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Message |
    
daniel d
Citizen
Username: Dan_d
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 3:34 pm: | 
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I thought for my first post I would give a suggestion for the town residents and the restaurants.
I think on Friday night and Saturday night the town should run a free jitney service to town. The first stop can be the Newstead school parking lot and then the next stop could be the South Mountain school lot allowing people to drive, park and ride. The jitney could shuttle people down to the center of town and back to their cars and run a non stop loop to Midnight. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 690
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 3:44 pm: |
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Sorry - I appreciate the sentiment, but we'd still drive as dinner is usually not the only thing we do on a Fri/Sat - who wants to wait around for a bus?
Frankly, we've never had a problem with parking downtown before a dinner reservation - we just walk a bit more sometimes than others. If valet were an option everywhere we'd probably use it, especially if they parked the cars in a secured lot. |
jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 365
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 11:17 pm: |
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Stuffed. And on your first post.
Well, welcome anyway. Keep the good ideas coming. We need 'em.
J.B. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 693
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 11:43 pm: |
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Sorry Daniel - I didn't mean to be mean, but I guess I sorta was, this being your first post and all.
Welcome to MOL and enjoy! |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 8954
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 12:14 am: |
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What about a political education tour of the village on one of those jitneys?
"Here on our right we have the future site of a pile of rubble created by Sayid, a landowner who doesn't pay his property taxes and has a mysterious business relationship with Village President Calabrese."
"Across the way is a pile of rubble called Beifus. The temporary walkway was constructed in only six years! At night it's lighted."
"This fresh hole in the gound used to be the site of an architectually interesting building, but the town knocked it down. Behind it is a boarded up building that the town bought with taxpayer money without doing a thorough inspection of the property. Turns out the property is contaminated. Whose fault? Village attorney (who was a Trustee before going for the green).
"You'll be thankful we're on a tour bus, as you can well see, there's no parking to be had. Of course the parking authority gives special dispensation if you know the right people, and the person to know when it comes to parking is a former Trustee's brother, who now heads the Parking Authority. Detecting a pattern yet?"
"If you are starting to get hungry, we would normally stop at the Town Hall Deli, but that's not been built yet. Also note there's a cloud over that property because no one understands much of how the transaction between the owner and the town happened."
"Now we're turning onto Valley Street, where the town is considering a proposal to knock most of it down. Why? Well, why not? Didn't need a reason for knocking other buildings over, did they?"
"Now we'll cut down this street to Sloan Street, where you'll see the one thing that did get built -- the Gazebo. Wait, wait a second. [puts hand to ear] I'm getting news. This just in: the Gazebo is slated for demolition. I'm getting news the Gazebo location will be for a sculpture whose cost the BoT has been lying about until very recently. There's a story in a recent Star-Ledger edition, I understand."
"Now we're going up South Orange avenue to the location of the new developments, where ongoing quarry operations is creating a total mess. Well, it's tough to see through all this pollution, so let's move on."
"Here we are back in the center of the Village. That building that looks like it survived a bomb campaign is Village Hall. It's falling apart at its beams. The facade is crumbling. The walls are barely staying in place. There's no money to fix it because for some reason we need an enormous copy of a famous sculpture and we need it now. "
"Here we are at the library. Nice people here. Those buckets catch water because the roof needs replacing, but it's not as important as other things, like paying Trustees a salary, so they can continue their vision of leveling most of the village with a vengance only Saddam Hussein or George Bush could understand."
"This is Seton Hall University, the location where the Calabrese faction brought thugs from Newark to intimidate young voters. It worked. Nice to know our elected officials have a hotline to Newark's political leaders."
"Now we're passing former Trustee Mary Theroux Gross' home. And it's home away from home for the village administrator, Mr. Gross Theroux. Ms. Theroux is quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer supporting the hiring of relatives by politcians just in case anyone was wondering if she had any shame."
"Finally, we're passing a building that don't exist in South Orange, but perhaps should: The Bureau of Missing Persons, which, if it existed, would be taxed to its limits trying to find out where Trustee Terriann has been hiding, as she simply doesn't show up to BoT meetings.
"Hope you've enjoyed the tour. Travel sickness bags are beneath your seats." |
AntoninaKC
Citizen
Username: Antoninakc
Post Number: 217
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 12:46 am: |
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Dave-- Sad, but seemingly all true 
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MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 3626
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 7:48 am: |
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Dave - An instant classic!!! |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 696
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 7:48 am: |
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 ......
Don't know whether to laugh, cry or burn with anger!
But, what a well-written post. Perhaps that bit of satire should be in the Gaslight (or should be sent as a letter to the editor)!
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Elaine Harris
Citizen
Username: Elaineharris
Post Number: 126
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:15 am: |
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Dave, priceless! But to be fair, the person in paragraph four is "only" the brother of a former trustee, as opposed to being a former trustee. You forgot to mention his wife who is a code enforcement officer who was hired under her maiden name as a clerk so we wouldn't notice the nepotism and then resumed her married name and rose through the ranks to be where she is now. |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 3628
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:21 am: |
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Elaine,
I thought Dave was alluding to the appointment of Theroux, which is still technically up in the air. |
daniel d
Citizen
Username: Dan_d
Post Number: 2
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:30 am: |
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I thought it was a good idea I live in Newstead and I would use the jitney to get to town on a Friday or Saturday evening. I am tired of searching for a spot. |
vermontgolfer
Supporter
Username: Vermontgolfer
Post Number: 364
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 4:16 pm: |
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daniel d,
Go to Cyran's, I understand they have "VALET PARKING". |
MHD
Citizen
Username: Mayhewdrive
Post Number: 3638
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 4:22 pm: |
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VG - now THAT was laugh out loud funny. |
SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 251
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 4:59 pm: |
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Dave - what a tremendous post. Great job.
