|
|
|
Lights, Camera, Action -Video production course kicks off for Buena teens
Enroll now
Buena Regional High School students interested in joining the digital video production class should call the Buena Vista township hall at 697-2100, ext. 8. There's room for at least six more students.
BUENA VISTA -- Four Buena Regional high school students got their first peek into the world of digital video production and editing on Tuesday evening. Led by local videographer John Krokos, they gathered at the township municipal building to explore the vast realm of microphones, state-of-the-art digital video cameras, and computer editing. The lesson kicked off a township initiative, which was funded by Comcast, to verse local high school students in the art of filming techniques and final editing. The high school does not offer a video production program. "It seemed like an opportunity to get the young people involved in film making, in the community and school events," Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello said. "Certainly we wanted to make sure our cable dollars got reinvested in the kids." By the end of the course on Nov. 18, Krokos believes the kids could be proficient enough to begin filming township and school events. He said he hopes they will be able to film the new African-American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey Inc. in the Martin Luther King Center in Newtonville. Corrie Snyder, 16, hopes to learn sound and audio techniques that could aid her with the high school's stage crew, of which she has been a member for the past three years. Brian DeSantis, 15, hopes to hone his budding camera skills. For Joe Belawsky, 17, a junior, the lessons are a "foot in the door" to help him realize his dream of attending recording arts college. Roy Zafian, 18, wants to satisfy his interest in video cameras and videotapes, devices he has toyed with all his life. Together, they got a sweeping overview of video-production equipment in Krokos' first lesson. They watched in wide-eyed wonder as Krokos explained the various parts of a Sony video camera, various types of microphone equipment, assembled a tripod, and started up an Apple computer that would assist in the editing process. The equipment was bought with a $5,000 Comcast grant awarded to the township. Later, the sessions will become more hands-on, Krokos said.
Donini School passes surprise state inspection BUENA -- A surprise state inspection of Donini Elementary School on Wednesday found no major structural problems, Buena Regional school officials said. But the state did suggest some minor adjustments to improve safety. The assessment came courtesy of the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health program, which addresses health and safety concerns in public workplaces. It was the second PEOSH inspection in as many weeks. An assessment done last week addressed air quality. Initial findings of air quality and mold tests preliminarily reveal no violations, PEOSH spokesperson Jennifer Sciortino said. PEOSH could not comment on the safety suggestions given Wednesday because the investigation is not complete, spokesman Peter Saharko said. But Superintendent Diane D. DeGiacomo explained them. After looking at classrooms, hallways and the mechanical room, the representative recommended that switches in the mechanical room be labeled and a handrail installed along steps running to a speech and nurse's room. "That was it," DeGiacomo said. PEOSH took interest in Donini after parents Nancy Gilliano and Juanquin DelValle refused to send their two daughters there. They believe there's black mold in a supply mixing box that sends air and heat through the building. A 2-foot crack in the school's firebox will be sealed Friday and two carbon monoxide detectors installed in the furnace room. In addition, a fire inspector found last week that the building satisfied minimum requirements of the state's Uniform Fire Code, DeGiacomo said. The district requested the extra inspection due to the safety concerns raised by parents. Originally published Thursday, October 2, 2003
Hurricane Isabel was the proverbial straw that broke Joan Milanesi's back. Throughout the summer, the Buena Vista resident dealt with hours-long power outages during minor storms and wind gusts. While inconvenienced, the 65-year-old living on Cimino Boulevard didn't complain. But when Isabel arrived in South Jersey as a tropical storm and knocked out her electricity for 35 hours, Milanesi decided she had had enough and wrote as much to her local newspaper. "I don't want to be a troublemaker, but this is just ridiculous," Milanesi said, blasting Conectiv, its customer service and how the company maintains the lines in her neighborhood just east of Vineland's border. Apparently her electric company is paying close attention. On Wednesday, Conectiv's parent company -- Pepco Holdings Inc. -- announced the hiring of a former top official in the Federal Emergency Management Agency to independently assess how its two public utilities responded to the hurricane. James Lee Witt, who directed FEMA from 1993 to 2001, will examine Conectiv's and Pepco's: · Emergency planning. · Pre- and post-storm activities. · Coordination with state and local government agencies. · Potential public/private partnerships that can help the company avoid such widespread power outages in the future. He'll issue a draft report in mid-November. "His recommendations will get prompt and serious attention," said Pepco Holdings CEO Dennis Wraase. "It's true that many of our customers have lost confidence in us, and that is something that we don't take