Mega Millions Jackpot Rolls To $91,000,000

TRENTON (Jan. 13, 2020) – The Mega Millions jackpot has rolled to $91 million! James Carey, New Jersey Lottery acting executive director, announced that in the Friday, Jan. 10, drawing, 9 players matched four of the five white balls drawn making each ticket worth $500. Two of those tickets were purchased with the Megaplier option, multiplying the prize to $1,000. Moreover, 23,071 other New Jersey players took home $85,612 in prizes ranging from $2 to $400, according to Carey. The winning numbers for the Friday, Jan. 10, drawing were: 17, 27, 49, 51, and 66. The Gold Mega Ball was 02, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 02.

The next drawing will be held Tuesday, Jan. 14, 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.

GUEST OPINION: LIKE OR NOT, HE\’S OUR PRESIDENT

by George Roof, Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Retired)

Because I am a \”lifer\” in the military, I\’ve seen the impact of a president more than many of you can imagine. I enlisted with LBJ and saw just what a Democrat cluster flock was all about. I went to Vietnam and saw how we were constantly and incessantly bombarded with micromanagement from Washington that got thousands of military people killed. I sometimes wonder if I\’ll get to heaven, but if I go to hell, I\’m sure I\’ll still be a few hundred floors above that bastard Robert McNamara, LB Johnson, John Kerry, Jane Fonda, and yes, even the \”hero\” John McCain.

After Johnson \”abdicated\” rather than having his a** waxed, I lived through Nixon who was hawkish but allowed the generals (and there WERE a few real generals back then versus now) run the show. Nixon was so out of touch that he never knew North Vietnam was about to surrender when the Paris Accord was presented. .

Only God could help us after Gerald Ford was beaten by Jimmy \’Peanuts\’ Carter who\’d been funded by Saudi money. The military was turned into Section 8 and even the White House suffered the austerity.

Then the light began to shine and Ronald Reagan swept into the fray. He not only loved the country and the military, they l loved him back. Esprit d\’corps was off the scale during his presidency. The Liberals were slowly turning into socialists, however, and about this time all the draft dodgers of the 1960\’s who\’d been given amnesty by Jimmy \’Peanuts\’ were turning out college graduates with degrees in socialism. Bush 1 was an enigma from the CIA and though he never did much either way, he NEVER DID MUCH EITHER WAY.

Welcome to Bill Clinton. Clinton spent most of his two terms wagging the dog and creating the \’Oral\’ Office, sending a bomber to blow up Quaddafi\’s tent and killing a goat or two, while allowing the UN to set up the infamous Black Hawk Down situation He made history by becoming only the second president to be impeached.

I actually felt sorry for Bush 2. He was doomed to infamy from the start. He thought most of America was still the rah rah patriots of WWII when they were \’simply socialists\’ waiting to feed him to the sharks.

Then there came the Manchurian Candidate Obama with a faked (OK Democrats, let\’s say \”of questionable origin\” to assuage your PC brains) birth certificate, who\’d gotten a free ride through college under a foreign student exemption, and whose college records and complete life history had been \’sealed.\’ (We know more about Thomas Jefferson\’s bastard children than we do about Obama, Michelle , OR their two faked kids.)

From his inaugural address, he slandered America and within days had begun to encourage dissension of the races as well as slandering police who \”acted stupidly.\” That was mild to the crap that would come in doubling the national debt from what had been built by ALL THE PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS COMBINED, feeding us bullshit about how Muslims built this country, and nationalizing American industries.

Paragraph 9: Fueled by George Soros\’ money and using the Air Force fleet as his personal charters, he appointed malcontents and traitors into positions of authority. He trashed the Constitution by installing \”czars\” (interesting he chose a title like that) to bypass Congressional authority. By that time, Congress was completely corrupt on both sides of the aisle. No one had balls to impeach this charlatan Obama.

Mysteriously, the lone outspoken conservative Supreme Court Justice Scalia suddenly dies in his sleep at an Obama pal\’s hunting lodge and the Supreme Court is evenly split. Finally, Congress shows some balls and rejects Obama\’s Supreme Court, Justice nomination. The Libertards aren\’t worried because the fix is in. Soros \’has paid\’ demonstrators to cause turmoil at all the Republican gatherings.\’ Obama concedes that illegal aliens should vote as they won\’t be prosecuted, and Soros-manufactured voting machines are caught switching votes in certain precincts Hillary has cheated her way to the nomination and her lies are completely ignored by the brainwashed minions of sycophants who follow her.

