Carteret Announces Planned Street Upgrades

CARTERET—Mayor Daniel J. Reiman and Councilwoman Iris Colon, chair of Public Works, have announced that approximately $910,000 has been earmarked for local road improvements. The funds will be provided through the town’s capital fund, which is also comprised of monies awarded by Middlesex County and the state.

Five local streets have been selected according to need, and will receive structural upgrades, and in some cases, new ADA accessibility, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks.

Damaged thoroughfares that are also some of the town’s most traveled roadways were target areas in the selection process. Among the streets to be resurfaced are Carteret Avenue, Sharot Street, Willow Street,  and Charlotte Street.

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Weekend Festival Promotes Local History

CLARK – Next Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18-19, you can experience the rich history of Union County as you travel back in time during “Four Centuries in a Weekend, 2008.” The annual heritage festival, sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, is a free, two-day festival scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18; and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19.

The Clark Historical Society invites you to visit the first stop along the “Four Centuries in a Weekend” tour at the Dr. William Robinson Plantation House and Museum. Some of the planned events include guided tours of the plantation, a Civil War underpinnings display, presentations about the Confederate Navy with ship models, and hearth cooking on Sunday. Bring the whole family and take a walk through history.

The Dr. William Robinson Plantation House and Museum in Clark is one of 25 sites taking part in the Union County 2008 Four Centuries in a Weekend heritage festival.

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Another South Amboy Landmark Demolished

 

Another South Amboy Landmark Demolished—The remains, as of Oct. 9, of the famous South Amboy Briggs Chevrolet building which was located on Main Street for many years. It later became Multi-Care Ambulance Service and has been empty for years. Demolition began earlier in the week, making room for more progress in the city. Photo by Diane Norek Harrison

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“Religulous” – Nothing Sacred – 3 popcorns

By Michael S. Goldberger, film critic 

It’s no secret that a good portion of comedian Bill Maher’s career has been devoted to questioning the world of spiritualism, from debunking obvious scam artists to challenging the very nature of the First Estate itself. And now, directed by Larry Charles, he stars in “Religulous,” his own freestyle documentary devoted to that cause.

This is funny stuff, its demystifying thoughts a raucously bittersweet deconstruction of nearly everything the so-called civilized world has come to believe…all in a miraculous one hour and forty-one minutes. Indeed, he uses extreme examples, collecting a rogue’s gallery of real-life, bizarre characters to make his point shocking as well as entertaining.

Yet underneath all the kidding, the grim undertow pulls at us. We know how powerful organized religion is, the countless lives it has claimed ever since Oog and Boog disagreed on which G-d to worship. Political leaders use it. Marx knew his communism couldn’t work if it had to compete with faith and conviction.

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Remembering the Past: Doctors Who Once Practiced In Perth Amboy

By Diane Norek Harrison

PERTH AMBOY—Here are some of the many doctors and dentists that once practiced in Perth Amboy in 1953 from material given to me for my column:

I.P. Avchen-dentist; 188 Hall Ave., Dr. Sami Bernstein; 165 Smith St., Dr. Irving Breslow-dentist; 76 Market St., Dr. Edward Brezinski; 308 Washington, Dr. J.J. Brown-optometrist; 88 Smith St., Dr. Cooperman-M.D.: 527 New Brunswick Ave., Dr Benjamin Copleman-MD.; 280 Hobart St, Dr. O.H. Buchanan; 313 State St., Dr. Budnicky-dentist; 436 Amboy Ave., Dr. Budnicki-M.D.; 645 Amboy Ave., Dr Sara Ann Bunin-M.D.; 266 High St., Dr. M.E. Burg-dentist; 133 Smith St., Dr. C.H. Burlew-dentist; 94 Smith St., Dr. Charles Calvin; 80 Comrc., Dr. Georgette L. Clark-M.D.; 214 Smith St., Dr. F.J DeMarco-optician; 243 State St. and Dr. M.J. Dinesen-dentist; 175 Smith St. Dr. Philip Fass-dentist 175 Smith St., Dr. I.J. Fine-MD; Hobart St., Dr. A. H. Fishkoff-MD; Market St., Dr. L. Fried-dentist; 88 Smith St., Dr. J.P. Gindin-dentist St., Dr. Albert Klein-dentist; 63 Smith St., Dr. Edward Klein-MD;  Dr. Hyman Koch-dentist, and Dr. Lazaar-optometrist all at 280 Hobart St., Dr. A.J. Leitner-dentist; 214 Smith St.,

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