Category: Atlantic/Cape May COUNTIES

Camden County Library Systems Enters Into Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement With Other County Libraries

(Voorhees Township, NJ) – The Camden County Library System is proud to announce a new reciprocal borrowing agreement with Atlantic, Burlington, and Gloucester County Library Systems starting in January 2026. This new agreement invites Camden County Library cardholders, in good standing, to sign up for a library card in neighboring counties at no cost. The reciprocal borrowing agreement offers cardholders a wider selection of materials and increased convenience while promoting the collective value of library systems across the state.

Continue reading “Camden County Library Systems Enters Into Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement With Other County Libraries” →

Egg Harbor man arrested for promoting prostitution of a minor

Woodbury, NJ – Amir A. Vaughan, 25, of Egg Harbor Township, was charged by
criminal complaint with first-degree promoting prostitution and first-degree
endangering the welfare of a child today, Prosecutor Andrew B. Johns announced.
According to documents filed in this case:
On Dec. 10, 2025, a minor victim reported to the Franklin Township Police Department
she was forced by a man named “Kyro” to perform sexual acts with adult men on four
occasions between April and May 2025. She also reported being forced to record those
interactions so “Kyro” could sell the video content. Through investigations, police were
able to identify “Kyro” as Vaughan, a registered sex offender, which was confirmed by
the victim.

Continue reading “Egg Harbor man arrested for promoting prostitution of a minor” →

Jacqueline Mary Dimmerman, age 71, Lifelong member/shop steward for Local 54

Surrounded by her daughters, on March 18, 2020, at age 71. (nee Kaluhiokalani) Formerly of Gloucester City and Williamstown. Beloved mother of Thelma Fagan, Sherry Walker Fuss (late James) and John Walker, III. Cherished grandmother of Glenn VanLeer, Jr. and Thomas Fuss and great grandmother of Leah VanLeer. Beloved sister of Joseph Kaluhiokalani (Tina) and the late David Kaluhiokalani (surviving Lynn). Also survived by her former husband, Joseph Dimmerman and her pups, Bella and Raffy.

Jackie will be remembered as a loving, dedicated and compassionate mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and cousin. Her family always came first, no matter what! She enjoyed the 25+ years she worked as a server at various location throughout South Jersey and Atlantic City, including Tropicana, Claridge and Bally’s. She was a lifelong member and shop steward for Local 54 in Atlantic City and a dedicated and active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for over 10 years. She will be forever remembered for her talent in the kitchen, cooking the traditional family recipes only from memory.

At her request, cremation will be private.

In lieu of flowers to the family, donations may be made in Jackie’s memory to the American Cancer Society, 1851 Old Cuthbert Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. Please memo, Jacqueline M. Dimmerman.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at

www.mccannhealey.com

under the obituary of Jacqueline M. Dimmerman. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City. Ph:856-456-1142

Villanova Professor: Atlantic City casino business will be hit hard by COVID-19 (video)

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

BY

Rhonda Schaffler

, Correspondent

|

March 19, 2020,

New Jersey’s hospitality industry could suffer long-term impacts from COVID-19 even after

the pandemic ends, according to Dr. David Fiorenza, an assistant professor of economics at Villanova University. He says the casino industry in Atlantic City will have to rethink its business model, and he doesn’t rule out the potential closure of a casino.  He believes there are other actions the state can take to help the economy, including eliminating the state sales tax.

Rhonda Schaffler

Correspondent

Rhonda Schaffler is NJTV\’s business correspondent, providing a daily report on New Jersey\’s top business and financial stories. Prior to working at NJTV, she worked as a journalist for Reuters, where she traveled extensively to cover financial stories including to Nigeria, Ghana and Chile. Along the way, she interviewed numerous government officials and CEOs. She also worked at CNN as a business anchor and reporter for several programs, covering the stock market and economy.

Read Full Bio

New Jersey Cancels All Municipal Court Hearings, Jury Trials for Two Weeks

March 14, 2020

(Camden, NJ) – Yesterday, the Camden County Department of Health announced the second presumptive positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Camden County. On Saturday, New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice, Stuart Rabner, announced that all municipal courts in the state will begin a two-week suspension starting Monday.