But a shocking thing happened on the way to the forum.

Middle America had had enough and although the pollsters and the pipers tried to convince middle America not even to bother to vote, they were fed up with the denizens of the swamp. It was time. Florida was designated a \”swing\” state ignoring that all those old retirees living in St. Petersburg, and the fed up Cuban Americans of Miami weren\’t interested in their platform. Ohio and Pennsylvania, where coal production was blacklisted and where Obama had ridiculed them for \”clinging to their Bibles and their guns,\” lay awaiting this supposed \”landslide\” Hillary vote,…. and creamed it.

The Socialist world of the Democratic Party disintegrated. An American who expressed unbridled love of country and respect for police, firemen, and military steamrolled across the heartland and the liberals realized their scheme was trashed. A CONSTITUTIONALIST would be nominated to the Supreme Court and if the old hag Ginsburg who\’d claimed to retire if Trump were elected would actually retire and leave, the Supreme Court would have a massive majority of CONSTITUTIONALISTS for the next 40-50 years.

Now, the same party who\’d ridiculed Trump on his comments about the election being rigged, started screaming that the election \’was\’ rigged. They even advocated having the election repeated. They created mobs that burned and pillaged, stopped traffic, threatened murder, battery and rape of Trump supporters, and became the anarchists that the socialist dream thrives upon. They run like castrated pigs for safe zones and use diaper pins as their national symbol.

This is exactly what happens when political correctness takes over and participation trophies are awarded to everyone. They can\’t conceive how disgusting and subservient they have become.

Donald Trump may NOT be the best person for the job, but he\’s such a welcome respite from the candy-assed wimps who\’ve been running the swamp that it\’s refreshing to see. At the very least, Donald Trump derailed the Socialist train and bought us precious time. If he only does half of what he\’s promised, we\’ll still be legions ahead of where Obama has dragged us. Already countries who held us in contempt are lining up to be found in the favor of America. Donald Trump has done more in his short time in the public eye..he prevented Hillary Clinton from becoming president!

So for you liberal lurkers and you half-assed fence-sitters, Tough shit! You had your big hurray and now your party is over. For you staunch Republicans in office, don\’t gloat so much yourselves. You\’ve been put on notice by the American people that we\’re fed up with

ALL YOU BASTARDS

and if you don\’t start putting America first, you do so at your own peril. You might want to buy a copy of George McGovern\’s autobiography and see how shocking and humbling it can be for a professional politician to have to try to find legitimate work once he falls from grace.

This election was pure, unadulterated AMERICAN!!! Hillary was beaten and AMERICA WON THE ELECTION. You can claim he\’s not \”your president\” all you want, but unless you \’forfeit\’ your American citizenship, ….

HE IS YOUR PRESIDENT!!!

Go cry a river some place they need water.

EDITOR\’S NOTE: This article was first published in 2016. It was submitted last week to CNBNews for publication by Frank K.

Letter of Disappointment To Jersey City Council From Jersey City Educator

January 11, 2020, 8:52 am | in

Franky Maldonado – McNair Educator

JCEA – 1600 Kennedy Blvd.

Jersey City NJ 07305

I am writing this email as a taxpayer, voter, educator, and parent. When Mayor Fulop announced that he was presenting a resolution for a Mayor-Appointed School Board, I immediately thought of Mayor Frank Hague’s consolidation of power in Jersey City from 1917-1947. As Mayor of Jersey City, Mayor Hague created a system of political patronage and cronyism, turning Jersey City into a “Nefarious Political Machine.”

According to a NJ historian, “you couldn’t attain any job in that city unless you had something to offer Hague.” Additionally the historian goes onto to say, “Jersey City politics was so overtly corrupt that even President Franklin Roosevelt funneled [New Deal] funds to Hague for favors and votes.”

This type of top-down city corruption was eventually targeted by the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover, the NJ State Prosecutor’s office, and progressive-minded political reformers who sought to wrestle power away from political machines. After Hague’s tenure, others attempted to mimic the precedent he set; however, most if not all Mayors failed in their attempts to rule “with an Iron Fist.”

