Looking for a home? Check
out this week’s story
p. 9
Uptown is bustling
this fall season
p. 18-21
In the Heights takes the
stage in Philadelphia
p. 39
COUNCIL MAKES BIG MOVES
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Volume 17 • Issue 39
by Lauren Bucci
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—town council voted on two major changes regarding fiscal and insurance
matters related to the town at its
regular meeting on September 23.
town risk manager P.J. Pullia, of
www.hammontongazette.com
OC?Home Bank, Statewide insurance fund are in
M.L. ruberton agency, addressed
council advising to switch insurance carriers given that the threeyear contract is up with the atlantic
County Municipal Joint insurance
fund (aCMJif), of which council
is a founding member.
Board to St. Joe:
Let there be lights
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—On September 18, the Hammonton Planning
Board held its regularly scheduled
meeting at town hall. two items
were on the agenda, one of which,
the approval of lights for the 2014
Council was advised to switch to
Statewide insurance fund, which
would result in a savings of
$111,000 to $155,000 for the town.
“…the basic insurance is almost
similar because they’re two different associations so their coverages
aren’t going to be identical. ?the
savings is $155,000, that’s a pretty
large number that you have to look
at. Now, we have to build some
things back into that savings,
there’s a difference in deductibles
on eLP and Police Liability... i built
back in $44,000, it is very unlikely
that it’ll be a $44,000 number it
could strictly just be the appraisal
fee and the safety, but building back
in $44,000 is a lot and we’re still
$111,000 cheaper with the one
Toy?store begins expanding downtown
See COUNCIL,?Page 10
football season at St. Joseph High
School’s Bill Bendig field on
Wood Street, holds major residential and school-athletic ramifications.
Board members Sal Colasurdo
and Joseph Giralo were absent
from the meeting, while Vincent
Messina and P.J. Pullia were voting
Wine growers talk
‘13 harvest season
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—Wine season
is underway and several vineyards
in Hammonton are gearing up and
hoping to yield in a successful
crop of grapes, which leads to a
variety of fantastic wine. DiMatteo Vineyards and Plagido’s Winery are two of the major vineyard
See LIGHTS,?Page 4
and wine-making areas in town.
each discussed the varieties they
pick, how the weather affects the
crop and wine-making process,
and other factors that lead to what
people drink at home or at restaurants.
frank DiMatteo is the owner of
DiMatteo Vineyards, which has 16
acres of several types of grape. it
THG/MarySusan Hoffman To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Gina Barber arranges stuffed animals inside Toy Market, located at the corner of Bellevue Avenue and Second
Street. Toy Market is expanding. Simply Stationery will make way for the expansion of Toy Market, a retailer of inspirational toys and a sister company of Simply Stationery. The expansion of Toy Market will continue in the coming
weeks. A larger Toy Market sign has been placed on the building.
Atlantic City comes to Bellevue ‘Manner’ of drowning
See WINE,?Page 14
is under investigation
by Gabe Donio
Gazette Staff Writer
HaMMONtON—the drowning of Charles “Chuck” Carley,
45, of Waterford twp. in Hammonton Lake remains under investigation by the atlantic County
Prosecutor’s Office and the atlantic County Medical exam-
iner’s Office, atlantic County
Prosecutor’s Office Public information Officer Haleigh Walz told
The Gazette on September 23.
Walz said the cause of death
was listed as “drowning” on the
medical examiner’s report and the
“manner of death” was listed as
“pending investigation.”
according to Walz, the atlantic
Town still facing
COAH-based issues
by Paul J. Macrie IV
Gazette Staff Writer
THG/Paul J. Macrie IV. To purchase photos in The Gazette, call (609) 704-1940.
Dave Birnbaum was a blackjack dealer during Third Thursday’s Bellevue Empire night on September 19. Birnbaum is pictured with Lena Richards and Taylor Lee in front of Sassy Sweets. For more pictures, turn to Page 32.
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HaMMONtON—the New
Jersey Supreme Court issued a decision in the Council on affordable Housing (COaH) abolition
case. in a letter sent to mayors of
every state municipality on July
10, it read that the Court held that
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See DROWNING,?Page 3
because COaH is “in, but not of”
the Department of Community
affairs (DCa), Governor Chris
Christie, under a certain executive
reorganization act, didn’t have the
authority to abolish the independent agency.
Christie attempted to abolish
COaH and hand over its responsibilities to the DCa. that was
See COAH,?Page 3