Life long Gloucester City resident, born in 1944. Graduated from Gloucester Catholic High School Class of 1963. Attended Camden County College. Army National Guard 1964 to 1970. Activated in 1967 during the Newark Riots. Worked full-time at the Gloucester City Post Office from 1967 to 1978. Worked part-time at the Gloucester City News from 1965 to 1977. In 1978 I was named editor of the Gloucester City News and Camden County Record. Purchased the City News in 1985. In 2005 the paper was sold. In 2006 I established Cleary's Notebook. At the age of 81 I remain editor of Cleary's Notebook News writing commentary and reporting the news for South Jersey and Philadelphia regions.
CHEER — To Gloucester Catholic Baseball for Winning Its Fourth Straight Title
The Gloucester Catholic High School baseball team, captured its fourth straight championship, adding yet another trophy to one of the most storied programs in New Jersey. Year after year, the Rams reload, refocus, and rise to the top — a testament to their coaching staff, their work ethic, and the school’s deep baseball tradition.
In a time when many programs struggle to stay competitive, Gloucester Catholic continues to set the standard. Congratulations to the players, coaches, families, and fans who make this run possible.
CHICAGO, Ll. (September 1, 2021)(CNBNews)—Chicago City crime in an area called River North has gotten so bad that people and workers refuse to go into the area after dark, according to the local media.
Two days ago a city pod video camera caught an attack on two white men by a group of blacks in the middle of State Street at 1:30 AM. The entire time the assault is occurring traffic keeps driving pass it like it is an everyday event. There is no police to be seen.
When the fight breaks out two black men start fighting with a white man. Out of nowhere, other black men appear and start circling the one white man like a pack of lions on a hunt. When another white man comes to that man’s aid, he is sucker punched and knocked out cold, left to lie in the street. As both men are unconscious others in the pack start kicking them and stealing their belongings. A few feet away, you can see pedestrians walking by, while others stand and stare, laughing as though it were just a normal night in the City of Chicago.
It is disturbing to think that this gruesome scene is playing out in Chicago, a major city of our country, and none of those watching it seems to give a damm. How and when did our so-called civil society become so uncaring, barbaric, and bloodthirsty? And, who in their right mind would want to visit Chicago today or any other major city like New York, or Philadelphia, knowing that an attack like the one in this video could happen to you in the blink of an eye.
Chicago Police statistics show 445 homicides have been recorded so far in 2021, compared to 446 during the first seven months of 2020. Those numbers are significantly higher than those recorded in 2019, when 290 people were killed in the first seven months of the year, representing a 53.4% increase.
What about nearby Philadelphia how many shootings in the so-called city of brotherly love since January 1, 2021. According to the August 23 Philadelphia Inquirer if you’re looking for ways to quantify the depths of the gun violence crisis in Philadelphia, there may not be many bleaker statistics than this: There’s only been one day so far this year — Jan. 2 — when not a single person was shot in the city.
As I look back on this life I’ve lived, I have no regrets, no what-ifs
By William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews Editor
PREFACE
I’m eighty-one years old, and I’ve been a journalist for fifty-eight years.
I never went to college. Everything I know about this profession, I learned from my father, George F. Cleary Sr., who bought the Gloucester City News in 1950 and ran it until I took over as editor in 1978. What he didn’t teach me, I learned through trial and error—and believe me, there was plenty of both.
People ask me why I’m writing this book now. The truth is, I’ve been writing it my whole life. For decades, I documented my community’s stories in weekly newspapers, and more recently, on my blog, CNBNews. This book weaves together my autobiography with articles I’ve published over the years—stories about corruption, courage, tragedy, and everyday lives in a small South Jersey city most folks have never heard of.
When you’re a small-town journalist, you make enemies. People threaten you. They call you names. They try to shut you down. But if you spend your life worrying about what might happen, or second-guessing the stories you published, you’ll never write anything worth reading.
I’ve been sued, threatened, even arrested once for “trespassing” while investigating a story. I’ve worked undercover with the New Jersey State Police. I’ve interviewed members of the Ku Klux Klan and the Pagans motorcycle club. I’ve exposed corruption and covered tragedies that broke my heart. I stood in the middle of a battle between the Teamster union and the Longshoremen’s union, with sheriff officers on horseback and K-9 units keeping them apart.
My perspective differs from big-city reporters at the Philadelphia Inquirer or the New York Times. I wasn’t covering presidents and wars—well, except for that one time I met Jimmy Carter, and another time I rode an elevator with Donald Trump.
