A Rutgers University study has found profound pessimism about the nation's economic outlook, with a majority of those surveyed saying they expect no improvement in the next year.

Nearly three in four Americans -- 73 percent -- say they have been directly affected by the economy, which slid into a recession nearly three years ago, Rutgers said in releasing the study Wednesday.

Two-thirds of respondents -- 64 percent -- believe the nation will still be in a recession next year. And 18 percent fear the economy will worsen into a depression.

The report, "American Workers Assess an Economic Disaster," was released by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers.

Stewart Stoltz of Cherry Hill is not among the 818 consumers surveyed online between July 19 and Aug. 6.

But he sees no end in sight to the downturn.

"The housing numbers are terrible," he says. "The stock market is terrible."

Stoltz has been looking for work for a year and a half, since he was laid off from his six-figure job as a television news producer.

He says unemployment is the reason for consumers' lack of confidence in the economy. The poll says more than 70 percent of Americans have either lost a job or are close to someone who has been thrown out of work.

"When you're working, everything is fine," Stoltz says. "When you aren't, things aren't fine."

Jobs and ineffective government emerged as primary concerns in the study.

Francesca DiCiurcio of Moorestown says tight credit is fueling the recession.

"The banks aren't lending money like they should," she says. "There needs to be greater oversight to make certain they are giving mortgages and business loans."

More than half -- 56 percent -- of jobless Americans describe their family finances as poor.

Working people say they are suffering, too, with 37 percent of employees saying the recession had a "major" effect on their pocketbooks. Half rate their personal finances as fair or poor.

Nearly three in four -- 74 percent -- blame cheap labor from other countries for the high jobless rate, currently 9.7 percent in New Jersey.

Resentment of foreign workers tends to spike in hard economic times, says Carl Van Horn, who prepared the study with Cliff Zukin. Both are Rutgers professors.

"If you look at the history of America, in the Depression the attitude toward people from other places has been negative," he says.

Consumers continue to be cautious about spending, with three in four cutting back. Among jobless Americans, 86 percent have curtailed spending, the study says.

Is economic fear contagious?

The authors of the study believe it is, as even people with secure jobs and healthy bank balances wait for clear signs of recovery to improve their homes and make big-ticket purchases.

"They aren't going to spend until they feel it getting better," Zukin says.

For many Americans, disposable income has evaporated.

As a result, nearly two-thirds of unemployed workers (63 percent) and 41 percent of Americans overall have spent some of the savings they had planned to use for retirement.

Reach Eileen Smith at (856) 486-2444 or eismith@camden.gannett.com

Angela Christman, a single mom from Cherry Hill, was looking forward to her final semester at Camden County College.

The 34-year-old nursing student showed up for classes last week -- only to learn that a federal loan and grant to pay her tuition had been voided.

And she is not alone.

Christman and 171 other nursing students at the Blackwood campus are scrambling to find alternative ways to pay for their classes after the U.S. Department of Education nullified their federal loans and grants.

Earlier this summer, the Helene Fuld School of Nursing, which has a partnership with the college to run the program, fell out of compliance with federal guidelines after it altered the program's curriculum.

That led to cancellation of funding for Christman and many other students.

"Where are we going to come up with this money?" said Christman, who wants to work in a neonatal intensive care unit for infants born prematurely, like her daughter Gianna, now 7.

"My whole life has been put on hold to get through this program and now I'm told there might not be a way to pay for our school," she said.

Christman had obtained a $2,500 Pell Grant and a $7,200 federal loan to fund her final semester. Both have been voided. Officials said they would give updated information to students by Sept. 7.

Susan Coulby, a spokeswoman for the college, said administrators are working to correct the problem for Christman and other students.

"We want the students to stay in school, complete their education, earn their nursing credentials and find employment in their field," Coulby said in an e-mail. "We don't want any of them to give up on their career aspirations."

Coulby said nursing school officials revised the curriculum in order to make it more comprehensive.

Under the revised plan, students were earning 55 percent of their credits from the nursing program and the remaining 45 percent from other courses to meet their requirement for a two-year associate's degree.

However, federal guidelines require that a student earn 50 percent or more of their credits from the liberal arts and science curriculum by taking courses such as math, science and English.

A new curriculum plan aimed at restoring the school's eligibility for financial assistance programs is now under review by the Department of Education. DOE spokeswoman Jane Glickman did not comment on the plan or when it might be approved.

"Regardless of what the final results with the DOE are, the college and the nursing school have made the commitment to work with the students to help those who need it procure nonfinancial aid monies to complete their Helene Fuld nursing program at CCC," said Coulby.

For Edgar Anderson, 37, of Westampton, another nursing student, the funding oversight has caused a lot of "unneeded stress" for students who are enrolled in a rigorous and highly competitive nursing program.

He has successfully sought a personal loan to pay for $6,200 in tuition for his final semester, but he's still uncertain whether the college will certify the loan.

"For now, it's wait and see," he said. "She's (the dean) very optimistic that things will work out."

More than 3,000 students have graduated from the Helene Fuld program since its partnership with the college was approved in 1980 by the New Jersey Department of Higher Education, according to the school's website.

