NRA-ILA: Gun Bills Stall in Senate Committee

New Jersey:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020

SUPPORT NRA-ILA

It’s a good day in Trenton when nothing happens, and that’s exactly what occurred today. The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee failed to advance a pair of gun control bills on Monday’s agenda. A few of the committee members were absent, and those who were there couldn’t agree on the legislation.

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S.120 by Sen. James Holzapfel increases penalties on those who fail to secure firearms from minors resulting in death. New Jersey already prosecutes negligent storage, however, S.120 increases the penalty in these cases. This year’s bill at least takes into consideration an objection raised by NRA and ANJRPC in previous hearings, and provides an exception for minors who gain access for self-defense purposes. However, despite this modest improvement, we have learned that anti-gun groups and lawmakers have huddled, deciding the bill doesn’t go far enough. We obviously do not have access to forthcoming amendments, so our analysis has been confined to the original bill.

Another bill, S.746 by Sen. Vin Gopal, would prohibit those convicted of “animal cruelty” from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Clearly, animal abuse is a serious issue and offenders should be prosecuted, and New Jersey already prohibits serious animal abusers from owning firearms. However, there seemed to be a good deal of confusion about the particulars of the bill, specifically what constitutes “animal cruelty.” A consensus emerged among committee members and even a couple witnesses that the bill was overly broad, and they are going to re-examine the definition of “animal cruelty.”

Thank you to the NRA members who contacted members of the committee. Please continue to follow NRA-ILA alerts for updates on these bills and others.

For those wishing to continue to express concerns, please contact the committee members below:

Members of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee:

Linda Greenstein

(Chair) (D14)

SenGreenstein@njleg.org

Phone: 609-395-9911

Joe Cryan

(Vice Chair) (D20)

SenCryan@njleg.org

Phone: 908-624-0880

Anthony M. Bucco

(R25)

SenBucco@njleg.org

Phone: 973-627-9700

Nia H. Gill

(D34)

SenGill@njleg.org

Phone: 973-509-0388

Declan O\’Scanlon

(D13)

SenOScanlon@njleg.org

Phone: 732-933-1591

Nick Sacco

(D32)

SenSacco

njleg.org

Phone: 201-295-0200

NEW 2020 DEMOCRATS FEATURED IN COMIC BOOK SERIES

TidalWave Comics is proud to announce the addition of several comic books to its popular “Political Power” series focused on the Democratic Party candidates vying to replace President Trump.

With the 2020 U.S. presidential election in full swing, TidalWave’s latest slate features Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren.

TidalWave has profiled politicians for more than 11 years using the unique storytelling properties of comic books. In 2016, the company published books featuring Republican presidential candidates, including Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and, of course, Donald Trump.

“In 2016, we focused heavily on Republicans. This time, we are heavy on the Democrats,” TidalWave Comics Publisher Darren Davis said.

Davis’ balanced approach appealed to writer Michael Frizell, an administrator at Missouri State University who wrote several of the biography comics during the last election cycle. “My goal is always to tell a good story,” Frizell said.

The biography comic format allows TidalWave writers to delve into the history of newsworthy figures and explore what shaped them. Several media outlets, including CNN, FOX News, “The Today Show” and Time and People magazines, have featured the company’s line of biographical comic books.

“As a reluctant reader, I found the comic book form easy to access, so I always believed comics could both entertain and teach,” Davis said.

The comic books give readers insights into the candidates’ personal stories, plus they make great political memorabilia.

Print copies of the biography comics are available on Amazon. Digital versions are available from iTunes, Kindle, Nook, ComiXology, Kobo and wherever e-books are sold.

Political Power: Joe Biden

Written by Wey-Yuih Loh

Art by Jonathan Rector

Joe Biden was once America’s youngest member of Congress. As Barack Obama’s running mate and eventual vice president, Biden gradually carved a place for himself in American history. Like all long-serving politicians, his road to the presidency has not been easy. This biography comic traces Biden’s life in an easily accessible story that gives the reader insight into Biden’s character.

Political Power: Peter Buttigieg

Release date: April 2020

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Art by Juan José Pereyra

Cover by famed comic book artist: Dave Ryan

Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg, a veteran of the Afghanistan War, is the son of professors at Notre Dame who instilled in him a desire to learn. After graduating from Harvard and studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, Pete became the nation’s youngest mayor. His tenure at the helm of South Bend, Indiana, has met with some controversy, but Mayor Pete, the first openly gay candidate for U.S. president, has grown to be a rising star in the Democratic Party.

