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GOP Challenger​ for Kim’s Seat Says​ ‘Ethical Crime’ Ought​ to Disqualify Gibbs

By Bill Bonvie​ Staff Writer

Photo By Andy Milone

Superintendents of the Lenape Region districts gathered in the Lenape High School auditorium on Feb. 13 to spread awareness about the impacts of state aid cuts.

Lenape Region Districts Hold Community Forum to Discuss State Aid Cuts and Encourage Activism Staff Writer

MEDFORD—The leaders of the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) and its eight K-8 sending school districts held a community forum last week to “encourage activism” and spread awareness regarding a revised school funding formula that is anticipated to eliminate an estimated $23 million from all of the districts’ coffers combined by the 2024-25 school year.

Senate Bill S-2 was signed into law by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy on July 24, 2018. The law reformed the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) that took effect in 2009 and its associated school funding formula.

Several of the Lenape Region districts have already been forced to privatize a number of positions, institute Reductions in Force (RIF), and consolidate resources in the initial year of the revised funding formula taking effect, and some district leaders have warned that “harder and harder” and more impactful cuts will need to be considered if the revised formula remains unchanged.

“It (the revised formula) is devastating,” said LRHSD Superintendent Dr. Carol Birnbohm, who was joined on stage in the Lenape High School auditorium on Feb. 13 with the superintendents from the

district’s K-8 sending school districts, while a crowd of teachers, staff, parents, students, elected officials and other members of the community looked on. “It will dismantle a lot of the great programs that we have in our school districts.”

Birnbohm said that from 2019 through 2025, the Evesham Township School District is anticipated to lose $7.92 million, the LRHSD is anticipated to lose $8.35 million, the Medford Township School District is expected to lose $1.38 million, the Shamong Township School District is anticipated to lose $1.25 million, t he Sout ha mpton Tow nsh ip School District is expected to lose $1.01 million, t h e Ta b e r n a cl e Tow n s h i p S c h o ol District stands to lose $2.68 million and the Woodland Township School District is anticipated to lose $316,972.

These districts, she said, are anticipated to lose a combined $5.22 million and $8.89 million for school years 2021-22 and 202223, respectively, which is when the loss in funding would reach its peak.

Medford Lakes Borough and Mount Laurel Township school districts, also part of the Lenape Region, are receiving a bump in state aid as a result of the modified formula; however, Birnbohm contended that these two districts were “chronically

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underfunded” and are still not receiving what they were promised.

“We are fiscally responsible districts, and we have worked even harder since the passing of S2 to institute cost-saving measures and think creatively to maximize our fiscal efficiency,” said Birnbohm in a press release issued after the forum.

“We are beginning to exhaust all options and k now that reductions in school funding threaten to severely diminish the options and services we afford our students.”

During the forum, Birnbohm contended that the state share of the Lenape Region’s f u ndi ng d rops f rom 18 percent for school year 2018-19 (not affected by S-2) to 11 percent for school year 2024-2025, she said. During this same time, she said, local funding increases from 75 to 85 percent.

“The state will only be giving our area 11 percent for operational costs,” Birnbohm said. “Everything else falls on you guys.

Actually, we are going to have to dismantle some programs because there is no way we will be able to raise enough revenue in tax dollars to recoup that loss.”

New Jersey school districts, in most cases, See LENAPE/ Page 9

MOUNT HOLLY—David Richter, an exCEO who entered the 3rd Congressional District Republican contest at the end of January after withdrawing his 2nd Congressional District challenge to Rep. Jeff Van Drew when the latter changed his party affiliation to Republican, has now called a rival for the 3rd District GOP nomination, Kate Gibbs, unsuited to hold office by virtue of her once having been convicted of shoplifting.

Richter’s assertion came in a telephone interview Monday with this reporter a couple days after Gibbs, a former Burlington County freeholder who lost her bid for re-election in 2018 after serving just one term, was approved by an Ocean County GOP screening committee to run for the congressional seat now held by freshman Democrat Andy Kim. Gibbs had been chosen last year by the Burlington County Republican Committee to take on Kim this November.

“I t h i n k he r ca nd id a cy is al rea dy problematic, and her criminal history makes it much worse,” Richter contended. “When you have committed an ethical crime, which theft certainly is, I believe that should disqualify you from (holding) public office.”

Gibbs reportedly pleaded guilty in 2006, when she was 20 years old, to having stolen about $80 worth of merchandise from a Kohl’s department store in Cherry Hill, for which she paid more than $280 in fines and was permanently banned from the store.

As for published reports that Richter himself had been issued repeated citations for motorvehicle violations and had several bench warrants issued in connection with them, he stated that “you can’t even begin to compare an ethical crime like shoplifting” with his “having too many speeding tickets.” He added that none of violations were recent and all of the fines had since been paid.

Richter, who spoke in support of Republican President Donald J. Trump at a rally last month in Wildwood, also rejected any suggestion that the term “ethical crime” might be applicable to the president’s having been accused in a civil suit brought by the New York Attorney General’s office of having “swindled thousands of Americans” who enrolled in his failed Trump University “out of millions of dollars” or to his former Taj Mahal Casino having been issued a record fine of $477,000 by federal regulators for violating the Bank Secrecy Act. Trump eventually settled the New York State lawsuit for $25 million without acknowledging guilt.

See CRIME/ Page 15

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Burlington County Republican Committee Endorses Nicolo and Adams for Freeholder

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Tinamarie Nicolo, of Moorestown (left) and John Adams, of Eastampton, are the Burlington County Republican Committee’s endorsed slate of candidates to run for two freeholder seats up for grabs in November.

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

MOUNT HOLLY—The Burlington County Republican Committee has selected Tinamarie Nicolo, of Moorestown, and John Adams, of Eastampton, as its slate of candidates who are currently expected to run against Democratic county freeholders Tom Pullion and Balvir Singh in November.

The Feb. 8 selection of Nicolo and Adams by the GOP committee was unanimous. Two three-year seats on the freeholder board are up for grabs this November as Pullion and Singh finish out their terms in December.

Republicans lost their over four-decade majority on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2019. Earlier this year, Democrats took absolute control of the freeholder board. Republicans look to make progress on regaining a majority during this upcoming election cycle.

“The excitement, and the energy amongst Republicans in New Jersey is there,” said Burlington County GOP Chairman Sean Earlen at the meeting. “It is back.”

Earlen pointed to the recent Senate acquittal of Republican President Donald J. Trump, impeached in the House for “Abuse of Power” and “Obstruction of Congress” as “great news that has happened to our president recently” and the president’s jam-packed and wellreceived rally in Wildwood as positive signs for the party. He also recognized that the room for the freeholder selection was packed.

“The numbers in this room show it,” Earlen said. “We are energized. I think the blue wave is over, and we are ready to take back some seats this year.”

According to GOP officials, a Screening Com mit tee compr ised of five people, recommended in January that the party nominate Nicolo and Adams.

“We had a great process spread out over two

days,” said Screening Committee Chairman Vinny Napolitano during a later interview with this newspaper. “We talked to a ton of people.

Ultimately, what sold us on Tinamarie and John: one, their energy; two, their enthusiasm; and three, they have great ideas for Burlington County. I think they are going to be a home run for our slate, and for the county.”

As many as nine people were considered for the Republican freeholder nominations, Napolitano said.

Nicolo, a mother of three, has spent a little more than a year as a member of the Moorestown Township Board of Education. She grew up in Burlington County and graduated from Holy Cross High School in 1991. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers in Secondary Education and a master’s degree from Rowan University in Special Education. Nicolo cofounded a primary care medical practice, Dorfner Family Medicine, that expanded over a 20-year period to include five local locations.

It later joined together with Jefferson Health Systems.

“In this next stage of my life, having journeyed through career, family, child rearing and broad challenges, I want to give back as a freeholder for this county, promote continued economic vibrancy, share the fiscal conscientiousness I honed as a large business owner, and spread my understanding, empathy and concern for the residents of Burlington County, who I see as my brothers and sisters,” she said.

Unlike Nicolo, Adams was not raised in New Jersey. Instead, he partook in basic military training at Fort Dix in 1979. He later attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and became a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, as well as a platoon leader, executive officer and an aid to a general. After retiring from See REPUBLICAN/ Page 9

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New Committeewoman Puts Forth Plans Airman Luis Reyes-Torres Welcomed in to Draw Business to Tabernacle Township Surprise Fashion After Kuwait Deployment and Make Its Government More Accessible

By Michael Garofalo Staff Writer

TABERNACLE—Nancy K. McGinnis, who was elected to the Tabernacle Township Committee last November on a campaign platform of economic development, brought forth her vision for Tabernacle Township at the governing body’s first workshop meeting of 2020, hoping to convince her colleagues to act in the near future.

