CNBNews

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet THE WILD SIDE OF GLOUCESTER CITY--Mother Nature is active in Gloucester City. People must slow down and sometimes watch what is happening right in front of them. Peyton and Me have had runs-in with wild turkeys, a fox, a beaver, geese, pheasants, a deer, a skunk, and most recently, a Red-tailed hawk. All that wildlife is living right in our little neighborhood of Riverview Heights. After taking a photo of the men working on Barnard Avenue, we walked along the railroad tracks towards Powell Street. Suddenly, the hawk in the photo came swarming down in front of us. We approached slowly, and as we got closer, we saw the bird fighting with something, using its claws. It appeared to be a squirrel. We kept moving closer, taking photos every few feet. When we got too near, the hawk flew away (right and above). We... Read more →

(Trenton) – New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced ramp closures will continue nightly this week on Route 42 southbound at Leaf Avenue/Exit 14 as the I-295/Route 42 Missing Moves project advances in Bellmawr, Camden County. This is a continuation of work that began last week. Beginning at 10 p.m. tonight, Monday, June 20, until 5 a.m., tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21, and continuing each night through Friday, June 24, NJDOT’s contractor, South State Inc., is scheduled to close and detour the ramps from Leaf Avenue to Route 42 southbound and from Route 42 southbound to Leaf Avenue/Harding Avenue. The closures are necessary to continue placing steel beams. The following detours will be in place: Route 42 southbound Exit 14 ramp to Creek Road detour: Motorists traveling on Route 42 southbound wishing to take Exit 14 to Creek Road will be directed to continue on Route 42 southbound Take... Read more →

CHAPTER 18 William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews IS ANOTHER GLOUCESTER CITY HISTORICAL BUILDING COMING DOWN?--Thursday, February 24, we talked with a contractor who was clearing out items from the Twin Bar, Broadway, and Market Street. Asked if the building was being demolished he said that he didn't know. That he was hired to empty the property. He apologized for blocking the sidewalk. Earlier in the month, we noticed a sign on the building stating the property was unfit/unsafe for habitat. The Twin Bar, the alleged home of Rock and Roll has been sitting empty for nearly a decade. Several years ago we reached out to a historical group that fixes up historical properties in the state of NJ to see if they would be interested in repairing this property which dates back to the 1940s. More recently we talked with Councilman Jim Johnson and asked why doesn't the city... Read more →

Aside from the footage that you can easily access on the Internet, what do you know about rodeo? It's a sport that's deeply ingrained in the cultures of the United States and Mexico. Even in modern times, these performances are still in high demand. Rodeos are the ideal opportunity for many Americans to demonstrate their bravery and endurance. The next part of our article will explain what this interesting sport is and what its primary characteristics are. I hope we can persuade you to book your tickets for the next show at CheapoTicketing.com. What exactly is a rodeo? The sport dates back to the first centuries of America. The Spaniards, or conquistadors, were the first to use a lasso to tame wild animals, particularly horses. To overcome a wild horse, you had to tie a rope around its neck and ride it for a while without falling down. Soon, cowboys... Read more →

AIHI's Center of Excellence is a component within the Institute of Health Innovation GLASSBORO, NJ (July 16, 2021)-- As a pillar of Acenda's Institute of Health Innovation (AIHI), the Center of Excellence (COE) will address the social determinants of health with an emphasis on reduction in public health disparities and social inequities through research, teaching, learning, training, advocacy, as a part of integrated service delivery system within Acenda. "The Center of Excellence is an essential pillar in our Acenda Institute of Health Innovation," says Melissa Fox, MHA, FACMPE, FACHE, Acenda Chief Operating Officer. "The COE truly allows us to focus on helping those who need it most in our communities." AIHI's COE plans to partner with local, national, and even international leaders and academic institutions to create opportunities for those in need. This initiative will expand existing frameworks and create new ways to address the systemic issues that plague many... Read more →

Missing Moves project advances in Camden County (Trenton) – New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the Route 42 southbound ramps to and from Creek Road will be closed and detoured tonight as the Missing Moves project between I-295 and Route 42, advances in Bellmawr, Camden County. Beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, March 16, until 6 a.m. Wednesday, March 17, NJDOT’s contractor, South State, Inc., is scheduled to close the Route 42 southbound Exit 14 ramp to Creek Road and the ramp from Creek Road to Route 42 southbound. The closures are necessary to mill and pave the road. The following detours will be in place: Route 42 southbound Exit 14 ramp to Creek Road detour: Motorists traveling on Route 42 southbound wishing to take Exit 14 to Creek Road will be directed to continue on Route 42 southbound Take Exit 12/CR 544 to Route 41 –... Read more →

