2-21 RA by Community News Service

Advance Robbinsville

FEBRUARY 2021 FREE

COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG

Where’s the vaccine?

The invisible man

Short supplies lead to frustration for those hoping to get vaccinated

Smith removes social media after Jan. 6 attack on Capitol

By BiLL SanserVino

By Sam SCiarrotta

While the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage throughout the United States during the month of January, the government struggled to provide enough doses to those looking to be protected from the deadly virus. Across the country, states have struggled to meet demand, and the doses shipped have been significantly outweighed by the number of people looking to be vaccinated. When appointments do open up at vaccination sites, available slots are often booked up within hours or less. People have been left confused and frustrated—wondering how, when and where they will get inoculated. In New Jersey, the vaccine was first made available to healthcare workers, first responders and staff and residents of long-term care facilities starting in mid-December. Then at the beginning of January, the Trump Administration announced that it was releasing the stockpile of vaccines it was holding to ensure people would be able to get the required second dose. See VACCINE, Page 6

Congressman Chris Smith has a larger-than-life presence in his district, especially in the Mercer County region. His blue and white campaign signs and banners have cropped up in front yards and intersections throughout his district every other year for decades. He’s made appearances at local schools and Hamilton’s former Septemberfest. He’s one of just two Republicans serving New Jersey in the federal government. He hasn’t lost an election in 40 years. But during a period of turmoil starting with President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept that he lost the November election to Joe Biden, and culminating in a violent attack on the United States Capitol building, Smith was largely silent—he responded with blanket statements and by deleting social media accounts. Supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the building Jan. 6 in an attempt to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election, which named Joe Biden the next president. During a “Stop the Steal” rally held the day Congress was set See SMITH, Page 8

Their courage and compassion Blakely appointed council inspire usto all.

Deborah Blakely (center, with hand raised) was sworn in as a member of Robbinsville Township Jan. 7, 2021. She is pictured with Mayor Dave Fried and daughters Brielle and Maggie. (Photo courtesy of Robbinsville Township.)

from appeared them. We talked, and said. a“Dan andwritten Nataliein chalk Oneshe morning, message (Schuberth), I consider them reasons just kept coming in front of an RWJBarnabas Health facility. The words Deborah Blakely has good friends. When the word up—the importance of giving couldn’t beenhesimpler, or more soulthe stirring, back, importance of servout that was leaving always been active in Robbins- camehave townaccurate. and resigning, I thought, ing. I try to teach my girls that ville Township. Serving as or a more By Sam SCiarrotta

member of the municipal gov- like everyone else, ‘What a we have these incredible gifts ernment felt like the next logi- loss to all of us.’ One thing that God gives you. Do somethrough my thing with it.” cal step. She just had to clear that kept going “Heroes Her daughters, Brielle and mind was, ‘Who’s it with her daughters. workgoing here.” to Maggie, were immediately Blakely was sworn in as a replace him?’” Her next thought was “Why on board. They encouraged township councilwoman Jan. Blakely to go for the open not me?” 7, filling the unexpired seat Three words of gratitude and encouragement that “All the great things he had seat, so she did. vacated by Dan Schuberth, capture the courage and compassion of health “When I sent in my paperto offer, I thought, I can do who resigned in December workers To share your thought they I never that, here too,” and she across said. “IAmerica. talked work, prior to a move to Washingthanks support ourare Emergency Fund, me,” she said. would appoint to or mytogirls, who a huge Response ton, D.C. She was selected by of my life. Obviously, I “I’m so excited to see what her peers on council. visit part rwjbh.org/heroes “It just kind of came about,” didn’t want to take time away See BLAKELY, Page 12 And please, for them, stay home and safe.

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Winter pandemic blues SAM SCIARROTTA FROM THE EDITOR

When I think about late winter, I think about my least favorite months. Don’t get me wrong, I love winter! I like being able to nestle under some blankets, get cozy and drink a hot beverage while reading a book or playing Animal Crossing on the Switch. I love snow—as I’m writing this, I keep glancing out the window waiting for the rain and sleet to turn into fluffy snowflakes. I can’t get enough of it (though, that’s definitely due in part to the fact that I live in an apartment complex and, therefore, don’t have to shovel). January and February, though, are long. I start to get restless at the beginning of February in a normal year. It’s a bleak month, especially when there’s no snow. The idea of being able to drive down the shore blasting Darkness on the Edge of Town with the windows rolled down is almost unbearable—so close, yet so far away. Now, in the middle of a pandemic and with vaccine appointments for my family and friends in the spring, I can’t wait for this month to fly by. My antsiness is at an all-time high. I’m ready to sing ABBA songs into a karaoke mic

at a dirty dive bar with my friends. We’re so close to being able to do that and so many things we miss from the before times—live music, going to baseball games, being able to hug our loved ones. The pandemic continues to rage on in the United States, but with vaccine rollout on the move, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. And though things seem to have stalled out briefly (see story on the cover), I’m choosing to be patient, especially as new advances, like the third Johnson & Johnson vaccine, become available. Or, nearly available. We’re almost there, gang. I know I’m not the only one who feels antsy. But that doesn’t mean we should throw everything we’ve been doing for the last year out the window. Please, keep wearing masks, continue to social distance and act like we were at the beginning of the pandemic. Now is not the time to loosen our guidelines. The end is (sort of) in sight. Who knows when we’ll get back to how we operated before COVID-19. Maybe we never will. But we’ll be able to function in a somewhat normal society soon. Let’s get there together. Contact SAM SCIARROTTA: ssciarrotta@ communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 121, facebook.com/samsciarrotta1

Advance Robbinsville

We are a newsroom of your neighbors. The Advance is for local people, by local people. As part of the community, the Robbinsville Advance does more than just report the news—it connects businesses with their customers, organizations with their members and neighbors with one another. As such, our staﬀ sets out to make our town a closer place by giving readers a reliable source to turn to when they want to know what’s going on in their neighborhood. EDITOR Sam Sciarrotta (Ext. 121) CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rich Fisher CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST Dave Fried SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steﬀen (Ext. 113)

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Longtime Meals on Wheels driver Bill Lesniak (top, center) and former Meals on Wheels Director John Ward (bottom, center) were each presented with the Third Annual Joe Barker Volunteer Award Jan. 8, 2021 for their years of service to the organization. Presenting the recognitions were Joe’s widow, Jane LucianoBarker and recreation division manager Kevin Holt. Lesniak and Ward also were presented with the Mayor’s Service Award for their many years of dedicated service to the Robbinsville community.

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Food donations continue in new year Hope Cahill and the Robbinsville Township Hydroponic Farm harvested 17,850 heads of lettuce in 2020, the township announced. Over 2,000 pounds of the harvest were donated to the 2019 Pay it Forward recipient Mercer Street Friends. Another 3,705 pounds were donated to Robbinsville seniors. In other food donation news, the Robbinsville Food Pantry provided meals for over 40 families through donations from a number of organizations and individuals during the holiday season: Robbinsville PBA #344, Robbinsville Fire Department, the Witt family, the Cipriano family, Foxmoor HOA Association, BAPS, the Springside community, the Washington Greene community, Forever Hart Fit, Be Kind, Comfort Keepers, Care One Assisted Living, Tony’s Farm & Garden Center, A&M Farm and Garden Center, Central Jersey Sikh Association, Code Ninjas, Voorhees Greenhouse, Robbinsville Little League and a multitude of Robbinsville residents.

AARP tax prep takes new form

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the AARP Foundation TaxAide Program will not be offered at any physical sites in Mercer County this year, the group announced.

As an alternative, AARP is offering the AARP Alternative Tax Preparation program (ATP). The ATP program provides direct taxpayer access to free online tax software for this year’s taxes as well as video and/or phone assistance with a certified AARP tax assister. Rather than doing the tax return for taxpayers, certified AARP tax assisters help taxpayers prepare their own online returns. More information about the Alternative Tax Preparation program is available at aarpfoundation.org/taxaide.

Residents support farmers in India

Adorned with posters, hundreds of vehicles including tractors drove from the Central Jersey Sikh Association gurudwara to the Robbinsville Municipal Building and then onto Trenton City Hall. Millions of farmers have been camped on the borders of Delhi for over a month. They are demanding the rollback of three new farm laws passed under the Indian legislation in September 2020. According to the protesting farmers, the new laws will make it easier for large corporations to exploit agricultural workers, who make up over half of India’s workforce. The farmers fear that they may not be able to survive under these conditions.

On Jan. 2, Robbinsville joined other CenStudent places tral Jersey communities in showing its support in essay contest for the Kissan Farmer Jadhav Protests happening Zoya Jadhav, a freshthroughout India. man at Robbinsville In support of the largest protest in High School, recently placed second human history, hundreds of commu- in the Peace Islands Institute Art and nity members from the Central Jersey Essay Statewide Competition with her area, including local farmers, elected submission, “Amity Amidst a Crisis.” officials led by Robbinsville Town- Jadhav pledged half of her $300 prize ship Council president Mike Cipri- to Project Freedom. ano and councilwoman Chris CiacThere are two Project Freedom cio, students, and volunteers from locations in Robbinsville, including various cultures and backgrounds the soon-to-be-open complex on South participated in a peaceful car rally in Commerce Boulevard. Robbinsville.

