Pine Barrens Tribune April 4, 2020-April 17, 2020

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April 4, 2020 – April 17, 2020

MOVING DOWN-RIVER

Upstairs Apartment at Strip Mall Ruined in Two-Alarm Blaze, Businesses Damaged Calamity Sparks Immediate Outpouring of Generosity from the Local Community By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Bass River Elementary School.

Bass River Township Board of Education Tentatively Agrees to Allow Its District to Enter Send/Receive Agreement with Little Egg Schools By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—The “intent” for the Bass River Township School District to become a send/receive, non-operating school district beginning with the 2020-21 school year has been unanimously approved by the Bass River Township Board of Education. The school board, which tentatively approved at a special March 25 meeting a send/receive relationship between the Bass River Township School District and the Little Egg Harbor Township School District for the upcoming school year, initially failed to advance the plan during its March 19 meeting with a 2-2 vote and one member abstaining. Jonathan Yates, who is the secretary of the Bass River Board of Education as part of a shared service provided by the Pinelands Regional School District where he serves as assistant business administrator, told this newspaper in a March 29 interview that a “formal agreement has yet to be presented to the board,” and the plan must also get approval from the county superintendent. “The intent was approved,” he said. “The (Bass River) board agreed to enter into a send/receive agreement, but the details are not finalized yet. We expect those to be finalized in April, if not, by May.” D r. M e l i s s a M c C o o l e y, s h a r e d superintendent of the Little Egg Harbor and Pinelands Regional school districts, told this newspaper that the Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education also tentatively

approved of the send/receive relationship. She declined to comment further on the matter, citing that the agreement was not finalized. She later referred this newspaper to Yates for comment. The Pine Barrens Tribune reported last year that the Bass River Elementary School, the Bass River district’s only school, was the subject of an ongoing feasibility study due to its growing debt and declining enrollment coinciding with a loss in state aid. “In order to enter into a send/receive relationship, you have to have a feasibility study conducted,” Yates said. “It does not determine where students go. You have to have that determined ahead of time. It looks at a number of factors that the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) looks at. …The feasibility study concluded it would be feasible for a send/receive to take place.” Bonnie Adams, president of the Bass River school board, told this newspaper in a March 28 interview that Bass River Township School District’s enrollment is projected to decline from a current 94 students to 78 or less students during the upcoming school year. According to a recent budget presentation, the Bass River district had 125 students in 2010. She contended that the decline in enrollment is the result of a “variety of reasons,” which include some families leaving the municipality, some choosing “choice schools” for their children and others choosing to send their kids to private schools.

“The decline in enrollment also came at the same time that the state is giving us less money than what we received in aid last year,” Adams said. As previously reported by this newspaper, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill S-2 into law in 2018, which modified the state’s school funding formula. It is the position of both Murphy and the NJDOE that a decrease in funding to school districts should coincide with a drop in enrollment; and that school districts are otherwise overfunded if enrollment drops, but aid remains flat. Yates told this newspaper that student enrollment and school funding “basically go hand-in-hand.” He said the Bass River district is projected to a lose almost $250,000 over a seven-year period, ending with the 2024-25 school year. The district lost some $30,000 in state aid, Yates said, for the current school year and is projected to lose some $64,000 in state aid for the 2020-21 school year. Additionally, the district “most likely” won’t be receiving some $29,000 in emergency aid that it has been given for the last two years, according to Yates. “There has been no indication that the emergency aid is going to be available,” Yates said. Bot h Ad a ms a nd Yates told t h is newspaper that the district does not have any money in its reserve accounts to See MOVING/ Page 7

TABERNACLE—A two-alarm blaze last Saturday damaged a couple of businesses and destroyed one of two second-floor apartments that are part of a strip mall in Tabernacle Township. Several vehicles parked near the main entranceway to the affected apartment were also either damaged or destroyed. The Celebration Plaza fire, which was first reported at 4:03 a.m. on March 28, according to Tabernacle Fire Company #1 Chief Andy Cunard, displaced a mother, her boyfriend and two children from the affected apartment. “They were already outside when I got there,” Cunard said. “They were inside the home when the fire started.” Cunard, who said he was the first firefighter to arrive at the scene of the blaze and did so just four-minutes after his pager sounded, told this newspaper that fire was already showing in the attic above the affected apartment, and coming through the roof, upon his arrival at the scene. However, while the flames “traveled the whole distance of the attic,” he said, a closed door in the second-floor apartment had stopped the flames from progressing throughout the entire facility. The attic, as seen from the road, only runs the length of the affected apartment. “The fire went into the attic before we even got there,” Cunard said. “With the wideopen nature of the attic, the fire just traveled throughout it, with nothing to stop it. Doors do an amazing job of stopping fires, and the door inside the apartment did an amazing job of stopping it on the second floor.” Fi refig ht e r s, he said , ha d i n it ial ly encountered some difficulty extinguishing the flames in the attic as the roof “did exactly what it was designed to do” and prevented water being used to fight the blaze from getting inside the attic. “The fire was burning underneath the roof, and protected, essentially, by the roof,” Cunard said. “Eventually, we got to it.” T he affected apar t ment, which sits above a Dunkin Donuts doughnut shop and Tabernacle Family Medicine, was “burned” and “completely destroyed,” according to Cunard. Pictures posted online showed most of the apartment’s belongings either had been charred or melted. See BLAZE/ Page 13

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Saturday, April 4, 2020

5-Year Pemberton Schools Superintendent Resigns to Accept Millville Schools Position By Andy Milone Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—Tony Trongone, who has served as superintendent of the Pemberton Township School District since 2015, has submitted his resignation to the Pemberton Township Board of Education after accepting a chief executive officer post with the Millville Public School District. Trongone, who confirmed in a March 31 interview with this newspaper that he had turned in his resignation on March 27, has only fulfilled less than two years of a current five-year contract with the Pemberton school board, according to school officials. “We have made a lot of progress in Pemberton, but it is time to move on,” Trongone said. The Millville Board of Education approved a multi-year contract for Trongone on March 23 with a base salary of $195,000. The Millville contract extends from July 13, or sooner if released by the Pemberton school board, until June 30, 2024, according to Millville Board of Education meeting minutes. The Millville district has some 5,500 students, compared to Pemberton’s approximately 4,800, but has a budget that is similar in size, totaling some $100 million. It also has one less school (Pre-K to 12) within its portfolio. Both districts are also SDA Districts (former Abbott Districts), or ones that have been provided with remedies to ensure that students receive thorough and efficient education in light of it serving an underserved community. “The resignation of Mr. Trongone comes as a great surprise to me, the school board and the district community,” said Pemberton Township Board of Education President Jeffrey Wilson in a statement provided to this newspaper on March 31. “We are disappointed to see Tony leave our team, and are sincerely thankful and grateful for his five years of hard work and leadership to Pemberton Township Schools. We wish Tony great success in Millville.” Trongone said the “tentative” start date for his new position is July 1. His last day in Pemberton is still being finalized, according to Wilson, and will be announced at the Pemberton school board’s work session on April 23. Wilson contended that the board will officially accept Trongone’s resignation at the meeting. According to Wilson, Trongone’s current Pemberton district contract, which started Nov. 1, 2018 and wasn’t due to expire until Nov. 30, 2023, includes a 120-day notice period should he wish to opt out early. However, Wilson declared that the board and Trongone will work towards reaching an agreement on early separation. Trongone will be paid based on a prorated salary of $188,523, Wilson said. Wilson noted that it is “highly likely” an

Photo Submitted

Pemberton Township School Superintendent Tony Trongone.

