South Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council endorsed Brigid Callahan Harrison for Congress

February 6, 2020

Egg Harbor City, New Jersey – At its meeting on February 5, 2020, the

South Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council endorsed Brigid Callahan Harrison for Congress in New Jersey\’s Second Congressional District. The SJBTC coordinates activity and provides resources to 15 affiliated trades unions in the construction industry. Scott Sheridan, President of the SJBTC stated:

\”The 2020 race of New Jersey\’s 2nd Congressional District is very important to our association and the election of Brigid Harrison will ensure that our members will be well represented in Congress. Brigid has a clear understanding of the pressing issues faced by organized labor and specifically the Building Trades throughout the country and our state. As a sister in organized labor, Brigid will work passionately to promote the values of the working men and women in our communities.”

\”Brigid is a lifelong member of our community and a longtime union member and we are confident that as Congresswoman Brigid will work to protect the right to collectively bargain, support Davis Bacon legislation, enforce laws to make job sites safer, deliver support for apprenticeship and journey-level training and fight for improved wages, hours and working conditions. We are proud to endorse our union sister, Brigid Callahan Harrison for Congress to represent New Jersey\’s second congressional District.\”

ICE Arrested a Brazilian National Wanted for Murder in NJ; 117 Illegals Arrested Statewide

NEWARK, N.J. – A Brazilian national, in the country illegally and wanted in Brazil for homicide, was arrested last week during enforcement efforts conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New Jersey, targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal reentrants and other immigration violators.

A Brazilian national wanted for murder in his country was arrested by ICE in Newark, NJ.

The state was designated a \’sanctuary state\’ by  Democrat Gov. Murphy when he took office. (photo provided by ICE)

“The remarkable results of our officers and law enforcement partners highlight ICE’s ongoing commitment to public safety in the face of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive, which severely limits local and state law enforcement cooperation with ICE-ERO,” said Ruben Perez, acting field office director of ERO Newark. “This targeted enforcement action focuses on the arrest of individuals convicted of serious crimes and are a threat to public safety. Because of the targeted efforts of these professional officers, there are 115 fewer criminals in our communities.”

Any local jurisdiction thinking that refusing to cooperate with ICE will result in a decrease in local immigration enforcement is mistaken. These jurisdictions that choose to not cooperate with ICE are likely to see an increase in ICE enforcement activity as ICE has no choice but to conduct more at-large, targeted enforcement actions since the agency is unable to take custody of a criminal alien within the confines of a local jail.

Recent arrests include:

In Newark, a 53-year-old Brazilian national, who has a warrant in Brazil for the offense of homicide;

In Fairfield, a 58-year-old Peruvian national, who has a warrant in Peru for the offense of extortion;

In North Bergen, a 44-year-old Salvadoran national, who has a conviction for the offense of endangering the welfare of a child;

In Elizabeth, a 28-year-old Salvadoran national, who has a pending case in El Salvador for the offense of homicide;

In Glassboro, a 60-year-old previously deported Mexican national, who has a conviction for the offense of homicide;

In Guttenberg, a 40-year-old Mexican national, who has convictions for the offense of child abuse, DUI and domestic violence;

In North Brunswick, a 42-year-old Jamaican national, who has convictions for the offense of drug smuggling and exporting cocaine;

In Plainfield, a 31-year-old previously deported Guatemalan national, who has convictions for the offense of domestic violence and DUI;

In Paterson, a 45-year-old Salvadoran national who has convictions for the offense of endangering the welfare of a child and DUI;

In Passaic, a 50-year-old Bolivian national, who multiple convictions for the offense of endangering the welfare of a child, hindering apprehension and DUI;

In Pompton Plains, a 55-year-old United Kingdom national, who has convictions for the offense of arson, domestic violence and distribution of narcotics;

In West Milford, a 46-year-old previously deported Mexican national, who has a conviction for criminal sexual contact involving a minor;

In Paterson a 22-year-old Dominican national, who is a member of the Trinitarios gang with convictions for the offense of possession of a weapon and theft; and

In Paterson, a 20-year-old Salvadoran national, who is a member of the MS-13 gang.

The individuals arrested throughout New Jersey were nationals of Argentina (1), Bolivia (1), Brazil (4), Colombia (3), Costa Rica (1), Cuba (2), Dominican Republic (9), Ecuador (9), El Salvador (12), Ghana (1), Guatemala (16), Honduras (9), India (2), Jamaica (2), Mexico (32), Nigeria (1), Panama (1), Peru (2), Philippines (1), Poland (2), Spain (2), United Kingdom (1), and Venezuela (1).

