Creating their forever home was a labor of love for Wendy Whittington and Fred Duffy.
The couple, on the cusp of retiring from medical careers in Dallas, spent several years designing the Strathmere home they moved into this summer. It’s a showcase of their passions: family, books, travel, and wine.
“We wanted to recreate an old beach house with the feel of the Shore we knew from growing up,” said Whittington. She grew up in nearby Dennis Township and Duffy visited Long Beach Island in his youth.
An ornate candle holder, a gift from Wendy Whittington for her husband, Fred Duffy, sits in a nook in the living space.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The InquirerThe main bedroom of the Strathmere home.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
“We have a big family and wanted a place that was welcoming,” Whittington said, “a gathering place.”
So they razed and rebuilt the house they had bought a decade earlier. They had purchased the rundown two-bedroom ranch as a rental property, with a plan to replace it later.
“We had an affinity for coming back to the beach and Strathmere worked for both of us,” said Whittington. “It felt like coming home.”
The uppermost deck offers a view of the ocean.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
But the house was too small for their large blended family. Together they have eight children, four of whom now have spouses.
Working with Halliday Architects and Oliver Custom Home Builders, they spent about four years designing and almost two years building the new house. The roughly 4,000-square-foot home has two main floors. The second floor, where the couple spend most of their time, includes a spacious kitchen and den, primary bedroom and sitting area, Duffy’s office, and a secret wine cave.
A custom-made bookcase has a hidden door that leads to a refrigerated wine storage area.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The InquirerWhittington and Duffy enjoy collecting and tasting wine.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
The first floor is where their kids hang out. It has three bedrooms, a second kitchen, and Whittington’s study.
“The kids are welcome upstairs, but they aren’t encouraged to come up,” joked Duffy. “That’s our sanctuary.”
Despite the boundary, “everybody always ends up in the kitchen anyway,” Whittington said. So “we wanted a kitchen big enough to allow for that.”
Whittington and Duffy both enjoy cooking. Their main kitchen was designed with functionality in mind, and includes a large quartz island, Thermador appliances with a five-burner gas stove, double ovens, a pot filler, a copper sink, and lots of storage space.
The second-floor main kitchen, one of two, is spacious, with ample seating and a large pantry area.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
The open-concept layout allows guests to mingle in the sitting area, a cozy room with a fireplace, comfortable couches, and a stunning view of the ocean. Large walnut bookcases are filled with books, evidence of their passion for reading. Hidden behind one of the bookcases is the temperature-controlled wine grotto.
The pair often eat at the bistro table in the corner. When the house is full of guests, they eat in the dining room at an oak table they bought from Land & Sea Furniture in Ocean View. Custom made by Amish woodworkers, it seats 14.
The extensive use of wood throughout the home is one of its most striking features. Rich mahogany defines the exterior trim and extends to the ceiling of the couple’s primary bedroom. Inside, walnut takes center stage, featured in the flooring, trim, and distinctive banisters.
Whittington and Duffy, passionate readers, built a library area with a custom bookcase and a custom walnut banister.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
The home is filled with treasures from their travels, as well as finds from stores in Philadelphia, antique shops in Cape May, and Etsy. The door knocker, which dates back to the 18th century, was found on a trip to Barcelona and the fish-shaped outdoor shower handles came from Uruguay. They discovered several hammered steel pieces of art in Haiti.
At Architectural Antiques Exchange in Philadelphia, they found the Belgian cabinet they converted into the powder room vanity, the stained glass for the transoms in the kitchen, and the stained glass door for Whittington’s study.
“Everything is personal and has a story,” said Duffy.
The light fixtures are among their favorite accents. They aimed for period-appropriate pieces with a whimsical flair. For example, the dining room lights are original milk glass and the second-floor living room chandelier is brass. The two matching stairwell lights are vintage Venetian mouth-blown Murano caged-glass bubble lanterns.
Whimsical wallpaper brings fun and funky beach designs into the home, featuring fish, octopus, crabs, and seagulls.
Light fixtures believed to be over 100 years old hang in the library area.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The InquirerThe vibrant jellyfish pattern in this bathroom is one of several eye-catching wallpaper treatments in the house.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The InquirerAn antique door knocker greets visitors to the home.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The InquirerA stained glass window above a doorway off the second-floor kitchen.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
The home boasts several outdoor spaces, including a grassy backyard. From the large roof deck, Duffy and Whittington can take in both sunrises and sunsets, and the cozy front porch is where they read and relax. The primary bedroom and a guest bedroom also have walk-out decks.
