Category: South Jersey

  • Small shark seen swimming in flooded streets of Surf City during nor’easter

    Small shark seen swimming in flooded streets of Surf City during nor’easter

    A shark was captured on video swimming in the flooded streets of Surf City in Ocean County while the region was battered by the nor’easter last weekend.

    The video was recorded by Drew Procaccino, 66, an adjunct professor at Rider University, around noon on Saturday as the shark swam past his home, he said in a phone interview.

    Procaccino said Surf City was “totally flooded” because of the powerful storm, and he lost internet service for around 48 hours, so he and his wife passed time watching debris float by until his wife noticed something that appeared to be a fish.

    Then they realized it might be a shark, he said.

    “First one we’ve ever seen in front of our house,” Procaccino said.

    At first he shared the video with some news organizations, including ABC News, and then he licensed his video with Storyful, the social media news agency.

    ABC News said a marine researcher reviewed the video and identified the animal as a smooth dogfish, which can be found along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Florida.

    The smooth dogfish, also known as the dusky smooth-hound or dog shark, on average grow to about 48 inches in length, but have been known to measure up to 5 feet.

    Unlike other sharks, the smooth dogfish has flat, blunt teeth for grinding crustaceans and other small prey, rather than sharp teeth for tearing apart animals.

    On Monday, the Barnegat Lighthouse State Park posted a video of a man rescuing a similar shark from shallow water and throwing it back into the ocean inlet.

    “Hero! Bobby Capri takes off his shoes, jumps into the tidepool, catches a dogfish, and throws it back into the inlet — just in time from it becoming lunch for a very interested seagull,” the state park posted.

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  • South Jersey’s century-old amusement park is back up for auction

    South Jersey’s century-old amusement park is back up for auction

    The 119-year-old Clementon Park & Splash World is heading back to auction just weeks after announcing its closure and five years after it was purchased at a bankruptcy auction.

    Potential buyers can either continue operating the park, spanning more than 50 acres in Camden County, as an amusement destination or redevelop the property in a variety of ways, including as a hotel or for retail, residential, or entertainment uses, according to the property listing.

    The public auction is set to begin Oct. 19 at noon with bids starting at $1.5 million, the listing shows. The 48-hour auction window is scheduled to close at noon on Oct. 21.

    IB Parks & Entertainment bought the park for $2.37 million in the 2021 bankruptcy auction after financial struggles forced the park to shut down suddenly two years earlier.

    The company operated the park for five seasons before announcing its closure at the end of Labor Day weekend this year.

    “After five memorable years, we are saddened to announce that we have made the difficult decision to close the park and plan to offer the park for sale,” the company said in a statement announcing the closure on its website and social media accounts earlier this month. “It has been a privilege to care for a place that has meant so much to generations of families.”

    At the time of the closure, the park was one of five amusement properties owned by the company, including West Berlin’s Sahara Sam’s.

    IB Parks & Entertainment did not respond to requests for comment.

    Clementon Park opened in 1907 as the brainchild of state Assembly member Theodore B. Gibbs and his sons and quickly became a popular destination for families across South Jersey.

    After years of being independently owned by various families, the park was bought by its first private amusement park operation company in 2007.

    With various management companies at the helm over the next decade, the park expanded significantly with the addition of new thrill rides, children’s attractions, and a 23,000-square-foot wave pool.

  • No ICE detention in South Jersey | Inquirer South Jersey

    No ICE detention in South Jersey | Inquirer South Jersey

    Good morning, South Jersey.

    President Donald Trump’s administration scrapped its plans to build an ICE detention center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

    And employees of many South Jersey school districts will have to grapple with a steep increase in healthcare costs in the new year.

    Plus, Camden County voters will decide in November whether to increase a tax to help their waterways, and more news of the day.

    — Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)

    P.S. Thank you for your ongoing support. Tell us your opinion of the newsletter by taking our survey or replying to this email.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    Trump scraps ICE detention at base

    The Trump administration is no longer planning to detain immigrants at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

    Back in July 2025, the administration confirmed its intent to hold detainees at the military base to support the president’s goals for mass deportations. The base, which spreads through Burlington and Ocean Counties, can hold an estimated 1,000 to 3,000 people.

    Fast forward to fall of the same year, officials told the office they weren’t moving forward with the plans.

    The Inquirer’s Jeff Gammage has more on the reversal.

    Coming in 2027: Healthcare costs hike for educators

    Teachers and other school staff in Camden, Pemberton, Evesham, and nine other local districts will have to grapple with higher healthcare costs next year.

    They’re among the 300,000 public school and county college employees across the state who will be impacted by health insurance premiums rising by more than a third.

    The School Employees Health Benefits Commission voted 4-2 to accept the premiums on Friday. If it hadn’t, Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration would have shuttered the program in the new year.

    According to the New Jersey School Boards Association, school districts and colleges will likely need to consider options such as job cuts, transportation reductions, and property tax increases.

    Reporter Susan K. Livio explains how it got to this point.

    What to know today

    • In November, Camden County voters will decide whether to increase the open space tax by one cent per $100 of property owned. The increase would partly fund a $400 million project to rehab sewers and waterways. The Inquirer’s Aliya Schneider explains what to know about the project the referendum would support.
    • Students at Aura Elementary School in Elk Township are pivoting to remote learning because of the building’s flea infestation.
    • Much of the Pine Barrens region will be the focus of a new study to assess climate change threats. It will include Evesham, Medford, Medford Lakes, Shamong, and Tabernacle.
    • Local officials opened seven new piers Tuesday at the 103-acre Newton Lake Park that runs through Oaklyn, Collingswood, and Haddon Township.
    • Mikey the sulcata tortoise was reunited with his owner after he was found wandering alone Monday in Monroe Township.
    • Consumer Reports is no longer recommending e-scooters because of the machines’ high speeds and the nationwide uptick in injuries associated with them. E-scooters are less stable than e-bikes, but there are recent limits on those as well. New Jersey’s e-bike laws requiring licenses, registrations, and, in some cases, insurance went into effect in July.
    • This past weekend’s nor’easter put on display the limits of computer models. Meanwhile, the region could be affected this weekend by the remnants of a tropical storm from the Pacific.

    🧠 Trivia time

    Which park got its own beer to celebrate its 100th birthday?

    A) Washington Lake Park

    B) Cooper River Park

    C) Laurel Acres Park

    D) Scotland Run Park

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What we’re …

    🥊 Celebrating: Rocky season.

    🍽️ Testing: Michelinflation — the idea that prices increase after restaurants get a star.

    🏀 Following: Tyrese Maxey’s tour of his old stomping grounds as he promoted his new signature shoes.

    🧩 Unscramble the anagram

    Hint: 🚗 On the highway

    HOW EITHER SPIKE

    Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Wael Kanj, who solved last Wednesday’s anagram: Kiss & Tale. The romance bookshop opened in Collingswood in 2024.

    🏡 On the market

    A Sicklerville home with high ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace

    Highlights of this four-bedroom, four-bathroom home include 18-foot ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace, a finished basement, a home theater, and granite countertops and double ovens in the kitchen. Outside the home, enjoy the deck in the fenced backyard for extra entertaining. There’s an open house Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m.

    See more photos of the property here.

    Price: $657,750 | Size: 4,875 SF | Acreage: 0.37

    Congrats on making it halfway to the weekend. Happy hump day, and I’ll see you tomorrow. 👋🏽

    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.

  • Camden County voters will decide whether to pay more taxes to prevent sewage from entering the Cooper River

    Camden County voters will decide whether to pay more taxes to prevent sewage from entering the Cooper River

    The temperature was in the low 70s with a light breeze and clear skies. It was perfect boating weather. A group of students from Philadelphia’s Maritime Academy were excited to paddle out onto the Cooper River.