Anyone scheduled to appear in municipal court between Monday, March 16, and Friday, March 27, will receive notice of a new court date.

“Although the risk posed by coronavirus in New Jersey is still considered low for the general public, suspending these and other activities helps to reduce the likelihood of exposure for residents who would otherwise be required to spend several hours in crowded facilities,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “Our administration is working tirelessly to ensure that government services remain available to Camden County residents while we combat the spread of coronavirus. We share the state’s goal to minimize the risk posed to our residents while causing the smallest possible disruption to daily life.”

On March 12, Rabner suspended all reporting for petit jury service,

announcing

that no new civil or criminal jury trials would be conducted until further notice. Ongoing jury trials and grand juries are to continue at this time. Jurors who are serving on ongoing trials are asked not to report if they are sick or at risk of exposure to COVID-19.

New protocols have been implemented throughout Camden County to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the county’s workforce and residents. Enhanced cleaning and screening protocols have been implemented in county facilities, monitoring for potential exposures and keeping high-contact surfaces such as doorknobs, elevator buttons, and handrails disinfected. All work-related travel has been cancelled.

The Camden County Correctional Facility has cancelled all in-person visits and has instituted a pandemic response policy. Additionally, all inmates will have their temperatures taken upon booking and release. Both the staff and inmate populations have been briefed on proper practices to reduce their risk of exposure and protect themselves from contracting coronavirus.

School districts throughout the state have begun announcing closures for training, cleaning, and to mitigate the risk of exposure inside their facilities. In Camden County, Pennsauken and Camden City School Districts have announced closures beginning March 16, until March 27, and April 1, respectively.

A complete list of all school closures in the state is being maintained on the New Jersey Department of Education

website

.

Information regarding coronavirus, government preparations, event cancellations, and all other updates from Camden County is being continually updated on

camdencounty.com

. Residents should frequently check the county webpage and social media for up-to-date information.

NEW JERSEY SPORTSBOOKS NEARLY HIT $500 MILLION IN FEBRUARY

Sportsbooks make year-over-year jump, online casinos could help lessen potential impact of coronavirus on Atlantic City casinos, according to PlayNJ

(ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.) — Super Bowl betting pushed New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks to a strong February, though the monthly handle fell short of $500 million for the first time since October. But the concern for New Jersey’s sportsbooks is what lies ahead, according to PlayNJ analysts, after the NBA suspended its season, the NCAA Tournament limited spectators, and other leagues mull suspensions.

“New Jersey’s year-over-year gains remained impressive in February, but we are in uncharted territory now,” said Dustin Gouker, lead analyst for

PlayNJ.com

. “Obviously there are bigger concerns with coronavirus, but the NBA is a major revenue driver for New Jersey’s sportsbooks. So the suspension of the season, in addition to suspensions of other sports, will undoubtedly have a significant effect.”

New Jersey’s online and retail sportsbooks made a giant year-over-year leap in handle to $494.8 million, up 54.4% from $320.4 million in February 2019, according to official reporting released Thursday.

New Jersey generated $54.2 million in Super Bowl bets, but that was No. 2 to Nevada’s $156.8 million. Still, the Garden State could surpass Nevada, which posted a $458.6 million in handle in February 2019.

Despite losing $4.3 million on the big game, New Jersey sportsbooks managed to produce $17 million in gross revenue, resulting in $2.2 million in tax revenue for the state. Revenue was up 33.9% from $12.7 million in February 2019. Basketball, which produced a $6.6 million win on $219.3 million in wagers, helped sportsbooks overcome the Super Bowl loss.

“New Jersey bettors continue to show heavy interest in basketball,” Gouker said. “March Madness appears as of now as if it will be played, and it is one of the largest betting holidays in the U.S. But it is impossible to gauge just how much interest there will be if it is played at all.”

