New Ocean City, NJ Bridge Is A Massive Marvel Of Concrete

Kites on the Ocean City, New Jersey beach at 12th Street (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Along with the usual water ice, greasy pizza, and tubes of sunscreen, the unofficial first weekend of summer was marked by a new arrival this year at the Jersey Shore: 175,000 cubic yards of concrete.

It didn’t arrive all at once, of course, but the concrete — the Route 52 causeway bridge — is now a finished product and represents a major feat of engineering. The bridge stretches more than two miles from Somers Point on the mainland to the barrier island of Ocean City, able to accommodate 40,000 cars a day.

The construction techniques to erect such a structure have long been standard in the industry, one of them tracing its roots to a historic 1950 overpass in Philadelphia. But the sheer scope of this new bridge, a $400 million project overseen by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, was unusual.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20120528_Ocean_City_NJ_bridge_is_a_massive_marvel_of_concrete.html#ixzz1wBREo46S
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Phillipsburg Mall Ordered For Sale

Phillipsburg Mall is home to anchors like Sears, Bon-Ton, Kohl’s and JCPenney’s.

But have you noticed that the mall’s corridors are riddled with vacancies?

I witnessed the sea of empty storefronts as I walked through the mall during lunchtime Wednesday. I wasn’t necessarily dodging tumbleweeds, but the dearth was obvious.

Phillipsburg has one of the highest vacancy rates among the Lehigh Valley‘s shopping malls, with nearly three dozen empty storefronts among its more than 90 spaces in its online directory.

Read more:http://www.mcall.com/business/retailwatch/mc-phillipsburg-mall-for-sale-20120519,0,6196043.column?obref=obinsite

Boscov’s To Open Pair Of Stores

The southwest entrance facade of Woodbridge Mall. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Boscov’s Department Store said Thursday that it will open two new department stores, one in New Jersey and one in Maryland, over the next year and a half.

A planned 180,000-square-foot store in New Jersey’s Woodbridge Center mall, Woodbridge, will open in August 2013, while Maryland’s White Marsh Mall will get a 197,000-square-foot store in November, according to a Boscov’s news release.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=386979

Former Rutgers Student Convicted In Webcam Suicide Case

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A former Rutgers University student accused of using a webcam to spy on his gay roommate’s love life was convicted of invasion of privacy and anti-gay intimidation Friday in a case that exploded into the headlines when the victim threw himself to his death off a bridge.

Dharun Ravi, 20, shook his head slightly after hearing the guilty verdicts on all 15 counts against him.

He could get several years in prison — and could be deported to his native India, even though he has lived legally in the U.S. since he was a little boy — for an act that cast a spotlight on teen suicide and anti-gay bullying and illustrated the Internet’s potential for tormenting others.

Prosecutors said Ravi set up a webcam in his dorm room in September 2010 and captured roommate Tyler Clementi kissing another man, then tweeted about it and excitedly tried to catch Clementi in the act again two days later. A half-dozen students were believed to have seen the live video of the kissing.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-rutgers-suicide-verdict-20120316,0,208244.story

‘American Idol’ Finalist Tweets That He’s Gone

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Editor’s note:  If he wasn’t out, he will be after tweeting that!

Jermaine Jones is apparently out on “American Idol.”

The 25-year-old vocal instructor from Pine Hill, N.J., tweeted Tuesday night that he no longer would be on the Fox singing contest.

He wrote on his official “Idol” Twitter account: “Awww I will no longer b on the show.” The post and Jones’ official “Idol” Twitter account were later deleted.

A Fox spokeswoman declined to comment on the matter or confirm his tweet.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120314/ENTERTAINMENT03/120319835

New Jersey Raising Tolls 50 Percent – OUCH!

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NEWARK, N.J. – The new year will bring something that’s become old hat for New Jersey residents: more costs associated with driving.

For the second time in three years, toll rates will rise on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. The latest increases go into effect on New Year’s Day and compute to about 50 percent on both highways.

They come just four months after the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey raised toll rates on bridges and tunnels into New York by 50 percent and five months after the Delaware River Port Authority increased tolls into Philadelphia by 25 percent.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20111231_As_bells_toll_in_the_new_year__N_J__road_tolls_will_rise.html

Camden Agrees To Regional Police Force

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All I can say is it’s about time!

Camden Mayor Dana Redd announced today that she was moving forward with a county takeover of the city’s police force following a recent spike in crime that has prompted questions about the city’s ability to police itself.

The announcement followed months of silence on the subject of whether Camden would enter into a policing agreement with Camden County, which has been pushing the creation of a regionalized police force spanning the suburbs and the city since early this year.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20111209_Camden_agrees_to_regional_police_force.html?ref=twtter.com

More Stupid Criminal News From New Jersey!

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Ya gotta love these losers!  This is a media release, LOL!

