Pine Barrens Tribune May 30, 2020-June 5, 2020

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Vol. 4 – No. 37 ♦

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May 30, 2020 – June 5, 2020

Noted Preservationist and 40-Year Member of Pinelands Commission Candace Ashmun Dies

STALLED AGAIN!

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

NEW LISBON—Candace McKee Ashmun, as the oldest and longest-serving advocate for the preservation of the New Jersey Pinelands, undoubtedly knew more about the history and progress of that cause than any of its other champions.

Ashmun, a charter member of the Pinelands Commission’s 15-member board, and the only person to have continued serving on it since its inception in 1979, was 96 when she passed away May 22, prompting the commission’s current chairman, Richard Prickett, to describe her “as our guide, our institutional memory and our inspiration.”

“Perhaps no one in the history of our state has done more to safeguard the Pinelands and its world-renowned environment,” said Prickett in a statement issued by the Commission the following day. “Her contributions to the Pinelands are immeasurable, and we will miss her immensely.”

The importance of those contributions are reflected in the naming of a 4,000-acre preserve after her in the Forked River Mountain

Photo By Andy Milone

A man arrives at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission office in Medford Township on May 28 to find that it is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-Awaited Reopening of NJMVC Offices Put Off Until at Least June 8 Due to COVID-19 Concerns, Leaving Many Drivers in Limbo and Mad as Hell

By Andy Milone & Bill Bonvie Team Coverage

MEDFORD—To the chagrin of those who had been anticipating a May 26 reopening of New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) offices, along with its road testing and inspection facilities, the agency last week scratched that hoped-for date, announcing that it will remain closed until at least June 8 as part of the “ongoing efforts” of Democratic Governor Phil Murphy’s administration “to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

In the meantime, however, the agency says it has “accelerated” the process of putting more of its services online, along with other electronic means for doing business, and noted in its latest announcement that those services are operational on a “24/7” basis— although that claim has elicited expressions of exasperation as well.

In addition to complaining about long waits for responses from the NJMVC, or failures to get them entirely, some New Jersey residents are vexed by the state’s refusal to waive road tests for first-time drivers, even while having to keep postponing them, and by the inability of those applying for first-time licenses to procure one while the agency’s offices are closed.

In an email sent to this newspaper on May 21, NJMVC spokesman William Connolly said that waiving such tests “is not currently

under consideration in New Jersey,” noting that “motor vehicle crashes are the Number 1 cause of death for teenagers,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Road tests, including commercial road tests, are currently suspended,” Connolly acknowledged. “When we reopen, those whose appointments were cancelled will receive priority handling. The NJMVC will also reopen with increased capacity in order to clear the backlog quickly.”

A permit holder, he said, whose permit expired during the lockdown will be allowed one road test prior to having to renew it and/ or retake the written exam.

Despite Murphy contending that he would “find a way to get (newly of-age drivers) a license” on April 20, none has yet been found, according to an email this newspaper received from Connolly on May 26.

“An initial driver license requires a road test, in addition to identity verification and a photo,” the email stated. “As all MVC agencies and road-testing facilities remain closed to the public to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, these customers will have to wait until it is safe for those facilities to re-open. We are aware of the significant backlog, and will be taking special measures to address it as quickly and effectively as we can, while protecting the health and safety of our customers and employees.”

Murphy has been pressed about the

inability of newly of-age drivers unable to obtain driver’s licenses on a number of occasions during Coronavirus press briefings.

“We actively do not like (the idea) that you don’t need a road test to get your license, a (concept) that a couple of states have done,” said the governor on May 21. “As Sue Fulton, who runs the Motor Vehicles Commission would remind me and remind us, an enormous cause of death among teens is road accidents, and we just don’t want to go down that road, no pun intended.”

On May 22, the governor was asked if the state could have licensed driving instructors give road tests to new drivers, report the results back to the state, and remotely issue a temporary license.

“The answer is no,” the governor declared.

Otherwise, NJMVC has attempted to reassure the public that many transactions can be completed online.

In a communique dated May 21, for instance, the agency announced that “customers who’ve paid restoration fees in full for a suspended license that has not yet expired can renew, or replace, their license online,” and that If the license has expired, they should email a copy of receipts, along with their name and driver license number to suspension.info@mvc.nj.gov .

Dr iver’s license, regist ration and See STALLED/ Page 8

See ASHMUN/ Page 8

Details Lacking in Fatal Shooting of New York Man

by State Police Victim’s Ex-Girlfriend Says He Feared Guns, Respected Authority

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—The fatal shooting of a 28-year-old upstate New York resident on the Garden State Parkway in Bass River Township during an apparent encounter with New Jersey State Police early on the morning of May 23 was reported under investigation this week by the Office of the state Attorney General (OAG).

Other than the identity of the victim, Maurice S. Gordon, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., no details of the incident had been released as of this newspaper’s press time, although a press release from the OAG did refer to it as an “officer-involved shooting.”

According to the press release, the investigation is being conducted by the Integrity Bureau of the OAG’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability along with the See SHOOTING/ Page 6

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New Interim Superintendent Appointed for Pemberton Township School District

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

PEMBERTON—The Pemberton Township Board of Education appointed Paul Spaventa at its May 21 virtual meeting to serve as interim superintendent of the Pemberton Township School District once current superintendent Tony Trongone leaves for another job in Millville at the beginning of July.

Spaventa, a retired school administrator who most recently has been serving in the Burlington Township School District as an interim administrator for a number of schools, will begin transitioning into his latest temporary post on June 1 and will officially take the reins a month later, Board President Jeffrey Wilson announced at the meeting.

“I am eager to begin my role as interim superintendent at Pember ton Township Schools,” Spaventa said. “I look forward to working with Mr. Trongone over the next month to ensure a seamless transition as I take on my new leadership role until a permanent superintendent is appointed.”

Trongone, who has accepted a multi-year superintendent contract from the Millville Board of Education, will leave the Pemberton district after some five years with the Pemberton district, and less than two years into a five-year contract with the board, which was set to expire on Nov. 30, 2023.

Prior to Spaventa’s role in the Burlington Township School District, he served as interim superintendent for the Atlantic City School District for two years, overseeing 7,200 students in 10 schools. In addition, he held interim superintendent posts in the Deptford Township, Burlington Township, and Sterling High School districts. Spaventa’s past permanent leadership positions include serving as superintendent of

the Gloucester City, Mount Holly and Clementon school districts.

Ac c o r d i n g t o Pemberton Schools spokeswoman Jeannie Mignella, Spaventa has also held various ad minist rative Photo Provided and teaching Paul Spaventa, appointed positions over the interim superintendent of years, including the Pemberton Township ever y thing f rom School District. teacher to adjunct professor, and is active in a host of professional organizations, community activities and volunteer endeavors.

“He has experience in leading large, complex school districts, and he has a proven track record as a full-time and interim superintendent,” said Wilson in a telephone interview with this newspaper after the meeting. “His personality and communication skills also complement the needs of our district and community.”

