With the biking season about to start in March, Kevin O. Jones, president of One Love Road Racing, is concerned about acquiring sponsors.
Jones said that he does not have the experience in finding sponsors. However, he said recently he researched the “how to” on the web and has made up packages with letters that he sent out to potential sponsors.
“I just have to see how it goes,” he said. While he waits to see if he will gain additional sponsors, he is getting the bikes in gear as he does mechanic work and paints them. Jones biggest wish is to get his team members to the American Motorcycle Association (AMA), level.
He is currently a member of that level, but most of the other members belong to the Championship Cup Series level, (CCS). Jones is actively working on having future successes.
For many years now, Yolanda L. Robinson, new author of her book, “Don’t Be Bitter Be Better,” dedicates herself to empowerment through her motivational speaking, writing and doing via her various platforms.
In fact, to motivate and empower others, Robinson, a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, is also a mother, a community activist, a radio and television personality, and a dedicated lifelong learner. She is very busy trying to improve the lives of community members and applies a holistic approach to what she does.
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – A dedicated force, Noemi de la Puente, has networked with many individuals and groups in New Jersey and has eventually earned the attention of those who participated in Senate bill S-812.
De la Puente is a member of Sustainable Lawrence, where she started the initiative of trying to impose a .20 cents fee on single-use disposable shopping bags in summer of 2012. She even thinks that beyond a fee, we should ban these bags.
De la Puente has become influential in her efforts and is also using the movie, “Bag It,” to help educate viewers about her cause. Last year she said, “I [do not see] a lot of support on the state level for the mandatory fee on the disposable shopping bag.”
However, because of her networking, last December she was able to participate in a hearing on Senate bill S-812, which is known as the “Reduce Plastic and Paper Bag Usage Act,’’ sponsored by Sen. Bob Smith, district 17 (Middlesex and Somerset counties of New Jersey).
During one of her networking sessions with surf riders at the Jersey Shore, de la Puente learned about the bill, and was very happy to participate and bring attention to her initiative at Sustainable Lawrence.
Photo by Michelle Dryden
Members of Sustainable Lawrence and other friends of Noemi de la Puente gathered at her home Saturday to see the movie, “Bag It,” which supports eliminating or reducing the use of disposable shopping bags. From left to right are: Thairih Smith, president or director on the Board of Sustainable Lawrence; Ron Cohen; Patty Schorr; Noemi de la Puente; Ashley Pillsbury; Trish Verbeyst; and Don Pillsbury
The hearing for the bill was successful and it is now out of committee and Sustainable Lawrence now has a petition online for signatures to get the bill to the next level where consumers will reduce the waste and usage of single use disposable shopping bags.
Tahirih Smith, president on the board of Sustainable Lawrence, said that their efforts are to expand their reach about the issue. “At the same time with Sustainable Lawrence, we are expanding our liaison and our collaboration with other communities.” She added, “We are expanding to the greater Mercer County.”
Yesterday, the members of Sustainable Lawrence met for a showing of the movie, “Bag It,” where they invited their friends to watch it and tried to get additional signatures for their online petition.
De la Puente and Smith said that they want to meet with State representatives and senators to discuss the bags issues as soon as they have thousands of signatures to validate their cause.
Their mission, according to Smith, “ is to reduce the amount of waste and consumption that comes into our homes.” Last year, they also expressed that they are concerned about the effects of bags’ pollution on the environment.
Westminster Community Chorus teamed with the Westminster Choir College and offered a unique Christmas concert this year, called “De Colores.” The concert was held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 15, 2012. Every year the Community Choir presents a Christmas concert. However, this year the theme of the concert differed from previous years. In past years, the choir sang mostly traditional spirituals, European and American music. This year the music was from African-American and Latino musical traditions. And, there were “more soloists this year,” said a choir member, Deborah Kilmer.
