Alex Feliciano's vibrant, new location doles tremendous artwork from each member of its staff

NJ.com is visiting each of the five finalists and spending a day at their shops, in search for New Jersey's best tattoo shop. South Vineland's Firehouse tattoo was visited Monday and Pure Ink Tattoo was visited Tuesday. A winner will be named next week. 

BROOKLAWN -- A wall in Alex Feliciano's tattoo station is covered -- floor to ceiling, maybe the width of his wingspan -- with golden plaques and first-place awards.  

But the 39-year-old tattoo artist no longer competes. "Too much to dust," he says, of the trophies. 

It'd be easy to take a statement like that as overconfidence, but it's really just a matter of fact. The friendly, unassuming South Jersey shop owner requires no further recognition. His incredible work speaks for itself.

12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, which is one of the five finalists in the search for N.J.'s best tattoo shop. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

Feliciano leads a formidable staff at 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, a vibrant, new shop relocated from a parlor a mile away. 

The new locale -- a continuation of a business that first opened in 2005 -- resides just off a Route 130 traffic circle, 10 minutes from Philadelphia, and represents the latest chapter of Feliciano's artistic voyage. 

The artist grew up in Camden, and spent years as a graffiti artist and air-brusher before moving on to ink. 

Now, he runs a shop centered on building customer loyalty. 

"I don't understand the old-school, 'what are you doing here?' tattoo shop attitude," he says. "If you rush through a tattoo to get them in and out of the chair, that person isn't coming back." 

Feliciano also owns a location in Deptford, which specializes in body piercing. But he doesn't wish to franchise and lose his personal connection to the art. 

"When you're holding someone's arm and you've seen them bleed, how can it just be about numbers and figures?" he asks. 

THE ATMOSPHERE

The shop's vibrant decor matches its artists work, with a lime green and black theme without. Several eye-popping, original paintings by Feliciano are hung on the walls, the most impressive being an oversized airbrush pin-up, which overlooks a customized 12 oz Studios motorcycle. 

The only eyesore is an exposed, cement wall in the lobby, left from when the structure used to be a gas station. Feliciano is working to get it fixed up, he says. 

There isn't much of a waiting area here, just a few chairs near the counter. No TVs -- bring a book if you plan on accompanying a friend.  

But the staff's banter is welcome entertainment. Endless laughs and good-natured ribbing among friends. 

"We like to have fun here, it's all about experience for our clients," Feliciano says. 

Owner Alex Feliciano at 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, which is one of the five finalists in the search for N.J.'s best tattoo shop. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

THE ARTISTS

Five artists, Feliciano included, comprise 12 oz's staff at the Brooklawn location: Bobby Trefz, Chris Curtis, Tammi Rose and Feliciano's wife Meghan Patrick. Three part-time artists are listed at the business's Deptford location, as well as full-time body piercer AJ Goldman, who is the only certified Association of Professional Piercers member in South Jersey. Feliciano and his longtime co-worker Bobby Trefz are the senior inkers -- each has put in about 20 years -- and every other artist has been tattooing for a least a few years beyond their apprenticeships. 

Feliciano is typically booked solid for three months -- he won't schedule anything beyond three months -- and Patrick has a lengthy waiting list as well. The other artists are more readily available, and walk-ins are always welcome. 

The staff at 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, which is one of the five finalists in the search for N.J.'s best tattoo shop. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

THE STYLES

Feliciano specializes in captivating color work, but his portfolio is as wide-ranging as them come, with plenty of Japanese, photo-realistic and neo-traditional styles mixed in. Highlights included a wonderfully drawn wolf in sheep's clothing, and a full sleeve of Las Vegas glitz. 

His team is equally well-rounded. Patrick's softer drawing technique is beautiful, and Curtis's bold lines were striking.  

Work from Alex Feliciano's portfolio at 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, which is one of the five finalists in the search for N.J.'s best tattoo shop. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

CLEANLINESS

Perhaps its virtue of the shop only being open for a few months, but every inch of 12 oz was squeaky clean. The stations were well-kept, the lobby was neat. The aforementioned unfinished wall in the waiting area may be off-putting to some, though it doesn't affect any actual inking. 

Paul Reyes gets a tribal tattoo covered up by Meghan Patrick at 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, which is one of the five finalists in the search for N.J.'s best tattoo shop. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

THE X-FACTOR

The mix of talent and personality at 12 oz Studios gives it an edge. When walking around the shop and chatting with the staff, each artist is obviously talented, but are also engaging, and happy to talk about music, or which actors appeared in which "Godfather" film. The group is both welcoming and passionate. 

"We're like a family here," Feliciano says.

Artist Chris Curtis draws at 12 oz Studios in Brooklawn, which is one of the five finalists in the search for N.J.'s best tattoo shop. (Bobby Olivier | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

Next up is Rorschach Gallery, in Edison. A story on the shop will be posted Monday.

