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.
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (July 14, 2026)-The former doctor office of Edward Lundy has been placed on the market. Lundy pleaded guilty in April to illegal distribution of opioids. After the court proceedings, law enforcement announced that he would be sentenced in May.
Clearys’ Notebook has contacted the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), trying to find out why Lundy’s sentence has been postponed. Our most recent contact with those departments was last week. Neither the AG’s office nor the FBI has returned our phone calls or answered our emails.
MOUNT EPHRAIM, NJ (July 13,2026)(CNBNews)–On July 10, 2026, members of the Gloucester City Fire Department stood alongside the Mount Ephraim Fire Department and Bellmawr Fire Department as wreaths and flowers were placed at the James E. Sylvester and John D. West, Sr. Monument in honor of these two brave men, who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty on July 4, 2002.
James E. Sylvester and John D. West, Sr., along with Gloucester City Firefighter Thomas G. Stewart III, lost their lives while courageously attempting to rescue three young girls trapped in a house fire.
Their bravery, selflessness, and sacrifice will never be forgotten. We remain forever grateful for their service and continue to honor their legac
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (June 20, 2026)–Gloucester City Firefighter Jack Driscoll participated in a HYROX contest held recently in Stockholm, Sweden. Jack is a Gloucester City native who graduated from Gloucester Catholic High School. He placed second in the World Wide contest in the Overall and Age Group.
Afterwards, Driscoll said, “I went all in on the sport this year and had some big goals written down before the season started. I wanted to win a pro race and won five. I wanted to make it to the start line of an Elite 15 race and made it to two, one in solo and one in doubles. I wanted to podium at Worlds, and pulled a hard-fought 2nd out of the best of the best.
“Thank you to my family and friends for all the support this year, especially my girlfriend Erika Tvedten I couldn’t do it without you all. And thank you to all the people who have cheered me on at races and online all year! Time to build better for next year.”
PHILADELPHIA PA (July13, 2026)--On Friday, July 11, 2026, a man traveling on Kelly Drive suddenly veered off the road and crashed into the Schuylkill River. The river runs parallel to Kelly Drive.
According to NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle, the man experienced a medical emergency and plunged his red car into the Schuylkill River along the 2200 block of Kelly Drive. Bystanders, including a former national rower and a college coach, jumped into the water to rescue the trapped man before the vehicle fully submerged. [1, 2]
MANCHESTER, NJ (July 13, 2026)(CNBNews)— Former Manchester Township Schools Superintendent John Berenato has received a six‑figure settlement in connection with his lawsuit over his 2023 firing.
He was awarded $265,000 by the district’s insurance carrier under a settlement approved at the June 16, 2026, Manchester Township Board of Education meeting, according to open‑government advocate John Paff of Transparency NJ.
Berenato was fired on Nov. 7, 2023 at a special board meeting, with the dismissal taking effect immediately. The board claimed he failed to disclose a 2010 drunk‑driving conviction and license suspension on his employment application.
Camden County awarded Audubon Family Park a $25,000 grant for upgrades and maintenance, supporting safer and more accessible recreation for local families.
The Salem County Prosecutor’s Office was notified of the deaths of Rip and Boomer, who died together while on duty on Friday. The dogs were brought to an emergency veterinary hospital in Delaware, where they were pronounced dead, Miller told NJ.com. The circumstances of their deaths were not disclosed.
CHEER-Groundbreaking of the Camden County LINK Trail
Audubon is part of the newly launched 34‑mile LINK Trail, a major regional project that will give residents a safe, scenic route for walking, biking, and running. Construction on the Audubon–Haddon Heights segment began in March and is expected to finish by year’s end.
JEER-Gloucester City’s Public Buildings in Disrepair
We have $50,000 plus to purchase a new truck for the Gloucester City UEZ director. Yet, the Police Administration Building, the Municipal Building, and the Water Department storage tanks are all in need of painting. At the water works, one of the glass windows is broken, plus a broken-down trailer bed has been lying beside the property for a decade or more. The mayor and council are well aware of these maintenance issues.
CHEER-Audubon Civic REACH Community Leadership
The nonprofit umbrella group continues to energize civic life, celebrating the grand opening of the Audubon Historical Society Museum and organizing community events that strengthen local pride. CHEER- So happy that those driving E-bikes and E-scooters will have to be licensed and wear a safety helmet. Plus they need to have insurance.
This will be the second cannabis dispensary to open in Gloucester City. The first, BluLight, operates out of the former O’Donnell’s Bar and Restaurant at 401 North Broadway.
Residents living near the former Pat’s Select Pizza say they’ve complained for months about the tall weeds surrounding the property, calling it an eyesore. Behind the building sits a pile of trash. One neighbor told CNBNews, “Hopefully, now the property will be maintained.”
