Jan 06 2018

INSIDE THIS WEEK

Speed Limit Decreased on Section of County Route 542 - Pg. 4

PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE www.pinebarrenstribune.com

Vol. 2 – No. 19

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January 6, 2018 – January 12, 2018

3-Alarm Fire Destabilizes Home, Forcing Emergency Demolition

Blaze Occurs at the Same Location Where One Happened ‘17 Years Ago to the Week’ Flames shoot up from a two and half story home on Dec. 29 in the 400 block of the Pemberton Bypass.

Fire Happens at Conclusion of Busiest Year for Pemberton Firefighters in Nearly Three Decades

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—A 3-alarm fire tore through a two and half story home in Pemberton Township last week, causing the structure to become unstable and necessitating an emergency demolition.

The blaze broke out in the 438 Pemberton Bypass home around 11:01 a.m. on Dec. 29.

Pemberton Township Fire Chief Craig Augustoni said Michael DiTaranto, the home’s owner, along with his wife and two children were inside the home when a smoke detector in the attic went off.

Augustoni said DiTaranto went to check the attic, smelled smoke, called 9-1-1 and evacuated his family.

The fire chief said officers from the Pemberton Township Police Department arrived at the scene within a couple of minutes due to their headquarters’ close proximity to

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the home. He said as the officers arrived, they observed smoke and radioed dispatch that there was an active fire.

As firefighters descended on the scene, flames were seen shooting up from the roof of the home.

“The fire went to three alarms,” Augustoni said. “It wasn’t necessarily the intensity of the fire that necessitated the three alarms, but rather the intensity of the work that had to be done, combined with the cold weather conditions. It was brutal on the guys.”

He said solar panels on part of the home’s roof caused several complications for firefighters as they blocked access to the fire and were potentially generating an electrical current.

“The weight of the solar panels on the roof also posed safety concerns as the fire continued to weaken the roof,” Augustoni

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LOCAL NEWS

Environmental Firm Finds ‘Minor Issues’ at Chatsworth Elementary

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By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

WOODLAND—A precautionary air-quality inspection of Chatsworth Elementary School, part of the Woodland Township School District, has revealed six “minor” issues that school officials “should” address.

TTI Environmental of Moorestown was summoned to the school on Oct. 23 by Superintendent Misty Weiss after she heard from concerned parents who asked about when the last time the air quality was inspected inside the school.

“To my knowledge, the district has not had an air-quality inspection, at least in the last 10 years,” Weiss said.

Timothy Popp, vice president of consulting for TTI, said the firm performed a “detailed visual inspection” inside the school on Oct. 23.

He said the firm also inspected the exterior perimeter of the school.

“The inspection was conducted with a thermal camera, moisture meter, high lumens flashlight and a temperature/humidity meter,” Popp said.

“TTI inspected each room (inside the school) and looked for any sign of moisture, odor, mold growth or any suspect condition which would cause indoor air quality issues. TTI looked under desks, chairs, rugs, book shelves, doors, closets, above ceiling tiles, and behind book cases in each room.”

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INDEX Automotive..................................... 19 Business Directory.......................... 10 Community....................................... 9 Fun and Games............................... 15 Health.............................................. 14 Home, Garden & Farming ............. 18

Local News....................................... 2 Marketplace..................................... 16 Opinion............................................. 8 Scanner.............................................. 7 Worship Directory............................. 9

The Pine Barrens Tribune is published weekly by Pine Barrens Media, LLC. The newspaper is distributed free at select locations in Bass River, Evesham, Hammonton, Medford, Medford Lakes, Pemberton, Pemberton Borough, Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle, Washington, Whiting, Woodland and surrounding areas. 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, 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.

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Speed Limit Decreased on Part of County Route 542

Woodland Officials Defend Lack of Christmas Tree at Municipal Building

By Douglas D. Melegari

By Douglas D. Melegari

BASS RIVER—A new speed limit has been established on a 1,000 foot stretch of County Route 542, also known as Hammonton Road or Batsto-Bridgeboro Road, in Bass River Township.

“We are decreasing the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph on Route 542 from Route 9 to Old New York Road,” said Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope during a Bass River Township Board of Commissioners meeting last month.

The lowering of the speed limit required approval from the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders since Route 542 is maintained by the county’s Division of Roads & Bridges.

“We put in a few letters to ask them (to decrease the speed limit),” she said.

The freeholders voted 4-0 at their Nov. 22, 2017 meeting to decrease the speed limit following a recommendation by the county’s Division of Roads & Bridges.

“They’ve gone out,” she said. “They’ve done their experiment three different times. They are dropping the speed limit in that area from 45 mph to 35 mph.”

The county also established a 45 mph speed limit on Route 542 from Old New York Road to 500 ft. north of Loveland’s Lane.

This stretch of roadway includes a driveway for a county maintenance yard.

“We tried to get it (the speed limit) decreased by the county maintenance yard there because we have had a lot of complaints (about speeding),” Buzby-Cope said.

On Route 542, from 500 ft. north of Loveland’s Lane to the Atlantic County line, the speed limit remains 50 mph.

WOODLAND—Officials here are defending their decision to not put up a Christmas tree at the Woodland Township Municipal Building last month.

“Next year, I would like the township to have some type of Christmas tree out front, whether it is in here (the municipal building) or somewhere outside,” said resident Ken Bowker during December’s Woodland Township Committee meeting. “I think you had one at one time—years ago.”

Township Solicitor William Burns said the township can’t put up a Christmas tree on township property because of a separation of church and state.

“There is a separation of church and state,” he said. “You can’t support one (religion) over the other. If anybody was to challenge it, there would only be a Christmas tree of one religion, as opposed to a menorah of the Jewish faith or a Kwanzaa display (and we would lose in court).”

One woman in the meeting room shouted “Put up a ‘Happy Holidays’ sign or put up something!”

“If you put up a Christmas tree and somebody complains, you put up what they want,” Bowker said.

Township Clerk Maryalice Brown said she believed that because the township is a governmental institution, it has to acknowledge all religions.

“We did (put up a tree a few years ago),” she said. “I put it up and then it was mentioned to me that we don’t have a menorah and we don’t have a Kwanzaa display.”

Bowker said President Donald J. Trump

Staff Writer

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Staff Writer

has re-authorized Americans to say “Merry Christmas” again. Bowker was referencing Trump’s recent war of words against retailers who prohibited the use of “Merry Christmas” in marketing campaigns and promotions.

Trump recently took a bow for what he views as his successful role in making Christmas merry again after several retailers reversed their decisions this year.

“Well, I said it (“Merry Christmas”) tonight,” said Mayor Matthew Henrich. “So, if I am wrong, sorry.”

The phrase “separation of church and state” does not appear in the U.S. Constitution.

However, the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (Establishment Clause), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (Free Exercise Clause).”

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 1947 landmark decision, ruled in Everson v. Board of Education that the Establishment Clause was intended to erect “a wall of separation between church and state.”

Since that ruling, lawmakers and courts across the country have struggled with how to balance governments’ dual duty to satisfy both clauses.

At times, government decision makers have viewed the “wall” as a porous barrier.

Many government entities across the country do put up a Christmas tree on their property and call it as such.

But, there are a fair number of municipalities that don’t put up a Christmas tree on their property or do put up a Christmas tree, but call it another name to avoid religious association.

A Christmas tree has been displayed each year at the White House, even under the leadership of presidents who championed civil rights and pushed political correctness.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation, an organization that supports individuals who challenge holiday displays on government property, says on its website that there is no definitive law that bans holiday decorations on government property.

“Generally, the government is allowed to celebrate the holidays with secular decorations, such as lights and depictions of Santa Claus, and in narrow circumstances, a crèche or other patently religious symbols,” the organization says. “Determining whether a crèche or menorah displayed on public property in your hometown violates the Supreme Court's current interpretation of the Establishment Clause is highly dependent upon the facts and circumstances surrounding the display. While it is permissible for governments to celebrate the holiday season, there are certain limitations on holiday displays on public property.”

