Pine Hill Borough COVID-19 Update

In an attempt to do our part in flattening the Coronavirus (COVID-19) curve, as well as protect our community and employees, the borough hall will close to the public at

12:00pm today, Monday, March 16, 2020, and will not reopen until further notice. In addition to the following instructions, you can call 856 783-7400 during regular business hours (See “Hours of Operation” in the left-hand column of this site for those times) to obtain information or for questions that might not be addressed. Lastly, Wednesday evening hours will be suspended until further notice.

Additional Closings

Pine Hill Senior Citizens Center

All Pine Hill Parks & Sports Complexes

Clerk’s Office

Marriage licenses – see the instructions for “Making an in-person appointment by telephone” at the bottom of this information list.

Mercantile License – Under “Depts”, “Municipal Clerk”, and the line titled “The Municipal Clerk also provides the following”, printout from this site and submit by mail.

Pet License – Under “Depts”, “Municipal Clerk”, and the line titled “The Municipal Clerk also provides the following”, printout from this site and submit by mail.

Solicitor License – Under “Depts”, “Municipal Clerk”, and the line titled “The Municipal Clerk also provides the following”, printout from this site and submit by mail.

Street Opening Permit – Under “Depts”, “Municipal Clerk”, and the line titled “The Municipal Clerk also provides the following”, printout from this site and submit by mail.

OPRA Request – Under “Depts”, “Municipal Clerk”, and the line titled “The Municipal Clerk also provides the following”, printout from this site and submit by mail.

Police Department

The Police Department continues to work with all community stakeholders to ensure 24/7 continuity of service throughout this fluid situation.  The department has established plans and taken measures to ensure law enforcement services are not unreasonably disrupted and that all employees have been provided with the means to prevent or mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Compliance Inspections

Until further notice, all Code Compliance follow-up inspections are suspended. If you currently have a Code Compliance violation notice with an abate by date, you may disregard it, however, please note that the violation will still be active and must be abated once you receive a new date. (The new date notification will not be sent until the COVID-19 virus issues is “under control”.

Construction Office Rental Properties & Zoning

Construction permits are being accepted via mail or in the drop box outside of the Municipal Building. Please see the Construction Office’s page on this site for the necessary forms. Once processed you will be contacted regarding the fee. Please direct any permit questions to Lisa Kensil at 856-783-7400 x 202.

Municipal Court

The court scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2020, @ 6:00pm, has been cancelled. Those scheduled to appear will be notified of their new appearance date.

Traffic violation not requiring mandatory court appearance can be paid online @ www.njmcdirect.com

Criminal payments can be mailed or placed in the drop box located at the front entrance to the Borough Hall. (Note that the video recorded drop box is emptied every morning, and periodically throughout the night by the police department)

Rental Properties

Until further notice, all annual rental inspections are suspended.

Rental properties can be registered by completing the Rental Registration Form and submitting the $50 fee via mail or in the drop box outside of the Municipal Building. Please see the Rental Properties page on the Borough website for the form. Please direct any rental property questions to Lisa Kensil at 856-783-7400 x 202.

If you require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) inspection before being allowed to move into your property, please call 856 783-7400, ext. 202, for instructions.

Tax Office

Property Owners not in the Tax Sale can make online tax payments @ WWW.pinehillboronj.com by going to “Depts”, scrolling down to “Tax Office” then clicking on “We now accept payment online by Clicking Here”. Once clicked, you will be directed to a secure page for instruction.

If your property is in Tax Sale, the sale is postponed until further notice.

Planning and Zoning application must be in person. Call to make an appointment.

Zoning

Zoning applications are being accepted via mail or in the drop box outside of the Municipal Building. Please see the Planning and Zoning page on the Borough website for the application. Zoning applications are $20 and need to include a copy of your site survey. Please direct zoning questions to Karen Keyek at 856-783-7400 x 209.

Instructions for making in person appointments by telephone:

You can call 856 783-7400 during regular business hours (See “Hours of Operation” in the left-hand column of this site for those times)

Address/Location

Pine Hill Police Department

48 West 6th Avenue

Pine Hill, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-783-1549

Murphy Requests Federal Government Re-Open Affordable Care Act Enrollment in New Jersey

TRENTON – Responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy today requested the federal government open a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) in New Jersey to allow uninsured and underinsured residents to enroll in health coverage through the federal health insurance

exchange.

The Governor’s request was issued in a letter sent to U.S. Department Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma.

