The winning school will have their prom pics featured on NJ.com.

Welcome to New Jersey Prom Season 2016. Students at high schools from Cape May to High Point are gearing up for their big night, and NJ.com will be there to share in all the tuxes, gowns, limos and fun this season. You can always find the latest prom photos on our prom page.

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Ramsey, South Hunterdon and Salem already kicked off the season, but this is the first big week of lots of New Jersey proms. Only one prom can be Prom of the Week and have its photos featured on NJ.com. Pick the prom by voting in the poll below.

Prom of the Week voting closes at 1 p.m. Thursday, so tweet this link so your school will get the most votes. We'll announce Prom of the Week Thursday afternoon via Snapchat, so add njdotcom to get the announcement.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter, and find NJ.com on Facebook.

Robert A. Bell was found guilty of attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

WOODBURY -- A Philadelphia man was found guilty of first-degree attempted murder Friday for shooting his friend during a fight in Franklin Township in July of 2012.

File photo 

Robert A. Bell, 41, shot Joseph J. Battle in the right leg as he was walking away from a fight on Eagle Lane, according to eye witnesses. Over a three-day trial those witnesses testified that they saw the two men in a hand-to-hand fight and then what looked life a wood handle in Bell's hand before hearing a gunshot, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

Bell ran from the scene of the shooting as a passenger in a car and then ran into the woods when police stopped the vehicle. He was arrested four days later in Philadelphia.

The two men had been friends for 15 years and Battle had referred to Bell as his brother-in-law since he had a longtime relationship with his sister. When police had questioned him at the hospital after the shooting he had told them his brother-in-law was responsible, but during the trial he claimed he did not know who shot him.

Prosecutors argued, however that Battle was trying to "cover up" for his friend by refusing to implicate him in the shooting, according to the prosecutor's office. 

In addition to the first degree attempted murder charge, Bell was also convicted of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He has previous convictions for narcotics, robbery and weapons offenses.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 3.

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand.Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Residents of United Methodist Communities get hands-on gardening

PITMAN -- Recently members of the United Methodist Communities at Pitman Garden Club celebrated Arbor Day by planting a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Last year Assisted Living Social Worker, Lisa Kozlowski launched the Garden Club and quickly discovered there were many residents who used to be gardeners and still loved getting their hands in the dirt.  She mentioned her idea to expand the Garden Club to Community Life Associate Jessica Hepner and well -- things just grew from there.   The pair discovered that the new executive chef Rich Scheeter in addition to knowing his way around the kitchen, was a green thumb as well.

"Rich loves to grow fresh vegetables and herbs and use them in the meals he prepares at home and thought our residents who love gardening could grow some here on the grounds of UMC at Pitman.  Rick pitched in and helped us get the plants, soil, pots and fertilizer," said Kozlowski, who added, "We really could not have expanded our club and its activities without the assistance of Neil Haley, our Assistant Director of Building Services, who built us two raised flower beds for our residents that are wheelchair accessible."

The Garden Club which currently has about 10 active members meets every other Friday to work on a wide variety of horticultural projects and plan how they are going to use the fruits of their labors. "We are so glad that we are able to provide hands-on gardening activities for the residents and look forward to expanding the scope of the projects we will work on throughout the spring and summer months," concluded Kozlowski.

United Methodist Communities is a not-for-profit organization guided by a volunteer board of directors affiliated in ministry with the United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey.  With over 109 years of continuous operation, the organization has grown to ten communities offering affordable senior housing, independent and assisted living, long term care, rehabilitation, memory support, respite, and hospice to persons of all faith backgrounds.  For additional information call Pam Mezis at 856-589-7800.

This item submitted by the United Methodist Communities, Pitman.

The United Way thanks four outstanding volunteers for all they do for the community

The United Way of Gloucester County will honor their valued volunteers at its annual Volunteer Leadership Event on Thursday, May 5 at Auletto Caterers in Deptford.

The United Way of Gloucester County is proud to award its highest individual honor, the 2016 Volunteer Leadership Award, to Mike Drager of Axeon Specialty Products. 

For the two years, Drager has served as the VP of Environmental, Health, Safety and Labor Relations and served as the General Manager of Refining Operations the previous six years. Prior to this role, Drager served as the General Manager of the Paulsboro Refinery.

