PHOENIX, AZ – Phoenix Police today reported that a fight in the South Park neighborhood turned into a deadly gunfight. Last night at about 10:00 p.m. a fight near 16th St. and Southern Ave. resulted in a shooting. One victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The second victim is expected to survive. The suspects fled prior to police arrival. Anyone with information is asked to call PhxPd or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. Police did not release any further information about the shooting.
PORTLAND, OR – A man wanted for burglaries of storage units in Portland has been caught after he crashed his vehicle into a boat.
Portland Police issued the following statement:
On Tuesday, February 16, 2021, a Portland Police officer assigned to Central Precinct took two burglary reports from storage units in northwest Portland. Through the officer’s investigation, he zeroed in on a suspect, later identified as 35-year-old Travis J. Hendon.
On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, the same officer, accompanied by another officer, followed up on these burglaries. Their follow-up led them to north Portland, where they spotted Mr. Hendon driving a white SUV in the Kenton neighborhood. Moments later, Mr. Hendon crashed the SUV into a small boat, parked near a house near North Hunt Street and North Drummond Avenue. Officers found Mr. Hendon on foot in a yard close to the crash and arrested him.
Officers followed footprints in the snow from the SUV to the side of a house where they saw Mr. Hendon just before they took him into custody and found a holster and two pistols on the ground, in the snow.
Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team officers responded to assist with the investigation. Investigative leads led drew them to a house in the 2700 block of North Houghton Street, where they saw stolen items from one of the burglaries leaning against the outside of a house. After receiving consent to search that house, officers found more stolen property from the burglaries, as well as property stolen from other previously reported thefts. In all, officers recovered about $16,000 in stolen property, including tools which a victim came and recovered.
Mr. Hendon was booked into jail on two counts each of Burglary I and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, one count each of Theft I, Theft II and Hit and Run to property.
Camden, De – The Delaware State Police are searching for one man after arresting another on felony drug and gun charges.
The following statement was released by the Delaware State Police:
Delaware State Police arrested 55-year-old Malcolm L. Deshields of Camden on felony drug and weapon charges following a criminal investigation and is seeking the public’s assistance with locating 26-year-old Emory Bratcher of Camden, wanted on similar charges.
On February 19, 2021, Delaware State Police responded to a residence on Thomas Harmon Drive to conclude a criminal investigation regarding Malcolm L. Deshields dealing drugs. A search warrant was executed on the residence, and located inside was Deshields. In addition, a 16-year-old male of Camden, a 42-year-old female of Camden, a 62-year-old female of Harrington, and a 61-year-old male of Camden were located inside the residence.
Located during a search of the residence were the following items:
Malcolm L. Deshields
Malcolm L. Deshields was taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop 3 where he was charged with the following crimes:
Deshields was arraigned in the Justice of the Peace Court #2 and released on his own recognizance.
At the time of the incident, the 16-year-old male refused to comply with the troopers commands to place his hands behind his back and resisted arrested. He was charged with the following crime and released:
Emory Bratcher
Also wanted in connection to this investigation is 26-year-old Emory Bratcher of Camden. Delaware State Police are seeking the public’s assistance with locating Bratcher. He is wanted on the following charges:
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Emory Bratcher should contact Delaware State Police Troop 3 by calling 302-697-4454 or 911. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com .
LOS ANGELES, CA – A 16-year-old girl has been missing in the Los Angeles area since November, but detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Alex Villanueva are not giving up.
Today, the LACSO asked the public for assistance in helping to locate the girl, Gwyneth Boone who was last seen on November 23rd on the 18500 block of Colima Road in Rowland Heights.
If you have information on the whereabouts of Gwyneth, you are asked to contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-222-8477.
Police do not suspect she is in immediate grave danger and is believed to have been taken by a family member, but family members are very concerned because they have not seen or heard from her since last year.
MESA, AZ — Two men thought they were hiding evidence after stealing a vehicle by wiping it down, bu what they didn’t know is that their getaway was caught on a nearby Ring door bell camera. Ring door bell cameras have been instrumental in helping police officers solve crime and in this case, police say it was cut and dry.
The following statement was issued by the Mesa Police Department:
On February 17, 2021 around 11:14 a.m. Mesa Police Officers responded to the area of 3300 E. Farmdale Mesa, AZ for reports of suspicious activity. An observant witness called police after seeing two men park a vehicle on the street and begin wiping down the steering wheel and door handles before walking away. The suspicious activity was caught on the witness’s Ring Camera affixed to the top of his house.
Officers arrived on scene and discovered the vehicle in question was listed as stolen. The vehicle was stolen on February 7, 2021 by an unknown person.
Immediately, officers began searching the area and detained two males a couple of blocks away from the stolen vehicle. These males matched the description of the males captured by the Ring Camera. The male that exited the driver’s seat was identified as 30yo Billy Patterson.
Billy told police that he did not steal or possess the stolen vehicle, but the Ring Camera showed the opposite. In fact, the Ring Camera showed Billy drove the vehicle and then began wiping it down.
Billy was arrested and officers found the stolen vehicle keys in his pocket. He also possessed narcotic drugs and drug paraphernalia, which he admitted were his.
Billy was booked into jail for the following charges and held on a $750 bond.
1ct Theft of Means of Transportation, ARS 13-1814A1, a class 4 felony.
