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2021
1 AGE S SE E P
Vol. 6 – No. 11 ♦
The News Leader of the Pines
♦
December 18, 2021 - January 7, 2022
STICKER SHOCK
SEE INSID PAGE W1 E SEC TION 2
Bass River ‘Is In a Pickle,’ Facing Quite a ‘Dilemma,’ After Paid EMS Provider Drops Coverage to Town
’s y Zallie rd ored b Spons te of Medfo ri p o Sh
Municipality Is Temporarily Reliant on Galloway Squad, Though Officials Say Arrangement ‘Can’t Sustain Itself’ and Answer Is Paid Regionalization
AGE 6 SE E P
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—A decision said to have been made recently by Bayville-based Quality Medical Transport to unexpectedly terminate its contract with Bass River Township, in conjunction with other factors, including limited financial resources in the rural municipality, a shortage of manpower area EMS agencies are experiencing, and another area entity relied on in the past reportedly not making many of its calls for service because of a shortage of volunteers, has led to quite a “dilemma” involving emergency medical transport services in town, as well as in the surrounding area. And it is a dilemma that several local officials concede they don’t currently have a quick or easy fix for, with a “temporary” arrangement with a somewhat distant entity, in another county, the best Bass River can do for the moment, though it is one that those officials recognize is presenting “longer response times” and can’t last forever, and will require much discussion and potentially tough decision making in the future. Louis Bourguignon, deputy mayor of Bass River Township, revealed during a Bass River Board of Commissioners meeting on
Photo Provided
A student identification card distributed on Dec. 10 with a gold sticker on it.
Pinelands Regional Students, Parents Become Indignant Over ‘Incentive Program’ Rollout That Puts Pupils in ‘Tiers,’ Provides Them with Stickers That Signify Their Grade Point Average, Attendance Rate and Disciplinary Issues, with Those in the Highest Levels Given Exclusive Privileges, Preferential Seating Community Members, Parents Call for Resignations of Administrators, Superintendent and Maintain That Program Implements ‘Discriminatory’ and Divisive Practices, with Some Declaring It ‘Segregation’
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
LITTLE EGG HARBOR—Many students attending Pinelands Regional High School, as well as their parents and fellow community members, experienced literal sticker shock last Friday, not from the inflation currently gripping the U.S., but from a new school program that has
left them both alarmed and indignant, believing that its seemingly disastrous rollout on Dec. 10 (with reports of students being humiliated by it) not only violated every pupil’s right to privacy, but implemented “discriminatory” and divisive practices, with some even going further in their characterization, claiming it is employing “segregation.” And of the hundreds of people who
publicly bemoaned the program in various social media groups throughout the day last Friday, several of them are calling for it to be scrapped altogether, have vowed to not have their children partake in it, requested action by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), and are demanding that the See STICKERS/ Page 12
See EMS/ Page 13
CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
SEE PAGES 3-5
INDEX Business Directory.......... 20
Christmas Worship Guide...W1
Local News........................ 2
Christmas Coloring Contest...6
January Events................ 19
Marketplace........................ 22
Christmas Countdown....... 3
Last Minute Gift Guide.....S1
Worship Guide................. 19
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Page 2 ♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Medford Lakes Deputy Mayor Says He’s Ready to Return to Council Dais After Myelodysplastic Syndrome Diagnosis and Bone Marrow Transplant
By Douglas D. Melegari
cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. “It is uncommon, and not one of the more likely things somebody would come down MEDFORD LAKES—The deputy mayor with,” Miller said. of Medford Lakes, Dr. Gary Miller, told the But now Miller says he is “feeling really Pine Barrens Tribune in an interview on Dec. well” and “looking forward to getting back 11 that he is “ready to return to council” to providing service to the community later this month and is “making positive through work on council.” strides” after a leave of absence from the Miller, a 36-year resident of Medford Medford Lakes Borough Council dais that Lakes, has been a borough began in September. councilman for the past 14 Miller, who was said during a years. He has served twice as Sept. 22 borough council meeting the municipality’s mayor, in to be “in the hospital receiving addition to his current role. treatment for a healthcare matter,” The deputy mayor has also revealed to this newspaper over b e en the chai r man of the the weekend that he had been borough Canoe Carnival for diagnosed with Myelodysplastic about a half-dozen years and was Syndrome (MDS), which is a type a past member of the municipal of bone marrow cancer that is a Zoning Board. “precursor to leukemia.” His work history, according “I am doing really well with to a release he put out last year my recovery,” Miller said. “The Miller when he ran for re-election to way this works is I received a borough council, includes spending 33 years bone marrow transplant on Oct. 15, and now as Burlington County’s Mental Health and we are waiting for that to take hold. It is a Human Services Administrator, as well as a pretty much a year watch period to make property manager for a large mental health sure I don’t get an infection, major bleed or organization for four years. rejection of the bone marrow.” Medford Lakes has long had a reputation According to the Mayo Clinic, in a healthy of being very tight-knit community nestled person, bone marrow makes new, immature in the Pinelands with about 1,500 homes. blood cells that mature over time. MDS “Oh, my goodness, the outpouring of support occurs when something disrupts this process, has been beyond belief,” declared Miller when preventing the blood cells from maturing. asked about the support he has received since Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of his diagnosis and procedure. “It just shows what breath, unusual paleness, easy or unusual kind of loving community that we do have.” bleeding, pinpoint-sized red spots just As was noted during an earlier council beneath the skin that are caused by bleeding, meeting, “all absences due to matters of and frequent infections due to a low white health are excused by the law,” and the blood cell count. deputy mayor emphasized to this newspaper MDS, the Mayo Clinic notes, is considered a “rare” disease, with fewer than 200,000 he is now “on a good path to recovery.” Staff Writer
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CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
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Saturday, December 18, 2021
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As is tradition, however, we will not be printing an issue on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 to allow our staff to safely enjoy this special time with their families. Our last issue published for 2021 will be on Dec. 18, with our first issue for 2022 on Jan. 8.
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CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN
♦ Page 5
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Page 6 ♦
CHRISTMAS COLORING CONTEST
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Saturday, December 18, 2021
’s y Zallied r ored b Spons ite of Medfo Shopr
ENTER NOW: Name:_________________________________________________ Age:___________ Parent’s Name:_________________________________________________________ Home Address:_________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________ State:_____________Zip:___________ Contact Phone:_________________________________________________________ Email:_________________________________________________________________ All fields required. Include entry form with your entry.
Contest open to those ages 3 and up. Anyone under the age of 18 years of age must obtain parent or guardian consent to enter. Previous winners of such contests are not eligible to win. Employees of the newspaper and sponsor employees are not eligible to win. Entry automatically enters individual’s name into contest. Contest entries will not be returned. Contest entries may be displayed or published in print and online by this newspaper; and become property of the newspaper. Winner will be awarded a movie basket from Zallie’s ShopRite of Medford. One entry per contest permitted. Entry form along with completed coloring panel should be mailed to Pine Barrens Tribune, Christmas Coloring Contest, P.O. Box 2402, Vincentown, NJ 08088 and postmarked by January 8, 2022, at 5 p.m. All entries must be received no later than 12 noon on January 12, 2022, and will not be returned. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. The decision of the judges is final. Winners will be notified by phone and/or email no later than January 30, 2022, and must appear in-person for award and agree to be photographed by the Pine Barrens Tribune and contest sponsor for publication. Important Deadlines: • Postmarked by January 8, 2022, at 5 p.m. • Must Be Received by 12 noon on January 12, 2022 Mail coloring page with completed entry form to: Pine Barrens Tribune | P.O. Box 2402 | Vincentown, NJ 08088
Saturday, December 18, 2021
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392
New Gretna Fire Company One Step Closer to Getting New Fire Truck After $748,000 Bond Ordinance Passes
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—The New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company is one step closer to getting a brand-new fire truck from Bass River Township to replace its aging, deteriorating engine that is more than 25 years old. The Bass River Township Board of Commissioners voted 2-0 on Dec. 6 to pass a $748,000 bond ordinance that would, in part, finance the new purchase. Commissioner Nicholas Capriglione was absent from the meeting. Ac c ord i ng to Ba s s R iver D e put y Mayor Louis Bourguignon, the township anticipates that the new fire truck will cost over $600,000. Tom “Tommy” Wetmore, chief of the New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company, pointed out that the last new piece of equipment purchased for the entity was back in 2008, which was an “EMS engine.” The last time new fire equipment was purchased was back in 2002, which was a “rescue and mini pumper” truck, the chief said. “When pricing this new fire truck, I was telling the crew that this truck is going to be a ‘30-year truck,’ at least,” Wetmore said. “We are not going to be replacing it in five years like other towns can afford to do.” The bond ordinance, however, did not pass without considerable discussion amongst residents, Bourguignon, Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope and Wetmore about what the future holds for the all-volunteer fire company, particularly in light of declining volunteerism nationally, which has been felt locally. “I h ave not h i ng ag a i n st ou r fi r e department, and I am not bashing them – they do a great job, but one problem I see is that we don’t have a young town anymore,” said resident Howard “Howie” Rothschild
during a public hearing on the ordinance. “We don’t have anybody who can replace the great guys that we have, who work and volunteer for our fire department. “So how much further down the road are we going to go with our fire department if we don’t even have guys who can step up to the plate now to take over their (existing members) places in the fire department (when they retire or leave)?” Re s i d e n t K a r l S w a n s e e n c a l l e d Rothschild’s inquiry a “good question” about the “viability of our fire company.” “I support the fire company 100 percent, but are they viable in the long-term?” Swanseen asked. That was a consideration weighed heavily by both Buzby-Cope and Bourguignon throughout the evening, recognizing that the amount to be bonded, as well as the fire truck’s purchase price, was a very significant cost for a town the size of Bass River. “The problem is you get less and less volunteers all the time,” said Bourguignon, who also volunteers for New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company. “It is a fact. And you got the same guys, probably a handful of guys who are running the calls. I have been on calls where it is just me and one other person. And it is hard. If nobody volunteers, what are you supposed to do? He (Rothschild) had a good question, because you are spending a lot of money here, and what if the group that is there, which runs a handful of calls all the time, decides they are done, or the volunteers say they have had enough?” But even if there is eventually regionalization, or the fire company closes, according to both Buzby-Cope and Wetmore, given where Bass River is located in the county (distant from many population centers with resources and See TRUCK/ Page 14
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
♦ Page 7
Bass River Entity Gets Municipal Support for Cannabis License; Liquor License Transferred to Landmark Seafood Establishment By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—A business that has now become a registered entity with the State of New Jersey, based in Bass River Township, has received formal “approval and support” from the Bass River Township Board of Commissioners to apply for a “Class I Cannabis Cultivator Microbusiness Lic ens e” from the st at e’s Can nabis Regulatory Commission (CRC). The approval was granted on Dec. 6 by Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope and Deputy Mayor Louis Bourguignon in a 2-0 vote, ahead of the CRC’s Dec. 15 call for applications. Commissioner Nicholas Capriglione was absent from the meeting. Buzby-Cope, in reading a resolution in full that formalized the approval and support, revealed that the entity’s official name is “Bass River Buds, LLC.” That resolution noted that the firm, “approved to op erate as a can nabis cultivator,” has also now been “approved” by the township engineer to have a local zoning permit (after last month it had been revealed that the business was having trouble with that process due to there being no zoning requirements adopted for cannabis businesses in town). The Pine Barrens Tribune previously reported that the business is being launched on Ishmael Road by resident Evan Manaresi. The resolution passed on Dec. 6 noted that the location is not in close proximity to schools or public parks, and that the township allowed for five of six possible classes of cannabis businesses earlier this year after a “majority” of township residents came out in support of allowing the cannabis industry locally during a special meeting held in the spring.
