Incomes Drop, Jobless Still Rising, Census Shows

The latest data includes four years of income, insurance and job losses.

There was new evidence last week of the damage done by the recent recession. The U.S. Census Bureau released numerous new social, housing and economic estimates for larger geographic areas, including New Jersey's counties. And the results confirm the pain many are feeling. Median household income dropped again last year in Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Sussex counties. And it's been a steady decline in three of the four from 2008 to 2011. In Morris County, the typical household had $91,332 in income, down about $3,000 from 2010 and nearly 11 percent lower than the $102,147 median in 2008. Those changes are in real, inflation-adjusted dollars, so the impact is clear: Morris County households lost about $11,000 to save, invest and spend in …

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POW/MIAs to Be Recognized at Courthouse

Public invited to Union County POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony.

From the County of Union: Members of the public are invited to join with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in honoring the sacrifices of our nation’s prisoners of war and military personnel missing in action, by attending the Union County POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony on Friday, September 21 at 11:15 a.m., in front of the Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth. In case of rain, the ceremony will be held indoors in the first floor Rotunda of the Courthouse.

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Movie Review: 'The Words' Will Appeal to Book Lovers

What happens when one man steals another man’s work?

by Jane Louise Boursaw   Reel Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Reels  MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language and smoking Released in Theaters: Sept. 7, 2012 Genre: Drama, Romance Runtime: 97 minutes Directed by: Brian Klugman Cast: Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde, J.K. Simmons, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes, Nora Arnezeder Official Site: http://www.thewordsmovie.com/ The Words is playing at AMC Loews Mountainside and Digiplex Cranford. SYNOPSIS: What happens when one man steals another man’s work? Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper) finds out when he stumbles across an ancient manuscript and claims it as his own, becoming a publishing sensation and the pride of his family. Sex/Nudity: Couples kiss and make out, but no nudity. …

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Explaining 9/11 to Children

What you should tell your kids on the tragic anniversary.

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? The answer jumps instantly into every adult’s mind, along with thoughts and feelings about that horrible day.    In Los Angeles, I awoke on September 11th to the drama unfolding on television. The next days and weeks were clouded with confusion and fear. When– and where- would the terrorists strike next? Newly pregnant, I worried what kind of world my child would be born into. As media outlets cover the ten-year anniversary this week, be prepared for images of smoke billowing from the Twin Towers, of a fiery hole in the Pentagon, and of debris in a Pennsylvania field. How do you explain 9/11 to your kids? How do you explain the tragedy and horror of one day that profoundly changed the history of the United…

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Shared Roads, Shared Responsibilities for Bicyclists and Motorists

Bicycling organizations throughout state call on both bike riders and drivers to work together.

Tensions between bicyclists and motorists are in the spotlight this summer and we believe it’s time we all took more responsibility for cooling the confrontation and sharing the road. We represent bicycle clubs and organizations with over 2,000 members in NW and Central NJ. Each of us is also a motorist. We understand sharing the road from behind the wheel of a car as well as on a bicycle. We are as upset as anyone when a bicyclist does not ride safely or a group of cyclists block the road and surround a car as reportedly happened in Tewksbury this summer. Our organizations train riders on safe road sharing, criticize riders who do not, and are ready to work with police and town officials to make the roads safe for all. We also know, …

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Letter to the Editor: Call to End Wasteful Spending in Washington

Kenneth J. Cody is an independent candidate in New Jersey's 12th Congressional District from Lawrenceville. Most of Scotch Plains and Fanwood are now located in the 12th district.

  Now is the time to end politics as usual and stop the reckless spending that goes with it. My name is Kenneth J. Cody and I am an independent candidate in New Jersey's 12th Congressional district. The outrageous amount of money used in campaigning needs to come to an end. In 2010 House candidates raised over $1 billion to be spent from contributions. I believe we need to change the process for elections to be run more fairly. Strict campaign finance reform should be enforced from local elections to the presidency. All candidates need to focus on the issues instead of fund raising. Think of what could have been done with a fraction of the $1 billion raised in 2010. That funding could have gone to educational programs, medical research, …

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Gun Control: A Matter of Common Sense

An Op-Ed from State Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula (D) who is challenging Republican Leonard Lance for the U.S. Congress seat in the 7th District.

The culture of gun violence appears in our everyday lives whether it’s watching the local news, reading the newspaper, or going to the movies.  In some unfortunate shape or form, gun violence is present in our conscious minds constantly.  Responsible gun ownership should have common sense requirements.  Furthermore, irresponsible violent acts should not go without consequences. During one year, Canada had 144 deaths due to gun violence. Australia, 59.  Great Britain, 19. United States of America: 9,369. There is something very dreadfully wrong with that. In order to change the threat of random gun violence the culture of romanticizing it must be changed. We need to properly enforce the gun laws on the books, and not make them weaker by …

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George Roccabonso

11:29 am on Monday, August 27, 2012

Dude, you are a mental case.   more ›

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Helping to Ease Hard Times for Food Banks

Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella encourages residents to help out the needy by supporting food banks.

Food banks usually expect to see a decline in donations over the summer, when many households are on vacation. Under normal circumstances they also expect to restock their shelves when donations swing back up again in the fall. However, this year promises to be anything but normal. Despite signs of recovery in the national economy, local food banks in Union Countyare continuing to feel the impact of other far-reaching trends. Now more than ever they need our help. One new factor is the historic drought that has withered crops across the nation. It is likely to have an upward impact on food prices, as predicted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That will have the twin effect of driving more households to rely on food banks while making…

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MOVIE REVIEW: French Film 'Intouchables,' a Bromance for the Ages

The second most successful French film in history is worth seeing — and it's playing in Union County.

The Intouchables is playing locally at the Cranford Theater. For showtimes, visit here. Black man from the projects. Handicapped, white millionaire. The unlikeliest of compadres, from total opposite sides of the pole, but intertwined best friends. Not quite Rob and Big, but the recipe remains the same. Directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano based The Intouchables off of a true story after discovering it in 2004 through a documentary and book, You Changed My Life, by Abdel Sellou. Though bits of the story were adapted for a more movie-friendly experience, the charm and wit of the leading stars (Cluzet and Sy) bring Phillipe Di Borgo’s and Abdel Sellou’s relationship back to life. The film is essentially a feel-good movie with lots of …

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