Thieves stole thousands of dollars in tools from sites in Gloucester and Salem counties.

The program is designed to help seniors live healthy and celebrate their age.

SALEM -- Looking for an opportunity to learn how to stay healthy? You're in luck! The county is sponsoring a wellness initiatives to help seniors learn just that. 

The Salem County Department of Health and Human Service is sponsoring classes for WISE, Wellness Initiative for Senior Education, through its Office on Aging and Disabilities. 

The WISE program starts in September in Pilesgrove and Pennsville Townships and includes six topical classes ranging from the aging process to how to celebrate senior years. Free lunch will be provided at each session. 

Class will be from noon to 2 p.m. at the Ware Building in Pilesgrove on September 7, 14, 21, 28, October 5 and 12. 

Another session will be held at the Pennsville Towers in Pennsville on October 26, November 2, 9, 16, 30 and December 7. 

To register or for more information, call 856-339-8622. 

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

Move Yourself! Salem County is inviting community members of all ages and abilities to join in walks, chair yoga and Tai Chi events.

SALEM -- The Move Yourself! Salem County outdoor walk and indoor exercise program sets its September 2017 dates.

The outdoor walk-n-talks will take place every Tuesday at 10 a.m. in various parks throughout the county.

The indoor exercises -- tai chi and chair yoga, will take place every Thursday at 10 a.m. in the Stage Room at The Ware Building, located at 51 Cheney Road in Woodstown. The Ware Building is located two miles south of Woodstown off Route 45 behind the Salem County Vo-Tech and next door to the Salem County Special Services Salem Campus.

Additionally, the Office of Aging is offering a free box lunch to participating seniors on Tuesday September 12 and Tuesday September 26. To receive the free-boxed lunch, the participant must be over 60 years of age, fill out a small registration form, and RSVP by 8 a.m. the day before the class. Seniors must call 856-935-7510 ext. 8302 to register for the boxed lunch. The box lunch is prepared by the Italian Kitchen of Pennsville and meets the nutrition requirements of the State Office of Aging.

The exercise schedule is part of the We Can! campaign to encourage residents with special needs to participate. If a special needs resident requires transportation, please contact the Salem County Office of Aging at 856-339-8622 in advance. 

The schedule of events is as follows: 

Sept. 5: Outdoor walk at Fort Mott State Park in Pennsville
Sept. 7: Chair Yoga at the Ware Building in Woodstown
Sept. 12: Outdoor Walk at Marlton Recreation Park in Woodstown
Sept. 14: Tai Chi at the Ware Building in Woodstown
Sept. 19: Outdoor walk at the Salem County Recreation Park in Oldmans Township
Sept. 21: Chair Yoga at the Ware Building in Woodstown
Sept. 26: Outdoor walk at Riverview Beach Park in Pennsville
Sept. 28: Tai Chi at the Ware Building in Woodstown

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

Voting for the winner is based on change -- a dime is 10 votes, a quarter 25 and so on.

PENNSVILLE -- The Miss Salem County Scholarship Organization will be holding its annual photo contest to find the cutest kid in Pennsville.

Residents are asked to send in photos of their children from Pennsville and Deepwater, ages newborn to 10 years for the annual contest. Voting will be conducted as change votes; one dime is 10 votes, a quarter is 25 votes, a dollar is 100 votes and so on. The winner will be the photo of the child with the most votes.

Voting will take place at Septemberfest Festivities in Riverview Park on September 9. All photos entered will be on display for residents to vote on. The winner will be notified on September 10 and will receive a $50.00 gift certificate for Toys R Us. 

To submit your child for the competition, one portrait-style photo, proof of residence and child's age is required. A $5 processing fee must be submitted with photo. Entries must be mailed or delivered by September 8 to the Miss Salem County Scholarship Organization at 50 S. Pennsville-Auburn Road in Carneys Point. 

For more info contact: humphreys64@comcast.net or 856-299-5372.

Have community news you'd like to share? Send an email to sjtowns@njadvancemedia.com. Have an event happening you want to share? Go to nj.com/events to submit your information to be included in a community calendar. 

David J. Mills III was indicted in the shooting death of Shariff Aaron in Salem Oct. 31.

SALEM -- A city resident has been indicted on charges he fatally shot a man on a Salem sidewalk early on Halloween morning, according to court records.

David J. Mills III, 25, is accused of killing Shariff Aaron, 19, around 12:20 a.m. Oct. 31 on Olive Street, authorities said.

Police searched for a suspect in the killing of Aaron, a city resident, for months until arresting Mills on June 12.

Prosecutors said that in March they got a break when a person they say was an eyewitness to the killing came forward and gave authorities a statement that led them to Mills.

Authorities said the person told them they allegedly saw Mills approach Aaron on Olive Street from behind and shoot Aaron once in the back of the head with a handgun.

At a detention hearing on June 16 Mills was ordered to remain behind bars.

A Salem County grand jury this week indicted Mills on a first-degree charge of murder, second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and third-degree hindering apprehension or prosecution, court records say.

Girl died while mom was high, cops say

After he was shot, Aaron was taken to Christiana Hospital, Newark, Del., where he died about four hours later.

Aaron was found about 50 feet from where Olive intersects with West Broadway, a street corner police say is known for criminal activity -- including other shootings.

