Kelly Ripa's dad to be Camden County clerk

Freeholder Joseph Ripa, a former labor leader from Voorhees and the father of TV personality Kelly Ripa, will be named Camden County clerk, according to a letter sent this week to Democratic insiders.

Camden County Democrats are expected to announce on Saturday that Ripa, a freeholder since 2004 who was up for reelection this year, will resign from the board and fill the remaining term of former Clerk Jim Beach. Ripa must be approved through a formal vote of the Democratic County Committee.

In December, Democrats chose Beach to fill the seat of state Sen. John Adler, who was elected to Congress in November.

Ripa will be up for election in November for a five-year term as clerk, a position that pays about $153,000 annually. Democrats will choose his replacement on the freeholder board. - Matt Katz