Citing increased safety concerns, a Burlington County township has canceled this year’s annual Independence Day celebration.
Mount Holly Township officials released a statement on Monday announcing the decision to cancel the township’s Fourth of July festivities, pointing to recent violence at other local events across the region and a lack of time to put enhanced security measures in place.
“This decision was not made lightly — over the past few months, we have been meticulously monitoring local and regional events throughout New Jersey, assessing which events have been canceled due to alarming violence, as well as those communities that have continued their events with significantly increased security measures and protocol put into place,” the township said in a joint statement with the Mount Holly Police Department.
In early May, a Maple Shade carnival held to raise money for a local youth football program was canceled after a large group of teenagers caused a hectic scene on the first night. By the end of the month, the Roebling Carnival was similarly canceled after numerous fights broke out on the first night of the Florence Township event, overwhelming police.
Officials in Medford took note of the events in Maple Shade ahead of their six-day St. Mary of the Lakes Carnival and Music Fest, boosting security with outside agencies, imposing crowd size limits, restricting entrances, and more.
“With our spectators and vendors’ safety top of mind, we could not enact a viable, actionable solution in such a short period of time to alleviate our security concerns without incurring additional, significant costs to the Township and our residents,” Mount Holly officials said in the statement.
“We understand the disappointment this decision may cause and extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all who have supported this event over the years.”
A 71-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder in the strangulation of a 40-year-old woman in Franklin Township, Gloucester County Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns said Monday.
Police arrived at an East Avenue home at 6:16 a.m. on Thursday after Dennis J. Hall called to alert them to the fact that Devin Hall was not breathing. Dennis Hall admitted to strangling her on the call to emergency services and to officers when they arrived at the scene, according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office.
A witness also told Franklin Township officers Dennis Hall woke them up the morning of the incident and admitted to strangling Devin Hall.
Prosecutors would not say whether the two Halls were related, but Jan Hall, the wife of Dennis Hall and mother of Devin Hall, told 6abc her husband woke her up, saying he had killed their daughter.
“When he woke me up, I asked him what was wrong, and he said, ‘I strangled Devin. She’s dead.’ And I thought I didn’t hear him right,” she told the station.
Officers tried to save Devin Hall and she was taken to a local hospital. The following day, she was removed from life support and declared dead, according to the statement.
On Sunday, the Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland regional medical examiner conducted an autopsy and determined the cause of death was asphyxiation by homicide.
Dennis Hall was arrested at the scene and initially charged with attempted murder, then first-degree murder following the autopsy report.
He was in jail pending prosecutors’ motion for a pretrial detention. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
It’s Wednesday, which means we’re halfway through our launch week. 🎉 Being brand new, we want to be sure we’re serving your interests. If you have a question rattling in the back your head about our region, ask it through Curious South Jersey. Our reporters might just pick it up for a story.
James Garfield Elementary School in Collingswood will close its doors at the end of the school year after more than a century in the borough. Students and staff will be transferred to other schools.
“It’s been the best 13 years of my career,” principal Mark Wiltsey said. “Is it sad? Of course. I was all about it. It’s who I am.”
Superintendent Fred McDowell made the call to close the K-5 school after grappling with a $3.3 million budget deficit for the school year. The lack of funds led to programs and staff cuts, too.
School districts across the state are stressed under tight budgets. Haddonfield, Washington Township, and Cherry Hill are also reducing staff positions.
The city of Camden halted the operations of EMR Metal Recycling earlier this month after its 13th fire since 2020. Now, the scrapyard is suing.
Their argument is that the city overstepped and didn’t provide due process. The company is also claiming that the facility is out $10 million in revenue and operational costs.
This isn’t the first time the company has been in a legal fight over the fires. The New Jersey attorney general’s office and local residents have sued the facility in the past.
Last Thursday, Camden City Council voted on a resolution calling on local and national agencies that have jurisdiction over the facility to shut it down.
Three Philly-area athletes, including one who attended Glassboro High School and another who played for Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees, were recently arrested related to an April assault that left the victim severely injured in Philadelphia.
Camden County released information on ongoing roadwork projects throughout the week. Drivers in Camden, Cherry Hill, Haddon Heights, and Winslow Township in particular should be aware and plan to take alternative routes when necessary.