Some will face federal criminal prosecutions for illegal entry and illegal re-entry after removal. An alien who illegally re-enters the United States after removal can face up to 20 years in federal prison if criminally prosecuted.

From January 27 to February 1, ICE arrested 115 foreign nationals, and 84 percent had prior criminal convictions and/or pending criminal charges. Convictions and pending charges included: homicide, sexual assault on a minor, child abuse, possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics, extortion, DUI, fraud, domestic violence, theft, possession of a weapon, robbery, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, assault by auto, receiving stolen property, shoplifting, burglary and illegal reentry. Both ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) New York Field Office assisted ERO with these arrests.

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is extremely proud to have assisted in this targeted enforcement action,” said Troy Miller, director of the CBP New York Field Office. “It is through collaborative efforts that law enforcement agencies can combat illegal acts and apprehend criminals who pose a threat to the homeland.”

ICE officers carry out targeted enforcement actions every day in locations around the country as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety, and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls.

ICE focuses its limited resources first and foremost by targeting those who pose the greatest threat to public safety and border security, and our officers make arrests every single day. The agency’s arrest statistics clearly reflect this. Nationally, approximately 86 percent of ERO’s administrative arrests during fiscal year 2019 either had a criminal conviction or were pending criminal charges.

Warhawks Release New EP ‘Stardust Disco’

Gloucester City, NJ (February 2020)–The Warhawks, a local band from Gloucester City announced the release of their new  EP ‘Stardust Disco’ which is available on all music platforms. It was released on New Rivals Entertainment.

The six new songs were recorded, mixed, mastered, and produced by Dave Downham at Gradwell Recording House in Haddon Heights, NJ during the summer and fall of 2019.

If you’re interested in a physical copy (CD), contact the band at thewarhawksnj@gmail.com. CDs will also be available at all shows.

The band would like to thank Stephen F. James for the phenomenal co

ver artwork. Also thanks to Doug Green of New Rivals Entertainment and Kevin Day of Part Time PR for all of the hard work.

Listen to

Stardust Disco

below and connect with The Warhawks on

Facebook

,

Instagram

and

Twitter

.

Related:

Entertainment

American Water Implements Temporary Treatment Change in Water Treatment Plants

February, 2020

CAMDEN City, N.J.–(

BUSINESS WIRE

)–As part of an annual maintenance program for its water distribution system, New Jersey American Water will temporarily change the water treatment process from a chloramine (combined) residual to free chlorine residual at the company’s Raritan-Millstone and Canal Road Water Treatment plants. These surface

water treatment plants serve New Jersey American Water customers in the following counties: Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union.

“This periodic, scheduled change in disinfectant is a standard water treatment practice that allows us to continue to ensure safe, high-quality water for our customers,” said Matthew Csik, Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance, New Jersey American Water. “We perform this distribution system maintenance program every year as an added measure to further disinfect the pipelines in our distribution system.”

The temporary treatment process will begin on Monday, February 10, 2020, and continue until the end of April 2020. During this period, some customers may notice a slight taste and smell of chlorine in their water. This is normal and will only be temporary until the system maintenance is complete. Customers who wish to reduce the taste of chlorine can place water in an uncovered glass container in the refrigerator overnight to dissipate chlorine faster.

“As always, we will continue to monitor water quality in the system to ensure that customers receive water that meets or is better than federal and state drinking water standards,” Csik said.

The temporary treatment change applies to New Jersey American Water customers in the following communities. (Communities with an asterisk purchase water from New Jersey American Water.)

Essex County

:

Irvington, Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange

Hunterdon County

: Flemington Borough*, Raritan Township, Readington Township and Tewksbury Township

Mercer County

: Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton Borough, Princeton Junction, Princeton Township, Trenton* and West Windsor Township

Middlesex County

: Cranbury Township, Dunellen Borough, Edison Township, Jamesburg Borough, Middlesex Borough, Monroe Township, North Brunswick*, Piscataway Township, Plainsboro Township, South Brunswick Township and South Plainfield Borough

Morris County

: Chatham Township, Florham Park Borough, Long Hill Township, Mendham Township and Mendham Borough

Somerset County

: Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, Bernardsville Borough, Bound Brook Borough, Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township, Far Hills Borough, Franklin Township, Green Brook Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough, Millstone Borough, Montgomery Township, North Plainfield Borough, Peapack & Gladstone Borough, Raritan Borough, Rocky Hill*, Somerville Borough, South Bound Brook Borough, Warren Township and Watchung Borough

Union County

: Berkley Heights Township, City of Rahway*, Clark Township, Cranford Township, City of Elizabeth (Liberty)*, Fanwood Borough, Garwood Borough, Hillside Township, Kenilworth Borough, Linden City, Mountainside Borough, New Providence Borough, Plainfield City, Roselle Borough, Roselle Park Borough, Scotch Plains Township, Springfield Township, Summit, Union Township, Westfield Township and Winfield Park Township*

New Jersey American Water has used

chloramines

in its water treatment process since the 1970s. For more information, visit

newjerseyamwater.com

.

