Trump\’s Religious Liberty Reforms

January 17, 2020

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on

public policy reforms issued by the Trump administration on January 16

The public policy reforms governing religious liberty issued by the Trump administration are compelling and much needed. President Trump has proven once again that he is the most religion-friendly president in the modern era.

The Trump administration has provided a much-needed corrective to the draconian directives promulgated by the previous administration: the role of religious liberty under President Obama was diminished to such an extent that it all but neutered the free exercise of religion in public policy programs. Trump has reversed this condition, awarding religious liberty the kind of breathing room it deserves, both morally and legally.

There are three areas of public policy affecting religious liberty that have been targeted for reform by the Trump administration: faith-based programs; higher education; and religious institutions.

While the directives that have been issued are tailored to each of these three sectors, there are two elements that are common to all of them: religious institutions will not be afforded a second-class status any longer and their autonomy will be protected.

The Trump administration wants to end the invidious practices of discriminating against religious institutions and associations that were instituted by the Obama administration. Any institution that does not treat religious institutions as the equal of secular institutions will be faced with the prospect of having federal funds terminated.

Religious autonomy is another feature of these reforms. For instance, the state cannot force religious associations to jettison their religious character as a condition of federal aid. Regrettably, this has been done, the effect of which has been to secularize these entities. What is the sense of having a religious institution if it cannot freely exercise its religious prerogatives?

In effect, the Trump administration is going to continue its efforts to put an end to the animus against religious institutions that characterized the Obama administration.

As is customary, the public is being given 30 days to comment on these proposals. I will submit a detailed account of the Catholic League\’s problems with the Obama administration in its handling of faith-based programs, and the need for the kinds of reforms as outlined in the new directives. We will make public our input.

CAPE MAY COUNTY: Route 47/S Delsea Drive to be closed and detoured for priority roadway repair beginning next week

Closure in place until June to repair sinkholes undermining the road

LOWER TOWNSHIP, NJ–(January 17, 2020)–New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced that Route 47/ S Delsea Drive will be closed and detoured beginning Monday for priority roadway repairs in Middle Township, Cape May County.

Beginning at 7 a.m., Monday, January 20, NJDOT’s contractor Mount Construction is scheduled to close and detour Route 47 in both directions between Indian Trail Road and Springers Mill Road for priority repairs to a culvert over Dias Creek resulting in sinkholes that are compromising the roadway. The project is anticipated to be completed by June 2020.

Local access will be maintained for residents and businesses. The following signed detour will be in place throughout the duration of the project:

Route 47 Northbound Detour:

 Motorists wishing to continue on Route 47 northbound will be instructed to turn right onto Indian Trail Road

 Turn left onto Route 9 north

 Turn left onto W. Hand Avenue

 Turn right back onto Route 47/S. Delsea Drive

Route 47 Southbound Detour:

 Motorists wishing to continue on Route 47 southbound will be instructed to turn left onto W. Hand Avenue

 Turn right onto Route 9 south

 Turn right onto Indian Trail Road

 Turn left onto Route 47/S. Delsea Drive

Variable Message Signs will provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated with the work. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.

Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT\’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info and on the NJDOT Facebook page.

Address/Location

Lower Township Police Department

405 Breakwater Rd

Cape May, NJ 08204

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 609-886-1619

NJ Democrat and Republican Legislative Leadership For The New Session

Senate Democratic Leadership:

(Additional Leadership to be announced)

Senator Stephen M. Sweeney (3), Senate President

Senator Loretta Weinberg (37), Senate Majority Leader

Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (29), Senate President Pro Tempore

Senate Republican Leadership:

Senator Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (21), Republican Leader

Senator Robert W. Singer (30), Deputy Minority Leader

Senator Kristin M. Corrado (40), Conference Leader

Senator Chris A. Brown (2), Deputy Conference Leader

Senator Steven V. Oroho (24), Budget Officer

Senator Joseph Pennacchio (26), Whip

Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (16), Deputy Whip

Assembly Democratic Leadership:

(Additional Leadership to be announced)

Assemblyman Craig J. Coughlin (19), Assembly Speaker

Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald (6), Majority Leader

Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson (37), Speaker Pro Tempore

Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (20), Majority Conference Chair

Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin (29), Assembly Budget Committee Chair

Assembly Republican Leadership:

Assemblyman Jon M. Bramnick (21), Republican Leader

Assemblywoman Nancy F. Munoz (21), Conference Leader

Assemblyman John DiMaio (23), Co-Conference Leader

Assemblyman Edward H. Thomson (30), Republican Whip

Assemblyman Harold J. “Hal” Wirths (24), Republican Budget Officer

Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer (12), Deputy Republican Leader

Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (26), Deputy Republican Leader

Assemblywoman Holly T. Schepisi (39), Deputy Republican Leader

Assemblyman Erik Peterson (23), Parliamentarian

Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso (13), Deputy Republican Whip

Assemblyman Jay Webber (26), Appropriations Officer

Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove (9), Policy Co-Chair

Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf (9), Policy Co-Chair

Rutgers‒Camden Scholar Aims to Prevent Harm to Agriculture

TO THE POINT

by Studying How Plants Cope With Stress

CAMDEN CITY NJ – Research led by

Rutgers University‒Camden

biology professor Xingyun Qi on salinity stress to crops could help other scientists and farmers uncover ways

to protect crops from destruction.

High salt conditions, one of the biggest threats to agriculture, impair crop development.

In Qi’s Rutgers–Camden research lab, she is studying how plants respond to environmental stress, such as drought, high salt, or extreme cold conditions, which could cause severe damage to crops.

“The sensitivity of crops to harsh climates and soil conditions is a major limitation for food production,” says Qi, an assistant professor, who recently joined

Rutgers‒Camden’s biology department

High salt conditions can kill plants and significantly impair crop yield on at least 20 percent of irrigated land worldwide, Qi explains.

Corn crops are particularly vulnerable to damage by high salt conditions. The effects of crop damage can have wide-ranging implications for access to food supplies.

As one of the most important food crops on the planet, corn has a variety of uses as a food source and as an additive to products such as ethanol in gasoline.

Damage caused by increased salinity in the soil of corn crops could affect humans as well as livestock around the world. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn is the most widely produced feed grain in the nation. Farmers feed corn to cattle, pigs, and chickens.

Qi says studies show that corn crop yields can decline by 50 percent under high salt conditions.

The popular vegetable is integral to the U.S. economy, so any damage to crops could have a bearing on the economy. In the 2018-19 crop marketing year, the United States exported more than $11 billion in corn to more than 70 countries.

In plant tissue, small pores known as stomata allow a plant to take in carbon dioxide, which is necessary for photosynthesis. The stomata, which look like tiny mouths, also help with transpiration, the exhalation of water vapor through the stomata. They also help to reduce water loss by closing when conditions are hot or dry.

While research has revealed the core molecular pathway of stomatal development and environmental factors including light and carbon dioxide to regulate stomatal formation, Qi is studying the regulation of salinity stress on stomatal development, an area that has not been explored extensively.

Understanding how plants withstand dangerous environmental conditions would minimize damage to crops and save farmers from losing crops and thousands of dollars in revenues.

“With my experience in plant biology, I hope my research can expand our knowledge a bit on plant tolerance mechanism, so that we can genetically engineer stress-tolerant plants.”

The Rutgers–Camden researcher is studying the model plant Arabidopsis, which has mild tolerance to environmental stresses. It is the organism of choice for a wide range of studies in plant sciences. The other plant Qi is studying is Thellungiella, which can tolerate high salt, drought, and cold conditions.

By comparing the effects of stresses on the two plants, Qi hopes to gain insight into the mechanism of plant stress tolerance.

Qi joins Rutgers‒Camden from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Washington, where she was a postdoctoral fellow studying the development of stomata.

In Qi’s lab at Rutgers‒Camden, she will expand on the plant biology work she has been doing for the past 10 years. “I can now pursue scientific questions using the unique combination of my knowledge and expertise, and make some contribution to our understanding of plant biology,” says Qi.

As an undergraduate student in China, Qi became interested in plant biology through her love of peonies, orchids, and lotus flowers. The structure, properties, and biochemical processes of growing flowers fascinated her.

Marie A. Sorrento (nee Tarducci), “TiTi” of Bellmawr

Marie A. Sorrento (nee Tarducci), “TiTi”, on January 10, 2020, of Bellmawr. Age 83.

Beloved wife of the late Joseph F. Sorrento. Devoted mother of Carol Roth (Willy), John Sorrento (Cindy), Joe Sorrento (Jill Hendricks), Roberta Sorrento-Schrauger (Kevin), Richard Sorrento (Marjorie), and the late Joanne Sorrento.

Loving grandmother of 10 and great grandmother of 15.

Dear sister of the late Angie, Rosie, Marion, Vincent, and James.

