A message from South Jersey Political Chairs

Dear U.S. House Candidate:

As leaders of the Democratic Party, we respectfully request that you sign the following campaign pledge

t

o disavow support in any form from the corrupt Callaway organization in Atlantic City.

Craig Callaway has a long and shameful history of interfering in honest and fair elections. As Atlantic City Council President, he disgraced his office by taking thousands in cash bribes leading to a federal conviction and a 40-month prison sentence.

Then, one of Callaway’s political allies, former Camden City Councilman Ali Sloan-El, was

convicted of taking tens of thousands in cash in brown bags from an undercover FBI agent

in the same pay-to-play redevelopment scheme that rocked South Jersey.

Ali Sloan-El has since made new allies. Just last year he partnered with Susan Altman, who runs a Trenton dark money group that fights against disclosing secret donors. They, along with Kate Delany and other fake Democrats, tried infiltrating the Democratic primaries in South Jersey with Trump Republicans, convicted felons, deadbeats, and petition forgers. The County Prosecutor’s Office even investigated the petition forgeries, leading to disqualifications for some of Altman’s candidates.

Why would Altman recruit Republicans in a primary election against Democrats? Simple: because she was a lifelong Republican. This means Altman didn’t participate in primaries to support Al Gore for President, Jim McGreevey for Governor, Frank Lautenberg for U.S. Senate, Jon Corzine for U.S. Senate or for Governor, Cory Booker for U.S. Senate, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton for President, not including numerous other federal, state, county, and local Democrats seeking elective office. She didn’t even bother voting against Chris Christie for Governor. And even worse, she just bragged about showing support for Cory Booker’s primary opponent.

The story gets much worse for Craig Callaway. He was convicted in state court for blackmail and sentenced to three more years in prison in a repulsive scheme of arranging for a prostitute to provide sexual favors to his Council rival, an elderly widower, and videotaping the encounter in a rented motel room. He used the video footage to try to force his rival to resign from public office, but the plot backfired when his victim took the threat to law enforcement. It made national news.

Callaway’s syndicate of allies have even more documented instances of immoral, illegal, and reckless behavior that is unbecoming of our Party — from knife fights, assaults, harassment, threats, and stalking to outright voter fraud — strong-arming voters in poor communities of color to allow Callaway cartel soldiers to vote by mail on their behalf.

Unfortunately, this is not just behavior from many years ago. In 2017, Callaway staged his post-prison political comeback by masterminding the mayoral election of Frank Gilliam, an official who brought shame and disgrace to our region once again by stealing over $87,000 from a kid’s basketball program. That’s yet another Callaway associate led away in handcuffs, further contributing to the embarrassing legacy of Atlantic City mayors.

Like Craig Callaway, Altman wants to interfere with our primary selection process the same way they did last year.

We call on all candidates to disavow partnering with career criminals and fake Democrats like Susan Altman and Kate Delany in this primary.

Allowing the Callaway Crime Cartel and their Trenton dark money allies to determine the man or woman to run against traitor Jeff Van Drew cannot be an option.

Their conduct does not belong in our party and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Sign this pledge affirming that you will not accept direct or in-kind donations, organizational support, endorsements, or provide payments to them or their affiliated entities.

Please post this signed pledge on your social media sites.

Thanks for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Wyatt Earp – Ocean

Brendan Sciarra – Cape May

Steve Caltabiano – Salem

Steve Errickson – Cumberland

James Beach – Camden

Fred Madden – Gloucester

Joseph Andl – Burlington

Campaign Pledge

I, the undersigned candidate for Congress in New Jersey\’s 2nd Congressional District, sign this pledge affirming that I will not accept direct or in-kind donations, organizational support, endorsements from, or provide payments to, Craig Callaway or his affiliated entities.

State Launches Clean Up of Illegal Dumping Area Along Assunpink Creek

TRENTON – Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe today joined Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, other city officials and volunteers to launch a community project to remove materials from a large illegal dumping site in Trenton as part of the DEP’s statewide

environmental justice efforts.

This is the first phase in the cleanup of the Amtico Square site and results from concerns residents raised at an environmental justice listening session held by Commissioner McCabe  and the city last fall.

