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  • Clocks spring forward Sunday, but the sun may be setting on year-round daylight saving time

    Clocks spring forward Sunday, but the sun may be setting on year-round daylight saving time

    Coinciding with the expected behavior of the atmosphere over Philly, the clocks are taking a major leap into spring this weekend, this time around as early as it ever happens.

    On Sunday the clocks will skip right over 2 a.m. and proceed to 3 a.m. as daylight saving time begins and will continue through Nov. 1.

    The sun won’t set before 7 p.m. until Sept. 22.

    Congratulations to those who prefer eating dinner before dark or savoring an extra dose of daylight after work. If you dread being shorted an hour on a precious weekend and hold that DST actually stands for “delayed sunrise time,” we offer a modest consolation prize.

    The sun appears to be setting on the all-DST-all-the-time movement.

    Recall that the U.S. Senate unanimously (at least technically) passed the 2022 iteration of the Sunshine Protection Act that would have ditched the switch and installed daylight saving time as the year-round system. U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D., Pa.) said at the time “the idea definitely has legs,” and isn’t that what they said about the Eagles’ offense?

    It’s as if the campaign has gone back to bed.

    The 2022 bill’s sponsor, Marco Rubio, at the time a senator representing the Sunshine State, is now the secretary of state and appears to have bigger fish to fry. His immediate supervisor, President Donald Trump, who at different times advocated for year-round standard and year-round DST, has lost interest.

    So, evidently, have legions of state lawmakers around the country.

    The number of bills calling for year-round daylight saving time has dropped dramatically, and this year they are far outnumbered by bills advocating year-round standard time, based on a survey of data compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

    That said, the discussion may never die. The Sunshine Protection Act was reintroduced in the Senate last year. Sen. Rick Scott (R., Fla.) says he’s giving it another shot. But expect 100% chance that clocks go back in the fall; the bill remains in committee.

    Daylight saving time advocates have pointed to the recreational and other benefits of later sunsets, and those will become ever more evident during the next several weeks. Conversely, any number of health organizations warn of the dangers caused by sleep disruption, exacerbated by a certain longitudinal inequity.

    To honor a day that so many look forward to, and so many others dread, we offer a few numbers for consideration, starting with a visit to Marquette, Mich.

    79: Minutes of difference in sunrise times

    Sunrise Monday in Marquette doesn’t occur until 8:11 a.m., compared with 6:52 a.m. in Lubec, Maine. That is a 79-minute difference — in the same time zone. Lubec is on the shores of the Atlantic. Marquette is on the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

    In Marquette, the sun’s reluctance to get out of bed may be understandable. The city already has had close to 210 inches of snow (about 10 Philly winters’ worth) this season. “Even by our standards, this has been a pretty remarkable winter,” said Chris Burling, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Marquette.

    As with the snow, the locals appear to accept the late sunrises with a measure of equanimity. “I think there’s some grumbling for a couple days,” said Burling, “but otherwise, it’s just …that’s how it is.”

    Sleep experts advise that people in the westerly longitudes of time zones stand to suffer more than their counterparts to the east. In Marquette, twilight won’t end until close to 10:30 p.m. around the summer solstice. That can be disruptive to bodily sleep rhythms, experts say, by depriving bodies of melatonin, the sleep hormone that the body produces in the dark.

    The Michigan legislature is among those that have considered a bill for year-round standard time. Federal law permits states to go all-standard, but all-daylight saving time would require Congress to pass a law to allow it.

    800: Pro-daylight saving time bills

    Eight hundred bills have been introduced in state legislatures since 2005 to enact year-round daylight saving time, according to Tom Klein, policy associate with the legislatures conference.

    93: Time-change bills in 2025

    There were 93 bills introduced in 2025 in favor of either year-round Daylight Saving Time or standard time.

    35: States

    Thirty-five states considered such bills in 2025, about evenly split between all-DST and all-standard, by the conference’s count.

    21: Bills this year

    In 2026, 21 bills are under consideration, with 16 calling for year-round standard time and five favoring all-Daylight Saving Time.

    1,454: Days

    It’s been 1,454 days since the U.S. Senate approved the Sunshine Protection Act.

    294: Days

    The nation’s last experiment with year-round daylight saving time, in 1974, survived only 294 days,

    238: Days

    Just 238 days until we fall backward again. Incidentally, since Daylight Saving Time begins on the second Sunday in March, this is the earliest it could happen. Nov. 1 is the earliest possible starting date for standard time.

    Innumerable

    Projected number of days before the clock-switch debate ends.

  • Marilouise H. James, retired longtime schoolteacher and home and school visitor, has died at 101

    Marilouise H. James, retired longtime schoolteacher and home and school visitor, has died at 101

    Marilouise H. James, 101, formerly of Willingboro, a retired English and social studies teacher for the Philadelphia School District, certified home and school visitor, 80-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., mentor, and volunteer, died Friday, Feb. 13, of age-associated decline at the Masonic Village retirement community in Burlington.

