Cooper University Health Care Named to Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers 2026 List

[CAMDEN, NJ] — Cooper University Health Care has been named to Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers 2026 list, ranking among the top large employers in the nation. Cooper is the only health system in New Jersey included on this year’s list, earning national recognition for its strong workplace culture, employee engagement, and commitment to professional growth.

Cooper ranked #114 among the nation’s large employers and is one of just 56 hospitals and health systems nationwide recognized on this year’s list.

“Being named to Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers list is an extraordinary honor and a powerful reflection of the dedication and excellence of our Cooper team members,” said George E. Norcross, III, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cooper University Health Care. “Their commitment to delivering compassionate care and advancing health care innovation drives our success. We remain focused on investing in our people, expanding access to high-quality care, and continuing to grow to meet the needs of the communities we serve.”

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Love’s price tag: top Valentine’s gifts up 51% in a decade – new analysis

Over the past decade, the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts have traded a bottle of champagne, then costing $51.54, for a greeting card now averaging $7.19.

A decade ago, the classic Valentine’s Day bundle of chocolates, diamond earrings, roses, dinner for two and champagne tallied just $512.

Today, swapping champagne for a greeting card drives the total to $774 – a $262 spike rivaling a week’s groceries for the average American family.

That’s a 51% overall increase, outpacing the cumulative inflation rate over the same period and representing real erosion in purchasing power for anyone trying to recreate the romance of years past.

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CS BEEF PACKERS, LLC RECALLS GROUND BEEF PRODUCTS THAT MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH E. COLI O145

CS Beef Packers, LLC, a Kuna, Idaho establishment, is recalling approximately 22,912 pounds of raw ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O145, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The raw ground beef items were produced on January 14, 2026. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:

Cardboard cases containing eight 10-lb. chubs of “BEEF, COARSE GROUND, 73 L” with case code 18601, “Use/Freeze By: 02/04/26” and time stamps between 07:03 and 08:32 printed on two stickers placed on the outside of the case. The date and time stamps are also printed directly onto the clear packaging of the chub.
Cardboard cases containing four 10-lb. chubs of “FIRE RIVER FARMS CLASSIC BEEF FINE GROUND 73L” with case code 19583, “Use/Freeze By: 02/04/26” and time stamps between 07:03 and 08:32 printed on two stickers placed on the outside of the case. The date and time stamps are also printed directly onto the clear packaging of the chub.
Cardboard cases containing four 10-lb. chubs of “FIRE RIVER FARMS CLASSIC BEEF FINE GROUND 81L” with case code 19563, “Use/Freeze By: 02/04/26” and time stamps between 07:03 and 08:32 printed on two stickers placed on the outside of the case. The date and time stamps are also printed directly onto the clear packaging of the chub.

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FCA Issues “Do Not Drive” Warning for All Vehicles with Unrepaired Takata Airbag Recalls

Check for safety recalls on your vehicle here: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

FCA US has issued a “do not drive” warning for all remaining Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles with open and unrepaired Takata air bag recalls. If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until the repair is completed and the defective air bag is replaced. Recalls are free at the manufacturer’s dealership.

The following makes and models with open Takata recalls should not be driven until remedied:

2003–2010 Dodge Ram (15V312, 15V313, 16V352, 16V947, 18V021, 19V018)
2004–2009 Dodge Durango (15V313, 16V352, 16V947, 18V021)
2005–2011 Dodge Dakota (15V313, 16V352, 18V021, 19V018)
2005–2008 Dodge Magnum (15V313, 16V352)
2006–2015 Dodge Charger (15V313, 16V352, 18V021, 19V018)
2007–2009 Chrysler Aspen (15V313, 16V352, 16V947, 18V021)
2008–2014 Dodge Challenger (15V444, 16V352, 18V021, 19V018)
2005–2015 Chrysler 300 (15V313, 16V352, 18V021, 19V018)
2007–2016 Jeep Wrangler (16V352, 18V021, 19V018)
2006–2009 Mitsubishi Raider (15V313, 16V352)

🏈🐾 Super Bowl Pet Safety Reminder!

Game day is exciting for everyone — including our four-legged friends! With guests, food, and noise, it’s important to take a few extra steps to keep your pets safe and comfortable.

Keep pets away from chicken bones and party foods

Avoid sharing garlic, onions, chocolate, pizza, or alcohol

Make sure ID tags and microchips are up to date

Provide a quiet space if your pet gets anxious

Crate or separate pets if needed

Let’s make it a winning day for everyone — people and pets alike!

Turning Visual Ideas Into Playable Minecraft Skins With AI Minecraft Skin

Minecraft skins have always been a subtle form of self-expression. They signal how you see your in-game identity before you place a single block. Yet for most players, turning an idea into a usable skin still means pixel editing, trial and error, and time spent fixing tiny alignment issues. That friction is exactly where Image to Minecraft Skin quietly changes the workflow. Instead of drawing from scratch, you describe or show what you want, and the system translates that intent into a skin format Minecraft can actually use.

