Category: NORTH JERSEY

New Year\’s Eve Entertainment in New Jersey

Sahara Sam’s Water Park offers a New Year’s Eve

Midnight at the Oasis

party from 7:00 until 12:30. The park’s water attractions will be open, as well as games, limbo and a Foam Party. Sahara Sam’s also provides food, party goods and a champagne/apple cider toast, all for $68.99. Kids under 2 go for free!

The Adventure Aquarium in Camden

The Adventure Aquarium in Camden’s New Year’s Splash begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. The day includes a DJ dance party, visiting the residents (fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals), a beautiful fireworks display over the Delaware River, and more. Prices start at $21.99 for children and $29.99 for adults. See

Adventure Aquarium

for more.

Ocean City’s First Night

Ocean City offers a First Night celebration with rides at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier and fireworks. The 60+ entertainment programs include magicians, puppeteers, Broadway shows, ice skating, games, music, a mentalist, comedy, dancing, inflatables, and skateboarding! The event promises tons of fun for adults and children alike, and there’s jitney service to transport everyone between locations. Buttons are $20 for

First Night Ocean City

.

10th Annual New Year’s Eve Fireworks In New Brunswick

For the tenth year in a row, the town of New Brunswick will be the site of

a spectacular fireworks display at midnight.

Ring in The New Year with a bang and also check out some of New Brunswick’s best bars and restaurants, all in walking distance. From 11:30PM-12:30AM at Monument Square Park on George Street & Livingston Avenue.

Family Overnight On Battleship New Jersey For New Year’s Eve

Military buffs and those looking for a unique experience will enjoy dinner and breakfast served at the chow line, a guided tour of the Battleship, a ride in the Flight Simulator, and trying out a bunk bed where the crew of the USS New Jersey slept. You can also pull the trigger of an historic 5-inch gun. The

New Year’s Family Overnight

is $79 per person.

STRYKE New Year’s Eve

STRYXE in Madison offers 3 hours of unlimited bowling, signature and specialty food items, and unlimited soft drinks. There’s even champagne for guests over 21! You can reserve lanes from 5:30 p.m. -12:30 a.m. ($345/lane or $295/lane) at 6 guests per lane. The event sells out every year, so make sure to reserve soon at

STRYXE

.

Statue Of Liberty Fireworks, Courtesy of Spirit of New Jersey

Spirit Cruises of New Jersey’s New Year’s Dinner Cruise

Celebrate the start of 2020 from the water, with fireworks over the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.

Spirit Cruises of New Jersey

’s luxury New Year’s Eve cruise offers a dinner buffet, an open bar, and a DJ. Board the ship at 9:30 p.m. in Lincoln Harbor, NJ and cruise from 10:00 p.m. till 1:00 a.m. Packages start at $309 per person.

iPlay America in Freehold

Photo Courtesy of iPlay

iPlay America

is a game- and ride-filled destination that will keep your whole family entertained. They offer an Unlimited Ride Pass, $10 game card, party favors, a DJ and light show, prizes, laser tag, mini-bowling, child and adult rope courses, and more! You can even watch the ball drop on one of their 5 monitors. Entry is $39.99 per person in advance, and $49.99 per person at the door.

Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson

Six Flags Great Adventure Fireworks, Photo Courtesy Of Six Flags Great Adventure

Six Flags Great Adventure’s

Holiday in the Park

makes for the perfect daredevil’s New Year’s Eve. You and your kids can ride Nitro, Batman: The Ride, or Superman: Ultimate Flight, and then warm up with s’mores and hot chocolate. The park opens at 1:00 p.m. and closes after the 9:00 p.m. fireworks at A Main Street Christmas. General tickets are $24.99.

Ice At The Pier New Year’s Eve at Pier Village In Long Branch

If you’re in the mood to gracefully glide a figure-eight, head to Long Branch. Ice skate by the beach in festive Pier Village from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.! The shops and restaurants will be open and a magnificent fireworks show begins at 9:00 p.m. For more information, visit

Ice At The Pier

.

The price is $10 for children under 12 and $14 for adults. Skate rentals are $4.

source

by

NJ NEXT

Do You Need a High School Diploma?

Gloucestercitynews.net (December 30, 2019)–In the United States,

90% of the population

has a high school diploma or higher.

