A large part of Cherry Hill’s share of the national settlement with opioid companies will be used to support a licensed mental health clinician working in the schools over two years.
Township council last week voted to make a $240,000 contribution to the district from the fund’s balance of about $764,000.
“We recognize that mental health is a national problem and certainly Cherry Hill is not immune,” Mayor David Fleisher said in an interview. “This is one way for us to take a bite out of that problem.”
Fleisher showed up at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday to share news of the contribution.
New Jersey’s share of the settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers is $1.1 billon through 2038, according to the Office the State Comptroller. Half goes to the state and half to counties and municipalities to address opioid use disorder and mental health conditions.
The mental health professional will be assigned to work with high school students, Fleisher told the board.
He said the contribution is a “great example of where we have a very specific targeted need and we know the challenges of mental health.”
70and73.com is a hyperlocal news site focused on South Jersey, including the communities of Cherry Hill, Evesham, Mount Laurel, Voorhees, Medford, Medford Lakes, and Moorestown.
Sitting on the neatly made bed, Vijay Shroff looked around the hotel room as no lodger would.
Shroff pointed out the wall air-conditioning unit, noting it was replaced along with those in the hotel’s 107 other rooms this summer. He gestured toward the bathroom, recalling his investment in a bathtub that will last decades next to his installation of a relatively expensive pressure-assisted toilet.
To Shroff, the Red Roof Inn he and his family own off Route 73 in Mount Laurel “is my long-term investment,” something he could hand down to his two college-age daughters.
But, to Mount Laurel Township, the small hotel, along with eight others in town, are properties that township government may condemn and demolish to make way for apartments. The apartments could add a total of 826 units to the town’s commitment to have developers build affordable housing under a court-ordered doctrine that had its beginning in Mount Laurel.
Affordable housing obligations in New Jersey have had a long history since 1975, when the New Jersey Supreme Court required municipalities to provide their fair share of affordable housing in a lawsuit filed by the Southern Burlington NAACP against Mount Laurel Township. This year, the fourth round of planned affordable housing was completed.
The lawsuit’s outcome, which has come to be known as the Mount Laurel Doctrine, has resulted in construction of more than 75,000 affordable housing units over the years, according to the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center, which works in the courts to track each municipality’s proposals.
Shroff, originally from India and a resident of Mount Laurel for 25 years, owns three targeted hotels: the Red Roof, the Track & Turf Motel on Route 73, and the Hyatt House on Crawford Place.
He learned of the township’s plan to possibly buy his hotel, which could be done through the power of eminent domain, from a news article someone had passed along, he said.
The Red Roof Inn in Mount Laurel on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Mouth Laurel gets ‘creative’
Plans designating the Red Roof Inn and the nearby Rodeway Inn on Route 73 as condemnation areas in need of redevelopment were adopted by the township council on Tuesday evening. The council acted on planning board recommendations.
The redevelopment plans “are the first in a series of redevelopment studies that the Township will be performing over the next few years to determine if the lands are appropriate for redevelopment projects that can accommodate affordable housing developments,” Mount Laurel Township Solicitor George M. Morris of the Parker McCay law firm said in an email.
Besides Shroff’s three properties and the Rodeway Inn, the other hotels targeted in the affordable housing plan are the Econo Lodge on Fellowship Road, Clarion Hotel & Suites-Wyndham on Route 73, the Grand Resort Hotel-Hotel ML on Route 73, La Quinta Inn & Suites on Clover Road, and Knights Inn on Route 73.
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Like other highly developed municipalities, Mount Laurel has scrambled to find properties suitable for developing multifamily residences that include affordable housing.
Neighboring Evesham Township, for example, worked with a developer to acquire the struggling, one-story Marlton Crossing Garden Offices. The offices recently were demolished, and the planning board has approved construction of 325 apartments, with 49 of them designated as affordable housing.
Jag Davies, communications director for the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center, which reviews all municipalities’ proposals for affordable housing, said his organization could not comment on Mount Laurel’s hotel redevelopment plan.
“Mount Laurel, like many towns, needed to be creative to find solutions to the court mandated affordable housing obligations,” Morris, the township’s lawyer, said. “Redevelopment and effective reuse of distressed properties simply make more sense.”
Condition of the hotel is a factor
The redevelopment plans for both the Red Roof Inn and the Rodeway Inn list code violations and police and fire activity at the low-priced hotels.
Photographs of what the township alleges are maintenance problems are part of the 678-page redevelopment study of the Red Roof Inn.
Between January 2021 and this April, the Mount Laurel Police Department recorded 258 arrests and 440 service cases, according to the Red Roof redevelopment study by Harbor Consultants of Cranford, N.J. The most-frequent incidents were assault, theft/larceny, and narcotics-related cases, the study stated.
In June 2025, the Mount Laurel Fire Department told fire personnel, fire inspectors, and code enforcement staff that they must have a police officer on the scene with them before entering the Red Roof Inn, according to the redevelopment study of the hotel.
Morris said the condition of the properties “is a factor in determining if the lands actually qualify for a redevelopment designation.”
