Five Things You Need to Know

1. On April 29, 12 teens volunteered at the ’s Stuffed Animal Sleepover. The teens assisted kids of all ages with a teddy bear craft and served bedtime snacks before the children left for the evening, leaving their stuffed animals behind for a sleepover. The teens then posed the stuffed animals around the library and took pictures, creating scrapbooks for each child.

Teens in seventh grade and up that are interested in volunteering at the library this summer should call 856-234-0333, ext. 4016 to sign-up for training. Training sessions will be held at 7 p.m. May 23 and May 26.

2. The Burlington County Sheriff’s Department offers defensive driving school to licensed Burlington County drivers. The course is free. Weekday and weekend classes are available. The class can be completed in one day. NJ Safety Council certified instructors from the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department presents all materials. For more information, contact the sheriff’s department at 609-265-3788. Eligible drivers can receive a minimum 5 percent discount and/or a 2-point NJ DMV reduction. To receive the discount/reduction, a $10 money order made payable to NJ State Safety Council is required from each participant requesting the discount/reduction.

3. The Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex recycles old TVs and computers. Electronic equipment, including computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, modems, printers, fax machines, VCRs, DVD players and TVs are banned from landfills.  Burlington County residents can bring their old electronics to the Resource Recovery Complex in Florence from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call 609-499-1001 or email recycle@co.burlington.nj.us. The Resource Recovery Complex is located on Route 543 in Florence/Mansfield.

4. New Jersey teachers can apply for funding through PSEG’s Environmental Education Grant Program, which provides funding to educators who can link their students' understanding of math, science, computer science and technology with an enthusiasm and appreciation for the environment. This year, PSEG will award $35,000 in grants. Grants of up to $3,500 are available for teachers of kindergarten through ninth grade. Applications that focus on ideas for the development of one or more classroom units, expansion or refinement of an existing course or curriculum, and extension of classroom work to community or after-school activities will be considered. Projects must be conducted over at least two years. Grantees will be announced by the end of October.

Teachers from schools in PSE&G’s utility service area and PSEG’s Estuary Enhancement Program area may apply, as well as schools located in New Jersey and Delaware within PSEG’s Emergency Planning Zone. Public, private, parochial, and charter schools are also eligible. Applications, which are available online, must be postmarked by Friday, June 24. For more information on the towns, and to download an application, visit pseg.com/eegrants.

5. The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded Interocean American Shipping (IAS), based in Moorestown, a contract to maintain and operate two additional ships in MARAD’s Ready Reserve Force fleet. The contract, worth $4 million, brings valuable resources and recognition to New Jersey.

“The U. S. Maritime Administration’s Ready Reserve Force fleet is vital to our national security and to U.S. participation in international relief missions around the world,” Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) said. “New Jersey’s Interocean American Shipping Corporation is a top performer in the Ready Reserve Force, consistently able to mobilize and deliver the ships it manages to the U.S. Navy at a moment’s notice. I am proud of the exceptional work that IAS does in support of the Ready Reserve Fleet and I am pleased they are being rewarded. Their management of two additional ships will bring more business and more jobs to Moorestown.“