Do you need a high school diploma? To answer that question, let’s break down what exactly a high school diploma does for you. How it can help you and whether or not a high school diploma is truly necessary.

Starting off, we can look at tangibles that can be measured by statistics. Then, we will explore the social impacts of not having a degree.

Work Options

If you don’t have a high school diploma, you’ll have fewer options for work. Many employers require that employees have at least passed high school before they are eligible to be hired.

You can

get a GED

to make up for a lack of a high school diploma. This will open a lot of doors, but without either, you’re going to have trouble finding a job.

Construction jobs and jobs with specific apprenticeships are among the few choices. In general, you will have to elect for a more physical job.

Earning Potential

As a general rule, the higher an education you have the more you make. Those who have at least a high school diploma earn more than those who don’t.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the

average weekly earnings

of someone

without

a high school diploma is $493. If you have a diploma, then your weekly earning potential is bumped up to $678.

The more education you receive, the more you are likely to make. The less you receive, the less money you will be paid. Time and experience can turn those tables a bit in your favor.

Social Status

Many people who do not receive a high school diploma feel awkward about it. Over time it can even become something that you will feel embarrassed about.

Most of this reaction comes from how people treat those who do not have high school diplomas. They can be viewed as less intelligent or lazy even if that is not true.

In some cases, it can even affect your ability to get a spouse or significant other. Working low-level jobs that require a lot of physical exertion will keep you from meeting a lot of people.

If you work hard enough and promote high enough at your job, you can escape this stigma. It will require that you put in years gaining experience and the trust of your employer. Hard work can pay off.

Making It Harder on Yourself

Without a high school diploma, you are

making life harder on yourself

. Very few people have viable options to begin their adult lives without having a high school diploma.

You’ll have to work twice as hard as someone with a high school diploma to obtain the same things in life. Education doesn’t mean intelligence, but it does make things easier.

Having the diploma is like having proof that you are a smart, creative and interesting person. If you don’t have one, you will have to prove all of those things to everyone you work for.

Other Options to High School

The question “Do you need a high school diploma?” can be answered another way. It is possible to get a GED which will function exactly the same as a high school diploma.

The difficulty in receiving your GED is that you won’t have anyone keeping you on task. You will have to motivate yourself and work at your own pace to succeed.

Studying is also something that makes the GED more difficult. If you don’t like studying or think you will have difficulty being motivated to study, you might have difficulty getting your GED.

If you are studying for your GED and want to have a diploma, you might consider a realistic diploma. You should

find out more

about realistic diplomas if you feel that might be a good temporary solution.

Do You Need a High School Diploma?

The short answer is not necessarily. There are options such as the GED and manual labor careers that don’t require a high school diploma.

The main thing that having your diploma will do is give you options. If you don’t want to work in a career field that requires heavy manual labor or equipment operation, you will need a high school diploma.

Not everyone will judge you for not having a high school diploma. You can simply not mention it to your friends and colleagues. Eventually, someone might find out, but perhaps by then, it won’t matter.

If you don’t have a diploma, you will make less throughout your life. While you can earn your way up, you will start at a lower pay scale. This will make it more difficult for you to retire at a reasonable age.

Millions of people graduate every year with high school diplomas. Diplomas have lost some value because so many people have them. The problem is this creates a large majority pool.

The size of this population pool means that employers don’t have to lower standards. They don’t have to give a chance to someone that doesn’t have a diploma. They have plenty of people to choose from as-is.

Without a high school diploma, you could potentially still have a good life. Most of what applies to

not

having a high school diploma also applies to having a high school diploma when compared to higher degrees.

In the end, degrees aren’t the end-all of life, but they help tremendously.

You Need a Diploma

Life is difficult as everyone already knows. Challenges and difficulties will continue to confront you throughout your life. As we choose our paths in life, things can be more or less challenging.

Do you need a high school diploma? Yes. If you want to make things easier for yourself and make it further in life, you will. Having a high school diploma, or even a higher diploma, can open doors that otherwise will have to be forced open by long, hard work.

We hope you found this article helpful. If so, please take a moment to browse our site and find other great reads to inform and entertain you.

CHOP RESEARCHING HAND/ARM DISORDERS & TREATMENTS

PHILADELPHIA PA–Orthopedic clinicians at Children\’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) are actively researching a range of hand and arm disorders and treatments. Orthopedic doctors regularly collaborate with The Center for Applied Genomics at CHOP, one of the world\’s largest genetics research programs and the only center at a pediatric hospital to have large-scale access to state-of-the-art throughput genotyping technology.

