The Kelly Greene brewery will open in Pitman, making history as the first brewery in the dry town.

PITMAN -- A brewery is opening in Pitman to end the dry-town label.

On Saturday afternoon, Kelly Green Brewery will open on Broadway, the main road in Pitman. The brewery will be complete with a tasting room, taps, and more than enough beer to go around, becoming the first brewery in the historically dry town. 

"I think opening a brewery here in Pitman will definitely add a breath of fresh air," said Justin Fleming, owner of Kelly Greene. 

Due to a new state law that allows limited breweries to make beer and sell it by the glass in a tasting room, Kelly Greene will opens its doors, although liquor licenses in Pitman are still banned. 

"My wife and I grew up in Pitman. This is our home and we know the history of the town. We know that the town is very religious which is why it's a dry area," said Fleming. "But we thought it was time to revitalize a little and we're very excited for the chance to do this."

N.J. bill to boost microbreweries signed

The brewery will feature eight taps of homegrown craft beer including stouts, porters, sours, IPAs, pale ales, wheats, and more. 

In addition to being the first brewery in Pitman, Fleming is furthering the local appeal of Kelly Greene by working with a local farmer to produce the beers. 

"It's great. He comes twice a week and takes the spent grains to use at his farm," said Fleming. "He also plans on becoming a local hop grower for us starting in the fall which is really great and adds more of a local feel to things." 

But that's not all for brews in Pitman. By the end of summer, a second brewery called Human Village is expected to open just down the street for Kelly Greene.

"This is pretty big," said Fleming. "I think this will turn Pitman into a cool place to hang out and enjoy good beer and good people." 

The ribbon cutting will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 7. The brewery will be open until 10 p.m. following the ceremonial first keg tap for the community to come out for tastings, raffles, and plenty of specials. 

For more information visit the Kelly Greene Facebook page. 

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

Blankets will be sent to Ronald McDonald House and Robin's Nest

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - Visitors to the Ronald McDonald House in Camden and Robin's Nest in Washington Township, as well as families throughout the community, soon will be blanketed in love through "The Blanket Project," a community service project that was conceived by WTHS seniors Katarina Micklus and Sam Miller. The project is being funded through a grant from Duffield's Farm Market and sponsored by The COW (Changing Our World Project) and the Washington Township Public Schools as a community service project.  Micklus, who is seeing the project through to completion, won the right to execute it by winning COW's "Shark Tank of Service" competition last spring.

Work is already underway in preparing for the mass production of 500 4.5-foot-by-5-foot tied-fleece blankets. The Duffield's donation was used to purchase the fabric from Maxie's Daughter Fabrics in Philadelphia. Orchard Valley Middle School (OVMS) teacher Frank Libbi crafted the measuring tool and template to mass produce the blankets.

OVMS teacher Ron Lucarini organized student-volunteers to assist in cutting the large rolls of fabric into the blanket sizes. On April 30, middle school Future Acts students from across the district, under the direction of advisors Lindsay Radziak, Maddy LaVoe and Geralee Wood, will convene to prep the blankets for the final step of production by making cuts into the fabric edges and boxing the blankets to be shipped to the district's six elementary schools.

On June 3, as part of WTHS's annual Senior Service Day, seniors will team with 35 students at each elementary school location to knot and complete the blankets.  

The finished product will be double-sided, red-and-blue, knotted-fringe blankets, 250 of which will be donated to Ronald McDonald House and 250 of which will be available for purchase for $20 each. The blankets available for purchase also contain a Washington Township logo. All proceeds from the sale of blankets will benefit local families in need through the COW project.

This item submitted by Washington Township School District.

Monarchs will drink nectar from most flowers but only lay eggs on Asclepias plants

By Lorraine Kiefer

Do you like to attract  butterflies  to your garden?  There are a couple of ways to do this, with the best being to plant the host plants on which they lay their eggs. Another is to provide plenty of nectar plants for their food.

Of course everyone seems to be frantic to grow butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Both of these grow as weeds in dry sunny fields of southern New Jersey. One of the problems of availability is that many of the fields are disappearing and another is that roadsides and areas along railroad tracks are being sprayed with herbicides. When milkweed pops up in our Christmas tree farm we mow around it, this is a good practice for anyone who mows a field.

Both butterfly weed and milkweed are in the Asclepias family and are native to our area. There are also other members of this family that the butterflies like, including the swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) which can take a more moist site. 

Monarch butterflies.Lorraine Kiefer 

Monarchs will drink nectar from most any flowers but they only lay their eggs on Asclepias plants, thus their larvae only will feed on that plant family. A female will usually lay only one egg per milkweed plant to ensure enough food for each larva. The egg is usually laid on the underside of the leaf. The larva comes from the egg and eats the plant, then mature larvae makes a pupa or chrysalis in which the butterfly comes. Quite a miracle!

