Thirty-one people were arrested for trafficking fentanyl and other illegal drugs inside the Camden County Jail, authorities said Wednesday, ending what they called a “complex and potentially far-reaching criminal enterprise.”
The investigation, dubbed Operation Paper Trail, began in October 2025, prosecutors said, and led to the arrests of suspects both inside and outside the jail.
“The takedown of Operation Paper Trail disrupted a dangerous network responsible for distributing illicit substances and facilitating criminal activity,” Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay said in a statement.
“This operation not only enhanced public safety but also helped prevent further harm, protecting our communities and sparing countless individuals from the devastating effects of substance abuse,” she said.
The drug ring operations. prosecutors said, were run in part by Howard Dunns of Millville, N.J.
Dunns, 50, who was incarcerated at the Cumberland County jail, was a lead organizer of the drug ring, coordinating with Camden inmates who peddled fentanyl, synthetic marijuana, PCP, and cocaine at the facility, prosecutors said.
Dunns was charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance. It was not immediately clear whether he had hired an attorney.
Two Camden County Jail inmates, Wilfredo Santiago, 31, of Vineland, and Kyle Jones, 31, of Millville, were also accused of participating in the scheme by selling illegal substances to other inmates.
That included at least 58 grams of synthetic marijuana, which investigators seized in March, according to prosecutors.
The men were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.
The remaining 28 people were charged with drug crimes, many for possessing illegal substances.
Prosecutors said Santiago and Jones managed to sneak the drugs into the jail using paper that had been laced with the substances and marked as confidential legal correspondence between inmates and attorneys.
Detectives with the Camden County Department of Corrections learned of the drug ring in late 2025 after intercepting an envelope addressed to a 21-year-old man who was incarcerated in the jail, prosecutors said.
Detectives found that the supposed legal correspondence was inauthentic, and the letter later tested positive for traces of cocaine.
In addition to charging the inmate with a drug offense, detectives arrested the sender, a 32-year-old Camden man, and charged him with similar crimes.
He was later placed in custody in the Camden County Jail, and within months, prosecutors said, he had instructed an associate to traffic drugs into the facility through similar means.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed the New Jersey budget for fiscal year 2027 Tuesday night, shortly before the clock ran out on the constitutionally mandated deadline.
The budget ranks as the largest in state history, but Sherrill also contends it is the most “fiscally responsible” in decades in part because it fully funds the state pension program and doesn’t come with widespread tax increases for residents.
Lawmakers approved the budget on Tuesday after adding millions in legislative add-ons Sunday night, a move that countered Sherrill’s earlier vows to change the culture in Trenton. But she softened her stance as the deadline neared and she conceded that lawmakers know their districts best.
South Jersey Democratsdefended the spending, which Republican lawmakers criticized as “pork.”
“I know sometimes it gets disparaging names, but I think one of our responsibilities as elected officials is to be responsive to the needs of our communities,” said Sen. Troy Singleton, a Burlington County Democrat.
But thelast-minuteshuffle didn’tresult in the transparency Sherrill originally promised, with some legislators saying they weren’t sure of the details they were voting on. The budget passed mostly along party lines in theDemocratic-dominated legislature. Sherrill and legislative leaders touted record funding for schools and property tax relief programs.
“I know the process needs work,” Sherrill said at a Tuesday night news conference. “It takes too long. It could be much more transparent, but we took steps in the right direction this year.”
Here are some of the winners and losers in the budget.
Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli, Jr., left, with Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen, right, at SoccerFest26, the World Cup fan fest at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Camden on Friday.Aliya Schneider / Staff
Winner: Camden City and County
South Jersey obtained funding for projects across the region with Camden scoring one especially big-ticket item: $9 million for property acquisition and demolition. The funding is for a county-run program focused on removing vacant, unusable, or otherwise deemed dangerous properties in the city.
Louis Cappelli Jr., the director of the Camden County Commissioners, said in an interview that the county has demolished more than 1,200 residential and commercial buildings over the past decade as part of this effort, mostly with state money. He said the program’s mission is to encourage the city’s redevelopment.
“The city is in desperate need of new housing, especially market-rate housing, and by creating opportunities for development on these properties, we believe we will draw the interest of residential developers to build in Camden City,” he said.
The city of Camden was also allocated $250,000 for a statue of Martin Luther King Jr., which Sherrill promised the city ahead of her inauguration. This project was a priority for the governor, who systematically struck a pen through legislative projects but dedicated funding to the statue in her proposal earlier this year.
Several organizations that serve Camden city and county received hundreds of thousands of dollars in the budget.
The Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers received $500,000 for a program that connects emergency department patients to outpatient behavioral care and $750,000 for a program that helps people experiencing homelessness obtain housing. Joseph’s House, a homeless shelter in the city of Camden, received $600,000, and a separate spending bill also sends $650,000 to a new construction homeownership project.
The budget also allocates $300,000 for job training for youth and young adults, $75,000 for a program dedicated to improving school attendance in the city of Camden, and $25,000 for a new county program that supports formerly incarcerated people reentering their community.
It also includes $3.2 million for structural improvements for a bridge at Route 30 and Somerdale Road and $12.1 million for the Camden County LINK Trail, a planned 34-mile multiuse trail.
Loser: High-income seniors
Senior homeowners who earn between $200,000 and $500,000 a year will no longer qualify for the nascent Stay NJ property tax credit program under the new income cap. They just began receiving checks for the program this year.
Sherrill proposed scaling back the expensive program in her budget proposal earlier this year, which caused some tension because the new program was championed by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin,a Middlesex County Democratand a key budget negotiator.
But Sherrill and legislative leaders found a compromise by giving higher payments than she proposed for those who make less money, and an even lower income limit than she proposed for the program.
Qualifying taxpayers will get refunded up to half their property tax bill up with maximum refunds ranging from $4,000 to $6,500, depending on their income, with those earning more getting less.
Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
You win some, you lose some: Rowan University
Rowan University is receiving less money than it did this year, but significantly more money than Sherrillinitially proposed. At the end of the day it’s a win for the university, which saw significant cuts reversed.
Sherrill’s initial proposal included about $125 million, but legislators brought the total up to nearly $135 million — a drop from the $155 million the state gave the school this year.
Sherrill zeroed out funding for Rowan’s newveterinary school but legislators successfully got $6.2 million for the program — still less than the $8 million it received this year and a far cry from the $20 million the school requested.
State Sen. John Burzichelli, a Gloucester County Democrat, said the money is enough for the school to at least “keep the lights on,” for the veterinary school and the medical school funding is “sound.”
Sherrill also proposed cutting all state funding for Virtua Health College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Legislators restored $2 million to the program — half of what it received this year and much less than the requested $12 million.
The Rowan-Virtua Child Abuse Research Education and Service Institute (CARES) program, which provides medical and mental healthcare to children who have experienced abuse, had all its $1.85 million funding restored after Sherrill initially zeroed it out.
In anticipation of the governor’s proposed cuts, Rowan sent employees layoff notices and announced the closure of its Vineland office. A union representing CARES employees has called on Rowanto reverse these changes.
But Rowan spokesperson Jose Cardona said the university “will evaluate next steps and very soon determine the most responsible path for operations, staffing, and long‑term sustainability.”
The bill that passed alongside the budget with funding from this fiscal year sent nearly$15 million going to Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and support to Cooper University Hospital. That bill also sends $5 million to Cooper University Healthcare’s South Jersey cancer program, which got an additional $27.4 million in the new budget.
Winner: Parents
Legislative leaders secured a 25% increase in the state’s child tax credit program, which is claimed by 217,000 tax filers with children, according to the governor’s office.
The expansion, which will be in place over the next three tax years, bumps each tax credit tier by 25%. So, for example, a household that previously got the highest tier of $1,000 will receive $1,250 and households that got $800 will get $1,000.
Sherrill, a former member of Congress and mother of four,said she saw positive impacts of the national tax credit, “giving parents more money for childcare and summer camps, so their kids can thrive while they’re at work.”
Gov. Mikie Sherrill talks with state Sen. Troy Singleton (D., Burlington) as she arrives to meet with the South Jersey business community for a fireside chat event hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey in Mt. Laurel Monday, March 16, 2026.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Loser: Businesses
What Sherrill touted Tuesday night as closing “corporate loopholes” and asking employers “to pay their fair share in healthcare,” the business community saw as an attack.
The budget includes Sherrill’s proposals to introduce new fees for businesses with at least 50 employees on Medicaid,an effort that was led in part by Assembly member Carol Murphy, a Burlington County Democrat, in the legislature. It also imposes limits on two methods businesses use to deduct losses from their taxes.
Hilary Chebra, the director of governmental affairs for Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey, criticized these policies, as well as a bill passed by the legislature that bans food surveillance pricing as it’s written.
“Employers aren’t reacting to a single tax increase or one new regulation,” she said. “They’re responding to all of it at once.”
Tom Bracken, the president & CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, said businesses were given “minimal support” and that the budget did not focus on supporting economic growth. He said the policies Sherrill championed in the budget “send the wrong message” to employers that New Jersey should be working to attract.
“The negative financial and reputational consequences of these policies will make it more difficult for New Jersey to be competitive — and competitiveness is essential if the state economy is going to grow,” he said.
Embattled Washington Township school Superintendent Eric Hibbs has lost another battle with the South Jersey school system to get $27,000 in merit pay.
A motion to award Hibbs the bonus pay for performance failed by a 4-3 vote with two abstentions at a contentious meeting Tuesday night. Five favorable votes are needed for adoption.
This was the third time since August that the nine-member board has not approved the merit pay, likely setting up another legal showdown between Hibbs and the board. He has a pending whistleblower lawsuit against several board members.
The board voted on the request, with little public discussion. Hibbs did not comment at the meeting. He did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday.
In order to vote, the board had to invoke a rarely used “doctrine of necessity” because it otherwise would not have a quorum. Six of ninemembers have a conflict of interest with Hibbs, whom they suspended last year until he was reinstated by a judge. The board remains roiled by infighting over its superintendent.
Washington Township School Superintendent Eric Hibbs (middle) listens during a school board meeting Tuesday night.Melanie Burney
Here’s what’s to know about the situation:
Why is Hibbs seeking merit pay?
Hibbs initially requested the merit pay last August, five months after he was suspended by the board with pay. He was reinstated in July after a judge found that the board had violated the Open Public Meetings Act when it suspended him.
According to his contract, if he meets goals set by the board, Hibbs is entitled to an annual merit bonus of up to 14.99% of his salary. Hibbs is among the highest-paid school chiefs in South Jersey.
Interim Executive Gloucester County Superintendent Robert Bumpus approved the merit pay, as required by state law. The board must also give its approval to disburse the funds.
Tuesday’s motion also would have allowed Hibbs to carry over up to 20 unused vacation days in addition to receiving a $27,000 bonus.
Hibbs has been superintendent in the Washington Township district since 2023. His contract runs through 2027.
What were the merit goals?
Hibbs’ goals, approved by a previous board, include completing Google training presentations, taking online professional development courses, and beefing up security processes.
He received $25,000 in merit pay for similar goals for the 2023-24 school year, according to district records obtained by The Inquirer under N.J.’s Open Public Records Act.
The merit pay has been an ongoing issue between Hibbs and the board and has escalated since last year. The dispute has raised questions about his fate when his contract expires. The board must notify Hibbs by December if his contract will not be renewed; otherwise, the contract automatically renews for four years.
Why was the doctrine of necessity necessary?
Six board members were deemed ineligible to discuss Hibbs’ employment because of conflicts, board solicitor Nicholas J. Repici said. They either have family members who work for the district or are named defendants in Hibbs’ lawsuit against the district, he said.
The doctrine of necessityallowed the conflicted board members to participate in the vote. But they were barred from any deliberations in executive session or public discussions.