Funeral services under the direction of the Gardner Funeral Home, Runnemede, NJ

Alert Neighbor Contacts Police To Report Vehicle Burglars

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ–The Gloucester Township police report on January 15, 2020 at approximately 4:12 am, an alert neighbor noticed two suspicious males walking in the unit block of Marcia Ct. in the

Blackwood section of town. They contacted police who quickly responded and set up a perimeter. Shortly after, officers located two males walking on Morningstar Ct. and ordered them to stop. The males fled and one juvenile male was apprehended after a foot pursuit through several yards. The other male is believed to be an adult and remains at large. Several vehicle burglaries were found and the juvenile male was charged with each, processed and released to a parent. The investigation is continuing and detectives are using our new Camera Registry to help identify residences with surveillance video. Several videos are being viewed which may have already revealed possible video evidence to help detectives ID the second male. The investigation is continuing.

Residents are reminded to always lock their vehicles and refrain from leaving valuables in the open. Most of the vehicle burglaries reported to Gloucester Township Police are of unlocked vehicles.

If anyone has additional information or knowledge of these burglaries, please contact the Gloucester Township Police Department at 856-228-4500 or call GTPD Anonymous Crime Tip Line: 856-842-5560.

To send an Anonymous Tip Via Text Message to Gloucester Township Police, text the keyword TIP GLOTWPPD and your tip message to 888777.

You may also click here to access our Anonymous Web Tip page: https:local.nixle.com/tip/alert/5170177

Pemberton Man Charged with Sexual Assault of Two Minors

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Pemberton Township Police Chief David H. Jantas announced that a 54-year-old man was arrested today on charges of sexually assaulting two young girls at his residence in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township.

Carlos Aponte, of the first block of Homestead Drive, was charged with two counts of Sexual Assault (Second Degree) and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Second Degree).

Aponte was taken into custody this morning at the Prosecutor’s Office in Mount Holly and lodged in the Burlington County Jail pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.

The investigation revealed that Aponte was acquainted with the victims. In an effort to protect their identities, no further information about the assaults will be released.

Aponte will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Eife, supervisor of the BCPO Major Crimes Unit – Special Victims Section. The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department. The lead investigators are BCPO Lt. Daniel Leon and Pemberton Township Police Detective Joshua Danka.

All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Stop & Shop Donates $31,000 to The Community FoodBank of New Jersey

Area Food Banks to Commemorate 311 First Downs Recorded By New York Giants During the 2019 Season

Purchase, NY (January 9, 2020) – Stop & Shop, the official supermarket of the New York Giants, is proud to announce a $31,100 donation to The Community FoodBank of New Jersey and seven other food banks across the tri-state area. A contribution that reflects their pre-season commitment to donate$100 for each first down recorded by the Giants during the 2019 season. The Giants final season total was 311 first downs.

The $31,100 will be divided among 8 of Stop & Shop’s regional food bank partners – The Community FoodBank of NJ, Fulfill, The Food Bank for New York City, Feeding Westchester, Long Island Cares, Island Harvest, and The Connecticut Food Bank. The food banks will use the donation to fight hunger in their local communities – supporting nutrition programs and providing resources to those in need.

“Stop & Shop has a longstanding history of giving back to the communities we serve with a focus on fighting hunger,” said Bob Yager, SVP of Sales and Operations for Stop & Shop. “This donation underscores Stop & Shop and the Giants’ mutual commitment to assisting food banks in New Jersey, New York City, Westchester, Connecticut and on Long Island.”

The first down donation is just one of the ways the Giants and Stop & Shop have worked together to fight hunger. Earlier this year, and every season, Stop & Shop sponsors the Giants’ annual food drive at MetLife Stadium, as well as donates thousands of turkeys alongside the Giants as part of the supermarket’s annual Turkey Express Program.

About Stop & Shop

A neighborhood grocer for more than 100 years, today’s Stop & Shop is refreshed, reenergized and inspired, delivering new conveniences for customers. Committed to helping its communities enjoy better food and better lives, Stop & Shop has a longstanding history of giving back to the neighborhoods it serves with a focus on fighting hunger and helping children to enjoy healthy, active lifestyles. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is an Ahold Delhaize USA Company and employs nearly 60,000 associates and operates over 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.

About the New York Football Giants

A cornerstone franchise of the National Football League, the New York Football Giants began play in 1925. With eight championships, including a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, their second in five seasons, the Giants are the only franchise in the NFL with a Super Bowl victory in each of the last four decades. Headquartered at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J., the Giants enter their 96th season of play this fall. For more information, visit

www.giants.com.

Dept. of Justice News: Casino Cheaters Caught

Dealer and Player Conspired to Cheat two Maryland Casinos out of More Than $1 Million

After just a few hours of playing baccarat at a Maryland casino in September 2017, Chenguang Ni headed home to New York with more than $850,000 in winnings.

