Brotherly Love, Again

Recently we blogged about two brothers who shot each other during an argument. Apparently, drawing a gun on one’s brother is more common that we thought. Today the Associated Press distributed the following story:

Shotgun Drawn after Fight over Sandwich

Bridgewater -- Police in New Jersey said a shotgun was brandished after two brothers argued about a sandwich for their mother.

Police said the argument began in the kitchen of Anthony Pilla's Bridgewater house, where the mother lives. It escalated when Pilla's brother threw his cap and glasses at the 49-year-old.

According to an affidavit, Pilla went to the basement and returned with a loaded shotgun. Police said the brothers wrestled, Pilla dropped the shotgun and their mother took it out of the house.

Pilla is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

The Monopoly Card Won’t Work

Here in Hunterdon County, home county of The Badge Company of New Jersey, inmates in the County Jail will soon be paying the county $50 for booking them.

The plan is for the county to collect the fee upon the inmate's release, whether that comes because they've posted bail or completed their sentence. This according to George Wagner, county director of Public Safety, who proposed the idea. Many of New Jersey's jails collect such a fee, he told the county freeholders this week. The $50 charge, he said, "would bring us in parity with some of our sister counties."

The booking fee is just one of several measures the county freeholders adopted this week to help the county in these tight fiscal times. They also voted to increase healthcare co-pays for jail inmates to $10 per doctor visit and $10 for prescription medications, and at the same time they voted to increase their own health benefits co-pay from 1% to 2.5% of their salaries.

Another Historic Business Closes

After 125 years – 125 years! – Tattersall Building Supplies in Trenton is closing its retail operation. Next Friday, August 14, will be the last day that the store is open. It saddens us to see such an historic enterprise go away.

In truth, it is just the retail business that is going away. The owners are still going to conduct online tool sales (see http://www.tattersallsinc.com ) and they are going to continue to operate two additional business enterprises, Firehawk Industries, which makes industrial cleaning equipment, and Brutus Rollers LLC, which makes power rollers for tennis court construction and maintenance.

These latter two products are ones with which we have considerable familiarity, because when we began working part-time in our college years we worked in the plant that manufactured them. Firehawk was called Northeast Industries originally, and its roots go back “only” to 1958. Brutus Rollers began at Midland Products in 1954 before moving to Northeast Industries.

While we can take some solace in the fact that these two manufacturing enterprises, each more than 50 years old, are continuing, it is nonetheless disappointing to see the one that was founded in 1884 close its doors.

Who Is That Handsome Guy?

Bob Marlow, left, General Manager of The Badge Company of New Jersey, discusses badge details with a customer at the recent Police Security Expo in Atlantic City.

The Police Security Expo is one of several trade shows at which we exhibit each year. When you see our distinctive booth backdrop with our badge logo, stop by and say hello to Bob, Sue, or Rebbecca. Of course, while you're there we invite you to take a look at our badges, leather goods, and other public safety products.

Can't make it to one of the shows? We will be happy to mail a catalog to you, just send a note to info@NJBadges.com or give us a call.

New Jersey In The Spotlight

New Jersey and Virginia are the only two states that hold their gubernatorial elections in the year following a presidential election, with the result that these elections tend to get more than the usual share of national attention and are often seen as referenda on the party of the sitting president. So sure enough, this year there is considerable national attention on the New Jersey contest between Democrat incumbent Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie, and considerable commentary on how this election may reflect on President Obama.

This time around the principal issue confronting the candidates is the financial condition of the state, and financial considerations are coloring the debate on all issues, from school funding to stem-cell research to gay marriage to property tax relief.

But while New Jersey’s off-year election tends to turn the spotlight on the state, New Jersey is by no means alone in the choppy financial waters. California, of course, has been in the news because its financial crisis reached the point that the state began issuing IOUs for state debts. New York has been in the news because its own financial woes have been exacerbated by a paralyzing struggle in the legislature for party control. All states and cities nationwide are battling the financial demons.

Sadly, the campaign advertising we have seen so far – from both sides – has been less about the economy or other issues and more about whether the other guy is trustworthy. It looks like this campaign will be just another exercise in mutual character assassination. Is this really what we want to do while the spotlight is on us?

Is Gunfire Funny?

No. But we can’t help but laugh at this story published by the Star-Ledger:

Police Arrest Two Newark Brothers Who Shot Each Other

NEWARK -- Police arrested two brothers who wounded each other Monday in the city's North Ward.

Alfatir Dowell, 18, and his brother Andre Dowell, 24, were in custody, Detective Todd McClendon said today. Alfatir Dowell was wounded in the hand and torso, while Andre Dowell was wounded in the arm, he said.

The brothers exchanged gunfire about 7 p.m. at 58 Cedar Lane after a dispute about money inside their Franklin Avenue residence, McClendon said. They were treated and released from Clara Maas Hospital.

It's not funny, especially coming on the heels of a spate of shootings in Newark and in Jersey City, shootings which resulted in the deaths of several civilians and the death of Jersey City Police Officer Marc DiNardo.

But still: Two brothers. In their home. Exchanging gunfire. We have to laugh, because otherwise the whole situation is too sad to consider.

A Forty-Year Perspective

Today, July 20, marks the 40th anniversary of the landing of the first manned spacecraft on the moon. We remember it well. We were traveling on the Garden State Parkway, riding shotgun with our father, and listening to the radio broadcast of the event. To this day we can point out the location along the Parkway where we heard the words, "Tranquility base here, the Eagle has landed."

The moon landing, and the "one small step" the following day, were two of the momentous events of a momentous year, 1969. Consider: The Vietnam war and the anti-war protests. John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s "bed-in." Segregation in private clubs was struck down by the Supreme Court. "Midnight Cowboy" was in theatres. Woodstock. "Broadway Joe" Namath operated a nightclub called Bachelors III. Mickey Mantle’s number was retired. Charles DeGaulle stepped down as president of France. The Mets won the World Series. Judy Garland died at age 47. 20-year-old Charles, son of Elizabeth, became Prince of Wales. Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones died. Senator Ten Kennedy drove off that bridge. Charles Manson’s followers went on their murderous rampage. The "Chicago 7" trial began. The Boeing 747 first took flight. The last public performance of the Beatles took place.

And the hottest cop on TV was Steve McGarrett, of Hawaii Five-O. Book ‘em, Danno.