Mount Laurel Mayor Stephen Steglik in an email referred to the high level of police calls over time to some of the hotels.
“This redevelopment creates an opportunity to introduce new, fresh and clean permanent housing along one of the Township’s more troubled areas,” he wrote. “Municipalities are mandated by the state to implement an affordable housing plan. As a Township, our effort is to develop and implement a plan that makes the most sense for our community at large while adhering to the spirit of the law itself and we believe this plan does that.”
Red Roof owner Shroff said that a Mazda cannot be compared with a Bentley and that it is the same in the hotel business.
His property, which he says over the years has averaged a 75% occupancy rate, is low-cost, said Shroff, who added that the hotel cannot be responsible for the behavior of its customers.
Like any business owner, Shroff said, he would consider offers from the township that reflect the value of his property. He maintained the value is in the land under the Red Roof Inn and the prospect of using it for commercial development on busy Route 73 may make it prohibitively expensive for residential use.
“I don’t know how much they want to offer, and even [if] they offer I don’t think this location is ideal for housing,” Shroff said of his hotel, where the parking lot adjoins the parking lot of a Walmart.
Shroff said he does not understand why the township is considering highly commercialized Route 73 for affordable housing.
This is not an area where you want to put affordable housing, he said. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Every month, a group of seniorswho met playing poker at a 55+ community in Moorestown go out and try a new cheesesteak. Their goal: Find the very best.
None are trained food critics, but they are sandwich enthusiasts. The rules:
It has to be in South Jersey.
There’s no formal rating system, but they do consider the hardness of the bread, the heat of the hot peppers, the cheesiness, and the amount of meat for the price.
Sandwiches are “good” or not.
To be considered their ultimate cheesesteak, it has to have meat, onions, cheese, a roll, and seasoning. If available, fried onions are a must. Hot peppers are always on the side.
So far, they have visited Donkey’s Place in Camden, Chick’s Deli in Cherry Hill, and Bricco Coal Fired Pizza.
Burlington City’s historic corridor features taprooms, art studios, antique stores, and more.
But among the lively commercial spaces, there are boarded and empty storefronts, too. Some residents argue the strip is not welcoming to visitors.
One proposed solution? More dedicated police to patrol downtown would make visitors and locals feel more comfortable, according to the community group behind a petition calling for the foot patrols.
New Jersey joined seven other states to sue President Donald Trump’s administration over its attempts to cancel offshore wind leases and instead pay companies $1.4 billion for fossil fuel projects.
The Edgewater Park Township Police and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s office announced Tuesday that the driver of a car involved in the crash that claimed the life of a pedestrian from Willingboro Sunday morning on Route 130 has been charged. The investigation is still ongoing, according to officials.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office announced that a Westville man was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for aggravated manslaughter in the 2016 death of Miguel Martinez III in Deptford. Martinez was considered missing before a witness came forward years later and his remains were found.
The state fined the developers of a Vineland data center more than $1 million for violating clean-air laws by running dozens of gas generators without the required permits.
Ocean City sent the owner of the Wonderland Pier a “notice of unsafe structure” because the pier is showing signs of collapse, such as the decking caving in.
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Gerry Dinon, who solved last Wednesday’s anagram: Adventure Aquarium. Provenance Chef Nicholas Bazik shared with The Inquirer that he loves visiting with his son, who has has an encyclopedic knowledge of fish and sharks.
Built in 1897, this private home has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and features a grand foyer, kitchen, living room, dining room, and study. Exterior perks include a spacious front porch and a backyard deck — plus, a detached structure with stables.
On Friday, Ralph DiSibio and his friends arrived early, as they usually do, at a cheesesteak joint in Marlton between an Advance Auto Parts and a dry cleaner.
The men wore matching T-shirts picturing a loaded cheesesteak set aflame, except for Gary Mazzucco, who hasn’t retired yet and doesn’t have the time, nor the medical clearance, to eat a pound of meat and cheese over and over again.
“Ralph, I gotta order a salad. I can’t eat a cheesesteak,” Mazzucco, 78, said.
“That’s why he doesn’t have a T-shirt,” one of his friends chimed in.
Mazzucco ordered a salad. Then, he changed his order after he spotted wings on the menu, which opened the conversation to teasing. What kind of salad was that?
“It’s got celery,” Mazzucco said.
When he offered to share, most of the group passed.
Johnny Longhots, a pizza and sandwich joint “where Philadelphia meets New York,” is the fourth stop on the retirees’ monthslong quest to find South Jersey’s best cheesesteak, preceded by trips to Donkey’s Place in Camden, Bricco Coal Fired Pizza, and Chick’s Deli in Cherry Hill.
Ralph DiSibio (far left), 85, of Moorestown, watches as friends Mike Mouber (left), 79; Paul Ferretti, 79; and John DeSilvio, 74, enter Johnny Longhots in Marlton on Sept. 18.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
The crew refuses to cross the bridge for cheesesteaks. They want to avoid tolls, and with thousands of options in Philly, they’re not sure they’ll live long enough to eat them all. Sitting in a bright red booth, the seniors were close enough to the city, their backs to a wall of Philly motifs. A picture of the LOVE statue hung above Mike Mouber’s head.