1ct Possession of a Narcotic Drug, ARS 13-3408A1, a class 6 felony.
1ct Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, ARS 13-3415A, a class 6 felony.
TUCSON, AZ – Tucson police detectives are asking for assistance from the public to help them identify a man suspected of committing several home burglaries.
“Robbery Detectives need your help in identifying this suspect. It is believed that he has committed other robberies throughout Tucson. The attached photos are from 02/09/21 in which the suspect entered the Eegee’s, 1105 S. Craycroft Rd., and demanded money,” the Tuscon Police Department said.
Detectives said they do not have much to go on despite having photos, but they do believe the suspect has a bandage of some type covering the top of his right hand where he likely has a tattoo.
He is described as 6′-6’03” with a thin build. If you have any information on this suspect please call 88-CRIME. You can remain anonymous.
LYNN HAVEN, FL – A general manager at InstaLoan in Lynn Haven has been caught skimming money from the company by falsifying customer accounts.
Lynn Haven Police today said that on February 8, 2021 InstaLoan filed a report that the General Manager, Christina Givens, had taken money from customer payoff accounts and altered the customer records, which began in June of 2018.
“Christina confessed to taking at least $24,672.94 from June 2018 until January 2021. She turned herself into the Lynn Haven Police Department and was transported to the Bay County Jail without incident,” LHPD said.
Christina Givens was charged with Grand Theft more than $20,000 less than $100,000.
The Lynn Haven Police ask that anyone with information about this or any other crime contact the Lynn Haven Police Department at (850) 265-4111 or you may remain anonymous by calling the Crime Stoppers Tips Line at (850) 785-TIPS.
PINAL COUNTY, AZ – Another man has been charged in Pinal County this week for luring a child for sex. In this case, the child was actually an undercover Pinal County Sheriff’s Deputy.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office issued the following release:
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has arrested another adult male after he engaged with who he thought was a 15-year-old girl online. On 2/10, Francisco Olvera, 34, arranged to meet with the “teen” at an agreed-upon location for sex. He was instead met by an undercover PCSO Internet Crimes Detective.
Olvera was booked into the Pinal County Jail for luring a minor for sexual exploitation.
This is PCSO’s second luring arrest in just two weeks.
“My detectives are working hard to keep your children safe on the internet,” said Sheriff Mark Lamb. “But you can help us. Parents, please monitor your children’s activity online.”
Olvera was on parole at the time due to previous burglary and armed robbery convictions. He is now facing an additional charge for parole violation.
PALM BAY, FL – A Palm Bay police officer was struck from behind while driving in his patrol car. Police said there were no injuries reported, but the driver of the other car was charged for DUI.
“As you know, getting behind the wheel under the influence can lead to several bad things like causing a crash, seriously injuring or killing an innocent person and their family, or getting pulled over and risk going to jail causing you thousands of dollars in legal fees and having a criminal record,” the Palm Bay Police Department said. “In this case, a driver crashed into a police vehicle which just so happened to be an officer assigned to the D.U.I. Team. Luckily, everyone was ok, and both vehicles sustained minimal damage. The driver of the vehicle that crashed into the police vehicle was caught operating the vehicle with an open container and charged with driving under the influence.”
CITRUS HILLS, FL — Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergrast said a man picked up for past sexual assaults of a juvenile represents a textbook example of a predator.
Heres what happened according to a statement released by Sheriff Pendergrast:
On January 10th, 2021, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was contacted in reference to a past sexual assault of a juvenile. Deputies made contact with the juvenile victim who disclosed inappropriate contact with the suspect identified as William (Charles) Hale Jr. on several separate occasions. Based on these allegations, Detective Richey with the CCSO Special Victims Unit was assigned to the case and began an investigation.
Due to their age, the victim was interviewed by the Child Protection Team at Jessie’s Place, a Citrus County child advocacy center. During this interview, the victim stated that over the past several months they had been coerced and threatened into sending Hale explicit photographs. In return, Hale allegedly provided the victim with prescription medication, money, nicotine products, and a cell phone. The victim also told interviewers that on several separate instances over the past few years, Hale had initiated inappropriate sexual contact.
On February 18th, 2021, Detective Richey interviewed Hale at the CCSO Emergency Operations Center. During the interview Hale made several admissions corroborating the victim’s allegations. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility.
“Hale is the textbook example of a predator whom parents fear the most. He manipulated this young victim and exploited their innocence for several years for his own gratification” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “Detective Richey’s work with our community partners at the Department of Children and Families, the Child Protective Team, and the State Attorney’s Office will help bring justice to the victim as well as help begin the healing process.”
Hale was charged with two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a victim under the age of sixteen, one count of Promotion of a Sexual Performance by a Child, and one count of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communication Device. Hale was transported to the Citrus County Jail where he is being held with no bond.
PHOENIX, AZ – Arizona state police have arrested four suspects who are believed to have been the gunmen shooting officers while responding to an incident on I-17.
On Wednesday, February 17, 2021, just after midnight, troopers were dispatched to the area of southbound Interstate 17 to westbound Interstate 10 in Phoenix for a pedestrian in the roadway. The pedestrian, later identified as 18-year-old Lorenzo J. Munoz, was combative towards a responding trooper but was eventually taken into custody.
