PLAINSBORO, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–The person who was struck Tuesday night was a 39-year-old man per Plainsboro police Lt. John Bresnen. His identity is not being released pending notification of family.
February 28, 2023
WEST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER)–According to Amtrak representatives, on February 28, 2023, Amtrak train 178 was traveling from Washington D.C., to Boston at approx. 6:54 p.m. when an individual who was trespassing on the track came into contact with the train east of Princeton Junction. There have been no reported injuries to the passengers or crew onboard. Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident. There was a hold on all four tracks as far as PHL. Track 4 was opened at 8:47 p.m.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America, and railroad crossing incidents are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in America. These incidents can affect everyone involved—those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews, and our passengers. They also serve as critical reminders about the importance of obeying the law and of exercising extreme caution around railroad tracks and crossings. Amtrak continues to work closely with Operation Lifesaver (OLI) to #STOPTrackTragedies by emphasizing the obvious dangers of being on railroad property or disregarding warnings at rail crossings. For more railroad safety information, please visit StayOffTheTracks.org
1 of 2: Northeast Corridor rail service has resumed in both directions between Trenton and Penn Station New York and is subject to up to 2-hour delays following an earlier Amtrak pedestrian strike at Princeton Junction.
2 of 2: NJ TRANSIT rail tickets and passes continue to be cross-honored by NJ TRANSIT bus, private carriers and PATH at Hoboken, Newark Penn Station and 33rd Street.
NEC train #3870, the 7:45 PM PSNY arrival, Is currently delayed near Princeton Junction Station due to an Amtrak pedestrian strike. An update to follow.
NEC train #3953, the 6:54 PM arrival into Trenton, is currently delayed near Princeton due to police activity resulting from an Amtrak pedestrian strike at Princeton Station. An update will follow.
1 of 2: Northeast Corridor rail service is suspended in both directions between Trenton and Jersey Avenue due to an Amtrak pedestrian strike near Princeton Junction.
PEDRICKTOWN, NJ (SALEM) — The Attorney General’s Office is reviewing the circumstances of the shooting of one male civilian today at approximately 1:45 p.m. in the presence of law enforcement at the New Jersey Turnpike’s Clara Barton Service Area in Pedricktown, Salem County, New Jersey.
The incident involved members of the New Jersey State Police and the United States Marshals Service.
This review is being conducted by the Integrity Bureau within the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, pursuant to Attorney General Directive 2019-4.
The review is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–South Brunswick Police make arrests of drunk drivers after they crashed into cars and drove the wrong way on the highway this weekend.
On Friday, February 24, 2023, at 8:53 p.m., Yurii Kotiash, a 28-year-old man from Feasterville-Trevose in Bucks County Pennsylvania, was traveling southbound on Route 1, north of Henderson Road, in a 2018 Maserati, when he struck the rear of a 2019 Nissan, driven by a 23-year-old Kendall Park man, which had been stopped in traffic. Kotiash left the scene of the crash and continued southbound on Route 1. Moments later, he ran a red light at Henderson Road at a high rate of speed and struck a 2010 Honda driven by a 36-year-old man from North Brunswick, who had been traveling westbound on Henderson Road, crossing Route 1 with a green light. Kotiash’s Maserati went off the highway into the woods, but he escaped any injury. The driver of the Honda was transported to the hospital for treatment of moderate injuries.
Officer Daniel Stoddard administered field sobriety tests and determined Kotiash was under the influence of arrested him. At South Brunswick Police Headquarters Kotiash refused to supply breath samples for analysis. Kotiash was charged with DWI, Refusing a Breath Test, Failure to Observe Traffic, Right of Way at an Intersection, Careless Driving, and Reckless Driving, Failing to Report a Crash, and Leaving the Scene of a Crash.
On Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 3:22 a.m. officers were clearing from the fatal accident investigation on Route 130 when a drunk driver came at them driving the wrong way. Patrolman First Class Jason Gassman was on Route 130 northbound when a grey BMW came at him traveling south in the northbound lanes. PFC Gassman was able to get the BMW to stop and questioned the driver Eric Timmons, age 47 from North Brunswick. Timmons admitted to drinking and was given roadside sobriety tests. He was arrested by Officer Kent English for drunk driving. Timmons was charged with DWI and Careless Driving. Chief Raymond J. Hayducka said, “This weekend was tragic with one woman being killed in a crash unrelated to these two incidents. These two cases could have created even more tragedy. To crash into cars and drive the wrong way on the highway is reckless, and it was all preventable. Each of these men faces $5,000 in costs as well as a loss of license for seven months for senseless driving while impaired. The message is simple, Don’t Drink and Drive.”
