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Vol. 7 – No. 52 www.pinebarrenstribune.com
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The News Leader of the Pines
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November 18 - November 24, 2023
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Post-Election Upset Gives Democratic Challenger Katz Sufficient Lead Over Umba to Unseat Him in 8th District GOP Incumbent Torrissi Gets Second Term as Assemblyman, Splitting Both Parties’ Teams, According to Unofficial Results
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
MOUNT HOLLY—If this month’s offyear election has proven nothing else, it’s that candidates paired together won’t necessarily stay together once the votes are counted. That seems to have been illustrated in New Jersey’s 8th Legislative District, where Democratic Assembly candidate Andrea Katz appeared on track to unseat Republican incumbent Brandon Umba by Nov. 15, this newspaper’s deadline, even while Umba’s running mate, first-term Assemblyman Michael Torrissi, Jr., had managed to pull in some 500 more ballots than he did by that point. That lead was apparently sufficient to assure Torrissi of election to a second term in the Legislature, even while Umba looked to have finished last in the fourcandidate race, lagging behind Torrissi and Katz as well as the latter’s running mate, Anthony Angelozzi, who appeared to have come in third and was likewise left in the losing column. All four candidates, however, scored within the same ballpark of 27,000-plus votes, according to tallies of the unofficial results, with Katz having garnered a total of 27,588 votes in both Burlington County and the smaller sector of Atlantic County that includes the remainder of the 8th District, with only some 238 ballots separating her
‘THE NEED IS GETTING LARGER’
Photo By Douglas D. Melegari
The Mobile Pantry at Fawn Lake Village in Shamong Township, organized by the Zallie Community Foundation, which partners with The Food Bank of South Jersey.
Zallie Community Foundation, in Partnership with Food Bank of South Jersey, Hosts Moble Food Pantry, Once a Month, at Fawn Lake Village in Shamong, Which Has ‘Been a Blessing’ To Those in Need, Unable to Afford Groceries St. Vincent de Paul Society of Tabernacle Also Available to Address Need in Community
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
SHAMONG—Sixty-two people – from towns throughout the Pines – were waiting in their vehicles on Nov. 2, lined up along the main roadway for Fawn Lake Village in Shamong Township, with the line extending onto the shoulder of Route 206, to receive
a monthly allotment of free groceries through a Mobile Food Pantry, hosted on the first Thursday of every month to help those in need and to end hunger. “I come every month,” one woman, named Terry, told the Pine Barrens Tribune, upon receiving her grocery allotment. “Oh my gosh, I can’t begin to tell you what this means to me
– I can’t afford them anymore without them.” The latter “them” is the Zallie Community Foundation, which partners with The Food Bank of South Jersey, to host the food pantry on the first Thursday of every month, at 1004 Route 206 in Shamong, with food available for distribution from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, or See FOOD/ Page 4
INDEX
Business Directory...................................14 Christmas Countdown............................. C1 Holiday Gift Guide................................... S1 Local News.................................................2
See UNSEAT/ Page 3
Marketplace/Job Board................................. 13 Thanksgiving Guide................................. T1 Worship Guide..........................................12
ONLINE ISSN | 2834-362X PRINT ISSN | 2834-3611 CONTACT US: P.O. Box 2402, Vincentown, NJ 08088 | 609-801-2392
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A Gris iswol s old ld Fam ami miilllyy Chr hris ristm stma maass 2nd Annual Handmade Home S Shopping hopping Ev Event vent
Saturday, December 9th: 10am - 6pm & Sunday, December 10th: lOth: 10 lOam 3pm am - 3pm Located in Tabernacle
Come and explore amazing handcrafted gifts created by several local artisans! The shop includes: Sewn Goods from Farmhouse Country Creations, Bees & Blooms’ Florals, Shari’s Chocolate Sweets and Baskets, Home Décor by Rachael’s One of a Kind Designs, Soap Products from Bella; Liz, Dog Treats from Hungry Pawz, and so much more! Text Abbey Griswold for more Info: 609-784-3586 609-784-3S86 649 Chatsworth Road, Tabernacle, NJ 08088 694
The following authors are signing/selling their books: Allen Crawford, A Wild Promise William Lewis, New Jersey’s Lost Piney Culture Greg Vizzi co-author of The Original People: The Ancient Culture and Wisdom of the Lenni-Lenape People
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In order to use previously purchased tickets for weekends you MUST visit www.storybookland.com and complete an exchange form. You will receive new tickets to make your own reservation. *Subject to availability on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. WWW.STORYBOOKLAND.COM 6415 BLACK HORSE PIKE I EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, NJ
Green Trading Post December 2nd and 3rd from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, 17 Pemberton Road, Southampton, NJ 08088
Some confirmed vendors include: Blueberry ryy Wood Apiary ryy & Little Critters Illustrations Pine Barrens Post Pinelands Folk Music & Basketry ryy Pine Barrens Diamonds by Paul Evans Pedersen Jr. Sensory ryy Scrub Shaker Boxes by Harry ryy Silvers Pinelands Adventures Whitesbog Preserv rvation v Trust Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge
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Thanksgiving GUIDE
Page Page T2 T1 ♦
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Celebrating THANKSGIVING
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Simplify Your Feast by Slow Cooking Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Food features prominently in many holiday celebrations, but perhaps no holiday is more closely associated with eating than Thanksgiving. In fact, Thanksgiving and food are so closely connected that many people lovingly refer to the holiday as “Turkey Day,” which is an homage to the popular main course that finds its way to millions of Thanksgiving dinner tables across the country each year. Side dishes abound on Thanksgiving dinner tables, but turkey still takes center stage. That reality can put some pressure on hosts tasked with
RECIPE:
preparing the meal for their family and friends. Unlike some other dishes that require a laundry list of ingredients and lots of prep work, turkey is a relatively hands-off main course. However, home cooks know a dried out turkey is not on anyone’s holiday wish list. Slow cooking can help to avoid such a result. This recipe for “Holiday Turkey,” courtesy Andrew Schloss’ “Cooking Slow” (Chronicle Books), calls for slow cooking the bird. Such an approach should result in a delicious and mouthwatering main course that satisfies anyone who’s anxious to sit down at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before you plan to start roasting. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Put the turkey on a rack set in a large, flameproof roasting pan. Drizzle the oil over the top. Roast for 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 175 F. Pour the cider into the roasting pan and sprinkle the poultry seasoning in the liquid. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh (but not touching bone) registers to 170 F.
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Transfer the turkey to a carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for about 15 minutes (see tip). Meanwhile, skim the fat from the surface of the liquid in the pan. Put the roasting pan over two burners and bring the pan drippings to a boil over high heat. Cook until the juices reduce and thicken slightly, enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Carve the turkey and serve with cider pan juices. Resting tip: Slow-roasted meats need far less resting time (pretty much none) than those that are traditionally roasted. The reason for resting meat that has been roasted at a high temperature is to allow juices that have collected in the cooler center time to migrate back into the dryer (hotter) exterior sections after it comes out of the oven. Because slowroasted meats are cooked evenly and a temperature that keeps most of the juices in place, a resting period is largely unnecessary. A brief resting time does allow the meat to become a little firmer as it cools, making it easier to carve.