DiSibio, 85, used to work in the nuclear waste industry, and Mazzucco is an accountant. Mouber, 79, was a lawyer; Paul Ferretti, 79, an investment banker, and John DeSilvio, 78, a contractor. Bob McDermott, 83, worked for the U.S. Postal Service. None of them have long careers as food critics or restaurateurs, but they’ve eaten many a sandwich.
The group hasn’t found its prized meal yet — Chick’s was the favorite so far — but they say they’re uniquely qualified to discover it.
“If you count Gary, there’s over 400 years of experience,” DiSibio said, settled at the head of the table.
Mike Mouber (center), 79, points to the Johnny Longhots menu as Bob McDermott, 83, enjoys his cheesesteak. Although the beloved sandwich was invented in Philadelphia, the group has no interest in trying out Philly cheesesteaks across the bridge.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
The seniors met years ago at a 55+ community in Moorestown, the Mews at Laurel Creek, where most of them still live. They’ve kept their friendship going at the poker table, where they compete every Thursday.
To mix things up, the group recently visited Donkey’s Place to try what many South Jerseyans have called the best cheesesteak around. But the men weren’t fans, including those who have long frequented Camden’s food scene. They were put off by the kaiser roll.
“We weren’t thrilled one way or another,” said DiSibio, a Camden native.
So they decided to keep searching. They’re working on a spreadsheet, though there’s no formal rating system or numerical values attributed to each cheesesteak. They establish their thoughts on the firmness of the bread, the spice of the hot peppers, the meltability of the cheese, and how much meat they get for their money through overlapping conversations that usually drift into sports, politics, religion, and movie debates. Sandwiches are generally considered “good” or, well, not.
Paul Ferretti (right), 79, greets Ralph DiSibio, 85, alongside Mike Mouber (center), 79, inside Johnny Longhots on Sept. 18.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
Their ultimate cheesesteak, at least according to a printed list in large text, must include: meat, onions, cheese, a roll, and seasoning. The “ambiance of the establishment” only matters if it’s particularly remarkable. They always get fried onions if they can, and hot peppers on the side.
Jimmy Lees, an employee at Johnny Longhots, made sure most of their cheesesteaks came out quickly, after a lengthy back-and-forth between the men on whether to get provolone or Cooper Sharp. (The majority went with Cooper Sharp.)
Lees, a Philly native, said it was a new thing to witness a group of seniors hunting for the region’s best cheesesteak, but it’s not so strange.
“It’s something to do,” Lees said.
The group of friends enjoyed their Johnny Longhots cheesesteaks. The group found the bread roll to not be as good as they hoped but appreciated the amount of steak that was provided.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
As they ate, there wasn’t much commentary about the cheesesteaks. They debated what year The Godfather novel came out, and DeSilvio’s forthcoming trip to Croatia. They compared their quest to Indiana Jones in 1981.
“This is like Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark,” McDermott said. “We’re looking for the holy grail of cheesesteak.”
Mike Mouber points to Gary Mazzucco (not pictured) when asked who’s the best poker player in the group while the rest of the friends (from left to right) Bob McDermott, Ralph DiSibio, Paul Ferretti, and John DeSilvio enjoy their meals.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
It didn’t take long for the group to finish their sandwiches, about a half hour or so. DeSilvio wrapped up half of his sandwich for his wife. McDermott said he enjoyed his. Others said the sandwich was good, but maybe the bread could’ve been crustier. It was the smallest of the cheesesteaks they’d eaten so far. They debated their choices again, both praising and regretting the Cooper Sharp.
“I don’t have any of these opinions,” Mouber said.
They joked about their cholesterol meds, and that it’s a good thing cardiologists live in their Moorestown development. They said they won’t know the true rating of their cheesesteaks until later in the day, when their digestive systems get to work.
The group discusses what cheeses should be allowed in cheesesteaks. While DiSibio passionately believes only provolone cheese should be in the sandwich, Mouber (far left) doesn’t have a preference.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
The group plans to visit at least one cheesesteak joint a month for as long as they feel up to it. Their current list includes Irishtown Steaks, Pudge’s Pub, and Champs Cheesesteaks and Hoagies, among others. DiSibio said he hopes to get through at least 10 spots before they call it quits.
When asked for final thoughts on their sandwiches at Johnny Longhots, Mouber spoke for his friends.
Bordered by a riverfront park to the north and Broad Street to the south, a roughly quarter-mile stretch of High Street has long been the commercial heart of Burlington City.
Today, the historic corridor is still home to the traditional businesses that locals expect downtown, like law offices and insurance agencies, but the street is also showing signs of new life as taprooms, art studios, and more have begun moving in.
Yet mixed in among all of these businesses, both old and new, remains a smattering of closed or vacant storefronts. Tucked between bustling barber shops and antique stores, some buildings are boarded up entirely while others still boast sun-faded window displays.
