By Army Pvt. Tamara Gabbard Special to American Forces Press Service BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, May 16, 2008 – The Heroes of the Diamond Tour brought four retired Major League Baseball players to visit servicemembers here May 11.   Jeff Nelson, a former New York Yankees relief pitcher, signs a baseball for a fan at a Morale, Welfare and Recreation-sponsored event at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 11, 2008. The Heroes of the Diamond Tour brought four retired Major League Baseball players to visit with deployed servicemembers. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Morale, Welfare and Recreation-sponsored event featured Tim Salmon, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim right fielder; Dean Palmer, Detroit Tigers third baseman; Mike Remlinger, Atlanta Braves relief pitcher; and Jeff Nelson, New York Yankees relief pitcher. \”We were glad that these players came, because a few were fresh out of the league,\” said Brian P. Lee, director and tour manager. Lee said he sought players that servicemembers could recognize. For one soldier, Lee\’s pick in ball players was right on the money. \”I have been watching Tim Salmon since I was a kid,\” Army Sgt. Jeff M. Lucenti said. \”This is the first person I have been excited to see, and it means a lot because I was at the last game he played in.\” Lucenti said he was honored to meet one of his childhood heroes. Others shared the sentiment, as well. \”We really appreciate the players coming out and sharing with us,\” said Air Force Lt. Col. Rob Rocco. \”Today is Mother\’s Day, and yet they sacrifice time to be here with us.\” The major leaguers said the feelings were reciprocal. \”We wanted to come and show how much we support you,\” Remlinger said. \”Being here with these soldiers and listening to their stories makes me realize how real this war is.\” Palmer agreed and said that being able to talk with the servicemembers and listening to the things they have experienced has been one of the best experiences of his life. The players autographed photos, papers and other memorabilia members brought in. Some, like Rocco, plan on sending their new \”treasures\” home. \”What is more American than baseball?\” asked Rocco, who added that he was very excited about sending his daughter a baseball that all the \”heroes\” signed. \”This event was great.\” A newly arrived airman also shared his reaction to the event. \”I haven\’t been here 24 hours,\” said Air Force Capt. Andres Munera. \”This really is a huge morale builder for me, since this is a fresh beginning for me, and my son is going to love this ball they all signed.\” (Army Pvt. Tamara Gabbard is assigned to 382nd Public Affairs Detachment.)

Related Sites: Combined Joint Task Force 101 NATO International Security Assistance Force

Dean Palmer, a retired Detroit Tigers third baseman, signs a picture for a fan at a Morale, Welfare and Recreation event at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 11, 2008. The Heroes of the Diamond Tour brought four retired Major League Baseball players to visit with deployed servicemembers. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution Jeff Nelson, a retired New York Yankees relief pitcher, autographs a baseball for Air Force Capt. Andres Munera at a Morale, Welfare and Recreation event on Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 11, 2008. The Heroes of the Diamond Tour is 10 days long with various stops in Afghanistan and other deployed locations. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution Army Sgt. Jeff M. Lucenti poses with his childhood hero, retired ballplayer Tim Salmon, at a Morale, Welfare and Recreation event at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, May 11, 2008. Lucenti said he\’s carried this Angels hat with him through all of his deployments. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg Download screen-resolution Download high-resolution

Over the past year or more the JGSC Group has been working with the City of Gloucester City to revitalize the community. The company’s most recent project involves the revitalization plan renewing three retail districts. See City of Gloucester City: It\’s Coming

Below is back ground information on the JGSC Group provided by Teddie O’Keefe of O’Keefe Consulting firm.

The JGSC Group specializes in strategic revitalization consulting services for municipalities, retail shopping centers, real estate developers and government entities. From downtown revitalization and business recruitment and retention, to research and consumer marketing, strategic planning, and retail development and redevelopment, the JGSC Group provides comprehensive and effective solutions for business revitalization.

The principles of the JGSC Group have decades of experience in both the private and public sectors, helping direct policies on economic development, redevelopment and reinvestment across the State of New Jersey, and working with retail and mixed use developers creating successful shopping centers and downtown retail districts.

JGSC has created several unique, trademarked programs for economic revitalization, including Community Insights for municipalities and Shopping Insights for retail centers. The firm has completed revitalization studies for more than 50 municipalities in seven states, several national and state economic development agencies and dozens more retail centers and private sector developments.

The JGSC Group serves as advisors to Main Street New Jersey and the 32 designated Main Street communities throughout the state, the National Main Street Center, the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, the New Jersey Downtown Revitalization Institute and the Local Initiatives Support Group, and is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Related:JGSC Group Website

Related: Buy Local/UEZ

Representatives of Commerce Bank will be appearing before the Gloucester City Planning Board on Wednesday, May 21^st at 7:30 PM in council chambers, 313 Monmouth Street.

