*Avalon Spring Dune Grass Planting

AVALON, NJ (February 2020)–Volunteers are needed to help plant dune grass on Saturday, April 18

, 2020. Everyone is welcome to participate in this important project.

Volunteers should report to Avalon Community Hall at 30

Street and Avalon Avenue, at 8:30 am. A brief demonstration of planting will be given and specially designed utensils for planting the dune grass will be handed out. A light breakfast will be served around 9 am, in Community Hall, prior to the planting.

Please contact Chuck McDonnell at Community Hall, 609-967-3066 or Sue Keen at 609-967-5924, to sign up for the dune grass planting.

In the event of rain, the planting will be postponed until Sunday, April 19

, 2020.

Kathleen Coll (nee Gamble), of Blue Anchor, formerly of Bellmawr

Beloved wife of Stephen. Devoted mother of Stephen and the late Timothy. Survived by Alicia McHugh and her children Emma, Olivia and Mia. Loving

Kathleen Coll (nee Gamble) age 63

sister of Charlotte Connuli (Frank), Edward Gamble (Beth) and Maria Gamble. . Daughter of Edward(89)and Charlotte Gamble(87). Dear Aunt of Frankie Connuli, Jaquie Gamble, Billy Stewart, Katie Stewart, Michele Beck, Patty Ann Siligato and Mario Barel. Sister in law of Patty Ann (Jimmy) Lyons and Margaret (Jimmy) Barel.

Kathleen was a loving and dedicated Wife, Mother, and friend. She treasured her family and friends, and embraced every moment spent with them. In addition to being a kind and selfless woman, she had a vivacious personality, a contagious smile, and beauty that radiated from within. She was known for her ease in frequent conversation, and her willingness to help those in need. She enjoyed taking trips to the shore, as well as walks through the woods to enjoy the simplicity of nature.

Kathleen was also a music enthusiast which went hand-in-hand with her love for dancing and the Arts. She was an active member of The Compassionate Friends Network, and proprietor of the Tim’s Light Foundation. Throughout her life she maintained a sweet and simple demeanor that won the trust and hearts of many, who even now are being changed by her witness of constant nurturing, love, and faith. She will always be remembered for the joy she brought to all of those that knew and loved her.

There will be a viewing from 12pm to 1pm on Friday at

GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE.

Funeral Service 1pm at the funeral home.

Interment New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr.

Although flowers are welcome, donations may be made to help the family with funeral expenses.

NRA-ILA: Gun Bills Stall in Senate Committee

New Jersey:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020

SUPPORT NRA-ILA

It’s a good day in Trenton when nothing happens, and that’s exactly what occurred today. The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee failed to advance a pair of gun control bills on Monday’s agenda. A few of the committee members were absent, and those who were there couldn’t agree on the legislation.

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S.120 by Sen. James Holzapfel increases penalties on those who fail to secure firearms from minors resulting in death. New Jersey already prosecutes negligent storage, however, S.120 increases the penalty in these cases. This year’s bill at least takes into consideration an objection raised by NRA and ANJRPC in previous hearings, and provides an exception for minors who gain access for self-defense purposes. However, despite this modest improvement, we have learned that anti-gun groups and lawmakers have huddled, deciding the bill doesn’t go far enough. We obviously do not have access to forthcoming amendments, so our analysis has been confined to the original bill.

Another bill, S.746 by Sen. Vin Gopal, would prohibit those convicted of “animal cruelty” from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Clearly, animal abuse is a serious issue and offenders should be prosecuted, and New Jersey already prohibits serious animal abusers from owning firearms. However, there seemed to be a good deal of confusion about the particulars of the bill, specifically what constitutes “animal cruelty.” A consensus emerged among committee members and even a couple witnesses that the bill was overly broad, and they are going to re-examine the definition of “animal cruelty.”

Thank you to the NRA members who contacted members of the committee. Please continue to follow NRA-ILA alerts for updates on these bills and others.

For those wishing to continue to express concerns, please contact the committee members below:

Members of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee:

Linda Greenstein

(Chair) (D14)

SenGreenstein@njleg.org

Phone: 609-395-9911

Joe Cryan

(Vice Chair) (D20)

SenCryan@njleg.org

Phone: 908-624-0880

Anthony M. Bucco

(R25)

SenBucco@njleg.org

Phone: 973-627-9700

Nia H. Gill

(D34)

SenGill@njleg.org

Phone: 973-509-0388

Declan O\’Scanlon

(D13)

SenOScanlon@njleg.org

Phone: 732-933-1591

Nick Sacco

(D32)

SenSacco

njleg.org

Phone: 201-295-0200

Gloucester County Republicans Announce Endorsements

Vigilante predicts electoral success in 2020

MULLICA HILL – Gloucester County Republican Chairwoman Jacci Vigilante announced today the organization has endorsed Rik Mehta for U.S. Senate, Congressman Jeff Van Drew in the Second Congressional District and Claire Gustafson in the First Congressional District.

