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Christie saves N.J. clean needle program for addicts

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Christie instructed the state health commissioner to find $200,000 to help pay for clean syringes and other supplies.

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday signed legislation that saves five locally run needle exchange programs from running out of money, and permits other cities to launch their own efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C among intravenous drug users.

The governor also instructed state Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett to find $200,000 in her budget to supply clean syringes and other supplies for the programs in Atlantic City, Camden, Jersey City, Newark and Paterson for the next year. Atlantic City, Camden and Paterson had already run out of private donations and grants, or were close to doing so.

"These programs not only distribute clean syringes to intravenous drug users, but also deliver lifesaving education, treatment, and testing to their participants," according to Christie's bill-signing statement.

"This bill is another step in my Administration's continued efforts to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis C, through intravenous drug use and to encourage treatment for those suffering from substance abuse," Christie's statement said.

Program operators have used the overdose prevention drug, Naloxone (commonly known as Narcan) to save more than 40 lives, the governor noted.

Georgett Watson, chief operations officer for the South Jersey AIDS Alliance who earlier this month created a gofundme account to raise money to buy syringes, said she was "over the moon excited" with the governor's decision. The account has netted only $2,713 of its $95,000 goal.

"Staff and clients will be as well, as they do not have to worry about whether or not we will not be able to provide syringes to those who need them," Watson said. "This will definitely help keep the transmission rate of HIV and Hepatitis C down in the state of New Jersey for sure."

Last year, these programs supplied nearly 6,000 IV drug users with more than 1 million clean needles, Watson said.

The number of people who contracted HIV by sharing or using dirty needles declined from 7,592 in 2011 to 6,805 in 2015, according to the health department.

A 2012 report by the state Health Deparment declared the program a success for helping to stem the spread of HIV and hepatitis, and drawing 2,160 drug users into treatment.

Sen. Joseph Vitale, (D-Middlesex), one of the bill's sponsors, said he always found it unfortunate that state law allowed municipalities to operate a needle exchange program but the state never spent any money to support it.

The state's arms-length distance from the programs date back to mid-1990s and early 2000s, when Gov. Christie Whitman withheld her support, saying she thought it condoned drug use. Gov. Jon Corzine signed the bill allowing up to six cities to run the experimental programs in 2006.

Needle exchange program deemed a success

"It's good the state is finally stepping up after all these years, but I am going to continue to seek private funding, because it gives funders a level of comfort that the state is invested in this as well," Vitale added. "It's not political any longer - it's a real harm-reduction program and leads many people into treatment."

Christie vetoed a $95,000 budget line item in June to help the syringe programs buy supplies. In his bill-signing message, he explained he did so because it would not have been enough money.

"We are ecstatic.  Our hearts are bursting," said

Roseanne Scotti, director of the New Jersey chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, a fierce advocate for the program, said she was "deeply grateful" for the law's passage.

"These programs have been doing such amazing work yet they have struggled for so long, owing to lack of funding.  Now they will have the support they need to keep doing their life-changing and life-saving work," Scotti said.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.


Boys cross-country 2016 preseason Top 20

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Take a look at N.J.'s top boys cross-country teams heading into the season

Vintage photos of jobs and workers in N.J.

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Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day is "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

The Department also notes that Labor Day, which grew out of local and state initiatives, became a national holiday through an act of Congress in 1894.

563460_228856270597387_2031337687_n.jpgMy dad, John Hatala Jr., designing something that would go completely over my head at Struthers-Dunn in Pitman in 1967. In fact, it likely did go over my head; he designed relays for, among other things, F14 fighters and the Titan rocket. 

We post this gallery in celebration of the hard working people in the Garden State.

Here, we pay homage to people working in a broad range of occupations -- oyster shuckers, glassware packers, linemen and builders, beer brewers and pear pickers.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Here, you will see photos of factory workers and hospital employees, embroiderers and farmers, piano makers and toll takers.

We salute them all. Be sure captions are enabled to read about each picture.

Can't get enough? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

'Because he mattered:' Vigil honors lives lost to overdoses

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Gloucester County held its first vigil to remember drug overdose victims on Wednesday night.

WASHINGTON TWP. -- Don Riebel wishes he had understood sooner what was happening to his son.

He wishes his child hadn't been prescribed opioid pain medication after surgeries for high school sports injuries.

He wishes he had understood addiction.

"I looked at it as something that he has to grow out of," Riebel said.

Through Colin Riebel's struggle with addiction to pain pills and later heroin, his father learned about the disease that stole his son's life and has made it his mission to educate others.

Riebel joined hundreds of other parents, family members and friends gathered at James G. Atkinson Memorial Park on Wednesday evening for Gloucester County's first candlelight vigil to honor those lost to addiction.

Gloucester County officials reported 56 drug overdose deaths so far this year in the county, compared to 60 for all of 2015.

