Category: LegacyImport2

3 Life Tips for a New Military Spouse

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 11, 2020)–The U.S. military issues instructions and operations for nearly every imaginable scenario — in case of emergency, in case of attack, in case of disorder. But when it comes to the case of marrying a military man or woman, there is no instruction manual. The vows you take apply to both your beloved and the country they serve, and suddenly, your concept of \”family\” must grow to encompasses the entire army, navy, air force or marines.

No one tells you that the civilian life you knew will come to a sudden halt and a new life, complete with new rules and regulations, begins when you become a military spouse. Though this new life may seem overwhelming at first, knowing how to handle a few common issues can make transitioning into your new role, a new marriage and new life a little easier.

Dealing With Deployment

Every military spouse is inevitably faced with the deployment of their wife or husband. The threat of their sudden departure hangs heavy in the air when the couples are together knowing that at any time, they may need to separate for months, sometimes years at a time.

When deployment occurs, the first night is always the hardest, but it does get easier from there. Staying busy during a loved one\’s absence is the first bit of

advice that experienced military spouses offer

. Filling your days with chores and activities is a critical strategy to keep the mind occupied and the nerves calmed. Another pearl of wisdom to help deal with deployment is to be prepared and plan ahead. Changing from a partnership to a single entity means you have twice the household obligations and responsibilities, including maintaining the day-to-day operations of life and home. That\’s why it\’s wise to plan ahead and get as much done as possible before the deployment.

For instance, military spouses left behind might learn that obtaining better auto insurance rates before your spouse leaves can save you time, effort and money. Some providers like

USAA auto insurance

make accommodations specifically for military families. With plans in place, the first night of deployment as well as those that follow, will not seem so unbearable.

Managing Money

The military offers some great benefits to its members and their spouses like free healthcare and retirement packages, so knowing what you are entitled to and how to claim it should be near the top of your list of things to do early in your military life.

For example,

the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

is strictly for military individuals and their families and offers simple investment choices and automatic enrollment. It is comparable to many 401(k) plans civilians have. The investments are all index funds, meaning they simply track the market instead of being actively managed, which means they are relatively safer and they yield greater savings that are passed directly to you. All members of the U.S. armed forces can contribute, and it\’s never too early to plan for retirement.

Moving Matters

Whether it be a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or a temporary travel assignment, the process of moving is certainly stressful; and with upwards of

400,000 servicemen and woman PCS annually

, that stress is quite common.

If you\’re lucky enough to stay in the States, your moving process is significantly less complicated. You\’ll want to start out with your local transportation office and then decide how much you want to do on your own. If you are comfortable with Uncle Sam taking the reigns, he can help you with housing, relocation assistance referrals, transportation and employment in your new location, allowing you to focus on yourself and your family.

By following these tips on dealing with the difficult and inevitable heartbreak of deployment, mastering the management of money and navigating the waters of a military move, you\’ll be well on your way to becoming a veteran military spouse and growing ever more comfortable in your new life.

*Supporting Those Who Served

Camden City, N.J. — Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer announced the Office will host a symposium for military and veterans affairs Feb. 19 in Oaklyn as part of the Attorney General’s 21 County/21

st

Century Policing Project.

“Veterans put their lives on the line countless times for our country,” said Acting Prosecutor Mayer. “I’m proud to lead an office that supports these men and women by hosting a public forum to educate our veterans about the many services offered in Camden County for veterans in need.”

Representatives from various agencies, including the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the New Jersey Department of Military Veterans Affairs, Camden County Office of Veterans Affairs and Rutgers Office of Military and Veterans Affairs will be present among others at the Oaklyn VFW Post 4463 beginning at 6 p.m.

The event will link veterans, their families and friends with the support and services needed to reduce the risk of contact with the criminal justice system.

According to a 2012

National Institutes of Health Study

, 9 percent of Veterans and service members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have been arrested since returning to their homes.

