | Gannett |


STATE

---

Presidential Primary --

• Dems:
• Camden Rally: "Bill Clinton aims best jabs at Bush"
• Tom Moran: "Bill without bile: Mr. Clinton behaves himself in Camden"
• Ads: "Democratic front-runners bring the ad war to Jersey"
• NJ Matters: "For a Change, New Jersey’s Primary Is at the Storm’s Center"
  
• GOP: "With Giuliani fumble, Jersey bounces free" -- And the headline is Rudy's payback for the sports metaphor.

'Jersey Clicks' Website: "State tech Web site in danger of closure"
Rutgers --

• Lawsuit: "Rutgers clears grad students of false charges" -- In 10-yr. old case, prof tried to ruin students' careers.
• Stadium: "Rutgers board approves stadium expansion plan" | "Project Q&A"

Toll Plan: "Toll plan gets a boost with Chamber approval"
Xanadu: "10 months from opening, Xanadu only one-third rented"

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Primaries --

• (Breaking) Edwards: "Edwards Is Dropping Out"
• Florida: "McCain Is Florida Victor; Giuliani Set to Exit the Race"
• Giuliani: "For Giuliani, a Dizzying Free-Fall"

OF INTEREST

---

Exhibit: "African beads finally get their time to sparkle" -- At the Newark Museum now.

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |

Hundreds rally in Plainfield for Obama.. St. Joe's school closes.. Chief v. Director.. Primary registration set..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

Barack Obama got Sen.Ted Kennedy's endorsement yesterday.

• "Hundreds rally in Plainfield for Obama"
• "Codey the Comic"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "Voter Registration Set for Feb. 5 Primary" | "Lions and Sphinxes and Rams, Oh My!"
Crescent Times: "Chief vs. Director" | "Fish or Dolphins"

Plainfield Trees: "The Beeches" -- NEW ENTRY on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch's NEW post (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Mobile Police Command Center: "As mobile as the gangs"
St. Joseph's School: "After 77 years, St. Joseph's School will close"
Red Cross: "Red Cross needs fundraiser heroes"
Guns & Crime: "Cops act to tear up gun trade by the roots"

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Today - January 29. 3:30 - 7:30 PM. YMCA Blood Drive. Your blood donation can save lives. At the Plainfield Area YMCA, 518 Watchung Avenue. Call (908) 756-6060 for more information and to sign up.
  
  
• Tomorrow - January 30. 7 - 9 PM. Town Meeting on the Toll Plan with Gov. Corzine. At Union County College's Roy W. Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. RSVP to (609) 777-2212 or email union.rsvp@gov.state.nj.us or fill out the online form here.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

---

UC Jail --

• Ledger: "Prosecutor rejects claim jail guard was paid off"
• NYTimes: "Guards at Jail Face Disciplinary Charges"

Berkeley Heights: "Judge rules ballot question petitions must be corrected"
Cullen Case/Somerset Med Center: "Appeals court weighs suits against killer's employers" -- Muhlenberg saw red flags and passed; Somerset employed him anyway.
Hillside: "Members call Council leadership's conduct into question"
Perth Amboy: "Federal judge grills city over rules for festival permits"
PSEG: "Bid to export electricity to NYC worries N.J. advocates"
Rutgers: "Rutgers set to OK stadium expansion"


STATE

---

Presidential Primary --

• The 'Billary' Effect: "NJ political pundits split on Bill Clinton's effect"
• Funding: "Officials say election budget is low"

DEP: "Chief outlines her goals, without funds to realize them"
Family Leave: "Despite beefs, panel clears family leave"
Finances: "Codey pitches bailout plan: Lease lottery" -- Ledger | Gannett |
Juvenile Justice: "Woman picked to head juvenile justice agency"
Montclair State: "Student Dispute Threatens Montclair State’s Paper"

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Primaries --

• Dems: "Kennedy Support Alters Race; He Attacks ‘Old Politics’" -- WashPost | NYTimes |
• GOP:
• John Farmer: "For GOP hopefuls, today looks like day of reckoning"
  
• Florida: "Acrimony Reigns in G.O.P. on Eve of Florida Vote"

State of the Union --

• Ledger: "Economy, Iraq lead last Bush State of Union"
  
• NYTimes: "Bush Focuses on War and Taxes"
• WashPost: "Realities Push Big Ideas Into Background"
• Analysis: John Farmer: "A presidency that lost its way amid partisan hostilities"
• Texts: "State of the Union Address" | "Democratic Response"
• Fact-Checking: "Fact-Checking Bush's State of the Union Address"

OF INTEREST

---

Bail Bondsmen: "Illegal Globally, Bail for Profit Remains in U.S."
Wall Street Bonuses: "Despite Woes, Year-End Payouts Still Came in at $33.2 billion"

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |

Plainfield rallies for Obama tonight.. Council committee assignments.. Volunteering for Commissions..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

• "Plainfield rallies for Obama tonight on heels of Kennedy endorsements"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "Council members Named to Committees"
Crescent Times: "About Commission, Boards, and change"

Plainfield Trees: "The Beeches" -- NEW ENTRY TODAY on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch's NEW post (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Gifted and Talented programs --

• "School districts struggling to support gifted students"
• "Schools take varied approaches to gifted programs"
• "Identifying gifted children in low-income areas difficult"

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Reminders:
  
• Rally for Sen. Barack Obama tonight, 7:00 PM, Rose of Sharon Church.
  
