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N.J. is slashing state funding for 172 districts. Can they survive?

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Some districts are warning of devastating budget cuts. Is the state to blame?

In Haddon Township, students won't get new science equipment. In Toms River, officials are tapping reserves to stave off budget cuts. In Jersey City, the school board is eliminating 25 jobs. 

Across New Jersey, more than 150 districts have spent the past month scrambling to offset reductions in state funding announced in July, after they had already passed their budgets for the coming school year. The worst part, they say? Their state aid is set to get slashed again and again under a new state law. 

"This is a disaster," Jersey City School Board President Sudhan Thomas said at a special meeting last week to discuss the more than $3 million in lost state aid. "War has been declared on this district."

The combined $32 million in aid reductions are part of a complex school funding deal that increases New Jersey's education spending by more than $300 million for the upcoming school year and changes how some aid is distributed. 

That plan pumps millions more into both urban and suburban districts long underfunded by the state. But it comes with a catch: Some of the dollars headed to those underfunded districts is money taken away from others.  

Find out if your district is losing aid

State officials say those districts should lose money now because they were winners for far too long, collecting more than their fair share of state funding over the past decade. Local school leaders, however, argue the state is effectively robbing Pemberton to pay Paulsboro and setting up districts for devastating cuts in the years to come. 

The fallout underscores a practical and political reality of the latest school funding deal: Even if some districts were getting extra funding for all those years, the state was never going to be able to reduce it without affecting kids and angering school officials. 

"You spend what the state gives you," said Brigid Harrison, a professor of political science at Montclair State University. "No one ever says, 'Well, we don't really need that money.'" 

Less money, more problems 

Can the school districts that are losing aid still get by without those state dollars?

State officials say they should be fine. Local school chiefs disagree. And the answer isn't so simple, said David Sciarra, executive director of the Education Law Center. 

New Jersey's school funding formula tells the state exactly how much each district should spend, how much of a district's funding should come from the state and how much the district should generate in local property tax revenue. 

There are 172 districts losing state aid, and all of them have been receiving more than the formula says they need, with some collecting millions and millions in aid for roughly a decade. 

Of those districts, 153 have been spending at or more than the state says they should in order to provide a quality education, according an Education Law Center analysis. 

Those districts are better positioned to survive the state's seven-year phase-out of extra aid, but that doesn't make budget cuts any less painful, and any reductions could quickly drop them below their target spending level, Sciarra said. 

The districts in a more perilous position are the 19 that are seeing their state aid reduced even though they weren't spending what the state says is needed, he said. 

That group of districts hasn't generated enough local tax revenue to cover their responsibility for funding their schools, and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney has characterized them as using the state as a piggybank. 

"They can undertax locally because they get our money," Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said during budget negotiations. "Our money is leaving."

Sciarra argues those districts have been miscast by politicians. 

Some of the districts haven't been able to raise enough tax revenue because of the state's 2 percent cap on property tax hikes, Sciarra said. When chunks of their state aid disappear, they'll be left with little ability to make it up, he said. 

"This is the point we have been trying to make all along," said Sciarra, who opposed the state aid cuts.  

An uncertain future 

School officials in Toms River are already warning of "dramatic budget cuts" after this school year. 

The district received about $18 million in extra state aid last school year toward its $228 million budget, but still spent about $25 million less than the state says it needs to, according to an Education Law Center analysis. 

Now, the state is phasing out that $18 million, beginning with a nearly $1 million reduction this year, followed by incrementally larger reductions through 2025. 

District officials said property tax hikes won't be enough to avoid budget cuts. 

"Make no mistake," Superintendent David Healy wrote in a letter to parents. "Our district will be nothing short of gutted and fully decimated if something does not change with regards to the allocation of school aid." 

Neighboring Brick Township Public Schools is also spending below its goal and facing annual state aid cuts moving forward. Officials say the state funding formula doesn't accurately capture ratables lost in Hurricane Sandy and expects Shore towns to generate an unrealistic amount of property tax revenue.

The district will get by this year by using $1.3 million from its reserves and leaving six teaching jobs and two administrative positions vacant, Superintendent Gerard Dalton said.  

After that, he said, he's not sure what will happen. 

"We are worried about the future," he said. 

In Cumberland County, Commercial Township spent about $500,000 less than the state recommends last year. Now, it's losing about $1 million in state aid right away with more money disappearing down the road. 