About New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.7 million people. For more information, visit

www.newjerseyamwater.com

and follow New Jersey American Water on

Twitter

and

Facebook

.

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit

amwater.com

and follow American Water on

Twitter

,

Facebook

and

LinkedIn

.

Democratic Candidate Harrison Supports Legalization of Marijuana

[February 5, 2020 – Longport, New Jersey] – Last week, Brigid Callahan Harrison, Democratic candidate for Congress in New Jersey\’s second congressional district, met with leaders at the

National Cannabis Industry Association

. The following is a summary statement Brigid provided regarding her stance on the legalization of cannabis and criminal justice reform:

I support the legalization of regulated buying and selling of marijuana.

The federal government should decriminalize marijuana by removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, because families should not be torn apart due to a loved one being incarcerated on a minor marijuana charge.

It is imperative that the federal government take the lead on this issue. Currently, because of varying state laws, over 31,000 New Jerseyans and 660,000 Americans are arrested each year for doing something that many states have legalized. Federal, state, and municipal governments invest $3.6 billion enforcing marijuana laws, costing governments about $4390 per arrest, while ten states have legalized marijuana. This perpetuates an unequal system in which the poor are often subject to different rules than those who can travel to use marijuana recreationally, and one in which taxpayers are forced to bear the enormous fiscal burden of enforcement.

For me, the most important component of legalization centers on issues of social justice and legal fairness: I support policy that directs the federal courts to expunge prior convictions, allows prior offenders to request expungement with the help of an

expungement attorney

, and requires courts to conduct re-sentencing hearings for those still under supervision. Today prior convictions create a form of economic discrimination that prevent those convicted of low-level marijuana possession charges from attaining employment and may be used against those convicted in civil matters, including in custody

determinations and adoption decisions.

I want to ensure all people are given the same rights and are not discriminated against, so in Washington I will support legislation to prohibit the denial of any federal public benefit because of the possession of marijuana or prior conviction of a marijuana offense.

Another important consideration of legalization centers on social justice and economic fairness. As Congresswoman from the second congressional district, I would support the levying of a 5 percent sales tax on marijuana and marijuana products to create a dedicated revenue stream to assist those negatively impacted by the policy of criminalized marijuana, including job training and re-entry and other services needed by those returning to their communities.

Communities, too, need to be made whole, and small business development grants should be funded to ensure that communities that have paid the price for criminalized marijuana are given the opportunity to thrive and prosper through legalization.

Finally, an important component of legalization involves the creation of a regulatory structure that serves to address the public policy concerns of each cannabis product that would be available to consumers. In Congress, I would support the creation of such a structure housed in existing government agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Tobacco Tax Bureau, which are specifically and uniquely qualified address the important public policy questions associated with the legalization various cannabis products.

Arrests for low level marijuana possession have disproportionately decimated the lives of people of color. High levels of incarceration have torn apart families, wreaked havoc on communities, and burdened municipal governments that often are not only charged with enforcing existing drug laws, but then also providing the support for those left behind when a loved one is sent to jail for a low level drug conviction. The implementation of a legalization policy must lead attempt to remedy the injustices that have been perpetrated in the past.

LOTTERY POSTS RECORD SALES AND STATE CONTRIBUTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019

TRENTON (Feb. 3, 2020) –

The New Jersey Lottery posted record sales and a record contribution to the State according to the latest Audit Report for Fiscal Year 2019 released today, which is available for review on the

Lottery’s website

.

In Fiscal Year 2019, the Lottery generated $3.48 billion in sales, a $182 million increase over the prior year. The substantial increase in sales translated into a record contribution to the State in Fiscal Year 2019 of over $1.10 billion, which is used to support New Jersey’s public employee pension system. The success was shared by New Jersey players, who won more than $2 billion in prizes, and retailers, who earned $198 million in commissions.

