Day: January 16, 2020

NJBIA Statement on State of the State Address

New Jersey Business & Industry Association President CEO Michele N. Siekerka, Esq. issued the following statement in response to today\’s State of the State address by Gov. Phil Murphy.

\”As we embark on a new decade, we can all support a New Jersey where everyone has the greatest opportunity to succeed.

\”Through the midpoint of his term, Governor Murphy has defined his mission for a \’stronger and fairer\’ economy. Part of the fulfillment of this calling has been a focus on returning New Jersey to its status as the Innovation State, and positive steps to foster workforce development.

\”We commend the governor for these efforts, and we look forward to learning more about Jobs NJ as its mission aligns with our continued workforce development efforts.

\”The major issues that remain for New Jersey, however, are escalating taxes, untenable increases in spending, deepening fiscal deficits and a worsening business climate. For the sake of our affordability and competitiveness, New Jersey needs to reverse course on each of these issues.

\”New taxes of any kind will not address or solve New Jersey\’s structural challenges. We simply cannot tax ourselves out of our pension liability and post-employment benefit obligations. New Jersey desperately needs a commitment to impactful fiscal reforms to ensure a stable future, instead of continued, excessive taxation heaped upon overburdened residents and businesses.

\”Re-authorizing a new tax incentive program is the next big step, and it\’s one Governor Murphy and the Legislature must take together. This urgency cannot be overstated. It should have appropriate oversight and regular reviews of effectiveness. But it also should be a strong, robust program to give New Jersey the competitive boost it sorely lacks right now.

\”Absent a strong economic incentive program, New Jersey cannot level a playing field mined with excessive taxes and costs.\”

Feel like you’re stuck in a rut in life?

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (January 16, 2020)–Feel like you just don’t have what you need to live

the life God has called you too?

This years annual prayer & praise night theme is from 1st Peter 1:3, \”WE HAVE ALL WE NEED\” and will feature short testimonies of physical healing, healing from grief, recovery from financial ruin and homelessness, and freedom from anxiety and addiction.

Epiphany Church and Highland Park Church invite you to join us for our second annual night of prayer and praise 5 pm Saturday, February 22nd at Highland Park Church on Market and Baynes across from Cold Springs Elementary School.

“By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory.” 2 Peter

1:3

Pastor Joe Marlin

Epiphany Church of Gloucester City

(856) 432-2118

Burlington County Chiefs of Police Association New Executive Board Members

BURLINGTON CITY NJ (January 15, 2020)The Burlington County Chiefs of Police Association is pleased to announce the names of their new Executive Board members for 2020.

The members will be sworn to their new positions at the annual Installation Dinner starting 6:00pm on Friday January 24, 2020 at the Café Madison, 33 Lafayette Street, Riverside, NJ 08075.

Riverton Borough Police Chief John B. Shaw Jr. will take the oath of office of President of the Chiefs Association during a ceremony at the banquet.

The remainder of the 2020 Executive Board of the Chiefs\’ Association being sworn in consists of:

1

st

Vice President – Medford Lakes Chief Robert Dugan, 2

nd

Vice President Westampton Township Chief Stephen Ent, Secretary- Lumberton Township Chief Nicholas Peditto, Treasurer – Chesterfield Township Police Chief Kyle Wilson, Sergeant-at-Arms Bordentown Township Chief Brian Pesce.

In addition to the swearing-in of the new board, the Chiefs\’ Association will also present the

Richard Dreby President’s Award

for service to the Chiefs\’ association and the Burlington County Police Chiefs Association College Scholarship Assistance Awards.

The Burlington County Police Chiefs\’ Organization and its members work toward the overall enhancement of law enforcement practices throughout Burlington County.

Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $103,000,000

Thousands of New Jersey Players Win Prizes

TRENTON (Jan. 15, 2020) – The Mega Millions jackpot has rolled to $103 million! James Carey, New Jersey Lottery acting executive director, announced that in the Tuesday, Jan. 14, drawing, 27 players matched four of the five white balls drawn making each ticket worth $500. Four of those tickets were purchased with the Megaplier option, multiplying the prize to $1,000. Moreover, 25,740 other New Jersey players took home $107,974 in prizes ranging from $2 to $400, according to Carey. The winning numbers for the Tuesday, Jan. 14, drawing were: 09, 11, 13, 31, and 47. The Gold Mega Ball was 11, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 02.

The next drawing will be held Friday, Jan. 17, at 11:00 pm. All New Jersey Lottery Mega Millions tickets must be purchased before 10:45 pm to participate in the drawing. Mega Millions tickets cost just two dollars; by adding the Megaplier option for an extra dollar per play, players can increase their non- jackpot winnings up to five times. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 46 participating jurisdictions. Drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays.

How to Take Care of Your Backyard

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 16, 2020)–When you have a backyard in your home, it’s crucial that you take care of it. The last thing you are going to want is a patch of overgrown mess behind your property. Not only will this look bad, but you won’t be able to use it to its full advantage either. When guests come over you’ll be embarrassed about the look of your yard, and the longer you leave it, the harder it will be to tidy.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

Many people don’t really know how to take care of a backyard. They may never have had one before, or perhaps someone else always looked after it in the past. It could be that you don’t have a ‘green thumb’ and you’re just not confident in yard work. However, it isn’t so difficult to keep your yard looking neat and tidy and usable. Here are some tips.

Get Help

The first thing to do when you have a backyard that needs taking care of is to work out which jobs you can do yourself and which you are going to need professional assistance with. It will depend on your level of physical fitness, your budget, and how much time you have. You could get a gardener in to do all the work, or you might just want a

tree company Lake Mary

to come in and ensure the trees in your yard are safe and tidy.

This is the first step you should think about when you want to take care of your yard. Once you know what you need to do and what someone else can do, you can determine a plan of action to get it all completed in a reasonable time frame.

Keep it Clear

It’s easy for a backyard to become full of debris and trash over time. If you’re renovating the interior of your home, for example, your yard could be where you store your equipment and everything that really needs to go to the dump. Or it might be that you have children and they leave their toys and games all over the lawn.

The debris in your yard might not even be manmade. Leaves that fall can turn into mulch and become slippery and unsightly, so making sure you

rake them up

and remove them is important.

The clearer your yard is, the more enjoyable it will be. Even if you don’t do anything else to it, keeping the trash out of your yard is a good idea.

Use Fertilizer

If you really want to take care of your yard then using fertilizer to ensure the plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables, saplings — or anything else you might choose to plant outside — grow well is a great option.

Fertilizer gives your backyard the right amount of extra nutrients that it can’t get elsewhere, and this stimulates growth. To have your backyard looking its best, fertilizer is always going to work for you, and it’s cheap too — if you can speak to a farmer or stables about collecting their

horse manure

, you might even get it for free.

The Nation’ Names Elie Mystal Justice Correspondent and Ken Klippenstein DC Correspondent

Mystal and Klippenstein join a world class line-up of political writers and thinkers poised to deliver landmark coverage of the 2020 election and the lasting impacts of the Trump administration’s policy-making.

This release was also just published

here

.

New York, NY—January 15, 2020—

The Nation

, America’s leading source of progressive politics and culture, marks the new year with the appointment of

Elie Mystal

(

@ElieNYC

/ New York, NY) as justice correspondent and

Ken Klippenstein

(

@kenklippenstein

/ Washington, DC) as DC correspondent.

“Elie’s talent for making legal and political issues accessible to non-lawyers, without losing the nuance of core legal concepts, has made him an indispensable resource to

Nation

readers and the larger public,” says

Nation

editor D.D. Guttenplan. “He navigates political waters with an eloquence and ferocity unique in this moment, and I\’m delighted he\’s signed on to our masthead. I’m also particularly pleased to welcome Ken, who on his resume describes himself as ‘a bloodhound who enjoys sniffing out scoops’—a fitting successor to a job once held by I.F. Stone.”

