Camden NJ History

GLOUCESTER CITY, N.J. (AP) _ A Marine corporal who volunteered to go to Iraq after two combat tours in Afghanistan was killed Monday in fighting in Ramadi, family members said Tuesday.

As lightening flashes intermittently in an otherwise clear sky, a group of more than 200 Marines begins to gear up on a dusty plain outside the Iraqi city of Fallujah. Officers bark orders, directing grunts into their vehicles. Tank drivers climb into turrets and crank up heavy-metal tunes. Infantrymen who moments earlier had been asking about baseball scores exhort one another to move forward. "This is what you trained for, Marine!" "You're the hunter! You're the predator!"

My father, Biagio Acquaro, had a self-owned business at 2713 Federal Street in East Camden, from the 1940's through the late 1960's. His establishment was called "Federal Hat Cleaning". My Dad would clean and block felt hats for people located all over the tri-county area. Even people from Philadelphia would come over and take advantage of his expertise.

It is a bit of Camden in amber now, Donkey's Place is, or maybe a shrine - the dingy bar hung with photos of the founder, his dukes perpetually up; the grill steaming with steaks and onions; the back room still swathed in the original tobacco-colored mural, a sweep of Sahara, its palms chipped and faded from 60 years of wear.

While you can drive a car under the Ben Franklin Bridge at street level from North 3rd Street east, at 4th Street there is a tunnel, closed in the early 1980s, that provided amusement for generations of local kids on bicycles, and aggravation for most adults responsible for public safety. At 5th Street there is a pedestrian tunnel, which is still in use.

If you are looking up at the skyline of the city, it's hard to miss one of the four clocks that grace the top of City Hall. They're a good indicator for 1-676 commuters as to whether they'll be on time.

The 2004 Tournament was held August 14, 15, and 16.

The Carnegie Library, a long-vacant landmark so neglected that trees are growing inside it, could be restored as part of the city's turnaround effort. The city is preparing to spend $250,000 to stabilize the century-old building at Broadway and Line Street, said Arijit De, executive director of the Camden Redevelopment Agency. Improvements would include a temporary roof for the once-stately structure, which is considered one of New Jersey's most endangered historic buildings. Officials then will seek $4 million in restoration funds from the state and other sources, De said.

Clarence Adkins Obituary

Do you remember the center grate or grille usually between the living and dining room. This was the only heat grille in the house and it didn't work well.

CAMDEN - Jailed ex-Mayor Milton Milan is scheduled to answer accusations in U.S. District Court today that he wrongfully fired an assistant business administrator who spoke out against his policies.

The Three Kings Day celebration at the McGuire Gardens public housing complex in East Camden was put on by the Asociacion De Puertorriquenos En Marcha, a Hispanic social services agency in Camden. The group purchased toys and candy for 300 to 350 children, said John Fuentes, the group's executive director. More than 80 youngsters had stopped by in the first hour alone.