Lady Lions Win Opener

Gloucester City, NJ (Dec. 20, 2019)—The Gloucester City LadyLions played a regulation game but needed overtime to defeat a stubborn Salem Rams 53 – 48. The Lady Lions struggled early but put together a strong 2nd half. The Lions had a brief meltdown that let the host Rams tie the game in the final minutes of regulation before sending into overtime.

The Lady Lions defense clapped down in overtime on Salem but foulshooting determined the final outcome.

Photo\’s courtesy of Bruce Darrow

See more GHS Photos at Darrowphotos.com

Pictured below Lady Lions celebrate 1st victory of season

Pictured below Crystal Johnson

Pictured below Emily Keith

Pictured below Meghan Ferry

Pictured below Chloe Bennett

Voorhees PD Seeking Help with Potential Luring Incident

VOORHEES TOWNSHIP,NJ –December 20, 2019, at approximately 1:46pm, a 12 year old juvenile female reported that she was chased in the parking lot of 282 Echelon Road in Voorhees. She

reported that a heavy set male, unknown race, wearing a black winter style mask, green jacket and blue pants exited a white work van and chased her through the parking lot about 100 yards.

She then said the male stopped running and went back to the van and left the area. There are no witnesses and no vehicle license plate information at this time.

If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact the Voorhees Police Department at (856) 428-5400 or email Lt. RJ Hamburg at rhamburg@VTPD.com.

Please remember to pay attention to your surroundings, use caution when traveling alone and keep your cellphone and anything else that could be considered a distraction in your pocket while walking.

Address/Location

Voorhees Township Police Department

1180 White Horse Road

Voorhees Township, NJ 08043

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-428-5400

Shari M. Piriz of Voorhees, formerly of Marlton

On December 16, 2019.

Age 58 of

Voorhees, formerly of Marlton. Devoted daughter of the late Harry and Arlene Lefkowitz (nee Smith). Cherished brother of Steve Lefkowitz (Beth). Devoted aunt of Matt Lefkowitz.

Honoring her wishes, there will be no viewing or services. Burial will held privately at a later date.

Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:

McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME

Ph: 856-456-1142

Burlington Twp. Man Charged with Possession/Distribution of Child Pornography

BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP – Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Burlington Township Public Safety Director Bruce Painter announced that a 20-year-old township resident has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

Alan Sylvain, of the 600 block of Francois Court, (photo) was charged with three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (two are Second Degree, one is Third Degree).

The investigation began earlier this year after the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit received information regarding Sylvain’s online activities from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The investigation revealed that Sylvain had transferred child pornography files utilizing an online chatting platform. Sylvain lived in Palmyra at the time the crimes were committed.

He was taken into custody on December 13 following the execution of a search warrant at his residence. Investigators seized electronic devices during the search.

The case will now be prepared for presentation to a Burlington County Grand Jury for possible indictment. Sylvain will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy.

The investigation was conducted by the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from United States Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Office and the Burlington Township Police Department. The lead investigator is BCPO Detective Kevin Sobotka.

The Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit is a member of the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the New Jersey State Police Cyber Terrorism Task Force.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Authorities Seeking Help with Williamstown Death Investigation

WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ (Dec. 20, 2019)–The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office is actively conducting an investigation in the Williamstown section of Monroe Township.

On Thursday December 19

, 2019, at approximately 3:30 pm, the Monroe Township Police Department was dispatched to 1920 South Black Horse Pike, Williamstown, NJ for the report of an abandoned vehicle which was potentially on fire.

The description of the vehicle was consistent with a vehicle being sought in connection with an ongoing Missing/Endangered Person investigation regarding the wellbeing of Sicklerville resident Sahlena Blackwell-Jacobs (DOB: 11/03/1997).

The Monroe Township Police Department, in conjunction with the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office arrived at the scene.

Upon arrival, responding officers discovered Blackwell-Jacobs deceased in the vehicle.

