Category: CONSUMER NEWS

Companies that Haul or Process Soil, Fill Recyclable Material in NJ MUST Register by April 20

DEP ANNOUNCES REGISTRATION DEADLINE

TRENTON – Businesses conducting soil and fill recyclable material services that do not already possess an A-901 license have until April 20, 2020, to register with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as a first step to comply with a newly enacted licensing law requiring greater oversight of those activities, Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced today.

Governor Phil Murphy signed the law – known as the \”Dirty Dirt Bill\” on Jan. 21, which expands the DEP\’s oversight of companies that engage in, or provide, soil and fill recycling services including collection, transportation, processing, brokering, storage, purchase, sale or disposition of soil and fill recyclable materials.

\”With the passage of this new law as well as the gains made with our Guard Your Backyard campaign, the DEP and our local partners are in a better position to take action to address problematic fill material and companies engaged in these activities,\” Commissioner McCabe said. \”These new tools will empower the state and local governments to ensure that the soil and fill brought into our communities is clean and safe, while helping us defend against illegal dumping of soil and fill.\”

The law also requires affected companies that do not already possess an A-901 license to submit an application and a disclosure statement to the Attorney General\’s Office detailing their work with soil and fill material in order to receive a soil and fill recycling license for operations in New Jersey by Oct. 19, 2020. The Attorney General\’s Office, New Jersey State Police and DEP will review the disclosure statements in consideration of granting a license.

\”Dumping or unacceptable use of soil and fill materials occur too frequently,\” Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement Elizabeth Dragon said. \”DEP Compliance and Enforcement welcomes this new law to monitor and ensure the businesses involved are legitimate and complying with the new regulations, starting when soil or fill material is picked up until it is placed at a site.\”

Businesses that do not register by the deadline or businesses that apply for a license thereafter and do not meet the license review requirements will no longer be allowed to perform soil or fill recycling services work in New Jersey.

Businesses that register may continue their services while awaiting a license. Those who apply for a  license after the deadline will have to wait for the license before continuing soil and fill recycling services. Businesses that believe they may be subject to the new law may review a DEP Compliance Advisory at

www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/advisories-date.html

.

The new law follows DEP\’s recent launch of the Guard Your Backyard campaign, which has a dedicated website offering local guidance and a model ordinance that municipal leaders can download and modify to suit their local needs. Enacting ordinances can give local governments the authority to determine what kind of fill material may be brought into their communities.

The soil and fill recycling materials registration form for the DEP is available at

www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/a901/a901frms.htm

To learn more about Guard Your Backyard, visit

www.guardyourbackyard.nj.gov

Most Common Cable Connection Problems and Easy Ways to Fix Them

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 28, 2020)–Our lives are dependent on the internet and disconnection means a total blackout. Be it an office, a home or a public place, the internet is everywhere. Admit it or not, we are all trapped and chained to the charismatic world of internet.

No matter what, every one of us has faced cable connection issues leading to internet disconnection, and without having any clue, we are in a state of confusion – what to do next. Imagine yourself watching a thriller movie on

Spectrum TV

and suddenly the movie stops in the middle – what is your first reaction?

You would definitely question yourself how do I fix it. Should I call the customer support or try to figure out the problem myself. If I call the customer support, I would have to wait for some time and in the meanwhile, my interest in the movie would diminish. It is better to sort out the problem myself.

We are going to reveal some of the common cable connection issues how you can fix them without banging your head. Let’s get started.

Loose Connections and Power Cable

Generally, the problem arises when the terminal connection at outlets and wall switches become loose. Make sure to check these fixtures and if any of the connections are loose, try to fix them. You can identify loose connections through signals such as crackling sound, or buzzing.

Moreover, sometimes we bang, nudge or poke wires without knowing it and wonder why it is not working without checking. If your internet is not connecting, then check that your router is not unplugged or the plug is halfway in and halfway out. If you see any of the two issues, just make sure to take out the plug and insert it tightly.

Moreover, the router’s LED lights can also indicate whether the connection is loose or unplugged. If there is no light, the router is not getting any power. To fix this, simply first disconnect the power cable and reconnect it.

In case your router is still not working, make sure to check the outlet and power supply to see if it is getting power. Just take the tester, put it in the socket and see if the light turns on. If not, there is a problem with the power strip and not the router or lose connection.