A “permanently closed” sign is posted to the front door of Waitz Jewelers at 320 High St. in Burlington, N.J. on Sept. 1, 2026.Lacey Latch
It’s these empty storefronts that are, in part, holding Burlington back from reaching its full potential, according to the New London Alliance (NLA), a neighborhood group based just south of Broad Street.
The group argues that the number of inactive storefronts makes the area feel unwelcome for pedestrians, especially at night, said NLA member Donnamarie Mazzola.
In an effort to address this, the group is calling for dedicated police foot patrols downtown — not necessarily because crime is increasing, Mazzola said, but to help create a more comfortable environment for locals and visitors alike.
“We’re asking the city to consider restoring regular police foot patrols and community policing downtown,” Mazzola said. “We believe having officers present and engaging with residents, businesses, and visitors can help strengthen both public safety and the relationship between the police and the community.”
A sidewalk along High Street in downtown Burlington was largely empty in the early afternoon of Sept. 1, 2026.Lacey Latch
Simply knowing cops are walking around downtown might be enough to make people feel more safe to do the same, she said.
“We have a huge problem with abandoned buildings and absentee landlords, so our downtown is nowhere near the kind of vibrant downtown that people would love,” she said. “And it kind of detracts from that sense of safety and walkability that people really come here searching for.”
Since the NLA began circulating a community petition at the end of July, Mazzola said, the group has collected a few hundred signatures in support of the foot patrols.
The petition itself, Mazzola said, is essentially a way to come to city officials with hard data demonstrating a desire for these services beyond just the NLA.
“We’re hoping that [the petition] sends a signal to the mayor that this is an important priority for the community and that he then kicks off an initiative with the stakeholders and community input,” she said.
While it is still just an idea, some longtime High Street business owners are already on board.
After more than two decades operating Virtu Millinery & Accessories on the corner of Union Street, Marie Salter recently began locking her front door after a frightening incident with someone who appeared to be suffering from mental illness, she said.
Marie Salter’s specialty hat boutique, Virtu Millinery & Accessories, has been on High Street in Burlington for more than 20 years. Salter said she would welcome community foot patrols in the area.Lacey Latch
If police were walking around the area throughout the day, it might prevent a similar situation from happening again, she said.
“I would welcome it,” Salter said of possible foot patrols outside her boutique hat shop. “I could keep my door open.”
Down the block, Philip Augustyn, another longtime High Street business owner, agreed that it would be a welcome sight.
Augustyn and his wife, Maryanne, have operated Philip’s Antiques & Furniture at 307 High St. for more than 20 years — enough time to remember “years and years ago” when police would regularly walk by, Philip Augustyn said.
“I’ve been here a long time,” he said. “There’s not a lot of crime down here to begin with, but I think people would just feel better to see the police walking up and down. The merchants, plus any of the tourists or local people, they’d like to see the police on patrol.”
A few stores down, Olde City Quilts co-owner Rob Engime also looked back fondly on a time when foot patrols were commonplace in the area.
In the early years of their shop, Engime said, he and his wife would sometimes get calls from police officers who noticed their storefront was unlocked as they made their nightly patrols. Once, when cops found the door cracked open, they walked a police dog through the property just to make sure no one had broken in, he said.
A storefront available for lease on High Street in Burlington, N.J. on Sept. 1, 2026.Lacey Latch
There was a neighborly energy with law enforcement at the time, he said, in large part because locals often recognized officers from growing up in the city.
“It was great,” Engime said of that time. “It did have a sense that it was much friendlier.”
After 20 years on what he calls “the busiest street that doesn’t go anywhere,” Engime said, he still loves the neighborhood but would welcome the return of the foot patrols he used to know.
“It was a lot of fun and we felt a connection with them,” he said. “But now you never see them.”
It is unclear when Burlington last had dedicated foot patrols downtown or if the department has the staffing capabilities to have any officers on foot. The Burlington City Police Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
“Obviously I’m sure any police department would love to have enough staffing to have somebody on every corner,” Burlington Mayor Barry Conaway said. “But we know that’s not reality.”
Two shuttered storefronts sit side by side on High Street in Burlington, N.J. on Sept. 1, 2026.Lacey Latch
When asked about the NLA’s petition, Conaway said he was unable to comment more specifically on the matter until it is officially filed with the city.
But he did share the group’s desire to bring more pedestrians downtown.
“Every small town, including Burlington, wants to have more foot traffic downtown,” Conaway said, noting that the River Line and nearby bus stops give the city a unique opportunity to bring in people.
Amid the community’s efforts to boost foot traffic along High Street, the belief held by many residents and business owners — that crime downtown is not increasing — is hard to verify.
The city did not respond to a public records request seeking crime statistics specifically for this stretch of High Street and instead referred the request to the New Jersey State Police. The state police in turn pointed to Burlington’s citywide crime statistics, which are compiled annually.
Still collecting signatures, the NLA plans to finally bring the petition to city officials in the fall, Mazzola said. In the meantime, she said, the group is working to get the proposal in front of as many residents as possible.
