.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comNate Bachich was 2-for-2 with a double a triple and had five RBI for Palmyra in its 15-4 triumph against Willingboro in Palmyra Down 3-1 after the top of the second inning Palmyra (7-6) rallied with a seven-run bottom of the second to take the lead Anthony Morgenstern was 1-for-3 with three RBI for Palmyra Alex Ridgway was 1-for-4 with a triple and had two RBI Jaiyon Howell scored two runs for Willingboro (2-10) James Pemberton was 3-for-3 with a run scored Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Willingboro has officially returned command of its police force to a full-time police chief Ian Bucs was sworn in as chief at the township council reorganization meeting Tuesday night The move was partly a promotion and partly a title change since aside from his captaincy Bucs also had held the position of public safety director since Dec Members of township council in November had repealed an ordinance that placed the department under a director of public safety instead of a chief The reversion to naming a police chief is intended to make leadership structure and accountability clearer More: Willingboro police receive K-9 grant from Ben Roethlisberger's foundation More: Waiting til April 15 to book a CPA is waiting too long Bucs becomes the fifth police chief the borough has had officially named Bucs to the position and presented him to the public at the meeting The council commends Bucs for "unwavering dedication," Harris said Newly appointed Mayor Samantha Whitfield administered the oath of office to Bucs Bucs had his children accept his new badge and pass it one to another to his wife “Becoming a chief of police is a significant milestone in anyone’s career," Bucs said "But being able to do it in the community that I love is the icing on the cake This community is more than a collection of parts I do so with a duty to protect and serve you all." Bucs promised to hear the concerns of residents we will have a community where safety and justice goes hand in hand." The borough hired Bucs in October 1999 as a part-time Class II special police officer His police career had started in May 1999 in the same position with the Wildwood Police Department Bucs was hired as a full-time officer and sent to the Burlington County Police Academy He was promoted to sergeant in July 2006 and to lieutenant in January 2015.In July 2019 Bucs was promoted to captain and oversaw the patrol division He became public safety director with the retirement of Kinamo Lomon in 2021 the department under Bucs added a community engagement unit shift representative program and executive protection unit The department also secured more than $500,00 in grants New technologies include an in-car video system a License Plate Reader and security cameras throughout the municipality Tuesday's meeting also saw the Township Council reorganize Members unanimously voted for Whitfield as mayor Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland Support local journalism with a subscription Jacqueline Jennings endorsed Fulop in January 2024 Former Willingboro Mayor Jacqueline Jennings endorsed Steve Fulop for governor fifteen months ago but now she’s changed her mind and will back Ras Baraka instead “With Trump back in Washington and the threat to our democracy greater than ever we simply cannot afford to get this wrong,” Jennings said “Ras Baraka has consistently proven himself to be a courageous and visionary leader—someone who governs with both head and heart  He is the executive and the messenger we need right now said her decision followed deep reflection on the current political landscape Jennings admitted that she took sides too early and said course correction and reevaluation of decisions in the public arena should be more acceptable and being willing to change our minds is a mark of leadership The move will prevent Fulop volunteers from going door-to-door with flyers touting the Jennings endorsement in Willingboro “I deeply respect Mayor Jennings’ commitment to her community and her willingness to stand on principle,” said Baraka “Leadership requires courage and the ability to listen 2025A Burlington County man faces charges in connection to a murder dating back nearly a decade.WILLINGBORO (WPVI) -- A Burlington County man faces charges in connection to a murder dating back nearly a decade is accused of shooting Colby Rodgers to death in Willingboro back in 2016 Investigators say Paden and Rodgers were acquaintances who had a falling out prior to the shooting Paden is currently at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaFreshman Lily Rossi struck out 12 of the 13 batters she faced -- the other reached on a catcher’s interference call -- in a four-inning no-hitter as Riverside defeated Willingboro It was the third shortened no-hitter of the season for Rossi who has 116 strikeouts this season and has walked just 16 batters Riverside climbed to 10-3 as Rossi rapped three doubles and drove in six runs John Lewis can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) A longtime gas station and repair service garage property could be transformed into a convenience store and Pizza Hut near a busy intersection in Willingboro is seeking preliminary and final major site plan The on-site gas station is to be in use as well It's located directly across the street from an existing Sunoco gas station and repair garage The site is approximately a half-mile from Willingboro High School gas station projectThe proposal for the approximately 19,771-square-foot property is to reuse the existing structure as a one-story It's to be branded as a Harmon’s Market and Pizza Hut The gasoline fueling operation would remain parking area restriping and accommodation for ADA spacing are proposed An illuminated façade and wall-mounted business signs are also proposed for the convenience store use The applicant is seeking to use variance relief related to the proposed convenience store use It's to constitute two combined principal uses on a single lot The bulk variance relief is also sought related to business signage deficient lot area and parking shortfall and rear yard setback The application and supporting documents are on file at the Willingboro Township Municipal Complex Members of Willingboro Township's zoning board are to host a virtual public hearing via Zoom at 7 p.m. April 2. The virtual meeting can be found at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86701733189?pwd=RTFWZ1M4MTZFRFFydExNS0xUTElCZz09 Telephone users may dial in at 1-646-558-8686 Consider a digital subscription to help support our journalism A special election March 11 should determine whether Willingboro Township Public Schools can go ahead with a total of $67.9 million in renovations and new construction New Jersey is to pick up $21 million of that cost District officials' efforts to brief voters on the proposals continue Feb. 12 with a virtual town hall meeting. Visit willingboroschools.org/reimagine for the Zoom link A recording of the town hall is also to be posted to the website The main stated goals are increasing classroom space plus adding modern academic and physical education facilities What does Question 1 on the Willingboro ballot propose?The question proposes repairing or replacing roofs at Willingboro High School Cresswell Stuart early childhood development centers More: Willingboro looks to familiar face for 'new' police chief Other list items are: renovating middle school and high school science labs; transforming elementary school libraries into modern media centers; building gym annexes at the elementary schools; installing bathrooms in each preschool/kindergarten classroom; and improving safety and traffic flow for the parking lot at Garfield East Early Childhood Development Center The cost for these Question 1 projects combined would be about $49.7 million that the district would expect $21 million in state aid to offset the total District officials want to build an indoor track/basketball complex at Windover Lane next to the Country Club Administration building The venue would include: a six-lane banked track with additional lanes for sprints; areas for jumping and pole-vault events as well as other amenities; and two indoor basketball courts School officials hope to use it to raise money as well through rental fees and sponsorships with the revenue supporting academic programs More: Report a pothole: Burlington County wants your help to fix roadways. How to chime in. Question 2 can not pass unless Question 1 is passed The tax impact for Question 1 would be $14 per month for a home assessed at the average  The tax impact for Questions 1 and 2 together would be approximately $23 per month for the same home the public should expect to see it reflected in their tax bills in August 2026 2025Watch the 6abc Philadelphia 24/7 stream featuring Action News (WPVI) -- A teenager reported missing in Willingboro Fourteen-year-old Nedgine Derilus was reported missing on Tuesday Crews searched for hours using helicopters The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office confirmed she was located in Philadelphia the next day No further information was immediately released Voters in two Burlington County towns have approved school-improvement projects with a combined cost of approximately $82 million Willingboro residents on Tuesday supported two ballot questions worth $67.9 million, according to unofficial results on the county's website. "The community can look forward to improvements to every school and the construction of an Indoor track and basketball complex," stated a post expressing gratitude on the district's website voters narrowly approved a $14.1-million bond to upgrade the local district's three elementary schools Soul line dancing: South Jerseyans show off moves on national TV, at Library of Congress Southampton Superintendent Megan Geibel thanked the bond’s supporters. But she acknowledged the close result in a letter to the community Wednesday. “Our goal is to ensure that every voice is heard and considered as we move forward,” Geibel wrote "underscores the diverse perspectives within our community." almost 70% of voters supported the first ballot question a $49.7-million proposal to upgrade the district's schools called for spending $18.2 million on an indoor track/basketball complex Here are some of the changes set to come to Willingboro: The Willingboro projects are to result in a property tax increase of $23 annually for an average home assessed at $161,022 New Jersey is to cover $21 million of the school improvements but none of the costs for the sports complex State aid is to