According to Wilson, Spaventa will be paid $725 per day for up to five days of work per week (four days during the summer) until the board identifies its permanent replacement for Trongone, who informed the board of his resignation at the end of March. At a work session last month, the board announced Trongone’s early separation from the district would become effective July 1.

Trongone will be paid based on a prorated salary of $188,523, Wilson previously told this newspaper.

See PEMBERTON/ Page 5

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Pinelands Regional School Board Informed of Way Remote Attendance Is Monitored, $316,000 Savings in Amount Owed Bus Firm

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

LITTLE EGG HARBOR—The linking of attendance to participation and an unanticipated estimated savings of $316,000 arising out of an unprecedented monetary mess are two of the extraordinary effects of the Coronavirus pandemic that the Pinelands Regional Board of Education learned about during a virtual school board meeting on May 20.

The first of these developments was revealed

by Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley in reply to a question from Board President Betti Anne McVey as to how the Pinelands Regional School District is monitoring attendance by individual students during classroom sessions now being conducted online due to the pandemic.

“T h roug h pa r t icipat ion,” responded McCooley, noting that if a student is found not to have taken part in a remote session, “the teacher will follow up with them and they will be counted absent for that day, ” with the principal’s secretary being duly informed that the student was not present.

“That is how we are tracking attendance,” McCooley declared.

The second disclosure came from Business Administrator Nicholas Brown in the course of describing the district’s obligations to pay the “fixed costs” of contractors during an emergency closure of the district for more than three days, as required under a provision of Assembly Bill 3904, which was signed into law last month by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy.

The main such obligation, Brown explained, is that owed to Durham School Services, the

provider of bus transportation for district students, which has not been needed during the current statewide closure of schools. While all of the service’s fixed costs “amounted to 78 percent of the total money owed to them for the rest of the year,” he said, further discussions with Durham had resulted in the company’s agreeing to cut the district’s obligation to about 34.6 percent of those costs, which would come to roughly 38.5 percent “with adjustments.”

That, in turn, has translated to a reduction from about $515,000—“the amount we would normally owe”—to $199,000, saving the district a little over $316,000, which Brown contended “seemed like a very fair offer from Durham,” and one indicative of the company’s “responsible business management.”

While the details still have to be reviewed with the board’s finance committee, Brown added, the discounted amount would not be reflected in the 2020-21 budget passed last month, which totaled $37,785,441, but should “move as savings into next year” in a form to be finalized through an audit process.

The budget, which was unanimously approved by the board members at the end of April, will require $23,263,169 to be raised in taxes, amounting to a general increase of 3.57 percent, with Bass River Township facing the biggest annual tax increase of the four communities served by the district of $86 for a $200,000 home.

McVey concurred that paying that amount would be an advantageous move for the district, as “we want to maintain a good relationship with Durham.”

See BUS/ Page 5

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Bass River Twp. Adopts ‘Flattened’ Budget With No Further Tax Increases Anticipated

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

BASS RIVER—The municipal tax levy in Bass River Township should flatten during Fiscal Year 2020 following a dramatic hike in property taxes a year ago in order to stave off the prospect of the township having to declare bankruptcy, and have its affairs taken over by the state.

At its May 4 virtual meeting, the Bass River Township Board of Commissioners adopted a 2020 final general budget of $1,508,870, considerably lower than last year’s total budget figure of $2,108,150.

The municipal tax levy remained relatively flat (decreased by 0.12 percent), compared to 2019, when the commissioners decided to approve a 126 percent levy increase in order to pay off $350,000 of unfunded debt, Chief Financial Officer Al Stanley told this newspaper in a telephone interview on May 13.

As a result of the levy, a Bass River resident with a property worth $100,000, will now pay $373 toward the municipal portion of their tax bill (the total tax bill also includes school and county taxes, but the municipal portion only accounts for less than 10 percent of the total tax bill, according to Stanley).

That amount is just about what the municipal tax rate was raised to last year, when it more than doubled from $164 in 2018 after the board decided to take advantage of an exception to the state’s two-percent tax-levy cap that allowed for a one-time payment of municipal debt. The move also allowed the much higher taxation figure to become the township’s new tax-levy base.

Stanley who has held the municipality’s chief financial officer post since 2013, said that if he had the power back when the township took on the debt, he “would have had a plan to pay it down and would have budgeted a little each

year, instead of letting it sit there.” But past boards, he maintained, “just did not want to raise taxes.”

According to Stanley, various capital improvements and purchases, like snowplows, building repairs, and fire-service equipment, were the source of the debt, but now, the township is 100 percent debt-free, with no programs or services added or cut in order to balance the 2020 budget.

“It was fairly easy to balance the budget this year,” he said, noting that increasing the tax base a year ago will now allow the township to take on needed projects, such as redoing the decades-old tax maps.

In order to balance the budget, Stanley noted that the commissioners used $166,500 from its surplus this year, compared to $211,651 in 2019. The township also received $80,000 in additional state aid from the Garden State Preservation Trust.

“Given what has been going on, I am a little reluctant to build it (additional trust money) into our budget permanently, so, what we have done, is to put it toward a one-time expense for a new roof at the municipal building,” said Township Auditor Kevin Frenia during the May 4 board meeting.

Stanley added that the New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company, which provides fire protection service to Bass River, received a $15,000 increase in aid as well, thanks to the additional state funding.

The total tax levy for 2020 is $637,002, compared to $637,746 in 2019 and $282,073 in 2018.

“You made some tough decisions, but we are very secure financially,” Frenia told the commissioners, adding, “I do not see the need for any major tax increase in the future.”

Reporter Bill Bonvie contributed to this story.

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Saturday, May 30, 2020

Keeping the Tradition Alive

Photos By Andrew King

Southampton Township, in an effort to keep its annual, longtime Memorial Day tradition alive during the Coronavirus pandemic, arranged for the local Color Guard and Southampton Township Committee to march down Main Street from the Vincentown Grange to a veteran’s memorial at N. Main Street on May 25. By doing so, the Southampton Township Historical Society has affirmed that “our parade’s legacy lives on” and Southampton officially held its 141st annual Memorial Day Parade on May 25, albeit a “reduced” observance.

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Pemberton Township Couple Charged for Possessing Illegal Explosives/Bombs PEMBERTON—A Pemberton Township man and his girlfriend have been charged with possessing illegal explosives after two pipe bombs were discovered during the execution of search warrants at their home, and the residence of an acquaintance in Southampton, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina’s office reported this week.

William Heath, 47, and Ashley Sprague, 32, of the 600 block of Lakehurst Road, have been charged with possession of explosives/ bombs for an unlawful purpose and possession of prohibited weapons and devices, according to the prosecutor’s announcement. Heath was also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, a reference to a revolver he was reportedly carrying.

The investigation, Coffina revealed, began earlier this month after law enforcement officials received information that Heath and Sprague were in possession of illegal explosives.

Search warrants were executed May 22 at their Pemberton home, as well as at a residence off Retreat Road in Southampton where they had been staying recently. Two pipe bombs were reportedly discovered during that search, one at the Pemberton house and another inside a truck owned by Heath that was parked at the Southampton address where he and Sprague were taken into custody.

