REACH US BY PHONE
609-801-2392
Vol. 6 – No. 40 ♦
www.pinebarrenstribune.com
The News Leader of the Pines
@PineBarrensNews
♦
Facebook.com/PineBarrensTribune
FR EE
July 30 - August 5, 2022
HOW TO REACH US VIA EMAIL: NEWS@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM • LETTERS@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM • SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Purported Repeated Escape of Wolfdogs in Southampton Twp. Leads to Fury, Anguish While One of The Owners Hung Up When Telephoned By This Newspaper, Town Says Animals ‘Have to Be Surrendered’ By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
SOUTHAMPTON—Reports of a pack of “wolfdogs” that belong to a Southampton Township couple residing on New Road that are said to have repeatedly gotten loose over a several week period, and allegations that the animals killed both local livestock and pets when they escaped, has led to a number of anguished, furious and somewhat “terrorized” area residents calling on various local governmental agencies to seize the animals from what they allege are “very irresponsible” dog owners. Seemingly contributing to the fear of these wolfdogs are Facebook postings from one of the purported owners herself, Rebecca “Shugs,” who not only posted what some have found to be an intimidating shot of some of the wolfdogs standing on a raised platform in a backyard, watching after what appears to be a puppy, but another that suggests that after the wolfdogs were treated to “presents,” or kiddie pools, they proceeded to “break-in and destroy the house while gone for only a short amount of time,” with an accompanying picture showing markings of some sort on a kitchen stove. “Criminals,” Shugs wrote. “Absolute criminals.” Then, after a commenter suggested that perhaps the dogs were just “hungry,” Shugs replied, “Ohhh it was sooooo much worse than
‘TOTAL SHOW OF HUMANITY’ Photos Provided
At left, an entrance to a drainpipe that Shellinda Fisher-Hardie, the founder and president of Jericho’s Wish Animal Rescue, believes is how Dylan (right) may have entered the rainwater system.
The Riveting Story of ‘Dylan the Lost Dog’ and a Nine-Hour-Plus ‘Herculean Effort’ to Rescue Him from a Medford Township Storm Drainpipe This Past Weekend Has Renewed ‘Faith in Humanity,’ After Neighbors, Firefighters, Police Officers and Utility Crews Worked in Unison to Save Stuck Pet
By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
MEDFORD—“Dylan the lost dog” and the story of a “herculean effort” to rescue him this past weekend in Medford Township, has proven that all isn’t lost on humanity, contrary to some sentiment of
late following some recent world events, and for some involved in the rescue, they say what occurred has actually restored their faith in humanity. Glenn Orwan III, of the Southern NJ Humane Tracking and Trapping Recovery Group, which started as a Facebook group
comprising individuals who strategize and coordinate efforts to humanely chase after and recover lost dogs from Toms River to Atlantic City, was assisting in the search for a foster dog named “Dylan” around 4 p.m. on July 23, in a Medford See DOG/ Page 4
See WOLFDOGS/ Page 5
INDEX Business Directory...................................10
Marketplace........................................................9
Events........................................................8
Worship Guide............................................8
Local News.................................................2
****ECRWSS**** LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER
Vincentown, NJ Permit 190
PAID Presorted Standard US Postage
Page 2 ♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, July 30, 2022
State Division of Consumer Affairs Issues Warning Letters to Businesses Failing to Disclose ‘Surcharges’ for Using Credit, Debit or Pre-Paid Cards Leveraging the Fees, Which Is Not Illegal, Has Become More Prevalent As Businesses Deal with Harsh Economic Conditions, Record Inflation By Jayne Cabrilla Staff Writer
TRENTON—As businesses across the state try to deal with rising costs due to record inflation and seek relief from the harsh economic impacts that commenced with the Coronavirus pandemic, several have now turned to passing on to consumers a surcharge for using credit cards, debit cards and/or prepaid cards, known as a “card surcharge.” While a card surcharge is legal, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs last week sent “cease and desist warning letters” to a combination of service, retail and restaurant operators in New Jersey, alerting the merchants of their duty to disclose to consumers the total selling price of items— including any surcharges. The annual inflation rate in the U.S., also known as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), accelerated to 9.1 percent last month, which was more than expected, the highest since November 1981, or in some 41 years, according to the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Price increases, the association noted, were broad-based with gasoline, shelter and food being the largest contributor. And the surging prices for gas, food and rent are now pressuring both households and businesses. Gasoline prices soared 11.2 percent over a one-month period in June, following a 4.1 percent increase for the month of May. Over the past 12 months, gasoline prices have risen 59.9 percent, noted the NJBIA. The broader energy index, which includes the cost of electricity and natural gas, rose 7.3 percent over a one-month period in June after a 3.9 percent increase in May. The index rose 41.6 percent over the 12-month period ending in June – the largest 12-month increase since April 1980, according to the NJBIA. On an annual basis, the association noted, the cost of fuel oil is up 98.5 percent, electricity is up 13.7 percent, and natural gas is up 38.4 percent from June 2021. Food prices rose 1 percent last month and are 10.4 percent higher than they were in June 2021, the NJBIA noted. Additionally, according to the organization, the shelter index increased 0.6 percent on a month-to-month basis and is 5.6 percent higher than a year ago. The rent index also rose 0.8 percent over the month, the largest monthly increase since April 1986. New vehicle prices were also 0.7 percent higher in June than in May and are up 11.4 percent from a year ago, with the index for used cars and trucks rising 1.6 percent on a monthly basis in June, the sixth consecutive monthly increase, the NJBIA noted. Used car and truck prices are up 7.1 percent over the 12-month period ending in June. Businesses in the state are also still trying to recover from lost business due to reduced capacities, lockdowns and shutdowns in both 2020 and 2021 from the pandemic, while also dealing with the ramifications of ongoing supply chain issues – ones that have only gotten more compounded in recent months from the War in Ukraine and both corresponding economic sanctions and Russian blockades, the latter preventing the flow of grains, for example. The White House’s economic policies and response to both inflation and the supply chain issues have also been called into question. As businesses turn to surcharges, in recent months, the Division of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection, according to a press release, reportedly received more than a dozen complaints from Garden State residents regarding businesses who charge consumers fees for using credit cards, debit
cards or pre-paid cards. The complaints prompted an investigation by Consumer Protection officials, resulting in a total of 14 warning letters being issued to New Jersey business operators, cautioning them to “cease and desist from failing to disclose the total selling price of merchandise and not notifying consumers of card surcharges.” “Consumers deserve to know exactly how much they are paying for a product or a service,” said Acting Attorney General Platkin. “Any card surcharges need to be communicated clearly and in advance.” Financial institutions commonly assess an interchange charge to merchants for processing credit, debit and pre-paid card transactions. To offset this cost, merchants may opt to add a card surcharge to the transaction that is paid by the customer. The war ning letters, ac cording to Consumer Affairs officials, put business operators “on notice” that although such card surcharges are “not illegal” under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, establishments are “required to disclose that they are passing the fees on to consumers.” Additionally, the letters warn establishments that they cannot charge prices for merchandise that differ from the prices displayed, without adequate notice to the consumer. The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act prohibits the sale of “any merchandise at retail unless the total selling price of such merchandise is plainly marked by a stamp, tag, label or sign either affixed to the merchandise or located at the point where the merchandise is offered for sale,” Consumer Protection officials noted in the press release. If an establishment imposes a card su rcharge, that e st abl ish ment must conspicuously display a notice of this fact, including the amount, at or near the point of sale, according to Consumer Protection officials, and any card surcharge must be disclosed before a consumer orders, not just on the final bill. Each instance of failing to notify a consumer of a card surcharge, or charging more for merchandise than the displayed price, may constitute a “separate violation” of New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act, Consumer Protection officials noted. Violators of the act are subject to a maximum penalty of $10,000 for the first violation and $20,000 for each subsequent violation. Among the ways that consumers can “protect their pockets,” according to the Division of Consumer Affairs, is to: • Check your receipts to make sure the price charged matches the advertised or posted price of an item (plus tax, if applicable); • Look for the merchant to display the full price (excluding tax) using each method of payment accepted. (For example, the merchant should display the full price if the customer pays in cash and display the amount that will be charged if a card surcharge applies, which can be stated as a percentage.) • Be wary of card surcharges that exceed the actual incremental cost of the processing fee, which is typically around 1 to 5 percent. • L o ok out for c a rd s u r c h a rg e s characterized as “cash discounting.” Discounting occurs only when the consumer is invited to pay less than the full posted price. “We are putting merchants on notice that the division is receiving complaints and that we are focused on their practices,” said Cari Fais, acting director of New Jersey’s Consumer Affairs Division. “We urge merchants to immediately ensure that they are complying with the law and not hitting consumers with surprise surcharges.”