Mostly, I covered city council meetings, house fires, local corruption, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
In a small town, the newspaper isn’t just a business—it’s the community’s memory, its conscience, and sometimes its only voice.
If you’re looking for polish, you won’t find it here. But if you want the truth, told by someone who learned journalism in the streets rather than a classroom, then keep reading.
This book is that voice, looking back across more than half a century. It’s messy and honest, just like the life I’ve lived.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
INTRODUCTION
On a sweltering July afternoon in 1989, a well-dressed stranger walked into my newspaper office and said he’d been told that if anyone wanted to do business in Gloucester City, they had to go through me first.
That conversation launched a three-month undercover investigation with the New Jersey State Police involving alleged mob connections, a corrupt development scheme, and a shocking revelation: I wasn’t helping them catch a crooked politician. I was the target.
Welcome to small-town journalism in America.
I’m Bill Cleary. I was born in 1944 and raised in Gloucester City, New Jersey—a working-class town of row houses and corner taverns across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. The kind of place where everyone knows your business, where the fire whistle brings people running to their windows, and where telling the truth can make you powerful enemies.
My father was the editor and publisher of the Gloucester City News. From the time I was eight years old, I rode with him to fires, watched him chase stories, and learned what it meant to be a reporter. He taught me that journalism wasn’t about being popular—it was about telling the truth, even when people didn’t want to hear it. Especially then.
In 1978, I became editor of the paper. In 1985, my wife Connie and I bought it outright. We raised three children—Kelly Ann, Connie Lynn, and Billy Jr.—who gave us seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. We married at St. Mary’s Church on April 18, 1964, when I was barely twenty and she was the most beautiful woman in the city. Sixty years later, she still is.
Before journalism became my full-time calling, I worked eleven years at the Gloucester City Post Office with the impressive title of “Temporary, Part-time Clerk-Carrier.” Try getting a bank loan with that on your application. We lived in several apartments before buying our first home at 710 Powell Street, then moved to Riverview Heights in 1972, where we’ve been ever since.
But this book isn’t just my story. It’s the story of a town, a time, and what happens when ordinary people stand up to power. It’s about corruption and courage, about family and loyalty, about what we’ve lost and what we’re still fighting to keep.
This is my story, told in my own words, with articles from my six-decade career woven throughout. It’s not always pretty, and it doesn’t always have a happy ending.
But it’s the truth. And that’s the only thing I’ve ever known how to write.
My father taught me to run toward the fire, not away from it.
No regrets, No what ifs.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE:
THE ENIGMATIC VISITOR
The Mysterious Visitor (July 1989)
State Police Investigation Begins
Meetings with Smith and Jones
The FBI Warning: “You’re the Target!”
CHAPTER TWO:
THE MAN WHO INSPIRED ME
My Father’s Legacy
The Fire Whistle: Running Toward Fires
A Life Forged in Tragedy
The Crusader and Urban Renewal Battle
The Long Goodbye (1990-1993)
CHAPTER THREE:
MY SUMMER LOVE BECOMES MY WIFE
Meeting Connie and Falling in Love
Asking Permission to Marry
Joining the National Guard (1963)
Meeting Connie: Attracted to an Older Woman
The Front Porch Conversation
Early Married Life and Starting a Family
Working at the Post Office
CHAPTER FOUR:
THE BATTLE OF NEWARK
Joining the National Guard
Deployment to Newark During the Riots
Into the Inferno: Civil Unrest and Violence
The Convoy Ambush and Aftermath
Early Military Experience
The Newark Riots
Return Home
CHAPTER FIVE:
11 YEARS OF JUGGLING TWO WORLDS
Working Two Jobs: Post Office and Newspaper
Learning from Dad (1967-1978)
1978: Becoming Full-Time Editor
1984: Buying the Paper and Taking a Stand
CHAPTER SIX:
OUR POWELL STREET HOME
Our First Real Home
Neighborhood Memories
Community Connections
Life on Powell Street
CHAPTER SEVEN:
CHRISTMAS IN GLOUCESTER CITY
Family Traditions
The Coffee Pot Christmas
Childhood Christmas Magic: Trains and Cookies
Ice Skating and Flexible Flyers