Tucked away on a bustling tree-lined Collingswood street, James A. Garfield Elementary has been the center of its South Jersey neighborhood for more than a century.
Built in 1915, it is the second-oldest public school in Collingswood and has educated generations of families. Passersby stop in the front yard to reminisce under two giant trees or sit on a century-old bench.
Garfield enrolls about 128 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The teachers know every student by name and parents love the sense of community.
It will come to an end next week when Garfield closes its doors.
“It’s been the best 13 years of my career,” said principal Mark Wiltsey. “Is it sad? Of course. I was all about it. It’s who I am.”
The exterior of James A. Garfield Elementary School in Collingswood.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Facing a $3.3 million budget deficit for the 2026-27 school year, Superintendent Fred McDowell made the difficult decision to close Garfield and transfer students and staff to other schools. With operating costs exceeding available revenues, the district also cut 33 positions and programs.
“No one ever wants to make reductions to staff,” McDowell said in an interview this month. “It has become necessary. It’s just not sustainable.”
Collingswood Public Schools Superintendent Fredrick McDowell at James A. Garfield Elementary School earlier this month. He said budget issues forced him to close the school, which his own child attends.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Collingswood’s state aid for the coming year was reduced by $305,000, while expenses have increased by $4.8 million. The district increased property taxes by 6.4% but still had a budget hole.
The Garfield closing and other cuts struck a nerve in Collingswood, which currently enrolls about 2,500 students in nine schools. The district plans to consolidate its high school and middle school operations, shut down its high school wellness center, and impose fees for some extracurricular activities.
The Collingswood Education Association criticized the decisions and took a no-confidence vote against McDowell. Saying there was an “urgent need for a change in the leadership direction,” the union implored the school board to relieve McDowell of his duties.
The union, which represents about 230 teachers and support staff, said 150 staff members have left since McDowell became schools chief in 2021. Morale has dropped and fiscal decisions have impacted the classroom, the union said.
Garfield Elementary in Collingswood is preparing to close.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
McDowell, whose contract expires in 2027, defended his record and blasted the union for finger-pointing during a budget crisis. Staff turnover follows post-pandemic nationwide trends, and Collingswood’s structural budget deficit has been years in the making, he said.
McDowell will be affected personally by the Garfield closing. His 9-year-old daughter is a fourth grader and a son would have been a kindergartner in the fall.
“In what world does a father want to close his own child’s school, unless there’s no other way,” the superintendent said.
‘Heartbroken’ to lose an elementary school
There were tears and high emotions as word spread that the two-story neighborhood school would close, affecting about 100students and about 15 teachers and support staff. The fifth graders will move to middle school, and the remaining students will be sent to the district’s four other elementary schools with larger class sizes to accommodate more students.
“I feel heartbroken. I feel angry,” said Elizabeth Vukovic Gartlan, whose youngest, Liam, is a fourth grader at Garfield. “It’s such a wonderful school and a beautiful community.”
Gartlan said Liam asked: “Why can’t we have a bake sale” to save the school? He will go to Newbie Elementary in the fall. His mother worries that more cuts could come.
Teacher Samantha Nash Rovner talks with a reporter at James A. Garfield Elementary School on this month. Garfield is closing at the end of the school year.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
The closing has been bittersweet for teachers, too, as they pack up years of materials. Fourth-grade English teacher Samantha Nash Rovner will have third graders at Zane North.
“It’s very mixed emotion,” Rovner said. “It’s really sad that Garfield is closing.”
McDowell said no employees will lose their jobs, although some staff may be put in different positions.
Located on Haddon Avenue, Garfield is a hub in Collingswood, known for its quintessential Main Street aura. The schools and the downtown district are walkable, making its quaint shops and restaurants popular destinations.
“It’s just a special place,” said Julie Donato, the mother of two Garfield students. ”Our entire life revolved around this school.”
The school is decorated with colorful murals and inspirational quotes. Framed pictures of students and their families line the walls. A memorial garden out front pays tribute to Michael Jubb, a student killed in an accident, and a sign honors Dolores Bobb, a beloved crossing guard.
