Chronicling Five Decades in the Newsroom—From the Newark Riots to Undercover Investigations

Gloucester City, NJ — January 2026 — After more than 50 years shaping public discourse across South Jersey and Philadelphia, journalist and editor William E. Cleary Sr. announces the release of his memoir, From Pen to Paper: Lessons From a Lifetime in the Newsroom. The book offers a candid, insightful look into the triumphs, trials, and truths of a career devoted to public service journalism—and a life shaped by service long before he ever picked up a pen. 

The book is available on Kindle/Amazon. Buy your copy today!

Part memoir and part guidebook, From Pen to Paper traces Cleary’s journey from on-the-scene reporting to editorial leadership, revealing the tools of the trade and the unwritten rules that define the profession. With wit and wisdom, Cleary shares stories from inside the newsroom—where deadlines loom, facts matter, and integrity is non-negotiable. But the book also ventures beyond the newsroom, into the streets of a burning city and the shadowy world of organized crime.

 

Before Cleary became a journalist, he was a soldier. In July 1967, as a member of the New Jersey Army National Guard’s 50th Armored Division, 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment—the legendary “Jersey Blues”—Cleary was among 3,000 troops deployed to Newark during one of the most violent urban uprisings in American history.

“The Newark riot happened 57 years ago, but the memory is still fresh,” Cleary writes. “Some of us who were there called it ‘The Battle of Newark.’”

On the morning of July 12, 1967, Cleary was working as a mailman at the Gloucester City Post Office when his supervisor pulled him aside. Governor Richard Hughes had activated the Guard. Cleary was ordered to report immediately to the Pitman Armory—no phone calls, no detours home.

“As I drove south on Route 47, my mind raced,” he recalls. “I knew nothing about riots in Newark. But I did know there were reports about National Guard Units being sent to Vietnam and Berlin, Germany—both hot spots in the ’60s, oceans away.”

For five harrowing days, Cleary and his squad—a tight-knit group of young men from Gloucester City, Brooklawn, and surrounding towns—patrolled the streets of Newark as fires raged and tensions boiled over. The experience left an indelible mark on the young guardsman, shaping his understanding of civic duty, community, and the fragility of social order.

“In those days, the Gloucester guys were always there for each other,” Cleary writes. “If you found yourself in trouble, you could count on your friends to have your back. It was an unspoken bond.”

That sense of duty would follow Cleary into journalism, where he built a reputation for asking tough questions and holding power accountable.

An Enigmatic Visitor and a Three-Month Investigation

Twenty-two years later, on a sweltering Monday afternoon in July 1989, Cleary’s integrity would be tested differently.

He was four years into ownership of the Gloucester City News when a tall, impeccably dressed man walked into his office. The stranger—whom Cleary refers to in the book as “Mr. Smith”—claimed he operated in “heavyweight circles” and had been told that anyone wanting to do business in Gloucester City needed to consult Bill Cleary first.

Smith’s associate, “Mr. Jones,” was allegedly connected to an area mob boss. Their pitch: a lucrative waterfront development deal.

Cleary immediately smelled trouble. After the meeting, he worked the phones, reaching out to contacts across law enforcement. One call went to a New Jersey State Trooper he’d known since childhood. That trooper escalated the matter to his superior, Lieutenant Michael Lyons.

What followed was a three-month covert operation. At the request of the State Police, Cleary continued meeting with Smith and Jones, gathering intelligence while investigators worked behind the scenes.

“I thought they were targeting Mayor Bevan,” Cleary recalls. “But the State Police and others eventually made it clear: I was the target. They wanted to compromise the newspaper.”

The investigation revealed an attempted shakedown—an effort to intimidate or buy influence over the one institution in town that held a mirror to power. Cleary’s cooperation with law enforcement helped expose the scheme, and neither man was ever charged, though their plans were thwarted.

The incident underscored a principle Cleary had lived by since his first days in the newsroom: “Journalism isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s for those willing to chase the truth, even when it’s inconvenient.”

A Career Defined by Tenacity and Integrity

Cleary began his journalism career in 1968, covering local government, public safety, and community life for the Gloucester City News and the Camden County Record. In 1978, he was named editor of both weekly newspapers, solidifying his reputation for investigative rigor and editorial leadership.

In 1984, Cleary and his wife, Connie, purchased the Gloucester City News, guiding the paper through two decades of growth and community service. After selling the newspaper in 2004, Cleary launched Cleary’s Notebook News (CNBNews)—one of South Jersey’s earliest independent online news platforms.

Today, at 82, he continues his in-depth reporting on the South Jersey and Philadelphia region, maintaining the same commitment to truth and public service that has defined his entire career.

A Memoir for Journalists and Citizens Alike

From Pen to Paper is more than a journalist’s memoir—it’s a testament to the power of local news, the importance of ethical leadership, and the courage required to stand firm when pressures mount. Whether recounting his days on patrol in Newark, his battles with deadlines and sources, or his face-to-face meetings with alleged mobsters, Cleary writes with clarity, humor, and hard-earned wisdom.

The book is essential reading for aspiring journalists, students of history, and anyone who believes in the vital role of a free press in a functioning democracy.

Availability

From Pen to Paper: Lessons From a Lifetime in the Newsroom eBook: $9.99 | Paperback: $16.99 Available Monday, February 3, 2026, on Amazon/Kindle

About the Author

William E. Cleary Sr. is a veteran journalist with a career spanning more than five decades. He began reporting in 1968 for the Gloucester City News and the Camden County Record, covering local government, public safety, and community life with tenacity and integrity.

In 1978, Cleary was named editor of both weekly newspapers, a role that solidified his reputation for investigative rigor and editorial leadership. In 1984, he and his wife Connie purchased the Gloucester City News, guiding the paper through two decades of growth and community service.

After selling the newspaper in 2004, Cleary launched Cleary’s Notebook News in 2006 (CNBNews)—one of South Jersey’s earliest independent online news platforms. Today, at 81, he continues his in-depth reporting on the South Jersey and Philadelphia region, maintaining the same commitment to truth and public service that has defined his entire career.