Anthony Milanese writes that there are similarities between the two "no experience" presidential victors.

To the Editor:

Why am I thinking about Ulysses S. Grant?  

Grant was, of course, the leader of the Union Army in the Civil War. Later, he was elected as our 18th president. By all accounts, he tried, but he was a lousy president. He had no business being there. 

Other than Grant's military record, he had no history of public service. He had no skills at negotiating or at diplomacy, just experience at ordering people around. He wasn't elected because he was qualified in any way, and everyone knew it. He was elected on the strength of Northerners' hatred toward Southerners. His election was an "in your face" to the South.  

In our recent presidential election, hatred has won again. Sadly, it's now indisputably official: Decency, class, fidelity and morality mean very little to most Americans. God help us.

By the way, are we still pretending that the Electoral College is a good idea? Are we really OK with two of the last five presidential elections (George W. Bush in 2000 and, presumably, Donald Trump in 2016) going to the less popular candidate based on ballots cast?   

Anthony Milanese

Paulsboro 

Liberal media licking election wounds

To the Editor:

If America needed to see how infested journalism has become, and how far it has slipped into the bed of left-wing bias, one needs only to observe the behavior of journalists' body language and vacant stares the days following Donald Trump's election. 

Deflated Christmas lawn ornaments in the first week of January come to mind.  

Dazed and confused, the news media were dealing with a personal wake and not the massive celebration they thought would happen.

Trump had to beat back the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and the American media. He beat them all. He only had the people to rely on, and enough of them showed up on Election Night.  

Maybe this imperfect non-politician candidate can now surprise the left again. Honestly, I was as surprised by the result as they were, but I wish well for my country first -- not just for a party, an ideology or a trendy pick to prop up our culture elites.  

Those who distribute the information generally hold the power. The liberal media was so aware of this that they were smug at times before the election. Only afterwards came some soul searching.  

One pundit on the left has lamented that during President Barack Obama's two terms, Democrats have lost 11 U.S. Senate and 60 House seats, 14 governorships and hundreds of state legislature seats. This party is arguably weaker now than at any time since the 1920s.

Maybe a wake is more appropriate than a celebration, after all. My late uncle, a stalwart Democrat his whole life, confessed to me in the 1990s: "My party has left me. I don't know what happened to it."    

Maybe if he were alive today, he would have his answer.

 Ken Frank

 Pitman

Some missing fronm N.J. Thanksgiving table

To the Editor:

Households around New Jersey recently celebrated Thanksgiving, but the story was missing one critical part: The Native Americans.

The Lenni-Lenape tribe, New Jersey's native people, have no federally recognized tribal reservation within their historic national boundaries, which also include parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. (The tribe has its headquarters in Fairfield Township, Cumberland County.) The Lenape who survived colonial genocide were almost entirely forcibly relocated to Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Ontario in Canada.

There are a number of small tribal groupings existing in New Jersey with state-only recognition, but these very small groups have no reservations and must solicit donations to conduct basic organizational activities.

Lands must be set aside, trust funds created and housing developments built by the State of New Jersey to enable the relocation of the Lenape people back to their Garden State lands. The entire Lenape population is only about 16,000, so this would be very possible to do.

Rev. Eric Hafner

Toms River

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

Christmas Amore Concert benefiting South Jersey Catholic Schools

On Saturday, Dec. 3, all are invited to "Christmas Amore," an evening concert with the Sicilian Tenors in support of the South Jersey Scholarship Fund for Catholic schools. This fund helps keep tuition affordable for many families seeking a Catholic education.

The diocesan Christmas concert has grown in popularity every year and is a hallmark event for schools and the South Jersey community. In addition to the renowned Sicilian Tenors, this year's concert will feature performances by a combined choir of diocesan high school musicians.

Christmas Amore unites three marvelous tenor voices - Elio Scaccio, Aaron Caruso, and Sam Vitale -- with the world's best loved music to ring in the season and put joy in your heart. Taking their audience on a romantic journey from Hollywood to Broadway to Italy using multimedia backgrounds, storytelling and song, The Sicilian Tenors provide an evening of non-stop entertainment to lift the spirits, gladden the soul, and celebrate the Christmas miracle. Enjoy the timeless Christmas melodies of "Adeste Fideles" and "O' Holy Night" combine with powerful Italian classics like "O' Sole Mio" to create a truly unique holiday concert. 

