Another One Bites the Dust

Source NRA-ILA

Actually, that headline is a little misleading, as we are referring to U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) abandoning his bid to take on Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election. But when we

last reported

on the Democrat clown-car that is the field of candidates who wished to challenge Trump for POTUS, there were 19 active campaigns.

With the departure of Booker, Democrats now have “only” a dozen candidates from which to choose.

In fact, our last posting on the field proved to be quite prescient. We suggested that promoting the extreme anti-gun position of confiscating firearms from American citizens may be the new

“exit strategy”

for foundering campaigns poised to leave the race. At the time, we opined that U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) seemed to be positioning herself to drop out of the race by reiterating her support for banning and confiscating semi-automatic firearms. She threw in the towel the following week.

Booker, like Harris, promoted the euphemistically named

“mandatory buyback”

policy, which is a more innocent sounding name for confiscation. Now that he has announced he is quitting, every Democrat candidate who had been vying to be President and has also openly advocated for confiscating firearms from American citizens has now deserted the race. Before Booker and Harris, we saw the campaigns of failed candidates

Eric Swalwell

and

Robert Francis O’Rourke

give up the ghost.

Of course, those candidates that remain are all still stridently anti-gun.

They all want to ban the future manufacture and sale of

semi-automatic firearms

like the AR-15.

They all want to set arbitrary limits on how many rounds of ammunition

a magazine can hold

They all want to prohibit the private transfer of firearms between law-abiding citizens by imposing so-called

“universal” background checks

Virtually every proposal that has been introduced by anti-gun extremists over the last few decades has been met with support by most, if not all, of the candidates that are still in the race.

Sadly, two candidates that appear likely to stick around for a while have taken arguably equally extreme positions on another gun issue, using firearms to save lives.

The first, former Vice President Joe Biden, has a modest lead in most polls, but a commanding lead in

gaffes

. In 2017, after

Stephen Willeford used an AR-15

to bring an end to the rampage of a crazed murderer at a Texas church, Biden ignored the idea that lives were likely saved by the heroic act. Instead, when asked about the use of an AR-15 by Willeford, he stated, “Well, first all, the kind of gun being carried, he shouldn’t be carrying.”

Last December, after another Texas church attack was also stopped by an armed citizen, it was pointed out by many that

Biden had criticized the very law

that allowed law-abiding gun owners to carry firearms for self-defense into houses of worship.

After Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the NRA-supported law in September, Biden said, “It’s just absolutely irrational. It’s totally irrational.”

Granted, Biden cannot see into the future, so he had no idea that his words would come back to make him look so foolish, so quickly. Then again, some might argue that he has a long track record of past statements causing future problems.

The other Democrat candidate who has staked out a position against firearms being used by law-abiding citizens to save lives cannot use the excuse of not being able to foretell future events, as his comments were made after the fact.

Anti-gun billionaire

Mike Bloomberg spoke out against not just the Texas law

, but, presumably, against any use of a firearm by any citizen to defend themselves or others.

Although most acknowledge that Jack Wilson—the 71-year-old church congregant who brought an end to the violent attack at West Freeway Church of Christ—acted heroically, Bloomberg didn’t see things that way.

At a campaign stop in Alabama, Bloomberg commented on Wilson’s action, stating, “[I]t’s the job of law enforcement to, uh, have guns and to decide when to shoot. You just do not want the average citizen carrying a gun in a crowded place.”

So, now that all of the Democrat candidates who openly advocated for gun confiscation have been shown the door, it appears that Biden and Bloomberg hold the most extreme anti-gun position—opposing law-abiding citizens using firearms to stop violent assaults and save lives.

Biden will be in the race for the foreseeable future due to his lead in the polls. Bloomberg, on the other hand, is polling in the single digits. But with a personal fortune that could underwrite several Presidential campaigns, and a driving desire to impose his anti-gun ideology on America, expect Bloomberg to remain in the race for at least several months.

Unless, of course, the curse-of-the-most-extreme-anti-gun-positions strikes again.

We can certainly hope.

https://www.nraila.org/a

New Jersey Carpenters Union Adds Puerto Rico as Home to Newest Local

Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Charters Newest Local in Puerto Rico

(Philadelphia, PA) The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters announced that it has charted a new Local to represent workers in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The charter for Local 787 was officially ratified on January 10

, 2020.

