Author: William Cleary Sr.

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.

Nancy Barone, 85, of Collingswood

On March 20, 2026, of Collingswood, NJ. She was 85 years old.

Beloved wife of 39 years to Frank Barone, Jr. Dear mother of Michael (Helen) Nicolosi and John Daniels. Loving grandmother of Tyler and Jennifer. She is also lovingly survived by her nieces, Kathleen, Lisa and Lori and nephew, Alfred.

Nancy was a graduate of St. Maria Goretti High School in Philadelphia, PA and was a longtime employee, along with her brother, Alfred, at Mother’s Cheesecake in Burlington, NJ. She was a member and former board member of Lodge #494 Alighieri-Garibaldi Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy. She also was a member of Jetsetters Seniors of St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish.

Continue reading →

A Fond Farewell to Carr’s Hardware

William E. Cleary Sr. | Founder/Editor of Cleary’s Notebook News

Gloucester City News photo, August 29, 1974

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (March 24, 2026)--All good things come to an end, eventually — or so the saying goes. Gloucester City felt the weight of that truth this month when Jean Carr, owner of Carr’s Hardware, announced she was retiring and closing the family business on March 12. With that decision, a remarkable 58‑year chapter in the city’s history quietly came to a close.

The Carr family’s hardware legacy began in 1968, when the family patriarch, Franklin Carr Sr., opened the original store at 520 Monmouth Street in the heart of the Business District. At the time, Garwood’s Hardware stood directly across the street, and several other shops throughout town sold tools, lumber, and supplies. When the business moved to its new location, Frank Jr., owned the business. And, his brothers, Bill and Richard, worked there.

Among them were: Continue reading →

MISSING JUVENILE-AIDEN BAKER

The Camden County Police Department is looking for a missing 12-year-old from Centerville.

Aiden Baker has been reported missing from his home on the 1800 block of South 10th Street. He is described as a black male, 5’5”, 150 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing black clothes and a black hat. He is known to frequent Centerville and Fairview, including Yorkship Square.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the CCPD tip line at (856) 757-7042.

Van Drew: Pay Workers Now, Stop Congressional Pay During Shutdown

Congressman Van Drew released the following statement regarding the ongoing partial shutdown.

“This has gone on long enough,” said Congressman Van Drew. “The people paying the price right now are the ones showing up every day to do their jobs: TSA agents, Coast Guard members, and others who keep this country running. They are doing everything we ask of them, day in and day out, and they are not being paid for it. It is not right. And that is exactly why Members of Congress should not be paid during a shutdown. If these workers are going without, then we should be going without too. We should be feeling that same pain until this gets fixed. That is why I am sponsoring a bill to ensure that while the government shuts down, Members of Congress do not receive their pay. The Constitution sets clear rules on congressional pay, so this has to be done the right way, but there is a path to make sure Members do not take home a paycheck while the job is not done. Maybe then they will think twice before using people’s livelihoods as leverage in a political fight.”

Letter to the Editor: A BIG MISTAKE

My wife, Janet and I like to patronize local businesses in Gloucester City whenever we can. For example some years ago we hired an attorney to draw up our Will and our Living Will. Over time things have changed and we needed to update both documents. Our local lawyer recently retired; as such, we hired another lawyer from our community to amend both Wills. I should have asked him beforehand how much he would charge for his time. Thinking it couldn’t be that expensive, I didn’t pursue that thought. Plus, since he never mentioned how much it would be, that furthered my conviction that his charges would be minimal.

BUY HERE

A BIG MISTAKE.

My wife and I headed to his office several weeks later to sign the paperwork and retrieve the new Wills. Printed on the last page of the invoice he presented us was a charge of $3,000, less a special family and friends discount of $500. Balance owed, $2,500.

We have decided to appeal his fees with a District Fee Arbitration Committee.

According to my research on appealing an attorney’s fee in New Jersey, you can file a request for binding fee arbitration with a District Fee Arbitration Committee within 30 days of receiving the final bill or, if a lawsuit is filed, appeal the decision to the Appellate Division of Superior Court within 45 days.

BELOW IS SOME INFORMATION FOUND VIA AINJ Courts (.gov)
+2
Steps to Appeal (Fee Arbitration):
Attempt Resolution: First, discuss the fee directly with your attorney, who must inform you of your right to arbitration.
File for Arbitration: Complete the Fee Arbitration Notice of Appeal Form ( and mail it to the address listed on the form, typically with the Office of Attorney Ethics (P.O. Box 962, Trenton, NJ 08625), within 30 days of receiving the final invoice.
Committee Review: A local committee will review the case. Note that fee arbitration cannot decide claims of legal malpractice, only whether the fee is reasonable.
Appealing the Arbitration Decision: If you disagree with the arbitration result, a written appeal must be filed with the Disciplinary Review Board within 21 days of the written decision.

NJ Courts (.gov)  +3
Important Notes:
Fee arbitration proceedings are confidential.
If a judge ordered the fee, you must appeal to the Superior Court Appellate Division.
If you are appealing a court decision (not arbitration), you must file the appeal within 45 days.

NJ Courts (.gov)  +1
If you are facing a large fee dispute, you may wish to consult with a new attorney to review the billing records for reasonableness. SOURCE: Attorney Ethics and Discipline

Robert S. Bevan, former Gloucester City Mayor

Cleary’s Notebook News March 2006: Cheers & Jeers

JEER — To the landlord who treated East Thompson Avenue like a dumping ground

A landlord on East Thompson Avenue left an unsightly pile of trash at the curb six days before the scheduled pickup — a heap that sat there blowing around the neighborhood like a slow‑motion insult. Just a few steps away on South Burdsall Avenue, another pile of recyclables was dumped directly in the street instead of being placed in a proper recycling bin.