District

interim superintendent will be appointed to take over for Trongone upon his departure as the typical search process for a superintendent lasts anywhere from six to 12 months. The previous superintendent search, which Wilson said he took part in, lasted from October 2014 until July 2015 under the guidance of a search consultant. Wilson said that he has already begun to talk with top administrators, board members and other stakeholders to gather insight into developing a short-term plan for the vacancy, and a long-term plan for going about the search for a replacement superintendent. The resignation comes at an “awkward” time, Wilson said, as New Jersey schools are currently closed amid a Coronavirus pandemic, the Pemberton district’s budget public hearing is right around the corner and a new elementary school for the Pemberton district will be opening this fall. Wilson said the board will look to maintain “stability” during the near-term, despite everything happening at once. The Pemberton district stands to lose nearly $2.6 million in state aid for the 2020-21 school year due to a recently revised school funding formula mandated by Senate Bill S-2 signed into law by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy. Pemberton district officials recently proposed millions in cuts to the board to make up for the loss. Trongone said of his career in public education that he has continued to “learn more by experiencing different cultures and not staying put in one place.” He served as a math teacher at Northern Burlington County Regional High School from 1996 to 2001, before moving onto the Gloucester City School District where he was a math coach from See RESIGNS/ Page 4

Voorhees Man Dies After Being Ejected from Dirt Bike in Wharton State Forest By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

WA S H I N G T O N — A d i r t b i k e accident in the Washington Township section of the Whar ton State Forest last week resulted in the death of a Voorhees Township man. Accordi ng to Ca r y n Sh i nske, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the New Jersey State Park Police, officers responded to the accident at around 2:10 p.m. on March 22. She said that a preliminary investigation deter m i ned t hat t he ma n wa s r id i ng

a dirt bike on Washington-Quakerbridge Road, traveling west from Washington Tu r npi ke, when he lost cont rol, wa s ejected and “suffered catastrophic injuries.” “State Park Police and other local emergency responders attempted CPR at the scene, but were unable to revive the male, who had been riding in the area with others,” Shinske said. “There were no obvious signs of foul play, alcohol or drug use, and no summonses will be issued.” Shinske contended that she had no other details to share about the identity of the victim at this time, other than that he was an adult resident of Voorhees.

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ShopRite of Medford Celebrates Its Customers in Grand Re-Opening Celebration Highlighting More Expansive Kitchen, Sections to Help Locals Live a Healthier Life By Andy Milone Staff Writer

Photo By Andy Milone

In the produce department of ShopRite of Medford, the bins are at a lower height so that customers can more easily make their selections, and a “Meals of the Week” section includes all ingredients for make-at-home dinners. Factoring in some eight months of planning for the project, the remodeled grocery store has been more than a year in the making. Lynmar Builders, of Westville, and Cold

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ShopRite of Medford Co-owners David and Renee Zallie cut a ceremonial ribbon outside their store’s entrance with their two daughters, Mia, 7, and Julia, 11, during a Grand Re-Opening Celebration on March 8.

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Editor’s Note: This event took place prior to the Coronavirus public health emergency. MEDFORD—Zallie’s ShopRite of Medford recently marked the conclusion of a nearly sixand-a-half month, major remodeling project to make its store very “customer-centric” with a grand re-opening celebration that thanked customers for their support, included prize giveaways and celebrated success. The festivities were held just before the Coronavirus public health emergency developed in New Jersey. The ShopRite store, located at 208 Route 70 East, first showcased its more than $8 million remodel during a “soft opening,” designated Customer Appreciation Day, on March 1. The grocery store then hosted a Grand Re-Opening Celebration, along with a formal ribbon cutting, on March 8 with many employees, shoppers, neighbors, first responders, elected officials, business owners and community members in attendance. ShopRite of Medford, which employs about 300 people and has a footprint of about 65,000 square feet, is the flagship store of the Zallie-Somerset group of stores, which also includes ShopRite of Lawnside and ShopRite of Gibbstown. Co-owners David and Renee Zallie, who purchased the ShopRite of Medford in 2007, cut the ceremonial ribbon outside its main entrance, alongside their two daughters, Mia, 7, and Julia, 11, while the Greater Kensington String Band entertained and helped kick off the festivities to celebrate the landmark day. The ShopRite of Medford never shut down completely during the remodeling project.

during what we know was a very stressful time,” Renee Zallie told this newspaper after the ceremony. “We hope they enjoy the new store.” The remodeling, according to store officials, had a major goal of “matching the store’s features to modern customer needs.” Customers will notice new physical features, like updated equipment, new energy-efficient lighting and reconfigured flooring, but they will also experience functional changes to food shopping. “There was a big focus on Zallie’s Fresh Kitchen, which is where our signature items come from,” said Store Manager Carney Siciliano in an interview with this newspaper. “They are all made here, fresh. We also decluttered the store and made it a friendlier environment to shop with better selections, and it’s just an overall better atmosphere for the store.” Zallie’s Fresh Kitchen has become the signature, “state of the art” central hub of the store. As part of this project, its floor space and number of chefs doubled in size, and can now handle almost any request put forth by the modern-day shopper. Four new rotisserie ovens were added to improve efficiency and expand the store’s capacity to roast whole chickens and other meats. The kitchen is capable of answering the wishes of all types of customers, according to store officials. Customers can place large catering orders; grab already-made food; customize a meal on-the-spot; pick up an already prepared meal ready to be cooked; or find something new to try every week.

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Contractor Razes Historic Rustic Inn

SHOPRITE (Continued from Page 3)

Photo By Douglas D. Melegari

Excavation and demolition equipment arrived at the landmark site on March 31 and April 1, according to a local resident.

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—A dilapidated building that used to house the Rustic Inn, also known as “Backwater Jacks” and “Outback Jacks,” located at the intersection of Route 9 and Maple Avenue in the New Gretna section of Bass River Township, was razed on the morning

RESIGNS (Continued from Page 2)

2001 until 2005. From 2005 to 2010, he served in the Cherry Hill Public School District as a math department supervisor, supervisor of curriculum and instruction, and central office administrator. He later landed his first superintendent gigs in the Berlin Borough and Gibbsboro Public School Districts, before landing the job with the Pemberton district. Both Trongone and Wilson identified similar feats of pride for Pemberton over the last five years under the superintendent’s

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of April 2. “They are demolishing it as we speak,” said Amanda “Mandy” Somes, clerk for Bass River Township, on April 2. Excavation and demolition equipment arrived at the landmark site on March 31 and See INN/ Page 6 leadership—accomplishments that include almost all of its 11 schools being certified as both State and National Schools of Character and how the district won some fights for state and federal funding, as recently as last month when the district identified a $2 million error in its 2020-21 state aid calculation that was later recovered. “Tony came to the district with energy, and he was ready to get things accomplished,” Wilson said. “He really prided himself in student achievement and ensuring our curricular standards were to up-to-date with our neighboring districts. He is very much an instructionally driven guy, and that is where he excelled during his time here.”

A new, hot section, sandwich station and grill accompany the new kitchen. The salad bar has expanded choices, with more than 80 offerings within a broader range of fresh greens, a larger selection of grains and more protein choices. “The remodeling gave a fresh look to the store, and makes it easier for shoppers to shop,” said Kim Bezanis, director of marketing and customer relations for ShopRite of Medford. “One of our goals was getting food on the table as quickly as possible.” In order to meet the growing needs of those organizing large gatherings, ShopRite of Medford boasts a brand-new catering office with more staff who can help with the planning for the big event. “The office used to be tables and chairs in the middle of everything,” Bezanis said. “Now, we offer the chance to really plan parties.” The ShopRite of Medford also expanded its perishable options. There is a fruit and vegetable workstation in the open where store associates wash, slice and package fruits and vegetables right in front of the customer. Produce containers are also at a lower height for better visibility and easier selection. “Living a healthier life” was one of the byproducts of the project, according to store

Saturday, April 4, 2020 officials, with a focus on happy and healthy eating. The produce section of the store also includes the “Meals Made Well” area, overseen by the store’s dietician, offering all the ingredients and recipe cards to make two complete meals. The meals change every two weeks. A brand-new wellness area, Dietician’s Nook, has also been created through the project. It features a dietician-approved wall with healthy food options that change monthly. “This was a six-and-a-half-month job,” said David Zallie during remarks before the ribbon cutting. “Our team did an outstanding job getting the store ready. It was not easy. I know it was not easy for our customers to shop during the remodel, so it was quite an adventure. But we are so happy that it is over, and we thank all of you for being here and for your support.” Siciliano read a proclamation from the New Jersey Senate presented to ShopRite of Medford before the ribbon cutting. “We are pleased to congratulate David and Renee Zallie, two highly esteemed Garden State residents, for the recent refurbishment of the ShopRite of Medford, totaling six and a half months, which bears witness to the remarkable initiative and tireless spirit of countless individuals, including David and Renee Zallie, who purchased this store in 2007, and have since devoted countless hours to ensuring its reputation as a community staple,” reads a passage from the proclamation.

