WASHINGTON, July 31, 2008 – A new Web site is giving the American public a nonpartisan opportunity to join entertainers, professional athletes and politicians in expressing gratitude to servicemembers defending the nation.
\”What we wanted to do and, I think, something that we were equipped to do, was to provide a forum that is really meant to be uplifting [to servicemembers],\” said Stacey Artandi, founder of \”Moment of Thanks.\” \”It’s meant to say [to Americans], ‘Shed your politics. Put them aside, and take a moment to be grateful for some of the things that we really cherish.’\”
The Moment of Thanks site is one way parent company SheZoom, a video site for women and families, is working to keep troops and support for them at the top of everyone’s mind, she said.
It allows for the upload of videos, photos or text containing a positive message for the troops at no cost. Registration is required to upload material, however.
Launched July 4, the Moment of Thanks site already boasts more than 1,000 video messages of heartfelt thanks and support for the troops, more than half of them filmed by Artandi’s team.
A trip to Las Vegas led the team to collect messages from cast and crew members at various shows, and a theme emerged.
\”When we went to Vegas, we thought we ought to get some shows,\” Artandi said. \”We’ve got Star Trek, Jersey Boys, Stomp and the Chippendales. Next week is kind of ‘Vegas Week’ [on Moment of Thanks].
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There were two ordinances (73-15 and 73-16) that were listed on the OPRA request filed four years ago by former mayor Bob Gorman. Someone inquired what those ordinances pertain to. See article: Mayor Gorman v. Gloucester City
Ordinance 73-15 pertains to the removal of snow and ice from sidewalks. I was told that after a heavy snow storm a number of people where given tickets for not clearing the snow and ice from their sidewalks. The tickets were issued in areas were crossing guards worked as the kids were having difficulty walking to and from school. Gorman, who resided near the intersection of Monmouth and Sussex Street, was one of the home owners to receive a ticket. He now lives in Moorestown.
Ordinance 73-16 \” It shall be the duty of the Gloucester City Police Department and they are required to make a complaint against any person or persons who shall violate 73-15 of this ordinance\”.
MOVING ON……..City School Board Meeting
John Schmidt attended the recent City School meeting. John writes….with regards to the number of employees (480) working in the Gloucester City School District. Superintendent Paul Spaventa told those present that 236 of those employees or 48 percent falls into one of these three categories. They live in Gloucester City, Brooklawn or are alumni of Gloucester City High School. Regarding hiring procedures it was explained that the principals of the schools recommends three to four applicants to the superintendent to choose along with the personnel committee.
Regarding the question whether Spaventa was allowed to chair the June emergency Board meeting. The School Board solicitor said he is. However, the Board Secretary should run it and if not the board should elect an acting president aka president pro tem. See Article: Tips and Snippets for July 15th
WHERE HAS THE GRANT BEEN FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS?
Gloucester City Council passed a resolution on July 24 to hire T & M Associates of Moorestown, an engineering firm to work on improvement of The Freedom Pier and adjacent parking area improvements. Freedom Pier is located at King Street and the Delaware River at the former Coast Guard Base.
The firm will be paid $98,500 for their services using a 1996 Economic Development Site Fund Grant.
On July 30, 2008. Age 43. Of Paulsboro. Loving Son of the late Thomas R. and Thelma Trout. Loving brother of Donna Hoffman, Bev Romando, Denise Woodland, Chuck Trout and Cindy Trout. Predeceased by his brother Wayne and twin brother Thomas. Daniel was born in Woodbury and was a graduate of Paulsboro High School.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Monday Evening from 6 to 8 pm at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Phone: 856-456-1142.
Religious Service will begin at 8 pm in the funeral home. Cremation is private at the request of the family. Family requests no flowers but Memorial donations in Daniel’s memory to P.O. Box 358, Gloucester City, NJ 08030.
SCULL, MARK D. On July 26, 2008, of Bellmawr. Age 85. Beloved husband of the late Bertha B. (nee Birr). Loving father of Harold L. Scull and his wife Suzanne and Beth A. Jordan and her husband John. Devoted Grandfather of Cynthia L. Widmaier (Robert), Dana M. Scull, Caitlin E. Jordan and Great Grandfather of Devin Widmaier. Mr. Scull proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during WW II. He retired from New Jersey Bell after over 40 years of service. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the viewing Monday morning from 9:30 to 11 am at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE. Funeral Service 11 am at the funeral home. Interment Woodbury Memorial Park, Woodbury. Expressions of sympathy may be emailed to Condolences@Gardner FuneralHome.com
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The Bon Festival, honoring the spirits of ancestors, has been observed in Japan since the 7th century.