The district just eliminated seven positions, including five layoffs, interim Superintendent Jean Smith said.  

"Devastating is the word I would use," Smith said. 

Murphy's proposed budget didn't reduce funding to any district, but he agreed to the changes as part of a compromise with Sweeney, who had pushed for a redistribution of school aid. 

Dan Bryan, the governor's spokesman, pointed to the fact that the state has attempted to soften the blow on some districts.

For instance, the state will allow some urban districts to raise taxes beyond the 2 percent cap to offset state aid reductions. And Murphy agreed to allow Jersey City to create a special 1 percent payroll tax paid by employers to generate extra revenue for its public schools. 

"Gov. Murphy signed landmark school funding legislation that sets the state on the path to a fairer and more equitable educational system," Bryan said. 

The state will also offer emergency aid for districts that are able to demonstrate fiscal distress, Department of Education spokesman Mike Yaple said. 

Even though the state aid reductions weren't Murphy's idea, he can expect to take the blame for them, Harrison said, even in districts that are spending more than the state expectation. 

"The reality is that if you try to level the funding, the schools that are receiving a disproportionate amount of money and see their aid reduced are going to have to belt tighten," Harrison said. "And that is not going to be politically popular." 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @realAdamClarkFind NJ.com on Facebook

Olivia Rizzo may be reached at orizzo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LivRizz. Find NJ.com on Facebook

 

Manhunt continues for 2 gunmen who shot Camden cops

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Law enforcement vehicles have flooded the neighborhood where the detectives were shot.

Corrections sergeant got to keep pension after guilty plea

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Sgt. Joseph Antrilli was charged with criminal sexual contact and harassment. He later pleaded guilty to harassment

A Camden County corrections sergeant was allowed to keep his pension after being indicted for the inappropriate sexual touching of a female corrections officer and pleading guilty to harassment in a separate case, records show.

A 2017 indictment charged Sgt. Joseph Antrilli with fourth-degree criminal sexual contact stemming from a incident that occurred Oct. 5, 2016. The female corrections officer was 23 years old at the time.

The indictment and other court documents were first obtained by open government advocate John Paff and posted on his blog.

Antrilli was also charged with a disorderly persons harassment offense on Jan. 3, 2017. He later pleaded guilty before Judge Kathleen Delaney, who also dismissed the criminal sexual contact indictment.

Antrilli was ordered to have no contact with the victim and to forfeit his job at the Camden County Department of Corrections. He was also barred from seeking public employment in the state.

In March 2018, the Police and Firemen's Retirement System ruled that the former sergeant's "misconduct reflected a high degree of moral turpitude" before imposing a forfeiture of some of his service time -- to 20 years from 22.

Antrilli qualified for a service retirement and now collects a monthly pension of $3,604.77, or more than $43,000 a year, Paff wrote.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Well wishes pour in for 2 cops shot by gunmen, including one from Gov. Murphy

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The Camden detectives suffered non-life threatening injuries Watch video

It was a beautiful night in Camden.

Like many communities, police hosted National Night Out festivities Tuesday evening.

Officers mingled with residents, bought ice cream for kids and posed for photos, all in an effort to strengthen ties with the citizens they serve.

The city had reason to celebrate. Crime is down during the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2017.

Then came 8:30 p.m. at a desolate intersection in the Bergen Square neighborhood.

Two gunmen ambushed a pair of Camden Police detectives sitting at a red light in an unmarked SUV, firing between 10 and 25 rounds into the vehicle.

Somehow, the cops escaped with non-life threatening wounds and now the hunt is on for two men, and a bullet riddled white van.

Well-wishes poured in on social media for the unidentified officers as everyone anxiously awaited word of their conditions Tuesday night. The goodwill continued Wednesday.

Gov. Phil Murphy expressed relief that the officers survived and reaffirmed his support for the city's future.

"We remain committed to being part of Camden's turnaround and to building a safer community by getting guns off our streets," he said in a Facebook post Wednesday morning.

That turnaround has been years in the making and local officials have proudly touted their progress.

The city saw an 18.6 percent drop in violent crime in the first 6 months of 2018, including homicides, rapes, robberies, and assaults, but an 11.7 percent increase in non-violent crimes.

Some took to social media to describe the shooting as the latest episode in a national war on cops, while others simply asked for prayers.

Camden pastor and community activist Amir Khan recalled a recent gathering of local clergy at city hall. They were praying "for the city, peace in the streets, and protection over our police officers," he said.