Gloucestercitynews.net March 5, 2021 by Bridget Small Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC If you used MoneyGram to send money to a scammer between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017, you may get a pre-filled claim form in the mail soon. The claim forms, from claims administrator Gilardi & Co. LLC, are the first step in distributing money from the $125 million settlement with the FTC in 2018. In that case, the FTC and US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged that MoneyGram failed to meet agreements to crack down on consumer fraud involving money transfers. You must return the claim form within 90 days from the date on the form to be eligible for a refund. These prefilled claim forms show eligible dollar loss amounts that are based on fraud reports people filed with MoneyGram and law enforcement. If you get a form and agree with the dollar... Read more →

In public comments Thursday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said, “the reason I push it is that I truly believe it’s for the public health benefit of these kids.” The agency's final guidelines for reopening schools are still in flux after criticism from President Donald Trump. Friday, Jul 10 2020 ABC News: No Revisions To School Reopening Guidelines Despite Trump Demand, Just 'Additional Information': CDC Director The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday struggled to say what federal guidance might look like for the nation’s schools to reopen this fall, after the president said the current advice was too tough, President Donald Trump asserted without evidence his political opponents wanted them to remain shut, and Vice President Mike Pence promised a new approach next week. After for months saying decisions about reopening should be left to states, Trump and his administration... Read more →

PART I: A Look at Gloucester City's Top Stories in 2019 Dave Pollander Jr., Owner of Dave's Auto Repair & Towing; Age 58 Monday, July 01, 2019 David F. Pollander, Jr. (GLOUCESTER CITY NJ )(July 1, 2019)--Surrounded by his loving family, on June 28, 2019. Age 58. Of Gloucester City. Beloved son of the late Dave and Marlene Pollander. Survived by his... Read more → What's Gloucester City Jr Sr High School’s Equity Rating? Thursday, July 04, 2019 To see the complete report for GHS click here Editor's Note: We reached out to Dr. Dennis Vespe, Gloucester City High School Superintendent and Sean Gorman, Gloucester City High School Principal for a response to... Read more → Meet the Congressman Defending Questionable Tax Breaks for a Company Connected to His Rich Brother Tuesday, July 02, 2019 After multiple issues have surfaced with Holtec International’s New Jersey tax break application, Rep. Donald... Read more →

Do you need to borrow money from a bank or credit union? Whether it's a mortgage loan, a car loan, or a personal loan, you're definitely not the only one interested in filling out an application. The majority of Americans have taken out one (or more) of these loans, and much of the country is interested in borrowing more in the future. If this is your first time taking out a loan, you might be a bit anxious about the loan application process. Borrowing money can definitely be intimidating. If you know what to expect, though, you'll be less worried about moving forward. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the loan application process. Before You Apply for a Loan There's some preparation required before you apply for a loan. The following are some steps you'll need to take before you reach out to a bank or... Read more →

By MARK MATTHEWS/www.42freeway.com GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ --The third Royal Farms convenience store has opened in South Jersey, in Gloucester City. The location is on Rt 130 (South) where Market Street crosses over. Many remember this location as the Gloucester Inn or the Holiday Inn. They took over half of the property, demolishing two of the four hotel buildings in the process. The other two stores currently open are in Magnolia and Bellmawr. The East Greenwich store is set to open in 6 weeks (More on that to come). This short post includes a couple photos, and some general video commentary from me (Mark) on Royal Farms and convenience stores in the area. I may have actually talked more about the Philadelphia Flyers. 🙂 For those not aware, Royal Farms is a Convenience store and Gas station, very very similar to our Super Wawas. Both stores offer gas, food, drinks, snacks…... Read more →

Two big changes taking place this weekend (Jan 10 - Jan 12) as part of the massive 295/42 road construction. One impacts this weekend, another is a temporary change that will last for years. Bell Road Weekend Evening Closures (Bellmawr to Mt Epraim): Evevings this weekend (January 10-12) the Bell Road bridge will be closed from 9pm to 6am, as workers install new sewer pipes. NJ.com New access road from 42 north to 295 North Also because of the ongoing project centered in Bellmawr, a new ramp goes "live" this Sunday, connecting 42 north traffic to 295 north. It will take the traffic around the core construction area making it easier to rebuild those roadways. This detour is set to last for several years. Its important to understand this change because it seems to come much sooner than the original sharp turn to 295 north. It looks like it connects... Read more →