The nursing school was originally in Camden but is now based on the Blackwood campus. A majority of graduates have found employment in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Christman hopes she becomes one of them.

"At this point, I'm just waiting to see," she said. "It's too hard to walk away. I'm just waiting to see what our options are. I'm focusing on school each day with this hanging over my head."

Reach Wilford S. Shamlin at (856) 486-2475 or wshamlin@courierpostonline.com

Come on out!

We know it’s technically still summer, but we are back and ready to network!

Join us on September 1st!

Stop by and hang out with us in the back bar at PJ’s.

SCH has its own chapter of this popular social and business networking happy hour that brings together a wide array of environmentally minded people each month over beverages to discuss green and sustainable solutions, ideas, concepts and much more.

This laid back, unstructured gathering is part of an international movement and a collaborative effort with Green Drinks Philadelphia.

And remember, the efforts of SCH are regional and inclusive… you do not need to be a Cherry Hill resident to participate with us.

Stop by the first Wednesday of EVERY month at PJ Whelihan’s on Rt. 70 and Greentree Rds in Cherry Hill from 6-8 pm to hang with us and other like minded folks in the community.  Everyone is friendly and eager to meet new people!

Note:  SCH provides the “GREEN” opportunity to network, but not the “DRINKS”!

Everyone either runs a tab or pays by the drink.

Contact Lori Braunstein for more information

Lori.Braunstein@sustainablecherryhill.org

Stephen Morris, 37, of Oaklyn, was arrested Saturday afternoon and charged with possession of cocaine, and possession of narcotic paraphernalia. He also had two active warrants against him.

Michael Negra, 44, of Cherry Hill, was charged with possession of a hypodermic needle and also had an active warrant.

Jacqueline Negra, 23, of Cherry Hill, had two warrants for her arrest.

All three were taken to the Burlington County Jail in default of cash bail.

1.  Do not ingest foods made in places where everyone is required to wear a surgical cap.

2.  If it came from a plant, eat it;  if it was made in a plant, don't.

3.  It's not food if it arrived through the window of your car.

And here's a BONUS:

  It's not food if it's called the same name in every language.
    (Think Big Mac, Cheetos, or Pringles.)

There you have it Cherry Hill.  Some simple food for thought.

I asked John Berg, avid bicyclist and Way to Go group member to write a guest post about the collaborative work that recently occurred  between Cherry Hill Township and the Way to Go group. Here is his post:

Nicole Hostettler from the Cherry Hill Township Department of Community Development solicited help from members of the Way To Go committee of the Sustainable Cherry Hill organization to come up with ideas for a project for a Bikeway grant from New Jersey Department of Transportation. Nicole discussed the grant application and listened to input from members at the July Way To Go meeting. It was decided that the grant application would be for about 3.5 miles of bike lanes in the Woodcrest section of the township, dubbed the Browning-Morris Bikeway, and the replacement of some of the sewer grates along the route with grates that are safe to ride over with a bicycle. Originally the hope was to connect the route to the Woodcrest station of the PATCO speed line, but Woodcrest Road could not be striped per the grant requirements, due to the limited width and amount of traffic. The bikeway links Kresson Road to Morris Drive via Browning Lane, South Woodleigh Drive, and Cranford Road. Going the other way on Cranford Road, the route uses South Bowling Green Drive and Bryant Road to get to Burnt Mill Road near the Speed Line. While this doesn’t take cyclists to the front door of the Speed Line, there are future plans to work with Camden County and others to develop a viable solution for Woodcrest Road to complete the route.

If the state awards Cherry Hill the grant money, the Bikeway is a great starting point for bike routes through the Cherry Hill area. Kresson Road is heavily used by cyclists to get over Route 295 and the Turnpike, so this gives them a way to get 98% of the way to the Speed Line station. The route also provides a route for the Woodcrest neighborhood to ride to and from the Rosa Middle school.

Thanks Nicole for your effort in putting together this grant application.

If you are interested in joining the Way to Go group, please contact Barbara Berman  bab96@verizon.net.  Here is an article about the group from last winter from The Courier Post.

How Early Can I Start Music Lessons for my son or daughter?
As a music teacher, I hear this question quite often.  I usually answer with a series of other questions. Yea, I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s not as easy as just choosing an arbitrary age at which to start every child on every instrument.   There are several factors at play in deciding when to start a young one in formal music studies.  Different instruments are best started at different ages.  In addition, specific issues with individual children should be considered. 

One thing that everyone is in agreement with is that music exposure and study has a very positive effect on the growth and development of young children.  It has been shown that young children who have benefited from early musical training obtain higher than average scores in math and reading and form a valuable foundation for continued learning in these and other subjects. So then, when and how do we best start our children on this musical path?
First let me say that it is never too early to expose your child to the enjoyment of music.  In fact if you would like your child to be involved with music lessons from an early age there is no better time to start than day one.  Sing with them, dance with them, make up songs together and have a great time with music as part of your daily life.  This will help generate future interest in music and help create the frame work for a life time appreciation of music. As they get older expose your children to live performance as well. Take them to local neighborhood performances as well as concerts and theatre performances.  Those who come to know music in this way, quite often have an interest in music that lasts their entire life. All of these things help your child create a smooth and enjoyable path into formal music lessons.

