Category: NEW JERSEY

Online Voting Has Opened For The 2020 New Jersey  Shout Down Drugs Music Competition

Finalists To Perform at the Prevention Concert April 3, 2020

MILLBURN — The New Jersey Shout Down Drugs music contest is back for its 16

th

year. The competition, sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey (PDFNJ), was open to any New Jersey high school individual or group, to create and enter original songs with an anti-drug message. The songs have been submitted and online voting is ongoing now through January 31.

“Each of the contestants are all unique, talented, and winners for just having participated,” states Angelo Valente, PDFNJ’s Executive Director. “It is a really great opportunity for people from all over the country to hear their music and the important anti-drug messages. More than 1 million people have listened to at least one of these students\’ songs over the course of 15 years.

Voting will remain open until April 2 for voters to choose their favorite performers. The online vote tallies will be factored into each final score at the end of the concert.

The finalists will perform in the statewide Prevention Concert, which will be held Friday, April 3, at the Two River Theater in Red Bank. Tickets to the event are free and can be ordered at the website (

www.shoutdowndrugs.com

).

The concert first-place winner will receive a $5,000 music contract, second place will earn a $3,000 contract, and third place will take home a $2,000 contract.

###

Best known for its statewide substance use prevention advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication. To date, more than $100 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception, the Partnership has garnered 180 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.

Mustafa Al-Imam Sentenced to Prison for September 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi, Libya

New York, NY (January 24, 2020)–Mustafa al-Imam, a 47-year-old Libyan national, was sentenced today to 236 months in prison on federal terrorism charges and other offenses stemming from the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission and CIA Annex in Benghazi, Libya.  Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and U.S. government personnel Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods, and Glen Doherty

died in the attack.

The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu, Jay Tabb, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s National Security Branch, and Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office.

“We have not rested in our efforts to bring to justice those involved in the terrorist attacks on our facilities in Benghazi, which led to the death of four courageous Americans – Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Ambassador Christopher Stevens – and we never will,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.  “Those responsible for these crimes must be held accountable.  I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors – and all of their partners in the U.S. government – who are responsible for this important investigation.”

“Today’s sentence demonstrates the United States’ continuing commitment to pursue justice against those who commit terrorist acts against the United States no matter how far we must go or how long it takes. Mustafa al-Imam played an important role in the terrorist attack that destroyed the U.S. Mission and the CIA Annex in Benghazi,” said U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue justice against all those who murdered these four American heroes and who seriously injured our personnel defending these U.S. facilities overseas.”

“The tragic loss of four American lives in the Benghazi attacks will never be forgotten and today’s sentencing of Mustafa al-Imam is an important reminder of that,” said Jay Tabb, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s National Security Branch. “The FBI is committed to investigate and bring to justice all individuals involved in acts of terrorism against U.S. facilities or citizens and will use the full range of our resources to pursue such cases.”

“Mustafa al-Imam played a significant role in the 2012 Benghazi attack, one that ultimately claimed American lives,” said Assistant Director William F. Sweeney, Jr. “While nothing will ever change the outcome of this horrific event, today’s sentencing is a reminder that the safety of Americans—whether at home or abroad, civilian or otherwise—will always be our top priority. If you commit an act of terrorism, we will find you and bring you to justice.\”

Al-Imam was captured in Libya on Oct. 29, 2017, and brought to the United States to face trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.  He was

found guilty

by a jury on June 13, 2019, following a six-week trial, of one count of conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists and one count of maliciously destroying and injuring dwellings and property, and placing lives in jeopardy within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. He was sentenced by the Honorable Christopher R. Cooper.

According to the government’s evidence, on the night of Sept. 11, 2012, a group of extremists, armed with AK-47 rifles, grenades, and other weapons, swept into the U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi, setting fires and breaking into buildings.  During that violence, Ambassador Stevens, Mr. Smith, and Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Special Agent Scott Wickland valiantly tried to protect themselves when the attackers stormed into the Ambassador’s residence, sheltering in a secure area.  However, when the attackers could not gain entry to the secure area, the attackers set fire to the residence.  Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith suffocated from the thick, black smoke that enveloped the residence.  Special Agent Wickland, who tried to guide them to safety, was injured and repeatedly took small arms fire while trying to rescue Ambassador Stevens and Mr. Smith.