“This cleanup is a direct, tangible response to concerns I heard from residents during an environmental justice listening session and is a great example of putting into practice environmental justice principles to improve quality of life for disproportionately burdened communities,” Commissioner McCabe said. “The City of Trenton and Mayor Gusciora have been constructive and dedicated partners in this effort, from the listening session to the eventual conversion of this site to public use. As is our goal with all environmental justice projects, we will continue to revitalize our communities and protect public health to make New Jersey stronger and fairer. I am grateful for the strong partnerships and community support for their collaboration to transform this eyesore and public safety hazard into a community asset.”

“Programs like these showcase the continued partnership between Trenton and state government,” said Mayor Gusciora. “We’d also like to thank our partners at the New Jersey DEP and United by Blue for coordinating and funding this site cleanup. We have many stakeholders working to create a 100-plus acre park at the Assunpink Greenway, and we’re very excited about our future plans for these formerly vacant brownfield sites.”

Commissioner McCabe and Mayor Gusciora were joined in launching the cleanup of Amtico Square by volunteers with the East Trenton Collaborative and Isles Inc. community groups, members of Trenton City Council, the city’s public works department, the Bridgestone Corp. and United by Blue, a socially conscious organization that works to protect the environment and has helped coordinate similar cleanups in the region.

This initial phase is focusing on removing materials dumped illegally on the property in recent years, including debris from housing demolitions, tires, and large household items such as furniture, mattresses and appliances. The property also has numerous piles of bricks and concrete, most resulting from the demolition of a large building at the site. These piles will be addressed as part of future long-term cleanup.

The city is providing heavy equipment and workers. United by Blue has agreed to pay for the hauling and disposal of household items collected at the site. Bridgestone Corp. has also agreed to take tires to be recycled.

United by Blue is committed to protecting the health of waterways through trash and debris removal projects, including an effort last year to protect the Delaware River through a cleanup of trash and large debris on

Burlington Island

, part of the DEP-coordinated South Jersey Scrub. The group provides safety precautions to volunteers participating in these cleanups.

“We have developed an expertise for organizing logistically challenging cleanups such as the Amtico Square cleanup,” said United by Blues’ High Yields Cleanup Coordinator Megan Platt. “A project like this brings together private and public entities to meet a collective goal of cleaning our water and the surrounding environment. In this case, we\’re intercepting debris before it has the chance of making it into Assunpink Creek – a tributary of the Delaware River.”

“Isles has been a long-term partner in the East Trenton Collaborative. During that time, we’ve worked with other organizations and residents to clean-up and improve public space by building gardens, beautifying parks and vacant lots, and planting street trees,” said Jim Simon, Deputy Director of Community Planning for Isles Inc. “We are also committed to making this East Trenton Collaborative neighborhood and other neighborhoods safer by addressing home health hazards and helping turn blighted properties like Amtico Square into community assets by engaging residents in a brownfields planning process.”

The Amtico Square site sits across from the home Gwendolyn Grier has lived in for more than 50 years. She is concerned about the impact dumping there has had on quality of life and health of her neighborhood.

“We’re hoping to get something for the kids, because right now it’s just an eyesore,” she said.

Other key partners are the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, the Trenton Police Department and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, which are working to gather evidence throughout the process to inform investigations that may lead to prosecution of those responsible for the illegal dumping. Those responsible may face civil and/or criminal charges as well as significant fines.

Located along Assunpink Creek in East Trenton, the Amtico Square site is a 3.5-acre vacant area that once was the site of various rubber factories and other industries. It was most recently used for warehousing.

The building that occupied much of the site was demolished in 2013. The concrete foundation of the building today covers much of the site. Sampling of the ground below the foundation shows slightly elevated levels of contaminants, including metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The city purchased the site as part of the Assunpink Greenway Brownfield Development Area project that envisions turning brownfield sites such as Amtico Square site into active and passive recreation parkland and a greenway trail along the Assunpink Creek, extending from the Hamilton border to downtown Trenton.

The Murphy Administraton has made addressing environmental justice a priority, launching legal actions against those responsible for pollution in these communities, making environmental justice considerations a priority in the state’s air quality and clean energy initiatives, and helping communities clean up contaminated sites and improve water quality.