 
Now as far as formal music lessons are concerned it should be noted that the time to start is not a one size fits all kind of thing.  There are several factors to consider when deciding when to start music lessons and what instrument to start on.  Every child is different but the answers to a few simple questions will give you the information that you need to make a well informed decision.
        1) What kind of interest is your son or daughter showing toward the idea of music lessons?

 Do they keep bringing the subject up on their own, asking for lessons?  Do they spend a lot of time singing their favorite songs or making up their own songs?  Do they pretend to have little concerts in the house? Or can they take it or leave it?  Is music something that they do not seem to be interested in or even notice at all? If they are showing some kind of a sustained interest in music then it is a safe bet that they are ready to take on some sort of formal music instruction.
       2) What is their attention span like? I think that the attention span is one of the most important aspects in determining readiness to study music. Does your son or daughter have the ability to focus on a subject continually for a 20 to 30 minute period?  One rule of thumb is that the child should be able to focus and concentrate for a period of time equal to the length of the lesson.  In most cases for beginners this will be a half hour.  For some of the younger children some teachers may offer a 20 minute lesson. Teachers who are used to teaching small children do a good job at keeping things exciting and moving along in the lessons.  Don’t be afraid to ask your child’s perspective teacher how they structure their lessons for the younger children.
      3) How involved in the music lessons do you as a parent want to be?  Developing good practice skills takes time and developing the self discipline necessary to sustain independent practice is something that comes with maturity and practice. It is not something that you can expect out of a 3 or even 5 year old (though there are exceptions).  Still, you can expect that the younger the child is the more time the parent will need to spend working with them to help reinforce the lessons and develop good learning and practice skills. The up side of this is that it can be a really wonderful thing.  It can provide a fabulous opportunity for parents to interact with their children all the while having a great time together with music.  If however, for one reason or another, you are not able to spend regularly scheduled time working with your child on music lessons there is still nothing wrong with having them start music lessons at an early age, they can still get a great deal out of music lessons, you will just have to adjust your expectations accordingly. In other words their formal progress at these early ages is somewhat proportional to the amount of time that an adult has to work with them on a daily basis.  
     4) What instrument do they wish to play, or do you wish to start them on? The instrument itself will have something to do with how early you can start your child with music lessons. The piano and violin have the distinction of being the instruments that can be started at the earliest ages. The piano is laid out very clearly, does not take great strength, you don’t have to hold it up or have a big breath to be able to play it. The violin comes in fractional sizes for small hands and is light enough for little ones to hold. For this reason piano or violin lessons are some of the first lessons taught to small children. Instruments like the guitar and bass require more hand strength to play than the piano or violin.  Therefore it is generally accepted practice to wait until the perspective student is 7 or 8 years old to start on one of those instruments.  For similar reason regarding the breath and size, the horn instruments have a similar starting age. But again 7 or 8 years of age is not carved in stone. If you have a 5 or 6 year old with strong hands and a big desire to play then I would suggest finding a way to give it a try for a short trial period to see how it goes and then take it from there. Another consideration is that many instruments do not come in child sizes and are physically too much for a small child to handle. At about the age of 8 or 10, most children become big enough to begin playing most instruments. If you have been waiting to start your child on trumpet, clarinet, or trombone, for example, this would be a good time to start. It should also be noted that most school band and string programs begin at about this age as well.

So in brief, the age at which children are ready to start music lessons is based on several different factors: their Interest, their attention span, their general size/strength and your potential involvement. With an understanding of these things as applied to your child I’m sure you will be able to determine when it is best to begin music lessons. I wish you the best of luck and enjoyment in your musical journeys together.

New Jersey School of Music

1200 Haddonfield Rd. Cherry Hill, NJ. 08002  (856)910-0060

10 Union St. Medford, NJ. 08055  (609)654-0060

 http://www.njschoolofmusic.com

Born 10 weeks premature at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, Christa Chant weighed 2 pounds and could fit into the palm of her father's hand.

Two days later, she was diagnosed with an intraventricular hemorrhage -- a bleeding into the brain's ventricular system -- and nearly stopped breathing.

"Three times they told us she wasn't going to survive," recalls Christa's father, Ted. "And if she did, she would never walk or talk."

Sixteen years later, Christa is scheduled to join 12 teammates from Challenger Ball of Cherry Hill for an 11 a.m. exhibition baseball game Saturday, a day before the Little League World Series championship in Williamsport, Pa.

Highlights of the Challenger game are expected to be aired during ABC's Saturday telecast of the Little League World Series.

"Championship Weekend is the showcase event of our World Series and we wanted to give the Challenger division the publicity it deserves," said Little League spokesman Steve Barr.

Challenger was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League for boys and girls 5 to 18 with physical and mental disabilities. The division now has more than 30,000 children participating in more than 900 programs worldwide.

The Cherry Hill program was formed in 2007 by Steve Silverman, a longtime Little League coach whose daughter, Isabel, passed away in 2005 at the age of 6. Isabel suffered from Moebius syndrome, a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by lifetime facial paralysis.

