Oliver J. Stetser, A Life Well and Truthfully Led

By Joseph Hargesheimer

Gloucester City History in Photos

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (March 2020)–Hard to believe, but less than 100 years ago, if you were a married teacher, Gloucester City did not want you. In 1929, 10 married

Oliver J. Stetser (Image courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer)

woman,

who were teachers in town, filed a suit ag

ainst the board of education because they were being passed over for raises. They claimed it was because they were married, but the B.O.E. said it was because of a lack of funds. (but they did find the money to give others a raise). And so a hearing was scheduled before the New Jersey State Commissioner of Education.

At the hearing, the lawyer for the board of education told the commissioner, \”we would love to give these ladies a raise, we just do not have the money\”. Several of the board members testified the same way. But then, Oliver J. Stetser, also a board member, got his chance to speak. He started by saying, \” I am going to tell the truth at this hearing\”. The teachers are correct that they did not receive a raise because they are married. In board meetings, time after time, the members said that the best way to rid ourselves of married teachers, is to pass them over for raises until they leave. They deserve a raise, but this is the policy of the Gloucester City Board of Education.

The commissioner then closed the meeting and said he would have a decision soon.

In January of 1930, the State commissioner told members of the Gloucester City Board of Education that they were guilty of discrimination and found in favor of the married teachers.

Those 10 teachers were: Mrs. Alice Donaldson Gilliland, Marion Ivory, Dorothy Morenzana , Elizabeth Reddy, Irene Hutchinson, Anna Andrews, Edith Cubley, Lena Morgenweck, Josephine Keller and Susan Norcross.

Stetser was a hero who would not violate his oath to tell the truth, even though his fellow board members had no trouble doing so. Stetser was also a Justice of the Peace in Gloucester City and also a well respected News Paper Man. He passed away on October 30 1950.

A life well and truthfully led.

(source of information The Camden Courier Post 1920\’s)

Gloucester City News

Gloucester City History

Pepco Holdings Announces Updates to Its Operations and Support Services Leadership Teams

Part of the ongoing effort to drive top-tier industry performance at Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco

Miguel Ortega

named vice president of Project & Contract Management

Bob Pinto

named vice president of Electric and Gas Operations

Bill Sullivan

named vice president of Technical Services

Sam Williams

named vice president of Support Services

WASHINGTON, D.C.

(March 2, 2020) – As part of the effort to continue delivering top tier service, and increased reliability and operational performance, Pepco Holdings has announced four leadership appointments supporting Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco.

“We are committed to providing our customers and communities with the most reliable electricity and natural gas possible, while developing new programs that reshape the future of energy service,” said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO of Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. “These leaders are among the best and brightest in the energy industry, and I know they will bring innovative approaches that will help us continue to deliver on our commitments.”

Miguel Ortega,

previously the company’s vice president of Technical Services, has assumed the role of vice president of Project & Contract Management for Pepco Holdings. In this role, Ortega will oversee more than $700 million in projects to modernize the local energy grid and advance the level of service for more than 2.1 million customers. Ortega joined Pepco Holdings in 2016 after several leadership roles in Operations and External Affairs at sister company ComEd, in Illinois. Since moving to the Washington area, Ortega has connected to the community through service on the board of directors for the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as well as his role as executive sponsor of the Organization of Latinos of Exelon Employee Resource Group in Washington, D.C.

Bob Pinto

has been promoted from director of Pepco Electric Operations to vice president of Electric and Natural Gas Operations for Pepco Holdings. Pinto came to Pepco from ComEd in 2017 where he held numerous leadership positions of increasing responsibility in Electric Operations. During the past three years, he has driven improved safety performance at Pepco and has supported record electric service reliability for Pepco’s Washington D.C. and Maryland customers. He is passionate about serving the community through work with several nonprofit organizations.

Bill Sullivan,

previously Pepco Holdings’ vice president of Electric and Gas Operations, has become vice president of Technical Services. In his new role, Sullivan will oversee the management of the company’s electric system assets. He began his career in 1987 as a project engineer and advanced through numerous management positions in engineering, customer service, field services, meter services, accounts receivable, and electric operations. Sullivan’s leadership has driven strong reliability performance and safety improvements for Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. He serves as the executive sponsor of the Exelon African American Resource Alliance Employee Resource Group in Washington, D.C., and supports numerous volunteer and philanthropic efforts across the region.

