Beverly

Less than two miles from the Edgewater Park courtroom where E. Budd Marter 3d developed a reputation as a tough judge, more than 150 people gathered in his honor last Sunday afternoon to sing his praises. Choirs, ministers and dignitaries from throughout Burlington County filled the pews of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Beverly in honor of the late judge, who they said had an unyielding commitment to law and order. Members of the congregation lifted their hands in praise, sang songs and gave accolades.

It may not be much, but now it belongs to the City of Beverly, said Mayor Frank Costello of the riverfront property that was recently deeded to the city by the New Jersey-American Water Co. It didn't cost much either. For $1, the company earlier this month handed over the deed to the 700-foot strip of property between Laurel and Broad Streets. The land, from 50 to 70 feet wide, makes up most of the 900-foot shoreline property along the Delaware River that was reconstructed in the spring.

After 10 years of negotiations and a threat to sever a tie dating back to 1949, the Beverly and Delanco Sewer Authorities are expected to ratify an agreement next month that would allow both towns to continue sharing the Beverly sewer plant well into the next century. Two years ago, the Delanco Sewerage Authority dropped a $5 million plan to hook into the Willingboro sewer plant, a plan that residents protested, fearing large increases in their sewer bills. Instead, the Delanco authority decided to continue talks to extend an expired contract with Beverly.

The section of this city that has been plagued in recent years by rampant drug dealing soon could receive relief as a Quality of Life Special Enforcement Zone, the first such designation in Burlington County. The state Attorney General's Office created the special zones to identify locations known as hot spots, or open-air drug markets. Drug dealers caught in these areas, which are similar to the special zones near schools, face stiffer prison sentences. Beverly City Mayor Robert Lowden Jr. said he planned to notify the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office this week that Beverly officials would like to designate the center of the city as a special zone.

Mayor Frank Costello of Beverly has taken a new perspective. Since his election as president of the New Jersey Mayors Association earlier this summer, Costello has developed a brighter outlook on what he had previously described as a dismal future for small communities in New Jersey. In the past, Costello has been brutally frank about the condition of his tiny riverfront community of 2,900. During a meeting of the Assembly Republican Task Force in May, Costello told the group that the best thing the state could do for his city would be to "put us out of business.

A one-hour standoff ended peacefully Saturday night when police arrested a man who had threatened to shoot anyone who came near him inside his house on Pine Street. About 10 neighbors were evacuated during the incident. Gary W. Ivins, 25, was charged with making terroristic threats, hindering apprehension, obstructing justice and making false public alarms, said Sgt. Tony Pearce, Beverly's chief law-enforcement official. Ivins was arraigned yesterday before Superior Court Judge Patricia LeBon, who reduced his $15,000 initial bail and allowed him to be released on his own recognizance.

Bert Murphy is settling in nicely as the new municipal clerk of the city of Beverly, and if he isn't getting rich on the salary, it doesn't detract from his love of the little town where he has lived for 32 years. "It's still a good little town," said Murphy, who took over the clerkship on April 1 and is the closest thing to a day-to-day official presence in tiny Beverly - population 2,919 in the 1980 census. "It's a small town," he said. "Everybody knows everybody. " Murphy now has official hours when he can be found in the clerk's office in the basement of City Hall, a converted school on Broad Street.

It's called a city, but fewer than 3,000 people now call it home. The industries that once hummed and belched out paints and other products have degenerated into eyesores and toxic sites. There is just one public school, which abruptly ends after eighth grade, chasing its students to another district to finish their education. But one thing hasn't changed in more than 100 years. Despite Beverly's decline, the governing body insists on filling its chambers with lots of officials: nine council members, plus a mayor.

Crude Internet videos. Secretly recorded conversations. Phone threats. With the rough-and-tumble politics of Beverly, a riverfront city that covers less than a square mile, it was perhaps inevitable that one of the local battles would find its way to court. Yesterday, Municipal Judge Dennis McInerney stepped into a dispute between the presidents of the school board and City Council. He found the school board's Robert Thibault guilty of harassing Luis Crespo, a maverick councilman who roiled city politics even before he changed his affiliation to Democrat in the fall.

A Budget rental truck jumped a curb in Beverly last night, pinning - and killing - an 11-year-old boy who had been on the sidewalk, authorities said. The boy, who lived in Beverly, was struck about 6:15 p.m. on the 500 block of Warren Street, said Jack Smith, spokesman for the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. Beverly police and emergency medical personnel pronounced the boy dead at the scene, Smith said. His name was not released. After hitting the boy, the truck smashed into a house.

