Knowledge is power: Get facts straight during Colorectal Awareness Month

Did you know that colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death among American men and women combined? One out of every three people are not up-to-date with screenings.

Sadly, 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented with screening: in fact, getting screened routinely starting at age 45 or 50, at the latest — is the most effective way to reduce your risk.

Abnormal growths, called polyps, can form in the colon or rectum. Through screenings, they can be removed early, before becoming cancerous. A person’s CRC risk increases as they age; about 90 percent of cases occur in adults 50 and up.

Some risk factors include:

Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps

A genetic syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

The U.S. Multi-Society Task Force of Colorectal Cancer recommends:

People at average risk of CRC start regular screenings at 50.

African Americans at average risk of CRC start regular screenings at 45.

People in good health, and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years, continue regular CRC screenings through the age of 75.

People ages 76 through 85 should make a decision regarding screenings with their medical provider, based on personal preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.

People over 85 should no longer get CRC screening.

Decrease your risk for colorectal cancer with these lifestyle changes:

Regular physical activity

A diet high in fruits and vegetables

A high-fiber, low-fat diet or one that eliminates processed meats (cold cuts, sausage, bacon)

Eating less red meat

Limiting alcohol consumption

Avoiding tobacco use.

The recommended tests fall into two categories:

Stool-based tests are non-invasive and require no special diet or bowel preparation. If the test shows abnormal signs of blood, or a possible cancer or pre-cancer, a colonoscopy will be needed to confirm the result, and possibly remove any abnormal findings or polyps.

Visual or Structural tests are invasive tests that look inside the colon and rectum for abnormal areas that might be cancer or polyps. If a stool-based test was done first and had an abnormal result, a visual test, such as colonoscopy, can help find out why.

To prepare, you are asked to follow a special diet in advance and will also need to clean out your colon with strong laxatives (called a bowel prep) and sometimes with enemas, as well. Most people are sedated during the test.

Talk to your care provider about which screening option is the best for you. The life you save could be your own!

Guest Opinion: We Need a Budget That Reflects the Environment/Climate Change

Jeff Tittel

New Jersey Sierra Club

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee held a public hearing today on Governor Murphy’s proposed budget FY2021. The DEP budget has been cut by 34%, from $557 million to $342 million. The state service funding dropped 1.3%, from $253 million to $250 million. The Clean Energy Fund was raided by $113 million, with an

additional $30 million to be taken out of the fund for EV’s, NJ Transit, and the Whole House Project. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“The environment has been shortchanged for far too long, and this budget is still shortchanging the environment. This year sees more cuts to the DEP. This budget is still raiding DEP funds and programs as well as the Clean Energy Fund. Funds for critical environmental programs like the Hazardous Discharge Fund were raided again like last year. We cannot continue to do these raids on the back of the environment. It is critical to fund and move New Jersey forward when it comes to important issues like climate change and clean energy, cleaning up toxic sites, and making sure our air is clean and our water is pure.

“Year after year, DEP is cut to the bone. Now Governor Murphy is cutting through the bone into the marrow, slashing the FY2021 budget by 34%. 15 years ago, the overall DEP budget was $516 million. Yet now, even with inflation and rising salaries, we are down to $342 million. The operations budget has dropped by 1.3%, from $253 million to $250 million. DEP needs more funding so that we have enough people to do the many jobs of the agency, including re-writing the rules that Christie rolled back. Enforcement is down, parks are in disrepair. We don’t have enough people to deal with the lead crisis, clean up toxic sites, and make sure our air is clean to breath and our water is clean to drink. As the state budget grows, the DEP budget declines.

“Staffing levels are going down without any new hiring at DEP, which will only expand privatization and outsourcing of DEP programs. The Environmental Integrity Project found that NJ is 10th in the nation for environmental funding cuts, with a 20% cut in DEP staff from 2008 to 2018. Governor Murphy promised to have 100 more DEP staffers than under Christie, but we are more than 150 below Christie – or 250 below what the Governor promised. DEP went from 4,400 staff members in the mid-1990’s to 2,321 in 2008, and now we are down to 1,858. DEP needs enough resources to make sure our land is clean, our air is pure, and we are able to keep parks open for the people of NJ.