“Impressive jackpots were an important component of total Lottery sales during Fiscal Year 2019,” said New Jersey Lottery Acting Executive Director James A. Carey, Jr. “Mega Millions had a $1.5 billion jackpot in October 2018 and also brought a $267 million jackpot to a New Jersey ticketholder in March 2019. Powerball jackpots performed well too, with a $687 million jackpot in October 2018 and a $768 million jackpot in March 2019. The high jackpots drove combined sales of the two multi-state games to approximately $521 million.”

In May of 2019, the Division of State Lottery amended the services agreement with its sales and marketing vendor Northstar New Jersey Lottery Group, which revised the formula for calculating the incentive payment owed to Northstar in Fiscal Year 2019 and in future years, and increased the performance targets that are used to calculate any incentive payment owed to Northstar. As a result, the incentive compensation paid to Northstar for FY 2019 totaled $26.1 million, significantly lower than the $33.9 million incentive payment that would have been owed to Northstar in FY 2019 under the previous contractual terms, saving taxpayers $7.8 million. For comparison purposes, in Fiscal Year 2018, the Lottery paid $31.8 million to Northstar in incentive compensation. Under the new contract terms, in FY 2019, the incentive compensation dropped, even as sales increased from $3.299 billion to $3.482 billion.

The Lottery is the State’s fifth largest individual revenue producer benefiting the residents of New Jersey. Since its inception in 1970, the Lottery has contributed over $28 billion to the State, helping to bolster the public employee pension system for teachers, police and fire personnel and other public employees, as well as supporting businesses and communities throughout New Jersey.

OFFICER DOWN: Florida Trooper Joseph Bullock Shot and Killed

Trooper Joseph Bullock

Florida Highway Patrol, Florida

End of Watch

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

PALM CITY, FLORIDA (February 5, 2020)–Trooper Joseph Bullock was shot and killed when he encountered a subject at a rest stop on I-95 in Palm City.

Additional details have not yet been released.

Trooper Bullock was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for 19 years.

RELATED:

Via

Officer Down Memorial page

CNB Crime

Blue Line

CNBNews Tips and Snippets

CNBNews Point of View

BREAKING NEWS

published Gloucestercitynews.net | February 5, 2020

FBI NEWS: Would-Be Mass Shooters Sentenced

Couple’s Obsession Led Them to Plan Attack

Elizabeth Lecron and Vincent Armstrong were obsessed with mass shooters.

The Toledo, Ohio, couple immersed themselves in online subculture dedicated to the topic. In 2018, they traveled to Columbine High School to visit the site of the 1999 school shooting, where they took pictures of themselves dressed like the shooters and posing with weapons. Lecron also wrote to one notorious mass shooter in prison to express her admiration for him.

But investigators say it wasn’t just a morbid fascination.

The couple, led by Lecron, wrote detailed plans making it clear they intended to become mass shooters themselves. They expressed violent, anti-government beliefs and their plans to act on them.

“Unfortunately, we address these types of threats frequently,” said Special Agent Ryan Presley, who oversaw this investigation out of the FBI’s Cleveland Field Office. “The challenge is figuring out who is just talking and who is making serious plans.”

In this case, the would-be shooters documented their violent plans.

Thankfully, a concerned citizen who became aware of their activity called the Toledo Police Department, which shared the tip with Detective Louie Espinosa and FBI Special Agent Sara Pedersen of the Bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

The JTTF learned that the couple’s plans were serious and that they had stockpiled weapons and bomb-making materials.

“This is an example of why the JTTF model works—everyone worked together to keep our community safe from a potentially dangerous threat.”

Ryan Presley, special agent, FBI Cleveland

Lecron and Armstrong had scouted out venues for their attacks. One was a Toledo business the couple frequented. They knew the business had few entrances and exits, which they thought would make it difficult for potential victims to escape. They discussed details down to the type of shoes they would wear and how to create a diversion at the scene.

With the overwhelming evidence against them, Lecron and Armstrong both pleaded guilty. Lecron admitted to providing material support to terrorism and was sentenced in November 2019 to 15 years in prison. Armstrong pleaded guilty to a lesser conspiracy charge and was sentenced in December 2019 to six years.

Lecron’s prosecution is believed to be the first time a material support charge—a very serious charge usually brought against international terrorism suspects—has been used in a domestic terrorism case. Presley attributed this to the work of the investigative team and partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio.

And without the tip from the concerned citizen, this story could have ended in a mass shooting—instead, the two would-be shooters are behind bars.

“I can’t say enough good things about the Toledo Police Department,” Presley said. “They have created an environment in which citizens feel comfortable bringing these types of things forward. This is an example of why the JTTF model works—everyone worked together to keep our community safe from a potentially dangerous threat.”

