Photos By Bill Bates PROUDLY POSING – From left MEGS Player & Dedication Originator Taylor Gavin, MEGS President Shawn Heslin, and the Corson Family and their children. Frank\’s wife Mary Corson is holding the basket of flowers (center) as each one of her children are holding their commemorative softball plaques behind her. By Bill Bates Mount Ephraim NEWS Correspondent  Saturday, April 19 the Mount Ephraim Girls Softball (MEGS) held their opening day activities. The day was also reserved to honor MEGS founder Mr. Frank Corson. Opening Day was dedicated to a man who not only lived in Mount Ephraim for 47 years, but was also very active in the community. He served as President of MEPRI for over 10 years, and Captain of the Mount Ephraim Ambulance Squad (MEPRI EMS) for over 20 years. SPECIAL PLAQUE – Each of Frank\’s children; Debra, Patricia, Barbara, Denise, and Kirk received a special commemorative Softball Plaque engraved with the dedication date as a keep-sake of this special day. Frank was remembered and honored as the Originator of the Mt. Ephraim Girls Softball League. Back in 1972, being the community minded person that Frank was and the father of four girls, his idea turned into and is still known today as a well ran softball league and organization that Frank was proud of. Not only was Frank the founder of MEGS, but was also President of the league for 14 years. Frank\’s idea, commitment, and dedication is alive today in each and every player and parent who are apart of the league. In remembrance of Frank, MEGS invited his family to thank them for allowing their father and husband for taking the time and the effort in starting the fine league of the Mount Ephraim Girls Softball some 36 years ago. Each of Frank\’s children; Debra, Patricia, Barbara, Denise, and Kirk received a special commemorative Softball Plaque engraved with the dedication date as a keep-sake of this special day. Frank\’s loving wife Mary received a special basket of flowers. The flowers and commemorative plaques were presented by MEGS players Gabrielle Crain, Julie OʼBriwn, Leah Bocchicchio, Holly Fitzgerald, Cassidy Chambers, and Mackenzie Seymour. The idea of dedicating the 2008 Season came about when MEGS player Taylor Gavin read an article in the NEWS on the passing of Frank Corson and found it heartwarming that Frank was the founder of the league she played on. Taylor wrote a letter to the President of MEGS asking if they could dedicate the season in honor and remembrance of Frank. Current MEGS President Shawn Heslin gladly accepted the idea and the planning started from there. When asked what the dedication day meant to him, MEGS President Shawn Heslin said \”It was a wonderful day to honor a man who started this league from the ground up.\” Shawn further added \”Taylor Gavin is a wonderful asset to our league and her idea and efforts will always be remembered.\” Taylor\’s father, Chris Gavin added \”Having the Corson family here today shows them we are grateful and not only means a lot to them, but to us as parents of these girls who are able to be a part of this league because of their father and husband\’s efforts for so many years.\”

 Funeral services were held for J.B. Vinson, 78, of Bellmawr, formerly of Lenior City, TN and Miami, FL, who passed away on April 27, 2008.

 Beloved husband of Shirley. Loving brother of Jolyn Norris of TN, Thomas (Marie) of LA and the late Dorothy, R.H., Jack and George. Dear brother-in-law of Roger and Barbara Bradley. Also survived by many dearly loved cousins, nieces and nephews.

 Interment was private at the request of the family.

 A Funeral Mass was celebrated at Mary, Mother of the Church, Bellmawr, for William J. Mitchell, 90, of Bellmawr, who passed away on April 28, 2008.

 Beloved husband of the late Mary M. (nee O’Neill). Devoted father of William J. (Linda) and Kevin. Dear grandfather of Christine Schneier (Patrick) and Kathleen Mitchell. Great-grandfather of Olivia Rose. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

 Mr. Mitchell retired from the Veteran’s Administration after 31 years.

 Interment at New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.

 

 

 A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Holy Maternity Church, Audubon, for Michael G. Vakula, 87, of Audubon, who died April 25, 2008.

 Michael had been a resident of Audubon Park since 1945. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and on the Audubon Park School Board.

 He is survived by many nieces and nephews.

 

Photos and captions by Bill  

Plans are in the works to turn this dilapidated building on North Broadway owned by the South Jersey Port Corporation into a Methadone Clinic that will treat up to 700 addicts a day. The property is located within 100 feet of the borderline that separates Gloucester City from Camden City. The windows in the building are all broken, trash is sprawl all about. From the appearance of the property it should have been condemned years ago.

-Side view of the proposed new site for a methadone clinic on North Broadway near the borderline of the City of Gloucester and the City of Camden. Owned by the South Jersey Port Corporation, the property is overrun with weeds and trash. In the background is the incinerator that pollutes our lungs every day.

If you or I owned this property we would have been fined and taken to court for not maintaining it. Why hasn\’t the South Jersey Port Corp. been taken to task for not maintaining it. How much of our tax dollars are going to be used to bring this building up to code.

Trucks drive past the proposed methadone clinic heading south into Gloucester City.