The free Cherry Hill program has grown from 97 players in its startup season to more than 150, spawning similar programs in Stratford, Medford, Pitman, Vineland and Gloucester County.

"I think Isabel is looking down on this and smiling," said Silverman, who has been coaching Little League baseball in Cherry Hill for 14 years. Silverman has attended several Little League World Series with his four sons, ages 13 through 19. After watching a Challenger exhibition game last summer he submitted an essay asking Little League Baseball, Inc., to invite Cherry Hill's Challenger team to play in the annual exhibition.

In his essay, Silverman explained how the grassroots efforts of Cherry Hill businesses helped the no-cost, volunteer-driven league become a model for other programs, and also expressed his desire to showcase players of all abilities.

Silverman received an acceptance letter from Little League Baseball in June, informing him Cherry Hill would face another Challenger team from Friendswood, Texas. He then went about forming a team of 13 players, many of whom have been with the 12-team Challenger program since its inception.

"I wanted to show the cross-section of kids we have in our program," Silverman said, noting his team will have three players in wheelchairs and others with varying degrees of disabilities.

It was on Father's Day that Haddon Township's Mike Potter learned his 12-year-old son Steven would play in the Little League series.

"When I told his grandfather (65-year-old Nick Antrilli), he broke down and cried," Mike Potter said.

When Steven Potter was a toddler, his parents, Collingswood High School graduates Mike and Terri, noticed he could not jump and walked with a wide gait, swaying from side to side. At 3, Steven was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscular atrophy and weakness.

Through years of intense physical therapy, Steven has been able to slow the degenerative effects of SMA, but his muscle strength continues to decline and he is now able to lift only a two-pound weight above his head. With the help of a motorized scooter, he pitches and plays first base and shortstop in the Challenger league.

"We all have different needs, but we wind up being the same on the field," Steven said. "When we get on the field, we don't worry about anything else but baseball."

"He has a blast," Mike Potter said. "I say, "Let me help you,' and he says, "No, Dad, I want to do it myself. You sit and watch and enjoy it.'

"He's not the strongest kid in the world, but he can still hit a baseball."

Mike and Terri Potter are hoping research into SMA can someday lead to better treatment and perhaps a cure for the disease that affects more than 25,000 Americans.

To that end, the Potters have organized an annual Steven's Walk that raised more than $125,000 in the past five years.

Steven Potter said Challenger Ball has not only given him the opportunity to play baseball; it has taught him the importance of accepting other children's disabilities.

During Challenger games, players' siblings, parents or volunteer "buddies" assist from their infield and outfield positions. Little League recommends no score be kept, and a side is retired when the offense has batted through the roster, a pre-determined number of runs have been scored or three outs are recorded.

Challenger players wear the same uniforms, shoulder patches and safety equipment as other Little League players.

Ted Chant said two of the greatest benefits of the Cherry Hill program are the socialization and self-esteem it provides players who might otherwise be on the sidelines.

Christa Chant uses a 12-ounce aluminum bat and hits from a tee with her right hand. Her father then pushes her wheelchair to first base.

"She doesn't hit it real far, but she does it herself," said Ted, a pitcher and first baseman at Pennsauken High School before playing at Glassboro State College in the early '80s.

"She smiles and laughs when we're running to first base."

With the help of hamstring and tendon extension surgeries, Christa Chant is now able to walk with the aid of a gait trainer.

"I couldn't be more proud of her," Ted said. "It's great to see her smiling and being a kid. When she's out on that field, she's not a handicapped kid, she's just a kid. And she can't wait to get on that field in Williamsport."

Following Saturday's game, players and their families will be treated to a barbecue picnic lunch and will tour the Little League Baseball museum.

"The stadium is going to be pretty packed and I'm interested to see how the kids react," said Mount Laurel's Peter Meosky, whose autistic son, Sebastian, will make his first trip to Williamsport.

"I don't think he completely understands, but when I tell him about it, he seems thrilled. I don't think he'll comprehend it all until he's on that field."

Ten-year-old Sebastian was diagnosed with autism after his parents noticed delays in his speech and walking. A student at Burlington County Special Services, he also swims, plays soccer and rides horses.

Peter Meosky is hopeful the TV coverage of Saturday's exhibition game encourages other parents of children with special needs to take advantage of Challenger programs.

"It's important to realize these kids are a lot like any other kids," Meosky said.

"Sports is a tremendous opportunity for them to experience what all kids should to able to experience."

Reach Chuck Gormley at cgormley@courierpostonline.com

Tony Petrozzelli, 41, allegedly pulled off a series of smash-and-grab burglaries at gas stations and convenience stores across Burlington, Camden and Cumberland counties, said Lumberton police Sgt. Tony DiLoreto.

"It was a pain in the butt," DiLoreto said of the string of burglaries.

Petrozzelli was arrested last week and charged Friday with stealing about $2,000 worth of cigarettes from a Hess gas station in Lumberton on separate break-ins on June 30 and July 11, DiLoreto said.