Al-Imam arrived at the Mission shortly after the attack began, accompanying Ahmed Abu Khatallah, the leader of an extremist militia named Ubaydah bin Jarrah and one of the planners of the attack.  During the attack on the Mission, al-Imam maintained contact with Khatallah in a series of cellphone calls, including an 18-minute phone call that took place during the height of the attack.  Members of Ubaydah bin Jarrah, as well as other extremist groups, were caught on surveillance video attacking the Mission.  After the American security personnel withdrew from the Mission, al-Imam, Khatallah, several UBJ members, and other extremists entered the Mission’s office and removed sensitive information, including maps and other documents related to the location of the CIA’s Annex in Benghazi.

Following the attack at the Mission, in the early hours of Sept. 12, 2012, the violence continued at the CIA Annex, first with gunfire and then with a precision mortar attack.  While defending the Annex, Mr. Woods, Mr. Doherty, DSS Special Agent David Ubben, and CIA security specialist Mark Tiegen were hit by a precision mortar attack, leading to the deaths of Mr. Woods and Mr. Doherty.  Special Agent Ubben and Mr. Tiegen were seriously wounded but survived.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from various other government agencies, including the Department of Defense and the two victim agencies, the CIA and the U.S. Department of State\’s Diplomatic Security Service. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section provided significant assistance.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cummings and Karen Seifert of the National Security Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.  Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Coleman and Jolie Zimmerman, Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo, detailed Paralegal Specialist Ashley Davis, Intelligence Research Special Dustin Powell, contract Document Management Analyst Michael Watts, Victim-Witness Advocates Yvonne Bryant, Tonya Jones, Laverne Perry and Wanda Queen, and Litigation Technology Chief Leif Hickling. Earlier stages of the prosecution were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiLorenzo and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Opher Shweiki and Julieanne Himelstein.

North Carolina Man Charged for Bringing Weapons, Including Machine Gun, into Federal Facility

CAMDEN CITY, N.J. – A North Carolina man was arrested today on charges that he brought a loaded handgun and machine gun into a federal facility, and illegally transported the machine gun into New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Dustin Peters, 25, a former Marine, was arrested in Cape May County, New Jersey, and is charged by complaint with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in a federal facility and one count of unlawful interstate transport of a machine gun. Peters is scheduled to have an initial appearance on Jan. 21, 2020, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case:

On Jan. 9, 2020, Peters attempted to enter the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. During a routine security search of his vehicle, Coast Guard personnel recovered a modified, fully automatic AK-47 rifle, a loaded 9mm Century Arms handgun, multiple large capacity magazines, ammunition, a ballistic vest, gas mask and canister, three boxes of ammunition, a nylon chest rig, and other items. Peters told law enforcement agents that he purchased the AK-47 in Virginia, but modified it on his own to become fully automatic.

The counts of possession of a firearm on a federal facility carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The unlawful interstate transport of a machine gun carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Atlantic City Resident Agency’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; members of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Rodney E. Newcomer; the Cape May Police Department under the direction of Chief Anthony G. Marino Jr.; and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisa Shver of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice\’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.  Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department\’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see

http://www.justice.gov/projectguardian

The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Step by Step Procedure of How to Replace Your Water Softener Resin Bed (Video)

Gloucestercitynews.net (January 25, 2020)–The primary role of your water softener resin bed is to convert hard water into soft water. It does this by exchanging hard ions for sodium ions. After long use of your water softener resin bed, you may have recently noticed that the machine is not performing its task as expected.

There are many reasons why this happens. Some of the reasons include exposure to chlorinated waters, contamination from visible algae growth, excess fine sand, and foul smell. Whichever the reason, your water resin bed needs a replacement. Here is a simple guide on how to

replace a water softener resin bed on a budget

.