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NEED-TO-KNOW INFORMATION State DOH Waives Rules for EMS Squads That Shamong Unit Was Fined for Violating By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

SHAMONG—After being notified of a state Department of Health decision to waive certain Emergency Medical Services (EMS) rules in response to the current Coronavirus pandemic, a spokesman for the EMS unit that serves Shamong Township said it will now resume engaging in what were previously considered to be violations of those rules that resulted in a hefty fine being imposed on his operation in February. “Yes” was the response from Joe Everman, deputy chief of EMS operations for the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company/Shamong Emergency Medical Services when asked by this reporter if his unit would now once again be substituting a first responder for a second licensed emergency medical technician if it didn’t have two EMTs available on calls. He said the squad would also be using an unlicensed ambulance for Basic Life Support (BLS) calls, in addition to its two licensed ones, when needed. After halting the practices at issue back in October at the request of the state Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) following an investigation of an alleged “anonymous complaint,” the local squad began relying on EMS units in neighboring Tabernacle and Medford townships to help out when it didn’t have enough qualified EMTs under a “mutual aid” arrangement. That, however, sometimes necessitated in longer wait periods for an ambulance. Everman added that while the local EMS does have some new recruits “in the pipeline, it takes time to get them trained and let them go out on the street.” As of Tuesday, he noted, members of his squad, wearing full personnel protective equipment, had transported one patient who manifested COVID-19 symptoms, but he was not aware of whether the individual had tested positive. Despite having complied with the OEMS directive, the local squad was told in a certified letter from the state agency that it was being fined a total of $108,000 for having engaged in 108 violations along those lines. The Shamong unit is now appealing the fine, which it was told it had 30 days to do. So far, however, there has been no indication of whether that fine may also be waived in the light of those waivers of the rules, which

Everman, in forwarding them to this newspaper, maintained “are exactly what we are being fined $108K for (violating).” In response to an inquiry, Janelle Fleming, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Health, would only say that “the Department cannot provide comment on these cases.” Medford attorney Peter C. Lange, who represents the Shamong EMS squad, told this newspaper that he wouldn’t know whether the issuance of the waivers would affect the status of the fine until such time as an administrative hearing is scheduled. But a more optimistic note was sounded by Shamong Mayor Michael S. Di Croce, who was reached on March 25 by the Pine Barrens Tribune while on a trip to New Zealand, which had just instituted a 30-day lockdown due to the Coronavirus. He said he was hoping to be able to leave on a flight home the following day. Di Croce, a local attorney who called the amount levied “outrageous” in another interview earlier this month, said “the good news is that the state has realized that the rules are no longer applicable.” He said the next step would be for the state to waive the fines. “I think that would be the most logical and fair thing to do in this case,” he said. While a meeting that Di Croce, a Republican, had originally scheduled with a representative of Democratic Governor Phil Murphy at which he planned to raise the issue had failed to materialize due to the evolving COVID-19 emergency, the mayor said he believed the message had gotten through to the governor. “I expect Gov. Murphy is going to do the right thing, and by executive order is going to waive these fines rather than let the matter go before an administrative law judge,” Di Croce maintained. The certificates of waiver were issued March 13 to all BLS licensed providers in New Jersey by OEMS Acting Director Terry Clancy, the replacement for former Director Scott Phelps, who was fired Feb. 19, the same day the original notice of the fine was sent to Shamong. One of those certificates, which addresses “required crewmembers,” allows each licensed provider to “utilize one certified EMT and one first responder as minimum staffing for inservices BLS ambulances, if both individuals are at least 18 years of age and render care within their respective scopes of practice.” It further specifies that any first responder See EMS/ Page 6

New Gretna Yacht Company Donates 2,650 Respirator Masks and Other PPE

Photo Submitted

A Viking Yacht Company boatbuilder working while wearing a Tyvek suit and a 3M N95 respirator mask.

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

NEW GRETNA—Viking Yacht Company, which has been building luxury performance sportfishing and cruising yachts since 1964, is doing its part to help out in the fight against the global Coronavirus pandemic. The company, with its headquarters based in the New Gretna section of Bass River Township, has donated a total of 2,650 3M N95 respirator masks, as well as 100 Tyvek suits, boots and hoods to various regional medical facilities in need of personal protective equipment (PPE) amid a national shortage due to the virus. “We are all in this together, and we must do our part to ‘flatten the curve’ so we can return to the boating and fishing lifestyle we all love,” said Pat Healey, president and CEO, in a statement. The donation received praise from state officials during a recent Coronavirus briefing led by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy. The announcement that the company was making the donation came on April 1—the same day that the family owned and operated company celebrated the 56th anniversary of its founding by Bob Healey (Pat’s father) and Bill Healey (Pat’s uncle) on the banks of the Bass River in New Gretna. “We have a 56 year history of supporting many different institutions, including schools, churches, and the medical community,” said Ch r istopher La nd r y, d i rector of communications, on April 1. “Especially during this time, we thought we would help

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where we can.” Landry noted the company donated the “strongest kind” of PPE, typically used in the manufacturing of its boats, to at least a half-dozen institutions, which included not only medical facilities, but also municipal/ governmental agencies such as fire and police. “Our 56th anniversary serves as a fitting reminder of our resilience,” Healey said. “We have endured many hardships (recessions, storms and the Luxury Tax) since my father Bill and Uncle Bob founded the company in 1964. We build boats—and nothing is going to stop us from doing what we love to do. There is no question. We will get through this and come out stronger.” Healey also notes that Viking has for many years operated an in-house medical services facility for all employees, which has been on call every day to attend to the needs of employees and their families in this unprecedented time. According to the Healey, the company temporar ily suspended manufact u r ing operations at its New Gretna and Mullica plants for a 14-day period, which began March 19, in an effort to protect the health and wellbeing of its employees, and to abide by state and federal guidelines. Healey said that he intended to bring back boatbuilders on April 6; however, due to recent Coronavirus developments and President Donald J. Trump’s extension of social-distancing guidelines (to April 30), the company is reassessing the date to resume manufacturing operations.

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Saturday, April 4, 2020

EMS

NEED-TO-KNOW INFORMATION

(Continued from Page 5)

County Health Department Opens Its First COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Site

must be certified in CPR at the professional rescuer level, and that the EMT will provide the primary patient care. The other certificate of waiver allows for unlicensed vehicles to be utilized on such calls, “provided that they meet all other requirements” of the applicable provisions of Chapter 8:40 of the New Jersey Administrative Code. Phelps told this newspaper on March 3 in response to a message sent via Facebook that

INN

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County

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

WESTAMPTON—The Burlington County Health Department held its first drive-thru Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing clinic in Westampton last week, with all 160 available appointment slots filled prior to the site opening on March 26. The Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center in Westampton, near the Burlington County Library, off Woodlane Road, is now one of 14 official testing sites opened across New Jersey within the past two weeks due to the growing outbreak of the virus statewide, part of a global pandemic that has infected over 930,000 people and killed over 46,000 people. Burlington County was the first one in South Jersey to hold drive-thru testing. As of press time, New Jersey was in the toptwo category for positive Coronavirus cases in the U.S., with over 22,000 positive cases reported statewide. 355 deaths in the state, as of press time, have been attributed to the virus, including at least seven in Burlington County. “We want to know how this virus is moving throughout our community,” said Dr. Herb Conaway, director of the Burlington County Department of Health and commander of the Burlington County Coronavirus Task Force. Conaway added that the only way to get an idea of how many people are carrying Coronavirus, including those who might be asymptomatic, and make judgements about the virus is flowing through the local communities, is by doing “really massive community-wide testing.” The number of test kits available across the U.S. has been initially limited. Conaway noted during a press conference prior to the county test site opening for the first time that if “plenty” of test kits become available, county

drive-thru

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Photo By Andy Milone

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health department officials “might be able to offer drive through testing for anyone who wants it.” “It’s certainly a national goal, as we look to expand testing,” said Conaway, noting that the county currently has a screening process in place that prioritizes the most vulnerable populations or healthcare workers on the frontlines. Those already considered in “critical condition” are given the highest precedent, he said. The Burlington County testing site, which is open to county residents who are exhibiting symptoms only (the one exception is first responders who work in the county, but don’t necessarily live in the county), was scheduled to be operational on March 30, April 1 and April 3, and with the health department announcing the arrival April 1 of additional COVID-19 test kits, a call center was booking more appointments for future dates. Residents can call 609-726-7097 from 9 a.m. to 5 pm. to seek an appointment. “Testing in the future will be determined by the availability of test kits,” said Nicholas Gangemi, a spokesman for Burlington County. An increasing number of first responders, including law enforcement officers, have either been quarantined or tested positive for COVID-19 in New Jersey. Testing was scheduled to be held on Friday for first responders in Burlington County, according to Gangemi. As of press time, there have been 262 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Burlington County, according to the county health department. Two private laboratories, Conaway said, are responsible for rationing out testing kits to See HEALTH/ Page 7