In 2018, Governor Murphy signed

Executive Order 23

recognizing that the state’s low-income communities and communities of color have been exposed to disproportionately high and unacceptable levels of air, water and soil pollution, with the ongoing potential for health impacts. The order emphasizes that all communities should receive fair and equitable treatment in decision-making that affects their environment, communities, homes and health.

Achieving these environmental justice objectives is also one of the DEP’s key priority areas, through work that focuses on empowering communities to take action, protects public health and the environment in overburdened communities, and strengthens partnerships among communities, regulated entities and government.

The DEP is coordinating the Amtico Square cleanup through its Compliance and Enforcement Program and the Community Collaborative Initiative, which assigns DEP experts to work closely with urban communities to develop solutions to long-standing environmental problems.

As part of the first phase of cleanup, a fence will be erected around the site and security cameras set up to deter future dumping. The DEP will be coordinating additional environmental investigations of the site to assist the city in future restoration efforts as it moves forward with its greenway vision.

For a drone video of the site, click

here

.

For more information on the work the DEP is doing to address environmental justice, visit

www.nj.gov/dep/ej/

For more information on the Community Collaborative Initiative, including an explanatory video, visit

www.nj.gov/dep/cci/

Shenandoah Adams Sr., Arrested For Mortgage Fraud/Defrauding The Orange Library

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man was arrested today by federal agents on charges of mortgage fraud and scheming to defraud the Orange Public Library, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Shenandoah Adams Sr., a/k/a “Shane Adams Sr.,” 54, of New Providence, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with six counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements in connection with a mortgage loan. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark federal court.

According to the indictment:

Adams was a principal of Adams Property Management and Investment Group Limited Liability Company (Adams Property Management), which purchased property on Hilton Street in East Orange, New Jersey, in 2014. The following year, Adams arranged for a close associate (Individual 1) to obtain a $153,562 loan from a mortgage lender to purchase the Hilton Street property from Adams Property Management. Adams knew that Individual 1 did not have the money to pay the balance of the purchase price of $225,000. At the closing on March 25, 2015, Adams directed Individual 1 to issue a fraudulent check in the amount of $90,280.47 (the balance of the purchase price) to give the false impression that Individual 1 had paid the closing balance. Adams reassured Individual 1 that Adams would not negotiate the check. Adams signed a settlement statement, falsely certifying that Individual 1 paid the closing balance and that the settlement statement was a true and accurate statement of all receipts and disbursements made in connection with the sale of the Hilton Street property, when Adams knew that Individual 1’s check was fraudulent. Adams used Individual 1’s loan proceeds to pay off Adams Property Management’s $100,000 mortgage loan to purchase the Hilton Street Property and to obtain a $26,335.30 check for Adams Property Management.

Although Adams reassured Individual 1 that Adams would fund Individual 1’s mortgage payments, by May 2016 Individual 1’s mortgage payments on the Hilton Street property were substantially in arrears. Adams arranged for Individual 1 to sell the property to another associate for a price of $255,000. The closing on that sale commenced on May 31, 2016; the total amount to pay off Individual 1’s mortgage was $210,565.34. On June 1, 2016, Adams and Individual 1 had a telephone conversation with an out-of-state representative of the mortgage servicer for Individual 1’s lender, during which Adams made false and fraudulent statements to induce the lender to reduce the payoff amount. The lender agreed to reduce Individual 1’s payoff amount to $190,000. At Adams’s direction, Individual 1 cashed the check for the amount of the reduction, $20,665.34, and delivered the cash proceeds to Adams.

Adams also was a principal of VH Electrical and Plumbing Limited Liability Company (VH). On March 11, 2015, Adams, on behalf of VH, entered into a contract with the Orange Public Library to replace the library’s HVAC/Chiller unit for a price of $49,000. The project was funded by a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant to the library and Orange.

Before getting the contract with the library, Adams sent the library’s executive director, Timur Davis, two fake quotes purportedly from two vendors to give the false impression that VH would replace the library’s chiller for less than those other vendors. After VH had been hired, Adams sent Davis records to give the false impression that Adams was taking steps to order a replacement chiller. Adams received $40,000 from the library, but did not replace the chiller. Davis pleaded guilty on Feb.13, 2020 to making false statements to HUD in connection with the project.

