Category: South Jersey

  • New Jersey’s new e-bike law is causing confusion down the Shore. Pennsylvanians are exempt.

    New Jersey’s new e-bike law is causing confusion down the Shore. Pennsylvanians are exempt.

    VENTNOR, N.J. — The e-bike revolution will not be coming to Ventnor’s famously chaotic boardwalk. The city banned motorized bicycles decades ago, and raised the penalties in 2023, citing dangers from the speeds and heavier bicycles.

    Ocean City tried doing the same in 2024, but reversed course on the lowest speed e-bikes after an outcry, particularly from seniors who have grown to cherish the electric bikes that take them farther and faster, and against the wind without breaking a sweat.

    Wildwood allows them but has a 10 mph speed limit for any vehicle. Atlantic City prohibits them.

    But while boardwalk rules vary, the state’s e-bike law, passed in January with a grace period through July 19, requires New Jerseyans with e-bikes to register them and, in some cases, purchase insurance.

    The law was adopted amid a sense of urgency after a 13-year-old Scotch Plains boy on an electric bike was killed in a collision with a landscaping truck. Earlier this month, Chase Sudano, 16, a rising wrestling star at St. Augustine Prep, was killed after he collided with a UPS delivery truck in Southhampton, Burlington County.

    The law defines two classes of e-bikes: low-speed, where the motor assists only while pedaling and shuts off when the bicycles reaches 20 miles per hour, and a motorized bicycle that is throttle-capable of assisted speeds up to 28 miles per hour.

    All users of both categories must have a permit or driver’s license and wear helmets. Nobody under 15 can ride one at all.

    ‘It’s a mess’

    So far, there is no way to actually comply. The state’s own Motor Vehicle Commission website has no way to register an e-bike. The state now says it will begin taking appointments only after the grace period ends.

    Scott Chambers, owner of Zippy’s Bikes in Wildwood, says the new e-bike law in New Jersey “is a mess,” with no way for people to comply with registration requirements, and confusion over other issues.Amy S. Rosenberg / staff

    “It’s a mess,” said Scott Chambers, owner of Zippy’s Bikes in Wildwood. “It’s so overwhelming because they created this law, I don’t want to say haphazardly, but they rushed it.”

    Crawford said his customers are reluctant to buy an e-bike until they know they can ride it in compliance with the law.

    He says the law doesn’t mention e-tricycles, so it’s not clear where those might fall. (The state now says the law does not apply to e-tricycles.)

    In Ventnor, there’s a big electronic sign on Atlantic Avenue alerting people to the new law’s helmet, insurance, and registration requirements. A new sign was added to the Boardwalk itself, highlighting two prohibited categories: e-bikes and dogs.

    Ventnor police Lt. Bryan Gaviria says the department will have its hands full, educating and, at some point, enforcing the new e-bike law.

    But first, he said, they need some answers themselves.

    “We’re absolutely waiting for clarity all around,” he said, adding that the city’s bicycle officers are choosing to ride on non-electric bikes because they don’t want to be out of compliance themselves, and they don’t want to be on e-bikes while enforcing an e-bike ban.

    Ventnor installed this sign on the Boardwalk warning that electric bikes were prohibited (as well as dogs). The state’s new e-bike law goes into effect July 19, but Pennsylvanians will not be required to register their e-bikes while in New Jersey, the state says.Amy S. Rosenberg / staff

    Waiting on the state

    The state recently clarified some of the issues that were causing confusion.

    William Connolly, the press secretary for the N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission, says the MVC will begin offering appointments for e-bike licensing and registration in July. The law’s grace period ends July 19.

    “We will be making an announcement later this month about when appointments will become available, along with offering newly updated resources and step-by-step guidance for e-bike licensing and registration,” he said.

    He said the delay was due to the “extensive IT upgrades” required for new licensing and registration systems, educational resources and testing procedures, not to mention buying new materials such as “specialized license plate stickers,” that will have to be displayed on the registered bikes.

    “We are establishing a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive process for e-bikes,” he said.

    Ventnor installed this electronic sign on Atlantic Avenue to educate people about the state’s new e-bike law. Pennsylvanians will not be required to register their e-bikes while in New Jersey, the state says.Amy S. Rosenberg / staff

    Connolly said there is one category of e-bikes that will not require insurance, though they will still require registration: the lowest speed e-bikes.

    “These are the low-speed e-bikes with a motor that provide pedal assist only when the rider is pedaling and cease to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph,” he said.

    So what if you’re visiting the Shore and bring an e-bike?

    Connolly said: “E-bike registration through the New Jersey MVC is only available to New Jersey residents.” Meaning, Pennsylvanians can bring their bikes and use them without registering them.

    But bicycle advocates say the law is confusing, because it also states that any bike must display a sticker showing that it is registered.

    While the law was prompted by a series of crashes, and particularly by the ubiquitous use by teenagers, it has been seniors that have taken to the e-bikes and urged towns to let them ride on their boardwalks.

    Annamarie, 70, and Mike Carr, 71, of Ventnor are best known for the Jagielky’s candy shops they own, but it’s e-bikes that have become their passion.

    Loading their bikes back onto their truck in Ocean City, where they began and ended a bike ride around various bridges, Mike Carr said he’d be sure to wear a helmet, because he believes that will be the thing that officers will focus in on in the beginning.

    Annamarie said, “Sure we’re upset,” about not being able to ride on Ventnor’s boardwalk, but they recognize the risks from people going too fast, particularly on electric scooters.

    E-bikes have allowed the couple to go on numerous bike rides a week, for upward of 30 or more miles. They’d never do that on a regular bike.

    “We parked here, we went the whole length of the boardwalk, we went down to 29th Street, we went back to Haven Avenue, came back and went over the bridge to go see the birds,” Mike said, describing the couple’s route that day.

    With the e-bikes, they don’t have to worry about the wind, he said. The couple will typically go 13 miles an hour.

    They are hooked on the freedom, distance, and exhilaration that e-bikes have given them, even as they passed 70. They ride all over the bridges of the barrier islands.

    Mike’s got some of his regular routes timed so that he can get over the bridge without getting a red light and without automobile traffic catching him from behind. “When we’re going into Longport, you turn around, you look at the light. When it’s red, you have four minutes to get over. You hit the throttle and you go as fast as you can.”

    He said they’ll try to register the bicycles and comply with the law, once they’re able to:

    “I’ll have to wear a helmet because I’m guessing they’ll look for the guys with no helmet, pull them over.”


    E-bike riders can sign up for direct updates from MVC here.

  • For these military veterans, Brazilian jiujitsu is a path to healing and finding a new community

    For these military veterans, Brazilian jiujitsu is a path to healing and finding a new community

    As a U.S. Army soldier in Afghanistan in 2013, Dan Kovalik got used to the adrenaline rush of bullets whizzing by while on patrol. Risking his life was part of his job as he radioed in Apache helicopters to protect other soldiers.

    But by the time he retired from the Army in 2018, his 23 years of military service had taken their toll. He had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and was rated 80% disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Kovalik moved back to his hometown of Johnstown, Pa., where he struggled to find the sense of purpose and camaraderie that had come so easily in the military.

