Governor Phil Murphy today announced the nomination of Merchantville resident, Kevin D. Walsh, Esq., to serve as the fourth New Jersey State Comptroller. Walsh’s nomination is subject to advice and consent by the Senate and is for a six-year term. He will begin serving as Acting Comptroller on Monday, January 27. “As a dedicated public interest attorney, Kevin’s independent and thorough judgement make him an ideal fit to stand up for New Jersey taxpayers as our next State Comptroller,” said Governor Murphy. Walsh has spent the past two decades as a civil rights attorney and as the Executive Director of the Fair Share Housing Center, where he has led the enforcement of the Mount Laurel doctrine to promote racial and economic integration in New Jersey through the expansion of affordable housing. Walsh holds a Juris Doctorate from the Rutgers School of Law–Camden and has volunteered with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Camden, and with Build Jake’s Place, which helps construct inclusive playgrounds accessible to children and adults of all abilities. 

Cheryl A. Disch, age 57, of Merchantville NJ passed away suddenly at home on January 19, 2020. She was a Senior Manager-Marketing Information Systems with Duane Morris, LLP in Philadelphia, PA. Cheryl was also a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Communications. She was past co-chair of ILTA, an avid Buffalo Bills fan, Disney devotee and dog lover. She is survived by her parents Robert and Marge (nee Zuk) Disch, one sister Karen Disch and many loving cousins, aunts and uncles. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Thursday from 2:00 PM-4:00 p.m. and 7:00 PM-9:00 p.m. in the Alloway Funeral Home, 315 E. Maple Avenue Merchantville, NJ. A Funeral Service will be held at 8:30 p.m. in the funeral home. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Animal Welfare Association 509 Centennial Blvd. Voorhees, NJ 08043. 

January is the first anniversary of our business and time to turn over a new leaf, try something new and aspire to something greater . . . so, we're moving. We’re excited to announce that Soulflower Yoga has found a new home at 20 South Centre Street. Come February 13th we’ll be located in the heart of downtown Merchantville - right next to the The Juice Bar. This means a bigger space for more yoga, more zen, and lots more fun. Stop by, check out our home and help warm our new space. It’s been such an amazing journey watching Soulflower Yoga grow. Thank you so much for your loyalty, support and "thinking, shopping and buying local". Let’s see where 2020 takes us!

Theresa Pino North, of Burlington, passed away on Tuesday, January 14th at Virtua Rehabilitation, Lumberton, N.J. She was 96. Theresa was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Herbert North, Jr. She leaves behind her three children, Frank M. North (Lynn) of Merchantville, N.J., Edna North Boyer of Burlington, N.J. and Terri North Lenhart of Asheville, N.C., also long time loving companion, Fran (Elmer) Verner. Theresa also leaves behind two sisters, Frances Smith of Levittown, Pa. and Catherine Miller of Exeter, N.H., her sister-in-law, Yvonne North Astor (Richard) of Burlington, N.J., plus 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, six great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name may be made to the Children's Home Society, 635 S. Clinton Ave., Trenton, NJ 08611. Messages of sympathy may be sent to the family through www.pagefuneralhome.com

Why choose Heirloom Seeds, you ask? Exceptional taste is the No. 1 reason many gardeners cite for choosing heirloom varieties. Other great reasons: they are likely to be more nutritious than newer varieties, they are open-pollinated - which means you can save your own seed to replant from year to year, they are “less uniform” than hybrids - which means they often don’t ripen all at once, they are almost always less expensive than hybrids, and finally, many heirlooms have wonderful stories of how they came to America. Seeds saved from heirloom vegetables will produce plants that are true to type, unlike hybrid seeds. Save those seeds, and you can create your own locally adapted variety.

The restoration phase of the Merchantville Diner - now known as the “Merchant House” is approaching completion. According to owner Patti Sharp, former owner of Station House Restaurant in Haddon Heights, it will be a full service restaurant offering home cooked comfort meals to the community at a reasonable price. They will be open for breakfast and lunch daily and hope to expand their hours to include dinner. To start, they will offer “Take and Bake”, their homemade ready to serve dinners available for take out. Their soups and chicken pot pie are traditional favorites! Patti looks forward to the community sharing their insights and menu ideas. Stay tuned for updates as they become available. The Heights' loss is surely Merchantville's gain and we can't wait!

Online registration for PYAA Spring Intramural Soccer is open until Monday, February 3, 2020. In-person registration will take place on Thursday, January 27th, at the PYAA Field House Located on Elm Avenue from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Please use this link to register.  If you have any questions please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and make sure you select the appropriate box while registering. Returning coaches are eligible for a one time $20 discount. If you are a parent who would like to coach or volunteer this spring please message us via Facebook or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.to receive the code.

Recently a local family, the Latko's, received news that no parent ever wants to hear, that their 3 year old daughter, Stella, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Stella also has Down Syndrome, which increases the chances of getting leukemia and developing complications from treatment. She is currently being treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and is expected to remain for 4-6 weeks of cancer treatment. As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for these parents and their 3 other children as they juggle schedules so that one of them is always at the hospital with Stella and also home at night with the other kids. A GoFundMe campaign has been started for the family by a relative to help defray the burden of lost wages, medical bills and other ancillary expenses. 

Pennsauken resident Mary Anne McFarland will be among 14 Camden County residents honored at the 2020 Camden County Freedom Medal Ceremony for serving the public interest by demonstrating the ideals and actions that reflect the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. McFarland is a long-term resident of Pennsauken, committed to grassroots initiatives and leadership roles for three nationally recognized organizations, the Woman’s Club of Merchantville, the Home Tour and Operation Santa. Mary Anne was a long-term troop Leader for Boy Scouts in Merchantville, Pennsauken and Haddon Heights, having a great impact in the region by fostering future leaders. Mary Anne currently serves on the Lions Club of Pennsauken and has been the Secretary and Sight Chairperson for the last decade. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, January 22nd at the Collingswood Ballroom. Tickets are available to the public here for $40 each in advance of the event. Please RSVP your attendance by calling 856-216-8217 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..