Collingswood earns magazine’s praise

Posted via CourierPostOnline.com:

A national magazine has cited this borough in its annual Best Places to Live feature.

Men's Journal chose Collingswood as the Best Place to Go Car-Free, noting its compact downtown and easy access to Philadelphia via the PATCO Hi-Speedline.

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Economy poses challenges to downtowns

Posted via CourierPostOnline.com:

Eric Spinner says his business, Health Haven II, is growing again in Medford -- thanks to a move away from the local business district.

And the Treehouse Coffee Shop reports similar success in Audubon -- after leaving the busy downtown of Collingswood.

Such shifts can hurt efforts to boost local economies through the development of vibrant business districts, which help ease property tax burdens, improve real estate values and attract residents.

But experts note ways to strengthen and maintain key street districts during tough economic times. They advise taking advantage of state assistance, creating parking near main streets and having landowners rewrite leases for valued tenants.

Medford officials are looking into joining the state's Main Street programs that last year helped 26 downtowns benefit from $107 million in private reinvestment. The programs produced a net gain of 513 full-time jobs and brought in 128 new businesses, according to a state Main Street coordinator.

"It would provide avenues that are very advantageous for us," said Medford Mayor Bob Martin.

Jef Buehler, director of Main Street New Jersey, said Medford's "quaint" shopping district is hidden from thousands of drivers that travel by for commuting, shopping and business purposes. He said his department looks forward to more talks with Medford officials and to implementing an approach to revitalize the downtown.

In the past few years, Medford's downtown has been stagnant with 23 vacancies, including Spinner's former shop, and eight businesses displaced from a 2008 building fire.

New businesses have opened in town, but at established shopping centers, like Ironstone Village on Stokes Road. Spinner moved to a site at Old Marlton Pike and Hartford Road, which he said offers more parking and traffic exposure.

Martin and new Historic Medford Village president Rich Lechner contend the downtown area has plenty of on- and off-street parking, with more than 50 spaces. But they say more signs and promotion are needed to get that message to the town's 22,000-plus residents.

"People will turn away from shopping centers and go to small-scale stores if there's a walking environment, so parking is critical with well-designed lots hidden from Main Street," said Richard Bickel, director of planning for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

After 17 years on Main Street in Medford, Spinner said he had to make the 1.4-mile move last fall or close his holistic business.

"I sometimes looked outside my door there and said, 'Where is everyone?'" Spinner said.

"Main Street was always quaint and charming and I hung in for the last five years out of loyalty to the other shops," Spinner said. "But I realized I wouldn't make it."

The Treehouse Coffee Shop was challenged by the steep rents and dense pool of eateries in Collingswood's downtown, said owner Randy Van Osten.

"I don't think we would've survived there," he said. His new Merchant Street site offers twice the space, 2,400 square feet, for half his former rent, or about $1,633 per month.

"We're pretty fortunate with two sides of the street for parking, less overhead and a couple hundred customers per day, including a lot from Collingswood."

The coffee shop's former site, at Collings and Haddon avenues, now holds Bistro AmericanA.

For landlords in high-rent areas who want to keep current tenants, Buehler and Bickel said it might be worthwhile to renegotiate leases during temporary economic downturns.

"That relationship is foundational for surviving and thriving," Buehler said. "The last thing they want to do in this economy is fill a vacancy."

Reach Jeremy Rosen at (856) 486-2456 or jrosen@camden.gannett.com

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Give Green A Chance

Posted via What's up at The Tortilla Press

That's me using our new green takeout containers

With all the chatter this week about the green of St. Patricks Day, we thought we'd add on a different kind of green event next week at The Tortilla Press & Tortilla Press Cantina. From Monday March 22 thru Saturday March 27 (Tues 3/23 in Pennsauken since we are closed on Mondays) we will be offering a meatless menu to give our earth a break from our usual eating habits. It is a really special menu that features some nice alternative proteins including tempeh & quinoa along with lots of fresh vegetables, dried chiles & delicious sauces ... & no meat or seafood. As a chef, I feel responsible to educate our guests. It seems to me that too many of us have grown up feeling deprived if we don't have our "meat & potatoes." So I created a menu that I am confident will leave you satisfied & impressed with no meat or seafood. I have 9 special dishes & you may choose any 3 of your liking for just $25/ person. If you're still hungry, our dessert menu will be presented so you can top off your dinner with one of our delicious desserts & a cup of organic, fair trade dark roasted Mexican coffee. Working with the environment does not have to be painful or a sacrifice, but can be an enjoyable evening without stressing our resources.

A couple of suggestions to make the evening a bit more environmentally friendly; in Collingswood, come in on Patco & walk to the restaurant. The trains are running anyway, so why not support them & save some gas. In Pennsauken, try one of our sustainably farmed or bio-dynamic wines with your dinner. Then, if you can't finish your dinner & want it packed up, make sure to take note of our green packaging. If we all do the little things, we can make a big difference for our environment

Please call 856-869-3345 to reserve your table in Collingswood (We are taking all size reservations for this event) Or 856-356-2050 for Pennsauken (We always take all size reservations at The Cantina!)

