Meet the All-State boys athletes from the 2018 NJ winter track season

Ray and Elayne Cipolla write that an unknown do-gooder ended their driveway nightmare from heavy, packed down snow.

On March 7, South Jersey was hit with up to 10 inches heavy, wet snow. We are "seasoned citizens," with the physical limitations that come with the honor. We live in the Wedgewood Farms section of Washington Township.

First, we would like to thank our neighbor who went out at 7 p.m. with his snowblower and cleared our driveway and sidewalk. Unfortunately, a couple of hours later, a plow truck came down our street and deposited a large amount of frozen debris across the bottom of our driveway apron. The next morning (March 8), my husband managed to hack an opening just wide enough for me to be able to maneuver my car through in order to get to work. 

On March 9, upon returning from work, I saw the entire apron had been cleared! We contacted our immediate neighbors to see if they were responsible for such a kind act. It hadn't been them. We have no idea who in our neighborhood was so thoughtful to have cleared such a heavy blockage and pile it neatly on the other side of our mailbox. We just want to thank them.

We will take his or her charity toward us and pay it forward to someone else in the best way we can. 

Ray and Elayne Cipolla, Washington Township

The trouble with 'I want' presidents

Unintentionally, President Donald Trump has pointed out the crux of his problem as president. 

In discussing with reporters his firing of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, Trump said, "I'm really at a point where we're very close to having the cabinet and other things that I want."

There is too much "I want" in this president and not enough "we (the American people) need."

Arthur McHugh, Pitman

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Paul VanHouten was arrested last month after he posted on Facebook about an alleged threat against his school.

Supporters are rallying around an award-winning Gloucester County teacher charged with creating a false public alarm after he posted a message on Facebook about an alleged threat against his school last month.

Paul VanHouten (File photo)
 

Paul A. VanHouten, a teacher at Williamstown Middle School, was charged Feb. 16 after he commented about a YouTube video supposedly created by a student at his school.

The arrest came days after a gunman killed 17 at a school in Parkland, Florida, and as threats of violence were reported at several schools around New Jersey and the nation.

VanHouten allegedly posted under the alias Samuel Clemmens, saying "Rumor has it that there is a student in our Middle School who posted very similar threats of gun violence on YouTube just like the teen in Florida. Nothing said about it at the BOE meeting."

Police acknowledged an investigation of a social media post at the time and said there was no credible threat to students at the school. In a Facebook post, the department later stated that the incident was "dealt with by school officials in the appropriate manner."

Police charged VanHouten with creating a false public alarm with his social media comment, saying that he "perpetuated an unvetted rumor."

The post VanHouten referenced "was previously handled by the school administration, with (VanHouten's) posting lacking factual information that the defendant should have known would cause public alarm," according to his criminal complaint.

VanHouten admitted that he made the post in question, according to police.

His backers have created a Facebook page, Stand with Paul VanHouten, to offer support for the popular educator. The page had 249 likes as of Thursday afternoon.

A letter on the page praises VanHouten and says he was simply upset that the district "chose not to notify parents of a threat that was being investigated."

Efforts to reach organizers of the group were unsuccessful Thursday.

The letter urges supporters to turn out for his April 12 court appearance.

"If convicted, he stands to lose his job as a beloved teacher for over 30 years. Our children are the ones who are losing out," the letter continues. "As for the child who made the threat, he was suspended for 10 days and life will go on as normal.....hardly seems fair."

Officials have not confirmed that a student was identified as posting a threatening video to YouTube.

VanHouten remains suspended from his job pending the outcome of his criminal case.

The 51-year-old science teacher has worked for three decades in Monroe Township and was recognized as a 2016 All-Pro Teacher, an honor bestowed by the Philadelphia Eagles. A story about the honor noted that VanHouten also performs volunteer work at the school and around his community.

VanHouten did not return a phone message left at his home on Thursday afternoon.

His attorney, Robert Agre, declined to comment on the matter, noting that he had yet to receive discovery in the case. 