And, new this year, local restaurants will be offering special dining deals in association with the concert.  Make it a night out by enjoying dinner at a show:

• La Verde, 200 Hurffville Road, Turnersville, 856-227-5522, (special menu)
• Arugula, 373 Egg Harbor Road, Washington Townshp, 856-589-0475, (10 percent off with ticket)
• Randazzo's Pizza and Pasta, 288 Egg Harbor Road, Washington Township, 856-582-3555, (special menu)

Christmas Amore will be held at the Investors Bank Performing Arts Center, 519 Hurffville Cross Keys Road in Washington Township at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets, $29.50 to $39.50 with group prices and special dining options available.For more information about "Christmas Amore" or to purchase tickets go to www.camdendiocese.org/christmas-amore-featuring-sicilian-tenors or call 856-853-6195.

This item submitted by Michael Walsh for Diocese of Camden.

Donations will benefit 'giveAnote'

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - The Washington Township High School Tri-M Music Honor Society is preparing for its annual Holiday Cabaret, which is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Play House at WTHS (11/12 auditorium).

The evening of holiday music performed by groups of WTHS students is sure to be full of energy and entertainment. All donations given at the door will be given to the charity "giveAnote," which is a foundation established to support and strengthen music education programs to ensure that all children have access to the life-changing benefits of music study.

Music helps students develop important skills tied to life-long success -- collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication.

For more information, contact Tri-M advisor Judy Pagon at jpagon@wtps.org.

This item submitted by Matthew Pesyna for Washington Township School District.

The event benefits ongoing veterinary expenses

Mulligan Animal Rescue Inc. recently held its Santa at the Mount Royal Fire House picture sessions. The event benefits ongoing veterinary expenses for the non-profit rescue service. Mulligan Animal Rescue is a small group of dedicated local women, believing in making a positive difference in the community. Having no facility, they work strictly from their homes and with foster homes.

Mulligan Animal Rescue relies largely on donations and fundraising to sustain its rescue efforts. All of the animals entrusted to their care are fully vetted before adoption -- spayed/neutered, vaccinated and tested.

The organization strives to educate and reach a solution to abandoned, abused, injured and homeless animals. The rescue is known for intaking special needs animals as well, which can sometimes result in overwhelming veterinary costs, thus various fundraisers are hosted to raise funds throughout the year.

Pictured above with Santa and Mrs. "Claws" is Mulligan, the group's mascot. He was born without eyes, and also has endured seizures since he was 3 months old, a result of "inbreeding." He is a very "special" dog that visits special needs schools for children. He loves visiting the kids, and the children love spending time with him as well.

Mulligan Animal Rescue is in the Mount Royal (East Greenwich) section of Gloucester County, its motto is "Every Animal Deserves a Second Chance."

For more information, or to donate, visit Mulligan Animal Rescue.

This item submitted by Kathryn Ridinger-Clement for Mulligan Animal Rescue.

Deptford/Millville Elks host special events with featuring a Santa fluent in ASL

The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks prides itself on living by its motto, "Elks Care, Elks Share."

They do their best to make sure this extends to the entire community, paying special attention to certain groups with a higher need than others. Within the New Jersey Elks Association, special needs children are among our highest priorities.

 

One of the things the Deptford Elks Lodge is doing this year to benefit these children is joining with the Millville Elks Lodge and 360 Translations, to host a weekend of signing with Santa events for children with hearing impairments.

Millville Lodge will host the first event on Saturday, Dec. 10. Deptford Lodge will host the second on Sunday, Dec. 11, with both events running from 2 to 6 p.m.

The events will feature a special Santa fluent in American Sign Language along with helpers also fluent in ASL. The children will be provided with snacks, crafts and activities to do while waiting for their turn with Santa. Each child will also be given a special gift from Santa.

This event is completely free of charge to all participants. All costs for the event have been covered by the Deptford and Millville Elks Lodges and 360 Translations. The Elks and 360 Translations are hopeful that the event will be a successful and that it will continue year after year.

Anyone interested in attending the event or making a donation to help make this and similar events possible, contact Andy Pagano, Deptford Elks Special Children's Committee Chairman at 856-718-5470 or apagano1071@yahoo.com. Visit www.elks.org for more information on the Elks organization (BPOE) or to find your local lodge.

This item submitted by Heather Spencer for Deptford Elks Lodge.

"County-prosecutor-in-limbo" should not be a semi-official title in New Jersey's courthouses.

It's still possible that Gov. Chris Christie will exit early for the Trump administration. Even if the governor doesn't finish his last term, Cumberland County's prosecutor no longer needs to guess whether or not she'll get a next term. 

Christie has signed off on the five-year reappointment of Prosecutor Jennifer-Webb-McRae. Her nomination, which still has to be OK'd by the state Senate, was made without comment by Christie's office last week.