“With COVID-19 now a pandemic and confirmed cases increasing in New Jersey and across the country, it is imperative that we take all appropriate actions to increase access to screening, testing, and treatment related to COVID-19. While I have coordinated across state agencies to take emergency action to facilitate access to screening, testing and access to care for the residents of New Jersey, more can be done to ensure every individual has access to appropriate health care during this crisis,” Governor Murphy wrote. “Therefore, as New Jersey transitions from a State Based Exchange on the Federal Platform to a State Based Exchange, I respectfully urge the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to authorize a Special Enrollment Period in New Jersey to allow individuals to access affordable health insurance options through the federal platform.”

Several states that operate a State-Based Exchange have already established a Special Enrollment Period in response to COVID-19. However, federal action is required for the establishment of an SEP in states that operate on the federal platform, Healthcare.gov. Governor Murphy is calling for a special enrollment period of at least 60 days for all eligible uninsured and underinsured persons to purchase health coverage through the federal platform, and for that coverage to be in place as soon as possible.

“With no vaccine in place and a high degree of uncertainty about the direction that the virus will take, increasing access to health coverage will play a role in managing this outbreak. Similar to actions CMS has taken in the past during major weather events such as hurricanes, creating a SEP is a responsible action that will benefit individuals, as well as contribute to the management of this public health crisis,” added Governor Murphy.

“As the state responds to the COVID-19 situation, we want to ensure that residents have the coverage they need to access testing and treatment if necessary. We have taken action to require carriers regulated by the state to waive cost sharing for COVID-19 testing. However we can do more and, in this case, we need the federal government’s assistance,” said Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner Marlene Caride. “Clearly, we do not want residents to be apprehensive about seeking treatment because they are not insured or concerned about medical bills. We are asking the federal government to establish a special enrollment period for our residents, and for that coverage to be in place as soon as possible.”

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and 24 of his colleagues recently sent a letter requesting a Special Enrollment Period for consumers in response to COVID-19. Senator Menendez and U.S. Senator Cory Booker also introduced legislation to support the response to the pandemic including to create a special enrollment period for individuals impacted by COVID-19, among other initiatives. The Governor’s letter may be found here.

For the latest information on novel coronavirus, please visit www.nj.gov/health or call 1-800-222-1222 or 1-800-962-1253 (if using out-of-state phone line).

VIDEO-Coronavirus Tips (that don’t involve hoarding toilet paper)

THE BEST WAY TO WASH YOUR HANDS

Keep yourself and others safe from the coronavirus with these CDC tips.  Instead of touching start greeting people hands-free! Find 20 seconds of your favorite song … and let the whole bathroom hear it every time you wash your hands! Make everyone around you put a quarter in a jar when they touch their eyes nose or mouth … or cough into something besides a tissue or their elbow!

COVID-19 can be serious particularly for people with heart disease. But you can help slow its spread. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home when you are sick. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

Burlington County Sheriff Files Complaint in Superior Court to Stay Eviction Proceedings

in Response to COVID-19

Mount Holly—

Counsel, on behalf of

Burlington County Sheriff Anthony Basantis, filed a Complaint for Declaratory Judgement in Superior Court this evening to stay the execution of eviction orders. This is supported by Governor Murphy’s Executive Order No. 103,

declaring a State of Emergency for the Coronavirus public health crisis. The Sheriff’s duties include, but are not limited to, overseeing the service of writs of possession related to evictions and ejectments for properties within Burlington County.

A member of the Burlington County Coronavirus Task Force, the Burlington County Sheriff will evaluate the need to reallocate resources of the Sheriff’s Office to assist in addressing the public health, welfare, and safety concerns of the community.

“Displacing residents from households is inconsistent with the goals of containing the spread of COVID-19,” said Sheriff Basantis, “Evictions will increase social contact, and disrupt self-isolation efforts by residents attempting to comply with the recommendations to minimize the spread of the virus.”

Pennsylvania schools close after first pediatric coronavirus case identified

By Christen Smith |

The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf closed all public schools Friday, just hours after health officials confirmed the state\’s first case of novel coronavirus diagnosed in a patient younger than 18.

The shutdown will last 10 business days through March 30, at which time Wolf said the state will reevaluate the situation.

“We understand that these are trying times and recognize the impact of the coronavirus on our students and communities,” he said. “First and foremost, my top priority as governor – and that of our education leaders – must be to ensure the health and safety of our students and school communities.”

Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said this is the first known pediatric case in the state, where so far 33 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Of the 300 tested, 140 have come back negative and 130 more are pending, Levine said.

No other details were released about the pediatric patient, except that the case was from Monroe County. Thursday, the governor recommended statewide social distancing policies and shut down schools and public buildings in Montgomery County, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. He expanded that mandate to all schools across Pennsylvania’s 67 counties Friday afternoon.

Schools will not be penalized for falling short of the 180-day instruction requirement, Wolf said. The Department of Education will provide breakfast and lunch to low-income students during the two-week closure.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said children don’t appear as susceptible to the more severe symptoms of COVID-19, though it is unknown why.

So far, the CDC has confirmed 1,629 cases across 46 states and Washington D.C., with 41 reported deaths. Worldwide, more than 133,000 people have contracted the virus and nearly 5,000 have died.

published here by The Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

Guest Opinion: Let\’s Not Panic

Well, I\’d have to say that 2020 is off to a hell of a start.  From giant fires ravaging the country of Australia, the death of NBA icon Kobe Bryant, the Coronavirus, stock market volatility and of all things, Prince Harry wants out of the royal family!

Here\’s what I know; I\’m grateful for today and I\’ll take it as it comes.  I\’m not

going to play into the fear-mongering on social media when it comes to stock market declines or Coronavirus.  My solution is pretty simple; diversify, buy real estate for cash flow, wash my hands frequently and keep trucking along.

On Facebook this week I saw a lot of stoking the fire of fear when it comes to stocks vs. real estate. I don\’t agree with that tactic as I continue to own both stocks along with my real estate.  Maybe it\’s the former financial advisor in me, but I don\’t get too emotional when it comes to investments.  I make decisions based upon data and return on investment and believe me when I say, that this wasn\’t learned overnight.  I got absolutely destroyed in the recession and learned some painful lessons about emotions and following the crowd.

This week I posted on Facebook about a partial note with a 12% yield that we were looking to sell and I had multiple IRA holders in my network reach out to purchase it.  If you don\’t know what a partial note is, you can learn more about that

HERE

on our YouTube Channel, but in a nutshell it means that I\’m selling a portion of the payments on a note that I own for a period of time.  These are ideal for IRA holders that may want to hold some cash flowing assets in their portfolio along with their stocks and bonds.  Did you know that you can also hold these assets in an account for your kids, HSA, Roth or even 401k?

I don\’t think you should have all of your eggs in one basket which is why I own different businesses, stocks, bonds, notes and of course real estate.  If you are interested in adding some notes to your portfolio as an income producer, reach out and let\’s schedule a call to learn more about your investment goals to see if they\’re a fit.

It\’s a crazy world we live in and that will continue on.  I\’m grateful to have you in my network and I hope you stay healthy and happy!

PS:  Don\’t forget to wash your hands!  😉

Regards,

Ben Fredricks

Odell Barnes REO

www.OdellBarnesREO.com

You Could Be Part Of The 33 Percent

One in three American adults are at risk of life-threatening kidney disease, and most don’t know it—but that can be remedied.

(NAPSI)—Look around the next time you’re in a crowd. One-third of everyone in there with you is at risk of developing dangerous kidney disease.

Kidney Disease Facts

In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and more than 90% aren’t aware of it. Often there are no symptoms; they won’t find out until their kidney’s fail. Kidneys are vital organs—as important as your heart, liver or lungs—that work 24/7 to clean toxins from your body. No one can live without functioning kidneys. When kidneys fail, only immediate dialysis or a transplant can save you.

A Solution

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF)—the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S.—wants to change the odds. Every adult in the United States needs to know the risk and can find out with a simple, one-minute online quiz rolled out for National Kidney Month in March that can let you know if you’re in the 33 percent—and what to do about it.

“We have a public health crisis that needs to be addressed by all Americans,” said NKF CEO and kidney transplant recipient Kevin Longino. “We will never give up trying to find ways to reach people, slow or stop the progression of this disease and lessen the burden for patients. Early testing and interventions are the key.”

What To Watch For

Risk factors for kidney disease are:

•    High blood pressure

•    Heart disease

•    Diabetes

•    Obesity

•    A family history of kidney disease.

What To Do

If you have one or more of these factors, you should to go to

MinuteForYourKidneys.org

to find out what to do next and how to talk to your doctor about it.