Current hand and arm research includes:

Long-term follow-up of gunshot wounds to the hand or upper extremity in children

Pink pulseless hand (prospective study)

Diagnostic utility of MRI scans in pediatric wrist injury

Outcomes of reconstruction of congenital hand anomalies such as syndactyly

Unstable supracondylar humerus fractures: experience with the “suprone” technique

Validation and integrated use of a simulated pediatric distal radius fracture reduction model

Functional outcomes of displaced distal radius fractures in children

Shoulder instability in adolescents

With research, orthopedic leaders at CHOP hope to be able to improve surgical techniques, range of motion and quality of life for children with hand and arm disorders.

For an appointment/referrals with the Hands and Arms Disorder department call

215-590-1527

Deadly New York Harbor Pilot Accident; Coast Guard Responds

SANDY HOOK, New Jersey – The Coast Guard responded with units from the New York Fire Department and New York Police Department Harbor Police to an incident where a Sandy Hook Harbor pilot fell while boarding the merchant vessel Maersk Kensington at 4:30 this morning.

The pilot, who was transported to a hospital on Staten Island by a Sandy Hook pilot vessel, eventually succumbed to injuries received in the fall. The name of the deceased is being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.

The Coast Guard has begun an ongoing investigation into the circumstance surrounding the fall.

Illegal Immigrants Can Get Drivers Licenses in NJ

TRENTON, NJ–A new law signed by NJ Gov. Phil Murphy will allow drivers licenses to be issued to illegal immigrants. According to a New Jersey101.5 report, supporters of the measure claim roads will be safer as a result. However, opponents argue the state is just rewarding the lawbreakers.

The legislation creates two classes of license. One is compliant with federal REAL ID standards, and will be the only sort of license that can be used to fly on a plane or enter a federal facility starting in October of 2020. Applicants for those licenses will have to prove they have a legal right to live in the U.S. and New Jersey.

The other is a standard license — similar to the ones most NJ residents have now — and will be available to all Garden State residents, regardless of immigration status.

Sue Fulton, the Motor Vehicle Commission\’s chief administrator, told the state Senate Transportation Committee on Dec. 12 many immigrants are already driving without a license because they can’t get one.

\”In my view, our roads are safer when our drivers are trained, tested, licensed and insured,\” she said.

An AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report found over a two-year period, nearly 20% of fatal crashes involved unlicensed or invalidly licensed drivers.

Fulton also argued an unlicensed driver is more likely to flee the scene of a crash, complicating police efforts.

Read More:

FAQ: New Jersey driver\’s licenses for immigrants here illegally

Route 22 Eastbound Connector to Hillside Ave. to Close Next Week

Safety improvement project begins in Hillside Signed detour will be in place

(Trenton)(December 29, 2019)– – New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced that the Route 22 eastbound connector ramp to Hillside Avenue will be closed next week as the Route 22 Hilldale Place/North Broad Street safety improvement project begins in Hillside, Union County. The $10.3 million federally-funded project will replace the existing bridge that serves as the Route 22 eastbound connector. The new bridge will meet current design and safety standards and improve the vertical under clearance over Route 22.

It will also include an acceleration lane for the Route 22 eastbound entrance ramp from Hillside Avenue, a deceleration taper for the Route 22 eastbound entrance ramp to Hillside Avenue, and a right turn lane in the area between N Broad Street and Harding Terrace.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Monday, December 30, 2019, NJDOT’s contractor, Anselmi & DeCicco, Inc., is scheduled to close the Route 22 eastbound connector ramp to Hillside Avenue. The ramp from Hillside Avenue to Route 22 eastbound will remain open.

Variable Message Signs will provide advance notification to motorists of the traffic pattern changes associated with the work. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT\’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info and on the NJDOT Facebook page.

Recording Artist CC Miles Named Youth Ambassador for Food Bank of South Jersey

PENNSAUKEN, NEW JERSEY – With a focus on increasing awareness of the impact of food insecurity and the importance of healthy eating in the youth community of South Jersey, the Food Bank of South Jersey announces recording artist CC Miles, 18, will serve as Youth Ambassador 2020.