McGinnis circulated a six-point document outlining her proposals for the township during the Feb. 10 township committee meeting.

The new committeewoman’s first suggestion, which was a key point of emphasis during her run for office, was that the township should formally explore the feasibility of installing sewer service along Route 206 as part of an effort to draw commercial activity to the busy corridor and bring new ratables to the township.

“We don’t have a major tax base here,” McGinnis said. “We need more businesses to support the community.”

McGinnis called on Mayor Kimberly A. Brown to form a subcommittee of stakeholders to explore the topic and provide a “definitive answer” as to the viability of equipping Route 206 with access to sewer.

McGinnis, who owned Nixon’s General Store in Tabernacle for decades prior to seeking elected office, wrote in her proposal document that it would be “vitally important that the business community be represented on this committee.”

Committeeman Robert C. Sunbury, Jr., who like McGinnis was sworn in for his first term on the five-member township committee in January, expressed his hope that this type of strategic planning would be a topic of continued discussion at future committee workshop sessions.

“What Nancy is talking about is trying to bring about some economic development,” Sunbury said. “We don’t want to turn this into a downtown Haddonfield, but we do want to have a place that meets the needs of our residents in terms of the services and the retail that they desire.”

McGinnis also advocated for changes to a township ordinance concerning the placement of commercial signage. She specifically referenced Murphy’s Fresh Market, located on Medford Lakes Road near Route 206, and

suggested that the grocery store should be permitted to have signage along Route 206.

“Since this business makes a huge impact on our tax base, it is only right to allow Murphy’s and any other business over 30,000 square feet to have directional signs in town, including on Route 206,” McGinnis stated in her proposal.

Next, McGinnis stated her preference that the township committee hold its meetings at the Tabernacle Emergency Services Building on New Road, rather than on the secondfloor meeting space at Tabernacle Town Hall, where governing body meetings typically take place. McGinnis, echoing sentiments shared by some members of the public at previous meetings, said that the Tabernacle Emergency Service Building’s first floor meeting area and bathrooms are more accessible for handicapped residents.

The first two township committee meetings of 2020 were held at the Tabernacle Emergency Services Building while the township completed minor renovations to Tabernacle Town Hall, which included new cubicles for staff and a new dais for governing body meetings.

McGinnis also proposed that the township committee adopt a resolution declaring Tabernacle a “Second Amendment Sanctuary Town” and stating the municipality’s opposition to federal, state or local gun control measures.

The Board of Chosen Freeholders of Cape May County adopted a similar resolution last month, McGinnnis noted.

In her final two proposals, McGinnis suggested that the township committee launch a township e-bulletin to inform the public of news, events and other topics of local importance via email, as well as advocate for changes to state law that would allow for municipal legal notices to be published in free local newspapers such as the Pine Barrens Tribune and Tabernacle Sun. Under current state law, newspapers must have a paid circulation in order to qualify to publish legal notices.

The township committee also discussed setting up a shared email inbox to be a single point of contact for all electronic communications with the public.

Brown said that the proposals put forth

by McGinnis would be slated for further discussion at a future meeting so that the public would have an opportunity to review the ideas and offer comments.

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Photo By Andy Milone

Angelo Breaux drapes a U.S. Air Force flag around his friend Luis Reyes-Torres during a surprise welcome home celebration in the Marlton section of Evesham Township on Feb. 12. Reyes-Torres returned to New Jersey after six-and-a-half-months serving his country in Kuwait.

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

MARLTON—U.S. Airman Luis ReyesTorres received an emphatic welcome home surprise in Marlton on Feb. 12, after returning from a six-and-a-half-month deployment in Kuwait.

His friend Angelo Breaux, who is a volunteer with Operation Yellow Ribbon, initiated the surprise with an invite to meet at Family & Co. Jewelers in town, where Breaux works, and then head to lunch.

Operation Yellow Ribbon is a nonprofit that shows support in various ways for military men and women serving in the Middle East.

“He showed up today just thinking that he and I were going out for a quiet lunch,” said Breaux in a later interview with this newspaper.

“All of a sudden, 20 motorcycles showed up (to join with us) and he was surprised.”

Reyes-Torres, a Mount Royal resident who just returned from his second and final deployment with the U.S. Air Force, got on the back of Breaux’s Harley Davidson motorcycle, which was within a pack of riders, and rode with him to the Indian Spring Country Club parking lot where he received his next surprise as part of properly being welcomed home “like a rock star.”

A gigantic American Flag hung from an Evesham Fire-Rescue ladder fire truck in the parking lot, and about 50 people, including his father, Ariel, and mother, Maribel, and other veterans, held American flags in a row cheering and clapping.

“We are just happy to know so many people support my son, and we are happy he came back home safe and sound,” Ariel Reyes-Torres told

this newspaper.

After Luis Reyes-Torres got off the bike he was on, he teared up. The crowd gathered around the hero proudly wearing his Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt and military cap. The screams of “Welcome home!” began to pour in.

“It is emotional,” Luis Reyes-Torres said in a later interview with this newspaper. “You do not understand how many people actually respect what you do, and support what you do, until things like this happen.”

Daniel J. O’’Connell, of the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Evesham Township Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper and Councilwoman Patricia Hansen presented Reyes-Torres with proclamations.

O’Con nell rea d pa r t of t he cou nt y proclamation aloud, stating that Reyes-Torres “is to be commended for the courage and conviction within that led him to serve others through enlistment in the military.”

“He and his fellow men and women in uniform set a standard for citizenship and patriotism that brings strength and honor to us all,” added O’Connell while reading the proclamation.

Cooper, who said her own father is a diehard Cowboys fan and six-year veteran of the Army, noted that she would not be free if it were not for the service airman such as Reyes-Torres provides.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Cooper said.

Members of the Marlton Elks Lodge 2514 then presented a token of appreciation to Luis Reyes-Torres, followed by members of See AIRMAN/ Page 14

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

Medford Lakes to Hold Public Hearing for Proposed Ordinance That Would Move Borough Elections to November

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

MEDFORD LAKES—The Borough of Medford Lakes Council will soon hold a public hearing for a proposed ordinance that would change the date of all future nonpartisan municipal elections from the second Tuesday in May to the day of the November General Election.

Council introduced the ordinance by a 3-1 vote (with one abstention) at a Feb. 12 meeting months after 62 percent of borough residents voted in favor of moving the election as part of a non-binding referendum question on the ballot.

Council had subsequently ordered its solicitor last November to draft an ordinance to honor the wishes of voters since the question was non-binding. However, its introduction had been delayed for various reasons.

The draft ordinance was introduced hours after social media posts about the delayed introduction, which included concerns that the changes voters had hoped for would not take effect before an election currently scheduled for May. Councilman Thomas Cranston made a motion to introduce the proposed ordinance during the opening minutes of the council meeting. It was not a business item listed on the agenda for the meeting.

“At this point, we owe it to the residents to at the very least get this to the point of a public hearing, so that we can hear what everyone has to say, officially, and not rely on social media bantering,” Cranston said.

Councilman Bob Hanold cast the lone opposition vote, while Deputy Mayor Dr. Gary Miller abstained. Both councilmen cited insufficient notice of such a measure coming to the floor for an introduction and first reading, and wanted to do more research.

“I do not understand what the rush is, after going decades with this form of government, and not having it be a problem,” Hanold said.

“Now all of a sudden, it is a problem. I feel blindsided by some of the public because they

have never really come in here until recently, and commented that they were not happy with the way we have held our elections.”

Prior to the ballot question over the election, Borough Manager Robert Burton and Mayor William Fields contended that moving the election to coincide with state and national races might expose the borough to partisan politics and distract from the local issues at hand.

However, Fields did vote to introduce the proposed ordinance despite expressing past opposition to moving borough council elections to November.

Should the proposed ordinance pass, it would need to do so prior to March 19 to have an impact on the scheduled 2020 municipal election in May as that is the deadline for the Burlington County Board of Elections to be notified of any election cancellation, according to Borough Clerk Mark McIntosh.

McIntosh told this newspaper on Feb. 19 that a scheduled council meeting for Feb. 26 has been rescheduled for March 4 in order to allow for more time for officials to conduct research on the proposed ordinance.

“This is a big decision,” Fields said. “Let us not rush into it, but let us move toward the decision with proper research.”

Some proponents of moving the election believe changing the date of borough elections could result in the municipality saving money.

Another possible benefit is the typically higher voter turnout in November would translate to any municipal election.

Three council seats held by Miller, Fields and Kathy Merkh are up for grabs this year.

“I have to either vote ‘yes’ that I want to move forward with this and alienate those people in this town who are in opposition to this,” Miller said. “…If I vote ‘no’ on this, I will alienate those who want to move this thing forward. I am not prepared to do either of these. That is an unfair position to be put in, and I am outraged. This is just not how you treat people.”