Web-McRae's initial term was not absent of controversy, particularly over how her office handled fatal shootings by police officers, and how she dealt with staff personnel issues, including an incident related to her Philadelphia visit with a co-worker to a local sex-toy store. It wasn't even Small Business Saturday.

Presumably, the Republican governor and two state senators who must bless nominations from Cumberland County -- state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) -- found enough positive in Web-McRae's overall performance to recommend her again. 

McRae was initially appointed in 2010 by former Democrat Gov. Jon Corzine. Renomination of a county prosecutor by a governor of the opposite party isn't necessarily automatic. For example, Christie in February replaced Geoffrey Soriano, the Somerset County prosecutor, citing questions about how Soriano investigated the high-profile killings of Cooper University Health System CEO John Sheridan and his wife, Joyce.

So, congratulations to Webb-McRae for having earned the governor's confidence. Our desire for her to have a productive second term (pending Senate approval) doesn't negate concerns with the way New Jersey's county prosecutor reappointment process plays out.

McRae's first five-year term ended in January 2015. She's been a "holdover" for the past 22 months. The problem is that prosecutor-in-limbo status for two years or longer is not uncommon in New Jersey. It's unfair to the affected prosecutor, and unfair to residents of the affected county who may have reasons to seek a change.

We don't know why McRae's nomination was held up. The unwritten process of "senatorial courtesy" -- which permits lawmakers like Van Drew or Sweeney to delay a nomination indefinitely for any reason -- may have come into play. Some gubernatorial nominations get blocked until an unrelated political deal is cut. Others die quietly before the name ever goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Gubernatorial appointees of all types can be holdovers. Often, this is prudent and can provide for orderly transitions. However, county prosecutor is such an important and sensitive post that nominations and reappointments shouldn't depend on partisan quid-pro-quos or silent senatorial scuttling.

Put a time limit on governors' "acting" or holdover appointments for this critical law-enforcement job. Also, bar indefinite "holds" by senators on prosecutor nominations. That's not "courtesy," it's playing with public safety.  

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

A provocative, original dramatic work exploring diverse concepts of 'death'

GLASSBORO -- A provocative, original dramatic work exploring diverse concepts of "death" created through a collaboration between Rowan University faculty and students continues the "season of horror" presented the Department of Theatre & Dance. Performances are from Dec. 8-11 in Tohill Theater on the university's Glassboro campus.

"Danse Macabre," directed and choreographed by faculty member and noted Philadelphia dance artist Paule Turner, is at once a play and a piece of dance theater incorporating music, text, sound, visuals and movement. It presents a non-linear narrative with fragmented characters and elements of several different storylines to address a central theme: death. Within this totally new creation, audiences will spot references to everything from "Rosemary's Baby" and "Equus to Nietzsche," "A Streetcar Named Desire," and more. The sound score embraces a diverse range, as well, from Monteverdi to Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs to Bjork.

"It's about people and the beauty of people even when they're doing bad things," says Turner, adding that in spite of the darker themes, there is a lightness about the way these ideas and stories are presented. "It's quite a beautiful piece."

Created in a workshop environment, the piece started with little more than a title and was shaped through input from the student cast and the creative team. The script is adapted from a variety of texts and has been supervised by Turner and his assistant director (and Rowan graduate), Katherine Kiessling. 

"Our students are learning how to make contemporary theater," Turner adds, noting that this production employed a significant level of research and exploration and improvisation on the part of the actors.

The student cast includes AJ Klein of Upper Township; Alexander Brown of Northfield; Alyssa La Pierre of Eastampton; Anthony Magnotta of Runnemede; Caroline Strehl of Washington Township; Colleen Murphy of Cherry Hill; Eduardo Delgado of Wharton; Hailey Hubbs of Mount Laurel; Haley Migeot of Pitman; Jessica Brotherton of Newtonville; Kayla Cousins of Pemberton; Kelly Connors of Barnegat; Kelsey Romeo of Franklinville; Kristy Joe Slough of Wenonah; Kyle Jacobus of Hagerstown, MD; Kyleigh Ericco of Brick; Leah Cohen of Maplewood; Mackenzie Trush of Franklinville; Mahala Roberson of Newark; Marisa Considine of Burke, VA; Michelle Campbell of Colonia; Mike Grubb of Mullica Hill; Nicole Testa of Mullica Hill; Nicky Tintle of Hillsdale; Sabrina Mazzotta of Glendora; Sarah Cheng of Monroe Township; Seth Jackson of Baltimore, MD; Shannon Harkins of Pennington; Tiara Nock of Franklinville; Tonia Fields of Voorhees; and Vanessa Vause of Williamstown. Rowan's Collegium Musicum early music ensemble is also featured in the performance.

