Day: December 27, 2019

Guest Opinion: Lauding Bernards for Diwali holiday, Hindus want all New Jersey schools close on Diwali

Welcoming Bernards Township School District (BTSD) in New Jersey declaring Diwali holiday for students during 2022-23 school year, Hindus are urging all public school districts and private-charter-independent schools in New Jersey to close on their most popular festival Diwali.

BTSD calendar 2022-23, posted on its website, shows schools closed on October 24, 2022 for Diwali.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that holiday on Diwali in New Jersey schools would be a step in the positive direction in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at schools around the state, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of Hindu pupils.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that since it was important for Hindu families to celebrate Diwali day together at home with their children; closing schools on Diwali would ensure that and would also display how respectful and accommodating New Jersey schools were to their faith.

If schools had declared other religious holidays, why not Diwali, Rajan Zed asked. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, Zed added.

Zed suggested that all New Jersey schools, public-private-charter-independent, to seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, thus recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. Zed noted that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would make New Jersey students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.

Rajan Zed urged New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy, New Jersey Education Commissioner Dr. Lamont Repollet and New Jersey State Board of Education President Kathy Goldenberg; to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the state’s public schools, and persuading the private-charter-independent schools to follow. Zed also thanked BTSD Board of Education lead by Robin McKeon and BTSD Superintendent Nick Markarian for understanding the concerns of Hindu community.

Zed further says that Hinduism is rich in festivals and religious festivals are very dear and sacred to Hindus. Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil.

Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Mission of awards-winning BTSD, which runs six schools, is “to provide a superior education which results in academic excellence, responsible behavior, good citizenship and fosters social-emotional development”.

STUDY: Fiscal Conditions Improving in Pennsylvania

By Todd DeFeo |

The Center Square

Pennsylvania’s revenue growth was slightly above average, and the state has improved its overall financial stability by increasing the size of its rainy day fund, a new report revealed.

Pennsylvania, like Illinois, New York and Texas, experienced slower revenue growth in fiscal 2019 after rapid growth a year earlier, which lowered the aggregate growth rate,

according to

the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO).

“Pennsylvania’s spending and revenue figures reported in the survey for FY2019 and FY2020 indicate stable growth somewhat more modest than national averages,” said Kathryn Vesey White, NASBO’s director of budget process studies.

In February, Gov. Tom Wolf introduced a $34.1 billion general fund spending plan, a 2.79 percent increase from a year earlier. State lawmakers subsequently passed a general fund budget of slightly less than $34 billion, an increase of 1.8 percent over the previous year’s budget.

“Fiscal conditions continue to vary by state due to differing demographic trends, regional economic performance, revenue structures and other factors,” White said. “Like the vast majority of states, Pennsylvania saw its general fund revenues come in ahead of budget projections in FY 2019, as reported in the survey.

“Pennsylvania does have a rainy day fund, known as the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund,” White added. “Like many states, Pennsylvania depleted its rainy day fund during the Great Recession. However, after achieving greater fiscal stability recently, Pennsylvania took action this year to make a $317 million deposit into the commonwealth’s rainy day fund, bringing the balance in FY 2020 to $340 million.”

Earlier this year, Republican leaders in the state legislature

touted

their conservative fiscal policies for helping increase the state’s revenues.

Pennsylvania was one of six states that reported on changes to their budget processes or authorities in the 2020 fiscal year. The Keystone State now develops performance-based budget plans for each agency.

Under the budget, most state employees received a 3 percent salary increase effective in July. The state is also giving a 2.25 percent step increase in April 2020 for those employed by the commonwealth as of April 2019.

On the tax front, an additional 2 percent state tax on casino table games was extended until Aug. 1, 2021. Also, the state, as of Dec. 13, eliminated the inheritance tax for property transferred to a child 21 years old or younger.

In another tax move, starting July 19, vendors who do not have a physical presence in Pennsylvania but whose sales attributed to the state exceed $100,000 must register to collect and remit state sales tax.

Separately,

Truth in Accounting gave

Pennsylvania score of 85 (B) for financial transparency, and overall, the Keystone State ranked No. 16.

More recently, an “underlying structural imbalance” in Pennsylvania’s budget could have long-lasting ramifications for the state, the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) said in a recent report. The state could experience an “imbalance” of $409 million in the current fiscal year, a shortcoming that could increase to more than $1.3 billion in 2022-23.

PUBLISHED HERE WITH PERMISSION OF THE CENTER SQUARE

A Decade That Changed the Nation

Katrina vanden Heuvel

and

D.D. Guttenplan

|

For over 154 years,

The Nation

has seen political, economic, and cultural upheaval in America, but the ferocious drumbeat of the 2010s shaped a new media landscape: One defined by a 24/7 news cycle, amplified and accelerated by social media, and compounded by the financial challenges facing a free press.

Hindsight being 20/20, there are common threads we can trace to this current cultural and political moment. The dual and growing forces of monopoly and inequality intensified over the decade. But so too did public support in favor of the issues and ideals our editors and readers have long held to be important: questions of racial justice and feminism, a fair economy that works for all, and enduring civil liberties, environmental sustainability, and peace and nuclear disarmament.

This list of articles, while not at all comprehensive, pulls together the threads of some of the best that was in our pages and our pixels. America in 2020 is at an inflection point, and

The Nation

’s work will continue—as it has in good, not-so-good, and bad times—to offer alternative visions and ideas, and to inform today’s roiling political debates—as we strive to achieve that more perfect union.