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP — Washington Township High School special education teacher and head wrestling coach Ron Ippolite will be among the 2015 inductees into the Highland High School Athletic Hall of Fame when the school inducts all members of its 1983 wrestling squad. Ippolite, a heavyweight on the Tartans roster, led his teams to New Jersey Group IV state titles in...

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP -- Washington Township High School special education teacher and head wrestling coach Ron Ippolite will be among the 2015 inductees into the Highland High School Athletic Hall of Fame when the school inducts all members of its 1983 wrestling squad.

Ippolite, a heavyweight on the Tartans roster, led his teams to New Jersey Group IV state titles in 1982 and 1983. The team captured the South Jersey Group IV championship in three consecutive seasons (1981, 1982 and 1983), ranked as the number one team in the state in 1983 and was recognized by the Courier Post as the team of the decade. Individually, Ippolite was a District 30 and Region 8 champion, a state runner-up, team captain and most valuable player in 1983.

Ippolite wrestled at nationally ranked Bloomsburg University from 1984 to 1988, where he was an NCAA Division I national qualifier and a runner-up at heavyweight in the Eastern Wresting League. He was the 1987 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Champion and served as team captain and ranked fifth in the nation in his weight class as a senior. Ippolite posted an 86-22 record in college as member of Bloomburg's teams that ranked 5th in the nation in 1987 and 19th in 1988.

Head coach of the Minutemen program since 2010 and the 2013 District 30 Coach of the Year, Ippolite has posted a 69-52 record and has coached five 100-career-win wrestlers, 10 District 30 champions and one state tournament place winner. He had served as an assistant coach from 1995-2000 and was the district's middle school wrestling coach in 1993 and 1994. He has taught special education in the district for 22 years.

"Coach Ippolite has had a tremendous impact as a teacher and coach in the Washington Township school community, and we congratulate him on this honor," WTHS Director of Athletics Kevin Murphy said.  "A father figure in the wrestling room, he has been a strong role model for the young men he has coached and mentored."

 

Camden Churches Organized for People wants companies who are getting tax breaks to hire local workers, invest in the community.

CAMDEN -- Hundreds of millions of dollars in tax incentives have been given to companies to move to the City of Camden. Businesses like Suburu, Holtec International and even the Phialdelphia 76ers are just a few of those slated to move into the city.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority -- the agency that awards the incentives -- operates on the belief that bringing the businesses into the distressed city with help begin an overall improvement.

However, one local group believes that the incentives actually do very little to benefit actual Camden residents.

Camden Churches Organized for People is holding a rally Sunday at the Ferry Avenue United Methodist Church to educate the community and find out how residents would like to see these companies give back to the City of Camden.

Over the years, CCOP Vice Chair Ray Lamboy said he's seen a lot of development projects at the Camden Waterfront, as well as at medical and education facilities, but locals have yet to really reap their rewards.

"They're saying these incentives are about creating jobs and changing the status quo in Camden," he said. "But you look at the jobs and you think 'who are we revitalizing the city for? What are the benefits for typical Camden residents?'"

The group believes that by organizing the community to put together a solid plan, they can leverage the business incentives into something that benefits the people of Camden.

"If they are coming and saving the kind of money that they are, then how about consider investing in the community as well." CCOP Executive Director Rev. Ed Livingston said. "It could be job training. It could be connecting with high school students to create a pipeline for apprenticeship."

While there are no requirements for companies who are awarded tax incentives to hire local residents or invest in community projects, an EDA spokesman said they work with the New Jersey Department of Labor to make sure residents are aware of and are considered for employment.

However, CCOP wants to make sure the business are held accountable for providing those benefits to the community.

Community leader James Rodriguez said that starts with the companies opening a dialogue with residents.

"I think they should get involved with us," he said. "We should have meetings and talk on a regular basis."

By doing that, he says, the companies will now what issues face the residents around them and help them become a part of the community themselves.

"We want to make sure that the state's investment is used to create a better quality of life for those that live in Camden," Rodriguez said.

The Camden Churches group is hoping to do that through a Community Benefit Agreement. Lamboy said that could be used to set up funds that would help see some incentives from the money the companies get from the state in tax breaks.

Since the city treasury would be missing out on taxes on the business sites, Lamboy said the companies could give a portion back so the community has what it needs.

"We don't know the formula yet, but the idea is to have a pot for education, a pot for development." he said. "We would be able to have that money invested in the community to lift it up. ... We want to make sure the rising tide in the city is raising all the boats."

"Maybe they could give for the things Camden needs money for," Rodriguez suggested. "The streets definitely have a lot of potholes. Maybe they could help with that."