NEW
OWNERSHIP
Same Great Bagels
Now Serving: Bagels, Breakfast B Sandwiches, Breakfast Specialss, Coffee, Muffins CALL IN YOUR ORDER
609-859-2000 1716 ROUTE 206 SOUTHAMPTON, NJ 08088
Saturday, July 30, 2022
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
♦ Page 3
$1.9M Judgment Entered Against Family, Mostly from Medford, for ‘Mortgage Relief Scheme’ Targeting Struggling Homeowners
Congressman Kim Votes to ‘Safeguard the Right to Contraception,’ Declaring He Is Proud to ‘Safeguard a Basic Freedom Afforded to All’
Lawsuit Alleges the Four Individuals with a ‘Web of Corporate Entities’ Charged Upfront Fees ‘Grossly in Excess of Legal Limits,’ Netted Millions in ‘Ill-Gotten Revenues,’ Sold ‘Worthless Mortgage Loan Modifications’
GOP Challenger Maintains Democrat Holds ‘Extreme Views’ on Abortion, and Women Should Have Right to an Abortion in Cases of Rape or Incest or if Continuing to Term Could Threaten Life, But Considers Himself Pro-life
By Jayne Cabrilla Staff Writer
MEDFORD—The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, state Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) and the Division of Consumer Affairs (collectively “the State”) have obtained a judgment totaling more than $1.9 million against a New Jersey family, mostly from Medford Township, that reportedly defrauded financially struggling homeowners through the sale of “sham mortgage adjustment services” that were said to have provided “no meaningful debt relief” to homeowners and “often made their precarious financial situations even worse.” Among the allegations contained in the suit, filed as the COVID-19 emergency entered its eleventh month, was one that the family sought to “capitalize on consumers’ financial insecurity by misleadingly suggesting that one of their companies offered services designed to address hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.” “Instead of helping consumers out of a financial crisis, as they promised, the defendants callously pushed struggling homeowners further into debt, including those suffering economic hardships during the height of the pandemic,” said Cari Fais, acting director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Through our collaboration with DOBI, we were able to use our respective consumer protection laws to put these scammers and their sham companies out of business for good. The Division of Consumer Affairs will continue to work with agencies across state government, and beyond, to pursue actions against individuals and companies who harm consumers through unlawful, deceptive, or unfair business practices.” According to a July 22 joint press release from the state attorney general, DOBI and the Division of Consumer Affairs, the suit was filed in December 2020 by the State, which alleged that husband and wife, Neal J. Vanderpoel II and Eileen P. Vanderpoel, both of Medford, and their sons Ryan Vanderpoel, also of Medford, and Neal J. Vanderpoel IV, of Magnolia, Camden County, advertised, offered for sale, and sold “worthless loan modification and other debt adjustment services” to New Jersey consumers through a “web of corporate entities.” The corporate entities include Financial Services For America; Financial Processing Services, LLC; Tri-State Financial Relief, LLC; and Mortgage Help and Loan Audits of America, LLC, which were named as defendants in the suit. The suit, filed in Superior Court in Burlington County, alleged that beginning in 2013 the defendants defrauded thousands of consumers seeking to prevent their homes from going into foreclosure by conduct that included “falsely advertising and selling worthless and unlawful mortgage loan modifications” and “providing false hope of guaranteed loan modifications.” Through their corporate entities, most of which were reportedly not authorized to provide debt adjustment services in New Jersey, the Vanderpoels charged consumers “unjustifiable and unlawful ‘upfront’ fees grossly in excess of the legal
limits for permissible charges by licensed debt adjusters,” purportedly netting them millions of dollars in “ill-gotten revenues,” the state alleged. Burlington County Superior Court Judge Paula T. Dow granted, in part, the state’s motion for summary judgment on June 28 of this year, and found that the defendants “committed multiple violations” of the state’s consumer protection laws and regulations, including “charging excessive fees” to at least 1,883 consumers, and had collected more than $4.6 million in improper fees since early 2015. The summary judgment order directs the defendants to pay $1.88 million in statutory civil penalties, as well as to “disgorge all funds and property acquired or retained as a result of the scheme,” and to pay restitution to consumers “harmed by the defendants’ wrongful conduct.” The order also grants the state’s request for an appointment of a receiver at the defendants’ expense to assume “full control” over the defendants’ accounts, render a full accounting, and make restitution. “With this judgment, these defendants are held liable for their deceitful practices against vulnerable New Jerseyans,” declared DOBI Commissioner Marlene Caride in a statement. “These individuals took advantage of people already struggling financially and made their situations worse. This is a reminder to those we regulate that the department will take action to protect residents against predatory and abusive practices.” Additionally, the order discharges to the state the full amount of Financial Services of America’s bond under the Debt Act ($48,000), and $50,033 held in two banks accounts belonging to Financial Services of America, as partial payment of monetary relief, and also requires the defendants to pay the state’s attorney fees and investigative costs in an amount to be determined at a later date. The sum mary judg ment order also p er manently shuts dow n the “sha m companies,” as the state entities put it, operated by the Vander poels and p e r m a n e nt ly b a r s t h e fa m i ly f rom performing any services involving loan modification, debt adjustment and mortgage compliance in New Jersey. In granting the State’s request for summary judgment, the court found that the Defendants violated the Consumer Fraud Act and the Debt Adjustment Act. The court held both Neal and Eileen Vanderpoel, as well as their sons, Neal Jr. and Ryan, jointly and severally liable, in their individual capacity and with the corporate entities they operated, for each and every violation of the Consumer Fraud Act and the Debt Adjustment Act. “Together with the Department of Banking and Insurance, we’re holding the Vanderpoel family accountable for shamefully preying on consumers trying desperately to hang onto their homes in the face of financial hardship,” said Acting Attorney General Platkin in a statement. “The judgment we’re announcing today sends a clear message that New Jersey will not tolerate financial abuse of vulnerable consumers who can afford it least.”
Visit: Facebook.com/pinebarrenstribune
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rep. Andy Kim, a Democrat seeking re-election this November, representing New Jersey’s Third Congressional District, which currently comprises most of Burlington County and a portion of Ocean County, but will soon lose the latter due to redistricting, voted last week to pass the “Right to Contraception Act.” Howeve r, Re p. Jef f Va n D r ew, a Republican representing the state’s Second Congressional District, which currently includes the county’s two southernmost municipalities, voted in opposition to the bill. Van Drew is also being challenged for his seat in November. The bill, if it passes the U.S. Senate and is signed into law by Democratic President Joe Biden, would guarantee the right to obtain and use birth control, including contraceptive pills, IUDs, and emergency contraception. But while the measure passed the House in a 228-195 vote, it is currently anticipated to face an uphill battle in the Senate, if not be killed there. Only eight House Republicans joined 220 Democrats there to pass the measure. “Using contraception is a personal choice,” declared Kim of his vote. “Whether a couple is deciding to start a family or not, it should never be up to someone else to make that decision. Those choices are personal, and they should stay that way.” Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme
Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, what had been a landmark 1973 decision of the Supreme Court in which the court ruled that the Constitution of the United States conferred the right to have an abortion. “When something as simple as the right to use or not use birth control is under attack, Congress has a responsibility to act,” said Kim of that decision. “I am proud to take this vital step to safeguard a basic freedom afforded to all Americans for their privacy, health, and well-being.” Kim, in justifying his vote, pointed to a concurring opinion in the Dobbs case (Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which is the court case that the Supreme Court ruled on to overturn Roe v. Wade) in which Justice Clarence Thomas, he contended, “explicitly called on the Supreme Court to reconsider its decisions protecting other fundamental rights,” including the Griswold decision that established the constitutional right to obtain and use contraceptives. Kim, facing re-election in November and being challenged by Republican Bob Healey, who is hoping to become a newcomer in a district that will soon be reshaped to include portions of Mercer and Monmouth counties and exclude Ocean County, also voted in the last couple of weeks to pass the “Women’s Health Protection Act” to “defend women’s reproductive rights” as well as the “Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act” to “prevent states from blocking or See CONGRESSMAN/ Page 8
Two Lenape Regional BOE Members Join the ‘30-Years-of-Service Club’ While School Board Gets Two New Representatives After Resignations Recent Resignations Had to Do with Aspirations for Higher Political Office; Two Women Filling Vacancies Bring Analytical Skills from Their Day Jobs
Photo By Andrew King
Lenape Regional Business Administrator Constance “Connie” Stewart (left) swears in Jennifer L. Levas (center), of Medford, and JoAnne Harmon (right), of Evesham, to the district’s Board of Education.
By Douglas D. M elegari Staff Writer
SHAMONG—Two members of the Lenape Regional High School District (LRHSD) Board of Education have recently entered what LRHSD Superintendent Dr. Carol Birnbohm has described as the “30-Yearsof Service Club.” Dr. Robert H. “Skip” Bende, Jr., who represents Tabernacle Township, and Paula D. Lee, who represents Mount Laurel Township, were honored at a recent LRHSD Board of Education meeting for their 30 years of service on the public body. Lee reached the milestone during the height of Coronavirus pandemic, in May
2020, Birnbohm noted (with a belated public celebration now that the pandemic has become an endemic), while Bende did this past May. “There are not a lot of people who can say they’ve dedicated 30 years to a volunteer function,” declared Birnbohm in honoring both Lee and Bende for their accomplishments. Bende, in reflecting on his three decades of service, asserted that he has “learned a lot in 30 years.” “I love our superintendent, just so you know she does a great job,” Bende said. “I have been through many superintendents, See BOARD/ Page 11
Page 4 ♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Photo Provided
Dylan was released from an animal hospital on July 26, with this being the first picture of the dog since he was released.