Resources

Toledo Woman Sentenced for Planning Two Terrorist Attacks

Toledo Man Sentenced for Planning Terrorist Attack in Toledo’s Entertainment District

How Do Chiropractors Relieve Pain From Injuries Or Accidents?

Gloucestercitynews.net (February 5, 2020)–Many people seek chiropractic care to relieve pain and aid recovery from falls, sports-related injuries, and injuries from car accidents. It’s popular as a component of a larger medical treatment plan to help people reduce their dependence on pain

image unsplash.com

medication and get back on their feet faster.

Chiropractic treatment isn’t a substitute for any other medical treatment, although it can be very effective for pain management with acute injuries and for regaining flexibility. Spinal manipulation

self-improvement tools

may also be an effective treatment for managing chronic pain and helping patients avoid more invasive surgical options.

How It Works

Trained chiropractors work to help you physically align your body and give your body the ability to heal quicker and more effectively on its own. They usually work with their hands to manipulate your neck and spine to alleviate nerve issues and vertebral problems. A

chiropractic adjustment

is called so because the chiropractor physically adjusts your spine by applying force with their hands.

Some chiropractors may also use massage or electrical stimulation as well. All of these methods of treatment are meant to aid your body in its natural healing process. You can discuss with your doctor and your chiropractor some of the different methods and how each may or may not serve your needs.

Benefits

Many patients appreciate chiropractic treatment because it helps them recover quickly without depending on habit-forming pain drugs and it doesn’t involve any kind of invasive operation. Manipulation by a chiropractor can help you align your body for better recovery, reduce pain and get your full range of mobility back after an accident.

Chiropractic adjustment has shown some benefits for treating sciatica, neck pain, back pain, shoulder issues, and migraines. Spinal manipulation may also be an effective treatment for

managing

chronic pain

and helping patients

avoid more invasive surgical options.

Risks

While chiropractic adjustment is not invasive and can be very beneficial, that doesn’t imply there are no risks. When you make your first appointment with a practitioner, they should go through your health history with you so they can consider whether or not doing an adjustment would be helpful and safe.

If you have low bone density because of osteoporosis, chiropractors will need to be extra gentle in your treatment. If you’re at risk for a stroke, you might also want to take some precautions with your treatment. In very rare cases, manipulation of the neck can damage an artery.

As with any health procedure, chiropractic treatment is not for everyone. You should talk to your primary physician about your condition first and ask them if they think it would be beneficial for you to work with a licensed

chiropractor

.

Making an Educated Decision

If you’re interested in giving chiropractic care a try, you should talk to your doctor about it and ask for a referral. You and your doctor will be able to make an informed decision together about what might work for you and your body.

Mega Millions Jackpot Now $168,000,000

One $1,000,000 and Two $10,000 Tickets Sold

TRENTON (Feb. 3, 2020) – The Mega Millions jackpot has rolled to $168 million! James Carey, New Jersey Lottery acting executive director,

announced that there was one second-tier prizewinning ticket sold for the Friday, Jan. 31, drawing that matched five of the five white balls drawn winning the $1,000,000 prize. That ticket was purchased at Quick Chek #039, 195 Main Ave., Passaic in Passaic County. There were two third-tier prizewinning tickets sold that matched four of the five white balls and the gold ball winning $10,000. Those ticket was sold at the following locations:

Middlesex County: Wawa #781, 40 Washington Rd., Sayreville; and

Passaic County: Bolla 1440 Rt. 23 C-Store, 1440 Route 23 North, Wayne.

In addition, 12 players matched four of the five white balls drawn making each ticket worth $500. Two of those tickets were purchased with Megaplier, multiplying the prize to $1,000. Moreover 30,115 other New Jersey players took home $114,282 in prizes ranging from $2 to $400, according to Carey. The winning numbers for the Friday, Jan. 31, drawing were: 28, 31, 33, 57, and 62. The Gold Mega Ball was 19, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 02.

“Congratulations to the lottery winners and to the retailers that sold the winning tickets,” said Carey. “For selling the winning tickets, the retailers have become many more Lottery ‘lucky locations’ overnight.”

The next drawing will be held Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 11:00 pm. All New Jersey Lottery Mega Millions tickets must be purchased before 10:45 pm to participate in the drawing. Mega Millions tickets cost just two dollars; by adding the Megaplier option for an extra dollar per play, players can increase their non- jackpot winnings up to five times. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 46 participating jurisdictions. Drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays.