HHS NHS welcomes
new members
p. 27
Attend the Chamber BEST
event, wine & beer tasting
p. 16-19
Yakov Smirnoff coming
to Stockton PAC
p. 41
MAN CHARGED WITH FRAUD
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Volume 23 • Issue 6
by Gabe Donio
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—a motor ve-
hicle stop by Det. Jared Baglivo in
the prime block of N. Liberty
Street at 3:42 p.m. on January 31
www.hammontongazette.com
also, Hammonton Police recover stolen vehicle
led to charges for both the driver
and the passenger, Hammonton
Police Lt. Kevin Friel said.
Friel said the driver was
charged with being an unlicensed
Pinelands Comm.:
No overt threat
of moratorium
driver and not wearing a seat belt.
Kristian rueda, 20, of Ham-
monton and Gabriel Luna, 18, of
Hammonton were in the vehicle,
Friel said. rueda had a $1,000
warrant from Hammonton, Friel
said. Luna was linked to a credit
card theft and fraud that occurred
on January 25 on Michael road,
Friel said. Luna was arrested and
charged with credit card fraud and
use of a stolen credit card, Friel
said.
Det. David reustle was the ar-
Kramer Beverage holds groundbreaking
See POLICE, Page 10
Special council mtg. Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.
by Gabe Donio
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—The Gazette interviewed New Jersey Pinelands
Commission regulatory Programs Manager Chuck Horner on January
30, who said there is no overt threat of a moratorium on the town from
Town hears report
from police dept.
See PINELANDS, Page 3
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—During town
council’s meeting on January 28,
Hammonton Police Lt. Kevin Friel
gave a presentation about projects
the department is currently working
on, including a transition to a
ProPhoenix public safety software
solutions program that will update
the department’s records Manage-
ment System (rMS) and its Com-
puter-aided Dispatch (CaD)
capabilities.
Friel said the department will
See COUNCIL, Page 8
THG/Stephen Pistone. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Charles and Mark Kramer (center) broke ground for Kramer Beverage Company’s 124,000 sq.ft. expansion on Feb-
ruary 1. They were joined by local dignitaries (l-r) Councilman Sam Rodio, Councilwoman Brooke Sacco, Atlantic
County Fifth District Freeholder James Bertino, Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson, Mayor Stephen DiDonato
and Greater Hammonton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John Runfolo.
Kramer Beverage
adding 124,000 s.f.
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—Kramer
Beverage Co. has moved to sev-
eral locations before opening its
corporate headquarters in Ham-
monton 17 years ago. On Febru-
ary 1, the 95-year-old beer and
beverage wholesaler took a major
step towards making Hammonton
its home for the foreseeable future
by breaking ground on the site of
an upcoming large-scale expan-
sion project that will add 124,000
square feet to the business’ foot-
print.
the expansion is expected to be
completed in the summer of 2019,
Mayor’s cmte. to
restore town clock
G azette S taFF W riter
THG/Stephen Pistone. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
New Jersey Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Brian Frangione (second from right) is joined (l-r) by his father, Gabe Fran-
gione, Julia Hambrecht and his mother, Laurie Frangione during a farewell ceremony at Kathedral Event Center on Feb-
ruary 1. Frangione is one of the more than 120 citizen-soldiers with Bravo Company Forwards 1 and 2, of the 104th
Brigade Engineer Battalion, who will soon be deployed overseas. Frangione will serve as non-commissioned officer in
charge of 28 citizen-soldiers from Bravo Company Forward 2 during a deployment to Jordan. See article, Page 10.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMONtON—the town
clock is among the most iconic
symbols associated with the town
of Hammonton. Located at the in-
tersection of South third and Vine
Streets, the historic 1926 Seth
Gazette • SUBSCRIBE NOW! • CALL 609-704-1939
thomas clock is a relic of Ham-
monton’s history that is endeared
by many, so much so that Mayor
Stephen DiDonato constituted a
town clock committee earlier this
January comprised of seven resi-
dents who will spend the next year
raising money to complete a ex-
tensive clock repair and restora-
tion project. the town clock is
See CLOCK, Page 4
by Stephen Pistone
See KRAMER, Page 12