    Naturally empathetic and energetic, Mrs. James was skilled at spelling, language, and assisting students in school and families at home. Beginning in the late 1940s, she taught English and social studies at the old Sulzberger Middle School in West Philadelphia, social studies at Audenried Junior High School in South Philadelphia, and English at Northeast High School.

    She appreciated the beauty and nuances of the French language as a girl and earned second place in a statewide spelling bee in Delaware. Later, when she saw that students at Sulzberger had no French Club, she started one.

    “She was one of a kind,” said her niece Sonya Thompson. “Big smile. Big laughter. Big heart.”

    Mrs. James (center) and her daughters, Lisa (left) and Shelley, all joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

    Mrs. James earned a bachelor’s degree in French at Temple University, a master’s degree in counseling at Antioch University, and teaching certifications in English, French, social studies, home and school visiting, and guidance counseling.

    When her children came along in the 1950s, she left the classroom and, as a school district home and school support expert, managed difficult situations regarding student truancy and behavior, and crisis intervention at homes. She retired in the late 1980s.

    “She was the easiest person to talk to,” said her daughter Lisa James-Beavers. “She was warm and never judgmental. She made you feel like she always knew you.”

    Mrs. James was an active mentor in Alpha Kappa Alpha for 80 years, and her sorority sisters threw a 101st birthday party for her last August. She was a charter member of the Gamma Epsilon chapter in Philadelphia in 1945, moved to the Theta Pi Omega chapter in South Jersey in 1969, and served as its vice president, secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer, and in other roles.

    Mrs. James graduated from Howard High School at 16 after skipping two grades.

    “If anyone ever needed a smile, Soror Marilouise was always there ready to share one,” a friend said on Facebook.

    She also joined the Sickle Cell Anemia Resources Board and the Board of the Black Adoption Consortium. She belonged to the Rancocas Valley chapter of the Links Inc. and was a charter member of the Burlington-Willingboro chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc.

    She volunteered as a patient representative at what is now Virtua Willingboro Hospital and as a library assistant at Twin Hills Elementary School. “She was a walking, talking breath of fresh air,” her niece said. “She taught all of us that kindness matters. She always said, ‘I am doing the best I can for as long as I can.’”

    Friends called her “a radiant inspiration and a true joy” and “a beautiful phenomenal woman” in online tributes. Her family said: “She did not simply experience joy. She created it. She carried it into every room, poured it into every relationship, and planted it in the hearts of all who knew her.”

    Mrs. James (right) was fun and funny, her family said.

    Marilouise Holland was born Aug. 23, 1924, in Milford, Del. She grew up in Wilmington and graduated from Howard High School at 16 after skipping two grades.

    She met Raymond James in Philadelphia, and they married in 1953. They had a son, Dennis, and daughters Shelley and Lisa, and lived in Lansdowne before moving to Willingboro in 1969. Her husband died in 1979.

    Mrs. James was fun and funny, her family said. She had an infectious laugh, loved shopping, and was, they said, “always stylish from head to toe.”

    She enjoyed hosting her family for reunions. Her niece said: “Her hospitality was off the charts.” Her daughter Lisa said: “She was easy to be around.”

    Mrs. James (front right) enjoyed time with her family.

    She read often and belonged to a book club. She saw shows at the Walnut Street Theatre for more than 25 years and attended Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Willingboro.

    She liked pizza on Friday nights and doughnuts after Sunday Mass. Her family said it was only fitting that she died during Black History Month. Her life, they said, was “a reflection of the barriers she broke and the lasting legacy she carved.”

    In addition to her children, Mrs. James is survived by seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, a sister, and other relatives. A sister and a brother died earlier.

    Services were held earlier.

    Donations in her name may be made to the EAF Theta Pi Omega Chapter Scholarship Fund, Box 2902, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034.

    Mrs. James (right) and her sister, Betty
  • Fire is extinguished at South Jersey explosion site, but investigation into cause continues

    Fire is extinguished at South Jersey explosion site, but investigation into cause continues

    Emergency responders extinguished the fire at Savita Naturals in Logan Township, N.J., late Thursday, and sealed off the cocoa butter processor’s remaining propane tanks, marking a step forward in the investigation into the massive explosion that rocked the region.

    Concerns about the structural integrity of the building at 617 Heron Drive remain, and a detailed look into the site remains pending, Gloucester County officials said at a Friday news conference.

    “It’s going to be a lengthy process,” said Logan Township Fire Chief Scott Oatman. “Especially as they get into the building to try to secure everything up.”

    The blast occurred at about 2:35 p.m. Wednesday. In the wake of the explosion, four employees of Savita Naturals were taken by ambulance to area hospitals, three additional employees transported themselves to medical facilities, and one person from an adjacent business was taken to a hospital for an undisclosed medical emergency.