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Bass River Buds, LLC has also now established a website, accessible to those 21 years of age or older. A logo for the firm, as displayed on the website, features a pinecone and a cannabis bud. “Something is happening,” a message says on the website homepage of the business, which identifies the business as a “craft cannabis cultivator located in Bass River, NJ” that will be “growing premium cannabis in living soil with 100 percent natural inputs.” “Like and follow as we build out our local facility and move through the licensing process,” the website also states. The other piece of economic news to emerge from the Bass River Board of Commissioner’s meeting this month is that a liquor license belonging to the historic entity of “Backwater Jacks,” also known as the “Rustic Inn” and “Outback Jacks,” which operated in a landmark building located at the intersection of Route 9 and Maple Avenue in the New Gretna section of Bass River, ultimately razed in April 2020, has been transferred to “Allen’s Beverages, LLC.” A published legal notice regarding the transfer of the Plenary Retail Consumption License indicates that Allen Beverages, with Winfield Allen as its sole member, is located at 5650 Route 9, in New Gretna, which also happens to be the location of Allen’s Clam Bar, another renowned landmark in town that has been serving “delicious seafood” for over 40 years, offering a variety of seafood appetizers, chowders and fried or broiled seafood. “It is the license that will be at Allen’s Clam Bar,” Acting Township Clerk Elizabeth Godfrey later confirmed to this newspaper.
Page 8 ♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Southampton Committee Narrowly Denies Letter of Support for Cannabis Distribution Company Seeking Class IV License
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
SOUTHAMPTON—The Southampton Township Committee has decided, albeit narrowly, against writing a letter of support for inclusion with a municipal-based entity’s application to the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) for a license to operate a cannabis distribution business. The decision was made on Nov. 23 and came unexpectedly when Deputy Mayor Ronald Heston asked during his committee report about “what we are doing” with a July request from two men “who appeared before us asking for a letter to support their trucking company.” According to the CRC, “annual cannabis business licenses and conditional conversion applications shall include proof of local support in their applications,” and for a town with a municipal governing body like Southampton, that must come in the form of an adopted resolution from the township committee. The CRC’s application process opened on Dec. 15. “Um … I believe there was not three people on (board with) that,” quipped Mayor Michael Mikulski, appearing somewhat surprised the issue had been raised by Heston, as it was not on the meeting agenda. “But if you want to make that a motion, we can make a motion to write a letter in support.” As this newspaper previously reported, one of the two men, Chris Bartleson, is president of a produce logistics and transport business, Hoffman Logistics, in
Southampton, and indicated the cannabis distribution business would augment that. His cannabis business partner, Brandon Robinson, with a background in the logistics and transport industry, had told the township committee during its July 20 meeting that he intends to start a “Class IV distribution company for cannabis” (identified on a meeting agenda as Greenworld Transport, LLC) and “my company is a little different than a typical cannabis company.” “My experience with cannabis is that most townships are against the retail operations, and the cultivation operations, because of the things going on with them,” said Robinson at the time. “In our case, we are a Class IV distribution company and there will never be cannabis in Southampton. We will have empty trucks at our location, which we already have a logistics firm that has been in place for over 10 years.” Robinson, in July, contended of the cannabis operation he is planning that “empty trucks” would travel to “an outside location,” such as Newark or Atlantic City, “pick up” cannabis and “deliver it to Point B.” “Then we would bring those same empty trucks back to Southampton,” he maintained. “There would be no physical cannabis in Southampton Township, although we would be classified as a cannabis company. … There would be no physical cannabis in the vehicles during their time in Southampton.” Heston, on Nov. 23, maintained that “based on everything I read, it certainly doesn’t hurt” See CANNABIS/ Page 14
Bass River Officials Describe Ongoing Problem in Which Some 911 Calls Are Being Answered in Another County, Causing Longer Responses Due to Unconnected Systems
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
BASS RIVER—Officials in Bass River Township described on Dec. 6 an ongoing problem that has led to a delay in medical transport response times in some instances, which reportedly entails certain 911 calls placed in the Burlington County town being answered by dispatchers in nearby Ocean County instead. And the situation couldn’t be occurring at a worse time for the municipality, which is relying on the somewhat distant Galloway Township Ambulance Squad as its primary EMS provider, after a paid service recently dropped Bass River (see separate story), with warnings that the response times will likely be longer simply because of that arrangement. According to New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company Chief Tom “Tommy” Wetmore and Bass River Deputy Mayor Louis Bourguignon, during a Dec. 6 Bass River Board of Commissioners meeting, when 911 calls placed in Bass River are answered by Ocean County dispatchers, the “call taker has to type everything into a computer” before calling over to Burlington County. And, what has been happening, according to the local officials, is that the call taker in Burlington County then has to “type everything into their computer” It is critical time wasted, the local officials indicated. The local officials argued that the two counties should have a compatible system of some sort – one that communicates with each other – where the information taken in Ocean County simply “pops up on their screen” in Burlington County. Resident Kevin Foder, also a local first responder, school board member and business owner, maintained that in EMS there is something known as the “golden hour” and “every few minutes after that hour, the chance of survival drops dramatically.” One woman attending the meeting, who is named “Rebecca” according to Acting
Township Clerk Elizabeth Godfrey, pointed out that those dialing 911 in Bass River have to currently “specifically say they are calling from Bass River” to ensure they get routed to the correct dispatch center. The revelations caused another resident attending the meeting, Marion Assur, to become upset. “When you are in an emergency, people aren’t thinking!” Assur declared. “When are we going to join up with Ocean County, or go over to Atlantic County? We got to get out of Burlington County!” Bass River is in the lower part of Burlington County, sandwiched between Ocean and Atlantic counties. Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope noted that Bass River “has looked into that,” or becoming part of Ocean County. “It requires state legislation,” noted Township Solicitor JoAnne O’Connor, who performed the research a couple of years ago. Given that the local officials acknowledged they didn’t have a solution to the problems, Assur asserted, “everyone talks, but nobody is fixing it!” The local officials contended the situation was out of their control. The Pine Barrens Tribune, however, queried Burlington County Spokesman David Levinsky about the matter. Levinsky contended that such circumstances are “pretty infrequent” and the “transfers happen pretty seamlessly.” “My understanding is that some cellphone calls made to 911 from locations close to the Burlington County border may end up initially being fielded by a neighboring county’s’ 911 dispatch center because the cellular caller is actually closer to a cell tower in the neighboring county,” he said. “This is not something (Burlington County) Central Communications has any control over. However, if this occurs, the neighboring county transfers the call directly to our Central Communications center and the dispatch is still handled by our county’s telecommunicators.”
Saturday, December 18, 2021
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP FALL/WINTER BAGGED LEAF COLLECTION
Bagged leaves and pine needles must be placed at the edge of the road between Saturday and 6:00AM of the first collection date in your area. Please note that if you set your bags at the road prior to Saturday you may be subject to a local fine. Grass and trash must NOT be mixed in with leaves and pine needles.
Please place your bags along the edge of the road upside down, with the tied end facing down. This will help prevent rain from leaking into the bags. Each bag shall weigh 30 lbs or less. We will not collect bags that exceed 30 lbs. Once the leaf collection crew has been through your area, they will not be authorized to return to your area for leaf collection. If you miss the collection period in your area, you may deliver your leaves and pine needles to the Public Works Yard.
COLLECTION DATES
LEAVES MUST BE CURBSIDE FIRST DAY OF COLLECTION IN YOUR AREA.
AREA 1 – BEGINNING JANUARY 3 Juliustown Road east to west side of East Lakeshore Drive. This area includes Juliustown Road, Trenton Road, Pemberton Blvd., Evergreen Blvd., Clubhouse Road to Broadway, West Lakeshore Drive. and west side of East Lakeshore Drive.
AREA 2 – BEGINNING JANUARY 10 Lakehurst Road (from Junction Road to Route 70), and Country Lakes Area.
AREA 3 – BEGINNING JANUARY 18
Pemberton Township Municipal Building west to Route 206, Fort Dix Boundary to Magnolia Road. This area includes Lake Valley Acres, Oak Pines, Birmingham, Sunbury Village and Johnson Court.
AREA 4 – BEGINNING JANUARY 24
East side of East Lakeshore Drive to North Whitesbogs Road. This area includes east side of East Lakeshore Drive, Hanover Boulevard, North Lakeshore Drive, South Lakeshore Drive and Ridge Road.
AREA 5 – BEGINNING JANUARY 31 Rt. 70, City Line Road, North & South Branch Road, Pasadena Road, Presidential Lakes and Whispering Pines.
AREA 6 – BEGINNING FEBRUARY 14 Pemberton Township Municipal Building east to Juliustown Road. This area includes Lakehurst Road (from Juliustown Road to Junction Road), Blueberry Manor, Oak Ridge Estates, Rancocas Lane, Junction Road, Ridgeview Avenue, Mt. Misery Road, Springfield Road, Four Mile Road and New Lisbon Area.
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Two Firms Eyeing Sites in Shamong for Cannabis Operations Receive Letters of Support from Municipal Governing Body
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
SHAMONG—Two entities planning to launch cannabis operations in Shamong Tow nsh ip have each rec eived letters of support through separate Shamong Township Committee resolutions, both passed 4-0, to provide with their applications for a license from the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC). The Dec. 7 issuance of the letters of support came ahead of a Dec. 15 call for applications from the CRC, with the state entity noting that “annual cannabis business licenses and conditional conversion applications shall include proof of local support,” with towns that have governing bodies, like Shamong, having to pass resolutions to that effect. The first entity given a letter of support from the Shamong committee, LexiCann NJ, LLC, is planning to open a cannabis cultivation and/or manufacturing facility on an approximately 20.6-acre parcel located at the intersection of Old Indian Mills Road and Route 206, according to Shamong officials. LexiCann NJ is seeking a Class I and/ or Class II license from the CRC to do so. The other entity given a letter of support from the Shamong governing body, Legacy Cultivators, LLC, with the proprietor former NFL defensive tackle Dominique Easley, is also planning a cannabis cultivation and/or manufacturing facility. That firm is eyeing an approximately 4-acre site, which is presently owned by James Gaskill, located at the intersection of Stokes and Willow Grove roads, “across the street” from the Shamong Township Municipal Building, Shamong officials revealed. Legacy Cultivators is also seeking a Class I and/or Class II license from the CRC in order to conduct its operations. Shamong has long sought to become the “pot capital of New Jersey” and tried to lure the cannabis industry to town, with local officials, including Deputy Mayor Michael Di Croce, believing it will help bring in new, needed revenue to the town given the otherwise stringent restrictions on development imposed by the Pinelands Commission. The township, as it has tried to both attract and plan for cannabis operations, previously established a local Cannabis Committee. Township Solicitor Doug Heinold noted that the local Cannabis Committee met on Dec. 2 to review the proposals from both LexiCann NJ and Legacy Cultivators before recommending that the township committee issue the letters of support on Dec. 7. The letters of support recognize the two entities’ proposed operations as a “conditionally permitted use,” according to Heinold, under a Shamong Township ordinance passed earlier this year allowing
certain classes of cannabis operations in designated areas of the municipality. “They will still have to come before the board for conditional permitted-use approval and site plan approval, and deal with any issues already on the properties,” Heinold maintained. Timothy Gimbel, mayor of Shamong, following the votes (with Committeeman Sean Gray absent), contended that the municipality was “looking for businesses and revenue” because “as you can see, our state is headed in the wrong direction.” “We are looking to take advantage of what they are putting out there,” the mayor declared. According to Heinold, about 80 percent of New Jersey municipalities have “optedout” of allowing for cannabis businesses. Somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of those towns are “still looking at the issue” and “may opt-in at some point.” (Under a state law enacted earlier this year, municipalities had until August to opt-out of the CRC’s cannabis licensing program, but are able to opt-in at any time.) “I would say well over half the towns are not going to get involved,” Heinold maintained. Among the towns that have already optedin, he said, some have placed a “cap” on the number of cannabis businesses that they will allow in their respective municipalities, “though I’ve not heard of a town where that cap has yet been hit.” “If we got to a point where we felt lucky enough that we have 10 cannabis businesses in town, and it is serving its purposes, we could institute a cap,” Heinold added. But both Di Croce and Gimble appeared to throw cold water on the idea of imposing any cap in Shamong, at least for now. “I think having no cap is the way to go at this point,” Di Croce declared. “We can invite businesses to come into Shamong, be business friendly, and, as you know, we are looking for new jobs, to reduce local property taxes, and we are looking for first class companies who want to live here, participate here and hire local people from Shamong.” The deputy mayor pointed out that the township committee has already “limited the number of properties in our town” that are eligible for cannabis operations, maintaining “we’ve been pretty strict about where we are going to put this.” “So, I say we should encourage additional companies to come in and participate,” Di Croce asserted. “Hopefully, they will do business here. If at some point in time we get flush with companies, we can revisit this.” Gimbel maintained that “in essence, we already have a soft cap” in place because “we only have so many places to put this kind of stuff, controlled by our area.” See OPERATIONS/ Page 15