Political Power: Bernie Sanders

Written and art by Joe Paradise

The longest-serving independent member of Congress in American history, the often-fiery senator from Vermont enjoyed a grassroots-level groundswell of support that brought him within striking distance of the nomination for president in 2016. Bernie is back, consistently polling high with Democrats and Independents and ready to take on the establishment in 2020.

Political Power: Mike Bloomberg

Release date: May 2020

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Cover by famed comic book artist: Dave Ryan

Mike Bloomberg, the once Republican mayor of New York City, is now a Democrat and ready to take on President Trump in the 2020 election. The billionaire is self-funding his race for the nomination and has traded barbs with the president in some very public feuds. Read the story of a self-made billionaire who wants to lead the United States of America.

Female Force: Elizabeth Warren

Written by Michael L. Frizell

Art by Pablo Martinena & Vincenzo Sansone

Senator Elizabeth Warren is a favorite target of President Trump. Undaunted, Warren has carved a name for herself as a rising star in the Democratic Party and a presidential candidate who fights big banks and large corporations to support the middle class. From her modest roots in rural Oklahoma to her exalted role as a senator from Massachusetts, Warren’s story comes to life in this issue of Female Force.

The latest books featuring 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates join TidalWave’s ever-growing library of more than 200 comic book biographies. Previous titles have profiled Donald Trump, Condoleezza Rice, George Bush, Marco Rubio and Rand Paul, among others.

Please feel free to use the images and credit TidalWave Productions. To download some PDF’s and covers click here:

http://bit.ly/38UiSZG

Review copies in PDF form and interview opportunities are available upon request.

For more information about the company, visit

www.tidalwavecomics.com

About TidalWave Comics

TidalWave is a multifaceted multimedia production company with the mission of delivering dynamic storytelling in a variety of forms by developing graphic and literary fiction and nonfiction, audio, film and more. The company’s wide range of diverse titles delight readers through its creative and innovative storytelling available in high-quality print and electronic formats.

TidalWave delivers a multimedia experience unparalleled in the burgeoning graphic fiction and nonfiction marketplace. Dynamic storytelling, coupled with groundbreaking art, delivers an experience like no other. Stories are told through multiple platforms and genres, gracing the pages of graphic novels, novelizations, engaging audio dramas and cutting-edge film projects. Diversity defines TidalWave’s offerings in the burgeoning pop-culture marketplace through its use of fresh voices and innovative storytellers.

As one of the top independent publishers of comic books and graphic novels, TidalWave unites cutting-edge art and engaging stories produced by the publishing industry’s most exciting artists and writers. Its extensive catalog of comic book titles includes the bestsellers “10th Muse” and “The Legend of Isis,” complemented by a line of young adult books and audiobooks.

TidalWave’s publishing partnerships include entertainment icon William Shatner (“TekWar Chronicles”), legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sinbad: Rogue of Mars,” “Jason and the Argonauts” and more), novelists S.E. Hinton (“The Puppy Sister”) and William F. Nolan (“Logan’s Run”), and celebrated actors Vincent Price (“Vincent Price Presents”), Dirk Benedict of the original “Battlestar Galactica” (“Dirk Benedict in the 25

Century”) and Adam West of 1966’s “Batman” fame (“The Mis-Adventures of Adam West”). TidalWave also publishes a highly successful line of biographical comics under the titles “Orbit,” “Fame,” “Beyond,” “Tribute,” “Female Force” and “Political Power.”

NJBIA Statement on Gov. Murphy\’s Proposed FY 2021 Budget

NJBIA President and CEO Michele N. Siekerka, Esq. issued the following statement regarding Gov. Phil Murphy\’s proposed FY 2021 budget today.

\”NJBIA appreciates Governor Murphy\’s efforts to prepare a state budget that makes investments in New Jersey\’s future, particularly given our state\’s considerable fiscal challenges. We support investments in NJ TRANSIT and workforce development proposed today, and await more details on potential public health benefits savings.

\”Unfortunately, this proposed budget continues along the well-worn path of more taxation and spending without truly addressing the structural issues that leave New Jersey with an ever-increasing mountain of debt.

