BASEMENT WATERPROOFING IN Matawan

Advances 1547 and Harrison Street’s mission to build an ecosystem of the most interconnected data centers in the United States

The acquired property will serve as a gateway for international data transmission between Mexico and the United States

MATAWAN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (1547), a leading developer, operator, and owner of highly-interconnected, custom-designed data centers in North America, has partnered with Harrison Street, one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real assets, to purchase the iconic Chase Tower in McAllen, TX, one of the most important Internet exchange locations for telecommunication traffic between Texas and Mexico. This is 1547 and Harrison Street’s seventh data center endeavor since 2020.

@1547Realty has partnered with Harrison Street, one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real assets, to purchase the iconic Chase Tower in McAllen, TX.

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With over 209,000 square feet in this 17-story building in McAllen, TX, the Chase Tower is the telecommunication hub and Internet gateway between Mexico and the United States and serves as the financial hub for the greater Rio Grande Valley. With 46 unique carrier networks established in this telecommunications ecosystem, Chase Tower is Southwest's premiere carrier hotel and data center destination. The property’s two-carrier neutral meet-me-rooms (“MMR”) provide customers access to short-haul, long-haul, and dark fiber providers.

“1547 continues to move forward on its mission to create an ecosystem of highly dense and interconnected data centers in key markets throughout the United States,” says CEO of 1547, J. Todd Raymond. “1547 is listening to our enterprise customers, digital content distributors, and hyperscale cloud providers who are seeking connectivity in these crucial edge markets. With the purchase of Chase Tower, we are creating the opportunity for our customers to have an access point to do business with Mexico and other Latin American countries via the expansive Texas-based fiber networks. Carrier-dense properties like Chase Tower create data gravity throughout the greater region, attracting a higher caliber of customers to add to our ecosystem.”

Michael Hochanadel, Managing Director and Head of Digital Assets at Harrison Street said, “Today’s acquisition of the Chase Tower is an important addition to our connectivity-focused data center platform that includes Pittock Block in Portland, OR, and the Wells Building in Milwaukee, WI. Located less than ten miles from the Mexican border, Chase Tower is designed to serve as a gateway for international data transmission and advance our strategy to create data center options in attractive carrier-dense markets. We look forward to continuing to identify strong data center investment opportunities growing our digital footprint to ensure connectivity partners have the capacity they need to serve their customers.”

With this strategic purchase, 1547 and Harrison Street also acquired CarrierCom, a single-location data center provider located in the Chase Tower. Through this acquisition, the joint venture will own and operate the international carrier-neutral colocation facility backed by 24x7x365 support services. 1547 will have immediate colocation and data center inventory in the building with additional availability of conditioned space and power coming online in 2024.

Harrison Street has a dedicated team committed to investing across digital verticals that are key parts of the digital ecosystem and create operational synergies with end users. To date, the firm has invested approximately $2.6 billion in digital assets including powered shells, carrier hotels, strategic colocations, and dark fiber.

About 1547

fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty (“1547”) is a leading developer, operator, and owner of highly-interconnected, custom-designed data centers with over 1.25 million square feet of data center space under management throughout North America. 1547 selects sites, designs facilities, and manages developments to optimize returns for all stakeholders across new and interconnected properties. With interconnection in the company’s DNA, 1547’s connectivity-focused portfolio of data centers includes carrier hotels and core connectivity hubs designed to deliver customized mission-critical solutions from concept to connection.

About Harrison Street

Harrison Street is one of the leading investment management firms exclusively focused on alternative real assets. Since inception in 2005, the firm has created a series of differentiated investment solutions focused on demographic-driven, needs-based assets. The firm has invested across senior housing, student housing, healthcare delivery, life sciences, and storage real estate as well as social and utility infrastructure. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Toronto, and Washington DC, the firm has more than 240 employees and approximately $53 billion in assets under management. Clients of the firm include a global institutional investor base domiciled in North America, Europe, and Asia. Harrison Street has been awarded Best Places to Work by Pensions & Investments for seven consecutive years (2014-2020) and was recognized by PERE as the 2021 Alternatives Investor of the Year, North America, and 2020 Global Alternatives Investor of the Year. For more information, please visit www.harrisonst.com.

Contacts

For Harrison Street: Doug Allen/Paige Macpherson Dukas Linden Public Relations [email protected] +1 (646) 722-6530

For fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty: Jake Curtachio iMiller Public Relations Email: [email protected] Tel: +1 (908)-500-3579

There are plenty of options for shoppers looking to bring a real Christmas tree home this year near Matawan-Aberdeen:

ABERDEEN, NJ — People in the Aberdeen-Matawan area who prefer fresh-cut Christmas trees — whether they cut down trees themselves or buy from a retail lot — shouldn’t have any trouble finding them in 2022, according to a survey of Christmas tree growers by an industry trade group.

