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National, state and local governments and other organizations just commenced its four year (April 12, 2011 - April 9, 2015) commemoration of the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of the Civil War (April 12, 1861-April 9, 1865) through a variety of special programs and events. Between 620,000 to 700,000 men and women lost their lives in the bloodiest war ever fought on American soil. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and died on April 15, 1865, six days after the war ended. Hopefully, we have all learned more over the past four years about this painful period of American History and its lasting impact. With this in mind, let's reflect on this timeless phrase: "Y
ou can't know where you are going, if you don't know where you have been."
Here are this week's updates:
- The Whitehouse - It's Time to Confirm Loretta Lynch
- Policy Day on the Hill: U.S. Department of Justice
- State of New Jersey - NJ Department of Transportation Launches Pothole Repair Campaign
- Union County - Fiscal Hearing #3
- Service Above Self Award
- Public Affairs and Safety Update
- Economic Development Update
- Administration and Finance Update
- Department of Public Works and Urban Development
- Plainfield Education Update
- Workforce Development
- Plainfield Learning Center
- Plainfield Road Closure Notice
- Resources
- Arts and Culture
Creating One Plainfield - One Future,
Mayor Adrian O. Mapp
City of Plainfield
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WhiteHouse: Time to Confirm Loretta Lynch
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| Weekly Address: Time to Confirm Loretta Lynch |
The President called on Republicans in Congress to stop playing politics with law enforcement and national security and confirm Loretta Lynch as Attorney General of the United States.
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Policy Day on the Hill : U.S. Department of Justice
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I am doing my part in helping to acquire programs and 
resources for the City of Plainfield by collaborating with our Federal Government. As a continuation of the information received from The New Jersey Urban Mayor's Association (NJUMA) organized a "Day on the Hill" event on March 18-19 - This week, the update from the Obama
Administration will continue our discussion with the US Department of Education and highlight the Student Aid Bill of Rights.
The President's
vision for education encompasses an affordable, quality education for all Americans in a Student Aid Bill of Rights. The President will sign a
Presidential Memorandum authorizing the Department of Education and other federal agencies to work across the federal government to do more to help student borrowers afford their monthly payments including:
- A state-of-the-art complaint system to ensure quality service and accountability for the Department of Education, its contractors, and colleges.
- A series of steps to help students repay their loans responsibly by helping them set up affordable monthly payments, and
- New steps to analyze student debt trends and recommend legislative and regulatory changes. In addition, the Administration is releasing state by state data that shows the outstanding federal student loan balance and total number of federal student loan borrowers who stand to benefit from these actions.
Click Here for More Information
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State: New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Launches Statewide Pothole Repair Campaign
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On March 9, 2015 the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Jamie Fox announced the beginning of a statewide effort and campaign to mend potholes across the state of New Jersey. As you know, a harsh winter had developed an astounding quantity of potholes on state highways, creating driving hazards for all motorists.
The NJDOT on average repairs around 180,000 potholes annually. During the period of July 1, 2014 - March 6, 2015, NJDOT addressed more than 125,000 potholes. The Department anticipates repairing approximately 300,000 potholes this year.
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Union County: Fiscal Hearing #3
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The Union County budget process is an important component of the management of county funds that impact residents of Plainfield. I believe it is important for all of us to be up-to-date on this process. Click on the video below to lean more about the Union County budget process and how the county is planning to allocate funds.
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| Union County - Fiscal Hearing 2015 #3 - Union County, NJ |
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Rotary Club: "Service Above Self" Award
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| Mayor Mapp Plainfield North Plainfield Rotary April 2015 |
On Wednesday, April 15, 2015 I was honored to be the recipient of the "Service Above Self" award from the Rotary Club of Plainfield-North Plainfield at their 16th Annual Wine Tasting Dinner. Over the last six years, the Rotary Club has recognized individuals from the Plainfield area for their service to the community with the "Service Above Self" award. I am humbled by the letter from the Rotary Club president, Mary Forbes, for my service to the community
(You can read the letter here). The well-being of all Plainfield residents and our community means everything to me. This is the passion behind my dedication to being a good public servant.
