CNJ+ September 2026

SEPTEMBER 2026 ISSUE 186

FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW TO SERVE YOUR NEEDS

Meet Dixie! Our September Pet Winner From Millstone New Jersey

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DO YOU NEED A LAWYER IN MUNICIPAL COURT? BY JOHN BAZZURRO As indicated on our website, there are numerous charges that are heard in the Municipal Courts in the State of New Jersey. These range from low level motor vehicle violations such as going through a stop sign, careless driving, failure to maintain your lane and other charges that generally carry very low fines and two or less motor vehicle points. If you have been charged with any motor vehicle violation that carries more than two motor vehicle points upon a conviction, we suggest that you obtain the advice of counsel before going to court. The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with some information as to whether or not they need legal representation in Municipal Court on a low-level motor vehicle violation that carries two or less motor vehicle points. As most citizens of New Jersey know, municipal prosecutors will, generally, as a matter of course offer a “no point” or “zero point” violation as part of a plea bargain if you are charged with one of these low-level motor vehicle violations. The monetary cost of these “no point” or “zero point” violations are rather excessive in that you are required to pay a $250.00 surcharge for this “privilege.” The statute which provides this “no point” plea is called the unsafe driving statute. The basic theory in accepting a “no point” or “zero point” plea bargain is to potentially avoid motor vehicle points on your license in order to keep your auto insurance premiums lower and, potentially, to avoid the suspension of your driving privileges where you are in danger of accumulating 12 motor vehicle points which will result in a temporary suspension of driving privileges. However, it should be pointed out that there are a number of situations in which your acceptance of such a “no point” or “zero point” plea bargain may adversely affect your rights without your knowledge. One such situation is where you have already previously pled guilty to unsafe driving on more than one occasion. Your third guilty plea to unsafe driving within a certain period of time will subject you to four motor vehicle points when you may be under the mistaken belief that you will not be receiving any motor vehicle points. Another such situation where you potentially will need legal representation is where the low-level motor vehicle violation is the result of a motor vehicle accident. The bottom line is that, regardless of what type of motor vehicle violation you are charged with, you should seek the advice of an attorney before appearing in Municipal Court by yourself and entering into a plea bargain which may subject you to other legal ramifications of which you were not aware. Typically, when we receive a call for a motor vehicle violation, we initially attempt to obtain as much information as possible from the potential client to determine whether or not they will require legal representation given their individual circumstances. Accordingly, please feel free to contact us to discuss your individual situation to determine whether or not legal representation is required. •LICENSED AND BONDED APPRAISERS • TOP CASH PAID For Estate Jewelry & Watches and Coins • FREE Evaluation! Entire Estates - We Make House Calls! JEWELRY EXCHANGE We Buy…Gold, Silver, Diamonds, Estate Jewelery, Coins, And Watches MONROE JEWELERS FAMILY JEWELER SINCE 1974 WWW.7NJGOLD.COM JOHN T. BAZZURRO, Esq. JARED SPARNROFT, Esq. 200 Meco Drive, Millstone Twp., NJ jtbazzurro@bazzurrolaw.com • BAZZURROLAW.COM Pickup Special $ 9.99

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Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney Member of New Jersey and New York Bars Jared Sparnroft, Esq. 200 Meco Drive, Millstone Twp., NJ Email: jtbazzurro@bazzurrolaw.com 732-410-5350 • www.bazzurrolaw.com Our Patio is open!! • Personal Injury • Motor Vehicle Accidents • Nursing Home Neglect • Wills • Municipal Court Practice, Including Defense of DWI, Traffic Tickets and Non-Indictable Offenses • Workers Compensation • General Civil Litigation • Employment Law • Residential and Commercial Real Estate Transactions Book Your Party at The Roost! CONCORDIA SHOPPING CENTER 1600 Perrineville Road, Monroe Township 609-395-5588 WWW.ABCARPETNJ.COM A.B. CARPET Carpets • Carpet Runners/Area Rugs INCLUDING “THE COMPLETE GOLFER” PACKAGE, A TOTAL LEARNING PROGRAM WITH VIDEO ANALYSIS. CALL THE PRO SHOP FOR DETAILS. Golf Lesson Packages Available 181 Rt 539, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 • (609) 208-0050 (609) 208-0050 As always, we appreciate your business! 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“SOLO” DADS AND “ABSENT” DADS NOT AS DIFFERENT AS THEY SEEM By, LINDSAY M. MONTE

