The Featured Story From The Voorhees Sun http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/index.php Copyright 2006 Elauwit       A swift right to the face, a shattering left to the mid-section, a triangle-choke submission these are just a few things common to many Mixed Martial Arts leagues.       Rowdy fans flock to the arenas, ready for some hard-hitting action. Sponsors, including martial arts training schools, beer companies and National Guard units, sign on to reach their largely male audience.      But one South Jersey league, the Asylum Fight League based in Voorhees, added an unexpected partner the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.      Breast cancer knows no boundaries,\" Nancy Healey, executive director of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Central and South Jersey Affiliate said. Though this type of benefit is not typical for Komen,w http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=929 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=929 With gas prices passing the $4-per-gallon mark, at least some South Jersey residents are re-thinking their summer travel plans. While families explore creative summer vacations that will keep them close to home, business leaders believe this will be good news for the local economy. It\'s very clear that with gas prices, what that\'s doing to commodity prices and the cost for a family just to survive, that as far as their vacation time, they\'re going to be spending more time close to home,\" John Seitter, president of South Jersey Tourism Corp., said. I look at it as a very positive opportunity, not just for our tourism destinations and our restaurants and hotels, but also for the residents of southern New Jersey, because this is giving them an opportunity to learn what\'s in ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=923 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=923       Township representatives are still exploring the possibility with Camden County officials regarding shared services with township and Camden County dispatchers.       Township Administrator Larry Spellman confirmed Voorhees is still actively looking into the possibility with Camden County regarding plans to merge into its emergency dispatch system. The shared service plan would likely save the township $500,000 a year, Mayor Michael Mignogna reported when the township began to look into the possibility in February.       Since the beginning of the investigation, Spellman and Mignogna have both said there is no specific timetable for a final decision.       The township currently employs eight full-time and threep http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=917 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=917 It\'s not about the merchandise, the product endorsements or the guaranteed fame that comes from winning a spelling bee. For Voorhees third- and fourth-graders, it was all about the spelling, baby, as the ET Hamilton and Osage elementary schools pitted some of their best young spellers in the first spelling bee competition between the two schools. The five best third-graders and five best fourth-graders competed via-satellite connection to determine the best third- and fourth-grade speller in the two schools. Bob Marshall, vice president of the Hamilton Parent/Faculty Association, organized the bee. While schools have held their own spelling bees in the past, Marshall said this was the first year two elementary schools competed with each other in the district to determine ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=911 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=911       It\'s hard to imagine school students who must struggle to get clean water to drink.       Yet, in many Third World countries, that is the sad reality. When students at Eastern High School learned about the plight of a specific school, UNIFAT (Upper Nile Institute for Appropriate Technology) School in Gulu, Uganda, Africa, they were moved to take action.       Through the Project H2O initiative, the students created a campaign to draw awareness to this problem, and then helped raise funds to build a well to provide drinkable water to the school.       Water is not something that should be taken for granted,\" insisted senior Alexa Hayes. We are lucky that in our country very few people lack access to clean water http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=905 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=905       Members of the Township Committee approved an ordinance for the use of $2.8 million in funds for the purpose of acquiring land next to the historic Stafford Farm for open space measures. The purchase brings an end to negotiations between the township and Medi-Build Inc., owners of the property, which began earlier this year.       The $2.8 million will be used for the acquisition of approximately 5.5 acres of real estate property along Evesham Road for the purpose of the township\'s open space preservation program.       Mayor Michael Mignogna reported that the Township Committee felt this was the next logical step in the township\'s open space preservation program.       The township is purchasing the 5.5 acrep http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=899 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=899       The streets of the Voorhees Town Center are starting to take shape, and this massive redevelopment of the Echelon Mall is progressing on schedule for a grand opening next spring, officials said.      Besides an office building in the works and residences being built, the center will be home to thousands of square feet of retail space as well.       Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, the company who owns the VTC as well as the Cherry Hill Mall and the Moorestown Mall, said it is currently signing details for its retail shops and expects its first residents to move in this October.      The bottom line is that it\'s really coming together,\" said President of PREIT Services Joseph Coradino.      But Coradino is not the only one hoping the VTC does eventually come ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=893 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=893 Early last month, Michael Marchitto was at his son\'s baseball game in Berlin Township when something strange happened. All the parents were there watching the game, when someone\'s phone rang. Then another. Suddenly there was a symphony of ringtones. You know, it\'s funny, we\'re all outside watching our kids play baseball and it just proceeded down the line,\" he said. Every parent\'s phone rang one after another.\" When the parents answered, there was an automated message waiting for them. Good afternoon,\" it said. This is Irene Afek calling from Voorhees Township Public Schools. This is a test of our new parent notification system, SchoolMessenger. We will be using this system to contact you with emergency information ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=887 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=887       Tamie Wilhelm\'s algebra students ventured out of the classroom to make their Voorhees Middle School a little greener on Arbor Day. Using mathematical theorems, the teens calculated how many trees were required to build an average-sized house. Next, they worked to replace at least a couple of those trees on school property.      The chapter on polynomials had a project regarding Arbor Day and part of it was using polynomials to figure out how much wood they would need in order to build a house,\" Wilhelm said. They could figure out how many trees they would need and what size they would be. That\'s what started the whole thing. They figured out they needed about an acre of trees in order to build a typical 2,000 square foot house.\"      After completing the mathematical research, the project culminated ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=881 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=881 Virtua Health took the first steps of a three-year journey last week as executives ceremonially dug their shovels into the ground of the future site of Virtua\'s new $400 million health-care campus that will include a state-of-the-art digital hospital and a regional ambulatory center. Virtua Health announced plans for a new 376 bed, 666,000 square-foot hospital in November 2007. A 300,000 square-foot regional out-patient center will also be located next to the hospital and will offer surgery, cancer treatment, omen\'s imaging and physician offices. The 125-acre campus will be located on land bordered by Route 73 and Dutchtown Road in the township. The completion of the new health campus is ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=875 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=875       A community smiled to itself as Col. Kenneth W. Rathje Jr. returned from Iraq to his family and South Jersey on April 11 after spending a year of military service in Iraq. In a tearful reunion, Rathje returned to his wife, Mary Beth, and two children Elizabeth, 14, and Christopher, 11, after dutifully serving his country for the past year in Iraq. Rathje\'s eldest son Jason, 20, sent his father his love from MIT.       Rathje, chief of staff and senior advisor for economic development for the Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team, was mobilized a year ago with his army reserve unit and was deployed to Iraq on April 29, 2007.       As chief of staff, Rathje focused on strengthening and leading the Anbar Provincial Reconstruction Team to increase thel http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=869 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=869 Township voters approved the 2008-2009 $47.3 million school budget by a vote of 862 to 709. Voters also approved the Eastern Camden County Regional High School 2008-2009 budget by a tally of 1,257 to 1,008.      The 2008-2009 Voorhees district budget features an increase in the tax rate by 4 cents for every $100 of assessed value. For the average homeowner, that means a monthly increase of $11.64 and a yearly increase of approximately $140.      The 2008-2009 budget for Eastern features a tax decrease of 0.4 cents, or an annual decrease of approximately $14 for the average Voorhees homeowner.      Voorhees Board of Education candidates Patricia Fair, Richard J. Nelson, and Richard A. Wojdon defeated Joan Austan, Frederica Hutchings, and Bruce I. Karpff http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=863 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=863 After months of polling, clicking, registering and lobbying for support, the Voorhees Animal Orphanage has been voted one of 20 animal orphanages in the country to receive at least a $5,000 makeover compliments of Zootoo.com. The local organization finished 10th out of 4,000 shelters throughout the country and has automatically won at least a $5,000 makeover. The shelter also qualified for the $1 million and $10,000 contests. Judges from the pet care industry will inspect each of the 20 shelters to determine which most needs improvements. VAO Executive Director Maria Clarke graciously thanked the orphanage\'s volunteers and everyone who voted the shelter into the top-20. The volunteers, they ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=857 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=857 Though nobody on the court will be mistaken for Misty May-Treanor or Kerri Walsh, township teachers will once again take up their volleyballs and participate in the eighth annual volleyball tournament to raise scholarship funds for several township senior students. The volleyball tournament will be held on Thursday, April 3, at the Eastern Regional High School gymnasium from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $4. Event Coordinator Mike Farrell, an instrumental music teacher in the school district, said the funds from the event are awarded as scholarships to several students in the school district. To be eligible for the scholarships, students are required to have exemplary academic grades and have been enrolled in the school district since first ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=851 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=851 The fate of the 5.5-acre property alongside the historic Stafford Farm is still undecided, as Voorhees representatives and property owners Medi-Build Inc. are still engaged in