D\’IYANU Unwraps African Inspired Holiday Collection

Ready-to-Wear Brand Hosts Pop-up Events for Holiday Collection at Local Showroom

Philadelphia, PA (November 2019)

– Bells are already ringing as the world prepares for another season of joyous memories with loved ones. For Nigerian-born entrepreneur Addie Elabor and her fashion line

D’IYANU

, the holidays are not only a time to be festive but to look and feel the part. With its official release set for today

(Black Friday)

, Elabor and her team present

D\’IYANU’s Holiday Collection.

Inspired by traditional African prints, the D\’IYANU Holiday Collection features dazzling formal wear for men, women, and kids along with special gifts for the entire family to enjoy. Ladies can rock the festive vibes in hues of red, gold, navy, and black with blouses, dresses, and jumpsuits. Men can flaunt African-inspired prints in dapper blazers with matching dress pants and button-up shirts. Completing the photo-worthy family look are dresses for the girls and shirts for the boys along with the perfect accessories to match –

including sweaters, hoodies, socks, bow ties, pocket squares, and handbags.

Ranging from $15.99-179.99 and available

online

, there’s plenty of pieces to raise a glass to.

Next month D’IYANU will host three pop-up events – opening their Norristown showroom to customers interested in shopping the Holiday Collection. Their beautiful showroom is located on

910 E. Main St

., which offers guests a uniquely intimate personal shopping experience. Meet Elabor and her team of fashion experts/stylists who are onsite to answer your questions about fit, fabric selections, and building your D\’IYANU wardrobe.

December 7th 11AM – 4PM

December 14th 11AM – 4PM

December 21 11AM – 6PM

To register for the pop-up events click

here

. Connect and follow the latest trends with

D’IYANU

Facebook,

Twitter

, and

Instagram

. Shop their holiday collection and best sellers on their

website.

For media inquiries and/or interview requests, please contact

tamara@phillyprgirl.com.

About D’IYANU

The tough, competitive, and nerve-wrecking fashion industry didn’t stop Addie from following her heart and launching

D’IYANU

January of 2014. Iyanu translates to

“miracle” or “wonderful”

in the Nigerian Yoruba language, and D’ means “of” or “from” in French. With the combination of her Yoruba and French background, the name

D’IYANU,

“of something wonderful” was established to remind everyone they are uniquely made and to dress like it. Addie also made it her purpose to help build schools and clinics for underdeveloped communities in Nigeria and other African countries. Since the start of

D’IYANU

, the fashion brand has donated over $20,000 to causes that support African communities, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, and The Women’s Safe House.

Patricia Ann Sampson of Gloucester City; GCHS Alumnus, St. Mary\’s Parishioner

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ–On November 28, 2019. Age 89. (nee Nolan). Of Gloucester City. Loving wife of 59 years to the late Riley K. Sampson. Loving mother of Maryann Deacon, Patricia Sampson, Teresa Andrews, Betsy Sherrer (Karl), Kathleen Murchake and Gerald Sampson (Rose). Cherished grandmom of Nicole, William, Christina, Melissa, Dillon, Alyson, Jamie, Tommy, Madison, Julia and Leah. Predeceased by her nine brothers and sisters.

Patricia Ann Sampson

Pat was a graduate of Gloucester Catholic High School class of 1948. She was a lifelong parishioner of St. Mary\’s R.C. Church.

St. Mary\’s RC Church (CNBNews photo)

Relatives and friends are invited to her visitation on Wednesday morning, December 4, 2019 from 9 to 10:15 AM at St. Mary’s R.C. Church, 426 Monmouth St., Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Mass of Christian Burial 10:30 AM in church. Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to St. Mary’s Church, at the above church address. Please memo, Patricia Ann Sampson.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of Patricia Ann Sampson. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City. Ph: 856-456-1142

Letters to the Editor: The Speed Kills Myth is Alive & Well in Pennsylvania

Sadly, the speed kills myth is alive and well in P

ennsylvania

. A real 25-state analysis was done of NHTSA data, which showed that 1.6% of crashes are caused by excessive speed. Barely above zero, then.

Nowhere does anyone ever put into a bill that speed limits must be posted at the 85th percentile free-flowing traffic speed. This is so that the ticket industry can thrive. Set the limits too low, ticket barely above them, get municipal radar and speed cameras, then watch the money flow in.

Since this is

still

not enough, the state now wants more LIDAR and moving radar

ou can expect more crashes, safe drivers cited, and lots of erroneous tickets

with poor policies

he mentioned devices

flopped elsewhere and will here. The state wants money, whether from red-light cameras, speed cameras, stop-arm cameras, or municipal radar. Multiple media outlets stated that after red-light cameras were installed in Philadelphia, crashes went up, yet people still say they went down. Be careful who you listen to with traffic issues.