cover $3.5 million of debt service in Southampton The bond's cost is to hike the annual property tax by $29 for an average home assessed at $189,284 Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal WILLINGBORO – Welcome back, Starbucks The chain best known for its sweet and caffeinated brews is back in Willingboro Starbucks officially opened at Willingboro Town Center on Valentine's Day Feb not far from the site of a previous Starbucks location The brand-new Starbucks is at 4380 Route 130 North A line of customers was in the drive-thru on a recent Sunday afternoon with more cars were pulling up regularly to the new restaurant The former Starbucks in this area was located across an entranceway from where the current one is found This old Starbucks closed in 2008 after only a few years in town The site where the new Starbucks was built was previously approved for restaurant use as part of the Willingboro Town Center shopping center but for a time the site was an undeveloped and vacant pad All access to the site is from Campbell Drive The town center has added quite a few new businesses over the last few years including 1911 Smokehouse Barbeque restaurant Residential developments are currently being built within a 5-6 mile radius of the Starbucks including several Burlington Township apartment and townhouse properties New housing has come into Willingboro as well since the other Starbucks closed and another approximately 5 miles away in Burlington Township along Route 541 The South Jersey native has covered the Philadelphia 76ers college and high school sports in her tenure and now covers local news art and culture and more for the Courier Post She has won numerous writing awards for her work.Please consider a digital subscription to help support our journalism A Willingboro girl who went missing this week was found safe in Philadelphia Willingboro police announced in a Facebook post at 7:40 p.m The girl had been missing since approximately 10:30 a.m She was last seen in the area of Twin Hills Park "We would like to thank our community and beyond for your assistance!" the post said It noted support for the search from 13 law enforcement and first-responder agencies including the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office NJ Transit police and New Jersey State Park Police Municipal police departments offered assistance from Burlington Township The search for Derilus caught the public's attention with the police department's missing person's post seeing more than 4,000 shares on Facebook (This story was updated to add information.) More: Jersey Kebab owner to be released on bond after two weeks in ICE detention Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need Three men face charges in connection with a May 2024 drive-by shooting that killed an unintended victim in Willingboro The suspects — 33-year-old Kirk Williams of Burlington City and Camden residents Robert Cardona 45 — are charged with the murder of Major Hamilton Hamilton was shot in the chest as he stood with a group of people outside the 609 Elite Social Club on the night of May 21 the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office said Vineland violence: Two accused of killing man in fight outside home The shooting occurred at approximately 9:45 p.m Hamilton was shot in the chest and died approximately an hour later at a local hospital An investigation determined that the gunfire was intended to kill "a different man who was present at the club but was not in the area where the shots were fired," the prosecutor's office said Hamilton was the father of four children and grandfather of two Detectives recently arrested Williams on April 10 and took Tokley into custody in Camden one day later Cardona already was in Camden County Jail on an unrelated charge The men also are accused of conspiracy to commit murder and weapons offenses An 18-year-old is accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint during a home invasion in Willingboro Jazihe Williams allegedly entered a Ballad Lane home while wearing a mask and confronted the victim in a second-floor bedroom at approximately 7:45 p.m Police learned the victim’s credit card had been used for more than 25 Door Dash orders through Dec The Door Dash account used for the orders was in Williams' name Willingboro homicide: Woman accused of killing her mother Williams is charged with aggravated assault The charges against Williams are only allegations Williams was being held in Burlington County Jail The police account reported no injuries to the woman Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post A New Jersey state board has revoked the teaching certificates of a male educator accused of initiating "unprovoked and unwanted" contact with two female graduates of Willingboro High School Morison failed to show "the mature self-control of an educator and violated the public trust" when he sent online messages to the women in 2016 and 2020 Each woman was a former student of Morison's physical education and driver's education at the Willingboro district He also coached one woman on a softball team and the other on a soccer squad "Using a previous teacher-student and coach-student player relationship to initiate a new personal relationship is highly inappropriate and unprofessional behavior," the State Board of Examiners said in a decision Jan Teachers lose certificates: Careers end due to sexual misconduct, threats and fraud It said Morison's conduct crossed the line from being "supportive of former students to extremely poor judgment and potentially predatory behavior." The Willingboro district's website lists Morison as a physical education teacher at Memorial Middle School Morison has fought disciplinary action since Willingboro's school board brought tenure charges against him in December 2020 He previously lost a court appeal of an arbitrator's ruling in the tenure case which called for a one-year suspension without pay and restrictions of his online activities with current and former students The revocation decision can be appealed to the state's education commissioner but Morison's attorney could not be reached for comment arbitrator Ruth Moscovitch asserted that Morison was “insensitive — even oblivious — to how his conduct as a white man of middle years would be perceived by the young black women he approached whom he knew only because he was their teacher.” Her decision noted sexually graphic language in one message and said the other could be reasonably interpreted as "an overture" to meet Morison at the shore The Board of Examiners took up Morison's case in September 2021 Morison asserted his first message had been a "careless act" and the second had been misinterpreted who received his first certificate in 2001 argued that the district had already disciplined him for the calls his coaching and volunteer efforts in the district and that he provides homebound instruction for students who were out of school due to disciplinary reasons." WILLINGBORO — A former township firehouse property that's been dormant for years could soon have new life Members of the Willingboro Zoning Board granted approval to Willi Realty LLC for an amended and preliminary final major site plan approval with bulk variances for cumulative square footage for free-standing signs and to convert an existing vacant fire house into a fast-food restaurant The site is to include a dual lane drive-thru for Block 727 more commonly known as 603 Beverly Rancocas Road The location is at the corner of Garfield Drive and Beverly Rancocas A convenience store is on the other side of the site Approval was granted at the public hearing Nov 13 and memorialized by a written resolution with adoption by board members the same day Township officials said copies of the resolution are on file and available for inspection during regular business hours in the clerk's office the township consolidated all of its fire department operations at its Charleston Road station which is 4,446 square feet and is on more than half an acre and the property was last sold for $335,500 on March 31 Another surplus fire station along Sunset Road was also sold at that time WILLINGBORO TWP. — Any question about the level of interest in the future of the Willingboro Public Library appear settled: There’s a lot But municipal officials aren't quite ready to make decisions Members of Willingboro Township Council spent almost the entirety of a four-hour meeting Tuesday night listening to testimony about two separate proposals One of them is about relocating the library The other is whether it should join the Burlington County Library System cutoff time by an hour to squeeze in more discussion Mayor Kaya McIntosh moved to table action on two draft resolutions until Oct The motion to delay was unanimously approved More: Will Willingboro's library move, change hands? Officials, community to discuss tonight. your questions have been heard,” Councilwoman Rebecca Perrone said She had seconded the motion to table any votes and also had said she liked that the library is under local control “I do appreciate you coming out this evening,” Perrone said “It is helpful for us when we have to make decisions I think all of us have a lot to think about.” said she isn't opposed to relocation — if the new accommodations are suitable But she said she doesn't support joining the county system for a number of reasons “My question to the governing body is this: Rather than ceding control of our entire library to the county system can we negotiate a reciprocal borrowing agreement between the Willingboro Public Library and the county library system purchasing decisions and governance under the control of the Willingboro library,” Cronce said raised a number of questions that the council members promised to answer or re-investigate Is there a guarantee that the local library won't be closed?Are there any protections for employees who might have to re-apply for jobs with the county under a merger?Because township residents created the Willingboro library via a 1960 referendum can it legally be joined with county system said they don't believe this sort of restriction would be in effect.What is the tax impact if the library goes under county control The township could eliminate or reduce its own $1-million annual budget allocation for the library.Remarks from the five-member governing body during the meeting suggested there's strong support for the library leaving the 220 Willingboro Parkway address it has occupied since 2003 and a small portion of it originally was a Woolworth’s department store “They are definitely two separate issues,” McIntosh told the