  
• Today - January 28. 7:00 - 8:30 PM. A 'Stand For Change' Rally For Sen. Barack Obama. Join fellow Plainfielders and other central Jerseyans to rally for real change in Washington by showing your support for Sen. Barak Obama. At Rose of Sharon Church, 825 West 7th Street (just past Grant Avenue). All are invited.
  
  
• Tomorrow - January 29. 3:30 - 7:30 PM. YMCA Blood Drive. Your blood donation can save lives. At the Plainfield Area YMCA, 518 Watchung Avenue. Call (908) 756-6060 for more information and to sign up.
  
  
• Wednesday - January 30. 7 - 9 PM. Town Meeting on the Toll Plan with Gov. Corzine. At Union County College's Roy W. Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. RSVP to (609) 777-2212 or email union.rsvp@gov.state.nj.us or fill out the online form here.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

---

Bound Brook: "Vote over T&M as engineer splits Bound Brook council"
South Plainfield: "Borough starts anew on truck route"


STATE

---

2008 Primaries --

• Dems: "Bill Clinton plans Tuesday rally for Hillary in Camden"
• GOP: "Giuliani backers in Jersey fear shift to McCain"

Corzine Toll Plan: "Corzine is set to pitch toll plan in Voorhees" -- Union County's turn Wednesday.
..... - "Rep. Andrews to endorse Corzine toll plan"
Family Leave: "NJ Senate set to take up family leave"

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Primaries --

• Dems: "Kennedy Endorses Obama In Blow to Clinton" -- NYTimes | WashPost |
• GOP: "Republicans Face Hard Choices on the Path to Feb. 5"

State of the Union: "Economy, War To Dominate Final Speech" -- WashPost | NYTimes |


OF INTEREST

---

Body Parts: "Huge lawsuit could change handling of the dead" -- Oh, those sensitive medical examiners!
Scalping: "Once illegal, reselling now seen as helping all parties"
Obituary: "Gordon B. Hinckley, President of Mormon Church"

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |

SC gives Hillary a lesson.. Mr. Pepe gets jail.. State denies BOE appeal.. CN on moves against Santiago..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

• "Clinton tag-team gets lesson in South Carolina"
• "Obama Rally Tomorrow at Rose of Sharon"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "State Denies Board Appeal" | "Signs of Past Times"
Crescent Times: "Bad Management"

Plainfield Trees: "White Oak" -- A new entry on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Council President Gibson: "Gibson in hospital; ailment not disclosed" -- You saw it on Plainfield Today yesterday.
Mr. Pepe's Driving School: "License bribes land 'Mr. Pepe' in prison"
Pollice Chief - Editorial, CN: "Plainfield's goal is clear: Dump Santiago"
Obituary: "Brenda J. Williams, past president of Plainfield Pop Warner"

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Tomorrow - January 28. 7:00 - 8:30 PM. A 'Stand For Change' Rally For Sen. Barack Obama. Join fellow Plainfielders and other central Jerseyans to rally for real change in Washington by showing your support for Sen. Barak Obama. At Rose of Sharon Church, 825 West 7th Street (just past Grant Avenue). All are invited.
  
  
• Tuesday - January 29. 3:30 - 7:30 PM. YMCA Blood Drive. Your blood donation can save lives. At the Plainfield Area YMCA, 518 Watchung Avenue. Call (908) 756-6060 for more information and to sign up.
  
  
• Wednesday - January 30. 7 - 9 PM. Town Meeting on the Toll Plan with Gov. Corzine. At Union County College's Roy W. Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. RSVP to (609) 777-2212 or email union.rsvp@gov.state.nj.us or fill out the online form here.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


REAL ESTATE SUNDAY

---

SMALL PICTURE

Alarm Systems: "No Break-Ins, Just Incessant Wailing"
Commuting: "Commuting: The Ferocity and the Fun"
Furnace Maintenance: "Keeping the Heat On"
Mortgages: "Owner Has Two Homes, and One Is in Default" -- What happens to the other?
Refinancing: "Refinancing a Property Whose Value Is Down"

BIG PICTURE

Bankruptcy Judge Powers: "What Do 'Cram-Downs' Cost?" -- Forcing lenders to accommodate.
Foreclosure: 'Buster' Soaries: "Offering options to families facing foreclosure"
NJ Prices: "Are New Jersey Home Prices Falling?" -- With a county-by-county table.
Selling: "A Little Cybermagic Builds the Unbuilt" -- Videos visualize from plans.