You can plant Asclepias plants to attract and feed the Monarchs, but remember they are native plants with certain requirements and do not grow well if in too much shade or if over watered. They are just starting to push up in the wild as they really need warm weather. We have a tray of seedlings that Joe grew and they are looking quite healthy and will soon be transplanted into pots and into the garden.

Parsley and dill are host plants for swallowtails, so plant rows of it to attract them and leave enough for you. If picking for your own use take a bowl of water to swish the leaves in before taking them into the house. If there are any little eggs or larva just put them back on remaining plants.

All butterflies and moths have very specific plants for host plants, you can look this up at the library or on google to read the long list. I have passion flower vine all around my garden for the  Fritillary butterflies. They also have beautiful fragrant blooms that other butterflies like for nectar.

Just a few of the other host plants for a lot of different butterflies are rue, hollyhocks, sunflowers, willow, fennel, pansy, violets and many shrubs and trees. 

Native Milkweed (left) and Lindera Benzoin Berries (right).Lorraine Kiefer 

One fascinating native host plant that i have added to my garden is Lindera benzoin or the native spice bush. These plants bloom early in the spring, just as the red maples in the swamp finish. Many other plants are bare when these begin so they are one of the first nectar sources for pollinators. Most people are not aware of this important value of this plant to pollinators. 

Later when the fragrant leaves come out you may see spice bush butterflies hovering near them throughout the summer. The beautiful spicebush butterfly lays its eggs on this plant so when their unusual looking larvae hatch on it they have the food they need to grow. They make a chrysalis in a rolled up leaf that then hatches into a beautiful black spicebush swallowtail butterfly to begin the life cycle once more. Besides the Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) it is also a host plant for the awesome huge Promethea silk moth (Callosamia promethea) and the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). 

At first  I was disappointed that my two plants did not get a crop of berries like the ones I saw in photos. It was after more reading about this plant that I realized that you must have a male and female. However I have never seen any plants in the trade that are marked male or female. Well when I added the third spice bush it got beautiful red berries last summer. It doesn't matter to the butterflies, so one spice bush is fine, but if you want berries for the birds you may need to plant a few. Joe has planted the berries from our plant, so when they are large enough to produce berries we will mark them. 

There are lots of references made to the historic culinary and medicinal uses of Lindera benzoin as an herb. One of the most common uses was to make a medicinal tea. As an herb society member I was happy to be able to learn more about this plant at a study group meeting. We found out that legends tell us that both the native people and our own armies used leaves as a substitute for tea during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The fruit has been used as a substitute for allspice since American spicebush's bark, fruit and leaves are all aromatic.

The essential oil of the plant has been used for fragrances and perfumes. Colonial people also used the berries, dried and powdered, at the time of the American Revolution as a substitute for allspice, and the dried spicebush bark in place of cinnamon. Many online sources repeat that the twigs were often steeped in boiling water to make a tonic to reduce fever, relieve colds and destroy intestinal parasites. Both the native people and the colonials used Lindera benzoin as a warming herb to improve circulation. There are countless lists of uses by the native people for this plant, but the one that struck my fancy said that the Cherokee people used this plant to flavor opossum or ground hog.

Adding native plants to your garden will invite wildlife.

Lorraine Kiefer is the owner and operator of Triple Oaks Nursery in Franklinville. She can also be reached by e-mail at Lorraine@tripleoaks.

LIHEAP is designed to help low-income families with heating costs

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP or HEA) is designed to help low-income families and individuals meet home heating and medically necessary cooling costs. If you are in need and have not received your one-time emergency you have until May 31 to request one. Gateway will continue to accept Universal Service Fund (USF) applications all year long.

LIHEAP is administered by the Department of Community Affairs.

To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, the applicant household must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent; and have gross income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible unless they pay for their own heating/cooling costs directly to the fuel supplier. The amount of the LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, fuel type, and heating region. This year, the medically necessary cooling assistance benefit is set at $200.

To apply for LIHEAP, USF, Cooling Assistance or Weatherization contact your local Gateway Community Action Partnership: Cumberland (856-451-6330), Gloucester (856-423-0040) and Salem (856-935-0944).

This item submitted by Gateway Community Action Partnership.

Nurses honored for their outstanding contributions to excellence in patient care

CAMDEN -- Burlington County resident Jeanette A. "Nettie" Trotman, RN, BSN, was named Nurse of the Year during the 2016 Nursing Excellence Awards hosted by The Cooper Foundation and Cooper University Health Care.

 

Trotman, who lives in Riverton, is the nurse coordinator for Cooper's Audubon Urgent Care Center. She received the Cooper Nurse of the Year Award and the Women's Board of Cooper University Health Care Award for Excellence in Ambulatory Nursing.

The 2016 Nursing Excellence Awards honored 21 nurses for their outstanding contributions to excellence in patient care. Award winners were nominated by their colleagues for their commitment to upholding the Cooper mission "to serve, to heal, to educate."