Interestingly, residents in Woodland Township were invited to gather for a “2017 Tree Lighting Party” sponsored by the Chatsworth Parent-Teacher Organization on Dec. 8 at the Chatsworth Elementary School.

A tree, donated by Woodland Township Board of Education member William Dirkin and family, was lit to ring in the holidays on government property controlled by the Woodland Township School District.

“Merry Christmas to all of you,” Bowker said.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

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Saturday, January 6, 2018

Two Laborers Cut from Bass River Township’s Department of Public Works

By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—Several months after officials here said there were performance problems in Bass River Township’s Department of Public Works and a year after a major mistake by a department employee was made public, the department’s workforce has been cut.

“We had a four-man team,” said Commissioner Louis Bourguignon, the department’s director, during a Bass River Township Board of Commissioners meeting last month. “Now, we have a two-man team.”

Bourguignon said the same amount of work is being done with a smaller workforce.

“When you go from four to two (people) and you are getting the same job done, something was wrong,” he said.

It’s unclear when the two laborers were cut from the department and how. Officials have also not yet said who was removed and if they were reassigned to another municipal department.

Bourguignon, in July, revealed details about the performance problems after a raucous back and forth with residents over a move to decrease pay for two Department of Public Works laborers.

“Right now, as far as I am concerned, and I’ll put it out there—I am getting too many complaints about construction debris going into the dumpsters,” he said. “I have to address this right now with the people down there working (at the township’s transfer station). I am getting numerous complaints about it. So, if somebody deserves something—and I am speaking for myself—I am a firm believer if you do good work, you get compensated. But we never drop somebody’s salary unless they are not doing their job.”

Deputy Mayor Nicholas Capriglione, also in July, shed some light on the problems too.

“If the operation of that landfill would have been what I had hoped and expected and if the men were able to contain the amount of building

materials going into those dumpsters and we didn’t have to pay as much money as we are paying now for transferring and dumping, I told the guys the savings could definitely be thrown into salary,” Capriglione said. “But if they are not going to take that seriously and they are going to let major construction material come in from God knows where and still sit by and allow it to be unloaded, then you are going to have operating costs at that landfill. The costs of that particular part of the department will keep rising and there goes their salaries.”

Additionally, in 2016, Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope admitted that a department laborer removed a portion of Robert’s Pond’s berm in a misguided attempt to alleviate leach field problems that have plagued the Offshore Manor development.

The laborer intended to only lower the water level of the pond. However, the removal of berm inadvertently drained the pond, leading to complaints about aesthetics, odors and damage to the pond’s eco-system.

It was also later discovered that the Burlington County municipality did not own the pond and it wasn’t within its jurisdictional limit.

The pond, which has since been restored by the township, is owned by the State of N.J. and is in Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County.

Buzby-Cope, at this latest board meeting, said the two laborers working for the township now are “Dave” and “Brandon.”

“Dave and Brandon, our two Public Works guys, are doing a fabulous job,” she said.

“They actually (just) painted this room. They have been doing a lot and getting things pulled together.”

“Dave” was in the meeting room as BuzbyCope extended praise to the laborers.

“You and Brandon have really been a great team,” she said. “You guys are moving mountains.”

Buzby-Cope firmly stared at “Dave” for a brief moment and shouted, “Teamwork!” The laborer, in reply, shouted “Communication!”

In other news, the commissioners authorized the sale of 125 acres to the State of New Jersey.

“We are selling 125 acres,” Buzby-Cope said. “We are getting $125,000 or a $1,000 an acre.”

The land, properties that were foreclosed on, is being purchased by the state through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Green Acres program so that the agency can preserve it.

Buzby-Cope said that in this particular case, the land being sold to the state is not buildable.

“It’s not continuous,” she said as she described the land as being mostly doughnut holes. “It is everywhere. It is all over the place.”

Previously, Buzby-Cope said that keeping the foreclosed properties in the township’s possession is hurting taxpayers because the township has to pay taxes on them to the schools (Bass River and Pinelands Regional) and county.

Usually, selling land to the state through the Green Acres program is frowned upon by officials here as the move takes the land off the municipality’s tax rolls.

In a related matter, a fourth group of inrem foreclosure proceedings were authorized.

Officials here have been working to foreclose on properties that are on a back tax roll.

Whether these properties will also eventually be sold to the state remains to be seen. Township Solicitor JoAnne O’Connor has been hoping that the township can auction some of the parcels.

Also on a related note, the township canceled municipal taxes for numerous properties that have been foreclosed on. $91,403 was moved around between departments in the 2017 municipal budget.

An $85,000 grant was accepted from Burlington County for improvements to Amasa Landing Road Park.

O’Connor said the money may be used to secure necessary permits for future work to the park, but didn’t elaborate on what that work may be.

Officials Consider Tabernacle Town Hall Enhancements

By Mark Hatoff

For the Pine Barrens Tribune

TABERNACLE—Potential changes to Tabernacle Town Hall prompted much discussion during a Dec. 28 close-out meeting of the Tabernacle Township Committee.

The committee authorized submission of an application seeking Community Development Block Grant funding for the replacement of a wheelchair lift in town hall and a new handicapped ramp to access the municipal building.

Township Administrator Douglas Cramer said the township received an estimate of $65,000-$70,000 to replace the lift and provide for a new ramp.

“The current wheelchair lift is 15 years old and it’s had two sizable repairs in the past year,” he said. “The replacement parts are harder to get. Also, there has been deterioration in a section of the existing ramp outside town hall.”

The estimate did not factor in engineering costs. Engineering costs for the improvements are not eligible for grant reimbursement.

Cramer said any engineering may bring the estimated total cost of the project up to $79,000.

In response to a question posed about the project during public comment, Cramer said that he expects the township to get the grant before any money is spent on the two

proposed improvements.

During Cramer’s “Administrator Report,” given later in the meeting, Cramer said the township is also examining the possibility of slightly lowering the second f loor in town hall, back to its original level, and moving the judge’s dais upwards a little.

Mayor Stephen Lee IV, during his “Mayor’s Report,” gave an update on the township’s ongoing interest in possibly building a new town hall or updating the current building.

The matter was first brought up at the Sept. 11 committee meeting.

The township is looking into the possibility of constructing a new building, on a piece of vacant land, next to the Sequoia Alternative Program building or adding to its existing property.

The Pinelands Commission has told the township that both options would require them to tie into a septic system at the school.

The Tabernacle Board of Education controls the septic system and owns the 5.7 acres of vacant land.

The school board has, thus far, been unwilling to allow Tabernacle Township’s use of the land or septic system, as it has a lease agreement with the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) for usage of Sequoia until 2020.

Cramer, Committeeman Joseph Barton and Township Engineer Dante Guzzi

accompanied Lee to a Tabernacle Board of Education meeting on Dec. 18 to make a presentation about the use of the land.

“This board and the school board have a responsibility to the taxpayers of this township and to look collectively at longrange planning when it comes to land use,” Lee said. “(At the meeting), we talked about what some of our needs are, what some of the school board’s needs are, the potential for a new town hall and working on this (current) building.”

Lee said one of the things township officials and residents pride themselves on is the sense of community in the municipality.

“That was the main reason for getting in front of the school board and doing an in-depth presentation,” he said. “It was really the first time we sat down (with the school board) and had a detailed discussion about where we are and where we need to think about going. Overall, it was a good discussion.”

Lee said the discussion will continue at a liaison committee meeting, scheduled for the second or third week of this month.

In other news, the possible purchase of a used road grader was explored by the committee.

Cramer said a new grader costs around $233,000 and a used model costs $50,000$100,000.

“There’s funding available in our current

capital budget for this amount,” he said. “This would allow us to upgrade our current 24-year old grader.”

Cramer said the township currently grades eight to 12 times a year on just over 10 miles of road, mostly in the township’s forested areas.