Board vice president Terri Schechter chaired a special committee of the board members without conflicts that discussed the Hibbs matter. She brought forward the motion to approve the merit pay.
“Any discussion?” Schechter asked.
“We’re not allowed,” board member Julie Kozempel said. She abstained along with board President Pat Blome.
A petition launched by a parent called for the board to invoke the doctrine and vote on Hibbs’ contract renewal. It asked those who “agree that the district needs a clean break and less expensive contract for its superintendent” to consider signing the petition, which a community member spoke about at the board meeting Tuesday night.
What is the dispute between Hibbs and the board?
A complaint filed by local union leaders against Hibbs with the New Jersey School Ethics Commission alleged that the superintendentprovided preferential treatment to a board member’s relative by changing a failing grade in September 2023.
The board suspended Hibbs and hired a conflict lawyer to investigate the allegations. Hibbs was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.
In his own ethics complaint, Hibbs accused Kozempel and board member Elayne Clancy of not following procedures when the board hired Insurance Consulting Services LLC in 2021, prior to his tenure as superintendent.
His employment has remained a point of contention among school board members.
Here are other takeaways from Tuesday’s meeting
During public comment Tuesday, there were alsoemotional appeals to the board to reinstate three guidance counselor positions that were cut to help balance the budget for the 2026-27 school year.
Several school nurses and a student also expressed concern that the district has reduced the workday for several nursing assistants in cost-saving moves. They cited health and equity concerns.
Board members were surprised to learn that first-levelFrench and German classes were being cut at the high school due to the budget. They were told that the classes would resume next year.
Hibbs said the district, which enrolls about 7,200 students, faced a $10 million deficit for the upcoming school year. More cuts are likely in future years without additional revenue, he said.
“This is the reality of where we are,” Hibbs said. “We have no other place to go.”
Medford Township is facing a lawsuit from former Township Manager Daniel Hornickel, who is seeking to nullify his firing and reinstate himself in the role.
Hornickel, an attorney representing himself in the case, filed a complaint in Burlington County Superior Court on April 30, two days after the five-member council passed a resolution approving his removal as manager, the Courier Post first reported.
In the lawsuit, Hornickel, who lives in Bordentown Township, alleges that council denied him his employee due-process rights and violated the Open Public Meetings Act during his firing.
The legal filing comes less than two months after Medford Township formally initiated the process to fire Hornickel on March 13 by sending hima legally mandated notice that his employment was in discussion.
According to the lawsuit, Hornickel then proposed a separation agreement on March 16 that stipulated that if the offer were rejected, council would hold a public discussion about their intention to seek Hornickel’s removal from the role,which pays between $100,000 and $190,000, according to the salary range approved by council.
The next morning, Township Solicitor Gregory McGuckin indicated that the settlement likely would not be accepted, to which Hornickel reiterated his ultimatum for public discussion during that night’s council meeting, the lawsuit alleges.
But that night, council immediately entered closed session after the start of the meeting and upon returning, adopted a resolution to suspend Hornickel and move forward with the firing process. Council did not discuss or deliberate the resolution in public during the March 17 meeting.
In the resolution, council offered 10 reasons for seeking Hornickel’s dismissal, including that “council has lost confidence” in him, particularly as it relates to both the 2025 and 2026 budgets, the latter of which they said was delivered “late and above the cap legally allowed.”
They also allege that Hornickel has not implemented council policies and directions, does not communicate with council members, and has failed to properly advise council on various matters during his 18-month tenure as manager.
On April 28, council held a special hearing where they approved the resolution authorizing Hornickel’s firing.
During the hearing, Hornickel responded to each of council’s points, noting that three current council members were not on council in 2025 and therefore did not participate in the budget process while the two others voted to approve it.
“Your statement that ‘the 2026 budget was late and above the cap legally allowed’ is an invalid statement,” he said. “For the record, you introduced a 2026 budget that is substantially similar to the budget I sent you on March 9.”
In response to many of the other charges outlined in the resolution, Hornickel argued that he couldn’t adequately defend himself because council would not publicly release details.
“Don’t respond to me just because I’m asking, tell the public,” Hornickel told council. “If I’ve done this, give the public some concrete examples.”
Hornickel also argued that council was misinterpreting their role as the legislative branch for Medford’s government. The manager runs daily operations as the executive officer, he said, not township council.
“Your job is to set policy,” Hornickel said. “I looked at every single agenda this year through March 17. So what purported policy or direction did you as a legislative body issue that I failed to implement?”
“There’s nothing,” he said.
Hornickel declined to provide any additional comment Wednesday while the township solicitor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Medford’s Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dovi, Jr. is serving as the interim manager with assistance from Southampton Township Administrator Brandon Umba through a shared services agreement.
Council originally appointed Hornickel manager by resolution on July 16, 2024, an appointment made effective the following September.
Prior to his time in Medford, Hornickel served as the business administrator of Pemberton Township for more than five years. Before that, Hornickel spent nine years as the human resources director for Burlington County.
A remote proceeding for the case is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 before Superior Court Judge Terrance Cook.
Construction of the Ben Franklin Bridge began on Jan. 6, 1922, with the intention of it being completed by the Sesquicentennial on July 4, 1926.
It was built after an intense push from political leaders when it became clear that relying on a ferry service was inadequate after Philly’s expansion, Camden’s population growth, and the rise of car use.
It officially opened on July 1, 1926, to pedestrians with lots of fanfare, and it allowed cars the following day.
100 years later, the bridge moves:
🌉 100,000 vehicles daily.
🌉 New Jersey’s PATCO train carrying 20,000 passengers every day.
In related news: Reporter Stephanie Farr walked across the bridge for the first time to celebrate its big day and documented her experience and learned its history along the way.
📧 Have you done the trek? Email us to let us know how many times and how you liked it. I’ve done it only once (but would do it again) and it was a bit steeper than I thought it would be.
P.S. Keep the party going at the bridge’s official celebration— think of it as a belated birthday party — on July 11. The festivities will be on the Jersey side near the toll plaza and, yes, the bridge will be closed to car traffic to accommodate.
