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ANDERSON SOTOMAYOR

Driver collects 4th DWI since April 2“Bail is a matter for the court system. The police department or its officers do not set bail. In this case, bail was not approved.”

— Capt. Thomas Ulrich,Vineland Police Department

Back out on the street

Fisticuffs on Church St.

Staff Photo by Stephen Smith

Emergency medical personnel translate for Bridgeton police officers at scene of Church Street fight Tuesday.

Bridgeton Youth Council is resolute

Mayor Albert Kelly presents plaques to, from left, Heavenly Smith, Brenda Ruiz and Destiny Thompson plaques for taking part in Youth Council Tuesday night.

Councilman Louis Vera said, It’s nice to see how things work around here.’’

By Jim Cook Jr.nj.com/south

MILLVILLE — From what it seems, the tax rate in Millville is not expected to change during fiscal year 2012.

A tax levy in the sum of $18,585,203.05 was introduced through a resolution Tuesday evening at the Millville City Commission meeting to be uti-lized in the municipal portion of the 2012 third and fourth install-

ments of property taxes.The tax levy that passed the

commission put the tax rate at $1.26 per $100 of assessed prop-erty value.

“We estimate that there will be no increase in the tax rate for the

city of Millville,” said Vice Mayor Joe Derella, director of revenue and finance. “We’re estimating it at $1.26 per $100, which is exactly what we estimated and struck our tax rate at last year.”

He said that despite the esti-

mate there are some items to be observed, including a $300,000 gap from last year when Gov. Chris Christie “brought some money back into our budget in regards to pension,” according to

Millville expects to keep its tax rate stable

(See MILLVILLE, Page A-3)

By Stephen Smithnj.com/south

BRIDGETON — Police said they arrested one man after responding to an alcohol-fueled fight that was originally reported as a stabbing Tuesday evening.

“We’re not sure who he is yet. He gave us two different names,” said Sgt. Mike Pastirko at the scene on Church Street.

He said two men had simply gotten into a fist fight.

“They were in the back yard drinking, and these two guys started fighting. They thought it was a stabbing at first because the one guy’s face was bleeding and the other guy had a cut on his hand. It turned out the guy was bleeding from being hit, and the cut on the hand was a previous injury,” he said.

Six police vehicles and one Bridgeton Fire Department ambulance arrived on the scene a half-block from the intersection of Church Street and Irving Ave-nue. The address where the fight occurred was 157 Church Street.

Police led a man wearing a base-(See FIGHT, Page A-3)

By Stephen Smithnj.com/south

VINELAND — A man who was charged with fleeing the scene of a school bus accident and driv-ing while intoxicated three times in less than a month was again charged with driving while intoxi-cated over the weekend.

Anderson Sotomayor, 45, of the 1000 block of Almond Road, received his fourth DWI charge on Saturday and was again released

without bail, said Captain Thom-as Ulrich of the Vineland police department.

Sotomayor began his alleged traffic crime spree on April 2, when Ulrich said he collided with a school bus. Though not charged with DWI for that accident, he was charged with improper passing, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.

A week later on April 9, Officer Phillip Martinez charged him with

(See DWI, Page A-3)

By Lauren T. Taniguchi

nj.com/south

BRIDGETON — Bridge-ton High School (BHS) stu-dents addressed issues to improve their city at the Youth Week City Council meeting, held Tuesday eve-ning prior to Bridgeton City Council’s work session.

The Youth Council pre-pared its agenda and took action on resolutions per-taining to health, safety, entertainment and aesthet-ic aspects of life in Bridge-ton that affect their fellow residents.

“I’m very thankful for all of you to invite us here and to let us have the opportu

(See YOUTH, Page A-5)

By Jason Ladaynj.com/south

BRIDGETON — A week ahead of when freeholders are expected to intro-duce their 2012 budget for Cumberland County, Deputy Freeholder Director Tom Sheppard on Tuesday broached the idea hiring “in house” attorneys to replace what many on the board consider a costly system of legal contracts with outside firms.

The county last year spent $865,336 on legal fees to outside firms, according to a report completed by a transition team, ordered by the new Republican freehold-er leadership earlier this year.

Add to that the county solicitor’s $70,000 salary for that year, and the total becomes $935,336 for 2011.

During the board’s work session Tues-day night, Freeholder Director Carl Kirstein stated the county could save

Countymay hireattorneysin-house

(See COUNTY, Page A-3)

HUNTERBYDAYPHILLIES BASEBALL I SPORTS B-1

PENCE MAKES UP FOR ERROR WITH 10TH INNING HOMER

BRIDGETON CRIME I INSIDE A-2

CITY STRUCK BY RASHOF BURGLARIES