How Dads Compare There are also some ways in which these fathers at the extremes differ from each other and from all dads. For example, about 5% of “solo” and 7% of “absent” dads were married but their spouse lives somewhere else. In contrast, less than 2% of all dads of minor chil dren were married to an absent spouse (see Figure 1). This suggests that at least some dads may be “solo” or “absent” due to circumstances beyond their con trol. “Solo” dads may include men caring for their children while their spouse is deployed with the military, for example.

When it comes to living with kids, there are two extremes of fatherhood — “solo” dads who appear to raise their children by themselves and “absent” dads who appear to have little or nothing to do with parenting. These two types of fathers may seem like polar op posites. Yet, they have many characteristics in com mon. In many ways, “solo” and “absent” dads seem to be more similar than different, at least when compared to the full population of fathers of minor children. More than a quarter of the 121 million men in the United States are biological fathers of at least one child under the age of 18.

Almost 5% of “absent” fathers had their child or children lived with them at some point during the year before the survey, and 42% of “absent” fathers said they had at least monthly contact with children living elsewhere. Additionally, 12% of “solo” fathers lived in the same household with a spouse or partner at some point during the year before the survey. These numbers suggest that some of the “absent” dads may be more involved with their children than it appears and that some of the “solo” dads may not be as solitary as they appear at first glance. Still, there are key differences between them and all fathers of minor children. Among them: • “Solo” and “absent” dads, on average, are less likely to have a college education or be employed than are all fathers of minor children. • Both “extreme” dad groups, on average, had fewer children and their youngest child was older than was true in the full population of fathers of minor children. • Both are also much more likely to be divorced than are fathers of minor chil dren as a whole. Only 10% of all fathers are divorced, while 51% of “solo” dads and 30% of “absent” dads are divorced. These differences paint a complex picture of the opposite ends of the father hood spectrum. The overlap of previously co-resident spouses, partners and children suggests these groups are neither static nor mutually exclusive over time. How much of this overlap is due to temporary turbulence in the lives of fa thers of young children is not evident from the data but statistics suggest “solo” and “absent” fathers are not as different from each other as they seem. About the Data Statistics from surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. Fur ther information on the source of the data and accuracy of the estimates, in cluding standard errors and confidence intervals, can be found here. All comparative statements presented here have undergone statistical testing, and, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons are statistically significant at the 10% significance level. Additional information about the populations discussed here can be found in Supplementary Table 1, “Diverging Dads: Father-only families versus Fathers living apart from children.” For more information about men’s fertility and fatherhood, see the recently released Men’s Fertility Report. Lindsay M. Monte is a family demographer in the Census Bureau’s Fertility and Family Statistics Branch.

Four out of five fathers of minor children live with at least some of those children (79.8%). Almost three-quarters (72.6%) live with all of their minor children. Additionally, there are 1.8 million men who are “solo” fathers to a minor child who live with that child and are not living with a spouse or partner. Less than 6.0% (about 2 million) of all fathers of minor children are “solo” dads but 20.2% (about 7 million) are “absent” dads of all of their minor chil dren. “Solo” dads and “absent” dads both differ from the larger group of roughly 34 million fathers who have at least one child under the age of 18. For example, they’re both more likely to have never married and to be living with their own parents. This analysis is based on data from the Survey of Income and Program Par ticipation, which collects detailed information about U.S. families’ economic well-being as well as complete fertility histories for all adults. What Solo Dads and Absent Dads Have in Common Within these data, “solo” fathers are defined as men who live with their minor children without a spouse or partner present. “Absent” fathers are those who do not live with any of their minor children. In many ways, “solo” and “absent” dads seem to be more similar than differ ent, at least when compared to the full population of fathers of minor children. For example, about 30% of both “solo” and “absent” dads never married, com pared to roughly 14% of all fathers of minor children (see Figure 1). Some of this may be explained by the diversity of ways that men approach fathering, diversity that is evident even within these small groups. Both groups were also about twice as likely as all fathers of minor children to live with at least one parent: 22% of “solo” dads and 24% of “absent” dads live with a parent(s) compared to only 10% of all fathers of minor children. Additionally, about a quarter of both “absent” and “solo” dads had children with more than one woman, compared to 16% of all fathers of minor children. These statistics suggest that both groups of so-called “extreme dads” are more likely than average dads with young children to have had kids with multiple women, not to be married when they have them and to rely on their own par ents for support.