If you are considering submitting for publication, then a small addition you may want to work on (because I can't match your style) is that property at Ralston & Scotland Rd. This is the one that the village sold for a $1 back in '97 or so and was sold for ~$500-$600K a year or two ago and was put back on the market late last year by Sayid for close to $900K. A non-profit or two in Newark was involved in the property washing. A non-profit whose ED (?) is also tied to scandal at university of medicine and dentistry. Oh, and some relative of the the village attrorney was also involved with the property when it was a "non-profit" - a bit of misnomer, someone here saw a rather tidy profit.
MHD - appears there may be more BOT nepotism at the PA.
Elaine - Is it a commissioner or a paid employee that is brother of a former trustee? Does the ED have a BOT connection?
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SO1969
Citizen
Username: Bklyn1969
Post Number: 252
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 5:02 pm: |
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New Thought - Brought on by the totality of Dave's great post:
Tau may be a necessary evil. Allowing Tau to happen may be the way to get the "man on the street" SO resident to wake up, smell the coffee and get himself/herself to the polls next time. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 6
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 5:44 pm: |
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I have an idea for an interactive work of art - How about digging a big pit (oh, forgot, we have one on Vose, so we don't needs to pay thousands to have a new one dug) that all residents can walk passed on a regular basis, bow, and throw money in, which will, on an equally regular basis have a flame thrower aimed at it so the cash goes up in smoke.... We could be proud of this monument, and say it was erected/dug to symbolise the essence of South Orange. It could be called
The Orange pit, or "The Pits" for short... Sorry, that was me being sarcastic..... |
vermontgolfer
Supporter
Username: Vermontgolfer
Post Number: 365
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 6:58 pm: |
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Soparents
Hey, you need a sense of humor to read all this stuff!
MHD,
Thanks, everyone once in a while they just come out.
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FlyingSpaghettiMonst
Citizen
Username: Noodlyappendage
Post Number: 34
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 7:32 pm: |
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daniel d, You idea was an example of "thinking outside the box" and very welcome. Unfortunately many of the MOL posters twist every idea and post into a way to diss on the current administration. But thanks for trying to be creative. (and I am surprized that residents in other areas outside Newstead didn't also complain. Oh well!) |
jayjay
Citizen
Username: Jayjayp
Post Number: 513
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 7:57 pm: |
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Dandiel D, I think your idea is a good one. I have often thought that the Jitney should operate on a continuous loop basis, more than the times you suggest. This would enable people to take the trains too without having to search for a spot, even in the off-times.
Parking is a problem, and will get worse once SOPAC is finished. Anyway, our Mr. Calabrese was shot down at the last BOT. Apparently he thought the town would be able to use the middle school lot to take the burden off the parking squeeze in the downtown. But it sounded like the town got rebuffed, at least for now. He directed his henchman (Matthew and Gross) to do something as he thought he had an agreement with the school. Maybe the Board of Education doesn't feel like they have to feed into his "vision". Maybe they fear the lot will turn into an dirt pit, like the rest of his vision. |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 8957
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 8:10 pm: |
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Using the Jitney to shuttle people on weekends is an interesting idea. Don't see how anyone was dissing it. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 699
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 8:47 pm: |
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For the record, I wasn't "dissing" it - just said I personally wouldn't use it, didn't really have problems finding parking somewhere when we want to eat in S.Orange, but I would use valet parking if all the restaurants offered it and that it would be nice if the valeted (is that a word?) cars were parked in a lot with an attendant. |
FlyingSpaghettiMonst
Citizen
Username: Noodlyappendage
Post Number: 36
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:14 pm: |
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No one said you were dissing the idea, you just used daniel d's post as an opportunity to "diss" on the current administration. |
Elaine Harris
Citizen
Username: Elaineharris
Post Number: 130
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:00 pm: |
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To So1969: paid executive director is brother of former trustee |
PARROT HEAD
Citizen
Username: Island_jack
Post Number: 114
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:38 pm: |
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If the Jitney tour Idea doesn't work out (Priceless Dave.....Priceless!) I'm sure you can see a similar tour of Village folleys from the River Walk. Which will probably be on the Jitney Tour soon. |
PARROT HEAD
Citizen
Username: Island_jack
Post Number: 115
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:43 pm: |
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daniel d,
Welcome. And dont let people shoot you down so quick. You have the right to post a lot more before people can OFFICIALLY get pissed off at you. I know from experience.
Apply for a patent on the Jitney idea because soon the only place you'll be able to park in this town is your driveway. |
Dave
Supporter
Username: Dave
Post Number: 8959
Registered: 4-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:46 pm: |
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It was a great place for a jitney post. What can I say? If the administration weren't out of touch and corrupt I would have gone for the jitney raptor tour and pointed out nesting places of redtails and barn owls. |
daniel d
Citizen
Username: Dan_d
Post Number: 3
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 1:55 pm: |
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No problem. Like water off a ducks back. I too love a good one!
I'll keep trying I have tons ideas!!! |
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