“The resources are out there for veterans, but not everyone knows about them,” said Acting Prosecutor Mayer. “By having multiple organizations in one place and giving each an opportunity to speak, we hope to educate the county on what kind of help is available for either themselves or a veteran they know.”

The event will run from 6 to approximately 8 p.m. at 5 Manor Ave., Oaklyn.

Stolen Vehicle Surge at the Port of NY/Newark

February 10, 2020

CBP’s Battle at the Port of New York/Newark

NEWARK, NJ

. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) plays a major role in the battle against Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and other innovative and constantly evolving transnational criminal networks whose collaborative efforts seek nothing but illicit financial gain and fortune.  One threat of particular concern comes from the sophisticated organizations responsible for the theft and export of stolen vehicles.  Thousands of vehicles have been stolen or carjacked throughout the tristate area in order to be illegally exported from the United States through various marine terminals located in/around the Port of New York/Newark (NY/NWK) with final destinations to African nations such as Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

On the epidemic of stolen vehicles, Marty C. Raybon, CBP Port Director, stated, “Our success at identifying, degrading and disrupting transnational networks depends on many things, but analytics and partnerships are right at the top of the list.  CBP will always be able to leverage our unique authorities, data holdings, and analytical abilities, but without close collaboration with our federal, state and local partners, we cannot dismantle these networks.  What’s required is a whole of government approach and that’s what we have with our partners in Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia, HSI Newark Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST), HSI New York BEST, New Jersey State Police, New York City Police Department and Hudson County Sheriff’s Department.”

CBP’s mission is to safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.  The men and women of CBP who are assigned to the Port of NY/NWK take this mission and commitment to the public very seriously and will continue to work with our partners and stakeholders to ensure our continued success.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation\’s borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

200 Club of Burlington County Announces 30th Annual Valor/Scholarship Awards Banquet

Moorestown: The 200 CLUB OF BURLINGTON COUNTY is pleased to announce they will celebrate the organization\’s 30th annual Valor Awards Dinner on Friday February 28, 2020 at Merion Caterers, Route 130, Cinnaminson NJ.

The 200 Club or Burlington County is a charitable, non-profit organization comprised entirely of dedicated volunteers with the primary mission of providing financial assistance to the families of fallen or injured members of the State Police, County and Municipal Police, Fire or Emergency Medical Services serving the citizens of Burlington County. The Club also supports these public safety professionals through the awarding of higher education scholarships, advanced training awards and special recognition awards. The program will include the presentation of awards to several members of the Burlington County law enforcement, fire and EMS community in the categories of HONOR-VALOR, awarded for an act or deed of personal bravery involving risk to the individual\’s own life, above and beyond the performance of duty and the, MERITORIOUS AWARD, awarded for service rendered when an individual, with diligence and perseverance, conspicuously performs their duty, above and beyond the call of duty. Examples: prevents crime, protects life and/or property, apprehends criminals, or otherwise performs a deed which reflects credit upon the individual and the agency he or she represents. The DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD is awarded to an individual who has dedicated years of unqualified giving and service for the betterment of their community, department and profession and ADVANCED TRAINING AWARDS, presented to a department or agency for the purpose of funding advanced public safety training programs which enhance the individual’s ability to perform their duties or conduct the training necessary to improve other members’ capabilities.

In addition, the 200 Club of Burlington County will distribute $10,000 in Scholarship funds by presenting four $2,500 Scholarships to family members of Burlington County police officers, County detectives, troopers, firefighters, or EMS personnel to offset the cost of college.

More………….

1

The recipients of this year\’s scholarships, one of which is sponsored by Republic Bank and Bowman & Company LLP, Certified Public Accountants include: Haley Chenier of Medford, N.J.,

Madison Congemi of Cinnaminson, N.J. , Jacob Dotson of Pemberton, N.J. and Jarrod LaRosa, of Medford, N.J.