Diagnose the issue

You cannot begin replacing your resin bed without confirming if it has become damaged or not. As a result, the first step of replacing your machine is by conducting a test that proves a problem with the resin bed. To check if your water resin bed has a problem, clean it using iron removal chemicals. After this, proceed to pour your hard water, and if it runs out of soft water quickly or even worse, do not produce soft water, follow the step below.

Remove the old water softener resin bed

Various fasteners are holding the valve head to the bypass valve. Remove these fasteners to allow easier removal of the entire unit. Remember to become keen with the O-rings for the faster reinstallation of the new unit.

Fix the new unit using a new riser tube and resin

Please place a new riser tube in the freshwater softener resin bed but ensure it has an equal height to the previous one. From here, proceed to put the new resins in the tank and then fix the new unit into the location of the old water softener resin bed. Ensure that you correctly fix the screws to avoid problems with your new unit. While pouring the resins, use a resin funnel and seek help from a friend as this part is always tricky and can get messy.

Things to keep in mind before replacing your water softener resin bed

The entire process takes about four hours. Also, essential equipment for the replacements includes a funnel, gravel, new resins, four in one screwdriver, and a riser tube. It becomes recommended that you settle for quality products. Usually, these high-quality products are expensive but get the work done. The main reason they become recommended despite their high price is to have the water softener resin bed serving you for an extended period without any complications.

Conclusion

There is a low chance that the procedure may turn out negative. If this is what you end up experiencing, consider seeking help from a licensed professional plumber. However, keep in mind that this will cost you an estimated $150. Nonetheless, it is unlikely that the above economical

procedure for replacing the water softener resin bed

will fail.

MAKING 500 MILES OF TRAILS BY 2025 A REALITY

CIRCUIT TRAILS COALITION RELEASES ACTION PLAN TO REACH INTERIM GOAL FOR REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORK

Report details 12 policy recommendations for advancing 171 miles of trails

across the Circuit’s nine-county region

PHILADELPHIA

(Jan. 23, 2020) – Today, in a critical step forward for the continued development of the region’s growing Circuit Trails multi-use trail network, the Circuit Trails Coalition released its report,

“Moving the Circuit Trails Forward to Reach 500 Miles by 2025.”

The report includes 12 policy recommendations to advance the progression of 171 miles of trail that are currently funded or planned, in order to reach an ambitious interim goal of developing 500 miles of trail by 2025.

These policy recommendations are designed to accelerate trail development in a meaningful way in order to stay on track to complete the eventual 800-plus mile trail network by 2040, which is the timeline defined by the region’s long-range transportation infrastructure plan. Currently, more than 330 miles of trails in the network’s nine-county region in Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey are complete.

“Our goal to complete the Circuit Trails network by 2040 is not a pipe dream. We know it can be accomplished, and this plan maps out the steps that our regional partners, including public agencies and municipalities, must act on for us to collectively reach the finish line on schedule,” said Sarah Clark Stuart, chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition. “For more than a year, our coalition members dug in to identify the trail opportunities that are most ripe and realistic for completion. Now, we need the support and action of key public agencies and public officials to make it a reality,” she said.

The report’s policy recommendations are tailored to the various key entities that impact the Circuit Trails: the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), key state agencies, counties and the Circuit Trails Coalition. The recommendations are aimed at eliminating identified obstacles at state, county, and regional levels to advance the construction of more miles of Circuit Trails. The recommendations are as follows:

For the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC)

Create a right-of-way acquisition team to enable trail projects to move expeditiously past feasibility into engineering, design and construction.

Support creation of multi-municipal authorities to accelerate trail development.

Enhance dedicated capacity for trail planning and development by procuring consultant services on behalf of municipalities or counties.

For Counties

Adopt best practices to advance Circuit Trails development, including full-time employees to manage trail planning and development projects and county leadership support of significant trail corridors.

For the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)

Enhance coordination of Circuit trail projects with state road projects with a full-time, district-level Bicycle-Pedestrian Coordinator.

For the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)

Create new positions to accelerate New Jersey trail projects.