An investigation is ongoing by the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office’s Major Crimes and Crime Scene Units, in close coordination with the Monroe Township Police Department and other law enforcement partners. At this time, the circumstances surrounding the death of Blackwell-Jacobs are deemed suspicious in nature.

The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office encourages any potential witnesses with information regarding the death, activities or travels of Sahlena Blackwell-Jacobs to contact Det. Brian Lloyd of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-221-4849 or Det. Kevin Bielski of the Monroe Township Police Department at 856-728-9800 Ext 516.

Information can also be e-mailed to the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at tips@co.gloucester.nj.us.

PENNSYLVANIA SPORTSBOOKS SCORE $316 MILLION NOVEMBER

(LAS VEGAS) — Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks celebrated the industry’s first birthday in November by setting a new monthly handle record and surpassing $1 billion in lifetime wagers. The industry continues to gain steam as its online product matures, a process boosted by the recent online launch of DraftKings and Unibet, according to

PlayPennsylvania.com

analysts.

“Pennsylvania has come a long way in a year,” said Dustin Gouker, analyst for

PlayPennsylvania.com

. “Plagued with relatively high gaming taxes and early hurdles to its online launch, Pennsylvania’s future as a legal sports betting jurisdiction was murky at the beginning. But despite the issues in its infancy, the state has proven to be attractive for operators and the market is truly beginning to flourish.”

Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks accepted $316.5 million in wagers in November, up 31.2% from October’s $241.2 million, according to official data released Tuesday. Those bets generated $20.6 million in revenue — up from October’s $19.1 million win — and yielded $3.9 million in state taxes.

The totals are a far cry from November 2018 when the state’s first and only sportsbook, Hollywood Casino, generated $1.4 million in bets and $508,997 in gross revenue. Since, Pennsylvania has grown into the third-largest legal sports betting jurisdiction in the country, and continues to chase neighbor New Jersey, which accepted $562.2 million in bets in November.

The most important factor in Pennsylvania’s growth was the summer 2019 launch of online sports betting. The roster of online brands has grown to seven following the November launches of DraftKings, under The Meadows license, and Unibet, under the Mohegan Sun Pocono umbrella. Those seven online sportsbooks generated 84.3% of the state’s November handle — a total of $266.7 million, up from $198.7 million in October.

“Online sports betting has unquestionably been the key driver of the state’s growth,” Gouker said. “Not only has online betting grown to account for an overwhelming majority of the state’s handle, but it has also helped spur growth among retail sportsbooks. That is a pattern that we saw in New Jersey, too.”

FanDuel Sportsbook at Valley Forge Casino remains dominant in the online market, despite fresh competition from rival DraftKings and Unibet. FanDuel accepted $149.7 million in November bets, up from $113.9 million in October, yielding $9.2 million in revenue, up from $8.1 million. FanDuel was followed by:

Rivers-Philadelphia ($32.4 million in handle, up from $30 million in October; $1.9 million revenue, down from $2.5 million)

Rivers-Pittsburgh ($30.6 million handle, up from $26.6 million; $1.7 million revenue, up from $1.6 million)

Parx Casino ($22.4 million handle, up from $18.4 million; $1.6 million revenue, down from $1.7 million)

DraftKings at The Meadows ($16.2 million handle; $1.6 million revenue)

Fox Bet at Mount Airy ($13.5 million handle, up from $9.8 million; $1.2 million revenue, up from $591,309 in revenue)

Unibet at Mohegan Sun Pocono ($1.9 million handle; $26,440 revenue)

“With the addition of DraftKings, Pennsylvania now has the two largest sports betting brands in the country,” Gouker said. “The question is whether DraftKings can make a dent in FanDuel’s market dominance, or has FanDuel’s early launch baked in its market advantages for the foreseeable future.”