Sam Williams

has been named vice president of Support Services for Pepco Holdings. He comes to Pepco Holdings from Exelon sister company, Baltimore Gas & Electric, where he was director of Regional Electric Operations. Williams has more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry, including several key leadership roles at BGE. In his new role, he will be responsible for Safety, Training, Fleet, Environmental Services, Security, and Real Estate & Facilities. Williams’ leadership extends beyond the business and well into the community. He is a member of Leadership Baltimore County, an active board member of the Community College of Baltimore County Foundation, and an avid volunteer with \’100 For 100,\’ which provides meals to those in need. Williams replaces Mike Poncia who retired after 22 years with Pepco Holdings and more than 32 years in the energy industry.

Readers are encouraged to visit

The Source

Pepco Holdings’ online news room, to learn more about

Atlantic City Electric

Delmarva Power

, and

Pepco

efforts to power a cleaner and brighter future for the customers and communities it serves.

###

Pepco Holdings, a unit of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the nation’s leading energy provider, oversees the operation of Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. The companies provide safe and reliable energy service to approximately 2.1 million customers in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware and New Jersey.

West Virginia Couple’s Violent Robbery Spree Thwarted by FBI, Local Partners

Robbers Who Targeted Elderly Sentenced

In 2018, a 74-year-old Tennessee woman was attacked in her home by a pair of robbers who ransacked her house and stole her sense of safety.

Days later, a 72-year-old Tennessee man with dementia was attacked outside his home by the same assailants. They forced him inside and threw him down a stairwell after robbing him of a few possessions. Among the items stolen was a bomber jacket from the man’s service in Vietnam. It was an irreplaceable keepsake that investigators never found.

In all, Joshua Small and his girlfriend, Joni Johnson, robbed—and in some cases violently assaulted—seven senior citizens in West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee during a short period in the summer of 2018. In several cases, they subdued their victims by punching or hitting them and then tying them up while they ransacked their homes. The robbers held some of their victims at gunpoint or threatened them with guns.

The incidents shook the small, quiet towns where they took place.

“One victim’s son told us, ‘This is a small town. Everyone here knows me or my dad,’” said Special Agent Wesley Leatham, who investigated this case out of the FBI’s Knoxville Field Office along with FBI Task Force Officer Mark Webber of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department. “It really caused a lot of worry and concern in these communities.”

A break in the case came when a tipster saw a couple driving a rental car that matched the description of the robbers’ car and told local police. Pawn shop employees also confirmed that Small had been seen pawning stolen jewelry and other items.

Investigators found overwhelming evidence against the couple once they were identified, including incriminating evidence on their cell phones. Several victims also identified Johnson and Small based on photos.

The couple lived in West Virginia, and they used Small’s employer, a family paving business, to find some of their elderly victims. In other cases, investigators aren’t certain how the robbers targeted their victims, but they were all in their 70s, 80s, or 90s.

“Everyone really wanted to see justice for these victims, especially given their ages and the level of violence they suffered.”

Wesley Leatham, special agent, FBI Knoxville

With multiple sheriffs’ offices involved, the FBI played a key coordinating role. The Bureau also brought resources to the case, including the ability to press federal charges.

“We had great local partners in this case,” Leatham said. “Everybody came together with outstanding coordination. Everyone really wanted to see justice for these victims, especially given their ages and the level of violence they suffered.”

In July 2019, the couple was convicted of kidnapping charges. In January, Small was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, and Johnson was sentenced to 25 years.

Investigators hope the outcome brought some closure to the victims and communities that were traumatized. One victim died before the trial and some others were unable to travel to it, but their relatives gave powerful impact statements.

“We’ve heard from the victims’ families since then that this has destroyed their sense of safety. They’re constantly checking the door to make sure it’s locked. Visitors have to call before they come over,” Leatham said. “It’s really had a lasting effect on a lot of people.”