WATCH – Dash cam video shows drunk driver in a BMW headed the wrong way on a highway at police car. PFC Jason Gassman was able to get the BMW stopped on Route 130 and arrested the driver at 3:15 am Sunday morning. #dontdrinkanddrivepic.twitter.com/G3fpU1bfLe
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–On Monday, February 27, 2023, at 7:05 p.m., South Brunswick Police Department officers were alerted to a car under a trailer at the rear of a warehouse on Chris Court. Officers found a red 1999 Volkswagen Beetle with a driver unconscious. Monmouth Junction First Aid Squad, Monmouth Junction Fire Department, and paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the driver John Kosarowich age 69 of Howell dead.
South Brunswick Police Traffic Safety Bureau investigators examined the scene and recovered video evidence. Investigators believe the driver was in the rear of the warehouses and may have suffered a medical issue that caused him to strike the trailer.
Anyone with information is asked to call the lead investigator PFC Bryan Sites at (732)329-4000 ext. 7472.
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey (CHSofNJ) held an open house for the public to climb aboard its newly outfitted and USDA-approved mobile WIC van. Dubbed the WOW (WIC on Wheels), this mobile unit represents the second one in New Jersey and the only one serving Mercer County.
Dubbed the WOW (WIC on Wheels), this mobile unit represents the second one in New Jersey and the only one serving Mercer County.
“Our WIC Mobile Unit will be a traveling, fully-equipped WIC Satellite Clinic that will recruit, enroll and serve WIC eligible participants in safe, convenient, and welcoming community locations close to their neighborhoods and within walking distance to the mobile unit,” said Maritza Raimundi-Petroski, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Prevention and Community Engagement for The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey (CHSofNJ).
In 2022, CHSofNJ’s overall WIC program enrolled 8,251 women, infants and families in WIC services for nutrition benefits, nutrition counseling and breastfeeding support through multilingual breastfeeding peer counselors. CHSofNJ’s WIC Program formed Partnership with Farmers Against Hunger and distributed 660 bags of food in 2022, weighing 23,100 pounds, with an estimated value of $26,400.
The WOW accommodates five WIC professionals and can be on-location for Mercer County families to get easy access for nutrition benefits and education. Additionally, the vehicle is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, as it has been outfitted with roof-mounted solar power and is electric battery operated. For more information, visit www.chsofnj.org.
RWJBarnabas Health Has Most Donations and Transplants Among All NJ Health Systems in 2022
February 28, 2023
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–The New Jersey Sharing Network, the federally-designated non-profit organization responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue in New Jersey, has recognized Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) for achieving the most-ever organ and tissue donations by a New Jersey hospital in a single year in 2022.
According to its end-of-year report, RWJUH worked closely with the NJ Sharing Network to fulfill the wishes of 33 individuals who gave the gift of life donating 102 organs for transplantation. RWJUH is one of the three state-designated Level I Trauma Centers for adults in New Jersey, and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJUH holds a Level II Pediatric Trauma designation. The hospital has quaternary-level capabilities for the critical care of patients for trauma, stroke, cardiovascular and medical conditions.
As a health system, RWJBarnabas Health hospitals work closely with the NJ Sharing Network and had 68 donors with 195 organs transplanted.
“As a state-designated Level I Trauma Center for Adult Acute Care medicine, a Level II Pediatric Trauma center, a certified Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, and a regional leader in transplantation for heart, kidney and pancreas, our partnership with the NJ Sharing Network and shared mission of saving and enhancing lives through organ donation runs deep in the RWJUH culture,” said Bill Arnold, President and CEO, RWJUH. “As an academic medical center through our longstanding partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and as one of only seven nursing programs in the world to achieve Magnet recognition six consecutive times, RWJUH is committed to facilitating the gift of life in the face of tragic circumstances. We are deeply honored to support the families of donors through this journey.”
RWJUH has an active Donor Council comprised of leaders across the hospital involved in the care of donor patients and families. The hospital also has a Donor Team, which is a volunteer, nurse-driven committee representing both the adult and pediatric emergency departments and all intensive care units throughout RWJUH. The committee provides specialized training to RWJUH’s clinical care team on the process to facilitate organ donation with the NJ Sharing Network.
