New Jersey is about to pay $2.4 million to restore and preserve an art deco tower honoring Thomas Edison, located in the township that bears his name. Yet despite the many credits bestowed upon Edison by popular history, his true skills and legacy lay in theft and coercion. more below
If you’re reading this, you are probably more involved with, and informed about, the political system in New Jersey than most citizens. You’re aware that despite being sandwiched between the New York and Philadelphia news behemoths, there are many outlets to provide you with news on the state level. But what about news that most affects your pocketbook and your daily life - news about your local community?
Local news has suffered with the cutbacks in dead-tree newspapers. If you’re fortunate, your community is covered by a hyperlocal site from patch.com or some other local citizen-journalist enterprise. Hyperlocal news sites are cropping up across the state and nation. But how do these citizen-journalists, some who put in 12 to 15 hour days, do their job effectively?
The New Jersey Hyperlocal News Association’s (NJHNA) mission is to provide training and resources for those journalists to enable them to report thoroughly and accurately. The group held its second general session today on the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. The topic was reporting on the activities of local school boards.
After introductory remarks from Heather Taylor of NJHNA and Dr. John Pavlik, head of the Rutgers journalism department, the keynote address was delivered by Gene Maeroff, President of the Edison school board and a noted education writer. He described the school board budgeting process and offered some tips for those reporting on school board activities. (The entire session was videotaped and will be posted on the NJHNA web site.) Following the keynote, a panel discussion was held, with Jonathan Busch, an attorney who represents boards of education; Dr. Valerie Goger, superintendent of schools for Bernards Township; and John Mooney, founder and education writer for NJ Spotlight. All discussed the budgeting and election process from the perspective of their individual involvement.
Among the things the audience learned were the timeline for the budgeting and election process, how board of education members must not electioneer for or against the budget, and the impact of the governor’s tax caps and cuts on the education process. There were discussions on the best ways for local reporters to ferret out facts that might not always be easy to obtain.
NJHNA’s next session, scheduled to occur in about two months, will discuss how to cover municipal meeting and elections.
In July, Joel Stein wrote a piece for Time Magazine about the town he grew up in, My Own Private Edison. It chronicled hometown changes from the time everybody he knew there was white, to present day as new spicy smells waft out of new restaurants, and Bollywood plays at the multiplex. Stein didn't sound too welcoming to all of Edison's residents; his humor fell flat.
That article vexed a lot of people, only some of whom live in the now vibrant and diverse township of Edison. Ed Potosnak, whose NJ-7 district includes North Edison, was one. And he put together a petition to Time objecting to Stein's racial stereotyping.
Support for Potosnak is strong in NJ's South Asian community. And Potosnak has a couple of great gets calling NJ-7 voters that not every candidate has access to - one is his old boss Rep. Mike Honda, Chair of the Asian Pacific Congressional Caucus and DNC Vice-Chair. Another is Kal Penn, who left the cast of House to work in Barack Obama's White House and is now returning to acting.
If you live in NJ-7, You might be getting a robo call from Kal Penn - born Kalpen Suresh Modi in Montclair, NJ - for his fellow New Jerseyan Ed Potosnak. (You might also get calls from Sen. Bob Menendez, Sen. Barbara Buono, Chair John Wisniewski, Education Committee Chair Asm Pat Diegnan, and the candidate's mom Joan Potosnak, who nearly every volunteer has worked alongside by now). Kal Penn's involvement comes via PCCC - Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Here's PCCC's founder, Adam Green (also from NJ, and the former NJDSC Communications Director):
In the last couple days, over 500 PCCC members chipped in over $5,000 to help Ed Potosnak's high-energy, progressive campaign finish strong -- and defeat Leonard Lance. Folks in the 7th district should sign up to help Ed Get Out The Vote in the final days. And progressives around New Jersey can help Ed get this new Kal Penn robo-call to key voters and run a strong GOTV operation by chipping in $4 to his campaign. Every donation goes a long way.
You can join PCCC here (I highly recommend it). Kal Penn's calls:
With what looks like boxes of single-serving potato chips in the background, Barack Obama talked after a meeting with New Jersey small business folks at the Tastee Sub Shop in Edison (where POTUS ordered a half-sized Super Sub to go). C-SPAN ran the whole speech (here's a link), but the video isn't embeddable (what's up with that, C-SPAN?)