Today, in 2020, we have the reincarnation of Mayor Hague in the form of Steven Fulop. There are many differences between these two men, both in terms of upbringing and experiences however, their unsaturated thirst for power are very similar.

Both men have used their power to bend the will of city commissioners and elected council members.

Both men have created intra-city emergencies and crises to strengthen their positions in the eyes of the public.

Both men have manipulated, cajoled, and undermined true reforms by hijacking the democratic process.

Both men have behaved as if they do not have to answer to the taxpayer and voter.

As a matter of opinion, I believe that both men have convinced themselves that they are smarter than the voter, thus taking on a paternalistic approach to politics proclaiming themselves as “Savior” or “Anointed One.” This unchecked hunger for political power is both dangerous and poses a threat to our democracy. Then on Wednesday’s January 8th council meeting, after many people expressed their opinions (resounding no), most of you (with the exception of Mr. Boggiano whom voted NO & Mr. Lavarro whom ABSTAINED) voted to enact his “master plan.”

What do you have to gain from this?

What does the taxpayer gain from this? How will the students benefit from this? Did you do your due diligence in researching how an appointed Board got Jersey City State-Controlled Schools?

Mayor Fulop attempted to exert influence over the schools with Dr. Lyles and Board members that he once upon a time supported. What did they do to the schools? They left them underfunded and understaffed! Now he is asking you for the schools and you hand him the keys with your resounding vote. Jersey City: Make It Yours! Meanwhile, people are being priced out of their homes due to high taxes. Developers are coming in and bulldozing traditional communities in favor of luxurious condos for New Yorkers.

These developers get all sorts of “perks” but the traditional taxpayer gets shafted. Gentrification is suffocating our communities. Invest in what you have here! Stop pandering to the developers and their cronies. Leave our schools alone! We all know once the Mayor gets his hands on the schools he is going to consolidate them (especially in the South Ward) just like the failed Newark One Plan and he is going to give the schools away.

Just look at what Senator Booker did in Newark while he was Mayor.

In closing, what you did cannot be undone. Some of you put your interests above what is best for the taxpayers and our children. Maybe you were naive about what the Mayor was asking. Maybe you were not paying attention because you have a life outside of council chambers and a phone in your hand. If you want to reconcile your position before the community start by opposing the Mayor. Speak out against his power grab and maybe then we will believe in you. I had a dream last night that I was in a dense fog. I was frightened and lost. Then I heard a loud voice calling onto me. I thought it was God. So I searched for the voice in the fog. As I got closer and closer the voice became stronger and louder. The fog began to dissipate as I neared the source. As the fog disappeared I found a mirror, and in the mirror I saw my reflection. It was my conscience reminding me that I am only human and I can make mistakes.

Don’t let this MISTAKE define your tenure and career as a City Councilperson of Jersey City. All the Best for the Year,

Sincerely,

Franky Maldonado

NJBIA Calls for Re-authorization of Tax Incentive Program in Support of Film Credit Expansion Bill

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association testified in support of a bill that extends the film tax credit, while calling for the urgent need to re-authorize a comprehensive tax incentive program.

New Jersey has been without a tax incentive program, a fundamental tool in most states\’ economic development strategies, since July 1.

NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Chris Emigholz said that bill S-3842 (Weinberg, D-37; Sarlo, D-36), which was released by the Senate and Budget Appropriations Committee today, could ultimately be included in a broader tax incentive program.

\”It has now been more than half a year that New Jersey has been without a tax incentive program,\” Emigholz said. \”Without this tool, we continue to put future job creation, economic development and prosperity at risk.\”

The film tax credit bill would extend by five years the availability period for tax credits to offset expenses incurred for the production of films and digital media content in New Jersey. Emigholz added that the bill increases the caps for this film credit program without a formal net benefit test in place.

\”NJBIA believes that increasing these caps is a good first step, but caps are unnecessary for tax incentive programs as long as there are strong net benefit tests to protect taxpayer dollars,\” Emigholz said.

\”The goal should be not to cap success, but allow incentive programs shown to be successful through net benefit tests to create as many jobs as possible. We believe the broader tax incentive program should follow that theme wherever possible of greater flexibility with enhanced accountability,\” Emigholz said.

