Visit Philadelphia & Megabus Offer $2.29 Fare to Philly on Leap Day

Visitors Can See The Flower Show, Celebrate Black History Month & More on February 29 & March 1, 2020

Saturday, February 29, 2020 is Leap Day, and to celebrate the once-every-four-years occasion, VISIT PHILADELPHIA

has partnered with Megabus to

offer $2.29 fares from New York and Washington, DC to Philadelphia. A limited number of $2.29 fares will also be available for departures from Philadelphia on Sunday, March 1, 2020. The deal is bookable

here

Those who take advantage of the offer can partake in the expected (Liberty Bell, cheesesteaks, Rocky steps) and the unexpected (public art, breweries galore, tax-free clothing shopping) fun in Philadelphia. They can:

Celebrate the last day of

Black History Month

at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at Belmont Mansion, Johnson House Historic Site, Mother Bethel A.M.E. and National Marian Anderson Museum, to name a few.

Enjoy the first day of

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

See

Hello Dolly!

at the Academy of Music.

Experience the Selma and suffrage exhibits at the

Brandywine Museum of Art

Spend the night in Philadelphia by booking the perks-packed

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

More trip ideas for Leap Day and every day are available at

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

VISIT PHILADELPHIA

is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog,

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

FBI Seeks Information on Disappearance, 15 Years Ago Today, of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone, Jr.

PHILADELPHIA PA (February 19, 2020)–The FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Mount Laurel Police Department, and Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office are seeking the public’s assistance as we continue to investigate the disappearance, 15 years ago today, of Danielle (Ottobre) Imbo and Richard Petrone, Jr.

Imbo and Petrone were last seen in the late evening hours of Saturday, February 19, 2005, leaving a bar on Philadelphia’s South Street for Petrone’s black 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup truck. An extensive investigation to date has generated some promising leads; however, neither they nor the vehicle have ever been located.

This investigation into Danielle and Rich’s disappearance remains open and active, and there is still a $50,000 reward for information on the couple’s whereabouts or for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for their disappearance. The reward is being administered by the Philadelphia Citizens Crime Commission.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to call the Citizens Crime Commission tip line at 215-546-TIPS (215-546-8477). Tipsters can remain anonymous.

Resources

DANIELLE IMBO

RICHARD PETRONE

Some South Jersey Mayors, Legislators, Sheriff Work Together to Fight Sanctuary State Policies

The District 1 legislative team joined Cape May Sheriff Bob Nolan and local municipal officials for a conference call with local mayors to discuss the impact of New Jersey’s sanctuary policies on law enforcement and efforts to challenge the intrusive directives from the attorney general.

Last September AG Grewal said New Jersey is not a sanctuary state but in March 2019 the New Jersey

Immigrant Trust Directive

went into effect—essentially ending any cooperation between the State and Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) on immigration enforcement matters. See related articles below

“The refusal of Murphy and his attorney general to enforce federal and state immigration laws continues to endanger law-abiding citizens,” said Senator Michael Testa (R-1). “Not only is the Murphy Administration evading our laws, they are treating illegal aliens to drivers’ licenses, college financial aid, and lawyers to fight deportation. Sheriff Nolan has my unyielding support in his struggle to protect New Jersey families from crimes committed by illegal aliens who have no respect for our laws and no fear of the consequences.”

Sanctuary

directives

from Attorney General Grewal prevent law enforcement agencies from honoring federal detainer requests to hold illegal immigrants who have been arrested or jailed for criminal activity in New Jersey until they can be transferred to federal immigration authorities.

“Politics should never interfere with public safety, but these ‘liberal policies’ handed down by the progressives in Trenton are handcuffing law enforcers and preventing them from doing their jobs,” said Assemblyman Antwan McClellan (R-1). “We will continue to stand with the Sheriff and all members of the law enforcement community who work every day to keep our communities safe.”

Grewal’s directives also restrict other types of cooperation between local, state, and federal authorities that could help keep New Jersey families safe and blocks federal immigration authorities from accessing local law enforcement databases.

