St. Joe ready to take the
stage in annual musical
p. 25
Learn all about
The Bill of Rights
p. 27-34
Healthy living tips in the
Health & Fitness section
p. 17-22
WALMART PLANS TO EXPAND
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Volume 18 • Issue 15
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—According
to New Jersey Pinelands Commission Director of Regulatory Programs Charles Horner, the
Hammonton Walmart, located at
55 S. White Horse Pike (Route
30) has applied to the commission
www.hammontongazette.com
Pinelands has application for 55,000-square-foot addition
for approvals to construct a
55,000-square-foot addition to its
existing building.
Approval
would be granted “almost instantly” by the Pinelands Commission, Horner said, but the
Walmart first must comply with
the commission’s condition that
an issue with stormwater manage-
ment basins is dealt with by Walmart in front of the Hammonton
Planning Board.
“I think we’ve had the application here [at the Pinelands Commission] for about a year now,”
Horner said.
According to Horner, there is a
stormwater management issue as-
sociated with the construction of a
55,000-square-foot addition to the
existing Walmart.
“One of the basins is not working. They would need a new
stormwater management basin for
their expansion. An additional
one [basin] is proposed. There
would have to be a condition
made to the planning board that
the failing basin would be addressed quickly to the satisfaction
of both Hammonton and to address the Walmart issue,” Horner
said.
Horner said the Pinelands Commission would move swiftly on
Planning board An ideal day for painting outside
OKs repair shop
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—On April 2,
the Hammonton Planning Board
held its regular meeting. On the
agenda was one major application
with an extensive history for the
board to consider. A minor subdi-
See EXPANSION, Page 14
vision, preliminary and final major
site plan application was presented
to the board during the session.
The applicant was Michael Weiss
of Mike’s Auto Body Trucking,
who was seeking a minor subdivision, preliminary and final major
site plan for Block 4801, Lots
Three and Four, Zone HB and R-3
Local H&R Block
celebrating 45 years
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—H&R Block
Franchise Owner Rick Sepe has
been around the tax filing business
for many years. Sepe’s parents
bought the H&R Block Franchise
See PLANNING, Page 2
from the company in 1969. He
joined the business in 1986 and
worked for his father originally as
a taxator. In 1992, he assumed control of the franchise after his father
died of cancer. This calendar year,
Sepe is celebrating 45 years since
his family originally took control of
Robin Gazzara holds grand opening
See SEPE, Page 10
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
The Seventh Annual Hammonton Art District Plein Air Competition in Hammonton was held on Saturday, April 5.
Above: Amy Iverson from Medford is painting a picture of the Hammonton Train Station area.
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—The Seventh
Annual Hammonton Art District
Plein Air Competition has become
a tradition in the town of Hammonton each spring. The event draws
plein air artists throughout the region, giving them an opportunity to
paint appealing landscapes and
buildings in the town. On April 5,
the plein air competition was open
to all artists 18 years or older and
cash prizes were distributed to the
top-three finishers after the contest.
More than 20 people signed up to
participate in this outdoor painting
event.
Sponsored by the Hammonton
Art District, the plein air competition has been a way to kick off the
spring season. As the weather starts
to slowly transition to warmer conditions, artists enjoyed the scenery
the town has to offer.
Noyes Museum Executive Director Michael Cagno offered his
thoughts on the annual plein air
competition. Cagno said one of the
Kramer Hall honors
female factory workers
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Left to right: Dave Parkhurst, Charles Paul and Robin Gazzara are the Robin Gazzara Music Studio team. Parkhurst
teaches guitar lessons, Paul vocal lessons, while Gazzara teaches piano to students. See related article Page 3.
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HAMMONTON—On March
31 at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s Kramer Hall
on Front Street, Patricia Martinelli,
curator of the Vineland Historical
and Antiquarian Society, spoke
about Italian women in the southern New Jersey clothing industry
The Gazette! ONLY $20 FOR 52 WEEKS! CALL: (609) 704-1940
See ART, Page 4
around the World War II time period. The speaking engagement
was titled “Stitch in Time,” and
Martinelli focused on the female
role in the clothing industry for a
five-year period when the men
were off to the war.
These women worked in clothing factories in Atlantic, Gloucester and Cumberland counties,
including the National Garment
See STOcKTON, Page 14