Community agrees to change name to promote cocktail

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Here's a new Bacardi recipe: Take a small community near Atlantic City, add $5,000, and for half a month, you've got a locality named after a cocktail.
For the first half of May, the Richland section of Buena Vista Township will be called "Mojito," named for a traditional Cuban drink made of rum, mint leaves, lime, sugar and club soda.
With a large amount of mint used in mojitos coming from Dalponte Farms in Richland, New York-based Baddish Group, which runs Bacardi's marketing, decided getting the community renamed would make for a great promotion.
Baddish brought up the idea with Dalponte Farms and Buena Vista officials. Area residents, clergy and the local Drug Alliance Commission were all consulted, and there was little worry about promoting an alcoholic drink, said Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello.
"No one is against alcohol," Chiarello said. "People are against alcohol being misused, especially by people under age."
The township committee voted 5-0 on April 26 to authorize the new name after Bacardi offered to give it $5,000 for recreation projects such as new playground equipment in public parks.
A road sign along Route 40 promoting mojitos has already been raised. And Bacardi plans to use images from Richland in advertising promotions.
Township Administrator Ron Trebing also thinks the promotion is a good deal.
"It'll improve recreation in the area," Trebing said. "Anything helps out."