By Chris Concannon

A trio of young turtles was the opening act for a lengthy Bellmawr Board of Education meeting last week.

Although the University of Maryland Men’s basketball team, nicknamed the \”Terrapins,\” or \”Terps\” for short, did not make it out of the second round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, there was plenty of other \”March Madness\” at the meeting.

Fifth Grade Teacher Kathleen Silvik, along with nine of her students, presented a PowerPoint slideshow featuring three Diamondback Terrapin turtles, named Tuck, Muffin and Stitches.

The students received the shelled sentinels from a South Jersey Wildlife Management center, and are responsible for their care and feeding.

Muffin, it turns out, is a male, much to the chagrin of the un-named student who gave \”him\” the moniker.

THANK YOU-THANK YOU

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ-I would like to take this time to thank everyone who came out to the beef and beer benefit for the fire victims of Jersey Avenue. The fire took place on Jan. 8, 2009.

I would also like to send a special thank you to the following-The Red-Eye band and the DJ who donated their time. Everyone who gave for the Chinese auction and last of all, but not forgotten, my partner in crime-Joan Walls, my mother, Mary Hunter, Ginny, Pat, Colleen, Theresa C., Rocco, John G., John Howarth, Bill Brandt, Matty Spencer, and John Clifford without all of you I wouldn’t have pulled it off.

Again, you all deserve a big round of applause.

Terry Hunter, Gloucester City

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PARSIPPANY, NJ – Today, Chris Christie released the following statement following the testimony of David Rosen, budget and finance officer for the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services, before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today in Trenton:

\”Just 27 days ago Governor Corzine stood before New Jersey voters and told us that his budget would include a $500 million surplus, something that none of us believed. Today, a non-partisan source finally tells the truth – $100 million in the hole. It\’s not just disappointing that Governor Corzine\’s projections were so far off the mark – it\’s downright scary. It\’s going to take more than Wall Street smarts to help New Jerseyans, but a governor willing to make the tough choices. New Jersey voters can trust that I\’ll tackle the tough decisions head on to get our budget in order – like a Constitutional Amendment requiring a 2/3 vote of the Legislature for any tax increase, insisting any new or expanded program have a four year sunset provision and fighting for an independently-elected State Auditor.\”

Monday, April 6, 2009 7:00 P.M.

313 Monmouth Street

AGENDA

1. Call to Order:

2. Pledge of Allegiance:

3. Roll Call:

4. Sunshine Law: This meeting is being held in conformance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, otherwise known as the \”Sunshine Law\”. It has been legally noticed in accordance with the law and copies have been given to those requesting the same.

5. Public Comment Period: The Governing Body, in accordance with P.L. 2002, c. 80, have adopted the following guidelines relative to the Public Comment Period (PCP) at Caucus, Worksession, Special and Emergency Meetings of the Mayor and Common Council of Gloucester City: The PCP shall occur at the beginning of each meeting; it shall be no longer than one half-hour in length; every person wishing to speak may do so once during the period for no longer than five minutes. No changes have been made for the PCP of the regular monthly meetings.

6. Minutes of the Previous Meeting(s): 02-26-09

7. Reports: I. Engineer’s Report

II. Committees of Council:

http://www.brooklawn.us/Memory.htm

Do you remember when……

• Route 130 was a 2 lane road..?

• Residents could park in front of their homes..?

• Ice cream cones were 5 cents and hamburgers were 15 cents at Goldy\’s on Route 130 (now Wayne\’s Log Cabin parking lot)..?

Gloucester City School Budget Would Raise Taxes $5.53

Proposed Bellmawr School Budget Raises Taxes $44 On Average Home

Brooklawn BOE OKs Budget With No Tax Increase

Jiles, Palma Hired By Mt. Ephraim As Special Police Officers

Gloucester City News Will Print Special Edition April 30 Honoring St. Mary School’s 150^th Anniversary

Gloucester City News Office Will Close At Noon On Good Friday

DONALD W. HAMMER 7/12/30-3/17/09

United States Marine Corps-Retired

First Lieutenant Donald W. Hammer, passed away on March 17, 2009 peacefully at his home in Millsboro, Delaware.

Lieutenant Hammer, a graduate of the Gloucester City High School Class of 1950 was an original member of the \”Four Horsemen\” for the football team and a track star. He served his country with honor, dignity, and valor for 27 years, receiving numerous commendations, including the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal.

He is survived by his loving and caring wife of more than 50 years, Virginia Todd Hammer, also a Gloucester High graduate, Class of 1950, two sons, Michael and Donald, their spouses Phyllis and Ellen, and four outstanding grandchildren, Jason, Sean, Alexandra, and Kathryn Ellen. Thank you, Dad for your service to our country. Semper Fidelis.

bestofnj.com.

Did you know that New Jersey has one of the best golf courses in the nation? The Pine Valley Golf Club in Clementon, located 30 minutes southeast of Camden, has been rated the best golf course in America for 23 of the last 25 years by America’s most popular golf magazine, Golf Digest. {^1.} Today, the course is in the news because it just lost it’s title of Best Golf Course In America to the much better known Augusta National course by about 1/3 of a point.

TIPS AND SNIPPETS

FUNDING FOR ABBOTT DISTRICTS ENDING-Judge Peter E. Doyne, the Bergen County judge charged with reviewing the Corzine administration\’s new schools-funding formula recommended last week that New Jersey\’s top court approves the plan if the state provides at least three years of supplemental funding for 31 low-income school districts.

 This year, the first under the new formula, most Abbott districts received the smallest aid given. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer in the 2010-11 school year, most are projected to get no increase. The local Abbott districts are Camden, Burlington City, Gloucester City, and Pemberton Township.

 The majority of the money for Gloucester City’s $40 million school budget comes from the State of NJ. Will that burden in three years be passed on to the local taxpayers? What about the state funding for the Gloucester City middle school? When first proposed the construction cost was $20 million, since then it has increased to an estimated $60 million. According to a school board member construction hopefully will begin the end of this year or sometime in 2010.

 But where will the money come from?

KEEP BROOKLAWN BEAUTIFUL

SAVE THE DATE!! April 25 & 26, 2009

In conjunction with Earth Day and Brooklawn Council’s new

Community Pride Program

Why Participate ???

· Get Ready for the Town-Wide Yard Sale! Organize sale items and store for our Town-Wide Yard Sale held on the first Saturday in June.

· Get a Jump on Spring Cleaning. Spruce up your exterior and maybe even win a Community Pride Award!

· Put some \”Sweat Equity\” into your property…it’s a great no/low cost way to keep our home values up and our town vibrant!

· Make our town friendlier! Have a friendly chat with the neighbors and lend each other a hand as you clean up around your homes.

· Earn some pocket money…try selling items you no longer want to a salvage yard or online classifieds such as www.craigslist.org.

· Be good to our environment. Help to recycle glass and plastic.

· Donate unwanted items…take household goods, clothing and other items to Goodwill and get a tax deduction form to use on your income taxes.

· Create a safer, cleaner, and more beautiful town!

For more information, please e-mail [email protected]