“The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters is excited to take the next steps in helping to rebuild the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and organize the local workforce,” said Executive Secretary-Treasurer William C. Sproule, “The addition of Puerto Rico to our Council will strengthen our union with even more highly trained and community-first focused carpenters.”

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America tasked the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters with organizing the Puerto Rican workforce. The Council’s involvement in Puerto Rico has been ongoing for some years. Members of the Council have been helping to rebuild Puerto Rico ever since 2017 when Hurricane Maria devastated the island. Through partnerships with groups like Heart 9/11, they have been assisting in the rebuilding of homes and the training of local workers in how to properly and safely rebuild their communities.

“Our mission of advocating for worker rights, negotiating fair wage standards, and training the best workforce in the nation does not happen overnight,” Sproule stated, “Our members have been on the ground in Puerto Rico helping in any way they can and have shown that they truly care about the residents and community. Our union likes to promote the idea of being a ‘community carpenter;’ which means committing to the overall welfare of where you work and live. The people of Puerto can be assured that we are here for the long haul and will never turn our backs on them.”

The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters have already been implementing their training programs in the Commonwealth. A partnership with the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections has already created a pre-apprentice training program for incarcerated individuals looking to find a career after their release. These newly trained workers gained the skills they need to become a successful carpenter and rehabilitated members of their community. Their training included building much-needed homes for low-income residents.

The Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters represents 42,000 members in a region that includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and ten counties in North Carolina.

Trees Not Tombstones: New Options For End-of-Life

(NAPSI)—The vast majority of Americans have not completed their end-of-life planning. In fact, over half of those age 45-plus have done no end-of-life planning at all, according to a recent survey conducted by Better Place Forests, the country’s first sustainable alternative to cemeteries for families that choose cremation.

A beautiful forest can be a final resting place that brings comfort to family and friends.

Better Place Forests hopes the idea of a beautiful, sustainable final resting place will encourage people to create those plans. Instead of tombstones, the company incorporates ashes into the base of beautiful trees in permanently protected forests. The company performs spreading ceremonies in the forest, where families can gather to say goodbye. Currently, there are two forests in California, in Point Arena in Mendocino County and in Santa Cruz, and the company plans to open more across the country.

There is a growing trend toward greener burial options in the United States. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, nearly 54 percent of Americans are considering a green burial and 72 percent of cemeteries report an increased demand for green burials. Thousands of people have already reserved trees for themselves.

“Making plans and establishing guidelines for the end of your life means that loved ones don’t have to guess about your wishes and you can give them the experience you’d like them to have when you pass,” explained Sandy Gibson, CEO of Better Place Forests. “At Better Place Forests, we talk to people every day who find peace in knowing they have created a beautiful experience for their loved ones by selecting a family tree.”

Beyond providing a more beautiful final resting place, choosing a tree in one of these memorial forests means you are leaving a legacy of conservation. The company performs spreading ceremonies in the forest, where families can gather to say goodbye and continue to visit—a feature current cremation options can’t provide. The trusts also actively manage the land to ensure that it’s less susceptible to forest fires. They hire forestry experts to keep the trees healthy and the forests free of invasive species. In addition, more trees are planted in areas in need for every tree a customer chooses. Thousands of trees have already been planted in forests devastated by the California wildfires.

Learn More

For further facts, visit

www.betterplaceforests.com

Free public reading of Tough Love

Ridgewood,New Jersey (PR MediaRelease) January, 2020 —

New Players Company of Ridgewood, NJ and The New Deal Creative Arts Center of Hyde Park, NY present a free public reading of

Tough Love

, a new play in development written by playwright Louisa Vilardi.

Tough Love

is a mix of comedy and drama that explores how much it takes to give up or give in when it comes to marriage and family.

Louisa is a writer and theater director originally from Northern New Jersey where she taught high school English and Creative Writing at Ridgewood High School for over a decade before moving to the Hudson Valley. She developed the NPC Playwriting Program and served as a producer and resident theater director for NPC for many years. She is also a contributing writer for The Huffington Post, Today Parenting Team and Scary Mommy and is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild of America.

This free public reading and New Jersey premiere will be presented at The Little Theatre in Ridgewood, NJ on Sunday, January 26, 2020 at 4:00pm. This reading is directed by the talented David Perez-Ribada and features an extraordinary cast: Steven Bendler, Austin Lightning Carrothers, Teresa Gasparini, Helen Mutch, and Johnny Tammaro. Join us for the NJ premiere reading of the play and a talk back following the reading. Tickets are free, but reservations are required. This play is intended for mature audiences only.

