Home Care In Willingboro, NJ

WILLINGBORO – A new barbeque joint at Willingboro Town Center marks the South Jersey debut of a sit-down restaurant chain.

1911 Smoke House Barbeque had a soft opening for its newest location in late November at a site where several other restaurants once operated.

Co-owner Maurice Hallett said the brand has a great following and is known for being a “cool, safe space” where you can entertain.

He feels once his staff is up to speed, “1911 Smoke House will be the new hotspot for South Jersey.”

The restaurant's signature dish is the fried rib tips - "my wife's grandmother's recipe," said Hallett.

The menu also offers pulled pork nachos and sandwiches, chicken and rib combos, brisket chili, smoked salmon and more.

Sides include candied yams, mac and cheese, potato salad, and baked beans. You'll also find collard greens and seasonal veggies.

“An interesting fact - we are a BBQ restaurant that has a good-size vegan menu, plus all sides are cooked without meat,” Hallett said. “Our signature spice blend is salt free…Good food, not fast food.”

The restaurant offers catering and takeout as well. There will also be a bar.

1911 Smoke House has locations on West Front Street in Trenton and in Newark Liberty Airport.

The Willingboro Town Center, on Route 130, also holds a library, multiple fast-food restaurants, several banks, two health systems, a branch of Rowan College at Burlington County, and various other businesses.

Five questions for 1911 Smoke House Barbeque owner Maurice Hallett:

Question: What made Willingboro an attractive location and why the Willingboro Town Center?

A: We have lots of Willingboro residents that work in downtown Trenton that have been asking me to open something closer to them.

I live in Willingboro and felt for a time that (the Town Center site) was tough for a restaurant. I’m not sure why previous food businesses have not worked there.

That location previously had a Starbucks and Hardee’s and I believe part of the building was a paper store, similar to a Staples.

New businesses come inMarlton shopping center welcomes bakery, Caribbean & Cajun, bubble tea and more

Q: Are you one of several owners of 1911 Smoke House or the main owner?

A: I am the main owner - just me and my wife Tonya.

Q: Are you planning more sites in South Jersey?

A: This is the first South Jersey location - very open to other opportunities once Willingboro is successful.

Q: When is the grand opening?

A: We will hold off on our grand opening until we get our liquor license. We are a few weeks out from getting the liquor license."

By the way, the number 1911 in the name is a reference to the Divine Nine.

Black students came together near the start of the 20^th century, mostly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to form their own sororities and fraternities, according to yesprep.org. The organizations are collectively known as the Divine Nine.

Hallett is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, which was founded in 1911.

The flying saucer pit stopped in Willingboro, New Jersey could become the township’s visitor center. The peculiar structure, known as the Futuro House, has been in Millcreek Park since the 1970s. Despite being one of the township’s best-known landmarks, the rusted structure made of metal, fiberglass, and plastic is overgrown with weeds.

In 2020, it was named one of Preservation New Jersey’s most endangered sites, giving it a much-needed boost in recognition, which township officials are hoping to convert into funding to renovate it into an information site. Preservation New Jersey issued this grave warning three years ago about Willingboro’s Futuro: “While still intact, the house is empty and unused, desperately in need of refurbishing and ongoing maintenance. If the neglect continues they are very likely to end up at a junkyard in the near future.”

How much the town needs to get the UFO back into spacefaring shape is unclear, according to Kendall Brunson, supervisor at the township’s Parks Department. Last year, the township held a focus group with 50 residents and the consensus was to turn the site into a visitors center, Brunson said. “It’s a township icon,” Brunson said. “Things take time, but we’re moving forward with this project.”

Attempts to renovate these types of structures have bedeviled even the most skilled craftsmen. It took preservation architect Milford Wayne Donaldson 14 years to restore the Futuro House located in Idyllwild, California. His tireless effort eventually earned him an award from the California Preservation Foundation in 2020. Others have simply abandoned their attempts to bring these rickety contraptions back to life.

The Futuro House’s circular design — about 25 feet in diameter — was originally built to be a mobile ski chalet and sold for $14,000. Beginning in 1968, a Finnish architect named Matti Suuronen designed and manufactured around 100 units, but only 63 originals still exist scattered across the globe, employed for myriad uses. In Tampa, a saucer is a VIP room for a strip club. The value of these kitschy pre-fabs seems to fluctuate with time and sentiment from $2,000 to $30,000.

The Willingboro Futuro House is not the only one to land in New Jersey. In the 1970s, City Federal Savings and Loans used Suuronen’s chalets for a marketing gimmick called “space banks” in a number places in New Jersey. One such bank, with tellers dressed as astronauts, was located at a shopping mall on Route 130 in Burlington County. In the 1970s, the building was airlifted into Millcreek Park where it remains today, the Courier Post reported. Another Futuro House ended up on Wildwood’s Morey Pier where it doubled as the stage setting for a Star Wars-themed amusement park ride.