Maximum safety on roads occurs when we have speed limits posted to the 85th percentile free-flowing traffic speed, yellow traffic lights set to actual approach speeds with realistic perception and reaction times, and stop signs only where needed.

In the meantime, we ignore issues like distracted drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Please contact your state representative, state senator, and the governor to oppose the above in Pennsylvania and demand best-practice engineering. Tickets should also be only points, no fines or surcharges.

James Sikorski Jr.

PA Advocate National Motorists Association

Morristown Business Association Candle Light Stroll

Main Street Saturday from from 2-8pm. Watch for pedestrians. Speed limit 15 mph

The Mooristown Business Association (MBA) is hosting the Candle Light Stroll event in support of our local merchants on Main St. from 2-8pm Saturday, Nov. 30 Horse/Carriage rides will be available at Main & High Streets.

Motorists are asked to drive with caution in the area, not to exceed 15 mph for the safety of event attendees on Main St. between Chester Ave. & Church St.

Mill St. will be closed at Main St. for pedestrian safety.

Motorists should be aware that the Horse & Carriage rides will be traveling along the shoulder of Main St. from High St. east to just past the Community House.

Address/Location

Township of Moorestown Police Department

1245 N Church St

Moorestown, NJ 08057

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-234-8300

Beware of Certain Toys, Some are Dangeous

By Steve Bittenbender |

The Center Square

Nov 2019

With Black Friday just about here, Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale held a news conference with a public interest group and a public health expert to highlight the findings in this year’s Trouble in Toyland report.

Now in its 34th year, the study released by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) points out dangers that may be lurking behind some popular toys and gadgets for children this holiday season. Since the first report, more than 150 recalls or other administrative actions have been taken against toys deemed to be unsafe.

The concern today isn’t just about choking hazards, although officials said that still remains an issue with items like deflated balloons and board game pieces. To determine if a toy or toy piece, like a wheel, can cause choking, experts said parents should take the piece and try to fit it through an empty toilet paper roll. If the item passes through the cylinder, it can lead to choking.

Emma Horst-Martz, a PennPIRG associate, said some toys expose children to harmful chemicals or elements. Others, such as toy police car she demonstrated, can produce sounds that are too loud for young kids’ ears.

“Sometimes that toy gun or action figure isn’t just annoying,” said Horst-Martz. “If it’s too loud, it can actually be harmful to a child’s developing hearing.”

In some instances, parents can take steps to reduce the noise impact by either taking out the batteries in a toy or placing tape over the speaker to muffle the sound.

However, DePasquale, who said he championed regulatory efforts as a state lawmaker, said it shouldn’t come down to parents or gift-givers trying to determine if something’s safe. And he also warned consumers that just because a toy is on a store shelf or available in an online store, that doesn’t mean it\’s not the subject of a recall notice.

Information about toys that have been recalled is available at

consumertips.uspirg.org

“While I do think a lot of these consumer warnings and public interest outreach are important, I also think that the stores and the companies should do a better job of making sure these toys aren’t available in the first place,” he said. “When something is recalled, I believe they should be off the shelves and not available for resale.”

Some safety issues have been withdrawn. For example, standards regarding toy magnets were repealed three years ago. As a result, toys like construction or sculpture sets, which can contain small pieces, can cause harm if small child swallows one or more magnetic pieces. In some cases, the magnets can settle in a child’s digestive system and pinch vital organs to the point of blood loss.

According to the report, doctors in an Oregon hospital removed 54 small magnets from four children in a one-month time frame.

Data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reveals that toy injuries led to more than 250,000 emergency room visits in 2017. Amy Bollinger, who serves as the program manager for the Penn State Children’s Hospital pediatric trauma and injury prevention program, said her hospital sees such injuries on a weekly basis.

“We have a real responsibility to talk about what we can do as adults and caregivers to keep kids safe,” Bollinger said. “Because toy injuries are preventable.”

The 2019 report is available at

toysafetytips.org

published here with permission

D\’IYANU Unwraps African Inspired Holiday Collection

Ready-to-Wear Brand Hosts Pop-up Events for Holiday Collection at Local Showroom

Philadelphia, PA (November 2019)

– Bells are already ringing as the world prepares for another season of joyous memories with loved ones. For Nigerian-born entrepreneur Addie Elabor and her fashion line

D’IYANU

, the holidays are not only a time to be festive but to look and feel the part. With its official release set for today

(Black Friday)

, Elabor and her team present

D\’IYANU’s Holiday Collection.

including sweaters, hoodies, socks, bow ties, pocket squares, and handbags.

