nj.com/bridgeton WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 Complex Jose …media.nj.com/cumberland_impact/other/The...
1
Illegal trailers uncovered. Page A-3 nj.com/bridgeton WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 50¢ 6 56525 11071 9 ■ Drugs found in search can’t be used as evidence. Page A-3. ■ Senior Center breaks ground. Page A-8. ■ DeGregorio honored. Page A-8. Annie’s Mailbox ....... B-7 BEN column . . . B-4 Classified...... B-8 Comics ........ B-6 Community .... A-3 Crossword ..... B-5 Dr. Gott ....... B-7 Horoscope ..... B-7 Obituaries ..... A-7 Police Blotter . . A-5 Sports ........ B-1 Sudoku........ B-5 Television...... B-5 Viewpoint ..... A-4 Cloudy, High 95 and rising. Details, Page A-2. WEATHER INSIDE TODAY INDEX Vol. 263, No. 146 Get local breaking news 24/7 at nj.com/cumberland Murder suspect in custody Jose R. Rodriguez turns himself in JOSE R. RODRIgUEZ Gas leak at Vine St. school Staff Photo By Cathy Cramer The Bridgeton Fire Department and the demolition crew stand by as the South Jersey Gas co. evalu- ate the situation at the Vine Street school building in Bridgeton Tuesday due to a broken gas pipe. Photo special to The News/Tanya Erickson From left, Katrina Myers, Rene Hogan, Becky Saville and Tanya Erickson. (Becky was a team member in 2010 but will not be walking with us in 2011). By Jason Laday [email protected] BRIDGETON — Crew members working at the for- mer Vine Street School acci- dentally severed an old gas pipe in the building’s base- ment, forcing some neighbors to temporarily evacuate the area as a precaution. No one was injured in the incident, in which a two-inch, low-pressure service line was ruptured as crews were con- ducting demolition work — mostly clearing out old pipes, they said — in advance of construction to make the for- mer school into a new county prosecutor’s office. Dan Lockwood, a spokes- man for South Jersey Gas, stated that while gas service to the building has been shut off for nearly three decades, the service line allows anyone who purchases the building to begin receiving gas quickly. (See LEAK, Page A-9) By Brittany M. Wehner [email protected] MILLVILLE — In an attempt to raise money for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, residents and teammates Tanya Erickson, Katrina Myers and Rene’ Hogan are putting on an amazing race style fundraiser on Saturday. In order to walk the 60 miles in three days, participants are required to raise a minimum of $2,300. The fundraiser will go toward the foundation. “This walk is one of the most awe inspiring things I have heard of. It’s tough. It’s a very moving experience, and we al believe we are hoping to make a difference by participating,” Erickson said. The group’s team name is Pink Ladies. 60 miles in 3 days the quest (See RACE, Page A-9) By Stephen Smith [email protected] BRIDGETON — The man charged with mur- dering city resident Andre E. Harris turned him- self in at the Bridgeton Police Department Tues- day afternoon. Jose R. Rodriguez, 21, was lodged in the Cum- berland County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail, set by Superior Court Judge Darrell Fineman. Detective Lt. Michael Gaimari said that mem- bers of Rodriguez’s family contacted the depart- ment early on Tuesday and said that he would turn himself in. He came to the station around 1 p.m. and was processed, then taken to the jail. “With the help of the U.S. Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force, who have been working with Bridgeton and Prosecutor’s Office detectives on locating the suspect since Friday, it appears the suspect tired of avoiding efforts to locate him and turned himself in,” Gaimari said. He also said that authorities had also been searching for Rodriguez in Camden and Burling- ton counties. He was originally from Camden. Gaimari said Monday that police did not believe Rodriguez was still in Cumberland County, though (See SUSPECT, Page A-9) By Greg Adomaitis [email protected] BRIDGETON — Ongoing issues at two of the city’s housing complexes prompted a letter from city officials and follow- up questions from residents at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. The two sites, Burlington Manor and Bridgeton Villas, have been the scene of a recent shooting and recurring tres- passing. They are the most “troublesome,” according to Mayor Albert Kelly. “The more I think about it, the madder I get,” Kelly said of the April 15 shooting at Burlington Manor, where two youth were hit by stray bullets. This extreme example “could have been avoided,” according to the mayor and he wants to sit down and move the ball forward with managers and owner- ship It’s not all bad, though. Kelly said he goes through both com- plexes on a regular basis and talks to residents, and hears their concerns. Some of the success have been dis- cussed, but the city wants to avoid, rather than address, any sort of future crime. Tuesday’s announcement came the same day a suspect wanted in a murder last week surrendered to authorities. The incident, and such violent acts in general, drew the ire of residents