    “I was looking for ways to be part of the community,” Kovalik said. “Church. The VFW. Then I tried jiujitsu.”

    Kovalik, 49, shared his story Saturday from the deck of the USS New Jersey, the decommissioned Navy battleship in Camden. The battleship was host to dozens of fans of and participants in Brazilian jiujitsu — a martial art that uses grappling and leverage to subdue opponents — for a day of competition.

    It was part of a two-day jiujitsu seminar and fundraiser put on by the We Defy Foundation, a Texas-based nonprofit that provides qualified combat veterans with free local jiujitsu classes and mentors who help them reintegrate into civilian life. Veterans must have been honorably discharged and have a VA disability rating of at least 80%.

    “The physical execution and mental chess game helps me to focus,” Kovalik said. “That, and just going out for a beer or dinner with friends afterwards.”

    Omar Feliciano, a 33-year-old Marine Corps veteran from Brooklyn, wins his match against Matthew Castillo, with Prodigy BJJ, at the We Defy Foundation jiujitsu event at the USS New Jersey in Camden on Saturday, June 20, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    The program has over 500 veterans currently enrolled, We Defy Foundation executive director Kevin Linderman said. About 70% of those who enroll complete the one-year program.

    “What makes it so different is, you have to do it with someone else,” Linderman said of jiujitsu. “When you’re grappling, you’re connecting with someone deeply. You’re both getting better through the process. It’s physical, and you’re learning how to operate under stress.”

    It’s also one more way to fight an ongoing crisis, Linderman said. Though military veterans made up 7.6% of the U.S. population in 2020, they accounted for 14% of suicides, according to research published in the National Library of Medicine. The suicide rate among veterans is 1.5 times higher than that of the overall population, after adjusting for age and sex, researchers noted.

    Though prevention efforts have shown some success, nearly 6,400 veterans died by suicide in 2023 — the most recent year for which data were available — according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    Omar Feliciano of Brooklyn, N.Y., said he found Brazilian jiujitsu after struggling to process a traumatic event he witnessed while in the Marines.

    “It really affected my sleep, my relationships with people,” Feliciano said. “I was irritable for no particular reason.”

    After another Marine recommended the We Defy Foundation, Feliciano applied. Now, Feliciano benefits from the structure of attending jiujitsu class twice a week, keeping him physically active and building camaraderie with other people in his community.

    The 33-year-old mechanical engineer said jiujitsu is helping him be a better father. He fought — and won — a jiujitsu match Saturday.

    “We’ve seen that it has a significant impact in reducing PTSD, depression, and anxiety,” said Linderman, 52, who came to the sport in 2015 while dealing with multiple deaths among his family and friends. Much like the veterans he helps, Linderman said, he was caught in a “rumination cycle,” and he quickly learned that an evening of grappling with opponents was a great way to break that cycle.

    Ethan Wanner, 21, of Williamsport, Pa. and Tried and True Gym, celebrates after winning his match against Josh Newhart, with 10P Bethlehem, at the We Defy Foundation jiujitsu event at the USS New Jersey in Camden on Saturday, June 20, 2026.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    The foundation was formed in 2015 by Army veterans Alan Shebaro and Joey Bozik. Though Bozik lost part of one arm and both legs from the blast of a roadside bomb in Iraq, he learned how to adapt his body to the martial art. In the process, Bozik regained much of the community he had been missing, Linderman said.

    As the COVID-19 pandemic waned, interest in the group accelerated, Linderman said. The organization has gotten $250,000 a year in financial backing from Facebook head Tom Alison. With 2,000 people moving through the program so far, interest is only growing. Linderman estimated that there are hundreds of thousands of Iraq or Afghanistan veterans who qualify for the program — including some who are struggling to find connection in civilian life.

    “I think that a way for people to stay connected to each other is one of the most important things right now,” Linderman said.

  • Two Deptford High School students created a Jalyx Hunt fan account. Then he showed up at their graduation.

    Two Deptford High School students created a Jalyx Hunt fan account. Then he showed up at their graduation.

    Following the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win, Deptford High School students Hunter Thomas and Dominic Alia made an Instagram fan page for then-rookie edge rusher Jalyx Hunt, who played a key role in wrecking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ night.

    Just over a year later, Hunt showed up to the high school graduation of the “Jalyx Hunt enthusiasts.”

    On Thursday, while waiting to receive his diploma, Thomas received a text from his mother. Hunt, whom Thomas invited, was sitting in the away stands of Deptford’s football stadium. He waved to the Eagle, who signaled right back at Thomas and his friend, Antoine Sims.

    “After that, my head starts spinning,” Thomas told The Inquirer. “There’s no freaking way that he actually came.”

    Thomas first met Hunt at last year’s Eagles Autism Challenge. There, he showed the edge rusher the fan page called @jalyxhunt_enthusiast. Hunt loved it and followed the account back. Since then, Thomas and Alia have exchanged direct messages with Hunt, wishing him happy birthday and sending him messages throughout the season.

    Before the Eagles’ final regular-season game this past season, a 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders, Hunt met Thomas and Alia above the tunnel to sign Thomas’ jersey. “Always love,” Hunt, who recognized the pair, signed. “Go birds!”

    When graduation came around, Thomas had an extra ticket, so he thought to text his favorite player first. To his surprise, Hunt responded that he would be able to come. Immediately, Thomas employed his sister to decorate his graduation cap, complete with Hunt’s No. 58 and a throwback Eagles logo.

    In a post to his Instagram story on Thursday, Hunt shared a photo of his view from the Deptford stands. “I’m locked,” he wrote, tagging the fan account which now sits at roughly 1,000 followers.

    “I get my diploma, and my mom, because she’s a teacher, she gives it to me,” Thomas said. “I hug her, and when I walk back to my seat, I point out to Jalyx. He points back. When I did it, I was just thinking, ‘I got to show him some love.’”

    Jalyx Hunt with Hunter Thomas at Thomas’ high school graduation.Courtesy of Hunter Thomas

    After all his classmates’ names were called and his cap was thrown, Thomas made his way over to Hunt, who was now sitting with Thomas’ father. Hunt caught up with Thomas, telling him that he was cheering loudly when Thomas received his diploma. Eventually, Thomas found Alia on the field and the three posed for photographs.

    “There’s a lot of NFL players with all this clout, and their heads are so big, and then he’s just the most down-to-earth [person],” Thomas said. “He’s like, ‘Yes I play football, but I’m still a normal guy at the end of the day.’

    “He’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life. Me and Dom said, after we were like, ‘This is like a memory that we’re going to have forever.’”

  • Vineland schools are allowing teachers to wear jeans and dress more casually for the end of the school year

    Vineland schools are allowing teachers to wear jeans and dress more casually for the end of the school year

    Vineland’s public school teachers are having an easier time with the question of what to wear to work — at least for the final days of the school year.

    In a move to boost morale in the South Jersey school system and make teachers’ lives easier this spring during a hectic testing period, the district eased its dress policy to allow denim jeans until the end of the school year on June 25.