Shortly after Munoz was taken into custody, multiple shots were fired from an industrial area west of the troopers’ location, striking a trooper’s vehicle. With the assistance of the Phoenix Police Department’s patrol units and Firebird helicopter, three suspects believed to be involved in the shooting were taken into custody near 25th Avenue and Holly Street. All of the suspects were armed, including Munoz. No troopers or suspects were injured.
A gray two-door Mitsubishi vehicle previously reported as stolen was also recovered from the area.
A total of four suspects were booked into the Maricopa County Jail on multiple charges, including:
– Lorenzo J. Munoz**, 18, of Phoenix
– Israel Herrera, 19, of Phoenix
– Mykel A. Flores, 18, of Phoenix
– J’Vonn D. Caldwell, 21, of Phoenix
COLUMBUS, OH — Two teenagers were shot and taken to the hospital after they were chased down by a gunman in an SUV forcing their car to crash.
According to Columbus police. this morning at 5:03 am., a resident in the 1700 block of Genessee Ave., called to report a suspicious vehicle had crashed in the alley, striking a gas meter, causing a natural gas leak.
“Columbus Police patrol officers arrived and discovered that the suspicious vehicle had 4 juvenile occupants, two of which had been shot and transported to separate area hospitals, both in stable condition,” Columbus police said. “An independent witness stated that he observed the vehicle that crashed, was being chased by a white SUV while they were traveling s/b in the alley w/o Cleveland Ave., south of Weber Rd.”
Police said during the chase, it appeared that occupants from the white SUV shot at the victim’s vehicle several times.
“At this time, only one of the victims stated that he recognized the occupants from the white SUV as someone they had issues with over the summer. Both victims are expected to survive their injuries,” the police department said.
Anyone with any additional information on this incident is encouraged to call CPD’s Assault Unit at 614-645-4141 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).
WINDERMERE, FL – Former New York Yankees, Boston Redox, and Oakland A’s outfielder Johnny Damon and his wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon were arrested in the small central Florida town of Windermere. Windermere is several miles west of Orlando.
Windermere police say on Friday night, Damon and his wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon. According to a police affidavit, Damon was pulled over around 1:23 AM after being observed swerving while driving his SUV.
He was subsequently charged with DUI and resisting arrest. His wife was arrested for battery of a law enforcement officer.
Damon is an Orlando native who retired from baseball in 2012. He was a two-time all-star and member of the Boston Redsox 2014 World Series championship team.
GLENDALE, AZ – A father of two was shot dead in cold blood while getting out of his car at the Glendale Avenue Quick Trip last Friday. Today, police released a video from the store’s security camera, hoping to identify one of the shooting suspects.
On February 12th, at approximately 11:30 PM, 32-year-old Tyler Helies-Milligan was was at 6700 W. Glendale Avenue when the suspect shot the victim multiple times from the driver seat of the truck in the parking lot of the convenience store.
Helies-Milligan was able to call 9-1-1 after the suspect left, but he did not survive the shooting. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say the suspect vehicle is a gray or primer quad cab, late 1990’s to early 2000’s Chevrolet pickup truck.
“The vehicle has back-end damage and is missing the front bumper,” the Glendale Police Department said. “There is an orange area of possible paint above the passenger door and a discoloration to the rear passenger side of the tailgate. The passenger side tail light is not working.”
If you have any information about this vehicle, shooter, or passenger please call contact Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO or the Glendale Police Department at 623-930-3000.
DELTONA, FL – A 34-year-old man has been arrested for maintaining an ongoing cybersexual relationship with a 14-year-old Georgia girl.
According to police, Truneika Ramos, 3, a.k.a. Dejon or D.J. Ramos was arrested after authorities discovered sexually explicit chats with a 14-year-old Georgia girl who communicated with the suspect via a variety of gaming platforms and apps.
Ramos was booked on Thursday by members of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Deltona Crime Suppression Team. Ramos is charged with using a computer to solicit a child and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
“The investigation, which originated in March 2020 with the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia, revealed that Ramos carried out sexually explicit text and video communications with the 14-year-old victim, was aware of her age and believed the two were in a relationship,” VCSO said. “The platforms involved in this case included the online video games Paladins and AFK Arena. The video chats occurred on Google Hangouts.”
Ramos remained in custody at the Volusia County Branch Jail on Friday on a $55,000 bond.
PRINCETON, NJ – The liberal left in America went on a crusade of cancel culture in 2020, including the destruction of monuments of slave owners, Civil War generals, and even modern Americans who may, or may not have been racist. In New Jersey, the liberal left took action against Christopher Columbus. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy in July went as far as saying he agrees with the need to abolish Columbus Day but said he will leave that choice up to the local towns and mayors.
Later in the year, Murphy abolished the term “Freeholder” for members of the twenty-one county governing bodies, renaming them “commissioners”. That was because the term “Freeholder” was borne out of the days of slavery when only free white men who held land could serve as elected county “Freeholders”.
Yet, one monument to New Jersey’s dark past in slavery remains…and each night one of America’s most progressive liberal Governors goes to bed inside of it.
The official residence of the Governor of State of New Jersey is a plantation home built by colonial slave owner Richard Stockton. Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Stockton’s plantation home. It’s called Drumthwacket.