Donato said her husband’s grandmother attended Garfield. When his grandmother came to the United States from Italy, Garfield students taught her English, she said. And Donato’s children were especially fond of visiting senior citizens who live next to the school at Collingswood Manor.
Most students are unaware of the school’s history, Wiltsey said. Because the school is often referred to as Garfield, they believe the name comes from the comic strip about a cynical orange tabby cat with the same name, he said with a laugh.
Fifth grade students work in English class at James A. Garfield Elementary School in Collingswood this month. The school is closing at the end of the school year.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Wiltsey said the school receives letters from former students sharing memories of their time at Garfield. They are archived in an album with old photographs.
For a Garfield history project that has been saved at the school, Bonnie Brown Saunders of Colorado recalled enrolling as a kindergartner in 1948. She recalled memories for every year, including first grade when a pretty girl transferred in.
“All the boys liked her — a lot. I learned about two emotions — boys and jealousy. I also learned how to read and become the picture of health,” she wrote.
A photograph of the seventh grade class at James A. Garfield Elementary School on April 24, 1922.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Wiltsey, who will move to the middle school complex as a supervisor, said school officials began preparing students last month for the closing. Tatum Elementary will get the biggest chunk, about 52 students.
There have been walking tours and activities to meet new classmates and teachers, he said. Siblings were assigned to the same school.
Wiltsey compared preparing for the last day of school — June 22 — to the grief process and has experienced a range of emotions. Teacher Jessica Harbridge said the reality will hit in September.
“I’ve accepted it,” Wiltsey said. “We’re all moving on to new challenges.”
Principal Mark Wiltsey talks about the family photographs that line the walls at James A. Garfield Elementary School.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Brio Italian Grille’s location in Cherry Hill. Sarah Nicell
Last month, reports began swirling online that Brio Italian Grille in Towne Place atGarden State Park would be closing and be replaced by Fogo de Chão. But that may not come to fruition.
While permits have been issued for the Brazilian steakhouse to overhaul Brio’s current space, the chain doesn’t have a lease to take it over yet, a real estate executive with the firm that owns Towne Place’s tenant management company said. Should Brio, which filed for bankruptcy last year, choose not to renew its lease, “Fogo is 100% a tenant we would be interested in speaking with.”
The H Mart in Cherry Hill was recently updated.Hira Qureshi
Cherry Hill’s H Mart recently underwent a massive update, including an overhaul to the Asian grocery store’s first floor and a new second-floor food hall. Inquirer reporter and self-described H Mart diehard Hira Qureshi recently paid a visit to suss out the best finds.
Her advice? Start on the second floor, browsing the sections with Korean beauty products and general goods like notebooks, small toys, and character keychains, as well as an arcade, first. After, she recommends tackling the first floor, stocked with meat, produce, seafood, and other grocery staples.
By then, you’ll have worked up an appetite, so swing by the new food court.
In case you missed it, last week 28-year-old Oregon man Cristian Custodio-Aquino pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with the 2024 stabbing death of Cherry Hill veterinarian Michael Anthony. The Inquirer’s Jesse Bunch has all the details.
South Jersey progressives who campaigned for Gov. Sherrill say the first-term governor failed her first major test in the office, juggling her opposition to Delaney Hall, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, with widespread criticism for how she handled protests outside of it. Cherry Hill resident Marie Henselder-Kimmel, who leads NJ Voters Who Want More Say, said she feels “torn” about Sherrill’s decision to send in state police during the protests. The Inquirer’s Aliya Schneider delves into what some former supporters are saying.
A new nursing home opened at 3025 Chapel Ave. last week. Dwellside Care and Rehab offers both short- and long-term care.
The College World Series kicked off this week and there was plenty of local talent on the eight teams that made the bracket, including Cherry Hill West alum Jon Young Jr. The sophomore at the University of Alabama is one of six players with area ties.
Heads up for drivers: There will be work on several roads this week, including a partial westbound lane closure on Kresson Road between Evesham and Cropwell Roads from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Friday. Kenilworth Avenue will be closed between Chapel Avenue and Route 38 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Friday. And Cooper Landing Road will be closed between Valley Run and Route 70 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. today through Saturday.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Tomorrow is the last day of school, as well as high school graduations. There’s a board of education meeting Tuesday evening. See the district’s full calendar here.
