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OCTOBER 2020 FREE

‘Safe and secure’

Scout’s honor

New Jersey joins list of states conducting elections by mail

BY MICHELE ALPERIN

West Windsor Boy Scout Troop 40 held a combination Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony for Sanjiv Sunderram (left), Anish Sankla and Akash Iyer at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church last month. Aadhar Pant, Bryan Roy, Danny Huang and Eric Liu were honored simultaneously at the First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck. For more coverage, turn to Page 4.

‘Support and comfort,’ post by post To Her, From Us blog aims for empowerment

BY SAM SCIARROTTA

Being a teenage girl is hard.

Being a teenage girl in the middle of a global pandemic is even harder. Carol Sun and Catherine Chu hope to make it a little easier.

This summer, the High School South seniors cofounded To Her, From Us, an online community that sets

out to empower young women locally and across the country.

The site features a blog, letter exchange platform, merchandise, fundraisers, social media accounts and more.

“We are aiming to create an open platform for young women to love themselves and embrace their voices,” Chu said. “Whether this be participating in a letterresponse service with our audience, fundraising for female-empowering nonprofit organizations, or releasing a series of interviews and news-

letter articles about extraordinary women in the workforce, we hope to show girls that we are here for them and can hopefully inspire them to become actively involved in leadership.”

Sun added that the group also hopes to tackle insecurities specific to young women.

“We want to provide a platform for young women to voice their concerns about various topics such as body image, school or relationships and hopefully address some See HER, Page 7

In an atmosphere rife with misinformation and political divisiveness, confusing messages have spawned concerns about mail-in voting—a process that has proven safe and secure in the several states where it is now the norm.

The western states of Utah, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Colorado have for years conducted their elections entirely or mostly by mail-in ballot. New Jersey will join them for this year, after Gov. Phil Murphy issued Executive Order No. 177, mandating all active registered New Jersey voters receive a mail-in ballot with prepaid return postage for the Nov. 3 general election.

This switch has not sat well with some, and disinformation about the process and safety of vote-at-home elections started to spread as a result. One piece of disinformation—one that could land voters in jail—came from President Donald Trump, who suggested to North Carolina citizens Sept. 2 that they vote twice, once by mail and once at the polls, to test the security of the system. Anyone who follows the president’s suggestion would be committing voter fraud, a third-degree crime that could lead to a felony conviction.

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes, in a Sept.

18 email, called Trump’s suggestion “absurd.” In the same

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email, Hughes offered reassurances about the safety of voting by mail.

“Don’t be distracted by baseless claims that seek to undermine the voting process,” he wrote. “Studies have shown that voting fraud in the United States is extremely rare, and states where voting now is done almost entirely by mail are said to report very little fraud.”

In fact, New Jersey compares signatures on mail-in ballots to those on file in the Statewide Voter Registration System. The Board of Elections also has processes in place to flag ballots for voters who are not registered, have passed away or do not live in the county or state.

“So we can set those aside for investigation and if need be rejection,” Board of Elections chairman Anthony Francioso, a Republican, wrote in an email.

Mercer County clerk Paula Sollami Covello, who is responsible for issuing voteby-mail ballots in the county, said there has never been an incidence of fraud in Mercer County involving vote-bymail. In fact, the number of voters who wish to permanently vote by mail has grown “markedly” in recent years, Sollami Covello said.

Voting fraud is exceedingly rare in the United States, whether for mail-in ballots or otherwise. Conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, which maintains a database of fraudulent voting incidences, found 204 cases of fraudulent use of absentee ballots among the 250 million votes cast by-mail ballot nationally. Of these, 143 resulted in criminal See VOTE, Page 10

Notice of Vote-by-Mail Election November 3, 2020 General Election The November 3, 2020 General Election will be conducted primarily via vote-by-mail ballots, which will be sent to all “Active” registered voters without the need for an application to receive a vote-by-mail ballot.

P.L. 2020, c. 72 requires you to sign the certification affixed to the margin of the flap on the inner envelope of the ballot notwithstanding the fact that you may not have applied for this ballot, but instead received this ballot automatically.

You will be provided a postage paid envelope for the return of your ballot through the United States Postal Service. You are not required to attach a stamp. You may also choose to deposit your ballot in one of the secure ballot drop boxes located throughout the county, return your ballot in-person to your County Board of Elections, or deliver your ballot to your assigned polling place on Election Day. Please contact your Board of Elections at 609-989-6522 or www.mercercounty.org/boards-commissions/board-of-elections for convenient ballot drop box locations.

Only you, the voter, can bring your ballot to your polling place on Election Day. If another person will be mailing your ballot, bringing it to a secure ballot drop box, or delivering it to the county Board of Elections, MAKE CERTAIN THAT PERSON COMPLETES THE “BEARER PORTION” ON THE ENVELOPE ADDRESSED TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BEFORE THE BALLOT IS TAKEN FROM YOU. No person who is a candidate in this election is permitted to serve as a bearer. No person is permitted to serve as a bearer for more than three qualified voters in an election. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANYONE EXCEPT YOU, THE VOTER, TO MAIL OR TRANSPORT YOUR BALLOT UNLESS THE OUTER ENVELOPE IS SEALED AND THE “BEARER PORTION” IS COMPLETED. A PERSON MAY BE FINED AND IMPRISONED AND MAY ALSO LOSE THE RIGHT TO VOTE UNTIL RESTORED BY LAW if that person attempts to vote fraudulently by mail-in ballot, prevents the voting of a legal voter, certifies falsely any information, interferes with a person’s secrecy of voting, tampers with ballots or election documents or helps another person to do so.

If you would like to learn the status of your ballot you can call 1-877-NJ-VOTER or go to TrackMyBallot.nj.gov 2The News | October 2020

Your vote counts SAM SCIARROTTA FROM THE EDITOR

homes by those meant to protect all of us, or when residents of this country are denied their right to vote due to draconian disenfranchisement laws, why bother?

Consider this, though: Kentucky voters elected state attorney general Daniel Cameron, and they have a chance to vote him out when his term is up. This is why voting at the municipal, county and state level, as well as in congressional races, can have a greater impact on your everyday life than electing a president.

You’ll see a lot of election coverage in this issue of the paper. All of our local races are uncontested, but your vote is still important. It still counts.

And we still want you to know who is running and on what platform. Don’t like that candidates are running unopposed? Maybe in the next term’s election, you can advocate for more candidates to run, or even put yourself up for election.

Voting might feel unimportant, but it’s not. It’s how change happens, even if at a glacial pace. Especially at the local level. Ultimately, we get to decide who advocates for us, and that’s not something we should take for granted.

There are times when voting feels futile. Sometimes it can feel like dumping out a bottle of water on a forest fire, or like a faceoff between an Imperial star destroyer and a single x-wing. The problems with our government at all levels often feel too massive to deal with. I think one of those times is now.

Millions across the country have spent the last 100 or so days demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, who was killed by three police officers— Myles Cosgrove, Brett Hankinson and Jonathan Mattingly—in her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment March 13.

When the grand jury indictment was laid down Sept. 23, Hankinson was the only officer charged, and his charges had little to do with Taylor— he was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for firing shots that entered a neighboring apartment.

How could voting possibly solve any of this? Sometimes I feel like participating in a system that props up its most powerful and oppresses its Contact SAM SCIARROTTA: ssciarrotta@ most vulnerable is pointless. When communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. our neighbors are being shot in their 121, facebook.com/samsciarrotta1

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October 2020 | The News3

Around town Zoom Court of Honor last month.