Staff never approach patient families about consenting to a donation. Rather, they make a referral to the NJ Sharing Network to work directly with families if the potential exists for organ donation. There are specific criteria developed for when the NJ Sharing Network can be called in for a referral.
The Donor Team also conducts many outreach events to raise awareness and educate staff and the public about organ donation. This includes hosting an information table outside the Employee Dining Room during Donate Life Month. The Team also shares information at Somerset Patriots games, Rutgers Day, JCCs, YMCAs and National Night Out among other events. The Donor Team Committee is co-chaired by Nancy Lipschutz, RN, BSN, CCRN-CMC. and Mary Lynn Dupuis, RN, BSN, CCRN, CNIV.
“I have worked in the CCU forever and I have seen people with end-stage heart failure waiting for hearts,” said Lipschutz. “I have also seen heart transplant patients come back to visit us living and enjoying life. They treasure and honor the gift they have received – it’s never in vain.”
The Donor Team also pays tribute to organ donors and families by illuminating RWJUH’s East Tower in blue and green (the designated colors promoting organ donation awareness) for 24 hours each time a donation occurs. An image of the lit tower will also be pinned on the RWJUH Facebook to acknowledge this profound gift in 2023.
“Whenever people in our communities drive by RWJUH and see those colors illuminated on our buildings, they should know that something profound has occurred here. We can all be proud of this partnership with NJ Sharing Network and our team’s commitment to saving lives amidst grief,” Arnold added. “Publicly acknowledging this gift is healing for both our clinical teams and the donor families.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Mike Lee (R-UT) led a bipartisan effort to reform agricultural checkoff programs. Joined by U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act will make checkoff programs more responsive to the farmers who are required to contribute to them. Checkoffs are mandatory Department of Agriculture fees assessed on a per-unit basis that fund boards designed to promote the commodity as a whole. However, checkoff funds are frequently coopted against the interests of some or even a majority of contributors. Countless farmers, ranchers, and other producers have seen their checkoff dollars squandered or used against their interests. This bill would prohibit certain wasteful, anti-competitive, and deceptive behavior from checkoff boards.
“Farmers and Ranchers are being forced to pay into checkoff programs that often advocate against their best interest and support food system consolidation. These programs need transparency and oversight so a farmer can be sure they aren’t required to fund their own demise,” said Senator Booker. “That is why I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will help increase transparency and prohibit conflicts of interest and anti-competitive practices in these programs.”
“Checkoff programs are filled with waste and often abuse those who are forced to contribute to their coffers,” said Senator Lee. “These common-sense reforms will ensure that checkoff funds promote and protect all ag producers (big and small) who are meant to be served by these programs.”
“The current checkoff system does not provide enough transparency to our farmers on how their hard-earned dollars are used,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am committed to ensuring the checkoff programs are modernized and reflect the best interests of our farmers.”
“The decades old beef checkoff program is ill-suited to meet the needs of today’s cattle farmers and ranchers,” said Bill Bullard, CEO, R-CALF USA. “In fact, the program promotes corporate control and globalization over the interests of America’s cattle producers. We applaud Senators Lee and Booker for introducing this legislation to meaningfully reform the beef checkoff program so it can begin working for, rather than against, the American cattle producers.”
“For far too long, America’s farmers and ranchers have been forced to pay into government checkoff programs, only to see their dollars used against them by trade and lobbying organizations representing the world’s largest meatpackers and grain traders,” said Farm Action Fund President Joe Maxwell. “We applaud Senators Lee and Booker for their continued effort to bring transparency and accountability to these corrupt programs.”
“American family farmers are in peril and today, every cent counts,” said Taylor Haynes, president of the Organization for Competitive Markets. “If we’re going to be forced to pay into USDA’s checkoff programs then the very least we should expect is transparency, accountability, and oversight of our hard-earned dollars, and the OFF Act accomplishes just that.”
“The OFF Act was first introduced in the 115th Congress and here we are in the 118th Congress still working for transparency and accountability to reform the USDA’s commodity checkoff programs,” said Deborah Mills, chairwoman of the National Dairy Producers Organization. “This speaks volumes about what frustrates producers who are paying into checkoff programs. The recipients of the checkoff dollars are the greatest proponents of maintaining the status quo. Producers are being denied the basic right to have their questions about their investment answered.”
