News and notes from
downtown Hammonton
p. 18-19
Fun times planned down
the shore all summer long
p. 27-34
Beardfest returns to
Hammonton this June
p. 43
STREET PAVING ON ITS WAY
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Volume 19 • Issue 20
by Brittany Mauro
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
www.hammontongazette.com
Town hires new police officer, John Amendolia Jr.
HAMMONTON—Town council met May 18 and discussed the
construction on Pratt, Grape,
Packard and Second Streets, approved the second reading of the
town budget and hired a new police officer.
John Amendolia Jr. was hired by
unanimous vote as a full-time police officer effective June 2 at
$44,145 annually with benefits. He
will take his oath of office on or before June 2, 2015. During the
meeting, Mayor Stephen DiDonato
by Paul J. Macrie IV
said Amendolia would be sworn in
after he gives notice to his current
place of employment.
As stated on the agenda, the
project deadline for several local
streets was April 15, 2015. Council
received an updated schedule
which takes the construction to the
end of May for Grape, Packard and
Second Streets with top course
paving on Pratt Street to occur at
the end of June.
Grape, Packard and Second
Streets: All utilities, concrete and
base course paving has been completed. Additional base repairs still
need to occur and will be completed closer to final paving. It is
anticipated final paving will occur
this week or early next week, the
missions in the Coast Guard during that time. He was serving in
the Office of the Secretary, United
States Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) as an advisor to
the secretary regarding DHS mission and management effectiveness and efficiencies.
DeLaurentis retires Classics downtown for Cruisin’
from Coast Guard
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—On May 15,
Hammonton native Captain Vincent D. DeLaurentis retired from
the United States Coast Guard
after 30 years of service. DeLaurentis assumed several roles and
See COUNCIL, Page 15
Early morning
drug busts made
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—Police made
two separate early morning drug
busts last week, Hammonton Police Chief Robert Jones said.
• On May 16 at 2:44 a.m. at the
intersection of N. Egg Harbor
Road and Bellevue Avenue
See DELAURENTIS, Page 3
(Route 54), Brandon Kelly, 24, of
Mullica Twp. was found with five
bags of heroin, Jones said.
Kelly was charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance (cds) heroin and for an
outstanding warrant for $250
from Hammonton and was released on his own recognizance,
Having a great ‘Day in the Park’ Our Lady of Fatima
statue visits town
See DRUGS, Page 2
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Craig Sacco stands on Bellevue Avenue with a 1970 Dodge Challenger during the May 15 Cruisin’ MainStreet event.
For story and photos, see Pages 16 and 17.
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—On May 12,
the Our Lady of Fatima Statue arrived to St. Mary of Mt. Carmel
Parish, as St. Joseph High School
students, C.J. LaFragola, Rocco
Ordille, Derek Lomax, Christian
Snowden and Joey Higbee, helped
carry it from St. Joseph Church’s
vestibule, up the aisle and to the
altar. During the high school ceremony, students Taylor Hyndman
and Sophia Deskovic helped crown
the statue with Rev. Christopher
Markellos and Sr. Charlyne
Greene.
International Pilgrim Virgin
Statue Foundation, Inc. Custo-
Env. comm. hears
about Tractor Supply
by Paul J. Macrie IV
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Lea Ramaciotti Zimmerman and Dee Ramaciotti Matthews look through the photo collection of the “Face of Hammonton - Old and New” project during the Historical Society of Hammonton’s Day in the Park on May 17. For more
photos, see Page 19.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HAMMONTON—On May 13,
the Hammonton Environmental
Commission had its regular
monthly meeting. Representatives
for Primax Properties, LLC were at
the meeting to present a site plan
See FATIMA, Page 12
review and have the commission
vote to approve their Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Tractor Supply Store, which
would be located on 70 Route 206,
near the Central Jersey Equipment
store. The Hammonton Planning
Board will hear this application at
the meeting on Wednesday, June 3.
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS • CALL 609-704-1939
See PAINT, Page 14