Online betting generated $436.5 million in wagers, 88.2% of the state’s handle in February. FanDuel Sportsbook/PointsBet led the way with $9.6 million in gross revenue from online betting, down from $22.2 million in January. Resorts Digital, anchored by DraftKings and Fox Bet, generated $4 million, down from $15.9 million. The online market leaders were followed by:

Monmouth/William Hill/Sugarhouse/TheScore ($1.3 million in revenue, down from $2.8 million in January)

BetMGM/Borgata ($1 million, down from $2.5 million)

Ocean Casino/William Hill ($168,015, down from $2 million)

Caesars Sportsbook/888sport ($34,183, down from $491,164)

Golden Nugget/BetAmerica (-$308,997, down from $431,643)

Hard Rock/Bet365/Unibet ($96,397, down from $340,933)

Tropicana/William Hill ($30,558, down from $74,379)

FanDuel Sportsbook at The Meadowlands again capitalized on the New York market and from localized betting on the XFL. The retail market leader posted $1.4 million in gross revenue, down from $4.3 million in January. FanDuel was followed in gross revenue by:

Tropicana Casino ($91,899, down from $100,288)

Resorts AC ($47,143, down from $163,436)

Bally’s AC ($32,199, down from $164,575)

Hard Rock AC ($19,294, up from -$4,467)

Monmouth Park (-$51,888, down from $883,716)

Ocean Casino (-$65,868, down from $377,369)

Golden Nugget (-$135,314, down from $116,266)

Borgata (-$318,896, down from $723,927)

Harrah’s AC ($41,649, down from $107,424)

ONLINE CASINOS

New Jersey’s online and poker industry set a revenue-per-day record in February, generating $52 million in revenue during the short month. February’s total was up 64% from $31.7 million in February 2019 and just shy of the record $55.1 million set last month.

Online casinos and poker generated $1.79 million per day during the 29 days in February, up from $1.78 million per day in January. March, which has historically been a big month for online casinos, could bring even more revenue in, as Atlantic City casinos brace for any impact from the coronavirus outbreak.

“Online casinos and sportsbooks should help buoy their land-based casino counterparts in Atlantic City should the coronavirus impact casino operations,” said Eric Ramsey, an analyst for

PlayNJ.com

. “The Golden Nugget’s online casino already generates more revenue than its retail casino, and others have been closing the gap. That online revenue stream could prove vitally important in the coming months.”

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

Online casinos injected $7.8 million into state coffers.

The Golden Nugget tallied $19.8 million in online revenue, easily leading the market. Resorts Digital was second, generating $12.5 million.

Online casino games produced $50.2 million in revenue, up from $29.9 million in February 2019. Online poker notched $1.8 million, even with February 2019.

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

PlayNJ.com

/

news

.

About the

PlayUSA.com

Network:

The

PlayUSA.com

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

PlayUSA.com

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

# # #

Biden Receives Support of South Jersey Democrats

Joining the South Jersey Democrats\’ united message,

Congressman Donald Norcross

said, \”America needs a president with the integrity, experience and

strength to unite our diverse nation while fighting for progressive Democratic priorities. Former Vice President Joe Biden exemplifies those values, and he’s always stood up for working families in New Jersey and across the country. I am proud to call Joe a friend, and I can’t wait to call him President of the United States.”

In addition,

State Senate President Steve Sweeney

stated, \”There\’s only one person in this race who can unite the party and help us win Democratic races around the country, and that\’s Joe Biden. He has the ability and the character to defeat Donald Trump in November. As a labor leader, I can say that Vice-President Biden has always stood by the working men and women of our nation and I look forward to calling him the next President of the United States of America.\”

State Legislators

Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (LD2)

Assemblyman John Armato (LD2)

Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli (LD3)

Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro (LD3)

State Senator Fred Madden (LD4)

Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (LD4)

Assemblywoman Gabriela Mosquera (LD4)

State Senator Nilsa Cruz Perez (LD5)

Assemblyman Bill Moen (LD5)

Assemblyman William Spearman (LD5)

State Senator James Beach (LD6)

Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (LD6)

Assemblyman Louis Greenwald (LD6)

State Senator Troy Singleton (LD7)

Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (LD7)

Assemblyman Herb Conaway (LD7)

State Senator Dawn Addiego (LD8)