At this meeting Commerce will be going for preliminary and final approval of the new bank to be built at the intersection of Broadway and Cumberland Street.

Dave Stallwood, president of the Gloucester City Business Association asked that members and citizens to attend this important meeting to show their support.

\”Commerce Bank will be a great improvement to the Broadway corridor and the city as a whole.

\”I have also been told that the Dog House previously the old Dawbrieghs Tavern is also going up for permission to build a deck on their building.

\”If you can make it please come down and show your support as these are the things that make us a solid and forward moving force in the city\”, said Stallwood.

Related: BuyLocal/UEZ

News Release

Gloucester City, NJ, May 16, 2008 – Don\’t be surprised if you hear the sound of bagpipes, dance music and revelry resounding from Gloucester City\’s waterfront sometime in the near future. It\’s coming.

The City of Gloucester recently completed a Community Insights revitalization study, begun in mid-2007, with the goal of identifying strategies to renew its older, underutilized retail districts. The determination of the study was that this definitely could be accomplished, and a primary means will be to use fun to do so, recreating the Delaware River waterfront corridor along King and Water streets into a multi-faceted, festive retail and entertainment destination with a predominant Irish Village theme.

Two other retail districts, one with clusters along Broadway between Jersey Avenue and Division street, Powell Street to Hudson Street and Essex Street to Linden Street, would focus on increasing every day, residential retail, such as places to eat, beauty and personal services, health care, groceries and specialty food stores. The other, adjacent to the convergence of Rt. 130 and I-76 leading to the Walt Whitman Bridge, is suitable for additional regional retail catering to commuters and transient traffic, such as furniture stores, home improvement centers or automobile dealerships, and would be enhanced with signage drawing people off the highways to the new waterfront entertainment district.

\”What may be nicest about the Community Insights plan is that it addresses our residents\’ desires for a place to call their own. Gloucester is their home. We are not only focusing on their specific needs, but we are revitalizing and enhancing the true character of the community, taking advantage of our Irish and stevedore heritage which dates back to the late 1600s,\” said William James, the city\’s mayor.

The plan\’s revitalization strategies are now much more than simply conceptual ideas. Gloucester requested RFPs to secure an operator of a restaurant and lounge on the street side of Freedom Pier, which juts out into the Delaware River at the end of Cumberland Street. RFP responses are due May 30, with awarding of the contract shortly thereafter.

The city council recently approved going forward in bidding on a former sail training schooner to relocate to the pier. Plans call for using the 75-foot vessel for public sailing excursions up and down the river, and as a working marine educational exhibit and classroom with programs in maritime woodworking, marine science, engine repair and captain\’s license certification offered to adults and youth. Along with the schooner, a 65-foot, 150-passenger party boat, The Flagship, will be operating from the pier three to four days a week, offering sightseeing excursions and group charters for weddings and events beginning June 1.

The consulting firm hired to conduct the Community Insights program and oversee the revitalization effort, the JGSC Group, of Merchantville, NJ, also is in the process of recruiting businesses that could be viable in all three retail districts. At present, a nationwide company that specializes in Irish pubs and retail has expressed interest in the King Street entertainment district, along with other food, beverage and maritime related businesses.

Sustainable retail categories for the Broadway and Rt. 130 retail districts also have been identified, and collateral marketing these areas is now being distributed to targeted local, regional and national companies. Proposals were received from companies interested in developing the King Street retail corridor. The city recently decided to enter into an agreement naming Sora Holdings of Glassboro as the redeveloper.

\”Gloucester has enormous potential and natural assets. Its large waterfront district along the Delaware is perfect for festival retail, entertainment and leisure recreation businesses which capitalize upon Gloucester\’s ship building tradition and centuries-old Irish ancestry,\” said Mark Lohbauer, a general partner of the JGSC Group, who is overseeing the Community Insights program for Gloucester. \”It\’s a tremendous untapped resource. And having immediate access to Rt. 130, I-76 and the Walt Whitman Bridge with 164,000 cars passing every day, it can become one of the region\’s most popular entertainment venues very quickly.\”

In addition to specific revitalization strategies, the Gloucester plan also has consensus. Business owners, community leaders and residents alike all have endorsed moving forward, with 86% of people surveyed agreeing that renewal of the retail districts is needed and 95% stating that not undertaking a revitalization program would be unacceptable.