DOG
(Continued from Page 1) neighborhood, when he found the dog “down in that hole,” as he put it in a Facebook live video, or what he revealed to be a drainpipe contained in a storm drain system in the unit block of Quail Ridge Court. “He was just looking at me like, ‘What do you want from me?’” recounted Orwan of when he removed the metal grate and crawled down as far as he could go into the storm drain, coming in contact with the dog through the hole of the drainpipe. “It looks like Dylan is stuck in this pipe.” The pipe, later determined by Medford Fire and EMS Department to be in the township right-of-way, was estimated by Orwan, in a later interview with this newspaper, to be at least “half a football field or so” in length, running underneath Quail Ridge Court. A laser range finder that he used put the estimated pipe’s length at 54.2 yards, Orwan told this newspaper. Orwan said that upon discovering Dylan, he determined the dog was “still alive, but barely.” It was almost a week prior to that discovery, according to Orwan, that Dylan had “gotten loose from his foster parents” in the Medford neighborhood. Shellinda Fisher-Hardie, the founder and president of Jericho’s Wish Animal Rescue, one of Southern NJ Humane Tracking and Trapping Recovery Group’s rescue partners, contacted the group at the time for assistance, and they suggested hanging
Protectors Of Public Health & Property
flyers “to get sightings,” as well as to “put out humane traps, etc.” But it was to no real avail, with only one possible sighting of the dog that was “not substantiated.” Medford Fire and EMS, Orwan noted, were also called out to the area and had searched the storm drain system, along with Medford Township Neighborhood Services, using a special camera, but there was no sign of Dylan. This past Saturday, however, Orwan said he received a phone call from Fisher-Hardie, reporting that she “possibly heard barking from the rain system.” Orwan maintained that in response, he agreed to “come up, take a look and find out.” He asked nearby neighbors for their assistance in removing the storm drain’s metal grate upon arrival. “I didn’t hear anything,” he said of the initial moments of his search. “And nobody heard anything since the morning.” Utilizing his “big, powerful Milwaukee spotlight,” Orwan recounted that he shined it in the drainpipe, and “saw what looked like either a cushion or brown paper bag,” but that he “couldn’t quite make it out” as to what he was seeing. That is when he got out his binoculars, “crawled in the storm drain,” and “sure enough, it was Dylan.” “Originally, he was not moving, or doing anything,” said Orwan, who initially thought the dog might have passed away. “But then I got lucky when I repositioned the light, and saw it reflect back off his retinas, and thought to myself he must have moved his
LECK’S
10% OFF
for New Customers, Military, and First Responders
E X T E R M I N AT I N G Pest Control Services & Pest Control Supplies • Pests • Termites
• Carpenter Ants • Mice
• Spiders • Household Bugs
• Bees • Beetles
102 S. Bellevue Ave. | Langhorne, PA | 215-752-0898 Now Serving South Jersey
Saturday, July 30, 2022
eyes for it to do that.” When he started calling the dog’s name, according to Orwan, “he started crying, howling and barking.” “So, I knew he was alive at that point,” Orwan said. “So, I decided to call Medford Fire and EMS.” According to a Facebook posting from Orwan, when Medford Township officials arrived on scene, he made his intentions very clear: “‘I will not leave that dog down in that pipe to die alone … and I’ll do whatever it takes to get it (the rescue) done.” What followed next is what Orwan later described as a “total show of humanity.” For reportedly close to “nine or 10 hours,” from this past Saturday evening into Sunday morning, members of Medford Fire and EMS, along with staff from the Neighborhood Services, in addition to staffers of the Medford Township Police Department, Atlantic City Electric, Jericho’s Wish Animal Rescue, and Southern NJ Humane Tracking and Trapping Recovery Group, as well as the residents of Quail Ridge Court, worked to rescue Dylan from the storm drainpipe. Among those seen on local television helping to lift Dylan out of the storm drain upon the successful rescue was Medford Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dovi. “The decision to dig above the pipe was made with the plan to breach the pipe and rescue the animal,” said Dovi to this newspaper of how the rescue unfolded. “During the digging operations, we located the underground service for Atlantic Electric. We stopped digging and requested they respond. Atlantic Electric responded and worked with us to secure the service so digging operations could resume. During the time this was occurring, members of the dog rescue, along with members of Medford Fire & EMS, continued to monitor the dog in the pipe. “Once the pipe was reached, a small hole was made in the pipe to locate the dog. When the hole was made, the dog began to move toward the rescue staff at the end of the pipe. Through a coordinated effort by everyone on scene, the dog was removed from the pipe.” Orwan noted in the interview with this newspaper that during the entire ordeal, a youngster that was part of the foster dog family, “kept talking to the dog, to encourage him to move,” and that “every time he would hear her voice, he would get up and move about five feet towards the rescuers, before collapsing down.” Ultimately, one of the Atlantic City Electric workers, Orwan said, took a “big telescopic pole used to reach wires,” that extends some 65 feet,” and helped the rescuers hook it to the dog’s collar and “pulled him very slowly” to safety over a period of time. For the last 35 feet or so of the rescue, according to Orwan, Dylan had
to be carefully dragged to safety as he had “no effort” left in him. According to Dovi, Medford Fire and EMS provided “initial treatment of the dog’s injuries.” Dylan, he said, was then placed in a Medford Police vehicle and transported to Mount Laurel Animal Hospital for treatment. “At this time, a special thanks has to go out to Medford Fire and EMS for going way above and beyond, and to the Medford Police for helping and being there every step of the way,” declared Orwan in a later statement. “Even after Dylan was extracted from the pipe, it was the Medford Police who started him on oxygen and then turned on their lights and sirens and rushed him to the Mount Laurel Animal Hospital.” The Mount Laurel Animal Hospital reported in a July 25 Facebook posting that Dylan is “recovering at our hospital and is doing well.” Fisher-Hardie, in a July 26 interview with this newspaper, reported that Dylan had been released earlier in the day from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. During the previous day, Fisher-Hardie announced that Dylan would be undergoing further evaluation by an orthopedic doctor as a precaution “because he’s still stiff” when walking. His blood work and X-rays, “looked good,” she said. But Dylan, upon being rescued, was said by both Orwan and Fisher-Hardie to be in “pretty bad shape with multiple injuries,” sustaining burns on both his paws and elbows (believed to be related to the recent heatwave, possibly from hot asphalt or the pipe itself turning hot), in addition to several abrasions, including a deep laceration on his elbow. The dog also was dehydrated, registered a 104-degree fever, showed possible signs of heat stroke, and was “covered in ticks and fleas,” both Orwan and Fisher-Hardie said. Dylan, Fisher-Hardie noted, tested positive for the bacterium Anaplasmosis, which is spread by ticks (primarily from the Blacklegged Tick and the Western Blacklegged Tick). All of the abrasions were cleaned, with the deep one requiring what was described by Jericho’s Wish Animal Rescue on Facebook as “a little sedation.” Upon hospitalization, it was reported that Dylan “received pain meds to help him and calm down his labored breathing,” and also “had an IV.” “His condition right now is improving,” Orwan told this newspaper. “They thought they were going to have to do surgery on that deep laceration, but they got around that by patching him up pretty good. He is also on an antibiotic.” Fisher-Hardie told th is newspap er that Dylan has also been placed on antiinflammatory medication, as well as another because he wasn’t eating for a time at the See DOG/ Page 6
WANTED!ALL FIREARMS Gun Collections * Military/Hunting An Antique n Arr * Military Artifacts Swords/Bayonets We pay CASH on the spot! Call John & Stephanie
609-4788-22839 • 610-7116-55353 email: antiqueandrareguns@gmail.com Federal Firearms License Holder
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, July 30, 2022
WOLFDOGS (Continued from Page 1)
this – we literally had to move the furniture out of the house to clean the floor. We were like f*** it. Everything’s trash.” That being said, however, while two experts told this newspaper that wolfdogs have a “high prey drive,” one of them stressed to this newspaper repeatedly that they are not a danger to humans, and actually will run the other way. But bringing the issue to the forefront and public spotlight was the apparent escape of the wolfdogs “again” sometime around the morning of July 26, with locals taking to social media to post pictures and videos of them traversing area roadways, including Route 206 and Ridge Road, as well as various backyards. And one of the first individuals to post on Facebook about the escape of the dogs tagged Shugs, noting that they were headed towards the Vincentown Post Office and that her daughter “watched one almost get hit.” “What is with these dogs!” one woman wrote. “Get them contained!” Another woman wrote that “they leave them outside unattended, then the dogs escape the yard – ridiculous.” Glenn Orwan III, of the Southern NJ Humane Tracking and Trapping Recovery Group, told this newspaper that it was “at least the third or fourth time” that he “knew of personally” that at least some of the wolfdogs had gotten loose over the past couple of weeks, and believed it was very possible based on reports he had received that the number of escapes might have been up to “five or six” occasions. A telephone number was unlisted for Shugs, whose real last name according to public records is Shugars, and a Facebook message sent to her went unanswered as of press time. However, when her husband and apparent co-owner of the wolfdogs, Alex Shugars, who does have a listed telephone number was reached for comment on this story during the afternoon of July 27, seen pictured online with five of the wolfdogs in the family’s kitchen, he immediately hung up the telephone on this reporter. Another call to him placed a few minutes later went unanswered. One woman, however, contended amid the latest fray that she had spoken to Rebecca Shugs and was told that the couple had gone on vacation to Texas and left the animals with her mother-in-law, but that she “is older and cannot handle the dogs.” That woman – who posted with a last name of “Roberts,” prompting questions of whether she was in any way connected to recent dog incidents in Shamong Township, maintained that the couple upon being notified of their wolfdog’s escape ended their vacation early to return to New Jersey. (Shugs later quarreled with the person who went by Roberts, and even publicly revealed a private message exchange