Those remembered at Wednesday's event -- more than 100 in all -- included residents from around South Jersey. Many attendees wore shirts with the names and images of their loved one.

The event wasn't just about remembering. It was also a chance to provide resources for addicts and families still fighting this battle.

Beth Santini said she came to the vigil to honor her son, "because he mattered."

"Just because that's how he died doesn't mean that's how he lived," she said. "He was a great kid and people loved him."

Santini pressed charges against her son, Sean D. Manning, when he stole from her to support his addiction.

"It had just gotten to the point where you have to put your foot down," she said. "You have to do something. That was my effort to try to save Sean from Sean."

She didn't turn her back on her son, though. She attended his hearings and kept in touch with prosecutors.

"Don't let him out," she told the prosecutor.

He was eventually released and she brought him back to her Oaklyn home. Her son told her that, while in jail, he had arranged to seek treatment in Pennsylvania. She dropped him off on June 5, 2012, as he headed for rehab. He died of a heroin overdose five days later.

She feels it's important to share her family's story.

"I share my story so others don't feel as isolated as I did," she said.

Michelle Bush, of Maple Shade, lost her son Adam to a heroin overdose in 2015.

"He was the most loving, caring, kind and charismatic individual you'd ever want to meet," his mother recalled. "He gave the best hugs in the world."

The 30-year-old struggled with addiction for at least 10 years, Bush said. Those years included several stints in rehab.

No one makes a choice to become an addict, she said.

"This is a disease," she said. "They are normal people. They are our sons, daughters and husbands and wives."

The speakers at Wednesday night's event talked about the universality of addiction.

The new Gloucester County Addictions Task Force was formed to help connect residents with available services and support, and to combat the stigma associated with addiction.

Freeholder Jim Jefferson spoke about the importance of creating an environment in which addicts can find help.

"I wonder why there was such a stigma in the first place," he said.

He spoke about losing his grandmother to lung cancer after she spent years smoking cigarettes. When she developed cancer, no one condemned her for choosing to smoke, Jefferson said. "They saw her in need and they worked to help her."

The same needs to happen for addicts, he said.

"Somehow along this road we've got the change the way we look at each other," he said. "We've got to change the way we deal with judgment. We've got to change the way we deal with condemnation."

Washington Township resident Debbi Slotnick lost her daughter, Kimberly Rose Slotnick, to a heroin overdose in February. She hopes those who see addicts as simply victims of their own poor choices will remember that each addict is someone's child.

"What people tend to forget is that there's somebody at home," she said. "That's their baby."

Her daughter battled addiction for about 14 years and made several trips to rehab. She was clean for about three years before a relapse last November.

Slotnick described her daughter as a hard worker and a devoted aunt to her seven nieces and nephews.

"Kimberly was loving and joyful and beautiful inside and out," her mother said. "Her sense of humor was above and beyond."

Freeholder Dan Christy spoke about a family member who struggled with addiction.

"I know what it's like to walk that fine line between loving somebody and enabling somebody, and wondering if you are doing the right thing," he told the crowd. "It's not our fault. It's not their fault. This is a disease."

That last statement drew a round of applause from the audience.

As darkness fell, a sea of candles lit up the park as attendees quietly watched a slideshow of local men and women who lost their battles with addiction. Some in the audience wiped away tears as each name was read aloud.

Colin Riebel was 22 years old when he died of a heroin overdose in 2013.

The Triton Regional High School athlete suffered several injuries, including a torn rotator cuff and ACL tears. Each required surgery and medicine to manage pain. When Colin told his parents that he was addicted to the meds, they immediately sought help, his father said, but the challenges continued.

He later sought drugs on the street and eventually made two trips to inpatient rehab. He died of a heroin overdose 48 hours after he was discharged from rehab following a two-month stay.

"I don't know what happened in those 48 hours," Don Riebel said. "That will always be a mystery to me and my wife. It's been devastating to our family."

Colin had big plans, his father said.

"Colin didn't want to be a drug addict. He wanted to be a sports broadcaster. He had goals, dreams and aspirations."

Don and his wife, Bobbie Lynn, have channeled their grief into advocacy. They took part in a recent protest of a Bellmawr business busted in May for alleged drug trafficking

"I need to spread awareness about the epidemic. My job now is to provide the education that he gave me before he passed away."

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

Crystal ball: NJ.com writers predict postseason football awards

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Who will be the Players of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year? Find out who we think could end up holding those titles.

Body pulled from Cooper River

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Police received a call just after 8 a.m. about a body floating in the river.

PENNSAUKEN TWP. -- Emergency responders pulled a man's body from the Cooper River Thursday morning.

Police and firefighters were called to the river between Pennsauken and Collingswood shortly after 8 a.m. when a man rowing a boat reported seeing a body floating in the river.

It was about 50 yards from the running track at Jack Curtis Stadium, according to Pennsauken Police Capt. Thomas Connor.

