Who else lives in Newark?

Paul “Capt. Sleepy” Messina is serving his suspension, and reportedly using the time off for a bit of a vacation.

But Captsleepy.com, the Web site that helped put him there, is still working overtime.

With the Napn’ Capn’ out of the picture for at least a little while, the site’s creators have turned their attention to a new target.Through a bit of sleuthing, the site is taking on the fight to enforce the city’s residency laws against a top city law enforcement official from Newark — no not against that law enforcer from Newark.They’ve set their sites (get it) on another Newarkian who just can’t seem to bring himself to make the move south.

That would be Irv Bradley, of Rahway, who runs the department’s radio room. Bradley has now been in the position for months, long before he even took on the appearance of living in this city, as he’s required to by law. Just recently, Bradley moved into the newly opened Broad Street Bank development downtown. But just renting a place here doesn’t necessarily satisfy the city’s residency requirement. To fulfill that law, city employees must establish a home in Trenton as their primary, bona fide residence — where they stay a majority of the time, and where their family resides.

Well we don't want to steal their thunder so check out what the Capt Sleepy folks found out just by tailing old Irv around for a couple days.

Man, abusing both the residency law and the city's car policy? Couldn't he go for the trifecta and get caught falling asleep on the job too?

School Board Showdown

Step right up folks, step right up!
Get yourself in line to see the greatest show in town tonight!
That's right folks, the Trenton Board of Education is meeting again, and this time they'll have to let the public speak, which should provide for some fireworks.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m., but you have to sign in to speak by 6:15 p.m., and not one, but two controversial issues concerning city high schools should have passionate participants turning out en masse.


One issue involves the Daylight/Twilight High School, where faculty and staff feel the district has been systematically taking their program apart since the school's popular principal Bill Tracy was suspended late last year. No charges have been filed against Tracy, but he's been suspended with pay for about the past two months. Superintendent Rodney Lofton has said the district is investigating Tracy and the school for improprieties involving grading, testing and attendance procedures.
Since Tracy's removal, Daylight/Twilight staff loyal to their leader have said the district and the school board have taken aim at the program in general and they fear large numbers of their students will not graduate this year as a result. District officials have denied, however, that they are targeting the school in any way other than their investigation of its leadership.
The group amassing around the issue has already had about 100 of their members turn out for one school board meeting and organized an even larger rally outside of city hall earlier this month.
All this comes as the school gets set to move into a brand new $45 million building downtown, built with state funds.
We'll see what kind of turnout they can muster tonight.


The second issue also involves new high school buildings and state funds, as the board is scheduled to vote tonight on a plan of action regarding the district's regular high school.
Trenton Central High School, the grand old, majestic building along Chambers Street, is rotting from the inside, providing a lackluster and potentially unhealthy learning environment for city students. The district has had a plan on file to renovate the building to bring it up to contemporary standards. But state funding for that project was lost along the way, and the board's potential vote tonight would be to move to a new plan of constructing two brand new schools, which would likely lead to the demolition of the old TCHS.
Lofton and other school officials have said that the vote wouldn't necessarily mean tearing down the old school, but is instead an attempt at getting the ball rolling for these new schools.
But preservationists say the plan would get the wrecking ball rolling too, as TCHS would be left to crumble.
Lofton said his new plan would ultimately call for three smaller schools, the third of which could incorporate some portion of a renovated TCHS, though there are no concrete plans laid out for that option as of yet.
Opponents of tonight's vote feel there have been little in the way of concrete plans offered for inspection throughout the process of moving toward the new schools. District officials have said that new construction would be cheaper than renovation, but their numbers have been loose estimates, nothing has been in writing and no construction sites have been proposed for the new buildings, making the projection of any final costs of the project questionable.
The Trenton Historical Society has worked out some figures showing how both plans could cost about the same, see them here.
At a special meeting last week, held to discuss the high school project, state officials told the board that taking more time to discuss the plan wouldn't hinder its completion, and said they'd be willing to join in the process. Trenton's City Council also passed a resolution prior to that meeting asking that the school board slow down its decision. But despite those two developments, board members still seem primed to move forward with their vote tonight.
South Ward Councilman Jim Coston sent a letter yesterday to Lofton, again asking that he influence the board to delay the vote. That letter can be read here, but we'll have to wait until tonight for the reply.