The production is recommended for mature audiences.

Performances are Dec. 8, 9, and 10 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. Tohill Theatre is located in Bunce Hall on the campus of Rowan University, Route 322 in Glassboro. Purchase tickets online at rowan.tix.com. For more information, call the box office at 856-256-4545, or email arts@rowan.edu. Tickets are $15 (general) and $10 (seniors/non-Rowan students/alumni/staff/military). Rowan students are admitted free with valid ID, based on availability.

This item submitted by Dennis Dougherty for Rowan University.

Creamy Acres Farms presents its first-ever Night of Lights Country Christmas Hayride on select dates from now through Dec. 24. Watch video

For more than 20 years, Creamy Acres Farms in Mullica Hill has hosted the Night of Terror Halloween haunted attraction.

This year, Creamy Acres went from scary to merry for the first-ever Night of Lights Country Christmas Hayride.

"We've been planning this for three or four years now," said Creamy Acres owner Kim Ambruster. "We wanted something else to do, and this is a great thing for people to do. There's nothing like this around here."

The Night of Lights hayride is a 20-minute ride through the field where the zombie paintball is set up during Halloween's Night of Terror.

Ambruster, and her husband Ron, purchased an entire Christmas light show earlier this year and brought it back to Creamy Acres in five tractor-trailer trucks.

"Then there was another guy in Staten Island selling some Christmas props, so we brought two more truck loads of stuff from them," Ambruster said. "Then it was just a matter of getting it all out and setting it up."

Ron Ambruster and a staff of 12 spent three weeks transforming the dairy farm into a Christmas wonderland.

"This is a fun, family oriented event," she said.

Here are five reasons to visit Creamy Acres Night of Lights.

Rockin' pines

At the entrance to the hayride, thousands of twinkling lights set up in the shape of Christmas trees dance to toe-tapping holiday tunes. Ambruster said a computer technician worked for several days to get the timing just right between the music and the light show.

Country Christmas hay ride

Grab a blanket and climb aboard a cozy, old fashioned hayride to travel through giant, lighted Christmas displays featuring everything from a waving Frosty the Snowman to Santa catching a gigantic fish from the pond. Each wagon's sound system plays holiday music to go along with each scene, and Santa's elves ride along singing carols and handing out candy canes.

The reason for the season

At the conclusion of the hayride, while "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," plays majestically through the wagon's speaker, the hayride comes upon a live nativity scene with Mary, Joseph, and farm animals who live in the stable where the baby Jesus was born. Keep an eye out for the mini horse.

Walking in a Christmas wonderland

After disembarking the hayride, visitors walk through one of Creamy Acres' greenhouses that has been converted into a Christmas wonderland. With larger-than-life nutcrackers, 10-foot Christmas trees, and even a festive polar bear, the walk through attraction is a great finale to the country hayride.

You better watch out

No trip to a Yuletide paradise would be complete without a visit with Old Saint Nick himself. Each child is invited to sit on Santa's knee and have a little chat about what they would like him to leave under their tree on Christmas morning.

Creamy Acres Night of Lights Country Christmas Hayride is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. through Dec. 17, and every night from Dec. 19 to 24. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 3 to 12, and $12 for seniors 65 and older. For more information, visit nightoflightshayride.com.

Diehl, along with her late husband, founded Seabrook House in 1974

Seabrook House co-founder, Margaret 'Peg' Diehl, age 89, died Nov. 26 surrounded by her family.

Margaret 'Peg' Diehlnj.com 

Diehl, along with her late husband, founded Seabrook House in 1974. She is responsible for the original design and implementation of the family treatment program. Over her 36 years at Seabrook House, she served as the director of Residential Treatment, director of Outpatient Services, as well performed many family interventions.

She was an active member in the Al-Anon Family Program for more than 50 years. Diehl was among the first Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors (CADC) in 1977, and became an Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICADC) in 1991. In 2004, she became one of the first Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LCADC) in the state of New Jersey.

Throughout her career, Diehl was the recipient of many prestigious awards. They included the Denis Mansmann Memorial Award in 2003, the CRBard Outstanding Women in Treatment Award in 2007, the Alumna of the Year Award of Little Flower High School in 2007, and the Women Making a Difference Award in 2008. In 2012, she received the Community Leadership Award by the Caron Foundation and the Standish F. Hansell Award for Excellence in Addiction Treatment, presented by the Livengrin Foundation. In 2014, an award in her honor was established for a Seabrook House employee who best exemplifies service to families with addiction.