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Page 2
♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Following Report That PSE&G Has Turned Down Pole Array to Replace Controversial Switchgear Station in LeisureTowne, New Plan Divulged ‘The Box Is Not Disappearing,’ But ‘Flatbed Truck and Crane’ Will Transport It to New Site, Though Officials Claim to Not Yet Have Details of Exact Location
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
SOU TH AMP TON —It is “my understanding,” according to Southampton Township Mayor Michael Mikulski, that Public Service Enterprise Group (PSE&G) has “turned down” a pole array to replace a massive switchgear station on Saint Davids Place continuing to cause consternation in the LeisureTowne retirement community of Southampton Township. But Southa mpton Com m itt e e man Ronald Heston divulged, during an Oct. 17 Southampton Township Committee meeting, that there was a recent discussion held about “how to move” the existing unit, erected earlier this year for a solar array on a nearby landfill, to a new site, and that the current plan is to do so by using a “flatbed truck and crane.” It still did not appear, however, by this newspaper’s Nov. 15 press time, that local officials had a full grasp on where the exact location will be for any new site, and that a lot was still up in the air about any ultimate relocation, and the particulars, such as possible tree removal. Heston acknowledged as much on Oct. 17, in recognizing “there are all types of difficulties with the Pinelands Commission and PSE&G in moving it, mounting it, and where it can be.” Evelyn “Evie” Doherty, president of the LeisureTowne Board of Trustees, in a communication to residents featured in the retirement community’s November Trustees Corner, later emailed to this newspaper by a resident on Nov. 11, wrote, in part, “we will first work with the solar company and the people where the switching station is being relocated” and “we will contact the people where the relocation will take place once the exact area is marked out and we know those people impacted.” “We want to ensure that those people are satisfied with the relocation process and put in place any buffering that needs to be done,” Doherty continued. “Later, the board will hold a special board meeting to give the full outline of the move from Saint Davids Place and to the new location.” Afterwards, she vowed, the “relocation minor site plan” will then be presented to the Southampton Planning Board for its approval. “The switching station is not being relocated behind Saint Davids residences,” she maintained. “The switching station will be lifted onto a flatbed and relocated. So, LeisureTowne residents, please be patient - this process will not happen overnight.” Patience, however, seemed to be wearing thin during the Oct. 17 meeting, with resident Sue Hoffman, of Saint Davids
Place, contending that the last she heard, the PSE&G pole array had still been a “viable option” and that “we don’t know anything” and are “still in the dark about that.” She described that residents of the community, “almost a year into it,” are exhausted by the process. Hoffman noted that she wrote a message to Mikulski, but had not heard back from him (the mayor claimed he had been out of town), and that she had also been put out by some sort of incident last month in which reportedly unannounced work had been done on Saint Davids Place (it reportedly turned out to be curb and paving work in the area of the island at issue), in which she learned the board had not even been given advance knowledge about (something both Mikulski and Doherty confirmed – Doherty, in fact, described having to get into her car the next day following resident phone calls and having to query workers about what was going on). Hoffman called for a liaison between the board and tow nsh ip com m itte e, moving forward. “Because when we are in the dark, we get very angry,” Hoffman quipped. Mikulski responded, in part, “we didn’t know someone was going to be out there” and “I called our contact and told them I expect to be told at least a day before (of any planned work), preferably at least multiple days before, so I can notify the board about it.” The resident, in pointing to an upcoming February deadline for the solar firm to relocate the unit, then asked, “How are we getting it out in three months?” It was only then on Oct. 17 that some preliminary details began to be divulged by Mikulski and Heston about the potential new arrangement in the works, and that the pole array has been reportedly turned down, though, the mayor added, he has “not seen that in writing.” “I can assure you we made multiple requests,” Mikulski maintained. Despite multiple assurances given to this newspaper that PSE&G’s “media maven,” Rebecca Mazzarella, would be getting back to this newspaper with an answer as to whether the utility has arrived at a final decision, and what the decision entails, nothing has been received by this newspaper’s Nov. 15 press time. “I will look into this and get back to you,” vowed the PSE&G spokeswoman in an Oct. 10 email, the last time that she offered any kind of response. After describing what he believed was PSE&G’s decision, Mikulski declared, “I can assure other than the people on Saint Davids Place, the people most interested in moving it See SWITCHGEAR/ Page 12
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Vincent Fire Chief, in Citing Inflation, Asks for Increase in Annual Allotment to Agency from Southampton, Revealing Figure Was Last Adjusted in 1983 Leader Describes Volunteers Are ‘Getting Burned Out’ By Struggling to Find Time to Respond to Calls, All While in Addition to Securing Donations for Bingos, Raffles
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
SOUTHAMPTON—“The guys are getting burned out,” declared Scott Mitchell, chief of the Vincent Fire Company during an Oct. 17 Southampton Township Committee meeting, of his volunteer firefighters who have reportedly not only been struggling to find the time to respond to calls for service, but to fundraise to sustain the agency’s operational budget. As Mitchell revealed during the governing body session, the township’s allotment to the fire company remains at pre-inflation levels, if not at pre-21st Century levels, and suggested that the governing body consider an increase, warning that if the township loses the volunteers, and a paid force becomes the only option, the cost to the township will be far more significant. “40 years ago, in 1983, we still received the $38,000 from the township,” Mitchell said. “Inflation is up about 300 percent since then, and over 40 years, that would be at about $114,000. We are getting tired. The guys are getting burned out.” The Pine Barrens Tribune left several messages for both Township Administrator and Clerk Kathleen D. Hoffman, as well as Committeeman Ronald Heston, also the Budget Committee liaison, inquiring about the $38,000 figure Mitchell cited. Calls went unreturned as of press time. This newspaper’s review of the 2023 municipal budget found that there are two allotments, “Aid to the Volunteer Fire Company – Other Expenses” and “Fire Department – Other Expenses.” When comparing the allotment for 2023 with that of 2022, the former, remained flat, while the latter decreased from $40,000 to $20,000. According to the municipal budget document, in the “Expended 2022 column,” $20,000 was “paid or charged” while $20,000 was “reserved.” The township has two volunteer fire companies – Hampton Lakes Fire Company and Vincent Fire Company. The budget document does not breakdown the allotment share. However, in this newspaper analyzing the township bill’s lists, it found the township committee, during its Sept. 18 session, had approved of a $38,000 payment to be made to Vincent Fire Company for the “2023 budget allotment – VFC.” Given the budget figures, the source of that funding, is unclear.
This newspaper also found that in September 2022, the township committee approved a $38,000 payment to Vincent Fire Company. “Volunteerism is at an all-time low across the whole U.S.,” Mitchell told the Southampton committee on Oct. 17. “And the only way we have been able to make it (the fire company’s budget) work is by doing the bingos, which have been very successful. But it sometimes requires, in the weeks leading up to the bingos, five nights a week of going out, selling tickets, and 50-50s (raffles). “I am afraid that if we keep going in the direction we are going, we won’t have any firefighters left. That is going to be a cost to the town that is astronomically higher than this (by just increasing the allotment).” W h i le Mitchel l re cog n i zed the committeepersons “have always been great supporters of us” (the governing body had also approved a $10,000 reimbursement to the fire company, also on Sept. 18, for an equipment expense, according to the bill’s list) and maintained he was not speaking out “to beat anybody up” but rather “more of just as an awareness,” the reality is “we have to figure out something, within the next couple of years – some way to fund emergency services.” “Because it is not just the way it was 40 years ago,” Mitchell added. Back in the 1980s, the “old timers,” as Mitchell put it, had “wives who stayed at home” and “could take care of their families,” while the volunteer husbands ran “a billion calls.” But during an October 2023 weekend, for the chief alone, there were four calls and “I could not go on one of them because my wife was working.” “It is just that way,” he declared of the current times. None of the township committeepersons responded to Mitchell’s plea, however. But recently, the Pine Barrens Tribune reported on a 2023 municipal budget discussion had by the governing body, in which it was said that the municipality was in “very, very preliminary discussions” to consolidate both the Hampton Lakes and Vincent volunteer fire companies into, as Deputy Mayor Bill Raftery had described it, “one entity.” The remark had come about after Southampton Mayor Michael Mikulski discussed the township falling behind on its plan to replace fire trucks for the two volunteer entities, which are mandated to be retired after 20 years by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). See CHIEF/ Page 10
Bi-level Home Catches Fire in Country Lakes, Displacing Seven People; Local Firefighters Also Battle Two Smaller Fires in Pemberton Township PEMBERTON—A Nov. 2 fire “burned out” a bi-level home in the Country Lakes section of Pemberton Township, displacing around seven people, including children, according to Fire Chief Craig Augustoni. Firefighters were dispatched to a home on Cardinal Drive at around 9:07 a.m., he said, and upon arrival, located a “pretty big” blaze. It reached two-alarms. “We had a good knockdown on it,” the fire chief said. The home, which was a rental, according to Augustoni, while it “burned out,” did not collapse. The fire was placed under control at around 9:51 a.m. The Red Cross was dispatched to the scene and helped the victims, but the fire chief could not say if the agency was providing shelter, with him noting that he believed the victims had family in the area.
No injuries were reported, according to Augustoni, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. On the night of Nov. 2, according to the fire chief, firefighters were also dispatched to a shed fire in the township, but it was a “little one” that did not cause any injuries or significant damage. And around 8:45 a.m. on Nov. 15, firefighters were dispatched to a fire that is suspected of being “accidental” in nature on Cherokee Drive, also in Country Lakes, Augustoni said. The flames briefly popped through the siding and a wall of a home, and firefighters had to remove parts of a wall, but the family living in the affected home was able to stay after the flames were put out. The cause is under investigation by the county fire marshal, Augustoni noted.
UNSEAT
(Continued from Page 1) results from Umba’s. That number, however, seemed to be sufficient to assure that she would remain ahead once the final results are certified, based on figures either seen or estimated by the Pine Barrens Tribune in regard to the remaining number of mail-in or provisional ballots yet to be reviewed by election boards in Burlington and Atlantic counties, and that Torrissi, who had 27,850 votes, would also stay on top of the heap with Angelozzi, who had 27,389, continuing to be in third place. When the vote count first came in on Election Night Nov. 7, some media outlets were proclaiming that the Republican incumbents had both retained their seats.
