Local News Notes

For the week of Nov. 26, 2009

Nov, 24-2009 2:39 pm

Garcia denies role in toddler’s death
WILDWOOD – Wildwood resident Damian Garcia, 32, pleaded not guilty late last week to a charge of first-degree murder in the beating death of 2-year-old Caden Rivera.
The child allegedly was left in Garcia’s care by the child’s mother, Jennifer Bowen, at her apartment in Woodbine.  Bowen then allegedly found the child unconscious upon returning to her apartment, and drove him to Cape Regional Medical Center.
Doctors were unable to revive the boy, who died of blunt-force abdominal trauma, according to State Police.
The child’s father, Juan Rivera Perez, has sued the state of New Jersey, DYFS, and Cape May County over his son’s death, alleging that he reported abuse to DYFS in March of this year, without adequate response.

Catholic schools to merge into regional entity
WILDWOOD – The current site of St. Ann Regional School in Wildwood will become the new home of “Cape Trinity Catholic,” merging St. Ann, Our Lady Star of the Sea Regional School currently located in Cape May, and the former St. Raymond located in the Villas.
Beginning in September 2010, the new elementary school will serve all of lower Cape May County.
A release issued jointly by St. Ann Principal Sister Sheila Murphy, and Star of the Sea Principal Donna DiPasquale, says the new entity will foster “critical thinking.”
“This model will teach students how to be problem solvers – a skill that is more important than ever in preparing students for success,” it reports.
School and parish communities together are planning for the new entity’s success, organizers said.
A school planning team, consisting of principals, pastors, and members of the school and parish communities, invited suggestions for the name of the new school before forwarding a final recommendation to the bishop.
“Cape Trinity Catholic” was a meaningful choice, organizers said, because “Cape” represents “the strong connection of the community,” “trinity” represents the three schools that have merged, and “Catholic” indicates that the school is based on specific core values.