a $3.7 million project to reconstruct the Somerdale Road Bridge in Gloucester Township is set to begin which is being funded through state and county funds will include the complete replacement of the bridge along with drainage improvements and the repaving of each roadway approach “This project is incredibly important to maintain safety on our roadways and to ensure the strength and longevity of our county’s infrastructure,” said Commissioner Al Dyer “We know this has been a project of concern for many residents so we are thrilled to get to work and make this area safer for motorists The bridge is located approximately 1,300 feet northwest of Chews Landing Road and crosses the north branch of the Timber Creek in Gloucester Township The contractor will be required to maintain two lanes of traffic throughout construction traffic will still be able to move through the area,” Dyer continued while there may still be some slight delays we can keep the flow of traffic moving and avoid any major disruptions.”  The Camden County Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining over 1,200 miles of county roadway and 50 bridges. They are dedicated to making our area safer for motorists and pedestrians through county highway construction projects and road maintenance grass cutting and storm drainage upkeep. The Public Works Department is located in Lindenwold where personnel are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week to serve the residents of Camden County A local favorite for years in Chews Landing Coppola Pizza has TWO additional new locations opening in April; Barrington and Somerdale The latest addition comes as likely a surprise to everyone as we just learned from owner Salvatore that he is taking over the G&G Pizza location on the White Horse Pike in Somerdale Located directly across the street from Amy’s Omelet house the new Coppola Pizza location is a unique building featuring an all-glass dining area and large covered patios on either side and Salvatore tells 42Freeway they are targeting an opening on April 23rd The pizzeria building was already in good shape so the Coppola team is doing small changes such as new tables and chairs and other cosmetic changes… but of course bringing in their amazing menu and pizza to the busy White Horse Pike commercial corridor Additionally, back in September we reported on a new Coppola location coming to Barrington New Jersey While that location is smaller than the Somerdale new location it has required more significant upgrades and has taking a longer time to develop The Barrington location was most recently home to Slice pizza and is located on Clements Bridge Road in a small strip of stores (intersection of Williams Ave) Salvatore expects to open Coppola Pizza Barrington on April 9th Two exciting openings for the local pizza family… and I am wouldn’t be surprised if there are more surprises to come Another surprise to the Coppola story is that not many may know that this but second generation owner Salvatore Coppola was a contestant on top chef reality show Hell’s Kitchen back in 2010…  yes the Gordon Ramsay hosted show Sal was a fan favorite on Season 7 of Hell’s Kitchen… with fans connecting to his honesty open personality and humor.  “Not only is he a cool guy and a chef with a big heart As mentioned the Coppola family has been preparing amazing meals for loyal South Jersey customers for around 40 years at their Gloucester Township location According to an article in The Patch (2012) the family has operated a restaurant in Gloucester Township since the 1980s and in 1996 moved to the current Chews Landing Market place location (ShopRite)… creating delicious pizza sandwiches and Italian specialties for a loyal customer base While Coppola Pizza doesn’t really maintain an online presence, their Chews Landing location has been featured by customers at Facebook town and foodie group (such as South Jersey Food Scene) with positive comments like those below: Opening in Aprill; Coppola Pizza Somerdale (April 23rd) and Barrington (April 9th) Coppola Pizza – Somerdale Opening April 23rd6 S White Horse PikeSomerdale Coppola Pizza –  Barrington Opening April 9th653 Clements Bridge RdBarrington Coppola Pizzeria and Restaurant – Chews Landing Rd1222 Chews Landing RdClementon Categories News 7 Brew Coffee Approved For Cross Keys Winlsow E&S Convenience Deli is Open in Washington Twp – Deli opening a High Profile Cannabis Shop in Somerdale It’s C3’s second retail location in New Jersey and its 31st in the U.S The company plans to open more retail locations in 2025 “The opening of High Profile Somerdale is an important milestone in our continued expansion across New Jersey,” says Vishal Rungta “With the establishment of this new location in southwestern Jersey we are better able to serve the region and contribute to the growth of the state’s cannabis industry We are thrilled to become an integral part of the Somerdale community and offer residents an outstanding cannabis shopping experience.” Somerdale is known as the “The Crossroads of South Jersey,” and is nestled between the communities of Hadden Heights High Profile Somerdale is strategically located to serve communities in south New Jersey and surrounding areas C3 features multiple product brands including Cloud Cover Cannabis and Galactic Cannabis retails cannabis products at its locations in Michigan The company expects to open additional High Profile retail locations in New Jersey C3 currently operates almost 275,000 square feet of total cultivation and processing facilities The company also has a 58,000-square-foot Connecticut facility in development C3's Somerdale NJ Location Offers Exceptional Value and Convenient Drive-Thru Service to Cannabis Consumers in Somerdale and Surrounding Areas The new dispensary is now open and serving cannabis consumers 21 and older in-store and through convenient drive-thru and online pre-order services starting today A grand opening celebration where shoppers can take advantage of additional deals and discounts will be on a future date to be announced in January of 2025 "The opening of High Profile Somerdale is an important milestone in our continued expansion across New Jersey," said Vishal Rungta "With the establishment of this new location in southwestern Jersey we are better able to serve the region and contribute to the growth of the state's cannabis industry We are thrilled to become an integral part of the Somerdale community and offer residents an outstanding cannabis shopping experience." "High Profile Somerdale boosts our retail presence in New Jersey enabling us to reach a wider customer base through our exceptional service and competitive pricing," added Ankur Rungta "Our new location provides a welcoming environment for both new and experienced consumers to discover a wide selection of top products at great prices." The new Somerdale dispensary boasts a knowledgeable friendly staff dedicated to providing personalized recommendations and educational insights to both seasoned cannabis enthusiasts and first-time consumers High Profile Somerdale features a variety of value offers New customers can also take advantage of first-time shopper discounts, saving $10 off their first two visits. In addition to these deals, High Profile Somerdale offers everyday discounts About C3 IndustriesC3 Industries is a multi-state vertically integrated cannabis company headquartered in Ann Arbor with multiple product brands including the award-winning Cloud Cover Cannabis and Galactic Cannabis retails high-quality cannabis products at its High Profile locations in Michigan Additional High Profile retail locations are scheduled to open throughout 2025 in New Jersey of total cultivation and processing facilities C3 Industries ("C3" or "the Company") a leading multi-state cannabis company dedicated to crafting premium cannabis experiences for consumers,.. Household, Consumer & Cosmetics Food & Beverages Beverages Cannabis Do not sell or share my personal information: NJ — Severe weather swept through the Somerdale Road area early Friday bringing high winds and heavy rain that knocked down multiple trees and blocked key roads in local neighborhoods the storm brought strong gusts that caused a large tree to fall across Roberts Drive at the entrance to the Broadmoor Development effectively cutting off access to the residential area Additional trees were reported down on surrounding streets One particularly large tree was spotted on Chatham Road off Roberts Drive further illustrating the extent of the damage in the area Officials issued a traffic advisory at 7:10 a.m. urging motorists to “use caution and expect delays” while crews work to clear the debris and restore normal access Emergency and public works personnel were dispatched to the scene to remove the fallen trees and assess infrastructure impacts There is no current estimate for when all affected roads will be cleared The storm is part of a larger weather system moving through the region bringing wind and rain-related hazards throughout the morning commute © 2008-2025 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd PHILADELPHIA — An elderly Somerdale man who asked to be spared prison time has received a 37-month term for his role in a bribery and extortion scheme allegedly demanded a stream of gifts and bribes from a contractor while working as director of SEPTA's video surveillance unit as well as tickets to Barbara Streisand and Billy Joel concerts and hotel stays during the 2015 visit to Philadelphia of Pope Francis the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement South Jersey men sentenced: Chester Housing Authority executives sentenced to prison terms Stevens also pocketed donations to an alleged charity made by the contractor, Stevens provided inside information and other assistance that helped Welsh's firm obtain lucrative contracts supplying and maintaining surveillance equipment for SEPTA, More than 50 letters of supportIn a sentencing memorandum Stevens' attorney described him as "at his core a decent man who has lived a law-abiding life." The memorandum included excerpts from more than 50 letters of support from Stevens' wife of 40 years and two sons as well as other family members and friends "I find it hard to breathe at times thinking about Jim being away from me and our family and praying it does not come to this," wrote his wife "I honestly can't pray any harder that somehow my family can stay together." defense attorney Rhonda Panetella Lowe noted Stevens had lost a $6,000-a-month pension due to his conviction causing his wife to put off her own retirement plans But a similar memorandum from the prosecution called Stevens "relentless greedy and selfish," saying he regularly threatened Welsh with the loss of SEPTA business if bribes were not paid It also noted Stevens took multiple steps to conceal the payments from Welsh Attorney Jacqueline Romero on Monday called the prison term "a warning to those who abuse the public’s trust in its government officials." She said SEPTA's commuters and honest vendors "deserve public employees who carry out their duties with integrity without manipulating the system for personal gain." The prosecution had requested a sentence within the advisory guidelines of 37 to 46 months It also requested the forfeiture of the scheme's proceeds District Judge Gerald Pappert also ordered Stevens to forfeit about $100,000 and imposed a $25,000 fine Stevens and Welsh were indicted on multiple charges in November 2022 Stevens pleaded guilty in January to charges that included conspiracy Pappert sentenced him in Philadelphia federal court on June 24 who allegedly also offered post-retirement employment to Stevens Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal Auto parts retailer Advance Auto plans a new retail store in Somerdale NJ They will be appearing at the Somerdale Planning/Zoning meeting on Wednesday January 29th for approval of signage Advance Auto is a large North Carolina based auto parts and accessory store with almost 5,000 locations The Somerdale Square shopping center where a new Advance Auto Parts store is planned is that angled shopping center at the corner of White Horse Pike and White Horse Rd.  The large Lindenwold Patco station is across the street (White Horse Road) At one time the Kennedy/Jefferson Health System was a large tenant on the left side of the building I became aware of this upcoming retail store from a public notice related to approvals requested for signage in support of the auto part retailer’s new location as well as a use-variance for the effort to renovate an existing unit as a retail store I don’t have a lot of other details on this upcoming Somerdale location… I don’t know exactly where within the shopping center advance auto is moving in.  