Richard Stockton’s ownership of slaves has never been in denial. In fact, Stockton University, which also carries its namesake has also been pardoned and given a pass by cancel culture.
“It is difficult to reconcile that while a new nation was founded on principles of liberty and equality almost twenty percent of the population lived in bondage. But that they did so is not in question. Indeed, most of the signers of the Declaration enslaved people,” a biography about Richard Stockton reads on the university’s website. “When he died in 1781, and despite assertions during his lifetime, Stockton did not free the people that he owned.”
“And whereas I have heretofore mentioned to some of my negroe slaves, that upon condition of their good behavior & fidelity, I would in some convenient period grant them their freedom—this I must leave to the discretion of my wife, in whose judgment & prudence I can fully confide,” Stockton wrote about his slaves in his will.
This isn’t a call for cancel culture to attack Phil Murphy or Drumthwacket. We’re just pointing out that cancel culture is politically motivated and will allow a former slave plantation owner’s home to be the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey, but they will take to the streets to tear down a statue of Christopher Columbus, call for the host of the Bachelor to get fired and other countless acts of senseless aggression.
You can change the name of the county position from Freeholder to Commissioner, but changing the name doesn’t change New Jersey’s ugly past as the last state in the Union to officially abolish slavery. Last year, Governor Phil Murphy officially changed the title of County Freeholder to County Commissioner.
When it comes to civil rights and black history, New Jersey has perhaps the darkest black history among all Union and northern states during the Civil War.
The term freeholder was borne in New Jersey. No other state in the country used the term at the time of the name change in 2020. In the beginning, Freeholders were white males who owned land and were debt-free. It was only those white males who can serve on the many New Jersey county “Board of Freeholders”.
The Freeholders were the wealthy white men who made all the decisions for the common people of New Jersey. The name freeholder had slave connations and for a good reason. While most of the northern states abolished slavery between 1774 and 1804, New Jersey did not free its slaves, which were then called indentured servants, until the end of the Civil War.
After the Revolutionary war, there were 11,423 slaves noted in 1780. That number increased to over 14,000 in the 1890 census.
While New Jersey banned the importation of slaves in 1788, it also barred freemen, freed former slaves from other states from resettling in New Jersey. Many New Jersey slave overs voluntarily freed their slaves during this period, but the law in New Jersey did not require it.
In 1804, New Jersey was the last state in the north to pass laws to abolish slavery, but it wasn’t immediate. The 1804 New Jersey law declared that children of slaves would be free citizens. Instead, those children would have to serve lengthy “apprenticeships” under their parents and their parents’ slave owners. The female children of slaves in New Jersey were granted their personal freedom at the age of 21 and the male children were granted their freedom at the age of 25. Their parents however remained, “indentured servants”.
In 1830, 3,568 black Americans in northern states remained enslaved. Two-thirds of them were in New Jersey.
If a New Jersey slave owner did not want to free his slaves, the New Jersey legislature allowed them to “sell their human property” in southern slave states.
When the Thirteenth Amendment to the constitution was passed in 1865, the last remaining 16 slaves in New Jersey were finally granted their freedom.
Today, the governor of New Jersey and his family live in one of the largest of the state’s existing slave plantation homes, Drumthwacket. Drumthwacket was built in 1759 by a wealthy lawyer and slave owner, Richard Stockton.
In 2008, the State of New Jersey formally apologized for arriving extremely late to the slavery abolition party.
The Legislature of the State of New Jersey expresses its profound regret for the State’s role in slavery and apologizes for the wrongs inflicted by slavery and its after effects in the United States of America; expresses its deepest sympathies and solemn regrets to those who were enslaved and the descendants of those slaves, who were deprived of life, human dignity, and the constitutional protections accorded all citizens of the United States; and we encourage all citizens to remember and teach their children about the history of slavery, Jim Crow laws, and modern day slavery, to ensure that these tragedies will neither be forgotten nor repeated.
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – The residents of Atlantic City are fed up with the increase in drug activity and crime and are now reporting drug dealers to the local police department. One such tip led to the arrest of 7 suspected of dealing drugs in the oceanfront city.
On February 16, 2021, citizen complaints regarding the distribution of narcotics led to the arrest of seven and the recovery of drugs.
“Members of the Atlantic City Police Department’s Special Investigations Section and SWAT Team executed a residential search warrant in the 100 block of South Ocean Avenue,” the Atlantic City Police Department reported. “The investigation was initiated after complaints from citizens regarding the possession and distribution of narcotics from a residence on the block.”
The Atlantic City Police Department released the following information regarding this arrest:
During the search warrant, detectives arrested six males and one female. Detectives recovered more than eight grams of cocaine, 20 bags of heroin, 48 grams of marijuana, suboxone pills, and paraphernalia used to distribute narcotics.
The investigation was led by Detective Brian Hambrecht.
ARRESTED: Rashad Swain, 20, of Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Contempt of court and possession of narcotic paraphernalia.
Swain was remanded to the Atlantic County Justice Facility.
ARRESTED: Dequay Belt, 18, of Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Possession of CDS.
ARRESTED: Jaequan Brown, 18, of Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Possession of CDS, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of narcotic paraphernalia.
ARRESTED: Charles Burnett, 36, of Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Possession of CDS and possession with intent to distribute CDS.
ARRESTED: Kesha Catts, 40, of Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Possession of narcotic paraphernalia.