    Teachers love it and hope it will continue in September.

    “It’s one small way to make the world of work a little friendlier,” said Vineland Education Association president Louis Russo, a social studies teacher. “It’s one small thing off of their shoulders.”

    Teachers Andrea Ruiz (left) and Elaine Petrini (right) at Rossi Elementary in Vineland on June 9. The teachers are allowed to wear jeans until the end of the school year.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    School board president Cedric Holmes said the Cumberland County district notified employees when they returned from spring break in April that they could wear jeans any day of the week under a pilot program.

    Holmes said there had been rumblings among staff because the district — the largest in Cumberland County, with 11,000 students — had to extend the school year to make up snow days. Vineland‘s June 25 last day of school is among the latest in the region.

    The months following spring break are among the toughest with students undergoing standardized state testing, Holmes said. There are also end-of-the year field trips and outings when it makes sense to allow more relaxed clothing, he said.

    “It was important to the board that staff felt that we saw the stress of all of that of this as a practical way to give a morale boost for the end of the year,” Holmes said.

    Teachers typically dress a bit more formally for school. According to Vineland’s policy, female teachers must wear skirts, slacks, skorts, or dresses with blouses or sweaters, or school uniform. The skirt, skort, or dress should not exceed three inches above the knee.

    Male staffers can wear suits or slacks with jackets and ties, sweaters, school uniform, or sports or dress shirts. Deemed unacceptable for both are sneakers, flip-flops, bedroom slippers, combat boots, and work boots. There are exceptions for teachers attending field trips or who work in specialized areas such as health and physical education or arts.

    The district also has a uniform policy for students, but Holmes said that has been relaxed and the board also plans to reexamine that policy.

    New Jersey’s 600 school districts set their own policies for staff and students.

    Steve Baker, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Education Association, which represents 200,000 teachers and support staff, said the union supports the efforts in Vineland “to develop policies that help create a positive learning and working environment for students and staff.“

    On a busy morning last week at Anthony Rossi Elementary in Vineland, third-grade teacher Jeffrey Martine stood in front of the class dressed in khaki shorts, a button-down blue dress shirt, and slip-on loafers. As an added bonus, it was a dress-down day, which allowed teachers to wear casual attire beyond jeans.

    Jeffrey Martine, a teacher at Rossi Elementary in Vineland, greets a student at the school last week.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    “If you do your job well, you have to be able to move,” Martine said. “I’m all about comfort.”

    Students in Martine’s gifted and talented class were spread around the room working on a project in small groups. Some sat at desks making posters, while others were stretched out on the floor.

    “I don’t think professionalism and comfort are mutually exclusive,” Martine said. “Teachers should be judged more on how they interact with their students than the pants they select.”

    Holmes acknowledged the dress code was outdated and revisions are needed. The board plans to review the changes implemented this spring and may allow teachers to wear jeans during the new school year, he said.

    “It was time for a change,” said Kaitlynn Rossi, a long-term substitute teacher. “People don’t dress like that.”

    Teacher dress codes have evolved nationally over the years, especially during the pandemic, when more casual attire was the norm.

    Based on responses from teachers around the world, the website We are Teachers in 2024 compiled a list of “16 Ridiculous Dress Code Rules for Teachers You Won’t Believe Are Real.” The list included prohibiting hats, capri pants, pants with pockets, UGGs, hoodies, or dark underwear.

    In Philadelphia, where classes ended last week, there is no system-wide dress code for staff. Arthur Steinberg, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, which represents about 14,000 teachers, counselors, nurses, secretaries, and other workers, said employee dress typically does not come up as an issue.

    School board president Cedric Holmes at Rossi Elementary in Vineland last week. Holmes said the teacher dress code policy was relaxed in an effort to improve morale at the end of the school year.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Holmes said teachers have responded well to the changes in Vineland and there have been few infractions, like torn or ripped jeans.

    Before Vineland implemented the pilot dress code, teachers were allowed to wear jeans only for special days. The schools sponsor fundraisers that allow teachers to pay $2 to wear jeans. Students are allowed to wear jeans on dress-down days determined by their school principal, and they do not have to pay.

    Fourth-grade teacher Andrea Ruiz said dressing more casually helps her students see her differently. A sign in her classroom says: “Be the best version of you.” She enjoys sitting with students on the carpet in her classroom or playing kickball on the playground.

    “We’re meeting them where they are,” said Ruiz, who was wearing a gray T-shirt and striped pants. “It’s definitely something different for us.”

    Teacher Kaitlynn Rossi with students at Rossi Elementary in Vineland last week.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Timothy Purnell, executive director of the New Jersey School Boards Association, said a decision as simple as allowing jeans can have an impact on the learning environment.

    “If jeans support a positive environment during testing, that’s a local call we respect,” Purnell said.

    Russo believes a less-stringent dress code will help attract and retain younger teachers amid a national teacher shortage. He wants them to still dress in a manner that gets respect from students.

    “We just have to find the right balance,” Russo said.

    Staff writer Kristen A. Graham contributed to this article.

  • Lawnside vs. the Turnpike | Inquirer South Jersey

    Lawnside vs. the Turnpike | Inquirer South Jersey

    Happy Juneteenth, South Jersey. There will be festivities in the region over the weekend to celebrate.

    Lawnside residents worry a New Jersey Turnpike expansion will threaten a historic Underground Railroad stop.

    And Angelo’s Pizzeria is returning to its South Jersey roots.

    Plus, officials chose a design for a new Delaware River bridge linking Bucks and Burlington Counties, and more news of the day.

    Thank you for supporting us throughout our launch week. We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or replying to this email.

    — Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)

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

    Lawnside’s Underground Railroad stop

    Lawnside, originally settled by freed and runaway enslaved people, is known for being the first independent African American community to govern themselves above the Mason-Dixon line.

    Inside this borough is the Peter Mott House, believed to have once been a refuge as a stop on the Underground Railroad.

    For almost two centuries, it has remained resilient against potential threats such as the construction of the New Jersey Turnpike nearby in the 1950s, a developer’s desire to dismantle the structure in the 1980s, and a three-year closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Its next challenge looks as if it might be the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s $2 billion expansion project that a group of Lawnside residents say could endanger the historic house.

    Reporter Dugan Arnett has the story.

    Angelo’s Pizzeria is coming

    Angelo’s Pizzeria will soon return to New Jersey.

    Owner Danny DiGiampietro is opening a new branch of his famous pizza and cheesesteak shop.

    Construction work has begun at the future location in the West Collingswood Heights neighborhood of Haddon Township. When finished — hopefully in the next few months, he says — it will become a full-service shop, with table seating and a counter overlooking the kitchen.

    The first Angelo’s opened in Haddonfield in 2013 but DiGiampietro closed it in 2018 to pivot to the South Philly location.

    The Inquirer’s Michael Klein has more details.