Again, that meeting is at 7 p.m., but you must sign in to speak by 6:15 p.m. It's held in the district's central office at 108 North Clinton Avenue.


See you there!

Lawrence Township Needs To Rethink Cell Tower Construction

Many Carter Rd. residents attended an “informational meeting” last Thursday where Lawrence Township Manager Richard Krawczun reiterated the Township’s plan to allow Verizon (Cellco) to erect two 160 ft. cell phone towers on a two acre plot of land on Carter Road.
Several questions were raised at the meeting, some of which were given truly unsatisfactory answers. This small plot of land has several height and setback zoning stipulations that the township says they do not need to pay attention to since the land belongs them. Evidently, they do not have to follow their own rules. Let’s not forget that the township is comprised of its residents, not just township management.
This small land plot was gifted to Lawrence Township by Bristol-Myers Squibb years back for the purposes of a fire station or a police station. The town never followed through with such a plan and BMS built their own fire station on campus. That station has sophisticated radio communications for fire and police needs. And it is less than one-fourth of a mile from this proposed cell tower site.
If they were building a structure on this small plot for the direct benefit of Lawrence Township then they would be able to proceed without conflict. However, they are leasing this land to Verizon (Cellco). And Verizon (Cellco) will perform the construction. Consequently, it seems reasonable that Verizon should need to apply for zoning variances, since they are not of the township.When I asked the township management why Verizon can build in violation of current zoning, Mr. Roskos, the Planning and Zoning Board’s attorney, replied with, “Well,…the township needs this tower for police and fire communications too.”
Frankly, I would like to believe that Mr. Roskos is capable of a better answer.
It is more than evident that there is no good answer to this question. Remember, the BMS fire station firmly establishes radio communications in this immediate area.One reason for turning down the Peterson variance application (at a formal Zoning Board meeting, with stenographer) stemmed from the “availability” of this other site on Carter Rd. The Peterson decision will be appealed and, until that is decided, no construction could possibly begin on Carter Rd. The Zoning Board forever married these two sites to one another by offering Carter Rd. as an alternate site. This is a matter of public record.
I also have concerns for the health and well-being of my family and my neighbors. My wife is a cancer survivor. Five years ago was a rough time for us. After spending 20 years studying human health as a drug discovery scientist, it is the unexpected problems that cause us to lose sleep. I can say, with confidence, that the effects of constant Rf radiation are not yet entirely understood (like Asbestos in the 1960s).
I am asking that Lawrence Township abandon what is a really bad idea.

David Augeri, Ph. D.
Lawrence, N.J.

You bring the dogs, I'll get the ponies

Rock on everyone! The Trenton Police Department is taking its show on the road!

Which show you ask? Well its the ComStat show of course!

For those not in the know, ComStat is the department's weekly analytical meeting where crime stats are examined and trends searched for. The meetings have long been held in secret each Thursday, but now, due to public demand, TPD's leaders are bringing the meetings out in the open. Tonight is the first of four such meetings scheduled for each ward. This first public airing of ComStat will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the West Police District, at the corner of Hermitage Avenue and Artisan Street.

The department's own press release hyping the meeting admits that this public showing will be an "abbreviated version of our regularly scheduled meetings."

Anyone out there believe crime information will be discussed as frankly at this public presentation as it is during the closed door sessions? From what we understand, much of the scrutiny that results in downgraded crime statistics occurs at those meetings. Think that will happen tonight? We've even heard officers suggest wearing a wire into ComStat to show the public what really goes on there. Crime's down because they say its down and they say its down at ComStat.

That's why we're certain this series of community outreach meetings is sure to be little more than a string of dog and pony shows. But don't get us wrong, any outreach to the public can be a good thing. It's just that we can already tell you what the public wants and needs from the police department. You know why? Because they've already told us. They tell us all the time.

They want to see cops out walking the beat like they used to see. They want them out there so they get to know them, get to know their names so they know who to call when they're in trouble. They want them out there so that the officers get to know the neighborhoods and the people there who may be involved when something goes down. They want them out there telling the kids that can still be saved to get to school and the groups of thugs to move along before things get out of hand, and to be able to know the difference between the two.