negotiations to possibly broker a sale of the land to the township. Medi-Build Inc. representatives appeared before the township zoning board on March 13 and were granted a postponement in the hearing regarding the developer\'s proposal to build a shopping center on the property. Medi-Build consists of local Camden County architects Peter Lazaropoulos and Henry Gorenstein. Township representatives and Medi-Build Inc. are currently embroiled in negotiations over the property. The township wishes to purchase the property to protect it as open space and preserve ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=845 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=845 Tony Graziani will be practicing his down-and-outs to star wide receiver Chris Jackson in the township this season, as the Philadelphia Soul held a press conference recently to celebrate the move of its football operations to the Coliseum. Mayor Michael Mignogna welcomed Soul co-owners Jon Bon Jovi and Craig Spencer, along with team president and minor owner Ron Jaworski, to the Coliseum. Camden County Board Freeholders Director Louis Cappelli Jr. and Coliseum owner Charles Gallub were also in attendance. The Coliseum is opening its doors to its second professional Philadelphia sports team. Previous to the Soul, the Philadelphia Flyers practiced at the Coliseum before moving to the Flyers Skate Zone, which is also located in ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=839 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=839 Schools across the country last week celebrated Read Across America Day, an event created to raise awareness of the importance of reading and made to coincide with the birthday of Dr. Seuss. For their part, each school in the Voorhees School District did something different to celebrate Read Across America Day, on top of the reading incentives each school already has in place. At Osage School, Mayor Michael Mignogna sat down for his annual reading to the students. This year, he read Green Eggs and Ham\" for the 120 second graders. Teachers at E.T. Hamilton School also read Seuss classics to students, and different grades made displays and costumes for the day. Kresson School held a group of ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=833 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=833 The Economic Development Committee recently sent surveys to all businesses in the 08043 Zip code to assess the local economic climate of Voorhees Township. The data garnered from the surveys, Director of Economic Development Michael Marchitto said, will be used to improve the township\'s relationship with all of the businesses in Voorhees. The surveys, entitled The Voices of our Business,\" consist of 27 questions that will be carefully reviewed by the members of the Economic Development Committee and will aid the group in establishing and implementing a strategic plan for economic development in the township. We take the data collected from these surveys and assess the various business types in Voorhees and the business climate in ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=827 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=827 Voorhees School District superintendents and administrators said they were proud of the results for the township\'s two school districts in the state Department of Education\'s 2007 School Report Cards. New Jersey School Report Cards are released yearly by the Department of Education and showcase school and district specific information regarding Adequate Yearly Progress scores, highly qualified teachers, attendance and dropout data and assessment data. Public Information Officer Irene Afek and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Fran Collins said they were both pleased with the results of the report cards for the Voorhees kindergarten through eighth-grade school district. The two administrators said they have ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=821 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=821       The Camden County YMCA Board of Trustees has been busy lately, with at least six offers to buy the Camden City and Voorhees YMCA buildings, an offer to merge with the Burlington County YMCAs and Voorhees Township contemplating buying the Voorhees branch.      Stephanie Fisher, vice president for the board, said the board has not indicated a preference yet for the several different offers and planned to meet on Monday, Feb. 18. She said the board hopes to make a decision this week or next week.      We\'re moving forward with the sale of both buildings,\" she said. Our board has been meeting two or three times a week.\"      Fisher would not disclose who offered to buy the buildings so far, but Solid Rock WorshipC http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=815 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=815 Rocco Fiorentino, an 11-year-old resident of the township who works to provide resources for individuals facing blindness-related issues, has been named one of three finalists for the prestigious Alexandra Scott Butterfly Award. Fiorentino, blind due to his premature birth, works diligently with the Little Rock Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by his family to provide resources for children, parents, therapists and educators who face issues related to blindness. To date, the foundation has raised $1.5 million to assist blind students and has helped more than 40,000 children in the area. It feels so good to be a finalist for the award,\" Fiorentino said. It\'s a great honor ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=809 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=809 Preliminary discussions with Camden County officials regarding shared services in the township have Voorhees police dispatchers concerned over their future. Mayor Michael Mignogna confirmed that the township is in very preliminary discussions with Camden County regarding plans to merge into its emergency dispatch system. The shared service plan would likely save the township $500,000 a year, Mignogna reported. There is a move toward shared services in our township on many different levels as a way to save taxpayers money,\" Mignogna said. However, this is not yet reality. This is all very preliminary, but I can say that Cherry Hill Township is also looking into this as well.\" The ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=803 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=803       Residents will be asked to vote on the fire district\'s 2008 fiscal year budget on Saturday, Feb. 16, at one of three polling places between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.       Fire Station 662 at 2002 Burnt Mill Road and Fire Station 663 at 423 Cooper Road in the township will open their doors at 2 p.m. for residents to vote.       Residents can also cast their votes at the Ashland Evangelical Presbyterian Church at 33 E. Evesham Road.       Residents will decide the fate of the 2008 $6,302,723 Voorhees Fire District budget, which features an increase in the district\'s fire tax rate.       The proposed 2008 tax rate is .125-cents per every $100 of assessed property value, an increase of. http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=791 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=791 While not much is known yet about the township\'s 2008 fiscal year budget, township chief financial officer Dean Ciminera said he is expecting to see a rise in the local purpose tax rate for residents this year. A tentative date has not been set for the introduction of the 2008 budget, Ciminera said, but it will likely be introduced by the end of February or the beginning of March. While Ciminera expects the budget to be a reasonable one, he said there more than likely will be a raise in the local purpose tax rate for residents of the township. I assume we will have an increase in the local purpose tax rate, but it should be very reasonable,\" he said. Insurance and pension costs for the ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=786 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=786 Township residents wishing to run in the 2008 Board of Education elections have until Monday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m. to register for one of three open-seats on the Voorhees Board of Education, which serves grades kindergarten through eight. The 2008 Voorhees Board of Education elections will take place in the township on April 15. Any registered voter who has lived in the township for more than one year may run for one of the three, three-year seats that will be open on the board of education. K-8 Board of Education members Bruce Karpf and Richard Nelson will see their three-year seats expire in 2008. Board of Education President Richard Wojdon will also see his three-year seat expire. ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=781 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=781       Editor\'s note: The Sun posed the following questions to Voorhees Mayor Michael Mignogna, as an outlook to the new year.      Q: What are your best memories from 2007? A: The groundbreaking for the Voorhees Town Center. The re-dedication of Giangiulio Field in memory of Stephen Giangiulio in the presence of hundreds, including the Giangiulio Family. Summer Series at Connolly Park. Establishing the first Voorhees Citizens Cultural and Diversity Committee.      Q: What were some of the biggest challenges in 2007? A: Maintaining tax stability while continuing to provide high quality municipal services.      Q: Are there any new programs for 2008 residents should be aware of? A: Five-year road repair/maintenance program combined with the retiming of traffic lights and the redesign of ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=776 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=776 Residents of the township approved a bond referendum on Tuesday, Dec. 11, allowing the school district to raise more than $6 million in funds to refurbish all school buildings in Voorhees. When the results were tallied, the bond referendum was passed by a vote of 685 to 310. The bond referendum was listed as a special capital improvement program. The school district is now authorized to raise funds through the sale of bonds to finance specific facility construction, renovations, additions and repairs in several Voorhees schools. Specifically, the district plans to secure and reconfigure all front entrances to its school buildings, add emergency generators and lighting, replace and update several fire alarm systems, improve roofing ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=771 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=771 A light snow falls on a cold morning outside the Voorhees Animal Orphanage, and it is not much warmer inside Maria Clark\'s office. She sits at a desk in a converted shed, which was recently renovated to provide her with an office after she worked without one for several years. Inside the shed, the sounds of dogs barking are muffled, which resonate from the retrofitted warehouse that holds the shelter\'s animals. The structure was built in the mid-1960s, and the VAO took it over in 1988. Clark, the shelter director, says even with the considerable donations from the community that have kept the shelter running since then including those from Sun readers in the Deck the Paws and Help a ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=766 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=766       Unlike most who watched the parade on TV on Thanksgiving Day, 50 lucky singers from the Voorhees Middle School actually got to be a part of it. Joining a group of other choirs from the region, these kids sang and danced on the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps as part of Boscov\'s Thanksgiving Day parade, making their holiday one to remember.      Chorus director Aleina Parmentier was thrilled that her students were selected for the first time in VMS history.       This is a great honor and something the students really should be proud of,\" Parmentier said. There was a selection committee out of Westchester that makes these choices. It was spectacular because not only did we perform on Thursday, we also got to see all the background set-ups when wew http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=761 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=761       A New Jersey-based company that provides home and community-based rehabilitation services to both children and adults is looking to place up to five children between the ages of 8 and 12 with emotional disabilities in a group home in the municipality, a plan that has many township residents worried.       