The prediction by the Real Christmas Tree Board comes after a survey of 55 wholesalers that supply two-thirds of the market for fresh trees and 1,500 U.S. adults ages 21-49.

“The real Christmas tree industry met demand last year, and it will meet demand this year,” Marsha Gray, executive director of the Real Christmas Tree Board, said in a news release. “This is essentially a year without surprises.”

Residents of the area have plenty of options, sortable by ZIP code and by type, on the Real Christmas Tree Board website. There is also a website for the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers Association.

Choose-and-cut farms:

Garden and retail centers:

Home improvement stores:

Real Trees May Be Pricier

Trees, like everything else, may cost a little more this year. Tree growers answering the Real Christmas Tree Board’s survey said growing costs have increased. About 36 percent of respondents said costs were up 11 percent to 15 percent compared to last year, while 27 percent said costs increased 16 to 20 percent. Another 10 percent said the year-over-year increase in production costs was more than 21 percent.

As a result, 71 percent of growers said they would likely increase wholesale prices. That means trees could cost anywhere from 5 percent to 20 percent or more.

Consumers seem to be taking the expected price hikes in stride.

“While our grower survey tells us wholesale prices are likely to be higher for real Christmas trees this year, our consumer survey tells us people expected as much,” Gray said in the news release. “The good news is fans of real Christmas trees say they believe the trees are worth the price, and they are willing to pay more this year if necessary to get one — and that’s not a surprise either.”Growers’ expectations of a healthy season are also tempered by fears of supply chain disruptions, the No. 1 concern of 44 percent of growers. About 35 percent said their top concern is that inflation-strapped consumers will cut real Christmas trees from their lists this year. About 21 percent of respondents cited labor availability concerns.

The Origin Of Christmas Trees

The origin of the Christmas tree can be traced to long before the advent of Christianity, according to History.com.

In ancient times, it was commonly believed the sun was a god. It appeared to be sick as daylight waned in the winter, but evergreens thriving during winter were a reminder that the sun would become strong again and lush greenery and warmth would return.

Evergreen trees were seen as a symbol of eternal life among ancient Egyptians, Hebrews and Chinese. Pagans throughout Europe used evergreens in their homes to represent fertility and new life.

Christmas trees were first used by devout Christians in Germany. The The 16th century Protestant reformer Martin Luther is believed to have added lighted candles to trees. He was composing a sermon as he walked home on a winter evening and was struck by the sight of stars twinkling above the evergreens, and recreated the scene in a tree in his family’s main room.

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"There is a fine line between 'boys will be boys' and inappropriate and illegal behavior," said this female Old Bridge firefighter.

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — A female volunteer firefighter is suing the South Old Bridge Volunteer Fire Company, alleging that inside the firehouse she frequently overheard male firefighters talking about the women they slept with, showing pornographic videos to each other and that one firefighter in particular made sexual comments at her expense.

The lawsuit was filed Sept. 30 by Lisa Lent.

Lent is a volunteer firefighter with the South Old Bridge Fire Company.

She specifically named South Old Bridge Volunteer Fire Co. President Tom Howard, Fire Chief Richard Dunn and Deputy Chief Jeff Sellmeyer in her lawsuit.

She said the worst of the sex jokes came from Howard, but she said Chief Dunn and Deputy Chief Sellmeyer did nothing to stop his behavior.

South Old Bridge Fire Company referred all questions about the lawsuit to their lawyers, the law firm of Mets, Schiro & McGovern. Dunn unsuccessfully ran this year for a seat on the Old Bridge Board of Education.

Lent is seeking financial damages in her lawsuit, filed under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination.

"This utterly deplorable behavior includes many male employees ... openly discussing the women they 'f—', and the women they believed had 'big b—' and a 'big a—'," read her lawsuit. "Moreover, many male employees .... repeatedly referred to women as 'whores,' and several male employees passed around pornographic videos to each other in the workplace, thus humiliating (Lent) and other employees."

She said it was on May 21 of this year that the sexist atmosphere "reached a nexus," when she and the other firefighters took a bus to attend a firefighting conference in Harrisburg, PA.

"Throughout the day, one defendant (Howard) peppered plaintiff with increasingly vile and misogynistic commentary about women being sex objects, such as 'She was a good f—,' 'She was a lot of fun' and 'She’s a pig, I wouldn’t touch that.'"