Gloucestercitynews.net graphics

\”Today\’s proposal increases New Jersey\’s overall budget by 5.4% compared to last fiscal year and 17.6% from FY 2018. To balance this additional spending, the governor is again looking to place an even greater burden on our already overtaxed residents and job creators whose slim profit margins have been reduced amid costly mandates and onerous regulations.

\”The question we need to ask ourselves today is: How can tax increases be justified at a time of a budget surplus, built largely on the backs of business, and when spending on discretionary items is going up by hundreds of millions of dollars?

\”New Jersey has experienced a net loss of $30.1 billion in adjusted gross income over the last 14 years of available data. This is indisputable. Broadening the base for the top gross income tax rate will do nothing to reverse this trend. It will make more top earners pay the second highest top income rate in the nation. It will also not bring about meaningful property tax relief.

\”True relief for the middle class will only be found when our policymakers stop their tax-first approach and embark on a reform agenda that comprehensively addresses underfunded pensions.

\”Without that fiscal discipline and political resolve, New Jersey will continue along the path of ballooning budgets and ever-escalating taxes. And our affordability crisis will worsen as we wonder what new or increased tax will be proposed next year to fund the pension system.

\”We hope that during this budget season, Governor Murphy and the Legislature can work together on a comprehensive strategy that addresses our unsustainable obligations and gives our great state the opportunity to grow our economy through responsible, sound investment.\”

*The Salvation Army Kroc Center in Camden Hosts 5th Annual Garbage Bag Gala

Fashion Show Supports Women’s and Family Programs at Kroc Center

Camden City, NJ

–

The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center

in Camden City will hold its

Annual Garbage Bag Gala Fashion Show, presented by U.S. Facilities

, on

Friday, May 15

at the renovated

Marian House

in Cherry Hill in support of women’s and family programs at the Kroc Center.

Presented by U.S. Facilities, Inc. and sponsored by New Jersey American Water, this awe-inspiring runway show will showcase fashions created from recycled and unconventional materials, even garbage bags. Over 30 designs from professional, hobbyist and student designers from

Drexel’s Westphal College of Media Arts & Design

will be featured in the annual event, including designs from acclaimed red-carpet designer and Season 18 contestant on Bravo’s “Project Runway,”

Nancy Volpe Beringer

“The Garbage Bag Gala is one-of-a-kind fashion show,” said The Salvation Army’s

Major Susan Wood

. “We’re very excited to showcase the creations of our many talented designers participating in this inspiring show that seems to get exponentially better every year – all in support of The Salvation Army’s goal of transforming the life of every member of our community.”

Attendees of this year’s Garbage Bag Gala are invited to a pre-show reception beginning at 6:30 p.m., featuring delicious food, cocktails and music. The fashion show will then begin promptly at 8 p.m. with Fox 29’s Good Day Philadelphia Co-Anchor

Thomas Drayton

serving as emcee. Cocktail attire is expected, fashion forward is encouraged. For those feeling adventurous, dress in-theme by creating a garment, gown or accessory made from recycled materials. All participants dressed in-theme will be eligible to be named “Trashiest Dressed of the Night.”

Proceeds from the Garbage Bag Gala support women\’s programs at the Kroc Center, many of which benefit single mothers and women who are head-of-household, and their families. Funds raised help make possible programs such as after-school care, fitness and recreation activities, prayer and Bible study groups, nutrition classes and special events like “Operation Cinderella”. The Garbage Bag Gala also helps meet the needs of the community by providing funding for food assistance, Christmas meals and holiday toys for low-income families.

“The Salvation Army is often an unsung hero serving every need – the whole person – through their incredible Kroc Center,” said

Angela Barnshaw

, Chair of the Garbage Bag Gala Planning Committee. “These recycled materials transformed into gorgeous garments offer amazing symbolism for the good work being done by The Salvation Army. It is such an honor to be part of this project. We are working to make it the most fashionable charity event in South Jersey!”

