Event details
March 22, 2020
All Day
Here in South Jersey, 1 in 6 people, and 1 in 5 children, suffer from food insecurity, which means they might not know where their next meal is coming from. In response, the Diocese of Camden organizes the annual FaithFULL Food Drive.
By Bethany Blankley |
The Center Square
To coincide with the approaching tax season and to help taxpayers evaluate their spending and debt habits, the personal-finance website WalletHub published a ranking of residents’ credit scores in more than 2,500 cities nationwide.
WalletHub compared the median credit scores of residents in 2,572 U.S. cities “to give credit where credit is literally and figuratively due,” Adam McCann, financial writer at Wallethub says.
Its 2020\’s
Cities with the Highest & Lowest Credit Scores
ranked all cities according to TransUnion data as of September 2019.
Four New Jersey cities ranked in the bottom: Newark, with a median credit score of 587, followed by New Brunswick’s 577, East Orange’s 577, and Camden City\’s 552.
With 99 being the best percentile ranking, Camden’s ranked in the 1 percentile and tied for last place with East St. Louis, Ill., and Chester, Penn.
Ranking 10th-worst was East Orange, followed by 11th-worst New Brunswick, and 18th-worst Newark, all falling in the 1 percentile.
Trenton fared slightly better, with its residents holding a median credit score of 601, but also fell in the 1 percentile.
By comparison eight New Jersey cities ranked in the 91st to 97th percentile with scores of 752 and above. The highest New Jersey ranking was Westfield, where residents landed in the 98th percentile with a median credit score of 768. Ridgewood followed in the 97th percentile with a score of 764; Princeton in the 96th percentile with a score of 761; Paramus in the 95th percentile with a score of 760; Fair Lawn in the 92nd percentile with a score of 754; Summit in the 91st percentile with a score of 752; and Hoboken and Flemington in the 91st percentile, each with scores of 752.
Wallethub only included the city proper in its analysis, excluding the suburbs in each city’s surrounding metro area. Each city was categorized by population size with large cities having more than 300,000 people, mid-sized between 100,000 and 300,000 people, and small cities with less than 100,000 people.
republished here by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of
The Center Square
Celebrate Catholic Schools Week came to a close on Saturday, Feb. 1. Throughout the Diocese of Camden, schools sponsored open houses; special liturgies and prayer services; academic competitions and showcases; meals for seniors, volunteers and other special people; events to celebrate diverse cultures;
activities to foster community spirit; and an onslaught of service projects.
Catholic schools are known for these activities and more throughout the year, so why the need for a concentrated week? For Sister Sheila Murphy, principal at Cape Trinity Catholic School in Wildwood, it’s all about tradition. She remembers the first Catholic Schools Week, 1974.
“‘Different Where It Counts.’ That was the first tagline and I’ve always loved it. It stayed with me,” said Sister Sheila. She said she thinks about the tagline at the opening Mass every year, a Mass that could not happen outside a Catholic school community, the perfect example of how Catholic schools are different where it counts. According to Sister Sheila, this year’s Mass was particularly special because it was also the conclusion of the parish mission at the school’s primary parish, Notre Dame de la Mer. Turnout from school families was high, and Mass was followed by a parish lunch.
Service is the other element of Catholic Schools Week Sister Sheila cherishes. Like many other schools, Cape Trinity Catholic honors local first responders during the week. Students bring items for gift baskets, which are hand-delivered by families to several police and fire stations. Toiletry bags are also assembled by students and delivered to The Branches, a center in Rio Grande that cares for individuals who are homeless.
“We do some things just for fun, too,” said Sister Sheila, citing the teacher-student volleyball game as a highlight.
For anyone who might have missed the chance to visit during Catholic Schools Week, no worries. The doors to South Jersey Catholic Schools are open for visits, and students are welcome to shadow and discover the difference in a Catholic school education. Find a school near you at
www.southjerseycatholicschools.org
Gloucester Township, NJ) – While Coronavirus (COVID-19) is in the headlines and a prime topic with medical professionals, the County Department of Health and Human Services says it currently poses little risk to residents in the United States. While the outbreak continues throughout the 22 impacted countries, the county health department is maintaining constant contact with health care providers in the region and state and federal agencies. The department is maintaining contact with local universities and other institutions to monitor and report any new developments.
To date, there have not been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey, and there have been only a handful of cases across the United States. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains that the threat of human-to-human transmission of the virus in the United States is low.
“For the vast majority of Americans, unless you have recently traveled to Hebei Province where the outbreak is believed to have started, you are not at risk of contracting the coronavirus,” said Camden County Health Officer Paschal Nwako. “Still, the dedicated professionals at the Health Department are receiving constant updates from the CDC and state Department of Health in order to monitor any changes in this assessment and to keep the public informed.”
COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus which is believed to have first emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019. A novel coronavirus is a coronavirus which has not been previously identified. These are different from other coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans like the common cold.
Although it is considered a serious public health concern by the CDC, the agency maintains that based on the current information available, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 to the general public in the United States is considered low.