By Mark Matthews cnbnews.net I haven't posted in a while. Summer has been very busy for us, and we recently got back from a short 4 night trip to Disney World (which is just about the right amount of time). This is a ramnbling post. We have a wedding tonight, and making the last minute trip to the dry cleaners I noticed a few things around town I thought I'd write about... Green Olive, a new Bellmawr restaurant has opened, and the Wonder Bread store is down for the count. Oh, and a few other random thoughts, including the landfill. Update/Related: Wawa in-store fresh baked rolls come to Bellmawr Green Olive Pizzeria and Restaurant Entering into the crowded Pizza and Restaurant arena of Bellmawr, Green Olive has taken over the building which was previously the home of Bellmawr English Pizza. It's primarily a pizza and Italian entree place, but they... Read more →

(cnbnews.net)--Over the last 4 or 5 years, Cleary's Notebook has had several stories on the wild turkey population that has been taking over Gloucester, Brooklawn and other areas... and earlier in the year GCN reporter Anne Forline published an in depth article on the local turkeys. So how about one last photo from today of a young turkey family in Bellmawr along McClelland Ave? The adult and 5 young chicks have become regulars in the neighborhood. They've seemed to have found a safe home in a nearby natural area behind the homes which is basically untouched by humans. I noticed a Bellmawr group back in 2008 over at New St Mary's Cemetary on Browning Road, and about a year or so ago we started seeing a group of them consistently hanging around the Crescent Park neighborhood... frequently walking the streets of Romano, Chalmers, and McClelland Aves. It all connects to... Read more →

By Mark Matthews cnbnews.net A portion of the partnership which owns Brooklawn's Metro Diner is branching out into Gloucester Township. Remodeling is under way at the long closed Charlie Brown's Steakhouse building, located near Camden County College. The new location will be called Lamp Post Diner, and a family restaurant is a primary focus. Update: I spoke to Paul at the Metro Diner today (7/27/2013) to clarify the ownership of the new Blackwood location. While Paul is part of a partnership which owns The Metro diner... that same full group of partners are not opening up the Lamp Post Diner in Blackwood. Paul, who is a very familiar friendly face at the Brooklawn location, is taking on the Lamp Post Diner project outside of the Metro Diner partnership. So while there is a connection between the new Lamp Post Diner and the Metro diner, that does not extend into the... Read more →

By Mark Matthews cnbnews.net BELLMAWR NJ- Bellmawr's largest building, the former Harcourt book distribution center was recently sold, and indications are it will see new life as the home to Amoroso's Bakery... one of Philadelphia's most beloved signature companies. (see video below) UPDATE: Phillynews.com's Joe DiStefano has been in contact with bakery boss Len Amoroso who says "A real estate partnership, which we are part of, bought that [Bellmawr] building....". But Len then goes on to say "But we have not made any decisions yet". Head over to Joe DiStefano's PhillyDeals blog for more comments. Could this be a big play in the "which state is going to give me the best offer" gambit? A real estate partnership, which we are part of, bought that [Bellmawr] building Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/More-on-Amorosos-Bellmawr-site.html#2uZ6tcs7qWM8qWkt.99 A real estate partnership, which we are part of, bought that [Bellmawr] building Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/More-on-Amorosos-Bellmawr-site.html#2uZ6tcs7qWM8qWkt.99 CoStar group... Read more →

By Mark Matthews Mt Ephraim NJ - This week the Fantasy Showbar building was demolished to make room for a new Taco Bell. Even if you've never set foot in the building, everyone in the area knew of the Fantasy Showbar. Its large and somewhat graphically worded front roadside sign made it very clear what was going on inside. Some, like me, remember when it was originally a Thom McCann shoe store. But what many don't realize, is it was also the battleground for a legal case that made its way to the Supreme Court in 1981. Considering only about 80 cases are heard by the Supreme Court, and another 50 are decided without hearing arguments... it's amazing that this small town case made it so far. As reported last year in the Gloucester City News, and posted here at Cleary's Notebook, the property is to become a Taco Bell... Read more →

