It’s time to put on
your dancing shoes
p. 9
Winter Olympics 12-Page
Preview and TV Schedule
p. 21-32
Two restaurant grand
openings in one week
p. 14 and 16
GRAPE ST. MEETING FEB. 10
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Volume 18 • Issue 6
www.hammontongazette.com
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—According to
an official notice from the town, a
special meeting of the Hammonton
Town Council will be held at 7
p.m. on February 10 at town hall.
The purpose of the meeting is to
discuss funding for the Grape,
Packard, Second and Pratt Street
About funding for Grape, Packard, Second & Pratt Streets
project, the notice said.
Official action may be taken, according to the notice.
According to the notice for the
meeting, “official action may be
discussed and acted upon as
deemed necessary.”
Mayor Stephen DiDonato spoke
about the reason for the special
meeting in an interview with The
Gazette on February 3. Funding
for the project is available from the
New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT), DiDonato
said, but the town must pay the upfront construction costs and any
funding from the NJEIT would be
received after the project is com-
pleted.
“The project has been submitted
to NJEIT for funding, but what
NJEIT does is fund the project at
the end. On February 10 and February 24, we hope to pass first and
second reading for a temporary
funding measure to fund the project through construction,” DiDo-
nato said.
The project bid may be awarded
as soon as the meeting of February
24, DiDonato said.
“We can have the first reading
on the 10th, have the second reading on the 24th and award the contract to a low bidder at the meeting
Impact of snow Local man wins new Toyota
on town, school
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—During the
month of January, extreme cold
and snow greatly impacted the
area. Sources said the municipality has had a difficult task of clear-
See GRAPE, Page 12
ing town-designated roads, especially when it has affected early
morning work commutes. The
Hammonton Public School system has had to cancel school on
three occasions already this year
because of the snow and cold. In
As temperatures
fall, help is there
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—As the winter reaches its peak and the persistent cold continues, people who are
in need of essentials and even
homeless individuals have been
facing an unimaginable situation,
See SNOW, Page 10
volunteer and government sources
said. Whether it is the town, government agencies or local
churches, a collaborative effort has
been made to point these individuals in the right direction and give
them a warm place to be and provide other necessities.
The First United Methodist
Truck takes out 12th St. pole
See HELP, Page 3
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Hammonton resident Bob Wilson (right) won a new car as part of the “Win My Car” sweepstakes. Wilson could choose
between a Toyota Camry or NASCAR racer A.J. Allmendinger’s stock car. Wilson chose the Camry. He is pictured
with Allmendinger at the Hammonton ShopRite on February 1.
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—Hammonton
resident Bob Wilson was selected
as the winner of the “Win My
Car” Sweepstakes, as part of the
Scott Shared Values program.
Scott brand and JTG Daugherty
Racing teamed up last fall to offer
one fan the ride of a lifetime. Wilson was one of more than 250,000
total entries for the sweepstakes,
which ran from September 1, 2013
to November 30, 2013.
On February 1, NASCAR
Sprint Cup driver A.J. Allmendinger and his race team went
to ShopRite Hammonton on the
White Horse Pike (Route 30) to
make the grand-prize presentation.
Having the choice between the ultimate NASCAR fan memorabilia,
which
was
A.J.
Allmendinger’s #47 Scott Products racecar or a 2013 Toyota
Camry, Wilson selected the Toyota
Camry.
Wilson, an avid NASCAR fan,
subscribes to a couple of newsletters and found out about the con-
Marinelli remains
board chairman
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
THG/Gabe Donio. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
A tractor-trailer (right) hit a light pole taking it out of the ground. The accident occurred at the intersection of 12th
Street and Second Road on January 31, police said. See related story, Page 12.
SUBSCRIBE TO
HAMMONTON—On January
29, the Hammonton Planning
Board held its reorganization
meeting at town hall. There were
no applications presented to the
board at the meeting. Mayor
Stephen DiDonato opened the
The Gazette! ONLY $20 FOR 52 WEEKS! CALL: (609) 704-1940
See BULLYING, Page 10
first session of the New Year by
taking nominations for chairman
of the board.
After a quick nomination
process, the board voted Edward
Marinelli chairman for another
one-year term. Marinelli said he
was honored to be selected to the
position once again, and that any
See PLANNING, Page 4