“Parts for our current grader are getting harder to obtain and some must be custom made,” he said.

Cramer provided the committee with a draft job description for a new Public Safety Director position and a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for emergency medical and rescue services.

Neither document was completed. The committee agreed to take more time to review them.

There were six other resolutions that passed, all unanimously.

The first reduced a performance guarantee for Lakes Sand & Gravel, LLC, the developer of The Grande at Tabernacle—Phase 1, to a total amount of $254,436.

The second authorized the cancellation of property taxes and a refund to a disabled Vietnam War veteran residing on Avenue Road.

The third supported awareness of all debilitating diseases, including Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP).

Gary Whyte, of Mountainside (Union County), had made an appeal to the Tabernacle

HALL>>PAGE 17

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PAGE 7

SCANNER Tanker Truck Crashes into Vacant Residence on Christmas Day

PHOTO BY WPVI-TV (6 ABC) PHILADELPHIA A tanker truck left South Pemberton Road on Dec. 25 and crashed into a vacant residence.

PEMBERTON—A tanker truck left a main artery in Pemberton Township on Christmas morning and crashed into a vacant residence.

The crash happened around 7:36 a.m. at 178 South Pemberton Road.

Lt. Jay Watters, commander of the Pemberton Township Police Department Patrol Division, said the residence sustained significant damage as a result of the crash. However, he said a gas tanker on the truck was empty and no large scale spill occurred.

“However, diesel fuel and other fluids from the truck leaked into the basement of the residence,” he said.

The Goodwill Fire Department, Virtua EMS, Burlington County HAZMAT team and

the Pemberton Township Building Inspector were dispatched to the scene and assisted with a cleanup.

The driver of the 2008 Peterbilt tractor trailer, with the attached gas tanker, was identified as Jeremiah Derrick, 41, of Pennsville.

Watters said that Derrick sustained a minor injury and refused medical treatment at the scene.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation and no summonses have been issued at this time.

Anyone who may have witnessed this collision is asked to contact Pemberton Township Police at 609-894-3308 or the Police Confidential Tip Line at 609-894-3352.

Medford Man Charged with Murdering Two Women and Attempting to Murder a Third MEDFORD—A man from Medford Township was charged last week with murdering two women from Collingswood and attempting to kill another from Medford.

According to Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva-Colalillo, officers from the Collingswood Police Department responded to 911 calls at about 5:02 p.m. on Dec. 30 regarding screaming coming from a residence in the 100 block of East Narberth Terrace in Collingswood.

Authorities say the calls were placed by the residence’s neighbors.

When the officers arrived at the residence, they found two women who had been stabbed to death and another who had been seriously wounded.

Colleen Brownell, 48, and Alysia McCloskey, 41, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The surviving victim, a 45-year-old woman, was rushed to a local hospital. She remains hospitalized and her condition has not been revealed by authorities.

Authorities say Mark Lyczak, 44, known to the victims, was found at the scene of the crime when police arrived and placed under

arrest.

NJ Pen, a news website that covers part of Camden County, reported that Lyczak was Brownell’s ex-husband and he had become overbearing to the point that Brownell decided to move in with her sister, McCloskey.

Eva-Colalillo said Lyczak was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first degree attempted murder.

He was remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility pending a pretrial detention hearing.

Eva-Colalillo did not reveal a motive for the crime.

Public records show that Lyczak has prior criminal convictions, including for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to a GoFundMe page titled “The Alysia McCloskey Family Fund,” McCloskey is survived by two sons, Zack and Riley.

Donations are being sought to pay for the boys’ educational expenses. As of press time, $7,000 had been donated for the children.

To make a donation, readers can go to https://www.gofundme.com/the-alysiamccloskey-family-fund.

New Year’s Eve Multi-Vehicle Crash Closes Route 70 for Nearly Three Hours WHITING—A multi-vehicle crash on New Year’s Eve in the Whiting section of Manchester Township forced a temporary closure of Route 70 and left one woman with a broken hand.

The crash involving three vehicles occurred at around 8:59 p.m. on Dec. 31, near mile marker 36 on Route 70.

According to Manchester Township Police, a preliminary investigation revealed that a 2001 Kia Sportage being operated by a 17-year-old male from New Lisbon was traveling west on Route 70.

As the juvenile operator of the Kia attempted to pass multiple vehicles on Route 70; police say he observed oncoming traffic rapidly approaching, attempted to abruptly maneuver his Kia back into his lane of travel, and lost control of his vehicle.

Police say the Kia crossed the center line of Route 70 and careened into oncoming traffic in the eastbound lane.

The first vehicle the Kia struck was a 2005 Infiniti Q56 SUV being operated by David Demsey, 36, of Atco. Demsey and a passenger in his vehicle were uninjured.

After striking the Infiniti, police say the Kia continued to spin and struck the front—and eventually the driver’s side—of a 2006 Mazda 616 which was being driven by a 17-year-old woman from Pemberton Township.

The operator of the Mazda was transported to Lourdes at Deborah Hospital in Browns Mills and treated for a broken hand.

The driver of the Kia was not injured and refused medical treatment.

PHOTO SUBMITTED A Kia crashed into the driver’s side of a Mazda on Dec. 31 sending a Pemberton woman to the hospital.

All three vehicles involved in the crash had their air bags deployed and sustained extensive front-end damage.

The vehicles, along with associated crash debris, obstructed the passage of vehicular traffic and Route 70 was closed in both directions between County Route 539 (Ocean County) and County Route 530 (Burlington County) for approximately three hours.

Assisting at the scene were members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, EMTs from Quality Medical Transport, officers from the Pemberton Township Police Department and members of the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The accident remains under investigation and anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Manchester Township Police at 732-657-6111, ext. 6384. There is no word on whether any charges will be filed.

Three School Buses Involved in Minor Accident at Indian Mills Memorial School SHAMONG—Three school buses with children on board were involved in a minor accident last month as they departed Indian Mills Memorial School in Shamong Township.

The accident occurred at 2:35 p.m. on Dec. 7.

Dr. Christine Vespe, superintendent of the Shamong Township School District, said the three buses were leaving the school for their afternoon runs at dismissal when the accident occurred.

“A second bus in line rear ended the first bus and the third bus then rear ended the second bus,” she said. “It was a chainreaction crash. The accident occurred on the property of Indian Mills Memorial School.”

Lt. Theodore Schafer, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police, said the buses were “loaded with kids” at the time of the “fender-bender.”

Vespe said school administrators and two school nurses were immediately on scene to check on the students who were on the buses and involved in the accident.

“The police were called and arrived at the scene shortly after the accident and conducted an accident investigation

including surveying student needs and possible injuries,” she said. “Several students were seen by the nurses, in addition to the Shamong EMS.” Vespe said it was determined to transport two students to the emergency room via an ambulance.

Schafer said the two students transported to the hospital were girls who suffered neck and back pain.

“Several parents followed up with their private physicians regarding medical concerns,” Vespe said. “A school nurse has followed up with students who needed medical attention.”

She added that the buses involved in the accident were owned by Garden State Transportation of Southampton.

“Garden State Transportation is working with families for insurance claims and the school is providing ongoing support and assistance with this matter, if needed,” Vespe said.

Schafer said only one of the three buses had to be towed from the scene.

“The other buses were able to continue on with their routes and were only slightly banged up,” he said.

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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 of less.

How to Send Items to the Editor: letters@pinebarrenstribune.com, put “Letter” in the subject line.

Editorial Pinelands Regional High School Should Remain Closed Until Changes are Made The Pinelands Regional School District community is divided over whether Pinelands Regional High School should be reopened soon for the rest of the 2017-18 school year.

The debate has ramped up due to an anticipated reopening date of Jan. 17. Of course, the reopening date remains fluid because of a series of setbacks.

Nearly half of the districtʼs parents want to see students return to the high school as soon as possible, for a variety of reasons.