suggesting that she should “hide her animals” if in fact animal control orders that they be put down.) But that unverified revelation led one woman to respond, “You haven’t been following this saga … they get out all.the.time – even when owners aren’t in Texas.” “For as much as these dogs get out, maybe they should consider building a better enclosure…and hiring someone to babysit that is trained to deal with these escape artists,” yet another woman responded. “The dogs are going to end up dead.” Several people subsequently maintained that they had private messaged the owners to help with creating a better enclosure, but that their offers to provide for assistance were not taken up by the couple. Then came about a screenshot of a statement that Rebecca Shugs apparently put out the previous week, with the individual who unearthed it noting it was in response to when “they were running loose last week!” “For the record, if this is not the first time you’ve seen these two sisters, they are Shepard/ Husky mix and are very curious, mischievous and DIGGERS,” Rebecca Shugs wrote. “You’d break a leg walking in my backyard if you weren’t looking where you were stepping. We have dig guards around our entire yard, brand new fencing with hot wire at the top extending my fence to a little over 8 feet enclosing over an acre, a trough and four kiddie pools filled with fresh water and an industrial fan out (there) and running,” she wrote. She added that the backyard area setup for the dogs also contains a number of toys, a trampoline (which she maintained is the dogs “favorite”) as well as “their own shed.” “They’re vaccinated, healthy and live in a very loving and present home,” she contended. “My husband completely tore his bicep a month ago and had to have surgery to have it reattached. I have three kids. There WAS a small section of dig guards not complete. I apologize for their disturbance and appreciate those that post updates.” But despite the assertion by the owner that the wolfdogs are “loving animals” and that the dig guards were completed, one person tagged a local organization that is responsible for the care of such dogs, declaring, “They keep escaping, have been killing local pets/ animals, and are running around very busy roads!” Yet another person recounted how the dogs “ran in front” of her husband while traveling, forcing him to swerve, believing that the situation will lead to an accident. A man also posted that the dogs were “very intimidating coming towards my house” despite having a dog of his own that weighs some 45 pounds, reporting that with respect to the wolfdogs on the loose, “there is just no way to capture the dogs.” “These dogs are out almost every day… how are the owners not held responsible yet?” one man asked.
Riephoff Sawmill 609-259-7265
www.riephoffsawmill.com
We are a family-owned business for over 50 years supplying top-quality lumber products. • Oak Fence Boards & Posts • Custom Cut Hardwood Lumber • Tree Stakes - Trailer Decking • Crane Mats
WE BUY STANDING TIMBER 763 Route 524, Allentown, NJ 08501
Among the allegations that the wolfdogs caused harm to other animals and livestock in the area, were charges that they “killed” as many as ten show rabbits, a pig and a cat, as well as “attacked” a smaller dog and two barn cats. “If the owners can’t control these dogs, something needs to be done,” one woman declared, while another person wrote, “No one will do anything except fine the owners and the police ride around all day looking for them. The dogs need to go to a wolfdog sanctuary – period.” “At this point, it’s a public safety problem,” declared another area resident. “Unfortunately, the only solution since they’ve been killing domestic livestock, is to catch them and probably put them down.” The allegations, though at this time unsubstantiated, that the wolfdogs may have killed other animals and livestock prompted one woman to post she was putting her “birds on lockdown” with the reports that the wolfdogs were on the loose. Others maintained they were taking steps to protect things like their backyard chickens. This newspaper, in contacting Southampton Township on the afternoon of July 26, learned from Township Administrator and Clerk Kathleen D. Hoffman that the wolfdogs are not registered with the municipality, as is required by law. “A letter was sent July 8, 2022 to license the dogs,” Hoffman told this newspaper. The township administrator, when asked if the township had received any prior complaints about the wolfdogs at issue, revealed that the municipality received “three phone calls prior to today.” The municipal animal control officer, whom she said is oncall and works part-time, was contacted by the township about the calls, in addition to the New Jersey State Police. “We didn’t know they were wolfdogs,” she added. “(We) only found out today they were wolfdogs.” Hoffman, when asked if the municipality has a reason to suspect that the wolfdogs might have caused injuries or deaths as had been reported, noted that “we can’t make that determination.” “There is no proof that these dogs harmed pets and/or livestock,” she contended. “That would be a citizen’s complaint to the court if there were injured animals.” One individual shared on social media an excerpt from an online piece published by The Wildest about whether wolfdogs should be considered pets, with that piece pointing out that “wolfdogs are perhaps the most misunderstood — and, many would argue, mismanaged — animals in America” and that “advocates of wolfdogs say they can be wonderful pets, while opponents argue that they’re unpredictable, untrainable, and inherently dangerous.” “They’re permitted in some places, forbidden in others and are showing up on
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
♦ Page 5
breed ban lists, along with pits and other socalled ‘dangerous breeds,’” the piece notes, adding that when it comes to their legal status, the regulations are “literally all over the map.” Hoffman, when asked by this newspaper if someone is permitted to register wolfdogs with the township and permitted to have them under local law, replied “yes,” however. Orwan, when asked about the known nature of wolfdogs, noted that one distinct characteristic about them (which was not only supported by Shrug’s Facebook statement, but also that of The Wildest article) is that they are known to have a “very high prey drive.” Michael Hodanish, owner of Howling Woods Farm, an educational facility located in Jackson Township that provides learning experiences to the public about wolves and wolfdogs, and is a renowned state expert on wolfdogs, when reached for comment on July 27, said that “wolfdogs are not a danger to people, but they also do not make good pets.” When asked to expand on the latter, he described that wolfdogs are “great companion animals,” but “don’t like being left alone inside a house.” “They are social animals, and live in packs,” he said. In fact, Hodanish told this newspaper that his farm maintains “strict adoption requirements” because of that being the case, including that “any home a dog is adopted to must have another dog as a companion animal” (he said it could be simply a German Shepherd or Husky) to provide a wolfdog “company” when the owner is away. “When wolfdogs are left alone, they go through anxiety,” Hodanish explained. But a point that Hodanish made for the public to know is that wolfdogs “aren’t a danger to people at all.” “We have wolfdogs here, and visitors come through our pens,” he said of his farm. “However, like other breeds, they are hunting dogs. They have a strong prey drive. Yes, if they are outside and see other animals, they will go after them. They will try to catch them. But they will never, ever go after a person. As a matter of fact, if anyone approached a wolfdog, more than likely it would go in the opposite direction.” Hodanish maintained, however, that wolfdogs “need to be properly contained so they can’t escape,” including by “installing a high fence” because otherwise “they will go after small animals, whether it be a squirrel, cat or rabbit.” Hodanish told this newspaper that he did see the picture being shared of the wolfdogs standing watch on the platform that some remarked they found intimidating, but explained wolfdogs “like to survey their surroundings, like to go on top of a platform and observe what they can.” “We have platforms here, and most of the time these animals will spend a lot of their day looking down to the ground,” he said. See WOLFDOGS/ Page 6
Travis Garage Doors & Repair Broken Springs/ Cables
Operator Remotes
Since 1971 New Garage Doors + Electric Openers Service & Repair 7 Days a Week for Your Convenience
(609) 859-2992 All Credit Cards Accepted
Page 6 ♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
Photo Provided
The scene as rescuers worked to remove Dylan from a storm drainpipe.