“Hard-working residents who follow the rules and do the right things are being treated like second-class citizens,” said Assemblyman Erik Simonsen (R-1), whose family includes immigrants who came here legally. “The governor and attorney general should be working on behalf of state residents, not putting them at risk.”

Sheriff Nolan signed on to a federal program, committing to coordinate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies when illegal immigrants are processed through Cape May County’s jail.

In October, Grewal moved to block the program. The issue is currently in the courts.

“I appreciate the support of the District 1 legislators who share my concern with irresponsible immigration policies that make illegal immigrants a protected class immune from our laws,” said Nolan. “Together, we will continue to fight for the interests of the residents of Cape May County and the rest of the state.”

The LD 1 team of Testa, McClellan and Simonsen said they will continue to provide Cape May County constituents with updates on legislative efforts to fight sanctuary policies and the ongoing court case.

AG GREWAL:

STOP CALLING NEW JERSEY A SANCTUARY STATE

It’s Official: New Jersey Is a Sanctuary State

Tips to Minimize Fire When Using Generators In Your Home

(NAPSI)—The fall and winter seasons bring cooler temperatures, holidays, and images of cozy nights by the fireplace. Yet the change in seasons also comes with the chance of severe weather and an increase in fire risks. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more home fires occur in winter than in any other season.

“Holiday decorations, space heaters, generators, and fireplaces all present fire hazards if not properly used and maintained,” said Steve Hirsch, chair of the National Volunteer Fire Council. “Residents should be aware of the dangers and take the steps to make sure their families and homes are protected.”

Follow these tips to minimize home fire and safety risks:

• Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home. Test monthly to ensure they work.

• Install carbon monoxide alarms and test them at least once a month.

• Know where the gas, electric, and water main shut-off controls are and how to use them.

• Place fire extinguishers in the kitchen, garage, and living room, and make sure all household members know how to use them.

• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it with the entire family.

• Keep portable generators outside and away from the home.

• Install a screen in front of each fireplace or wood stove. Store cooled ashes in a metal container outside the home.

• Have chimneys professionally inspected and cleaned every year.

• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, or other heat source.

• Never leave lit candles unattended, and keep them out of the reach of children and pets.

• If using a live Christmas tree, keep it adequately watered and get rid of it after Christmas or when it gets dry.

Residents can also take an active role in protecting their communities from hazards such as fires, medical emergencies, and much more. Fire departments across the country are looking for volunteers to serve as firefighters, EMS providers, and auxiliary members.

“The majority of firefighters in the U.S. are volunteers—neighbors helping neighbors in an incredible and rewarding way,” said Hirsch. “We need more people to answer the call to serve.”

Training is provided by the department, and volunteers can serve in a variety of roles, from providing life-saving emergency response services to conducting fire prevention programs and disaster preparedness planning.

Learn more and find a volunteer fire service opportunity by going to

www.MakeMeAFirefighter.org

Behind The Diocese Of Harrisburg Bankruptcy

By Bill Donohue | CNBNews Contributor

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on

the decision of the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to declare bankruptcy

In 2018, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro unethically released a grand jury report on Catholic priests and lay people who were accused of sexually abusing minors decades ago—most were never found guilty and some successfully contested the public release of their name (the Catholic League filed an amicus brief in this victory in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court)—the result of which was to spur a debate over suspending the statute of limitations.

The debate has been just as political as the cherry picking of the Catholic Church in seeking a grand jury probe. Last year a state appeals court allowed a case to go forward against the Altoona-Johnstown diocese despite the fact that it was time barred by the statute of limitations. The case is currently being appealed but in the meantime similar cases are being filed.

Similar cases against which institutions? Pennsylvania Rep. Mark Rozzi, who is leading the charge to suspend the statute of limitations, is quoted in the Washington Post as saying it is not just priests who have victimized minors. He mentions \”Amish and Mennonite abusers, schoolteachers, pediatricians, Boy Scout leaders, Penn State\’s Jerry Sandusky, Bill Cosby.\”

Rozzi\’s list is incomplete. He left out many other secular and religious institutions, and he never mentioned the fact that most sexual abuse occurs in the home. And what exactly has he done about it? For example, why has he not lobbied to remove the obscene protections afforded the public schools in Pennsylvania? They are shielded by the doctrine of sovereign immunity: a student has to make a claim within 90 days of the alleged abuse, otherwise the clock runs out.