Coffina’s announcement noted that Heath is believed to have manufactured the pipe bombs himself.

Heath was ordered detained by a Superior Court judge and lodged in Burlington County

Jail in Mou nt H o l l y, w h i l e Sprague was scheduled for a detention hearing.

The case, according to the prosecutor’s office, will be prepared for presentation to a grand jur y HEATH for possible indictment, w it h A s s i s t a n t Prosecutor M i c h a e l Anger meier, supervisor of the BCPO Gang, Gun & Narcotics Task Force (GGNTF) assigned to handle the pair’s SPRAGUE prosecution.

The cooperative investigation included personnel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the BCPO Gang, Gun & Narcotics Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Jersey State Police, and the Pemberton Township Police Department.

Sgt. Lawrence Peele, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police, when this newspaper inquired about reports of police activity off Retreat Road, said that Heath was wanted by the Pemberton Police Department on charges that included aggravated assault with a weapon, terroristic threats and burglary.

Pemberton Township Passes Measures to Fund Water, Drainage Improvements

By Michael Garofalo Staff Writer

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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PEMBERTON—The Pemberton Township Council approved two bond ordinances to fund capital improvements to the township’s water and stormwater drainage systems, among other projects, at its May 20 meeting.

The ordinances were introduced at the council’s May 6 virtual meeting, during which township Business Administrator Daniel Hornickel detailed the projects receiving appropriations through each measure.

The first ordinance appropriates $1,470,000 in capital funding for the township’s water utility, $1,399,875 of which will be financed through the issuance of bonds. Hornickel explained that the ordinance funds several water-related projects, including $180,000 for improvements to the township’s Beech Street Water Tank.

“We are looking to rehabilitate the Beech Street Water Tank, (including upgrading) the safety equipment at that location and to bring it into compliance with OSHA standards,” Hornickel said.

The ordinance also includes funding for the purchase of water meters that can be read remotely via radio, which will reduce the township’s manpower requirements by eliminating the need for a worker to go up to each home to manually read water meters, Hornickel said.

Ad d it ion a l f u nd s p r ov id e d by t he ordinance will be allocated toward the future development of water service for the west side of the township, including the acquisition of a parcel where the municipality had previously developed observation and test wells.

See WATER/ Page 7

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Medford Police, Officials Urge Motorists Not to Block Stokes Road While Waiting in Drive-Thru Service Line at Starbucks

By Michael Garofalo Staff Writer

MEDFORD—Medford Township is urging drivers not to impede traffic as they patronize a Starbucks drive-thru on Stokes Road.

With Starbucks, like other New Jersey eateries, offering takeout-only service amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the line of vehicles waiting for drive-thru service at the coffee chain’s Medford location has at times overflowed beyond the parking lot and onto busy Stokes Road.

The Medford Township Police Department

PEMBERTON (Continued from Page 2)

Wilson said five candidates, three of whom were interviewed, were considered for the position, but no current district employees with their superintendent certification expressed interest in the post. The “lead” on Spaventa came from the New Jersey Association of School Administrators.

“We are not expecting him to make any major changes, but rather we are leaning on his leadership and experience during the interim,” Wilson said.

The appointment of Spaventa comes at time of uncertainty over whether New Jersey schools will even be able to reopen this fall due to the Coronavirus pandemic. If they do, the Pemberton Township School District intends to move primary-grade students into a brand-new, $59 million Denbo-Crichton Elementary School now being built by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, which is scheduled to open in 2020.

Five board members voted in favor of Spaventa’s contract extending from July 1 until June 30, 2021 (or sooner if a replacement is found), as well as approving a consultant agreement for him to work with Trongone for two to three days per week during the month of June to transition into the role.

Board members Wanda Knox, Tom Maier and Chris Otis abstained due to “conflicts of interest,” Wilson said, because these board

BUS

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has been monitoring the situation, and advised residents in a Facebook post last month that it is illegal and dangerous to stop on any portion of Stokes Road, and that they should come back at a later time if the Starbucks parking lot and drive-thru are full.

Still, pictures have surfaced online of motorists disobeying the police directive.

Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson addressed the issue in response to a question from this newspaper at Medford Township Council’s May See POLICE/ Page 7 members have family working in the district.

Board member Tim Haines was absent from the meeting.

“About a month ago, I did not think we would be able to solve this issue as quickly as we did, but we had a good candidate who came across quite well, and it looks like he certainly is able to run the district,” noted Board Member Tom Bauer at the meeting. “… I commend my fellow board members for the speed of which we were able to get the school district back to where it needs to be.”

The board, in the same vote approving Spaventa’s appointment, contracted with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to guide its search for a permanent superintendent at a flat rate of $17,900. HYA guided the district’s last superintendent search when Trongone was hired.

Wilson said the board did consider 10 search firms for the job, but received proposals from only six.

“We felt we could get the best possible outcome with this firm, because they know our district, and we have had previous success with them,” Wilson said.

Wilson expects to begin the search process with HYA within the next couple of weeks, which in the early stages will include fact finding, talking with stakeholders and the crafting of a profile for the ideal candidate.

Wilson does not expect a job description for the superintendent position to be posted until later in the fall, having previously noted that the entire search process could last anywhere from six to 12 months.

In the meantime, McCooley told the board that alternative proposals would be developed over the summer months to prepare for whatever effects the pandemic may have on the next academic year, noting that as infor mation comes in from the s t a t e D e p a r t m e nt of E d u c a t io n , t he administration will “select a plan that is most appropriate with various ‘levels and tiers’” that will determine “what September is going to look like.”

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‘Swatting’ Incident Being Investigated

By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer

SHAMONG —A repor ted incident of “swatting” involving an address on Meeting House Court in Shamong Township was being investigated last Saturday afternoon by New Jersey State Police.

According to Sgt. Lawrence Peele, a spokesman for the state police, troopers responded to the residence where an active shooter had been reported, but upon arriving at the scene, determined the occupants were safe and that the call had been a swatting episode.

As of Thursday, the source of the call had apparently not yet been determined.

The Shamong Township Office of Emergency

Management confirmed the following day that the scene was “safe and secure” and there was no ongoing police activity.

The prank known as “swatting,” involving a bogus report made to police about a dangerous or violent situation in progress, can have unfortunate and tragic consequences, however.

One of the most egregious examples occurred in December 2017 in Wichita, Kansas, when a 28-year-old resident was shot dead on his porch by police who mistakenly believed there was an active hostage situation in progress at his home.

A 26-year-old Los Angeles man subsequently pleaded guilty to 51 charges related to the call and was given a 20-year prison sentence.

Shamong Approves Using Derelict Sites Off Atsion Road for Proposed Solar Farm

By Andy Milone Staff Writer

SHAMONG—Two vacant lots in Shamong Township, covering nearly 140 acres, could soon be redeveloped into a productive solar farm.

T he Shamong Tow nship Com mit tee unanimously designated through a resolution May 5 two lots—a 123-acre tract along Atsion Road, better known locally as “Murphy’s Pit,” a hotspot for illegal off-road motorsports, and a neighboring 16.5-acre site that was used as a landfill decades ago—as an “Area in Need of Rehabilitation.”