Choose any 3 plates $25/ person

Pineapple Guacamole Salad
Golden pineapple diced with avocado, lime, salt, fresh, chiles & cilantro served over spring mix with an mandarin orange vinaigrette

Vegetable Tortilla Flatbread
Crispy double stacked flour tortilla with chihuahua cheese sauce, mushrooms, spinach, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers & olives served with pico, crème & guacamole

Vegetarian Pozole
A rich tomato, vegetable & chile broth with hominy served with tostada, onions, cilantro, sliced radishes & lime wedges

Pumpkin, Black Bean & Goat Cheese Quesadilla
Served with ancho chile crème

Vegetarian Chile
Black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, red & green peppers, eggplant & dried chiles. Topped with grated cheddar jack cheese & fresh chopped onions

Quinoa & Chick Pea Salad with Lemon Sesame Dressing
Red onion, cilantro & toasted sesame seeds

Tempeh, Cheese & Onion Enchiladas
With guajillo chile sauce served with cilantro rice

Chipotle Mushroom & Vegetable Taco Plate
Mixed mushrooms & zucchini braised with tomato & chipotle chiles served with warm corn tortillas, lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo & black beans

Chile Rellenos
Roasted poblano peppers stuffed with chihuahua cheese & queso fresco, battered & lightly fried served with tomato, jalapeno & cilantro broth.

Does not include, beverages, dessert, tax or gratuity

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N.J. budget hearings set for Collingswood

Two legislative panels will hold public hearings in South Jersey on the proposed state budget.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20103120324

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Flood watch issued for much of South Jersey

Courier-Post file

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch advisory for Burlington, Gloucester and Camden counties, as well as much of the surrounding area, through Sunday morning.

The weather service notes rainfall of 2 to 4 inches in the area, with local amounts of 5 inches possible in some areas.

Smaller streams are likely to flood first, with larger waterways likely to come after, according to the report.
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Video: Watch out for weekend washout | MyFoxPhilly

Hope you've enjoyed the nice weather because it's all about to end. Heavy rain will move into our area today and last through the weekend.

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Don’t forget to spring forward

Good evening sunshine, America says hello, you light up our evenings, we light charcoal below.

That right folks, it's time to fire up the old grill, Daylight-saving time is returning with that extra hour of sunshine after work.

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N.J. budget hearings set for Camden Co.

Two legislative panels will hold public hearings in South Jersey on the proposed state budget.

The Assembly Budget Committee will meet March 24 at 9:30 a.m. in The Ballroom at Collingswood, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

The Senate Budget and Appropriations will hold a hearing March 25 at 9 a.m. at the Rutgers-Camden School of Law, 217 N. 5th St., Camden.

People wishing to testify can register at www.njleg.state.nj.us.

via N.J. budget hearings set for Camden Co. | courierpostonline.com | Courier-Post.

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“Crumbling” roadway reported on Laurel Avenue

A new issue was reported on the SeeClickFix Web site yesterday, an online application where residents can report civic problems.

The issue report states:

"Laurel Ave off of Lincoln Ave is crumbling and is in need of resurfacing. Water collects in the center of the road when it rains, it needs to be graded so the water runs off the road."

Read more after the jump...

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Litter lines South Park Drive

As the last snow piles melt following a hectic winter, residents anticipate the hint of spring blooms on what was hidden ground.

Something else that was packed beneath snow, and is now visible, is litter.

One issue reported on SeeClickFix, a web application where residents can report civic problems like pot holes and graffiti, is an area of litter along South Park Drive in Collingswood.

Read more about this issue, and view the photo gallery, after the jump...

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Street corner prone to flooding

As many InJersey users are aware, citizens are able to report local civic problems on our "Fixer Upper" page by using the SeeClickFix application on our Web site.

Click here to view the Collingswood InJersey Fixer Upper page.

One problem that was reported six months ago and appears to be an ongoing issue is the flooding street corner at the intersection of Crestmont Terrace and Maple Avenue.

Read more about this issue after the jump...

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Video: Tyrone Brown at last week’s Jazz in the Wood concert

Philadelphia bassist Tyrone Brown breaks it down. With improv performance footage from the Jazz Bridge Collingswood concert series featuring Tyrone with Doc Gibbs, Germaine Ingram and Randy Sutin.

via YouTube - Tyrone Brown.

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Collingswood Republicans

The Collingswood Republican Club will be meeting Wednesday March 10^th at 6:30pm at the Groove ground Coffee bar and Music, 647 Haddon Avenue. All members of the community who wish to attend are invited. You can find use on Facebook, twitter, and on the web at collingswoodrepublicans.wordpress.com. You can also email us at collingswoodrepublicans@gmail.com.  This is a great opportunity for everyone to meet and begin building on the ideas of which our republic, state, and borough was founded.

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#SJTweetUp tonight at restaurant

Al Schell/Courier-Post

Chef Mark Smith of Collingswood's Tortilla Press restaurant and Pennsauken's Tortilla Press Cantina will be hosting his third "South Jersey Tweet-Up" this evening.

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Hair-raising event benefits pediatric cancer research

By Shruti Mathur Desai, Courier-Post Staff

Every minute she had to wait was making Sharon Good more and more nervous.

Good, of Barnegat, was one of 250 people at the Scottish Rite Ballroom waiting to have their heads shaved to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
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