Sportz Dogz closes

Douglas M. Bovitt/COURIER-POST

After less than a year in business, Sportz Dogz at the LumberYard in Collingswood has closed. No word yet on a replacement.

PHOTO GALLERY: A look at the eatery's fascination with hot dogs.

Despite PATCO construction, Farmer’s Market same time, same place

The Collingswood Farmer's Market will move out from under the high speed line tracks this weekend to make way for PATCO construction.

Market enthusiasts will still find the event between Collings and Irvin Avenues, said Betsy Cook, Market director. The 20-foot shift may continue after this Saturday.

Corn comes late, but well worth the wait

By MATT CHIMENTO Courier-Post

Douglas M. Bovitt/COURIER-POST

Corn is something you can imagine being sold during a late night info-mercial, sandwiched between ShamWow and the Snuggie.

"It has a million uses!"

"It's great for all ages!"

"It comes in a can and can double as a doorstop!"

Realistically, as the Jersey crop goes, "It's just so versatile," says Mark Smith, chef and owner of Tortilla Press in Collingswood. (Follow him on Twitter @chefmarksmith)

"When you get the local Jersey corn in, it's so sweet and has so many different uses.

(Click for our South Jersey corn photo gallery.)

"It's such a staple of the Mexican cuisine that we do," he adds. "It's easy to find a lot of uses for and it's so indigenous to the food we make."

With record rainfall during the month of June, farmers across the state have seen a delay in the summer crop. While corn around here usually hits markets by the Fourth of July, this year's crop is expected to arrive in stores in about a week.

When it does, consumers have a multitude of choices for preparing it.

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Post your July 4 photos

Collingswood fireworks. Photo by Justin Easterby (Tweet @elrubio53)

Send your Collingswood Fourth of July photos to wrhodes@gannett.com to share them with the InJersey community. (Or post them to Flickr with the "collingswood" tag.)

Check out these related photo galleries:

South Jersey Celebrates July 4th

Oaklyn's Fourth of July parade

On the beach in Brigantine

On the beach in Wildwood

On the beach in Atlantic City

Four courses for $28 in Collingswood

Here's a homegrown deal that's hard to resist: A dozen Collingswood eateries will offer Farm Fresh Restaurant Week from July 12 to 16.

One of the Collingswood restaurants participating in Farm Fresh Week. (JOHN ZIOMEK/Courier-Post)

The restaurants will serve four courses for $28, and the meals will incorporate ingredients from the Collingswood Farmers Market.

All restaurants are BYOB, and reservations are recommended.

Here are the participating restaurants and their menus:

• Bistro di Marino
• Blackbird
• Cafe Antonio
• Casona
• IndeBlue (offer extended through July 23)
• LoBianco
• Nunzio Ristorante Rustico (offer extended through July 23)
• The Pop Shop
• Sapori
• The Tortilla Press (offer extended through July 24)
• Woksabi
• Word of Mouth

Rounding third and headed for home …

(By Tammy Paolino | Read more Mama Drama from Collingswood here.)

We had a glorious Fourth. We stayed in South Jersey, away from the crowds, but did it up right.

Cooper River Park fireworks. SCOTT ANDERSON / Courier-Post

A little Collingswood Farmer’s Market - featuring the fantabulous Dave Kelly on guitar and the first corn of the year (omigod it was good!), a little Camden Riversharks (that frenzy over the “homemade” cookies is bizarre!) and a perfect, lazy stroll through Headhouse Market and Society Hill/Old City topped off with gelato.

(Share your Fourth of July memories in the comments.

Jonah loved the fireworks, and so did Luca. No worries at all, they settled back in like veterans to gaze skyward over the Ben Franklin Bridge and just took it all in.

The best part of for me was watching both boys round the bases after the fireworks, when they let the little ones take the field. Luca had fun chasing after the big kids, but Jonah ran like he was playing for a ring. That’s my boy!

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Collingswood widens effort on plastics

By LAVINIA DeCASTRO Courier-Post

If Collingswood has its way, there will be fewer milk and orange juice caps in the landfill.

The borough recently became the first town in Camden County to offer residents a chance to recycle plastics numbered 3 through 7. That means a variety of common household items that would normally end up in a landfill -- yogurt cups, toothbrush packaging, spice bottles, newspaper and grocery bags, plastic pumps from cleaning product bottles and many others -- can now be recycled.

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Pop Shop competes for network titles

The Pop Shop is competing with other Philadelphia-area eateries for the title of Best Ice Cream and Best Breakfast in Nickelodeon's Parents' Picks Awards.

Users of Nickelodeon's ParentsConnect in 52 cities nationwide vote for their top picks online. Voting continues until July 15 and winners will be announced on Aug.15.

The 2009 award winners will be featured in ParentsConnect. To vote or for more information, visit www. parentsconnect.com /parentspicks.

Man aims to propagate community garden

By JULIA HAYS Courier-Post

When David Zuzga moved from Philadelphia to Collingswood with his wife and children, he wanted to bring his love for community gardening with him.

Organizer David Zuzga says a site on Washington Avenue is being considered for the community garden. (Photo provided)

And now with the help of the cooperative extension at Rutgers University and the support of the town, Zuzga is gearing up for the first meeting of the Collingswood Community Garden on July 14.