“The budget continues to target our environment, as well as urban areas that suffer the most from pollution. They are grabbing $200 million in fees, fines and other funds. This money should be going toward brownfield cleanups. The Hazardous Discharge Fund is being raided by $19 million, and $17.5 million from the Spill Act Compensation Fund. That money should be going to urban areas for pollution cleanup, but instead it is being shipped out to the wealthy suburbs. Our urban areas are suffering the most because of money being diverted for other purposes. We’re taking money away from Newark and Linden and places that have been damaged and instead using it to plug a black hole in the budget. This budget has the wrong priorities, continuing to take money out of the environment and away from urban areas, and shifting it into wealthy suburbs. The diversion of these funds is a regressive tax that especially hurts working families and urban low-income communities.

“The budget raids $113 million from the Clean Energy Fund, which includes $80 million for NJ Transit and $30 million for EVs. NJ Transit needs a stable source of income because the system we have now is broken. Just like last year, this year NJ Transit is taking $460 million in capital funds for operations and maintenance. Diverting capital funds means that they don’t have the money for improvements and to expand lines like the Hudson-Bergen and South Jersey light rail lines. This is like robbing our future to pay for current expenses, or taking a second mortgage on a house to buy groceries. We need to fix this broken system and help NJ Transit move forward. Even though a law was passed to support EV infrastructure for the public, the state is not electrifying their fleet. We are lagging behind other states when it comes to EVs. New Jersey must find a sustainable source of funding for our transportation system so that we can have money for CEF and move forward with things like energy efficiency programs and EV infrastructure for our state.

“Money for open space is increasing, but the priorities are wrong for constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for FY2021. Over the past decade funding is down 40% despite us adding 40% more open space. State parks are falling apart, but we have $500 million in backlogs. The funding formula reinforces funding inequities that continue to damage lower-income and minority communities. Money is being shifted from brownfield cleanups, watershed protections, and toxic site cleanups. The funding promotes stewardship projects, which are an excuse for logging public lands. We have seen in the past clear cutting forests and creating grass habitat under the guise of ‘stewardship.’ The priorities of this funding is wrong. There is no money going toward urban parks, Blue Acres, buying our flood-prone properties, or fixing our parks.

“We have major problems with our water in New Jersey, whether it is lead in our drinking water, algae in our lakes, stormwater management, or sewer overflows. A lack of testing and oversight has put New Jersey at risk, especially when it comes to lead in the drinking water. The $80 million is a start and a down payment, however we need a stable source of funding. Overall, the cost to fix New Jersey’s lead problem is $3.2 billion. The budget only includes $2 million for lake management programs. This is a miniscule drop in the budget for what is needed. Last year there were over 50 bodies of water in NJ that were closed or under advisory for high levels of cyanobacteria.Lake Hopatcong and Barnegat Bay will continue to be impacted by harmful algae and pollution without proper funding for critical programs like lake management. We also need to tie fixing our infrastructure to energy efficiency and renewable energy as well as green building, including blue and green roofs to reduce flooding.

\”Even though this year’s budget overall is better than last year’s, we still need to stop these raids and cuts for vital programs that affect our land, our air, our water, and cleanup of toxic sites. We need to fix our aging infrastructure, put more money into transit, and remove lead from our homes and schools. We need DEP’s budget to be restored. More funding for DEP and critical environmental programs means having enough staff to get the lead out of our children’s schools, moving New Jersey forward in energy efficiency, and reducing our impact on climate change. To get there, we need to make sure millionaires pay their fair share, get rid of corporate loopholes and subsidies, and make polluters pay for the damage that they have done to the environment. We need a budget with the right priorities, that is for the many and not for the special interest groups and the privileged few. We need a budget that reflects our values when it comes to the environment, climate change, and funding NJ Transit. The money is there – we need political will to put it in the right places.”

Texas Man Charged with Defrauding Cisco Systems, the Neat Company, iRobot Corporation, Amazon.com

Out of More Than $1.9 million in Merchandise

PHILADELPHIA PA (March 4, 2020)–– United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Reece A. Line, 23, of Pearland, Texas, was charged today by Information with 22 counts of mail fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, and three counts of tax evasion.