April 1, according to a local resident who came up to this reporter while working on a story about the impending permanent closure of the Bass River Elementary School, located about 45 seconds away from the demolition project. The building, which attracted much attention given that it not only was historical, but sits on the northeast corner of the municipality’s most traversed intersection in the center of town, has drawn concern in the past from the Bass River Board of Commissioners since one side appeared to have been collapsing into itself. The building, on the last day that it remained standing, was observed to have large holes in its roof. Most of its facade had also significantly deteriorated and entrances and windows to the facility were boarded up. Ivy was also growing on the sides of the building. Since Bass River Township has so few sites where a commercial establishment can be built due to Pinelands Commission regulations, town officials have expressed concerns in the past that if the business doesn’t reopen soon, or another similar entity doesn’t open in the spot, the municipality will permanently lose one of its liquor licenses currently assigned to the Rustic Inn. “The liquor license is in limbo for two more years,” said Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope last year. “It would go back to state if no other entity can purchase it. We will never see it again, if it does leave us, because now the state mandates that a town has to have a population of 10,000

he believed the fines imposed against both Shamong and the Lanoka Harbor EMS in Lacey Township, Ocean County, which was assessed $617,000 for similar violations, were related to billing procedures that he said created a “huge problem” for the New Jersey Department of Health and CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) “because an ambulance organization is not permitted to bill some patients and not (to bill) others.” While neither Shamong nor Lanoka Harbor squads bill uninsured patients for BLS calls, they do attempt to recover costs from insurance companies. people for every liquor license.” Bass River Township had a population of 1,443 people as of the last U.S. Census in 2010. According to the website, “Bass River History,” the building has been boarded up since 2001. Township Solicitor JoAnne O’Connor, in August 2017, said that she was working with the owner’s attorney to demolish the building, but at the same time preserve the owners’ right to build on the lot. However, she said there were some “issues” with the historical nature of the building. She cited a Pinelands Commission regulation requiring the owners to maintain a section of wall of the original building to be able to rebuild. Last year, when asked if the owner was going to be able to rebuild the establishment at the same location, Buzby-Cope replied that he would be able to “as long as it is in the same footprint.” O’Connor, reached on April 2, said that the attorney she was working with was no longer handling the matter, but that she had been in touch with the engineer handling the demolition project. “I am assuming that they did everything that they need to do with the Pinelands Commission,” O’Connor said. O’Connor added that the liquor license was good through at least sometime in the summer, after it had been extended again, and that the “municipality is trying to keep on them to keep the liquor license viable.” “It is not something that the town wants to lose,” O’Connor said. “It can be transferred.”

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MOVING (Continued from Page 1)

offset the decrease in funding. Bass River Superintendent of Schools Siobhan Grayson, in a 2019 interview about the feasibility study, called a report that the Bass River district is somewhere between $800,000 and $900,000 in debt, “accurate.” Yates told this newspaper that the Bass River district now has “just under $500,000 in remaining lease payments.” Adams called the $94,000 loss in funding, to date, a “significant chunk of change for a small town.” Five employees of the Bass River district were laid off last year, according to Yates, in response to the $30,000 reduction in school aid. Yates said that with the additional $64,000 loss in funding for the upcoming school year, the district would have to cut all non-essential programs and tenured teaching staff to arrive at a balanced budget. “We would have to reduce a significant amount of staff just to produce a balanced budget,” he said. “With expendit u res increasing, and revenues decreasing, it has a compound effect on our ability to provide a balanced budget.” Adams said that many community members favored “the tradition of keeping the small school” and the “heart of our town,” but ultimately accepted that “there is no money to maintain school or staff.” “The community was divided on whether to close, or not close, but they eventually realized that it was not financially possible,” she said. “Even though most of the community would have liked to see school stay open, they realized it was not possible. Money talks and we just don’t have it.” Adams contended that “asking taxpayers to do any of this is just not possible” given the “already financial distress” of Bass River, a “small town” with “no new flood of residents.” As previously reported by this newspaper, Bass River is facing revenue problems due to a lack of ratables and a loss of Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) funding, in which the state provides compensation to municipalities to offset lost revenues from land that it takes for preservation purposes. Municipal taxes alone (not school taxes) were raised last year by $210 per $100,000 in assessed value in exchange for the township paying off an accumulated debt of approximately $350,000. Adams said that there are “so many resources” available at the Little Egg Harbor district that the Bass River district “doesn’t have to offer” its students. “It (send/receive) is a big plus for our students,” Adams declared. Adams listed Before and After, Student Mentoring, Next Generation Science and Instruction programs as just some of the resources Bass River students would have

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM access to next school year should the send/ receive relationship be finalized. She added that students would also have math and literacy coaches through the Little Egg district. “The students will have access to programs, and an education that Bass River simply cannot provide under its financial constraints,” Yates said. “When I say education, I don’t mean regular education, I mean extracurricular activities, extra programs, math and literacy coaches, STEAM programs, and everything else Little Egg Harbor has that Bass River cannot provide under its current financial constraints.” Adams told this newspaper that the “uncertainty” of what is ahead for the upcoming school year had left some Bass River parents “anxious,” but that they were more accepting of the decision upon learning of the programs and that the “same curriculum and grading system” would be used. “At prior meetings, there was a lot of discussion from the public, and it was very much appreciated,” Adams said. “We wanted to hear their concerns. We did a very good job trying to answer them, but it was tough on them.” Louis Bourguignon, a member of the Bass River Board of Commissioners, told this newspaper in a March 29 interview that he was asked by some in the community to help save the school, but he “didn’t have all the stats.” “Give me the facts,” he said. “Just send me the facts—the test averages, number of special needs kids and show me where it is feasible (to keep it open). You can’t just make a decision based on your heart. I can’t make a decision with no stats.” Bourguignon further declared that the commissioners “didn’t have one ounce of say” in the matter. “They (the school board/district) own the building and they run the school,” he said. However, Bourguignon cited reports relayed to him that the “options were very slim,” because a significant percentage of the district’s population comprised of special needs kids, “the rest of the kids were testing below state average” and that the district was $500,000 in debt. “You can’t keep putting money down a dead hole, you might as well flush it down the toilet,” Bourguignon said. “I am for thinking with a heart, but sometimes you have to use your brain. “…The teachers there love the kids. The kids love them. But just like with a cancer doctor, you might love him, but he can’t cure you.” Bourguignon again reiterated that the school board didn’t bring the matter to him, or the commissioners, but that one “can’t keep kicking the can down the road forever.” Bourguignon noted that the “big question” to be asked of Bass River district officials is what is the Bass River district going to do with See MOVING/ Page 9

HEALTH

(Continued from Page 6) drive-thru sites. Gangemi noted that the county is not at liberty to identify the laboratories. When specimens are taken and delivered to the labs, the county anticipates it will collect the next shipment of test kits, according to Conaway. “We will be putting the specimens on ice in the freezer, and we will freeze them, and at the end of each day, one of the county employees will ferry the tests up to the lab, and they (the technicians) will start working on them in short order. Right now, we are told the turn-around for those tests will be about 48 to 72 hours. We hope that is the case.” He added that some larger private laboratories say that they have about a three-or four-day turnaround, but that has been stretched out to an eight to 10-day window simply because of the volume and demand for testing. Conaway, when asked about the cost of establishing drive-thru testing sites, contended that “those numbers are climbing,” including due to the need for personal protective equipment (PPE), test kits, arrangements with laboratories to do the testing. He added that the cost is “not going to be small.” “As the President (Donald J. Trump) has declared New Jersey a ‘major disaster’ area, under FEMA, we expect that a large portion of the costs associated with combatting the virus will be reimbursable in the future,” Gangemi said. Given reports of hospital systems across the

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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state becoming stressed with an influx of sick patients and limited bed capacity, Conaway urged residents to carefully evaluate their need for an ambulance or to go to the hospital. Currently, he said, if someone calls for an ambulance and demands to be taken to the hospital, EMTs must transport the patient to the hospital. Conaway contended that he was trying to get “some flexibility” for EMS services because “we cannot overwhelm our EMS services and hospitals.” “Most residents who contract COVID-19 experience mild to moderate symptoms with COVID-19,” Conaway said. “If people don’t take ownership of this crisis, and decide to go to the hospital for a cough or cold symptom as this virus often presents, we will overwhelm the hospital system and first responders. A nyone expe r ienci ng seve re d ist ress should make the call to 911, if not, just stay home.” Conaway added that health officials (both county and state) are developing an inventory of sites that can be used for testing (i.e. Department of Motor Vehicle inspection stations) and stand-up hospitals, should the need arise due to a surge in residents requiring hospitalization. He added that an inventory is also being taken of moth-ball hospitals, or ones that were closed, but its infrastructure still exists. “We need to make sure that South Jersey gets at least one of those hospitals, so that we are as prepared as we can be, here,” Conaway said. “If we get the resources, the planning is certainly under way; and if the need arises, we should be able to bring on sufficient capacity.”