    What to know today

    • The local wrestling community is mourning 16-year-old wrestler Chase Sudano. He died earlier this week while driving an electric bike that was involved in a crash with a UPS truck in Southampton Township near Route 70.
    • New Jersey U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, who has several years of career experience with national security issues in the Middle East, said he has “no confidence in any aspect” of President Donald Trump’s deal to end the war in Iran.
    • The officials of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes chose a design for a new $1.6 billion Delaware River bridge that will link toll roads between Bristol in Bucks County and Florence in Burlington County.
    • The New York Times reports that federal prosecutors charged a man after he hit an ICE agent with a vehicle in Ocean County. The criminal complaint says the suspect refused to roll down the window during a traffic stop and then struck the officer while driving away.
    • The Haddonfield Board of Education is grappling with how to balance screen time for district students, including the possibility of implementing screen time limits, according to South Jersey Media.
    • According to 42 Freeway, Wonder Food Hall will come to Washington Township. It will be next to the Sprouts Farmers Market now under construction.
    • For the past 10 days, several peacocks have been wandering Berlin Borough. No one knows where they came from.

    🧠 Trivia time

    The former owner of Famous 4th Street Deli in Philly has had success across the bridge with his new destination deli, Radin’s Delicatessen. It even made our list for the area’s essential restaurants, The 76. Where is it located?

    A) Westville

    B) Swedesboro

    C) Cherry Hill

    D) Moorestown

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What we’re…

    🚗 Exploring: Weekend trips to other parts of the state. This time, in Princeton.

    🥽 Swimming: At Atsion Recreation Area in Shamong.

    🍿 Remembering: That time the British TV show United States of Birmingham came to Burlington County’s Birmingham.

    🏖️ Down the Shore

    This “Ask Down the Shore” feature appears as part of our weekly summertime series from Shore reporter Amy S. Rosenberg. Subscribe to her free Down the Shore newsletter here.

    Using the new Shore Line group chat, we asked readers if it’s alright to reserve spots on the beach by marking their territory with chairs and a canopy. Here are some of the responses:

    Yes, good for them for motivating early in the day!

    I hate when people do that. And 9 times out of 10 when they do it, they are obnoxiously large reservations. Putting up multiple beach cabanas, etc.

    It depends on how long they’ve been gone. If they don’t show up for an hour, you could just fold their stuff up in a nice little pile. I’d be okay with that.

    No problem with that at all. But those people can’t get upset if another group sets up close to them in their absence.

    Where do you land? Are you pro or anti saving prime beach space? Or somewhere in between? Have another etiquette concern? Email Rosenberg at downtheshore@inquirer.com.

    📸 Photo of the week

    Amy and Zachary Bell of Hammonton sit in the backyard of their Ventnor beach home with Claire, a 3-year-old beagle, and Connie, a 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier.Tim Hawk / For The Inquirer

    🐕 One last furry thing: When the Inquirer visits a local home every week, our lovely photographers meet the pets as well. Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.

    Have a wonderful weekend! I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday.

    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.

  • The N.J. Turnpike is expanding in South Jersey. Lawnside residents say the plan imperils an Underground Railroad stop.

    The N.J. Turnpike is expanding in South Jersey. Lawnside residents say the plan imperils an Underground Railroad stop.

    LAWNSIDE — For nearly 200 years, the historic Peter Mott House — believed to have once served as a stop on the Underground Railroad — has managed to withstand the encroachment of the outside world.

    In the 1950s, construction of the New Jersey Turnpike brought a heavily used trafficway within just a few hundred feet of the home. There was the time, in the 1980s, when a developer bought up a patch of surrounding land with plans to raze the structure and build housing units. And the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 left the home shuttered for three years — and its future temporarily uncertain.

    Now, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority plans to soon begin work on a $2 billion project to expand the turnpike, which would bring the highway — currently located just 220 feet from the Mott House — 12 feet closer to the building.

    The plans have prompted a wave of pushback from a small but vocal group of Lawnside residents, who fear that vibrations from the construction could damage the nearly two-century-old structure and that already “deafening” traffic noise in the area could become unbearable.

    Already, says Linda Shockley, the longtime president of the Lawnside Historical Society, which owns and maintains the Mott House, it can be difficult for visitors to hear over the hum of the turnpike. The back of the house, which boasts a quaint patio, is essentially unusable without the use of microphones, she said — and this is to say nothing of the potential environmental and safety implications of bringing a heavily traversed highway even closer to a residential area.

    The expansion, which also includes plans to widen nearby Warwick Road, has become — in Shockley’s words — “like a sword of Damocles hanging over us.”

    “What are you doing and when are you going to do it?” Shockley said. “And what say do we have over how it’s done?”

    Traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike passes at the end of a cul-de-sac near the historic Peter Mott House in Lawnside, N.J. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    The construction arrives at a seminal moment for the historic borough, which this year is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its incorporation.

    Originally settled by formerly enslaved people who escaped or were freed and considered the first independent, self-governing African American community north of the Mason-Dixon Line, Lawnside has long boasted a historical significance far outsizing its modest 1.4-square-mile footprint.

    In the 1930s, it was home to a bustling entertainment district, drawing high-profile acts such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Three decades later, Lawnside’s school district became one of the first U.S. governmental entities to declare the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a holiday.

    No aspect of Lawnside’s history, however, has remained as vital to its identity than the Mott House, the onetime home of Peter Mott, a free Black farmer, preacher, and abolitionist, who, along with wife Elizabeth, was a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

    Built around 1845, the home is Lawnside’s oldest known house and is widely believed to have been a refuge for enslaved people traveling from the South — making it a strong symbol for the community at large.

    “This town has been a beacon of hope for African Americans,” said Darryl Lee Dozier, 60, a longtime Lawnside resident. “To be able to walk outside and say, ‘Harriet Tubman came through this town’ — that’s iconic, man.”

    At least 18 municipalities across Salem, Gloucester, Camden, and Burlington Counties will be affected by the turnpike project, but the proximity of the Mott House — as well as a neighboring housing development — to the construction has stoked fears that it will be uniquely vulnerable. State officials say they are working closely with local leaders to ensure that any adverse effects of the project are minimal.

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    AECOM, the infrastructure firm handling the engineering work for the turnpike project, told The Inquirer recently that Lawnside qualifies for noise barriers to help alleviate the effects of the project, and that “vibration monitoring,” as well as inspections, would be conducted throughout the course of the project.

    “Should the vibrations for any reason exceed a threshold that would cause concern, then the activities would pause and we’d figure out what’s going on,” said Matthew Rao, a project manager with AECOM.

    New Jersey Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr., who grew up in the area, said he has been engaged in conversations with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority about the project since 2020 and has been cognizant of the questions raised by Shockley and others.

    “I’m acutely aware of her concerns, and I think they’re valid,” he said. “This is the time to be talking about those things, and making sure, to the extent that they can be, that they’re reflected in the final plan of what’s going to happen.”

    Still, many in Lawnside remain wary.

    Kia Jones at her home next door to the Peter Mott House in Lawnside, N.J. Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Plans to expand the nearby New Jersey Turnpike have left local residents concerned about how it could affect a beloved institution as well as neighboring homes.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    Despite meetings with officials, said Kia Jones, 60, whose home sits near the proposed turnpike expansion, residents have largely felt powerless throughout the process.