TOOLS

Buy or Rent?: "Cost Comparison Tool" -- Enter your own values to calculate which is better, buying or renting. A really neat tool!
Ledger: "Home Finder", "Premier Estates" and "Real Estate" sections online.
Courier: "Real Estate" section online.
NYTimes: "This Week's Residential Sales Around the Region" -- Week of 01/27/2008.
Trulia: "Your Personal Real Estate Google"
Mortgages: "US Mortgage Payment Index"

CENTRAL JERSEY

---

Cranford: "Static likely at hearing on Cranford tower"
George Street Playhouse: "Review: Oscar and the Pink Lady" -- Spider Man's Aunt May as a candystriper?
Newark Schools Search: "Superintendent search committee is a diverse lot"
Parenting Program: "Dozens march to save broken families" -- The opening anecdote should give pause.
Solar Power: "Heating firehouse with help from sun"
Summit: "Patience pays off in Summit carjacking"


STATE

---

2008 Presidential Primary --

• NJ Primary: "For first time since 1984, NJ primary counts"
• Dems: "Seeking Hispanic Votes for Obama in N.J."
• GOP: "Giuliani pushes through a tough week" -- Once miles ahead in NJ.

The Auditor - For political junkies: "Sunday, January 27, 2008"
Toll Plan --

• Paul Mulshine: "Let's hear these answers from Corzine"
• Fran Wood: "NJ has a history of tapping tolls"

Budget: "Corzine: Budget to take toll on Trenton status quo"
Death Penalty: "Fog of uncertainty hangs over death penalty cases"
Lonegan Flap: "Ex-Mayor Resurfaces as a Corzine Antagonist"
Nuclear Power: "Nuclear energy debate revived for Oyster Creek"
Organic Farming: "Organic farming gets its day in sun"
Parkway: "Speed to drop on part of Parkway"
Veterans: "A Fallen Marine’s Father Waging a Righteous Battle" -- Neither the living nor the dead should be forgotten.

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Race --

• Dems --
  
• South Carolina: "Obama Is Big Winner in S.C. Primary"
• Analysis - WashPost: "A Margin That Will Be Hard To Marginalize"
• Analysis - NYTimes: "Obama Weathers a Test of Mettle"
  
• GOP: "McCain and Romney Argue About Iraq"
• Florida: "Surge in Early Balloting Shifts Florida Races"
• Nominations: "Could tight races in both parties lead to brokered conventions?"

CIA Tapes: "Mukasey Nixes Special Prosecutor in CIA Case"
Domestic Spying: "Veto of Wiretap Measure Threatened"


OF INTEREST

---

Picatinny Arsenal: "Picatinny updates WWII trick for defeating IEDs"
Satellites: "U.S. Spy Satellite Is Falling Earthward" -- 10 tons, size of a small bus, hmmm...
Worker ID Laws: "'Hispanic panic' threatens state's economy" -- With a very unintended consequence.

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |

Councilor Gibson in hospital.. City cop faces DWI.. BOE search narrows.. New police command vehicle..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

• "Council President Gibson hospitalized"
• "Obama Rally Monday at Rose of Sharon"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "Superintendent Search Narrows" | "Calendar Change Vote Fails"
Crescent Times: "New Volunteerism Blog" | "Landlords and Tenants"

Plainfield Trees: "White Oak" -- A new entry on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Police: "Plainfield touts police command vehicle" -- You read about it first in CLIPS on January 12 (Newsflash).
Cop's DWI: "Plainfield cop to stand trial in DWI crash"

Public Construction Projects: "Construction Costs Deal Blow to Local Budgets"

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Today - January 26. 9 AM - 2 PM. Passport Fair. The Postal Service is sponsoring a walk-in passport application fair (appointments recommended). At Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue. See details here.
  
  
• Monday - January 28. 7:00 - 8:30 PM. A 'Stand For Change' Rally For Sen. Barack Obama. Join fellow Plainfielders and other central Jerseyans to rally for real change in Washington by showing your support for Sen. Barak Obama. At Rose of Sharon Church, 825 West 7th Street (just past Grant Avenue). All are invited.
  
  
• Wednesday - January 30. 7 - 9 PM. Town Meeting on the Toll Plan with Gov. Corzine. At Union County College's Roy W. Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. RSVP to (609) 777-2212 or email union.rsvp@gov.state.nj.us or fill out the online form here.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

---

Union County Jail: "Five jail officers face ouster for inmate escapes"
Dunellen: "Dunellen firefighter indicted on arson charges"
North Plainfield: "Dog prevents mail delivery"
South Plainfield: "Council replaces municipal clerk position" -- The headline gets it cockeyed.