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Shop for your HOW TO ACHIEVE THE NO-MAKEUP MAKEUP LOOK By Sara Luberto The no-makeup trend is alive and well. Scrolling through your social me dia feed you will see a lot of perfect skin, no eye bags and glowing fresh skin. Makeup is a wonderful tool that gives you the ability to transform a face, as well as a more low-key ability it has to make us appear chipper and wide The key to a flawless looking complexion? It all lies within your skin prep. So cleanse your face and apply your facial moisturizer! Foregoing founda tion for everyday life will give your look a more natural and softer finish by letting your natural beauty shine through. Step 2: CONCEAL The trick to a fresh, even complexion is your concealer brush. A small flat brush (with synthetic bristles) will spot-conceal any blemishes or redness. For dark circles, however, I suggest patting in your concealer under your eyes with your finger. Then just finish with a light dusting of translucent powder in your T-zone to keep the concealer from coming off or moving around. Step 3: CHOOSE A CREAM EYESHADOW Now that your base is all done, it is time to open up your tired eyes. Cream eyeshadow will help brighten and open your eyes. Start as close as possible to your own skin tone with a little shimmer or not, depending on your taste and then blend the shadow from your lash line, fading it as close to your brows. Then get a lighter color cream eyeshadow stick and place it in the inner corners that will instantly open your eyes even more. No one will ever know you didn’t get 8 hours of sleep! Step 4: GROOM YOUR BROWS AND LASHES The best part of this look? Bushy, unruly brows are both accepted and en couraged! Enhance the beauty of your natural brows by using a clear gel brow to brush your brows up and away from your face. A good eyelash curl er is a must! Curl your lashes then add one coat of mascara to the top lashes only. Step 5: BLUSH Probably one of the most important steps in achieving a fresh no makeup look, would be blush. It will help you bring some life back into your skin. I suggest reaching for a cream blush for a more natural looking glow from within. To nail the natural look, imagine where your face flushes after exer cise and use that as your guide. Start at your cheek bones, a little above the temples, and finish with a dab on the bridge of your nose. Step 6: DON’T SKIP HIGHLIGHTER Dew is your friend! A dab of pearly highlighting cream on the top of your cheekbones is gorgeous and will make your face look even more youthful. Again, by using cream instead of a shimmery powder the glow will look like it is coming from within and give a natural dew to the skin. Step 7: FINISH WITH A LIP TINT The last step to complete your natural-looking makeup look? Adding a tint of color to your lips. A really gorgeous, natural way to go with lip color is a tinted balm. the comfort of a range of awake even when we’re anything but! Step 1: FORGET FOUNDATION

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SO KIND BE THY HEART, A DEAR REMEMBRANCE OF UNCLE PETE By Richard Mabey Jr.

Mourning is one of the most painful, eerie, haunting, heart-wrenching emotions of all time. In the process of mourn ing the passing of a close loved one, it can seem to tear a person’s heart in two. Yes, there is comfort in knowing that there is a loving God, guiding the universe. Yet still, the pains of mourning, can at times, seem most unbearable. My father went Home to be with the Lord in the early morning of the twelfth of May of 2006. Over 18 years have now passed since that fateful day. Still, I so very dearly miss the man who taught me the wild and wonderful ways of nature. To quietliy approach a white-tailed deer, without being noticed. To find north, through the secret hints in a forest. And to love and respect, the way God created the circle of life. During the couple of weeks, after my dear father’s passing, I became practically dysfunctional. I had been writing for a big daily news paper in Chambersburg, Pennsyl vania at the time. Mostly writing feature stories. But something was not clicking with my creative out let. I would look at a blank com puter screen for hours. The words simply would not come.