Since they’re still in the early stages there’s nothing online to give those details and the leasing website for Somerdale Square has not been updated since seven years ago Across the White Horse Pike in Stratford is the Pep Boys Service Center which as you know that iconic brand originally also supported a full auto parts retail store In 2021 Pep Boys decided to focus only on their service centers and closed their retail store aspect leaving many buildings with empty spaces another auto parts retailer stepped in to take over the space… Autozone 42Freeway wrote about the then upcoming AutoZone Stratford location in October 2023 If the Advance Auto Parts store does move forward with opening Somerdale it will put the two auto parts retailers within 500 feet of each other Advance Auto Parts Somerdale – PlannedSomerdale Square Shopping Center1200 South White Horse PikeSomerdale NJ Somerdale Planning/Zoning MeetingJanuary 29 2025 at 7:00 pmBorough of Somerdale Planning/Zoning BoardSomerdale Borough Hall105 Kennedy BoulevardSomerdale Construction Starts on Camden County’s 60-unit Supportive Housing Center at Lakeland Complex Cooper Hospital Breaks Ground on Phase One Tower of $3 Billion Expansion Effort Nova Adventure Park is an indoor trampoline and children’s activity/obstacle course space and they are planning a new location in Somerdale NJ taking over the recently closed Esporta Gym While Nova does not have other locations in our immediate area facilities elsewhere in in the Northeast US it show they are in the exact same category as Fun City (Blackwood Urban Air Adventures (Gloucester Twp) and Launch (Deptford) If you’re unfamiliar with this category of children’s indoor play areas they are typically large facilities 50,000 square feet or more Yes trampolines are a big part of the fun but they are boosted to another level with unique implementations including angled trampolines…  Other aspects of the facility add in some ninja style obstacle course activities The Somerdale location is planned for the Coopertowne Shopping Center in Somerdale, located on the White Horse Pike at Evesham Road. Cinemark Movie Theaters, Walmart and Jalsa Indian Kitchen are a few of the popular businesses in the center As mentioned the space was previously home to an Esporta Fitness location which closed in the Spring of this year (along with the Woodbury Heights location) The large unit was originally opened as a Foodtown Supermarket back in 1989 and then became a Shop-N-Bag before closing Then LA Fitness/Esporta moved in around 2011 after remodeling the space into a gym With only about 6-8 months of being vacant it’s a nice sign for Somerdale and the surrounding communities that a new tenant (Nova Adventure Park) is already lined up to take over the large space This new Somerdale location will be presenting before the Planning/Zoning board on Wednesday November 20th solely looking for a “change of use” approval from gym to indoor adventure park At this time I do not have a lot of details on the specific plans for the Somerdale location of Nova Adventure Park Online searches show there are existing locations in Massachusetts Typically we see that different facilities within this “trampoline/ninja course” category vary their offerings from location to location While the details for the Somerdale location are not known to me based on an already opened 50,000sf facility in Lynnfield MA… the large Nova facility features a bright and colorful decor focused on orange and green padding which is used for safety and to accent the fun children adventure areas Trampolines are the featured aspect of these children’s indoor play gyms but if you’re unfamiliar with the style trampolines… They are designed in a way that multiple trampolines are effectively connected side-by-side to each other with thick cushion padding between the trampolines… in a way it turns into a trampoline area that’s as big as a basketball court or larger The Massachusetts location includes some innovative trampoline uses such as specialty area where the trampolines are developed in a long and narrow netted hallway which has a basketball hoop at the end… kids can create super high flying and creative slam dunks A large indoor slide is part of the fun attractions in Massachusetts and a variety of ninja style obstacle course activities are provided… including a series of elevated platforms that kids must walk across These trampoline adventure parks also typically include arcade games and private party rooms Nova Adventure Park Somerdale – Planned711 Evesham Ave E Ste 1ASomerdale Somerdale Planning/Zoning MeetingNovember 20,2024 at 7:00 pm at the Borough Hall105 Kennedy Blvd Bank Bar Gloucester City Adding All-Season Outdoor Space Fries Mill and Rt 322 Intersection Update from NJDOT – November 2024 Gloucester City Brooklawn Business Association Gloucester City Economic Development Corporation we invite you to this year’s Somerdale Concert Series June 11 – Monko with The Michelle Show June 25 – Swing That Cat with Lost Art July 9 – Laura Cheadle with J Wiggly July 23 – Tommy Conwell with Michael Tearson August 13 – Ben Arnold with Kevin Beckett August 27 – Rogers & Butler with Dave Bakey hosted by Michael Tearson.  Join us for fun nights of music   June 11 – Monko with The Michelle Show June 25 – Swing That Cat with Lost Art July 9 – Laura Cheadle with J Wiggly July 23 – Tommy… the Somerdale Road Bridge rebuild project (Gloucester Township) will start in early January of 2025… after adjustments were made in the project plan to maintain two lanes of traffic throughout the entire project Camden County recently put out a Press Release announcing the $3.7 million project which is funded through State and County funds The project is expected to take 2 years to complete The Somerdale Road Bridge is located approximately 1,300 feet northwest of Chews Landing Road and crosses over the North Branch of the Timber Creek Gloucester Township maintains a small community park in the immediate area… Heritage Park It will be a complete replacement of the bridge along with drainage improvements and repaving of the roadway approaches In my visit today I could see that there also is a large pipe crossing the bridge which I believe is a GT MUA sewer pipe… I would imagine that would be replaced as part of the bridge project also This is a full new rebid of the project from a few years ago My understanding is based on community and emergency services feedback stating the importance of maintaining 2 lanes (one in each direction) of traffic during the entire construction process… it was decided to adjust the project plans to support that requirement This changed the requirements enough that the project was rebid while this would appear to be a more complex effort with the requirement to maintain the two lanes of traffic and prices seem to only go up as time passes… the new bid is actually $400,000 cheaper than when the project was moving forward two years ago This project is incredibly important to maintain safety on our roadways and to ensure the strength and longevity of our county’s infrastructure We know this has been a project of concern for many residents traffic will still be able to move through the area we can keep the flow of traffic moving and avoid any major disruptions.”  I’ve had this in my queue to write for a few weeks now but had it slightly “back-burnered” waiting to lock in a more solid starting date On Tuesday I just happened to drive down Somerdale Road on my way to the White Horse Pike and saw dozens of construction officials standing on the bridge… in what appeared to be a initial kickoff meeting for the effort In my return visit today I can see that two large digital construction sign are on the site of the adjacent Heritage Park announcing the project is to start on or around January 6th 2025 The drone images shared here are from two years ago but I did take some new photos this morning of the bridge… and simply based on the exposed upper elements you could see that considerable wear has taken place on the concrete railings and you can only imagine the likely aging and deterioration of the bridges substructure which are all reasons why this bridge was targeted for a rebuild In my February 2023 article I shared that I tracked the construction of the existing Somerdale bridge back to 1936 making this an almost 90 year-old concrete structure when visiting two years ago I had found the the remnants of a 110-year old bridge which is only about 25 feet upriver where the stone abutments still have the dedication plaque from 1910 listing the Bridge Committee members Freeholder and County Engineer of the time Incidentally the County Engineer in 1910 was J.J Albertson who was a famous family in Camden County That home is slated to become converted into a Wedding and Event space (more on that very soon) If you want to read a little bit more about the history of that immediate area and the roadway which led to the Gabriel Davies Tavern, check out the second part of my article from February 2023 It’s amazing to me to think that over 300 years ago this little segment of Timber Creek was a main passageway for area residents who would use a public boat landing to dock while they visited the Gabriel Davies Tavern Categories Roads Celebrity Pizza Reviewer Dave Portnoy Visits Slice in Washington Twp (Gloucester County) Cherry Hill’s Mikado Japanese Sushi & Grill Adding Liquor License Amy’s Somerdale “Daytime Place To Eat” restaurant opens Monday September 16th!  I stopped in yesterday to get the full “Jersey Beach” brunch restaurant tour from Ted (Amy’s owner) and Erin (General Manager) Customers will find many surprises at Amy’s Somerdale which actually offers two distinct dining room experiences… both of which harken back to a simpler time of New Jersey life in earlier 1900s If you are unfamiliar with Amy’s “Omelette House” it is a family owned and operated restaurant group now with four New Jersey locations focused on amazing breakfast and lunch meals from a huge menu… and open until 2pm the main dining room has been completely rebuilt into a bright and beautiful classic Jersey Beach town restaurant!  The equally large side room dining space carries a Prohibition Era style décor which Ted calls “The Speakeasy” the kitchen has been fully rebuilt from the floor joists all the way up to new kitchen equipment being installed and all new exhaust hoods it’s been a big transformation effort for Ted and his family who own and operate the four Amy’s “Omelette House” restaurants (Cherry Hill Previously the Somerdale restaurant building was home to the StarView Diner (Loupe’s Somerdale Diner before that).  The StarView was a beloved diner with a very classic darker wood 1990s style to it I’ve learned a few things about Ted in my recent meetings with him… not only is he a genuinely awesome guy with a true love for the restaurant business and New Jersey when you look at the beautifully designed Amy’s menu with it’s multi-layered graphic design featuring attractive photos… well Ted created every aspect of that menu while others walking into the former diner saw a nice restaurant with a style somewhat frozen in time from several decades ago Ted had visions of the beach!  “When I think of New Jersey I think of the Jersey Shore where I grew up” Earlier this year Ted and his team began the process to fully transform the interior of the diner located on the White Horse Pike into a year-round Jersey Beach Town breakfast/lunch restaurant just those first few steps into the foyer area seeing the newly painted white walls and Jersey Beach town themed photos will likely get excited realizing “oh this is going to be something different…” And as soon as you cross through the doors to the main dining area you’ll instantly get the sense of a brighter and more open space.  Light blue walls with attractive graphics.  A bright white ceiling.  All new dining booths Then you’ll notice the really significant change!  There’s a big reason the dining space feels so much more “open”… The large counter along the back wall is COMPLETELY GONE And when I say gone… I mean the entire counter is gone the stools and the large back wall counter space used by the wait staff are all gone In its place is an open dining area which supports additional table seating Along the newly exposed wall is a large postcard style graphic for Amy’s Somerdale To be clear there is still a significant amount of booths in the dining space Ted placed them basically in the same position as before Removing that counter really did free up a lot of space and just makes things feel less confined.  Erin points out that having the tables in the main dining room also allows seating options in the main beach themed room which previously didn’t exist “if you dine with us while in a wheelchair you can sit in the main dining room space if you choose” Ted’s creativity continues to shine through the entire space with many details that I think other restaurant owners may have skipped over… but the extra effort in those small touches really help carry the theme Also found along that back wall is “Somer”… Amy’s Somerdale Cow Mascot!   The large strawberry cow statute is perfectly named connecting the town to the restaurant’s summertime beach theme A carousel horse has found a home atop one of the dining booth dividers Other dividers feature colorful postcard images;  The Marlborough Blenheim Hotel in Atlantic City Custom painted “Distance to Beach Town” signs are on the back wall (I didn’t realize Asbury Park was only 72 miles away!) It really is an awesome transformation of the space which should bring guests back to the last time the entire family ate breakfast together in a cute cafe restaurant in Wildwood Crest For the second dining room space Ted says as soon as he walked into the room for the first time he immediately had the idea for the space…   The Speakeasy The side dining room was already built out with a lot of darker wood details and instead of clearing everything out and starting fresh his vision was to utilize what was there and further enhance it with additional decor items Yes the small bar is still located at the back of the dining area but Amy’s Somerdale will be using it as a small counter dining space It’s a very interesting upgrade because absolutely it still carries the former diner’s more classic wood aesthetic but it absolutely feels like everything about the space was designed brand new to meet Ted’s Speakeasy theme Changes in lighting.  Large photos from the era featuring scenes of New Jersey.  