New Jersey Mentor, established in 1990, offers intensive, short-term treatment or extended care programs for people with disabilities and children with emotional and behavioral disorders. The company recently leased a property at 31 Harvard Drive from SP-V Green Properties LLC/Scioto Properties, based out of Dublin, Ohio, for children with emotional disabilities, according to township records.      According to New Jersey Mentor, the program caterst http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=756 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=756 Phenomenal. Powerhouse. Winners. The very best. Eastern\'s field hockey team continues to earn such adjectives for its many accumulated titles. Boasting its ninth consecutive Group IV state championship while increasing the school\'s in-state unbeaten streak to 208 consecutive games, the Lady Vikings proved that they could overcome the loss of their senior talent last year and continue their winning ways. Eastern is tied with Silver Spring High School in Maryland for the national record for consecutive seasons with a state crown. Although it is the ninth in a row, for this group together, it\'s their first,\" said Coach Danyle Heilig. It means a lot to carry on a tradition that kids in the past have created, but we really just try to ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=751 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=751 With the Voorhees Township Planning Board issuing preliminary and final approval for Virtua Health\'s $400 million health campus plan on last week, both Virtua Health and township officials are looking forward to the positive economic impact the project will have on the municipality. Mayor Michael Mignogna reported that the township Planning Board issued final approval last week for Virtua Health\'s $400 million health campus plan and said the project would be a welcome addition to the Voorhees community. Virtua Health officials unveiled their plans for the $400 million, 376 bed, 666,000 square-foot hospital on Nov. 1. A 300,000 square-foot regional out-patient center will also be located next to the hospital and will offer surgery ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=746 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=746 Hundreds flocked to Barry D. Brown Health Education Center at the Virtua Voorhees Health Campus last week to witness the unveiling of a design for a new $450 million Virtua Health health-care campus that will include a state-of-the-art digital hospital and a regional ambulatory center. Virtua Health President and CEO Richard P. Miller detailed plans for the new 376-bed, 666,000-square-foot hospital. A 300,000-square-foot regional out-patient center will also be located next to the hospital and will offer surgery, cancer treatment, women\'s imaging and physician offices. The 125-acre campus will be located on land bordered by Route 73 and Dutchtown Road. We are unveiling today a transformation of health care itself,\" Miller said. The new ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=741 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=741 When Noreen Saggese, a sixth-grade teacher at Voorhees Middle School, was invited to accompany students on a three-week learning excursion to Australia, she jumped at the chance. With 30 years of teaching under her belt, she was excited to add a new travel experience to her social studies curriculum. It was a dream come true for me because I can apply this to my teaching in the classroom,\" she said. I had a chance to learn about the culture of the people, and I brought so much back with me. For the students, besides learning about another culture, it made them grow and become more independent. It was really, really awesome!\" Saggese was a chaperone for the People to People Student Ambassador Program, which is designed to provide international educational opportunities to ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=736 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=736       After years of planning, Virtua Health will reveal its plans for a state-of-the-art health-care Campus along Route 73 on Thursday, Nov. 1, at 1:30 p.m. at the Barry D. Brown Health Education Center at the Virtua Voorhees Hospital Campus.       While the final design plans for the $500 million facility have yet to be revealed by Virtua Health, a press release states that Virtua will showcase its plan for the construction of a world-class digital hospital and a comprehensive regional outpatient center on the 110-acre property.       The Voorhees Township Committee passed an ordinance in early July that outlined the special medical campus for Virtua Health.       While it did not give Virtua the go-ahead to commencec http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=731 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=731 For the 14h year, Project Graduation will offer graduating seniors a safe way to bid farewell to their years at Eastern Regional High School this year, but not before its committee raises the money needed to deliver yet another alcohol-free bash at Dave and Buster\'s. The Craft Fair and Holiday House Tour fund raiser contributes 40 percent of the funds needed to host the important tradition, according to Kathy Posser, co-chairperson of the planning committee. The larger portion of the cost is paid for from corporate and local business contributions, as well as fees paid by approximately 350 residents registered as Project Graduation members. Project Graduation costs approximately $35,000 per year, Posser noted, adding nothing is more ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=726 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=726       More than 800 boys play baseball in the Gibbsboro Voorhees Athletic Association. With more than 160 talented players on travel rosters, this year\'s teams won distinctions at every level. The 11-, 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds were all District 4 champions, with the 12-year-old team coming in second. In addition, every squad was either the winner or runner up in at least one summer tournament.       This is the most successful year we\'ve had recently,\" John Tyrell, tournament director and vice president of GVAA said. We play in a district in which our big rival is Washington Township, and, generally, either GVAA or Washington Township wins the district championship at most age groups. There are seven age groups that compete for a district championship. For three years we\'ve won only one of those seven age groups, but this ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=721 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=721 Fresh-made pizza pies sat next to steaming trays of lo mein noodles, curried chicken, hoagies and hand-rolled sushi at last week\'s International Night, creating a banquet of cultural diversity for hundreds of residents brought together by the event. Sponsored by the township\'s newly formed Citizens Cultural and Diversity Advisory Committee, the Camden County Board of Freeholders and the Township Committee, Voorhees\' first International Night celebration dazzled hundreds of attendees with colorful performances by dancers representing the Phillipines, India, Pakistan and many other countries, in addition to dozens of tables piled high with food exemplifying the diversity of the region, provided free by dozens of area restaurants. A ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=716 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=716 Goodbye, cheese fries. So long, soda. Students across the country saw their favorite fried foods and sugary snacks in the cafeteria for the last time when they started their summer vacation. This month, U.S. public schools ushered in a new era of smaller, leaner meal portions and fresh, low-fat snack options as part of mandatory nutrition regulations handed down by the U.S Department of Agriculture. Food that features low nutritional value or high sugar content, such as candy, water ice or caramel popcorn, is flat-out banned by the law, and food service directors and vendors must work together to create a host of healthier options for students\' breakfast, lunch and after-school ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=711 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=711 Georgia Lance was tired of seeing squished turtles on the road near her home in the township\'s Lake Villa neighborhood. So she decided to do something about it. The compassionate 10-year-old noted how motorists driving by the neighborhood\'s lake where thousands of the shelled reptiles reside rarely obeyed the posted 25 mph speed limit and never looked out for the turtles that regularly cross the street to reach a creek on the other side. One day, Georgia took time out from biking, exploring and fishing her way through summer vacation to write to Voorhees Police Department officers and explain how heartbreaking it was for her to see many of the turtles\' untimely fates under the tires of ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=706 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=706 After earning the conference title in a four-way tie last year, this season\'s Eastern Vikings football team is fielding a younger, less experienced team. Dropping from 29 seniors to 16, with a smaller roster than in past years, Coach Dan Spittal urges the players and fans to be patient. Our league is mostly a senior dominated league, so we\'re behind in that aspect,\" said Spittal, who is affectionately known as Coach Spit. I think most of the seniors will play, but with that low of a number, a lot of underclassmen are going to have to step in and play a big role. We have some very skilled underclassmen, but they\'re inexperienced, so that\'s something we\'re going to have to battle through early in the season until they mature and get some game experience under their ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=701 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=701       The number of homes on the market in Voorhees and across the region has been steadily increasing over the past year, as has the amount of time they remain there, area Realtors recently told The Sun. And the fact that prices have slowly dropped since 2005 means that the pendulum has officially swung away from the overheated market sellers enjoyed just two years ago.      It\'s now a buyers\' market,\" said Weichert Voorhees Realtor Tracey Lucas, noting that in years past, she could sell a home in a week; now it\'s more likely to sit for about 90 days.      But, she added, while the housing market has slowed dramatically since 2005, this year has been better than the last one.      Sellers just have to make sure that their house is priced right. They can\'t go into the selling process ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=696 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=696       Planning Board members unanimously voted to reject Wawa Inc.\'s settlement proposal last week, behind the support of most residents in attendance.      The convenience-store chain sued the township after its plan to expand its small store in the Kirkwood section into a Super Wawa\" was rejected by the same board last August. More than 100 residents applauded the decision last week, which was made after dozens of people took to the podium encouraging Planning Board members to reject the proposed settlement agreement calling for a 12-pump gas station and Wawa food market on Route 73, across from the Sturbridge Lakes neighborhood.      