PTAs hosting Valentine’s Day collection The Pond Road Middle School and Sharon Elementary School PTAs are hosting a Valentine’s Day collection drive for Rose Hill Assisted Living residents. Suggested items include handmade Valentine cards, puzzle books (crossword, word search, sudoku, trivia, etc.), large print novels or fact books, adult coloring books and supplies, bookmarks, CDs, individuallywrapped Valentine’s Day candy, cozy socks with grippers on the bottom, costume jewelry, scarves, decorative kitchen towels, small plants or succulents and hygiene products. Items can be dropped into labeled bins at 109 George St. in Town Center and both schools. Items can also be purchased from a premade wishlist at tinyurl.com/rosehillvalentineslist and shipped directly to Karen Shenghit, 109 George St., Robbinville, NJ 08691. Items should be dropped off or delivered by Feb. 8. For more information, send an email to kshenghit@ icloud.com. WHAT DID WE MISS? What are you noticing in your community? What stories do you think we should tell? Do you have news to share? We want to hear from you. Send your news or tips to news@communitynews.org.

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VACCINE continued from Page 1 A few days later, on Jan. 14, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy opened up vaccinations to people ages 65 and older, and those with high-risk medical conditions. It was subsequently revealed there was no stockpile of vaccines, and that the second doses had already been released at the end of December. This exacerbated the problem— an even larger pool of people were left seeking vaccinations, but the anticipated increase in supply never occurred. This resulted in a severe shortage in appointments available for qualified individuals. (For information on who currently qualifies to get the vaccine, see the graphic to the right.) Currently, there are three ways for qualified individuals to make an appointment. To start, all people should register with the N.J. Vaccine Scheduling System (covidvaccine.nj.gov). They will be emailed an invitation to schedule an appointment when they are eligible and slots open up. The state has also set up an NJVSS call center to assist individuals, including those with no computers, in pre-registering and scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. For assistance call (855) 568-0545. The second is to make an appointment directly with one of the many designated vaccination sites across the state. In Mercer, these include: Capital Health System in Hopewell; the Henry J. Austin Health Centers in Trenton; Hunterdon Family and Sports Medicine in Pennington; the Princeton Health Dept.; Riverside Urgent Care in Ewing; Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton; the ShopRite at Hamilton Marketplace Boulevard; and the ShopRite in Pennington. In Burlington County, these include: Boyd’s Pharmacy locations in Columbus, Medford and Pemberton; Burl-

WHO QUALIFIES FOR THE VACCINE NOW? As of January 14, 2021 the following groups are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and can begin to make their appointments.

• Frontline First Responders • Long Term Care Facility Residents • Paid/unpaid persons working/volunteering in a healthcare setting • Persons ages 65 and older • Persons ages 16-64 years old who have at least one chronic medical condition that poses high-risk for severe COVID-19. These include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, Down syndrome, heart conditions, obesity, Sickle cell disease, smoking and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. At this time, the best place to register for the vaccine is through the N.J. Vaccine Scheduling System at covidvaccine.nj.gov. For more information on the vaccine and vaccination locations, go to covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine.

ington County Health Department in Westampton; the Burlington County Megasite at Moorestown Mall; RMG Urgent Care Center in North Willingboro; the ShopRite pharmacies in Mount Laurel and Medford; Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers in Burlington City; and Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers in Pemberton. Other nearby sites include Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro and the Middlesex County megasite in Edison. For a full list of vaccination sites in New Jersey and contact information, go to covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine. Due to the high demand, there is a high likelihood that the sites on this list will be fully booked.

Finally, select healthcare facilities, including many hospitals, are offering vaccines directly to their workers. Anyone who works at one of these facilities should contact their employer to learn if the vaccine is available there. *** As of Jan. 24, the state had administered more than 550,000 doses of vaccine. This is about half the overall doses that have been received by the state. The rest were delivered to commercial entities for distribution, such as pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, Gov. Murphy told CNBC on Jan. 20 that that part of the vaccine rollout has been problematic.. “They basically amassed these

doses, they schedule visits to longterm care nursing homes, extended living, and they’re punching under their weight, particularly Walgreens, and that’s where most of the yet to be used doses are,” Murphy told CNBC. He added that the companies should “put more bodies on the case” to increase vaccinations. Meanwhile, for several reasons, Mercer County sat near the bottom of the state in the number of people vaccinated by the end of January. New Jersey began vaccinating residents starting on Dec. 15, but Mercer didn’t hold its first vaccination clinic until Dec. 28. The state of New Jersey reported on its COVID-19 Information Hub that as of mid-day Jan. 24, Mercer County had vaccinated 13,587 people. During the week of Jan. 17-23, a total of 4,854 people received shots— an average of about 700 people a day. By comparison, neighboring Burlington and Middlesex counties had vaccinated roughly twice as many people overall. As of Jan. 25, a total of 27,287 people had received vaccines in Burlington County, and an average of about 1,200 per day between Jan. 17-23. In Middlesex County, a total of 40,540 had been vaccinated by Jan. 24, with an average of more than 1,800 per day between Jan. 17-23. Bergen was the county with highest number in the state, with 61,261 vaccinations as of Jan. 24. Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes said that part of the problem with rolling out vaccinations was that fact that there is no county department of health in Mercer. Health departments in the county are run by each of the municipalities, some of which contract with other towns. Hughes said vaccine deployment in Mercer County has been a collaborative effort between the Mercer County Division of Public Health, the County Health Officers Association, Capital Health System and a number

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of other entities (such as the nursing school at Mercer County Community College). “While it might seem like Mercer was lagging, many Mercer towns conducted their own vaccine clinics based on the capacity they could manage, and only for people who met the 1A category, including their local police, fire and EMTs,” Hughes said in an email. In a video posted to YouTube on Jan. 21, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin spoke about the vaccine situation. He said that starting at the end of December, Hamilton teamed up with the other towns in Mercer County to create “points of distribution, or PODs.” The PODs were closed to the general public, and the initial priority was to vaccinate healthcare workers and first responders (firefighters, EMS and police). “It’s been a great success,” he said. “We’ve been able to vaccinate thousands of residents here in Mercer County.” He said that the PODs rotated between the municipalities throughout the county during the first weeks of January. Those who received initial vaccinations were slated to start receiving second doses during the last week of January. He said that the PODs “allow people from across the county to get vaccinated. It allows those people who qualify to get vaccinated to make a more convenient appointment.” “Unfortunately the amount of vaccine available to us as a county and as a township is severely diminished,” Martin said. “It’s not nearly enough to accommodate the demand that we’ve seen from you all.” He said that in the days after the state increased the pool of eligible recipients on Jan. 14, Hamilton Township received more than 2,500 calls from people wanting the vaccine. Supply is a major problem, and will continue to be going forward, said Hughes. “As of today (Jan. 22), the state is

giving Mercer County only 800 doses per week,” he said. Those doses must be shared with towns based on population. Vaccines must be used within seven days of receipt from the state. “The state and counties are all behind because the federal government has released so little vaccine to New Jersey, and this has impacted our ability to ramp up and get more individuals vaccinated,” said Marygrace Billek, Mercer County director of human services She said that the county has had a distribution plan in place for more than 15 years, but that plan is predicated on the availability of the Strategic National Stockpile from the Federal Government. “While none of us has experienced a pandemic before, we have trained for one and have had responses to other public health crises such as H1N1,” Billek said. “In the past, Mercer County would have served as a pass-through for vaccine or other remedy. “For COVID-19, we have all had to rethink our plans and processes and do things differently, and to that end Mercer will stand up and support two regional vaccination sites, something that has not been part of our past plan.” Officials were hopeful that the situation would improve with the opening of a regional vaccination site on Jan. 25 at CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton. The regional site, a joint effort between the county and Capital Health, opened planning to vaccinate 200 people a day using a separate doses allocated to Capital Health by the state. “We will be continuing 5 to 7 days a week, expanding the number of doses per day as supply increases,” Hughes said. The plan is to also use Mercer County College as a regional site along with the municipal sites as the number of vaccines increases. Hughes said he anticipates this will happen in mid-February.

