Friday, May 24, 2013

Subscriber Services |

Friday, May 24, 2013

Blinq

Archive: November, 2011

Un-civil war in Hightstown

POSTED: Friday, November 25, 2011, 9:07 AM

The charming Mercer County, NJ borough of Hightstown – home of the posh Peddie School – is at war over whether it’s disrespectful to decorate a war monument for the holidays.

Following an earlier presentation by a single member of Hightstown’s Historic Preservation Commission, the borough council on November 7 unanimously approved a plan to string lights on the recently restored Soldiers Monument at Stockton Street and Rogers Avenue, a landmark in the heart of town.

Turns out the full preservation commission had actually rejected the idea; the other eight members have now resigned. And on Monday, amid an outcry from veterans and other critics, a borough councilwoman who planned to ask for a reconsideration of the plan fell ill an hour before a meeting of the body, which opted to go forward.

Kevin Riordan @ 9:07 AM Permalink | Post a comment

MontCo goes Blue

POSTED: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 3:14 PM

Filed Under: Blinq Favorites | Poli Sci

Montgomery County has been controlled by Republicans forever, so long residents can't even remember.

Everyone has widely believed the GOP has run Montgomery County since 1875. The government official told me so. The Inquirer has always maintained the date. But, thanks to county historical society's Jeff McGranahan, I learned that the GOP has been in charge since 1881 as I wrote in Sunday's column.

But all of that is set to change Jan. 3 when MontCo goes blue after Democrats Josh Shapiro and Leslie Richards won office this month. Republican Bruce Castor, the county's former district attorney, will be the lone holdover from the current three-ring circus, which feature the bipartisan bromance of exiting Jim Matthews and Joe Hoeffel.

Karen Heller @ 3:14 PM Permalink | 9 comments

Love coming to Philly

POSTED: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 1:42 PM

Like many of you who enjoy gazing at the tall, dark and handsome, I was a littled bummed when Reggie Love, President Obama's personal aide and basketball-playing sidekick, recently announced he was leaving his job to go back to school.

Love, 30, a graduate of Duke University, where he played basketball and football, joined Obama's senate staff in 2006 and has been with the president ever since.

I know. We'll miss seeing those images of the dashing "First Brother" striding alongside the commander-in-chief. But all is not lost. Here's a stalker alert for those of us who live in the Philadelphia region: Love plans to enroll in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Annette John-Hall @ 1:42 PM Permalink | 3 comments

Yo, Rob

POSTED: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 7:59 AM

Times certainly aren’t tough for U.S. Rep. Robert E. Andrews, D-NJ.

After two decades in Congress, the onetime blue-collar guy from Bellmawr is now able to jet off to Scotland with the wife and kids for a weekend wedding, enjoy five-star accommodations, and then charge the hotel, a $463 wedding gift and $1,000 worth of miscellaneous to his campaign!

And here’s the most fabulous part: Andrews seems to think this is absolutely, totally, perfectly ... peachy.

Kevin Riordan @ 7:59 AM Permalink | 4 comments

One More Mile

POSTED: Monday, November 21, 2011, 2:13 PM

Filed Under: City Life | Deaths | Lives and Deaths | Sports

Eighteen months ago, I'd never run more than 3 or 4 miles. Sunday, I completed my first half-marathon, capping a 40th birthday year challenge I set for myself that began with a 10K over the Ben Franklin Bridge last fall and the glorious 10 miler down Broad Street in May.

So yeah, an overstressed, underrested working Mom can pull this off. But if I had to do it all over again, I would have started in my 20s. My knees agree.

I still have yet to experience the elusive runner's high -- unless it's less ecstasy, more prideful satisfaction -- but I've become part of the tribe. You know us and probably loathe us. We talk about running way too much, as if anyone besides other runners cares about how lousy the weather was for our last long run or how thrilled we are about our new shoes.

Monica Yant Kinney @ 2:13 PM Permalink | 1 comment

Don't give up

POSTED: Monday, November 21, 2011, 9:08 AM

I’d pretty much had it with Occupy.

The sloppiness, the incoherence, the colonization of the movement by people who ought to get off the street and into rehab -- big turnoffs for a middle-class, middle-aged suburbanite. Even a liberal one.

Then the cops moved in with all their power-ranger regalia, beating up unarmed American citizens in New York City, spraying peaceful protestors with chemicals in California.

Kevin Riordan @ 9:08 AM Permalink | 2 comments

A second act for Medford's mayor?

POSTED: Friday, November 18, 2011, 9:04 AM

After hi-jinks with hookers, Eliot Spitzer resigned from the governorship of New York.

Later, he got his own TV show.

After sex-tweeting photos of himself in his underwear, Anthony Weiner resigned from Congress.

Kevin Riordan @ 9:04 AM Permalink | 2 comments

God save the Nanny

POSTED: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 7:56 AM

If Cape May’s governing body revives a plan -- which a tie vote snuffed out Monday -- to ban smoking on the beach, opponents may want to look across the pond for a glimpse of how far anti-tobacco zealotry can go.

It seems the British Medical Association wants to stop people from smoking.

In their own cars.

Kevin Riordan @ 7:56 AM Permalink | 1 comment

Simeone car museum wins first

POSTED: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 6:01 PM

View gallery

Just got a call from Harry Hurst over at the Simeone Foundation Museum. That international award the Southwest Philadelphia collection of 66 classic racing cars was up for?

First prize.

Vroom, vroom.

Daniel Rubin @ 6:01 PM Permalink | 2 comments

?uestlove tweets again

POSTED: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 3:35 PM

If you follow Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson on Twitter, you knew before everybody else.

When New York police officers swept through Zuccotti Park in the predawn hours Tuesday, evicting 220 campers and ending Occupy Wall Street's two month encampment, it was Questlove, The Roots afro'd drummer and prolific Twitter user, who tweeted the clarion call.

Questlove, the house drummer for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, wrote that he had seen 1,000 officers in riot gear blocks from Zuccotti Park, a full hour before they actually moved in. According to the New York Times, our Philly homie tweeted:

Annette John-Hall @ 3:35 PM Permalink | 2 comments