Sturbridge Lakes residents took up many of the seats in the standing-room-only meeting and were among the more vocalo http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=691 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=691 According to the federal government, alcohol is the drug of choice for America\'s youth. By age 15, approximately 50 percent of boys and girls have sampled alcohol; by the time they turn 21, 90 percent have done so, according to recent national surveys. Government-commissioned studies also indicate that nearly one-third of the country\'s youth begin drinking before age 13, with the peak years of alcohol initiation typically occurring during seventh and eighth grades. The findings are sobering, and the consequences can be devastating academic failure, traumatic brain injuries, sexual assault and even death. A landmark report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year revealed that, in addition to the ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=686 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=686 Several thousand Voorhees residents are expected to flood Connolly Park two evenings this summer, as the township invites two tribute bands to re-create the sounds and sights of music legends at 2007 Summer Twilight Series. Captain Fantastic takes the stage to perform renditions of some of Elton John\'s most famous songs in all of the legend\'s glitzy glory on a five-foot baby grand piano, July 19, and Hotel California, a salute to The Eagles, performs Aug. 30. We\'re very proud of our summer series. It gets bigger and better every year,\" Mayor Mike Mignogna said. We try to choose acts that have an appeal to a large audience, so people of all ages can enjoy the show.\" The mayor ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=681 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=681 The students proudly clutching bottles of liquor or chugging beers in the photos were clearly underage. Shot after shot depicted the inebriated teens making provocative or lewd gestures toward the camera while showcasing their hordes of alcoholic beverages at various house parties. These pictures were probably not meant for their parents\' eyes. But in Haddonfield, during a two-month-long series of public meetings on underage drinking, parents did see the pictures. And so did hundreds of other residents, including school and church officials, police officers and local business owners. The pictures were copied from Haddonfield Memorial High School students\' Facebook sites and dropped off anonymously to Haddonfield Mayor Tish Colombi. While she was shocked\" by the crude collection of photos ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=676 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=676 Would replacing the acres of asphalt surrounding PATCO\'s Ashland station with residential and retail development be a benefit or burden for the township? Voorhees officials think the latter, but the Delaware River Port Authority-run organization recently released a study outlining separate conceptual plans for seven of its South Jersey Speedline stations, including Ashland, offering a long-term vision that would dramatically change the landscape of the stations if developers opt to buy in. PATCO\'s Transit-Oriented Development Master Plan Study was put together after the organization was contacted by numerous developers and municipalities in recent years looking to do something with the various land parcels that make up the path of stations stretching from Philadelphia to ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=671 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=671 A controversial ordinance that would amend the township\'s Master Plan, allowing gas stations along a segment of Route 73 where they are currently banned, was tabled until sometime in July, township officials told The Sun. The proposed ordinance primarily concerns plans for a Virtua hospital campus in the recently established major-business zone on the major corridor, allowing for the construction of a taller hospital building closer to Route 73 than is currently allowed, among other recommendations for the site. But included in the package is another proposed amendment that would permit 24-hour gas stations in the MB zone, removing a ban in place for several years. The filling station proposal is the result of a tentative settlement ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=665 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=665 The Planning Board is considering an amendment to Voorhees\' Master Plan that would allow gas stations presently banned on Route 73 to operate on a section of the heavily traveled corridor. Board members will decide at a meeting Wednesday, June 6 whether to make the recommendation to the Township Committee. The ordinance was adopted by title only by Committee members in early May and sent back to the Planning Board for further review. If the board recommends the amendment, it will bounce back to the township\'s governing body, with a public hearing tentatively scheduled for June 25. The proposal is the result of a settlement agreement between the township and Wawa, according to Deputy Mayor Mario DiNatale. The company was denied its ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=660 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=660 Battling juvenile rheumatoid arthritis doesn\'t prevent Voorhees resident Caitlin Knight from swimming, playing tennis, golfing, doing yoga or karate, going on Girl Scout trips or any other activity an active third-grader might enjoy. She does it all, and the Signal Hill Elementary School student still makes time for her duties as Youth Chairperson of the Fifth Annual Arthritis Walk sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation\'s South Jersey Chapter. Staying busy only helps Caitlin, 9, control the disease, according to her mom, Judy Knight. Dealing with symptoms such as swollen, painful joints and inflammation of the eyes requires the Knight family to keep on top of Caitlin\'s doses of Methotrexate ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=650 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=650 Voorhees has long been considered a melting pot of races, culture and religions. Its nearly 30,000 residents reflect many backgrounds and ethnicities, and the township\'s religious landscape is dotted with churches, synagogues and a mosque, as well as Hindu and Buddhist temples. In order to further nurture the community\'s diversity, the Voorhees Township Committee passed a resolution in late February establishing the Citizens Cultural and Diversity Advisory Committee, which is still accepting resumes from residents interested in serving on its board. The committee will consist of 11 members, including a chairperson and a vice chairperson, and Township Committee liaison Dean Mazurek, who was instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, said Mayor Michael Mignogna. Once the committee members are in place, the group will ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=645 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=645 Eastern Regional High School seniors will graduate on June 19, ending a relatively care-free chapter of their lives and moving forward into a new era of adult responsibilities but not before one last bash celebrating memories, good times and bright futures. The organizers behind Eastern\'s Project Graduation are gearing up to throw their annual drug- and alcohol-free party for students on graduation night, and this year promises to be just as fun and exciting as it has been in years past, said the organization\'s co-chair, Kathy Posser. The elaborate affair will be held at Dave & Busters in the Franklin Mills Mall a few hours after the commencement ceremony at the high school. The new graduates will board 14 buses at their alma mater ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=640 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=640 A public hearing was held on the proposed township budget last week, but it will remain open until officials receive word on whether they will get the more than $500,000 in extraordinary state aid they asked for, which will take months, said Voorhees\' officer of finance, Dean Ciminera. Until the state decides on the aid, the township will be operating on a temporary budget, he added. The proposed $23.2 million budget this year is only about $67,000 more than last year\'s budget, Ciminera said, or about 2.5-percent higher. If the state does not grant Voorhees the extraordinary aid it has asked for, it will trigger a tax-rate increase of 3.9 cents and raise the taxes of average homeowners those living in homes assessed at the township ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=635 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=635 Sunny skies mean a lot more at Voorhees Middle School these days. They mean a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, less of a reliance on crude oil, and the savings of thousands of dollars in electricity costs all thanks to the 100 solar panels that were installed on the building\'s roof in October. The photovoltaic array is capable of generating up to 48 kilowatts of electricity at a time, which goes directly into the school\'s power system. While the ebb and flow of solar energy is converted into electricity via a small cylindrical white mechanism in the school\'s utility room, real-time calculations of the system\'s productivity appear on the touch-screen of a kiosk down the hall. Students visiting the library can watch energy levels rise and fall, in addition to ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=630 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=630 The boards governing Voorhees Township Public Schools and Eastern Regional High School have given approval to their respective budgets, and both received approval from the county last week, officials from both districts told The Sun. The next step is to garner residents\' preliminary stamp of approval which will take place for both districts Wednesday, March 28, at separate public hearings. Voorhees Township Public Schools, which serve students in grades K-8, has proposed a $48 million budget that would cause the property taxes of average homeowners to increase by $132.89, according to Frank DeBeradinis, assistant superintendent and business administrator for the district. Average homeowners are those living in a residence assessed at the township average of ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=625 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=625 Susan Avory thought she knew her daughter. A self-described snoop\" who always asked her 14 year old where she had been and what she was doing, the Marlton resident was caught completely off guard when signs began to emerge that her child might have a drug problem. I saw the signs. I thought it was just experimentation,\" Avory told The Sun. When my daughter was on the drugs, I thought she was off the drugs, because that\'s the only time she was under control.\" Susan Avory isn\'t the interview subject\'s real name. The Sun changed the name to protect the privacy of the family. Discipline problems at school soon expanded into petty theft, days and nights spent away from home and a series of older boyfriends. Her drug of choice, Avory eventually learned, was cocaine, though she also abused ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=620 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=620 While a portion of Cooper Road between Centennial Boulevard and Kresson-Gibbsboro Road is closed for the installation of additional water-main piping, the township is taking the opportunity to reconfigure the timing of three major lights on the thoroughfare, municipal officials told The Sun. Traffic signals at Cooper Road\'s intersection with Centennial Boulevard, Kresson-Gibbsboro Road and Route 73 are currently in the process of being re-timed to better expedite traffic flow during peak driving hours. The project, which has been on Committeeman and township Public Safety Director Mario DiNatale\'s agenda for quite some time, was resting on the proverbial backburner due to the extent of the underground work needed to complete ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=615 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=615       Applicants seeking to erect a Rite-Aid and an additional retail store on a 5.5-acre parcel of land adjacent to Staffordshire Farm completed their testimony in front of the Zoning Board just short of midnight on Feb. 15, but the board\'s final decision on the contentious matter was delayed because some members of the public have yet to take the podium.      