The seven scouts—Aadhar Pant, Br yan Roy, Danny Huang, Eric Liu, Sanjiv Sunderram, Anish Nishad Maskara, a Plainsboro Sankla and Akash Iyer—each resident, received a U.S. Department earned the required 21 merit badges, of Energy grant that will support his six preceding ranks and completed graduate studies at Harvard Univer- and Eagle project.

Sankla planted 12 fruit trees next to sity this fall.

Maskarais among the 5% of appli- the community garden near the West cants chosen for the DOE Computa- Windsor municipal building. In additional Science Graduate Fellowship. tion, he built two benches to provide Maskara, a 2015 graduate, is pursuing a seating area for people who come to pick fruit from the trees. a doctoral degree in physics.

Sunderram worked on the Trolley The fellowship, administered by the Krell Institute of Ames, Iowa, is sup- Line Trail by adding mile markers on ported by the DOE’s Office of Science the trail, installing twp benches and installing a kiosk at the and the National Nuclear trail head to highlight Security Administration. the historic background Each year, the program and significance of the chooses doctoral stuold trail railroad. dents whose education Iyer built and installed and research focus on cabinets for the Princeton using high-performance Meadow Church. They computers to solve comwere custom designed plex science and engiand are used by the neering problems of church’s youth programs. national importance.

Pant built two handiSince it was launched in cap accessible picnic 1991, the DOE CSGF has tables and created two supported more than 500 mulch bedding areas students at more than 70 Maskara beneath the tables. The universities. project is located at the DOE CSGF students receive full tuition and fees plus an front of two pickle ball courts in West annual stipend and academic allowance, Windsor Community Park. He wanted renewable for up to four years. In return, to provide a sitting area for the pickle recipients must complete courses in a ball players.

Roy completed his Eagle Scout Projscientific or engineering discipline plus computer science and applied mathemat- ect at Haven House. He and many ics. They also must invest three months other scouts removed a row of large in research at one of 21 DOE laboratories bushes, built six planter boxes, and planted a row of flowers, as well as or sites across the country.

Maskara joins a group of 26 first- cleaned up trash.

Huang’s Eagle project focused on year fellows in 2020, bringing the total number of current DOE CSGF recipi- the creation of two picnic tables and the refurbishment of three benches at a ents to 95 students in 23 states.

The fellowship and related practi- township playground. Most of the wood cum experiences are effective work- used was recycled ash wood, milled and force recruitment tools for the donated by the township. The project national laboratories. Nearly a quar- began in May 2019, with digging out the ter of all DOE CSGF alumni work or spots for the picnic tables and ended in have worked at a DOE facility. Others June, with fixing the benches.

Liu planted five Asian pear trees pursue careers in academia, industry or government, where they introduce and 25 blackberry bushes along with and advocate for computational sci- installing a trellis in the West Windsor community garden. The project ence as a tool for discovery.

For more information on the DOE took place in the spring o f 2019 and CSGF, contact the Krell Institute at (515) involved leading a group of scouts and adults to finish the project.

956-3696 or visit krellinst.org/csgf.

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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 West Windsor Boy Scout Troop 40 hear from you. Send your news or tips held two combination in-person and to news@communitynews.org.

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LOOKING FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS? Visit our website communitynews.org to get updates about your community all month long

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October 2020 | The News5

Division of Solid Waste Management Residential Paper Shred Program Date: Saturday, October 24th Time: 9 am - 12 pm (or until the shredding truck is filled, which ever occurs first).

Events are held rain or shine.

Location: Plainsboro Municipal Center, 641 Plainsboro Road 08536 For more information on this and other programs - please contact: Middlesex County Solid Waste Management

732-745-4170

solidwaste@co.middlesex.nj.us

This is a free Paper Shred Program for County Residents.

Recycle your old confidential files safely and securely!

• Limit of 5 file boxes or 100 pounds per car.

• Paper must be in a manageable container-No Plastic Bags.

• No need to remove paper clips, staples or paperboard binder covers.

• Do Not Bring: Newspapers, magazines, hardcover books, junk mail, photos, x-rays, CDs, shredded paper or garbage.

• Loads containing unacceptable items may be rejected.

• Residential Paper Only — No Businesses.

Residents must wear face coverings, keep their vehicle windows closed and stay in their vehicles at all times. Please have your materials in your trunk, cargo area or truck bed, easily accessible to our staff, who will remove it from your vehicle.

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Sun said. “We want to provide any supHER continued from Page 1 of those concerns with our blog,” port and comfort we can, in any capacshe said. “We also seek to inspire ity. As we expand and gain members, young women to take on more leader- we want to diversify the voices of our ship roles by highlighting important organizations, providing different perwomen in our current workforce and spectives. The blog has been an amazthroughout history, using our inter- ing way for me to learn about what bothers young women in the modview series and newsletter.”

To Her, From Us was born out of ern day and forces me to think critically regarding what we casual conversations can do to combat these between Sun and Chu. hurdles.”

“As a young woman, I The girls also offer still face self insecurities advice, answer reader every day of my life,” questions on their social Sun said. “I judge myself media platforms and constantly for the way respond to individual letI look. I over prepare ters—that’s where the and stress in leadership name To Her, From Us organizations I’m a part comes from. of because I feel out of “Our biggest goal is to place. I used to be afraid let young women underto speak up on political stand that they are not issues because I felt like alone and that they too my voice didn’t matter.” can be the next generaIt turns out that Chu tion of leaders, if only similar thoughts had they believe in themcrossed Chu’s mind, too. Together, the girls decided to do selves,” Sun said. “We believe fosterwhat they could to help each other and ing this community can do a lot.”

Other members, like Karen Yang their peers handle and conquer those (director of outreach), Amy Xu (direcfeelings.

One way they do this is through tor of fundraising), Chloe Wolohan their blog, which features posts about (director of journalism) and Caitlyn moving, changing schools, self love Ng (director of design) focus on different ventures. and family and friends.

Yang and Xu run the group’s social “With these blog posts, we range from just giving advice as older stu- media accounts, while Sun and Chu dents, to being a fellow young woman design posts that appear on Instawho has also struggled, to being gram. Chu and Ng designed stickers someone who can only sympathize,” and developed a merch plan. Wolo-

han, Chu and Sun handle the blog dren experienceing homelessness. posts. Yang has interviewed teachers, Her chapter raises money for the Barwomen’s organization leaders and a rett House, an organization that promember of the National Eating Disor- vides support for unhoused women, children, individuals and families. ders Association for the website.

“We wanted to spread our message Xu handles fundraising, which has become a key part of the group’s mis- to as many communities as we possision. To Her, From Us is currently col- bly could, as we hope young women lecting donations for three organiza- all over the world can use our platform as a tool for selftions: GirlsInc, WriteGirl motivation and encourand the National Girls agement,” Sun said. “We Collaborative. want to provide support “We believed that an to as many women as we essential part of our can. The more places we female-empowering are in, the more letters organization was to we will be able to receive show our love and supand the more charities port for other organizaand organizations we tions advocating similar can support.” messages,” Chu said.

Chu and Sun both “We researched nonhope that expansion profits that aimed to transitions into hostoffer programs and ing events, an expanded opportunities to girls letter program and colfrom all backgrounds.”

Sun laborations with other That wide-net organizations that share approach helped Chu and Sun expand To Her, From Us out similar values.

“I feel like I have learned so much of New Jersey and into other parts of the county and beyond—the group since the launch of our organizanow has chapters in Texas, New tion—being introduced to the variMexico, Costa Rica and California. ous concerns of girls around us and They reached out to girls from those discovering amazing female leaders areas via video chat to talk about what and organizations, I hope that in the women’s issues look like outside of future, we will continue to treasure the East Coast, and their friends were their diverse stories,” Chu said. receptive.

