Altman sells out Cory Booker Says James Beach & Barbara Holcomb

Last week, instead of standing with New Jersey\’s progressive champion Cory Booker, paid political protester and lifelong Republican Sue Altman decided to stand with his opponent.

Cory has been a persistent advocate for South Jersey and true progressive in the Senate on issues such as civil rights, social justice, and environmental protection. When Donald Trump abused his power as President, Cory stood up to Senate Republicans and fought for a fair impeachment trial. We are proud to support Cory Booker for another term in the Senate and disappointed that Altman once again put her personal political calculations ahead of reelecting one of the most progressive leaders in New Jersey. Although we find Altman\’s stance disconcerting, it is unsurprising considering she failed to vote for Cory Booker in 2013 as he became our first African American United State Senator from New Jersey. In fact, Altman failed to vote in the Primary Elections for Democrat candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Barbara Buono, Jon Corzine, and Jim McGreevey because she had been a lifelong registered Republican.

Sincerely,

James Beach & Barbara Holcomb

Gloucester County Republicans Announce Endorsements

Vigilante predicts electoral success in 2020

MULLICA HILL – Gloucester County Republican Chairwoman Jacci Vigilante announced today the organization has endorsed Rik Mehta for U.S. Senate, Congressman Jeff Van Drew in the Second Congressional District and Claire Gustafson in the First Congressional District.

“In the US Senate race, after a thorough screening process through a Screening Committee, whose recommendations were made to the Executive Committee, Rik Mehta was awarded the Party line,” Jacci Vigilante said. “The thoroughness of our screening process ensured the Executive Committee that Rik Mehta is a conservative Republican with a keen grasp of the issues who is ready to take the fight to Cory Booker.”

Vigilante continued, “Also earning the party’s endorsement for the Second Congressional District is incumbent Congressman Jeff Van Drew. The Congressman is an excellent addition to our GOP family who cares deeply for our country and is a tireless advocate for South Jersey. Gloucester County GOP is proud to join President Trump in endorsing Congressman Van Drew.

“In the First Congressional District Claire Gustafson has earned the party’s endorsement. Claire has a history of stepping up for the Camden County GOP, is a former member of the School Board in Collingswood, is the Collingswood Republican chair and most recently resurrected Camden County’s Republican women organization. She’s got the experience and the ability to build the organization necessary to mount a competitive campaign against Donald Norcross.”

Vigilante added, “Both, Congressman Van Drew and Claire Gustafson care about our county and respect our process, so much so that while no other candidates for Congress in either district asked to be screened they both appeared before the Screening Committee because they wanted to earn our endorsement and not simply be given the line.”

“President Trump won Gloucester County in 2016 and Bob Hugin won Gloucester County in 2018, I believe in 2020 these candidates, along with our team of Freeholder candidates, Greenwich Township Mayor George Shivery, entrepreneur Chris Konawel and Franklin Township School Board member Nick DeSilvio will keep voters in the column all the way down to the municipal level and Gloucester County Republicans will enjoy electoral success in 2020,” Vigilante said.

NEW 2020 DEMOCRATS FEATURED IN COMIC BOOK SERIES

TidalWave Comics is proud to announce the addition of several comic books to its popular “Political Power” series focused on the Democratic Party candidates vying to replace President Trump.

With the 2020 U.S. presidential election in full swing, TidalWave’s latest slate features Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren.

TidalWave has profiled politicians for more than 11 years using the unique storytelling properties of comic books. In 2016, the company published books featuring Republican presidential candidates, including Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and, of course, Donald Trump.

“In 2016, we focused heavily on Republicans. This time, we are heavy on the Democrats,” TidalWave Comics Publisher Darren Davis said.

Davis’ balanced approach appealed to writer Michael Frizell, an administrator at Missouri State University who wrote several of the biography comics during the last election cycle. “My goal is always to tell a good story,” Frizell said.

The biography comic format allows TidalWave writers to delve into the history of newsworthy figures and explore what shaped them. Several media outlets, including CNN, FOX News, “The Today Show” and Time and People magazines, have featured the company’s line of biographical comic books.