Obama's here in NJ to support HR 5297, the Small Business Jobs Act, a mixture of tax breaks, loan guarantees and a $30 billion dollar pool designed to help small businesses get loans via community banks. Edison's Mayor Antonia Ricigliano was along for the ride (and presumably, sandwiches).
Published reports say that the President will be making a stop in New Jersey next week:
Obama will appear in or around Edison to talk about the economy, the White House announced yesterday. White House spokeswoman Moira Mack said further details about the trip will be announced next week.
This will be the President's first time in the state since he campaign for Jon Corzine just before Election day. The President canceled his last scheduled visit after the Gulf Oil spill began. We'll keep you updated as the White House releases information.
Just saw this, another indication of the economic woes facing our nation and state:
The U.S. Postal Service has already suggested dropping a day of mail delivery to save money. Now, with economic gloom everywhere, it's turning to early retirements, management cutbacks and office closings. ...
The district offices being closed are in Lake Mary, Fla.; North Reading, Mass.; Manchester, N.H.; Edison, N.J.; Erie, Pa.; and Spokane, Wash.
With people sending their personal notes and greetings via e-mail, there is much less personal mail going through the system. Most mail my family gets are bills, solicitations or advertisements. Very rarely do I get a real letter from someone, and even then it is only around the holidays.
I really don't see a way that first class daily delivery can continue at such a low cost without a lot more volume.
As we turn the page to August, that means there are just over three months to go until Election Day. And while we might have wrapped up our week-long tour of the 7th district, our conversation with the voters is just beginning.
On Thursday, we started in Edison, where Robert Riedinger showed me around his independent community pharmacy on Oak Tree Road. Upon entering Devine's Pharmacy, I was greeted with an official sign welcoming me, which was an incredibly kind gesture I very much appreciated. Our independent pharmacists serve an important role in our communities, as millions of Americans rely upon their health care services. It was very helpful to hear about the issues facing pharmacies like Devine's, and it reminds us all why we need real reforms in our healthcare system. Together, we must work together to guarantee every American access to quality, affordable health coverage.
Next it was on to Woodbridge, where I joined local supporters at the famous Reo Diner. It's always nice to stop in and visit with old friends (and as I'm sure you all know, no campaign tour would be complete without a trip to the Reo). Like everywhere I've traveled around the 7th District, families are struggling in Woodbridge. They're struggling to afford the rising cost of everything, from gas to food to healthcare. And they need a leader in Washington who will fight for them, and bring the change they so desperately need. I'm running for Congress to bring that change. With your help, I'll work to get us back on the right track.
The afternoon took me to Summit, where I toured Overlook Hospital. There are some great new facilities which were very exciting to explore and learn more about. Again, I was reminded why our healthcare system needs real reform. Rising costs are a disaster for the middle class, as premiums are skyrocketing and the out-of-pocket expenses are growing everyday.
Meanwhile, healthcare providers are hurting and trying to make ends meet. We need reforms that let us keep our doctors and guarantees choice in coverage, while creating a healthcare system of shared responsibility in which individuals, business, and government must all contribute. In Washington, I'll work to make sure every American has access to quality, affordable healthcare.
I ended the day and the tour at the Summit Democrats' Picnic. Summit is lucky to have the strong leadership of Mayor Jordan Glatt, a terrific Democrat and a good friend. Thank you to Chairman Paul Dillon for organizing a wonderful event, full of energized Democrats who are hungry for change. It wonderful to end my tour of the district surrounded by so many passionate supporters!
Americans are ready for change, and it starts here in New Jersey's 7th District. I know I felt the energy, passion and momentum building behind our campaign for change this past week. And just because the "official week-long tour" has ended, that doesn't mean we are slowing down by any stretch of the imagination.
This weekend I will be at the Carpenters Local 715 Annual Picnic in Clark to meet supporters and talk more about all these important issues. Next week, I will also be making stops at the Hot Summer Nights Concert Series in Summit, Seafood Fest in Flemington, the India Day Parade in Edison. I hope to see you there!