There are discussions now to include the public schools, but why didn\’t Rozzi demand they be included years ago? Just as important, where are the claims being made against the public schools now that an appeals court is saying that students who were victimized decades ago can proceed in court?

Shapiro is quoted in the Washington Post as saying the Catholic Church \”has refused to reform.\” That is a bald face lie: no institution has undertaken more reforms, with more positive results, than the Church.

When Shapiro released his grand jury report, we found that in the Diocese of Harrisburg, 71 persons were named: 42 were dead and four were missing. Most of those who were still alive were no longer in ministry. In August, the diocese paid 106 people $12 million in compensation; five more settlements have since been reached.

There is a reason the Diocese of Harrisburg filed for bankruptcy the day after the Boy Scouts of America did: both have been targeted by lawyers who have a profound hatred of institutions that promote traditional moral values. It is incontestable that no religious organization is known for doing this more than the Catholic Church, and no secular organization can rival the Boy Scouts on this score.

Beginning in the mid-1960s, both the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts dropped their guard and succumbed to a more secular vision of sexuality; it lasted roughly until the early-1980s. They both paid a big price for it. But other religious entities were just as guilty, to say nothing of the public schools. Why are they not filing for bankruptcy? This has nothing to do with kids not being raped by teachers: it has to do with politics. There is no comparable animus against these organizations.

The hypocrisy is serious but not as serious as the injustice: to single out the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts is moral profiling. This is no less invidious than racial profiling.

FACE OF DEFENSE: Major Energy Management Project Completed at CG Academy

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The largest Utility Energy Savings Contract ever awarded by the Department of Homeland Security was recently completed at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

One of the smallest and most specialized of the nation’s five federal service academies, the Academy has been located in New London since 1910. The institution moved to its present home, a sprawling 103-acre campus on the west bank of the Thames River, back in 1932.

One of the smallest and most specialized of the nation’s five federal service academies, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy campus has been in its present location New London, Conn., since 1932. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi.

The energy savings project, which began in late 2017, has transformed the 87-year old campus into a more resilient, modern and sustainable institution.

The project included $39 million in capital improvements designed to reduce total electricity imported from the grid by nearly 80 percent, reduce overall energy consumption by 48 percent and reduce annual energy costs at the Academy by more than $2 million.

The Academy\’s fuel oil-fired boiler plant was replaced with a high efficiency natural gas plant, and supplemented with a combined heat and power plant that generates one megawatt of electricity onsite with a microturbine engine. U. S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lauren Laughlin.

The project has substantively updated the institution’s energy infrastructure and impacted a number of facilities from student barracks to the academic laboratories. Overall, more than a dozen upgrades were completed in 30 different buildings across campus. “Anytime we can invest in the infrastructure onboard the service’s only accession point for officers we are making an investment in the long term strength of the service,” said Rear Admiral Bill Kelly, Academy Superintendent.

A natural gas plant was included in the project that was supplemented with a combined heat and power plant that generates one megawatt of electricity onsite with a micro-turbine generator. The result greatly improves the reliability of the Academy’s electrical systems and increases the institution’s energy resiliency.

In addition, the project incorporated renewable and onsite energy generation and implemented numerous energy and water conservation measures, lighting improvements, and the installation of rooftop solar arrays.

One of the main outcomes of the project is that the overall energy savings takes the Academy, previously the third largest consumer of energy within the U.S. Coast Guard, out of the service’s top 10 energy consumer list altogether.

The institution worked with the energy company Eversource and subcontractor Ameresco to manage the project which is funded through energy cost savings. According to Eversource, the improvements will reduce the Academy’s carbon emissions by around 7,800 metric tons of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to taking more than 1,600 cars off the road.

