FACE OF DEFENSE: Major Energy Management Project Completed at CG Academy

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The largest Utility Energy Savings Contract ever awarded by the Department of Homeland Security was recently completed at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

One of the smallest and most specialized of the nation’s five federal service academies, the Academy has been located in New London since 1910. The institution moved to its present home, a sprawling 103-acre campus on the west bank of the Thames River, back in 1932.

One of the smallest and most specialized of the nation’s five federal service academies, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy campus has been in its present location New London, Conn., since 1932. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi.

The energy savings project, which began in late 2017, has transformed the 87-year old campus into a more resilient, modern and sustainable institution.

The project included $39 million in capital improvements designed to reduce total electricity imported from the grid by nearly 80 percent, reduce overall energy consumption by 48 percent and reduce annual energy costs at the Academy by more than $2 million.

The Academy\’s fuel oil-fired boiler plant was replaced with a high efficiency natural gas plant, and supplemented with a combined heat and power plant that generates one megawatt of electricity onsite with a microturbine engine. U. S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lauren Laughlin.

The project has substantively updated the institution’s energy infrastructure and impacted a number of facilities from student barracks to the academic laboratories. Overall, more than a dozen upgrades were completed in 30 different buildings across campus. “Anytime we can invest in the infrastructure onboard the service’s only accession point for officers we are making an investment in the long term strength of the service,” said Rear Admiral Bill Kelly, Academy Superintendent.

A natural gas plant was included in the project that was supplemented with a combined heat and power plant that generates one megawatt of electricity onsite with a micro-turbine generator. The result greatly improves the reliability of the Academy’s electrical systems and increases the institution’s energy resiliency.

In addition, the project incorporated renewable and onsite energy generation and implemented numerous energy and water conservation measures, lighting improvements, and the installation of rooftop solar arrays.

One of the main outcomes of the project is that the overall energy savings takes the Academy, previously the third largest consumer of energy within the U.S. Coast Guard, out of the service’s top 10 energy consumer list altogether.

The institution worked with the energy company Eversource and subcontractor Ameresco to manage the project which is funded through energy cost savings. According to Eversource, the improvements will reduce the Academy’s carbon emissions by around 7,800 metric tons of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to taking more than 1,600 cars off the road.

FACE OF DEFENSE

AMERICAN HERO

Good News for Atlantic City International Airport

SPIRIT AIRLINES TO INCREASE FLIGHTS

AT ATLANTIC CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Egg Harbor Township, NJ – February, 2020 – Spirit Airlines is increasing their number of flights at Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) with additional frequencies for three of their key markets. The additional flights are to/from Fort Lauderdale, FL; Orlando, FL and Myrtle Beach, SC. The Airport anticipates a positive response for Spirit\’s increased service from both the local community and visitors to the Southern New Jersey region as well.

The increased frequencies are as follows:

– Beginning on July 9, 2020, Fort Lauderdale (FLL) will increase their frequency to three flights per day; up from two flights per day

– Beginning on July 9, 2020, Orlando (MCO) will increase their frequency to 19 flights per week; up from 14 flights per week

– Beginning on June 13, 2020, Myrtle Beach (MYR) will increase their frequency to nine fights per week, up from seven flights per week

\”We are excited our long-time partner, Spirit Airlines, has responded to the increased growth and corresponding demand within the Southern New Jersey region,\” said Stephen F. Dougherty, Executive Director – South Jersey Transportation Authority. \”We also look forward to continuing to work with Spirit and local stakeholders to secure additional services at ACY in the future.\”

\”In 1992 we launched service to Atlantic City. Nearly 30 years later, we proudly continue to grow with more nonstop flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale,\” said John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning for Spirit. \”As the only major airline headquartered in the Sunshine State, we are pleased to offer our Guests in Atlantic City even More Go to the state we call home.\”

Over 1.1 million passengers used ACY in 2019 with Spirit providing 91% of the total. These additional frequencies will help the Airport realize its goal of surpassing 1.2 million passengers in 2020.

###

About Spirit Airlines:

Spirit Airlines

(NYSE: SAVE) is committed to delivering the best value in the sky. We are the leader in providing customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare. This allows our Guests to pay only for the options they choose – like bags, seat assignments and refreshments – something we call À La Smarte. We make it possible for our Guests to venture further and discover more than ever before. Our Fit Fleet® is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the U.S. We operate more than 650 daily flights to 77 destinations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and are dedicated to giving back and improving the communities we serve. Come save with us at

spirit.com

. At Spirit Airlines, we go. We go for you.