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES ♦ Page 3 But by the next day, that started to show signs of having been a premature conclusion where Katz and Umba were concerned. W hether or not the remaining outstanding ballots might make enough difference to prompt either of the losing candidates to ask for a recount is still an open question. Recounts are not automatic in New Jersey simply based on the number of votes that determine an outcome, as they are in some states, but have to be requested from Superior Court. But that the 8th District contest has been a “very close race” was acknowledged by Burlington County Spokesman David Levinsky in a phone interview with this newspaper. Levinsky said it was his understanding that there were “still ballots that could be counted,” although whether there were enough to influence the outcome See UNSEAT/ Page 13
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Rate Increase That Had Been Set to Begin in 2017 for Mobile Home Parks in Southampton Not Collected, with Town Pursuing 2024 Implementation Proposed Ordinance States Township Notified Park Owners of ‘Imposition for 2023’ and That’s When It ‘Received Protest from Counsel,’ and Measure is to Avert Lawsuit
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
SOUTHAMPTON—A previously decided rate increase to be charged to mobile home park owners in Southampton Township, which was supposed to take effect in 2017, apparently was not collected, the Pine Barrens Tribune has learned, and as a result of the discovery, the township moved to have them start paying it beginning this year. But one of the mobi le home park owners, according to a whereas clause in a proposed ordinance, hired an attorney and the township then “received protest from counsel for one of the mobile home parks.” And now, while another whereas clause in the proposed ordinance calls the attorney’s position “unreasonable,” the Southampton committee is moving to have that ordinance passed, perhaps as early as its scheduled Nov. 21 session, to commence the previously scheduled adjustment for 2017 in January 2024. The proposed ordinance and reset of the start date is all in a bid “to clarify” the existing municipal ordinance to avert litigation, the draft measure states.
According to the proposed ordinance, in which its whereas clauses give background, on Aug. 20, 2013, the then-township committee had adopted an ordinance to “raise the fees charged for mobile home units located within Southampton.” Then, after “representatives of the mobile home parks expressed concern about the increase and asked that the township phase in the increase,” the township committee agreed to a “phase-in scheduled from 2013 through 2016.” And “it was the intent of the township that the rate should have increased to the set rates” on the books in January 2017, but “the township determined that the rate was not raised, and the mobile park owners have enjoyed the benefit of not paying the increased fee for the last six years.” It was when the township “provided notification to the mobile parks of the imposition of the fee in 2023,” that the township received the protest. One of the Southampton committee’s most raucous meetings of the 21st Century occurred upon word of the 2013 hike, after See HOME/ Page 13
‘Hateful Graffiti Involving Swastikas,’ According to Evesham’s Mayor, Found at Town’s Black Run Preserve, Drawing Strong Condemnation Official Declares ‘This Type of Evil Will Find No Safe Harbor in Our Community’
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
EVESHAM—As a war in the Middle East rages between Israel and Hamas, following an Oct. 7 deadly terrorist attack and massacre in Israel that led to a later invasion of Gaza, according to Evesham Township Mayor Jacklyn “Jackie” Veasy, “communities across our nation have experienced a painful rise in acts of intolerance and hate crimes against Jewish people” and “unfortunately, Evesham Township is not immune to these disturbing trends.” According to the mayor, several trails, signs, and kiosks in Evesham Township’s Black Run Preserve were recently damaged or defaced, “including by hateful graffiti involving swastikas.” “Let me be clear – this type of evil has no place in our modern society, and this type of evil will find no safe harbor in our community,” she declared. The mayor, in a statement, offered her “thanks to our Evesham Police Department for immediately investigating these incidents, and to our Parks staff, who quickly worked to cover/remove these intolerable symbols of hate.”
Protectors Of Public Health & Property
According to Evesham Police Chief Walt Miller, as of Nov. 15, no arrests have been made. “We would ask the public if they have any information that would aid in the investigation to please contact us,” Miller added. “We take bias crimes very seriously and are actively investigating these acts of vandalism, aimed at intimidating the Jewish community.” Veasy vowed, as township mayor, to “publicly condemn these hateful incidents and the hateful individuals who perpetrate them.” “As I’ve said before, anti-Semitism is not only immoral, but it is undeniably unAmerican,” Veasy declared. “The promise of our great nation is that all people, regardless of their ethnicity or the faith they practice, can live together in peace and freedom.” She added that for anyone “impacted by these terrible acts” to “please know that you have the complete and unyielding support” of not only her, but “fellow elected members of Township Council” as well as “your municipality as a whole, including our police and other public safety officials,” and that, “as always, Evesham Township will continue to work for the safety and dignity of all our citizens, of all backgrounds.”
LECK’S
Photo By Douglas D. Melegari
The Zallie Family Market team joins with members of the Medford-Vincentown Rotary Club to prepare grocery allotments for those in need.
FOOD
(Continued from Page 1) until supplies run out. On this particular day, The Common Market, a regional, non-profit wholesale food distributor, whose mission is to connect communities with good food from sustainable family farms, had supplied farm-fresh foods, while Medford Bagels, of Medford Township, offered bags of fresh bagels. The Food Bank of South Jersey trucked in the rest of the food items offered, including apple juice, spaghetti, tomato sauce, frozen packages of chicken wings, jars of olives and roasted peppers, canned beans, corn and mixed beans, bags of flour as well as boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios for breakfast and Tastykakes for dessert.
See FOOD/ Page 9
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And with Thanksgiving being in November, also given out to each person or family in need was a ready-to-cook, frozen turkey. “I am on social security,” said the recipient of some of the goods, Terry, from Tabernacle Township. “It is tough times. I worked my whole life, and thought I could retire on social security. But the pricing of things is outrageous.” However, she maintained that one should not feel bad for her predicament, declaring that the food pantry “has been a blessing to me” and she has a lot to be “very grateful” for this holiday season. “I am blessed for there being this kind of an organization,” she said. Kim Bezanis, executive director of the Zallie Community Foundation, connected
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Festive Feasting
Great gifts for the family foodie pg. S4
Holiday GIFT GUIDE
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The Gift of Getting Up and Going
Shopping Locally
The benefits of shopping local this holiday season pg. S9
November 18, 2023
What to know about different types of experiential gifts pg. S14
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE
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How to master shopping early for the holidays
Saturday, November 18, 2023
“The early bird gets the worm”
is a well-known English proverb that historians trace all the way back to the 1600s. Though the words might first have been popularized hundreds of years ago, they remain as true today as they were then, particularly in regard to holiday shopping. Savvy shoppers have long touted the importance of starting early when looking for holiday gifts for loved ones. Seasoned procrastinators may never embrace early shopping, but others who want to a less hectic holiday shopping season can consider these tips. • Begin with a plan. Holiday shopping excursions, whether they take place in town, at the mall or online, can take longer than expected when shoppers have no idea what they’re looking for. Prior to your first holiday shopping trip, jot down gift ideas for each person on your list. Then scour stores or websites for those items. Starting early affords shoppers time to bargain hunt and ensures supply shortages or other issues won’t get in the way of a happy loved one come the holiday season.
Saturday, November 18, 2023
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM • Recognize the notion of “early” has changed. Early holiday shopping used to be synonymous with the retail holiday Black Friday, which occurs the day after Thanksgiving in the United States. However, many holiday shoppers now begin buying gifts long before they’ve purchased a Thanksgiving turkey. In its 2022 Consumer Pulse Survey, McKinsey & Company found that 56 percent of consumers started their holiday shopping in October. A host of variables may have influenced that shift, but supply chain issues related to the COVID19 pandemic have lingered, which undoubtedly compelled consumers to get an especially early start on holiday shopping. Shoppers who want to ensure everything arrives on time for the holiday season must recognize that “early” shopping now involves beginning around Halloween, if not earlier. • Take the (local) road less traveled. Shopping local merchants in person is a strategy savvy shoppers have long since embraced, but it’s one that’s especially beneficial in an era marked by supply chain issues and inflation. Local merchants don’t have the overhead or sizable staffs of big box or chain stores, which enables them to keep costs low. And since local merchants produce many of their own products, it’s likely there’s something in store that shoppers will love and less likely that they will have issues filling orders. A late fall afternoon in a local shopping district can yield an array of treasures and help holiday shoppers find the right gift for many a person on their list. • When in doubt, go gift card. If the right gift is proving elusive even when shopping early, shoppers should not hesitate to go the gift card route. Shoppers need not feel as though a gift card is a nonstarter, as a 2022 survey from the National Retail Federation found that 54 percent of survey respondents indicated gift cards were the most desirable gift of the holiday season. Shopping early is a great way to enjoy a less hectic holiday season.
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Historic levels of inflation did not deter shoppers from spending during the 2022 holiday shopping season. Inflation has contributed to a cost-ofliving increase that has forced consumers to cut back in many areas. Despite that, a 2023 report from GlobalData found that consumer holiday-related spending in 2022 rose by 6.7 percent compared to the year prior. A survey of more than 55,000 consumers found Thanksgiving was an especially busy day for shoppers, as consumers spent 8.4 percent more money on the day in 2022 than they did in 2021. The increase in spending was good news for retailers, though it was marked by an odd curiosity. Holiday shoppers spent more in 2022 than they did in 2021, but that spending involved shopping for fewer people. The GlobalData report indicated that the average shopper bought gifts for about four people in 2022, which was down from about six people in 2021.