The other aspect of a possible CBA would be jobs. Not just any jobs either. Jobs attainable for typical Camden residents.

"I'm not talking about jobs where you need to take advanced training, or need an apprenticeship," Lamboy said. "I'm talking about jobs where you go in, you work hard every day ... entry-level jobs. If we had 5,000 of those for starters, I think things would start to change."

Rodriguez explained how important it is to have job opportunities for Camden residents in the city. He has never had a job in the city, and he thinks that if people didn't have to spend their time and money going to jobs out of town, it would help make things better.

Lamboy said it comes down to simple economics for families trying to make ends meet.

"If you got paid $15 an hour, live in Cramer Hill and work in South Camden, that's a very different proposition than if you got paid $15 an hour but work in Mount Laurel," he said. "That turns into $7 an hour because you're spending money on transportation."

Livingston said having these companies come to the city is a huge opportunity for Camden, but he wants the opportunity to actually mean something for city residents.

"This is a great time, because cities like Camden have been targeted for investments," he said. "We want to make sure to bridge the gap between the community, the businesses and the government."

Alex Young may be reached at ayoung@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexYoungSJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

 

Rashawn Carter, 30, of Philadelphia, was the last of four defendants convicted of the murder.

CAMDEN -- The last defendant in a 2009 robbery of a Woodlynne bakery that led to the death of its owner was sentenced Friday to 107 years in state prison.

 

Rashawn Carter, 30, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to 55 years for murder, 48 years for three counts of armed robbery and four years for criminal restraint.

He will not be eligible for parole until serving at least 87 years of his sentence, per the No Early Release Act.

Carter was one of four men convicted for the Oct. 14, 2009, shooting death of 29-year-old Oscar Hernandez at Alex's Bakery in Woodlyne. Hernandez was shot during the failed robbery while his wife and several customers were at the store.

A jury convicted Carter and William Cooper Jr., 37, of Camden, in November 2014 for murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery and criminal restraint. Cooper was also convicted of conspiracy to possess a weapon.

Cooper was the shooter in the incident and was sentenced last month to 124 years in state prison.

PLUS: Deptford police officer on trial for killing friend

Cooper shot Hernandez while they were trying to open the register at the bakery. The robbers fled without any money.

Two other accomplices were also involved in the murder, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Maurice Carter, 33, of Philadelphia, pled guilty in September 2014 to conspiracy to commit robbery and was sentenced in December 2014 to 10 years in state prison.

His sister, Latasha Baker, 36, of Woodlynne, pled guilty in April 2014 to murder, conspiracy and robbery. She was sentenced in June 2014 to 45 years in state prison and an additional 18 months in prison for hindering.

Baker acted as a lookout during the robbery attempt -- having posed as a customer in the bakery on the day of the murder. She was also in telephone contact with Carter leading up to and after the incident.

She was in the bakery when the armed men attempted to rob the place and pretended to be a victim. She told police that the robbers took her cellphone but the authorities later found her phone at her house. After checking phone records, they were able to identify the other defendants.

Further investigation was done by going over surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

Police said the man lost control and hit a pole at Third and Pine streets.

CAMDEN -- A man was killed in a motorcycle crash Saturday night, according to a report by 6 ABC.

The crash happened at about 8:30 p.m. near the intersection of Third and Pine streets.

Police said the man lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a pole.

The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the report.

Alex Young may be reached at ayoung@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexYoungSJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

 

 

All of the states where Pepco Holdings Inc., Atlantic City Electric's parent company, does business has approved the proposed Pepco/Exelon merger. The District of Columbia has said "no."

SALEM -- The planned mega-merger between Atlantic City Electric's parent company, Pepco Holdings Inc., and energy giant Exelon has hit a snag after regulators in the District of Columbia rejected the proposal. 

The decision by District of Columbia's Public Service Commission (PSC) won't be the last word, the companies say. They plan to appeal the denial.

"We remain convinced our merger proposal is in the public interest, and we will continue working to complete the merger," said Myra Oppel, regional communications vice president of Pepco Holdings, in a joint statement issued on behalf of both Pepco and Exelon on Friday.

 "We plan to file a petition for reconsideration before the PSC within the 30-day period and are not at liberty to discuss the specifics of our merger approach at this time."

Pepco and Exelon announced their plan to merge on April 30, 2014.

If it is eventually approved, the deal would bring together Exelon and its three electric and gas utility companies -- Baltimore Gas and Electric, ComEd and PECO -- with Pepco Holdings Inc.'s  three utilities -- Atlantic City Electric Delmarva Power and Potomac Electric Power Company.

Exelon is based in Chicago and Pepco Holdings Inc. is based in the nation's capital.