The charges of wire fraud carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The charges of making false statements in connection with a mortgage application carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum potential fine of $1 million.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; special agents of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi; and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J Imbert and Cari Fais of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Special Prosecutions Division.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel: TBD

Green Party Senate Candidate Hoffman: Another Democratic Party Dinner for the 1%

February 29, 2020, 6:53 pm | in

Madelyn

Hoffman, NJ Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 released the following prepared statement prior to Saturday\’s  fundraiser for Congressman Donald Norcross.

What does it mean when Senator Cory Booker, Senator Robert Menendez, Governor Phil Murphy and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi all gather in Camden to support Representative Donald Norcross for a $2,800 a plate meal?

It means that big money controls this election cycle once again. What does it matter if there is a “D” or “R” next to your name when all that matters to these politicians is how many $2,800 plates and big donors attend to donate big money? This leaves little room for the voices of those not so wealthy; people dealing with issues of healthcare, making a living wage, addressing environmental concerns, and ending non-stop military spending.

Join the Green Party of New Jersey and Hoffman For Senate in a protest at Camden County College, 200 College Drive, Blackwood, New Jersey from 12pm to 2pm on Saturday, February 29th. Help raise awareness with the 99% on these issues and many more not being addressed by either mainstream party.

“The politicians who represent us are completely out of touch with the people they are supposed to represent,” said

Madelyn

Hoffman, NJ Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020, challenging Senator Cory Booker. “My campaign accepts no corporate money or PAC money. Instead I can fight for what the majority of people need — as I have all my adult life. It’s time for us to elect representatives who are dedicated to addressing the needs of the 99%.”

Kim Meudt, Co-Chair of Green Party NJ and life-long resident of Camden County said, “The Norcross Machine wants $2,800 per plate but what’s being served up to the residents of Camden?”

Craig Cayetano, Co-Chair of Green Party NJ said “We are inviting all our allies to come out, even those still associated with the Democratic Party, to stand up and say that this shouldn’t be the new normal. We denounce these dinners which leave the majority of the NJ electorate on the outside of policy-making and just pandered to as the election season ramps up.”

The Hoffman for Senate 2020 campaign will be at the protest and in a symbolic protest offer food and a drink for attendees at $2.80 to show that the interests of big money and the interests of the vast majority of people in this country are not the same! Instead, we need to:

Stop supporting endless wars.

Move the money into our communities and into public education, tuition-free   college and student debt forgiveness.

Move the money into Improved and Expanded Medicare for All.

Support a real Green New Deal that confronts the bloated military budget and creates sustainable jobs for all.

Increase grassroots democracy and stop allowing those with the big money to control the party interests.

Enact Rank Choice Voting to allow more voices a fair chance at being elected and abolish the corrupted “Line” currently used in New Jersey.

If you cannot attend, please consider sharing, volunteering and donating! Check out the Hoffman For Senate website, Facebook page, on Twitter and Instagram all year as we will be a progressive voice on the ballot on November 3rd!

https://www.hoffmanforsenate.com/

https://www.facebook.com/HoffmanforSenate2020/

https://twitter.com/hoffman4US2020

https://www.instagram.com/hoffmanforsenate2020/

LINE OF MARCHSAINT MARY’S/GLOUCESTER CITY FIFTH ANNUAL SAINT PATRICK’S PARADE SUNDAY, MARCH 1

by CNBNews Staff

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (February 29, 2020)—-The annual St. Mary\’s Parish/Gloucester City St. Patrick\’s Day Parade is scheduled to begin at 1 PM sharp rain or shine. The parade will take the same route as last year, forming and staging at the Martin’s Lake area, at Johnson Blvd. and Baynes Ave. marching on Johnson Blvd. to Monmouth Street, up Monmouth Street to King, and dispersing at the former Coast Guard Base parking lot, King and Cumberland Streets.

It will begin at Johnson Blvd and Baynes Avenue, north to Monmouth and Johnson Blvd., move west on Monmouth Street to King Street and south on King Street to Proprietors Park.