Teenage Years: Dances and Parties
CHAPTER EIGHT:
ENTERTAINMENT BACK IN THE DAY
Local Hangouts: Luncheonettes and Gathering Spots
The Pool, Ballroom, and Wildwoods
Live Music Scene and Nightclubs
Jerry Blavat: The Geator with the Heater
CHAPTER NINE:
TAVERNS, POLITICS, 3 PM MANHATTAN GANG
TAVERNS
The 3 PM Manhattan Gang
Gloucester City’s 50 Taverns
The Pub Crawl Tradition
CHAPTER TEN:
OUR BEST FRIENDS
Trooper, Sheba, Lacey, Erica, Peyton, Sweetie
CHAPTER ELEVEN:
MY ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Hunting Experiences
Wildlife Encounters
Travel Stories
Nature and Reflection
CHAPTER 12:
CRIMINALS AND FUNNY CHARACTERS
Local Legends
Mob Stories
Unexpected Encounters
True Crime Narratives
CHAPTER 13:
SPORTS LEGENDS OF GCHS AND GHS
CHAPTER 14:
1960’s Gloucester High Gridiron Coach Bill Manlove Enshrined in College Football Hall of Fame
Gloucester City Memorial Athletic Association “Mustangs” Celebrate 60th Anniversary
Former Rams Basketball Coach John McCarthy Inducted into Camden County Sports Hall of Fame
1971 Gloucester Catholic HS Football Team Honored
Saint Mary’s Junior Guild
Turkey Day Football: Lions vs Rams Thanksgiving Classic
The Renewal of Friendship (1993)
1957: Rams Over Lions City Title Game
Joe Murphy: Alumnus, Athlete, Coach, Teacher and Friend
Memorial Garden Dedicated in Honor of Pearl Kowalski
A HODGEPODGE of ARTICLES
CNBNews Ranked No. 11 Out of 80 Honorees
Fond Memories of Gloucester City by Hank Miller
Shaffer’s Creamy Waffles
The Homing Pigeon Shuffle
Gloucester City Redevelopment
Believe It or Not…Another Miracle by St. Anthony
The Last GCPD Crime Report Published 2020
A Man to Be Remembered
What We Had
Look Who’s Photo Appeared on a Cheerios Box
New York Post Publishes Article About Cleary’s Notebook
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (CNBNews)(June 4, 2026)–The Gloucester High School softball team continued its tradition of competitiveness in 2026, delivering a season marked by strong pitching, timely hitting, and the kind of team chemistry that has long defined the Lady Lions program.
Senior pitcher Mackenzie “Mac” Turner was the heart and soul of the team. A four‑year varsity starter, Turner finished her career with one of her strongest seasons yet, posting a sub‑3.00 ERA and striking out more than 120 batters. Her leadership in the circle kept Gloucester in nearly every game, and her presence will be missed next spring.
Offensively, the Lions were powered by junior catcher Riley Thompson, who led the team in batting average, RBIs, and extra‑base hits. Thompson’s ability to control the running game behind the plate made her one of the most valuable two‑way players in the conference.
Sophomore infielder Emma Russo emerged as one of the team’s breakout stars, hitting over .350 and playing stellar defense at second base. Freshman outfielder Kayla Jennings also made an immediate impact with her speed and fearless approach at the plate.
The highlight of the season came in a dramatic walk‑off win against a top‑ranked opponent, when Thompson ripped a double into the left‑center gap to score Russo from first. It was the kind of moment that showed the Lions’ resilience and competitive spirit.
With Thompson, Russo, Jennings, and several key underclassmen returning, Gloucester High softball enters 2027 with momentum — and the expectation that they’ll be right back in the hunt for a conference title.
According to Max Sports, Gloucester High couldn’t carry there season success into the playoff game against the Barnegat Bengals. They fell just short of the Bengals , 2-1. The Lions’ defeat on June 4 signaled the end of their 13-game winning streak.
Their overall record for the season was 21-3; 10-0 in Colonial-Liberty
Gloucester City, NJ(August 30, 2021)(CNBNews)— The November 2 election in Gloucester City will have three different groups offering candidates for the positions on the council that are open. When Mayor Dan Spencer resigned suddenly in April, he still had a year and a half left on his four-year term. His resignation set up the following chain of events. Democrat Councilman at large Pat Keating stepped down from his position and was appointed to the mayor’s seat until this November’s election. The fact that there were two unexpected openings on the council seems to have got two former mayors with different philosophies thinking about getting back in the arena.
Those two mayors are Bob Bevan, who was elected in the 80s to two terms as an independent, and Charles (Chuck) Billingham, who was elected in the mid-90s as a democrat.
