Salem County saw many events during 2015 that brought change, but there were still many constants.
For Salem County, 2015 has been a year that has seen tragedy and change, but there are also those constants that make so many happy to call it home.
Here is a look at some of the top stories of the past year:
HOSPITAL SALE: It was announced Dec. 1 that The Memorial Hospital of Salem County would be sold. It's current owners, the for-profit Community Health Systems of Tennessee made an agreement to sell the facility to The Prime Healthcare Foundation, a non-profit based in California. Returning to a non-profit facility would mean a loss of $800,000 in local and county tax revenue, but state lawmakers are sponsoring legislation to made non-profit hospitals give payment in lieu of taxes to the host town and county.
STATE TROOPER KILLED: Tragedy fell on Salem County on the morning of Dec. 17, when New Jersey State Trooper Eli McCarson's vehicle struck a utility pole on the Quinton-Alloway Road and McCarson later died. He had been responding to a domestic dispute at the time of the accident around 10:45 a.m. McCarson was part of New Jersey State Police's 155th class, which graduated on Feb. 20, and worked out of the Woodstown Station. A Glassboro resident, he had been married in September and just turned 30 on Dec. 5. Thousands turned out to attend McCarson's funeral on Dec. 23.
BRIDGE PAINTING: It's officially the Delaware Memorial Bridge, but to Salem Countians it's simply "The Bridge." It's an important link from here to Delaware. For travelers heading north and south along the Northeast Corridor -- about 34 million a year -- it's a critical transportation link. This year a project which had never been undertaken before was performed. The multiple coats of paint on the bridges' four 440-feet-high towers were stripped off right down to the bare steel. The work created traffic backups, but was a critical maintenance project that had to be done.
CRIME: Salem County saw two murders during 2015. Tynesha Lewis was charged with the Palm Sunday stabbing death of her boyfriend at her apartment on East Broadway in Salem. Officials said a kitchen knife was used to kill Brandon Spence on that March 29 morning. On May 31, during the early-morning hours, Gary Elkin is alleged to have hit Paul Direnzo so many times in the head with a hammer at an Alloway Township home that Direnzo later died. In October, Latia Harris, seen worldwide in an infamous video beating another woman while the victim's young child watched, was sentenced to state prison for three years. The beating took place in June 2014 behind a city fast-food restaurant.
BUSINESS MOVES, MILESTONES: In February, Bob Braun took over as president and chief nuclear officer of PSEG Nuclear, replacing the retiring Tom Joyce. The company operates the three nuclear reactors in Lower Alloways Creek Township. The county's largest employer, the plants represent the second largest commercial nuclear complex in the U.S. On July 1, the DuPont Co.'s Performance Chemicals Division was spun off to form a new company, Chemours. The impact was big on the Chambers Works in Deepwater where many of those chemicals are made. The site is now under Chemours' leadership, with a small presence of DuPont workers. A major milestone was reached in 2015 for Mannington Mills, the international flooring manufacturer based in Mannington Township. The family-owned company marked its 100th anniversary on Dec. 28.
SHIFTING TO THE RIGHT: The 2015 General Election saw Republicans gain even a greater hold in the county. Republican Melissa DeCastro elected to the freeholder seat left vacant when Democrat Beth Timberman chose to not seek re-election. But DeCastro holds only a seven-vote margin over Democrat Charlie Hassler. While DeCastro was certified the winner, a recount was held and new court action could be coming on behalf of the Democrats. In the county's municipalities, Republicans gained the majority in yet another town making 12 of 15 towns controlled by the GOP.
COUNTY TRADITIONS: The county's great traditions continued in 2015. The annual muskrat dinner in Lower Alloways Creek, the Pilesgrove-Woodstown Fourth of July Parade, the Salem County Fair, Septemberfest, the Alloway Halloween Parade and Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances went on. They all show the great community spirit that is alive and well in Salem County.
Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes. Find NJ.com on Facebook.