In one incident, Petrozzelli threw a landscaping rock through the store's glass front door and in the second he kicked in the front door.

DiLoreto said Petrozzelli used similar tactics to smash his way into other stores across the three counties as well, including stores in Cherry Hill, Mount Holly, Palmyra and Evesham.

Police believe Petrozzelli may have been selling the cigarettes to bodegas in Camden.

Petrozzelli was remanded to the Camden County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, DiLoreto said.

Reach George Mast at (856) 486-2465 at gmast@camden.gannett.com

The project will increase the size of the department from 7,600 to 12,600 square feet and the number of treatment bays form 17 to 29 upon completion in early 2012.

The new ED will feature separate entrances for ambulance and walk-in patients and an expanded waiting area.

In addition to Cherry Hill, Kennedy has hospitals in Stratford and Washington Township. It has outpatient facilities in multiple locations throughout Camden and Gloucester counties.

Kennedy's school of osteopathic medicine, which is part of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, is located in Stratford. Kennedy is also a member of the Penn Cancer Network.

The teachers met Thursday and accepted the terms of a contract that calls for no pay increase beyond the scheduled increment and calls for 1.5 percent of their salaries to go toward insurances costs.

The change in insurance carriers could save the district up to $6 million over the two remaining years of the contract.

The Cherry Hill Township Board of Education will vote on ratifying the contract on Tuesday during its regular action meeting.

"It was a long process, it was drawn out, it was tedious and I'll be happy when its over," said Martin Sharofsky, president of the Cherry Hill Education Association. "I look forward to the opening of school so teachers can get back into the scheme of things."

Board President Seth Klukoff agreed.

"It was a long process, and at times it was a challenging process," Klukoff said. "It was a process that wasn't made any easier by the budgetary challenges that the district faced this past year."

The union's 1,100-plus members have been without a contract since June 30, 2009. The new contract will cover the period from July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2012.

Klukoff said the negotiations for this contract were long, but many districts across the state have had extensive negotiations, with average settlement rates dropping down dramatically over the past year.

"Where we ended up is right in line with that," Klukoff said.

According to the school board, the combined salary increase and health insurance savings result in an average compensation increase of approximately .49 percent, which is less than the current 1.9 percent annual rate of inflation in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Students return to school on Sept. 7.

Reach Shruti Mathur Desai at (856) 317-7828 or smathur@camden.gannett.com

And, think about this:  That 1.4 planet statistic is a global average.  If everyone lived like we do here in the US, we would need the equivalent of 5 planets.  India (.4 Earths)  and China (1 Earth) are WAY behind us. We are consuming much more than our share.

Overshoot results in obvious problems, like overfishing, diminishing forests and depletion of fresh water systems, as well as a build up of pollution and waste.  Many people don’t realize that our consumption also leads to resource conflicts like war, mass migrations, famine and disease, which overwhelmingly affect the poor and disenfranchised.

Since we only have one Earth (says the wombat), it would probably be a good idea to recognize its natural limits and to find new ways to live within those boundaries.  We need to hold a vision of our humanity where we consider these limits in our decision making at a personal, community and global level.  Knowing your own ecological footprint is a great way to start. Consider this quote…

“Better sign the papers while the Earth is still willing to make a deal.”

Stephen Jay Gould, Paleontologist

Along with devilish director John Carpenter, a number of famous and bit horror-film characters are set to appear throughout the three-day festival, including cast reunions of "Pet Semetary," "A Nightmare on Elm Street 5" and "Boondock Saints."

Monster guests can visit the hotel on Route 70 at Cuthbert Boulevard at 10 a.m. today and leave with an armful of autographs and goose bumps by 2 a.m. Sunday's events will start at 10 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

A ticket to each event is $20. Visit http://www.monstermania.net for a complete list of events and films.

A summer arts camp run by the school is concluding with student performances of an adapted version of the classic at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Route 70 in Cherry Hill. The group scheduled performances for Friday night and 2 p.m. today.

Officers for Fusion scouted around for alternate locations after being evicted from a 10,000-square-foot unit it rented in an industrial park on Olney Avenue in Cherry Hill.

They cited a sluggish economy, plummeting donations and a temporary loss of tuition revenue during summer vacation as key factors for missing rent payments. The landlord, Cherry Hill Umbrella LLC, received a judge's approval for the eviction.

Fusion officers also pointed to delays in gaining approval of nonprofit status. Previously, the Internal Revenue Service had allowed organizations with pending applications to operate as a charity but recent legal changes eliminated the practice, so the school could not engage in fundraising with tax-exempt status.

Fusion officers failed to raise enough money to satisfy the landlord, which had set an Aug. 13 deadline for receiving $30,000 in back rent.

They plan to develop an action plan next week with the school's board of directors.

The school is continuing with a major fundraising campaign and intends to apply admission payments from this weekend's shows to the campaign.

"Next week, we try to regroup and see what our next steps are," said Carla Mandell, Fusion's executive director. "Between trying to move and staying focused on the camp show, we haven't really been able to sit down with anyone and have those conversations."