More than 250 guests attended the awards dinner, which was held at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill.

The Nursing Excellence Awards recognize exceptional professional nurses and advanced practice nurses, in the ambulatory care and inpatient setting at any Cooper University Health Care location, as well as members of the collaborative care teams that support nursing. 

The 2016 Nursing Excellence Awards winners follows.

Devyn Berry, RN-BC, of Bridgeton - Staff Nurse, Pavilion 6, Selma and Martin Hirsch Award for Excellence in Medical Surgical Nursing

Jacqueline Bockarie, RN, BSN, of Sicklerville - Staff Nurse, Special Tests Unit, Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Nursing Mentorship

Lisa B. Butler, BSN, MSN, APN, of Philadelphia - Lead Advanced Practice Nurse, Emergency Department/Urgent Care Centers, Moorestown Auxiliary Award for Excellence in Advanced Practice Nursing

Kathrina M. Chapman, RN, CCRN, MICN, of Cherry Hill - Staff Nurse, Trauma Surgical Care Unit,  Award for Excellence in Trauma Nursing

Shannon M. Clapper, RN, of Haddon Township - Staff Nurse, Pavilion 9, Cooper Heart Institute & The Heart House Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Nursing

Wendy Colindrez, EMT, of Camden - Technician, Emergency Department, Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Service (Non-Nursing)

Sean A. Deiter, RN, BSN, of Philadelphia  - Staff Nurse, Pavilion 9, Shaina Horton Memorial Award for Excellence in Service

Tasha Herbert, RN BSN, of Pennsauken - Staff Nurse, Labor and Delivery, Charlotte Tobiason Memorial Award for Excellence in Obstetrical Nursing

Adrian Hernandez, RN, BSN, RNC-NIC, of Collingswood - Staff Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, John Henry Kronenberger Memorial Award for Excellence in Neonatal Nursing

Kasey L. Massa, MSW, LSW, of Moorestown - Social Worker, Pediatrics/Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Women's Board of Cooper Hospital Allied Health Professional Excellence Award

Jennifer Nazarethian, RN, BSN, of Medford - Staff Nurse, Pavilion 7, Ruth Parry/Moorestown Auxiliary Award for Excellence in Geriatric Nursing

Charlotte Nussbaum, MD, MPH, of Philadelphia - Attending Physician, Hospitalist, Excellence in Nursing-Physician Partnership Award

Alice C. O'Brien, RN, OCN, HP (ASCP), of Cherry Hill - Nurse Navigator, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper Rose Smith & Sue Zamitis Memorial Award for Excellence in Oncology Nursing

Jonelle "Jodi" O'Shea, RN, MSN, of Blackwood - Research Coordinator, Vascular Surgery Research, Barbara and Jack Tarditi Award for Excellence in Nursing Research

Patricia K. "Patti" Passarelli, RN, of Medford Lakes - Staff Nurse, Digestive Health Institute Carol G. Tracey Compassion Award

Giacinta Roupas, CRNA, MSN, of Deptford - Chief Nurse Anesthetist, Anesthesia, Philip and Carole Norcross Award for Nurse Leadership

Janine M. Rousseau, RN, BSN, CPN, of Westmont - Staff Nurse, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Ronald Bernardin Memorial Award for Excellence in Pediatric Nursing

Michelle L. Shannon, RN, BSN, CCRN, CMC, of Albion - Staff Nurse, Coronary Care Unit,  William and Eileen Archer Award for Excellence in Critical Care Nursing

Mary Alice Smith, RN, CNOR, of Deptford - Staff Nurse, Operating Room, Philip and Carole Norcross Award for Excellence in Perioperative             Nursing

Megan M. Staerk, RN-BC, BSN, of Delran - Staff Nurse, Emergency Department, Lynn Nelson Award for Excellence in Emergency Nursing

Jeanette A. "Netti" Trotman, RN, BSN, of Riverton - Urgent Care Nurse Coordinator, Emergency Department/Urgent Care Centers, Women's Board of Cooper University Health Care Award for Excellence in Ambulatory Nursing, Nurse of the Year

Cooper University Health Care is one of the largest health systems in Southern New Jersey with over 100 outpatient offices and its flagship, Cooper University Hospital located in Camden.

This item submitted by Cooper Health Care Foundation.

A NJ Supreme Court affirmed a lower court ruling saying the owners of the property were responsible for cleanup costs.

FRANKLIN TWP. -- The fight over who has to pay to clean up a contaminated thermometer plant that later became a daycare center is over after the state Supreme Court affirmed a lower-court ruling, according to a Philly.com report.

What was the Accutherm thermometer plant from 1987 through 1994 was bought by Jim Sullivan Inc. at a tax sale in 1999. That company then leased the building to Kiddie Kollege, a daycare center that cared for children between eight months and 13 years old before the Department of Environmental Protection shut the center down due to mercury contamination.

