NJPP: Public Charge Rule is a Discriminatory Income Test

Earlier today the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the Trump administration’s “public charge” rule change to take effect. The new rule makes it more difficult for immigrant families to obtain legal permanent residence if they have used, or are deemed likely to use, public health benefits. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, NJPP releases the following statement:

Erika Nava, Policy Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective:

“The Supreme Court decision is a devastating blow to working-class immigrant families in search of the American Dream. The new rule imposes a discriminatory income test to the immigration system and will force many immigrants to choose between having their basic needs met and being separated from their family. Penalizing families who qualify for public assistance runs counter to this nation’s values and must be stopped. In the meantime, immigrant families should not be fearful, but educated on the new public charge rule so they can make the best decisions for themselves and their families as they navigate the immigration process.”

For more info on the “public charge” rule change, read NJPP’s Public Charge FAQ from December 2019:

FAQs: The Public Charge Rule Change

Brandywine Zoo Madagascar exhibit will house endangered lemurs, tortoises

WILMINGTON (Jan. 27, 2019) – The DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation Brandywine Zoo broke ground last week on its Madagascar Exhibit, an outdoor space that will soon be home to several new animals. The newcomers will include the Radiated Tortoise, and three species of lemurs: the Black and White Ruffed, Ring-Tailed and Crowned.

The Madagascar Exhibit is part of the Brandywine Zoo’s recently approved Master Plan and will be the largest capital improvement in the zoo’s history. The Master Plan focuses on improved animal welfare and guest experiences, species of conservation concern, and the inclusion of more mixed-species exhibits.

“The Madagascar exhibit and other planned upgrades will bring our guests close to rare animals and provide crucial lessons about how humans can lessen their impact on species extinction,\” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. \”This exhibit will increase the sustainability of the zoo and the endangered species we care for.\”

The zoo will be closed to the public throughout the winter months during the initial stages of construction.

At nearly 4,000 square feet, the Madagascar Exhibit will be one of the zoo’s largest display habitats. It will include interactive features and information about conservation concerns in Madagascar. The project will take approximately six months to complete; some areas of the zoo will be closed during construction. The Madagascar Exhibit cost approximately $3.5 million, funded through multiple State, Federal and private sources.

Brandywine Zoo Director Brint Spencer said combining three species of lemurs and the Radiated Tortoise into one exhibit will create a more active space.

“Having multiple animals sharing a habitat provide natural social enrichment for the animals as they interact with each other and make the exhibits more interesting for the visitors as they watch these interactions,” he said.

Delaware Zoological Society Executive Director Michael T. Allen said they are excited to see these animals join the Brandywine Zoo. All four species of animals are part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Species Survival Plans, which “are designed to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and demographically stable population for the long-term future,” according to

aza.org

“Ninety-four percent of lemur species are endangered or critically endangered,” he said. “It is wonderful to see the Brandywine Zoo participate in these Species Survival Plans to help maintain an insurance population for generations to come.”

As part of the Crowned lemur survival plan, a male and a female will be paired for breeding at the zoo; just 30 of the species exist in the Americas, 18 males and 12 females. Brandywine Zoo will become the 12th location on the entire North American continent where Crowned lemurs can be viewed by the public.

Zoo Re-imagined Capital Campaign

To help support the new exhibit with additional habitat and facility updates, the Delaware Zoological Society just launched a three-year, $5 million Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign alongside the Madagascar Habitat construction.

The Zoological Society capital campaign will help fund an entryway, updated exhibits, and a wetlands exhibit. Most of the new habitats, buildings, and viewing areas are available for sponsorship.

For more information about or to donate to the Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign, visit

brandywinezoo.org/reimagined

, email

reimagined@brandywinezoo.org

, or call 302-571-7788, extension 206.

For general information about the Brandywine Zoo, visit

Home

or call 302-571-7747.

Nominations Open for 2020 New Good Neighbor Awards

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association and

New Jersey Business

magazine are seeking nominations for the 60

Annual New Good Neighbor Awards that honor outstanding economic development projects in New Jersey.

\”New Good Neighbor Awards recognize the visionary architects, builders and financing professionals who turn exciting ideas into reality and make New Jersey a better place to live and do business,\” said NJBIA President & CEO Michele N. Siekerka, Esq. \”This competition showcases the best of the best who invest in communities, create jobs, and improve lives.\”

Projects can be nominated in any of these three categories: New Construction, Community Enhancement (parks/streetscapes), and Renovation/Expansion. Eligible projects must have been completed (construction or capital expenditures) within the past two years (Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2019) and can be nominated using the

online form

on NJBIA\’s website.

The deadline for submitting nominations is

Feb. 14

NJBIA will contact eligible nominees and ask them to provide details about their projects. Judging will be based on projects\’ economic benefits, job creation, architectural merit and community involvement. Winners will be profiled in

New Jersey Business

magazine\’s July issue, as well as on NJBIA\’s website.

The 2020 New Good Neighbor Awards will be presented on July 14.

Last year, New Good Neighbor Awards were given to

13 winning development projects

that collectively represented $488 million in capital investments and provided 5,124 construction and 2,900 permanent jobs. Press releases and short videos about the winners produced by NJBIA yielded reports from media outlets throughout the state.

For further information about the New Good Neighbor Awards program, contact

events@njbia.org

. Information about last year\’s winners can be found

here

and short NJBIA videos about their projects can be viewed

here

NEST Integrated Facilities Management Names Shannon Puckett Chief Operating Officer

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ—January 27, 2020

—NEST, the leader in integrated facilities management and technology solutions serving enterprises in the United States and Canada, has announced the addition of Shannon Puckett to their executive suite as

Chief Operating Officer.

In her new role, Puckett will oversee NEST’s network of over 26,000 independent service providers (ISPs), ensure their compliance to local and national requirements and manage quality assurance, product sourcing and service execution.

“We’re thrilled to have a veteran leader like Shannon joining the NEST family,” said Rob Almond, CEO at NEST. “After a year of continued growth and expansion of our services, 2020 felt like the perfect time to grow our executive team.”

Puckett draws on over two decades’ experience in the facilities management space where her leadership fostered growth internally and externally by implementing innovative techniques to meet organizational goals and process improvements.

She previously served as SVP of Strategy at Amazon for C&W Services and Managing Director at CBRE. She has also held roles at The Home Depot and Toyota Motor Corporation.

“I’m excited to hit the ground running with the NEST team in 2020,” said Puckett. “It’s great to be joining a company that has seen so much growth over the last few years, even as the industry becomes more consolidated than ever. I’m looking forward to seeing us maintain that upward trend.”

###

About NEST Integrated Facilities Management

Since 1994, NEST has been transforming the way modern, multi-site businesses manage their facilities and construction programs by pairing financial acumen and business analytics with a strategic consultative approach.

Real-time data, reporting and analytics technology empower business leaders with the informed insights they need to make smarter decisions. And with access to an extensive network of vetted independent service providers (ISPs) across the country, multi-site organizations with a national footprint experience exceptional service, regardless of where they are located. With NEST, businesses are equipped to address the full range

of their facilities maintenance

and management needs.