The Bon Festival is a Buddhist festival held in midsummer when the Japanese people welcome and entertain their ancestor\’s spirits who are believed to have returned home.
It was originally held from the 13th to the 15th of the month in the lunar calender but today it is generally celebrated from the 13th to the 15th of August.
Among the traditional preparations for the ancestors\’ return are the cleaning of their tombstones and pathways from their graves to their homes, and the setting up of bon altars to welcome them with various offerings of vegetables, fruit and rice.
PHOTO HANK MILLER
On the 13th, welcoming fires are lit in lanterns at the front of houses. Buddhist priest are usually called to recite sutras. Then the visiting souls are sent off with send-off fires on the 15th.In fact, the whole country seems to be on the move during this period of time because the Bon festival provides all the family members with a chance to get together, no matter how scattered they are. Most people living in the cities return to their hometowns. Along with New Year\’s, the Bon Festival is an extremely important traditional event in Japan.
Warm Regards from Kitakyushu City, Japan
Have a really great and safe summer!……Hank, Keiko Miller & Family
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Katherine \”Kay\” Ferry, (nee McKernan) lost her two year courageous battle with cancer Thursday, July 31, 2008.
A resident of Gloucester City, she was 62 years of age. Kay, photo, was born in Kingston, PA and attended Sacred Heart Grammar School in South Camden. She was a graduate of Camden High School class of 1965. Kay was a faithful and devoted parishioner of St. Mary\’s R.C. Church in Gloucester City. Kay was a member of the Gloucester City Democrat Club. She was the secretary of (the former) Ferry Fence Company of Gloucester City until 2006. Kay loved her family and trips to the casinos and the Jersey Shore.
Loving wife of 22 years to the late James E. \”Jim\” Ferry, Sr. Loving mother of Michelle (Greg) Wirt of Gloucester City. Also survived by three step-children. Loving sister of Peggy Lee-Bangle (Gene) of Bellmawr, Pat (John) Cunningham of Gloucester City. Predeceased by Geraldine Willis, Mary McAteer, William McKernan and Dennis McKernan. Loving grandmother of Marc Lacovara, Jr., Cody Gribbin, Sydney Kay Wirt, and Jordyn Wirt. Loving Step-grandmother of 12. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and friends.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend her viewing on Sunday evening from 6 to 9 pm and Monday morning from 8:15 to 9:15 am at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth St. (at Brown St.) Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 am at Saint Mary\’s R.C. Church: 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City. Entombment New Saint Mary\’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.
The family requests memorial donations in Kay\’s memory to the St. Mary\’s Tuition Fund: 426 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Please write Katherine \”Kay\” Ferry in the memo of the check. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City. Phone: 856-456-1142. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to the family through our funeral home website www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Katherine \”Kay\” Ferry.
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Hilda \”Till\” McColligan on July 27, 2008, of Gloucester City, NJ, age 89. She was the beloved wife of the late Edward J. McColligan and loving mother of James (Jeanette), Sue Davis (Stan), Judy Greenwood (James), Mary Legge and Edward (Sandy).
She is also survived by her 16 dear grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to meet Friday morning from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the ETHERINGTON-CRERAN FUNERAL HOME, 700 POWELL ST., GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ.
Mrs. McColligan’s funeral service will be held 12:00 Noon at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Eglington Cemetery, Clarksboro, NJ. There is no evening viewing. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations in Hilda’s name be made to Compassionate Care Hospice, 516 High St., Mt. Holly, NJ 08060.
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The Trinity United Methodist Church at Eighth and Division Streets in Gloucester City has announced the appointment of its new pastor, the Rev. Dr. Richard G. Leaver.
Dr. Leaver is a Gloucester resident who at one time was employed as a supervisor at the John-Jeffrey Corporation on Charles Street.