On August 22, 2011 at approximately 12:08 P.M., the Washington Township Ambulance Squad was dispatched to the area of Fox Hollow Lane, Sewell, NJ for a subject who reported that he ran into a mailbox while jogging. The subject was transported to Cooper Hospital in Camden, New Jersey for broken ribs and a punctured lung. It was later learned that the suspect was actually injured while attempting to break into a residence on Fox Hollow Lane. The subject had apparently climbed up onto a second floor deck to attempt to gain entry into a sliding glass door. After failing to gain entry the suspect was attempting to climb down from the deck when the railing he was holding onto broke. The suspect then fell from the deck onto trash cans below where he sustained his injuries. The suspect then ran from the scene and told a neighbor nearby that he was injured after running into a mailbox while jogging.

As a result of a follow-up investigation by Det. Martin Calvello of the Washington Township Police Department Investigative Division the 20-year-old suspect from Gloucester City, New Jersey was charged with Attempted Burglary to the residence on Fox Hollow Lane. This investigation is currently on-going and the suspect’s name is being withheld at this time.

What about getting a JOB!

Amtrak, NJ Transit and SEPTA Trains Halted By Flood Waters From Irene

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Things have not returned to normal after Irene.  Amtrak service between Philadelphia and Boston was halted due to high water that flooded the Trenton Station and tracks, making train travel north of Trenton impossible.

SEPTA had seventeen cars stranded at Trenton when water from a nearby creek overflowed over the tracks.  The water is not expected to recede until Monday evening and then the damage will be assessed before a timeline to re-establish train service can be determined.  SEPTA still has four train lines without service: Trenton, Paoli/Thorndale, Norristown and Cynwyd.

NJ Transit trains are only operating on the Atlantic City Line.

Amtrak service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg is expected to resume about 3 p.m today.

The Jersey Shore Under Mandatory Evacuation

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New Jersey’s popular seaside destinations are normally full of tourists this time of year.  Hundreds of thousands of people swell the population along the New Jersey coastline in the summer.  Right now residents and tourists are being told they must leave because Hurricane Irene is expected to cause major damage and flooding along the coast.

Tolls were suspended on the Atlantic City Expressway to move people away from the shore points as quickly as possible.  The Atlantic City Expressway is the fastest way north and west toward Philadelphia from many beach resorts.  Some state roads are closed to southbound traffic so all lanes can be used by northbound traffic.  Eastbound Route 72 will be shut down tonight so that all lanes can be used to move people off Long Beach Island.

Cape May, the Wildwoods, Ocean City, Atlantic City hotels and casinos, Long Beach Island and everything in between is emptying out.  Governor Christie declared a state of emergency yesterday.

Getting In And Out Of New York City Just Got More Expensive!

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Not to be outdone by the Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania and New Jersey; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is also raising bridge, tunnel and PATH fees.  Crossing the Hudson will cost you a lot more in September. People in New Jersey are getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop being sandwiched in the middle!

E-ZPass car tolls will rise from $8 to $9.50, cash tolls will rise from $8 to $12.  This is for peak-time.  By 2015, the E-ZPass car toll will be $12 and the cash toll will be $15.

Single-fare PATH train rates will increase .25 cents per year, over the next four years.

These increases are lower than initially proposed.  Both governors took credit for intervening on the side of the consumer.

The Port Authority has cut staffing to the lowest level in decades and made other improvements to cut costs.  However, both governors have called for an audit of the Port Authority citing fiscal mismanagement as the primary reason for the increases.  Overtime is out of control.

None of the nine appointed commissioners would speak with the press at the end of this morning’s hearing on the higher tolls.  One commissioner had his eyes closed during most of the meeting.  Always a nice touch, to show the public how deeply you care, when a commissioner sleeps through a public hearing.

Camden Plagued By Fires

Because Camden does not already have enough problems, a string of fires has rocked the beleaguered city this summer.

Here’s a list of where things stand:

June 9^th – fire at a former tire-distribution center

June 11^th – fire at a former garment factory

June 19^th - fire at a former detergent plant (ruled arson, no arrests)

July 5^th - fire at a former paint-manufacturing plant (suspect charged)

July 30^th – fire at an abandoned warehouse

Any information on the June 19^th fire, please call 1-888-283-3473.  There is a reward up to $5,000.

“M’m, M’m Layoff” Campbell’s Soup To Cut 770 Jobs

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The Campbell Soup Company is laying of 770 people worldwide, including 130 at their Camden, NJ headquarters.

The layoffs represent 4 percent of Campbell’s workforce and will save the company $60 million.  Soup sales are declining domestically and Campbell’s attempts to enter foreign markets has met with minimal success.

Cherry Hill Mall Turning The Big 5-0!