Recording artist CC Miles

As Youth Ambassador 2020 for the Food Bank, Miles will bring the message of food insecurity and hunger awareness to regional schools, communities and organizations, as well as work directly with the Food Bank of South Jersey’s Health & Wellness and Community Engagement & Impact teams to distribute information and resources to support healthy eating, nutrition awareness and an understanding of the many faces of food insecurity in South Jersey communities today.

“I am honored to support the Food Bank of South Jersey’s mission to spread food insecurity awareness and health and wellness strategies and eating habits to young people throughout South Jersey,” CC Miles shares. “Nutrition is a very important topic for me, personally, and I can see no better way to share my enthusiasm for healthy eating and proper nutrition while, at the same time, assist young people in South Jersey in understanding the disaster of everyday hunger that impacts so many children, families and entire communities.”

Currently, in Camden County alone, there are 17,200 food-insecure children, 24% of whom are currently ineligible for federal nutrition programs, and 76% of whom are currently income-eligible for nutrition programs – at least, as of today.

Overall in Camden County alone, the total food-insecure population is over 60,000. Food insecure populations in Burlington, Gloucester and Salem counties are equally sobering. Burlington County currently has 41,680 food-insecure residents, of which 10,960 are food-insecure children. Gloucester County holds 8,180 food-insecure children in a total food-insecure population of 26,860 individuals. Suffering the impact of rural hunger, the less populated farmlands of Salem County shows 8,080 food-insecure individuals, of which 2,550 are children – all of which may live more than 10 miles from the nearest grocery store.

“We are delighted to appoint CC Miles our Youth Ambassador for 2020,” reports Fred Wasiak, CEO, Food Bank of South Jersey. “The message of food insecurity and its impact on children throughout our region is a vital point of understanding for today’s youths – awareness can, and will, create power and change in the effort to end hunger in South Jersey.”

ABOUT CC MILES

Recording artist and songwriter CC Miles has released three albums in less than five years, with her most recent album,

Almost

, released in August 2018. Popular on iTunes, Apple Music and Spotify, CC engages her growing

Instagram

and

YouTube

followers with new releases and original music between touring the country performing live in Nashville, New York, throughout the United States and internationally, including performances in Italy. Whether on stage, on tape, or on-screen, 18-year-old recording artist CC Miles invites everyone into her world. By way of candid lyrics, genuine charm, and undeniable charisma, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist imparts a storytelling sensibility on impassioned and irresistible pop. Driven by her voice as a writer and augmented by personal instrumental prowess, she shines through each side of every song. At first listen, you might just feel like you know her. CC Miles was born and raised in Medford Lakes, New Jersey. For more information, visit

www.ccmiles.com

.

ABOUT FOOD BANK OF SOUTH JERSEY

Marking its 35th year in 2020, the Food Bank of South Jersey (FBSJ) is the leader in providing safe and nutritional food to people in need throughout South Jersey. FBSJ distributes food, provides nutrition education and cooking courses, and helps food-insecure families and seniors find sustainable ways to improve their lives. Throughout 2019, FBSJ distributed 14 million pounds of food, including 75,000 after school snacks, over 200,000 summer meals and more than 15,000 senior food boxes, as well as serving 95 health and wellness programs to more than 6,000 residents. Providing community impact through local support, FBSJ ensures that local donations stay local. FBSJ is a member of Feeding America, our nation’s largest hunger-relief organization. To learn more, visit

www.foodbanksj.org

.

USDA Approves Plans for Domestic Production of Hemp by Louisiana, NJ, and Ohio and Three Indian Tribes

(December 28, 2019)–The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the first set of plans submitted by states and Indian tribes for the domestic production of hemp under the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program. The plans were submitted by the states of Louisiana, New Jersey, and Ohio, and the Flandreau Santee Sioux, Santa Rosa Cahuilla, and La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indian Tribes.

image courtesy of

https://www.agriculture.com/

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) directed USDA to develop a regulatory oversight program for hemp and include provisions for USDA to approve hemp production plans submitted by states and Indian tribes. Accordingly, on October 31, 2019, USDA issued an

interim final rule

establishing the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program and the provisions for USDA to approve submitted plans. State and tribal plans provide details on practices and procedures that enable hemp producers in their jurisdictions to operate according to their individual plans and in compliance with federal laws.

