Bob Roe Archives - New Jersey Globe

Trailblazer: Mayor Kenneth Gibson

January 20, 2020 12:52 amJanuary 20, 2020 9:05 am

Kenneth Gibson (1932-2019) became the first African American to serve as mayor of a major northeastern city when he ousted two-term incumbent Hugh Addonizio in 1970. Gibson had served as an engineer for the New Jersey Highway Department and as...

William J. Hamilton, former Assembly Speaker, dies at 86

October 12, 2019 4:28 pmOctober 13, 2019 3:11 pm

Former Assembly Speaker William J. Hamilton, Jr., a skilled legislator with a reputation for integrity and independence, died on Thursday. He was 86. A product of John A. Lynch, Sr.’s New Brunswick political organization, Hamilton served six years in the...

The fall of Harry Lerner

July 22, 2019 3:40 amJuly 24, 2019 8:33 pm

When longtime Essex County Democratic boss Dennis Carey retired for health reasons in 1968, County Treasurer Harry Lerner faced Hugh Addonizio, the two-term Mayor of Newark and a former seven-term congressman, for the post. Lerner, who had lost a race...

Tony Ross, ex-Passaic freeholder, dies at 89

June 8, 2019 3:27 pm

Anthony Ross, a former Passaic County freeholder and mayor of Hawthorne, died on June 5. He was 89. Ross was the top vote-getter on a Republican ticket that rode Gov. Tom Kean’s coattails to take control of the freeholder board....

Bill Hodas, ex-mayor, municipal chair for 43 years, dies

May 30, 2019 1:36 pmMay 30, 2019 1:37 pm

Bill Hodas, a Democrat who served as mayor of Franklin in Sussex County for sixteen years and held appointed state posts under five governors, died on May 28. He was 92. Hodas was also one of the longest-serving municipal chairs...

Trailblazer: Mayor Kenneth Gibson

January 21, 2019 12:09 amJanuary 21, 2019 1:26 am

Kenneth Gibson became the first African American to serve as mayor of a major northeastern city when he ousted two-term incumbent Hugh Addonizio in 1970. Gibson had served as an engineer for the New Jersey Highway Department and as the...

NJ’s history of winning the second time around

February 14, 2018 9:46 am

Jack Ciattarelli, who told the Associated Press that he expects to run for governor again in 2021, is following a familiar model of making back-to-back bids for statewide office. Ciattarelli sough the Republican nomination for governor in 2017. Tom Kean,...