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Woman Charged with Failure to Yield After Head-On Collision Injures Three

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

SOU T H A M P TON —A Sout ha mpt on Township woman has been charged by New Jersey State Police with careless driving and failure to yield after allegedly running a stop sign at the intersection of N. Main Street and Route 206 on Feb. 18, causing a head-on collision.

The collision, according to New Jersey State Police spokesman Trooper Alejandro Goez, was first reported at 5:51 p.m.

Goez said that the driver of a Honda Civic, Irene Schiller, 59, of Southampton, was traveling northbound on N. Main Street towards Route 206 when “she failed to yield at the stop sign” at the intersection of N. Main Street and Route 206 and collided with a Nissan Altima, driven by Alexandria Williams, 26, of Southampton, who was traveling southbound on Route 206.

“The vehicles collided head on,” Goez said.

Schiller, according to Goez, suffered serious injuries and was flown to Cooper University Hospital in Camden. Williams and a front seat passenger in the Nissan, Tracy Williams, 51, of Southampton, both suffered non-lifethreatening injuries, Goez said.

“Schiller failed to yield at the stop sign and

was charged with careless driving and failure to yield,” Goez said. “The road was reopened in both directions at about 6:30 p.m.”

N. Main Street is a county thoroughfare. A petition, first created about three months ago, began circulating in local social media groups shortly after the collision and calls on County Engineer Joseph T. Brickley to approve, without a traffic study, a drop in the speed limit from 50 mph to 45 mph on N. Main Street from just after the intersection with Newbolds Corner Road to Route 206. The petition also calls on the engineer to lower the speed limit on N. Main Street from 50 mph to 35 mph from the edge of Vincentown Village to Newbolds Corner Road.

Currently, the speed limit is such that it drops from 50 mph to 25 mph right before motorists enter the village, and rises from 25 mph to 50 mph as soon as motorists exit the village.

The petition cites recent instances of “aggressive speeding, bumper riding, passing of cars, school buses and unfriendly hand gestures” by some motorists who use N. Main Street, which has been “an ongoing safety concern and nuisance for residents in the area.”

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♦ Page 5

mas t s i r Ch loring C o est #2 t ConN N ER !

I W

Photo by Andrew King

Vito Russo (right), owner of Riccardo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant, and his son, Dezmen Russo (left), congratulate Rachel Waltrich, of Marlton, for winning the Pine Barrens Tribune Week #2 Christmas Coloring Contest, sponsored by Riccardo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant.

Rachel Waltrich, of Marlton, was selected as the winner of the Pine Barrens Tribune Week #2 Christmas Coloring Contest, sponsored by Riccardo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township.

She was awarded a $100 gift card from Riccardo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant.

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

Suzy Cohen AMERICA’S PHARMACIST

Identify Hidden Food and Drug Allergies Adults can tell pretty easily if they react to a specific food, but an allergic reaction may go unrecognized in kids.

Most people know about the common symptoms of an allergic reaction such as skin rash, hives, itchiness, a tingly sensation in the mouth or lip/tongue swelling. Also, abdominal cramps or swelling of the throat and/or vocal cords are considered common symptoms.

But flushed or hot skin, diarrhea, nausea (or vomiting), coughing, sneezing, wheezing, dizziness, fainting and lightheadedness are lesser known symptoms.

Here are some common food allergens: Peanuts: Millions of people are allergic to peanuts. There is peanut oil in Prometrium and Depakene®. Palforzia, the first peanut antidote type of medication, was just FDA approved in January. Hidden sources of peanuts include marzipan, beer nuts, nougat and artificial nuts!

Eggs: Of course, eggs are a popular breakfast food, but baked goods, some canned soups, frosting, mayonnaise, marshmallows, meatloaf and certain brands of coffee drink foam and ice cream can be made up of eggs.

Propofol, a surgical sleep-inducing anesthetic, contains egg proteins (as well as egg-based ingredients).

Fish & Shellfish: Allergic reactions from fish and shellfish (lobster, crab, prawns, shrimp and crawfish) usually causes breathing

difficulties and can be very severe. Hidden sources of fish-based ingredients are found in Worcestershire sauce, Caesar dressing, surimi and caviar. Avoid glucosamine as well, as this is derived from shellfish. Tropomycin is the most predominant compound in shellfish that people are allergic to, and it may cause a person to feel faint, lightheaded, dizzy or foggy.

Milk: Allergies from drinking milk are the result of the protein called “casein.”

Milk alternatives on occasion have dairyderived whey protein in them. This can fool people into thinking the altnernatives are safe when in fact they are actually laden with |milk-derived proteins. So, check your label on pea, oat, soy, almond, coconut or flax milk just to be 100 percent sure the alternatives do not have any milk-derived allergens in it.

Cow’s milk, ice cream, butter, cow’s milkbased cheese, sour cream, cream cheese and yogurt are obvious things to avoid if allergic to milk, but dairy can hide in deli meats, gravy, baked goods and batter-fried foods.

Some breathing medications such as Advair Diskus, Flovent Diskus, Asmanex and Pulmicort contain lactose monohydrate, which contains casein. So, be aware of this if you are treating a milk allergic reaction with an inhaler.

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1. Stain one’s hands 7. Subdivision 10. A passage to be performed slow 12. Invests in little enterprises 13. Medians 14. Member of the giraffe family 15. Makes official 16. Choose in an election 17. Hill or rocky peak 18. Member of an ancient Iranian people 19. Crest of a hill 21. Small, faint constellation 22. Cultivated from crops that yield oil 27. The ancient Egyptian sun god 28. Hollywood tough guy 33. Chinese drums 34. Merits 36. Indicates center 37. Increases motor speed 38. Mentally fit

39. BBQ favorite 40. Wings 41. Female parents 44. Marks left from wounds 45. Soften by soaking in liquid 48. They resist authority (slang) 49. Formats 50. Many subconsciousnesses 51. Vogues

CLUES DOWN 1. Mental object 2. Blackbird 3. Undergarments 4. Old cloth 5. One from Utah 6. Greek goddess of the dawn 7. Become less intense 8. Developed to readiness 9. Defunct phone company 10. About Freemason 11. Taking everything into account

12. Famed Czech engineer 14. Impress into silence 17. Boxing term 18. Marketplaces 20. Pounds per square inch 23. Locomotives 24. Short musical composition 25. Football position (abbr.)

26. Heavyhearted 29. Denotes particular region 30. Famed NHLer 31. Ingested too much 32. Formulates 35. Sino-Soviet block (abbr.)

36. Broad, shallow craters 38. Thick cuts 40. Breezed through 41. Breakfast is one 42. “Rule, Britannia” composer 43. Periodicals (slang) 44. Indian title of respect 45. More (Spanish) 46. Creation 47. A loud utterance

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP SENIOR COLUMN

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PEMBERTON—Seniors from Pemberton Township were given a lot of love, affection and attention this past week in celebration of Valentine’s Day. The largest opportunity to do so came on Feb. 15 when the Pemberton Township Senior Center held an annual Valentine’s dinner at Garden State Diner in Wrightstown.

Some 80 seniors enjoyed a five-course, festive meal at the diner. The meal began with a fresh fruit cup, followed by homemade soup. The third course was a fresh, crisp salad served with house dressing. Entrées included a choice of prime rib, a roasted half-chicken and stuffed flounder. Baked potatoes and fresh-hot rolls were also served, along with family-style vegetables. A whip cream-layered cake was served for dessert, topped with a scoop of ice cream.

Many of the seniors attending the dinner wore shades of red or purple attire to celebrate the occasion. The room the seniors were seated in was beautifully decorated in red and white, with red hearts placed on the walls.

“Side Car Charlie” perfor med many romantic songs from years past, plus a lot of other favorite tunes.

The senior center traditionally holds its annual Valentine’s Day and Christmas dinners at Garden State Diner, and over the years, the

diner’s staff and management have become more like family to many of the seniors.

Employees of the Pemberton Township Mu nicipal Building visited the senior center on Valentine’s Day and brought h o m e m a d e Va l e n t i n e c a r d s fo r t h e seniors. Each senior was also given a goodie bag, which included a lot of chocolate candies.

The Pemberton Township High School chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) also visited the senior center just prior to Valentine’s Day and shared “lovely cards” with the seniors, which made them feel appreciated and loved.

T he FBLA st udents will be among the students serving the seniors during the upcoming “Senior” Prom on April 1, scheduled to be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Ann’s Church. Tickets for the event are $10 each, and include a meal choice of beef or chicken.

This is another opportunity that spoils t he se n ior s w it h at t e nt ion , a nd it is open to all seniors—including those who don’t belong to the senior center. The high school’s horticulture students plan to make corsages for all participants, while the high school’s culinary arts students will make desserts. This year’s theme is “Sportacular” and décor and door prizes will include sportsthemed memorabilia.