Sun’s friend, Vivien Jones, heads Contact SAM SCIARROTTA: ssciarrotta@ the New Mexico chapter and focuses communitynews.org, (609) 396-1511, ext. a lot of her efforts on women and chil- 121, facebook.com/samsciarrotta1

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Election 2020 Three candidates are running unopposed for three seats on the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional Board of Education. Incumbents Dana Krug and Martin Whitfield are up for two West Windsor spots, while newcomer Loi Moliga is running for Isaac Cheng’s vacated Plainsboro seat.

Krug has lived in West Windsor since 1995. She attended Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest and earned a bachelor’s degree in international area studies from Duke University. She also holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from the New School University. She is currently serving her third term on the school board.

She previously worked in the advertising, marketing communication and strategy and marketing systems development fields. Krug has served as the president and chair of the Friends of the West Windsor Library, the tournament director at West Windsor-Plainsboro Babe Ruth and the co-president of the Community Middle School PTA. Moliga has lived in Plainsboro for 14 years. She attended Aiea High School in Hawaii and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Whittier College. She went on to earn a master’s in social service administration from the University of Chicago. This is her first time running for public office.

Moliga was an active member and past president and treasurer of the Plains-

boro MOMS Club, as well as a parent rec coach for the West Windsor-Plainsboro Soccer Association, West Windsor-Plainsboro Basketball Association and LORK basketball. She has also volunteered with Cranbury Little League, coached a robotics team and chaired the PTA book fair, carnival, entertainment night and yearbook committees.

Whitfield has lived in West Windsor for 15 years. He attended Bishop Ahr High School in Edison and graduated from the University of Texas San Antonio with a degree in American studies. He was first elected to the school board in 2017. He currently works as the general manager and director of operations at the Windsor Athletics Club/Princeton-Windsor Cultural and Sports Complex. He previously worked for the NBA in marketing, corporate service and NBA TV. Over the last several years, Whitfield has partnered with local and national nonprofits to host fundraisers and events at the Windsor Athletic Club. He also volunteers at local senior centers, speaks at schools and mentors youth and student athletes.

The West Windsor-Plainsboro News sent questionnaires to each candidate. Their responses follow below. *** Why should voters elect you to the school board?

Krug: I have held many leadership

ATTENTION WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP REGISTERED VOTERS THE GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2020 Per Executive Order No. 177 issued by Governor Phil Murphy the November 3, 2020 General Election will be held primarily by mail-in ballot. All registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot starting in late September and early October.

Registered voters will have several ways to return their mail-in ballots which include: • Dropping it in the secure drop box located out front of the West Windsor Senior Center, 271 Clarksville Road or one of the other secure drop boxes throughout the County • Dropping it at your polling district on Election Day between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m • Mail through the U.S. Postal Service (make sure that the ballot is post marked no later than November 3, 2020 to be valid). It will be counted only if it is received within seven (7) days of the Election under the Governor’s Executive Order #177.

IN PERSON VOTING INFORMATION

• Voters will be able to vote by provisional ballot (paper) or • Drop off their mail-in ballot on election day at their polling location • Machines will only be available for disabled voters who have a documented audio or visual disability

For the latest Election Information and other drop boxes locations please visit the Township’s Election page at: http://www.westwindsornj.org/elections.html or contact the Township Clerk’s Office at 609-799-2400 ext. 213.

Gay M. Huber | Township Clerk West Windsor Township | 609-799-2400

8The News | October 2020

roles in organizations that promote the school board.

The deaths of George Floyd and academic, social, emotional, and physical well-being of children and families Breonna Taylor earlier this year in our community. My long-time volun- sparked important conversations teer commitment to the WW-P commu- about racial injustice, including in nity, at the library, with youth athletic West Windsor and Plainsboro. Do programs and in the district schools, you believe racial injustice is an issue in town? If so, coupled with my extenwhat can the district sive school board expedo to dispel it? If not, rience uniquely posiwhat would you say to tions me as a valuable those who say it is a contributor to the school problem? board. The positive workKrug: Systemic racing relationships I have ism exists throughout built with members of the country, including our community will be in our two towns. I am critical as WW-P manproud that the WW-P ages through the global school district believes pandemic and local popthat “confronting struculation growth. My chiltural and systemic racdren’s attendance in our ism, bias, and discrimischools has given me a nation is at the forefront first-hand understandKrug of its responsibilities.” ing of issues that face the Initiatives have begun school board. I understand that children can learn differ- to promote equity in our school comently and that instruction and the class- munity, well before these most recent room experience should support each events. These encompass curriculum, student training, hiring, advocacy and child’s learning style.

Moliga: I have been an active school representation. Curriculum is reviewed and community volunteer for many with an eye toward representing people years. I care for and I am invested in of different backgrounds appropriately. our schools and our children. With Discussions about race and culture will three kids in the district, at three dif- continue to address difficult topics. Hirferent schools, my first hand experi- ing efforts continue to focus on findence as a parent and community mem- ing the best candidates with attention ber, allows me to have an ear to the to diverse representation. The district recently hired a Diversity, ground and gives me a Equity, and Inclusivity clear perspective on how Coordinator who will supdecisions will impact port WW-P “by offering students and families. If training, workshops and/ elected, I will work with or conferences relating to integrity, to do what is cultural diversity, equity right by those I repreand access, systems of sent. I will work tireprivilege, and anti-racist lessly and with a level efforts.” of commitment that Moliga: Racial injustice ensures informed deciis an issue that we consion making that suptinue to grapple with as ports our students. Most a nation. The conversaimportantly I will listen tions that are taking place and empathize with the across our nation, are concerns of our commuWhitfield happening in our towns. nity and be its voice.

From the Black Lives Whitfield: Each day I oversee and operate the Windsor Ath- Matter rallies in both Plainsboro and letic Club/Princeton-Windsor Cultural West Windsor, to the district’s response Complex, serving thousands of WW-P to a racist social media post by a student families and students. My position calls in April, to incidents that don’t make the for me to interact daily with our local headlines, the discussions are ongoing residents/members with a direct focus and relevant. I am very encouraged by on their enhancement and enrichment. the district’s Sept. 9 convocation mesCountless hours and conversations sage highlighting the concerns and have been spent understanding our plans for addressing social injustice and district’s families, which has given me equity in our schools, this includes the a greater awareness of the direct needs hiring of a Diversity, Equity, and Incluof our residents and students. This has sivity coordinator. I look forward to the enabled our customers to grow both progress we collectively make in the academically, socially, athletically, intel- district.

Whitfield: It is our job as community lectually and emotionally. Essentially, the dynamic combination of my previ- leaders, parents and students to come ous/current experience and expertise, together in a consistent and concerted my daily perspective as the general effort to eradicate racial discrimination, manager and my personal experience injustice and to continuously push for as a parent of five children who have greater understanding, inclusivity and been in the WW-P School District, is diversity in our community. I have been the exact perspective needed on our a strong advocate for racial equality/jus-

tice and as well, a contributor in bringing each local ethnic group together in our community. We have greater commonalities, than differences. The color of our skin should never be a sole indicator of our character, content and moral aptitude. Our dynamic commonalities should help us form a respect and understanding of one another. With that respect, we are then able to help in the eradication of racism/discrimination, mitigate systematic oppression and nullify the opportunity for racial indifference and racial injustice to show up in our community or schools.

How do you think the district has handled learning adjustments due to COVID-19? Is there anything you would change or do differently?

Krug: Much has changed in the district since virtual instruction began in March. The district has moved to a new platform and learning is synchronous.

District staff has worked to build a dynamic educational program virtually and in-person for our students. This program is evolving each day to meet the needs of the district’s students.

