Hidden Plainfield: Moorish Revival in Plainfield

The sun caught the exotic brick work just right.

Today's Hidden Plainfield may not be much of a mystery, but the light was just right the other day for some good photos of this home with exotic brickwork and some 'Moorish' touches. (The most prominent of these, unfortunately, were on the shadowed side of the house.)

My guess is it was built in the 1870s or -80s, when Americans were infatuated with things vaguely 'Moorish' -- including everything from Moorish Spain to North Africa to the Ottoman Empire to Egypt.

Architecturally, stylistic signatures include bulbous arches, glazed brick or tile work, and strongly contrasting brick colors and banding.

Arched window under eaves is suggestive of 'Moorish Revival' influences.

Exotic brick work makes this Moorish-inspired home unique.

Moorish Revival buildings range from Frederick Church's estate 'Olana', now a museum near the Tappan Zee Bridge (see here) to synagogues in both Europe and the United States.

Synagogues in the style reflected the idea that Jews had experienced a 'golden age' in Moorish Spain. American synagogues in the Moorish Revival style include New York's Eldridge Street Synagogue (see here) and the original Congregation Emanu-El (see here). The style was also adopted by many Shriner Temples as well as movie palaces of the 1920s.

Do you know where this home is?

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Car Show Saturday draws big crowds

The Soviet Union's Volga's distinctive vertical grille
earned it the sobriquet 'akula', or 'shark'.

Hundreds of cars and trucks were on display Saturday afternoon as part of the 15th annual Gee Gee Brown Basketball Tournament which winds up today with the championship game.

Here is a slideshow of SOME of the cars and trucks on display by several clubs.

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The most unusual car by my lights was the 1962 Volga, a Soviet-made car that was the 'top of the line' automobile available to the Russian public during the Soviet years. The young man who owns it lives in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn and told me he drives the car to several shows in the tri-state area each year.

The Volga cost the equivalent of seven years' wages, he said, noting that there were no financing schemes under the Soviets, meaning a buyer had to pay all cash. There are two interesting articles at Wikipedia, one on the Soviet automobile industry (see here) and another on the Volga automobile itself (see here).

One of the other cars that caught my eye was the 1934 Ford two-door runaround, which was the first car my father ever owned (used) and which he always swore was the best car he ever had -- except possibly his 1952 DeSoto.

A 'chopped' version of the 1934 Ford 'two-door runabout', my Dad's first car.

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• Wikipedia: "Soviet Auto Industry"| "Volga"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Changes to CLIPS blog roll for campaign season

Census Bureau map of the 22nd Legislative District.

As we roll into the November campaign cycle, new blogs and websites for Plainfielders to follow the action in the 22nd District races are being added to the CLIPS blog:

• DEMS: The NJ Dem Legislative Majority Twitter feed, here.
• GOP: Assembly candidate Joan Van Pelt blogs at Values & Perspectives, here.
• GOP: The 22nd Legislative District candidates' website is here.

Each of these is to be found on the CLIPS blog roll, centered and in CAPS, following the section (in green) of recent posts by Plainfield bloggers. 

For more information on the 22nd District's demographics and election history, see the Wikipedia article here.

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• Wikipedia: "New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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mmm

Gee Gee Brown Tournament continues with car show today

Car Show banner at PHS parking lot on Kenyon Avenue.

The 15th annual Gee Gee Brown Basketball Tournament continues today with a car and truck show in the Kenyon Avenue parking lot.

The Tournament got under way yesterday at the Plainfield High School gymnasium and continues today, with the championship game slated for Sunday.

The Ledger ran a story last Sunday, see here.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfielder Van Pelt, teammates launch GOP campaign for 22nd District seats

GOP candidates for the 22nd Legislative District,
Jeffrey First, Michael Class and Joan Van Pelt.

Longtime Plainfield resident Joan Van Pelt and her running mates Jeffrey First and Michael Class have launched their campaign as GOP candidates for the 22nd Legislative District, which includes Plainfield and ten other towns in Union, Somerset and Middlesex counties.

According to an online report at NJToday, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno will appear at a Rahway fundraiser for the team on August 4 (see story here).

Van Pelt is an attorney and married to former Plainfield mayoral candidate Jim Pivnichny, with whom she recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary.

First is currently on the Middlesex Boro council, and Class is also a Middlesex Boro resident.

Piv announced the team on his blog, Piv for Plainfield yesterday (see here), supplying links to the GOP team's website (see here) and Joan's campaign blog, Values and Perspectives (see here).

The Republicans will face the incumbent Democratic team: Sen. Nick Scutari, Assemblyman Jerry Green and Assemblywoman Linda Stender.