In all of the states where Pepco subsidiaries do business -- New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia -- the $6.8 billion merger plan has been approved by regulators -- except in Washington. New Jersey's Board of Pubic Utilities gave its blessing to the merger in June.

The plan has also been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

The District of Columbia's Pubic Service Commission voted on Aug. 25 to deny the merger application.

The PSC concluded "the transaction as proposed by Exelon and Pepco is not in the public interest," according to a press release issued by the PSC on the day of the rejection.

The action triggered a 30-day window for Exelon and Pepco to file an appeal with the PSC.

After the merger plan was announced, utility officials said Atlantic City Electric would retain its name, its Mays Landing headquarters and no major layoffs of ACE employees were expected.

Among the benefits the merger would bring, officials have said, are $62 million in direct credits to customers and upgrades to the company's infrastructure.

ACE has faced some major challenges in recent years with major storms in its service region, the latest being the June 23 storm which caused extensive damage to power lines in parts of Gloucester County.

Atlantic City Electric has more than 540,000 customers in its South Jersey service area.

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The World Meeting of Families Congress takes place from Sept. 22 to Sept. 25 in Philadelphia and Pope Francis will be visiting from Sept. 26 to Sept. 27.

It's going to take an army of volunteers to make sure that the World Meeting of Families Congress and Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia runs smoothly -- 10,000 volunteers to be exact.

Even with such a lofty volunteer goal, the World Conference of Families has already surpassed that number for people registering to volunteer for the historic event.

The World Meeting of Families Congress takes place from Sept. 22 to Sept. 25 in Philadelphia and Francis will be visiting from Sept. 26 to Sept. 27.

Out of those that registered to volunteer, 1,729 are from New Jersey.

PLUS: Seeking room, train ticket for pope visit? There's plenty

Responsibilities include providing translation services, assisting with registration, greeting guests at the Philadelphia International Airport, assisting visitors with special needs and directing people around Philadelphia.

"It's a once in a lifetime experience," said Esther Fishman, 56, of Cherry Hill.

She and her husband are both volunteering and will be helping direct people on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway -- which will be the location of a Papal Mass on Sept. 27.

According to her husband Alan Fishman, Francis stands out among his predecessors and excitement for seeing him transcends religious barriers.

"I'm very excited about what he's doing," Alan Fishman said. "He's making a lot of changes and has been out there more than the other popes.

"I'm Jewish and I'm excited about seeing him."

Pittsgrove Township resident Karen Lewis, 49, will be leading a cadre of 70 volunteers from the Campbell Soup Company.

"One of my passions is volunteering and giving back to the community," Lewis said.

She and her volunteers will be helping to greet visitors to Independence Mall on Sept. 26.

"It's going to be fantastic to just be a part of it," Lewis said.

Rosemary Schaab, 52, of Glassboro, will be volunteering with 125 other associates from AmerisourceBergen are volunteering that weekend to help direct visitors.

"My niece, Melanie Poff, age 21 and also of Glassboro, is volunteering with me and I expect both of us to experience an incredibly moving intercultural, multi-faith, spiritual celebration," Schaab said.

Joan Nipe, 65, of Penns Grove, has been practicing and rehearsing since she auditioned at the end of July to sing in the choir for the pope's visit.

She auditioned at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Nipe loves choral singing and the basilica has perfect acoustics.

"It's thrilling to hear all of these beautiful voices merging together," Nipe said.

For her, the reason to be a part of the historic visit is simple.

"The possibility of seeing the pope without having to go to Rome is incredible," she said.

A 35-year-old Salem County man was killed after he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a utility pole at the intersection of 3rd and Pine streets, reports said.

CAMDEN -- As investigation on the fatal motorcycle accident over the weekend continues, authorities report that reckless driving was the likely cause of the crash, Philly.com reports.

A 35-year-old Salem County man was killed after he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a utility pole at the intersection of 3rd and Pine streets, reports said.

The unidentified man, of Penns Grove, crashed around 8:30 p.m. and was pronounced dead on the scene.

Police have not released the man's identity at this time and are working to notify the family.

The crash remains under investigation.

Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find her on Facebook.

 

 

The Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders performed during the game against the Dallas Cowboys.

PHILADELPHIA -- The 2015 Philadelphia Eagles cheerleading squad performed during the Eagles home opener against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. 

The Eagles lost the game, 20-10, starting the 2015 season with two losses in a row.

MORE: Eagles cheerleaders release 2016 swimsuit calendar

The next time the squad takes the field will be on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. against the New Orleans Saints. 

Look for photo galleries of the squad and the game action throughout the season on nj.com.

Lori M. Nichols may be reached at lnichols@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @photoglori. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

THE NO-HUDDLE SHOW, Ep. 8: Yes, the Eagles are embarrassing right now, but things will be OK

The Eagles' 20-10 loss to Dallas was the most pathetic game of the Chip Kelly era. We discuss how and why it happened, and where the Birds go from here. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.

