Controversial campaign ends with $2,500 in donations

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Following a controversy last December that attracted the attention of the national media, Rutgers University will be cutting a check to a New Brunswick soup kitchen for $2,451.90.

In his last piece, Ben Kharakh took a tour of New Brunswick with Charlie Kratovil, local political activist, to get an inside view of the Hub City. This week, Ben took the time to tour the city with Bill Bray, City Spokesman to incumbent Mayor Jim Cahill, in order to get the other side of the story. Bill spoke of his time in New Brunswick and some of the city’s positions on low income housing the “swing space” school on Jersey Avenue, and initiatives to combat littering.

Some people call Rutgers “Slutgers”. I don’t like that name because it perpetuates the stigmatization of female sexuality. If I wanted to, I’d call it “Notverygoodgers”, but I wouldn’t call it that either because I don’t really get angry. I’m like Bruce Banner, except my inner Hulk is also Bruce Banner.

I also can’t really tell you what I think of Rutgers because I transferred in the spring of ‘09 and I’ve been a commuter until recently. Being a commuter is like going to an all you can eat buffet and then eating more than your fill to get your money’s worth. You leave with a stomachache and realize that you haven’t gotten your money’s worth at all and that you should have just lived on campus. So, I put down my knife and fork and moved into a place half a mile from College Ave.

Local Group Urges Senate to Vote Down S-3157
Today, the State Senators of New Jersey are being asked to vote on S-3157. If signed into law, it would extend the time citizens must wait between submitting petitions for charter changes from 4 years to 10 years.  This is unreasonable, undemocratic, and harmful overall to civic engagement, and we are asking our State Senators to vote against this measure.

Last Tuesday, Charlie Kratovil and other Operation Robin Hood activists gathered to make brown bag lunches (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a piece of fruit) for the homeless. Attendees marked the event as a success. We spoke to Charlie K., to follow up on the current activities of ORH and the response garnered from the University…

By now, Charlie Kratovil is a well-known figure in the New Brunswick community. His most recent attempts to bring grassroots change and “good” to New Brunswick have been gathering a lot of support, but some criticism as well. Johnsonville Press Editor in Chief Alex Giannattasio and Editor Grace Hong sat down for a conversation with Mr. Kratovil to get the inside scoop on what he’s been up to since the end of the Wards Campaign.
What follows is the full transcription of that hour and a half conversation. Do not ask …

New Brunswick, NJ—Commissioners for the Middlesex County Board of Elections announced the unofficial count of provisional ballots Saturday morning in New Brunswick’s hotly contested municipal referendum.

For more than two years, Charlie Kratovil has been embroiled in a political battle with the City of New Brunswick. That battle comes to a head in this Tuesday’s election, when the question of New Brunswick’s system of government will be put to a vote. The last time this question was put to City residents was in 1986. Whichever way the vote goes, the question will not be eligible again for another four years. We sat down with Charlie, and Martha Guarnieri, President and Campaign Manager of grassroots pro-wards organization …

First of all, I would like to thank the Johnsonville Press for bringing the issue of wards in New Brunswick to the forefront of their publication. Their coverage has been well-researched and thorough. I would also like to thank them for graciously affording me the opportunity to respond to the misleading and divisive comments from City Spokesman Bill Bray that were published in last week’s edition.