They'll tell you, if you ask them, that their streets aren't the safest they've been since the 60s. They'll tell you they're afraid to leave their homes, especially at night and they'll tell you things have really gotten worse in the past three or four years--a time period that coincidentally mirrors two arrivals from Newark, one of them being the street gangs and the other, Police Director Joe Santiago and his tactics like ComStat.

Certainly we're not saying that those two arrivals are directly linked (unless someone out there has proof to the contrary) but we are saying that maybe the city would be better served by police administrators more concerned with the reality on the streets than they are with appearances.

But maybe we're wrong about it all. Maybe tonight's meeting will provide deep insight into the workings of both the criminal mind and the TPD, and maybe the public in attendance will have nothing but nice to say. But we're wondering...any potential anonymous police sources out there want to clue us in to the differences between tonight's meeting and the usual ComStat experience? If so, hit us up tonight so we can compare notes!

609-989-7800 ext. 229

More Public Awareness Needed About Cell Phone Towers

Lawrence Township and Cellco, which operates as Verizon Wireless, are considering placing a cell phone tower on Carter Road, a residential area, in the proximity of the Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) child care facility, to close a gap in cell service on Route 206.The Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 does not allow “concerns” about health or radiation to block cell tower placement. Cell phones and cell towers put out Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs). Human bodies are influenced by EMFs.These are facts. In 2002 the French National Institute of Applied Physics published a study on 530 people and noted a statistically significant increase in nonspecific health effects (insomnia, nausea, headaches, depression, etc.) in people residing within 300 meters of a cell tower.In 2000 the British medical journal Lancet published an article explaining that pre-adolescent children are vulnerable to these frequencies.The Benevento Resolution in February 2006, signed by scientists from around the world recommends planning communication antenna and tower locations to minimize human exposure. The European Environmental Agency has called for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from mobile phones, and their masts (towers).Wake up Lawrence Township! Be leaders, innovators, be rebellious! The Telecommunications act of 1996 is outdated. Consider public health when locating cell towers.

Noem’ de la Puente
Lawrence Twp

Trenttins' edumacation cistem

After taking note of the past couple Trenton Board of Education meetings all we can say is, wow!

The fact that any child learns anything in the Trenton school system is truly a testament to the hard working students, the parents who care enough to help them out and the dedication of the teachers and other staffers who actually remember that their job is to serve those kids. Because if the job of educating these young minds were left solely to the people in charge of running the place, the situation, if you can believe it, would undoubtedly be even worse than it is now.

Apparently this bunch forgot all they learned in Kindy-garten about playing well with others.

At one point during Tuesday's meeting to talk over the fate of Trenton Central High School, it looked like board member Lisa Kasabach was gonna get an American Gladiators-type smack down from Board President Joyce Kersey on her right and fellow member Alexander Brown on her left--and all because she had the audacity to suggest that it might be a good idea for the board to know what they were voting on before they go and, um, vote--what gall?!

Apparently their analytical skills are lacking, or at least they're not too quick on their feet.

Even though state representatives at the meeting said they couldn't answer all of the board's questions, and informed them that more time for discussion wouldn't hurt their position, it still seems like the board is set to vote Monday on whether to renovate TCHS or let it meet a likely date with a wrecking ball. Let's hope cooler heads prevail at that meeting and that the group heeds a City Council request to slow things down a bit.

They don't seem to do their homework and are not so great at preparing reports.

At the end of the day, choosing to abandon the old building may be the smartest way to go. But it doesn't seem to make sense to rush to that decision before all the facts are in and the pros and cons of each plan are laid out in public. Each time the plans are discussed, and depending on who you're talking to, the numbers and figures seem to keep changing. The district has put nothing in writing--no printouts or mock-ups or diagrams, no nothing. The public, and even some board members, seem confused over the most basic parts of this discussion, like, I don't know, how many schools are we building here--one, two, three? Where are they to be built? How many students in each? How much will each cost and who is going to pay for them? They seem like important questions.

Maybe the board and district leadership were just all drama majors.