David Bussie Jr., a Camden native and Deptford resident, went to check on his 77-year-old father and ended up the victim of a fatal robbery.

DEPTFORD TWP. -- Terre Bussie's daughters won't have their father to walk with into adulthood -- no homecomings, no proms, no graduations, no trips to college, no first days on the job and no weddings.

David Bussie Jr., who was 46 at the time of his death, was the victim of an unsolved shooting in Camden. Two months to the day after the July 21 incident, Terre Bussie simply wants those struggling with the sudden and violent death of a loved one to know that they also have a voice.

"Every day you wake up, you want it to be a bad dream," Bussie said.

'It's not fair'

David Bussie grew up on Decatur Street in Camden. On the night of the shooting, he had gone back there to check on his 77-year-old father, just as many of his other family members did daily. He sent a text message to his wife at 10:31 p.m. letting her know he'd be home in an hour.

Camden County police responded to the scene of a shooting about 45 minutes later and found the father of three suffering from a gunshot wound. He succumbed to his injuries 30 minutes later.

As far as the family knows, their husband and father was the victim of a robbery. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office declined to confirm or deny the possibly robbery motive, but the investigation continues and authorities are looking into any and all possibilities.

Bussie spent his entire life, from his late teens right up until his death, working as a roofer. His brief stint as a tractor trailer driver ended when he attempted to drive under an overpass that was a little too low.

Having just turned 21 while attending Temple University, Massachusetts native Terre Bussie was out on the town one night in Philadelphia when she met her future husband.

"We moved in together after four weeks and never left each other's side," Bussie, now 44, said. "We celebrated my 22nd birthday at Olive Garden," she laughed all these years later.

The couple eventually moved to Gloucester County so she could keep working in the city and he could continue with roofing jobs around the region. Their daughters, ages 11, 16 and 18, all attend school locally and the oldest just went off to William Patterson University over the summer.

"She did get to experience daddy taking her to college," Bussie said of her daughter who has always dreaming of working for the FBI and went away to the Passaic County campus earlier this summer.

At his funeral, where hundreds from all along the East Coast attended, the decades of manual labor showed on his clasped hands. It was those hands that provided for his family and maintenance of the home in a working class cul-de-sac in Deptford.

"It's not fair," Bussie said of the experiences her daughters will never share with their father.

The final sermon

Bussie still struggles with the unknowns surrounding her husband's death. She'll never be able to ask him what happened that night, but remembering him telling her that tomorrow isn't promised helps her carry on.

"I wish that no one else has to feel this pain, but I know that's impossible," she said. "I hope that by giving my husband a voice, other people who felt that their loved ones didn't have a voice -- they do."

Bussie was the 16th person to be killed in Camden this year. As of Friday, the tally stood at 24.

"Detectives are tenaciously working to solve this case, but we need witnesses to come forward. The community has the power to help us solve this homicide. If you have information, do the right thing and contact us," prosecutor's office spokesman Andy McNeil said.

Bussie's voice may be forever muted and his name may be just one more in a list of Camden homicides that his widow said is out of control, but there is comfort to be found.

"Knowing that he is in Heaven is the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning," she said when asked if faith helps, as the family regularly attended church in Camden.

At the church where Bussie was a prominent fixture, he planned to preach a sermon about death. Was there pain during one's final moments? Would he be scared to face death when it came?

Bussie never got the chance to offer his insight to the congregation, but his wife found what he wrote down and planned to say: "My last words will be, 'Glory, hallelujah.'"

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

One man was killed and three were wounded after a shooting late Sunday afternoon at a Philadelphia bar.

PHILADELPHIA -- A fatal shooting at a northeast Philadelphia bar late Sunday afternoon possibly involved members of a motorcycle club with New Jersey ties and may have been sparked by Sunday's Eagles-Cowboys rout.

The scene of the shooting, the Tangeray Tavern which is north of the city's Frankford section, reportedly involved at least 15 motorcyclists leaving after shots rang out and a 34-year-old man wearing a "Wheels of Soul" jacket being fatally struck, according to NBC10.

Three other men -- all wearing motorcycle club jackets -- were also struck during the exchange of gunfire and two were listed in critical condition, according to the report. The names of the victims have not yet been made public.

Accordingto philly.com, city police are investigating the possibility of Sunday's 20-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys as a motive.

The Wheels of Soul motorcycle club was founded in the late 1960s and is based out of West Philadelphia and members have been charged in the past with a myriad of criminal acts. According to the organization's website, they do not belong to any governing organization and are thus considered an "outlaw" group.