Atlantic County

Atlantic County Chair Michael Suleiman

Atlantic County Freeholder Ernest Coursey

Galloway Mayor Jim Gorman

Burlington County

Burlington County Democratic Committee Chair Joseph Andl

Burlington County Democratic Committee Vice Chair Martin Nock

Burlington County Democratic Committee Treasurer Brent Lee

Burlington County Democratic Committee Corresponding Secretary Andrea Katz

Burlington County Freeholder Director Felicia Hopson

Burlington County Freeholder Balvir Singh

Burlington County Freeholder Daniel O\’Connor

Burlington County Freeholder Linda Hynes

Burlington County Sheriff  Anthony Basantis

Burlington County Clerk Joanne Shwartz

Camden County

Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr

Camden County Deputy Freeholder Director Ed McDonnell

Camden County Freeholder  Jeff Nash

Camden County Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez

Camden County Freeholder Jon Young

Camden County Freeholder Melinda Kane

Camden County Freeholder Barbara Holcomb

Camden County Sheriff Whip Wilson

Camden County Clerk Joe Ripa

Camden City Mayor Frank Moran

Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo

Voorhees Mayor Michael Mignogna

Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer

Winslow Mayor Barry Wright

State Committeeman Steve Ayscue

State Committeeman Ian Mosley

State Committeewoman Barbara Pine

State Committeewoman Dana Redd

State Committeewoman Meryl Greene

State Committeeman Harry Platt

Cape May County

Cape May County Regular Democratic Chairman Brendan Sciarra

Cape May County Regular Democratic Vice Chair Kathleen Gorman

Sergeant at Arms Norman Matz

Recording Secretary Kenneth Merson

Corresponding Secretary Barbara Wilson

Treasurer for Cape May County Regular Democrats Edward Michael Kaczmarski

Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron

Former Mayor of Middle Township Michael Clark

Wildwood Crest Commissioner Joyce Gould

State Committee Elizabeth Casey

Former Mayor of Middle Township Nate Doherty

Former Mayor of Middle Township Susan Delanzo

Former Mayor/Deputy mayor/Committeeman of Middle Township Chuck Leusner

Former Committeeman of Middle Township Steve Barry

West Cape May Mayor Carol Sabo

West Cape May Deputy Mayor Peter Burke

Former Ocean City President Frank McCall

Former Commissioner Jim Iannone

Sea Isle Council President John Feeley

Former Deputy Mayor of Middle Township Jeffrey DeVico

Cape May County Democratic Whip William Causey

Cumberland County

Cumberland County Chair Steve Errickson

Cumberland Sheriff Albert Austino

Cumberland Clerk Celeste Riley

Cumberland County Freeholder Director Joe Derella

Cumberland County Freeholder Jim Quinn

Millville Mayor Mike Santiago

Vineland Mayor Albert Kelly

Gloucester County

Gloucester County Freeholder Robert Damminger

Gloucester County Freeholder Deputy Director  Frank DiMarco

Gloucester County Freeholder Heather Simmons

Gloucester County Freeholder Lyman Barnes

Gloucester County Freeholder Jim Jefferson

Gloucester County Freeholder James Lavender

Gloucester County Sheriff  Carmel Morina

Gloucester County Clerk James Hogan

Clayton Mayor & Municipal Chair Tom Bianco

Deptford Township Mayor Paul Medany

Deptford Township Municipal Chair John Vinci

Franklin Township Municipal Chair Mario Christina

East Greenwich Township Municipal Co-Chair John Pyne

Elk Township Municipal Chair Donna Ragonese

Glassboro Mayor John Wallace III

Glassboro Councilwoman & Municipal Chair Daniele Brida-Spence

Mantua Township Mayor Pete Scirrotto

Pitman Councilwoman & Municipal Chair Vanessa James

South Harrison Township Municipal Chair  Wilma Nagtegaal

Swedesboro Mayor & Municipal Chair Tom Fromm

Washington Township Mayor Joann Gattinelli

Washington Township Municipal Chair Frank Cianci

Washington Township Municipal Co-Chair Laurie Burns

Wenonah Council President & Municipal Chair Dan Cox

West Deptford Township Mayor Denice DiCarlo

West Deptford Township Municipal Chair Tom Sullivan

Westville Mayor Russell Welsh

Westville Councilman & Municipal Chair Chuck Murtaugh

Woodbury Mayor Jessica Floyd

Woodbury Municipal Chair Chuck Rose

Woodbury Heights Mayor William C. Packer

Woodbury Heights Municipal Chair Harry Elton

Woolwich Township Mayor Vernon Marino

Woolwich Township Committeewoman & Municipal Chair Gina Marie Santore

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Chair & State Senator Fred Madden

