Category: SOUTH JERSEY

State of New Jersey Diverts Tax Dollars Allocated to 911 System Improvements

By Emily S. Moore |

The Center Square

A decade ago, a fee was placed on every New Jersey resident’s phone bill to be allocated to improving the state’s out-of-date 911 system.

However, only 10 to 15 percent of those funds is used to upgrade the three state-operated 911 centers, John G. Donnadio, executive director of the New Jersey Association of Counties, said in an interview with The Center Square.

“The 197 or so the county and municipal 911 centers have not received any funding from the state during this time and have been forced to rely on the use of local property taxpayer dollars to fund 911 system upgrades,” he said.

The funds, instead, have been diverted for general operating expenses at the Department of Law and Public Safety. The diversions prohibit New Jersey from applying for millions of dollars in grants from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to upgrade 911 systems.

Donnadio said the solution to improving New Jersey’s 911 system is a technology called Next Generation 911 (NexGen 911).

“All 911 centers (public safety answering points) across the country must enhance their systems with NextGen 911 technology, which is an upgrade from analog to digital or Internet Protocol (IP) technologies,” he said.

The current system dates to the 1980s and can give incorrect location data and have trouble locating cell phone callers.

The Federal Trade Commission reported that NextGen 911 could save more than 10,000 lives annually if implemented nationwide.

In New Jersey, the 90-cent tax on phone bills was implemented in 2004 by the state Legislature to upgrade the 911 system, bringing in an average of $124 million a year.

In January, state officials held a news conference in Trenton to ask for diversions of funds that should be used for 911 system improvements to stop.

“That money has ended up in the black hole of the state budget,” Sen. Michael Testa, R-Vineland, said

in an interview

with

NJ.com

. “It’s long past time for the state to do the right thing.”

published by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

Survey shows majority of Delawareans say it is time to act on Climate Change

DOVER, Del. – With public input sessions beginning next week to create Delaware’s plan to mitigate, adapt and respond to climate change, most Delawareans believe climate change and sea level rise are happening, and a majority say the state should act now to address both issues,

according to a survey commissioned by DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal & Energy

.

Residents surveyed also support a range of key strategies to reduce climate change and respond to rising sea levels. The survey, supervised by the

University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication

, was conducted in late 2019 by Standage Market Research with the results announced today by DNREC.

On

March 3

,

4

and

5

, public input sessions will be held to provide an opportunity for Delawareans to learn more about how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and better prepare the state for climate impacts. Workshop attendees will also have a chance to provide their thoughts on choices the state can make to more effectively take action on climate change. These workshops are the start of public interaction in creating Delaware’s Climate Action Plan, which will review what’s being done in Delaware to reduce the impacts of climate change that the state already is experiencing, such as sea level rise and increased flooding in some areas, and to provide a comprehensive “road map” of steps to help mitigate those impacts on Delaware communities.

“More and more Delawareans are experiencing the impacts that climate change and sea level rise are having on our state, and this survey shows they support actions to reduce this growing threat,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The next step for Delawareans is to take part in conversations to help Delaware decide where and how we must act.”

The key findings of the survey include:

Delawareans believe in climate change

. Three in 4 Delawareans (77 percent) are completely or mostly convinced that climate change is occurring, and 70 percent say the state should take immediate action to reduce its impact. Almost as many (71 percent) are completely or mostly convinced that sea level rise is happening, and almost two-thirds (63 percent) say we should take immediate action to reduce its impacts.

More Delawareans have personally experienced or observed local impacts of climate change

. Fifty-six percent report personal experience with the impacts of climate change, compared to 53 percent from a 2014 survey sponsored by DNREC. Meanwhile, a growing proportion of Delawareans (47 percent) now say they have personally experienced sea level rise. That figure represents a 19-point increase from the 2014 climate survey (28 percent) and a 25-point increase from a 2009 survey conducted by Responsive Management (22 percent).

Delawareans are concerned about the future of climate change

. A combined 56 percent of Delawareans think climate change will personally harm them a great deal (21 percent) or a moderate amount (35 percent). That grows to a combined 77 percent when respondents were asked if they think climate change will harm future generations a great deal (61 percent) or a moderate amount (16 percent).

“Future generations will judge us based upon the actions we take today,” Secretary Garvin said. “Failure to take action now increasingly locks us into a future with increased flooding, more intense heat waves and threats to our quality of life.”