NRA-ILA: Bloomberg Dismisses Texas Hero

Insists It Wasn’t His “Job” to Have a Gun or Decide to Shoot

SUPPORT NRA-ILA

Jack Wilson – a 71-year-old congregant of the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Tex. – is a hero to most Americans. When a deranged man savagely murdered two of Mr. Wilson’s fellow worshippers during a service at the church on Dec. 30,

Wilson took swift action

. He exposed himself to danger to deliver a single shot from his lawfully carried handgun

that instantly ended what undoubtedly would have been even more terrible carnage among the hundreds present.

Other congregants were also seen producing lawfully carried handguns in response to the threat. Several closed in on the fallen assailant to ensure he was neutralized. None of them panicked or acted rashly and no errant shots were fired.

The entire episode was over in six seconds and was captured on the church’s livestream.

The evidence is inescapable and available to anyone who cares to view it. Anybody who has ever tried to justify a public policy proposal on the grounds that it could save “just one life” is now on notice that lawful concealed carry saved many lives in just that one episode.

Yet one person who did not bother to watch the video or acquaint himself with the facts is Democrat presidential contender Michael Bloomberg.

Commenting on the incident

at a campaign stop in Montgomery Ala., Bloomberg did not mention Jack Wilson’s name. Bloomberg did not even acknowledge that the events depicted in video and widely reported in the media – including on

Bloomberg’s self-named news site

– were authentic.

But if they were, he huffed, it didn’t change his mind that only the police (which apparently include the current and former officers on his own armed protection detail) should be able to carry firearms in public.

“It may true, I wasn’t there, I don’t know the facts, that somebody in the congregation had their own gun and killed the person who murdered two other people,” he said. “But it’s the job of law enforcement to, uh, have guns and to decide when to shoot.” He continued, “You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place.”

In the best-case scenario, responding police would still have been minutes away from the violence breaking out in the West Freeway Church of Christ. The shotgun-wielding assailant could have killed many more people in that time had he not faced armed resistance of his own.

But Bloomberg’s own words indicate he would consider that an acceptable price to pay to vindicate his arch-statist and anti-constitutional view that the government should have a complete monopoly on the lawful use of lethal force.

What, in Bloomberg’s mind, make police the only people who can be trusted with firearms?

Does he feel that only law enforcement can effectively and safely use firearms?

Jack Wilson answered that question on Dec. 29, 2019, by delivering a single, precise shot at 15 yards that felled its target and only its target, saving innocent lives.

But somehow that’s still not good enough for Michael Bloomberg because Wilson is not an active-duty police officer.

What lesson are we supposed to learn from Bloomberg’s response to the White Settlement events, other than who shoots whom isn’t as important to him as who gets to decide who lawfully wields lethal force?

Are you willing to helplessly take one for Team Bloomberg’s scheme of law and order if you end up in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Note that Michael Bloomberg isn’t taking that risk himself; his payroll includes plenty of armed men to keep him safe.

The Second Amendment is your guarantee that you need not take the risk either, which is why Michael Bloomberg’s worldview cannot be reconciled with that fundamental liberty.

This stands in stark contrast to President Trump, who understands exactly what the right to keep and bear arms is all about and unabashedly respects that right.

“It was over in 6 seconds thanks to the brave parishioners who acted to protect 242 fellow worshippers,”

President Trump tweeted on Dec. 30

. “Lives were saved by these heroes, and Texas laws allowing them to carry guns!”

Two Defendants Posing as Booking Agents for Famous Entertainers Arrested

Allegedly Claimed They Could Book Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars To Perform at a Concert Benefitting the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation

A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Nancy Jean and Carissa Scott with a scheme to defraud concert investors by falsely claiming to act as booking agents for well-known entertainers, including Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars. The defendants were arrested yesterday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, and their initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrests.

As alleged in the complaint, in September 2019, Jean and Scott were contacted by an investor who was organizing a concert at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, to benefit the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation. The defendants falsely represented that they could book top-tier musical acts to perform at the concert, and provided the investor with a contract for a total fee of $500,000 that purported to commit Timberlake to perform. One of the investors then wired a $100,000 deposit to the defendants. Subsequently, when Timberlake’s social media account failed to mention or promote the event, the investor requested confirmation that Timberlake was booked. In response, the investor received a telephone call from an unidentified individual who falsely claimed to be Timberlake’s manager. The unidentified individual stated that Timberlake would perform at the concert, but that the fee would have to be raised to between $800,000 and $1 million. In November 2019, the defendants sent the investor an agreement stating that Mars would perform at the concert as an alternative to Timberlake for a fee of $600,000. The investor agreed that Mars could be the headliner, but did not send an additional deposit to the defendants.

