Impaired Driving Enforcement Crackdown will be Conducted in Maple Shade

Part of Statewide Year End Campaign

The Maple Shade Police Department will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of year “

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”

statewide campaign.  Beginning December 6, 2019 and continuing through January 1, 2020, local and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

The national

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over”

effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education. “During the last five years New Jersey has experienced nearly 37,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 679 fatalities,\” said Chief Christopher Fletcher.  “This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when social gatherings with alcohol increase the risk of impaired driving.”

Last year, 20% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, 10,511 people died in 2018 in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

2019 Year End Holiday Crackdown

offer the following advice for the holiday season:

Take mass transit, a taxicab, rideshare, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

Spend the night where the activity or party is held.

If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.

Always buckle-up, every ride.  It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

If you are intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.

Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

# # #

Address/Location

Maple Shade Township Police Department

200 N Stiles Ave

Maple Shade Township, NJ 08052

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-234-8300

Morristown Business Association Candle Light Stroll

Main Street Saturday from from 2-8pm. Watch for pedestrians. Speed limit 15 mph

The Mooristown Business Association (MBA) is hosting the Candle Light Stroll event in support of our local merchants on Main St. from 2-8pm Saturday, Nov. 30 Horse/Carriage rides will be available at Main & High Streets.

Motorists are asked to drive with caution in the area, not to exceed 15 mph for the safety of event attendees on Main St. between Chester Ave. & Church St.

Mill St. will be closed at Main St. for pedestrian safety.

Motorists should be aware that the Horse & Carriage rides will be traveling along the shoulder of Main St. from High St. east to just past the Community House.

Address/Location

Township of Moorestown Police Department

1245 N Church St

Moorestown, NJ 08057

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-234-8300

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice Hosted Special Educational Conference

on Moral Injury and Veteran-Centric Care with Local Experts

Marlton, NJ

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

, in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, HeroCare Connect and the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), recently hosted the

Moral Injury and Veteran-Centric Care Conference

at The Samaritan Center in Voorhees.

VetConference– Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, HeroCare Connect and the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA), recently hosted the Moral Injury and Veteran-Centric Care Conference at The Samaritan Center in Voorhees. Pictured here, from left: Mary Ann Boccolini, President and CEO, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice; Reverend Chris J. Antal, Staff Chaplain, Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia and Keynote Speaker of the conference; and Kim Rumaker, Manager of Social Work, Spiritual Support & Center of Grief Support, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice.

“The purpose of this conference was to bring together local experts in order to educate and, ultimately, improve quality care for our veterans across the healthcare continuum,” explained Mary Ann Boccolini, president and CEO of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice. “Samaritan is proud to host a conference highlighting the unique needs of those who have served our country. By openly discussing topics such as moral injury and PTSD, we are breaking down barriers and raising awareness of how we can best serve our growing veteran population.”

The keynote address was delivered by Reverend Chris J. Antal, staff chaplain at the Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia where he co-leads a group for veterans experiencing moral injury. Accompanied by fellow veterans who shared their own personal experiences, Reverend Antal, who served in the Army Chaplain Corps from 2008-2016 and is a veteran of the United States’ war in Afghanistan, presented the concept of moral injury and then led conference attendees through a series of exercises to bring the concept to life.

The conference also included presentations from local experts on a variety of topics pertaining to veteran-centric care:

The Importance of Veteran-Centric Care

Presented by Dr. Stephen Goldfine, Chief Medical Director of Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice

The Evolution of Caring for Our Military – A Case Study

Presented by Christine Carlson-Glazer, MPH, Government and Community Relations Liaison of Deborah Heart and Lung Center and HeroCare Connect™ and Louis Bezich, MPP, Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances of Cooper University Hospital and HeroCare Connect™

Navigating Moral Injury – Stats and Stories

Presented by Dr. Mary Ditri, Vice President of Community Health of the New Jersey Hospital Association and Dr. Michael Mimms, Veteran Mental Health Care Navigator of the New Jersey Hospital Association

Connecting Veterans to Services in NJ

Presented by Christopher Wambach, State Supervisor of Veteran Service Offices of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs

Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice is a four-star provider of the

We Honor Veterans

and

Hospice Veterans Partnership (HVP) of New Jersey

.

We Honor Veterans

is a joint program of the Veterans Administration and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that focuses on respectful inquiry, compassionate listening and grateful recognition for those who served our country.

HVP of New Jersey

, an affiliate of the Homecare & Hospice Association of New Jersey, establishes a network of hospice and VA professionals in efforts to provide outstanding end-of-life care for New Jersey’s veterans and their families.

To learn more about the services Samaritan provides to members of the veteran community, visit

www.SamaritanNJ.org/hospice-care/veteran-hospice/

.

NJ American Water Highlights Investment at Raritan-Millstone Water Treatment Plant

Continued Investment Ensures Protection and Sustainability of Water Supply for More Than

1 Million People in Central New Jersey

CAMDEN CITY, N.J. (November 26, 2019)

New Jersey American Water

today released a

new video

about its multi-year, $65 million investment to ensure the resiliency and sustainability of its Raritan-Millstone Water

Treatment Plant. The video can be seen on the company’s YouTube Channel and other social media channels.