“We enjoy sitting on the deck, looking at the stars, listening to the ocean, and having a bottle of wine,” said Whittington. “That’s blissful.”
Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.
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Collingswood has garnered a reputation for its vibrant downtown, which is clear to see in its daytime foot traffic.
But according to the town’s business owners, it’s a different story during the weekday evenings. And they seem to agree that’s because of Collingwood’s dry status.
While they deal with slower nights, a few eye nearby Haddonfield, which is also a dry town but allows businesses to operate under state-issued manufacturing licenses beyond just beer. It’s the reason why it now has a brewery, a wine tasting room, and a distillery.
An influx of $130 million transformed a Camden high-rise previously known for its poor living conditions.
The affordable housing tower once known as Northgate 1 is now The Encore.
Extensive renovations allowed all of the units to get new kitchens, bathrooms, HVAC, and more. It also beefed up security measures like cameras, access control, and fencing.
The building is restricted to households that make no more than 60% of the median income.
Cleanup from Saturday’s series of microburst storms was still ongoing on Monday. The storms caused flooding on several roads in West Deptford, Woodbury, and Woodbury Heights. Red Bank Battlefield is closed until further notice because of significant damage, according to officials from National Park.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill launched SimpleFile, a new and free website for families to apply for the state’s Child Tax Credit.
Two Camden students became champions of the Philadelphia MLB Players STEM League regional tournament. Their prize included tickets to a Phillies game and a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.
Drive-thru-only coffeehouse chain 7 Brew Coffee is one step closer to opening in Lawnside. 42 Freeway reports that last week, crews demolished the former gas station on the White Horse Pike property that will soon become the new store.
Gather To Graze, the business known for its charcuterie boxes and boards, will move from Mullica Hill to downtown Swedesboro, according to 42 Freeway.
🗣️ Quote of the week
The recent high school graduate from Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees only started running track as a freshman. She’s now one of the most accomplished runners in state history.
An apartment building with living conditions that Camden’s mayor described as “deplorable” just two years ago has undergone a transformation thanks to a $130 million overhaul.
Now under the ownership of Hudson Valley Property Group, the 321-unit building is nearly unrecognizable following top-to-bottom renovations that were completed in August 2025. Each unit was equipped with new kitchens, bathrooms, HVAC, and more as residents remained in the building throughout the construction process via on-site relocation.
Formerly known as Northgate 1, the long-troubled North Camden apartment building has been transformed by a $130 million renovation.Linda Pedroso
The building’s future as affordable housing has also been secured for the next 20 years after the company extended the property’s Section 8 contract, ensuring residents for 96.5% of the units pay no more than 30% of their income on rent. The Encore is also restricted to households earning no more than 60% of the median income.
“They did everything they said they were going to do as far as fixing up the units and giving us a lot of amenities and other things like that,” said Karen Merricks, a nearly 30-year resident of the building and president of the tenant’s association.
Built in 1962 and now called The Encore, the apartment tower overlooking the Benjamin Franklin Bridge was viewed at the time as a sign that Camden’s future was bright.
Billed as a luxury residence, the building featured amenities like a swimming pool, a shopping “colonnade,” an underground garage, and a two-story penthouse with private roof deck access.
But the vision for the tower never materialized, and soon saw high vacancy rates and an ownership change decades later.
The Encore includes a playground, gym, business center, and community room for residents in North Camden.Linda Pedroso
The building continued to deteriorate over time as maintenance requests went unanswered, units were illegally sublet, and it became a site for drug activity, Merricks said.
“Just a lot of chaos and confusion,” Merricks said of that time.
For the first time in her nearly three decades as a resident, she began to feel unsafe in the building she called home.
Merricks was not alone, which is why safety was one of the first things Hudson Valley worked to address when they took ownership of the building in 2024, said Andy Cavaluzzi, cofounder and partner of Hudson Valley Property Group.
“A tremendous amount went in there because we wanted to be able to change not just the physical side of [the building]. … We were changing the whole perception and the culture, and that starts then with the operations and security,” Cavaluzzi said.
They worked on developing a security plan for the building that included a small number of armed personnel as well as major upgrades like cameras, access control, perimeter fencing, and vehicular gates.
“Now I’m back to feeling safe,” Merricks said. “They have armed guards here, security to make sure that no one’s coming in, roaming the hallways, smoking drugs in the exits, and stuff like that. That’s all been eliminated.”
‘Every part of the building was touched’
Hudson Valley Property Group spent about $150,000 on each unit’s renovations at The Encore.Linda Pedroso
New York-based Hudson Valley Property Group specializes in projects like The Encore — buying rental properties with troubled histories and preserving affordable apartments and undertaking extensive renovations.
