Where Plainfield turns for news.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

On jury duty today, you're on your own with the blogs.. Arrest in murder #2.. Connolly faces foreclosure on 9 Plainfield properties..



PLAINFIELD TODAY:
Board of Ed Race --
Connolly Properties: "Nine Plainfield properties could face foreclosure" -- 'Dishonest conduct'?
Census 2010: "Census officials alarmed by low response from NJ"
Homicide No. 2: "Plainfield woman charged with fatally stabbing man at party"
Rahway --
Schools --
NJ Supremes: "Top court upholds privacy of personal emails accessed at work"

Plainfield observers (click on name to go to post): Bernice. Olddoc. Maria. Piv. Jerry (post comments on Jerry's blog here). Bo on the 22nd. Councilor Mapp. Councilor Storch. Councilor Burney. Councilor McWilliams. Plainfield Sports News. PPS News (Schools).

SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN BLOGS
There are three teams of candidates running for three 3-year seats and one 1-year seat. Each has a campaign blog, listed below in alphabetical order by team name/designation. Incumbents are designated by an asterisk (*). There are two independent candidates who are not blogging as far as I know.
CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS - CHANGE OUR CITY
3-year term: Jaclynne (Jackie) Callands, Dani Fletcher, Mahogany Hendricks; 1-year term: Clayton Tucker, Sr.
COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS
3-year term: Mary Burgwinkle, Martin Cox*, Christian Estevez*; 1-year term: Carmencita Pile
ELECT A GRAND S.L.A.M.
(SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ADVOCACY MOVEMENT)
3-year term: Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, Wilma Campbell*, Renata Hernandez; 1-year term: Keisha Edwards
DENISE RILEY, independent candidate for 1-year term (Courier News item)
Don't miss these personal blogs by Plainfielders, each with a point of view: Rebecca Williams' Confessions of a Bathrobe Blogger; Renata Hernandez' PEPTalk: Revisited; Jackie Schnoop's The (TV) Show Must Go On; and Dottie Gutenkauf's Dottie G Sez.

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WHAT'S HAPPENING


  • Today through April 9. During Library hours. Library Spring Book Sale. The Plainfield Public Library's mini Spring Book Sale features fiction, African-American history, cookbooks, women's history, religion and more -- all at $1 each. Located in the pool courtyard, the sale is continuous during Library hours (Mon-Wed: 9 am - 8 pm; Thu-Fri: 9 am - 5 pm; Sat: 9 am - 1 pm). The Plainfield Public Library is at Park Avenue and West 8th Street. Info: Mary Ellen Rogan, (908) 757-1111 x132.

  • Today - March 31. 5:30 - 7:30 PM. PEA: Board of Ed Candidate Forum. All 14 Board of Ed candidates have been invited to the Plainfield Education Association's candidate forum. Questions can be submitted by email to debate2010@peapower.org. Info: Odessa Atkins, (908) 561-0664. At Plainfield High School Cafeteria, parking available in the Kenyon Avenue lot.

  • Today - March 31. 7 PM. City Council Town Hall Meeting (Ward 3). Third Ward residents are invited to discuss concerns specific to their Ward and neighborhoods. At Cedarbrook School, Central Avenue.

  • Today - March 31. 7 PM. Union County Citizens Budget Review Forum. The Westfield Leader/Scotch Plains Times editorial staff will moderate a panel discussion reviewing the proposed Union County budget, as well as questions from the audience. County and state officials have been invited to participate. The forum will be taped by Cranford's public access cable station and distributed to all community access cable stations in Union County (including Plainfield). At the Cranford Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 8 Springfield Avenue. For more details, see CountyWatchers here, which includes links to budget review summaries and full report.

  • Tomorrow - April 1. 7 PM. Plainfield Democratic City Committee Meeting. Called by chairperson Assemblyman Jerry Green to consider candidates for the June primary. At the YWCA of Central NJ, 232 East Front at Church Street. Guests are welcome.
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Woman charged in murder.. Maria: Gallon preps for tonight's budget meeting; Schools fail to qualify for ARRA money.. Jerry is asked to Rahway..


BREAKING: Shooting at Prescott Place/West 3rd Street, may be related to ongoing turf war between rival Bloods sets; several guns found, including semi-automatic rifle with 30-round magazine.


PLAINFIELD TODAY:
Murder No. 2: "Plainfield woman charged in connection with weekend stabbing"
County Offices: "Westfield, Mountainside sign up to use county services in Plainfield"
Union County Budget: "Last of hearings: Human services, Parks/Community renewal" -- Tapes courtesy of CountyWatchers.

