Category: CAMDEN COUNTY

Camden County Freedom Medal 2020 Nominees

CAMDEN CITY, NJ–Camden County residents will be honored for the unselfish contributions to improving their community at the 2020 Camden County Freedom Medal Ceremony

on

January 22nd

.

The award, created by the Freeholder Board in 2001, is presented to civic leaders who demonstrate the ideals and actions that reflect the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Every year since 2001, the Camden County Freedom Medal has been presented to honor extraordinary Camden County citizens who have generously contributed their time and effort to better their community while espousing the ideals indicative of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. “These exemplary citizens have demonstrated significant contributions in the area of community service. They serve as a model to us all.”

The ceremony will take place at the Collingswood Ballroom, located at 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, NJ. The reception will

start at

5:30 PM

and dinner will be served

at

6 PM

with the award ceremony immediately following. Tickets are available for $40 each. Please RSVP your attendance by clicking here or by calling or emailing Scott Petrozza at

(856) 216-8217

or

Scott.Petrozza@camdencounty.com

.

2020 Freedom Medal Nominees:

Vedra Della Chandler

Leona Davis

Chief Harry Earle

Marc Goldstein

Bishop Anthony J. Harley

Abe Karetny

Mary Anne McFarland

Michael Mignogna

Ian Dublin Mosley

Raheel Nayyer

Orlando Pettigrew

Rubab Sameer Sarfraz

Dominic Vesper

Dr. Jubril Oyeyemi & The Cherry Hill Free Clinic Team, MLK Congressional Medal

Click here

to read bios for each nominee.

Two Neptune Township Teenagers Plead Guilty in Newborn Killing

FREEHOLD – Two teens have pleaded guilty in connection with a March 2019 infanticide in Neptune Township, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Jada M. McClain, 18, of Neptune Township, pleaded guilty to first degree Aggravated Manslaughter. Quaimere Mohammed, 19, also of Neptune Township, pleaded guilty to second degree Disturbing or Desecrating Human Remains in connection with the death of a newborn baby.Under the terms of the plea agreement, Ms. McClain faces a sentence of 10 years in Prison on the Aggravated Manslaughter subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” (NERA) requiring her to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release on parole. Mr. Mohammed faces a sentence of 5 years in State Prison on the Disturbing or Desecrating Human Remains offense.

On April 4, 2019, the Asbury Park Police Department received a report that Jada McClain, a student at Neptune Township Regional High School, had recently given birth, and that the newborn was deceased. The investigation was referred to the Neptune Township Police Department who, together with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, launched an investigation into the matter.

The joint investigation revealed that McClain had become pregnant by her boyfriend, Quaimere Mohammed, a student at Asbury Park High School, sometime in July 2018.  McClain explained to investigators that she hid the fact that she was pregnant from her parents and that she gave birth to a boy in the early morning hours of March 29, 2019, in her home. After giving birth to the child, McClain pressed her hands on the boy’s chest until he stopped breathing.  McClain contacted Mohammed, and later that morning, the two disposed of the child’s body in a dumpster on Monroe Avenue in Asbury Park.  Investigators later recovered surveillance video which captured Mohammed disposing of the child’s body near the Washington Village apartment complex.

Investigators learned that the contents of the dumpster, including the newborn’s remains, were transported to the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls, where they were compacted and buried.  The infant’s body was never recovered.

McClain and Mohammed are scheduled to appear in Superior Court for sentencing for their crimes before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman on March 20. McClain remains incarcerated in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, where she has been detained since her arrest.

“This case is a horrible tragedy. An infant is dead and two young people are going to prison.  None of this should have happened. Young persons who are not yet ready for parenthood need to understand that there are safe, legal and completely confidential ways to give up custody of a newborn,” said Gramiccioni.

On August 7, 2000, the New Jersey Safe Haven Infant Protection Act became law. The law allows a parent who is unable or unwilling to care for an infant to give up custody of a baby who is less than 30 days old, safely, legally and anonymously.  All that is required is that the baby be brought to a hospital emergency room or police station in New Jersey.  As long as the child shows no signs of intentional abuse, no names or other information is required from the person delivering the baby.