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Vice Chair & Greenwich Municipal Chair Vicki Antonini

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Secretary & East Greenwich Township Municipal Co-Chair Michelle Shirey

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Treasurer Ted Bamford

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Sergeant-at-Arms Charles Fentress

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Counsel John Alice

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Parliamentarian Eric Campo

Gloucester County Democratic Committee Executive Director Justin Kolman

Salem County

Salem County Chairman Steve Caltabiano

Javier Cruz-Rojas Sentenced for Sexual Assault of Child

MAYS LANDING- A 45 year-old Pleasantville man has been sentenced on charges of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault and 2nd Degree Endangering by Sexual Conduct of a girl who he began assaulting when she was 8 years-old, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.

An investigation determined that the girl was sexually assaulted on multiple occasions while in the care of Cruz-Rojas from February 5, 2016 to February 3, 2018.

Javier Cruz-Rojas was sentenced before Presiding Judge Bernard DeLury on Friday, February 28, 2020, to 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 at 85%. Cruz-Rojas will also be subject to Megan’s Law Registration and Parole Supervision for Life.

The investigation was conducted by detectives of the ACPO Special Victims Unit. Chief Assistant Prosecutor John Flammer represents the state in the matter.

***************************

Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.

Atlantic City Electric Continues Efforts to Raise Awareness of Customer Scams

During National Consumer Protection Week

National Consumer Protection Week brings attention to common scamming practices and educates customers on how they can fight back and protect

themselves

MAYS LANDING, N.J.

(March 3, 2020) – Atlantic City Electric this week joins Utilities United Against Scams (UUAS) to recognize National Consumer Protection Week and to educate customers on how they can guard against falling victim to imposter utility scams.

As a member of UUAS—a consortium of 146 U.S. and Canadian electric, natural gas and water companies and their respective trade associations—Atlantic City Electric and its sister Exelon companies, Delmarva Power, BGE, ComEd, PECO and Pepco, work across the industry with regulators, law enforcement, and telecommunications partners to stop scams targeting customers.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers, communities and our employees, and   we are committed to equipping our customers with the information and resources they need to protect themselves from scammers,” said Derrick Dickens, senior vice president of Customer Operations and Chief Customer Officer for Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric. “National Consumer Protection Week provides us with an important opportunity to continue these efforts and work with our partner organizations through Utilities United Against Scams to broaden our awareness efforts to combat the utility scamming that continues to target our customers.”

UUAS and its member companies continue to create awareness of common and new scam tactics and, to date, have helped to cease operations of more than 6,000 toll-free numbers used against utility customers by scammers.

When scams occur, a customer typically receives an unsolicited phone call from an individual, who falsely claims to be a company representative. The scammer often warns that the customer’s service will be terminated if they fail to make a payment – usually within a short timeframe through a prepaid debit card or other direct payment method.

Scammers have even duplicated the telephone systems of some companies, so when customers call the number provided by the scammer, it sounds like a legitimate business. Some scammers also use caller ID “spoofing” to replicate a company’s phone number.

Throughout the year, Atlantic City Electric takes steps to raise awareness among its customers, including posting tips to social media, adding alerts on the

AtlanticCityElectic.com homepage

, issuing news releases, and participating annually in

Utilities United Against Scams Day

in November. Any customer who believes he or she has been the target of a scam is urged to contact their local police and call Atlantic City Electric immediately at 800-642-3780 to report the situation.

Signs of Potential Scam Activity:

The scammer often becomes angry and tells a customer his or her account is past due and service will be shut off if a large payment isn’t made – usually within less than an hour.