The Cherry Hill Township Zoning Board greenlit plans last week to transform the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple, through an 18,330-square-foot expansion.
The renovations would add a new gym, lobby, prayer hall, and more.
Its current form looks like a warehouse because that’s what it was before becoming a temple in 2002.
The plans — which include adding three shikharas, tall spires on the roof — would alter the appearance of the temple to be more in line with traditional Hindu styles, according to the project’s architect.
Although the zoning board’s approval is a big step forward, there’s more that needs to happen before construction can begin.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and attorneys general from across the country celebrated the Supreme Court of the United States’ ruling that President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship is unconstitutional.
The 6-3 vote comes more than a year after former New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced he was leading a multistate battle against Trump’s order back in January 2025, calling it a “flagrant violation of our Constitution.” Davenport, who has carried on the fight, said at a news conference Tuesday that attorneys general began preparing for the challenge when Trump was still on the campaign trail in 2024.
“Today the Supreme Court affirmed what courts, legislators, and the 14th Amendment has guaranteed for more than a century: birthright citizens are Americans,” Davenport said. “This is the foundation of who we are as a country.”
Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement Tuesday that Trump’s “malicious attempt to tear down this guarantee was so plainly unlawful and reckless that his own hand-picked Supreme Court said no.”
Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, who were both appointed by Trump, agreed Trump’s executive order was illegal though Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, also a Trump nominee, disagreed with the court’s decision. But Kavanaugh argued that the order was against federal law, not the Constitution, and suggested Congress could take action instead.
Olympic champion Dominique Dawes is expanding her chain of gymnastics academies with a new location coming to Mount Laurel in September.
Harmony Diner has opened in Voorhees in the same location of the former Voorhees Diner. It’s a new eatery from the Pandora family and is operating 24 hours a day, according to 42Freeway.
🧠Trivia time
Debra Hill, the original Halloween franchise cowriter and producer, is from which borough in Camden County?
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Tom Pawlowski, who solved last Wednesday’s anagram: Water Ice Factory. This business in Magnolia is known for its water ice cakes.
🏡 On the market
A private two-bedroom cottage with plenty of land in Williamstown
This cottage-style home is on six acres.Kent Media Co. | Courtesy of Kaitlin Bardaji/Kait + Co Homes, eXp Realty
This two-bedroom cottage that was originally a garden nursery offers a spacious kitchen, custom wooden trim details, and raised ceilings.
Beyond the main house, there are multiple structures. There’s a detached building — currently being used as a daycare and schoolhouse — with its own bathroom and kitchenette. There’s also another barn-style suite that can be used a guesthouse and a large detached garage.
Nine Fourth of July events to check out in Camden County
Here’s where to catch fireworks displays and other festivities for the Fourth of July. CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Celebrate the nation’s Semiquincentennial at one of these festive events, which are replete with fireworks, parades, and musical performances.
Barrington: There will be a parade at 6 p.m. followed by fireworks around dusk. ⏰ Thursday, July 2, 6 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Behind Woodland School
Gloucester City: Celebrate in advance of the holiday with food trucks and fireworks. ⏰ Thursday, July 2, starts at 6 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Proprietor’s Park
Cherry Hill: The township will mark the nation’s 250th anniversary with a fireworks display around 9 p.m. There will also be a DJ, marching bands, and food trucks. ⏰ Thursday, July 2, starts at 7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Cherry Hill High School West
Haddonfield: This celebration includes a festive parade followed by a block party, complete with live music, food trucks, and games. The night will be capped with a drone show around 9 p.m. ⏰ Friday, July 3, starts at 10 a.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Downtown Haddonfield
Audubon: The borough’s two-day event kicks off Friday with food trucks, live music, and a fireworks display at Audubon High School. On Independence Day, there will be a parade, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, family-friendly activities, and an open house of the Audubon Historical Society Museum at the Senior Center. ⏰ Friday, July 3, starts at 6 p.m. and Saturday, July 4, 8:15 a.m.-4 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Audubon
Haddon Township: On the eve of the nation’s 250th birthday, catch a fireworks show at Haddon Township High School, complete with live music and food trucks. The following day, the township will host its annual parade, which ends at Crystal Lake Pool. ⏰ Friday, July 3, 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 4, 11:30 a.m. 💵 Free 📍 Haddon Township
Collingswood: Decorate your bike starting at 9 a.m. and then join the parade at 10 a.m. Later, there will be games and races at Roberts Pool. Cap the day with a performance from To the Max at 7:45 p.m. and fireworks at the high school field at dusk. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, starts at 9 a.m. 💵 Free 📍 Collingswood
Camden: This year’s Freedom Festival features aptly named funk, soul, and R&B outfit The Commodores at 8 p.m., followed by the Wawa Welcome America fireworks display over the Delaware River. ⏰ Saturday, July 4, 6-11 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Wiggins Park
Camden: Hop aboard the historic Battleship New Jersey, where there will be live music, food, and a full-service bar, all with a view of the fireworks display over the Delaware River. ⏰ Friday, July 4, 7:30 p.m. 💵 $15 general admission 📍 Battleship New Jersey
Hindu temple BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is one step closer to moving ahead with its planned 18,330-square-foot expansion and renovation after getting zoning board approval last week, though it will still require additional approvals before construction can begin. Located at1 Carnegie Plaza, the temple’s plans call for transforming its exterior to give it a more decorative look, in addition to adding a gym and prayer hall.
South Jersey hospitals, including in Cherry Hill, could be forced to cut some community programs as they face an estimated $3.6 billion loss from Medicaid changes in the coming years. The Inquirer’s Harold Brubaker has the details.
Heads up for drivers: Roadwork continues throughout the township, including on Kenilworth Avenue, which will be closed between Route 38 and Longwood Avenue and between Helena and Edwards Avenues from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Thursday. Work continues on Kresson Road through Thursday, which will have a partial westbound closure between Springdale Road and Ravenswood Way from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closures at its intersection with Springdale Road and between Browning Lane from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Registration is open for the township’s upcoming wiffleball tournament, which will take place July 22 and has four age divisions.
