Newark Beat
Christina DeSimone
Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
While reporting on George Clooney's motorcycle crash in New Jersey, a blog on the website E! Online managed to belittle New Jersey and the city of Newark in only five sentences. The article, titled "Another reason to avoid New Jersey," blasted Clooney for being in New Jersey. The most offensive line stated, "Be forewarned: We catch you slumming it again, you'll wish you were in Newark compared to what we'll have for you."
Some city council members in Newark will not attend the opening of the new Prudential Center arena. The boycott of the opening is because city officials are angry that they do not have a luxury suite in the new arena.
A luxury box at the arena costs $250,000. The Devils owner replied that the city never asked for a luxury box in the negotiations, which first took place during the former Mayor Sharpe James.
The council still feels insulted, as the city of Newark put up $210 million for the new arena. They further state that that the boycott is also because the arena has not provided enough jobs to Newark residents and businesses.
Newark gay rights activists wrote to Mayor Cory Booker about the execution style killings of three students in August. The Newark Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer & Two-Spirited Concerns Group feels that the killings may have been a hate crime, as at least one of the victims was gay. As of now, officials have stated that the attack was a robbery, not a hate crime.
The Newark Bears won the Atlantic League Championship on Monday, Sept. 24. They beat the Somerset Patriots in Game 4 with a score of 13-7. This is the second time that the Bears have won the championship.
In a crowded city like Newark, virtually the whole city is covered by drug free school zones. Governor Jon Corzine wants to revamp the drug laws, which are currently failing.
His plan includes reducing the mandatory three-year prison sentence that is applied to anyone arrested on drug chares within 1,000 feet of a school and reducing the area of these drug free school zones.
Drug dealers in Newark cannot escape these zones and the number of drug arrests in these zones is actually on the rise. The drug trade has not slowed as a result of school zones and the prison system is packed with nonviolent offenders.
Those closest to the drug wars acknowledge that children are rarely involved in the drug deals, which mostly take place at night or on the weekends.
Some city council members in Newark will not attend the opening of the new Prudential Center arena. The boycott of the opening is because city officials are angry that they do not have a luxury suite in the new arena.
A luxury box at the arena costs $250,000. The Devils owner replied that the city never asked for a luxury box in the negotiations, which first took place during the former Mayor Sharpe James.
The council still feels insulted, as the city of Newark put up $210 million for the new arena. They further state that that the boycott is also because the arena has not provided enough jobs to Newark residents and businesses.
Newark gay rights activists wrote to Mayor Cory Booker about the execution style killings of three students in August. The Newark Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer & Two-Spirited Concerns Group feels that the killings may have been a hate crime, as at least one of the victims was gay. As of now, officials have stated that the attack was a robbery, not a hate crime.
The Newark Bears won the Atlantic League Championship on Monday, Sept. 24. They beat the Somerset Patriots in Game 4 with a score of 13-7. This is the second time that the Bears have won the championship.
In a crowded city like Newark, virtually the whole city is covered by drug free school zones. Governor Jon Corzine wants to revamp the drug laws, which are currently failing.
His plan includes reducing the mandatory three-year prison sentence that is applied to anyone arrested on drug chares within 1,000 feet of a school and reducing the area of these drug free school zones.
Drug dealers in Newark cannot escape these zones and the number of drug arrests in these zones is actually on the rise. The drug trade has not slowed as a result of school zones and the prison system is packed with nonviolent offenders.
Those closest to the drug wars acknowledge that children are rarely involved in the drug deals, which mostly take place at night or on the weekends.
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