GEHR Superintendent Delays the Opening of Oakcrest High School Again

The first day of school at Oakcrest High School has been delayed again.  In an email sent by Superintendent John Keenan late Wednesday evening, the day before staff was to report, he stated, "Regretfully, due to continued construction delays and scheduled inspections, we must further delay the start of school for Oakcrest Staff and Students."

Faculty was originally to report on September 1st after the first day of school was delayed for the first time. 

According to Keenan, Faculty and Staff  will now report on Tuesday, September 6th at 7:15 a.m. Students will now report to Homeroom on Wednesday, September 7th at 7:25 a.m.

Police Arrest Ventnor Man in Hit & Run that Killed Pedestrian in West Atlantic City

MAYS LANDING, NJ – An arrest has been made in the death of a women who was struck and killed early Saturday morning by the operator of a vehicle that left the scene of the accident, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane M. Ruberton announced today.

On Saturday, August 27, 2016, at approximately 1:06 a.m., Egg Harbor Township Police Department received a 911 call in reference to two pedestrians (2) struck by a motor vehicle on the Black Horse Pike in the area of Fox Place in West Atlantic City. One pedestrian was subsequently pronounced deceased. 

While down in the roadway, one pedestrian was struck by a second vehicle that remained on location. The second victim’s injuries were not life threatening.

GEHR Staff Conducts “Practice” Picketing, Educate Parents About Ongoing Bargaining Crisis

File photo

Staff from the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association (GEHREA), which represents 435 teachers and educational support professionals, conducted “practice” picketing on Tuesday, August 30 – the first day of school for students at Absegami and Cedar Creek high schools along with a person in a rat costume. 

The members picketed from 6 a.m. until 7:05 a.m., arriving in classrooms and on job sites before the start of their contractual day. 

The picketing also included providing an informational flyer to parents dropping off students. The flyer detailed the history of the ongoing bargaining crisis and the fact that staff is beginning their second school year without a new contract. 

UPDATED: Galloway Police Blotter August 14 - 20, 2016

Galloway Township Police responded to 679 calls for service during August 14, 2016 through August 20, 2016.

Additional statistics include: 2 Burglaries, 4 Car Burglaries, 26 Motor Vehicle Accidents, 104 Tickets issued, 1 Driving While Intoxicated, 29 Arrests, 16 Domestic Violence, 0 Fire Calls, 14 EMS Calls and 0 Juvenile calls.

Burglaries
100 Block of Mohican Ct.

Wrangleboro Rd.

Car Burglaries        
500 Block of Cohansey Ave.

700 Block of Plainfield Ave.

1200 Block of BellaDonna St.

1300 Block of Central Ave.

Ongoing Construction at Oakcrest High School Delays First Day of School

The serious construction kinks at Oakcrest High School have official hit a snag. Oakcrest will have a delayed opening as the school will not be ready to open on Tuesday. 

Superintendent John Keenan notified School District Staff through email Friday afternoon that despite the best efforts of the contractors, the school is just shy of completion.

Serious construction over the past couple months has been the center of attention for parents and staff making some question if the school was safe to even start on time.

Faculty is told to report on September 1st and all students will report on September 6th, according to the Superintendent. Oakcrest will have to use the two emergency days, May 26th and May 30th that were built into the calendar in order to make up for the delay. Students will also have to report on June 14th which is the last day of school and graduation.

It is still unknown whether the teachers who have been working for the past 2-years without a contract will be starting school on August 30th as discussions are being had regarding work stoppage. 

Cedar Creek and Absegami High School staff will still report on Monday. A revised calendar for Oakcrest as released by the Superintendent is below.

2016-17 Ohs Revised_calendar by GallowayTwpNews on Scribd

Four Men Charged with Murder; Two Men Still At-Large

Tywan Dixon                              Donnell Nicholas        

MAYS LANDING – Four men were charged Tuesday with felony murder, and three other persons were charged with gun and drug possession charges, in connection with the shooting deaths of two men at an Absecon Boulevard motel/hotel in March 2015, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.