“In Burlington, there are pockets of community groups that are very, very interested in making Burlington better, and the NLA is really one of those groups,” Mazzola said.
“There’s just so much potential that’s been untapped,” she said.
New Jersey has fined the developers of a data center in Vineland more than $1 million for violating clean-air laws.
State officials say DataOne, a French company that is building the Cumberland County facility, installed and operated 62 large natural-gas power generators without the required DEP permits.
“This enforcement action — by far the largest ever taken against a data center in New Jersey and possibly one of the largest such actions in the nation — sends a clear message that these facilities will not be constructed or operated with impunity in this state,” New Jersey DEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak said in a statement.
During a site inspection July 29, state DEP officials saw the generators, which had not been there during a December visit, according to the enforcement document. Operating such machines — which emit carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and other pollutants — without the required permits violates the New Jersey Air Pollution Control Act.
The state’s announcement comes weeks after an investigation by Floodlight and the Guardian, in which the news outlets used thermal drone footage to show the Vineland data center was operating at least 45 of its generators without permits.
DataOne spokesperson Naomi Race said company executives “disagree with the temporary generator determination” but will apply for the needed permits. Race did not respond when asked whether the company planned to pay the fine.
DataOne may request a hearing on the matter within 20 calendar days, according to the state’s enforcement document.
The Vineland data center is shown during an earlier stage of construction. It sits on a former industrial park.Courtesy of DataOne
As for the facility’s permanent power source, the company is “transitioning to low-emission, quiet fuel cells,” for which they “have the necessary approvals in place,” according to Race. Fuel cells generate energy through an electrochemical reaction rather than combustion, pistons, or rotating machinery.
The Vineland facility is on South Lincoln Avenue, off State Route 55, on the site of a former industrial park. The property was sold to DataOne in a private transaction, the details of which Charles-Antoine Beyney, DataOne’s founder and chief executive officer, previously declined to disclose.
He also has not disclosed a price, saying only that the project would be privately funded. Beyney said he turned down a nearly $6.2 million loan from the city due to community pushback.
Some Vineland residents have voiced concerns about the environmental, financial, and quality-of-life impacts of having a data center in their neighborhood. Opponents also took issue with the fact that DataOne did not seek their input until the facility was already under construction.
Some Vineland residents have put up signs like this one opposing the AI data center under construction nearby. Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
At a contentious town hall in January, Beyney tried to assuage these concerns, telling residents they had nothing to worry about because his center would use “breakthrough” technology.
“Most of the data centers that are being built today suck, big time,” Beyney said at the meeting. “No freaking way am I am going to do what the entire industry is doing … just killing our communities and killing our lungs to make money.”
The Vineland facility has been under construction for more than a year. In January, DataOne executives said they expected the project to be complete by November.
Amid the global boom in data center demand, several hyperscale facilities have been proposed in the Philadelphia region, from King of Prussia to Limerick. But few have been approved and begun construction.
The Vineland site is one of them. Once fully operational, it could be the region’s first hyperscale AI data center.
The only other local facility nearing completion is Amazon’s 2 million-square-foot data center campus in Falls Township, Bucks County. As of last month, Amazon was awaiting a decision from the Pennsylvania DEP on permit applications for hundreds of proposed backup natural gas generators.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro shifted his stance on data centers last month and instituted new restrictions, which included the removal of Amazon from the state’s fast-track permitting process.
The wall under the decking of Wonderland Pier is caving in and showing signs of collapse, say owner Eustace Mita and Ocean City inspectors.
Ocean City has sent Mita a “Notice of Unsafe Structure,” along with a request for an engineer’s report and a plan of corrective action, city spokesperson Doug Bergen said.
“It’s an emergent condition,” Bergen said. The wall is toward the rear of the structure and is “not anywhere near where the public would walk by,” he said.
The decking is caving in on the landlocked Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, prompting Ocean City to issue a notice of unsafe structure. The city says the cinder-block wall below one of the decks toward the rear of the property is unstable.Courtesy Eustace Mita
“The city’s only involvement is with the cinderblock wall that’s caved in and falling over,” he said.
Mita, meanwhile, was sounding the alarm that the conditions of the pier and the iconic Ferris wheel were dire.
He said Monday that he was consulting engineers and that the Ferris wheel would need to be “literally torched” and cut into pieces to be taken down.
“It’s going to take a long time and a lot of engineering,” he said.
“The original plan was to dismantle the Ferris wheel and reassemble it,” Mita said.
Mita said “even the bolts that hold it together” are beyond dismantling, permanently welded in place, “because of the conditions of being oceanfront, and non-operable for so long.”
The Giant Wheel Ferris wheel and Raiders (right) interactive maze with tunnels, bridges, and slides.on the final day for the beloved Wonderland Pier in Ocean City Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Mita is negotiating with Ocean City to build a hotel on the site, which was declared “in need of rehabilitation,” in part because of the deterioration of the pier.
While Mita used the condition of the pier to justify a designation that would allow him to build the hotel without zoning changes, community members have contended that, as the owner, Mita was responsible for allowing the pier to deteriorate.