They spent about $150,000 renovating each unit, in addition to building-wide infrastructure improvements like all new plumbing and electrical, and exterior repairs, Cavaluzzihe said.
“Every unit was touched, every part of the building was touched,” he said.
Residents can also take advantage of a fitness center, a computer lounge, a community room, and a children’s room with an indoor playground. Through a partnership with Citizens Bank, Encore residents also have free internet service for the next 15 years.
Shared by hundreds of residents, the building also now has a working laundry room for the first time in years, he said.
The site of the former pool is now an urban farm in partnership with Highlands Alliance where residents can learn how to grow their own food and have first dibs on any produce that is harvested before it is sold at local farmer’s markets. The revenue generated from sales will go back into running the farm, Cavaluzzi said.
The Encore has an urban farm on site where residents can learn to grow their own food.Linda Pedroso
“Affordable housing doesn’t mean it’s a place that it’s less expensive rent but you’re going to have a lesser living experience,” he said. “That’s not what it means and it doesn’t have to mean that.”
Camden Mayor Victor G. Carstarphen said he was “impressed” by the enhancements, and called the transformation “simply remarkable” in a statement.
Driving across the bridge from Philadelphia, the building is hard to miss. Before renovations, it was clear to anyone driving by that it was in disrepair.
Now, the building stands out for a different reason.
Repairs to the facade and roof along with new windows, glass doors, and balcony fencing have transformed the tower “from this amazingly big eyesore that was there” into a beacon of positivity for the city, Cavaluzzi said.
“This is like Camden showing anyone else who wants to come in like, ‘Look, they were able to do it. This is what we want, this is what we expect,’” he said. “We want to be able to to elevate the city and we’re not OK with the status quo.”
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Amanda Caroccio, a child and adolescent psychiatric nurse practitioner, was living in a Haddon Township apartment when she decided she wanted to buy a home for herself and her daughter, Giuliana.
In September 2024, she began to work overtime to build additional savings and slashed her spending except for special occasions.
By February 2025, she started searching in Haddon Township and Haddonfield to get ahead of the spring competition. In mid-March, she found the house she ended up buying on Zillow.
“It was my version of hitting the lottery,” said Caroccio, “because it had every single thing on my checklist: updated, small, close to downtown, within walking distance of schools.”
For about a week, there has been 25 gas stations with Freedom Fuel Network signs in the greater Philly region selling gas that is 40 to 50 cents cheaper compared to nearby stations.
Nino Constantino, 13 and from Westville, died earlier this month in Franklin Township after getting trapped underneath an overturned tractor. His family and friends remember the incoming eighth grader as an adventurous teen who was kind and had a love for the outdoors.
A retired South Jersey police officer who worked for the Haddonfield Police Department has been charged with sexually assaulting an underage girl, said Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw on Friday. Louis J. Baselice was taken into custody at the Maple Shade Police Department earlier in the week on Tuesday.
Speaking of the Ben Franklin Bridge, it costs $6 to cross from Camden into Philadelphia. Before it opened a century ago, Pennsylvania officials advocated for it to be free while New Jersey was adamant about charging tolls.
According to 70and73, Virtua Health named Dr. Nicole Lamborne, an expert in women’s and children’s health, as its new president of its hospitals in Voorhees and Marlton.
The work to repave a section of South Avenue in Mount Holly is set to begin today. The project for the 0.7-mile portion of the road is expected to take two weeks to finish.
I’ve never walked across the bridge but have bicycled it hundreds of times. I used to commute into Center City in the 2000s. My commute bicycle was a ‘70s vintage Motobecane 10-speed. During my first ride home in the rain, I discovered that my brakes were totally ineffective. The bicycle had steel rims and when wet, they were almost useless. It was a little harrowing. I bought a set of aluminum wheels the next week. The bike was donated to the Collingswood Bike Share program a few years ago.
My only challenge cycling across was in 2008 after our Phillies won in the World Series and masses of people were walking across the bridge to the victory parade. I had a bell on my bike and used it a lot that day crossing the bridge.
I encountered Carlos Ruiz once as he was jogging across in the morning on my way to work. The Phillies lost the previous night. He didn’t look very happy.
One morning, the air temperature was in the low 20s and I rode into the city facing 20 miles per hour headwind. It took me about 20-30 minutes to defrost. I never rode below 25 degrees again.