These parents have reported a variety of problems with a split session schedule and the impact seems to vary, based on the classes.

Some say their children are coming home with intense assignments over the computer or a lack of access to help, causing an undue amount of stress and anxiety, leading to academic struggles.

Others say their children are coming home with little to no work and are enjoying relaxation.

Working parents have also been affected because their children are going home at lunchtime and they’ve had to make arrangements so their children are supervised.

The other half of district parents can’t imagine sending their children back into a school that was seemingly contaminated by asbestos and other dust particulates—due to severe mismanagement.

No cleaning protocol will ease the mind for these parents as they feel there is no certainty that all of the contaminants will be caught and removed in the large building.

There’s merit to both points of view.

The school was closed indefinitely in October after a ceiling screw fell on a student’s head.

Dust, noise, debris and foul odors generated by a roofing project—which caused many of the building’s occupants to fall ill—came before the screw fell on the student’s head.

Ominous warnings calling for the building to be unoccupied during the roof work, due

to known asbestos contamination on the roof, were outright ignored.

Since the closure of the high school, dishonesty, severe mismanagement, scandal, stonewalling, altered documentation and infighting have come to light in the district.

Combine all of this with absurd denials of the illnesses and “therein lies the problem”—trust.

While we absolutely believe the split sessions are problematic, we don’t believe the high school should be reopened until there are sweeping changes on the school board and administration.

There needs to be a “clean slate” before the building is reopened.

Additionally, with known infrastructure issues and additional construction planned at the high school to address these issues, the stakes—the health of students and staff and the need for an uninterrupted learning environment—are just too high.

Just read the engineering reports about the state of the high school’s infrastructure.

It’s terrifying stuff.

School officials have given a caveat that they may need to possibly close the building again after the planned return should conditions warrant and they are working on an alternate split-session schedule for this purpose. That's ridiculous.

Nobody should have to work in an environment or be prepared to work in an environment with dust, debris and unfamiliar odors or known structural integrity issues.

We believe the district needs to either rent another large facility in the area or trailers to return the students to a normal schedule until: 1.) New leadership is in place.

2.) The infrastructure issues are addressed.

3.) The construction is completed.

4.) There is absolute certainty and multiple opinions obtained that all contaminants are gone.

That is our recommended checklist for the students’ return to the high school.

PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE Established 2016

Douglas D. Melegari, Publisher, CEO Alexander Appello, Art Director Adam Tait III, Copy Editor Colleen Jordan, Copy Editor, Graphic Artist P.O. Box 2402, Vincentown, NJ 08088 Locally owned and published.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Guest Commentary submitted to the Pine Barrens Tribune can be submitted by an appointed or elected official, political candidate, organization leader, or community leader. Guest commentary submitted to the Pine Barrens Tribune must include the name, photo, address, affiliation, title, and phone number of the writer. Commentary may be edited for length, clarity and taste. Because of space limitations, commentary should be about 450 words or less.

Letter to the Editor Hunting Rules Should be Enforced in LeisureTowne Again and again hunters are parking on LeisureTowne's streets and trespassing through common and rough areas to hunt.

I've called the New Jersey State Police to report these issues and the troopers on duty defer me to LeisureTowne’s security personnel.

Our “security” personnel carp about “not having authority to stop anybody or do anything about it.” Security personnel distractedly tell me to “call the state police.”

One person “on duty” at LeisureTowne’s back gate said that “Fish and Game” was called—but one of the hunters I’ve seen was back the next day manning his hunting spot within a hundred feet of Westminster Drive.

The hunter was within shouting distance of the back gate, armed with a crossbow and full quiver of arrows. Again, the “security” person

said “call the state police.”

When is the LeisureTowne Board of Trustees going to do something about this problem? Does a resident, pet or other person have to die in a hunting accident before they act?

Also, why are LeisureTowne’s “security” personnel so ineffective? What do they actually do besides wave to drivers and smile?

The bottom line: LeisureTowne’s “security” is a joke and it’s time everyone stopped wasting money on this smiley “waving guard” travesty and seriously consider our community’s safety before tragedy strikes.

Thomas Haluszczak Southampton, New Jersey

Social Media Sound Off (Re: Washington Officials May Push for Unique Zip Code Following Identity Challenges) How about the Township Committee focus on updating the township's website with agendas, minutes, resolutions and budgets? Oh and also, update the page titled "The Wolf Could Not Blow the House Down," which contains language that I believe is Italian.

Mike Teri Giercyk (Re: Washington Officials May Push for Unique Zip Code Following Identity Challenges) I have been taken to many a tree trying to find an address there.

Sal Cenatiempo (Re: Letter to the Editor-Congressman MacArthur is an Opportunist) I will “campaign” in all of 2018 to ensure MacArthur does not get reelected, as I, too, believe that "there is no one who deserves to lose his congressional seat more than Tom MacArthur.”

Mia Baker (Re: Pastor of Come Alive Church in Medford Charged with Sexually Assaulting Minors) This is using the Lord's name in vain. Doing evil acts under the guise of God is the unforgettable sin. Prayers for his victims and their families.

Jack McGinnis (Re: Pastor of Come Alive Church in Medford Charged with Sexually Assaulting Minors) I'm wondering if watching mass on TV Sunday morning is the safest way these days. Sad, very sad.

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

Saturday, January 6, 2018

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PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE

COMMUNITY

E-Mail Story Ideas and Community Events: news@pinebarrenstribune.com

Events

January 7

Event: Legacy Information Day Location: Whiting Details: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Whiting is hosting a Legacy Information Day from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the Parish Hall. A panel of professionals will discuss matters of family importance, such as wills and estates. For more information, call 732-350-2121.

January 9

Event: Tech Class – Google Drive Location: Jackson Details: The Jackson Branch of the Ocean County Library is hosting a tech class, spotlighting Google Drive. Learn to upload files and folders, organize documents and more. 2 p.m. Located at 2 Jackson Drive. Participants must have a Gmail account and know their passwords.

January 10

Event: Walk in the Woods Location: Chatsworth Details: Meet up with Master Naturalist Kathy Gardiner at the Franklin Parker Preserve South Gate (Route 563), near Chatsworth, at 9 a.m. This free hike is on mostly flat ground, 5-8 miles. Bring your lunch and drink. Severe weather cancels.

Register by contacting Kathy at 609-296-6574, or 609-4050360. www.njparksandforests.org January 11 Event: Keen Readers’ Book Club Location: Southampton

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Details: New Members welcome. Thursday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m., at Southampton Library, 94 Main Street, Vincentown. This month’s selection: The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy. Register at 609-859-3598.

Event: Genealogy Seminar Location: Medford Details: Every family has a story! Join Professional Genealogist Lora Kline and learn how to use the internet to discover your story. This 90-minute seminar will be held on January 11 at 7 p.m., at the Medford Senior Center, 44 Charles Street. The cost is $10. For reservations, email fhdnj123@gmail.com, or call 609-206-1842.

January 12 Event: Microsoft Word Basics Location: Jackson Details: The Jackson Branch of the Ocean County Library is presenting a class on Microsoft Word Basics, 10 a.m. Learn to create and format a document, write text, change font size and color, print, and more. Must have mouse and keyboard skills.

January 13 Event: Young Author Authorfest Location: Westampton Details: The Burlington County Library is hosting “YAAuthorfest” featuring 19 young adult-and-middle grade authors who will discuss their work. There will also be panel discussions, including topics such as getting published and diversity in YA Lit. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Burlington County Library, 5 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton. The event is free. For more information, call 609-267-9660.

January 15 Event: Country Line Dancing Location: Vincentown Details: For dancers of all levels! Mondays, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Vincent Firehouse, 16 Race Street. $5.

Event: Thyroid Support Group Location: Whiting Details: January is Thyroid Awareness Month. Join the Thyroid Support Group at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 180 Route 539 in Whiting at 10 a.m. The purpose of the meeting is to educate, support and to answer questions about thyroids. For more information, call Stephanie at 732-3502904.