Tuesday's shooting was "heartbreaking," Khan said.

He wondered aloud if the shooting was gang-related or the result of someone suffering from mental illness. Either way, this former candidate for mayor reached out to local police officials Wednesday to offer his support.

"First and foremost, our prayers are for the officers that were shot, along with their families and the entire police force," he said.

Khan knows that some people may have issues with cops, but noted that those same people will quickly call 911 when they are in danger.

"Whether people like the police or not, the fact of the matter is, whenever anyone is on trouble, they are there," he said. "There is never, ever a reason for this kind of violence towards police officers."

He hopes this assault doesn't have a lasting impact on Camden's improving fortunes. Corporations are starting to invest in the city and he doesn't want to see that momentum lost.

"We hope the progress will continue and steadily go on," he said. "You're going to have violence in any city across America," he said. Camden, though, is fighting a bigger challenge because of the stigma of violence associated with the city, Khan added.

In order for the city to truly turn a corner, its residents need jobs and job training, he said.

camden shooting scene.jpgPolice secure an area by the intersection of Broadway and Spruce Street, where a gunman opened fire on two New Jersey police officers in Camden, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. (Joe Lamberti/Camden Courier-Post via AP) 

In the meantime, the search for two gunmen continues.

The assailants who shot the detectives Tuesday night are described as two males with dark shirts and blue jeans, and that they might be seeking care for gunshot wounds at a hospital. One of the cops returned fire at the assailants. The van they were driving will have bullet holes in the driver's side, police said.

Police spokesman Dan Keashen, at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, said no arrests had been made and the department had no new information.

Among those aiding in the search are New Jersey State Police, the FBI, ATF, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office and Philadelphia police.

As the hunt continues, Camden County police are still reaching out to local residents with a message of unity and peace. The department is hosting its "Annual Metro Summer Carnival Night" this Friday at 5 p.m., in Staley Park.

Anyone with information about the shooting of the officers is asked to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Sergeant Vince McCalla 856-225-8569.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on FacebookHave a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

These men could have information about the ambush shooting of 2 Camden cops

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These are the photos of two men who prosecutors say may have information about the shooting of two Camden County detectives who were ambushed Tuesday night while they sat in their unmarked car at a red light.

These are the photos of two men who prosecutors say may have information about the shooting of two Camden County detectives who were ambushed Tuesday night while they sat in their unmarked car at a red light.

The two men in the images are people of interest in the case, and the public should not approach the them, Camden County prosecutors said Wednesday night. 

The shooting occurred Tuesday around 8:30 p.m. while the officers were sitting at a red light on Broadway and Mount Vernon in Camden, police spokesman Dan Keashen said.

At least one man ambushed the car and fired up to 25 rounds at the officers, said Police Chief J. Scott Thomson. The detectives, a man and a woman, were hospitalized and are expected to recover from their injuries.

Their names have not been released.

The Prosecutor's office is asking anyone with information about the men in the picture contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Detective Matt McKeown at (609) 820-7192 or email ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Vintage photos of fairs, amusement parks and circuses in N.J.

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You must be taller than this to view this gallery.

There are certain emotions that are wonderful and almost impossible to put into words. Falling in love for the first time ... holding your newborn child ... your lifelong favorite team winning the Super Bowl for the first time ever.

Now, close your eyes and try to recapture the feeling from childhood just before you walked through the gates of a carnival, circus or amusement park. It certainly ranks right up there.

gregferris.jpgAnd try not to trip getting off the ferris wheel. 

There was a magical feeling of anticipation mixed with a happy mystery. You remembered your favorite rides and games and couldn't decide which was the first you were going to do. And you didn't know what new ones might have been invented, what new things a circus might bring to town.

The sensory stimulation was almost too much to handle - the sounds, sights, aromas, even the air had a unique quality to it. It was one of the few times in life that having things coming at you from all sides couldn't have been happier.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

I'm one of those people who grows a little melancholy when something happy draws to a close, but at those places, the only thing you felt at the end of the day was a magnificent exhaustion. Kind of like celebrating a Super Bowl victory.

Here's a gallery of vintage photos from amusement parks, fairs and circuses in New Jersey. Don't see one of your favorite places to visit? Check these links to previous galleries.

Vintage photos of amusement parks, circuses, fairs and rides in N.J.

Vintage photos of amusement parks, circuses and fairs in N.J.