at the old kitchen table, eating breakfast. Most ot the time, my cousin Peter would have already eaten breakfast. Cousin Peter is an incredible early riser. Most of the time, awakening before the sun has even risen. There are very few people, who I have ever known, that knew the Bible as well as Uncle Pete did. He could recite passages, word for word, with amazing accuracy. In our breakfast talks, Uncle Pete, would share with me his philos ophy, his outlook, his perspec tives on all of life. Not only did Uncle Pete know his Bible, inside and out, he truly lived it. He was one of the kindest individuals to whom I have ever known. Uncle Pete’s breakfast talks im mensely helped me with healing from the depth of mourning that I was feeling from the loss of my father. Uncle Pete had a great insight into human nature. He deeply understood a person’s re lationship to God and God’s rela tionship to an individual. Uncle Pete held a deep respect and im mense love for all of life itself. He served for many years as an Elder in his church. Sadly, in April of 2018, the an gels called Uncle Pete Home to

A photo of dear, kind Uncle Pete, sitting at the old kitchen table at Knothe Farm.

Then, a miracle came into my life. In that last week of May of 2006, my uncle, Peter Knothe called me. He asked me if I wanted to come out to his farm in Randolph for a few weeks, to help him and his son with some of the farm chores. I remember I was hesitant at the time, and asked Uncle Pete if I could think about it for a bit. He told me that would be okay, to take time to think about it. My Editor at the newspaper was very understanding. She told me it might do me good to take the time to visit with my uncle for a while. Long story short, I took Uncle Pete up on his kind offer. Uncle Pete and his son, Peter, are two of the hardest working men whom I have ever known in my life. They were both up at the crack of dawn and worked hard, till the sun set in the west of dear old Knothe Farm. What I remember most about my few weeks, working at Knothe Farm with Uncle Pete, during the early Summer of 2006, is the time we had to talk

Heaven. In reflection, as I am about to turn 71 years old, as I write this true life story, a certain appreciation for Uncle Pete fills my heart. After my father passed away, Uncle Pete became my adopted father. He didn’t miss a beat. I am immensely grateful to him. I miss him very much. Do you know someone who is mourning the loss of a close loved one? Please do consider reaching out to them, above and beyond the traditional sympathy card. Love has a powerful healing potential. It is greater than any pill or tonic on the market today. Love can be as gentle as the petal of a rose. And yet, be more powerful than a fast back, mid-engine Porsche. Never underestimate the incredible power of love. Never, ever doubt what the lov ing heart can accomplish. When love and faith in God, combine together, expect a miracle. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@gmail.com.

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UOR ERS 55 65 REE IMATES

20 1-A Jackson Street Freehold, New Jersey

We Offer Something Special Nowhere Else Found In CNJ ForYour Loved One! Active Day Adult Services

STONE TIMES

MAY 2023

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LESTER Memorial Home R d d Thoughtful, Personal, Dignified Service

16 W. Church Street Jamesburg, NJ 08831 732-521-0020 lester.christineruby@gmail.com Gregory S. Lester Funeral Director Emeritus Gina Katz Administrative Manager

Christine A. Cuoco Owner /Manager Funeral Director N.J. Lic. No. 4538

Joseph DePasquale Pre-Need Specialist

Funeral Director N.J. Lic. No. 5072

www.lestermemorialhome.com

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CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2026