The Community of Lodi Awarded Veteran Friendly Municipality Certification

From left, appearing in photo: Councilmen Joseph P. Leto IV and Emil Carafa, Jr., mayor Scott A. Luna, Peter Lupo and deputy mayor, Vincent Martin. Photo by Paul Roe

[Lodi, New Jersey – February, 2020] Lodi was presented with the Veteran Friendly Municipality Certification this evening by Peter Lupo of the New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce. During a brief ceremony at the start of the regular borough council meeting, Mr. Lupo presented the certificate to Lodi mayor, Scott Luna, councilmen, Joseph P. Leto IV and Emil Carafa, Jr., and deputy mayor, Vincent Martin.

The borough clerk,Carole D’amico, municipal manager, Vincent Caruso, and several other members of the Lodi government were also on hand at the council meeting.

Mr. Lupo praised the borough for its recognition of the challenges faced by veteran owned businesses and for the hardships veterans often face when trying to find meaningful employment. He added that Lodi goes beyond words and takes action to make substantive improvements to economic opportunities for veteran businesses in the community.

The certificate reads, in part, “This municipality strives to make the lives of veterans better and is therefore awarded the Veteran Friendly Municipality designation for 2020”.

Municipalities earn the certification by passing a resolution to award 6% of public contract dollars to veteran owned businesses and to achieve workforce composed of 5% veterans. The Lodi resolution also provides for 3 veteran only parking spaces in municipal parking areas and a promise by the township to proactively notify veteran businesses of upcoming bids and contract opportunities. To date, the certification has been presented to Paramus, Hackensack, Garfield, South Hackensack, Rochelle Park, Fairview, Garfield, Marlboro Township, South Plainfield, Union City, Freehold, and a continually growing list of municipalities.

The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote by the borough council. It will give veterans a chance to be more competitive for public bids and contracts

The mayor and council accepted the certificate from the chamber and paused a moment for a group photo.

The New Jersey State Veterans Chamber of Commerce is a 501c6 nonprofit organization focused on making New Jersey’s economy fairer to veteran owned businesses, as well as veteran job creation.

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President of Philadelphia Teachers Union Calls Asbestos Issue a Humanitarian Crisis

By Kim Jarrett |

The Center Square

Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes speaks Feb. 13, 2020, at a Philadelphia Federation of Teachers news conference on asbestos and other safety issues at city schools. Facebook / Sen. Larry Farnese

PHILADELPHIA PA–The leader of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) is calling for Gov. Tom Wolf to address the asbestos issue in public schools now by declaring a state of emergency.

Wolf put $1 billion in his proposed state budget for lead and asbestos remediation in the state’s schools. But with two more Philadelphia elementary schools shuttering due to asbestos, PFT president Jerry Jordan said it’s not enough.

“But we must do more, and we must do it now,” Jordan said in a statement on the PFT website. “The facilities emergency in Philadelphia’s public schools is nothing short of a humanitarian crisis.”

The PFT created the “Fund our Facilities Coalition” to ask for $170 million to clean up Philadelphia’s schools. The group cites other issues besides asbestos, including rodent/pest control, water leaks and more custodial staff to keep schools clean. Several members of the Legislature, the Philadelphia City Council as well as U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle are a part of the coalition that has asked on several occasions for the governor to do something about the schools.

“We asked. We begged,” said State Sen. Larry Farnese, D-Philadelphia, at a PFT news conference. “And now we demand there be a state of emergency called in Pennsylvania because of the condition of our schools.”

Farnese is a member of the “Fund our Facilities Coalition.”

Some lawmakers have suggested Wolf could take money from the state’s rainy-day fund to pay for the remediation. But any money taken from the fund requires approval from two-thirds of the Legislature, Lyndsay Kensinger, a spokesman for Wolf,

told The Philadelphia Inquirer

\”A 10th Philly school has closed this year because of asbestos,\” said state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, the minority chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Twitter. \”We need emergency funding to fix our schools now! Broken and toxic schools must go. This is a public health crisis.\”

The PFT has called on the governor to declare a state of emergency for several months but has praised Wolf’s proposed funding for remediation using the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

“The governor’s proposal to open RCAP applications to lead and asbestos remediation to the tune of $1 billion has enormous potential,” Jordan said in a statement after Wolf’s budget address. “I am extremely encouraged that the governor is taking our voices seriously and has developed a plan to bring relief.”