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Public Affairs and Safety Update
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On April 2, 2015, the Plainfield Fire Division sent an engine company, along with Inspector Rudi Davis, to participate in a public educational event at the Evergreen School's "Career Day". The Fire Division educated the kindergartens, first and second grade students in fire safety. All the children received brochures about fire safety to give to their parents. If your organization would like for a member of the Department of Public Affairs and Safety - Police and Fire Divisions to attend your Career Day or Special Youth Event, please contact us at (908)753-3225
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Economic Development Update
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Entrepreneur Seminar
The Office of Community Development, in partnership with New Jersey Small Business Development Center at Kean University, will present Is Entrepreneurship Right For You Seminar, a program addressing the tools and strategies to establish, develop and flourish as an entrepreneur in various environments . The seminar will be held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Thursday, April 23, 2015, at the Plainfield Public Library.
Join us and learn more about being your own boss and the opportunities in starting your own business. Space is limited. To register, please contact the Office of Community Development, Elaine S. Dunn-Brown, Director, at 908-753-3610.
Click Here for More Information
Community Clean Up Event
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Administration and Finance Update
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Plainfield Education Update
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NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE Plainfield High School students will observe a "Day of Silence" on Friday, April 17, 2015 to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment in schools. Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence is the largest National student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, identity or gender expression. For more information call Victoria David, Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Initiative Coordinator and School Based Youth Services Program at Plainfield Pubic Schools 908-731-4200 x 5240.
SUMMER LEARNING CAMP REGISTRATION OPEN FOR GRADES 4-12 Registration is open for the Summer Learning Camp offered by the Plainfield School District Office of Student Intervention & Family Support Services, in partnership with Plainfield Community Outreach (PCO). The Summer Learning Camp which will be held from July 6 to August 7, 2015, from 8:00 am to 4:00 p.m. will provide students reading, science, and math classes integrated with self-esteem and team building skills, prevention and intervention workshops, swimming options and more. Deadline to register is June 4. Cost for registration is $150 non-refundable. Cash or money orders only. To register visit the District Office, 1200 Myrtle Avenue, Plainfield, N.J., Tuesdays 2:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. and Thursdays 2:30 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. For additional information, please contact Ms. Spence, Project Director at (908) 731-4200 Ext. 5381, Ms. Joseph, the 21st CCLC Secretary, at (908) 731-4382, or PCO Project Director Ms. Terica Troutman at (908) 756-7897 ext. 12.
FOUR PLAINFIELD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO STUDY LANGUAGE ABROAD Four Plainfield Public School District Students have been awarded Global Navigator Scholarships worth $22,800, from the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) to study in France, China, and Japan, in the summer of 2015. "We are extremely proud of this accomplishment. The Global Navigator Scholarship Program honors the Plainfield School District's commitment to developing global citizens as well as its enthusiasm for world language instruction," said Plainfield Public Schools Superintendent Anna Belin-Pyles. The scholarships were awarded to Deborah Starks, 16, Sidney Ramirez, 17, Siera Barros, 16, and Johny Proano, 17. Plainfield High School was one of only 50 U.S. high schools chosen to receive the Global Navigator Scholarship awards by CIEE, according to Dr. Phillip Williamson, Director of the Office of Bilingual/ESL & World Languages.
PAAAS PTO SPONSORING CLOTHING DRIVE - SATURDAY, April 18 10-2PM Plainfield Academy for the Arts & Advanced Studies, (PAAAS), PTO, located at 1700 West Front Street, Plainfield, is sponsoring a Clothing Drive to raise funds for the school, on Saturday, April 18 from 10-2 p.m. Donate usable clothes, shoes, purses, belts, hats, backpacks, linens, blankets, soft or hard toys up to 14 inches, dishes and glass (sets), and bicycles. Please DO NOT donate boots, rugs, board games or electronics. For more information call PTO Jeanine Branch 908-405-6509.
HUB STINE SPORTING COMPLEX RENOVATIONS UPDATE The Hub Stine Sporting Complex renovations project is ready to start. Site plan renderings prepared by the architectural firm Foreman Architects Engineers, of Zelienople, PA, were presented by Kevin F. Renwick, Project Architec, during a public meeting held Monday, April 13, 2015 at Plainfield High School. The architectural designs which include Phase I and Phase II, included renderings of the field and concession areas. Phase I of the project which is expected to be completed by December 2015 will include among other items, installation of synthetic turf on the stadium football and soccer field, night event lighting, and a new stadium scoreboard. The existing stadium track will remain as well as the tennis courts. For additional information call Gary Ottmann, Business Administrator at 908-731-4224.
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USPS is Hiring - Save the Date! USPS (U.S. Postal Service) Job Fair
May 20, 2015 4pm-7pm
Plainfield City Hall
NJ State Department of Labor
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development has a listing of job fairs and resources for job seekers.
