Take a break from the winter blues on Sunday, 2/2, and cozy up next to your favorite vegan at our Second Annual Winter Break at Eclipse Brewing for the finest drinks, the warmest company, delicious vegan eats, and help raise money for animals who really need your help. We will have a ton of auction items, 50/50 raffle, and a chance to enter in to win a pot of loot when you guess the gender of Quinn's cria (baby llama). This event is hosted by Marley Meadows Sanctuary and Eclipse Brewing. A $10 donation to reserve your spot is recommended beforehand as space is limited. Please pay via: Venmo: MarleyMeadowsAnimalSanctuary or Paypal. For more information contactThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Learn more about the history of Lenape peoples in this region in a conversation with Nanticoke-Lenape tribal historians, including Cara Blume, whose research was the foundation for federal recognition claims by Delaware and New Jersey Lenape tribes, and the Reverend John Norwood, first principal justice of the Tribal Supreme Court. Along with local tribal history, the Historical Society of Philadelphia will also join to discuss its Native American collections and important archival questions about erasure and self-representation. This event, inspired by Tommy Orange’s novel There There, is part of the Free Library’s One Book, One Philadelphia program. This event will take place on Thursday, February 27th from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. and is free with registration.

The Camden County Addiction Awareness Task Force is continuing to arm residents in the fight against opioids and other drugs in 2020. Beginning this month, the Task Force will begin hosting free Narcan training sessions where participants will learn how to administer naloxone to reverse a heroin or opioid overdose and will receive a free naloxone kit upon completing the training successfully. All trainings are held at the Living Proof Recovery Center located at the Center for Family Services, 108 Somerdale Road, Voorhees. This training equips you with the tools and skills you need to save a person’s life in the event of an overdose to reduce the number of overdose deaths in our community. Trainings require advance registration to participate and are held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. monthly beginning on Tuesday, January 7th on the following dates.

Not only is your water meter used for your quarterly bill, but it can be used as a tool to detect leaks in the house. A common concern our customers have are when their water bill has raised in price. Your water bill is based on the amount of water that is used at the property within that 90-day period of billing. If there is an increased bill with no changes to your water usage, you could possibly have something wasting water within the property. You can also keep track of your water usage by reading your meter manually as the reading be close to what is portrayed on your meter. The MPWC recommends that you follow these steps to check for leaks at your property. 

Haddon Heights Course Information Night for 8th graders attending Haddon Heights High School next year as 9th graders will take place at Merchantville School on Wednesday, January 15th from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Haddon Heights Jr./Sr. High School continues to be proud of its tradition of excellent academic performance and high standards for all students. The high number of students who move on to post-secondary education and the military continues to be competitive nationally. Students and staff have access to current technology to assist teaching and learning. Students are participants in Google Classroom where they can share and interact with other students and teachers in a learning environment that opens up opportunities outside the classroom walls. Students, parents, and professional staff focus on the academic pursuits that prepare the students to enter high school as confident learners. Elective courses and our extra-curricular programs ultimately prepare each student to become a well-rounded learner, equipped to meet the challenges they will face in high school and the world. 2019-20 Program of Studies.

A recent release of survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows positive trends for Camden City in key areas including poverty, educational attainment, employment and unemployment. The findings come as part of a new five-year population estimate produced by the Census Bureau using data derived from the American Community Survey (ACS). Incremental improvements in each area signal broad quality of life enhancements for residents throughout the City and echo previous findings from state agencies and other reports. “Change doesn’t happen overnight, but in findings like these we are seeing the very real snowballing effect of progressive policies put into place to better the lives of residents in the City,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “Our commitment remains on ending the crippling effects of decades-long poverty and economic stagnation in the city, and continuing Camden’s recent renaissance. We have a lot of work still to do, but this data makes clear that we are on the right track and headed in the right direction.”

In 2019, Peter Genovese ate his way around New Jersey with a vengeance.  All that research culminated in rankings of the best dishes/sandwiches/meals he ate in 2019 - which, according to Peter, makes them the best dishes you should eat in 2020! These "bests" are spread all over the state map, and the culinary map. Seafood, steak, ribs, pizza, burgers, grilled cheese, tacos and empanadas. Puerto Rican, Italian, Mexican, Korean, Indian and Greek. He ate widely and well. And, while this is not a list of the state's best restaurants, it is a list of the best things he ate all year. Coming in at "Lucky #13" is The Blue Monkey Tavern's spicy grilled shrimp, with chopped avocado, cucumber, celery, tomato and cilantro tossed in hot sauce. "It may have been the best appetizer in the entire N.J.'s best bar showdown over the summer."

Help the planet by going stainless! The Station Coffee is selling metal straw sets - a great, eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws. These re-useable stainless steel straw sets include two standard 8.5" bent straws, one wide, straight straw and a cleaning brush. Stainless steel drinking straws are safe, will not degrade over time or leach a metallic taste into drinks and, they're designed to end single-use plastic straws for good. Due to their sturdy build, stainless steel straws can be carried wherever you go. Changing habits can be difficult, but it's clear that changing our habits with plastic straws will greatly help the sustainability of our planet.

Students interested in PTA Intramural Basketball should fill out a permission slip by January 10th, 2020. The program is held every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and the season runs from January 15th through February 26th. All practices and games are in the school gym. Second and Third grade clinic is from 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. Fourth and Fifth grade clinic is from 7:15-8:00 p.m. Coaches/assistants are needed and there is no basketball experience required. This is a great chance to coach and be active with your child. Please contact Judyann McCarthy at 215-901-6398 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. Please complete and return this permission slip to school by Friday, January 10th.

The second and newest edition of Merchantville School's Knight's Knews, a monthly newspaper written, edited and published by MES students, is available to view online at www.merchantvilleschool.org. This is your go to place to see hot topics, articles and ideas from our elementary school. Each issue includes "Hot Topics", interviews, event pictures and articles, artwork, sports news and much more. Check it out!