Schools --
Chris Daggett: "Former governor candidate named head of Dodge Foundation"
Mayoral Recall: "Perth Amboy's Diaz rebuts recall organizer's claims"
Money Laundering: "Bayonne bank forfeits $5M after failing to report illegal transactions"
'Race To The Top' Grants: "Report: NJ lost out on money over lack of clarity"-- And lack of NJEA support.
Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority: "Coalition calls on Christie to investigate RVSA"

Plainfield observers (click on name to go to post): Bernice notes Rahway blog reports demolition of a Dornoch property. Olddoc shares Seder background, more on Operation Varsity, and a letter by his 8-year old great grandson to his mom. Maria notes Plainfield did not qualify for ARRA money for underperforming schools, and finds Dr. Gallon reviewed the proposed budget (to be presented tonight) with Board members and unions. Jerry posts a request for his attendance at a Rahway meeting on flood-related issues from the March 13 storm (is he going?) (post comments on Jerry's blog here). Councilor Storch reflects on the success of Saturday's Visioning forum. Councilor Burney posts Visioning presentation links.

SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN BLOGS
There are three teams of candidates running for three 3-year seats and 1 one-year seat. Each has a campaign blog, listed below in alphabetical order by team name/designation. Incumbents are designated by an asterisk (*). There are two independent candidates who are not blogging as far as I know.
CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS - CHANGE OUR CITY
3-year term: Jaclynne (Jackie) Callands, Dani Fletcher, Mahogany Hendricks; 1-year term: Clayton Tucker, Sr.
COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS
3-year term: Mary Burgwinkle, Martin Cox*, Christian Estevez*; 1-year term: Carmencita Pile
ELECT A GRAND S.L.A.M.
(SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ADVOCACY MOVEMENT)
3-year term: Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, Wilma Campbell*, Renata Hernandez; 1-year term: Keisha Edwards
Don't miss these personal blogs by Plainfielders, each with a point of view: Rebecca Williams' Confessions of a Bathrobe Blogger, reflects, as a founding member, on the New Democrats for Plainfield; Renata Hernandez' PEPTalk: Revisited, reminds all of tomorrow's forum and cites 'exorbitant' school administrator salaries as partly to blame for high property taxes; Jackie Schnoop's The (TV) Show Must Go On; and Dottie Gutenkauf's Dottie G Sez.

« Email Dan your tip or question. » | « Follow Dan on Twitter. »

WHAT'S HAPPENING


  • Today through April 9. During Library hours. Library Spring Book Sale. The Plainfield Public Library's mini Spring Book Sale features fiction, African-American history, cookbooks, women's history, religion and more -- all at $1 each. Located in the pool courtyard, the sale is continuous during Library hours (Mon-Wed: 9 am - 8 pm; Thu-Fri: 9 am - 5 pm; Sat: 9 am - 1 pm). The Plainfield Public Library is at Park Avenue and West 8th Street. Info: Mary Ellen Rogan, (908) 757-1111 x132.

  • Today - March 30. 7 PM. Board of Ed: Adoption of Budget for FY2011. The detailed budget is up for adoption at tonight's Board of Ed meeting, after which it faces an up-or-down vote by the public on April 20. At the Board of Ed Administration Building (Jefferson School), 1200 Myrtle Avenue. Public welcome.

  • Tomorrow - March 31. 5:30 - 7:30 PM. PEA: Board of Ed Candidate Forum. All 14 Board of Ed candidates have been invited to the Plainfield Education Association's candidate forum. Questions can be submitted by email to debate2010@peapower.org. Info: Odessa Atkins, (908) 561-0664. At Plainfield High School Cafeteria, parking available in the Kenyon Avenue lot.

  • Tomorrow - March 31. 7 PM. City Council Town Hall Meeting (Ward 3). Third Ward residents are invited to discuss concerns specific to their Ward and neighborhoods. At Cedarbrook School, Central Avenue.

  • Tomorrow - March 31. 7 PM. Union County Citizens Budget Review Forum. The Westfield Leader/Scotch Plains Times editorial staff will moderate a panel discussion reviewing the proposed Union County budget, as well as questions from the audience. County and state officials have been invited to participate. The forum will be taped by Cranford's public access cable station and distributed to all community access cable stations in Union County (including Plainfield). At the Cranford Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 8 Springfield Avenue. For more details, see CountyWatchers here, which includes links to budget review summaries and full report.
Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.

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Monday, March 29, 2010

Maria on state investigation of schools: Report due 'in weeks'.. Olddoc on patient-doctor relationship.. Storch and Burney on Visioning success..