The DEP remediated the site, but charged the former and current owners, James Sullivan Inc. -- which consist of Sullivan and his three siblings -- and former factory owner Philip J. Guiliano, for the $2 million cleanup, as well as a $4 million fine for neglect. An appeal followed, but in January an appeals court ruled that the DEP's actions were just, according to the Philly.com report.

That court did rule, however, that Jim Sullivan Jr. was not personally liable for the damages.

Sullivan Inc. attempted to appeal again, however the Supreme Court last week refused to hear the matter, letting the ruling stand and ending the 10-year ordeal.

More than 100 children were exposed to mercury contamination during the years Kiddie Kollege was open. Many had extremely high levels of mercury in their system when tested and in 2012 medical monitoring was ordered for the kids affected.

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

The police officer responded to a 9-1-1 call for a choking victim.

Monroe Township Police Officer William Pintozzi saved a woman who was choking on her dinner. 

MONROE TWP. -- Anthony Longo says he won't forget the experience for the rest of his life.

His wife, Joan, was eating dinner Wednesday night when she choked. She suffered a stroke several years ago and her husband is careful to cut up her food, including the ravioli and meatballs she had for dinner that evening. She apparently sampled a piece of food that hadn't been cut up.

"I called paramedics and a police officer got there before they showed up," Longo said. Monroe Township Police Officer William Pintozzi used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the blockage. "He saved my wife's life."

Pintozzi said he was on the other side of town assisting another officer on a call when he heard the 911 call for a choking victim shortly after 5 p.m. He made his way to the Longo home and got to work. "I could hear her gasping for air," he recalled. "She was getting blue in the face."

The 26-year-old officer performed a series of abdominal thrusts, which eventually dislodged a whole ravioli, Pintozzi said. From there, her condition immediately improved, he said. While she couldn't speak, she shook the officer's hand to show her appreciation. EMTs took her to the hospital for evaluation.

N.J. officer prevents double suicide try

Anthony Longo, 74, has been careful to cut up Joan's food since last year, when she had a similar incident. His wife, 76, choked on coffee cake and ended up in the hospital for six days, he said. "We almost lost your wife," a doctor told him in that incident.

The couple has been married 49 years and moved to Barbados Drive several years ago after living in Philadelphia.  Joan suffered a stroke in 2009 and her husband has been her caregiver since then.

Pintozzi met up with the Longos again on Thursday morning.

"I wanted to check on his wife and see how she was doing," Pintozzi said. "She looked great."

Longo praised the officer's professionalism and said he wanted to give him a token of his appreciation, but was told police could not accept gifts. That's when he decided to contact news outlets.

"He's a very nice young man. No matter how many times I thank him, it will never be enough," Longo said, thinking back to the harrowing experience. "It will be in my mind for the rest of my life. If it wasn't for this police officer, she'd be dead."

For his part, Pentozzi said he became a police officer so that he could help others in their time of need.

"The best thing about this job is being able to help someone like that," he said. "I wanted to make a difference in somebody's life. I'm proud to say I was able to help out."

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

Experts will offer strategies and techniques for caregivers of children

The Gloucester County Commission for Women and The Arc Gloucester are co-sponsoring a Parent Education Workshop dedicated to "Children with Challenging Behaviors" on May 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Sunshine Inn at Camp Sun 'N Fun, 1036 N. Tuckahoe Road in Williamstown.

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The workshop, funded by the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders, will feature will feature the following speakers:

• Jennifer Rodriguez MSW, Director, Youth Advocate Program
• Luanne J. Hughes MS, RDN, FCHS Educator & Associate Professor, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
• Dr. Connie F. Smith M.ED., IMH-E(r)II, Independent Consultant, New Jersey Inclusive Child Care Project.

The experts will offer strategies and techniques for caregivers of children who have experienced trauma, the relationship between food and behaviors, and the importance of structure and consistency with children who exhibit challenging behaviors.

The workshop is open to the public. A light dinner will be served. Two gift baskets will be available for door prizes. Free child care will be available (children must be toilet-trained and you must register for child care by May 13).

To register, contact The Arc Gloucester at 856-848-8648. 

The Commission for Women consists of professional women who are appointed by the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders to conduct fact finding activities and advise the Board and the public about issues affecting women in the County.

This item submitted by the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

This school's photos will be featured on NJ.com Watch video

It's the first big week of prom here in New Jersey. On Monday, we asked you to vote for which school would get the Prom of the Week treatment here on NJ.com and have their prom pics featured on the homepage.

Thousands of people voted for one of the 13 schools in this week's poll. And Kingsway came out on top. Congrats, Dragons ... you are Prom of the Week.