The Information alleges that the defendant perpetrated a scheme to defraud Cisco Systems Inc. (“Cisco”), the Neat Company (“Neat”), iRobot Corporation (“iRobot”), APC by Schneider Electric (“APC”), Amazon.com (“Amazon”), and other companies by engaging in a sophisticated warranty fraud scheme. The charges state that the defendant and his co-schemers obtained serial numbers to products sold or manufactured by Cisco, Neat, iRobot, and APC. They allegedly proceeded to register false domain names, obtain false email addresses, and submit false warranty claims, pretending to own products sold or manufactured by these companies that they claimed were not working. The Information alleges that the defendant provided customer service representatives with descriptions of the non-existent defects that he knew they could not solve by troubleshooting and would require replacement with new products. Cisco, Neat, iRobot, and APC then shipped the replacement products to the defendant and his co-schemers, which they promptly sold via eBay, on Amazon, or through computer resellers.

The Information further alleges that the defendant and his co-schemers defrauded Amazon by using false identities, domain names, email addresses, and mailing addresses to order products that they falsely claimed never arrived or arrived broken, thereby inducing Amazon to repeatedly send replacement products. The Information alleges that the defendant and his co-schemers then sold the products obtained in this manner via eBay.

All told, the defendant and his co-schemers successfully obtained at least $1,950,000 worth of products from the victim companies through their alleged fraud. The Information also alleges that the defendant evaded the payment of any income tax on the income he earned from his fraud for tax years 2014 through 2016 by, among other things, failing to file returns, storing his fraud proceeds in bank accounts and PayPal accounts in the names of co-schemers, storing cash at his residence, paying his personal living expenses with cash, and using false email addresses, false domain names, prepaid gift cards, and false identities to conceal his involvement in the fraud scheme.

“As alleged, the defendant engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme that netted almost $2 million worth of products,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Retail fraud, whether in brick-and-mortar stores or online, is a serious crime that must be punished and deterred. I would like to thank both the FBI and the IRS for their dedication and partnership in this matter.”

“Taxpayers are required to cooperate with the tax system by filing honest and accurate returns and paying their fair share,” said Michael Montanez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “The Special Agents of IRS-CI will continue to investigate and bring charges against those who intentionally violate our tax system.”

The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 825 years’ incarceration, a five-year period of supervised release, and a fine of $8,250,000.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.

An Indictment, Information, or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Top Gambling Apps for Windows 10

Gloucestercitynews.net (March 4, 2020)–From the second that online casino became a part of our lives, the game was changed forever. Before that, our favorite pastime was watching sports or something like that. Introducing

real money online gambling

into people’s lives had that same impact on humans as if one would give bears a life supply of honey. Your favorite amusement had become instantly accessible and an integral part of your life.

Advantages of PC casino games

No one would trade places with those old school players who visited gambling joints with a

solid reputation

if they were lucky to pick one. Those romantic days of rounders are gone as nothing can compare with that coziness of your comfy chair as one browse through his favorite game catalog. Crowded plus smokey rooms filled with angry or frustrated customers who had a bad luck streak is something one doesn’t need to put up with anymore. He can choose when or where he puts his chips and can take his break anytime, knowing that his earnings are secured plus guaranteed by trusted institutions. The virtual world of gaming is taking over, so take a seat in that front row hence enjoy your ride.

Top PC games

Slots Pro

This little application brings that touch of pro-slots straight onto your desktop. Choose between several themes set in the Victorian age, ancient Greece or tropical jungle. It comes in multiple languages with a size of fewer than two hundred megabytes. One can track his stats compared with players worldwide who also downloaded this charming app to enjoy

best slots

AE Blackjack Online

Practice makes it perfect, which is certainly true regarding blackjack gameplay. For getting your skills sharpened, try this online simulator which is very stylish but also informative for younger players eager to hone their skills. It is just over fifteen megabytes in size, plus one gets free one hundred credits every hour to continue the fun.

Microsoft Jackpot

This interactive slot adventure is made for younger audiences to get familiar with slots gameplay dynamics. Several cartooney themes provide visual delight which relaxes players as they immerse themselves into the roleplay. One can purchase play coins plus unlock achievements in this casual, lighthearted title, which is basically a community-driven experience.

