TIPS AND SNIPPETS: Growing Up In Gcity, Cleanup of Junk Yard? Train Blocks Traffic

By William E. Cleary Sr.

REMEMBERING THE “GOOD OLD DAYS” — Howard “Butch” Shaffer rolled up from Hilton Head, South Carolina, to meet a few of his childhood buddies at the Brooklawn Diner on Thursday, April 2. For a moment, it felt like Gloucester City in the 1940s and ’50s all over again — a town where everyone knew your name, your father’s nickname, and which streetlight you were supposed to be home by.

Back then, our little community ran on corner stores, church bells, and the kind of front‑porch gossip that traveled faster than any newspaper. World War II was winding down, the Korean War was starting up on the other side of the world, and kids like us were more worried about stickball games, jukebox music, and whether we had enough change for a Coke.

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E-Scooters and E-Bikes Turn Public Spaces into Hazard Zones

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews Editor

Electric scooters and electric bikes have flooded into Gloucester City and surrounding towns, and the results are becoming harder to ignore. What began as a convenient way to get around has quickly turned into a safety problem for anyone who uses our sidewalks, jogging paths, or neighborhood streets responsibly.

The danger isn’t theoretical. On my daily walks with Sweetie, I’ve had kids on these motorized bikes come up behind us without a sound. These machines make no noise, so you can’t hear them approaching until they’re already on top of you. More than once, a rider has blown past us at high speed, leaving no time to react. In one instance, a teenager on an e‑bike came straight at the dog and me, expecting us to move aside. I was forced to step off the path or be hit. That’s not “sharing the road”—that’s intimidation.

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CLEARY’S NOTEBOOK NEWS

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CHEER–GIVE PUDGE’S PUB A TRY

34 NORTH BURLINGTON STREET, GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ 08030 PHONE 1-609-410-6862

We had lunch today at Pudgy’s. A delicious cheesesteak with fried onions and mushrooms on a seeded roll. It was big enough for two people, and the price was very reasonable. For an appetizer, Connie and I picked clams casino; the filling was delicious. Give them a try; you won’t regret it.

JEER — To Public Works supervisors across South Jersey

Twelve days after Mother Nature dumped 10 inches plus of snow on the region, many street corners still look like miniature Alps. Pedestrians trying to cross the street are forced to climb over frozen piles because the corners were never cleared. And while the snow will eventually melt, the sewer grates buried under those same mounds won’t magically unclog themselves. When the thaw comes, the water will have nowhere to go — creating the same flooded intersections we see after every storm.

In years past, public works crews used front‑end loaders to remove these piles. This year, the silence is deafening. Where are the supervisors who are supposed to oversee this work, and why aren’t they making sure the basics are being done?

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CNBNews Cheers and Jeers for December 2025

JEER-Working as a mailman in the 1960s and 1970s, if a letter wasn’t removed by the resident in 72 hours, we were instructed to take the mail and forward it to the sender, marked undeliverable. Hard to understand why the letter carrier would keep stuffing mail into this box; it is plain to see that no one is living in this house located on Barnard Avenue in Gloucester City. We are paying 75 cents to mail a letter. You would think we would get better service for that outrageous price.

CHEER—Construction on a Waterfront Park and a Nature walking trail at the former landfill property on Creek Road, in Bellmawr, may start in 2026. According to Mark Matthews, editor of the Route 42 blog and a former reporter for Cleary’s Notebook News, it would be built along the Big Timber Creek. Future plans for the property’s core acreage include the development of a multi-building Logistics Warehouse Center. The Logistics Center aspect would be developed at a later date, and is in the early stage of design and approvals.

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‘Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas’ brings scriptural authenticity to Nativity story

It was important to convey the ‘hardship and risk’ endured by the Holy Family, director David L. Cunningham tells Align.

Christian Toto December 09, 2025

Director David L. Cunningham brought some old-school Disney magic to his latest project.

