42Freeway.com provides updates on several new store happenings in the Deptford area, with the area around the Red Lobster/Olive Garden restaurants becoming very hot, possibly due to the new Christmas Tree Store center opening this year. Home Goods and Ulta Stores October opening dates determined. The stores are located in the... Read more →
Image from NJ Dept of Health In an article covering the current state of New Jersey's Marijuana Treatment Center program, it mentions that the still unopened Bellmawr facility has not been licensed after almost 1 1/2 years, even while construction is almost complete. The article is credited to the Courier-Post, but... Read more →
Bellmawr's Mangia Bene Pizzeria is set for a re-opening at the end of August. The new ownership team was in the property today preparing it for a hopefully quick reopening. Additional commentary and details over at 42Freeway.com. Read more →
Regional Commerece website 42Freeway.com goes back to Gloucester Township Mayor, Dave Mayer to get the offical tax incentive deal for the upcoming $100 million dollar Premium Outlet Mall. The short answer is, nothing special was done for the project beyond the standard tax-incentive program outlined at the GT website. Check 42Freeway.com... Read more →
42Freeway.com does its first featured interview and its with Gloucester Township Mayor, Dave Mayer. Gloucester Twp is huge... with the population approaching 70,000 it is SIX times the size of Bellmawr and really is more like several districts than one town. The big news in Gloucester Twp right now is the... Read more →
So we moved. No longer residents of Bellmawr after being a resident my entire life. But we're still close by. More about that in a minute. I also started a new blog site called 42Freeway.com In short, 42Freeway.com is a commerce blog featuring stories on new retail developments, roadway improvements, and... Read more →
Creek Rd Pedestrian Bridge 42Freeway.com was one of the first to walk across the new Creek Rd pedestrian bridge, which is a temporary structure to be used as the Creek Rd Bridge over Rt 42 is rebuilt. The new bridge travels over all lanes of Rt 42, providing an awesome view... Read more →
From the Favorites Facebook Page The long awaited "Favorites" off-track wagering and sports bar opens today in Gloucester Township. Their facebook page says the doors open July 2nd at 11:30am. The location is on Blackwood Clementon Rd, at the former Stone Grill location. The website lists: 130 flat screen TVs 50... Read more →
Getting out of her car on Google Street View Maps Meandering with Mark Matthews CNBNews Bellmawr, the surrounding towns... well basically all of South Jersey... now seem to be covered by Google Street View Maps. If you aren't familiar, Google Street View is an add-on feature to their popular map website,... Read more →
Meandering With Mark Matthews BROOKLAWN NJ (May 10, 2014)--Two well known Brooklawn eateries have significant changes coming, one for the better and the other... well only time will tell. First up is Weber's Drive-in. The well known drive-in eatery has been open since when my parents were kids. Over the years... Read more →
A fire broke out Saturday early evening at the Bellmawr Manor Apartments. An entire unit appears to have been destroyed, which was on the side of the development closest to the Annunciation School. Around 5pm, emergency personnel closed Browning road starting at Annunciation School, and continued the closure for several blocks.... Read more →
(C) Accuweather.com Keep an eye on the weather forecasts this weekend, as Accuweather.com just published an article saying we could be in for another rough commute Monday morning. From the article: The heaviest snow, ice and rain are likely Sunday night to Monday night. The storm will not only bring the... Read more →
How about a little fun, and probably a smile, on this 6 degree morning? Nascar driver Jeff Gordon and Pepsi Max team up to pull a hilarious prank on an automotive journalist from the Jalopnik website. This is actually Jeff's second prank video. The first hit viral success last year hitting... Read more →
On a recent visit to Sam's Club in Deptford NJ, I stumbled on to a new promotion they are running... geared to helping out select area business and the two featured currently are Marlene Mangia Bene in Woodbury and Villari's Lakeside in Sicklerville. Since before the holidays, Sam's Club has been... Read more →
You probably already know that a featured location for this year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition is our own "Jersey Shore". And its not any Swimsuit issue... it's the 50th anniversary issue! What I haven't seen mentioned, is that on the SI.com website, is a 3 and a 1/2 minute "behind the... Read more →
Mark Matthews/CNBNews BELLMAWR NJ (January 28, 2014)--With the temperatures hanging in the teens again on Tuesday morning, the Big Timber Creek looks more passable on foot then boat. Photo is from the Hargrove's Marina in Bellmawr, looking towards Westville and the Rt 47 bridge. 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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,... 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... 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,... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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.... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... Read more →
BREAKING NEWS The scene at 6:30am (Mark Matthews) (CNBNews)--The recently reopened Piston Diner on Crown Point Road in Westville, NJ sustained heavy damage from a construction loader overnight. The loader was apparently stolen from a nearby construction project. Bottles of liquor were seen in the cab of the truck. A business... 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... Read more →