    Three Savita Naturals employees remain in critical condition, and one was stable, officials said Friday. Conditions for the others injured were not immediately available.

    “Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those that were injured, and their families,” said Logan Township Police Chief Joseph Flatley. “This is going to be a long road for them, we’re aware. And that’s the highest priority.”

    At the time of the explosion, there were 14 employees on the site — a majority of whom were working in a structure at the front of the property. The explosion occurred in a rear structure, where three employees were located, officials said.

    No criminal activity is suspected in the explosion, and no hazards were present to the community surrounding the facility as of Friday morning, officials said. Emergency responders continue to monitor air quality in the area.

    In addition to the Savita Naturals building sustaining suspected structural damage, two adjacent businesses — fluid engineering firm Sulzer and a food bank known as Bishops’ Storehouse and Home Storage Center — were deemed uninhabitable, and cannot resume operations until repairs are completed. Officials said they had received reports of potential property damage as far as a mile away from the site, and continue to field calls from individuals who believe their buildings may have been impacted.

    At the site of the explosion, however, several large propane tanks remain. Though not leaking, the tanks contain a total of about 500 gallons of liquid propane that will need to be burnt off or otherwise removed before the investigation can progress.

    Officials on Friday described the explosion as an unfortunate accident, noting that Savita Naturals had incurred some fire inspection violations in the past, but the company was responsive and corrected issues quickly. No violations, Oatman said, were out of the ordinary, and none caused major concerns.

    The building itself, Oatman added, was constructed in such a way that it would contain an explosion. Part of its construction included “blow out panels” that served their intended purpose.

    “If it wasn’t for that type of construction they had there, there might have been more injuries,” Oatman said. “So, we’re fortunate that there were no more additional injuries at the facility.”

    Officials also corrected reports that the building was used to process CBD, or cannabidiol, a nonintoxicating component of hemp and marijuana that has risen in prominence in recent years. While the facility has processed CBD in the past, none has been produced or extracted there since 2023, Oatman said. The propane on the site, as well as ethanol, he added, is used in cocoa extractions.

    The cause of the explosion remains unclear. Officials said they were aware of speculation that a propane tank exploded, but investigators think the explosion occurred as a result of the processes inside the building, though that belief is preliminary.

    How long that investigation might take was unclear Friday. The look into the blast remains in its early stages, and involves a number of state and federal partners.

    “I’m not sure what happened in the building,” Oatman said. “That’s why investigators are going to do the investigation.”

  • Grocery Outlet is closing stores in South Jersey, Philadelphia, and Kennett Square

    Grocery Outlet is closing stores in South Jersey, Philadelphia, and Kennett Square

    Grocery Outlet bargain market is closing dozens of stores nationwide, including eight in the Philadelphia area.

    The closures were first referenced earlier this week in the company’s earnings report. The California-based grocer recorded an operating loss of $221.7 million last year, much of which it attributed to “certain underperforming stores” that will now close.

    These include five Grocery Outlets in South Jersey, two in Philadelphia, and one in Kennett Square, according to real estate marketing released Thursday.

    A company spokesperson did not return a request for comment about when the stores would close.

    The impacted Philly-area stores are located at:

    • 4004 U.S. Route 130, Delran
    • 401 Harmony Rd., Gibbstown
    • 345 Scarlet Rd., Kennett Square
    • 190 Hamilton Commons Dr., Mays Landing
    • 2017 W. Oregon Ave., Philadelphia
    • 2524 Welsh Rd., Philadelphia
    • 3174 U.S. Route 9 S., Suite 5, Rio Grande
    • 677 Berlin-Cross Keys Rd., Sicklerville
    People shop at a Grocery Outlet in Philadelphia in 2022.

    Gordon Brothers, a Boston investment firm, is looking to sublease all 36 closing Grocery Outlets. The Philadelphia-area properties range in size from 14,000 to 21,000 square feet.

    After the closures, the chain will still have several locations in the city, collar counties, and South Jersey.

    Grocery Outlet calls itself an “extreme value retailer.” It was founded in 1946, and has expanded from 128 stores to 570 stores over the past two decades. Many locations are operated by entrepreneurs who live nearby.

    In recent months, Grocery Outlet’s bottom line was impacted by economic uncertainty, as well as the November suspension of SNAP benefits that tens of millions of U.S. consumers rely on, according to president and CEO Jason Potter.

    “Consumer pressure intensified, federally funded benefits were delayed, and competition grew more promotional in the fourth quarter,” Potter said in a statement. “In response, we have begun to sharpen our focus on what matters most: delivering clearer value and a better in-store experience.”

    Customers and employees inside a Grocery Outlet in Philadelphia in 2023.

    While the grocery industry remains relatively resilient, it has faced a challenging few years with persistent inflation, tariffs that further drove up prices on some products, and continued competition from other retailers and restaurants.