An old time cash register and antique bottles at the former bar area… as well as whiskey barrels one of which carries an extra special surprise Or how about a Camden Fire Insurance “Fire Mark” medallion which signified the homeowners had paid for fire protection services It all just seems to fit the “speakeasy” theme so perfectly Even the fireplace has seen some upgrades with the Amy’s logo in place (black and white of course) but with the background in the photo showing stacked prohibition era whiskey barrels During my visit the Kitchen staff were in training and food wasn’t being prepared but I will be back very soon to try out the Amy’s Somerdale menu… which is famous for it’s extensive breakfast options And don’t forget to check the Amy’s Website for their Deals and Specials! You can sign up for their email deals or take advantage of online promoted specials such as “Omelette of the Month” which is priced at 50% off Morning Bird specials offer FREE coffee or juice with every meal Amy’s Somerdale – Opens Monday Sept 16.9 S White Horse PikeSomerdale Gibbstown Grocery Outlet Opens Thurs Sept 12th High Profile Dispensary is an all-new construction building which opened just a few weeks ago on the White Horse Pike in Somerdale High Profile is part of a large Michigan based cannabis company (C3 Industries) which has over 30 locations in six states.  The Somerdale location is the second in New Jersey I first wrote about this dispensary back in June of last year when at the time they were just getting ready to pour the foundation That article also highlighted a second approved dispensary for Somerdale (Happy Leaf) which at the time was a fill enclosed building. Access to the dispensary property is from the White Horse Pike (shared entrance with Wawa) or from Somerdale Road in which you would drive through the Wawa parking lot to get to the High Profile parking area entrance I stopped in last week at the dispensary and chatted with management there.  Company policy would not allow me to take any photos of the interior It’s always nice to get the inside look of any new business opening… but in my opinion dispensary retail experiences are typically a quick “walk up to counter place order and head out” transaction staff and loyalty programs may be the bigger sales drivers for choosing one dispensary over another That being said there are two distinct bonus features to High Profile in Somerdale this location does support a drive-up order pickup window which most dispensaries in New Jersey up to this point do not have.  My understanding is this is an “order ahead” scenario where you use the app or website to place an order and you can then pick it up at the drive-up window High Profile is not only located directly next to the Wawa convenience store they somewhat share an attached parking lot… and I would think for some this “one stop snacks and pot” setup could bring are customers over to High Profile The dispensary was developed in an empty lot that was remaining from when the Wawa was initially developed While they have two distinct parking lots he two businesses are so close they even share roadway access points including the main White Horse Pike entrance… which was likely a requirement of New Jersey DOT to reduce traffic movements on the busy roadway When you turn in off of the White Horse Pike and enter into the parking lot(s) turning to the left leads you to High Profile dispensary and heading to the right is the Wawa store As mentioned you can also access both businesses from Somerdale Road Park your car once and just walk across the parking lot Regarding the second upcoming Somerdale dispensary It also is an all-new construction dispensary on the White Horse Pike located just 750 feet away at the corner of and Crestwood Happy Leaf dispensary looks mostly construction complete and online commentary states they were expecting to opening November It appears they have not opened yet.  I emailed them last week for an update and did not get a response High Profile Dispensary4 North White Horse PikeSomerdale NJ 08083 Website Julio’s Casa de la Birria in Washington Twp Opens Tues Jan 21 Jalsa Indian Kitchen opened last month in Somerdale NJ… and after visiting them several times by myself and with the family I thought I’d share with you the amazing Indian dishes that we’ve gotten to eat at Jalsa the all-new Jalsa Indian Kitchen is located in the CooperTowne Center in Somerdale NJ to the far fight of the Cinemark Movie theater Central to all of Camden County and South Jersey My last article about Jalsa was actually before the opening and at that time I could only focus on the restaurant design and décor… which truly brings the Indian dining experience to South Jersey The restaurant also features something I’ve never seen anywhere else in the Philadelphia area… a 25-foot wide digital display screen which Jalsa uses to share wide screen video clips of the beautiful Indian landscape and destinations The mix of traditional and modern design elements has carried into the menu cuisine (both Northern and Western India)… which also blends classic Indian recipes with modern touches A few weeks ago I published a video which highlights one of my dining experiences (which is at the bottom of this article) but in the remaining photo post below I try to capture everything that my family and I have eaten during our visits Westwood Golf Zoning Change In-Process for 650-Unit Housing Asad’s Hot Chicken Coming to Sicklerville Cross Keys Road Tierra Colombia opens their long-awaited Somerdale location this weekend… on Saturday July 13th Earlier today owners Marco and Sandra gave me a preview tour of their new White Horse Pike Colombian restaurant It’s a truly impressive and beautiful recreation of a quaint Colombian village dining experience… and maybe even better The new restaurant is a perfect match for the Colombian cuisine that Sandra and her kitchen staff have been preparing for 11 years at their Pennsauken location… which has become widely recognized as one of the best places for Colombian food in South Jersey if not the entire Philadelphia metro region but in Somerdale the couple found a larger space to design an interior that truly matches the quality and experience of the food that is loved by so many in South Jersey Somerdale also includes a full liquor license The bright yellow exterior of the restaurant has been catching the attention of locals and commuters since last year The entrance has been moved to the back of the restaurant and includes a lobby waiting area is likely the first thing they’ll  say as Marco and his team have created a dining room full of “character”… Colombian character.  Looking back at the photos I took earlier today I see that Marco has created an outdoor Colombian plaza dining experience with the recreation of an attractive exterior wall which cleverly conceals the kitchen area The interior walls are a light beige giving it an almost stucco like quality but the wall spaces are not even noticeable due to the numerous design details which add many interesting visual aspects including really beautiful and colorful artwork featuring the Colombian culture… which were all created by Sandra As mentioned the back wall of the dining area has areas of exposed brick as well as faux windows overhead with planters successfully giving the illusion that you are eating outside in a plaza The bar area is at the opposite end of the room and features seating for only three people.  Clearly the liquor license is more intended for table service and the bar targeted for waiting customers Opposite to the bar is a dedicated to-go and pick up area Marco pointed out that everything is freshly made with fresh ingredients Tierra Colombia also has a reputation for amazing juices… all of which are freshly squeezed Marco and Sandra have a perfect matchup of skills for the restaurant… With Sandra running the kitchen and amazing menu and Marco in charge of the front-of-the-house which included the impressive redesign and buildout of the new Somerdale restaurant And likely the best part of Tierra Colombia… is Marco and Sandra They are a very engaging and fun couple who welcomed me into their restaurant with big smiles, and thanked me for my prior coverage on the plans for Somerdale.  Sandra was genuinely surprised that this stranger from the Internet helped them tell the region about the news of their restaurant expansion I had a wonderful time chatting with them both hearing about their story coming to America with three young children and having very little money… and finding significant success in South Jersey Marco had more time to spend with me and he explains he originally worked in the printing industry but realizing the impact the internet was having in that industry… he moved on to several hospitality opportunities including the kitchen at Top Dog Eventually he realized he was learning all aspects of what it takes to run a successful restaurant and with his wife Sandra being an amazing Colombian cook… they decided to open their own restaurant the family sacrificed to save enough money to open in 2013 Tierra Colombia in Pennsauken When they opened the doors for the first time they only had $100 remaining in their pockets.   The delicious food led to amazing success… and amazing accolades As I mentioned in my prior article, famed NJ.com “foodie” write Peter Genovese wrote the praises of Tierra Colombia and placed them on his New Jersey “Cheap Eats Guide”, describing the Pennsauken location as a fun, festive little place decorated with colorful and kitchy artwork… and empanadas are only $1.25 each (NJ.com) Wildly popular YouTube food video blogger JL Jupiter visited Tierra Colombia Pennsauken and praised the tenderness of their flank steak and the delicious flavors of the Yucca root vegetable. “The rice may be one of my most favorite rices ever” JL Jupiter Video I will be back very soon to try Tierra Colombia in Somerdale Tierra Colombia Somerdale – Opening July 13th209 N White Horse PikeSomerdale Tierra Colombia Pennsauken – Open5005 N Crescent BoulevardPennsauken NJ 08110 ModWash Car Wash Proposed For Delsea Drive Deptford Two all new dispensaries are under construction on the White Horse Pike in Somerdale NJ located approximately 800 feet from each other A new 2,800 sf building has been under development at the corner of White horse Pike and E Maiden Lane since last year The full exterior building exterior is in place and it appears they started work on the interior framing.  Although in my visit today things looked quiet at this project site Then just last week construction crews showed up at an empty lot to the left of the Super Wawa on the White Horse Pike  starting the process to develop a 4,506 sf retail dispensary The adjacent Wawa sits at the corner of Somerdale Road and with the new dispensary project starting to the left of Wawa it basically has this dispensary in the middle of the block Both of these projects were approved by the Somerdale Planning Board in the Fall of 2022 The two dispensaries are completely different projects and ownership it’s just a coincidence that they moved through the Planning approval process and now construction Both of these projects moved through the approval process with LLC names not really affiliated with the the retail store names this dispensary is a 2,800 square foot retail marijuana dispensary It has an address of 200 N White Horse Pike taking up the full block frontage along the White Horse Pike.  Most recently there was a small building (tax office) at the corner of Maiden Lane.  Back in 2013 there was another building on the opposite corner at Crestwood Both of those buildings were demolished ahead of this project The new dispensary will include 23 parking spaces as well as improvements to lighting As mentioned construction on this dispensary started last year for the retail building with a corner entrance facing the Maiden Lane intersection I found a rendering online for the development which ties them to Happy Leaf… which I assume would be the name of the retail dispensary once it opens The second dispensary which just recently started construction is located to the left of the Wawa (Somerdale Road) Directly across the street is a portion of the new Reserve At Grace apartment complex This dispensary building is also an all new construction and is somewhat larger than the other at 4,506 square feet This dispensary will not have direct access from its parking lot to the White Horse Pike and instead well connect to the Wawa parking lot… both near the front of the store closer to the Pike Accommodating the larger size of the building I count 36 parking spaces will be available With the positioning of the front door facing Wawa I imagine that the existing row of parking spots on the side of the convenience store may come into play for dispensary customers also This dispensary was also approved to include a drive-thru.. Which I believe in the State of New Jersey is limited to pick up of orders which have been placed online While they also do not have an online presence established yet that I could find the site plan provided to the Camden County for review identifies the building as Natural Selections Grocery Outlet Sicklerville Sets June 27 Opening Maria Station Cafe to Open June 22nd at Gloucester City Train Station Jalsa Indian Kitchen is an all-new construction restaurant which opened July 2024 in the CooperTowne Center (Cinemark) in Somerdale NJ I visited with the Jalsa team ahead of the opening and have returned several times since… it’s an experience that likely no other Indian restaurant in South Jersey offers NOW OPEN! Website Facebook 42Freeway Food Experience Article! Jalsa Indian Kitchen takes traditional Indian recipes and décor elements and blends them into a progressive “New Indian” experience Jalsa Indian Kitchen is open for a delicious dinner or your next event Dubai and Delhi at the Jalsa Indian Kitchen offer a menu where age-old recipes are turned into modern Indian tapas the décor which embraces the rich past of Indian culture with vintage Indian silk curtains imported wall sculptures by an Indian artist and wall murals… is enhanced with modern technology to transport diners to India Clearly one of the most talked about aspects of this new Somerdale restaurant is the 25-foot wide digital screen which Jalsa will utilize to present photos and videos of India customers could be dining at a plaza looking out to the Taj Mahal or along a beautiful waterway looking at one of India’s many river palaces And this is no dimly lit projector… Jalsa Indian Kitchen has installed a full digital screen similar to what you would find in a sports stadium or a casino!  