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Joseph Competello and Stephanie Dugan.  McClain is represented by Thomas Catley Esq. of Ocean Grove.  Mohammed is represented by Stephen Nelson Esq., of Neptune Township.

Camden City Initiative Wins Nationwide Competition

Secures $500,000 in Grants to Improve Residents’ Health

New \”Roots to Prevention\” initiative will expand healthy food choices for residents

and increase income opportunities for urban farmers

The kick-off team for the Roots to Prevention initiative, from left: Nicole Vaughn, PhD, of Rowan University; Koren Norwood, MS, CHES®, of Camden County Department of Health and Human Services; Jonathan Wetstein of Parkside Business and Community in Partnership (PBCIP); April Schetler, MS, RD, of Virtua Health; Bridget Phifer of PBCIP; and Greg Mayers, MPH, of Virtua Health.

Camden City,  N.J. — January 14, 2020 — A Camden group has won a national grant competition that will increase both healthy food options and income opportunities for city residents.

Roots to Prevention Partnership (RTP)

recently secured the

BUILD Health Challenge® award

. RTP is among 18 awardees nationwide, selected from more than 130 applicants.

The award includes a $250,000 grant — plus a $250,000 matching contribution of cash and in-kind support from

Virtua Health

— to implement a new healthy-food access program. The award will support free and low-cost produce for eligible Camden residents, nutrition education, and city produce farming.

The BUILD Health Challenge aims to reduce health inequities in U.S. communities. It is funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and other prominent organizations.

RTP’s long-term goals are to improve Camden’s food environment and create sustainable solutions. The group’s core partners include Parkside Business & Community in Partnership (PBCIP), Virtua Health, Camden County, Rowan University, The Food Trust, and the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers.

“This award will enable us to encourage local health care providers to purchase produce grown in their communities,” saidBridget Phifer, executive director of PBCIP. “It will help us reduce hunger and the prevalence of diet-related illnesses while also supporting job creation, land redevelopment, and economic revitalization.”

“This is a visionary initiative, and we’re thrilled to support it,” said Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE, president and CEO of Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system. “Social and economic factors have a huge impact on people’s health. The RTP initiative will address the roots of these issues to help the people of Camden live healthier, happier lives.”

RTP will also form a committee of Camden residents to provide insights and help guide the program, such as identifying the challenges residents face in accessing healthy foods.

Improving nutrition, supporting economic growth

The $500,000 in awards will partially fund these key activities for two-plus years:

Launch the “Food Bucks Rx” program at

Virtua Health’s Camden Campus

, to provide vouchers that can be redeemed for fruits and vegetables.

Establish six Food Bucks Rx (FBRx) redemption sites in Camden, to expand access to healthy foods and other program benefits — such as cooking demonstration and health screenings.

Create income opportunities for local food growers by supplementing the FBRx food supply with locally grown produce via an expanded Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Collect and analyze data on these initiatives to measure their effectiveness and develop long-term solutions that promote economic development through urban farming as well as cultivate a healthier food environment in Camden.

“This is what community health is all about: neighbors taking care of neighbors,” said April Schetler, assistant VP of community health engagement at Virtua Health. “Virtua is deeply committed to the health and wellness of the communities we serve. We are extremely proud to be a part of this movement, and grateful to the BUILD Health Challenge for its support of the RTP initiative.”

RTP will now be able to connect food-growing organizations throughout Camden with a major new customer: Virtua Health’s Food as Medicine programs, including the

Virtua Mobile Farmers Market

and

Virtua Food Pantry

.

Camden City residents work in a city produce garden, which will participate in the Roots to Prevention program. From left are Mike Evans (tan jacket), Cortez Bazan (orange shirt), and Jose Torres (black shirt)

.

