Catholic Schools Still Different Where It Counts

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

Seasonal Flu More Dangerous Than COVID-19

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.

Final Phase of $120M Branches of Centerville

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.

Pet of the Week: Bruno

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

Gloucester Township Police Executives Honored

Left to right:

Deputy Police Chief Anthony Minosse,

Chief David J. Harkins,

Captain Brian McKendry

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ (February 16, 2020)–The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) awarded certification status to deserving police executives across the state at the February 6th State Meeting for Chiefs. Certification Status lasts for three years. At the end of that period, Command Executives and Chiefs of Police must show they have maintained the training and leadership standards since their initial award of certification. Achieving Command Executives join a select group, only thirty three percent (33%) of state police chiefs are certified; and only twenty nine percent (29%) of municipalities have certified command executives. Gloucester Township Police Department\’s Chief David J. Harkins, Deputy Chief Anthony Minosse and Captain Brian McKendry recently underwent peer reviews conducted by the NJSACOP Accredited Chief/Command Executive (ACE) Program and has successfully earned the following designations:

ACE-COP (ACCREDITED COMMAND EXECUTIVE-CHIEF OF POLICE):

Gloucester Township Police Chief David J. Harkins

ACE (ACCREDITED COMMAND EXECUTIVE):

Gloucester Township Deputy Police Chief Anthony Minosse

Gloucester Township Police Captain Brian McKendry

The NJSACOP ACE Certification Program directly encourages New Jersey\’s law enforcement executives to attain sanctioned benchmarks in pursuit of a recommended standard for police leadership that are measurable and attainable. Through years of education and continued professional development training Chief David J. Harkins, Deputy Chief Anthony Minosse and Captain Brian McKendry have met these standards. By offering proof of these standards to NJSACOP Assessors, individual police leaders can attain NJSACOP Accredited Chief/Command Executive (ACE) Certification Status.

NJSACOP ACE Chairman, Chief Stephen Beecher stated, \”The ACE Certification Program is in keeping with the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, the 21st Century Report and Recommendations on Policing and the state association\’s declared philosophy; the Certification Program measures essential proofs in three areas for the ACE and ACE-COP Certification, and in five areas for the ACE-COP Advanced Certification. If it is merited, NJACOP awards individual leadership accredited status based on those appraisals. The ACE Program also promotes and encourages continued education through ACE Re-Certification Program requirements.\” It is the policy of the NJSACOP to promote professional competence, continued education and career development among all members of law enforcement and in particularly amongst our leaders. In order to achieve this goal the NJSACOP encourages current, future and retired chiefs and police executives to participate in the ACE Certification Program. Chief David J. Harkins stated, “Staying current and ahead of the curve in evolving policing trends, is critical to our agency success. The NJSACOP ACE and ACE-COP Certification is another way to help develop our leadership and make us the very best law enforcement agency that we can be.”

Address/Location

Gloucester Township Police Department

1261 Chews Landing Rd

Gloucester Township, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500

Raptors Eliminated from Playoff Contention by NJCU Women

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.

NJCU Over Rutgers-Camden

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.

Think Vaping Is Safe?? Think again!!!

Get The Facts On The Dangers Of Vaping-

The Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Addiction, and Camden County College Human Services Program are sponsoring an

informational event on the dangers of vaping on February 20, 2020 at 6pm at the Camden County College Connector Buidling- Rm 105, 200 College Drive Blackwood NJ.

Camden County College Series

Address/Location

Gloucester Township Police Department

1261 Chews Landing Rd

Gloucester Township, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500

On-Site Assessment of the Mantua Police Dept.

PUBLIC NOTICE

MANTUA TOWNSHIP, NJ (February 13, 2020)–The Mantua Township Police Department is scheduled for an on-site assessment as part of its program to achieve accreditation by verifying that it meets recognized professional best practices.

Administered by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with best practice standards in five basic areas: the administrative function, the personnel function, the operations function, the investigative function, and the arrestee/detainee function.

Agency employees and the public are invited to offer comments by calling 856-468-1920, option 2, on Monday, March 2, 2020 between the hours of 10:00am and 11:00am. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team. Email comments can be sent to the police department at

mantuapd@mantuatownship.com

Telephone comments are limited to 5 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards. A copy of the standards is available for inspection at the Mantua Township Police Department, 405 Main Street Mantua, NJ 08051. Please contact Lt. Shaun Butler at 856-468-1920 ext. 1546 for more information.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Mantua Township Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them by email to Harry J Delgado, Ed.S Accreditation Program Director,

hdelgado@njsacop.org

, or write to the New Jersey State Association of Chief’s of Police, Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 751 Route 73 North, Suite 12, Marlton, N.J. 08053.

Address/Location

Mantua Twp. Police Department, NJ

405 Main Street

Mantua, NJ 08051

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-468-1920

10 People Charged in $1.5 Million Fraud Scheme; 3 Are From Gloucester City

CAMDEN CITY, N.J.(February 14, 2020) – Ten people from South Jersey and Philadelphia have been charged with participating in a scheme to defraud individuals, companies, and financial institutions by misappropriating the victims’ bank account information and using that information to withdraw over $1.5 million in funds to which they were not entitled, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Kayla Massa, 22, of Gloucester City; Leire Massa, 19, of Laurel Springs; William Logan, 22, of Gloucester City; Jordan Herrin, 22, of Berlin; Erasmo Feliciano, 19, Laurel Springs; Kevin McDaniels, 18, of Sicklerville; Jabreel Martin, 20, of Philadelphia; Dezhon McCrae, 20, of Penns Grove, New Jersey; Andrew Johnson, 21, of Gloucester City; and Alex Haines 27, of Woodbury; are charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court today and on Feb.13, 2020.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Postal inspectors connected stolen postal money orders to a series of fraudulent bank account activities at various area banks. They discovered a network of individuals in the Sicklerville, Clementon, and Gloucester City areas who posted advertisements on Instagram and Snapchat, offering people the ability to make “quick cash” if they banked at certain institutions. Some members of the conspiracy then acquired individuals’ banking information using a ruse, while others printed counterfeit checks that they deposited into the accounts. Members of the conspiracy also used victims’ debit cards to withdraw cash and make large purchases, including purchases of money orders. The group financed purchases of luxury items, including jewelry, watches, other luxury goods and apparel, vehicles, with the stolen funds. In most cases, the victims of this scheme suffered financial losses and credit problems as a result. The estimated loss at this time exceeds $1.5 million.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Services, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge John Walker; special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark; the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Mattos; the Glassboro Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Polillo; New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Woodbury City Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Ryan; the Gloucester Township Police Department – Special Investigations Unit, under the direction of Chief David J. Harkins; the Winslow Police Department, under the direction of Chief George M. Smith; and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office – Fugitive Investigations Unit, under the direction of Prosecutor Charles Fiore, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisa Shver of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.