ARRESTED: Iyon Mckinley, 20, of Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Possession of CDS, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of narcotic paraphernalia.
The above was released on a summons with a future court date. Charges are mere accusations, and the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.
ARRESTED: A 17-year-old male from Atlantic City.
CHARGES: Possession of CDS, possession with intent to distribute, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, and contempt of court.
The juvenile was remanded to the Harborfields Detention Facility.
Charges are mere accusations, and the accused are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Anyone with information about the distribution of narcotics is urged to contact the Atlantic City Police Department Special Investigations Section at 609-347-5858 or text anonymously to tip411 (847411). Begin the text with ACPD.
HIGHTSTOWN, NJ — FeedNJ, the aggressive campaign to fight COVID-19-impacted food insecurity across the state, received a major boost from the Middlesex County Department of Human Services with a grant of $150,000 with which to purchase nearly 20,000 meals from Middlesex County restaurants.
To date, FeedNJ has served over 35,000 meals in 13 counties across the state, but nowhere more than in Middlesex County, where it has served nearly 11,000 meals at Perth Amboy’s Salvation Army Corps, New Brunswick’s Elijah’s Promise, Woodbridge’s Trinity Soup Kitchen, Perth Amboy’s Renovation House and Edison’s Hands of Hope.
“It is a huge relief to have groups like FeedNJ support our local restaurants while feeding people in need. To date, their private fundraising efforts have resulted in well over $100,000 going back into Middlesex County restaurants, and well over 10,000 delicious meals served to our residents,” said Director of the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners, Ronald G. Rios. “We are proud to give FeedNJ this grant because we know it means more revenue for Middlesex County restaurants and fresh meals in Middlesex County soup kitchens.”
“This Spring, during the first ban on indoor dining, my business was hemorrhaging money and I didn’t think I’d be able to retain even half of my staff, but FeedNJ contacted me asking to buy 1,595 meals and it was like a lifeline in the dark,” said Carlos Rodriguez, owner of Cafe Torres in Perth Amboy. “I love making food and I love helping people in need, but it’s just so hard when your restaurant is losing 80% of its regular business. FeedNJ has continued to buy enough meals from us to enable me to retain all of my staff members while working for my local community.”
“Since restaurants have always been allowed to deliver during the pandemic, most of our losses are not being covered by insurance, and there’s almost no way to make up for the decreased volume in sit-down dining with just delivery, but when FeedNJ calls us to pre-order 300, 400, 500 meals at a time, that can make up for a huge chunk in the deficit,” said Doug Schneider, owner of Tavern on George in New Brunswick. “If we charge $10 or $12 for a certain entree in the restaurant, we offer it to FeedNJ for $7 or $8 because that’s more than enough to cover the ingredients and labor costs, and we are honored to have our meals served to people who need them.”
FeedNJ hosts statewide events throughout the month. However, one Friday each month is a big day of action called #FeedingFriday, in which thousands of meals are served across the state. The August 2020 through January 2021 #FeedingFridays alone served over 7,000 meals.
FeedNJ is operated by SoupKitchen411, a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit with a Platinum rating by GuideStar. To make a tax-deductible donation to support local families and restaurants, visit www.soupkitchen411.com.
ABOUT MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ
Middlesex County is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies, three universities, 18 park systems, and world-class healthcare and research facilities making it one of the nation’s most dynamic regions and a leader in technology, transportation, the arts, and food innovation. As one of the most diverse populations in the country, Middlesex County is home to over 832,000 residents living throughout 25 municipalities and employing nearly 40,000 people. Ranked #1 in the state for best schools, the County offers an award-winning vocational school system, a county college, and workforce development creating a unique ecosystem in which opportunities abound. Conveniently located between New York and Philadelphia, Middlesex County is a leading destination for businesses and residents alike to live, work, and play – and has been since the 17th century. For more information, visit middlesexcountynj.gov and find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Hercules has been de-platformed. Actor Kevin Sorbo who is best known for his role as Hercules has been shut down by Facebook. Sorbo had more than 500,000 followers and said his shutdown came without warning.
“Freedom of speech as we know has gone out the window,” Sorbo said.
Sorbo said it’s not just Facebook, for his Christian views and discussions about COVID-19, he said he has been blacklisted by Hollywood.
“We removed Kevin Sorbo’s Page for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines,” Facebook said in a statement.
Many people are focused on value Zillow places on their homes, but often, their homes may be undervalued in Zillow. That’s because Zillow’s “Zestimate” is based on a computer algorithm that considers a lot of factors.
Zillow tracks and calculates home values for 97.5 million houses across America and they use raw data such as square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and acreage along with their data base of county tax assessment records and comparing your home to other zestimates and actual sales.
Zillow uses a proprietary computer algorithm to calculate the most accurate estimate of your home possible. Your home’s zestimate is just a figure Zillow has come up with using that proprietary algorithm. It shouldn’t be used as a appraisal, but as the company claims, “a starting point.”
Kitchen island with cushioned stools inside home kitchen with built in cabinets
There are some things you can do on your own to make sure your zestimate is not underrepresenting your home. This is not a cheat or a trick, but Zillow even recommends that homeowners update their zillow listing.