Phifer of PBCIP also expressed appreciation for another important partner: Campbell Soup. “If it weren’t for the generous support of the Campbell Soup Company, this cross-sectoral collaboration could not have come together and ultimately completed a successful grant application — now awarded,” she said.

“RTP believes in the health care sector’s capacity to support a healthy local food economy,” added RTP administrator Jonathan Wetstein. “We also recognize the need to bring more partners to the table. The more RTP grows, the more resources and opportunities exist for local food growers and food-prescription recipients to participate in the future of urban farming and ultimately improve community health.”

About the BUILD Health Challenge

BUILD is a national program that supports partnerships between community-based organizations, health departments, and hospitals/health systems that are working to address important health issues in their community. Each community collaborative addresses root causes of chronic disease (also known as social determinants of health) in their local area by leveraging multisector partnerships and working with their local community. To date, BUILD has supported 55 projects in 24 states and Washington, DC.

BUILD stands for Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, and Data-Driven, which together form a powerful model to transform community health. The BUILD Health Challenge award provides funding, capacity-building support, and access to a national peer learning network to enhance collaborative partnerships locally and address a city’s most pressing health challenges.

Rutgers University–Camden Named “Best Bang for the Buck” University

By Mike Sepanic

Rutgers University–Camden

once again has been recognized by

Washington Monthly

magazine as a great value, while also earning high overall rankings among research universities across the nation.

Among schools in the Northeast, Rutgers–Camden is named 24th in the “

Best Bang for the Buck

” category, which recognizes those institutions that help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.

In

Washington Monthly

’s overall 2019 ranking for national universities, which emphasizes such factors as social mobility, research, and promoting public service, Rutgers–Camden is ranked 57. This is the first year that Rutgers University–Camden appears in this category due to its recent elevation to R2 research university classification by Carnegie.

“Rutgers–Camden is committed to access and affordability,” says Rutgers University–Camden Chancellor Phoebe Haddon. “We pride ourselves on providing students with a world-class Rutgers education at an affordable price. Our students are guided in the classroom and outside in internships, research, and civic engagement projects in the supportive, personalized setting which is a hallmark of Rutgers–Camden. We are pleased organizations recognize that Rutgers–Camden is a great value. Being recognized on

Washington Monthly

’s Best Bang for the Buck list affirms our commitment to our students and the wider community we serve.”

Factors that

Washington Monthly

utilizes to formulate its rankings include the percentage of low-income students who receive federal aid, the net price of attendance after financial aid, the number of students involved in the Peace Corps and ROTC, and faculty awards for research.

More than 7,350 students are enrolled at Rutgers University–Camden in undergraduate and graduate programs, led by faculty committed to excellence in research and teaching. Nearly 40 majors, including special programs and an Honors College, comprise the

undergraduate academic experience

. The campus also offers 27

graduate programs

, including three interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs, a doctorate in nursing practice, an MBA, and the only

law school

in southern New Jersey.

In 2016, Rutgers University–Camden received a signature honor when it was named as New Jersey’s first

Purple Heart University

by the Military Order of the Purple Heart in recognition of the university’s commitment to supporting its student-veterans. In 2015, Rutgers University–Camden was selected by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to receive its

Community Engagement Classification

designation in recognition of Rutgers–Camden’s strength in civically engaged learning and community service.

PET OF THE WEEK: Venus

She is a happy & friendly, 2-year old Choc-Lab-mix. She came to us locally when her family lost their home. Venus loves to be with people and get as much attention as she can. She is particularly fond of belly rubs. She is a bit strong on leash, but she is very obedient, eager to please, and appears to be housebroken as well. Venus would love a home with a fenced yard, and might do best with older children, as she was never around little kids. She is going to make a very loyal & loving companion to some lucky family out there! Stop by the

Voorhees Animal Orphanage

and ask to meet Venus soon!