Even though, New Jersey’s Gov. Chris Christie is expected to veto the minimum wage bill that is now on his desk, Sen. Shirley K. Turner contends that raising New Jersey’s minimum wage bill now is the right thing to do. As such, Sen. Turner has co-sponsored a piece of legislation that will have a resolution on the ballot for New Jerseyans to vote on to help decide on an increase in their wages. The Governor cannot veto this legislation, but workers will have to wait a bit longer for an increase in their wages, said Turner.
Darren Freedom Green has been working at The Trentonian for about two years as a community writer, trying to make a difference in the news that the community reads. Green also works with youngsters at BOYD, where he tries to build self-awareness, self-confidence and better self-esteem in young boys and girls. Green said BOYD stands for Building Our Youth’s Development and it was started by Bruce Boyd nine years ago. With his involvement in these areas of the community, Green is hoping to help to make a difference in the City of Trenton, that he says has great people. –Michelle Dryden
Black Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 is a hectic day at Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrenceville, N.J. The mall is crowded, noisy and busy. Each store has a sale of some kind. Shoppers hop from Macy’s to Forever 21, to Bath & Body Works, to Express, to Victoria’s Secret, and many other stores. Some shoppers seem to just be browsing until they find what they are looking for. Others are loaded with shopping bags of sale items. Customers seem happy and excited as they leave the mall.
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012 was very busy at ShopRite supermarket in Ewing, N.J. As Hurricane Sandy threatens to arrive in the area, many residents of Ewing went shopping for last minute items. The supermarket was so crowded that shoppers could hardly find shopping carts to help them carry their items. Kelly and Crystal Wade were among the shoppers. “We are pretty much preparing for the hurricane, but we are not overdoing it,” said Mrs. Wade. “We are just getting some basic stuff just in case we lose power,” she said. The Wades said they were interested in getting water, bread, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, fruits, cakes, milk and batteries. They said they have a wood-burning stove, and would also prepare by getting money from the bank for a hotel if needed.
Kelly (left) and Crystal Wade (right), of Ewing, N.J. are at ShopRite supermarket Sunday afternoon, shopping for last minute items in preparation for Hurricane Sandy that should arrive Monday. – Photo by Michelle Dryden/The Media PubThe Wades are in the drinking water isle of ShopRite where they get the water supply that they will need when Hurricane Sandy arrives Monday. — Photo by Michelle Dryden/The Media PubWhile shopping at ShopRite supermarket Sunday, the Wades did not forget to pick up a box of cereal that is on their list of essential items that they will need when Hurricane Sandy gets here. – Photo by Michelle Dryden/The Media PubKelly (right) and Crystal Wade (left) are on their way to the checkout line at ShopRite, after shopping together Sunday for a list of items that they think they will need when Hurricane Sandy arrives. – Photo by Michelle Dryden/The Media PubThe Wades wait for their balance due to the cashier who is checking out their items. The twosome have just finished shopping for items that are important to them as they prepare for Hurricane Sandy that is scheduled to arrive in the area Monday. – Photo by Michelle Dryden/The Media Pub
LAWRENCE, N.J. – The non-profit organization, Sustainable Lawrence, is trying to find a way to ban single-use-disposable plastic bags that they think consumers abuse in quantity, said a board member.
Noemi de la Puente recently became a member of Sustainable Lawrence when she developed an interest in how consumers are using disposable plastic bags and where they end up in the environment when they dispose of them.
Noemi de la Puente is on the board of Sustainable Lawrence. She is currently advocating a 20 cents fee or a ban on single-use-disposable shopping bags. — By Michelle Dryden/The Media Pub
“A single-use-disposable bag is a single-use-disposable bag. We should be able to shop without them. You know, the question has always been paper or plastic? So, I am saying paper and plastic should both get fees,” says de la Puente.
She is making progress with her initiative. From the time it was an idea to today, she has brought it to the attention of many. Sustainable Lawrence has welcome de la Puente and three others to their organization to fight for the initiative of putting a mandatory fee on plastic bags or just to ban them.
De la Puente along with Pam Mount, Chair of Sustainable New Jersey, Jacquelyn Pillsbury and Christoph Ahlers, board members of Sustainable New Jersey, are all driving this initiative to the State level.