Ten Philadelphia-area schools have closed because of asbestos issues in the past few months. The latest closings were announced Wednesday night when Philadelphia school officials announced the temporary closures of Clara Barton and James Sullivan elementary schools.

republished by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

You\’re Invited: Rally for Progress 2020

BLACKWOOD, NJ–Congressman Donald Norcross is holding a rally to kick-off his 2020

campaign on February 29 at the Camden County College, Blackwood campus. The event is being held in the Papiano Gymnasium. Doors open at 1PM, event begins at 1:30PM. S

Special guests include NJ Governor Phil Murphy and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

\”Donald Trump says South Jersey is \”Trump Country\” – Let\’s prove him wrong\”, said Norcross.

Admission is free but RSVP is required – Click here!

Tomlin Station Road/CR 607 Bridge over I-295 to close tomorrow deck replacement project begins

Signed detour will be in place

(Trenton)

(February 20, 2020)–– New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the closure and detour of the Tomlin Station Road/CR 607 Bridge over I-295 to begin a bridge deck replacement project in Greenwich, Gloucester County.

Beginning at 7 a.m., tomorrow Friday, February 21, NJDOT’s Contractor, South State, Inc. is scheduled to close the Tomlin Station Road Bridge over I-295. The following signed detour will be in place:

Tomlin Station Road northbound detour:

Motorists wishing to take Tomlin Station Road northbound will be directed to turn left onto the ramp to I-295 north/Route 130

Take Exit 16A towards Swedesboro Road

Keep right at the fork and continue onto Swedesboro Road

Turn left onto the ramp to I-295 south/Route 130

Take Exit 15 to Tomlin Station Road/CR 607

Turn left onto Tomlin Station Road/CR 607 northbound

Tomlin Station Road southbound detour:

Motorists wishing to take Tomlin Station Road southbound will be directed to turn right onto the ramp to I-295 south/Route 130

Take Exit 14 and turn left at the stop sign onto Repaupo Station Road

Turn left onto the ramp to I-295 north/Route 130

Take Exit 15 to Tomlin Station Road/CR 607

Turn right onto Tomlin Station Road/CR 607 southbound

The $3 million federally-funded Tomlin Station Road/CR 607 Bridge over I-295 Bridge deck replacement project will replace the bridge deck, which is in poor condition. In addition to replacing the deck, the project includes curb work, new parapets and sidewalks, and guardrail improvements. The project is expected to be completed by August 2020.

Variable message signs are being utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the bridge project.

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

or on the

NJDOT Facebook page

Alyssa Donato of Cedarville, NJ Named to 2020 Kutztown University Softball Team

KUTZTOWN, PA (02/20/2020)– Kutztown University will have 21 student-athletes representing its softball program for the 2020 season, including Alyssa Donato of Cedarville, NJ (08311).

The Golden Bears opened their season with a 4-5 record across their first two tournaments. Head coach Judy Lawes is in her 33rd season at KU, 19 wins shy of 1,000 for her career.

KU will next hit the diamond for their spring break trip beginning Saturday, March 7, against Winston-Salem State in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Golden Bears will then play six days in Florida.

Softball website

About Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County, between Reading and Allentown, Pennsylvania. KU is just two hours from New York City; 90 minutes from Philadelphia.

As the region\’s center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU\’s programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 100 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment. To complement their studies, KU\’s NCAA Division II athletics program with 21 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery.

Now Available, Beard Guyz® Micro-Mist Beard Oil with Pump

Glendale Heights, IL – Beard Guyz®,

a Men’s Care brand from Universal Beauty Products, Inc., has expanded its grooming product lineup for 2020 with a lightweight oil

Beard Guyz® products

that’s applied directly to the beard using a proprietary pump sprayer. Beard Guyz Micro-Mist Beard Oil softens and moisturizes the beard without weighing it down and is

conveniently sized to meet the busy lifestyle needs of modern sporting enthusiasts.