It really is amazing But that is just one aspect of what the Jalsa team has put together.  Everything in the dining experience has been considered and upgraded with beautiful Indian décor and innovative ideas and here is a sample of what to expect… And while most customers won’t get to see into the kitchen at 2,000 square feet the kitchen is likely larger than the full size of many restaurants I was truly “blown away” by what I saw at Jalsa and  I commented that while Florida’s Epcot doesn’t have a dedicated India “Land”… the Jalsa Indian Kitchen has created their own Disney worthy version in Somerdale Jalsa Indian kitchen is open at the CooperTowne Shopping Center in Somerdale (711 Evesham Road Most people know this shopping Center for the Cinemark movie theater as well as a Walmart which is located across the parking lot While the White Horse Pike is the main road for the location the shopping center also runs along Evesham Road which puts Jalsa Indian kitchen in close & easy access from Voorhees The space had never been rented previously so the Jalsa team was able to start with a blank canvas to create the Indian restaurant of their dreams The large space is divided into 3 core areas with the main dining room taking the front half.  This is also where the digital screen is located The back left quarter offers additional dining space in a separate large room which can also be utilized for private events.  The back right section of the space is the large 2,000 sf kitchen every light can be individually controlled by the staff… including the color can even be changed on every light If you were celebrating a birthday with friends and family and blue is your favorite color then they can make the space blue!   Or maybe with that 25 foot screen if they choose to put the Eagles football game on the lights can be turned a nice shade of Kelly green When entering Jalsa Indian Kitchen you walk directly into the front dining room This is where the large digital screen is installed filling up most of the upper portion of that furthest wall The digital screen is so large it can be seen from outside the restaurant through the front windows The owners commented that even though they are not open yet many people are noticing the screen as they drive by and popping in to ask about it The dining space is a large open room with beautiful wooden tables and comfortable tall high-back chairs.   A long connected bench style seat runs along that furthest one wall The hanging ceiling lamps throughout the space were made in India and as mentioned the individual bulbs are fully controlled Indian decor and artwork also is seen throughout all of the dining areas such as the large handmade circular mandalas While the digital screen’s main purpose is to show beautiful scenes of India I am told that even the front dining space will be available at times for private parties and the screen can be incorporated into the celebration or meeting The rear left section of Jalsa offers additional dining tables in a separate large room.  This space can be utilized for traditional dining when the restaurant is extra busy and can also serve as a perfect private space for special events and celebrations… or even corporate outings Within this room is a movable partition wall which allows the space to be further divided into two smaller private segments The sound system throughout all of Jalsa is also high end and high tech!   This private dining space has its own sound system as well as PA system with microphones The back right portion of the restaurant is dedicated to the large 2,000 square foot kitchen Jalsa is a large restaurant so it obviously needs a large kitchen but they also expect a fair amount of business from catering throughout South Jersey and Philadelphia The kitchen has its own innovations including two large commercial tandoori ovens which are used to make fresh naan bread throughout the day Another “why didn’t I think of that” idea is with the large walk-in refrigerator/freezer The long 20+ foot side of the refrigerator/freezer walk-in is outfitted with approximately 18 glass refrigerator doors similar to what you would see at Wawa or a supermarket The advantage is it allows the chefs to grab fresh ingredients from the refrigerators without having to go into the large cold box the employees warm and ensures the ingredients are properly rotated I was genuinely impressed with the thought and design that went into this new Somerdale restaurant… and since opening I’ve had a chance to try their food several times… amazing! Well of course I’ll be back to try the delicious menu and see how all the beautiful decor and innovation all comes together… and I will share that experience with readers Jalsa Indian Kitchen – Opens in July711 Evesham Road Rob’s Kitchen: Jamaican and American Soul Food is Open in Stratford Second Location for Popular Marlton Eatery Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates A 60-year-old Sewell resident was fatally struck by a vehicle while on Route 76 in Gloucester City on the early morning of Tuesday a Mitsubishi Eclipse was traveling south on Route 130 and entering the Route 76 ramp when Douglas Cella entered its path and was hit by the vehicle a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police said 112,000 square foot indoor storage facility has started construction at the corner of Evesham Road and Coopertowne Blvd This is the entrance to the large Cooper Town Center retail complex (entrance closest to Esporta Fitness)T The new storage facility building property is directly at the traffic light intersection of the two roads Some may know the location as being directly across from the famous (and now gone) Lawnside barbecue and club area the 1.85 acre triangular lot for the new storage facility has construction crews on site now leveling the property in preparation of the full foundation and then building being developed The architects and developer of the project have come up with an innovative way to fully maximize lot size to enable the development of a facility totaling over 100,000 square feet With the building filling a large portion of the property and then still needing room for parking and loading areas…   the first floor will be notched out at the rear of the building to create a covered space from the overhang of the floors above it (two through four) While the upper three floors are 31,684 sq ft for each floor the first floor with it’s “notched out” segment in the back (to support customer cars) is almost half the size in square footage at 17,335 While there are other indoor only storage facilities in the area this may be one of the few (only one?) where the entire parking area and loading/unloading space are completely covered the proposed site plan shows that along Evesham Road a water basin will be created following along the front of the building (likely a retention wall development) So as mentioned there will be an traffic entrance on both Evesham Road and the side street Coopertown Boulevard….  It will literally be one straight path (on an angle) connecting the two roads most of that will will be through the building According to the documents submitted to the county for their approval back in 2021 So a few things I don’t have at this time…  First I do not know which brand of storage facility this is It appears that developers our building these storage facilities somewhat independently and then in a “franchise style” agreement will make a deal with a storage facility brand to gain the benefits of their recognized name and other aspects of the business including storage supplies for on site sales The other thing I could not locate is a full 3D rendering of the four story building I “googled” the heck out of this hoping to see that this facility is listing somewhere online as “coming soon” and I could not locate it this is going to be a large and tall building on the property although documents show a 25 foot buffer to the sidewalk on both roadways if you’ve seen the large new storage facility in Bellmawr which was developed on the former Pennant/Dick Lee’s property… that building is three stories one less than the facility being developed in Somerdale Somerdale Evesham Road Storage FacilityEvesham Road and Coopertowne BoulevardSomerdale NJ Ace Pickleball Club Indoor Courts Coming to Voorhees Sprouts Farmers Market Grocery Signed on for Southwood Shopping Center West Deptford By 2025-04-11T11:08:00+01:00 Somerdale International has warned prices will start rising in US supermarkets from next week The business, alongside owner Barbers, is the UK’s largest exporter of cheese to the US, selling product under the Barbers 1833, Westminster and Somerdale brands to retailers including Kroger and Whole Foods Market who looks after the company’s US operation told The Grocer the 10% levy placed on most UK imports last week would ultimately lead to retail price hikes of 20% to 25% from next week due to their compounding nature – with additional costs from the tariffs having to be borne by both retailers and distributors Whether demand would drop off in light of these price hikes “Prices will rise, we’re passing that forward as best we can and not pushing back to our suppliers,” he added.  But we’re in consistent growth – shipping 250 containers-worth of cheese to the US in 2024 – and we’re confident we can ride out this storm.” UK cheese export volumes to the US jumped by 4.1% last year This growth reflected the “well-earned relationships” forged with US buyers over a 20-year period Olive oil brand Filippo Berio is also warning of big retail price hikes in the US market with its UK MD Walter Zanre saying American shoppers will soon have to pay up to 20% more for their oil We’ve already had contact with customers in the States over this.”  Already had initial contact with customers in states It comes as the US rowed back from most of its highest retaliatory tariffs on Wednesday which stood at 125% as The Grocer went to press following an 84% retaliation against the US on Wednesday Meanwhile, a survey by Nexus PR revealed that 52% of 2,000 UK consumers polled before Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ announcement last week said they were less likely to buy US products now than 12 months ago The survey also found 57% would boycott US food and drink brands if unfair tariffs were put on British products More than half (54%) trusted EU food products more than US products Sign in to comment on this article Site powered by Webvision Cloud Learn moreExplore related questionsDiscover more about the topics that matter most Browse our suggested questions or ask your own to find out more 19 June 2023 -- SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW BOOTH 438 -- Somerdale International the leading importer into the USA of the finest British cheese will be showcasing an extended range of great tasting cheeses at next week’s Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City (25- 27 June) away from bulk formats that need to be cut in store is a trend that seems to be gathering pace.  From a retailer point of view the pre-pack formats are easier to handle; can be priced consistently; can be displayed and ranged more effectively and will avoid wastage.  While for the consumer the pre weighed wrapped and priced packs are more convenient and their typically more attractive front of pack designs make them easier to identify.  Given this growth in demand Somerdale has worked to extend its range of pre-pack cheeses specifically for the US market.  Among the pre-pack cheeses that Somerdale will showcase at Summer Fancy Food will be: -- The iconic Westminster branded cheddar range lovingly made by some of the most respected British cheese making families The pre-packed Westminster range includes a classic Sharp Cheddar and delicious Smoked Cheddar available in cases of 12 x 5.3oz packs; while available in cases of 10 x 5.3oz packs are an aged super powerful Vintage Cheddar;  a Rustic Red with sweet nutty caramelised notes; a stunning Reserve Cheddar aged for over two years to ensure the ultimate tastebud sensation; and Gold Hill an award-winning sweet mature cheddar carefully aged for over 12 months until it reaches perfection -- Barber’s 1833 Vintage Reserve Cheddar – the classic British Cheddar made to a closely guarded recipe by the Barber family the oldest cheddar makers in the world who are located just 15 miles away from the village of Cheddar in the heart of the Somerset countryside!  Aged for two years the 1833 Vintage Reserve has a wonderfully complex taste including subtle notes of gooseberry and is available in a cases of 12 x 6.7oz packs -- Wensleydale & Cranberries – Creamy Wensleydale is one of England’s oldest cheeses and was first made by monks in the North of England around the 11th Century.  An unrinded white cheese which has a natural acidity that pairs wonderfully with fruit such as deliciously juicy cranberries -- Wensleydale with Lemon & Honey – this divine and delicious combination is a classic dessert cheese.  Pairing the slightly acidic Wensleydale with refreshing lemon curd and soothing honey creates a superb almost cheesecake flavour that gives a real contrast to often heavier -- Wensleydale with Blueberries – a perfect partnership of creamy slightly acidic cheese with the sweetness of delicious blueberries Director at Somerdale International commented “Summer Fancy Food will provide us with the perfect opportunity to showcase our comprehensive range of stunningly branded and great tasting pre-pack British cheese.  