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
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Medford Lakes Moves to Acquire ‘Gateway Property’ for $20,000, One with ‘Long, Tortured History’ of Flood, Environmental Issues Borough Reached ‘Tipping Point’ with Back Taxes of Over $100,000 Owed, In Addition to Maintaining Site; Mayor Says It Might Become Pocket Park
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
MEDFORD LAKES—The governing body of Medford Lakes Borough has authorized the acquisition of a prominent piece of property at the northern gateway to the municipality – a parcel the borough has reportedly maintained for more than a decade, with the municipal solicitor suspecting that most residents already assume it is municipal property because of the long-provided care by the Department of Public Works (DPW). However, a title search has not come back exactly clean on the parcel, on top of back-taxes reportedly being owed on it to the borough, according to the municipal solicitor, and there is a known environmental issue with the property that will require potential remediation. That has prompted Joe Aromando, a former borough councilman and regular meeting attendee, to express concern both during the Nov. 10 and Dec. 1 council meetings “about the costs we are going to take on,” and to declare, “I don’t think we need to do anything with it.” The property, at the corner of Stokes Road and Lenape Trail, with a physical address of 32 Stokes Road, is known locally as the “gateway property” because of its location in the borough, according to Borough Solicitor Doug Heinold. Borough Manager Robert Burton later pointed out to this newspaper that it is the one that “is across the street from the vacant gas station” at the intersection, estimated to be smaller than a “100-foot by 100-foot lot.” A house that was on the property was “destroyed in a flood” back in 2004, Burton explained to this newspaper, and because of the parcel serving as a gateway property, “since the building came down, the borough has maintained the property,” including “taking care of the grass and weeds and things like that.” Heinold maintained on Nov. 10 that “a tipping point” has now been reached with the lot, in which the borough needs to acquire it, because there is a “tax lien on the property of over $100,000 now.” “We are not collecting taxes on the property, and at the same time, because of where it is located, in order to make the town look more presentable, the DPW has gone out and mowed it,” Heinold said. It now “makes sense,” he maintained, for the borough to foreclose on the parcel. The borough, he added, “has alerted to the property owner,” Michael Easi, to its intentions and has since arrived at an “acquisition agreement” with him where he will be compensated $20,000
for the acquisition upon closing, with the understanding that the municipality will move to acquire it through a “tax lien foreclosure.” “And the property owner, as part of the agreement, agreed that he would fully cooperate and not contest that foreclosure action,” Heinold contended. That agreement, the borough solicitor maintained, was done in an effort to advert potential future litigation from the property owner over any foreclosure, and because “that property has a long and tortured history.” “I think the general response from the municipality in wanting to proceed is, rather than get ultimately straight into litigation, we decided to sit down with the property owner and try to gauge what we could do to cure the problem with the property, which sits out there with unpaid taxes on it, into the six figures, yet we also don’t want uncertain things hanging over our heads as to what the future of the property is,” said Heinold, noting the agreement puts in place a process for further due diligence and makes clear the borough has no obligation associated with the lot should there be issues found. “… If you listen to what he experienced in owning property, it is not an easy situation for him, including the flood, which was, quite frankly, disastrous for him. At this point in his life, he is looking for a graceful exit from the property.” Aromando, however, contended that while he likes Easi and his wife, the borough council should “not cry tears” for Easi because he brought a lawsuit against the Medford Lakes Colony Club “and won” and also received an insurance payout. “He was made whole,” A romando asserted. The former borough councilman, who pointed out that he is a realtor, maintained that “the property self-corrected itself” and regardless of what the borough does, it “has a stigma on it”, “nobody wants to buy this property” and “you are not going to get another dime in taxes” from it. “Ultimately, I don’t think we need to do anything with it,” Aromando added. “It sat there this many years since the flood and nobody wants. It is also in active remediation I learned after talking with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).” Heinold, however, replied that the property, “assuming something could be built on it,” is assessed at $150,000, while Burton responded the site was “not in ‘active remediation.’” See PROPERTY/ Page 21
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Evesham Adopts Ordinance Setting Cannabis Enterprise Fees at $5,500, to be Cut in Half for State-Designated ‘Micro’ Firms
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
EVESHAM—An ordinance setting local licensing fees for new Evesham Township enterprises that engage in the cultivation, manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, distribution and delivery of cannabis products at $5,500, but allowing for that figure to be halved for those designated as “micro-businesses” by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) was adopted on second reading by the Evesham Township Council, in a 5-0 vote, at its Dec. 8 meeting. The measure stipulates that $1,500 of the licensing fees are non-refundable as part of the application for a local license, but that “applicants who are denied approval for licensure either by the township or the CRC shall be refunded the balance of the license application fee within 30 days following notice of denial of their application by the township or state.” Possession and recreational use of marijuana was approved by New Jersey voters in November 2020 and an enabling legislative package to legalize recreational cannabis and for licensed cannabis businesses was subsequently passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, with municipalities allowed to opt out if they chose. The Evesham Council passed an ordinance authorizing cannabis businesses back in August, but restricted them to specific locales, one being at the intersection of state highways 70 and 73, and the other an industrial park zone in the northern part of the township. Mayor Jaclyn “Jackie” Veasy commented that council members and township officials “did a lot of research and background and deliberation” in the process of setting those fees and “looked at it from a lot of different
perspectives,” in order to arrive at what she believed was a “fair and equitable price” to set up a cannabis enterprise. Tow n sh ip Ma nager Rob Cor ra le s concurred that he thought it was a “fair number” that had been arrived at following meetings with both Police Chief Christopher Chew and Evesham Chief Financial Officer Alexander P. Davidson. T hat not ever ybody share d those sentiments, however, became clear prior to the vote when local resident Marshall Ogen, a cannabis industry executive, got up during the public comment session to contend that “in the opinion of many, the optics of this ordinance are problematic” and that it “goes against many of the good things I think this council stands for, which are economic development, small business and social equity.” Ogen maintained that at a recent meeting of the CRC, “there was a lot of hubbub about one thing, which was application fees,” and that there is a growing opinion that “these fees are starting to feel like gouging” and “an institutional filtering process to lock groups out of the cannabis economy.” Such fees, he declared, are “telegraphing them to go to a town that has a lower rate. … at $5,500, Evesham is still considered pretty high.” “Trust me – my phone’s been ringing,” Ogen added. A sector which Ogen claimed is feeling especially “disenfranchised,” as he put it, consists of those entrepreneurs with prior criminal convictions stemming from “biased laws” who, while legally allowed to take part in the cannabis industry, are denied access to the capital necessary to raise that kind of money, asking, “Does it seem fair that someone who is trying to rebuild their life See FEES/ Page 15
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Evesham Council Hears Residents’ Concerns About Prospect of ‘Sober Living Home’ Opening on Woodstream Cul-de-Sac Firm Owned by Cherokee High Alumnus Who Is Recovered Addict Himself
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
EVESHAM—A report that a home in the Woodstream section of Marlton, a mere 1,000 yards or so from the J. Harold Van Zant Elementary School, may be about to become a state-regulated “sober living facility” for the rehabilitation of hard-core drug addicts resulted in a number of neighborhood residents voicing their concern, if not outright alarm, to the Evesham Township Council at its Dec. 8 meeting. Also addressing the council were three individuals either affiliated with “Tribe Intensive,” the enterprise that has supposedly acquired the five-bedroom residence at 128 Monmouth Green, a cul-de-sac off Bartram Road, or who are related to its owner, a Cherokee High School graduate said to be a recovered addict himself, all of whom maintained that such a facility would be performing a public service for the greater Evesham community. Voicing agreement with that sentiment at the conclusion of the council meeting was Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper, who revealed that she had lost her own brother to addiction and claimed she wouldn’t mind residing next door to a sober living home, although she respected the fact that some people don’t wish to do so. According to the real-estate website Zillow, the house in question was sold on Oct. 26 for $410,000. When asked about it this past week by the Pine Barrens Tribune, Evesham Township spokesman Zane Clark said the township first began getting calls from residents about that sale’s purported purpose around the end of last month, apparently spurred by an online report or web announcement.
Currently, the Jensen Beach, Fla.-based organization has two Facebook pages, a Florida one and a New Jersey one, with a Marlton address (not the one at issue) being provided for a toy drive on the latter. A couple of the residents who spoke at the meeting described feeling “blindsided” by the unexpected prospect of having to live near, or in some instances, immediately adjacent to the property, although all, including the most vociferously opposed, indicated they supported the aim of such facilities, just not the idea of locating one in the middle of a residential neighborhood near a school. (The existence of another sober living operation in Woodstream was also alluded to at the meeting, and confirmed to this newspaper by Clark, although he said he was not at liberty to reveal exactly where it is or who runs it, except to say it’s a different organization.) As the discussion evolved, however, what became clear was that there is nothing unlawful about placing a facility of this type in such a locale, which is supported by state law and strictly regulated and licensed by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and that the township has no power to legally prohibit it. Clark, however, pointed out to this newspaper that local authorities can still intercede “if anyone feels there is a direct emergency related to public safety” and notifies the police department. When one speaker, Matt Gordon, a retired Department of Corrections officer who lives across from the school on Conestoga Drive, asked Mayor Jacklyn “Jackie” Veasy, “Has this drug rehab center been approved,” she responded, “We don’t have that information,” prompting Gordon to See HOME/ Page 16
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superintendent of the Pinelands Regional School District, Dr. Melissa McCooley, who has been an increasingly controversial figure over the past year, resign, among other school administrators responsible for its implementation. School officials, who initially defended the controversial program, by mid-week, during a Pinelands Regional Board of Education meeting, appeared open to tweaking it, after some members of the board questioned elements of it themselves, and revealed that an “appeal process” had since been established with nearly six dozen “appeals” already granted. The controversy, which has generated the most public condemnation of school officials since the high school roofing and asbestos debacle of 2017, erupted last Friday morning when school staff, as part of the new incentive program called “Pinelands P.R.I.D.E.,” reportedly handed pupils new student identification cards with either gold, green or white stickers on them, or none at all, while at the same time, an announcement from school officials was distributed to parents, proclaiming, “today, we were excited to distribute student IDs to the students, as well as roll out our Pinelands P.R.I.D.E. incentive program.” Those sticker colors, according to a chart that was apparently disseminated and later obtained by this newspaper, signify the “program tier” a student has achieved in the marking period, based on a combination of their grade point average, attendance rate and disciplinary record. Students who did not receive a sticker are assumed to have not fallen into any of the three possible tiers, given that none is mentioned for those who maintain a marking period grade point average of less than a “C,” or have poorer attendance and disciplinary records than the criteria for the lowest established tier. Initially, according to countless parent and student postings in online public forums, the pupils had been advised by their teachers that the student IDs had to be worn, but school officials, following the public rebuke, reportedly claimed it was only “optional,” as well as program participation. But the damage, it appeared, had already been done by the time school officials spoke out, with many students learning the otherwise confidential details of their peers in the interim. “Why would they want to publicly shame any students who are not doing so good in school?” one social media commenter asked. “Another way for society to keep us apart and put us in groups.” Another individual called the program “totally absurd,” asking, “Why are they labeling the kids?”