STATE

---

2008 Presidential Primary: "Jersey electorate surges by 48,000; most are 'undeclared'" -- These are the battleground.

Chris Christie Sting: "Feds arrest Essex County contractor"
Lonegan Flap: "Lonegan says arrest part of intimidation campaign"
Montclair State: "Campus paper punished by student government"
Toll Plan: "Counties that pay heavy toll to get most aid"

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Primaries --

• Clinton: "Clinton Sees Value in Keeping Bill in Attack Mode"
• Obama: "Obama Shows Blend of Humor and Fire"
• South Carolina: "Democrats Set to Vote in S. Carolina Today"
• GOP - Giuliani: "'98 NYPD memo details objections to WTC command center" -- Very damaging.

The Markets: "Société Générale’s sales may have incited market plunge" -- "[W]ouldn’t it be embarrassing if the Fed had to make one of the biggest emergency rate cuts ever because of some rogue trader?"
Stimulus Plan: "Millions of seniors won't see tax rebates"
U.S. Attorney Firings: "Attorneys probe deepens" -- Expect the issue to come up Jan. 30.


OF INTEREST

---

Being British: "Britain looks for its essence, and finds punch lines" -- 'No motto please, we're British'.
Free Speech: "Gandhi's Grandson Quits Peace Institute in Flap Over Blog Posting" -- In Israel, this kind of speech is taken for granted; in the U.S., he must step down?
Pols and Texting: "Detroit Mayor’s amorous texts lead to perjury inquiry" -- Complete Detroit Free Press coverage. 14,000 text messages. Story broke in this article.

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |

Council axes Santiago.. McGreeveys, again.. Public access TV, Eminent Domain, Volunteering..

PLAINFIELD

---

Plainfield Today:

• "Assemblyman Green, Chief Santiago and Thomas à Becket"
• "Obama Rally Monday at Rose of Sharon"

Plainfield Plaintalker: "Chiefs, Residents Back Santiago"
Crescent Times: "If you want to volunteer"

Plainfield Trees: "White Oak" -- A new entry on Plainfield's trees.
Councilors are blogging: Check out Cory Storch (here) and Rashid Burney (here).

Police Chief Santiago: "Council votes to abolish top cop" -- Ledger | Courier | Related Edison story.
Hospitals: "Panel Says Jersey Won’t Save All Hospitals" -- Ledger | NYTimes |

McGreeveys: "McGreeveys at odds over role of psychologists"
Eminent Domain: "Federal court finds for owner who fought Union Twp. plan"
Public Access TV: "Montclair gears up, goes live with Council meetings" -- Their cable advisory committee actually seems to get something done.

Got a tip? Question? Click here to send PT an email.


WHAT'S HAPPENING

---

• Saturday - January 26. 9 AM - 2 PM. Passport Fair. The Postal Service is sponsoring a walk-in passport application fair (appointments recommended). At Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue. See details here.

Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

---

Cash-for-Drugs Scam: "14 accused of insurance fraud in cash-for-drugs scam"
Edison: "Cops ask mayor to end plan for civilian police director"
Perth Amboy: "Sign of the times: Hall Avenue becomes Avenida Puerto Rico"
Union Twp.: "Cops, town squabble over crime stats"


STATE

---

DYFS: "Child welfare's point man quits" -- Ledger | NYTimes |
Lonegan Flap: "State Police investigate arrest of protesters at Corzine talk"
NJ State Museum: "Museum touts PSEG grant, but no reopening in sight"
Princeton: "Princeton acquires former CIA director's papers" -- Allen Dulles, 1953-61.
Rutgers Stadium: "Students ask $102M question, charging risk and waste"
Tolls Plan: "Codey offers up his version of commuter savings"
Legislature --

• "Adoption records bill advances"
• "Paid family leave bill put on fast track"

Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here.


NATION / WORLD

---

2008 Primaries --

• Dems: Tom Moran: "In NJ, Hillary electrifies faithful, for now"
• GOP: John Farmer: "GOP finds itself cast in Carter's role"
• NY Times Endorsements: "Hillary Clinton" | "John McCain"
• Analysis - WSJ: "Glum Mood Bodes Ill for GOP"
  

French Connection: "French Bank Rocked by Rogue Trader" -- WSJ | NYTimes -- The bank recently named 'equity derivatives house of the year' by Risk Magazine.
Iraq: "U.S. Asking Iraq for Wide Rights on War"
Wolfowitz: "Wolfowitz Returns to U.S. Government as Adviser" -- Thank God! I was afraid he might have to sign up for Food Stamps.

BOOK REVIEW LINKS: NY Times | Wash Post | Ledger | NY Rev Bks | London Rev Bks |