Zynga Poker — Texas Holdem

This title brings back some happy memories as it represents a revolution in casual tournament poker play. What started as an extension of hanging on Facebook with your friends had become some worldwide phenomenon. With millions of players interlinked in this virtual jungle, poker enthusiasts can enjoy any kind of tournament setting as they please.

Simons Slots

This five-reel old-school retro slot fest is meant to induce some nostalgia for that time when first slot games hit the streets. Choose between multiple retro themes plus enjoy features like exchanging credits with your buddies or claiming new ones every few hours. It is constantly updated, plus it is small in size hence easily installed.

Conclusion

This casual world of free gambling applications is some great starting point to get familiar with most wanted games in some safe plus cozy environment. It allows young players to learn those basics before entering that world of real cash entertainment. Once equipped with a solid understanding of game dynamics, they will be ready for some serious action afterward.

This wearable device camouflages its wearer no matter the weather

The wearable thermal camouflage device is embedded in an armband and blends with the ambient temperature.

« This wearable device camouflages its wearer no matter the weather

Newswise — Researchers at the University of California San Diego developed a wearable technology that can hide its wearer from heat-detecting sensors such as night vision goggles, even when the ambient temperature changes–a feat that current state of the art technology cannot match. The technology can adapt to temperature changes in just a few minutes, while keeping the wearer comfortable.

The device, which is at the proof-of-concept stage, has a surface that quickly cools down or heats up to match ambient temperatures, camouflaging the wearer’s body heat. The surface can go from 10 to 38 degrees Celsius (50 to 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in less than a minute. Meanwhile, the inside remains at the same temperature as human skin, making it comfortable for the wearer. The wireless device can be embedded into fabric, such as an armband. A more advanced version could be worn as a jacket.

To build the device, the team turned to a phase-changing material that’s similar to wax but with more complex properties. The melting point of the material is 30 degrees Celsius (roughly 86 degrees F), the same temperature as the surface temperature of human skin. If the temperature on the outside of the device is higher than that, the material will melt and stabilize, insulating the wearer; if colder, it will slowly solidify, still acting as an insulating layer.

The team, led by UC San Diego mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Renkun Chen, detailed their work in a recent issue of the journal

Advanced Functional Materials

At the technology’s core are materials that can create heating or cooling effects when the ambient temperature changes, and flexible electronics that can be embedded into clothing. The outside layer of the device is driven by a technology that Chen and colleagues detailed in a paper in

Science Advances

in May 2019. It is made of thermoelectric alloys—materials that use electricity to create a temperature difference—sandwiched between stretchy elastomer sheets. It is powered by a battery and controlled by a wireless circuit board. The device physically cools or heats to a temperature that the wearer chooses.

Current state of the art heat camouflage technology consists of a surface coating that changes how much heat clothing emits at the surface. The coating absorbs the heat from the wearer’s body and reflects only enough energy to match the ambient temperature. However, the coating only works at a predetermined temperature. If the ambient temperature rises or falls, it no longer works.

The researchers’ biggest challenge now is to scale up the technology. Their goal is to create a jacket with the technology built-in, but under current conditions, the garment would weigh 2 kilograms (about 4.5 lbs.), be about 5 millimeters thick and only function for one hour. The team will be looking to find lighter, thinner materials so the garment could weigh two or three times less.

The work was supported by the Advanced Research Project Agency and by a UC San Diego start up grant. It work was performed in part at the San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI) at UC San Diego, a member of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, which is supported by the National Science Foundation.

An Adaptive and Wearable Thermal Camouflage Device

Sahngki Hong and Renkun Chen, University of California San Diego

Sunmi Shin National University of Singapore

Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey 2020 Gala Raises Nearly $900K for Planned Jefferson Pride Primary and Specialty Care Practice

Nearly

900 supporters of Jefferson Health New Jersey enjoyed an evening of dancing and dining at the organization’s 24

annual Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey fundraising Gala, held at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The February 29

event — headlined by performances from Motown legends The Temptations and Four Tops — raised close to $900,000 to benefit the planned Jefferson Pride Primary & Specialty Care practice, set to open in Collingswood later this year. For more information, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/JeffPrideNJ

Shown, from left

: Colleen Wyse and husband, Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, President, Thomas Jefferson University, and CEO of Jefferson Health; and Dina Devine and husband, Joseph W. Devine, President of Jefferson Health New Jersey, and Chief Experience Officer, Jefferson Health.