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“Life is stressful enough!” that person added, with another declaring, “I swear Pinelands continues to move backwards… segregating and labeling are ridiculous.” Also contributing to the outrage is that based on the chart, students who achieve the highest tier of “gold” are afforded “rewards” that include exclusive privileges, including “preferred lunch seating” in a “picnic area” at the high school, as well as unlimited access to an “end of year trip,” with students who fall in the highest tier and second-highest tier, silver, also provided with exclusive “discounts” on merchandise and food at “local businesses.” “So, whose brilliant idea in this joke of a school was it to create a class system for everyone to see?” wrote one person in a social media group. “The students now have to wear a color that puts them into a certain class and gives them privileges based on the color they have.” That post alone, shared throughout the community, generated over 220 comments in reply, as of press time, mostly critical of the program, including that “this is really discriminatory”, “this is stigmatizing students”, “this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard of”, “this is bonkers”, “this is beyond insane”, “this is so sad on every level”, “this is so wrong on so many levels – Hitler marked the Jews too”, as well as the program is “advancing segregation.” Some of the most pointed comments included, “You can reward the kids who are doing well without humiliating the kids who aren’t – this is bulls*** – period,” and, “I’m not having my kids be branded – excuse my language, but f*** that.” “Instead of race, this is how they are segregating kids from the smart and good kids to the not so smart and bad kids?” another commenter asked. “What happened to ‘every kid is the same and treated equally?’ I can tell you if I was still in school, this would make me not want to go!” The question was also asked of school officials on social media, “Did they ever read ‘The Scarlet Letter?’” (As Google aptly summarized, a ‘scarlet letter’ is an identifying mark or brand placed on someone who has committed adultery, with an example of a scarlet letter the Puritan woman referenced in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s renowned 1850 book ‘The Scarlet Letter,’ who cheated on her husband and had to wear a red A.) “No child who is struggling should have to wear something that tells their peers that!” declared another commenter. “I am 100 percent against this – all should have the same color. So very wrong!” One woman, who called the program “unbelievably inappropriate,” asked how the current school officials can now “ever speak about inclusivity” again “as they segregate students” through the unveiled program, before posing another question, “Have we
Saturday, December 18, 2021
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A chart showing the different tiers of the controversial incentive program and the privileges afforded to the students who make it into one of the tiers for the marking period. learned nothing from history?” Another man quipped, in reply, “Maybe they didn’t teach in history about how segregation happens.” “I can’t wrap my mind around having a program like this ever,” the woman who posed the question about what was learned from our history maintained, in tagging Susan Ernst, a longtime and well-respected educator in the district, who served as a past president of the Pinelands Regional Board of Education and has recently been critical of the superintendent, despite playing a major role in bringing her to the district during her board tenure in 2018. “However, to start a program based on attendance and grades during a global pandemic when children are struggling both academically and mentally is deplorable.” Ernst’s initial public reaction was to declare that the woman was “absolutely correct,” but the former school board president went even further, writing, “my first thought was, ‘Are you f***ing kidding me?’” Ernst, who noted she was a bit of “rebel” when she had attended school, asserted that she would probably have “led the charge to rip off the sticker and replace it with a smiley face.”
“There is this huge push for being inclusive … and this is what they do?” asked Ernst in disbelief. In another post, in which a parent posted a photograph of the chart containing the different program tiers, a commenter declared, “It’s an act of segregation and it will create bullying that the incompetent administration will ignore – demand the resignation of all administration.” In order to have received a gold sticker, or be classified in the “gold tier” for the marking period, a student is required to have an “A” average and 98 percent attendance rate for the marking period, and must be free from any “discipline points.” Those who maintain a “B” average or higher and a 95 percent attendance rate for the marking period, as well as are free from any “discipline points” are eligible for a green sticker, or are classified in the “green tier” for the marking period. And those who maintain a “C” average or higher and a 90 percent attendance rate for the marking period, and have no more than two discipline points for the marking period, are eligible for a white sticker, classified in the “white tier” for the marking period. See STICKERS/ Page 18
Saturday, December 18, 2021
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Retired Camden County Police Chief Is Recruited to Serve as Class Three Special Officer at Marlton’s Rice Elementary Evesham Department Also Hires Trio of New Rookie Officers
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
EV ESH AM—Eve sha m Tow nsh ip’s decision to install Class III Special Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs) in all the municipality’s schools, giving the police department “the ability to interact with our children from kindergarten all through high school,” as Police Chief Christopher Chew observed, has hit a new high note. High, that is, in the sense that its latest recruit to the program, Bruce Koch, who recently was assigned to guard the Richard L. Rice Elementary School in the Marlton’s Kings Grant neighborhood, used to be the highest-ranking member of the Haddon Heights Police Department – its chief – prior to his retirement from the department in 2018 after a quarter century of service. “We’re very excited that Bruce Koch is part of our organization,” said Chew in announcing his appointment to the post at the Dec. 8 meeting of the Evesham Township Council. Koch subsequently told the Pine Barrens Tribune in a phone interview that he believed that “my skill set was almost tailor made for this position,” given not only his experience as a police chief, but his support of the SRO (School Resource Officer) program with a background as a tactical officer and decade of serving on a SWAT team, as well as his added experience since leaving the force of working as a security officer for Woodbury High School and as a court security officer for the federal government. Koch now seems to be as excited about working for the Evesham school system as the local department is to have him on board, praising the township’s “pro-active” stance.
EMS
(Continued from Page 1) Dec. 6 that Quality had recently given the municipality the required 30-days’ notice that it would no longer be providing its medical transport services to the town. While Bourguignon didn’t reveal when that notice was officially given to Bass River, and the last day that Quality actually provided reliable service to the Burlington C ou nt y mu n i c ip a l it y, Bou rg u ig non explained on Dec. 6 that Bass River Mayor Deborah Buzby-Cope had been recently told that “Quality was not running any calls’ in Bass River, though the proprietor of Quality had initially assured the township, in response, that he was still responding to them when asked about the complaint. Ultimately, the township was told, according to Bourguignon, that Quality was instead “running calls” for Squad 85, a volunteer entity also known as Great Bay Regional EMS, based in Little Egg Harbor Township, which provides emergency medical transport services to nearby Eagleswood and Little Egg Harbor townships in Ocean County, but had also been the primary transport provider in Bass River up until the latter had contracted with Quality in 2019 because “they couldn’t cover the calls” in Bass River at that time due to dwindling volunteerism. Bourguignon maintained on Dec. 6, and in a later interview with this newspaper, that Quality had made the recent decision to support Squad 85, and answer emergency calls in the Little Egg area instead, because “it is more money for them” due to higher call volumes there given much more population and businesses, whereas in Bass River, on average, the town might have, at most, 75 hospital transports annually due to it being a small town.
“There are very few school districts you will find with an SRO at every single school,” he said. In his new post, Koch, who characterized himself as a “pretty humble guy,” said he has a dual role of serving both as a “positive role model” and “doing everything I can to make sure this place is as secure as possible,” walking around all the time and checking the outer perimeter periodically. “I want to be seen,” he noted. “And I’ve gotten a lot of positive comments from staff, teachers and parents regarding my presence and letting me know that they appreciate me being here.” Asked how he would handle the type of emergency that has occurred far too often in schools these days, he said he carries a school radio as well as a police radio, so if anything untoward were to happen, he would call both for additional assistance from the department and notify the administration at the same time. “I can assure you that every threat is taken seriously, and that there would be no hesitation on the part of the Evesham Police Department,” Koch declared. Koch also made a point of the fact that the SROs in the township were all supervisors who held the rank of captain and lieutenant, although he is the only former chief. In addition to hiring Koch, the Evesham department, which recently lost four officers to retirement, also announced the hiring of three new rookie officers, Isaiha Rose, Danielle Sigwart and Kyle Umbehauer. Rose, 21, after graduating from Woodbury High School in just three years and earning an associate degree in criminal justice from See CHIEF/ Page 23 Squad 85, Bourguignon contended on Dec. 6 and in the later interview, has “only been making somewhere around 15 percent of its calls” due to a shortage of volunteers that has only been growing since 2019, necessitating the need for it to bring in a commercial firm that offers paid EMS services, like Quality. Though an expanded footprint to include Bass River and Squad 85’s primary territory might sound logical for such a commercial firm to earn greater business, the owner of Quality, Bourguignon told this newspaper, had also informed him during a recent conversation that his firm has been suffering from a shortage of manpower, despite being a paid service, and therefore was unable to continue to extend service into Bass River. At some point recently, according to remarks made by the Bass River deputy mayor during the Dec. 6 Bass River Board of Commissioners meeting, the Galloway Township Ambulance Squad, with two stations based in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, “was put first” on the grid for responding to emergency medical calls in Bass River, “which I wasn’t told, and the captain of Galloway wasn’t told.” And while the chief of the Galloway Township Ambulance Squad, Chuck Uhl, “wasn’t happy” about not being told about the switch, according to Bourguignon, Galloway’s decision to temporarily agree to the arrangement, and come to the aid of Bass River, he said, is something the township “very much appreciates and is very, very grateful for,” as there are currently no other viable alternatives that are immediately available to keep the residents of Bass River safe. “They can’t do it forever, however,” declared Bourguignon of the temporary arrangement with Galloway Township Ambulance Squad (which has three duty See EMS/ Page 16
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TRUCK
(Continued from Page 7) within the rural Bass River State Forest), “we would still have to have something here.” “You have to have fire protection,” Wetmore declared. “If we are not there, somebody is going to have to provide it. If we dissolve tomorrow, the trucks are going to go back to the town, and whoever is going to come in, is going to provide fire protection and are going to need the trucks.” Resident William Aaronson asserted that “I think the concern that I am hearing is that we will have a flashy new fire engine over here (the fire company is next to the municipal building where the board meetings are held), but nobody to man it.” Bourguignon, in response, maintained “we have to consider that because this is a lot of money for a small town.” But while Wetmore said that he “can’t foresee the future as to what is going to happen” and “can’t guarantee the fire company is going to be there for another 30 or 40 years, or whatever,” he also doesn’t “plan on going anywhere anytime soon.” “I have been doing this for 30 some years,” Wetmore noted. “We talked about in a meeting what would happen if we stopped responding. I can’t foresee us in a situation where we stop responding anytime soon.
CANNABIS (Continued from Page 8)
for the township committee to write a letter of support for the cannabis distribution business. “The fact that the trucks have to be empty when they come back to Southampton, and empty when they go out in the morning, and empty when they complete their runs, means
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Saturday, December 18, 2021
And we have to have the equipment to do it (provide fire protection).” Some 20 members, he said, are currently “on the rolls” of the fire company with “probably 10 constant.” Wetmore noted that the engine being replaced is known as 4211. Another question that had been asked by a resident, named “Rebecca” according to Acting Township Clerk Elizabeth Godfrey, was if the current truck could simply be “refurbished.” Wetmore replied that a professional had been brought in to come look at the current fire truck and advised him that “you would just be throwing good money after bad.” That professional also pointed out, according to Wetmore, that the existing fire engine “has met the codes of its day,” and in elaborating on what the means, the chief said, “the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is telling you that after so many years that you have to replace these trucks.” The current fire engine was, at the time of the board meeting, out of service, according to Wetmore, because “one of the batteries is cooked.” New brakes were recently put on the existing fire truck “because we have to” while the company awaits a new fire engine. But the point being, he indicated, is that more and more things are failing and requiring repairs on a truck that “has been meticulously maintained” over the last couple of decades, but is now beyond its useful life.
Buzby-Cope asked the residents attending the meeting point blank, “What do you guys think we should do?” and kept trying to encourage as much input as possible as she attempted to arrive at a decision. “I think the fire company deserves it,” replied Kevin Foder, who is the owner of Firehouse Pizza and Deli, a new township establishment, as well as a local fireman and a member of the Bass River Board of Education. “It will protect our residents and businesses.” The woman who had asked about the possibility of refurbishing the existing fire engine, responded that “as long as we have a fire department, I think we need to give them what they need to operate.” “What if it your house?” she asked. “… Enough money is wasted on frivolous stuff, and here our tax money can go towards something that is actually needed.” Buzby-Cope noted the bond term is for 10 years, and with a cost of a new fire engine put around $600,000, that comes out to about $60,000 a year. “Which is nothing,” noted the woman attending the meeting, suggesting that given the value of the service and protection provided by the fire company in having the new fire engine, it was a worthwhile expense. Buzby-Cope and Bourguignon, on that note, voted to approve the bond ordinance. According to Wetmore, the equipment will be taken from the existing fire truck.
The “only thing spec’d out for the new truck” he said, are three-quarter engine lines/jump lines “which we are pulling out all the time.” “We don’t have bells and whistles all these other companies have,” said the chief, who has served in that post for nearly 15 years after succeeding his brother in the role. “We have a truck to fight fire with. Basically, we are just replacing exactly what we have on our own.” While it has been Wetmore’s experience that while new firefighters usually come from a firefighting family, or “usually kids of kids,” pointing out that his son is now a fireman and his grandson is “chomping at the bit to become one,” the fire company is looking to recruit new volunteer members, though the chief cautions “you got to want to do it, and you got to love it, because if you don’t, it is not going to last.” “People always ask me why do I this job, and it is because I love it, I like to help people, and you just enjoy it,” Wetmore said. The bond ordinance also will fund somewhere around $10,000 in repairs and upgrades to the Bass River Township Municipal Building, according to Buzby Cope, with the bond financing more money for that project than what will most likely actually be realized. Further action will likely be needed in the form of resolutions to carry out any major expenses outlined in the bond and to award any contracts exceeding the state’s bid threshold.
they are not storing anything in Southampton,” Heston said. “And they are allowed to travel through the township anyway – anybody who delivers (cannabis) is allowed to travel. So, they will be using our main highways anyhow.” But Committeeman James F. Young Sr. asked, in response, “Who is going to look in the truck when they come back?” Heston retorted that the state is responsible for making sure its requirements are being met, not the township.