The group had a Camden club house, however that location was raided in the spring of 2014 after a woman was raped at gunpoint there and later demolished.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

 

 

The parents of a 16-year-old girl with epilepsy who have sued her school district to allow her to consume medical marijuana oil on school grounds took their battle to daytime television Monday by appearing on ABC's "The View."

TRENTON -- The parents of a 16-year-old girl with epilepsy who have sued her school district to allow her to consume medical marijuana oil on school grounds took their battle to daytime television Monday by appearing on ABC's "The View."

In a live interview, Lora and Roger Barbour of Maple Shade explained to co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Paula Faris how their homemade cannabis oil has succeeded in controlling their daughter Genny's seizures and even improved her speech.

Lora Barbour wept as she recalled the day in April when Genny walked up to her father and said, "I love you." It wasn't just the feelings behind the words that moved them, but their oldest daughter's ability to speak more than one word at a time. "It brought us to tears," Roger Barbour said.

"There are no doctor's reports from (Genny Barbour's) treating physician that would establish that her lunchtime dose of marijuana is medically necessary," according to the opinion by Kennedy, who has twice ruled against the family's request this year to have the school nurse administer the dose. The judge said the Maple Shade district and the Larc school were obligated to adhere to state drug-free school laws.

"The judge got it wrong," Roger Barbour said, arguing that the state medical marijuana provides "exceptions if you have a license." His wife is Genny's registered caregiver who is legally protected from arrest from possession edible marijuana.

"It's a handicap school, and they give medicine to all of these children," Lora Barbour said. Compared to the pharmaceuticals and their potentially dangerous side effects, marijuana "is safer than any of these drugs."

The Barbours have sent Genny to school half-days since April to ensure she receives the oil four times a day as her doctor has recommended. Her seizures occur about every five days now, instead of several times a day before she started on cannabis oil, they have said.

"We even asked if we could sneak it in her lunch," Lora Barbour told the TV show hosts. "That's what most parents do."

"We went in really naive to the school...we filled out your medication policy form. They said no," Roger Barbour said. "We are trying to advance this through the courts."

Roger Barbour, an attorney, is appealing the case in state and federal court on the grounds that his daughter is being denied her education because of her illness.

A bill passed in June by the state legislature and awaiting action by Gov. Chris Christie would require school districts to set policy allowing children who are registered with the state medical marijuana program to allow for its edible use on school grounds.

Goldberg said The View reached out to the governor's office and was told, "The governor does not comment on pending legislation. Yeah," she said in a sarcastic tone eliciting laughter from the audience.

Yale University School of Medicine Professor Sheryl Ryan, sitting in the audience next to Genny and her 13-year-old sister Marlee, said cannabis oil in this case "seems like a reasonable use." But the American Academy of Pediatrics has generally opposed medical marijuana, saying there is no science to support it.

What about the families who resorted to medical marijuana as a "desperate measure? There is your science," Goldberg replied.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey on Monday joined the Barbours public fight to press the governor to sign the edible marijuana at school bill. Referencing Christie's statement during the Republican debate last week in which he said he supported medical marijuana, the ACLU-NJ tweeted:

Good @ChrisChristie is talking the talk. Now let Genny have her meds and stay in school. http://t.co/pxDHY7ra2f pic.twitter.com/Uv05nos5Op

-- ACLU of New Jersey (@ACLUNJ) September 21, 2015

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

From Wine Week events to Octoberfest, there are plenty of great events worth raising a glass and saying cheers among friends.

All of the news this week seems to be centering on Pope Francis landing on U.S. soil. But for those looking to avoid the crowds, New Jersey restaurants have some non-Pope-Francis-related promotions closing out September. 

SOUTH JERSEY FOOD AND WINE WEEK 

New Jersey Wine Week might be taking place through Sept. 27, but it doesn't necessarily mean the celebrations and tributes have to come to an end on Sunday. South Jersey Food and Wine Week takes place from Sept. 27 through Oct. 2, with close to 40 restaurants -- spread across Camden, Burlington and Gloucester Counties -- participating. The deal is simple: four courses for $35 with each of the chefs putting together special menus for the event. The complete list of restaurants can be found here. Reservations are recommended. 

IRON ROOM CELEBRATES WINE WEEK 

The Iron Room, Iron Room, the bar and lounge inside the Atlantic City Bottle Co. (Atlantic City's first speakeasy since prohibition), has earned high accolades for its impressive wine collection. (Earlier this year, The Iron Room was presented with a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator.) On Wednesday, the Atlantic City-based establishment will be teaming up with the Garden State Wine Growers Assoc. for a three-hour event (6 to 9 p.m.), with a special menu of hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are $20, and reservations are required. For more information, call 609-348-6400. 648 N. Albany Ave., Atlantic City.

