VISTA in Camden

More Bad Urban Planning Policy?

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:10:00 +0000

January 28, 2009

Methadone clinic gets home at port

By EILEEN STILWELL
Courier-Post Staff

A methadone clinic that has been a trouble spot in downtown Camden for decades will get a new home inside the Broadway Terminal of the South Jersey Port Corp.

Directors of the South Jersey Port Corp. voted 6-0 Tuesday to lease space within its secure marine terminal to Parkside Recovery Inc., a division of NHS, a private, nonprofit corporation. Based in Layfayette Hills, Pa., NHS operates 580 facilities in nine states.

The move has fostered a six-year bitter war between two neighborhoods in the city. Those living near the current clinic, which dispenses methadone to 700 addicts a day, are glad to see it go. Those living near the new site in Waterfront South picketed the port and lobbied hard to bar the move.

The Broadway marine terminal is a gated compound near the Gloucester City border in a highly industrial area that buzzes round-the-clock with longshoremen, truckers, government inspectors and port employees.

It is 18 blocks south of the clinic's current location at 400 Broadway. The clinic has operated in the shadow of Cooper Hospital for about 30 years. Now that the area is slated for housing, an elementary school and a massive infusion of capital from the health and science sectors, officials determined the clinic sitting on a state-owned property must go.

Recently, the state sold the site to the Camden Redevelopment Authority for $775,000 with funds from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The university plans to build classrooms there for third- and fourth-year medical students who do their clinical training at Cooper. The long-range goal is to expand that program into a four-year medical school.

"I'm pleased the decision has finally been made. It's been a long time coming. At least, the new site is further away from residents and the port is better able to secure these services. A medical school helps Cooper remain an academic center, and it will give us a facility that will make medical education much better in South Jersey," said John P. Sheridan, president and CEO of Cooper Health System.

Monsignor Michael Doyle, pastor of Sacred Heart Church at Broadway and Ferry and a South Camden activist for decades, called the move "barbaric injustice" to a neighborhood already burdened with the Camden County Sewage Treatment plant and a trash-to-steam operation.

"It would be hard to find another area in North America that has been trampled as much by powerful people, mostly men in white shirts, who care little about the poor. A methadone clinic here will have a neon sign for the mind that says "drugs sold here.' "

Patrick Mulligan, assistant director of the Heart of Camden, a grass-roots neighborhood group, called the forces behind the move "the height of hypocrisy."

"You're not doing the city any good to have one neighborhood claim its success depends on the death of another," he said.

Under the agreement, Parkside Recovery will lease 7,500 square feet on the first floor of building P1 and P2 within Broadway Terminal for 10 years for $3.50 a square foot, or $26,256 a year. The port also will provide 40 parking spaces on the opposite side of Broadway and space within the port for a mobile van.

The new site will be 1,300 square feet larger than the current site. The extra room should eliminate some of the concerns expressed by residents that addicts would be spilling out onto the streets.

The new site will have a large waiting room, space for child care for those parents who come for counseling, and better security, said Parkside's Executive Director Charles Greene.

"I just can't wait to get my staff into a decent building," Greene said.

The state Division of Addiction Services is prepared to spend $1.9 million on renovations to the port building.

The port will bid the work out in March and hope to begin construction in April or May. By October, the port expects the old clinic to close and the new one to open, said Marlin Peterson, the newly named assistant executive director of the South Jersey Port Corp., a quasi-state agency.

Also on Tuesday, Kevin Castagnola was named acting executive director Tuesday. Castagnola will fill in temporarily for Joseph Balzano, who is recovering from an illness.

Reach Eileen Stilwell at (856) 486-2464 or estilwell@courierpostonline.com

Redevelopment Proposed for Broadway

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:41:00 +0000

If you look past or ignore the illegal activity on Broadway, you will find a busy commercial corridor.

More to come...

Again, Camden plans opposed
Lawsuits are trying to stop the redevelopment of the Lanning Square neighborhood.

By Matt Katz

Inquirer Staff Writer
What, exactly, is a bad neighborhood?

That's the question before a court as property owners in Camden challenge the city's latest redevelopment plan.

Lawsuits filed this week threaten a project in Lanning Square, the neighborhood next to Cooper University Hospital, that would bring new and rehabilitated housing while turning the Broadway commercial strip into a health campus with new shops and a medical school.

Two suits against the city - one filed by 40 residents, the other by the owner of stores on Broadway - question how the city determined that Lanning Square is blighted.

Without a blight designation, the city cannot declare an area a redevelopment zone. Without a redevelopment designation, the city cannot acquire property, through eminent domain or otherwise, for economic development.

The suits argue that the Camden Redevelopment Agency conducted an arbitrary analysis of the properties without taking into account a thriving, improving, 51-acre community.

And the residents allege that City Council, in unanimously voting to approve the redevelopment plan last month, ignored concerns that redevelopment makes all properties subject to acquisition for 25 years.

The project is the third proposal in four years for the neighborhood, and was intended to signal a new approach to redevelopment under the city's chief operating officer, Theodore Z. Davis.