Vintage photos of amusement parks, fairs and circuses in N.J.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

An N.J. mall where shopping is work, and vice versa | Feedback

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A unique deal to fill empty Cherry Hill Mall storefronts with a business incubator isn't as crazy as it might seem, and could bring added value to vacant mall space.

 

There's more than one way to fill chronic vacancies in an enclosed shopping mall, even a still-successful one, once all the fitness centers, yoga studios and ways to split a shared liquor license have run out.

Enter what sounds like a business incubator right inside the Cherry Hill Mall, just a shopping bag's throw away from the shoes that most people can't afford at Nordstrom's.

The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, the multiple mall owner better known as PREIT, says it just leased 11,000 square feet of prime Cherry Hill space to a small chain of workspace sites known as 1776 Startup Network. Think WeWork, or the startup venture space for rent at Rowan University's South Jersey Technology Park.

If it wanted a South Jersey presence, 1776 likely could have found cheaper space in than a high-visibility section of the Cherry Hill Mall. Here's the twist, though: It's the high visibility and the Nordstrom eBar latte-carrying foot traffic that 1776 really wants. The company thinks it can attract startups that desire, and even depend on, real, live consumers for research and marketing purposes.

As explained by 1776 CEO Jennifer Maher: "We have a number of product-based companies within our (exisiting) space, but they are only selling from e-commerce. Getting space inside a mall or a retail district is incredibly expensive. So, if we can partner with PREIT to provide that space, we can provide all those product companies access to consumer foot traffic and exposure they never would have had before."

In other words, some companies want to add to limited feedback they can get from the internet to learn if something will sell on the internet. They can ask follow-up questions of potential buyers, and get instant response to design elements ("ugly shoe!") that might need changing. Last, but perhaps not least, entrepreneurs can determine if their e-commerce success is ready for brick-and-mortar prime time, which still dwarfs the Web in overall sales. They'll have a ready answer when Lori Greiner asks them during their "Shark Tank" investment pitch.

So, workspace among the 40-percent-off window signs could mark a positive trend for malls that have lost sales to click-or-swipe online retailing. 

Once caution is that what works at Cherry Hill can't necessarily be duplicated at more downtrodden malls. Moving scads of office space into Voorhees Town Center hasn't helped its indoor vacancy rate much. Even the food court, which should have thrived with a new, semi-captive lunch bunch, looks as if it's one or two closures away from abandonment. For a totally vacant space like Burlington Center Mall, there's no advantage for this kind of e-commerce firm to set up in a place with zero consumer traffic.

Area malls are running out of options and running out of time. Dave & Buster's, whispered by township officials as a desirable tenant for a chunk of Voorhees Town Center space, will instead open its first South Jersey alcohol-and-arcade emporium elsewhere, building from scratch next to the Gloucester (Township) Premium Outlets.

So, the business incubator idea is a worth a try for PREIT and 1776, even if some boundary issues develop. How much leeway will 1776 clients get to operate, in effect, as retail storefronts, selling to customers who otherwise would be browsing in Nordstrom's? Watch for a robust lease dispute if one of those startups sells those same shoes, or a really good knockoff, for $40 less than the department store.

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

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Elected official cited for leaving scene of crash. He called cops 20 minutes later.

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Commissioner Paul Dougherty is accused of rear-ending another car and leaving.

A Haddon Township commissioner cited for leaving the scene of a car accident and driving with an expired license will face a judge in another county when his case is heard in municipal court, a township court clerk said Wednesday.

Paul Dougherty, one of three elected officials who administer the municipality, is accused of rear-ending a car near the intersection of Haddon Avenue and Cuthbert Boulevard in Haddon Township on the evening of July 19.

He was scheduled to appear in municipal court in Haddon Township Wednesday morning to answer to the summons.

Screen Shot 2018-08-08 at 2.06.02 PM.pngPaul Dougherty
 

Court clerk Katie Murphy said a judge will decide where and when the hearing will be held and it is expected to be in Burlington County to avoid any conflicts of interests in Camden County. Haddon Township is in Camden County and Dougherty, an attorney, has been a municipal prosecutor in several municipalities here.

A police report from the incident obtained by NJ.com said Dougherty, 49, was cited for "leaving the scene" of the accident which occurred at 9:16 p.m. He called police 20 minutes later and reported the accident, a police report said.

Dougherty told Lt. Sean Gooley that traffic moved forward after the alleged accident and he pulled into a parking lot for a Walgreen's store near the intersection.