(Interesting factoid, Van Pelt and Stender were classmates at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, graduating in the same year.)

Democrats have held sway in the District since it was created after the 2000 Census, but faced a real challenge in 2009 from Republicans 'Bo' Vastine and Marty Marks, who came within striking distance of a win.

As I have done with all political campaigns, I will add links to the campaign blogs and websites for the duration. I am also happy to post events, rallies, and fundraisers for ALL candidates on the community calendar -- providing the candidates get the information to me in a timely fashion.

Let democracy prevail!

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• NJ Today:  "Lt. Gov. Guadagno to campaign for District 22 candidates in Rahway"
• Piv for Plainfield:  "Class First Van Pelt"
• Website:  "Class First Van Pelt for Legislature"
• Blog:  "Joan Van Pelt: Values and Perspectives"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Former Plainfield administrator lands Florida city manager slot

Norton Bonaparte when Plainfield City Administrator, 2005.

Former Plainfield city administrator Norton Bonaparte has been offered the city manager job in Sanford, Florida, according to reports in the Orlando Sentinel (see here) and the Topeka Capital-Journal (see here).

Bonaparte served as city administrator under the late Mayor Al McWilliams and then served as acting head of the Department of Administration and Finance under current Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs before taking the job of Topeka, Kansas' very first city manager after that city changed its charter.

After a five-year run, Bonaparte negotiated a severance package with Topeka that found him leaving his post at the end of June this year. Praised for his professionalism (which was always on display in Plainfield, too) and budget-management skills, Bonaparte did not have an easy time with some of the Topeka councilors, which just comes with the turf when one serves many bosses.

Warm wishes to Norton from all his Plainfield friends for good luck in his new venture.

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• Orlando Sentinel: "Sanford offers city manager job to Kansas administrator"
• Topeka Capital-Journal:  "Florida city picks Bonaparte as manager"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Gee Gee Brown Tournament this weekend

A banner has always hung at West 2nd Street playground, until this year.

Without a mention on Plainfield's official city website or a flyer at City Hall or the Plainfield Public Library, the 15th annual Gee Gee Brown Basketball Tournament gets under way today at the Plainfield High School gymnasium.

Saturday includes a car and truck show in the Kenyon Avenue parking lot, and the championship game is slated for Sunday.

The Ledger ran a story last Sunday, see here.

The only public notice to be found is on the
Plainfield High School bulletin board.

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• Ledger:  "Tournament for slain Plainfield basketball star reaches 15th year"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Does latest shooting mean Plainfield gang truce has broken down?

Map of Tuesday's shooting incident at Hannah Atkins Park.

A shooting incident Tuesday afternoon on the Plainfield Avenue side of Hannah Atkins Park raises the question of whether the 'gang truce' of recent weeks is beginning to fail.

Mark Spivey's coverage in the Courier (see today's update here, original story here) outlines the incident police are continuing to investigate.

While the story reports the shooter using a 'vacant' lot across Plainfield Avenue from the pool to shoot from, the only lot on that corner is not really 'vacant' but is auxiliary parking for Shiloh Baptist Church arranged with the city when the new church was built a number of years ago.

The so-called 'gang truce' involves two gangs that have often been in violent conflict -- including several homicides -- in the West End, often referred to as the 'Liberty Street Gang' and the 'West 2nd Street Gang'.

A cross-town gang centered on East 6th Street and the Bryant School Playground has not been part of the truce, and shootings have taken place between it and the 'Liberty Street Gang' (see here), once as students from the TEAMS Charter School housed at Shiloh Baptist Church were present.

The Hannah Atkins Park area is considered 'Liberty Street Gang' turf and the question occurs to me whether the shooting is a sign the truce between the two West End gangs is breaking down or whether the shooting was another incursion from the 'East 6th Street Posse', which is not party to the 'truce'.

Hopefully, the police will quickly solve the shooting and the motives for it.

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• Courier --
• "Plainfield police continue investigating shooting incident"
• "Shooting incident reported near municipal pool"
• Plainfield Today: "Despite 'truce', Plainfield's gang wars continue"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Postal closings will hit Plainfield hard

Plainfield's Muhlenberg Station is one of three slated to close.

Three Plainfield postal stations will be closed under a proposal released by the Postal Service yesterday to shutter 3,700 post offices nationwide. Those affected would be the Muhlenberg Station on Arlington Avenue, the Netherwood Station on North Avenue, and the North Plainfield Station on Jackson Avenue (national list here, NJ list here).