The redevelopment plan limits the number of properties to be acquired to three occupied homes for an elementary school and 14 businesses on the first blocks of Broadway. Also, more community input was sought than in previous years.

Davis was unavailable yesterday to comment. Officials from the Redevelopment Agency said they could not speak about litigation.

A third suit was filed yesterday against South Jersey Port Corp., a state-created agency, because it has taken steps to move a methadone clinic from Broadway in Lanning Square to the port in the Waterfront South neighborhood.

The removal of the clinic was used as a selling point for the redevelopment plan because the clinic is believed to attract illegal activity. That's exactly why Andrea Ferich, a Waterfront South resident, filed the suit. She has said the clinic will hurt her community's efforts to rebuild.

Last month, South Jersey Port hired a consultant to estimate the cost of turning port space into a clinic, but the 1968 state law that created the corporation does not allow it to lease to nonmaritime operations, according to the suit.

Neither Joseph Balzano, the port's executive director, nor Richard Alaimo, chairman of its board of directors, returned calls for comment.

The Ferich suit does not strike at the heart of the Lanning Square plan, but the other two suits do.

The attorney for the residents, Olga Pomar of South Jersey Legal Services, has successfully represented three other communities - Cramer Hill, Waterfront South and Bergen Square - in their fights against redevelopment and eminent domain.

In all of those cases, the redevelopment plans were thrown out because of procedural mistakes by the city.

In the Lanning Square case, Pomar is not arguing that there were mistakes. But she hopes to capitalize on recent court rulings that demand that cities be specific in determining blight.

"That definition of blight kept getting stretched broader and broader, so it started seeming that it was just for the purpose of private development and helping a developer have a more profitable, more feasible project," Pomar said.

She argued that the neighborhood should be "rehabilitated," which does not include eminent domain, rather than "redeveloped."

The suit says much of the alleged blight is the city's fault because it failed to maintain its own properties, and it argues that the percentage of Lanning Square buildings in good condition rose from 23 percent to 50 percent from 2005 to 2008.

The other suit, filed Wednesday by Carmel Realty, the owner of Valu-Plus and other stores on Broadway, says the Broadway shopping district is both "active" and "vibrant."

Carmel argues that the city did not interview property owners or do interior inspections to determine blight.

There is no evidence, the suit says, "that condition of the subject properties - consisting of retail and accessory uses - is 'detrimental to the safety, health, morals or welfare of the community.' "

Contact staff writer Matt Katz at 856-779-3919 or mkatz@phillynews.com.

First Map of Camden

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:51:00 +0000

Hopeworks, a technology nonprofit for youth in Camden, recently produced this map.

Quoted from DRPA Public Hearing in Inquirer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:01:00 +0000

Karen Heller: A cash machine known as DRPA
By Karen Heller Inquirer Columnist
Driving over the Ben Franklin Bridge as the sun slipped behind the city, I wondered where my $3 toll contribution would travel. Would $1 be indirectly kicked toward Chester's soccer complex, another $1 to dredging the Delaware, and the last headed for the National Museum of American Jewish History?

Oh, the places my bills could go!

Such thoughts occurred after the first of two public rate-increase hearings held by the Delaware River Port Authority. The crowd was angry and vocal, though "less than I expected," said Jeffrey Nash, DRPA board vice chairman.

That's what happens when you conduct hearings during a July heat wave in Camden and at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, places most commuters don't live.

In the last nine years, DRPA disbursed $375 million in "economic development" to the Kimmel Center, the National Constitution Center, and Lincoln Financial Field. Today, the authority is $1.2 billion in debt. It has proposed raising PATCO fees 10 percent and tolls a buck, the latter a 33 percent increase.

If DRPA were a publicly held company, no one would invest. The head reels studying the intricate nest of political connections. It's a river-based House of Borgia given to absurd expenditures directed toward well-connected pals.

This year, three-quarters of DRPA's $229 million annual revenues will go for debt service, lovely salaries and swell pensions.

So the authority goes trawling for rate increases, income from citizens like AmeriCorps worker Nicole Yarbrough, who spends $150 monthly of her not-so-grand paycheck commuting on public transit.

"I don't want to drive," she said. "But this is costing as much."

"The whole focus of the country is to increase use of mass transit," said Alan Basewitz, a commuter and lawyer. "PATCO ridership is up, and what do they do? Propose raising rates, the one thing to do to decrease use."

Earlier this year, Nash declared that "the days of throwing money into the Delaware River are over."

No, instead DRPA lobbed $10 million to Chester.

That amount is "a fraction of what we need," CEO John Matheussen said. To him, $10 million "wouldn't make a large difference in the amount of a toll increase."

"Ten million dollars is a lot of money," Nash concurred, in what begins to sound like DRPA's mantra, "but it's not going to repave the Walt Whitman Bridge."

Really, it couldn't hurt.

The bridge needs $170 million in redecking. Ten million here, $5 million there, and pretty soon you're talking real money.