“As a reluctant reader, I found the comic book form easy to access, so I always believed comics could both entertain and teach,” Davis said.

The comic books give readers insights into the candidates’ personal stories, plus they make great political memorabilia.

Print copies of the biography comics are available on Amazon. Digital versions are available from iTunes, Kindle, Nook, ComiXology, Kobo and wherever e-books are sold.

Political Power: Joe Biden

Written by Wey-Yuih Loh

Art by Jonathan Rector

Joe Biden was once America’s youngest member of Congress. As Barack Obama’s running mate and eventual vice president, Biden gradually carved a place for himself in American history. Like all long-serving politicians, his road to the presidency has not been easy. This biography comic traces Biden’s life in an easily accessible story that gives the reader insight into Biden’s character.

Political Power: Peter Buttigieg

Release date: April 2020

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Art by Juan José Pereyra

Cover by famed comic book artist: Dave Ryan

Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg, a veteran of the Afghanistan War, is the son of professors at Notre Dame who instilled in him a desire to learn. After graduating from Harvard and studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, Pete became the nation’s youngest mayor. His tenure at the helm of South Bend, Indiana, has met with some controversy, but Mayor Pete, the first openly gay candidate for U.S. president, has grown to be a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Political Power: Bernie Sanders

Written and art by Joe Paradise

The longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history, the often-fiery senator from Vermont enjoyed a grassroots-level groundswell of support that brought him within striking distance of the nomination for president in 2016. Bernie is back, consistently polling high with Democrats and Independents and ready to take on the establishment in 2020.

Political Power: Mike Bloomberg

Release date: May 2020

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Cover by famed comic book artist: Dave Ryan

Mike Bloomberg, the once Republican mayor of New York City, is now a Democrat and ready to take on President Trump in the 2020 election. The billionaire is self-funding his race for the nomination and has traded barbs with the president in some very public feuds. Read the story of a self-made billionaire who wants to lead the United States of America.

Female Force: Elizabeth Warren

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Art by Pablo Martinena & Vincenzo Sansone

Senator Elizabeth Warren is a favorite target of President Trump. Undaunted, Warren has carved a name for herself as a rising star in the Democratic Party and a presidential candidate who fights big banks and large corporations to support the middle class. From her modest roots in rural Oklahoma to her exalted role as a senator from Massachusetts, Warren’s story comes to life in this issue of Female Force.

The latest books featuring 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates join TidalWave’s ever-growing library of more than 200 comic book biographies. Previous titles have profiled Donald Trump, Condoleezza Rice, George Bush, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, among others.

Please feel free to use the images and credit TidalWave Productions. To download some PDF’s and covers click here:

http://bit.ly/38UiSZG

Review copies in PDF form and interview opportunities are available upon request.

For more information about the company, visit

www.tidalwavecomics.com

About TidalWave Comics

TidalWave is a multifaceted multimedia production company with the mission of delivering dynamic storytelling in a variety of forms by developing graphic and literary fiction and nonfiction, audio, film and more. The company’s wide range of diverse titles delight readers through its creative and innovative storytelling available in high-quality print and electronic formats.

TidalWave delivers a multimedia experience unparalleled in the burgeoning graphic fiction and nonfiction marketplace. Dynamic storytelling, coupled with groundbreaking art, delivers an experience like no other. Stories are told through multiple platforms and genres, gracing the pages of graphic novels, novelizations, engaging audio dramas and cutting-edge film projects. Diversity defines TidalWave’s offerings in the burgeoning pop-culture marketplace through its use of fresh voices and innovative storytellers.

As one of the top independent publishers of comic books and graphic novels, TidalWave unites cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by the publishing industry’s most exciting artists and writers. Its extensive catalog of comic book titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis,” complemented by a line of young adult books and audiobooks.