Dougherty said he waited for the other driver there and when she did not appear he pulled out and went home.

The driver of the other car, a 58-year-old woman with a P.O. Box address in Barrington, remained in her car at the scene of the accident and was ordered into the parking lot of a Wawa convenience store near the intersection to be interviewed for the police report, Gooley said.

Gooley went to Dougherty's home in the 400 block of Bradford Avenue, a 2 minute, half-miles drive, from the accident to get information from him that evening.

The police report indicates Dougherty was not given a blood or breath test for alcohol.

Gooley is one of four officers suing the township and its police Chief Mark Cavallo for unwanted sexual advancements and sexual harassment.

The lawsuit filed earlier this year by the four senior officers is currently being litigated in superior court.

Dougherty was also one of three township commissioners who unanimously approved an agreement in April to have the Camden County police force take over internal affairs investigations in the department because "the current officers assigned to perform internal affairs investigations for the Township can no longer be fair, impartial and unbiased due to conflicts of interest that have arisen."

Capt. Scott Bishop, the lead plaintiff for the sexual harassment lawsuit to which Gooley is also a plaintiff, had been in charge of internal affairs.

Phone calls to Dougherty's municipal office and home for comment Wednesday were not immediately returned. An email to his municipal office was also not returned. An email to Mayor Randall Teague Wednesday was not immediately returned.

Calls to Chief Mark Cavallo and to a business phone number for the woman identified in police reports as the driver whose car was allegedly hit by Dougherty were also not returned.

Reporter Rebecca Everett contributed to this report.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on FacebookHave a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

 

Cop shot in ambush released from hospital; alleged shooters' van found

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Two detectives were shot as they sat at a red light in Camden on Tuesday night. Watch video

One of the Camden detectives shot in a Tuesday night ambush has been released from the hospital and his partner could be released today.

Two plain-clothes detectives were shot as they sat in their SUV at a red light in the Bergen Square neighborhood around 8:30 p.m.

One detective returned fire and police are looking for two men who fled the scene in a white van.

camdenmen.jpgThe Camden County Prosecutor's Office is seeking the public's help in identifying these two men, who may have information about the shooting of two Camden detectives on Aug. 7. (Camden County Prosecutor's Office)
 

That van was recovered hours later in Camden and is being processed by investigators, according to police.

Officials have not released the names of the detectives, because of their work as undercover narcotics officers.

"Both detectives are doing great. Their conditions are good, their spirits are good," reported Rick Kunkel, president of Camden County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 218.

The male detective, a three-year veteran of the force, was released from Cooper University Hospital in Camden on Wednesday after suffering wounds to the bicep and forearm.

The female detective, who has served more than four years, was struck in the hand. She could go home today after a follow-up meeting with specialists, Kunkel said.

camden shooting scene.jpgPolice secure an area by the intersection of Broadway and Spruce Street, where a gunman opened fire on two New Jersey police officers in Camden, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. (Joe Lamberti/Camden Courier-Post via AP)
 

In two decades on the force, Kunkel doesn't recall a similar ambush attack on cops in Camden.

"You can see that this has happened across the country. It's something we're constantly making officers aware of," he said. "You gotta be on your toes at all times."

The detectives' training kicked as the bullets started flying Tuesday night, Kunkel said. The attackers fired up to 25 rounds.

"One officer was able to start returning fire," he said. "They pulled through the intersection to get to a better tactical position. They were able to drive these cowards off who were trying to ambush them."

While a motive behind the shooting hasn't been revealed, Kunkel is confident the shooters knew their targets were detectives.

"I can say with a good degree of certainty it doesn't take long for the criminal element in the city to figure out who the undercover narcotics detectives are," he said. "The way I'm looking at it, they were trying to assassinate these officers."

While any job in policing carries risks, the job of an undercover narcotics detective has added risks, he said, since officers frequenty pose as buyers or sellers. "Being an undercover narcotics officer has its own level of danger," Kunkel said.

The area where they were attacked, the intersection of Mount Vernon Street and Broadway, isn't known for violent crime, he said, noting that Broadway is a well-traveled main artery through Camden.

49a-ap18220123860630jpeg-fbc05086e50b11a6.jpgAn officer is posted by Copper hospital following a shooting that left two detectives wounded in Camden, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. (Joe Lamberti/Camden Courier-Post via AP)
 

The detectives are looking forward to returning to duty as soon as possible, Kunkel said.