A committed volunteer, Drager currently supports veterans' affairs, children's benefits and other community events. Drager served on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Gloucester County and the Rowan College at Gloucester County Foundation. He spent two terms as the United Way of Gloucester County Campaign Chair, helping raise funds and awareness for their vital community programs. He is also active in his hometown community, having served as past Chairman of Woodstown's Planning and Zoning Board. 

The United Way is also pleased to recognize two individuals with its Spirit of United Way Awards:

Jim Broomall exemplifies what the spirit of a true champion is for the United Way of Gloucester County. Starting as a Co-Chair, Broomal has been Chairperson of the Paulsboro Refining Company Employee Campaign three times. His efforts in this capacity have helped raise more than $1 million for the United Way of Gloucester County and its Partner Agencies.

He and his family have personal experience with certain United Way agencies, which gives him a special understanding of the mission. He is very proud to share his story with his co-workers at the refinery.

Amber Burruezo has been an advocate for the United Way of Gloucester County since 2011, throwing herself into many crucial roles for the organization. She supported the annual campaign at Paulsboro Refining Company from 2011-2013, and then took up the volunteer role of Employee Campaign Manager upon her transition to NuStar Energy in 2013. Amber spent three years as a member of the Campaign Cabinet, and currently is an active and enthusiastic member of the Events Committee.

Amber enjoys supporting her community and is also involved with the 4H Fair Association, Volunteer Center of South Jersey, and Theta Phi Alpha. She was recently honored as an "Above and Beyond" volunteer by United Way of Gloucester County partners, The Heart of South Jersey.

Finally, the Women's Leadership Council, an affiliate group of the United Way of Gloucester County, has chosen to honor their Treasurer, Rachael Massing. As the Branch Administrator with Franklin Bank and manager of the Franklinville office, Rachael sets a strong example for her team members and customers through her philanthropy in the community. Rachael has given her time, talent and treasure to the Gloucester County Chamber, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Exchange Club of Woodstown, Salem County Chamber, Pennsville Business Association and Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk. At the holidays, she leads her team in making 300 PB&J sandwiches for The Unforgotten Heart.

Since joining the Women's Leadership Council in 2012, she has been very involved with their activities. She served as a mentor and judge for several Alice Paul Institute programs and volunteers at Mothers Matter with the members. She refers friends and coworkers to the council so they can join her in making a difference.

Rachael also coordinates the United Way of Gloucester County's Toys for Tots, Food and Backpack Drives at Franklin Bank branches. She is a dedicated volunteer, and resides in Atco with her family.

It is our honor to thank Mike Drager, Jim Broomall, Amber Burruezo and Rachael Massing for their commitment and dedication to the United Way of Gloucester County.

This item submitted by the United Way of Gloucester County.

Frank Mancuso writes that he should experience the noise, parking and behavior issues that non-student homeowners must live with.

To the Editor:

Rowan University's president should definitely reside in Glassboro, the home of its main campus. (The university recently provided Ali Houshmand with a $925,000 house in neighboring Harrison Township.) Living in the borough would furnish him with invaluable insights into the community which ultimately underpin his endeavors to drive the university to national prominence. 

A home in the "Ridge" section would be most fitting. This neighborhood would allow him to see first hand the results of Rowan's failure to provide adequate on-campus housing and parking for a rapidly expanding student population. 

The president would directly experience snarled traffic and irksome parking; derelict abandoned houses, ineffectively dealt with by the borough code enforcement; illegally loud music from house parties and student vehicles; and littler and vandalism from roaming bands of bellowing, belligerent late-night drunks who relieve themselves wherever convenient. 

Despite significant efforts by Rowan authorities and diligent teamwork by Rowan and Glassboro police, a small minority of inconsiderate students are tarnishing the reputation of the university and poisoning the atmosphere in local neighborhoods. They need to be stopped. 

Finally, Houshmand might realize that better strategic planning by the university and more strident, focused enforcement of "quality of life" violations would help create a better community for all. 

Frank Mancuso

Glassboro

Penns Grove High School must up its game

To the Editor:

After being inundated by negative news in the local papers, I was greeted by a story of success. It contained what resembled an everyday class photo. However, I was intrigued by the headline on one version: "Bridgeton Ninth Graders Awarded College Scholarships."

These 23 students, though barely in high school, have earned something essential for a successful life: a college education. Help was provided by the Give Something Back Foundation, in cooperation wth such schools as as Rowan University, Montclair State University, The College of New Jersey and St. Peter's University.