The first thing you need to do is create a personal account on Zillow and claim your home as your own. Once logged in, you can go to your home’s Zillow listing and click on “My Zillow”.
Go through your home facts and make sure it’s accurate. Don’t lie. If you have new hardwood floors and your home shows your old shag carpets, update it. Make sure everything is correct and make sure all of your investments that don’t show up on tax assessor reports, comps, etc are updated.
If there are errors in your Zillow listing, fix them. If it says your home is 2,400 square feet, but it’s really 2,600 square feet, update it. Add to your listing whatever you think could make your home more attractive to potential buyers that is not currently listed.
It may take some time for your zestimate to change in Zillow. Give it a few weeks at least. Don’t go in and keep making changes either unless something actually changes, such as a new deck, new pool or a bathroom remodel.
The internet is now full of videos showing what it’s like in Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island and San Diego, but just by watching videos, you can’t really get the real sense of what to expect. There is no way to prepare yourself for that early morning when a drill instructor climbs aboard the bus, welcomes you to Marine Corps Recruit Depot then tells you to get off the bus. Your life will forever change at that moment and everything you have ever been taught in life, well, you’ll soon find out it was wrong.
Drill instructors are menacing disciplinarians, but they are also the best of the best in the Marine Corps and their sole mission in life is to leave the Marine Corps in a better place than where they found it.
So here are ten things you might wish you had known before going to Marine Corps Boot Camp
Your first week of boot camp is called ‘receiving’. This is where you get your gear issued to you, you get your initial haircut and indoctrination into the Marine Corps life. Make all of your mistakes here, if you’re going to make any because the drill instructors in receiving won’t be your training drill instructors once your platoon is ‘picked up’ on Black Friday by your actual group of permanent drill instructors. Chances are whatever nicknames you get in receiving won’t pass on to training, unless you’re an exceptional case and your receiving drill instructors pass the word on to your actual drill instructions during the exchange.
Get all the civilian bad habits out of your system here and make sure that in a few days, when you meet your drill instructors, you know the dos and don’ts. On my first night in receiving I dropped the contents of my entire seabag all over the deck on the march from receiving to the receiving barracks. I had literally every drill instructor in what felt like a 5-mile radius kicking my belongings all over the street. It seemed like an eternity. I was that recruit who said “Hey drill instructors, check me out, I’m a screw up!” To this day, I can remember nearly every second of that march. Get it out early.
One of drill instructor’s pet peeves is making direct eye contact with them unless you’re talking to them in a one-on-one situation and they tell you to look at them. In that case, definitely make eye contact. When all of the other recruits are standing online staring straight ahead, a slight turn of the head or slide left and right of the eyeballs can be seen by drill instructors like an owl can spot a worm on a tree a half mile away. Don’t do it, because early on, drill instructors are seeing who needs extra work and discipline. You don’t want to make that list, because it’s often hard to get off it.
You might be asked why you’re ‘eye f*cking’ the drill instructor or if they owe you money, but at the end of the day, making eye contact is a great way to make yourself a good friend with your drill instructors, but not in a good way.
There will be times in boot camp when you might have to use the bathroom, but it might not be a good time to ask. It’s natural that nature calls and in extreme cases, where you just can’t wait anymore, don’t ever exaggerate your request to use the head to a drill instructor. The correct phrase is, “Sir, recruit <name> requests permission to make a head call.” Don’t embellish it, don’t sensationalize it by calling it an “Emergency head call” or “Recruit really, really needs to make a head call.”
Drill instructors don’t want to see you piss yourself, but they also want to see how much discipline you have to put that out of your mind. Also, while we’re here, don’t piss your pants.
There was a recruit early on in my platoon who had to go so bad, he asked the drill instructor to make an emergency head call. The drill instructor asked, “What in the hell is an emergency head call?” Our heavy said, “Hey drill instructor, that’s like the head call security force, I think recruit Jones wants to be our emergency head call officer.”
From that day on every time the platoon made a head call, the recruit had to run up and down the squad bay making siren noises and notify the platoon that it was all safe and secure for the platoon to make a head call. It was humiliation at its best, but you can be sure that nobody in our platoon ever sensationalized their urge to pee ever again.
On the other hand, a recruit who was too afraid to ask to use the head ended up peeing his pants and for the next week, he was recruit pisspants. No matter where we were, the drill instructor would call out the recruit and show him off to drill instructors in other platoons and tell the story.
Most drill instructors are excellent specimens of the perfect Marine. Their job is to make you better than you were before they got you and in some cases, nothing would make a drill instructor happier than to know he trained a future drill instructor. They want to see you succeed, but they will do whatever takes to make you succeed. Drill instructors don’t want you to quit or drop out. They may seem like the evilest sons of bitches in the world, but their mission is to make Marines that they can be proud of.
Never mistake a drill instructor’s corrections, words, attitude or anger towards you as anything more than you failing to do your job and them wanting to help you see the error of your ways. Even the best recruits in the platoons will find themselves often in the crosshairs of the drill instructors as a quality control check. I don’t want to say it’s all scripted, but in some ways, it’s all scripted. Being a drill instructor is a science. The same games and tricks that worked in 1961 worked in 1991 and will work again in 2021 with minor refinements.
Never think the DI’s hate you unless you’re a complete and total [expletive]up who is beyond repair and will never make a good fleet Marine. In that rare case…yes, they probably hate you. No, seriously, they don’t.