"They're in really good spirits and eager to get back to work. They're grateful for all the support they've received."

That support has poured in not just from colleagues in law enforcement, but from members of the local community.

While praise can generally be hard to come by when police are just doing their jobs, Kunkel said the detectives are thankful for the community's good-wishes.

"They're just grateful to know the community is supporting them ... People are reaching out just to find out how these officers are doing."

Investigators released images Wednesday evening of two men they believe have information about the shooting. The public was warned not to approach the men, but to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Detective Matt McKeown at 609-820-7192 or email ccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on FacebookHave a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

18-year-old tried to shoot 2 officers but his gun misfired, sheriff says

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The teen was ordered detained pending trial on charges that include attempted murder

This week, the ambush shooting that wounded two Camden County police officers in Camden shocked the state and led to an ongoing manhunt for the two shooters.

cameron-rogers.jpgCameron Rogers 

But just last week, two other Camden law enforcement officers narrowly avoided being shot by a teenager they were pursuing, according to the Camden County Sheriff's Office.

The office said that Cameron Rogers, 18, tried to shoot a member of the Sheriff's Special Investigations Bureau on Aug. 1, but the gun misfired

On Tuesday, Rogers was ordered held pending trial on charges of attempted murder, resisting arrest and weapons charges, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

In a statement, the sheriff's office said two officers were called to the 900 block of Jackson Street for a report of a person with a gun, and they spotted Rogers, who matched the description of the gunman.

Cop shot in ambush released from hospital; alleged shooters' van found

He fled on foot and a handgun fell from his waistband, the office said. "Rogers stopped to retrieve the gun grabbed, and raised it to a firing position as he pointed it at two investigators," the statement said.

But nothing happened.

He then kept running, ditched the gun and barricaded himself in a home, the sheriff's office said. He eventually surrendered without incident, the sheriff's office said.

Investigators recovered and inspected the gun, a 9mm Jimenez Arms pistol, determining that it had earlier misfired.

Camden County Sheriff Gilbert "Whip" Wilson praised the resolve of the officers.

"I commend the skills and dedication of all the officers involved in this arrest," he said in a press statement.

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

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2nd Camden officer shot in ambush released from hospital; Reward boosted to $50K

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Statewide police unions have offered a $50K reward for information on the gunmen who wounded 2 Camden detectives Watch video

A female Camden county detective shot in a Tuesday night ambush has been released from the hospital, officials said. Her partner, who was also shot, was released yesterday.

camdenmen.jpgThe Camden County Prosecutor's Office is seeking the public's help in identifying these two men, who may have information about the shooting of two Camden detectives on Aug. 7. 

 The detective, who has served more than four years, was struck in the hand. She was to be released from Cooper University Hospital in Camden after a follow-up meeting with specialists, Rick Kunkel, president of Camden County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 218, said earlier Thursday.

The male detective, a three-year veteran of the force, had wounds to his bicep and forearm.

Two plain-clothes detectives were shot as they sat in an unmarked SUV at a red light in the Bergen Square neighborhood around 8:30 p.m.

One detective returned fire and police are looking for two men who fled the scene in a white van.

Officials have not released the names of the detectives because they work as undercover narcotics officers.

Police have said they're looking for two suspects. The van they were believed to have driven was recovered hours after the shooting in Camden and has been processed by investigators, according to police.

Also on Thursday, The New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police Lodge announced a $30,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of a suspect in the shooting. That is in addition to the New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association's reward of $20,000, bringing the total award to $50,000.

"We consider an attack on ANY law enforcement officer in New Jersey regardless of union affiliation an attack on one of our own," PBA President Patrick Colligan said Thursday.

Police Officers ShotAn officer is posted by Cooper hospital Tuesday night Aug. 7, 2018. (Joe Lamberti | Camden Courier-Post via AP) 

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on FacebookHave a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.

Eagles Cheerleaders perform during preseason game vs. Steelers (PHOTOS)

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The Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders were all smiles during the preseason opener on Thursday, August 9, 2018 (8/9/18) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. The Eagles lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-14.

SportsAbility Day set Aug. 12 for vets and disabled in Pensauken

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Athletes with Disabilities Network Northeast will host "a Paralympic experience called SportsAbility Day" Sunday, Aug. 12, at the Camden County Boathouse, 7050 N. Park Blvd., Pennsauken. The free event will offer kayaking, rowing, sitting volleyball, bocce, tennis, archery, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis, adaptive cycling. All sports are open to all physical and cognitive disability levels in addition to all...