Look for Kingsway's photos shortly after Friday night's prom. they'll also be on NJ.com's homepage Saturday. We'll also have coverage from lots of other proms beginning tonight. You can see all the photos on NJ.com's prom page.

See you Monday when we unveil our first best-dressed poll from all of this weekend's proms.

Residents are asked to report sightings of coyotes to local law enforcement.

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ROCHELLE PARK -Authorities say two coyotes lunged at dogs as the pets were being walked in Saddle River County Park on Tuesday - the latest of several recent sightings of the animals in Bergen County, officials said Thursday.

"The resident stated the coyotes were aggressive and lunged towards their dog, but later retreated," said Anthony Cureton, spokesman for the Bergen County Sheriff's Office.

In addition to Rochelle Park, a path in Saddle River County Park links the communities of Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Paramus, Ridgewood and Saddle Brook.

"Residents are asked to be vigilant when using the park and to report all coyote sightings to local law enforcement," Cureton said in a statement.

Coyotes spotted in Middlesex County

Officials did not immediately respond to a request for details of the other sightings.

In January, residents in Gloucester County were warned to be vigilant after a large coyote was spotted in Gibbstown.

Last year, Middlesex County residents spotted coyotes in several communities.

State officials say coyotes have been seen in all 21 counties, and the number of hunters getting special coyote-hunting permits in N.J. has increased dramatically in the past 10 years.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Gloucester County Board of Trustees member Virginia Scott died Monday, May 2, 2016.

PAULSBORO -- Virginia Scott, who was an advocate for education in Gloucester County and made history as the first woman to chair the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges, died at the age of 82 Monday.  

Scott was an active member of the Gloucester County Board of Trustees since 1977, where she served as chairperson, secretary and treasurer.  

The Paulsboro native was also the first woman to chair the New Jersey Council of Community Colleges and received both the NJCCC Spirit Award and the President's Call to Service Award for volunteer service. She was also named Outstanding Trustee of the Year for the northeast region. All of these achievements were due in part to her commitment to community and education, according to family and friends.

"All of the conversations we had were all directed towards the concept of access for an individual to get an education," said Rowan College at Gloucester County President Dr. Frederick Keating. "She's a huge part of the student centered culture we have here at RCGC. She truly imbedded that in us." 

Virginia Scott is njAt RCGC, Scott's name will live on in a program she held close to her heart. 

The science, technology, engineering and math -- or STEM-- program at RCGC housed in a new building that dons Scott's name. Scott Hall was built in April of 2012. 

At the time, Scott said "We're still doing great things, and that tells me that GCC is the right place to be." 

"She was a key supporter of our school and our curriculum," said Keating. "We didn't just lose a board member, we lost a friend and an ally, we lost someone who truly cared." 

A viewing for Scott has been planned for Saturday, May 7, at the Fellowship Bible Church, at 590 Jackson Road in Sewell, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Services will follow at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, Scott's family has set up a scholarship fund, continuing her passion for education. Donations can be made to The Virginia N. Scott Scholarship Fund, Community Foundation of South Jersey, P.O. Box 446, Haddonfield, NJ 08033. 

"She was a kind, considerate, and compassionate human being," said Keating. "We truly lost a great person." 

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

Do you have a perfect score in you this week.

Welcome to this week's NJ.com Local News Quiz, the only online quiz that determines how well you know the biggest New Jersey news stories of the past week. Before you are seven multiple choice questions, each more confounding than the next. Your task: Recall the key details of this week's biggest stories to divine the correct answers. Your reward is the glory that can only come from a high  score in a multiple choice online quiz. Do you have a perfect seven in you this week?

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

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call police.

UPDATE: Police ID woman struck and killed in hit-and-run

DEPTFORD TWP. -- Police are investigating a hit-and-run fatality on Route 55 this morning.

A woman driving a Kia Opirus southbound near milepost 59.7 ran off the roadway for an unknown reason and struck a tree, according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. First Class Greg Williams.

The driver then left her vehicle and walked back up to the roadway to seek help when she was struck by another vehicle around 5:30 a.m., Williams said. The striking vehicle did not stop. Sunrise was at 5:54 a.m. Friday and it was raining at the time. 

"It's unknown as to what type of vehicle struck her," Williams said.

Police have not released the woman's identity.

The southbound roadway was closed down for an investigation but has since reopened.

Anyone who witnessed the initial crash or the hit-and-run is asked to call state police at the Bellmawr Station at 856-933-0662.

Route 55 is the same stretch of road where Cara McCollum, former Miss New Jersey and a news anchor on SNJ today, died in February. McCollum died after hitting trees on the northbound side of the highway near milemarker 38, about 20 miles south of Friday morning's crash.

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

Gloucester County holds an event each year to honor seniors who have unlisted in the U.S. military

PITMAN -- County freeholders hosted a ceremony Thursday night honoring 43 high school seniors who have enlisted in the U.S. military.

