Category: SOUTH JERSEY

New Law Will Require Developers To Pay Towards Transit Improvements

(Trenton, NJ)(February 13, 2020)–Today, the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee released S368 (Cryan/Weinberg). The bill permits municipalities to require developers to make contributions for mass transit improvements.

“This legislation is important because it will make sure developers pay their fair share of mass transit costs associated with new developments. New developments create more demand on mass transit systems, and create more traffic in the area. New Jersey is one of the most densely populated states in the country, and we have some of the worst air quality in the nation,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Developers should be required to help offset the burden that their developments put on mass transit.”

New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, with 1,213 people per square mile. New Jersey has been waiting to see improvements for many different transportation routes. For example, the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail has been waiting over a decade for an extension in Bergen County. Other routes waiting for improvements and expansions include the Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex (MOM) Line, the West Trenton Line, and the Northern Branch Corridor.

“Developers are getting a free ride. They are letting taxpayers pick up the tab for mass transit improvements associated with their developments. What’s even worse is that when developers build near mass transit, especially rail and light rail, their property values go up dramatically. They can sell housing units and rental properties at much higher rates, especially when they are next to new or improved transit systems. There are many transit lines that are waiting for improvements, like the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Line, the Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line, the SJ Line, and many more, that developers are already benefiting from,” said Jeff Tittel. “Some of the profit that these developers are benefiting from should be captured back to help pay for improvements to these bus, rail, and light rail systems.”

Some states and cities use Transportation Development Districts to help generate revenue to pay for the costs of transportation infrastructure improvements in and around new developments. Some cities use value-added tax (VAT) to help compensate for increased property values.

“This is a step in the right direction, but we need to do more. We should be expanding Transportation Development Districts, or TDDs, as a way to capture more funding based on enhanced property values. These TDDs help coordinate and finance transportation infrastructure improvements. We should also have a value-added tax, like in L.A., San Francisco, and other cities. These taxes assess a benefit based on the increase in property values for developments near transportation, and benefits for developing transit villages,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “This legislation will make sure developers pay their share for mass transit improvements near their properties. Commuters and taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill.”

William A. Quandt of Oaklyn, age 51

William A.

Quandt

, 51

of

Oaklyn

, NJ passed away on February

1

2, 2020,

at his residence

.

Born in Point Pleasant, NJ, he was the son of

Ann (

Parisi

)

Fillipone

(Frank)

and the late Willia

m

Quandt

.

William is survived by his wife, Kathryn (Cutler)

Quandt

; children, Ethan W,

Quandt

, Benjamin P.

Quandt

and Hannah K.

Quandt

; brother, Shaw

Quandt

; niece,

Sydnee

Quandt

and

nephews, Nicholas and Alexander

Quandt

. He was also predeceased by his nephew, Joshua

Quandt

.

William

worked

as a carpenter for PBR NJ Inc. in Haddon Heights.

Relatives and friends are invited to h

is

vi

sitation

on Tu

esday

, February

18

th, from

1

to

2

PM

at

the

McCANN

-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. Interment will be private.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of

William A.

Quandt

. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:

McCANN

–HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City Ph

:856

-456-1142

NJBIA Supporting Youth Wage Tax Credit Bill

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association is supporting legislation heard in the Senate Labor Committee today that would provide tax credits to employers who hire

workers under 18 years old.

The bill, S-718, is designed to help mitigate the impacts of youth hiring following the signing of New Jersey\’s $15-an-hour minimum wage law signed last year.

\”One of the unintended consequences of increasing the minimum wage so dramatically is an expected decrease in the employment of high school students,\” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele N. Siekerka, Esq. \”Our members have told us that as the minimum wage increases, they will be less likely to hire youth workers with limited skills or less experience.

\”Without this legislation, many young workers will have challenges attaining that after-school or summer-vacation work experience that has helped set so many of us on our way in the workforce,\” Siekerka said. \”This bill would make it more feasible for an employer to hire someone under age 18.\”

Specifically, the bill provides an employer with a refundable tax credit against the corporation business tax or the gross income tax, as applicable, for the extra wages and payroll taxes paid to a worker under age 18.

The bill is one of several measures NJBIA is advocating for to help mitigate the negative effects of the minimum wage increase. Others include an \”economic off ramp\” to suspend minimum wage increases in a severe recession or after a natural disaster, providing tax credits to businesses with 10 or fewer employees, and a requirement to study the impact of the minimum wage increase on the economy.