DOG
(Continued from Page 4) hospital, the latter she believe was the result of him becoming “anxious” over the ordeal. But an encouraging sign was his eating a chicken breast she picked up for him at Chick-fil-A during his last full day at the animal hospital, she said. Fisher-Hardie said that the organization
WOLFDOGS (Continued from Page 5)
“But there is no reason to be intimidated by something like that. They just like to be high and look around.” Another important distinction for the public to consider is that the dogs at issue, from the pictures he has seen “aren’t wolves,” but are “less than 50 percent wolf.” “I just hope people in the community aren’t worried about the animals being vicious towards people,” Hodanish declared. “Yes, they have a prey drive, but I hope people have patience to help these folks not have their animals taken away from them.” While Hoffman told this newspaper on the afternoon of July 26 that the wolfdogs, following their latest escape, “were in the hands of the animal control and that the state police apprehended the dogs and returned
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM received a some $4,000 estimate for Dylan’s hospital treatment, and with her rescue reliant on donations, posted several ways that the public can donate towards his recovery. Orwan was joined by Kathleen TortuBowles and Beth Kenny, also part of Souther n NJ Hu mane Track i ng and Trapping Recovery Group, in the search for Dylan. “I want to thank Southern NJ Humane Tracking and Trapping Recovery Group for not only helping Dylan, but for doing the (television) interview with me today,” said Fisher-Hardie in an online statement. “Glenn Orwan III, Kathleen Tortu-Bowles, Beth Kenny worked so hard for Dylan! We couldn’t have done it without them! “When I called them to talk to them about tracking Dylan to find him, there was no hesitation, and they dropped everything they were doing to help. They don’t even charge rescues! They run off donations and they deserve the world!” In fact, Or wan c on fi r me d to th is newspaper “what I do, I don’t get paid for – there is no money involved in what I do,” yet described it can be tough, challenging work and there are expenses the group members absorb themselves, including purchasing cameras used for the tracking of lost dogs, as well as the traps. Fisher-Hardie, in the statement she released, additionally expressed gratitude for the public’s donations toward Dylan’s recovery. As for how Dylan got in the drainpipe, both Orwan and Fisher-Hardie suspect that he entered through a large opening on
one end that leads to a nearby basin, with the latter confirming there is no netting to prevent animals from entering. FisherHardie noted that officials told her that between the two storm grates that are connected to this particular drainpipe, there is about 610 feet of piping and that Dylan was found about 150 feet into it. She added that she believes the dog was likely there when Medford workers conducted a search the previous week, but that the reason they didn’t find him at first is because their special camera can only see approximately 75 feet into the distance of the piping. “Oh my God, it was truly amazing,” she said of everyone’s efforts, which she said concluded sometime after 1 a.m., with her not going to sleep until about 4 a.m. “So many people were working hard to free Dylan from the drainpipe, no matter what. But it was a very scary situation.” Orwan also thanked the “Burlington County workers” as well as the “Medford Township workers” of “the Streets and Highways divisions” that showed up to help with the rescue, as well as the “guys from Atlantic City Electric who went above and beyond, not only making sure other rescuers were safe... but also in making sure Dylan was safe as well.” Also deserving of credit, according to Orwan, are the residents of Quail Ridge Court, “who went above and beyond and graciously offered their services in any way that they could,” including by offering facilities and bottles of water. Completely blowing him away, he said, is that at one point, one person from the neighborhood
even provided the rescuers with “two tubs of ice cream.” “And many of them, as they heard we were digging by hand, ran in their homes and got their own shovels and came out to help,” Orwan noted. “What we had out there last night, and what is most important is... WE HAD A TOTAL SHOW OF HUMANITY!” declared Orwan in the statement. “... So many different people and organizations coming together to save one little old dog by the name of ‘Dylan!’ Now, if that doesn’t restore your faith in humanity just a little bit, well then, I don’t know what will!” Fisher-Hardie told this newspaper what occurred certainly “restored my faith in humanity.” Medford Township, in a statement, noted that what took place “was a team effort by all involved and is a great example of how strong our community is,” with both town officials and Dovi adding that “if anyone is interested in serving their community,” they can get information on volunteering at https://www.medfordfire.org/volunteer/ . “I’ve worked with a lot of townships across New Jersey, and every one of them has their own set of politics and provides a certain degree of cooperation,” Orwan said. “In some townships, and I won’t mention any names, I am pretty sure would they would have just said, ‘It is just a dog – there is not much we can do.’ Here, they didn’t say that, instead they said, ‘We are all in, let’s do this.’” In Medford, he referred to it as a “herculean effort.”
them to the owner,” there were reports online as late as 8 p.m. that at least one wolfdog was still seen on Route 206, possibly limping from an injury of some sort. By around 9 p.m., some individuals – their connection to the owners was unclear – posted updates online that the owners had arrived at Philadelphia International Airport, and that “all dogs are back home” – with reports that there are as many as eight of them in the pack at issue. It was also maintained they were ordered to be kept indoors with “no exceptions,” with one person posting the information asking anyone that had “pet killed or injured” to file a report with the township. Hoffman, when asked if the wolfdogs would be taken from the owners, replied that “animal control informed the homeowners the dogs would have to be surrendered.” Hodanish, when informed of this possibility, said that “right now all our pens are full, but if we can help find a home for these animals,
we will.” “We just have to make sure we don’t take anymore wolfdogs in than we can care for,” he said. However, Hodanish said of the possibility that the Southampton couple was harboring as many as eight wolfdogs, “That’s a lot of dogs of any kind – that is way too many animals.” He also pointed out that he maintains his wolfdogs on a “farm.” “It is a sad situation, but if anyone in Southampton wants to come visit us to see what these dogs are like, we will give them tours of the farm at no cost,” he said in stressing the importance of the public understanding that wolfdogs are not harmful to people. Debi Gibson Miller, who proclaimed online after the ruckus that she is the “breeder” and thanked the public for making her aware of the situation, contended that “I have been in contact with the owners” since being made aware of the problems and that “on my end, I
am taking care of the situation.” “I understand the concerns,” she wrote, pointing out she lives out-of-state and maintaining she was unaware of what had been happening. “Safety for the animals is foremost the most important part in this, thus far. Making sure the animals are contained and contained correctly. Yes, I am a breeder that takes my dogs back for sure. I am currently working on solutions now.” The New Jersey State Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on this story, nor the Burlington County Public Information Office. While Shugars hung up on this reporter as soon as he was contacted, he replied to one woman’s comments that “all my dogs are home” and “there’s a lot of false information going around.” But his own significant other had posted a week prior that the wolfdogs “run around and instigate each other – always getting in trouble.”
GUTTER
S
G ut ter
PPine Grove Tenants
Helm
Ro
ofin
g
Shopping Center
Never Clean Your Gutters Again!
et
®
Pine Grove Plaza
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Before
After
41st Anniversary Sale!
20% OFF* Gutter Helmet
ALBA PIZZA
TOP NAIL SALON
PINE GROVE DRY CLEANERS
0% Interest
41
For 24 Months†
YEARS
+10% OFF
FOR GUTTER PROTECTION
18 BROADWAY, 5 BROWNS MILLS, NEW JERSEY 08015 RETAIL SPACE AVAILABLE! FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
856-218-8677 7 Check Us Out Online!
Call for a FREE Quote 609-631-3420 3 Eliminates clogged gutters, permanently
3 Installs on and reinforces 3 Will not void your roof existing gutters warranty
3 Tested to handle up to 22” of rain per hour
3 Best-in-class Triple Lifetime Material & Performance Warranty
Seniors, Military, & First Responders †
www.harryhelmet.com
3 Professional installation in less than one day
*Offer expires 7/31/22. Valid on initial visit only. Min. purchase required. Cannot be combined with other offers. †Subject to credit approval. Interest is billed during the promotional period but all interest is waived if the purchase amount is paid in full within 12 months. There are no required minimum monthly payments during the promotional period. Financing for GreenSky consumer loan programs is provided by federally insured, equal opportunity lender banks. From Forbes. com/home-improvement, 3/2/2022 © Forbes Marketplace Operations, Inc. 2022. NMLS #1416362. See website for state licenses and more details. Licensed, Bonded, Insured. © 2022 Lednor Corporation
Visit www.PineBarrensTribune.com
Saturday, July 30, 2022
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
♦ Page 7
Burlington County Clerk Officiates Five Weddings at County Farm Fair, a Highlight from the Event’s Much-Anticipated Return Following Hiatus Fair Manager Presented with Proclamation Honoring Function’s 75th Anniversary For the Pine Barrens Tribune
SPRINGFIELD —Vendors prepared kettle corn and cotton candy while a competition pony exercised in a nearby field as the first of five couples said their “I do’s” Wednesday during special Burlington County Farm Fair wedding ceremonies officiated by Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz. The weddings were the first-ever held at the annual Farm Fair during its 75-year history and were a highlight from the fair’s much-anticipated return this week following a two-year hiatus caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. “The Farm Fair is not only one of Burlington County’s biggest and most beloved events – it’s also the perfect setting for a truly memorable wedding,” Schwartz declared. “These weddings were a wonderful way to welcome back the Farm Fair and celebrate the love that these couples have for each other.” The five couples wed during separate ceremonies in the fair’s Dining Pavilion, which was decorated with sunflowers, bales of hay and cardboard cows, pigs and tractors for the special occasion. Among the five couples who tied the knot last Wednesday, July 20, was Kayleen Oliver and Anthony Palmucci, who had
initially planned to marry in the fall, but said they opted to say “I do” early because of Schwartz’s offer to officiate weddings at the iconic Farm Fair. “We have a bigger ceremony planned for the fall, but we figured why not do it early here,” said Oliver, a Cinnaminson native. “We kind of wanted a farm wedding anyway.” Palmucci, of Deptford, pointed out that by getting married at the Farm Fair, there is the added benefit of funnel cake. Schwartz, a Democrat from Southampton Township who has officiated hundreds of weddings since she took office as county clerk in 2019, said she hopes weddings will become an annual tradition at the fair. “The five wedding ceremonies held today were each lovely and will be remembered as the Farm Fair’s first, but I don’t expect they will be the last ones held here,” she said. Bu rl i ng ton Cou nty Com m issioner Allison Eckel, also a Democrat who was in attendance for the ceremonies, said the weddings were a great addition to Farm Fair’s history and tradition. “The Farm Fair brings thousands of people to our County Fairgrounds and celebrates our county’s agricultural heritage while providing a fun showcase for the skills and talents of our farmers, homesteaders, equestrians and more,” Eckel said. “The
Scenes from this year’s Burlington County Farm Fair.