If implemented, the closings would leave Plainfield-area postal customers with just the downtown main Post Office, Station 'A' on Clinton Avenue and the Watchung Station just over the North Plainfield line on Somerset Street in Watchung.

About two thirds of the stations closed nationwide would be replaced by the USPS' new 'Village Post Office' model (see here), in which local retail merchants take over some of the functions of a post office.

These Village PO's sell stamps and flat-rate packages and offer mailboxes where there is demand. They do not sell money orders or offer certified receipts or priority mail envelopes. They also would not handle odd-sized packages or offer passport services.

While outlets come to mind immediately for Netherwood (the nearby Walgreen's?) and North Plainfield (the QuickCheck?), there is no such retail outlet nearby for the Muhlenberg Station.

Besides the effect on postal customers, the proposed closings will involve large scale disruption of the postal worker system, which is likely to include early retirement/buyout programs as well as outright termination of workers with the least seniority. USPS can expect pushback from the two largest unions representing workers, the National Association of Letter Carriers (whose local #396 represents workers in the Plainfield area) and the American Postal Workers Union.

The proposed closings would take place in 2012, after community meetings are held by the USPS in affected location to seek alternative locations for services. After these community hearings, local users will have sixty days to appeal a closure to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). This will be small comfort, however, as the USPS is not bound by the PRC's recommendations.

Plainfield Today will stay on top of this process as it moves forward and provide information on community meetings/hearings once they are scheduled.

Map of proposed closings nationwide (from USPS).

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• USPS --
• Closings:  "National List" | "NJ List"
• 'Village Post Offices':  "Postal Service takes next step in optimizing retail network"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Vultures scavenging Muhlenberg?

Are vultures scavenging Muhlenberg?

The cancellation by Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs of last week's scheduled (and announced) Muhlenberg Community Advisory Group (CAG) public meeting got some tongues to wagging.

So, what's going on with the Muhlenberg situation? Is there a bona fide buyer? Does the Mayor want to control the Plainfield Foundation? Will the SED be extended beyond the agreement with the state's August 2013 end date?

All valid questions.

But it appears the only REAL vultures currently scavenging Muhlenberg are the Turkey Vultures spotted by a reader who emailed some snaps of them scanning the Muhlenberg campus for scraps of carrion.

Of the real -- as opposed to corporate -- roadkill variety.

Reader's snapshots catch three Turkey Vultures eyeing
Muhlenberg campus for carrion.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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PMUA's $6,000 Facebook page: A test drive

 

 

There appear to be two separate Facebook pages.

The PMUA Twitter page.

 

I don't know about any other Plainfielders, but my Facebook page took about ten minutes to create, so I was intrigued when I learned from the DumpPMUA website that the PMUA had spent over $6,000 for the creation of its Facebook page (see here, PDF). I actually have found TWO seemingly different Facebook pages for the PMUA -- see here, and here.

To be fair, the $6,250 also includes the creation of a Twitter feed (see here).

And don't get me wrong: It's a good thing for the PMUA to use both of these social networking tools (are you reading this, City Hall?), but the documentation doesn't make clear just what the agency is getting for its money BESIDES creating the pages, though it appears to include updates -- for how long, though, is for you to figure out.

According to the invoice, the consultant reached out on behalf of the PMUA through a notice emailed to over 4,000 in the community inviting them to follow the agency on both Facebook and Twitter. (I must have missed it in my inbox.)

The invoice to the agency says that 10,000 flyers have been created to be circulated throughout the community, though I haven't seen them at City Hall or the Plainfield Public Library, places I check for community activity flyers on a regular basis.

The outreach effort evidently did not include a press release to the media (the only three 2011 releases can be found here). Nevertheless, one Facebook page shows the agency with 329 'friends' (the other shows none), so someone has gotten the word.

PMUA's Twitter page shows just seven people following it (see the list here) and that the PMUA is following nine others, including competitor Waste Management (see list here).

Did the PMUA get good value for its investment? It's hard to say without knowing the commitment the consultant must make to continuing with the updates -- though it does occur to me that the PMUA's in-house public relations staff could certainly handle the little info-bursts without any difficulty.

Check out both the Facebook page and the Twitter feed. One of them should be useful to you (or maybe both). Facebook is especially useful in giving the agency (and the public) feedback.

And while you're at it, check out the PMUA's website (see here), which has continued to become more useful as it matures.

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• PMUA:  "Facebook #1" | "Facebook #2" | "Twitter" | "PMUA website"
  
• DumPMUA: "Consultant paid $6,000 for Facebook page creation"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield: July 24 property ID

The house in the 1000-block of East 7th, may once have been a carriage house.