Beverly B. Brownstein, 75, of Bala Cynwyd, who helped her husband build an ad agency and later ran her own businesses, died Monday, May 13, at home after battling breast cancer for several years. Born in South Philadelphia, Mrs. Brownstein was 19 when she married her future husband, Berny, who was 21. They began their lives together in Mount Airy and then moved to Cheltenham, where they raised three children. Mrs. Brownstein initially helped her husband manage the Brownstein Group, an ad agency he founded and now runs with their son, Marc.

Beverly C. Schiffrin, 92, of Lower Merion, a former businesswoman who was a longtime political and social activist, died Monday, April 15, at the Waverly Heights retirement community in Gladwyne. Mrs. Schiffrin, who lived in Lower Merion for 58 years, was active in her community, serving as an officer and president of the home and school associations of the Bala School for Young Children and the Lower Merion high schools. She "was one of those people who spent her life making the world a better place," her son Richard said.

George Beverly Shea, 104, a gospel singer and songwriter who was a featured part of the Billy Graham crusades for more than 50 years, died Tuesday, April 16, in Asheville, N.C., after a brief illness, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association told the Associated Press. "Bev" Shea, who received a lifetime-achievement award at the 2011 Grammy Awards, became the soloist for the Billy Graham Evangelical Team in 1947. Tall and slim with a resonant baritone, Mr. Shea was known for his straightforward singing style.

Jen Cohan had spent all morning primping her kids for a Christmas card photo shoot. The only thing missing was Elke, the family rat terrier. Elke was 16 and had been ill for months. Before she started looking, Jen knew: Elke was dead. "What do you do when your chickens die?" she texted her friend, an urban farmer. "Beth Beverly," he replied. Beverly is a Philadelphia taxidermist who specializes in a more creative type of mount. "Elke might end up a hat or a Christmas tree topper," Jen's friend warned, but Jen had worked in fashion and needed little convincing.

A Beverly city councilman, often in the spotlight in the riverfront community's rough-and-tumble political scene, lost his home and possibly the family cat when his duplex went up in flames Monday night. Luis Crespo said his family returned home from shopping shortly after 6:30, as the blaze was consuming their home. Neighbors reported loud popping sounds until the two-alarm fire was brought under control two hours later. "I am grateful my family is OK, and I want to thank the hundreds of people that offered their support," Crespo said Tuesday afternoon as he and a few friends began boarding up the home on Broad Street, a few blocks from Beverly National Cemetery.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Seen or heard at the Television Critics Association's summer meetings, which wrap up Friday: > Men without socks. This turns out to be a particularly bad look for appearing at press conferences, distracting reporters from their usual attention to female panelists' absurdly high heels. The trend inspired enough Twitter fashion commentary that producer Greg Berlanti ("Political Animals") said after a session on his new CW superhero series "Arrow" that he'd made a point of wearing socks because he'd seen so many tweets about it.   > Russell Brand without shoes.

REALITY TV has claimed another victim. Russell Armstrong, 47, the estranged husband of Taylor Armstrong, a "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" housewife, was found dead in his L.A. home Monday. He apparently hanged himself. There was no note, but there was plenty of speculation. TMZ.com, which said Russell was actually staying at a friend's home when he took his own life, also said the former investor was struggling with his impending divorce and a mountain of debt.

Former running back and defensive back Ralph Goldston, one of the first African-American players for the Eagles, died Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. He was 82. Goldston played in 27 games for the Eagles from 1952-55 after being selected in the 11th round of the 1952 draft. His best season came in 1952 when he ran 65 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Goldston also played 10 seasons in the Canadian Football League with Hamilton and Montreal. He helped the Hamilton Tiger Cats earn Grey Cup championships in 1957 and 1963.

Women's Golf Association BOYLE CUP Quarterfinals: Ali and Matt Tutelman, Green Valley, def. Joanne Bidwell, Old York Road, and Daniel Kluger, Cedarbrook, 2 up; Laura Ladden and Jim Simmons, Whitford, def. Beverly and John Brennan, Spring Ford, 1 up; Linda Kennedy and Steve Krevitz, Commonwealth, def. Christina Koerper and Paul Kovalcheck, LuLu, 1 up; Catherine Elliott, Applebrook, and Jeff Klagholz, Rolling Green, def. Jean and Sam Paddison,...

Here are travel bargains around the globe, by land, sea, and air. Deals sell out quickly and are not guaranteed to be available. Restrictions such as day of travel, blackout dates, and advance-purchase requirements may apply. Land The Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau is sponsoring a Breakfast in Beverly Hills promotion, featuring a free hotel night with minimum stay, breakfast for two, and a free day of car rental. Deal applies to a dozen hotels in Beverly Hills, Calif.