The following bands and marching units will be in the line of march:

South Philadelphia, Quaker City, Fralinger, Woodland, Avalon, Aqua, Uptown, Duffy, Durning, and the Gloucester City String Band.

The Camden County Emerald Society, Second Street Irish Society, Trenton AOH, ACFD Sand Pipers, and Brian Boru Pipes and Drums Bands.

The Misty Dewers and The Broken Shillelaghs Irish Bands.

The Two Street Stompers Comic Brigade. The Jordan-Hunt and the Emerald Isle Irish Dance Schools.

The parade\’s Grand Marshall is Ed Beckett, principal of Gloucester Catholic High School and the Celebrity Parade Marshall is Bob Kelly from Fox 29 News. Honor guest is the Deputy Consul General from Ireland Sean O’Hay

Gloucester City’s own radio disc jockey Kathy Townsend Suckiel from the B101.1 radio station will be present with the B101 mascot,

Buzzbee!

RELATED:

Gloucester City PD Issues Road Closures/Parking Restrictions for Parade

Below is the parade line-up set for 12 noon at the staging area

Camden County Emerald Society (Gloucestercitynews.net file photo)

LINE-UP IS AT 12:00 NOON IN THE STAGING AREA

POSITIONS #A-#G LINE UP IS ON JOHNSON BLVD. BETWEEN FRANCIS ST. & BAYNES AVE.

POSITION “A”-VFW & AMERICAN LEGION COLOR GUARD & ROTC COLOR GUARD FROM GLOUCESTER HIGH SCHOOL WITH USMC MARINES BRETT & DALTON KENNEY

POSITION “B” CELEBRITY PARADE MARSHAL BOB KELLY AND QUAKER CITY STRING BAND WITH MSGR. HODGE, DEPUTY CONSUL GENERAL FROM IRELAND, MAYOR DAN SPENCER

POSITION “C”-2020 GRAND MARSHAL ED BECKETT AND GLOUCESTER CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS

POSITION “D”-KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS WITH ST. PATRICK’S STATUE

POSITION “E”-DURNING STRING BAND

POSITION “F” CITY COUNCIL, COUNTY FREEHOLDERS, STATE LEGISLATORS, OTHER DIGNITARIES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, CAMDEN COUNTY MASCOTS

POSITION “G” THE MISTY DEWERS

POSITIONS #1-#5-Francis Street and East Brown Street

SOUTH JERSEY MOBILE BILLBOARD TRUCK

ANYZEK FUELS ANTIQUE TRUCKS/CARS-JIM PARENT, 1939 GREEN BUICK

GARDEN STATE CORVETTE CLUB ON FRANCIS STREET

GLOUCESTER CITY OLDTIMERS STRING BAND

ANTIQUE CARS/TRUCKS-JIM PARENT IN HIS 1939 GREEN BUICK

-DONNELLY-GATTO FUNERAL HOME ROLLS ROYCE HEARSE & STAFF

POSITIONS #6–#21-HIGHLAND BLVD DOWN TO GREENWOOD AVENUE

PUBLIC WORKS TRAILER WITH LADIES AOH, CATHOLIC DAUGHTERS OF AMERICA’S, AND LITTLE MISS/MR. GLOUCESTER CITY

TRENTON AOH BAGPIPE BAND

GLOUCESTER CITY FIRE DEPT COLOR GUARD & MARCHERS

GLOUCESTER CITY FIRE DEPT. APPARATUS

DUFFY STRING BAND

GLOUCESTER CITY IRISH SOCIETY

GLOUCESTER CITY HIGH SCHOOL COLOR GUARD, MARCHING BAND, & SCHOOL CLUBS

UPTOWN STRING BAND

GLOUCESTER CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL & COLD SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

IRISH SETTAR CLUB OF SOUTH JERSEY

CAMDEN COUNTY EMERALD SOCIETY

CAIRDEAS IRISH BIRGADE (JOHN SCILLIG-SCHILEEN’S TAVERN-WESTVILLE, NJ)