\”There is a substantial difference between redeveloping a business district and revitalizing the economy in that district. Redevelopment replaces old buildings with new in the hope of luring new occupants. The problem is that normally there is no real plan for how the new buildings will be used or how to attract occupants that will be successful,\” said Lohbauer. \”A revitalization plan restores viability to a business district, employing strategies such as business recruitment, business retention and destination marketing which energize economic activity. Gloucester\’s attributes have great potential for sustaining business there.\”

Through the Community Insights process, the study identified the optimum business mix for Gloucester\’s three retail districts, combining the wants, needs and perceptions of shoppers, residents and merchants with pertinent economic and social data specific to the city. The program\’s in-depth analysis revealed the essential elements necessary for success in the business districts, including measuring support for the revitalization initiatives and strategies; finding untapped consumer demand for retail goods and services; strengthening existing businesses; determining the most sustainable retail categories for businesses within the study area; developing building-by-building, block-by-block strategies to launch the revitalization; recruiting new businesses and attracting more shoppers and visitors to the business districts.

Such comprehensive analysis pinpoints the untapped market potential in up to 130 retail categories and determines which businesses have the greatest likelihood of being sustainable in each business district, along with creating jobs and providing an ongoing catalyst for economic growth and development.

\”Gloucester\’s challenges are common for older urban areas, but the solutions are unique to Gloucester itself. It became apparent very quickly that the retail potential is vastly underutilized. A full one third of the King Street waterfront area is either vacant or non-retail,\” said Lohbauer. \”When you combine the ambience of the waterfront, the financial benefits available in UEZ areas, the support of an exuberant Irish residential community and three specific business districts supported by a large local, regional and transient consumer base, you have an excellent foundation for successful revitalization.\”

The new revitalization plan complements improvements begun in Gloucester during the past few years which have restored dozens of 19th-century storefronts and houses, installed Victorian-style lampposts and decorative sidewalks and created a new marina, boat ramp and fishing pier. Funding for the Community Insights study was provided by a Smart Future Grant from the NJ Department of Community Affairs.

For information on retail opportunities in Gloucester\’s three business districts, contact Bob Bevan, the mayor\’s special projects coordinator at 856-456-0205 ext. 11; e-mail: [email protected]; Howard Clark, the city\’s Urban Enterprise Zone director at 856-456-6075; e-mail: [email protected]; or the JGSC Group at 856-662-8800; e-mail: [email protected].

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http://www.norwichbulletin.com/sports

Last weekend’s heavy rains combined with the cold, windy weather that blasted through the region has put a damper on turkey hunting since the May 7 season-opener.

Opening day was a good one for many hunters in the area. Weather was mild and sunny, so the Toms were out gobbling and strutting their stuff as they are supposed to do this time of year.

Jim and Eric Cummings — father and son owners of Center Sports Columbia — reported a good opening day of hunting among their circle of friends. Reports from other turkey hunters I’ve talked to indicated about half of them tagged birds on the first morning. But it’s been very slow hunting since.
continue

Related: Hunting and Fishing

Teammates of Gloucester High\’s Sami Dobleman #14, congratulate her after she hit one of two home runs in Saturday\’s contest against cross town rival Gloucester Catholic. Final Score Lions 4 Rams 2

Photos by Bruce Darrow

See Photo Gallery

Related: Dobleman helps Lions end skid against rivals

Box Score

Newark, NJ…Rowan University handed The College of New Jersey a 5-2 loss in the 2008 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament on Sunday afternoon. Rowan will now take on Kean University in the championship of the 2008 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship at Eagles and Bears Riverfront Stadium. TCNJ, which earned the third seed in the regional, finishes their season with a 30-12 record, while Rowan University improves to 33-14.

Adam Tussey was 3-4 for the Lions with a pair of stolen bases.

Junior Tom Ready (Blenheim, NJ/Triton Regional) drove in two runs for the Profs, while senior Ryan Kulik (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) struck out 11 en route to his 10th win of the year and has provided the Profs a shot at the 2008 NCAA Division III Regional Championship title when they take on Kean University in the championship game.

Rowan\’s short stop Roland Rodriguez (Miami, FL/Miami Killian) reached in the first and scored to spot the Profs to a 1-0 lead. Junior outfielder John McMullin (Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) connected on his team-leading eighth home run of the year in the second inning to left center field as Rowan took a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Frank Urbanovich (Rutherford, NJ/St. Peter\’s Prep) drove in senior Joe Franceschini (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East), who had reached with a single.

TCNJ\’s junior second baseman Adam Tussey (Brooklawn, NJ/Gloucester City) was 3-4 and collected his team-leading 72nd hit of the year having added 67 singles on the season. After reaching with his third single of the game in the top of the sixth, he broke up Kulik\’s shutout bid on an RBI single by senior catcher Rich Gawlak (Plainsboro, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South). Gawlak led the Lions this year having driven in 49 runs as a starter in all of TCNJ\’s 42 games in 2008.

In the bottom of the sixth, junior Tom Ready (Blenheim, NJ/Triton Regional) came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, delivering a two RBI single to center to give the Profs a 5-1 lead and knocking TCNJ\’s starting pitcher, left handed senior Nick Amabile (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) from the game.