Joining Wires with Electrical Tape

Wire connections when joined together with tape can result in an error. Rather than connecting the wires with tape, it is better to use a nut or a sanctioned connector. To fix this issue, you must first turn off the power and remove the electrical tape from the wire. Clean the wire and make sure that the insulation on the wire should be removed in such a way that it is showing the proper amount of exposed wire. After ripping off the insulation, connect the wire properly with nut or any other approved connector.

Two Wires under Single Screw Terminal

Common cable connection issues also arise when two or more wires are connected under the same screw terminal on an outlet or a switch. It can be quite hazardous due to the possibility of a fire eruption. For safety reasons, it is not allowed to have two wires squeezed under one screw.

To resolve this issue, you need to cut off the power before you start repairing it. After turning off the power supply, remove the two wires wedged under one screw. Take a pigtail wire of the same color and remove ¾ inch of insulation from both ends of the pigtail. Now connect one end to the two wires you just removed previously.

Join the free end of the wire to the screw terminal that was holding two wires previously. You can also create a pathway or bridge that joins both wires to the preferred screw terminal on the switch or outlet.

Call Your ISP if Everything Fails

After you have done all the aforementioned steps and the problem persists, make sure to call your Internet Service Provider. The customer support will try to resolve the problem over the phone by checking your system on their end. If the problem can’t be solved over the phone, your Internet Service Provider will surely send a technical person to your home.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

CNB Business: Atlantic City Electric Opens New Glassboro Project Management Office

MAYS LANDING, N.J.

(Feb. 26, 2020) – Atlantic City Electric has grown the company’s presence in southern New Jersey with the addition of a new Project Management Office in Glassboro that officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by employees, elected officials and Gloucester

County Chamber of Commerce members. The 30-employee location will house Atlantic City Electric’s Project Management teams that design, plan and execute projects to strengthen critical energy infrastructure and build a more resilient grid. With the office’s close proximity to Rowan University, the location has great potential for future intern and career opportunities for Rowan graduates and will host a Rowan intern this summer.

“We are excited to grow our footprint in the Glassboro community and bring a new office that joins our Operations facility just up the road,” said Gary Stockbridge, Atlantic City Electric region president. “This new location allows us to grow our relationship with Rowan University and Glassboro and offers new opportunities for students to gain hands on experience working on our efforts to modernize the local energy grid with new and innovative technologies that are enhancing reliability for customers.”

The reliability projects led by this office are a core part of Atlantic City Electric’s strategic efforts to modernize the energy grid serving South Jersey and improve reliability and service for the company’s 560,000 customers. As a result of our ongoing efforts, customers continue to experience improvements in the reliability of their energy service. During the past five years, energy system upgrades and new innovative technologies have driven a 22 percent decrease in the frequency of electric outages customers experienced.

Readers are encouraged to visit

The Source

,

Atlantic City Electric’s online news room. For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit

atlanticcityelectric.com

. Follow the company on Facebook at

facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric

and on Twitter at

twitter.com/acelecconnect

.

Our mobile app is available at

atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp

.

Photo Caption:

Atlantic City Electric employees join with government officials and Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce partners to officially open the new Project Management Office located on High Street in Glassboro, N.J. on February 21.

###

Atlantic City Electric is a unit of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the nation’s leading energy provider, with approximately 10 million customers. Atlantic City Electric provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 560,000 customers in southern New Jersey.

How technology has changed romance

Gloucestercitynews.net (Feb. 27, 2020)–Technology, the force driving so many aspects of human development, is exciting, inspirational, and naturally evolving. There can be no denying the ways technological advances have improved lives across the globe, from drones assisting farmers in remote areas to scientists mapping climate changes. It has also had a profound effect on romance, with the proliferation of online dating making it so much easier for singles to seek eligible partners. Here are some of the many ways technology has changed romance.

People can enter a relationship in minutes

If romance was once a thoughtful activity where people had to spend time getting to know each other by embarking on a series of dates, nowadays it is far more immediate. Singles who are seeking a romantic encounter only have to sign up to a dating resource, where they could get to know a prospective partner for love in a matter of minutes. Some websites focus on providing people with candidates for long-term relationships. Others are quite blatant in that they are purely aimed at singles who are seeking a casual encounter, as quickly as can be arranged.