I shared the article with my local superintendent in the Penns Grove-Carneys Point district, Zenaida Cobian. She was very optimistic in her response, stating, "We will get there, Mr. Hudson." 

In order to achieve this goal, we must shift the direction of Penns Grove High School. Our school is currently plagued with a rash of violence that the principal has been unable to alleviate herself, and she has resorted to calling the local police. In addition, the South Jersey Times reported on Feb. 4 that the school has an abysmal graduation rate, 74 percent in 2015, the lowest in Salem County.

We have introduced more than 40 students to the criminal justice system, a number that may surpass the number with plans for college, trade school, or to serve our country. There has been no action plan for Principal Jocelyn Brown. 

In order for our school to mirror the achievements of schools like Bridgeton High School, Superintendent Cobian must act as the pirate of the ship. Dead weight in the administration and guidance department, and unreliable teachers, must "walk the plank."

Walter L. Hudson Sr. 

Penns Grove

Editor's note: The writer chairs the activist organization National Awareness Alliance, and is a former Penns Grove-Carneys Point school board member.

Housing problem or income problem?

To the Editor:

I just read the opinion page article "What's causing housing in the U.S. to be too expensive?" by Justin Fox of Bloomberg View, which appeared in the May 1 print edition.

Fox may know a lot about finances and family incomes, but it is rather obvious that he knows nothing about housing. He admits to not having read the full version of some of his source material (the book "Evicted: Poverty an Profit in the American City" by Matthew Desmond). Then Fox proceeds to criticize authorities and zoning, etc., as being the main barrier to building low-priced housing on the East and West coasts.

Fox cited an example from a review of Desmond's book about a woman who was forced out of a $550-a-month apartment  -- which itself represents 88 percent of her income -- then has to relocate to an even higher-priced apartment.

I think this says a lot more about the renter's inadequate income than it does about the availability of low-income housing. Do the math and you will find that we are talking about a person making $7,500 per annum. Enough said.

I wish that the South Jersey Times would think more about those "experts" whose opinions you place on your pages for us to read.

Howard Leroy Davis

Pitman

Emanuel Graham had appealed his guilty verdict in the resisting arrest and assault case.

Emanuel L. GrahamNJ Department of Corrections 

WOODBURY -- An appeals court affirmed the previous conviction of a Paulsboro man who had been found guilty of assaulting multiple police officers during a domestic violence dispute in 2012, ruling that his argument was without merit.

Emanuel L. Graham was arguing that his trial did not have substantial evidence and that his five-year prison sentence, which included a two-and-a-half-year period of parole ineligibility, was not warranted.

He had been found guilty during a bench trial in which police officers and his former girlfriend testified that he fought with officers as they attempted to arrest him.

Graham had been told he was under arrest and as officers attempted to subdue him he punched one I the face and pushed another's head through a glass window, despite being pepper sprayed twice by police, according to the appellate ruling.

He had been found guilty on three third-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement charges and one resisting arrest charge.

Graham argued in his appeal that there was not "sufficient credible evidence" on the record to support the judge's verdict.

"...We conclude there was sufficient, credible evidence in the record supporting the trial judge's findings of guilt..." the two-judge appeals court panel ruled.

They also found that his sentence was consistent with the statutes for the crimes he was convicted of, especially due to his criminal record and violent behavior as he had eight indictable offenses and multiple municipal offenses in the past, and had previously served several prison sentences, including two for resisting arrest.

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand.Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

A load of what appears to be construction debris was dumped in a wooded area in Gloucester County.

NEWFIELD -- Police are trying to figure out who dumped a load of debris behind Newfield Swim Club.

Officers located a large pile of construction debris dumped in a wooded area near a trail that runs behind the swim club.

The material was dumped either late April 26 or early the next morning, police said.

Police are asking any homeowners with surveillance cameras on Church Street, Helena Street or Rosemont Avenue to check their recordings to see if they have footage of a truck loaded with debris.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Newfield Police Department at 856-697-3383.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

Gloucester County has $250,000 that it wants to lend to small businesses. It's a great option compared to other ways these entrepreneurs can borrow money.

 

Small businesses can be caught between two not-always-desirable options in order to finance operations or expand:

1. Visit a bank, and possibly risk having the account manager tell you that you don't meet their lending requirements, while he or she trashes your business plan and crushes your dreams.