The 200 Club will also present four Advanced Training Awards to local fire and police agencies to fund training for their personnel. The agencies receiving these awards, two of which are sponsored by Bowman & Company, LLP include: Riverside Township for Emergency Medical Technician training, sponsored by the Dietz & Watson Company; Maple Shade Township Police to attend De-Escalation Instructor Course training; Palmyra/Cinnaminson/Riverton EMT to attend a Stop The Bleed Training Control Course and to Evesham Township Fire District for training on the Lion Gas Monitoring Training System to be used at fire scenes. Funds totaling $6,000.00 will be divided and awarded to these agencies to fund, and/or provide education and training. In addition, Mount Laurel resident Debbie Johnson, wife of former Moorestown Police Public Safety Harry Johnson also contributes funds for the training and education in his memory.

The 200 Club’s Honor-Valor Award Committee will present the Distinguished Service Award to Colonel Edward R. Reynolds, for his lifetime commitment to the betterment, protection and service to his country and community for over 50 years and to acknowledge his service to the Burlington County Office of Emergency Management and the citizens of Burlington County.

The recipients of the Meritorious Service Awards include Maple Shade Police Corporal Robert Bennett, Officer Mark O’Brien, Officer Joseph Capate and Officer Justin Jericho for their actions dealing with an armed suspect. Corporal Bennett began negotiations with the armed suspect while Officers O’Brien, Capate and Jericho removed the suspect’s wife from danger and secured the area to protect surrounding residents. Corporal Bennett convinced the suspect to surrender. Officers located a fully-loaded handgun with an extended magazine and ammunition.

Also included in the Meritorious Service Awards are Riverside police Sergeant Brando Conard, Ptlm. Anthony Congemi, Ptlm. Brandon Griffin and Ptlm. Shane Pettit for their efforts in apprehending a violent sexual predator. Officers responded to a report of a missing 14-year-old female. When Officers arrived they were briefed by the victim’s mother and learned a suspect known to the girl broke into her bedroom window and forced the victim to go with him at knifepoint. The suspect, a 17-year-old male, was located and arrested in Delanco as a result of these Officers\’ quick actions. The victim was located unharmed.

The Honor/Valor Award is being presented to Chief Robert McFarland, Bordentown Fire District and Firefighter Tom Capraro, Vincentown Fire Company, and a Good Samaritan, Tyler Schulte, for their actions in rescuing a trapped occupant from a residential dwelling fire on April 16, 2019. As a result of their bravery, the occupant survive the ordeal.

President’s Award 200 Club President Steve Raymond will be presenting five (5) President’s Awards to several members of the Law Enforcement community helping the fight against opioid addiction. Prosecutor

Scott Coffina, Evesham Chief of Police Christopher Chew, City of Burlington Chief John Fine and Pemberton Township Chief David H. Jantas will be recognized for developing Straight to Treatment. The Straight to Treatment program allows anyone struggling with addiction to voluntarily walk into a police station and be referred immediately to a treatment program. Individuals will not be subject to charges even if they come in high or carrying drugs. Additionally, Lt. Louis Fisher, Riverside Police Department, will be recognized for his development of NJ Treatment Incentive Program (NJTIP). NJTIP tasks police with identifying “high risk” addicted individuals, and these individuals are brought in and given the opportunity to go into long-term treatment as an alternative to prosecution. With both programs the recidivism rates are drastically lower than individuals who are subjected to the ordinary criminal justice process.

Major Albert Della Fave, (Ret) N.J.S.P

The guest speaker for the event is Albert Della Fave, Major (Ret) New Jersey State Police. Major Della Fave retired from employment with the New Jersey State Police in November of 2009, having served the agency with distinction since June 1985. On September 27, 2008 he was promoted to Major and assigned as the Regional Operations Intelligence Center Task Force Commander, which also encompassed the Office of Cease Fire Operations. This statewide initiative focused on reducing urban street violence through the coordination of intelligence-led policing partnered with social services and community outreach activities. Prior to his promotion to Major he was assigned to the Office of Public Information since 1993. He was designated chief spokesperson and Director of Communications responsible for the dissemination of information concerning the functions and activities of the Division of State Police. He is a graduate of Upsala College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, and Seton Hall University where he received a master degree in education.