The Hollywood veteran recalled how Walt Disney often appeared on camera to personally introduce the projects closest to his heart, putting his unmistakable stamp on them.

‘By taking out the hardship and the risk, you diminish the courage that Mary and Joseph had, their faith, and so much of the sacrifice.’

So when Cunningham envisioned a fresh, authentic take on the Christmas story, he wondered if another icon could do the honors. And, as fate would have it, his producing partner knew Kevin Costner personally.

The busy film legend agreed to join the project, with one caveat.

“He insisted on bringing his story into it … and the pieces fell together,” Cunningham tells Align.

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Veterans Simple Wills Workshop

The Gloucester County Office of Veterans Affairs is proud to offer simple wills at no cost for veterans of all military branches.

To qualify, veterans must be:

A Gloucester County resident

Honorably discharged

If you or a veteran you know would like to register for the Simple Wills Workshop, please contact our Veterans Affairs team:

856-401-7660

211 County House Road, Sewell

vets@co.gloucester.nj.us

Gloucester County is honored to support those who have served.

Congressman Van Drew Celebrates Medal of Honor Act Being Signed into Law

Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement on the Medal of Honor Act being signed into law by President Trump. The new law significantly increases the annual special pension for Medal of Honor recipients.

“Our Medal of Honor recipients put everything on the line for this country,” said Congressman Van Drew. “They went far beyond the call of duty, and the least we can do is make sure they are taken care of. These heroes are the heart and soul of America. We live freely because of people like them. We still have a lot of work ahead of us to make sure our veterans are taken care of, but this is a step in the right direction. I am proud to be a sponsor of this bill, and I am glad to see it finally become law.”

Click here to read H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act.

Division St. Homeowner Faces $1000’s in Fines; Court Case Scheduled for January

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews

Google Maps Street View

POST UPDATED

Mr. Pierce purchased the property in 2021 for $175,000. In May 2022, residents began complaining to the City Housing Office about the property’s appearance. The Google Maps photos were taken in March 2023. Cleary’s Notebook News photo was taken on November 26, 2025. GOOGLE MAPS

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (DECEMBER 4,2025)(CNBNEWS)–Cleary’s Notebook News submitted an OPRA request to Vanessa Little, the Custodian of Records for Gloucester City, on November 26. The request sought all citations filed against Roger Pierce, the occupant of 637 Division Street, for violating the City’s Housing Code. In response, we received 43 pages starting from May 4, 2022.

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DID THE CITY OF GLOUCESTER APPROVE THE OPENING OF A JUNKYARD ON DIVISION STREET?

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (NOVEMBER 26, 2025)(CNBNEWS)A EYESORE AND A FIRE HAZARD!—In the heart of the 600 block of Division Street, a homeowner has transformed their property into a veritable trash heap, carelessly accumulating refuse for the past four years, according to the occupant. Distressed residents living nearby have reached out to CNBNews, voicing their frustration over this unsightly blight on their residential neighborhood. One concerned resident has reported making repeated complaints to the police department, fire department, and housing office, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. “If this mountain of trash ignites, it threatens to engulf the entire row of homes adjacent to this person’s property.”

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OPINION: Shocking Video of Division Street Yard; Gloucester City’s $1000 Trash Can Fine

Trash Can Law to Be Enforced, BUT Division St. Resident Junk Yard Ok

CNBNews video

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ (November 29, 2025)(CNBNews)–On Tuesday, November 26, we spoke with a resident of Gloucester City living on the 600 block of Division Street regarding the condition of his yard. In our opinion, it resembles a junkyard. He informed us that once he finishes remodeling the interior of his home, he will relocate the items he is currently storing in his side yard back inside. When we asked to see what he had been remodeling inside his house, he refused. He said he would file a lawsuit against CNBNews if any article or photo were published about him. This individual is a disabled Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War. One person familiar with the situation suggested that his status as a disabled veteran is the reason he has been allowed to ignore the city’s housing regulations.