Well, if nothing else, the debate should make for good theater this Monday. The special meeting had about 100 people there who weren't allowed to speak. At the next meeting, they'll get their chance if they so choose. Adding to the spectacle could be another group concerned over a different city high school issue--the folks protesting the situation at the Daylight/Twilight program and the suspension of their principal (more to come on this later). They've rallied about 100 of their supporters at meetings in the past and they've been encouraging their ranks to show up again, so things could get interesting.

Maybe some group could set up a concession stand at the next few board meetings and raise enough money to renovate all the city's schools.

Maybe they need a tutor...

So far only pro-renovation groups like the Trenton Historical Society have put together comprehensive reports on the potential options, and their calculations show that both choices could be done for about the same price. No school officials have discounted those figures, but maybe they haven't seen them yet--maybe they should. You can find them here.

...Or maybe they need to spend some more time in Phys Ed, building up their spine!

Because if the issue is only that the state will not fund a renovation project, but will spend the same amount of money, or more, on building one, two or three new schools, then someone from the district, and the city, needs to stand up to the bureaucrats, set a better example for the students and fight through the red tape for the taxpayers and for the concept of common sense.

Time for class participation!

Tell us what you think. Based on the information available so far, do you think the district should try to maintain and renovate the new school or just move on and build all new?

Rate Counsel Opposes Deregulation of Phone Services

The Public Advocate’s Division of Rate Counsel today called on the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to deny a request for deregulation of basic telephone service.
In testimony that will be filed today before the BPU, Rate Counsel Director Stefanie Brand said that rates for all consumers of basic telephone services would increase significantly if the BPU approved the request made by Verizon NJ and EMBARQ Corp.
“Deregulation of phone service will cost all New Jersey consumers, especially those with low incomes,“said Brand. “With no real competition in this industry, rates will rise and service will decline.”
Rate Counsel is filing testimony in response to Verizon NJ’s and Embarq’s requests to have their retail residential and business services declared “competitive.” Under state law, the BPU can deregulate a service if it finds sufficient competition in the market.
At Verizon’s request, the BPU opened an investigation in 2007 of whether basic phone service is competitive enough to be deregulated. The petitioners, Verizon NJ and EMBARQ, provide 83 percent of the phone service to New Jersey residents. Brand said Rate Counsel disputes Verizon’s claim that these services are competitive and found that consumers would be unfairly impacted if deregulation is granted.
“People looking for basic landline services or Lifeline services don’t have any real choice but to go with Verizon or EMBARQ,” Brand said. “There is no real competition, and the Board should not abrogate its obligation to ensure affordable phone service for these consumers.”
Rate Counsel’s testimony raised the following concerns about the impact of deregulation on consumers:
· Basic service rates for residential customers could increase from $8.95 a month to over $30 per month, costing the estimated 1.3 million residential customers who buy only basic service more than $312 million.
· Single-line business rates could increase from $15 per month to over $35 per month, costing over 60,000 single line business customers more than $19 million.
· Residential customers will lose the four free directory assistance calls that the companies previously agreed to provide. Increased rates for directory assistance could cost consumers approximately $187 million per year.
· Approximately 500,000 Lifeline Assistance customers could see their rates increase to $30 per month from the current top rate of $2.50 per month. The estimated cost increase could exceed $150 million. Lifeline Assistance program participants receive discounts on their monthly residential telephone service rates based on monthly income eligibility standards.
In June 2007, the BPU deregulated the companies that are trying to compete with the incumbent carriers. Those companies provide local phone service only to an estimated 585,000 customers. Rate Counsel has appealed that decision, but its impact is insignificant compared to the current request. “When they broke up Ma Bell, they hoped competition would lead to lower prices and better service, and reduce the need for regulation,” said Brand. “But the fact is, New Jersey citizens do not have lower priced alternatives for basic phone service in this state. If we stop looking at what these companies charge or how they provide service, we will have no way to protect consumers. Telephones are literally a lifeline for many people. We are asking the Board not to cut them off.”
The Division of Rate Counsel is a division within the Department of the Public Advocate and represents the interests of consumers of electric, natural gas, water/sewer and telecommunications and cable TV service. Additional information on this and other utility matters can be found at the Division’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/publicadvocate/utility/. The Department of the Public Advocate website is http://www.njpublicadvocate.gov.

Who else lives in Newark?