Although the rower believed the man was deceased, Connor said police and firefighters prepared for a rescue operation. When they saw the man was deceased, they pulled his body from the river at the Camden County Boathouse at 7050 North Park Drive.

The body lay covered on the dock of the boathouse, but was uncovered when two investigators from the Camden County prosecutor's office arrived. The person appeared to be an adult black man wearing jeans and a t-shirt. 

2nd body in 2 weeks washes up in Pennsauken May 1

Connor said the man's cause of death will likely be determined after an autopsy later Thursday.

He declined to speculate on how long the man had been deceased in the water.

"This is a well-used waterway," he said. "If something is in it, it doesn't go unreported long."

The area is rarely used for swimming, he said.

Collingswood firefighters also responded to the call on their side of the river.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Winslow Township HS to name gym after gold medalist Jordan Burroughs

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The former state champion is a one-time medalist and two-time Olympian.

It was a rough August for Jordan Burroughs, who failed to duplicate the gold medal in freestyle wrestling he won at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Burroughs lost twice on the same day in Rio - matching the number of losses he had suffered the past five years combined.

But the month ended on a positive note with the two-time Olympian and former Winslow Township state champion announcing on Twitter that his alma mater would name its gym after him. Burroughs included a picture of the letters outside the gymnasium being replaced.

He said the dedication would occur at Winslow on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Burroughs won a state title as a senior and wrestled in two state finals at Winslow Township and then went on to Nebraska, where he became a two-time NCAA champion.

His star continued to rise as soon as he reached the senior level in 2011. He captured the first of three world championships that year and then followed it up in 2012 with the gold-medal performance in London.

Burroughs has gone on to become the face of United States wrestling over the past four years and is considered by many the best pound-for-pound freestyle wrestler in the world. He didn't cement his legacy in Rio but is still seen as one of the best U.S. wrestlers of all-time.

While he has accomplished so much on the International level, Burroughs has never forgotten his roots. He worked out with the Winslow wrestling team over winter break and returned to South Jersey two days after winning the Olympic Trials in Iowa this April to spend hours taking pictures, signing autographs and answering questions from fans in Winslow's gym.

It is a gym that will now bear his name.

Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Find and like the NJ.com High School Wrestling page on Facebook.

Ribbon cutting held for new Elmwood Hills Healthcare Center therapy gym

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The state-of-the-art rehabilitative therapy facility features top-of-the-line equipment

BLACKWOOD -- On Tuesday Aug. 23, Elmwood Hills Healthcare Center in Blackwood held a ribbon cutting for its brand new state-of-the-art rehabilitative therapy gym.

The event was well-attended by prominent members of the medical community as well as public officials, including The Honorable Mayor David Mayer of Gloucester Township; Officer Erica Rios, Gloucester Township Police Department Community Relations Bureau; and Paul Sandrock, Camden County Fire Marshall.

"I'm very impressed with the new therapy gym," said the mayor. "I think it will go a long way in improving the quality of life for many individuals."

Officer Rios was enthusiastic as well. "It is truly state of the art ... with state of the art employees!" she said.

As one area orthopedist expressed, "Elmwood already has an outstanding therapy team, and now there is this ideal environment and top-of-the-line equipment."

At the event Dr. Joseph Libby, Elmwood Hills' Medical Director, addressed the participants: "We have added specialties such as wound care and cardiology," he noted. "And we have physicians from the area hospitals who have joined our team here at Elmwood Hills".

The new therapy gym is spacious, modern, and beautifully designed.

Elmwood Hills Healthcare Center, 425 Woodbury Turnersville Road is a member of the Ocean Healthcare, a network of health care facilities and services throughout New Jersey. Visit, www.elmwoodhills.com.

This item submitted by Elmwood Hills Healthcare Center of Blackwood. 


Help moms who let bad-news boyfriends watch tots; Reopen Elsinboro boat ramp | Feedback

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Harriet Brittingham writes about 2-year-old Jamil Baskerville, who was allegedly killed by his mother's boyfriend.

To the Editor:

Concerning Jamil Baskerville, the toddler in Pennsauken who was allegedly beaten to death last month after being told to "put up his hands" by his mother's boyfriend:

It is so devastating and unbelievable that this 2-year-old suffered so severely from an adult who was supposed to love and protect him. Instead, Jamil lost his life because he was just being a 2-year old.

Our society has to do something about stopping any more children from suffering the way that Jamil did.

Perhaps it may help to educate, mentor and have support available for young mothers who believe their worth is found in a boyfriend or someone else who is dangerous to their children. We need to be there for these moms. 

We must help young mothers build their self-esteem so they do not feel their worth is in anyone else. Their children always deserve love and protection, not harm.

I did not know Jamil, but he has a place in my heart.

