Only three doors

An airline captain was breaking in a new blonde stewardess. The route t hey were flying had a layover in another city. Upon their arrival, the captain showed the stewardess the best place for airline personnel to eat, shop and stay overnight. The next morning, as the pilot was preparing the crew for the day\’s route, he noticed the new stewardess was missing. He knew which room she was in at the hotel and called her up wondering what happened. She answered the phone, crying, and said she couldn\’t get out of her room. \”You can\’t get out of your room?\” the captain asked, \”Why not?\” The stewardess replied: \”There are only three doors in here,\” she sobbed, \”one is the bathroom, one is the closet, and one has a sign on it that says \’Do Not Disturb\’!\”

The PhillyHistoryBlog
\”The alarm of fire being given
Onward we did go
Their house we broke, and their engine took
And beat their members also.\”

(From \”The Franklin Hose Song,\” c. 1850)

Tracing their roots back to a proud roster of founding fathers and fires fought, he volunteer fire companies that preceded the establishment of the Philadelphia Fire Department combined the best and worst traits of the city they served. Community-minded, innovative and tough, Philadelphia\’s amateur firemen also earned a reputation for brawling, boozing and bitter rivalry equal to anything ever reported to have happened in the parking lot after an Eagles game.

A rapidly growing city of \”about 700 dwelling houses,\” Philadelphia had no fire service to speak of in the early 18th century. Though bucket brigades had existed in New England since the 1690\’s, it would be decades before anyone took an organized approach to colonial emergency services. Meanwhile, Philadelphians doubtless looked nervously at the eminently combustible wooden warehouses along the Delaware waterfront, the boiling pitch-cauldrons and glowing forges of nearby shipyards and the pitiful resources the city could muster to protect its citizens.

During a fire, the victim depended on civically-minded neighbors with their own buckets, ladders, rope and hooks, the latter being used both to pull valuables from burning structures and to tear down buildings in the fire\’s path to keep it from spreading An English fire engine was purchased for the city around 1718 – partly funded through fines collected from a colonial smoking ban enacted against those \”presuming to smoke tobacco in the Streets of Philadelphia either by day or night\” – but wasn\’t much of a help; clumsy water-tanks on wheels, engines had to be hauled to the site of the fire, pumped by hand and continuously refilled by bucket chains.

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BLAKE, JANE ORA
On March 31, 2007, lifelong resident of Bellmawr. Age 51.
Beloved daughter of the late Calvert W. and Agnes M. (nee Logue) Blake. Devoted sister of Marie E. Winsor, Ronald C. Blake, Nancy B. Traynor and Walter J. Blake. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Jane was and employee of Ginsey Industries, Inc. for 21 years.
Relatives and friends are invited to the viewing from 7 to 9pm Wednesday eve and 9 to 10am Thursday morning at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE. Funeral Service 10am Thursday at the funeral home. Interment at Woodbury Memorial Park, Woodbury.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude\’s Children\’s Research, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or to Samaritan Hospice, 5 Eves Dr., Suite 300, Marlton, NJ 08053.
Expressions of sympathy may be e-mailed to [email protected].

BROWN
Leonard J.
On April 2, 2007, of Brooklawn, NJ. Age 63 yrs. Loving father of Janet Goetz (Peter), Dawn Colofranson (Anthony) and Joseph Brown (Colleen). Beloved son of Leonard \’Jake\’ Brown and the late Julia (nee Finnerty). Dear grandfather of Matthew and Thomas Goetz, Caitlin, Tara, and Anthony Colofranson and Heidi, Joseph, Casey and Rebecca Brown. Also survived by his sister Janet Cullen and brother Frank Brown (Kathy) along with several nieces and nephews .
Mr. Brown was born and raised in South Phila, and was a WW II veteran serving in the US Navy SeaBees. He also retired in 1993 from the US Naval Shipyard after 30 years service. He was an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, National Park Division and was a former member of the Year.
Relatives and friends are invited to meet on Wednesday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 AM at the ETHERINGTON-CRERAN FUNERAL HOME, 700 Powell St., Gloucester City, NJ 08030. AMass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 12:00 Noon at St. Mary\’s Church, 426 Monmouth St., Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Interment to be held at the convenience of the Family. There will be no evening viewing.

Dr. John Kellmayer, Superintendent of the Alice Costello School, released the following press release today regarding the district\’s school budget. It reads as follows:

\”The Brooklawn Board of Education held a Public Hearing and then approved the district\’s 2007-2008 budget of $4,517,836 at the regular meeting of the Board on March 30.