“With that being said, I see no reason why we can’t support a local business,” Heston declared. “I make a motion that we issue a letter of support.” Heston and Mikulski voted to issue one. Young, Committeewoman Elizabeth Rossell and Committeeman Bill Raftery, however, voted in opposition. “Motion denied!” observed Mikulski, with Heston asserting, “At least we now know!” On the same day that Bartleson and
Robinson had appeared before the township committee, the governing body had voted 4-1 (with Rossell casting the lone dissenting vote), ahead of a state-imposed deadline, to prohibit all forms of cannabis businesses in Southampton for the time being, with Mikulski contending that the township committee was awaiting regulations from the CRC so that it has a better idea of what it can and cannot regulate with respect to the industry. Those regulations have since been issued.
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OPERATIONS (Continued from Page 9)
Heinold said that by having a local Cannabis Committee, “it has helped a lot” in facilitating the process for local applicants, declaring, “it is also good to see” that the entities the township has been in discussion with “for years” about establishing cannabis operations in Shamong are now actually “following through.” The township solicitor, during a prior township committee meeting on Nov. 9, revealed that there have also been discussions with a solar developer to possibly expand the scope of a planned solar project for “Murphy’s Pit,” which comprises vacant lots totaling roughly 140 acres along Atsion Road, to include a cannabis operation of some sort in the mix as well.
FEES
(Continued from Page 10) in the right way … is locked out of trying to do something right?” When Veasy asked Ogen whether he was aware that the fees would be cut in half for microbusinesses, he replied, “I’m only giving you the optics of the calls that I’m getting” and “that it is not known to the public enough” and suggested, “Even if it’s 50 percent less, cover our costs, just for the micro.” However, another resident, Gary Warga, who was previously critical of the cannabis ordinance before it was adopted, said he supported charging high fees for any cannabis business that opens in the township because “you don’t know what you’re getting into, nobody does – you’re shooting in the dark.” “We don’t know all of the ramifications
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 “They are interested in that (cannabis),” said Heinold of the solar developer. “They may want to include that somehow in a redevelopment plan. They are trying to gather information to make it a realistic proposal – if they do cannabis, essentially it would be a cannabis production facility underneath solar, or surrounded by solar.” Whether or not a cannabis operation actually comes to fruition at the pit, the township solicitor maintained that “they (the solar developer) are still pursuing solar regardless of anything that comes out of the cannabis front.” The township’s hope for a new revenue stream comes at a time in which “we are all feeling the pinch of everything going up,” with limited ways for the township to offset the rising costs, as detailed by the Township Administrator and Clerk Susan Onorato on Dec. 7. The township in recent days, she said, has received word that its pension costs will and consequences and side effects and extra police work” that will result when such enterprises open, Warga contended, expressing the hope that “the fees would “offset all that extra training of police officers that would now be needed” once local officials had decided to “roll the dice.” Refuting that assertion was Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper, who replied that “no dice were rolled here” when the council opted to authorize cannabis enterprises, maintaining that “we did the research, informed by many people who saw results in other states” and “received information that we needed.” “It went to the voters, they wanted cannabis, and it is our role as a governing body to figure out the best and safest way to have it available to the public,” Cooper added. In addition to setting fees for cannabis businesses, the ordinance, No. 41-12-2021, also amended fees for a whole variety of other enterprises and activities.
be increasing for next year by 17 percent, while the cost for health benefits will rise by 4 percent in 2022. Additionally, the Burlington County Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) informed the municipality of a $7,000 increase in rates for the upcoming new year, according to Onorato, all while the municipality has seen a marked increase in its utility and fuel costs. Township staff, she noted, are also now requesting a 5 percent increase in salaries “to be in line” with the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for wage earners. In addition, the township auditor, which has “done a great job” for the municipality and has not seen a rate increase since 2014, is now requesting a rate increase of 1.8 percent for 2022, Onorato revealed. And the Indian Mills Volunteer Fire Company, pointed out Onorato for the second consecutive month, has asked for “$984,000 on a $3.2 million budget” in
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2022 for items such as “scuba gear, face mask tanks and units (known as air packs), turnout gear replacement, and a new fire truck.” The cost of a new fire truck, she noted, is “somewhere in the ballpark of $800,000,” though the township could spread that out over seven years. Additionally, the township committee on Dec. 7 directed Heinold to draft a $1 million bond ordinance to set in motion the next phase of a township road improvement p rog r a m , w it h nu m e rou s t ow n sh ip roads deteriorating to the point that the municipality has been receiving complaints (as previously reported by this newspaper). Given that the bond ordinance requires a first and second reading, Heinold advised the governing body to not expect the funds to become available until March. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of ourselves next year,” declared Gimbel of the costs ahead of the 2022 budgeting process.
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EMS
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
(Continued from Page 13) crews available during the day and two on overnights), noting that the latter has temporarily stopped running most mutual aid calls (for non-life-threatening emergencies) to its surrounding Atlantic County communities so that it can provide any needed assistance to Bass River, and that because of the distance between Galloway and Bass River, it is leading to longer response times, with him mentioning a potentially eight-minute delay in response under certain circumstances. Buzby-Cope noted that Green Bank Volu nt e e r A mbu la nc e C omp a ny i n neighboring Washington Township is “backing them up” currently in Bass River, but that “they don’t have many people over there” to provide primary coverage to the township. Multiple telephone calls and a Facebook message sent to Quality for this story, as of press time, were not returned. Dave Inman, captain of Squad 85, did return this newspaper’s message seeking comment on this story, but ultimately responded to this newspaper’s inquiries that he had to “talk to my people” before answering them. Despite promising a response last week “within 24 hours,” no response was given as of this newspaper’s Dec. 14 deadline time. Uhl, however, told the Pine Barrens Tribune in an interview last week that when Bass River “contacted us about two months ago” saying that Quality wanted to “get out of its contract,” and asked if Galloway would assist the town, “immediately my concern was the response time to go to Bass River.” That being said, his agency ultimately “agreed to cover them as a primary” and to “make sure an ambulance arrives in Bass River within a reasonable timeframe,” for now. “As far as our agreement is concerned, I am concerned about the amount of time it takes our ambulances to get up there,” Uhl acknowledged. “The best-case scenario – it takes 10 to 12 minutes. The worst-case scenario – it takes 20 to 25 minutes to get there.” But the deciding factor that Uhl said led him to agree to the temporary arrangement is that “fortunately, for Bass River,” the New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company maintains a “first responder unit” that “provides oxygen and all life-sustaining stuff” until EMTs arrive on scene at a medical emergency. “Quite frankly, had something like that not been in place, I probably would not have agreed to something like this,” declared Uhl. But Uhl, in maintaining to this newspaper that the temporary arrangement “can’t sustain itself” and “has got to be temporary,” pointed out, as Bourguignon did, that “we cut down on non-essential mutual aid to neighboring communities in Atlantic County.” “What it means is that while another town might need our assistance here in Atlantic County, we are not sending out a crew, except only for life-threatening emergencies, such as heart attacks.” And, when this newspaper put a question to Uhl that a township resident had asked during the Dec. 6 Bass River Board of Com m issioners me eti ng about what happens if there is a mass casualty incident in Galloway, the chief acknowledged that something like that happening is conceivable given that Galloway is responsible for providing coverage to two high schools, Absegami and Cedar Creek (the latter because it also provides EMS coverage to Egg Harbor City), for example, as well as Stockton University. “Leaving Bass River uncovered – it could happen,” Uhl said. “Yeah, Bass River could potentially be in a situation where would not be able to get to them quickly.” Uhl added that his agency’s ambulances would be moved around in such situations
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as best as possible to “make sure Bass River has adequate coverage.” But Bass River, “in a nutshell,” he declared, is in “quite a pickle” as “it can’t possibly have (afford) an ambulance squad by themselves, as they don’t have enough calls,” and that most commercial firms would pass them over as they want to make “hundreds of thousands of dollars to do something.” Bourguignon, who pointed out the small town also has limited funds, told this newspaper that since Bass River received notice from Quality, he reached out to two other area emergency medical transport services, with Northeast Medical Transport responding that “there is not enough call volume to justify” coming into Bass River, and AtlantiCare wanting approximately $60,000 a month for just “one ambulance” to be stationed in the municipality 24/7 with “one crew.” “Our money is against us, and where we are is against us,” declared Bourguignon during the Dec. 6 Bass River Board of Commissioners meeting. That prompted one resident to ask, “Best case scenario, how do you fix this?” According to Bourguignon on Dec. 6, the answer is for Squad 85 (with Tom “Tommy” Wetmore, chief of the New Gretna Volunteer Fire Company, during the Dec. 6 Bass River board meeting, pointing out that several area towns, including Bass River, had “paid into over the years”) to “regionalize” and become a “paid-service,” but that it “keeps kicking the can down the road,” along with officials in Little Egg Harbor, where the entity is located. Wetmore also maintained that Squad 85, also known as Great Bay Regional EMS, becoming a paid service is the “best thing I see happening.” “But Little Egg doesn’t seem to have problem in their eyes,” Wetmore noted. “… But once they become a paid service, they will run enough calls to become selfsufficient.” Uhl, who told this newspaper he had been a “longtime captain” for Great Bay Regional EMS up until 2009, said he had made a “couple calls” in recent days to see to it that there is some kind of meeting of the minds, given the current predicament, but that “it doesn’t seem like everybody is on the same page.” “I don’t have an answer to the problem right now,” he asserted. Uhl described to this newspaper that some of the factors resulting in the towns not working well together to arrive at an agreeable solution stems from “years of infighting and years of hard feelings,” but that in a recent conversation with Squad 85’s captain, he urged him to “wipe the slate clean” because “he wasn’t there when all that bad blood happened.” “I spoke on the phone with Great Bay’s captain,” Uhl noted. “I wanted to see everyone come up with a solution. He informed me they are struggling and are using Quality. A lot of calls are going to a paid-service provider because they don’t have the volunteers to staff the calls.” When he left Squad 85 nearly a decade ago, Uhl maintained, he had informed officials at the time that there needed to be a “paid option” because “calls continue to rise, people have two to three jobs nowadays, and they are not able to make the commitments as they could years ago.” He added at the time that he left Squad 85, it was “making around 90 percent of its calls, and “now I am told that it is a very, very low number” due to the drop in volunteerism. “The best thing for small towns is to go to a regionalized service, or get a service that can provide coverage to them, and at same time go into other towns to make up for that lack of call volume,” Uhl contended. It is in Galloway’s interest, Uhl noted, to See EMS/ Page 23
Saturday, December 18, 2021
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(Continued from Page 10) ask, “Because who in their right mind would approve such a thing in a neighborhood with little children?” While maintaining that he had “nothing against” the individuals undergoing such treatment and that “we all want to see people get rehabilitated,” Gordon said he felt sorry for those “in their backyard” and that “it would be impossible for their property value not to plummet if that is put there.” He then asked the mayor why the facility’s prospective operators didn’t first consult with the community and whether it would even be legal for it to come to the neighborhood. “Legal, yes,” replied Veasy. “But were they licensed to come here? We don’t have that information. (But) they have to be licensed by the state.” The fact that such a facility would even be permitted in the neighborhood, however, was referred to by the initial speaker, Daniel Lavan, of Bartram Road, as seeming to be the “result of an archaic law written years ago to stop discrimination in the housing market.” Citing 2019 statistics, Lavan calculated that based on the number of residents, and that such homes typically have an average stay of 100 days, he would have anywhere from 40 to 60 new neighbors every year and from 1,200 to 1,800 over the course of his 30-year mortgage – a turnover he likened to a “revolving door” that couldn’t help but bring some “really bad people” into the neighborhood. Lavan claimed that his research had also indicated that “only 28 percent of these patients are employed,” which meant there would be “a lot of hanging around.” “‘Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,’ the old saying is true,” he contended.