Event Details

Date: February 28, 2020

Time: Reception: 6:00 p.m. – Dinner/Awards: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Merion Caterers, Route 130 Cinnaminson, New Jersey 08077

The banquet is open to members of the general public, friends and family of recipients. Tickets may be obtained by contacting the 200 Club of Burlington County at 856-222-0100. Single tickets are $90 per person and a table for 10 guests for $900. Each ticket includes dinner and 1 hour open bar reception.

Alp Basaran: PASCRELL BRINGS TROJAN HORSE TO PATERSON

Paterson is one of the most corrupt cities in America. While the good times roll for politicians, entire communities have been destroyed by corruption. Incomes are dropping, apartheid schools are increasing, and infrastructure is crumbling for the ordinary residents of Paterson. The model of championing certain parts of a beleaguered rust belt city and abandoning the rest is simply racial segregation by another name. Not surprisingly, Paterson is one of the most violent cities in the country. During a federal investigation, Paterson police officers admitted to dealing drugs, robbing and beating citizens, and illegally stopping and searching drivers. Congressman Bill Pascrell has been the dominant political figure in this city for 30 years, first as a mayor and then as a Congressman.

Congressman Pascrell writes our tax laws on the Ways and Means Committee, but he has two sons who are professional lobbyists. Generally speaking, lobbyists are the glue between money and power. Lobbyists buy our politicians by funneling billions from wealthy families and corporations into the reelection campaigns of politicians. In return, our politicians write laws in favor of wealthy families and corporations instead of hard working Americans. Lobbyists facilitate a system of legalized bribery, plain and simple.

One of the lobbyist sons of Congressman Pascrell is the President of a non-profit known as One Paterson. One Paterson was established to support the election efforts of the current Mayor of Paterson, Andre Sayegh, a protégé of Congressman Pascrell. The donors of One Paterson are unknown. A Paterson city council member recently warned, “The Sayegh administration has brought to Paterson a more sophisticated level of corruption.” My concern is that this level of corruption can be easily manipulated by an anti-American foreign power into a national security threat, especially at a time when radical and extremist groups are growing in Paterson through political donations.

Naturally, we have a few questions for the political elite of Paterson. Are certain Paterson community leaders who are loyal to Congressman Pascrell taking direct orders from an anti-American foreign power, and are such community leaders surrounding Mayor Sayegh to defraud and bleed Paterson? Is the foreign control of certain Paterson community leaders influencing City Hall to the point where a foreign power with an anti-American agenda is making decisions related to the security of Paterson? Finally, are illegal funds from abroad being funneled into Paterson to be donated to politicians and laundered through real estate projects to curry political favor on behalf of radical and extremist groups?

We have to make sure the largest city in our Congressional district is economically viable enough to fend off the influence of foreign money at a time when our national security infrastructure is crumbling because of President Trump. Unfortunately, the prevalence of drugs, rampant police corruption, the lack of an adequate tax base for public projects, and crumbling public schools are making Paterson extremely vulnerable to the influence of foreign money and radical and extremist groups. What exactly has to happen for the rest of the 9th Congressional District of New Jersey to care about corruption in the city of Paterson?

Fish rots from the head down. Pascrell has to go to change this broken system.

Respectfully,

Alp Basaran

Democratic Candidate for Congress

Georgia Governor Kemp Loses Vote Purge Suit Brought by Reporter Greg Palast

A Major Win in the Battle Against Voter Suppression

[Atlanta-Feb 11, 2020]

In an extraordinary and unexpected move, Federal Judge Eleanor Ross has declared Gov. Brian Kemp the loser in a lawsuit brought by investigative journalist Greg Palast for the State of Georgia to open up its complete files on the mass purge of over half a million voters from the rolls.

Surprising all parties, the judge ruled that Kemp’s defense was so weak that no trial is needed.  The judge acted \”sua sponte\”—on her own initiative, unrequested by Palast’s attorneys.