Because of increasing costs to school districts in areas over which they have no control, such as negotiated raises in contracts, rapidly increasing health care premiums, liability insurance, and heating fuel, a great percentage of school districts throughout New Jersey have planned significant tax increases and/or reductions in faculty and staff. There will be no tax increase in the Brooklawn School District. Nor will there be any reduction in services.

The school district plans to continue to provide services not only for families who have children who attend the school district, but for the entire community as well. The Shop Rite of Brooklawn Center and the Flowers Library and Media Center will be open evenings and some weekends. Programs will be planned for residents of all ages.

How can the Brooklawn Board of Education avoid a tax increase during a difficult economic time? Because the Brooklawn Board has adopted an entrepreneurial philosophy, the district has been successful in generating revenue from nontraditional sources. The sale of naming rights to Shop Rite for $100,000 and a $100,000 gift from the Flowers family are examples of these efforts.

The district has also generated substantial revenue from the New Jersey Interdistrict School Choice Program, which allows a limited number of students from public school districts outside of Brooklawn to attend school in Brooklawn. The Board remains committed to continuing the pursuit of nontraditional sources of revenue in the coming year, including the pursuit of discretionary grant funding.\”

Board of Education President Bruce Darrow said, \”The entire Board should be commended for their hard work in putting together the 2007-2008 budget. As far as I know, Brooklawn will be the only district in Camden County, and one of the very few in the entire state, to hold the line on taxes. Our students remain high achieving, and the school district cost per pupil is among the lowest in the state. In the past several years, we have built a library, classrooms, and a gym, added staff and programs, installed a new heating system and windows, and made numerous other improvements to educational programs and the physical plant—all without a tax increase.

The Board remains committed to working with the entire community, including Mayor and Council, to find innovative ways to continue the success of the school district for the benefit of not only the students but all the residents of Brooklawn.\”

More stories on Alice Costello School

 

By Bill Cleary

The Gloucester City Senior Citizens Association have a proposed permanent meeting place at the Gloucester Heights Fire Hall on Nicholson Road.

Mayor William James and Councilman Nick Marchese met with representatives of the association March 27 to discuss the idea. James said the details still need to be worked out, \”but everyone was enthused about the proposal we presented to them.\”

At a recent council meeting the public was informed that Gloucester City received a $400,000 grant in 2005 from the state to build a new Senior Citizens Community Hall. But for some reason the previous administration did nothing with the money, they just let it sit there. It wasn\’t until the new members of council (James, Brophy, and Marchese) took office in January that movement on the project began.

James explained at the meeting the $400,000 grant will expired in November which means the money would be lost. \”Time doesn\’t permit for getting proposals and construction so it was decided to look for an alternative\”, he said.

After the new members of council took office in January James and Marchese met a couple times with the general membership of the association to discuss the building of a hall. Marchese said following those meetings the Mayor and he continued to meet with representatives of the organization to keep them informed.

Friday, March 30 Marchese released further details on the arrangements. He emphasized nothing has been finalized. He said the Fire Department will still be located in the building but will only utilize the side where the fire equipment is kept. \”With the money they receive from the sale of the hall the plans call for the construction of a second floor on top of the garage for the firemen’s use,\” said Marchese.

He said there is talk of building a monument to deceased firemen in Gloucester Heights using proceeds from the sale.

He further explained that one half of the hall will be section off for the use of the senior citizens on a daily basis. And the other half of the hall will be rented out for weddings and other functions. The City will own the property.

Both the Mayor and Marchese said there are still some details to be resolved. And the senior association’s executive board has to vote on the proposal.

More information on the specifics will follow as soon as they are released.

By Lois Staas

NEWS Correspondent

 The public portion of the Bellmawr Mayor and Council meeting on Thursday, March 22, was lively and lengthy.

Several residents came forward to ask questions and state concerns about two sections of Bellmawr, one the turnpike and the other the Creek Road development project.

Patricia Byrne of Vaughn Avenue asked help with the removal of trees left behind from the dredging near the turnpike.

Mayor Frank R. Filipek responded that he had already talked to authorities about beginning work too early in the morning.

Filipek reassured that he would follow through and stressed that the noise level from the turnpike had increased since trees have been taken down.

\”I am here as a courtesy to inform Mayor and Council that we (residents of Vaughn and Roberts avenues) have sent a petition to Senator Wayne Bryant\’s assistant.

Once again, Filipek assured residents that he would contact the commission. This was the first anyone had complained of the noise level.

William Sweeney and Mark Matthews of Birch and Union avenues, respectively, were present about the redevelopment of the Creek Road area.

Sweeney and Matthews were asking about the drainage on Creek Road and the legal process of closing the landfill.