Standage Market Research interviewed a representative sample of 1,126 registered Delaware voters for the study either by telephone (601 respondents) or online (525 respondents). Interviewees were selected through random sampling. Statistical results are weighted by demographic factors to reflect population values. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is ± 2.9 percentage points.

A full report of the survey results will be released in March.

Three Climate Action Plan public input sessions are planned next week, one in each county, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. each evening. The first session will take place Tuesday, March 3, at the CHEER Community Center, 20520 Sand Hill Road, Georgetown. The session will move to the Wilmington Public Library, 10 East 10

th

Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, on Wednesday, March 4, and a final session will take place Thursday, March 5, at Del Tech’s Del-One Conference Center, 100 Campus Drive, Dover, DE 19901.

View the complete summary report of the climate perceptions survey at

de.gov/climatesurvey

.

About DNREC

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The Division of Climate, Coastal & Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware\’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the

website

and connect with @DNREC on

Facebook

,

Twitter

or

LinkedIn

.

Tips to Help Your Gloucester City Business Stand Out from the Competition

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 27, 2020)–It has been shown that 86% of people in the US trust small businesses, but the same cannot be said for large businesses, as only 55% of people trust them. This means that small businesses are more likely to be

successful than large companies.

Competition for customers is greater than it’s ever been, so how can you stand out from your competitors? One thing is certain – you shouldn’t be using the same marketing strategies as your close competitors. Instead, you need to change your approach and transform your brand into one that stands out from your competitors. Follow these tips to stand out from the crowd and succeed in Gloucester City’s competitive market:

Provide Amazing Products and Services

To stand out from your competition, you need to offer something that your competitors are not. 74% of customers in the US said that they listen to word of mouth before making a decision on which business to use or visit.

Word of mouth is one of the most important lead generators for businesses

.

A great logo and outstanding branding will also play a role in how successful your business is but if your product doesn’t leave a great impression on your customers then you might not get repeat custom.

Define Your Brand

Once you know your product or service is out of this world, you need to start working on improving your brand image. Businesses in Gloucester City need much more than smart merchandising and eye-catching logos in order to stand out.

Instead, you need to find a way to be different from your competition. Millions of other companies around the world will be offering similar products or services to you, so you need to find a way to show potential clients why they should use you instead.

Branding can take some time to get right, but it’s important to go the extra mile and do the things that others aren’t willing to do. One way to do this is to provide your employees with

personalised workwear

which they can wear to and from work. This will increase the number of people who see your brand logo and enquire about your business.

Target Your Market Effectively

Trying to appeal to a large audience might not be the best idea for a new business. Instead, you should target specific groups of people who will be interested in the products or services you’re offering. This way you’re more likely to get positive reviews and people are more likely to come back for another visit.

Once you

know who your target market is

and you understand who is most likely to benefit from your products and services, you\’ll be able to attract more customers, charge more for the products and services you’re offering, and class yourself as an expert. Start on a small scale and slowly increase your customer base.

If your business has been operating for a number of years, then the chances are that you’re already using some of these tips to market your business successfully. These strategies are easy to follow, but they can produce results if followed correctly. Many small businesses in Gloucester City have failed because they’ve not effectively marketed their business. Don’t follow in their footprints; instead, stand out from your competitors and dominate your niche!

image courtesy of unsplash.com

*Pine Hill PD Accepting Applications for Police Officer and SLEOII

PINE HILL, NJ (February 27, 2020)–The Pine Hill Police Department is

initiating the recruitment process for the positions of Police Officer and SLEOII.  The Department is currently seeking to establish an eligibility list for current and future vacancies within our agency with energetic, dedicated and hardworking individuals who are currently PTC certified Police Officers or are in the process of obtaining their certification.  PTC certified SLEOII Officers who are within three years of their certification date and capable of obtaining a PTC waiver for Police Officer will also be eligible for consideration.

The Pine Hill Police Department is a proactive police agency, with members who are dedicated to fulfilling the community’s expectations of professional and community oriented police services.  Currently the Pine Hill Police Department has twenty-two sworn full-time officers with specialized units including; Detectives, Police K-9, Special Response Team, Critical Incident Negotiations, LEAD and Task Force Officers.   The Pine Hill Police Department provides comprehensive and proactive police training covering all aspects of modern policing.