On March 1, 2015 at 4:58 a.m., in response to a 9-1-1 call, Absecon Police officers responded to the Red Roof Inn on East Absecon Boulevard.

Upon arrival, police found two men dead inside the hotel of gunshot wounds. The victims were identified as Diante Owens, 22, of Pleasantville, and Gerald Alvarez, 22, of Mays Landing. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the scene, and the New Jersey State Police Crime Scene South Unit assisted with crime-scene processing.

Two other men—Donnell Nicholas, 22, of Atlantic City and Zackery M. Geckeler, 22, of Galloway Township—arrived at the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—City Division Trauma Unit later the same morning, both with gunshot injuries. 

Impaired Driving Enforcement Crackdown to be Conducted Locally as Part of National Campaign

(GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP) – New Jersey’s largest annual drunk driving crackdown is upon us. Law enforcement officers from Galloway Township are participating in the 2016 Labor Day Statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. Beginning August 19 and running through September 5, local and state law enforcement officers will conduct sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols, looking for motorists who may be driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is a national campaign designed to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement backed up by public educational efforts including national radio and television advertisements, posters, banners and mobile video display signs. The campaign looks to curtail impaired driving during the busy summer travel season, including the Labor Day holiday period. 

Galloway Police Blotter August 7 - 13, 2016

Galloway Township Police responded to 702 calls for service during August 7, 2016 through August 13, 2016.

Additional statistics include: 2 Burglaries, 20 Motor Vehicle Accidents, 79 Tickets issued, 2 Driving While Intoxicated, 26 Arrests, 17 Domestic Violence, 4 Fire Calls, 26 EMS Calls and 0 Juvenile calls.

Burglaries

1400 Block of Broad St.                            

Car Burglaries

Philadelphia Ave.

GEHR Contract Talks Fail; Teachers to Discuss Options Including Work Stoppage

While over 100 staff members with signs protesting their lack of a contract sat in the regular Board meeting, talks held on Monday night failed to produce a settlement between the 435 member Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association and the Board of Education. Representatives met prior to and after the Board’s regularly scheduled board meeting in an attempt to resolve the ongoing contract negotiations between the parties.  

The talks were the result of the Board requesting to meet with the Association to “further explore the Board’s proposal” submitted to the Association on June 8.

The Board’s June 8 proposal rejected almost all of the recommendations made in the 109 page fact-finding report issued by a state appointed neutral fact-finder. According to Myron Plotkin, the NJEA negotiator for the Association, the report rejected almost all of the proposals put forth by the Board to delete economic provisions contained in the last contract which expired on June 30, 2015. 

Atlantic City Man Charged with Murder in 2014 Shooting Death

MAYS LANDING — A man was charged with murder yesterday, in connection with the 2009 shooting in Atlantic City of a 26-year-old man who died as a result of his injuries 4 years after being shot, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.

Yesterday, Thursday, August 18, 2016, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office charged Germaine Boothe, 27, formerly of Pennsylvania Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ, with murder—a 1st degree crime, for causing the death on November 22, 2014 of Malik Green, also known as “Naya”, then 30 years old, of Atlantic City.

Early Sunday morning on November 22, 2009, at 7:19 a.m., Atlantic City Police officers responded to Hudson’s Bar and Grill, at 2 South New York Avenue in Atlantic City, for a 9-1-1 report of a shooting inside the bar. EMS and AtlantiCare paramedics responded to the scene, as did members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Shooting Response Team.

Atlantic City Employee Charged with Official Misconduct & Theft of Money

MAYS LANDING – An Atlantic City government employee was arrested last week for official misconduct and the theft of money paid by members of the public to rent meeting rooms of the All Wars Memorial Building in Atlantic City, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.