“I don’t want my hard-earned dollars funneled to a quasi-governmental organization that works against my best interest and represents industrial agriculture’s continued movement toward the monopolization of farming,” said Will Harris, past president of the American Grassfed Association and proprietor of White Oak Pastures. “We’ve farmed the same land in Georgia since 1866, and I want to ensure that future generations are able to continue to do the same.”
“We applaud Sens. Lee, Booker, Paul, Warren, and Gillibrand for their tireless work and leadership on the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action. “USDA’s commodity checkoff programs remain under fire because of their lack of transparency, misuse of funds, and damaging anti-competitive practices that have bankrupted millions of American farmers.”
ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MERCER)–Mandatory financial audits and a comprehensive review by the state Department of Education show the Robbinsville Public Schools are financially strong and operating a peak performance.
This is the third annual audit under Schools Superintendent Brian Betze and Business Administrator Nick Mackres, each year showing tight accounting practices and clean financial records. The independent audit was completed by Holt McNally & Associates of Medford, a certified public accounting firm, which presented its findings at the February school board meeting for public discussion.
“All school districts in New Jersey are required to undergo a detailed audit each year to ensure funds are accepted and disbursed properly,” Betze said. “Over the summer, auditors spent three weeks studying the school district’s accounting mechanisms. The final report was just released, showing for the third year in a row a clean audit, with absolutely no issues or concerns.”
As part of the detailed review of the 2021-22 budget, auditors matched up random samplings of purchase orders to ensure expenditures are in the correct budget lines. They also examine the funding stream for students’ sports and clubs, as well as ensure incoming funds are being properly transferred to the right places within the budget. There is also a compliance check to ensure the school district’s accounting practices meet all state guidelines.
Betze attributed the positive audit report to Mackres and his team in the school district’s business office, who handle all financial matters for the three district schools.
“The taxpayers of Robbinsville entrust the school district with managing an annual budget of $61.3 million, of which $45 million is generated by local property taxpayers,” said School Board President Richard Young. “It is critical that every dollar is wisely spent, in accordance with state guidelines, to ensure we are providing a thorough and efficient education to each and every student. That is why this audit result is so important. It shows our school administrators are right on task as financial stewards.”
School officials also received good news from the state Department of Education, which conducts the Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) assessment every three years. The state reviews five different areas of the school district, including 55 curriculum documents and 189 indicators.
Under the leadership of the district’s new directors of curriculum/instruction, as well as their supervisors, the Robbinsville Public Schools are now 100% compliant in curriculum. It is expected the school district will be compliant in all areas when the state issues a final report in the beginning of April.
“The state wants to ensure full compliance within all of our operations,” the superintendent explained. “Auditors examine finances, operations, governance, procedures, curriculum, instruction and facilities. It is a very deep dive, to the point in which state inspectors ensure fire extinguishers are up to code. They even check to see if closet doors close properly and flush all the toilets.”
The state also looks at long-term planning as part of a comprehensive assessment. Betze is coordinating a strategic planning process through the winter and spring, which includes a community survey that residents are asked to submit by Monday, March 13. The survey, which should take about 15 minutes to complete, is available at the school district website, http://www.Robbinsville.k12.nj.us
There are nearly 110 residents and other stakeholders who have volunteered for the strategic planning process this winter, in which monthly meetings are held to set a long-term direction for improving student achievement. Community recommendations will be incorporated in a draft Robbinsville Public Schools 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, which the school board is expected to adopt at its June meeting.
“We have received tremendous input from all sectors of our community as we plan for the long-range success of our public schools,” Young said. “It is important that as many stakeholders as possible participate in the community survey, thus ensuring the final, approved plan truly reflects direction dictated by the people of Robbinsville.”
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The Hamilton Township Police Division Major Crimes Unit has been investigating multiple acts of lewdness conducted by the above listed individual (Carlos A Villedamelchor). The investigation spans dates from November of 2022 till February of 2023. The current areas that have been affected are: Field Ave., Camp Ave., Newkirk Ave. and Berg Ave in Hamilton Township.
There were two vehicles associated with this investigation the one shown above a 2013 Ford Escape Blue in color, and a grey Toyota Corolla unknown year.
