The Daily Newarker started on November 17, 2005 as a community weblog written by the people who live, work and study in Newark, NJ. In addition to covering local news, we tell the stories of people and organizations that are making an impact on the city.
The Daily Newarker is edited by Ken Walker.
If you would like to contact us with suggestions, comments, corrections, errors, or new announcements, please send us an email a at editor@dailynewarker.com.
The Daily Newarker has received the following coverage:
- Featured in the following NJ.com home-page stories: June 11, 2007 and November 26, 2007
- Featured in the Newark Star Ledger “Jersey Blogs” print column: August 10, 2007 and July 12, 2007
- Ranked the most influential NJ political blog on BlogNetNews on June 17, 2007 and frequently rank in top 20 listings
- Quoted in the New York Times Newark06 blog, covering the 2006 Mayoral election: March 30, 2006 (our address was blog.newarker.info at the time)
Ken Walker—Editor
When I came to study for my undergrad at Rutgers-Newark in 2000, I found myself confronted with two prevailing mythologies about Newark.
The first was that Newark was a bombed-out shell of a city, known to many as the car-theft capital of the world. A place to fear and not to linger. A city where gangs and drugs hold more power in the streets than the elected officials.
The second: that Newark was on the rebound from economic hard times. A city bustling towards a bright and prosperous future. A Renaissance City.
Drawn to the mystery, my wife and I packed up our belongings in August 2004 and moved them from our quaint suburban apartment to start a family in the inner-city.
When we arrived, we found that Newark—not unlike like the Garden State itself—is a place of great hope, devastating heartache, and many paradoxes. Much of Newark is broken, still healing from years of abuse and neglect.
But, we also fell in love with its people. People who see the beauty in its architecture; who see the hope of a spiritual, cultural and economic restoration; who endlessly believe in the power of a united community.
In 2005, I started the Daily Newarker to dismantle the myths by connecting with my neighbors and sharing their stories.
Since then, I’ve begun to see Newark as a national asset whose history stretches back to colonial times and whose future is a leading indicator of prosperity across the country. A once-celebrated city that has the potential to return to its place as an influential center of arts and culture.
That Newark is a city longing to return to its former glory.
Ken Walker laughs in the face of brevity. He lives with his wife and daughter in the Ironbound and can be reached at ken@dailynewarker.com.
Colophon
The banner image for the Daily Newarker is graciously donated by Ade at the Newark Art Supply. You can find them at 61 Halsey Street in Newark or online at www.newarkartsupply.com.
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