The New Jersey Department of Health is working with state and federal partner agencies to track and monitor any suspected cases of the virus and those who had been in contract with any ill persons. The Camden County Department of Health also has the ability to order quarantine for anyone suspected of having contracted the virus.
Anyone with questions about the novel coronavirus, symptoms, or their risk of exposure, can call the free, 24-hour public hotline at (800) 222-1222 where trained professionals are standing by to answer questions about COVID-19.
“It is still important to practice good hygiene, washing your hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes with sleeves or tissues instead of your hands, avoiding sick people when possible,” said Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez. “We want to use this opportunity to stress to the public that while the coronavirus poses little threat at this time, the threat from the seasonal flu remains quite high throughout New Jersey.”
Rodriguez and health officials are stressing the deadly potential of the seasonal flu which currently poses a much greater risk to our community than COVID-19. There have not been any coronavirus-related deaths in the United States, meanwhile the CDC estimates that since October 2019, the seasonal flu has caused more than 10,000 deaths in the United States.
In New Jersey, flu activity remains high in all counties, and officials are reporting an increase in Type B influenza strains, which, like Type A, can cause serious respiratory illnesses and fast-spreading epidemics. The flu vaccine is generally more effective against Type B viruses.
Camden County residents can still receive the influenza vaccination at Camden County’s Regional Health Centers in Bellmawr and Camden City.
To schedule an appointment or to inquire regarding walk-in hours, please contact the appropriate center:
Bellmawr Regional Health Center
35 E. Browning Road
Bellmawr, NJ 08031
(856) 931-2700
Board of Social Services Building
600 Market Street, Basement B-55
Camden, NJ 08102
856-756-2266
“While not 100 percent effective, the flu vaccination is still the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick,” Rodriguez said. “While we keep those affected by the coronavirus in our thoughts and prayers, we hope that our residents will take the initiative and use their elevated concern surrounding the virus and focus on the much more immediate risk which is the seasonal flu.”
For additional information about where and how to receive the flu vaccine residents can contact the county Department of Health and Human Services at (800) 999-9045, or visit
www.camdencounty.com
, or contact their primary physician.
VOORHEES TOWNSHIP NJ–Freeholder Barbara Holcomb joined Voorhees Township Mayor Michael R. Mignogna and community leaders committed to the humane treatment of animals for a special leash-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the new, 8,900 square-foot facility. Guests were treated to a celebratory dog parade following the leash cutting.
“This is a tremendous development for the more than 1,500 animals served by the VAO each year, who will now have more space and more comfortable accommodations while they wait for their new family,” Holcomb said. “We hope that by expanding its capacity, VAO is able to help even more animals find a loving, forever home.”
The new facility will feature increased capacity and larger accommodations for dogs and cats, meet and greet areas for pets and families, an indoor exercise room, and more.
Camden County\’s very own XPoNential Music Festival at Wiggins Waterfront Park, along with a number of other Camden County arts and music organizations, has been nominated for the 2020
JerseyArts.com
People\’s Choice Awards. Also nominated were:
Mainstage Center for the Arts Harmony Show Choir (Blackwood)
Scottish Rite Auditorium (Collingswood)
Ritz Theatre Company (Haddon Township)
South Camden Theatre Company (Camden)
Symphony in C (Collingswood)
Perkins Center for the Arts (Collingswood/Moorestown)
African American Film Festival (Camden)
Voting is now open at
JerseyArts.com/vote
. Support the arts that Camden County has to offer by casting your vote. Don’t delay; voting ends
February 20th,
and winners in each category will be announced on
March 11, 2020
.
Read More.
CAMDEN CITY NJ –Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez joined officials from the City of Camden, the Michaels Organization, and other civic and community leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking for the fourth and final phase of the Branches of Centerville.
Once completed, the newly constructed affordable living community will replace the obsolete Clement T. Branch public housing complex. The $120 million project has already acted as a catalyst for the revitalization of the important Centerville neighborhood.
“Camden has been advancing in leaps and bounds in all sectors, not the least of which is affordable housing,” Rodriguez said. “By improving the quality and affordability of the city’s housing stock, we’re improving the quality of life for the people of our great city, and I’m incredibly proud to be here today to celebrate this exciting new development.”
Branches of Centerville was made possible in part through a highly competitive federal Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant. The Choice Neighborhoods program leverages public and private dollars to support locally driven strategies that address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public housing.
Bruno is channeling his inner Sir Elton John in this photograph for Valentine\’s
Day!
He is such a calm, friendly guy, it\’s hard not to fall in love with him!
Bruno is about six-and-a-half years old, loves snacks, and enjoys sweater weather.
For more information
Click Here
.
CAMDEN CITY, N.J. (Feb. 15, 2020) – Entering their New Jersey Athletic Conference showdown here Saturday afternoon, the Rutgers University-Camden women’s basketball team had its playoff hopes on life-support, while New Jersey City University was on the verge of program history.