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SMITH continued from Page 1 to certify the election, rioters broke into the building — in search of legislators, according to some reports — and entered congressional offices and chambers along the way. They broke windows, assaulted Capitol police officers and walked out with items like a computer belonging to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Some were armed. Some were photographed holding bundles of zip tie cuffs. One man hung from the Senate balcony in full tactical gear. And they were encouraged by Trump, who spoke to the crowd before its descent on the Capitol—he continued his months-long allegations of voter fraud and a stolen election without evidence and vowed to “never concede” to Democrats and Biden. “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women,” Trump said. “We’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.” Smith did release a statement on Jan. 6, the night of the attack, condemning violence and vandalism and thanking Capitol police. It was his first official comment on anything related to Trump’s stolen election accusations. “Despite its many flaws, the U.S. Congress continues to be an extraordinary marketplace of ideas and differing opinions,” he said. “The enactment of wise public policy to benefit all Americans requires robust dialogue and debate—and genuine respect for one another especially when there is fundamental disagreement. We must be committed to zero-tolerance towards violence in any form.” Smith eventually voted against the Republican-led objection against certifying electoral votes from Pennsylvania and Arizona. GOP senators and congresspeople planned to formally object to the certification of votes from swing states—Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin and Georgia—won by Biden, clinging to false allegations of voter fraud. Earlier that same evening, though, Smith spoke to Patch about the rallyturned-riot. He continued to condemn the violence that broke out, but he also aligned with some of his colleagues, insinuating that leftist infiltrators, not Trump supporters, were the ones who attacked the Capitol. He referred to the group as “so-called protestors” and speculated about the identities of the rioters, who had been chanting “We love Trump!” during the president’s speech just minutes prior to the attack. “I’ll leave that to law enforcement to decipher their identities,” Smith

told Patch reporter Carly Baldwin. “I saw very strange things, some strange designs on tattoos, for example a hammer and sickle. Some very strange things. It may have been Antifa. We just don’t know. I’ll leave that to the police to ascertain. We have seen that in other protests. We’ve seen that in Black Lives Matter and some other protests and others.” The Antifa rumors quickly spread across far-right social media platform Parler and were echoed by extremists like Trump-aligned attorney and conspiracy theorist Lin Wood. Fox News hosts and members of Congress, like Smith, piled on. Those claims, though, were quickly dismissed by federal officials. FBI assistant director Steven D’Antuono said during a press briefing after the attack that there was “no indication” of Antifa involvement, and acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen did not mention the group at all in his statement. The suggestion that Antifa was behind the attack is “dangerous and irresponsible,” said Robbinsville resident Gregory DeLuca in the weeks following the riot. DeLuca is a longtime critic of Smith’s. “His attempt to codify it as ‘pure speculation’ is as ridiculous as when Trump conjures up his own reality with ‘a lot of people are saying,’” DeLuca said. “It was always obvious the people who stormed the Capitol were Trump’s supporters. Trump invited them to the rally and told them to march down the street. Even Mitch McConnell has acknowledged Trump’s responsibility. But when asked two weeks after the riot if he would correct his false statements about Antifa, Smith stood by his original statement. Smith was either foolish enough to believe Trump’s lies or—despite 40 years in Congress— lacked the courage and integrity to counter them.” Trump’s second impeachment came a week later—he was charged with “incitement of insurrection” following the events of Jan 6. Ten House Republicans voted in favor of impeachment, but Smith was not one of them. His floor remarks also sowed doubt about who was behind the attack, calling the impeachment hasty and “highly partisan.” Smith voted to impeach President Bill Clinton in 1998. “Today’s snap impeachment vote alleging President Trump’s ‘incitement of insurrection’ lacks an objective and thorough investigation of the facts,” he said. “... Our nation is in desperate need of unity and civility as it prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Biden. Impeachment of President Trump—without a thorough analysis of the facts which takes time, effort and serious scrutiny to establish—will not in any way help to heal a divided America.” This statement, though, doesn’t do

‘He is hiding from his constituents.’ –Greg DeLuca

that, DeLuca said. “Smith justified his vote against impeachment by claiming we needed more time to gather all of the facts and that it would do nothing to heal a divided America,” he said. “We will never heal if people like Smith refuse to condemn the lies that fomented the mob and therefore necessitated said impeachment, nor if he is still promoting conspiracy theories.” *** For some of Smith’s constituents, though, his reaction to the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt was no different than the last decade of his tenure— silence and blanket statements have become part of Smith’s playbook. Smith has held two “town halls”— a conversation with the Asbury Park Press editorial board in 2018 and a virtual meeting with the Alzheimer’s Association in 2020—since 1993. Constituents have launched petitions and campaigns like the #WhereIsChrisSmith hashtag over the last several years in an attempt to communicate with Smith, but those efforts have been ignored, residents say. Smith, who lives in Virginia fulltime, also quietly deactivated his Twitter account and disabled the comment feature on his Instagram account in the weeks following the attack on the Capitol. The decision was made over “security concerns and to help the district and national move toward unity,” Smith’s camp said in a statement. “While threats are never acceptable, it’s hard to imagine that other members of Congress with higher profiles don’t

deal with similar issues yet manage to hold town halls and remain on Twitter,” DeLuca said. “Smith also disabled commenting on his Instagram feed and regularly scrubs negative comments from his Facebook posts. He only does this with his campaign account, he can’t do it for his official page. He is hiding from his constituents and afraid of losing control of his image.” In the meantime, constituents have been instructed to call and email his office with concerns and to visit his government website with updates. That’s not enough, said Stephanie Schmid, who ran against Smith in 2020. To Schmid and others, fading into the background in times of crisis is the congressman’s hallmark. “He did this because he refuses to accept any criticism from or engage in a dialogue with those constituents who disagree with him,” she wrote on Twitter. “As justified criticism from NJ-04 folks poured in and the media started to key in on Smith’s trafficking in Antifa conspiracy theories, Smith shut as much of it down as he could in the hopes that the media would let this go and he could continue to pretend to be a ‘bipartisan leader.’ Make no mistake, he is nothing of the sort and hasn’t been for many years. He is a profile in complicity, cowardice and cowering.” “Nothing says 41 years of ‘leadership’ like the permanent out of office message Smith is implementing as the signature of his 21st term in Congress,” she wrote in another tweet. “NJ-04 deserves much more. What a disgrace.”

It hasn’t always been this way, though, said DeLuca. He said there are times when Smith works for all of his constituents, but spending “political capital” and “his extremist views on reproductive or LGBT rights” get in the way. “There are plenty of causes Smith champions that I find worthy, and he is universally praised for his individual casework,” he said. “That these efforts are generally noncontroversial makes them no less noble. But why can’t Smith be more? Why won’t he fight for his constituents when the stakes are highest? Why won’t he speak with the authority of his 40 years in Congress and lead his party away from their worst inclinations?” Basic leadership is what DeLuca and other Smith critics are left hoping for. “That is what we needed during theTrump administration,” he said. “Every lie Trump told, whether it was cheating in an election, denying foreign intelligence or sowing doubt about election security, was greeted with Smith’s affirmative consent or silent acceptance. Smith wins his district by a comfortable margin and outperformed Trump in 2016 and 2020. There was little political risk to Smith speaking out in defense of our democracy. It would have cost him nothing. But he never did.” Smith did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

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from Community News Service to Our Advertisers Community News Service would like to thank our clients who continue to support us during these difficult times. Like you, we continue to face challenging times and understand the impact you are feeling. We recognize your commitment to our publications and digital media outlets and for that we are greatly appreciative. We believe if we work together, in support of each other, we will see better days ahead. Thank you from our family to yours. Sincerely, Tom, Jamie, Thomas, Joe, Jennifer, Gina, Samantha, Bill, Megan, Stephanie, Stacey, Sara & Dan

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African Link Initiative aims to help teens connect with heritage By Joe Emanski

A number of area organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer County, have been working together to bring to life the African Link Initiative, or ALI — a program designed to help African-American teens transform the way they see themselves and the world. Seven teenagers, hailing from Hamilton, East Windsor, Lawrence, Trenton and Plainsboro embarked on ALI’s inaugural program in January. Over the first five months of the year, the participants will learn about African and African-American history and African-American identity, and take DNA tests to provide crucial information about their family history, both before and after their ancestors first reached this continent. The program is set to culminate in a two-week trip to Ghana, in West Africa. Shazel Muhammad-Neain is the founder of the African Link Initiative. The South Jersey resident is also the founder of Eunoia Global, a leadership training and business coaching firm, and has been involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County since 2018. Muhammad-Neain is also a board member of Global Connections Foundation NJ Corp, the Pennington-based nonprofit founded by educator David

Angwenyi, which for a number of years has been sponsoring educational trips linking American students to counterparts in Kenya. Global Connections is now also a partner in ALI. Muhammad-Neain says the first ALI participants have been nominated by school principals and assistant principals “who see their innate potential yet recognize the lack of opportunities and sense of belonging these youth experience — solely due to the color of their skin.” Jermaine Blount, Jr. is one student who is taking part in the program. Blount, a junior at West WindsorPlainsboro High School North, learned about ALI from his father, Jermaine, Sr., an assistant principal in the East Windsor Regional School District. Mom Jenine, a school counselor in Robbinsville, says Jermaine Jr. was very excited when she and Jermaine Sr. told him about ALI. “This is something we have thought about before, but this is the first opportunity that’s been presented that he would be able to partake in,” she says. “He’s never been to Africa, we’ve never been to Africa, so we definitely wanted to offer him this type of opportunity, to go through this journey with other students with similar backgrounds, experiences and culture.” The Blounts’ daughter, Jania, is a freshman at Rutgers University, study-

