PLAINFIELD TODAY

• Robinson-Briggs administration plays Grinch to Council's Christmas

  
  
  
  The Grinch team makes off with Whoville's gifts.
  
  Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs and City Administrator Marc Dashield are playing the Grinch (and sidekick) to City Council's Christmas.
  
  While the Grinch and his dog Max stole Whoville's Christmas gifts, [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:09am EST
  

• Thanksgiving is 'tinker' time

  
  
  
  Improving the user experience?
  
  
  Plainfield Today will take advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to tinker with and spruce up the blog site.
  
  There will be no posts on Plainfield Today from Thanksgiving Day until Monday, November 30.
  [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 9:21am EST
  

• Holiday gift ideas

  
  
  
  
  With the Holiday shopping season upon us, Plainfield Today readers may be interested in two gift-giving opportunities.
  
  SWAIN GALLERIES
  
  Swain's is celebrating its 141st Anniversary with a special sale and Open House THANKSGIVING WEEKEND. Almost everything will be [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 9:11am EST
  

• Budget: Council pushes back against recalcitrant administration

  
  
  
  The Robinson-Briggs team a vaudeville act?.
  
  
  With only three items on the Plainfield City Council's special meeting agenda Monday night, most of the meeting was devoted to just one of them: the Robinson-Briggs administration's proposed layoff plan.
  
  Under [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:05am EST
  

• Budget situation more complicated than Robinson-Briggs understands?

  
  
  
  
  Plainfield's budget struggle gets under way in earnest tonight with the Administration's formal offering (finally!) of its FY2010 proposal to the City Council.
  
  Besides the budget itself, the Council will take up the Robinson-Briggs administration's proposed layoff plan and its [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 10:13am EST
  

• Memo to Dr. Gallon: Wisdom from Mark Twain

  
  
  
  Statue of Twain at Hannibal, Missouri.
  
  
  Plainfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Gallon III has been much in the news in the past few days, and it hasn't been exactly edifying.
  
  Like it or not, the public is going' [...]
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  Posted: November 22, 2009, 9:48am EST
  

• What Corporation Counsel wanted Burney to take down from blog. But why?

  
  
  
  Screenshot of Google cache for Burney post.
  
  
  Plainfield's City Council President Rashid Burney posted his concerns about the Robinson-Briggs administration's proposed layoff plan to his blog last Sunday, November 15.
  
  His original post was altered at 10:16 AM [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 9:19am EST
  

• Reader suggestion: Make League attendance a homework assignment

  
  
  
  Lobby of the A.C. Convention Center.
  
  
  A reader commenting on Plainfield officials' attendance at the League of Municipalities conference in Atlantic City (see yesterday's story here) made the following suggestion --
  I think that everyone who goes' [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 10:10am EST
  

• Census jobs available for Plainfielders

  
  
  
  
  Taking Plainfield's 2010 Census will provide $13/hour jobs for full- and part-time workers, according to information distributed by local coordinator George Gore at Monday's council meeting.
  
  Today's Star-Ledger notes that officials responsible for New Jersey's count are looking to hire [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 9:49am EST
  

• Free Swine Flu vaccinations in Plainfield

  
  Per Plainfield's Health Division, FREE Swine Flu vaccinations are available Saturday --
  
  FREE H1N1 (SWINE FLU) VACCINATION CLINIC
  
  WHERE:
  Muhlenberg Campus School of Nursing
  Park and Moffett Avenues
  
  WHEN:
  Saturday, November 21, 2009
  
  TIME:
  9:00' [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:16am EST
  

• The PMUA retreats ... to the Borgata

  
  
  
  Legal notice of the PMUA's 'retreat'.
  (Click to enlarge or print.)
  
  
  The Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority had a 'retreat' yesterday at the Borgata in Atlantic City, according to the special notice in a local paper supplied by a reader [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 8:47am EST
  

• League Conference in A.C.: What should officials be boning up on?

  
  
  
  Elected officials and administrators from Plainfield will be joining those from across New Jersey this week for the 94th Annual Conference of the NJ League of Municipalities (NJLM).
  
  Traditionally, it has been a week of schmoozing, boozing and deal-making -- including some [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 7:55am EST
  

• Mayor's Census show barges in ... and sinks

  
  
  
  Some of the 150 or so who attended last night's Council meeting
  -- though not there because of the Census presentation.
  
