Elaina Corson and Madison Rothwein combined for 11 goals, including eight in the second half, as #16 Rowan fought back to earn a 16-9 win over Stockton in the NJAC women’s lacrosse opener for the Profs. Rowan (10-2; 1-0 NJAC) has now won seven straight.
Corson finished with six goals and Rothwein matched her season-high with five, while adding two assists. Trish Gillen had two goals on the day while Amelia Govern matched her career-high with two assists.
Runnemede, NJ – A teacher at Sterling High School has been arrested and charged for engaging in a sexual relationship with a student, reported Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay and Runnemede Police Chief William Sampolski.
Jason D. Howe, 26, of Runnemede is charged with 2nd-degree Sexual Assault and 2nd-dgree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
On Friday, April 3, 2026, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit was notified by local police that a female student, who was at least 16 but less than 18 years old, reported having a sexual relationship with a teacher. During the investigation, detectives determined Howe and the victim engaged in sexual intercourse at his apartment in Runnemede in March 2026.
Chronicling Five Decades in the Newsroom—From the Newark Riots to Undercover Investigations
Gloucester City, NJ — January 2026 — After more than 50 years shaping public discourse across South Jersey and Philadelphia, journalist and editor William E. Cleary Sr. announces the release of his memoir, From Pen to Paper: Lessons From a Lifetime in the Newsroom. The book offers a candid, insightful look into the triumphs, trials, and truths of a career devoted to public service journalism—and a life shaped by service long before he ever picked up a pen.
Part memoir and part guidebook, From Pen to Paper traces Cleary’s journey from on-the-scene reporting to editorial leadership, revealing the tools of the trade and the unwritten rules that define the profession. With wit and wisdom, Cleary shares stories from inside the newsroom—where deadlines loom, facts matter, and integrity is non-negotiable. But the book also ventures beyond the newsroom, into the streets of a burning city and the shadowy world of organized crime.
Before Cleary became a journalist, he was a soldier. In July 1967, as a member of the New Jersey Army National Guard’s 50th Armored Division, 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment—the legendary “Jersey Blues”—Cleary was among 3,000 troops deployed to Newark during one of the most violent urban uprisings in American history.
“The Newark riot happened 57 years ago, but the memory is still fresh,” Cleary writes. “Some of us who were there called it ‘The Battle of Newark.’”
On the morning of July 12, 1967, Cleary was working as a mailman at the Gloucester City Post Office when his supervisor pulled him aside. Governor Richard Hughes had activated the Guard. Cleary was ordered to report immediately to the Pitman Armory—no phone calls, no detours home.
“As I drove south on Route 47, my mind raced,” he recalls. “I knew nothing about riots in Newark. But I did know there were reports about National Guard Units being sent to Vietnam and Berlin, Germany—both hot spots in the ’60s, oceans away.”
For five harrowing days, Cleary and his squad—a tight-knit group of young men from Gloucester City, Brooklawn, and surrounding towns—patrolled the streets of Newark as fires raged and tensions boiled over. The experience left an indelible mark on the young guardsman, shaping his understanding of civic duty, community, and the fragility of social order.
“In those days, the Gloucester guys were always there for each other,” Cleary writes. “If you found yourself in trouble, you could count on your friends to have your back. It was an unspoken bond.”
That sense of duty would follow Cleary into journalism, where he built a reputation for asking tough questions and holding power accountable.
An Enigmatic Visitor and a Three-Month Investigation
Twenty-two years later, on a sweltering Monday afternoon in July 1989, Cleary’s integrity would be tested differently.
He was four years into ownership of the Gloucester City News when a tall, impeccably dressed man walked into his office. The stranger—whom Cleary refers to in the book as “Mr. Smith”—claimed he operated in “heavyweight circles” and had been told that anyone wanting to do business in Gloucester City needed to consult Bill Cleary first.
Smith’s associate, “Mr. Jones,” was allegedly connected to an area mob boss. Their pitch: a lucrative waterfront development deal.
Cleary immediately smelled trouble. After the meeting, he worked the phones, reaching out to contacts across law enforcement. One call went to a New Jersey State Trooper he’d known since childhood. That trooper escalated the matter to his superior, Lieutenant Michael Lyons.
What followed was a three-month covert operation. At the request of the State Police, Cleary continued meeting with Smith and Jones, gathering intelligence while investigators worked behind the scenes.
“I thought they were targeting Mayor Bevan,” Cleary recalls. “But the State Police and others eventually made it clear: I was the target. They wanted to compromise the newspaper.”
The investigation revealed an attempted shakedown—an effort to intimidate or buy influence over the one institution in town that held a mirror to power. Cleary’s cooperation with law enforcement helped expose the scheme, and neither man was ever charged, though their plans were thwarted.
The incident underscored a principle Cleary had lived by since his first days in the newsroom: “Journalism isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s for those willing to chase the truth, even when it’s inconvenient.”
A Career Defined by Tenacity and Integrity
Cleary began his journalism career in 1968, covering local government, public safety, and community life for the Gloucester City News and the Camden County Record. In 1978, he was named editor of both weekly newspapers, solidifying his reputation for investigative rigor and editorial leadership.
In 1984, Cleary and his wife, Connie, purchased the Gloucester City News, guiding the paper through two decades of growth and community service. After selling the newspaper in 2004, Cleary launched Cleary’s Notebook News (CNBNews)—one of South Jersey’s earliest independent online news platforms.
Today, at 82, he continues his in-depth reporting on the South Jersey and Philadelphia region, maintaining the same commitment to truth and public service that has defined his entire career.