Avoid the Top 10 Resume Mistakes - From Monster.com
It's deceptively easy to make mistakes on your resume and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. So prevention is critical, whether you're writing your first resume or revising it for a mid-career job search. Check out this resume guide to the most common pitfalls and how you can avoid them. Click Here to View Resume Mistakes
Video Resumes
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| How To Make A Video Resume |
In today's competitive workforce market, having something
that differentiates you from the thousand other jobseekers can be a determining factor. We do not endorse the following product but the overview, pros and process of having a video resume is clearly explained in the following video.
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Plainfield Learning Center
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Types of New Jersey Municipal Government
All 565 municipalities in New Jersey, regardless of their form of government, can be classified as belonging to one of five types of government: Borough, Township, City, Town or Village. All New Jersey municipalities, regardless of type, can be classified under one of the 12 forms of local government:
SBA: Business Resources for Veterans
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| Business Resources for Veterans |
Learn about the various business resources available to veterans from the U.S. Small Business Administration in this short video.
San Diego Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Here is a good example of innovation created by the San Diego Hispanic Chamber of Commerce utilizing social media and smart phone technology to enhance and connect consumers and businesses.
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Clothing Drive Fundraiser
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Plainfield Road Closure Notice
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Please note the roadway closure schedule for Park Avenue and Watchung Avenue:
- Park Avenue - March 30 through April 19 - open Park Avenue on April 20
- Watchung Avenue - April 20 through July 20 (approximately 3 months)
- There will be more closures after July 20, but that will be updated at a later date
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Car Shopping: Do Your Homework to Get a Good Deal
From USA.gov Blog
Learn About Financing, Negotiating and Other "Rules of the Game"
Cars are one of the most expensive and important things we buy. They're also one of the most difficult. Getting a good price on a car typically requires negotiating, a skill not called for in our everyday purchases. And returns are rarely accepted on new or used cars.
Additionally, car ads may be misleading, the dealer's sales tactics can be high-pressure, and the financing options are subject to fine print. For all these reasons, it's important to educate yourself before you head out to an auto dealership.
Read these articles on buying and owning a car to get started:
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Plainfield, NJ - Author, Roy Lee "Simon" Jarmon:
The author will be reciting his poetry from his 2nd book at the Plainfield Library April 18, 2015 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. For more details, contact Yolanda McIntosh (his Publicist) at MizMacMarketing, LLC at (732)510-9078. The Poems in Circle of Life are dedicated to and inspired by his first wife, Vershelle Cato, who lost her long battle with breast cancer in 2005. Having served in the Vietnam War and diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder only a few years before losing his wife, Roy turned to Poetry as his therapeutic medicine. He uses it as a means of pulling himself out of his "foxhole". Roy describes each piece within the book as a collection of steps which gives him small victories while walking on the road of life.
Earth Day 2015
Plainfield Symphony: The Artistry of Haydn and Brahms
"Get Your Green On"  From the Union County website: "Get Your Green ON" at Trailside Nature and Science Center's annual Wild Earth Fest event on Sunday April 26, 2015 from 11am to 5pm. Featured this year, Jennifer Pena of "Flight of the Raptor," will present the natural history of birds of prey. Learn about their nesting habits, hunting adaptations and flight patterns. Visitors can join Cyril the Sorcerer as he tells the tale of monsters, magic and too much trash during his magical, interactive performance, "Recycling is Magic," in the auditorium offered twice during the afternoon. See a live wolf up close with Vinne Reo of Wolf Visions and enjoy a variety of activities including live music, refreshments, face painting, eco-art and Recycling Olympics. Admission is $4 per person, children 6 and under are free. For more information call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside, NJ and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Frontiers International Westry Horne Cultural and Heritage Series Schedule The purpose of this series is to educate and provide space for intergenerational dialogues on topics of African American history and culture. Click Here for Complete Schedule
duCret School of Art
duDret School of Art
Presents the Annual Student Spring Art Show
May 3rd-8th, 2015
2PM-4PM
Opening Reception: May 3, 2015
An evening of art! Bring the family and tour the school. Meet student artists and faculty, while viewing or purchasing original artwork and jewelry. Enjoy music and refreshments.
Plainfield YMCA
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Please have family and friends sign up to receive these important weekly updates. They can sign up by calling (908) 753-3310 and providing their email address.
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