Johnathan Mergentha, of Concord, NC; formerly of Gloucester City, age 19

Johnathan Mergentha

Suddenly on February 3, 2020, of Concord, NC; formerly of Gloucester City, NJ.  Age 19 years.

Beloved son of Echo and Kevin Mergenthal.  Loving brother of Christopher Koloski, Miranda Koloski, Robert, Ava and Emily Mergenthal.  Dear grandson of Mabel and Karl Sherrer, Mimi Gloria Domina and the late Mona and Edward Mergenthal.  He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, dear friends: Tyler Mahoney and Troy Mikoski and his bird, Morty.

Johnathan was a former student at Gloucester City High School and a 2018 graduate of J.M. Robinson High School in Concord, NC.  He was currently studying Bioengineering at R.C.C.C.  Johnathan excelled in school, earning top honors in multiple Microsoft Certifications, winning the state championship on his Vex Robotics team and graduating with honors.  He enjoyed spending time with his family in various activities including family game nights and trips back to New Jersey.  Johnathan loved his pet cockatoo, Morty, and had a love of animals in general.  He was known for his quick, dark humor and practical jokes, even becoming ordained as a minister so he could buy \”Jesus wafers\” to overcome everyday challenges in life.  He loved making people smile and laugh and loved his family and friends.

Funeral services were held Feb. 10 at the FOSTER-WARNE FUNERAL HOME, 820 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, NJ.  Interment will be private.

On-Site Assessment of the Mantua Police Dept.

PUBLIC NOTICE

MANTUA TOWNSHIP, NJ (February 13, 2020)–The Mantua Township Police Department is scheduled for an on-site assessment as part of its program to achieve accreditation by verifying that it meets recognized professional best practices.

Administered by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, the accreditation program requires agencies to comply with best practice standards in five basic areas: the administrative function, the personnel function, the operations function, the investigative function, and the arrestee/detainee function.

Agency employees and the public are invited to offer comments by calling 856-468-1920, option 2, on Monday, March 2, 2020 between the hours of 10:00am and 11:00am. Comments will be taken by the Assessment Team. Email comments can be sent to the police department at

mantuapd@mantuatownship.com

.

Telephone comments are limited to 5 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards. A copy of the standards is available for inspection at the Mantua Township Police Department, 405 Main Street Mantua, NJ 08051. Please contact Lt. Shaun Butler at 856-468-1920 ext. 1546 for more information.

Anyone wishing to submit written comments about the Mantua Township Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation may send them by email to Harry J Delgado, Ed.S Accreditation Program Director,

hdelgado@njsacop.org

, or write to the New Jersey State Association of Chief’s of Police, Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 751 Route 73 North, Suite 12, Marlton, N.J. 08053.

Address/Location

Mantua Twp. Police Department, NJ

405 Main Street

Mantua, NJ 08051

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-468-1920

TRUMP VISITS WILDWOOD

WILDWOOD, NJ (February 14, 2020)(CNBNews.net)–Local resident Scott MacAdams (above) was in Wildwood for the Trump Rally on January 28.  He writes, \”We were in line for 10 grueling hours, and still didn\’t get in and ended up watching on one of the Jumbotrons.  It was a totally awesome day, and we met tons of great \’Deplorables\’. Here are some photos taken that day, please share them with your readers.\”

RELATED

Wildwood Boardwalk Taken Over by Trump Backers

Democrats Holding Event in Cape May to Counter Trump Rally in Wildwood

photos by Scott MacAdams

Burlington County Operation Helping Hand Program Expanded Services

Defendants with offenses related to drug use will be offered treatment services

MT. HOLLY, NJ (February 13, 2020)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that the Burlington County Operation Helping Hand program has expanded services into the municipal court that

serves Burlington City and Burlington Township, with outreach and treatment options being offered to those arrested on nonviolent offenses related to their drug use.

In partnership with the Burlington Township Police Department, the City of Burlington Police Department, and Solstice Counseling and Wellness Center (“Solstice”), the County Prosecutor’s Municipal Court Diversion Initiative (MCDI) seeks to provide intervention to those arrested for drug-related disorderly persons offenses or petty disorderly persons offenses by presenting the opportunity to enter treatment and have their court matter adjourned for a period of time.

At the successful conclusion of treatment, the defendant will return to court to face the charges, hopefully on the path to recovery so that the municipal prosecutor and municipal judge can consider their progress when determining the appropriate disposition or sentence in the case.