You can specify your ideal partner

In the traditional form of dating, singles often had no idea about the personalities of the potential partners they were superficially attracted to beneath the bright lights of a nightclub or inside a singles bar. Technology has changed everything, with websites relying on complicated algorithms running in the background, ensuring that you are matched with someone who is completely appropriate for you. You can decide who you would like to get in touch with when you begin to browse through the personals on your favorite dating site like

this

, and you can browse through search parameters according to anything you wish, from income to ethnicity to whether or not they have children.

The world is shrinking

Once upon a time, romance was something that tended to involve people within your social group or immediate geographical location. Technology has now provided an arena where you can get in touch with potential partners right across the globe. So, rather than being content with interacting with someone who might live a matter of blocks away, you could find yourself exchanging regular romantic messages with singles from a different country. With the advent of video chatting technology, these international barriers are being even more eroded.

Dating sites are focused on compatibility

From the outset, who you choose to date can be narrowed down right. There are all sorts of dating sites out there catering for every sort of aspiration. If you are particularly interested in getting to know singles who share your love of a particular sport or a style of music, then this can be specified from the outset so that you have every chance of being matched with someone exclusively on your wavelength. You can pay close attention to the type of services any website is offering, making sure you don\’t sign up for one which will be inappropriate.

But dating sites can also encourage flippancy

Technology has certainly changed romance in the way that it can create an arena where there can be misunderstandings. On the one hand, having the ability to make instant communication with someone is an obvious positive. However, it is not always possible to ensure an accurate message is conveyed in a short space of time. The use of flippant comments or even emojis and other forms of Internet shorthand can mean that the actual context of a message can change or be misinterpreted. This can lead to miscommunication and this would impair the chemistry being developed.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

How to keep a check on your partner online?

With time advancement in technology makes our life much easier. Just as the innovation in web development and software brings ease. There are multiple online apps are

available through which you can keep a check on the things around you. usually, people prefer to use them for monitoring and surveillance for business purposes. As well as to keep a check on the kid’s activity. Moreover,

best phone tracker app to catch a cheating spouse

is getting common.

If you found or feel that your partner is cheating on you and you want to be assured. Get the tracker application and check the online activities of your husband or wife. The featured apps are supported for both android and iOS systems. So, if your partner has android or iOS no matters you have the options to get him or her.

Features of the spy applications

Advanced spy apps and services are offered a more secure and quick solution to find your partner red-handed. You cannot just track the messages or phone calls, but also with the GPRS tracking system now you can track the phone to check your partner’s cheating online. In the online featured application, there are certain add-ons to facilitate the user at the best level.

Spy applications are flexible in options and support for both android and iOS users. Even some versions are supported by the PC only.

The software offers direct access to track the GPRS and get the phone location. Moreover, direct cheating over phone calls, messages, and complete surveillance.

Applications even offer online surveillance too. You can keep a check on the internet activity of your partner. Get to know about the updated location, find out email checking, messages or call tracking and activities on the internet are no longer hidden.

So, whether it is about to just know that your partner is cheating on you or not. Or you are looking for the option to catch him or her red-handed. Only the spy software or applications are fully supported with user-friendly features. Now you can do the surveillance without letting know to your partner.

Why need to check on the partner online?

We are living in a fast-moving world, where you can easily find out hidden facts. Same as if your partner is not loyal to you can this is bothering. Or you want to make sure is this is true or you are in any kind of misunderstanding. One thing is to talk but if you think that does not work or maybe the truth will not disclose. Then you can check your partner online.

Use the spy applications for almost every device to keep a check and find out if your partner is cheating on you or not. You can do this without even letting him or her know about it. Applications offered direct access to view messages, calls, location tracking, internet activity monitoring and much more. so, now it is so easy to catch your partner red-handed or to clear your doubts without troubles.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

Virtua Surgeon Performs 1,000th Robotic Surgery

Medical milestone underscores Dr. Arthur T. Martella as national leader in his field

Perfectly timed with American Heart Month, Arthur T. Martella, MD, recently performed his 1,000

th

robotic-assisted heart surgery. He is among an elite group of surgeons, nationally and internationally, to achieve this milestone.

“The people of South Jersey are fortunate to have a surgeon as skilled and experienced as Dr. Martella performing such advanced procedures so close to home. When Virtua and Lourdes came together last year, we considered the cardiothoracic program, led by Dr. Martella, to be among the most important and complementary services we could now offer to a wider community. Dr. Martella’s achievement reinforces our belief that Virtua and Lourdes are truly better together,” said Virtua Health Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Reginald Blaber, MD, FACC, MBA.