To produce hemp, growers must be licensed or authorized under a state, tribe, or USDA production program. The program a grower is licensed under depends on the location of the hemp growing facility. If a state or tribe has an approved plan or is in the process of developing a plan, growers must apply and be licensed or authorized under its hemp program. If a state or tribe does not have a plan and does not intend to have a plan, growers can apply for a license from USDA.

USDA continues to receive and review plans from states and Indian tribes and maintains a list of all on our website, along with approved plans. To check the status of a plan or to review approved plans, visit:

Status of State and Tribal Hemp Production Plans

.

For additional information about the program and the provisions of the interim final rule, visit the

U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program

web page.

For information or questions related to a specific plan, please contact the applicable state or tribe.

Retiring Paterson Firefighters, Police Officers Receiving $1.2 million Leave Time Payouts Under Tax Deferred Plan

PATERSON, NJ (December 28, 2019)–Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh (photo) and council members have agreed to set up what’s called a 401(a) plan, tax-differed retirement saving accounts, for retiring public safety employees. According to The Paterson Times members of the City Council approved

a measure this past Monday allowing Sayegh’s administration to set up the plan at the request of the police and fire unions.

Under the proposal, the city will deposit the accumulated leave time payouts for police and fire employees into the tax-differed retirement savings accounts. Before the new year, the city is paying $1.2 million to 19 firefighters and police officers. The sum is a partial severance payout for the employees.

Municipal official disclosed the city has to pay approximately $5 million in accumulated leave time payouts to firefighters and police officers. The lot includes approximately 30 employees, said officials.

Read More

PETS ARE THE BEST: Eight new pups report for duty

Urban, a three-month-old black Labrador retriever, trains with Danielle Berger at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. Berger is leading the training for the U litter, composed of Urban and seven of her brothers and sisters, with assistance from interns including (left to right) Charlotte Kronick, Dominique Andrews, Trevor Vidas, and Tesa Stone. (All images: Eric Sucar/University Communications)

PHILADELPHIA PA–More sure-footed and confident by the day, the U litter puppies of the

Working Dog Center

are not yet 3 months old, yet are already a month into their training to use their agile bodies and sensitive noses to serve society.

These eight pups, all black Labrador retrievers, also fit into a special category: They are WDC legacies, the first to be born to two “

graduates

” of the Center, mom Pinto and dad Boomer.

Since their arrival at the WDC, they’ve been gradually introduced to tasks that will guide them on to careers in search and rescue, disease detection, police work, and more. With help from several interns, lead puppy trainer

Danielle Berger

makes sure the labs, each named for victims of September 11, receive a balanced mix of training, socialization, and rest.

Earlier this month,

Penn Toda

y

caught up with JUel, Ugo, Uli, Uman, Umar, Upton, Urban, and Uzza on a busy day of training, which, to an untrained eye, looks an awful lot like play—probably because, to the puppies, work and play are one and the same.

Though the U litter is graced with excellent pedigree—Pinto and Boomer both work in cadaver detection—they are still puppies with a lot to learn. “Play dates” with older dogs, such as Lucy, a Dutch shepherd, teach puppies like Ugo good social skills.

The puppies get a mix of one-on-one training, group “puppy play dates,” and frequent snuggles, to ensure they’re skilled and well-socialized. When they’re not at the WDC, each puppy lives with a volunteer foster family.

Cindy Otto, executive director of the WDC, works Casey, an older WDC dog, through training to improve strength, balance, and fitness. Otto drew inspiration to found the Center after caring for working dogs that responded to the 9-11 attacks. Each puppy that comes through the Center’s program is named for a 9-11 victim or working dog.

In a “runaway” drill, Drexel co-op intern Lauren Filipe hides in a crate, encouraging Urban to chase after her. The aim of the exercise is to elicit a bark from Urban, which will be her signal to her handler that she’s found the object of her search. Urban quickly obliged.

Located at Pennovation Works, across the Schuylkill River from Penn’s main campus, the WDC makes use of nearby buildings and open spaces to train the puppies and give them room to roam.

Trainers erect various obstacles and challenges for the puppies to navigate, helping them improve their agility and also conquer any fears. “The genetics are shining through in these dogs,” says Berger, encouraging Uman to cross a narrow plank.

SOURCE:

Protecting Animals, Serving Society

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PETS ARE THE BEST

DAWN WATSON\’S PET TIPS