Ranging from $15.99-179.99 and available

online

, there’s plenty of pieces to raise a glass to.

Next month D’IYANU will host three pop-up events – opening their Norristown showroom to customers interested in shopping the Holiday Collection. Their beautiful showroom is located on

910 E. Main St

December 7th 11AM – 4PM

December 14th 11AM – 4PM

December 21 11AM – 6PM

To register for the pop-up events click

here

. Connect and follow the latest trends with

D’IYANU

Facebook,

Twitter

, and

Instagram

. Shop their holiday collection and best sellers on their

website.

For media inquiries and/or interview requests, please contact

tamara@phillyprgirl.com.

About D’IYANU

The tough, competitive, and nerve-wrecking fashion industry didn’t stop Addie from following her heart and launching

D’IYANU

January of 2014. Iyanu translates to

“miracle” or “wonderful”

in the Nigerian Yoruba language, and D’ means “of” or “from” in French. With the combination of her Yoruba and French background, the name

D’IYANU,

D’IYANU

, the fashion brand has donated over $20,000 to causes that support African communities, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, and The Women’s Safe House.

Cellphone shock: Pennsylvanians Paying More in Fees Than Most

By Steve Bittenbender |

The Center Square

Nov 26, 2019

Pennsylvanians are paying more taxes on their cellphone bill than all but one of their neighbors and significantly more than the national average. That’s

according to a report

by a nonpartisan tax policy research group.

The combined local, state and federal taxes on a resident’s cellphone bill is 25.4 percent. The Washington-based Tax Foundation noted that was the seventh-highest rate in the nation. Excluding the federal 9.1 percent rate, Pennsylvania’s state and local tax is slightly more than 16.3 percent.

A state resident who has a $100 monthly bill from their wireless provider pays more than $304 in taxes per year. The average U.S. resident pays about $260 annually in local, state and federal levies.

“It’s important that people keep an eye on these things because they are well-hidden within people’s phone bills,” said Ulrik Boesen, a senior policy analyst for the foundation.

Two things stand out regarding Pennsylvania’s higher than average costs. First, Boesen said Pennsylvania charges a 5 percent gross receipts tax that’s in addition to the 6 percent sales tax.

Telecommunications is one of five industries on which Pennsylvania levies a gross receipts tax. The others include electric utilities providers, transportation companies, private bankers and managed care organizations.

The other surcharge that Boesen noted was the $1.65 monthly fee for state wireless 9-1-1 service. That represents a tax rate of nearly 4.4 percent. By comparison, Ohio’s charge is just 25 cents per number per month for state and local wireless 9-1-1.

While 9-1-1 is an essential service for residents, Boesen said that doesn’t mean it should have its own tax.

“In general, we don’t like when you have specific taxes for specific services,” he said. “We like it more when you broaden your tax bases to be as broad as possible and as low-rate as possible.”

A year ago, Pennsylvanians were paying a rate of 22.9 percent, but the bulk of that is due to a nearly 2.5 percent increase in the federal surcharge, which provides funding for certain organizations, such as schools and hospitals, in communities with higher than normal costs. The federal tax also can assist low-income residents in those areas.

Among neighboring states, only New York residents paid a higher percentage of taxes, as its 18.7 percent state-and-local rate ranks fourth in the U.S. Maryland was also in the top half of states at 14.7 percent, 14th highest.

West Virginia was 32nd overall at 10.2 percent, New Jersey landed at 38th at 9 percent, and Ohio residents pay 8.5 percent in state and local taxes, which ranked 43rd. Delaware’s rate of 6.6 percent is 49th in the study, which also includes Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

Impaired Driving Enforcement Crackdown will be Conducted in Maple Shade

Part of Statewide Year End Campaign

The Maple Shade Police Department will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of year “

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”

statewide campaign. Beginning December 6, 2019 and continuing through January 1, 2020, local and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

The national

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”

effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education. “During the last five years New Jersey has experienced nearly 37,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 679 fatalities,\” said Chief Christopher Fletcher. “This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when social gatherings with alcohol increase the risk of impaired driving.”

Last year, 20% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, 10,511 people died in 2018 in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

2019 Year End Holiday Crackdown

offer the following advice for the holiday season:

Take mass transit, a taxicab, rideshare, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

Spend the night where the activity or party is held.

If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.

Always buckle-up, every ride. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

If you are intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.

Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

# # #

Address/Location

Maple Shade Township Police Department

200 N Stiles Ave

Maple Shade Township, NJ 08052

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-234-8300

NJ Pick-6 Increases to $3.7 Million for Dec. 2

TRENTON (Nov. 29, 2019) – The Pick-6 drawing on November 28 produced seven winners of $2,941 for matching five out of six white balls drawn. One of those tickets was purchased with XTRA, multiplying the prize to $5,882. The $3.7 million drawing will be held Monday, December 2, 2019.