Photo by Michelle Dryden Pam Mount (left) is chairperson for Sustainable New Jersey. Jacquelyn Pillsbury (right) is a member of Sustainable Lawrence. They both support imposing a fee or a ban on single-use-disposable shopping bags.
De la Puente explains that it is difficult to pass ordinance to ban or put a fee on just plastic bags in one township, because consumers will either start using paper bags or just go to the next township to get free plastic bags.
“To be clear the last thing you wanna do is — and it’s an unfair thing to do to the plastic bag manufacturers — is to ban or put a fee on their bags and not paper bags,” says de la Puente.
Photo by Michelle Dryden Christoph Ahlers, a member of Sustainable Lawrence, talks about his role in helping to impose a fee or a ban on single-use-disposable shopping bags.
De la Puente explains that, “We don’t wanna create a gigantic market for the paper bags because that will create a lot of environmental burden. The paper industry is not famous for their cleanliness to the environment. And we don’t want to chop down a whole bunch of trees for something that use for half-an-hour.”
Todd Myers writes an article for the Wall Street Journal that opposes the ban or mandatory fee proposition on single-use-disposable bags.
Myers writes that, “ban backers cite impacts on marine life, but they consistently sidestep the actual data.”
According to Myers, “The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for one, says there are currently no published studies about how many marine mammals die because of marine debris.”
He also responds to the argument that plastic bags pollute the oceans and the environment. “As far as the pollution caused by plastic bags, consider a study by Ospar, the European organization working to protect the marine environment. The study found plastic shopping bags represented less than three per cent of marine litter on European beaches, a figure that includes scraps of plastic from shredded bags.”
Myers also said that studies that claim that plastic harm human health are found to be false or exaggerated by organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Pacific Northwest National Labs.
However, Mount supports de la Puente’s views. She said that Sustainable Lawrence and Sustainable New Jersey are trying to get consumers to reduce the use of them, to reuse them or to recycle them, where possible.
Even though the general consensus is that incumbent democractic, Vice President, Joe Biden, won Thursday’s vice presidential debate, reports still exist that republican vice president nominee, Paul Ryan, won, shows Crimson Hexagon Inc. in a variety of graphics imported below. This image shows that Ryan did better in the Vice Presidential debate Thursday night.
The conflict comes from different analyses. Two of those report analyses are used for this story. NBC Politics used ForSight that was developed by Crimson Hexagon Inc. ForSight is a data platform that is not the same as traditional survey. This graphic shows Joe Biden as the debate winner.
M. Alex Johnson explains that, “NBC Politics analyzed 517,000 posts using a tool called ForSight, a data platform developed by Crimson Hexagon Inc., which many research and business organization have adopted to gauge public opinion in new media.” He continues, “It isn’t the same as a traditional survey, which seeks to reflect national opinion; instead, it’s a broad, non-predictive snapshot of what’s being said by Americans who follow politics and are active on Facebook, Twitter or both at a particular moment in time and why they’re saying it.”
On the other hand, Jana Kasperkevic of Hearst Washington Bureau, writes on her politics blog, that Ryan definitely won the debate according to a Twitter analysis.
Kasperkevic states that there could be a draw or a victory for both candidates of that debate, depending on which pundit one prefers. However, she states that according to social media, there is only one winner and that is Ryan.
During the debate, the candidates were judged on several issues, such as foreign policy, economic status, abortion, healthcare reform, among others. They were also judged on their styles and the substance to their arguments. Each won in different areas.This chart shows Biden as the winner of the Vice Presidential debate Thursday night.
However, incumbent Vice President Biden, demeanor throughout the debate was a bit different from candidate Ryan’s because he laughed, smiled and smirked. Some people especially, the republicans subtracted points from Biden’s performance based on this style.
Biden’s opponent, Ryan, was not transparent enough on his plans to about foreign policy, healthcare and even abortion. Even though Twitter claimed he was more popular on its platform, Ryan seemed to lack popularity with his replies, as they lacked substance, according to general consensus.