BE ORGANIZED, PROACTIVE, AND AWARE TO PROTECT YOURSELF, FAMILY AND FRIENDS FROM FINANCIAL ABUSE

It’s easier than ever to handle our finances without setting foot inside a bank with so many advances in technology, but these changes have also made fraud and financial abuse a prevalent problem for older adults. Elder financial abuse involves scams, forgery, identity theft, or undue pressure to give someone access to property or funds by simply providing information over the phone. Older adults are often targeted for such exploitation because they may be perceived as trusting, they may be cognitively impaired, they may have more funds available after a lifetime of saving, and potentially less exposure to technological advances. Tips for Protecting Finances Seniors can protect themselves from financial abuse by making sure finan cial records are organized and being aware of how much money is in all ac counts. In addition, you can protect your assets by talking to someone at your bank, an attorney, or a financial advisor to discuss your options for ensuring your wishes for managing your money and property are followed in the event you become incapacitated. Other activities to help protect yourself include: • Carefully choosing a trustworthy person to share your financial planning matters with so they can assist you with tracking your finances if you are unable to do so yourself. • Locking up your checkbook, account statements, and other sensitive in formation. • Ordering copies of your credit report to review for suspicious activity. (You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once every twelve months. To order your free annual reports, go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call toll- free 1-877-322-8228.) • Never providing personal information, including your Social Security number, account numbers, or other financial information to anyone over the phone unless you initiated the call. • Asking for details in writing and getting a second opinion from a financial advisor or attorney before signing any document you don’t understand. • Paying with checks and credit cards instead of cash to have records of transactions. Tips for Family and Friends Family and friends can also help by being aware of the many ways in which an older person may be financially exploited. There are many scams and frauds that attempt to get bank account information or Social Security numbers from the elderly to steal their identity or money. Be on the lookout for signs of possible financial abuse, including: • Unexplained account withdrawals. • Another individual unexpectedly making financial decisions on the older person’s behalf. • Disappearance of funds or valuable possessions. • Unanticipated transfer of assets to another individual. • Sudden changes to a will or other important financial documents.

• Suspicious signatures on checks. If you suspect elder financial abuse, talk to the victim to determine what is happening and who is involved. For instance, you’ll want to know whether a new person in their life is helping them manage their money or a relative is using their credit card without permission. If financial abuse seems likely, you may want to contact your state’s adult protective services and the local police for assistance. You should also contact any bank or other financial institution involved to notify them of the potential abuse, and they may be able to assist you. They may not be able to provide you with specific information about accounts or transactions due to privacy laws, but they have the ability to review informa tion for potential abuse as well as the resources to report abuse. Also be aware of consumer financial protection regulations that help pro tect funds withdrawn from an account without authorization. For example, most cases of fraud and identity theft are committed using an access device, such as when an individual steals an older person’s debit card and pin num ber to withdraw money from a checking account. The Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which is implemented through Regula tion E, protects consumers from losses that may occur as a result of certain unauthorized electronic financial transactions, such as unauthorized ATM withdrawals and point-of-sale terminal transfers in stores. If a debit card or the card number is used to make an unauthorized withdrawal from a checking or savings account, you can minimize your losses by contacting your bank as soon as possible. Your maximum liability under Regulation E is $50 if you notify your bank within two business days after learning of the loss. Additionally, many credit card issuers have zero-liability policies, meaning that customers typically do not pay for unauthorized transactions, so contact your credit card issuer as soon as you discover any. For more information on elder financial abuse, visit: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2015/08/spotting-elder-finan cial-abuse https://www.consumerfinance.gov/practitioner-resources/resourc es-for-older-adults/protecting-against-fraud/

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CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES A beautiful picture of Edenville Methodist Church as it stands in the valley of the Allegheny Mountains. 30 CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

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SEPTEMBER 2026 MAY 2023

DO YOU NEED A LAWYER IN MUNICIPAL COURT? BY JOHN BAZZURRO As indicated on our website, there are numerous charges that are heard in the Municipal Courts in the State of New Jersey. These range from low level motor vehicle violations such as going through a stop sign, careless driving, failure to maintain your lane and other charges that generally carry very low fines and two or less motor vehicle points. If you have been charged with any motor vehicle violation that carries more than two motor vehicle points upon a conviction, we suggest that you obtain the advice of counsel before going to court. The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with some information as to whether or not they need legal representation in Municipal Court on a low-level motor vehicle violation that carries two or less motor vehicle points. As most citizens of New Jersey know, municipal prosecutors will, generally, as a matter of course offer a “no point” or “zero point” violation as part of a plea bargain if you are charged with one of these low-level motor vehicle violations. The monetary cost of these “no point” or “zero point” violations are rather excessive in that you are required to pay a $250.00 surcharge for this “privilege.” The statute which provides this “no point” plea is called the unsafe driving statute. The basic theory in accepting a “no point” or “zero point” plea bargain is to potentially avoid motor vehicle points on your license in order to keep your auto insurance premiums lower and, potentially, to avoid the suspension of your driving privileges where you are in danger of accumulating 12 motor vehicle points which will result in a temporary suspension of driving privileges. However, it should be pointed out that there are a number of situations in which your acceptance of such a “no point” or “zero point” plea bargain may adversely affect your rights without your knowledge. One such situation is where you have already previously pled guilty to unsafe driving on more than one occasion. Your third guilty plea to unsafe driving within a certain period of time will subject you to four motor vehicle points when you may be under the mistaken belief that you will not be receiving any motor vehicle points. Another such situation where you potentially will need legal representation is where the low-level motor vehicle violation is the result of a motor vehicle accident. The bottom line is that, regardless of what type of motor vehicle violation you are charged with, you should seek the advice of an attorney before appearing in Municipal Court by yourself and entering into a plea bargain which may subject you to other legal ramifications of which you were not aware. Typically, when we receive a call for a motor vehicle violation, we initially attempt to obtain as much information as possible from the potential client to determine whether or not they will require legal representation given their individual circumstances. Accordingly, please feel free to contact us to discuss your individual situation to determine whether or not legal representation is required.