Rivers-Pittsburgh’s $8.88 million handle, up from $7.7 million in October, narrowly led the retail market. That yielded $486,449 in revenue, down from $699,611. Rivers was followed by:

Rivers Philadelphia, formerly SugarHouse ($8.87 million handle in October, up from $7.2 million; $234,951 revenue, down from $813,839)

Parx ($8.1 million handle, up from $7.5 million; $739,281 revenue, down from $1 million)

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course ($3.8 million handle, up from $3 million; $48,520 revenue, down from $350,083)

Presque Isle ($3.7 million handle, down from $3.2 million; $302,458 revenue, up from $194,829)

South Philadelphia Race and Sportsbook ($3.6 million handle, up from $2.8 million; $339,310 revenue, down from $402,272)

Valley Forge Casino ($3.2 million handle, down from $4.1 million; $192,492 revenue, up from $155,730)

Harrah’s Philadelphia ($3 million handle, up from $2.3 million; $234,355 revenue, down from $277,295)

Mohegan ($2.5 million handle, up from $2.1 million; $173,120 revenue, down from $305,697)

Oaks Race and Sportsbook ($1.4 million handle, up from $1.1 million; $149,765 revenue, down from $162,127)

Mount Airy ($868,026 handle, up from $641,087 handle; $43,680 revenue, down from $86,800 in revenue)

Online casino industry expands in November

The launch of poker and two new online casinos in November helped boost Pennsylvania’s gross revenue to a new high-water mark. The state’s fledgling industry, which now boasts five online casinos, generated $9.7 million in November gross revenue, up 98% from $4.9 million in October.

The launch of PokerStars Casino, Nov. 4, and Unibet/Mohegan Sun Pocono, Nov. 12, combined with the addition of poker, spurred wagers to $316.8 million, up 58% from $200.2 million in October. Poker alone accounted for $2 million in revenue in its first month, an impressive total considering the bit part it plays in neighboring New Jersey. In all, online casinos generated $2.4 million in state taxes in November.

Rivers-Philadelphia held on to the market lead with $3.2 million in revenue on $148.7 million in bets. That was up from $2.5 million in October revenue on $85.6 million in wagers. Rivers-Philadelphia was followed by:

Penn National ($1.9 million in revenue, up from $1.8 million in October; $57.1 million in bets, up from $56.6 million)

Parx ($1.5 million in revenue, up from $610,187; $55.5 million in wagers, down from $58 million)

Mount Airy/PokerStars ($3 million in revenue; $48 million in bets)

Unibet/Mohegan Sun Pocono ($131,415 in revenue; $7.4 million in bets)

“The online casino industry is finally gaining momentum, but Pennsylvania’s tax structure has definitely slowed its development,” Gouker said. “Still, with poker showing promise, especially compared to New Jersey, and new operators coming online, Pennsylvania’s market should really begin to take off.”

For more information on the revenue generated by Pennsylvania sports betting, visit www.

playpennsylvania.com/revenue

About the

PlayUSA.com

Network:

The

PlayUSA.com

Network is a leading source for news, analysis, and research related to the market for regulated online gaming in the United States. With a presence in over a dozen states,

PlayUSA.com

and its state-focused branches (including

PlayNJ.com

and

PlayPennsylvania.com

) produce daily original reporting, publish in-depth research, and offer player advocacy tools related to the advancement of safe, licensed, and legal online gaming options for consumers. Based in Las Vegas, the PlayUSA Network is independently owned and operated, with no affiliations to any casino — commercial, tribal, online, or otherwise.

Multi-Alarm Fire in Sicklerville, One Fatality

SICKLERVILLE NJ—Thursday December 19, 2019 at approximately 2:17 PM, officers responded to a residence on the 600 block of Jarvis Road in the Sicklerville section of Gloucester Township for a fire. Upon arrival of officers, they observed heavy smoke and fire coming from the residence. One of the residents was located outside the residence suffering from burns.

Fire and EMS units from Gloucester Township, Pine Hill, Winslow, Lindenwold, Camden County OEM and Cherry Hill Rehab were on location and assisted with extinguishing the fire.

One (1) fatality was reported. A 27 year old male was transported to a local hospital for treatment for burns.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Gloucester Township Police Department Investigations Bureau, Camden County Prosecutors Office, Camden County Fire Marshal and the New Jersey State Division of Fire Service.