    “Their whole attitude seems to be, ‘It’s a done deal — we’re just talking to you because we have to, but nothing’s going to change,’” she said.

    For some in this South Jersey borough of roughly 3,000 residents, meanwhile, the expansion raises unmistakable echoes of the 1950s, when construction of the turnpike left a profound impact on the community.

    At the time, America’s vast network of highways was displacing — and often targeting — Black communities across the country.

    Initially, Shockley said, only six homes in Lawnside were supposed to be affected by the turnpike’s creation. But by the time it opened in November 1951, she said, 27 families had been affected.

    “Some people’s houses were purchased, some houses were condemned,” Shockley said. “I’ve seen pictures of houses on flatbed trucks, being moved.”

    (It was not lost on some in Lawnside, Shockley points out, that the turnpike conveniently curves around the nearby Tavistock Country Club, a private golf club founded in 1920.)

    Though few in Lawnside are old enough to remember the turnpike’s arrival, many have felt the ripples.

    Lorraine Pollitt, 70, a lifelong Lawnside resident, grew up hearing about her great-grandparents’ farm, which, she said, had fallen in the turnpike’s right-of-way and, as a result, had to be sold.

    Seventy-five years later, Pollitt said, the expansion project feels like more of the same.

    “Just taking more from us here,” she said. “It’s always something.”

    For Shockley, who has served as president of the historical society since 1994, the effort to preserve and protect the Mott House has been a nearly 40-year endeavor.

    She first got involved in the late 1980s, when a local developer, Mark DeFeo, received permits from the borough to raze the house in order to build a small housing development.

    A group of residents organized to try to stop the home’s demolition, and Shockley — who was raised in Lawnside and had recently moved back from New York — joined the effort.

    It took three years and considerable legal wrangling, but the developer eventually agreed to sell the home to the group for $1.

    For its efforts, Shockley later told the New York Times, the group found itself in possession of “a decaying, vacant house … in danger of collapsing.”

    In the years since, however, the historical society, buoyed by a dedicated collection of volunteers, has turned the property into a gem that has garnered national renown. The group has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars toward upgrades and repairs through grants and donations.

    The house opened to the public in 2001, and, today, it offers a variety of programming, including a weeklong summer camp for middle schoolers on the history of the Underground Railroad, sitting on both the national and state registers of historical places.

    In her mid-30s when she joined the effort, Shockley is now in her 70s, her hair flecked with gray. She retired in 2021 from her job at the Dow Jones News Fund, a journalism nonprofit foundation.

    “Don’t tell anyone,” she joked one morning recently, from a seat inside the Mott House, “but I’m getting older.”

    Linda Shockley, president of the Lawnside Historical Society, at the Peter Mott House in Lawnside, N.J. Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Shockley has served as president of the local historical society since 1994. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer

    But while there is still work to be done, she remains dedicated to doing it — one more battle in a long string of them.

    “Ask anybody who’s trying to do anything with historic buildings, or restore history or culture, and you find that, yeah, there’s always something — and there are always threats to it,” she said.

    “You soldier on.”

  • South Jersey’s Lavar Scott, one of NASCAR’s three Black drivers, is chasing greatness and not looking back: ‘There was no Plan B’

    South Jersey’s Lavar Scott, one of NASCAR’s three Black drivers, is chasing greatness and not looking back: ‘There was no Plan B’

    LONG POND, Pa. — Lavar Scott is accustomed to reaching top speeds around a racetrack. But earlier this month, less than 24 hours before his race at Pocono Raceway, he took a beat.

    Standing in front of a room of about 40 people at Holy Ghost Distillery, roughly 10 miles west of the track, Scott, a Carneys Point, Salem County, native, told stories about his racing family.

    “One time, my grandmother raced my grandfather, and she flipped her Mustang,” Scott told the room, which was greeted with a chorus of laughs.

    It was insight into the racing family that molded him. Lavar’s path started at 4 years old, when his grandfather built him a go-kart. He couldn’t race with an engine for another year, but his grandparents pushed him around the track anyway. Now, he’s racing through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program and into the sport’s second tier, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, where he drives the No. 45 car.

    Scott, just 22, exudes confidence in every room that he’s in. When he tells novice racing fans his age, they can’t believe it. Those two hours at Holy Ghost Distillery — he was meeting with people connected to David Weinstein, a partner at Archer & Greiner, a law firm that serves as one of Scott’s racing sponsors — also displayed the business side of being a professional driver.

    “As a driver, you can’t just be fast, right? You have to be fast and be a good business guy, and me being 22 and having to learn that so fast is really challenging,” Scott told The Inquirer inside his Alpha Prime Racing car hauler at Pocono Raceway’s infield. “[I’m] trying to put sponsors together and get more resources, to have better resources to make our cars faster, right?

    “The people that can kind of stay grounded and the people that do the work every day are usually the ones that get past those challenges, and I’m in the middle of that right now. I’m just working to get to the other side.”

    His family and the village that raised him, from South Jersey to North Carolina, keep him grounded. And it was apparent just how much he leans on those closest to him.

    Lavar Scott (right) has leaned on his family, including his mother Sonia (center), as his climbed the racing ranks.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    “It’s almost no surprise, because he damn near guaranteed himself, ‘That’s what I’m going to do,’” Wayne Scott Jr., Lavar’s uncle, said at Pocono Raceway. “And there was no alternative. There was no Plan B; there’s no second job. … That was his game plan, and he stuck to it. Here he is living his dream, not done yet, but he’s living it.”

    Added Lavar, one of three active Black drivers in NASCAR: “The support [from] my family is a need. I need to have the support to feel good, right? If they didn’t support me, I don’t know how I would go about my day. I really care about what they think. They’re my family, [they’re the] reason why I’m here now.”


    In the southwest corner of Pocono Raceway sits the Pocono Quarter Midget Raceway, which hosts races for kids ages 5 to 16. Scott’s eyes were fixed on the youngest age group driving go-karts with cages on top to protect them from injury. He beamed while watching the kids circle the dirt track because it reminded him of his start in racing and his first-ever win, on a dirt track when he was 5. He was hooked.

    As he watched from the chain-linked fence that separated the stands from the track, a few teenagers recognized Scott from his racing TikToks and asked for pictures and autographs.

    Lavar Scott (back right) poses with kids who compete at Pocono Quarter Midget Raceway, located near Pocono Raceway, on June 12. Scott got his start racing on similar dirt tracks.Devin Jackson

    But he wasn’t just at the track to watch and take a trip down memory lane. He offered words of encouragement to the kids and took a group picture. It marked the first time in two years a NASCAR driver came to speak at the track during Pocono weekend.

    “I started where you guys are,” Scott told the group of about 40 kids. “Some of your parents, I raced against. I’m proud of you guys. It’s really cool what you’re doing. Being back at this type of track brings back memories. … It means a lot [to me] to be here with you.”

    It was a reminder, too, of his own racing journey and family ties. It began with grandfather Wayne Sr., who became interested in cars when he was in high school.

    Lavar Scott (center) shown with his grandfather and mother after winning a race during his childhood.Courtesy of Todd Pride

    Wayne Sr. got into drag racing, often with his friends. His love for drag racing was passed down to Lavar’s mother, Sonia, who was National Hot Rod Association certified and “very competitive” as she raced all over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

    “She didn’t want to leave the track until she beat her time, and at that time, she was one of only a few women out there racing,” said Waynetta Scott, Lavar’s aunt and Sonia’s little sister. “There’s a [nine-year age] gap between us … but just watching her really inspired me to just know that you can be the only female out here and dominate, and she had that mindset to go against the men at that time.”

    What helped feed Lavar’s racing career, Wayne Jr. says, is Scott’s Auto, which Wayne Sr. opened in 1978. It has become a family business, and Sonia, Wayne Jr., and Waynetta work at the Carneys Point shop.

    “We grew up at our auto mechanic shop, and it’s like a second home, so we’ve just always been around cars and in that competitive nature,” Waynetta said. “Like how everyone goes and watches the Phillies, we went to a racetrack. That’s how we congregated and enjoyed our family time together.”

    Sonia Scott (left) stops for a picture with her son before Sunday’s race at Pocono.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
    Racing is a family affair for the Scott family. Wayne Scott Jr. (left), Wayne Scott III, Shanel Scott, and Elizabeth Scott pause for a photo with Lavar Scott (center) in the garage area.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Lavar’s older brother, Jerome, who also goes by Wayne, and Lavar “have been competing and everything their whole life,” said their uncle, Wayne Jr. Lavar and his brother would race their uncle and cousin, Wayne III. But Lavar, Wayne Jr. says, didn’t appreciate his uncle’s driving.

    “He [said] he’s scared to get close to me on the track because I’m a wild driver, I guess you’ll say,” Wayne Jr. said with a chuckle. “I’m having fun out there. … I was like, ‘I’m just giving you some experience. You never know what you might get into out there [on the racetrack]. So take it as a lesson because everything’s unpredictable.’ I told him, ‘I’m glad I can help.’”


    Lavar Scott’s pit crew works on the #45 Sunoco Chevy during NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts series at Pocono Raceway.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Lavar Scott has been chasing the winning feeling since his first race roughly 17 years ago. It’s been almost five years since Scott was last in the winner’s circle, even as he moved through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program.

    “It’s a feeling that when I go to bed, I think about, [when I] wake up, [I] think about, [when I] sleep, [I am] thinking about. It’s just the feeling of standing on top of your car after a win and [celebrating] with your friends and family and knowing you did your job really well that day,” said Scott, who has four top 20 finishes in the Auto Parts Series. “Knowing the work you’re putting in is paying off … I get kind of super emotional talking about it, because [racing] really, really matters to me.”

    Scott signed with Alpha Prime Racing team last December, about two months before Jusan Hamilton was appointed as team president. Hamilton became NASCAR’s first Black team president a few years after he became the sport’s first Black racing director in 2017.

    Hamilton, who was a racer himself while growing up in Ithaca, N.Y., had known Scott for seven years and sees a lot of himself in Scott.

    “I see someone who works hard, continues to be a student of the sport,” Hamilton said. “He’s just on a platform now where he knows all the work that he puts in is going to maximize tomorrow, and I just see him continue to put that work in and try and be a better driver and on the track and a better person off the track to support the rest of it.”


    Rajah Caruth (right) is one of Scott’s competitors, and another of NASCAR’s young Black drivers.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Beyond what Scott is doing on the racetrack, what he is doing off it is catching young fans’ attention in the Philly area and beyond. Last fall, Scott entered a partnership with Philadelphia-based Urban Affairs Coalition, a nonprofit that works “to improve the quality of life in the region, build wealth in urban communities, and solve emerging issues.”

    Through this partnership, UAC launched Team Racing-2-Education, which aims to introduce young people to careers in engineering, data analytics, automotive tech, and media production within motorsports. Recently, Alpha Prime Racing launched a national workforce development initiative in partnership with UAC and Team Racing-2-Education to “immerse students and young adults in hands-on experiences across race team operations, engineering, mechanics, logistics, marketing, content production, business operations, and event management.”

    Driving coach Phil Horton (left) and Alpha Prime Racing president Jusan Hamilton are in Lavar Scott’s corner.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    “It’s something I really take very seriously, and want to help grow and change, and bring a lot more people into the sport,” Scott said. “I think our partnership [with UAC] and our goals align really well. … It’s been really cool, and the work that’s being done is definitely making a change, but there’s still a lot more to be done, and we’re working hard every day to kind of continue that.

    “On my side of things, I want to see more simulators be available to the youth and to kids, and let them gain interest. When you go to your local middle school or high school, you walk into a gym, you see your basketball courts there, you go outside for football with your friends, right? But I think there’s a way to just get some [racing simulators] into different places to have it accessible to them to play.”

    Added Hamilton: “It’s really been our culture of Alpha Prime to bring new people into the sport to give them a foundation to learn and grow in a team that supports that because a lot of the big [NASCAR] teams, they just want people that are turnkey and can go straight to work without training. They don’t want to take the time to train because that’s loss of performance for them in their eyes, so we kind of serve that position of the sport.”

    Lavar Scott is becoming more well-known among racing fans.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
    Scott waves to a young fan at Pocono.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Scott also had an autograph signing early Saturday morning. Children and adults, excited to meet him, walked up to his hauler and grabbed a poster for him to sign.

    That has become a regular occurrence as Scott’s profile has grown. He says he can “hear little kids say, ‘Hey, that’s Lavar Scott,’” and added that it’s ”super cool” to have those interactions.

    A visit with a children’s hospital earlier in the week, though, helped put things in perspective.

    “[I was] speaking with this girl, and she had to be about 9 years old, and she said … ‘I think this is the coolest thing ever, that I get to meet you,’” Scott said. “[I said], ‘So you think today, meeting me is the coolest thing ever?’ She said, ‘This is the coolest thing I’ve done in my life, is to meet you,’ and that hit hard for me. That was — I don’t want to say motivating, but it touched on a different level.”


    Lavar Scott takes a moment alone before his race in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts series at Pocono Raceway.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Scott walked away from his No. 45 car with Sunoco, a Chevrolet with a blue, yellow, and red color scheme. He walked toward the wall separating pit road from the straightaway just past the start/finish line before the national anthem and flyover.

    He needed a moment to collect himself and refocus. He had spent the hours leading up to the 4 p.m. race on Saturday striking a balance of focus on the race and his laid-back, playful energy around family and friends.

    While it was all business in the morning for practice and qualifying, he enjoyed the company of his uncle, Wayne Jr.; aunts Shanel and Waynetta; cousins Wayne III (who works on the No. 44 car for Alpha Prime Racing as a pit crew member) and Elizabeth; and mother, Sonia, after securing his 25th starting spot.

