The time has come to open a debate about Gloucester City’s Ward system. As I have written in previous articles over this past year, I believe our Wards are outdated and no longer serve the best interests of a City that has 12,000 residents living in a mere 2.2 square mile area. The Wards prohibit full participation in our electoral process and segregate voters from expressing their will.

Many of our residents and City leaders have expressed similar frustrations with Gloucester City’s governing/voter divisions. Former and current Mayors and Council members have cited the difficulty in finding residents who have an interest in serving in our City government, from all three Wards, as well as the alienation of voters from choosing their full leadership.

Though I am an outspoken advocate for nonpartisan and ward-free governance, I would like to encourage a debate for all residents to weigh in on. I encourage your comments, insights, questions, experiences and knowledge of our City’s Ward system. Hopefully, with your input, a clear consensus and resolution can be achieved.

To start the dialogue I would like to list one \”pro\” and one \”con\” of the Ward system:

PRO: The Ward system prevents one area of the City from having too much influence.

CON: The Ward system limits residents from voting for or against Council candidates who, if elected, will be appointed to committees that are responsible for the entire City.

Sophomore Cliff Kipper (Hayes, Va.) and freshman Joseph O’Connell (St. Augustine, Fla.) hit their first two attempts for CNU, and junior Nolan Sandberg (Round Lake Park, Ill.) and sophomore Pete Bednarsky (Hackettstown, N.J.) converted on the first two Duck chances to make it 2-2 heading into the third and fourth rounds.

CNU converted its third chance and Duck freshman Zach Adler (McKinney, Texas) was denied so the President’s went into the fourth round up, 3-2. Junior goalkeeper Zach Carr (Carmel, Ind.) made the stop on the next Christopher Newport shot, but Stevens was unable to tie things up at 3-all with its attempt in the fourth round.

Needing a goal to seal it for the Captains, sophomore Winston Mattheisen (Norfolk, Va.) was able to convert his chance to send CNU into the round of eight.

Each team had chances in regulation and the two overtimes but either just missed, hit crossbars, or the goalkeepers made saves. Carr was credited with four stops for the Ducks, and sophomore Justin Wolfe (Williamsburg, Va.) made nine for Christopher Newport.

Stevens ended the contest with a 16-15 edge in shots but the Captains had a 10-2 advantage in corners. Adler (4) and senior Terrence Johnson (New Orleans, La.) (3) led Stevens in shots on goal.

CNU (19-2-3) will play in Sunday’s Sectional final against Williams College who advanced over host York College (Pa.) in penalty kicks in the first game of the day. Stevens ends its season with a record of 17-3-2 as 2008’s national runner-up fell just shy of a return trip to the round of four in 2009.

TCNJ WRESTLERS WIN ONEONTA STATE INVITATIONAL

Oneonta, NY…Led by four individual champions, The College of New Jersey wrestling team won the 2009 Oneonta State Invitational on Saturday racking up 152 team points on Saturday.

TCNJ ran away with the title with SUNY Cortland finishing a distant second place with 105-.5 points in the 122-team field. .

The Lions excelled in the upper weight winning titles at 174, 184, and 197 pounds, with the fourth top finish coming at 141. Sophomore Jim Somma (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) earned that title at 141 giving him his second tournament crown in as many weeks. Last week he won his weight class at the Ursinus College Fall Brawl. Saturday he won all four of his matches as the top seed in his weight class.

Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Ph: 856-456-1142

11-22-09 0430hrs 7029 Rising Sun Ave Philadelphia Pa

Twelve plus people transported to area hospital, 1 critical, a shelter was set up at Northeast HS for at least 100 evacuated residents.

Steve Skipton
NJ Editor /Apparatus
Cell 609-707-3871
New Jersey Coordinator for IFPA
Member NJ and Philadelphia Press

Bentley, ranked ninth in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll, improves to 3-0 overall. Holy Family is now 0-2.

Dowling connected on 10 of 11 shots on his way to his team-high scoring effort. He added five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Guard Jason Westrol recorded 19 points, six assists, five rebounds and five steals. Forward Brian Tracey added 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Forward Kevin Kettl just missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds in a reserve effort.