Burlington County Times earlier Tuesday “We can have an option where one is voted up More: Browns Mills accident victim's lawsuit settled for $25.75M Township officials have proposed moving the library about 1.5 miles away into significantly less space at the municipal JFK Center at 429 John F The JFK Center is a former high school and still under renovation with no certainty about how much square footage finally would be available for the library has said more space is needed than the 16,000 square feet that has been suggested to her The issue was among many to come up at the Sept all-out public discussion of the library’s future there are economic development opportunities for that space,” she said who is the governing body’s liaison to the library said there could be significant benefits to joining the county system what we’re talking about is a different delivery model,” she said at one point Worthy issued a “call to action” to the library board “The solution isn’t necessarily just keeping everything as it is,” Worthy said “There’re always opportunities to make enhancements … to make things better And it may or may not include moving to the county we need the proactive leadership of our well-qualified And I think that that’s a huge missing part of this conversation.” acknowledged there have been discussions with the township that still must be researched and reviewed,” spokesperson David Levinsky said said emails have been plentiful from residents on both sides of the debate are scared that they’ll lose their employment or their jobs,” the mayor said “There’s some fear that we’ll lose our local identity Because the library in Willingboro has been the cornerstone Investigators are seeking a driver who fled after fatally striking a pedestrian in Willingboro was hit Monday night on northbound Route 130 in Willingboro No arrests have been announced and additional details were not immediately available Suspect charged: Woman accused of being the driver in fatal hit-and-run Anyone with information is asked to call the Willingboro Police tip line at 609-877-6958 Emails can be sent to tips@co.burlington.nj.us .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaJacob Inman went 3-for-4 with a double three RBIs and three runs to lead Medford Tech to a 14-4 win over Willingboro in a five-inning game in Medford Zachary Brenner homered and drove in two runs while Mason Simon and Jadiel Perez Carrasco each had two hits and an RBI for the Jaguars (3-4) two walks and two runs for Willingboro (0-5) The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Willingboro's 4x100 relay of Kaila Speight Nester Wea placed second in the 4x100 Northeast final at the 2025 Penn Relays.Corey Annan .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Corey Annan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comPHILADELPHIA—Willingboro didn’t let the endless puddles of rain on the track stop them from dusting their state counterparts in the 4x100 Northeast final junior Aaliyah Robinson and senior Nester Wea finished as N.J.’s top team with a second place finish (47.66) West Orange (47.89) and Lawrenceville (48.62) “We’ve been thinking about this race all day,” Robinson said “It was less about nerves for us and more about us wanting to reach our goal today We went into this race with confidence and wanting it.” The rainy conditions were less than ideal today but when you consider that Willingboro only ran .17 seconds slower than prelims (47.49) their performance only looks that much more extraordinary Their time at prelims was the school’s fastest relay in 31 years, per the South Jersey Track Blog. And things could’ve easily gone south had Speight not recovered from nearly tripping at the start of the first leg she recovered beautifully and put the rest of the relay in a position to succeed “What usually helps me is me breaking the stagger,” Speight said “I was in Lane 9 so I had to remember to drive Both Bolden and Robinson kept Willingboro near the top of the order while Wea was able to fend off Winslow’s anchor who came charging hard for second place in the final few meters especially because we were facing off against teams that we normally go up against (Winslow & Pennsauken) I guess that was where the nerves came from but you can’t let that overtake you in this sport.” It also helps that this group of girls know each other very well Bolden and Wea have been regulars on Willingboro’s 4x100 relay for the last few seasons now while Robinson made her return to the team after not competing in 2024 “I like being back with the team,” Robinson said It was a bit hard getting myself (back into shape) Both Pennsauken (47.26) and Winslow (47.40) still have faster times than Willingboro and have beaten them head-to-head this season but today’s performance puts Willingboro back in the conversation for South Jersey’s top sprint relay team “I feel like the work that we’ve put in is paying off,” Wea said “Because almost every time we hit the track I feel like we are getting stronger as a relay and as athletes individually RESULTS Corey Annan can be reached at cannan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him or send him a message on Twitter/X @coreyannan360 High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Sign up now! Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardVoters in West Deptford and Southampton considering school bond questions on TuesdayWest Deptford and Willingboro are the only South Jersey districts with referendum questions in Tuesday special’s election West Deptford School Superintendent Brian C Gismondi has lost count of how many meetings he has attended to pitch an $89.9 million bond referendum to pay for improvements at every school in his South Jersey school system Voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve the referendum which would raise local property taxes by $384 a year for the average homeowner Gismondi hopes that he has made the case for the spending plan to make upgrades that the district cannot readily afford through its annual operating budget along with Willingboro and Southampton in Burlington County are the only South Jersey districts with referendum questions in Tuesday special’s election one of five times during the year that school boards may ask voters to approve a bond issue or special question there are 16 boards asking voters to approve proposals totaling for $742.6 million with the state contributing $241.2 million Most spending projects qualify for state funding to cover some of the costs the West Deptford referendum would allow the district to expand its preschool program to include 3-year-olds adding 10 classrooms to the district’s early childhood center About 150 students would be enrolled there while 4-year-olds would continue to attend three elementary schools would get a two-story addition with the bond The classes can house no more than 15 students with a teacher and an aide West Deptford enrolls about 2,900 students in pre-K through 12th grade The district said the additional space is needed to implement a full-day program in order to receive special state preschool funding the district would need to enroll some preschoolers in outside programs such as Head Start or spread the preschool students out at different schools in the district Gismondi said a bell atop the early childhood center » READ MORE: Haddonfield voters will consider $46.7 million school bond referendum, the largest in 25 years the center could be completed as early as 2027 The district also wants to upgrade HVAC systems at its three elementary schools The middle school would get new science labs and the high school would get a 4,000-square-foot music room expansion along with additional storage and classroom space for the band and choir programs The state would contribute $24 million toward the first ballot question The projects proposed in the second question would go forward only if voters approve the first ballot question including a year-round indoor athletic complex that could host track meets about $276 would be added annually to the average tax bill which account for 59% of the projects in the first question The district cannot finance the repairs with its general operating budget so a referendum or property tax increase are the only options The district would use a new athletic complex as a rental facility and attract the region’s top track teams The complex would also include two basketball courts While the $18.2 million project is ineligible for state funds Outlaw believes it would generate rental and sponsorship fees Outlaw said Willingboro’s indoor track teams now must go to other locations to compete The district broke ground last year for a rebuilt outdoor track and field at the stadium that bears the name of Carl Lewis who won four gold medals in the 1984 Olympics The Southampton school district is asking voters to approve a $14.1 million referendum to convert an existing bus garage into an annex that would house all-purpose The capital improvement project also calls for refurbishing the playgrounds at two elementary schools and installing a multipurpose field and running track at Southampton School #3 WILLINGBORO TWP. — Touchy decisions about whether to move the Willingboro Public Library — and whether to turn it over to Burlington County to operate — have been delayed once again Both ideas were on the township council agenda Tuesday night for potential votes for the second consecutive council meeting Members finally agreed to postpone potential actions until Oct A few things are new since last month’s council meeting which went into overtime for discussion about relocating the library and enrolling it in the county system County government officials have not taken a public position on the takeover idea More: 'A lot to think about': Willingboro library relocation, merger decisions loom the executive director of the New Jersey Library Association told council his organization believes the question of Willingboro joining the county library system must be decided through a referendum is not taking a position on whether joining the county is a good or bad idea “But it is really important for us that everyone follow library law,” Bonfield said “Libraries are under attack in a variety of different ways.”  