Greg Palast & Helen Butler, co-plaintiffs in Kemp lawsuit

Palast has been fighting Kemp to release his hidden purge lists and methods for six years, for

Rolling Stone

,

al Jazeera

,

Salon

,

Democracy Now

and currently,

The Guardian

.

Palast said, \”Kemp and the new Sec. of State of Georgia want to keep the lid on their methods for removing literally hundreds of thousands of low-income, young and minority voters on the basis of false information.  They cannot hide any more.  This is a huge win and precedent for reporters trying to pry information from the hands of guilty officials.\”

A key issue at stake are the \”Interstate Crosscheck\” purge lists secretly provided to Georgia by the Kansas Secretary of State in 2015 and 2017.  Kemp had turned over Georgia’s voter rolls to Kansas official Kris Kobach, who worked closely with Donald Trump, and is known for his racially biased vote suppression techniques.

\”Kemp tried to hide the Crosscheck lists which he got from his crony Kobach. The lists are at least 99.9% wrong.  Kemp’s office claimed he did not use the lists to purge voters, an assertion contradicted by his GOP predecessor.  Moreover,  Zach D. Reports of the Palast investigative team obtained the Georgia 2013 purge list provided by Kobach through (legal) investigative techniques—so we know, and the judge knows, he has more squirreled away.

\”Kemp finally turned over evidence that he purged 106,000 voters, overwhelmingly voters of color, that were on the Crosscheck list.  But that’s just the tip of the purge-berg.\”

Palast’s co-plaintiff Helen Butler is the Executive Director of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples Agenda, a non-partisan group founded by civil rights legend Rev. Joseph Lowery.  Lowery, commenting on the Crosscheck purge system, told Palast, \”It’s Jim Crow all over again.\”

Oddly, one of Kemp’s defenses was that he turned over Georgia’s confidential voter information to Kobach so it could be used to purge voters in 29 other states, but not Georgia.  Kobach’s list showed thousands of Michigan voters supposedly also registered or voted in Georgia.  Michigan removed tens of thousands of voters with names like \”James Brown\” and \”Mohammed Mohammed\”—almost all with mis-matched middle names.

The Michigan purge of Georgia voters was key to Trump’s official victory margin of 10,700 in Michigan, putting Trump over the top in the electoral college.

While Palast says, \”The evidence is overwhelming that Kemp used the Crosscheck list in some way to purge Georgians — 106,000 is not a ‘coincidence’— I do want to find out why Kemp was using Georgia voter rolls to remove voters in

other states

.\”

The Crosscheck list identifies over half a million Georgians — including one in seven African-Americans in the state — as having moved out of Georgia, according to an investigative report on Kemp and Kobach published by Palast in

Rolling Stone

in 2016.

\”My job as an investigative journalist is not to change laws or affect elections, but to expose official shenanigans.  I thank my lawyers Brian Spears of Atlanta and Jeanne Mirer of New York for taking this case pro bono to rip the cover off Kemp\’s and the state of Georgia’s racially poisonous undermining of democracy.\”

The Palast team is providing investigative reports to

The Guardian’s

\”Fight for the Vote\” series.

*     *     *     *     *

The Palast team is completing work on our short film of how exactly Brian Kemp illegally eliminated 340,134 voters from the rolls, stealing the election from Stacey Abrams.   The Palast film then takes us to Wisconsin where the \”Kemp\” techniques are the center of a push block 247,000 voters, mostly Democrats and thereby keep Wisconsin, the swing state of swing states, in the Trump column.

source press release

DOJ Sues State of NJ, Gov. Wolf, and AG Grewal for Prohibiting State Officials from Sharing Information with ICE

WASHINGTON, DC–(February 11, 2020)–Today, the U.S. Department of Justice filed suit against the State of New Jersey, New Jersey Governor Philip Murphy, and New Jersey

Gloucestercitynews.net files

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. The lawsuit challenges New Jersey Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2018-6, which prohibits state officials from sharing information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) related to the immigration status and release dates of individuals in their custody.

