Lots of back to
school pics
Starting on p. 21
Celebrating our wonderful town
p. 27-46
Young Frankenstein
on stage in Philadelphia
p. 57
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
SNAPCHAT ENDS IN ROBBERY
Volume 23 • Issue 37
www.hammontongazette.com
Chief Friel: Man lured into theft on social media app
by Gabe Donio
G azette S taFF W riter
police station at 7:57 p.m. on august 29 in
reference to an incident that occurred on
august 27, Hammonton Police Chief Kevin
Friel said.
the victim stated that he was Snapchat
speaking with a female about “meeting up”
HaMMONtON—Police made three ar-
rests, one 18-year-old woman, a 16-year-
old male juvenile and a 15-year-old female
juvenile in connection with an assault that
was reported by a man who walked into the
AtlantiCare, HPD
battle opioid abuse
by Joseph F. Berenato
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—the last day
of august of each year is interna-
tional Overdose awareness Day, a
day set aside to attempt to simul-
and there was to be a transaction of $20,
Friel said. Snapchat is a social media app.
He met with the female in the 300 block
of Fairview avenue, Friel said. When he
met up with the female he said he was
grabbed by his arm and pulled into an aban-
doned building, where a knife was put to his
throat, Friel said.
“they struck him and threatened him not
to contact police and took his Galaxy S7
phone, a silver chain, a silver bracelet, a
See POLICE, Page 2
taneously raise awareness of the
perils of drug overdose and reduce
the stigma of addiction.
atlantiCare had several events
on august 30, observing the occa-
sion a day early. Chief among
Green Weekend’s
Sat. jam-packed
with fun events
See OPIOID, Page 4
by Joseph F. Berenato
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—On Saturday, September 21, four green-related
events will be held in Hammonton — Green Day, recycling Central,
town-Wide Yard Sale and Plein aire art competition.
the Hammonton Green Committee will hold its 12th annual Green
See GREEN, Page 8
THG/Joseph F Berenato. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Representatives from AtlantiCare met with members of the Hammonton Police Department on Aug. 30 to show their
appreciation for their help battling opioid overdoses. Pictured (L to R): Ofc. John Amendolia, Sgt. Thomas Percodani,
Beth Gibney, Chief Kevin Friel, Ofc. Renzo Mendoza, Cpl. James Pinto, Karen Cooper and Capt. Mark Fiorentino.
Grape stomping, a
local wine tradition
by Joseph F. Berenato
G azette S taFF W riter
HaMMONtON—On april 16,
1956, Lucille Ball’s now-classic “i
Love Lucy” character Lucy ri-
cardo stomped her way through a
grape tank in the episode “Lucy’s
italian Movie.”
On September 7, 2019, area res-
idents got to do the same thing—
sometimes with almost as many
laughs—at DiMatteo’s Vine-
yards’s Grape Stomp.
the event, which started in
2008, is now in its second consec-
utive year, and its seventh overall.
“We had five years off because
i was restructuring this whole
complex. Last year i felt the need
to do this again,” said Frank Di-
Plan. board OK’s
West End housing
G azette S taFF W riter
THG/Joseph F. Berenato. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Lucy Look-a-Like Contest winner Catie Scardino (third from left) poses with some of her competitors at DiMatteo Vineyard’s
Grape Stomp on September 7.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HaMMONtON—On august
28, the Hammonton Planning
Board heard application #43-
19zB, submitted by the National
institute for Brownsfields rede-
velopment (NiBr, LLC), request-
Gazette • SUBSCRIBE NOW! • CALL 609-704-1939
ing a site plan waiver and D1 Vari-
ance to use existing industrial
buildings for storage and light
manufacturing in an area where
such is not a permitted use.
the properties in question were
250 West end ave., previously
owned by the Hammonton Co-Op
Fruit auction association, and
See PLANNING, Page 3
by Joseph F. Berenato
See GRAPE, Page 9