MARK’S ANTIQUE FIRE TRUCK???? AND/OR FOUR LEAF RESTORATION COMPANY

AQUA STRING BAND

AOH GLOUCESTER COUNTY DIVISION I-COMMODORE JOHN BARRY-LARRY PRELLE, DIRECTOR

BRIAN BORU PIPES AND DRUMS BAND-KEVIN FLATLEY DRUM MAJOR

POSITIONS #22-#38 KLEMM AVENUE TO SYLVAN AVENUE

AVALON STRING BAND

GLOUCESTER CITY YOUTH SOCCER

JORDAN HUNT SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE

GLOUCESTER CITY LITTLE LEAGUE

SECOND STREET IRISH SOCIETY PIPES & DRUMS

MINI HORSE’S PONY CLUB-LONG ACRES FARM-MARY LEDGER

WOODLAND STRING BAND

CUB SCOUTS TROOP OF GLOUCESTER CITY???/ QUINN FAMILY WITH IRISH WOLFHOUND SEAMUS

FRALINGER STRING BAND

COMMUNITY ROCKS CORP.-ERIN OSLER/SARA O’BRIEN

ATLANTIC CITY FIREFIGHTERS SAND PIPERS

EPIPHANY CHURCH OF GLOUCESTER CITY-PASTOR JOE MARLIN

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA STRING BAND

HIGHLAND TAVERN FLOAT WITH BIG DADDY

EMERALD ISLE ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE

TWO STREET STOMPERS COMIC BRIGADE CHAMPIONS

TAVERN ON THE EDGE PRESENTS “THE BROKEN SHILELLEGHS”

Gov. Phil Murphy hugging Brooklawn Mayor Teri Branella at the 2018 parade

I-295 to be closed and detoured overnight next week; One lane to remain open during construction

Maintenance resurfacing work begins in Carneys Point

(Trenton)

– New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced I-295 southbound and northbound will be closed and detoured on separate nights next week for the start of a maintenance and resurfacing project in Carneys Point, Salem County.

Tuesday, March 3:

Beginning at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, through 6 a.m., Wednesday, March 4, NJDOT’s Contractor, Schifano Construction Corp., will

close and detour I-295 southbound

between Exit 4/Route 48 and Exit 2C/Route 130. The closure is necessary to place construction barrier to close one lane.

When the highway reopens on Wednesday morning the right lane will be closed and left lane will remain open. This configuration will be in place for approximately one month. The following signed detour will be in place overnight Tuesday, March 3:

I-295 southbound detour:

(8 p.m. Tuesday, March 3 to 6 a.m. Wednesday, March 4)

Motorists on I-295 southbound will be directed to take Exit 4/Route 48

Turn right onto Route 48 west/Harding Highway

Turn left onto Route 130 south/S. Virginia Avenue

Turn left onto Route 140 east/Hawks Bridge Road

Turn left to take ramp onto I-295 south

Wednesday, March 4, 2020:

Beginning at 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 4, through 6 a.m. Thursday, March 5, NJDOT’s Contractor, Schifano Construction Corp., will

close and detour I-295 northbound

between Exit 2B-C Route 130/Route 40 and Exit 4/Route 48. The closure is necessary to place construction barrier to close one lane.

When the highway reopens on Thursday morning the right lane will be closed and left lane will remain open for approximately one month. Access to the rest area will be maintained during construction. The following signed detour will be in place overnight Wednesday, March 4:

I-295 northbound detour:

(8 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 to 6 a.m. Thursday, March 5)

Motorists wishing to continue on I-295 northbound will be directed to take Exit 2B-C/Route 130/Route 40

Stay left for Exit 2C/Route 130

Turn left Route 140 west/Hawks Bridge Road

Turn right onto Route 130 north/Shell Road

Shell Road will become S. Virginia Avenue

Turn right onto Route 48 east/ E. Main Street

Turn left to take the ramp onto I-295 north

Motorists are advised to consider the NJ Turnpike as alternative to I-295 during construction.

The project will excavate, mill and pave a 1.25-mile stretch of I-295 between Exit 2C/Route 130 and the bridges over Hollywood Avenue/Dupont Country Club Road. In addition to resurfacing, the project also includes a complete replacement of the Weigh in Motion (WIM) sensors in the road. The WIM sensors allow NJDOT to collect roadway speeds, traffic volume, vehicle classification, and vehicle weight. The expected to be completed in April 2020.