What does your community look like? What South Jersey memory would you like to share? Submit a photo and/or a brief description for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
The buyer: Amanda Caroccio, 41, child and adolescent psychiatric nurse-practitioner
The house: A 966-square-foot home in Haddonfield with two bedrooms and two bathrooms built in 1924.
The price: Listed for $385,000, sold for $407,500.
The agent: Christy Oberg, Weichert Realtors
The ask: Amanda Caroccio, originally from Ocean City, N.J., was living in an apartment in Haddon Township when she reevaluated her long-term goals and decided she wanted to buy a home for her and her daughter, Giuliana, 8.
Amanda Caroccio (right) thought owning a home was out of reach for her as a single mom to 8-year-old Guiliana. She’s proud of her home in Haddonfield.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
“Owning a house had always been in the back of my mind, but as a single mom, for a long time I didn’t think it was going to happen,” said Caroccio. She had money put away, but in September 2024, she began working overtime to build savings.
“There were months where I worked every single day,” she said. She cut out spending, including shopping and dinners out, except for special occasions.
The search: Education was Caroccio’s top priority for home location, and she was impressed with the Haddonfield School District. “My main goal was Haddonfield,” she said, “but I was open to Haddon Township.” Caroccio started searching in February 2025, hoping to beat the spring competition. Her budget was up to $600,000, but she was looking for something small to keep expenses down. “I wanted something that didn’t need a significant amount of upgrades,” she said.
Caroccio installed new carpet in the two bedrooms. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
They looked at several twins which Amanda liked, but her agent pointed out that each one had some potential structural problems, and Caroccio worried about issues with the neighboring homes.
The appeal: In mid-March, the house that she ended up buying went on the market. She saw it on Zillow, and texted her agent. It was exactly what she had been looking for. The house she’d found was in the center of downtown Haddonfield and walkable. Plus, it looked updated and like it would not need major renovations — a big priority in Caroccio’s search.
“It was my version of hitting the lottery,” said Caroccio, “because it had every single thing on my checklist: updated, small, close to downtown, within walking distance of schools.” They toured it that night.
The deal: Other people were interested, and the sellers asked for each bidder’s best offer. Caroccio offered $405,000. The sellers came back with a counteroffer of $410,000, and Caroccio negotiated to $407,500. The home inspector said that for a house built in 1924, it was in good condition. The builder-grade windows would need updating, and there were some issues with the back deck. She got a seller credit for some repairs needed, but, “nothing major.” They went under contract six days after it went on the market, and closed on April 11, 2025, only two months after Caroccio had started her search.
The money: She purchased the home for $407,500 after negotiation. It was originally listed for $385,000. She received a $6,000 seller credit. She put $41,000 down (10%), and her mortgage interest rate is 6.625%. Her closing costs were $19,000. She received a $3,000 grant credit through the Freddie Mac Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) BorrowSmart Access Program which she put toward closing costs. Her monthly payment is $3,021 with escrow, interest, and principal.
The kitchen features stainless steel appliances. Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
The move: To save money, Caroccio moved herself with the help of family, rather than using a moving company. “Because of the timeline with my apartment lease, I had about 10 weeks until I had to be out,” she said. She had to break her lease, paying a 1½-month rent fee, because the home-buying process had gone much faster than she’d imagined.
She moved gradually, getting rid of old things, and making aesthetic upgrades to the new house. She hired people to install carpets in the bedroom, painted throughout, and hung Morris & Co. wallpaper in the laundry room. She also had the outdated builder-grade upstairs windows replaced after breaking one while painting. She and Giuliana moved in on June 30, 2025.
Caroccio added floral wall paper to the laundry room.Allie Ippolito / For The Inquirer
Life after close: After a year in their new home,Caroccio and Giuliana are settled in. Giuliana completed this past school year in Haddonfield. They adopted a dog, Simba, a Havanese. Caroccio has been pleased with the ease of upkeep, and with a manageable gas and electric bill over the winter, which allowed her to keep saving. Because it’s a smaller house, she said, “our cost of living is lower, so I’ve been able to meet all of our financial goals.” Her total mortgage payment is also less than what she was previously paying in rent.
“Purchasing this home has been one of the greatest accomplishments of my life,” said Caroccio. “We could not be happier with this house.”
Did you recently buy a home in the Philadelphia area or South Jersey? Share the story of how you did it. Email Inquirer real estate reporters at properties@inquirer.com.