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Great gifts for the family foodie
Food features prominently throughout the holiday season. Family meals around the holiday dinner table are a cherished tradition in millions of households, and food also plays a central role during seasonal gatherings with friends and colleagues. Food also can feature prominently throughout Chanukah and on Christmas Day, particularly if a loved one qualifies as a full-fledged foodie. Many families feature at least one foodie. Foodies always know the best place in town to grab a bite or when a trendy new restaurant will open its doors. But such individuals also enjoy making meals at home, and the following gift ideas can make this holiday season more flavorful for the family foodie. • Tabletop Pirepit: Shoppers who want to impress their food-loving loved one with something truly unique can give a tabletop firepit. Safe for indoor use, tabletop firepits enable s’mores-loving foodies to indulge in a traditionally summertime favorite all-yearround. Tabletop firepits are small enough to be stored on a kitchen countertop or in a cabinet. When in use, the s’mores-friendly accessory is smokeless, removing perhaps the lone disadvantage to making this beloved treat. • Club Subscription: Monthly subscriptions are a gift that can keep on giving all the way until next holiday season. Sweets lovers will undoubtedly appreciate receiving a box of fresh chocolates each month, while those with more unique tastes may anxiously await the day their monthly shipment of pickles arrives at their doorstep. The options are endless,
ensuring there’s a monthly subscription out there to tickle every foodie’s fancy. • Sauce Sampler: Amateur sauciers may find inspiration in a sauce sampler set. Sampler set options abound, so shoppers can find something for foodies who love a spicy sauce, something more sweet or even in between. Of course, sampler sets also provide a range of sauces, making them ideal for foodies who want something spicy tonight before pivoting to a sweeter dish tomorrow. Flavored olive oil sampler sets also can be a great gift for cooks who love to experiment with new flavors. • Charcuterie Board and Knife Set: Foodies who love to host their fellow food fanatics will no doubt fall in love with a new charcuterie board and knife set. A 2023 report from Kroger revealed that the supermarket chain expected charcuterie boards to remain popular over the course of the year. That popularity makes sense, as anything from meat to cheese to fruit to crackers has a home on a charcuterie board, making the item especially appealing to foodies who routinely share their homes and love of food with friends and family. • Espresso Maker: Of course, foodies aren’t just about food. Beverages also figure prominently in many foodies’ lives. A highend espresso maker can ground fresh beans and brew multiple cups in no time at all, making it an ideal addition to any foodie’s culinary arsenal. Food is a vital component of the holiday season and can even be incorporated into holiday shopping.
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AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM National Golf Foundation indicated that more than 34 million people in the United States played golf in 2019, and 15 percent of those players were 65 and over. A new set of custom-fit clubs can help seniors take their game to the next level. Such clubs can be expensive, so they make a great tandem gift from children and grandchildren who pool their resources. If new clubs are not necessary or too costly, a single club, such as a new driver or putter, makes for a great gift as well. Gear like a new golf bag, new spikes and new course-friendly attire also makes a great gift for seniors who love the links.
Tailor-made gifts for on-the-go seniors
• Travel Gifts: The 2023 AARP Travel Trends survey found that 85 percent of older travelers rank travel in their top three priorities for discretionary spending. The appeal of travel has not worn off for modern seniors, and shoppers can keep that in mind this holiday season. New luggage, travel miles earned through a credit card, unique experiences at senior travelers’ next destination, air tags that can keep track of luggage, and a world travel adapter that can convert plugs in any
Seniors and older adults did not seem to get the memo regarding inflation. As the world continues to navigate a cost-of-living increase, internal data from Bank of America indicates that Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) and Traditionalists (individuals born between 1928 and 1945) are spending more while younger generations are cutting back. Between May 2021 and May 2022, spending by Traditionalists increased by more than 5 percent while Baby Boomer spending rose by
2.2 percent. That uptick occurred while younger generations’ spending fell by 1.5 percent. Seniors seem to be on the go, and that’s something holiday shoppers can keep in mind as they look for gifts for their aging parents, grandparents and others. With that in mind, shoppers can consider these gifts that align well with the lifestyles of seniors who are out and about and making the most of their free time. • Golf Clubs or Golf Gear: Data from the
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The Mount Laurel Living Nativity is a live production with 13 walkthrough, outdoor scenes and 200 cast and crew each night. It is a completely free gift to the community that has run for over 25 years here at Fellowship Community Church.You'll walk through scenes depicting the full story of Christmas and beyond, ending with homemade cookies and hot chocolate inside. It's a great way to spend a special night celebrating the holiday season together. You can get all the details, including weather updates through our website: www.LivingNativity.org This year's dates are Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 &17. Doors open at 5 p.m. and remain open until 8 p.m. each night. It's located at Fellowship Community Church, 1520 Hainesport Rd., Mount Laurel, NJ 08054. THERE IS NO COST OR DONATIONS.
Holiday GIFT GUIDE
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country across the globe are just a few of the many travel gifts shoppers can give on-the-go seniors this December.
• Exercise Gear: The National Council on Aging notes that adults who exercise after turning 65 continue to reap the same rewards that improve quality of life among younger men and women. In addition to boosting immunity, exercising after 65 continues to improve mood so long as seniors stay the course. Exercise gear, including attire and appropriate footwear, can reduce injury risk and help seniors feel more comfortable while breaking a sweat. • Spa Session: All that activity is good for the body, but so is a little post-activity rest and relaxation. A day at the spa, where seniors can get a massage, take a mental break and address minor aches and pains can be just the thing seniors need to recover in time for their next excursion. Any number of gifts can make this holiday season even more special for modern seniors who continue to get up and go each day.
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE
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Saturday, November 18, 2023
Holiday gifts for the family artist
The feeling of giving a gift and watching the recipient smile broadly after peeling away the wrapping is part of what the makes holiday season such a special time of year. Matching presents to people is not always easy, but when shoppers pull it off, the smile on a loved one’s face is quite the reward.
Creative individuals and resident artists are continually honing their crafts. This holiday season could be the perfect opportunity to tune into these artistic pursuits and give something that lets artists take their creativity to the next level. The following are some gift ideas for artistic individuals on holiday shopping lists.
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Shopping Experience
Each artistic pursuit requires its own array of materials and tools to perfect the craft. For example, painters will rely on canvases, oils and paintbrushes to create masterpieces, while those who engage in ceramics may need bisques, clays and firing tools. A mix of supplies can fuel upcoming projects.
Many artists also are entrepreneurs who sell their wares to others. You can help promote that passion by funding an online shopping website or paying for table or booth fees at area craft festivals and other vendor events around town.
Museum or Exhibition Visit
Display Their Art
Artists may be inspired by others who engage in the arts. Purchase tickets to a museum that has always been a favorite for the gift recipient. Entry to a local art installation or exhibition also figures to be a hit.
If an artist you know has a particularly beloved collection or piece of art, arrange for a professional framing or purchase a high-end display case. This way the artwork will remain pristine for others to enjoy in the years ahead.
Lessons
Gift Cards
Classes with an artistic master can help artists hone their craft. Masterclass.com offers annual subscriptions or monthly sessions during which people can learn from the world’s best instructors in their respective fields. Local artists also may be willing to serve as mentors or instructors, and sessions with these people also can make perfect holiday gifts.
Though gift cards may seem impersonal, they can be the means by which an artist is able to purchase supplies or travel to art shows to sell their offerings. Don’t discount the utility of gift cards come the holiday season.
BUYING LOC ALYS: A FOR THE HOLIDality a must for qu and variety
Artists can benefit from a number of different gifts that help to propel their creative pursuits.
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Gym Memberships Make Great Gifts! The natural world is a wonder to behold, with awe-inspiring vistas and wildlife. Spending time in nature has been studied and reported on by a number of medical professionals. The general takeaway is that enjoying time in the great outdoors has been linked to everything from improved mood to reduced risk of disease. Just a little bit of time in fresh air and sunlight can improve wellbeing by a significant margin, which is perhaps why nature has inspired so many devotees. If there is a nature lover in your family, use that interest as inspiration when holiday shopping this year. Here are some naturerelated gift ideas. • Binoculars: Bird watchers or other animal observers understand that wild animals can become skittish around people. It’s best to view them from afar, and a good set of binoculars makes it easier to do so. • Mounted Camera: When the GoPro camera came on the scene many years ago, it revolutionized the way amateur filmmakers could document their adventures. The GoPro and its model evolutions continue to enable people to capture photos and videos both on land and underwater. With a head-mounting strap and some additional accessories,
adventurers will be unencumbered by the camera. Similar mounting devices may be available for Android- and Apple-based phones and cameras as well. • Waterproof Hiking Boots/Shoes: Taking the road less traveled often means going on foot. Trailblazing is made easier with durable, waterproof footwear that can go from the trail to the mountainside more readily. • Motion-Capture Trail Camera: Another way to watch wildlife is to do so from a motion-capture trail camera that can be set up by a nesting area or along a path frequented by local wildlife. • First Aid Kit: It’s always important to keep safety in mind when enjoying nature. A wellstocked first aid kit is a great way to give the gift of good health and safety. • Camping Gear: When sleeping out under the stars or at a campsite, a tent, ground cover, sleeping bag, backpack, camp stove, and other gear can make the experience all the better. Nature lovers can enjoy their passions even more thoroughly with gifts that cater to their love of the great outdoors.
