*Enjoy Ice Skating at Cooper River until Feb. 17

PENNSAUKEN, NJ–Cooper River Park has once again transformed into a winter wonderland with tasty treats, and family fun! WinterFest Ice Skating at Cooper River now open until

February 17, 2020

. WinterFest Ice Skating at Cooper River is presented by the Camden County Board of Freeholder.

New this year!

WinterFest will include more family fun with arcade games in the heated tent and outdoor games for families to enjoy when they are off the ice.

Click here for a listing of all WinterFest events

. Check back often, as events are added each week!

Hours

For closures due to inclement weather, please visit Facebook.

Monday – Wednesday: Closed

Thursday: 5 PM to 9 PM

Friday: 5 PM to 10 PM

Saturday: 12 PM to 10 PM

Sunday: 12 PM to 9 PM

SPECIAL HOLIDAY HOURS:

MLK Day / Monday 1/20: 12 PM-9 PM

Valentine’s Day / Friday 2/14: Regular hours

Last Day / Monday 2/17: 12 PM – 9 PM

Prices

Skate Rental (all ages): $4

Rink Admission

Adults: $7

Children 5-12: $6

Children 4 & under: Free

Seniors: $4

Veterans: $4

Skate Buddy (skating assistance device): Free

Skate Sharpening: $5 per pair

GROUP SKATE:

15-50 Guests: Adults $10 / Child $8

51 – 99 Guests: Adults $9 / Child $7

100+ Guests: Adults $8 / Child $6

*Minimum 15 Guest for Discount

*Price includes Admission & Rental

Location!

WinterFest is located in Cooper River Park on the corner of Cuthbert Blvd and Park Drive (behind Crown Plaza), in Cherry Hill

Party Package

WinterFest is the perfect place to hold a fun and unique birthday party! The birthday package is $250 and includes:

Skate admission and skate rental for up to 15 participants

Choice of hot dog, pizza slice, or burger with chips and a drink for each participant

1 free return admission for the birthday person

Setup and cleanup • Additional participants are $10 each

Parking

Free parking is available in parking lots on either side of the ice rink and on North Park Drive.

Skating Lessons

Winter Fest will hold Skating Lessons for people of all ages and skill level. Lessons are taught by our Professional Skating Instructor, Jacqueline Barr. Our Skating Sessions & Fees include: 30 Minute Lesson with our Instructor, Followed by 30 Minutes of Practice and Skate Rental for a total of 1 hour on the Ice each week. Classes are held on Sunday from 9 -10 AM.

Space is Limited. No Refunds. No Makeups.

A waiver will be required to fill out and sign on the first day of class. Payment must be made in full on the first day of class to ensure your spot.

Attire: Warm Winter Clothes in Layers. Please dress appropriately for the weather. Coats, Hats, Gloves, Scarves, and Long Socks are encouraged. Layers are a great way to stay warm as well as Ski or Snow Pants.

**Private Lessons are also available upon request. Please contact our Skating Professional, Jacqueline Barr for more details.

For More Information Please Contact our Skating Professional directly at

Jacqueline_Barr@comcast.net.

Pleasantville Man Pleads Guilty to Shooting 15-Year-Old Naimah Bell

MAYS LANDING- An 18 year-old Pleasantville man pleaded guilty on Thursday in the fatal July shooting of Naimah Bell, 15, also of Pleasantville, First Assistant Prosecutor Cary Shill announced.

Nahquil Lovest pleaded guilty to a charge of first degree Aggravated Manslaughter and must serve 10 years in New Jersey state prison subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA), which mandates that the defendant must serve 85% of the sentence.

“The reality is that there is no amount of time the defendant can serve that will bring Na’imah back to life. The defendant’s reckless handling of a firearm robbed Na’imah and her family of all of her potential. Now, two lives have been lost, which leaves us all wondering about who they could have developed into,” said Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner.