This spending is akin to looking at your home's leaking roof and ballooning mortgage and deciding you need to build a pool. For your cousin in Altoona.

Troubled waters
William Love is the kind of taxpayer officials dread. He's a CPA, a former comptroller, a numbers guy. He arrived the other night with charts and a fat binder.

"These are farce meetings. They come with doom and gloom," he said. "They never show the public actual projections of operating expenses and revenues. You can't trust them. They're rife with waste and patronage."

DRPA has $35 million in an economic-development fund that has yet to be allocated. At the hearing, Matheussen and four other officials - cumulative annual income: $657,754 - refused to say what they would do with that money.

"Yes, $35 million is a lot of money, but that would not change what we need even if it was returned to the general fund," Nash said.

Oh, that again.

People don't want to pay for stadiums or a museum when the bridge they're on needs repairs and debt service clots at $271,233 daily.

"They're asking us to pay more because of their incompetence and malfeasance," Basewitz said.

The rate-hike vote is scheduled for next month. If approved, the initial increase goes into effect in September; the second in 2010. If you don't think this is a done deal, well, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Camden Police Chief did an Excellent Job and was a Great Partner with FMS

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:47:00 +0000

He did an excellent job, and I am sorry to see him go. He was a great partner of Fairview Main Street roped in by Sue, the previous executive director. Because he was very hands on, FMS was able to demand a better police presence in Fairview than it had previously last year when rotations started. It was also important for the business community, because they received crime information and learned ways to avoid crime.

Inquirer Editorial: Camden's Police Chief
Another step back
Tue, Jul. 22, 2008

After only seven months on the job, Camden Police Chief Edward Hargis has decided to step down and leave the troubled department in limbo once again.

His sudden decision to depart is disappointing and will leave the department facing its sixth leadership change in six years.

This comes amid escalating violence in the impoverished city of 79,000 residents. So far this year, Camden has had 32 homicides, compared with 42 for all of 2007.

Hargis, 44, plans to retire from the force, effective Sept. 1, to take an undisclosed job in the private sector. It is believed to be a better-paying position, but he hasn't said.

This should have been a difficult decision for Hargis, a 21-year veteran and former deputy chief of the Camden force. He says it was in the best interest of his family.

Family should always come first, but this is a bitter pill for a city with one of the highest per-capita murder rates in the country.

Hargis became the city's top cop in January. Since then, he has helped stabilize the force, boost morale and restore public confidence.

Hargis had the right background and experience to garner support from the rank-and-file and union leaders. That helped squash the type of bickering that occurred previously when outsiders were chosen to lead the department.

The Police Department appeared headed in the right direction with Hargis overseeing day-to-day operations, while interim civilian police director John Huertas handled policy and budget matters.

By most accounts, the two worked well together, realigning and reorganizing the 500-member department. They implemented a strategy to deploy more officers to high-crime areas during peak hours.

In May, the department kicked off a summer-long anti-violence campaign, "Caring for Camden," that linked the city's residents with social-service providers, and business and religious leaders.

The crime strategy has yielded mixed results. But Hargis deserves credit for seeking to make a dent in crime with tactics to get more illegal weapons off the streets, enforce a curfew for minors and target neighborhood crime to improve the quality of life for the people of Camden.

The state took over the department after Chief Robert Allenbach was ousted in 2003. The Attorney General's Office put the department under the supervision of the county Prosecutor's Office. Since then, it's been like a revolving door at the top.

Now, the state needs to work closely with Mayor Gwendolyn Faison and other stakeholders to quickly name a permanent chief. The best person, whether from inside the department or not, must be found to effectively fight crime in the city.

Harrassed in Fairview

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:45:00 +0000

I discovered at the latest Board meeting from other members that they have been verbally attacked by one of Fairview's longstanding residents! And it was not the first time over the duration of several weeks. In particular, this resident, BJ, came to a committee meeting I was at with only the Chair, with the purpose of taking the same actions to accost her and then issue a long tirade about why the Chair had not said anything to prevent the layoff of the Executive Director (ED).

more to come...

Can I Change my VISTA Job Description Please?

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:28:00 +0000

So I waited for over two months for the Board of Directors to revise my vague job description. When the executive director was laid off, I worried that I would be encumbered with additional responsibilities and tasks because there are no other staff. Instead, I continued working on my projects and actually progressed much faster.

In addition, I revised my job description with hopes that the next VISTA would have better direction than I did. It describes exactly what I did for the ten months I have been placed with Fairview Main Street. I am still waiting for feedback. It will be interesting to hear what they say because I never did receive a traditional evaluation. I also think an evaluation would be beneficial for both the Board and their personnel policies and myself to have a clear understanding of my role and how to accomplish these responsibilities. It would also help me more instead of a simple pat on the pack and telling me how good I am doing.

