Random Items

Random image: Miniature daffodils.

I received some of the mailings from the Satellite Emergency Department on the Muhlenberg Campus and was surprised to see they are encouraging people with colds and other minor ailments to go there. I thought that was more along the lines of what the Plainfield Health Center dealt with. Are these two entities now competing for the same medical population? Mark's article today had a quote calling the Satellite Department the "best-kept secret," the same phrase Eugene Baucum used about the Plainfield Health Center at a recent forum.

According to the BOE agenda for April 7, the school district plans to defer pension payments, something the city just did. The work-and-study session coincides with the PMUA meeting the same night. If I go to any meeting, it's more likely to be the PMUA, but maybe on Monday I can find out how much the district will save by approving a pension deferral plan. Anyone going to the PMUA meeting should take a look at Eric Watson's rebuttal of Councilman Adrian Mapp's letter about getting rid of PMUA. Click here for the PMUA's new web site.

I did not attempt to cover the Regular Democratic Organization's screening Friday. Given the party chairman's increasingly hostile and petulant attitude toward me, I decided it wasn't worth the aggravation. Anybody who went and has news or comments is welcome to submit them for posting.

It seems there will be a large field of candidates for mayor, but until 4 p.m. Monday, we can't say for sure. According to the last tally from the Union County Board of Elections, there are 12,544 registered Democrats, one Green Party member, three Libertarian Party members, 1,108 Republicans, one Conservative Party member and 8,859 unaffiliated voters. Obviously, the hot arena will be the Democratic primary in June. But any non-Democrats who want to join the fray must file party declaration forms by April 13 in order to take part. So giddy-up, all you Republicans and whatnot.

The Board of Elections will release an updated report on voter affiliations in late May. Click here to see the Plainfield report from 10/20/2008.

Be sure to check back on my post about Mark Spivey and read the comments. He sure has a lot of fans besides me. There is even a congratulatory post on Jerry Green's Page, sorting Mark out from the "maleficent" past reporters.

Excuse me, I have to go back to stirring my cauldron. Ooops! Just ran out of eye of newt. Maybe Twin City has some. Sound track: Screamin Jay Hawkins (click here.)

--Bernice Paglia