TidalWave’s publishing partnerships include entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts” and more), novelists S.E. Hinton (“The Puppy Sister”) and William F. Nolan (“Logan’s Run”), and celebrated actors Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Dirk Benedict of the original “Battlestar Galactica” (“Dirk Benedict in the 25

Century”) and Adam West of 1966’s “Batman” fame (“The Mis-Adventures of Adam West”). TidalWave also publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Orbit,” “Fame,” “Beyond,” “Tribute,” “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

Detectives Searching for Suspect Involved in Two Collingswood Burglaries

Camden City, N.J. (February 25, 2020)–– Detectives are searching for a man believed to be involved in two separate Collingswood burglaries Feb 22, according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and Collingswood Police Chief Kevin Carey.

Surveillance footage from Virginia Avenue

Just before 11 a.m. Saturday, a victim arrived at their home on the 400 block of Virginia Avenue to find a man inside. Detectives said he told the victim to get on the ground before he left. Police learned surveillance cameras outside of the home captured him leaving wearing a distinct shirt underneath a black sweatshirt.

Through the investigation, detectives found video of a man entering CVS on the White Horse Pike not long after the burglary. In the video, the man was wearing a multicolored zip-up with a shirt underneath that matched the shirt from the burglary.

Later the same day, the man is captured on a Ring doorbell camera breaking into a home on the 400 block of Champion Avenue around 12:30 p.m. In the video, the man is wearing the same multicolored zip-up from the CVS footage.

Footage from a inside home on the 400 block of Champion Avenue

Footage from a home on the 400 block of Champion Avenue

Investigators are looking into these two cases together, but said it’s unclear if this man has any involvement with the Feb. 23 home invasion on Crestmont Terrace.

If you have any information that could help identify the man seen in the surveillance footage, contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Mike Batista at 856-676-8175 or Collingswood Sgt. William Lyons at 609-868-0266.

Tips may also be emailed to

ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org

*The Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden Hosts 5th Annual Garbage Bag Gala

Fashion Show Supports Women’s and Family Programs at Kroc Center

Camden City, NJ

–

The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center

in Camden City will hold its

Annual Garbage Bag Gala Fashion Show, presented by U.S. Facilities

, on

Friday, May 15

at the renovated

Marian House

in Cherry Hill in support of women’s and family programs at the Kroc Center.

Presented by U.S. Facilities, Inc. and sponsored by New Jersey American Water, this awe-inspiring runway show will showcase fashions created from recycled and unconventional materials, even garbage bags. Over 30 designs from professional, hobbyist and student designers from

Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design

will be featured in the annual event, including designs from acclaimed red-carpet designer and Season 18 contestant on Bravo’s “Project Runway,”

Nancy Volpe Beringer

“The Garbage Bag Gala is one-of-a-kind fashion show,” said The Salvation Army’s

Major Susan Wood

. “We’re very excited to showcase the creations of our many talented designers participating in this inspiring show that seems to get exponentially better every year – all in support of The Salvation Army’s goal of transforming the life of every member of our community.”

Attendees of this year’s Garbage Bag Gala are invited to a pre-show reception beginning at 6:30 p.m., featuring delicious food, cocktails and music. The fashion show will then begin promptly at 8 p.m. with Fox 29’s Good Day Philadelphia Co-Anchor

Thomas Drayton

serving as emcee. Cocktail attire is expected, fashion forward is encouraged. For those feeling adventurous, dress in-theme by creating a garment, gown or accessory made from recycled materials. All participants dressed in-theme will be eligible to be named “Trashiest Dressed of the Night.”

Proceeds from the Garbage Bag Gala support women\’s programs at the Kroc Center, many of which benefit single mothers and women who are head-of-household, and their families. Funds raised help make possible programs such as after-school care, fitness and recreation activities, prayer and Bible study groups, nutrition classes and special events like “Operation Cinderella”. The Garbage Bag Gala also helps meet the needs of the community by providing funding for food assistance, Christmas meals and holiday toys for low-income families.

“The Salvation Army is often an unsung hero serving every need – the whole person – through their incredible Kroc Center,” said

Angela Barnshaw

, Chair of the Garbage Bag Gala Planning Committee. “These recycled materials transformed into gorgeous garments offer amazing symbolism for the good work being done by The Salvation Army. It is such an honor to be part of this project. We are working to make it the most fashionable charity event in South Jersey!”

