Looking to move? Check
out this home for sale!
p. 9
Remembering the Civil War
150 years later
p. 15-22
Ahoy! The boat show is
coming to Atlantic City!
p. 31
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
POLICE: FIRE’S CAUSE UNKNOWN
Volume 18 • Issue 4
www.hammontongazette.com
by Gabe Donio
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—Hammonton
Police Captain Nick Salvatore said
the cause of the horrific blaze that
completely destroyed a house at
39 Centennial Drive in less than
two hours on January 13, generating such heat that several homes
around the burning house had their
family of five homeless after blaze destroys home
exteriors damaged as well, was
still unknown as of press time
Monday.
Salvatore said police were contacted via 911 by a resident of the
house at 12:46 p.m. on January 13.
“We received a phone call advising that the house was on fire,”
Salvatore said.
Police, fire and rescue personnel
arrived at the scene.
“the house was heavily involved upon arrival,” Salvatore
said.
responding fire companies included Hammonton, Nesco, indian
Mills, Winslow, Collings Lakes
and elwood, according to Salva-
tore.
Salvatore said John richardson
was the owner of the home. there
were a total of five people living
in the house, two adults and three
children, Salvatore said.
the cause of the fire is still unknown, Salvatore said.
“We don’t know. the one
daughter stayed home from
school. She was the caller. She
was sick in bed, she woke up and
the house was on fire. She decided
she couldn’t save it and called
911,” Salvatore said.
Det. Joel frederico and Det. Sgt.
edward Slimm and members of
With tax time here, Stockton honors King’s memory
preparation is key
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—tax season
for individual taxpayers begins on
January 31. the later date is due to
the government shutdown in October, and is when tax returns will
begin to be processed. Some indi-
See FIRE, Page 12
viduals get it done early, while
some wait until the last minute.
the dreaded tax day cutoff is on
april 15, the irS tax filing deadline.
What should people be doing to
prepare their information for their
accountants and returns? three
Former Streitfeld
building renovated
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—Major
façade enhancements and other
renovations made to the Bellevue
and Central avenue corner property formerly owned by Dr.
Leonard Streitfeld are complete.
See TAXES, Page 10
the project took approximately
three months to finish, but the end
result has been very positive so
far for the tenants and other
downtown business owners.
John DiDonato, the managing
member of Vision Property
Group, LLC., was the visionary
for this particular project. DiDo-
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey extended its Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on January 20 to include
its Hammonton location — Kramer Hall. Students there participated in making cards for the residents of the Hammonton Center for Care, cleaning up streets in the downtown and volunteering at the Eagle Theatre. Above: Stockton
student volunteers Jen McIlvaine, Elizabeth Hartman, Adrianna DelPrincipe and Ashley Joas helped create valentine’s
for 125 Hammonton Center for Care residents during Stockton MLK Day activities at Kramer Hall.
Philippines fundraiser held New ‘150’ committee
See BUILDING, Page 3
holds first meeting
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—Hammonton
was officially incorporated as a
municipality on March 5, 1866. in
2016, the town plans on having a
Sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) celebration with activities and
events throughout the area. a
Sesquicentennial Planning Committee has formed, and councilman
Dan Bachalis classified himself as
the “council liaison” during the
first committee meeting of 2014 on
January 15.
the committee is comprised of
20 members representing different
Uptown progress
is anticipated
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
John and Debbie Mento (left) and Joe and Sally Costa (right) held a spaghetti and meatball dinner fundraiser on January 18 at Hammonton Fire Co. No. 2. The funds raised from the dinner will be donated to the Lutheran Disaster Response for Victims of Typhoon Yolanda. The Costas’ son Joe was in the Philippines with the Peace Corps at the time
of the typhoon.
SUBSCRIBE TO
HaMMONtON—Downtown
Hammonton has developed
greatly in recent years with façade
enhancements that have taken
place and a limited amount of vacated buildings. With the current
status of the economy, it is an im-
The Gazette! ONLY $20 FOR 52 WEEKS! CALL: (609) 704-1940
See COMMITTEE, Page 10
portant step for this part of town.
the uptown section of town,
which is the local stretch of the
White Horse Pike (route 30) and
rt. 206, vacancies remain with
few solutions imminent. the new
taco Bell and expanded Dollar
tree represent progress, but there
is still work to be done.
See UPTOWN, Page 4