This was the second fatal shooting in a month near the corner. In that case police witnessed the shooting and immediately apprehended a suspect.

Authorities have not said what the motive for Mills allegedly killing Aaron was.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police are worried that the Sept. 8 release of 'IT' will trigger another creepy clown hysteria.

On Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police released a community bulletin outlining concerns of the "creepy clowns," which plagued several communities last fall, making a comeback this month.

"With the fall of 2017 upon us, it is anticipated that similar "creepy clown" sightings could be reported starting as soon as September," the bulletin didn't mention the release of the latest film adaptation of Stephen King's bestselling novel "It" hitting theaters on Sept. 8 as the cause of their concern.

This time last year, the 2016 sightings left many parents in a panic with clowns threatening schools, neighborhoods and specific age groups of children. Local police departments were put on high alert and dozens of people nationwide were arrested for taking part in the clown hysteria. Locally, teens from Deptford, Woodstown and Linden were arrested and charged for their parts in the threats and pranks.

Gloucester County got its fair share of the craze when panic hit numerous districts including Deptford, Glassboro, Clearview, Kingsway, and West Deptford. The chaos was eventually traced back to a Facebook message posted by an account called Aint Clownin Around that read "we will be at all High schools this friday to either kidnapp students or kill teachers going to they cars."

Creepy, killer clown threats: 6 things you need to know

An anonymous Instagram account posted photos of Deptford High School with menacing captions threatening the school.

Other districts in New Jersey -- including Vineland in Cumberland County and Toms River in Ocean County -- dealt with similar social media claims.

In Phillipsburg, actual clowns were actually sighted four different times over two days. Police reported that a jester chased a child with a sword and that cars full of clowns made their ways through the streets. 

Threats, sightings and scares grew to a point where officers had to publicly discourage the idea of "hunting" clowns, something the Pennsylvania State Police stands by. They are encouraging anyone who sees a clown or has anything to report to not take matters into their own hands and let police handle it.

Sgt. Jeff Flynn of the New Jersey State Police said he is less concerned with clowns and more concerned with basic back to school safety this time of year. 

"There's no way to know if this movie coming out is going to start this creepy clown stuff back up, so for now, basic back to school safety is what we suggest" parents focus on, he said. 

"Since we can't forsee the clowns coming back, we reccomend kids walk to and from school in groups, don't talk to strangers and know what to do if they're grabbed," Flynn said. "These are the tips we've given out for decades and they're what people should be familiarized with now."

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Every Saturday, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.

Every Saturday, the South Jersey Times cheers those who make our area a better place in which to live and jeers those whose actions merit derision.

CHEERS: To true American music. The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival kicked off Friday at the Salem County Fairgrounds and will continue through Sunday. The event is expected to draw thousands of music lovers and will feature some of the top bluegrass and other original music performers in the nation. Organized by the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music, the event was first held in Delaware until finding the perfect rural venue on this side of the river in Salem County. Performances Saturday and Sunday begin on the main stage around noon. Along with the music, there are plenty of other music-related activities at the event, from clogging lessons to music workshops. Headliners this year include the Del McCoury Band and Asleep at the Wheel. The festival was recognized by the International Bluegrass Music Association as its Event of the Year in 2016. More info can be found on the festival site at www.delawarevalleybluegrass.org.

JEERS: To thieves targeting a group that works to help others. Burglars have stolen tools from a Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity work site in Deptford Township three times since the spring. A similar crime was reported earlier this summer at a Salem County Habitat site in Pittsgrove Township These are cold-hearted crimes, but they won't stop the good work of an organization simply trying to provide quality housing to people who need a hand. Several area organizations and everyday residents have stepped up to help Habitat with donations of money and replacement tools. We hope the thieves will take some time to learn about the people they have victimized.

CHEERS: To always getting their piglet. New Jersey State Police troopers at the Port Norris Station had an unusual call recently -- a piglet on the loose in Commercial Township. State troopers are used to handling all types of situations, and while this was a little different, they came through. Troopers Ray Coleman, Bryan Blair and Julio Ferrer tracked and caught the loose piglet, state police said. Then, thanks to his past experience with animals, Coleman took care of the baby until a local farmer discovered he was missing an animal and claimed the little one. Just goes to show that New Jersey's men and women in blue are ready for any assignment -- even the truly unusual ones.

JEERS: To scammers trying a new tactic. Gloucester County issued an alert this week after a resident reported receiving a call from someone who claimed to represent the county. It seems to be an effort to get personal identifying information. County officials advised that employees will never ask for such information unless the resident initiates the call. Residents are getting wise to scammers' tactics, so the crooks are adapting and trying to find new ways to dupe honest people. Stay alert and don't fall for these tricks. If you aren't sure about a call, contact your police department before providing personal information or money. Learn more by calling the Gloucester County Office of Consumer Protection at 856-384-6855.

CHEERS: To enjoying the last "unofficial" weekend of summer 2017. Yes, we know the forecast calls for some dreary weather to begin the long holiday and gas prices have jumped thanks to Hurricane Harvey, but there's still plenty to enjoy. Be sure to relax a little with family and friends and have a good time. Also, if you do drink, don't drive. Let's keep it a safe holiday for all.  