Lastly, I have advocated for a job title so the VISTA can have value in the organization and outsiders can have a general idea the VISTA's role. I used to be introduced as an assistant to my executive director or as an intern! It was very frustrating because it appeared that I was there to support the staff and Board. The diminishing line between what I was supposed to be doing was burdening me with administrative tasks. Actually, it hindered my performance of working to accomplish my responsibilities and fulfilling my commitment to the organization. It also degraded their commitment to the VISTA program and me, because I was not there for such work when I was supposed to be learning, developing professionally, and aiding the organization.

Revised job description:
Title: VISTA Worker – Community Development Coordinator
Supervisor: President of the Board of Directors
Description: The VISTA worker would participate in the following activities to further the mission and goals of Fairview Main Street:

Assist FMS in increasing the community’s knowledge and awareness of the Main Street program and other community development initiatives as well as the benefits it provides
• Represent FMS at community meetings and participate at public events
• Create quality printed literature to promote FMS and events
• Write and disseminate press releases and letters

Work to increase the membership of each of the four standing committees
• Develop 30 minute volunteer program to streamline recruitment and tasks for committee events
• Coordinate other volunteer organizations for FMS activities and identify new volunteer organizations
• Maintain volunteer ads posted on volunteer websites
• Update and create volunteer job descriptions for committee events
• Distribute volunteer applications at FMS events and public events

Working with the Board of Directors on grant-writing and fund development research to secure additional funds for the program and committees
• Maintain and update fund development folder, donor and grant research databases, and boilerplate documents
• Assist to identify, research, and cultivate potential funders
• Work in collaboration with partnership organizations
• Develop and write funding proposals for projects and for organization support
• Together with Board and Executive Director, develop strategic plans for pursuing funding opportunities

Program development and project management
• Coordinate the local farmer’s market in conjunction with Area Health Education Centers of Camden
• Develop project ideas with Board and Executive Director by creating project objectives, goals, proposals and work plans with tasks, timelines, and budgets, including background research on project areas
• Work with partners and interns to implement projects
Working always beyond the narrow confines of this job description to advance the goals of Fairview Main Street as an organization

There are 2 Sides...Who's Right?

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:28:00 +0000

Why does it seem unfair that my executive director was laid-off? There are two opposing sides: the Board versus the State and Fairview residents and businesses. And the argument is that there was no choice. But the other side does not think so. They say it was an inept Board. I have to remain neutral but honestly I sit on the fence.

It is very unfortunate that it happened the way it did. My executive director was shocked. However, she had not been paid for months due to a lapse in funding. It should not have been so big of a surprise. And why is she "trashing," "lashing out," and "sabotaging" Fairview Main Street? Is this a Board misinterpretation and sensationalism of her actions?

Several people do not this was handled fairly. Her personal stuff remains at the office on her desk. Fortunately, I do not have to see her desk everyday because I am rarely there.

But they were all friends in the organization and even neighbors! As a Main Street, the Board has to be composed of, I think, 60% of local residents and business owners. An external person should have been brought it for personnel reviews. In addition, the EUZ funding coordinator and the State should have been contacted regarding the funding lapse.

more to come...

Coordinating the Fairview Farmer's Market

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:27:00 +0000

Since last year's farmer's market in Yorkship Square, I have been looking forward to it opening again because I collaborate with Camden Area Health Education Center on planning it, then I manage it for the summer. I love, love, LOVE farmer's markets. Fresh and local foods are my mantra. I have even developed an appreciation of farmers after growing up in the Midwest and hoping I would never see another cow again.

The farmer's market in Fairview is important and is an asset for the neighborhood. Like the rest of Camden, Fairview is a low-income, depressed area. But you wouldn't think so when you talk and see the people that are visible in the community or when you see the beautiful, historic houses from the 1920s. Five years ago, community activist Sue Brennan and Executive Director, assisted AHEC by writing and applying for a grant that the Ford Foundation gave a five year award to the efforts of creating citywide farmer's markets.

Since 2003, the Fairview farmer's market has attracted the seniors, young moms, area business employees, and the occasional neighborhood boys. The produce options and prices are much better than what the three or four convenience stores offer. In addition, the farmer usually accepts WIC checks, food stamps, and senior vouchers. These residents always ask when the farmer's market is going to start again for the next year.

Now the Ford Foundation grant has expired so Fairview Main Street (FMS) must find its own resources to keep the market in operation for future years to come. AHEC has done a good job with the market in Fairview, however, they can no longer "do the legwork" for FMS. FMS has the task to coordinate the market by planning weekly activities in conjunction with market, hiring or recruiting volunteers to run it, purchasing signs, banners, and flyers, and using efforts to expand it. This requires longterm planning by FMS and solicitation of funds for next year.

Pray for Camden

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:45:00 +0000

In the community center where I work, the project assistant from one of the office's alerted me to the Fourth Annual City-wide Prayer Walk for Camden. It immediately caught my interest because I had never heard of this sort of religious activism. I was curious to know if it was like a parade? I told her I would go to observe and support the prayer (but not to represent AmeriCorps VISTA).

The city-wide prayer walk was organized by Antioch Baptist Church. The activity was held in conjunction with fasting that lasted from June 1 until June 21. There was even planning and preparation services nightly from 7 PM to 9 PM. It was a big event; out of approximately 182 churches, about 90 participated with 1,000 people that joined the walk. What a turnout!