Monroe Township Schools Superintendent Chuck Earling declined to discuss the situation, citing the ongoing criminal case.

While local police and the county prosecutor's office would not comment on the matter, Monroe Township Police Chief John McKeown took to Facebook Thursday afternoon to chastise parents, teachers and students for "spreading gossip, rumors and hearsay."

"We waste countless hours investigating misinformation," he said

Any potential threat against local schools is addressed in a collaborative process between police and school officials, he noted.

"The police department does not disclose information on the existence or substance of investigations to satisfy the public's curiosity. We will promptly disclose information that is necessary to ensure the safety of our community. "

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

If there's a pot o' gold to be found this Paddy's Day, it will be probably be in the one of these towns.

This is the second time in less than two and a half years a firm has said it wants to buy the Salem County hospital.

The victim died Thursday night about a week after the crime

The victim of a road rage assault last week has died of his injuries, authorities confirmed Friday.

Joseph Pirri, 32, of Blackwood, was slashed in the face with a sharp instrument, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

He died of his injuries Thursday night at Cooper University Hospital, in Camden.

The incident occurred around 4:20 p.m. on March 7 on Tanyard Road near the Mail Avenue intersection in Deptford Township.

After the attack, Pirri was able to provide a description of the assailant, who is described as a black man, 30 to 40 years old, wearing a gray vest and jeans, authorities said.

He was driving what is believed to be a Ford F250/350 with a crew cab and a white-over-tan paint job. The vehicle, which was equipped with a bed-mounted toolbox, may be a King Ranch model.

Pirri was driving a red Nissan Versa.

Following the assault, the suspect continued driving "in an aggressive manner" south on Tanyard Road, turned right on Barnsboro Road, then turned left on Woodbury-Glassboro Road and headed south to Route 47. He traveled through Glassboro and into Clayton, authorities said.

Investigators believe additional witnesses may be able to provide details about the assault and the route taken by the fleeing vehicle.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact GCPO Detective Warren Rivell at 609-685-7396 or Deptford Township Police Detective Rory Tipping at 856-462-1334.

Authorities are looking for a vehicle similar to the one shown in this stock photo in connection with the crime. (Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office)

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

Authorities are looking for the motorist who stabbed Joseph Pirri on March 7.

Relatives and friends of a Camden County man stabbed to death in a road rage assault are rallying to help his family as police search for his killer.

Joseph Pirri, 32, of Blackwood, died Thursday of injuries he suffered in the March 7 incident in Deptford Township. Pirri was stabbed in the face with what investigators described as a sharp instrument around 4:20 p.m. on Tanyard Road near Mail Avenue.

A GoFundMe campaign launched Friday to help the Pirri family with expenses described Pirri as "the true definition of a good guy." 

"Joe was just trying to get home from work during the worst nor'easter of the year," according to the GoFundMe post. "This vicious act not only took Joe from his family forever, but also has left his wife with a financial hardship, as Joe was the main provider for his family."

As of Saturday afternoon, just over $1,300 had been raised.

Pirri was recalled as a loving family man. He's married with a 4-year-old son and 9-year-old stepdaughter. 

"Joe was the kind of guy that would go out of his way to help people," said Sarah Morciglio, aunt of Pirri's 4-year-old son, Gino. "Joe was a really good father. He loved his son very much.

"We are sad for Gino and hope he always remembers the playful side of his father and the love those two shared."

Family and friends are heartbroken, Morciglio said. "He has many people who will miss him dearly."

Pirri had provided police with a description of his assailant, saying he was a black man, 30 to 40 years old, wearing a gray vest and jeans, authorities said.

His attacker was driving what is believed to be a Ford F250/350 with a crew cab and a white-over-tan paint job, according to police. The vehicle, which was equipped with a bed-mounted toolbox, may be a King Ranch model.

Authorities are looking for a vehicle similar to the one shown in this stock photo in connection with the crime. (Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office)

Pirri was driving a red Nissan Versa.