Shazel Muhammad-Neain, founder of the African Link Initiative. ing animal science. Jenine says Jania “absolutely wishes she could be a part of [ALI]. We wish something like this would have been available when we were in school. We haven’t crossed that bridge yet.” Zoubir Yazid, the chief learning officer for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer County, says ALI is a natural continuation of the programs of the Boys and Girls Clubs. “Our mission is helping the youth of our community achieve their dreams. Well, a dream is reaching the impossible,” he says. “Why not have them go to Ghana? The reason I’ve been very passionate about this is, I really want to send a message out: nothing is impossible. We’re here to help. It’s not a shift in the mission statement but it’s a shift in the sense of pushing the target even

further on the horizon. I think we’re going to be the first Boys and Girls Club to ever send somebody overseas.” The program is designed to accommodate as many as 20 students, but Yazid is content to start with a smaller group. “Seven kids is very good to start with, and we’re going to try to find the right number for us,” Yazid says. “We want to make it a program that kids aspire to. Our dream one day is for it to become a program where kids say, ‘Oh my God, I really have to work hard to get into that program.’” Brandon Russell is one of the seven who are participating in the program this year. The Trenton Catholic Academy student lives in Hamilton with his father David, an IT manager, mother SanRose, a director with United Health Care, and sister Asia, a student at East Carolina University. When David Russell first heard about ALI, he thought it sounded like a wonderful opportunity for Brandon to learn about his identity in a way that would not be taught in history books. “African-American kids, so many times if they are more academically inclined, sometimes they are ostracized by both races,” he says. “This gives Brandon a chance to learn and be with kids of the same interests and race.” Muhammad-Neain describes ALI as an evidence-based, three-part program. In part 1, participants will take DNA tests that will be processed by African Ancestry (africanancestry. com), an organization that says it has the only DNA database that can go back 500 years to help a person track ancestry back to a present day African country and ethnic group of origin. After that, students will learn about Africa, the African diaspora and African-American identity. “If you don’t know where you come from, it’s hard to understand where you are, and it’s

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even more difficult to see where you’re going,” Muhammad-Neain says. “What we know, from data behind our research on programs like ALI, is that teaching Black students about instilling Black cultural pride really does yield promising outcomes, including higher GPAs and higher graduation rates.” In part 2, participants will participate in a workshop designed to boost their critical thinking, decision-making and relationship skills. Muhammad-Neain says she the teens will take part in a version of the Vital Smarts Crucial Conversations program that is usually used for staff training at Fortune 500 companies. Muhammad-Neain is calling part 3 of the program a “teen summit,” an open forum of facilitated conversations. “It’s about giving kids the space to examine current events and their perspective on things, and also to get feedback from their peers and to be able to unpack community constructs like race and identity,” she says. The students will then make the 14-day birthright trip to Ghana. On the trip, the students will tour historical sites of trans-Atlantic slave trade, participate in a tribal naming ceremony, and learn firsthand about African traditions and culture. The trip was originally planned for late summer 2021, but because of the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and its impact on safe travel, the trip is now tentatively scheduled for summer 2022. Muhammad-Neain spent a month and a half in Africa in 2019 and 2020. She visited both Kenya and Ghana and says the trip was an amazing experience. “I am still being transformed from my time there,” she says. “I feel like I became African-American for the first time at age 47. I finally felt like I knew, for the first time, what it felt like to be both African and American at the same time. I had finally reconciled my ethnicity and identity.” Muhammad-Neain has high hopes for the future of the program. She envisions it becoming a seven-year pro-

gram that students enter in 6th grade and continue until they graduate. She can picture an evolving curriculum in which participants go to different countries in each year of the program. Eventually, she says, she wants to look into folding college students and even adults into the program. She sees long-term sustainability for the program coming through a workforce development program. “We want to be able to build a pipeline of success that leads to gainful employment for graduates of our program,” she says. “We intend for workforce development to be a revenue center.” For now, fundraising is definitely a focus for the initiative. Right now, the program has the funds to provide two of its seven participants with stipends that would cover the cost of the Ghana trip. ALI is actively seeking more donors to enable it to cover the cost for all seven students. “This is something that really will make a difference in the sense that it’s a paradigm shift, taking everything that Shazel and the Boys and Girls Clubs can be and combining them into a program that’s creative and data driven, but most importantly, is really life changing,” Yazir says. He says he cannot wait until the day the teens return from Ghana. He says he plans to be at the airport to meet them. “I can’t wait to see their faces when they come back. And what’s beautiful about it is imagining the impact [that ALI] can have on their community. This is not just going to affect that kid, it’s going to affect his family, her family,” he says. “The return on investment is that this is something that can change the life of these kids and put them on a path forward that would really be incredible.” For more information about supporting the African Link Initiative, go to the ALI website: africanlink.org/donate. Contact editor JOE EMANSKI: jemanski@communitynews.org, facebook.com/ hamiltonpostnj.

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BLAKELY continued from Page 1 happens during my time on council.” Blakely and her daughters are active around the township—they’re involved with Ability Tree, ONE Project, Be Kind, Good Grief. She’s dedicated to environmental stewardship and enjoys getting to know people. It’s those qualities that make Blakely an ideal councilmember, said Mayor Dave Fried in a statement. “I am very proud that Debbie has agreed to serve as a member of our council,” he said. “I have known Debbie for many years. She is thoughtful, caring and highly respected in the Robbinsville community. She will be a great addition to council. I am also very encouraged that so many residents expressed interest and were willing to serve on the governing body. We are who we are in Robbinsville because of the willingness of so many to volunteer and serve others.” Blakely has worked closely with the township in the past. Her husband, Tom, passed away in 2008 after collapsing during a 5K race. He was a prominent political consultant, member of the township zoning board and United States Marine Corps veteran, and she wanted to keep his memory alive—not only for the township, but for their girls, as well, who were only 3 and 1 when he died. Blakely and the township channeled Tom’s love of sports and dedicated Blakely Park on Meadowbrook Road in his honor in 2011. The family still uses the park often. “I’ll always be grateful to the town for that park,” she said. “I feel like it’s just another reason to give back to this place.” That’s part of why Maggie and Brielle were so on board when Blakely decided to apply for the council vacancy. “When I told them that Dan was leaving, I said, ‘Somebody is going to have to fill those huge shoes. I think I might be able to do this,’” she said. “Hands down, they were like, ‘Yes, yes, you have to do this.’ For years, I’ve been ‘Mom.’ My world is focused on my girls. It will always be that way. I’ve tried to instill in them that we can reach our goals, that we’re strong women. I think it’s so important for them to see me in this role as a strong woman who is giving back. They were so happy the night I told them. I’m their biggest cheerleader, and they’re mine, as well.” Right now, Blakely said she’s ready to further the council’s plans and focus on things like fiscal responsibility, supporting the environment and preserving open space. She’s especially looking forward to working toward beefing up the Foxmoor Shopping Center again. “I’m focused on getting the local economy back on its feet as we continue through this horrible pandemic,” she said. The former Miry Run property is another focus, she said. The township set a preemptive plan for the space at a Dec. 3 council meeting—it includes a community recreation facility, picnic

Deborah Blakely, Robbinsville’s newest councilwoman. area, nesting habitat, community gardens and more. The plan is the result of a few years’ worth of community outreach, including a virtual suggestion box instituted last year. “It sounds incredible,” Blakely said. “There’s so much there that can be offered to the community. Activities for the youth, walking paths—I think they’re just kind of trying to tweak things right now. It’s so exciting. I really care so much about our youth. We already have wonderful recreational programs. The school system is incredible. Just continuing along with those projects would be fantastic.” Blakely graduated from Trenton State College and earned a master’s from Saint John’s University. She’s worked for Mercer County Special Services as a speech and language pathologist since 1996, and she specializes in early childhood communication disorders. “I feel like I just wear different hats,” she said. “One thing I say about myself is that I give 100 percent in whatever I do, whether that’s with my family or my little preschoolers at work. I know I’m going to give 100 percent to the community in this role, too.” And she’s ready to get to governing, she said. “I guess anything new brings on the nerves,” Blakely said. “But I think when you’re nervous, it’s because you care. I’m excited to jump right in and have input. I feel like our community is so caring and wonderful. We really rally together in times of tragedy, and we can celebrate each other’s accomplishments. I’ve met so many wonderful people in this town. I think that’s going to be an asset.” Contact SAM SCIARROTTA: ssciarrotta@ communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. 121, facebook.com/samsciarrotta1

SpORTS

Vanessa Sabol does it all for Robbinsville basketball By RiCh Fisher

Washington was satisfied with how Vanessa ran the point last year, and plans on entrusting her with more freedom as a junior. “I want to be able to give her the keys a little bit more now,” the coach said. “I want her to be more verbal out on the court, which she started to do in practice. I just want her to take the next step with the mental aspect of it with two years under her belt already.” She actually has more than that under the belt, as Sabol began playing basketball at age 5 under the watchful eye of her dad, Mike. “For as long as I can remember I’ve played a lot of basketball and I’ve had a lot of influence from my dad,” Sabol said. “He was my coach all throughout middle school and elementary school, right up until I got to high school and I transitioned to AAU. He’s had a big influence on just teaching me how to play.” Vanessa also plays softball and soccer, but devotes most of her time to hoops and has drawn interest from Susquehanna and DeSales, Division III schools in Pennsylvania. She began by playing in the CYO grammar school league, moved on to Robbinsville recreation and joined the newly formed Robbinsville Rage travel team, which she played with from 4th to 8th grades. After a year of AAU with the Mavericks, Vanessa now plays with the AUF Hawks. Upon arriving on the varsity at Robbinsville, Sabol and her classmates faced an uphill climb as Johnson was the lone returning player with varsity experience.

