C L I P S

Where Plainfield turns for news.

Monday, October 20, 2008

A budget calendar.. McWilliams, Storch and Maria on the budget brouhaha.. Bernice espies the Monarch.. Burney gets interesting mail..

PLAINFIELD


PLAINFIELD TODAY:
Be sure to check out fellow Plainfield bloggers: Bernice espies 'the Monarch' (the new Senior Center) and helps you deal with the return to EST. Maria chimes in on the budget brouhaha and the BOE comments and agenda. Olddoc gives an enlightening tour of the back of the dollar bill (which used to be worth a whole lot more). Council candidate Annie McWilliams comments on the budget mistake 'heard 'round the world'. Councilor Storch on the budget mess: Who's in charge? Councilor Burney got some revealing mail last week, which he posts pix of.

The 'skinny' on the Courier: Check out today's dead-tree version and you'll find I was right in guessing the wide gutter and margins would go when they ran through the last of the newsprint. This is a new high -- or low -- in sizing.

Halloween: An alphabetical town-by-town roundup of Halloween activities and curfews (see here) has no Plainfield entry. Score another win for Mayor Robinson-Briggs' communications team.

Obituary: "Soul singer Dee Dee Warwick" -- Little sister of Dionne Warwick.

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


WHAT'S HAPPENING
  • Today - October 20. 9:30 AM Registration. 'Last Chance 2008' Golf Outing: Benefit of the Tri-County Red Cross. 18 holes w/golf cart, full clubhouse access. Prizes and team awards. Brunch and dinner receptions, open bar cocktail hour, silent auction. $250/golfer ($100 tax deductible). To reserve your foursome, call Corinna Krauskopf at (908) 756-6414 or visit www.tricountyredcross.org/lastchance.

  • Today - October 20. 8 PM. City Council Business Meeting. City Council Chambers/Courthouse. Watchung Avenue and East 4th Street.

  • Wednesday - October 22. 7 - 8:30 PM. League of Women Voters Candidate Forum. Candidates for City Council seats in the November general election will participate the forum, a League tradition dating back more than 80 years. Resident Brenda Gilbert is running a write-in campaign for the Ward 3 seat. Candidates on the ballot are: Annie McWilliams (citywide at-large), Adrian Mapp (Ward 3) and William Reid (Ward 1). All are Demcorats. At the Anne Louise Davis Meeting Room of the Plainfield Public Library, Park Avenue at West 8th Street. Info: (908) 756-9682. All are welcome.

  • Wednesday - October 22. 7:30 PM. Plainfield Shade Tree Commission. City Hall Library. Public invited.

  • Thursday - October 23. 7 - 9 PM. Civil Unions, Marriage & Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples. Challenges facing same-sex couples mean customized estate planning is needed to ensure surviving loved ones are protected. Moderated by Christopher Bellis of Lamdba Legal, the panel will include financial advisors and an attorney. Light refreshments. Sponsored by Lambda Legal. At: Cent' Anni Restaurant, 5 Highland Place, Maplewood. Free, but reservations are required. RSVP to Matt Allen at Lambda Legal at mallen@lambdalegal.org or (212) 809-8585, x254.

  • Friday - October 24. 6:30 - 8:30PM. Chamber of Commerce Networking Event. The Chamber's monthly after-work networking event. Bring your business cards and your 30-second elevator speech and enjoy light refreshments mingling with other members and guests. You'll be surprised at the connections you make. At: Coldwell Banker Park Avenue Realtors, 1015 Park Avenue. FREE to members, $10 for guests. Those who join or renew at the event will receive a special bonus. Information: call the Chamber Office at (908) 753-2296 or email at plainfield.chamber@gmail.com.

  • Friday - October 24. 7 PM. In Concert: Jim Scott, Songs of Peace and the Environment. An acoustic guitarist acclaimed for his work with the Paul Winter Consort, proceeds of the concert will provide compact flourescent bulbs to be distributed through the church's food pantry. Sponsor and venue: First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, 724 Park Avenue. Tickets: $15/ adults, $5/12 and under. Free childcare available. Info: (732) 287-5181.

  • Saturday - October 25. 10 AM - 3 PM. Community Scrapbooking and Memory Making Event. Bring your favorite photos and learn how to tell your story. A scrapping share-and-swap table will be available. Albums and multicultural supplies will be available for purchase. Refreshments provided. Info: Recreation Division, (908) 753-3097.

  • Sunday - October 26. 3 PM. Crescent Concerts: Young Artists Showcase. Five exceptionally talented young artists under the age of 16 will appear in this eagerly awaited annual event. At Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, Watchung Avenue at East 7th Street. Tickets: $20, $15/senior, $5/student. Info: (908) 756-2468 or www.crescentconcerts.org/.

  • Tuesday - October 28. 3 - 9 PM. FOSH Pre-Halloween Dine Out. Take a break from fixing dinner, call a few friends and put together a table. Meet new neighbors and old friends, and check out one of Plainfield's favorite dining spots -- The Queen City Diner. Brian will donate a portion of the evening's receipts to FOSH in support of its PHS Scholarships, Netherwood Station beautification and the Leland Avenue Park. Brian Schoenberger's Queen City Diner (http://www.queencitydiner.com/) is at 1324 South Avenue. Putting a group together? Give Brian a heads up at (908) 756-7900.

  • Tuesday - October 28. 7:30 PM. Historic Preservation Commission. City Hall Library. Public invited.

  • Friday - October 31. 6 PM. Community Halloween Party & Haunted House. The Recreation Division's annual family party includes a haunted house, a costume contest, prizes, snacks and lots of fun for all. A safe and fun alternative for children ages 5 - 10. Parents MUST accompany children. At Washington Community School, 427 Darrow Avenue (parking in Spooner Avenue lot). Info: (908) 753-3097.
Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.


CENTRAL JERSEY

'Making Strides' Walk: "Hundreds march to overcome breast cancer"
Middlesex Boro: "Boro considers purchasing emergency notification system"
Somerset County: "Freeholder candidates focus on taxes, pay-to-play" -- Dem hopes rise as County 'blues'.
Somerville: "Somerville pay-to-play rules may change"
South Plainfield: "Plainfield Curling Club is hub for unusual sport" -- More on curling here.


STATE

2008 Presidential Race --
 Senate Race: "Lautenberg, Zimmer divided over health care"

State Colleges: Bob Braun: "A sobering lesson in fiscal irresponsibility"
State Pension Funds: "Private managers made $62M last year, 7 times what state management cost"

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


NATION / WORLD

2008 Campaigns --
 Alaska Senator's Trial: "A showdown and some final evidence before jury gets case"
Financial Markets: "New York and Feds jointly investigate credit default swaps" -- The biggest shoe of them all has not yet dropped.
Freddie Mac: "Freddie paid GOP firm to quell regulatory effort"
Market Meltdown Fallout: "Colleges fall on hard times from meltdown"


OF INTEREST

Newspapers: "Some papers, cutting costs, leave the AP"

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

Posted by Dan at 10:31 AM