Newark Speaks

SEIU backs Rice!

counterattack — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:08:04 GMT

Newark Councilman Ron Rice backed by another organized labor group in 10th District Congressional Race
Published: Thursday, May 17, 2012, 3:45 PM Updated: Thursday, May 17, 2012, 3:45 PM
By David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger

Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger
Newark West Ward Councilman Ron C. Rice
NEWARK � The Service Employees International Union announced it would back Newark Councilman Ron Rice in the 10th District Congressional Race, further cementing the candidate's popularity among organized labor groups.

�In his roles as a public official and community leader, Ron Rice has clearly demonstrated that he understands the issues of working men and women and is willing to tackle them,� said Rahaman Muhammad, Council President and President of Newark-based SEIU Local 617. �Ron will bring his vision, leadership and progressive ideas to Congress and ensure the voices of our working families are heard all the way to Washington, D.C.�
SEIU represents 40,000 blue-collar, service workers around the state. Along with the endorsement of the Communications Workers of America earlier this week, Rice can expect significant union firepower on election day.

OT: Donna Summer

Maximus Returns — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:48:52 GMT

Sad news. TMZ is reporting that Donna Summer has passed away in Florida this morning. She was reportedly battling cancer.

I still love to love you baby. RIP.

Pastor Marvin Winans carjacked and robbed in Detroit

J. Sharpe James, J.D. — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:06:36 GMT

Pastor Marvin Winans carjacked and robbed in Detroit

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...bed-in-detroit

Posted: 4:55 PM
Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Pastor Marvin Winans was robbed and carjacked at a Detroit gas station Wednesday afternoon.

Winans was at the Citgo Gas Station at Linwood and the Davison when he was robbed. The carjackers robbed him and took his deep purple Infiniti QX56 SUV.

The license plate number on the vehicle is 0DRT73. Detroit Police are searching for the suspects.

He was not hurt in the incident, but was roughed up.

Pastor Winans told Action News he felt something was wrong when he came out of the gas station's convenience store.

He says four men followed him out and assaulted him while he was pumping gas. They robbed him, punched him and even ripped off his pants.

Pastor Winans says he's ok, but is more saddened that it has come to this.

“This kind of nonsense just has to stop… it’s just the savageness of what’s happening in the streets. We just have to take a look at ourselves and say this has to stop,” said Pastor Winans.

The legendary pastor most recently gave the eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral. WAS HE SAFER IN NEWARK?

Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...#ixzz1v4oxx0c6

City worker protest floods Newark City Hall

J. Sharpe James, J.D. — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:58:09 GMT

City worker protest floods Newark City Hall

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...loods_new.html

Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 6:36 PM Updated: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 6:52 PM

By David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger
Follow

NEWARK — Close to 200 city workers are storming Newark City Hall protesting unfair tactics in labor negotiations underway with Mayor Cory Booker's administration.

Shouting "No Contract no peace!" Sanitation workers, mechanics, crossing guards and supervisors occupied the City Council chamber demanding equitable negotiations with City Hall after, in some cases, years without a raise or a contract.

"We have people that haven't gotten raises in over three years," said Rahaman Muhammad, president of the SEIU Local 617. "It's time to be unified."

Ronald Snead, president of the Local 2297 which represents mechanics and supervisors, said the gathering of the unions was unique.

"This is the first time we've come together," Snead said. "Right now, things are at a standstill"

Snead and Muhammad said attempts to present demands to city administrators have been met with rejection.

"We bring them our proposals and they shut us down," Snead said. "We understand the city is in distress but we have families that are in distress."

City Hall did not respond to requests for comment.

Booker's Kiss of Death

Maximus Returns — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:48:07 GMT

Booker needs to stop endorsing Democrats; they all lose: school board candidates, city council incumbents...his latest victim is now ex-mayor Eldridge Hawkins.

With friends like Booker, who needs enemies?

From politicsnj.com:

Newark Mayor Cory Booker this evening praised Jersey City Mayor Jerry Healy as his friend and a great leader at a fundraiser for Healy.