If you know of someone or something you would like to nominate for a cheer or a jeer, please send the information to sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

Salem Community College had abolished the last of its intercollegiate programs because of budget concerns three years ago.

CARNEYS POINT TWP. -- A South Jersey college may be a step closer to bringing back athletic programs to its campus.

Salem Community College axed the last of its intercollegiate sports three years ago because of financial problems, but officials there are now reassessing whether the time is right for some of those programs to be brought back.

With an athletics feasibility study ordered earlier this year now completed, the college is forming a Sports Advisory Council to engage in an "open conversation" about the potential of reinstating some athletics, said SCC President Michael Gorman. 

Gorman, who will lead the council, says the group "will offer community reflection" on the study to determine the next move by the college.

"I believe in the importance of engaging in a wider discussion before we decide whether it's practical to reinstate at least some men and women's teams in the 2018-2019 academic year."

The study hasn't yet been made public. The advisory council members will be the first to see it.

The college's board of trustees voted in February 2014 to kill SCC's remaining sports programs for the 2014-2015 school year.

During 2013-2014, the Salem Oaks had fielded teams in four sports -- women's soccer in the fall, men's and women's basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. 

The college's men's soccer, softball and golf programs finished with the 2012-2013 academic year.

New college president sets goals

Before they were cut, college officials said about 80 students had been involved in intercollegiate sports.

The cost of each sports program varied from $16,000 to $25,000, officials said.

The money that had gone to athletics was being redirected, officials said at the time, to improve student retention and completion programs at the college which has an enrollment of about 1,000 students.

The year prior, the college eliminated men's soccer, golf and softball.

"I believe in the importance of engaging in a wider discussion before we decide whether it's practical to reinstate at least some men and women's teams in the 2018-2019 academic year," Gorman said.

The council will meet on Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. in Donaghay Hall, Room DON-106.  Gorman said he will carefully consider council members' input in preparing his recommendation to the Board of Trustees in November. 

"Whether our recommendation is to reinstate athletics or maintain the status quo, we will openly share the rationale for our decision," said Gorman. 

When he took over as SCC president two years ago, Gorman had said reviving some of the college's sports programs was one of his goals.

The sports feasibility study drawn up by Nyere Miller who previously served as SCC's athletics coordinator and a coach. 

Those interested in serving on the Sports Advisory Council should call the Office of the President at 856-351-2601.  

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

William Stumm writes that the judicial and youth protection systems should have stopped the accused mother, with a child-neglect history, from caring for another young child.

After reading the recent South Jersey Times article "Mom charged in tot's death had history of using drugs and neglecting kids," I'm shocked, appalled and angry, but not at all surprised.

(The article disclosed previous justice system and child services interactions concerning Deanna Joseph, 39, of Alloway Township. She was charged last month in Salem County with child endangerment and other charges, after prosecutors said she got high on drugs, and left her 2-year-old daughter unattended in her car for hours. The youngster was found dead in her car seat.)

This is a glaring and outrageous example of our completely failed, bleeding-heart, liberal "catch-and-release" justice system, which has led to the horrible death of an innocent, helpless child.

How did we allow this to happen? Where was our child welfare system? Where were all of our social workers? Who thought it was a good idea to allow this woman to keep the 2-year-old baby (after she had pleaded guilty twice before to neglecting children while on drugs)?

Now, thanks to a cabal of self-serving judges and lawyers, a life has been lost in a most tragic way. Here's what we should know: Who are these lawyers and judges? They have the blood of this child on their hands.

Making plea deals when a child's life is at stake? Shame on all of them. Do they sleep well at night knowing that their actions resulted in this tragedy?  

William Stumm, Woodstown  

Monumental mistake to erase history

Trying to erase undesirable history and its significant figures, whether people or that statues of them, is a short-sighted, damaging reaction rather than a thoughtful cure for recent events. 

Ever since World War II and the Holocaust, the cry has been, "Never forget!" The responsible and wise agenda for making sure the horrors of that war never happen again has been to keep what happened perpetually before the eyes of every generation. 

We build monuments and museums so no generation can forget, or claim to not know. We don't pretend that Hitler never existed. Rather, we perpetuate the memory of such a fiend, and how he deceived and rose to power, so that we might smell the smoldering of anyone else   like him -- and cut him off at the pass.

If we purge life of every contrary view and every adversary, we are no longer on guard to perceive them nor motivated to resist them. Like a vaccine, we need to keep them around in a safe form so that our institutions and consciences are are inoculated against them. 

This is what monuments and museums do. While some changes may be required to make the objectionable into effective "vaccines" --  instead of active "viruses" -- let's not tear them down. 

The greatest place where these great lessons are preserved is in the Bible. Let us give our minds and hearts to Jesus Christ, and never forget, so that peace may reign in every heart and every land.

Don Elwell, Woodstown

What about slave owners on U.S. money?

There are diverse viewpoints on concerning whether to remove or keep certain  statues around the country because the figures depicted were slave owners or slave sympathizers.    

If the end result is that all such statues are removed, there is another area of concern: U.S. currency.

All of these men on U.S. currency were slave owners: George Washington, $1 bill and quarter; Alexander Hamilton, $10 bill; Thomas Jefferson, nickel; Andrew Jackson, $20 bill; Ulysses Grant, $50 bill; and Benjamin Franklin, $100 bill.