PLAINFIELD TODAY:
Business: "Landmark Golden Jewelers to close up shop" -- In business since 1942.
Habitat: "Plainfield Habitat welcomes new executive director"
Schools --
Union County Freeholders: "Freeholder clerk attempts to hamper recording of meetings" -- Citing Supreme Court ruling, CountyWatchers refuses to be bowed.
Wrestling: "Four NJ wrestlers win a national title" -- Including South Plainfield's Nick Heilman.

Gov. Christie --
'Coffee Party': "Jerseyans start a civil alternative to 'Tea Party' negativists" -- Civil discourse? What a concept!
Corzine: "Ex-gov's pay package is $5M-plus" -- Looks like he won't have to go on food stamps after all.
Danceathon Fundraiser: "Rutgers students raise $378K for youths with cancer" -- Photo gallery here.
Online Theft From Town: "NJ town loses $100K to online theft" -- Involving'money mules' in a 'work from home' scam.

Plainfield observers (click on name to go to post): Bernice has North Avenue updates, finds a mixed message on an historic Park Avenue building and an umbelliferous mystery solved. Olddoc frets over dangers in healthcare reform's implementation and laments the severing of the doctor-patient relationship. Maria notes legislation controlling Administrator's salaries, and news the State report on the District staff issues is 'just weeks away' -- so is the BOE election. Hmmm. Councilor Storch reflects on the success of Saturday's Visioning forum. Councilor Burney posts Visioning presentation links.

SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN BLOGS
There are three teams of candidates running for three 3-year seats and 1 one-year seat. Each has a campaign blog, listed below in alphabetical order by team name/designation. Incumbents are designated by an asterisk (*). There are two independent candidates who are not blogging as far as I know.
CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS - CHANGE OUR CITY
3-year term: Jaclynne (Jackie) Callands, Dani Fletcher, Mahogany Hendricks; 1-year term: Clayton Tucker, Sr.
COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS
3-year term: Mary Burgwinkle, Martin Cox*, Christian Estevez*; 1-year term: Carmencita Pile
ELECT A GRAND S.L.A.M.
(SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ADVOCACY MOVEMENT)
3-year term: Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, Wilma Campbell*, Renata Hernandez; 1-year term: Keisha Edwards
Don't miss these personal blogs by Plainfielders, each with a point of view: Rebecca Williams' Confessions of a Bathrobe Blogger; Renata Hernandez' PEPTalk: Revisited, her personal blog; Jackie Schnoop's The (TV) Show Must Go On, bloggin the Amazing Race; and Dottie Gutenkauf's Dottie G Sez.

« Email Dan your tip or question. » | « Follow Dan on Twitter. »

WHAT'S HAPPENING


  • Today through April 9. During Library hours. Library Spring Book Sale. The Plainfield Public Library's mini Spring Book Sale features fiction, African-American history, cookbooks, women's history, religion and more -- all at $1 each. Located in the pool courtyard, the sale is continuous during Library hours (Mon-Wed: 9 am - 8 pm; Thu-Fri: 9 am - 5 pm; Sat: 9 am - 1 pm). The Plainfield Public Library is at Park Avenue and West 8th Street. Info: Mary Ellen Rogan, (908) 757-1111 x132.

  • Wednesday - March 31. 5:30 - 7:30 PM. PEA: Board of Ed Candidate Forum. All 14 Board of Ed candidates have been invited to the Plainfield Education Association's candidate forum. Questions can be submitted by email to debate2010@peapower.org. Info: Odessa Atkins, (908) 561-0664. At Plainfield High School Auditorium, Park and Stelle Avenues.

  • Wednesday - Marchl 1. 7 PM. City Council Town Hall Meeting (Ward 3). Third Ward residents are invited to discuss concerns specific to their Ward and neighborhoods. At Cedarbrook School, Central Avenue.

  • Wednesday - March 31. 7 PM. Union County Citizens Budget Review Forum. The Westfield Leader/Scotch Plains Times editorial staff will moderate a panel discussion reviewing the proposed Union County budget, as well as questions from the audience. County and state officials have been invited to participate. The forum will be taped by Cranford's public access cable station and distributed to all community access cable stations in Union County (including Plainfield). At the Cranford Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 8 Springfield Avenue. For more details, see CountyWatchers here, which includes links to budget review summaries and full report.
Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.

Not getting your own CLIPS email daily? Click here to get started.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Visioning Plainfield: Storch, Burney and Olddoc report.. Maria: Abbott money could have helped redevelopment.. PSNews: QCBL draft..