Athletes with Disabilities Network Northeast will host "a Paralympic experience called SportsAbility Day" Sunday, Aug. 12, at the Camden County Boathouse, 7050 N. Park Blvd., Pennsauken.

The free event will offer kayaking, rowing, sitting volleyball, bocce, tennis, archery, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis, adaptive cycling. All sports are open to all physical and cognitive disability levels in addition to all veterans. Family members are encouraged to come to participate with their loved ones. 
Registration will begin 8:30 a.m. with activities starting at 9 a.m.

The sports scheduled are:

8:30 a.m.-noon -- kayaking and rowing on Cooper River; wheelchair basketball and adaptive cycling at Challenge Grove.

Noon-1 p.m. -- lunch at Cherry Hill Racquet Club; afternoon sport check-in, 1820 Old Cuthbert Road, Cherry Hill.

1-3:30 p.m. -- indoor wheelchair basketball, Cherry Hill Health and Racquet Club

1-4 p.m. -- sitting volleyball and bocce, Cherry Hill West, 2101 Chapel Ave., Cherry Hill.

4-6 p.m. -- tennis, standup and wheelchair, 1820 Old Cuthbert Road, Cherry Hill.

Professional wheelchair basketball players Megan Blunk, 2016 Gold Medal Wheelchair Athlete, veteran Sean Johnonson and Anthony Pone will be teaching wheelchair basketball. Russian National Team Member and US National Sprint Kayak Canoe, US Team Member Brandon Holiday and executive director of Athletes with Disabilities Network Northeast will be teaching kayaking at the Cooper River Camden County Boathouse.  
Veterans from the ADNNEC wheelchair team andkayak team will be in attendance, along with youth athletes, including 11-year-old youth national champion and double amputee Jack Cunnigham and 7-year-old track star Chase Merriweather, a quadruple amputee.
To register, visit hbrandonholiday.com. For general information, visit adnnec.org.

 

Reward jumps in effort to catch shooters who ambushed 2 N.J. cops

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County authorities released a surveillance photo from nearby but no further details have been released about the suspects Watch video

The reward has been upped to $60,000 for information about who pulled the trigger in an ambush on two Camden police detectives earlier this week. 

camdenmen.jpgThe Camden County Prosecutor's Office is seeking the public's help in identifying these two men, who may have information about the shooting of two Camden detectives on Aug. 7. 

The two undercover cops-- who were not named and have since been released from the hospital -- were stopped at a red light an unmarked police SUV in the Bergen Square neighborhood when shot Tuesday night.

One of the detectives returned fire, and the two men sped away in a white van. The van was hours later found by police in the city.

County authorities released a surveillance photo from nearby of two men, who police believe are connected to the shooting, but no further details have been released about the suspects. 

On Saturday morning, the Safe Cop Reward added $10,000 to the pot, which already included money from The New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police Lodge and the New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association. 

"The posting of this Safe Cop reward will hopefully send a strong message to these cowardice criminals who attempted to assassinate two police officers that their criminal actions will not be tolerated," Executive Director Joseph Occhipinti said in a statement.

People can call 609-820-7192, local FBI office or National Police Defense Foundation at 888-SAFE COP with information. 

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Eagles hold last public practice in front of 35,000 enthusiastic fans (PHOTOS)

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The Eagles held their second public practice at Lincoln Financial Field.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Eagles returned to Lincoln Financial Field for practice Saturday morning, two days after their 31-14 preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Approximately 35,000 fans were in attendance today, bringing the total number of spectators to more than 75,000 for the two public practices at the Linc.  

Returning to practice was quarterback Nick Foles, who sat out Thursday's preseason game with muscle spasms in his neck. Also back on the field were receiver Mike Wallace and running back Matt Jones. 

A number of players were absent from practice including running backs Corey Clement and Donnel Pumphrey, and receivers Nelson Agholor and Markus Wheaton. 

The Eagles' preseason games continue as they travel to New England Thursday night to play the Patriots in what will be a rematch of Super Bowl LII.

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Instagram @photog_hawk and Twitter @photogthawk. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips.


15 way bigger deals in N.J. history than Trump's Bedminster visits

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Here is a list of 15 news stories that were really, really huge. One changed world history, one shaped modern media, one was a shocking precursor to the ongoing acceleration of mass shootings and one introduced a technology we take for granted today.

