According to WHYY, New Jersey reported another 518 cases of coronavirus on Friday, September 11th, bringing the cumulative total over the last six months of the pandemic to 195,888 positive cases. The state also reported another nine deaths related to the virus, bringing the total to 14,234 confirmed fatalities and 1,789 probable deaths from COVID-19. The state’s rate of transmission was 1.08, meaning for every 100 people testing positive, the virus spreads to 108 more people. Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli noted that young people are driving new cases through large social gatherings as well as the return of some college students to campus. People aged 14-18 accounted for 4% of the new positive cases, and residents between the ages of 19-24 made up 6% of new cases. Camden County urges youth to make sure they keep their friends and family safe through a new ad campaign - "Protect Your Circle".

The New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection (NJCEED) Program at Virtua is a cancer screening program for Burlington and Camden County residents who meet certain age and income requirements. To enroll in the program, you must be between the ages of 18 to 64, uninsured or underinsured, and not able to pay for the screenings you need. NJCEED provides breast, cervical, prostate and colorectal cancer screenings for those who qualify. Clinical breast exams, mammograms, Pap smears, pelvic exams, PSA blood tests (for prostate screening), and fecal occult blood testing (for colorectal screening) are among the services offered by the program. To determine eligibility for NJCEED, you must fill out an annual services form, consent form and a declaration of income and insurance status form. For additional questions, please call 856-247-7388.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Faculty and Staff in the ANR Department work in diverse areas of Agriculture, Horticulture, and Natural Resources. The Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources serves the residents of New Jersey through the development and dissemination of research-based information. Our goal is to teach people new skills and information so they can make better informed decisions and changes in themselves, their businesses, and personal lives. Broadly defined, our programs assist commercial businesses, governmental agencies, and residents through personal or group requests for assistance, information and consultation on issues related to agriculture, the environment, and natural resources management. Trying to ID some flying insects? Here's a helpful article.

We are happy that NJ restaurants have the ability to open for indoor dining in a limited capacity, however, The Blue Monkey, has made a decision to err on the side of caution and remain open for outdoor dining and takeout services at this time. We have created a beautiful, open, airy and safe outdoor dining space and have a DJ playing background music nightly. We are open Wednesday through Sunday from 4:00-9:00 p.m. Please call 856-661-8008 to book your reservation. pleasing and safe space for our community and hope you will continue to dine with us until we decide to bring business back indoors. Our policies and procedures remain the same - all customers must practice proper social distancing and wear their masks when not seated at their table. We operate on a reservation only model and expect customers to remain at their assigned tables. Our If you have not visited we hope you’ll come soon and try one of our newer menu options, viewable at BlueMonkeyTavern.Com. Our entire staff thanks you for your continued support and patronage. 

Have you gained that "Quarantine 15"? A juice cleanse is a great opportunity to take a break from unhealthy eating habits. A juice cleanse can help to refocus your diet with a variety of fresh fruits & vegetables that aim to detox, energize, repair, & hydrate you from the inside out! A cleanse supports the body’s natural detox process, breaks the cycle of craving unhealthy foods, reduces your appetite, increases your energy, eliminates foods that cause problems for many people (dairy, wheat, gluten), helps balance the gut microbiome, and blasts your body with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Please call ahead to order a juice cleanse from The Juice Bar, 22 South Centre Street.

Okay, all you procrastinators - IT'S TIME! The deadline for the 2020 Census is approaching and self-response rates are on par with the 2010 Census. For the first time, you can choose to respond online, by phone, or by mail. Respond today. Responding helps shape resources for children and your community over the next decade. Complete the Census today. It's vital for our community that everyone COUNTS and is COUNTED. Let's get to 100% of our households counted! As the U.S. Census Bureau stays on track to stop its head count on September 30th, the House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing Thursday to push for legislative action to extend the deadline, in light of the coronavirus crisis. Stay tuned.

The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office is excited to announce its Diaper Drive and proud that police departments across the county have teamed up to participate. You can help by donating diapers - preferred sizes are 4, 5, 6, and pull-ups - and baby wipes in the coming weeks through Sunday, Sept. 27th. Please drop off all donations to these local police departments: Cherry Hill Police Department, 820 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill or Pennsauken Police Department, 2400 Bethel Avenue, Pennsauken. Each department will have a donation box inside their lobby, allowing for a quick, contact-free drop-off. “In light of the hardships caused by the current health crisis, we recognize that a number of parents may find themselves in difficult financial times. This Diaper Drive is just one small way to help alleviate one stressor on our families,” said Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill Mayer. “The Camden County community is home to numerous agencies who take a proactive, preventative approach to help protect children and we are happy to work together in the fight against child abuse."

This is the time of the year when the female adult Spotted Lanternfly starts to lay egg masses. Locating and destroying egg masses, as well as destroying adult Spotted Lanternflies, can help prevent the spread of this invasive pest. For instructions on how to scrape and destroy egg masses, you can watch this video. An adult female Spotted Lanternfly can lay up to three egg masses during its life cycle, and each egg mass contains between 30 and 50 eggs. While the adult Spotted Lanternfly cannot survive the winter, the egg masses do survive and hatch in the spring. The Department of Agriculture is asking homeowners to help in the effort to curb this invasive pest. What can you do to help? Join The Battle to report, identify and manage to "Beat the Bug”. This insect is an excellent hitchhiker and is easily moved if no one is looking so, if you are in the quarantine area, please “Look Before You Leave.” You can get more information through this Penn State Extension and here are also some safe treatment options.

Help Camden County educate others and spread the word about protecting their circle of friends. Camden County provides digital images for your social media pages & feeds on their website. Upload a Facebook Frame: Click the Camera Button next to your profile image on Facebook, choose “Update Profile Picture”, then choose “Add Frame” and search “Camden County – Protect Your Circle”. What you need to know: In general, the more closely you interact with others and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The Danger Is Invisible. Make sure you keep your friends and family safe by: Wearing A Mask, Avoiding Groups, Staying 6 Feet Apart and Getting Tested. If you decide to engage in public activities, continue to protect yourself by practicing everyday preventive actions. Keep these items on hand when venturing out: a face mask, tissues, and a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if possible. Should you go out? Learn what factors to consider before you head out and about specific tips for different places. 

Covid-19 numbers have held steady at 78 cases and 3 deaths from 9/2-9/10/20 in the Borough. However, the County Department of Health announced 46 additional confirmed cases, 18 of which are in the surrounding towns of Pennsauken (930/23), Cherry Hill (1,365/166) and Camden (2,693/75) Merchantville's most recent cases include adults under age 30, teens and adolescents. Protect Your Circle, Merchantville. The Danger Is Invisible. As Mayor Brennan says, "Let’s be part of the solution; wear a mask or face covering. Reducing transmission of COVID-19 is essential for us to keep people safe, speed up a return to some normalcy and getting our economy, and our friends and neighbors who may be struggling, back to work."