lightly," he said. "We intend to build back that confidence." The Pepco Holdings press conference came as Conectiv faces slams on all sides. State legislators such as Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Doug Fisher and Sen. Stephen Sweeney -- all representatives of the 3rd Legislative District -- have called for hearings into Conectiv's hurricane response. Atlantic County's Board of Freeholders requested meetings with the utility, and the state Board of Public Utilities has ordered power companies affected by Isabel to submit detailed reports about their storm-related activities. The BPU's Division of Customer Assistance received 86 complaints from Conectiv customers alone, said board spokesman Gloria Montealegre. Once the reports are reviewed, the BPU will determine if hearings into the matter are necessary, she added. "We will support these efforts and cooperate fully," Wraase said. "Every event is an opportunity to learn and improve our services." A particular focus will be Conectiv's tree trimming and maintenance activities, which customers criticize as lax or nonexistent. While the company admitted the hurricane wreaked havoc on trees near electric lines, forcing Conectiv to replace 185,149 feet of wire, it vehemently defended its track record. Conectiv will shell out $14 million this year for tree trimming, an amount it spent each of the last two years, company spokeswoman Betty Kennedy said. It also will allocate $43 million this year for maintenance. Additionally, the utility is working toward a four-year program in which Conectiv would trim all trees in rights of way. "Not only do we trim trees, but we try to educate people to plant the right trees," Kennedy said, remarking a substantial amount of outages were caused by trees on private property falling on lines, poles and transformers. "That increased the time it took to restore power and was really what caused some customers to be out of electricity for so long." As Isabel blew through the region in the early hours of Sept. 19, some 82,000 Conectiv customers in South Jersey lost electric service. Three days later, 900 homes in Cumberland and Salem counties still had no power. David Raffo is giving Conectiv the benefit of the doubt, but barely. "Things happen," said Raffo, who also lives in Buena Vista. "You're not prepared for an emergency all the time." With that said, something must be done about the power outages that come in the wake of normal storms, he said. "Before the hurricane it seemed like we lost power a lot more than when I was growing up," Raffo said. "I can't document it. It's just a gut feeling." Originally published Thursday, October 2, 2003
Twins do their part in cancer fight
BUENA VISTA -- When Diane Myers got breast cancer the first time, her twin daughters never thought it would happen again. It did. But no less astonishing than the one-two punch was Myers' dogged ability to fight the disease for the sake of her daughters and son. Myers presently does not have breast cancer. Now her 21-year-old daughters, Jennifer and Jaclyn Myers, are following the example of resiliency set by their mother. They hope to participate in a 60-mile walk in Los Angeles to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The foundation's "Breast Cancer 3-Day" event is set for Nov. 14 through 16. The Komen foundation raises money for breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment. The twins' designs to complete the 60-mile walk are a display of their unwavering devotion to their mother. But their limbs alone won't take them to their destination. Unlike the Race for the Cure in Philadelphia -- in which they've participated for the last five to six years with their mother -- the girls must pledge $2,000 each to be in the event. That lofty figure doesn't include travel expenses. So far they've managed to raise all but $1,000 of their goal. They've solicited donations from local business and community members and hosted a car wash in August at the Milmay Tavern. A beef-and-beer event is today at the Buena Tavern to raise the rest of the funds. There's a reason for the flood of donations. "A lot of people realize how many people are diagnosed with cancer," Jaclyn said. "Everybody knows somebody with cancer," added Diane. And though they still need more money, Jennifer already has pledged $85 of her own money for a nonrefundable registration fee. The decision, she said, was spurred by "the fact that one day I could have breast cancer." Originally published Friday, October 3, 2003
Buena Vista sells 6 properties for $35K
Richland Fire Co. teaches safety at open house
Black history museum hosts jazz brunch BUENA VISTA -- The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey Inc. has welcomed more than 1,000 visitors since making its formal debut here three months ago. And that's a conservative estimate, said president and founder Ralph Hunter. But, like the visitors, the dollars and cents must also roll in for the nonprofit museum to thrive and survive. That's why a jazz brunch fund-raiser scheduled for Sunday afternoon would mean so much more than just a good time, Hunter said. "We're trying to raise as much as possible," he said. Currently, he said, most money used to run the museum "comes from out of my pocket and board members. That's why we need a fund-raiser." Donations and contributions are a vital resource for the fledgling museum which, having set up shop earlier this year at the Martin Luther King Center, hasn't been established long enough to get formal funding. Sunday's event is slated for 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. A Philadelphia