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Saturday, April 4, 2020

Developer of Village at Taunton Forge Celebrates Milestone By Sharing Fond Memories of How Shopping Center Started By Douglas D. Melegari

Home Nurse Arrested for Sexually Assaulting Patient with Disorder

Staff Writer

MEDFORD—Joseph DePetris, the man who changed Medford Township’s atmosphere for the better by establishing one of the most vital community shopping centers serving the Pinelands communities at the intersection of Taunton and Tuckerton roads, hit a milestone on March 15 that will secure his spot on a Smucker’s jar. DePetris, a loving-father to James, Michael, Steven, David and Donna, turned 100 years old on March 15. The DePetris family celebrated the milestone early recently by taking Joseph DePetris, now a winter resident of Florida, to the place he developed, and that is so near-and-dear to his heart, the Village at Taunton Forge shopping center. “I try to enjoy life, and appreciate all that God has given to me,” said Joseph DePetris of his secret to longevity and success. Joseph DePetris was in awe as he was seated on a newly-built patio outside of Tacos el Tio with a lakeside view and water fountain, taking in the sights and sounds of the recently renovated shopping center (now operated by four sons of Legend Properties, Inc.) with some new tenants and many “who go back a long time.” “He is best known for developing the Village at Taunton Forge Shopping Center, but he was also a major land owner selling many building lots (around 100) to well-known home builders in the Medford area,” said David DePetris. “He has had a tremendous impact on the Medford community.” With one of the tenants’ storefronts named Fond Memories, it was no coincidence that the father of four sons and one daughter was joined together with three of his children who live locally to share fond memories with this newspaper of how he ended up acquiring the land to build the shopping center. Jose ph DePet r is g rew up i n Sout h Philadelphia, before moving to the Chestnut

DiPAOLO

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Joseph DePetris, founder of the Village at Taunton Forge Shopping Center, visits a newly-built patio outside of Tacos el Tio with a water view and fountain. Hill section of Philadelphia. He graduated Germantown High School in the 1930s and later went into the U.S. Navy, serving on a destroyer escort during World War II. According to Donna DePetris, her father came back from the war and met the “love of his life,” Rosemary, who ended up being his wife of 67 years until she passed away five years ago. “They got married and moved to Moorestown in the 1960s,” Donna DePetris said. Joseph DePetris became a salesman for a roofing company. He also worked for a “very important” grocer in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, making only $1 an hour. That experience led up to his working as a salesman for a mortgage company in South Jersey, which set things in motion for his “greatest accomplishment.” “That led to development,” Donna DePetris said. “He started to acquire properties in Southern New Jersey.” Joseph DePetris eventually became vested in the Lake Pine community as an owner of the

Lake Pine Water Company and Lake Pine Lake (which he later donated to the community), and decided to buy a nearly 400-acre parcel in 1965. He chose to build the shopping center on a 40-acre subdivision of the larger parcel after Larry Korman (owner of the one-time chain of 13 Shop n Bags stores) approached him with interest in the location. Korman, who has since passed away, had explained that the value of the location was the convenience of location “right in the center of the Lake Pine and Medford community,” near the residences. There is a heavy concentration of the population of Medford living in the surrounding neighborhoods. “I thought the reason why a lot of people came here was the atmosphere—including the trees and lakes,” said Joseph DePetris of his purchasing decision. “The trees and lakes inspired the village concept.” David DePetris noted that his dad “shunned the typical design of the shopping centers being See MILESTONE/ Page 14

SOUTHAMPTON—A 33-year-old man working as a caregiver in a Southampton Township home has been arrested for sexually assaulting a severely-developmentally impaired girl under his care, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and New Jersey State Police Col. Patrick Callahan. Edmondo DiPaolo, of Pemberton Township, was charged this week with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree attempted aggravated assault and seconddegree endangering the welfare of a child. A state police investigation into DiPaolo began, according to the prosecutor’s office, after family members discovered an injury to the victim’s leg. “The investigation revealed that her femur bone had been broken while DiPaolo was adjusting her position prior to sexually assaulting her,” Coffina said. The victim, 16, has a degenerative brain disorder, according to the prosecutor’s office, and is wheelchair bound. “She is unable to move or speak, and is fed and medicated through tubes,” Coffina said. “DiPaolo had been caring for her two days a week for the last seven months.” DiPaolo was taken into custody on March 21 and lodged in Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a detention hearing in Superior Court. The case will then be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Message About Our COVID-19 Response

In light of current events surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, I understand that this is a hectic time for many readers and advertisers. I hope you are safe and wish you the best through this difficult period. As I shared with our readers at the end of last year, after much discussion, my team decided to follow suit with some of the other weekly newspapers in the Philadelphia region and not print an issue during the major holiday weeks of Easter, Christmas and New Year’s, annually, to allow all of us to enjoy this very special time with family. Of course, we had no idea at that time that Easter of this year would be affected by an outbreak of Novel Coronavirus, which has just made it all the more important that we allow our staff to take a break at this stressful time and be with family. In today’s issue, the last one ahead of Easter, you will find our Easter greetings and Easter Worship Guide. Many churches will be for the first time holding their worship services online as a result of the global pandemic that has now reached our parts. Continuing to serve you is of the highest importance to us. However, we are not immune from what is happening all around us. The significant increase this past week in COVID-19 cases in our area, mandatory closure of non-essential businesses going

on week three, along with social distancing measures, have all impacted the newspaper in various ways. We have spent the last three weeks, for example, revamping our distribution strategy to serve you as best as possible given the number of business closures. We have deployed additional outdoor free distribution racks in our communities that we serve, and will now be replenishing our racks at local grocery stores in addition to our regular distribution day. (Evergreen Dairy Bar and Binkley’s S & 10 are just two of the latest additions). I will continue to keep you apprised of our operational status going forward. As a journalist, I feel strongly that free community newspapers should rise to the occasion, and must be there to keep readers apprised of what is happening in the community. However, this is a different type of crisis we just haven’t seen before, where resources to do so are increasingly scarce and a dangerous illness, should it hit close to home, could make it very difficult in the coming weeks. Some business owners this week have debated “Does the risk outweigh the benefit?” Of course, we remember the brave journalists who covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, who risked all to bring you the

news. In closing, I want to share with you some thought-provoking questions from the Hoosier State Press Association. In the worst of times, newspapers rise to the occasion. While everyone struggles to understand “flattening the curve” and social distancing, who will provide them with the information about what is happening in their community? Who will explain what steps the county health department has instituted to deal with COVID-19? Who will explain what steps the hospital’s emergency room and doctor’s office have taken to deal with requests for a coronavirus test? Who will tell residents whether there are any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in your community? Who will assure that the shelves of stores remain stocked, maybe not with hand sanitizers, but the essentials needed while people try to stay at home as much as possible? Who will tell them that the pharmacies remain open to fill prescriptions for those who need medicine? Who will share stories on how first responders are protecting themselves while serving calls from possible coronavirus victims? Who will explain to parents what students

should be doing to stay current in the classroom? W ho will help ci rculate the latest information released by county, school superintendents, mayors and town councils on the local response to an ever-changing situation? Who will inform families where they can go to replace the school lunches their children were receiving? Who will ask hard questions of government officials when flaws in the system become evident? The answer to all of the above questions is the local newspaper. These are unprecedented and trying times for local businesses, including this newspaper. This free publication is made possible, in part, due to the success and support of local businesses in this great community. We are doing all we can to help them through this crisis. Please patronize our local businesses and advertisers as much as you can. This remains a fluid situation as we don’t know how long the virus will remain in our region, how far it will spread or how long officials will keep businesses closed. We will be continuing to reevaluate our response and urge you to stay tuned. May God Bless you all. Let’s get through this together. Stay safe! Thank you for your continued support.