    In recent weeks, Amazon closed all of its brick-and-mortar Amazon Fresh stores, including six in the Philadelphia region. The company says it plans to expand grocery-delivery services and open more Whole Foods markets, to the dismay of some Amazon Fresh customers who said they were drawn to the low prices at the smaller-format stores.

    What makes someone love their grocery store? Ask the Philadelphians who are already missing their Amazon Fresh.

    Gourmet markets have been impacted, too. Three Di Bruno Bros. locations in Ardmore and Wayne closed last month, two years after being acquired by Wakefern Food Corp., the North Jersey-based supermarket cooperative that operates ShopRite.

    A Wakefern spokesperson said the company planned to refocus on its flagship stores in South Philadelphia and Rittenhouse, as well as its growing online business. The move, spokesperson Maureen Gillespie said, would be “a positive reset that allows us to preserve and elevate the in‑store tradition while growing the brand’s reach in meaningful new ways.”

  • Girl Scouts of America isn’t happy with cookie sales at a South Jersey weed dispensary

    Girl Scouts of America isn’t happy with cookie sales at a South Jersey weed dispensary

    Girl Scouts of America is not a fan of a popular weed strain using the name of their iconic cookies, nor are they comfortable with Girl Scouts selling cookies outside of weed dispensaries, which has been an unsanctioned practice among some Scouts for at least a decade.

    The conversation reared its head again this week after a New Jersey Girl Scout troop set up shop outside of a Mount Laurel recreational marijuana dispensary to sell Thin Mints and Caramel deLites. Owners of Daylite Cannabis dispensary had been trying for years to make this possible, and were excited to share the news of a “pilot program” at their store, owner Steve Cassidy said in an article for NJ.com.

    “Being community-minded is a core part of our mission at Daylite. We’re a locally and family-owned business, so supporting local organizations and helping them raise funds in the community is very important to us,” Cassidy said, who runs the dispensary alongside his wife and parents.

    What they didn’t expect was for it to become a national and global headline, upsetting higher-ups at the Girl Scouts of America. A representative for the Girl Scouts of Central and South Jersey said that there was no formal agreement to allow Girl Scouts to sell cookies in front of a dispensary and don’t approve of the practice.

    “Our guidance for Girl Scout cookie booths is that girls should not set up booths in front of any businesses that they themselves could not legally patronize,” the representative said. “It’s just unfortunate that [the owner] was quoted as saying this is a ‘trial’ because that is factually incorrect.”

    The Girl Scout troop, which Cassidy did not identify, sold cookies outside the dispensary on NJ Route 73 in February to much enthusiasm from customers, Cassidy said. Some customers even bypassed the marijuana to go to the cookies first, he told NJ.com.

    Girl Scouts of Central and South Jersey said they do not know how the miscommunication occurred. Cassidy said he was told by a member of a local Girl Scout organization that a “small pilot program” had been approved.

    “Our intention was simply to support a local troop and be part of our community. We’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response from people who enjoyed supporting the girls, and we hope that enthusiasm helps encourage similar community partnerships in the future.”

    Girl Scout cookie season runs from January to April, providing young girls the chance to exercise the entrepreneurial spirit and engage with their community. Girl Scouts started selling cookies in 1917, but Girl Scouts selling cookies in front of weed dispensaries has been making headlines for more than a decade.

    In 2014, Girl Scout Danielle Lei garnered national media attention for selling out of cookies in 45 minutes when she opened up shop in front of San Francisco’s Green Cross medical marijuana dispensary.

    At the time, Lei’s mom told press that she encourages her daughters to “set up shop at various points around San Francisco so they can learn about different environments while earning some cash” and to use it as an opportunity, “to start a conversation about drugs and how some people use marijuana as medicine while others just get high.”

    A 9-year-old San Diegoan sold 300 boxes in less than six hours outside of a weed shop in 2018. Right before the pandemic, a Chicago dispensary went viral for hosting a rotation of Girl Scout troops selling cookies out front. Girl Scouts did the same at a Portland dispensary in 2016, a Michigan dispensary in 2021, and in Arizona in 2022.

    In each case, the respective regional Girl Scouts organization disavowed the practice.

    The Girl Scout troop that sold cookies at Daylite in February was scheduled to return Friday, but that has now been canceled.

  • Conditions improve for some injured in massive Gloucester County explosion but the cause is still unknown

    Conditions improve for some injured in massive Gloucester County explosion but the cause is still unknown

    The investigation into the cause of a Wednesday afternoon explosion at a Logan Township, N.J., cocoa butter processor continues, though the conditions have improved for some victims injured in the blast.

    Following the explosion, which rocked Gloucester County and the surrounding area just after 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, five people were hospitalized. Three people were transported to Cooper University Hospital, which has since treated and released one patient, and stabilized two others, who were later transported to Temple Burn Center in Philadelphia, Cooper spokesperson Wendy Marano said.