Parents can choose hybrid (coming in person to school and virtual) or virtual only. Some of WW-P’s special education and English language learner populations can attend school in-person each school day. In the future, I hope that the district can obtain rapid COVID testing which will help with managing daily in-person participation.

Moliga: When schools moved to remote learning in mid-March, the dis-

trict took on the daunting task of edu- ate stress and anxiety? If not, how cating over 9,500 students virtually. The would you respond to those who things that the district did well were: believe there is a problem?

Krug: Yes, I believe there is pressure focus on learning vs. grades, provide chromebooks to all students, and be flex- to perform academically in our school ible with student assignments. Then over district, as there is in any high-performthe summer, asking families for feedback ing district. As a parent of one student on curriculum priorities, in-person vs. in the district and two recent WW-P virtual learning, and afterschool activi- graduates, I am keenly aware of the academic pressure students ties. Some items that the experience. Our district’s district could have done strategic goal focuses on better with 20/20 hindrecognizing that children sight: start synchronous need to balance physiteaching earlier, get concal, social, emotional, and tinuous feedback from academic needs. The disfamilies to course correct, trict is dedicated to social ensure students received and emotional learning services that they needed, and strives to develop a and involve the commuschool culture that supnity in the decision makports students. The ing process around cancounselors and teachers celling extra curricular provide a welcoming and activities. respectful environment.

Whitfield: I believe Each school has agethe District has handled Moliga appropriate programs in learning adjustments conflict resolution, provery well due to an unprecedented and unexpected Covid- moting respect and tolerance, character 19 pandemic. By offering a Hybrid and education and cyber ethics. The district Virtual Option to district parents/stu- provides opportunities (even in a virtual dents and families, this enabled the setting) for students to connect with district to be able to focus on all learn- peers and supportive staff, all of which ers at every level and to also meet the have been shown to help students to overall varying and differing needs of deal with academic stress.

Moliga: Since ours is an academiparents/students/teachers and staff.

Do you think that pressure to cally high achieving district, it is natuperform academically is an issue ral for students to feel the pressure. for students in the school district? However, I do distinguish between a If so, what would you suggest student’s internal drive (which should the district can do to help allevi- be nurtured) and external pressure to

perform, a clear negative. I support the steps the district has taken to reduce the external pressure. Such as expanding counseling services, integrating counseling themes into the curriculum, no homework nights, and Parent University presentations. Something I would encourage the district to work on is to make extra curricular activities accessible to more students. Extracurriculars help students cope better with pressure.

Many students are not able to participate even when they want to. For example, in my son’s middle school almost all after school clubs had long waitlists.

Whitfield: I am a former Division 1 college basketball player and former NBA employee. I have experienced supreme competition both personally and professionally in terms of the tools, dedication and time needed to perform at your best and succeed within a particular platform, subject or activity. I learned how to perform in a highly competitive area and dedicated myself to exceeding my own personal expectations. The ability to balance academic pressure and life’s pressures is something that is learned by students through cognitive, practical and logical methods of development. This process also develops the particular tools of success that will ultimately benefit the student throughout their lives. Monitoring our students effectively and continuously communicating with parents/students, can essentially help alleviate stress and anxiety by helping our students navigate their own personal, practical and successful balance.

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VOTE continued from Page 1 convictions.

Overall, there were 1,200 cases of voter fraud, or 0.000006 percent of total votes cast. It equals about one case per state every six or seven years. According to the database, New Jersey has seen 16 instances of voter fraud since 2003, with nine criminal convictions.

Another piece of disinformation used to denigrate voting by mail comes again from the president, who claimed in April that if the United States switched to all-mail voting “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.” In an Aug. 26 article in “Science” magazine, Warren Cornwall reported on two independent studies that refute this claim. The studies found no statistically significant difference in voting levels by Democrats versus Republicans in states that had switched to mail-in ballots.

National Vote At Home Institute national policy director Audrey Kline works with election officials to optimize administrative processes and laws for both mail and in-person voting. She’s noticed a cultural divide between the eastern and western United States, where mail-in ballots have been far more common than in the East, more so than a partisan one when it comes to mail-in ballots.

“We have some very staunch Republican supporters,” Kline said.

“A lot of them are the election officials themselves; they are public servants; they are doing the Lord’s work; and they’re just trying to make it easier for people to vote.” *** If voting by mail feels overwhelming, be reassured that all you have to do is complete the ballot by carefully following instructions and then choosing one of several ways to ensure its arrival at the Board of Elections.

Below is a guide to voting in Mercer and Middlesex counties in the Nov. 3 election, where we explain the process, as well as providing details on how to register or update your reg-

istration and how to check online to ensure your ballot has arrived.

Who can vote?

To vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years old on election day, and a resident of your county for 30 days before the election. New Jersey citizens on parole and probation may register and vote in all elections, although currently incarcerated individuals may not.

Make sure you are registered Voters in the Nov. 3 election must be registered by October 13, 2020.

Active, registered voters began receiving mail-in ballots the week of Sept. 28.

But what if you are not an active voter? “Inactive voters”—those for whom official election mail was returned to election officials or those who have not voted in two consecutive federal elections—are still considered registered. If you do not receive a ballot, contact the Mercer County Clerk’s office at vote@mercercounty.org or by phone at (609) 989-6465; or the Middlesex County clerk’s office at (732) 745-4202. Alternatively, complete a provisional (paper) ballot at your polling place on Election Day. To register to vote (or to submit make changes to existing registration), you must either complete a paper voter registration application and return it to the Superintendent of Elections, 640 S. Broad Street, PO Box 8068, Trenton, NJ 08650, or register online at voter.svrs.nj.gov/register, where you can click on “Register to Vote!” to access both of these options.

Sollami Covello is also advising residents to update or verify their voter registration information with a current physical address. If a voter will be away between late September and Election Day, please apply to vote by mail ahead of time, noting the special temporary mailing address required.

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carefully and on time Along with your mail-in ballot, you will also find an outer envelope with prepaid postage that will allow delivery to the Mercer County Board of Elections and an inner envelope with a detachable flap (do not detach this flap but be sure to sign it; election officials will detach it later as part of the secure counting process). After you complete your ballot and sign the flap, you will place your completed ballot inside the envelope that has the flap; the last step will be to insert the entire inner envelope inside the outer envelope.

Make sure to use only blue or black ink when filling in the circles by the candidates of your choice—because the computer scanner that reads the ballots and tabulates the votes will only read blue or black ink; it does not read red ink or pencil.

Submit your ballot or vote in-person After completing your ballot, you have four options for submitting it: (1) Mail it via the U.S. Postal Service; check mail pick-up times on the post-office box where you submit your ballot, which must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, to be counted; however, the ballot will be counted as long as it is received by Nov. 10.

(2) Drop it in a secured drop box (monitored 24/7 by camera) by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 at one of 15 Mercer County locations. A complete list of drop box locations appears at the end of this article.

“Drop boxes are a really important option because it gives people a little bit of an extra option but also they get that confidence level a little higher.”

(3) Hand-deliver your ballot to the Mercer County Board of Elections at 640 South Broad Street in Trenton.

This option will not be available initially, but Francioso said the board will accept in-person drop offs at their office closer to Election Day. (4) Hand-deliver your ballot at your

polling place on Election Day. The Board of Elections will mail residents the location of their polling place via postcard at least one week prior to the election; each municipality will have at least one polling place open on Election Day. If none of these four options do not work for you, you may go to your polling place on Nov. 3 and complete a provisional (paper) ballet between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Provisional ballots will be checked against the records of mail-in ballots to ensure that people do not vote twice.

Ewing councilwoman Jennifer Keyes-Maloney said there is a need for matching signatures—both because of potential fraud but also because double voting may be unintended.