The directive also requires New Jersey law enforcement to “promptly notify a detained individual, in writing and in a language the individual can understand” if ICE files an immigration detainer request for the individual. According to the complaint filed today, on multiple occasions last year, New Jersey officials failed to provide information regarding the release dates of aliens who had been charged with or convicted of crimes. New Jersey’s decision to obstruct federal immigration enforcement by refusing to provide such information is unlawful under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

A copy of the complaint is available

here

.

Financial Secretary Charged with Stealing $561,777 from St. Paul\’s Baptist Church in Florence

Taisha D. Smith-DeJoseph

FLORENCE NJ (February 11, 2020) –

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Florence Township Police Department Officer in Charge Jonathan Greenberg announced that a financial secretary has been charged with embezzling more than $561,000 from the church where she served as a volunteer.

Taisha D. Smith-DeJoseph, 43, of Baldwin Lane in Willingboro, was charged with Theft by Deception (Second Degree), Computer Criminal Activity (Second Degree), Misapplication of Entrusted Property (Second Degree), four counts of Failure to File Personal Income Tax (Third Degree), five counts of Failure to Pay Income Tax (Third Degree) and Filing a Fraudulent Income Tax Return (Third Degree).

The investigation began after officials from St. Paul’s Baptist Church who suspected the theft contacted the BCPO Financial Crimes Unit. The investigation revealed that over a five-year period ending in March 2019, Smith-DeJoseph, who was responsible for overseeing the church’s finances, opened electronic bank accounts for St. Paul’s and used the funds for personal purposes.

In addition to the unapproved electronic spending, Smith-DeJoseph also issued payroll and supply reimbursement checks to herself from St. Paul’s bank accounts.  She fabricated monthly statements to hide the church’s true financial state.

The investigation revealed that Smith-DeJoseph used the money to pay her car loans, rent, credit card expenses, satellite television and cell phone bills, to make hundreds of online purchases and and even to pay for her wedding at a Burlington County venue. The investigation determined that Smith-DeJoseph embezzled a total of $561,777.

In an attempt to hide the embezzlement scheme from the government, Smith-DeJoseph failed to file income tax returns for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. From 2014 through 2018, she failed to pay the appropriate amount of taxes, and in 2017, filed a fraudulent tax return.

The case will now be prepared for presentation to a Burlington County Grand Jury for possible indictment. Smith-DeJoseph will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Andrew R. McDonnell, supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.

The investigation was conducted by the BCPO Financial Crimes Unit, the New Jersey Department of the Treasury and the Florence Township Police Department. The lead investigators are BCPO Detective Nicholas Schieber and Florence Police Detective Nicole Bonilla.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Irene J. Gearhart of Bellmawr; Past President of VFW Post 9563 Ladies Aux.

Irene J. Gearhart (nee Ringer), on February 9, 2020, of Bellmawr. Age 93.

Beloved wife of the late Thomas J. Gearhart. Devoted mother of Terry Forand (Dennis), Dennis Gearhart, and the late David T. Gearhart. Loving grandmother of Paul (Kelly), Christine, Matthew (Tiffney), Melissa (Matthew), Ashley (James), and Lauren and great grandmother of 20. Dear sister of Evelyn Main and preceded in death by 4 siblings. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Irene was a Past President and member of the Ladies Auxiliary at VFW Post #9563. She was also a member of the Bellmawr Senior Citizens Club.

There will be a viewing from 10am to 11am Friday at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE.

Funeral service 11am at the funeral home.

Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to Habitat for Humanity International, 322 West Lamar Street, Americus, GA 31709-3543.

Long-Time Gloucester City Resident and Vietnam War Veteran Needs Our Help

By CNBNews Staff

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (February 11, 2020)(CNBNewsnet)

—Bob Kotter, who was born and raised in Gloucester City, needs some help from his friends and residents of the community. Bob is battling stage 4 prostate cancer. A U.S. Marine, Bob fought in the Vietnam War. He believes his cancer was caused by Agent Orange which was dropped on the jungles of Vietnam by U.S. planes and helicopters to kill the heavy vegetation.