By Mark Matthews BELLMAWR NJ --It looks as though the Browning Rd sidewalk and lighting improvements are complete. Lighting has been installed and is operational, and the town is already proudly displaying banners from the recently installed vintage styled lamp posts. The improvements include new sidewalks, benches, waste recepticles, lamp posts, grass, plants, and attractive retaining walls where the ground rises up higher than the sidewalks. The work and craftsmanship is of very high quality, which can be seen in the the block walls, sidewalk... the whole project. Plus the lamp fixtures have that vintage 1800s small town look. The top of the lamps even have a "B" monogram! The sidewalk runs the length of the cemetary, and the lighting and banners continue down to the Senior Center. It all started years ago when the fence at New St Mary's Cemetary was pushed backed several feet, and included the planting... Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS CNBNEWS.NET Updated July 7th at end of story I remember decades ago, going up to the Bellmawr recreation center to watch the fireworks. We'd bring a blanket, sit in the outfield of the ball field closest to the water tower... and have a great view of the fireworks that were fired along the back fence of the property. I can't remember when Bellmawr stopped sponsoring them. I have memories of being there as a young kid.. but can't quite remember if they were around for my own kids in the 90s. So I ask this quesion... 100% my own thoughts... Would the Bellmawr's residents support spending money on Fireworks again? Or is there enough interest that people would band together to raise the money to pay for it, as they did this year in Woodbury NJ? This thought first popped into my head when I heard fireworks... Read more →

Odd day for weather today. Watching the Phillies game on TV and see it was delayed because of torrential rain, while 5 miles away in Bellmawr I look out my window and the sun was shining. Later in the day, around 7:05 on Sunday night we caught this... Then around 8:20, sitting on the back deck... there was one patch of orange sky. Read more →

Runnemede Lake (C) Google Maps Philly.com is reporting that a small lake in Runnemede is being investigated by state biologists to determine the cause of 300-500 dead carp floating in the water. The small lake is located off of Singley Ave, not too far from the Deptford border. Any number of dead fish is cause for alarm, but considering the small size of this lake its of even higher interest. Read more →

Mark Matthews CNBNews Last month Philadelphia and the skater community completed a 10 yr effort to do something amazing. Something that works. Something that made me think "wow, how does this happen?". An awesome new skatepark... one like you've never seen before... opened in the city in a location that is as perfect as the park design itself. And its completely free. Ask anyone where the best skateboard locations were to be found, and most would probably say California. But if you had to pick an East Coast King, there is no doubt it is Philadelphia. Two locations became world famous decades ago, Love park and its at times taken over by skaters concrete walls, and FDR Park... the skater built, city seems to look the other way, organically grown park that really is one of a kind. So famous are these two gems, that the best selling Tony Hawk... Read more →

Mark Matthews CNBNews.net The Bellmawr Park Housing division was originally developed by the US Government as a means to house the defense workers needed to build ships in nearby Camden. Because of the uncertainty of how long people would be there working, the units were built small. According to wikipedia, eight of these communities were built in the short 2 year project... and the all turned into private ownership, with the Bellmawr location converting last in 1952. Here are series of amazing photographs taken around October 1942, around the opening of Bellmawr Park, which at the time featured a day care center! I've known about these pictures for several years. Never posted because my intent was to take the "today" pictures and match them up.. but I haven't gotten around to it and I feel motivated today. The pictures are in the Library of Congress website, taken by two photographers... Read more →

UPDATE: Grand opening is Friday June 14th. Website The shortest post ever... drove by the new bar / restaraunt on Rt 130 and noticed the signs are up. The Hog and Bull must be getting close to opening. I saw an SUV out front when I first passed, but I was late for an appointment and couldn't stop. When I came back an hour or so later, they were gone. Not really any clues to indicate a major construction. I am hoping the large stage that O'Malleys had a few years ago has still survived. Most recently it was called D'Place and the Facebook photo seem to show that the stage is still there, as well as the large center bar. Its a big place! So "Hog and Bull".... Country Bar? Biker Friendly Bar? BBQ place?? What's your guess, or do you know? LIKE US ON FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/ClearysNotebook FOLLOW US... Read more →

Bellmawr native Jason Nark has won 5 awards from the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, as reported at Philly.com. Jason is a Daily News reporter (previously with the Courier-Post) and is currently living in Blackwood... ...but he was raised in Bellmawr, NJ! The article goes on to say that Jason's 5 awards included two first-place prizes. Jason grew up in Bellmawr, attending Annunciation School, and then Gloucester Catholic. He went on to Rutgers for his bachelor's degree and the University of Penn for his Masters. Very impressive for anyone... and even more awesome when it's a Bellmawr guy! Jason started his working career in Bellmawr at the Bellmawr English Pizza, which he recently commented "got paid to fold boxes there when I was 10". He had a brief stint at Sneakin' In, and was a life-guard at Hyde Park Apartments. Who knew that those early careers... Read more →