Incorporate trail projects into the Complete Streets checklist and better coordinate trail development with the highway planning process.

Use existing federal funding sources for design of trails and increase the maximum size of Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program funding for trail construction awards.

For the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)

Enhance staffing and capacity for NJDEP’s Recreational Trails Program.

Create a larger “Trail Planning, Design and Construction Fund” for NJ Circuit Trails Projects.

For the Circuit Trails Coalition

Convene stakeholder working groups or task forces around specific trail segments.

Prioritize particular trails and identify critical gaps.

“Trails on the Circuit connect our urban, suburban, and rural communities across nine counties and two states; offer a place for active recreation and transportation; bring us closer to our waterways; and link our region’s destinations together. With the support of our region’s key players, and the many trail enthusiasts who advocate for and use the Circuit Trails, a completed network of more than 800 miles of trails is not just a vision, but a reality we can collectively achieve,” said Clark Stuart.

The Circuit Trails Coalition is comprised of more than 60 non-profit organizations that work in collaboration with 25 state and local agencies and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to promote Circuit Trails development, marketing it to the general public and highlighting the Circuit Trails multiple benefits. For more information about the Circuit Trails, visit

www.circuittrails.org

.

About the Circuit Trails:

Greater Philadelphia is the proud home of the Circuit Trails, a regional trail network of hundreds of miles of multi-use trails that is growing in size each year. One of America’s largest trail networks, the Circuit currently includes more than 330 miles of completed multi-use trails with a vision of including more than 800-plus miles of interconnected trails across a nine-county region in Pennsylvania and New Jersey by 2040. Nearly 65 nonprofit organizations, foundations and agencies are working together as part of the Circuit Trails Coalition to advance the completion of the trail network. A premiere regional amenity, the Circuit Trails connect our people to our local communities, providing endless opportunities for recreation and commuting. So whether you bike it, walk it, run it or paddle alongside it, the point is—just enjoy it. Learn more at

www.circuittrails.org

, and connect with the Circuit Trails on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find out what is happening #onthecircuit.

Lehigh University announces names of NJ students who attained Dean\’s List

BETHLEHEM, PA (01/21/2020)– Students at Lehigh University attained Dean\’s List in Fall 2019. This status is granted to students who earned a scholastic average of 3.6 or better while carrying at least 12 hours of regularly graded courses. The following local students were named to the Dean\’s List at Lehigh University in the Fall 2019 semester:

Elora Marvasi of Maple Shade, NJ

Mackenna Brody of Woodstown, NJ

Albin Rosado of Pennsauken, NJ

Anastasia Citsay of Port Elizabeth, NJ

Dana Teach of Roebling, NJ

Sean Ellery of Haddonfield, NJ

Sean McKenna of Cherry Hill, NJ

Beverly Passos of Delran, NJ

Alexis Romeo of Maple Shade, NJ

Luke Kim of Moorestown, NJ

Evan Umstead of Cinnaminson, NJ

Brian Nasielski of Mount Laurel, NJ

Julia Zak of Mount Laurel, NJ

Larissa Chow of Hainesport, NJ

John Cantwell of Moorestown, NJ

Briana Boulton of Riverton, NJ

Ryan Ferdinand of Merchantville, NJ

Brad Edgerton of Roebling, NJ

Monica Powers of Cape May Court House, NJ

Matthew West of West Deptford, NJ

Madison Kahn of Ocean City, NJ

Renali Patel of Voorhees, NJ

Ann Foley of Merchantville, NJ

Gabriela Montes of Willingboro, NJ

Thomas Bolte of Moorestown, NJ

Cynthia Coleman of Mount Laurel, NJ

Alyson Duffin of Bellmawr, NJ

Isabella Cammisa of Cherry Hill, NJ

Kara Bonner of Medford, NJ

Mason Bitar of Voorhees, NJ

Andrea Pecora of Marlton, NJ

Destiny West of Cape May, NJ

Elizabeth Kolaski of Haddonfield, NJ

Dayna Pfau of Ocean City, NJ

Conor Gaffney of Haddon Heights, NJ

Bradford Geyer of Cinnaminson, NJ

For more than 150 years, Lehigh University (

lehigh.edu

) has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. The institution is among the nation\’s most selective, highly ranked private research universities. Lehigh\’s four colleges – College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business and Economics, College of Education and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science – provide opportunities to 7,000 students to discover and grow in a learning community that promotes interdisciplinary programs with real-world experience.

