Rutgers Alum Runs for PA Legislature

Maureen Tatu, who has an MS degree in Nursing from Rutgers University, has announced that she is running for the Pennsylvania legislature, the 118th house district, representing Monroe County. details here.

Lawnside Oral History Project

From the Inquirer, Saturday, Jan. 28, p. B2:

The Lawnside Historical Sciety plans to begin an oral history project next month to preserve the stories of residents in the tiny borough. The society received a $3,000 grant this week from the New Jersey Council for the Humaniites for the project, which will be conducted over 10 months.

Lawnside was a stop on the Underground Railroad and the society has been collecting the stories of residents who are descendants of former slaves. The society is looking for volunteers to conduct interviews. There will be an orientation at 4 p.m., Feb. 18 at the Lawnside Public School for anyone interesting. There is more information on their website (www.petermotthouse.org)

Almost like skating on a frozen pond

I am a big fan of winter weather and the winter sports that go along with the snow and ice. Unfortunately the weather in the Delaware Valley has not been cooperating with me in recent years and I have only been able to skate on a true honest to goodness frozen body of water once in the past few years. Fortunately, there is place where you can almost convince yourself that you are skating on a frozen pond and that is the Riverrink in Philadelphia, http://www.riverrink.com. Located right along the Delaware, this outdoor rink provides the illusion that you are skating on open water underneath the Ben Franklin Bridge. I have not been there this season and I just found out that it has relocated to Columbus Boulevard at Market Street at Penns Landing which is a much more convenient location than in previous years, especially for those of us who prefer to cross the Delaware by train. Visit the website for more information regarding pricing and session times. Watching the sunset and the lights on the bridge turn on while skating on the edge of Delaware is a special winter treat. The rink has recently extended its season to the end of February so there is still time to enjoy some skating before spring arrives!

At the Corner of Star Trek and Walt Whitman …

…. You will find Stephen Collins, actor, writer, musician, director. Currently he’s best known for his role on the tv series “7th Heaven.” The Star Trek part comes in with his role on Star Trek – The Motion Picture in 1979.

Collins is a sure bet for an “6 degrees of….” Game. He’s acted with Diane Keaton (First Wives Club), Whoopi Goldberg (Jumpin’ Jack Flash), Shirley MacLaine (Loving Couple), Billy Dee Williams, (Chiefs), Roddy McDowall (Rhineman Exchange), Jane Curtin (Working It Out), and played JFK in A Woman Named Jackie. Who does that NOT connect him with?

Where does Walt Whitman come in? Friday, February 10th he will be playing Whitman in a one man show at, you guessed it, the Walt Whitman Arts Center, 2nd and Cooper Sts, Camden, 8 p.m., tickets $10.00. For more info see www.waltwhitmancenter.org

All That Jazz

Things just keep getting jazzier along the Delaware. Thelonious Monk, Jr, son of jazz legend Thelonious Monk, will perform this Saturday, January 28, at the Gordon Theater on the Rutgers Camden campus. See rcca.camden.rutgers.edu for details.

In February the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is hosting their 14th Annual Junior Jazz Festival. For a schedule of events see www.pleasetouchmuseum.org.

Ewuare Osayande

Wednesday, January 25, Ewuare Osayande will read selections from his latest book of poetry, Blood Luxury, at the Rutgers Camden Campus Center (3rd and Cooper Streets), at 4 p.m. The event is sponsored by the African American Studies Department.

Here is more biographical information. Here are two of his poems.

Play in Camden

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is playing at the Walt Whitman Arts Center, tomorrow and Saturday at 8 p.m. and at 3 p.m on Sunday. For more details see the events calendar at www.waltwhitmancenter.org

Beautifying Camden, One Face at a Time

Avon has opened a training center at the corner of 5th and Market. While they don't stock products for sale, they do have catalogs on hand and you can order from a representative there.

Nancy Drew, Jersey Girl

The Stratemeyer Syndicate, the group reponsible for bringing to life Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and a number of other literary series aimed at the young and young at heart, was based in Newark, New Jersey. While the series may have been written elsewhere by other authors, the character sketches and plot outlines were developed here in the Garden State. That makes Nancy, one of my childhood heroes, a Jersey Girl.

For a well-written enjoyable book on the history of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, and Nancy in particular, see Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak (NY: Harcourt, 2005.

(Also visit websites here and here)

New Settlement Music School in Camden

Today's Courier Post is reporting that a new branch of the Settlement Music School will be opening in early February on Market St.

The new school, across the street from city hall, is accessible by the PATCO Hi-Speedline and NJ Transit. [Director Valerie] Clayton stresses Settlement's new branch is open to all residents of Camden County and surrounding communities.

The facility will more than triple enrollment, from 200 to 700 students of all ages, says the director. "Anyone who can come here can take a class," she adds.

More details here.

(Baxter, Robert, "A larger Settlement Music School to open in Camden," Camden Courier Post, Sunday, January 15, 2006)

More New Jersey Poetry

Those intrigued by my earlier post on Nick Virgilio may want to check out the New Jersey Poetry Society (njpoetrysociety.org).

Jersey Shore Publications has recently issued The Poets of New Jersey: From Colonial to Contemporary.

Scholars and others interested in the study of local poetry might want to check out the Camden Online Poetry Project (Rutgers).