The cold and rain has given way to a beautiful Memorial Day in Brooklawn NJ. Each year the town of Brooklawn and the American Legion Post 72 put together a touching ceremony to honor those who served for our country, and who gave the ultimate sacrifice in support of our freedoms. Several touching speeches were given, and in the audience was Assemblyman Angel Fuentes. A few pictures are in this post, but head over to Facebook to see more (70 total). God Bless America and those who serve for us and our freedoms! Enjoy the beautiful day with family, friends, and loved ones. And before you take that first bite of your hot dog... take a moment to thank those who serve in our Armed Forces. Children learn by their parent's example, and this is a valuable lesson they should learn Facebook Photos "Like" us on Facebook Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS (cnbnews.net)BELLMAWR NJ--There is still time for fun at the St Joachim Bellmawr carnival, as this weekend closes out an amazing week with fun, sun and music. This weekend, area cover band Stage 3 takes over the beer garden again, bringing with them their full stage production. They bill themselves as a "Rock and Roll Party Dance Band", and their set list backs that up, from AC/DC's Shook me all Night Long to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance. Two days of excitement left, but Friday night looks like the "go to" night as the temperature is set to hit 83 and stay sunny all day! Get to the carnival early to grab your spot in the beer garden, which is located around the side and back of the Annunciation School building. The location is perfect as it is in the carnival, without being IN the carnival, if that makes... Read more →

CNBNews Mark Matthews The first trailer for a new major movie set in Ocean City, NJ has been released. The trailer also shows a scene taking place in Atlantic City. Unfortunately media sites indicate the film was shot in New York. Are State Tax Credits to blame? Kristen Wiig scored huge with Bridesmaids, and this summer she is back in a romantic comedy called "Girl Most Likely" co-starring Glee's Darren Criss and also featuring well known actors Annette Bening and Matt Dillon. I make this assessment only from viewing the trailer, but the movie seems to have a clear common theme with another movie set in this area "Silver Lining Playbook". Both have the storyline of "Adult child needs to live back at home after suffering mental lapses". Unfortunately, one thing that may also be in common to both movies, is that while they have roots in New Jersey, neither... Read more →

by Mark Matthews CNBNews.net BELLMAWR NJ--A yearly tradition going back to since when I was a kid, Bellmawr's St Joachim (Annunciation) Parish carnival starts Monday May 6th, and continues through Saturday May 11th. The carnival is located directly on the parish grounds, 601 West Browning Road in Bellmawr, NJ. Tuesday and Wednesday are listed as Family nights. Following the "If it works, why mess with it?" philosophy, this year's carnival again features exciting rides, games, delicious food and snacks... and the legendary Bellmawr beer garden! Friday and Saturday night brings back area cover band, Stage 3. More than just musicians, they are true entertainers and really put on a great show. I stopped over on Sunday afternoon and took a few pics of the set-up. From the Parish Website: Please join us from May 6th through May 11th for our Annual Parish Carnival! Wrist bands are currently on sale at... Read more →

Al Jo's Curve 295 (c) Google Maps As reported in the South Jersey Times, State transportation officials have announced that a major traffic pattern shift on the Interstate 295 southbound Al-Jo Curve ramp under Interstate 76 is expected to be implemented this weekend as part of the Direct Connection project in Bellmawr and Mt. Ephraim Beginning Friday night, contractor PKF Mark III plans to shift both travel lanes on the ramp to the outside, up against the existing curb line. The shift - which will require overnight lane closures and will be fully in place Saturday morning Full article and additional details available at the South Jersey Times Related articles Two I-295 crashes in South Jersey cause traffic delays Al-Jo Curve at I-76/Route 42 interchange to be CLOSED OVERNIGHT! Ground broken for $900 million I-295 project TRAVEL ALERT: Interstate 295 southbound traffic shift planned on Al-Jo Curve Read more →

More than four miles of deteriorated pavement to be improved (Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced a project to resurface more than four miles of Route 30 (White Horse Pike) in both directions from the vicinity of London Avenue in Berlin Borough to just west of Brand Avenue in Lindenwold, Camden County. NJDOT’s contractor, South State, Inc., is scheduled to start preliminary construction activities including site mobilization and sign installation this week, requiring shoulder closures. The $2.6 million project will resurface Route 30 in both directions with a new surface course of asphalt pavement. The project will improve motorist safety and extend the pavement lifespan along the full width of the roadway at each location, including all travel lanes, turn lanes, shoulders and median openings. Upgraded roadway striping and ADA-compliant curb ramp upgrades will also be provided as needed. New image detection cameras will be... Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS (cnbnews.net)This week's Gloucester City News is out, and it brings a few surprises! The most notable being, this issue brings us full-color on 4 pages (front/back/Interior). Well, at least I never noticed it being full color print before. I imagine this is in part due to the recent move to a new printer. Another ongoing surprise, is that each week the Gloucester City News seems to be adding more content, and more authors. Anne Forline of Bellmawr has become a prominent reporter, doing an awesome job covering local town meetings and general community interest stories for all of the GCN region. Something else I just noticed this week, is a Council meeting summary from Runnemede... expanding the reach into other communities. Some of this week's key stories are: Gloucester City Middle School Construction plans outlined by Superintendent Joe Rafferty Gloucester City BOE establishes limits on students going... Read more →