Gloucester City’s trash ordinances couldn’t be clearer: household waste and recyclables must be placed at the curb no earlier than 7 PM the night before pickup, and only in secure, watertight containers. The rules also spell out weight limits, container‑cover requirements, and fines that can reach $2,000 for repeat offenders. These aren’t suggestions — they’re laws meant to keep neighborhoods clean, safe, and livable.

WHY IT MATTERS

Community pride begins at home. When someone leaves trash out for nearly a week, it doesn’t just create an eyesore — it chips away at the dignity of the block. It tells your neighbors their street isn’t worth respecting. It invites rodents, scatters debris, and sends the message that Gloucester City is a place where standards don’t matter.

And here’s the real frustration: the City already has ordinances on the books to prevent exactly this kind of behavior. If those laws aren’t going to be enforced, then what’s the point of having them? Residents who follow the rules shouldn’t have to live with the consequences of those who don’t.

Cleary’s Notebook News photos

CHEER-To the Gloucester City Lions Club and the Gloucester Little League organization for replacing the torn American Flag and the POW Flag at the LL field and at the Johnson Blvd Jogging Park. Kudos also to Bruce Parry for his help.

WHY IT MATTERS Continue reading “Cleary’s Notebook News March 2006: Cheers & Jeers” →

CLEARY’S NOTEBOOK: CHEERS & JEERS

Area School District Edition – January 1 to March 13, 2026

For more than 20 years, CNBNews has highlighted the people, institutions, and decisions that shape our local communities. Each week we recognize those who deserve applause — and call out those who fall short — in our continuing effort to keep residents informed and engaged. We welcome your input. If you like to submit a suggestion for our next School Districts Edition, or our regular Cheers and Jeers column, forward it to Editor William E. Cleary Sr., wecleary@gloucestercitynews.net

Continue reading →

Steve Heister Sr., of Gloucester City, age 75

Surrounded by his loving family, Stephen B. “Pop” Heister, Sr., of Gloucester City, passed away peacefully on March 11, 2026, at the age of 75.

Steve will be dearly missed by his beloved wife of 54 years, Lois D. Heister (née Devine) and children Stephen B. Heister, Jr. and his wife, Pam, and Jeanette Shoemaker and her husband Garrett. He was the cherished and proud grandfather of Braydon and Kayla Heister, and Rhya and Grayson Shoemaker, who brought him endless joy.

He was the beloved son of the late Benjamin and Gloria Heister and the dear brother of the late Benjamin E. Heister, Jr. (surviving Hortensia “Honey”). He is also survived by many loving members of the Heister and Devine families.

Continue reading →

First Full Day of the 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

Image courtesy of https://www.adn.com/newsletter/

Hi, ADN Iditarod fans,

It’s the first full day of the 2026 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, as mushers and their sled dog teams ascend into the Alaska Range after departing Willow in the race restart on Sunday afternoon.

As of Monday afternoon, top competitors had reached the checkpoint of Rainy Pass, led by defending champion Jessie Holmes who arrived there shortly after noon. He was followed over the next few hours by several top teams, including Matt Hall, who finished second last year, Paige Drobny, who finished third in 2025, and Travis Beals of Seward.

The stretch of trail teams are currently navigating is among the most technically challenging of the entire route. There are several ice bridges that cross open creeks, plus a 200-foot downhill section into the notorious Dalzell Gorge.
No teams had scratched from the race as of Monday.
This year’s field has no shortage of tough competition. There are four previous winners, including Holmes, and a host of perennial contenders who have regularly finished in the top 10.
[54th Iditarod officially begins, with stiff competition at the top]
“Everybody who’s been in the top 10 before, been in the top five, everybody has a shot at winning. Everyone shows up here very hungry to do well,” 2019 winner Pete Kaiser of Bethel said ahead of the race.
Mille Porsild of Denmark, Wade Marrs of Willow, Drobny and Hall, among others, are angling for strong finishes this year.

Defending Iditarod champion Jessie Holmes drives his dog during the restart of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Willow on Sunday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
This year’s smaller field of 37 mushers reflects a trend of declining participation in the race over the last several years. Costs to run the Iditarod— both as a musher and from an organizational standpoint — have ballooned, making the race more challenging than ever.
Iditarod CEO Rob Urbach said costs have doubled in the past three years. The organization continues to pursue new income sources (with this year’s inaugural Expedition Class being an example) and is working to stay solvent while making the race viable for a new generation of mushers.
But it’s not easy. For mushers, training, transportation, gear, drop bags and more add up quickly, putting the total cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. Some, like veteran musher Gabe Dunham, have ongoing concerns about how long they can sustain a race career.

On the organization side, the situation is much the same. Line items like fuel, insurance, aviation costs and the hundreds of bales of straw for dogs to rest on at trail checkpoints have gone up in price, according to Urbach.
The Iditarod’s new Expedition Class program, which allows mushers to run the race noncompetitively and under a different set of rules, is one of the organization’s efforts to seek new streams of revenue. As the first musher in this category, billionaire businessman Kjell Inge Røkke contributed more than $300,000 to this year’s race. That helped lower the entry costs for mushers and also increased the race purse.

continue to read https://www.adn.com/newsletter/

FROM OUR MORGUE: Gloucester Catholic Baseball Wins 1st Game

Bruce Darrow | Cleary’s Notebook Sports

First published April 2016

BROOKLAWN N.J. April 1, 2016 (Cleary’s Notebook News)--Gloucester Catholic Head Coach Adam Tussey (photo labove) notched his 1st win as the new coach by beating Kingsway High School 7 – 1 in the Rams home opener. Tussey who took over for Mike Rucci who departed for Rowan University was left a team needing to fill seven spots. The 2015 team loaded with future college players took not only seven fielding positions but Tussey needed to replace four pitchers.