The mayor deferred to Solicitor Robert L. Messeck to explain the process Messeck explained that there were three points addressed.

First, was getting the landfill determined as a Brownsfield Development area. If this is accomplished, the DEP will repay 75 percent for closing and capping the landfill.

Second is working with the DEP, the Department of Community Affairs, and the State Commission in addressing the infrastructure through the Environmental Infrastructure Trust.

Of the two existing pipes, one is completely blocked and the other is fifty percent blocked.

These need to be replaced by a 94-inch culvert adjacent to Route 42. The cost is approximately 6 million dollars.

Third is concern the Green Acres Diversion Area. According to an agreement in the early 70\’s, any land a town directed as Green Acres is required to be doubled when redirected. So, an original designation of eight acres becomes sixteen acres.

Mayor Filipek identified this area as the Eco Center. \”Even if this is not developed, it needs to be capped for public safety. Tests show that the landfill is safe. The bottom is a solid piece of clay, so there will be no seepage.\”

Engineers expect the Cr-eek Road and Brooklawn Circle flooding to be addressed through dredging.

In regular business Councilman James F. D\’Angelo reported that $4,200 was spent on the last ice/snow storm. \”Public Works was out early. The guys did a good job. We were right on top of this one.\”

\”A sewer pipe broke in the Park, and we need an outside contractor to handle the difficult job. We spent $12,000. A pipeline also broke across from the freeway on Browning Road. The estimated cost for repair is $60,000.

Councilman Louis P. Di-Angelo said, \”Kudos to Public Works.\” D\’Angelo continued, \”Here\’s a reminder that Opening Day for baseball and softball starts with a parade at 10 a.m. on Annunciation School parking lot.

\”Also, don\’t forget the Easter Egg Hunt is at the Rec Center at 11 a.m. It\’s over at 11:05. This is Saturday, March 31.\”

The town budget was presented in title only. Councilman Peter A. DiGiambattista said, \”We have presented it to the state for discretionary aid. It will not be finalized until July or August.\”

DiGiambattista continued, \”This week the Business Alliance met. The courtroom where the meeting was held was full.\”

Updating the business directory was discussed, and Fire Chief Jim Burleigh presented the use of lock boxes to help the fire company enter public buildings as soon as possible in emergency situations.

Mike Williams, Safety Coordinator, presented Mayor and Council with a plaque for the Most Improved Municipality in the Safety Incentive Program from the Joint Insurance Fund.

\”I would like to thank all Boro employees, the two volunteer fire companies, and most of all the Mayor and Council for their support,\” added Williams.

Councilman John P. Bollinger said, \”Congratulations, Mike, on a job well done. He runs an excellent safety program. \’We go home the same way we ca-me to work.\”

\”Buildings and lands are running smoothly. We are still within budget,\” contributed Councilman Step-hen Sauter.

\”Congratulations and more than congratulations to all for a job well done all the time,\” stated Councilwoman Regina F. Pointkowski.

Mayor Filipek proclaimed April 2007 Alcohol Awareness Month. Finally, the Mayor concluded the reports by congratulating Councilwoman Pointkowski on her very recent retirement.

 

 

 

I would like to commend the highway department for all their hard work during the recent snowstorm. God Bless them.

Louise Yerkes, Gloucester City

On March 16, the students, support staff and teachers from the Mount Ephraim School District held \”green day.\” Everyone was asked to wear his or her green in support of the troops in Iraq.

The administration, support staff and teachers paid to dress down that day and wear green. The students, support staff and administration raised $287.76 and the Mount Ephraim Education Association contributed $100.

The students at the Kershaw School also bet the teachers and the administration that they could raise one hundred dollars from the student contributions. If the students could do so the administration and teachers would spray their hair green. Well, the students won and the teachers and administration held up their end of the bargain.

Blonde paint job

A blonde, wanting to earn some money, decided to hire herself out as a handyman-type and started canvassing a wealthy neighborhood. She went to the front door of the first house and asked the owner if he had any jobs for her to do. \”Well, you can paint my porch. How much will you charge?\” The blonde said, \”How about 50 dollars?\” The man agreed and told her that the paint and ladders that she might need were in the garage. The man\’s wife, inside the house, heard the conversation and said to her husband, \”Does she realize that the porch goes all the way around the house?\” The man replied, \”She should. She was standing on the porch.\” A short time later, the blonde came to the door to collect her money. \”You\’re finished already?\” he asked. \”Yes,\” the blonde answered, \”and I had paint left over, so I gave it two coats. \”Impressed, the man reached in his pocket for the $50. \”And by the way,\” the blonde added, \”that\’s not a Porch, it\’s a Ferrari.\”