Easter Fun & Worship Guide

H e lp f u l T ip s f o r a S u cce ssfu l E a ste r B ru n ch So, you’ve got family or friends coming over for your yearly Easter brunch? Here are a few practical tips for a successful get-together.

FORMULA

First off, you need to determine what dining style you want to follow. Do you want your brunch to be a buffet, with different food stations where people can customize their own meal? Or would you prefer a more classic style of brunch, where your guests stay seated and each course is served directly to the table? You decide!

MENU

After you’ve decided on your winning formula, plan out your Easter menu. Delicious pastries, maple-glazed ham, devilled eggs or

even fruit and cheese platters are all must-haves for your holiday brunch. When putting your menu together, consider recipes that won’t have you trapped in the kitchen while your guests are having fun in the living room. To make cooking easier while guests are present, try to do as much a s possible before eve r yone a r r ive s, or choose dishes that don’t require too much preparation.

DECORATIONS

Finally, nothing beats themed decorations when it comes to creating the perfect party ambiance. Decorate your home with beautiful flowers, hang pastel-colored streamers and jazz up your table with colorful napkins and Easter eggs. Your guests will be blown away by your beautiful spring-inspired decorations.

F i r e -U p t h e S m o k e r f o r E a s t e r D in n e r T h is Ye a r For much of the country, Easter Sunday typically falls during a time of year when the weather outside is still pretty chilly. But this year Easter falls on the third Sunday in April, increasing the chances that temperatures will be more spring-like and less reminiscent of winter. Warmer temperatures on Easter Sunday means hosts tasked with cooking Easter dinner might be able to expand their culinary horizons and avoid the stove. Though they might not have considered it before, hosts might want to fire up their smokers to give their families something delicious and different to dine on this Easter Sunday. If the weather takes an unexpected turn for the worse, electric smokers can typically be used indoors, but check the manufacturer's instructions to confirm that. Big meals are part and parcel for Easter Sunday, this recipe for "Pork Loin Roast with Hot Pepper Jelly Glaze" from Karen Putman and Judith Fertig's "Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food" (Robert Rose) is a great way to take advantage of warmer Easter weather while still ensuring everyone has a full belly by the end of the meal.

PORK LOIN WITH HOT PEPPER JELLY GLAZE

Serves 4 to 6 • 1 boneless pork loin roast (about 2 lbs.) • 4 cups apple juice • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar Rib Rub (see below) • 1 cup hot pepper jelly • Additional apple juice for spraying 1. Rinse pork under cold running water and pat dry. Place in a large sealable plastic bag and pour in apple juice. Seal bag and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.

2. Remove pork from marinade and pat dry. Discard marinade. Sprinkle dry rub over the surface of the meat, coating evenly. Set aside. 3. Prepare a fire in your smoker. 4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt hot pepper jelly over medium-low heat. Keep warm by the smoker. 5. Place pork directly on the smoker rack, add wood to the coals and close the lid. Smoke at 225 F to 250 F, spraying with apple juice every 30 minutes, for 2 hours. Brush with hot pepper jelly, close the lid and smoke, spraying with apple juice every 30 minutes, for 1 to 11/2 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the pork registers 160 F for medium, or until desired doneness. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

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Saturday, April 4, 2020

E x p lo r e t h e T r u e M e a n in g B e h in d E a s te r

Vincentown Vincentown United Methodist United Methodist Church Rev.Church David L. Ledford III 10 a.m. Sunday School

Facebook Live Online Worship - Every Sunday at 11a.m., past videos found at vincentownumc.org 10:15 a.m. Prayer and Praise Time If Easter is cancelled, a Resurrection 11 a.m. Worship Celebration Service will occur during our first week back in the sanctuary. Please check Facebook and vincentownumc.org for updates. Food Pantry for Families: We97 praise employees. Weof areEvery praying for Saturday MainGod St.,for all essential1st you withoutNJ ceasing! 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Vincentown, 08088 STILLMonth ON

Rev. David L. Ledford III 10 a.m. Sunday School 10:15 a.m. Prayer and Praise Time 609-859-2161 11 a.m. Worship Service

609-859-2161 97 Main St., Vincentown, NJ 08088

Food Pantry for Families: 1st Saturday of Every Month 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Join us in prayer for those afflicted by COVID-19 and for front-line workers. We look foward to celebrating with you when this storm has passed. In the meantime please consider: Joining us for service on Sundays at 9:30 am on Facebook or follow us! We’d love to connect! Facebook.com/MedfordUMC Downloading our mobile app to receive our daily devotional and get up to date information regarding MUMC during this time. Just text “medfordapp” to 77977 or search your app store for “Medford UMC”

2 Hartford Road • Medford, NJ • 609/654-8111 • medfordumc.org Like us on Facebook/@MedfordUMC • ~OUR FACILITIES ARE ACCESSIBLE~

Bunnies and baskets, chocolates and candies. It’s that time of year when parents scramble to ensure their children wake up to a trove of treats, and families decide on who is serving the lamb dinner this year. These are some of the familiar Easter traditions, but much more is involved with the holiday than egg hunts and brightly adorned bonnets. For the religious, it can be important to delve into the true meanings behind Easter and let those discoveries help shape celebrations. Easter, above all, is a religious commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the culmination of the holy period known as Lent, and it the most significant date on the Christian liturgical calendar. Jesus Christ was the Son of God, who fulfilled the prophesies that he would give his own life for his people so they could enjoy eternal life after their own mortal bodies perished. Easter, from Jesus’ very own words, marked a new covenant for the faithful. According to scripture, Jesus was enjoying the Passover dinner when he sat down with his disciples. Understanding that this would be his last earthly meal and that someone close to him would betray him, he took bread and gave thanks to God for it. He broke the bread and said

it was his body that should be given up so sins would be forgiven. He did a similar gesture with wine, indicating that it was his blood that should be shed as a sacrifice for all. Christ instructed the disciples to do the same ritual in the future in memory of him. Jesus was subsequently betrayed and turned over to the authorities. He was sentenced to crucifixion and perished on the cross. His body was cleansed and placed in a tomb sealed by a stone. His followers were unaware of the miracle that would ensue in the days to come. On Easter Sunday, the tomb was discovered open and empty. Jesus had risen from the dead, providing irrefutable proof that he was the Son of God. In turn, Jesus fulfilled all he was born to do and preached. Easter did not always symbolize Christ’s resurrection when it was first celebrated. It was once a pagan ritual of renewal and birth. However, when early missionaries began to spread Christianity’s message, the holiday falling around the time of Christ’s actual resurrection was adopted to commemorate the religious miracle. Today it stands as a testament to ultimate sacrifice and the promise of eternal life for all who believe in him.

Saturday, April 4, 2020

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM

1 Winchester Court, Tabernacle, NJ

609-268-0262

Lord of Life, 2,000 years ago you overcame death and neutralized the grave. You care for all creation; from the sparrows flying in the air to lilies growing in the field, and you value us, your people even more. Ease our anxiety as we face this global pandemic. Help all those working toward means of prevention, treatments and cures. Send your peace to all who fear this affliction and the effects of COVID-19. Lord of the resurrection, help us to turn our Easter proclamation “He is risen” into our daily experience. For these prayers and for all our needs known by you, we give you thanks through the name of the risen Christ, Jesus our Lord, Amen! Please virtually visit the peaceful grounds of our meditation walk along the 14 Stations of the Cross: https://lordlife.website/14701. html. Sermons, prayers, and worship videos are available on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LOLTabernacle) and website (www.lordlife.us).