What makes this approach interesting is not that it replaces creativity, but that it shifts where creativity happens. Instead of focusing on pixels first, you start with visual intent, then refine. In my tests, this feels closer to directing than drawing, which lowers the entry barrier without flattening personal style.

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Researchers Discover a Previously Unknown Bacterial Component in Kidney Stone Formation

The UCLA-led finding could lead to new ways to prevent and treat kidney stones and the infections that they often cause

BYLINE: Enrique Rivero

Newswise — In an unexpected finding, a UCLA-led team has discovered that bacteria are present inside the most common type of kidney stone, revealing a previously unrecognized component involved in their formation.

The findings, to be published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS, point to a possible therapeutic target that could be used for prevention and treatment for the millions of people who are affected by the frequently painful condition.

“This breakthrough challenges the long‑held assumption that these stones develop solely through chemical and physical processes, and instead shows that bacteria can reside inside stones and may actively contribute to their formation,” said Dr. Kymora Scotland, an assistant professor of urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study’s co-senior author. “By uncovering this novel mechanism, the study opens the door to new therapeutic strategies that target the microbial environment of kidney stones.”

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Public Safety Reengineers Senior Shoveling Program for Remainder of the 2026 Winter Season

The change will ensure that the most vulnerable can attain access to the program

(Lindenwold, NJ) – The Camden County Department of Public Safety is recalibrating the senior shoveling program service to assist the most vulnerable populations in Camden County. Based on a substantial increase in demand and limited resources, the department is shifting its focus to creating access to the residences of individuals aged 65+ who receive dialysis, chemotherapy, or other medical maladies that require them to leave their residence for treatment or need a pathway created into their homes for at-home treatment.

“Based on the surge of phone calls, we are taking prudent steps to help the residents who are most in need of this service that we offer in coordination with the Camden County Department of Corrections. It is imperative for us to reach the most vulnerable, and the way the program is set up currently will not allow us to do that,” said Vincent Jackson, Director of the Department of Public Safety. “We are still asking our residents to explore alternate options of snow removal, like asking a neighbor or family member for help. This program is not meant to replace normal means of snow clearing, and should be treated as a last resort”

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New Jersey Tobacco Control Grades Out

American Lung Association Grades New Jersey Efforts to Reduce Tobacco Use in New Report 24^th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report will also outline steps to protect the health of communities across New Jersey from tobacco use, the leading cause of preventable death and disease.
TRENTON – The American Lung Association in New Jersey will release the 24th annual “State of Tobacco Control” report, which evaluates state and federal efforts to eliminate tobacco use and save lives with proven-effective tobacco control laws and policies. The report will grade New Jersey’s tobacco control measures in five areas, including funding for state tobacco prevention programs, state tobacco taxes, smokefree workplace laws, coverage of and access to quit tobacco treatments, and ending the sale of flavored tobacco products.
Access to the embargoed report and embargoed interviews are available upon request.

WHAT: The American Lung Association’s 2026 “State of Tobacco Control” report

WHEN: The report will be released on Wednesday, January 28 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time.

WHERE: New findings from the “State of Tobacco Control” report for New Jersey will be live on Lung.org/sotc following the launch. Embargoed copies of the report and interviews are available upon request.

WHO: The following spokespeople are available for media interviews on report findings and health impacts of tobacco use: Michael Seilback, AVP, Nationwide Policy, American Lung Association Andrew Berman, MD, NJ Local Leadership Board, American Lung Association; Professor, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Division Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Allergy and Rheumatology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Thomas Carr, report lead author, Director, Nationwide Policy, American Lung Association Medical experts, including pulmonologists and lung cancer experts.

WHY: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death and disease here in New Jersey and across the U.S., killing nearly half a million people nationally each year. The “State of Tobacco Control” report not only grades efforts by states and the federal government but also identifies key actions for policymakers to eliminate the death and disease caused by tobacco use.

HOW: To request embargoed report findings or an embargoed interview, contact Val Gleason at Val.Gleason@Lung.org or (717) 971-1123 and agree in writing that you agree to honor the embargo.

About the American Lung AssociationThe American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit:? Lung.org

Fed Rate Cut Creates New Trading Opportunities

The Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate cut may seem like a distant national headline, but the decision has real effects for residents across South Jersey. While the policy choice took place in Washington, its impact extends to households, renters, homeowners, retirees, and anyone monitoring their investment accounts. It also shapes the behavior of financial markets, and those movements influence how families think about their savings and long-term plans.

Why the Federal Reserve Cuts Rates

The Federal Reserve lowers interest rates when it believes the economy needs support. This can happen when inflation begins to ease or when growth slows. Higher rates cool the economy. Lower rates encourage spending and investment.

Recent data has shown mixed conditions. Inflation has eased, yet hiring has slowed, and specific sectors are facing pressure. A rate cut is intended to provide the economy with room to stabilize before weakness becomes more apparent at the local level.

Families throughout the region continue to cope with elevated costs for food, utilities, and transportation. A lower rate environment may bring relief over time, even if the effects appear slowly.