Prior to the 2019-20 basketball season, there was optimism on the Robbinsville High girls’ basketball team that senior Maya Johnson could team with a bunch of talented sophomores to make good things happen. Unfortunately, Johnson suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, taking away a key part of that equation. And yet, good things still happened. After a 6-9 start, the Ravens won nine of their final 11 games to finish 15-11 and emerge as the Colonial Valley Conference’s surprise team. A big reason for that was the ability of Vanessa Sabol to take over Johnson’s role at point guard. All the 10th-grader did was lead the Ravens in rebounds (204), assists (78) and steals (51) while finishing second in scoring (7.8 ppg). That comes on the heels of a freshman campaign in which Sabol led the team in scoring (11.1 ppg), 3-pointers (32) and steals (64) and was second to Johnson in rebounds (103) and assists (44). For anyone looking to stump coach Joe Washington, just ask him what Sabol can’t do. “That’s true,” he said. “Her freshman year we knew we had something. We knew we were going to have growing pains as teams began to figure out who Vanessa was during her freshman year. Going into last year when she got the majority of defensive pressure with Maya getting hurt, she realized she had to do some other things. She found other ways to contribute when she wasn’t able to score because of the defensive attention she was getting.” It was a case of role reversal for Sabol, who went from receiving kick out passes from Johnson as a freshman, to kicking it out last year. “I was driving and penetrating a lot more than when I was a freshman,” Sabol said. Probably her most impressive feat is leading the team in rebounding as a 5-foot-6 point guard. “I can jump pretty high, it’s just aggressiveness, just passion,” Sabol said. “I know that most of our points will come on transition and I know getting the rebound and pushing it up is huge. Half our points are from transition.” It’s a role that Sabol has slowly learned to fit into. “I think I sort of evolved,” she said. “I was always a shooter and I was usually the smallest person on the court so I wasn’t really ever getting the rebounds. But since last year we didn’t really have anyone tall or a lot of presence underneath, so I just tried Vanessa Sabol leads the Ravens girls’ to get every rebound I could and help basketball team as a point guard. our team underneath.” (Photo by Rich Fisher.)

“Freshman year was tough for them,” Washington said. “It wasn’t just a tough experience for them, I was very tough on them as well. But I think going through it was good for them.” Sabol wouldn’t argue either point. “It was definitely tough, we had a lot of growing pains, but it helped,” she said. “Most of the (freshman) girls had been playing on a travel team together, so it helped we already had a lot of chemistry. We couldn’t do any of it without each other.” Her fellow freshmen included Becky Blitz, Giana Bonfanti, Alexa Davidoff, Allie Neumann, Kailey Pacifico, Emily Reagan and Eve Sahaya. All returned last season and have formed the nucleus of a team that has some promising potential. Neumann led the team in scoring at nearly 10 per game and in 3-pointers with 25. Pacifico had 22 threes and was second with 108 rebounds and the others were all contributors in the rotation. To get 15 wins without Johnson was a sign of just how solid this year’s junior class is. “We’re all growing at the same time but the chemistry is building every year,” Sabol said. “It was definitely tough but we’re all thankful we got to

play at such a young age and that we got that experience. It helped us a lot.” The Ravens showed just how serious they are about the season after COVID-19 shut down official off-season workout activities. “What they did since last season has been pretty amazing,” Washington said. “We kind of went from the end of the season right into the pandemic. We did as much as we could as a team, going on Zoom meetings and staying around it. “But they did the work themselves staying in shape. That was kind of a question mark going into (the off-season)—how good of a shape we’d be in going into the year. We were in as good a shape as we’ve ever been going into the season.” The question remains—as it does for all schools—will Robbinsville play a full season with the pandemic lurking in the corners of every gym? “We’re definitely hoping to get through it,” Sabol said. “We’ve been waiting this whole time to play. We’re so thankful to be here. The bond we have is something we didn’t want to give up. We want to play as many games as we can and do great things.” And that all starts with a solid point guard running the show.

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PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE NERVE DAMAGE? PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY is a condition that affects millions of Americans, commonly resulting in pain, tingling, numbness, and other painful symptoms in the hands, legs and feet. This pain changes your life and affects how you work, how you play and how you live.

Peripheral neuropathy is the consequence of damage to your peripheral nerves. There are over 100 different kinds of peripheral nerve disorders or

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their symptoms may be due to Peripheral Neuropathy. Symptoms start

is a condition that affects millions of Americans,commonly resulting inofpain, neuropathies – some are the result a diseasetingling, like diabetes, while others can be triggered by a viral infection. Still others are the result of an injury or numbness, and other painful symptoms in the hands, legsonand feet.NoThis compression the nerves. matterpain where changes the problems begin, it is imperative nerve disorders are resolved as soon as possible to prevent NEW TREATMENTS HOPEyou play and yourFDA-CLEARED life and affects how youPROVIDE work, how how youMany live. permanent damage. people suffer with pain for years, not realizing that gradually, then get worse, including numbness, burning or tingling sensations NEW FDA-CLEARED TREATMENTS HOPE and sharp,PROVIDE electrical-like pain. Treatment options have been limited to a small assortment of pain medications, which can lead to further issues. Ignoring the

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14  Robbinsville Advance | February 2021

The Robbinsville girls’ basketball team faced off in its annual Red vs. White scrimmage Jan. 18. The red team won the grame, while the thite team took the knockout, dribble knockout and five spot shooting competitions.

HEALTH

FEBRUARY 2021

@capitalhealthnj

HEADLINES

B I - M O N T H LY N E W S F R O M C A P I TA L H E A LT H

COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION

Staying Safe During The Pandemic

EXPANDING IN NEW JERSEY

IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY

Who is currently eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? The COVID-19 vaccine continues to be distributed in phases throughout New Jersey according to prioritization guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health. To find the most up-to-date groups who are eligible for the vaccine in New Jersey, visit covid19.nj.gov. Previously, the vaccine was available only to health care workers (including Capital Health employees and active and associate medical staff), residents of long-term care facilities and police and fire personnel in New Jersey. AS OF JANUARY 14, 2021, new state guidelines for vaccine eligibility expanded to include paid or unpaid persons working or volunteering in health care settings, residents of long-term care facilities and other congregate settings, front-line first responders, persons age 65 and older, and persons age 16 to 64 years old who have at least one chronic medical condition that poses a high-risk for severe COVID-19. FOR CURRENT, UPDATED INFORMATION, VISIT COVID19.NJ.GOV/VACCINE. This includes individuals who have cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Down syndrome, heart conditions, sickle cell disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as those who are immunocompromised, pregnant, obese, or smokers. Anyone in New Jersey falling into these eligible groups can register for a COVID-19 vaccine by visiting covidvaccine.nj.gov. How does the COVID-19 vaccine work? The COVID-19 vaccine gives the immune system a preview of the coronavirus, so it learns how to stop it if you are exposed. It triggers antibodies in your blood to attack the virus’ unique spike protein. Your immune system learns from the vaccine how to quickly recognize the actual virus and stop it from multiplying. The idea is to stop SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, from getting into cells, replicating itself and making you sick. Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe? Like most new medicines and vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccines are tested for safety in large clinical trials. During the clinical trials, volunteers receive the vaccine and then regularly check in with scientists to report any side effects or illnesses. If the vaccine has data to support its safety and effectiveness, the scientists apply for Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Scientists continue to follow the volunteers for at least two years to report any long-term or rare side effects and safety concerns. Where Can I Get the Vaccine? Information about open vaccination sites in New Jersey, vaccine registration, and eligibility updates is available at covid19.nj.gov/vaccine. For information about public vaccination at Capital Health, please visit capitalhealth.org/coronavirus or call 609.537.7468 (SHOT).