Harriet A. Brittingham

West Deptford Township 

Reopen Elsinboro boat ramp

To the Editor:

As I come down the home stretch on my recovery from a broken patella, I would like to try boating. But the free Sinnickson Landing boat ramp on the Salem River that I normally use remains closed as the result of court action, based on nuisance complaints from nearby property owner George Pantich.

(Superior Court Judge Anne McDonnell ruled in June that the ramp's owner, PSEG Nuclear, was required to add more security if it continued to grant public access to the ramp. PSEG chose instead to close the ramp, as of July 1.)

If I were to choose other launch sites, Hancock's Bridge is a haven for greenhead flies. The Pennsville ramp has no docks, and it is extremely busy. I literally have had panic attacks thinking about these other options.

Many folks are upset, angry and disbelieving that one person who filed complaints has the power to ruin this for the community. They are disappointed that they cannot launch their boats at Sinnickson Landing. How about the quality of life for all for these individuals?

Pantich has also complained about my Save the Elsinboro Boat Ramp page on Facebook and a sign in my yard.

So, Judge McDonnell, how about the quality of my life and that of other ramp users. I have experienced increased stress, anxiety and worry since all of this happened.

I ask the judge to please make a reasonable judgment against permanent closure so that everyone can move forward. The ramp closure has ruined the peaceful enjoyment of my home and neighborhood. I used to love living here, but not so much recently. I am not the only person impacted by this.

Cheryl Leonard

Elsinboro Township

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com  

Some Subaru owners to get new engines in class-action settlement

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Some vehicles that burned oil improperly will get new engines

Subaru agreed to put a new engine in some vehicles that customers said had oil- burning issues, according to the terms of a class-action lawsuit settlement approved this week.

The class-action suit said the Cherry Hill-based automaker was "unresponsive" to customer complaints and set "an unreasonably high threshold" to test oil consumption.

Subaru breaks ground in Camden

It's not known how many of the 650,000 Crosstrek, Forester, Impreza, Legacy  or Outback models owned or leased from 2011-15 were affected. Subaru asserted that 98 percent of vehicles haven't experienced oil consumption issues. 

In admitting no wrongdoing, Subaru said it will install a new, re-designed $4,000 engine in some cars.

Sitting in Camden, U.S. District Judge Jerome Simandle signed off on the agreement Wednesday.

Nine plaintiffs will receive $3,500 apiece and get up to $1.5 million in attorney fees covered by Subaru.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Unforgotten Haven seeks funds to help flood victims

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The charity needs contributions to help ship donations to Louisiana

BLACKWOOD -- The team at the Unforgotten Haven is all heart and you know it from the moment you walk in their doors in Blackwood. The Unforgotten Haven is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charity and helps all those in need at no charge.

Their building at 100 S. Blackhorse Pike in Blackwood has helped thousands, in their only 20 months of being open, by feeding the homeless, assisting victims of house fires, collecting supplies for veterans, animal shelters, domestic violence victims and much more. They work in partnership with churches and other community organizations to help make the community a better place.

After seeing the recent flooding in Louisiana and the help needed, the "Haven team" decided to spring into action and started a collection for the victims. Donations of clothes, food, blankets, toiletries, pet supplies, diapers, formula, cleaning products, money and more were generously donated and filled a 27-foot truck in four days.

A few sponsors stepped up to help with some of the shipping costs such as the Garden State Rotary, Spartan World Wide, and C.M.I. and Holman Ford is renting the team a passenger van to drive down at a huge discounted rate. The Peter J. Haller Family Foundation will cover the cost to rent this 15 passenger van. They also have an anonymous donator that in the next 48 hours will match donations (up to $1,000) on the GoFundMe page for the trip.

This team, although they all have full-time jobs and are just volunteers, are ready to go camp out in Louisiana to do all they need to do to help. The only thing holding them back now is the rest of the money needed to ship all the extra donations they weren't expecting to receive.

For more information about the Unforgotten Haven visit, unforgottenhaven or follow them on Facebook. For more information on how you can help those in Louisiana visit: www.gofundme.com/2k2ry5m4.

This item submitted by Michele Gambone, The Unforgotten Haven.

No sign of foul play in death of man found in Cooper River, officials say

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Police are still trying to identify the man, who appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s.

PENNSAUKEN TWP. -- Authorities are still working to identify the body they pulled from the Cooper River Thursday, but they have no reason to believe his death is suspicious.

Sgt. Eric Wren, a spokesman for the Camden County prosecutor's office, said there were no signs of trauma or anything else to make investigators think there may have been foul play.

The autopsy, which had not yet been performed Thursday afternoon, will determine the cause of death, he said.

A rower called police around 8 a.m. to report that he had seen a body floating in the river near the track by Jack Curtis Stadium on North Park Drive, according to Pennsauken Police Capt. Thomas Connor.

The body was recovered and brought to the dock at the Camden County Boathouse down river before 9 a.m.