Related Articles below:

Fox News-November 2007-The people of the City of Camden are locked in an on-going battle to revive their home and attract new residents and businesses. But Fox Undercover discovered a problem that could put a damper on those important efforts.

VIDEO Fox Undercover, Camden Methadone Clinic 

Urgent Message to the people of Gloucester City

Camden Group Opposes Move of Methadone Clinic

People to call:South Jersey Port Corporation, Director Joseph Balzano phone: 856-541-2425 (push O for operator)

Craig Remington, South Jersey Port Board of Director and engineer for the City of Gloucester City phone 856-795-9595

 

5th District 

Senator Dana Redd (D)
The Victor Lofts
One Market St.
Suite 203
Camden, NJ 08102
(856) 225-9068
[email protected]

Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)
116 North 2nd St.
Suite 101
Camden, NJ 08102
(856) 541-1251
[email protected]

Assemblyman Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. (D)
Brooklawn Shopping Plaza
Rt. 130 and Browning Road
Brooklawn, NJ 08030
(856) 742-7600
[email protected]

Here is the link to the Camden County Freeholders Board, call each one and send emails……speak out now, get involved!

Camden County Freeholders phone #\’s & email adrresses

clipped from www.youtube.com

Flag Ship Charters will be docked in Gloucester City starting June 1 through the summer months. The ship will tie up at the north basin of the former Coast Guard Base, on King Street.

You can charter the ship for BREAKFAST club meetings and events, weddings and wedding receptions, graduation parties, anniversaries engagement parties, school reunions, showers , celebrations etc.

To learn more go their website: www.flagshipcharters.net

Originally the Flag Ship was going to be part of the City’s Environmental Day on Saturday, May 10. However because of engine problems the boat will not be able to make the event.

Gloucester City has placed a plaque on the anchor that was moved from the former Coast Guard Base to the City Marina in August 2007 explaining it origin. When the anchor was moved to its new location there was some remarks about the swastika symbol stamped into the anchor. To clear up any misunderstanding the City had the plaque made. It reads as follows:This anchor came from the cargo ship \”Saint Ambroise\” launched in Saunderland, England in 1919. The anchor is stamped with an upright swastika which represents the Hindu symbol for long life, good health and good luck. This swastika should not be confused with the off-set swastika that symbolized the evil and tyranny of Nazi Germany

Related: Refurbished German War Relic Finds a New Home:

Received via snail mail…..May 7, 2008

Bill,

At the last couple of (Gloucester City) council meetings I’ve heard Councilman Brophy and other councilpersons tell the public that one of the budget problems the city is having is a $600,000 increase in police pensions. I am a police officer and it infuriates me when I see our political leaders intentionally misleading the public like this.\”

There has been no increase in police pensions; the City is simply repaying a debt. They are in essence blaming the police officer for THEIR fiscal mismanagement when nothing could be farther from the truth.

Our current political leaders are not to blame for the problem but they sure as hell are to blame for the way they are handling it. They are turning the public against the police officers and using that to their advantage in current contract negotiations.

Other towns are laying off officers because of this.

The article attached explains everything and you can find it on the New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association (PBA) website. www.njspba.com. There are also contacts on that website you could reach out to for further verification if you wished.

I would like to know what Gloucester City did with all the money they did not contribute to the pension system for all those years. At least I would like to see our City leaders step up and accept responsibility for the fact that it was the City’s mismanagement of funds that led to this problem and not any increase in police officer’s pensions.

I know this isn’t a big deal to most people but it is to me and all other police officers in this state. I can’t get any answers but I thought maybe you could make it public.

You obviously have the juice to get answers and I like your style. You do a great job with your site and, as a city resident; I enjoy being informed so quickly.

I know it not a big story but whatever you can do, I sincerely appreciate.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Cop………………………….

NOTE FROM BILL: I forwarded a copy of this letter to each member of council asking if they would like to respond. Stay tune; I will update the story as more information is received.

Related: Blue Line 

FROM THE DESK OF ROB NIXON

 

PFRS Pension Holidays and Local Governments – \”They Saved, We Suffer\”

 

From 1998 to 2007, local governments were given an unprecedented and lucrative opportunity to skip or reduce their required payments into the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS). At the height of the Pension Holiday from 2001 to 2004, local governments contributed only 12% of their required PFRS pension and ERI contributions. This lack of funding not only crippled the health of the PFRS today but also has placed local governments in the situation of having to make up for this reckless practice now, much like the person who overspends on a credit card and who regrets it only when the bill arrives.   click here for the full report

Did you ever wonder what it was like to be a runner before the \”running boom\”?
How about 50 years before the running boom? South Jersey native John Glazer was a runner from 1922 until the late 1960’s and kept detailed scrapbooks of all his races during those years. The scrapbooks are a time capsule giving a detailed, up close look into what it was like to live and run in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia during this period. The scrapbooks also chronicle John Glazer’s feat of running in the biggest and best race in South Jersey at the time– the Camden YMCA 4.7 mile street run 43 years in a row.
read more

source http://ramscrosscountry.blogspot.com/