Did swell of new Latino voters help Menendez?

In a story posted by Jim Walsh, of the Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, N.J.), a voter registration drive added thousands of new Latino voters in Pennsauken and some neighboring communities. They likely had an effect on last week’s mid-term election but experts claim that the new voters will also have an important long-term effect on NJ politics.

The drive was headed by Democracia U.S.A, based in Miami, which reports that they helped to sign up 20,560 Hispanic voters, with more half of them in this area. The organization also targeted areas of Florida and Pennsylvania. Their 10-wwek campaign was focused on states with “significant Hispanic population growth, under-representation and a perceived lack of political access,” the group says.

The swell of new Latino voters was expected to help the cause of Cuban-American US Senate candidate Robert Menendez in a close race. Well, Menendez went on to win but no detailed breakout of the voter demographics is available yet to confirm that prediction.

Democracia says it signed up more than 100,000 Hispanic voters in door-to-door drives in Hispanic neighborhoods, targeting New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. The states were chosen due to “significant Hispanic population growth, under-representation and a perceived lack of political access,” the group says.

Historic Preservation Grant for the Morgan Griffith House

One of the most treasured historic landmarks in Pennsauken: the Griffith Morgan House, was recently awarded a grant for the preservation of the 300 year old historic site on the Pennsauken Creek.

Griffith Morgan House

The $25,000 grant is from the Camden County Open Space Preservation Trust Fund; one of seven grants awarded in 2006. According to Kay Rudderow of the Historical Society’s Griffith Morgan Committee, the funds will be used to restore a stone room addition that was a part of the home.

According to the Camden County Historical Society, the house dates to about 1715 and was once attached to an even older structure dating back to 1693.

Landfill gases harnessed for clean electricity

Landfills are certainly an eyesore and the Pennsauken landfill located on River Rd is no exception. It’s NOT pretty. But now the facility is paying some big dividends.

According to the Camden County Division of Environmental Affairs, methane gas from the landfill will now be used to generate electricity in an innovative Clean Energy Program project funded by the NJ Board of Public Utilities. The methane powered generator will produce 2,800 kilowatts of electricity to be used by the neighboring Aluminum Shapes factory.

But there’s more: two large photovoltaic arrays: one at the landfill and another at the Aluminum Shapes facility will be used to power the process to convert the methane to electric power.

Aluminum Shapes is one of the largest consumers of electricity in NJ and also one of the largest employers in Pennsauken.

The net effect is that 40% of the factory’s electric energy usage will now be supplied by this renewable energy source with a corresponding reduction in greenhouse gases.

Smart. Sweet.

Handicapped accessible: Meadowbrook Park

Have you had your fill of politics yet? With the passing of the election on Tuesday, perhaps it’s time to turn our attention to other matters; some lighter fare perhaps.

Kids? Fun in the park? How much lighter can you get? Well, check out the broad smiles on the faces of the handicapped kids in Pennsauken who can now enjoy the handicap accesssible improvements at Meadowbrook Park!

Located on Cooper Ave, between Collins Ave and Githens Ave, the park boasts extra wide ramps to new, fun playground equipment. This is a rare treat in the region and Pennsauken can be proud of this facility, which includes a hiking path as well.

Funded by a $25,000 grant from the Camden County Open Space Fund, Meadowbrook is fun for ALL, but especially so for the handicapped.

Kudos for the Pennsauken Township Parks and Recreation Department and its Director, Elwood “Duke”Martz for this much appreciated development. Pennsauken is the better for it.

Dems win in Pennsauken too!

The mid-term election is over, except perhaps for the oh-too-close-to-call senate race in Virginia. The Dems prevailed in the US House and many other races… a clear and well deserved rebuke of President Bush and his policies.

Closer to home, and not unexpectedly, the Democratic candidates for mayor and council also won handily. Congratulations go to Mayor Greg Schofield and Committewoman Denise Velazques-Marrero. I’m confident they will work hard on behalf of Pennsauken residents.

I met the dynamic duo at the polls last night, wished them success and pledged my vote.

Looking forward, what does this mean in terms of the issues facing Pennsauken? Is it business as usual?

What about the Petty’s Island development project? What about the old Mart tract?

I’ll be posting more on these and other issues so stay tuned.

That said, I’ll also be posting my musings and thoughts about life and other developments in Pennsauken… this isn’t just about politics.