In October, Lovest was indicted on the following charges: Aggravated Manslaughter, second degree unlawful Possession of a Weapon, second degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, fourth degree Aggravated Assault Pointing a Weapon, in the fatal shooting of 15 year-old Naimah Bell of Pleasantville.

Lovest was arrested on Friday, July 26, 2019, in connection to the murder of Bell was shot and killed inside the address 102 S. Massachusetts Ave., Atlantic City, shortly after 4:00 a.m., on July 25, 2019. An initial autopsy was conducted and determined that the pending cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head and the pending manner of death as a homicide.

The arrest was the result of a cooperative investigation between the Atlantic City Police Department, Pleasantville Police Department and Atlantic County Major Crimes Unit.

Lovest was arrested without incident by members of the Atlantic City Police Department Violent Crime Unit and Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, with the assistance of the Atlantic County SWAT team. He is lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility, awaiting sentencing. Assistant Prosecutor Laura Heisman represents the state in this matter.

Gustafson Thrilled To Learn Pelosi Is Coming To Support Norcross

Pelosi visit is a near perfect illustration of the difference between Norcross and Gustafson

COLLINGSWOOD – Claire Gustafson, Republican candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s first congressional district, said she was “thrilled” to learn Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is coming to Camden County to support Congressman Donald Norcross next month.

“Nancy Pelosi coming to Camden County to support Donald Norcross is a near perfect illustration of the differences I have with Congressman Norcross,” Claire Gustafson said. “Pelosi and Norcross support sanctuary states, abortion on demand, a sham impeachment and continually attack the Second Amendment. In Congress I’ll say no to sanctuary states, no to abortion as a form of birth control, no to this impeachment nonsense and no to the assault on our Second Amendment.”

“I found it almost laughable that in

one report

it was said that, ‘Congressman Norcross is a key member of Speaker Pelosi’s leadership team and is widely recognized for his leadership on job creation.’” Gustafson added, “It was Norcross who, in February 2014 when he first ran for Congress,

proudly proclaimed

he ‘led the charge on getting the Economic Opportunity Act passed into law’ and promised it was ‘a game-changing law that will help create thousands of jobs in our region.’”

Gustafson asked, “If Congressman Norcross is such a leader on job creation where are the thousands of jobs he promised nearly six years ago?”

“Perhaps Pelosi or Norcross will explain why he now downplays his role in getting the Economic Opportunity Act passed.” Gustafson said, “I’ll be looking forward to the Congresswoman’s visit and hope we finally learn where the thousands of jobs Mr. Norcross promised are.”

How To Make Your Business Look More Professional

Gloucestercitynews.net(January 28, 2020)–Running a business is not an easy task, and it is down to every business owner to make choices that are going to benefit the company in the long term. Some of these choices will be about how to make the business look more professional to the outside world – to customers, suppliers, and investors – in order to make more sales and increase profits.

It can be hard to determine just what is going to help do this, especially when you are working in the business and are close to what is happening. Ideally, you will want to take a step back and reassess what you are doing to ensure that your business is as professional as possible. Here are some ways to achieve this.

A Good Website

When a potential customer comes across a new company and thinks about buying from it, the first thing they are going to do is check its website.

It is expected that all businesses would have a website

(if there are no results when a name is searched, it will look highly suspicious), but that website also needs to look professional in order to win business.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

There are no excuses for a poor looking website; there are many web designers who will be able to help you decide what you are looking for and create something that works perfectly for your business. Even if you choose to do the job yourself, intuitive programs such as

WordPress

mean that you don’t have to understand coding to have a great looking and user-friendly website. This is essential if you want to look professional.

Your Premises

Some people choose to

work from home

, but others would prefer not to, or they don’t have a choice; if they own and operate a customer-facing business, then working from home is not going to work for them. If this is the case and you need premises to sell items from or to meet customers in, then you need to ensure it looks good and is well maintained. A shoddy-looking building is not going to inspire confidence in any potential customer, and an investor might not want to give you any money either if you can’t look after your office or warehouse space properly.