"With the organization, there will be two fronts. One is the development of the physical garden and the other will act as a horticultural society with speakers and a place to exchange ideas, extra plants and seedlings," said Zuzga. "At the first meeting, we will have master gardener John Wiberg coming to talk about vegetable gardening."

Though plans are still being finalized and the first meeting will offer an outlet for discussion, Zuzga said a site on Washington Avenue is being considered where plots could be divided among those interested in participating in the community garden.

Participants would choose what they would like to plant in their space, be it flowers, herbs, fruits or vegetables, so long as it is a non-invasive species, said Zuzga.

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Cappelli named planning commission chairman

Avi Steinhardt/Courier-Post

By the Courier-Post

Camden County Freeholder Director (and Collingswood resident) Louis Cappelli, Jr., has been elected chairman of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, a bi-state federal agency with planning responsibility for Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Mercer counties and nine Pennsylvania counties.

The 18-member, Philadelphia-based agency funnels federal money for transit projects, and provides guidance with regard to smart growth, environmental stewardship and economic development to the region.

"It's an honor to serve as chairman of this agency and play a role next month in the approval of $1.8 billion in highway and transit funding through the New Jersey Transportation program, including $235 million anticipated for Camden County," said Cappelli, an attorney in the Woodbury office of Florio Perrucci Steinhardt and Fader, and a Collingswood resident.

A board member for three years, Cappelli will serve as chair for a one-year term. The board and its chair serve without compensation.

Motorists beware: S.J. police look to crack down on speeders

Going out and about in South Jersey? Drive carefully, as police plan to crack down on speeders this month.

"Eighteen municipal departments in the tri-county area are participating in the annual Obey the Signs or Pay the Fines initiative (PDF link)."

via Courier-Post (read the full article).

Watch out for more police patrols in the following areas:

• Cherry Hill police will use the grant to pay for 20 additional police details in July along problem areas like Chapel Avenue, Springdale Road and parts of Route 70.
• Deptford police will focus on Route 47, Lt. David Raso said.
• Medford Police Chief Anthony Canale said his department plans to crack down on speeders along Route 70.

Collingswood set for glorious Fourth

By BRIDGET SMITH Courier-Post

Residents around the tri-county area are getting ready to celebrate Independence Day, with a full slate of parades, fireworks and other celebrations planned, despite the ailing economy.

Click the photo to see gallery from last year's July 4 at Roberts Pool. Photo by DOUGLAS M.BOVITT/Courier-Post

In Collingswood, the town is maintaining its $25,000 fireworks show, says borough Administrator Bradford Stokes. He said the borough gets major support from two key sponsors -- First Colonial Bank and Brown and Connery.

"Fortunately, we're able to keep the show going with support of our sponsors," Stokes said.

Here's what you can expect at this year's Fouth of July celebration:

• Fireworks watching party at the stadium. Gates open at 6:15 p.m. Fireworks start around 9:15 p.m. The Collingswood Pops will perform during the fireworks display, starting at 8 p.m. Admission is free
• Kids on streamer-lined and glittery bikes, strollers and wagons will make the Knight Park circuit at the annual Bike Parade. Hosted by the Collingswood Jr. Woman's Club. Registration starts at 9 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the most creative wheels.
• Roberts Pool will offer outdoor and water games for kids starting at 2 p.m. Click to see photo gallery from last year's festivities.
• Win the town-wide decorating contest and gain some Collingswood cash (and the awe of your neighbors). Call (856) 833-1116 or email July4@ProudNeighborsOfCollingswood.org to register your house.

Click here for more info.

Police investigate series of thefts from vehicles in Collingswood, area towns

Collingswood resident Tony Giglio was halfway across the bridge into Philadelphia Friday morning when he reached up to retrieve his E-ZPass from his visor and found nothing. He had noticed his Chevy pickup had a "rummaged-through" look when he got up to drive to work from his home at 306 Harvard Ave., but even though the glove compartment was wide open, his checkbook sat there untouched; his tools were still there.

The 200 and 300 blocks of Harvard Avenue in Collingswood. At least three theft from vehicle crimes reportedly occurred here.

About 18 to 20 thefts from vehicles have been reported in Collingswood, Audubon, Oaklyn, Haddon Township and neighboring towns over the past 10 days, according to Collingswood Police Chief Thomas Garrity. At least three thefts were reported Friday on Harvard Avenue.

The items: loose change, iPods, cell phones, GPS units, digital cameras, video cameras, E-ZPasses, were reportedly stolen from unlocked vehicles.

"Catching a [theft from vehicle] suspect is hit or miss," said Garrity. "There's no breaking glass, there's no car alarm, the door just opens. No sound to alert anyone."

Sometimes it doesn't take a noise to notify residents that something might be wrong.

Read more

PHOTO: A day can’t go by without some form of rain, right?

Storm clouds on the horizon. I'm fine with all types of weather, but the recent ever-rainy forecast in this area is dragging me down. I hope it doesn't start up again.

Really? REALLY?

Send your weather photos to wrhodes@gannett.com or post them to Flickr with the "collingswood" tag.

Flamenco fusion, food at Casona

Liven up your night out on Haddon Ave. by watching Tres Compadres perform at Casona of Collingswood Friday night.

This "flamenco fusion" band consists of Chris Mood (a few instrumentalists and dancers too, according to MySpace photos). Live music lasts from 6:30 to 9:30 at 563 Haddon Avenue. Click here to reserve a table. Click to see who's attending.