Following the assault, the suspect continued driving "in an aggressive manner" south on Tanyard Road, turned right on Barnsboro Road, then turned left on Woodbury-Glassboro Road and headed south to Route 47. He traveled through Glassboro and into Clayton, authorities said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact GCPO Detective Warren Rivell at 609-685-7396 or Deptford Township Police Detective Rory Tipping at 856-462-1334.

Pirri's family is hopeful that tips will lead to an arrest.

"We would all like to see justice," Morciglio said. "We are praying that they bring the man responsible for this into custody. That fact the he's still roaming the streets is worrisome."

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

Joseph Naples writes that Milton Hinton slammed a GOP congressman for a $15,000-a-ticket fundraiser, but not celebs who hosted costlier events for Obama.

It is always interesting to see the hypocrisy of left-leaning writers. This was very evident in Milton Hinton Jr.'s March 11 column, "U.S. Rep.'s pricey-party crashers deserved better."

Hinton wrote about a recent re-election fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Tom McArthur, R-3rd Dist., which required up to $15,000 per person to attend. The writer correlates this to only the wealthy and connected having the "ear" of McArthur and other politicians -- and that neither political party should engage in this kind of expensive event for access.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall Hinton writing anything about the numerous Hollywood elites, including Eva Longoria, Katy Perry and Barbra Streisand, who hosted fundraisers during President Barack Obama's campaigns. Attending many of these events cost considerably more than $15,000. More recently, the same kind of fundraisers were held for Hillary Clinton. Hinton was mum on that, too.

Later in the column, Hinton wrote about four immigration activists who showed up to the MacArthur event uninvited. They supposedly were not aggressive, but were escorted out by police. Hinton added that, having once lived under Southern hospitality, the activists should have been welcomed to stay and have dinner.

Well, there is a time and place for everything, and it certainly was not at this private-home fundraiser. I don't think Hinton would have been so hospitable to, say, four people who crashed a wedding reception he was holding for his daughter.

When MacArthur and other elected officials held recent town meetings that were open to their political opponents, the officeholders were met by angry mobs who shouted them down and did not allow discourse. Can you blame our elected leaders for not wanting to hold town meetings?

Joseph Naples, Mullica Hill 

Russia oil deal collapse likely doomed Tillerson

A couple of interesting headlines, both from Reuters, may illuminate recent events at the White House:

First, from April 18, 2012; "Exxon, Rosneft unveil $500 billion offshore venture." We all know ExxonMobil as an international oil company, whose CEO at the time was Rex Tillerson. Rosneft is a state-run Russian oil company with close ties to Vladmir Putin's government.

Then, there was this headline from Feb. 28 of this year: "Exxon quits some Russian joint ventures citing sanctions." Curiously, Tillerson, whom President Donald Trump had mysteriously hired from Exxon as his secretary of state, was fired less than two weeks after this headline appeared.

Interestingly, none of the mainstream media are connecting what I think are some obvious dots. My guess is that, without substantial sanctions relief, Tillerson's role at the State Department was no longer valuable to Putin, so Trump canned Tillerson via Twitter.

Conspiracy theory? Not necessarily, in a world with our "businessman" president. Collusion? Let's see what Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller finds.

Roy Lehman, Woolwich Township 

Choppers need quick-exit strategy

We were horrified a few days ago to see a tourist helicopter crash into the East River in New York City. The only survivor was the pilot, who was able to release himself from his harness. Everyone else was unable to get out of their harnesses, into which they were tightly strapped, and drowned.

During my military service, I volunteered for paratrooper training. Each of us on the aircraft had an easy-to-use, quick-release mechanism so that, when we landed, we were able to get out of our harnesses in a matter of seconds. This was necessary to avoid be dragged along the ground, or to prevent us from drowning in case of a water landing.

It's astonishing to me that there wasn't a quick-release mechanism that could have saved the passengers from a terrible death or, if there was one, its use by all passengers was not mandatory. I'm willing to bet that such mechanisms will be required as a result of this avoidable tragedy.  

Paul Bunkin, Turnersville

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Washington Township is the latest place to care enough to send its residents home safely, for free, after a night of drinking.

