Category: environmental justice
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Sometimes you just gotta do what’s right (update on environmental activism at the bayshore)
“Sometimes you just gotta do what’s right inside and hope that maybe the rest of the world will come around to it. And maybe they will and maybe they won’t, but the truth is, you gotta take care of yourself first,“ – Elizabeth Warren, talking about her own life at a campaign rally, December 1,…
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“Lack of oversight”
“Lack of oversight by Florida International University, the Florida Department of Transportation, contractors and engineers is to blame for the deadly collapse of a pedestrian bridge on the school campus in 2018, federal investigators said Tuesday.” – UPI 10/22/2019 The tragic story of the 2018 Florida bridge collapse in the news again today results in…
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Our “undocumented” neighbors
A few of our local people are “undocumented” but not in the common usage of the word. They have apparently chosen and managed to live with little government interaction. The most memorable example of this was a peaceful old man who lived just a few doors away on a branch of Nantuxent Creek. He had…
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#WorldMentalHealthDay and environmental justice in New Jersey
Today is noted in news broadcasts as World Mental Health Day. In this past week I’ve had more discussions about mental health than is typical. The book “The Drowning of Money Island” released October 1 talks about the nervous breakdown of the former business owner who is still one of my closest neighbors. I did…
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Lessons from “The Drowning of Money Island”
I read Andrew Lewis’ book “The Drowning of Money Island” today. I am reminded that we can learn in at least three different ways from a documentary book like this. I did; and I’ll likely have many The learning aspects are amplified, of course, since I’m reading partly about my own story. First, I benefited…
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Whistleblower risks are real
Whistleblower risks are real! I know first hand the real dangers of being a government whistle blower. It happened right here in Cumberland County New Jersey in 2006. As I laid badly injured on my lawn at the side of the road we heard the attacker yelling “What did you think would happen for fucking…
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Eminent domain at the bayshore
“Little else raises fear in property owners like eminent domain powers of government”. I remember back years ago when we didn’t worry that our children might be murdered in a mass killing by crazy guy with a military style machine gun in their school. Back then we didn’t worry that people from another country were…
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A celebration of bravery
Today is a mile mark, maybe even a celebration, of personal bravery. Earlier this year after suffering a dismal series of government attacks, I decided to take my family’s advice and get out of New Jersey permanently. I won’t enumerate the litany and range of problems again now; it’s depressing enough just to have them…
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Evolution of the local oyster industry
More than a century ago there were over 300 oyster boats operating on the Delaware Bay employing approximately 1,500 people. The oyster industry led our maritime trades that were one of the four primary industries in our country forming the backbone of employment, tax revenue and overall economic stability. The oyster industry was eventually depleted…
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Demolitions and construction side by side?
This article published last fall in North Jersey.com hints at the expansion of the oyster industry here at Money Island. Since then, we’ve seen the greatest expansion of oyster industry infrastructure investment here at Money Island ever with an elevated roadway and dock construction. Indications are this is only the beginning of the expansion. Today…