When Antonio “Nino” Constantino leaped into the lake during his scout troop’s water safety test for summer camp two years ago, he didn’t really think about the fact that he couldn’t swim. Lifeguards helped pull him out.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, dude, what’re you doing?’” said Bruce Schultz, leader of Scout Troop 7292 in Clayton, Gloucester County. “He said, ‘I didn’t want to let the troop down, Mr. Bruce.’”
Schultz has recounted that story a lot lately, laughing his way through it. When Troop 7292 goes to camp again this summer, the trip will be dedicated to Nino. Schultz is working to prepare vigils.
Nino, an only child and incoming eighth grader at Gateway Regional High School in Woodbury Heights, lived with his mother, Linda Brittingham, in Westville.
Family and friends described the teen as kind, adventurous, an old soul, a farm kid, and a lover of the outdoors. He liked to play video games and hang out with his cat, Kody.
As a scout, Nino was always the first to try new things. He had recently been baptized at the Bridge Bible Church in Mantua. Brittingham said there are still pigs in a blanket in the freezer that they were going to make together.
“There’s so many people that loved him,” said Brittingham, 47. “Everybody came into his life.”
Nino Constantino, 13, of Westville, poses with his mother, Linda Brittingham.Jay Urbaniak
A sense of adventure
Nino spent one of his last days at Cowtown Rodeo in Salem County. He and his family wore cowboy hats and boots and rooted for the animals.
At school, Brittingham said, he liked math, but probably recess more. He spent his free time outside, riding dirt bikes, quads, mudding, and visiting the Shore. His favorite foods were ham, cheese, and mayo hoagies; mac and cheese; tater tots; and spicy ramen with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Jay Urbaniak, 45, of Lindenwold, poses with Nino Constantino, 13, of Westville.Jay Urbaniak
“He had a way of making every moment more fun. … More than anything, he had an infectious enthusiasm for life,” Urbaniak said via text. “Every time I’d call or stop by, his face would light up with excitement.”
Many things excited him, including the bearded dragons belonging to his uncle, Tony Perez, as well as cats, dogs, and pretty much any type of motor vehicle, from WaveRunners to trucks.
“I make silly dad jokes, and the smile he would give — no one else had that smile,” said Perez, 41. “That would make me laugh even at my own stupid joke. Every time I got to see that smile, that was a memory to cherish.”
Nino Constantino, 13, of Westville, poses with family friend Jay Urbaniak, 45, of Lindenwold. Nino died on July 6, 2026.Jay Urbaniak
Schultz said it had been a while since Nino had gone to a scout meeting, since he took a break. He was set to return this August, though, which the troop was excited about, he said. Schultz expected Nino to become an Eagle Scout someday, a rare rank.
“He was just that beacon,” Schultz said. “I’m going to miss him a lot.”
‘The kindest kid you’ve ever met in your life’
Drew Smith, 33, of Newfield, is known by one wing at Gateway Regional High School as “Nino’s uncle.”
Really, Smith is the school’s custodian and a fellow congregant at Nino’s church. But Smith runs in the family friend group, so every day through his seventh-grade year, Nino approached Smith in the lunchroom to ask how he was doing and gave him a hug.
On days when he was not doing so hot, Smith said, Nino would usually say the same thing.
“‘I’m praying that you have a better day. I love you, Uncle Drew,’” Smith said. “‘I love you.’”
When Smith collected trash around the building on his golf cart, Nino liked to ask how fast it could go.
“I worked at this school over 10 years now,” Smith said. “There’s not many that set an example like he did, the manners and morals and values. There aren’t many kids that are in seventh grade and act like that.”
Nino Constantino, 13, of Westville, died on July 6, 2026. Jay Urbaniak
Louis Raba, the middle-level assistant principal at Gateway, said Nino was successful both in the classroom and in making new friends, though he had just transitioned to the school district in the fall. He said the district’s middle school community was “deeply saddened” by Nino’s death.
“Nino was kind hearted with a tremendous sense of humor. Personally, I will always remember his smile and his growth during his seventh-grade year,” Raba said by email.
Nino was known by family for his manners. He always said “please” and “thank you.” Even in violent video games, he tried his best to be civil.
When Perez let his nephew try out Grand Theft Auto V, an action game known for crashing cars and hit-and-runs, Nino avoided collisions and obeyed traffic lights.
“I never met anyone who didn’t do crime or something. He thought you’d get points and stuff for being good, polite,” Perez said.
Back at camp, Schultz said, Nino always offered help to his fellow scouts and did a little bit of everything, from compass work to community service. He rarely complained.
“This is the kind of kid we’re looking for. Good human beings,” Schultz said. “He was that kid that would do anything for anybody. He was like the kindest kid you’ve ever met in your life.”