'Potentially harmful' algae found in Haddonfield pond

When investigators were examining his body on the dock, the man appeared to be a black man wearing jeans and a t-shirt. They checked his pockets for identification, but according to Wren, the only ID he had was a dental card.

Before contacting family, Wren said investigators are hoping to confirm that name, possibly with finger prints. However, that will only work if the man has a criminal record, and could also take a while. Wren said.

No missing persons reports have been filed that could help identify the man.

Wren said the man appeared to be in his late 20s or early 30s. He said it did not appear the man had been in the water for very long.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Cumberland County College artists cross county lines

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Cumberland County College resident artists exhibit at Camden County College

BLACKWOOD -- Recent works by Resident Artists of Cumberland County College's Clay College, will be on display Sept. 7-30 in Camden County College's Marlin Gallery, located in Lincoln Hall, College Drive, Blackwood.

Exhibiting artists include: Kathy Baldissero, Cathy Cramer, Anne Glapion, Donna Hunsberger, Kim Hunter, Roy Kaneshiki, Mary Rowson, Jackie Sandro, Anne Seebold, Sharon Vitale and Lisa Weatherill.

Gallery hours are noon to 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday. An opening reception is set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The public is welcome, and refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact Kassandra Huerta, Art Gallery Director, at 856-227-7200, Ext. 4201, or email: artgallery@camdencc.edu.

This item submitted by Nancy James, Cumberland County College.

N.J. man accused of stabbing wife, then himself, now in stable condition

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Timothy Moorman is in the hospital under guard 24 hours a day as he is charged with murder.

COLLINGSWOOD -- The man accused of stabbing his estranged wife to death while her children were home and then turning the knife on himself is now in stable condition at Cooper University Hospital.

Sgt. Eric Wren, a spokesman for the Camden County prosecutor's office, said Timothy Moorman, 41, remains hospitalized but has improved since he was brought in Aug. 21 in critical condition.

Wren said he is being guarded 24 hours a day by police since he has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of his wife, Joseline Perez. He will not be arraigned until he is released from the hospital.

Neighbor of victim says she heard woman 'scream for mercy'

Moorman, of Washington Street, Camden, killed his wife in apartment 214 of Building C in the Heights of Collingswood Apartments just before 8 p.m. Monday, according to the prosecutor's office.

Neighbors of Joseline Perez said she had recently moved into the building. 

Perez's family declined to speak to a reporter about her and it is unclear where her children are living. Posts mourning her on her Facebook page indicate she worked at Cooper University Hospital.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Where can you find craft distilleries in N.J.?

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Consumer demand and favorable liquor laws spurring establishment of local spots.

Bloomfield native John Granata was vacationing in Park City, Utah, in 2013 with his girlfriend, Susan Lord, when they visited a small craft distillery that recently opened in the resort town. As spirits aficionados, they were in the habit of checking out local distilleries in the course of their travels.

But this time, they got to talking. Why not start a distillery of their own? Granata had a successful career as a video producer, but he also had owned a restaurant in Montclair and was devoted to "the science of food," as he describes it. Lord's background was in sales and marketing.

The couple started Googling as soon as they got back to their hotel room.

What they discovered was that the New Jersey Legislature had recently amended the state's liquor laws to make it substantially cheaper to open a distillery. The stars appeared to be aligned, and soon, Granata and Lord were immersed in researching sales trends, distillation techniques and equipment vendors.

Within two years, they launched Jersey Spirits Distilling Co. in Fairfield. The business, which opened a year ago, already is producing a range of small-batch spirits, including Main Street Vodka, Barnegat White Whiskey, Boardwalk Rum and Jersey Apple Hooch. Both the vodka and whiskey are made from locally grown corn.

"Everything we do is grain to bottle," says Granata, who handles every part of the production process -- from cooking and malting the grain to fermenting the "mash," to distilling the fermented liquid to concentrate the alcohol. "The people of New Jersey have really embraced it."

From 2010 to 2015, the number of craft distilleries in the United States exploded from fewer than 100 to more than 750, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. But until 2013, not one of them was in New Jersey. That year, Jersey Artisan Distilling, also in Fairfield, became the first distillery established in the Garden State since Prohibition.

Jersey Artisan, led by former electrical engineer Brant Braue, opened the floodgates. In just three years, at least six more distilleries, including Jersey Spirits, have sprouted across the state. James Yoakum, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, is crafting a range of fine whiskeys at his Cooper River Distillers in Camden. Tim Koether, a former hedge fund portfolio manager, is now doing business as Claremont Distillery, a Fairfield operation that specializes in vodka. And a couple in Atlantic County, proud of their Greek heritage, is making rakii, a traditional Greek spirit, at their Lazy Eye Distillery in Buena Vista.