Former Gloucester City Mayor Robert Bevan’s candidate for Pat Keating’s council-at-large seat is Sarah O’Brien; she is very involved in a youth program called Community Rocks, which teaches art and music to kids, according to Bevan. Continue reading “CNBNews Archives: Gloucester City’s Nov. 2 Council Race”→
THE ORGANIZERS OF THE BREAKFAST CLUB: In 2006, Charlie Pitzo had an idea about getting together once a month with his friends for breakfast at a local restaurant in Gloucester City. The 16 gentlemen above were invited to the first meeting held at the former Jim’s Pizzeria Restaurant, Broadway and Mercer Streets, Gloucester City, to discuss the idea. Charlie’s idea took off, and over the next couple of years, the group grew. At one meeting, they had over 40 people in attendance.
First row: from left to right, Skip Grandizio, Charlie Tourtual, Jack Perscheitti, Howard “Butch” Shaffer, Charlie Pitzo, George Cleary Jr.
Second row: Lonnie Letgus, Ron Raube, Harry Walker, Sam Chew, Harry Blymer.
Back row: Bill Cleary Sr., Ron Raube, Joe Miller, Joe “JukeBox” DiGiacomo, Al DiGiacomo, Stu Rechard.
All of the men were born and raised in either Gloucester City or Brooklawn. The majority graduated from Gloucester High and the others from Gloucester Catholic.
Out of those 16 men, we know for sure that the following have moved on to Gabriel’s Cafe in the sky. They include: Grandizio, Tourtual, Pitzo, George Cleary, Raube, Miller, Walker, Chew, Blymer, Joe and Al DiGiacomo.
Even though Vincie Boy had passed some time ago we could still feel his spirit walking among us that day.
Billy Schmidt Memorialized –Several hundred people packed the corner of 20th and Durfor streets in South Philadelphia last Thursday to honor Billy Schmidt, age 22. He was shot to death on June 6 in the early morning by a suspect who stole his phone. A Penn State student, he was scheduled to graduate in December with a degree in journalism.
His viewing is tonight, Monday, June 15, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Baldi Funeral Home, 1327-29 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA (ample off-street parking available). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Monica Church, 17th and Ritner Streets, Philadelphia, PA.
++++++
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (CNBNews)(June 15, 2026)–William Schmidt “Billy”, age 22, passed away tragically on June 6, 2026. He is survived by his parents, William and Kristin (née Kastanek) Schmidt, and brother of Anna Schmidt. Cherished grandson of William (Bernadette) Schmidt and Patricia (Ted) Packer.
Nephew of Dana (Johnny) Troisi, Marla (Edward) Crosbee, Joseph (Marie) Gionta, Anna Muraglia, Margie (Roger) DeCicco, and Stephen (Janice) McKnight. Loving cousin to Jennifer, Melissa, Anna, Bobby, Lynn, Kristin, Natalie, Dominic, and Stephen, and is also survived by many dear friends and extended family members.
A proud graduate of Roman Catholic High School’s Class of 2021, Billy continued his education at Penn State University, where he was pursuing a degree in Digital Journalism and Media. He was entering his senior year and eagerly looked forward to graduating this December.
Billy embraced life with enthusiasm and a genuine love for the people around him. A loyal Philadelphia sports fan, he enjoyed spending time at the gym and had recently developed a passion for running. He was teaching himself to play the guitar and loved the music of Zach Bryan. He also enjoyed playing pool with friends at Buffalo Billiards and Station Bar and turned his love of baseball into a hobby business buying and selling baseball cards online.
Those who knew Billy will remember him for his kind heart, thoughtful nature, and unwavering loyalty. He was the type of person who would always make time for family and friends, offering encouragement, laughter, and companionship wherever he went. His warm personality and genuine concern for others left a lasting impression on everyone, fortunate enough to know him.
Though his life was tragically cut short, Billy’s legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched. He will be remembered not only for his accomplishments and ambitions, but for the compassion, friendship, and love he shared so freely with others. Billy will be deeply missed and forever remembered by his family, friends, classmates, and all whose lives were made better by knowing him.
And in 2026, the Rams did what only the great programs ever dream of: they captured their fourth straight state championship, cementing a dynasty that now stands shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the greatest runs in New Jersey high school sports history.
With this latest title, Gloucester Catholic extends its state‑record total to 23 championships, a number so large it reads like a misprint. But anyone who has followed the program knows better. This is a machine built on discipline, development, and a culture that refuses to accept anything less than excellence.