Forget everything I said in #7. Yes, Drill Instructors love their job. They love the games. They love the strategies and tricks they employ to break down a civilian and turn him into a proper U.S. Marine. Drill instructors often laugh and joke outside of the purview of their recruits on the many ways they dug you, PT’d you and stressed you out in a day. They share your worst moments with each other. They love it because they want to make you hard. You may have heard of the term pain is weakness leaving the body, well, no truer words exist in Marine Corps Boot Camp. Pain IS weakness leaving the body and the more pain you endure, the stronger you’ll be.
Drill instructors are energized by the sweat you leave on the deck during quarterdecking. They are charged by the amount of pain you endure, but they are more charged by the amount of pain you overcome and defeat. At the end of boot camp, my heavy drill instructor confided in me.
“I don’t like 3rd phase because all you recruits are stronger and in better shape, than I am and nothing I can do even moves the needle anymore to you recruits,” he said. “I need to get this platoon the hell off my island and get me some weak civilian lumps of clay to mold into well-trained Marines.”
He then said to me, “If you think this little moment we had changes anything, by God, I will find a way to get one more ounce of pain and sweat out of you before graduation day.”
No matter how hard the task before you seems and no matter how tired, fed up, angry, weak or upset you are, never quit. A drill instructor wants to see you put forth 100% at all times, even if your 100% is only equal to the next Marine’s 60%. Quitting or giving up on any task regardless of how small or large it is will surely earn you a spot on the drill instructor’s list. Once you have a drill instructor’s attention, it could take days and sometimes weeks before they move on from you. When you quit, you will have the attention of all of your drill instructors and that’s not a place you ever want to be. If you’re quitting is noticed by your Senior Drill Instructor, then it’s pretty much game over for you. Never quit. Ignore the pain. Ignore the discomfort and push ahead.
Your recruiters will probably tell you to show up at Parris Island or MCRD San Diego in light business casual attire. Definitely do that. Don’t show up trying to make any kind of fashion or political statement. Wear a pair of jeans, nice comfortable sneakers, and a polo shirt. There’s no need to draw any attention to yourself. Don’t show up with a fresh high and tight, also don’t show up looking like Jesus either. Show respect for the Marine Corps by dressing respectfully. There’s no need to draw unwanted attention to yourself in the first 24 hours upon your arrival.
Take in as much as you possibly can during your 12-week time in boot camp. You might not understand this now, but you will remember every day of those 12 weeks for the rest of your life, the good times and the bad. Nearly every Marine remembers boot camp like it was yesterday. It can be a shocking and traumatic experience but know that the minute you arrive at Camp Lejeune or Camp Pendleton for infantry training, you will all be laughing about boot camp. Don’t let the stress and pressure get to you, embrace everything that is laid before your feet in training and cherish every minute. You’ll never be able to do it again and most people in America will never endure the adventure you’re about to embark upon.
Don’t cut any corners. Make sure you do everything the way you were told to do it and when you’re told to do it. If there’s one thing that will help you get in your drill instructor’s line of fire it’s trying to pull one over on them. They have seen every recruit trick in the book. Nothing you do, nothing you think you can do is going to outsmart your drill instructors. Also, nothing surprises a drill instructor because by their second or third cycle they have seen pretty much all there is to see. The best way to impress your drill instructors is to do things right, do things quick and do things in the best possible manner you can achieve.
My best memories of boot camp are my absolute worst experiences. Even though at the exact moment in time things are happening to you in boot camp, you might think it’s the worst moment of your life, that is the exact moment you will look back on and laugh at the most. One of the bonds young Marines share is their common experiences, pain and suffering while at Parris Island or San Diego.
East Gate in historic Fort Monmouth radiates a strong sense of community with neighbors bonding over a shared appreciation for its historic flair, beautiful setting and access to outdoor spaces such as the gorgeously landscaped East Gate Park and Parkers Creek, a waterway bordering East Gate that serves as a haven for nature and recreational activities.
Much of its close-knit environment is fostered by the many family and friends who have decided to purchase and live together at the collection of 68 luxury residences in Oceanport, N.J.
Marybeth and Joe Savarese are two of the homeowners at East Gate drawn to the community by the opportunity to buy near their daughter and her family. After spending years on their home search, another daughter who is a local real estate agent introduced Mr. and Mrs. Savarese to East Gate.
“When Marybeth and I came to look at a home in Eastgate, my wife thought our youngest daughter Lauren would like this community,” Mr. Savarese said.
Mother’s intuition proved right once again, and Lauren and her husband would purchase a single family at East Gate. Mr. and Mrs. Savarese would follow in their footsteps moving into an East Gate townhome a month later.
According to Mr. Savarese, their biggest influence to move was downsizing into a home that required less maintenance. The couple looked at countless communities that all were either too much money, too much work, or too far away.
“The location and charm of the neighborhood stood out to us the most,” Mr. Savarese said. “Our children and families are all within 15 minutes of us, and we have the same shops, food scene, doctors and hospitals as where we previously lived. You can’t beat the convenience.”
Proximity to family was also an attraction for his daughter, and her husband Tom Rinaldi, who as parents to young children greatly appreciated the highly rated Oceanport school system.