The above listed individual has been charged with multiple counts of lewdness in association with this investigation. The suspect would pull up to an intended victim and either masturbate or expose his genitalia in full view of same.
All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation please contact Det. Russ Newborn at 609-581-4128.
The Hamilton Township Police Division Major Crimes Unit has been investigating multiple acts of lewdness conducted by the above listed individual (Carlos A Villedamelchor). The investigation spans dates from November of 2022 till February of 2023. The current areas that have been affected are: Field Ave., Camp Ave., Newkirk Ave. and Berg Ave in Hamilton Township.
There were two vehicles associated with this investigation the one shown above a 2013 Ford Escape Blue in color, and a grey Toyota Corolla unknown year.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Raymond Hayducka of the South Brunswick Police Department announced today that a fatal hit and run is under investigation.
On February 25, 2023, at approximately 9:58 P.M., authorities responded to the intersection of Route 130 and Route 32 following the report of a crash. Upon their arrival, authorities located Kerri Lynn Shea, 43 of East Windsor, who died as a result of the crash. The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene on foot.
The investigation is active and continuing. At this time, law enforcement is actively pursuing the identification and apprehension of the other driver and assistance from the community is being sought. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Bryan Sites of the South Brunswick Police Department at (732) 329-4000 X 7485 or Detective Matthew Colonna of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3354.
Update from the New Jersey State Police Public Information Unit.
Tpr. II Charles Marchan told MidJersey.News that Troopers responded to an motor vehicle crash on Saturday at 4:54 p.m. at the intersection of County Road 524 and Sharon Station Road, Upper Freehold, Monmouth County.
Based on a preliminary investigation a vehicle was traveling on 524 and another vehicle was traveling on Sharon Station Road. The vehicles were involved in a collision in the intersection causing one of the vehicles to overturn. The occupants were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
February 25, 2023
UPPER FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–At 4:54 p.m. Hope Fire Company of Allentown and Millstone Township Fire Department was dispatched to County Road 524 & Sharon Station Road for an overturned into a utility pole with entrapment. Enroute Chief 82-66 requested the rescue from Millstone and additional BLS from Robbinsville due to confirmed report of multiple trapped. Upon arrival there was a two-vehicle crash with two trapped patients in the overturn both requiring ALS-Advance Life Support care sending a second medic to the scene. Upon arrival of first due ALS unit, a medevac helicopter was requested to fly. The first victim extricated around the 25-minute mark and second around the 40-minute mark. Robbinsville Ambulance 40 transported first patient by ground to Captial Health System Trauma Center in Trenton. RWJ Barnabas medevac landed in field adjacent to the scene and transported the second patient to RWJUH New Brunswick with serious injuries. No further details about the crash are available. (See Update Above from NJSP)
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)– A firefighter was injured while battling a multi-alarm blaze that gutted two homes on Spring Street today (Saturday, Feb. 25). It took firefighters nearly two hours to bring the fire under control.
It was just before 11:55 a.m. when Engines 1, 8 and 10, Ladder 4 and Rescue 1 were dispatched to the 300 block of Spring Street in response to multiple 911 calls reporting a house fire. Engine 1 quickly arrived on scene and reported heavy fire showing from the rear of the three-story duplex occupied by 305 and 307 Spring Street.
The “All Hands” signal for a working fire was transmitted and the remainder of the full first alarm – Engine 9, Ladder 1 and Special Services 1 – was dispatched.
A short time later the incident commander provided the following progress report: “Dispatcher, the original fire building is going to be 305 [Spring Street], a three-story semi. We have heavy fire on Divisions 1, 2 and 3. We have three [hose]lines in service. We also have fire in 307 [Spring Street] on the third floor. We have an interior attack line in there.”
Shortly after 12:30 p.m., with firefighters still operating multiple hoselines to extinguish fire on all three floors of the 305 Spring Street and on the top floor of the attached home next door, the incident commander called a second alarm for additional manpower. Engine 7 and Ladder 2 (which had just returned to the city after helping out at the fire on Scotch Road in Ewing) both responded.
Around 12:50 p.m. a “Mayday” radio signal was transmitted, indicating a firefighter in distress. Fortunately, the emergency was cleared quickly and the injured firefighter was removed from the building and transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The nature of the firefighter’s injuries were not released but they were not believed to be life threatening.