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The benefits of shopping local during the holiday season
Millions of people enjoy shopping for gifts and loved ones each holiday season. The spirit of giving is alive and well each December, and that can extend to giving back to one’s own community. In addition to supporting local charities when making donations during the holiday season, shoppers can patronize small local businesses over big box retailers and national chains. The decision to do so can benefit communities in myriad ways. • Small businesses inspire young entrepreneurs. The United States Department of Commerce reports that nearly half of all small business owners in the U.S. in 2018 were 54 or younger. Six percent of those owners were 34 and under. Young entrepreneurs at the helm of thriving local businesses provide inspiration to the next generation of innovators. • Thriving small business owners can send a positive message to traditionally
underrepresented groups. The National Women’s Business Council Annual Report for 2022 indicated women-owned employer firms increased by nearly 17 percent between 2012 and 2019. Similarly, the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 Annual Business Survey found that there were more Hispanic-owned and minorityowned businesses in various sectors than a decade earlier. The success of women- and minority-owned businesses sends a positive message to young entrepreneurs and locals who are part of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented in business. That can help to create a more diverse and inclusive Main Street, the success of which depends heavily on locals’ willingness to patronize locally-owned businesses.
uncommon to break bread and share a few drinks during a night on the town. Choosing to gather at a locally owned restaurant or tavern instead of a chain restaurant can have a ripple effect on an assortment of local businesses. Local restaurants often source their ingredients from local farms. A family meal at such a restaurant benefits both the restaurant owner and the hardworking local suppliers of the food that ends up on the plate. Local restaurants also are more likely to list locally produced wines and craft beers on their menus than national chains. That adds to the ripple effect of celebrating the holidays at a locally owned restaurant.
• Shopping local supports many small business owners. Family meals and social gatherings with friends and coworkers are a big part of the holiday season, and it’s not
A thriving small business sector is vital to a strong local economy. Shoppers can keep that in mind and patronize local businesses during the holiday season.
Holiday GIFT GUIDE
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A Victorian Christmas at Smithville Mansion Every room is decorated by local clubs, historical societies, and individuals highlighting this year’s theme HB’s Victorian Christmas.
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will be held on 12/14, 12/17, 12/22 and 12/29. The cost is $15 per person. Reservations are required online. www.smithvillemansion.org
The Boutique will be open Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday during the month of December beginning 12/1. Christmas Tea Events: All are sold out. 803 Smithville Road, Eastampton, New Jersey • Call 609-261-3780 for More Information and Reservations.
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE
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Made-for-TV movies often depict holiday shopping in the best possible light. The story’s protagonist wanders into the town center and easily finds everything on his or her list at a series of perfectly decorated local boutiques that have nary a shopper in sight. Hot chocolate or mulled cider and repartee also tends to be par for the television movie course. People in the real world understand that holiday shopping doesn’t always work so smoothly. Certainly shopping local is a great way to avoid the crowds and introduce shoppers to more unique gift options, but it’s impossible to remove every obstacle in holiday shopping — particularly getting stumped over shopping for that particularly difficult person on your list. The holly jolly nature of the season can be eclipsed when a person doesn’t know where to begin when shopping for those people who seem to have it all. The following ideas can help shoppers who are stuck on what to buy for that loved one who already has it all. • Consider experiences. A recent Harris Group study found 72 percent of millennials prefer to spend money on experiences rather than things. If the person on your shopping list has just about every material possession one can imagine, giving unique experiences might be the way to go. The National Retail Federation confirms the shift in attitude, noting consumers across all age groups now spend more on experiences than they did in years past. • Consolidate memories. Technology continues to evolve, which means that the
way music, videos and photos are captured and stored is always changing. Unless a person has older gear, it’s no longer possible to watch a VHS tape featuring a family member’s graduation ceremony or reprint photographs that are on film negatives. However, shoppers can work with a company that will transfer media onto a new format, such as a thumb drive or in a cloudbased account. This can be a heartfelt gift for someone who wants to reminisce. • Food or beverage subscription. Everyone needs to eat (and drink), so there is always a need for tasty offerings. Introduce loved ones to new foods with various subscriptions. If a person is missing flavors from a home country, have delicacies shipped so the recipient can enjoy a taste of their childhood.
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• Make a family cookbook. Enlist the help of other family members and compile beloved family recipes. Utilize a cookbook publishing service to compile all of these recipes together. Then gift recipients can revisit their favorites time and again. • Trace family lineage. If the gift recipient is a history buff or is interested in his or her family tree, then a membership to an ancestry service could be an ideal gift. Individuals can spend hours uncovering distant relations and studying their family history in the process. Holiday shopping can be challenging when looking for gifts for people who seemingly have it all. A few outside-the-box ideas can make it easier to overcome that challenge.
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE ♦ Page S11
What shoppers can do to avoid breaking the bank this holiday season Monday to find great deals on a wide range of items. Take retail holiday savings one step further by penciling in time to comparison shop on these popular days when retailers compete for customers.
• Look for almost-new gifts. Mobile providers may market the latest model smartphone as upping the ante with new bells and whistles, but chances are last year’s model is just as userfriendly at a fraction of the cost. The same can be said for other gadgets like wireless headphones and smart TVs. Last year’s models may be heavily discounted, particularly online, but just as impressive as their more expensive successors.
Millions of individuals enjoy holiday shopping for their loved ones each year. Come the holiday season, thoughts of what to get friends and family is foremost on the minds of those who embrace the spirit of giving that is synonymous with this special time of year. Thankfully, a few simple strategies can help shoppers stay the financial course this holiday season.
It’s easy to overspend come the holiday shopping season. That could be even easier in an era marked by high inflation, which has affected consumers since 2022. Lingering inflation could require shoppers to be especially vigilant with their shopping budgets this holiday season.
• Track spending with a banking app on your smartphone. Consumers can now track their spending in real time by downloading their bank and/or credit card app on their smartphones. A quick login can help shoppers monitor account balances to determine how much they have spent. If the budget is about to be busted, pull back the reins and cut the shopping trip short. • Establish gift value limits. No one has been immune to the effects of inflation over the last year-plus. So family members likely won’t have a problem establishing spending limits this year. Work together with relatives to determine a reasonable limit to spend on each gift. For example, a $50 per gift limit can ensure everyone gets a quality gift without going into debt.
• Shop on retail holidays. Black Friday was once the only game in town regarding retail holidays. But consumers can take advantage of additional discount-heavy shopping days like Small Business Saturday and Cyber
• Keep shipping costs in mind. The sticker price of certain items, particularly large ones, is likely not the whole story regarding how much the item will cost. Certain items, like trampolines for kids or a new armchair for Dad, will likely cost considerably more than the sticker price alone. Shipping on small items may be free at various online retailers, but that likely won’t be the case with larger items. The cost of shipping some heavy items might be as much as one-third the cost of the item itself. Shoppers should keep that in mind and build potential shipping costs into their holiday budgets. It’s easy to overspend come the holiday season. However, various strategies make it easy to stay within budget when shopping for gifts for family and friends.
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Gift ideas for college students
Saturday, November 18, 2023
College is the natural next step for many graduating high school students. According to Best Colleges, in 2022 there were 17.9 million students enrolled in degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States. Many other students began their college careers in the fall 2023 semester, joining the ranks of people working toward their degrees. Holiday gifts that aim to meet the needs and interests of recipients can ensure presents will be enjoyed and utilized. Modern college students likely can use a few things to simplify life on campus.
Laptop or Tablet Gone are the days when students primarily utilize pen and paper for school assignments. Students are often introduced to tablets and other digital devices to complete assignments and take notes as early as elementary school. This reliance on paperless communication continues at the high school and university level. Most, if not all, assignments are posted online and then completed and submitted through various portals or cloud services. Therefore, college students will require a laptop or high functioning tablet with the right processing speed and memory capacity to handle the demand.
Parking Pass Although freshmen may be restricted from bringing cars to campus unless they are commuter students, sophomores and upperclassmen may be able to park in campus lots. Parking typically is an extra cost for students, meaning friends or relatives can gift the cost of annual parking passes to the college students in their lives.
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE ♦ Page S13
Event Tickets Not every moment should be spent in classrooms or residence halls. College students may want to venture away from campus, and what better way to enjoy the sights and offerings of what nearby venues have to offer than by attending various events? Gift-givers can offer tickets to art shows, music festivals, comedy club nights, amusement parks, or other events in college towns. Student Card Funds Colleges utilize different programs for paying for meal plans and incidentals purchased on campus. This likely involves funds linked to a proprietary card that functions similarly to a debit or credit card. Savvy gift givers can deposit funds into students’ accounts so that they’ll have a little extra spending money to put toward books or that mocha latte at the campus coffee shop. Dorm Gear College students who opt to live in campus housing often want to make their dorm rooms a home away from home. They will need to outfit these tight quarters with items that won’t take up too much space. Small pod-type coffee pots, compact microwaves, mini fridges, under-bed storage shelving, area rugs, cozy comforters, and bathroom essentials can make college kids’ dorm rooms feel more like home. Travel Assistance
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Attending college far from home means that students will take planes, trains or automobiles to return home for holidays and other special events. Gifting college students airline or train fare, or providing gift cards for gas station fill-ups, means students will be able to afford trips home when needed. College students can benefit from gifts geared to the college lifestyle.