    But Don Baugh from the Upstream Alliance had to cancel the trip. The water was still too dirty from the weekend’s heavy rain, which can cause sewage to spit out into the river from old pipes in Camden.

    “Our goal is that we don’t have to cancel at all … we’d be able to say anybody can recreate, play, swim, on this water 365 days of the year, whether it rained or not,” Baugh said from his motorboat on Tuesday, surrounded by greenery and mud-colored water.

    That is why Baugh hopes voters will support a ballot referendum in Camden County that would increase the open space tax by one cent per $100 of property owned. That one-cent increase would go toward the county’s ambitious plan to rehabilitate its sewers and waterways through a multifaceted initiative that is slated to cost about $400 million across the next 10 years. It has become more urgent, county officials say, as powerful storms and flooding become more commonplace due to climate change.

    The nonprofit Upstream Alliance provides free kayaking to the public, but the organization has had to cancel about 20% of its programming due to concerns about water cleanliness, Baugh said. His rule of thumb is to wait 48 hours after half an inch of rain falls before allowing people in the water, so the bacteria from the sewage can die. But even that was not enough time following the weekend’s storm.

    Put frankly, the water still looked “yucky,” Baugh said, so he was not going to expose people to it.

    Olivia Liu with Upstream Alliance on the Cooper River in Camden County on Tuesday. A tax increase ballot referendum would fund projects like sewer rehabilitations aimed at improving the county’s waterways.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    What is the referendum?

    Camden County voters have already been receiving their mail ballots for the Nov. 3 election. One of the decisions they face is whether to raise the county’s open space tax by one cent — bringing it to $0.03 per $100 of assessed property value. If it passes, the tax will still be one cent lower than in neighboring Burlington and Gloucester Counties.

    This means that someone with property assessed at $500,000 would pay $150 a year toward open space, up from $100 at the current $0.02 rate.

    The county’s open space tax is used to preserve parks, farmland, and historic sites. But the one-cent increase would be dedicated to the county’s $400 million clean water plan, which includes sewer repairs along the Cooper River, green infrastructure, dredging in local lakes, and recreation programs.

    “The county is making a very bold step doing this now, and, frankly, nobody wants a tax, right? But everybody wants a higher quality of life,” Baugh said. “Everybody wants a safe and clean environment today and for tomorrow.”

    Scott Schreiber, the executive director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA) — the entity overseeing the project — believes the county could raise about $7 million from the tax increase, which could result in approximately $100 million worth of project funding through the New Jersey Water Bank, which offers the entity very low interest rates and principal forgiveness.

    The existing user rate that residents pay to the CCMUA will go toward the projects, Schreiber said, and the county will also seek out funds from the state and federal governments, as well as philanthropies.

    “It’s not one entity that can fix this,” Schreiber said. “This is going to take a combination of local government, state, federal government, advocacy groups, and the regular public to make this work. Without that combination of people and funding, it’s going to be really impossible to fix any of this stuff.”

    Here is what the $400 million effort, which the tax increase would go toward funding, entails.

    A combined sewer overflow site during low tide on Tuesday. This 60-inch discharge pipe spits out untreated wastewater and stormwater during heavy rain events, which flow directly into the back channel of the Delaware River.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    The sewer problem

    The cities of Camden and Gloucester have an antiquated sewage system that combines stormwater and sewage in the same pipes. The pipes are designed to carry the combined liquid to the wastewater treatment plant, but when there is heavy rain, they can overflow and the contaminated water spits into the Cooper and Delaware Rivers. The overflow from the combined pipes can cause flooding — and then residents are subjected to sewage-infested waters in their streets and homes.

    “These are the old stone pipes that were built before the current technology,” Camden County Commissioner Jeffrey Nash said.

    “But as both cities grew, and the storms have become more violent, and rain has become more excessive … flooding has been a large problem,” he added.