jazz trio, The Barbara Walker Story, will headline the day's entertainment. Also planned is an unveiling of 29 rare prints dating to 1899. The prints, titled "Plantation Sketches," depict the lives of African-Americans at the turn of the 19th century. Local storyteller Michelle Washington Nelson has composed a story line that she'll read aloud to the set of prints. And the museum also will sell oil and acrylic portraits of famous African-Americans by Pleasantville artist Tyrone J. Floyd. Hunter hopes guests will purchase the paintings and then donate them back to the museum. Hunter said proceeds will go toward: · The purchase of a used truck to transport the museum's merchandise as part of its traveling exhibit, which hit the road Wednesday. · Printing of brochures and posters previously designed free of charge for the museum. Originally published Saturday, October 11, 2003
African American heritage Museum fund-raiser entertains
NEWTONVILLE -- Visitors to the African American Heritage Museum Jazz Brunch Fundraiser on Sunday delighted in the premiere showing of "Plantation Sketches," 32 rare prints penned by J. Campbell Philips in 1899. Attendees also enjoyed the soulful ensemble of The Barbara Walker Story and tasted New Orleans specialty dishes. The fund-raiser drew people from across the region, who came out to support the efforts of museum founder and President Ralph Hunter. Originally published Monday, October 13, 2003
Buena Vista receives $54K for home improvement BUENA VISTA -- The wait may be over for some township residents who need major repairs for their homes. The Atlantic County Improvement Authority is picking from a list of 34 homeowners vying for housing rehabilitation money. The authority has spent more than $1.1 million since 1990 to rehabilitate 109 homes in the county. But the latest selections come thanks to a $54,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant awarded for the first time to the township. The county will contribute $52,000 in the form of a matching grant, nearly doubling the number of beneficiaries. The money is used to repair ailing sections of the homes, including roofs, windows, sidings, heating, plumbing and electrical systems, to bring them up to code. The improvements also extend to wells and septic systems. The money is not designed to be a "façade improvement," said Joe Giralo, community development program administrator. "Our program is the nuts and bolts," he said. "This isn't like a new kitchen. This is hard-core meeting code problems." Buena Vista received the entire amount of the federal grant allotment to New Jersey. It is awarded specifically to rural communities. The township's distinction comes in part because of its aging housing stock and the overwhelming need of local residents, who meet the stringent low-income criteria, Giralo said. The maximum income level for a household of one person is $19,990. Housing rehabilitation funds that come directly from the county have less rigorous income requirements. They are modeled after those of Housing and Urban Development and vary according to the number of household members. The grant funds and the added dollars from the county will help rehabilitate about 10 homes in the township. The county spends about $10,000 to 12,000 to rehabilitate the average home. Half the money funneled into the home repairs will be in the form of a grant to the homeowner. It will not have to be repaid if the homeowner continues to occupy the home for the next six years. The rest of the money will act as a no-interest deferred loan that will only have to be repaid if the home changes title. Originally published Monday, October 13, 2003
Parents refute state's Donini assessment BUENA -- Two state health officials attended a Buena Regional school board meeting Tuesday to report that visible black mold was not found at Donini School. In fact, only dust was found in the school's mechanical room in a Sept. 22 inspection, said Mike Coyne, a project coordinator with the Public Employee Occupational Safety and Health program, part of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. "From what we can tell, it's a relatively safe place to live and breathe," Coyne said. PEOSH took interest in Donini after parents Nancy Gilliano and Juanquin DelValle reported lab results they said demonstrated the presence of black mold in a supply mixing box that sends air and heat through the building. At the meeting, Gilliano and DelValle questioned whether the supply box was cleaned before the inspection. They presented digital pictures from video shot Sept. 11 by DelValle, which showed an accumulation of what appeared to be dust. Coyne said he did not see what was in the pictures while conducting the inspection. Viewing the images, Coyne said, "If I saw that, I would tell (school officials) to clean that up." Officials deny that the mixing box was cleaned prior to the visit. The cleaning did not take place until Oct. 4, Superintendent Diane DeGiacomo said. Air-quality tests received Thursday further reveal that the air in the building is clean, meaning hazardous materials did not exceed the acceptable standards, DeGiacomo said. But Gilliano asserted that other parents told her about the health problems of their children at the school. Desiree Carmona, 23, believes the school may be responsible for her 6-year-old son's infections. "My concern is the unexplainable pulmonary and upper respiratory infections ... only when he's in school," said Carmona of Buena. One woman, who identified herself as Donini's PTO president, said her two children attended the school and "air quality was not affecting them whatsoever." Originally published Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Utility pole could pose hazard to drivers