Bonfield said interpretations they've sought on state library law agree that a referendum would be needed Association members have not taken up a position on relocating the library library board trustees and Friends of the Library members was formed in response to the propositions Library board officers asked the council to take time to work with the new committee before any votes Council members appeared to be open to that idea The local library now is at 220 Willingboro Parkway where it opened in 2003 in a shopping center and would move under the township proposal about 1.5 miles to the township-owned JFK Center at 429 John F The center is a former high school still under renovation to become a multi-purpose facility an effort made possible through grant funding the JFK Center is better situated to reach the most residents But library representatives have balked at the idea that they would have only 12,000 square feet to 16,000 square feet approximately of usable space The current library has 42,000 square feet Township officials have said the square footage could be more More: Call of the wild a start of career Library board member Corvena Francis-Denton said their group hasn't had the chance to dive deeply into the details yet what we’ve heard through this process is how the heart of the people in our town is truly broken at the thought that we would have taken away their right to have a voice in this matter,” Francis-Denton said “We are requesting just an opportunity to continue to look at where we go moving forward and what would not only be best for the library but what would be best for the people that the library serves.” The township can make a relocation happen because it is the owner of the library Its library was built in part with a grant from New Jersey but the state said recently the funding does not preclude Willingboro moving the operation Councilwoman Rebecca Perrone continues to question the proposals She said the cost of improving the current library would be less costly than adapting JFK Center to accommodate it Perrone also asked why the county takeover idea was on the agenda Deputy Mayor Nathaniel Anderson said he agreed with postponing any action regarding a county role until some questions are answered saying there are options to satisfy the library’s concerns about adequate space from the point of me supporting the relocation … it gives us an opportunity to lease that space (library) out and to make some money,” Anderson said Climate change is an emergency in New Jersey. The state is warming faster than the global average and faster than the rest of the Northeast, and we will continue to see an increase in the frequency and intensity of storms. A report found that hurricane-related winds and floods have caused up to $1.3 billion more in destruction in the state today than they would have if the climate of the 1980s had remained constant Throughout intense storms inland streams and rivers can overflow leaving even an inland town like Willingboro vulnerable to rising waters and massive flood damage Beyond the cost of the physical infrastructure repeatedly damaged from these severe storms is the human toll — lives lost and thousands forced to flee from their homes never before seen flooding from stormwater as a result of a severe rainstorm Homes on a number of streets had devastating losses I walked through many of those homes with the occupants and it brought me to tears Many homeowners had no choice but to walk away from the place they had lived in for years As somewhere that had never seen floods like this many of our neighbors didn’t have flood insurance not a large enough area to qualify for federal disaster relief The current infrastructure in Willingboro cannot handle the amount of stormwater that can come in so quickly during severe storms caused by climate change water infrastructure requires $40 billion in investment over the next 20 years and updating our stormwater infrastructure will cost over $16 billion of that amount The state has provided some stormwater grants but that funding will not cover overall costs for the upgrades needed in many municipalities So what can a community like Willingboro do to prevent a similar tragedy like the one in 2018 from happening again One proven strategy for municipalities to fund stormwater infrastructure improvements is a stormwater utility or regional sewage authority to assess a fee based on a property’s impervious surface area and contribution to polluted stormwater These funds also are legally dedicated and cannot be diverted to a municipality’s general fund — they have to be used for stormwater improvements there are nearly 1,800 stormwater utilities and they are so popular that they exist in 41 states With a stormwater utility Willingboro would have continuous revenue to address our stormwater problems The average cost to residents would be a monthly fee but the average homeowner or renter need not worry A stormwater utility is based on a “polluters pay” principle like huge paved parking lots and those who contribute the most to our stormwater problems also contribute the most to the fund Families and businesses who reduce their runoff through green infrastructure like rain gardens are given credits toward the system A stormwater utility and its revenue would also enable Willingboro to proactively plan and budget for projects avoiding the costly emergency repairs that occur when system maintenance is deferred until it’s too late If we want a bright future for our children and grandchildren in our community I encourage our elected leaders to consider the idea of stormwater utility Willingboro needs to be equipped to protect against the flooding and stormwater pollution that we know We need to be ready for the next big storm For more informationFor more information about stormwater utilities, visit the Flood Defense Coalition websites: https://www.njlcvef.org/flood-defense https://stormwaterutilities.njfuture.org/about/  Patricia Harvey is a resident of Willingboro and an advocate for water safety in her community Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardVoters in three South Jersey towns approve school bond questions that will raise local property taxesVoters in West Deptford and Southampton approved funding for large capital projects in their school districts in Tuesday's election Voters in three South Jersey towns approved school bond questions in a special election Tuesday that will raise local property taxes to fund improvements and projects in their school districts and Southampton were the only South Jersey school systems with referendum questions in Tuesday’s special election one of five times during the year that school boards can ask voters to approve a bond issue or special question The questions can be a tough sell to voters because they typically mean a property tax increase Across the state, voters approved construction and other questions on the ballot totaling $579.9 million, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. Questions were rejected in seven districts Here’s what to know about results of the bond questions in South Jersey: an $89.9 million bond issue in West Deptford passed 1,655 to 1,125 It was the largest school bond question on the ballot Tuesday in the tri-county region and will mean a $384 annual property tax increase for the owner of a home assessed at the township average several of which have been shelved for years because they don’t fit into the annual budget will greatly improve learning environments in our schools and help improve academic outcomes,” Superintendent Brian Gismondi said in a statement West Deptford plans to expand its preschool program to include 3-year-olds The Gloucester County district also wants to upgrade HVAC systems at its five schools and add a music room to the high school voters in Willingboro approved two proposals on the ballot for spending $18.2 million to build an indoor track and athletic complex About $276 would be added annually to the average tax bill for both questions “We appreciate that Willingboro voters saw the value in making these improvements and chose to invest in the future of our students,” Willingboro Public Schools Superintendent Malcolm X In Southampton, Burlington County, voters approved a $14.1 million referendum for projects that include security upgrades The capital improvement project also calls for refurbishing two elementary playgrounds Geibel said the spending plan will add about $29 to the average annual tax bill “We’re happy and ready to move forward,” Geibel said Wednesday WILLINGBORO — The Willingboro Public Library is staying where it is and under local control Township Council on Tuesday night decided against starting the process of joining the Burlington County library system but it also made clear that the proposal will be revisited for possible action Officials want to feel more comfortable that they understand what impacts there might be Council members also said they want to give library representatives time to meet with them More: Would Willingboro residents vote to hand over the library? Referendum a possibility. More: Convention might pick replacement for Conaway Assembly seat the council unanimously decided to postpone until early January 2025 a decision on whether to relocate the library into the John F The center still is under renovation and necessary architectural work to fit the library in the center is not done were seeking to put off potential action until March 2025 That would give added time for library representatives to talk with township officials and deliver their own findings a Friends of the Willingboro Library member told the council it still needs to address the question of whether a referendum is needed for any transfer of the library to be legal The two ideas for the library’s future are not linked Both proposals have support and opposition from council members “After communication with the county and some of the commissioners this is not a good move for us,” Councilwoman Rebecca Perrone said of placing the library in county hands the governing body’s liaison to the library said she was agreeable to delaying action so the county could answer questions Worthy called on library representatives and residents to have more open minds about operating the library “And I think what’s a little concerning … is the confirmation bias that’s out there,” Worthy said “Not being able to take a moment to imagine what the possibilities could be.” Two Pemberton Township men have received prison terms totaling almost 200 years for the slaying of a Willingboro teenager during a feud with residents of the Buckingham Park neighborhood in Willingboro according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office Robinson lived in Buckingham Park but was not involved in the dispute Teacher discipline: Why a Willingboro educator lost his certificates The Willingboro High School senior was shot multiple times while returning home from his after-school job in April 2021 young life should