Booker's effusive appearance at the fundraiser came as Healy continues to gear up for a 2013 showdown with Downtown City Councilman Steve Fulop - and maybe state Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-31).

Attendance was circa 600.

Assemblymen Charles Mainor and Jason O'Donnell were at the event in support of Healy, along with Freeholder and JCDC Chair Jeff Dublin.

The lineup of speaker-supporters other than Booker included County Executive Tom DeGise and Mayor & HCDO Chair Mark Smith (both of whom committed county organizational support), Asm. Joe Cryan, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, County Sheriff Frank Schillari, County Clerk Barbara Netchert, County Register Pam Gardner, three freeholders, and an array of mayors and council members from other municipalities.

Gov. Christie's pension issue: N.J. probe looks at running mate, double-dipping

J. Sharpe James, J.D. — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:32:20 GMT

Gov. Christie's pension issue: N.J. probe looks at running mate, double-dipping

http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...double-dipping

New Jersey Governor's Office

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie with Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno in November 2011. Despite Guadagno's involvement in a criminal investigation of pension abuse, Christie has not appointed a special prosecutor.

By Mark Lagerkvist
New Jersey Watchdog

The sweeping new laws increase contributions from public workers, decrease benefits and halt cost-of-living hikes. According to Christie, the changes should save the state $120 billion over the next 30 years.

But his reform did little to stop the age-old New Jersey practice of double-dipping, in which employees "retire," start collecting a pension, and then are rehired, often the next day. Christie's own deputy chief of staff collects $219,000 a year from the state � a $130,000 salary as a top aide to the governor plus $89,000 in state pension.

Worse for Christie, a criminal investigation is under way involving his running mate, New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a county sheriff in 2008, Guadagno made false statements to enable her chief officer to pocket nearly $85,000 a year in retirement pay while drawing an $87,500 annual salary. The double-dipping scheme first was reported by New Jersey Watchdog in 2010.

The state's investigation is assigned to the Attorney's General's Division of Criminal Justice, a unit where Guadagno once served as deputy director. Despite the apparent conflict, Christie has not appointed a special prosecutor.

A spokesman for Christie and Guadagno declined to comment. The Attorney General's Office did not respond to questions.

Pension abuses are so rampant in New Jersey that even the agency investigating Guadagno has its own controversy.

Twenty-three supervisors and investigators for the Attorney General�s Office and DCJ are using legal loopholes to draw salaries and pension pay, New Jersey Watchdog found. On average, each pockets $164,000 a year � $96,000 in salary and $68,000 in pension.

Most "retired" for just one night. Those officers left their positions with the Attorney General�s Office only to return to the same employer the next morning with new job titles � and two paychecks instead of one.

In a continuing series of investigative reports, New Jersey Watchdog exposed similar double-dipping practices involving 125 officers employed by prosecutors, 18 officials from a state Homeland Security Unit and 44 county sheriffs and undersheriffs � in addition to the Guadagno story.

Democratic State Sen. Fred Madden is a "triple-dipper" who collects more than $241,000 a year from public coffers � $49,000 as a legislator, $106,983 as a police academy dean and an $85,272 pension as a State Police retiree.

"I don't have a problem with it at all," said Madden.

The Guadagno controversy
While Madden and others profit from loopholes in pension rules, the circumstances surrounding Christie's second-in-command raise questions of fraud and deception.

Guadagno was elected sheriff of Monmouth County in 2007. She previously worked as an assistant U.S. attorney and as an assistant New Jersey attorney general. From 1998 to 2001, Guadagno served as deputy director of the DCJ � the unit now assigned to investigate the case in which she's a major figure.

In 2008, Guadagno hired Michael Donovan Jr., a retired investigator for the county prosecutor, as the sheriff�s �chief of law enforcement division.� She announced the appointment in a memo to her staff.