A Memoir for Journalists and Citizens Alike
From Pen to Paper is more than a journalist’s memoir—it’s a testament to the power of local news, the importance of ethical leadership, and the courage required to stand firm when pressures mount. Whether recounting his days on patrol in Newark, his battles with deadlines and sources, or his face-to-face meetings with alleged mobsters, Cleary writes with clarity, humor, and hard-earned wisdom.
The book is essential reading for aspiring journalists, students of history, and anyone who believes in the vital role of a free press in a functioning democracy.
Availability
From Pen to Paper: Lessons From a Lifetime in the Newsroom eBook: $9.99 | Paperback: $16.99 Available Monday, February 3, 2026, on Amazon/Kindle
About the Author
William E. Cleary Sr. is a veteran journalist with a career spanning more than five decades. He began reporting in 1968 for the Gloucester City News and the Camden County Record, covering local government, public safety, and community life with tenacity and integrity.
In 1978, Cleary was named editor of both weekly newspapers, a role that solidified his reputation for investigative rigor and editorial leadership. In 1984, he and his wife Connie purchased the Gloucester City News, guiding the paper through two decades of growth and community service.
After selling the newspaper in 2004, Cleary launched Cleary’s Notebook News in 2006 (CNBNews)—one of South Jersey’s earliest independent online news platforms. Today, at 81, he continues his in-depth reporting on the South Jersey and Philadelphia region, maintaining the same commitment to truth and public service that has defined his entire career.
Reminder to Voorhees property owners: The annual sewer bill must be received by 4/10/26 to avoid interest. Questions? Call 856-429-7762 or email collector@voorheesnj.com
Philadelphia is about to raise a glass to 250 years. The Brewers Association has announced the official commemorative beer for the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America® (CBC®), coming to Philadelphia this April. It is a true beer born in the birthplace America. ‘Of the Brewers. By the Brewers. For the Brewers.’ is a 4.7% ABV pale lager brewed as a true industry collaboration across every tier of the brewing community. Yards Brewing Company in Northern Liberties was tapped to produce the beer, which is now in production in time for the event. The public can enjoy an exclusive limited release at the Yards Brewing taproom, at 500 Spring Garden. Supplies for the public first come first served.
The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation, under the authority of the Antiquities Act. Commercial fishing was prohibited within the monument via Presidential Proclamations 9496 and 10287, respectively. In 2024, NOAA Fisheries incorporated the Monument boundaries and commercial fishing prohibition into the regulations at 50 CFR 600.10 and 600.725(x). This rule conforms U.S. fishing regulations to the Presidential Proclamation Unleashing Commercial Fishing in the Atlantic, which removed the prohibition on commercial fishing within the Monument. Commercial fishing is allowed within the Monument, consistent with all other applicable regulations, including the implementing regulations for the New England Fishery Management Council’s Deep Sea Coral Amendment, found at 50 CFR 648.373, as follows:
Commercial red crab fishing anywhere within the boundaries of the Monument;
Commercial Atlantic Highly Migratory Species and pelagic fishing anywhere within the boundaries of the Monument; and
Bottom-tending gear to be fished in the portion of the Monument that does not overlap with the Georges Bank Deep-Sea Coral Protection Area, including trap/pot gear, otter trawl, dredge, etc.
Revolutionary War reenactors will be on site along with the colonial Town Crier to set the landscape for the celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States of America.
During this season of seminal events the Camden County Commissioners are preparing for the nation’s 250th Anniversary, the FIFA World Cup, and a variety of other events throughout the year. Today, April 8 at noon, at Wiggins Waterfront Park, 2 Riverside Drive, Camden, the Board of Commissioners will join local leaders to announce the schedule of events for South Jersey 250, a coordinated regional initiative commemorating our nation’s 250th birthday. To enhance and improve the county’s ever expanding park system, the Commissioners, their local partners, and stakeholders are planning to amplify and activate the most used green spaces throughout the county for the foundation for many of this year’s events.
Pino condemns Pou’s demand for USPS to defy federal election security;Slams GOP Primary Opponent’s Silence on Protecting Legal Voters
Rosie Pino, four-term local elected official and Republican candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 9th District, today issued a sharp rebuke of Nellie Pou and New Jersey Democrats following their formal demand that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ignore federal executive orders aimed at securing the nation’s mail-in ballot system.
On April 4, 2026, at the age of 63. Of Bellmawr. Formerly of Blackwood. Predeceased by his parents, Joseph A. and Ethel May McDonnell (nee Chamberlin). Survived by his girlfriend, Marie Dunn; sisters, Kathleen MacDaniels and Colleen McDonnell; brothers, Joseph McDonnell, Daniel McDonnell and Patrick McDonnell; step-children, Bobby, Ashley and Adam; nephews, Richard, Steven, William, Russell, Eric, Jason, Frankie and Joseph; nieces, Valerie and Jamie; grandchildren, Codie, Peyton, Brianna, Christopher, Maximus and Derick. Predeceased by his nephews, Kerry and Tommy.
Relatives and friends are invited to his visitation on Friday afternoon, April 10th from 2 to 3:30 PM at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City. Family and friends will share stories of Russell beginning at 3:30 PM in the funeral home. Interment will be private.
Please note that the following information is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at approximately 7:14am, two 18th District Philadelphia Police Officers responded to a radio call for a person with a weapon and a report of a family being held hostage on the 5400 block of Webster Street. Preliminary investigation indicates the 911 call originated from a phone registered to the decedent.
Upon arrival, the uniformed officers observed a male (later identified as the decedent) on the front porch of a residence. The officers, Officer #1 and Officer A, exited their RPC, at which point the male brandished a firearm, and raised the handgun in their direction. The officers took cover and issued multiple commands for the male to drop the weapon. The male discharged one round from his weapon. At that point officer #1 discharged her service weapon one time, striking the male.