In a pair of subsequent resolutions, the committee named Big Horn Sand Pit Solar Farm, LLC, of Holmdel, whose parent company is CEP Renewables LLC, as the redeveloper for the area. The township is the current lien holder on the 16.5-acre parcel at 378 Atsion Road, while Shamong Land, Inc., out of Lumberton, currently owns the “Murphy’s Pit” site.

Steven Gouin, an attorney for Big Horn, told the Pine Barrens Tribune that the solar farm is expected to take up approximately 40 acres.

“We feel this is a good opportunity to expand CEP’s development footprint in New Jersey and to redevelop under-utilized properties in the township with productive assets that will help address the state’s commitment to renewable energy,” said Gouin in a statement to this newspaper.

If everything moves forward without too many hurdles, Gouin said he anticipates the solar farm being up and running in about 18 months. In the interim, the developer will have to obtain “several layers of approvals” from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Pinelands Commission, Shamong Township, Burlington County, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, PJM Interconnection and Atlantic City Electric, he said.

Gouin added that CEP has an option to lease the sand pit and anticipates acquiring the landfill site, which Mayor Michael Di Croce has .

indicated the township intends to sell.

“I am excited about the project helping out the neighborhood,” said Di Croce in a telephone interview on May 12. “There are dirt bikes on occasion when the weather is nice, which sometimes makes it hard for people to enjoy their property. The solar field will be surrounded by evergreen trees, and I do not think people will notice it. And, it will be another ratable for the township.”

Calling the passage of the resolutions “very positive steps for the municipality,” Township Solicitor Doug Heinold told the township committee that “both properties have issues associated with them, so this is probably the best use that we have seen for these properties in our lifetime.”

Taylor Design Group, which serves as planner for the township, also provided a Rehabilitation Area Analysis of the tracts to the Shamong Township Joint Land Use Board and township committee.

The general purpose for designating a Rehabilitation Area is “to arrest the deterioration of an area and encourage improvement and reinvestment,” notes the analysis, a copy of which was obtained by this newspaper.

“Once designated as a Rehabilitation Area, the area becomes a higher priority candidate for such things as state and federal low-interest loans and tax credits, and environmental cleanup funding,” notes the analysis.

The analysis, according to the planner, has determined that the area satisfies the criteria of “a pattern of vacancy, abandonment, or underutilization of properties,” as well as a “persistent arrearage of property tax payments on properties,” while “environmental contamination is discouraging improvements and investment in properties.”

According to the analysis, portions of the 16.5-acre site “were utilized as a landfill, which has since been abandoned.”

See SOLAR/ Page 7

SHOOTING (Continued from Page 1)

New Jersey State Police Major Crime Bureau.

The investigation, the OAG noted, is pursuant to a 2019 law requiring that “the Attorney General’s Office conduct investigations of a person’s death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity, or while the decedent is in custody.”

A woman who claimed to be Gordon’s exgirlfriend and contended that she knew him “better than anyone,” in a May 27 phone interview with this newspaper, described him as a hard-working, studious and extremely devout individual who never drank or took illicit drugs, was totally non-confrontational with police and was terrified of firearms.

“He is the only man I know who has never touched an illegal drug or a drink in his life,” said Denielle Morrison, also of Poughkeepsie, whom this newspaper contacted via Facebook.

“He was great guy, one of the best I have known. He got up every day, went to work, went to college, and went to church. That was his lifestyle—always trying to get ahead in life.”

According to Morrison, however, Gordon, a native of Jamaica who had been in this country for about five years, and whom she had met through a dating site, had also been reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia, for which he had been hospitalized “three of four times” and was on medications that were purportedly dispensed to him at a mental hygiene clinic.

“He kept all his mental health appointments,” Morrison maintained. “But whether he was medicated or not, he was very, very compliant with law enforcement and was never confrontational. When he was off his meds and the police came with the people from the crisis center, he went with them willingly, no problem at all. “ Prior to his fatal encounter, Morrison said Gordon had been working both as an Uber driver and Instacart employee, and while she couldn’t say for sure, she believes his job in the former capacity may have been the reason for his having been on the Parkway that morning, since she wasn’t aware of his having known anyone in the South Jersey area.

She added that Gordon had also been staying in a motel at the time, after having been asked to leave the home of a friend he was staying with because members of the family were fearful that his job with Uber might expose him to the Coronavirus.

Morrison acknowledged, however, that her relationship with Gordon had at one point gone off the rails after he caught her cheating on him and had threatened her, and that although he never actually laid a hand on her, she was concerned enough to seek a restraining order that she later asked be dropped.

That, she said was the only time she knew of that Gordon was arrested, for which she now

Saturday, May 30, 2020 blames herself.

Elaborating on the episode in a subsequent Facebook message, she explained that “he armed himself with a knife, but that was only because there were five or six of my neighbors coming into my apartment to see what was going on, and once he locked them out, he put the knife away and argued with me.”

Aside from that incident, however, she claimed that he had never possessed a weapon or armed himself.

“He never had a gun, never owned one, never ever wanted one,” Morrison said. “He was petrified of them.”

She contended that, in fact, when they had lived together, her son had a BB gun that Gordon, when he saw it, thought was a real gun.

“He moved out the same day and told the police and his counselors that I had a gun in the home, and he was scared for his life, and they put him in a shelter,” she said.

When asked whether she had been given any details of the events that led to Gordon’s death, she said she hadn’t.

“I know that man should not have been shot dead because he never carried a weapon,” she contended. “I know he was unarmed.”

Gordon’s Facebook page, which says he studied at Excelsior College in Jamaica, features a cover photo showing him wearing a large silver crucifix on a chain around his neck, along with an image of a couple embracing from a Showtime adult series.

It also descr ibes h i m as bei ng “i n a relationship,” apparently with Morrison, who had responded, “Good Boy,” to which he had replied with a robotic thumbs up.

Morrison’s page contains a message posted on May 25 that reads: “Maurice I miss u (sic) ... thought u would always be here for me,” and asks “why cops kill the good ones?”

Also on Morrison’s Facebook page Thursday mor ning were four pictures of Gordon posted overnight by Jaida Gordon, who identifies herself as Maurice Gordon’s sister, and who, according to her Facebook page, resides in London, the U.K. and studied law at the University of Westminster.

Accompanying the photos is a fulmination against the treatment of people of color i n t he Un ited St ates at t he ha nds of the police.

“Why are they killing us?” the message reads in part. “Why is it a crime to be black in America? We are fighting to be able to drive our cars without being harassed, walk in to a store without raising suspicion and go for a jog in a white neighborhood.”

Jaida Gordon also talks about the death of George Floyd, a black Minneapolis resident who died this past week after a Minneapolis police officer was shown pinning him to the ground with a knee to his neck, and lynchings that were once common in parts of the United States.