Reach Wilford S. Shamlin at (856) 486-2475 or wshamlin@courierpostonline.com

Tonnage grant funds stem from New Jersey’s Recycling Enhancement Act, which was signed into law to help the state reach its recycling-rate targets. The program has significantly increased the amount of award money available for local governments through a $3-per-ton surcharge on trash taken to solid-waste disposal facilities.

Under Mayor Bernie Platt’s administration, Cherry Hill Township has embraced incentivized recycling, utilizing RecycleBank’s Reward-Points program to more effectively engage residents in the municipality’s waste-reduction initiatives.

“We’ve seen the impact that monetary and incentive-based motivation can have on recycling rates,” Platt said, “and that success has resulted in the Township being rewarded as a whole for our collective efforts with funding that can be sued for a whole host of environmental initiatives.”

In addition, the more waste recycled curbside has a direct impact on the cost of municipal trash-hauling and processing, he added, noting, “A spike in our recycling rate means a drop in our garbage output – and that means less money allocated in the Township budget to waste-incinerator tipping fees, and less pollution in our air.”

Recycling is mandatory in the state, and the DEP’s prescribed goal for its 566 municipalities is achieving a rate of 50 percent (the average recycling rate hovers around 35 percent). Cherry Hill boasts a nearly 60-percent rate, which has brought the Township numerous awards, accolades, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and county incentives in recent years.

Between household pickups, an electronic-waste recycling drop-off at the Department of Public Works, and similar initiatives couched in the Platt administration’s Green Action Plan, “our community is now recycling more than we’re paying to incinerate,” Platt said.

Medford faces an estimated $6 million budget deficit next year and a Courier-Post investigation published Aug. 8 revealed the township pays among the tri-county area's top costs for legal, engineering and planning services from private firms.

"I need to find out what the other success stories are and what other municipalities are doing that we have to consider," Medford Acting Manager Stephen Addezio said, declining to comment further.

Addezio's tour started Tuesday in Gloucester Township, which has three times more residents than Medford and an in-house legal department that handles the majority of legal work for about $110,000 per year.

In contrast, outside professionals received approximately $2.1 million in tax dollars from Medford from January 2009 to May 2010. That includes the township's lead law firm Parker McCay, which collected $665,875.30 during that stretch. Parker McCay provides Medford's 15-year solicitor Rick Hunt at a $96,000 annual retainer and the township's prosecutor.

David Carlamere, 17-year Gloucester Township solicitor, is paid a $57,000 retainer that covers all legal work outside of the courtroom. His assistant, a full-time employee of the township, handles insurance claims, resolutions, ordinances, research and legal preparations. Carlamere and Tom Cardis, Gloucester Township business administrator, talked Tuesday with Addezio.

"We touched on significant points and possible areas Medford can look at to try to curb these legal bills," Cardis said.

Addezio is also expected to meet soon with Cherry Hill officials.

"We've been contacted by Medford and are looking forward to sitting down with him," Cherry Hill spokesman Dan Keashen said.

Last year, Medford paid legal, engineering and planning firms about $206 per household, according to municipal finance records and census data. That per-home cost is 10 times more than Cherry Hill's last year and far more than other tri-county municipalities.

Medford residents, Republican and Democratic political leaders and the newest councilwoman on the all-GOP board have expressed concern with how professionals bill the township.

"Having not received satisfactory explanation, I took a first step in refusing to accept any contributions from our solicitor," said councilwoman Victoria Fay, who last month returned a $2,600 campaign contribution to Parker McCay. "My obligation is to the residents of Medford and I expect and demand our appointed professionals to follow that example."

Medford paid $110.01 per household in legal expenses last year, according to municipal finance and census data. That is more than the per household legal expenses in Cherry Hill, Deptford, Evesham, Gloucester Township, Mount Laurel and Washington Township combined.

It's also higher than 2009 legal payouts in Camden and Medford Lakes.

Many residents and political leaders blame that on years and tens of thousands of dollars worth of campaign contributions donated by firms like Parker McCay and Capehart and Scatchard to Medford's elected officials.

It's common in this state for local elected officials to award professional contracts to campaign contributors. That has been said to drive up those costs because they may receive more contracts than had they not contributed. Furthermore, leaders of state government organizations and local officials said municipalities will be hard-pressed to reduce professional costs and avoid legal issues without some state assistance.

Municipalities can decrease hourly rates of professionals, mitigate professional involvement, share services, hire in-house professionals or bolster insurance policies, officials explained.

Medford Mayor Bob Martin, who didn't return calls for this report, has denied political contributions play a role in the hiring of professionals in the township. And Councilman Chris Myers has defended professionals who faced scrutiny from residents during council meetings. That leaves some questioning whether things will change in Medford.

On Tuesday, Myers downplayed the need for Medford to reduce professional services.

"We've asked (Addezio) to take a look at all different services to cut costs, as we do every year, and everything's on the table," Myers said. "We look at "Are we doing it the best way? Are other towns doing it better? Or is there any place for shared services?' "

Reach Jeremy Rosen at (856) 486-2456 or jrosen@gannett.com

The bank was the only bidder for the largely vacant shopping center on Route 70, which is home to ShopRite, Old Country Buffet and several other retailers. Bank of America's lawyer, Richard O'Halloran, said the price was slightly less than the $38 million the owners owed on the property.