Many beard oil products require the use of hands to apply the oil and shape the beard. Beard Guyz Micro-Mist Beard Oil bypasses this step, allowing oil to be sprayed directly on the beard for a more controlled and even application – no hands, hassle or cleanup required.

“We’re excited about crafting a beard oil that is convenient to apply and provides moisturization in a hands-free manner for sporting enthusiasts,” says Ricky Arias, Brand Manager – Beard Guyz. “Beard Guyz products are designed to help beard wearers look their best for life’s important as well as everyday moments and we think our new oil will do just that, all while saving them precious time.”

Beard Guyz Micro-Mist Beard Oil is available in a 1.0-ounce size for convenient use at home or on-the go. Micro-Mist Beard Oil provides lightweight moisturization and includes a deodorizer.

“With beards becoming more popular every year, the grooming landscape is changing,” says John Fitzgerald, Senior Director – Marketing/Men’s Division at Universal Beauty Products. “Our customers require solutions with the versatility to meet their grooming needs in any situation and time of day. We believe that our Micro-Mist Beard Oil meets and exceeds expectations for convenience and quality.”

Beard Guyz® Micro-Mist Beard Oil is available starting February 2020 at select retail outlets throughout the United States, including Bed Bath & Beyond® and Giant®, as well as at online retailers including

Amazon.com

and

beardguyz.com

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About Universal Beauty Products, Inc.

Universal Beauty Products, Inc., located in Glendale Heights, Illinois, is a leading manufacturer of personal care products. With over 10 brands, Universal Beauty Products offers an extensive portfolio of grooming, beard, hair and skin products. The Men’s Care division includes Beard Guyz®, focused on men’s beard care, and Van Der Hagen®, focused on the flourishing grooming market. The company headquarters operates a 200,000+ square foot facility that includes research and development laboratories, sales, marketing, manufacturing, customer services, administration and warehousing and is committed to producing performance-proven products.

Moody\’s Investor Service Upgrades DRPA Bonds

DRPA’s solid metrics in recent fiscal years and management’s tight control over costs boost credit rating

“DRPA has focused over the last few years on improving governance and management practices,

focusing on core operations and successfully eliminating outstanding variable debt and swaps from its debt profile at the end of 2018. Some of the more recent management initiatives include the upgrade of SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System to SAP HANA, the development of an asset management system and improved focus on maintenance, and the creation of a new department focused on strategic initiatives.”

-Moody\’s Investor Service

On February 4, Moody’s Investor Service (Moody’s) upgraded all of the DRPA revenue and port district project (PDP) bonds from A2 to A1. The Authority is extremely proud and excited about this recognition, as this is another important external validation of all the hard work performed by our

Board

, our staff, and our

Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC)

who have worked with the community and other stakeholders over the past decade to improve our finances. We’ve contained costs, restructured our debt and eliminated our swap exposure, invested in maintenance and capital projects, and more recently, in technology to support our strategic vision and mission. As a result, the Authority is at its strongest level in over 20 years.

Our financial fundamentals and results are very strong – and they have been for several years. What’s different this time is Moody’s view of DRPA/PATCO management, including the Board and staff. Under the heading Management and Governance, the Moody’s credit report states:

In addition, Moody’s cited the following strengths supporting the rationale for the upgrade, including:

Very strong liquidity; good cost control;

Solid historical financial metrics;

A manageable

5-year capital program ($810 million)

;

No plan for toll increases or any new bond debt in the immediate future; and

Positive changes in our debt structure, especially the elimination of variable rate debt and the interest rate swaps (December 2018).

While Moody’s did cite some specific “credit challenges,” we are confident our strategic focus will help us to maintain these new ratings. We believe that including the “Days Cash Outstanding” metric in the financial summary reported monthly to the Board (as suggested by the Board) will be important in our approach to monitoring and responding to the credit challenges.

The collaboration among our Board, staff and the CAC has been instrumental in our achieving this important milestone in our journey toward financial and operational excellence.

The essential guide on how to understand and excel an engineering course

Gloucestercitynews.net(February 20, 2020)–Engineering is among the careers that are most respected in the world. It provides for a fulfilling journey that involves creativity, innovation and most often, attractive salary packages. There are several branches of engineering that one can choose to follow, for example, electrical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, and many others. Regardless of the field of engineering one picks, the course is filled with complex math and scientific principles all through the learning journey. Therefore, it is important for one to work out a

foolproof plan to guide him or her through the course of study

. Although the uphill task of complex projects and assignments has been solved by websites that provide

engineering homework help

, the following are simple useful tips to guide engineering students in understanding engineering courses and to succeed in their academic careers.