“In the US Senate race, after a thorough screening process through a Screening Committee, whose recommendations were made to the Executive Committee, Rik Mehta was awarded the Party line,” Jacci Vigilante said. “The thoroughness of our screening process ensured the Executive Committee that Rik Mehta is a conservative Republican with a keen grasp of the issues who is ready to take the fight to Cory Booker.”

Vigilante continued, “Also earning the party’s endorsement for the Second Congressional District is incumbent Congressman Jeff Van Drew. The Congressman is an excellent addition to our GOP family who cares deeply for our country and is a tireless advocate for South Jersey. Gloucester County GOP is proud to join President Trump in endorsing Congressman Van Drew.

“In the First Congressional District Claire Gustafson has earned the party’s endorsement. Claire has a history of stepping up for the Camden County GOP, is a former member of the School Board in Collingswood, is the Collingswood Republican chair and most recently resurrected Camden County’s Republican women organization. She’s got the experience and the ability to build the organization necessary to mount a competitive campaign against Donald Norcross.”

Vigilante added, “Both, Congressman Van Drew and Claire Gustafson care about our county and respect our process, so much so that while no other candidates for Congress in either district asked to be screened they both appeared before the Screening Committee because they wanted to earn our endorsement and not simply be given the line.”

“President Trump won Gloucester County in 2016 and Bob Hugin won Gloucester County in 2018, I believe in 2020 these candidates, along with our team of Freeholder candidates, Greenwich Township Mayor George Shivery, entrepreneur Chris Konawel and Franklin Township School Board member Nick DeSilvio will keep voters in the column all the way down to the municipal level and Gloucester County Republicans will enjoy electoral success in 2020,” Vigilante said.

Detectives Searching for Suspect Involved in Two Collingswood Burglaries

Camden City, N.J. (February 25, 2020)–– Detectives are searching for a man believed to be involved in two separate Collingswood burglaries Feb 22, according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and Collingswood Police Chief Kevin Carey.

Surveillance footage from Virginia Avenue

Just before 11 a.m. Saturday, a victim arrived at their home on the 400 block of Virginia Avenue to find a man inside. Detectives said he told the victim to get on the ground before he left. Police learned surveillance cameras outside of the home captured him leaving wearing a distinct shirt underneath a black sweatshirt.

Through the investigation, detectives found video of a man entering CVS on the White Horse Pike not long after the burglary. In the video, the man was wearing a multicolored zip-up with a shirt underneath that matched the shirt from the burglary.

Later the same day, the man is captured on a Ring doorbell camera breaking into a home on the 400 block of Champion Avenue around 12:30 p.m. In the video, the man is wearing the same multicolored zip-up from the CVS footage.

Footage from a inside home on the 400 block of Champion Avenue

Footage from a home on the 400 block of Champion Avenue

Investigators are looking into these two cases together, but said it’s unclear if this man has any involvement with the Feb. 23 home invasion on Crestmont Terrace.

If you have any information that could help identify the man seen in the surveillance footage, contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Mike Batista at 856-676-8175 or Collingswood Sgt. William Lyons at 609-868-0266.

Tips may also be emailed to

ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org

South Jersey Regional 2020 Scholastic Art Award Recipients

290 Young Artists from South Jersey Recognized by Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus for 588 Original Works.

Elmer, New Jersey – Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus has announced the regional award recipients of the 2020 Scholastic Art Awards. Presented by the nonprofit organization the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the

97th Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the country\’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7-12. More than 111,000 teens submitted their best art and writing in more than 100 regions across the country. Out of 612 creative teens from Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem Counties in the South Jersey Region, 290 received regional honors, including Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, or American Visions & Voices nominations:

In celebration of this year’s regional recipients, Appel Farm is hosting The 2020 South Jersey Scholastic Art Award Ceremony at Appel

Farm Arts & Music Campus in Elmer, NJ on on Friday, March 6, from 7:00-8:30 PM.

Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students and include a distinguished list of alumni including Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol, all of whom received recognition in the Awards when they were teens.

For Gold Key works of art and writing in the Awards’ 29 categories, including architecture, painting, flash fiction, poetry, printmaking, video game design, and more, the opportunities for recognition will continue when the works are adjudicated again on a national level by a panel of leading creative professionals. National Gold Medalists will be announced in March 2020 and will be honored during a special awards ceremony at the world-famous Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 4, 2020. All National Medalists are eligible for a wealth of additional opportunities, such as inclusion in the Art.Write.Now.Tour traveling exhibition, and in the The Best Teen Art and The Best Teen Writing anthologies. National Medalist poets are considered for the National Student Poets Program, the nation’s highest honor for young poets presenting original work.