The winning numbers for the Thursday, November 28, drawing were: 14, 16, 18, 26, 31 and 43. The XTRA Multiplier was: 02. By adding XTRA for an additional $1.00 per play, winners are able to multiply their non-jackpot prizes by the XTRA number drawn.

Acting Executive Director James Carey announced that there were 411,749 tickets purchased for the drawing and of those sold, thousands were prizewinners! For correctly matching four numbers, 305 ticketholders won $65 each and 42 others won $130 each with the addition of XTRA. Moreover, for correctly matching three numbers 6,149 ticketholders won $3.00 each and 999 others won $6 each with the addition of XTRA. Lastly 7,163 ticketholders each won $2.00 for correctly matching two numbers with the addition of XTRA on their purchase.

###

All New Jersey Lottery game winning numbers and drawings for the Pick-3, Pick-4, Jersey Cash 5, Pick-6, CASH4LIFE and 5 Card Cash games can be viewed on the NJ Lottery website (www.NJLottery.com) or on the official Lottery Facebook Page. Evening draws, with the exception of CASH4LIFE and 5 Card Cash, can be seen on WPIX-TV (PIX11) in New York and WPHL-TV (PHL17) in Philadelphia. Powerball and Mega Millions drawings can be seen on WABC-TV or WTXF stations.

Op-Ed: Peyton’s Law –

Empowering Student Athletes/Parents to be Proactive about Cardiac Arrest Prevention

By Sen. Mike Regan

Nov 2019/

The Center Square

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is reported to be the leading killer of student athletes in the United States and the leading cause of death on school campuses. An average of one in 300 student athletes have undetected abnormal heart issues that could lead to SCA.

Recognizing these staggering statistics, I introduced

Senate Bill 836

, known as Peyton’s Law, in an effort to educate every student athlete and their parents about electrocardiogram (EKG) testing to detect underlying heart conditions.

This bill has been a top priority for me because it honors a young woman who was taken from us six years ago at the young age of 19. Her name is Peyton Walker, and she died from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Peyton was a graduate of Trinity High School in Camp Hill, and she was a sophomore at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre when she died. Her mother, Julie Walker, established and now heads The Peyton Walker Foundation, which advocates for the use of EKG testing to screen for underlying electrical issues in the heart that can lead to SCA. The foundation conducts free EKG screening events at schools across Pennsylvania and has screened several thousand students.

Unfortunately, Peyton’s family is not alone in losing a loved one to SCA. Based on Cody’s Law, recently enacted legislation in Texas named after Cody Stephens, a young football player who died of SCA, Peyton’s Law builds on the important groundwork of Act 59 of 2012, the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act.

Thanks to Act 59, student athletes and their parents currently are provided an information sheet with symptoms and warning signs of SCA. However, there is no guidance on what steps can be taken if a parent wants to be proactive or if the student athlete has experienced any of the signs or symptoms of SCA.

Peyton’s Law requires information be provided to student athletes and their parents regarding electrocardiogram testing and notice be given of the option to request the administration of an electrocardiogram in addition to the standard physical examination.

This is a common-sense piece of legislation aimed at educating our student athletes and their families at a time when every hour of every day we lose a child to SCA. And the majority of those deaths are attributed to detectable and treatable heart conditions that went undiagnosed due to the limited scope of standard sports physicals and well-child check-ups.

As a father of four, Peyton’s story, as well as so many others, has hit close to home. Knowing a simple test could save my children from becoming a victim of SCA motivated me to have my own boys screened, and my legislation provides life-saving information to all parents and empowers them to take the same steps I did. And while the legislation speaks specifically to student athletes, I want all parents to be part of the bigger conversation – to be aware of SCA, its warning signs, and their ability to seek an EKG if they are worried about their child having an underlying heart condition.

Peyton’s Law has garnered tremendous support and momentum in the legislature, and I commend my colleagues for recognizing the importance of this issue. It is unusual for a bill to see such quick action, but the fact that I met with Julie Walker on this issue in July, introduced the bill in August, and by October it had achieved unanimous passage in the Senate, is a testament to the merits of the bill.

The legislation now awaits consideration in the House of Representative’s Education Committee, chaired by Representative Curt Sonney, R-Erie. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Chairman Sonney to discuss the significance of this issue, and I look forward to the bill’s passage in the House and it being signed into law by the governor.

Peyton’s Law will undoubtedly help save the lives of many young people in Pennsylvania while honoring the life and memory of a young woman gone too soon.

published here with permission of

The Center Square