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it’s important to remember that some of the most effective steps we can take to prevent its spread begin right at home. Wear a mask that fits properly and covers your mouth AND nose (no scarves or gaiters). Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place. When soap and water aren’t available, use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol. Limit or avoid indoor gatherings with people outside of your household and host outdoors when possible. This is important for adults more than 65 years of age or people with underlying medical conditions, who are at higher risk of getting very sick. Practice social distancing and stay at least six feet from others when possible. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough or sneeze into your elbow if tissues are not available. With either method, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water afterward. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily. This includes tables, light switches, sinks, countertops, and bathroom surfaces. Most common household disinfectants work, but be sure to follow instructions on the product label.

IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO COVID-19, CALL YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. You can find the most up-to-date information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov. Helpful information is also available from the New Jersey Department of Health online at covid19.nj.gov or by phone at 1.800.222.1222.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Robbinsville Advance15

SUPPORT COUNSELING

FOR ALL FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS To address the emotional needs of all health care workers and emergency medical services personnel on the front lines of our region during the COVID-19 pandemic, Capital Health is offering a Support Counseling Program (SCP). The program is a joint effort of Capital Health, NJ Hope and Healing, and the New Jersey Department of Human Services. The SCP is funded by a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). “The pandemic presents significant medical challenges, but it is also taking an enormous mental toll, and not just on patients and their loved ones.” said DR. CHRISTI WESTON, medical director of Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists. “For health care and emergency services workers who are treating COVID-19 patients every day, the experiences can be physically and emotionally exhausting. The SCP is designed to help them cope with the challenges of the pandemic through individual and group counseling, education, and support services.” The SCP provides health care workers individual assessment and counseling, virtual support groups, mindfulness-based stress relief techniques, and referrals to mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment, if needed. If you or someone you know is a health care worker who needs emotional support and guidance during the pandemic, call Capital Health’s Support Counseling Helpline at 609.303.4129, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This program is brought to you through the New Jersey Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP). The CCP is provided by Capital Health in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and is funded through a FEMA/SAMHSA grant.

LIFE AFTER LOSS

A 10-Week Therapy Group for Grieving Thursdays starting February 4, 2021 | 3 p.m. LOCATION: Zoom Meetings Coming to terms with the loss of a loved one is one of the most difficult challenges we face in life. Although everyone copes with grief differently, many find comfort in sharing their experiences with others who are going through the process. CHELSEA HOAGLAND, a licensed clinical social worker from Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, leads this 10-week support and therapy group. You’ll connect with group members who are dealing with loss and learn healthy strategies for moving forward. This event will be taking place virtually using Zoom. To sign up, call Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists at 609.689.5725. This group therapy program will be billed to your health insurance. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2-3 days before the program date.

16  Robbinsville Advance | Health Headlines by Capital Health

Capital Health Expands Behavioral Health to Include CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY Capital Health has recently expanded its Behavioral Health Specialists practice in Hamilton and Bordentown, New Jersey to include more providers who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults. DR. IRENE GABRIAL, a board certifed, fellowship trained psychiatrist recently joined Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists to lead the practice’s Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Program. Dr. Gabrial leads a team of trusted providers with expertise in child and adolescent behavioral health that includes DR. RACHEL BADEN SHERRILL, a licensed clinical psychologist, and TATYANA GRAY, a licensed clinical social worker. “Children and teenagers today face many challenges, some of which simply didn’t exist for previous generations,” said Dr. Christi Weston, medical director of Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists and director of Outpatient Psychiatry at Capital Health. “Through our patient-centered approach to care, our team provides support and guidance to individuals and families as they cope with challenges to their emotional wellbeing.” Dr. Irene Gabrial is board certified in child and adolescent and general psychiatry. She completed her psychiatry residency training at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was fellowship trained in child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Piscataway, New Jersey. Dr. Gabrial received her medical degree at Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine in Cairo, Egypt. Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Gabrial was a staff psychiatrist and interim director of the Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program & Psychiatric Services (CAPS) at Rutgers University, where she evaluated and treated undergraduate

and graduate students. Dr. Gabrial was also a clinical assistant professor for the University’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program. Dr. Sherrill is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with individuals across the lifespan, with a strong specialty in child and adolescent assessment and treatment. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology (with honors) from Duke University. She earned her master’s degree and PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Alabama. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neurodevelopmental disabilities and related disorders through the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program at the Civitan-Sparks Clinics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Sherrill provides therapy to children, adolescents, and adults with a range of presenting concerns and psychological testing to children and adults presenting with symptoms of ADHD. Tatyana Gray’s areas of professional interest include intergenerational trauma, anxiety/depression, neurodevelopmental disorders, relationships, and marginalized populations with a focus on collaborative and integrated care. After completing her undergraduate studies at State University of New York at Potsdam in Potsdam, New York she received her Master of Social Work degree at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida. Before joining Capital Health, Tatyana was a staff therapist at Syracuse University’s Barnes Center at the Arch Counseling in Syracuse, New York, where she provided mental health and wellness services in person and via telemedicine for a diverse student population. Call 609.689.5725 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gabrial at Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, or visit capitalhealth.org/behavioralhealth for more information.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Robbinsville Advance17

Capital Health Cancer Center Earns

NATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR RADIATION ONCOLOGY

FEBRUARY IS

AMERICAN HEART MONTH

Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell has been awarded a three-year term of reaccreditation in radiation oncology services by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Radiation oncology is the careful use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer or relieve a patient’s cancer pain.

KNOW THE SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS HAVING ONE

“We are extremely pleased to be awarded this accreditation. It is a testament to the commitment and efforts of our entire staff of radiation oncology specialists — oncologists, physicists, dosimetrists, therapists, nurses, navigators, and office support staff — all focused on providing every patient safe, evidenced-based care,” said DR. SHIRNETT WILLIAMSON, medical director of Radiation Oncology.

This puts you in contact with a trained dispatcher who will tell you what to do and sends an ambulance to your location. When the ambulance arrives, treatment begins in your home and the emergency department is prepared for your arrival at the hospital. Because your symptoms may get worse, driving yourself is a bad idea.

The ACR accreditation team recognized the Radiation Oncology Department’s outstanding organization of the treatments, medical records, policies, procedures and quality improvement processes — specifically Capital Health’s detailed, modalityspecific treatment directives and robust peer quality review process. In addition, ACR acknowledged the department’s outstanding teamwork, camaraderie, and patient-focus. “Patients want to know their medical team is knowledgeable about their health care issues and they want to be sure they are receiving the most advanced treatments and technologies available,” said DR. TIMOTHY CHEN, medical director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery at Capital Health. “This accreditation lets patients know we passed a rigorous review process meeting nationally-accepted standards of care.” Capital Health offers many options for radiotherapy, brachytherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery that provide patients greater convenience and efficiency while minimizing side effects. Physicians and multidisciplinary teams are able to manage complex cancers with unparalleled ease and precision anywhere in the body for all cancer types, including the abdomen, breast, central nervous system, head and neck, liver, lung, pelvis, and prostate. Patients have access to a full complement of leading-edge treatment modalities, such as traditional 3-D radiation, intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), CyberKnife® radiosurgery and high dose rate brachytherapy radiation (HDR). Stereotactic radiosurgery and high dose rate brachytherapy radiation (HDR) are delivered through advanced technologies that include Varian TrueBeamTM Linear Accelerator, CyberKnife® and Varian GammaMed technology (HDR brachytherapy), with surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) coming soon. To learn more about the Capital Health Cancer Center and the radiation oncology services that are available at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, please visit capitalhealth.org/cancer or call 609.537.4244.

18  Robbinsville Advance | Health Headlines by Capital Health

If you or a loved one is experiencing the signs of a heart attack, call 911.

The Chest Pain Center at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell is accredited by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care and the American College of Cardiology. This means the Center meets high standards for diagnosing and treating cardiac emergencies, such as heart attacks. When someone is having a heart attack, time to treatment is critical. Capital Health’s pre-hospital alert system allows ambulance patients to be tested in their homes and mobilizes an interventional team at the hospital if there is evidence of a heart attack, saving time for an initial EKG test or faster bedside blood tests for troponin, a protein that enters the blood stream during a heart attack. If you or a loved one is having a severe heart attack caused by prolonged restricted blood flow due to a clot or ruptured plaque, Capital Health’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab is ready to provide an emergency stent placement. After you or your loved one has recovered, your last step is preventing another heart attack or heart-related illness. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, offers a team of physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and registered dietitians who provide individually prescribed education and exercise. All program candidates are interviewed prior to entering the Cardiac Rehabilitation program, which allows a team to develop and implement a personalized care plan. Participants include those who have experienced:

… Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) within the past 12 months

… Coronary artery bypass surgery … Current, stable chest pain (angina pectoris) … Heart valve repair or replacement … Angioplasty or stenting to open blocked coronary arteries

… Heart or heart-lung transplant surgery … Stable, chronic heart failure Talk to your doctor about participating in cardiac rehabilitation. Visit capitalhealth.org/cardiacrehab for more information.

