by Kevin Manahan/The Star Ledger

Camden, the state’s poorest and most violent city, earlier this month laid off nearly half its police force. And even so, the city council voted this past week to raise taxes by 23 percent to cover the bills.

No one knows what will happen next because this kind of civic collapse is new and historic. But the city’s 78,788 residents wonder if their lives are teetering, as resident William Sylvester says, on the edge of \”all-out hellfire.\”

MORE CAMDEN IN PERSPECTIVE:

• Life in Camden amid the blight and the bullets

Just as the angry customer bolted the McDonald’s, a 911 call came: Two miles away, at Ferry Street and Broadway, in the shadow of Sacred Heart Church, Anjanea Williams, 20, had been felled by a bullet meant for a drug dealer.

Police say three men, their faces covered, approached a group of men standing outside a sandwich shop. One opened fire. Williams, walking to the deli with a friend, was the only person hit. As the innocent victim, known as \”Nay Nay\” to friends, crumpled onto the sidewalk with a slug in her abdomen, her blood mixed with the snow and ice left behind by the last storm.

read via blog.nj.com

A U.S. district judge on Monday threw out the nation\’s health care law, declaring it unconstitutional because it violates the Commerce Clause and surely reviving a feud among competing philosophies about the role of government. 

Judge Roger Vinson, in Pensacola, Fla., ruled that as a result of the unconstitutionality of the \”individual mandate\” that requires people to buy insurance, the entire law must be declared void. 

\”I must reluctantly conclude that Congress exceeded the bounds of its authority in passing the act with the individual mandate. That is not to say, of course, that Congress is without power to address the problems and inequities in our health care system. The health care market is more than one-sixth of the national economy, and without doubt Congress has the power to reform and
regulate this market. That has not been disputed in this case. The principal dispute
has been about how Congress chose to exercise that power here,\” Vinson wrote.

\”While the individual mandate was clearly \’necessary and essential\’ to the act as drafted, it is not \’necessary and essential\’ to health care reform in general,\” he continued. \”Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional and not severable, the entire act must be declared void.\”

The decision will likely face an immediate filing by the federal government for a stay, and the case is undoubtedly headed to the Supreme Court.

read via www.foxnews.com

Gloucester City Council Extends Cap; Limits Negative Statements

Bellmawr Police Union Clarifies Issues; Voices Public Safety Concerns

Seeing Eye Dog Dazzles Gloucester City Students

Johanna James’ Last-Second Shot Leads Lady Lions Over Lady Rams

Mount Ephraim School Board Honors Students

On January 25, 2011. Age 94. Of Cherry Hill. Formerly of Philadelphia and Wildwood. Loving and devoted wife of the late Joseph Kleinburger. Beloved mother of Marie (James) Bevanar of Medford and the late Joseph Klineburger (surviving wife Jenny of Atlantic City). Cherished grandmother of 3. Esther loved to read and vacation. She was very devoted to her Roman Catholic Faith and was a former parishioner of Christ Our Light Parish: Saint Peter Celestine Church in Cherry Hill. At the request of the family, cremation and services are private. Family requests memorial donations to Christ Our Light R.C. Parish: 402 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Please write in memo: Esther C. Kleinburger. Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com. Funeral Arrangements and Inquires may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City. Ph: 856-456-1142

On Feb. 1, 2011, ProPublica, FRONTLINE and NPR will begin airing and publishing the results of a year-long investigation into the dysfunctional system that determines how Americans die titled \”Post Mortem.\” The newsrooms found a system in which there are few standards, little oversight, and the mistakes are literally buried. In state after state, reporters found autopsies conducted by doctors who lacked certification and training. Ultimately, the errors made by coroners and forensic pathologists have allowed potentially guilty perpetrators to go free and the innocent to be accused of crimes they did not commit.

Joe F. Yager Jr., Old Style Craftsman and Wood Worker Known as a Mr Fix It

 Winifred C. HAPSMITH Faithful Parishioner of Saint Mary Parish

On January 30, 2011. Age 99. (nee Cogan) Of Gloucester City. Loving and devoted wife of 53 years to the late Peter S. Hapsmith. Loving mother of Lois Dabek (Richard), Cathy Wilke and Michael Hapsmith (Linda). Loving grandmother of Michael, Douglas (Heather), Suzanne (Albert), Pam (Ray), Stephanie, Monica, Marli, Anthony and Jamie. Loving great grandmother of Ryan. Predeceased by her brother Charles C. Cogan her sister Eleanor O’Connell. Winifred was a lifelong resident of Gloucester City. She was a graduate of St. Mary’s Grammar School and Camden Catholic High School class of 1929. Winifred was a faithful and devoted parishioner of St. Mary’s R.C. Church and was a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court Giese #439. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Friday morning from 8:30 to 10:30 AM at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 11 AM at St. Mary’s R.C. Church: 426 Monmouth St. Gloucester City, NJ. Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s Church Special Fund: at the above church address or to Lighthouse Hospice: 1040 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Please write in the memo: Winifred C. Hapsmith. Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City. Ph: 856-456-1142 

Sophie Maguire (nee Gulay), of Barrington, a secretary for 52 years at St. Francis de Sales School in Barrington, died Jan. 17 at the age of 92.