Who is behind the 25 gas stations selling Freedom Fuel in the Philadelphia region, and how they are able to offer gas 40 to 50 cents cheaper than nearby stations, remains unclear.
The effort has been promoted by both the White House and President Donald Trump, raising ethics concerns from the public and government watchdogs.
Richard Painter, who served for two years as chief White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, said it is within a business owner’s First Amendment right to sell cheap gas, possibly at a loss, to “improve the image of the president and help the country through a national crisis.”
“The ethical issue is the involvement of the Trump administration,” he said, pointing to federal regulations that set standards of conduct for executive branch employees. “They simply can’t endorse it or have anything to do with it.”
An entity called “Freedom Fuel Network LLC,” based in Delaware, applied for a trademark on July 1. That same day, Trump promoted the network, saying on his Truth Social account that it was being run by a “very smart retailer.”
There are no businesses registered in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey under the name Freedom Fuel Network.
The White House did not respond to multiple requests to identify or provide contact information for the owners. A White Housespokesperson would say only that it is a private company that is not purchasing gas at a discount or receiving government money.
Anna Vishev, the attorney who filed the Freedom Fuel Network trademark application, said she would pass inquiries along to her client, but The Inquirer never heard back.
A Freedom Fuel-branded station on Rt. 73 in Marlton, N.J.Lacey Latch / staff
Due to tight profit margins, stations that sell cheaper gas usually focus on making up the difference in other ways, such as convenience stores and car washes, according to Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores, a trade organization representing retail fuel outlets.
That does not appear to be the case at many of the Freedom Fuel Network stores Inquirer reporters visited in recent days. One location in Brookhaven, Delaware County, had an inoperable convenience store. Several were very small, appeared somewhat rundown, and offered a very limited selection of products.
“It’s difficult to see how these stations are making money,” Lenard said. “Those types of stations tend to be more dependent on gas margins.”
Lenard said it is possible the Freedom Fuel Network branding is a temporary promotion, which is not unheard of in the fuel industry. T-Mobile partnered with Shell last month to offer $1.99-a-gallon gas at stations in Los Angeles, Houston, and Chicago as part of an anniversary promotion.
Some Freedom Fuel stations were already raising gas prices by the end of the week, including in Bensalem, where gas was $3.57 a gallon Friday.
While questions remain about the owners and structure of the Freedom Fuel Network, Lenard said gasoline is a highly regulated industry and drivers should not worry about purchasing fuel from lesser-known brands.
“There shouldn’t be an issue with gas quality,” Lenard said. “When fuel comes out of the refinery, there’s nothing that says it’s BP gas, it’s Wawa gas. … It’s all blended together.”
A small network of local owners and past issues with stations
Freedom Fuel Network branding is draped over a Gas n’ Go sign at a station on Edgmont Avenue in Brookhaven.Rob Tornoe / staff
Inquirer reporters reached out to the parcel owners, lessees,and LLCs connected to at least 19 of the gas stations. Most calls and messages went unanswered, and, on two occasions, reporters were directed to the Freedom Fuel website by LLC affiliates. In-person queries were also unsuccessful, with store attendants saying they were unaware of the origins of the branding change or unauthorized to talk about the matter.
The opaqueness behind a private operation receiving White House promotion has drawn considerable scrutiny online and even an in-person protester at a Montgomery County location.
“Who is paying for this[?]” read a man’s sign last week.
By the end of the week, Freedom Fuel offered limited remarks through the venture’s website, saying it had “answered President Trump’s call to action to lower prices at the pump.” It went on to dismiss unspecified “misinformation and baseless speculation circulating.”
“As a result of lowering prices, 25 gas stations have experienced explosive growth — an average volume increase of more than 50 percent, with several locations surging over 100 percent,” said the message.
The company did not expand on how the operation came to be or how the discounts work, but at least two clusters of network participants have shared ownership ties, with one of the clusters promoting its participation on social media.
A local Karco Gas Instagram account highlighted the Freedom Fuel transformation in its stories — at least two of its locations in Philadelphia and one in Bensalem are part of the network.
The Freedom Fuel site in Bensalem has ties to Cherry Hill developer Shamikh Kazmi, who is listed as president of Diwan Petrol Inc. The business was ensnared in a lengthy trademark dispute with BP America Inc. and BP Products North America Inc. in 2021.
After the business failed to fully comply with a judge’s order to remove BP signage, four deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service seized remaining brand signs in June 2022, according to court documents.