BUENA VISTA -- An undesirable fork has emerged on Friendship Road -- in the form of an awkwardly placed utility pole that's sparking safety concerns. Since mid-July, Atlantic County engineers have asked utility companies to move the pole some 50 feet from the island it occupies in the middle of the road near the border of Buena Vista Township and Buena Borough. There's still no word on when that might occur. The pole is hard to miss, standing where Friendship and Weymouth-Malaga roads intersect southwest of Buena Regional High School. A stop sign directing traffic north along Friendship and a ring of traffic cones along the pole's perimeter warn drivers to steer clear of it. But the safety hazard remains, especially because Buena Regional High School buses use the intersection frequently, said Buena Borough Engineer Matt Ecker, who also has urged the utility companies for months to fix the problem. Conectiv responded last week by removing its power wires from the pole, spokeswoman Betty Kennedy said. Verizon, which may be using the pole for telephone service, is "aware of the situation," company spokesman Rich Young said. "We're working on it and trying to rectify it." The problems posed by the pole aren't new, but they've gotten increased attention since Weymouth-Malaga Road was repaved. For a long time, the pole's location has presented motorists traveling north along Friendship Road with a difficult challenge when turning right onto Weymouth-Malaga Road. "If a school bus wanted to make a right-hand turn it would have to swing a wide radius out into oncoming traffic before proceeding," Ecker said. At the time, the pole sat at the edge of private property. Property owner Bill Nimohay, who is Buena's road department supervisor, offered to dedicate 1,100 square feet of his property surrounding the pole to the township. That public right of way allowed contractors completing the work at Weymouth-Malaga Road to pave a 50-foot turning radius at the intersection, providing an easier and safer right turn for school buses. The only problem is, the utility pole remains. "It's a safer turning movement, but I don't know if it's safe to have the pole sitting out on the asphalt," Ecker said. If the pole were relocated 50 feet east along Weymouth-Malaga Road, as Ecker has requested, the recently paved intersection would have to be patched up. Originally published Wednesday, October 15, 2003
All reports indicate Buena school is clean BUENA BOROUGH - In what could
be the final chapter in parent's concerns about environmental issues at the
William B. Donini School, administrators said they have received all the reports
back from consultants and inspectors that state the school is clean.
Crews clear way for new structure
BUENA VISTA -- A portion of the public works building came tumbling down Wednesday in a shower of wood and concrete as demolition crews cleared the way for a structure that will be nearly twice as large. By early afternoon, Newfield-based Rambone Construction had torn down nearly the entire portion slated for demolition. That older half of the public works building, which is about 3,950 square feet, will be replaced by a 7,000-square-foot pre-engineered metal building to be erected at the Union Road site. The adjoining portion of the public works building will remain. Rambone expects to complete the demolition by Monday, company President Ralph Rambone said. Rambone is a subcontractor for Capri Construction, the Vineland-based company that won a $237,100 contract in September. Officials opted in favor of replacing the building's older section because its low ceilings and small doors made it all but impossible to store large vehicles, such as dump trucks and tractors, Mayor Chuck Chiarello said. They were stationed outside and left to the mercy of the elements. With 14-foot bay doors -- three in the front and three matching ones in the rear -- the new portion gives enough clearance to store nearly all township vehicles, he said. It will have no impact on township taxpayers, he said. Grant funds will cover about $193,000 of the total cost, while the difference will be made up with economic development funds the township reaps from interest on loans, Chiarello said. Once demolition is complete next week, Capri will prepare the groundwork and lay the foundation for the pre-engineered metal building, Scheidegg said. The framework then will be erected by Jan. 16, though Capri indicated the job could be done earlier, Scheidegg said. Originally published Thursday, October 16, 2003
Verizon to remove pole from road by Oct. 23 BUENA VISTA -- Verizon crews will remove a utility pole at Friendship and Weymouth-Malaga roads that had raised safety concerns, the company said. The telephone company will take down the pole on or before Oct. 23, spokesperson Rich Young said Wednesday, the same day The Daily Journal reported on stalled efforts to get the work done. The pole sits on an island in the middle of pavement on Friendship Road and poses a potential safety hazard to motorists, especially school bus drivers, said Buena Borough engineer Matt Ecker. Ecker requested utilities companies to relocate the pole in mid-July. Verizon had been waiting for Conectiv to remove its power lines before it could take down the pole, Young said. Conectiv disconnected service at the pole last week. Originally published Thursday, October 16, 2003
COLLINGS LAKE, NJ
(KYW) After
several sightings in New Jersey, the infamous elusive emu has been captured!