Whether you’re looking for a quintessential English Farmhouse Cheddar such as Barber’s 1833 Vintage Reserve; our best-selling Westminster branded cheese range; or something new such as our range of classic Wensleydale cheeses infused with fruit then a visit to the Somerdale booth is a must!  In addition we’ll of course also be sampling a wider range of classic and contemporary range of British cheeses that will complement any cheeseboard this Holiday Season.” Somerdale International is a leading UK exporter of British and Irish cheese & dairy products.   Founded in 1990 today Somerdale exports cheese to over 50 countries worldwide and have sales of over £50 million.  We are the leading exporter of cheese to the USA with shipments leaving for New York every week.  While we’ve also grown in key markets such as China & the Far East & Australia and in emerging markets including the Middle East & North Africa and South East Asia.  Somerdale has established supply partnerships with traditional family-run producers who make cheese of the highest quality This enables us to offer a comprehensive range of traditional cheeses.  While we also develop new cheeses brands & packaging formats to meet the diverse requirements of the global marketplace For more information please visit the Somerdale website http://somerdale.com/ Issued for and on behalf of Somerdale International Limited (Gloucester Township) – The Camden County Technical School (CCTS) District is pleased to announce that Somerdale Park School in Somerdale was selected as having the most outstanding Middle School Character Education program in Camden County.  The staff and students were presented with the award and two checks totaling $500 to be used toward funding a future character education program during a Faculty/Professional Learning Community Meeting (PLC) on February 7 “Somerdale Park exemplifies the following six pillars of character education with enthusiasm and pride: respect caring and citizenship,” said Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez liaison to Camden County Technical Schools This award is co-sponsored by the Camden County Board of Freeholders and Camden County Technical Schools (CCTS) “Character education reinforces core values needed for success in the workforce college, and in life,” said Patricia Fitzgerald “The two campuses of CCTS received recognition as National Schools of Character as well as New Jersey Schools of Character and it is our pleasure to co-sponsor and coordinate the Camden County Middle School of Character award.” Somerdale Park’s application included examples of activities that were fun and engaging while promoting and building character such as Kind is the New Cool they established a new Diversity Club to provide students a safe forum to discuss social differences such as race Vice Principal at Somerdale Park School, “Somerdale Park implements the Renaissance Program to recognize positive behavior attendance and academic achievement.  We also celebrate these achievements during Week of Respect and Red Ribbon Week.” Schools receiving 2017-2018 Honorable Mentions for their Character Education programs include: Alice Costello Elementary School, Ann A Axe Out Entertainment is a new fun entertainment venue coming to Somerdale’s Coopertowne Center photo booth memories and arcade games…  all under one roof NOW OPEN! Read more about the experience HERE The folks behind Axe Out Entertainment have been operating a successful mobile axe throwing business in South Jersey for several years and when they chose to pick a more permanent home they chose a location where they can really take the business up many levels (For latest info be sure to follow their Facebook Page) Coincidentally I actually met up with the owners last year at one of their mobile axe throwing gigs I had no idea that a year later I would be writing about their next new big adventure Coopertowne Center is the shopping center on the White Horse Pike and Evesham Rd which many identify as being the home to the Cinemark movie theater Many years ago we all knew it as the Lionshead Plaza One of the larger tenants in the center is Esporta Fitness (left side and Axe Out will be opening up next to the fitness center It’s a great location for Axe Out as the center also offers the movie theater and an Applebee’s Restaurant so it fits the theme of “hey let’s go out tonight” venues and likely customers will cross over from each business I stopped over unannounced to the Somerdale location about a week or so ago hoping to catch the owners on site.  I missed them. .but at the time I could see the construction process was just beginning Things seem set to move fast as a Facebook post from just three days ago says they are hiring now “Do you have a passion for curating unforgettable moments and thrive on providing outstanding guest experiences Do you want to get on the ground floor of an exciting new company in Somerdale You can check out their full hiring post over at Facebook… \they are asking that you e-mail your resume to admin@axeoutentertainment.com So absolutely this is just a coming soon story and when they get closer to opening I absolutely will be back to visit all of the amazing and fun features they are offering From their online commentary and Facebook ads which they were promoting several weeks ago…  Climb and Throw is the tagline they’re using to describe the fun entertainment offerings they’re putting together in Somerdale clearly they are looking to develop an entertainment venue where you will be creating memories So we already know that the team are experts in axe throwing having operating a mobile axe throwing business The mobile unit is a really awesome vintage train caboose looking unit which if that is an indication of what is to come for Somerdale If you haven’t tried Axe throwing yet it’s a fun and competitive way to spend time with friends. And clearly the owners have put a lot of thought into “what can we offer to extend that same group fun experience?!” Well they’ve come up with a variety of other fun options that I don’t think I’ve ever seen paired with an Axe throwing venue but then at the same time it makes complete sense Mechanical Bull Riding:  You and your friends hanging wound the mechanical bull cheering each other on as you take turns riding the mechanical bull. Wall Challenge Climbs: Now this one I am really excited to see as they list “Valo-Climb” as their wall climbing tech as a search online shows Valo-Climb to be an indoor climbing wall which then uses augmented video projections to create fun and interactive climbing experiences.  It’s not enough to climb the wall. the project overlays add in challenging game overlays which direct your climbing goals Photo Booth Memories: whether having a birthday party or just a group of friends out for some fun you want to capture those memories… and Axe Out Entertainment in Somerdale will have an onsite photo booth Hurricane Simulator: I am not sure what that is and I don’t even want to guess. but I can’t wait to see what this is about also Axe Out will also offer an onsite arcade.  “Arcade Games Galore!”.  It’s likely a smart balance for the options as when you are waiting your turn at some of the other adventures like bull-riding you can pop over to the arcade and play some games Axe Out Entertainment in Somerdale will be BYOB And I’ll be back ahead of their opening… to share the experience Axe Out Entertainment – Somerdale (Coming Soon)Coopertown Center711 Evesham Avenue EastSomerdale Ren’s Coffeehouse & Books Coming to Blackwood Axe Out Entertainment is now open in Somerdale NJ in the Cinemark Movie shopping center at the White Horse Pike.  They offer an innovative digital twist to Axe Throwing and Wall Climbing… plus adds in Mechanical Bull Riding and other fun thrills It’s a unique mixture of fun activities… something for everyone I caught up with owner Rebecca this week who gave me a tour of her facility… and yes I even tried the bull riding BONUS!: Through End-Of-April 42Freeway readers get 10% off. Use code 42FREEWAY. Book online Fridays and Sundays feature public sessions, where admission is “Pay once, play all you want” during the session.  Tuesday is Teen Tuesday where kids 13-17 can participate at a discounted rate! Check the site for details. Saturday plus the remaining weekdays are available for your private event… Work team outings Axe Out is a BYOB venue so you can bring your own food and drink… or work with Rebecca for food options If you want to check out Axe Out Entertainment this Sunday March 24th from 12 to 2pm they are offering Free Spring Photos at their digital photo booth.  Each child gets a surprise egg while supplies last 42Freeway first brought the news of Axe Out coming to Somerdale back in November.   The location is in the Cooper Town Center where Cinemark is located.  Axe Out is to the right of the Esporta Fitness Gym And each of the core items have a unique twist to them… such as interactive digital games projected on to the climbing wall and axe throwing boards.  It makes for an endless variety of fun At the front entrance to Axe Out is the ValoClimb system It’s a true indoor climbing system with exposed small rock ledges to enable you to climb up and around on the wall The really cool extra twist comes from the ValoClimb system which digitally projects games onto the board… while it’s integrated camera reads your movements to make it a fully interactive game experience The integrated climbing games offer a variety of challenges such as creating virtual barriers that have you climbing around them (up and over!) to reach the final goal many games can be configured to a lower height so that you can have challenging fun with the interactive games with feet still firmly planted on ground As an example it could be as simple as a Whack-a-Mole style game where characters appear on the board and you have to touch them to remove from the board Would you believe Somerdale has a full mechanical bull riding experience… just like you would find at a country western bar? The Axe Out version uses an inflatable floor around the bull as well as inflatable side walls… to give a softer “bouncy house” style landing The bull offers several pre-programmed levels of spins Rebecca and the team can also take over the controls for a more customized experience I gave it a try and it was my first time on a mechanical bull… I have to say it’s harder than it looks I clearly was in a beginner toddler mode but just the twist and the turns of the bull did make it tough to stay on Rebecca tells me the bull can be swapped out for an inflatable log-style pole which would move around the bouncy house floor making it a fun game to avoid getting bopped In the back of the large open space are 6 axe-throwing lanes.  It’s a slick design for the lanes and Rebecca is using an end grain placement of the wood so it creates a less “chippy” experience But there’s a new twist to the Somerdale version of axe throwing…  just like the wall climbing the axe throwing games support digitally projected target games I tried a variety of games and even easily uploaded the 42Freeway logo and my face… which appeared in one of the bubble target games There are many game options available including target based Axe Out offers a full balance of fun activities… including several that are still tons of fun give a break from the full interactive effort The hurricane simulator is a very unique experience… an exciting and safe way to experience the power of mother natures wrath Or how about classic arcade games with each unit featuring multiple games And of course they are set for “open play” so no nickel-and-diming you for each game play An inflatable axe throwing game is setup in the back corner making it a fun and safe experience for all And the digital photo booth takes multiple fun photos at no charge which can be sent to you for sharing on to friends and family Dont forge the free Spring photo session on Sunday March 24th Consider Axe Out Somerdale for your new outing with friends Axe Out Entertainment – SomerdaleCoopertown Center711 Evesham Avenue EastSomerdale BONUS!: Through End-Of-April 42Freeway readers get 10% off! Use code 42FREEWAY. Book online Latinas Restaurant in Glendora Offers Mexican Fusion Cuisine The large Esporta fitness gyms in Somerdale and Woodbury Heights NJ close tomorrow April 1st at 2pm Esporta is owned by LA Fitness who is also closing their Franklin Mills Philadelphia location the same day Unaffected by this news are other area Esporta locations such as Glassboro Turnersville and Marlton… they will remain open Parent company LA Fitness is a private company and has no requirements to disclose closings number of stores or company financials.   So I could find no statements regarding the closures Recent official online marketing websites state that LA Fitness has over 550 locations.  So it could be argued that a few location closings when there are many hundreds of locations is completely normal That being said a 2022 press release from LA Fitness stated at the time they had over 700 locations…  which based on their own location counts would show a drop of 150 locations in just two years A quick scan of recent national news coverage shows that on April 1st they are also closing fitness locations in Morgan Park Chicago, Rockville MD and Bellevue KY The Esporta brand of fitness centers are owned by the LA Fitness company and in fact our area locations were originally developed as LA Fitness gyms Four years ago they rebranded the South Jersey gyms as Esporta so that they could be positioned more inline against lower price competitors such as Planet Fitness… Esporta was looking to offer a premium gym experience at a more reasonable price That change seems to indicate a competitive gym marketplace for South Jersey which is further proven by the closing of the two South Jersey locations; Woodbury Heights and Somerdale The Somerdale location is within the CooperTown Center at the White Horse Pike and Evensham Roads…  the same center as Cinemark Movies.  