 

Not much of a mystery here, I guess. Even though the house in the 1000-block of East 7th is hidden in a grove of trees, it seems everyone has noticed it.

I was a guest at a party there shortly after we moved to Plainfield, and can testify it is SMALL. As I recall, there is no real staircase to the second floor, but something more like a ladder to a loft space.

House's lot is almost completely tree-covered.

And I was a little misleading about the other '103º' picture -- the guys playing volleyball in the heat. In truth, that house is on the corner of East 7th and Richmond, and actually faces East 7th, which I didn't mention specifically because I didn't want to tip anyone off about the 'Hidden Plainfield' location. So much for that smart idea.

Several readers -- including one commenter -- thought the volleyball scene was on West Front at West End Avenue. That is the location of another popular volleyball game, but that one is played on macadam, whereas the one pictured Friday is a (theoretically) grassy side yard.

Where shall we go next week?

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• Plainfield Today --
• "Hidden Plainfield: 103º in the shade" -- All comments and guesses have been posted.
• "Plainfield, Friday, 103º, volleyball"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hidden Plainfield: 103º in the shade

Glowing like a jewel in the dappled sunlight, even at 103 degrees.

 

Hidden in a grove of trees along one of Plainfield's busiest streets, today's home sparkles like a yellow jewel in the dappled sunlight -- even at 103º in the shade, which is how hot is was when I took this snapshot on Friday afternoon.

Do you know where this home is?

Answer tomorrow.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Plainfield, Friday, 103º, Volleyball

Believe it or not, the temperature was 103º and these guys were having an energetic game of volleyball in a side yard on Richmond Street Friday afternoon about three o'clock.

I broke a sweat just taking the picture.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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Hot weather tips for people and pets

ENERGY ADVICE FROM A READER (Noon):  Dan, There’s a risk of a power outage because of the demands of everyone’s air conditioners. Please post a note on your blog asking people to set their AC no cooler than 78 (you can supplement that with a small fan if you must). 78 degrees may be a tad warmer than we’d like indoors, but it’s much better than having the power go out city-wide. Thanks, Jan

 

As Plainfield temperatures are expected to hit the three-digit mark today and continue into the weekend, remember to take care of those you love in these potentially dangerous conditions -- your family, your pets...and yourself.

Stay out of the sun and avoid strenuous outdoor work if you can.

Being in the air-conditioning is fine (this is coming from someone who is NOT a big a/c fan).

Don't leave children or pets in the car.

People and pets need plenty of liquids -- cold water, iced tea or coffee, non-sugary sodas for people; frequent fresh cold water for pets.

Walk pets in the cool of the morning or evening.

Remember, easy does it.

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• Time:  "Seven hot weather survival tips for the whole family"
• Pet Safety:  "Humane Society tips for pet safety in hot weather"
  

-- Dan Damon

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POP anti-violence rally this afternoon

Leaty family's convenience store was site of July 2nd fatal shooting.

Plainfielders are invited to join with the Plainfield chapter of People's Organization for Progress (POP) this afternoon in a rally against the continuing violence in our community.

Steven Hatcher, coordinator of the local group, says the rally will be held at the corner of East 6th and Central Streets, where local businessman Eduardo Leaty was gunned down in his family's convenience store by a would-be robber on July 2.

Bloods member Shalik Coleman has been charged in
the senseless slaying of store owner Eduardo Leaty, shown above.

Nothing further has been heard about the investigation into the crime since 18-year-old Shalik Coleman, a confirmed member of the Bloods gang who lived just a few blocks away on East 6th Street, was arrested and charged with felony murder on July 4th, two days after the shooting.

Local author J.M. Benjamin's father, Jim Benjamin, Sr., was wounded in the robbery attempt.

For more information, contact POP at (908) 731-1518.

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POP Anti-Violence Rally

Today
5:00 - 6:30 PM

East 6th and Central Streets

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-- Dan Damon

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PMUA: First severance payment to Watson, Ervin totals $275K

Thanks to the perspicacity of DumpPMUA founder Philip Charles, ratepayers of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority can read the Commissioners' resolution authorizing an initial payout of $275,000 IN PARTIAL SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS to departing Executive Director Eric Watson and his Assistant ED David Ervin, whose employment ended June 30.

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PMUA: Severance for Watson, Ervin

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A close reading of the resolution reveals that the possibility of further payments is contemplated.

The resolution also states 'it is arguable as to the extent of the employee benefit entitlement under the terms and conditions of the contract'. While one would normally expect such language to indicate the settlement would be contested, there is no indication the Commissioners acted on behalf of the ratepayers to cap the payout, merely handing over the cushion that had been built up on the advice of the agency's auditors.