“My father had Alzheimer’s,” she said. “I could see him filling out voteby-mail and then he knows he needs to vote on Election Day and goes to [his polling place],” she said.

If you’re voting in person, check to make sure where your polling place will be; there will be fewer polling places this election, Keyes-Maloney says, both because the election is mostly by-mail and because poll workers, who are often seniors, have been harder to come during the pandemic.

If you have a documented audio or visual impairment, voting machines will be available as an accommodation under the The Americans With Disabilities Act.

What if your signature has changed over time?

Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello recommends that New Jersey voters make sure the signature they registered with looks the same as the one they use today. Noting in particular elderly people, those with Parkinson’s disease or even people who registered at age 18 and are now 35, Sollami Covello says, “We suggest that people update their signatures with the office of registration of the Board of Elections.”

If you are concerned that your signature has changed over time, you need to update your signature on file

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by submitting a voter registration application and checking “signature update” on top of the application.

If your ballot signature does not appear to match the one on file, the Board of Elections will inform you of this by mail and give you a chance to correct your signature—but you must complete and return their letter within the permitted time frame.

Track your ballot online via the Public Access system If you are worried that somehow your ballot might get lost either in the postal system or in a drop box, you can ascertain online whether your ballot has arrived where it belongs. But this requires a little advanced preparation.

Before you can register for the Public Access, where you can check to ensure that your ballot has been received and recorded, you will need your Voter ID number if you registered before 2005 or you will need either your driver’s license number or social security number if you registered after 2005.

To actually register for the Public Access system, go to voter.svrs. nj.gov/auth/sign-up, where you will need to provide your name, date of birth, as well as the ID number appropriate for you. The system will also allow you to see your election history, mail-in ballot history, and provisional ballot history, as well as information about your polling place, upcoming

election dates, voting district informa- tacted and allowed to fix the ballot.

At a time when postal service has been tion, and county election officials. unusually slow, New Jersey will be countCounting the votes ing mail-in ballots that arrive by Nov. 10, First, the Board of Elections as long as they are postmarked by Nov. ensures that your signature on the 3. States that do not accept ballots that flap of the inner envelope matches arrive after Election Day—even if they the signature contained within the are postmarked by Election Day—“may Statewide Voter Registration System. disenfranchise many voters,” Appel Only then is the flap detached, saved writes. On the other hand, he adds, states and archived, and your vetted ballot is like New Jersey that do count ballots as placed with other ballots, grouped by long as they arrive before a preset date municipality. This ensures that your may face a different type of problem if the late-arriving ballots shift the election to a vote will remain anonymous.

The mail-in voting process still has the different candidate.

These are issues states will have to potential for problems, although New Jersey has taken steps to avert these. work through, as Kline suggests that mailPrinceton University computer science in voting may be the way of the future.

“There’s been steady growth [in professor Andrew Appel, an election security expert, has explored the vote-by- vote-by-mail] for about 20 years,” she mail process and what might go wrong said. “And then you’re seeing, espein three posts on the Freedom to Tinker cially this year, exponential growth, website, hosted by Princeton Universi- and it’s really incredible to see what we were expecting for 2020 versus ty’s Center for Technology Policy.

New Jersey, which is facing its first what’s actually happening.”

In West Coast states, which have general election using largely vote-bymail ballots, has had to adjust its laws, used mail-in ballots more, Kline says, Appel writes, to allow processing of the “People like it. It is seen as a convenient envelopes in the weeks before Nov. 3. option. It’s seen as good government.”

Once a state shifts to 60-70% usage This is critically important to ensure that all ballots are counted safely and of mail-in ballots, it becomes more on-time. States facing large numbers effective to proactively mail ballots to of mail-in ballots, Appel writes, “can’t all voters, Kline said. Both Montana, process all the ballot envelopes on Nov. where any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot, and Arizona, where 3—it’s just too labor intensive.”

This early processing of ballots any registered voter may make a oneallows some ballot problems to be time request to get a ballot by mail for fixed; for example, if the signature on all future elections, reached this level the envelope flap does not match the of mail-in voting before the pandemic.

Voting by mail is also “very costsignature on file, the voter can be con-

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effective,” Kline says, noting that Colorado saved $6 per vote when it switched over to a full vote-at-home model.

In Nevada, election law states that any registered voter may request an absentee ballot for a particular election or may ask to receive an absentee ballot for all elections at which they are eligible to vote. Kline said she spoke with a member of the League of Women Voters in Nevada after the state had done a mostly vote-by-mail election for the first time.

“Little hiccups here and there because everybody’s learning how to do it in their own state, where every state has quirks, and people are just doing it for the first time,” she said. “But generally, they’re doing really well.”

New Jersey has been trending toward a mostly vote-by-mail election the past few years, even without the pandemic.

New Jersey voters can get a ballot for any reason and can be put on the voteby-mail list permanently.

“We were really, really excited to see New Jersey take the full step and just say, ‘You know what? We think that we have enough information, we have secure enough processes that we are going to proactively mail ballots to everyone. And then create other options to handle any issues that come up from that,’” Kline said in June, before New Jersey’s primary.

To further guard against fraud, Kline’s organization is recommending risk-limiting audits for the state, statistical audits that were piloted in New Jersey in several countySee VOTE, Page 12

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VOTE continued from Page 11 level elections in 2019. The audits were piloted as one measure to force New Jersey to abandon its decadesold, paperless touchscreen voting machines in exchange for a voting process that included a more-secure method of voting and a paper trail.

Election security experts, like Appel, have been raising the alarm about New Jersey’s voting machines for 15 years now, and urging the state to move to a process that produces a paper trail and can be audited.

Thought it isn’t what anyone envisioned when the year started, the state’s vote-by-mail 2020 general election does just that: produces results with an auditable paper trail.

“Vote-by-mail is very secure,” Kline said. “We have the most data for places like Colorado, Oregon, and Washington that have been doing it for a long time. Oregon in particular has many, many years of data, and [fraud] is just deeply, exceedingly rare. I heard somebody say from the Brennan Center … that you’re more likely to get struck by lightning than to commit voting fraud.”

List of ballot drop boxes for Mercer County East Windsor Police Station, 80 One Mile Road, East Windsor Nottingham Fire House, 200 Mercer St., Hamilton Square, to open Oct. 5.

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N. Main St., Hightstown, to open Oct. 5.

Lawrence Township Municipal Building, 2207 Lawrenceville Road (Rt. 206), Lawrence (North Side-Right Side of Municipal Building), to open Oct. 5.

Princeton Municipal Building, 400 Witherspoon St., Princeton Robbinsville Municipal Building, 2298 Route 33, Robbinsville (in back parking lot), to open Oct. 5.

Mercer County Courthouse Annex, 209 S. Broad St., Trenton (in front of County Clerk’s Office).

West Windsor Municipal Building, 271 Clarksville Road, West Windsor (between Municipal Building and Senior Center), to open Oct. 5.

List of ballot drop boxes for Middlesex County

Cranbur y Police Department, 1 Logan Dr., Cranbury East Brunswick Municipal Complex, 1 Civic Dr., East Brunswick Jamesburg Municipal Complex, 131 Perrineville Rd., Jamesburg​ Middlesex Borough Hall, 1200 Mountain Ave., Middlesex Borough Middlesex County Administration Building, 75 Bayard St., New Brunswick Monroe Township Librar y, 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe Township Plainsboro Municipal Complex, 641 Plainsboro Rd., Plainsboro For a complete list of drop box locations, visit nj.gov/state/elections/votesecure-drop-boxes.shtml.