PPastor Elijah Mwitanti

All are Welcome

Protestant Community Church “Cathedral of the Woods” APRIL 12 EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES ARE SUSPENDED ON THE CAMPUS

100 Stokes Road Medford Lakes, NJ 609.654.4220

We join in one voice to ask for God’s love, comfort, and support in our �me of need. “Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God.” Isaiah 41:10 (NRSV)

Please visit http://www.protestantcommunitychurch.org/#/ for devo�onals and sermons, ways to stay connected, and current church news as well as our history, staff, and ministries.

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EASTER FUN & WORSHIP GUIDE

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E a ste r a n d th e D a y s That M ake U p Lent Did you know that Easter is directly preceded by Lent? This key period of the Catholic calendar comprises 40 days of fasting and reflection, which ultimately culminates in celebrating Easter Sunday. These are some of the holy days typically observed during lent. SHROVE TUESDAY • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 This is a day for letting loose before Lent. It’s frequently celebrated with extravagant parades and festivities such as Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. ASH WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 26, 2020 The first day of Lent. This holy day is characterized by the practice of marking crucifixes with the ashes of burnt palm leaves on the foreheads of devout Christians. PALM SUNDAY • APRIL 4, 2020 The final Sunday of Lent and the first day of Holy Week (the week leading up to Easter Sunday), this day commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ into Jerusalem, when followers laid down their cloaks and small branches of trees in front of him as a sign of respect.

H o w th e E a ste r B u n n y B e ca m e a T ra d itio n Have you ever wondered about the origins of your favorite Easter traditions and customs? How did a rabbit delivering chocolate eggs and treats come to represent this holiday? Here’s the lowdown on some of our long-held Easter customs.

GOOD FRIDAY • APRIL 10, 2020 On this day, Christians observe Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. While it may seem like a misnomer for such a solemn occasion, it’s been suggested that in this case, “good” merely refers to a day of religious observance. EASTER SUNDAY • APRIL 12, 2020 The most important day in the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday is a time for feasting in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Overall, Lent is a time for fasting, giving up bad habits, adopting wholesome practices and reflecting on spiritual values. Regardless of whether or not you’re religious, the days leading up to Easter are the perfect time to be more mindful of how you live your life.

Saturday, April 4, 2020

EASTER EGGS Eggs have long been a symbol of rebirth, and decorating and exchanging them in the spring is a practice that goes back many thousands of years. Early Christians adopted this custom and eventually began exchanging empty eggs to represent Christ’s tomb after the resurrection. The eggs were often dyed red to represent the blood Jesus shed on the cross. THE EASTER BUNNY Some believe that the Easter Bunny we know and love today was brought to North America by German immigrants in the 1700s. Their Easter traditions involved the Osterhase, an egg-laying hare. The night before Easter, children made nests for the hare to lay its eggs in. The next morning, the kids would find brightly colored eggs, paper bunnies and small treats in their nests.

EASTER CHOCOLATES The age old tradition of eating chocolate at Easter has nothing to do with ancient custom and everything to do with this treat becoming readily available to the mas­ses. By the late 19th century, cocoa had become much more accessible to the middle classes and parents started putting chocolate candies in their children’s Easter baskets. This Easter, as you’re hunting for Easter eggs or biting the ear off of a chocolate bunny, you can tell your family about the intriguing origins of the custom.

Saturday, April 4, 2020

MOVING (Continued from Page 7)

the building and debt. “They still owe the money,” he said. “It doesn’t go away because they ship the kids out. The debt is still there. When there is debt, it goes to us. It doesn’t go to somebody else. They got different loans over the years. You know how somebody has a credit card and keeps maxing the card out, that is what I assume happened. There wasn’t good oversight. Nobody kept them in check. Somebody didn’t oversee them very well. I don’t have figures. They kept everybody in the dark.” Yates said that Bass River Elementary School (a 45,299 square-foot building with a capacity to hold some 205 students) will remain the property and ownership of the Bass River Board of Education until decided otherwise. “That is not to say it will stay vacant,” he said. “Every effort will be made to find use of the building. Again, that is the directive of board, I don’t make that decision.” Yates noted, while discussing the Bass River district’s lack of reserve, that Pinelands Regional officials “just took over Bass River situation 13 months ago” and he can’t speak to what the previous administration did, or the previous decisions of board before their time. “They have just under $500,000 in remaining lease payments and that stays with the district,” said Yates when asked about what will happen to any remaining debt should the formal send/ receive be approved. “None of the school’s property or obligations will become the township’s responsibility.”

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WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM Bass River Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope did not return a request seeking comment on this story as of press time. Currently, the Bass River School District has 22 employees, including custodial and secretarial staff, along with classroom aides, according to Yates. “Most of the staff will have the opportunity to be interviewed with Little Egg, and then at that point, it is their choosing whether or not to accept,” Adams contended. Yates said that only “tenured, certificated staff members” are entitled to positions according to statute. He said the superintendent (Grayson) is not entitled to a position in this scenario. Should the send/receive relationship be finalized, Yates said, the Bass River Board of Education “will continue to operate” once the school district becomes a non-operating school district, but that it will meet less frequently, perhaps only six times a year versus 12, as it won’t have as much business to conduct. A budget presentation slide titled “tentative tax analysis—pending county approval” put the 2019-20 school year tax levy at $1,565,430 and projected that the 2020-21 school year tax levy would drop to $1,156,885 (should the send/ receive agreement be finalized), resulting in a 26.1 percent, or $408,545 savings. “There were no factors indicating that a send/receive wouldn’t be feasible,” Yates said. “Our budget that we have prepared puts the students in a place for the best possible education next school year. It saves as many jobs as we possibly could, and it provides a significant tax levy savings to the residents of Bass River. Again, this is all pending county approval.”

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1. Seed part 7. Productive 13. Popular cocktail 14. Sausages 16. Western state 17. Natural desires 19. Defunct British automaker 20. Early media tycoon 22. Move from one place to another 23. Letter of Semitic abjads 25. Female birds 26. Umbrella brand 28. Delinquent 29. Tax collector 30. Cooking tool 31. Female sibling 33. Flat-topped hat 34. Angolan currency 36. Boardwalk candy 38. European nation 40. Leaflike part of palm 41. Removed with solvent 43. Uttered words 44. Unfashionable person 45. Disappointed 47. Controversial device in soccer 48. 007’s creator 51. Pain

53. UCLA mascot 55. Razorbill 56. Turkic people 58. Mimic 59. Crime involving fire 60. And, Latin 61. A saponaceous quality 64. Dorm employee 65. Estate lands 67. States 69. They slow you down 70. Gets up

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18. Body art 21. Fierce, destructive act 24. Bear bright yellow flowers 26. Japanese delicacy 27. Get off your feet 30. Male organs in some invertebrates 32. __, so good 35. Cleverness 37. Protest yacht 38. Anesthetized 39. Mollified 42. Touch lightly 43. Diego, Francisco, Anselmo 46. Some windows have them 47. National capital 49. Squirrels like them 50. Grandmothers 52. Painter’s tool 54. News organization 55. __ and thesis: musical term 57. Famed activist Parks 59. __ Spumante (Italian wine) 62. A number or amount not specified 63. Body part 66. Of I 68. Old English

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Thankfully, the whole family made it out using the emergency fire escape.” Cafasso could not be reached through the GoFundMe page as of press time. Cunard said that the cause of the fire was being investigated by Thomas Boyd, who is the Tabernacle fire inspector and code enforcement officer. Boyd told this newspaper that there has been a joint investigation effort between his office, the Burlington Fire Marshal’s Office and New Jersey State Police to determine the cause of the fire. “At this point, we haven’t ruled anything out,” Boyd said. “We are still in the process of determining the cause. We are able to say, however, that we believe it started in the exterior, in the area of the stairs.” Boyd is asking anyone with early video of the blaze, or information about the fire, to contact his office to assist in the investigation by calling 609-268-1665, or emailing tboyd@ townshipoftabernacle-nj.gov .