The puzzle page

Community News Service - Trenton/Lawrence/Robbinsville Crossword - 2/21

Across

1 Parking place 5 “Goldberg Variations” composer 9 Grassy areas 14 Coin in Cancún 15 Dwarf buffalo 16 Blockhead 17 Spherical triangle sides 18 Dejected 19 ‘50s dance 20 Here and there 22 Rocker Nugent 23 Mimicking bird 24 Seed coat 26 Red letters? 29 Evenfall 31 Part of some uniforms 33 One of the five W’s 34 Languorous 37 Fill to the gills 38 Absorb, as a cost 39 Mudder’s fodder 40 Faux pas 42 Old hand 43 Keats creation 44 Wicked 45 Sheen 47 “My country” follower 48 Hectoliter part 49 Dermatologist’s concern 50 Letter after theta 52 Actress Foch or Dobrev 54 Clear the slate 58 Glass component

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35 Dashboard feature 36 Computer user’s problem 37 Peruvian money 41 Smug selfserving earnestness 46 Ump’s calls 49 Vegas attraction 51 Supermarket section 53 Fair-sized musical group 55 Stave off 56 Old photo color 57 Oil of wintergreen, e.g. 59 Imbroglio 61 Icelandic epic 62 School group (Abbr.) 63 Witch

Puzzle solution on Page 22

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allcurespineandsports.com ACUPUNCTURE • PHYSICAL THERAPY • CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES February 2021 | Robbinsville Advance19

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Prices subject to change without notice. See Sales Consultant for details ces subject to change without notice. See Sales Consultant for details ©2020 Sharbell Development Corp. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal for Housing Prices subject to change without notice. See Sales Consultant detailsOpportunity. bell Development Corp. Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. ©2020 Sharbell Development Corp. Equal Opportunity Equal Housing Opportunity. PricesEqual subject to change without notice. See Company. Sales Consultant for details ©2020 Sharbell Development Corp. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. s-cn-yb/s

| February 2021

School Hours: 7am-6pm Full and Part Time Programs available

Call 609-890-9164 or go online to www.littlefriendsschool.com for more information 221 Edinburg Rd • Mercerville, NJ 08619 Like us on Facebook!

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there is no cure currently. Prevention is key. Experts believe vaccination may be an important step in helping to stop this illness. Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe and effective? Thesection FDA is responsible for makSIX09 ing5 sure pgs and 7that, just like any other medications, any FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines are safe and that they work. 4/17/20 1:21 PM Two vaccines were granted Emergency Use Authorization after a panel of independent experts heard hours of testimony on each vaccine’s development and clinical trials results. In both cases, the panel determined the vaccines to be safe and effective and recommended authorization. Pfizer’s vaccine was shown to be 95 percent effective in clinical trials that included close to 44,000 participants. Moderna’s vaccine was shown to be 94.5 percent effective in clinical trials that included approximately 30,000 participants. Are there side effects to the vaccine? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), individuals who receive the COVID-19 vaccine may experience some short-term side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These side effects may briefly affect your ability to do daily

5/29/20 11:46 AM 5/29/20 11:46 AM 5/29/20 11:46 AM 5/29/20 11:46 AM

activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some side effects are like those experienced from receiving the flu vaccine, such as body aches, pain or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, chills, or fever. In rare cases, an allergic reaction to the vaccine may occur. How do I get the vaccine? Once they are widely available, the plan is to have COVID-19 vaccines offered in doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers. Please reach out to your healthcare provider or stay up to date with the NJ DOH plan for vaccinations on their website or the website of the county that you live in. Do you recommend the COVID19 vaccine for your patients? Yes. With very few exceptions, I recommend everyone receive the vaccine as soon as it is available to them. The PfizerBioNTech vaccine is indicated for people age 16 and older. The Moderna vaccine is indicated for people age 18 and older. The safety and effectiveness of this vaccine is well-documented and it will provide significant immunity to contracting COVID-19. The risks of contracting the virus far outweigh the risks of receiving the vaccine. In addition to serious illness from COVID-19, we are also finding many COVID-19 survivors have lasting side effects that affect their ability to fully recover and function normally. The vaccine is our best chance to ending this pandemic. I recommend that everyone speak to their trusted healthcare provider and get vaccinated as soon as they can.

Coming up this month at RWJUH-Hamilton Thursday, February 4

22-Day Healthy Eating Challenge: The End of Heart Disease. (609) 584-5900. Sign up to learn why and how to get into a nutrient dense dietary pattern. We will be referencing “The End of Heart Disease: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Joel Fuhrman. Virtual class. Also Feb. 11, 18 and 25. 6:30 p.m.

Friday, february 5

The Lunch Bunch: Virtual Cooking for the PreK Crowd. (609) 584-5900. Encourage adventurous eating by pairing up with your preschooler in your very own kitchen! Simple recipes and helpful tips on creating positive mealtimes. Virtual class. Also Feb. 12 and 19. Noon.

Monday, February 8

Sensational Sweet Solutions. (609) 5845900. Take a load off and catch up on some simple sweets that show love from the outside in. Virtual class. 11:15 a.m.

Tuesday, February 9

Preventive Cardiology in 2021: Five Key Questions Answered. (609) 584-5900. Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 cause of death and morbidity in the United States. Justin Fox, MD, fellowship-trained interventional cardiologist. Virtual class. 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 10

Kids in the Kitchen. (609) 584-5900. Dietitiandirected and kid-created…from the comfort of your own kitchen! Virtual class. 6:30 p.m. For the Love of Music. (609) 584-5900. Help us put our own twist on the song stylings of Sheli Monacchio, songwriter, performer and Director of Life Care Resources, Van Dyck Law. Virtual class. 10 a.m.

Thursday, February 11

Parkinson’s: Updates, Cognition and Exercise. (609) 584-5900. Learn the latest on living a full life with Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders with neurologist Jill M. Giordano Farmer, DO, MPH. Virtual class. 10 a.m.

Providing More,

Thursday, February 18

So You Can Do More

Radical Self Care. (609) 584-5900. Explore what self care really is and why you can’t truly care for other’s until you first take care of yourself. Kathi Szabo of Eclectic Well Being. Virtual class. 6:30 p.m. Culinary Nutrition in the Kitchen. (609) 5845900. Prevention, reversal, and management of chronic lifestyle disease can start wherever you are, with what you have. Alyssa Luning, RD, CSOWM- Registered dietitian/board certified specialist in obesity and weight management. Virtual class. 11:15 a.m.

Monday, February 22

Your Mood & Food. (609) 584-5900. Do you ever feel like eating but are not actually hungry? Come get real with Certified Holistic Health Practitioner Cristin Polizzi. Virtual Assisted Memory class. 11:15 a.m.

Living

Tuesday, February 23

Clinical Capabilities

Care

HPV is aprogram Very Common Virus Harmony Villas & Commons, This provides a that Can Cause Cancer. (609) 584-5900. Dr. Christian Hoffour two specially designed perfect blend of service man, MD, will provide frank information secure neighborhoods offer and attention for those who and how to protect your teen(s). Virtual different levels of care and need assistance but wish class. 3 p.m. programming based on to remain as independent the individual needs of our as possible. Residents Learn Howaid towith Spotdaily a Stroke. residents with Alzheimer’s, receive living (609) 584-5900. Recognize signsin and symptoms dementia of and other memory tasks while the residing Connie Moceri, Director of Disease impairments. Special astroke. beautifully appointed Management at RWJ Hamilton Hospital. Viremphasis is placed on community with spacious tual class. 2 p.m. creating a safe, comforting suites and fine amenities. and engaging environment.

Wednesday, February 24

Thursday, February 25

CareOne at Hamilton provides clinical services in a home-like environment. We offer 24-hour licensed nursing coverage, a key component in the level of care we provide our residents.

CareOne respite provides:

• 24-hour nursing support Orthopedics Open House–Joint Replacement. (609) 584-5900. Discover the latest • Daily meals and nutri�onal CareOne offers the highest advancesatinHamilton knee and hip replacement sur- standards of excellence in assisted living services monitoring gery. Learn the Center for Orthopedicof our residents designed to how exceed the expectations and family members. and Spine Health prepares you for a suc• Recrea�on and ac�vi�es Some of the clinical services we provide are: cessful joint replacement. John Nolan, MD, • Medica�on management fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon. Vir• Assistance with personal care tual class. 6:30 p.m. Primary Care Clinician Services

Social and Psychology Services

LOOKING FOR MORE 1660 Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Rd. LOCAL NEWS? Hamilton Township, NJ 08690 609.586.4600 Visit our website communitynews.org www.care-one.com to get updates about your 1296497 community all month long

COMMUNITYNEWS

• Physical, occupa� onal Gym and Specialized Diagnostic Rehab therapies**On-site Medical speech Testing Services* Phase 1a of CDC vaccina�on plan

Pharmacy Services

** Therapies available under Medicare Part B

1660 Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Rd. Hamilton Township, NJ 08690

609.586.4600 www.care-one.com February 2021 | Robbinsville Advance21

Let go of the hate DAVE FRIED MAYOR’S COLUMN

Peace of Mind.