As chief of cardiothoracic surgery at

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, N.J.,

Dr. Martella strives to provide the highest quality outcomes through the least invasive methods. His clinical outcomes demonstrate the advantages that robotic surgical systems provide to both providers and patients. For surgeons, the robotic equipment offers greater flexibility, visualization, and precision – which often benefits patients through less pain, reduced risk of infection, faster recovery, and minimal scarring. Dr. Martella and the Virtua team perform common, though highly complex, robotic procedures, including mitral valve repair or replacement, lead placement for pacemakers and defibrillators, and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

“I am proud to have had the opportunity to improve the patient experience by offering an option that allows patients to get back to their lives sooner,” said Dr. Martella. “It’s wonderful to be recognized for 1,000 surgeries, and I look forward to the next 1,000.”

About Dr. Martella

Dr. Martella is a leader in the use of robotics in cardiothoracic surgery. He has been chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital since 2011, during which he led the specialty to national recognition. He is board certified in surgery and thoracic surgery.

Prior to joining Lourdes Health System (now Virtua Health) in 2011, Dr. Martella was an attending cardiothoracic surgeon at Phoenixville, Brandywine, Pottstown, and Mercy Fitzgerald hospitals, and served as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Martella is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is a member of multiple medical societies, including the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. He serves as a member of Johnson & Johnson’s Professional Education Advisory Board.

Dr. Martella received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and his MD from Jefferson Medical College. He performed a surgical residency and internship at Montefiore Medical Center/Einstein College of Medicine and completed a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Rochester. He has authored numerous publications and has presented his research at national and international medical conferences.

About Cardiothoracic Surgery at Virtua Health

Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is the leading cardiothoracic surgery program in South Jersey and serves as the central location for Virtua Health’s cardiovascular program. Over the years, the program has received a variety of awards for its outstanding quality care. Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital was included among Watson Health’s list of 2020 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals. In November 2019, the hospital received the highest ranking, an A, in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report. In June 2015, the

New York Times

featured Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital as a national model in the effective and swift treatment of heart attacks. For more information, please visit

www.virtua.org

or call 1-888-VIRTUA-3.

Virtua Health, Inc. maintains systems for protection of electronic information, which are the property of Virtua Health, Inc. and are to be used for legitimate business purposes. You shall at all times protect and maintain the confidentiality of your user name and password and shall not disclose them to any third party. You are responsible to comply with the regulations and security rules set forth by HIPAA and Virtua Policies regarding the protection of data & confidentiality. Excessive use of systems for any reason other than legitimate business purposes is prohibited. Virtua Health, Inc. monitors all system transactions. No right to privacy exists when using Virtua Health, Inc. systems at work or when accessing Virtua systems from a personal computer or other device. Virtua Health, Inc. has the right to monitor, access, review, audit and disclose information obtained through Virtua Health. Inc. systems, including email, without advance notice to and/or without consent. All users of Virtua Health, Inc. systems are required to notify the IS Help Desk if they become aware of any misuse. I confirm that I have read this acknowledgment and understand

Survey shows majority of Delawareans say it is time to act on Climate Change

DOVER, Del. – With public input sessions beginning next week to create Delaware’s plan to mitigate, adapt and respond to climate change, most Delawareans believe climate change and sea level rise are happening, and a majority say the state should act now to address both issues,

according to a survey commissioned by DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal & Energy

.

Residents surveyed also support a range of key strategies to reduce climate change and respond to rising sea levels. The survey, supervised by the

University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication

, was conducted in late 2019 by Standage Market Research with the results announced today by DNREC.

On

March 3

,

4

and

5

, public input sessions will be held to provide an opportunity for Delawareans to learn more about how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and better prepare the state for climate impacts. Workshop attendees will also have a chance to provide their thoughts on choices the state can make to more effectively take action on climate change. These workshops are the start of public interaction in creating Delaware’s Climate Action Plan, which will review what’s being done in Delaware to reduce the impacts of climate change that the state already is experiencing, such as sea level rise and increased flooding in some areas, and to provide a comprehensive “road map” of steps to help mitigate those impacts on Delaware communities.

“More and more Delawareans are experiencing the impacts that climate change and sea level rise are having on our state, and this survey shows they support actions to reduce this growing threat,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The next step for Delawareans is to take part in conversations to help Delaware decide where and how we must act.”