The Diehl family invites all who wish to join them for a viewing and Catholic Mass at St. Damien's Roman Catholic Church, 13th and Wesley Avenue in Ocean City, beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 2, followed by a luncheon and celebration of her amazing life at noon at the Flanders Hotel, 11th and Boardwalk, Ocean City. Friends, Seabrook staff, colleagues and fellow members of Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon and other 12 Step programs are so very welcome to attend.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Seabrook House Foundation's Matrix Family Program at 133 Polk Lane, Bridgeton, NJ 08302.

Seabrook House is a nonprofit, internationally recognized, private CARF-accredited behavioral healthcare organization, with treatment locations in Bridgeton, Cherry Hill, Northfield, Morristown and coming soon to Monmouth County. Founded by Jerry and Peg Diehl in 1974, Seabrook House has been helping families find the courage to recover from alcoholism and drug addiction for over 42 years. For more information on Seabrook House, visit the company website at www.SeabrookHouse.org.

This item submitted by Heather Cooper, Seabrook House Inc.

Gregory Lane writes that workers' futures are linked to emerging technology.

To the Editor:

Imagine you trained for a manufacturing job, only to find that all of the related production plants have moved to foreign countries with less regulation and lower overhead costs? 

Now, you might long for a return to the past, when we didn't have technological advances such as personal computers, robotic arms and smartphones, and work opportunities matching your skills were more plentiful.

People who think bringing back the past is a good idea are in for a shock. This world has advanced far since the 1980s, with computers and cell phones bringing out a whole new world to experience. Many Internet uses have developed: online stores; Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites; electronic marketplaces such as eBay. 

Also, a robotics expert interviewed by Bloomberg recently predicted that robots would take over the retail space "in the next 5 to 10 years." In effect, this would put most retail jobs out of sight and out of mind.

Let's face it: The world is more interconnected than in the past. The days of having one job or career for one's entire life are over. Instability seems to run rampant on the part of some individuals, as well as groups like Islamic State, which want to force their religious beliefs, deeply rooted in the past, on the people in the territories they control. We are now living in times marred by not only a more narrow economy, but by uncertainty.

There is no way America will become great again in a retroactive way, since times have changed radically, and technology has really advanced and started an economic revolution. It is a revolution whose tides will be limiting for those who don't advance or learn how to face a harder, more uncertain, future.

Gregory Lee Lane

Hopewell Township

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

East Greenwich will hold its Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 2 at East Greenwich Township Borough Hall, 159 Democrat Road in Mickleton. Festivities start around 5 p.m. The Organic Farm has generously donated hot cocoa and hot spiced drinks and food for the event. Santa Claus will be there and a disc jockey will provide holiday music. This item submitted by Kathryn...

East Greenwich will hold its Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 2 at East Greenwich Township Borough Hall, 159 Democrat Road in Mickleton.

Festivities start around 5 p.m.

The Organic Farm has generously donated hot cocoa and hot spiced drinks and food for the event. Santa Claus will be there and a disc jockey will provide holiday music.

This item submitted by Kathryn Ridinger-Clement for East Greenwich Township.

The event will help Deptford Township families

DEPTFORD TWP. -- Deptford Township Mayor and Council will be celebrating its 7th Annual Toy and Food Drive on Monday, Dec. 5 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Adelphia Restaurant (across from the Deptford Mall) in Deptford Township.

There is an open bar, appetizers and a silent auction. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for a child from infant to 16 years of age. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Participants must be 21 years of age or older.

Deptford Township Council continues its tradition of granting holiday wishes to those families in the community who may be experiencing difficult times. This event is to help families in need. Proceeds directly benefit Deptford residents.

All are welcome to come out and enjoy some holiday spirit.

Donations may also be dropped off at the Deptford Township Municipal Building, 1011 Cooper St., before Dec. 14.

For additional information visit www.deptford-nj.org, call 856-686-2220 or stop in the manager's office at the municipal building to purchase tickets. 

This item submitted by Dina Zawadski for Township of Deptford.

Joel Hutton and Janiyah Conquest were killed early Thanksgiving morning.

WINSLOW TWP. -- As raindrops bounced off the balloons of a weather-worn roadside memorial for Janiyah Conquest, Greg Hutton stood on his porch a few miles down the road and took a phone call from a loved one.

The remorse for Hutton -- whose 23-year-old son Joel died alongside 19-year-old Conquest in a head-on car wreck early Thanksgiving morning -- extends to more than his late son.