The day of the walk, I arrived with a researcher studying for her PHd at Upenn. She is studying religious activism in the United States, however, she had not considered Camden which is across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. With a background in urban planning, she understood my experiences I related to her about the nonprofit I work for, the lauded Main Street program, and the challenges that Camden faces. However, she was shocked by the urban decay in Camden and had never seen a city in such a devastating state.

We came about ten minutes late, but I told a lady that Lorie had told me about the activity. I said the magic word to this church lady because she had us sign-up, gave us a map and instructions for the walk, and join a group in all about three minutes. I was with a group of about 9 people; a family with their son and the rest were women. We went to East Camden.

Now the walk was organized block-by-block. Our group made a circumference around 10 blocks on the walk. It was literally a walk. There was at least 3 or 4 other groups sharing the sidewalks with us. The leader of our group would see them and pray or sing louder or instruct us to blow the whistles hanging around our necks! There was many prayers and blessings for vacant homes and businesses, schools, and each corner of the block where passersby watched us. There was also a lot of tears and holding hands. My friend, the researcher, had a very different experience because she was with only one of the ladies who walked in the opposite direction.

When we discussed our particular experiences, we agreed that the walk was very organized. She and I also heard the same sentiments that asked for the Lord to help Camden. We thought, yes, the city does need help but it is up to the people of the city to make improvements. In addition, we noticed that there was a church on almost every block notably well-maintained in comparison to the surrounding neighborhood. Then we both had a conflicting purpose for participating in the walk because we were there not to pray but to only observe. Yet, we managed sensitivity to the churches cause and provided little explanation about our purpose. It seemed that we would deflate the excitement flowing from the members in our group.

Volunteer Recruitment

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:26:00 +0000

A researcher from the Main Street program contacted me about using social networking sites for volunteer recruitment. It made me think about how effective these sites really are. I have used www.volunteermatch.com, www.facebook.com, www.myspace.com, and www.craigslist.com to post ads about Fairview Main Street. However, that's it...providing information mostly about the organization and capacity for involvement. We've had a total of 4 volunteers referred to us that did not follow through with a commitment despite our efforts. I tried a new idea this month, one that I've been pushing for since our "Breakfast with Santa & Tree Lighting" event in December to create volunteer job descriptions and a 30 minute volunteer program. With the Fairview Farmer's Market coming up, I was able to tailor a description of tasks and responsibilities for helping us. And I've had two responses already! So I think these websites can be effective if you can provide a clear job description, define the length of time for involvement, and the volunteer awards/satisfaction from his or her assistance. See below for my latest volunteer ad:

Volunteer Needed for the Fairview Farmer’s Market
Get involved to help make the Fairview Farmer’s Market a success this summer! We need volunteers of all levels of experiences and abilities. Volunteers will support getting local, fresh produce from New Jersey farmers to Camden City residents. Tasks include setting-up and breaking down tables for the farmers, providing assistance to seniors using vouchers, processing EBT transactions, assisting with promotional activities at the market, and supporting management staff. We know you are busy so we have positions that require only 30 minutes of your time or you can stay and work an entire shift that lasts 5 hours. The Fairview Farmer’s Market begins in July 2008 and runs every Wednesday morning. Please contact Nicole Yarbrough, the Community Development Coordinator, at 856-966-4003 for more information.

A Better Commute and the DRPA

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:38:00 +0000

Commuting between Philadelphia and Camden requires you to pay each provider on a different fare system unless you pay cash (which is way more expensive). To take Septa, Patco, and NJ Transit transportation everyday to go between home and work is very expensive and inefficient. There needs to be better coordination and integration between the 3 service providers to give riders an inexpensive and less time consuming option for commuting back and forth.

But now the DRPA is increasing prices for the Septa transfer. The rationale was only because Septa recently increased their fares! Also, I didn't even know there was a transfer.

Monday, June 16, 2008, the cost of a round-trip SEPTA transfer at New Jersey PATCO stations is going up 30 cents to $2.40. The special round-trip PATCO/SEPTA transfer was set to be 50 cents less than two SEPTA tokens and a 2007 SEPTA fare hike increased the price of tokens. The cost of a round-trip SEPTA transfer at New Jersey PATCO stations has been $2.10 since June of 2001. (from the Delaware River Port Authority press release)

According to Camden County Freeholder and DRPA appointed Vice-Chairman Jeffrey Nash, he plans to make significant improvements to Patco. However, let's see an integrated system happen before raising prices! Instead, better coordinating of public transportation in the rest of Camden from the metro region will increase ridership and impact economic growth. Its Patco train does a good job of getting baseball and music fans to the revitalized riverfront easily from the suburbs. Yet, commuters like myself actually pay more than driving to take public transportation into Camden for work.