When Evesham Township in Burlington County first came up in September 2015 with the idea of shuttling its citizens home, gratis, after a night out drinking, we were skeptical on several fronts:

Why should taxpayers give nanny-state rides to bar patrons too drunk to call a cab and pay for it themselves?

Isn't preventing patrons from driving if they're obviously inebriated the responsibility of the tavern or restaurant that served them so much alcohol?

Why should bartenders no longer have to worry about the liability that can come with failing to cut off customers before they've reached their limit?

But, after a few tweaks to what began as a pilot program in Evesham, we were converts. A subsidized drunk is better than a dead drunk, and much better than a drunk who kills others our roads. Statistics in Evesham -- as well as neighboring Voorhees Township, Camden County, where the free-ride program spread next -- bear that out.

So, it's good to see that Washington Township, Gloucester County, has rolled out a similar free-ride program. It kicked off at a most opportune time, Saturday evening on St. Patrick's Day, which likely rivals New Years Eve and the night before Thanksgiving (when the away-at-college crowd returns to hometown watering spots) for drinking too much.

In Evesham, the ride program went by the simple name of "Evesham Saving Lives." Anyone at a participating township bar or restaurant could get a ride home, free, to a township residential address, on a township-provided shuttle. Our big concern was that a grant -- which, after all, is taxpayer funding -- was being used for the program. We thought that the nightspot owners should be the ones ponying up the money.

No matter who paid, the program was a roaring success. More than 350 people used Evesham Saving Lives to get home during its first month. Township police issued just eight driving-while-intoxicated summonses that month. To keep the program going past its pilot period, Mayor Randy Brown and other township officials secured voluntary, non-governmental charitable funding for it, and the township began offering rides through the well-known Uber ride-hailing app.

By December 2015, when Voorhees joined, Evesham residents had taken more than 800 rides. The two-town partnership means that Voorhees residents who are dining and drinking in Evesham can get the free rides, and vice-versa. At the end of 2017, more than 6,000 rides had been taken in the two towns.

Washington Township is calling its separate effort "Washington Township Saves Lives," apparently because imitation is the sincerest form of drunken-driver intervention. Uber is a partner from the start, and the township's P.J. Whelihan's location has donated $2,500, with Jefferson Health and Mothers Against Drunk Driving offering similar contributions.

The Washington Township service will operate 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Sixteen establishment operators in Washington Township will hook their patrons up with the free rides initially. The proprietors should take a greater role in sustaining the service and, perhaps, expanding it. Washington Township is not an island. Its residents frequently enjoy adult beverages in Gloucester and Monroe townships.

In fact, stable, non-governmental funding could eventually provide a seamless free-ride-home service throughout South Jersey, regardless of whether someone is at a roadside bar halfway to the shore, or an expense-account restaurant in Cherry Hill. Hooray for what Evesham, Voorhees and, now Washington Township, have accomplished. The next step is for the pub-and-grub places to step up and pay the idea forward.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

An additional 500 pounds of pet food was collected for local shelters during the drive.

The United Way of Gloucester County, the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders' Human Services Advisory Council and the People for People Foundation held the 13^th Annual Gloucester County Cares about Hunger food drive Feb. 26 through March 4.

The final collection was at the United Way of Gloucester County office in Thorofare on March 5 bringing to total meals provided to more than 15,000.  

"We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in this year's food drive," said Michael Gower, Executive Director of the United Way of Gloucester County. "The food collected will help so many of our neighbors in need who face food insecurity on a daily basis. The United Way of Gloucester County is grateful for the opportunity to work with community partners and volunteers to make this food drive a success."

This year, because of the generosity of 57 local businesses, organizations, and individuals, 18,069 pounds of food has been donated to the Food Bank of South Jersey.

The poundage equates to 15,058 meals. Since the 2006 start of the drive, 179,951 pounds of food has been collected. 