Within a month of receiving the original $100,000 deposit, approximately half of the money was used by the defendants for personal expenses or withdrawn as cash.

“As alleged, the defendants viewed a fundraiser for a charity formed to protect children from gun violence as an opportunity to commit fraud and line their own pockets,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Simple stealing is bad enough, this is worse.”

“Nancy Jean and Carissa Scott may have been able to realize a quick profit as a result of their alleged fraudulent booking scheme, but not long after their illegal activity took off, they landed in New York to face federal criminal charges. It’s discouraging to think these defendants were willing to defraud an investor supporting a charity foundation. Fortunately, the FBI doesn’t entertain such activity,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.

The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Business & Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Howard Elbert is in charge of the prosecution, and Assistant United States Attorney Brian Morris of the Office’s Civil Division is handling matters relating to forfeiture.

The Defendants

NANCY JEAN

Age: 51

Riverdale, Georgia

CARISSA SCOTT

Age: 41

Fayette, Mississippi

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-MJ-16

Caldwell University Agrees To Pay $4.8 Million Plus To Resolve False Claim Allegations

NEWARK, N.J. – Caldwell University has agreed to pay the United States more than $4.8 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a fraudulent scheme to defraud a federal education benefit program, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

“Caldwell University tried to hoodwink the Department of Veterans Affairs and, worse, veterans themselves, by claiming to offer online classes developed and provided by Caldwell that were in fact marked-up offerings by an online correspondence school,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Our veterans should never be treated this way, and we will continue to work to ensure that they receive all of the benefits that they deserve as a result of their service to the country.”

“Caldwell University’s civil settlement, along with the previous criminal convictions, sends a clear message to other educational institutions that VA OIG is dedicated to holding those accountable who would take advantage of VA programs that are intended to assist veterans and their families,” Jeffrey K. Stachowiak, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, said. “Our veterans sacrificed to serve our country and they deserve to receive the full education benefits that they earned through their military service. VA OIG is committed to working closely with our fellow law enforcement partners and thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, for its dedication to this investigation.”

According to the settlement agreement:

From Jan. 1, 2011, through Aug. 8, 2013, Caldwell University submitted false claims for payment to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in order to receive education benefits and funds pursuant to the Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act (Post 9/11 GI Bill) to which it was not entitled. The Post 9/11 GI bill was designed specifically to help veterans who served in the armed forces following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three individuals previously pleaded guilty to separate informations charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme to defraud the VA. Lisa DiBisceglie, the university’s former associate dean of the Office of External Partnership; David Alvey, founder and president of Ed4Mil LLC; and Helen Sechrist, a former employee of Ed4Mil, admitted their respective roles in the conspiracy to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars in tuition assistance and other education-related benefits from the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Alvey was sentenced on June 4, 2018, to five years in prison. DiBisceglie and Sechrist were each sentenced on June 5, 2018, to three years of probation. All three defendants were also ordered to pay $24 million in restitution.

According to documents in this case and statements made in court:

Caldwell contracted with Ed4Mil to recruit and enroll eligible military veterans in non-degree fully online classes that were purportedly provided by Caldwell. DiBisceglie helped get approval from Caldwell’s administration to develop and administer a series of non-credit online courses for veterans in Caldwell’s name. In order for the courses to be eligible for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, DiBisceglie, Alvey, and others prepared and submitted an application to the VA stating that the courses were developed, taught, and administered by Caldwell faculty and met Caldwell’s stringent educational standards. The VA approved the online courses for education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based upon the representations in Caldwell’s application.

However, Caldwell did not participate in developing or teaching the online courses. The courses were developed, taught, and administered by a sub-contractor of Ed4Mil, an online correspondence school in Pennsylvania that was not approved to receive education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Thousands of veterans were ultimately enrolled in the unapproved online correspondence courses without their knowledge while Caldwell and Ed4Mil profited. Even though Caldwell contributed no content or value to the courses, Caldwell charged the Post 9/11 GI Bill 10 to 30 times the prices charged by the online correspondence school for the same courses. As a result, the government paid over $24 million in tuition benefits to the university.