never have occurred," said Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia Bradshaw Carter was sentenced Friday to 110 years in state prison Both were sentenced by Superior Court Judge Gerard H Carter and Young were convicted in December 2024 of murder Carter was also convicted of promoting organized street crime and an additional weapons offense Their jury deliberated for about three hours after a two-month trial CAMDEN — Ever since he started playing quarterback in the sixth grade the thing Makhi Brunson enjoyed most about the position was having the ball in his hands on every play the Camden senior used that opportunity to create a lot of magic in a 41-6 victory South Jersey Group 2 semifinal win over Willingboro "I try to spread the ball around," Brunson said "give my guys some love and make sure they all touch the rock." Brunson fired three touchdown passes to three different receivers he completed passes to nine players throughout the evening The senior threw for 173 yards and displayed a nice touch on the deep ball to exploit singled coverage His confidence in his receivers was emphatic "I'll take my guys over any guys in the whole country hitting Malik Redd-Hubbard in stride for a 50-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 Camden lead just 2:21 into the contest he found Christian Braxton in the flat for a 13-yard score then lofted a pretty ball to Scott Freeman who went up and grabbed it for a 19-yard TD and a 19-0 Panther lead in the first quarter "We took it out hard tonight," Brunson said Wasi Muhammed and Jaiden Steele all contributed to a diverse passing attack Brunson added an 18-yard run to set up another Camden touchdown in the third quarter "He's been doing a good job of taking care of the ball the last few weeks," coach Rob Hinson said "Sometimes we want the ball out a little quicker so we're only going to go as far as he takes us." Braxton rushed for 70 yards and Steele added 23 to help Camden achieve a decent run-pass balance "I thought we'd be able to run a little bit better," Hinson said we ran for like 385 yards so I thought we'd run a little bit better tonight (The Chimeras' Joshua Amachukwu and Jordan Richardson-Wright) really got after it "We weren't able to run the ball like I thought we'd be able to Camden's offensive line created enough space for Ibn Muhammed to dash in from eight yards out in the second quarter Touchdown runs by Steele (12 yards) and Braxton (19 yards) put the game out of reach in the third quarter Freshman Jayson Nelson had a pair of two-point conversion runs for Camden It wasn't the kind of night Willingboro wanted second-quarter drive that culminated with the speedy Terrance Knighton scoring on a 43-yard catch and run Play of the GameBrunson's 50-yard scoring strike to Redd-Hubbard set the tone Camden led 7-0 barely two minutes into the contest with the Panther sideline erupting in celebration ushering in a dominant first quarter in front of the home fans Wide receiver Malik Redd-Hubbard was a threat as a receiver and a punt returner and his two catches for 69 yards and a TD gave the Panthers a big boost early Running back Christian Braxton gave Camden's offense its usual rhythm and he added a 13-yard TD reception in a versatile effort you have to have something to hang our hat on and right now we're hanging our hat on defense." Kev Hunter is a freelance reporter for the Courier-Post He can be reached by email at cpvarsity@gmail.com WILLINGBORO — An 18-year-old — who was apparently very hungry after committing a crime — is responsible for a brazen home invasion in Burlington County was arrested following an investigation by police detectives Willingboro officers were called to a home in the area of Ballad Lane on the evening of Dec Police were told that an individual had entered the residence and went to the second floor where the homeowner was located in the main bedroom The intruder was allegedly armed with a gun and demanded the homeowner's purse the individual — later identified as Williams — immediately began using several stolen credit cards to purchase food at various locations Williams has been charged with aggravated assault Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Gallery Credit: Eric Scott Gallery Credit: Mike Brant Apparently, the suspect was very hungry after confronting a homeowner.\nRead More officers from the Willingboro Police Department.. Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom A 32-year-old woman is accused of killing her mother in Willingboro 16 at the Hopewell Lane home of the victim Beacham was staying at the Hawthorne Park home temporarily Willingboro tragedy: Mother, daughter slain in Harrington Circle home A criminal complaint alleged that Beacham struck her mother with a curtain rod and a hammer before stabbing her with a screwdriver Police found Beacham on top of her mother when they responded to a 911 call about an assault in progress shortly before 4 p.m. The call was made by a person in the home who heard the victim screaming for help She then witnessed the assault and called 911 from outside the home “Breanna stated she intended on killing (her mother)," the statement said Beacham said the incident began with a verbal dispute but a motive for the attack remains under investigation Beacham-Hanson was a driver for Willingboro's senior center and "a valued team member" among municipal workers for a little more than a decade "This tragic loss has left us shocked and heartbroken," Jackson said in a statement "She touched the lives of many residents with her kindness and unwavering commitment to serving our community." who is being held in Burlington County Jail is charged with murder and weapons offenses WILLINGBORO TWP. — A municipality's volunteer-founded public library may soon be merged with the Burlington County Library System. all of our services are curated for the Willingboro community,” Willingboro Public Library Director Sandra Cronce said on Monday many of the employees here have been here 10 years or more." The suggested merger is one of two proposals up for discussion and possible action at the council meeting Tuesday night urged residents to come for the discussion More: Overdue at the library? Not gonna be a problem Another idea being entertained by township officials is to move the library from its spot at the Willingboro Town Center to the John F Some believe JFK Center is better situated for more residents No decisions have been made about either option the Township Council has been actively exploring innovative ideas to ensure that Willingboro delivers the best possible resident experience when it comes to our public library,” McIntosh said if the township would provide more space than it has suggested so far Cronce said the current library is in a 42,000-square foot building have talked about making available no more than 16,000 square feet if we were put into some space that small,” she said There also is no firm timeline on when such a move could be made since the former high school being renovated by the township is still is far from ready More: It's on in Pennsauken, $28M building project out of court Cronce said the library board of trustees is not officially for or against the proposals Their understanding is that integrating with the county system would take at least six months to accomplish under state law Burlington County spokesperson David Levinsky said the county system’s director was recently approached by township officials “While the county has engaged in some beginning stage conversations and research no commitment has been made to move forward with the proposed transition,” Levinsky said that still must be researched and reviewed.” and Moorestown are the only area communities with independent libraries The Willingboro Public Library presently is in a former Woolsworth store at 220 Willingboro Parkway inside the shopping center Construction more than doubled the size of the store to accommodate the library The history of the local library goes back to the late 1950s when citizens of Levittown — the name of this community before it was changed to Willingboro — organized to form one The library was opened in July 1960 in the basement of the then-municipal building which was destroyed in a fire in December 1964 The library ended up in Levittown Plaza just a few months later It stayed there until February 1968 when a 10,250-square-foot library opened as part of the new municipal government complex Willingboro residents previously rejected the idea of joining the county library system after it was proposed in 1995 The township council meeting starts at 7 p.m Visit https://bit.ly/BOROCOUNCILMEETING to log on .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaFranklin Fernandez singled drove in two runs and scored three as Pennsauken Tech defeated Willingboro 16-4 in Willingboro Ethan Rodriguez had three hits and an RBI and Jose Estremera added two hits and two runs for the Tornados (5-6) Winning pitcher Jean-Paul Matos struck out 12 Travan King-Johnson went 2-for-3 with a run for Willingboro (0-8) WILLINGBORO — Starbucks is coming back to town A Starbucks was last located in the Willingboro Town Center about 16 years ago and closed in October 2008 another is on its way to the town center and is being built adjacent to where the previous Starbucks was The site was previously approved for restaurant use as part of the Willingboro Town Center shopping center “but that use was never developed and the site is presently a vacant pad," according to a resolution approved by the town's planning board in December but now a new building is being constructed on the lot Plans call for a drive-thru Starbucks restaurant of about 2,676 square feet with a 13-vehicle stacking capacity and a second retail building of approximately 1,980 square feet It notes “no tenant or use has been identified for the second retail building.” Starbucks proposes to be open from 5:30 a.m The resolution mentions that all access to the site will be from Campbell Drive with no access from Route 130 Fall flavors Fall isn't here yet, but Rita's fall menu is. Here's what you can get It identifies the applicant as Willingboro Town Center North Manaqer LLC The planning board granted initial approvals for the project in October when its agenda mentioned Starbucks LDP as a new business at Willingboro Town Center The town center has added quite a few new businesses over the last few years, including 1911 Smokehouse Barbeque restaurant New housing has come into the area over the last decade as well and residential developments are currently being built within a five-to-six mile radius of the planned Starbucks