Cherry Hill IRS center to open on Saturday

The IRS will hold special office hours at several of its IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers in New Jersey, including the location at 57 Haddonfield Road, on Saturday, March 20, and Saturday, March 27.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., taxpayers will be able to work directly with IRS employees to resolve issues they may be facing this year.  During the expanded Saturday hours, taxpayers will be able to address economic hardship issues, make payment arrangements or get help claiming any of the special tax breaks in last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including the:

• Homebuyer tax credit
• American Opportunity Credit
• Making Work Pay credit
• Expanded Earned Income Tax Credit

In addition to IRS help, community organizations partner with the IRS. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) programs assist people who earned $49,000 or less and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs assist individuals 60 and over with their 2009 income tax return preparation and electronic filing.   Many of these sites have Saturday hours while others offer assistance at various times during the week.

Typically, the IRS office is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Hours have been extended until 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays from April 6 through April 15.
In addition to the special Saturday hours tomorrow and on March 27, the office will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 10.

For more information, call the Center directly, at (856) 321-1328.

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Mayor Platt issues statement on municipal aid cuts

Please see the statement below from Mayor Bernie Platt regarding the cut in aid from the DCA.

“In light of the severe cuts to state aid coming out of Trenton today, I’m hopeful the cuts are not made without providing towns a strong portfolio of resources to implement greater cost savings and more efficient operations. On Tuesday morning I sat down with DCA Commissioner Lori Grifa, Mayors from around the region and the League of Municipalities for a thoughtful dialogue about the Governor’s proposed budget. With that said, Cherry Hill knows that sacrifices have to be made at all levels of government during this fiscal crisis.    

There is no question that I will continue to stretch every penny to the limit, but in order to properly preserve our core mission of protecting the health and welfare of our residents, the Governor has to deliver on his campaign promises and reforms his administration is pursuing. These obligations include changes to binding arbitration, collective bargaining reforms, affordable housing changes, augmenting the pension system and introducing premium sharing into healthcare costs (something Cherry Hill instituted in 2008) in order for municipalities to overcome a significant loss in state aid.

Furthermore, Cherry Hill has been a model of efficiency, and has retained the lowest municipal tax rate in the county for the last 20 years because we have been aggressive at finding cost savings and have brought our work force down to its lowest level in a decade. If Trenton does not deliver the tools that are needed to blunt the cuts from Christie’s ax, I will continue to seek more internal savings by preparing for furloughs, salary give-backs, reopening union contracts, and possibly cutting more staff to preserve our core services.”  

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Mayor Platt, Town Council: Speaking Out for Our Schools

By Bernie Platt

The Mayor and Town Council recognize the importance of our schools in Cherry Hill and know that Township leadership has an obligation to provide our children with a quality education.  A good school system is central to the vitality of our neighborhoods and bolsters property values for everyone.

We also believe in the importance of having an independent school district which is governed by a board of education elected by the public and run by a superintendent hired and supervised by the Cherry Hill Board of Education.  However, in a time of fiscal crisis like this, we feel compelled to stake out our position on the current state of education in Cherry Hill.  Read more

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March 21 AVA Performance at Croft Farm SOLD OUT!

Posted via Cherry Hill Arts Board Blog

The Academy of Vocal Arts performance scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 21 at Croft Farm has sold out. The talented AVA singers will bring yu excerpts from the great opera and operettas, Broadway favorites and the wonderful music of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy.

Tickets still remain for the May 2 concert featuring members of the Ocean City Pops.

To purchase tickets for upcoming shows please contact the Arts Board at 856-661-4810 or email Arts@CHTownship.com.

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Cherry Hill providing debris cleanup for residents

Mayor Bernie Platt announced today that he is instituting a special program to assist residents with tree debris clean-up, following a winter of record storms.

Township ordinance requires that weekly yard-waste pickup – such as felled branches, bark, and even small trees – be cut into manageable pieces, bundled, and placed in an open bin or bag weighing no more than 60 pounds. For some residents who do not have access to the tools needed to break down large tree limbs, meeting the yard-waste collection requirements may present a hardship – particularly in light of the destructive weather the Township has experienced in recent months.

With that in mind, Mayor Platt has instituted a four-week initiative that will allow these residents to schedule large, unbundled yard-waste pickups through the Department of Public Works. Provided that the branches, limbs and similar pieces of natural debris are of a reasonable weight and brought curbside, a DPW crew will chip the wood on-site and take it away from the property. Read more

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Cherry Hill Residents, Do You Have Wild Mood Swings?

Here are some simple tips to help you achieve a cure for wild mood swings.

Acknowledge the problem.
This is the first step in curing wild mood swings, especially with men. Since mood swings and depressions are more common with women, most of all during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, they donít have as hard a time admitting to having such problems.

With men, it's quite different. Mood swings are uncommon or so they think and they often consider it a weakness. Unfortunately, curing wild mood swings is impossible unless they acknowledge the problem and become willing to seek treatment for it.

