Teen Arts Festival
comes to Hammonton
p. 27 and 29
Travel talks
with Terry Crews
Raise a glass of your
favorite wine, beer or spirit
p. 14-21
p. 39
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
HEARTBREAK FOR HAMMONTON
Volume 22 • Issue 18
www.hammontongazette.com
Entire town mourns loss of Christopher Sacco, 9
by Gabe Donio
G azEttE S taff W ritEr
HaMMONtON—Christopher
Sacco, 9, who was a fourth grade stu-
dent at Warren E. Sooy Jr. Elementary
School and loved playing youth sports
including baseball, football and soc-
cer, died after being struck on the 1100
block of Moss Mill road by a gray
2016 Honda Civic registered and
driven by Patrick O’Keefe, 30, of
Hammonton, Hammonton Police De-
tective Sgt. Edward Slimm said. the
accident occurred at 4:39 p.m. on
april 26, in Hammonton, Slimm said.
Sacco was coming back from the
mailbox of his home, which was
across the street, when he was struck,
Slimm said.
Slimm said the vehicle was im-
pounded pending the completion of
the investigation by the Hammonton
Police Department and the atlantic
County Prosecutor’s Office. No
charges are pending at this time,
Slimm told The Gazette.
Residents question Night of wine and beer held
freezer facility
by Stephen Pistone
G azEttE S taff W ritEr
HaMMONtON—at the april
23 council meeting, several local
residents who live on Pine road
expressed their displeasure and
frustration after several years of
living near the former site of a
See SACCO, Page 4
freezer and cold storage facility
and vegetable and food repackag-
ing plant on Pine road that was
completely destroyed by a fire in
May 2017.
five residents that live on or near
Pine road spoke during the meet-
ing. Most of their grievances were
based on the belief that the busi-
Vet Scaltrito, 100,
honored for service
by Stephen Pistone
G azEttE S taff W ritEr
HaMMONtON—it has been a
busy few weeks for angelo
Scaltrito, a lifelong Hammonton
resident and decorated World War
ii veteran who turned 100 years
old on april 10.
See COUNCIL, Page 12
Prior to his milestone day,
Scaltrito had what he thought were
dinner plans with some of his
fellow american Legion Post No.
186 legionnaires. it turned out to
be a surprise party hosted at Post
No. 186 with a large group of
Scaltrito’s family and friends in
attendance,
including
an
See SCALTRITO, Page 3
THG/Stephen Pistone. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Kramer Beverage Company Events Manager Lisa Sweeney, Craft Specialist Evan Weissman and Retail Account
Specialist Shannon Stevens served craft beers from several breweries, such as Evil Genius Beer Company, Sierra
Nevada Brewing Company and Samuel Adams Brewery at the Greater Hammonton Chamber of Commerce’s 10th
Annual International Wine and Beer Expo at Kathedral Event Center on April 25. For more pictures, see Pages 27
and 29.
Downtown packed
for Teen Arts Fest.
by Stephen Pistone
G azEttE S taff W ritEr
HaMMONtON—More than
1,400 students from about 20
southern New Jersey high schools
gathered in downtown Hammon-
ton’s art District on april 27 dur-
ing the during the 2018 atlantic
County teen arts festival, accord-
ing to atlantic County Office of
Cultural and Heritage affairs
(aCOCHa) administrator Kim-
berley Brown.
Since 1969, the one-day festi-
val, organized by aCOCHa, has
provided a multidisciplinary plat-
form for area teens that are active
in fine and performing arts to
showcase their abilities and re-
ceive valuable feedback from pro-
fessionals in the field and their
Parks & Rec holds
regular meeting
by Michael Rizzotte
G azEttE S taff W ritEr
THG/Stephen Pistone. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
In honor of his 100th birthday and dedicated military service, World War II veteran and lifelong Hammonton resident
Angelo Scaltrito (left) was presented with a Quilt of Valor by the Quilts of Valor Foundation during a ceremony at St.
James Lutheran Church in Folsom on April 24. Scaltrito is pictured with his quilt draped over his shoulders with friend
Rose Jones.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMONtON—at the april
17 Hammonton Parks and recre-
ation Commission meeting, Ham-
monton
Public
Works
Manager/Business administrator
See ARTS, Page 2
Jerome Barberio informed the
group that the parks fee structure
ordinance is now in full effect out-
side of a few minor issues that the
Department of Environmental Pro-
tection found in the language of the
ordinance.
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS • CALL 609-704-1939
See PARKS, Page 10