See SHOOTING/ Page 7

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Saturday, May 30, 2020

LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

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SOLAR

(Continued from Page 6) “Environmental contamination is understood to exist on site, and certain investigations are to occur in the near future, to be pursued by an interested solar farm entity,” the analysis notes.

The landfill was also listed by the state as a “known contaminated site” with no remedial action permits.

As for the Murphy’s pit property, “the sandy gravel areas of the former pit and the surrounding woodlands have become a magnet for off-road motorsports, such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, truck and utility vehicles.

This unauthorized use is not permitted on the subject property and negatively impacts the environmental features of the property and surrounding parcels. In addition, the site is not secured, and there have historically been reports of continued dumping of trash by individuals.”

“The rehabilitation designation is sometimes called ‘redevelopment lite,’” said Heinold when asked about the designation by this newspaper at the township meeting. “It is a lower standard of criteria, but there are also less tools in the toolbox available to the municipality.

Significantly, there is no ability for a long-term tax abatement on the property, and there is also no ability for eminent domain.”

Heinold also noted that the designation “helps the solar provider apply for certain state programs” and “get approvals” for the planned solar project.

One of the state programs is the “Community Solar Energy Pilot Program.” The program b r o chu r e , p o s t e d o n l i n e , n ot e s t h a t “electric utility customers who have previously been unable to go solar, due to a variety of factors including cost, unsuitable roof, or lack of roof control, can now access this renewable energy.”

“It is a competitive program,” Heinold said.

The program’s website states that a total of 252 applications were received by the NJBPU last year, and the board granted conditional approvals to less than 20 percent of them.

“In terms of what the township committee has done, we completed the rehabilitation designation and designated the redeveloper of these two sites,” Heinold said.

The next step, he noted, is to develop a rehabilitation plan for the property.

“We will be in touch with the developer if they need anything further to get their approvals from the state in order to do these projects,” Heinold said.

Heinold added that the rehabilitation plan is expected to be introduced at next month’s township committee meeting. Big Horn also will be required to submit a site plan for approval.

Photo By Andy Milone

“Murphy’s Pit” is one of two parcels of vacant land off Atsion Road in Shamong Township being redeveloped into a solar farm.

WATER

(Continued from Page 5) A n $840,0 0 0 appropr iat ion is also earmarked for the purchase of the New Lisbon water system, which is located near the Pemberton Municipal Building and currently owned by Burlington County.

The second bond ordinance approved at the May 20 meeting, which was also held via teleconference due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, provides $1,153,000 in funding for municipal capital projects, $1,097,950 of which will be financed through the issuance of bonds.

That money includes $648,000 to repair portions of the township’s storm-water drainage system and address erosion along the banks of a stream that runs through West End Park. Hornickel explained that the erosion is impacting the parking lot at the Dominique Johnson Recreation Center, as

well as neighboring buildings on nearby White Pine Court, making such emergency repairs necessary.

“We are trying to get funding lined up so that when we get drier weather, hopefully by June, we can mobilize our Public Works Department to do repairs to the stream banks,” Hornickel told council during a discussion before the ordinance was introduced at the May 6 meeting.

The ordinance also appropriates $190,000 for necessary repairs to the Pine Mill Lake Dam, he said.

The last project funded by the ordinance is a modular addition to the township’s police building. Council had previously allocated $400,000 toward the project, Hornickel said, and the ordinance passed May 20 provides an additional $315,000.

As of Dec. 31, 2019, the township’s total debt obligations were $25,093,412, according to documents presented to council last month as part of this year’s budget process.

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SHOOTING (Continued from Page 6)

“Why is today any different?” Jaida Gordon asked. “We are still being chased down and hunted like dogs by the police. They can get away with it because who even cares? Another black person dies, so what? Another big fuss and a slap on the wrist and maybe suspension with pay? Who cares? He’s only black.

“Race aside, why do the police in general feel they are above the law? Even when it’s a black officer that kills another black civilian, they all ‘bleed blue’. They are in a brotherhood and it is one for all. Them against us. Judged immediately by our appearance,” she contends asking, “What is it about us that frightens them?

Is what I see and what you see in the mirror completely different to what they see? Are we not even human?”

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina, whose office is not listed in the OAG press release as handling the Bass River investigation, addressed in a written statement provided to this newspaper the death of George Floyd on May 28 given the widespread national attention the case was receiving.

“George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis is deeply troubling and indefensible, the video revealing a startling lack of humanity by the police officers involved,” the county prosecutor wrote. “The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation, and rightly so.

“So much of law enforcement’s relationship with the community is built upon trust. We trust the members of our community to follow the law and cooperate with our efforts to enforce it; our community has the right to trust that they will be treated fairly and justly by the officers who serve them. Here in Burlington County, the law enforcement community is fortunate to have developed a positive relationship with our residents. Our police officers routinely conduct themselves with the utmost professionalism and respect for the members of the communities

POLICE

(Continued from Page 5) 19 meeting, which was held via teleconference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Under no circumstances can people block Stokes Road,” Watson said. “I know Starbucks has been somewhat proactive—they seem to have two lanes now and that seems to have eased some of that problem.”

Watson recommended that residents support

♦ Page 7

they serve. This has been particularly apparent over the past few months as our officers have managed the added responsibility of enforcing significant restrictions on our normal activities with sensitivity to the stress that our residents are experiencing in the midst of this public health crisis.”

Coffina added that the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, and all of our municipal police chiefs, are committed to ensuring that members of our local departments provide fair treatment and justice to “all our residents.”

“Anyone who believes they have been victimized by a member of law enforcement as a result of bias or other improper behavior is encouraged to take the matter up with that officer’s chief, or contact the Prosecutor’s Office directly at 609-265-5035, so their complaint can be thoroughly investigated,” Coffina said.

The fatal Bass River police-involved shooting was one of two that occurred over the weekend, with the other occurring in Paterson when members of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department responded to gunshots being detected by a ShotSpotter (activation device), according to an account from the OAG. Responding officers encountered Christopher Clark, 26, of Paterson, and “during the encounter, officers fired at Clark, fatally wounding him.” A loaded pistol was recovered near Clark’s body, according to the OAG. Democratic Governor Phil Murphy reacted on Twitter in response to both the Bass River and Passaic County police-involved shootings.

“We mourn the loss of life in this weekend’s shootings,” the governor said. “Grateful to have worked with the Legislature, law enforcement and civil rights advocates to enact a law ensuring officer-involved shootings are subject to a full, transparent and independent investigation, which (are) now underway.”

Meanwhile, Jaida Gordon said her brother left Jamaica “for a better life” and “was taken away early from us.”

“It’s like a bad dream I can’t seem to wake up from,” she said. local establishments nearby, such as Lakes Coffee or Harvest Coffee Roastery, rather than engage in unsafe behavior on Stokes Road. He added that he is not aware of any other locations in Medford where similar traffic issues have arisen during the statewide Coronavirus shutdown.

Township Manager Kathy Burger added that Medford officials have discussed the hazardous traffic patterns on Stokes Road with Burlington County officials and are exploring possible options to further address the situation.