The amusement pier, owned for decades by the family of Mayor Jay Gillian, closed for good in October 2024. Despite community opposition, City Council approved the rehabilitation designation in June, triggering ongoing negotiations over Mita’s project.
A rendering of the proposed new Icona in Wonderland Resort, to be built on the site of the old Wonderland Pier. The proposal for a 252-room resort includes saving the iconic Ferris Wheel and carousel.Courtesy Icona Resorts
His original plan for a seven-story hotel included preserving the Ferris wheel and the historic carousel, in addition to several other kiddie rides. He said Monday he was still trying to save the carousel.
Mita said he would try to “limit the damage as best we can” to the pier.
“We can’t make repairs because it’s imploding,” he said.
Eustace Mita talks about the construction of this beachfront Achristavest home on 116th Street in Stone Harbor on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.Vernon Ogrodnek / For The Inquirer
Mita told the Ocean City Sentinel last week his latest design proposal called for the hotel to be set back from both the Plaza Place neighborhood at the rear of the property and the boardwalk in front.
He described a hotel that gets higher toward its center, with a public plaza in front, and a building that will be about 23 feet higher at the rear border than the 50-foot high log flume that is currently there. “It will have a beautiful plaza, which will be open to the public and will have firepits and the like,” he told the Sentinel. “That’s really where we’re at.”
The old Wonderland Pier site on the boardwalk in Ocean City, N.J. as seen from Wayne Avenue on Jan. 6, 2026. The beloved amusement pier shut down in October 2024. A developer wants to build a luxury hotel. A report put the cost of repairing the Ferris wheel, Carousel and log flume at as much as $6.5 million.Amy S. Rosenberg / staff
To Mount Laurel, the Red Roof Inn off Route 73 could be a suitable location for more affordable housing in the township.
To Vijay Shroff, the owner, the small hotel is an investment he could hand down to his daughters.
The township has plans to condemn and demolish this hotel and eight others near Route 73 to make way for potentially 826 apartments to honor its legal commitment to build affordable housing.
Mount Laurel wouldn’t be the only municipality to reuse properties to fulfill the requirement. With the help of a developer, nearby Evesham Township acquired and demolished Marlton Crossing Garden Offices with plans to create 325 apartments, including 49 set aside for affordable housing.
Mount Laurel’s planning board has endorsed the redevelopment plans for two of the hotels, and is set to go before township council on Tuesday night.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell is facing an ethics investigationfor allegedly giving his business card to women he wanted to date, among other claims.
Caldwell has denied the claims and has suggested racism is a factor.
His supporters, including friends and some former colleagues, are rushing to his defense by condemning the allegations, questioning the pace of the investigation, and raising alarm about the harm to his reputation regardless of the outcome.
As the investigation drags on, Gov. Mikie Sherrill has cut back on her travel, and according to a source, has not spoken directly to Caldwell.
A Willingboro man was struck and killed in a car crash early Sunday on Route 130 in Edgewater Park Township, police said. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is ongoing.
The first phase of Camden County’s $3.5 million pedestrian safety project along Haddon Avenue that stretches from Collingswood to Haddon Township began Monday.
Residents of Cherry Hill’s Woodcrest neighborhood recorded suspects on surveillance cameras attempting to steal from their cars, NBC10 reports.
Residents in Camden and Cherry Hill should be most prepared to take alternate routes this week in Camden County as several road projects are underway.
Three-time Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes opened a gymnastics academy in Mount Laurel, 6abc reports — her ninth in the country.
A Mount Laurel man has spent the last month cleaning up his township and has quickly garnered community support along the way, according to the Courier-Post.
🗣️ Quote of the week
Bordentown bookseller Charity Herndon says her bestsellers are those that “allow people to escape.” The Inquirer spoke to her about the region’s thriving bookstore scene.
During the whirlwind spectacle of his daughter’s Sept. 1 wedding, business leader Duvi Honig noticed his guest, Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, was sharing his business card and private cell phone number with everyone he met.
Honig said he told Caldwell to stop — he was there as a friend and he wanted him to relax and have fun. Caldwell assured him that in his role as Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s liaison to the business community, he was happy to help anyone in need, Honig recalled.
So when Honig read the news days later that Caldwell, a minister, was the subject of a monthslong ethics investigation for allegedly giving business cards to women he wanted to date, among other claims, he said he had to defend the lieutenant governor. No one else seemed to be speaking up for him, he said.
“I thought, ‘What the heck is this?’ What I witnessed — him being overly nice to everyone — is being used against him?” said Honig, a Lakewood resident and founder of the national Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce. “He is a special person. He is accessible to anyone and he has no agenda.”
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell plays with a soccer ball at the Collingswood World Cup fan fest on July 19.Courtesy Camden County
Now that Caldwell’s name and political future are tied to an investigation — which Sherrill will not confirm but is privately being carried out by a former state attorney general — some of his friends and colleagues are rushing to his defense to answer the question: Who is Dale Caldwell?