Exercise regularly.
This will come as a surprise to many but the mere act of walking briskly outdoors for about twenty minutes each day has proven to be more effective than antidepressants. As you can see, the best cures for wild mood swings aren't always medical in nature. They can be natural, too.

Walking outdoors is especially helpful because not only do they give your body an overall workout but they also allow you to breathe fresh air and socialize. Enjoying the company of a friend or loved one or simply taking pleasure in your surroundings will make you happy and consequently less prone to suffering from mood swings.

Eat healthy.
Another natural cure for wild mood swings is having the right diet. Sticking to the right diet is easier than most people think. Unless you have a medical condition like hypertension or diabetes and which requires a special diet, eating healthy doesnít mean you have to abstain from any food group.

Rather, moderation is the key to having the right diet. Eat moderately of any food group and you'll be safe. Wine and dark chocolate for instance comes with its own share of health benefits and including them in your diet won't be bad at all but only if you consume the appropriate amount.

Of course, healthy eating will be always made more effective if you eat more fruits and greens. Drink lots of water, too! Water helps remove toxins from your body and improves not only your health but your overall well-being, too.

If you're feeling happy and full, there's no reason for you to suffer from mood swings.

Be happy.
Happiness is a state of being. It involves not only your emotions but your thoughts and psychological health as well.

Being at peace helps make you happier, but it's not easily achieved. One way of gaining inner peace is by meditation. Meditating helps you relax and enjoy the maximum value of your rest. Meditation also helps you gain more control over your moods, consequently reducing the frequency of your mood swings.

Meditation is best done in seclusion. Try reserving a few moments of the day for yourself. Look for a room where you can meditate in silence and without any distraction. If you don't know how to meditate, there are various exercises like yoga or tai-chi to help you do so.

Communicate.
Talking things out will also reduce the frequency of your mood swings, but again, this is more difficult for men than it is for women. While women generally have no problems airing out their feelings, men are usually unwilling to talk about what's bothering them, much less ask help for it.

Do all these and they can surely improve your wild mood swings.

Learn more about High Level Wellness by visiting our site:  http://www.high-level-wellness-online.com/

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Towns take the news in stride

Posted via CourierPostOnline.com:

For many municipalities, Gov. Chris Christie's announcement of a 17.3 percent cut in regular state aid presents a "make-it-work" moment for town administrators, to borrow a phrase from a popular reality series.

Moorestown Mayor Daniel Roccato said he expected bad news from the budget message of Christie on Tuesday and got it.

However, he said there also was a silver lining in the budget address, which proposed massive budget reductions in order to cope with a dire financial situation for New Jersey created by years of borrowing and overspending. Read more

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Cherry Hill, Recyclebank featured in NY news segment

Mayor Bernie Platt and a handful of Township residents and businesses were featured in a news segment last night on WCBS (Ch. 2) in New York.

Here's the link: http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=140048@wcbs.dayport.com

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Cherry Hill’s Adler to vote against Senate health care bill

A South Jersey congressman says he will vote against the heath care bill that that Congress is scheduled to consider soon.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100315/NEWS01/100315049/Adler-to-vote-against-Senate-health-care-bill

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Join Us for a Day of FREE Gardening Classes!

Posted via Sustainable Cherry Hill

Think Spring!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Think Spring!

Think Spring!

Put your snow shovel away and bring out your garden trowel. The forsythia are beginning to bud and this is the perfect time to plan a new garden or get a head start on your lawn renovation project.

Read more

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DPW crews clearing storm drains to prevent flooding

The Department of Public Works has been working since Wednesday to clear debris from water inlets and outflows in anticipation of this weekend's heavy rainfall.

Residents should call Police Dispatch to report flood conditions during the weekend, at (856) 665-1200.  The police will dispatch Public Works crews as needed.

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A ‘monster’ of an event is underway

Jose F. Moreno/Courier-Post file

The 14th Monster-Mania Con will be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel this weekend, running today through Sunday.

Read more

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Flood watch issued for much of South Jersey

Courier-Post file

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch advisory for Burlington, Gloucester and Camden counties, as well as much of the surrounding area, through Sunday morning.

The weather service notes rainfall of 2 to 4 inches in the area, with local amounts of 5 inches possible in some areas.

Smaller streams are likely to flood first, with larger waterways likely to come after, according to the report.
Read more

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Don’t forget to spring forward

Good evening sunshine, America says hello, you light up our evenings, we light charcoal below.

That right folks, it's time to fire up the old grill, Daylight-saving time is returning with that extra hour of sunshine after work.

Read more

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Mall owner receives new financing

The cash-strapped owner of Cherry Hill Mall and other area shopping centers has closed on a secured credit facility with term loans of $520 million and a $150 million revolving line of credit with its bankers.

Six months in the making, the deal with a consortium of Wells Fargo and more than a dozen other banks soothes fears concerning the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust's ability to pay its bills.

PREIT announced the package after the close of business Thursday, but before the company's widely anticipated earnings report today.

Read the rest of this article at: Mall owner receives new financing | courierpostonline.com | Courier-Post.

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