Superintendent Kwame Morton made $250,213 for the 2025-26 school year, putting his annual salary $46,485 over the average superintendent salary statewide. (NJ.com)
Earlier this month, the Sari Isdaner Early Childhood Center at the Katz JCC named Stacey Unterlack director of Jewish education and early childhood education. Unterlack had previously served as interim director.
🍽️ On our Plate
Notorious former alleged mob boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino recently expanded his eatery, opening Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks & Pizza in Wildwood. He’s added stromboli and pizza to the menu, the latter using a recipe from Vito’s on Haddonfield Berlin Road. Merlino’s social media-driven reboot is thanks in part to Joe “Lil Snuff” Perri Jr., who you might recognize from his brassy, unscripted commercials for Mall Chevrolet. The Inquirer’s Michael Klein explains how the two connected and built a popular brand.
Blue Fig Garden is one of the best Mediterranean restaurants in the state, according to BestofNJ.com. The website noted the restaurant at the mall combines Turkish and Mediterranean flavors.
🎳 Things to Do
🍷 Wine Down Wednesday: Enjoy five two-ounce pours of wine and appetizers. ⏰ Wednesday, June 17, 6-8 p.m. 💵 $25 📍 Randall’s Restaurant
🗓️ Juneteenth: Cherry Hill African American Civil Association hosts its sixth annual parade and festival, complete with live music, vendors, food trucks, and a petting zoo. ⏰ Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (Rain date: June 21) 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Croft Farm
🍑 The Peach Truck Tour: The roving peach truck will make a stop at the mall to sell boxes of the fresh fruit (which is good news, since local crops were largely wiped out earlier this year). It’ll return again next month. ⏰ Saturday, June 20, 4:30-6 p.m. 💵 $15-$120 📍 Cherry Hill Mall
🍿 Wicked: For Good: Catch a screening of the sequel to the Broadway hit and popular 2024 film. ⏰ Monday, June 22, 2-4:20 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Cherry Hill Public Library
The brick-front home has a Colonial-style layout.Plush | Courtesy of Jacki Silva Steuer/The Silva Group | OCF Realty
Located in Kresson Woods, this four-bedroom brick Colonial has a bright interior. The living room features large windows and a fireplace and there’s a dining room off the kitchen, which has two-tone cabinetry, granite countertops, a walk-in pantry, and a double oven. All four bedrooms are upstairs, including a primary suite with a walk-in closet. Out back, there’s a patio and a fenced yard.
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The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released a lengthy report detailing major disciplinary actions against law enforcement officers in the state, including a Burlington County correctional officer fired in connection with an inmate’s death.
The 560-page report, made public on Friday, covers hundreds of disciplinary actions taken in 2025.
“Maintaining faith in government and trust in law enforcement requires that residents know the State holds law enforcement to the highest professional standards,” Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said in a statement. “Transparency and accountability are key to maintaining public confidence in our officers.”
The report said Nicholas Morton was fired from the Burlington County Jail after an investigation sustained charges against him for failing to conduct the required security walk-throughs when 74-year-old Kenneth Bulle of Mount Holly allegedly was strangled by his cellmate, Rondale Holloman, in November 2024.
Morton also was accused of failing to immediately notify his supervisors that both inmates made requests to be housed apart from each other, the report said.
Two supervisors were suspended for 15 days in connection with Bulle’s death.
Sgt. Terrance Benson was found to have “neglected to conduct a full and complete security tour of the facility,” the report said.
Lt. Jonathan Carroll was found to have been negligent regarding Bulle’s death.
“His failure to take immediate corrective action delayed the custody and medical staff from responding to the scene with the proper equipment. He neglected to make immediate corrective action on several entries in logbook that were made by his supervisors and officers on duty. As a shift commander he is responsible for his conduct and his subordinates[’] conduct,” the report said.
At the Juvenile Female Secure Care and Intake Facility in Bordentown Township, two correctional officers were fired. Gary Nieves and William Young were criminally charged with sexual assault of residents, the report said.
At the Camden County Correctional Facility, two officers were fired after they were found to have used excessive force on inmates, the report said.
Tee Lormia was fired after he was allegedly found to have performed a roundhouse kick to the head of an inmate, the report said.