at the meeting, but city officials were right there with them. Some residents suggested pursuing known criminals living in the city’s Hope 6 housing units. What Kelly emphasized about the April shooting, which happened at a large remembrance gathering, was that Complex security angers Kelly (See BRIDGETON, Page A-9) By Jason Laday [email protected] BRIDGETON — The Cumberland County freeholders on Tuesday agreed to pay a former county jail inmate $125,000 in a court settlement concerning the inmate’s contraction of staph infection at the jail. James Parker, 50, contracted MRSA — Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus — an infection common to facili- ties with high frequencies of skin-to-skin contact while lodged in the county jail. The infection caused a softball-sized boil to form on his inner thigh, which required surgery to remove in late 2007. According to the resolution greenlight- ing the settlement, Parker accused both the Cumberland County Department of Corrections as well as the county itself of negligence for “failure to provide appro- priate and proper medical treatment” in a lawsuit filed at that time. According to officials, the case of sub- mitted to a settlement conference, at which the settlement amount of $125,000 was reached. Parker had been an inmate at the coun- County pays $125,000 for MRSA case (See COUNTY, Page A-9) By Jim Cook Jr. [email protected] MILLVILLE — The city could be sav- ing up to $125,000 on energy usage at the municipal building and the sewer utility plan if they enter into an agree- ment with the Cumberland County Improvement Authority (CCIA) to invest in a solar energy plant. At the city commission meeting, the city passed an ordinance on first read- ing for $100,000 to pay for the permit- ting and engineering associated with the solar energy plant in association with the CCIA renewable energy program located on the sewer utility plant grounds. “The primary goal is to expand renew- able energy sources,” said Rich Jones, assistant city engineer. The CCIA looked at five local build- ings to determine which would best uti- lize the renewable energy, including the police, fire, public works and municipal buildings, as well as the sewer utility plant. The CCIA found that the municipal building and the sewer plant would benefit most and developed an eight- acre concept solar field just south of the plant. According to Jones, the approximate cost is $12 million. “If you’re producing more energy than needed, that energy goes back to the grid,” Jones said of the renewable energy program. “You’re only paying for the net of what you consume.” Millville talking solar (See MILLVILLE, Page A-9)
Transcript of nj.com/bridgeton WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 Complex Jose …media.nj.com/cumberland_impact/other/The...
Illegal trailers uncovered. Page A-3
nj.com/bridgeton WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 50¢
6 56525 11071 9
■ Drugs found in search can’t be used as evidence. Page A-3 .
■ Senior Center breaks ground. Page A-8.
■ DeGregorio honored. Page A-8.
Annie’s Mailbox . . . . . . . B-7 BEN column . . . B-4 Classified. . . . . . B-8 Comics . . . . . . . . B-6
Community . . . . A-3 Crossword . . . . . B-5Dr. Gott . . . . . . . B-7 Horoscope . . . . . B-7 Obituaries . . . . . A-7
Police Blotter . . A-5Sports . . . . . . . . B-1 Sudoku. . . . . . . . B-5 Television. . . . . . B-5 Viewpoint . . . . . A-4
Cloudy, High 95and rising.
Details, Page A-2.
WEATHERINSIDE TODAYINDEX
Vol. 263, No. 146
Get local breaking news 24/7 at nj.com/cumberland
Murder suspect in custodyJose R. Rodriguez turns himself in
JOSE R. RODRIgUEZ
Gas leak at Vine St. school
Staff Photo By Cathy Cramer
The Bridgeton Fire Department and the demolition crew stand by as the South Jersey Gas co. evalu-ate the situation at the Vine Street school building in Bridgeton Tuesday due to a broken gas pipe.
Photo special to The News/Tanya Erickson
From left, Katrina Myers, Rene Hogan, Becky Saville and Tanya Erickson. (Becky was a team member in 2010 but will not be walking with us in 2011).
By Jason [email protected]
BRIDGETON — Crew members working at the for-mer Vine Street School acci-dentally severed an old gas pipe in the building’s base-ment, forcing some neighbors to temporarily evacuate the area as a precaution.
No one was injured in the incident, in which a two-inch, low-pressure service line was ruptured as crews were con-ducting demolition work — mostly clearing out old pipes, they said — in advance of construction to make the for-mer school into a new county prosecutor’s office.
Dan Lockwood, a spokes-man for South Jersey Gas, stated that while gas service to the building has been shut off for nearly three decades, the service line allows anyone who purchases the building to begin receiving gas quickly.
(See LEAK, Page A-9)
By Brittany M. [email protected]
MILLVILLE — In an attempt to raise money for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, residents and teammates Tanya Erickson, Katrina Myers and Rene’ Hogan are putting on an amazing race style fundraiser on Saturday.