He left there in the mid 80s to pursue his long-time call to ordained ministry by attending Easter Baptist Theological Seminary (EBTS) in Wynnewood, PA.
In his second year of seminary, Dr. Leaver pastored the former Second UMC here and the First UMC in National Park.
After the former First UMC of Gloucester and the Second UMC merged in October of 1986 to form the Trinity UMC, the reverent Leaver was appointed to the Methodist church in Riverside.
Dr. Leaver was graduated in 1987 with a M. Div. degree and in the following year married Dalene Crowder of Gloucester City in 1988 at the Trinity UMC church in which he now pastors.
In the following year pastor Leaver entered Drew Seminary in Madison to pursue doctoral work. In 1990 he received a Doctor of Ministry degree (D. Min.) and a Ph. D. in Religion in 1996.
Dr. Leaver has served other Methodist congregations in Thorofare, Merchantville, Beverly, Westmont, and Cherry Hill, and has been an adjunct professor at Palmer seminary, the former EBTS.
He is a Board Certified pastoral counselor, a Certified Spiritual Director, a professional mediator using his skills for the Burlington County Superior Courts, and has a spiritual formation, retreat and healing ministry he founded in 1999, which he has named, Journey of the Heart.
He said he is thrilled to be back working and preaching in Gloucester City.
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The NJ Government Records Council, (GRC) has sent a letter to Gloucester City Administrator Paul Kain asking him to participate in mediation procedure with the publisher of the Gloucester City News, Albert Countryman. The NEWS had made an OPRA request to the City Administrator asking for a copy of the E-mail sent by him to Councilman Nick Marchese. Kain who is the Custodian of Records refused the request. Mediation is the next step in the procedure. Kain doesn\’t have to participate. If he chooses not to than the GRC will proceed to rule on the matter without his input.
Kain has five days to respond to the GRC.
Councilman Marchese on June 6 via E-mail had asked Administrator Kain if his report was available on the meeting held a week before about the Freedom Pier development at the former Coast Guard Base. Kain sent a \”curt\” response via E-mail the following day to Councilman Marchese.It was evident from reading part of the E-mail that there was more going on between two important people who are responsible for operating our City. And it appeared that because of the feud the redevelopment of the City\’s waterfront was being delayed costing the taxpayer\’s money in engineering fees.
Kain is the custodian of records for the City and also the focal point of the OPRA request. One has to wonder why he didn\’t excuse himself from ruling on the matter since it is apparent that there is a conflict of interest.
Related: More on OPRA
ON TO ANOTHER SUBJECT
Last week I was informed that Harry Fox Jr., who plead guilty to embezzling $42,000 from the Gloucester City Little League has filed for bankruptcy. In fact I was told he filed for bankruptcy prior to his sentencing on May 30 before Camden County Superior Court Judge Thomas J. Brown Jr.
On March 12, Fox Jr. surrendered to police and was charged with theft by deception a third degree crime. At first it was reported that $52,000 was missing but after a further audit the amount was reduced to $45,000.
Theft by deception is a third degree crime that carries a maximum fine of $15,000 and jail time of three to five years.
In court, Fox Jr, age 46, plead guilty. As part of the plea bargain the Gloucester City resident made a payment of $7,000.
Judge Brown ordered the defendant to make further payments of $500 a month, payable on the first day of the month until the debt is paid in full. He was sentenced to five years probation, 250 hours of community service and ordered to give a DNA sample.
Now that Fox Jr. has filed for bankruptcy it is not clear what effect this will have on his agreement to pay the Little League $500 an month.
Tony Eller, president of the Little League was asked that question. Eller said he would have to contact an attorney for an explanation. \”After speaking with the attorney I will be able to give you an answer\”.
read more about Fox Jr.
New Camden Police Chief, GCHS Graduate, Class of \’90
Congratulations to John Scott Thomson, a 14-year Camden police veteran who most recently served as the city\’s deputy chief, is the new chief of police of Camden City, NJ. Chief Thomson graduated from Gloucester Catholic High School with the Class of 1990.
Louis Vega, a former assistant chief in Miami, is the new Camden City police director
The City of Gloucester City has released the list of bills for the month of July. Click link below.
BILL LIST AVAILABLE ONLINE
Gloucester City is now posting their monthly bill list on the web. It should be posted by the last Monday of every month.