Nicholas Taylor was fired after an investigation determined that he lifted an inmate from behind and slammed him to the ground, the report said.
Yamalis Diaz, another Camden County correctional officer, was fired after she pleaded guilty to a charge related to shoplifting, the report said.
A child is dead following a collision with a delivery truck while riding an electric bicycle in Burlington County on Tuesday morning.
Emergency responders were called to the corner of Route 70 and Tranquility Court in Southampton Township around 10:45 a.m. Tuesday after a crash involving a juvenile riding an e-bike and a UPS driver, according to New Jersey State Police officials.
The rider, who has not been publicly identified, was pronounced dead. The police were unable to provide the rider’s age or any other details.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic accident in Southampton Township, NJ,” UPS said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and loved ones. We are fully cooperating with authorities to understand what happened.”
While the exact circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, the tragedy comes as debate around the safety of e-bikes continues to rage across the country given their increased speed and weight compared to traditional bicycles.
The new regulations were born of a similar incident — a 13-year-old Scotch Plains boy died after colliding with a landscaping truck while riding his e-bike last September.
Starting in July, all e-bikes in the Garden State must be registered and insured, whether they are low-speed e-bikes, which require pedaling and cannot exceed 20 mph, or high-speed bikes, called motorized bicycles or e-motos, which can go up to 28 mph.
Riders will also need to be at least 15 years old and need a motorized bicycle license to ride. Those 17 and older can ride an e-bike using a driver’s license.
The New Jersey law treats all e-bikes as the same, whereas most other states that regulate e-bikes tend to focus on e-motos when it comes to license and insurance requirements. The slower pedal-assist bikes face a patchwork of regulations across the country, with some restrictions on where they can go.
The letters that follow Robin Cogan’s name represent some of healthcare’s most impressive achievements. NCSN, nationally certified school nurse. FNASN, fellow of the National Academy of School Nursing. FAAN, fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. Also, RN and MEd.
Then there are the awards. Two-time President’s Award winner from the National Association of School Nurses. The 2017 Population Health Hero Award from the New Jersey Department of Health. The Johnson & Johnson 2017 School Nurse of the Year. And many more.
Robin Cogan joined the Camden City School District as a school nurse in 2001 after training earlier as an art therapist and spending 14 years as a psychiatric clinical nurse and corporate health services manager. It was with the school district and its students, families, and staff where she really found her groove.
For nearly three decades, Robin Cogan championed school safety and population healthcare, and advocated tirelessly for school nurses everywhere. Her website, blog, frequent podcast appearances, and wide-ranging institutional activism gave voice to school nursing stories, and combated gun violence and other pressing problems.
On May 10, Robin Cogan blogged: “The profession is better, and so are countless children, because of the relentless, brilliant nurses who choose school nursing year after year.”
Mrs. Cogan became a school nurse in Camden in 2001.Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
On Thursday, June 11, Robin Cogan died of cancer at Cooper University Hospital in Camden. She was 65.
“Robin dedicated her life to caring for others,” Pamela K. Clark, president of the Camden Education Association, said in a tribute. “Her work extended far beyond the walls of our schools, leaving a lasting impact on the profession she loved.”
Born in Philadelphia, Mrs. Cogan graduated from Cherry Hill West High School in 1978 and earned a bachelor’s degree in art therapy and psychology in 1982 at what is now the College of New Jersey in Trenton. She gained her nursing credentials at the Helene Fuld College of Nursing in New York and Rowan University, and earned a master’s degree in clinical, counseling, and applied psychology at Wilmington University in Delaware in 2009.
As a school nurse in Camden, she oversaw more than 900 students from preschool through eighth grade at Cooper’s Poynt School and, most recently, more than 400 students at three preschools. She took temperatures, counseled worried parents, and personally helped thousands of people weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She influenced policy, championed health equity, elevated the role of school nurses,” a colleague said on Facebook, “and reminded us that one person truly can create ripples that become waves.”
The Inquirer published this story and photos about Mrs. Cogan’s art program in 2019.Newspapers.com
She was featured in The Inquirer and other publications, and appeared on TV and radio programs and podcasts. She focused on “shared values” to connect people, she said often, and posted the motto for her Relentless Nurse website on the homepage: “Be relentless in your practice whatever it is.”