“Someone who is unoccupied and bored, especially with these addictive tendencies, will certainly find mischief.” When told by the mayor that his five minutes were up, Lavan took a profane parting shot, declaring that “Legal or illegal, putting a group home across the street from an elementary school is G**d*** immoral, unethical, irresponsible and it’s got to be stopped,” eliciting applause from some of those in attendance. Another Bartram Road resident, Patricia Colman, said that while she understood “that there is a need for rehabilitation in our community, in our state and in the current times that we’re living in,” she felt that those suffering from addiction stand a better chance to be rehabilitated “if they have easy access to public transportation so they can find work,” something not available close to this particular home. Colman added that she first became concerned about the situation when she called Township Manager Rob Corrales and discovered that local officials had only become aware of the situation when they began getting calls from residents, “which made me feel like it was being done secretively.” Also claiming that the operation was being set up in a secretive manner was Leslie Dixon, who owns a home next door to the one in question, and who alleged that his mother, a lifelong resident, “was told by one of the business members he was moving in with his wife and three-year-old.” Dixon said he thought a facility of this sort would be much better suited to a property on several acres of land, rather than a cul-de-sac in a residential area. An immediate neighbor with two young daughters, whose backyard borders the property in question, said that despite having a brother, a cousin and friends who See HOME/ Page 19
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LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
STICKERS
(Continued from Page 12) Then, of course, those who are particularly struggling to the point where they have not earned a “C” average or higher, or have been unable to maintain at least a 90 percent attendance rate, are apparently ineligible for any sticker. A second social media group posting critical of the program, maintaining it is comparable to something that you might find implemented for “kindergarteners,” solicited some 240 comments as of press time, including several from individuals who claimed to be actual Pinelands Regional students, including one who described her experience last Friday morning as “mortifying.” “As a student who goes to Pinelands, all throughout the day I have gotten asked what color sticker I had received on my lanyard and I had to tell my other peers I did not receive one and it was mortifying,” the student wrote. “They’re dividing us students upon our grades and attendance days, and it is unfair to my other peers, who get privileges that some do not get, due to the fact they did not receive a sticker. It should be a personal matter and not out into the open.” In also providing a “student’s perspective,” another pupil wrote that the “stickers are absolutely ridiculous.” “A student should not have to worry about other people knowing where they stand academically,” that student declared. “Grades and attendance are personal and not everyone needs to know. We try our best, and if we don’t stand where others do, it should not be shown or visible to everyone else. If anything, they could have very easily sent out emails and let us know where we stand academically and attendance wise.” T h at s t u d e nt c a l l e d t h e s t i c ke r s “absolutely unnecessary” and that they were “definitely an invasion of privacy to all – whether you have gold, green, white or no sticker,” further suggesting the colors or tiers “should not matter” with respect to access to events and programing, or how one is seated at the table. Yet another student called the “sticker situation” one that is “ridiculous.” “I tr y my ver y best in school and sometimes still get poor grades, but I don’t think a sticker should have to prove that,” the student declared. “We shouldn’t get stupid stickers to prove that we are doing good and it’s absolutely ridiculous. People’s grades and attendance is confidential and no one else should know where another student is standing academically. They are also saying that kids who don’t get stickers, don’t reach any of the academic requirements, and it’s stupid. They clearly did not think this one through and now it’s backfiring.” There were also several commenters who pointed out that students with chronic medical issues, disabilities, difficulties with life at home, and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are already at a disadvantage, and therefore often “struggle to pass” and “maintain a certain level,” expressing concern such a program would not only single those pupils out, but have an adverse impact on their mental health and well-being. Gold-tiered students are rewarded with “admission” to “pop-up events” and “end of marking period events,” as well as “free admission” to home sporting events, the provided chart notes. They are also granted “discounted rates” on school activities, “preferred lunch seating” in the school’s picnic area, “discounts” to local businesses and guaranteed access to an “end of year trip.” The rewards are the same for the greentiered students, except that they only are given a “chance” to partake in the “end of year trip” by being entered into a “lottery.”
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Silver-tired students are ineligible for local business discounts, as well as the end-ofyear trip. Those who don’t earn a spot in any tier don’t earn any rewards, suggesting those students would be denied admission to the pop-up and marking period events. “This is disappointing,” asserted one parent. “These kids deserve better. Some kids learn better than others; some kids just do better than others. (That) does not mean to not include them in things. This is a form of bullying and McCooley needs to be called out. Who are they to decide what child deserves more things than the others? Really sick.” And, as a couple of “livid” parents reported, their children are straight-A students or have made honor roll, but were devastated last Friday to only receive a white sticker, or no sticker at all, simply because they didn’t meet the attendance criteria, with those parents citing medical conditions or Coronavirus infections and quarantines as the reason for them not meeting it. “He worked hard to make honor roll and feels like sh** because he got white, because he missed three days with a COVID scare,” wrote one parent of the impact the program had on her honor roll student. “I’m livid. Even if he had gold, I’d be livid. It’s branding and it’s ridiculous.” Another commenter, in referring to the program as a “stupid idea,” said it was only serving as a way to “discourage the kids who try their hardest but do not get A’’s, or the ones who have to quarantine because of exposure” “You want to make high school even more difficult?” that individual asked. “Reward them with a juvenile point-based sticker system. Great use of resources, really, great idea.” A nother parent poste d the d i re ct telephone number to the executive county superintendent, employed by the NJDOE, while others called on parents to “be loud” in voicing concerns to school officials and the board of education. Others urged individuals to contact the governor and the press. “This is shameful, and the media should be alerted to cover this overt discrimination and a dividing tool,” wrote one woman, while another asserted, “I’m contacting the press as well as the governor’s office. Besides this their protocol for COVID is insane. No wonder there’s a ton of kids with COVID. I’m getting this school shut down! Watch me!” After the Pine Barrens Tribune was contacted about the situation (though not by those who threatened to call the press) and observed the social media posts, this newspaper placed a call to McCooley’s office, asking to interview the superintendent for this story. McCooley was said to be out of the office by her secretary, Mary Ellen, but said she would have her set up a Zoom or telephone “meeting.” The superintendent, however, did not return this newspaper’s phone call for an interview as of press time. Also contacted by this newspaper was current president of the Pinelands Regional board, August “Augie” Daleo, who was reached just before 2 p.m. on Dec. 10. The controversy erupted around 8 a.m. that day. “It’s amazing how fast you guys jump right in!” Daleo asserted. “This just broke like an hour ago, so were you looking right on social media or did someone reach out to you?!” When informed by this reporter it was a combination of both the social media posts and those who reached out that prompted the call to him for an interview, the current board president decried, “Oh, OK, this is just normal, there is nothing better going on at the Pine Barrens Tribune to be jumping right on it during the day! But go right ahead, I’ll answer your questions!” Daleo, when asked if he could confirm this program was instituted that day, maintained that “no, it was instituted in
the summertime.” He explained that it was described in the “parent school policy manual” that “all parents were required to read and sign-off on.” “They had to read each one (policy),” Daleo told this newspaper. “That was in September.” P a r e nt s , u p o n r e c e i v i n g a l a t e r letter from high school Principal Troy Henderson to clear-up “some confusion and misinformation being shared on social media about the P.R.I.D.E. program that the high school has implemented,” learned that it was on “page 64” of the manual. “The specifics” about what brought the program to a head on Dec. 10, Daleo told this newspaper, would have to be sought from Henderson and the administrative team. “This came from a collaboration from the administration and Mr. Henderson,” explained Daleo of what he claimed to know. “There were some other teachers involved when they were brainstorming it over the summer.” The board president made a point to say that “it wasn’t Dr. McCooley” who implemented the program, stressing that the decision had actually been made by “Mr. Henderson.” When asked if the Pinelands Regional Board of Education had approved the program, he called it an “incentive program,” declaring, “I don’t believe this is something that needs board approval.” Daleo, after being asked for his reaction to what the hundreds of people who weighed in online wrote, contended that he “hasn’t seen the comments or the posts” but that “if somebody put something out who doesn’t have all the facts yet” on social media, “other people may be reading something that is not factual.” “So, they are going to get heated up,” he said. When it was pointed out to the school board president, however, that many people were calling the program “discriminatory” and a form of “segregation,” Daleo replied that “they can go to a board meeting and address it there.” The board president, when then asked if the same applied to the students speaking out, including the one who called the situation “mortifying,” contended he was “not going to comment on something he has not read or seen directly,” adding that he “doesn’t even know” if that is a “fictitious post,” or “one from a true student.” He also cautioned that student posts might not be “factual” since they “are under age 18.” Daleo would not say during the interview whether he thought the program was a good one, but called it an “incentivebased program,” one he contended was based off the “Renaissance Program,” one he described as “a nationally-recognized incentive program” in which an AP student “is not judged” against a student who has an IEP. “It is not comparable that way,” the board president maintained. “It is an incentive program based on the level a student is at.” Students, he added, “are not required to be part of it” and parents can “opt them out” of the Pinelands program as well. After being pressed by this reporter about some students reportedly being told they had to wear their white stickers, and what the chart obtained by this newspaper claimed that would reveal, Daleo replied, “from the way I understand, the sticker could be in your notebook.” “It does not have to be visible,” the school board president emphasized. It was a short time after that interview that Henderson issued a letter to school families. “An assembly was held at the beginning of the school year with students, and a follow-up meeting was held just this week
Saturday, December 18, 2021 during lunches explaining the program,” Henderson wrote. “This is an optional incentive program that your child is not required to participate in. Furthermore, students are not required to wear their lanyards, they are only required to have it on their person. “Please note, this is an incentive program that was geared towards rewarding students for being in good standing. Far too often, schools only focus on negatively disciplining students.” Henderson, in his communication, invited questions and concerns about the program to be sent directly to him. But he did not respond to this newspaper’s inquiries as of press time, including if he believed, as an educator, a student should proudly wear or display their white sticker given what it signifies. “Should a student feel good about that?” he was asked by this newspaper, which elicited no response. However, during a Dec. 14 Pinelands Regional Board of Education meeting, Matthew Maleski, an assistant principal for the high school, was asked to speak about the program’s rollout, and in doing so, maintained that “all students, no matter which tier they might be in, are exceeding our expectations.” “All three of those tiers are for students who are exceeding our expectations,” he emphasized. “So, they are all worthy of our recognition in our program.” The assistant principal claimed that the “vast majority of our students” fell into one of the three tiers. O u t g o i n g B o a r d Me mb e r K a r e n Poklikuha, who represents Eagleswood Township, recommended that the program be “tweaked,” and asserted it is “striking me as odd if the ‘vast majority of students’ are ‘exceeding expectations.’” She also pointed out that there could also be instances where a “student is struggling academically, but truly doing the best they can,” when it was pointed out some students might not be eligible for certain rewards. Meanwhile, Patty Martin, who represents Bass River Township on the Pinelands Regional board, maintained that she “thinks the program is wonderful” and that school administrators “answered the call for more positive attraction,” but that after talking to her daughter, who attends Pinelands high, “I am wondering if the identifiers, or the labels – green, gold and white – if there could be another way for you to identify the level of reward.” She was then asked, in response, “What is offensive about the color?,” to which she replied, “Where it is labeled – put on the ID card.” “Do you have different ways to ID them?” Martin asked. “I wish there was a different way of going about it other than stickers on an ID card.” Maleski maintained that “it is a discussion we can certainly have,” but when the ID cards were first handed out, “I think some got the impression that they have to wear them, but you don’t have to do that.” “But they are expected to have the IDs on their person when in school,” Maleski added. “But they don’t have to share that information.” McCooley, who attended the board meeting, contended that Maleski “surveyed the students” following the program’s rollout. “We looke d at t h e r e s u lt s a s a n administrative team,” the superintendent claimed. “The biggest issue from the students’ perspective was not the color, but that the attendance was bringing some of them down from the top tier to another tier.” She further contended that there was an “appeal process” and since last week some “60 students won an appeal” because “we do agree attendance is difficult right now See STICKERS/ Page 22
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JANUARY
WORSHIP GUIDE / EVENTS
♦ Page 19
To promote your February Events and special event on this page promotions contact Jayne Cabrilla at happening locally 609-801-2392 or email this month! jcabrilla@pinebarrenstribune.com
January 2 Train Rides Through the Woods of New Gretna
Location: Bass River Township In-Person Services being held after Labor Day at 8:15 am | 9:30 am | 11:00 am | Facebook Live
Details: The Woods of New Gretna Park and the New Jersey Shore Live Steam Organization provide train rides for all each Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The small steam locomotives, and other trains, wind their way through the beautiful park. The rides are provided by a group of dedicated volunteers who have revitalized the park and laid out the railroad track, based follow us on on the historical Tuckerton Railroad. The volunteers maintain the railroad and facebook.com/MedfordUMC walking trails, and are constantly expanding them. Riding the trains is free, but donations are very much appreciated. The train rides are outdoors.