She was the beloved wife of the late Michael J., and devoted mother of Patricia Lubonski (Joseph) and Dorothy Henshall (Bob). She was the loving grandmother of Jennifer Schneider (Larry), Stephanie Longo (Peter), David Lubonski (Michelle), Jonathan Lubonski, Thomas Lubonski, Bobby Henshall (Donna), Amy Moore (Chris), Michael Henshall (Jillian) and Matthew Henshall, and great-grandmother of Caleb, Sophie, Caedran, Peter, Joseph, Nicholas, Stephen, Natalie, Jacob, Ethan, Aidan, Sadie, and Macie.

She was also the sister of Stephanie Donals and the late Mary, Josephine and Helen. She is also survived by Dee Dee, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

In her youth, Mrs. Maguire was a semi-professional bowler and women’s softball player. In addition to her work at St. Francis de Sales School, she was active in her community and church.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Jan. 22 at St. Rita of Cascia Parish, St. Francis de Sales Church, Barrington.

Donations may be made to Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 424 E. Browning Road, Bellmawr, NJ 08031.

via www.catholicstarherald.org

Thursday, January 27, 2011

MVA/Rescue Assignment IFO 1638 Springdale Rd

 

On the evening of January 16th around 2000hrs, Ladder 1344, BLS 1396 & BLS 1393 responded to an MVA across from Springdale Farms. Upon arrival, Ladder 4A\’s officer Lt. Jim Collins, assessed the 2 car MVA and determined that 1 occupant from vehicle 1 was trapped while occupants in vehicle 2 were out of their pick up truck and complaining of neck and back pain. The assignment was then upgraded to a Rescue Box. Rescue 13, Battalion 13, EMS 13 and 1392 responded. Ladder 4\’s crew stabilized vehicle 1 and started removing the front and rear driver\’s side doors. Upon Rescue 13\’s arrival, it was determined that the occupants foot was pinned under the dashboard. Hydraulic tools from 1344 and Rescue 13 were then used to lift the dashboard. The occupant was then extricated and transported to Virtua Voorhees.

via cherryhillfire.blogspot.com

The founder of a sacred arts academy seeks to add a revered image and an accompanying shrine to South Broad Street.

By Joseph Myers

Posted Jan. 13, 2011

Sister Mary Paula Beierschmitt holds the radiant image that her ordinary camera captured during a trip to Maryland. She sees it as a sign that she is to be an advocate for Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the numerous titles for the Blessed Mother.

Photo by Greg Bezanis

With Christmas, Jan. 6’s celebration of the Epiphany and Sunday’s observance of the Baptism of the Lord, early winter gives one plenty of reminders of Jesus Christ. New Year’s Day doubles as the Solemnity of Mary, a holy day honoring his blessed mother.

Courtesy of a 2008 photo, Sister Mary Paula Beierschmitt, a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, whose local convent is located at 1731 S. 11th St., desires to make each day a token of the Virgin’s importance.

Beierschmitt, a painter and sculptor who serves as president of The American Academy of the Sacred Arts, 1629 Porter St., believes Mary wants an increased presence in Philadelphia. Her conviction derives from Mary’s luminous appearance as the iconic Our Lady of Guadalupe over an ordinary mosaic in Emmitsburg, Md. The casual click has left Beierschmitt seeking to duplicate the image and construct a shrine using a blank exterior wall belonging to Carto Funeral Home Inc., 2212-14 S. Broad St.

READ via www.southphillyreview.com

| courierpostonline.com | by Celeste E. Whittaker SUNDAY JAN. 30, 2011

Gloucester HIGH (12-1), which was just 5-for-18 from the foul line (2-for-4 in the fourth), led by as many as seven points twice in the fourth quarter, but Gloucester Catholic fought back with that late run.

\”The game wasn\’t lost at the buzzer,\” Gloucester Catholic coach Lisa Gedaka said. \”The game was lost throughout the other 31 minutes and 55 seconds. We had a breakdown with guarding her (James) and they made a good shot, but the game was lost from the jump. We played timid, scared.\”

Gloucester got 10 points apiece from Cori Conner and Gabrielle Cooper (10 rebounds).

read via www.courierpostonline.com