Life-threatening kidney disease can strike anyone, young or old, and has many causes, but early intervention can make a difference. Lifestyle changes and a healthy diet can sometimes slow the progression of the disease when caught in the early stages, and sometimes can stop kidney failure.

The first step to preventing kidney failure is knowing your risk, then getting tested. Two simple tests, one blood and one urine, can let your doctor know how your kidneys are doing. It’s easy to get tested yet the results can save your life.

Learn More

For further information about NKF, visit

www.kidney.org

.

RELATED:

THAT\’S LIFE, by WE Cleary Sr.

Gloucester City Staying on Top of the Corona Virus Crisis

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (March 11, 2020)–Gloucester City Mayor Daniel Spencer has released the following statement regarding the City\’s response to the Corona Virus crisis.

City of Gloucester officials have been in constant contact with representatives of the Camden County Health Department and Office of Emergency Management on the ever-widening Corona Virus crisis.

The City and its various departments have been meeting on this issue and are doing everything in their power to help educate the citizens of Gloucester City and to do their part in containing this virus.

There are several simple steps to protect yourself regarding the Corona Virus

Clean your hands often with soap and water

Avoid close contact

Stay home if your sick

Cover coughs and sneezes

Wear a face mask if you are sick

Clean and Disinfect at least twice a day for high traffic areas such as phones, doorknobs, light switches

Seek Medical advice if symptomatic

Additional information can be viewed on the State of New Jersey website at state.nj.us and the Centers for Disease Control website at cdc.gov

RELATED:

Murphy Declares State of Emergency, Public Health Emergency

Dr. Oz Coronavirus Survival Guide

FIRST RESPONDERS! Coronavirus Summit

GTPD Alert: Coronavirus Preparedness

Knowledge is power: Get facts straight during Colorectal Awareness Month

Did you know that colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death among American men and women combined? One out of every three people are not up-to-date with screenings.

Sadly, 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented with screening: in fact, getting screened routinely starting at age 45 or 50, at the latest — is the most effective way to reduce your risk.

Abnormal growths, called polyps, can form in the colon or rectum. Through screenings, they can be removed early, before becoming cancerous.  A person’s CRC risk increases as they age; about 90 percent of cases occur in adults 50 and up.

Some risk factors include:

Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps

A genetic syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

The U.S. Multi-Society Task Force of Colorectal Cancer recommends:

People at average risk of CRC start regular screenings at 50.

African Americans at average risk of CRC start regular screenings at 45.

People in good health, and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years, continue regular CRC screenings through the age of 75.

People ages 76 through 85 should make a decision regarding screenings with their medical provider, based on personal preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.

People over 85 should no longer get CRC screening.

Decrease your risk for colorectal cancer with these lifestyle changes:

Regular physical activity

A diet high in fruits and vegetables

A high-fiber, low-fat diet or one that eliminates processed meats (cold cuts, sausage, bacon)

Eating less red meat

Limiting alcohol consumption

Avoiding tobacco use.

The recommended tests fall into two categories:

Stool-based tests are non-invasive and require no special diet or bowel preparation. If the test shows abnormal signs of blood, or a possible cancer or pre-cancer, a colonoscopy will be needed to confirm the result, and possibly remove any abnormal findings or polyps.

Visual or Structural tests are invasive tests that look inside the colon and rectum for abnormal areas that might be cancer or polyps. If a stool-based test was done first and had an abnormal result, a visual test, such as colonoscopy, can help find out why.

To prepare, you are asked to follow a special diet in advance and will also need to clean out your colon with strong laxatives (called a bowel prep) and sometimes with enemas, as well. Most people are sedated during the test.

Talk to your care provider about which screening option is the best for you. The life you save could be your own!

Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey 2020 Gala Raises Nearly $900K for Planned Jefferson Pride Primary and Specialty Care Practice

Nearly

900 supporters of Jefferson Health New Jersey enjoyed an evening of dancing and dining at the organization’s 24

th

annual Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey fundraising Gala, held at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The February 29

th

event — headlined by performances from Motown legends The Temptations and Four Tops — raised close to $900,000 to benefit the planned Jefferson Pride Primary & Specialty Care practice, set to open in Collingswood later this year. For more information, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/JeffPrideNJ

.

Shown, from left

: Colleen Wyse and husband, Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, President, Thomas Jefferson University, and CEO of Jefferson Health; and Dina Devine and husband, Joseph W. Devine, President of Jefferson Health New Jersey, and Chief Experience Officer, Jefferson Health.