Also collected was roughly 500 pounds of pet food, which will be distributed through a local food pantry to help food-insecure families to feed their pets. It is sometimes forgotten that pets are an important part of many families, and the pet food collection helps families keep their pets instead of surrendering them to an animal shelter.

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

Here is this week's collection of some of the dogs and cats in need of adoption in New Jersey.

We are now accepting dogs and cats to appear in the gallery from nonprofit shelters and rescues throughout New Jersey.

If a group wishes to participate in this weekly gallery on nj.com, please contact Greg Hatala at ghatala@starledger.com or call 973-836-4922.

The event was Mardi Gras themed.

Residence of Shady Lane Nursing Home enjoyed a 'Senior Prom' hosted by the GCIT SkillsUSA Chapter on March 6.

Students spent the day at the home preparing for the event.

The students enjoyed the company of the seniors while making crafts, provide hair and nail services, and decorating for the main event. 

As the prom began, residences entered the Mardi Gras themed room and each were given a boutonniere or corsage. The staff and residence were delighted to see the GCIT students dressed in prom attire and ready to ask them to dance. The music filled the room and everyone enjoyed hours of dancing and laughter.

This event was a SkillsUSA project created by The American Spirit Team and Community Service Team who wanted to have a 'senior prom' with a twist. 

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

How many workers will be laid off or have their hours cut, as their companies try to absorb rising raw material prices?

I don't know how closely you follow the news these days, but it looks like the United States is moving ahead full steam with tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. I don't know much about the nuances of import and export, but the one thing that stands out clearly is that high tariffs will raise the cost of these goods, to the detriment of various other industries.

At first glance, any discussion of trade policy and tariffs make the eyes glaze over, because these ideas are big and global. They're seen as something that Washington, D.C., should worry about because we're too busy worrying about plowing snow, picking up trash, fixing sidewalks and a hundred things that come under the heading of "local."

But, then I remembered the old saying, "All politics is local." When I thought again about imports and exports and whatever else falls under that heading, it's really all local, including what may come down the line if America gets into a spitting match with China, Europe, Canada and Mexico.

Many domestic manufacturing companies buy steel and aluminum from overseas because it costs less than the stuff made here in the United States. The companies in our country that produce these metals employ a total of about 140,000 nationwide. They generally favor imposing tariffs because it levels the playing field for them, making them more competitive with overseas suppliers. Fair enough.

But increased tariffs mean that it will cost more, in some cases considerably more, for domestic companies that need steel and aluminum for their finished goods. The market price for these metals will go up, regardless of whether they are purchased from overseas or domestic suppliers. These finsished-product companies will need to make up for these increased costs somewhere, and it usually starts with laying people off. 

Consider the employment landscape in the general area that the U.S. Labor  Department folks refer to as the Vineland-Bridgeton Statistical Area. To measure what's happening on the ground in terms of labor and employment, the department uses specific categories that were developed as the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

These categories translate into the men and women who get up and go to work each day. Specifically, I'm thinking of those engaged in manufacturing, packaging, trucking, construction, engineering and similar employment that is tied in some way to steel and aluminum inputs - and tariff levels on these items.

Using the government categories, our statistical area employs roughly 8,600 people in manufacturing, 2,500 in construction, 5,600 in transportation and material-moving occupations, 820 packaging and filling machine operators, 740  heavy tractor-trailer drivers, and 2,200 people in installation, maintenance and repair. 

How many of these workers will be impacted through layoffs or having their hours cut, as their companies try to absorb rising raw material prices? We won't know for a while, but when you consider that local unemployment is 13 percent for those in the manufacturing sector, 10 percent for construction laborers, 12 percent for production occupations, and 19 percent in transportation-material moving -- such a hit won't be absorbed easily by workers.

I also wonder about the backlash from other countries and the trade barriers they will place on the stuff we export around the globe. They could easily place or raise tariffs on many agricultural products, glass bottles and plastic containers, machined parts and components, dairy products, and many other things we produce for export from our little corner of the world. 