    The conditions of the other two people injured in the blast were not immediately clear Thursday. In the immediate aftermath of the explosion Wednesday, four people were in critical condition, and a fifth person in a neighboring building experienced a medical incident that required treatment, Gloucester County officials previously said.

    “This is the largest industrial accident that I can recall,” Logan Township Police Chief Joseph Flatley said at a news conference Wednesday. “It was a terrible tragedy that took place out here.”

    Emergency workers responded to an explosion at 617 Heron Drive in Logan Township at about 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday. The blast prompted a shelter-in-place order for homes and businesses within a two-mile radius of the facility, impacting roughly 7,200 people living within the affected area.

    What caused the explosion was not yet clear Thursday. Gloucester County officials and officials in the Logan Township Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Officials on Wednesday, however, indicated that the blast emanated from a building operated by Savita Naturals, a company that describes itself on its website as a “provider of specialty oil extractions and related services.”

    The scene outside Savita Naturals in Logan Township, N.J. Thursday Mar. 5, 2026, where at least four people were critically injured the day before after a large explosion destroyed the commercial production facility.

    The company, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Rebecca Forand said Wednesday, serves as a processor in the cocoa and chocolate industry. As part of its work, the company utilizes propane — a highly flammable gas Savita Naturals has called its “solvent of choice” for botanical extractions.

    Propane, officials said Wednesday, was used in the company’s production processes, and a large amount of it was stored on the facility’s premises. In the aftermath of Wednesday’s blast, a ruptured propane tank could be seen burning amid the collapsed building’s wreckage.

    A highly flammable gas, propane is a commonly preferred solvent for extraction of natural compounds and oils. The chemical, Savita Naturals indicates on its website, “produces the highest yields at intermediate cost without sacrificing quality.”

    It does, however, present some dangers. In high concentrations, it can decrease the amount of oxygen in the air, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Propane is also naturally colorless and odorless, and often has an odorant added to aid in detection. Airborne exposure can result in headaches and dizziness, as well as fainting.

    Savita Naturals could not immediately be reached for comment.

    Officials on Wednesday lifted the shelter-in-place order shortly after the explosion, noting that there were no ongoing hazards, despite ongoing monitoring efforts from emergency responders. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was notified of the situation, and burn-off of remaining gas continued on-site early Thursday.

    New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill indicated Wednesday that her office was informed about the situation, and was monitoring developments.

    “We are actively supporting with resource coordination and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safety of residents and support those impacted,” Sherrill said.

  • A Camden preschool teaching assistant is the first-ever from the city to win statewide award

    A Camden preschool teaching assistant is the first-ever from the city to win statewide award

    From the moment her rambunctious preschoolers arrive, instructional assistant Angela Feliciano tends to their every need, doling out lessons and discipline.

    Affectionately known as Miss Angie at the Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center in Camden, Feliciano has been a classroom assistant for nearly 30 years. She is also working to become a teacher soon.

    Feliciano has received accolades for her dedication and was recently recognized by the New Jersey Education Association as its Educational Support Professional of the Year for 2025-26.

    She is the first instructional assistant from Camden schools to get the recognition. She will represent New Jersey later this month at the National Education Association’s ESP conference in Anaheim, Calif.

    “She’s the first from Camden. It’s a proud moment,” said Camden Education Association president Pamela Clark, who represents about 1,050 teachers and support staff, including secretaries, clerks, bus drivers, custodians, and security officers.

    Camden school union elects veteran paraprofessional to represent teachers and support staff

    Clark nominated Feliciano, a childhood friend, for the award. Feliciano is well-liked by students and respected by parents in the community, and puts in extra effort to encourage learning, she said.

    Nominees were considered based on professional practices, advocacy and association involvement, community engagement, personal achievement, and how well they advance the image of support professionals.

    “I’m representing Camden. Not just bad things happen in Camden,” Feliciano said.

    Angela Felicano (center, third from left) celebrates her award with Camden Education Association members.

    Principal Medinah Dyer credited Feliciano with boosting preschool enrollment at Cream from about 120 students to 350 in three to four years. Feliciano attended weekend events to encourage parents to enroll their children.

    Feliciano purchases toiletries and items for students in need, and has been an advocate for children who experienced trauma or have behavioral issues, Dyer said. She is the first to arrive at school, and the last to leave, she said.

    “She is a role model for both students and staff, and her contributions have made our school a better place for everyone,” Dyer wrote in her nomination letter.

    Teaching assistant Angela Feliciano with students in the pre-K classroom of teacher Carey Hiatt at the Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center in Camden last month.

    During a recent morning at Cream, located in the city’s Centerville section, Feliciano and teacher Carrie Hiatt were in full swing with 15 preschoolers. The students are 3 to 5 years old.