January 8 Dinner and Live Theater Production by Local Performers Location: Medford Details: St. Mary’s of the Lakes School, located at 196 Route 70, Medford, is hosting “La Famiglia,” a fast-paced, funny look into a family of highlycharged, strong yet loving personalities and their frequently outlandish behaviors. Based on the book “Gravy Wars” by Lorraine Ranalli, “La Famiglia” depicts Italian traditions, superstitions and idiosyncrasies through the antics of the Scamorza family. Show times are: Sat., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.; and Sun., Jan. 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $45 or four for $165 and can be purchased through Eventbrite.com . Tickets include a family-style dinner from Illiano Cucina Mediterranea (Chicken Picatta, Sausage and Peppers, Penne Ala Vodka, Salad, Mixed Vegetables, Rolls and soft drinks). BYOB. For more information, contact Natalie Stone at actressnataliestone@live.com or 609-969-7492.
I Am That I Am Ministries, Inc. All Are Welcome!
Sunday Worship Se ervice at 11:30 a.m. Pastors Florence and Russell Webberr 50 Burrs Mill Roadd, Southampton, NJ 08088 609 - 847- 4848
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Bible Sttudy m. 7 p.m Wednessday
January 18 Location: Lumberton/Tabernacle (Pick-up Locations)
are recovering alcoholics and believing sober living to be a “great cause,” she did “not feel comfortable being in this position” and wanted the council to know “that from my point of view, it’s just not the place for it.” Kevin Jones, a father of two girls whose property on nearby Militia Green also backs up to the one on which this particular house sits, was even more emphatic. “I’ve personally seen how heroin and drugs can tear apart a family,” he said. “My sister and brother-in law were both heroin addicts and have gone through the sober living process. Both have stated to me they would not want this in their back yard. What they have gone through should not be in the middle of a neighborhood.” Countering such sentiments and some of the allegations made were Mark Warner, who identified himself as the director of operations for the rehab home reportedly being planned, and Greg McGuire and Thomas Maguire Sr., the brother and father, respectively, of Tribe Intensive’s CEO, Thomas Maguire, Jr. Warner denied that a sober living home operated by the organization would pose any sort of danger to children or the nearby school, claiming it would have “nothing to do with pedophiles,” that the school “has reached out and asked that we come and speak,” and that “all the high schools in the area ask that we come and get involved with their students because of how bad this problem is.” He also refuted allegations that some residents of the home might be put out to wander the streets and be given methadone or other substitute drugs to help them break the cycle of addiction. “It’s a complete absence-based program,
Details: The Pinelands Young at Heart Senior Club is sponsoring monthly casino trips to Atlantic City Resorts on the third Tuesday of each month. The price is $30, with $20 back to play at the casinos. The first pick-up is at 8:30 a.m., at the Lumberton Plaza, in the TD Bank parking lot. The second pick-up is at 9 a.m., at the Old Squad Building on Hawkins Rd. in Tabernacle. Enjoy drawings and Bingo games on the trip. Snacks and water are included. For more information, call John at 609-268-8951.
18 Mill St. Vincentown, NJ 08088 Worship: Sundays 10 a.m. 609-859-2299
2 Hartford Road | Medford NJ 08055 medfordumc.org | 609/654-8111 info@medfordumc.org
HOME
Trip to Casino Resorts
Trinity Episcopal Church
(Continued from Page 16)
Messiah Lutheran Brethren Church “To Know Jesus Christ and to Make Him Known”
Pastor Todd Anderson
www. MessiahLBC.church Church (609) 893-1700 530 Virginia Drive Presidential Lakes, NJ 08015 Worship Service - 10 a.m.
one that I’ve been on myself, and I’m standing here in front of you because of programs like this,” he asserted. “They’re run professionally, and I oversee them and make sure that they’re run that way.” As for “why we didn’t go to the community, it’s because of reasons like this,” Warner said. “The pitchforks come out regardless,” he added. “It could have prevented the sale of the home, it could have prevented us from coming into this community and could have prevented us from saving lives. He also declared that “we’re here to help,” asserting that without his organization, “you’re at risk of having more overdoses than with us here.” Both Greg Maguire and Thomas Maguire, Sr., spoke of the widespread substance abuse that currently exists in the community, with the former recounting how his brother, who now runs the organization, had been “shipped off to places like Camden and Pennsauken for treatment” and estimating that “nine out of 27” local students are “going to have some form of drug addiction.” “As residents, we should be working to help these individuals, not chasing and running them out (to be) somebody else’s problem,” he maintained. A d d i c t i o n , h e a d d e d , “d o e s n ’t discriminate, and before you are quick to make a judgment because it’s best for your home value, I ask you to care about human beings in general first,” also resulting in applause (which the mayor asked attendees to refrain from). “Half the stuff these people are saying, they don’t know what they’re talking about,” declared the CEO’s father, emphasizing that the facility at issue is “a sober living home, not a group home, not a drug addict place, and that it was not for the detriment of the community, it’s for the betterment of it.” See HOME/ Page 21
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♦ Page 21
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PROPERTY (Continued from Page 9)
“It is an ‘active monitoring site,’” the borough administrator maintained. Heinold, in expanding on that point, said that the borough had Environmental Resolutions, Inc. (ERI) recently evaluate the property “with a history of environment issues” and it found existing “minor issues” that can be addressed for under $10,000, with the more likely cost around $5,000. He said that site inspection might have “triggered the issue” that caused the NJDEP to inform Aromando that the lot was in active remediation. “So, you may have someone at the NJDEP say it is an ‘active remediation site,’ but we know what that exposure is, and have accounted for that,” Heinold maintained. Burton later told this newspaper that there is a “very small area that tested positive for what they believe is hydraulic fluid.” “It is fairly shallow and once remediated should pose no problems,” he said. “There are also testing points that are required to be monitored by Puritan oil that are related to a previous issue.” Aromando, in responding to Heinold at the council meeting, countered that “it doesn’t matter” whether remediation of the property would cost under $10,000 because it is still “a cost we are going to take on.” That being said, “at this point, the borough needs to move forward and satisfy ourselves on an environmental front” to ensure “we are not going to have an environmental issue with it, if we acquire it,” said Heinold, noting that “while environmental issues can be scary,” another town he represents, Delanco, saved money in a recent acquisition deal by knowing what the exposure was, or analyzing the contamination, ahead of time.
HOME
(Continued from Page 19) He also expressed the hope that the kids whom local residents are trying so hard to protect “don’t develop the problem that my son developed.” “I understand that people don’t want it (the sober living home) in their neighborhood,” he said. “Guess what? My son used to buy drugs in Woodstream. His drug dealer lived in Woodstream. It’s there, and the people who live there have problems. A friend of my son was a drug addict in Woodstream and wound up hanging himself because he couldn’t take it no more. It’s there, and it could be anywhere.” Cooper, in her closing remarks, agreed that the problem is already prevalent in neighborhoods like Woodstream, noting that she’s personally familiar with a lot of
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In addition to the environmental concerns at 32 Stokes Road, a “title search” on the lot, Heinold acknowledged, “found we have some other interested parties with prior mortgage-related issues that are showing up.” Aromando, who apparently obtained a copy of the title search ahead of the meeting, pointed out that the “prior liens,” or what he referred to as “superior liens,” involve “three banks.” “What cost would that be to the taxpayers – any of those mortgages you referenced, or any other liens considered ‘superior liens’ that would have to be satisfied?” Aromando asked. Heinold explained that the “principal, primary lien of ours is superior” and governmental “taxes and tax liens are always superior to any other interests under the law,” and the findings in the title search is the reason that Medford Lakes is pursuing a tax lien foreclosure on the property, because that process “forecloses all interests.” “Ever yone who has an interest, as evidenced by the tax lien report, will get noticed, as required under the tax lien foreclosure process,” Heinold contended. “We will have to wait for that time period to run. Given how long those interests have sat out there, I would be surprised if anyone was to come forward. Once that time period has passed, we will default them and conclude the foreclosure.” Aromando retorted that he “doesn’t understand why any institution would want to walk away,” with Heinold noting that should a bank want to acquire the property, “they would still have to satisfy the taxes” that are owed, and that while mortgagerelated issues showed up on the title search, it may just be an issue where the banks filed a “mortgage and note,” but that they simply “were not discharged” on the record filed
families who “have struggled with alcohol and drug addiction.” “I know they too have lost members,” she said. “I know their families still struggle, (and that) sober living homes are ways communities can support national efforts to heal families.” The deputy mayor also pointed out that ‘there’s a credentialing process that the state requires” of such facilities, as well as a National Alliance for Recovery Residences “that also has guidelines and requirements for sober living homes and is trying to make sure that those guidelines are strict if they’re going to operate in any residential area.” She advised residents that when and if the sober living house opens, to call the DCA and find out “if they have the regulations you expect, if they have the things you want to see.” “Hold the state accountable for their licensing regulations,” Cooper declared.
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at the county, or perhaps there was even an incorrect filing, calling such a circumstance “not uncommon.” “Those banks have had the opportunity for decades now to seek an action on that property, if they desire to, but have not done that,” said Heinold of if the record for 32 Stokes Road turned out to be accurate. “So, if they didn’t foreclosure when there wasn’t $100,000 in taxes owed on it, I am not so sure why they would now.” Should the due-diligence process find no major issues, Heinold said the borough could “close” on the property in either late February or March, with the agreement
Lic# 1283
providing for a date of March 1. Mayor Thomas Cranston claimed the borough has “no grand plans for the property other than “minor improvements or perhaps a pocket park at some point.” Heinold maintained that the “worst-case” scenario would be that there would be the development of a single-family home on the lot. “I am going to venture a guess that a good number of people think the borough already owns that property,” said Heinold because of the maintenance performed on 32 Stokes Road over the years by DPW.
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STICKERS
(Continued from Page 18) because of COVID.” “There is a backstory to every student,” Maleski added. “Just about every case of an appeal was granted.” Maleski, in response to a question from Poklikuha that asked if the “attendance criteria would be evaluated going forward,” replied, “Yes, we are (doing that).” McCooley, who agreed that the “baseline data criteria could change,” came to the defense of the school administrators, however, declaring, “the administration did it right” by allowing for an appeal process and waiting a certain length of time to make
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READER ADVISORY Reader Advisory: The National Trade Association we belong to has purchased the above classifieds with an asterisk. Determining the value of their service or product is advised by this publication. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the client your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. All funds are based in U.S. dollars. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.
Rosetti, of Little Egg Harbor Township, about the “discounts” that would be offered to some of the students, and which businesses had agreed to offer them, Maleski responded that “maybe we will reach out to local businesses” and “we are still working on that.” Rosetti also asked what the “end of year trip” entails, to which Maleski replied, “it is something in the works,” but not the same as senior trip. Prior to the board meeting, one parent online called on “every parent” to “take the lanyards” and “personally place them on the principal’s desk” as well as “refuse to let their children wear these.” “I believe that’s discrimination, doing that to these children,” declared the parent, with another calling it “blatant discrimination,” and a third asking, “Isn’t
this an invasion of privacy?” A spokesman for the NJDOE, when asked if the department shares the concerns of students and parents about the program and whether it would pursue any action against the school district, replied on Dec. 15 that, “The department doesn’t publicly speculate about issues occurring in local school districts.” But members of the community didn’t seem to want to shy away from taking a public position on the program, including one woman who called the program “repulsive” in responding to an online post expressing that “McCooley has got to go!” “If my kids were still in school … I’d slam that s*** right back on the principal’s desk Monday morning!” the woman declared. “How dare they….”