Reflection on City Year, NCLB and Camden Public Schools

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:45:00 +0000

Under strict No Child Left Behind (NCLB) testing requirements, students are forced to spend months of classroom time studying for under-performing schools to achieve 'yearly adequate progress'. If the schools do not get good test results, then funding is cut and students can transfer between schools. However, schools make it very difficult for these transfers to happen leaving students no other options. According to Jonathan Kozol, "Less than a fifteen-minute bus ride often separates our wealthiest and poorest schooling systems." I've often heard people negatively comment about seeing 'students crossing the bridge' into the Camden suburbs that want to go to a better school.

In Camden, public high school dropout rates have been increasing since 2002. Statistics from NJ Department of Education, School Report Cards, show that in 9th grade, approximately 1,000 students are enrolled but then by 12th grade more than 50% are left. These staggering statistics suggest that kids are learning nothing. However, there are Camden schools that try to capture these kids early before they slide so far behind that they can't even read or write.

For instance, the Freedom Academy Charter school enrolls students into its program starting at the 5th grade. Then teaching focuses on helping students reach 5th grade level academic skills. Students go to school year-round from around 8 AM to 5 PM everyday. The school's mission is to help students get prepared for high school. Because by high school, most students from public schools are ill-prepared to enter with such poor academic abilities.

I think the No Child Left Behind is not helping urban public schools. It cannot address dropout rates nor fix poor academic achievement. Despite the Act, the lack of parent involvement and the degrading PTAs is a huge factor in contributing to worsening public schools. Many parents have pointed that out to me in and outside the classroom. Notable is that Camden City has a very high young population that is under the age of 18, highest among groups of age distribution. This large, uneducated population will have a significant difficulty achieving a good life in Camden or anywhere else.

So there are bigger existing problems that are affecting the public schools in Camden. Why are organizations like City Year or Teach For America absent from this city?

I would love to see the Camden Board of Education allow community groups like Fairview Main Street into the schools.

more to come...

Urban Design and Security

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:38:00 +0000

Can you just google security products to help businesses make decisions and purchases to help protect their businesses? more to come...

Creating an Urban Forest in Camden

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:49:00 +0000

I organized a tree planting with the Mid-Atlantic Health Corps of VISTAs to assist our design committee with this activity. It had a fantastic turnout with over fifty volunteers and community residents helping to plant several varieties of trees and learning how to maintain them. Kids came out bursting with curiosity and wanted to get involved.

Back in December, I forwarded grant information to the New Jersey Tree Foundation and here is the response I got.

Hi Nikki--
Thanks for thinking of us! I have already submitted my application for the Home Depot Award and am crossing my fingers this time around! We applied the first year and did not get it. I think the problem is that we have a lack of support from the City. In that I mean that while they support what we do and they definitely appreciate that we are there to plant trees, they don't go out of their way to help us out and they certainly don't have any sort of long-term goal for their community trees. I've been trying to work with them on this for the past year and a half so hopefully Home Depot will see that and give us a better chance this year!

Waterfront South Theatre

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:13:00 +0000

South Camden hopes theater gives it new direction
By Kristen A. Graham
Inquirer Staff Writer
Two years ago, Joe Paprzycki stood in front of the boarded-up building that had been his grandfather's bar, and talked about his big dream - to create a place for Camden's artists, an outlet for residents of a troubled city.

Today, the teacher and playwright plans to stand before a crowd of neighbors, schoolchildren and donors at the long-neglected lot at Fourth and Jasper and hoist a shovelful of dirt at the groundbreaking for a 99-seat theater.

The three-story structure, set to open in fall 2009, will house the South Camden Theatre Company, a group Paprzycki founded in 2004. Its members currently perform in the basement of nearby Sacred Heart Church, a parish known for its commitment to social justice.

Msgr. Michael Doyle, Sacred Heart's pastor, is delighted by the development. "We are a neighborhood that has been dishonored by what's been placed in it," Doyle said, referring to the incinerator, sewage plant and boarded-up factories in the city's Waterfront South section. "This brings honor to the neighborhood." He added: "Art elevates the human spirit. Art will save us!" That rallying cry has become the motto for the Waterfront South Theatre and its soon-to-be-resident company, which produces new and established dramas.

The first play Paprzycki ever wrote, Last Rites, takes place at Walt's Cafe, where for 50 years his grandfather Walt Evanuk poured pints and his grandmother Sue made sandwiches. he Camden native, who last set foot inside Walt's 40 years ago, set the work in 1967, when the New York Shipbuilding Corp. left the city and Camden began to shift from a working-class enclave to a poorer, more dangerous place. Last Rites is planned as the theater's inaugural production.

Construction of the $500,000 building is largely being funded by the Domenica Foundation, a nonprofit run by Cherry Hill businessman Pepe Piperno, whose roots in Camden run deep.