The case argued in front of the board a few weeks ago was carry-over from a public hearing that began in November and was continued Dec. 7 and Jan. 18. Medi-Build Inc., which includes Cherry Hill-based architects Peter Lazaropoulos and Henry Gorenstein, is seeking preliminary and final site-plan approval, along with a variance for its proposed impervious coverage, for the construction of about 30,000 square feet of retail space alongE http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=610 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=610 Steel shovels plunged into freshly turned dirt at the Echelon Mall recently, signaling the official start of the blighted shopping complex\'s rebirth. Groundbreaking for the soon-to-be-renamed Mall at Voorhees Town Center commenced at 11 a.m. on Jan. 30, with Mayor Michael Mignogna and various Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust and Dewey Commercial officials gathered together in front of the former Sears building. Mall owner PREIT and real estate company Dewey Commercial are presiding over the $150 million mixed-use redevelopment project, which will feature a 65,000-square-foot supermarket, 130,000 square feet of outdoor retail stores the glass facades of which will flank an open-air lifestyles\" boulevard peppered with grassy ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=605 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=605 The first thing architects Peter Lazaropoulos and Henry Gorenstein want residents to know is that they are locals not the giant, faceless, out-of-town developers they say many people in Voorhees may think of them as. We live, work and play in the area,\" said Gorenstein, a Cherry Hill resident. We\'re in this area for the long haul, so we want to retain a good relationship with the communities we build in.\" But the relationship between the developers and a group of township residents rallying around Stafford Farm has been decidedly rocky since the duo presented site plans last year to the Zoning Board for a proposed Rite Aid and grocery retailer on a 5.5-acre spot on Evesham Road adjacent to the ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=600 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=600 Many of the township\'s Kirkwood residents left a public hearing at the municipal building last August breathing a sigh of relief Wawa\'s application for a super store\" at the corner of White Horse and Burnt Mill roads had been denied by the Planning Board. But the ubiquitous convenience-store chain is not going away quietly as they had hoped. The company filed a lawsuit against Voorhees and the Planning Board Nov. 16, seeking to have the decision overturned. The suit alleges that the township schemed\" to deny the company\'s application, which included an expanded store and multiple gas pumps on the site of its older, smaller market, according to the ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=595 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=595       By this summer, one of the busiest intersections in the township may be a little easier for commuters to navigate, township officials recently told The Sun.      The five-point traffic headache stemming from the junction of Route 561 and Somerdale and Evesham roads will soon be transformed into a more traditional four-point intersection when Somerdale is turned into a one-way road for a few blocks, heading in the direction of the Echelon Mall, according to Township Administrator Larry Spellman. Naturally, turning a chunk of Somerdale into a one-way road will mean changes in the other direction as well, he added. Heading toward the intersection from the mall area, drivers will be directed onto a yet-to-be-created street that will border a small residential thoroughfare called MiddlesexR http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=590 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=590 In late December, The Sun reflected on the previous year, outlining the events that shaped Voorhees over the past 12 months. This week, Mayor Mike Mignogna helps paint a more intimate portrait of township-wide highlights in 2006, as well as a peek at what officials will be focusing their efforts on in 2007. Certainly, the biggest feat in 2006 was the September approval of the proposed town center at the Echelon Mall site, Mignogna said. It was the most important event of the year, as far as long-term significance. I\'m particularly proud of the process that got us to this point which was a joint effort between the township Planning Board, residents and (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust), and soon it will be the centerpiece of this ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=585 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=585 Being honored for athletic success is great, but it\'s even sweeter to be acknowledged for being a scholar. Eastern senior Wesley Sweet has been touted for both his brains and his brawn, as the recipient of the 2006 Scholar Athlete of the Year by The Touchdown Club of Southern New Jersey. Of the 18 scholar athletes honored on the All-Academic Team, Sweet ranked No. 1. It feels good, it\'s a big honor. Everyone wants to be invited to the Player of the Year Banquet at the end of the year, so it was exciting,\" he said. I think winning the scholar part was probably the harder part. I take pride in my academics. That\'s where I probably get most of my recognition. I find it really important that I was honored by the football community ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=580 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=580 It was a little more quiet than usual in the Voorhees Middle School cafeterias last Wednesday and that wasn\'t the only strange happening afoot. Some students had on mismatched sneakers or earrings; others donned scruffy bedroom slippers, feather boas and large colorful hats; and some wore undergarments on top of shirts and pants turned inside out. Welcome to VMS\' annual Mix It Up Day. For the past four years, the school has been putting its own spin on the national initiative, which seeks to increase tolerance and break down social boundaries by encouraging kids to sit with people at lunch they don\'t usually eat with. The day, which is held in the ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=575 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=575 It can happen to anyone,\" says Sgt. Brian Randazzo, even me.\" A 20-year veteran of the Voorhees Township Police Department, the officer is speaking from experience. One night, 15 years ago, he was out patrolling the streets of Voorhees when someone pushed in one of his home\'s window air-conditioning units, climbed in, and burglarized his house. There are simple precautions people can take to protect themselves against crime, but they are often overlooked,\" he recently told The Sun. Since mid-summer, Randazzo has been in charge of the VTPD\'s Crime Prevention Unit. One of his main responsibilities is to help prevent residents from becoming victims a subject that still hits him close to ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=570 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=570       A contentious public meeting that pitted the township\'s Zoning Board against residents over a small patch of wooded land on Evesham Road ended well after midnight last Wednesday night and will be continued on Dec. 7.      Medi-Build Inc. is seeking preliminary and final site plan approval for two retail buildings it has planned for the five-acre parcel at the intersection of White Horse and Evesham roads adjacent to the Stafford Farm. The site was originally zoned for residential use, but in January 2003, after the development company began buying up properties that make up the site, the Zoning Board granted it a use variance for a medical center. After a few continuances of the variance, Medi-Build scrapped its initial plans for medical offices and was granted another use variance in December 2005, allowing the property tob http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=565 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=565 Susan Fulton has a big dilemma. She and her husband, Charlie owners of the Carriage House Restaurant on Gibbsboro Road also own a seven-acre parcel of land across from the eatery. The wooded property is a serene anomaly in the congested township, she said, graced with a beautiful lake and a stream that are home to ducks, egrets, swans and deer, among other species of wildlife. They originally purchased the land to prevent an industrial park from taking it over, and now it provides a picturesque view for diners in the restaurant\'s greenhouse. But the recent property tax reassessment resulted in its value skyrocketing and the tax they pay on it has nearly quadrupled. She said that they\'re ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=560 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=560       To anyone who knows Maria Palestini Bye, her recent recognition by L\'Oreal Paris as one of seven winners of its Women of Worth program comes as no surprise. Bye has selflessly devoted her time and energy to the Alicia Rose Victorious\" Foundation\'s efforts to help teens battling cancer. A cancer survivor herself, Bye fully understands the merits of the charity work she does, and is thankful that she is able to help others.      L\'Oreal chooses women who possess self-confidence and are committed to distinguishing their own lives by making a difference in the lives of others. The company also makes a monetary donation to ARVF in honor of Bye, who began supporting the foundation when it got off the ground in 2002.      Winning this award was amazing, very emotional. For me, the greatest thing that\'s comingo http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=555 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=555 Township Committeemen Mario DiNatale and Joe Lovallo will return to their seats for additional three-year terms after soundly defeating Republican challengers Frank Sirch and Andrew Cupit, according to unofficial election results.      DiNatale and Lovallo received a combined total of 10,512 votes, election officials said, noting that while absentee ballots were counted in those results, provisional ballots were not.       Sirch and Cupit accrued 5,447 votes, minus any provisional ballots in their favor. The incumbents\' win solidifies the Democrats\' reign over the township, though DiNatale noted in a previous article with The Sun that, at this level of politics, party lines matter little.\" http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=549 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=549       Next Tuesday, Nov. 7 voters in Voorhees will head to their local polling destination and decide whether a pair of Democratic incumbents or two Republican challengers will take the two available seats on the township Committee this year.       In addition, the state is posing three questions for the public.      Polls will be open on Nov. 7, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Township residents, who are divided into 16 voting districts, can find out where they are supposed to vote on sample ballots, which should be arriving in the mail this week, election officials said.      Deputy Mayor Mario DiNatale and Committeeman Joe Lovallo have completed their three-year terms Lovallo has completed two three-year terms in a row and are running to maintain their seats on the Committee. They face GOP ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=544 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=544       Destiny has had a rough couple of weeks.      Since Oct. 12, the Animal Welfare Association\'s elderly resident cat has been sharing her domain in the employee break room with more than 200 rowdy, messy guests, who spend most of each day engaged either in animated chatter or shameless preening.      But Destiny may soon be rid of the colorful, boisterous bunch, as the group is dispersed in pairs to homes throughout the area.      Since taking about 260 parakeets off the hands of the Atlantic County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the AWA has gotten an overwhelming response from the community, shelter officials said. Giant bags of birdseed, large, expensive cages, toys and donations have poured into the nonprofit agency since word spread that it needed help with hundreds ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=539 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=539 Raising cash for the sort of extras that turn good schools into great ones is never easy even in Haddonfield. This past spring, organizers of Tatem Elementary School\'s annual PTA fair sought ways to cut expenses. Savvy parents saw a promising avenue a new Wegmans supermarket opening in neighboring Cherry Hill on the same week as the fair. There was a lot of buzz about Wegmans moving in,\" Tom Malecki, co-chair of the Tatem Fair committee, recalled. And then we started to look at when they were going to open, and (the fair) was literally a week after they moved in.