In 2020, New Jersey voters approved a statewide referendum legalizing adult‑use cannabis. Of the state’s 564 municipalities, 211 allow some form of licensed cannabis business, and more than 160 specifically permit recreational retail sales. Local zoning rules vary widely, meaning not all “opt‑in” towns allow every type of cannabis license, according to reporting by The Patch.
BluLight Dispensary
New Jersey’s legal marijuana industry now includes more than 300 dispensaries statewide, but because many towns banned retail sales, these businesses are clustered in municipalities that embraced the new market.
Gloucester Township: A Case Study in Cannabis Revenue
Gloucester Township, which has five dispensaries, has publicly touted the financial benefits. Under state law, 2% of each cannabis sale goes directly to local taxes.
Township Council President Orlando Mercado reported that cannabis retailers generated $38,960.60 in local sales‑tax revenue in 2024. That figure jumped to $232,753 in 2025, he said during a council meeting. Gloucester Township began permitting licensed recreational dispensaries in 2021, one year after the statewide referendum. The first shops opened in the summer of 2023.
The following cannabis retailers are currently operating (from oldest to newest:
MPX NJ: opened summer 2023 at 581 Berlin-Cross Keys Rd., Sicklerville
HoneyGrove: opened summer 2023 at 1337 Blackwood-Clementon Rd., Clementon
Flower & Flame: opened March 2024 at 601 College Dr., Blackwood
Blackwood Wellness: opened last September at 816 N Black Horse Pike, Blackwood
Quality Cannabliss: opened last month at 1610 N Black Horse Pike, Blackwood
A sixth dispensary, Unity Rd., was approved by local officials two years ago, but it hasn’t been built. It will be located at 2751 Sicklerville Rd.
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (CNBNEWS)(July 7, 2026)—Sweetie and I were walking in the field across from the Cold Springs today. It was around 8 AM. She was off lead and was healing on my left side. A vehicle came out of nowhere and brushed the side of my right leg. When Sweetie saw the car, she ran towards Cold Springs Drive. Buses and cars were everywhere. Fortunately, she came when I called her. I hooked her to her lead and approached the woman, who was still on her smartphone texting away. She was unaware of what was happening around her. I knocked gently on her window. When I explained to her what had happened, she apologized several times.
1300 Market Street Gloucester City, NJ 08030 (856) 456-7000
Sean Gorman, Superintendent of Schools
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
(GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ)(CNBNews) (July 1st, 2021)–Today is my first official day as Superintendent of Gloucester City School District. I couldn’t be more honored and excited. I entered Gloucester City Schools as a kindergarten student in 1985 and graduated from Gloucester High School in 1998. I was thrilled to return to GHS for my professional career in 2002 and have served as a Special Education teacher, guidance counselor, athletic coach, Director of Guidance, and Principal. I’ve proudly resided in Gloucester my entire life and have three children of my own and nieces and nephews enrolled at all three of our district schools. I have the unique and invaluable perspective of asking myself each day: am I the school leader that I would want for my own children and family? This lens has guided me well in all of my professional roles and is shared by so many of the outstanding, dedicated professionals that I consider myself very lucky to work alongside for nearly 20 years. This deeply entrenched commitment of all staff, students, families, and community members to each other will remain a driving force throughout our school district.
(Cleary’s Notebook News)(July 4, 2026)–Gloucester City Mayor William James released his annual ”State of the City Address” on January 9, 2015. James, who ran unopposed in November 2014, begun his third term in office in 2015. He was first elected mayor in 2007. The mayor of Gloucester City serves a term of four years, while a council member’s term is for three years. Mr. James died suddenly on January 21, 2019. He was 62 years old.
As a former Deputy Police Chief, one has to wonder what James would think if he were alive today about the present police chief, Brian Morrell, also performing the duties of the City Administrator. Both the police chief’s position and the city administrator’s position were full-time jobs during the 12 years he was mayor. In fact, for decades, those positions were always held by one person.
Not long after Police Chief Morrell was appointed part-time City Administrator, the City Board of Education appointed School Superintendent Sean Gorman to perform the duties of high school principal.
Are taxpayers saving any money by having one person do two jobs?
When a city allows one person to hold two positions — like Police Chief Brian Morrell also serving as Acting City Administrator, or School Superintendent Sean Gorman doubling as high school principal— the theoretical argument is that taxpayers save money by avoiding a second full-time salary and benefits package.
However, the real savings depend on:
💰 Whether stipends or bonuses are paid for the additional duties. If either receives extra compensation, the savings shrink or vanish.
🕒 Workload and efficiency. Two demanding jobs can dilute oversight, leading to slower responses or costly mistakes that offset any payroll savings.
📊 Budget transparency. The city or school district should publish salary breakdowns and administrative cost comparisons to prove the savings are genuine.
In many New Jersey municipalities, dual appointments are justified as “temporary” measures but often become long-term arrangements — which raises questions about whether taxpayers are truly getting value or just less accountability.
Mayor James 2015 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS IS BELOW.
