Where Plainfield turns for news.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

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

PLAINFIELD

Plainfield Today: 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 --
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 --
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 |

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

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

PLAINFIELD

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

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 |

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

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.
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 --
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 --
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 --
State of the Union --

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 |

Monday, January 28, 2008

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

PLAINFIELD

Plainfield Today:
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 --
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 --
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 --
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 |

Sunday, January 27, 2008

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

PLAINFIELD

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

Saturday, January 26, 2008

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

PLAINFIELD

Plainfield Today: 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 --
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 |

Friday, January 25, 2008

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

PLAINFIELD

Plainfield Today: 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 --
Sheneman's Cartoon is here.
Margulies' Cartoon is here
.


NATION / WORLD


2008 Primaries --
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 |