    Feliciano and Hiatt crisscrossed the room, working with small groups of students for music instruction and reading. Feliciano sat on the floor with her charges or in tiny chairs to talk with them at eye level.

    In one corner, Feliciano played a game with a boy, pretending it was her birthday.

    “How old are you?” he asked.

    “I’m 7 years old,” she replied with a smile.

    Teaching assistant Angela Feliciano “spies” students as they clean up in a pre-K classroom at the Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center in Camden last month.

    Feliciano moved to different stations, engaging in dramatic play with a student, donning miniature clothes. At one point, she used a puppet for a letter exercise.

    “I just come to work and do what I do,” Feliciano said. “They’re my kids from 8:40 a.m. to 3 o’clock.”

    The entire class stood in place for a lively round of “Head, shoulders, knees and toes,” an exercise song that had the giggling preschoolers and Feliciano huffing and puffing.

    “That was so hard,” a preschooler gasped.

    The preschoolers spend the entire day in the classroom with Feliciano and Hiatt. The pair served lunch — chicken, rice, and plantains — while jazz played softly in the background.

    “She goes out of her way to make this place special for the kids,” Hiatt said. “She is excellent, an amazing teammate.”

    ‘The strongest talent is already in our schools’: Paraprofessionals get help making the leap to teacher

    Feliciano was born and raised in Camden. After graduating from Camden County Technical School, she worked for two years as a data processor.

    It was always her dream to become a teacher, and she got a chance in 1989 when she joined the district as a paraprofessional. She has worked with older children, but enjoys the little children the best.

    “I love to see them grow,” she said. “I love when they grasp things, and they look at me and smile.”

    Feliciano, 53, now lives in Pennsauken and has acquired the credentials to become a teacher, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wilmington University.

    She still needs to pass the New Jersey Praxis exam to obtain her teaching certification, which has been a challenge. She has taken the exam three times and failed — the last time by a single point.

    Feliciano plans to take the exam again this spring. She has been studying vigorously and getting coaching from Hiatt. She hopes to inspire other paraprofessionals.

    “We are the core of the building. If it wasn’t for us, teachers wouldn’t be able to teach,” Feliciano said.

    Hiatt said Feliciano has already demonstrated an ability to prepare lessons, manage the classroom, and reach students. She believes she will be a great teacher, but would miss having her in her classroom.

    Married and the mother of two adult sons, Feliciano said she wants to remain in the classroom for many years, hopefully as a teacher.

    “I’m not ready to go. I don’t want to leave the babies yet,” she said.

    Teaching assistant Angela Feliciano helps students eat lunch in her pre-K classroom at the Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Center in Camden one day last month.
  • Building explosion in Gloucester County leaves four critically injured

    Building explosion in Gloucester County leaves four critically injured

    At least four people were critically injured after a large explosion destroyed a commercial production building Wednesday afternoon in Logan Township, N.J.

    Gloucester County Emergency Management quickly asked people within a two-mile radius of the explosion at 617 Heron Dr. to shelter in place, but the request was later lifted. About 7,200 people live within two miles of the explosion.

    “It was a terrible tragedy,” Logan Township Police Chief Joseph Flatley said at an evening news conference.

    However, he added: “The community is safe. There are no ongoing hazards.”

    The explosion occurred just after 2:35 p.m. and firefighters who were first on the scene said at least two people had been severely burned, and the building had collapsed with a ruptured propane tank still burning.

    Map of building explosion in Logan Twp., Gloucester County.

    Cooper University Hospital received three patients, said Cooper spokesperson Wendy A. Marano.

    Rebecca Forand, spokesperson for the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, said a total of four people were hospitalized in critical condition. A fifth person in a neighboring building experienced a medical incident, Forand said.

    It was unclear how many people were in the building, but “as far as we know, the owners of the business have told us that they believe everyone is accounted,” Forand said.

    “We are assisting in the investigation. It does not look like there’s any criminal activity,” she added.

    A large amount of propane was being stored on the facility’s premises, which she said was used in the production processes of the company that used the building, called Savita Naturals. The company describes itself on its website as a “provider of specialty oil extractions and related services.”

    The cause of the explosion, however, remains under investigation. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was notified of the situation, and officials from the Bureau of Emergency Response were heading to the scene, Forand noted.

    “Fire and HazMat Units remain on location monitoring a burn off of additional fuel product stored on-site and continue to conduct air monitoring in the community,” Gloucester County Emergency Management said on social media. 

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    A worker in a nearby business described the shock of the first large explosion.

    “I thought a bomb hit us,” said the worker, who asked not to be identified because his employer had not authorized him to speak to a reporter.

    He and his fellow employees were evacuated and saw the building with the explosion had been destroyed and a wall of the neighboring building had been knocked down.