Before the investigation became public, Sherrill, a rising star in the Democratic Party, had been hitting the road for the party’s candidates in key congressional races, transferring the gubernatorial powers and responsibilities to Caldwell when she left the state.
But she has since curtailed her travel while the investigation drags on amid Republican criticism and concerns from members of her own party, according to three veteran Democrats who were involved in her campaign or have ties to her administration who were not authorized to comment publicly.
“She is failing at the most important time” by not being able to campaign, said one veteran adviser.
The governor recently made trips to New York City for a 9/11 memorial event and a live interview with the Atlantic, but she did not make Caldwell acting governor because of an exception that allows travel across the river.
“We’re not going to speculate about the Governor’s schedule, but her priorities are always guided by the best interests of New Jerseyans,” Sherrill spokesperson Sean Higgins said in a statement.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill (right) stands beside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the National September 11 Memorial in lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2026. Hiroko Masuike
Democratic power players have privately expressed frustration that Sherrill has left them in the dark about the probe while Republicans call for Caldwell’s resignation. Sherrill said in a statement days after the news broke that “any credible report must be fully examined and addressed.”
The veteran campaign adviser, who is close to both Caldwell and Sherrill, said the two have not spoken directly with each other as the investigation proceeds.
A senior campaign adviser, impressed with Caldwell’s resuméand “unblemished public record,” recommended the pick. It dramatically raised his public profile to new heights in a role that would entrust him to lead the state in Sherrill’s absence.
The 66-year-old divorced minister with degrees from Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania previously served as the first Black president of Centenary University. He worked as deputy commissioner of community affairs in former Democratic Gov. James McGreevey’s administration more than 20 years ago.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell embraces his daughter Ashley Caldwell after she introduced him at Sherrill’s election night party in East Brunswick on Nov. 4, 2025.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
He also held a seat on the New Brunswick Board of Education for nearly three decades and founded charter schools in Asbury Park and Trenton.
Last year, the state comptroller’s office interviewed Caldwell, a founder and then-board president at the College Achieve Greater Asbury Park Charter School, as part of its ongoing investigation into whether the school had violated public contract laws and misused public funds.
Caldwell is the first man and third Black person to serve as lieutenant governor. He quickly embraced the opportunity to be Sherrill’s No. 2, a campaign adviser said.
“Their dynamic [between Sherrill and Caldwell] was terrific. Reports coming back on his appearances were all very positive and they got off on a strong start on inauguration day, as far as I knew,” the adviser said.
One person close to the campaign, however, said after the election Caldwell asked others how he should do the job.
“You are there as the governor’s person. You report to the governor and chief of staff,”the source said. “He laughed. I think he was trying to do his own thing.”
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell celebrate their victory on Nov. 4, 2025, in East Brunswick.Kevin R. Wexler, Kevin R. Wexler
The investigation, sparked by at least one anonymous complaint, began more than four months ago, according to the campaign adviser.
The complaint accused Caldwell of bringing uninvited women to events andhanding his business card out to women he wanted to date. And a state employee accused him of making inappropriate comments, the New York Times reported.
Caldwell declined a request for an interview through a spokesperson. His attorney, Thomas Calgagni in Newark, did not respond to requests for comment.
Caldwell denied the allegations and suggested racism was a factor in a May 28 letter to the state’s chief ethics officer, noting that he is “the first single Black man to serve at this level in government,” and that “in this current political environment, false accusations, especially against people of color, seem to be commonplace,” which was first reported by BINJE.com.
“I have never asked anyone out on a date, ‘hit on,’ or pursued anyone romantically while conducting official business as Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State,” his letter said. “Throughout my career in government, higher education, nonprofit leadership, ministry and public service, I have consistently conducted myself professionally and respectfully.”
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell (center) applauds as Gov. Mikie Sherrill finishes her budget address March 10 in the Assembly Chamber at the New Jersey State House.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Former congressional candidate Tim Alexander, an Atlantic County-based civil rights attorney, got to know Caldwell while working on the campaign trail for Sherrill in South Jersey last year. He sang Caldwell’s praises and said he believes he is “good for the state.”
Alexander, a former detective, said Caldwell supported his congressional bid but stepped away to avoid a conflict as the new secretary of state, which he called a “testament to his character.” The former candidate, who is Black, said he cannot believe race is a factor in the allegations without knowing more.
“Dale has impeccable credentials, and he also has Black skin. So there’s a lot that I could opine on, but when it comes to investigations, I got to leave it out. … If we have confirmation bias, it turns the investigation to trash,” he said.
Fighting back, with help
Last week, a small band of friends and colleagues spoke out to condemn the vague allegations, the snail’s pace of the investigation, and the permanent harm to Caldwell’s reputation no matter the outcome.
Felicia Simmons of Asbury Park was one of several friends to rush to Caldwell’s defense last week by questioning the legitimacy of the investigation. She helped organize one of the events in question — the Whitesboro Black History Gala, an event in April recognizing the preservation efforts of the state’s first planned Black community, located in Cape May County.
Simmons said she invited the lieutenant governor to hand out proclamations to honorees. She said she saw no questionable behavior on his part.