Envisioning NJ 2A photo of Thomas Edison and his staff inside his Menlo Park lab. Edison worked at the location on several inventions between 1876 and 1881. The image is one of more than 650 in "Envisioning New Jersey: An Illustrated History of the Garden State," a new book from Rutgers University Press. (U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, Thomas Edison National Historical Park) 

Town didn't want church to sit empty. So it bought it and will turn it into a bistro (with booze!)

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A mile down the road, another town saw its closed church demolished. The mayor didn't want that to happen here.

Holtec: Oyster Creek nuke site offer explained | Feedback

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A Holtec International executive writes that the company is "apolitical," and lists some contingencies about its plan to buy the outdated nuclear electricity plant.

We would like to supplement information in the Times' largely accurate Aug. 2 editorial ("The sooner N.J.'s oldest nuke plant is shuttered the better") concerning Holtec International's effort to purchase and decommission the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station.

Holtec is a New Jersey-born company whose inventions and innovations have propelled us to a global footprint in 16 countries. We plan to purchase Oyster Creek and two other nuclear sites with the objective to move their used fuel quickly into dry spent fuel storage on-site and ultimately to a "consolidated interim storage" facility (CIS) that we seek to build in southeast New Mexico's high desert plateau.

We expect Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval in 2020 for this facility. It will be then up to Congress and the U.S. Department of Energy to provide necessary funding to transport and store the used nuclear fuel from Oyster Creek and other sites to New Mexico. 

We call the CIS "autonomous" because it requires only air to cool the nuclear fuel. It will have security consistent with that of an operating nuclear plant. The used fuel will be inside stainless-steel canisters, manufactured by Holtec, and placed into below-ground silos beyond the reach of terrorists or catastrophic environmental phenomena.

Holtec has already invested over $320 million in our Camden Campus with continuing investment in developing local talent to run this state-of-the-art plant.  GROW NJ state tax incentives, worth $145 million as of 2015, were a major help in our decision to rejuvenate South Camden. I should categorically state that Holtec sought no political aid from anyone, including our board member, George Norcross III, in support of our GROW NJ application. Frankly, we had multiple offers from other states and countries to build our campus. We selected New Jersey because our origins are here and Camden is a worthy cause. We are a through and through an apolitical company. 

We have extended offers to employ those stranded by Oyster Creek's impending closing, if they have matching skill sets, at Camden and other Holtec facilities. The impetus to help South Jersey's economy is in our DNA.  

Joy Russell, Chief Communications Officer, Holtec International, Camden 

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

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N.J. pets in need: August 13, 2018

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Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey patiently await adoption.

This information on dog safety was compiled by members of the Dog Bite Prevention Coalition -- the U.S. Postal Service, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Humane Society, Insurance Information Institute and State Farm Insurance.

If a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog into a separate room and close the door before opening the front door. Parents should also remind their children not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet as the dog may see handing mail to a child as a threatening gesture.

People often assume that a dog with a wagging tail is a friendly dog, but this is far from the truth. Dogs wag their tails for numerous reasons, including when they're feeling aggressive. A tail that is held high and moves stiffly is a sign that the dog is feeling dominant, aggressive, or angry.

Dogs, even ones you know have good days and bad days. You should never pet a dog without asking the owner first and especially if it is through a window or fence. For a dog, this makes them feel like you are intruding on their space and could result in the dog biting you.

ALL DOGS are capable of biting. There's no one breed or type of dog that's more likely to bite than others. Biting has more to do with circumstances, behavior, and training.

Dogs have a language that allows them to communicate their emotional state and their intentions to others around them. Although dogs do use sounds and signals, much of the information that they send is through their body language, specifically their facial expressions and body postures. You can tell how a dog is feeling (sad, tired, happy, angry, scared) by looking at the position of a dogs' ears, mouth, eyes, and tail.

Dogs are social animals who crave human companionship. That's why they thrive and behave better when living indoors with their pack -- their human family members. Dogs that are tied up or chained outside are frustrated and can become aggressive because they are unhappy. They can also become very afraid because when they are tied or chained up, they can't escape from things that scare them.

Greg Hatala may be reached at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find Greg Hatala on Facebook.

You might be surprised to see who pays Donald Trump to hold events at his N.J. golf courses

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President Donald Trump continues to own his New Jersey golf facilities.

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