1. Find people who inspire you, learn their ways and routines

If you are interested in a specific engineering discipline, find people who have been successful in the industry and make them your idols. You can easily find out information on them from the internet, not just about them but for just about any other prominent person in that specific field. Use the internet to look into what\’s helped these people and their organizations become so successful. Then emulate their good traits in your personal, academic and professional life. You will be surprised how much inspiration you can get by just studying these people.

2. Involve yourself in as many projects as possible

Try to participate in every experiential learning opportunity that your schedule allows. This way, you\’ll get to learn something unique with every experience. You will also have more to show your examiners during your final year projects, not to mention the portfolio you will already have to present to your potential employers when you graduate, unlike other students who will only be able to list their coursework. In addition, you\’ll be far more likely to master the knowledge you\’ve been getting in classes because you\’ll be applying it and, in the process, boosting your communication and interpersonal skills.

3. Learn the value of networking

When it comes to excelling on campus, whom you know and interact with is almost as important as what you gain in class. Attend several other lectures on your campus and introduce yourself to the lecturers. Familiarize yourself with your school\’s alumni association to get a list of alumni from your field of study to find those who may wish to connect with you. You can make use of E-mail, use LinkedIn or other social media tools to connect online. However, remember there’s no substitute for a traditional, face-to-face meeting, it is always the best.

4. Work in teams

Whether it\’s a class project of creating a solar-powered car, participating in a sport, or writing essays for the school paper, get involved with your peers because most things require a team effort to produce great results. Throughout your career after graduation, you\’ll work in teams, so the skills you develop in school will help prepare you to lead teams when you graduate.

5. Seek informal leadership roles within your class

You\’re always a leader, whether you\’re officially in charge of the members of your group school project or not. It sounds counterintuitive, but you can lead from any position in a team by influencing how people work together and how they make decisions. You will learn how to recognize and deal with various situations from any position in a team, you\’ll be seen as a leader even when you take on your first job or internship. The obvious advantage of taking leadership positions is that you will always be the first to receive any information from the institution or your lecturers. You will be better suited to enjoy more resources from the class.

6. Identify your flaws and correct them

As with any course majors, engineering students need improvement. If you are part of a group, try to create a way to get feedback from your peers, group leaders, and professors. When you have concrete feedback on how you are faring, you can work to improve your academic grades and even other skills including communication and leadership. Furthermore, you\’ll learn how to receive and give constructive criticism. That\’s absolutely necessary for your future career.

7. Take a business class

As a student engineer, it\’s not enough for you to be technically proficient. You need to learn to be business savvy. A business class will also help you read and understand organization charts, you will know how to negotiate contracts, and be familiar with other functions that every engineer needs to know. This will also help you in the future to understand what to do when an accountant, lawyer, or manager gets in the way of your work. A business course will definitely take you a long way.

8. Take a design class

The world of engineering goes way beyond problem sets, laboratories, and complex theory. You may need to take a visual design course to learn to represent ideas graphically. You can supplement the design topics in your coursework by taking a cognitive science course to learn how to interpret the engineering problems in the world and understand them better. While you are at it, you can take a literature course to develop your knowledge and which will help you write and communicate more effectively.

9. Make your holidays productive

Lecturers place tremendous value on practical experience when making student assessment s to grade them. Ensure you seek out internship opportunities actively and early in your academic career. Try to demonstrate through your internships a series of evolving learning experiences; also use the internships to build your portfolio of actual projects you are involved in. Students who can show a commitment to using their summer to continue to learn are always viewed more seriously by lecturers and future employers

10. Pick the right company

As an undergraduate student, you might feel alone when confronted with hard decisions about the courses to take, or even balancing school work and your personal life. You won\’t feel alone if you develop a healthy circle of friends. Just as a company has a board that guides the organization, you can stock your friends\’ list with peers from your engineering class or other academic fields to act as a support structure for you. You can as well as have former teachers and knowledgeable family friends to also be there for you during your academic career.

image courtesy of unsplash.com