Maria: Surprise terminations by BOE.. Olddoc sheds some more light on Senior Center mess.. Piv runs for Council on the GOP ticket..

CORRECTION: Bernice broke the Senior Center story Monday afternoon (see here)!

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PLAINFIELD TODAY:

• "Last night's BOE meeting a warmup for tonight's League forum"

Senior Center: "$1 senior center now costs city $287,371" -- The story was broken by Bernice early Monday afternoon, subsequently commented on by Olddoc and Dan.
Board of Ed --

• Personnel Controversy: "Schools controversy draws attention of Gov. Christie" -- Also see 101.5 FM.
• Terminations: "Shocking new twist in Plainfield BOE saga"

FEMA Help: "FEMA provides aid, info for storm damage relief"
NJTransit & Plainfield --

• Fares: "Higher train, intercity bus fares" -- 25% increase
• Commuter Lots: "NJT looks for revenues from commuter parking lots" -- Netherwood & Main stations.

Budgets: "East Brunswick to save $500K by eliminating authority"
New Brunswick: "'Dems for New Brunswick' challenge machine slate"
Union County Primaries: "Longtime UC Dems face primary challenges"
United Way: "UWGUC calls on communities for National Volunteer Week"

NJN: "What kind of future does NJ's NJN have?" -- Bob Ingle.
Schools --

• Budgets: "Schundler: Voters should not necessarily reject budgets lacking wage freezes"
• Legislature: "Schundler faces Senate committee over budget cuts"
  
• Aid cuts: "Poll: NJ residents oppose aid cuts, teacher layoffs"
• Retirements: "Christie goes after teacher benefits to motivate retirements"
  

Beers: "Bell's Expedition Stout" -- Mark Spivey's weekly beer review.

Plainfield observers (click on name to go to post): Bernice reminds us the city owns another condo besides the Senior Center. Olddoc sheds a little more light on the Senior Center mess and sounds the alarm on the cut in Medicare reimbursement to doctors. Maria: a reader reports on last night's surprise terminations by BOE. Piv announces his run as a Republican for the Wards 2/3 at-large seat. Councilor McWilliams writes of the Council's expectations concerning the FY2010-11 budget. Plainfield Sports News catches up on some local stories, including the Plainfield baseball situation.

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
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, her personal blog; Jackie Schnoop's The (TV) Show Must Go On; and Dottie Gutenkauf's Dottie G Sez, where she has posted a new poem.

| BERNICE'S PLAINTALKER | MARIA'S BLOG | DOC'S POTPOURRI | PIV FOR PLAINFIELD |
| PLAINFIELD SPORTS NEWS| PLAINFIELD TREES | COUNCILOR MAPP | COUNCILOR McWILLIAMS |
| COUNCILOR STORCH | COUNCILOR BURNEY | JERRY GREEN'S PAGE | BO ON THE 22nd |

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

WHAT'S HAPPENING

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• Today - April 14. 6:30 - 9 PM. League of Women Voters: Board of Ed Candidate Forum. All fourteen BOE candidates have been invited to take part in the League's candidate forum. The LWV, an organization open to women and men of all political parties, maintains the 'gold standard' in candidate forums, with a trained volunteer moderator from outside the community and the opportunity for all attendees to submit written questions to one or all of the candidates. More information at the LWV website here. At Emerson Community School, East 3rd Street and Emerson Avenue. FREE.
  
  
• Tomorrow - April 15. 6 PM. Community Forum by Mayor Robinson-Briggs. Mayor Robinson-Briggs will update the community on the new FiOS public access channel and other municipal projects. At Washington Community School, 427 Darrow Avenue. (Parking available in the Spooner Avenue lot.)
  
  
• Tomorrow - April 15. 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Cultural & Heritage Commission: Grants Workshop and Open House. All artists, cultural organizations and preservation groups are invited to an open house and grants workshop. Projects looking for funding in 2010 can get application forms and an overview of the support process. There will also be a presentation on activities previously supported by C&H. At the Drake House, 602 West Front Street, at the foot of Plainfield Avenue.
  
  
• Tomorrow - April 15. 7:30 PM. Muhlenberg Community Advisory Group. This is the first public meeting of the entity organized in the wake of the closure of Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in August 2008, which is charged with monitoring compliance by Solaris Health System with the terms of the closure. At Washington Community School, 427 Darrow Avenue. (Parking available in the Spooner Avenue lot.)
  