Bank of America will list the property for sale after the auction is finalized in U.S. District Court.

Obtaining optimal health is a goal for many people. No one wants to develop disease and sickness. The good news is, one of the ways to develop optimal health is by avoiding purchasing food that is loaded with chemicals, has no nutritional value, or is energetically altered. Let's take a look at four of the top fourteen foods to avoid.

1. If you can't pronounce it then don't buy it. This is very easy. If you have difficulty figuring out what a word is and have a hard time pronouncing it, don't buy it. Most likely it is a harmful chemical.

2. Monosodium Glutamate. Never buy anything with this chemical in it. MSG is a toxin that is dangerous, causes weight gain, increases appetite, and causes all kinds of health problems.

3. Stay Away from Aspartame. This is a toxin that makes people gain weight, causes hunger, and leads to medical problems such as PMS and migraines.

4. Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup. This is a chemical that causes people to become addicted and makes them fat.

Rather than give you the complete list it will best serve you to take an inventory over the next few days to see what's in your fridge and to be mindful of what you're purchasing at the supermarket.

Cherry Hill readers are invoted to check back soon for more foods to avoid that will allow you to achieve higher levels of wellness!

Elizabeth "Libby" Williams of Cherry Hill planned to sit in the back pew that Sunday morning so she could catch the sermon and slip out, unnoticed.

Just walking out of her front door was difficult enough. She had just started to make the transition from her previous life as a male, a change her family was struggling to accept.

Williams did not want to see people's reactions to her appearance and her voice. She just wanted to feed her spiritual yearnings.

But Williams wasn't able to disappear that day at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill.

"From the first moment . . . they've been nothing but friendly and loving to me," said Williams, who was raised in the Catholic Church. "I never thought anybody would like me at all. Now it's pretty hard to say that."

Unitarians have been at the forefront of welcoming the transgender community, said the Rev. Manish Mishra, pastor of the Cherry Hill church and co-author of the denomination's trans-gender equality statement, adopted in 2007.

"We are far ahead of where many denominations are at," said Mishra. "There is a significant transgender community in South Jersey. There are not other congregations that are as vocally (and) as visibly supportive as we are."

The Unitarian Universalist Church is the first major denomination in the country to pass a formal resolution "embracing transgender sisters and brothers and seeking to educate themselves more about those issues," said Harry Knox, director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign. But it's not the only religious organization interested in the issue, he said.

"There are lots and lots of different faith communities that are studying and wrestling with issues of full inclusion of our transgender sisters and brothers," Knox said.

The support at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Cherry Hill is wider than a warm welcome. The church recently held a service centered on the transgender community and will mark Transgender Remembrance Day with a special service on Nov. 14.

In June, the church recruited support from nearly a dozen other Unitarian congregations to sponsor an information table and a two-page ad at a health fair held at the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia, a nationally recognized center for health care and advocacy for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population.

And on Sept. 25, the church will host a Human Rights Campaign workshop on religion and transgender issues, including proposed legislation to end employment discrimination.

The church has received positive feedback from the transgender community, said Dr. Kenneth Goldberg, chairman of the congregation's social justice committee.

Still, not all wish to be so public.

Transgender people face the potential loss of their family, friends and jobs. If "outed," they face potential violence, discrimination and abuse.

Transfolk just want to live a peaceful, ordinary life, he said.

"It's a complicated issue," said Goldberg, a psychologist. "We're certainly looking to be understanding of everybody."

Williams has been overwhelmed by all the activity on her behalf but encouraged, too. Since that first visit, she has joined the women's group, which pushed her to become more involved in the church.

"They've become surrogate sisters, aunts and moms to me," said Williams. "They give me all this gentle encouragement . . . I started looking at it as a reflection of love."

Everyone has spiritual needs and the need for community, said Mishra, but especially those who have been marginalized and oppressed.

"When you find the spaces that are accepting and embracing, it's salvific," said Mishra. "You are buoyed, lifted up by the community you have found. It helps sustain and bolster you for all the challenges you have to go back to in your day-to-day life."

Williams said she has become more spiritually and psychologically healthy than she has ever been in her life.

"I actually have more friends and activities to do than I had when I was living (as a man) before," Williams said. "I mean, it's amazing to me."

Reach Kim Mulford at (856) 486-2448 or kmulford@courierpostonline.com

Two actors will re-enact the popular children's story during shows scheduled for 2 p.m. today through Thursday at the children's museum, 2040 Springdale Road. The duo will try to coax people in the audience to act out roles on stage in this interactive reproduction about a girl who meets interesting friends after falling into a rabbit hole.

For more information, call (856) 424-1233 or visit http://www.discoverymuseum.com

I arrived at Kirkridge Retreat Center in Bangor, PA on Thursday morning and began the process of meeting and mingling with my fellow “Fellows”.  My first impression was one of awe as I spoke to one person after another, each passionately describing their work in the areas of urban farming, environmental justice, green building, youth engagement, chemical education/advocacy, wildlife study and more.  From the Eastern Shore of Maryland’s watershed to the urban jungle of NYC, this group seemed ready to dive right in.