Resources

Joshua Small and Joni Amber Johnson Sentenced for Kidnapping Elderly Victims

Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey 2020 Gala Raises Nearly $900K for Planned Jefferson Pride Primary and Specialty Care Practice

Nearly

900 supporters of Jefferson Health New Jersey enjoyed an evening of dancing and dining at the organization’s 24

annual Jefferson Health Foundation – New Jersey fundraising Gala, held at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The February 29

event — headlined by performances from Motown legends The Temptations and Four Tops — raised close to $900,000 to benefit the planned Jefferson Pride Primary & Specialty Care practice, set to open in Collingswood later this year. For more information, visit

JeffersonHealth.org/JeffPrideNJ

Shown, from left

: Colleen Wyse and husband, Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, President, Thomas Jefferson University, and CEO of Jefferson Health; and Dina Devine and husband, Joseph W. Devine, President of Jefferson Health New Jersey, and Chief Experience Officer, Jefferson Health.

This wearable device camouflages its wearer no matter the weather

The wearable thermal camouflage device is embedded in an armband and blends with the ambient temperature.

« This wearable device camouflages its wearer no matter the weather

Newswise — Researchers at the University of California San Diego developed a wearable technology that can hide its wearer from heat-detecting sensors such as night vision goggles, even when the ambient temperature changes–a feat that current state of the art technology cannot match. The technology can adapt to temperature changes in just a few minutes, while keeping the wearer comfortable.

The device, which is at the proof-of-concept stage, has a surface that quickly cools down or heats up to match ambient temperatures, camouflaging the wearer’s body heat. The surface can go from 10 to 38 degrees Celsius (50 to 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in less than a minute. Meanwhile, the inside remains at the same temperature as human skin, making it comfortable for the wearer. The wireless device can be embedded into fabric, such as an armband. A more advanced version could be worn as a jacket.

To build the device, the team turned to a phase-changing material that’s similar to wax but with more complex properties. The melting point of the material is 30 degrees Celsius (roughly 86 degrees F), the same temperature as the surface temperature of human skin. If the temperature on the outside of the device is higher than that, the material will melt and stabilize, insulating the wearer; if colder, it will slowly solidify, still acting as an insulating layer.

The team, led by UC San Diego mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Renkun Chen, detailed their work in a recent issue of the journal

Advanced Functional Materials

At the technology’s core are materials that can create heating or cooling effects when the ambient temperature changes, and flexible electronics that can be embedded into clothing. The outside layer of the device is driven by a technology that Chen and colleagues detailed in a paper in

Science Advances

in May 2019. It is made of thermoelectric alloys—materials that use electricity to create a temperature difference—sandwiched between stretchy elastomer sheets. It is powered by a battery and controlled by a wireless circuit board. The device physically cools or heats to a temperature that the wearer chooses.

Current state of the art heat camouflage technology consists of a surface coating that changes how much heat clothing emits at the surface. The coating absorbs the heat from the wearer’s body and reflects only enough energy to match the ambient temperature. However, the coating only works at a predetermined temperature. If the ambient temperature rises or falls, it no longer works.

The researchers’ biggest challenge now is to scale up the technology. Their goal is to create a jacket with the technology built-in, but under current conditions, the garment would weigh 2 kilograms (about 4.5 lbs.), be about 5 millimeters thick and only function for one hour. The team will be looking to find lighter, thinner materials so the garment could weigh two or three times less.

The work was supported by the Advanced Research Project Agency and by a UC San Diego start up grant. It work was performed in part at the San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI) at UC San Diego, a member of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, which is supported by the National Science Foundation.

An Adaptive and Wearable Thermal Camouflage Device

Sahngki Hong and Renkun Chen, University of California San Diego

Sunmi Shin National University of Singapore

Top Gambling Apps for Windows 10

olive-wolverine-471793.hostingersite.com (March 4, 2020)–From the second that online casino became a part of our lives, the game was changed forever. Before that, our favorite pastime was watching sports or something like that. Introducing

real money online gambling

into people’s lives had that same impact on humans as if one would give bears a life supply of honey. Your favorite amusement had become instantly accessible and an integral part of your life.