Paul “Capt. Sleepy” Messina is serving his suspension, and reportedly using the time off for a bit of a vacation.

But Captsleepy.com, the Web site that helped put him there, is still working overtime.

With the Napn’ Capn’ out of the picture for at least a little while, the site’s creators have turned their attention to a new target.Through a bit of sleuthing, the site is taking on the fight to enforce the city’s residency laws against a top city law enforcement official from Newark — no not against that law enforcer from Newark.They’ve set their sites (get it) on another Newarkian who just can’t seem to bring himself to make the move south.

That would be Irv Bradley, of Rahway, who runs the department’s radio room. Bradley has now been in the position for months, long before he even took on the appearance of living in this city, as he’s required to by law. Just recently, Bradley moved into the newly opened Broad Street Bank development downtown. But just renting a place here doesn’t necessarily satisfy the city’s residency requirement. To fulfill that law, city employees must establish a home in Trenton as their primary, bona fide residence — where they stay a majority of the time, and where their family resides.

Well we don't want to steal their thunder so check out what the Capt Sleepy folks found out just by tailing old Irv around for a couple days.

Man, abusing both the residency law and the city's car policy? Couldn't he go for the trifecta and get caught falling asleep on the job too?

School Board Showdown

Step right up folks, step right up!
Get yourself in line to see the greatest show in town tonight!
That's right folks, the Trenton Board of Education is meeting again, and this time they'll have to let the public speak, which should provide for some fireworks.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m., but you have to sign in to speak by 6:15 p.m., and not one, but two controversial issues concerning city high schools should have passionate participants turning out en masse.


One issue involves the Daylight/Twilight High School, where faculty and staff feel the district has been systematically taking their program apart since the school's popular principal Bill Tracy was suspended late last year. No charges have been filed against Tracy, but he's been suspended with pay for about the past two months. Superintendent Rodney Lofton has said the district is investigating Tracy and the school for improprieties involving grading, testing and attendance procedures.
Since Tracy's removal, Daylight/Twilight staff loyal to their leader have said the district and the school board have taken aim at the program in general and they fear large numbers of their students will not graduate this year as a result. District officials have denied, however, that they are targeting the school in any way other than their investigation of its leadership.
The group amassing around the issue has already had about 100 of their members turn out for one school board meeting and organized an even larger rally outside of city hall earlier this month.
All this comes as the school gets set to move into a brand new $45 million building downtown, built with state funds.
We'll see what kind of turnout they can muster tonight.


The second issue also involves new high school buildings and state funds, as the board is scheduled to vote tonight on a plan of action regarding the district's regular high school.
Trenton Central High School, the grand old, majestic building along Chambers Street, is rotting from the inside, providing a lackluster and potentially unhealthy learning environment for city students. The district has had a plan on file to renovate the building to bring it up to contemporary standards. But state funding for that project was lost along the way, and the board's potential vote tonight would be to move to a new plan of constructing two brand new schools, which would likely lead to the demolition of the old TCHS.
Lofton and other school officials have said that the vote wouldn't necessarily mean tearing down the old school, but is instead an attempt at getting the ball rolling for these new schools.
But preservationists say the plan would get the wrecking ball rolling too, as TCHS would be left to crumble.
Lofton said his new plan would ultimately call for three smaller schools, the third of which could incorporate some portion of a renovated TCHS, though there are no concrete plans laid out for that option as of yet.
Opponents of tonight's vote feel there have been little in the way of concrete plans offered for inspection throughout the process of moving toward the new schools. District officials have said that new construction would be cheaper than renovation, but their numbers have been loose estimates, nothing has been in writing and no construction sites have been proposed for the new buildings, making the projection of any final costs of the project questionable.
The Trenton Historical Society has worked out some figures showing how both plans could cost about the same, see them here.
At a special meeting last week, held to discuss the high school project, state officials told the board that taking more time to discuss the plan wouldn't hinder its completion, and said they'd be willing to join in the process. Trenton's City Council also passed a resolution prior to that meeting asking that the school board slow down its decision. But despite those two developments, board members still seem primed to move forward with their vote tonight.
South Ward Councilman Jim Coston sent a letter yesterday to Lofton, again asking that he influence the board to delay the vote. That letter can be read here, but we'll have to wait until tonight for the reply.


