Vineland Working on Natural Resource Inventory

The Vineland Environmental Commission has received a Smart Growth Planning Grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) and is working with Brinkerhoff Environmental Consultants to create a Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) for the City of Vineland. An NRI is a comprehensive look at a municipality’s natural resources, environmental features, and unique characteristics. It is often used by Planning Boards, Environmental Commissions, and other governmental bodies to understand the environment during municipal land use planning and site plan review. The NRI will contain narratives and maps describing surface and groundwater, soils, geology, wetlands, open space, vegetation, wildlife, climate, air quality, and more.    

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Worshippers bound for Haiti

A six-man team, with the help of a local church, is packing bags, getting shots and collecting medical supplies to travel more than 1,400 miles south to Haiti this weekend.

Calvary Chapel's pastor, Russ Sterger, will lead Millville residents Shawn Brown, Jon Livingston and Kirk Mayer, along with Robert Wojcik of Atlantic City and Dave Coyle of Williamstown to Haiti to directly help the victims of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake.

"I really felt like I wanted to get in there, get boots on the ground," Sterger said. "It was an overwhelming sense that I wanted to go there. They need people there."

This will be the first trip of many to Haiti that Calvary is planning. Local residents, particularly those in the medical community, can volunteer for a future mission, but the church is also seeking donations of the following items to be hand-delivered the the people in need in Haiti.

Hand sanitizer, surgical masks and gloves, children's pain medication, adult pain medications, such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, in large bottles, bandages (surgical and other), gauze, Hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, antibiotic ointments, high-energy meal replacement bars, food bars, powdered baby formula, surgical equipment, first aid kits (lightweight, cloth outer cover), antiseptic wipes, water purification pills, and camping-style water purification pumps.

Donations can be dropped off at the church, 930 N. Main Road, Vineland.

‘How the Elephant Got His Trunk’

Puppeteer Jim West is ready to educate Vineland's youth "How the Elephant Got His Trunk" at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The show is at Frank Guaracini Jr. Fine and Performing Arts Center, Cumberland County College, Sherman Avenue and College Drive, Vineland. Admission is $5.

It is recommended for ages 5 to 9, the show by this master puppeteer brings to life the Rudyard Kipling's classic story in a large-scale puppet extravaganza. Also, colorful rod puppets perform a madcap Barnyard Opera to the accompaniment of Mozart, Strauss, Rossini and other classical greats.

For more information, call (856) 692-8499, www.cccnj.net or www.jimwestpuppets.com

Grades hit the Internet for Vineland students

A screenshot of the "recent reports" portion of Parent Portal.

By DEBORAH M. MARKO
Staff Writer

VINELAND -- A new computer program blows the cover for students who tell their parents they did nothing in school and have no homework.

Starting today, the school district rolls out the Parent Portal, giving parents online access to their children's class schedule, grades, attendance records, homework assignments and building announcements.

"There is a lot of great stuff here," said Steve Dantinne, technology director for Vineland Public Schools.

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Sweet Life bakes pies to help Haiti

The owners of The Sweet Life Bakery always celebrate National Pie Day on Saturday, but Stephen Wilson and Jill McClennen thought they would turn this year’s celebration into a fundraiser.

The shop set a goal to sell 50 pies and send all proceeds to the World Food Programme, a United Nations humanitarian agency that fights hunger worldwide, to help the Haitian victims following the Dec. 12 earthquake.

The Sweet Life Bakery reached its goal within 12 hours and sold 92 pies for the fundraiser. Wilson estimated the sale generated about $700 or $800.

Wilson said the bakery might do a fundraiser next year on the holiday and partner with a different charity.

Arrests made in bowling alley fire

The Loyle family reacts to the arson arrests on Wednesday. Staff photo/Cody Glenn

By TIM ZATZARINY Jr.
The Daily Journal

A rival businessman orchestrated a conspiracy to burn down Loyle Lanes, destroying the city's only bowling alley just a month shy of its 50th anniversary, police said.

Philadelphia resident Steven Henry Smink, the operator of Pike Lanes Family Fun Center on Landis Avenue in Deerfield, was arrested Tuesday along with 21-year-old Felix Antonio Manzano and a 17-year-old boy in connection with the Jan. 11 blaze.

All three were arrested in Philadelphia, where they live, and were charged with arson for hire, two counts of aggravated arson and conspiracy to commit arson.
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At VHS, a dozen students reciting

Twelve Vineland High School students will show off their memorization and presentation skills Tuesday by reciting poems during a regional competition sponsored by the Playwrights Theater in Madison, NJ.

"This was a daunting assignment and the students worked very hard," Panichella said.

The winners included: 1st period winners for Ms. Marcello: Jessica Malatesta, Rosica Brown, Marquee Hartsfield; 4th period winners for Miss Panichella: Helen Torres, Angela Muzzarelli, and Zachary Cook; 7th period winners for Ms. Marcello: Charlotte Harold, Lauren D'Ottavio, Jamuel Feliciano; and 9th period winners for Miss Panichella: Adrian Lelli, Jasmine Boone, and Deanna Denelsbeck.

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Mennies’ kids lip sync for scholarship fund

The faculty and staff of Mennies Elementary School will present their Fifth Annual Lip Sync Concert in the school's all purpose room on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. The school is located at 361 E. Grant Ave.

The school's teachers and staff will perform a variety of popular songs throughout the decades, according to Nancy Dixon, a kindergarten teacher at the school who is helping to plan the event.