Walmart is also in the extended plaza The Woodbury Heights Esporta is located on Mantua Pike (Route 45) which is a busy commercial district featuring Hollywood Café Giant Fitness and an upcoming Sprouts Grocery A few weeks ago members of the Somerdale and Woodbury Heights NJ locations were notified that their clubs will be closing Monday April 1st at 2:00 PM Flyers hang on the front door entrances of both locations announce the closings as well as suggest the nearest club that members should consider Somerdale members are being directed to Marlton and Woodbury Heights members are being directed to Glassboro.   Of course Turnersville Esporta is still open and sits somewhat between the two locations so that may be an options Members whose “home” club are closing will have their membership upgraded so that they can use any of the company’s fitness centers (check with LA Fitness/Esporta for specific details) Many readers are likely asking “well who’s moving in?”… and unfortunately at this time that answer is likely “No One”. Each of the two locations have about 45,000 square feet of space, and both of them are currently listed online as Available For Lease. Somerdale , Woodbury Heights (PDF) I have to explain this a lot when stores close that most times it’s all about the existing store closing for their own financial or other reasons… and there is no new tenant lined up to come in Honestly in 10 years of writing 42Freeway the only time I’ve seen a clear swap take of retailers place was when The Dump closed in Turnersville a few years ago with At Home immediately set to take over that building (after some remodeling) For the two closing Esporta gyms I would expect that the two buildings would attract attention from the fitness gym industry as both properties include indoor swimming pools and whirlpool spas and Woodbury Heights even lists racquetball You would think that another fitness club would be able to just come in and put their signage on the front and reopen!   But again there is ZERO information related to anyone having interest and both properties are listed as Available For Rent Esporta Somerdale (Closing April 1st)711 Evesham Ave E Ste 1A,Somerdale Esporta Woodbury Heights (Closing April 1st)1006 Mantua PikeWoodbury Website Atlantic City Expressway Widening – Virtual Public Info Center Runs Through April 5th Somerdale NJ’s Flying Fish Brewery and Tasting Room is officially closed after a recent bankruptcy auction which included the brewery contents and brand intellectual property But the Flying Fish name is likely to live on as Guildford Hall Brewery out of Baltimore MD bought the intellectual property of the brewery which includes the name brands of the beers   Their purchase price at $152,500 was the largest of the items sold Other large purchases were made during the auction including from some area breweries which I chronicle at the end of the article It appears that the building itself was not part of the auction and we do not have details on what would become of it Flying Fish had been facing a series of financial difficulties over the last year or so It was hoped that an acquisition by Cape May Brewing earlier in 2023 would have saved the brand and the Somerdale facility but that deal had fallen apart after a deeper review of Flying Fish’s financial situation Flying Fish moved into bankruptcy proceedings which led to creditors requesting the auction process take place the same day the auction was confirmed… 42Freeway acquired the legal documents which give all of the auction results although I’ve gotten myself a little bit jammed up over the weekend to get the story online earlier!   I last wrote about the auction on February 9th The Patch got their story online way before mine… and had had a chance to speak with the Guilford Hall Brewery team who said they will continue to sell Flying Fish beers to distributors throughout the East Coast They also confirmed that they will not operate out of the Somerdale location at least we went out with a bang last weekend We appreciate all of our customers over the years We’re sad that we cannot continue operations as they were in our Somerdale location but it’s nice to know the brand itself will live on and yes it was a large and vibrant crowd who were entertained by a local band  While there was still hope for a savior to come at the last minute to buy the entire brewery and keep everything operating I think most had realized that this was going to be the last weekend for the beloved Somerdale brewery as people were buying cases of their favorite beers for the last time On Sunday Flying Fish tried to add some humor to the sad situation by creating their own Halloween Store style meme Coming soon… (Halloween Store at the Flying Fish Building) but who knows what will come of the building once its contents have been moved to their new homes Signing off of this account now as it’s probably part of the IP that now belongs to the new owners The documents for the auction results include 232 different items They were prepared with two separate lists; one of registered auction participants and a second of the item auction results I had to dust off some of my old excel “Vlookup” skills to combine the two The auction ranged from framed pictures that were hanging in an office for $25 all the way up to the Flying Fish intellectual property purchased by Guilford Hall Brewery for the $152,500.  Guilford Hall purchased 18 other items at the auction A Miura steam pressure packaged boiler went for $51,000 to Cadeco Industries who is based out of Houston Case by Case Canning out of Los Angeles purchased the Pro Brew Beer Can Filling Seaming Line for $48,000.  The company offers canning services to breweries The Frame Group out of Illinois was an active bidder taking 19 items for a total of $96,000.    Their business model is to rent out equipment Bonesaw Brewery was an active participant in the auction purchasing 24 different items for a total of $74,525 Their larger purchases included a Muller stainless steel bright tank for $22,000 a pro chiller for $14,500 and a pair of JV Northwest Fermentation Tanks for $13,000 each who last year was planning on purchasing the entire Flying Fish Brewery… stepped in for seven items totaling just under $10,000 The largest item being a Pentair Gehaltemeter for $4,600 Mount Holly’s Train Wreck Distillery grabed 12 items totaling $9,100 dollars The largest item being a Grain System for $4,200 Flying Fish Brewing Co.900 Kennedy BlvdSomerdale Guilford Hall BreweryWebsite Deptford Chick-Fil-A Clements Bridge Reopens Thursday Feb 22nd New SignPros Headquarters Rises on Black Horse Pike Glendora The Somerdale Fire Department hosted me for a tour and an extra special ride and it could not have been more FUN This South Jersey fire department welcomed me with open arms on Monday WMMR Rock Writer Gina C's uncle Steve Daniels is the Deputy Chief of the Somerdale Fire Department and 27 of those years have been with Somerdale He showed me around and told me all kinds of amazing things Uncle Steve brought me around and introduced me to all the firefighters on Monday night It was after their weekly meeting and drills The fire department has so many firefighters; their service is 100% volunteer I learned so much about them and all they do for the community they took me for a ride on a 1974 FIRE TRUCK called "The Mack." Guess where they took me I saw all of my favorites there (Cinderella and Britny Fox) They also have a Toy and Train Collectable Show on Saturday Head over to the Somerdale Firehouse to support these great firefighters Thank you thank you thank you to everyone that came out I enjoyed every second I spent talking to each and everyone of them I didn't expect that many people to be there I learned so much about all of the amazing firefighters and what they do Here's "The Mack," a vintage fire truck that the Somerdale Fire Department worked hard to get back They have it decked out for Christmas right now Here's me on top of "The Mack," outside of what used to be called "The Galaxy." Uncle Steve and his crew were awesome enough to take me there I used to sneak in to watch my favorite band (like Cinderella) as a kid A more zoomed-out shot of me outside the pet store that was once "THE GALAXY!" A lot of the firefighters I spoke to had spent many-a-night there There was this cool-looking door in the back corner of the room that is used to help firefighters learn how to break down the door of a burning building but let's just leave that one to the professionals Here I am chatting with the dedicated Somerdale firefighters they still come out and run drills every Monday night It's dedicated to "The Mack," the truck they drove me around on It was a chilly night but I didn't care I was all ears to hear about the awesome work these guys do for their community Next year is the Somerdale Fire Department's 100th Anniversary The gang let me walk away with shirts and stickers and all kinds of stuff Say thank you to your local Fire Departments Download the app to LISTEN LIVE wherever you are and connect with us like never before Somerdale will be the second location for the Tierra Colombia restaurant family with the upcoming new White Horse Pike location featuring a full bar…  they’ve taken over the former “Somerdale Bar” property Tierra Colombia has been serving “real Colombia dishes” in Pennsauken for many years. the same food that you would find in the owner’s hometown of Cali The first location for Tierra Colombia in Pennsauken is not a large place but that hasn’t stopped them from developing a huge fanbase of customers as well as catching the attention of well known New Jersey foodies such as NJ.Com’s Peter Genovese and popular Philadelphia area YouTuber JL Jupiter yes this is an expansion… Pennsauken will remain open when Somerdale opens While I have not been inside the new Somerdale location I wanted to let people know that it was coming and to follow along at their main Facebook page I absolutely will be visiting them when they open Tierra Colombia (Pennsauken) is recognized as one of the best Colombian restaurants in South Jersey with the bonus of offering delicious meals in a reasonably priced menu NJ.com’s famous foodie Peter Genovese recently listed the Pennsauken location on his list of “NJ Cheap Eats Guide”, and described the original Pennsauken location as a fun, festive little place, decorated with colorful and kitchy artwork… with empanadas at only $1.25 each! (NJ.com) Tierra Colombia also offers a full menu with entrees such as Breaded Pork Loin salad and a choice of sweet plantains or tostones you can even go with a surf and turf… which at Somerdale will mean you can also celebrate with your favorite beer The menu features images of all the entrees and also provides the name with an English description and number Soon you’ll get to know your favorites in a quick and easy way “I’ll take a number 32…” That fun design of Terra Colombia carries through to the upcoming Somerdale location which has taken over the former  Somerdale bar property on the White Horse Pike As a point of reference the new restaurant is about a block away from the former “Our Lady of Grace” church and school property.   (The former Church facility has been rebuilt into apartments!  More on that later!) Over the last few months workers have been remodeling the Somerdale restaurant property inside and out And the team at Tierra Colombia have definitely turned up the fun transforming the building exterior into very noticeable “Oh what is coming!” talk of the town Today the upcoming Tierra Colombia has a bright golden yellow paint and a festive restaurant logo featuring a smiling toucan bird Out front they’ve also added in some planters and a lower front wood-like façade While I have not had a chance to get over to Pennsauken to try Tierra Colombia… I did get to experience the deliciousness vicariously by watching popular South Jersey YouTuber JL Jupiter who visited the Pennsauken location about two years ago JL Jupiter Youtube Video Link So far 63,000 people have watched along as JL Jupiter dined on Bandeja Paisa & Sobrebarriga Salsa Criolla.  He praised the tenderness of the flank steak the delicious flavors of the Yucca root vegetable and even said about the rice “the rice may be one of my most favorite rices ever” The tender brisket is “Number 32” on the menu and is only $15.95 Well while I don’t have the talents of JL Jupiter I will definitely back to Tierra Colombia Somerdale as soon as they open… and share my experience with readers Tierra Colombia Somerdale – Opening Soon209 N White Horse PikeSomerdale Banquet Project in Discussions for Glassboro’s Aura Road Area Brooklawn’s Smaller Chipotle Is Part Of Newer Company Trend The LIDL Grocery store chain seems to be moving forward with a location on the White Horse Pike in Somerdale based on real estate purchase documents filed with Camden County just weeks ago.  The $2.85 million dollar purchase price transfers ownership of the corner property from Urgent Care RE LLC to LIDL US Operations LLC The proposed Somerdale location is at the corner of the White Horse Pike and Evergreen Ave in a location which previously was the location of local watering hole which served it’s last call in September 2015.    As a side note, the 2z’s Facebook Page is still very lively, and the also have an awesome photo gallery of “last call!”.   But I digress Back in August 2019, area news website South Jersey Observer had the story of LIDL appearing before the Somerdale Planning Board seeking approval to develop the grocery store.   