Explore all the content from our

Decade in Review here

—we’ve placed these exemplary articles in front of our paywall for a limited time. Editorial director Katrina vanden Heuvel and Editor D.D. Guttenplan are available for very select interviews from New York City in the new year.

ABOUT:

Katrina vanden Heuvel is editorial director and publisher of

The Nation

, America’s leading source of progressive politics and culture. She served as editor of the magazine from 1995 to 2019. D.D. Guttenplan is editor of

The Nation

and the author, most recently, of

The Next Republic: The Rise of a New Radical Majority

(Seven Stories Press).

Founded by abolitionists in 1865,

The Nation

has chronicled the breadth and depth of political and cultural life from the debut of the telegraph to the rise of Twitter, serving as a critical, independent, and progressive voice in American journalism.

Christmas tree recycling – a Delaware post-holiday tradition – carries on statewide for 2019/2020

Take your tree to a yard waste site or contact your waste collector

DOVER (Dec. 26, 2019) – The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control encourages Delawareans to recycle your Christmas tree at one of many yard waste recycling facilities located throughout the state, or to place your tree curbside for recycling. Whatever route you and your Christmas tree may take toward recycling, it’s always a good post-holiday destination that benefits the state environmentally.

“Recycling Christmas trees has been an environmentally-friendly tradition in the state for many years, and we hope that more Delawareans will continue that tradition this holiday season,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “We also welcome residents who might be newcomers to recycling their Christmas trees – and thank them for helping to make our environment better.”

A list of yard waste sites

accepting Christmas trees for recycling can be found on the DNREC website. Trees may be dropped off as soon as the day after Christmas, but each facility has a different schedule for accepting them, so you are advised to call ahead. Also, before loading your Christmas tree in your vehicle and traveling to a drop-off site, check with your regular trash hauler to see if they are collecting trees and what their schedule and requirements are. DNREC also reminds Delawareans Christmas trees are no longer accepted for recycling at any Delaware State Parks locations. Whether dropping off your Christmas tree or having it collected, the tree should always be stripped of all decorations and lights, have any flocking (fake snow) removed, and be detached from a tree stand.

For more information on Christmas tree recycling, visit

www.de.gov/yardwaste

, and click on “yard waste drop-off sites,” or call DNREC’s Recycling Program at 302-739-9403.

Kristi Lee Smith, age 46, of West Deptford

WEST DEPTFORD NJ–On December 21, 2019.

Age 46, of West Deptford. Born in Woodbury, she was the daughter of the late Roy L. and Patricia L. (Daugherty) Rogers. Kristi is survived by her beloved sons, Daryn Reed Smith (Karen) and Levi Mason Sparks; her brothers, Anthony J.

Monahon, Charles E. Monahon, Jimmy M. Monahan; sisters, Cheryl Ginipro (Mike), Patty Monahan and her step-father, Edward Tilton. Kristi also was predeceased by her sister, Robin Monahan.

Celebration of Life and Sharing of Memories will be held on Saturday, December 28

th

from 4 to 8 pm at the Elks Lodge, 57 West Main Street, Penns Grove.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Kristi to the Robins Nest, 42 South Delsea Drive, Glassboro, NJ 08028. Please write: Kristi L. Smith in memo.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at

www.mccannhealey.com

under the obituary of Kristi Lee Smith. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:

McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME

:

Ph: 856-456-1142

William Todd Roberts, 62 of Gloucester City

William Todd Roberts

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ–On December 22, 2019. Age 62. Of Gloucester City. Loving and devoted husband of Joanne Roberts (née Rosati). Loving father of Shawn M. Roberts (Jennifer), Steven C. Roberts, Todd Roberts Jr. (Dana), Lawrence Orsino 3rd (Rachel) and Rose Clark (Kenneth). Cherished grandfather of Lacey, Izabella, Mackenzie, R.J., Quinn, Lawrence 4th, Aiden, Bianca, Steven and A.J. Beloved brother of Dianne Bodenhorn, Andrea Lee (Rick) and Steven Roberts.

Todd was born in Anderson, Indiana to the late E. Max and Ruth Roberts. He worked over 30 years as a scale technician for Industrial Weighing Systems in Pennsauken and Thermoseal in Gloucester City. Todd was a proud member of the Original Garden State Corvette Club for many years. He also enjoyed vacationing to Riviera Maya and spending time at the campground with his family and friends. He loved animals, especially his dog Brutus, his “best friend”.

Relatives and friends are invited to his visitation on Sunday, December 29

th

from 10 to 11:30 AM at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City, where his funeral service will be held at 11:30 AM. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers donations are requested to Msgr. Lucitt’s Needy Children’s Fund, PO Box 87, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Please memo, William Todd Roberts.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at

www.mccannhealey.com

under the obituary of William Todd Roberts. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:  McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City, NJ.  Ph:

856-456-1142

.

Florence Geissler, age 93, of Voorhees NJ

On December 23, 2019.

Age 93. Of Voorhees. Burial private Laurel Lawn Cemetery, Bridgeton. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:

McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME

: Gloucester City

www.mccannhealey.com

Ph: 856-456-1142

Voorhees Animal Orphanage Pet of the Week: Reuben

Reuben is a beautiful buff and white boy who came to the Voorhees Animal Orphanage as a stray and is looking for a fresh start. He\’s a gentle soul and enjoys being petted and loved. And he would love to go home with you! If you\’re looking for a devoted companion to keep you company, you must come meet sweet Reuben at PetValu on Rte 70 in Marlton, NJ today! You can read more about Reuben, and all of the other fine felines that are

available for adoption here

.