2. Submit to the Internet and request crowd-funding or another type of "micro-lending," and put your good ideas out there for any crank, crackpot or competitor to see.

In Gloucester County, there's been a "third way" for the past two years, and it deserves more attention and exposure. It's called the Gloucester County Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, and it just received an infusion of $250,000 to lend.

The non-profit fund has been around since 2014. It has helped the kind of enterprises that build downtowns. In addition to the well known Blue Plate Restaurant in Mullica Hill, the list includes a hair salon, an art studio and an automotive service, as well as online jewelry, financial adviser and educational services businesses.

Freeholder Heather Simmons says that the county's initial $100,000 "investment"  went to 30 businesses, with loans ranging from $1,000 to $35,000. The additional $250,000 includes another $50,000 from the county, as well as $200,000 from the Cooperative Business Assistance Corp. This is a New Jersey-based non-profit that is allied with the U.S. Small Business Administration and primarily serves the Delaware Valley.

Simmons says applicants are waiting for the fresh money. One attractive feature of an in-county program is that it provides market-rate and below-market funding. Otherwise, a small business might have to pay a premium for borrowing just a small amount, or because a bank thinks a loan is barely worth its origination costs.

Fund applicants do have to complete an application, which does bring up a caution about due diligence. The county shouldn't grant loans just because someone can sign their name or knows the right politician. No matter who provides the money, there is a duty to lend to borrowers with solid financial footing and business plans that are based in reality. 

In a "revolving" fund, money that is paid back is supposed to go back out to new borrowers. At some point, the fund should be self-sustaining. If it requires "re-seeding" -- the way county officials refer to the added $250,000 -- it should be because the program is popular, not because failed clients can't pay their loans back.

OK, small businesses do have additional loan options. They can try to get on "Shark Tank." Since this is New Jersey, they can also visit their conveniently located neighborhood loan shark. A well-operated county loan fund beats either choice. No panel of multi-millionaires will try to get 5.6 million TV viewers to laugh at your inspired idea, and no one will break your knees if you miss one payment by a week.

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

Roads are closed as a fuel truck has overturned on Crown Point Road.

WEST DEPTFORD TWP. -- Traffic is closed in both directions on Crown Point Road as a tractor trailer carrying diesel fuel has overturned into the tidal waterway.

The Riggins fuel tanker overturned between Mantua Grove Road and the Paulsboro border, according to West Deptford police.

No leaks are visible at this time, but hazmat teams are on the scene assessing the situation.

The road will be closed until the accident is cleared and police are asking drivers to utilize I-295 as an alternate route.

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand.Find NJ.com on Facebook.

RCGC students to see tuition increase for 2016-2017 school year.

DEPTFORD TWP. -- Students attending Rowan College at Gloucester County in the fall could see a $2 per credit increase to their tuition.

The proposed budget of approximately $42.2 million was approved by the college's Board of Trustees and includes an increase in tuition and fees for students. 

Tuition for students will increase from $97 to $99 a credit, a $2 increase. General fees will also see an increase from $38.50 to $40.50, a $2 increase. These increases will mean each credit will now cost $139.50.

Along with the tuition and fees, the college will receive money from the state and county to equate the remainder of the budget. The state's allocation totals $5.3 million and the county's allocation totals $7.6 million.

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

More than 500 cards went to homebound senior citizens

GLASSBORO -- Salem County Meals on Wheels surprised 11-year-old Logan Sanchez in his classroom at Thomas E. Bowe School this April.

Meals on Wheels Executive Director Peg Marshall and Board of Trustees Chairperson Staci J. Dempsey stopped by to recognize Sanchez for initiating a school-wide Valentine's Day Card drive for homebound senior citizens.

"For some seniors, your cards were the only cards that they received all year," said Dempsey. 

After coming up with the idea to make cards for the elderly, Sanchez developed a PowerPoint to convince Principal Wanda Pichardo and Assistant Principal Ron Ferraro to recruit the whole school to become involved with the project.

More than 500 cards went to senior citizens receiving Meals on Wheels. Others went to seniors at Glassboro's Summit Place Assisted Living facility.

Marshall and Dempsey presented one certificate to Sanchez and another to the school.

This item submitted by Glassboro School District.