Again, that meeting is at 7 p.m., but you must sign in to speak by 6:15 p.m. It's held in the district's central office at 108 North Clinton Avenue.


See you there!

Lawrence Township Needs To Rethink Cell Tower Construction

Many Carter Rd. residents attended an “informational meeting” last Thursday where Lawrence Township Manager Richard Krawczun reiterated the Township’s plan to allow Verizon (Cellco) to erect two 160 ft. cell phone towers on a two acre plot of land on Carter Road.
Several questions were raised at the meeting, some of which were given truly unsatisfactory answers. This small plot of land has several height and setback zoning stipulations that the township says they do not need to pay attention to since the land belongs them. Evidently, they do not have to follow their own rules. Let’s not forget that the township is comprised of its residents, not just township management.
This small land plot was gifted to Lawrence Township by Bristol-Myers Squibb years back for the purposes of a fire station or a police station. The town never followed through with such a plan and BMS built their own fire station on campus. That station has sophisticated radio communications for fire and police needs. And it is less than one-fourth of a mile from this proposed cell tower site.
If they were building a structure on this small plot for the direct benefit of Lawrence Township then they would be able to proceed without conflict. However, they are leasing this land to Verizon (Cellco). And Verizon (Cellco) will perform the construction. Consequently, it seems reasonable that Verizon should need to apply for zoning variances, since they are not of the township.When I asked the township management why Verizon can build in violation of current zoning, Mr. Roskos, the Planning and Zoning Board’s attorney, replied with, “Well,…the township needs this tower for police and fire communications too.”
Frankly, I would like to believe that Mr. Roskos is capable of a better answer.
It is more than evident that there is no good answer to this question. Remember, the BMS fire station firmly establishes radio communications in this immediate area.One reason for turning down the Peterson variance application (at a formal Zoning Board meeting, with stenographer) stemmed from the “availability” of this other site on Carter Rd. The Peterson decision will be appealed and, until that is decided, no construction could possibly begin on Carter Rd. The Zoning Board forever married these two sites to one another by offering Carter Rd. as an alternate site. This is a matter of public record.
I also have concerns for the health and well-being of my family and my neighbors. My wife is a cancer survivor. Five years ago was a rough time for us. After spending 20 years studying human health as a drug discovery scientist, it is the unexpected problems that cause us to lose sleep. I can say, with confidence, that the effects of constant Rf radiation are not yet entirely understood (like Asbestos in the 1960s).
I am asking that Lawrence Township abandon what is a really bad idea.

David Augeri, Ph. D.
Lawrence, N.J.

You bring the dogs, I'll get the ponies

Rock on everyone! The Trenton Police Department is taking its show on the road!

Which show you ask? Well its the ComStat show of course!

For those not in the know, ComStat is the department's weekly analytical meeting where crime stats are examined and trends searched for. The meetings have long been held in secret each Thursday, but now, due to public demand, TPD's leaders are bringing the meetings out in the open. Tonight is the first of four such meetings scheduled for each ward. This first public airing of ComStat will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the West Police District, at the corner of Hermitage Avenue and Artisan Street.

The department's own press release hyping the meeting admits that this public showing will be an "abbreviated version of our regularly scheduled meetings."

Anyone out there believe crime information will be discussed as frankly at this public presentation as it is during the closed door sessions? From what we understand, much of the scrutiny that results in downgraded crime statistics occurs at those meetings. Think that will happen tonight? We've even heard officers suggest wearing a wire into ComStat to show the public what really goes on there. Crime's down because they say its down and they say its down at ComStat.

That's why we're certain this series of community outreach meetings is sure to be little more than a string of dog and pony shows. But don't get us wrong, any outreach to the public can be a good thing. It's just that we can already tell you what the public wants and needs from the police department. You know why? Because they've already told us. They tell us all the time.

They want to see cops out walking the beat like they used to see. They want them out there so they get to know them, get to know their names so they know who to call when they're in trouble. They want them out there so that the officers get to know the neighborhoods and the people there who may be involved when something goes down. They want them out there telling the kids that can still be saved to get to school and the groups of thugs to move along before things get out of hand, and to be able to know the difference between the two.