Bob Kotter (2018 CNBNews photo)

Recently his chemotherapy was increased to four times a week as cancer has spread to his bones.

For a decade or more Bob lived in the family home in the 400 block of Market Street taking care of his elderly parents. He cooked their meals, kept them and the house cleaned, and made sure they got to the doctors and received their medications. After his mother died the house was sold and he was left without a roof over his head.

\”A community activist,

I first met Bob in 2006-07 when he was trying to get the City of Gloucester City to clean up their parking lot at Fifth and Powell Street,\” said Bill Cleary Sr., editor of CNBNews. \”The lot was being used by junkies to shoot up. Empty needles and glassine bags were thrown around the lot in plain view. It was also an eyesore as a result of the trash and broken down cars on the lot.\”

From the 2007 article:

The city property was once the site of the Quaker Food store and the former Sand Bar. The City tore down the properties in the 1980s, paved it with asphalt, and put up an 8-foot high cyclone fence.

Kotter said during the interview,“that was the last time we saw the City. The fence has been decaying for the past several years. People used the vacant property to store their unlicensed vehicles and for changing the oil in their cars.”

RELATED:

Gloucester City Public Parking Lot is an Eyesore & \”Drug Den\”

In 2016 Bob fought against the terrible odor that was coming from the Blueknight Energy Partners asphalt plant on Water Street, home to eight million barrels of asphalt. Kotter told the Philadelphia Inquirer, \”Sometimes the fumes burn your eyes,\” he said. \”My elderly parents who lived four blocks from the plant have been putting up with it for years. But nobody does anything about it even though I have complained to numerous environmental agencies.\”

Related:

Gloucester City Residents are Fuming Over Fumes

Bob loved to walk through the city. He wore a wide brim light green hat with a US Marine emblem.  You could tell by his walk he was military. He would start from his parent\’s home on Market Street head west to the riverfront and cover the entire city ending back at Market and Powell Streets. When he saw that the old GAF power plant was being demolished he was concerned that the property wasn\’t properly sealed, and,  was worried the asbestos inside would spread to the nearby residential neighborhood.

\”As a result of his tip, we discovered some interesting history about the GAF power plant that we and the public would never have known if it wasn\’t for him,\” said Cleary.

RELATED:

Demolition Work on the 111-Year-Old GAF Power Plant

He loved Gloucester City and it upset him to see what was happening to certain neighborhoods in the community. He was quick to point out faults in the hopes by doing so improvements would be made. Take for example in 2018 when he wrote a letter to CNBNews about the condition of the entrance to the city on South Broadway, along with the pot holes on Jersey Avenue, two main highways coming in and out of the city.

\”I have attached some photos showing the deplorable road conditions on South Broadway when you enter Gloucester City from Brooklawn and the pot holes on Jersey Avenue from South Broadway to King Street,\” said Kotter.

\”These streets are so bad that if you hit some of the bumps doing the speed limit it will throw you right out of your vehicle\’s seat.  I can\’t imagine what it does to the front end of your car/truck. Year in and year out these conditions have been allowed to exist.  It is a disgrace. I give the person a thumbs up for the nice job he/she did in painting the new yellow lines on the street. However, painting dividing lines in the street before you repair the potholes is just plain stupid. \”

RELATED:

Deplorable Streets Need to be Repaired

\”Bob\’s heart was always in the right place\”, said Cleary.

\”He had no ulterior motive. He wasn\’t running for any political office. Nor did he have an ax to grind. If he saw something wrong he tried his best to fix it because of his love for Gloucester City. Please keep him in your prayers as he needs our help now both spiritually and financially.\”

Send your check to Runnemede VFW,

℅ Tim Salamatin, 13 East Sixth Street, Runnemede, NJ 08087. Make the check payable to Bob Kotter.

You can also send a Get Well card to Bob at the same address.

(published Feb. 11, 2020) https://www.gloucestercitynews.net

)