Day One of this orientation retreat focused on community building and peer to peer learning as we set the foundation for the deep work we would be doing over the next few days in the task of embracing diversity in the environmental movement. Days Two and Three took us deeper into conversations and skill building as we examined our own lenses/filters for viewing the world, participated in a stark interactive exercise in privilege and power and examined our own organization’s dedication to diversity. I had the opportunity to examine SCH’s responsibility to systematically to reach out to the many cultures in our town and to develop an action plan to help us achieve that goal.  We ended the diversity training with a visioning activity that allowed us to express our creativity and to bond further as an ELP community.  Thank you to Marcello Bonto and The Center for Diversity and the Environment for guiding us through this important and often challenging process. Our last day focused on setting the foundation for our “Personal Leadership Plans”, a process we will complete over the course of the three retreats and one that will serve as a future personal and professional roadmap.

I took a break from the deep work of the retreat to discover the incredible Columcille Megalith Park, an outdoor sanctuary rooted in Celtic spirituality.  This park, with it’s mysterious and magical design of huge rocks, trails and sacred spaces, was a highlight of my retreat experience.

I headed home from Kirkridge, exhausted, but exhilerated. Our next retreat is at the end  October and the first draft of my Personal Leadership Plan is due to my small group (Pod) earlier that month, so I’d better get to work!

If you are interested in being a member of the ELP Fellow Class of 2011, please let me know or check out the ELP website for eligibility and requirements.

Spirulina can also help boost immunity, when necessary, against a number of bacterial, viral and fungal agents.  Other investigations of spirulina's benefits include decreases in LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, and increases in HDL the "good" cholesterol.  Spirulina has also shown an ability to help the body rid itself of toxins. 

So while it's a great idea to eat your veggies, spirulina can give your diet a nutrient boost and support your continued well being!  Why not add some into your food plan this week Cherry Hill and be sure to share with us by posting a comment on the blog!

It's not easy for a 14-year-old to put the use of a new gift on hold.

But that's what Jerry Myers did when his father Jeff gave him a No. 4 Kevin Kolb jersey a couple of weeks ago.

"I wanted to go out and wear it right away," said Myers, who resides with his family in Medford. "But my dad said it was too hot, and then he told me about when he thought it would be a good time to wear it."

What the elder Myers had in mind was allowing his son to bring out the jersey for the first time on Friday night, when the two attended the Eagles' preseason opener against Jacksonville at Lincoln Financial Field.

The game was significant because it was the first time Kolb took the field as the Eagles' undisputed starting quarterback, replacing longtime star Donovan McNabb in that role.

And it was a solid debut for Kolb, who completed 6 of 11 passes for 95 yards with a rating of 83.5 in the Eagles' 28-27 victory.

The younger Myers admitted to being a fan of McNabb, who was traded on Easter Sunday to the Washington Redskins. But he was happy that the Eagles have what he believes will be a capable quarterback to start a new era.

"I think Kevin Kolb will be awesome," Jerry said. "I know he hasn't had much of a chance to play yet, but I saw him in training camp, and I thought he looked pretty good."

The elder Myers agreed.

"I think Donovan was great in the time he was here, but it was time to make a change," he said. "Kolb looks like he has all the tools it will take to become a good quarterback."

Not everyone agreed with that sentiment, however.

Greg Howard, a resident of Gloucester Township, believes the Eagles may have made a mistake by trading McNabb.

"Donovan proved he was a winning quarterback," he said "Kevin Kolb hasn't proved anything yet."

Kolb played in three series on Friday, one of which began on the Eagles' 1-yard line late in the first quarter. While that's not a desirable position for any team, coach Andy Reid probably was eager to see how Kolb would handle adversity.

With the help of a pass interference call on a third-down play, he led the team out of trouble, and then turned ball over to Michael Vick, who completed a 46-yard pass to Riley Cooper. But Cooper fumbled away a scoring opportunity on the Jacksonville 10-yard line.

During Kolb's stint on Friday, he led the team to a couple of field goals and left with a 6-0 lead.

Kolb ignited the crowd early when he led the team to a 29-yard field goal by David Akers on the team's first offensive series. The series covered 65 yards in nine plays, two of them long completions to wide receivers.

On the first offensive play of the game, Kolb completed a 21-yard pass to DeSean Jackson, and the quarterback later scrambled six yards to get the Eagles a first down.

"That was pretty good," said Antony Connors of Vineland. "A lot of people came here wondering how well he would do, and then he threw a nice ball right off the bat."

Kolb then completed a 29-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin later in the drive, and he nearly got the team a touchdown. But tight end Brent Celek could not hold on to what looked like a pretty well thrown ball in the end zone.

On his second series, he led the Eagles to another Akers field goal, passing on one play for 26 yards to Jackson, and scrambling another nine yards to set up the 32-yard kick.

"I thought he looked good," said Melissa Johnson of Cherry Hill. "He threw the ball well and he seemed to know what he was doing on the field. I was pretty impressed with him."