According to an analysis done by the Brookings Institute using data from the U.S. Census, Moody's Analytics, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and several other sources, the value of exports from the Vineland-Bridgeton area was $509 million in 2015. That translates into a total of 3,419 jobs supported by those exports, which is certainly no small thing.

So, yes, perhaps all politics are local. But, so, too, are the impacts of tariffs, trade wars and spitting matches with countries on the other side of the world. These may ultimately play out in the lives of our relatives, friends and neighbors. 

Albert B. Kelly is mayor of Bridgeton. Contact him by phone at 856-455-3230 Ext. 200.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

The winning feasted downed 2.5 cherry pies in 60 seconds.

Washington Township High School junior Bobby Bowdren bested 37 other contestants by downing two-and-one-half, four-ounce cherry pies in 60 seconds in a pie-eating contest hosted at the school on Wednesday, March 14 - Pi Day. 

Amidst a cafeteria full of spectators who energetically cheered them on, contestants, after paying a $5 entry fee, used only their faces and kept their hands behind their backs to consume the desserts.

Bowdren's voracious efforts earned him a $15 Wawa gift card.

The contest was part of the math department's annual celebration of Pi Day.  Pi is the mathematical symbol designating the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, equivalent to 3.141592653+, celebrated on March 14.

Proceeds from the contest, staged by the school's Mathematics Honor Society Mu Alpha Theta, benefited the Tony Bucca Memorial Scholarship which honors the memory of the former WTHS math teacher. The contest yielded $396. An additional $534 was raised for the scholarship on Pi day through a staff dress-down day.

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

Her daughters concussion lead the multi-tasking mom to have her back pain looked at, revealing a life-threatening illness.

Sometimes the best thing that can happen to you in life is a bump on the head.

Just ask Bunker Hill Middle School eighth-grader Kayla Kulikowski.

On Oct. 28, 2017, a concussion from contact in a soccer game forced Kulikowski to the hospital. 

Her mother, Michele, multi-tasking as mothers are known to do, decided to have the back pain that she had been experiencing looked into since they were already at the hospital. The diagnosis for Kayla was several days of rest and limited physical activity while the symptoms subsided.

The diagnosis for Michele? Leukemia.

"It was really scary at first," said Abby Kulikowski, who is 10 months younger than her sister and also in eighth grade at the school. "When I went to visit my mother after she was admitted that day, the doctor asked her if she wanted me to step out of the room.  I knew it wasn't good. We have a really big support group, but it was still really hard because our mom had to stay in the hospital for two months. 

"Both of our soccer teams formed a food train and sent over meals for us while my mom was hospitalized," she added. "We had family and friends, but it was hard not having our mom."

News of the Kulikowskis' health setbacks particularly resonated with Lisa Bramante, a 15-year health and physical education teacher and a first-year girls' basketball coach at Bunker Hill.

"In spite of their mother's illness, Kayla and Abby - who I taught and were also on my team - came to school every day," Bramante said.  "They are great students.  Great team players.  They are just really good people, and I wanted to show them our support because we are a family here at Bunker Hill. I suggested hosting a basketball game to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of their mother. Everyone jumped on board.  It was a team effort."

On March 9, a Friday night, several hundred people filled the gym at BHMS to take in the faculty versus BHMS girls basketball team game.  The Kulikowski clan was well-represented, as Kayla and Abby competed, brother, Jake, a Washington Township High School senior, presented the colors as part of the JROTC color guard and dad, Mike, officiated.  Guest of honor, Michele, was on hand not only taking pictures, but taking in a gymnasium full of love and support.

The game ended with a 37-27 student win and a $1,257 donation in Michele's name to the New Jersey chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

"This fundraiser validated everything that Michele did to raise such good kids," said Bramante, noting that the oldest Kulikowski is 20-year-old Ryan, a 2015 WTHS graduate. 

"My mother was really excited that the game was held in her honor, and that so many people were there supporting her," Abby said. "We are really grateful for this donation."