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Our eldest son, Vernon, and his wife, Stephanie, informed us that there was a holein-the-wall restaurant that was grand, and “a real go to!”

“The Nebraskan Café isn’t the prettiest,” Vernon said. “But the prices are right and the food is to die for.”

I was a bit skeptical as we pulled up to the establishment. The windows were smeary and the sign was short an “O,” and only said, “PEN.” “Does that stand for pig ‘Pen’?” I asked in my usually sarcastic tone.

“You’ll see,” Vernon replied.

The parking lot was full and the line of patrons waiting to enter the restaurant was out the door, making it look promising.

Since our three younger sons were with us, as well as one of their friends, and my husband, Pat, we were a group of eight. This would not have posed a problem at most restaurants, but this one had no hostess!

All of us dine at diners, and most of us don’t take the time to appreciate what a hostess can do. She can hold tables, push chairs together and get you seated without having to throw down with other customers.

Simply put, a hostess is what separates us from the animals. I know this because on that fine Sunday morning, I stood there in the long line, and watched for two tables to empty that were close together, so that I could seat my family together as a group!

A table of four opened up and I could tell that the party at a table next to it was about to leave. I sat my purse on the first table, and in

my mind, thereby called “dibs.”

I didn’t want to stare down the second table, but I stood close enough with my large group that its people had to know we were waiting for it.

After the folks from the second table left, I put my coat on one of its chairs, and in my mind, called out “dibs” on that table as well. I began to explain to my family that we should collectively join the tables together, when suddenly there was an old man and two children sitting at the second table.

At this point in time, my inner child was livid. We had waited 45-minutes for this table, and I was quite certain that my coat and purse made “dibs” obvious!

“I am sorry, sir,” I said discreetly. “This table is ours.”

“I don’t see your name on it, lady!” he shouted.

“Well, you see, they don’t have name cards for tables here at the Nebraskan Café, sir, so I simply placed my coat on this chair.”

“You know what, Lady!” he shouted as he stood up. “You can just have this table!”

With that, he stomped out the door and left.

Apparently, the incident embarrassed everyone but Stephanie.

“Way to stand your ground,” she said. “You should know that a good hostess is sometimes what separates us from the animals.”

Lori Clinch was bornand raised in North Platte, Nebraska, a hotbed of material for writers whose passion it is to make people laugh. She is the mother of four sons and the author of the book “Are We There Yet?”

© 2020 LORI CLINCH

Saturday, February 22, 2020

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Happily Ever After A Wedding Guide Saturday, February 22, 2020 Special Section From the

Happily Ever After ♦ Page S1

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Happily Ever After

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Wedding Flowers Becoming Larger Than Life

M

ove over bouquets and centerpieces. Flowers are taking over weddings in a big way. While wedding trends come and go, flowers will always have a place at the wedding table.

The blooms brides and grooms choose and how they decide to display them can say much about the couple’s style. Many modern couples are opting for statement pieces with their flowers to rival the big and bold ideas they’re incorporating elsewhere into their occasions, such as in cakes and clothing. In fact, floral designer Tom Uberuaga says traditional hurricane vase centerpieces are outdated and only focus the eye on the middle of the table.

He prefers guests enter the wedding and have their senses stimulated by flowers from all angles. Large flower installations, as well as blooms popping up in unexpected places, are some of the hot trends for couples to keep their eyes on.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

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Floral Chandeliers There’s no need to worry about seeing over table centerpieces or flowers getting in the way of photo moments. Thanks to hanging flowers and floral chandeliers, flowers are quite literally moving up in the world. Hanging floral pieces can add instant drama and make a large visual impact. Florists can hang flowers from beams over tabletops to increase visual impact, whether as individual baskets, single stems or floral swags. Hanging floral chandeliers are dramatic but naturally expensive. Think about a large installation that forces guests to look up into a sea of greenery and flowers. The smell and the sight can be breathtaking.

Welcome Wreaths Why should wreaths only be reserved for front doors and holiday decor? A welcome floral wreath can be placed by the entryway to a chapel or reception hall with a heartfelt sentiment that shows guests how much they’re appreciated.

Fairy-Tale Flowers A floral curtain of hanging flowers can line a chuppah or drape the altar in beautiful blooms. Couples who would like a fairy-tale entrance also can make their debut as a couple by coming through a flower curtain at the reception. Martha Stewart Weddings says a cascade of flowers and greens can be romantic and elegant.

Dance Floor Blooms Who says flowers have to be overhead or on a table? With a plexiglass dance floor, or one made from some other transparent material, flowers can be underfoot, creating a magical floral carpet.

Floral Necklaces Brides needn’t carry their bouquets, they can wear ethereal and whimsical floral pieces around their necks or on their waists instead.

Couples are urged to speak with their florists about the innovative ways they can make flowers an even more awe-inspiring component of their weddings.

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Your Complete Wedding Checklist The question was popped and the proposal joyfully accepted. Now it’s time to plan the wedding. Here’s a month-by-month checklist to make sure you don’t forget a thing.

12 MONTHS BEFORE

• Decide on the type of wedding you’d like (civil or religious, big or small) • Choose a date • Determine the number of guests • Establish a budget • Pick venues for the ceremony and reception (it’s best to reserve early) • Make your guest list • Choose a caterer (meet with a few first) • Select your wedding party • Hire a wedding planner

10 MONTHS BEFORE

• Start shopping for a wedding dress • Decide on a theme for your wedding • Choose an officiant if you haven’t already done so • Book a photographer • Reserve a block of hotel rooms for your out-of-town guests • Purchase a wedding gown • Shop for the groom’s attire and purchase it

8 MONTHS BEFORE

• Meet with your officiant to plan your ceremony • Book your entertainment (DJ, band, MC, etc.)

• Shop for and purchase your bridesmaids’ dresses • Design and order the wedding invitations and save-the-date cards • Create a gift registry • Hire a florist • Plan your honeymoon

6 MONTHS BEFORE

• Send out the save-the-date cards • Book your hair and makeup appointments for the day of (also schedule trial runs for both) • Book a hotel room for the wedding night if necessary • Create a schedule for the big day • Decide on dates for bachelor and bachelorette parties • Shop for and purchase shoes, jewelry and accessories

4 MONTHS BEFORE

• Reserve wedding day transportation for the wedding party • Select alcohol and other drinks for the reception • Taste and choose your wedding cake • Buy wedding bands • Shop for and order the groomsmen’s attire • Purchase wedding favors for your guests • If you’d like your loved ones to say or read something during the ceremony, let them know • Write down your vows • Decide on activities for the reception (photo booth, dancing, games, etc.)

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1 WEEK BEFORE

• Visit the desired beauty professionals (hair colorist, esthetician, etc.)

• Practise reading your vows • Write out checks to pay your vendors

1 DAY BEFORE

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Wedding Planning Tips and Tricks

R

ecently engaged couples are often so swept up in the excitement surrounding their engagements that they can be forgiven for initially overlooking all the wedding planning that awaits them. Planning a wedding is no small task, but many couples very much enjoy all the hard work that goes into making their special day a success.

It’s hard for newly engaged couples who have never before planned a wedding to know what awaits them. But the following tips can help make the wedding planning process go smoothly.

• Find your organization method.

Organization is the key to pulling off the wedding of your dreams. Whether your organizational style is best served by jotting details like dates and deposit deadlines down in a notebook or utilizing an online spreadsheet or smartphone app, choose your method early on. Keeping information and reminders in one place can make it easier to manage all the tasks that lie ahead.

• Take your time. There’s no rush to the altar.

Feel free to extend the engagement long enough to keep stress levels down and get the location and ceremony of your dreams. Many recently engaged couples feel pressured to get married right away. Stretching out the engagement to save money or give yourself more time

to plan can make for a wonderful wedding day.

• Discuss the budget openly and honestly. Did you know a New York City wedding can cost $77,000, according to Money magazine? Wedding costs can vary widely, and couples should sit down together to decide what they can afford and are willing to pay for.

• Decide on a guest list. Planning decisions are often based around the projected number of guests. You’ll need to have a ballpark figure regarding guests before you can choose a venue and make other decisions, such as where guests will stay. And if the majority of guests are coming from a certain area, such as your hometown, you may want to bring the wedding to them instead of asking them to come to you.

• Create a priorities list. Make a list of at least three things that are most important for each of you. It may be the ceremony location, the food or another factor. Knowing what is important can help you negotiate prices and understand what to look for when planning.

These are some of the considerations couples should make while planning their weddings. While it’s important to consider these factors and others, it’s also important that couples have fun when planning their nuptials.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

A Wedding Dress You Can Dance In

T

hey may look striking, but many wedding gown styles restrict your movements,

making it hard to dance. Here are some things to consider if you’re shopping for a wedding dress you can move freely in.