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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES

STALLED

(Continued from Page 1) inspection expiration dates were also once again extended in a May 18 announcement

by Murphy and Fulton as part of “continuing efforts to mitigate COVID-19 and safeguard public health.”

Those expiring between March 13 and May 31 have been extended until July 31, while motorists whose documents are due to expire June 30 and July 31 will have until August 31 and September 30, respectively, to renew them.

The extensions, which the administrator is allowed to grant under emergency conditions, apply to all standard driver licenses (including permits), as well as standard non-driver IDs, privately owned and commercial vehicle registrations, vehicle inspections, Purple Heart/ Disabled Veteran placards and temporary tags.

Fulton also urged drivers to complete transactions online at NJMVC.gov if able to do so.

“We do anticipate that volumes will spike once we reopen, and when we reach the end of these extensions,” she noted in announcing the latest extensions.

In an unrelated easing of restrictions, the governor’s office also announced on May 20 that in-person sales would be allowed to resume at automobile and motorcycle dealerships, along with bicycle shops.

Frustration with the repeated postponement of NJMVC office openings and the pace and limitations of the current computer-based system, however, was evident in a number of postings at the agency’s Facebook page in response to the latest announcements. Some called for Fulton’s resignation, accusing her of failing to come up with a workable plan for reopening NJMVC facilities in the weeks since the shutdown.

“It is ridiculous that facilities like this that indeed are essential are going beyond themselves to stay closed!” wrote one irate motorist. “... You are setting yourself up for failure when you reopen and I wish you good luck on that tremendous backlog. Stop pushing back the opening date and do your jobs!”

Many complained of inordinate waiting times in trying to deal with the agency online, especially in regard to suspensions, such as a woman who contended she had been trying to reach the NJMVC for two months to no avail.

“You suspended my registration, saying my insurance is canceled, but when I renewed my registration, I put in my new policy!” she wrote. “I’ve emailed and sent proof and still nothing!!!!”

The writer of this post also claimed she had been kept “waiting on the phone for six hours, only to get “a letter to my house today saying I have to pay $200 to restore my registration!!!!”

Using an expletive, she added, “I need my car!” and that she has kids.

The writer of another post wanted to know

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM why the agency is suspending licenses during this time, claiming that he had sent an email two weeks before and heard nothing back.

“I’m an essential worker and need my license for work,” he said. “It’s required!”

Still others had no quarrel with the shutdown of the offices, but weren’t at all satisfied with the substitute services being offered.

O ne woma n, u nder t he hea d i ng “Recommendations and Reviews,” for example, maintained that while she understood the reasons for closing the offices, she didn’t understand why agency employees couldn’t be engaged in answering phones and emails, noting that she had renewed her son’s license, but it never came.

“I can’t get anyone to respond,” she contended. “Not acceptable. You owe it to taxpayers to be responsive even in a pandemic.”

Apparent roadblocks that have also remained include registrations for vehicles sold in private transactions, which must await the reopening of NJMVC offices, were also the target of complaints posted on Facebook.

One individual maintained that the car he had purchased from a private seller had been sitting in his driveway for two months and he couldn’t do anything about it.

“I called and waited hours to still get no response, I emailed weeks ago and still nothing,” the individual said. “This is just outrageous, my work is being affected all because you guys couldn’t think of a backup plan, and worst of all don’t even have the decency to respond.”

A number of Facebook barbs were aimed at Fulton for posting a statement similar to Connolly’s that “while we empathize with teens and parents, vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death among teens. With safety at the forefront of our mission, we cannot in good conscience waive road tests.”

“Obviously, if teens are crashing, they have already passed the road test, so what is the purpose of that statement?” asked one respondent. “The education of safe driving practices will reduce teen crashes, not passing a road test.”

The respondent then urged that the state either consider allowing private driving schools to road test teenagers or reconsider the waiver as other states have done. She added that Fulton must “consider the emotional health of these kids who have been denied every rite of passage.”

Another person accused the NJMVC of putting the issue “on the back burner,” with the result that it would overwhelm the agency. “‘This is going to take far more than ‘prioritizing appointments’ and ‘realigning resources’,” she warned.

Connolly, in an April 28 email sent to this newspaper said that the process of providing more options online began in earnest last year in accord with preparations to issue REAL ID, the “new federal requirement for state-issued driver licenses and non-driver IDs

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See STALLED/ Page 9

609-283-0036

ASHMUN (Continued from Page 1)

Wildlife Management Area a decade ago, and of the Commission’s dedication in 2018 of the Candace McKee Ashmun Pinelands Education Exhibit.

The preserve provides a protected habitat for threatened Pinelands species, and the exhibit, which covers more than 400 square feet, includes a 90-gallon aquarium with native fish, a terrarium with live, insectivorous Pinelands plants, interactive displays and dozens of artifacts of the region.

Ashmun’s passing was also acknowledged

by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy who, in his daily Coronavirus press briefing on May 26, described her as “a legendary New Jerseyan whose name may not have been recognized in every household, but whose work certainly would be,” noting how she had been appointed to the commission by then-Governor Brendan Byrne “to ensure that one of our state’s true natural gems would be protected for future generations.”

Murphy noted that although Ashmun was from Somerset County (where she was a resident of Basking Ridge), “she was known as the godmother of the New Jersey Pines” and that “her work still guides us.”

Michelle Byers, another prominent figure in the state environ mental movement, and executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, in a heartfelt tribute she emailed to this newspaper, credited Ashmun for having launched her own career and changing her life.

“Candy was my first boss in the world of conservation advocacy,” Byers wrote. “She supported, coached, mentored and guided me through many land use battles in the Pine Barrens and later on with the State Planning Commission. She taught me to never give up on myself, or on a fight worth fighting.

“There is not a question in my mind that I would not have the career and life I have today but for her. She became a best friend and family member to me, and cheered me on until the day she died. Candy will always be

Saturday, May 30, 2020 with me.”

In addition to Ashmun’s service on the commission, to which she was originally appointed by Byrne, Ashmun was a founding director of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) and a volunteer for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, as well as served on the Board of the Sierra Club/NJ Chapter, as a trustee of the Raritan Headwaters Association, the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, the Whitesbog Preservation Trust and the Coalition for Affordable Housing and the Environment, and as Chair of the Great Swamp Advisory Committee.

An environmental activist since the 1940s, Ashmun received numerous awards for formulating environmental policy on land use, groundwater, and surface water protection, in identifying environmental problems, building coalitions to solve those problems, and measuring the effectiveness of protective strategies, noted a posting on the website of The Fund for New Jersey, of which Ashmun had been a member since 1990.

The woman who dedicated her long life to the preservation of species native to New Jersey, however, was not herself a Garden State native, having been born in San Francisco. Ashmun was raised in Brazil and Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Smith College, according to The Fund’s posting.

Another prominent environmentalist, Dick Colby, professor emeritus of Cell Biology at Stockton University, who also currently serves as editor of the Jersey Sierran quarterly newsletter, recalled in an email to this reporter how in 1997, Ashmun was recruited by Rich Isaac, currently Chapter Chair of the state Sierra Club, to run for one of nine statewide positions on the club’s executive committee.