Event: Exhibit, The Little Red Schoolhouse Turns 100 Location: Browns Mills Details: The Little Red Schoolhouse turns 100 this year.

There will be an exhibit at the Pemberton Library, 16 Broadway, Browns Mills, during the months of January and February. If you have “Little Red” memorabilia you would like to share for the display, please contact Mary Pressley at marypressley@ comcast.net.

January 16 Event: Microsoft Word 2 Location: Jackson Details: The Jackson Branch of the Ocean County Library is presenting a class on Microsoft Word, 2 p.m. Learn to insert page numbers, headers, footers, tables, text boxes, clip art and more.

Must have some experience with Microsoft Word.

PEMBERTON TWP. SENIOR CITIZEN COLUMN Pemberton Seniors Say Farewell to 2017 and Ring In 2018

By Ebba Liguori

For the Pine Barrens Tribune

PEMBERTON—Christmas Day occurring on a Monday does not happen often, but it presents its own challenges.

Those who attend church regularly are confronted with having to attend mass on both Sunday and Monday. Some will elect to skip one of the services, while others will attend both.

Such conflict is the case with yours truly.

When you play an organ for a church, you suddenly have double duty.

The usual weekend services must be covered along with the additional Christmas celebrations.

Needless to say, this writer spent a fair amount of time on the organ bench late last month. A Christmas afternoon nap was a welcome respite!

The staff at the Pemberton Township Senior Center had four, full days to prepare and recover from the holiday. But, on Wednesday morning, all were back at work helping seniors, serving lunches and keeping them safe.

Come

The additional problem of “Use or Lose” vacation time also comes into play at this point in the calendar year. The senior bus was not available for several days due to a driver’s vacation and no substitute available.

Friends made sure many of the seniors were able to be at the center to enjoy all the activities. This senior community looks out after each other and helps when needed. This is a large part of belonging to the Pemberton Township Senior Center.

Friendship and companionship are always

Worship With Us

available. Small groups get together and socialize or play games. The building is always warm and cozy during the winter months.

Stop in, register, and join the fun. Further information is available by phoning 609-8934400.

On Thursday, Dec. 28, 2017, Margaret Graiff hosted “Breakfast Bingo” at Aspen Hills. This is always a fun morning where seniors flock to Aspen Hills’ All Purpose

FAREWELL>>PAGE 10

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FAREWELL PAGE 9

Room to join in a morning of Bingo games and prizes.

Graiff provides different gift cards to local businesses as rewards for winning a game.

There is always excitement when one wins and shouts “Bingo!”

This Bingo is free for any local senior to join, but one must register in advance. There is a limit to the number of players and late registrants are put on a wait list. Breakfast is served at about 9:30 a.m.

Usually scrambled eggs, sausages, bagels, small pastries, muffins and fresh fruit are offered to all. Then the stage is set for the game.

Annually, the Pemberton Township Senior Center staff treats local seniors to a special “Happy New Year” end-of-the-year party.

The end of 2017 was no exception. On Friday, Dec. 29, the center was all decorated in purple, silver and gray for the party (New Year’s celebration colors) and the celebration began at about 10 a.m.

Dominic Muscella served as a DJ and provided lots of different music. Plenty of “Oldies” and lots of line dancing were on the agenda.

Sparkling cider was served at every table as a “toast.”

When 12 p.m. arrived, everyone in the party room yelled “Happy New Year!” and “Auld Lang Syne” was played. Everyone sang along while toasting 2018. Soon, there were lots of hugs and kisses as the seniors rang in the “New Year.” This has become a tradition since most seniors do not stay awake for the actual festivities at midnight.

Then it was time for a buffet, provided by Christopher’s of Mount Holly.

It included fresh rolls, delicious carrots and onions, string bean almondine, Spanish rice, pasta, pulled pork, roast beef and chicken parmigiana.

Tossed salad was also served on the side; along with sodas, coffee and tea. The meal was very good and all enjoyed the variety on the menu.

A lovely sheet cake decorated with purple frosting was served for dessert.

The party continued until 2 p.m., when a final farewell to 2017 was had.

During the party, Paula Kosko, former Director of Senior Services for Pemberton Township, and her son Ronin visited the center.

Kosko had served as director for many years

and left earlier in the year for a new position in another town.

Again, hugs and kisses were passed all around. Kosko was loved by all during her tenure in Pemberton Township. Perhaps, she will stop in during 2018 for another visit.

The “Learn to Control Your Diabetes” six-week workshop will be presented at the Country Lakes Club House, 69 Tensaw Dr., beginning on Wednesday, Jan.18, 2018.

The workshop was held some months ago and was very popular with the seniors. All of the presenters were well trained and the information was pertinent. The workshop is open to those on Medicare, even if the covered do not participate in senior programs.

The workshop, which begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m., will run on succeeding Wednesdays through Feb. 21, 2018. Different topics will be covered each week. Booklets and material handouts will be included.

One must sign up to attend and after the first week, no new signups will be permitted. To sign-up, contact Jarmaine Williams at 732955-8168.

An educational seminar on Medicare will be held at the senior center on Friday, Jan. 12. It will begin at 10:30 a.m. It is an educational program and no plan-specific benefits of

Saturday, January 6, 2018 details will be shared.

The speaker will be John A. Billetdoux of BGA Insurance Group. He is a licensed insurance agent. Topics covered will include a person’s rights and entitlements within Medicare, steps to take as one approaches age 65, and differences in the Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Supplement. If you are approaching Medicare eligibility, this could be a valuable seminar to attend. For pre-registration, contact Billetdoux at 856324-3108.

Tickets are on sale now for a Jan. 31 trip to The Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA. Tickets are $25 for resident seniors and include a $5 lunch voucher and $20 casino card.

There is a food mall and an outlet shopping mall attached to the casino. The casino is not too large and access to restaurants and the mall is convenient. A bus depot is under a cover, so cold or inclement weather should not affect the day’s activities. There is a heated room available to wait for the bus, too.

The Pemberton Township Senior Center is located in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township, on Brook Street, across from the U.S. Post Office. It is open from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily; except on major holidays.

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Saturday, January 6, 2018

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Saturday, January 6, 2018

PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE

HEALTH

Dear Pharmacist

By Suzy Cohen, R.Ph.

Suzy Cohen is the author of “The 24-Hour Pharmacist” and “Real Solutions.” For more information, visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

This information is not intended to treat, cure, or diagnose your condition.

For more information, please visit www.SuzyCohen.com.

© 2018 SUZY COHEN, RPH. DISTRIBUTED BY DEAR PHARMACIST, INC.

Forget About New Year’s Resolutions, Do it Now! Do you know how many New Year’s resolutions people actually succeed at keeping? Practically none. I’ve never been a believer in resolutions. I think you should just do it now.

What do you think the reason is that we do not keep our New Year’s resolutions?

Two reasons, the main one is our selfdefeating stories, and two, habits that we’ve held for years. One of my favorite books on this topic is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.

Next, let’s look at some of what Isaiah Hankel has to say on the power of our selfstories. He’s just released a new book, The Science of Intelligent Achievement: How Smart People Focus, Create and Grow Their Way to Success (Capstone 2018). One of my favorite quotes from Mr. Hankel is: “In order

to change your big story, you have to change the little stories.”

You know which stories don’t you?

Have you ever heard yourself say any of these: I’ll never be thin because I’ve been overweight for 16 years now.

It’s more important that I’m available for him now, I’ll concentrate on me later.

I hate myself, I hate my body… I’m so stupid.

By telling yourself these negative stories, or even thinking them, you give yourself the freedom to abuse yourself and remain in toxic relationships, eat fattening food and keep drinking or smoking. Why should you bother, you always fail anyway, don’t you?