MEATLESS MONDAYS 

Dos Caminos, part of BR Guest Hospitality, is now part of the Meatless Monday movement at its Harrah's Resort location.  Special dishes being conjured up by executive chef Ivy Stark include polkanes yucatecos -- pumpkin seed and fava bean fritters with roasted tomato pepita salad; vegetable tacos -- calabacitas, local patty pan, pinto beans, grilled avocado, salsa verde and quinoa tortillas. 777 Harrah's Blvd., Atlantic City. 

OCTOBERFEST 

Late September and beer go hand-in-hand. This annual autumn tradition takes place in Munich, Germany every October. No need to purchase an expensive plane ticket to enjoy all of the festivities, though. Several restaurants around the Garden State are getting in on the action. What is being billed as the New Jersey/New York metro area's "most authentic Octoberfest" kicks off on Friday at Pilsener Haus in Hoboken, 1422 Grand St., with music, beer and a traditional menu. Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten, 527 Lake Ave., which opened earlier this year, is hosting "The Jersey Shore's First Authentic Octoberfest," complete with polka bands every weekend, keg tapping, giant imported pretzels and more.  

Contact Bill Gelman at bkgelman@hotmail.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The state Health Department announced Monday a new marijuana dispensary will open to the public next month.

TRENTON -- The state Health Department announced Monday a new medical marijuana dispensary will open to the public next month.

Compassionate Science Alternative Treatment Center, located in Bellmawr, is the second dispensary to open in south Jersey, and the last in that region unless state health officials agree more are needed to meet the demand.  

The program has 5,500 registered patients and caregivers, who are permitted to buy cannabis from a dispensary on behalf of patients who are unable to make the trip.

The health department in March 2011 selected non-profits to open two dispensaries each in north, central and south Jersey, but nearly all of them have struggled to win local support and and state approvals.

RELATED: N.J. health department announces 6 medical marijuana growers, sellers

In August 2013, owners of the the Compassionate Sciences dispensary announced they had leased building in the 3.1-square-mile community of Bellmawr, in suburban Camden County. Webster Todd, former Gov. Christie Todd Whitman's brother, is an owner.

Three dispensaries are open: Greenleaf Compassion Center of Montclair, Compassionate Care Foundation of Egg Harbor and Garden State Dispensary of Woodbridge.

More information about the state's program may be found here.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

A Philadelphia woman is accused of shoplifting bags from a Fossil store at the new outlets and returning a week later to do it again.

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP -- A Philadelphia woman was charged with four counts of shoplifting last week after police said she stole handbags from stores at the Gloucester Premium Outlets and returned a week later to shoplift some more. 

In a media release posted Monday, Gloucester Township police said Lisa M. Claire was arrested on Thursday after police were called to the Fossil store at the shopping center, which opened last month. 

MORE: What you need to know to go to Gloucester Premium Outlets opening

Employees at the store said Claire shoplifted three handbags and left the store. They also reported recognizing her from a week prior, when she also allegedly shoplifted from the store. 

Police stopped Claire as she drove away from the outlets, and discovered four more stolen purses from Cole Haan and Vera Bradley. The stolen items were recovered. Claire posted $2,500 bail pending a court appearance. 

The federal grants will be used to hire more police officers.

WASHINGTON -- The Camden County police department, whose community policing program has been praised by both President Obama and Gov. Chris Christie, will get $2.2 million to hire additional officers under the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program.

The award was announced Monday by the U.S. Justice Department. Camden, which received $3.2 million under the COPS program last year, was one of four New Jersey departments receiving federal grants. The money will allow the county to hire 15 officers. The other three New Jersey departments getting federal funds are the East Orange police, which is getting $1.5 million for 12 officers; and the Essex County sheriff's office and Wildwood police, each of which is getting $750,000 for six officers.

"These awards will not only keep more officers on the beat -- they will address specific issue areas like violent crime, school safety, homeland security, and community trust," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in announcing a total of $107 million in grants.

Obama visited Camden in May to highlight the improvements in the city's crime rate, the increased number of police on the streets, and the relationships that the officers built with community residents. The trip came at a time when several unarmed black men in other cities were killed in confrontations with police officers.

EARLIER: Obama calls Camden a 'symbol of promise for the nation'

"I've come here to Camden to do something that might have been unthinkable just a few years ago -- and that's to hold you up as a symbol of promise for the nation," Obama said. 

Christie also has cited Camden's successes as he seeks the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. He held a campaign stop there in July.

"Peace on our streets is more than just the absence of violence," Christie said at the time. "Justice isn't something we can jail our way to. Justice is something we have to build in our communities." 

MORE POLITICS

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

A contract signed Friday by the city and The World Meeting of Families shows that Philadelphia will be reimbursed with $12 million for the papal festivities.