“She was elected and served for three years, holding the position of State Plan Issues Coordinator, driving down from the far northwest of New Jersey in an old battered car that once broke down along the way,” he noted.

Colby described Ashmun as “always a smiling, active and wise counselor and participant in our efforts to preserve open space and curb pollution.”

Photo By NJ Pinelands Commission

The late Candace McKee Ashmun, the longest serving member in the Pinelands Commission’s history, toured the Pinelands exhibit that was dedicated in her honor in December 2018.

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As part of that effort, Connolly noted, the NJMVC has developed online processes for most license renewals, along with replacements for licenses or registrations that were lost or stolen. Customers also can change their addresses online and pay an assortment of fees there as well.

“Since the onset of COVID-19, we have st reamlined ou r vehicle regist rations, added online renewal for two Commercial Registration codes (Code 11 for commercial trucks and tractors; Code 16 for aggregate haulers), and opened up a way for drivers with suspended licenses to seek to get their licenses restored via email,” he said.

The NJMVC announced earlier this month that it had added to its offering of web-based transactions by expanding the types of vehicles eligible for online registration renewals and replacements. The additional vehicleregistration categories range from four-year commercial trailers to commuter vans and ATVs. “We recognize that extended agency closures to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have caused a hardship for many of our customers,’’ said Fulton in a May 11 press release. “While these closures are necessary to protect the health and safety of our customers and employees, the Commission has worked diligently on multiple fronts to offset these hardships, including the addition of key online services.’’

Fulton said the NJMVC is continuing to review other transactions “with the aim of reducing required in-person interactions when public operations resume.”

“We want to steer as many of our customers away from the agencies and onto our website as we can, without sacrificing the critical fraud protections in place to safeguard their identity and property,” she contended.

The emails from Connolly were in response to inquiries from the Pine Barrens Tribune that began during Murphy’s Coronavirus press briefing on April 20 in regard to when establishing new vehicle registration and new license registration, or being able to set up specific appointments to do so, might be possible online. At the time of this newspaper’s initial questioning of state officials, these were not available options on the NJMVC website.

This newspaper’s question was also sparked

Correction: It was previously reported that Washington Township’s municipal clerk announced May 5 that TrashPro of New Jersey proposed a three-year, $2,000 contract to serve as the municipality’s trash hauler. This was incorrect. The contract, according to C. Leigh Gadd, Jr. on May 26, is for bid preparation for trash

hauling services. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, township committee meetings are currently held virtually. Attendees at the May 5 meeting experienced significant audio problems during the virtual session, and a series of circumstances stemming from that issue led to this error. We regret the error.

♦ Page 9

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by the observation that teens who had recently become old enough to operate a motor vehicle, could not obtain the necessary documents to legally drive because NJMVC facilities were closed.

“Can we come back to you on the DMV question?” Murphy replied. “That includes high school seniors getting their driver’s license to drive. We want them to stay at home, though.

We remind them to please stay at home, even though we’ll give them the license, we’ll find a way to get (them) a license.”

Murphy later added that Fulton was watching the briefing and relayed a message to him that a person could obtain a temporary tag, which is extended every two months, for an online sale through a dealer, through the NJMVC online services, although private sales were not covered.

This newspaper followed up with Connolly, who reiterated in his April 28 email that “dealers can process new vehicles and issue temporary tags through the MVC’s online services” … but registration and title transfers involving sales between individuals are currently unavailable while NJMVC offices are closed to the public.

“We have been aggressively reviewing all transactions – including those concerning registrations and titles – to see if we can develop new processes to handle them while maintaining critical fraud protections,” Connolly said.

He added that the procedures and fees for dealers processing vehicles and issuing temporary tags are the same as they were before the COVID-19 crisis, although there is no procedure at present for obtaining permanent tags, with the agencies being closed to the public.

“In ter ms of developing new, online procedures for private sales, these sorts of transactions greatly increase the risk of fraud and require additional security measures,” Connolly noted. “We are exploring all possible options that would not increase the health risks to our customers or employees, but have not made any determination of their viability as yet, or how the transactions might differ from existing procedures.”

“The NJMVC is currently engaged in an intensive evaluation of many of our transactions to determine whether and how we can bring more services online, an effort that has taken on added urgency as the closures necessitated

by COVID-19 continue,” Connolly noted.

“Our staff is working hard to see what we can accomplish, while always trying to best serve our customers, keep people safe, and maintain the integrity of our documents.”

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239 Pemb.-Browns Mills Rd. • Browns Mills, NJ 08015

609-893-9353

Hours : Tue. Thru Sat. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. • Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ELECTRICAL

Hot Pour Crack Repair Line Striping • Stenciling Sign Installation/Sign Removal Speed Bump & Bollard Installation 609-859-8668

•

Driveway B-ball keys only $300

Free Estimates Fully Insured Like us on Facebook HIC:13VH09369600

www.nickolausconstruction.com

MASONRY

ELECTRICAL/SOLAR

Joe Posch

Cell: (609) 709-1331 (609) 494-6566 Fax: (609) 812-9281

SINCE 1989

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

.

Whole House Generators Backhoe & Bucket Truck Service A+ BBB Rating • FREE Estimates

RUSS HUBSCHMAN OWNER • LIC# 9924

FREE ESTIMATES • FULLY INSURED • COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

www.bearelectricco.com

John’s Painting

• Garage Slabs • Driveways • Sidewalks • Curbs • House Raising • Foundations • Etc. Lic. #13VH06233700

609-894-9014 PEST CONTROL AUTOMOTIVE

PAINTING AUTOMOTIVE

ALL TYPES OF MASONRY

REAL ESTATE AUTOMOTIVE

llc.

Quality Workmanship

Senior

nts!

Discou

Painting & Staining Interior/Exterior Powerwashing Drywall Repairs White Washing Bricks

Mon.-Fri. 8a.m.-5p.m. • Sat 9a.m-5p.m Call: 856-283-7970 • Email: jjamison4321@gmail.com

TREE SERVICES

WELL SERVICES

TREE SERVICES Removals Shrub Trimming

Pruning Stump Grinding

Land Clearing Firewood

Serving Burlington, Camden & Ocean Counties

N.J. Lic. #NJTC768133

Robert H. Griscom Fully Insured

(609) 654-6602 NJ Lic. 13VH06395500

Saturday, May 30, 2020

MARKETPLACE

WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM

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$ AD RATES AS LOW AS

TO ADVERTISE CALL OR EMAIL

609-801-2392 • SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM DEADLINE: TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M.

95 PER WEEK

AUTO REPAIR

HAULING

MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

On-site Auto Repair. Foreign and domestic, light and heavy trucks. Heavy and farm equipment. Fleet service. Electrical, hydraulic and watercraft. Mount Holly and surrounding areas. Call 609-667-8938.

Household appliances.

Televisions, furniture, etc. for disposal or transport.

Garage, yard and gutter cleanups and gutter cleaning. Free estimates. Call Bob at 609-880-3789.

