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March 7, 2009 --

THE unsung hero behind Madonna and Michael Jackson died yesterday morning, and the grieving family of David Williams is furious over the disrespect shown to him by the music community and by what they say was neglect by the hospital where he spent his last days.

Williams, who was 58, was the guitarist for the pop superstars and toured with both of them as well as Jessica Simpson, Chaka Khan, Lionel Richie and Van Halen for more than three decades, succumbed to complications from high blood pressure.

Williams collapsed and was taken to Sentara Hospital in Hampton, Va. where he slipped into a coma last week. While he lay dying in ICU, his family was urged to "pull the plug because he had no medical insurance," a family friend said. "The hospital was trying to force them to pull the plug. This man was a Vietnam veteran and gave his life to music and still had no benefits."

Jackson has announced a new tour and Madonna is still a top-grossing act. "But David, who supported them onstage all those years, has nothing," said the friend. "[His ex-wife] Deborah just wanted him to have some integrity, and instead the hospital was despicable at best over his lack of insurance."

On Thursday, the evening before Williams died, Deborah, who had four daughters with him, wrote us: "During this very difficult time where our focus should be on the nurturing and care of David, we are battling with hospital officials just to get and maintain the care he deserves, a hospital whose main interest lies in his ability to pay for his care." David, like many industry veterans, lived without adequate health insurance.

A music industry insider said, "What about NARAS [National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences]? What about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? They collect huge amounts of money every year to help musicians in David's situation - and they throw themselves parties instead. It's disgusting."

A rep for Sentara said she'd look into the situation but didn't return calls.

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You are so, so wrong about Canadian health care. Have you seen SICKO? Even if you only believe 1% of that documentary it's still showing how much better their health care is to ours. Hands down. Unless you have some information I don't about how crappy their health care is. But I lived there for several decades and coming in to the U.S. system was shock and disbelief.

curious as to how this influx of funds will affect:

1) crime in jc -- will funding be used to address safety in neighborhoods where projects are? Or, will it draw more crime into the area?

2) what will this mean for jc public schools-- because of recent closing of housing projects, number of families forced to relocate out-of-district, even out of state. Lowering enrollment meant potential closing of some jc public schools. thus, will the 7 mil mean more projects/homes and thus increased enrollment?

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Funny thing about that though: the rest of the civilized world seems to pull it off, and in many cases the results produce a longer life expectancy.[/quote]

Using bicylcles instead of cars, eating less and walking more seems to be more prominent in other countries as well. I would say that preventive measures are more conducive to longer living then their nationalized health care system...oh and the obvious one, they kill each other less.

Canada and England do not have crappy healthcare. Too few dentists, maybe, and less importance placed on smile quality, perhaps, but not crappy healthcare.

no other country has the influx of imigrants legal and illegal that the U.S. does.

Healthcare reform to an extent I agree with but this just wont work.

FYI canada and england have crappy health care. Next time you see an English person just say smile....

Let's see,
That works out to a bonus of $31,200 for each of the Housing Authority's employees...nice work, guys.

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Funny thing about that though: the rest of the civilized world seems to pull it off, and in many cases the results produce a longer life expectancy.

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Are you satisfied with the services DMV and the parking authority provides? Then you should be okay with the National Healthcare System services. Everything has its cost. I deal with enough incompetence when getting my licence renewed, I don't need to see this happen at my doctors office. Actually, now that I think of it $250 a year isn't so bad.

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And that is why we should have a National Healthcare System that provides medical coverage to all people regardless of income.

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Bravo +1
And as far as homelessness goes, what will they do? Build more shelters? We have them now, but they remain on the street anyway.
I have to meet a $250 deductible each year while people who don't work get healthcare for free.
I sure hope that the great looking new homes that went up next to the projects on 440 aren't their replacements. Who in their right mind would ever want to work for a living again if things like this are just handed to you?

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Sure you will.

How the hell is this going to stimulate the economy. if they improve them enough I might just quite my job and move in.

Free medical, foodstamps and new housing all paid for by the government. no thats how you stimulate a society to be lazy.

Awesome, so for 5.5 million I won't get bothered for change by the homeless dudes next to Ox and the Paradise Deli? Promise?

FED HOUSING AID
Stimulus millions will flow to Hudson

Thursday, March 05, 2009
By TOM SHORTELL
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is sending more than $29.9 million to Hudson County and its municipalities as part of the national stimulus package.

The lion's share of the money - $20.9 million - is earmarked for 11 housing authorities across the county, according to a HUD press release.

The Jersey City Housing Authority, which manages 2,300 housing units and has 250 employees, is in line to receive $7.8 million - the most of any housing authority in the county.

The Bayonne Housing Authority has $3.6 million coming its way. John Mahon, director of the Bayonne Housing Authority, said the money will be spent on physical improvements to its buildings. The authority's 1,300 units house roughly 3,000 people, he said.

Mahon said his agency won't have access to the money until March 23.

The stimulus package will pump another $5.5 million into the region for emergency shelter and homelessness prevention. The county intends to use $1.5 million of this money on programs such as foreclosure prevention, said Susan Mearns, division chief for the county's Division of Community Development.

Another $3.5 million out of the overall $29 million coming to the county will arrive in the form of community development block grants. These grants will allow municipalities and nonprofit groups to work on projects ranging from rehabilitating public housing to improving infrastructure.