    On top of the risks to humans, the nutrients from the human waste are harmful for aquatic life.

    There are 30 combined sewage overflow spots in the two cities, Schreiber said, that dump waste into the river when there is heavy rain and the system cannot handle it. Just one of the larger combined pipes pours out about 200 million gallons of sewage-filled water a year, he said, and the two cities dump out about 800 million gallons on average altogether.

    The county wants to spend $200 million to upgrade this system.

    The rest of the county has separate stormwater and sewage pipes, but they still need to be maintained. Leaky pipes can also cause sewage to spill into the river.

    The county plans to spend about $50 million for the rehabilitation of these sewer systems across multiple municipalities. The county has already begun the design process for lining some of these pipes, Schreiber said.

    The bottom line is, the Cooper River — which runs from Gibbsboro and Voorhees out to the Delaware River — does not meet state and federal water quality standards, he said, so the county is taking a “holistic approach” to fix the waterway that flows through multiple municipalities.

    Wildlife along the back channel of the Delaware River near the Cooper River on Tuesday.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Green infrastructure

    The plan also includes $25 million for green infrastructure, like rain gardens or bioswales, which are typically sloped channels covered with vegetation.

    Green infrastructure gets water directly into the ground, which helps with flooding and decreases the amount of water going through the pipes to the treatment plant, overall alleviating the system. This infrastructure, however, requires expensive and ongoing maintenance, Schreiber said.

    “The more that you contain the water on the land, the better it is for the water,” Baugh said.

    Dredging

    The project also includes $75 million for dredging and other methods of removing sediment from public waterways. This sediment includes toxins that end up in the water from residential and business areas, and if it is not removed, waterways can become defunct. It is part of what makes Camden County’s waterways brown after heavy rain, because “a lot of not-good stuff on the bottom” gets stirred up, Schreiber said.

    “We really want to make sure that we’re taking that sediment out, so that even if it does get disturbed and move, it’s moving clean sediment and not polluting or contaminating,” he added.

    Cleaning up Evans Pond and Wallworth Lake, Cooper River Lake, and Kirkwood Lake are priorities for the county.

    Newton Lake Park, which runs through Haddon Township, Collingswood, and Oaklyn, finished a two-year, $23 million dredging process in 2023 that rehabilitated the lake after it became clogged. And just on Tuesday, the county unveiled the results of a $1.3 million project to improve fishing piers at the rejuvenated lake.

    Don Baugh, president and founder of Upstream Alliance is on the Delaware River on Tuesday with Scott Schreiber (right), executive director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, looking at sewage runoff from Camden’s waterways.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Parts of Camden’s waterways are littered with lead and arsenic that was used in apple orchards decades ago in places like Cherry Hill and Voorhees, as well as toxins from the Sherwin-Williams/Hilliards Creek Superfund site, the location of a former paint manufacturer in Gibbsboro.

    Recreation

    Baugh said local families who do not have experience on the water and might not know how to swim show up to his free Saturday kayaking program disappointed that they cannot go out on a nice day. As the county gradually addresses its sewage issues, he expects to feel better putting people out on the water under his 48-hour rule and one day get rid of it completely.

    And the county’s plan would give more options for residents to enjoy their local waters, with $50 million allocated to restoring recreational lake areas. This effort aims to bring more fishing piers, kayak rentals, boat launches, and water trail systems, Schreiber said. The county is prioritizing rehabilitating Atco Lake, Lake Worth, and Audubon Lake, according to its planning document.

    Nash described exploring the county’s urban waterways as a “great thrill.” He wants more residents in Camden to enjoy it, too.

    Each of the plan’s components has distinct advantages, but taken together their benefits amplify, Schreiber said.

    “And if you do that holistically from the top of the county all the way down, you’re going to have a much more clean and friendly park system and river water system,” he added.