BREAKING (1 PM): May have been a homicide at/near BUF late last night/early this AM. Fight that went bad, am told. More later...


PLAINFIELD TODAY:
Boys Basketball: "Plainfield's Tyrone Johnson player of year"
Healthcare Reform: "Bill's benefits to NJ debated"
NJT Fares: "Transit head says fare hikes will likely be 'adjusted'"
Festival of Organists: "Six organists in festival Sunday" -- At Crescent Presbyterian Church.
Golden Jewelers: "Last week for Golden, Plainfield jewelers since 1942"
North Avenue Demolition: "Historic Plainfield building demolished" -- Courier picture gallery.
Budgets: "Cranford budget talks 'somber' in wake of aid cut"
Cell Towers: "Court upholds zoning board's rejection of 120-foot cell tower"
Condo Development: "Two market-rate developments go up in East Orange" -- No talk of rentals here.

The Auditor: "Edelstein's labor counsel history; Corzine's van; Galloway's double paycheck"
Body Parts Ring: "Essex County prosectuor's office failed to notify relatives"
Haiti Relief: "Haitians in NJ take in relatives, friends"
Hospitals: "Raritan Bay's finances revive, Old Bridge facility off market"
Medical Marijuana --
Same-Sex Education: "NJ women's colleges look to define"
Schools Funding: "Schundler: NJEA needs to support Obama initiative to avoid losing federal money"

Plainfield observers (click on name to go to post): Bernice; you gotta check her Spring pix. Olddoc offers a tempered view of yesterday's Visioning forum. Maria takes a look at how Abbott funding could have helped redevelopment. Councilor Storch reflects on the success of Saturday's Visioning forum. Councilor Burney posts Visioning presentation links. Plainfield Sports News covers the Queen City Baseball League draft, and Neto's player of the month award.
SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN BLOGS
There are three teams of candidates running for three 3-year seats and 1 one-year seat. Each has a campaign blog, listed below in alphabetical order by team name/designation. Incumbents are designated by an asterisk (*). There are two independent candidates who are not blogging as far as I know.
CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS - CHANGE OUR CITY
3-year term: Jaclynne (Jackie) Callands, Dani Fletcher, Mahogany Hendricks; 1-year term: Clayton Tucker, Sr.
COALITION FOR BETTER SCHOOLS
3-year term: Mary Burgwinkle, Martin Cox*, Christian Estevez*; 1-year term: Carmencita Pile
ELECT A GRAND S.L.A.M.
(SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ADVOCACY MOVEMENT)
3-year term: Rasheed Abdul-Haqq, Wilma Campbell*, Renata Hernandez; 1-year term: Keisha Edwards
Don't miss these personal blogs by Plainfielders, each with a point of view: Rebecca Williams' Confessions of a Bathrobe Blogger; Renata Hernandez' PEPTalk: Revisited, her personal blog; Jackie Schnoop's The (TV) Show Must Go On, puts up her weekly pix, mostly the demolition on North Ave, but some nice spring shots too; and Dottie Gutenkauf's Dottie G Sez.

« Email Dan your tip or question. » | « Follow Dan on Twitter. »

WHAT'S HAPPENING


  • Today - March 28. 3 PM. Crescent Concerts: Festival of Organists. Prominent area organists will perform beloved as well as little-known works on Crescent Avenue's G.F. Adams organ. Featuring Samuel Chapin, Richard Frey, Se-Enn Lim, James Little and Thomas Rodgers. Tickets: $20/general admission, Seniors $15, Students $5. Info: (908) 756-2468 or crescentconcerts.org/. At Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, East 7th Street and Watchung Avenue (parking in lot on First Place or at Swain Galleries).

  • Wednesday - March 31. 5:30 - 7:30 PM. PEA: Board of Ed Candidate Forum. All 14 Board of Ed candidates have been invited to the Plainfield Education Association's candidate forum. Questions can be submitted by email to debate2010@peapower.org. Info: Odessa Atkins, (908) 561-0664. At Plainfield High School Auditorium, Park and Stelle Avenues.

  • Wednesday - March 31. 7 PM. Union County Citizens Budget Review Forum. The Westfield Leader/Scotch Plains Times editorial staff will moderate a panel discussion reviewing the proposed Union County budget, as well as questions from the audience. County and state officials have been invited to participate. The forum will be taped by Cranford's public access cable station and distributed to all community access cable stations in Union County (including Plainfield). At the Cranford Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 8 Springfield Avenue. For more details, see CountyWatchers here, which includes links to budget review summaries and full report.
Got an event to publicize? Click here and send me the details.

Not getting your own CLIPS email daily? Click here to get started.