Concluding a several-month investigation, on Thursday, August 11, 2016, members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Official Corruption Unit arrested William P. Hadley, 56, of Shires Way, Egg Harbor Township, NJ, charged with Official Misconduct—a crime of the 2nd degree, and 5 counts of Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition of Property Received.

Oakcrest, Absegami High Schools Under Serious Construction; to Open with Major Delays

Ever hear of the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words?" Well, these pictures may leave the general audience speechless. Staff members of Oakcrest and Absegami High School were notified last night that the beginning of the school year will most likely have some serious kinks in it. 

In an email sent by Superintendent John Keenan he stated, "we are much better off than our general appearance shows right now."

According to Keenan, construction that began in June was not only at Oakcrest but also Absegami High School with the bulk of the work at Oakcrest. It appears in the emails sent by Keenan that "district projects" are being done at the same time as "referendum projects" with no inkling that the projects were being phased throughout the district. 

Galloway Police Department Adds New K-9 to the Ranks

Galloway Township Police Department is proud to announce our newest member to the force, K9 Colt. Colt is a 15 month old Czechoslovakian Shepherd. 

Colt and his partner, Ofc. Brent Lopez will begin the Atlantic County K9 Academy in early September graduating in mid February. 

Ofc. Lopez is a 2-year veteran of the Galloway Township Police Department and previously worked as a Class 2 Officer for the City of Atlantic City Police Department. 

Ofc. Lopez is an extremely personable and dedicated Officer; he volunteers his personal time in the community aside from his public service as an Officer and is a pleasure to work with. 

On behalf of the men and women of the Galloway Township Police Department, I wish Ofc. Lopez continued success in his career and I know that he will be an asset to the community as a K9 handler.

Chief Donna Higbee

Greater Egg Harbor Regional School Board Schedules Negotiations with School Employees

Frustrations continue to grow as it appears that school employees may soon begin their second school year with no contract. The 435 affected employees, including teachers and support staff personnel that work at Oakcrest, Absegami and Cedar Creek High Schools, are represented by the Greater Egg Harbor Regional Education Association. 

Talks in the District have not resulted in a new contract in spite of numerous negotiation sessions, mediation sessions with a state appointed mediator and fact-finding with a state appointed fact-finder. The 109 page report issued on June 3 by the impartial fact-finder following a nine hour hearing and post hearing briefs contained non-binding recommendations for settlement. 

The Association accepted the recommendations in its totality with only a minor revision to the structure of the salary guide which did not add one cent to the cost. The vast majority of the report’s recommendations were rejected by the Board with the exception of certain recommendations which favored the Board.  

Galloway Police Blotter July 31 - August 6, 2016

Galloway Township Police responded to 750 calls for service during July 31, 2016 through August 6, 2016.

Additional statistics include: 13 Burglaries, 18 Motor Vehicle Accidents, 139 Tickets issued, 2 Driving While Intoxicated, 31 Arrests, 14 Domestic Violence, 4 Fire Calls, 25 EMS Calls and 0 Juvenile calls.

Burglaries:   
100 Block of Sylvan Ave.                      

Car Burglaries:  
700  Block of Nacote Creek Pl.                                

(4) 600 Block of Biscayne Ave. 

(2) 500 Block of Holly Brook Dr.

500 Block of Hilltop Dr.

Key Dr./Sandy Ln. 
Greenwich Dr.

Cheshire Dr.

Sander Pl.

300 Block of Ash Ave. 

Two Atlantic City Men Charged with 2015 Death of Northfield Man

MAYS LANDING — Two Atlantic City men were charged today with murder in connection with the shooting death of a 52-year-old man found dead outside a Northfield home in January 2015, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.

On Jan. 9, 2015, at approximately 11:00 a.m., the Northfield Police Department and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to Virginia Avenue, Northfield, where a man had been discovered dead on the front lawn of a residence, with a head wound.

The victim was identified as Franklin Dwayne Gant-Smith, 52, who had also been known as Kevin Charm. Smith’s address was unknown. Next-of-kin were notified.