The odds of winning any given hand of baccarat stand at just under 50 percent. But Ni and his tablemates won an astounding 18 of 21 hands—including one run of 14 straight wins.

The next day, the casino called the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. Ni had cheated, they believed, and one of their dealers had likely helped him. But the dealer they suspected, Ming Zhang, denied any involvement when questioned by the casino.

“The casino knew there had been cheating,” said FBI Special Agent Jason Bender of his investigation of the case. “What wasn’t known was exactly how the player did it.”

Baccarat games are played with eight decks of cards. The dealer—called the banker—typically spreads the cards on the table to show the players that they are standard decks, shuffles them, and then places them into a holding container for play.

The banker then deals two cards to the player position and two cards to the bank position. A player bets on whose hand will come closest to nine—the player or the banker—or if they will tie. There is only a single player hand no matter how many players are at the table, and extra cards are dealt out only under certain prescribed circumstances.

A player who knew the order of the cards in the deck could predict the outcome of each game with absolute accuracy. The casino concluded that Ni must have known the order of the cards.

“The casino knew there had been cheating. What wasn’t known was exactly how the player did it.”

Jason Bender, special agent, FBI Baltimore

By reviewing the casino’s surveillance footage and conducting interviews, FBI agents confirmed that Ni had convinced the other gamblers at the table to follow his lead that night. These unwitting accomplices were given money by Ni and told to bet along with him and then hand over their winnings at the end of the game.

Soon after, the casino dealer confessed to his role in the scheme. Zhang, who worked at two Maryland casinos, admitted he met with Ni over the summer of 2017. The two men agreed that Zhang would alert Ni of his upcoming shifts as a dealer at the casinos. He further agreed to not shuffle a section of cards in the baccarat deck after they had been fanned in front of players.

Ni found a way to use his phone to take images of the cards as they were fanned out. “Then he and the other gamblers he recruited would sit there for a while, playing smaller bets just to move the cards along and keep their seats,” Bender explained. During this time, Ni excused himself from the table on several occasion to go to the bathroom to review the images of the deck.

Bender said that Ni didn’t have to memorize each card in the unshuffled section of the deck but only needed to recognize the sequence of cards that would signal the unshuffled cards had come up. “Then he just needed to remember the either/or sequence of the bets—as in player, banker, player, player,” Bender said.

Investigators learned the pair had also carried out a similar plan at another casino where Zhang previously worked, and the take from that casino was nearly $200,000.

By the time agents came to Ni, their evidence was strong. Ni pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen funds and was sentenced to 13 months in prison. Because Ni is not a legal resident of the United States, his case will be referred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he has served his sentence.

The dealer, Zhang, was fired from the casino and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison in December 2019. He was also given three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution equal to the full amount of the illicit winnings.

In total, investigators found the pair cheated the casinos of $1,046,560.

Bender explained that although these casinos are big business, a portion of the casino’s profits go into the Maryland education trust fund. “Part of that revenue belongs to the state of Maryland, and part of the theft affects state education funding,” he said.

He also warned would-be cheaters: “You should assume you will be caught.” Bender said that the casinos usually detect cheating while the player is still at the table. “But even if you walk out, the evidence of the crime is going to be captured.”

In other words, the odds are overwhelmingly against you.

Resources

Former Casino Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Participating in a Cheating Scheme

State Assemblywoman Joann Downey Endorses Stephanie Schmid for Congress in New Jersey’s 4th District

Joann Downey, who has served as State Assemblywoman for LD-11 since 2016 and is the top ranking female Democratic official in Monmouth County, announced today that she is endorsing Stephanie Schmid to be the 2020 Democratic nominee for Congress in New Jersey’s 4th District.

Joann Downey

“Stephanie has the background and expertise as a retired Foreign Service Officer, US Diplomat and human rights attorney to finally flip this seat and represent our district,” said Assemblywoman Downey. “For years we’ve watched Chris Smith attack women’s healthcare in our name, and that needs to end now. I had the pleasure of getting to know Stephanie personally as she volunteered and worked hard for not only my race but so many of our local races. I look forward to having a partner at the federal level to work for our community and what truly matters to our constituents.”

“Assemblywoman Downey is someone I respect and admire for her incredible dedication to our community. She is a woman who has won tough elections and I look forward to her mentorship and full support in taking Chris Smith head on,” said Schmid. “I have spent my career, not in service to a political party, but in service to those who have not had the voice they deserve in our democracy. I am thrilled for the opportunity, as the first woman ever to represent this district, to finally fix our broken healthcare system, address the excessive tax burden on middle class families in New Jersey, and be a transparent, present representative that our community can be proud of.”