The annual event thanks Gloucester County students for deciding to serve their country. Each student was seated with a veteran from the community and each received an award from a representative of their branch of the service.

Keynote speaker for the program, held at Bogey's Club and Cafe at Pitman Golf Course, was Lt. Colonel Bradd Thompson, U.S. Air Force/N.J. Air National Guard.

Enlistees honored Thursday night were:

U.S. Marine Corps

• Brandon Brooks, Gloucester Catholic High School
• Matthew Casey, Paulsboro High School
• Nathanael Emmanuel, Paulsboro High School
• Joseph Gage, Delsea High School
• Anthony Hagerty, Pitman High School
• Angelica Hodson, Glassboro High School
• Nicholas Kappre, West Deptford High School
• Christopher Jones, Clearview Regional High School
• Nicholas Lemeshuk, Clayton High School
• Garrett Reagle, Gloucester County Institute of Technology
• Michael Sennett, Woodbury High School
• Tahee Shields, Clearview Regional High School
• Quentin Torres, Delsea Regional High School
• Richard Amwake- Pitman High School
• Roy Quinn-Pitman High School
• Jacob Hammond-Clearview High School

N.J. Army National Guard

• Robert Durso, Washington Twp High School
• Alicia Fine, Gateway Regional High School
• Sean Leeser, West Deptford High School
• Alexis Lengyel, Gloucester County Institute of Technology
• Aaron Olsen, West Deptford High School
• Jurysellis Colon-Vazquez, Gateway Regional High School
• Mischa Legoff- Gateway High School

U.S. Army

• Dalton Bretz, Williamstown High School
• Charles Carestio, Deptford High School
• Alexis Distefano - Delsea Regional High School
• Alexander Fischer- Delsea Regional High School
• James Helsel, Delsea Regional High School
• Zachry Quick, Gateway Regional High School
• Natalie Reyes, Deptford High School
• Nicole Smith, Deptford High School
• Ernest Phillips- Delsea Regional High School

U.S. Navy

• Robert Eyler, Kingsway Regional High School
• Jonathon Gabbler, Kingsway Regional High School
• Zachary Grannan, Gateway Regional High School
• Francis Higgins, Gateway Regional High School
• Harley Sarmiento, Paulsboro High School
• Daryn Smith, Gloucester County Institute of Technology
• Matthew Szczepanski, West Deptford High School
• Jacob Talley, Gateway Regional High School
• Evan van Vianen, Gateway Regional High School

U.S. Air Force

• James Johnson, Deptford High School
• Madison Quinn, Pitman High School

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

NAACP ACT-SO is a year-long enrichment program for students

At a time when our country is in crises with Black and Hispanic youth, with a dropout rate of 50 percent and higher, it is inspiring to know that the Gloucester County NAACP-ACT-SO, (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics) has a strong commitment to community, family and education.

Blessed with intelligence, love of family, friends and community, but most of all, with the hard work of LaRae Carter, Gloucester County NAACP-ACT-SO Committee Chair and Co-Chair Carol Dove, teachers, parents, and other volunteers, with strong support from Loretta Winters, President of the Gloucester County branch of the NAACP, Gloucester County, the students worked hard in their studies and projects and brought back five gold, two silver and four bronze medals from the 27th annual ACT-SO New Jersey Statewide Competition, held at Central High School in Newark. These medals were presented at an award ceremony on April 16 at Montclair High School, Montclair. 

The NAACP ACT-SO is a nationwide, year-long enrichment program designed to encourage high academic and cultural achievement among underserved minority high school students. Students prepare in up to 28 categories after school during the school year. The program culminates with a competition and awards ceremony, which give the students an opportunity to showcase their projects and to be recognized for their achievements.

"At ACT-SO, we always stress that we cannot continue to succeed in the world or go on to live fulfilling lives, unless we choose to use our talents to help ourselves and in service to others," said LaRae Carter. Loretta Winters congratulated all the students on their achievements and added that they honored their creator, their family, their ancestors, their parents and teachers.    

Founded in 1977 by Vernon Jarrett of Chicago, a renowned author, civil rights activist and journalist, ACT-SO initiated the idea of a program that would promote and reward young academic achievers the same way sports heroes are honored. The first national competition was held in 1978 in Portland Oregon.

For additional information visit Gloucester County ACT-SO at www.actsogloucester.com.