“From a family perspective, it’s incredible to have our children’s grandparents 100 yards away to help us out,” said Mr. Rinaldi. “Lauren’s brother works for Red Bank Regional and raved about the Oceanport school system. We knew this is where we wanted to raise our children. We also loved the character of the fully refurbished homes.”
With over 90% of the neighborhood sold, the family has had the opportunity to see the friendly neighborhood in action and appreciate the welcoming environment that East Gate has cultivated.
“The sense of community at East Gate is superb,” Mr. Rinaldi added. “I love the fact that it is tight-knit atmosphere. Everyone has the unique interest of making sure East Gate is the best community it could be.”
The single-family attached homes at East Gate boast Federal-style red brick exteriors that date back to the early 1900s, a time when building strength and fine craftsmanship were the norm. Situated on some of the most desirable community locations, the residences offer over 2,500 square feet of living space complimented by expansive yards, large rear patios and vistas of Parker’s Creek, a natural waterway bordering the community.
The single-family attached homes are move-in ready and boast uniquely wide floorplans that feel and live like expansive single-family homes inside and out, without the hassle and headaches of tiresome maintenance. The floorplans offer 2.5 baths, dining/living room, open concept kitchen, expansive master bedroom suite with lavish master bath and sitting room and den that makes for the perfect home office that everyone wants and needs in today’s business climate. Crown molding can be found throughout the main living level and hardwood flooring is included on both the first and second floors. Outside, each home has a large patio to fully enjoy Fort Monmouth’s natural surroundings that are both tranquil and scenic.
Less than ten of these ultra-luxurious three-bedroom residences remain available for sale at the community, priced from the $700,000s.
East Gate has had significant appeal to buyers scaling down from single-family homes but still seeking residences with spacious and comfortable interiors, roomy, private outdoor areas, and appreciative of the extra leisure time afforded by the neighborhood’s maintenance-free lifestyle.
Commutability has also played a significant role in East Gate’s appeal. The community is easily accessible to New Jersey Transit’s Little Silver Train Station, located just two miles away, and express ferry service, both of which provide fast service to Manhattan.
Residents at East Gate enjoy being part of the Jersey Shore’s premier live/play community. An abundance of amenities and services are nearby, including Suneagles Golf Club’s 18-hole golf course, the Marina at Oceanport, parade grounds, open space and walking and biking trails and kayaking around Parker’s Creek. There’s also East Gate Park, a one-acre outdoor space featuring a monument paying homage to Fort Monmouth’s storied past, pedestrian pathways, benches, lawns, seasonal flowers and shrubbery and a modernized lightning/lantern package
East Gate itself is situated just minutes from popular New Jersey beaches and the banks of the Shrewsbury River, and is in proximity to the entertainment, dining and culture of Red Bank and Asbury Park. Major highways, including Routes 35, 36, 18 and the Garden State Parkway, are also nearby.
For additional information on East Gate, please call 732-523-5566 or visit www.EastGateOceanport.com.
The following satire was originally published by Zerg Report, a lighter-side comedy website. It is not a true story but based on real-life experiences.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Via ZergReport – Nancy Pelosi today unveiled her 2021 Trump Impeachment schedule for the U.S. Congress that calls for new impeachment hearings from March through December. Pelosi delivered the new schedule to members of Congress so they can plan their vacations accordingly.
“We must impeach,” Pelosi said. “We must impeach President Donald J. Trump for the heinous acts he committed against the people of the United States. We must impeach.”
When reminded that Trump was no longer president of the United States, Pelosi started to shake violently, repeating, “We must impeach!”
In March, Pelosi will file an article of impeachment against Trump saying that his job creation policy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic violated the civil rights of her constituents in San Francisco to remain homeless and defecate on city streets.
“Donald Trump is a tyrant,” Pelosi said. “The people in my district if they choose to remain homeless and defecate on the streets of San Francisco, who the hell is he to offer them a job and radically alter their accepted way of life?”
In April, Pelosi will file an article of impeachment seeking to set the table to launch criminal charges against the President. In 2019, Trump invited the Clemson football team to the White House and served them McDonald’s fast food.
“Here you see, well, you know, a bunch of fit young men, and this monster gave them McDonald’s,” Pelosi said as she began mixing her second Tom Collins of the morning. “He tried to poison their young strong bodies, we must impeach!”
Pelosi then started muttering to herself random intelligible phrases, all of which included the word “Trump”.
While many members of Congress, even some Democrats raised an eyebrow or two, Pelosi found an unlikely ally in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Nancy and I don’t usually see eye to eye on many things, literally, you know,” AOC said. “Like, other than you know, I was a bartender and she’s a fall down, stumbling drunk boomer.”
AOC said she fully supported Pelosi’s twelve-month impeachment schedule.
“Yes, we definitely need to impeach Trump, we need to impeach Ted Cruz for attempted murder and we definitely need to impeach Dan Crenshaw because that silly eye patch thingy he wears scares the bejeezus out of me when he’s behind me in the hallway. I seriously think he’s a radical right-wing pirate hired by Q-anon to assassinate me.”
We went back to Pelosi’s office to ask her how long she plans on extending the impeachment schedule should the next 12 regularly scheduled impeachments end in more acquittals, but by the time we returned to her office at 11:24 am, she was already passed out with her head on the desk clutching an empty bottle of gin.