Do we now want to change the portraits on our currency ?

David M. Levin, Vineland

Editor's note: Last year, the Obama administration announced plans to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill with abolitionist Harriet Tubman, but current Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, appointed by President Donald Trump, recently declined to endorse the change.

Labor Day ideals are under seige

In the modern American imagination, Labor Day is about summer's "last hurrah." It's about barbecuing in the back yard before it gets too cold and muggy, the last chance to go swimming outside and the end of summer vacation. 

But, much like many people have forgotten that the "Memorial" in "Memorial Day" is intended to have people remember America's fallen heroes, many have forgotten that Labor Day is supposed to celebrate the American labor movement.

The labor movement, led by strong unions that organized and protected workers, brought us ideas that protect the average worker like the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, weekends off, and so much more. 

Today, these ideas are under siege. Americans are increasingly productive at the cost of giving up more and more hours of their lives for less benefit per hour. Now, many families need two parents working multiple jobs. Even some of their kids need to work just to make ends meet, at the expense of their education.

This Labor Day, let's remember that the fight for the dignity of the American worker is far from over. Support unions and their members, and create an American economy that works for everyone.

David A. Spector, Bellmawr  

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In South Jersey health care, the big get bigger. Nothing wrong with that -- if New Jersey regulators halt any signs of monopolistic pricing and practices.

In South Jersey medical care, Bigfoot is stomping around again. What's important is that he not be allowed to become the Jersey Devil.

Camden-based Cooper University Hospital, a dominant and growing regional power, announced Thursday that it's buying three Catholic hospitals in southern and central New Jersey, thus expanding its big footprint to new areas and giving Cooper control of both acute-care hospitals in the City of Camden. 

Included in the deal with Trinity Health are Our Lady of Lourdes in Camden, Lourdes Medical Center in Burlington and St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton. As noted by Cooper University Health board chairman George Norcross III, the planned acquisition would give Cooper a total of 1,382 beds when the trio of hospitals is added to Cooper's 675-bed flagship hospital in Camden.

As with all hospital mergers, there are good and bad points to consider. For Trinity, the sale acknowledges difficulty in competing with mega-chains. Amazingly, a post-merger Cooper would be only the fourth largest medical care system in New Jersey. The others are all based in North and Central Jersey. it's possible that Cooper acted because one of or more of that trio had in an appetite for Trinity -- or even Cooper itself -- in its sights.

Obviously, there are economies of scale here for Cooper, whose previous expansions have not involved acquiring more beds. But Cooper jointly runs the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, which opened in 2012. In 2013, it partnered with the top-ranked M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas for its own cancer center. A Cooper unit recently wrestled away Camden City EMS transportation from arch-rival Virtua Health, and Cooper's outpatient services already span the entire region.

A bigger Cooper will increase its negotiating clout with insurers, which could be a "win" for patients, as long as the state ensures that it won't instead result in near-monopoly pricing with a shrinking group of insurance providers. Already, Cooper holds a controversial 20 percent stake in AmeriHealth New Jersey, one of the state's larger for-profit insurers. That investment should now get added scrutiny.

A Cooper-Trinity deal doesn't directly impact any in-patient hospital in Gloucester, Salem or Cumberland counties but that, too, is a mixed bag. It's particularly important that struggling Memorial Hospital of Salem County be put on sustainable footing after a planned sale fell through earlier this year. Nothing in the Cooper acquisition plan improves the situation for MHSC, the only hospital serving a large geographic area.

Cooper will continue to compete with the large Virtua Health System in Camden and Burlington counties. Medium-sized Kennedy Health and Inspira Health hold most of the beds in Gloucester County, and it would surprise no one to see either of them end up under a Cooper or Virtua sign. A Kennedy-Virtua "collaboration" was said to be in the works four years ago, but little has been announced since then.

Meanwhile, critics will see Norcross, also known as a potent South Jersey political power broker, gaining still more power. It's possible to overstate the case, but nor should it be ignored that everything from legal services to linen contracts at the acquired hospitals will be in his grasp. Any New Jersey regulatory body that has a say in the terms of Cooper's acquisition must be careful to avoid undue influence from him or the many elected officials who owe their careers to him.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

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The state may introduce recreational marijuana first in Atlantic City, but then penalize its citizens harshly for using it and driving.

There is no gentle way to say it: The white community enjoys smoking marijuana, and it has become socially acceptable in that community to do so. 

Just look at the states where the recreational use of cannabis is now legal. Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, Maine and Washington State are not known for their large black populations. Now, I am not saying that black and brown people do not partake, since they do, and they often end up in jail for it. 

For the white majority, marijuana cultivation and sales are very different experience. It can be extremely rewarding financially and has the potential to be the industry behind the next group of American multimillionaires. However, that is only if you already have lots of money and strong political connections, as the licensing process to sell recreational marijuana, where it is legal, is extremely expensive. Most small entrepreneurs do not have access to the capital needed to  get through the application process, much less the hard business costs.

Right now there are 11 recreational marijuana bills pending in the New Jersey Legislature. Several are very interesting and provide a snapshot of what the marijuana business may ultimately look like in our state.