The Raritan-Millstone Water Treatment Plant, situated in Bridgewater, Somerset County, N.J., is New Jersey American Water’s largest water production facility and a regional source of potable water supply for seven counties in central New Jersey. The plant is located near the confluence of the Raritan and Millstone Rivers – an area of Somerset County that experiences severe flooding during significant storm events due to the relative low ground surface elevations in the floodways adjacent to the two rivers.

The plant produces an average system delivery of 132 million gallons a day (MGD) and is capable of peaking at 190 MGD. As a Tier 1 New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness facility, the Raritan-Millstone facility is also considered “Critical Infrastructure” by the federal Department of Homeland Security. Water supply from the plant is also provided to five large bulk water sales connections, and two Critical Regional Emergency Interconnections – the cities of Newark and Trenton.

“This video highlights the plant’s history and the investments we have made over the years to continue to ensure its reliability during severe weather events that have tested it,” said Cheryl Norton, president of New Jersey American Water and senior vice president of American Water’s eastern division. “Our recently completed flood protection project was designed to achieve a recommended level of protection from 500-year storm events, to enable us to maintain a sustainable water supply for the more than 1 million people in Central New Jersey who rely on us.”

The first major flood protection project at the facility in the early 2000s was a result of the plant being flooded by Hurricane Floyd in 1999. The recently completed $65 million flood protection project was spurred by the near-flooding of the plant during Hurricane Irene, with peak flood water levels recorded within inches from the top of the facility’s floodwall.

With the completion of this project, the entire floodwall system at the plant was raised by four feet to an elevation of 48 feet, which is the level of flood resiliency supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corp of Engineers. The raising of the floodwall, which accounted for $37 million of the total $65 million investment, provides flood protection from storm events up to 500-year recurring frequency. In addition to raising the plant’s north reinforced concrete floodwall, the earthen berms in the northeast and west were also raised and widened, with additional reinforced concrete flood walls constructed, new flood gates installed, and drainage mechanisms improved at the plant.

For more information about this project and other critical investments the company makes to ensure high quality, reliable water service, visit the company’s website at

www.newjerseyamwater.com

.

About New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.7 million people. For more information, visit

www.newjerseyamwater.com

and follow New Jersey American Water on

Twitter

and

Facebook

.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit

amwater.com

and follow American Water on

Twitter

,

Facebook

and

LinkedIn

.

Maple Shade PD is seeking to hire officers through the Intergovernmental Transfer Program…

Advisory:

The Maple Shade Police Department announces our recent acceptance and participation in the New Jersey Civil Service Commission Intergovernmental Transfer Program (ITP).  In order to be considered, an officer MUST be a member in good standing of a Civil Service police department who participates in the ITP with a valid certification from the Police Training Commission as a full-time Municipal Police

Officer.

If you are looking to join a progressive agency that offers superior training, opportunity, job growth and a supportive work environment, and who has been recognized by the Attorney General’s Office for their ground breaking work in the area of Officer Mental Health and Wellness (Resiliency), then we invite you to apply for a position at the Maple Shade Police Department.  Job specifications call for a High School Diploma or equivalent GED, and you must be a resident of New Jersey with a valid New Jersey Driver’s License to be considered.

Interested candidates should send their resume and a cover letter to the Appropriate Authority –

Township Manager Susan Danson, 200 Stiles Avenue Maple Shade, NJ 08052

as soon as possible, but no later than

Friday, December 20, 2019

.

Applicants will undergo an interview process with our command staff.  Those who are moved beyond that point will then be subjected to a thorough background investigation to include an Early Warning System and Internal Affairs File check in accordance with the Attorney General Guidelines.  Selected candidates who successfully pass the background process will be moved into the next phase of hiring, which will include a physical and psychological examination.  Those who pass that phase will be offered positions based upon their ranking amongst the command staff during the above process.  The starting salary is negotiable within a defined range based upon an officer’s level of experience as notated in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The officers who work in Maple Shade are represented by PBA Local #267.

Any eligible officers with questions or inquiries should contact Lt. Jeffrey Hoch at

jhoch@mapleshadepd.com

, or at 856-382-1205, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm.

Grand Jury Indicts Mt. Laurel Woman for Mother’s Murder

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a Mt. Laurel woman has been indicted for fatally stabbing her mother earlier this year inside the residence they shared at the Ramblewood

Village Apartments.

Marisa G. Rivera, 24, of the first block of Pine Cove, was indicted on one count of Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree), and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Fourth Degree).

An arraignment will be scheduled soon in Superior Court. Rivera has been in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly since her arrest.

She is accused of killing her mother, 56-year-old Denise DeNapoli, in the early morning hours of September 6 and then fleeing the apartment. She was arrested several hours later at a Route 73 hotel and taken into custody without incident by Mount Laurel Township police officers.

Denise DeNapoli’s body was discovered by police who were sent to the residence by her employer to conduct a wellness check after she could not be reached by co-workers.

Rivera is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Bob Van Gilst, supervisor of the BCPO Major Crimes Unit – Violent Crimes Section.

