Give the gift of life
with a blood donation
p. 18-25
Celebrating
Women’s History
Month!
p. 27-31
Makers Day at the
Hammonton Library
p. 33
TRAIN ACCIDENT KILLS MAN
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Volume 22 • Issue 11
by Gabe Donio
G azette S taff W riter
HaMMONtON—New Jersey
transit is investigating the cause of
a fatal train accident that Hammon-
ton Police Chief robert Jones said
occurred at 4:27 p.m. on March 9.
www.hammontongazette.com
1 dead, 1 injured when train hits car at crossing
the train struck a vehicle at the
railroad crossing on Line Street
near S. egg Harbor road, killing
the vehicle’s driver, Santos
“rocky” alverio, 66, and injuring
the passenger in the vehicle, Jones
said.
New Jersey transit
Board member
Velardi, 62, dies
by Gabe Donio
G azette S taff W riter
HaMMONtON—Salvatore
“Sal” Velardi, who served as a
member of the Hammonton Board
of education for 18 years and was
known for his passions, including
his family, his Hammonton Lions
spokesperson Lisa torbic said the
injured person is George alverio.
“One subject was taken to
Cooper Hospital [Camden] and the
other was pronounced dead at the
scene,” Jones said.
George alverio is a resident of
Millville, Jones said. Santos
“rocky” alverio was a resident of
the 200 block of Peach Street,
Jones said.
Jones said that the two men were
brothers.
“New Jersey transit is investi-
gating the accident,” Jones said.
according to Jones, the train was
entering the Hammonton train Sta-
tion, which is located between Line
Street and 11th Street and was
heading eastbound toward atlantic
City. the car, a gray 2007 ford
focus, according to torbic, was
Veterans meeting at American Legion
See TRAIN, Page 2
Club, his town, his elvis
impersonations
and
his
Philadelphia eagles—as well as
other Philadelphia sports teams,
died on March 6 at atlantiCare
Medical Center in Galloway twp.
Velardi was 62.
Born in Philadelphia, Pa.,
Kessler Complex
open, growing
See VELARDI, Page 12
Sirolli Const.
working in bldg.
HaMMONtON—it has been
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taff W riter
nine years since William B.
Kessler Memorial Hospital closed
its doors for good, following fi-
nancial struggles. Since then,
Kessler Management LLC, an af-
filiate of Community Healthcare
associates (CHa) Partners, pur-
chased the facility now known as
the Kessler Medical arts Complex
THG/Stephen Pistone. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
American Legion Post No. 186 hosted a VA meet-and-greet on March 9. Pictured (l-r) are Wilmington VAMC Veteran
Community Outreach Specialist for Atlantic and Cumberland Counties Patrick Carney, Veteran Community Outreach
Specialist for Cape May County Jacqueline Hinker, Wilmington VAMC Director Vincent Kane, American Legion Post
No. 186 Commander David Colofranson, Veterans Liaison for Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd) Michael R. Francis
and Ventnor Vet Center Veterans Outreach Program Specialist David M. Mullen. Article below.
Fire devastates home near Fairview
See KESSLER, Page 10
Winslow’s Mayor
Barry Wright
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taff W riter
The fifth in a series of articles on mayors of
neighboring municipalities.
WiNSLOW tWP.—Mayor Barry Wright (D) is
a lifelong resident of Winslow twp. and a
longtime public and government servant. Most of
Wright’s career has been spent as a police officer
for the Winslow twp. Police Department, where
VA organization
comes to Legion
See WINSLOW, Page 4
by Stephen Pistone
G azette S taff W riter
Courtesy Photo
A fire significantly damaged a home on Bella Vita Court on March 9. No one was injured. See related story, Page 2.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMONtON—american
Legion Post No. 186 held its first
Veterans affairs (Va) meet-and-
greet on March 9. the event, which
Barry Wright
was co-hosted by the Wilmington
Va Medical Center (VaMC), the
office of Congressman frank Lo-
Biondo (r-2) and the Ventnor Vet
Center, provided an opportunity to
educate local veterans and their
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS • CALL 609-704-1939
See VETERANS, Page 3