Allegations of fraud involving a separate government education benefit program were raised in a lawsuit filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The qui tam complaint alleges that Caldwell and Ed4Mil fraudulently obtained education benefits under the Department of Defense Tuition Assistance program. This settlement resolves federal allegations that Caldwell defrauded the Post-9/11 GI Bill administered by the VA, along with the qui tam action.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigation Division, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stachowiak; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Geoffrey Wood, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Eskew, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole F. Mastropieri of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no admissions of liability.

Defense counsel: Henry E. Klingeman Esq., Newark

Relator’s counsel: Jesse Hoyer Esq., Tampa, Florida

Eckrich Donates $125K to Teachers at the College Football Playoff National Championship

Kirk Herbstreit attempts football throw to win donation to Extra Yard for Teachers

New Orleans, La. – (Jan., 2020) –

Kirk Herbstreit, ABC/ESPN College Football Analyst, Emmy-award winner and longtime Eckrich partner, attempted two football throws resulting in a $125K donation from

Eckrich

Extra Yard for Teachers

, the primary cause of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation.

Ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship between LSU and Clemson, crowds and teachers gathered at the Eckrich activation in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter to watch Herbstreit and Marty Smith attempt to win $1 million. Despite missing two throw attempts, Eckrich was honored to donate $100K to Extra Yard for Teachers. In addition to Herbstreit’s throw, teachers of the year from across the country made their own throw attempts resulting in an additional $25K donation from Eckrich to Extra Yard for Teachers for a total of $125K.

“I’m thrilled to be able to support such a great cause,” Herbstreit said. “It feels great to be able to give back to the teachers who do so much in all of our communities. Eckrich is such a generous partner and I\’m proud to continue partnering and working with them.”

Eckrich has partnered with Extra Yard for Teachers since 2018, and, with this throw, has now donated $1.1 million to the organization dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development.

“We’re really happy and proud to be able to donate $125K to Extra Yard for Teachers,” said Elizabeth Di John, senior marketing director at Smithfield Foods. “Teachers are so instrumental and impactful in all of our communities, so to be able to support them in this way is extremely special to the Eckrich brand.”

\”It has meant so much to us to work with a partner like Eckrich who believes in what the College Football Playoff Foundation is doing to uplift the teaching profession,” said Britton Banowsky, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation. “With their support, we have been able to make a greater impact and have been able to give so many different teachers all across the country the recognition they deserve.\”

Eckrich is completing its fourth year as the official smoked sausage and deli meat sponsor of the College Football Playoff. As part of the partnership, the brand also launched the fourth year of its Road to the National Championship $1 Million Challenge sweepstakes in the summer of 2019, where 23 lucky fans won the opportunity to throw for $1 million at some of the biggest college football games of the year.

For more information, please visit

www.Eckrich.com

or follow @EckrichMeats on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

DO YOU FEEL ALONE IN A CROWD?

Credit: Photo by Erik Jepson, UC San Diego Publications.

Dilip Jeste, MD, senior associate dean for the Center of Healthy Aging and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Newswise —

By nature, human beings are social creatures. Yet, as we age, personal dynamics and lifestyles change, which can result in loneliness and isolation. With older adults increasingly moving into senior living or retirement communities, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine sought to identify the common characteristics of residents who feel lonely in these environments.

“Loneliness rivals smoking and obesity in its impact on shortening longevity,” said senior author Dilip V. Jeste, MD, senior associate dean for the Center of Healthy Aging and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “It is a growing public health concern, and it’s important that we identify the underlying causes of loneliness from the seniors’ own perspectives so we can help resolve it and improve the overall health, well-being and longevity of our aging population.”

Jeste noted that there are few published qualitative studies about loneliness among older adults in the independent living sector of senior housing communities, where shared common areas, planned social outings and communal activities are intended to promote socialization and reduce isolation. “So why are many older adults living in this type of housing still experiencing strong feelings of loneliness?” asked Jeste.

The new study, published online in the January 10, 2020 issue of

Aging and Mental Health

, found that people’s experience of living with loneliness is shaped by a number of personal and environmental factors.

Researchers conducted one-and-a-half-hour individual interviews of 30 adults ages 67 to 92, part of an overall study evaluating the physical, mental and cognitive functions of 100 older adults living in the independent living sector of a senior housing community in San Diego.