Although Suuronen’s structure resembles a UFO, the design wasn’t inspired by science fiction or extraterrestrial space travel. Instead the shape of the structure was designed to be assembled and dismantled easily and withstand heavy snowfall, according to Simon Robson, who runs the Futuro House website.

Robson, a British retiree based in Texas, runs the most exhaustive online resource devoted to Suuronen’s creations. In fact, the Telegraph once called him the foremost expert on the Futuro House.

“Of course that’s not true,” Robson told Jersey Digs. “But it’s nice being call the world’s best anything.”

In addition to posting news updates, the Futuro House website also tracks the location of the original chalets and sometimes acts as a middleman that links interested buyers to units that are for sale. Robson teamed up with Wololow to sell miniature lamps that resemble the Futuro House.

A Burlington County man has admitted possessing images of child sexual abuse.

Federal authorities say on Thursday, 24-year-old Al-Fahim Medina pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

From January through June 2020, Medina possessed mobile phones and a tablet which contained multiple images of child sexual abuse, including children under age 12 and sadistic and masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence or sexual abuse or exploitation involving an infant or toddler, officials said.

Medina now faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 10th.

10 Totally Random Things You Learn Watching 'Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?'

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

Geddy Lee Is A 'Bird Nerd'

A self-professed "bird nerd," Geddy Lee discusses photography with Melissa Auf der Maur of Hole and Smashing Pumpkins fame. Both frequently took photos while on tour with Auf der Maur revealing she had foot switches on stage to snap pics during shows. Lee, on the other hand, mostly wanted to explore nature while on the road. That was when he took up bird watching and photography. "What, you're surprised I take bird photographs? Hey, I'm the guy who once sang a song about the politics of trees," Lee tells viewers referencing "The Trees" from Rush's 1978 Hemispheres album.

Les Claypool Had To Stop Selling Hot Dogs With Kimchi

Geddy Lee wraps up the first episode of the series sipping wine at Les Claypool's Pachyderm Station in California's wine country. The location serves as a tasting room for the Primus bassist's Claypool Cellars wines. It's also home to Claypool's Whamola Weiners gourmet hot dog stand. During their time chomping on hot dogs, Claypool tells rush how he recently had to remove his Korean-inspired hot dog from the menu after the smell of the kimchi overtook the facility. "Nobody wants to buy wine that smells like farts," Claypools says.

A Bass Guitar At Every Turn

There should be a four-part series just on Robert Trujillo's home. The Metallica bass player's stunning Spanish-style home in Topanga, California is full of character. It's also full of bass guitars. "There's an amp in almost every room and at least three basses," Trujillo tells Geddy Lee as the two stand in home's library. In addition to being able to play bass nearly anywhere in the house, Trujillo also has setup a temporary recording studio.

Steve Finn, Getty Images

The Smashing Pumpkins Had A Lot Of Rules

Geddy Lee asked Melissa Auf der Maur to compare her time spent playing bass with Hole with her stint in the Smashing Pumpkins. While Auf der Maur's time with Hole was a whirlwind (they played Reading Festival her seventh show in the band), her run with the Smashing Pumpkins couldn't have been any more different. "In the Smashing Pumpkins, the rules were stated 'no mistakes, no days off and you can't get sick.'"

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Alex Lifeson Once Played Guitar With A Tortilla Chip

Geddy Lee and Les Claypool eventually find themselves on a peaceful fishing outing where reminisce about the time Rush and Primus toured together in 1992. Not only were the two fishing buddies on the road, but their bands also bonded over their pre-show jam sessions. "I remember once watching Alex play guitar backstage using a tortilla chip as a pick," Claypool says referencing Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson.

Canva/Alberto E. Rodriguez,Getty Images

Getting Canned With Krist Novoselic

In episode 4, Geddy Lee visit Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic at his rural Washington home. Novoselic shares the sprawling farm with his wife and a menagerie of animals that were mostly given to him after being discarded by their previous owners. In the kitchen of the home, Lee and Novoselic don aprons as they get to work canning tomatoes grown on the land. "I've been canning for a long time because I grow the gardens and want to preserve things," Novoselic says. "Preservation" tends to be the running theme of the episode as Novoselic takes Lee on a tour of the community where he has helped restore a church and also voluntarily mows a community park. "In our tie together, Krist has shown me the same principals from the underground era that birthed Nirvana still guide him today," Lee tells viewers.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Geddy Lee Was 'Influenced' By Les Claypool

When Les Claypool started to learn bass while in high school, he would often play along with Rush's 1976 live album, "All The World's A Stage." It turns out Claypool also had an impact on Geddy Lee later in life when Primus and Rush toured together in 1992. Lee said he changed his approach to playing bass after watching Claypool on stage every time. "It made me want to play funkier."