West Virginia Couple’s Violent Robbery Spree Thwarted by FBI, Local Partners

Robbers Who Targeted Elderly Sentenced

In 2018, a 74-year-old Tennessee woman was attacked in her home by a pair of robbers who ransacked her house and stole her sense of safety.

Days later, a 72-year-old Tennessee man with dementia was attacked outside his home by the same assailants. They forced him inside and threw him down a stairwell after robbing him of a few possessions. Among the items stolen was a bomber jacket from the man’s service in Vietnam. It was an irreplaceable keepsake that investigators never found.

In all, Joshua Small and his girlfriend, Joni Johnson, robbed—and in some cases violently assaulted—seven senior citizens in West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee during a short period in the summer of 2018. In several cases, they subdued their victims by punching or hitting them and then tying them up while they ransacked their homes. The robbers held some of their victims at gunpoint or threatened them with guns.

The incidents shook the small, quiet towns where they took place.

“One victim’s son told us, ‘This is a small town. Everyone here knows me or my dad,’” said Special Agent Wesley Leatham, who investigated this case out of the FBI’s Knoxville Field Office along with FBI Task Force Officer Mark Webber of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department. “It really caused a lot of worry and concern in these communities.”

A break in the case came when a tipster saw a couple driving a rental car that matched the description of the robbers’ car and told local police. Pawn shop employees also confirmed that Small had been seen pawning stolen jewelry and other items.

Investigators found overwhelming evidence against the couple once they were identified, including incriminating evidence on their cell phones. Several victims also identified Johnson and Small based on photos.

The couple lived in West Virginia, and they used Small’s employer, a family paving business, to find some of their elderly victims. In other cases, investigators aren’t certain how the robbers targeted their victims, but they were all in their 70s, 80s, or 90s.

“Everyone really wanted to see justice for these victims, especially given their ages and the level of violence they suffered.”

Wesley Leatham, special agent, FBI Knoxville

With multiple sheriffs’ offices involved, the FBI played a key coordinating role. The Bureau also brought resources to the case, including the ability to press federal charges.

“We had great local partners in this case,” Leatham said. “Everybody came together with outstanding coordination. Everyone really wanted to see justice for these victims, especially given their ages and the level of violence they suffered.”

In July 2019, the couple was convicted of kidnapping charges. In January, Small was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, and Johnson was sentenced to 25 years.

Investigators hope the outcome brought some closure to the victims and communities that were traumatized. One victim died before the trial and some others were unable to travel to it, but their relatives gave powerful impact statements.

“We’ve heard from the victims’ families since then that this has destroyed their sense of safety. They’re constantly checking the door to make sure it’s locked. Visitors have to call before they come over,” Leatham said. “It’s really had a lasting effect on a lot of people.”

Resources

Joshua Small and Joni Amber Johnson Sentenced for Kidnapping Elderly Victims

Pepco Holdings Announces Updates to Its Operations and Support Services Leadership Teams

Part of the ongoing effort to drive top-tier industry performance at Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco

Miguel Ortega

named vice president of Project & Contract Management

Bob Pinto

named vice president of Electric and Gas Operations

Bill Sullivan

named vice president of Technical Services

Sam Williams

named vice president of Support Services

WASHINGTON, D.C.

(March 2, 2020) – As part of the effort to continue delivering top tier service, and increased reliability and operational performance, Pepco Holdings has announced four leadership appointments supporting Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco.

“We are committed to providing our customers and communities with the most reliable electricity and natural gas possible, while developing new programs that reshape the future of energy service,” said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO of Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. “These leaders are among the best and brightest in the energy industry, and I know they will bring innovative approaches that will help us continue to deliver on our commitments.”

Miguel Ortega,

previously the company’s vice president of Technical Services, has assumed the role of vice president of Project & Contract Management for Pepco Holdings. In this role, Ortega will oversee more than $700 million in projects to modernize the local energy grid and advance the level of service for more than 2.1 million customers. Ortega joined Pepco Holdings in 2016 after several leadership roles in Operations and External Affairs at sister company ComEd, in Illinois. Since moving to the Washington area, Ortega has connected to the community through service on the board of directors for the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as well as his role as executive sponsor of the Organization of Latinos of Exelon Employee Resource Group in Washington, D.C.