“It was very meaningful for him to be here,” she added.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell walks with Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward in Collingswood on July 19 before reports of the investigation.Courtesy Camden County
Caldwell’s staff alerted her prior to the event that he would be bringing guests, which is not unusual because many dignitaries seldom travel alone, Simmons said.
And after all these months, no one from former Attorney General Christopher Porrino’s law firm, which is leading the probe, has spoken to her yet — even after she issued a statement criticizing investigators for not contacting her.
“I feel highly offended,” she said.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell (third from the right) attended the Whitesboro Black History Gala in April, at the invitation of Felicia Simmons (center). He is the target of an ethics investigation after an anonymous complaint said he acted inappropriately around women, including at this event. Simmons denies the allegation.Courtesy of Felicia Simmons
Caldwell “comes from a line of men with integrity,” noting his father marched with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she said.
“I truly believe Gov. Mikie Sherrill made the right choice picking this man and we can’t just sit back,” Simmons said. “These awful allegations could follow him for the rest of his life.”
Albert Stark, from the Philadelphia- and Marlton-based law firm Stark & Stark, also came to Caldwell’s defense in an interview, calling him a reliable friend and public servant. Stark said Caldwell, a pioneer in bringing tennis to young Black youth, helped establish the National Junior Tennis and Learning network in Trenton.
When he first heard about the scandal, Stark said, he wondered: “Who was setting him up?”
They haven’t spoken since the investigation was publicized, he said, but he offered this advice: “‘Just be yourself. You’re a terrific guy.’ He has got nothing to be ashamed of.”
‘They are trying to destroy his integrity’
Before the investigation leaked, Caldwell spent his summer visiting with business leaders and elected officials throughout the state, including in South Jersey. Local leaders did not comment on the accusations but said they appreciated Caldwell spending time in the region.
Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward said Caldwell visited her small borough for the second time for its World Cup fan fest. Caldwell kicked a soccer ball around with the mayor, thanked volunteers, and fist-bumped Deputy Mayor Amy Henderson Riley’s daughter. He posed with local vendors, smiled in front of a “giggle juice slushies” menu at Racoon Taproom, and chatted with kids at the All Fired Up! pottery studio.
Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell poses at Racoon Taproom in Collingswood on July 19.Courtesy Camden County
“He was kind and respectful, and seemed like he was very engaged in the things we were saying,” she said, noting that their interactions were limited.
As acting governor he visited Campbell’s and the Philadelphia 76ers training facility in Camden for an economic development tour in August, and he returned later that month for a Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey resource fair alongside Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen, a Democrat who declined to discuss Caldwell.
Thank you to @ChooseNJ and Camden Community Partnership for showing me some of the great work the City of Camden is doing to strengthen its economy and expand opportunity.
The Governor and I are committed to making sure Camden – and every community across the state – thrives. pic.twitter.com/95zIkO3KNy
— Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell (@LtGovCaldwellNJ) August 21, 2026
New Jersey Democrats have not been rushing to defend Caldwell, who has become a complicated topic for them with the extent of the allegations against him unclear.
Gerard Cleaves, a professor at Pillar College, a private evangelical Christian school in Newark, said he was angry at the Democrats who, he believes, are “out there fanning the smoke” by leaking tidbits of the investigation and not offering public support.
“They are trying to destroy his integrity,” he said.
“I am an old, white male Republican conservative who worked very hard to get [Sherrill’s GOP opponent] Jack Ciattarelli elected,” said Cleaves, who said he met the lieutenant governor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where Caldwell taught from 2018 to 2023. When Caldwell joined Sherrill’s ticket, Cleaves said, he told his colleagues they “would be hard to beat” based on Caldwell’s resumé and character.
Caldwell has not missed their Wednesday morningBible study lessons since news of investigation broke earlier this month, Cleaves said.
“He doesn’t appear stressed. He knows in his heart who he is. He has told me he will not resign. He is not going to give up,” he said.
Efforts to create safer conditions along Haddon Avenue began Monday — the first phase of Camden County’s $3.5 million pedestrian safety improvement project that stretches from Collingswood to Haddon Township.
Starting Sept. 21 at the intersection of Haddon Avenue and Cuthbert Boulevard, crews will be working between Strawbridge and Bryant Avenues for the next six to eight weeks, according to the county.
Drivers in the area should prepare for lane closures from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays for the duration of construction, county officials advised. During that time, there could also be restrictions and detours on some turns, they said.
Cuthbert Boulevard is one of four intersections along Haddon Avenue that are slated for traffic signal improvements as part of the project alongside Collings, Crystal Lake, and Maple Avenues.
Repairs at the intersections will also include upgrades to various pedestrian facilities such as fresh pavement and improved sidewalk ramps.
For this initial phase of the project, crews will repair the deteriorated pavement at the Cuthbert Boulevard intersection, county spokesperson Morgan Callan said in an email.
Once the new traffic signals and other equipment arrive next spring, Callan said, construction will then begin at all four intersections and is expected to last two to three months.