At the center of it all is a man who has become synonymous with South Jersey baseball greatness.
BROOKLAWN, NJ (CNBNews) (June 13, 2026) — Groundbreaking ceremonies for the multi‑million‑dollar enhancement project at Alice Costello School were held Friday, June 12, on the school grounds at 301 Haakon Avenue. Dr. Samuel A. Rosetti, Superintendent of Schools, served as host for the event.
Dignitaries in attendance included State Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr., Camden County Commissioner Jonathan L. Young Sr., Mayor Jerry “Skip” Grandstrom, School Board President Michele Cecilio, and Architect Bob Garrison.
Two seventh‑grade students, Geoffrey Gettings and JJ Meehan, also participated in the program. Gettings led the Pledge of Allegiance, while Meehan delivered the student address. His comments are below.
The facilities improvement and modernization project is being funded through a strategic partnership utilizing the Camden County Improvement Authority’s Borough‑Guaranteed Lease Revenue Bonds (Series 2025).
“This milestone marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our students, families, and community,” Dr. Rosetti said. “The facility upgrades will allow our school to continue serving as a place of learning, growth, and opportunity for generations to come.”
The Brooklawn Borough School District has officially launched a $6,290,000 modernization initiative scheduled throughout 2026 at Alice Costello School. Supported through the CCIA financing program, the project reflects the district’s commitment to providing a safer, more sustainable, and high‑performance learning environment.
Critical infrastructure upgrades will address essential components of the school’s physical plant, including advanced building automation systems (BAS), comprehensive electrical improvements, and modern architectural design‑build enhancements. District officials say these improvements will deliver immediate benefits in environmental quality, operational efficiency, and updated safety protocol
Good afternoon, everyone! I’d like to welcome our school board members, teachers, parents, neighbors, and fellow classmates.
My name is J.J. Meehan, and I am a 7th grader here at Alice Costello School. It is an absolute honor to stand here today as we break ground on a massive upgrade for our school.
When you’re in 7th grade, you spend a lot of time thinking about the future—high school, sports, and what you want to be when you grow up. But today, our town is investing $6.3 million directly into our future right here in these classrooms.
We aren’t just getting a few cosmetic fixes. This project is bringing top-tier technology to ACES. We’re talking about smart building automation systems that control the climate, flat LED lighting that helps our planet save energy, and high-tech air purifiers in our classrooms to keep us all healthy and focused.
As students, our school is like a second home. When our community invests in making it safer, cleaner, and more modern, it tells us that our education matters. It inspires us to work harder.
Even though I’ll be graduating soon, I am so proud that this project will leave a lasting legacy for the younger grades and the future students of Brooklawn.
Thank you to the Brooklawn Board of Education, the Camden County Improvement Authority, Dr. Rosetti, ACES staff, and everyone in our community who made this historic day possible. Now let’s dig in!
BELFAST, IRELAND (Cleary’s Notebook News)–The demonstrations against immigrants in Belfast was spurred by a brutal attack Monday on a 40-year-old Belfast man. The suspect is a 30-year-old Sudanese man who had claimed asylum in the United Kingdom. He has been charged with attempted murder, threatening to kill, and carrying a knife. The man entered Northern Ireland after applying for asylum. In 2023, he was granted a five-year visa to remain in the U.K. reported CBSNews.
A video of the attack published on X shows the Sudanese man straddling the victim, holding a large knife. Men from the neighborhood can be seen running to the scene with clubs in their hands and then beating the suspect. That film shared on social media sparked two nights of unrest on the streets of Belfast. Groups of masked rioters have been seen setting fire to homes, a bus and trash cans, and throwing rocks at police and blocking roads.
The family of Stephen Ogilvie, who lost an eye in a knife attack that sparked the protests, condemned the violence.
Tuesday night, 200 extra police officers were on the streets after residents were forced to flee homes that were set on fire. Wednesday night, saw masked youths breaking up parts of pavements and walls of private homes to make bricks to throw at police.
Northern Ireland’s infrastructure minister described the destruction as “racism, intimidation and thuggery”, according to Amelia Neath, a reporter for the Independent.
Tonight, Thursday, some public transport services in Belfast will be suspended for the third evening in a row, causing passengers in Northern Ireland to face travel disruption, wrote Neath.
Throughout today, traffic returned to normal in Belfast. But, last night, the demonstrators forced Antrim Road in Glengormley to be closed after bricks and bottles were thrown at police. In return, the officers responded with water cannons.