  • Willingboro’s new Performing Arts Center is opening with a kickoff concert this weekend

    Willingboro’s new Performing Arts Center is opening with a kickoff concert this weekend

    Willingboro is finally ready to raise the curtain on the township’s new arts and culture venue with its first performance on Saturday.

    The celebration for the opening of the new 570-seat Willingboro Performing Arts Center, located in the Kennedy Center, will kick off with a performance by R&B group Atlantic Starr.

    Crews transformed what was previously the high school auditorium into a revamped space designed for concerts, theatre productions, dance performances, lectures, and more.

    The venue “is envisioned as a premier community gathering place where residents and visitors can enjoy concerts, theatrical productions, cultural programs, family entertainment, community events, and other performing arts experiences,” the township said in a press release announcing the opening.

    Another highlight of the new space is that it gives Burlington County residents the chance to see world-class performances without needing to cross the bridge into Philadelphia, theater manager Bobby Duckett said.

    “We want to invite everybody from the region to come by and see what we do,” Duckett said.

    Following years of informal discussion about creating a hub for the performing arts in town, the effort to build the new concert hall started in earnest around 2023, Willingboro spokesperson Tanya Jackson said. The project cost around $2 million, with about half from township capital funds and half from state funding, she said.

    “Willingboro is the home of many talented artists and performers, and we just wanted to create a space for residents and surrounding community members to come together to experience music and theatre, cultural programming, and those types of things,” Jackson said. “Willingboro is an ideal place for a performing arts center just based on all of the great talent that has come through this community.”

    After opening night, the new venue has two more shows currently scheduled for this fall: a concert by R&B group The Manhattans on Oct. 24 and a performance by percussionist Tito Puente Jr. on Nov. 20.

    Tickets and more information are available on the center’s website.

    “Willingboro has a very rich legacy in the entertainment world,” Duckett said. “[The center is] about bringing those people back to be a part of it as we develop the next generation of talented people from this community.”

  • The best things to do in South Jersey this weekend

    The best things to do in South Jersey this weekend

    The weekend is so close. If you need help settling on plans, check out this list of our favorite things to do in South Jersey this weekend.

    Come back every week, and you’ll always have something fun on your radar.

    Boos & Brews Witches’ Market

    Check out this witch-themed market full of themed vendors and activities. Stick around for food trucks, a costume contest, performances, and a beer garden.

    ⌚️ Friday, Oct. 2, 5-9 p.m. 📍 Rancocas Woods Events and Shops, 118 Creek Rd., Mount Laurel 🌐 facebook.com 💵 Pay as you go

    Make & Take: Flower Power Pumpkins

    Listen to a lecture about growing your own pumpkins and drying and pressing flowers as you decorate a gourd.

    ⌚️ Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.-noon 📍 508 Lakeland Rd., Gloucester Township 🌐 eventbrite.com 💵 $17.85

    Collingswood Book Festival

    The 24th annual festival is back spanning six blocks of Haddon Avenue. Come to meet booksellers and stay for author and poetry readings, performances, and workshops.

    ⌚️ Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m- 4 p.m. 📍 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood 🌐 collingswoodbookfestival.com 💵 Free

    Cranberry Fest: Fine Arts & Crafts on Farnsworth

    Bordentown’s 36th annual cranberry fest returns with live music, a food court, a beer garden, and more than 100 artisans.

    ⌚️ Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m- 5 p.m. 📍 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown 🌐 btownfest.com 💵 Pay as you go

    Clayton Fall Festival

    Celebrate the cooler season with crafts, a trunk-or-treat, and music.

    ⌚️ Saturday, Oct. 3, noon-4 p.m. (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 4) 📍 Autumn Pasquale Memorial Park, 29 East Ave., Clayton 🌐 facebook.com 💵 Free

    The Rocky Horror Picture Show

    Step into spooky season with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This event will feature original member Barry Bostwick, who played Brad Majors in the film. The audience will have opportunities to meet him, compete in a costume contest, and interact with a live performance by the local Spooktacular Shadow Cast performing scenes as the film plays.