2016 ACT-SO Competition Results for Gloucester County

By Student:

Camilia Bell, Bronze Music Vocal Contemporary, Williamstown High School

Brendan R Clemenson, Bronze Poetry Written, Williamstown High School

Leah Clements, Bronze Photography, West Deptford High School

Makayla Clements, Gold Meds/Health and Sculpture, West Deptford High School

Wayne Corbin, Gold Biology/Microbiology and Bronze Engineering, Williamstown High School

Kumbah Givens, Gold Music Vocal Contemporary and Bronze Dramatics, Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT)

Christopher Jones, Silver Original Essay and Bronze Oratory, Clearview Regional High School

Nyle Kendrick, Gold Engineering, Williamstown High School

Steven Williams, Silver Photography, Williamstown High School

GOLD MEDALS:

Meds and Health (Makayla Clements)

Sculpture (Makayla Clements)

Engineering (Nyle Kendricks)

Biology/Microbiology (Wayne Corbin)

Music Vocal Contemporary (Kumbah Givens)

SILVER MEDALS:

2 Silver Photography (Steven Williams)

Original Essay (Chris Jones)

BRONZE MEDALS:

4 Bronze Photography (Leah Clements)

Music Vocal Contemporary (Camilia Bell)

Poetry Written (Brendan Clemenson)

Dramatics (Kumbah Givens)

This item submitted by the Gloucester County NAACP.

The show will take place at the Franklin Township Community Center

FRANKLIN TWP. -- The Country Garden Club will be holding its 27th Spring Flower Show on Saturday, May 14, at the Franklin Township Community Center located at 1584 Coles Mill Road, Franklinville. This is the second year we will be displaying our flower show at the Community Center, which was chosen for its convenience and accessibility to the public. 

This year's theme is entitled "Music in the Garden." The exhibits will include artistic arrangements, horticulture specimens of herbs and flowers, houseplants, pressed flowers, a display board of members' photographs, and a slide show displaying beautiful personal gardens and flower favorites submitted by our club members.

The show will be open to the public from noon until 2:30 p.m. Beverages and cookies will be served during this time. will be a raffle and we will also be selling a variety of plants. 

We hope many visitors will stop by to enjoy the beautiful show and check out the plants for sale. If you have any questions, call 856-358-3715.

This item submitted by the Country Garden Club.

Jim Mehaffey writes that this would keep older residents from moving to lower-tax states.

To the Editor:

We all know how expensive it is to live in New Jersey, and that's especially true if one is retried and lives on a fixed income. 

Most retirees are not fortunate enough to have millions of dollars set aside, and instead rely on modest savings earnings and Social Security to get by. This is why state Senate President Stephen Sweeney has proposed increasing the state retirement income tax exemption to up to $100,000.

His proposal effectively provides a tax cut for middle-class residents who largely dedicate their incomes to purchasing necessities. 

It's incredibly important for the state of to adopt policies that make a positive difference, and Sweeney's plan is a great example of that. It is the kind of program that will help keep retirees living in our state, which is a goal that we should always be working toward. 

I applaud Sweeney for continuing to help those who need it most. I hope his legislation is passed so that New Jersey residents will soon be able to experience its benefits. 

Jim Mehaffey

 West Deptford Township

Editor's note: The writer serves as a West Deptford Township committeeman. As the township's retired police chief, he receives a state pension of about $75,000 a year. Currently, the state exempts from its income tax $15,000 (singles) and $20,000 (couples filing jointly) in non-Social Security retirement income The proposed legislation would lift the exemptions to $75,000 and $100,000, respectively. 

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

Featurimg the music of Beethoven, Brahms and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel

Music at Bunker Hill presents the Walsh Drucker Cooper Trio at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, in a program of music by Beethoven, Brahms, and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel. The South Jersey audience does not often get to hear professional piano trios perform the standard repertoire, so this is a rare opportunity to experience music that has withstood the test of time in a convenient location. Pianist Diane Walsh is a soloist and prize winner of major international competitions, violinist Eugene Drucker is a founding member of the nine time Grammy Award winning Emerson Quartet, and cellist Roberta Cooper is Assistant Principal Cellist of the American Symphony Orchestra. The program includes Beethoven - Trio in G major, Op. 1 No. 2, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel - Trio in D minor, and Brahms - Trio in C minor, Op. 101.

Picture a small, cozy venue with fabulous musicians and exceptional acoustics. Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church is located at 330 Greentree Road in Washington Township. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $20 (adult) and $10 (student) and at the door. Driving directions and advance ticket purchase can be found at www.musicatbunkerhill.org. Phone for information 856-494-6077. Plentiful parking (handicapped accessible out front) and free post-concert reception with the artists will complete this experience.

Funding is made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Division of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts from a grant to the Gloucester County Cultural and Heritage Commission at Rowan College at Gloucester County.

This item submitted by Music at Bunker Hill.

Region-wide high school Jazz Band Competition and May 23 concert

Six southern New Jersey high school jazz bands have been selected as the finalists in The Philly POPS Presents: All South Jersey Jazz Festival - the high school jazz band competition and concert - created by The Philly POPS and Your Music Matters morning show on WNJC 1360 and WWDB 860 radio.