[Promoted by huntsu, saying that this is not just about the Plainfield area but about our state and nation's attitudes about healthcare]
Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center doesn't just serve Plainfeld--it serves a broad geographic area and is miles away from its nearest counterpart. It is a full-service hospital with up-to-date facilities and a wonderful professional staff.
And the corporation that owns it wants to shut it down.
About ten years ago it was "acquired" by Solaris Health Systems, which also owns JFK Hospital in Edison. Since then, Solaris has done what big corporations do to the smaller corporations they acquire--they siphon all the profitable operations out of them, and then put the rest up for sale--deficit and all.
That's exactly what's been happening. Several of Muhlenberg's most valuable units have been moved to JFK. A good example is the pediatric unit--sick children without insurance, covered by the CHIP program, are sent to JFK, but their uninsured parents must rely on Muhlenberg's "charity care."
Of course, Solaris hasn't found a buyer they're willing to sell to--so now they've applied to the state for permission to close. They say they'll keep the emergency room and a few other limited facilities open--but there's no guarantee how long that will last. In any case, Muhlenberg is an essential and highly rated comprehensive hospital, and the area cannot afford to lose it.
The Plainfield community is fighting back, and has been joined by others, including members of the surrounding areas served by Muhlenberg as well as concerned citizens from all over the state. The People's Organization for Progress and its local allies are leading the struggle. On March 1, about 300 people marched and chanted outside the hospital. Two weeks later, the number participating was nearly 1000. Letters and petitions are being sent to politicans and newspapers. Signs saying "Save Muhlenberg" are in storefronts and windows all over town.
And on Saturday, April 5, we are taking our protest to Trenton, where we will rally at 12 noon on the steps of the State House. Buses will be leaving the parking lot at Park Avenue and Randolph Road in Plainfield at 10 am. Carpooling is encouraged--and people can meet us there! Participants include local clergy, members of the business community, educators, medical professionals, parents, family members, and community leaders from the tri-county area served by the Medical Center. And I hope the Blue Jersey community will be there--the availability of quality health care is a priority for all of us.
JOIN US--MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Contact Stuart (908-731-1518) or Mary (732-968-9226) or Dottie (908-668-1149) to get involved.
The advertised purpose of the protest was to object to the moving of the POW/MIA flag for a few minutes, but one attendee let her feelings slip out to the Star-Ledger:
"It's no longer Edison, it's little India," said Rosemary Wilson, a 30-year Edison resident, whose father and brother served in the military.
Flipping a few pages ahead in this morning's Star-Ledger the business section featured a list of the state's fastest-growing tech companies. While I can't find the printed list online, a quick glance at the numbers revealed that a sizeable number of companies - if not an outright majority - were founded and/or headed by New Jerseyans of South Asian descent.
As a former Edison resident, and former communications director for the New Jersey Democratic Party, I was thrilled to read the Star Ledger’s June 6 article "Choi's Slate Ousts Incumbents In Edison." The Democratic Council had ignored the voters' overwhelming mandate for change in the 2005 Democratic primary – thinking that their status as political insiders insulated them from the will of the people.
When politicians become such hacks that they lose sight of their principles and the people they were elected to represent, it is time for them to go - regardless of their political party. Defeated Council President Charles Tomaro proved this point perfectly. Tomaro was "bitter about his loss to a group of political newcomers," the Ledger reported, and Tomaro said "Three of them I've never seen at council meetings."
Wow, that says a lot. Choi's ticket included a school principal, a school activist, a technologist, and a doctor. How much of a hack does someone have to be to think that the only people fit to run for office are insiders who spend their lives at Council meetings? Perhaps in his new free time, Tomaro should pick up a copy of Crashing the Gate.
Tomaro cemented his status as a no-longer-fit-for-office political insider when he said, "We were there for three terms, let's see if they serve three terms." I am embarrassed to have ever voted for this guy, and if Tomaro ever runs again I promise right now to give money to his opponent.
At his victory party, Choi provided a nice contrast to Tomaro, putting principles and modesty first: "We are humbled by the overwhelming support for our positive-change agenda for Edison Township." I wish Edison's new Democratic leadership team much luck – and hope they continue to stand with the people over political insiders who've lost their way.