Assembly Bill 2068 would legalize possession and personal use of small amounts of marijuana for those 21 years old and above. For entrepreneurs, the bill would allow the retail sale of marijuana, while cultivating, processing storing, repackaging and delivery would be decriminalized. The state anticipates a tax bonanza if these transactions were made legal.

Then there is A3942, also known as the "Providing Opportunities for Tomorrow in Atlantic City Act." This bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), would place a question on the ballot to authorize Atlantic City to legalize the commercial growth, sale, possession, consumption and taxation of marijuana within the city limits. This is similar to what was enacted in Washington, D.C. The tax rate would be 20 percent, which is a pretty nice cut for the state. 

Marijuana has the potential to bring in more tax revenue than any other industry in New Jersey. So, A3942 has the potential to help stabilize Atlantic City's finances over time while creating wealth for a lot of people. I firmly believe New Jersey entrepreneurs should be included. 

Such inclusion is not happening in the state's existing medical marijuana program. The case of the Harmony Foundation is a prime example. The Harmony Foundation is set to open the Garden State's sixth marijuana dispensary in Secaucus by year's end. But its license application got off to a revealing, precarious start Harmony once beat out 19 others for a grower's permit. 

The process includes a background check on the organization's board of directors. Such investigation reportedly found that most of Harmony's directors were Russian business executives. The board then underwent a purge, with Russian citizens replaced by U.S. citizens. Also, new principals and investors were brought in. 

Here is a documented case where a growing/dispensing facility in our state, potentially a big money maker, was being controlled by business people with ties to a nation at odds with our own. How could a company like this, even after recruiting a new board of directors, be granted a license?  

Let me answer my own question: Harmony was granted a license because the company had the money and, in a capitalistic society, money unfortunately rules.

There is one more telling detail in the "Providing Opportunities for Tomorrow in Atlantic City Act." This bill would also increase the penalties for driving under the influence of marijuana purchased in A.C. to include a mandatory one-year license suspension for a first offense. 

Now, put this in perspective. The state may introduce recreational marijuana by bringing it to Atlantic City first, and reap an expected financial windfall. Then private citizens will be penalized severely for buying this A.C. marijuana and driving a motor vehicle. 

Arrest statistics show that people of color are disproportionately arrested and incarcerated for marijuana use. There is nothing I have seen or heard that indicates arrest/ incarceration statistics would be any different if A3942 becomes law.

I just don't see casino guests getting arrested regularly for any kind of marijuana use. If you want to kill a casino or resort town like Atlantic City, a good start would be to start locking up out-of-town visitors and in-state gamblers.

So, just who does that leave to be subject to the harsh penalties?

Milton W. Hinton Jr. is director of equal opportunity for the Gloucester County government. He is past president of the Gloucester County Branch NAACP. His column states his personal views, not those of any organization or agency. Email: mwhjr678@gmail.com.

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This is the 46th year for the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is organized by the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music.

PILESGROVE TWP. -- Some dreary weather has failed to put a damper on the annual gathering of lovers of what's been called true American music.

The 46^th annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is underway at the Salem County Fairgrounds.

The three-day event opened on Friday. Fans didn't let the rain, which fell steady at times during the last two days, spoil their outing.

The festival wraps up Sunday with music beginning around noon and continuing to early evening.

The event draws thousands of music lovers and beside the top-name acts features workshops for both adults and the kids.

The festival was named the International Bluegrass Music Association's Event of the Year in 2016.

It's organized by the all-volunteer Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music.

John Leinaweaver placed first in two events on Saturday night.

PILESGROVE TWP. -- Pennsylvania cowboy John Leinaweaver was the top money-winner at Cowtown Rodeo Saturday night.

Leinaweaver, of Orrtanna, Pennsylvania, placed first in both the steer wrestling and bull riding events.

For those two first-place finishes he took home a total of $1,526.56 in prize money, rodeo officials said.

Here are the results from Saturday night's performance. They include the contestant's name, score or time, and winnings:

Bareback Bronc Riding: First, James Carter, 76 score, $485.04; Tim Kent, 70, $323.36.

Saddle Bronc Riding: Neither contestant made the required eight-second ride in the event. Contestants Will Stites and Garrett Mortenson both took home $404.20 in ground money.

Bull Riding: First, John Leinaweaver, 72 score, $1,090.40. (Leinaweaver's winnings include $654.24 in ground money.)

Rodeo a longtime tradition in N.J.

Steer Wrestling: First, John Leinaweaver, 4.8 seconds time, $436.16; Bryan Tamm, 5.8, $327.12, Chad Stoltzfus, 6.3, $218.08; Blake Naglak, 7.6, $109.04.

Tie-Down Roping: First, Colby Clement, 15.1 seconds time, $376; J.R. Myers, 17.1, $282; Tim Naylor, 20.8, $188; Lance Hower, 26.0, $94.

Team Roping:  First, Jose Mota and Kenny Brown, 7.4 seconds time, $814.80 each; Waylon Cameron and Ryan Whetham, 8.0, $611.10 each; Erik Hartenstein and Tim Naylor, 9.3, $407.40 each; Chad Stoltzfus and Bill Peifer, 9.7, $203.70 each.