“We will continue to explore different options to provide support and assistance to people struggling with addiction,” Prosecutor Coffina said. “Being arrested puts one at a crossroads, and through the MCDI, we will present the opportunity for a person struggling with substance use to start down the road to recovery. We cannot relent in this effort if we hope to conquer this horrific opioid epidemic, which continues to destroy so many lives.”

Prosecutor Coffina emphasized that the MCDI is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, and

enrolling in a treatment program is no guarantee that the charges will be dropped or reduced. However, the municipal prosecutor and judge will give consideration to program participants who make a good-faith effort to pursue treatment, participate in counseling and embrace the recovery process. Assessments, referrals to an appropriate treatment program for each participant, and assistance with aftercare will be provided by Solstice.

The MCDI program is focused specifically on defendants charged with nonviolent offenses in municipal court. Eligible defendants must be referred by a police officer from the City of Burlington or Burlington Township police departments, or by the municipal prosecutor who prosecutes cases in the joint municipal court.

“We are grateful to Burlington County Assignment Judge Jeanne T. Covert, Municipal Court Presiding Judge Dennis McInerney, Municipal Prosecutor Dan Gee, Burlington Township Public Safety Director Bruce Painter, and City of Burlington Police Chief John Fine for their enthusiastic support of this initiative,” Prosecutor Coffina added. “We look forward to working with them and their agencies to offer help to people whose offenses are driven by addiction rather than malice, while still holding them accountable for their actions.”

more…

Page 2

This is the third round of Operation Helping Hand that has been launched in Burlington County by the Prosecutor’s Office. During May and August last year, recovery specialists responded to calls around the clock from local police officers to offer support and access to treatment to individuals soon after they had been revived with naloxone following an overdose, were arrested or were simply struggling with addiction.

The pilot MCDI is expected to run through at least August 2020. In addition, this month the Prosecutor’s Office and law enforcement agencies throughout Burlington County are again making recovery specialists available on a 24/7 basis to anyone they believe could benefit from substance abuse treatment or counseling. This initiative, in partnership with the nonprofit City of Angels, will run throughout the month of February, and be reprised in May and July 2020.

Last year, City of Angels recovery specialists had a greater than 80% success rate in having people agree to recovery coaching, and ultimately, over 33% of the people with whom this connection was made went into treatment.

Operation Helping Hand is a law enforcement-initiated outreach program funded through grants from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and administered by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. The Prosecutor’s current Operation Helping Hand program also includes recovery coach training (see here for more information), a veteran’s initiative, and support for the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department’s Hope One mobile outreach program and the County’s forthcoming recovery resource center, which is expected to open in the summer.

Operation Helping Hand is one of three BCPO initiatives aimed at combatting the opioid epidemic.

Operation Safe Overnight, which began in November 2018, focuses on saving lives and increasing enforcement activity at hotels and motels that have experienced overdoses and drug-related criminal activity. Through this program, with the support of Virtua Health, the BCPO has provided Narcan to county hotels and has also trained hotel employees how to use it to reverse an overdose and save a person’s life.

Straight … to Treatment is a program that allows people to walk off the street and into police stations in three municipalities to seek treatment for drug addiction, regardless of whether they are insured or live in Burlington County.

The Straight … to Treatment program began in Evesham Township in early 2018, expanded to Pemberton Township in September 2018, and to the City of Burlington in April 2019. It has helped connect over 200 people to treatment so far.

Straight … to Treatment Locations and Hours of Operation

Evesham Twp. Police Department, 984 Tuckerton Road, Evesham Township Mondays: noon – 7 p.m.

Pemberton Twp. Police Department, 500 Pemberton-Browns Mills Road, Pemberton Twp. Tuesdays: noon – 6 p.m.

City of Burlington Police Department, 525 High Street, City of Burlington Wednesdays and Thursdays: noon – 6 p.m.

Opioid Treatment

Edward T. Ellis \”Tommy\”, of Gloucester City; Retired Army Veteran, American Legion Post 135

Edward T. Ellis “Tommy”, 83

of Gloucester City, NJ passed away peacefully on February 1, 2020.

Edward

was survived by his daughter, Sara

Prepsel

(Scott); granddaughter, Samantha

Prepsel

;

brother, David Ellis; sister, Caroline

Ippolitto

; niece,

Maureen (Ellis)

Gorlewski

;

and nephews

, Howard E. Ellis, Jr., Michael J. Ellis and James R. Ellis

.

He

was predeceased by h

is

parents

,

Edward B. and Emma L. (Voorhees) Ellis

and his brother, Howard E.V. Ellis

.