The Pine Hill Police Department will be accepting Module I Applications and resumes from interested candidates from 8:00AM on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 until 4:00PM on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Module I Applications may be obtained at the Pine Hill Police Administration Building or by email request to

confidential@pinehillpd.com

.

Interested candidates are required to provide upon submission of the Module I Application and resume; a copy of their BCPO or SLEOII PTC certificate, and a copy of their valid photo identification.

Module I Applications, resumes, and required documents will be accepted at the Pine Hill Police Administration Building between the hours of 8:00AM and 4:00PM or by email to

confidential@pinehillpd.com

during the same time period.

Candidates must be able pass the following;

Physical Ability Test

Oral Interview

Medical Examination

Psychological Examination

Drug Screening

Background Investigation

It is the policy of the Borough of Pine Hill to assure equal employment opportunity to its employees and applicants for employment on the basis of fitness and merit without regard to race, color, religion,

national origin, political affiliation, handicap, sex, age, or sexual or affectional orientation except where age is a bona fide occupational qualification.

Address/Location

Pine Hill Police Department

48 West 6th Avenue

Pine Hill, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-783-1549

Helen E. Comber (nee Karschies) of Runnemede

Helen E. Comber (nee Karschies) of Runnemede, formerly of Barrington. Age 84.

Beloved wife of the late Richard Sr. Devoted mother of the Richard Jr. (Betsy), Frank (Diane), Mark (Barbie) and Helene (Matthew). Loving grandmother of 17 and great grandmother of 9. Dear sister of Hildegard Lipschutz and Elizabeth Gilles. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

There will be a visitation from 9am to 11am Monday morning at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE.

Memorial Service 11am at the funeral home.

Inurnment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.

Donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Things to do Today…Visit Sinfully Sweets, Atco

Related:

Former Gloucester City Resident Opens Sinfully Sweets Candy Store

2/21 -3/13

RELATED:

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

Mega Millions Jackpot Rolls To $60,000,000

Thousands of New Jersey Players Win Prizes

TRENTON (Feb. 26, 2020) – The Mega Millions jackpot has rolled to $60 million! James Carey, New Jersey Lottery executive director, announced that in the Tuesday, Feb. 25,

drawing, 12 players matched four of the five white balls drawn making each ticket worth $500. One of those tickets was purchased with the Megaplier option, multiplying the prize to $1,000. Moreover, 21,582 other New Jersey players took home $80,864 in prizes ranging from $2 to $400, according to Carey. The winning numbers for the Tuesday, Feb. 25, drawing were: 02, 09, 43, 49, and 63. The Gold Mega Ball was 15, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 02.

The next drawing will be held Friday, Feb. 28, at 11:00 pm. All New Jersey Lottery Mega Millions tickets must be purchased before 10:45 pm to participate in the drawing. Mega Millions tickets cost just two dollars; by adding the Megaplier option for an extra dollar per play, players can increase their non- jackpot winnings up to five times. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 46 participating jurisdictions. Drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays.

*The DOT Organization Town Hall Meeting

The DOT organization is collaborating with the Camden County College 21st Century Scholars Program to offer the community a platform to discuss and

click image to enlarge

strengthen political concerns. It has been proven that the best way healing can take place is to educate and inform all involved. The meeting will cover:

Speak on current political issues affecting the community

Steps to be taken to motivate and energize the community

Send concerns from the communities to Washington

Registration to vote

2020 Census Information

Camden County College, Blackwood Campus

200 College Drive, Gloucester Township, NJ, 08012, United States

Thursday, Mar 26th, 2020 @ 6:00 pm

–

9:00 pm

*Comedy Night Beef & Beer April 3

The purpose of the Camden County Hero Scholarship and Camden County Detective\’s Association is to render financial and educational assistance to the surviving spouse and children who are left with little or no support, when a law enforcement officer, firefighter or emergency medical person loses his/her life or is totally and permanently disabled in the line of duty.

https://www.camdencountyhero.com

Obituary: Elizabeth Hiddeman, of Stratford

Stratford –  On February 17, 2020. Age 96. Services and Burial will be private.

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

McCANN–HEALEY FUNERAL HOME,

Gloucester City Ph: 856-456-1142