Locals share their
passion for hunting
p. 17
Celebrating Ben Franklin’s
309th birthday!
p. 21
See the Blue Man
Group in Trenton!
p. 31
MENTO NEW BOE PRESIDENT
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Volume 19 • Issue 2
by Zack Brown
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—The Hammonton Board of Education
elected Sam Mento III to serve as
president for the 2015 calendar
year at its annual reorganization
meeting on January 7 at Hammon-
www.hammontongazette.com
Giralo steps aside, Mento & Lyons both nominated; Lyons vice president
ton High School’s Samuel A.
Donio Memorial Library.
The meeting began with the
swearing in of three returning
board
members,
Manny
Bermudez, former president
Joseph Giralo and Sam Mento III,
Winery addition
to debut in April
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—In a recent
press release, it was announced
that Tomasello Winery, located on
the White Horse Pike (Route 30),
will be opening its newly-constructed 12,000-square-foot banquet hall facility in late April.
Construction began in 2014 and
along with Folsom School District
representative, Lisa O’Toole. The
three returning members were
joined by their wives and children.
Following the induction, the
meeting turned to elections for
board president. Board members
Barbara Berenato and Bermudez
nominated John Lyons, while
board members Thomas Attanasi
and Leo Petetti nominated Mento.
The results were close with
Mento winning a 5-4 vote. Mento
received votes from board mem-
bers Linda Byrnes, Eric Weiss, Attanasi, Petetti and himself, while
Lyons received votes from Berenato, Bermudez, Giralo and himself.
Mento thanked the board mem-
See BOARD, Page 12
continues to progress.
Jack Tomasello of Tomasello
Winery discussed the design
phase of the project. Tomasello
said he and his brother, Charlie,
were working on these plans for
some time.
“It came about because we have
been doing banquets here for 22
years and we decided that we felt
Mayor DiDonato
outlines revaluation
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—On December 29, 2014, property owners in
Hammonton received letters from
Professional Property Appraisers
Inc. which relayed information regarding the 2014 total assessed
See TOMASELLO, Page 10
value and 2014 total annual taxes
of all properties and the 2015 total
assessed value and 2015 estimated
annual taxes of all properties to all
property owners.
According to the letter, “the
purpose of [the] letter is to notify
you that Professional Property Ap-
Drs. David Weiss and Amy Krachman take trip to China
See REVAL, Page 14
Courtesy Photo
An artist’s rendering of the interior of the expanded Tomasello Winery.
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—From December 2 to 13, local podiatrist Dr.
David Weiss, along with his wife
Dr. Amy Krachman, embarked on
a trip to China. Weiss has been a
lecturer for a foot laser company
called Cutera for four years, and
occasionally the speaking engagements take him to others areas in
the United States and a few areas
out of the country.
A doctor in Hong Kong asked
Weiss if he would go to the city to
speak about the use of lasers in
foot care. He spoke for a day-anda-half, seven lectures total, in
Hong Kong at the Kowloon Hospital. After that he and his wife,
Amy, visited some other areas in
China as part of a vacation and he
said he was amazed with the cul-
Planning board
is ready for 2015
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
Courtesy Photo
Hammonton Podiatrist Dr. David Weiss was invited to speak in China about his laser technique. He and his wife Dr. Amy
Krachman traveled there in December. They are pictured at Victoria Peak high above Hong Kong.
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HAMMONTON—The Hammonton Planning Board had its reorganization meeting on January 7,
which was the first session of 2015.
During the brief meeting, the board
had to determine a chairman and
vice chairperson, along with a
See WEISS, Page 4
board solicitor, engineer, planner,
traffic consultant and secretary, all
appointed to one-year terms.
As the meeting commenced,
board members Vincent Messina,
Paul Esposito, Sal Capelli and Phil
DeMarco were sworn in as reappointed members by board solicitor Michael Malinsky of
Fitzgerald, McGroarty and Ma-
ONLY $20 FOR 52 WEEKS! CALL (609) 704-1940
See PLANNING, Page 3