Kazmi could not be reached for comment, but in February announced plans to expand his Yum Grills venture to 15 locations in the Philadelphia region, including a gas station in Eagleville, Montgomery County, that is also part of the Freedom Fuel Network.
At least five other network locations are run by members of a family that operates gas stations in the region under various LLCs, including Syan I Inc., Syan Investment LLC, and Fernwood Realty Co.
Another Freedom Fuel station, this one in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia, had been embroiled in a trademark dispute that ended with a judge ordering the removal of all Phillips 66 branding and a $20,000 judgment against KRSM Inc. and site owner Riar HR LLC in May.
An attorney for the defendants was not listed on the docket and calls to the owner of Riar HR LLC went unreturned.
How promotions have changed during the Trump era
Painter, who is now a law professor at the University of Minnesota, noted that stringent ethics rules have been in place since the Watergate scandal that limit using a public office to endorse any companies or organizations, whether they are private or nonprofits.
That is why Painter was vocal about concerns regarding the creation of the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in 2017. When Joe Biden became president-elect, he encouraged his transition team to have the University of Pennsylvania drop the name to avoid the appearance of impropriety when the university raised funds for the center. That never happened.
Still, Trump and his administrations have taken very different approach to these ethics rules since his first term in office.
“We’ve seen multiple instances in which this president has chosen to endorse, in his official capacity, private companies and private organizations,” Painter said. “This is something I would have absolutely insisted not happen under the Bush administration.”
For now, questions about Freedom Fuel’s structure and ties to the Trump administration continue to spark anger, skepticism, and curiosity.
“Customers are asking. We tell them to visit the website,” said Mike R., a manager of a few Freedom Fuel stations in Delaware County who declined to be fully identified, citing concern over his privacy. ”Frankly, I have no information.”
Meanwhile, Ankit Modi, the owner of a Sunoco franchise in Bensalem for the last 15 years, said the low prices of a Freedom Fuel station next door were hurting his business.
“People see the lower price and just go there,” Modi said. “I don’t know how it works.”
Modi said the Freedom Fuel signs looked temporary, and he had expected the station to revert to Karco following the Fourth of July. That has not happened. On Friday, Freedom Fuel was selling gas for 43 cents a gallon less than Modi’s Sunoco.
“I’m making just eight to 10 cents in profit [per gallon], so how are they able to sell for less without government help?” Modi said. “It’s shady and unheard of.”
Back in North Philadelphia, the lack of information was not stopping drivers from pulling in and filling up their tanks.
“It doesn’t matter to me where it comes from if I see a good price,” said Jorge Mejia, who pumped gas into his car and had no clue what made the gas cheap. “I just hope it’s good.”
Can you do us a favor? Ask Curious South Jersey anything that’s been on your mind about the region. Our reporters might just pick it up. I’m sure you have questions, and we want to provide more coverage relevant to you. Let’s help each other.
The man who killed a beloved Cherry Hill veterinarian at his home in 2024 was sentenced to 30 years in prison without parole on Thursday.
Michael Anthony, a divorced father of two, was found on his front lawn stabbed multiple times. Prosectors believe Cristian Custodio-Aquino drove across the country from Portland, Ore., in a jealous rage to kill Anthony, who was his ex-partner’s new partner.
At sentencing, Anthony’s family members and partner shared heartfelt words in his memory.
His teenage son did not mince words to his father’s killer.
“Your life is officially over,” Henry Anthony said. “I honestly wonder what your reason for living will be for the next 30 years.”
Mount Laurel public schools tapped longtime Cherry Hill educator Neil Burti to step into the role of superintendent starting Aug. 1.
Burti has more than 25 years of experience as an educator and administrator. He will succeed George Rafferty, who is set to retire after helming the district for a decade.
While serving at Cherry Hill Public Schools, Burti had roles in all levels of leadership and was most recently the director of secondary education for the school district.
The Ben Franklin Bridge will be closed to car traffic tomorrow to celebrate its 100th birthday. We have everything you need to know, but here’s a quick tip: The Walt Whitman and Betsy Ross will be open.
Richard Glanton was known as a longtime lawyer, an executive counsel to former Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh, a former Lincoln University trustee, a former president of the Barnes Foundation, and more. He died of a heart attack at his home in New Jersey at 79.
A South Jersey sergeant has been charged in connection to the deaths of two K-9 dogs after they were left unattended in a hot vehicle for seven hours, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The Twilight Concert at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill featuring Color Me Badd that was supposed to be Thursday evening has been rescheduled to Aug. 20 because of thunderstorms.