Advantages of PC casino games

No one would trade places with those old school players who visited gambling joints with a

solid reputation

if they were lucky to pick one. Those romantic days of rounders are gone as nothing can compare with that coziness of your comfy chair as one browse through his favorite game catalog. Crowded plus smokey rooms filled with angry or frustrated customers who had a bad luck streak is something one doesn’t need to put up with anymore. He can choose when or where he puts his chips and can take his break anytime, knowing that his earnings are secured plus guaranteed by trusted institutions. The virtual world of gaming is taking over, so take a seat in that front row hence enjoy your ride.

Top PC games

Slots Pro

This little application brings that touch of pro-slots straight onto your desktop. Choose between several themes set in the Victorian age, ancient Greece or tropical jungle. It comes in multiple languages with a size of fewer than two hundred megabytes. One can track his stats compared with players worldwide who also downloaded this charming app to enjoy

best slots

AE Blackjack Online

Practice makes it perfect, which is certainly true regarding blackjack gameplay. For getting your skills sharpened, try this online simulator which is very stylish but also informative for younger players eager to hone their skills. It is just over fifteen megabytes in size, plus one gets free one hundred credits every hour to continue the fun.

Microsoft Jackpot

This interactive slot adventure is made for younger audiences to get familiar with slots gameplay dynamics. Several cartooney themes provide visual delight which relaxes players as they immerse themselves into the roleplay. One can purchase play coins plus unlock achievements in this casual, lighthearted title, which is basically a community-driven experience.

Zynga Poker — Texas Holdem

This title brings back some happy memories as it represents a revolution in casual tournament poker play. What started as an extension of hanging on Facebook with your friends had become some worldwide phenomenon. With millions of players interlinked in this virtual jungle, poker enthusiasts can enjoy any kind of tournament setting as they please.

Simons Slots

This five-reel old-school retro slot fest is meant to induce some nostalgia for that time when first slot games hit the streets. Choose between multiple retro themes plus enjoy features like exchanging credits with your buddies or claiming new ones every few hours. It is constantly updated, plus it is small in size hence easily installed.

Conclusion

This casual world of free gambling applications is some great starting point to get familiar with most wanted games in some safe plus cozy environment. It allows young players to learn those basics before entering that world of real cash entertainment. Once equipped with a solid understanding of game dynamics, they will be ready for some serious action afterward.

Gloucester Catholic\’s Philanthropy Week

Announcing our 3rd Annual Philanthropy Week! In 3 weeks, March Madness returns to Gloucester Catholic. Your support of #OurWeekForGC makes a profound difference. Starting March 23rd, it\’s your chance to show pride and gratitude for the impact that GC has on each of us. We thank you in advance.

VENMO

@gcramsgiving

ONLINE

http://gchsrams.org/wordpress/?p=10085

TRADITIONAL MAIL

Kindly make check payable to:

Gloucester Catholic High School

333 Ridgeway Street

Gloucester City, NJ 08030

Memo PW 2020

Morristown Investment Adviser Who Breached His Fiduciary Duty to Customers Fined

Summary Penalty & Revocation Order

NEWARK – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced today that the New Jersey Bureau of Securities revoked the registration of a Morristown investment adviser representative and assessed $750,000 in civil penalties for selling more than $12 million of unregistered securities in New Jersey, including investments tied to Ponzi schemes and other fraudulent investment scams.

Gary Scheer, managing member and sole investment adviser representative of Retirement Financial Advisors, LLC in Morristown, recommended and sold unregistered securities in seven different investments to at least 50 investors from 2010 through 2018. The sales generated more than $600,000 in commissions for Scheer.

Six of the seven investments Scheer recommended ultimately were determined by federal and/or state authorities to be fraudulent. As a result of Scheer’s conduct, investors were defrauded of their hard-earned savings.

In the Summary Penalty and Revocation Order (“the Order”) issued by the Bureau today, the Bureau Chief found that Scheer breached his fiduciary duty and violated the New Jersey Securities Law.

“Investment advisers are expected to serve the interests of their customers with undivided loyalty, and not exploit them for financial gain,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We will not allow unscrupulous professionals to undermine the integrity of New Jersey’s financial industry by enriching themselves at the financial expense of their customers.”