    Jalen Hurts is entering his seventh season with the Eagles. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
    Lavar Scott compared his mentality around racing to how Hurts approaches football.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    His racing approach, Lavar says, is reminiscent of an NFL player who is revered in the Philly area.

    “I do respect Jalen [Hurts], how he goes about things, being very quiet, processes things differently … and I think that’s how my guys view me,” said Scott, who connected with the Eagles quarterback recently. “No matter what’s going on, that Lavar’s going to show up prepared and ready to go.”

    Once it was time to climb into his car, the rest of the Scott family watched anxiously from his pit box, listening to the in-car radio communication to glean information they couldn’t see on the track.

    Lavar Scott operates on the straightaway under one of the many cautions in NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts series at Pocono Raceway.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Every time Lavar’s No. 45 car zoomed by at around 190 miles per hour, a friend or family member would point out his car, trying to get a glimpse of their star fighting for track position.

    “I get starstruck when I see him in his suit and in his race car,” Waynetta said. “I know he loves his family. We’re so family-oriented that it just gives him that comfort and the support and the confidence to know that he can go out there and be all that he can be. He does [racing in NASCAR] well, and he’s not alone in this battlefield.”

    Though Scott’s first race at Pocono Raceway didn’t end the way he was hoping — he was knocked out of the race with five laps to go to finish 29th — it was clear from listening to his spotters through his car communication that he was maximizing his opportunities to move up through the field after starting toward the back. He was inside the top 15 at one point.

    Lavar Scott was just five laps from the end of the race when he crashed on Turn 3 on June 13 at Pocono Raceway. Scott was uninjured in the crash.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
    Lavar Scott getting a hug from his aunt Shanel in the garage area after he crashed on the 95th lap.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer

    Those closest to him believe this is just the beginning for Scott as he navigates the delicate balance of racing and relationship building.

    “I think what Lavar is doing is certainly going out there and competing at the highest level, which is fantastic. I think he’s learning as he goes as well, but making some really good progress,” NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell said recently. “A guy who we’d love to see continue to climb the ladder in NASCAR, and he’s done it the right way. He’s put in the time, and he’s working with a great race team. I’m excited to see how it plays out throughout the year.”

    Added Hamilton: “As long as [his] partnerships continue to grow, the sky’s the limit, really, for Lavar. The goal for all the drivers that we brought in on the NASCAR side, when I was working in that capacity, was for them to get to the Cup Series, and I think that’s still an attainable goal for him as long as everything else continues to work in his favor off racetrack.”

    Lavar Scott recently partnered with a Philly nonprofit, the Urban Affairs Coalition on its Racing-2-Education initiative.Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
  • Peacocks are wandering a Camden County borough. Local police don’t know where they came from.

    Peacocks are wandering a Camden County borough. Local police don’t know where they came from.

    A party of peafowl has spent the past 10 days roaming Berlin Borough in Camden County, and residents and police don’t know where they came from.

    Facebook user Ryan Bigwood of Berlin posted photos last Wednesday featuring a few peacocks wandering Evanine Drive at the Woods, a residential neighborhood on the eastern side of the borough. On Thursday, Bigwood confirmed that three birds, seemingly a family, were still wandering the street a week later, moving from house to house.

    More social media posts followed, including one by the Berlin Police Department on Sunday featuring an artificial intelligence-generated image of an officer riding a horse-sized peacock.

    “This is not the first time they have appeared in recent years and around our community and others,” the post read. “Please only contact your emergency services if there is something alarming about them.”

    Multiple peacocks roam Evanine Drive in Berlin Borough, Camden County, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Courtesy of Ryan Bigwood

    Peacocks are no strangers to making South Jersey news. Popeye, a beloved peacock and honorary mascot for Clarksboro in Gloucester County, died in 2019 after someone shot him. In March, a Cherry Hill couple asked the public to find the owner of a peacock that wandered their property for days.

    In Philadelphia in 2018, four peacocks escaped from the city’s zoo. At least two were later recovered after wandering I-76, though at least one more was found dead — likely after being hit by a vehicle, a zoo spokesperson said at the time.

    Michael Scheer, Berlin Borough’s police chief, said this is the first time in his more than two-decade-long career at the department that he’s had consecutive calls related to peacocks. He has no clue where they came from, how many there are, or where they are now.

    “They are not in policy custody, I can tell you that,” Scheer said.

    The department has received about 10 recent calls for peacock sightings, Scheer said. On Saturday afternoon, police reported to the Heritage’s Dairy Store on Route 30 and Tansboro Road in Berlin after a car collided with a peacock crossing the street.

    The peacock seemed fine and quickly ran off.

    Multiple peacocks roam Evanine Drive in Berlin Borough, Camden County, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. Courtesy of Ryan Bigwood

    “This is definitely the lighter side of the profession,” Scheer said. “They haven’t been aggressive to anybody or anything. They’re just wandering like they’re lost.”

    Another Facebook user posted photos of a pair of peafowl, with different coloring than the birds in Bigwood’s post, on a home roof in Berlin on Monday.

    Dan Keashen, Camden County’s director of public affairs, said wandering peacocks are not a new phenomenon in South Jersey. Keashen said he lives near a farm in Gibbsboro that allows its peacock population to wander freely from street to street. He drives past the birds every day on his commute to work.

    “It’s not an oddity,” Keashen said. “But it’s not like you’ll see them commuting on PATCO either.”

    Scheer said his department hasn’t received any peacock-related calls in a few days. But if people do spot the animals, he advises onlookers to treat them as they would any other wild animal. Camden County animal control won’t come pick up the birds, Scheer said, unless they’re injured or contained.

    “We have never been trained on how to deal with roaming peacocks,” he said.

  • Angelo’s Pizzeria builds toward its opening in South Jersey as its bakery in Montco plans to sell rolls wholesale

    Angelo’s Pizzeria builds toward its opening in South Jersey as its bakery in Montco plans to sell rolls wholesale

    Angelo’s Pizzeria owner Danny DiGiampietro has been pursuing two ambitious goals: reviving a landmark Montgomery County bakery and opening a branch of his Michelin-recommended pizza-and-sandwich operation in South Jersey, where it all began.

    Both projects now appear to be gaining momentum. While Angelo’s vaunted rolls are being baked at the former Conshohocken Italian Bakery property, which DiGiampietro purchased last year, the long-held plans to reopen the bakery’s counter to retail customers remain on hold. DiGiampietro said the building requires additional work, which he declined to specify. “Every time we fix one thing, something else comes up,” he said.

    Danny DiGiampietro (left), owner of Angelo’s Pizzeria, with partner Jared Braunstein at the bakery in Conshohocken in December 2024.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    But Angelo’s is moving into wholesale bread production, the backbone of Conshohocken Italian Bakery’s business under the Gambone family for more than a half-century before its 2024 closing.

    A key piece of the puzzle is on the way: a massive Polin oven imported from Italy to give his bakers more flexibility, DiGiampietro said.

    The future location of Angelo’s Pizzeria in West Collingswood Heights, previously Di’Nics, on June 18, 2026.Michael Klein / Staff

    At “Conshy,” as the Jones Street bakery was known, the Gambone family supplied rolls and bread to hundreds of restaurants and sandwich shops throughout the region. Its closing created a frenzy among customers and competitors.

