WOODBURY —  Gloucester County Freeholder Giuseppe ‘Joe’ Chila will be sworn-in as the president of the Southern New Jersey Freeholder Association on Jan. 26 at the Annual Reorganization Meeting.

The organization is made up of the eight southern counties — Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Burlington, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem — and meets several times throughout the year to discuss topics that impact the region and to share ideas.

“This association is all about sharing ideas and knowledge to help make our counties thrive for our constituents.  It does not matter if the other counties are led by Democrats or Republicans, when this group comes together, we discuss common issues and find solutions together and learn from each other,” Chila said.

Chila served as vice president to the Southern New Jersey Freeholder Association in 2014 and as secretary in 2013.

NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney will swear-in Chila and the other officers.

WOODBURY — A Paulsboro man was sentenced to five years in state prison Friday after pleading guilty to making terroristic threats against his wife on Feb. 8, when they lived in Woolwich Township.

In sentencing Eddie Ficara, 53, Superior Court Judge Kevin T. Smith ordered that Ficara not be eligible for parole until after he has served one year of the sentence.

Ficara entered his guilty plea on Dec. 1. He has been free on $75,000 bail since his arrest the day of the incident, authorities said. A restraining order has barred him from contact with his wife.

He was accused of pointing a handgun at her and demanding her to apologize and beg for forgiveness, said authorities.

EAST GREENWICH TWP. — A disabled motor vehicle call led police to arrest a Mantua man for receiving stolen property Wednesday afternoon.

The vehicle was left blocking traffic on Jessup Mill Road near near East Cohawkin Road at about 4:34 p.m., police said.

The 2002 Buick Rendezvous had been reported stolen from Deptford Township on Nov. 6, said police.

Officers were able to track multiple footprints in the snow leaving the area and located two adult males and three juveniles who had split up and were approaching area homes, police said.

All five males were transported to the police station, where the two adults were questioned, said police.

Matthew Reiners, 18, allegedly acknowledged driving the vehicle and being in possession of it, police said. He was charged with receiving stolen property and driving while suspended, said police. He was served with a complaint summons and released, police said.

The other adult and the juveniles were not charged; the juveniles were turned over to their parents.

Patrolmen Joseph Hargraves and Kyle Messick handled the case.

FRANKLIN TWP. — A 38-year-old Franklin Township man told police he was held against his will at an automotive garage until he paid nearly $3,000.

The victim, whose name was withheld by police, said he went to the garage in the 3000 block of Delsea Drive at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 for a planned business meeting, police said.

Once there, the man was held until he paid $2,700 to Anthony Hertzog, 35, of Wiliamstown, who claimed he was owed that amount, said police. The victim reported;y was held physically inside an office and yelled at, police said.

A third party called police, who arrived to end the incident. No many changed hands, said police.

Hertzog was charged with robbery and criminal restraint and committed to the Salem County Jail in default of $100,000 full-cash bail, police said.

Officer David Jernegan and Detective Jeffrey McGuigan investigated the incident.

WASHINGTON TWP. — A former member of the Washington Township School Board was found dead Wednesday morning at the Mayfair Motel on Route 42.

Police responded to the motel at 11:41 a.m. to investigate a report of an unresponsive person and found Kurt F. Snyder, 55, dead, police said.

The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Offices said Snyder died of natural causes and no further investigation is pending, said police.

WOODBURY — The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office has speakers available with experience in more than 20 topics involving public safety and the criminal justice system.

“Over the last several months, there have been many law enforcement issues which have received national attention,” said county Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton.  “Our Speakers Bureau is an excellent opportunity for your group or class to learn more about these issues in our criminal justice system.”

Prosecutors, investigators and other staff can be requested to address civic, community  or educational groups on  arson and insurance fraud; bias/hate crime; bullying; child abuse and neglect;  child sexual abuse/ awareness and prevention;  community prosecution initiative;  consumer fraud and white collar crime;  criminal justice system careers;  criminal justice system overview;  crimes against the elderly;  crime scene investigation; cultural diversity;  domestic violence; drug abuse prevention;  function of Prosecutor’s Office;  gang prevention/identification;  identity theft; Internet safety;  juvenile justice; media relations;   Megan’s Law;  missing children; prom events; sexual assault/dating violence; traffic safety.

To schedule a speaker, contact the GCPO’s Phyllis Covici at 856-384-5534.

WOODBURY — During the week of Jan. 19, a Gloucester County Grand Jury indicted the following people:

Marquise D. Ogawa, 21, of Glassboro, for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute within 500 feet of public housing and distribution of under an ounce of marijuana in Glassboro on Nov. 13. He was arrested in the bathroom of the Glassboro Public Library, police said.

— Deanna M. Alestra, 55, of Paulsboro, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Oct. 22 in Paulsboro.

— Michael Taglianetti, 54, of Bellmawr, for two counts of shoplifting in Deptford Township on Oct. 8 and 10.

DEPTFORD TWP. — The parents of an 11-week-old boy have been charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with injuries to the infant.

Preston English, 36, and Sara-Lena Lannon, 25, of Deptford, were arrested Wednesday and are being held in lieu of $100,000 bail each, authorities said.

The parents were charged after a detective from the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Childrenin Wilmington, Del. On Jan. 10 to investigate a suspected case of child abuse, said authorities. The child suffered fractures to a leg and his ribs, authorities said.

Initially taken to the hospital by his parents, the infant has since been discharged and is in the care of the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, said authorities.

The Mantua VFW Post  7679 Blue Nose Rangers took to the frigid water in Wildwood Jan. 17 for the 2015 Polar Bear Plunge, a fundraiser for the New Jersey Special Olympics. (More photos after the jump.)