Mr. Hammonton
wows the crowd
p. 23
Who is your favorite
past president?
p. 18-22
Are you ready for Oscar
night in Hollywood?
p. 35
FATAL ACCIDENT ON RT. 206
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Volume 22 • Issue 8
by Gabe Donio
G azette S taff W rIter
HaMMONtON—according
to a press release issued on febru-
ary 18 by Hammonton Police Lt.
Kevin friel, at 8:38 a.m. on feb-
ruary 18, the Hammonton Police
www.hammontongazette.com
Joseph Bellace Sr., 67, dies after truck is hit
Department received a call of a
motor vehicle collision which oc-
curred on route 206 near the in-
tersection with Union road.
Personnel and apparatus from the
Hammonton Police Department,
Hammonton Volunteer fire De-
partment and atlantiCare eMS re-
sponded to the scene of the
accident, the release said.
Joseph Bellace Sr., 67, of Ham-
monton, was operating a 1987
Jeep pickup truck northbound on
route 206 at the time of the acci-
dent, the release said. Samuel
Sepulveda, 25, of Mays Landing,
was operating a 2003 Mitsubishi
eclipse in the southbound lane of
route 206, according to the re-
lease.
“a third party witness stated
that the Mitsubishi, which was
traveling southbound, started into
the northbound lane and at-
tempted to overtake a vehicle also
Firefighter had Board honors ‘Teachers of the Year’
‘medical emergency’
by Gina Rullo
G azette S taff W rIter
HaMMONtON—On febru-
ary 14, at approximately 7 p.m.,
the Hammonton Volunteer fire
Department (HVfD) and mutual
aid companies responded to a re-
ported structure fire on the 200
block of Union road in Hammon-
See POLICE, Page 10
ton, a release issued by Lt. Joseph
Lizza of the Hammonton Volun-
teer fire Department said.
“While conducting interior fire
suppression efforts, a firefighter
who was providing water supply
assistance to interior firefighters
suffered a sudden and serious
medical emergency. the fire-
Eagles’ Griffiths
enjoying big win
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taff W rIter
HaMMONtON—resident
Loraine Griffiths likens her per-
sonal journey to that of the Super
Bowl Champion Philadelphia ea-
gles: an underdog story. Before
she was hired as a graphic design
for the eagles’ visual communica-
tions team in 2013, Griffiths per-
severed her way through college
while working various full-time
jobs, as well as working for her
family’s paper company, J.
Morano and Sons Inc., in Ham-
monton.
after five years, Griffiths grad-
uated with a bachelor’s degree in
visual communication from
Stockton University but had trou-
ble finding work in her field as a
graphic designer and chose to
complete freelance work and an
internship with the Noyes Mu-
seum of art in Oceanville.
Griffiths’ fortitude and drive
continued and eventually paid
dividends when she was hired by
egg Harbor twp. print shop the
Gotham Group, then by the Miss
america Organization and ulti-
mately by the Philadelphia eagles
in 2013.
Griffiths has enjoyed countless
memorable experiences in her
time with the eagles, during
which she has been responsible
for designing several team publi-
cations, stadium graphics and di-
rects the artistic design of team
photoshoots. However, all of Grif-
fiths’ professional experiences
paled in comparison to when she
See FIRE, Page 10
Invited to game
in Minneapolis
received an invitation to travel to
Minneapolis, Minn., in february
to watch the eagles play in Super
Bowl LII.
See EAGLES, Page 12
THG/Stephen Pistone. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
The Hammonton Board of Education acknowledged the 2017-2018 “Teacher of the Year” honorees during its meeting
on February 15. Pictured (l-r): Hammonton High School English teacher Stacy Gerst, Early Childhood Education first
grade teacher Ginny Hiltwine, Warren E. Sooy Jr. Elementary School ESL teacher Amy Clauhs, Hammonton Middle
School math teacher Stephen Adirzone, Hammonton Education Foundation (HEF) vice president Joanne Pullia and
HEF president Dr. Frank Rudnesky. During the meeting, Rudnesky presented each “Teacher of Year” with a $500 class-
room grant check.
Mullica’s Silva loves
community’s charm
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taff W rIter
The second in a series of articles on mayors of
neighboring municipalities.
MULLICa tWP.—Mullica twp. Mayor
Christopher Silva (r) has spent his life in several
different places before settling in the township
about 15 years ago.
His father was a career officer in the air force,
which brought him to Washington, D.C., Hawaii,
Taste of the Town
is Sunday, April 8
See MULLICA, Page 4
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taff W rIter
Courtesy Photo
Hammontonian and Philadelphia Eagles employee Loraine Griffiths is pic-
tured holding the Lombardi Trophy.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMONtON—the diverse
local cuisine will be on full dis-
play during the Hammonton edu-
cation foundation’s (Hef) 15th
Christopher Silva
annual taste of the town event on
Sunday, april 8 from 3 p.m. to 6
p.m. the theme this year is “art-
fully tasteful” and will feature art-
works by students.
approximately 30 local food
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS • CALL 609-704-1939
See TASTE, Page 3