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JOHN T. BAZZURRO, Esq. JARED SPARNROFT, Esq. 200 Meco Drive, Millstone Twp., NJ jtbazzurro@bazzurrolaw.com • BAZZURROLAW.COM

Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney Member of New Jersey and New York Bars

MAY 2023

15

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WILD CREATURES I HAVE KNOWN AND LOVED Chapter 5: The Cherished Memory of White Diamond By Richard Mabey Jr.

When I was a boy, I just loved the televi sion sitcom, “Mr. Ed.” It was the fantasy store of Wilbur, a young married man who owned a beautiful horse, whom he named Mr. Ed. The key theme to this entire sitcom was that Mr. Ed could talk, but he would only talk to Wilbur. It was in the early Summer of 2008, at the age of 54, I had the most wonderful opportu nity to become friends with a horse, who in his own way, would communicate with me. My mom, my sister and I had just moved to this incredible gated community in Central Florida, known as The Villages. It was to be a new start, a chance to join different clubs and enjoy the warmth of the Florida sun. It was during this summer, that a miracle came to my life. I became good friends with a neigh bor’s horse. I named this handsome horse, White Di amond. Namely because he had a white di amond on his forehead. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was going for a walk in my neighborhood. There was this area, where there were open fields. Just a short distance, to one side of this big open field was an old wooden fence. And, on the other side of this wooden fence, would stand and slowly walk, a handsome horse with a white diamond on his forehead.

Yours truly with White Diamond.

One summer’s day, as I was taking a walk, this wonderful horse let out a series of loud neighs. As he threw his head back, he would look direct ly at me. He would stop neighing for a moment, then begin a series of neighs, while throwing his head back. He was definitely calling me over to him. I walked over to White Diamond and strangely enough, it felt like we were two old friends, pals, buddies, who hadn’t seen each other for a couple of years. I remember I did actually talk to White Diamond. Even more strange ly, he would neigh back to me, as if he was talking to me. On some level, he was saying hello to me. The next day, before going for my daily walk, I put a carrot in my pocket for White Diamond. Sure enough, when I reached the area with the open field to my left-hand side, there was White Diamond, standing all so proud and majestic. I walked over to White Diamond, petted him on his forehead and fed him the carrot that I had in my pocket. That Summer of 2008, I saw and talked to White Diamond every day. I would bring him a carrot, on every visit. We developed a true friendship. In early September of that year, I turned 55 and got a job as a Security Gate

Guard in The Villages. My daily afternoon walks were diminished to two or three times a week, on my days off from work. Then, in November, they began building homes on the open field. My en trance way to the spot where I would meet and greet White Diamond was cut off. I would do my absolute best, evenings after all the builders would go home, to take a walk, bring a carrot with me and visit with White Diamond. Looking back, I don’t know how it really did happen. But in December of 2008, my sister and I started our own little dog walking business. The busi ness soon flourished as the number of clients we had, grew and grew. My visits with White Diamond were now not as frequent as they had been in the early summer of that year. Now, 18 years later, I look back at my visits with White Diamond with great fondness and appreciation. A sprinkling of sadness looms in my heart, when I think of White Diamond. He was truly a dear and wonderful friend. I dearly believe that he was a gift from God. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He has recently had two books pub lished. He currently hosts a YouTube Channel entitled, “Richard Mabey Pres ents.” Richard may be contacted at richardmabeyjr@gmail.com.

