What you need to know about Tuesday’s election | Inquirer Cherry Hill
Plus, senior citizens celebrate prom and an East teacher shares a longtime Eagles-Giants rivalry with a former student.
Hello, Cherry Hill! 👋
The election is less than a week away. Still deciding how you’ll vote? We’ve put together a guide of everything you need to know. Also this week, an eatery is offering free bagels to those impacted by the government shutdown, we take a look at a senior citizen prom, and we explore the football-forged bond between an East teacher and his former student.
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Voters in Cherry Hill will head to the polls Tuesday to decide on a number of key races locally and statewide.
Among them are the hotly contested governor’s race, seats for township council, the school district’s board of education, and the board of fire commissioners. Voters will also choose a surrogate judge of Camden County.
To make Election Day easier, The Inquirer’s Henry Savage has put together a look at the key races.
🗳️ Here’s how and where to cast your ballot
Early voting is open through Nov. 2 at seven polling places in Camden County, including at the Cherry Hill Community Center on Mercer Street. Polling is open today through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday until 6 p.m.
Voting Tuesday instead? You can find your polling place here. For those voting by mail, returned ballots must be postmarked on or before 8 p.m. on Nov. 4. They can also be returned in person at one of the township’s drop box locations, which are at the Cherry Hill campus of Camden County College and, new this year, at the Cherry Hill Public Library. You can find a list of the county’s drop boxes here.
While proms are often the major social event of the spring for high school seniors, for some area senior citizens, the Golden Age Prom is a highlight of the fall. Cherry Hill’s older residents gathered last week for a night of bedazzled outfits, throwback tunes, and Shirley Temples.
Now in its 12th year, the event is hosted by the Cherry Hill Education Association to bring together residents for a night of celebration and to connect with a powerful, but often forgotten, voting bloc, organizers say.
The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner takes a look inside the increasingly popular event.
💡 Community News
A Cherry Hill East special education teacher reunited with one of his former students over the weekend when the pair attended the Eagles-Giants game. The duo forged a bond over 15 years ago when Mike Surrency, who is also an Eagles season ticket holder, used football as a way to connect with his students, including die-hard Giants fan Dave Siegel. In the years since, they’ve made a tradition of attending those games, and Siegel says his former teacher is still his mentor, The Inquirer’s Melanie Burney reports.
As the government shutdown continues, the owners of Cherry Hill’s K&A Bagel Café are lending a helping hand by offering free bagels to anyone impacted. Bags of bagels will be put out at certain times for those in need Wednesdays through Sundays for as long as the federal government remains closed.
In case you missed it, the sprawling 40,000-square-foot PGA Tour Superstore opened over the weekend on Route 70. The new store offers golf simulators, hitting bays, and a putting green, plus aisles of golf clubs, balls, apparel, and more.
The township has appointed two new members to its zoning board of adjustment. Earlier this month, council approved Kevin Cockfield and Neelima Straiges as regular members to fill vacancies on the board.
Big Blue Swim School announced it will open its Cherry Hill location on Dec. 1. The chain, which offers swimming lessons for kids three months to 12 years old, will be located at 2100 Route 38.
Starting Saturday, the township is hosting a weeks-long food drive to benefit Cherry Hill Food Pantry and the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Southern New Jersey. You can donate non-perishable Thanksgiving foods or other shelf-stable items like pasta, peanut butter, soup, and cereal in the library’s lobby. See a full list of requested items here.
Tickets are on sale now for the township’s senior holiday party. Taking place Dec. 11, the event will include lunch, a DJ, dancing, a photo booth, and prizes. Tickets are currently $35 but will increase to $40 on Nov. 11.
🏫 Schools Briefing
East is on to the group playoffs after closing out its regular season undefeated for the second consecutive year, defeating Bridgeton 29-20 on Friday. The Cougars are taking on Toms River North at home this Friday at 6 p.m. (Courier Post)
The school district continues to battle chronic absenteeism, defined as a student missing 10%, or approximately 18 days, of the school year. About 6% of students were absent 10% to 12.9% of the 2023-24 academic year, the most recently available data, with absenteeism particularly high among pre-K, kindergarten, and high school students. To stem the trend, the district is monitoring students who had been chronically absent in the past and is working to create a sense of connectedness and belonging. (70 and 73)
🍽️ On our Plate
Mission BBQ opened yesterday at 2050 Route 70 in Garden State Park. The restaurant is known for its array of barbecue meats like brisket, pulled pork, turkey, and sausage, as well as for its daily playing of the national anthem. The new Cherry Hill location is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Barclay Pies has made a bit of a splash since it opened on Marlton Pike at the end of August, so much so that The Inquirer’s Michael Klein noted it among the hottest new pizzerias in the region. Diners can choose from five red pizzas (plain, pepperoni, sausage, pineapple, and a vegan margherita) and four whites (arugula, mushroom, broccoli, and buffalo chicken), each of which can be made gluten-free.
A little out of town news: Jersey Kebab, the Haddon Township restaurant that made headlines earlier this year after its owners were arrested by ICE, and eventually released, is relocating to Collingswood. The Turkish eatery is owned by Cherry Hill residents Celal and Emine Emanet.
🎳 Things to Do
🎃 Trick-or-Treat at the Library: Children 5 and under can participate in a parade through the library, where treat stations will be set up. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 31, 11 a.m.-noon 💵 Free📍 Cherry Hill Library
💀 Horror Skate: Celebrate Halloween at this themed skate party where costumes will glow under the lights and the best dressed wins a prize. There will also be trivia, music, and other surprises. ⏰ Friday, Oct. 31, 6:30-9:30 p.m. 💵 $8 plus $6 skate rental 📍 Hot Wheelz
📚 Festival of Arts, Books, and Culture: This roughly two-week long festival showcases Jewish heritage at over 30 different events. Highlights include a champagne brunch with author Renée Rosen (Nov. 2), a luncheon with novelist Jennifer Weiner (Nov. 12), and a comedy night (Nov. 15). ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 2-Saturday, Nov. 15, times vary 💵 Prices vary 📍 Locations vary
🖼️ Fall Into the Arts: Explore photographs on display at this juried exhibit, which kicks off Sunday, followed by an opening reception on Monday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 2-Thursday, Nov. 13, times vary 💵 Free 📍 Croft Farm Arts Center
🏡 On the Market
Located in Woodcrest, this spacious Tudor features stone throughout parts of the first level, including a fireplace, the foyer floor, and the lower level of the exterior. The first floor has a family room with a dual-sided, wood-burning fireplace, a bar, and an adjacent kitchen, which has an island, double ovens, two sinks, and a pantry. There’s also a dining room, a bonus room that could be a bedroom or office, and a full bathroom. Upstairs are five bedrooms, including the primary suite with dual bathrooms, a soaking tub, and walk-in closets. Out back, there’s a patio with a built-in grill.
See more photos of the property here.
Price: $979,000 | Size: 5,937 SF | Acreage: 0.36
🗞️ What other Cherry Hill residents are reading this week:
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