Installing a brand new building in place of an old one, such as

a steel building from Armstrong Steel

, will help you to look more professional. Everything will look clean and well maintained, and you will be able to specify exactly what you want, ensuring that your employees are comfortable too. This will give a great first impression to anyone who visits your business.

Have Business Cards

Ordering business cards

may seem like an unnecessary expense, especially when you are just starting out, but they can show your business in a much more professional light.

Networking

is an essential part of business, and if you don’t have business cards to hand out, what will you do when you are meeting new people who might be able to help you? You will either miss the opportunity or write your details on a scrap of paper – both ideas are unprofessional, and a business card would solve these problems.

Brigid Harrison, Candidate for Congress, Calls for Van Drew\’s Resignation

[January 27, 2020 – Longport, New Jersey] – As first reported in the

New York Times

on Sunday, an unpublished manuscript by former National Security Adviser John R. Bolton confirmed that President Trump directly told Bolton in August that Trump planned to freeze $391 million in security assistance to the country of Ukraine until officials helped with investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens.

The following is a statement from Brigid Callahan Harrison, Democratic candidate for New Jersey\’s 2nd Congressional District:

\”I began this campaign to challenge Jeff Van Drew for one reason – because he put his self-interest ahead of the people of the 2nd Congressional District. This issue has now become far deeper and more serious than the self interest of a career politician.

\”Van Drew chose to violate the trust of those who voted for him, including me. He ignored the voices of New Jersey\’s second congressional district, the progressives, moderates, and independents who united to get him elected. He then accepted a backroom Trump handshake that has already brought him hundreds of thousands of dollars of support.

\”But with the recent revelations by John Bolton, it is now clear that this issue is far more severe.

\”Van Drew chose to obstruct Congress\’s rightful authority to investigate very serious allegations and assisted in withholding crucial information related to the 2020 election, and with Mr. Bolton\’s account, there is now a clear smoking gun.

\”These actions are no longer just disgraceful or disrespectful or based on self-interest, they have now evolved to the point that Van Drew clearly helped conspire to help Trump get away with a crime.

\”I was the first to publicly suggest that Van Drew deserved a primary challenge for his actions, and now it is clear, with this breaking and developing information, it is time for him to step aside and resign.

\”Oligarchies are created when citizens are denied access to information – the very tactic that Van Drew sought to use to enable President Trump to use the federal government to influence the outcome of the 2020 election. Van Drew has not only been a pawn to Donald Trump but is now a clear co-conspirator to a crime and can no longer serve our community effectively.”

Open House at Camden County Technical Schools

All are welcome to attend Open House at Camden County Technical Schools (CCTS) on Wednesday,

February 5th

from

6 PM to 9 PM

. Inclement weather date is February 6th. The two high schools that comprise CCTS provide career training programs, academic

courses, and extracurricular activities to students in grades nine through twelve. Parents and their seventh, eighth, and ninth grade children are invited to attend an informational meeting at

7 PM

at either campus to learn more about CCTS as a high school option. Participants are asked to arrive by

6:30 PM

to register. To learn more, visit our website at

ccts.org

, call the Admissions Office at 856-767-7000, Ext. 5424, or email

admissions@ccts.net

H1 – Is PayPal cracking down on online casino players?

Gloucestercitynews.net (January 28, 2020)–PayPal has been a cornerstone payment method for online casino players for many years now. From its beginnings, in the early 2000s, this service has processed billions of online transactions. Of these, using the

PayPal payment method for online casinos

deposits and withdrawals account for a fair chunk.

source unsplash.com

But now as we enter a new decade it seems that PayPal is following the recent trends of other payments providers with a tightening of its rules and regulations.

What could be the possible effects of this for online casino players and what will the future shape up to be? We’ll attempt to answer these questions and more below.

H2 – German online casino payment crackdown

The early warning signs that PayPal was about to make a move towards more stringent regulations for casino players started to show in 2019. Around halfway through the year PayPal announced plans to stop supporting payments to and from online casinos in Germany from October 21, 2019.