Every child deserves to grow up in a healthy and safe environment

Robins' Nest staff pose with racecar drivers Bruce LeDoux and Marko Radisic of Guardian Angels Motorsports at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, NJ. 

GLASSBORO -- Robins' Nest is participating in the annual Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month. Held every April, Child Abuse Prevention Month is a national movement to promote awareness of child abuse and prevent further instances of abuse in families.

In partnership with Prevent Child Abuse - New Jersey, Robins' Nest is participating in this year's campaign by offering citizens, businesses, and community groups an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children throughout southern New Jersey. 

Robins' Nest has received support in this year's campaign from organizations including the Congregation B'nai Tikvah - Beth Israel in Washington Township, and racecar driver Bruce LeDoux, whose charity, Guardian Angels Motorsports, donated $5,000 to Robins' Nest programs and its mission to prevent child abuse.

Robins' Nest staff pose with racecar drivers Bruce LeDoux and Marko Radisic of Guardian Angels Motorsports at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville.COURTESY PHOTO 

Anthony DiFabio, President and CEO of Robins' Nest said, "As a society, we can and must do more to prevent child abuse and neglect from ever happening.  Robins' Nest is committed to providing the knowledge, skills, and resources that help protect children and strengthen families.  We believe that every child deserves to grow up in a healthy and safe environment."

At Robins' Nest, our evidence-based programs teach developmental milestones and promote early learning, help build the foundations for positive child-parent relationships, and emphasize building strong community connections.

Child abuse can be prevented and we all have an important part in making that happen. When we work together to promote nurturing parent-child interactions, teach discipline that is safe and age-appropriate, and foster early learning opportunities, we actually support child development and healthy family relationships - the very actions that help and are proven to prevent child abuse and neglect. 

To contribute to the Pinwheels for Prevention Campaign, visit the events page on at www.robinsnestinc.org. 

Robins' Nest is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3), employs over 300 therapists, clinicians, psychotherapists, nurses, and other staff to administer 60 programs to more than 10,000 children and families annually. Robins' Nest serves the seven counties of Southern New Jersey through its main campus in Glassboro and satellite offices in Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township, Penns Grove, Salem, Sewell, Sicklerville, and Vineland.

For more information on Robins' Nest Inc., visit www.robinsnestinc.org. 

The top five seniors from each of the 14 Gloucester County public schools were honored for their academic achievements.

DEPTFORD -- The top five seniors from each of the 14 Gloucester County public schools were honored for their academic achievements Monday evening.

The 70 students received their awards during the Gloucester County Academic Excellence Banquet at Adelphia in Deptford. 

Allison Daminger, a 2008 graduate of Pitman High School, was the guest speaker. 

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @photogthawk. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Reed Merinuk writes that city officials and the Assembly speaker stand in the way of solving the fiscal woes.

To the Editor:

As we witness the situation in Atlantic City unfold, it's remarkable that the city has lost more than two-thirds of its tax ratable base, but still has not substantially cut the size of its government. 

As unfortunate as it is that so many casinos closed, it's disappointing to see how little the city's leaders have done to adapt to these changes. It's past time for those in charge of Atlantic City to face the reality of the situation. To force the rest of the state and its taxpayers to shoulder the costs of their government excesses is unfair and untenable. New Jersey's taxpayers should not have to bail out Atlantic City on an annual basis.

For almost two years, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) has been offering proposals to fix Atlantic City, help streamline its government and end repeated tax appeals based on reduced property values. 

Mayor Don Guardian and the city council have not cooperated to make this work, and the city is facing bankruptcy. Meanwhile, other figures have emerged out of the woodwork to manipulate the crisis to benefit themselves politically. 

Until recently, state Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) hadn't helped find a solution and didn't say much of anything about this issue. Now (in sponsoring legislation that differs from Sweeney's), he suddenly has an opinion about how things should be done and refuses to compromise. 

Mayor Guardian originally supported Sweeney's state takeover legislation before changing his mind. These haphazard responses have only exacerbated the situation.

There is no easy solution, but Sweeney's is the best one. For everybody's sake, the others should end the politics and support Sweeney's plan so Atlantic City can finally move forward.

Reed Merinuk 

Woodbury

Trump's the only choice for our economy

To the Editor:

I have watched all the candidates for president and listened to how they would solve our national and international problems if elected. I have come to the conclusion that Donald Trump has most of the answers.