GUEST OPINION: Trump Champions Pro-Life Cause

Bill Donohue | CNBNews Contributor

January 24, 2020

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on

President Trump\’s decision to address the March for Life crowd

:

Other presidents have offered their support to the pro-life cause, but only President Donald Trump has decided to participate in the March for Life. His pro-life record, coupled with his record in defense of religious liberty, makes him the most important Christian voice in the United States. No president, including President Ronald Reagan, can match his stellar achievements on these twin issues.

By contrast, we have the likes of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, both of whom have endorsed infanticide: there are no penalties for doctors who intentionally allow an innocent baby to die if he or she survives a botched abortion. However,  First Prize goes to California Governor Gavin Newsom: he out-Hitlerized both men.

Earlier this month, Newsom said he wants to stop euthanizing animals. \”We want to be a no-kill state.\” Yet last year he issued a California Proclamation on Reproductive Freedom, one part of which was designed to welcome \”women to California to fully exercise their reproductive rights.\” In other words, his enthusiasm for killing the least among us is so passionate that he extended an open invitation to pregnant women across the United States to have their babies killed in his home state.

It will surprise no one to learn that Newsom is also a proponent of assisted suicide. Indeed, he likes it so much that he boasts of his role in assisting a person to commit suicide in 2002.

That person was his mother

. [At that time assisted suicide was a felony in California—he put her down in San Francisco.]

It\’s too bad Mr. \”No-Kill State\” Newsom didn\’t think of his mother the way he thinks of hamsters.

These are sick times. Kudos to President Trump for standing up for the most defenseless human beings. He looks positively angelic next to these monsters.

Few Cancer Patients Enroll in Potentially Life-Extending Clinical Trials

Newswise — Patient enrollment in clinical trials as the first course of treatment after

cancer diagnosis is low, despite the fact that enrollment may increase life expectancy, according to researchers at Penn State. They also found that white males with private health insurance and metastatic cancers treated at academic medical centers are more likely than other groups to enroll in clinical trials.

Dr. Nicholas G. Zaorsky, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at Penn State College of Medicine, led a team of Penn State Cancer Institute researchers who analyzed data from more than 12 million patients with 46 different types of cancer between 2004 and 2015 in the National Cancer Database. They found that only 11,576 (0.1%) of those patients were enrolled in clinical trials as their first course of therapy following diagnosis.

According to Dr. Niraj J. Gusani, professor of surgery at the College of Medicine and senior author of the study published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the low enrollment is troubling because clinical trials may be beneficial for patients.

“Major advances in cancer treatment have been supported by clinical trials,” Gusani said. “By volunteering to participate in a trial, patients may help further the field of research and gain access to new treatments.”

Zaorsky, Gusani and their team found that patients with cancer treated in clinical trials, when matched and compared to similar patients not treated on trials, lived longer. They report that patients with cancer in clinical trials at the first course of therapy had a median survival of seven and half months more than those not enrolled in a trial.

According to Zaorsky, previous evaluations of whether clinical trials improved survival compared patients who were enrolled in trials against those not enrolled in trials —  but didn’t account for factors like age, race, gender and cancer type.

The researchers performed a stratified analysis in which they matched each patient who participated in a clinical trial with another patient who was not enrolled in a trial that had ten similar characteristics —  including cancer type, age, race, insurance type, disease stage, and whether or not surgery or chemotherapy were part of the treatment plan.

“If you’re going to evaluate whether clinical trial enrollment is beneficial for patients, you have to try and match each patient to someone who has a similar cancer and sociodemographic profile,” Zaorsky said. “Otherwise, it is like comparing apples to oranges.”

