Current Bordentown
NOVEMber 2014
FREE
Mayor touts township business, services
b o r d en t o w n c u r r en t . c om
Flying high
City, Township and Fieldsboro residents all have reason to head to the polls
By Lexie Yearly Business, commercial and township growth were the main points Mayor Stephen Benowitz emphasized at Bordentown Township’s annual State of the Township address Oct. 15. Benowitz spoke to members of the MidJersey Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the luncheon at the Old York Country Club in Chesterfield, about the progress of several significant ongoing redevelopment projects in the township. First, though, Benowitz touted Bordentown’s central location in the state and its access to several major roads, including Rt. 130 and Rt. 206, I-295 and the N.J. Turnpike, making Bordentown the “heart of the crossroads of the state of New Jersey.” He noted the growth of the township over more than a decade, which saw a nearly 36 percent increase in residents from 2000 to 2010. Benowitz primarily focused on how growing business and commercial endeavors in the township will increase ratables and relieve the tax burden on residents, and how residents should still be able to enjoy beneficial serves provided by the township. Major ongoing projects include the near-completion of Phase I of the Waterfront Transit Village, continued progress at the Kevin Johnson Team 85 complex, and the construction of the 1.47 million square foot Grainger distribution center. See TOWNSHIP, Page 6
Election season under way
Bordentown residents John Reiter and Luna Ciarrocca enjoy the view from the climbing wall at Bordentown’s annual Cranberr y Festival Oct. 4-5, 2014. For more photos, turn to Page 12. (Photos by Albert Rende.)
Burger time
These are truly ‘Have it Your Way’ days for America’s favorite sandwich By Current Staff
“Mmm. This is a tasty burger!” –Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) Pulp Fiction (1994) In his essay “Up, Simba,” about the 2000 presidential
campaign of Arizona Sen. John McCain, David Foster Wallace wrote about the strangeness of being served a hamburger topped with jalapeños, whose heat he could not handle. Read today, the passage seems odd. What’s unusual about jalapeños on a burger? But not that long ago, hamburgers were simple meals, made of beef and topped with lettuce, tomato and onion, probably pickles, and maybe bacon. Pick a cardinal cheese—American, swiss, cheddar—and call it a
tasty day. Yet without our really noticing, burgers have become a restless chef’s playground. Many factors contribute to the trend of burger diversification. The Internet’s bottomless pit of information is one cause. So is the rise of Tex-Mex and pan-Asian cuisines, which has fueled the culinary curiosity of American diners, 90 percent of whom reported eating out at least once a month in 2013. And plentiful food shows on cable TV can turn local trends into See BURGERS, Page 18
Election Day is Nov. 4, and this year, results will affect Bordentown residents at the municipal, county and state levels. In the Township, four candidates are running for two seats on the committee. The candidates are: Howard Barman (R), Jim Cann (D), Robert Delaney (R) and Jill Popko (D). In Fieldsboro, Democratic candidates Jonathan B. Norcross and Danielle J. Weber are unopposed for two seats on the Borough Council. Three seats are also up for grabs on the Board of Education. Mark Roselli is running unopposed for the Bordentown Township seat. William J. Mercantini, Sr. and Joann M. Dansbury will compete for the Bordentown City seat. Edward G. Tyler is also unopposed for the Fieldsboro seat. In the U.S. Senate race, Democratic incumbent Cory Booker will face off against Republican challenger Jeff Bell. In the House of Representatives, Tom MacArthur (R), Aimee Belgard (D) and Frederick John Lavergne (D-R) will compete for one seat. At the county level, four candidates are running for two Burlington County Freeholder seats: Bruce Garganio (R), Mary Ann O’Brien (R), Tom Pullion (D) and Michael Schmidt (D). Election coverage starts on Page 8.
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