Light Fabric A flowy dress made of a lightweight fabric is sure to be comfortable enough to dance in.

Separates Choose an elegant halter top or corset and select two different bottoms. Wear a long tulle skirt to imitate the look of a ball gown for the ceremony and swap it out for a shorter style for the reception.

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Tea Length There’s no rule that says a wedding gown must be long. Choose one that ends just below your knees for a vintage style you can move in.

Reception Dress Choose a second dress that’s easier to dance in for the reception. This is a great option for brides who don’t want to have to choose between two looks.

If you must wear a ball­­gown or a mermaidstyle dress, choose one that can be modified through­out the day. Bustling a long train or removing a layer of tulle may be all you need to dance the night away.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

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Easy, But Awesome Photo Booth Ideas

Happily Ever After ♦ Page S5

Treat Guests in Extra Special Ways

W

A

re you planning to set up a photo booth at your wedding? If you do, your guests will love hamming it up in front of the camera. Here are some backdrop ideas for a photo booth you’ll love.

Sequins For an old Hollywood feel, choose white, silver or gold. Or put a modern spin on it and choose reversible sequins that your guests can play with to change the look.

Flowers A wall of flowers is the perfect romantic backdrop. Match the blooms to your wedding colours or opt for white or red roses.

Alternatively, create an ombre effect from light

to dark using a variety of flowers.

Balloons The trick to nailing a balloon backdrop is to use balloons in various sizes and shapes.

Choose pastel tones for a soft look or go for bright colours for a more whimsical touch.

Wood A wall of wood planks decorated with ivy and twinkle lights will make your guests feel like they’re hanging out on your back porch.

This backdrop is well-suited to a rustic or country themed wedding.

Don’t forget to include props to take photos with. Frames, hats and mustaches on sticks are classic, as are co­ mic book-style word bubbles with fun mes­sages on them.

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eddings may focus on the couples getting hitched, but weddings also are special thanks to the many family and friends couples involve in the festivities. Some of the more successful weddings are ones in which couples honor their guests and let them know how much they’re appreciated. By incorporating these ideas into their wedding ceremonies and receptions, couples can let their guests know how much they’re loved.

• Arrange seats at the ceremony (if practical) in a circular pattern around you so that everyone can have a great view when you exchange vows.

• Create a bathroom convenience basket for both the men’s and women’s bathrooms. Stock items that might come in handy, like mouthwash, toothpaste, first aid items, spare pantyhose, hair spray, sanitary products, moisturizer, gum, and whatever other niceties you can think of.

• Provide prearranged to-go boxes so that guests can take home tasty tidbits from the meal or dessert table.

• Offer transportation between the ceremony and reception.

• Provide inexpensive slippers or flip-flops so that avid dancers can rest their toes in between songs.

• Always be considerate of special needs by seating guests in places where they’re most likely to be comfortable. Keep elderly guests

away from speakers and near exits to facilitate trips to the bathroom.

• Be mindful of all food allergies or requirements and have accommodations set up in advance.

• Honor those people who could not be at the wedding in a special way, including deceased family and friends.

• Include information about how guests can request songs at the reception. Pass on the information to the band or DJ. • Encourage guests to get up and dance by making it fun. Put song lyrics from different songs on each table. When that song is played, that table has to join you on the dance floor.

• Make sure the photographer takes photos of everyone at every table and then share those photos on a wedding website or via social media. Create a hashtag unique to your wedding so that guests can easily find the photos.

• Remember to thank everyone for coming and follow up those in-person sentiments with handwritten, personalized thank-you notes after the wedding.

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How to Dress Your Bridesmaids Whether you have three bridesmaids or 13, you’ll need to decide what you want them to wear. Here are some options.

Same Color, Same Dress For a classic and cohesive look, ask your bridesmaids to wear matching dresses that correspond to your wedding decor. This option is best when the girls in the group have similar body shapes and skin tones.

Different Color, Same Dress For a multicolored esthetic, choose a style of dress and let your bridesmaids pick the hue they wear. If you prefer a more subtle approach, ask them to wear different shades of the same color.

Same Color, Different Dress This is a great way to show off your bridesmaids’ personalities while still maintaining a cohesive look. You can even opt for convertible dresses. These can be worn as many as 20 different ways, so your girls will have no problem finding a look that suits them.

Ultimately, you don’t have to follow any ru­les when choosing your bridesmaids’ dres­ses. The most important thing is that the women who matter most to you will be there with you on your big day.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

How to Feature Bright Colors in Your Wedding

An increasing number of brides and grooms are incorporating bright colors into their wedding outfits and decor. Here’s how to do the same.

Choose The Right Color While red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet look great on a rainbow, it may be overwhelming to use them all at your wedding. Instead, choose only one or two of your favourite colors.

Or, choose colors based on the meaning behind them and the feelings they evoke. For example, green is the colour of renewal and balance, while blue calls to mind feelings of serenity and peace.

Use Color Judiciously Incorporating colors into your wedding doesn’t mean everything should be bright and bold. Instead, favour neutrals and use your chosen hue as an accent here and there.

The bride’s bouquet, bridesmaids’ dresses, centre­pieces and the groom and groomsmen’s ties are perfect places to inject a vibrant shade.

For a look that’s rich and voluptuous, be sure to use different shades and textures of your chosen color.

Saturday, February 22, 2020

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Make a Statement with Your Wedding Cake

B

rides and grooms may pour over every detail of their weddings, but few components of the festivities may be as fun, especially for foodies, as deciding what the wedding cake will look like. Couples who want to deliver show-stopping visuals often express some measure of their creativity and personalities through statement wedding cakes.

Many couples now eschew the classic threetiered white cake in favor of a dessert that garners instant attention. Whether the cake is brightly colored or hand-painted, a towering architectural marvel or shimmering in metallics, couples are opting to make a statement with their confections. Apart from clever cake-toppers, here are ways to stand apart when dessert is served.

According to the Perfect Wedding Guide, a rising trend in cakes is to cover a white or naked cake with translucent glaze tinted in the couple’s wedding colors. This artistic expression can be especially stunning in boho-chic weddings.

Statement tiers also are popular. The cake may be traditional in nearly every way, but couples then set the cake apart by featuring an elaborate design or a different hue in one tier.

Martha Stewart Weddings advises that

more than just color can be used to make a statement. Lifelike sugar flowers can really set cakes apart. Guests may not be sure if they can consume all aspects of some cakes. But delicate sugar flowers taste as good as they look.

Hand-painted tiles on a cake are another way to add panache. A bride and groom may be inspired by a European vacation or the stained-glass effects of religious windows and want to add that feel to the tiers of the cake.

Sometimes a statement comes by way of texture. Even an all-white cake can be dressed up with interesting textural effects. Ruffles, lace, embossing, and 3-D rosettes are different textural components that can be incorporated in cake designs.

Couples also may want to tell their unique stories with cake. Individual tiers designed to reflect various milestone moments from the couple’s relationship can be quite engaging.

Capitalizing on the trend of edgier weddings, couples may opt for darker hues on their cakes — even a black tier — or nontraditional geometric shapes to the cake itself or its design elements. Statement cakes can really say something about the couple getting married. Cakes provide a window into the minds of happy couples.

Happily Ever After ♦ Page S7

A Guide to Hosting a Daytime Wedding

W

eddings dot the social calendars of millions of people across the globe. The Association for Wedding Professionals International says every year an average of 2.4 million weddings are performed in the United States and approximately 150,000 per year are performed in Canada. Evenings are the most common time of the day to host a wedding, but that does not mean a daytime wedding cannot be a beautiful event and make for a party to remember.

Couples are increasingly customizing their weddings to be a reflection of their personal styles. One of the ways couples are customizing their festivities is by moving the wedding to various hours of the day that meet the couple’s needs. A wedding that takes place in the late morning or afternoon may be the perfect fit for some couples. Here’s how to navigate the specifics of a daytime wedding.

• Secure accommodations. An early wedding means guests may have to travel from afar the evening before to be able to attend the festivities.

Daytime weddings can be complemented by working with a hotel or bed and breakfast to ensure guests will have a place to stay and get ready to arrive at the early wedding in time.

• Don’t be afraid to negotiate prices. The wedding resource Bridal Guide says that vendors are typically more amenable to price discounts or offering greater value for daytime weddings. That’s because demand for their services is reduced during the day. Similarly,

venues may have more availability during the day than at night, and, as a result, they’re more flexible on prices, especially since brunch foods generally cost less than dinner entrees.

• Hire the right photographer. Be sure to contract with a photographer who is a pro at handling photos in daylight and natural light.

While many photographers are skilled in any light, many are used to shooting in churches and venues with low lighting. Be sure to see picture samples taken during the daytime to gauge a photographer’s daytime experience and skill level.

