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5 Buena Vista roads slated for improvements BUENA VISTA -- The township's 2003 local road program is officially under way. Officials awarded a $110,830 contract Monday to Asphalt Paving Corp. of Malaga to improve five local roads. The improvements could begin as soon as next month, Township Engineer Dave Scheidegg said. The plan: · Railroad Boulevard -- a half-mile, dusty dirt road in the Richland section that connects the township's northeastern portion to neighboring Hamilton -- will be get an oil-and-stone paving. Oil and stone is a cost-effective alternative to asphalt paving for roads with low traffic volume, Scheidegg said. · Contractors will start anew on 10th Street in Newtonville from 6th Road to the dead end. The asphalt road will be ground up and the millings used to form a new base. · A 1,400-foot-long stretch of Richland Avenue will be widened and resurfaced with oil and stone. · Yost Road will get a makeover to address several problems and will be repaved with asphalt. The lengthy list of problems include narrowness, a deteriorating base and drainage troubles, Scheidegg said. · Deteriorating parts of Sally Lane in Milmay will be reconstructed, and the entire road will get two new coats of oil and stone. Originally published Tuesday, September 9, 2003
Officials tap Rumors with 36 violations BUENA VISTA -- State officials said Monday they found 36 violations at Rumors Sports Cafe, including one involving a gun, during an investigation prompted by a shooting outside the bar last month. The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control hit the Route 40 business with the administrative charges after a surprise inspection Friday night. Among the wide range of violations cited, according to state police: · One of the bar's employees had a criminal record. · The business wasn't displaying its liquor license. · Some bottles were contaminated. · The bar lacked proper liquor invoices. Sgt. Gerald Lewis said one charge alleged the business had a shotgun on the premises, which is prohibited. Owners of the bar, which is also known to state regulators as Abe's Spirits Inc., couldn't be reached for comment Monday. They may have to answer the long list of charges in Municipal Court, said Lewis. Alcoholic Beverage Control officials could not be reached to discuss the range of possible penalties. The investigation was prompted by an Aug. 24 incident in which a .45-caliber handgun was used to fire five to eight rounds into the air outside the business during a fight between patrons and security personnel, police said. No one was hurt. After Friday's raid, police charged bar co-owner Christopher DeCastro, 34, with weapons violations. DeCastro fired the shots in an attempt to stop the fight, police said. Originally published Tuesday, September 9, 2003
Two arrested in assault on state trooper BUENA VISTA -- State troopers here arrested a Mays Landing man accused of ramming a stolen van into a police cruiser during a traffic stop and then fleeing the scene. They charged Scott Simmons, 18, on Wednesday night with aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and eluding police. A 16-year-old Richland boy who was a passenger in the van during the assault early Tuesday morning was arrested on the same charges, police said. The incident occurred in Hamilton, not far from the Buena Vista border, when Trooper Steve DeSario stopped a suspicious Ford Econoline van on Indiana Avenue. The van driver deliberately backed the vehicle into the trooper's cruiser, continued in reverse and struck the car a second time before fleeing, police said. Sgt. DeSario chased the van to Railroad and Strand avenues, where the driver got out and ran away. DeSario apparently did not see the juvenile passenger at the time. Sgt. Kevin Rehmann, a state police spokesman, said Simmons and the youth were identified as suspects Wednesday by detectives from the Buena Vista station and arrested later that night. Rehmann could not say what led investigators to the suspects. Simmons was being held at Atlantic County Jail, and the 16-year-old was released to his stepfather, Rehmann said. The trooper suffered minor injuries. Originally published Friday, September 12, 2003
Donini's heating system concerns parents BUENA -- Nancy Gilliano and Juanquin DelValle are so concerned about the conditions at Donini Elementary School that they're refusing to send their two young daughters there. A mechanical engineer inspected the school's heating system Monday to address DelValle's concerns that it may be unsound. The Buena Regional School District awaits the findings, which could be ready by today, Superintendent Diane D. DeGiacomo said. DelValle, a licensed mechanical plumber and pipe fitter, fears the aging school's heating system could leak carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into classrooms. Though those concerns haven't been confirmed, the possibility of any leakage is enough to homeschool his daughter. "My daughter is not going to go that school," he said. That holds true for his sister, Nancy Gilliano, who decided on the same course for her daughter. DeGiacomo contends the building is serviced annually to ensure its safety. But if the engineer discovers legitimate safety problems, she said, they'll be corrected. And there's plenty of time to do so, DeGiacomo added, because the heating system is scheduled to be activated around mid-October. DelValle said he inspected the school's mechanical room last week and saw a 2-foot-long crack in the firebox, which supplies heat to the building. He said he also detected other problems that led him to believe the heating system falls short of building code requirements. He's also concerned about the building's structural integrity. The Donini edifice, which dates to 1916, isn't required to be state-certified because a boiler doesn't power the heating system, DeGiacomo said. But all building ducts are cleaned and burners checked as part of an annual service. Prompted by DelValle's concerns, service workers with Bradley Sciocchetti Inc. will conduct further inspections of the building today to determine if safety issues are at hand. Air quality tests will also be conducted. Originally published Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Area square dancers do-si-do with the best of them