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Having grown up in Jackson Township, New Jersey, I vividly remember my mother’s excitement over the Cherry Hill Shopping Center.  This “mall” concept was like nothing we had ever seen before.  We did not fully comprehend what a “mall” was before setting foot in Cherry Hill.

I am sure my father was less than thrilled, but we made our way to the Cherry Hill Shopping Center to check it out.  I was  young and do not remember the shopping center as described.  My memory is more about my mother’s excitement than the actual place.  She talked about it with such awe and wonder.

In 1961, the largest mall in the United States and the first indoor, climate-controlled mall east of the Mississippi River opened across the street from what had been Cherry Hill Farm.  A voter referendum changed the name of the township from Delaware to Cherry Hill in 1962.  The rest they say is history!  

Between 2007 and 2009, the two-level, super regional mall received a $218 million renovation and was enlarged.  Nordstrom opened an anchor store two years ago today.  In addition to Nordstrom, the mall’s other two anchor stores are J.C. Penney and Macy’s.  The mall has 1,248,347 square feet of retail space and 160 stores.   Cherry Hill Mall website:  http://cherryhillmall.com/

Today, Cherry Hill Township is home to 71,045 residents (2010 census).  The median household income (2010 census) was $87,392 and the medium income for a family (2010 census) was $104,983.  Per capita income for the township is $43,192 (2010 census).  (Think Limerick Township, on steroids)

In 2006, the township was named a “Best Places To Live” in the U.S. (Money Magazine) and the Philadelphia region (Philadelphia Magazine). 

The Cherry Hill Public Schools system has received national recognition and many awards for educational excellence.  The district has 19 schools, 11,800 students, 1400 employees, including over one thousand teachers.  In 2005 the graduation rate was nearly 100% at both high schools.

Factual data gathered from Wikipedia, Cherry Hill Mall website, philly.com and my childhood.

Rutgers Students Pay It Forward On The Mean Streets Of North Camden

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A joint effort between Rutgers University students, the Camden District Council Collaborative Board and Angel Osorio, community justice director in the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office is aimed at cleaning up and improving pubic safety in one of Camden’s most notorious neighborhoods. 

North Camden is a crime-ridden neighborhood that needs a lot of help.  Rutgers students have enrolled themselves in a class to replace burnt out street lights, remove graffiti and clean up 23 alleys.  This is not a class for the faint of heart.  Checking the street lights means driving around one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the county looking for burnt out street lights, in the dark.

In a twelve block area, 16 out of 47 street lights were out.  Lighting up Camden will reduce crime.  PSE&G is notified of the broken lights and tries to fix them as quickly as possible.  The lighting project also includes finding funding so that residents can install and pay for porch lights (Fifth Ward Councilor Dan Weand has suggested this very idea for Pottstown).  Unfortunately in Camden, street lights are vandalized according to PSE&G.

This class came about as a result of Rutgers officials working with community members who are trying to carry out the North Camden Neighborhood Plan.  The class’s instructor, Lt. Daniel Howard, is a 24-year veteran of the Mount Laurel police department.  Rutgers-Camden’s new chancellor, Wendell Pritchett, wants his campus to be a national model for a civically engaged university.

Rutgers new director of civic engagement, Andrew Seligshon stated Rutgers sees itself as an anchor institution in Camden.  The university wants to attract good students and faculty members.  North Camden residents want a safer, more attractive neighborhood and better schools.  By partnering together, everybody wins! 

I wish I had more than two thumbs to put up!  Talk about teaching social responsibility!  Awesome program and kudos to all involved.

New Jersey Casino Deregulation Bill Eliminates Jobs – Saves Casinos Money

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Governor Chris Christie signed a new casino deregulation bill which is aimed at bringing New Jersey into line with the rest of the county.  The outdated New Jersey regulations were costing casinos a great deal of money by requiring round-the-clock inspectors at the states eleven casinos.  The original laws were written back in 1978!

80% of casino inspectors are being laid off on March 25^th.  More may follow.  The Division of Gaming Enforcement is taking over these duties.  Gamblers will now either phone Trenton or fill out a complaint form instead of tracking down the inspector on duty.

The new regulations also cut minimum staffing levels for casino security officers, surveillance personnel and pit bosses.  Casinos will now have more money to spend on marketing.  With states like Pennsylvania adding casinos, New Jersey gambling revenues are down.

Atlantic City Casinos In Slump From Increased Competition

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I am not surprised to learn that Atlantic City is taking a huge hit from all the recent casino development in surrounding states.  Rising gas prices and a major recession are not helping things either.

Pennsylvania, under Fast Eddie, became a gambling state.   Our casinos are spread out across the state, not all in one place.  This seems to be a better strategy than New Jersey.  10 casinos are now operating in Pennsylvania.  Atlantic City has 11. 