“Appel Farm is thrilled to partner with schools to shine a light on their creative teens, offering this unique opportunity to share their talent on a national level. We view the arts as basic to education and our Arts in Schools programs are making this vision a reality.” – Kristina Hill, Arts Integration and STEAM Education Director, Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus

National Sponsors: The Alliance is grateful for its generous sponsors, who provide funds to support and produce the Scholastic Awards at the national level: Scholastic Inc., The Maurice R. Robinson Fund, New York Life Foundation, Command Companies, The New York Times, Blick Art Materials & Utrecht Art Supplies, The Herb Block Foundation, Golden Artist Colors, Bloomberg Philanthropies, National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and for the National Student Poets Program, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Poetry Foundation, and The Wunderkinder Foundation. The Alliance also expresses its gratitude to numerous other individuals, foundations, and corporations for their support. For more information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit the Scholastic News Room:

http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting

Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus: Since 1960, Appel Farm Arts and Music Campus has provided transformative arts and learning experiences, and has emerged as the arts education leader in South Jersey. Arts education programs on our campus at Appel Farm, in the schools, and in the community are raising the bar of arts education for children and families in our community. Appel Farm provides people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive, cooperative environment in which to explore the fine and performing arts.

NJBIA Speaks Out on the Proposed Permanent Corporate Business Tax Rate Increase

NJBIA President and CEO Michele N. Siekerka issued the following statement opposing today\’s proposal for a permanent increase on New Jersey\’s corporate business tax rate as a dedicated funding source for New Jersey Transit.

\”NJBIA supports the concept of responsibly dedicating funds to infrastructure and the priority of making improvements at NJ TRANSIT. But we do not need more revenue raisers to do it.

\”While we understand the need to prioritize improvements at NJ TRANSIT, today\’s call for a permanent increase on New Jersey\’s corporate business tax is very discouraging and it will greatly impact our largest employers who have already provided historic revenue to the state over the past year. Its permanence will also serve as yet another deterrent for any corporation looking to relocate here.

\”More disappointingly, our policymakers continue to only target solutions to our challenges through more taxation and spending, rather than the comprehensive reforms we have been calling for. In fact, we would not need to consider tax increases today if our policymakers acted on the Path to Progress structural reforms.

\”That we continue to seek to bring more tax burden to our businesses and residents during a time of dramatic revenue over-performance, and not act on proposed reforms to fix what is fiscally and structurally broken in New Jersey, is confounding. These reforms need to get done. We cannot tax ourselves out of these challenges.\”

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

Coming This Sunday, March 1, Saint Mary\’s Parish/Gloucester City Irish Parade

Monsignor Bill Hodge performing the Mummers Strut in front of St. Mary\’s Church, 426 Monmouth Street.

(2018 photo by Gus Danks)

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ –Monsignor William Hodge, Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Gloucester City, along with Charlie Kain, President of the New Jersey Irish Society, and Mayor Dan Spencer remind residents that the Fifth Annual St. Mary Parish St. Patrick’s Parade will be held this coming Sunday, March 1, at 1:00 PM sharp.

THERE IS NO RAIN/SNOW DATE.

Registration is now open for all organizations, clubs, Irish groups, dancers, churches, businesses, and all who would like to march and participate in this festive parade and day of events. We welcome all towns and groups from all over the Delaware Valley to participate, so spread the word! Registration forms are available at the St. Mary Rectory office from 9-3 pm, Monday to Friday or by calling 856.456.0052. The registration fee is $25.

The parade will take the same route as last year, forming and staging at the Martin’s Lake area, marching on Johnson Blvd. to Monmouth Street, up Monmouth Street to King, and dispersing at the former Coast Guard Base parking lot.

The parade includes the award-winning Champions of the 2020 Mummers Parade the South Philadelphia String Band along with their First Prize Champion Captain Denny Palandro. Also the Quaker City, Fralinger, Woodland, Avalon, Duffy, Durning String Bands, along with the Gloucester City String Band. Pipes and Drum Bands include the Camden County Emerald Society, the Second Street Emerald Society, and the Atlantic City Sandpipers Band. The Broken Shillelaghs, The Misty Dewers, Irish Dance Groups, and don’t forget the Two Street Stompers and many, many more…………

Fox29 TV News Celebrity Grand Marshall Bob Kelly will be here to march in the parade and do some MC duties and participate in some Irish shenanigans! Look for a JAMO with Bob Kelly.

Ed Beckett, a longtime educator, and Principal at Gloucester Catholic High School is this year’s Grand Marshall of our parade. Congratulations Ed and well deserved. We look forward to a big showing from the Gloucester Catholic Family and Alumni marching with Mr. Beckett in the parade.

Gloucester City’s own radio disc jockey Kathy Townsend Suckiel from the B101.1 radio station will be here along with the B101 mascot; Buzzbee!