Robin Michelle Cohen was born June 28, 1960. She met Ed Cogan in college, and they married in 1984, lived in Trenton and Cherry Hill, and had twin daughters Allie and Jill.
Mrs. Cogan was driven to address gun violence, she said, after her father survived a mass murder in Camden in 1949, and her niece survived the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. “I hope my legacy is helping solve this crisis,” she told The Inquirer in 2022. “Don’t we owe that to our kids?”
This photo of Mrs. Cogan (left) and others at the old Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill appeared in The Inquirer in 1996.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
She was a talented painter and designed a popular pin that she and a friend sold in a home-based spiritual jewelry and art business. She loved nature and 1970s folk music. She enjoyed hosting Thanksgiving dinners and visiting the Jersey Shore. She was one-time president of the old Temple Emanuel Sisterhood in Cherry Hill.
“She was a helper,” said her daughter Allie. “She was good at relationships and never really turned off her working mind.”
In addition to her husband and daughters, Mrs. Cogan is survived by a granddaughter, Nora, a nephew, Matthew, sisters Lori and Merri, and other relatives.
Private services were held earlier. A celebration of her life is to be held later.
A scrap metal recycling facility in Camden that has been prone to fires is suing the city for suspending its operations after its 13th fire in six years.
The city of Camden this month suspended the EMR scrap metal recycling facility’s junkyard license after a late May two-alarm fire that officials said created smoke plumes that stretched to Gloucester Township. It was the latest in a string of several fires in recent years that have plagued the facility and local Camden residents.
In the complaint, filed Monday and first published by WHYY, the company argues that the city acted outside of its power and did not provide due process by issuing the suspension. The company’s legal team says the pause in operations has cost EMR $10 million in lost revenue and operational expenses, as well as irreparable harm in the “competitive, relationship-driven” industry.
The most recent fire occurred on May 29 at 3 a.m. and was under control about two hours later. It led to air quality alerts and broke out just days after the company installed a new fire suppression system.
The company says it had shut down its shredder to investigate the cause of the fire before the city sent a suspension notice on June 4 ordering it to cease its primary operations. The notice, signed by the city code enforcement officer, states that the suspension will be reassessed after 30 days.
The company said it asked the city on June 12 to continue operating on June 15 after implementing “preventative measures.”
Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen said after that fire, “Enough is enough.”
Camden City President Angel Fuentes (left) and counsel to council Howard McCoach discuss business during a Camden City Council meeting at Camden’s City Hall on Thursday, June 11, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
The Camden City Council voted on a resolution Thursday calling on all regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over the facility, including on the county and national levels, to shut the facility down. The company has faced lawsuits over fires at the facility, including from the state attorney general’s office and local residents.
The resolution cites a joint statement signed by Carstarphen, County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, State Sen. Nilsa-Cruz Perez, City Council President Angel Fuentes, and City Council Vice President Arthur Barclay, all Democrats:
“We will not stand idly by while residents are exposed to fires on a regular basis and have to bear the burdens of an operation that clearly cannot function in a safe manner,” it says in part. “We will no longer allow shelter in place alerts to go out because of another mishap in this scrap metal operation.”
At Thursday’s council meeting, Camden residents called for the facility to be permanently shut down — citing health concerns and other disruptions to their quality of life — and criticized the city for not doing more earlier.
Aliyia Jones becomes emotional during a community meeting for residents, affected by the recent junkyard fire, at MJD Fieldhouse Gym on Broadway in Camden on Sunday, February 23, 2025. Jones was describing her attempt to alert all of her neighbors before fleeing the area with her disabled mother after the fire broke out.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“I just want to say, too little, too late,” said Aliyia Jones, who was among 100 Camden residents who fled their homes after a four-alarm fire at the facility in February 2025.
“No one wants to come here and say ‘finally,’ or ‘thank you,’ or ‘hurrah.’ … We can’t breathe,” she added.
EMR employs 500 people in Camden, including 179 Camden residents, according to the complaint, and if the shutdown continues, employees will face layoffs. EMR workers protested calls to close the facility earlier this month.
Ajeena Riggs, a project manager at the Center for Environmental Transformation, said that she is sympathetic to workers seeking to keep their jobs and that the city and their union should help them find new positions if they lose their employment.
