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MAY 2024 FREE
Don’t feed Big Rusty
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Township’s rec expo will look to give kids fun activity ideas
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BY JOE EMANSKI A huge and unexpected reduction in state aid to Bordentown Regional School District, announced by Gov. Phil Murphy on Feb. 29, sent the district scrambling to account for the shortfall in its preliminary 2024-25 budget. That budget had to be submitted to the state just three weeks later, by March 20. Faced with a $1.6-million aid cut — 16% less than the district received last year — the board of education approved a budget that called for the elimination of 30 staff members, music programs, world language programs and more. The district has also proposed eliminating all extracurricular and sports activities at the middle school level as a result of the loss of state aid. Both the aid cuts and the uncertainty they have caused have upset parents throughout the district, and indeed much of the state. Bordentown is just one of 140 districts that saw its funding cut for 2024-25. The state legislature is now considering a number of bills aimed at providing aid to districts that have lost funding.
But budgets must be finalized by May 1, and those bills may not become law in time to help, if at all. While restoration of the lost aid is the only real solution, Bordentown Township is looking to help those parents — and their children — to find activities to fill the void the budget cuts may leave behind. The township has announced a Youth Activities Open House scheduled to take place on June 1. Organizations and businesses throughout the area that provide recreational and creative opportunities for children have been invited to take part in the open house. The township hopes that showcasing these local organizations and businesses will give kids and their parents an opportunity to see firsthand what else is out there besides inand after-school activities. Kelly Lozito, the newest member of the Bordentown Township Committee, is taking the lead on organizing the open house. Lozito is the township committee’s liaison to both the board of education and the parks and recreation department, which has oversight over youth See ACTIVITIES, Page 6
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“Big Rusty” is a Thomas Dambo sculpture at the future site of Creek Turn Park in Hainesport made from recycled material found on the site, a former ceramic factory. Burlington County is inviting artists to create recycled sculptures for “Troll Trek,” a public art initiative. Artist applications are due by June 1 at burlingtoncountynj.com/formstack.com/forms/troll_trek_application.
Benton catches on quick for Bordentown softball BY JUSTIN FEIL Bordentown Regional High School softball coach Nicole O’Leary was sorting out the lineup the first couple of games as she tried to maximize the Scotties talent. The easiest move was putting Kaci Benton in the lineup at catcher.
Benton, a senior committed to play Division I softball at Towson University, has been a mainstay in the Scotties lineup since she was a freshman. Of course, that year she played outfield before her travel coach at TNT saw potential for her to excel at catcher. “My travel coach, he saw me throw and he was just like,
‘You have to be a catcher,’” said Benton. Bordentown has watched Benton thrive there in the last three seasons as well as at the plate. She brings stability to a team that graduated three accomplished seniors, two of which are playing Division I softball, and has just four seniors See KACI, Page 8
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