    The worker said he saw a man whose clothes were on fire “rolling on the ground.” The man ripped his shirt off while other people pulled his pants off. The man then got up wearing only his underwear. His injuries didn’t appear to be serious, the worker said.

    Residents across the region said the explosion shook their houses. At Fish2Coral, a fish and aquatic supply shop in Swedesboro, things fell off the shelves, alarms went off, and part of the interior ceiling collapsed.

    “We didn’t know where it came from,” said store manager Brian Makowski. “It felt like something hit our building.”

    Fish2Coral is located only half a mile from the explosion site. “If I was outside, it probably would’ve knocked me over,” he said.

    Propane is a highly flammable gas that can decrease the amount of oxygen in the air in high concentrations, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. It is naturally colorless and odorless, but typically has an odorant added to aid in detection. Symptoms of airborne exposure may include headache and dizziness, as well as fainting, and contact with it in its liquefied gas form is capable of causing frostbite.

    The company notes online that it was founded about 35 years ago as a processor in the cocoa and chocolate industry, but has since expanded to include a range of products. Savita also indicates online that “production of cocoa butter remains our core business.”

    Among the other products for which Savita says it provides services is CBD, or cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating compound found in hemp and marijuana that has risen in prominence in recent years. An article on the company’s website from 2019 indicates that flammable solvents like butane, propane, and ethanol are popular choices in cannabis-related extractions.

    Savita notes online that propane has been its “solvent of choice” for botanical extractions since 1996, as it “produces the highest yields at intermediate cost without sacrificing quality.”

    — Staff writer Emily Bloch contributed to this article.

  • New Jersey Turnpike officials to test E-ZPass stickers instead of transponders

    New Jersey Turnpike officials to test E-ZPass stickers instead of transponders

    Could the white E-ZPass transponder on your windshield become a relic?

    Well, not yet.

    But New Jersey Turnpike officials will soon test out E-ZPass stickers in turnpike authority fleet vehicles, spokesperson Tom Feeney said Wednesday. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority also operates the Garden State Parkway.

    “If there are no problems,” Feeney added, “we will make a plan to introduce them to NJ E-ZPass customers.”

    The pilot, first reported Tuesday by NJ.com, takes a cue from other states that have transitioned from transponders to stickers.

    Drivers approach the Williamstown entrance ramp to the Atlantic City Expressway in 2022.

    Both devices are equipped with digital chips, which are read by overhead gantries on the highways. The technology allows drivers to keep moving and be digitally charged for tolls.

    This week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation rolled out E-ZPass stickers, free of charge for new customers and those who need to replace their transponders, according to several local news reports.

    Massachusetts officials estimate the switch will save the state more than $7 million a year, since the stickers’ production cost is a fraction of the cost of the transponders, according to a recent report from WBUR, the Boston NPR affiliate.

    In New Jersey, officials spent $8.4 million in 2022 to replace the batteries of 920,000 E-ZPass transponders, according to NJ.com.

    News of the Garden State’s E-ZPass sticker test comes two months after the Atlantic City Expressway went cashless, with the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike set to follow. Across the river, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has been cashless since 2020.

  • Meet the East grad competing on ‘Top Chef’ | Inquirer Cherry Hill

    Meet the East grad competing on ‘Top Chef’ | Inquirer Cherry Hill

    Hello, Cherry Hill! 👋

    Get to know the East grad and local entrepreneur who’s competing on the new season of Top Chef. Also this week, Plaza Grande in Garden State Park has been put up for sale, sewer work on Kresson Road is getting underway shortly, plus two district basketball teams are continuing their post-season runs.

    We want your feedback! Tell us what you think of the newsletter by taking our survey or emailing us at cherryhill@inquirer.com.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    This Cherry Hill native is vying to be the next Top Chef

    Chefs Nana Araba Wilmot (left) and Laurence Louie compete on season 23 of “Top Chef,” which premieres on Monday.

    Locals tuning into the season premiere of Top Chef Season 23 on Monday might spot a familiar face. Cherry Hill native Nana Araba Wilmot is competing on the popular Bravo show, where she’ll showcase her culinary skills and her Ghanaian heritage.

    An East grad, Wilmot was raised in Cherry Hill, and today is the owner of Georgina’s Private Chef and Catering Co. and traveling supper club Love That I Knead.

    Wilmot began cooking at the age of 7, learning the time-tested recipes and traditions of Ghana from her grandmother.

    The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner spoke with Wilmot about what inspired her decision to appear on the show and how her cooking pays homage to her roots.