President George W. Bush coming to the Garden State today, bringing with him his 28% approval rating and the dark cloud that follows him everywhere he goes. Fun!
Anti-Bush Rally details here and here. We'll crank up the Springsteen, and have a few things to say ourselves. Who can bring the beachballs?
In his 6 years in the White House, this is the first time ever that Bush has come here just to raise money for the Jersey Republicans. And yeah, the Republicans really need the cash. Dems have a staggering fundraising advantage, with Dem incumbents going into '07 with $15.5 million to the Repubs' $5.3 million, and Dems with more $$ in the bank.
Not since Watergate have New Jersey Republicans endured such a painful losing streak. It's been a decade since voters last elected a GOP governor. They hold their fewest number of seats in the Legislature since 1979. A Republican presidential candidate hasn't won the state since Bush's father ran for office in 1988. And they haven't won a U.S. Senate seat since before the disco era.
The NJ GOP's in malaise. From the same Star-Ledger piece, a longtime Republican consultant is quoted, anonymously:
We don't have an identity of being good at anything or being for anything
They got nothing. And by contrast, the state Dems are surging, with incursions into bastions like Cape May and Bergen counties, and recently Howard Dean's spirited 50-State Strategy helping to drive surprise Special Election wins in hard-to-crack red areas like Hunterdon, Morris and Ocean counties. And there's an unprecedented, though still-wobbly sense of cooperation between the NJ State Democratic Committee and activist groups.
So, welcome to New Jersey, Mr. President. The Republicans need the cash you can generate real, real bad. But there's a huge price to getting too close to you right now. They've already got their own dark clouds, after all.
In search of Garden State Republican cash, President Bush will be in NJ on Wednesday afternoon, May 30. It's $300 for one ticket, and couples don't get a price break - that's $600. If you want your picture taken with President, you're going to pony up $5,000 smackeroos.
That's a pretty high price for a man with a national approval rating of 28%. In fact, hey, that's $178.57 per approval rating point, but I hope the Republicans can hold that smile.
Republican state Chair Tom Wilson, Sen. Leonard Lance and Asm Alex DeCroce co-host.
Edison Mayor Jun Choi hosted a star studded event Tuesday night with Governor Corzine and former Governor Florio. At $1000 VIP and $100 per ticket, the event raised several thousands of dollars into the Jun Choi for Mayor campaign account.
While Mayor Choi is not up for election until 2009, there are four council seats up for grabs in 2007 and talk around the campfire is that Choi is gearing up for another battle in Edison.
Two of the council members up for election in 2007, Joan Kapitan & Charlie Tomaro, attended the Mayor's event. While Councilmen Sal Pizzi and Peter Barnes III did not attend, and have been profiled in the papers as possibily supporting the idea of a recall election.
It looks like 2007 will be another fun and exciting year of elections for New Jersey's 5th largest municipality.
The $55 fee that Edison Township charges the public for copies of its council minutes on computer diskette is "unreasonable," a state appeals court ruled yesterday.
The unanimous ruling, which sets a precedent that must be followed statewide, was a victory for the Libertarian Party, which chal lenged the fee as excessive. The appeals court agreed, noting that the minutes are created in electronic form and can easily be copied to a computer diskette.
"The actual cost of the diskette is far less than $55," Appellate Divi sion Judge Jose Fuentes wrote. "Thus, the only discernible rationale for the fee is to discourage the public from requesting the information in this format. Such a policy is not legally sustainable."
Fuentes said the $55 fee puts "an unreasonable burden on the right of access guaranteed by OPRA," the state's Open Public Records Act...
The case was argued in November before Edison Mayor Jun Choi took office. In January, shortly after his inauguration, Choi said he wanted to make township workings "open and transparent."
"I'm sure we can come up with a mutually agreeable rate. It's a new day in Edison," Choi said. "We have some questions why the previ ous administration even contested this in court."
John Paff, secretary of the Libertarian Party of central New Jersey, said he wanted computer copies of council minutes so he could search them electronically and share them with party members via e-mail and the party's Web site.
"We're very pleased," Paff said. "I'm really hopeful this is going to make a big difference in opening public records."