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The different types of experiential gifts Seasoned holiday shoppers know it’s not always so easy to find the perfect gift. When shoppers find it especially difficult to pick the right present, it can help to consider what recipients may want. And recent surveys have found that more and more individuals are interested in experiences rather than physical gifts.
A 2022 survey from the travel booking platform GetYourGuide found that 77 percent of individuals surveyed preferred to receive experiences over more traditional physical gifts during the holiday season. Such gifts are now categorized as experiential gifts, and there’s seemingly no end to the possibilities when holiday shoppers choose to give experiences to their loved ones.
Outdoor Adventures Travel Experiential gifts related to travel are wildly popular. In fact, 63 percent of respondents to the GetYourGuide survey indicated they would most enjoy surprise travel as a gift, making it the most popular category among participants. Travel-related experiential gifts include everything from airline miles to unique activities at a loved one’s eventual destination, such as a parasailing adventure at an island resort.
Outdoor adventures need not be exclusive to vacations in parts unknown. Holiday shoppers can examine local attractions that will ensure their loved one enjoys an adventurous day close to home. Such experiences are popular, as 43 percent of respondents to the GetYourGuide survey indicated they would most enjoy outdoor activities like skiing, boating or hiking. An adventure with a local company that offers hot air balloon rides or a guided hiking tour through scenic local mountains are just a couple of ways to gift an outdoor experience loved ones won’t soon forget.
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Food Food-based experiences were the fourth most desirable experiential gift among GetYourGuide survey participants. Such experiences can include food tours, cooking classes, a night out at a local hotspot known for its appetizing menu, or even a meal at home prepared and cooked by a private chef. Beverage-related experiences also merit consideration, as many a food fanatic would undoubtedly love a course on wine tasting or even home brewing lessons from the brewmaster at a local brewery.
Exactly half of the GetYourGuide survey respondents indicated they would enjoy tickets to a concert or show. Shoppers can scour the websites of a loved one’s favorite musicians to see when they’re in town. Live theater fans may appreciate a night out to enjoy dinner and a show at their local theater. There’s no end to the experiences holiday shoppers can gift to their loved ones. And such gifts have become wildly popular in recent years.
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The holiday season is synonymous with giving. Families engage in gift-giving come the holiday season to show their loved ones how much they appreciate them. Such sentiments are thoughtful and can have a big impact when shoppers find the perfect gift. The perfect gift can be elusive. No one wants to give a gift that won’t end up being used, and some people on shoppers’ lists may prove more difficult to shop for than others. That might be the case with busy professionals who are seemingly always working. This holiday season, shoppers can consider these four unique gift ideas for loved ones climbing their way up the corporate ladder. 1. Luggage Business travel took a hit during the pandemic, and a spring 2023 report from the research firm Morning Consult predicted that it may never return to what was considered normal prior to the pandemic. However, the report indicated that the average business traveler is now younger and earning less than the average business traveler before the pandemic. That makes luggage an ideal gift for the up-and-coming professional who may be traveling more and could benefit from some stylish, sturdy and durable luggage.
Holiday GIFT GUIDE ♦ Page S15
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2. Fountain Pen Few small items exude a greater sense of sophistication and success than a high-end, engraved fountain pen. Established professionals will appreciate the sleek and impressive appearance of a hand-crafted, customized fountain pen, which can be used to pen memos or sign important documents in style.
Stress is part of the job for many successful professionals. In fact, the American Institute of Stress reports that 94 percent of workers report having chronic stress at work. The competitive nature of the corporate world may not afford many opportunities to decompress during the workday, but the National Institutes of Health reports that yoga can play an effective role in reducing stress and anxiety. Some yoga sessions, which can be purchased from a local yoga studio or even through an app users can access on their smart TVs, can be just what successful executives need to unwind in a healthy way after a long day at the office. Successful professionals have a lot on their plate. A gift that can make their workdays better is sure to be a hit this holiday season.
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Holiday GIFT GUIDE
Saturday, November 18, 2023
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Medford Residents Voice Concerns About Speeders in Governor’s Walk Endangering Significantly Increased Number of Neighborhood Children Informal Talk with Police Chief Following Council Meeting Results in Follow-Up Call; Main Street Leader Also Complains to Council About Trash Left There After Parade
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
MEDFORD—The Medford Township Council heard complaints at a half-hourlong Nov. 8 meeting by two residents of the Governor’s Walk subdivision about a marked increase in the amount of traffic there, including suspected drug traffic, and from the spokesman for a Main Street civic group about trash left behind following events such as the recent Halloween parade. Council members and others in attendance were also given some good news from outgoing Township Clerk Katherine Burger concerning two New Jersey Department of Transportation grants to Medford —one it just received in the amount of $239,360 for the first phase of the repaving of Atsion Road and another $1.486 million award under the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program, part of which she said will be used to expand pedestrian access to Main Street (County Route 541) from where it intersects with Route 70.
FOOD
(Continued from Page 4) Zallie Community Foundation Mobile Food Pantry: The Zallie Community Foundation operates a Pop-Up Food Pantry once a month in partnership with The Food Bank of South Jersey. The food pantry is located at Fawn Lake Village, 1004 Route 206, in Shamong. Food is available for distribution the first Thursday of every month from 11 a.m. – 12 noon, or until supplies run out. This event is open to those in need, all New Jersey residents. For more information, visit: https:// zalliecommunityfoundation.org/ St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Pantry: The St. Vincent de Paul Society, Tabernacle Township chapter, through the Church of Holy Eucharist, offers a Food Pantry, open Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 12-noon. This is available to those who qualify, and who live in the communities of Chatsworth, Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle and Vincentown. If you are in need of financial assistance or food and live in the surrounding area, please call the SVDP hotline at 609-268-0005. When calling, please leave your name, phone number and short message in regard to what type of assistance you need.
The latter grant was something she mentioned in response to Ryan Lang, of Dorset Drive, who commented that residents and bikers from the heavily populated neighborhood “would love better access to Main Street” and said he wanted to “throw out the idea that the intersection be made more pedestrian friendly.” But Lang, a member of the Governor’s Walk Homeowners Association board, said he had mainly come, along with his neighbor Gary Herjo, to register concern about the threat from speeders to the “influx of children” in the neighborhood after failing to get any real help from the board, as well as a study by the police department on whether to install speed bumps, maintaining it “didn’t work out.” He told the three council members present, Deputy Mayor Lauren Kochan, Frank Czekay and Erik Rebstock, that he now wanted to explore other possible options because while there had not been that many youngsters when he first moved to Zallie Family Markets, including the ShopRite of Medford, explained that about two years ago, during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, Fred Wasiak, current president of The Food Bank of South Jersey, had proposed sponsoring the Pop-Up Food Pantry as a Medford-Vincentown Rotary Club initiative to give back to the community. The Zallie Community Foundation has since taken it over, with it now designated a Mobile Pantry, and it is in its second year of administering the program. “We didn’t want to leave people in need,” said Bezanis of that decision. Volunteers with the Rotary still regularly join with the Zallie team to distribute the food, she said, and among those on hand Nov. 2 was Medford-Vincentown Rotarian Michael Czyzyk (also now a Medford councilman-elect), who told this newspaper his volunteering is “just his way of giving back.” “I did grow up right down the street, so it means a lot,” Czyzyk said. According to Bezanis, in addition to the Rotarians, sometimes, those with The Food Bank of South Jersey also still come out to provide a helping hand. “It is growing because (increased allotments for) food stamps ended after COVID,” said Bezanis of the event, noting that participation has only further increased since the nonprofit group, Unforgotten Haven, whose mission is to help the less fortunate, made announcements on social media about the
in seven years ago, “that has changed drastically over the last couple years and I think we’re doing these kids a big disservice by not adding signage, crosswalks or something of that nature.” Speeding, according to Lang, had become especially prevalent on Cropwell Lane, the main road through the neighborhood, where he had recently observed “two cars driving side by side, like drag racing.” “That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me,” he declared, adding that he would like to know from council how he would get some guidance on what to do about the situation. Kochan, filling in for Mayor Charles “Chuck” Watson, replied, “I would say it is an enforcement issue,” and suggested that Lang take his concerns and contact information directly to the police chief, Arthur Waterman, who was in attendance, and see what could be done about the situation. Czekay suggested that perhaps trafficcalming measures discussed in the past could be taken, such as “the ones where you paint the images on the actual street and it sort of pops up at you as you’re driving to slow you because you think you’re going to hit somebody.” Herjo, saying he wanted to add to the points Lang had made, noted that he had lived in the development for more than 20 years and concurred with him that “a significant number of children had moved