Tickets for the Garbage Bag Gala are $125 each. Sponsorships are available. If you are interested in sponsoring the Garbage Bag Gala, please contact Event Chair, Angela Barnshaw at (856) 261-6765 or

abarnshaw@agent06.com

. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit

http://www.camdenkroccenter.org/garbagegala.html

Photo Caption

Acclaimed red-carpet designer and show director, Nancy Volpe Beringer, and Drexel University College of Westphal Media Arts and Design student Tara Rasmussen pose with model Kei Mante Wright, who wears their co-designed finale look for presenting sponsor U.S Facilities, Inc. at the 2019 Garbage Bag Gala.

###

About The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center

Located on 24 acres, the 120,000 square-foot Salvation Army Kroc Center is the largest community center of its kind in Camden, New Jersey. This unprecedented place of gathering and enrichment houses a fitness center, basketball court, water park, 8-lane swimming pool, as well as an array of education, faith, arts and supportive programs open and accessible to all. The programs, as well as the building itself, have been designed to stimulate the mind, body and spirit, to provide hope, and to transform lives within the community. Development of The Salvation Army Kroc Center was made possible by a combined capital and endowment grant from a bequest to The Salvation Army by the late Mrs. Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, as well as the support of hundreds of local donors. For more information please visit

www.camdenkroccenter.org

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

CNB Business News: Apply Today for South Jersey Gas Game On Grant Program to

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., February 24, 2020 –

South Jersey Gas, a subsidiary of South Jersey Industries, Inc. (NYSE: SJI), today announced the kick-off of its annual Game On Grant Program providing 20, $1,000 grants to recreational organizations in its service territory, serving children ages 4 to 18.

The grants provide critical support needed to sustain local, community-centered athletic programs, leagues, clubs, associations and recreational organizations for children. Winners are selected at random by South Jersey Gas. To qualify, recreational services must be coordinated primarily through volunteer efforts and the grant must support a traditional youth sport including, but not limited to baseball, softball, soccer, football, basketball, wrestling, cheerleading, volleyball, tennis, lacrosse, golf, field hockey, hockey and swimming.

For additional information, to see past winners and apply, visit southjerseygas.com/community. All entries must be received by South Jersey Gas no later than Friday, March 13, 2020.

About South Jersey Gas

South Jersey Gas, subsidiary of SJI (NYSE:SJI), delivers safe, reliable, affordable natural gas and promotes energy efficiency to approximately 385,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, and portions of Gloucester, Burlington and Camden counties in New Jersey. For more information, visit southjerseygas.com.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

Paramus Inspection Station Closed February 26

TRENTON – New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) customers are advised that the Paramus Inspection Station, located at 20 W. Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652, will be closed on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

The MVC has been notified by PSE&G that it will be doing electrical work in front of the entrance and exit to the inspection facility that will require closing access points. The electrical work is in connection with a Bergen County bridge refurbishing project that requires PSE&G to relocate its overhead wires and equipment.

The MVC apologizes for any inconvenience.

Alternate inspection stations include:

Wayne

481 Route 46 West

Wayne, NJ 07470

Lodi

8 Mill Street

Lodi, NJ 07644

The MVC reminds customers to always check our website before visiting a local office and to take advantage of driver license renewal and other online services, such as vehicle registration renewals, driver abstract requests, and surcharge and restoration payments.

For more about the ongoing positive changes at the MVC, visit

njmvc.gov

ShopRite of Medford’s Remodeling Project is Finished

Matches Trends for At-Home Meal Prep

The store\’s produce section has been upgraded along with a new catering office, and the wellness section.

MEDFORD, N.J. – ShopRite of Medford is wrapping up a 6 ½-month major remodel that focused on

matching the store’s features to modern customer needs. Aside from updating equipment, the project reconfigured floor space and doubled size of the kitchen to recognize that many people shop for ready-made foods in addition to pantry staples.

Survey data from Nielsen

captures the trend with two contradictory statistics. In 2018 the data analytics company found that dinner meals are not planned in advance in 3 to 4 households, but also that dinner is prepared at home in 7 to 10 households. In other words,

meals are often tossed together

. That’s the driver behind the demand for grocery stores to stock meal components – both raw and cooked – so busy customers can still enjoy the process and the personalization of cooking at home.