Friends of Cherry Hill Public is hosting a book sale next week. On Tuesday, Friends members who are township residents get first access, followed by all Friends members next Wednesday. The sale then opens to the public next Thursday and continues through Saturday.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Registration for the district’s 2026-27 School-Age Child Care program opens today at 4 p.m. The program is available to those in kindergarten through fifth grade. Learn more here.
Graduation may be behind us, but the district recently shared its annual clap-out video for members of the class of 2026. See it here.
Speaking of graduation, South Jersey Media shared photos from West’s commencement, where 333 students earned diplomas.
🍽️ On our Plate
Four Cherry Hill restaurants earned honors in the latest Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards, released last week. The magazine recognizes establishments with wine lists offering what it deems interesting selections that are “appropriate to their cuisine” and “appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.” Caffe Aldo Lamberti was recognized for its selection of wines from California; Tuscany and Piedmont, Italy; and Bordeaux, France. Also making the list are chains Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, which each have a local outpost.
Belgian waffle eatery La Liégeoise closed its brick-and-mortar storefront at 1871 E. Marlton Pike last week, citing low visibility and customer traffic at the location. The waffle shop plans to continue its operations as a fully mobile concept.
Philly Pretzel Factory will be moving one block from its current home at 910 Route 70 to 800 Route 70 this month. The shop will close Sunday, with a planned opening at its new space on July 15.
🎳 Things to Do
🚬 Cigar Sunday: Sample premium cigars, listen to music, and sips drinks on an outdoor deck. ⏰ Sunday, July 5, 2-5 p.m. 💵 $19.03 📍Vera
🦖 Paw Patrol Dino Skate: Hit the rink for dino-themed skating complete with a dinosaur egg scavenger hunt. ⏰ Wednesday, July 8, 1-4 p.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m. 💵 $6 from 1-4 p.m., $5 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. 📍 Hot Wheelz
The home has a striking design out front and a pool out back.Derrick Kunzer | Courtesy of Amy Rossano/Epique Realty
Located in the Wilderness Run neighborhood, this four-bedroom, five-bathroom home features a floating curved staircase in the foyer and a two-story family room with a spiral staircase leading to a library. The dining room has Italian mirrored panels that open to reveal a bar with wine storage. Out back, there’s a spa and gunite pool, complete with a diving board.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
The Philadelphia area restaurant boom continues into the summer, with newcomers including a neighborhood cocktail bar, bakery/cafes, a suburban brewpub, a $2 million pizzeria, a vegan cafe, a destination dining room, and a fusion sandwich shop.
Chicken roulade with fava beans, gnocchi, and cauliflower at Academy Grill in Fort Washington.Michael Klein / Staff
Academy Grill(424 S. Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington): Fine Line Dining’s next project, an Italian-inspired, white-tablecloth restaurant, will serve seafood, steaks, and pastas in the former Cantina Feliz space near Germantown Academy (hence the name). Chef Jeff Power, formerly of Dettera in Ambler, is leading the kitchen. Owners Mike Sloane and Jay Rosenthal, who also own the casual Fort nearby and Jasper’s Backyard in Conshohocken, plan to open July 7 for dinner, July 9 for lunch, and then operate Tuesday to Saturday for dinner.
Banjara Indian Bistro (689 Berlin-Cross Keys Rd., Sicklerville): Vaneet Chopra, whose family owns Cross Culture in Haddonfield and previously operated Banjara in Chestnut Hill, is behind this Indian restaurant due to open soon in the strip center that also houses Gouldsburger’s, the Breakfast Nook, and Saladworks. Owners told 42Freeway that it was awaiting final inspections.
Bar Cicci is due to open in late July at 1620 Sansom St.Courtesy of Bar Cicci
Bar Cicci (1620 Sansom St.): Ellen Yin and High Street Hospitality Group are behind this Italian cafe-bar next to Uchi near Rittenhouse Square. Pronounced “chee-chee,” it is positioned as an all-day salon for espresso, pastries, panini, cicchetti, wine, and aperitivi. It’s due to open later this month.
Bart’s Bagels’ first shop opened in 2020 in the Powelton section of West Philadelphia.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Bluebird Distilling & Dough House is a $2.2 million expansion and renovation of the popular Phoenixville destination.Ed Newton
Bluebird Distilling & Dough House(100 Bridge St., Phoenixville): Bluebird’s $2.2 million expansion, Dough House, arrives July 7. It’s a neo-Neapolitan pizzeria and restaurant inside its downtown Phoenixville distillery, and adds an expanded cocktail bar, a 50-seat dining room, a chef’s counter, and an enlarged retail shop. Executive chef Devon Migeot, formerly of Zahav, Laser Wolf, Rosalie, and Tresini will serve naturally fermented pizzas, house-baked breads, and shareable small plates alongside the distillery’s cocktails.
Cheezy Vegan by Chef Reeky (1216 S. 17th St.): Now in soft-opening mode at 17th and Manton Streets in Point Breeze, this plant-based concept from Tarik “Chef Reeky” Ryant and Erin Mignogna-Dougherty (previously in Woodlyn, Delaware County) serves a full menu — breakfast, lunch, appetizers, coffee drinks, milkshakes, and smoothies — from a counter, with coffee beans roasted on-site. A sidewalk cafe is planned.
The pica pica sandwich at Chibanos, which comes with picadillo, Swiss cheese, mayo, and crispy taro sticks.Aya Iwatan
Chibanos(1127 Pine St.): Opening today at 8 a.m., this casual sandwich shop in Effie’s former Washington Square West building is an ode to owner Evan Jaroff’s multicultural upbringing, blending Chinese and Cuban flavors for a tight fusion menu. Breakfast sandwiches are made on Dodo Bakery bolo baos, there are pressed sandwiches like the pica pica (picadillo, swiss, mayo, crispy taro sticks) and mima frita (Chinese sausage croquetas, Swiss, mayo, cabbage, mojo vinagrette), plus salads, sides, and a robust drink list that offers both colada and black milk tea.