See what I mean… if you refuse to change those stories, then I suggest you not make

RESOLUTIONS>>PAGE 17

The Kid's Doctor: When Should You Keep Your Child Home From School?

By Sue Hubbard, M.D. Dr. Sue Hubbard is an award-winning pediatrician, medical editor and media host. “The Kid’s Doctor” TV feature can be seen on more than 90 stations across the U.S. Submit questions at http://www.kidsdr.com. The Kid’s Doctor e-book, “Tattoos to Texting: Parenting Today’s Teen,” is now available from Amazon and other e-book vendors.

Now that we are really in the throes of sick season, I am often asked about when you should keep your child home from day care or school. I noticed a recent article in one of the pediatric journals on this topic, which emphasized that hand washing and vaccines are still the best way to prevent transmission of infectious diseases. But, with that being said, especially at this time of year when so many upper respiratory tract infections are circulating, when do you need to keep your child home?

The short answer is that most minor illnesses are not a sufficient reason to keep a child home. That includes most colds and coughs. But, if your child is running a fever, or seems terribly uncomfortable or is ill enough to "require extra care" by a day-care worker or teacher, the child needs to stay home. A day at home for some TLC (tender loving care) is often the best medicine, especially for the first day or two of a viral upper-respiratory infection, when a child may have a fever.

I am also asked about GI illnesses and whether a child with diarrhea needs to stay

home from day care. It seems that some day-care facilities now exclude a child from care if they are having more than three to four loose stools/day, even if they are still playful, fever free and eating and drinking. The recommendation by the CDC does not require a child with diarrhea to stay home, if the stools can be contained within the diaper. This gets back to good hand washing! A child with vomiting is a different story and should not be sent to school or day care.

I am seeing a lot of children with pink eye (conjunctivitis). Pink eye may be caused by both bacteria and viruses. Transmission occurs by direct contact with contaminated secretions from the eye or via respiratory droplets. Unless a child has other symptoms to keep him or her out of day care, the child should be allowed to return to school once appropriate therapy has been started.

Even with good hand washing, it is not unusual for children who are crawling and walking to get up to 11 to 12 viral infections in a season! This is often difficult for a family with two working parents, as the

SCHOOL>>PAGE 17

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FUN AND GAMES Are We There Yet?

By Lori Clinch

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

I'm Left Wondering What Changes I Should Make for the Better The Christmas holiday certainly came and went in a hurry! We survived it well. I’ve been milking the leftovers for darn near a week. Tonight we’re having Roast Surprise for Supper. Yum! The surprise is that there’s still roast left.

With all that behind us it’s time to look forward to the New Year, the forgetting of old acquaintances. And all of that “Auld Lang Syne” stuff. (Whatever the heck that means!) Also, I’ve been trying to give some consideration to my “New Year’s Resolutions.”

New Year’s Resolutions were easy when I was 22. There were a lot of things I needed to give up. In fact most of my bad habits I gave up on New Years Day. I would vow to myself, “No more late nights out! I hereby resolve to give them up for an eternity and become a fitness nut! Perhaps even a vegetarian while I’m at it!” Those resolutions usually lasted about as long as the headaches.

Now that I have raised my family and have settled into life a bit, resolutions aren’t as easy to come up with as they used to be. There just aren’t that many changes left to make.

I could resolve to lose weight and start exercising more. But that’s too difficult. I certainly don’t want to set myself up for failure.

All that exercising and carrot sticks just makes me cranky. Besides it’s so cliché. I mean who isn’t starting a diet the day after tomorrow’s Prime Rib. I’m still carrying around last week’s chocolate crème pie on my hips.

That leaves me here at the kitchen table.

Drinking my coffee and still wondering what changes I should make for the better.

I’d like to for once just have a “New Years Resolution” that outlasts the end of the first day. Something good, sincere and true.

I should resolute to become a better mother.

But I fail that one miserably every day. Quite frankly I’m doing all I can here. I think I‘ll just be an average mother for another year and blame the kids for my shortcomings. That usually works.

I could decide to quit yelling at the computer. That’d be easy for a minute or two, but unlikely to last past noon. That whole

“soft-spoken person” thing gets me nowhere.

There’s nothing like a good scream to just snap the motherboard right into shape. Now that I think about it, pre-tax season is definitely no time to stop screaming at it.

I thought just for fun I’d ask the kids, who were all home for the weekend, what sort of New Year’s Resolutions they had in mind.

I asked the first one who entered the kitchen and he instantly replied, “To eat more eggs!”

He seemed sincere, but I doubt he meant it. At least I hope not.

The second one actually thought about my question for a minute and seemed to be pondering a great change. As a mother I was praying he’d say, “My New Years Resolution is to clean out my old closet!” But after a moments deliberation his response was simply, “To watch more football.” I think he was kidding, but I was afraid to ask.

I then sought out the oldest child who was busy helping his Dad clean out the garage. His response was, “For our family to do more of Dad’s chores together!”

Leave it to the oldest to come up with something I despise. You can’t imagine how bad it is to do my husband’s chores in the elements. Not unless you’ve done it.

I was hoping my husband would have a resolution to learn more about the computer.

But he wants nothing to do with it. He still thinks of a “hard drive” as a trip across town with the dogs. And he prefers to keep it that way.

So no one’s really taking it too seriously this year. It’s just as well. Life is serious enough all on it’s own. I’ve decided to give the New Year’s Resolution the same sincerity and devotion I gave it when I was 22.

I grabbed a Christmas cookie. Poured me a cup of coffee, added a little cream and sugar and lifted it to the sky. I then vowed to myself, “When New Years Day is done, with the last of the Prime Rib devoured, I shall hereby resolve to give up fatty red meats and rich desserts forever!”

Or at least until I can fit into my jeans again.

Which ever comes first.

© 2018 LORI CLINCH

C R O S S W O R D Across 1 Line at the supermarket 9 Tapering part 14 Freezer bar with Sir Isaac Lime and Alexander the Grape flavors 15 Aleichem who created Tevye 16 It’s airtight 18 Short and sweet 19 Sea lion, e.g.

20 Gale-n cargo 21 Etym.

22 Base address 24 Confession starter 26 “Just __” 29 Light carrier 35 Text ending in Panama?

36 Eviction consequence 37 Investment in a relationship 38 Medicare card fig.

39 Go down 40 __ Banos, California 41 Spring time 44 Courses for coll. credit 47 Teachers’ lounge 52 Berkshire attraction for race fans

P U Z Z L E

54 Retire 56 Charge 57 Mae West’s final film 58 Lacerations 59 Get smashed

22 French governing group 23 Qom inhabitants 25 Bankbook ID 26 Marryin’ Sam presided over his wedding 27 Word on the street Down 28 Big name in backpacks 1 __ voce 29 Pets 2 Remaining 30 Muslim clerics 3 Unborn, after “in” 31 Strips for brunch 4 Fires (up) 32 Nursery item 5 Algonquian language 33 Bite with un aperitivo 6 Credit fig.

34 Willie of “Eight Is Enough” 7 Credit card come-on 42 All-night bar?

8 Fishing tool 43 JFK Library architect 9 Sardine cousin 44 Less than right?

10 D.C. in-crowd 45 __ Alegre, Brazil 11 “__ awake at night”: “Pretty 46 Rembrandt contemporary Boy” lyric 47 Blemish 12 Name on the 1984 album “My 48 Harmony Kind of Country” 49 Sharp brand introduced in 1977 13 __ Sinclair, protagonist of 50 Lou Gehrig’s number Hesse’s “Demian” 51 Stir 15 “The Office” star 52 On the subject of 17 Record holder?

53 Acronymous WWII gun 21 Be affected by gravity 55 Pink-slip

S U D O K U

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

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MARKETPLACE Submit a Classified!

E-mail sales@pinebarrenstribune.com to receive a form and pricing.

AUTOMOBILES/TRUCKS

FOR RENT

Cash Paid for Your Car. Looking to buy better than junk cars. Call 866-261-5277. We come to you.

