Wawa Robbed Again

Looks like the Wawa store at Sharp and Main Street may have been robbed again during the overnight hours last night.

The suspect allegedly got away with a few hundred dollars and some cigarettes. Hardly enough to risk going to prison for a long time!

Hearts and Holly

In  volunteer as chair of the Center City Neighborhood Group, chairing the Citizen/Police Advisory Council (CiPAC), and siting on the Millville Weed and Seed Steering Committee, all in efforts to improve the quality of life in Center City. Concerned residents of the area are invited to attend these meetings. Together we can make a difference.

One of these groups that I was somehow dragged into was a steering committee under the auspices of AHOME. We have very big news, and I will fill you in on the back story after November 4.

If you are a Center City resident, you are invited to our Hearts and Holly celebration on November 4. This event is only an hour and a half, but we are packing quite a bit into that time.

We will have face painting, apple cider, prize give-aways (we have at least four IPods that will be given away as door-prizes) and a very important announcement that will directly benefit our neighborhood for the next three to five years.

So I urge you to join us November 4, from 2:20 to 4PM at the First United Methodist Church parking lot for this event. That is a Thursday afternoon (kids are off school that day). See our plans for the float for the Millville Holiday Parade. Volunteer. Or just come for the free stuff. Whatever your reason, we need you to get involved. And you will be the first to hear the news - and it is big!

Drive by Shooting

There was a shooting incident around 11:30 this morning in the area of Mcneil and North Street, involving one or more vehicles. I don't believe any people were injured.

No other details are available just yet.

Bank Robbed

NJ.com has reported the TDbank on north 2nd street (near Walgreens) may have been robbed last night at around closing time (8pm). So far, no known suspects have been caught.

Consolidation of Dispatch Services - some thoughts

A while back I mentioned a move by the county to consolidate emergency dispatch services into a centralized location. My position is pretty clear - I am leery of such a move for several reasons:

• I don't believe the savings will be as much as claimed
• The move merely moves costs from city to county
• The county is corrupt, and I doubt that politics will not play a role in this move
• I am concerned with the level of service, delays, and inefficiency on the county level

However, I am dismayed that our commissioner of public safety, Dave Vanaman, has decided against this move without even hearing the other side of the story. I haven't heard both sides, and if my fears could be assuaged, I would definitely entertain supporting a move that would save taxpayers money.

Dave has adamantly refused to even attend any meeting to discuss such a proposal, or to listen to what others have to say. It troubles me when a man in charge of public safety is so pig-headed that he won't even participate in an open dialog.

However, this comes as little surprise, as Dave only does what his handlers from a special interest group tell him he is allowed to do.

Markese Childers arrested

Millvilel police figured out the so-called victim was lying. They figured out quickly who the perp was. He was arrested in Vineland, and in what is almost utterly incomprehensible it appears he still had the suspected weapon.

A man wanted for allegedly shooting his baby and girlfriend earlier this week in Millville was arrested Thursday morning outside an apartment on Pear Street in Vineland.

Markese Childers, 27, was taken to the Cumberland County Jail and held on $750,000 bail. He was arrested by officers with the United States Marshals's New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Force, State Police and Millville Police Department.

Police said he faces weapons charges as well as charges of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts each of aggravated assault and endangering an injured victim.

It should be noted that this arrest was successful and that MPD had the assistance of the State Police and US Marshall's Service. The Millville Weed and Seed designation plays a key role with law enforcement in encouraging these sorts of cooperative efforts.

Weed and Seed allows these sorts of incidents that occur within the  W&S area to be elevated to more than just a local investigation, bringing in federal law enforcement, and allowing for stricter sentencing.

Idiot shoots woman, child in Millville

If you see this man, call the Millville Police IMMEDIATELY at 856-825-7010. DO NOT approach him, he is considered armed and dangerous.

Police said a warrant with $75,000 bail was issued for Markese Childers, 27, charging him with two counts apiece of aggravated assault and endangering an injured victim. Police also said he faces endangering the welfare of a child and several weapons charges.

I know I have seen him around town. The amazing thing is, actually not quite so amazing, he is a repeat offender.

Childers has a previous criminal record. He was in state prison from May 2006 to June 2007 on charges of burglary, heroin possession and driving with a suspended license, according to the state Department of Corrections website.

When are the courts going to figure out a way to seriously reprimand criminals and stop this revolving door madness that allows miscreants like this to get free meals and medical care, and then sets them loose on society to wreck more havoc.

The other perp in this case is the mother of the child. She is not a victim, even though she was shot. She lied to police to protect this idiot, even though he came close to killing her child. DYFS needs to be in that household immediately and to assess whether or not (my guess is not) this woman is fit to have custody of that child.