    ⌚️ Sunday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m. 📍 Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood 🌐 scottishriteauditorium.com 💵 $29-$100

    The Great Pumpkin Glow

    Brand new this year for Halloween, the Great Pumpkin Glow will feature thousands of glowing jack-o’-lanterns. Walk through the pathway, take festive pictures, and indulge in some treats.

    ⌚️ Friday, Sept. 25-Saturday, Oct. 31, various evening times 📍 Dalton Farms, 666 Oak Grove Rd., Swedesboro 🌐 greatpumpkinglownj.com 💵 $22.95-$27.95

    Live Jazz at blueplate

    The restaurant blueplate offers live jazz during the summer on some Friday evenings and Sunday mornings.

    ⌚️ Fridays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. through the end of September; Sundays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. through the first weekend in October 📍 47 S. Main St., Mullica Hill 🌐 blueplatenj.com 💵 Pay as you go

    Yoga at Cooper River Park

    Take a free yoga class. All ages are welcome, but bring your own yoga mat.

    ⌚️ Mondays, 6-7 p.m.; Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m.; and Thursdays, 6-7 p.m. through Oct. 1 📍 Cooper River Park, 5300 North Park Dr., Pennsauken 🌐 camdencounty.com 💵 Free, but registration is required

    Burlington County Farmers Market

    Come by one of the most popular farmers markets in the region, offering local fruits, vegetables, honey, cheese, baked goods, and more.

    ⌚️ Every Saturday through Nov. 14, 8:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.📍 Burlington County Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Rd., Moorestown, 🌐 www.burlcoagcenter.com 💵 Pay as you go

    Collingswood Farmers Market

    The Saturday market brings fresh produce, meat, coffee, flowers, and live music to Collingswood and supports the region’s farmers every week.

    ⌚️ Every Saturday through Nov. 21, 8 a.m.-noon 📍 Atlantic Avenue between Collings and Irvin Avenues (along PATCO), Collingswood 🌐 collingswoodmarket.com 💵 Pay as you go

    Haddon Heights Farmers Market

    This Sunday farmers market offers multiple vendors selling fresh produce, crafts, and other entertainment from local businesses.

    ⌚️ Sundays through Nov. 22, 9:30 a.m.–1p.m. 📍 The intersection of Station and Atlantic Avenues, Haddon Heights 🌐 haddonheightsfarmersmarket.com 💵 Pay as you go

    This roundup is updated midweek.

  • Seven new fishing piers are opening at Newton Lake Park in Camden County

    Seven new fishing piers are opening at Newton Lake Park in Camden County

    Surrounded by government officials with fishing rods, Nancy MacGregor proved herself to be the master angler of the afternoon at the 103-acre Newton Lake Park on Tuesday.

    MacGregor, president of the Oaklyn Borough Council, pulled in a four-inch fish and, with a shocked look, asked what to do next. Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr., who spent time as a kid fishing in the park that runs through Oaklyn, Collingswood, and Haddon Township, removed the tiny catch from the hook and tossed it back into the lake.

    Cappelli, MacGregor, and others were there to officially open seven new fishing piers at the park that replaced deteriorated ones from the 1930s, a $1.3 million project developed using open space funds.

    “These piers are safer, stronger, and fully ADA compliant, making sure residents of all abilities can enjoy fishing, spend time along the water, or simply enjoy everything Newton Lake has to offer,” Cappelli said at the opening.

    Newton Lake has several varieties of fish, including large-mouth bass and catfish. They are strictly catch-and-release and not safe to eat, according to the county.

    Olivia Liu of the nonprofit Upstream Alliance said the piers mean more than just catching fish. Looking on is, from left, Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward, Camden County Commissioner Edward T. McDonnell, and County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr.Neill Borowski for The Inquirer

    Improved paths near the piers will be the next phase of the project, said Jeremy Noll, whose company, Environmental Resolutions Inc. of Mount Laurel, oversaw the project. Some will be raised so they are not covered in mud during heavy rain, which is an issue with the current ones, he said.