FACE OF DEFENSE

AMERICAN HERO

CNB HUNTING/FISHING DELAWARE: Register for mandatory wild turkey hunting courses

DOVER (Feb., 2020) – With Delaware’s annual spring wild turkey hunting season approaching, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Hunter Education

Program reminds both resident and non-resident hunters

age 13 and older that they must pass a Division-Approved turkey hunting course before they can legally hunt turkeys in the First State. Also, hunters age 13 and older born after Jan. 1, 1967, must have completed an approved basic hunter education safety course and have a course card/number. These hunter education requirements have collectively helped Delaware turkey hunters achieve an excellent hunting safety record.

Registration is now open for one-day turkey hunting courses offered from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. by the Division of Fish & Wildlife at the following locations in Kent, New Castle, and Sussex counties:

· Kent County – Saturday, March 7, Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901

· New Castle County – Saturday, March 14, Ommelanden Hunter/Trapper Education Training Center and Range, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720

· Sussex County – Sunday, March 29, Lewes Fire Department, Station #2 at Nassau, 32198 Janice Road, Lewes, DE 19958

Delaware’s turkey hunter education course teaches turkey hunting safety, as well as the state’s current wild turkey hunting laws and regulations. Students also learn about Delaware’s wild turkey history, as well wild turkey biology and behavior, and turkey calling that can help improve turkey hunting success. While required for all hunters age 13 and older, youth 10 through 12 years of age can also take the course.

Successful completion of the course enables students to obtain their Delaware Turkey Hunter Safety Card or have the turkey course certification added to their Delaware Hunter Education Card. Proof of both basic hunter education and turkey hunting safety certification must be carried while in the field turkey hunting.

Students planning to attend one of the turkey courses must register in advance. To register for a course, click

Hunter Education Online Access

. After logging in, click “Sign me up” and select “Mandatory Turkey Ed.” Students may also contact the Hunter Education Office at 302-735-3600, ext. 1, to register or for additional information.

Delaware’s 2020 wild turkey season will run from Saturday, April 11 through Saturday, May 9, excluding Sundays, with a youth/non-ambulatory disabled turkey hunt on Saturday, April 4. For more information on wild turkey hunting in Delaware, click on

2019-2020 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide

. The guide is also available in printed form at DNREC’s Dover licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, and from

license agents

throughout the state.

ICE, and Law Enforcement Agencies Address Dangers of New York\’s Green Light Law

WASHINGTON (February 21, 2020)– – The acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director and federal, state and local law enforcement officials hosted a news conference today to address how the Green Light Law in the state of New York impacts public safety. Hosted at the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office in Troy, New York, 17 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies gathered to implore the State of New York to consider the ramifications of the Green Light Law.

“By restricting access to all DMV information, the Green Light Law stands as a dangerous roadblock to ongoing federal investigations into a broad range of criminal activity,” said Acting ICE Director Matthew T. Albence. “Information sharing is the lifeblood of law enforcement. The inability to access this information puts our sworn federal agents and officers, and the communities we serve, unnecessarily at risk.”

ICE is not asking the State of New York to provide a list of illegal aliens, or to identify which individuals in its databases are here illegally, Albence explained at the press conference. ICE needs access to the information – just like all other law enforcement agencies that work in the state – to support investigative efforts, not only in New York, but also across the country and around the world, he said. ICE’s ability to identify and dismantle a transnational criminal organization often depends on getting the right piece of information into the right hands at the right time.

The National Sheriffs Association, New York State Sheriffs Association, New York State Police Chiefs, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, New York City Sergeants Benevolent Association, Rensselaer County Executive, Rensselaer County Sheriff, Rensselaer County Clerk, Washington County Sheriff, Saratoga County Sheriff, Albany County Legislator, Saratoga County Clerk, New York Fraternal Order of Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) New York, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York, the Erie County Clerk, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection participated.

Football Icon Jerry Rice Makes Big Play for Kidney Health

Jerry Rice is working with the National Kidney Foundation to promote kidney health

(NAPSI)—Fans might think Jerry Rice, at 56, should be satisfied to sail silently into the sunset reflecting on his Pro Football Hall of Fame status, three Super Bowl rings, and two decades in the National Football League. Indeed, the iconic wide receiver retired his professional cleats years ago.