Nick Virgilio, Camden's Other Poet

Many people may be aware of Camden as the home of Walt Whitman, but may not know of the city's other poet, Nick Virgilio. Nick wrote haiku. After his death his estate donated his papers to Rutgers University, Camden. For more information, see the university's Nick Virgilio Poetry Project, which includes some of his works, as well as selected articles about him and some scans of drafts of his work.

Encyclopedia of New Jersey: Roadside Attractions

My favorite gift to give this past holiday season was the Encyclopedia of New Jersey (http://odin.rutgers.edu/njencyclopedia/). I liked giving it so much that I got myself a copy and am enjoying expanding my knowledge of the Garden State, especially South Jersey.

The entry on roadside attractions caught my attention as I am always on the lookout for those items that make you slow down and wish you had your camera. The entry includes a discussion on the "dozens of giant figures looming over the Garden State landscape". Sadly the one near my home was omitted from the listing that does include Miss Uniroyal, Lucy the Elephant, Paul Bunyan (seen in opening credits of the Sopranos), Mr. Bill, and the cowboy at Cowtown. This entry inspired me to do some research on the topic and it turns out there is an entire website dedicated to the location and description of these giant figures, or Muffler Men across the United States.
Here are direct links to the ones in New Jersey and Pennsylvania:
New Jersey Muffler Men:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/muffler/trackno.html#nj
Pennsylvania Muffler Men:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/muffler/trackpw.html

Part of the encyclopedia entry is taken from Peter Genovese's book, Roadside New Jersey. Peter Genovese also wrote one of my favorite NJ books, Jersey Diners. I could go on about the glory of the Jersey Diner, but I will save that for another day!

RCA and a Greek Goddess

If the middle of the week looks boring, here are two events to perk things up:

On Wednesday, January 11, The Cherry Hill Library and the Camden County Historical Society will co-sponsor a talk at the Cherry Hill Library starting at 7 p.m. (no charge) on the history of the RCA company. Details here. Fred Barnum, author of His Master's Voice in America, will trace the company's history.

If that doesn't float your boat, try "The Goddess Persephone: Love Poetry and a Mythical Discussion," by performance artist and poet Zaharati Morfesis, part of Rutgers-Camden's monthly Cappucino Academic series. Morfesis gave a presentation on Persophone and Hades at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Also Wednesday, January 11, Barnes & Noble Bookstore Route 70, Marlton, NJ 7:30pm (no charge).

Ginkgo Leaves

Walking along the sidewalks of Camden, I would occasionally catch a glimpse of a Ginkgo leaf. This surprised me, as my previous encounter with Ginkgo trees was on a suburban campus tucked away in a well-manicured quadrangle lawn. I was terribly excited to catch a glimpse of one of my favorite botanical specimens and wondered where it was coming from. I would glance from side to side looking for the source of the leaves but it never caught my eye.

This past fall, after most of the colors were gone, I continued to be greeted by the most brilliant yellow Ginkgo leaves as I walked. One morning, I turned the corner a block earlier to avoid having to stop for the light and suddenly there it was in front of me! I had been walking by it and probably looking right at it and even past it, but never actually identifying it until I saw it from a different angle.

I did some research and found that I should not have been surprised at all to find a Ginkgo tree on the streets of Camden because the Ginkgo is one of the world's most urban-tolerant trees. The Ginkgo resists pests, disease and pollution and grows where most other trees will not grow.

Now, when I walk by the Ginkgo tree that grows out of an urban sidewalk, I recognize it for its beauty and its ability to tolerate conditions that are less than ideal. I am now on the lookout for more Ginkgo trees in every city I visit!

For more information on the Ginkgo tree, check out this page from Ohio State:
http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/hcs/TMI/Plantlist/gi_iloba.html

Camden Technology Center Opens

From the December 2005 issue of New Jersey Business (p. 15)

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority, EDA, unveils the new $16.5-million Waterfront Technology Center at Camden, enhancing the city's standing as a hub for research and development activities, and reaffirming the state's commitment to encouraging the location and growth of technology businesses and related jobs in southern New Jersey. The five-story, 100,000 square-foot Tech One building, the first of several technology structures planned for the site, is located within Camden's Innovation Zone and along a burgeoning waterfront area. It has been designed to accomodate existing businesses in the biosciences, microelectronics, advanced materials, information technology and other high technology and life sciences fields. The structure is fully equipped with redundant high-power electrical service, broadband access and other specialized equipment and services to support information technology and "green" building technologies to reduce energy costs.

Eagles Book

Football fans, and especially Eagles fans, might be interested in this book, compiled by Rutgers librarian, John Maxymuk. Eagles by the Numbers: Jersey Numbers and the Players Who Wore Them is available from Amazon.

Checking Out at the Mall

This past Saturday the Inquirer had an article on a branch of the Camden County Library System, called Shelf Life, located in the Echelon Mall (right across from the Disney store). It is an interesting concept -- taking the library to the people, and a place with adequate parking, too. It's also nice to take a break between stores.

Missing Monday

Crossing the Delware is listed on the Philly Future site and would like to participate in the Missing Monday campaign that some bloggers there have started. On the first Monday of each month, bloggers highlight a missing person from their region or area.



Marianne Demartin was last heard from on September 23, 2005 at approximately 7:00 p.m from her residence in Marlton, NJ. Her vehicle was recovered in Voorhees Township, NJ on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005: A 2001 2-door Black Ford Mustang Convertable with NJ Registration LHF53K. For more information, and contact numbers if you have seen Marianne, click here.