Calm before the storm - Farmers hustle to save crops
BUENA VISTA -- A four-lot subdivision is poised to replace a proposed indoor soccer facility on Vine Road that had encountered heated opposition from residents. The township Planning/Zoning Board already approved a proposal for the 19.62-acre subdivision. The project goes before the board again today with slight revisions, board Administrator Diane Morgan said. Here's how the subdivision would break down: · A pair of 2-acre lots, each for future development of a single-family home. · A 2.12-acre lot that has an existing home. · A 13.5-acre parcel that would retain existing farmland, a labor camp and a garage. Noticeably absent from the plan is a proposal for an indoor soccer facility. The facility, which had been targeted for a 13-acre swath within the subdivision's boundaries, would have given a place to play to area children, property owner Lynda Gazzara had said. But residents railed against the soccer field, fearing it would adversely impact the surrounding residential and agricultural community. They even lined up a lawyer to represent them. "We were going to pursue it as far as we could've until the board reached its decision," said Vine Road resident Marilyn Spreng. But now Gazzara has withdrawn the application for the soccer facility before the board has a chance to consider it. She didn't return phone calls seeking an explanation for her change of plans. With no sign of commercial development in sight on the property, Spreng said she can breathe a sigh of relief. "You'd have more traffic coming in, operating hours ... it wasn't right for the atmosphere," she said. "There's a place for a soccer field, and Vine Road isn't one of them." Originally published Tuesday, September 23, 2003
New public works building gets OK BUENA VISTA -- The fleet of public works vehicles outside the Union Road facility will soon find shelter from the rain. On Monday night, township officials awarded a $237,100 contract to Capri Construction in Vineland for a new 7,000-square-foot public works building capable of housing most of the township's equipment. Township engineer David Scheidegg recommended Capri's bid, which was the lowest of three received Sept. 17, based on its affordability. "It's about $33.87 a square foot," he said. "Jiminy crickets, that's wonderful!" The second lowest bid came in at $295,345. Grant funds will contribute $193,00. The new metal building will replace an existing 3,950-square-foot portion that's too undersized to service the needs of the township's public works, Scheidegg said. At more than 40 years old, it's also antiquated, officials said. Due to its small size, the majority of the 28 public works vehicles are kept outside, said Public Works Direcctor Rich Calareso, who looks forward to the added space. These vehicles include dump trucks, pickup trucks, backhoes and others. Leaving the vehicles outside exposes them to damage from weather and salt piles, which are used on roads in the winter. Capri Construction will be responsible for demolishing the undersized portion, which amounts to about two-thirds of the entire public works building. It also will buy the pre-engineered metal building from a supplier and install it. Construction could begin two weeks from now, and the contractor has been given 100 days to complete the job. Originally published Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Cleary students release butterflies BUENA -- William Velazquez steadied his breath and lifted his face ever so slightly in eager anticipation. Before him, fellow eighth-grader Christinarae Scott gingerly pinched the wings of a squirming monarch butterfly as she sought to balance it on the soft slope of Velazquez's nose. Scott then let go, releasing a flurry of color and flapping wings. It was an altogether magic moment that was briefly interrupted when the orange-and-black butterfly floundered in an air current, eliciting the nervous glances of students. Soon enough, however, the monarch soared aloft. Welcome to Ms. Vinnie Van Vliet's eighth-grade Spanish 1 class at J.P. Cleary Middle School, where monarch butterflies are raised as part of students' yearlong exploration of the Spanish culture. Monarch butterflies hold an important place in Mexican history, Van Vliet said. Aztecs visiting the graves of their ancestors 3,000 years ago believed the creatures embodied the spirits of their deceased relatives. From their birthplace at Cleary, the butterflies will migrate to Michoacan, Mexico. Students rejoiced at the sight Monday of the release of two butterflies -- Fernando and Isabela, so named for the Spanish monarchs who funded Christopher Columbus' voyage to the Americas -- in a school