"There's no doubt their family is hurting just as much as mine," Hutton said of Conquest's relatives, adding that he "cannot forget" a third unidentified passenger who was hospitalized as well as Jillian Farrell, 19, of Williamstown, who collided with Hutton's vehicle. "This is a lose-lose situation."

According to Winslow police, Hutton's vehicle was headed west along Williamstown Road when he crossed over the center line near the New Brooklyn-Blackwood Road intersection and struck Farrell at around 7:30 a.m.

Both Hutton and Conquest died at the scene. Farrell was transported to Cooper University Hospital for treatment. Her condition remains unclear and attempts to reach family were unsuccessful.

2 killed in fatal Thanksgiving car wreck

Nearby residents told NJ Advance Media in the wake of the accident that Williamstown Road near Mongan's Service Station is dangerous, congested and no stranger to fatal accidents.

Winslow police have not responded to requests for comment. Hutton said he similarly hasn't heard much in the days since the wreck, noting Tuesday morning that his son was taking Conquest home at the time of the accident.

Attempts to reach Conquest's family at their Sicklerville home Tuesday morning were unsuccessful. A longtime neighbor who did not wish to provide her name said Conquest was a "sweet young lady" who she'd known since she was 5 years old.

Messages left on balloons tied to a tree in the front yard of the late woman's home expressed disbelief of the situation now facing her survivors.

Hutton's former classmates, longtime friends and Deptford Mall coworkers described the late man as both lighthearted yet dependable in the face of great responsibility.

"No matter what kind of day it was for him he was always laughing and bringing laughter to everyone around him," said Sarah Hockel, who worked at the Deptford Mall Hallmark store with Hutton for about 10 months. "At the end of every work shift he would dance like a goof until we closed the store."

"He always had a lot on his plate with watching his mom all night and then working all day, sometimes two jobs. I'd often find him asleep in the stock room and just let him sleep. But he never complained about anything. I always respected him for that," said Lisa Evanoff, who worked with Hutton for more than a year at the Hallmark store. "He didn't deserve to be taken so soon."

"He was more of my brother than a friend," said Joseph Guddo, 24, who grew up in Berlin with Hutton. "Our relationship showed me it doesn't take blood to be family. He had such a big heart. No words can express how much I miss him."

Greg Hutton has seen his son's friends -- like 26-year-old Andrew McNamara who came over Tuesday to fix breakfast -- become fixtures of his home in the days since.

"Tell them you love them when you walk out of the house ," Hutton said in a message to both parents and children. "Men don't always say that. Fathers don't always say that. Don't have any regrets."

The plaintiff and his brother could face thousands in court costs and a possible contempt charge.

CAMDEN -- A courtroom outburst prompted by the racial makeup of a jury led a federal judge to dismiss jurors selected to hear a civil case alleging prisoner abuse.

Taharqu Dean, of Clayton, filed suit over a 2011 arrest in Deptford that he said was the result of police officers not recognizing that he was suffering a seizure. He was charged with resisting arrest and claims he was beaten over a three-day period in jail and denied his anti-seizure medication.

During jury selection on Nov. 7, Dean's brother, Kwsind Dean, yelled, "You call this a jury of his peers? Only in America."

In response, the plaintiff added, "Right?"

All of this was said in the presence of selected and prospective jurors, prompting defense attorney Patrick Madden, who is representing corrections officer Jesse Yamada, to seek a mistrial, according to court documents.

The selected jury, which had not been sworn in when the outburst occurred, consisted of one African-American woman, "with the remaining panelists appearing to be either Caucasian, Hispanic or Asian," Madden stated.

The plaintiff is black.

During jury selection, the defense sought to excuse one African-American woman using a peremptory challenge. The challenge allows attorneys to dismiss a certain number of potential jurors without having to provide a reason. It was the only time the defense exercised that right during jury selection in this case, Madden noted in court documents.

Kwsind Dean's outburst occurred immediately after that potential juror was excused, Madden added

The day after the courtroom incident, U.S. District Judge Noel L. Hillman interviewed the jurors and decided to dismiss them. 

"... Kwsind Dean's outburst created an unacceptable risk that the jury's deliberations would be influenced by irrelevant considerations," Hillman concluded.

He dismissed the motion for a mistrial and has set a new trial date of Jan. 30, 2017.

Kwsind Dean faces a Dec. 13 hearing to determine if he will be held in contempt of court over the incident. Apart from attending that hearing, he has been barred from entering the federal courthouse.