Paprzycki, who now lives in Gloucester City, had hoped to restore his grandfather's bar, but the 19th-century wood-frame structure was too water-damaged and had some environmental contamination that needed attention. The building came down last summer with Doyle piloting a hulking backhoe. "Church ladies everywhere were aghast," said a laughing Paprzycki, who works for the American Red Cross and teaches playwriting at Rosemont College and Temple and La Salle Universities. Help came in more forms than Piperno's financial contribution. A demolition firm donated its services, and when the Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn upgraded its seats, officials donated the old ones. "The day after Christmas, I had 30 volunteers who went to the Ritz with ratchets, and we lifted 300 seats," said Paprzycki, 50.

His vision is for a facility that is constantly in use, a place residents see as a haven. "We really think this is going to be the final turn to restoring the rest of the neighborhood," Paprzycki said. "I'm so excited."

Heart of Camden, a nonprofit housing and community-development organization, is handling the project and will sell the finished building to Paprzycki's company for $1. "You have to have patience in Camden but also passion and persistence, and Joe has all of them," said Helene Pierson, Heart of Camden's executive director. She, too, sees the theater as more than a place to put on plays. "This neighborhood is tucked in by industry and highway, and you need some sort of strategy that's going to work for redevelopment," she said. Pierson cited Philadelphia's Northern Liberties as a neglected neighborhood that was reinvigorated after establishing an identity as a bohemian enclave. Waterfront South will be "a niche arts community," she said.

Doyle isn't planning to climb into any more heavy construction equipment, but he is itching to sit in those theater seats next year. "This doesn't solve all of Camden's problems," he said, "but we have to celebrate in the meantime."

About Heart of Camden
The Heart of Camden's mission is to restore the dignity and quality of life of the community through programs for housing restoration, economic expansion and human development. For more information please visit www.heartofcamden.org.
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About South Camden Theatre Company
The South Camden Theatre Company is a non-profit entity dedicated to revitalizing the city of Camden. Our mission embraces all people of race creed and culture using theatre and drama as a backdrop to bring history alive and encouraging a bright future for the neighborhood and surrounding area. For more information please visit www.southcamdentheatre.org.

Community Policing

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:41:00 +0000

The District Council Collaborative Board is using a neat idea to address problems of crime, trash, suspicious activity, etc.
more to come...

Ex-Cop Provided FMS with Community Policing Gear

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:31:00 +0000

Ex-cop gets 7-year sentence
By LEO STRUPCZEWSKI
Courier-Post Staff

A 18-year Camden police officer known for his community outreach received seven years in state prison Thursday for conspiring with a second man to rob drug dealers.

Michael Hearne, 43, of Woodbury, pleaded guilty to a second-degree official misconduct charge before Superior Court Judge Stephen M. Holden. As part of the agreement, he will be barred for life from holding public office.

Hearne admitted giving another man a loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun to rob a drug dealer. The other man was to give the money from the robberies to Hearne, who would launder it. The men would then split the proceeds, he admitted. "(Hearne) took an oath to uphold the law and to protect the people of this state as a police officer," Attorney General Anne Milgram said in a statement. ". . . Nothing could be further from his sworn duty to maintain public safety."

Several charges -- including attempted robbery, money laundering and two counts of conspiracy -- were dropped. The second-degree official misconduct charge was the highest substantive charge Hearne faced.

Hearne's wife, Annie Hearne, 37, also faces third-degree charges of conspiracy to launder money and money laundering. There is an Oct. 18 deadline for her to reach a plea agreement.

Hearne's attorney, Jeffrey Zucker, said his client agreed to the scheme because of "financial pressures." He knew the second man, who has not been identified, from when the man was arrested as a juvenile. The two met on November 10 as part of a New Jersey State Police sting operation. Hearne, who was in uniform, believed the man would be giving him about $75,000. He was suspended from the police department following his arrest.

Hearne will apply for the state's Intensive Supervision Program -- an out-of-prison program that requires community service, a curfew and a job. Zucker said he believes Hearne is working for a construction company and "should be a suitable candidate." He's eligible to join the program after 60 days.

"There's a lot of good deeds behind him," Zucker said.

Prior to his arrest in November, Hearne was appointed the Camden Police Department's chaplain. He was to rally the city's religious organizations for community policing efforts. He had also organized a Mischief Night walk in late October to discourage crime.

That work helped Hearne hold onto a strong reputation despite his allegedly advising convicted drug lord Jose Rivera on how to handle investigators. In a 1997 wiretap, officials captured a conversation between Hearne and Rivera inside an East Camden gym. Investigators had just seized Rivera's boat. Hearne is heard on the tape telling Rivera "Don't do nothing . . . let them come to you." No charges related to Rivera were ever filed against Hearne.

Nothing has Changed on Broadway

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:28:00 +0000

I have been working in Camden, New Jersey for over 6 months now. I see the worst sections in Camden everyday because the bus I ride cuts right through them. I wish I could see Broadway be revitalized and hope that maybe the Cooper Hospital expansion will make an impact on this street.

Broadway is in such a devastating state of blight, neglect, and a haven for illicit activity. The day I had to walk down Broadway to the transportation center downtown was not pleasant. The sidewalks are more uneven than in Philadelphia and there are big chunks of sidewalk missing in long sections. Litter and weeds were everywhere I looked as I carefully walked forward. Then I was worried about walking through a group of users from the methadone clinic, drug dealers and prostitutes. Even though it was an unpleasant experience, I didn't feel threatened.