The parade is the brainchild of Monsignor Bill Hodge (photo above) with Grand Marshal Bishop Dennis Sullivan at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2016. The Monsignor and Bishop are looking forward to seeing everyone again this year along the parade route. (image courtesy of South Jersey Observer)

For further information please contact Dan Spencer at 856.456.0052

The Perfect Combo –

Gloucester City Irish Parade 2018 Photo Album

published Gloucestercitynews.net

Visit Philadelphia & Megabus Offer $2.29 Fare to Philly on Leap Day

Visitors Can See The Flower Show, Celebrate Black History Month & More on February 29 & March 1, 2020

Saturday, February 29, 2020 is Leap Day, and to celebrate the once-every-four-years occasion, VISIT PHILADELPHIA

has partnered with Megabus to

offer $2.29 fares from New York and Washington, DC to Philadelphia. A limited number of $2.29 fares will also be available for departures from Philadelphia on Sunday, March 1, 2020. The deal is bookable

here

Those who take advantage of the offer can partake in the expected (Liberty Bell, cheesesteaks, Rocky steps) and the unexpected (public art, breweries galore, tax-free clothing shopping) fun in Philadelphia. They can:

Celebrate the last day of

Black History Month

at the African American Museum in Philadelphia at Belmont Mansion, Johnson House Historic Site, Mother Bethel A.M.E. and National Marian Anderson Museum, to name a few.

Enjoy the first day of

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

See

Hello Dolly!

at the Academy of Music.

Experience the Selma and suffrage exhibits at the

Brandywine Museum of Art

Spend the night in Philadelphia by booking the perks-packed

Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

More trip ideas for Leap Day and every day are available at

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

VISIT PHILADELPHIA

is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog,

visitphilly.com

and

uwishunu.com

, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

Northern State Prison Correctional Officer Sentenced for Smuggling Fentanyl/Marijuana to Inmate

TRENTON –Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a former senior correctional police officer at Northern State Prison in Newark, N.J., was sentenced to prison today for smuggling fentanyl and marijuana to an inmate in the prison in exchange for money.

Roberto Reyes-Jackson, 31, of Irvington, N.J., was sentenced to four years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Verna G. Leath in Essex County. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 10, 2019 to conspiracy to commit official misconduct. He forfeited his job as a result of his guilty plea and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.

Deputy Attorney General Samantha McCluskey prosecuted the case and handled the sentencing for the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). Reyes-Jackson was indicted in 2017 in an investigation by OPIA and the Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division.

The state’s investigation revealed that between September and December 2016, Reyes-Jackson smuggled multiple single-dose wax folds of a powder compound laced with fentanyl to inmate Aaron Copeland. He also smuggled a small amount of marijuana to Copeland. The smuggling came to light in December 2016, when prison staff discovered a bag of marijuana in Copeland’s cell and two wax folds of fentanyl. A full search of the cell revealed additional marijuana and fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Reyes-Jackson accepted hundreds of dollars in bribes from Copeland’s girlfriend, Tyeesha Powell, to smuggle drugs into the prison. Copeland, in turn, distributed the drugs to other inmates, who paid him by having friends or relatives outside the prison wire money to Powell.

“By agreeing to smuggle fentanyl to an inmate in Northern State Prison, Reyes-Jackson put lives at risk,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Fentanyl is so potent that minute amounts can result in overdose and death. This prison sentence holds Reyes-Jackson accountable for betraying his duty and callously disregarding the safety and welfare of his fellow officers as well as inmates in the prison.”

“When a correction officer conspires with an inmate to break the law, it poses a grave threat to safety and security in the prison, particularly when a dangerous drug like fentanyl is involved,” said Director Thomas Eicher of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. “We will continue to work closely with the Department of Corrections to ensure that any officer who corruptly compromises safety in a correctional facility is aggressively investigated and prosecuted.”

“We have an uncompromising commitment to ensuring safety in our facilities and a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who violates that safety,” said New Jersey Department of Corrections Commissioner Marcus O. Hicks, Esq. “The overwhelming majority of the New Jersey Department of Corrections staff operate with integrity. Those who do not must be held accountable for their actions.”

Copeland, 31, of Newark, pleaded guilty previously to a charge of distribution of fentanyl and faces a recommended sentence of three years in prison, including one year of parole ineligibility, to run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving. Powell, 34, of Pleasantville, N.J., pleaded guilty previously to distribution of fentanyl and faces a recommended sentence of probation. They are awaiting sentencing.

Former Deputy Attorney General Peter Baker presented the case to the state grand jury. Attorney General Grewal commended all of the investigators, detectives and attorneys who conducted the investigation for the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability and the Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division. Senior Investigator Patrick Sesulka and Deputy Chief Investigator Edward Soltys conducted the investigation for the Department of Corrections.