Browns Mills, one-bedroom house with a shed and gas heat for rent. $900, plus one month security. No smokers, no pets. Call 609-744-5522.

AUTO PARTS AND SERVICES SCRATCH AND DENT REPAIR BY AUTO BODY STORE. First class body repairs and painting. Cars, trucks, trailers, or tractors. Free estimate visits in LeisureTowne. 609-859-3670.

CLEANING SERVICES Coghlan's Cleaning Service - Family owned and operated, serving Southampton and surrounding areas. We offer house cleaning services, power washing, painting, handyman services, and carpet shampooing. We are fully insured, and have great references. Call for a free quote 609-535-5217 • 774-392-2661.

FLIGHT TRAINING Learn to Fly. Discovery flights and gift certificates. Free Flight Aviation. www.

FreeFlightAviation.com. 609-265-0399.

FURNITURE REPAIR Adam’s Furniture Restoration LLC. Twenty (20) years experience. Furniture repair, kitchen cabinet refinishing. Touchups, re-gluing, upholstery, leather repair.

856-979-6210. Visit www.facebook.com/ adamsfurnres.

HELP WANTED Technician/Mechanic Wanted. As a Technician/Mechanic, you will provide accurate and efficient services to customers by trouble

shooting, diagnosing, and repairing heavy duty semi-truck trailers in a safe, reasonable, and responsible manner. You will be required to have a “whatever needs to be done” work ethic and attitude, be mechanically inclined, and a team player with a neat appearance.

You should be a self-motivated, dependable person, and work well with others. Qualified candidates must possess a high school diploma or GED; pass a background check and drug screening and have a valid driver’s license. 401k benefits and paid training. Please apply online at www.mypetro-job.com.

Reporters Needed. Great storytellers with sound news judgment sought. Strong interpersonal, writing, and AP-style skills a must! Call 609-801-2392. Must be available during the evening hours.

Newspaper Delivery Driver Needed.

Dependable person who can work during the daytime on Fridays. Pay is excellent.

Call 609-801-2392.

INSURANCE

Look New Rates. O’Neal Ins. Agcy.

No appointment necessary. Phone 609-268-2158. 1614 Rt. 206, Tabernacle, N.J. 08088.

Area claims writer. No experience.

PT/FT flex. NJ/PA. Call or text 609-548-3108. Target income $30k/ $80k.

LAWYERS Erwin Apell Attorney, 57 Juliustown Road, Browns Mills. All Legal Matters. Free hotline 24/7. Visa and Mastercard. 609-220-3059. Erwinapell@gmail.com.

MISCELLANEOUS Brotherton Indian Tribal Offices Brotherton Indian Reservation, Tribal Lands Office of the Chief Brotherton Indian Reservation Indian Mills, New Jersey 08088 Attention Dr. Sam Beeler, Chief 973-222-1920 973-432-8894

Saturday, January 6, 2018

PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE, WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM

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FIRE

PAGE 1

said. “We pulled out of the home fearing a possible collapse and went into a defensive posture.”

He said the roof of the home eventually did collapse.

“The home was a total loss,” Augustoni said. “The family lost everything.”

The fire was put under control at 1:29 p.m. No injuries were sustained.

Augustoni said that while part of the home remained standing after the flames were extinguished, the township’s code enforcement officer deemed the home unsafe for occupancy.

“The structure had to come down because it was unstable,” Augustoni said. “It was razed.”

Firefighters cleared the scene at 6:58 p.m.

However, they had to return to the scene on Dec. 30 as hot spots in a debris pile flared up.

“Even though we put a large amount of water on the home, the fire was deepseated,” Augustoni said. “The flames were right in the center of where the home was.

RESOLUTIONS PAGE 14

any resolutions for 2018 because you’re destined for failure, then you will feel even more badly about yourself.

But if you’re ready and willing to dispense with the negative thinking, and forgive your past failures, then let January 1st be your day for change! Two years ago, I decided I’d declutter my home a little bit more. I like things neat and organized. If you too want to organize your home, read this,“The LifeChanging Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.

We don’t actually overcome, or break a bad habit. We merely replace it with another one. Amazingly enough, those new, healthy

HALL PAGE 6

Committee on Nov. 27 for a resolution supporting FOP awareness.

Whyte has been on a quest to have documentation from every township in the state.

Medford Lakes Borough passed a similar resolution at its council meeting on Dec. 13.

FOP is a disorder in which muscle and connective tissue, such as tendons and ligaments, are gradually replaced, forming bone outside the skeleton that restricts movement.

As of late November, Whyte had received resolutions from 537 out of 566

CHATSWORTH PAGE 2

Popp said there was no evidence found of visible mold growth in the school from water intrusion or excessive humidity.

However, Popp said TTI’s inspection did reveal six minor issues that “should be addressed.”

The first is that some “minor” ceiling tile stains were observed in the school. Popp said the stains amounted to less than four tiles.

“These tiles were dry,” he said. “These stained tiles should be replaced and knowledge as to why they were stained should be determined and (the issue) corrected.”

The second is that wood bleachers in the

These things happen with a fire of that magnitude.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Burlington County Fire Marshal.

The blaze was Pemberton Township’s 15th and final structure fire of 2017— the most in a single year since the 1980s, according to the fire chief.

Augustoni said the victims of the blaze are staying with relatives. If you would like to assist them in their time of need, a GoFundMe account has been set up for them.

Readers can go to https://www.gofundme. com/fdfq4b-house-fire to make a donation.

Ironically, the home that was ravaged by the fire was built after another fire destroyed a home on the same lot, also owned by DiTaranto, in December 2000.

“When I pulled up to this address, I couldn’t believe it,” Augustoni said. “We were there 17 years ago, to the week, putting out a fire. The only difference was there was two feet of snow on the ground.” habits become ingrained in our behavior in about three weeks, so don’t give up too soon.

Set reasonable goals for yourself though.

Remember, nobody’s perfect, and if they are, they’ve been photoshopped!

So at the start of the New Year, sit down and write a list of the negative thoughts that make up the mental chatter in your mind.

Write all of them on paper or type and print your list. Vow to never say these words again and burn them. Literally, turn them to ash.

Then create a vision board using pictures that you cut out of magazines to represent all the wonderful things you’d like to create in your life. Dreams can come true if you believe that they can. Cheers to a happy, healthy new year.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Hours after the demolition of a scorched home at 438 Pemberton Bypass, hot spots in a debris pile flared up, causing new flames.

SCHOOL PAGE 14

decision is made whether a child can attend day care and who will stay home if the child needs to be home. At the same time, young parents will often get several of their children's viral infections as well; even with good handwashing. What parent has not had their child cough or sneeze directly into their face, and then within several days also become sick! This is a hazard for us pediatricians as well.

Lastly, do not “try” to figure out “who got your child sick.” There are just too many places we all go on a daily basis where we are exposed to viruses and bacteria. Trying to "track down" the exposure for most of the common infectious diseases that children get is a big waste of time. Serious illnesses like meningitis, mumps, measles, etc. are a different story; but, fortunately, because of vaccines this is rarely the case.

So keep up hand washing and hope for the best during this time of year.

municipalities in New Jersey.

The fourth authorized the clerk’s office to close out a petty cash fund in the amount of $50.

The fifth authorized municipal budget transfers of $8,000 for 2017.

The final resolution appointed Thomas Boyd as the township’s fire marshal with an annual salary of $12,500.

The committee adopted an ordinance previously that eliminated the position of fire protection inspector in the township and created the position of fire marshal.

“This position was established to consolidate the original two positions that had responsibilities of office work and field inspections, into a new one,” Township

Solicitor Peter Lange Jr. said. “There will be some savings to the township.”

Cramer said the township will have full jurisdiction over the position, as early as Feb. 1 or as late as April 1, after approval is made by the state.