From eight months in the planning stages to another six months of on-site work, ShopRite of Medford’s remodel affected the floor, the ceiling, and nearly every aisle and shelf in between. Management describes it as an intense effort to make ShopRite of Medford very “customer-centric.”

“Some of the aspects of our remodeling project were no-brainers, like installing energy-efficient refrigerated cases and boosting the lighting throughout the store,” said Store Manager Carney Siciliano. “Other pieces required much more thought as we acknowledged how food shopping has changed and how to meet our customers’ expectations.”

Expanded ‘Grab and Go’ Cases:

Several areas of the Deli and Prepared Food sections were overhauled to dedicate more floor space to match the way customers shop. Four new rotisserie ovens are more efficient and expand the store’s capacity to roast whole chickens and other meats to keep up with market demand. Team members will assemble custom sandwiches on the spot. In addition to complete cooked meals, additional cases hold meal components so customers can select a main and sides that will please various palates.

Meals of the Week:

Like a mail-order kit but with customization options, each week ShopRite of Medford showcases two meals consisting of protein + grain + produce. Not only are all the key ingredients available in one place for easy shopping, so are the recipe cards and prep tools such as foil. Customers can select a recipe (or both), swap chicken for fish based on their preferences, and walk into their homes with the prep work done.

Catering Office:

What used to be just a table and chairs tucked next to the deli case is now a bona fide Catering Office connected to the kitchen. The space is quieter and more welcoming, and a result of the strong market growth of customers who seek a little help with their workload.

“Our Catering Department doesn’t just handle large-scale events like bridal showers and office parties,” Siciliano said. “Catering has evolved to play a role in smaller-scale celebrations; a labor-intensive portion of holiday meal-making; when guests are coming for dinner; or when a guest is expected to contribute to the meal. Our remodeling project really took that trend into account.”

ShopRite of Medford, 208 East Route 70, plans activities throughout March to celebrate the completion of the store’s remodel and as a show of appreciation for their patient and loyal customers. Events will begin with a Grand Re-Opening Celebration on March 1 and continue through March 28 with giveaways, special visitors, a health fair, and several contests.

ShopRite of Medford, 208 East Route 70, is part of the Wakefern Food Corp. cooperative founded in 1946 and based in Keasbey, New Jersey. ShopRite of Medford is the flagship store of the Zallie-Somerset group of stores owned by David and Renee Zallie, which also includes ShopRite of Lawnside and ShopRite of Gibbstown.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

FACE OF DEFENSE: United States’ only Heavy Icebreaker completes Antarctic Treaty Inspections

MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica — The 159 crewmembers onboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) departed McMurdo Station Wednesday after escorting three refuel and resupply vessels and assisting with a five-day inspection of foreign research stations, installations and equipment in Antarctica.

MCMURDO STATION, MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA 02.05.2020 Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Subscribe41 The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) is moored Feb. 5, 2020, next to the Maersk Peary in McMurdo, Antarctica. The crew of the 44-year-old icebreaker created a channel in the ice near McMurdo Station as a part of Operation Deep Freeze – the U.S. military’s contribution to the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is managed by the National Science Foundation. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi

The departure marks the Polar Star’s 23rd journey to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program.

The Seattle-based 399-foot, 13,000-ton

Polar Star

created a 23-mile channel through the ice to McMurdo Sound, which enabled the offload of over 19.5 million pounds of dry cargo and 7.6 million gallons of fuel from three logistics vessels. Together these three ships delivered enough fuel and critical supplies to sustain NSF operations throughout the year until Polar Star returns in 2021.

Two scuba divers are lowered to the ice Feb. 1, 2020, from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) approximately seven miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Scuba divers from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army and the Royal Canadian Navy are serving aboard the Polar Star in order to effect emergency repairs if needed to the 44-year-old heavy icebreaker. The crew of the Seattle-based Polar Star is working near Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2020, the U.S. military’s contribution to the National Science Foundation-managed U.S. Antarctic Program. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi

The Polar Star also supported a team of U.S. government officials from the U.S. Department of State, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Coast Guard who

conducted a five-day inspection

of foreign research stations, installations, and equipment in Antarctica.