  
  Plainfield City Council President Rashid Burney pressed the Robinson-Briggs administration pretty hard at last week's agenda-setting session, wanting [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 10:41am EST
  

• Monarch condos occupied without certification?

  
  
  
  Monarch condos.
  
  
  Is someone living in the Monarch condos above Plainfield's new Senior Center without the building having been certified for occupancy?
  
  Even as late as Veterans Day, when attendees were specifically told to park ELSEWHERE than the [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 9:23am EST
  

• What the NY Post doesn't know about Jim McGreevey

  
  
  
  The NY Post ran a story on McGreevey Sunday.
  
  
  Plainfielders should never get their sports news from Dan ... or their religion news from the New York Post.
  
  The Post ran a story Sunday about ex-Governor Jim McGreevey's' [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 8:35am EST
  

• BREAKING: Burglary on Charlotte; DWI seriously injures man

  
  
  
  Map showing locations of DWI incident and Charlotte Road.
  
  
  Two breaking items Sunday morning --
  
  BURGLARY:
  Word received mid-morning Sunday that a male broke the glass of a rear door on a Charlotte Road home, entered and [...]
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  Posted: November 15, 2009, 11:33am EST
  

• Where are they now? Plainfield's 'stalking horse' political blogs

  
  
  
  
  During Plainfield's most recent political seasons there have been two 'stalking horse' blogs perhaps not known to the general blog-reading public. I thought to check up on them this weekend, to see what they're up to now that there is [...]
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  Posted: November 15, 2009, 9:49am EST
  

• Three priests rise out of a modest congregation

  
  
  
  The Blessed Virgin Mary,
  stained glass window in Grace Church.
  
  
  An abbreviated Plainfield Today today -- am off to the ordination of my friend Susan Ironside as a 'transitional' deacon at Trinity Cathedral in Trenton this morning. 'Transitional' [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 7:51am EST
  

• Speed humps? What are your suggested locations?

  
  
  
  Today's Courier features a story (see here) on the new speed humps on Kensington Avenue, promoted by Councilors Cory Storch and Rashid Burney and noted previously on their blogs (see here and here).
  
  Speed humps (see more' [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 9:32am EST
  

• Home invasion Thursday evening

  
  
  
  The 800-block of George Street is a quiet residential neighborhood.
  
  
  I have learned there was a home invasion in the 800-block of George Street Thursday evening. UPDATE. I have since been told the incident happened around 3:00 PM, when [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 7:51am EST
  

• Holiday decorations ... not exactly a correction

  
  
  
  A DPW worker (not Superintendent John Louise)
  mounting holiday decorations outside the (original) Texas Weiner
  near Watchung Avenue and East Front Street.
  (Photo courtesy Cheri Bullock)
  
  
  
  Consider it an amplification of yesterday's picture gallery of scenes around' [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 7:40am EST
  

• Scene around town

  
  
  
  Aarons Furniture store on Somerset Street
  was attacked by an unidentified flying (or nearly so)
  object, Saturday night October 24.
  
  
  
  
  
  Is that DPW Superintendent John Louise
  mounting holiday decorations
  outside the [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 8:56am EST
  

• Sympathy to Dr. Harold Yood and family

  
  
  
  Opening line of the Kaddish.
  
  
  Veteran Plainfield-watcher and Council commentator Dr. Harold Yood's wife Helen passed away yesterday.
  
  News of his loss was posted to his blog, Doc's Potpourri last evening (see here).
  
  My deepest sympathy [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 9:36am EST
  

• Man shot Tuesday night

  
  
  
  Plainfield has had yet another shooting incident.
  
  Tuesday evening, a man was shot multiple times in the 400 block of West 5th Street (between Central Avenue and Liberty Street).
  
  
  -- Dan Damon [follow]
  View [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 7:59am EST
  

• A Plainfield swine flu runaround

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Consider Pat Kavanaugh's Kafkaesque quest for a swine flu shot.
  
  The Plainfield native, community activist, and retired Star-Ledger reporter told me she has been trying to get a shot for the better part of a' [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 10:51am EST
  

• Plainfield shocker: Somerset Street milled, paved!

  
  
  
  
  As of yesterday, drivers entering Plainfield via Somerset Street no longer need endure the bone-jarring corduroy road which the block from the North Plainfield line to Front Street has been for decades.
  
  In a SINGLE WORK DAY, the stretch [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 9:34am EST
  

• Plainfield's Veterans Day Observance: Incontrovertible, inscrutable, inexplicable

  
  
  
  Veterans Day annouccement on City's website.
  (Click to enlarge.)
  
  
  Plainfielders who read the city's official (and presumed official) pronouncements on this year's observance of Veterans Day may find them alternatively incontrovertible, inscrutable, and inexplicable, or' [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 8:42am EST
  

• Commuter robbed at gunpoint walking home from train

  
  
  
  
  A Plainfield commuter who lives in the 900-block of Madison Avenue was robbed at gunpoint while walking home from the train station this past Tuesday evening, I learned from a VWB resident on Saturday evening.
  
  This, even as Public [...]
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  Posted: November 08, 2009, 10:01am EST
  

• Plainfield photography contest exhibit opens today

  
  
  
  'Wiener Man' took First Place in the 2008 contest's amateur division.
  
  
  Entries in the Plainfield Public Library's 4th annual photography contest will be on display in an exhibit that opens today with a reception from 1 -3 PM in [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 8:06am EST
  

• Political signs: A fine idea

  
  
  
  Plainfield streets were bombarded with campaign signs.
  
  
  Plainfielders who get annoyed at how long it takes for political signs to disappear after an election (even if taxpayer money is spent picking many of them up) may wish they had [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 7:26am EST
  

• Plainfield, District 22 and Union County: 2005 and 2009 compared

  
  
  
  Chris Christie campaigned in Plainfield this summer.
  Here he is shown with Assembly candidates 'Bo' Vastine and Martin Marks.
  
  
  Plainfield's turnout in Tuesday's general election fell by 5% compared to 2005, despite the surge in Democratic registrations brought about by [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 10:43am EST
  

• Plainfield Today is 4. What is the appropriate gift?

  
  
  Plainfield Today is four years old (see the very first of 1932 posts so far here).
  
  Here are some suggestions derived from the 'modern gifts' table at findgift.com (see here), which says 'APPLIANCES' are just the thing for a fourth anniversary.
  [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 10:00am EST
  

• Courier declares Marks winner over Green

  
  22nd District results in today's Courier.
  
  
  Plainfielders who thought the election was settled may want to check their dead-wood editions of the Courier News today, where they will find (on page A-4) that Marty Marks beat Jerry Green in the 22nd Legislative' [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 9:20am EST
  

• Jerry and Sharon win, but find themselves between rock and hard place

  
  
  Image by Stephanie Hough.
  
  
  Plainfielders who turned out to vote yesterday (MOST DID NOT) gave Sharon Robinson-Briggs a second term by a wide margin.
  
  Assemblyman Jerry Green and running mate Linda Stender, however, got the fright of their political lives.
  [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 9:32am EST
  

• Tweeting the Plainfield election today

  I'll be tweeting election day news in Plainfield throughout the day.
  
  You can catch me on Twitter here --
  
  [https:]
  
  Don't forget to vote.
  
  
  -- Dan Damon
  
  View today's CLIPS here. Not getting your own CLIPS email daily?' [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 10:23am EST
  

• "JERRY ... you sold us out"

  
  
  Detail from a piece circulating in the 22nd District.
  
  
  Plainfielders can hardly be surprised to learn of last minute 'dirty tricks' in political campaigns.
  
  Remember the phony 'endorsement letter' mailer in which then-Senator Jon Corzine supposedly supported Sharon Robinson-Briggs for [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 7:41am EST
  

• 10 reasons to vote for Mayor Sharon

  
  
  
  Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs.
  
  
  Here are ten reasons to give Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs a second term. (Follow the links if your memory needs refreshing.)
  10. She's a MATH WHIZ.
  Defying the laws of mathematics and gravity, Mayor Sharon' [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 9:43am EST
  

• Corzine must do better the second time around

  
  
  
  The promise Jon Corzine showed in 2005 has proven illusory.
  (Shown here in 2005 with Mayor Al McWilliams and Councilor Rashid Burney.)
  
  Jon Corzine must do better as governor the second time around.
  
  And thoughtful Plainfielders must put aside [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 8:29am EST
  

• The soon-to-be-former BUF?

  
  
  
  Plainfield's 'BUF' has been identified by this sign in recent years.
  
  
  Reading an article in The Positive Community magazine on the National Black United Fund's recent launch of a campaign to increase donors and donations (see here), [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 9:57am EST