Driver, Passenger Extricated from Multi-Vehicle Accident on Route 30 in Galloway

On August 8, 2016 at 1:36 p.m. Galloway Township Police Department responded to a serious motor vehicle accident involving four vehicles at the intersection of Route 30 (White Horse Pike) and Pomona Road.

According to Police a 2006 Ford driven by Shawn Mcintosh, of Hammonton, NJ, was traveling west on US 30 when it disregarded the red signal for Pomona Road. The Ford then struck a 2014 Honda CRV driven by Ashley Bartholomew of Millville NJ, and a 2016 Explorer driven by Heather Archut of Philadelphia PA, as they started into traffic on a green signal traveling south on Pomona Road. 

Three Men Indicted in the Shooting Death of Mays Landing Man in 2015

MAYS LANDING – Three men were indicted last week, and arraigned today for the shooting death in Atlantic City of a Mays Landing man in December of 2015, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.

In response to a 9-1-1 call, Atlantic City Police and emergency medical personnel responded on Monday, December 21, 2015 at 10:45 p.m. to the Baymont Inn & Suites Atlantic City Madison Hotel on the 100 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard, for a report of a man found injured. Upon arrival, police found Devonte Molley, 23, of Grant Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ, bleeding from an injury to his abdomen.

Emergency medical responders transported Molley to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center—City Division Trauma Unit, where he was later pronounced dead.

Galloway Police Blotter July 24 - 30, 2016

Galloway Township Police responded to 702 calls for service during July 24, 2016 through July 30, 2016.

Additional statistics include: 3 Burglaries, 25 Motor Vehicle Accidents, 92 Tickets issued, 4 Driving While Intoxicated, 34 Arrests, 15 Domestic Violence, 7 Fire Calls, 14 EMS Calls and 0 Juvenile calls.

Burglaries: 

1300 Block of North St.

Liberty Ct.

700 Gull Wing

Police Release Update on Vehicle that Killed Pedestrian in Galloway

***** UPDATE ***** August 4, 2016 @ 3:30 p.m.

GALLOWAY TWP, NJ – Police continue the investigation of the woman who was struck and killed by a motor vehicle on Route 30 Monday night, and are providing to the public updated information about the suspect motor vehicle, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton announced.

On Monday, August 1, 2016, at 10:20 p.m., Galloway Township Police emergency medical personnel responded to the intersection of East White Horse Pike (US Route 30) and 6th Avenue, Galloway Township, NJ, for a pedestrian motor-vehicle collision. 

Galloway Police Search for Driver, Vehicle that Struck and Killed Pedestrian in Fatal Accident

On August 1, 2016 at 10:20 p.m., Galloway Township Police responded to the White Horse Pike and Sixth Avenue for a pedestrian motor vehicle accident.

According to witnesses and evidence, Aubrey M. Servis, 27, of Little Egg Harbor was walking across the cross walk at the intersection of the White Horse Pike and Sixth Ave.

During this time, an older model, silver, sport utililty vehicle (possibly a 1990s Chevy Tahoe or Suburban) was traveling west in the left lane and ran a red light.  This resulted in Servis being struck in the crosswalk and vaulted forward.

Two Galloway Residents Arrested on Weapons and Drug Charges After Traffic Stop

On August 1, 2016 at approximately 1:34pm, a Galloway resident called 9-1-1 and reported they had just observed a man with a handgun inside a four door Hyundai, on Collins Road, and provided a partial NJ registration.  

As officers responded to the area, Patrolman Nick Stewart observed the vehicle traveling south on Pitney Road.  The vehicle was ultimately stopped on Pitney Road at Town Center Drive and the occupants were removed.  

A Ruger .380 handgun was recovered in a backpack on the rear seat, which was loaded with hollow-point bullets.  It was later learned that the handgun was reported stolen out of Alabama.  Small amounts of Marijuana and Cocaine were also located in the vehicle and/or on the occupants.