I am sure Atlantic City depended on throngs of people from Pennsylvania coming there to gamble and spend money.  Pennsylvania may very well pass Atlantic City as the number two gambling market in the U.S. in the years to come.  Pennsylvania casino income is expected to grow to $2.7 billion dollars in 2011 while Atlantic City’s 2011 casino income is expected to fall to $3.09 billion dollars.

The last time I drove to Atlantic City, it was a ridiculously expensive trip.  Bridge tolls, Atlantic City Expressway tolls, parking and gas made it a $50 trip before I set foot in a casino or shop.  I went down for an afternoon to meet friends from high school who were staying at a casino.  I will not be making that trip again. 

Time will tell if Atlantic City can rebound or if Pennsylvania will unseat Atlantic City as the number two spot in the U.S. for gambling.

Camden Layoffs Become Reality

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After months of talking about layoffs and balancing the budget, Camden now has far fewer municipal employees.  168 police, 67 firefighters and 100 other city workers were let go last week. (That represents about 25% of the city’s employees)  This is an effort to close Camden’s $26.5 million dollar budget deficit. (For a point of reference, Norristown’s entire 2011 budget is $25.5 million dollars).

The good news is that no spike in crime has occurred, yet.  However, as one astute online commenter pointed out, wait until summer.  It is too cold out now and people are staying indoors.  This summer, when it hot and people are outside, things will get dicey.  There is certainly something to be said for that theory.

Camden can not be compared to other suburbs their size.  Generally, suburbs do not have the inner city problems that Camden does.  Camden is certainly in a class by itself when you study their demographics and crime statistics.  The crime rate and abject poverty are startling. 

Another well made point was that Camden is not an island.  It is surrounded with other suburbs and criminals are not stopped by the city line.  Not good news for Camden’s affluent neighbors like Cherry Hill and Haddonfield, to name a few.           

Let us hope that a solution can be found to resolve Camden’s budget problems before the warmer weather hits!

Eagles Embarrass Giants At Meadowlands

The Philadelphia Eagles gutted out a win yesterday over the rival New York Giants in the Meadowlands, coming from behind 24-3 at halftime to beat the Giants 38-31.  The Eagles scored 28 points in the fourth quarter.  The Eagles are now 10-4 for the season and lead the NFC East!

By comparison, former Eagle QB Donovan McNabb and his Redskins are 5 – 9 which is probably where the Eagles would be this season had he not been traded!

To read an exciting game synopsis: 

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2010/12/20/sports/doc4d0f429f23c78566702571.txt

Camden, New Jersey: Enter At Your Own Risk

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Camden, New Jersey was just ranked the second most dangerous city in the United States.  A 2009 estimate census showed Camden’s population at 78,790.  Camden has a police force of 373 or one officer for every 211 people (This figure does not include civilian employees). The US average is one officer per 333 people.  The land area of the city is 8.8 square miles. 

Six months ago, 50 new officers were hired to beef up security for the beleaguered city.  Now it appears that on January 18^th, up to 180 officers could be laid off.  Camden is financially distressed and is asking the officers to take a 20% pay cut.  Police sources say the pay cut approaches 35% with all total concessions.  Some of the new officers are wondering why they were hired in the first place.  On a positive note, there are other cities lining up to recruit any laid off Camden cops.  Nashville, Atlanta and Norfolk are interested in hiring any Camden law enforcement budget casualties. 

Camden has been in a free fall for decades.  Major employers like RCA, Campbell’s Soup and New York Shipbuilding employed well over 50,000 people.  Camden’s population peaked in 1950 at 124,555 residents.  The 2009 estimate shows a net loss of 45,765 residents since 1950 or about 37%.  By comparison, the state of New Jersey’s population has nearly doubled since 1950. 

41.7% of Camden residents lived in poverty in 2008.  Camden was ranked as American’s poorest city in 2006 when 52% of its residents lived in poverty.  By contrast, New Jersey had the nations second highest per capita personal income in 2008, the highest percentage of millionaire households and is second in the US for towns/cities with per capital incomes above the national average (76.4%).

Camden’s median household income was estimated at $24,283 per year in 2008 (NJ $70,378).  The estimated per capita income for Camden in 2008 was $10,771.  In April 2010 the unemployment rate in Camden was 18.1%, compared to 9.6% for the state of New Jersey.  

Camden scored a 967.6 crime index on City-data.com for 2009.  There were 34 murders.  In 2008 Camden scored 1114.6 and had 54 murders.  As we learned in my earlier post about crime stats, a score of over 700 is considered HIGH and a score about 1000 is considered VERY HIGH.

So what will become of Camden if, worst case scenario, 48% of their officers are laid off!  Or even if only 25% are laid off.  I shudder to think!

Enter at your own risk! 

(Demographic data taken from Wikipedia and City-data.com.)