Around the 6pm start to the Netherwood Heights Neighbors annual white party yesterday, the air was hot and skies were ominous. Heavy downpours followed, but they were short lived – and gave way to a perfect temperature for the evening occasion. The first 5 pictures were taken by Jeff Spelman (via Facebook), and all of…
After months of public discontent on the matter, the Plainfield City Council finally met in person yesterday evening for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This reorganization meeting took place exactly 19 months since indoor gathering limits were lifted in the state of New Jersey on June 4th of 2021. Attending…
Carmencita Pile serves on the Board of Education and the Planning Board – an embarrassment to me as a Plainfield resident. Her continued service shows how little accountability local officials face due to several factors: money in politics, low voter turnout, and the death of local media who can hold people accountable. As a result,…
Yesterday evening on Central Avenue in Front of Richard Wyatt’s House, Cindelle’s Bookstore, the Richard Wyatt Foundation, and PARC kicked off the first of six Free Little Libraries. “I would go around to surrounding towns, and I would see these [little libraries]. I would get upset because there are none in Plainfield,” bookstore owner Cindelle…
On Saturday June 4, Union County Commissioner Rebecca Williams took part in the latest march against gun violence in Plainfield. The Plainfield demonstration was part of a renewed national push, spurred on by the tragic shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, towards solutions to the crisis. Commissioner Williams delivered a powerful, emotional plea for stricter gun…
270 votes. That’s all Richard Wyatt needed to win his 2021 bid for Mayor of Plainfield in the Democratic Primary, despite being outspent by a massive margin – $355,000 versus around $35,000. Incumbent Adrian Mapp literally held a 10 to 1 money advantage, with donations from a who’s who of vendors, consultants, politicians, city employees,…
I haven’t written a blog post in quite a while, but occasionally there is something I just have to sound off on. Last week I heard about one of the most disastrous school policies I can recall. This terrible policy will be implemented in the Plainfield Public Schools, and will potentially affect every K-12 student…
I apologize for the lateness of this post, which I planned to release it in late July when the official results were released. But recovering from the campaign grind – and taking care of the obligations that the longest ever primary campaign forced me to neglect – has been a herculean task of its own.…
Election Day is Tuesday July 7, and the Column A Progressive Democrats strongly encourage you to vote by mail before then. All ballots must be postmarked by that date. For your health, and for our collective wellbeing, voting by mail is best. However, the deadline to request a mail-in ballot passed on Tuesday, June 30th.…
During the month of June, both Reverend Tracey Brown of Plainfield’s Ruth Fellowship Ministries and Harvard University’s Dr Cornel West endorsed David Rutherford for Plainfield City Council. “In these times of crisis, it is even more important that we support progressive leaders like Emily Morgan and David Rutherford, whose development I have witnessed for the…
The Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition called for a local rally against the murder of George Floyd and police violence in general, and it took place today. While this was Plainfield’s biggest anti-violence rally, it was preceded by many others over this past decade. I have made sure to participate – and post about – every single…
The Progressive Democrats of New Jersey have launched a legal defense fund to aid protestors who get caught up in the legal system, which often results in overwhelming expenses, especially for individuals with limited means. To donate, please click here. Following is the press release: Progressive Democrats of New Jersey is taking a stand with…
In response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police – and police violence in general – the Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition will be leading a march and rally in Plainfield on Saturday June 6, as announced on Facebook by its founder, Norman Muhammad. You can visit the coalition’s Facebook page here. Attendees who wish…
On Monday evening, I again took part in the nearest demonstration against the murders of George Floyd and so many others – this time in Asbury Park. You can see my photos from Saturday’s Newark demonstration here. The Asbury Park were largely peaceful when I was there, but escalated after nightfall – link here. You…
On Saturday I joined several thousand others at the nearest demonstration of the callous murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police, which took place in downtown Newark. Tonight, curfews have been put in place in nearly a dozen US cities, and it’s safe to say that this won’t be the last demonstration in our area.…
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