\" We looked at (the company) Web site and saw their corporate giving policies. We saw that we met Wegmans\' criteria,\" he ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=534 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=534 For Robert DePersia, the proposal seems like a no-brainer. The Cherry Hill School District needs financial help. Sports programs need better facilities. So DePersia, along with Craig Giunta, president of Cherry Hill Midget Football, hit upon the idea of raising money to build a stadium at Cherry Hill High School East. The high school, one of the few in the state without its own stadium, has always used the facilities at cross-town rival Cherry Hill West. It\'s not a good situation for East, and it\'s not a good situation for West, because they can\'t make it their home field either,\" DePersia said, sitting in his Haddonfield law office surrounded by memorabilia from his years as a player ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=529 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=529 Driving down Bergen Street in Brooklawn, anyone familiar with recent media coverage of this tiny Camden County borough might expect to see a huge ShopRite\" sign dominating the campus of its lone educational institution, the Alice Costello Public School. Yes, that school the one that sold the naming rights to its gym and library, making headlines in The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer and some 200 other newspapers around the country. The school that Inquirer columnist Tom Ferrick predicted will one day be an historic landmark because it carries the distinction of being the first in America to sell the permanent naming rights to a building. The ShopRite sign is there, of course about 10 ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=524 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=524 The township\'s fall events schedule gets underway this weekend with the final Movies in the Park showing before Voorhees packs up the big screen until next summer. Kindergarten through eighth-grade students in Voorhees Public Schools voted during their second week of school to see Johnny Depp\'s version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory\" for the 7 p.m. showing, Sept. 30 at John J. Connolly Park. Michael Marchitto, the town\'s director of economic development, said the outdoor movie series has become something of a tradition for Voorhees residents, drawing 1,500 to 2,000 guests who unfold their lawn seats and spread out on blankets on the great lawn\" at the park. Parking and admission for ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=519 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=519 John Connolly Park\'s transformation from shuttered asphalt plant to sprawling grassy oasis is lauded by many as a great example of how conservation funding can benefit an entire community. Since opening in 2002 after being purchased in a collaborative effort among Voorhees, Camden County and the Trust for Public Land the nearly 50-acre public park has been continually improved by the township, which has used grant money to implement hiking trails, dog runs and playground equipment. The latest additions, which will basically complete the park,\" according to township Administrator Larry Spellman, are slated to be in place by late fall. Residents can look forward to a new, larger playground, a sign at the entranceway with a changeable face, and a wide open-air pavilion ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=514 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=514 It was a moment that few people attending the Aug. 25 football scrimmage at Eastern Regional High School will soon forget: A senior safety from the opposing team hit the ground after a tackle and did not get back up. Team doctors, trainers and coaches rushed over to the felled Woodrow Wilson High School player, Shykem Lawrence. According to reports, it was determined he had suffered a severe spinal-cord injury, paralyzing him from the neck down. Many fans left the game shaken over the incident, none more so than Adam Taliaferro a former Eastern football standout who suffered a similarly catastrophic spinal injury under stadium lights during his first year at Penn State in 2000. In the last ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=509 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=509 Local college instructor Louis Pinkett is preparing for the fall semester a little differently this year. He\'s making sure his passport is up to date, packing up four seasons of clothes and studying up on a tiny Eastern European country named Belarus, which will be his home for the next 10 months. Pinkett, a professor at Camden and Burlington county colleges and Voorhees resident, recently applied and was accepted for one of 138 limited spots in the U.S. Department of State\'s prestigious English Language Fellow Program, which sends American linguistic experts on 10-month fellowships to overseas academic institutions in 80 countries spread over every continent. The general objective of the program is to enhance the English-teaching capacity overseas in order to provide foreign ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=504 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=504 While the Nov. 7 Township Committee election is still months away, candidates vying for the two seats opening up in local government are already registered and working on their respective campaigns. Democratic incumbents Deputy Mayor Mario DiNatale and Committeeman Joe Lovallo will be pitted against Republican challengers Thomas Golden and Frank Sirch. While DiNatale and Lovallo, who are reaching the end of their three-year terms on the Committee, are running together for the seats, there is a chance that only one, or neither, will be returning next year, township officials said. Residents will vote only two of the four candidates into the seats available, and each man will be voted for on an individual basis. Currently, the Township ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=499 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=499 The Annual State Police Uniform Crime Report revealed an increase in non-violent crime in Voorhees between 2004 and 2005, a slight statistical divergence from overall decreases at the county and state levels. The Uniform Crime Report, a document of statistics collected by the state and divided by municipalities, counties and type of offense, allows public access to statistics that can be used to understand patterns of crime. The overall statewide total crime index dropped 4 percent compared to 2004, yet the violent crime rate remained the same as murders and firearm use rose. Statistics also showed a state- and countywide decline in bias crimes and domestic violence, although not every Camden County municipality followed the trend. Voorhees finished on par with the county average in its dip ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=494 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=494 Voorhees music lovers have had the chance to hear Ryan Karsner and Georgie Stergakos sing in one of their many local performances over the past several years. But recently, music devotees throughout Europe were treated to these young Americans\' talents. Through the Sound of America, Ryan, a sophomore at George Washington University, and Georgie, a senior at Eastern Regional High School, traveled throughout Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg to offer a taste of American music. The Sound of America is a concert band and chorus comprised of talented instrumentalists and vocalists, mostly in high school, from across the United States. Each year, a new group of students are chosen for the annual summer European ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=489 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=489       It was well after midnight when the decision came down: Application denied.      Wawa\'s proposal for the expansion of its convenience store in the township\'s Kirkwood section into a super store\" was unanimously rejected by the township Planning Board last week based on the conclusion that the design was inherently unsafe for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.      The testimony we heard was overwhelmingly in favor of denying this application,\" said Planning Board member and Deputy Mayor Mario DiNatale. (Wawa) did not show beyond a reasonable doubt that their project was safe.\"      The board\'s decision came after more than eight hours of testimony spread over two meetings and more than a year after the company first presented its plans for the site, which called for the ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=484 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=484 \"It\'s a long way from where we started.\" That seemed to be the overall sentiment of residents who showed up en masse at a Planning Board meeting last week to see the final version of plans for the redevelopment of the Echelon Mall site. More than 10 expert witnesses for Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust - owners of the struggling, half-vacant property - presented the final version of its plan for transforming the mall into a sprawling town center, complete with retail shops situated around a walkable \"downtown\" boulevard, restaurants and high-end residential units. While many residents expressed concern over a lack of sidewalks and accessibility from the surrounding neighborhoods, the majority also noted that they were ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=479 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=479 Michael and Susan Angulo likened their bathroom to a frog and flamingo colliding in mid-air, leaving only pink and green in their wake. The pink walls surrounding a green tub, sink and toilet had to go. After hearing a promotion for the HGTV show, \"Bad, Bad Bath,\" produced by Nancy Glass Productions, the Angulo\'s decided to enter their bathroom into the running for a make-over, and with the luck of a slow computer, they were actually chosen. \"What was unusual with that situation is that I was unable to e-mail pictures to them because our computer wasn\'t able to download all the mega-pixels from the pictures, so they said to print it out and mail in a hard copy. Later on, I found out that they were inundated with e-mails, but mine was sitting on their desk as a hard copy ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=474 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=474 The Voorhees Animal Orphanage is teaming up with the Camden Riversharks to raise money and find loving homes for eight adorable dogs. The Dog Days of Summer promotion will take place June 14, at 7:05 p.m. and all dogs are welcome to accompany their owners to the game.Special canine events will include a doggy-run-the-bases game, special pet bathrooms and water stations and, of course, doggy bags for each four-legged fan. "This is the first time we've ever done (this) with the Riversharks, and we're very excited. We've sold 500 tickets so far," said Voorhees Animal Orphanage Executive Director Maria Clarke-O'Brien.In addition to enjoying the game, the pets' owners will be treated to a pet parade and a K-9 basics dog demonstration. This is an important fund raiser, with $5.50 from each $10 ticket going directly to the animal ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=457 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=457 In a move local officials hope points to significant future service enhancements, the township committee passed a resolution on May 8 granting Verizon Communications permission to lay fiber-optic cable in Voorhees. Work will start before the end of the month and should be completed by year's end, Township Administrator Larry Spellman said.The project involves laying fiber-optic cable along existing above- and below-ground conduits. Spellman said that 80 percent of the township is served by below-ground lines. The remaining 20 