The scammer instructs the customer to purchase a prepaid debit or credit card – widely available at most retail stores – then call him or her back to make a payment.

The scammer asks the customer for the prepaid card’s receipt number and PIN number, which grants instant access to the funds loaded to the card.

The scammers may disguise themselves as the utility by sending spam emails with logos, trademarks, website links, and wording to lure the customer into making a false payment or providing personal information.

How Customers Can Protect Themselves:

Atlantic City Electric representatives will never ask or require a customer with a past due balance to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection.

Customers can make payments online, by phone, automatic bank withdrawal, mail, or in person.

Customers with a past due balance will receive multiple shut off notifications – never a single notification one hour before disconnection.

If a customer ever questions the legitimacy of the call, hang up and call Atlantic City Electric at 800-642-3780.

Don’t Get Scammed: Customers can avoid being scammed by taking a few precautions:

Never provide your social security number or personal information

to anyone initiating contact with you claiming to be a company representative or requesting you to send money to another person or entity other than Atlantic City Electric.

Always ask to see a company photo ID

before allowing any Atlantic City Electric worker into your home or business.

Never make a payment for services to anyone coming to your door.

Readers are encouraged to visit

The Source

,

Atlantic City Electric’s online news room. For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit

atlanticcityelectric.com

. Follow the company on Facebook at

facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric

and on Twitter at

twitter.com/acelecconnect

.

Our mobile app is available at

atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp

.

South Jersey Transportation Authority READI Field Trip

An osprey builds a nest on a platform constructed by the SJTA\’s Roadway Environmental Advancement Initiative (READI) team.

SJTA\’s READI to Present at 31st Annual Pinelands Short Course

Daylong program co-sponsored by Stockton University and NJ Pinelands Commission will feature field trip directed by SJTA

HAMMONTON, NJ – 02-24-20 – The

South Jersey Transportation Authority

is proud to announce its Roadway Environmental Advancement Initiative (READI) will conduct a field trip at the

31st

Annual Pinelands Short Course

co-sponsored by

Stockton University

and the

NJ Pinelands Commission

, Saturday, March 14, 2020.

The field trip is designed to show how the

Atlantic City Expressway

works to co-exist with wildlife and the land it occupies, which includes over 1,200 acres along its 44-mile span, much of which is in the pinelands of South Jersey.

The field trip is being run in coordination with the

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Division

and will examine animal and wildlife fencing, wildlife crossings and a tour of the SJTA\’s Pinelands Interpretive Center at the Expressway\’s

Farley Plaza Service

area, where participants will learn about the pinelands and READI. The trip\’s activities will also feature a visit to see native flower plantings along the Expressway, including a hummingbird garden.

The SJTA launched READI several years ago when the Expressway Operations Department began reintroducing perennial and native wildflowers across 35 acres of the Expressway\’s right-of-way. The wildflowers attract and support important pollinators like bees and butterflies that are suffering from habitat loss and pesticide use. The goal is to reverse the population decline of these crucial pollinators.

The initiative evolved further when the Expressway installed a series of bat boxes or bat houses along the highway\’s right-of-way in 2017. While bats play a vital role in the ecology of local environments, they face numerous threats including the loss of habitat. The bat houses provide shelter and safety from predators.

The efforts of READI go beyond only supporting bats; it has installed structures for a variety of species including the American Kestrel, blue birds, screech owls and nesting platforms for ospreys near Atlantic City. The initiative has created animal crossings that allow wildlife to travel underneath the Expressway as they naturally migrate between different areas. The crossings will be examined during the field trip.

READI also has an educational component that involves presenting programs at local schools to support their environmental curriculums. Every year around Arbor Day, the Expressway Operations Department is invited to local elementary and middle schools to plant a tree(s) and present assemblies that impress on students the importance of practicing good environmental stewardship. The SJTA has visited more than 26 schools since 2011 and planted as many as 35 trees in a variety of species during the past four years. These programs invite student participation in the planting of a native tree(s) at each school visited.

September 20 – 23, 2020, the SJTA is joining the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife to co-host the

Northeastern Transportation and Wildlife Conference

in Atlantic City as READI expands its reach and work.