Elizabeth Martelli, of St. Mary\’s Home, Cherry Hill

On January 9, 2020, \”Betty\” (nee Hanselman) of St. Mary\’s Home in Cherry Hill

passed away at age 92. She was the beloved wife of the late, Casper J. Sr. She is lovingly survived by her 4 children, Casper J. Jr. (Alison), Joe, Nancy Godfrey (Glenn) and Mary Ellen (Ken); her 4 grandsons, Robert (Aaron), Ronald, Louis (Heidi) and Kyle (Olivia); her brother, Robert (Peggy) along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Charles and her sisters, Clara and Rhoda.

Viewing will be held on Tuesday, January 14th 2020 from 9:00 AM to 10:45 AM at the St. Mary\’s Catholic Church (426 Monmouth St, Gloucester City, NJ) followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 AM at the same location. Interment at the Calvary Cemetery (2398 W Rte 70, Merchantville, NJ).

In lieu of flowers

, donations may be made in her name to Msgr. Lucitt Needy Children Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 87, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Funeral services under the direction of the

McCann-Healey Funeral Home,

851 Monmouth Street,Gloucester City, NJ

Mays Landing Man with a Gun Arrested by Winslow Township Police

WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, NJ (January 11, 2020)–Police were dispatched to Red Fox Trail at approximately 20:00 Hours for a report of a man armed with a handgun. Police officers met with a female victim. She reported that she drove and parked in front of her home. As she exited her vehicle, she heard a noise, turned and saw a black male pointing a handgun at her. She screamed and the male fled towards S. Cedar Brook Road. K-9 assistance was called to the area to search for the male. That initial search was unsuccessful in locating the suspect.

Approximately two hours later at 22:02 hours, police received another report of a black male with a gun on E. Central Ave. In this incident it was reported that a male was walking in the center of the roadway appearing as if he were intoxicated. A vehicle being driven by a male was driving on E central Ave and approached the subject in the roadway. When he stopped, the suspect turned and pointed a handgun at the driver. This male fit the same description as the first incident two hours prior. The male ran into an adjacent field and then into a wooded section. A perimeter was setup and another K-9 track was initiated.

At approximately 00:05 hours the male was located and apprehended without incident. He was identified as Dyrelle T. Taylor from Mays Landing. He was taken to Headquarters and charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

He was sent to Camden County Jail to await a Superior Court Hearing.

Winslow Police would like to express our thanks to the following for their assistance:

Camden County Field Communications / Dispatchers

NJSP Aviation Unit

Voorhees Township Police Department

Hammonton Police Department

Monroe Township Police Department

Gloucester Township Police Department.

Winslow Fire Department

Winslow Emergency Medical Services

Suspect:

Dyrelle T. Taylor 26 years Old

6800 Block of Harding Highway

Mays Landing NJ

21-Year-Old Merchantville Man Murdered in Camden City

Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and Camden County Police Chief Joseph Wysocki reported a homicide that occurred in Camden City on January 11, 2020.

The Camden County Police Department responded to the 500 block of Pfeifer Street for a ShotSpotter activation and reports of a possible shooting, at approximately

12:54 a.m. Officers located the victim, Michael Edwards, 21, Merchantville, lying unresponsive on the ground on the 400 block of Pfeifer Street. He was suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

Michael Edwards was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 2:10 a.m.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. As such, no further information is being released at this time. No arrests have been made yet.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Brad Redrow at

(856) 225-8643

or Camden County Police Detective Edward Gonzalez at

(856) 757-7042

.

Information may also be emailed to

ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org

Released Saturday, January 11, 2020.

Rutgers-Camden women win third straight game, 63-57

CAMDEN, N.J

(

Jan.

11

, 2020

) –

The

Rutgers University-Camden women’s

basketball team opened its game here Saturday with a seven-point run and went on to post a

63-57

victory over Rutgers University-Newark in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest.

The win was the third straight for the Scarlet Raptors, all coming in a six-day span during the week. They raised their record to 8-5 overall and 2-5 in the NJAC. Rutgers-Newark fell to 1-12 overall and 0-7 in the NJAC with its 11th straight loss.

Newark now leads the all-time series, 39-31.