Junior fireman, Eric Gertie (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) came in the game and got the Lions out of the jam, down 5-1 through six innings. The appearance was the 19th of the season for Gertie, worked 2.1 innings with no hits and a strike out. Amabile, drops to 3-1 after working in 5.2 innings with five earned runs off nine hits with one strikeout with six walks.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Lions had a scoring opportunity that was snuffed out as they had two runners on base before junior Vince Mazzaccaro (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) struck out and senior Dave Mebs (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) was thrown out trying to steal third to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Gawlak lead off with a single to centerfield to open the Lions\’ action, followed by a single to center by senior first baseman Bill Kropp (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts). With no outs and runners on first and second, Rowan replaced starting pitcher, 2008 NJAC Pitcher of the Year, senior Ryan Kulik (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) with junior reliever Kevin O\’Hara (Clayton, NJ/Gloucester Catholic).

Sophomore Chris Esperon (Union, NJ/Union Catholic) stepped to the plate to face O\’Hara and flew out to left field for the first out. Senior Tyler Hall (Stockton, NJ/Immaculata) pinch hit and grounded out to second. Senior right fielder Matt Barrett (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley Regional) singled to right field to drive in Gawlak and pull the Lions closer. Mebs struck out looking to end the game.

Kulik collected the win to improve to 10-2, while O\’Hara earned his eighth save after an inning of work, while making his 22nd appearance of the season.

For the Lions, Gawlak was 2-4 with a an RBI and a run scored, while Esperon was 2-4 as the Lions collected 10 hits, but left eight runners on base. Defensively, the Lions turned two double plays. Tussey added a pair of stolen bases, while Mebs was 1-2 on the base paths.

The 2008 NCAA appearance was the 18th in program history for the Lions who now boast a lifetime record of 41-35 in NCAA tournament history. The 2008 Lions were under the direction of interim head coach Dean Glus, who helped the team to an impressive 30-12 record as well as a No. 3 seed in the 2008 NJAC and 2008 NCAA Regional playoffs.

Bill\’s Point of View:

Thanks to a reader of ClearysNoteBook I obtained a copy of a new law that was passed by the Senate and General Assembly of New Jersey that gives special privileges to students who don\’t speak English to opt out of taking certain test unless it is written in the individual\’s language.

The law appears to include other statewide tests, not just those given to a student. For example the law would pertain to the tests given to obtain a New Jersey drivers license or hunting license.

The legislation (Assembly Bill, No. 969) was sponsored by: Assemblywoman NILSA CRUZ-PEREZ District 5 (Camden and Gloucester Counties), Assemblyman JOSEPH J. ROBERTS, JR. also of District 5, Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO District 32 (Bergen and Hudson), Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE, District 37 (Bergen).

No doubt someone will have to pay for the test to be written in Spanish, Arabic or whatever language the individual speaks. And then there will be extra cost to hire people qualified to speak the foreign language to score the test.

The state is bankrupt yet those in charge continue to find ways to waste our tax dollars.

I don\’t know about you but I am upset. When our forefathers came to this country so many years ago, be they Irish, Italian, Polish, German etc., they had to learn the English language or they wouldn\’t survive.

Why do the Liberals who control our State government feel it necessary to give the minorities of today special treatment?

This is America. The language that is spoken in this country is English. Yet for some reason those who make the laws in New Jersey continually bend over backwards to appease the whims of a certain few.

I said it before and will say it again. ONLY IN NEW JERSEY!

ASSEMBLY, No. 969 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 213th LEGISLATURE

SYNOPSIS

Provides that student of limited English-speaking ability shall not be required to take certain tests. CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

An Act concerning the testing of students of limited English-speaking ability and supplementing P.L.1974, c.197 (C.18A:35-15 et seq.).

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1 et seq.) or any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a student of limited English-speaking ability who is identified as such pursuant to P.L.1974, c.197 (C.18A:35-15 et seq.) shall not be required to take any diagnostic, standardized, Statewide, or district-wide test in English which has not been designed or normed for non-native speakers of English until the student has been in a State-approved program for at least two academic years, except that the student may be given the option of taking any test in English, or may be required to take a standardized test or undergo other assessment in the native language of the student in order to measure certain abilities or general academic progress.

• This act shall take effect immediately.

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President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense.

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 Funeral services were held for Mildred A. Smulling, 82, of Audubon, NJ, who passed away on May 12, 2008.
 Beloved daughter of the late Alma and Joseph Remy. Ms. Smulling was a former employee of Curtis Publishing Company, Philadelphia, PA, a member of Audubon Chapter #191, OES for over 50 years and as active member of the Audubon United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir.

 Interment private at the convenience of the family.