“

The Nation

has always been at the heart of the debate on the left about how to best advance the cause of social progress and justice,” says Mystal. “In late republic America, that progress now calls for nothing less than the defeat of authoritarianism.

The Nation

stands against America’s state-sponsored propaganda, and I am honored to add my voice and be counted among those who will never be cowed by the bullying, disinformation, and lies that Republicans think counts as an agenda.”

“It’s both exciting and a little surreal, in our age of ephemeral web media clickbait farms, to join an outlet that is older than many of the federal agencies about which I’ll be reporting; and in all that time has maintained a firm commitment to progressive values,” adds Klippenstein.

The Nation

’s robust political coverage during the Trump administration has won awards and accolades, exposed widespread injustices, and spoken truth to power to champion progressive ideals. While mainstream media analysis focuses on the polls and candidates’ “likability,”

The Nation

’s team continues to offer insight into the ideas and issues—from racial justice and health care reform to the climate crisis and corporate corruption to moving away from endless war and reimagining our foreign policy—that Americans care about most.

In his new role, Elie Mystal, a prolific writer on politics, culture, law, and racial justice, who in 2019 published two

Nation

cover

stories

tackling the Trump courts head on, will increase his output exclusively for

The Nation

. In addition to writing regular commentary for

TheNation.com

and occasional features for the print edition of the magazine, he will bring his keen legal mind and pointed pen to debut a new monthly column, “Objection!”—providing incisive, unparalleled analysis on a whole range of issues related to justice. In addition to courts, the law, and the judiciary, his mandate will also cover the institutions of law enforcement and our political system more broadly. Mystal’s first article for

The Nation

in his new capacity is “

Why Was Pete Buttigieg Still on the Debate Stage—And Kamala Harris Wasn’t?

”

The outgoing executive editor of

Above the Law

, a legal website offering news, insights, and opinions on law firms, lawyers, law schools, and lawsuits, Mystal is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School and a former associate at Debevoise & Plimpton. He is a frequent guest on MSNBC and SiriusXM.

Ken Klippenstein’s reporting focuses on the machinations of the American national security state. Through aggressive use of the Freedom of Information Act and a robust network of government sources, he will provide readers with a warts-and-all look at how our government’s most secretive agencies, from the FBI to the Pentagon, operate. At

The Nation

, Klippenstein will also use his investigative know-how to document under-the-radar politics and policies enacted by the Trump administration.

Klippenstein was previously senior investigative reporter for

The Young Turks

, and a frequent contributor to the

Daily Beast

. His reporting has been referenced by

The New York Times

,

The Washington Post

,

and

The Atlantic

, and cited by Congress—including, in one instance, to grill FBI Director Wray.

Mystal and Klippenstein join a world class line-up of political writers and thinkers poised to deliver landmark coverage of the 2020 election, the Trump impeachment scandal, and the more lasting impacts of policy decision-making that go beyond the omnipresent distractions of this president’s administration and Twitter takes. They will be part of the growing and diverse chorus of

Nation

writers, columnists, and editors providing in-depth reporting and commentary for 2020 and beyond, unpacking and analyzing every twist and turn of political theater. These include national-affairs correspondents Jeet Heer, John Nichols, and Joan Walsh; long-time columnists Eric Alterman, Laila Lalami, and Katha Pollitt; and correspondents Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, Zoë Carpenter, Stephen F. Cohen, Bryce Covert, Ben Ehrenreich, Greg Grandin, Mark Hertsgaard, Jane McAlevey, Dani McClain, Dave Zirin, and more.

For interview requests or further information, please see contact information above.

ABOUT:

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.