Carmen's Cheesesteak. Image (C) blog http://itsnotevennoonsomewhere.blogspot.com/ (CNBNews)--The South Jersey Times newspaper has been conducting a contest to find the best cheesteaks in South Jersey. Their approach is to use a reader poll to identify the 2 best sandwiches in 5 regions, and then visit each location for the final showdown. Two very local restaraunts are in the finals representing the Camden/Burlington County region. Gaetano's in Brooklawn, NJ Carmen's Deli in Bellmawr, NJ Carmen's Deli, which originally established its reputation with amazing hoagies, has come on strong in the Cheesesteak category since adding them years ago (sometime after I was a kid, but not too recently!). Their website mentions 25 overall awards, but one of the most notable awards was when the Food Network's Aaron McCargo (Big Daddy's House) appeared on one of their "Best things I ever ate" segments and chose Bellmawr's Carmen's Deli cheesesteaks as the best thing between... Read more →

Bellmawr's Sauter Park on Park Drive in the Crescent Park section of town is in the final stages of having new playground equipment installed. Thanks in part to a grant from the Camden County Freeholders plus the hard work of Bellmawr's employees, the project includes tough timber borders, rubber mulch, new climbing equipment, and is positioned to reuse the existing swing frames. On a visit today (4/20/2013) the only things that seemed to remain are putting the swings in place, and some surrounding landscape work. Saturday turned out to be a beautiful spring day, and many young families and children were already out taking full advantage of the new playground equipment. Like most pubic gathering places, Sauter Park has experienced some night time vandalism over the years, so also coming this spring are police monitored security cameras, some of which will be placed in the Sauter Park area to keep... Read more →

As previously reported on the Bellmawr Police Facebook page, a burglary suspect was apprehended early morning of 4/10. Mt Ephraim and other departments provided assistance in securing the neighborhood perimiter, and searching for the suspect. The Bellmawr Police have updated their Facebook post to include the following additional information: Update: Suspect information. Name: Lee M. Beckett 29 y.o. male Runnemede, NJ To date there have been 15 victims identified and charges of burglary (to a vehicle(s)) and theft have been filed. The suspect remains in Camden County Correctional Facility on $30,500.00 bail. The full Bellmawr Police post is available here. If you are a Facebook user, consider "liking" the Bellmawr Police page as they do a great job of using this platform to keep residents informed. Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS CNBNews.net While we didn't see much snow this winter, the cold weather seemed to hang around a little too long this year. Now that weather has finally gotten warmer, we are all happy to see the start of new life... Birds are chirping, grass is greener, flowers are blooming and we have the first swings of Little League bats this season. And this year spring brings us something very new to the Bellmawr Little League fields on Essex Ave... Our first signs of the start of the long awaited "Direct Connection" project, which as you should know, will redesign the crossroads of 295/76/42, including taking a lot of the curve out of the Al-Jo's curve in Mt Ephraim. What originally was a wooded backdrop to the Little League fields, has been cleared out straight to the highway. Workers are moving quickly to install a taller fence separating... Read more →

CNBnews File Photo Details from the Bellmawr Police Facebook page: On 04-10-13 at 3:48am officers were dispatched to the area of Grant Avenue and Park Drive for a report of a suspicious male attempting to enter vehicles. While en route to the call, further information was provided indicating that an off-duty officer from another jurisdiction had witnessed the event after paying particular attention to his dog barking because he had seen the recent post by this Department in reference to vehicle burglaries. The suspect fled from the off-duty officer but officers from this Department and surrounding towns were able to quickly set up a perimeter thereby preventing the suspect from escaping the area. A thorough search of the area on foot led to an assisting Mt. Ephraim Police Department patrol officer locating the suspect hiding under a deck in a resident’s yard and he was taken into custody without incident.... Read more →