    💡 Community News

    • The developer who got the Plaza Grande 55-and-over apartment complex to the finish line has put the project on the market. Several developers had tried, but failed to complete the final piece of the $1 billion redevelopment of the former Garden State Park horse racing track. Developer William “Billy” Procida said he put “so much blood, sweat, and tears” into developing Plaza Grande, but added it’s time to sell, The Inquirer’s Michaelle Bond reports.
    • Heads up for drivers: Starting Monday, Kresson Road westbound between Springdale and Cropwell Roads will be closed on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for work to remove and replace sewer lines. Closures are expected for the next four weeks, with work continuing for another month beyond that. The work is part of a $2.5 million Camden County and New Jersey American Water project.
    • Typical home values in all three of Cherry Hill’s zip codes rose between January 2025 and this January, according to new data from Zillow. The 08003 zip code still has the highest home value, which averaged $549,594 as of this January, up 5.14% over the prior year. Residents in the 08034 zip code typically saw their home value increase 5.8% to $436,173, while the typical home value in the 08002 zip code rose 4.93% to $418,359. (NJ.com)
    • Last month, Mayor David Fleisher and Camden County Commissioner Jennifer Cooley Fleisher, who are married, gave proclamations to East senior Siana Armando for helping a coworker experiencing a medical emergency, including a seizure, during a shift at Nothing Bundt Cakes in the Barclay Farms Shopping Center. Armando said she had personal experience in similar situations and was able to help her coworker while waiting for emergency responders to arrive.
    • A rabid skunk attacked two dogs in the backyard of a Cherry Hill home recently. The dogs are being confined and under observation for the next four months. (NBC Philadelphia)

    🏫 Schools Briefing

    • Two of the district’s basketball teams are continuing their post-season runs. The top-seeded East boys’ basketball team defeated the No. 4 seeded Atlantic City High School at home yesterday 61-51, booking a spot in the Group 4 final. The Cougars will have home court advantage for the Friday game. Follow the results here and see the full group bracket here. And the West girls’ basketball team, top-seeded in Group 3, takes on Hammonton High School today after defeating Clearview Regional High School on Monday. Tip-off is at 4 p.m. at home. Follow the results here and see the full bracket here.
    • Seven Cherry Hill wrestlers are advancing to regional tournaments after successful outings in the NJSIAA District 28 wrestling tournament last weekend. Gabe Jones, Praise Okereafor, Clayton Tyson, Caden Rossi, Aiden Sanchez, and Jakob Ubarry, all of West, and Dominic Canzano of East are all competing. (Courier Post)
    • It was the end of the road for a couple of the district’s post-season runs. After making it to the Group A final, East girls’ swimming fell 102.5-67.5 to Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School last Wednesday. And East girls’ basketball defeated Atlantic City High School in its Group 4 first-round matchup before falling to Howell High School in the quarterfinals 55-41.
    • The school district has a board of education meeting on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. See the full calendar here.
    • SACC summer camp registration opens today at 4 p.m. There are two-, three-, and four-day programs available Monday through Thursday from June 29 through Aug. 13 for township residents entering first through fifth grade.

    🍽️ On our Plate

    • The Kibitz Room’s gross revenue fell by about 12% last year, according to a recent bankruptcy court filing. The popular deli reported $2.2 million last year, down about $300,000 from the year prior. It’s unclear if a decline in revenue is a reason for the business’ abrupt closure earlier this year. The Kibitz Room has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, with a court date scheduled for early May. Former owner Brandon Parish has said he hopes to reopen the deli, which was being run by his mother, Sandy Parish. (Courier Post)
    • Looking for great dim sum? Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao is one of the best spots in the region, according to The Infatuation, which suggests ordering the “Lucky 6” at the Towne Place at Garden State Park spot. The colorful assortment includes six dumplings filled with things like black truffle, chicken, and scallops.

    🎳 Things to Do

    🤵 Project Prom: Teens or their parents can browse and take home a gently used formalwear outfit for the next big dance. ⏰ Wednesday, March 4, 4-8:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Public Library

    👹 Monster-Mania Con: Horror fans won’t want to miss this three-day event, where you can see stars from frightening films. ⏰ Friday, March 6-Sunday, March 8, times vary 💵 $41.74-$72.49 📍DoubleTree by Hilton Cherry Hill Philadelphia

    🦜 Birds in Trees and Flowers and Bees Artist Reception: See the works of photography duo Wendy and Bruce Rubin, who have been together for almost 40 years, and turned their lenses toward birds and other wildlife. ⏰ Saturday, March 7, 1:30-3:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Public Library

    🏡 On the Market

    An Olde Springs home with an airy family room

    The stucco-fronted home spans over 3,000 square feet.

    Located in the Olde Springs neighborhood, this home features a living room, a dining room, and an open-concept family room and kitchen. The family room has a gas fireplace, vaulted ceilings, and a skylight, while the kitchen has two spots for eating, as well as a dedicated pantry. There are four bedrooms upstairs, including the primary suite that has a walk-in closet, a tub, and a large vanity. The finished basement has a full bathroom and what could be a fifth bedroom.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $625,000 | Size: 3,008 SF | Acreage: 0.21

    🗞️ What other Cherry Hill residents are reading this week:

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