In this communal setting, 85 percent of the residents reported moderate to severe levels of loneliness. “Loneliness is subjective,” said Jeste. “Different people feel lonely for different reasons despite having opportunities and resources for socialization. This is not a one size fits all topic.”

Three main themes emerged from the study:

Age-associated losses and inadequate social skills were considered to be primary risk factors for loneliness. “Some residents talked about the loss of spouses, siblings and friends as the cause of their loneliness. Others mentioned how making new friends in a senior community cannot replace deceased friends they grew up with,” said first author Alejandra Paredes, PhD, a research fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

The feeling of loneliness was frequently associated with a lack of purpose in life. “We heard powerful comments like, ‘It’s kind of gray and incarcerating,’” said Jeste. “Others expressed a sense of ‘not being attached, not having very much meaning and not feeling very hopeful’ or ‘being lost and not having control.’”

The research team also found that wisdom, including compassion, seemed to be a factor that prevented loneliness. “One participant spoke of a technique she had used for years, saying ‘if you\’re feeling lonely, then go out and do something for somebody else.’ That\’s proactive,” said Jeste. Other protective factors were acceptance of aging and comfort with being alone. “One resident told us, ‘I’ve accepted the aging process. I’m not afraid of it. I used to climb mountains. I want to keep moving, even if I have to crawl. I have to be realistic about getting older, but I consider and accept life as a transition,’” Jeste noted. “Another resident responded, ‘I may feel alone, but that doesn\’t mean I’m lonely. I\’m proud I can live by myself.’”

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, by 2029, more than 20 percent of the United States population will be over the age of 65. “It is paramount that we address the well-being of our seniors — they are friends, parents and grandparents of the younger generations,” said Jeste. “Our study is relevant to better understand loneliness within senior housing and other settings to so we can develop effective interventions.”

Co-authors include: Ellen Lee, Lisa Chik, Saumya Gupta, Barton Palmer, Lawrence Palinkas, all at UC San Diego; and Ho-Cheol Kim, IBM Research-Almaden.

Funding for this research came, in part, from the NARSAD Young Investigator grant from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH T32 Geriatric Mental Health Program MH019934 and R01MH094151-01), the Stein Institute for Research on Aging and the IBM Research AI through the AI Horizons Network.

2020 ELECTION: Alp Basaran Seeking NJ-09 Congressional District Seat

In the NJ-09 congressional district, Alp Basaran, a formerly undocumented Muslim immigrant and lawyer, is running to unseat Bill Pascrell, a 12-term incumbent who during his tenure (1)

tipped off the INS and oversaw an immigration raid

(

view here

) leading to the arrest of undocumented workers and (2) turned his congressional seat into a family business with his sons (more on that below). If elected, Alp would be:

The

1st Muslim from New Jersey

and

3rd formerly undocumented immigrant

in Congress;

One of the few candidates in the country

calling for amnesty

for undocumented immigrants; and

Representing a broader shift toward

experienced progressives

who seek to unseat

corporate Democrats.

THE AMERICAN DREAM: Alp arrived in New Jersey with his parents when he was four years old and became an undocumented immigrant after overstaying his visa.

Raised by two-parents who did not speak English

and worked minimum-wage jobs, Alp was a product of a fairer America where he was able to

attend public schools and become a lawyer

, working at some of the best law firms in the country for almost a decade. Alp is

uniquely qualified to write laws

in Congress.

ANTI-CORRUPTION: While Rep. Pascrell writes our tax laws on the Ways and Means Committee, two of his adult sons serve corporate interests as professional lobbyists and are actively involved in getting their father reelected. Rep. Pascrell has received

hundreds of thousands of dollars

from corporate lobbyists in the 2020 election cycle alone. Not surprisingly, Rep. Pascrell has found himself on the wrong side of many major issues that define corporate Democrats. Rep. Pascrell:

Foreign Policy:

voted to authorize the Iraq War;

Economy:

voted for TARP and other key bail-out legislation;

Border:

voted for the construction of a border fence, which was the Tea Party precursor to Trump’s border wall; and

Healthcare:

remains opposed to Medicare-for-All legislation.

Alp Basaran is a progressive who will vote in a way that benefits his constituents instead of his donors because Alp understands their experiences.

Clyde Lederman

Communications Director, Alp Basaran for Congress

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