Animal control officers and a local zoo caught up with the bird in Collings
Lake, Atlantic County.
Buena Vista to seek grants to aid Richland BUENA VISTA -- Township officials are pursuing multiple grants with an eye toward revitalizing the Richland area. Committee members authorized several grant applications that could add to the roughly $200,000 already promised by the state Department of Transportation. That funding would improve a stretch of Route 40 between Cedar and Main avenues. Township officials are seeking an additional $400,000 to continue sidewalk improvements and decorative landscaping -- such as architectural lights, benches, planters and trees -- along Route 40 that are slated to begin with the first round of DOT funding. Additional money would fund similar improvements further east along Route 40 in two phases -- one to Greenbriar Avenue and the other just past Ivy Avenue, township Engineer Dave Scheidegg said. In another facet of the beautification project, Buena Vista is applying for a $60,000 USDA grant to improve a corner of Route 40 and Main Avenue. Officials plan to locate a bus shelter there and an area able to accommodate 20 vehicles. Aside from its obvious function, the bus shelter will act as a decorative piece modeled after an old-fashioned railroad station, Mayor Chuck Chiarello said. The vehicle accommodation area will make up for a current parking deficiency there and facilitate shoppers to the area, Scheidegg said. It would also eliminate the potential hazards posed by motorists parking along Route 40 or backing their vehicles onto the road from the businesses there, he said. Depending on the grant funding, the fruits of the township's labor might not be seen for another two to four years, Chiarello said. He predicts the township has an "excellent chance" to receive the grants. Originally published Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Here, emu, emu - yet another loose
To get to the other side, of
course.
No Child Left Behind unpopular in Buena BUENA -- An annual status report of the Buena Regional School District Tuesday night revealed principals harbor serious objections to the federal No Child Left Behind Act. The school board listened as principals presented the Quality Assurance Annual Report, which sets each school's goals for this school year and marks progress in achieving last year's goals. The goals are geared toward student-testing thresholds established under No Child Left Behind and district-imposed goals. The report now will be submitted to the Atlantic County Superintendent. Buena Regional High School Principal Kenneth C. Soboloski argued that No Child Left Behind sets unrealistic thresholds, making it impossible for schools to achieve compliance. The law requires students in eligible subgroups -- including special education, race, limited- English proficiency, economically disadvantaged and/or migrant -- to achieve adequate yearly progress on state testing on a par with other students. "I'm not against No Child Left Behind, but I am against lumping all kids together and measuring them by the same yardstick," Soboloski said. "We don't do that in education." J.P. Cleary Middle School Principal Vito Robert Paladino called the act "questionable" and said a measure of a school's success lies in its staff and encompasses more than test scores. Also outlined in the report were the school district's expenditures on improving facilities, which totaled roughly $1.5 million last year and paid for new roof and cafeteria windows at John C. Milanesi Elementary School and a building addition to J.P. Cleary Middle School among other upgrades.
Cleary School addition validates funding BUENA -- They liked what they saw at J.P. Cleary Middle School. Representatives of the New Jersey Schools Construction Corp. nodded approvingly Thursday afternoon as they surveyed the well-lighted, multiclassroom addition to the Central Avenue building. The SCC oversees design and construction in school districts such as Buena Regional, where state aid accounts for 55 percent or more of the budget. It contributed nearly 65 percent of the expansion's estimated $812,642 cost, said district Business Administrator Tom Kearney. "It's really exciting to see the projects that were just a dream 2 1/2 years ago, and now it's real," said John Sullivan, SCC's southern regional director, referring to agency-funded construction projects in Vineland, Millville and other communities he visited Thursday. "It looks wonderful, and seeing it occupied makes it all worthwhile." The 4,960-square-foot addition -- completed in September -- offers three extra classrooms and a small instructional area for special-needs students, Superintendent Diane DiGiacomo said. Seventh-grade language arts teacher Doris Paladino was among those on hand to greet SCC representatives. She was seated at her permanent desk and surrounded by substantial professional space, storage space, a bulletin board and a large computer area in a room equipped with air conditioning. She didn't always have such luxuries. Previously, Paladino would travel to teach in two separate classrooms -- one upstairs, one downstairs. Principal Vito Robert Paladino said the addition has noticeably improved flexibility at the school. "It helped us tremendously as far as class size, staffing, and being able have people in one area longer," he said.
|
Buena
Vista
Township
|