A few months later they did receive approval but things have been quiet for the site Adding to the mystery, in September 2020 LIDL received approval to build another store in Blackwood NJ.  At the same time they put a press release saying “50 Stores we plan on opening in by the end of 2021” and while the just approved Blackwood store was listed… the Somerdale location was not This lead many to believe that the Somerdale location had already been put on permanent hold …the December 2020 purchase of the property at $2.85 million sure puts a positive spin on things for the Somerdale location The Courier-Post reported a year ago that the Somerdale approval was facing legal action as a resident filed suit over a redevelopment change which was targeted at allowing the LIDL store to be developed we are not clear on plans or timing of the Somerdale store Earlier this year LIDL opened a location in Cherry Hill 42Freeway has been following the progress of the Glassboro location very closely which we anticipate opening very early in 2021 as mentioned it was approved just a few months ago and so far there has been little progress there.  We suspect that after approvals were given the construction permit process then has to take place A planned Voorhees location was facing a lawsuit This all looks very promising for the Somerdale location… but a property in Mantua was previously purchased as part of the first wave of LIDL stores and despite a $3+ million dollar real estate investment that property seems to be abandoned by LIDL.  The Philadelphia Business Journal also has a report on this land purchase Maple Shade Charlie Brown’s Demolished New Tavern Planned For Mt Ephraim’s Little Caesar’s Building (Next to McDonald’s) The Somerdale Road bridge in Gloucester Township is set to be rebuilt starting this year The current bridge was developed in 1936, and last month Camden County announced the start of the project to full reconstruct it UPDATE: This project is starting January 2025. You can read about it here The reason for the delay was to adjust the project scope to ensure traffic is maintained in both directions throughout the entire 2 years of the project In my visit 2 weeks ago I saw that construction equipment and materials were already being collected at the site But impact to local commuters isn’t likely to start until around June when the roadway over the bridge temporarily becomes one-lane In the early January information release the County said the project will run until May 2024… but I wonder if that date is going to be a little later based on actual construction work starting after the school year I visited the site about 2 weeks ago and during that visit I found some cool artifacts of a 110 year old bridge which is at a location which has history going back to the 1690s. so at the end of this article I ramble on about that as well as mentioning the nearby Gabreil Daveis Tavern It’s likely that you’ve driven Somerdale Road 100 times and never really paid attention to the bridge which crosses over a small segment of the North Branch Big Timber Creek If you’re traveling from Chews Landing Rd not too far past the Wawa strip mall the road dips down lower and crosses the creek… where the bridge is located This is a key roadway between Chews Landing Rd (Black Horse Pike) and Hi-Nella / White Horse Pike In the immediate area of the bridge is the relatively new Heritage Park which was installed by Gloucester Township back in 2017 In my visit at the end of January I could see the park’s parking area was going to be used as a construction staging area and equipment was already being added to the site The county’s information states that this is a $4.1 million project which is being funded through a Local Bridge Future Needs Grant and is administered by the State Department of Transportation “This project is another investment we are making to our county’s infrastructure to ensure it remains solid to provide for future generations,” said Commissioner Al Dyer “Reconstructing this bridge will allow motorists pedestrians and cyclists to safely and efficiently traverse this span while they travel through this area.” The news release goes on to say that the County is currently in an historic investment effort to rebuild county bridges and roadways State and County funds more than $33 million of projects have been or are currently under construction and in 2023 another $22 million in projects are under designed or construction to maintain the areas vital infrastructure Starting In June” aspect is presented on a digital sign that is on display at the bridge site While engineers had preferred to fully close the bridge for the project (faster development) it was determined that it was more beneficial (and safer) to the community to keep one lane open A key factor in the final decision to keep one lane open was a concern of the police and fire departments in being able to quickly reach all areas of the community (if the roadway were closed) So the bridge will be rebuilt one “left/right side at a time” and traffic will have to be alternated when crossing the bridge road safety crew members will hold one direction of traffic while the other direction passes through. The roadway is already a very busy local road and it would seem that during this construction time it would likely be better to find alternate routes as it also connects the Black Horse Pike area with the White Horse Pike I mentioned earlier that after countless trips over the Somerdale Road bridge you likely don’t even pay attention to it. so absolutely you aren’t noticing the remnants of another bridge about 25 feet away Today as you cross over this segment of the Timber Creek you can only travel straight through But 100 years ago there were options to travel off at this point to the northwest towards Glendora and the Gabreil Daveis Tavern There were actually two crossovers in this immediate area One was an extension of Bees Lane which crossed over Somerdale Road and continued into the woods behind the historical tavern And there was a second cross-over over the creek coming from Glendora (Tavern) area which had a small bridge that lead into Somerdale Road On the Tavern side of the Somerdale Road the two former roads joined While the bridge portion of that former road is gone today the stone foundation still remains and can be seen from the sidewalk of the Somerdale Road bridge And it’s much more than a stone foundation… the bridge dedication plaque is still there and can be clearly seen from the sidewalk The plaque includes all of the names of the Bridge Commission members of the time I had a brief chat with a member of the Gloucester Township Historical Society who tells me this area used to be called “the buttonball” (after a Sycamore tree that grew there) and people would come from all over to swim in the Creek It is said that cars would line Somerdale Rd A 1959 article from the Courier-Post describes a plan by the Glendora Businessman’s Association to convert the historic area of woods and water along this segment of the Timber Creek into a park The article references the area as “the buttonball” The article goes on to say that the area is linked to South Jersey history going back to the colonial days So I mentioned that today there is the smaller Heritage Park along Somerdale road but across the Creek and through the woods is the Gabreil Daveis Tavern… which while not mentioned in the article was likely part of the land they were considering in 1959 for a park If you visit the Tavern on the Glendora side you can walk through a few trails behind the tavern which leads you to the other side of this 1910 bridge foundation as well as the “Bees Lane” extension (both are no long there) At each of those points the Gloucester Township Historical Society has installed signage which gives a bit of the history of the roads the sign states that this part of the Timber Creek was a public boat landing going back to the 1690s After 1756 low-tide travelers who for a short amount of time could not pass through along the creek would pass time at the Gabreil Daveis Tavern A second sign over by the connecting point of Bees Lane identifies it as Otter branch and states that it was once part of the Irish Road which crossed here near a grist mill pond I will be back in a few weeks to get a tour of the Tavern (when their Spring season starts) and I’ll have more coverage on that interesting and still widely unknown Gloucester Township historical site Somerdale Road Bridge RebuildSomerdale Road over Timber Creek Gabreil Daveis Facebook Page New Woolwich Store Opening Several Weeks Later Aspen Dental Building Proposed for Cross Keys Winslow Township NEW PHILADELPHIA Two Somerdale women have been found guilty of animal cruelty in a case that involved a cat and nine dogs including a Chihuahua its owners hid in an oven were each found guilty of two charges of animal cruelty and one charge of obstruction of official business by New Philadelphia Municipal Judge Nanette DeGarmo VonAllman The defendants entered no-contest pleas to all charges in court on Tuesday.  The case started when the Tuscarawas County Humane Society received a tip Nov Humane Officer Jimmy Hitchcock visited the site with three representatives of the humane society three sheriff's deputies and a social worker from Tuscarawas County Job and Family Services The foul conditions of the home were evident on arrival according to Shelter Director Haley Predragovich "Officer Hitchcock approached the front door where he describes the smell as 'absolutely repulsive the odor of ammonia burning my eyes and sinuses similar to that of a landfill,'” Predragovich wrote in a report.  Nine animals were removed from the Wentling and Kedigh home that day – eight dogs and one cat "All of the animals had evidence of extreme neglect ranging from less-than-ideal body condition ... and all had strong fecal/urine odors coming from their hair coats,"  Predragovich wrote A cat named Widow was suffering from severe urinary tract issues that went untreated for some time Widow had urine scalding on her hind legs and urinary stones in her bladder and urethra which lead to discomfort and could have led to urinary blockage the adult male great Dane removed from the home was in a condition that the medical staff and veterinarian with the Tuscarawas County Humane Society had never seen before according to Predragovich. He had very little body fat Predragovich said Wentling and Kedigh "thought they pulled a fast one on Officer Hitchcock and the humane society They hid their male chihuahua in their oven to not allow the humane society to remove him on Nov Officer Hitchcock was able to see the dog in the oven,"  Predragovich wrote "After collecting a second search warrant on Nov 19, Officer Hitchcock was able to remove all of the animals from the home." The judge gave Kedigh and Wentling the same sentences: 90 days in jail on each count, for a total of 270 days Jail time was suspended pending successful completion of five years’ probation possess or live at a residence with companion animals * Submit to random inspections to ensure compliance by a probation officer who may be in the company of a humane agent * Obtain a mental health assessment and comply with recommended treatment including taking medications as prescribed * Pay restitution to the humane society for the care and boarding of the animals in the amount of $4,105.53 The defendants are prohibited from possessing companion animals for life. That restriction goes beyond the term of probation; however VonAllman said she would be willing to consider amending that order if in the future the defendants were able to persuade her that they have their mental health situation under control and can otherwise provide proper care for animals "The Tuscarawas County Humane Society is very pleased with the outcome of this case and are very happy to announce all of the animals within the case have been adopted and are thriving in their new Humane society representatives who participated in the Nov Hitchcock also serves as a Dover police captain.  The Tuscarawas County Humane Society is a non-profit organization that relies solely on grants and donations to operate More information is online at www.tuschumanesociety.com Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com SOMERDALE - A medication-assisted treatment center authorized to dispense methadone and other medications for people with drug and alcohol addictions recently opened in a strip of medical offices here less than a 10-minute walk from the Lindenwold train station.  Bravo Medical celebrated its grand opening Wednesday with the borough's mayor and police chief among the dignitaries With the capacity to serve up to 400 people daily Bravo Medical is at least the second methadone program to open in South Jersey this year Pinnacle Treatment Centers opened an outpatient treatment site in Vineland there are 42 addiction treatment programs authorized to dispense methadone methadone is a tightly regulated narcotic used to block the symptoms of opiate withdrawal the liquid medication is dispensed daily under supervision until patients are graduated to weekly or monthly visits most methadone programs were isolated — out of sight and out of mind medical director for Recovery Centers of America's medication-assisted treatment program "That is one of the factors that I feel has led to a chronic disease metastasizing and becoming an epidemic," DeShields said.  That could be changing with the introduction of more treatment programs into the suburbs Somerdale Mayor Gary Passanante welcomed the addition to the town he's led for 24 years Situated between a diabetes care center and a dental office the center opened in August and now has 50 patients on its roster A search on the "Somerdale NJ" Facebook group yielded no comments about it and the mayor said he's received no complaints.  