Joe and Danielle D’Aquila’s love story began at a beloved Wildwood bar. Now, almost 23 years and three kids later, they’re channeling that same spirit of connection into a new venture: South Jersey Local, a newspaper dedicated to telling human stories and celebrating the South Jersey community.

Joe D’Aquila is a Rowan graduate and journalist who spent a decade reporting for The Trentonian, explaining his knack for local coverage in South Jersey as well as for print media. He grew up in Mantua where he still lives today with his wife and children. 

“Having grown up here and now, having raised our own family here, I think that this is a pretty special place to be. We have so many different things to be proud of. South Jersey is what I know, it’s what I love, and it’s what we want to talk about,” said Joe D’Aquila.

Meanwhile, Danielle D’Aquila is a Philadelphia native who spent her summers growing up visiting the Jersey shore. She never paid much mind or attention to the South Jersey area her family often drove through to reach the shore. That was, until she met Joe. 

“I’m a girl plucked out of the city, put into the middle of farmland here, and still now 25 years later I’m discovering new things and the histories behind them,” said Danielle D’Aquila.

In the age of overwhelming amounts of digital media, and less and less of print, the D’Aquilas wanted to create something tangible. After lots of discussions and rallying of troops, they were finally able to begin planning the inner workings of South Jersey Local last summer. 

The D’Aquilas distributed 5,000 copies to over 100 locations across South Jersey, including coffee shops, breweries, and small businesses. Their content is composed of original reporting, community spotlights, and contributions from well-known South Jersey digital creators from places like South Jersey Food Scene, 42Freeway, and Wildwood Archive. 

Their 17-year-old daughter, Hannah D’Aquila, played a particularly significant role in assisting with the South Jersey Local. A high school junior, she often finds herself quite busy, balancing her work with the newspaper, schoolwork, and huge involvement in the theatre and music scene. On top of all that, she started her own theatre company last summer and performs at local venues around the South Jersey area. 

Despite having no previous experience with graphic design and layout software, she taught herself how to use Adobe InDesign to help bring the newspaper layout to life. 

“I sort of just opened a document and taught myself how to use it, I didn’t really watch many tutorials, just figured it out as I went,” said Hannah D’Aquila. 

She’s been able to play an even bigger part in the paper by becoming a writer as well. 

“The most rewarding part has been learning so much about my community, I go on drives around the state for stories and photography, and I’ve gotten to meet really awesome people,” Hanna D’Aquila said. “Watching my parents do what they love has been inspiring.”

Looking ahead, the D’Aquilas plan to expand the newspaper’s reach by increasing their circulation by about double, meaning more copies, more locations, and more pages per issue. 

“We’re just trying to tell stories, not by being political or controversial, but by being human and recognizing the things that make all of us South Jersey.” said Joe D’Aquila. 

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