‘baby it’s cold outside!’media.nj.com/cumberland_impact/other/the news a-1 12-10-11.pdfoct 11,...
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Player, Coach of the Year, Page B-1
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■ Most Wanted Fugitives. Page A-3.■ Gift for Villas residents. Page A-3 .■ Third rabies case in county. Page A-10.
Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . . B-7 BEN Column. . . B-4 Classified. . . . . . B-7 Comics . . . . . . . . B-6
Community . . . . A-8 Crossword . . . . . B-5 Dr. K. . . . . . . . . B-7 Horoscope . . . . . B-7 Obituaries . . . . . A-7
Police Blotter . . A-3 Religion . . . . . . . A-6 Sports . . . . . . . . B-1 Television. . . . . . B-5 Viewpoint . . . . . A-4
Partly sunny, breezy and cold, High 44
Details, Page A-2
WEATHERINSIDE TODAYINDEX
Vol. 264, No. 114
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Staff Photo by Cindy Hepner
After picking out her new pink coat, Estrella Vargas gets a photo taken with Santa Claus during the New Jersey Motorsports Park winter coat drive for children.
Coats galore at NJMP
‘Baby it’s cold outside!’
Multiple guns used in shoot-out; no injuries
Fairfield Twp. voting turmoil back in court
Staff Photo by Cathy Cramer
The Civil War statue in Bridgeton City Park is missing its head.
Reward grows, mystery continues
Help find ‘the head!’
Right, volunteers and staff at the New Jersey Motorsports Park assisted children with selecting new winter coats. They also had a chance to pick out scarves, gloves and hats. Above, Tyron Wright has chosen a blue coat and now needs a pair of gloves.
By Jim Cook [email protected]
BRIDGETON — The mystery of the headless Civil War monu-ment continues as the reward grows.
No arrests were reported Friday by Bridgeton Police regarding the head’s whereabouts, and as the week goes on, local, regional and statewide attention has been drawn to the “Legend of Sleepy Hol-low” look-a-like.
The first reward began with Bridgeton Police Chief Mark Ott, who offered $100 out-of-pocket Wednesday for “information leading to the arrest of those responsible for removing the head and the recovery of the piece.
By Thursday, Dan Mourning, of Bridgeton Crimestoppers Associa-tion, offered an additional $100, along with $300 donated by connec-tions he had on Facebook.
According to Mourning on Friday, he was contacted by Randy Waller at Bridgeton VFW Post 1795, who wanted to make a dona-tion.
The VFW Post, led by Commander Jim Woodside, presented a
(See HEAD, Page A-5)
By Phillip [email protected]
MILLVILLE — Outside of the officer’s club and VIP area of the New Jersey Motorsports Park, needy students from across the county came and went by the bus-load.
A chilly December wind swirled around the empty raceway, reminding everyone that winter is coming. Inside, however, was only warmth and joy, and the glow of good works done in the spirit of the holidays.
The kids were there to pick out brand-new winter clothing as part
of the NJMP’s fourth annual Coats for Kids winter coat drive.
Nearly 550 needy children from Cumberland County arrived at the race track Friday to be outfit-ted with warm coats, gloves, hats, scarves and slippers. The apparel comes courtesy of the generous efforts of local businesses and the NJMP’s own Green Flag Commit-tee, a volunteer organization that coordinates the park’s community outreach and charity efforts.
Participating businesses includ-ed the Millville Walmart, Subaru of America, Foreman Mills, Texas
(See COATS, Page A-9)
Some of the guns used in local crimes were stolen from law-abiding gun owners. Stephen Smith examines this problem in part two of his series on gun crimes in Cumberland County.
Bridgeton’s Police Athletic League is rolling out the red carpet to recognize top academic performers.
Part of our county has been designated a “Globally Signifi cant Important Bird Area.” Phillip Tomlinson explains what that means.
COMING SUNDAY
By Stephen [email protected]
BRIDGETON — At least three people were involved in a shoot-out in the early morning hours Friday, leav-ing one car severely dam-aged and bullets lodged in a house, police said.
No one was injured in the shooting, although the car presumably needed repairs.
Police said that at 2:25 a.m., several individuals began shooting at each other using a shotgun, a handgun and one other type of gun at the intersec-
tion of Elmer Street and East Avenue.
“Some patrol officers were on Bank Street. They heard the shots and went to the area. While en route, dispatch had received calls about the shooting,” said Lt. James Battavio.
“We were able to confirm a shooting. We found three different types of shell cas-ings, and other evidence found at the scene indi-cated multiple shooters. We could be searching for more people. Who knows at this point? Things are very sketchy.”
(See SHOTS, Page A-3)
By Lauren T. [email protected]
FAIRFIELD TWP. — The June 7 Democratic County Committee Primary Election voting turmoil in Fairfield Township returned to court on Friday, this time in regard to attorney Samuel Serata’s request for the appointment of an investigatory “special master,” as well as monetary sanctions, on behalf of his clients, Ernest and Cynthia Zirkle.
Superior Court Judge David E. Krell briefly discussed the case with Serata and NJ Deputy Attorney Gen-eral George Cohen on Friday and is expected to rule on the requests on Dec. 23.
“This issue is larger than Cum-berland County,” Serata said. “...I believe the vote is one of the most precious things we have. It should be guarded very carefully, and it wasn’t guarded carefully in Cumberland County.”
Krell questioned Serata’s request on behalf of the Zirkles for sanc-tions — compensation for fees paid to counsel and experts — since the applicable statute and rule excep-tions do not directly provide for such a determination.
“On July 11, you could have gotten the relief you sought in your com-plaint, and you never asked for coun-sel fees. Now, you’ve come before the court, it seems, saying you know you
(See ELECTION, Page A-5)