Tickets are $2 for adults and $1 for students. Each ticket includes one chance to win a door prize.

There will also be a bake sale during intermission.

Proceeds from the event will go to the school's scholarship fund, which is awarded to a graduating VHS senior who attended Mennies Elementary School.

The event will be videotaped by VPS Broadcasting and aired on Comcast Channel 9 and Verizon FIOS Channel 41 at a later date.

For more information, call the school at (856) 794-6957.

Sabater plans dinner, dance benefit

Sabater Elementary School is hosting a dinner and dance at North Italy Hall, Eighth Street and Virano Lane, on Feb. 26 to raise funds for its student activity fund.

The event will run from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Tickets are $30 for this adults only event.

The price includes a buffet dinner of baked chicken, roast beef, meatballs, baked ziti, green beans almandine, parsley potatoes, tossed salad, pasta salad and rolls. Beer is included in the ticket price and there will also be a cash bar.

The school will also be selling advertising space on a placemat that will be in use at the event. Cost is $35 for a business-card size space.

For more information on the dance, or to purchase tickets, call Sabater’s main office or Karli Ross at (856) 641-8502. For advertising, contact Val Carbonara at (856) 641-8502.

Delsea helps Emmanuel Cancer Foundation

Submitted photo.

Delsea Regional High School’s Drama Club provided “Birthday in a Bag” for the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation.

This project supplied birthday presents and all the supplies needed for five families to be able to hold a children’s birthday party.

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation provides a variety of specialized services to families with children suffering with juvenile cancer supplying the families with needed items such as food, clothing, toys, household items and emergency financial relief.

Eat pizza to help Mennies School

The Dr. William Mennies School Bilingual Education Committee is hosting a Pizza Hut Night on Wed. Jan. 27 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the restaurant, Main Road and Chestnut Avenue.

Pizza Hut will donate to the school $2 for every adult buffet and $1 for every child buffet purchased during that time.

The funds raised through this activity will be used to fund field trips and academic programs for bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) students, according to Allison Heather-Domboski, an ESL Teacher at the school.

“These programs provide our students with the life experiences they need for a successful transition into the mainstream programs,” she said.

Palace of Depression is focus of historical society’s monthly lecture series

VINELAND — Kevin Kirchner will speak about the city’s efforts to reconstruct the Palace of Depression at the Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society on Thursday, Jan. 21.

The palace is a city landmark that George Daynor built off Mill Road during the Great Depression.

Kirchner, the city’s director of licenses and inspections, is part of the Palace of Depression Restoration Association. The group is trying to rebuild what was once considered a tourist trap.

His lecture begins at 7 p.m. at the Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society, located at 108. S. Seventh St. Admission is free and a tour of the museum will follow.

Guests can view a model of the original palace, watch a video tour of the palace from the 1930s and see the palace display, which includes original ledger books of the palace’s visitors, Daynor’s coat, the palace’s mailbox, and pictures and documents related to the palace.

The lecture is part of a monthly series leading up to the society’s 100th birthday this year.

The next scheduled lectures include Joe Hampton’s Feb 18th discussion of the Vineland Egg Auction and a lecture on notable women in Vineland’s history will take place March 25.

All lectures begin at 7 p.m.

VHS track needs help to support scholarship

The Vineland High School winter track team is holding a fundraiser to benefit the Kristen Freeman Foundation Scholarship Project on Sunday, Jan. 31, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Five Points Inn, East Landis Avenue.

Freeman was a Vineland High School athlete who died in a 2006 firearms accident.

Donation is $20 per person and includes buffet, dessert table and cash bar.

For tickets or more information, contact Sharon Bassetti at (856) 794-1069 or John Boykin at (856) 794-2170.

Local minds partner to fight youth obesity

A group of prominent business and organization leaders met at YMCA last week as part of the “New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids,” an initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Partners include representatives of Robert Wood Johnson, the program’s state office, Stockton University, Rutgers University, the Rudd Center, the City of Vineland’s Community Development and Health Departments, South Jersey Healthcare, the Greater Cumberland United Way, and the local YMCA.

The RWJF is collaborating with targeted communities throughout the state to reduce childhood obesity by 2015. The communities are Camden, Newark, Trenton, New Brunswick, and Vineland. The lead agency in Vineland is the YMCA.

“Because of the need to decrease childhood obesity, it’s been demonstrated that there is a need in these communities for change," said M. Alysia Mastrangelo, Ph.D., P.T., Stockton faculty member. "It will take the whole community to make this happen. Because of the Robert Wood Johnson initiative, ideas can be implemented.”

Future meetings will begin the planning process for strategies to fight childhood obesity in the Vineland area.

Interested agencies and individuals are encouraged to call Lisa Scheetz at the YMCA at (856)691-0030, extension 119 for details.

Homemade snowflakes decorate school

Submitted.

The Delsea Regional High School SAVE/REACH Programs,  self-contained Special Education classes, created 3-D snowflakes this month.

Once spotted in the special education classroom, the class of ten students received requests for the snowflakes.

The students created over 75 multi-colored large 3-D snowflakes that transformed the high school building into a winter wonderland. Snowflakes adorned the central office, the nurses’ office, the guidance office, the library and many classrooms.

Teachers Laura Jones and Beverly Cunliffe taught the students how to make 3-D snowflakes and students began a flurry of snowflake making.