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Solution Puzzle Solution

sible to move our nation forward. The change we all want really starts with us, and more often than not that process begins with listening to people whose viewpoints you not only disagree with, but may even despise. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s the only way. I still believe we will get out of the universe what we put into it. Take a moment and reflect on your life and mission. Are you doing everything in your power to bring a positive change in your community, within your family, or for another human being? Any time violence is chosen to express a certain viewpoint, we all lose. The idea that it is okay because someone else did it—now commonly known as “whataboutism”—is pure nonsense. Two wrongs have never made a right, and needless to say we are better than that. We can debate and peacefully protest, but we should never turn to violence. We must finally unite as one nation and treat everyone equally, where no one feel “lesser” because of the color of their skin, their gender, their nation of origin, their religious beliefs or their economic status. Lose the bias and let go of the hate. Only then can we generate true change. *** All state residents wanting the vaccine should register via the NJ State Vaccine Scheduling System at covidvaccine.nj.gov. As of this printing, Mercer County was ramping up its vaccine efforts, but without an adequate supply of doses the rollout will continue to lag. Vaccinating 331 million people obviously takes time. I know it is hard, but please be patient as we all navigate this newest challenge much like we have done everything else since March—together.

The people spoke on Nov. 3, and whether or not you approved of either the process or the ensuing results, the United States has its 46th president in Joe Biden and a history-making vice president, Kamala Harris. We live in divided and extremely challenging times. Historians will say this is nothing new. In fact, some would argue the current, tumultuous state of our union pales in comparison to some eras of our past. Between Abraham Lincoln’s election in November 1860 and the surrender of the Confederate army at Appomattox in April 1865, the nation—quite literally—broke apart. More than 3 million men took up arms, and hundreds of thousands of black and white civilians in the Confederacy became refugees. Four million enslaved African Americans were freed from bondage. After four years of a civil war that led to 620,000 military deaths – the equivalent of approximately 6.5 million soldiers in 2020 – the United States had to figure out how to navigate a biracial society without slavery. Regardless what side of the political aisle you stand on, no current (or past) political issue approaches slavery in the mid-19th century in terms of divisiveness. Two centuries later, we are still striving for equality, liberty and justice for all. As I wrote in December of 2016, but sadly must reiterate, the time for division and all forms of violence MUST end. We need a united country to fix our many problems, not the least of which is a global pandemic that has cost nearly a half million Americans their lives to go with an economic toll approaching PuzzleJunction.com $18 trillion. More than ever, we need Dave Fried is the mayor of Robbinsville as many of us working together as pos- Township.

AT YOUR SeRVICe

Puzzle is on Page 19

S P A S M

P E R C Y

D H O T I

R A D I O

P H T A A G

O S C A N

T O S T A D E A Y E S T A R I A S I L N E

B A D T E H U S M Y B L E V D A N M E S S

A N O R A K

C O W E R

H A N D I C S A O O P I L L C I N A N O S E N I S E N S T O

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22  Robbinsville Advance | February 2021

A D I E U

W I N D S W E P S T T R A I V K E E R S T

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February 2021 | Robbinsville Advance23

smires & associates would like to welcome our new agent

“give it your all” 2330 Route 33, Suite 101, 375 Farnsworth Ave., Robbinsville, NJ 08691 Bordentown NJ 08505 Office: 609-259-1414 Office: 609-298-9888 smiresandassociates.com

Lori Giberson Sales Associate Cell: 609-456-1391 Email: L.giberson@smiresrealty.com

CRanbURy $849,900

Kate Bonchev, SA

MonRoe twp

Cell: 609-271-0120

Gorgeous 5 bed, 3 1/2 bath Colonial. Gourmet kitchen w/island seating. In-law suite w/private entrance. Full finished basement. Fenced yard w/ patio, inground pool, gazebo, hot tub & fire pit.

allentown

Edward Smires, BROKER

$279,000

Cell: 609-638-2904

Approved 10 acre + building lot. Located in most sought after Upper Freehold. Wooded lot sits atop an elevated area w/rolling hills, serenity & scenic views. Surrounded by preserved farmland.

Cell: 609-635-7370

3 bed, 2.5 bath townhouse with updated kitchen; new double paned, tilt-in windows and patio door w/blinds; hardwood floors; newer HVAC and roof; gas fireplace. Available for quick closing.

Cell: 609-577-5595

Lovingly maintained first floor unit. Offers 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, large living room, dining room and an enclosed porch. Custom touches throughout the unit. Don’t pass this one up!

CReaM Ridge

Terry Parliaros, SA

$445,000

Cell: 609-610-2252

Stunning 3 bed, 2 bath true Log cabin sitting on over 2.5 acres of wooded privacy. Features; 20 ft cathedral ceilings, floor to ceiling stone fireplace, full basement, detached 4 car garage.

ChesteRfield

Robbinsville $369,000

William “Bill” Perilli, SA

Maria Polcari, SA

$89,500

Dewey Nami, SA

haMilton

Justin Reed, CO-OWNER, SA

Cell: 609-433-3623

4 bed, 2 bath cape, owner occupied for almost 70 years! Partially finished basement. Fenced in yard with covered patio. A great home waiting for your personal touches!

Robbinsville

Theresa Pica, SA

Call foR pRiCe

Cell: 609-903-0899

Exquisite custom colonial in the desirable community of Crestwood Acres. Home offers 4 B/R, 2.5 BA, & sits proudly on a premium lot. Upgraded gourmet kitchen. Formal D/R & L/R, charming den. Endless upgrades & amenities. New roof & outdoor furniture. Call me for a tour!

$309,999

ChesteRfield UndeR ContRaCt

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Maria Polcari, SA

Well cared for Chesterfield rancher located on a nice lot looking across at cornfields. This home features an updated eat in kitchen, 3 nice size bedrooms, oversized sunroom. English basement allowing you to walk out to the fully fenced in backyard.

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4 Bed, 3.5 bath colonial featuring; office, gourmet kitchen, large family rm w/gas fireplace, expansive primary suite w/luxury bathroom, lots of upgrades, premium lot, in ground pool, faces courtyard. Beautiful!

Personalized service & attention to detail. It’s what we do all everyto day. Personalized service & day, attention detail.

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$249,900

CReaM Ridge

Edward Smires, BROKER

$899,900

Cell: 609-638-2904

Custom built, 4 bed, 4.5 bath, 7,000+ sq.ft. brick front colonial in the most sought after Cream Ridge area. Sitting on almost 2 acres, backs to preserved land. Huge gourmet kitchen w/walk in pantry, finished basement w/the top of the line upgraded water treatment system. 3 car side entry garage equipped w/Tesla charging station for 2 vehicles, & room for additional storage.

Robbinsville

Linda LeMay-Kelly, SA

$265,000

Cell: 609-651-3583

Gorgeous townhouse with finished walkout basement. Remodeled eat in kitchen, upgraded full bath. Newer A/C, furnace & water heater, and so much more! Desirable Robbinsville School district.

Robbinsville

Edward Smires, BROKER

$187,500

Cell: 609-638-2904

Pride in ownership is evident in this well taken care of 2nd floor condo. Electrical updates, replacement windows, plenty of storage space. Great location, park-like view from terrace, walking distance to the shops, minutes to the train station,convenient to highways & parks.

Frank Mancino

Regional Vice President | Mortgage Advisor

Frank Mancino NMLS-133472

Regional President | Mortgage Advisor o: (609)Vice 689-8436 NMLS-133472 fmancino@financeofamerica.com o: (609) 689-8436 FOAmortgage.com/fmancino

fmancino@financeofamerica.com FOAmortgage.com/fmancino FOAmortgage.com/fmancino

Quakerbridge Road NJ 08619 ©20203685 Finance of America Mortgage LLC|isHamilton, licensed nationwide | | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044FOAmortgage.com/fmancino | (800) 355-5626 | AZ Mortgage Banker License #0910184 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act | Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #15499 | Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company ©2020 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044 | (800) 355-5626 AZ Mortgage Banker | Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance | Licensed Mortgage Banker -- NYS Banking Department | Rhode Island Licensed Lender | Massachusetts Lender/Broker License| MC1071. License #0910184 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act | Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #15499 | Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. | Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance | Licensed Mortgage Banker -- NYS Banking Department | Rhode Island Licensed Lender | Massachusetts Lender/Broker License MC1071. For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org.

24  Robbinsville Advance | February 2021