Another Starbucks is located four miles away from the Willingboro Town Center site down Route 130 in Delran in addition to another about five miles away in Burlington Township along Route 541 Please consider a digital subscription to help support our journalism An 8-year-old Willingboro boy who witnessed the home-invasion murders of his mother and grandmother hid under a blanket until police arrived Officers responding to a reported burglary in progress found the bodies of 33-year-old Catherine Nunez and 54-year-old Marisol “Morena” Nunez on the floor of the younger woman’s bedroom shortly after 4 a.m A probable cause statement for charges against the accused killer 37-year-old Pennsylvania man Junior "Jamie" Edwards said the boy had concealed himself on his mother's bed The five-page statement further details the women’s futile efforts to save themselves from Edwards the boy’s father and the former boyfriend of Catherine Nunez Victims remembered: Vigil held in honor of slain mother, grandmother in Willingboro It also spells out multiple steps taken by investigators to build a case against Edwards and to bring him into custody has denied having anything to do with the women’s deaths Horror on Harrington CircleAccording to the statement the shooting occurred shortly after the child was awakened by a noise downstairs at the Harrington Circle house The boy told investigators that his mother brought him to her bedroom The boy said he believed his mother called police because “he thought he heard someone tell her to stay on the phone.” The women tried to lock the bedroom door against an intruder who had broken through a downstairs window But the boy told detectives a “bad guy” entered the room holding a gun and opened fire Each woman was shot repeatedly in her head and said he saw “the color yellow come from the firearm.” He also mimicked the sound of the gunfire as “pew pew pew pew,” according to the account The Division of Child Protection & Permanency took custody of the boy and a caseworker consented to his questioning at Burlington County’s Child Advocacy Center Police arrived to find a gun in a flowerbed beneath a broken first-floor window then made the grim discovery in the upstairs bedroom Seven spent cartridge casings were found on the floor The deadly attack came at a time of mounting tension between Catherine Nunez and Edwards It noted that she had filed a report with Philadelphia police after Edwards allegedly tried to run her off a road following a custody drop-off earlier in October Edwards had characterized the incident as a misunderstanding Catherine Nunez also obtained a temporary restraining order against Edwards but moved for its dismissal eight days before her death On that same day she requested child support and full custody of her son who had been spending weekends with his father Edwards was unhappy with a deepening relationship between his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend Investigators saw the first alleged connection to Edwards in surveillance video of an SUV driving with its lights off near Harrington Circle at 4:11 a.m The vehicle’s license plate appeared to be obstructed with black tape A similar vehicle was seen a few hours later in two towns near the suspect's home in Lansdowne The statement acknowledged that his vehicle was not reported using any of the Delaware River bridges before or after the murders But it said automated license plate readers on the bridges “would not report an obstructed plate.” Edwards was arrested in Lansdowne at approximately 4:20 p.m and was held on charges arising from the incident where Catherine Nunez said she was run off of the road A search of his apartment found black duct tape and electrical tape as well as two Pennsylvania license plates that had been reported stolen Edwards told investigators he was “extremely worried” about his son saying the boy had not answered calls to his iPad earlier that morning A search of the boy’s iPad found no missed calls and Edwards declined to open his phone for detectives It also noted the man's reaction when he was told the women were murdered in front of his son it should be noted I did not observe his eyes to water or his voice break/crack,” said Det Jennifer Marchese of the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. The statement also said Edwards “was adamant he was not in Willingboro” at the time of the murders and that he had no involvement in them Edwards is charged with two counts of murder as well as home-invasion burglary with a gun endangering the welfare of a child and weapons offenses WOODBURY – There are many ways the Willingboro High School football team can beat its opponent Woodbury found that out the hard way on Saturday afternoon The Chimeras accumulated over 400 yards of total offense en route to a 43-30 victory over the Thundering Herd “We’re multi-faceted on offense,” Willingboro’s first-year head coach Kenny Scott said Willingboro made enough of them on Saturday as the 1-2 punch at running back with junior bruiser Mekhi Cottle and senior slasher Christopher Scott combined for over 325 yards and four touchdowns on the ground guys don’t get worn down or burned out,” said Cottle who rushed for a season-high 171 yards and three touchdowns He has five 100-or-more rushing yard games this season including a nifty 74-yard touchdown on the first play of scrimmage in the second half that gave the Chimeras the lead for good Willingboro’s offense put up a season-high 43 points and helped snap a two-game losing streak The Chimeras (5-2) remain alive in the race for the West Jersey Football League Continental title one game back of Seneca and Paul VI in the race and are looking to lock up a home game for the Group 2 playoffs More: Football 2024: Check out all of our content for the South Jersey high school season Sean Taylor wasn’t going to back down from a challenge Despite not playing quarterback in three years the senior jumped at the opportunity to play the position after two-year starting QB Lamar Best transferred to St Taylor said while the transition back to QB wasn’t as seamless as one of the routes he used to run as a wideout he’s posted solid numbers with 11 passing touchdowns and over 700 passing yards “The toughest part was getting all my guys to rally behind me Scott said Taylor has showed growth over the first seven weeks of the season Taylor threw for a touchdown and rushed for another in Saturday's win “What he’s been able to do in a short period of time we’re happy with his performance and his progression He’s giving it everything he’s got," Scott said Jusuan Solomon has been one of faces of Woodbury’s successful run on the football field 180-pound senior became the Thundering Herd’s all-time sack leader on Saturday according to Woodbury head coach Anthony Reagan He racked up three sacks against Willingboro “It’s exciting,” Solomon said about being the new sack king Solomon found himself at a familiar spot against Willingboro With an injury to a Woodbury defensive linemen the same spot where he racked up 25 sacks over his first two seasons at Woodbury Reagan said Solomon would have broken the record a long time ago if he wasn’t needed to move back to linebacker last fall it’s been like that since he was a freshman,” the head coach said “He played on the offense line when we didn’t have any linemen there He’s one of the reasons why we’ve had success here Solomon recorded another double-digit tackle game to go along with the sack record but it was a 99-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that was the real highlight Solomon said he’s keeping his college options open He’s a standout on the track in the 110 hurdles but Reagan believes he can be a star in football “He’s going to be phenomenal at the next level,” Reagan said “I think he’s one of the best defensive players in the state.” Game notesWillingboro scored on its first four touchdowns of the second half turning a one-point deficit at the intermission into a 43-16 lead with eight minutes to play Woodbury’s Marquis “Fleet Feet” Taylor caught three touchdown passes showing off his moves on one of the plays by staying inbounds and tip-toeing down the sideline The senior has six TD catches on the season Woodbury sophomore quarterback Tim Holmes has thrown for nine TDs this season The Thundering Herd scored twice to bring the game within 43-30 with 4:35 left in regulation and recovered an onside kick for another opportunity Willingboro defensive back William Torres ended the comeback bid with his second pick of the game “We’ve been playing playoff football since the top of the season against Haddonfield and every game to this point,” Reagan said “You can’t look at our record and see ourselves as a bad team I really like our chances in the (postseason).” Woodbury fell to 2-4 with games against Penn Grove and Schalick to close out the regular season and are fighting to get into the Group 1 playoff field The game was the first-ever meeting between the two programs Tom McGurk is a regional sports reporter for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 30 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him at (856) 486-2420 or email tmcgurk@gannett.com Help support local journalism with a digital subscription It's a feature of Levitt-built houses in the township that may cause people unfamiliar with the place to raise eyebrows You have to return to post-World War II America which had millions of young people not only returning from the war but eager to settle down and start families heard it over and over when he asked what the men wanted to do after the war: "I don't care He knew his family's homebuilding business would boom and offered this advice to fellow vets: "Boys and cutting out the basement not only saved time but to sell houses to those with blue-collar jobs and middle-class incomes Puerto Rico and the frequently overlooked Levittown in Prince George's County tens of thousands of homes were built without basements And did you know Willingboro was orignally called Levittown The name switch came in 1963 in honor of William Levitt In the beginning 'First families' of Levittown took issue with critics who mocked Levittown's lack of basements “Maybe (a basement) was good enough for grandpappy to live in a baroque chateau Do any houses in Willingboro have basements?A good question with a qualified answer of maybe There are non-Levitt houses bearing Willingboro addresses that have basements but those weren’t built by Levitt and Sons Inc the Newport model may technically qualify since it is a bi-level (some call it “split level”) with stairs leading up and stairs leading down The