Bob Pinto

has been promoted from director of Pepco Electric Operations to vice president of Electric and Natural Gas Operations for Pepco Holdings. Pinto came to Pepco from ComEd in 2017 where he held numerous leadership positions of increasing responsibility in Electric Operations. During the past three years, he has driven improved safety performance at Pepco and has supported record electric service reliability for Pepco’s Washington D.C. and Maryland customers. He is passionate about serving the community through work with several nonprofit organizations.

Bill Sullivan,

previously Pepco Holdings’ vice president of Electric and Gas Operations, has become vice president of Technical Services. In his new role, Sullivan will oversee the management of the company’s electric system assets. He began his career in 1987 as a project engineer and advanced through numerous management positions in engineering, customer service, field services, meter services, accounts receivable, and electric operations. Sullivan’s leadership has driven strong reliability performance and safety improvements for Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. He serves as the executive sponsor of the Exelon African American Resource Alliance Employee Resource Group in Washington, D.C., and supports numerous volunteer and philanthropic efforts across the region.

Sam Williams

has been named vice president of Support Services for Pepco Holdings. He comes to Pepco Holdings from Exelon sister company, Baltimore Gas & Electric, where he was director of Regional Electric Operations. Williams has more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, including several key leadership roles at BGE. In his new role, he will be responsible for Safety, Training, Fleet, Environmental Services, Security, and Real Estate & Facilities. Williams’ leadership extends beyond the business and well into the community. He is a member of Leadership Baltimore County, an active board member of the Community College of Baltimore County Foundation, and an avid volunteer with \’100 For 100,\’ which provides meals to those in need. Williams replaces Mike Poncia who retired after 22 years with Pepco Holdings and more than 32 years in the energy industry.

Readers are encouraged to visit

The Source

Pepco Holdings’ online news room, to learn more about

Atlantic City Electric

Delmarva Power

, and

Pepco

efforts to power a cleaner and brighter future for the customers and communities it serves.

###

Pepco Holdings, a unit of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the nation’s leading energy provider, oversees the operation of Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. The companies provide safe and reliable energy service to approximately 2.1 million customers in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware and New Jersey.

1000\’s Attend St. Mary\’s/ Gloucester City Irish Parade (photos)

by CNBNews Staff

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (March 3, 2020)–This year\’s parade, held Sunday, March 1, was \”much bigger than last year\”, said Mayor Dan Spencer. \”Between all the marchers and spectators it was estimated upwards of 5,000 people in town.\’\”

Spencer said, \”I would like to extend my appreciation to all of our parade sponsors especially the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders, all of our great city employees from the Public Works Department, Police and Fire Departments, Camden County Special Events Department, Msgr. William Hodge from St. Mary’s, Charlie Kain, President of the New Jersey Irish Society, Tom Gurick our MC, Bob Kelly from Fox 29 News, Principal Ed Beckett our Grand Marshall from Gloucester Catholic High School, Dr. Dennis Vespe and Principal Sean Gorman from the Gloucester City School District for all their support, Members of City Council, my friends from the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association for their help and support in organizing things on parade day, and all of those who had anything to do with making this a bigger and better event for putting Gloucester City in the spotlight. We are happy for the many people who visited our businesses that day, especially those who visited our taverns and restaurants. I apologize for anyone I forgot, so a GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, Especially the great citizens of Gloucester City for being so humble and hospitable. See you next year for an even bigger and better parade.\”

( photos courtesy of Heidi Weaver heidiho7272@gmail.com )

The opening ceremony of the parade began in front of the church with Sheila McGirl singing the anthems as the flags for the United States and Ireland were raised by Assemblyman Bill Moen. Grand Marshall Ed Beckett and Deputy Consul General from Ireland Sean O\’Hageon look on

The Brian Boru Pipes and Drums Band with Kevin Flatley Drum Major parades by St. Mary\’s Church

Several thousand people attended this year\’s parade. Gloucester City Mayor Dan Spencer was decked out in his Irish scarf, tie and carried his Irish shillelagh

Gloucester City Mayor Dan Spencer and Monsignor Bill Hodge do their impression of the mummer strut with one of the string band captains in front of St. Mary\’s Church

Monsignor Bill Hodge enjoyed the day. Being the Irishman that he is he couldn\’t contain himself when the music starting playing he had this urge to strut his stuff.