    The piers are also 6 to 8 inches higher than the old ones, so they will be accessible when Newton Lake rises.

    Noll said he expects the piers to last 50 years, but the decking may need to be replaced after 20 years.

    Local leaders at the opening said they are excited for the public to visit the piers, which are free to use.

    “This project here today isn’t just about catching fish. It’s about improving people’s quality of life and creating fun, engaging, and meaningful outdoor experiences right in their own backyard,” Olivia Liu, program and communications director for the nonprofit Upstream Alliance, told the group. “It’s about having the opportunity to love and appreciate the community that you live in.”

  • Burlington County’s Pinelands will be the focus of a new climate change study

    Burlington County’s Pinelands will be the focus of a new climate change study

    A large part of South Jersey’s sprawling Pine Barrens region will be the focus of a new climate change study.

    The Burlington County Southwest Pinelands Regional Resiliency Study will assess the climate change threats facing Evesham, Medford, Medford Lakes, Shamong, and Tabernacle, and it will be led by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) in partnership with Burlington County and the nonprofit Pinelands Alliance.

    The study will also include suggestions for how these towns can better recover from future climate events such as wildfires, floods, heatwaves, and more.

    “Climate change is no longer abstract or theoretical; it’s now a physical reality impacting our communities and infrastructure,” Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel said in a statement. “No part of Burlington County is immune, and Burlington County’s Pinelands towns are increasingly at risk from more frequent and intense wildfires, inland flooding, droughts, heatwaves, storms, and other impacts from climate change.”

    Experts will utilize climate and environmental data, impacts from past weather events, and more to identify the region’s climate vulnerabilities and develop resiliency action plans, according to a statement from the county.

    Burlington County and each of the participating towns will also be eligible for up to $350,000 in grant funding from the NJDEP to put the resiliency plans in place.

    The county expects to begin work on the study in early 2027 and to conduct various workshops and surveys to get public input, said Burlington County spokesperson David Levinsky.

    The Pinelands study comes not long after the county completed a similar climate change resiliency investigation of the Route 130 corridor stretching across 11 municipalities and along the Delaware River and its tributaries.

    The previous study took a little more than a year to complete, Levinsky said, and officials predict that the timeline for the forthcoming work will be similar.

    “The Route 130 Corridor Study generated substantial public input and engagement from our Delaware River communities and resulted in recommendations for each municipality to take to mitigate climate change threats,” Eckel said. “We’re excited to partner with the NJDEP again on this new study focused on our Pinelands towns and the climate challenges unique to them. We’re hoping to get the same kind of public engagement, and that the end result is an action plan that helps these communities become better prepared.”

    Both studies are part of the agency’s Resilient NJ program, established in 2014 to help communities across the state plan for potential climate change impacts.

  • A Gloucester County elementary school has moved to remote learning after a flea infestation

    A Gloucester County elementary school has moved to remote learning after a flea infestation

    Students at Aura Elementary School in Elk Township are learning remotely until further notice as the district responds to a flea infestation in the building.

    Aura, which teaches kindergarten through sixth grade, closed the school for two days starting Sept. 17 to treat the infestation, first through an organic treatment and then with a chemical treatment, said Fran Ciociola, superintendent of Delsea Regional School District in Gloucester County. Staff first noticed the fleas in the library.

    Students then learned off-site temporarily at Hardingville Bible Church and Total Turf in Pitman, Ciociola said, but then the county required Aura to move to remote learning instead.

    There is no timeline yet for when students will return to in-person class, and it is unclear whether the fleas have spread.

    “The treatment has been ongoing and we hope to be back in the building soon,” Ciociola said in an email.