• Employ color to add dimension. During evening weddings, lighting or candles help set the mood. Those same elements will be ineffective in daylight. Choose bright colors for your decor and flowers to brighten up spaces.

• Choose alternative entertainment. Chances are guests are not going to feel as comfortable dancing during daylight hours. Consider other entertainment, such as lawn games, karaoke, or a comedian. A guitarist or pianist may be a nice musical touch.

• Plan food accordingly. Just because the wedding is early does not mean the food should be. Guests still will need to eat. If you are only opting for light appetizers and cocktails, be sure to mention this on the invitation so guests can plan ahead and won’t go hungry.

Daytime weddings can be successful with a little tweaking of traditional evening wedding planning.

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

REPUBLICAN (Continued from Page 2)

active duty in the Army, he remained in the reserves until 2009.

“I am here to tell you that winning just simply takes hard work and dedication,” Adams said.

“I am also here to tell you that the blue wave is over. I talk to people everywhere, whether it be in bars, etc. The majority of people who live New Jersey are patriots, and they support the military. They are not socialists. They do not want their hard-earned tax dollars used for the creation of sanctuary cities or states. They do not want to use their hard-earned tax dollars to support freeloaders—people who do not want to work, or to support people who are not in this country legally.”

Adams received a law degree from Notre Dame Law School, and most recently started his own law practice, John Adams Law Firm, LLC. He also served as an Eastampton Township councilman from January 2015 to December 2018, according to his LinkedIn profile page.

“If we together work hard, communicate our message, and counter the radical message that the Democrats are putting out there, we will be victorious this November; and in November 2021, we are going to take back control of this county,” he said. “I am here to work hard. I know Tinamarie is going to work hard. We are going to work hard to make sure that people who vote for us, also vote for your local municipal candidates.”

T he Bu rli ng ton Cou nt y Republican Committee during its Feb. 8 gathering also endorsed Trump for re-election as U.S. President this November, and Rik Mehta, who is seeking a first term in the U.S. Senate.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker, who recently suspended his campaign for president, has announced he is seeking re-election to the Senate.

“As for Rik Mehta for U.S. Senate, after interviewing all of the potential candidates, he was just genuinely authentic—he had ideas for things like affordable healthcare, stopping problems with illegal immigration, and fighting the opioid epidemic, so we felt really good about him,” Napolitano said.

Fueling some of the energy during the nominating convention was a recently published report in an area newspaper that the Democratic county freeholder board recently heavily rewarded the hometowns of their membership with park grants, while leaving GOP-controlled towns mostly high and dry. The Burlington County Republican Committee seized on that published report, calling it “political patronage at its worst” and a “scandal.”

“I am sure many of you have paid attention recently to what is going on with the freeholders board as it relates to park grants,” Earlen said.

“Most of the Republican towns throughout the county received zero dollars, while four out five freeholder towns received the maximum amount. That never ever happened when Republicans had control of the county.”

Delanco Township Republican Committee Chairman Stephen Jass, in an interview with this newspaper, added that he hopes the people of Burlington County will realize that they have “lost a good thing” when the county freeholder board changed hands.

“You just do not do things like that,” he said.

“One wonders, here is a political party that is in power, and they are denying a very large town like Moorestown money. There are a whole lot of Democrats that live in Moorestown, and they are not happy about the fact that their town did not get money. I think it sort of shows that these people really do not know how to govern, and hopefully, the residents of Burlington County realize that and make the necessary change in November.”

The com mit tee previously endorsed Republican Kate Gibbs for Congress in the Third Cong ressional Dist r ict, and David Richter for Congress in the Second Congressional District. However, as previously reported by this newspaper, Richter has since sought the Republican nomination in the Third Congressional District after Rep. Jeff Van Drew, of the Second Congressional District, changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and secured the endorsement of Trump. There was no move to make new endorsements in light of what has occurred, but Earlen and top county GOP officials have made clear they intend to still back Gibbs. Gibbs and Richter continue to trade jabs with each other (see separate story).

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LENAPE

(Continued from Page 1) are prohibited by state law from raising school taxes by more than two percent annually.

Murphy recently vetoed legislation that would have allowed districts adversely affected by S-2 to exceed the two percent tax cap. This has left the districts with few options, other than to eliminate programming or staff.

Among other things, the superintendents at the forum warned of decreases in state aid leading to additional reductions in personnel, courtesy bussing, as well as fewer academic offerings and extracurricular activities.

“An area that greatly concerns me as an instructional leader is a reduction in professional development,” said Medford Township School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Del Rossi, during the forum. “We have new programs and mandated initiatives with no additional funding for implementation. Yet, we all expect teachers and staff to deliver programs with fidelity. This is not fair to them, or the district.”

Del Rossi also warned during the forum that social and emotional learning, along with supporting school facilities, will be “adversely affected.” “(Facilities) is an area, as you well know, boards of education and administrators will look to right away to make cuts or reductions whenever there is a budget issue,” he said. “And believe me—this is an area which will catch up with you the fastest.”

Del Rossi listed additional potential consequences resulting from the reduction in aid such as increased class sizes, longer bus routes, the elimination of education service announcement programs, as well as implementing or raising fees for certain sports or other extracurricular activities.

Shamong Township School District Superintendent Dr. Christine Vespe sifted through a list of “efficiencies,” or ways the Lenape Regional districts have tried to reduce costs, or generate more revenue. She also discussed how the Lenape Region districts have tried to share the costs of services.

“We are trying to save everywhere that we can to try to avoid these cuts affecting us, any more than they already are,” Vespe said.

This was the second community forum held by the Lenape Regional districts. Another was held in February 2019 at Shawnee High School in Medford. District administrators have also previously met with legislators, organized rallies at the state Capital in Trenton and testified during state Senate and Assembly budget hearings.

Advocacy efforts are coordinated through the statewide coalition – the Support Our Students (SOS) Advocacy Group—representing 1.4 million New Jersey public school students from more than 97 school districts statewide.

This coalition was formed to “create strength in numbers” when spreading awareness of

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school funding cuts and working to urge state legislators to find a better way to fund New Jersey schools, according to the press release.

“Through our advocacy, we are urging our state’s leaders to work towards a solution that will ensure that every child and teen in New Jersey receives the education he or she deserves,” said Southampton Township School District Superintendent Michael Harris, SOS’ leading organizer, in the press release. “S2 as presently constructed is not the answer. It helps some students at the expense of others. We want a fair education for all. We want our region to continue priding itself on the reputation of its public schools.”

The Lenape Region superintendents are founding members of SOS, according to the press release. The Lenape Region districts have gathered more than 2,400 signatures through a Change.org petition to encourage Murphy and state legislators to re-examine the “flawed state funding formula” and “delay the phase-in until the full scope of its impact is understood.”

“I am not going to stand by and see our school community dismantled,” Harris said. “We need your voice, your support, and your advocacy to affect positive change. It is not going to get done just by us. We need our communities involved. We need our business community involved. We need parents involved. We need students involved. We need everyone involved to get this done.”

Murphy’s administration continues to contend that the revised formula has “increased funding” for school districts throughout the state previously “not fully funded,” and that the school districts having aid decreased are considered “overfunded,” primarily due to a drop in enrollment.

“The aid increases for underfunded districts come from the reductions from overfunded districts as well as additional state aid appropriations in the annual budget as required by state law,” New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) spokesman Michael Yaple previously wrote in an email to this newspaper.

“Over the last two fiscal years, more than $500 million has been added to K-12 formula funding.”

A few members of the Fair Funding Action Committee (FFAC), a group of parents, administrators and board members who advocate for approximately two thirds of school districts statewide, attended the forum, seemingly siding with the Murphy administration. The committee contends they have been “persistently underfunded over the last 10 years” as a result of flat state aid.

This group worked with legislators to pass S-2 that allowed state aid to be re-allocated to underfunded districts.

“We believe at the FFAC that all kids are worth 100 percent.” said Chris Fay, a member of the FFAC and East Greenwhich Township Board of Education, in an interview with this newspaper.

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OPINION

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Please comment on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Twitter: @PineBarrensNews with the hashtag #SoundOff or Facebook: www.facebook.com/pinebarrenstribune.

Your Community Needs You Now I have been a part of emergency medicine as a volunteer for over 30 years and I don’t believe that the volunteer spirit in America is dead.

Emergency volunteer agencies across the country are operating with half or less than the number of volunteers needed to fully respond to emergencies in their coverage areas.

Shamong Township is no different.

The New Jersey State Department of Health mandates that a licensed ambulance respond with a minimum of two EMT’s to any call. We currently have four Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) trying to carry the load.

That number needs to be closer to 20.

If you are currently EMT certified, we need you now.