SS United States - Image Public Domain Wikipedia BY MARK MATTHEWS CNBNews.net If you've been to the Ikea in South Philadelphia, next to the Walt Whitman Bridge, you've definitely noticed the SS United States docked directly across from the shopping center. On its maiden voyage in 1952, it broke speed records for crossing the Atlantic Ocean.. records which stills stand today. It's been sitting at the dock for 17 years, at a cost of $80,000 per MONTH, waiting for a grander plan to form. Now its getting too costly to keep. According to a new CNN.com article, the scrap heap looms very soon... Two months, to be specific. If you google the ship, you'll find a LOT of articles and publicity on the ship over the years, most in the last few years include the doomsday scrap scenario. Many people seem to want to save it, but no one can... Read more →

Route 168 bridge deck replacement over I-295 nearing completion in Camden County NJDOT to restore highway to normal lane configuration this weekend. (Black Horse Pike) (Trenton) - NJDOT officials today announced that the Route 168 bridge deck over Interstate 295 - located at the borders of Bellmawr, Haddon Heights and Mount Ephraim in Camden County - has been reconstructed and is scheduled to be fully reopened to traffic in the normal four-lane configuration this weekend. Full Press Release at NJDOT Read more →

BELLMAWR NJ--There was an overturned tractor trailer on Rt. 76 at exit 1B (Rt. 295 NB) causing extreme traffic delays in the area earlier this evening. Traffic is back to normal at this hour. Bellmawr police issued the following warning four hours ago on their Facebook page... Congestion has moved rush hour traffic onto the local roadways so please plan to be met with heavy volume if traveling in the immediate area. Pedestrian traffic is also unusually high in the area of the W. Browning Rd. overpass. Please watch for people crossing the roadway. All Rt. 42 north traffic must either take the express lanes to the left of the Rt. 76 split or you will be forced onto Rt. 295 north bound at exit 1B. All other north bound lanes are blocked by the overturned vehicle. There is also a large amount of emergency personnel and utility workers both... Read more →

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a report this morning regarding the untimely delivery of sample ballets for the Bellmawr School Roof Referendum vote. I can confirm that yesterday when I voted, I had gone from work straight to the voting location, and when I got home I was amused and confused to see my sample ballot had arrived the same day as the vote... in effect AFTER I had voted. I'll be the guy to say it.... Could this delay have affected the vote outcome? The ballots which were dropped off at the Bellmawr Post Office (SJ Regional Center), and primarily needed to be delivered to the same town of Bellmawr... took a week to deliver after going on a tour of New Jersey. The Inquirer article does a good job of tracking down what happened to the ballots, which included an 80 mile trip to Newark NJ and then to... Read more →

Bell Oaks School (School District PDF) The Courier-Post is reporting that Bellmawr voters "easily" passed the $3.1 million dollar referendum to put new roofs on the three School district buildings. Beyond the more obvious "we don't want water leaking into the buildings", School officials and Board members have been touting energy efficiencies, and solar-panel opportunities. The short piece in the Courier also quotes School Board President Bruce Darrow as saying "The project will be completed without any impact in taxes"... but isn't Bruce Darrow the Brooklawn School District President, and not Bellmawr? Read more at the Courier Post Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS CNBNEWS.NET The special vote on replacing the Bellmawr Schools roofs is today, Tuesday March 12, 2013. According to the school district, the total cost of the project(s) is $3,093,750 and the average tax impact is $22.54 The School District Website offers the following voter information: VOTE REMINDER 3/12/2013 3/12/2013, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM Please remember to vote, Tuesday March 12 in the roof referendum. The polls are open from 5-9. Voting places • DISTRICTS 1 & 7 ARE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER ON BROWNING ROAD • DISTRICTS 2 &3 ARE AT THE VFW 7410 ACROSS THE STREET FROM BURKE • DISTRICTS 4,5,& 6 ARE AT THE MUTUAL HOUSING AUTHORITY ON ESSEX AVENUE I've grabbed a few links of interest: Roof Referendum Web Page Includes Architect's description (School District Website) Superintendent's message on the need for the roof replacements. (School District website) Fast Facts Newsletter (Link is... Read more →

BREAKING NEWS Sitting in the Deptford Pizzeria UNOs for a late dinner on Wednesday Night (great gluten free pizza!), and the power went out. Everywhere we could see. The hotels next door. Up the road. And not just a blip, but we were there a good 20 minutes in the dark before putting together the money we needed to get out even while the cash registers were down. I've never really experienced an outage like this on a clear day. Hopefully this is not the result of an accident, and everyone is safe. Twitter users are commenting that it extends thorough the Target shopping center, and up into Runnemede. One twitter user posted their address in Runnemede, which puts them over by the Turnpike Entrance near Bellmawr... at least a mile away and assuming its a contiguous power outage, a lot of homes are in the path. Related articles Meandering... Read more →