They'll tell you, if you ask them, that their streets aren't the safest they've been since the 60s. They'll tell you they're afraid to leave their homes, especially at night and they'll tell you things have really gotten worse in the past three or four years--a time period that coincidentally mirrors two arrivals from Newark, one of them being the street gangs and the other, Police Director Joe Santiago and his tactics like ComStat.

Certainly we're not saying that those two arrivals are directly linked (unless someone out there has proof to the contrary) but we are saying that maybe the city would be better served by police administrators more concerned with the reality on the streets than they are with appearances.

But maybe we're wrong about it all. Maybe tonight's meeting will provide deep insight into the workings of both the criminal mind and the TPD, and maybe the public in attendance will have nothing but nice to say. But we're wondering...any potential anonymous police sources out there want to clue us in to the differences between tonight's meeting and the usual ComStat experience? If so, hit us up tonight so we can compare notes!

609-989-7800 ext. 229

More Public Awareness Needed About Cell Phone Towers

Lawrence Township and Cellco, which operates as Verizon Wireless, are considering placing a cell phone tower on Carter Road, a residential area, in the proximity of the Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) child care facility, to close a gap in cell service on Route 206.The Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 does not allow “concerns” about health or radiation to block cell tower placement. Cell phones and cell towers put out Electromagnetic Frequencies (EMFs). Human bodies are influenced by EMFs.These are facts. In 2002 the French National Institute of Applied Physics published a study on 530 people and noted a statistically significant increase in nonspecific health effects (insomnia, nausea, headaches, depression, etc.) in people residing within 300 meters of a cell tower.In 2000 the British medical journal Lancet published an article explaining that pre-adolescent children are vulnerable to these frequencies.The Benevento Resolution in February 2006, signed by scientists from around the world recommends planning communication antenna and tower locations to minimize human exposure. The European Environmental Agency has called for immediate action to reduce exposure to radiation from mobile phones, and their masts (towers).Wake up Lawrence Township! Be leaders, innovators, be rebellious! The Telecommunications act of 1996 is outdated. Consider public health when locating cell towers.

Noem’ de la Puente
Lawrence Twp

Trenttins' edumacation cistem

After taking note of the past couple Trenton Board of Education meetings all we can say is, wow!

The fact that any child learns anything in the Trenton school system is truly a testament to the hard working students, the parents who care enough to help them out and the dedication of the teachers and other staffers who actually remember that their job is to serve those kids. Because if the job of educating these young minds were left solely to the people in charge of running the place, the situation, if you can believe it, would undoubtedly be even worse than it is now.

Apparently this bunch forgot all they learned in Kindy-garten about playing well with others.

At one point during Tuesday's meeting to talk over the fate of Trenton Central High School, it looked like board member Lisa Kasabach was gonna get an American Gladiators-type smack down from Board President Joyce Kersey on her right and fellow member Alexander Brown on her left--and all because she had the audacity to suggest that it might be a good idea for the board to know what they were voting on before they go and, um, vote--what gall?!

Apparently their analytical skills are lacking, or at least they're not too quick on their feet.

Even though state representatives at the meeting said they couldn't answer all of the board's questions, and informed them that more time for discussion wouldn't hurt their position, it still seems like the board is set to vote Monday on whether to renovate TCHS or let it meet a likely date with a wrecking ball. Let's hope cooler heads prevail at that meeting and that the group heeds a City Council request to slow things down a bit.

They don't seem to do their homework and are not so great at preparing reports.

At the end of the day, choosing to abandon the old building may be the smartest way to go. But it doesn't seem to make sense to rush to that decision before all the facts are in and the pros and cons of each plan are laid out in public. Each time the plans are discussed, and depending on who you're talking to, the numbers and figures seem to keep changing. The district has put nothing in writing--no printouts or mock-ups or diagrams, no nothing. The public, and even some board members, seem confused over the most basic parts of this discussion, like, I don't know, how many schools are we building here--one, two, three? Where are they to be built? How many students in each? How much will each cost and who is going to pay for them? They seem like important questions.

Maybe the board and district leadership were just all drama majors.