Houses and storefronts stand vacant on every block in a ratio of 4:1. The buildings are in such decay that they are crumbling into the sidewalk and trees grow through the roofs. Windows and doors are boarded up making the buildings appear unsightly. The commercial space that has been advertised for lease in the new parking garage for Cooper stands empty. It is a huge space perfect for a small grocery which I would love to see because community access to healthy foods is poor with only one grocery store serving the entire city of Camden.

When residents, business owners, and community groups make themselves visible, I experience feelings of hope. I see business owners sweeping in front of their storefronts sometimes. Or I see a huge pile of leftover bags full of garbage from a clean-up waiting to be picked up. And I hear news and attend public events with community groups and organizations that are steadily working on projects that will effectively change the spirit of the depressed surrounding neighborhood. I wish progress was faster but it's only up to active individuals that have been left alone with such few resources to work with in an area ignored by the city government.

The 'Rabble-Rouser' Article I Submitted to the Courier Post and the Inquirer

noreply@blogger.com (Nicole Yarbrough) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:18:00 +0000

I understand that Camden is facing many challenges. However, the public transportation in Camden provides some of the worst service in my experiences and it is alarming. I commute daily by public transportation to Camden from Philadelphia to work. I am currently a volunteer paid a small stipend through a quasi-government program because I want to give back to society. I have avoided purchasing a car for environmental reasons however I have the most grueling commute on public transportation to go a total of seven miles. In my relating my experience, I want to show that there is a serious problem in the public transportation system.

The transportation network between Philadelphia and Camden is very inefficient. My commute is only seven miles, yet I spend three and a half hours a day commuting, use the subway and two buses, and pay over $150 a month on transportation. I use two forms of payment: Septa tokens and a NJ bus pass. However, if I used PATCO, owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), I would have to purchase another pass because it is unbelievably not compatible with Septa or NJ Transit. I have a typical eight-hour day weekly work schedule; so I commute during the peak times of travel. The cost of public transportation between the two cities is about equal to owning and maintaining a car.

Not only do I endure the costly commute, but also I suffer from the poor service of NJ Transit. I have a very long record of complaints filed with NJ Transit since starting this commute between Philadelphia and Camden in September 2007. I have a very precise schedule to make every transfer on time. However, when I arrive at the Camden transportation center every morning, the bus I wait for to transfer to for the last part of my commute, has been repeatedly five to ten minutes late over the last four months. In addition, the bus I take from work back to the transportation center when I commute back home is late every day. I have heard from many residents that late buses are their number one problem even causing individuals to miss doctor’s appointments. I’m not sure if the problem lies with the drivers or the schedule.

However, I have called about one driver in particular. The driver’s behavior is disturbing and affects his driving skills. On occasion, he acts like he is under the influence of a substance, thus he should not be driving. He laughs uproariously for no reason and he idles at green lights until riders prompt him to drive. He talks incoherently to none in particular on the bus. He usually arrives at the transportation center twenty minutes late past the scheduled time making my commute longer.

On Friday, February 15, 2008, it was very apparent he should not be driving public transportation. This driver hit a car four or five blocks away from the transportation center on Broadway Avenue and pulled over to wait for the authorities. The girl behind me said, “That guy (the other car) doesn’t even look like he has insurance,” yet I didn’t understand how she made that assumption. The guy was waiting to pickup his children in his car. However, his car was double-parked in front of the school. Every person got off the bus to walk the rest of the way including me. I was very nervous about walking because I had to walk past Parkside Recovery, the methadone clinic. The clinic attracts derelicts like drug users and prostitutes that probably would not harm me, but openly deal making the walk a very unpleasant experience. However, I did not want to wait for another bus because standing alone amid the activity waiting for a bus that might never come did not seem very practical.

I am trying very hard to work in a city, where generally public transportation makes driving a car inefficient, and also where the city is known for being the most dangerous in the nation. The public transit system needs to improve in the metro area to smoothly connect cities to cities and suburbs, which in turn increases ridership and accelerates job growth. Also, revitalization efforts in Camden are creating a safer urban environment, which will attract workers and talent to the city. But I believe that any of these following instances such as employing unskilled workers due to political favors, unenforced illegal double-parking, or the limited access to public transportation, could be grossly affecting the transit network and the city of Camden. So the question is: who is at fault for the accident?

I knowingly agree with many other riders about the poor service offered by the public transportation providers in the greater metro area. The bus accident demonstrates the neglect of standards and service in public transportation in Camden and it demands a response. In addition, improvements in service between Philadelphia and Camden have to happen through better coordination between Septa, DRPA, and NJ Transit. It is a critical because of the high costs and time exacted from transit riders. The lack of coordination impacts economic growth and affects the livelihoods of city residents. It seems feasible since there are three providers with available resources. Lastly, efforts should be taken to communicate real time arrival because late buses are the biggest complaint from riders.