Good morning, South Jersey.
Camden is in a legal fight with the EMR scrap metal recycling facility over more than a million dollars-worth of promised donations.
And new state guidelines could exacerbate an existing issue of finding available referees for youth sports in New Jersey.
Plus, Cinnaminson voters approved a $57.7 million school bond referendum, and more news of the day.
— Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)
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Camden is suing EMR over missing donations.
According to the city of Camden, the facility did not fulfill its promise to donate more than a million dollars toward community initiatives based on a 2025 agreement that was established in response to a massive fire the same year.
But the scrapyard is claiming that its allocation of nearly $2.3 million in a separate community fund that it’s been paying since 2023 should count toward the 2025 deal.
The new fund is earmarked for improvement initiatives, particularly for residents of the Waterfront South neighborhood who have been most impacted by EMR’s dozen-plus fires in the past six years.
Reporter Lacey Latch has the story.
In the world of youth sports, the number of officials available to referee games has decreased while the costs of hiring them have only risen.
And starting Oct. 1, it might get even more expensive.
South Jersey athletic directors are worried that the state’s new labor regulations will classify more amateur sports officials as employees rather than independent contractors.
The associations of amateur officials are also concerned about what that means for them. But a proposed law could help.
What to know today
Cinnaminson voters approved the $57.7 million school bond referendum, the largest in the school system’s history, by only nine votes.
U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey attempted to distance himself from President Donald Trump during a debate with his Democratic challenger, Rebecca Bennett, on Sunday, but he backs the president on Iran and tariffs, the New York Times reports.
A proposed Super Wawa on Route 73 on the Voorhees-Berlin border will likely be approved next month despite resident protests and a rejection by the Voorhees planning board, according to 70and73.
A Voorhees woman has been crowned Pancheros’ Queso Queen after ordering it 235 times since last September.
Sculptor Zenos Frudakis’ first public large-scale commission piece was of a boy riding an elephant in the now-closed Burlington Center Mall. His other works can be seen at Citizens Bank Park, Elmwood Park Zoo, Philadelphia International Airport, and more locations in the Philly area.
And one quick fact-check: Three lobsters did not break out of Cape May’s Lobster House during this weekend’s nor’easter. There is a video of the waterlogged dining room, but internet jokesters enhanced it to add the lobster break.
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🗣️ Quote of the week
For the past decade, South Jersey native Carmen “Big Carm” Conti has been a dedicated Eagles tailgater. For the most recent Eagles opener, he hosted dozens of people, complete with a wing competition and DJ set.
Today, he’s a leader in the push to protect large-scale tailgates after proposed guidelines would crack down on them.
🧠 Trivia time
Comedian TaTa Sherise is from which South Jersey city?
A) Camden
B) Burlington
C) Gloucester City
D) Sea Isle
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re ...
🏀 Reliving: The first look at LeBron James in a Sixers uniform.
🏡 Wondering: If you’re a homeowner, what strategies worked and what didn’t during the homebuying process?
🥄 Craving: Pepper pot.
I’ll be back with more news for you tomorrow. 👋🏽
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