Edward

proudly severed his county starting in 19

56

in the Marine Reserves follow

e

d by 4 years in the U.S. Navy. He then was transferred to the National Guard in Cherry Hill where he worked as a Supply Sargent/Clerk

in a civilian position while maintaining his

active

military duties. On March 4

th

, 1998 he retired from the U.S. Army.

Edward

was a member of the Masonic Lodge #

160,

Elmer, NJ

and

the American Legion Post #

135,

Gloucester City

.

Relatives and friends are invited to h

is

vi

sitation on Thursday

, February

20

th, from

10 to 11:30

AM

a

t the

McCANN

-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth St., Gloucester City. Funeral Service 11

:30

AM

in the funeral home. Interment will

follow

in BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Wrightstown, NJ

.

Memorial donations may be made to

Fisher House Foundation Inc.

, 12300

Twinbrook

Parkway,

Ste

#41

0

, Rockville, MD 20832

or Willis Eye Foundation, 840 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

. Please memo,

Edward T. Ellis

.

Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of

Edward T. Ellis

. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries through:

McCANN

–HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City

Ph

:

856-456-1142

Booker, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand School Nutrition Education

Proposal would increase investments in hands-on projects for student health, nutrition

Roughly 15 percent of New Jerseyans experience food insecurity

WASHINGTON, DC

—U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced a bipartisan bill to establish a new pilot program for school nutrition programs to fund nutritional education in schools. The

Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act of 2020

would allocate federal funding for projects that educate students while connecting them to healthy food practices, with a priority given to schools in neighborhoods with high rates of childhood diet-related illnesses and those in which 40 percent of students qualify for free or reduce-priced meals.

Nutritious, healthy foods are critical to the wellness and academic performance of students. Several studies have shown that children are more likely to eat healthier foods when given the opportunity to participate in hands-on lessons that let them try a food multiple times and connect the dots between the classroom, the cafeteria, and the school garden. . Because dietary illnesses can adversely impact school attendance and academic performance, equitable access to nutrition education can better prepare students for success in the classroom and beyond. Yet the typical elementary school student receives less than 5 hours of nutrition education per year. This legislation seeks to reduce barriers to hands-on food and nutrition programs that help get more kids to eat the food already available to them at school and to continue to improve the food as kids learn to love it.

“As Ron Finley, an inspiring black leader and urban farmer in South Central Los Angeles once said, ‘In South Central, we got drive-bys and drive-thrus, and the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys.’ Countless studies have demonstrated that a lack of access to nutritious food – particularly in underserved communities – manifests itself in all areas of human development, from increased rates of diet-related diseases to reduced academic performance,”

Booker said.

“We must do more to ensure our kids have consistent and equitable access to healthy foods, and the education that will help them make healthy diet choices throughout their lives. By prioritizing communities disproportionately impacted by food insecurity and diet-related illnesses, this bipartisan legislation would bring equitable access to food and nutrition education to children across the country.”

“Teaching students how to prioritize their health by choosing nutritious foods is an invaluable lesson that will serve them for years to come,”

said Sen. Cornyn.

“This legislation would invest in programs that educate Texas children to make healthy choices, which can help lower the incidence of disease linked to obesity and, in turn, save taxpayer money.”

“As a food service director, I wholeheartedly support the bill to establish food and nutrition educators in schools,”

said Warren DeShields, Director of Food Services at Bridgeton Public Schools.

“This will bridge the gap between education and nutrition programs in an effort to increase the acceptance and consumption of healthy appetizing meals in our cafeterias. It will also be exciting to see students encouraged to participate in evidence-based interventions like school gardens, farm to school initiatives, and nutrition education that can be built into their everyday curriculum for learning!”

\”The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics believes that well-coordinated, comprehensive, integrated nutrition programs in preschool through high school are essential to improve the health, nutritional status and academic performance of our nation\’s children,\”

said registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy President Terri J. Raymond

. \”This legislation is a good step in supporting efforts to make food and nutrition education a priority in our country\’s schools.\”

“Together with communities, FoodCorps envisions a future in which all our nation’s children––regardless of race, place, or class––know what healthy food is, care where it comes from, and eat it every day,”

said Kumar Chandran, Policy Director at FoodCorps

. “We have seen firsthand how food and nutrition educators can make a difference by delivering high-quality hands-on opportunities in classrooms, cafeterias, and gardens, changing kids’ relationship with food for the better. Students in FoodCorps schools with more hands-on learning activities are eating up to three times the amount of fruits and vegetables as students who receive less of that hands-on learning. This bipartisan bill proposes to expand evidence-based food and nutrition education resources and programming to even more schools, ensuring school nutrition professionals have greater support to get kids excited about eating healthy school meals. We applaud Senators Booker and Cornyn for their leadership and vision to lift up the health and well-being of students by investing in food and nutrition education, and we look forward to collaborating with them to build support for the bill to be passed into law.”