we've heard absolutely no issues at all from any of our residents," Passanante said He acknowledged the stigma associated with urban methadone clinics and said he is "cautiously optimistic."  "I want (Bravo) to be successful," Passante added "I want it to be part of the thread and fabric of our community because we know this is a problem that exists."   Since New Jersey expanded Medicaid and increased reimbursement rates the state has become more attractive to businesses offering medication-assisted treatment director of Camden County's Office of Mental Health and Addiction.  medication-assisted treatment is still "highly stigmatized" and access is limited buprenorphine and the injectable Vivitrol have much higher treatment success rates than talk therapy or abstinence alone but data reported by the New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System show only a fraction of addiction treatment plans in 2017 included methadone or Suboxone.  "I don’t think the public’s understanding for the need for these services is where it needs to be," Pellicane said More: Outpatient opioid treatment center now open in Vineland DeShields saw more first-time patients arriving with fentanyl detected in their urine screenings That means methadone is becoming an increasingly important tool in the treatment of opioid-use disorder.  "It really limits how we use Suboxone in this patient population," DeShields said "That's our biggest challenge now."   Bravo Medical is at 10 Somerdale Square near the intersection of White Horse Pike and White Horse Road The center accepts Medicaid and self-pay Kim Mulford is a senior reporter for the Courier Post and The Daily Journal with an interest in health and human services If you have a news tip or story we should tell contact her at kmulford@gannett.com or (856) 486-2448.  Help support local journalism with a subscription Somerdale will continue to operate from its headquarters in Somerset and will retain all of its UK and overseas staff UK cheese business Barber’s Group has acquired locally headquartered dairy exporter Somerdale International will not result in “any major changes” for Somerdale which already worked with Barber’s in an export capacity and will retain all of its UK and overseas staff and senior management team a brief statement from the two companies said Barber’s is a family-owned producer based in Somerset that also Ford Farm Cheesemakers in Dorset is one of six manufacturers to produce West Country Farmhouse Cheddar the company posted turnover of £115.4m ($147.1m) and operating profit of £7.4m with profit for the financial year at £6.1m operating profit of £1.7m and profit for the financial year of £1.2m Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Somerdale was founded in 1990 and exports 250 cheese brands to wholesale it exports Cheshire-based Joseph Heler Cheese Nottingham-based Cropwell Bishop and Welsh dairy producer Castle Dairies In 2021, Somerdale acquired the blended-cheese business of local peer Abergavenny Fine Foods part of a portfolio of cheeses developed for international markets said: “Our vision at Somerdale has always been to grow the export of the finest British cheese and dairy products across the globe.  “We’ve made great progress in this and believe that our deal with Barbers with whom we share many common values and goals will provide us with the necessary financial investment and security to take British dairy exports to the next level “It is important to stress that Somerdale will continue to act as a standalone business from a customer and supplier point of view we don’t envisage that the deal will result in any major changes.  “We will maintain our ability to offer our overseas customers the very best of British cheeses sourced from many of the UK’s leading producers While we will also continue to operate from our well-invested and dedicated headquarters in Wellington Somerset and will retain all of our UK and overseas staff and senior management team.” said: “We are delighted to reinforce our long and successful partnership with Somerdale with this even closer tie-up for the future We look forward to helping build on the amazing platform they have created for promoting great British cheese and dairy products to a truly global customer base.” Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network A 49-year-old Somerdale man is accused of arranging to have sex with a 13-year-old girl he met through a chat app Kostrub was texting with for a month or so was a federal agent according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina His online activities were discovered by law enforcement officials earlier this month Kostrub sent a nude photo of a young girl to the person he believed he would be meeting He also said he wanted to take her virginity Kostrub traveled from his Camden County home to a Walmart on Route 70 in Evesham Township he was met by investigators from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit Evesham Township police and the Cherry Hill office of U.S possession of child sexual abuse material with intent to distribute and distribution of child sexual abuse material — all second-degree counts He also has been charged with possession of third-degree child sexual abuse material and fourth-degree attempted criminal sexual contact he was being held at Burlington County Jail Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. Gallery Credit: Andrew Miller/For Townsquare Media NJ Richard J. Kostrub thought he had been texting for a month or so with a young teen girl - who was actually a federal agent, prosecutors said.\nRead More Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. This morning Cape May Brewing Company announced their plans to “acquire the assets” of Somerdale NJ’s Flying Fish Brewing Company The team at Cape May Brewing Company calls the move “a union of our two brands” This acquisition represents the union of our two brands – ones that charted the course for craft brewing in New Jersey with a shared foundation of entrepreneurial spirit The press release style website post goes on to say the acquisition is a strategic investment for Cape May brewing targeted at: “This is a massive milestone for both Cape May and Flying Fish who we’ve long admired as a true pioneer of craft brewing in the Garden State since its founding in 1995,” says CEO and Co-founder Ryan Krill “We are thrilled to expand our product portfolio and are approaching this acquisition with a focus on our core values and commitment to serving our customers with the highest quality brews.” The article at the Cape May Brewing site goes on to say that as part of the agreement Flying Fish will continue to be distributed by its wholesale distributor partners and Cape May Brewing beers will continue to operate at their existing location in Cape May County What they don’t clarify is the long range plan… Will we see the Somerdale location also brewing the very popular Cape May brewery brand of beers and having Cape May beers available in the Camden County Tasting Room Based on the growing popularity of the Cape May beers that seems likely (but unconfirmed) to what extent will the Flying Fish beers continue to be a part of the New Jersey craft beer scene long-term Will have to wait and see how this shakes out I’ll be reaching out to the folks at Cape May Brewing Hey guys I have a small place “In the Crest” and could stop down any day to chat It seems the two breweries have long been friends as back in 2018 they created the New Jersey Brewers Guild Today the owners of both breweries represent two of the five Guild Board Member seats is truly a pioneer in the New Jersey craft brewery scene They started back in 1996 in a much smaller location in Cherry Hill New Jersey At the time microbreweries really weren’t a thing in New Jersey Well technically it seems their first beers were sold in 1995 in a virtual brewery. with the internet as their only storefront 28 years of craft brewing beer in New Jersey… that’s a mighty big and impressive number Their most famous beers were the “Exit Series” named after exits of the New Jersey Turnpike Back in 2012 their brewery sales were outstripping the original Cherry Hill building’s production capacity and a new much larger location was secured in Somerdale NJ The large and separate warehouse facility in Somerdale allowed them to develop a brewing and tasting room facility which would support their growth plans The steam is recaptured in the brewing process and they added rain gardens at the property… it all made Flying Fish Somerdale one of the most sustainable breweries in the world Delaware and Maryland… and they also distribute through Total Wine stores locations which are outside of their normal distribution area The Somerdale Tasting Room is at the front of the large production facility (which used to press Motown vinyl records when it was built in the 1960s) and is located at 900 Kennedy Blvd next to the Walmart on the White Horse Pike A 2017 Courier-Post article detailed how Flying Fish brought on a new president and founder Gene Muller turned over much of the daily management of the brewery At the time the Courier states Flying Fish was New Jersey’s largest independent brewery with the article listing them as producing 25,000 barrels of craft beer annually Cape May Brewing has been seeing unprecedented growth with their beer product lines since being founded in 2011 A 2021 article at Brewing Industry Guide states that in just five years Cape May Brewing went from 6,300 barrels of production By taking over ownership of the Flying Fish facility it will enable Cape May Brewing to be in more control of the brewing process around their extended production needs Keep in mind that is with Cape May focusing on just three markets; New Jersey Clearly Cape May Brewing has their focus set on more growth (adding additional markets?) and will need more production capacity to support it So again while I don’t fully know the details of how they plan on utilizing the Somerdale Flying Fish Brewery facility in a longer term sense it’s likely to play a part in the ongoing growth of the Cape May Brewing Company Cape May Brewing1250 Hornet Road (Cape May Airport Complex)Rio Grande Monaco Indoor Karting in Berlin NJ is Open 2021Fire sent people running from a home in Camden County.SOMERDALE New Jersey (WPVI) -- Fire sent people running from a home in Camden County The fire broke out around midnight Wednesday on the unit block of Ogg Avenue in Somerdale Crews arrived to find heavy smoke in the first floor Fire officials said the flames raced from the kitchen up to the second floor of the home Everyone inside was able to make it out safely There is no word yet on what sparked the fire The town of Somerdale moves forward on their plans to convert the Our Lady of Grace church property into a mixed use development with the official filing for a concessionaires alcohol permit for Tori’s Bistro who will be opening in the actual church building The new Tori’s Bistro will be offering a full bar to accompany the restaurant!  Tori’s is most known for the location on Chews Landing Road.  No timetable for the church location will open The South Jersey Observer reported on the initial public hearing in 2018 for the exciting project in Somerdale which is to redevelop the Our Lady of Grace Church property on the White Horse Pike into a mixed use development.  The project is being developed by the town in partnership with a developer and will include apartments (one and two-bedroom studios) 7400 square feet of commercial/ retail space The Courier Post reported in 2018 that Mayor Passanante is a key visionary for the project Passanante said he was motivated in part by the demolition last year of St Gregory’s Church in neighboring Magnolia now the site of a Royal Farms convenience store.  “I know people there weren’t happy about losing that building,” said Passanante adding he wanted to avoid “total commercialization” of the Somerdale site “My brother got married there,” Lazar said “I was the best man.”  Where Lazar stood during the wedding will be converted in the front of his open-air kitchen for the restaurant which features Italian fare and will even include hometown brews from the Flying Fish brewery in Somerdale Thank you to Anne at South Jersey Observer for her assistance with this post Wildwood Southend Beach and Boardwalk; Drone Video from the Convention Center To Crest Pier Dollar Tree Opening in Turnersville’s Cross Keys Commons (Walmart) Center MOUNT HOLLY - A Somerdale man is accused of driving to a South Jersey Walmart store in the expectation of meeting a juvenile for sex was arrested Tuesday after arriving at a Walmart on Route 70 in Evesham according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office Kostrub believed he was going to meet a 13-year-old girl he had met online and with whom he'd been texting over the past month the prosecutor's office said in a statement "What he found instead were investigators," from local state and federal law enforcement agencies More: Sewell man admits sending threatening texts to Black family More: Stratford women accused of shocking girl with dog collar "Prior to orchestrating the rendezvous Kostrub sent a nude photo of a young girl" to an investigator posing online as a child he said he wanted to take her virginity," it added attempted sexual assault and attempted criminal sexual contact He also is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material and possession of such material with the intent to distribute Kostrub has not been convicted in the case a resident of the 200 block of Hollyoke Road the prosecutor's office and Evesham police economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post Support local journalism with a subscription.