With pockets of fire still burning within hard-to-reach void spaces inside the structures, an extra engine company and extra ladder company were summoned to the scene. Those units were Engine 7 and Falls Township Ladder 30 (which had relocated into Trenton with other mutual aid units to help cover empty city firehouses).
The blaze was finally declared under control at 2:42 p.m.
A special unit from Hamilton Township Fire Department was also called to the scene to help refill firefighters’ air breathing air cylinders after Trenton’s air truck (Special Services 1) exhausted its air supply.
Signal 22, the city’s volunteer police and fire canteen unit, also responded with refreshments for weary firefighters.
Other mutual aid companies from Hamilton, Bordentown City, and Morrisville (Pa.) responded into Trenton and handled other assignments while the Spring Street fire was still being fought.
EWING TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Just after 11;00 a.m., all Ewing Township Fire Departments including Mercer County Airport Fire Department were dispatched to the 300 Block of Scotch Road at Maintenance Building 10 for flames reported from the roof from a 9-1-1 caller. Airport firefighters responding reported seeing smoke from across the airport and called for a first alarm sending additional equipment to the scene. Upon arrival Airport Fire Department Engine 34 reported flames from the roof and a 2-Alarm was called. Engine 34 quickly knocked the bulk of fire using the boom on the engine and multiple hose lines were pulled to the building to hit the rest of the fire.
Firefighters are still on scene fighting the fire and numerous surrounding departments have been called to the scene or to cover the township.
Command reported fire under control at 11:48 a.m.
Further details to follow when the become available. This is a breaking news report from the scene.
TRENTON, NJ (Mercer) – City firefighters this evening (Friday, Feb. 24) tackled another working structure fire, this time in a commercial building at 809 East State Street, near the corner of Chambers Street. It was shortly before 6:40 p.m. that the city’s 911 communications center received reports that the roof was on fire and dispatched Engines 7, 10 and 6, Ladder 4, and Rescue 1. While enroute, firefighters spotted a column of smoke looming up into the night sky. The “All Hands” signal for a working fire was immediately transmitted and Engine 3, Ladder 2 and Special Services 1 were dispatched as the balance of the first alarm. A short time later, Battalion Chief Dave Smolka ordered a second alarm and Engine 1 was dispatched to assist with operations. Firefighters used multiple 2.5-inch hose lines and the aerial master stream from Ladder 2 to bring the smoky blaze under control in about an hour’s time. One person suffering from smoke inhalation was reportedly transported by Trenton EMS ambulance to a local hospital. The cause of the blaze is under investigation by authorities.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On February 23, 2023, in honor of Heart Health Awareness Month nearly 100 residents came out to participate in the Heart & Soul, Slide into Better Health event held at the RWJ Fitness and Wellness Center on Quakerbridge Road in Hamilton New Jersey. It was a fun filled evening for all with line dancing provided by instructor, Kenny J., and Live DJ music compliments of DJ Transit. A part of the organization’s efforts to End Racism Together, the event was sponsored by RWJBarnabas Health in partnership with Trenton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Braven, the Trenton Health Team and the American Heart Association. Richard Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton and DeAnna Minus-Vincent, Executive Vice President and Chief Social Justice and Accountability Officer, RWJBarnabas Health, came out to enjoy the evening of heart healthy line dancing, heart healthy education and health screenings for the community.
Shakil Shaikh, DO, at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, provided the opportunity for folks to “Ask the Cardiologist.” RWJUH Hamilton Community Education Team were on site to perform blood pressure readings and provide information about coronary calcium scoring, “knowing your numbers” when it comes to your risk for heart disease, how to make an appointment and where to call. Call 609-584-2890 to make an appointment at RWJUH Hamilton and with one of New Jersey’s top cardiac specialists to determine if a calcium score if right for you.
“To improve the health outcomes of the hardest hit communities, it’s important to increase awareness about health disparities, what causes them, and how we can work together to remedy them, and the Heart & Soul: Slide Into Better Health was designed to empower the community to do just that,” says Richard Freeman, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
In front, DeAnna Minus Vincent, Executive Vice President and Chief Social Justice and Accountability Officer and Richard Freeman, President and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton
RWJ Barnabas Hamilton Heart and Soul Event
(Left to right) Richard Freeman, President and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, DeAnna Minus Vincent, Executive Vice President and Chief Social Justice and Accountability Officer RWJBarnabas Health and Shakil Shaikh, DO, cardiologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton
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