HEALTH

OCTOBER 2020

@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

CAPITAL HEALTH BECOMES REGION’S

FIRST CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN ROBOTIC SURGERY Capital Health confirms its role as a nationally recognized health care leader with world-class expertise and advanced technology.

In August, Capital Health Medical Center- Hopewell was designated a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery”by Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). The Center of Excellence accreditation distinguishes Capital Health as having met rigorous, internationally recognized standards in providing the safest, highest quality of care and surgical capabilities.

“Capital Health’s designation as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery affirms our commitment of providing patients along the Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York corridor with access to the most advanced medical technologies, expert physicians, and world-class, patient care close to home,” said DR. CATALDO DORIA, medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center and physician director of the Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery.

Robotic-assisted surgery — sometimes referred to as highprecision surgery — may be an option to traditional surgery.

Considered minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgery is known for its many benefits including smaller incisions, lower risk of infection, less pain, and faster recoveries. It can be used to as a treatment for many cancers, including colon, gynecologic, head and neck, liver, lung, prostate, and pancreatic cancers.

Under the direction of Dr. Doria, expertise within the hospital’s robotic surgery program has grown dramatically. In 2019, Capital Health’s surgeons performed more than 550 robotic surgery

cases, making it the leading hospital in the country for single robot cases. The surgical team has also expanded to include surgeons with highly specialized expertise including: … ASHLEE GODSHALK RUGGLES, MD, colorectal surgeon … ERIC MAYER, MD, director, Urologic Robotic Surgery, Capital Health – Urology Specialists … JOYCE VARUGHESE, MD, FACOG, medical director, Gynecologic Oncology … AFRICA F. WALLACE, MD, director, Thoracic Surgery As part of Capital Health’s commitment to provide the highest level of quality care and expertise, it recently invested in a dual console for its da Vinci® surgical platform to provide for a wider range of surgeries and its growing roster of surgeons with minimally invasive surgical experience. The dual console also enables a second surgeon to assist in surgeries and serves as a conduit for future surgical training.

To learn more Capital Health’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, please visit capitalhealth.org.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | THE NEWS13

CAPITAL HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP ADDS THREE FELLOWSHIP TRAINED RHEUMATOLOGISTS TO SPECIALTY PRACTICE Capital Health Medical Group recently welcomed DRS. WILLIAM TORELLI, SEHRIS KHAWAJA, and RISHI PATEL, fellowship trained rheumatologists, to its Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists practice. With this expansion, Capital Health continues to meet an important need for diagnosing and treating autoimmune conditions and diseases that affect the joints, muscles and bones that cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and deformity.

William Torelli, DO

The new providers join Dr. Sajina Prabhakaran in the medical office building at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, located at Two Capital Way, Suite 550, Pennington, New Jersey 08534. New offices will also open soon in Newtown, Pennsylvania and Bordentown, New Jersey.

“Rheumatology is a very complex area of specialization, and we’re pleased to have Dr. Khawaja, Dr. Patel and Dr. Torelli join our team,” said Dr. Joshua Eisenberg, chief medical officer of the Capital Health Medical Group. “Their training and experience add great depth to the services that are available at Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists, and we’re pleased to offer the residents of our community a growing team of specialists to accurately diagnose these complicated conditions and develop personalized treatment plans that are carefully coordinated with referring physicians.”

DR. TORELLI received his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and completed his internal medicine residency at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. He was fellowship trained in rheumatology, including training in musculoskeletal ultrasound, at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Torelli is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association.

DR. PATEL received his medical degree at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and completed his internal medicine residency at Cooper University Hospital/Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey. He completed his rheumatology fellowship at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center, part of Northwell Health/Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University in Great Neck, New York.

Fluent in English and Gujarati (and conversant in Hindi and Spanish), Dr. Patel is a member of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians.

14 Health Headlines by Capital Health | The News

Rishi Patel, MD

Sehris Khawaja, DO

DR. KHAWAJA received her medical degree at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was fellowship trained in rheumatology at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., during which time she also provided care for patients at the Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Khawaja is a member of the American College of Rheumatology, American College of Physicians, and the Association of Women in Rheumatology.

Appointments with Dr. William Torelli, Dr. Sehris Khawaja, and Dr. Rishi Patel can be scheduled by calling 609.303.4360. For more information, visit capitalrheumatology.org.

The team at Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists treats conditions that include (but are not limited to) rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudogout, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, psoriatic arthritis, enteropathic arthritis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease, vasculitis, and scleroderma. With cutting-edge testing and imaging technology conveniently available under one roof at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, the rheumatology team provides diagnoses and care plans tailored to each patient, which can include medication such as steroids, disease modifying agents, or biologics (genetically-engineered from human genes).

Other treatment options may include therapeutic ultrasound-guided joint aspirations and injections offered on an outpatient basis to help relieve pain and pressure. Through prescriptions and careful monitoring, the team at Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists works with patients to reduce immune responsiveness, control the symptoms of their disease, and help prevent potential long-term complications.

Capital Health – Rheumatology Specialists is part of the larger Capital Health Medical Group, an extensive network of care with more than 400 primary and specialty care providers across three counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit capitalmedicalgroup.org.

Capital Health Earns

NATIONAL LGBTQ HEALTH CARE EQUALITY LEADER DESIGNATION Capital Health has earned designation as an LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) 2020 survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. HEI is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates health care facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) patients, visitors and employees. To earn this designation, Capital Health received an overall survey score of 100.

“Capital Health’s designation as an LGBTQ Health Care Equality Leader affirms our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the care we deliver to our patients,

our relationship with the communities we serve and the support we provide for our employees,” said DR. ERIC I. SCHWARTZ, vice president of Community Health and Transformation and executive director of Capital Health’s Institute for Urban Care.

“We believe our diversity is our strength, and programs like our Pride Initiative help ensure that we provide a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, including our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees, patients and visitors.”

Every year, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation recognizes the health care facilities that participate in the HEI survey for their dedication and commitment to LGBTQ inclusion. Of the 765 health care facilities that participated in the 2020 survey, Capital Health was one of 495 to earn top honors as an LGBTQ Health Care

Keeping It Real With VIRTUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR EXPECTING PARENTS In the best of times, preparing for the birth of a child can be a time of joy and anxiety. In the midst of a pandemic, the experience may seem overwhelming. To safely provide guidance and instruction during these uncertain times, Capital Health now offers virtual childbirth and parenting education programs on the popular Zoom platform.

“Capital Health is an established health care leader with a long history of helping families get off to healthy starts in Mercer, Burlington, and Bucks counties,” said Meredith Coronato, coordinator of Capital Health’s Childbirth and Parent Education Program. “The health and well-being of our community is always our top priority, so we’re taking our childbirth and parent education programs online in response to the COVID-19 crisis to make sure expecting parents safely get the information they need to keep their growing families on the road to good health.”

Capital Health’s Childbirth and Parent Education Program offers a range of classes to help prepare expecting mothers and partners to be the best parents possible by teaching them about the process of birth, how to care for their infants, and how to access sources of support following the birth of their babies. Classes are taught by experienced, certified childbirth educators and board certified lactation consultants using the remote Zoom format.

For a complete listing of program offerings, or to register for a class, visit capitalhealth.org/childbirth.

Equality Leader designation. Capital Health upholds a model of equality and respect for the LGBTQ community by providing a welcoming environment for LGBTQ clients, consumers, patients and staff; offering training opportunities to all employees to better serve the LGBTQ community; and implementing the Pride Initiative to demonstrate its commitment to inclusion to the community at large.

To learn more about Capital Health’s commitment to providing equitable health care to all patients regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race or religion, visit capitalhealth.org/pride.