Comedian Meg Goetz entertains at a preview of Claude’s Comedy Club & Bar, 1123 S. Broad St.Reid Benditt
Claude’s Comedy Club & Bar (1123 S. Broad St.): Reid Benditt’s intimate South Philly venue for stand-up, in its opening days, sits alongside a bar serving cocktails, beer, and casual fare from 4 p.m. daily. He’s positioning this as an affordable alternative to larger comedy clubs, with modest ticket prices, no two-drink minimum, and a mix of touring performers and local comics.
Dublin Brewing Co., Brendan FitzGerald’s Irish pub, in Downingtown.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Dublin Brewing Co. (137 Wallace Ave., Downingtown): Irish-born homebrewer Brendan FitzGerald’s decade-in-the-making brewpub is designed as an authentic Irish pub, with an Irish dry stout, Irish red ale, IPAs, pale ale, Pennsylvania wine and spirits, and bar food. FitzGerald built the pub himself while continuing his day job, borrowing design cues from pubs in Howth and Dublin’s Temple Bar. It’s open for special events (check Instagram) while FitzGerald awaits final permitting.
Home Team Tavern (267 S. Black Horse Pike, Mount Ephraim): The short-lived Mount Ephraim Bar & Grill has been flipped into a compact, sports-minded neighborhood tavern from Greg Carta, who previously managed North Bowl and South Bowl in Philadelphia. He told 42Freeway that he’s aiming for an early July opening with a menu built around tavern pizzas, burgers, starters, and other game-day food.
Lillian’s, 1900 S. 19th St., during a preview on June 25, 2026.Michael Klein / Staff
Lillian’s Bar (1900 S. 19th St.): This week, Point Breeze got a cozy neighborhood cocktail bar at 19th and Mifflin Streets with an evolving kitchen concept from Sam Ahern, a former bar manager at Fabrika who also worked at Cicala at the Divine Lorraine and Fitler Club after hosting backyard supper clubs during the pandemic. Ahern has brought in chef Alejandro Martín Sánchez (Mesona) to set up the concise menu of Mediterranean-leaning bistro fare, including sandwiches, salads, tinned fish, charcuterie, and cheese boards with kitchen operations overseen by Isobella “Izzy” Ioffreda. Guest chefs will take over for weekend or monthlong runs. First will be Miled Filianos of Habibi Supper Club, whose six-course dinners and happy hours are scheduled for July 9-11, 17-18, and 23-25. Cocktail program is led by Fitler Club alum Avdo Babic. Opens at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Luna at the Luxe (1705 N. American St.): Sarah Varisano expects to open her relocated Luna Cafe on Monday in the Luxe apartment complex in Old Kensington. The reboot keeps Luna’s familiar brunch, breakfast, and coffee-to-go identity, while adding a larger bar and beverage program, evening hours, and courtyard seating.
Bakery owner Saif Manna and his wife, Stefaniya Surikova, at their table at Headhouse Farmers Market.Michael Klein / Staff
Manna Bakery (110 W. Berks St.): Baker Saif Manna, shifting from pop-ups to a brick-and-mortar at the former Essen in Kensington, is looking for a late-month soft opening of his 50- to 60-seat bakery/cafe specializing in Levantine and Palestinian wares. It will initially open for daytime service, in addition to his farmer’s market stops. The menu expands to include individual manakish made in the style of Manna’s grandmother, rotating savory buns led by a chicken-sumac version, airy Palestinian-style brioche filled with seasonal fruit and creams, cookies, cakes, and gluten-free desserts such as a flourless chocolate cake and whipped rice pudding created in honor of Manna’s late father. The space also will host baking, cooking, coffee, and arts workshops with visiting chefs, bakers, artists, and baristas, and monthly supper clubs.
Bartender Euclides “Victor” Lopez behind the bar at Mixteca in New York City on June 4.Michael Klein / Staff
Mixteca (2113 E. York St): This agave-focused Mexican cocktail bar from New York’s Jeff Bell and Euclides “Victor” Lopez is taking over the former Martha in East Kensington. The Philly location, expected later in the month, marks the local debut for Mixteca and Apres Cru Hospitality. The plan includes tequila, mezcal, Mexican drinking culture, indoor-outdoor seating, and a reworked layout with an expanded bar and lounge.
Philly Po Boy Co. (102 W. Berks St.): Brothers Chris and Greg Lynch are looking for late month for their New Orleans-inspired sandwich shop under the Berks El stop, with po’boys, gumbo, jambalaya, beignets, and coffee from Applied Arts Coffee in New Orleans. Chris spent years cooking in New Orleans, while Greg’s Philly resumé includes Starr Restaurants and LMNO.
Sandpiper Cafe (1640 South St.): This all-day breakfast-and-lunch spot is due to soft-open Thursday at 1640 South St. It’s the latest from Gunawan Raharjo, who owns the West Passyunk Indonesian gem Indo Spice (noted in our list of Philly’s 76 most influential restaurants). Sandpiper’s American menu, served from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, will expand upon the menu at Raharjo’s other restaurant, Cafe Olivier in Old City. At Sandpiper, Raharjo is partnered with Deddy Pornomo.
Stella’s Ice Cream (1832 N. Front St.): This Idaho-based chain of ice cream shops planted its first East Coast location on June 27 in Kensington/Fishtown on what reporter Beatrice Forman has dubbed Ice Cream Row, mere blocks from Sweet 45 and 1-900-ICECREAM. Franchisee Shay Marlin had no prior ties to Idaho or the ice cream biz, but was drawn to Stella’s inclusive and family-friendly vibe. The shop offers 24 flavors of ice cream — including eight nondairy options — plus gluten-free waffle and sugar cones, sandwiches made on hulking brownies baked in-house, and yogurt-peanut-butter popsicles for pups.
