Ryan's Retail, located at 22 North Centre Street, has a new vendor - Jess Chalks - who's a perfect fit for transforming your home into "Monsterville" 2020 haunt. Everything is handmade to perfection and impossible to forget. Her Chalk Transfers™, Chalkology™ Paste and Chalkology™ Ink will quickly turn any surface you want from boring into breathtaking. How about creating practical and budget-friendly, double-sided decorations you can use for Halloween and Fall. Learn "how to" with Jess. Ryan’s Retail hours are Wednesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

"I'll take a chocolate coke please." Sentiments like this can be found on the recently created Merchantville Neighbors Uncensored - one of an ever-growing array of community social media pages. This new FB page, managed by Adam Wallace, seems to have sprouted in reaction to an uproar on the Merchantville Neighbors page last July when Lawrence Damian Capua, Sr., a prolific poster of local lore, began to dispense large doses of positivity through his historic memories of Merchantville and nearby communities. For a while his musings brought pleasure to many and a welcome change from many posts on that page. But sadly, that tempered tone was short-lived as some contributors voiced concerns that his "cheerful" posts were co-opting their right to a rowdy debate forum. Turns out those lighthearted posts from an unassuming grocery clerk and former Merchantville High grad had clearly ruffled the feathers of some consummate curmudgeons. There were calls for Merchantville Neighbors moderator, Mike McLoone, to pre-approve, censor or even banish him - Oh, my!  Well, "Lovable Larry" and his swarm of loyal supporters won the day but, "the bloom was off the rose" and it was clearly time to find a more hospitable nest. Enter Neighbors Uncensored, a friendly, welcoming home where local facebook fans can freely reminisce with Larry about life during simpler times untroubled by social media muggings. So, if you're interested in Merchantville and browsing around Facebook to find your "cup of tea" there are a variety of perspectives on pages and groups to test drive including: Borough of Merchantville, Merchantville Online, Merchantville Living, Merchantville Observer and Merchantville Matters.

The Merchantville Police Department is accepting applications for a full-time Police Officer position. Candidates must possess a valid PTC Certificate or a waivable Class II Certificate. Spanish language fluency is a plus. Applications may be picked up Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at police headquarters, 1 West Maple Avenue, Merchantville NJ, 08109. The Borough of Merchantville is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Undeterred by the pandemic, "We've Been BOOed!" gift totes will be making their magical way from house to house in Monsterville soon! First one neighbor, then another - then, before you know it, it's your house!  This enchanting tradition of friendly community fun surprises neighbors, friends or family with a gift that you make and leave at their door. Halloween BOO-ing begins when one neighbor secretly leaves a small gift basket, a BOO poem, BOO instructions and a BOO sign at a neighbor's doorstep. The lucky BOO-ee is asked to post the sign near the door, alerting others that "We've Been BOO-ed!" In turn, the neighbor is asked to BOO two other households, creating a chain reaction of Halloween fun. Day by day, the BOO signs proliferate. Before you know it, the entire neighborhood is sporting BOO signs, and everyone is guessing. Anyone who gets Booed and needs copies of the BOO poem, BOO door sign or Booing instructions can pick them up after October 1st in the plastic tote outside Monsterville Borough Hall! 

Every year on September 11th, we remember those who have fallen as a result of the horrific terrorist attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. A national moment of silence is observed every year to correspond with the terrorist attacks at 8:46 a.m. EST, which is the time American Airlines Flight 11 hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. The south tower, along with the Pentagon were also attacked that day. The U.S. Capitol was targeted, but the hijacked flight crashed in Pennsylvania before it reached that destination. There were a total of 2,977 victims who perished as a result of the attacks. More than 58,000 survivors and first responders enrolled in the WTC Health Program have wrestled with 9/11’s after-effects: respiratory problems, pulmonary disease and a higher rate of cancer than the general population, according to program statistics. Thousands have also died due to 9/11 related illnesses, at least 42 from Covid-19.

On Sunday, August 30th, residents from our community met at Wellwood Park before walking around Merchantville to distribute postcards on behalf of Citizen Organization for a Local Legislative Agenda for the Black Community (C.O.L.L.A.B.), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating tangible cultural change and advancing local legislation that clarifies and amplifies the interests of the Black community. C.O.L.L.A.B. seeks to engage with regional communities, and their leadership, to help them institute concrete, sustainable solutions to the ongoing problems of prejudice and racial discrimination. We strive to harness the energy of recent protests and use that energy to create lasting social, cultural, and legislative change, so our next generation will not be stuck in the same cycle, fighting the same battles to defend the human and civil rights of Black people in America. Their mission - to change the culture and create legislative change to correct systemic racism and inequality. Help out by taking their short survey.