UPCOMING VIRTUAL CHILDBIRTH AND PARENTING EDUCATION PROGRAMS BABY CARE BASICS VIRTUAL CLASS October 13, 2020 at 6 p.m.

November 10, 2020 at 6 p.m.

November 24, 2020 at 6 p.m.

December 8, 2020 at 6 p.m.

December 22, 2020 at 6 p.m.

Taught by an experienced, certified childbirth and parent educator, this class helps prepare first-time expectant parents to care for their newborn.

ASK THE LACTATION CONSULTANT AND CHILDBIRTH EDUCATOR Second Thursday of the Month at 2 p.m.

An opportunity for expectant parents to ask any questions they have about their upcoming birth experience at Capital Health.

UNDERSTANDING BIRTH ONE-DAY CONDENSED PREPARED VIRTUAL CHILDBIRTH CLASS October 10, 2020 at 9 a.m.

October 24, 2020 at 9 a.m.

November 7, 2020 at 9 a.m.

November 21, 2020 at 9 a.m.

December 5, 2020 at 9 a.m.

December 19, 2020 at 9 a.m.

Class is taught by an experienced, certified childbirth educator, this is an intensive day to prepare the expectant woman and her labor support person for the birth experience.

VIRTUAL NEW PARENT SUPPORT GROUP Mondays at 1 p.m.

The free support group for new parents with babies under one year old is facilitated by a board certified lactation consultant from Capital Health’s Lactation Center.

VIRTUAL PREPARED CHILDBIRTH 4-WEEK SERIES Beginning October 6, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.

Beginning November 6, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.

Beginning December 2, 2020 at 6:30 p.m.

Taught by an experienced, certified childbirth educator, this series consists of four weekly two-hour classes to prepare the expectant woman and her support person for the labor and birth experience.

UNDERSTANDING BREASTFEEDING VIRTUAL CLASS October 19, 2020 at 6 p.m.

November 2, 2020 at 6 p.m.

November 16, 2020 at 6 p.m.

November 30, 2020 at 6 p.m.

December 7, 2020 at 6 p.m.

Taught by a board certified lactation consultant from Capital Health’s Lactation Center, this class is taken before the birth of the baby.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | THE NEWS15

Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists is now scheduling appointments in Bordentown (1 Third Street), but will eventually move to the new, state-of-the-art Capital Health – Bordentown facility (pictured above). Appointments are also available in Hamilton.

NEW OFFICE IN BORDENTOWN FOR CAPITAL HEALTH

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists, part of Capital Health Medical Group, is now scheduling appointments at a new office location at 1 Third Street, Bordentown, New Jersey 08505 (just off Park Street). Current and new patients can now see DRS. CHRISTI WESTON and ARVIND BHASKER, as well as licensed clinical social workers KRISTIN CARDONA-COCCIA and CHELSEA HOAGLAND, at the new secondary location. The phone number is 609.689.5725 and office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“During these unprecedented times, many people are facing a variety of mental health challenges,” said Dr. Christi Weston, medical director of Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists.

“We’re happy to expand our presence in Burlington County and make access to this important area of specialization more convenient to those who need it most in that part of Capital Health’s service area.”

As part of Capital Health’s expansion into Burlington County, construction of its multi-specialty Capital Health – Bordentown facility is nearing completion. Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists will eventually relocate to this new, state-of-the art building, which is currently home to Capital Health Primary Care – Bordentown and specialists from Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.

According to the National Institutes for Health, more than 44 million adults in the United States are living with a mental health issue, yet less than half of them receive treatment. Addressing the need for behavioral health services in our community, the team at Capital Health Behavioral Health Specialists provides compassionate psychiatric care and counseling services in a warm, calming environment. The team of highly skilled psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and advanced practice clinicians use innovative treatment modalities to help people overcome obstacles and lead healthier, happier lives. They diagnose and treat a broad range of behavioral health conditions and offer a variety of psychotherapy groups that provide safe, comfortable and non-judgmental spaces to help people connect with others who share similar struggles and together learn skills to improve their lives.

To schedule an appointment with a Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists provider at their Hamilton or Bordentown locations, call 609.689.5725 or visit capitalhealth.org/behavioralhealth for more information.

16 Health Headlines by Capital Health | The News

SHIFT:

Group Therapy for Adults Experiencing Depression

Thursdays | 2 p.m. | Location: Zoom Meetings* Facilitator: Kristen Cardona – Coccia *You will receive Zoom meeting details after registration is complete.

SHIFT will teach you new, healthier ways of thinking, feeling and behaving while you gain new perspectives on how to manage your depression.

Group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Psychologists say, in fact, that group members are almost always surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be. Groups can act as a support network and a sounding board. Other members of the group often help you come up with specific ideas for improving a difficult situation or life challenge, and hold you accountable along the way.

Regularly talking and listening to others also helps you put your own problems in perspective. Oftentimes, you may feel like you are the only one struggling — but you’re not.

It can be a relief to hear others discuss what they’re going through and realize you’re not alone. … Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day SYMPTOMS … Feelings of worthlessness or guilt of DEPRESSION almost every day may include: … Impaired concentration, indecisiveness … Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day … Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others) … Restlessness or feeling slowed down … Recurring thoughts of death or suicide … Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5 percent of body weight in a month) The time to SHIFT to a healthier, happier you is now.

To sign up, call Capital Health – Behavioral Health Specialists at 609.689.5725. This group therapy program will be billed to your health insurance.

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over the next few weeks, was the first step for the cruise lines in developing new protocols and implementing procedures to protect their passengers and crew. Cruising when it begins may be different than it has been in the past with more contactless procedures, less contact with crew and staff and more, however the joy of being at sea in the fresh air will remain the same.

We are here to help you plan your next cruising vacation (or any vacation) whether it is for 2021 or 2022 or even beyond. Tell us where you want to go, and we will do all the leg work for you, without skipping a beat. All you need to do is fall in love with travel all over again.

To get a copy of our digital semi-annual Travel Planner magazine so you can begin thinking about your next memory making vacation, visit our website at www.makingvacationmemories. com and click on Travel Brochures at the bottom of the page. Or send me an email and I can send you the direct link.

At Cruise Planners we specialize in all types of travel (not just cruises). We do not charge any additional fees for our vacation planning, and whether you are looking for a Cruise, an All-Inclusive Resort Vacation, or a European Land Tour, we will provide you with the exceptional service you should expect from a travel agent. Follow us at www. facebook.com/familycruising.

Unlike big online travel sites, Cruise Planners with Caryn and Aron, delivers the personal touch.

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Cruising is a passion for many people and those individuals are ready to get out to sea again. However, the question on everyone’s mind is what will Cruising look like in the future?

While we do not have a definitive answer, we can look at what is currently happening around the world.

A few cruise lines have already started sailing in other parts of the world. MSC has had several successful voyages in Italy with extremely strict protocols, as have a few other lines. Sea Dream has plans to start sailing the Caribbean this fall, roundtrip Barbados.

On September 21st, Royal Caribbean in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line (The Healthy Sail Panel) announced that they submitted their protocols to the CDC to resume cruising and to respond to the CDC’s request for public comments.

The Healthy Sail Panel consists of globally recognized experts in the field of infectious disease, marine operations, public health, and other relevant disciplines.

During the past four months they have studied best practices to protect the health and safety of both passengers and crew. Their recommendations include 74 items cruise lines should address to reduce the risk of infection and spread of Covid-19. Among the recommendations are the following key strategies: 1. Taking aggressive measures to prevent Covid-19 from entering a ship through robust education, screening and testing of both crew and guests prior to embarkation 2. Reducing transmission via air management strategies and sanitation practices 3. Implementing detailed plans for addressing a positive infection onboard 4. Careful controlling of shore excursions 5. Enhanced protection for crew members The submission of these recommendations to the CDC and other regulators for approval

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How to vote safely Nov. 3 Voting for the Nov. 3, 2020 general election will be markedly different than voting the traditional way of entering a voting booth and pressing the buttons next to your preferred candidates.