Barrel Racing: First, Christina Mulford, 17.05, $422.53; Kristin Weber, 17.90, $349.68; Sandra Pomykala, 17.91, $276.83; (Tie for fourth and fifth) Jayme Myers, 17.96, $167.55 and Jaime Myers, 17.96, $167.55; Karly Stoltzfus, 18.07, $72.85

The rodeo continues every Saturday, rain or shine, at 7:30 p.m. at the Cowtown Rodeo arena, on U.S. Route 40 through Sept. 30.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Choose from five games.

Choose from five games.

If you're planning on celebrating Labor Day with a barbecue, here are some thing to bear in mind when it comes to your pets. A national study conducted by BluePearl Veterinary Partners found that animal hospitals see an increase in patients during holiday weekends. Here are a couple of reminders to help keep your pet from being one of...

If you're planning on celebrating Labor Day with a barbecue, here are some thing to bear in mind when it comes to your pets.

A national study conducted by BluePearl Veterinary Partners found that animal hospitals see an increase in patients during holiday weekends. Here are a couple of reminders to help keep your pet from being one of those medical emergencies.

* It's not unusual for emergency veterinarians to treat dogs for a corn cob or a rib bone they have swallowed. So be careful of what your dog may find during a backyard barbecue or a gathering at the park.

* Dogs are naturally going to want to participate in the vittles at a barbecue, but be aware of things a pet can't eat: foods that can sicken dogs include: avocados, apple seeds, caffeinated beverages or alcohol, onions, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, chocolate and sugar-free gum containing xylitol.

New environmentally significant additions have been made at Russell G. Garrison Memorial Park in Woodstown.

WOODSTOWN -- A local park now plays two important roles -- preserving the memory of local soldiers who died in Vietnam and protecting the environment.

In what officials believe could be a first, a park dedicated to local veterans has been expanded and updated with a number of environmentally-friendly improvements.

Officials gathered at Russell G. Garrison Memorial Park along West Avenue last week to rededicate the space.

"This park is restored back to its rightful use," said Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions Executive Director Jennifer Coffey. 

She said the green infrastructure is "is a real embodiment of our motto, 'local environment maters.'" 

ANJEC, with support from Woodstown Borough, the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Joint Environmental Commission, William Penn Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife, Nicholas Wulderk Memorial Fund, Rutgers Cooperative Water Resource Extension and volunteers helped complete what was a major rehabilitation of the park.

Work included improvements around the granite memorial that includes the names of Garrison and six other local men who died in the Vietnam War.

There is also a new 1,250-square-foot rain garden at the rear of the property containing 400 native plants which helps to collect stormwater to prevent it from running off into the adjacent Salem River.

Rutgers University's Christopher C. Obropta, a specialist in water resources and environmental sciences, played a key role in directing installation of the park's new environmentally-friendly infrastructure.

What had been an unimproved dirt area has been transformed into a new parking lot.

Obropta said of the 4,000-square-foot parking area, 1,500 square feet is paved with porous asphalt. the lot is surrounded by a 1,075-square-foot garden filled with native plants that serves to catch any runoff.

Giving a tour of the park's features to those at the recent ribbon-cutting, Obropta took the cap off a bottle of drinking water and poured its contents onto the porous asphalt which quickly absorbed the liquid. That's what will happen when it rains, he said.

The parking lot and the two gardens each have unique underground filtering systems that helps return rainwater to the earth.

The area had long been plagued by flooding, officials said.

The rededication of the park comes nearly half a century after Garrison was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 8, 1967 in Vietnam.

South Jersey park improvements funded

"The park once again properly honors our veterans and now helps improve clean our water and natural environment," said Woodstown Mayor Don Dietrich. He noted the park not only honors Garrison, "but six other young men from the Woodstown area who answered the call of their country, fought for their country, and tragically sacrificed their lives for our country during the Vietnam War."

Along with Garrison, the names engraved on the monument in the park are Marvin L. Watson, Larry G. Bell, John Atkins, Francis S. Rhoades, Robert Moore Jr. and Tony H. Hughes.

"That the community harnessed their volunteer efforts to help build projects that honor our veterans and improve the environment is outstanding," said U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2^nd Dist., who was at the ceremony.

"This project demonstrates the value of residents and organizations working together in service to the community to achieve a common goal," said New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-3^rd Dist.

Beth Timberman, who now oversees the memorial fund which bears the name of her late husband, Nicholas Wulderk, was joined with her daughter Natalie at the event. The fund contributed to the improvements.

"What we are doing is not for us," Timberman said. "It's for others. Nick would be pleased."

Dietrich explained the park is a key part of the greenbelt around Woodstown which officials plan to expand.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A high rate of plea agreements means that prosecutors rarely need to meet any burden of proof -- when the threat of a stiff sentence resulting from a trial will do.

In a previous column, I expressed appreciation for the work done on bail reform in New Jersey. My support for the switch to a largely non-monetary bail system comes from what I have seen of the impact on people's lives. No longer do people have to sit in jail only because they don't have the money for cash bail.

Bail reform is a good foundational step, but is reform is needed in other areas. One such area is plea bargains. I honestly never gave plea agreements much thought until an acquaintance shared an article from The Atlantic's September edition, "Innocence is Irrelevant" by Emily Yoffe.