The schools are:

• Bishop Eustace High School, Pennsauken, Camden County
• Highland High School, Blackwood, Camden County
• Overbrook High School, Pine Hill in Camden County
• Shawnee High School, Medford representing Burlington County
• Deptford High School, Deptford in Gloucester County
• Washington Township High School in Washington Township

Each of these schools will be awarded a Master Class by a Philly POPS musician and each school has been invited to perform in the All South Jersey Jazz Festival concert. It will take place on Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m. at Investors Bank Performing Arts Center, 519 Hurffville-Crosskeys Road in Washington Township.

One of these schools will be named the Grand Prize winner and will perform two songs in a side-by-side performance with The Philly POPS BIG Band Combo at the event. The Philly POPS will provide two complimentary tickets for all band members in the winning ensemble to attend a POPS concert next season.

For more information, visit phillypops.org.

Woodbury Police Department saw 5 of its current and former members honored

WOODBURY -- On May 2, 2016, the Gloucester County Police Awards Committee honored some of Woodbury's finest at its annual award ceremony, held at Auletto Caterers (Deptford). The Committee receives nominations from all over Gloucester County and awards those nominees who bring "acclaim to themselves or (to the) police profession."

This year, the Woodbury Police Department saw five of its current and former members honored:

• Patrolman David Andrews received the Life Saving award
• Sgt. Eric Lokaj received the Unit Citation award
• Former Chief Reed Merinuk, former Sgt. Michael Magee, and former K9 Officer Robert Garish, all received Honorable Discharge commendations
• William J. McGough Sr. was honored with a Last Call.

Ptlm. Andrews has been with the Woodbury Police Department since September of 2015. Prior to his working in Woodbury, Andrews was a member of the Millville Police Department for three years, and worked as both a patrolman and detective. 

As a recipient of the Life Saving award, Andrews performed a life-saving act in the line of duty with "prompt and alert action," according to the committee's standards. The life-saving event took place earlier this year, on March 26 at 8:51 p.m., when Andrews responded to a call of an unconscious man at a residence. Not long after Andrews' arrival, the man stopped breathing and no pulse could be found. Andrews immediately began to perform CPR on the man, and continued to do so as Gloucester County EMS and Inspira Medics, who arrived a short time later, helped to move the man to the porch. EMS and Medics took over from Andrews and the man was transported to Inspira Hospital (Woodbury), with no pulse. It was during the ride to the hospital that the man's heart began to beat again, he began breathing, and a pulse was found.

Andrews' quick response to the situation is credited by EMS and medics as playing a major role in saving the man's life.

"Ptlm. Andrews did not panic once he realized the man was no longer breathing," explains Chief Thomas Ryan, "Those few seconds of Ptlm. Andrews performing CPR counted when EMS was minutes away. I commend Ptlm. Andrews on a job well done."

Sgt. Eric Lokaj received the Unit Citation award, noted as "a highly creditable accomplishment by an established police unit" by the Committee. Lokaj has been part of the Woodbury City Police Department since 2004, hired initially as a Police Cadet. Lokaj worked through the ranks as a patrolman and detective, before being promoted to sergeant in December of 2015.

It was during his time working as a detective in 2015 when he played an integral role in a multi-jurisdictional task force investigating a serial bank robber. The task force had developed enough evidence to locate a suspect, wanted for bank robberies in Harrison and West Deptford. Through the evidence collected, a warrant was issued to attach a GPS tracker to the suspect's vehicle. Lokaj assisted in a tracking the suspect every day over an estimated 40-day span. On the afternoon of Sept. 24, 2015, while surveilling the suspect from an unmarked/undercover vehicle, Lokaj and two other officers witnessed the suspect commit yet another bank robbery, this time in Florence. The officers, including Lokaj, then followed the suspect from the bank back to his residence in West Deptford, during which time Lokaj assisted in notifying dispatch of the incident and all responding officers of the developments as they unfolded. The suspect was arrested without incident and charged with committing seven bank robberies.

Chief Ryan states, "Sgt. Lokaj's ability to remain calm, accurately report crucial information as a tense situation unfolded, and bravery should be commended as a member of this excellent task force and investigative unit."

The night was also a time to pay tribute to former members of the Police Department with Honorable Discharges for 2015 retirees Chief Reed Merinuk, Sgt. Michael Magee, and K9 Officer Robert Garish, and a Last Call for William J. McGough Sr., a former member of the Woodbury Police Department, Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office, NJ Attorney General's Office. McGough served as the Evidence Office at Woodbury Police Department at the time of his passing.

 Established in 1980, the Gloucester County Police Awards Committee seeks to "honor civilians, officers singly, a unit, group, or operation, for various acts bringing acclaim to themselves or police profession." Members of the Committee include the Gloucester County Chief of Police Association, the Police Benevolent Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police, in addition to 24 Gloucester County law enforcement organizations.

For more information about the Woodbury Police Department, visit www.woodburypd.com, or call 856-845-0065.

This item submitted by the City of Woodbury.