At least a half-dozen more distilleries are in various stages of launching, according to Braue, who has talked to some of his competitors about starting a trade group to promote the state's budding craft-spirits industry. Among those in the pipeline is Asbury Park Distilling, now under construction in a space next to the popular Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten in downtown Asbury Park.

Zack Ohebshalom, a partner in the business, says that despite the state Legislature's efforts to ease the licensing requirements, distillers still have to clear a number of legal and logistical hurdles.

"They made it considerably less costly, but it's still difficult dealing with the TTB," he says, referring to the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Ohebshalom and his partner, lawyer Andrew Karas, are hoping to open soon.

The craft-distillery bill that Gov. Chris Christie signed into law in August 2013 lowered the annual licensing fee from $12,500 to less than $1,000. And it cleared the way for distillers to welcome the public for tours and tastings. Braue says about 2,000 spirits lovers visited Jersey Artisan in the past year.

The fact that Fairfield is home to about half of the operating craft distilleries is no coincidence. Braue, Granata and Koether all cite the willingness of Fairfield officials to work with them.

"We talked to other towns that were dead set against it," says Granata, who lives in Caldwell. "We talked to Fairfield and they were very welcoming of the idea."

It's also no coincidence that most craft distillers initially focus their efforts on making clear spirits, such as white rum and vodka. Brown spirits, such as whiskey and dark rum, acquire their color and mellow flavor from extended aging in oak barrels. Producers who want to begin selling right away -- and most do -- start out with vodka or white rum because they require no aging and can be distilled and bottled in a matter of weeks.

"Our white rum takes three weeks from molasses to bottle," says Yoakum, whose long-term goal is to make aged whiskey in the tradition of his native Kentucky. "It was quick and easy to get the wheels rolling."

Yoakum, who chose Camden over Philadelphia because of Pennsylvania's notoriously restrictive liquor laws, also figured out a way to jump-start his whiskey-production process. Rather than begin with grain that needs to be cooked and fermented prior to distillation, Yoakum is distilling beer he obtains from area microbreweries. The result is a diverse range of whiskeys marketed under the Single Run Series label.

"Theoretically, it's malt whiskey, since beer is made from malted barley," he says.

At the same time, Yoakum is buying corn and rye from farmers in South Jersey for a traditional "mash bill," or whiskey recipe, that is about 63 percent corn, with smaller amounts of rye and barley. After fermenting and distilling the mash, the clear whiskey is transferred to small, charred oak barrels for aging. Yoakum eventually plans to offer bourbon-style whiskeys that age for up to five years.

But for now, his biggest seller is Petty's Island Rum, named for a sliver of land in the Delaware River between Camden and Philadelphia. It comes in two varieties: a pure white rum and a spiced version.

From Camden and Cape May at the southern end of the state to Fairfield and Wyckoff in the north, craft distillers are turning out a dizzying variety of spirits. At Lazy Eye, Nick and Carol Kafkalas make a grape-based vodka and several types of rakii, traditionally an anise-flavored spirit like the popular Greek cordial ouzo. They're particularly proud of a barrel-aged rakii.

"We wanted to continue the traditions our parents taught us," Carol Kafkalas says.

At Claremont, Koether makes a potato-based vodka that recently won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. He also makes flavored vodkas with New Jersey-grown blueberries and peaches.

"The reason for the blueberry and peach is because they're big Jersey produce," says Koether, who lives in Bernardsville. "Everything we do is trying to promote New Jersey ingredients. We are also making a white corn whiskey called Jersey Devil Moonshine."

At Jersey Artisan, where it all began, Braue makes a whiskey from sweet sorghum, rather than traditional grains, that he calls James F.C. Hyde Sorgho Whiskey. "We treat it like a traditional bourbon, with new American oak barrels," he says. "It's a truly a gluten-free whiskey."

Although the field is growing more crowded by the month, Braue believes there's plenty of room for more craft distillers in the state -- and expects to see a couple dozen up and running in the next few years. The market can support so many brands, he suggests, because spirits lovers prize variety above all else.

"When craft spirits drinkers walk into a bar, the first thing they want to know is, 'What do you have that I can't find in a liquor store?' " Braue says.

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Girls cross-country 2016 preseason Top 20

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Check out which teams are ranked where heading into the season

Identity theft suspect drains $1K from victim, state police say

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State Police are asking for the public's help.

GLOUCESTER TWP. -- New Jersey State Police are looking for a man who allegedly opened a credit card account using stolen personal information and allegedly drained the victim of more than $1,000 afterward.

id theft sicklervilleIn this photo shared by New Jersey State Police, an alleged identity theft suspect is pictured inside a Target store in Sicklerville.  

The victim contacted state troopers at the Red Lion barracks in Southampton Township on July 28 to report that he was notified about a credit card being opened using his personal information.

Authorities say later that afternoon, the suspect allegedly bought a $400 gift card and an Apple iPad Pro, racking up a grand total of more than $1,300.