It turns out that 94 percent of state-level criminal cases and 97 percent of federal ones are the subject of plea bargains. This means that very few cases go to trial. It also means that prosecutors rarely need to meet any burden of proof -- when the simple threat of a stiff sentence resulting from a trial will do.

Of course, you might think if there's a problem in need of a fix, it's that criminals who have committed serious felonies are being allowed to plead to a lesser charge. That may be a concern, but I'm more troubled by suspects who end up pleading guilty to reduced-charge offenses that they didn't commit. 

Who in their right mind would confess to something they didn't do? That's certainly a fair question. The answer is: the poor; minorities; the uneducated or undereducated; anyone without options or the resources to mount an effective defense. They often face a choice between a few years in prison with a plea agreement versus several decades of potential incarceration if convicted at trial. They know that the weight of the state is great, and mostly against them. 

From another article, "Why Innocent People Plead Guilty," from the November 2014 New York Review of Books, I was surprised to learn this statistics: Out of the roughly 300 sentenced individuals who were later proven innocent through the Innocence Project, 10 percent had pleaded guilty. Michigan and Northwestern law schools found that out of 1,428 bona fide exonerations since 1989 that they jointly studied, 10 percent of those defendants had pleaded guilty as well. 

Other estimates indicate that between 2 percent and 8 percent of convicted "felons" are actually innocent, despite having entered guilty pleas. That puts the number of the innocent in prison at somewhere between 40,000 and 160,000, based on 2.2 million sentenced inmates nationwide. They all thought the only way to get on with their lives was to "take the deal."

When it comes to plea bargains, it's not just felonies. It's also misdemeanors--  anything from public drunkenness, to petty theft, to loitering, to minor assault, to possession of drug paraphernalia. Punishment might be less than a year in jail, but a few months can still unravel a life.

Would your employer hold your job if you had to spend months in jail? What happens to children of single parents? Even without jail time, a misdemeanor conviction can cost someone their eligibility for public housing, various forms of assistance, student loans and a whole list of professional licenses.

Maybe the place to start is with legal representation. On paper, everyone is entitled to the services of an attorney, but it often doesn't work out that way. States often cut funding for subsidized legal services, and what remains is overwhelmed and underfunded. 

If you get a public defender, it's often little more than face time in a hallway, some horse-trading with the prosecutor about your future, and a "take-it-or-leave-it" offer. Actual guilt or innocence can be a nuisance, expensive and almost besides the point -- so you plead.

I think a first step to reform is ensuring proper funding and resources so that all who are charged, whether with a felony or a misdemeanor, can have adequate  representation. I also think we need who to expand who qualifies for a public defender or financial help for an attorney. It may also be worth asking what role law schools and their students could play in filling in current gaps in the system.

The fact that we have so many innocent people pleading guilty suggests that plea bargains have become weaponized. At worst, this is a betrayal of "innocent until proven guilty," of the state's duty to meet its burden of proof, of the concept of being judged by one's peers -- and of basic fairness, as well. 

Albert B. Kelly is mayor of Bridgeton. Contact him by phone at 856-455-3230 Ext. 200.

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Items can be dropped off at different locations in two South Jersey counties in the coming days.

The floodwaters may be receding, but the need for help remains overwhelming for residents in parts of Texas ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.

To help in the recovery effort, three area businesses have joined forces to collect items that will be sent to the hardest-hit areas of Texas.

SJ Transportation, B.R. Williams and Williams Auto Parts/NAPA are leading a collection drive this week in Salem and Cumberland counties.

The effort is already underway and people are responding.

"We love the community support. There is nothing better than seeing everyone come together to help those in need," said Rachel Sassi of SJ Transportation who is helping coordinate the effort.

Collection bins have been set up in the area where non-perishable food items and other needed goods can be dropped off until Friday. They are located at the Carneys Point Police Station in Carneys Point, Wood Lanes in Woodstown; Cowtown Cowboy Outfitters in Pilesgrove Township; Servicemen's Home, Carneys Point; Incollingo's, Penns Grove; SJ Transportation, Woodstown and William's Auto Parts/NAPA in Salem, Penns Grove and Bridgeton.

 On Saturday, tables will be set up in the Acme parking lot in Pilesgrove Township at the intersection of U.S. Route 40 and state Route 45 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. where donations may be dropped off.

Dogs displaced by Harvey land in N.J.

Once that collection is complete, all of the items donated will be shipped to Texas on an SJ Transportation tractor-trailer this coming weekend.

The items collected locally will be distributed to food banks, shelters and churches in Texas where aide is needed the most, organizers say.

Here is a list of some of the items that are needed: Drinking water in gallons and bottles, non-perishable food items including canned goods including canned meats and soups along with jelly peanut butter, crackers, Granola bars, trail mix and other food items that can keep on the shelf.

Also needed are non-food items such as charcoal and charcoal grills, bug spray, flashlights, toiletries (including toilet paper, towelettes and paper towels), diapers, Pedialyte, non-electric can opens, paper cups and plates and plastic utensils, large plastic garbage bags and cough drops and hard candy.

Needed, too, is non-perishable pet food for dogs and cats.

According to Sassi, cash is also being collected which organizers will use to purchase items to send to Texas.