A hearing will also be held Dec. 13 to determine possible financial penalties against the Deans. They could be required to pay $2,500 in costs associated with jury service on Nov. 7 and 8 as well as nearly $13,000 in fees incurred by the defense.

In arguing that Taharqu Dean should pay some of the defenses costs incurred in the trial, Madden argued that the Deans discussed the racial makeup of the jury prior to the outburst, though Taharqu Dean told the judge they had not.

"It would strain credulity to believe that Mr. Dean and his brother had not had some prior discussion regarding the jury's ethnic composition, and their displeasure with the same," Madden wrote.

In the end, Madden argued that the plaintiff got what he wanted as a result of his brother's outburst.

"He was either complicit in his brother's conduct or, at the very least, ratified his brother's conduct," Madden wrote, "and has benefitted from that conduct by achieving that which he sought: the dismissal of a panel of jurors which, in plaintiff's mind, was not a 'jury of his peers.'"

Dean filed suit in 2013, claiming his civil rights were violated when Deptford police accused him of trying to break into a car and of resisting arrest in 2011. Dean said he was not resisting but suffering an epileptic seizure. Deptford Police, the county corrections department and several individuals employed by both agencies are named in the suit.

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

Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents the Christmas classic

The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," on stage Dec. 10-22.

Rudolph is just like any other reindeer -- with one exception -- he has a bright red nose! The other reindeer tease Rudolph for being different, but he is not alone. Many of Santa's Helpers tease one of the Elves for wanting to be a dentist. With big decisions ahead, on top of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, Santa runs into a big complication the night of Christmas Eve. Will Rudolph be able to save the holiday?

Come to The Broadway Theatre of Pitman and watch Rudolph learn that what makes you different makes you special.

Shows are scheduled for each day beginning Dec. 10, with the final performance on Dec. 22. The performance schedule is as follows:

• Dec. 10-13: 10 a.m.
• Dec. 14-16: 10:30 a.m.
• Dec. 17: 10 a.m./1 p.m./3:30 p.m.
• Dec. 18-22: 10 a.m.

 Reserved seating is currently available for $6-$9. Contact the Theatre Box Office at pitmanbroadwaytheatre.com or call 856-384-8381.

This item submitted by Gina Peloso for Broadway Theatre of Pitman.

The victims turned over nearly $2,000 in gift cards to cover his "bail."

MANTUA TWP. -- An elderly couple was duped out of nearly $2,000 after scammers convinced them that their grandson was in trouble, township police reported.

Authorities were contacted last week after the couple realized they had been tricked.

The scam began with a phone call from someone identifying himself as a lawyer in Arizona. The caller said he was representing the couple's 16-year-old grandson and that the teen was in jail, explained Mantua Police Lt. Darren White.

The caller told the victims to purchase $3,000 in Best Buy gift cards to cover the bail. The victims did as they were told, purchasing the cards and providing necessary codes to the scammer. The couple had turned over $2,000 by the time they realized their grandson was safe at home and nowhere near Arizona, White said.

The victims were able to recover $250 of their money before the scammers used the gift card codes.

White posted information about the crime on Facebook in hopes of educating others, including potential victims and store employees who might encounter a customer trying to buy thousands of dollars in gift cards.

Why are scammers telling victims to buy gift cards?

"That's why it's important to get the word out there that these types of scams exist," he said.

Since this type of scam typically targets the elderly, it's known as the grandparent scam. The scenario always involves the claim that a family member, often a grandchild, is in some kind of trouble and needs money.

In September, Mantua police reported that an elderly township woman had fallen victim, losing $2,000. In that case, the victim was told that her daughter had been arrested. She was told to purchase iTunes gift cards to cover her bail.

Police officials repeatedly stress that gift cards are never accepted as a form of payment to post bail.

White urged residents who receive these kinds of calls to check on their family member first before turning over any money. Since most people have cellphones, that's not too hard.

"It's so easy these days to just call them," White said.

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

The free event will also feature holiday activities for the entire family

Santa Claus is coming to town to light up the Christmas tree in downtown Glassboro. The magic of the holidays begins on Friday, Dec. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Glassboro will partner with Rowan University to present "Borough in Lights: Glassboro's Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony." This free event will feature holiday activities as well as family-friendly activities for all ages.

The festival will be located on Rowan Boulevard in Glassboro. This Seasonal favorite, Glassboro event will include Santa in a fire truck lighting the tree, live music performances, photos with Santa, a live Nativity Scene, a life sized 'Lite- Brite' display, live ice-carving demonstrations, horse and carriage rides, roving carolers, winter foods, Toys-for-Tots and canned food drives, model trains and hot cider, plus many more interactive offerings.