In looking at the Democrat contenders, all I see is more of the same: continue the welfare state expansion, no real solutions to our economic problems except more taxes, no talk about reducing the national debt.

To me, job creation, is the most important problem. I think Trump will solve it by reducing taxes. Also, he wants trillions of dollars in American corporate profits to be reinvested here instead of being held in other countries. This would bring jobs back and help create new technology for our future development. 

We should also reduce regulation on small businesses, reduce the cost of education via community colleges, and put welfare recipients to work or stop paying them benefits.

Yes, illegal immigration has to be stopped. Criminals from other nations should be sent to jail and/or deported when they first when commit crimes here. Also, cut federal aid to cities that give them refuge.

Democrats promise to continue the failed policies of President Barack Obama with more deterioration of our society, our industries and our military.

Luis M. Perez

Glassboro

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

Rudolph Churchill was sentenced to life in prison for the two homicide cases.

PHILADELPHIA -- A Paulsboro man whose DNA was found at two 1989 murder scenes has been convicted of both killings and sentenced to life in prison in the city, according to a Philly.com report.

Ruby Ellis, 19 and Cheryl Hanible, 33, were both found raped and strangled in North Philadelphia about a month apart. Their murders went unsolved for 25 years until DNA evidence at both scenes connected the cases to Rudolph Churchill, who was in a DeKalb County, Georgia prison serving a three-year sentence for burglary.

Originally from East Orange, Churchill, 54, was living in Philadelphia at the time of the crimes, but later moved to Paulsboro, which was his home address at the time of his arrest.

After a two-week trial, Churchill was found guilty of first-degree murder and wo weapons charges stemming from the 27-year-old crimes, according to Philly.com. He was acquitted of two rape charges and two involuntary deviate sexual intercourse charges.

Immediately following the verdict Churchill was sentenced to two mandatory life in prison sentences with no parole eligibility. An additional five to 10-year sentence was added for the weapons charges. 

Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand.Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Francis Spence writes that a congressional opponent has problems with a proposed ban on weapons sales to everybody on the list.

To the Editor:

America does a lot to keep us safe from terror. Just visit any airport and see. But our gun laws aren't helping. Believe it or not, people on government's "no-fly" are not specifically prohibited from buying firearms or explosives -- and thousands of them have in the last few years. 

What a convenient thing this is for all the lunatics and ISIS thugs out there determined to do harm. 

Thankfully, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist., has some common sense. He says it's simple: No fly, no buy. He's fighting to close this ridiculous loophole in our laws. 

But, get this: According to his Facebook posts, Alex Law (Norcross' June 7 primary  opponent for the Democrats' 1st Dist. nomination) finds a blanket "no fly, no buy" prohibition to be "troublesome" and "conflicting."

Really? According to my book, if you are on a no-fly list, you should not be allowed to purchase any weapons. I thank Rep. Norcross: Keep standing up for America's security.

Francis Spence

Glassboro

In defense of Wash. Twp. Mayor Wallace

To the Editor:

An April letter from Jay Jones lambasted Barbara Wallace for numerous alleged shortcomings in performing her duties as Washington Township mayor. 

I have spent hundreds of hours as a volunteer in her administration and those of the three previous mayors. I want to address several misleading statements made by Jones. 

Jones wrote "Washington Lake Park is a mess." I have heard this comment from other township residents, but I suspect Jones is unaware that our once-glorious park had three full time rangers who were all dismissed to save money by a prior administration. To rectify this, Wallace has reassigned an employee to oversee the park and hired one full-time ranger. 

The writer also asserted that you rarely find Wallace at the municipal building. My personal observation is that she spends more time in her office than some of her predecessors had. Incidentally, the mayor's position is part-time, and the mayor often is there all day or at municipal meetings or events well into evenings and on weekends. 

I know that the mayor makes every attempt to respond to all our residents. For example, she went to each home on Hydra Lane after a June 30, 2014, oil spill and held special public meetings with state Department of Environmental Protection representatives to inform the residents. She routinely responds to questions and complaints or assures that appropriate staff does the same. 

Finally, Jones' letter addressed the recent removal of a "Premier Community" slogan from a township water tower. Our township could become a "Premier Community" if more residents were constructively engaged in municipal activities. It would serve us well to elevate public dialogue above misleading statements and opinions.