In order to walk the 60 miles in three days, participants are required to raise a minimum of $2,300.
The fundraiser will go toward the foundation.
“This walk is one of the most awe inspiring things I have heard of. It’s tough. It’s a very moving experience, and we al believe we are hoping to make a difference by participating,” Erickson said.
The group’s team name is Pink Ladies.
60 milesin 3 daysthe quest
(See RACE, Page A-9)
By Stephen [email protected]
BRIDGETON — The man charged with mur-dering city resident Andre E. Harris turned him-self in at the Bridgeton Police Department Tues-day afternoon.
Jose R. Rodriguez, 21, was lodged in the Cum-berland County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail, set by Superior Court Judge Darrell Fineman.
Detective Lt. Michael Gaimari said that mem-bers of Rodriguez’s family contacted the depart-ment early on Tuesday and said that he would turn himself in.
He came to the station around 1 p.m. and was
processed, then taken to the jail.“With the help of the U.S. Marshal’s Regional
Fugitive Task Force, who have been working with Bridgeton and Prosecutor’s Office detectives on locating the suspect since Friday, it appears the suspect tired of avoiding efforts to locate him and turned himself in,” Gaimari said.
He also said that authorities had also been searching for Rodriguez in Camden and Burling-ton counties.
He was originally from Camden.Gaimari said Monday that police did not believe
Rodriguez was still in Cumberland County, though
(See SUSPECT, Page A-9)
By Greg [email protected]
BRIDGETON — Ongoing issues at two of the city’s housing complexes prompted a letter from city officials and follow-up questions from residents at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
The two sites, Burlington Manor and Bridgeton Villas, have been the scene of a recent shooting and recurring tres-passing.
They are the most “troublesome,” according to Mayor Albert Kelly.
“The more I think about it, the madder I get,” Kelly said of the April 15 shooting at Burlington Manor, where two youth were hit by stray bullets.
This extreme example “could have been avoided,” according to the mayor and he wants to sit down and move the ball forward with managers and owner-ship
It’s not all bad, though.Kelly said he goes through both com-
plexes on a regular basis and talks to residents, and hears their concerns.
Some of the success have been dis-cussed, but the city wants to avoid, rather than address, any sort of future crime.
Tuesday’s announcement came the same day a suspect wanted in a murder last week surrendered to authorities.
The incident, and such violent acts in general, drew the ire of residents at the meeting, but city officials were right there with them.
Some residents suggested pursuing known criminals living in the city’s Hope 6 housing units.
What Kelly emphasized about the April shooting, which happened at a large remembrance gathering, was that
ComplexsecurityangersKelly
(See BRIDGETON, Page A-9)
By Jason [email protected]
BRIDGETON — The Cumberland County freeholders on Tuesday agreed to pay a former county jail inmate $125,000 in a court settlement concerning the inmate’s contraction of staph infection at the jail.
James Parker, 50, contracted MRSA
— Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus — an infection common to facili-ties with high frequencies of skin-to-skin contact while lodged in the county jail.
The infection caused a softball-sized boil to form on his inner thigh, which required surgery to remove in late 2007.
According to the resolution greenlight-ing the settlement, Parker accused both the Cumberland County Department of
Corrections as well as the county itself of negligence for “failure to provide appro-priate and proper medical treatment” in a lawsuit filed at that time.
According to officials, the case of sub-mitted to a settlement conference, at which the settlement amount of $125,000 was reached.
Parker had been an inmate at the coun-
County pays $125,000 for MRSA case
(See COUNTY, Page A-9)
By Jim Cook [email protected]
MILLVILLE — The city could be sav-ing up to $125,000 on energy usage at the municipal building and the sewer utility plan if they enter into an agree-ment with the Cumberland County Improvement Authority (CCIA) to invest in a solar energy plant.
At the city commission meeting, the city passed an ordinance on first read-ing for $100,000 to pay for the permit-ting and engineering associated with the solar energy plant in association with the CCIA renewable energy program located on the sewer utility plant grounds.
“The primary goal is to expand renew-able energy sources,” said Rich Jones, assistant city engineer.
The CCIA looked at five local build-ings to determine which would best uti-lize the renewable energy, including the police, fire, public works and municipal buildings, as well as the sewer utility plant.
The CCIA found that the municipal building and the sewer plant would benefit most and developed an eight-acre concept solar field just south of the plant.
According to Jones, the approximate cost is $12 million.
“If you’re producing more energy than needed, that energy goes back to the grid,” Jones said of the renewable energy program. “You’re only paying for the net of what you consume.”
Millvilletalkingsolar
(See MILLVILLE, Page A-9)