Tickets for the Garbage Bag Gala are $125 each. Sponsorships are available. If you are interested in sponsoring the Garbage Bag Gala, please contact Event Chair, Angela Barnshaw at (856) 261-6765 or

abarnshaw@agent06.com

. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit

http://www.camdenkroccenter.org/garbagegala.html

Photo Caption

Acclaimed red-carpet designer and show director, Nancy Volpe Beringer, and Drexel University College of Westphal Media Arts and Design student Tara Rasmussen pose with model Kei Mante Wright, who wears their co-designed finale look for presenting sponsor U.S Facilities, Inc. at the 2019 Garbage Bag Gala.

###

About The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center

Located on 24 acres, the 120,000 square-foot Salvation Army Kroc Center is the largest community center of its kind in Camden, New Jersey. This unprecedented place of gathering and enrichment houses a fitness center, basketball court, water park, 8-lane swimming pool, as well as an array of education, faith, arts and supportive programs open and accessible to all. The programs, as well as the building itself, have been designed to stimulate the mind, body and spirit, to provide hope, and to transform lives within the community. Development of The Salvation Army Kroc Center was made possible by a combined capital and endowment grant from a bequest to The Salvation Army by the late Mrs. Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, as well as the support of hundreds of local donors. For more information please visit

www.camdenkroccenter.org

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

Paramus Inspection Station Closed February 26

TRENTON – New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) customers are advised that the Paramus Inspection Station, located at 20 W. Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652, will be closed on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

The MVC has been notified by PSE&G that it will be doing electrical work in front of the entrance and exit to the inspection facility that will require closing access points. The electrical work is in connection with a Bergen County bridge refurbishing project that requires PSE&G to relocate its overhead wires and equipment.

The MVC apologizes for any inconvenience.

Alternate inspection stations include:

Wayne

481 Route 46 West

Wayne, NJ 07470

Lodi

8 Mill Street

Lodi, NJ 07644

The MVC reminds customers to always check our website before visiting a local office and to take advantage of driver license renewal and other online services, such as vehicle registration renewals, driver abstract requests, and surcharge and restoration payments.

For more about the ongoing positive changes at the MVC, visit

njmvc.gov

FACE OF DEFENSE: United States’ only Heavy Icebreaker completes Antarctic Treaty Inspections

MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica — The 159 crewmembers onboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) departed McMurdo Station Wednesday after escorting three refuel and resupply vessels and assisting with a five-day inspection of foreign research stations, installations and equipment in Antarctica.

MCMURDO STATION, MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA 02.05.2020 Photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Subscribe41 The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) is moored Feb. 5, 2020, next to the Maersk Peary in McMurdo, Antarctica. The crew of the 44-year-old icebreaker created a channel in the ice near McMurdo Station as a part of Operation Deep Freeze – the U.S. military’s contribution to the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is managed by the National Science Foundation. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi

The departure marks the Polar Star’s 23rd journey to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze, an annual joint military service mission to resupply the United States Antarctic stations, in support of the National Science Foundation, the lead agency for the United States Antarctic Program.

The Seattle-based 399-foot, 13,000-ton

Polar Star

created a 23-mile channel through the ice to McMurdo Sound, which enabled the offload of over 19.5 million pounds of dry cargo and 7.6 million gallons of fuel from three logistics vessels. Together these three ships delivered enough fuel and critical supplies to sustain NSF operations throughout the year until Polar Star returns in 2021.

Two scuba divers are lowered to the ice Feb. 1, 2020, from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB-10) approximately seven miles north of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Scuba divers from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army and the Royal Canadian Navy are serving aboard the Polar Star in order to effect emergency repairs if needed to the 44-year-old heavy icebreaker. The crew of the Seattle-based Polar Star is working near Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2020, the U.S. military’s contribution to the National Science Foundation-managed U.S. Antarctic Program. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Senior Chief Petty Officer NyxoLyno Cangemi

The Polar Star also supported a team of U.S. government officials from the U.S. Department of State, National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Coast Guard who

conducted a five-day inspection

of foreign research stations, installations, and equipment in Antarctica.

The United States continues to promote Antarctica’s status as a continent reserved for peace and science in accordance with the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959. The inspection serves to verify compliance with the Antarctic Treaty and its Environmental Protocol, including provisions prohibiting military measures and mining, as well as provisions promoting safe station operation and sound environmental practices.

The team inspected three stations: Mario Zucchelli (Italy), Jang Bogo (South Korea), and Inexpressible Island (China). This was the fifteenth inspection of foreign research stations by the United States in Antarctica, and the first since 2012.