Monmouth County Sheriff's Office

The focus of a criminal investigation of pension abuse, Chief Michael Donovan takes an oath of office in the Monmouth County, N.J., Sheriff's Office on Sept. 22, 2008. Donovan's job title was fudged to allow him to collect his pension and his pay at the same time. The swearing in was witnessed by his mother, Emily, and then-Sheriff Kim Guadagno, now the state's lieutenant governor. Donovan was sworn in by Judge Lawrence M. Lawson.

But there was a problem. As a sheriff's chief officer � a position covered by the pension system � Donovan would be required to stop receiving pension checks and resume contributions to the state retirement fund.

Guadagno fudged the job title, so Donovan could double-dip. In county payroll records, the oath of office and a news release, Donovan was called the sheriff's "chief warrant officer" � a low-ranking position exempt from the pension system.

A chief warrant officer oversees the service of warrants and other legal documents. In contrast, the sheriff's official website identified Donovan as "sheriff's officer chief," supervising 115 subordinate officers and 30 civilian employees.

On Guadagno�s organizational chart, Donovan was listed as chief of law enforcement � and the position of chief warrant officer was conspicuously absent.

The ruse allowed Donovan to collect an $87,500 salary from Monmouth County in addition to an $85,000 pension as a retired county employee.

A Conflicted Investigation
When Guadagno was elected as Christie's running mate in the 2009 election, she resigned as sheriff.

In 2010, state Treasury pension officials began to ask Monmouth County about retiree Donovan's employment. "I would respectfully request that former Sheriff Guadagno be contacted..." replied her successor, Shaun Golden, in a letter forwarded to the Treasury.

The Treasury denied the existence of any correspondence or email contact with Guadagno or Christie regarding Donovan. Officials also rejected requests for records of the Treasury's inquiry.

In response, New Jersey Watchdog filed a formal complaint with the state Government Records Council, a body consisting of gubernatorial appointees and cabinet officials. One year later, the council has yet to render an advisory opinion.

Meanwhile, the state Police and Firemen's Retirement System's Board of Trustees took action of its own.

"It's a double-whammy," said PFRS chairman John Sierchio. "If you're going to retire under one job title and come back under another title, we have a problem with that. The chief of sheriff is a covered title under the pension system � and they should be contributing instead of drawing out."

The PFRS board voted in May 2011 to call for a criminal investigation of Donovan and parallel instances involving John Dough, of Essex County, and Harold Gibson, of Union County. The case was referred to DCJ.

However, the investigation is riddled with a maze of potential conflicts of interest:
�DCJ is probing allegations involving its own former deputy director, Guadagno.
�Nearly two dozen DCJ investigators and supervisors are "double-dippers" who collect state paychecks and pensions.
�Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, a Christie appointee, is ultimately in charge of the probe of fellow cabinet member Guadagno. Chiesa is also former chief counsel to Christie.
�Despite evidence of possible wrongdoing by his lieutenant governor, Christie has not appointed a special prosecutor or authorized an independent investigation.

One year later, the PFRS board remains in the dark. "I keep asking, but we haven't been told anything," said Sierchio.

New Jersey Governor's Office

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno of New Jersey. When she was a county sheriff, her office fudged a job description and organizational charts to allow an aide to double-dip on his pension. Guadagno has declined to comment.

Sean Conner, a spokesman for Christie and Guadagno, refused to listen to questions about Guadagno's role or the need for a special prosecutor.

"Let me stop you right there," Conner told New Jersey Watchdog. "If it was referred to DCJ, you need to call DCJ."

The Attorney General's Office did not respond to questions about the investigation.

Back in Monmouth County, Donovan has another new job title � but he�s still a double-dipper. In February 2011, Golden named him undersheriff in charge of law enforcement � a strikingly similar position, but one apparently exempt in the labyrinth of pension rules. Donovan currently gets an $86,000 annual pension on top of his $92,000 salary.

While sheriff's chief, Donovan pocketed $227,000 in retirement checks. Since he did not re-enroll in the pension system, he avoided $18,000 in contributions to the retirement fund. If state authorities ultimately determine Donovan violated pension rules, he could be forced to repay $245,000.

Reform...except for double-dipping
Pension fraud and widespread abuse are nothing new in New Jersey.