Thirsty Turtle Tavern(270 White Horse Pike, Barrington): Just days old, this Camden County taproom in the former Chuck Lager/Wild Wing Cafe building near I-295 is the brand’s second, after Whitehall, Pa., and 42Freeway says it features a refreshed dining room, open kitchen, wood-fired pizza oven, sushi station, and patio.
333 Belrose Bar & Grill (333 Belrose Lane, Radnor): A slow-moving top-to-bottom renovation will add a larger bar, expanded kitchen, redesigned dining rooms, upgraded private-event spaces, and refreshed outdoor dining to this Main Line landmark, whose new American menu is overseen by chef Ross Esner.
Staff writer Beatrice Forman contributed to this article.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, a Hindu temple on the eastern border of Cherry Hill, is preparing for a major facelift.
The Cherry Hill Township Zoning Board approved site plans last week during a 4½-hour meeting for an 18,330-square-foot expansion that would transform BAPS Cherry Hill’s exterior and add a gym, lobby, prayer hall, improved Sunday school rooms, new parking spaces, and more.
More steps will have to be made before construction can begin, but this approval is a majormove forward after what zoning officials say took more than a year of planning.
BAPS Inc., an international religious nonprofit, has more than 100 temples across the U.S., including eight in New Jersey. Cherry Hill Township approved a zoning variance back in 2002 to allow a former vacant warehouse building on an 11-acre property at 1 Carnegie Plaza, acquired by a real estate company for $1.9 million and conveyed to BAPS, to become a Hindu temple despite the lot being zoned Industrial Restricted. The temple is run by BAPS Cherry Hill, a limited liability company.
Decades have passed since BAPS Cherry Hill opened, and the mandir, a Hindu place of worship that neighbors King’s Christian School and Remington & Vernick Engineers, still looks like a warehouse.
But the new plans propose a more decorative exterior, including the addition of three shikharas, tall spires on the roof that would reach 58 feet at their highest. Aavart Patel, the project’s architect, said the change matches more traditional styles of Hindu architecture.
The current zoning rules put the building’s maximum height at 35 feet, but BAPS Cherry Hill’s lawyer, Damien Del Duca, sought a variance allowing for the boost.
“Metaphysically, the shikhara represents the spiritual connection between the earthly realm and the divine,” Del Duca wrote in a March letter. “It guides the eyes to move from the earth upwards toward the sky — representing heaven.”
Del Duca and BAPS did not return requests for comment about the projected cost of the expansion, but Del Duca said during the zoning board meeting that the temple had raised the necessary funds for the project.
Riya Patel, a BAPS Cherry Hill volunteer and youth coordinator, testified during the zoning meeting that the temple’s current structure poses a problem for its youth classes and group activities.
“It still serves as this warehouse layout,” Patel said. “So talking about some of our weekly activities, a lot of the space that we have doesn’t have much utility.”
Neel Patel, a lead volunteer and national coordinator for BAPS, has attended BAPS Cherry Hill for the last 22 years. He said the temple has 400 to 500worshipers on an average Sunday and offers scriptural studies, language learning, music, and sports programming for attendees from kindergarten age to adults.
The new additions would mean educational and sports programs could take place in designated classrooms and a gymnasium rather than in the current dining hall, makeshift spaces, or outside on the warehouse loading dock, which the temple converted into a basketball court. The addition of about two dozen parking spaces will accommodate extra visitors during the high holidays.
Under the current site plans, the building’s footprint would only expand about 3,000 square feet, and the remaining 15,000 square feet of additions come in the form of a second story to accommodate classrooms, offices, and the new gym.
Anand Bhatt with Arna Engineering, the project’s civil engineer, said the project will be completed in one phase, and the mandir will remain open throughout the process since construction will be limited to weekdays. The temple has little foot traffic except on Sunday.
‘A space where I can express my religious freedoms’
The BAPS location in Cherry Hill came to be in 2002 when Rishi Realty acquired the vacant warehouse space from Graphic Controls Corp. for $1.9 million and quickly conveyed ownership to BAPS.
Although the property is zoned industrial and accompanied by surrounding commercial businesses, the temple faces a residential neighborhood, Point of Woods, in Cherry Hill.
Three neighbors attended the zoning board meeting via Zoom last week to voice their concerns, mostly regarding the desire to protect the property’s wetlands and limit lighting at night.
Jody and Jenn DeMarco, who live across from the BAPS parking lot and its wooded area, asked the zoning board to deny the application unless the front facade of the new temple is reoriented to face away from their neighborhood.
“It’s a matter of preference, not a matter of necessity, that they are putting this giant variance that impacts our neighborhood negatively facing our property,” Jenn DeMarco said.
In 2012, BAPS Cherry Hill received violations from the township and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for illegally removing trees in a wetland without proper permits, but BAPS Cherry Hill said in its zoning application that the organization remediated the issue by planting more trees.
BAPS representatives said at the zoning board meeting that they would follow N.J. DEP’s rules and make sure any lighting above the height maximum of 35 feet turns off by 10 p.m. Plus, BAPS Cherry Hill doesn’t anticipate increased visitor volume after the renovations, and they don’t plan to add any additional seating for its Sunday services.
Another Cherry Hill resident, Deepak Chhatwal, said he was excited about the upcoming changes.
“I’m very happy that there’ll be an organization and a space where I can express my religious freedoms, and there will be a better space for myself and my family and other neighbors who are practicing the Hindu faith.”
The six zoning board members who attended the meeting approved the site plans unanimously.
Brian Bauerle, the township’s chief of staff, said Cherry Hill still has to adopt a resolution confirming the decision and its conditions of approval at a future meeting on an undecided date.
As for BAPS Cherry Hill, the nonprofit will have to update its site plans based on the new approvals and satisfy remaining compliance items, which Bauerle said can take weeks to months. Then, the Department of Community Development can issue a zoning permit allowing BAPS to apply for construction permits.
The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued an “extreme heat” warning for the entire region through July Fourth, with a record-tying three consecutive days of 100-degree temperatures possible in Philadelphia.