The Act provides grant funding to local educational agencies for projects that (1) hire full-time food and nutrition educators to implement programs in schools that have the goal of improving student health and nutrition and (2) that fund school gardens or other evidence-based interventions relating to student health and nutrition to create hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Pilot programs must incorporate teaching techniques proven to maximize healthy food consumption, including hands-on learning, school gardens, taste testing, student engagement and farm-to-school practices. Projects must be in a variety of rural, suburban, and urban settings and at least one project must be located on an Indian reservation or at a school in which the majority of students are members of an Indian tribe.

The

Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act of 2020

is endorsed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Advocates for Children of New Jersey, Afterschool Alliance, American Heart Association, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, FoodCorps, Hunger Free New Jersey, National Farm to School Network, and New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children.

As Mayor of Newark, Booker witnessed first-hand how our broken food system harmed local residents, as large sections of Newark were essentially “food deserts,” where communities had no access to healthy foods. He was instrumental in

helping to bring several supermarkets

to the area that helped increase access for Newarkers to healthy foods. He also

spearheaded the creation of community gardens

.

Gang Arrested for Conspiracy to Sell Sanctioned Oil to China Refinery

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers announced that the following defendants were arrested and charged by Complaint on charges of conspiracy and violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) based on their attempt to transact in sanctioned Iranian oil:

Nicholas Hovan, age 33, of New York, NY;

Zhenyu Wang, a/k/a “Bill Wang,” age 39, of Dallas, TX;

Robert Thwaites, age 30, of Dallas, TX;

Nicholas James Fuchs, age 26, of Dallas, TX; and

Daniel Ray Lane, age 38, of McKinney, TX.

The defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of violating IEEPA, based on allegations that from July 2019 to February 2020 they conspired in Philadelphia and elsewhere to arrange for the purchase of oil from the Islamic Republic of Iran, in violation of United States economic sanctions imposed on Iran, for sale to a refinery in China.

The Complaint alleges that defendants Nicholas Hovan, James Fuchs, Robert Thwaites, and Daniel Ray Lane arranged to purchase the illegal oil and sell it to a refinery in China represented by defendant Zhenyu Wang, a/k/a “Bill Wang.”

According to the Complaint, defendant Lane offered to further the conspiracy by laundering money through his company, STACK Royalties.  The charges further allege that the defendants agreed to use a Polish shell corporation as a straw seller of the illicit oil, and that they planned two shipments of oil per month going forward, all for an expected profit of roughly $28 million-per-month.  In addition, the charges allege that defendants Fuchs and Wang agreed to apply for foreign passports in order to set up offshore accounts that would not be reported to U.S. authorities.

“The defendants in this case allegedly committed serious federal crimes that are in direct contradiction to the United States’ national security interests,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain.  “By devising a scheme to purchase oil from Iran, conceal its origins via a refinery in China and make tremendous profits, the defendants were attempting to enrich both themselves and the nation of Iran — thus jeopardizing the safety and security of the United States and our allies.  This type of subversion of U.S. policy and law will not be tolerated: these defendants will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“With the goal of illegally enriching themselves, the defendants conspired for over eight months to devise a scheme to violate U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran, particularly the ban on foreign oil sales,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.  “The sale of oil is the lifeblood of the Iranian economy.  At the same time the United States was increasing its sanctions in order to pressure Iran to stop its malign activities, these defendants put greed ahead of country.  I commend the efforts of the agents and prosecutors who investigated and uncovered this brazen evasion of U.S. law.”

“These defendants allegedly conspired to circumvent economic sanctions enacted to protect the United States’ national security,” said Tara A. McMahon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “In their minds, sanctions weren’t so much an impediment as an opportunity. They thought they could make their millions and escape the United States Government’s notice. Well, as these charges show, they were wrong. The FBI takes sanctions violations extremely seriously and will bring all our investigative resources to bear, to end such harmful and illegal activity.”

If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of 25 years’ incarceration, as well as a maximum possible fine of $1.25 million.  Four of the arrests occurred in Philadelphia and one occurred in Texas.  The four defendants arrested in Philadelphia had initial appearances in federal court today.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Rinaldi and First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams, in partnership with Trial Attorney David Recker of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterespionage Section.

An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.