View from Annunciation Church The information center session will be held at: Bellmawr Ballroom 29 Lewis Ave Bellmawr NJ 08031 Thursday Feb 21, 5pm to 8pm You can visit at a time that is convenient to you as this is an informal information center. You will be able to review exhibits of the project, and ask questions of NJDOT representatives and designers. From the NJ.Com article: “This is a major multi-year project that will have a substantial impact on Camden County motorists and several municipalities,” said Freeholder Ian Leonard, liaison the Camden County Department of Public Works. “It is important for county residents to be aware of how this construction will affect their commute and their communities. ”"Besides the Pulaski Skyway, I can't think of a larger project in the DOT's history," said NJDOT spokesman Timothy Greeley. Official NJDOT release (PDF File) Chosen option and Simulated Photos NJ.Com Article West... Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS CNBNEWS.NET Short Summary: If you live in Bellmawr or the immediate area, go like this page now. Everyone is on Facebook... or if you are like me, you WERE on Facebook and moved on! Those who love it don't really rave about it, they simply use Facebook non-stop and ask new acquaintances "Can I friend you?". But it seems that everyone who hate it... or maybe they just don't understand it.. well they'll tell you a million reasons why its awful. But at its core, its really just another way of communicating. Too many times it's "She posted another picture of her lunch?", and other times you find some very useful things, when done properly. So my vote for the most popular and useful Bellmawr oriented Facebook page, which is approaching 5,800 "Likes", is... The Bellmawr Police Department If you are on Facebook and live in Bellmawr... Read more →

After several years of Guidettes and Mafia wives representing New Jersey in the national entertainment media, last night's Late Show with David Letterman changed things up by featuring 2 of our states more positive prominent citizens. Monday Night (2/4/2013), Governor Chris Christie and Audubon's Superbowl MVP Joe Flacco were guests with Letterman. On a national level, they are two of our most talked about residents right now, and the irony is that one is seen as one of the most athletic people in the country, while the other... Clips of the Christie's interview show that it was all about fun... Dave admits he has made Christie's weight a regular target of jokes on the show, and the Guv goes right along with it, pulling out a donut at the start of the interview "I didn't think this would be so long" Christie does look uncomfortably big in the chair next... Read more →

With no official confirmation out there...we've been scouring the media outlets to determine what exactly is moving into the old Brooklawn K-Mart location. Today, we may have found something that gets us one step closer to finally uncovering the secret of "What's going in at K-Mart?" I'm no private investigator... but this could be a clue. Hah... so I had the day off today and a little too much time on my hands I guess. :-) So its good to see the sign go up! Although the interior walls are still a work in progress. The club web-page is up also... It says details are still to come, but it states the club is open 24hrs a day, and the first Monday of every month is Pizza Night. John's Pizza, which is right next door, better talk to someone at the club and get that contract! And speaking of pizza...... Read more →

BY MARK MATTHEWS CNBNEWS.NET (December 8, 2012)BELLMAWR NJ-The Crescent Park section of Bellmawr, near Bellmawr Lake, is experiencing a power outage this morning. A pole at Farragut and Warren caught fire this morning, knocking out power for several blocks. A neighbor says they've been calling PSEG about the pole for months. "I could see an electric arc on the top of the pole every time it rained. A few months ago even went to the pole and got the number off it and told them" PSEG was at the pole around 9am to inspect. Burnt debris was on the ground and the top of the pole was burnt off, and leaning on the wires. From my "regular guy" vantage point it looks like a new pole will be needed, and hopefully a temporary solution will be in place. The truck left after about 30 mins... doing an initial triage, and... Read more →

I made a late trip to the Brooklawn Shop-Rite last night, and down by what is usually a darkened west end, I noticed the ol' K-Mart store was lit up like a beacon calling out to me to come take a look. :-) So before heading home, I drove over to see that an interior partition wall is basically complete. The new wall segregates about 1/3 of the building on the right side, leaving a large portion on the left which includes the main front glass entrance. If you've been following along this week to my prior post, and the CNBnews staff update on the new project for the Brooklawn K-Mart, you know that a fitness center is coming in. So, not really knowing specifics about the new gym layout (or any gym for that matter!), it's tough to determine which section will house the gym. My first thought is... Read more →