Cross Country Moving, long-distance moving company, out-of-state move $799. Longdistance movers. Get a free quote on your longdistance move. 1-844-452-1706.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Dental Insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Not just a discount plan, real coverage for [350+] procedures. Don’t wait, call now at 1-877-308-2834 for details. www.dental50plus.com/cadnet#6258 .

Stay in your home longer with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-855-481-3969 or visit www.walkintubquote. com/national .

AUTOMOBILES/TRUCKS Cash Paid for Your Car. Looking to buy better than junk cars. Call 1-866-261-5277.

We come to you.

HOME AND GARDEN

AUTOS WANTED BARGAIN VEHICLES WANTED, UNDER $3,000!

ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN RUNNING VEHICLES FOR SALE DUE TO RELOCATION, OR ESTATE SALE. 2014 MODELS OR NEWER. LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 30,000), LIKE-NEW/EXCELLENT CONDITION. NO ACCIDENT HISTORY. MUST BE CLEAN, SMOKE-FREE AND WITHOUT PET DANDER.CALL 609-668-9408.

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/Models 2002-2019! Any condition. Running or not. Top $$$ paid! Free towing! We’re nationwide! Call Now: 1-888-985-1806.

AWNINGS ATLANTIC AWNINGS professional installations.

Residential/commercial.

Retractable awnings, window awnings, retractable and stationary canopies, recovers, repairs, take downs, re-hangs and washing. Fully insured. FREE ESTIMATES. 609-618-2420.

LIC#131VH06758700, atlanticawningcompany. com.

FURNITURE REPAIR Adam’s Furniture Restoration, LLC. Fully insured. Furniture repair, kitchen cabinet refinishing, touch-ups, and in-home services.

Call 1-856-979-6210. Visit www.facebook.com/ adamsfurnres .

HAULING ANYTHING, WE HAUL IT. ATTIC, BASEMENT, AND YARD WORK. POOL REMOVAL AND DEMOLITION. ODD JOBS, ETC. CALL 609694-9356.

FREE!

Savings Include an American Standard Right Height Toilet FREE! ($500 Value)

Generic Viagra and Cialis! 100 Pills $99 with free Shipping! 100 percent guaranteed. Open 24/7, call now! 1-888-889-5515.

Rototilling. Call Joe at 609-713-7913.

INSURANCE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PROPER COVERAGE. DON’T ASSUME. GET PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, DEAL WITH AN INDEPENDENT AGENT. O’NEAL INSURANCE AGENCY, 1614 ROUTE 206, TABERNACLE, NEW JERSEY, 08088.

PHONE NUMBER: 1-609-268-2158.

LAWN CUTTING Lawn cutting, along with yard and gutter clean up. Shrub pruning and some tree work, along with hauling. Free estimates=reasonable rates. Call Bob at 1-609-880-3789.

MISCELLANEOUS Applying for Social Security disability or appealing a denied claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc., Social Security Disability Attorneys, at 1-855-498-6323! Free consultations. Local attorneys nationwide. [Mail: 2420 N St. NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/ NM Bar.)] Become a Published Author. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing - trusted by authors since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed.

Comprehensive services: consultation, production, promotion and distribution. Call for your free Author’s Guide. Contact 1-877-6262213.

Call Empire Today® to schedule a free in-home estimate on carpeting and flooring. Call today!

1-855-404-2366.

Walk-In Tubs

WALK-IN BATHTUB SALE! SAVE $1,500 ✔ Backed by American Standard’s 140 years of experience ✔ Ultra low entry for easy entering & exiting ✔ Patented Quick Drain® Technology ✔ Lifetime Warranty on the bath AND installation, INCLUDING labor backed by American Standard ✔ 44 Hydrotherapy jets for an invigorating massage Limited Time Offer! Call Today!

877-381-3271

Or visit: www.walkintubinfo.com/network

DISH Network special—$59.99 for 190 channels. Add high-Speed internet for only $19.95/mo. Call today for $100 gift card! Best value and technology. Free installation. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-855-837-9146.

Earthlink High Speed Internet. As low as $14.95/month (for the first 3 months). Reliable high-speed fiber optic technology. Stream videos, music and more! Call Earthlink today at 1-855-520-7938.

**Stop struggling on the stairs** Give your life a lift with an ACORN stairlift! Call now for $250 off your stairlift purchase and free DVD & brochure! Call 1-866-471-1334.

Two great new offers from AT&T Wireless!

Ask how to get the Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S10e for free. Get a free iPhone with AT&T’s buy one, give one special. While supplies last! Call 1-866-565-8452 or www. freephonesnow.com//cadnet .

REAL ESTATE

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a free LeafFilter estimate today. 15 percent off entire purchase. 10 percent off senior and military discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373 .

The Historic Woodshed Beef n’ Beer, Route 72, in Chatsworth, New Jersey, 08019: Liquor License (On Premise and TakeOut), Used Car License (Since 1992), Two Apartments (Always Rented $800-$1,200), 5.5 Acres, 500 Feet Highway Frontage, New Dining Room and Outside Tiki Bar. $345,000.

Call 609-709-5005 or 609-203-5273.

HughesNet Satellite Internet: 25mbps starting at $49.99 per month. Get more data free! Offpeak data and fast download speeds. Wi-Fi built in! Free standard installation for lease customers! Limited time, call 1-855-973-9254.

RELIGIOUS

Portable Oxygen Concentrator may be covered

by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and longlasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 1-888-609-2189!

Thank You, Jesus; Thank You Saint Michael; Thank You Saint Anthony.

WANTED TO BUY Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201.

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

Dental Insurance

Get dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company to help cover the services you’re most likely to use –

Cleanings

X-rays

Fillings

Crowns

Dentures

1-877-308-2834

Call now to get this FREE Information Kit! dental50plus.com/cadnet Product not available in all states. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-888-799-4433 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN).

6154-0120

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Saturday, May 30, 2020

CAPITAL HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP IS PLEASED TO WELCOME CAPITAL HEALTH OB/GYN − BROWNS MILLS Capital Health OB/GYN – Browns Mills is a comprehensive women’s health practice. After serving women in the Lower Bucks County, PA region for almost 30 years, our team is bringing its trusted obstetric and gynecologic care to women in Browns Mills, NJ. Our experienced and board certified providers include DRS. ROBERT BERK, NEIL BLUEBOND, AMY HARVEY O’KEEFFE, MARK KUHN, and ANNE WALKER. Our team provides women

with comprehensive prenatal and obstetrical services, as well as annual women’s health exams, in office hysteroscopy, open and minimally invasive/laparoscopic surgery, cancer screenings, and minor surgical services.

Capital Health OB/GYN – Browns Mills joins Capital Health Medical Group’s extensive network of more than 400 physicians and other advanced care providers who offer primary, specialty and surgical care.

TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 609.896.1400 CAPITAL HEALTH OB/GYN − BROWNS MILLS 6 Earlin Avenue, Suite 290, Browns Mills, NJ 08015 capitalhealthobgyn.org/brownsmills MOST INSURANCES ARE ACCEPTED, INCLUDING TRICARE

NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

MEDICAL GROUP