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“The fire itself really only damaged the apartment,” Cunard said. “There was water damage sustained in the businesses below it. Obviously, water flows down, and that is what damaged the business below it, which was the Dunkin Donuts and Tabernacle Family Medicine. Those were the first two in line for the water to reach.” The fire chief added that the roof above Tabernacle Family Medicine was cut open to save it. “One of the ways we stop fires is to cut the roof open, so we cut the roof open above the doctor’s office to let the heat out, or so that the fire would come outside instead of burning down inside doctor’s office,” Cunard said. “We damaged the roof to save the whole building.” Firefighters, he said, also made a forcedentry into Pizza206, a restaurant adjacent to the family medicine practice. “We took out the glass of the restaurant’s door to go in and inspect,” Cunard said. “There was a little smoke, but not enough that would have a significant impact.” He added, however, that Pizza206 had to pass a couple of inspections, including by the Burlington County Health Department, before it could re-open since it is an establishment that serves food. “Pizza206 did not get damaged,” wrote the leaders of the establishment on social media. “Everything is OK. Thanks to all for the messages and concerns. We appreciate our community, our loyal customers, and, mostly, the brave firefighters that willingly can handle these kinds of disastrous situations, let alone (in combination) with the current (COVID-19) pandemic. We will be open soon enough once we pass inspections and the rest of legality to keep us going forward.” Pizza206 reopened Thursday. Cunard said the Dunkin Donuts is likely not going to be able to reopen for a while, and that firefighters helped remove the medical records from the family medicine practice to a place of safekeeping as that space also can’t be used for a while. Among the vehicles outside the apartment

old boy, a 4-year-old boy and her boyfriend, according to Cafasso. Many residents, in response, gathered together clothes, food, household items and toys for the victims. A Tabernacle first responder also collected items at the Tabernacle Rescue Squad building and delivered them to the family in need. Cafasso has also since established a GoFundMe page, with over 60 monetary donations made as of press time. He wrote that additional donations are needed and can be dropped off at Caliber Collision in Marlton. Cafasso, in his donation request posting, shared some additional details about how the family was able to escape the blaze. “So, this morning, at 4 a.m., my younger sister was awoken by the sound of shattering glass and the smell of smoke,” Cafasso wrote. “She woke her boyfriend up to investigate. They quickly realized their apartment was on fire. (They) woke up my nephews, and with the clothes on their back, rushed to get out of there.

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(Continued from Page 1)

that caught fire were various motorcycles. “They burned up,” Cunard said. “They were gone. All of them were a total loss. They melted into the ground.” Firefighters didn’t leave the fire scene, the fire chief said, until almost noontime. Investigators, he said, were still combing through the scene. The calamity led to an immediate outpouring of generosity from the local community. Evergreen Dairy Bar, in neighboring Southampton Township, donated breakfast sandwiches to the first responders at the scene. Cunard estimated that there were at least 75 first responders who responded to the incident and that there were just as many breakfast sandwiches. Additionally, the family medicine practice provided firefighters at the scene with bagels and coffee. The fire chief told this newspaper that as Tabernacle fire crews returned to the firehouse to sanitize the equipment due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, Upper Crust Pizza, of Tabernacle, dropped off pizzas for members to eat. Cunard called the acts of kindness and generosity “awesome.” “The strong work (of all fire companies involved) in the early hours of the morning prevented any additional loss of property after the (Tabernacle) fire company arrived,” Cunard said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and those who have had their business disrupted.” Upper Crust Pizza also rewarded an area resident captured on video assisting the displaced family during the initial moments of the blaze with a dinner last Saturday evening. “Thank you for helping others in need,” read a note from the pizzeria that accompanied the meal. Tiashia Jackson Knight, the recipient of that meal, later wrote on social media that everyone who knows her knows that when she sees a person/family in need, she will assist if she can, and that “God will always remind you to continue to do good and be a humble servant.” Of course, most of the generosity experienced in the aftermath of the fire was directed toward the family displaced by the fire. Derek Cafasso put out a plea in local social media groups for clothes for his younger sister, who occupied the apartment with a 9-month

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Things to Look For in a New Job Change plays a big role as people ring in a new year. At the dawn of a new year, some people resolve to live healthier in the months ahead while others might make financial resolutions in an attempt to improve their bottom lines. The decision to change jobs is another popular resolution at the dawn of a new year. Professionals change jobs for various reasons. But regardless of what’s behind a career change, many people can benefit by looking for things in a new job that can make them happy both professionally and personally. • Salary: Of course everyone would love to earn more money when changing jobs, but there is more to changing jobs than just improving your bottom line. As you begin your job search, consider how much you currently earn and if that allows you to live a life you love. If so, don’t overemphasize finding a new job that pays considerably more than your currently earn. On the flip side, young professionals who want to start a family in the years ahead should consider the costs associated with such a decision and how

the salaries they earn at their next jobs may affect what they want down the road. • Work/life balance: Before beginning your search for a new job, think about why you want to switch careers or companies. Long hours often leads to burnout. If you’re looking for a new job because you’re burned out, try to find a job that affords you a better work/life balance. · Commute: Bending over backwards simply to get to work and then get home from work can have an incredibly negative impact on your life. A study from the Office of National Statistics in the United Kingdom found that commuters, especially those who spend between 60 and 90 minutes commuting to work, have lower life satisfaction and lower levels of happiness compared to people who don’t commute. Before accepting a job offer, estimate your commute time to and from the new office and try to determine the impact of that commute on your quality of life. Many people aspire to find a new job at the dawn of a new year. Job seekers should consider a host of factors before switching jobs to make sure they make the best decisions.

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built in the late 1970s, which are often referred to as “strip centers.” “The strip centers were laid out in I, L or U formats and constructed of block walls with sheet metal roofs,” David DePetris said. “Despite much higher costs, my father wanted to develop a center that would be worthy of its place in the Medford c o m m u n i t y. H e c o n s t r u c t e d s i x separate buildings to create a village concept and added accents of stone and cedar wood siding.” David DePetris added that his father also liked the concept of allowing residents to do all of their shopping in one location, a l low i ng t h e m t o s ave t i m e , r a t h e r than having to do multiple trips around and outside of Medford. “I wanted more than a typical stripmall center,” said Joseph DePetris. “With over 40-acres, I had plenty of ground to allow people to enjoy the atmosphere here.”

The Village of Taunton Forge was opened in 1978, featuring then-retailers such as Shop N Bag and Eckerd Drugs. A large retail space that housed Shop N Bag, and later Murphy’s Marketplace, has since become vacant, but there is reason for that, according to Jim DePetris. “We could have rented the vacant store many times, but my dad always wanted a food market at the center,” said Jim DePet r is, noting negotiations are still ongoing. “One-stop shopping is important to him.” Jose ph DePet r is, who also h a s 12 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, called the intersection of Taunton and Tuckerton roads “the most important” in Medford. “I feel very lucky that I have founded t he Village at Tau nton Forge,” said Joseph DePetris, before enjoying lunch at its longtime anchor restaurant, Illiano Cucina Mediterranea, which brought back memories of his Italian heritage as his father came from Italy. “Taunton and Tuckerton roads are closer to where the residents and people live.”

CIRCULATION

The Pine Barrens Tribune is published every Saturday. This newspaper is protected under the Federal Copyright Act. Reproduction of any part is not permitted by mechanical or electronic means without the expressed written permission of the Publisher. The Publisher reserves the right to revise or reject any advertisement. No liability shall be attached to the Publisher for interruption of publication or limitation of size and/or number of pages due to shortage of material, failure of transportation, flood, fire, severe weather, winter weather, riots, strikes, acts of God, a public health emergency or other causes beyond his or her control. It is our policy to promptly correct errors. If you believe that you see a mistake, please call (609) 801-2392. © 2020 Pine Barrens Tribune

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Trinity Episcopal Church

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elationship problems are a common cause of depression and anxiety. When others hurt us, we understandably become anxious, depressed, and often angry. Many people turn to drugs and alcohol to soothe the pain or quell their anger. Drugs and alcohol often provide a quick relief from the pain that we are feeling, but when the drugs wear off, we feel worse than we did in the first place, and eventually the drugs don’t do the trick. The source of our bad feelings is within us, and as long as we hold onto it, we will suffer. This is why we say “you have to let go of your anger.” And often this can be something we literally hold and feel in our

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bodies. We feel tension in our necks and back. Anger may burn in our chests, and our throats may “choke up” with sorrow. An appropriate metaphor for anger is the burning stone, which we want to use to harm others, but as long as we hold onto that stone (i.e., our anger), we’re the ones who are hurt. Ultimately, if we want to be relieved of our bad feelings, we have to forgive the person who has hurt us. This can be difficult, requiring time and effort, and an almost super-human willingness to let go of the harm, especially when we are feeling betrayed and undeserving of the wrong done to us. — Christopher Simon

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Saturday, April 4, 2020

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