Freshman guard/forward

Jalissa Pitts

scored the first five points of the game for the Scarlet Raptors and senior guard

Fatimah Williams

added the next field goal as Rutgers-Camden took a 7-0 lead. The Raptors led, 15-6, after on

e quarter and 30-18 at halftime, with Pitts notching all nine of her points during

the first 20 minutes and sophomore forward

Breanna Ettrick

scoring all seven of her points for the game.

The second-half production was carried by Williams, who notched 19 points to finish with a game-high 25, while junior guard

Shane Holmes

scored seven of her 10 points after the break. Holmes also finished with a game-high five assists, while sophomore forward

Tamara Johnson

added four assists.

Holmes added a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Scarlet Raptors, while Johnson, Williams and Pitts notched six apiece.

Rutgers-Newark received a big game from sophomore guard/forward Dorian Capurso, who notched a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Sophomore guard Syncere Lambert added nine points and senior center Comfort Akinbo added eight. Freshman forward Ebony Odom Barnes grabbed eight rebounds, helping the Scarlet Raiders hold a 42-38 edge off the boards.

Rutgers-Camden shot 21-for-56 from the floor (37.5 percent) and 18-for-29 (62.1) from the foul line. Rutgers-Newark was 19-for-50 (38.0) from the floor and 13-for-28 (46.4) from the line.

Newark made 21 turnovers and Camden had 15.

The Scarlet Raptors have another three-game week next week, beginning with a non-conference 7 p.m. game

Monday

at the University of Valley Forge.

Stingy Newark defense shuts down Camden men

​

CAMDEN, N.J

. (

Jan.

11

, 2020

) –

The

Rutgers University-Newark men’s basketball team entered Saturday’s New Jersey Athletic Conference contest coming off a

program-record defensive effort and the Scarlet Raiders didn’t hurt their nationally-ranked defensive ratings against Rutgers-Camden.

Newark held the Scarlet Raptors to 38 points as it defeated Rutgers-Camden, 59-38, to raise its record to 10-4 overall and 6-1 in the NJAC. The victory came only three days after the Scarlet Raiders shut down NJAC foe Montclair State University, 58-29, to set a program record for fewest points allowed.

Rutgers-Camden fell to 4-9 overall and 1-6 in the NJAC with its fourth straight loss.

Rutgers-Newark

, which entered the contest with the 10th-ranked defense in Division III,

has won

seven

of its last

eight

games against Rutgers-Camden, although the two teams split last season’s two-game series. Rutgers-Newark leads the all-time series, 5

3

-36.

The Scarlet Raptors held the lead only early in the game, scoring the first field goal on a layup by junior guard

Arian Azemi,

falling behind on a

trey by Newark senior guard Chase Barneys and then scoring the next four points to take a 6-3 lead. Newark countered with the next six points, taking the lead for good at 9-6 on a three-pointer by sophomore forward Jamir Patterson with seven minutes gone in the game. By halftime, the Scarlet Raiders held a 33-19 lead and they led by as many as 31 points (58-27) in the second half.

Barneys finished with a game-high 20 points, while Patterson canned 10 and added six rebounds for the Scarlet Raiders. Junior guard David Logan had a game-high four assists

and

added a team-high seven rebounds as Newark held a 41-27 advantage off the boards.

Azemi finished with 17 points for the Scarlet Raptors, including 13 in the second half. Sophomore guard

Keysean Simmon

d

s

led the Raptors in scoring during the first half, notching six of his eight points. Senior forward

Isaac Destin

collected game highs of eight rebounds and three blocked shots

.

Rutgers-Newark shot 21-for-53 from the floor (39.6 percent) and 8-for-15 (53.3) from the foul line, but the Scarlet Raiders also had nine treys (in 19 attempts), including four by Barneys.

Rutgers-Camden shot 14-for-43 (32.6) from the floor, including only 1-for-10 from three-point range. The Raptors went 9

–

for-13 (69.2) from the foul line.

Rutgers-Camden

plays another NJAC