On Thursday, December 10, the New Jersey Senate passed three bills of interest to New Jersey gun owners. Two bills, S3068/A4304 and S3076/A4301 both head to Governor Corzine’s desk for his consideration and S3104 moves to the Assembly for consideration in January.

CAPTION: Two-time collegiate Heisman Memorial Trophy winner Archie Griffin joins the 2009 Wendy\’s High School Heisman national finalists for a Heisman pose prior to the award ceremony in New York City on December 11, 2009. (PRNewsFoto/Wendy\’s)

– By Bowsite.com

In November I traveled to Saskatchewan to hunt trophy whitetails with Rob Nye of Canadian Trophy Quest. A group of Christian rifle hunters overlapped me by one day. They had all tagged out with deer racks and headed down to Saskatoon to board a United Airlines flight back to the US. When they checked in the ticket agent informed them that United had changed their policy a few days earlier and their antlers were no longer allowed as either checked, or carry-on luggage. The surprised group of hunters scurried around to find a hotel to take their capes and horns then they boarded the United flight; minus their trophies. To say they were upset would be quite an understatement.

While this particular situation did not affect me this time, like many of you I have my share of airline horror stories. Remember my elk hunt from 2006? Northwest Airlines lost my luggage for the first 5 of my 7 day elk hunt at Rhynard Ranch. To add insult to injury, I was treated like crap despite the fact that I was broadcasting the debacle to 20k people every day! But that was nothing compared to the Bowsite visitor who checked his hunting gear to Johannesburg and it showed up a week later – after he returned home!

via www.bowsite.com

by Amanda Snyder

Following the deaths of two pedestrians, Council has gotten some heat for bills that aim to heighten fines and require registration for bicyclists.

Two councilmen introduced legislation last month to crack down on reckless bike riding that was meant to start a conversation about sharing space on the roads and sidewalks.

Oct. 8, a cyclist on a mountain bike struck Tom Archie, of the 1600 block of South Camac Street, as he crossed between two parked cars on the 1700 block of East Passyunk Avenue, Officer Christine O’Brien of the Police Public Affairs said. The man was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with head trauma. The 78-year-old was pronounced dead three hours later.

via www.southphillyreview.com

Brendan Marrocco\’s Bronze Star nomination includes a handwritten note from the battalion\’s executive officer. It describes how the 23-year-old U.S. Army soldier from New York \”… embodies the attributes of sacrifice, selfless service and discipline. Always ready to perform any mission in combat.\”

These are some of the attributes that also prompted Lt. Rich Kilcoyne, leader of the 2nd Platoon, to honor Marrocco – then a private first class – as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle driver last April.

Related Story

• Read part 1 of the Brendan Marrocco series.

The 2nd Battalion of the 27th Infantry Regiment was stationed at Forward Operating Base Summerall, 130 miles north of Baghdad, near Bayji – perilous territory in the combat theater. The locals are almost all Sunnis. Many are former members of Saddam Hussein\’s Baath Party. The 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne, which preceded Marrocco\’s battalion in the region, suffered many losses in this particularly hostile part of Iraq.

Soldiers at FOB Summerall worked closely with police in Siniyah and performed joint patrols with Iraqi Police. Marrocco\’s platoon served as the quick-response force for the battalion, rushing to the scene whenever a roadside bomb went off or trouble erupted. \”We were a very close-knit platoon,\” Kilcyone says. \”We did a great job of keeping Siniyah under control.\”

CONTINUE TO READ via www.legion.org

Lions set school records at New Year\’s Invite

12/12/2009 2:24:42 PM

Priscilla Senyah set a school record in the 60-meter hurdles.