The Gothic Knights made history, earning their first NJAC playoff berth since 1989. In the process, they eliminated Rutgers-Camden from a post-season berth with a 54-49 victory.
NJCU, which started the day two games ahead of Rutgers-Camden with two remaining in the fight for the final NJAC playoff berth, improved to 11-13 overall. The Gothic Knights are 8-9 in NJAC play with one game remaining before heading into their first conference playoff game in 31 years.
Rutgers-Camden fell to 12-12 overall and 5-12 in the NJAC. The Scarlet Raptors have lost their last three games against the Gothic Knights, although they lead the all-time series, 39-27.
Prior to the game, the Scarlet Raptors celebrated Senior Day, honoring four-year star
Fatimah Williams,
their lone senior. Williams will play her final collegiate game Wednesday when Rutgers-Camden hosts Montclair State University at 6 p.m.
NJCU led for the entire first half, taking a 24-17 lead into halftime. Rutgers-Camden scored the first seven points of the third quarter, tying the game at 24-24 on a three-point field goal by junior guard
Shane Holmes.
Once again, the Gothic Knights took the lead and didn’t relinquish it until a pair of foul shots by Williams gave the Raptors a 36-34 advantage with 1:53 left in the third quarter. Entering the final frame, Rutgers-Camden held a 40-38 advantage.
With the Raptors leading, 42-40, junior guard/forward Dayjah Anderson hit a three-pointer to give NJCU the lead for good. The Gothic Knights built their margin to seven points (54-47) late in the game.
Freshman forward Sarah Edmond and senior guard Aaliyah McCrae both scored 11 points for the Gothic Knights, with Edmond completing an impressive double-double with 18 rebounds. Anderson added nine points and eight rebounds for NJCU, which held a 54-49 advantage off the boards.
Williams collected 20 points to lead the Scarlet Raptors, jumping over the 1,200-point milestone for her career and vaulting into eighth place on the all-time scoring list. She passed both Michelle Obasi (1,193 points from 2014-18) and Brittany Turner (1,195 from 2009-13).
Freshman guard/forward
Jalissa Pitts
added 15 points for the Raptors. Both Pitts and Williams barely missed double-doubles, finishing with nine rebounds apiece.
NJCU shot 13-for-50 (26.0 percent) from the floor and Rutgers-Camden shot 16-for-56 (28.6), but the Gothic Knights went 21-for-35 (60.0) from the foul line, while the Raptors made were 13-for-18 (72.2) and made 21 turnovers.
CAMDEN City, N.J. (Feb. 15, 2020) – The New Jersey City University men’s basketball team outscored Rutgers University-Camden, 51-28, in the second half to overcome a one-point halftime deficit and went on to defeat the Scarlet Raptors, 90-70, in a New
Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday afternoon.
The contest served as Senior Day for four-year Scarlet Raptor letterman
Isaac Destin,
who closes out his stellar career Wednesday night when the Scarlet Raptors host Montclair State University at 8 p.m.
NJCU, which entered the day locked in a three-way battle with Rowan and Montclair State to claim the final two spots in the upcoming conference playoffs, improves to 12-12 overall and 9-8 in the NJAC. The Gothic Knights lead their all-time series against the Scarlet Raptors, 67-5, and have won their last 10 games against Rutgers-Camden.
The Scarlet Raptors fall to 7-17 overall and 5-12 in the NJAC.
In a tight first half that saw 10 lead changes, Rutgers-Camden scored the final field goal on a layup by junior guard
Arian Azemi
to take a 42-41 advantage at the break. Azemi also had a layup to open the second half, making it a 44-41 game, before NJCU scored the next 10 points to grab a 51-46 lead.
NJCU increased its margin to seven points (53-46) before Rutgers-Camden scored 11 of the next 15 points, tying the game at 57-57 on a trey by Azemi. NJCU answered, however, on a trey by senior forward Sam Toney, the Gothic Knights’ two-time NJAC Player of the Year. That shot sparked a six-point run that put NJCU ahead to stay.
NJCU led by as many as 23 points (92-69) near the end of the game.
Toney paced four players in double figures for the Gothic Knights, scoring 24 points and barely missing a double-double by ending with nine rebounds. Junior guard Denzel Banks scored 22 and senior forward Jaimik Moore added 18 points and four assists for NJCU. Junior forward Jahmere Calhoun finished with a double-double of 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while also leading both teams with four steals.
Azemi notched a game-high 31 points for Rutgers-Camden, including 5-for-10 shooting from three-point range. Destin collected his ninth double-double of the year with 23 points and 11 rebounds and sophomore forward
Jake Petrik
nailed four treys on his way to 12 points.
Destin and junior forward
Ian McCarthy
both had four assists for the Raptors, tying NJCU’s Moore for game-high honors.
The Gothic Knights shot 35-for-61 from the floor (57.4 percent), including 9-for-19 (47.4) from three-point range. Rutgers-Camden shot 23-for-52 (44.2) overall, including 10-for-23 (43.5) from beyond the arc.
The Gothic Knights held a 38-26 advantage off the boards.