Scheer recommended and sold the unregistered securities while working as a representative for several investment advisers over an eight year period. The underlying investments in the unregistered securities included franchises, pension income streams, real estate development, and mortgages.

To date, all but one of the unregistered securities have been identified as investment frauds. For example, Scheer steered his customers into the unregistered “Woodbridge Securities,” which is alleged to be a $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme that defrauded 8,400 real estate investors nationwide, and the unregistered “Northridge Securities,” an alleged fraudulent “fix-and-flip” real estate investment whose principal and entities were recently charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as running a $47 million Ponzi scheme.

According to the Order, Scheer violated the law by, among other things:

selling unregistered securities;

acting as an unregistered agent in the sale of those securities;

omitting or making material misrepresentations of the risks associated with the investments;

breaching his fiduciary duty by failing to conduct adequate due diligence before making the investment recommendations; and

breaching his fiduciary duty by failing to disclose significant conflicts of interest that were created by virtue of the undisclosed commissions being paid to him.

Scheer continued to advise customers to purchase unregistered securities even after he became aware that prior unregistered securities he recommended had come under regulatory scrutiny due to the issuers’ failures to register their securities and their fraudulent conduct, according to the Bureau’s findings.

“Scheer’s conduct represents an egregious breach of the fiduciary duty he owed to his customers,” said Paul R. Rodríguez, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “His actions resulted in serious financial consequences for investors, who are now left with the devastating impact of trying to recover their investments.”

Investor restitution efforts are underway by many of the federal and/or state authorities that brought the underlying enforcement actions against the issuers of the fraudulent securities Scheer sold.

“Investors must be able to trust that the investments they are sold are legitimate. Their investment professionals have a duty to conduct reasonable due diligence before making a recommendation,” said Christopher W. Gerold, Chief of the Bureau of Securities. “The Bureau of Securities will continue to aggressively enforce New Jersey’s Securities Laws against investment professionals that fail to fulfill their duties to their customer by selling unregistered and/or fraudulent securities.”

The Bureau’s investigation was handled by Deputy Bureau Chief Amy Kopleton, and Investigator Delfin Rodriguez.

Assistant Attorney General Brian F. McDonough, Deputy Attorney General and Section Chief Victoria Manning, and Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Dolinsky of the Securities Fraud Prosecution Section in the Division of Law represented the Bureau in this matter.

The Bureau is charged with protecting investors from investment fraud and regulating the securities industry in New Jersey. It is critical that investors \”Check Before You Invest.\” Investors can obtain information, including the registration status and disciplinary history, of any financial professional doing business to or from New Jersey, by contracting the Bureau toll-free within New Jersey at 1-866-I-INVEST (1-866-446-8378) or from outside New Jersey at 973-504-3600, or by visiting the Bureau\’s

website

. Investors can also contact the Bureau for assistance or to raise issues or complaints about New Jersey-based financial professionals or investments.

Texas Man Charged with Defrauding Cisco Systems, the Neat Company, iRobot Corporation, Amazon.com

Out of More Than $1.9 million in Merchandise

PHILADELPHIA PA (March 4, 2020)–– United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Reece A. Line, 23, of Pearland, Texas, was charged today by Information with 22 counts of mail fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, and three counts of tax evasion.

The Information alleges that the defendant perpetrated a scheme to defraud Cisco Systems Inc. (“Cisco”), the Neat Company (“Neat”), iRobot Corporation (“iRobot”), APC by Schneider Electric (“APC”), Amazon.com (“Amazon”), and other companies by engaging in a sophisticated warranty fraud scheme. The charges state that the defendant and his co-schemers obtained serial numbers to products sold or manufactured by Cisco, Neat, iRobot, and APC. They allegedly proceeded to register false domain names, obtain false email addresses, and submit false warranty claims, pretending to own products sold or manufactured by these companies that they claimed were not working. The Information alleges that the defendant provided customer service representatives with descriptions of the non-existent defects that he knew they could not solve by troubleshooting and would require replacement with new products. Cisco, Neat, iRobot, and APC then shipped the replacement products to the defendant and his co-schemers, which they promptly sold via eBay, on Amazon, or through computer resellers.