Lee thanked multiple entities and area first responders “for making the best of a bad situation” following a fatal accident at the intersection of Flyatt and Carranza Roads in Tabernacle on Dec. 18.

Three teenagers died after the vehicle they were in, a stolen SUV, crashed into a utility pole and burst into f lames while f leeing police.

“It was certainly not a pleasant experience to go through, but I was most proud of the

communication between the school board, Sequoia and the parents about what was going on with the school buses and our teams who were on the scene. I appreciate the combined effort, in communicating to the residents about what was going on and what roads were closed.”

Deputy Mayor Joseph Yates IV was absent from the meeting.

school’s gym have a good amount of dust collecting under and around them.

“This should be cleaned,” Popp said.

TTI also noticed a fluctuation of temperature within some of the school’s rooms.

“It is important to maintain a normal balanced temperature and humidity level to prevent mold growth,” Popp said.

Additionally, TTI found that multiple rooms inside the building were filled with clutter and overstuffed.

“This is typical for elementary schools to have a lot of stuff,” Popp said. “However, this prevents air movement which is important and hinders the cleaning process.

In addition, it is important to make sure any radiator vents and unit ventilators are clear

to be able to move air.”

He recommended that officials work to remove unused materials inside the school.

The fifth issue was discovered on the outside of the building.

A roof-drainage pipe located along the northeast portion of the school was positioned so that any water drains directly to the foundation.

“This pipe should be extended away from the foundation,” Popp said.

The final issue was also discovered on the outside of the building.

“An exterior hose bib along the western portion of the building, by a water fountain, appears to have a slow leak,” Popp said. “(However), no water intrusion or wet-

building components were found during the site inspection.”

In addition to the issues found, Popp recommended that the district work to maintain a humidity level inside the school between 50 and 60 percent and remove any carpets.

“It is suggested to remove carpet,” he said.

“Carpet harbors dirt, mold and moisture. It is difficult to clean.”

Popp urged officials, if they decide not to remove any carpets, to use caution when cleaning them in the summertime. He said any summertime carpet cleaning activity will increase moisture.

“They (the issues and recommendations) are all minor things that can be addressed fairly simply,” Weiss said.

To advertise:

.

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Saturday, January 6, 2018

PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE

HOME, GARDEN, AND FARMING Farm and Food File

By Alan Guebert

Alan Guebert is an award-winning agriculture columnist who was raised on a 720-acre, 100-cow southern Illinois dairy farm.

Catcalls and House Calls It’s entirely likely that I will anger people from Delaware to Montana any given week with nothing more than an idea, supporting facts, and a couple of barrels of ink.

Spurring anger takes no special talent; it’s me, remember? Still, every week dissimilar people 2,000 miles apart send me amazingly similar emails.

For example, one emailer, Kevin, let me have it in October over what he saw was my “one-sided view” of “the disaster that is Obamacare.” But that was just a warmup; the next few lines came in higher and harder.

“I have no idea why I frustrate myself and read your garbage…” “…You and your articles never have the farmers interest in mind…” “Why don’t you… put them in papers only available to the crowd that may like your rants… [such as the] entitlement crowd or the illegal immigrant crowd.”

Another energized reader, Steven, sent similar high voltage thoughts on the topic of, well, me. “Are you kidding me?” began his short missive. “You have become part of the fake news… Report the truth… Didn’t realize you were this much part of the liberal media…”

One August emailer not only took exception to how I covered that week’s topic, the low and going lower commodity markets, he also offered several writing tips because, as he noted, “your writing style stinks.”

A few sentences later the sender, a doctor, had a diagnosis for the stench: “You were taught in journalism school to write so a 12 y/o can understand it. You seem (sic) think they meant you’re supposed to think like a 12 y/o.”

Journalism school? Oh, doc, it’s worse than that. My bachelor’s degree, as I’ve noted several times, is in agriculture.

We plowboys did learn, however, to use prepositions—like “to” as in “to think”— when beginning prepositional phrases.

Other readers called me anything but a journalist. “Many times I have read your columns in (an Illinois newspaper),” wrote Dave in mid-November, “thinking you

were a non-biased… farm issue reporter.

It has become increasingly clear you are just another Lib trying to protect a special interest.”

Curiously, Dave addressed the email “Dearest Alan,” and signed it, “Oh, I can’t wait to hear your response.”

Well, Dave, here’s what you’ve been waiting almost two months for: You’re right, I am protecting a special interest—dearest you, me, and everyone else who wants today’s race-to-the-bottom, commodity-based ag policy to move to a more generationallysustainable, community-based farming and ranching system where people, not robots, drones, or politicians, drive choice.

Dave wasn’t—isn’t—alone. Karren wrote that the “examples you site for various articles are making you look more than a little ignorant yourself… This is where you and others on the left lose it, the majority of Conservatives are able to think and reason…”

Not everyone who emailed or wrote a letter wanted a piece of my hide. David from Indiana noted that he would award me a Pulitzer Prize for Agriculture—“if there is one.” (Nope, but thanks.) Similarly, Mary sent an August email that claims “Your column is always a great read, but this week’s… was exceptional.” (As, I assume, you are, too, Mary.)

Some write out of astonishment: “I’ve been reading your column… for years and I must say that I’m surprised every time. So much reason from a column named ‘Farm and Food,’” offered Steve from Iowa.

And, finally, “I’m a big fan of your column… however the thing I’d really like to know right now is how you pronounce your last name—please.” The email was signed “Burma.”

Think sauerkraut, Burma: hard “g,” long “e,” with the accent on the last syllable--geBert’.

As always, please keep those emails, letters, and diagnoses coming because free advice, medical or otherwise, is always welcome for those of us not yet covered by Medicare.

© 2018 AG COMM. The views expressed in this column are the author’s own views and do not reflect the view of the Pine Barrens Tribune.

CROSSWORD

SOLUTIONS

SUDOKU

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PINE BARRENS TRIBUNE

New Vehicle

AUTOMOTIVE Buying Guide

E-mail Questions To: info@motormatters.com Mail Questions To: PO Box 3305, Wilmington, DE 19804

Compiled by Motor Matters

Chevrolet introduces the all-new 2018 Equinox, a fresh and modern SUV sized and designed to meet the needs of the compact SUV customer.

The new 2018 Equinox’s expressive exterior has a lean, muscular skin echoing the global Chevrolet design cues and sculpted shapes seen in the Volt, Malibu and Cruze. Extensive aero development in the wind tunnel influenced the sleek shape.

It is a richer, more detailed design, featuring chrome trim on all models and Malibu-inspired styling. Projector-beam headlamps are standard, along with LED daytime running lamps. At the rear, horizontal taillamps emphasize the Equinox’s wide stance, while uplevel models feature LED taillamps.

The interior takes advantage of the Equinox’s all-new architecture to offer a down-and-away instrument panel, while a low windshield base provides a commanding outward view. New elements such as available denim-style seat fabric blend high style with high durability, while a new “kneeling” rear seat enhances functionality. With it, the bottom cushions tilt forward when the split-

2018 Chevrolet Equinox

folding seatbacks are lowered, allowing a flat floor for easier loading.

The 2018 Equinox offers purposeful technology that helps keep passengers safe, comfortable and connected. Chevrolet’s latest connectivity technologies are front and center, including 7- and 8-inch-diagonal MyLink infotainment systems designed to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as an available OnStar 4G LTE WiFi hotspot.

The 2018 Equinox offers a comprehensive suite of available active safety technologies and adaptive crash-avoidance features that provide ease of use and peace of mind on the road.

A range of three turbocharged engines— including the compact SUV segment’s first turbo-diesel in North America — provides customers more choices when it comes to performance, efficiency and capability in the allnew 2018 Chevrolet Equinox.

They include a 1.5L turbo, a 2.0L turbo — matched with GM’s new nine-speed automatic transmission — and a 1.6L turbodiesel.

Compiled by Motor Matters

2018 Chevrolet Equinox.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

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Saturday, January 6, 2018