Ah, those Commissioners! Such hard bosses to work for!

DumpPMUA is inviting ratepayers and the public to attend the next Board of Commissioners meeting, August 9 (more info on their website here).

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PMUA
Board of Commissioners Meeting

Tuesday | August 9
6:00 PM

PMUA Headquarters
127 Roosevelt Avenue
(corner East 2nd Street)
Parking in agency lot or on street

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• Website:  "DumpPMUA"

-- Dan Damon

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Muhlenberg advisory group meeting set for tonight canceled

Muhlenberg supporters at state hearing at PHS in 2008.

 

Readers of the comments to yesterday's post on the previously-announced Muhlenberg CAG meeting at Plainfield City Hall slated for tonight will have already learned that it has been CANCELLED.

Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson notified Councilor Williams in an email sent Monday, according to a comment by Williams.

There is no notice on the City website's Community Events page either SETTING the meeting or CANCELING it, despite the fact that it was publicly announced at a public meeting of the City Council at which the public was present.

While I appreciate everything Corporation Counsel Williamson does to save the Mayor from herself, managing Her Honor's public notices is not -- and should not be -- part of his portfolio. The Mayor needs to assume responsibility for her own timely communications.

It is becoming plain as the nose on your face that neither of the Robinson-Briggs' terms will go down in the Plainfield history books as models of timely communications with residents and taxpayers.

Maybe the winning slogan for the next mayor should be: 'I will keep you in the loop'.

A slogan on which Robinson-Briggs could never run.

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-- Dan Damon

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Plainfield Habitat's 'Charlie Brown Sale' a huge success

 

In an email to volunteers and Woodbridge Center Mall management, Greater Plainfield Habitat executive director the Rev. Jeremy Montgomery thanked all who made this past weekend's Charlie Brown's 'rummage sale' a success.

Besieged at the event's opening on Friday by more than a hundred and fifty eagerly waiting shoppers, nearly a quarter of the weekend's sales were made in the first hour. Can you say frenetic?

Montgomery estimates that foot traffic was in excess of two thousand shoppers, who also got a chance to learn about Habitat's mission and opportunities for involvement with the local chapter -- for which 34 new volunteers were enrolled!

Over a thousand items were sold. Many were small items such as glassware, vintage photos, advertising memorabilia and other tchotchkes. But there were also many larger items, including tables and chairs and all of the kitchen equipment.

Montgomery is happy to note that other nonprofits found their way to the sale and were able to take advantage of dirt-cheap prices to augment their own kitchens, including the VFW of Basking Ridge, the Princeton Elks Club, Woodbridge Township Amublance & Rescue Squad, and the Avenel Knights of Columbus.

As the sale was closing on Sunday, a restauranteur opening a new German restaurant in Rahway walked in and bought the remaining tables, chairs and booths.

Two large ice machines and the beer taps will be sold this week on eBay, looking to push the group's net for the fundraiser toward the $15,000 mark.

Montgomery was effusive in his thanks to the chapter's volunteers, who worked hard at making the event a success; the management of the Woodbridge Center Mall, for partnering with Habitat to extend the life of these goods while at the same time raising funds for a worthwhile nonprofit; and to those who have joined up with the Habitat cause by signing on as new volunteers.

You can follow the local chapter's activities, get further updates on this fundraiser, and find opportunities to volunteer -- all the the group's website at www.gphabitat.org/.

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-- Dan Damon

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Public meeting of Muhlenberg advisory group set for Thursday

Signs from street theater during closure process in 2008.

 

The Muhlenberg Community Advisory Group (CAG) will hold a public meeting tomorrow evening in the Library at Plainfield City Hall, as was mentioned at a Council meeting last month by Corporation Counsel Dan Williamson. To date I have not found any notice on the City's website nor flyers on the City Hall pickup table, but the meeting is posted on the calendar in the City Clerk's office.

The CAG, which is chaired by Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, is tasked with monitoring Solaris Health System's compliance with the terms of the agreement with the state which allowed the closing of Murhlenberg Regional Medical Center in 2008.

Among the issues with which it has had to deal have been transportation to needed services for Plainfield residents (both public transportation and emergency services), provision of an additional ambulance for Plainfield, future use(s) of the Muhlenberg campus, and the long-term continuation of emergency services in Plainfield (the agreement to keep the SED open expires in 2013).

Those interested in Plainfield's ongoing healthcare issues will not want to miss this rare opportunity to see the CAG at work.

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MUHLENBERG
Community Advisory Group

City Hall Library
Thursday, July 21
6:30 - 7:30 PM

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-- Dan Damon

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