Surveillance photos of the suspect taken inside a Target store in Sicklerville and shared by state police appear to show a white male wearing glasses, a sleeveless back T-shirt, shorts and carrying an umbrella.

Readers with information regarding the incident are asked to contact the Red Lion state police barracks at 609-859-2282.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Off-duty police sergeant 'wrestled' gun from A.C. mall shooter

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Bellmawr police Sgt. Christopher Cummings was in the right place at the right time.

BELLMAWR -- Borough police are commending the work by one of their own after an off-duty sergeant near the scene of Thursday's fatal shooting at The Walk outlet shops in Atlantic City wrestled a weapon away from the accused gunman.

Sgt. Christopher Cummings was in "close proximity" to the Zumiez store, where 26-year-old Absecon man Christopher Romero was gunned down in what authorities said was a domestic violence incident. The shooter, Lewis Maisonet, 55, of Somers Point, was hospitalized in critical condition Thursday night.

"At some point, after fatally shooting one male, the shooter turned the gun on himself and fired one round into his own torso. Our very own Sgt. Christopher Cummings was off-duty and in close proximity to him and immediately attempted to disarm the suspect," Bellmawr police said Thursday.

Fatal mall shooting was domestic dispute

Cummings "managed to wrestle the firearm from the gunman before he could inflict any further harm upon himself or anyone else and the suspect was then taken into custody. Great job on your courageous actions Sgt. Cummings," police said.

Bellmawr police officials were not immediately available for comment Friday. 

Readers with information regarding the shooting are asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Christie ending income tax pact with Pa., which will cost some N.J. residents more

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The change will reap tens of millions of dollars for New Jersey, but But low- and middle-income New Jerseyan working in Philadelphia.

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie is pulling the state out of a decades-old agreement that allows New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents who work across state lines to pay income taxes where they live instead of where they work, he announced Friday. 

The tax change will reap tens of millions of dollars for New Jersey, but comes at a cost for some residents of both states who will get socked with higher income taxes.

More than 120,000 New Jerseyans commute across the river, and a similar number of Pennsylvanians work here, according to the U.S. census.

"This is the wrong decision for our state," Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said in a statement. "The burden falls completely on working families in New Jersey, especially those in South Jersey who work in Philadelphia."

The governor was required to give Pennsylvania 120 days notice in order to withdraw from the agreement by Jan. 1, the beginning of the next tax year. Christie directed New Jersey state officials to begin exploring the consequences of withdrawing from the tax pact at the end of June. He can take the action without Legislative approval.

Christie unfreezes funds after health care cuts

Currently, New Jersey doesn't collect income taxes from people living in Pennsylvania and working in New Jersey. Christie's former treasurer has estimated the Garden State would reap $180 million in revenue from Pennsylvania residents forced to pay taxes here.

Under the reciprocal agreement, a resident of New Jersey who works in Pennsylvania need only file a tax return in New Jersey. The same is true for a Pennsylvania resident working in New Jersey.

Scrapping the deal means either resident would have to file two tax returns and claim a credit against taxes owed where they live for taxes paid in the state where they work.

Higher income Pennsylvania residents working in New Jersey are likely to pay much more. That state has a flat 3.07 percent income tax rate, while New Jersey's graduated income tax tops out at 8.97 percent. A highly paid executive living in Pennsylvania but working in New Jersey now can pay Pennsylvania's 3.07 percent flat tax. But an end to the reciprocal agreement means they'll have to pay New Jersey taxes.

But low- and middle-income New Jerseyan working in Philadelphia and other spots in the Keystone State would owe more.

South Jersey lawmakers expressed particularly concerned for those taxpayers.

"Ending this agreement will cost South Jersey residents working in Philadelphia, hurting families and raising taxes on hardworking individuals," said Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden).

A legislative analysis found that it will cost 100,000 Garden State residents who earn less than $110,000 a year working in Pennsylvania about $1,000 more a year in income taxes, according to the Senate Majority Office. 

Christie said in a statement Friday that the state's financial situation necessitated the change.

"Today's action was made necessary by the Legislature irresponsibly creating a $250 million state budget hole in June," Christie said. "I will not raise state taxes, cut property tax relief, reduce aid to education or our hospitals, or reduce the state's record pension payment to cover for this blunder by the Legislature."

"I am left with the least painful option I have to fulfill my constitutional duty to balance the budget for New Jersey taxpayers," he continued.

The budget passed by the Legislature assumed the state would come up with $250 million in cuts to public worker health care but did not identify those savings or mandate them.

Christie, however, has tied a spending freeze to the cuts, saying he won't release the funds until the $250 million is paid in full. He said Friday he will reconsider his decision to withdraw from the tax agreement with Pennsylvania if the Legislature makes good on the cuts.

In a column in NJ Spotlight last year, former Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff predicted ending the arrangement would bring $180 million into the state. 