This came after a warning was issued in June 2019 by the Lower Saxony state in Germany to an unnamed international payment processor. The warning was concerned with the payment provider being used to fund illegal online casino transactions in that region.

PayPal’s terms of service in Germany were quickly updated following the warning to say that they would not process payments for “offers that are not legal in your respective whereabouts, including some online gambling offers.”

This move reflects a wider game change regarding casino licencing in Germany. At the current moment, only the state of Schleswig-Holstein is able to offer legal gambling licences but all this is set to change.

Countrywide gambling licences will be issued in early 2020 but only on very strictly limited terms for sports betting. Given this, the future of the online casino industry in Germany looks very uncertain indeed.

H2 – Will there be a worldwide PayPal casino crackdown?

The above case from Germany is for a very specific region and payment provider but it does highlight a wider trend. For many years online casinos have been viewed by some as being the ‘wild west’ of the internet. The wider industry is making drastic moves to smarten up their image and operations which in turn affects payment providers.

Now that states, governments and even trading blocks seek to enforce ever tighter rules and regulations for the gambling industry, all involved must be seen to comply. In the case of PayPal, their actions in Germany show us that they are willing and able to play by the rules when they need to.

As a business with a reputation to maintain across continents, PayPal cannot afford to be seen to be connected with any illegal activities or wrongdoing. If doing so means pulling out of one of Europe’s big casino markets then it looks as though they will do it without fear.

H2 – How does this affect casino players?

From the point of view of casino players, it means that they might have less choice of which payment provider to use in the future. Millions of casino fans around the world rely on PayPal to process their withdrawals and deposits. Not having their service as a payments option at any casino would be a major blow.

That said, let’s not forget that tighter rules and regulations should be working in favour of online casino players. If it forces PayPal and other payments providers to up their game then it is a good thing. In turn, this creates a safer and more secure playing environment which can be seen as a positive.

Democrats Holding Event in Cape May to Counter Trump Rally in Wildwood

\”This Will Be Our Moment to Show Trump and Van Drew that Democrats Stand Together and are Unified Against

Hate, Corruption, and the Status Quo.\”…

– Brigid Callahan Harrison, Democratic candidate for Congress

[January 27, 2020 – Longport, New Jersey] — Brigid Callahan Harrison, Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey\’s second congressional district, will join together on Tuesday, January 28, with Democratic leaders, more than three dozen grassroots organizations from throughout the region, and her fellow Democratic

candidates running for Congress at the Cape May County Indivisible\’s peaceful protest rally, which will run counter to the Trump and Van Drew political rally scheduled for later in the evening.

\”Based on all we have seen these last few weeks from Donald Trump and his pawn Jeff Van Drew, I think it\’s fair to say that South Jersey is pumped to share their voice,\” stated Harrison. \”I commend the organizers of Cape May County Indivisible for organizing this event, asking each Democratic candidate to attend, and bringing our many great communities together. While the 2nd district brings many different voices to the political landscape, one thing we have shown time and time again is our ability to work together, unify, and fight for what is right. Trump rallies have come to symbolize blame, hate, racism, misogyny and divisiveness and I bet we will see much of the same show during his visit to South Jersey. Thanks to

Cape May

County Indivisible, there will be another story to tell

on Tuesday night – one

of unity and solidarity. South Jersey\’s unity against Trump, Van Drew, and all they have come to stand for.

