More Than 10,000
Copies Distributed Weekly and Now Direct Mailed to Over 2,250 Homes in LeisureTowne and 195 Homes in Hampton Lakes www.pinebarrenstribune.com
Vol. 4 – No. 23 ♦
Facebook.com/PineBarrensTribune
@PineBarrensNews
The News Leader of the Pines
♦
To Advertise Call: 609-801-2392
FR EE
February 15, 2020 – February 21, 2020
LGBTQ Pilot Puts Pinelands District at the Forefront of Culture Clash
TRAIL OF TEARS
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
Photo Provided By Michael Tamburri/GoFundMe
Lincoln Mack, who died in a gun tragedy on Feb. 7 in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township.
After a Gun Tragedy Ended the Life of a ‘Beautiful Young Boy,’ a Family Friend’s Initial Shock Moved Him to Initiate an Effort That Showed How Much Empathy Can Still Be Found in Society
By Bill Bonvie Staff Writer
BROW NS MILLS—When Michael Tamburri of Ocean City turned on the 11 o’clock news on the night of Feb. 7, he had no idea that what he was about to hear would affect him in such a profoundly distressing manner—and would in turn result in him doing something that he had never done before. Ta mbu r r i, 57, be ca me somewhat concerned when he heard about a tragedy that had taken place earlier in the night in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township in which an unidentified 4-yearold had somehow shot himself in the face after gaining access to a loaded handgun, and had subsequently been pronounced dead at Capital Health at Deborah–Emergency Services. He knew that Browns Mills was where his friend Andrew Mack, with whom he shared a passion for collecting and trading a popular type of multi-colored tropical fish called African cichlids, lived with his wife, Amanda, and three kids, but had no reason to think the Macks were the family involved. But when he heard that the tragedy had taken place on Maricopa Trail, he became genuinely alarmed, realizing “that is Andy’s
street.” Then, when he saw a familiar sight on the television screen —“lights that looked like flames”—he feared it was the worst news possible: that the life of the bubbly and “supersweet” little boy named Lincoln, of whom Tamburri had grown especially fond on his visits to the Mack home, had been abruptly extinguished in a horrible and unexplained mishap. But still not wanting to believe it, he texted Andrew Mack, a Naval petty officer assigned to Joint Base McGuire-DixLakehurst, and said, “‘Andy, I just watched the news. Please tell me this wasn’t your family.’ “He texted me back a sad face,” Tamburri told the Pine Barrens Tribune in a phone interview a few days later. “My fiancé, Aimee and I, were up the entire night in disbelief.” This is when Tamburri, who owns Tamburri Associates, a steel fabrication business in Cinnaminson, said he decided he had to do something to help out the family in its time of crisis and grief. So, after getting permission to do so via a mutual friend who told him that Andrew Mack was too distraught to talk on the phone without breaking down, Tamburri, who handles his own company’s social media postings,
launched a GoFundMe page on the family’s behalf to help cover Lincoln’s funeral expenses, specifying that any funds that might be left would go toward the education of his sister and brother (who were both at home when the tragedy occurred, as were his parents, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.) The responses, he said, particularly from members of the community and from others who don’t know the Macks, have been “overwhelming,” with many sharing the page on Facebook and other social media outlets. As of press time, well over $7,000 had been raised toward a goal of $20,000. Accompanying the donations have been messages of support and sympathy for the Mack family. “This family needs all the help and prayers that they can get at this difficult time,” wrote one person. “I cannot imagine the grief that they are experiencing. I am very sorry for their loss.” Another person wrote, “May God wrap his loving arms around this family and give them the strength they are going to need,” while another said, “My love and prayers goes out to this beautiful family.” See TEARS/ Page 6
LITTLE EGG HARBOR—In a seeming attempt to put some 150 or so parents, residents and out-of-towners who gathered inside the media center of Pinelands Regional Junior High School on the evening of Feb. 5 in a harmonious frame of mind, the school’s choir presented a little prelude—a rendition of Billy Joel’s haunting 1990s lullaby to his daughter, “Goodnight My Angel.” Between the hymn-like recital and the attendance by a substantial number of the faithful, the impression created was almost like that of a worship service about to commence, rather than an event with an undertone of discord. But the potentially contentious character of what was actually an “informational session” was readily apparent from the presence of uniformed police officers, as well as one in plain clothes who took a reporter aside and informed him that members of the press were not welcome—but he could stay as long as he removed his ID and refrained from recording any of the proceedings or taking any more photos. The apparent concern was over the decidedly controversial subject of the session, which was how the Pinelands Regional School District, one of 12 in the state chosen to take part in a pilot program on the introduction of an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum specifically geared to 8th graders, plans to go about implementing the new instruction. A year ago, New Jersey became the second state in the nation, after California, to require that its public schools incorporate such an agenda in its curricula after a bill to that effect was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Democratic Governor Phil Murphy. The job of explaining to district parents the nature and purpose of the new course material fell to spokespersons for Garden State Equality (GSE), which promotes itself as “New Jersey’s statewide education organization for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.” The spokespersons were introduced by Pinelands Regional Superintendent Dr. Melissa McCooley. But while the crowd listened to them politely and without interruption, many of the attendees made known their opposition to the new program by displaying large yellow buttons that bore the message, “Family, Community and School, Not Special Interests,” which were reportedly distributed by some area churches. Among those present at the session was a See CULTURE/ Page 7
INDEX Are We There Yet?........ 9 Dear Pharmacist............ 8 Dental Column............... 9 Games........................... 6
Here’s My Card............ 12 Leo the Lion Challenge ...6 Local News.................... 2
Marketplace................. 15 Opinion........................ 10 Senior Column............... 9 Worship Guide..............11
****ECRWSS**** LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER
Vincentown, NJ Permit 190
PAID Presorted Standard US Postage