Morales retires from
the service
p. 43
Celebrating 140 years of
the Mt. Carmel Feast
p. 27-42
Health and Fitness
news and ideas
p. 21-26
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
MAYOR: CLEANUP COST AT $960K
Volume 19 • Issue 27
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMonton—Mayor
Stephen DiDonato told The Gazette
on July 6 that the municipality is estimating its cleanup costs from the
June 23 storm that pummeled the
town with damaging winds of 65 to
75 miles per hour will be in excess
of $960,000.
www.hammontongazette.com
town awaits state on disaster area declaration, feMa funds
DiDonato said he is hoping the
new Jersey office of emergency
Management (nJoeM) will declare atlantic County a disaster area
as a result of the storm, enabling the
town to receive disaster relief funding from feMa (federal emergency Management agency).
“the $960,000 or so, including
the costs for the damage at the
school, is our number so far. We
had a lot of costs for damage from
the storm. it could go a little higher
from there, not dramatically, but it
could go up. it’s not going to go
down,” DiDonato said.
on July 3, DiDonato forwarded
an email from atlantic County office of emergency Preparedness
Deputy emergency Management
Coordinator ed Conover to The
Gazette.
“nJoeM has advised that we
and the State have met the threshold
to
request
a
Joint
feMa/State/Local PDa [Prelimi-
nary Damage assessment] for the
storm of June 23rd. on Monday
and tuesday, July 6th and 7th,
nJoeM will be out in the counties
to meet with the communities to go
over damages reported for the
event. this will be in advance of
Burglaries reported Donations made to revitalize VFW Hall
across Hammonton
by Gabe Donio
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMonton—at 6:16 a.m.
on June 24, police received a call
from Valero Gas Station on the
800 block of South White Horse
See TOWN, Page 4
Pike, stating the safe had been
taken from the gas station, Hammonton Police Lt. Kevin friel
said.
“at 6 a.m. one of the store employees came in for work and noticed the front door unsecure and
the business’ floor safe missing,”
Raso reflects on
time on the bench
by Drew Bencie
Gazette ContributinG Writer
HaMMonton—the word
“court” often conjures thoughts of
basketball, your favorite legal
drama, or considering this time of
year, Wimbledon. but for Hammonton Municipal Court Judge
frank raso, it reminds him of just
another day at the office.
See POLICE, Page 14
raso has been overseeing Hammonton’s Municipal Court since
his appointment in 1998.
on his first day as judge, he said
he immediately saw room for improvement.
“When i first started as judge,
court was every tuesday at 7:30 at
night. by the time it got around to
10:30 or 11 o’clock at night,
THG/Gabe Donio. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
On June 29, major donations were made to the effort to revitalize the Veterans of Foreign Wars Passalaqua Post 1026
on Egg Harbor Road. Pictured at the VFW Hall on June 29 are members of the committee (l-r): John Cavuto, who donated $3,000 for the installation of sidewalks along the road in front of the building; Angela Donio, who is providing
design assistance; VFW Post Commander John Griffee; and former Hammonton Mayor Edward Marinelli, who donated
$10,000 from the Edward Marinelli Jr. Memorial Fund toward the overall effort to revitalize the VFW Hall.
Miss N.J. films video locally Sports memorabilia
See RASO, Page 12
store seeks approval
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMonton—on July 1,
the Hammonton Planning board
had one application on the agenda.
applicant John Panichello was
seeking a change of use, waiver of
site plan to permit conversion of
an existing professional office to
a retail store and second floor
apartment on 318 12th St. in Hammonton. the property is in a Dt3 (downtown) zone.
Panichello stated his excitement
to bring his sports store, memorabilia and licensed apparel business
to town. the retail store is being
proposed on the first floor, while
residential use will be on the second floor.
Woman arrested
on Pleasant St.
by Gabe Donio
Gazette Staff Writer
Courtesy Photo
Miss New Jersey Lindsey Giannini filmed a promotional video for Miss America last week in Hammonton. She is pictured with Inferrera’s Market owner Dorothy Orlandini and her brother John Inferrera. For more pictures from the
shoot, see page 46.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMonton—Police arrested Sabrina Hicks, 33, of Hammonton at 1:50 p.m. on July 2 on
e. Pleasant Street, Hammonton
See PLANNING, Page 14
Police Captain nick Salvatore
said. Police charged Hicks with
burglary and making terroristic
threats, Salvatore said.
“She forced her way into the
residence and issued a threat,”
Salvatore said.
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS • CALL 609-704-1939
See ARREST, Page 2