PHILADELPHIA -- A contract signed Friday by the city and The World Meeting of Families shows that Philadelphia will be reimbursed with $12 million for the papal festivities, according to philly.com.

Per the report, Philadelphia will provide the non-profit organization with an invoice by the beginning of November; The World Meeting of Families has until the end of that month to reimburse the city.

In all, the event is expected to produce a price tag of $12,083,913.54. The World Meeting of Families hopes to gather $45 million through week-long fundraiser events, according to the report.

The report adds that The World Meeting of Families was to have already paid a $2.5 million security deposit and another $230,000 for licensing fees. Among other costs incurred by the city are nearly $5 million for police duties, close to $4 million for the fire department and approximately $883,000 for the city's office of emergency management.

The World Meeting of Families officially begins Tuesday with a 1 p.m. opening press ceremony at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. In attendance will be Archbishop Charles J. Chaput and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family. Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in Philadelphia on Saturday morning.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

 

Joseph E. Cuthbert met his victims, four boys between the ages of 13 and 16, through his work at a church from 2002 to 2013, authorities said.

CAMDEN --  A 73-year-old church organist was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting four boys over more than 10 years, authorities announced. 

File Photo 

Joseph E. Cuthbert, of Winslow Township, pleaded guilty to the charges of three counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and one count of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, in June.

MORE: FBI agents wage a stressful battle against child pornography

Cuthbert met the boys, aged 13 to 16, through his work at a church in the township and assaulted them on various dates from November 2002 and December 2013. 

Sentenced by Superior Court Judge Richard F. Wells under the No Early Release Act, Cuthbert will have to serve 17 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. 

 Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

 

Permits are available online for 8,500 parking spots at the Camden Waterfront for the days of the papal visit.

CAMDEN -- Pilgrims looking to take one of the three travel options from Camden to Philadelphia for the papal visit can purchase passes for one of the 8,500 parking spots at the Camden Waterfront.

Officials announced they were opening the waterfront parking lots so people could park their cars then either walk over the Ben Franklin Bridge, ride the PATCO High Speed Line or sail on the RiveryLink Ferry to Philadelphia.

Passes for the parking lots must be purchased in advance and can be found at www.gatewaytothepope.com. The permits cost $43.78 per day, which includes all taxes and fees.

Tickets for the PATCO can be purchased at the stations on the day of the event. Ferry tickets must be purchased in advance at www.delawareriverwaterfront.com.

Alex Young may be reached at ayoung@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AlexYoungSJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

 

The moment Catholics from around the world have been waiting for has arrived.

PHILADELPHIA -- It's been more than three years since an announcement let the globe know that The World Meeting of Families would not only be coming to the U.S. for the first time, but Philadelphia would be hosting it.

On Tuesday afternoon, after 38 month's worth of painstaking planning, organizers excitedly welcomed thousands of pilgrims to the meeting's opening ceremony.

"Each of us has a different story ... but all of us feel at home because we are united in our heavenly father," said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, who traveled 4,360 miles from Rome.

The World Meeting of Families will include conferences, lectures and breakout sessions under the banner, "Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive." More than one million people are expected to flock to Philadelphia by the end of the week for Pope Francis' arrival, which will make him the fourth pope to ever visit this country.

Downtown Philadelphia is already buzzing with activity however, with construction going on to prepare for the public events and thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries having already made their way into the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection.

"Words cannot express the time and effort these individuals and many others put into planning this," meeting Executive Director Donna Crilley-Farrell said of those seated behind her, including Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput and heads of other sponsoring companies.

The agenda for this week's events -- which target both adults and youth and "will celebrate family and the sanctuary of love and life," organizers said -- includes sessions with topics such as "In the city: Concerns of the Urban Family," "Where is this relationship going: Dating as discernment" and "The Light of the family in a dark world."

The first meeting was held in 1994 and more than 18,000 people registered to attend Philadelphia's festivities. Among them was Melissa Michel, a resident of the southern region of France and proud parent of five children.

"I'm looking forward to families being taken off the back burner," she said while walking shoulder to shoulder with other pilgrims inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The week-long event culminates on Saturday and Sunday with public appearances of Pope Francis at Independence Hall and along the Ben Franklin Parkway.

"What happens here this week is a celebration not about the past, but the future," Chaput said. "The future is alive in the souls of each and every pilgrim that comes here."

The final speaker during Tuesday's ceremony was a visibly excited Nutter, who after months of dire press conferences about "traffic boxes," closed bridges and open businesses could finally revel in the moment.

Describing Philadelphia as a place of tolerance and a city of neighborhoods anchored by families, Nutter said this week would be "an incredible personal and professional moment" for him -- even if he was just a kid from West Philly.

"This is the start of the most historic event in modern Philadelphia history," he said to enthusiastic applause. "It's game time in Philadelphia. We're ready to go."