The key findings of the survey include:

Delawareans believe in climate change

. Three in 4 Delawareans (77 percent) are completely or mostly convinced that climate change is occurring, and 70 percent say the state should take immediate action to reduce its impact. Almost as many (71 percent) are completely or mostly convinced that sea level rise is happening, and almost two-thirds (63 percent) say we should take immediate action to reduce its impacts.

More Delawareans have personally experienced or observed local impacts of climate change

. Fifty-six percent report personal experience with the impacts of climate change, compared to 53 percent from a 2014 survey sponsored by DNREC. Meanwhile, a growing proportion of Delawareans (47 percent) now say they have personally experienced sea level rise. That figure represents a 19-point increase from the 2014 climate survey (28 percent) and a 25-point increase from a 2009 survey conducted by Responsive Management (22 percent).

Delawareans are concerned about the future of climate change

. A combined 56 percent of Delawareans think climate change will personally harm them a great deal (21 percent) or a moderate amount (35 percent). That grows to a combined 77 percent when respondents were asked if they think climate change will harm future generations a great deal (61 percent) or a moderate amount (16 percent).

“Future generations will judge us based upon the actions we take today,” Secretary Garvin said. “Failure to take action now increasingly locks us into a future with increased flooding, more intense heat waves and threats to our quality of life.”

Standage Market Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,126 registered Delaware voters for the study either by telephone (601 respondents) or online (525 respondents). Interviewees were selected through random sampling. Statistical results are weighted by demographic factors to reflect population values. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is ± 2.9 percentage points.

A full report of the survey results will be released in March.

Three Climate Action Plan public input sessions are planned next week, one in each county, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. each evening. The first session will take place Tuesday, March 3, at the CHEER Community Center, 20520 Sand Hill Road, Georgetown. The session will move to the Wilmington Public Library, 10 East 10

th

Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, on Wednesday, March 4, and a final session will take place Thursday, March 5, at Del Tech’s Del-One Conference Center, 100 Campus Drive, Dover, DE 19901.

View the complete summary report of the climate perceptions survey at

de.gov/climatesurvey

.

About DNREC

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Climate, Coastal & Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware\’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the

website

and connect with @DNREC on

Facebook

,

Twitter

or

LinkedIn

.

NORWESCAP AND THE TOWN OF PHILLIPSBURG PARTNER TO REVITALIZE THE SOUTH MAIN STREET DISTRICT

$125,000 Awarded by New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to Fund Revitalization

Phillipsburg, New Jersey, February 26, 2020

– The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJ DCA) has approved a plan, jointly developed by the Town of Phillipsburg and Norwescap, to make improvements in the South Main Street District.   The plan included input from hundreds of local residents, business leaders, elected officials and community-based organizations.

Through its ‘Neighborhood Preservation Program, the NJ DCA will provide the Town of Phillipsburg with $125,000 in funding to focus on branding the district, coordinating and expanding events, and attracting complementary businesses through micro-grant opportunities.  In addition, strategies will be deployed to improve the look, feel and function of public spaces and foster a vibrant business district by connecting the “downtown” area with nearby parks and trails for biking and walking and by linking tourist attractions (such as the popular Delaware River Railroad Excursions) with local retail shops and eateries.  The funding is renewable for up to four years.

The plan, authored by Norwescap and its partners at New Jersey Community Capital, has been cited as an example for other municipalities to follow.  Jef Buehler, NJ DCA NPP Administrator said of the NPP Plan, “Your South Main Implementation Plan both fully meets and exceeds our requirements and is being used as a ‘best practice’ model for other NPP communities working with us in New Jersey. All who have seen and reviewed the South Main Implementation Plan, both at DCA and in other communities, have been very impressed”.

Norwescap and the Town of Phillipsburg have entered into a shared services agreement to implement the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) program.  For both entities, this District is a priority and its designation as a Neighborhood Preservation area is anticipated to leverage more than 1 million in public and private funds for projects for the next four years. Norwescap has two additional initiatives in the South Main Street District – the Parnassus Neighborhood Plan created as part of NJ DCA’s Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) program, and the Community Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) program.  These two programs and, Norwescap’s long history as a trusted social service provider, will ensure that additional resources and programs will enhance these efforts in the South Main Street District.

“We are honored to be given the opportunity to work with the Town of Phillipsburg on this project,” said Norwescap’s CEO, Mark Valli.  “Together we can leverage our collective assets and resources to build a vibrant and thriving District.  There are over 120,000 visitors to the Phillipsburg area and the goal of this program is to spark efforts to attract food and retail options or events that build on visitors’ experience while in Phillipsburg.  Building a strong commercial District will improve the quality of life for local residents.”