Photos By Andrew King
Photo Provided
Photo Provided
Democratic Burlington County commissioners Dan O’Connell and Allison Eckel present Farm Fair Manager Rosemary Kay (center) with a proclamation honoring the fair’s 75th anniversary.
Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz officiated five wedding ceremonies on Wednesday at the Burlington County Fair Fair in Springfield, including the marriage of Kayleen Oliver and Anthony Palmucci.
weddings were a wonderful new addition that adds to the romance of the fair. Our board congratulates the happy newlyweds and extends our thanks to the county clerk and her staff for arranging these beautiful ceremonies.” The Far m Fair was held from July 19 to July 23 at the Burlington County Fairgrounds, located at the intersection of Route 206 and Jacksonville Road in Springfield. The event returned following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Bu rl i ng ton Cou nty Democ ratic Commissioner Dan O’Connell and Eckel, along with Burlington County Sheriff’s
Department Undersheriff Jim Kostoplis, helped welcome back the beloved event during an opening ceremony, where the com m issioners presented Far m Fair Manager Rosemary Kay with a proclamation honoring the fair’s 75th anniversary. “The Farm Fair is one of our county’s biggest and most beloved events and traditions,” said Eckel, the board’s liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation and Parks. “It brings together neighbors, families and friends, and celebrates our county’s incredible agricultural heritage, while providing a fun showcase for the skills and talents of Burlington County’s farmers, homesteaders, equestrians and more.”
Page 8 ♦
WORSHIP GUIDE
AUGUST August 1
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, July 30, 2022
To promote your September Events and special event on this page promotions contact Jayne Cabrilla at happening locally 609-801-2392 or email this month! jcabrilla@pinebarrenstribune.com
Train Rides Through the Woods of New Gretna Location: Bass River Township
Details: The Woods of New Gretna Park and the New Jersey Shore Live Steam Organization provide train rides for all each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 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 on the historical Tuckerton Railroad. The volunteers maintain the railroad and walking trails, and are constantly expanding them. Riding the trains is free, but donations are very much appreciated. The train rides are outdoors.
Lottery Ticket Worth $3 Million Sold at Wawa in Shamong SHAMONG—A lottery ticket worth $3 million was sold on July 22 at a Wawa store in Shamong Township. New Jersey Lottery officials say that one, second-tier prizewinning Mega Millions ticket was sold that matched “five of the five white balls” drawn, winning the $1 million prize.
However, that ticket was purchased with the “Megaplier option,” multiplying the prize to $3 million, and was purchased at Wawa store #457, located at 436 Oakshade Road in the Indian Mills section of Shamong. There has not been a recent winner of the Mega Millions grand prize, making the jackpot on July 29 worth over $1 billion.
Please join us for In-Person Services
All Worship onfollow us on Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. facebook.com/MedfordUMC Welcome All, Free Luncheon Month uncheon Once Per Mo
609-893-2720
CONGRESSMAN (Continued from Page 3)
retaliating against a person traveling across state lines to obtain a lawful abortion.” The first had garnered no Republican votes, passing the House 219-209, while the latter only received three GOP votes, but still passed 218-210. “The Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn Roe left millions of Americans scared and outraged,” said Kim in a statement following his decisions on the Women’s Health Protection Act and Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act. “In the days after the news broke, I was proud to stand with my neighbors to speak-out against this injustice. Now I’m trying to do everything I can to protect women’s rights in this country. “These two bills are a good start, but we can’t stop here. We need to make sure that women are treated fairly and equally. That means equal pay for equal work, not having to worry about walking alone at night, the freedom to marry who you love, and the right to raise a family in this country safely. I’m glad we’re taking these steps and look forward to continuing this work for equality and fairness.” Healey, when the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was handed down on June 24, released a statement that the decision was “expected” and that “despite the scare tactics my opponent will promote, it changes nothing in regard to New Jersey law.” “My position on this issue is clear and it is mainstream: I am personally pro-life, while believing that women should have the legal right to an abortion in cases of rape or incest, or if continuing to term could threaten the woman’s life,” Healey declared. The current executive co-chairman of the Viking Group and co-founder and president of the Healey International Relief Foundation added that the “only person in this race with extreme views on abortion is Congressman Andy Kim, who sides with Governor Murphy and other radicals in his party who believe in expanded access to late-term abortions, long after a baby is viable and could live a healthy life outside the womb, and that 15-year old girls seeking an abortion should not have to notify their parents first.”
2 Hartford Road | Medford NJ 08055 medfordumc.org | 609/654-8111 info@medfordumc.org
527 Lakehurst hurst Roa ad | Browns Mills, NJ 08015
Trinity Episcopal Church
I Am That I Am Ministries, Inc. All Are Welcome!
“Those are extreme positions and Andy Kim should have to explain why he holds them,” Healey maintained. Meanwhile, Van Drew, of the state’s Second Congressional District, which currently comprises Bass River and Washington townships in Burlington County as well as southern parts of Ocean County, in addition to several other counties in South Jersey, in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, released a statement that the Supreme Court has “the sacred responsibility of interpreting the Constitution and upholding our nation’s founding principles free from political interference.” And that is “exactly what it did,” he declared. “The integrity of the court and its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade must be respected, and we must come together to reject the latest attempts by those who disagree with the decision to abolish or pack the Supreme Court,” Van Drew maintained. “The Supreme Court made the right decision to return this issue to the states so they can create their own laws regarding abortion. Here in New Jersey, we must continue to speak out and fight against Governor Murphy’s radical policies that call for taxpayer funded partial birth abortions.” Van Drew is facing a challenge from Tim Alexander, a former detective captain of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office in Mays Landing, both who are vying to lead what will also be a newly reshaped Second District that will lose its Burlington County towns, and comprise all of Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties, as well as the southern parts of Ocean and Gloucester counties. Alexander has maintained that “the decision by an extremist faction of justices is unconscionable” and that the “outright rejection of precedent and disregard for the Fourth and Ninth Amendments’ protection of unenumerated rights is appalling.” “It is not the place of our government to interfere with anyone’s control over their body,” declared Alexander, who on Facebook lashed out at Van Drew’s decision to vote against the Right to Contraception Act, maintaining, “it is time to fire Van Drew.” Van Drew also voted “nay” on the Women’s Health Protection and Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom acts.
8:15 am | 9:30 am | 11:00 am | or via Facebook Live
18 Mill St. Vincentown, NJ 08088 Worship: Sundays 10 a.m. 609-859-2299 Transportation Available
Sunday Worship Seervice at 11:30 a.m. Pastors Florence and Russell Webberr 50 Burrs Mill Roadd, Southampton, NJ 08088 609 - 847- 4848
Call 609-859-2883
www.iamthatiamministriesinnc.com
First Baptist Church COME VISIT! We would love to meet you! Rev. Vernl E. Mattson, Pastor 39 Main Street Vincentown, NJ 08088 Sunday School����������������������������������9:45 a�m� Sunday Worship Service �����������������������11 a�m� Cross Roads Youth Group - Sundays �������5 p�m� Bible Study - Wednesdays �����������������6:30 p�m� Prayer Fellowship - Wednesdays ��������7:15 p�m� Adult Choir Practice - Wednesdays ����7:30 p�m�
www.fbcvnj.org • 609-859-8967
Prepare for power outages today
WITH A HOME STANDBY GENERATOR $0 MONEY DOWN + LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTIONS Contact a Generac dealer for full terms and conditions
REQUEST A FREE QUOTE
CALL NOW BEFORE THE NEXT POWER OUTAGE
(609) 714-2856
*To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. Call for a full list of terms and conditions.
FREE
7-Year Extended Warranty* A $695 Value!
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, July 30, 2022
AUTOMOBILES/TRUCKS Cash Paid for Your Car. Looking to buy better than junk cars. Call 1-866-261-5277. We come to you.
CA$H
PAID FOR YOUR CAR
FURNITURE REPAIR Adam’s Furniture Restoration, LLC. Fully insured. Furniture repair, kitchen cabinet refinishing, touch-ups, and in-home services. Call 1-856-979-6210. Visit www.facebook. com/adamsfurnres .
GENERAL Typing services. Business letter, resume, etc. Very good prices. Call Maryann at 732-773-5078.