"New Jersey's losses from not being able to tax wealthy Bucks County residents who commute to high-paying jobs in New Jersey far outweighs the taxes New Jersey collects on low- and moderate-income Camden and Gloucester County residents who work in Pennsylvania, typically Philadelphia," he wrote.

The pullout comes 12 years after former Gov. James E. McGreevey proposed to end the reciprocal tax agreement but dropped the plan after angering south Jersey residents and lawmakers who said many New Jerseyans who worked in Pennsylvania would have paid more in taxes. 

A spokesman for Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Christie had "erred significantly in his decision to unnecessarily punish 125,000 Pennsylvanians." He also warned Christie was impairing regional job creation.

A Democratic state representative from Bucks County who decried the move as a "cash grab" said earlier this week he'd gathered more than 3,500 signatures from Pennsylvanians opposed to scotching the agreement.

Rep. Steve Santarsiero told NJ Advance Media said his constituents have reacted with concern and anger "frankly, because they feel as if the rules are being changed midstream. They took jobs in New Jersey with one set of expectations, and now that's being changed."

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Dad who changed N.J. medical marijuana law dies suddenly

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Attorney Roger Barbour represented his wife and daughter in a case that paved the way for the first school in the nation to allow medical cannabis on campus. Watch video

TRENTON -- The father who helped pass a state law allowing severely ill and disabled children like his daughter to use edible marijuana at school died from complications of a heart attack on Thursday.

Roger Barbour, 51, of Maple Shade, was remembered Friday as a devoted family man and a tenacious lawyer whose successful challenge on his daughter's behalf made her private school in Camden County the first in the country to adopt a medical marijuana policy.

Ken Wolski, a registered nurse and executive director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana in New Jersey, described Barbour as "a brilliant, savvy and relentless advocate."

"He was responsible for having the first school in the nation permit, by policy, the administration of medical marijuana on school property," Wolski said. "Not only was he effective -- he also won a nice settlement from the school -- but he kept his sense of humor throughout."

"He was a loving and dedicated family man. I'm sure that was the source of much of his strength," Wolski added. "Roger will be sorely missed."

Barbour's daughter, Genevieve, "Genny" Barbour, 17, is diagnosed with autism, as well as a severe seizure disorder that her mother's cannabis oil has kept under control since the August 2014.

When the Barbours asked the Larc School in Bellmawr whether the school nurse could give Genny marijuana oil at lunch time, officials refused. They feared they would be targeted for allowing an illegal drug on school property because marijuana possession remains a federal crime.

Roger Barbour sued the school and the Maple Shade school district for violating his daughter's constitutional rights to an education. Without a steady dose of the oil, her seizures interfered with her ability to learn, he said.

"She could have Valium or oxycodone, but not medical marijuana. Other children can take their medicine. My daughter cannot," Roger Barbour told NJ Advance Media in April 2015. "My daughter is a citizen of this state, and this is a violation of her state and federal constitutional rights." 

The Barbours lost their legal appeals but succeeded in the Statehouse. 

In November, Gov. Chris Christie signed a law sponsored by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) and Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) that requires school boards to adopt a policy that permits parents, guardians and primary caregivers to bring edible cannabis on a school bus and onto school property. 

New Jersey was the second state in the nation, behind Colorado, to pass such a law. Days after Christie signed the bill, the Larc School adopted a cannabis policy.

Teen demands right to use medical marijuana in N.J. school

Roger Barbour's wife Lora, said she wanted people to remember him as a loving father to daughters Genny and Marlee, 13.

"Roger was happiest being at home with his family. His time not working was spent with his girls. He loved us dearly," she said.

He was a lifelong Maple Shade resident, a self-employed attorney specializing in school law, and a member of the Rotary Club, according to his obituary. 

He was son of George H. Barbour, a former president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and a former Democratic Assemblyman in the 1960s and 70s. 

Although the Barbours won the legal challenge, Genny was not using marijuana oil at school, which was a source of frustration for the family.

The medical marijuana law enacted in 2010 allows only a registered caregiver to administer the edible marijuana to a child. But a midday visit from mom is likely to trigger a tantrum and unravel the remainder of her daughter's school day, the Barbours said. Another bill is pending in the Legislature to allow flexibility on who may administer the edible cannabis at school. 

In the meantime, Roger Barbour told NJ Advance Media in June that he and his family took pride in what they had accomplished.

"We have to appreciate what we have done. Kids can use this drug in school. We were the first state in the nation," he said. "We see people all the time who tell us we did a good thing."

Services are scheduled for Saturday morning, with visitation from 9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 236 E. Main St., Maple Shade, followed by the funeral mass at 11 a.m., according to the obituary by the Mark C. Tilghman Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Genny the Purple Warrior C/O Columbia Bank, 253 E. Main St., Maple Shade, NJ 08052.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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