percent is strung along poles. "They are very anxious to get started now that the weather has broken," Spellman said, adding that the company hopes to have most of the below-ground work completed before the ground re-freezes in the fall. In a sign of things to come for Voorhees, Verizon brought its pitchf http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=456 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=456 Nearly 40 residents sounded off on a developer's proposed plans for a parcel of land at Centennial Boulevard and Cooper Road during a township work session last Monday night.Neighbors in the communities of Lost Tree and Acorn Hill said developer Stephen Samost attempted to influence Voorhees committeemen into re-zoning the wooded 80-acre site, which borders their homes, into a redevelopment area. Samost said plans to erect 250 age-restricted, high-density homes, 20,000 square-feet of office space, a health spa, sports fields and a building for Cherry Hill's Kellman Academy on his land were in the best interest of the township. Additional development plans called for an office/retail facility to be constructed on the township-owned portion of the Buzby Landfill and three single-family homes near Centennial Boulevard and Old Egg Harbor ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=455 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=455 Leaves crunched under the feet of inaugural hikers as they made their way along a sun-dappled Stafford Farm trail one recent spring afternoon. It was the first time the freshly-carved trail had been traversed by the township's citizenry, though the windy path running through both forest and field is not quite ready for public use. The hike was lead by Debbie Schwartz, chair of the township's Environmental Commission, and John Helbig, an engineer specializing in environmental planning with Adams, Rehmann & Heggan, who has worked extensively with the commission. The pair pointed out rare upland trees, lush, expansive patches of swamp cabbage and the unique aspects of the recently preserved patch of land "" namely, its varying topography. "The way the land goes up and comes down is very valuable for animals and plants and makes for a very ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=454 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=454 "It's more than atrocious," Deputy Mayor Mario DiNatale said. "Something has to be done," township Administrator Larry Spellman said. "It was supposed to be a temporary situation," Mayor Michael Mignogna said.Cramped, crowded and woefully in need of a remodeling, the township's municipal building is a blight on Voorhees' recent revitalization kick, many officials told The Sun. But how can the heart of the township get significantly revamped at no cost to taxpayers? That's the question committeemen are asking, and an intensive site study launched last Friday may provide the answers.The clunky structure, located at 620 Haddonfield-Berlin Road, is more than 35 years old and shows its age through perpetual electrical problems, peeling paint, narrow hallways and legally questionable space allocations for municipal employees workingt http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=453 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=453 Voters from across Voorhees flocked to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots for proposed budgets and school board candidates for the township's two districts.Voorhees Township Public Schools saw a tax levy of $35,490,300 passed by a margin of 946 to 793. The total budget for the 2006-2007 school year will be $46.64 million. The adopted budget will trigger a tax increase of $65.08 for the average homeowner.The three candidates for the Township Public Schools Board of Education "" incumbents Edward A. Barniskis and Denise Kirkland, and candidate Geraldine Borbe "" ran unopposed for the three open seats. All three newly elected board members will serve three-year terms.Eastern Regional High School administration, which oversees Eastern Senior High School and Eastern Intermediate High School, saw its local tax levy of $18,476,597 ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=452 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=452 From 2 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, voters across Voorhees can head to the polls and vote on the 2006-2007 Board of Education seats for Township Public Schools and Eastern Regional High School administration. The former, which oversees K through eighth-grade schools, will have three candidates running for three available board seats; the latter, which oversees Eastern Intermediate and Eastern Senior high schools, has three candidates vying for two open board seats. Voters also will have the opportunity to approve or reject the districts' proposed budgets for the next school year "" both of which were unanimously approved by the current boards and now rest in the hands of residents. The Voorhees Township Public Schools' budget of $46.64 million, if approved, will trigger a tax increase of $65.08 over last year for the average homeowner. If ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=451 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=451 The Township Committee voted unanimously to adopt the 2006-2007 budget at a public meeting last Monday night. Originally introduced on Feb. 27, the final numbers remained the same because state aid to the township, as predicted by the committee, did not fluctuate. The municipal tax-rate increase is set at 2.7 percent, costing the average homeowner about $80 more a year. The actual budget swelled by 8.79 percent over last year, or about $1.8 million, mostly due to uncontrollable expenses such as rising insurance costs, municipal pensions, uncollected taxes and sky-rocketing fuel costs, township officials said. The total budget for the 2006-2007 year is $22,958,000. About $12 million of that will be collected in taxes, and the rest will be raised by other sources, said Finance Officer Dean Ciminera. The thematic hurdle in this year's budget ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=450 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=450 Good or bad, the town center and residential community proposed for the Echelon Mall site will have a significant impact on the township if it comes to fruition. Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, which owns the half-vacant shopping center, revealed a revised version of its plans for the site at a Planning Board meeting on March 15. The plans include a complete overhaul of the site "" 50 percent of the mall would be demolished to make way for a shopping boulevard flanked by glassy storefronts and grassy campuses, a 68,000-foot supermarket would be added to the west end of the site, and 517 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments would be stacked over the main structure. While the board approved the redevelopment proposal and, after tinkering with the technical aspects of the plan, will soon forward it to the Township Committee, the panel ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=449 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=449 A proposal mapping out revised plans for the Echelon Mall's redevelopment into a town center was presented to the Planning Board at a packed public meeting last Wednesday night. Owners of the struggling retail center "" whose occupancy rate has dwindled to 50 percent "" revealed new design plans that took into account concerns brought up by the township at a previous Planning Board meeting. In other action that evening, the board approved an amendment to the township's Master Plan, after implementing input from the public. During the first portion of the meeting, Philadelphia-based firm Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust and project partner Dewey Commercial, of Wayne, Pa., presented revised conceptual plans for the area and implored the board to reconsider some aspects of the redevelopment ordinance that would keep the site "from being fully ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=448 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=448 The dilapidated playground at Osage Elementary School may soon be completely rejuvenated if the Parent and Faculty Association is able to meet its goal of raising $38,000 for a new play structure by the end of the school year. The fund-raising campaign "" the most ambitious the school has ever undertaken "" seeks to remove the older of the two current playground structures, replace it with brand new equipment and resurface the entire playground. The school hopes to have a dazzling new playground to offer area children by the fall, but that depends on a lot of money pouring in from local sponsors, said Principal Diane Young. A walk-a-thon, planned for May 18, is the most critical of the planned fund raisers, as it will actively involve the children in the groundwork for the new structure and has the potential to bring in a large portion of the needed ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=447 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=447 The Voorhees Township Committee released its proposed budget for 2006-2007 in an open meeting on Feb. 27. The final figure is $22,958,000, which would cost the owner of a property assessed at the township average close to $80 more per year in municipal taxes, an increase of 2.7 percent, according to township officials. The new tax rate for 2006-07 would be $2.35 for every $100,000 of assessed property value. The proposed budget would increase 8.79 percent over last year, or about $1.8 million, mainly due to expenses such as police municipal pensions, uncollected taxes and rising insurance and energy costs, said township Administrator Larry Spellman. The township expects to collect a little more than $12 million in taxes to help fund the budget. The remaining $10 million or so would be raised by other sources, said Finance Officer Dean Ciminera. ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=446 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=446 Public input is the key ingredient in the adoption of the updated Master Plan the township is cooking up for mid-April, according to township committee members and concerned residents alike. In the eight years since the last alteration of the plan, Voorhees' demographics and development zones have changed as the township has grown. The revised Master Plan will focus on zoning issues, with respect to residential areas, the development of the Route 73 corridor and the revitalization of the Echelon Mall. Monday, the rough drafts of ordinances to be incorporated into the plan were presented to the public for the first time and, today, copies of the proposed revisal of the plan are available for public perusal at the township building. The next six weeks or so will be peppered with public hearings on ordinances to be incorporated into the Master Plan, and ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=445 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=445 The April public school elections are on the horizon, but candidates are preparing. This year, two Voorhees members of the Eastern Regional Board of Education will run for their positions and another opportunity to represent the school district and all 11,709 students. The two incumbent board members from the township who are up for re-election this year are Richard Teichmann and Robert Campbell. Both are seeking three-year terms and have prepared to file petitions for the Feb. 27 deadline. The regional school board is made up of members of three communities "" Voorhees, Gibbsboro and Berlin. Teichmann has been on the high school board since 1995 and has championed the subjects of science and math for students in the regional district during his tenure. He has a doctorate in chemistry and has been disturbed by the lack of knowledge recent highs http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=444 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=444 After a year of reassessment, a month of crunching numbers, weeks of informal hearings with irate residents and days of re-crunching numbers, the final figures are being tallied. By the end of the week, the township hopes to send out the new property tax assessments to residents and to the state. The numbers were actually due on Jan. 10, but "we pushed them back and pushed them back and pushed them back in