However, under COVID-19, using a mail-in ballot is the preferred choice in New Jersey. Voters in Mercer County will start to receive their mail-in ballots the week of Sept. 28, 2020. The Mercer County Clerk will mail every registered voter a mail-in ballot. The ballot can be returned via the United States Post Office, dropping in one of the secure ballot drop boxes located throughout the county, at your polling location and—as we get closer to the election—by hand delivering to the Mercer County Board of Elections.

If you wish to vote in person, a notice will be sent to your attention as to your polling location. In accordance with Executive Order No. 177, voting in person can occur in two-ways: (1) voting booth only if you qualify as a disabled voter; (2) you will be provided a paper ballot to complete.

To ensure the counting of your mailin ballot, please follow these rules to help in processing your ballot.

Register to vote: You have until Oct. 13 to register to vote. The Superintendent of Elections is the office to contact to address any registration issues.

Do not remove the certificate: Your mail-in ballot will come with one outer envelope, one inner envelope, and the ballot. Once you complete your ballot, it is to be placed inside the envelope that has a detachable flap. Do not detach that flap.

Then insert the entire inner envelope in the pre-paid postage envelope that will allow for delivery to the Mercer County Board of Elections.

Complete and sign the certificate: The Mercer County Board of Elections will remove your signed certificate once we can match your signa-

ture. Your ballot is then placed with other ballots, so your vote will remain anonymous. The certificate is saved and archived.

Certification signature: If you registered to vote and think your signature has changed over time, please update your signature on file.

You can download a voter registration application from the New Jersey Division of Elections website and check “Signature Update” at the top of the application.

If your signature does not match, you will receive a letter from the Mercer County Board of Elections, providing you with the opportunity to correct or cure your signature. Please complete and return this letter under the time frame permitted.

Completing your ballot: Please use blue or black ink only and follow the directions for filling-in the circle. A ballot is read by a computer scanner that tabulates votes, and it will not read red ink or pencil.

Counting your ballot: When your ballot is received and vetted, it will be placed with the ballots to be counted. The ballot will be separated from the inner envelope and placed in the group of ballots to be scanned. The ballots will be grouped by municipality.

The ballot will be processed and read by a computer scanner. The scanning is supervised by the Mercer County Board of Elections and an outside vendor. The scanning system is a secure and private system.

Do not miss the deadline: If you plan on mailing your ballot, please make sure your ballot is postmarked no later than Nov. 3, 2020. If you decide to place your ballot in a secured ballot drop box or deliver in person, it must be placed in the drop box no later than 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2020.

Anthony Francioso, Esq., Chairman (Republican) Mar y Corrigan, Secretar y

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(Democrat) Anthony J. Conti, Commissioner (Republican) Jill Moyer, Commissioner (Democrat) The authors compose the Mercer County Board of Elections, the bipartisan board that oversees the collection of mail-in ballots and tabulates the results.

Help end deforestation Though there are various environmental issues that plague the world today, deforestation is yet one of the most dangerous and harmful one that can be completely stopped by humans. Deforestation is one of the few environmental issues that isn’t too difficult to stop, but if continued for a prolonged amount of time, can cause devastation to not only humans, but even the diverse creatures that call their home the trees and foliage around them.

To start off, deforestation is the permanent destruction of trees in order to make the space available for other uses, such as houses and construction sites to make human life easier. A majority of deforestation is used to make space for agricultural uses, such as farm land, or even to use the timber for fuel. The World Bank estimates that about 3.9 million acres of trees were lost since the beginning of the 20th century, and the forest shrank by a whopping 502,000 square miles for industrial uses (a size bigger than South Africa). To make this understandable, this is equal to a chunk of forest, as big as a soccer field, being lost each second by humans. Moving on, given these alarm-

ing statistics, it is evident that there are consequences to the actions we do.

One major effect to deforestation is soil erosion, the wearing away of topsoil caused by natural physical forces. Once deforestation occurs in a particular area, soil erosion is deadly, as it can allow giant and disastrous mudslides to come in and merge into a nearby river. This not only damages the wildlife and plants living inside the river, but it can also clog irrigation structures and cause further damage to hydroelectric structures. Next, the water cycle is a fundamental process in which all the water on Earth gets distributed throughout the land. Trees, for example, take in the water and release it into the atmosphere during photosynthesis.

However, when more and more trees are being cut down, the water they extract and release into the atmosphere is no longer there. This causes the surrounding terrain to become overly dry and barren with no wildlife or trees whatsoever. This ultimately causes the forest, which once was lush, to become prone to wildfires and lose a great amount of the wildlife that once lived in it. This process or the state of barren land is formally known as desertification. Furthermore, dangerous gases such as methane and carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases), stay inside trees, and it is the trees job to contain these gases safely from the environment. When these trees get cut for agricultural use, the carbon dioxide gets released into the atmosphere, and the more the count of trees dwindle, the buildup of these gases increase. Believe

it or not, deforestation causes about 30% of the greenhouse gas contribution.

Well, when there are problems in society, it is our job to effectively solve them, and help the environment. There are countless things, you, as the citizen of the United States can do to aid in solving this worldwide issue. The first thing you can do is to plant a tree anywhere possible, it is easy to plant trees with just some water and a seed. This plant will soon grow and make up for one tree lost in the world.

If everyone plants one tree in the world, millions of trees can thrive and make up for the lost. So even when cutting down a tree, we should make it necessary to grow a tree where we left our trail. To help nature without doing hard work, you can make it a priority to go paperless whenever you work or when you are in school. Try not to waste too much paper if using it, and try to keep the amount of paper used at a minimum.

If consumers use less paper, the amount manufactured will be less, therefore the trees cut down will significantly decrease. Finally, try to use recycled products, or recycle your own products by using scrap paper for other uses.

Kanishk Neerumalla Plainsboro

Send your letters to ssciarrotta@ communitynews.org. Deadline for submission is Oct. 15.

"Always Professional, Always Personal"

MOBILE 609.802.3564 OFFICE 609.921.2600 BusyTC@gmail.com BusyTC.com October 2020 | The News19

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Donna is the BEST!!! Donna’s talent is unmatchable in the real estate business. She has the drive and desire to be the best and provide her clients with the best possible services, she is passionate of what she is doing. This is our third deal through Donna. We bought our first house 3 years back through Donna and sold it to find the new one through her again. We were so lucky to have her on our side in each of these 3 transactions. Donna knew each property inside & out and was honest about the positive and negative aspects of each property. Donna was great to work with! She is knowledgeable, gave us great advice, facilitated our negotiations perfectly, and is just an all-around nice person. We trusted her, and that matters. She provides exceptional services, and we highly recommend her!

DO YOU WANT THESE RESULTS? I Have Achieved an AVERAGE of 106.7% LIST PRICE to SALE PRICE RATIO 2020 thus far.

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6 Blackhawk WW

LIST PRICE 725K SOLD 730K 556 Village WW

LIST PRICE 687K SOLD 685K

10 Columbia WW

LIST PRICE 669K SOLD 680K 86 Saratoga WW

LIST PRICE 710K SOLD 700K 29 Highmont WW

LIST PRICE 675K SOLD 675K

25 Hawthorne WW

LIST PRICE 810K SOLD 795K 3 Orly WW

LIST PRICE 709K SOLD 715K 42 Orleans WW

LIST PRICE 592K SOLD 592K

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LIST PRICE 920K SOLD 905K

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