“I don’t blame them for fighting for their jobs,” she said at Thursday’s meeting. “They’re fighting for their livelihood. But the only entity that’s to blame is the EMR.”
The company blames the fires on improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries, but officials said in their joint statement “that story line is old and irrelevant at this point.”
EMR implemented a fire suppression system and agreed to make other changes after entering a memorandum of understanding with the city last summer following the massive February 2025 blaze. Residents at the meeting criticized that agreement as lacking teeth.
Camden city spokesperson Vincent Basara declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Confusion about the potential closing of Brio Italian Grille in Cherry Hill has felt like a nightmare, Grace Ortiz, the restaurant’s general manager, said.
Staff have been inundated with calls inquiring about the closure, which hasn’t been made official by the restaurant, its landlord, or the Brazilian steakhouse interested in the property, causing confusion for some of the employees.
“We’re here. We want to be busy,” Ortiz saidFriday. “Hopefully this blows over.”
Brio has 19 remaining locations nationwide, including the last New Jersey location at Cherry Hill’s Towne Place at Garden State Park. That retail complex, a five-minute drive from the Cherry Hill Mall, features about 20 eateries from the Cheesecake Factory to Kabuki Japanese Cuisine.
The next closest Brio Italian Grille for South Jerseyans is 200 miles away in Farmington, Conn.
42 Freeway, a publication covering development in South Jersey, first reported in May that chain Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse would replace the restaurant. NJ.com followed suit, attributing the news to project plans filed by Fogo de Chão and the owners of Towne Place to the Cherry Hill Township Zoning Board in April.
Those plans propose a remodeled restaurant with 296 seats. Cosmas Diamantis, the municipal attorney for Cherry Hill Township, said in an email that the required zoning permits for the conversion from Brio Italian Grille to Fogo de Chão were already issued.
One zoning permit, obtained in a records request to Cherry Hill Township, referred to the restaurant property as “the former Brio Italian Grille.” A design development presentation dated November 2025 shows renderings for what the Brazilian restaurant could look like at 901 Haddonfield Rd.
But Ortiz said Brio Italian Grille’s corporate office told her that there are no current plans to close down, and that her restaurant just got its liquor license renewed last week. So what’s going on?
Brio Italian Grille in Cherry Hill is located at Towne Place at Garden State Park.Sarah Nicell
Is Brio Italian Grille actually leaving Cherry Hill?
That depends on whom you ask. Brio Italian Grille did not respond to a request for comment, and a spokesperson for Fogo de Chão declined to discuss the potential project.
In Cherry Hill Township and elsewhere, restaurateurs must apply for zoning permits before any changes in occupancy are set in stone. That means there’s no guarantee that Fogo de Chão actually has a lease in hand for 901 Haddonfield Rd.
It’s common for work to never actually start on projects even when they receive zoning permits, a Cherry Hill Township attorney said. In Fogo de Chão’s case, the zoning permit just means the proposed project is permitted to happen, even if it never does.
Since rumors of Brio Italian Grille’s closure have swirled, Joe Morris, an executive for M&M Realty Partners, which owns the landlord entity that manages the site’s tenants, said he has received an influx of people interested in developing the property.
Morris, said Monday that Fogo de Chão has not signed a lease for a lot at Towne Place, but the chain has inquired about joining the Cherry Hill retail center for the last 12 years.
M&M Realty, a New Jersey-based real estate development company, has kept a close eye on Brio Italian Grille after it declared bankruptcy in August and recently closed its Marlton location. Morris said those problems could mean the chain might not reup its lease at Towne Place, and M&M Realty might have to find other viable tenants. Morris declined to share when that lease will expire, though he said the restaurant has “a semi-limited period of time before important decisions have to be made.”
Still, Morris said he has no idea whether Brio Italian Grille is in conversations with Fogo de Chão about giving up the property. He said Brio Italian Grille is “alive and well,” isn’t behind on payments, and continues to spend money on its business.
“There are certain things I know I can’t say. There are certain things I can speculate,” Morris said. “I can absolutely tell you, if Brio gives their space back, Fogo is 100% a tenant we would be interested in speaking with.”
