Good morning, South Jersey.
A local single mom explains how she bought her house in downtown Haddonfield.
And Freedom Fuel gas stations have begun to pop up across the region, but a lot remains unclear about the operation.
Read more ⭐ Philly’s All-Star moment | Sports Daily Newsletter
Plus, thousands of people walked across the Ben Franklin Bridge to celebrate its 100th anniversary, and more news of the day.
— Taylor Allen ([email protected])
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How she bought this house in Haddonfield
Amanda Caroccio, a child and adolescent psychiatric nurse practitioner, was living in a Haddon Township apartment when she decided she wanted to buy a home for herself and her daughter, Giuliana.
In September 2024, she began to work overtime to build additional savings and slashed her spending except for special occasions.
By February 2025, she started searching in Haddon Township and Haddonfield to get ahead of the spring competition. In mid-March, she found the house she ended up buying on Zillow.
“It was my version of hitting the lottery,” said Caroccio, “because it had every single thing on my checklist: updated, small, close to downtown, within walking distance of schools.”
See the full journey on how she bought her house here.
Did you recently buy a home in South Jersey? Share the story of how you did it. Email Inquirer real estate reporters at [email protected].
What we know about Freedom Fuel stations
For about a week, there has been 25 gas stations with Freedom Fuel Network signs in the greater Philly region selling gas that is 40 to 50 cents cheaper compared to nearby stations.
Marlton and West Berlin are among the listed South Jersey locations.
There are several questions surrounding these stations, including how they can offer such low prices. But here’s the latest of what we do know:
⛽ The White House and President Donald Trump are promoting the discount gas chain.
⛽ There aren’t any businesses registered in Pennsylvania or New Jersey with the name Freedom Fuel Network.
⛽ The effort features some local owners.
For more insight, reporters Rob Tornoe, Ximena Conde, and Ryan W. Briggs have the story.
What to know today
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Nino Constantino, 13 and from Westville, died earlier this month in Franklin Township after getting trapped underneath an overturned tractor. His family and friends remember the incoming eighth grader as an adventurous teen who was kind and had a love for the outdoors.
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A retired South Jersey police officer who worked for the Haddonfield Police Department has been charged with sexually assaulting an underage girl, said Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw on Friday. Louis J. Baselice was taken into custody at the Maple Shade Police Department earlier in the week on Tuesday.
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Thousands of people crossed the Ben Franklin Bridge on Saturday to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
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Speaking of the Ben Franklin Bridge, it costs $6 to cross from Camden into Philadelphia. Before it opened a century ago, Pennsylvania officials advocated for it to be free while New Jersey was adamant about charging tolls.
Read more Phillies MLB draft tracker: Meet every pick from Day 2
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According to 70and73, Virtua Health named Dr. Nicole Lamborne, an expert in women’s and children’s health, as its new president of its hospitals in Voorhees and Marlton.
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The work to repave a section of South Avenue in Mount Holly is set to begin today. The project for the 0.7-mile portion of the road is expected to take two weeks to finish.
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Although New Jersey was among the states to not attend Trump’s Great American State Fair, one of its exhibits won the Best in Show award, NJ.com reports.
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🧠Trivia time
Between 1917 and 1952, which Jersey-based company is known for building more than 2,000 diners across the country?
A) Mountain View Diners Company
B) Silk City Diners
C) Jerry O’Mahony Diner Co.
D) J.G. Brill Company
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🌉 Wondering: If you can guess the location of the area’s bridges based on these pictures?
🌊 Exploring: Sea Isle and Strathmere.
☀️ Protecting: Ourselves from dehydration and heat exhaustion.
📬 Your South Jersey view
The below “South Jersey view” came from reader Ed Rivkin, who shared a few memories of the Ben Franklin Bridge on its 100th birthday:
I’ve never walked across the bridge but have bicycled it hundreds of times. I used to commute into Center City in the 2000s. My commute bicycle was a ‘70s vintage Motobecane 10-speed. During my first ride home in the rain, I discovered that my brakes were totally ineffective. The bicycle had steel rims and when wet, they were almost useless. It was a little harrowing. I bought a set of aluminum wheels the next week. The bike was donated to the Collingswood Bike Share program a few years ago.
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My only challenge cycling across was in 2008 after our Phillies won in the World Series and masses of people were walking across the bridge to the victory parade. I had a bell on my bike and used it a lot that day crossing the bridge.
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I encountered Carlos Ruiz once as he was jogging across in the morning on my way to work. The Phillies lost the previous night. He didn’t look very happy.
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One morning, the air temperature was in the low 20s and I rode into the city facing 20 miles per hour headwind. It took me about 20-30 minutes to defrost. I never rode below 25 degrees again.
What does your community look like? What South Jersey memory would you like to share? Submit a photo and/or a brief description for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
🗞️ What other South Jersey residents are reading
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Craig LaBan: Where to eat at the Jersey Shore this year, from Cape May to Ocean City
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Mike Sielski: The USMNT lived down to Donald Trump’s expectations: They played like the losers he thought they were
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FanDuel sent a personal message from Phillies star Bryce Harper to a customer with a gambling addiction
And that should get you started for the day. Thanks for beginning your week with The Inquirer. ☀️
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