Nine years in Jersey City!

Johnny posted this to Twitter yesterday but wanted to remind our exclusive blog readers that it was nine short years yesterday that Johnny moved to Jersey City and he's still here.

Of course he complains about it, he wants it to succeed. If he didn't care there'd be a New York City Desk or, LOL, a Hoboken City Desk.

Here's to nine more!

The Jersey City Desk: Never for sale

In the nearly nine years Johnny has helmed the Jersey City Desk (and the three years before that at the old Ypsi City Desk) he likes to think he's created a kind of brand around town. The Jersey City Desk is always the blog unbeholden to advertisers, politicians or those with something to sell you and can and has always been up front and honest with you. We can criticize the mayor and council and department workers and bosses as we don't have any kind of built-up palsie walsie cultivated friendship. We don't go hang with the candidates and officeholders socially. Not what we do. We don't take ads, Johnny has been bombarded with opportunities to sell things here and make some coin, he refuses.

We also do not endorse candidates for local offices. Johnny doesn't believe in pitting one neighbor against another in writing a dismissive missive for one or two neighbors for no other reason than 'that's my guy/gal,' as it just isn't a good enough reason. You end up holding back on the one you endorsed to look good and wise. What Johnny does do is take on candidates on their words and deeds. Since he hasn't endorsed anyone he's free to have critiques and even little digs and elected officeholders and those running. Example, on Twitter yesterday Johnny disagreed with James Solomon, candidate for Ward E, on a city parking issue. If Johnny had publicly come out and endorsed Mr. Solomon (and he's a very good candidate thank you very much) he wouldn't have been as insistent on his point for fear, "Hey, you endorsed him, dumbass."

So, with a mayoral election and all the council seats up for grabs wouldn't you like to know there's one place that doesn't go all in with the candidates and can be completely objective? Isn't that where you want to get your Jersey City politics fix? Johnny does thank you for the trust you put in him by showing up here to read his writing. He'll continue thanking you by being a true independent voice for Jersey City residents. 

What are you doing here?

The fight between Johnny, Mayor Fulop and former Fulop ticket candidate Dan Levin is on Twitter tonight. Click this handy link.

8 years

Yes fans of the Jersey City Desk, Johnny has been putting down the stories that move Jersey City for eight years today. The big stories, the little ones, the quick mentions of those who make Jersey City a better place and the longer pieces on those who don't. Over these last eight years Johnny has tried to learn about the topics before speaking out of turn. To this end caution has been a good friend to Johnny as he lets stories play out, no assumption from all those years in Michigan at the Ypsi City Desk where he pretty much knew from habit what might happen. He's eagerly learned about things like bodegas aren't party stores, what freeholders are and New Jersey's quirky election set-up as well as oddities like in New Jersey citizens can't better their lives with ballot petition initiatives. He's done copious amounts of research on Jersey City and New Jersey.

In eight years Johnny has seen the good, the bad and of course the ugly. He'll keep on bringing you his opinionated version of events in New Jersey's hottest and coolest city. He'll never lie, he'll never make shit up but he will bring the thunder when necessary. Honest opinion, that's Johnny's promise to you.

Thank you for being part of Johnny's journey, readers, it's always ever been about you.

So that pothole that might have been classified as FIXED, you gotta see this

As some will recall on Sunday Johnny posted pictures of a crater of a pothole looking for a place to emerge and showed the before and after the MUA/DPW dropped a couple shovels of asphalt on it and called it good. So here we are on Wednesday and Johnny's bitching and complaining got somebody's attention:

As you can see from the ladder in the hole a couple shovelfuls of anything wasn't going to fill it. If you want anything done right Jersey City be prepared to have to see it through. Ring some phones, send some emails and when all else fails get a blog and a Twitter account.

Johnny 1 MUA/DPW 0

OK Jersey City, it's official, you're stuck with Johnny

Papers signed, a long term contract with Jersey City if you will. You're just gonna have to accept the fact Johnny will be serving you these cold cups of coffee daily for a long time to come. Consider Johnny signing on here long term as Jersey City's answer to 'cash for clunkers'.

Late night open thread

Well kids, Johnny's off back to Michigan for the week to hobnob with his fellow wizards. Hopefully if all goes well he'll be back with you next Sunday night. Even the interns get the week off. Kiki is heading down to the shore and Zoltron's off to Rhode Island to scope out spots for Johnny to vacation at in August.

If you're a reader here and find yourself on the 280 west and then the 80 west in the morning and have a guy behind you with a shaved head making faces and gestures at you to get in the slow lane, give a Johnny a break and get out of his way, he's got a 10 hour drive ahead of him. Somebody call the Sidetrack and tell 'em Johnny's coming back to town.

Should something big come up simply use this thread to express yourselves. You know the routine.

You folks be good and we'll talk next week.

Late night open thread

Remember the line in the movie 'Stripes' where Bill Murray as John Winger is getting dressed down by his soon to be ex-girlfriend Anita for staying up all night listening to Tito Puente albums and Bill replies "Tito Puente's gonna be dead, and you're gonna say, "Oh, I've been listening to him for years, and I think he's fabulous.""

Ah the gift of foresight.

Neko Case's acclaimed new album Middle Cyclone (Anti- Records) has debuted at #3 on the Billboard Top 200, the highest opening to date in 2009 by an independent release on Billboard's main album chart. Middle Cyclone also bows at #1 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.

Case's strong showing follows recent television appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC and The Tavis Smiley Show on PBS, as well as widespread critical acclaim for Middle Cyclone.

"Indie's greatest singer." - ROLLING STONE

And Johnny got you all in on the ground floor...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Snow scene from today

Johnny submitted this photo to the New York Times earlier today where, on their front page, they were asking for reader submissions of today's snowstorm but apparently they hate snow in New Jersey and didn't use it...