LAWYERS
PIANO PLAYER
ANYTHING, WE HAUL IT. ATTICS, BASEMENTS, DEMOLITIONS, SHEDS REMOVED, POOLS REMOVED, SPACEPLACES CLEANED OUT, ETC. CALL 609-694-9356.
Erwin Apell Attorney, Browns Mills. All legal matters - free hotline 24/7. Visa, Mastercard. Call 609-220-3059 or email Erwinapell@gmail.com .
The Browns Mills United Methodist Church has an immediate opening for a part-time Piano / Keyboard player. Approximately 5 hours a week. Compensation is negotiable. Please call the church office at 609-893-8347.
Household appliances. Televisions, furniture, etc. for disposal or transport. Garage and yard cleanups along with lawn cutting and gutter cleaning. Free estimates. Call or Text Bob at 1-609-880-3789.
The house in Howell where I’ve been living for years is being sold and I am seeking a new home (share) almost anywhere in South Jersey but I really love the Pine Barrens and vicinity . . . one of my favorite places is Hot Diggidy Dog in beautiful downtown Chatsworth! I go there frequently. It doesn’t need to be fancy but some place with nice folks who would like to have this fully vaccinated (including the Pfizer booster) old timer with them. I bring good food fringees with me so if you think you have a possibility . . . or know someone who might, please call me at 732-216-3176 or Email: cr@exit109.com and let’s talk.
LAWN CUTTING Lawn cutting, spring cleanups and gutter cleaning. Shrub pruning and some tree work, along with hauling. Free estimates=reasonable rates. Call or Text Bob at 1-609-880-3789.
old man had sustained injuries as a result of the accident. “It was determined a spark from the boat’s battery ignited gas fumes, resulting in an explosion,” said police in a statement. “The victim suffered serious, but non-lifethreatening injuries and was transported to the hospital by ambulance.”
Four Vehicles Stolen Overnight in Two Medford Developments M E DFOR D — Po l i c e i n Me d fo r d Township are warning that the municipality has recently been targeted in what is described as a “rash of motor vehicle thefts and vehicle burglaries.” Capt. Wi l l iam Dun leav y told th is newspaper on July 27 that he could not provide too many details about the incidents “because they are still currently under investigation,” but that the thefts of vehicles occurred between July 18 and July 19, “or Monday night into Tuesday,” in which a total of four vehicles were stolen. The thefts, he said, occurred in both the H ig hbr idge a nd La mb eth Wa l k developments in Medford. The thefts, he added, were reported “first thing in the morning,” so the “assumption is they (the vehicles) were stolen overnight.” Dunleavy declined to release the makes
♦ Page 9
HAULING
Man Injured in Boat-Fueling Accident at Edge of Mullica River MULLICA—A man was injured in a boat fueling accident at the edge of the Mullica River, near Mullica River Drive, on July 20, according to the Mullica Township Police Department. Authorities say they responded around 6 p.m. to a report of a vehicle fire with injuries. Upon arrival, they found that a 58-year-
MARKETPLACE
and models of the vehicles, as well as their estimated values, citing the active, ongoing investigation. But what he was able to reveal is that all the vehicles taken were left “unsecured.” “Remember to lock your cars, don’t leave valuables in the car, and don’t leave key fobs in cars, and make sure stuff is locked up,” said Dunleavy to this newspaper of his advice to area residents. Dunleavy, when asked if the thefts of vehicles that occurred in July were the only such incidents in a while to occur in town, replied, “We had them earlier in the year this year, too.” “It is not a common thing, but it is also not so uncommon – it seems like there are probably some groups out there doing this not just in our town, but in other surrounding towns as well,” the captain declared.
Follow @PineBarrensNews on Twitter
LOOKING TO RENT
Pilot of Banner Plane with Ties to Medford Lakes Killed in Crash MIDDLE TOWNSHIP—A commercial and no debris path was observed. The wreckage pilot of a banner plan that was in flight remained intact. Both wings exhibited leadingover Cape May County, later identified as a edge damage and buckling with the left wing graduate of Shawnee High School in Medford exhibiting more damage than the right. The Township, was killed when the aircraft crashed ailerons remained attached to their respective there on July 16, according to the National wing. The empennage remained intact and Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) and an obituary canted right. Flight control continuity was for the young pilot. confirmed from all flight control surfaces to The Piper PA-12 aircraft was “substantially the cockpit. Measurement of the horizontal damaged,” the NTSB said in a preliminary stabilizer trim jackscrew corresponded to a report when it was involved in an accident mid-range position between neutral and full near Middle Township. nose-up.” The operator told the NTSB, However, according to the according to the report, that the report, “the cockpit was crushed.” pilot, later identified as 23-year-old The pilot’s “4-pt harness,” it said, Thomas R. Gibson, who has lived in remained latched and was cut by Washington Township (Gloucester rescue personnel. One propeller County), Medford Lakes Borough, blade was undamaged, while the and Ocean City, was hired in late other was said to have exhibited May 2022. “s-bending and leading- edge The airplane, he reportedly told gouging.” Gibson authorities, was “completely fueled Visibility at the time of the crash prior” to the accident flight. was said to be 10 miles. “On the accident flight, the pilot departed Gibson, according to an obituary prepared runway 32 and flew a left traffic pattern to by The Godfrey Funeral Homes, graduated pick up the banner at the approach end of from Shawnee in 2017 and graduated from runway 14, which was normal procedure,” Marywood University in 2021. It noted he the report said. “The airplane descended worked at the Ocean City Airport and for toward the banner but missed the haul line Cape May Aerial banner tow. during the pickup attempt. The airplane then Described as “very athletic,” Gibson was a climbed nose-high and stalled, spinning right commercial rated pilot that had obtained his and impacting the runway. Engine noise was instrument rating and tail-wheel endorsement. consistent throughout the accident sequence. It was also noted that he was accumulating “The wreckage came to rest nose-down, hours toward achieving his Airline Transport oriented about a 320 degrees magnetic heading, Pilot Certificate (ATP).
Page 10 ♦
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Local
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY
ASPHALT MAINTENANCE
ASPHALT PAVING
ATTORNEY
LAW OFFICE OF KIT APPLEGATE
10% OFF
VINCENTOWN, NJ
For Jobs Over $600.
For New Customers Only.
10% OFF
Driveways & Parking Lots
SEALCOATING:
Commercial, Industrial, Residential
Asphalt Overlays Repairs • Asphalt Patching Hot Pour Crack Repair Line Striping • Stenciling
Saturday, July 30, 2022
for Military Vets or Senior Citizens.
CALL NOW
Driveway B-ball keys
only $425
for No Money Down Financing Options!
609-457-3959
Free Estimates Fully Insured Like Us on Facebook @nickolausconstruction
• Roofing • Siding • Gutters • Paving Proud to be Local Women Owned Small Business
HIC:13VH09369600
609-859-8668 • www.nickolausconstruction.com
NM-00497209
AUTOMOTIVE
HIC# 13VH11412400
(609) 228-5750 GENERAL PRACTICE ATTORNEY SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF LEISURETOWNE SERVING THE SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES OF SOUTH JERSEY HOME AND OFFICE VISITS AVAILABLE FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION ESTATE PLANNING PACKAGES STARTING AT $500 Please don’t hesitate to call for more information: (609) 228-5750 or www.kitapplegatelaw.com
BATHTUB REFINISHING
ELECTRICAL
Making Old Tubs Look New! Tub and Tile Tii Glazing • •
Countert rtop t Refinishing
SINCE 1989
COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL Whole House Generators Backhoe & Bucket Truck Service
Quiles Quality Tubs
Free Estimates • Fully Insured Commercial/Residential • 10% Senior and Veteran Discouunt
Over 10 Years Experience
A+ BBB Rating • FREE Estimates
NJ Lic. #0450332322
Call Jorge 609-752-2308 • Email quilesqualitytubs@yahoo.com
ELECTRICAL/SOLAR
FINANCIAL PLANNING
RUSS HUBSCHMAN OWNER • LIC# 9924
609-894-9014 www.bearelectricco.com
LANDSCAPING
FINANCIAL SERVICES Call Joe or Anthony today for a Complimentary Portfolio Review!
•Sales •Service •Installation NJ ELEC LIC. #17352 NJ HIC LIC. #13VH06386900 PA HIC LIC. # PA103855
JEFF PEREZ
2127 Suite D, Route 206, Southampton, NJ 08088 tel: 609 • 801 • 2420 Email: jperez@paradise-solar-energy.com
www.paradisesolarllc.com
Owner/Operator
Joseph Galati – Registered Principal Anthony Galati – Financial Advisor 14 East Main Street, Marlton, NJ www.Raymondjames.com/galati
Attn: Contractors and Homeowners
We have the equipment and experience to assist with your next outdoor project.
• Skid Steer with Bucket, Forks, Grapple, Power Rake. • Mini-Excavator with Thumb • 16’ High Side Dump Trailer Equipment w/Operator Available 24/7
Call 856-988-7900
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.
