Good morning, South Jersey. Breathe easier today: The Canadian wildfire smoke has largely left the region. But poor-air-quality events may become more common.
Nearly 40 years ago, a teen murdered his 12-year-old Deptford neighbor. A new recording sheds light on the killing.
And a local World War II veteran got a surprise 100th birthday party and a letter from Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
Plus, a South Jersey senator talks hunger and high food prices in the state, and more news of the day.
— Julie Zeglen (southjersey@inquirer.com)
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A killer’s apology, 38 years later
Kenneth Houseknecht killed his 12-year-old Deptford neighbor, Kim Marie Anderson, in her bedroom in 1988. The gruesome case shocked South Jersey and devastated a community.
Houseknecht apologized publicly for the first time in a recent Gloucester County Superior Court hearing as he sought a reprieve from a life sentence.
The recording of his hearing sheds light on the murder, as well as the Andersons’ ongoing anguish.
“It’s just not fair that not just my family has to live in fear,” Kim’s father said about the possibility of Houseknecht’s release.
Read on for details of the hearing, where the life sentence was ultimately maintained.
‘He deserves everything’
How do you honor a century of life and a lifetime of service?
If you’re a multi-war, multi-branch veteran like Stephen Anderson, you get a big party, heaps of praise, and letters from the governor, state legislators, and American Legion leaders.
The longtime Burlington County resident celebrated his 100th birthday last week in Cinnaminson, calling the surprise “amazing.”
The Inquirer’s Lacey Latch sets the scene from the milestone event.
Plus: Inspired by Anderson’s celebration, Inquirer photographer Tom Gralish reflects on the changing meaning of birthday parties through the years in his latest Scene Through the Lens column.
What to know today
- Sen. Andy Kim on Friday toured anti-hunger nonprofit Cathedral Kitchen in Camden and called President Donald Trump’s cuts to federal food assistance “devastating and cruel.”
- A federal appeals court ruled that the state’s bans on assault firearms and magazines holding more than 10 rounds are unconstitutional, according to the Associated Press.
- New Jersey Monitor reports that NJ Transit has approved a $3.5 billion budget, raising spending 11% over the prior year’s budget after facing financial headwinds.
- Taylor Farms is recalling iceberg lettuce that had been shipped to retailers in New Jersey and 26 other states due to potential contamination of the cyclospora parasite, the New York Times reports.
- An expanded New Jersey Family Leave Act took effect last Friday, NJ Monitor reports, making more workers in the state eligible for family leave job protections.
- The community is mourning Lawnside’s Ewart Rouse, who died at age 85 this month in Voorhees. The retired award-winning reporter and editor for The Inquirer previously covered South Jersey news.
- A couple quietly collected rotten-smelling extraterrestrial material for scientists after a meteorite crashed into their Somerset County home two years ago. A study says it contains “alien world chemistry.”
- Gloucester Township is debuting a new “fitness court,” a free outdoor gym for all ages, at Veterans Park, complete with an app explaining how to use the equipment.
🧠 Trivia time
M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin was filmed in The Pine Barrens. What book was the film based off of?
A) The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
B) Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen
C) You Can Tell Me by Melinda Leigh
D) The Barrens by F. Paul Wilson
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re…
🍫 Craving: Chocolate Assortments from Aunt Charlotte’s Candies in Merchantville.
🌲 Exploring: Black Run Reserve in Evesham Township.
🚌 Taking: A $5 ride to the Shore — if you travel to Philly first.
📬 Your South Jersey view
What does your community look like? What South Jersey memory would you like to share? Submit a photo and/or a brief description for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
🗞️ What other South Jersey residents are reading
- Zack Wheeler and Bryce Harper are acting weird. Is it the pressure for the Phillies to win, or is it just us?
- Opinion: Trump’s assassination paranoia threatens us all
- Bryce Harper responds to controversy over his personal video message to a FanDuel customer with a gambling addiction
Wishing you a smooth slide into the new week. Taylor will be back tomorrow to bring you Tuesday’s news. ‘Til then, be well.
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