an effort to make sure they were completely correct," said Township Administrator Larry Spellman. "Once people get their new numbers, there's nothing else we can do. We moved back the deadline because we wanted to help people. We want people to have the right numbers, and that was more important than meeting our deadline." Residents who received their revaluations in December had until Jan. 24 to schedule an informal hearing with the township ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=443 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=443 The 2005 School Report Cards were released by the state's Department of Education on Feb. 1, and the Voorhees Township Public Schools faired demonstrably better than the state average in most areas. The report, which contains detailed statistical profiles of all the district's schools, enables members of the Voorhees community to gauge their local schools' educational process. The information in the report is arranged under five categories "" school environment, student information, student performance indicators, staff information and district/charter financial information. Superintendent Raymond Brosel Jr. said, "Our youngsters always do well, the staff at our schools is wonderful, and the community really supports education. The report's results are a combination of those things. And, it shows we constantly strive to do more for our young ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=442 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=442 The school district's new Web site was the main focus of the Jan. 23 Board of Education meeting. Public Information Director Irene Afek, who was instrumental in the site's "makeover," presented the site via slide show to the board and others in attendance at the public meeting. The Web site's redesign is the third it has undergone in a decade, and Afek said it's easier to navigate, there are many new features, and it utilizes the most up-to-date technology to improve communication between parents, teachers, students and the community. Visitors to www.voorhees.k12.nj.us can register and subscribe to different areas of the site, taking advantage of e-alerts "" which are emails sent to a user's email address alerting them to breaking news within the district, such as an early school closing. Another new feature on the site is the implementation of Web ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=441 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=441 Last Tuesday night marked the first of what will be several midnight budget sessions for the Voorhees Committee and the township administration. On the heels of a property tax revaluation, the committee is planning to get its 2006 municipal budget put together by mid-February for the first budget ordinance reading. The municipal budget is an annual rite of passage for the township committee. It is charged with balancing appropriations and revenue and maintaining local services for every property owner throughout Voorhees, all while trying not to raise property taxes. Voorhees Township Administrator Larry Spellman said the budget process is a 150-page document that elected officials audit "line-by-line." "The budget process is a tough time of the year," Spellman said. "We have to go into our midnight sessions and work extremely hard to maintain ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=440 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=440 The Coliseum Complex was the original practice home to the Philadelphia Flyers. The facility's pool and gym used to be filled with township residents, and the bowling alley was a weekly meeting place for the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, the Coliseum is 80 percent vacant and the facility has fallen into disrepair. The Voorhees Township Planning Board is investigating the opportunity to designate the site into a redevelopment zone. In December, South Jersey developer Develcom presented a conceptual plan to the township committee to construct an approximately 358-unit, age-restricted upscale condominium development on the 32-acre site. The plan also includes the renovation and restoration of the multi-use recreational complex "" the Coliseum. "We are envisioning a new upscale development with a new recreation facility for the kids of Voorhees," said Harry ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=439 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=439 Though it's a bit too soon for Voorhees skateboarders to grab their boards and head over to Connolly Park, plans are in the township's pipeline. The idea was sparked three years ago when a local teen, Mike Bizard, brought the matter to the township committee "" local 'boarders, as they like to be called, were tired of being hassled by police and security guards; they wanted to join the growing number of towns across the country that added skateboard parks to their communities. Committeeman Dean Mazurek's teenage son, Dean Jr., is an avid 'boarder, and asked his father if money could be found in the budget for such a facility. He then went to work, with the help of pal Zak Fayer and a Tony Hawk video game, designing a skate park and putting it down on paper. Dean Jr. then presented the plans to Harry Platt, who was mayor at the time. The mayor and his ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=438 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=438 Before you threaten to move, yell at somebody or worse, there is hope for those Voorhees residents smarting over tax increases. But you need to hurry. There are steps to follow to contest your new home appraisal before it becomes official, and the clock is ticking. Larry Spellman, Voorhees Township administrator, and Michael C. Kane, municipal assessor, suggest that any homeowners who believe their house was incorrectly appraised should contact Tyler Technologies, Cole-Layer-Drumble Division, the company that was hired by the township to conduct the appraisals, at 1-800-809-6876. But, homeowners need to do some homework first. Kane anticipates that 15 to 20 percent of homeowners will want to challenge their assessments. "The last step in the revaluation gives you the opportunity to make your argument to the company before we finalize, so it's ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=437 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=437 Imagine the perfect setting in which to relax: You're enveloped by nature, surrounded by lush foliage and manicured gardens; the scent of Japanese wildflowers hangs in the air, and the twittering of birds from a nearby wildlife sanctuary mingles with the trickling of water bubbling in a sculpted fountain. Now, imagine this soothing oasis is in your back yard. Within the next decade, this may be a reality for Voorhees residents. More than 25 years after the Buzby Landfill shut down, a citizens task force has developed a plan to return the buried dump to productive use as a 37-acre public park, complete with bicycling paths, reflection ponds and an Asian garden. Before Buzby closed in the late 1970s, dozens of companies "" including General Electric, which still owns 20 acres of the property "" loaded the site with industrial waste, leaving it contaminatedw http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=436 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=436 A local resident went from being informed to being involved last Monday night when she presented a model ordinance on campaign finance reform to committee members at the township committee meeting. "If passed by the council, citizens will know that their government contracts are awarded based on merit and cost-effectiveness rather than large political contributions," Marylee Margolis said in a press release prior to the meeting. The model ordinance she presented was developed by a team of legal exerts and advanced by the Citizen's Campaign and a coalition of organizations, including Common Cause New Jersey, the League of Women Voters and the Center for Civic Responsibility. The proposed ordinance came at a time when "pay-to-play" tactics are being attacked from all sides of the political spectrum. "This comes down to an issue of trust," Margolis said. ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=435 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=435 Township residents will see a change in their property tax bill this week. Every Voorhees property was re-evaluated over the course of 2005, and letters are being distributed notifying residents of an imminent change in their property taxes. A re-evaluation of Voorhees properties has not been done since 1987. The Camden County Board of Taxation notified the township last year that re-evaluation needed to be done at the end of 2005. Township Administrator Larry Spellman said the municipality was forced to start the redistribution of property tax value. "This is being done so everyone is now on the same playing field again," Spellman said. "The process does not automatically mean a rise in taxes for residents and businesses. "In fact, it's a redistribution, so a third of property owners will experience a rise in taxes, a third will have a drop and ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=434 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=434 The second graders at Signal Hill Elementary are growing. A lot. They're growing lettuce right now. Soon they will be growing broccoli. Eventually they will grow enough herbs, vegetables and fruit to fashion a delicious, nutritious meal that will allow them to taste the fruits "" and vegetables "" of their labor. The students are an important part of a pilot program being launched within the school district. The program uses the district's greenhouse, located at Voorhees Middle School, to allow kids to be a part of the food production process "" from planting seedlings in an empty milk carton to plucking tomatoes off a vine to make into sauce. It's called PLANT, or, People Learning About Nutrition Together. It's the brainstorm of Deborah Zee, director of food services for the district, and teacher John Shea, an avid gardener. "I grew up on a farm in ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=433 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=433 Voorhees has joined the spate of towns across the country carving out sex-offender-free zones. At a township committee meeting Nov. 14, new residency requirements were approved that effectively bar registered sex offenders from living within 2,500 feet of any public or private school, public park or playground, or day-care center in Voorhees. "We were looking to strengthen the state-enacted laws to fit the needs of the township," said Dean Mazurek, a member of the township committee. "Now was the time." The township ordinance will result in a map that will establish the boundaries of the newly protected areas. The new zones will look similar to the drug-free school zones currently enforced in the community. Registered residents already living in Voorhees will not be affected by the new ordinance. But, should a sex offender move into the re-zoned ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=431 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=431 Is Voorhees ready for its first Super Wawa? Reports from store employees and neighbors from the Kirkwood section of the township said they have seen construction crews doing survey and groundwork around the full block of properties the convenience store has bought over the last five years. In June, Wawa presented a conceptual plan to the township planning board to build a large gas station facility that would fill its current property and seven residential lots surrounding the current building. The property was zoned for commercial use more than 50 years ago, and Wawa employees have said the company has been buying land since 2000 in preparation of constructing a store at the intersection of South Burnt Mill and White Horse roads. At the June meeting, several members from the Kirkwood community showed up and voiced opposition to the construction of ... http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=430 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT http://www.elauwit.com/voorheessun/news.php?nid=430 Voorhees earned an A-plus this year for a calm, crime-free and relatively mischief-free Halloween. As kids and their parents enjoyed school parades and parties during the day, trick-or-treaters en