The Information further alleges that the defendant and his co-schemers defrauded Amazon by using false identities, domain names, email addresses, and mailing addresses to order products that they falsely claimed never arrived or arrived broken, thereby inducing Amazon to repeatedly send replacement products. The Information alleges that the defendant and his co-schemers then sold the products obtained in this manner via eBay.

All told, the defendant and his co-schemers successfully obtained at least $1,950,000 worth of products from the victim companies through their alleged fraud. The Information also alleges that the defendant evaded the payment of any income tax on the income he earned from his fraud for tax years 2014 through 2016 by, among other things, failing to file returns, storing his fraud proceeds in bank accounts and PayPal accounts in the names of co-schemers, storing cash at his residence, paying his personal living expenses with cash, and using false email addresses, false domain names, prepaid gift cards, and false identities to conceal his involvement in the fraud scheme.

“As alleged, the defendant engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme that netted almost $2 million worth of products,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Retail fraud, whether in brick-and-mortar stores or online, is a serious crime that must be punished and deterred. I would like to thank both the FBI and the IRS for their dedication and partnership in this matter.”

“Taxpayers are required to cooperate with the tax system by filing honest and accurate returns and paying their fair share,” said Michael Montanez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation. “The Special Agents of IRS-CI will continue to investigate and bring charges against those who intentionally violate our tax system.”

The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 825 years’ incarceration, a five-year period of supervised release, and a fine of $8,250,000.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Lowe.

An Indictment, Information, or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

South Jersey Transportation Authority READI Field Trip

An osprey builds a nest on a platform constructed by the SJTA\’s Roadway Environmental Advancement Initiative (READI) team.

SJTA\’s READI to Present at 31st Annual Pinelands Short Course

Daylong program co-sponsored by Stockton University and NJ Pinelands Commission will feature field trip directed by SJTA

HAMMONTON, NJ – 02-24-20 – The

South Jersey Transportation Authority

is proud to announce its Roadway Environmental Advancement Initiative (READI) will conduct a field trip at the

31st

Annual Pinelands Short Course

co-sponsored by

Stockton University

and the

NJ Pinelands Commission

, Saturday, March 14, 2020.

The field trip is designed to show how the

Atlantic City Expressway

works to co-exist with wildlife and the land it occupies, which includes over 1,200 acres along its 44-mile span, much of which is in the pinelands of South Jersey.

The field trip is being run in coordination with the

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Division

and will examine animal and wildlife fencing, wildlife crossings and a tour of the SJTA\’s Pinelands Interpretive Center at the Expressway\’s

Farley Plaza Service

area, where participants will learn about the pinelands and READI. The trip\’s activities will also feature a visit to see native flower plantings along the Expressway, including a hummingbird garden.

The SJTA launched READI several years ago when the Expressway Operations Department began reintroducing perennial and native wildflowers across 35 acres of the Expressway\’s right-of-way. The wildflowers attract and support important pollinators like bees and butterflies that are suffering from habitat loss and pesticide use. The goal is to reverse the population decline of these crucial pollinators.

The initiative evolved further when the Expressway installed a series of bat boxes or bat houses along the highway\’s right-of-way in 2017. While bats play a vital role in the ecology of local environments, they face numerous threats including the loss of habitat. The bat houses provide shelter and safety from predators.

The efforts of READI go beyond only supporting bats; it has installed structures for a variety of species including the American Kestrel, blue birds, screech owls and nesting platforms for ospreys near Atlantic City. The initiative has created animal crossings that allow wildlife to travel underneath the Expressway as they naturally migrate between different areas. The crossings will be examined during the field trip.

READI also has an educational component that involves presenting programs at local schools to support their environmental curriculums. Every year around Arbor Day, the Expressway Operations Department is invited to local elementary and middle schools to plant a tree(s) and present assemblies that impress on students the importance of practicing good environmental stewardship. The SJTA has visited more than 26 schools since 2011 and planted as many as 35 trees in a variety of species during the past four years. These programs invite student participation in the planting of a native tree(s) at each school visited.

September 20 – 23, 2020, the SJTA is joining the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife to co-host the

Northeastern Transportation and Wildlife Conference

in Atlantic City as READI expands its reach and work.