"It was an amazing, undefeated season for our girls," assistant principal Dr. Greg Muscelli said, "so I knew our teachers didn't stand a chance.  The girls kept their composure throughout the whole game.  They played hard, and Mrs. Bramante was really coaching them up.  They really wanted to win. Toward the end, our teachers just rushed the court and were playing like 12-on-five. I don't think they scored a point."

Michele Kulikowski continues to battle back from her illness. 

Her hair is growing back in. 

Her spirits are high.

"She is really strong," Kayla said of her mother, who never missed one of her daughters' games all season.  "Her blood counts are getting better, and we don't think she will need a bone marrow transplant." 

It's good news. And reason enough for the Kulikowskis, Bramante, and the extended BHMS community to remain hopeful that the devastating diagnosis brought on by a bump on the head ultimately will prove, for this amazing family, to be just a bump in the road.

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

This is the fifth year in a row.

Jefferson Health - New Jersey, formerly Kennedy Health, has been awarded a 2018 Top Workplaces honor by Philadelphia Media Network.

This marks the fifth consecutive year the South Jersey-based arm of Jefferson Health has been named a Top Workplace. 

The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by research partner Energage, LLC (formerly WorkplaceDynamics), a leading provider of technology-based employee engagement tools. The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution, and connection, to name a few.

"More than 3,800 of our employees were randomly selected to participate in this anonymous survey, and their feedback was very positive," said Jefferson Health - New Jersey President Joseph W. Devine. "For the fifth year in a row, the survey results confirm that Jefferson Health - New Jersey is an excellent place to work - a place that our associates believe in and where they feel valued."

Devine called the 2018 Top Workplace recognition "a true reflection" of the organization's positive culture and commitment to its team members, as well as to the communities they serve.

"Top Workplaces is more than just recognition," said Doug Claffey, CEO of Energage. "Our research shows organizations that earn the award attract better talent, experience lower turnover, and are better equipped to deliver bottom-line results. Their leaders prioritize and carefully craft a healthy workplace culture that supports employee engagement."

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

The pedestrian was walking in the travel lanes of the highway when he was struck.

A 21-year-old Willingboro man was struck and killed by a car while walking on I-295 Sunday night in Gloucester County, police said.

Awwal Reid's car was found nearby, but it is unclear why he was walking on the northbound lanes of the busy highway at 9 p.m. when he was struck by a car being driven by a 70-year-old man from Virginia, State Police said.

The driver immediately stopped and attempted to provide first aid. Reid was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash, which occurred near exit 17, forced the closure of the highway for six hours, police said.

The crash is still under investigation.

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A few resignations have created vacancies in the department.

The Washington Township Police Department is looking to hire some new full-time officers in addition to hiring part-time Special Law Enforcement Officers, or SLEO IIs.

The police department currently employs 74 sworn full-time officers and are planning to fill in five vacancies and add an additional few more officers. They are authorized by ordinance to have 85 officers.

The vacancies were created by a captain, sergeant, lieutenant, and another officer who resigned and moved on to another agency. Three promotions were made to fill in three of the positions with another sergeant retiring May 1.

The starting salary for a first-year officer in the academy is $34,000.

As far as SLEO IIs staffing goals go, the department plans to hire 8-10 on a part-time schedule. SLEO IIs will attend the police academy and serve within different roles such as solo patrol work up to 20 hours a week, provide police presence in 11 schools, and serve as security for court and council meetings. Individuals in these roles have opportunities to move up and eventually become full-time officers either within the department or elsewhere.

The hourly wage for an SLEO II is $14 per hour.

Police Chief Patrick Gurcsik, who has been serving on the role for a little over a year, says he's seeking applicants who fit the new department-wide model of "Community Caretaking."

"It's a new department-wide mission and service philosophy that I have adopted. We are trying to change the culture of policing," he said. "Officers should be guardians and protectors. They should be able to embrace the community. It's a commitment. We are trying to build relationships through positive interactions between officers, youth and our community."

Also, within the hiring process, Gurcsik is looking toward diversity as a key factor in rounding out the police department. One of the extra steps taken to fulfill that goal is by participating in the 3^rd annual Law Enforcement Diversity Career Fair which was held at Rowan University this past fall.