New Jersey American Water Invests $725,000 in Runnemede Infrastructure

CAMDEN, CITY  N.J. – JAN. 14, 2020 –

New Jersey American Water

will replace approximately 4,800 feet of aging 6-, 8-, and 12-inch water  main in Runnemede beginning this week. The company will upgrade the aging water lines, installed in the 1950s, with new, 8- and 12-inch ductile iron main along the entire length of Lindsay Avenue, Washington Avenue, Haverford Avenue and Ardmore Road from Lindsay Avenue to Washington

Avenue. The project also includes replacing five fire hydrants and 99 utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route.

This $725,000 investment will continue to advance water service reliability and increase water flows for household consumption and fire protection in this community. This improvement is part of New Jersey American Water’s multimillion-dollar initiative to accelerate the

renewal of water infrastructure

that has reached the end of its useful life in more than 100 communities across the state.

New Jersey American Water’s local, qualified contractor, Pioneer Pipe Contractors Inc., will begin work on or about January 16 and expects to finish by the end March 2020, weather permitting. Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Work outside of these hours is not anticipated unless required to maintain project schedule. Final street restorations will be completed in the summer of 2020.

For the public’s and workers’ safety, traffic restrictions and/or alternating traffic patterns are likely to occur during work hours. All emergency vehicles and local traffic will be allowed access during construction. New Jersey American Water values the safety of its workers and advises drivers and pedestrians to take caution in the vicinity of work sites.

About New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.7 million people. For more information, visit

www.newjerseyamwater.com

and follow New Jersey American Water on

Twitter

and

Facebook

.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit

amwater.com

and follow American Water on

Twitter

,

Facebook

and

LinkedIn

.

DEP MODIFIES HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM GRANT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS,

EXTENDS DEADLINE TO PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO APPLICANTS

TRENTON – The Department of Environmental Protection has extended by 15 days the deadline for submission of applications for a $2.5 million grant program to fund projects to help reduce the occurrence of harmful algal blooms in the state.

The decision to extend the deadline for the harmful algal bloom management grant program to Jan. 27 follows a meeting last month with potential applicants who were looking for more financial flexibility and improved guidance in order to quickly implement projects to mitigate and/or control harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs.

As a result of this meeting, the DEP has published an updated notice that now allows in-kind services provided by applicants to be credited toward the program\’s matching-fund grant eligibility requirement, thus helping local governments that are working on finalizing operating budgets for this year. The DEP has also provided examples for clarity on what constitutes an eligible match, including short-term operation and maintenance of the demonstration project.

\”Reducing the impacts these blooms have on public health, the environment and our economy is of utmost importance to the state,\” Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe said. \”We fully understand the current budget planning needs of municipalities and counties that are interested in applying for grants and are committed to working closely with them to get these projects launched as soon as possible.\”

In November, Governor Murphy announced a comprehensive harmful algal bloom strategy that includes $13.5 million in funding for local projects that will improve water quality and help prevent, mitigate and manage harmful algal blooms in lakes and ponds.

This effort earmarks $10 million in Clean Water State Revolving Fund money as principal-forgiveness (grant-like) funding for projects that address HABs by improving water quality. The administration is also providing $3.5 million from two grant programs for projects addressing harmful algal blooms.

Specifically, the modifications apply to the $2.5 million harmful algal bloom management grant program, in which the state provides $2 in funding for every $1 invested by the applicant.

In-kind services directly related to the proposed project may now be used to count toward the local match for these projects, but applicants are advised that this may change in possible future grant opportunities and that they should begin budgetary planning accordingly.

Harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, are not true algal blooms. Rather, they are caused by naturally occurring cyanobacteria that can reproduce to unhealthful levels under certain conditions, including sunlight, nutrients from sources such as fertilizers and improperly operating septic systems, warm weather and stagnant water. They frequently form dense mats, resembling pea soup or spilled paint.

Exposure to blooms can result in a range of health effects, including rashes, allergy-like reactions, flu-like symptoms, gastroenteritis, respiratory irritation and eye irritation. Exposure to a bloom that is actively producing cyanotoxins may result in more serious health effects, including liver toxicity and neurological effects.

