9 council candidates
9 interviews
p. 18-19
Financial planning
tips and ideas
p. 29-36
Off to see the Wizard
in Philadelphia
p. 45
COUNCIL: NO TO LEGAL WEED
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Volume 20 • Issue 43
by Stephen Pistone
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—The Hammonton Town Council was not
unanimous regarding a proposed
resolution that opposed legislative
efforts to legalize marijuana for
www.hammontongazette.com
DiDonato, Gribbin abstain on marijuana vote
recreational use in the state of
New Jersey during their meeting
on October 24. Five members of
the council voted for the ordinance, crossing Republican and
Hammonton First party lines, and
two members of Hammonton
First, including Mayor Stephen
DiDonato, abstained from voting.
Republican council members
Steven Furgione, Joseph Giralo,
Michael Pullia and Michael Torrissi voted for the resolution, and
were joined by Hammonton First
Councilman Sam Rodio.
Resolution #147-2016 states
that the New Jersey Legislature is
exploring ways to legalize recreational marijuana use and states
Police arrest man Halloween fun comes to the downtown
after shots fired
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—Steven Berenato, 38, of Hammonton, was arrested twice during the early
morning hours of October 20,
once downtown on 12th Street
See COUNCIL, Page 17
and again after firing shots while
at his 11th Street home, Hammonton Police Chief Robert Jones
said.
Berenato was initially arrested
at 1:09 a.m. on October 20 in the
200 block of 12th Street and
charged with simple assault, Jones
said.
Ingemi challenging
Scipione for seat
by Stephen Pistone
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
HAMMONTON—Along with
the nine town council seats that
will be decided in November’s
general election, voters will also
choose between the incumbent
Raymond Scipione and Joseph Ingemi for the ninth seat on the Ham-
See POLICE, Page 16
monton Board of Education.
A Hammonton resident since
1975, Scipione, 46, is a Marketing
Associate for Sysco Foods, a company responsible for marketing and
distributing foods to restaurants,
schools and healthcare facilities.
Scipione is also a member of the
Hammonton Kiwanis Club and
Sons of Italy.
THG/Stephen Pistone.
Jayden, Kylie and Emma Walcott didn’t let a little
rain get in the way of them filling up their baskets
with candy during the Downtown Trick or Treat on
October 22. For more photos, see Page 23.
Hammonton ferry wheelhouse a Jamestown, R.I., landmark
See BOARD, Page 2
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
JAMESTOWN, R.I.—As part of
its ongoing coverage of the
Hammonton Sesquicentennial,
celebrating
150
years
of
Hammonton, The Gazette has
searched for different memorabilia
with the word “Hammonton” on it.
One of the largest and best pieces
of memorabilia is not located in
Hammonton, but hundreds of miles
north of the town in New England,
source of so many of the original
settlers of Hammonton.
The piece of memorabilia is an
entire wheelhouse from the coaldriven ferry Hammonton, which
was built by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company in 1906 and
originally operated between
Camden and Philadelphia from
1906 to 1930. It was later
purchased and operated between
Jamestown and Newport, Rhode
Island, from 1930 to 1958, when it
was sold for scrap.
PWTC/WS hears
about green space
by Stephen Pistone
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER
Photo Courtesy of Arthur S. “Archie” Clarke III
The restored wheelhouse from the coal-driven ferry Hammonton is the property of Arthur S. “Archie” Clarke III, owner
of an excavating business in Jamestown, Rhode Island. The wheelhouse is located on his property.
SUBSCRIBE TO The
HAMMONTON—The Public
Works & Transportation Committee and Water & Sewer Committee (PWTC/WS) met on October
20 and were joined by Green Infrastructure Manager Louise Wilson and Dr. Christopher Obropta
See FERRY, Page 10
of Rutgers University. Wilson and
Obropta represented New Jersey
Future, a non-profit organization
focusing on advancing smarter
land-use and growth policies.
Obropta completed a summerlong study of New Jersey communities, looking for opportunities to
implement green infrastructure
and eliminate impervious surfaces
Gazette • $20 FOR 52 WEEKS • CALL 609-704-1939
See PWTC, Page 3