    James Rambo, Elk Township’s mayor, posted Monday on Facebook offering “any township support that could help get our students back in the classroom sooner.”

    “Our shared priority is getting our children back into a safe learning environment as quickly as possible,” Rambo wrote.

    Other South Jersey school districts have faced closures of their own this September. Camden County’s Lindenwold School 4, which went remote after fire damage earlier this month, reopened last week.

    Plus, the first day of school for students in Mantua Township was pushed back after storms left thousands without power and roadways blocked.

  • Suing over missing donations | Inquirer South Jersey

    Suing over missing donations | Inquirer South Jersey

    Good morning, South Jersey.

    Camden is in a legal fight with the EMR scrap metal recycling facility over more than a million dollars-worth of promised donations.

    And new state guidelines could exacerbate an existing issue of finding available referees for youth sports in New Jersey.

    Plus, Cinnaminson voters approved a $57.7 million school bond referendum, and more news of the day.

    — Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)

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    A legal fight over donations

    Camden is suing EMR over missing donations.

    According to the city of Camden, the facility did not fulfill its promise to donate more than a million dollars toward community initiatives based on a 2025 agreement that was established in response to a massive fire the same year.

    But the scrapyard is claiming that its allocation of nearly $2.3 million in a separate community fund that it’s been paying since 2023 should count toward the 2025 deal.

    The new fund is earmarked for improvement initiatives, particularly for residents of the Waterfront South neighborhood who have been most impacted by EMR’s dozen-plus fires in the past six years.

    Reporter Lacey Latch has the story.

    Higher costs, fewer refs

    In the world of youth sports, the number of officials available to referee games has decreased while the costs of hiring them have only risen.

    And starting Oct. 1, it might get even more expensive.

    South Jersey athletic directors are worried that the state’s new labor regulations will classify more amateur sports officials as employees rather than independent contractors.

    The associations of amateur officials are also concerned about what that means for them. But a proposed law could help.

    The Inquirer’s Isabella DiAmore has more on what the future of youth sports in New Jersey could look like.

    What to know today

    • Cinnaminson voters approved the $57.7 million school bond referendum, the largest in the school system’s history, by only nine votes.
    • U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey attempted to distance himself from President Donald Trump during a debate with his Democratic challenger, Rebecca Bennett, on Sunday, but he backs the president on Iran and tariffs, the New York Times reports.
    • A proposed Super Wawa on Route 73 on the Voorhees–Berlin border will likely be approved next month despite resident protests and a rejection by the Voorhees planning board, according to 70and73.
    • A Voorhees woman has been crowned Pancheros’ Queso Queen after ordering it 235 times since last September.
    • Sculptor Zenos Frudakis’ first public large-scale commission piece was of a boy riding an elephant in the now-closed Burlington Center Mall. His other works can be seen at Citizens Bank Park, Elmwood Park Zoo, Philadelphia International Airport, and more locations in the Philly area.
    • And one quick fact-check: Three lobsters did not break out of Cape May’s Lobster House during this weekend’s nor’easter. There is a video of the waterlogged dining room, but internet jokesters enhanced it to add the lobster break.

    🗣️ Quote of the week

    For the past decade, South Jersey native Carmen “Big Carm” Conti has been a dedicated Eagles tailgater. For the most recent Eagles opener, he hosted dozens of people, complete with a wing competition and DJ set.

    Today, he’s a leader in the push to protect large-scale tailgates after proposed guidelines would crack down on them.

    🧠 Trivia time

    Comedian TaTa Sherise is from which South Jersey city?

    A) Camden

    B) Burlington

    C) Gloucester City

    D) Sea Isle

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What we’re …

    🏀 Reliving: The first look at LeBron James in a Sixers uniform.

    🏡 Wondering: If you’re a homeowner, what strategies worked and what didn’t during the homebuying process?

    🥄 Craving: Pepper pot.

    I’ll be back with more news for you tomorrow. 👋🏽

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