While the survival trend was evident across cancer types, the researchers said that this may not necessarily be true for the general population. In their analysis, they determined that the patients who enrolled in clinical trials at first course of therapy tended to be white males with private insurance, metastatic disease, who had no other chronic medical conditions and were treated at academic medical centers.

“If clinical trials are going to be used to determine standards of care for the general population, then the study participants need to be representative of the general population — and this study shows that often this isn’t the case,” Gusani said.

According to Zaorsky, increasing patient enrollment in clinical trials cannot happen without first improving the infrastructure of clinical trial design and management. Patients may not live close to locations where clinical trials are offered. Even if they are in close proximity to a center offering clinical trials, the trials may not be for their type or stage of cancer.

Gusani suggests that the biggest barrier to clinical trial enrollment is the stigma around them. Patients may feel they are ‘guinea pigs’ in experiments and that they are receiving substandard care. In reality, trials emphasize patient safety at every stage and are carefully regulated and monitored by institutional review boards.

“The increased level of quality control in clinical trials may be beneficial for patients,” Zaorsky said. “Patients who go onto a clinical trial must be treated

per protocol

, meaning that there are many quality measures that must be met, and that there are many other health care providers looking over the patient’s care.”

Officer Down: Police Officer Katie Thyne Dragged by a Vehicle Pinned Against a Tree

Police Officer Katie Thyne

Newport News Police Department, Virginia

End of Watch

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Police Officer Katie Thyne, age 24, died after being dragged by a vehicle while conducting an investigation.

Police Officer Thyne and her partner were investigating reports of drug activity when they approached a car along the 1400 block of 16th Street in Newport News. During the investigation, the driver sped off, dragging Police Officer Thyne for a block. The vehicle struck a tree, and Officer Thyne was pinned between the tree and the vehicle door.

Police Officer Thyne was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she died from her injuries.

The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and charged with felony homicide, evading and eluding, and possession of narcotics.

Police Officer Thyne served with the Newport News Police Department for approximately one year and had previously served with the United States Navy.

Police Officer Thyne is survived by her two-year-old daughter.

RELATED:

Via

Officer Down Memorial page

CNB Crime

Blue Line

CNBNews Tips and Snippets

CNBNews Point of View

BREAKING NEWS

published Gloucestercitynews.net | January 24, 2020

Students from NJ named to President\’s List at Clemson University

CLEMSON, SC (01/23/2020)– Local students were named to the fall 2019 President\’s List at Clemson University.

They are:

Marlisa Dyan Bongiovanni of Somers Point, whose major is Biological Sciences

Sarah Marie Connors of Moorestown, whose major is Marketing

Samantha Catherine Cozzi of Sewell, whose major is Architecture

Patrick H. Cusack of Marmora, whose major is Biosystems Engineering

Joseph Andrew DeSimone III of Mullica Hill, whose major is Biological Sciences

Kayla M. Farquhar of Audubon, whose major is Nursing

Abigale O. Farrow of Mantua, whose major is Special Education

Tanner Michael James of Ocean City, whose major is Biological Sciences

Madeline Louise Jones of Cherry Hill, whose major is Elementary Education

Bridget Patricia Kane of Haddonfield, whose major is Marketing

Tsagan-Zul Natalie Kutinow of Delanco, whose major is Management

Jake Robert Liguori of Marlton, whose major is Computer Science

Natalie Claire Mccrudden of Haddonfield, whose major is Marketing

Trevor Reese Montgomery of Mount Laurel, whose major is General Engineering

Ryan Penner of Moorestown, whose major is Industrial Engineering

Kelsey Alaina Piatkowski of Sicklerville, whose major is Biological Sciences

Lindsay Michelle Prickett of Rosenhayn, whose major is Political Science

Thomas W. Schneider of Moorestown, whose major is Financial Management

Ryan Harish Sehdev of Haddonfield, whose major is Economics

Anne Elizabeth Skiles of Haddonfield, whose major is Psychology

Rachel Elizabeth Wade of Cape May Court House, whose major is Food Science and Human Nutrition

To be named to the President\’s List, a student must achieve a 4.0 (all As) grade-point average.