Well, if nothing else, the debate should make for good theater this Monday. The special meeting had about 100 people there who weren't allowed to speak. At the next meeting, they'll get their chance if they so choose. Adding to the spectacle could be another group concerned over a different city high school issue--the folks protesting the situation at the Daylight/Twilight program and the suspension of their principal (more to come on this later). They've rallied about 100 of their supporters at meetings in the past and they've been encouraging their ranks to show up again, so things could get interesting.

Maybe some group could set up a concession stand at the next few board meetings and raise enough money to renovate all the city's schools.

Maybe they need a tutor...

So far only pro-renovation groups like the Trenton Historical Society have put together comprehensive reports on the potential options, and their calculations show that both choices could be done for about the same price. No school officials have discounted those figures, but maybe they haven't seen them yet--maybe they should. You can find them here.

...Or maybe they need to spend some more time in Phys Ed, building up their spine!

Because if the issue is only that the state will not fund a renovation project, but will spend the same amount of money, or more, on building one, two or three new schools, then someone from the district, and the city, needs to stand up to the bureaucrats, set a better example for the students and fight through the red tape for the taxpayers and for the concept of common sense.

Time for class participation!

Tell us what you think. Based on the information available so far, do you think the district should try to maintain and renovate the new school or just move on and build all new?

Rate Counsel Opposes Deregulation of Phone Services

The Public Advocate’s Division of Rate Counsel today called on the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to deny a request for deregulation of basic telephone service.
In testimony that will be filed today before the BPU, Rate Counsel Director Stefanie Brand said that rates for all consumers of basic telephone services would increase significantly if the BPU approved the request made by Verizon NJ and EMBARQ Corp.
“Deregulation of phone service will cost all New Jersey consumers, especially those with low incomes,“said Brand. “With no real competition in this industry, rates will rise and service will decline.”
Rate Counsel is filing testimony in response to Verizon NJ’s and Embarq’s requests to have their retail residential and business services declared “competitive.” Under state law, the BPU can deregulate a service if it finds sufficient competition in the market.
At Verizon’s request, the BPU opened an investigation in 2007 of whether basic phone service is competitive enough to be deregulated. The petitioners, Verizon NJ and EMBARQ, provide 83 percent of the phone service to New Jersey residents. Brand said Rate Counsel disputes Verizon’s claim that these services are competitive and found that consumers would be unfairly impacted if deregulation is granted.
“People looking for basic landline services or Lifeline services don’t have any real choice but to go with Verizon or EMBARQ,” Brand said. “There is no real competition, and the Board should not abrogate its obligation to ensure affordable phone service for these consumers.”
Rate Counsel’s testimony raised the following concerns about the impact of deregulation on consumers:
· Basic service rates for residential customers could increase from $8.95 a month to over $30 per month, costing the estimated 1.3 million residential customers who buy only basic service more than $312 million.
· Single-line business rates could increase from $15 per month to over $35 per month, costing over 60,000 single line business customers more than $19 million.
· Residential customers will lose the four free directory assistance calls that the companies previously agreed to provide. Increased rates for directory assistance could cost consumers approximately $187 million per year.
· Approximately 500,000 Lifeline Assistance customers could see their rates increase to $30 per month from the current top rate of $2.50 per month. The estimated cost increase could exceed $150 million. Lifeline Assistance program participants receive discounts on their monthly residential telephone service rates based on monthly income eligibility standards.
In June 2007, the BPU deregulated the companies that are trying to compete with the incumbent carriers. Those companies provide local phone service only to an estimated 585,000 customers. Rate Counsel has appealed that decision, but its impact is insignificant compared to the current request. “When they broke up Ma Bell, they hoped competition would lead to lower prices and better service, and reduce the need for regulation,” said Brand. “But the fact is, New Jersey citizens do not have lower priced alternatives for basic phone service in this state. If we stop looking at what these companies charge or how they provide service, we will have no way to protect consumers. Telephones are literally a lifeline for many people. We are asking the Board not to cut them off.”
The Division of Rate Counsel is a division within the Department of the Public Advocate and represents the interests of consumers of electric, natural gas, water/sewer and telecommunications and cable TV service. Additional information on this and other utility matters can be found at the Division’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/publicadvocate/utility/. The Department of the Public Advocate website is http://www.njpublicadvocate.gov.