People, pets and wildlife are susceptible to adverse health effects if they come into contact with or ingest water that is experiencing a bloom. For more information on harmful algal blooms, visit

www.state.nj.us/dep/hab

In all, more than 70 suspected blooms were reported last year, with 39 confirmed. These blooms resulted in health and water-contact advisories, closures of bathing beaches and, in some cases, had direct impacts on tourism-related businesses.

NEW JERSEY SPORTSBOOKS’ HOT DECEMBER PUSHES 2019 HANDLE TO MORE THAN $4.5 BILLION

Sportsbooks, online casinos combine to generate nearly $800 million in revenue during booming 2019, according to

PlayNJ.com

(ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.) — New Jersey’s sportsbooks and online casinos performed in December in much the same way they spent the rest of 2019: With new records and more growth. With a strong closing month, which included a near-record monthly sports betting handle, retail and online sportsbooks combined with online casinos and poker to generate nearly $800 million in revenue in 2019, sending New Jersey into 2020 with plenty of momentum, according to PlayNJ analysts.

“Online sports betting and casino gambling should continue on or near its current growth trajectory in 2020,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for

PlayNJ.com

. “Online growth will continue to be a net win for New Jersey’s gaming industry.”

In December, New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks collected $557.8 million in bets, falling just short of the record $562.2 million handle set in November, according to official reporting released Tuesday. The December 2019 handle was up 74.7% from $319.2 million in December 2018.

Revenue from sportsbooks reached $29.4 million, down from $32.9 million in November and up 41.4% from $20.8 million won in December 2018. December’s revenue yielded $3.7 million in tax revenue for the state.

For 2019, New Jersey’s sportsbooks combined to generate:

$4.6 billion in bets. Of that $3.8 million, or 83.7%, was generated online.

Revenue of $299.4 million, including $244.5 million online.

State tax revenue of $36.5 million.

In a neck-and-neck race since summer 2019 to be the country’s largest legal sports betting jurisdiction, New Jersey will fall short of Nevada in annual handle. Nevada has generated $4.7 billion in bets through November.

“2019 could very well go down as the last year that New Jersey was eclipsed by Nevada,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for

PlayNJ.com

said. “From its proximity to the New York market to its pioneering online sports betting infrastructure, New Jersey’s positives as a sports betting market will continue to fuel its growth.”

In December, online betting generated $488.9 million, or 87.6% of the state’s handle, up from 86.5% in November.

FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet continues to lead the market, tallying $12.1 million in gross revenue, down from $12.2 million in November. Anchored by DraftKings and Fox Bet, Resorts Digital generated $9.3 million, up from $9.1 million. The online market leaders were followed by:

Monmouth/William Hill/Sugarhouse/TheScore ($1.9 million, even with November)

Ocean Casino/William Hill ($1.2 million, down from $2.1 million in November)

BetMGM/Borgata ($995,096, down from $1.3 million)

Golden Nugget/BetAmerica ($102,524, down from $163,863)

Caesars Sportsbook/888sport ($64,759, down from $455,553)

Tropicana/William Hill ($32,958, down from $71,706)

Hard Rock/Bet365/Unibet (-$294,442, down from $517,252)

FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands posted $2.4 million in November gross revenue, down from $2.7 million in November, to retain the retail market lead. FanDuel was followed in gross revenue by:

Borgata ($1.3 million, up from $734,240 in November)

Monmouth Park ($617,410, down from $664,468)

Bally’s AC ($108,437, down from $252,778)

Tropicana Casino ($71,460, down from $108,392)

Golden Nugget ($66,306, down from $163,863)

Hard Rock AC (-$51,182, down from $19,837)

Ocean Casino (-$68,035, down from $492,357)

Harrah’s AC (-$107,646, down from $22,565)

Resorts AC (-$406,493, down from $51,278)

“In addition to constant growth, one of the constants in New Jersey’s sports betting market has been FanDuel’s dominance,” Gouker said. “The brands under Resorts Digital have made it a relatively close second in the online market, but it has proven difficult to overcome FanDuel’s advantages, despite the brand recognition that comes from DraftKings and Fox Bet.”