Complete Results
Princeton, NJ… The College of New Jersey’s men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams kicked off the 2009-10 season at the New Year’s Invitational hosted by Princeton University with some solid efforts.
Senior Priscilla Senyah (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) started the new season in impressive fashion winning the 60-meter hurdles in a school-record time of 8.94 seconds. That time also met a NCAA provisional cut. The Lion wasn’t done with her big meet as she placed fourth in the 60-meter dash with a swift time of 7.86 seconds.
Junior Meryl Wimberly (Farmingdale, NJ/Colts, Neck) also set a school record winning the 600 meters in 1:36.77.
Freshman Mary Chismar (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) had a top-10 finish in the shot put as she placed eighth in her collegiate debut with a distance of 11.10 meters.
In the men’s weight throw, TCNJ had a strong team showing claiming places six through 10. Senior Steve Liccketto (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) finished sixth with a toss of 14.89 meters and was followed by classmate Martin Brown (Verona, NJ/Verona) in seventh with a distance of 14.14. Next was junior Thomas Conroy (Norwood, NJ/Regis) at 14.13, with senior Zach Goldstein (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) at 12.90 and junior Alexander Necovski (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills) at 12.43 rounding out the top 10.
Sophomore Jelani Davis (Iselan, NJ/JFK) placed fifth in the high jump clearing 1.90 meters, while sophomore Colin Gold (Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah) was sixth in the pole vault clearing 4.20 meter

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2009 – The rate of soldier suicides this year exceeded the 2008 total with 147 reports through November, marking the fifth consecutive year the service\’s suicide rate has increased.

In November, 12 potential suicides were reported among the active-duty Army, all of which still are under investigation. In addition, two potential suicides were reported for November among reserve-component soldiers not serving on active duty. For October, three of the 16 active-duty suicides reported now are confirmed, according to a statement released by the Army yesterday.
For 2009, 45 reports of possible active-duty suicides remain unconfirmed, along with 30 of the 71 reported suicides in the reserve components, the statement said.

On December 10, 2009. Age 76. Lifelong resident of Gloucester City. In the loving care of his cherished wife of 50 years, Mary Lou (nee Stief). Loving father of Susan (Michael) Costello, Billy (Susan) Stone and Chuck (Margie) Stone. Devoted grandfather of Kevin, Katie, Eric, Tommy, Danny, Jessica, Bruce and Chad. Predeceased by his siblings; Emma LaGreco, Vera Eberle and Bob Stone.

Bill was born and raised in Gloucester City. He graduated from Gloucester High School class of 1951. Bill proudly served our country in the 101^st Airborne in the U.S. Army. He was a member and employed 35 years by the International Local #1242 in Philadelphia, PA. And a member of the Gloucester City Memorial AA Club. Bill had a passion for racehorses and enjoyed the track.

Relatives, friends and union members are kindly invited to attend his viewing on Tuesday morning from 10 am to 12 noon at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, (at Brown Street) Gloucester City. Funeral service and interment with U.S. Military Honors New St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bellmawr. No Evening Viewing. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Bill’s memory to the Louis D. Stief Memorial Scholarship Fund or the Memorial AA: P.O. Box 358, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Please write in memo of check: William J. Stone. Expressions of sympathy can be e-mailed to www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of William J. Stone. Funeral Arrangements and Inquiries may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME: 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ. Ph: 856-456-1142

Holy Family University Men’s Basketball Loses to California (Pa.), 93-56

(12/12/2009)
CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Holy Family University men’s basketball team dropped a non-conference match-up to host California (Pa.) University, 93-56, at Hamer Hall on Saturday afternoon.
Forward Justin Swidowski (so. Cinnaminson, N.J./Holy Cross) paced Holy Family (0-7) with a team-high 17 points. Forward Rickie Crews (jr. Westville, N.J./Deptford) recorded his second consecutive double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs. Guard Khiry Hankins (fr. Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country) contributed eight points. .

BOX SCORE
Center Valley, PA (December 12, 2009) – The 21st ranked DeSales University men’s basketball team led by as many as 16 points early in the second half and withstood a furious second-half rally from the Cardinals, hanging on for its 16th straight win at home, 64-62, over St. John Fisher College in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall. 

The Bulldogs (6-3 overall), playing without injured All-American senior guard Darnell Braswell 

On December 10, 2009. (nee Johnson) Age 90. Of Brooklawn and Blackwood. Loving and devoted wife of the late John Holland. Cherished mother of the late John Holland, II. Survived by many beloved friends and caregivers. Margaret’s burial and services are private. Expressions of sympathy www.mccannhealey.com under online obituaries of Margaret May Holland.