Greg Campbell, Getty Images

From Motown To Metallica

Geddy Lee sat down with Robert Trujillo to find out more about what inspired his playing style as a musician. Trujillo explained the first concert he attended as a kid was seeing the Isley Brothers. That experience led to the Metallica bassist diving deeper into Motown. "What I took from that was 'hey, this music is really driven by the rhythm section, the drum the bass.' It was all about the groove. That was the first time I realized that's what I wanted to do."

Mat Hayward, Getty Images

Accordion Before Bass

While Krist Novoselic is best-known for playing bass for Nirvana, the guitar was far from his first instrument. Novoselic spends his time with Geddy Lee playing the accordion, including a brief attempt at Rush's "Fly By Night." He never plays bass in the episode. Novoselic explained he started with the accordion and didn't take up playing bass until he met Kurt Cobain.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Don't Tell Les Claypool He Plays 'Slap Bass'

Les Claypool is adamant that he does not play "slap bass" no matter how much it looks and sounds like it when he is on stage. "I have a friend that plays slap bass and it's on the upright," Claypool tells Geddy Lee. Instead, Claypool says he plays a "thumpin' and pluckin'" style similar to Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone.

It all started when her brother dragged his little sister to the gym.

Now, Willingboro High School’s gymnasium bears her name.

A day before the start of the New Jersey high school basketball season, Willingboro celebrated the reopening of its newly refurbished gyn by renaming it Crystal Langhorne Gymnasium, after the 2004 Chimeras graduate.

“This means everything to me,” Langhorne said. “Maryland is my home now, but no matter where I go, Willingboro is the place I grew up. To get this honor is amazing.”

A journey that took Langhorne to every corner of the world while winning an NJSIAA Group 3 championship at Willingboro, an NCAA title at the University of Maryland, was named USA Basketball Women’s Player of the Year after winning the 2005 U-19 World Championship and captured two WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm, started when her brother Cryhten put a basketball in her hands.

“She would be sitting in front of that TV watching Power Rangers,” Cryhten Langhorne said. “It got to the point where I was like, it’s time to get up and get to the basketball court.

“When we first went to the court, she never quit on any of the workouts. She just went hard every single week and I was putting her through like college workouts. I pushed her and pushed her and pushed her there. She started to like the game. Then, she started to love the game and she wanted to get better.”

That drive never left.

“I don’t know, I had a knack for it,” Crystal Langhorne said. “I was super nervous because I couldn’t make a layup like. I couldn’t do any of those things. I just kept working at it. My coaches saw that I had some a rebounds. They thought, let’s develop her, she can be a player.”

Langhorne scored 2,776 points at Willingboro and won a state title and three South Jersey titles. Willingboro’s battles with the likes of Highland, Shabazz and Paterson Catholic were a high point of New Jersey scholastic basketball in the early 2000s.

“Crystal has won on every level,” former Willingboro coach Guy Fowler said. “Not too many people do that. She’s been like a top player, a top performer. She is someone to look up to. I’m glad that this is happening, this is something that these kids need to see and aspire to.”

As her high school career wore on nearly every top program in the country had courtside seats for her games. At halftime of the 2003 South Jersey championship game against Woodrow Wilson, Langhorne paused on the way to the locker room to greet iconic University of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. Langhorne scored 47 points that night.

The University of Maryland won the recruiting battle, and with it, the 2006 National Championship. Coach Brenda Frese took the time to celebrate with Langhorne. Langhorne was a three-time All-American at Maryland, where she became the first player, male or female, to have her jersey retired while still an active player.

“I am here today to see the legacy that she’s behind everywhere she’s been,” Frese said. “She’s been a winner through high school, college, the WNBA, you name it.

“She was a great basketball player, but she is an even better person. She has never changed with all the success that she’s ever had. You credit her family and her upbringing because she always stays true to who she is.”

Langhorne played 13 years in the WNBA, six with Washington and seven more in Seattle, where she won two WNBA titles. She was named the league’s 2009 Most Improved Player and twice a WNBA All-Star. She played professionally overseas during the WNBA offseason in China, Russia, Slovakia and Hungary, among other stops.

“Crystal is shining light for us here at Willingboro High School. She is a two-time WNBA champion. To see her coming back to the community, it definitely helps our young ladies to see what can be accomplished.

“To see an alumna that famous, who’s accomplished so much, going the pinnacle in athletics. It’s a huge, huge example for what can be accomplished by young people coming right here from Willingboro.”