Variable message signs are being utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the project.

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

or on the

NJDOT Facebook page

.

Unions Endorse Brigid Callahan Harrison

[February 28, 2020 – Longport, New Jersey] – Last night before a packed house at  Teamsters Local 331, labor unions across Atlantic County including – AFT NJ, UNITE-HERE 54, Painters District Council 711, Ironworkers Local 399, South Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council, IATSE 917, UAW, SMWIA State Council, NALC 903, Teamsters Local 331, IBEW 351, Southern New Jersey Building

Trades Council, Atlantic/Cape May Central Labor Council, UFCW Local 360, BAC New Jersey & Area District Council,  IFPTE Atlantic Council and Local 195, UA 322, IBEW 827 – united to rally their support for Brigid Callahan Harrison, Democratic candidate for the second congressional district.

Harrison, a 25-year member of American Federation of Teachers Local 1904, issued her declaration of policy principles regarding support of working families and job creation.  The following is a statement from Harrison and lists the core priorities she plans to bring to Washington after securing the party nomination and a November victory against turncoat Jeff Van Drew:

“I am inspired by the many working families who attended last night’s rally and so thankful for the great support of our local unions.  I believe that together we are creating a true movement that not only demands the removal of Donald Trump’s best buddy Jeff Van Drew, but replaces him with a person who understands that the hopes for a strong future begins with a clear vision for how our community can thrive and improve the lives of working men and women, and their children here in South Jersey.  In the short time since Van Drew has switched, he already has voted against organized labor twice.”

•    I will fight against the “right to work” legislation and work to guarantee the right to unionize and bargain collectively, including in the “gig economy” sector. I will fight for gig workers to receive full employee benefits, create portable benefits that stay with workers when they switch jobs, and help displaced workers to build the next phase of their careers.

•    I will work to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and index the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index so that as the price for goods and services increases, so do wages.

•    I will support requiring employers to provide employees 12 weeks of paid family leave for the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a sick family member. I will fight for all employees to receive 7 days of paid sick leave every year.

•    I will support the reinstatement of the Obama administration’s overtime rule, making more workers eligible for overtime.

•    I will sponsor legislation to ensure that the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act, requiring the payment of prevailing wages on federally financed or assisted construction projects, applies to all federally supported infrastructure and construction projects, including roads, bridges, and rail, energy, and clean water projects, and school construction projects, that receive federal assistance. The law assures local contractors the opportunity to compete for government projects, ensures that federal construction activity does not undercut community wage standards, and protects the government from shoddy construction performed by under-skilled and underpaid employees.

•    I will advocate for the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions legislation, which creates a private loan program so that underfunded union pension plans can be set on a path to solvency without asking for additional sacrifice from active and retired workers.

•    I will work to ensure that all workers who pay into Social Security, including public-sector employees, receive their full benefits.

•    I will work to enact the Fair Playing Field Act of 2015 and the Payroll Fraud Prevention Act of 2015, which would close loopholes that enable businesses to misclassify employees as “independent contractors,” denying them rights and protection and undercutting businesses that properly categorize employees.

**REVISED** CUSTOMER ADVISORY Paramus Inspection Station Closed March 4

TRENTON – New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) customers are advised that the date for the closing of the Paramus Inspection Station, located at 20 W. Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652, has been changed to Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The Paramus Inspection Station will be open on Wednesday, February 26, 2020.

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

The MVC apologizes for any inconvenience.

Alternate inspection stations include:

Wayne

481 Route 46 West

Wayne, NJ 07470

Lodi

8 Mill Street

Lodi, NJ 07644

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

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

njmvc.gov

.

Philadelphia Bar Association Calls for an End to Unwarranted Attacks on the U.S. Judiciary

Encourages All Americans to Speak Up in Defense of the Constitution and Our Country’s Democratic Principles

PHILADELPHIA, PA –

In response to recent, unwarranted attacks on the U.S. Judiciary, Chancellor Hon. A. Michael Snyder (ret.) of the

Philadelphia Bar Association

, the nation’s oldest metropolitan Bar Association, issued the following statement:

“As the nation’s oldest metropolitan Bar Association, the Philadelphia Bar Association has always considered certain principles to be imperatives of this Association and of the legal profession. We believe that the rule of law and an independent judiciary are cornerstones of a democracy and of a civilized society.