We asked readers about why they’re willing to wait in long lines while on vacation via the Shore Line group chat. Yes, some say they would never, but others were surprisingly sentimental about it.
Here are a few of the responses:
I’ll wait in a longer line down the shore. It’s tradition and fun to meet people in line.
Standing in line for ice cream is a social event as well as eating the ice cream. Also, the ice cream is usually special.
It is akin to vacation time. No schedule; fun time. You just want go enjoy and socialize. Standing in line is a part of that experience and considered acceptable for that reason.
What are some traditions you’ll do regardless of how long it takes? Email Rosenberg at downtheshore@inquirer.com.
📸 Photo of the week
Dave Balog of Mullica Hill makes his way to his truck in the flooded parking lot at the Ferry Avenue PATCO station in Camden on Monday.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
It may be a while before the drought advisories disappear, but since Monday Philadelphia has had more rain than in any entire month since March 2025. And the city of Camden has been clocked well over a half-foot of rain.
In both instances, if it seemed like most of that came in a hurry, it did.
On Thursday, for the second time in a week, downpours set off a flood of warnings in the city, the neighboring counties and Delaware.
And more showers are possible Friday and Saturday, but the atmosphere isn’t expected to upstage its performance since it turned off last weekend’s 100-degree heat.
Thursday’s downpours wrung out 2 and 3 inches of rain in several towns across the region.
Flooding was reported along numerous roads, with vehicles stranded, including in the vicinity of the Ben Franklin Bridge, the National Weather Service said. The rains could continue until 7 or 8 p.m. Thursday, said Alex Staarmann, meteorologist inthe Mount Holly office.
Multiple water rescues have been reported in Wilmington.
Philadelphia broke a 74-year-old record for a July 9 with 2.61 inches of rain measured officially, according to the weather service.
At one point flood warnings had been posted for the city and in all seven neighboring counties.
But the rain lately has been random. And in the grand casino of the atmosphere, that was the case Thursday, and not every place got the soakings.
The drought conditions are likely to persist despite the storms
In the weekly inter-agency U.S. Drought Monitor update posted Thursday, some degree of drought conditions persisted in all of New Jersey, Philly, and the neighboring Pennsylvania counties.
The drought monitor has most of the region was in “moderate drought,” with some improvement in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties.
But all of Chester County and most Montgomery County were in “severe drought.” Southeastern New Jersey, including the Shore towns, were in “extreme drought.”
Soil moisture levels will remain significantly below normal during the next week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.
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And it appears the atmospheric faucets are going to shut after Saturday.
Said Joseph DeSilva, meteorologist at the weather service’s Mounty Holly office, “Next week looks pretty dry.”
Mount Laurel public schools will start the next academic year with a new leader at the helm.
Neil Burti will take over as superintendent of schools starting Aug. 1, succeeding George Rafferty, who is retiring after leading the district for a decade.
After an extensive search, “Dr. Burti distinguished himself as the candidate whose experience, leadership style, and vision best aligned with the needs of the Mount Laurel School District,” Danielle Stuffo, president of the Mount Laurel Board of Education, said in an email.
Burti has more than 25 years of experience as an educator and administrator and is a longtime employee of the Cherry Hill Public Schools. While there, he served at all levels of leadership and was most recently the director of secondary education for the district.
Earlier this year, Burti also stepped in to handle the principal responsibilities during the second half of the school year at Cherry Hill High School East following a period of administrative upheaval in the school district.
The shake-up came after a lawsuit filed last September alleged that East’s former principal, alongside the Cherry Hill Board of Education and two other top administrators, subjected a former assistant principal to discrimination and retaliation.
“We are confident [Burti] will build upon the district’s many strengths, work collaboratively with our staff and community, and continue our focus on providing an exceptional educational experience for every student,” Stuffo said.
Stuffo said the district’s goals will largely remain the same under new leadership.
Like other districts, Stuffo said, Mount Laurel will work to continuously improve student experience and outcomes while adapting to evolving educational needs — and doing so within an increasingly limited budget.
“Fortunately, Mount Laurel is well positioned, with excellent staff and strong systems already in place. As Dr. Burti becomes familiar with the district, he will have the opportunity to evaluate our organizational structure and administrative leadership and, if appropriate, make recommendations to the Board for consideration,” she said in the email.
Burti was named the 2024 New Jersey Secondary School Principal of the Year during his time leading Cherry Hill’s John A. Carusi Middle School.
Burti holds a bachelor’s degree in movement studies and exercise science from East Stroudsburg University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Temple University, and a doctorate in innovation and leadership from Wilmington University.