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392
Saturday, December 18, 2021
CHIEF
(Continued from Page 13) Camden County College, attended the Cape May Police Academy and worked for a summer in North Wildwood where Chew said he “got nothing but outstanding reviews from his commanders and supervisors,” who “wanted to hire him in a New York second, but we stole him from them.” Sigwart, 28, earned an associate degree i n he a lth a nd exerc is e s c ienc e from
EMS
(Continued from Page 16) see that the problem gets fixed and it “stays healthy,” as well as its neighbors, because of not only the aforementioned predicaments his agency and Bass River currently face, but because, right now, there is no reliable EMS neighbor “to our north” in the event that mutual aid is needed in Galloway for a mass casualty incident. As of last week, Uhl pointed out, Galloway has “had less than a dozen calls” in Bass River since the temporary arrangement began, and so far “I haven’t received complaints about our response time.” But due to the predicament, he has directed his team to “forward my number” to any concerned patient and “explain exactly what the situation is.” And while there may be some dissatisfaction about any lag time, Uhl contended the current arrangement is better than the alternative, contending that the day prior to Thanksgiving,
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Camden County Community College, according to Chew, then attended the Camden County Police Academy where she achieved the status of a squad leader. She then worked as a full-time police off icer for the Camden Metro Police Department, he said, where she “was i nvolve d i n many d r ug and war rant arrests, but was especially recognized for the positive relationships that she built within the community.” Umbehauer, 24, a Seneca High School graduate, not only holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of
Delaware, but put himself through the Gloucester County Police Academy as an “alternate route” student, which Chew maintained “really shows a willingness to become a police officer and a lot of dedication.” He then worked as a full-time police officer for the Lumberton Police Department, where he “couldn’t get enough recommendations from every officer” with whom he worked, the chief said. Chew also told the council that his department, in getting its reaccreditation, had “received 100 percent compliance on every single standard” with “no issues,”
having met 100 percent of the standards, even though 20 percent were optional. The chief also noted that a resolution passed by the council author i zing a contract with Axon Enterprises will mean that anytime an officer pulls out his or her firearm, it will activate body-worn camera reports, providing a “significant resource” for the department that will both serve to prevent “frivolous lawsuits” and give the public a chance to review videos of interactions with police to determine whether officers responded to situations in an appropriate manner.
when Quality was still listed as the primary agency to respond to calls in Bass River, “someone was waiting 45 minutes to an hour to get an ambulance in Bass River.” “When Quality didn’t respond for 45 minutes that one day, the next day we agreed to become the primary EMS provider for Bass River,” Uhl explained. “We had conversations about the length of time that it would take for us to respond, and that is why we didn’t make any sort of agreements in the past, but “at least we can get there in under 45 minutes to an hour.” Bourguignon, when later asked by this newspaper if that report was true that it took Quality on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 45 minutes to respond, replied, he didn’t know off hand, but “If Chuck (Uhl) told you that, he would know that, as he knows his stuff.” Uhl, however, faults the state and federal government in particular, for the issues paid service providers are also currently experiencing. He explained that despite the
recent increases in minimum wage, as well as in the cost of living, fuel and other expenses, the federal government sets the Medicare and Medicaid rates, and “EMS has not seen an increase to those rates since 2005,” and also can’t balance bill such patients. “A lot of agencies haven’t been able to keep up with cost increase as the he cost of ambulance reimbursement has not gone up at all,” Uhl said. Bourg uig non, despite bel iev i ng regionalization is the ultimate answer, noted in the interview with this newspaper that Quality was doing a great job for Bass River as the primary EMS provider up until the termination, and would welcome them back. Uhl, in contending that he “would certainly want to see an ambulance a little bit closer to Bass River,” said that is what Great Bay ‘Regional’ was “set up for in the first place,” noting that “Great Bay’s original coverage area was too enormous to rely solely on volunteers.” “This is such an important issue that needs to get out there,” Uhl declared. “There is a
problem, and I can’t fix it. … All the towns haven’t seemed to be able to get together and fix this problem, and to see what it is, a regional problem that needs to be addressed regionally. … It needs to be fixed. I just want the public to have an ambulance service they deserve; that is my thing.” Bourguignon, in noting during the Dec. 6 meeting that he “wants the public to know the situation that we are in,” maintained that it is “not going to be fixed overnight” and that regionalization “may not happen for years.” Uhl, when asked about that possibility, responded that “the scary part is if these guys can’t get to a point where they do something to regionalize, I don’t know what solution is, because I don’t see a town like Bass River being able to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to have an ambulance all by themselves.” “You should be concerned about this,” Uhl concluded. “I am concerned about it. We are providing a service right now where at least we get something there in some timeframe.”
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Saturday, December 18, 2021
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Saturday, December 18, 2021 A Special Section of
INSIDE 2021
PG. S2
&
Four Great Reasons to Give Gift Cards
PG. S3
Great Gift Ideas for Foodies
PG. S4
A LAST MINUTE
Gift Ideas for Minimalists
Relieve the stress of gift picking this holiday season
Satisfy both their taste buds and passion for cooking
Clutter-free gift ideas could be great fit
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WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
4 Great Reasons To Give Gift Cards During The Holidays
Saturday, December 18, 2021
D
o you find it stressful to pick out personalized gifts for everyone on your list? Are you unsure whether giving your loved ones gift cards is the right thing to do? If so, here are four reasons offering this type of present may be a good choice for you. 1. There are endless options. From ski lift tickets to spa packages and gourmet meals to clothing stores, it’s easy to find a gift card that suits the interests of the person you want to spoil. 2. You won’t disappoint. Rather than risking buying your loved one a present they don’t like, giving them a gift card allows them to choose exactly what they want. This is an especially wise option for gift exchanges. 3. You’ll save time. Gift cards are quick and easy to purchase, and buying them will
save you the hassle of walking up and down crowded store aisles. Simply head straight to the checkout. You can even purchase certain gift cards online. 4. You decide the price. You’re in full control of how much money is loaded onto the gift card. That way, you can spend as much or as little as you want, without having to calculate taxes. Do you think a gift card is too impersonal? Think again! Simply wrap this present in a pretty box and attach a handwritten note to up the wow factor.
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Cherry Hill Marlton 100 Springdale Road 795 Route 70 East 856.795.1707 856.985.5755 Disclaimer: Bonus cards expire 6 months from date of purchase. Expired bonus cards will not be honored. Bonus cards can only be used on a purchase of $30 or more. Only one (1) bonus card can be used daily, per client. Gift cards and/ or bonus cards CANNOT be used on the same day as purchased and cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion. The VIP Card is membership to receive discounted salon services only! It may not be combined with any other promotions/offers/discounts. It cannot be used for hair extensions, Keratin services, any series packages such as blow-dry, color, facials and massage or any specialty work (Bridal) work or retail products. Excluded on student, teacher and military days. Cannot be used to pay for sales tax. Any balances are not refundable but may be, at one time only, transferred to another individual.
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Saturday, December 18, 2021 A Special Section of
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WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, December 18, 2021
Sunday, December 19th, 4:00 p.m. A Festival of Carols, featuring the music of Christmas presented by our bell and vocal choirs. Friday, December 24th (Christmas Eve), 5:00 p.m. Family Contemporary Candlelight Worship for the entire family, including Christmas story for children, carols, and a message for the adults. Will be held in our Family Life Center Friday, December 24th (Christmas Eve), 8:00 p.m. Traditional Candlelight Worship, including special music, beloved carols, and the Christmas message. Will be held in our Sanctuary
Faith Presbyterian Church - 318 Stokes Road, Medford, NJ
All of these events will also be live - streamed on our Facebook page (fb.com/MedfordUMC) and our website (medfordumc.org/live-worship).
Candle Light Service with Communion
2 Hartford Road | Medford NJ 08055 | medfordumc.org 609/654-8111 | info@medfordumc.org Like us on Facebook/@MedfordUMC
LUMBERTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 5 Municipal Drive, Lumberton, NJ 08048 609-267-5536 • www.lumbertonumc.com
smlparish.org
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 6 p.m m. Candlelight Service For the Whole Family Following CDC Protocols. All In-Person.
featuring Festival Choir with Brass Accompaniment
40 Jackson Rd Medford, NJ 08055
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392
Saturday, December 18, 2021
First Baptist Church of Vincentown Joseph Engle, Pastor 39 Main Street, Vincentown, NJ 080888 609-859-8967 • www.fbcvnj.org : First Baptist Church of Vincentow wn
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FAMILY CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE Friday, December 24, 7:00 P.M.
C A N D L E L I G H T
Everyone of all ages is invited to join us as we sing carols and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
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Christmas traditions, like the star, point us towards Christ. Make worship a part of your tradition! We are ready to welcome you and help you encounter the Word-made-flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Christmas Pageant Sunday 12/19, 10 a.m. “Blue” Christmas Monday 12/20, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (A Worship Service that Seeks the Deeper Hope and Joy that God Offers in the Midst of Hurt or Hopelessness.) Christmas Eve Children’s Service Friday 12/24, 3 p.m. (A Christmas Around the World Celebration.) Christmas Eve Worship Friday 12/24, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. (Services with Candlelight, Choirs, Soloists, and Holy Communion.) Christmas Day Saturday 12/25, 5 p.m. • Hymn Sing Sunday 12/26, 10 a.m.
Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love, Pastor Wendolyn Trozzo and the Family of Lord of Life
Lord of Life Lutheran Church 1 Winchester Court Tabernacle, NJ
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And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And Joseph also went up to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Christmas Story
Photos from Adobe Stock
Saturday, December 18, 2021
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.
TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
vincentown united methodist church
PASTOR CONNIE SQUIRE 97 Main St., Vincentown, NJ 08088 609-859-2161 · vumcsec@gmail.com Vincentownumc.org
Vincentown Christmas Eve Service
Sunday Schedule: 10 a.m.— Adult Sunday School 11 a.m.— Worship (In-person and on Facebook Live)
FRIDAY, DEC. 24, 2021 7:30 p.m. All are invited and welcome.
December 24, 2021 Christmas Eve schedule Candlelight Service: 7 p.m. In-person and on Facebook Live
www.trinityvincentown.org 18 Mill St., Vincentown
(609-859-2299)
Additional parking behind church. COVID Compliant!
You Are Invited to a Very Special Christmas Celebration! planned an Evening sure to put All Are We’ve You, Your Fam mily, and Your Friends into Welcome! the Christmas Spirit .
Dec. 24 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.: Traditional Carols with Candlelight and Hear the Whole Christmas Story Special Children’s Message and Activity Included!
Calvary Lutheran Church • 3 Eayrestow wn Rd. • Medford, NJ • 609-654-2489
Saturday, December 18, 2021
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392
Gift Ideas for Foodies
I
s there someone on your holiday shopping list who’s a foodie? Are you looking for a gift that’ll satisfy both their taste buds and passion for cooking? If so, here are ideas to inspire you.
or chocolate connoisseur, consider buying them a themed subscription box. Alternatively, you may want to gift them a basket of fresh produce and local foods to spark their creativity.
Reusable accessories
Artisanal products
Consider offering your foodie reusable coffee filters, produce bags, pastry bags, muffin tins or other items that will help them enjoy and preserve their kitchen creations.
Curating a custom gift basket that includes regional delicacies such as hot sauces, cheeses, wines and oils is a great way to inspire your loved one to cook using local ingredients.
Cooking classes Whether online or inperson, a cooking class is a great way for the foodie in your life to discover new dishes and learn an array of culinary techniques. Food subscriptions Food subscriptions. If your loved one is a coffee, candy
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Dine In | Carry Out | Catering
OPENING HOURS Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sun.-Tue.-Wed.-Thur.: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
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Gift Ideas For Minimalists
inding the right Christmas present for a minimalist can be a challenge. Here are a few clutter-free gift ideas that could be a great fit. A service or activity Offering to do housework, babysit or cook a meal for the minimalist in your life is a great way to show you care. Alternatively, tickets to a live show or a local event are gifts that won’t take up any space.
Saturday, December 18, 2021
snacks, alcohol and body care products. Since these products are consumable, they’ll only take up space temporarily. A practical item You may want to consider giving the minimalist in your life a gift that’s useful in some way, especially if you know what they need. For example, a backpack, reusable straw or reusable hygiene products are all suitable options.
A monthly subscription Consider giving your loved one a subscription to an online music or television service or a digital publication that’s in line with their interests. Some companies also offer monthly subscription boxes that contain things like
Your down-to-the-wire
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