LANDSCAPING
PAINTING
Tabernacle: (609)-864-5492
www.BlackLabelLandscape.com
PEST CONTROL
Lawn Cutting, Fertilization & Bed Maintenance Landscape, Shrub & Tree Installation In Business Over 25 Years 1603 Route 206, Tabernacle, NJ 08088
Office: 609-268-1211 • Text: 856-297-5200 Email: classic@mygogreen.com • www.MyGoGreen.com
“We Provide a View for You to Come Home To” Credit C reditt C Cards ards Accepted Acceepted NJ Lic. 13VHO1135600
Pest Lic. 98445A
PET SERVICES
PUBLIC ADJUSTERS
ROOFING
PROPERT Y DAMAGE?
- No Subcontracting
Call Joe First!
- Storm Damage ge Certified
Joseph R. Moore Jr. Public Adjusters, LLC
609-330-2292
Phone: (609) 535-5201 • Fax: (609) 535-5202 Email: bbpetsalon@yahoo.com 125 Red Lion Road Southampton, NJ 08088
P.O. Box 326 Medford, NJ 08055
email: joe@joemoorepublicadjusters.com JoeMoorePublicAdjusters.com
Personalized service for homeowners claims: FIRE • SMOKE E • WIND IND • WATE WATER ER • FL FLOOD OD • ETC. ET TC.
- GAF Certified d - All Work Guaranteed
Celebrating Our - Free Estimates 15th Year! Ask About Call or Text 856-528-8735 Discount for Mentioning NJ LIC. This Ad! #13VH03997000
Local
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
AD HOTLINE: (609) 801-2392 or SALES@ PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Saturday, July 30, 2022
BUSINESS & SERVICE DIRECTORY
ROOFING
TREE SERVICES
WE BEAT EVERY WRITTEN OFFER...
DIAMOND ROOFING
Has Been in Business For Over 35 Years
♦ Page 11
Owned & Operated By Dave Mikulski
Land Clearing
Guaranteed Return Phone Call Within 24 Hours!
Removals
Firewood
Lic.#13H01716900
Call 609-268-9200
P.O. Box 311 Medford, N.J. 08055
Operates in All of South Jersey Specializing in Roofing and Gutters FREE Estimates • Fully Insured
Robert H. Griscom Fully Insured NJTC768766
Operates from Sunrise to Sunset
OFFERING FREE ESTIMATES
TREE SERVICES
TREE SERVICES
(609) 654-6602
NJ Lic. 13VH06395500
WELL SERVICES
• Full-Service Tree Removal • Tree Trimming • Pruning • Land Clearing 24/7 Emergency Service | 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Same-Day FREE Estimates Main: (856) 796 6-3536 • Toll Free: (866) 375-8733 Mo obile: (856) 883-7682 Email: captaainstreeservicellc@gmail.com Serving Burlington, Atlantic, Camden, and d Gloucester Counties State License # 13VH088223900 • Board of Tree Experts License # NJTC768356 • ww ww.captainstreeservicellc.com
N.J. Lic. #NJTC768133
Photo By Andrew King
Lenape Regional Board of Education members Dr. Robert H. “Skip” Bende, Jr. and Paula D. Lee, who recently entered the “30-Years-of Service Club.”
BOARD
(Continued from Page 3) Kiki Konstantinos all the way to the one we have now. And it has been great. I have enjoyed being on the board. I am a pro-child advocate and will always be that.” Bende, who noted he has had four kids go through the regional school system, maintained that when each of them went to college, they told him how their freshman year was “easy.” “Which means our curriculum is great,” Bende declared. Lee noted that “having been an educator prior to being on the board, it is so amazing to see the other side, where the decisions are made.” “And the students are always at the forefront here,” she maintained. “And to see the evolution of what has happened in education, in 30 years – I have really, really enjoyed my time here.” The makeup of the regional school board has changed significantly over the last couple of years, however, with a lot of new faces on it. More recently, both Bonnie Olt, who had represented Evesham Township on the regional school board since January 2017, and Allison Eckel, who had represented Medford Township on the regional school board since
November 2017, resigned from their posts. Eckel, as previously reported by this newspaper, was appointed in April to the Burlington County Board of Commissioners, which required her to resign from the reg ional school board position. The Democrat is seeking election to the Board of Commissioners this November, facing GOP challenger Jeff Fortune, a small businessman who is also a former school board member, the latter having once served in Winslow Township. Olt is part of a three-person GOP slate running for Evesham Township Council in November, also comprised of Dennis Mehigan (running for mayor) and Michael Thompson. They are hoping to defeat the Democratic incumbents, Mayor Jacklyn “Jackie” Veasy, Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper and Patricia Hansen. “As you are all aware, I am running for Evesham Township Council this November, and I am stepping down so you all can appoint someone in my seat in a timely manner and I can focus on the election,” said Olt of the reason she was resigning. “I need to thank all of you, this has truly been an amazing experience.” Olt added that by serving under Birnbohm, “I have learned more in the last five years being on this board than I have in probably have in a very long time.”
“And I am proud of the work we have done,” she said. “We have talked about many budget issues along the way. I will always be an ally to this district.” Recently appointed to fill the vacancies left behind by Eckel and Olt are Jennifer L. Levas, who serves as the Medford representative, and JoAnne Harmon, who serves as the Evesham representative. Harmon previously served as a member of the Evesham Township Board of Education from 2013 to 2018. She held leadership positions as vice president and president during her local school board tenure. According to a press release from the LRHSD, Harmon is the mother of a Cherokee High School alumna and has another daughter at Cherokee, and sees her role on the regional school board as an opportunity to draw on previous experiences to support the work of a school district that is said to continue to impress her. “I am eager to work with the LRHSD community to continue the extremely important work of advancing student achievement to meet and exceed the individual needs of each student,” she said in a statement. It was maintained in the district press release that Harmon’s professional experience as director and chief operating officer of the Consumer and Wealth Management Finance Division of Bank of America also makes her an “asset” to the LRHSD Board, “which strives for fiscal responsibility.” “JoAnne brings a unique skillset to the board as someone who is both highly analytical and collaborative in her dayto-day work with Bank of America,” said LRHSD Board President Steve H. Lee, of Medford Lakes. “We are confident she will use her strengths to ensure the future of our district. Her history of service proves that her interests in making our region’s schools the best they can be are genuine.” The district press release described Levas as “also an involved parent,” with two of her three children currently enrolled at the district’s Shawnee High School in Medford, and her third child having attended Haines Sixth Grade Center in Medford during the
Keith Abrams Lic# 1283
past school year. Her record of volunteerism, according to the district, includes serving as a room parent, assembling musical programs, working concessions and hanging up artwork. She is said to joke around that her name is at the top of every “SignUpGenius form” asking for parent assistance. “I do enjoy giving back to the community that has served me and my family so well,” said Levas in a statement. It is maintained in the district press release that Levas finds this to be an exciting time to join the regional school board to be able to see projects funded by the recently voterapproved bond referendum begin to come to fruition. Levas, it was noted, contributes analytical skills honed through her profession and her work as a software engineer also “requires significant problem-solving and teamwork, which she recognizes are necessary to work effectively on the board.” “Jennifer has a strong appreciation for the power of education and has not only volunteered in her own children’s schools, but also in urban classrooms as a reader with the BookMates program,” Steve H. Lee said. “We know she joins us with the best interests of our students in mind and will be a strong advocate for them.” With the departure of Olt from the regional school board, who had been selected in the beginning of the year as its vice president, a new selection for board vice president was required, with Paula D. Lee swiftly chosen for the post following a recommendation from the LRHSD Nominating Committee. “We are excited to welcome both JoAnne and Jennifer to the LRHSD board and look forward to the enthusiasm and new ideas they bring with them,” said Birnbohm in a statement. “We also are grateful for the many years of service that both Bonnie and Allison dedicated to our district, especially over the last year as they helped plan for and communicate the details of our November bond referendum. They have helped position LRHSD for a truly bright future.”
Page 12 ♦
LOCAL NEWS / FEATURES
WWW.PINEBARRENSTRIBUNE.COM
Accepting New Patients Our Browns Mills office, which is conveniently located on the Deborah Heart & Lung campus, along with our Whiting office location, are proud to be servicing our neighbors in the Vincentown, Pemberton, Manchester, Southampton and Tabernacle areas. Ocean County Foot & Ankle Surgical Associates, P.C. is your trusted provider of podiatry services in Burlington and Ocean Counties that offers a wide range of procedures performed by our team of highly experienced and compassionate foot and ankle specialists.
BROWNS MILLS
WHITING
6 Earlin Avenue, Suite 240 Browns Mills, NJ 08015 (609) 836-6608
61 Lacey Road Whiting, NJ 08759 (732) 350-2424
Saturday, July 30, 2022
SPECIALIZING IN: • General foot and ankle care • Traumatic and sportsrelated injuries • Foot and ankle surgery • Heel pain/plantar fasciitis • Warts and ingrown nails • Diabetic foot care • Pediatric foot conditions • Diabetic Shoe Program and Custom Bracing • Wound Care • Noninvasive Vascular Testing
OCFASA.com