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CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2026

BATIDO SMOOTHIE

This refreshing smoothie is a blend of papaya, banana, and yogurt and makes a satisfying part of breakfast or any time of day. Mix in frozen or fresh berries for a variety of flavors. Ingredients • 2 cup papaya chunks (fresh or frozen) Timmy’s Story: A SENSORY FRIENDLY BIRTHDAY By, Pam Teel Young Author Tim Rohrer, who has overcome many obstacles in his life due to his autism, is set to release his second children’s book. The book is a sequel to his first book, Timmy’s Story: A Story About Autism and Friendship . His first book, focuses on inclusion, and is based on his own past life experiences. His second book, Timmy’s Story: A Sensory Friendly Birthday, also is a reflection of his past, and teaches one about autism through the eyes of someone who lived it. For those with autism, sensory sensitivities may make birthday parties difficult to enjoy. Tim’s second book tells a true story, with that in mind, about how his teacher and his classmates made his birthday party one that he could enjoy. Tim’s brother Daniel, who is a senior at Allentown High School, is doing his senior practicum helping behind the scenes of “Tips4Inclusion.” He did the book editing for his brother. Tim has not only become an author but a speaker, self-advocate, and educator of disabilities. He has been asked to speak at schools, conferences, and has also received a commendation from the NJ State Senate and Assemblymen. He is also a managing partner of a teen founded nonprof it organization called 5Help Foundation. To learn more about Tim and the amazing resources he created, check out his website at: https://tips4inclusion.wixsite.com/disabilityinclusion. Tim’s new book is now available to purchase on Amazon. • 2 bananas (overripe, sliced) • 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt • 1 cup ice cubes Directions 1. Put all the ingredients in the blender. 2. Put the lid on tightly. Turn the blender to a medium setting. Blend until the ice is chopped and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. 3. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Notes • One cup of low-fat milk, soy, rice, almond or coconut milk can be used instead of yogurt. • Strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries can be used in addition to or instead of papaya.

4 CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

MAY 2023

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GUNTHERPUBLICATIONS.COM

WHAT IS IMPETIGO?

Impetigo is an infection of the skin caused primarily by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes , also known as Group A streptococci (GAS). What are the symptoms of impetigo? Impetigo begins as a cluster of small blisters that expand and rupture within the first 24 hours. The thin yellow flow that drains from the ruptured blisters quickly dries forming a honey-colored crust. Impetigo develops most frequently around the nose and mouth, but may also be found on the arms, legs or trunk. How does a person get impetigo? Impetigo develops after the skin is infected with GAS. The bacterium is usually acquired from skin-to- skin contact with another person with im petigo or contact with items an infected person touched, such as towels, clothes or toys. Who gets impetigo? The infection is most common in settings where there is crowding or ac tivities leading to close person- to-person contact such as schools and mili tary installations. Impetigo occurs more commonly in children between the ages of two to six years of age. How long does it take to develop impetigo following exposure? Impetigo may develop up to 10 days after the skin becomes infected with the bacteria. How is impetigo treated?

Impetigo may be treated with an antibiotic taken by mouth or by applica tion of an antibiotic ointment to the affected areas. How long is a person considered infectious? A person with impetigo is probably no longer infectious after 24 hours of adequate antibiotic treatment. What are the complications of impetigo? Rarely, the bacteria may invade beyond the skin of a person with impetigo and cause illness that is more serious. What can be done to prevent impetigo? Simple cleanliness and prompt attention to minor wounds will do much to prevent impetigo. Persons with impetigo or symptoms of GAS infec tions should seek medical care and if necessary, begin antibiotic treatment as soon as possible to prevent spread to others. Individuals with impetigo should be excluded from school, daycare or other situations where close person-to-person contact is likely to occur until at least 24 hours after be ginning appropriate antibiotic therapy. Sharing towels, clothing and other personal articles should be discouraged.

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CNJ+ | FORMERLY THE MILLSTONE TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2026