For free tickets, please visit:

newdeal-toughlovenj.eventbrite.com

2020 Symposium on the Future of Libraries Saturday

PHILADELPHIA PA (January 21, 2020)–Philadelphia leaders and innovators will share their visions for the future at three Libraries Transform sessions during the

Symposium on the Future of Libraries

at the

2020 ALA Midwinter Meeting

Libraries Transform: Civic Innovation

, on Saturday January 25th from 8:45 – 10:00am in the Pennsylvania Convention Center Room 201-ABC, considers the future of place, for both

established cultural institutions and for new civic spaces activated throughout communities. Anuj Gupta, General Manager of the

Reading Terminal Market

, will share his experience leading one of the nation’s oldest and largest public markets, keeping pace with the changing needs of customers while staying true to its service to the community. Ariel Ben-Amos, Founder of

StreetBoxPHL

, promotes a vision for placemaking in cities, creating green spaces, parklets, and pedestrian areas that foster development and make neighborhoods healthier and more vibrant.

Libraries Transform: Social Innovation

, on Sunday January 26th from 8:45 – 10:00am in the Pennsylvania Convention Center Room 201-ABC, shifts the focus to the human scale, exploring the societal changes required to create more just and equitable communities. Mariana Chilton, Professor of Health Management and Policy and Director of the

Center for Hunger-Free Communities

at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health, will discuss her organization’s community-engaged approach to research, service, and advocacy, engaging those who have experience with poverty as full partners in developing solutions to hunger and economic justice. Joanna Visser Adjoian, Co-Director of the

Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project (YSRP)

, focuses her organization’s work on mitigation, reentry planning, training, and policy reform to help keep children out of adult jails and prisons and bring home those who were sentenced as children to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Libraries Transform: Education Innovation

, on Monday January 27th from 8:45 – 10:00am in the Pennsylvania Convention Center Room 201-ABC, explores the future of education access, highlighting two programs that provide new opportunities to their communities. Malik Brown, Executive Director of

Graduate! Philadelphia

, will share Graduate! Philadelphia’s model for engaging business, higher education, government, organized labor, and community-based organizations to remove barriers and create new pathways for adults to complete a college degree. Dara Ruiz-Whalen, Chief Learning Officer and Executive Director of the

eCLOSE Institute

, leads a network of scientists, teachers, and students working as scientific investigators in their classrooms, offering students training in professional laboratory research and the problem solving, collaboration, communication, and networking skills for career success.

Albert P. Milano, of Bellmawr; Holt Crane Operator, Teamster Local 676, Korean War Army Veteran

BELLMAWR, NJ–Albert P. Milano, age 86, of Bellmawr, NJ, passed away on Friday January 17, 2020. Beloved

husband of the late Elizabeth Ann Milano. Loving father of the late Rita (Elmer) Robinson. Proud grandfather of Anna (Glenn) Behnke and Michael Robinson. Dear great-grandfather of Elizabeth, Glenn, and Alexandria. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and extended family.

Albert was born in Philadelphia, PA and had resided in South Philadelphia, before living in Runnemede and Bellmawr for the past 50 years. Mr. Milano proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He went on to work as a crane operator for Holt Cargo and Shipping in Gloucester City, NJ. He also served as a shop steward for the Teamsters Local 676. Mr. Milano was a wine connoisseur who enjoyed making his own wine. He was a huge football fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2020 from 9:00 to 10:30 am at the Leroy P. Wooster Funeral Home and Crematory, 441 White Horse Pike, Atco, NJ. A prayer service will begin at 10:30 am. Interment with military honors will follow at New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association, Donation Processing Center, PO Box 11039, Lewiston, ME 04243. Condolences may be shared at www.lpwoosterfuneralhome.com

Visitation

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Saturday, January 25, 2020

LeRoy P. Wooster Funeral Home and Crematory

441 White Horse Pike

Atco, New Jersey, United States

(856) 767-0539

No Increase in New Jersey Transit Fares

Today, Governor Murphy announced that his FY2021 budget proposal will not include a fare hike for NJ Transit. This is the fifth year that NJ Transit has not had a fare increase. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“We are glad that NJ Transit will not be increasing their fares this year. This is good news for commuters. This is important because they cannot and should not balance the budget on the back of NJ Transit riders. Rate hikes unfairly hurt seniors, young people, and the working poor the most. New Jersey commuters pay the most in the nation when it comes to contributing for their share of operation and maintenance. NJ Transit is still robbing capital funds that should be going to improve and expand NJ Transit for operations and maintenance, $460 million this year alone. This is like robbing our future to pay for current expenses, or taking a second mortgage on a house to buy groceries. New Jersey needs a dedicated source of funding for operations and maintenance so we can decrease fares and improve ridership.”