Inspections emphasize that all of Antarctica is accessible to interested countries despite territorial claims and reinforce the importance of compliance with the Antarctic Treaty’s arms control provisions. The United States will present its report on the inspection at the next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, in May 2020.

“I am immensely proud of all the hard work and dedication the men and women of the Polar Star demonstrate each and every day,” said Greg Stanclik, commanding officer of the Polar Star.

“Maintaining and operating a 44-year-old ship in the harshest of environments takes months of planning and preparation, long workdays and missed holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with loved ones. The Polar Star crew truly embodies the ethos of the Antarctic explorers who came before us — courage, sacrifice and devotion.”

Commissioned in 1976, the Polar Star is the United States’ only operational heavy icebreaker, capable of breaking ice up to 21 feet thick. Reserved for Operation Deep Freeze each year, the ship spends the winter breaking ice near Antarctica, and when the mission is complete, returns to dry dock in order to conduct critical maintenance and repairs in preparation for the next Operation Deep Freeze mission.

If a catastrophic event, such as getting stuck in the ice, were to happen to the

Coast Guard Cutter Healy

(WAGB 20) in the Arctic or to the Polar Star near Antarctica, the U.S. Coast Guard is left without a self-rescue capability.

By contrast, Russia currently operates more than 50 icebreakers – several of which are nuclear powered.

The Coast Guard has been the sole provider of the nation’s polar icebreaking capability since 1965, and is seeking to increase its icebreaking fleet with

six new polar security cutters

to ensure continued national presence and access to the Polar Regions.

In April, the

Coast Guard awarded VT Halter Marine Inc.

of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a contract for the design and construction of the Coast Guard’s lead

polar security cutter

, which will also be homeported in Seattle. The contract also includes options for the construction of two additional PSCs.

\”Replacing the Coast Guard\’s icebreaker fleet is paramount,\” said Vice Adm. Linda Fagan, commander of the Coast Guard\’s Pacific Area. \”Our ability to clear a channel and allow for the resupply of the United States\’ Antarctic stations is essential for continued national presence and influence on the continent.\”

FACE OF DEFENSE

AMERICAN HERO

Kutztown University Women\’s Lacrosse Roster Includes Players from New Jersey

KUTZTOWN, PA (02/21/2020)– Kutztown University will have 22 student-athletes representing its women\’s lacrosse program for the 2020 season.

Read the full season preview.

Every season under third-year head coach Jackie Stezzi, the Kutztown University women\’s lacrosse team has had its win total increase. Now in its third season in the regime, the KU program looks to continue to build upon the success and reach even bigger heights during the 2020 campaign.

The Golden Bears finished the 2019 season with a 7-9 overall record, with five of those victories coming in conference play. The five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) victories are the second most in a season in KU history. KU looks to match the program record of six league wins this year.

Kutztown opens its regular season Saturday, Feb. 22, at the University of Bridgeport at 1 p.m. The home-opener for KU is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m., against Caldwell University at Keystone Field.

Brittany Dieterle of Somerdale (08083)

Devon Fitzpatrick of Marlton (08053)

Marissa Giancola of Cape May (08204)

Allison Mccormick of West Deptford (08096)

About Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County, between Reading and Allentown, Pennsylvania. KU is just two hours from New York City; 90 minutes from Philadelphia.

As the region\’s center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU\’s programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 100 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment. To complement their studies, KU\’s NCAA Division II athletics program with 21 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery.

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF IWO JIMA (VIDEO)…Thank a Veteran Today for their Service

SOURCE:

The American Legion Burn Pit

First, from Yahoo News:

This month marks the 75th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Iwo Jima, which saw some of the bloodiest fighting of World War Two take place on a small Japanese island 1,200 km (745 miles) south of Tokyo.

Iwo Jima was the first native Japanese soil to be invaded during the Allied advance. Located halfway between Tokyo and Guam, it was regarded as a strategic outpost. Close to 7,000 U.S. Marines and nearly all of the 21,000 Japanese defenders of the island died during the 36-day battle.

The Japanese troops held the heavily fortified island for more than a month, supported by a network of bunkers and tunnels and hidden artillery positions.

From Feb. 19, 1945, over 500 warships and 1,000 warplanes from the U.S. navy and army pounded Iwo Jima so heavily that the shelling and bombing changed the shape of the island\’s highest point, Mount Suribachi, located at its southern tip.

