Every Saturday, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.
Every Saturday, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.
CHEERS: To generosity that will change lives. On Thursday the Milam Family Multipurpose Center was dedicated and a ribbon cutting was held at the Family Health and Adventure Center at the YMCA of Vineland. The improvements are the result of three years of work and strong fundraising efforts. The new additions -- including a rock wall and video game systems -- will be especially attractive to local kids, one of the segments of the population that the "Y" hopes tor each
JEERS to staying silent on a done deal. If longtime vendors are right, the Columbus Farmer's Market has purchased the Berlin Farmer's Market and the deal could go through as early as next month. Those same vendors and business owners at the landmark Camden County flea market and indoor shop said they haven't heard a peep from current management about the deal -- unless they went and confronted the owners in person. The Berlin Farmer's Market is a South Jersey institution and its lifeblood -- the people who have been selling goods there for decades -- deserve better than a rude wake-up call that could be on the way. What's more, the owners of both markets either declined to comment or failed to respond to requests made by NJ Advance Media. This is hardly a behind-closed-doors deal in a smoke-filled room; it's a business expansion. Let's hear more about it from those orchestrating it and soon.
CHEERS to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office for providing the first official update since the tragic death of 3-year-old Brendan Creato. While said update was brief -- noting that the toddler's death remains under investigation, that there were no signs of forced entry at his apartment and the boy had not been sexually assaulted -- a spokesperson felt it was substantive. Plenty of Haddon Township residents continues to wonder how Brendan went from his father's apartment to being found dead in the woods near the Cooper River. Although Brendan was laid to rest Friday, the continued presence of detectives around town clearly means there are more gaps to be filled in. If there is information to be released, if only to quell Haddon Township's worries, then do it. Don't wait eight days to say a few paragraphs.
JEERS: To a lack of respect for authority. A 15-year-old student was charged this week with assaulting a teacher in a Penns Grove High School classroom. The details on the incident are scant, but the kid was charged with assault on a school employee and disorderly conduct last Monday, local authorities said. Whatever the reason for the altercation, it was wrong. Teachers, like our police, deserve respect. Unfortunately, respect seems to be in short supply.
JEERS: To the astounding ignorance demonstrated by several online commenters reacting to a story published on NJ.com this week about a lawsuit filed by a transgender woman accusing Walmart of discrimination. The woman claims she was harassed and eventually fired by a manager at the Deptford store who allegedly referred to her as "he/she" and "f--ing tranny" according to the suit. In response to these troubling allegations, several commenters chose to pile on the hate, referring to the plaintiff as "it" and "freak," while several concluded that someone identifying as transgender suffers from a mental illness. The stupidity demonstrated by some offers further proof that we still have a long way to go as a society when in comes to tolerance, acceptance and equal rights.
CHEERS: To what sounds like a monumental scientific breakthrough in research on Parkinson's disease. Researchers with Rowan University's School of Osteopathic Medicine and Durin Technologies in New Brunswick has yielded a blood test that could lead to early detection and early treatment of the disease. Today, Parkinson's is currently diagnosed by obvious symptoms, including tremors and impaired balance and speech. By the time these symptoms are seen, irreparable damage has already been done. Early detection would mean early treatment of these often devastating symptoms. Here's one more example of how our local university is taking it's place as a leader in scientific research.
If you know of someone or something you would like to nominate for a cheer or a jeer, please send the information to letters@southjerseymedia.com.