Though heat warnings may lack the sizzle of warnings for blizzards or hurricanes, health officials advise that they can be more dangerous — slow-motion disasters that target the most-vulnerable populations. Plus, the timing of this one couldn’t be much worse.
Along with the daytime heat indexes approaching 110, the nights aren’t going to be much cooler. Temperatures Friday morning may not get below 80 degrees in the city, said Sarah Johnson, the warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, which has been briefing emergency managers since late last week.
“It’s very concerning,” she said.
The city on Tuesday declared a “heat health emergency” in effect from 1 p.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Saturday, activating its pioneering heat-response system.
In deference to the heat, Wawa Welcome America announced several schedule changes, including canceling Thursday’s All-American Block Party, and moving back start times for concerts Thursday and Friday.
It also said the Liberty Medal ceremony on Friday honoring Pope Leo XIV would be moved to inside the Constitution Center and the route of the Semiquincentennial Parade, which begins at Fifth and Chestnut Streets, would end at Broad and Chestnut, rather than proceeding to Logan Circle as originally planned.
PJM Interconnection, the region’s electric grid operator and one of the nation’s largest, already has sounded alarm bells regarding power demands. Peco advised that it has a contingency plan in case workers go on strike Saturday, as they have threatened.
SEPTA is making preparations for what would have been a challenging week even if the weather was cool (as it was in 1776, by the way). At Philadelphia International Airport, a bigger concern would be pop-up thunderstorms that could disrupt the weekend celebrations that have been 250 years in the making.
The heat wave will have staying power in Philly
Only twice has Philly had three consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures — in 1993, and on July 2, 3, and 4 of 1966. That could happen again on July 2, 3, and 4 of 2026, the weather service says.
Officially it reached 90 degrees Tuesday at the airport, the 16th time this year that the high reached at least 90 degrees, the second-most number of days before Jul 1 in records dating to 1874. Wednesday’s forecast high, in the mid to upper 90s, would be the prelude to the holiday heat festival.
Along with the heat, of concern for event planners is the potential for strong thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon and evening during the climax of the Semiquincentennial events.
Preparing for the heat and storm threats in the region
At Philadelphia International Airport, it’s not the heat so much as the attendant storm threat that is the major concern, said spokesperson Heather Redfern.
The national extent of the extreme heat — the result of a so-called heat dome of high pressure — and the pop-up storm threat could “impact flights with delays, diversions to other airports and cancellations,” she said.
The airport was expecting more than 680,000 departing and arriving passengers from Wednesday through next Tuesday. Redfern advised travelers to sign up for airline flight alerts.
In its forecast discussion Tuesday, the weather service cautioned “that any holiday weekend festivities could be impacted by thunderstorms,” adding that “the environmental setup would be favorable for strong to severe” storms.
SEPTA was expecting a crush of passengers, especially Saturday when in addition to the 250th bash, a World Cup soccer match will be played in South Philly. The agency may set up misters outside stations where long lines may develop, spokesperson Andrew Busch said. The agency would try to make some cooling buses available if the city requests, he said.
A Saturday complication for Peco is a threatened strike by 1,500 union members. The company said it has a “contingency plan” in place to keep customers’ air-conditioning systems operating and would be able to respond to any severe storm issues.
With or without storms, in deference to the heat SEPTA will be reducing speeds on all rail lines, said Busch, as extreme heat can cause overhead lines to sag and tracks to buckle.
Heat-wave response is a Philly thing
It’s not in a league with the Rocky statue or cheesesteaks, but heat response is a very Philly thing that got its start in the 1990s when the city won high praise from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The impetus was the summer of 1993 when Philadelphia recorded 118 heat-related deaths — about triple the combined total of 2015-16. That summer was also the last time the city had three consecutive days of 100-plus degree temperatures.
The relatively inexpensive program includes setting up more than 50 cooling centers; health officials hold that even a short break from extreme heat can save lives. Residents are encouraged to look in on elderly neighbors, and the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging will be operating a heat hotline, 215-765-9040.
Variants of Philly’s response system have spread to other cities around the country.
In Philadelphia, even though summer temperatures have been rising, heat-related deaths have declined dramatically.
May that trend continue.
Staff writer Ariana Perez-Castells contributed to this article.
The stone building dating back to the 18th-century in Camden has played several roles — tavern, private home, a British outpost, and a dump for toxic materials, among other functions. The land where it sits also was once the location of mass auctions of enslaved people.
More than two centuries later — and as the country celebrates its Semiquincentennial — the Benjamin Cooper Inn is now South Jersey’s American Revolution Museum.
The new, $4.6 million museum is funded through a mix of federal, state, and local sources, but mostly from the New Jersey Historic Trust.
Although it is not fully ready, the museum held a soft opening on Saturday. It’s been six years in the making, and there’s still a lot of work to do.
The New Jersey legislature will vote today on the state budget and decide the fate of several South Jersey programs.
Here’s what we’re watching:
💰 According to one lawmaker, Rowan University’s Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine will get enough funds, $6.2 million, to “keep the lights on.”
💰 A South Jersey program that provides healthcare to children who’ve experienced abuse is set to receive $1.85 million after the legislature restored the funding that Gov. Mikie Sherrill originally slashed.
💰 Hispanic Women’s Resource Centers, established in the 1990s to address wage gaps for Hispanic women, has $1.8 million allocated — almost 30% less than what they received this year.
A federal judge last week tossed out a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department alleging that four New Jersey cities have “sanctuary” policies and accusing them of obstructing federal immigration enforcement, the New York Times reports.
Police say a 19-year-old man from Turnersville has been charged with two counts of arson in connection with two car fires in Washington Township, 6abc reports.
There are multiple construction projects on roads throughout Camden County this week, with a concentration of them in Camden and Cherry Hill.
MAX Surgical Specialty Management, a New Jersey firm that consolidates oral and maxillofacial surgery groups, has acquired two more practices in the Philly area.