The federal Securities and Exchange Commission accused New Jersey of pension fraud in 2010. It was the first time the SEC had taken action against a state government over public pension funds.

According to the SEC, New Jersey misled its bond investors from 2001 to 2007 by failing to disclose it had not met its obligation to fund public workers' pension funds. The lawsuit was settled with a cease-and-desist order, which the state accepted without admitting or denying the charges. The alleged fraud occurred on the watch of four previous governors.

Christie vowed to overhaul the pension system. With the state facing a $45 billion pension shortfall when he took office, the new governor spearheaded legislation that he signed into law last year.

"We are putting the people first and daring to touch the third rail of politics to bring reform to unsustainable system," stated Christie in a news release. �We are once again showing the people of New Jersey that our state is leading the way on the biggest challenges before us and remains unafraid to do what is hard, but necessary."

But the reforms did little to halt widespread double-dipping by numerous public employees, including Christie's deputy chief of staff.

Louis Goetting gets $219,000 a year from the state � $130,000 in salary as a top aide to the governor plus $89,000 in state pension payments from an early retirement deal. Christie hired Goetting in 2010 as a budget guru to help trim the cost of government.

In addition, Goetting (pronounced �getting�) received two golden parachutes from public coffers before joining Christie � severance packages of $190,000 from Brookdale Community College in 2009 and $180,000 from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2002.

New Jersey Governor's Office

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has touted his pension reforms, which have done little to halt the practice of double-dipping by public employees, including his deputy chief of staff.

The bottom line: Goetting has gotten more than $1.1 million in pension and severance pay � and he still draws a six-figure salary from the state.

In answer to questions about Goetting's double-dips, the governor's press office has reiterated a statement Christie issued last year: "There is no one in my administration, myself included, who understands about the operation of this government better than Lou Goetting does. And so the people of New Jersey have gotten an incredible bargain.�

Pension reforms will not be complete without an investigative staff to monitor potential abuses, according to PFRS chairman Sierchio. He noted there are 275,000 retirees � but no investigators assigned to review complaints.

"We don't have anybody watching the store," said Sierchio. "We've got an $80 billion pension system, and nobody to investigate anything. Once you get your pension, you never have to look over your shoulder."

New Jersey Watchdog is a news website devoted to public service journalism. Read more about veteran investigative reporter Mark Lagerkvist.

OT: Zimmerman will walk even though FAMILY DOCTOR'S report is bogus

J. Sharpe James, J.D. — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:36:48 GMT

Sources: Medical report says Zimmerman had broken nose, other injuries after fight

By Lateef Mungin, CNN

updated 9:15 AM EDT, Wed May 16, 2012

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/16/justic...html?hpt=hp_t1

(CNN) -- A medical report by George Zimmerman's family doctor shows the neighborhood watch volunteer was diagnosed with a fractured nose, two black eyes and two lacerations on the back of the head after his fatal confrontation with Trayvon Martin.

The medical exam, which was taken a day after Zimmerman's February 26 altercation with the unarmed 17-year-old, says Zimmerman suffered a "closed fracture" of his nose, according to two sources who have detailed knowledge of the investigation.

Zimmerman, 28, is accused of killing Martin on February 26 as the African-American teenager walked back to the Sanford, Florida, house where he was staying, after visiting a convenience store. Prosecutors have said Zimmerman, who is a white Hispanic, killed Martin unjustly after profiling him.

Zimmerman, who acknowledges shooting Martin but claims self-defense, has entered a not guilty plea in the case, which has not yet been scheduled for trial.

George Zimmerman leaves jail
Zimmerman faces a second-degree murder charge in the case, which has gripped the country, caused nationwide protests and has shined a light on race relations and gun laws in Florida.

After the shooting, Zimmerman told police that Martin rushed him after they exchanged words, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly hit his head against a concrete sidewalk.

The medical report appears to lend support to Zimmerman's claims. It also mirrors earlier statements made by Zimmerman's father, brother and lawyer.

Zimmerman's brother spoke of the medical reports in a March interview with CNN's Piers Morgan.