Two (2) families were displaced from the residence which is a duplex style home and received assistance from the American Red Cross and Gloucester Township OEM.

Dianne E. DeMore, of Brooklawn, formerly of Gloucester City

On December 18, 2019. Age 68, of Brooklawn, Formerly of Gloucester City. Born in Camden, she was the daughter of James William Hilliard. Dianne is survived by her beloved mother, Catherine (Sturgis) Hilliard; loving children, Edward DeMore, John DeMore, James DeMore (Margaret), Elizabeth Scargle (Bill), David DeMore (Dawn), Charles DeMore (Jennifer), Jessica Cutuli (Carmen) and Tammi Brewer (John). She is also survived by 22 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and her sisters, Rosemary Davis, Isabella Hilliard, and Mildred Wallace. Dianne was predeceased by her husband, Edward DeMore on July 31, 1984, and her brothers, William Hilliard, Jr., and John Hilliard.

Dianne worked for many years as a sorter with Evergreen Post Press in Bellmawr.

Funeral Services will be celebrated on Saturday, December 28

at 11 AM at McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, where family and friends may visit from 10 to 11 AM. Her urn will be buried on Thursday, January 2

at 9 AM in Union Cemetery, Gloucester City.

Condolences and memories may be shared at

www.mccannhealey.com

under the obituary of Dianne E. DeMore. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through

McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME

Ph: 856-456-1142

Frank Keith, Active in Brooklawn American Legion; Football, Baseball and Softball Coach; GCHS Alum

Francis “Frank” J. Keith

Brooklawn – On December 16, 2019. Age 57. Loving and devoted husband of 27 years to Joan Keith (nee Murphy). Loving father of Michael J. Keith and Emily E. Keith. Cherished son of the late John and Rita Keith. Beloved brother of Michael J. Keith (Addie) and the late Delores Ward (surviving Tom). Dear brother-in-law of Debbie Mason, Michael Murphy (Marie), Jerry Murphy (Sherle) and the late Peggy Ribchinsky (late Mike). Cherished son in law of Anna Murphy and the late Gerald Murphy. Also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Frank was a graduate of Gloucester Catholic High School. He worked over 25 years in transportation for Virtua Hospital of Voorhees. Frank was a proud member for over 30 years in the Sons of American Legion Squadron 72 in Brooklawn. He was a Past Squadron Commander in the Sons of the American Legion for 11 years and Squadron Adjutant for 30 years. He volunteered many years as a coach for the Gloucester City Mustangs and baseball and softball in Brooklawn.

Relatives, friends and members of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 72 are invited to his viewing on Sunday evening December 22

, from 7 to 9 PM at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. On Monday December 23

, a morning viewing will be held from 8:45 to 9:45 AM at St. Joachim

Parish, Annunciation Church, 601 W. Browning Rd., Bellmawr. Mass of Christian Burial 10 AM in the church. Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.

Memorial donations may be made to The Children\’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation, P.O. Box 781352, Philadelphia, PA 19178-1352. Please memo, Francis J. Keith.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of Francis J. Keith. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:

McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City Ph: 856-456-1142

PINE HILL POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTNERS WITH VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA

PINE HILL, NJ (Dec. 18, 2019)–Pine Hill Police Department announced this week an exciting new partnership with the Volunteers of America – Delaware Valley (VOA). The partnership is the first of its kind in Camden County, keenly focused to provide the most effective outreach to the citizens of Pine Hill through progressive policing and community services. Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer was honored to speak at the press conference in Pine Hill at which the Pine Hill Police Department and the VOA detailed their joint goal to foster stability in the lives of those we protect and serve. The partnership will feature a social services satellite office embedded within the Pine Hill Police Department in order to offer much needed services to citizens as swiftly as possible. VOA workers will also be available to assist Pine Hill Officers when they are on-site at a call. The program also includes both the Pine Hill Police Department and the VOA partnering with the school system to provide assistance to homeless families.

Released Wednesday, December 18, 2019.