Trump\’s visit to the area comes on the heels of Harrison\’s call on Monday for Van Drew to resign from Congress, After news broke that President Trump had directly told his National Security Advisor John Bolton of his plans to freeze millions in security assistance to the country of Ukraine until officials helped with investigations against the Biden, Harrison stated, \”It is clear this issue has now evolved to the point that Van Drew helped conspire to help Trump get away with a crime. I was the first to publicly suggest that Van Drew deserved a primary challenge for his actions back in November, and now it is clear, with this breaking and developing information, it is time for him to step aside and resign.\”

WHAT: CAPE MAY COUNTY INDIVISIBLE\’S

PEACEFUL PROTEST RALLY

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28TH

3 PM TO 9 PM

WHERE: BENNETT AVENUE AND THE BOARDWALK

CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY

Brandywine Zoo Madagascar exhibit will house endangered lemurs, tortoises

WILMINGTON (Jan. 27, 2019) – The DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation Brandywine Zoo broke ground last week on its Madagascar Exhibit, an outdoor space that will soon be home to several new animals. The newcomers will include the Radiated Tortoise, and three species of lemurs: the Black and White Ruffed, Ring-Tailed and Crowned.

The Madagascar Exhibit is part of the Brandywine Zoo’s recently approved Master Plan and will be the largest capital improvement in the zoo’s history. The Master Plan focuses on improved animal welfare and guest experiences, species of conservation concern, and the inclusion of more mixed-species exhibits.

“The Madagascar exhibit and other planned upgrades will bring our guests close to rare animals and provide crucial lessons about how humans can lessen their impact on species extinction,\” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. \”This exhibit will increase the sustainability of the zoo and the endangered species we care for.\”

The zoo will be closed to the public throughout the winter months during the initial stages of construction.

At nearly 4,000 square feet, the Madagascar Exhibit will be one of the zoo’s largest display habitats. It will include interactive features and information about conservation concerns in Madagascar. The project will take approximately six months to complete; some areas of the zoo will be closed during construction. The Madagascar Exhibit cost approximately $3.5 million, funded through multiple State, Federal and private sources.

Brandywine Zoo Director Brint Spencer said combining three species of lemurs and the Radiated Tortoise into one exhibit will create a more active space.

“Having multiple animals sharing a habitat provide natural social enrichment for the animals as they interact with each other and make the exhibits more interesting for the visitors as they watch these interactions,” he said.

Delaware Zoological Society Executive Director Michael T. Allen said they are excited to see these animals join the Brandywine Zoo. All four species of animals are part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plans, which “are designed to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and demographically stable population for the long-term future,” according to

aza.org

“Ninety-four percent of lemur species are endangered or critically endangered,” he said. “It is wonderful to see the Brandywine Zoo participate in these Species Survival Plans to help maintain an insurance population for generations to come.”

As part of the Crowned lemur survival plan, a male and a female will be paired for breeding at the zoo; just 30 of the species exist in the Americas, 18 males and 12 females. Brandywine Zoo will become the 12th location on the entire North American continent where Crowned lemurs can be viewed by the public.

Zoo Re-imagined Capital Campaign

To help support the new exhibit with additional habitat and facility updates, the Delaware Zoological Society just launched a three-year, $5 million Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign alongside the Madagascar Habitat construction.

The Zoological Society capital campaign will help fund an entryway, updated exhibits, and a wetlands exhibit. Most of the new habitats, buildings, and viewing areas are available for sponsorship.

For more information about or to donate to the Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign, visit

brandywinezoo.org/reimagined

, email

reimagined@brandywinezoo.org

, or call 302-571-7788, extension 206.

For general information about the Brandywine Zoo, visit

Home

or call 302-571-7747.

NJPP: Public Charge Rule is a Discriminatory Income Test

Earlier today the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule change to take effect. The new rule makes it more difficult for immigrant families to obtain legal permanent residence if they have used, or are deemed likely to use, public health benefits. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, NJPP releases the following statement:

Erika Nava, Policy Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective:

“The Supreme Court decision is a devastating blow to working-class immigrant families in search of the American Dream. The new rule imposes a discriminatory income test to the immigration system and will force many immigrants to choose between having their basic needs met and being separated from their family. Penalizing families who qualify for public assistance runs counter to this nation’s values and must be stopped. In the meantime, immigrant families should not be fearful, but educated on the new public charge rule so they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families as they navigate the immigration process.”

For more info on the “public charge” rule change, read NJPP’s Public Charge FAQ from December 2019: