Day: February 17, 2021

Lawrence, Mercer County February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

UPDATE: Rider University Email To Students Faculty and Staff About Earlier Stay In Place Order Involving Credible Threat

This is still a developing story keep checking MidJersey.news for further updates:

February 17, 2021

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)– An email from Rider University to students, faculty and staff about the incident MidJersey.news brought to you earlier:

This afternoon we issued a stay in place order to students, faculty and staff after receiving a threat we deemed credible and dangerous to the campus community.

A former employee of a campus contractor called the University this afternoon and made a direct threat to harm former colleagues on campus. This was the same individual whom we contacted students, faculty and staff about yesterday, believing he potentially posed a risk to our community after he issued a related threat of violence on Feb. 16, one that was not specific to any individual.

After receiving this more direct threat today, Lawrence Township Police and Trenton Police, working with Public Safety, immediately responded and quickly placed the individual in custody at his place of residence. The swift action of law enforcement led to Rider lifting the stay in place order in less than an hour.

Rider has also issued a Persona Non Grata letter to this individual, which prohibits them from entering or being on University property. Public Safety will continue to have an increased presence on campus.

Rider’s top priority is to keep our campus community safe. The precautionary and protective measures taken over the past two days were meant to achieve that goal. We’re grateful for the work of law enforcement and Public Safety and the cooperation of our campus community during this incident.

Please know that if we conclude it is not safe to come to campus or to be moving about campus, we will communicate that to you. The first message we sent last night was based on less specific, but still concerning, information. Our assessment of that information led to our putting our community on notice of a person of concern. Today’s threat was much more directed and imminent, such that we issued a shelter in place order, directing everyone on campus to remain in place until further notice so as not to potentially be in harm’s way.

In an emergency situation, when information is often not available in abundance, we will always err on the side of caution and issue immediate directives via RiderAlert to students, faculty and staff to help ensure their safety. We will make our best assessment in that moment, focusing on immediate safety, and provide additional information as it becomes available.

Our main way to communicate urgent information during an emergency is through Rider Alert, our electronic notification system for students, faculty and staff. We will almost always utilize text messaging in an emergency, as it is the fastest and most efficient way to disseminate information. If you did not receive a Rider Alert message during this incident, please contact Debbie Stasolla at dstasolla@rider.edu.

Thank you again for your cooperation, patience and understanding. We will continue to share relevant new information as it becomes available.

Earlier MidJersey.News story here: DEVELOPING: Shelter In Place Order At Rider University Has Been Lifted, Sources Say One In Custody, PD Says Criminal Charges Expected

Links to The Rider News a student run news organization:

Lawrence, Mercer County February 17, 2021February 17, 2021

DEVELOPING: Shelter In Place Order At Rider University Has Been Lifted, Sources Say One In Custody, PD Says Criminal Charges Expected

MidJersey.news update here: UPDATE: Rider University Email To Students Faculty and Staff About Earlier Stay In Place Order Involving Credible Threat

February 17, 2021

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The Lawrence Township Police Department can confirm that there were shelter in place instructions given to the Rider University community by the school administration on 02 17 2021. The shelter in place order has since been lifted by the school administration and there is no longer any type of threat to the Rider University community. The Lawrence Township Police Department can confirm that both incidents are connected. The investigation is ongoing at this time and criminal charges are expected to be filed, Lawrence Township Police told a MidJersey.news reporter.

The Rider News, a student run news paper, has reported on a potentially dangerous ex-employee of campus contractor involved in this shelter in place order.

MidJersey.news has several sources confirming that one suspect is in custody involved in this incident.

MidJersey.news is expecting a press release from Rider University soon on the situation so please check back as this is a developing story.

Mercer County, Trenton February 17, 2021

Trenton to Launch Electric Vehicle Solution to Improve Transportation Access and Public Health

February 17, 2021

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–The City of Trenton, in collaboration with Isles Inc., a nonprofit community development and environmental organization that works to foster self-reliance and healthy, sustainable communities, will soon launch a multi-service electric vehicle program to improve resident mobility and increase access to jobs, healthcare, and new opportunities while addressing public health challenges imposed by greenhouse gases and air pollution.

The program seeks to provide transportation services in three phases:

An electric carsharing service that will allow residents to rent vehicles for designated periods.
An electric ridesharing service that will hire local drivers, support local businesses and improve residents’ mobility and access to essential resources.
An electric shuttle service that will connect residents to jobs and create a network of community organizations to expand social, health, and financial services.

The project includes modifying infrastructure for Trenton and installing charging stations at site locations, identified in partnership with the City of Trenton Planning Board. The installation of these charging stations also received unanimous support by City Council on April 2, 2020.

This ambitious project has been possible due to collaboration with ChargEVC, the New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition, and Environment New Jersey. These statewide organizations were awarded an opportunity to workshop an e-mobility project with Rocky Mountain Institute. The workshop brought together brainpower from all over the country to help chart a plan to make Trenton’s e-mobility a reality. Today, the project is one step closer thanks to support from the Murphy Administration and the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), which recently announced awards of $883,000 to support the project.

According to the Trenton 250 Master Plan, approximately 30 percent of Trenton households are car-free, and 21 percent of residents reported relying on carpooling as a primary mode of transportation for commuting to work. While the program is open to all, its development will prioritize providing reliable and affordable transportation options to low-income residents who may not have access to a personal vehicle.

“We are thrilled to work with Isles on addressing what has historically been one of our community’s greatest challenges,” said Mayor Gusciora. “Many of our residents lack reliable transportation, which prevents them from accepting employment opportunities, getting their children to school on time, or even seeing a healthcare provider. I believe this project will meaningfully address those needs and possibly serve as a model for other cities to follow. I’d like to also thank ChargEVC, the New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition, Environment New Jersey and the NJDEP for lending critical expertise and funding for the project.”

“I’m so excited to see this program launched here in Trenton; we know from many years of community meetings and engaging residents in various plans that access to transportation is a major challenge for Trentonians,” said Dan Fatton, Chair of the City of Trenton Planning Board. “This program provides one solution to that problem and the City can expand access to clean transportation options, giving people more options to get around without increasing pollution.”

Notably, the program will reduce air pollution in the city, where residents face health challenges at a higher rate than their Mercer county counterparts. “Trenton’s asthma rate is three times the state average, and accounts for 76% of all asthma-related ER visits in Mercer County, despite being only 23% of the population,” says Isles CEO Sean Jackson. “This program is an important step towards making Trenton’s air cleaner while increasing transportation options for Trenton residents. And while this program is local to Trenton, we see this pilot as an opportunity to inform future clean transportation investments that prioritize building equity throughout the state.”

The City of Trenton and Isles will issue RFPs later this month and welcome vendors to apply. While the city will own the charging infrastructure, Isles will spearhead the project’s program development and operations.

To inform the development of this community-driven program, Isles has solicited feedback from residents and community organizations for the past year. “We learned that similar to our experience, many community organizations throughout the city struggle with extending their social, health, and financial services to residents due to lack of affordable and reliable transportation options,” says Katharina Miguel, Clean Energy Advocate who is leading the program at Isles. “Our goal is to close that gap and build wealth and health in the city. We encourage community organizations that believe this would be helpful for their services to reach out to us, and we will also be executing an extensive outreach plan.”

Isles also hosted the program’s first listening session earlier in January and will continue to host sessions within the upcoming months to learn how these services can best benefit Trentonians. Both Katharina Miguel and Peg Hannah from NJDEP will speak about the program at Environment New Jersey’s webinar on Wednesday, February 17 at 2 p.m. ChargeEVC, Environment New Jersey, and the New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition will continue to support the development of the project by providing technical assistance, research, and organizing expertise.

When available, RFPs will be posted on the City of Trenton website at https://www.trentonnj.org/230/Division-of-Purchasing and Isles website at https://isles.org/about-us/job-openings/.

Mercer County, Robbinsville, Robbinsville, State of NJ February 17, 2021

Representatives Chris Smith, Tom Suozzi to fight for ‘Sami’s Law’ in new Congress

Bipartisan legislation would improve ride-share safety

February 17, 2021

WASHINGTON, DC — With an eye toward a post-COVID easing of restrictions and a return to economic normalcy, a group of bipartisan lawmakers are determined to establish timely and much-needed safety protections for Americans who will be using rideshare companies to help them get to work, school, appointments or social events.

Authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) with lead Democrat cosponsor, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Sami’s Law will require transportation networking companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft to deploy a verifiable digital access system to match drivers with passengers before the ride begins to enhance safety for the ride-hailing public. A companion bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate by Ben Cardin (D-MD) later this month.

The legislation, HR 1082, is named in honor of Samantha “Sami” Josephson—who was kidnapped and brutally murdered by a predator pretending to be her Uber driver near the University of South Carolina just months prior to her graduation in 2019.

“We must establish safety protocols and accountability in the system to protect rideshare customers who remain extremely vulnerable,” said Smith, who represents Sami’s hometown of Robbinsville, NJ. “As the nation looks to emerge from COVID restrictions, there will likely be a surge in travel and general activities, and thus a corresponding urgency to protect those who rely on Uber and Lyft services.”

Underscoring the dangers, Smith cited Sami’s tragic murder and pointed to a report released by Uber that found over a two-year period, 2017 to 2018, the company received 5,981 allegations of serious sexual assault in the United States, and 19 people were killed in physical assaults during or soon after an Uber ride. He also cited a 2019 CNN report that revealed that Lyft has been hit with multiple driver rape and sexual assault allegations.

“No family should have to endure what the Josephson’s have” Rep. Suozzi said. We can’t stop every family tragedy, but hopefully Sami’s law will establish safety protocols that protect Uber, Lyft and other rideshare customers.”

Seymour and Marci Josephson, Sami’s parents, created the #WHATSMYNAME Foundation in ‘‘honor of their daughter to educate the world on rideshare safety.” They also came up with the idea for the legislation to help ensure no one else loses their life or is assaulted by a rideshare driver or a predator pretending to be their driver.

Last year, after painstaking negotiations with Smith, the Josephsons, congressional leaders, and Uber and Lyft, Sami’s Law unanimously passed the House with the strong support of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. The bill garnered the support of key Senate leaders, but time ran out in the Senate before unanimous consent could be achieved.

“Lives are at stake and people, especially women, who use rideshare services are vulnerable to sexual assault and other crimes,” Smith said. “The Josephsons have made great progress educating rideshare customers about potential dangers, but none of us will rest until the modest and effective Sami’s Law protocols are enacted and the public is better protected.”

Sami’s Law not only sets safety requirements for today’s technology and a process for successor technology performance standards, it also:

establishes a 17-member advisory council that reports to the Secretary of Transportation—SAMI’s Council—comprised of federal agency and public stakeholders to advance safety standards in the rideshare industry;
makes it unlawful to sell, or offer for sale, ride-share signage, making it more difficult for imposters like Sami’s murderer to pose as a driver;
requires a GAO report on the incidence of assault and abuse of both passengers and drivers;
requires that the GAO also examine the nature and specifics of “background” checks conducted by companies and the varying standards set by States regarding background checks.

Other original cosponsors of the bill include: Reps. James Clyburn (D-SC), the Democratic Whip; Joe Wilson (R-SC); Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ); and Albio Sires (D-NJ). The new bill is already endorsed by two groups which originally opposed the legislation last Congress.

“We thank and commend Representative Smith for working closely with us in crafting this legislation, which will provide a fully nonvisual method for blind and deafblind passengers to identify and verify rideshare trips,” said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. “Personal safety is a top priority for our movement and we urge the House to swiftly pass this legislation.”

“The National Sheriffs’ Association supports Sami’s Law… all users of ridesharing programs should have a reasonable expectation of safety, which this bill addresses for both passengers and drivers,” said Jonathan F. Thompson, Executive Director and CEO of the National Sheriffs’ Association.

Smith and Suozzi both testified on Sami’s Law at a Transportation Committee hearing in 2019 (pictured above) and spoke on the House floor when Sami’s Law passed on July 29, 2020. Click here to read Smith’s 2020 floor statement. Click here to watch video of the October 2019 hearing. Click here to read Rep. Suozzi’s 2019 hearing statement.

Sydney, Seymour and Marci Josephson, with Rep. Chris Smith who has authored “Sami’s Law” on a Federal level and has passed the House in July, at the run/walk the morning of September 26, 2020. Smith continues to fight for “Sami’s Law”

Hamilton, Hamilton, Mercer County February 17, 2021

RWJ University Hospital Hamilton Welcomes New Leadership To Foundation Board

February 17, 2021

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Hamilton, 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton, NJ, is pleased to announce new RWJUH Hamilton Foundation Board leaders and members, who assumed their new roles in January 2021. Yolanda Zaffutti Stinger, formerly the Foundation Board’s Vice Chair, ascended to the position of Chair; Foundation Board member Mary Pucciarelli took on the role of Vice Chair; and the Board welcomed two new members, Ryan Kennedy and Christina Spinelli.

Lifelong Hamilton resident Yolanda Zaffutti Stinger has been a committed member of the RWJUH Hamilton Foundation for over a decade; as Vice Chair, she was a natural fit for the Chair position. In addition to her work with RWJUH Hamilton, Stinger is involved in a variety of other community-oriented organizations. “Giving back to the community is so important to me,” she says.

In her new role as Vice Chair, Mary Pucciarelli of Brielle, NJ, a decade-long Foundation Board member, enthusiastically continues her dedication to the RWJUH Hamilton Foundation, which supports the programs and patients of the hospital. “I’ve been so proud,” says Pucciarelli of her tenure with the Foundation, “to work with so many people from the Hamilton community.”

New Board members Ryan Kennedy of Hopewell Borough, NJ, and Christina Spinelli of Hamilton, NJ – a former member of the hospital’s Young Professionals Group (YPG) – are enthusiastic about their upcoming efforts on behalf of the Foundation, as well. With the ascensions of Stinger and Pucciarelli to their new positions and the additions Kennedy and Spinelli, the Foundation Board will continue its work to contribute to the evolution of RWJUH Hamilton in order to best serve its community. Former Foundation Board Chair and Chair-elect of the hospital Board, Nina Melker, says, “I know we have built a strong Foundation Board. These changes will continue to bring us forward and help us grow.”

Millstone, Millstone, Monmouth County February 17, 2021

Workers Making Roof Repairs Set Roofing Materials Ablaze Quickly Extinguished

February 17, 2021

MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–Just after 11:00 am Millstone Township Fire Department was dispatched to 532 Route 537-Monmouth Road for a fire on a roof of a commercial building with reported smoke and flames visible. Mutual Aid fire departments from Hope Fire Company-Allentown, Plumstead Township-New Egypt Fire Company, Jackson Township and Monroe Township were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival firefighters reported light smoke and fire from the roof and were able to quickly knock the fire down bringing it under control within minutes. Initial radio reports are that workers on the roof making repairs caught the roofing materials on fire using a torch. The fire is under investigation by the Millstone Township Fire Marshal’s Office and no additional details are available at this time. Firefighters remained on scene for at least an hour for overhaul and checking for hot spots. Thanks to a quick response and extinguishment by firefighters, the business was expected to reopen shortly with almost no business interruption.