Possible Amazon headquarters in Camden

The gigantic tech-company, Amazon, announced their decision to build a second headquarters in September of this year. The Freeholder Board of Camden unanimously agreed to submit a proposal to Amazon to plant their new building in Camden, NJ. The company is awaiting proposals from other major cities like Boston, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli cited reasons why Camden is a good place for Amazon to construct a new headquarters as the proximity to the Philadelphia International Airport, New York City, and Washington D.C. Not to mention the Jersey Shore an hour away, perfect for its employees looking for recreation. This would be an amazing opportunity for Camden and the surrounding area, providing more jobs and bringing credibility to our county.

Book club in a bag

Looking to start a book club with your friends? Well, many local libraries, including those of the Camden and Gloucester Counties, are now offering “book club bags.” Each bag contains 10-15 copies of one book, along with handy discussion questions to go along with the novel. Anybody with a library card can check out a bag for up to eight weeks. There are hundreds of titles to choose from when checking out a book club bag, which include multiple Young Adult novels. It is now easier than ever to get together with friends and enjoy discussing and reading a book of your choice.

Ocean City boardwalk renovations

Summer may seem far away in the middle of December, but you have much to look forward to when it finally rolls around. The Ocean City beaches in New Jersey have received $11.5 million to renovate the community and boardwalk. About 930,000 cubic yards of sand will be used to rebuild on the northern side of the beach. The project is mostly being covered by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the state. Renovations began at the end of October, and it is planned to be completed by January 2018. This leaves plenty of time for the boardwalk to be ready for its opening in March 2018.

Evesham Township PD recognized

The Evesham Township Police Department has been recognized as one of the best in the country. The department received a hearing from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) last month, which included on-site assessments and interviews from elected officials and community members. CALEA ranked the Evesham PD among the top one percent in the whole country. Evesham is only one in nine departments in New Jersey to receive this accreditation, so this is a huge honor for the township.

N.J. Transit receives billions for budget

The New Jersey Transit Board has recently budgeted $2.218 billion for operating and $1.367 billion for capital. These funds will go into over one hundred new, self-propelled, multi-level electrical railcars to replace the oldest in the bunch. There will also be another 185 cruiser-style commuter buses about to hit the road. Statistics from the Federal Transit Administration have cited NJ Transit as having had the most commuter train breakdowns in the country. The budgeting for new vehicles is planning to reduce the number of breakdown-related accidents and overall improve the NJ Transit system.

Possible pot legalization in New Jersey?

The path to legalizing marijuana in New Jersey has been slow but steady over the past 6 years since medical marijuana was made legal in 2011. In 2017, it looks likely that recreational marijuana will inevitably become legal throughout the whole state of New Jersey. Although the legalization of marijuana is inevitable, the debate still remains as to what extent pot will be available. Lawmakers are debating on whether to let the pot industry run wild and reap the tax revenue or to regulate the sale of marijuana and avoid the negative effects cannabis can have on the people who smoke it.   

The Big Fix on 295

A project carried out by The New Jersey Department of Transportation  began in March 2013 is set to continue until 2023 seeks to alleviate the traffic on I-295. Before construction, there was no direct connection to I-295 through traffic, causing motorists to reduce speed in order to merge. The department wants to ease congestion and prevent accidents on I-295, Route 42 and I-76 with the construction of bridges that would carry I-295 over I-76 and 42. With over 250,000 vehicles per day, the run off ramps are some of the most crash prone areas on the highway. New Jersey officials hope the change will improve safety and efficiency on I-295.

No More Bear Hunting in 2018?

Bear hunting in New Jersey has occurred for the past eight years under former Gov. Chris Christie. With Phil Murphy now in place as governor, he has made the decision to issue a moratorium on New Jersey’s bear hunting, which would run through the week of December 9. Murphy argues that the temporary ban is in effect for public safety purposes and to assure that hunters are using the most effective and safe methods to hunt bears. The bear hunt is used to control the black bear population in New Jersey and many hunters argue that without the annual hunt, there will be an inevitable overrun. Some citizens are even pushing for a new bill sponsored by Senator Raymond Lesniak that will impose a five-year moratorium on bear hunting in New Jersey.