Nurses can challenge the written EMT test for certification. We’ll train you. Qualified candidates will attend local 250-hour EMT training programs funded by Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company.

Others will attend the inhouse 56-hour Emergency Medical Responder training prior to going to EMT school.

Membership in the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Everman

Duputy Chief of EMS Operations, Indian Mills Fire Company

Company (IMVFC) Emergency Medical System (EMS) Brigade requires a minimum commitment of 8 hours week to be available to respond to calls for help to 911. That is an average of approximately 35 hours a month.

Life or death situations do happen, but they are very rare. Better than 95 percent of what we do is just helping people when they are hurting and scared.

Please contact me directly at 215-284-9163, or joeeverma@comcast.net, if you can help.

Joe Everman is the deputy chief of EMS Operations for Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company, based in and serving Shamong Township.

(Re: First Responders Breakfast in Medford Honors Those Who Protect and Serve)

There is a lot to be said for a Catholic school education. It is more than just about books and grades.

It is about encouraging empathy, compassion and respect. Well done! ~Terry Sheerin

(Re: LRHSD Schools Will No Longer Name Valedictorian, Salutatorian Beginning with The Class Of 2024 and No Longer Automatically Release Class Rank)

This should have been added to the ballot. Let the residents decide. The board should be ashamed of itself to pass this. All we can do is go to the next board meeting and request the board to reconsider. If they don’t, then vote them out of office! This type of crap happens when 97 percent of the residents don’t attend the monthly meetings.

~Matthew Henrich (Re: LRHSD Schools Will No Longer Name Valedictorian, Salutatorian Beginning with The Class Of 2024 and No Longer Automatically Release Class Rank)

I will preface my sentiments by acknowledging that class ranks are not the be-all and end-all. Success in life is not dependent upon one’s high school class ranking. However, I do believe that ridding the school district of the class ranking practice does not give students a realistic or accurate preview of how the real-world works. In both higher education and the workforce, competition is inevitable. As adults, having the rules changed to coddle feelings or eliminate competition is a privilege that doesn’t exist. Do we find it rational to eliminate the NFL just because every team can’t make or win the Super Bowl? Moreover, there are many ways (besides earning a title or certain ranking) that a high school graduate may distinguish oneself. A student need not feel like they are diminished by not achieving a certain class standing. Also, denying honors to the students who have objectively earned them—to accommodate the feelings of the ones who didn’t—is cruel to students who earned those honors.

Implicit in this rule change is the toxic philosophy that one person’s light must be dimmed in order for another person’s light to shine. That’s not a “life lesson” that schools should be teaching kids.

(Re: Developer Pitches Potential Auto Auction, Warehouse For 271-Acre Lot Along County Route 530 In Pemberton)

Every space does not have to be developed, but the township needs revenue (i.e. taxes) to sustain the budget and make improvements now and in the future. You cannot count on what currently exists to be there forever, so it is important to create new revenues that could be long term ones. Have other ideas for generating revenue? ~Dolores Basilio

~Tahrik McClellan

LETTER

TO THE

Distribution Area

EDITOR

Mt. Holly 08060

100 Percent Disabled Veterans; Spouses Qualify for Full Property Tax Exemption

I am a 100 percent disabled Vietnam veteran.

While paying my property taxes at the Southampton Township Municipal Building, I picked up the only pamphlet on the window counter, “New Jersey Property Tax Benefits.” In this pamphlet it explains how to apply for the full property tax exemption for 100 percent disabled veterans.

To qualify, you must be an honorably dischargeddisabled veteran who had active service in time of war in the U.S. Armed Forces, or you must be an unmarried surviving spouse of such a disabled veteran.

A wartime service-connected disability must be certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and to claim any benefit, you need file Form D.V.S.S.E. with the municipal tax assessor.

This law, Public Law 2017, chapter 367 (N.J.S.A. 54:43.30 et seq) was enacted on Jan. 16, 2018.

I would not have known about this benefit if I had not come across this pamphlet. I wonder how many other veterans do not know about this benefit?

Fred Hertzman Southampton, New Jersey

How to Send Items to the Editor: letters@pinebarrenstribune.com, put “Letter” in the subject line. Letters submitted to the Pine Barrens Tribune must include the name, address and phone number of the writer. Letters may be edited for length, clarity and taste. Because of space limitations, letters should be 150 words or less. Due to the volume of letters received, we cannot guarantee every one will be printed.

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P.O. Box 2402, Vincentown, New Jersey 08088 Phone: 609-801-2392 • Fax: 609-801-2395 Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.pinebarrenstribune.com ADMINISTRATION Publisher...............dmelegari@pinebarrenstribune.com NEWS News Tips..................... news@pinebarrenstribune.com Editors.........................letters@pinebarrenstribune.com ADVERTISING Place An Ad.................. sales@pinebarrenstribune.com 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.

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

WORSHIP GUIDE

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Trinity Episcopal Church

Join our Catholic faith community on the weekend -

18 Mill St. Vincentown, NJ 08088 Worship: Sundays 10 a.m.

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Science and Religion

Mass Times: Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

Sundays at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. or 6:00 p.m.

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“A scientific discovery is also a religious discovery. There is no conflict between science and religion. Our knowledge of God is made larger with every discovery we make about the world.” — Joseph Taylor

Visit our website for more information holyeucharist.org “Like” us on Facebook

D

id you know that the man who first formulated the Big Bang theory was a Jesuit priest?

Georges Lemaitre was a Jesuit-trained mathematician, astronomer and physicist who surmised that the recession of nearby galaxies could be explained by an expanding universe, and went on to develop what he called the theory of the primeval atom (later referred to as the “Big Bang” theory).

Lemaitre postulated that if we extrapolate backwards from the observable fact of an expanding universe we come to a point in the distant past when the entire mass of the universe was concentrated in a single point, the “primeval atom,” as it were, from which time and space as we know them came into existence. Lemaitre believed that this event was essentially the creation of the physical

First Baptist Church COME VISIT! We would love to meet you!

Rev. John Vars, Pastor 39 Main Street Vincentown, NJ 08088 Sunday School..................................9:45 a.m.

Sunday Worship Service .......................11 a.m.

Cross Roads Youth Group - Sundays .......5 p.m.

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universe, and although Lemaitre wasn’t prone to mixing scientific and religious explanations, he didn’t see any conflict here.

Gregor Mendel, the man who is usually considered the father of modern Genetics, was an Augustinian friar. His work with pea plants established many of the rules of heredity, giving us the terms “recessive” and “dominant” with respect to inherited traits. Mendel’s work is important because it explains an important mechanism by which species change over time. Religion is sometimes seen as the benighted cousin of ignorance and superstition, but in reality, truth is one. There is only conflict if we insist on reading ancient religious texts as scientific treatises, which they were never intended to be.

-Christopher Simon

Messiah Lutheran L Brethren Church “To Know Jesus Christ and to Make Him Known” Pastor Todd Anderson

www.MessiahLBC.church Church (609) 893-1700 530 Virginia Drive Presidential Lakes, NJ 08015

Adult Choir Practice - Wednesdays ....7:30 p.m.

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50 Burrs Mill Roadd, Southampton, NJ 080088 609 - 847- 4848

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Willow Grove & Indian Mills Roads • Shamong, NJ Pastor Rev. Jack Orr Church Office (609) 268-5699 E-mail: pastorjack4256@gmail.com Sunday Services at 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m.

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

LENAPE

(Continued from Page 9) “No kid is worth more or less than a 100 percent of their state aid entitlement. What we are advocating for, and believe is only fair and equitable—that all schools are funded 100 percent of their state aid.”

“It is important to understand that in New Jersey, right now, we face a $1.8 billion state aid deficit. If after the re-allocation of all of the aid through S-2, if that were to occur today, we would still have a $1.1 billion deficit, so we are talking about a big financial challenge in a state that is facing many serious fiscal challenges.

State aid for schools is important, but it is part of the mix. … I often tell people it is a zero-sum game, or that there is not a way to magically create revenue.”

The FFAC contends it disagrees with the views of districts like the LRHSD, and that New Jersey is currently on a path toward the full and equitable funding of its schools, as opposed to before when their represented districts received less than 100 percent of “what they were entitled,” and districts like LRHSD received “more than 100 percent of what they were entitled.”

“The zero-sum game of state aid creates competition to the extent that they receive state aid and our children do not, and I feel like we have to act against that,” Fay said.

“Unfortunately, their position is that they should keep the more than 100 percent of what they are entitled to, while other districts remain underfunded, which is fundamentally unfair and inequitable. One of the issues I feel is happening with the SOS presentation is that they taking things that are minutiae with the formula, and presenting it as if it is

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some fatal flaw.”

Birnbohm contended during the forum that one cannot just base funding on enrollment figures due to changes in the education field over time.