"We're confident the medical records are going to explain all of George's medical history," Robert Zimmerman Jr. said at the time. "You return force with force when somebody assaults you. George was out of breath, he was barely conscious. George (would have been) dead if he had not acted decisively and instantaneously in that moment."

The Martin family has questions about the medical report, said Benjamin Crump, the family attorney.

"The family has very strong positions about this family physician's report that was done the next day," Crump said. "What we do know is on February 26, the ER personnel did not believe his injuries were significant enough for him to go to the hospital. They didn't even put a Band-Aid on his head. That's important."

Also Tuesday, CNN affiliate WFTV reported that Martin's autopsy showed the teen had injuries to his knuckles when he died.

That evidence could also support the theory that Martin and Zimmerman fought.

Crump also responded to that report Tuesday night.

"He was fighting for his life," he told Anderson Cooper. "Let's not forget that Trayvon Martin was fighting a man with a 9-millimeter gun. We also have to remember that he didn't start this fight. George Zimmerman got out his car and pursued Trayvon Martin."

On the night of the shooting, Zimmerman had called 911 to complain about a suspicious person in the neighborhood, according to authorities.

In the call, Zimmerman said he was following Martin after the teen started to run, prompting the dispatcher to tell him, "We don't need you to do that."

Zimmerman apparently disregarded that advice.

A timeline of the case against George Zimmerman

Sanford police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying there was no evidence to contradict his claim of self-defense under Florida's "stand your ground" law, which allows people to use deadly force anywhere they feel a reasonable threat of serious injury or death.

After weeks of protests demanding his arrest, a special prosecutor appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott filed the second-degree murder charge against Zimmerman.

He was arrested on April 11 and briefly jailed. He has returned to hiding after his release on $150,000 bond.

What Booker Has Done This Week...

Indigo_Soul — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:31:08 GMT

This could turn into a regular feature :)

FUN! That's what's on the agenda in Newark NJ! Watch this cute video:

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/...2_NewsCore_ncx

How much time did that one take? Well...have no fear because Mayor Booker still has time to get things done (he is Superman, after all!) He made it to his speech yesterday at FDU. Good scheduling allows him to be everywhere at once (except City Hall.)

I'm sure the people losing their jobs because of the college mergers were just rolling in the aisles at this humorous video.

Cory's Main Backers: The Koch Brothers

J. Sharpe James, J.D. — Wed, 16 May 2012 06:26:14 GMT

The Koch Brothers, who are the principle financiers of the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC, and who recently sponsored a two day School Choice Education Conference in Jersey City in which Mayor Booker Attended and gave a speech, are also supporting the Re-Segregation of Schools in North Carolina's Wake County.

Please view the entire video (11 minutes) if you think I am simply making this all up.

Thank you

John Sharpe James

Why do the Koch brothers want to end public education? - YouTube

Liberal blog: Mayor Cory Booker is a 'sellout' for attending educational conference funded by ALEC

Published: Thursday, May 03, 2012, 12:33 PM Updated: Tuesday, May 08, 2012, 3:24 PM

By David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger
Follow
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...or_cory_b.html

Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger

A blogger on the Daily Kos, a prominent liberal blog is calling Newark Mayor Cory Booker a "sellout" for attending a two day educational conference that they say is funded by the Koch Brothers.

"This gathering of the truly odious and anti-democratic, anti-schools, corporate elite, needs to be confronted in a direct non-violent, peaceful way," the blog said, adding, "To get some idea of the gloating, vicious tone of this gathering, scroll down on this link to see the speakers � including, sadly, Newark 'Democrat' (a.k.a. Sellout) Mayor Cory Booker"

The two day conference is hosted by the Alliance for School Choice, and is sponsored by the American Legislative Exchange council or ALEC, a right leaning think tank that drafts legislation, as well as the Walton Family foundation and Excellent Education for Everyone.

The two-day summit will "will feature the nation's top education reform leaders discussing policies and programs to reform our nation's ailing school system."