courtyard. Isabela also was named after the recent hurricane. "We all raised them since they were eggs. It was cool to watch them go," said Amber Myers, 13. "It's like being a parent," chuckled Monica Rivera, 13. Students in Van Vliet's Spanish 1 classes doted lovingly on the seven monarchs that began as eggs in the classroom. They observed the monarchs' various stages of life with awe, said Van Vliet. One more will be released today, and the rest over the next few weeks. Originally published Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Buena to fix broken equipment in school BUENA -- Responding to the concerns of parents about unsafe conditions at Donini School, the Buena Regional school board accepted a $7,917 quote to repair and seal a crack in the school's firebox and install two carbon monoxide detectors in a furnace room. The board is debating an additional $6,100 to cover a flue pipe to ensure carbon monoxide from the firebox does not leak into classrooms. That was the contention of one parent, Juanquin DelValle, a licensed plumber and pipefitter. But for DelValle and his sister, Nancy Gilliano, the board's solution outlined Tuesday night was not enough to assuage their fears. Gilliano presented what she claimed was evidence from a certified Pennsylvania laboratory proving the presence of black mold in a supply mixing box, which supplies air and heating to the building. The district is awaiting the findings of an environmental consultant, who has taken samples from the supply mixing box and run air quality tests, said Business Administrator Tom Kearney. The findings are expected in two weeks. A structural engineering firm that visited the district Tuesday determined the building to be in "excellent condition with no visible indication of a structural safety problem," Kearney said. He added that the firm could not make a conclusive determination regarding areas that were hidden. Superintendent Diane DeGiacomo reiterated that all safety issues would be resolved before the heating system is turned on this year. Board members admitted their understanding of the heating system was limited and deferred to the opinions of the district's engineers. But they defended their positions in the interest of safety for the school's children. "We have the same questions you have," board member Doug Adams told parents. Originally published Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Land gift paves way for school BUENA VISTA -- The Buena Regional school district is celebrating a major victory today in its quest for a new middle school. Kimberly Clarke Corp., a global consumer products company, donated about 208 acres to the local school system. While school officials are praising the windfall, it also may help the local Municipal Utilities Authority clear its own hurdles. The swath is more than twice the amount the school district needs to satisfy wastewater management rules imposed by the Pinelands Commission. Those regulations say the district must set aside 100 acres for the dilution of wastewater nitrates if the middle school is to become a reality. "This was a major, major hurdle for us," said Superintendent Diane DeGiacomo, offering praise for Kimberly Clarke. "We'd never be able to afford to buy all that land." Scott Paper Products formerly owned the parcel until the tissue manufacturer merged with Kimberly Clarke in 1995. In exchange for the land, the school system agreed to pay $11,000 in leftover taxes on the property. Thereafter, the land would be tax-exempt. Bound by Friendship and Cains Mill roads and stretching as far north as Randolph Street, the parcel dwarfs the 77.5 acres containing Buena Regional High School and the middle school site. The planned school would house about 600 sixth- through eighth-graders. J.P. Cleary Middle School in Minotola would be upgraded and converted into an elementary school and house Donini and Edgarton students, DeGiacomo said. The new school would not encroach on the donated land, about 31 acres of which would be available for the development of athletic fields, said Michael Capizola, the former school board solicitor. Scott Paper used a few acres of the land to dispose of latex particles. That has been deed-restricted against future development despite being deemed "non-hazardous" in 1999 by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Whether the proposed school would connect to city sewerage lines or need a new septic system remains in the hands of the Pinelands Commission. The school district's good fortune could benefit the Buena Municipal Utilities Authority, which also is subject to Pinelands restrictions. Until the MUA stops emptying treated wastewater into the Deep Run stream, its sewerage plant capacity is capped at 80 percent. If the donated land is ripe for wastewater disposal, the restriction could be lifted. "If the soil is suitable, we're interested," MUA Chairman John Brunini said. In the meantime, parent Dan Santos awaits the prospect of a new middle school. He hopes it will open in time for his 6-year-old son, Christian, to attend. "We want a good education for our kids; we want the best for our kids; and a new middle school will provide that," he said. Originally published Thursday, September 25, 2003
Inspectors say Buena school is clean BUENA BOROUGH -
The Buena Regional School District said Thursday that state inspectors inspected
the William B. Donini School and determined there was no mold in its heating
system and the air was clean.
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