The case was investigated by the Mount Laurel Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The lead investigators are Mount Laurel Police Detective Thomas Corsanico and BCPO Detective Nicholas Villano.

An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

Delanco Man Pleads Guilty in 2018 Willingboro Double Fatal Collision

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a Delanco man pled guilty today in Superior Court to causing the deaths of a married couple during a collision early lastyear in the jug

handle at Route 130 northbound and Bridgeboro Road in Willingboro Township.

Under an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, Amish Patel, 31, of Delanco, pled guilty to two counts of Vehicular Homicide (Second Degree) and Driving While Intoxicated for the deaths of Robert Stephens, 52, and his wife Janet, 50, of Burlington Township, on January 13, 2018.

According to the plea agreement, Patel will be sentenced to 12 ½ years in New Jersey state prison. Under the No Early Release Act, Patel must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The Hon. Philip E. Haines, J.S.C., scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2020.

Patel acknowledged before Judge Haines that he had been drinking and at the time of the accident was travelling at more than double the posted speed limit, which is 50 miles per hour along that stretch of Route 130.

The investigation revealed that at approximately 4:30 p.m., the Stephens’ minivan was stopped in the jug handle waiting to cross Route 130 onto Bridgeboro Road when Patel, who was traveling northbound on Route 130, lost control of his BMW 440, entered the jug handle and crashed into the minivan.

The force of the impact propelled the minivan over the guardrail and down an embankment, where it submerged into a body of water that is part of Olympia Lakes. Autopsies revealed that both victims had drowned.

Patel is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Josh Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit, and Assistant Prosecutors Douglas J. Bligh and Brandon Almeida. The collision was investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Willingboro Township Police Department. Assistance was provided at the scene by the Delran Township Police Department, Edgewater Park Township Police Department and the New Jersey State Police. The lead investigators were BCPO Detective Michael Reagan and Willingboro Township Police Detective Ed Walker.

Man Charged with Running Meth Lab in Edgewater Park Garage

EDGEWATER PARK —

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Edgewater Park Township Police Chief Robert D. Hess announced that a Beverly City man who was arrested earlier this week on narcotics offenses has been charged with operating a methamphetamine lab in a township home.

Daniel Lilly, 27, was charged with Maintaining or Operating a Controlled Dangerous Substance Production Facility (First Degree). He remains in Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly pending an appearance in Superior Court. The charges against him will be presented to a grand jury for possible indictment.

The charges stem from an investigation that originated after Lilly and an acquaintance, Tammy Coppoletta, 35, of Lindenwold, were stopped by Florence Township police on November 16 for a motor vehicle violation.

Lilly and Coppoletta, who was driving the car, were both found to be in possession of controlled dangerous substances and were charged. Additional charges were filed after a search of the vehicle by Florence Police Officer Nicholas Czepiel and K-9 Bolo revealed materials that are used to manufacture methamphetamine.

The Burlington County Hazardous Materials Unit was called to the scene and safely contained the chemicals.

On November 19, 2019, a search warrant was executed at a Colonial Road residence in Edgewater Park that resulted in the seizure of chemicals and equipment from the garage area that were being used by Lilly for methamphetamine production.

The investigation was conducted by the BCPO Gang, Gun and Narcotics Task Force, the New Jersey State Police, the Florence Township Police Department and the Edgewater Park Township Police Department.

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

Norcross Statement on New Jersey’s Commitments to Public Employees

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) released the following statement:

“We all share the common goal of upholding the pension and health care commitments made to our state, county, municipalities and school board employees. The issue is how best to meet these promises,” said Congressman Norcross. “I believe we cannot let New Jersey fall to the ways of

Washington but should instead work together to resolve tough issues. That is why I oppose any effort to place pension and health benefit reform bills on the ballot. Instead, all parties should come together to work on solutions that keep our promises to New Jersey workers. I am happy to participate in a dialogue with legislators, the Governor and union leaders to work together to meet New Jersey’s obligations to its workers.”

Jefferson Health’s Lisa Morina Receives Corporate Excellence Award from Gloucester County NAACP

On November 3,

Lisa Morina

, Vice President of Government & External Relations, received the Corporate Excellence Award from the Gloucester County NAACP. Morina was one of 20 recipients of a “Game Changers” award at the annual Black & White Gala, held at Auletto’s Caterers in Deptford, NJ.

“Game Changer awards recognize those who, through their organization, provide significant financial or in-kind resources to assist organizations like the NAACP in meeting community needs,” said

Loretta Winters

, President, Gloucester County NAACP. “Through Lisa’s community involvement, she has recognized and met those needs with persistence, involvement and commitment to equity.”

At Jefferson Health in New Jersey, Morina ensures its mission is represented across all lines of government, community, business and trade association stakeholders.

Morina is an active member and serves on the boards for numerous community and business organizations. And, prior to joining Jefferson Health in New Jersey in November 2013, she served as Director of Economic Development for Gloucester County, the Director of Business Services for Cumberland County College, and  Director of the Business and Industry Training Center for Gloucester County College.

We are proud of Lisa’s achievements and congratulate her on receiving this prestigious award.

For more information, visit

www.gloucestercountynaacp.org

.