The United States continues to promote Antarctica’s status as a continent reserved for peace and science in accordance with the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. The inspection serves to verify compliance with the Antarctic Treaty and its Environmental Protocol, including provisions prohibiting military measures and mining, as well as provisions promoting safe station operation and sound environmental practices.

The team inspected three stations: Mario Zucchelli (Italy), Jang Bogo (South Korea), and Inexpressible Island (China). This was the fifteenth inspection of foreign research stations by the United States in Antarctica, and the first since 2012.

Inspections emphasize that all of Antarctica is accessible to interested countries despite territorial claims and reinforce the importance of compliance with the Antarctic Treaty’s arms control provisions. The United States will present its report on the inspection at the next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2020.

“I am immensely proud of all the hard work and dedication the men and women of the Polar Star demonstrate each and every day,” said Greg Stanclik, commanding officer of the Polar Star.

“Maintaining and operating a 44-year-old ship in the harshest of environments takes months of planning and preparation, long workdays and missed holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with loved ones. The Polar Star crew truly embodies the ethos of the Antarctic explorers who came before us — courage, sacrifice and devotion.”

Commissioned in 1976, the Polar Star is the United States’ only operational heavy icebreaker, capable of breaking ice up to 21 feet thick. Reserved for Operation Deep Freeze each year, the ship spends the winter breaking ice near Antarctica, and when the mission is complete, returns to dry dock in order to conduct critical maintenance and repairs in preparation for the next Operation Deep Freeze mission.

If a catastrophic event, such as getting stuck in the ice, were to happen to the

Coast Guard Cutter Healy

(WAGB 20) in the Arctic or to the Polar Star near Antarctica, the U.S. Coast Guard is left without a self-rescue capability.

By contrast, Russia currently operates more than 50 icebreakers – several of which are nuclear powered.

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965, and is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with

six new polar security cutters

to ensure continued national presence and access to the Polar Regions.

In April, the

Coast Guard awarded VT Halter Marine Inc.

of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a contract for the design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead

polar security cutter

, which will also be homeported in Seattle. The contract also includes options for the construction of two additional PSCs.

\”Replacing the Coast Guard\’s icebreaker fleet is paramount,\” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, commander of the Coast Guard\’s Pacific Area. \”Our ability to clear a channel and allow for the resupply of the United States\’ Antarctic stations is essential for continued national presence and influence on the continent.\”

FACE OF DEFENSE

AMERICAN HERO

Kirstin Lynch-Walsh Named 2019-2020 Outstanding Educator of the Year

(Sewell, NJ) – New Jersey Thespians, an affiliate of the Educational Theatre Association, have honored Kirstin Lynch-Walsh as the 2019-2020 Outstanding Educator of the Year. Lynch-Walsh is currently the teacher of Speech Arts & Dramatics for the Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) School of Performing Arts.

New Jersey Thespians honored theatre educators across the state for their commitment to theatre education and the promotion of the fine arts in his or her community. This is the second year that educators have been honored.

“Kirstin is a prime example of a teacher who goes above and beyond for her students and school,” Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger said. “In addition to teaching and directing the Speech Arts & Dramatics program at GCIT, Kirstin also serves as the Outreach Co-Chair for NJ Thespians, advisor for GCIT’s Thespian Troupe 5480 and founder of ACTing Out.”

ACTing Out is a touring company in which students write and produce shows based upon issues such as domestic violence, racism and mental health awareness. Lynch-Walsh has also been a member of the New Jersey Thespians State Board of Directors for more than 10 years.

Although the official awards ceremony recognized Lynch- Walsh on December 8, 2019, Freeholder Jim Jefferson visited her classroom and presented her with a certificate from the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholder’s recognizing her achievement of receiving The NJ Thespians award.

“It was great to meet Kirstin and see the impact she has made on her students,” Freeholder Jim Jefferson said. “This award is well-deserved and I can tell she not only has a passion for theatre but for creating an environment at school where students can learn and master their craft.”