Celebrity Parade Marshall Bob Kelly from Fox 29 was dressed out in his finery including his shamrock sports coat which he only wears, hopefully, at St. Patrick\’s celebrations. Where do you buy something like that Bob?

Mary Blackiston just couldn\’t help herself. She showed everyone that you can\’t keep a Gloucester City girl down when the string band starts playing you have to dance!

Honor guest Deputy Consul General from Ireland Sean O’Hageon

Ladies AOH State Officers Roseann Michel and Maread Gallagher

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

( photos courtesy of Heidi Weaver heidiho7272@gmail.com )

NJ Announces Offshore Wind Solicitation Schedule of 7,500 MW through 2035

Commitment Demonstrates New Jersey’s Leadership on Offshore Wind

TRENTON

– Governor Phil Murphy recently announced the offshore wind solicitation schedule to meet the 7,500 megawatt (MW) offshore wind goal by 2035 and called upon the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to take all

necessary actions to implement the schedule. These projects will deliver the clean, renewable energy generation needed to meet the State’s goals of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030 and a 100 percent clean energy economy by 2050. Reaching 7,500 MW will generate enough electricity to power more than 3.2 million homes and meet fifty percent of the state’s electric power need, while supporting an offshore wind industry that will generate billions of dollars in investments in New Jersey’s future and create thousands of jobs.

“Several months ago, I committed the State of New Jersey to 7,500 MW of offshore wind by 2035, as a critical component of achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2050,”

said Governor Murphy.

“By announcing this planned solicitation schedule, we are demonstrating to our partners in industry and labor that we are committed to implementing this process in a thoughtful way that ensures economic growth for the New Jersey.”

“Not only was Governor Murphy the first to embrace 100 percent clean energy, he has been a national leader when it comes to recognizing the importance of offshore wind,”

said New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Joseph L. Fiordaliso.

“New Jersey opened the largest single-state solicitation, is building a supply chain that will support projects up and down the east coast and is poised to double our offshore wind capacity. Guided by our new Energy Master Plan, offshore wind is a critical component in realizing the Governor’s vision of 100 percent clean energy by 2050 and ensuring our planet survives for future generations.”

The proposed schedule calls for the next 1,200 MW solicitation to be opened by September 2020, with an award made by second quarter of 2021. Setting a solicitation schedule through 2035 provides a crucial level of certainty for developers, original equipment manufacturers, and the supply chain.

To be responsive to the evolving market, the schedule has been developed to provide flexibility in terms of the amount being procured with each solicitation and the exact timeline. There are a number of factors that could influence the timing and the quantity to be procured including transmission solutions and development schedule, the status of additional lease areas, permitting, port readiness, establishment of a supply chain, workforce training, and cost trends.

Proposed OSW Solicitation Schedule through 2035

Solicitation

Capacity Target MW

Issue Date

Submittal Date

Award Date

Estimated Commercial Operation Date

1,100

Q3 2018

Q4 2018

Q2 2019

2024

1,200

Q3 2020

Q4 2020

Q2 2021

2027

1,200

Q3 2022

Q4 2022

Q2 2023

2029

1,200

Q2 2024

Q3 2024

Q1 2025

2031

1,400

Q2 2026

Q3 2026

Q1 2027

2033

1,400

Q1 2028

Q3 2028

Q1 2029

2035

In January 2018, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 8, which directed NJBPU to fully implement the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act and begin the process of moving the state toward a goal of 3,500 MW of offshore wind by the year 2030. In response, New Jersey Board Public Utilities issued a solicitation for 1,100 MW of offshore wind and awarded Ørsted with the largest single state contract in June 2019. Ørsted expects this first project to be operational by 2024.

On November 19, 2019, Governor Murphy issued Executive Order No. 92 directing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and other state agencies with responsibilities arising under Offshore Wind Economic Development Act to take all necessary actions to promote the development of wind energy off the coast of New Jersey to meet a goal of 7,500 MW of offshore wind by the year 2035. This new order rescinded Paragraph 1 of Executive Order No. 8, which had established the previous goal of 3,500 MW of offshore wind.