Lawnside vs. the Turnpike | Inquirer South Jersey
And the homecoming of Angelo’s Pizzeria.
Happy Juneteenth, South Jersey. There will be festivities in the region over the weekend to celebrate.
Lawnside residents worry a New Jersey Turnpike expansion will threaten a historic Underground Railroad stop.
And Angelo’s Pizzeria is returning to its South Jersey roots.
Plus, officials chose a design for a new Delaware River bridge linking Bucks and Burlington Counties, and more news of the day.
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Lawnside, originally settled by freed and runaway enslaved people, is known for being the first independent African American community to govern themselves above the Mason-Dixon line.
Inside this borough is the Peter Mott House, believed to have once been a refuge as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
For almost two centuries, it has remained resilient against potential threats such as the construction of the New Jersey Turnpike nearby in the 1950s, a developer’s desire to dismantle the structure in the 1980s, and a three-year closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its next challenge looks as if it might be the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s $2 billion expansion project that a group of Lawnside residents say could endanger the historic house.
Reporter Dugan Arnett has the story.
Angelo’s Pizzeria will soon return to New Jersey.
Owner Danny DiGiampietro is opening a new branch of his famous pizza and cheesesteak shop.
Construction work has begun at the future location in the West Collingswood Heights neighborhood of Haddon Township. When finished — hopefully in the next few months, he says — it will become a full-service shop, with table seating and a counter overlooking the kitchen.
The first Angelo’s opened in Haddonfield in 2013 but DiGiampietro closed it in 2018 to pivot to the South Philly location.
The Inquirer’s Michael Klein has more details.
What to know today
The local wrestling community is mourning 16-year-old wrestler Chase Sudano. He died earlier this week while driving an electric bike that was involved in a crash with a UPS truck in Southampton Township near Route 70.
New Jersey U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, who has several years of career experience with national security issues in the Middle East, said he has “no confidence in any aspect” of President Donald Trump’s deal to end the war in Iran.
The officials of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes chose a design for a new $1.6 billion Delaware River bridge that will link toll roads between Bristol in Bucks County and Florence in Burlington County.
The New York Times reports that federal prosecutors charged a man after he hit an ICE agent with a vehicle in Ocean County. The criminal complaint says the suspect refused to roll down the window during a traffic stop and then struck the officer while driving away.
The Haddonfield Board of Education is grappling with how to balance screen time for district students, including the possibility of implementing screen time limits, according to South Jersey Media.
According to 42 Freeway, Wonder Food Hall will come to Washington Township. It will be next to the Sprouts Farmers Market now under construction.
For the past 10 days, several peacocks have been wandering Berlin Borough. No one knows where they came from.
🧠 Trivia time
The former owner of Famous 4th Street Deli in Philly has had success across the bridge with his new destination deli, Radin’s Delicatessen. It even made our list for the area’s essential restaurants, The 76. Where is it located?
A) Westville
B) Swedesboro
C) Cherry Hill
D) Moorestown
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🚗 Exploring: Weekend trips to other parts of the state. This time, in Princeton.
🥽 Swimming: At Atsion Recreation Area in Shamong.
🍿 Remembering: That time the British TV show United States of Birmingham came to Burlington County’s Birmingham.
🏖️ Down the Shore
This “Ask Down the Shore” feature appears as part of our weekly summertime series from Shore reporter Amy S. Rosenberg. Subscribe to her free Down the Shore newsletter here.
Using the new Shore Line group chat, we asked readers if it’s alright to reserve spots on the beach by marking their territory with chairs and a canopy. Here are some of the responses:
Yes, good for them for motivating early in the day!
I hate when people do that. And 9 times out of 10 when they do it, they are obnoxiously large reservations. Putting up multiple beach cabanas, etc.
It depends on how long they’ve been gone. If they don’t show up for an hour, you could just fold their stuff up in a nice little pile. I’d be okay with that.
No problem with that at all. But those people can’t get upset if another group sets up close to them in their absence.
Where do you land? Are you pro or anti saving prime beach space? Or somewhere in between? Have another etiquette concern? Email Rosenberg at downtheshore@inquirer.com.
📸 Photo of the week
🐕 One last furry thing: When the Inquirer visits a local home every week, our lovely photographers meet the pets as well. Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.
Have a wonderful weekend! I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday.
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