“Think about what education looked like 10 years ago,” Birnbohm said. “We didn’t have the technology demands that we have now.

We did not have the security demands that we have now, let alone all of the other operational increases that are going to go up in a 10-year period of time.”

Birnbohm acknowledged that the LRHSD has seen declining enrollment, but contended the aid lost was not proportional to the decline in enrollment. The superintendent also claimed that the NJDOE does not use actual enrollment numbers, but instead uses an average to determine enrollment known as the “growth rate.” She contended that using the growth rate method results in an “almost $1 million calculation error.”

According to the press release, the Lenape Region districts most recently joined over 50 other districts in a “class action Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request” to uncover how the funding formula for schools is now calculated. School districts throughout the state reportedly previously had their OPRA requests seeking the calculations denied.

“I think the good people in Trenton, meaning our elected officials, and maybe the Commissioner of Education, believe that we might just get tired and go away,” said Birnbohm during the forum. “Looking around at this room, right now, and seeing this turnout, I am really, enthusiastically going to say, ‘We are not going to go away! We are not going to get tired! We will continue to advocate for our students here in the Lenape Regional High School District and all eight sending districts!”

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AIRMAN

(Continued from Page 3) the Warriors’ Watch Riders who gave him a challenge coin.

Members of Operation Yellow Ribbon also provided Luis Reyes-Torres with a large yellow ribbon and an Air Force flag. Breaux draped the flag over Luis Reyes-Torres’ shoulders.

“I know Dallas likes to call itself America’s team, but America’s true team is its soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen,” said retired Air Force Lt. Col. Sally Stenton, a volunteer with Operation Yellow Ribbon.

This surprise celebration is one way in which Operation Yellow Ribbon supports members of the military returning from their duties overseas.

Members of Operation Yellow Ribbon also send out care packages, filled with items that people may take for granted, like Tastykakes, beef jerky, Skittles, and deodorant, to service

CHARGED (Continued from Page 4)

years and it has been getting progressively worse; it is time for a change to take place,” wrote the author of the petition. “The safety of our residents should be an unquestionable priority.”

The intersection where Tuesday evening’s crash occurred is a V-shaped point. The petition

men and women deployed overseas.

“He (Reyes-Torres) was on our care package list during his deployment,” said Operation Yellow Ribbon President Dave Silver in an interview with this newspaper. “We were giving him a taste from home, showing him support, and letting him know that he was not forgotten. Now, we get to bring it full circle, look him the eyes, and say ‘thank you’ and ‘welcome home.’”

According to the O peration Yellow Ribbon website, the volunteers sent 2,300 packages, equivalent to 75,856 pounds, to soldiers in 2019, and have already sent 362 packages, equivalent to 12,334 pounds, in 2020.

“We get to look a brave airman in the eyes, and let him know how important he is to us,” Silver said. “A generation ago when the Vietnam War Veterans came back, they were spit on. We use the freedom, which is given to us every day, to make sure that never happens again. It makes us feel alive to get the chance to do this.” also calls on the engineer to only allow traffic to exit Route 206 directly onto N. Main Street “considering the many accidents at the farm point,” rather than the current arrangement allowing motorists to both enter and exit the state highway from the roadway.

“In the dusk and evening hours, I have watched people at 55-60 mph driving directly onto Route 206 into oncoming traffic, missing the stop sign altogether because of the weird angle of the intersection,” wrote the person behind the petition.

So far, over 90 signatures had been collected.

Got A News Scoop?

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CRIME

(Continued from Page 1) “No, that is not stealing,” Richter declared.

Allegations of unethical behavior such as breach of contract, Richter maintained, “are meaningless” and “aren’t the same as admissions of criminal activity.”

“The fact is that Kate admitted to committing the crime of shoplifting, and she was found guilty as a result,” Richter said. “That is what matters.”

Richter carried his denunciation of Gibbs even further by referring to her legacy as a Burlington County freeholder as “one of complete and total failure.”

In support of that claim, Richter cited the fact that Gibbs, who was also a freeholder director in Burlington County, lost her bid for re-election in 2008 by nearly 10,000 votes to a Democrat, George Youngkin, who had already dropped out of the race over a past charge of domestic abuse.

“If she were to be the Republican nominee, it would make the November election much more difficult to win for the Republicans,” Richter said. “Andy Kim will be doing nothing but telling people in the 3rd District about her criminal history and her failure as a freeholder, and as a result she will have almost no ability to beat him in the General Election.”

As to why Richter thought Gibbs had received the Ocean Cou nt y screening committee’s endorsement despite the past conviction and loss to a troubled Democrat, Richter pointed out that she had the advantage of having campaigned for the nomination for more than six months as compared to his three weeks as a candidate in the district. However, he said that he believes he currently has enough support to overcome that disadvantage and the screening committee’s endorsement of Gibbs by winning the Ocean County line on the ballot at the GOP district convention.

Richter also attributed the preliminary endorsement of Gibbs to her having the support of all the women on the screening committee.

“I think she has been playing the gender card to maximum effect, but the reality is that a losing female nominee does not do the party or herself any good,” he said.

Gibbs

Richter

Richter’s assertion in that regard was quite similar to that of another GOP rival for the nomination, Barnegat Township Mayor John Novak, who told this newspaper that he had been at the screening committee meeting where Ocean County Freeholder Virginia Haines and Deputy County Clerk Barbara Lanuto had both indicated they “wanted a woman” for the nomination.

“I explained that voting for Kate Gibbs just because she is a woman is just as wrong as voting for a man just because he is a man,” he declared. “We need to pick a qualified candidate with the right message, irrespective of their gender.”

Novak added the he was hoping the contest discussion would be about immigration, securing the country’s borders, protecting the unborn, turbocharging the economy, and support for the Trump agenda,” as well as “about our rights under the First and Second Amendments.”

But instead, Novak claimed, the only question put to him by Haines was whether he had been involved in an accident on the ground involving a plane he was trying out in Florida 15 years ago, for which he said the plane’s owner was found to be at fault.

Novak also criticized Gibbs for having kept her shoplifting conviction a secret during the

months she has been running for Congress.

Gibbs, when asked if she wished to respond to Richter and Novak, told the Pine Barrens Tribune in a phone interview that she thought both men’s statements in regard to her having been endorsed because of her gender were “insulting and condescending.”

“That is exactly why they are not the right candidates to take on Andy Kim and to appeal to suburban, unaffiliated voters, a lot of whom are women,” Gibbs said.

As for Richter’s claim that her admission t o t h e t r a n sg r e s s io n of s h o pl i f t i n g should disqualify her, she said, “I made a mistake when I was 20 years old that I’m not proud of,” adding that a lot of Americans have engaged in such behaviors in their youth and that she never claimed to be perfect.

“But I am a real person who went on to earn my masters in finance and to lead a successful GOP county organization, becoming a leader in the building trade, and a tax-cutting freeholder and Burlington County’s youngest freeholder director,” Gibbs said.

One measure of that success, she maintained, was that during her tenure “Moody’s Financial Service upgraded the county bond rating to its highest level ever.

“I have spent my entire adult life serving the

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people of the 3rd District,” Gibbs contended.

She contended that her service in the 3rd Dist r ict was in cont rast to David Richter, who she referred to as “someone who’s been shopping (for a seat) in three d if ferent cong ressional d ist r icts, a nd living in a fourth for the past 18 months.”

Gibbs also indicated that she would be glad to have an “ethics debate” with Richter, whom she characterized as “literally living the definition of pay-to-play” and as an individual who throws fits and lashes out at people “every time he doesn’t get his way.”

“He has been handed everything all his life,” Gibbs said. “He thinks that his money entitles him to a seat (in Congress), and it doesn’t matter where. He doesn’t care about who he represents, because it is not about the people, it is about satisfying his own political ambitions.”

When asked what she attributed her 2018 mid-term election defeat to, Gibbs responded that “it was a historic blue-wave election year.”

When asked if he had any comment on Richter’s assertion, Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman told this newspaper in an email that he would let Gibbs respond to the newspaper.

A spokesman for Kim, Anthony DeAngelo, when asked for a response to Richter’s assertions regarding Gibbs’ fitness for office and how Kim might treat her as an opponent, emailed back that the office can’t respond to inquiries on political issues and would “pass on commenting at this time.”

“Mr. Richter represents the very worst of what our politics has become,” said Burlington County Republican Committee Chairman Sean Earlen just before this newspaper went to press. “He doesn’t view running for office as public service, but rather as a playground for rich guys who think they are entitled to a seat in Congress. The fact of the matter is that Mr. Richter is now on his third congressional district in just over a year, and hasn’t put down roots in a single one of them. His districtshopping redefines carpetbagger and it is why he is get t i ng rejected over a nd over again by local Republicans wherever he goes. Richter’s personal attack on Kate is shameful.”

Page 16 ♌

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

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