FIRST EDITION OF THE HAMMONTONIAN MAGAZINE INSIDE ! A LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE CELEBRATING THE TOWN AND ITS PEOPLE .
Wednesday , January 19 , 2022
Volume 26 • Issue 3
Torrissi sworn into office www . hammontongazette . com
POLICE ARREST
Courtesy Photo
New Jersey Assemblyman ( R-8 ) and Hammonton resident Michael Torrissi ( top , left ) took the oath of office on January 11 in Trenton . After the ceremony he posed for a picture with his wife Katie ( next to Torrissi ) and ( bottom row ) his father Michael , daughter Sophia and sister Carianne Torrissi . Torrissi previously served on town council .
Mento says goal is keeping schools open |
|
by Dillon Siddiqi
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON — Sam Mento III was recently reelected as the president of the Hammonton Board of Education by a majority
|
of his fellow board members . Mento said he has many hopes and goals for the new year , but his first priority is maintaining an inperson learning-experience .
“ First and foremost our obvious goal is to keep the schools open , you know . We ’ re all aware that the
|
best place for our students to be is in a classroom with one of our fine professional , certified educators and it ’ s our hope to continue to be able to bring our kids in full-time in-person learning for the rest of the school year ,” Mento said .
Mento said one problem the
|
district has struggled with this school year has been the amount of teachers , faculty and staff affected by COVID-19 . Mento credits everyone ’ s willingness to step up when needed and the addition of full-time substitutes in 2020 when things have gotten |
tough .
One area schools in the region have struggled with has been transportation , something that Mento feels Hammonton is very fortunate to not have to worry about .
See MENTO , Page 4
|
Bachalis named chair of Env . Comm .
by Joseph F . Berenato GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON — The Hammonton Environmental Commission held its first meeting of the year on January 12 at 7 p . m . via Zoom teleconferencing software .
Councilman Jonathan Oliva brought the meeting to order , noting that it has been his honor to serve as the chair of the Quality of Life Committee in 2020 and 2021 , overseeing the commission through that position .
“ We have done some exciting new initiatives over the course of those two years . We went a perfect eight-for-eight in grant opportunities during that time ; that was an exciting thing , taking a couple dollars from grant opportunities and allowing us to further some of the things that we ’ re working on without taking dollars out of the taxpayers ’ pockets to do so — which is
See COMMISSION , Page 4
Local contam . sites
by Joseph F . Berenato GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON — According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ( DEP ), there are 33 active registered contaminated sites , two pending sites with confirmed contamination and
See TOWN , Page 3
MAN TWICE 3 total arrests on E . Orchard St .
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON — Police arrested the same man —
by Joseph F . Berenato GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON — The Greater Hammonton Chamber of Commerce and Main- Street Hammonton outlined their goals for
Alex Torres , 23 , of Hammonton — for defiant trespass twice at the same location , the 100 block of E . Orchard Street , Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel
SUBSCRIBE TO The Gazette • SUBSCRIBE NOW ! • CALL 609-704-1939 said . In the first instance , police received an unwanted person call at 12:55 p . m . on January 10 , Friel said .
See POLICE , Page 2
Chamber , MainStreet promote businesses
promoting the business community in 2022 .
Each year , the Hammonton Revitalization Corporation ( HRC )— the parent organization of MainStreet Hammonton — sets goals for the upcoming year .
See GOALS , Page 14
Something new to read this week !
THG / Jenn Bailey . To purchase photos in The Gazette , call ( 609 ) 704-1940 .
The Gazette ’ s new magazine The Hammontonian can be found in the fold of this week ’ s edition . This new lifestyle magazine features articles , photos and more all pertaining to Hammonton . Hammonton resident Franki Rudnesky is the cover model and is pictured above at Casciano Coffee Bar & Sweetery on Bellevue Avenue .
75 cents