For more information on donations, contact Sassi at 856-832-6756 or Kevin Elder at SJ Transportation at 609-420-3747.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Jersey's central role as a supply-chain state and the growing business and consumer demand for just-in-time delivery creates an opportunity for us to be a leader

By Steve Sweeney

New Jersey's county vocational-technical schools are among the best in the country and are critical to our state's economic future in an era when good-paying jobs in every industry from manufacturing to healthcare to technology require higher skills.

Graduating from one of our county vo-tech schools has meant punching a ticket to a good job for tens of thousands of New Jerseyans. Yet last year, our county vo-techs were forced to turn away 15,500 qualified students because of a lack of available space.

Meanwhile, employers in advanced manufacturing, healthcare, technology and other fields report a shortage of middle-skilled workers - those with valuable vo-tech training and up to two years of county college. A recent McKinsey and Company report identified the "growing mismatch between the type of middle-skilled workers New Jersey has and middle-skill jobs that employers need to fill" as one of our biggest barriers to our future economic growth.

That's why I announced last week that I am fully committed to developing, passing through the Legislature and sending to the voters for approval next year a major bond issue to fund the construction, expansion and equipment of county vocational-technical skills. It is the best investment we can make as a state to simultaneously create jobs and hold down county property taxes.

Under the leadership of Senator Bob Gordon, D-Bergen, himself a management consultant who worked in his family's manufacturing business in Paterson, the vocational-technical education bond issue will be one of the top priorities of the bipartisan Legislative Manufacturing Caucus.

The New Jersey we grew up in was a manufacturing powerhouse, anchored by Campbell Soup and RCA in Camden, with glass factories, food-processing plants, shipyards, textile mills and other companies employing hundreds of thousands. Workers without a high school diploma could buy a home, raise their families and retire with a pension. Those days are long gone, but manufacturing isn't.

Today, New Jersey has 10,552 manufacturers employing 358,000 people who produce 5 to 10 times the output that workers did 30 years ago.

Advanced manufacturing will be an important driver of economic growth, not only in the pharmaceutical, biotech and chemical industries that are a bulwark of New Jersey's economy, but also in our fastest-growing sector: the logistics industry that is mushrooming because of our transportation infrastructure and our prime location at the center of a Boston-to-Washington market of 60 million people.

New Jersey's central role as a supply-chain state and the growing business and consumer demand for just-in-time delivery - same day, not overnight - creates an opportunity for New Jersey to be a leader in the additive manufacturing technology that will be needed to make final product changes just prior to shipping from the giant distribution centers that line the turnpike.

Our new caucus needs to take a fresh look at our business-incentive programs to make sure that we provide support not just to established larger companies, but also to the emerging new start-ups being created by millennials that have the best growth potential.

New Jersey has just 16 incubators set up to assist and encourage entrepreneurs - far fewer than the 375 incubators in California and 179 in New York, the McKinsey report noted.

The Manufacturing Caucus will develop strategies to build up the specialized manufacturing our pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical and high-tech industries need, and that will require increased collaboration between employers and our research universities, county colleges and county vocational-technical schools.

That's why strengthening and expanding our county vocational-technical schools is such an important first step. While 30 percent of our county vo-tech graduates go straight into good-paying jobs in the workforce, another 30 percent go to county colleges and 40 percent go to four-year colleges, particularly schools with strong engineering and technical programs such as the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University, Rowan University and Stevens Institute of Technology. 

We need to ensure that these students have a clear path from vo-tech to county college to four-year colleges to make sure they can maximize their earnings potential and provide the workforce our advanced manufacturing companies need to grow and succeed.

Preparing the middle-skilled workers that businesses need is critical to our future economic growth and our prosperity.

Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, is the New Jersey Senate president. He represents Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. 

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Salem County Rewind offers a look back at our county's rich history through photographs and news items from a century ago.

In this feature, which appears each week, we feature vintage photographs from Salem County's past (along with a large number of other historic local photos in an earlier gallery) and local history tidbits taken from newspapers of a century ago are highlighted.

SALEM COUNTY PICTURE FROM THE PAST

This vintage photo of Salem County shows work underway on the second span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge in July 1968. The first span of the twin bridges opened in August 1951, replacing local ferries which had carried vehicles across the Delaware River for so many years. Because of traffic demands -- the bridges are a key link along the Northeast Corridor -- it was determined a second span was needed. Ground was broken for the second bridge in 1964 and the new span was opened in September 1968. (Photo provided by the Delaware River and Bay Authority)

SALEM COUNTY HISTORY

Looking back 100 years ago in Salem County for this week in 1917, these news items were included in the Salem Sunbeam.

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The last dance of the summer season was held last week at the Salem County Club and it was well attended.

Vintage photos of Salem County Fair

The contract for furnishing coal for county buildings this winter has been awarded to F.H. Lloyd, the low bidder.

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Florist H.E. West is marking a year with his store in the Paterson Building in downtown Salem. He says the location has been a success.

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Fogg and Hires Cannery in Quinton has received several boatloads of tomatoes from other locales for processing at the facility.

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The M.E. Church of Elmer will observe its 20^th anniversary next month. Special services are being planned.

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Those living along the Delaware River are being reminded again by authorities to keep a special eye out for anything that might be suspicious on the water because of the war.

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The apple crop is reported tobe good this year. Cider mills are expected to begin their pressing soon.

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Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.