The Washington Post has a story on Woody Williams

, who as you know is one of my favorite people:

The Japanese soldiers came out of their concrete “pill box” with bayonets fixed, determined to get the Marine who had been killing them all afternoon with a flamethrower.

Their target was Hershel Williams. He was 5-foot-6, the youngest of the 11 children of a dairy farmer from Quiet Dell, W.Va. He had a nice smile, and a girl back home named Ruby whom he planned to marry when the war was over.

He was 21, and known as “Woody.”

But 75 years ago this month, on a Godforsaken volcanic island in the Pacific called Iwo Jima, he was a terrifying destroyer of the Japanese, incinerating men in their hideouts with jets of blazing diesel fuel and high octane gasoline.

They had to stop him.

Not to ruin the ending, but yeah, they didn\’t stop him.

CONTINUE TO READ

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

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

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

has partnered with Megabus to

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

here

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

Celebrate the last day of

Black History Month

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

Enjoy the first day of

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

See

Hello Dolly!

at the Academy of Music.

Experience the Selma and suffrage exhibits at the

Brandywine Museum of Art

Spend the night in Philadelphia by booking the perks-packed

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

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

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

VISIT PHILADELPHIA

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

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog,

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

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

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

Northern State Prison Correctional Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Fentanyl/Marijuana to Inmate

TRENTON –Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a former senior correctional police officer at Northern State Prison in Newark, N.J., was sentenced to prison today for smuggling fentanyl and marijuana to an inmate in the prison in exchange for money.

Roberto Reyes-Jackson, 31, of Irvington, N.J., was sentenced to four years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Verna G. Leath in Essex County. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 10, 2019 to conspiracy to commit official misconduct. He forfeited his job as a result of his guilty plea and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.

Deputy Attorney General Samantha McCluskey prosecuted the case and handled the sentencing for the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). Reyes-Jackson was indicted in 2017 in an investigation by OPIA and the Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division.

The state’s investigation revealed that between September and December 2016, Reyes-Jackson smuggled multiple single-dose wax folds of a powder compound laced with fentanyl to inmate Aaron Copeland. He also smuggled a small amount of marijuana to Copeland. The smuggling came to light in December 2016, when prison staff discovered a bag of marijuana in Copeland’s cell and two wax folds of fentanyl. A full search of the cell revealed additional marijuana and fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Reyes-Jackson accepted hundreds of dollars in bribes from Copeland’s girlfriend, Tyeesha Powell, to smuggle drugs into the prison. Copeland, in turn, distributed the drugs to other inmates, who paid him by having friends or relatives outside the prison wire money to Powell.

“By agreeing to smuggle fentanyl to an inmate in Northern State Prison, Reyes-Jackson put lives at risk,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Fentanyl is so potent that minute amounts can result in overdose and death. This prison sentence holds Reyes-Jackson accountable for betraying his duty and callously disregarding the safety and welfare of his fellow officers as well as inmates in the prison.”

“When a correction officer conspires with an inmate to break the law, it poses a grave threat to safety and security in the prison, particularly when a dangerous drug like fentanyl is involved,” said Director Thomas Eicher of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. “We will continue to work closely with the Department of Corrections to ensure that any officer who corruptly compromises safety in a correctional facility is aggressively investigated and prosecuted.”

“We have an uncompromising commitment to ensuring safety in our facilities and a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who violates that safety,” said New Jersey Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus O. Hicks, Esq. “The overwhelming majority of the New Jersey Department of Corrections staff operate with integrity. Those who do not must be held accountable for their actions.”

Copeland, 31, of Newark, pleaded guilty previously to a charge of distribution of fentanyl and faces a recommended sentence of three years in prison, including one year of parole ineligibility, to run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving. Powell, 34, of Pleasantville, N.J., pleaded guilty previously to distribution of fentanyl and faces a recommended sentence of probation. They are awaiting sentencing.

Former Deputy Attorney General Peter Baker presented the case to the state grand jury. Attorney General Grewal commended all of the investigators, detectives and attorneys who conducted the investigation for the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability and the Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division. Senior Investigator Patrick Sesulka and Deputy Chief Investigator Edward Soltys conducted the investigation for the Department of Corrections.