“Unless these structures and principles are vibrant, and unless we vigorously defend their existence, the dream of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people begins to crumble.

“The rule of law demands that each individual, whether rich or poor, famous or unknown, understands that the law is applied equally to them. We cannot have two systems of justice, one for the rich and connected and one for everyone else.

“Our Constitution provides for a separation of powers through a system of checks and balances which ensures that no single branch of government becomes too powerful.

“An independent judiciary is a necessity if we are to function as a democracy and not as an authoritarian society. Judges need to know that their lawful judgments will be upheld, and that their very legitimacy may not be questioned. Under the rule of law, the way to question or challenge a judicial determination or Order is through an appellate review process.

“Recently, we have seen a course of conduct, including communications meant to exert undue influence on the judiciary, that seems intent on undermining the rule of law and disrupting the system of checks and balances. Such attacks are dangerous in the extreme. We cannot allow them to continue.

“We call for an end to these unwarranted attacks on the judiciary and for all Americans to speak up in defense of the Constitution and our democratic principles.

“A society without laws is not a society; it is chaos. A society without an

i

ndependent judiciary is not the society that we should value.”

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The Philadelphia Bar Association, founded in 1802, is the preeminent metropolitan association of lawyers in the United States. It is a keystone in the ongoing developments of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania legal systems.

With more than 200 years of dedicated service to stand on, the Philadelphia Bar Association is firmly rooted in the Philadelphia community as a steady and reliable bellwether. To learn more about the association,

visit here

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Companies that Haul or Process Soil, Fill Recyclable Material in NJ MUST Register by April 20

DEP ANNOUNCES REGISTRATION DEADLINE

TRENTON – Businesses conducting soil and fill recyclable material services that do not already possess an A-901 license have until April 20, 2020, to register with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as a first step to comply with a newly enacted licensing law requiring greater oversight of those activities, Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced today.

Governor Phil Murphy signed the law – known as the \”Dirty Dirt Bill\” on Jan. 21, which expands the DEP\’s oversight of companies that engage in, or provide, soil and fill recycling services including collection, transportation, processing, brokering, storage, purchase, sale or disposition of soil and fill recyclable materials.

\”With the passage of this new law as well as the gains made with our Guard Your Backyard campaign, the DEP and our local partners are in a better position to take action to address problematic fill material and companies engaged in these activities,\” Commissioner McCabe said. \”These new tools will empower the state and local governments to ensure that the soil and fill brought into our communities is clean and safe, while helping us defend against illegal dumping of soil and fill.\”

The law also requires affected companies that do not already possess an A-901 license to submit an application and a disclosure statement to the Attorney General\’s Office detailing their work with soil and fill material in order to receive a soil and fill recycling license for operations in New Jersey by Oct. 19, 2020. The Attorney General\’s Office, New Jersey State Police and DEP will review the disclosure statements in consideration of granting a license.

\”Dumping or unacceptable use of soil and fill materials occur too frequently,\” Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement Elizabeth Dragon said. \”DEP Compliance and Enforcement welcomes this new law to monitor and ensure the businesses involved are legitimate and complying with the new regulations, starting when soil or fill material is picked up until it is placed at a site.\”

Businesses that do not register by the deadline or businesses that apply for a license thereafter and do not meet the license review requirements will no longer be allowed to perform soil or fill recycling services work in New Jersey.

Businesses that register may continue their services while awaiting a license. Those who apply for a  license after the deadline will have to wait for the license before continuing soil and fill recycling services. Businesses that believe they may be subject to the new law may review a DEP Compliance Advisory at

www.nj.gov/dep/enforcement/advisories-date.html

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The new law follows DEP\’s recent launch of the Guard Your Backyard campaign, which has a dedicated website offering local guidance and a model ordinance that municipal leaders can download and modify to suit their local needs. Enacting ordinances can give local governments the authority to determine what kind of fill material may be brought into their communities.

The soil and fill recycling materials registration form for the DEP is available at

www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/a901/a901frms.htm

To learn more about Guard Your Backyard, visit

www.guardyourbackyard.nj.gov