bi-level was popular in the late 1950s and early to mid-1960s according to a realtor who does business in Burlington County It's possible that some Levitt-built houses were retrofitted with basements by ambitious homeowners though how many isn’t really cataloged publicly As Willingboro was built during the Cold War when backyard bomb shelters were popular some might call the in-ground shelter a “basement.” In Levittown some real estate listings will mark a bomb shelter as a “partial basement.” According to a 2021 survey by the National Association of Homebuilders showing how influential the Levitts were with home-design innovations The same survey shows just one in five new homes has a basement JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com A 32-year-old woman has been charged with killing her mother in the victim's Willingboro home Monday who was temporarily staying at the Hopewell Lane residence with her mother has been charged with first-degree murder and related weapons offenses She was taken into custody at the house Monday evening and lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending a detention hearing in Superior Court Authorities say police were called to the home just before 4 PM for a report of an assault in progress investigators discovered the body of 57-year-old Kim Beacham-Hanson A preliminary investigation determined that she had been bludgeoned to death An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr Ian Hood concluded her death was a homicide The motive for the attack remains under investigation The investigation is being conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office and the Willingboro Township Police Department Anyone with information is asked to call (609) 265-5035 The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law A 32-year-old woman has been charged with killing her mother in the victim's Willingboro home Monday.\nRead More Authorities say police were called to the home just before 4 PM for a report of an assault in progress WILLINGBORO — An 8-year-old boy survived a predawn attack that took the lives of his mother and grandmother The outburst of domestic violence took the lives of Catherine Nunez in the younger woman's home on Harrington Circle Authorities said the gunman was Junior Edwards a Pennsylvania man who was the father of Catherine Nunez's son Marisol Nunez was visiting from her home in New York City when Edwards allegedly broke a first-floor window to enter her daughter's house Edwards allegedly shot both victims in an upstairs bedroom The family member described Edwards as "a monster who had threatened them many times." "The American dream turned into an American nightmare," said Wilson Nunez brother to Marisol Nunez and uncle to Catherine Nunez He said Catherine Nunez's job with a utility firm required her to work in New York City one day a week and that Marisol would then stay overnight to help care for her grandson at her daughter's home had "put her life on pause to take care of her own mother Carmen and her daughter Catherine and grandson Elohim," he said "She was called 'the Calendar' because she would know by heart all of the family's birth dates and would make it her business to let all of the other family members know," he said He added that Catherine Nunez "worked hard to give her son a better life (and) accomplished so much while being a single mother with the help of Marisol "Catherine touched the lives of so many with her bubbly personality," Nunez wrote in an email She inspired and motivated so many of her friends despite whatever she had going on in her personal life." A candlelight vigil was held outside the Harrington Circle home on Saturday evening "We're here to pour love on that family," said Kelly Logan an anti-violence advocate from Willingboro who was among about 50 participants A GoFundMe appeal seeking contributions for funeral expenses had raised more than $25,000 by Sunday evening and it’s a reminder of how fragile life can be,” says the appeal which notes the child now faces “a journey of bitter healing.” Police found the victims' bodies after responding to a call of an apparent burglary in progress The suspected murder weapon was found outside the home in the Hawthorne Park neighborhood was charged while being held in custody on unrelated allegations in Philadelphia He is also charged with home invasion burglary with a gun Edwards has not been convicted in the case (This story was updated to add new information.) WILLINGBORO – Jake Hasson doesn’t plan to take another snap as the starting quarterback for the Seneca High School football team he will never forget his only varsity start at QB Pressed into duty when starting quarterback Anthony Tirico was sidelined with a concussion including the decisive throw off a trick play late in the fourth quarter as Seneca rallied for a 19-18 win at Willingboro Thursday night Coach asked me to fill the job and I knew I had to do what I had to do Hasson was the quarterback on the freshman team but hadn’t lined up at QB after that season until last week when Tirico left the game against Paul VI in the first half with a head injury completed 4 of 5 passes for 47 yards in relief against Paul VI 24 knew he was getting the starting assignment “I was definitely more nervous than usual (on Thursday),” he said but I just tried to stay composed and just battle out there with my boys.” but I knew when that bell rang at 2:27 (p.m.) Seneca first-year head coach Anthony Diorio wasn’t surprised the team didn’t miss a beat under Hasson’s guidance “He’s so humble and has so much confidence Despite having only two quarters of varsity experience at QB Seneca offensive coordinator Jay Donoghue didn’t scale back the play book for Hasson While the Golden Eagles ran several Wildcat formations with Jamar Warthen and Brody Phillips Donoghue dialed up a double-reverse with Hasson throwing a pass to Nate Sauerwald for the decisive score with 4:03 left in regulation he makes schemes for our kids to have the most success.” Hasson completed 8 of 11 passes for 141 yards also connecting with Warthen and Phillips for touchdowns he just comes up with this stuff week in and week out,” Hasson said Willingboro had a chance to regain the lead late in the fourth quarter but the comeback bid was short-lived as Gabe Atz forced a fumble that Hasson pounced on Hasson was planning a college visit to DeSales for Friday The standout lacrosse player owns 92 goals and 43 assists for 135 points in his career Diorio didn’t even wait for the question to finish before he provided the answer yeah,” Diorio said about Tirico returning to the field next week when the Group 3 playoffs begin Tirico has thrown for 1,332 yards and 10 touchdowns while rushing for 643 yards and 10 touchdowns this season He has produced career totals of 3,173 passing yards and 976 rushing yards with 27 passing TDs and 13 rushing TDs in 20 games (18 starts) Game notesThe Golden Eagles (6-3) still have an outside shot at sharing the Continental Division title but would need Haddonfield to upset Paul VI on Friday Willingboro (6-3) wasted no time grabbing the momentum in the game Christopher Scott recovered a fumble on the first play from scrimmage and quarterback Sean Taylor hit Terrance Knighton on a 49-yard pass on the Chimeras’ opening play for a 6-0 lead Taylor connected with Knighton again in the fourth quarter on a 67-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter Mekhi Cottle accounted for Willingboro’s other touchdown with a 10-yard run on a fourth-down call to open the second half 1/35Football: Gloucester at Willingboro, September 21, 2024.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Kevin Minnick | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comOn a day when big plays were tough to come by Willingboro came up with just enough to remain unbeaten Terrance Knighton pulled in a pair of touchdown passes from Sean Taylor and Darold Coleman had two interceptions - including his first career pick-6 - to lead the Chimeras past visiting Gloucester in West Jersey Football League Continental Division action Saturday Knighton scored on catches covering 43 and 5 yards while Coleman’s 31-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter gave the hosts a two-score lead His second INT came on Gloucester’s ensuing possession Terrance Knighton (2) of Willingboro catches the ball for a touchdown as Jayden Tilman (12) of Gloucester defends during Saturday's WJFL Continental Division matchup.Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance “We’re always thankful to come away with a victory,” first-year Willingboro coach Kenny Scott said staying on top of things; keeping the proverbial foot on their neck a little “We have to keep pushing them to keep improving We’ve got to get better with a lot of things.” Willingboro (4-0) is tied with Paul VI and Seneca atop the division standings All three teams are 2-0 in Continental play our motto is that it’s always 0-0,” Knighton said “It was just another day; just being great He hit me and put me in good positions (to score).” Darold Coleman (9) of Willingboro intercepts a pass intended for Keon Ebanks (5) of Gloucester in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game.Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance Gloucester (2-2) held a 10-7 lead on Ashton Wall’s 31-yard field goal with 3:55 remaining in the third Willingboro then went ahead for good when Knighton scored on a quick slant with 3:57 left in the fourth On Gloucester’s first play of the ensuing possession Coleman got in front of a receiver and returned his first career interception for a score “We worked for this all week,” Coleman said I saw the receiver and I just jumped it; made a play and made a good cut.” Taylor completed 8-of-15 passes for 125 yards while Knighton finished with five catches for 81 yards Junior running back Mekhi Cottle rushed for a game-high 150 yards on 27 carries I can’t do anything without them,” Cottle said “I’m happy my coach had a lot of trust in me.” Yasin Hogue (13) of Willingboro breaks up a pass intended for Ashton Wall (16) of Gloucester during Saturday's WJFL game.Dave Hernandez | For NJ Advance Kevin Boulden was 12-of-21 passing for 189 yards The freshman quarterback hit Trevin Burkhardt on a 75-yard scoring play in the opening quarter The Lions were held to just 36 rushing yards on 21 carries “We want a ring and that’s what we’re working for We have to come out faster; be better and stronger because we’re a better team than how we came out today We want to show people that we’re a top team.” Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription Kevin Minnick covers the West Jersey Football League. He can be reached at kminnick@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kminnicksports The Paul VI High School football team has so many choices on offense that waiting one’s turn is often a necessity That is certainly the case with senior running back Elijah Wilson 195-pound Wilson hasn’t received an abundance of chances offensively this season Friday’s 28-0 win over visiting Willingboro in a key West Jersey Football League Continental Division game was another example of Wilson making the most of his touches but rushed for 25 yards and two touchdowns to help the Eagles improve to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Continental It was also the first loss of the season for Willingboro the defending Central Jersey Group 2 champion Wilson scored on his first two carries against Willingboro finding the end zone from three yards out with 4:16 left in the second quarter and then adding a 16-yard scoring run to double Paul VI’s lead to 14-0 with 8:50 left in the third quarter “I just have to be patient and wait for my opportunities and make the best of them,” Wilson said Wilson has carried the ball just 16 times in five games but a quarter of them have resulted in touchdowns but also showed some power against Willingboro as both his runs came by running up the middle “I have to credit my line for opening up the holes,” he said And he knew what to do when seeing the opening plays like somebody who has been involved in football for quite some time He began playing with he was five years old He is also looking to play at the next level What should make him valuable as a college player is that Wilson has enjoyed just as much success on defense as offense Against Willingboro he just missed making one interception while thwarting another drive by making his first pick of the season helping shut down the potent Willingboro ground game When asked what side of the ball Wilson is more proficient “This year he has played well on both sides of the ball.” The Eagles have done a good job spreading the ball around the other backfield threats are sophomore Nate Klecko Wilson has no preference what side of the ball he will play He just wants to continue doing what he has enjoyed since the age of five – playing quality football “It doesn’t matter where I play in college,” Wilson said Paul VI’s other two touchdowns were scored by Klecko who took a screen pass from junior Daulton Phalines and scampered 48 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter He added a 34-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter earning two with New England and one with Indianapolis the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman Joe Klecko currently assists Scuderi as Paul VI’s defensive line coach Nate Klecko rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries Injury updateWillingboro freshman linebacker Kaseem Hall suffered an injury on the play Wilson scored his second touchdown in the third quarter Hall was taken to a local hospital by ambulance Willingboro coach Kenny Scott gave an optimistic prognosis and I just wanted to be precautionary to let him get evaluated Willingboro lost a lot from last year’s sectional championship team but the Chimeras should again be among the more formidable teams in Group 2 Playing a team the caliber of Paul VI should pay dividends in the future “I think they were the better team tonight “A game like this will help us 100 percent and this is a game we needed to be humbled and I think this is one of those losses that ultimately is going to build character in us.” Fast FactAccording to South Jersey historian Chuck Langerman this was the first-ever win for Paul VI over Willingboro The Chimeras entered the game 2-0 lifetime against Paul VI They beat Paul VI 67-0 in 1998 and 42-3 in 1999 This was the third straight shutout for Paul VI The only time the defense has allowed points was during a 29-0 loss to St Augustine in a game the Eagles committed five turnovers Paul VI also opened the season with a 42-7 win over Nottingham Nottingham didn’t score on the Paul VI defense but did have a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown 4) Willingboro will travel to Timber Creek in a 6 p.m Marc Narducci is a freelance reporter for the Courier-Post .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaFreddie Janson had two hits two RBIs and two runs and Jaden Meredith went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as Burlington City defeated Willingboro 13-6 in Burlington Willingboro jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first but the hosts cut the deficit in half with two runs in the fourth and went ahead for good with a five-run fifth Jarrett James drove in two runs and scored twice for Burlington City (2-1) Netear Johnson homered for Willingboro (0-2) WILLINGBORO — A mother and daughter were found dead in the Hawthorne Park home they share early Wednesday morning Officers found the bodies of Catherine Nunez in an upstairs bedroom after being fatally shot according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L Police found the women after a 911 call was made for a report of a burglary in progress around 4 a.m The house was broken into through a first floor window that had been broken Neighbors told NBC Philadelphia that Catherine's young son hid under a bed as his mother was killed Ian Hood determined the cause of death for both victims to be gunshot wounds Bradshaw said the shooting does not appear to be random and that neighbors are not in jeopardy Anyone with information about the shooting should call Willingboro police at 609-877-6958 Police believe the deaths of the the mother and daughter was not a random act.\nRead More Neighbors told NBC Philadelphia that Catherine's young son hid under a bed as his mother was killed .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaJael Espinal-Sanchez struck out 11 walked one and hit a batter in a five-inning no-hitter as Westampton Tech defeated Willingboro 13-1 in Westampton Quamere Christie went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs for Westampton Tech (5-3) which erupted for 10 runs in the second inning James Pemberton was hit by a pitch and came around to score the lone run for Willingboro (0-6) 1/42HS FOOTBALL: Willingboro at Johnson, November 1, 2024.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Chris Nalwasky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Willingboro might have had a long hour-plus but the fifth-seeded Chimeras used their speed to score early and often as they went on the road and downed fourth-seeded Johnson in the first round of the NJSIAA/Xfinity Football South Jersey Group 2 state playoffs on Friday night in Clark “I think this was one of our best wins of the season,” first-year Willingboro head coach Kenny Scott said Johnson (7-2) and its triple-option offensive attack held the ball for nearly the entire first quarter yet Willingboro (7-3) led 13-0 at the end of the period The Crusaders coughed the ball up twice and the Chimeras recovered both fumbles Will Torres returned the first mistake on a muffed pitch 53-yards into the end zone for a touchdown and Jaelen Johnson jumped on the second loose ball Willingboro quarterback Sean Taylor connected with Terrance Knighton for a 77-yard touchdown pass on a RPO Taylor faked a handoff and found Knighton running a slant but we still scored and got some breathing room.” which hosted its first home playoff game since 2017 Taylor threw three touchdown passes -- two to Knighton -- Mekhi Cottle ran for two touchdowns and Christopher Scott rushed for another two scores in the dominating victory that will send the Chimeras to top-seeded Camden next weekend Willingboro led 41-0 at halftime and 55-0 after three quarters with the running clock The Chimeras never let up though as they scored 28 points in the second quarter including the final touchdown on a two-play Taylor found Scott deep down the middle of the field on the first play but he tripped himself up on the opposing 40-yard line Taylor threw a similar pass to Darold Coleman that the receiver caught with only his right hand for a 40-yard touchdown “Our coaches told us that we still had to score some points,” Taylor said “They called some deep shots and we connected on them.” Coleman came into the game with just five catches and no scores all season “It was a hell of a catch,” Kenny Scott said I’m happy for him to get into the end zone.” Johnson got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard rushing touchdown by Ryan George George ran 14 times for 75 yards to reach 1,027 for the season and 2,392 for the senior’s career Willingboro was able to jump on Johnson with its major speed difference and the margin on the scoreboard took Johnson out of its comfort zone as the Crusaders like to run the ball and keep control of the clock Johnson quarterback Robert Gallagher was 0-for-4 passing with an interception by Torres “Johnson scored 56 points last week at Perth Amboy,” Kenny Scott said so we wanted to score as much as we could just in case and stop them on defense We wanted to force them to pass and get away from what they like to do That type of offense you have to hold on to the ball “Nobody in the state can run with us,” Taylor added The Willingboro coaching staff put together a solid game plan during the week “We saw some things that we wanted to capitalize on and put our athletes in space,” Kenny Scott said We saw some things on film speed wise and our kids run well We just had to put it together this week which we did.” The Chimeras have made five straight sectional finals and have two titles the last two seasons and they are one win away from making another final appearance “A lot of these guys have played deep into the playoffs,” Kenny Scott said and we just had to put it together with our new schemes Willingboro and Camden have met five times in the past 11 years Camden won four-straight matchups from 2013-2018 but Willingboro won the most recent game in 2019 on its way to winning the South “I came from Camden Eastside and have played Camden before,” Kenny Scott said They match up well with us with their speed We‘ll enjoy this one for a bit and get right back in the lab Taylor feels the Chimeras are playing its best ball of the season right now “Our coach left and we got a new coach so people were thinking Willingboro isn‘t going to be the same Our whole mentality is we’re trying to shock the world Especially coming off of a loss to Seneca last week Contact Chris Nalwasky at cnalwasky@njadvancemedia.com. 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