Also speaking at the event will be Gov. Chris Christie, and Republican Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Booker, who will speak Friday, declined to comment on the accusation.

The blogger, "snesich" urged protesters to gather at the Westin Jersey City Newport where the conference is scheduled form 10 a.m to 7 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.

OT: ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS

J. Sharpe James, J.D. — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:57:12 GMT

Comrades and Friends:

Please see the new and additional veteran educational opportunities open and offered for a limited time. It could apply to many of our members. Requirements include:

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) offers 12 months of retraining assistance to Veterans who are:

1. Unemployed

2. At least 35 but no more than 60 years old

3. Have an other than dishonorable discharge

4. Not eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g., the Post 9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment)

5. Not in receipt of VA compensation due to Individual Unemployability (IU)

6. Not enrolled in a federal or state job training program

7. Enrolled in a VA approved program of education offered by a community college or technical school

Please distribute to all of your members, local VSO’s, news media, etc. for the benefit of all veterans.

For God and Country,

Bob Looby, PDC
Vice Chairman - Leadership College
The American Legion
Department (State) of New Jersey
908-894-0746 (cell)

“EDUCATION THROUGH EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS”

"Say YES, Because You Never Know What An Opportunity Might Bring"

Violent Crime is NOT Genetic to Black Teenagers

Make Newark Clean — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:56:56 GMT

We need as a society to address why so many young black children commit violent crimes. It's not enough to blame their parents. That gets us nowhere. If those parents have issues that create violence in their children that should be addressed.

I think that on all sides of this issue -- urbanites and surburbanites, black and white, etc -- we forget or don't deal with the trauma it has always been to be a black male in the United States. It has manifested in violence among our children. I think it's racist to think that jailing is the only option. They are children. Someone failed them. Why can't an empathetic case ever be made for black men? Where is the unconditional love?

Every statistic indicates that black men are subject to bias over and above any group. The expectations of success are low. The moment one makes a mistake, he can be finished for life. He's treated like the n*gg*r we all deep down inside knew he always was. Even with a black male president black men can't get any love.

I write this after reading the article about the 15- and 16-year-olds who thought it was cool to beat innocent people up downtown. Yes they must be removed from the streets for the safety of others. But they also obviously need to be reeducated to respect themselves. They need to believe in a positive future that sacrifice, purposefulness and work might bring. Only hopeless and perhaps impulsive people throw their lives away just to beat up on somebody. It's got to stop. And it won't stop by building more prisons or spending money on corporate welfare.

I'm sick about how our teenagers are so condemned and, worst, do condemning things. It's a suicide. How do we bring these kids back from civically killing themselves forever, or literally killing anyone else? The answer is not in slogans, tropes, fear or hatred. Our kids are human beings. When they act, as some like to say, like animals, there's a problem!

How do we get rid of rats in the ghetto?

How do we get rid of rats in the ghetto?

Do we make one black and one white in the ghetto?

Is that your answer, legislator?

How do you legislate, brother?

How do you legislate, brother?

When you free one man and try to chain up another,

Tell me, Tell me legislator?
How does your heart feel late at night?
How does your heart feel late at night?
Does it beat with shame, or does it beat with pride?
Won’t you tell me, legislator?

(na-na-na-na-na-na-na, …)

My children learned just the same as yours
As long as nobody tries to close the door
They cry with pain when the knife cuts deep
They even close their eyes when they wanna sleep

We must all have identity

That’s the only way that we can be free

Now peace, you say
is all that you ask
But self-respect is a separate task

You may be sitting up there
in your ivory tower
60 stories tall

Now you may have seen at least one ghetto
But I wonder have you lived there at all?

Marlena Shaw "Woman Of The Ghetto" (1969) - YouTube

$102.4 Million for Transformational Change!

Make Newark Clean — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:16:28 GMT

That can only mean one thing, the girders are going up for Panasonic's soaring 12-story heaquarters! Imagine the top-floor views once it's finished!

Ya feel it? Poverty is on the run in Newark y'all! This is how it's done!