    DiGiampietro said the new oven will allow bakers to create a line of kaiser rolls, potato rolls, steak rolls, and hoagie rolls. Although he will in effect be selling to his sandwich shop competitors, he likens it to giving shops “the canvas to make their art,” DiGiampietro said. “Everyone’s different.”

    A return to wholesaling was not in the initial plans for DiGiampietro, who owned a bread bakery in South Philadelphia about 20 years ago. “I went bankrupt the first time. So hopefully I don’t go bankrupt again.”

    Meanwhile, demolition and rebuilding are underway at the future Angelo’s Pizzeria location at 310 Black Horse Pike in the West Collingswood Heights neighborhood of Haddon Township, Camden County. The stand-alone building was formerly Di’Nics.

    Crews recently gutted the building, which DiGiampietro hopes to transform into a full-service Angelo’s within the next several months.

    The project will mark his return to New Jersey. DiGiampietro opened his first Angelo’s in Haddonfield in 2013 before closing it in 2018 to focus on the Ninth Street location in South Philadelphia, which opened in 2019 and helped turn Angelo’s into one of the region’s most sought-after pizzeria and cheesesteak shops.

    Since then, Angelo’s has expanded to a second South Philadelphia location at Wolf and Swanson Streets and a counter at Wilmington’s DECO Food Hall. DiGiampietro is also a partner in Uncle Gus’ Steaks at Reading Terminal Market and, with actor Bradley Cooper, at Danny & Coop’s in Manhattan.

    The Angelo’s in West Collingswood Heights, about 10 minutes from the Walt Whitman Bridge, will include table seating as well as a counter overlooking the kitchen. Initially, DiGiampietro wanted more seating. Then he began talking about a takeout-only operation.

    “But people love the show,” he said. “They like to see everything happening.”

    The build-out still requires installation of a pizza oven, walk-in refrigeration, and other equipment. Even so, DiGiampietro believes the compact space can work.

    “We think we can keep a dining room and still fit everything we need in there,” he said. “It’ll be tight, but we work on Ninth Street in basically a submarine, so how much tighter can it get?”

  • 🍴 Find your new favorite restaurant | Inquirer South Jersey

    🍴 Find your new favorite restaurant | Inquirer South Jersey

    Good morning, South Jersey. Take an umbrella to work: Strong thunderstorms are possible today.

    There are so many quality restaurants in the region that we made a quiz to help narrow down your options.

    And a new internship program provides hands-on job training for students with disabilities to build careers in hospitals.

    Plus, Mount Holly canceled its Fourth of July celebration, and more news of the day.

    — Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)

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

    Your new favorite restaurant

    Take our quiz and find your new favorite restaurant from The 76

    Back in October, The Inquirer released its annual list of the most essential restaurants in the Philly area, dubbed The 76.

    The South Jersey representation includes:

    • Dolsan Korean BBQ in Mount Laurel
    • Radin’s Delicatessen in Cherry Hill
    • Corinne’s Place* in Camden
    • Karachi Kafe in Voorhees
    • June BYOB in Collingswood
    • Le Beirut in Collingswood
    • Oda Mediterranean Grill in Collingswood

    *Note: This soul food spot also ended up on our list for the region’s most iconic dishes for its classic fried chicken.

    Which one best matches your cravings?

    Let our quiz help you decide your next date night or evening out with friends.

    🥂 In related news: Several new South Jersey restaurants opened this spring. Enjoy eating your way across the region.

    A new kind of internship

    The inaugural class of Project SEARCH, a nine-month internship program that provides career training to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, graduated this week.

    Through the program that is a collaboration between Virtua Health and the Burlington County Special Services School District, the six students who made up the graduating class completed 10-week rotations in multiple hospital departments over the school year.

    The participants gathered hands-on experience working in multiple departments such as cardiology, physical therapy, food services, and patient transport.

    “I have built real skills, gained so much confidence, and discovered what I am truly capable of achieving,” Alyssa Eiring said in her commencement speech at the graduation ceremony in Westhampton.

    Multiple students have already landed a job.

    Reporter Wendy Ruderman has the story.

    What to know today

    • Mount Holly canceled its Independence Day celebration, citing safety concerns.
    • The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office released a 560-page report covering disciplinary actions against law enforcement, including the firing of a Burlington County corrections officer.
    • Rowan University will close a health center for abused children, Rowan-Virtua Child Abuse Research Education and Service Institute (CARES) in Vineland because of Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s proposed budget plan. Another CARES office in Stratford will remain open.
    • Food insecurity in the Philly region, including South Jersey, has increased after a federal law altered the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and reduced its benefits under President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act.
    • Some New Jersey lawmakers are looking for pathways to incentivize farmers to produce more hazelnuts, according to New Jersey Monitor.
    • NBC10 reports that Jersey Mike’s is now America’s favorite fast food chain, dethroning Chick-fil-A, based on a recent survey.

    🗓️ The best things to do this week

    ⚽ World Cup Outdoor Watch Party: Cheer on Team USA against Team Australia. Evesham Township is partnering with The Promenade at Sagemore Shopping Center and LaScala’s Fire restaurant for the festivities. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. ⏰ Friday, June 19, begins at 3 p.m. 💵 Pay-as-you go 📍500 NJ-73, Marlton

    🎤 Peabody’s Wayback Machine Summer Concert: Indulge your nostalgia with Peabody’s Wayback Machine, the throwback band that specializes in 1980s music. It’s the first of Gloucester County’s concert series this season. ⏰ June 20, 7-8:30 p.m. 💵 Free📍 James G. Atkinson Park, 138 Bethel Mill Rd., Sewell

    🗓️ Camden’s Junteenth Festival: Celebrate with this large festival full of art, culture, and celebration. The featured events include live music, live art demonstrations, and more. ⏰ Sunday, June 21, noon-8 p.m. .💵 Pay-as-you go 📍Farnham Park, 1648 Baird Blvd., Camden

    See more event listings here.

    🧠 Trivia time

    Which TV show had its characters vacation in Jersey?

    A) The Four Seasons

    B) Euphoria

    C) Severance

    D) House of the Dragon

    Think you know? Check your answer.

    What we’re…

    🛣️ Avoiding: Highway closures on I-295 and Route 42.

    🥄 Craving: Water ice cakes.

    🦟 Noting: Mosquito spraying in Camden County today.

    🏡 On the market

    A four-bedroom home with an open-floor plan

    Tucked away on a peaceful street, this four-bedroom home in Sewell provides a lot of privacy. Built in 2023, the home has modern amenities. The updated kitchen leads into a dining area and a spacious living room. The home includes 2.5 bathrooms and a finished basement with ample space for a home office or a media room. Both the front and back porches allow for outdoor seating for entertaining guests.

    See more photos of the property here.

    Price: $470,000 | Size: 2,273 SF | Acreage: 0.25

    That is all I have for you this morning. Thank you for spending it with The Inquirer.

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