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES ♦ Page 9 in over the last 12 to 24 months” and that there was “a fair amount of high-speed traffic going through” the neighborhood. In addition, Herjo contended that the traffic always seemed to increase toward nightfall, beginning at the entrance to Mount HollyMedford Road, and extending all through the development, terminating at the basketball courts at the end of Cropwell, which he said were poorly lit and where some drug trafficking was alleged to be taking place after dark. “But the bottom line is there seems to be a correspondence between dusk, darkness and increased vehicular traffic,” he asserted. “It is not a coincidence.” Herjo further maintained that “a few speed bumps” might be one solution, since “the police can’t be everywhere.” Lang subsequently told the Pine Barrens Tribune that he had acted on Kochan’s suggestion by having an informal talk with Waterman after the meeting ended, along with Herjo, that resulted in an officer from the department contacting him the next day and querying him about when the traffic problem was heaviest, which Lang told him was at rush hour. The officer then indicated he would be following up on the matter. Another speaker at the meeting, Zachary Wilson, who represents a group of Main Street residents who have had recent issues with local See SPEEDERS/ Page 13
Photo By Douglas D. Melegari
One of the event’s longest serving volunteers, Mark, grabs frozen chicken wings, to distribute, while ShopRite Dietitian Claire Rudden grabs a box of fresh supplies and a bag of flour. available opportunity. “Anyone can fall on hard times. You just never know.” The Food Bank of South Jersey, she explained, chose the location, recognizing the Shamong area is considered “a food desert” with “no real pantry’s around here.” A man by the name of Mark, who has volunteered for the endeavor for the past
three years, said that upon retirement, he was looking to find something to occupy his time. His daughter, he continued, works for The Food Bank of South Jersey and suggested that he volunteer for the events. “And I kind of got hooked,” he said of not only having fun by going to different places, See FOOD/ Page 15
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Saturday, November 18, 2023
Two Dead, Another in Critical Condition Following Head-On Collision on Pemberton Bypass That Occurred After One Vehicle Hit Guardrail PEMBERTON—Two people are dead, and another person is in critical condition following a violent Nov. 14 crash on the Pemberton Bypass, also known as County Route 530, in Pemberton Township. The crash occurred at around 12:33 p.m., according to a press release from the Office of Pemberton Township Police Chief Jonathan Glass, in the area of the Pemberton Bypass and Colemans Bridge Road. A preliminary investigation, according to the release, revealed that a 1999 gold Mercedes-Benz E 320, operated by Jennifer Loiacano-Whealton, 39, of the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township, was traveling eastbound on the Pemberton Bypass, when it then drove over the eastbound fog line and collided with the eastbound guardrail. That impact, it was noted, then resulted
in the Mercedes-Benz to re-enter the eastbound lane of travel and cross the centerline of the road, into the westbound lane of travel. It is where a 2020 gray Nissan Altima, operated by Lonnell Robinson, 45, of Browns Mills, collided head-on with the driver side of the Mercedes-Benz. Loiacano-Whealton, as well as a passenger inside her Mercedes-Benz, Patrick Stout, 51, also of Browns Mills, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the release, while Robinson was flown to Cooper University Hospital, in Camden. He was last reported to be in critical condition. The collision is under investigation by the Pemberton Police’s Traffic Safety Unit, and anyone who may have witnessed it, or may have additional information is urged to contact the Pemberton Police at 609-894-3310.
Evesham Teen Will Not Face Criminal Charges in Fatal Route 73 Crash That Involved Illegal Turn, But Issued Four Motor Vehicle Summonses EVESHAM—A teenager who police say made an illegal left turn onto Route 73 while driving a truck in Evesham Township during the evening of Nov. 4, colliding with a motorcycle on the state highway in a crash that killed a teenage biker, will not face criminal charges, Evesham Township Police announced following a purported recommendation from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. However, he has been issued four motor vehicle summonses. As previously reported by this newspaper, at around 7:56 p.m. on Nov. 4, in the area of Route 73 and Dutch Road, a truck being driven by Brandon Braciszewski, 18, of Marlton, with a 15-year-old passenger, collided with a motorcycle being operated by Tyler Ciabattoni, 19, also of Marlton. Ciabattoni, a 2022 graduate of Cherokee High School, who worked full-time in construction and part-time valeting cars, was killed. A preliminary police investigation had
determined that Braciszewski’s vehicle was traveling west on Dutch Road and made an illegal left turn onto Route 73 southbound, after crossing straight over the northbound lanes, and upon entering the southbound lanes, Braciszewski’s vehicle struck the motorcycle being operated by Ciabattoni. According to a Nov. 15 follow-up announcement from the Office of Evesham Police Chief Walt Miller, after an “extensive investigation” was conducted, Braciszewski was charged with reckless driving, improper turn, improper use of divided highway and failure to yield. “All charges are motor vehicle violations,” it was noted. Braciszewski was served with these summonses on Nov. 14, it was added. “The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office has recommended that no criminal charges be filed against Braciszewski, after reviewing the investigative findings,” the announcement concluded. “This investigation is now closed, pending municipal court.”
CHIEF
following an announcement that three new firefighters had just graduated from statemandated basic training, Mikulski used the opportunity to try to backtrack on the proposal. “We talked a lot about the need to cross train between the two fire departments and despite what you may have read, there is no plan in place to merge the two companies,” he maintained. “We appreciate what each of the companies bring to the township and we have not had any discussions, other than to say at some point, as volunteerism dwindles, it becomes harder to fill the seats. Seeing three or more people raising their hands today (to volunteer) is a testament to their hard work.”
(Continued from Page 3) (The governing body, in 2021, purchased a custom Spartan ER Fire Pumper Tanker on a Spartan Chassis, with a final sale price of $662,412, which was delivered to the Hampton Fire Company on April 21 of this year, but as was revealed when the consolidation effort was made public, the last time a fire truck had been purchased for either of the local entities was back in 2013.) However, after this newspaper’s published report about the consolidation talks, during an Aug. 15 Southampton committee session,
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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES ♦ Page 11
Page 12
♦
WORSHIP GUIDE
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SWITCHGEAR (Continued from Page 2)
are the owners of the box.” The mayor further proclaimed that “it is going to cost them about a half million dollars to move it.” Heston, in revealing the discussion about using a flatbed truck and crane, maintained it is “really good news” that the unit is slated to be taken away from the existing location and is “going to be reused on a new site.” “They are not putting anything different up than what is there,” the township committeeman said. He added that efforts were being arranged with the intent of “minimizing visual impact.” Joann Moschetto, whose front porchview of the street from 69 Saint Davids Place is currently blocked by the electrical unit and tall brown fencing added to shield the device from view, asserted, one of her “nightmares,” however, is that she will “look out at Big Hill Road,” or a municipal road that runs parallel to the eastern periphery of the retirement community, along the back of her property, and “see that there.” “It is easier to hide there,” said Mikulski of the unit being relocated to an area of property in relation to Big Hill Road. The mayor further maintained that of people “driving down that section of Big Hill,” he is “not so sure they do a lot of scenic looking” around. “It is certainly better if it is out your backdoor, than your front door, for a whole lot of reasons,” Mikulski declared. Of the area being considered, the mayor maintained, “it is also easier to hide with additional trees, shrubbery, etc.” But as for an exact location, he will “have to find out,” he told Moschetto, but believed the site under consideration is further down from where Moschetto is located on Saint Davids Place.
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Mikulski, while at one point noting he was not able to attend the same discussion that Heston had been at, ultimately gave further details about the plan in the works as he attempted to quell the concerns. “Some trees have to come down,” he said of what the plan calls for, should the unit be relocated and not replaced by a pole array. “We have to put it square – and you can’t build around trees.” However, he maintained, of the trees, “only those that have to come down, will come down” and that the solar developer is especially cognizant of this because for “every tree that they have to take down, they have to replace” one. While Mikulski maintained that, “I have not seen a plan that identifies the trees,” or those that will have to be removed, it “won’t be” a clearcut – “nothing like that.” “ T h e r e a l i t y i s , t h e b ox i s n o t disappearing,” the mayor recognized. “So, we are doing our best to minimize the visual impact, as Mr. Heston said. It is much easier to do it there than at the island.” Another one of Moschetto’s “nightmares” is that after the unit is moved, she will still be “looking at that brown thing,” or the brown fencing. “The fence will be gone,” Mikulski assured the resident. “What happens on that island will be a discussion between the residents, HOA, and township, because there is a pad that is underneath (a concrete pad was installed for placement of the switchgear station). We are not asking them to dig that up.” As a result of the concrete, “putting a tree there is not possible,” said Mikulski of the island that once had tall trees and shrubbery, until they were removed in preparation for the unit. While the mayor contended the township is “open to suggestions” for beautifying the island, the township is “not ready to take them.” “Whether we put in a small seating area, See SWITCHGEAR/ Page 15
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2023 ELECTI
N RESULTS
8th District State Assembly (Vote for Two) Candidate
8th District State Senate (Vote for One)
Party
Burlington County
Atlantic County
Vote Tally
Percentage of Vote
Candidate
Party
Burlington County
Atlantic County
Vote Tally
Percentage of Vote
Andrea Katz
Democrat
25,549
2,039
27,588
25%
Gaye Burton
Democrat
25,144
2,050
27,194
51%
Anthony Angelozzi
Democrat
25,180
2,209
27,389
25%
Latham Tiver
Republican
24,531
3,838
28,369
49%
Michael Torrissi Jr.