“This is the fifth year that we haven’t seen a fare increase, but keeping fares stable is not enough. We are in a state of climate urgency and we need immediate action to help protect our air. Transit agencies in other states are actually cutting or eliminating fares to encourage ridership. If we reduce and eliminate fares, it would get more people out of cars and would reduce pollution. New Jersey has some of the worst air quality in the nation. NJ Transit needs a stable source of funding for operations and maintenance to lower fares and improve ridership, because next year the fares could go up. They should be helping get cars off the road and making our air cleaner.”

South Jersey Gas Employees Honor Martin Luther King Jr. with Day of Service

FOLSOM, NJ, January 21, 2019 – Approximately 100 South Jersey Gas executives, employees and their families assisted local residents with projects for its Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 20 – distributing warm clothes, assisting with resume writing, making hospitality toiletry bags and more.

“South Jersey Gas is proud to participate in the Day of Service for the third year in a row,” said Dave Robbins, president of South Jersey Gas. “As part of our commitment to the communities we serve, we encourage employees to get involved in community service.”

“We are honored to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. together with other local organizations and volunteers,” added Robbins.

South Jersey Gas volunteers partnered with Stockton University for the Day of Service and participated in events at several locations in South Jersey.

Community Members Invited to FREE Weekly Cancer Wellness Programs

at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Washington Township

Sewell, NJ, January 21, 2020

–

People living with a cancer diagnosis are invited to join Jefferson Health cancer experts for FREE one-hour wellness programs held weekly at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Washington Township’s Center for Hope and Healing (900 Medical Center Drive, Suite 207, Sewell).

Nourishing Our Bodies During a Cancer Diagnosis

(Mondays, 3-4 p.m.): Danielle Hall, MS, RD, will discuss healthful guidelines, supplements, and nutrient-dense foods to maximize nutrition during a cancer diagnosis.

Keep Moving: Benefits of Exercise for Patients with a Cancer Diagnosis

(Tuesdays, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.): A Jefferson Health Physical Therapy Assistant will discuss the benefits of a regular exercise routine, and the importance of staying active to optimize physical stamina and mental well-being.

Preparing for Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy

(Wednesdays, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.): Open to patients and their caregivers, participants learn how chemotherapy and immunotherapy work, as well as tips and tools for managing common side effects.

Coping with Cancer: Strategies for Managing Life After a Cancer Diagnosis

(Fridays, 11 a.m. – Noon): A cancer diagnosis can cause many emotions, including fear, anxiety, and sadness. Social Worker Abigale Hassel, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, will discuss coping strategies and ways to alleviate stress.

To register, or for more information, call

856-218-5324

or visit

JeffersonHealth.org/NJcancer

About

Jefferson Health

: Jefferson Health, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, is reimagining health care in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey. Jefferson’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, health professionals, and staff provides a range of primary to highly-specialized care through 14 hospitals (seven are Magnet®-designated by the ANCC for nursing excellence), more than 40 outpatient and urgent care locations, the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Magee Rehabilitation and the JeffConnect® telemedicine program. For 2019-2020, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals is ranked among the nation’s best hospitals in eight specialities by

U.S. News & World Report

. Jefferson Health’s mission is to improve the lives of patients in the communities it is privileged to serve through safe, effective, equitable, compassionate care.

(Video) Kansas City Fans Wounded by Gunman, Two Dead

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (January 20, 2020)—-41Action News reports that two people are dead and 15 wounded after a gunman opened fire outside a Kansas City bar in a \”chaotic scene\” as the city celebrated its

football team\’s big victory

on Sunday night after the game.

Officers who arrived at the scene outside 9ine Ultra Lounge just before midnight Sunday found the bodies of a man and a woman, police said in a statement. Fifteen other people were treated at hospitals, and three were listed in critical condition, police said.