More than 3,000 people are expected to attend Glassboro's Annual Tree Lighting. "I look forward to the tree lighting each and every year. Every year we get such a huge turnout and we expect many more this year. The holiday spirit in Glassboro is truly amazing" -- Councilwoman Anna Miller.

This item submitted  Lavon Phillips for Borough of Glassboro.

Police recovered around $500 worth of stolen property and returned it to the rightful owners.

CLAYTON -- A Clayton woman suspected in seven Gloucester County burglaries was arrested after trying to execute an eighth while residents were home, police said. 

On Nov. 23, Jayne Childress, 44, was arrested for a string of burglaries that began in September and continued until the day of her arrest, police said.

According to police, Childress forced her way into a home on the 100 block of Jerrys Avenue in Clayton while residents were inside. They called the police as Childress fled but she was caught and arrested shortly after. 

Through their investigation, Clayton police determined Childress was linked to six other burglaries in Clayton and an additional burglary in Glassboro. Police recovered roughly $500 worth of stolen property, which was returned to its owners, police said. 

Childress was charged with six counts of burglary, four counts of criminal mischief, five counts of theft, two counts of possession of burglary tools, and one count of criminal trespassing. She was unable to pay her bail, which was set at $100,000, and was taken to the Salem County Jail. 

If anyone has any additional information about the burglaries or thefts please contact Detective Jackson Harrington at 856-881-2301.

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

The NJSIAA walked back its explicit banning of tailgates for the football sectional finals this weekend.

A day after releasing a statement explicitly prohibiting all tailgating at this week’s football sectional finals, the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association partly defended its stance on the subject on Tuesday while making a clarification.

Alcohol is out; food is in.

Tailgating will, in fact, be permitted at all four sites, but not the kind that includes alcoholic beverages, NJSIAA spokesman Mike Cherenson told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday.

"These are alcohol-free events and they always have been," Cherenson said. "(Drinking) has always been banned at NJSIAA events. The new rules are really aimed at cutting the tailgate. We're not looking to prohibit people from having a sub or a sandwich before or after the game. It's about the partying.”

Cherenson added that the NJSIAA will have no way of enforcing the policy since it doesn’t control the venues or the parking lots.

"(Enforcement) outside would be done by the venue itself," Cherenson said. "Obviously, if there were rowdy fans in the stadium and that led to unsportsmanlike conduct or behavior, that might have ramifications by the NJSIAA.

NJSIAA is school-based sports, w/ no alcohol. New rules are aimed @ curbing tailgating/partying, not pre-/post-game eating. #KeepKidsSafe

— NJSIAA (@NJSIAA) November 29, 2016

"Sports and partying at the professional and college level has grown in importance and with the mainstream media today, it has kind of worked its way into high school sports,” Cherenson said. “Unfortunately, some of these parties and tailgates can lead to undesirable behavior and that's not fit for a high school sporting event."

According to Cherenson, however, no previous incidents triggered Monday's press release.

The NJSIAA sectional finals will be played from Friday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 4 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Rutgers University in Piscataway, Kean University in Union, and Rowan University in Glassboro.

Brian Deakyne may be reached at bdeakyne@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

The arrests were made in a sweep operation as officers worked to serve 43 warrants throughout the county.

WOODBURY -- The Gloucester County Sheriff's Office conducted a sweep throughout the county, arresting 10 violators including the man ranked No. 6 on the Top Ten Most Wanted list. 

Ryan Minter, who was ranked number six on the Gloucester County Sheriff's Office Most Wanted list, was arrested during the sweep along with nine others. (Photo provided) 

Gloucester County Sheriff Carmel Morina announced that on Tuesday officers from the Gloucester County Sheriff's Department conducted a sweep operation, executing 10 arrests while attempting to serve 43 warrants throughout the county.

Eight of the 10 arrested were residents of Deptford, Paulsboro and other Gloucester County municipalities, and were arrested for violating parole. A ninth person out of National Park was arrested on several municipal warrants. 

Also among the arrested in the sweep was Ryan Minter, who was ranked No. 6 on the Sheriff's Top Ten Most Wanted list. Minter was wanted for failure to serve sentence after resisting arrest, eluding police and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He was picked up by officers in Swedesboro.

"I am very proud of the efforts by our officers and the fine job everyone did," said Sheriff Carmel Morina in a press release. He added that no major incidents occurred during the county-wide effort. 

All of the individuals arrested were taken to the Salem County Jail.

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