Yet, he still uses his youthful, seemingly boundless energy to keep carrying the ball for the cause closest to his heart: tackling chronic kidney disease (CKD). “My brother Tom has CKD,” Rice said. “I’ve watched him go to dialysis three days a week for years, which is really hard on the body. He’s a very positive individual. Still, sometimes I spend the long hours that he endures just sitting by his side. It was my brother, after all, who loved, encouraged and pushed me early on by telling me that I had to make it to the NFL.”

Getting The Word Out

To that end, in a new PSA series for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to be broadcast nationwide, Rice focuses on promoting kidney health and raising awareness of kidney disease. The NKF is the largest, most comprehensive and long-standing organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease.

Given Rice’s genuine concern about and personal connection to the disease, NKF enlisted the widely beloved sports legend to help to speak to the general public as well as kidney patients. He already has lots of practice doing so up close and personally whenever he joins his brother at a neighborhood dialysis center in Jackson, Miss.

“I’d go there to mainly be with my brother, of course, but I always walk around the room to say hello and socialize with the other dialysis patients,” Rice said. “You don’t realize it until you see for yourself in centers that there are lots of people on dialysis. It puts everything in perspective whenever I start complaining. When I visit the dialysis center, people often know who I am and are happy to see me, and if I can bring a smile to some faces and make them forget even for a second, that warms my heart. That’s how I felt playing football, seeing the smiles in the stands and helping people to forget problems for a little while.”

Rice is also part of NKF’s continuing and growing Heart Your Kidneys (#HeartYourKidneys) public campaign to help elevate awareness of the kidneys to the status of other vital organs such as the heart. He is amazed that most people know very little about their kidneys and that some don’t know the kidneys are located in the lower back below the rib cage—or that each person has two. Rice hopes his new PSAs with NKF will help change that.

“It’s important to me to keep working hard to get the word out with NKF, because you can see that this really hits home for me in more ways than one,” Rice said.

Kidney Facts And Jerry Rice’s Tips

• African Americans are three times more likely to experience kidney failure than are people of other races.

• Because kidney disease often has no symptoms, it can go unnoticed until it is very advanced.

• The kidneys’ major function is to filter out waste products and excess fluid from the body.

• Eat healthy and drink water instead of sugary drinks.

• Exercise regularly.

• Ask your doctor about your kidney health.

Learn More

For further information about kidney disease and how to tell whether you’re at risk, call (800) 622-9010 or visit

www.kidney.org

CNB Hunting/Fishing MD: Hunters Harvest nearly 80,000 Deer during 2019-2020 Season

Final Harvest Numbers Higher than the Previous Season

Photo by Steve Edwards

The

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

reported that deer hunters harvested 79,457 de,er during the combined archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons, from Sept. 6, 2019 through Jan. 31, 2020.

The statewide harvest included 29,233 antlered and 46,777 antlerless white-tailed deer, plus 1,552 antlered and 1,895 antlerless sika deer. The harvest was 3% higher than the 2018-2019 total of 77,382 deer.

Hunters harvested more than 5,000 deer on Sundays.

Hunting deer on Sunday

is only permitted during certain weeks in 20 of Maryland’s 23 counties.

Many factors affect the annual deer harvest, including weather, the amount of natural food available to deer, and the economy as it relates to recreational time available.

“We are pleased with the results of this year’s overall deer harvest,”

Wildlife and Heritage Service

Director Paul Peditto said. “Maryland’s deer population remains very healthy, and deer hunters continue to play the most critical role in the management of this important species.”

The harvest in deer management

Region A

(Western Maryland) decreased 12%, from 9,705 deer last year to 8,534 this year. Poor weather conditions on key hunting days contributed to the region’s harvest decline. Hunters in the western counties reported 5,056 antlered and 3,478 antlerless deer.

Hunters in

Region B

— the remainder of the state — harvested 70,923 deer, up 5% from 67,677 deer harvested last year. A total of 25,729 antlered and 45,194 antlerless deer were reported in this region.

Frederick County led the harvest totals again this year with 6,358 deer, followed by Carroll County with 5,553 and Baltimore County at 4,969. Garrett and Washington counties rounded out the top five with 4,607 and 4,041 deer, respectively.