  
• Tomorrow - April 15. 8 PM. Planning Board. City Hall Library. 515 Watchung Avenue (parking in lot at rear of building). Public invited.
  
  
• Saturday - April 17. 11 AM. Memorial Service for Bob Franks. Four New Jersey governors will address attendees at a memorial service Saturday for the former Congressman (see news story here). Owing to the huge crowd expected, the service will be held in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 89 Ridge Street, Newark. Info (973) 484-4600.
  
  
• Saturday - April 17. Noon - 2 PM. Opening Reception: Photography of Jean Mattson. Join with Plainfielders and photography enthusiasts at an opening reception for an exhibit covering her photographs of Ireland and Plainfield subjects. (Psst! It also happens to be Jean's birthday and there will be a birthday cake. Keep it a secret!) In the Room 2 Gallery at the Plainfield Public Library, Park Avenue and 8th Street. FREE.
  
  
• Saturday - April 17. Noon - 3 PM. Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA. Plainfield's YMCA is joining the national effort to help kids and families foster healthy living by becoming more physically active. Scavenger hunts, family fitness challenges, jump rope contests, nature walk, 'Little Chefs-Healthy Snack' demonstrations, arts and crafts and much more. Info: Elsie Jenkins, (908) 756-6060 x 131 or www.plainfieldy.org/. At the Plainfield Area YMCA, 518 Watchung Avenue (corner of East 6th Street; parking in the rear). FREE.
  
  
• Sunday - April 18. Noon - 5 PM. Wildlife Sunday at Trailside. Presentations on raptors (including a flight demonstration) and other live animals; demonstrations of 'turkey talk' -- the habits of the elusive bird -- and the importance of wolves in a balanced ecosystem (and meet a wolf). Music, bird walk, displays and vendors, facepainting, crafts and refreshments. At Trailside Nature Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside. Info: (908) 789-3670 or www.ucnj.org/trailside. Admission:; $3/person; 6 and under FREE.
  
  
• Monday - April 19. 7:30 PM. [Talk] From Martha to Michelle: America's First Ladies. Dr. Myra Gutin, professor of communication at Rider College will present a survey of America's First Ladies, from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama. Sponsored by the Leagues of Women Voters of Berkeley Heights-New Providence-Summit, Hillside, Plainfield and Union. At the New Providence Memorial Library, 377 Elkwood Avenue, New Providence. FREE.
  
  
• Tuesday - April 20. 2 - 8 PM. School Board Election and Budget Referendum. With fourteen candidates running, there is intense interest in this year's BOE race. Also on the ballot is the approval of the budget for fiscal 2010-11. At your usual polling location.
  
  
• Wednesday - April 21. 6:30 PM. 2010 UCWPC Notable Women Reception. The Union County Women's Political Caucus will hold its annual reception honoring notable women in public life. This year's honorees are Republican State Committeewoman Pat Quattrocchi, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union) and the Hon. Jennifer Velez, Commissioner of Human Services under both Governors Corzine and Christie. The Union County group is part of the Women's Political Caucus of NJ, dedicated to increasing the number of progressive women in elected and appointed positions in government. Tickets: $50 members/$55 non-members. At L'Affaire, 1099 Route 22 East, Mountainside. RSVP to info@wpcnj.org.
  
  
• Wednesday - April 21. 7:30 PM. Cultural & Heritage Commission. City Hall Library. 515 Watchung Avenue (parking in lot at rear of building). Public invited.
  
  
• Thursday - April 22. 7 PM. Cable TV Advisory Board. At City Hall Library, 515 Watchung Avenue. Parking and entry in lot behind behind building. Public welcome.
  
  
• Thursday - April 22. 7 PM. City Council Town Hall Meeting (Ward 4). Fourth Ward residents are invited to discuss concerns specific to their Ward and neighborhoods. At Clinton School, West 4th Street and Clinton Avenue.
  
  
• Friday - April 23. 8 PM. (Doors open at 6 PM) NJ Golden Gloves 2010. The Final Night Tournament will be held at PHS. Tickets on sale through the Plainfield Recreation Division. Call (908) 753-3097 or drop by the Rec Division in City Hall Annex. At Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue (parking in Stelle and Kenyon Avenue lots).

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