"I am definitely looking to fill the ranks with a diverse officer corps that reflects the population of Washington Township. This includes women and those from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as other minority groups," he said. 

Anyone interested in either or both positions can visit www.twp.washington.nj.us for additional details and the forms needed. Any interested applicants who meet the qualifications must turn in all required materials on the applicant checklist by March 23, 2018 at 5 p.m. All required materials can be submitted to the call takers office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in 1 McClure Drive in Sewell.

The testing process involves these phases; the physical agility test, written examination, oral interview, drug screening and psychological examination.

Questions regarding the testing process can contact Sergeant Eric Caveng at ercaveng@pd.twp.washington.nj.us or (856) 589-8594 extension 1124

Anthony Antonini writes that county technical high schools are turning away students who could be on the path to good jobs that don't require 4-year college degrees.

New Jersey has some of the best vocational-technical schools in the country, but they are regularly forced to turn away eager and qualified students due to a lack of available classroom space. Meanwhile, employers are experiencing a shortage of mid-skilled workers. 

These two facts produce a serious barrier to economic growth in our state, and that is why I fully support state Senate President Stephen Sweeney's $500 million bond proposal (S2293, The Career and Technical Education Bond Act) to expand vo-tech schools. 

The borrowing, if approved by voters, would be one of the best bipartisan investments we could make. Our state used to be a manufacturing powerhouse employing hundreds of thousands of workers and tradespeople who could make a solid living, raise a family and retire with a pension.

New Jersey still has an advanced manufacturing industry to support. Whether it's in the logistics, pharmaceutical, biotech or chemical industries, we should cultivate students to enter the manufacturing work force. That is why we need to strengthen county vo-tech schools. The Legislature should authorize the bond ballot question in order to make our economy and work force as strong as they can be.

Anthony Antonini, Gibbstown

Russia probe facts point only at Dems

Concerning Roy Lehman's March 18 letter, "Russia oil deal collapse likely doomed (Rex) Tillerson," whom President Donald Trump recently fired as secretary of state:

After several months, millions of dollars and countless man-hours, Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller still hasn't indicated that he's found a shred of evidence of Russian collusion, or anything else for that matter, with the Trump administration or his campaign.

Thus far, the only collusion that has been unearthed appears to have been between the Democratic Party (which funded in part some opposition research on Trump), the Russians, and our own Justice Department.

If only Mueller had only reached out to "Investigator" Lehman, he might have found the "evidence" that Russia and one of its state run oil companies has been colluding with Tillerson and ExxonMobil, which Tillerson formerly ran.  Apparently, this is evidence that has eluded Mueller and his army of lawyers all of this time.

Keep digging, Mr. Lehman: Perhaps you can have Trump impeached for taking his trash cans out too early.

Walt Rouh, Mantua Township

Arm retired cops and lock school doors

Vineland Board of Education member Tom Ulrich has suggested a positive step to achieve more secure schools in the district.

The school board should consider seriously Ulrich's recommendation to hire retired law enforcement officers, with concealed firearms, to sit at the security desks inside the locked entrances of all schools. This would add another layer of security.

Ulrich himself is a retired Vineland police officer. By approving his recommendation, the school board would get credit for taking a proactive approach to protecting our children.

David M. Levin, Vineland 

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

50 of the new officers are from Ocean and Middlesex counties Watch video

The N.J. Department of Corrections added 150 officers to its ranks during a graduation ceremony Monday morning at Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton.

The graduates of Class 242 come from 17 of New Jersey's 21 counties, with 27 of them from Ocean County, and 23 from Middlesex County.

The rest of the officers and their county of residence:

Atlantic, 4; Bergen, 14; Burlington, 7; Camden, 5; Cumberland, 2; Essex, 18; Gloucester, 3; Hudson, 9; Mercer, 4; Monmouth, 11; Morris, 3; Passaic 10; Somerset, 1; Sussex, 3; and Union, 6.