That's Shaniqua's brother's arm in the picture below, before tanning. See! He got a job!

It's electric: Panasonic office tower finally starts to rise in Newark

Quote:

In February 2011, the state Economic Development Authority approved an Urban Transit Hub tax credit worth $102.4 million over 10 years for Panasonic if it ... creates at least 200 new jobs...

20 new hires divided into $102.4 million yields five million one hundred twenty thousand dollars ($5,120,000) per job. Divide that by 10 years it equals $512,000 for each new employee. Good looking out Cory and those who are concerned with lifting Newark out of poverty! Just like it does with all those other taxpayer-underwritten buildings lured into the city, Newark will thrive even more! Yay. Another way? Ha!

Union County Corrections Officers Murdered in Arena Green Zone

Make Newark Clean — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:51:38 GMT

After a mostly murder-free April passes under the media glare (they're not making that mistake again), a second death stains the city's streets. This time near the arena and involving the death of a law enforcement official. The overburdened police department will be compelled to enhance its protection around the sparkling arena edifice that pays no rent.

Union County corrections officer dies in shooting outside Newark bar

Quote:

Police arrived at the Arena Bar on Mulberry Street shortly after 1:30 a.m. Monday to find 23-year-old Theolander Abney of Plainfield and 23-year-old Quinton Brown of Hillside suffering from gunshot wounds, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. The men, who both work at the Union County Juvenile Detention Center in Linden, subsequently were transported to University Hospital, where Brown was pronounced dead less than two hours later, authorities said.

My condolences to loved ones.

How the Facebook funds will be spent

ForOurYouth — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:52:26 GMT

Interesting interview with Greg Taylor on the priorities of the Zuckerberg money. I thought the highlight below was particularly interesting. Anyone care to read between the lines here?

Spotlight Q&A: The State of Facebook�s $100 Million To Newark
Greg Taylor, head for Foundation for Newark�s Future, talks fundraising, relationship-building, and visit with Mark Zuckerberg
http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/12/0509/2236/

Quote:

NJS: What about community engagement? It has been a criticism that the foundation has not included enough community representation.

Taylor: There are three areas where we are excited on the community engagement. One is leadership development of new voices in this community, young leaders and by that I mean 30-somethings and maybe a little younger. There are leaders in every community in every neighborhood, and we hope to provide both training and leadership for them and also platforms around issues like ed reform and community building.

Secondarily is the community advisory committee, and we are excited to name the board chair, Robert Johnson, the dean of the medical school at UMDNJ, and we are in the process of building out additional members of the advisory board.

Lastly, we know that there are existing groups of community-based organizations that could use a level of resources, leadership development and some real capacity building. So we are hoping to network the organizations across the city who are already going after the issues we care about and also frankly working on other issues important to this community.

We will make grants in all of those areas to the right partners. For 2012, we will put a little less than $1 million, about $900,000 as investment across all three.

Cory Booker Set for Oprah's "Next Chapter"

Miss Tam-Tam — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:46:21 GMT

Just when we thought that Oprah ran out of new material . . . ;)

http://www.examiner.com/article/carr...s-next-chapter

Mayor Cory Booker set for Oprah's Next Chapter

American Idol winner Carrie Underwood and Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker will join Oprah Winfrey on newly announced episodes of Oprah's Next Chapter.

Announced Monday, Underwood and Booker will be chronicled in episodes to air later this month and early June.

Winfrey will kick off the round of new episodes Sunday, May 20 with Carrie Underwood and her husband, NHL athlete Mike Fisher. During the hour long episode, Oprah will sit down with the couple for their first ever television interview as a couple in Nashville, TN.

Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker will discuss his political future on the June 10 episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter."

Additional episodes of Oprah's Next Chapter are slated to be announced at a later date. A previously announced episode featuring actor Neil Patrick Harris and his family will air June 3.
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Oprah's Next Chapter is one of the OWN network's highest rated series with previous features including Bishop T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Steven Tyler, Lady Gaga and the family of late entertainer Whitney Houston.

Oprah's Next Chapter airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. on OWN.