Leon Lakritz

Sewell

Editor's note: Wallace, who is seeking re-election, faces Joann Gattinelli for the Democrats' mayoral nomination in the June 7 primary.

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

Community photos for March 2016 included lots of photos from local libraries, women's clubs events and a South Jersey Federal Credit Union donation to Gloucester County Parks and Recreation. Flip through our digital scrapbook of school submitted photos. Have a photo you'd like to submit? Send it to towns@southjerseymedia.com. Please include a caption with names of those included. Do you have an...

Community photos for March 2016 included lots of photos from local libraries, women's clubs events and a South Jersey Federal Credit Union donation to Gloucester County Parks and Recreation.

Flip through our digital scrapbook of school submitted photos. Have a photo you'd like to submit? Send it to towns@southjerseymedia.com. Please include a caption with names of those included.

Do you have an upcoming public event that you'd like included in our community calendar? Go to nj.com/myevent.

Township police are asking for help finding a truck that was stolen out of a driveway overnight Tuesday.

WOOLWICH TWP. -- Township police are asking residents to keep an eye open for a truck that was stolen out of a township driveway overnight.

The silver 1999 Ford F-250, which has a license plate number of MYD48P, was in its owner's driveway as of 10 p.m. Monday, but was not there when they went to leave at 6 a.m. Tuesday. It has the words "super duty" on the front windshield and a Cowtown Rodeo sticker on the bumper.

If you have seen the vehicle, please call Woolwich Township's police department at 856-467-1667 ext. 1211.

 Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand.Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Students at Friends School Mullica Hill were concerned about the speed limit in front of their school. Watch video

HARRISON TWP. -- When students at Friends School Mullica Hill told Mayor Lou Manzo that they were concerned about cars speeding in front of their school, they probably didn't expect their views to result in a new law.

Weeks after Manzo made his annual visit to speak with the eighth-grade Civics class at Friends, the township committee adopted an ordinance Monday night lowering the speed along High Street in front of the school from 35 to 25 mph.

Head of School Beth Reaves and Civics teacher Brad Gibson welcomed Manzo back to the school Tuesday morning as he announced the news that the speed limit change was now law.

Manzo said he visits the school each year to talk about his job and the function of local government. It was during that discussion that the students piped up. "When the kids brought it up, it didn't take long," Manzo said.

First, township officials had to study the driving habits of motorists traveling past the school. The township set up a speed monitoring system to measure how many motorists were breaking the existing 35 mph speed limit in the area, and while most were not, the need to officially lower the speed around the school was seen as important.

The 25 mph restriction is in place during recess "when the presence of children is clearly visible from the roadway" or while children are going to or leaving school, according to the ordinance.

"That discussion went very quickly," Manzo told the students. "We recognized that it is something that would probably be in the best interests, from a safety perspective, of the school and the students." 

While lower speeds are standard around public schools during arrival and departure times, Manzo noted these are less common around private schools. In addition to the normal pedestrian flow of students coming and going from Friends School, he pointed out that kids also cross High Street on their way to the nearby Raccoon Valley Swim Club.

Students applauded as Manzo announced that their proposal was now law.

Costco coming to Harrison Twp.

"Over the next couple of weeks, you'll see real signs go up," he told them. "Eventually, we are going to look to add lights to those signs."

Friends School eighth-grader Grayson was happy to see how student concerns resulted in swift action.

"I think it's really great that as eighth-grade students we are able to make a difference at the local level," he said.

Each student in the civics class, as well as Gibson and Reaves, received a copy of the ordinance, along with a letter thanking the students and staff for advocating for the speed reduction.

Gibson encouraged younger Friends students to think about what the community needs and consider presenting their ideas to the mayor the next time he visits to speak to eighth-grade students.

Manzo left students with a reminder of why this exercise in advocacy was so important.

"If you want something to be changed, you have to speak up and start the conversation," he told them, "and you can make a difference."

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

Flip through our digital scrapbook of school submitted photos. Have a photo you'd like to submit? Send it to towns@southjerseymedia.com. Please include a caption with names of those included. Do you have an upcoming public event that you'd like included in our community calendar? Go to nj.com/myevent.

Flip through our digital scrapbook of school submitted photos. Have a photo you'd like to submit? Send it to towns@southjerseymedia.com. Please include a caption with names of those included.

Do you have an upcoming public event that you'd like included in our community calendar? Go to nj.com/myevent.