The 8th construction site receiving toxic debris was found last week, a hotel being built in Edison. From the Star Ledger:
The debris, tainted with low levels of PCBs, is at the center of a civil and criminal investigation being conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Attorney General's Office, as authorities try to determine how it was allowed off-site without state approvals. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also are investigating.
The coverage began on March 7 with a mention of developer Jack Morris, whose Edgewood Properties owns the other 7 sites that received the debris:
Ford Motor Co. must devise a cleanup plan for the thousands of tons of PCB-tainted concrete debris remaining at its old assembly plant in Edison, a Middlesex County health official said yesterday.
For three hours yesterday, Ford representatives, county health staffers and officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection met in Trenton to discuss the handling of the contaminated concrete, officials said.
David Papi, the director of the county health department, assigned six staffers from his department to investigate the tainted debris, which is also the subject of a criminal investigation.
Last week the state Attorney General's Office announced it was launching a probe to determine how PCB-tainted concrete from the Ford site ended up in five residential and commercial sites in Middlesex and Mercer counties owned by Piscataway developer Jack Morris.
Morris, who owns Edgewood Properties, claims he was not aware the debris it received was contaminated, while Ford has said it informed the developer that the debris had low levels of PCBs -- polychlorinated biphenyls -- which are classified as a probable cause of cancer.
Papi said his department was "skipped over" when Ford began disposing of the concrete left when the old assembly plant was leveled. Last Friday, the county won a restraining order in court against Ford, stopping the automaker from moving any of the 93,000 tons of debris left on its property.
It looks like a big challenge for Edison's new mayor, Jun Choi:
Edison Mayor Jun Choi said he learned yesterday the hotel site received more than 8,000 tons of concrete contaminated with polychlo rinated biphenyls, which are classified as a probable cause of cancer.
"Obviously it is a concern," Choi said. "Every day we learn something new as we investigate."
Although the state is responsible for the oversight:
To partly avoid the expense of disposing of concrete debris from the site, the automaker made the material -- some of it contaminated with low levels of cancer- causing PCBs -- available for free.
Piscataway-based developer Edgewood Properties carted away thousands of tons of the debris, depositing it in at least six of its sites in Middlesex, Mercer and Ocean counties.
The contaminated debris is now at the center of a civil and criminal probe being conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Attorney General's office. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are also investigating.
The probe puts a spotlight on the business practices and relatively lax oversight of the concrete recycling industry in New Jersey, which produces 4 million tons of concrete, asphalt brick, cinder block each year.
He addressed the issues of police department reform, overdevelopment, and the town's $10.1 million budget deficit. He also addressed community division and ethnic diversity.
Edison Police Chief Edward Costello apparently saw the writing on the wall. And so on Thursday, a little more than a week before a new mayor was due to be installed, Costello abruptly announced his retirement, saying he didn't "choose to work with the incoming administration." The truth, of course, is that there is every likelihood that Costello himself might have been unchosen had he stuck around for the independent review of the troubled department promised by the incoming mayor, Jun Choi.
As it is, outgoing Mayor George Spadoro did the public, the new mayor and his own reputation one last disservice by promptly installing a new chief, without seeking input or even informing the man due to replace him. There were those who said Spadoro acted within his legal rights; but as Abraham Lincoln noted, some things that are legally right are not necessarily morally right.
Who knows what Spadoro had in mind by acting as he did: spite, one last power trip, or even a last attempt to reward another political friend? The man he appointed to succeed Costello, George Mieczkowski, also has served 33 years in the Edison Department and will likely see a boost in his pension from even a temporary stint as chief.
Besides the chutzpah involved in naming a replacement 11 days before he was due to lose his job as mayor, Spadoro also failed as a leader. There is no doubt Edison residents deserve a top-to-bottom review of operations within the department, given the embarrassment it has generated over the years, particularly in the last 12 months. It may be that Mieczkowski is the man who can bring change. But certainly every other option -- including brand-new blood -- ought to have been considered before the job was handed to him, seemingly without a moment of hesitation or review.
As reported in today's Star Ledger Edison Mayor-Elect Jun Choi has increased his margin of victory by one vote in the official recount, and has been recertified the winner of the November election. Thrilled for Jun - still not quite understanding what these "recounts" are supposed to be proving.
After introductory remarks from Heather Taylor of NJHNA and 