DECEMBER PUSHES ONLINECASINOS TO NEARLY $500 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE

New Jersey’s online casino and poker industry nearly surpassed $50 million in monthly revenue for the first time in December, completing a year of incredible expansion. Online casino games and poker generated a record $49.3 million in December, up 70% from $29 million in December 2018.

Such growth is hardly an outlier. For the year, online casinos and poker generated a record $482.7 million, up 61.6% from $298.7 million in 2018. And online casinos set monthly revenue records eight times throughout the year.

“Online casino gambling has clearly become one of the biggest winners from online sports betting,” Ramsey said. “In a highly competitive market such as online casino gambling, the cross-selling of online gambling products has successfully kept customers playing.”

Some other important online casino and poker data from the December report:

Online casinos injected $7.4 million into state coffers in December and $72.5 million for the year.

The Golden Nugget, the unrivaled online market leader, took in $17.3 million, outpacing its land-based counterpart ($14.3 million) for the third consecutive month.

The industry generated a $1.6 million per day during the 31 days in December, up from $935,750 per day in December 2018.

Online casino games generated $47.6 million in December, even with November. Online poker posted $1.7 million, up from $1.5 million.

For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting and online gaming in New Jersey, visit

PlayNJ.com/news

.

About the

PlayUSA.com

Network:

The

PlayUSA.com

Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states,

PlayUSA.com

and its state-focused branches (including

PlayNJ.com

and

PlayPennsylvania.com

) produce daily original reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

Five Ways To Take Your Manufacturing Business To The Next Level

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 16, 2020)–There comes a time where every manufacturing business will be ready to reach the next level. Once you have found some stability and initial success, it is important to keep this positive momentum going so that you can continue to grow, develop and evolve.

It is easy for the competition to catch up when you stand still for too long in the business world, so an intelligent owner will always be aware of a few growth strategies that can be used to take the manufacturing company forward.

Here are a few effective strategies to consider if you are looking to reach new heights with your business.

1. Embrace New Technology

Technology has developed at a rapid rate in the last decade, and the manufacturing industry is one which has benefited greatly from this. This includes automation which can speed up the process, reduce errors and costs, while AI is a technology that is now also

being used heavily in this industry

.

2. Upgrade Equipment

Similarly, you are likely to find that there is new and better manufacturing equipment which could streamline the entire manufacturing process and make work much easier for staff. This might include finding high-quality

conveyors for sale

which can speed up the process, reduce errors and allow for a more efficient daily operation.

3. Add To Your Product Range

One of the smartest ways to take your manufacturing business to the next level is to add to your product range. This will help you to retain your existing customers as well as attract new ones, plus, it is also helpful for developing brand reputation and awareness.

The products that you add should keep your target customer in mind, and be complementary to your current range.

4. Hire The Right People

When first starting out, the recruitment process can often be rushed, but it will be hard to succeed if you do not have the right people in place. This is why you need to be intelligent with recruitment and take the time to find people that are skilled, experienced, and passionate about their work.

You then need to create a

positive working environment

and support staff so that you can retain your top performers and encourage people to work to the best of their ability each day.

5. Research The Competition

A smart business owner will always

keep a close eye on the competition

, so that they can learn from them and make informed business decisions. You should consider what your competitors are doing well, what mistakes they have made, and if there are any gaps in the market that you could fill. You must be careful not to copy intellectual property when learning from your competitors, but you should find that there will be something to learn from them.

If you want to take your manufacturing business to the next level, then these are the best strategies to do so.

Combining a few of these could have a huge impact on your success and help you to achieve your goals.