Residents and visitors will soon begin to see improvements along the South Main District from Market Street to McKeen Street and an increase of events at Walters and Shappell Parks.

One way to become involved in this transformation is to join Norwescap and the Town of Phillipsburg Police Department for the 2nd Annual Community Day of Action planned for Saturday, April 18th.  “The Phillipsburg Day of Action is a positive way for anyone to get involved in improving their community,” said NPP Coordinator Mary Jo Harris.  “Last year we had students, retirees, elected officials, police officers, and a host of residents pitching in to beautify our community, this year will be bigger and better.”

If you would like more information on the NPP program or the 2nd Annual Community Day of Action please contact Mary Jo Harris at

harrism@norwescap.org

or call Mary Jo at 908-454-7000, Ext. 1136.

About Norwescap

Norwescap provides vital services to over 30,000 individuals and families in need in Northwest New Jersey. Our programs include strategies that address the critical areas of education, health and wellness, employment, housing, volunteerism, and financial capacity building. Since our inception, we have been dedicated to achieving the mission of creating opportunities to transform lives through innovative programs and partnerships. For more information, please visit

www.norwescap.org

State of New Jersey Diverts Tax Dollars Allocated to 911 System Improvements

By Emily S. Moore |

The Center Square

A decade ago, a fee was placed on every New Jersey resident’s phone bill to be allocated to improving the state’s out-of-date 911 system.

However, only 10 to 15 percent of those funds is used to upgrade the three state-operated 911 centers, John G. Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, said in an interview with The Center Square.

“The 197 or so the county and municipal 911 centers have not received any funding from the state during this time and have been forced to rely on the use of local property taxpayer dollars to fund 911 system upgrades,” he said.

The funds, instead, have been diverted for general operating expenses at the Department of Law and Public Safety. The diversions prohibit New Jersey from applying for millions of dollars in grants from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to upgrade 911 systems.

Donnadio said the solution to improving New Jersey’s 911 system is a technology called Next Generation 911 (NexGen 911).

“All 911 centers (public safety answering points) across the country must enhance their systems with NextGen 911 technology, which is an upgrade from analog to digital or Internet Protocol (IP) technologies,” he said.

The current system dates to the 1980s and can give incorrect location data and have trouble locating cell phone callers.

The Federal Trade Commission reported that NextGen 911 could save more than 10,000 lives annually if implemented nationwide.

In New Jersey, the 90-cent tax on phone bills was implemented in 2004 by the state Legislature to upgrade the 911 system, bringing in an average of $124 million a year.

In January, state officials held a news conference in Trenton to ask for diversions of funds that should be used for 911 system improvements to stop.

“That money has ended up in the black hole of the state budget,” Sen. Michael Testa, R-Vineland, said

in an interview

with

NJ.com

. “It’s long past time for the state to do the right thing.”

published by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

Camden County GOP Announces County Candidates

Ambrosino: “2020 marks the 100

th

anniversary of women winning the right to vote and I am proud to announce a slate of candidates that happens to be all women.”

HADDON HEIGHTS (February 27, 2020)–– Camden County Republican Chairman Rich Ambrosino announced the county slate of GOP candidates today.

“2020 is the 100

th

anniversary of women winning the right to vote and I am proud to announce a slate of candidates that happens to be all women,” Rich Ambrosino said. “Our county candidates are, for Surrogate former Haddon Heights School Board member and Attorney Kimberly Stuart. Freeholder candidates are former Haddon Heights Councilwoman Jennifer Moore and Johanna Scheets, a board certified Behavior Analyst. Minister Nicole Nance, BBA rounds out the team running for the unexpired Freeholder term.”

Ambrosino continued, “On the stump our candidate in the First Congressional District, Claire Gustafson, discusses 2020 being the 100

th

anniversary of women winning the right to vote and the importance of supporting strong women for office, which fits perfectly with our organization’s efforts in recruiting more women as part of our work to diversify the party. I am proud of the team we have assembled.”

“To be clear, we did not choose an all-woman slate for the sake of choosing women, we don’t practice identity politics,” Ambrosino said. “We chose a group of strong, powerful women who are leaders that Camden County voters will be proud to vote for because they will make excellent elected officials.”

published Gloucestercitynews.net