After her playing career, Langhorne was named Director of Force4Change, the Seattle Storm’s social justice platform.

“In 2020, our whole organization felt like we really needed to have a greater impact, especially in black communities,” Langhorne said. “We created Force4Change when I retired, they asked me help build it out and run it. Nothing’s going to be like playing basketball, but I still do something very impactful, very meaningful.”

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Special to NorthJersey.com

ALLENDALE — Northern Highlands knows the challenges of Group 4 football all too well. In what could be the most stacked Group in New Jersey, you better be battle-tested if you harbor any hopes of attaining a championship.

That’s why the Highlanders opened up against one of the top teams in South Jersey, Willingboro on Friday night. The Chimeras obliged by playing Highlands rough and tough. In the end, the deciding factor was a veteran offense.

Highlands got their season rolling with a 35-26 football win over Willingboro on Friday night, thanks to both the arm and the legs of quarterback Nate Johnson and an offense that looked more like it was October than the end of August.

The Highlanders scored on each of their first three possessions, taking the pressure off of a defense that has plenty of newcomers and was facing a Chimera offense that featured a multi-dimensional quarterback and a solid running back.

NH struck first on a 36-yard screen pass from Johnson to Cole Stecker 2:41 into the game. Willingboro responded with a 14-play drive leading to a Lamar Best touchdown pass to Nasir Hawkins. Without a kicker, they went for two and missed.

Johnson hit Chase Calarco in the flat for a 12-yard TD to make it 14-6 before Willingboro tied it at 14 on a Derrick Bryant 8-yard run and a two-point conversion pass. Matthew Boydell’s 3-yard run put Highlands up 21-14, and the Chimera offense finally blinked as a Jesse DeNobile sack forced a punt just before halftime.

The teams traded interceptions at the beginning of the third quarter and Willingboro got the best of the exchange, with Hawkins taking his pick back to the Highlands 6. Best scored from two yards out on third down, but the Highlander defense came up big on the two-point try with Jeremiah Rivera breaking up the pass to maintain a 21-20 NH lead.

Johnson came back with a 36-yard flat pass to Calarco for a touchdown and a 29-20 lead and added a 1-yard QB sneak to make it 35-20 with 8:59 left in the game. Willingboro scored on a 9-yard Best to Jarelle Taylor TD pass with 29.2 seconds left, but the two-point conversion was deflected away and Highlands recovered the onside kick.

What it means

For Northern Highlands, it was a good start to its defense of the North Group 4 title. They got exactly what they needed, a challenge to both sides of the ball and a successful ending.

For Willingboro, it was a disappointing loss, but a solid building block. A Group 2 school that consistently plays bigger schools, they showed they are once again going to be a handful for any opponent and will be primed for the South Group 2 postseason.

Inside the game

The first game always brings out some of the things that you just can’t prepare for or expect in the preseason. Four holding penalties by the Highlanders stood out, though they were able to overcome three of them (the fourth was right before the interception). The defense had numerous missed tackles, and while you can tip your cap to the Willingboro skill players for their elusiveness, you can bet that there will be an emphasis on tackling drills this week in practice.

The Chimeras fell prey to the Highlanders’ quick counts as Johnson kept them off-balance. They were hit with defensive encroachment penalties five times, two of them resulting in first downs. Johnson was also able to exploit the Willingboro defense with quick reads that allowed him to find seams into the second level.

Turning point

You can make a solid case for Rivera’s pass breakup on the two-point conversion that could have given Willingboro the lead. Had the Chimeras been able to jump ahead, it would have negated the early Highlands efficiency and potentially changed the complexion of the game.

Instead, they fed off the stop and had plays of 16, 17 (after a holding penalty) 10 and 36 yards to score right back.

By the numbers

Johnson was 14 of 20 passing for 212 yards (12 of 15, 177 in the first half) with three touchdowns and one interception. He spread the ball around to eight different receivers before halftime. He also had 92 rushing yards on 12 runs.

Highlands had 366 total yards and Willingboro had 282. Best was 18 of 28 passing for 164 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but was just 9 of 17 for 63 yards in the second half. Bryant had 24 carries for 91 yards.

They said it

“Those weren’t designed runs; they were designed reads. He (Johnson) is just so quick with his reads that he makes it look like a designed run. We knew we were going to need the offense to take control, and they did. The holding penalties need to get cleaned up, but I thought they did a good job of keeping (Johnson) upright and giving him the ability to make those reads and throws.” – Northern Highlands coach Dave Cord

“We’ve been on a roll since we started summer workouts, and with so many guys coming back we were confident that we could come into the season with a lot of confidence. We have a really good group of backs and we rotate them in and some good receivers. That makes things a lot easier for me; all I have to do is find the guy in space.” – Johnson.