Republican
23,795
4,055
27,850
25%
Personal Choice
Write-In
65
3
68
0%
Brandon E. Umba
Republican
23,623
3,727
27,350
25%
Personal Choice
Write-In
56
4
60
0%
UNSEAT
(Continued from Page 3) of a specific race he wouldn’t venture to say. As of the night of Nov. 15, ballots still “to be processed” in Burlington County, according to a website that provided “unofficial” results, were 83. No corresponding figure seemed to have been posted by Atlantic County, although its vote totals in the district were much smaller. Shou l d t ho s e r e s u lt s hol d u p a s expected, they will increase the number of Democratic seats picked up in the Legislature this year to six. Had the district’s results been limited just to those in Burlington County, according
HOME
(Continued from Page 4) at least one of the owners of a mobile home park reportedly threatened to pass on the then-proposed increase, as is, to its tenants. The tenants then spoke of their being on fixed incomes, and inability to afford a rent increase. The phase-in plan reportedly alleviated the concerns. As of now, what is proposed to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, “and for each year forward,” is that the “township shall charge and collect for the license an annual fee of $200 and the sum of $7 per calendar week for each mobile home occupying any space in the mobile home park during the
SPEEDERS
(Continued from Page 9) government over the effects of various activities there, came forward to criticize what he described as the township’s failure to adequately remove debris left after a Halloween parade. While noting that he had found the event itself quite enjoyable, Wilson maintained that walking down the street constantly having to pick up litter was not, and that as far as he could tell, the township had “done nothing to hold the organization that threw
to figures provided, both Democrats would have easily won the race, as would have Gaye Burton, the Democratic challenger for the seat of retiring Senator Jean Stanfield, who entered it at the 11th hour to challenge former Republican freeholder Latham Tiver after Democratic party official and Evesham Councilwoman Heather Cooper dropped out, citing health reasons. But the much smaller number of ballots cast in heavily Republican Atlantic County was enough to wipe out those leads, and in Tiver’s case, he appears to have prevailed over Burton. Attempts by this newspaper to reach both county Republican and Democratic party leaders for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.
File Photo
Republican Assemblyman Michael Torrissi, Jr., who appears to be re-elected to 8th district assemby seat.
Chesterfield Democratic Chairwoman Andrea Katz crosses her fingers on Election Night, Nov. 7 in hoping to gain a seat in the state Assembly following a much tighter race than expected.
calendar week or part thereof.” Additionally, the township is seeking to charge $14 per calendar week for any mobile home that is “greater than 18 feet wide, or more than one story in height.” (The $200 annual fee, as well as the $7 and $14 calendar week figures are all in the existing codebook – but a start date for those is not specified, which the proposed ordinance clarifies. Under the phase-in plan, in 2016, for a single, the calendar week fee was set at $4.25, while for a double, it was set at $4.75.) New mobile homes established after Oct. 1 of any year, “shall not pay the $200 fee until Jan. 1 of the following year.” Any overdue fees would be subject to a 5 percent late charge (in the existing code,
it is set at 1 percent). “As I understand it, we had an ordinance back in 2013, which had an increase of fees for mobile home parks,” said Southampton Mayor Mike Mikulski when the Southampton committee introduced the proposed ordinance during its Oct. 17 session. “There was some concern it be phased in over three years, as opposed to it being a lump sum. “There was then some disagreement over one of the paragraphs of that of the ordinances and whether or not it is legally valid. So, what we have done now is we are incorporating changes to that question paragraph, even if we disagree that it was not clear. We have made it undoubtedly clear, and this is establishing new fees for
licensing of mobile home parks, starting January 2024.” Township Solicitor George Morris, in being asked by the mayor to confirm the accuracy of his statement, responded, “These are the rates that the township believes are the accurate rates, and we are just reaffirming what is on the books in an accurate way.” Mikulski maintained the township committee is simply “cleaning the books, as we talked about a couple years ago.” It was not immediately clear how the discovery was made, who was responsible for the oversight or which of Southampton’s two mobile home parks launched a protest. Mobile Estates is the largest in the township, with some 325 homes, followed by Richard’s Mobile Home Court.
the parade accountable for cleaning it up” nor had it sent any employees to do the job. Maintaining that “our sidewalks are absolutely trashed,” he asked, “Are they just leaving that for the residents to handle?” Wilson added that as the downtown area plays host to more events, including those sponsored by the township’s new breweries, he thought a “better approach” to the problem of assigning responsibility for cleaning up after them was needed. In other business, a resolution appointing Deputy Township Clerk Dawn Bielec to officially replace Burger as township clerk
was approved by the three councilmembers pre s ent. Bu rger has an nou nc e d her retirement from both the clerk’s position and that of township manager, as of Nov. 30. Also unanimously approved was the second and final reading of an ordinance designating the addition of new stop signs at various locations in the township following an inventory of such signs. Among the ordinances introduced was one amending regulations for on-street handicapped parking by designating such spaces at 37 Filbert Street and 23A Union Street to comply with requests from residents,
and another proposing that fees and license costs be in accord with what the state and other municipalities are now charging, along with the cost of providing certain services. The three council members present indicated their agreement that a proposed ordinance now under review that would limit short-term rentals of properties to no less than a month, spurred by complaints from neighbors about rowdy and disruptive behavior by strangers, should specify that a month means either 30 or 31 days to prevent someone from “trying to pull a tricky interpretation,” as Czekay put it.
Photo By Andrew King
Page 14
♦
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
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SWITCHGEAR
FOOD
or shrubbery instead, it will all be at their (the solar developer’s) expense,” he said. “They know that. They are all on board with it. That doesn’t mean they are going to be able to build something extravagant.” He added that “the idea” that “all the residents” will be able to reach an agreement on what should replace the unit on the island amounts to a “pipe dream” but that the municipality will attempt to “get a consensus and put something in there that makes the majority of the residents happy.”
but seeing the success in fulfilling a community need that is only “growing” by the day. Sandy Kramer, who has worked for Zallie Family Markets for the past 49 years, told this newspaper that those in need are “very, very grateful for anything they get” and the Mobile Pantry is something “which is nice and makes you definitely feel very, very good.” She added that to be able “to help people get food,” who are in need, is very rewarding. Another Zallie Family Markets employee, Barbara Gray, after volunteering, pulled up
(Continued from Page 12)
(Continued from Page 9)
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NJ Lic. 13VH06395500
to the pop-up food pantry, packing her car with groceries to “deliver to a family down the street,” noting that “some people can’t get here.” “It’s growing and we are glad,” she said. Another woman who pulled up to the event towards its end, Maria, told this newspaper that while she is not in need, she “adopts a family every year” and gets food for a couple of people in the Waterford area who are in need, including a family in which one of its members “just got a job” and isn’t yet in a position to buy groceries on their own. “It means getting food to help people,” she declared of the event. Hank Roberti, a procurement pantry manager for the St. Vincent de Paul Society
Keith Abrams Lic# 1283
for the Poor, Tabernacle Township chapter, who works closely with the Zallie team, and was also a volunteer Nov. 2 at the Mobile Pantry, pointed out to this newspaper that events such as these – in addition to the ones his society hosts, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Holy Eucharist Roman Catholic Church, in Tabernacle, (in which they give out three to four bags of fresh groceries), “is a necessary thing” in the community. “It is a good thing they are finding out we are here,” Roberti declared. “But it is a bad thing we have to do this. And it is not until you experience something like this, do you realize the magnitude.”
Page 16
♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, November 18, 2023
FREE UPCOMING HEALTH EDUCATION EVENTS Register by calling 609.394.4153 or register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Please register early. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.
Overcoming Loneliness and Social Isolation Thursday, November 30, 2023 | 6 p.m. Location: Zoom Meeting Research shows that people with little or no social contact or support are more likely to experience a range of physical and mental health challenges. Meredith Kudrick, a licensed clinical social worker from Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, will lead a discussion of risk factors and coping strategies and will share tips for overcoming a sense of isolation.
Achieve More with a Healthy Pelvic Floor Thursday, December 7, 2023 | 6 p.m. Location: Zoom Meeting Are you experiencing pain in your pelvic area during sex, personal care, or urination/bowel movements? It’s time to advocate for yourself! Join Kathie Olson, nurse practitioner and program director for Capital Health’s Center for Incontinence and Pelvic Health, to learn strategies for living your life without pelvic pain. Kathie will be joined by Natalia Ochalski, a certified pelvic floor physical therapist, to discuss the benefits of pelvic floor physical therapy. All genders are welcome!