"This deplorable and degrading behavior only escalated when defendants began drinking alcohol on the bus ride home. When the group stopped for dinner, (Howard) forced his captive audience, including plaintiff, to endure his sexist musings. Then, he began to make inappropriate, hypersexual and misogynistic 'jokes' about (Lent). When she demanded he cease his inappropriate conduct defendant Howard viciously responded, 'You wouldn’t say no if the chief tried to f— you.' Needless to say, Lent was shocked and deeply embarrassed by the public harassment she was forced to endure."

Lent said Howard's comments on that bus ride were so deplorable, the bus driver apologized to her that she had been treated so poorly by her coworkers throughout the day, with the driver telling her at the end of the ride, “I’m so sorry they treat you this way.”

Lent also said that Fire Chief Dunn and Deputy Chief Sellmeyer witnessed Howard's comments on the bus that day and refused to intervene or tell him to stop.

She said days later, Dunn and Sellmeyer both apologized her to and for their lack of trying to stop what Howard said on the bus.

She also said Sellmeyer tried many times to discourage her from filing a formal complaint against Howard, warning her that if she were to file a complaint, Old Bridge firefighters would “look at her differently,” and possibly retaliate against her.

Sellmeyer also encouraged Lent to “let it go” because Defendant Howard “was drunk," according to her lawsuit.

On June 16, Lent said Dunn sent her a letter vaguely stating the Old Bridge Fire Co. would implement a “Three-Point Action Plan," but no actual corrective action was taken. Howard was never disciplined, suspended or demoted.

Lent said she filed a formal complaint against Howard and she was then retaliated against, with Howard filing his own complaint against her.

After filing her formal complaint against Howard, Lent said she was told by other firefighters she should stop responding to calls and she should quit being a volunteer firefighter.

This is a statement Lent herself submitted in her lawsuit:

"I would like to start off by saying that since I joined in December 2020, I have absolutely loved being a firefighter. Every responsibility of the job itself has been a wonderful experience. Learning about firefighting and experiencing the job duties has been so rewarding. With that being said, unfortunately my job duties are not the only factor that goes into someone’s experience.

The 'brotherhood' South Old Bridge Volunteer Fire Department outwardly displays is not something I have fully experienced. There are some members that ruin it for all.

Unfortunately, on May 21, during a Fire Department outing it crossed the line. Toward the end of the day, several high-ranking individuals became highly intoxicated during our early group dinner. They became increasingly loud, obnoxious and vulgar in conversation. In addition they repeatedly supplied a minor alcohol, later encouraging him to participate in taking beer mugs from the restaurant without paying for them. As disgusting as it was at points, I pretty much ignored the conversation and rolled with it.

When it became a little too much for me, I took a walk. I actually got up from the table four times during the meal so I could take a break from the conversation. One firefighter, who knows the protocols at my regular job, joked several times how “this is a red card conversation." In my professional line of work when someone is inappropriate, out of line and needs to be written up, investigated or sanctioned we issue a “red card." So clearly this firefighter was well aware that the conversation was out of line.

At one point, the conversation turned to talking about a video (I can not confirm what type of video it was) that I didn’t want to see. I made passive “vomit” noises to jokingly indicate I wasn’t comfortable with seeing the video. At this point a high-ranking member, said a sexual in nature comment in reference to myself and the Chief. The second he started saying the comment, I yelled “NO” four times. Finally I yelled at him “Are you going to be able to finish your beer once I break your jaw, stop talking." Although aggressive, this was the only way I felt I could make my point extremely clear. He mumbled a few more comments about “beer muscles” and then returned to speaking to other people at the table. Shortly after we left and returned to the bus.

The harassment continued on the bus. The sexual comments, insults and conversation in reference to my comment continued more than halfway home. I felt extremely uncomfortable and would have left, if I could. The firefighter who mentioned the “red card” earlier, mentioned it again in which I openly told the entire bus that this entire trip is an outright lawsuit and way passed a “red card."

Although the harassment and comments predominantly came from only a few members none of the other seven members said a single word to stop it. They all sat there and listened to insults and degradation I had to endure. Once the intoxicated individuals ran out of alcohol, they repeatedly harassed the driver to stop so they could purchase more. When we stopped for them to purchase more alcohol, I went into the store to use the bathroom. The harassment was so terrible on the bus, I couldn’t even pass them to use the bus bathroom. It seems while I was inside the store bathroom the Chief did speak up and ask them to stop.

Up until that point not one member said a single comment in my defense or tried to quiet the inappropriate behavior. There is a fine line between “boys will be boys” and inappropriate and illegal behavior.

When the trip was over, the bus driver apologized to me for their behavior and said “I am so sorry they treat you this way.”

I am fine with a lot of things. As I previously mentioned I will either remove myself from the conversation or ignore “stupid” talk. But the second the comments turned directly about me, especially in reference to another member it became too much."

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She thanked this woman for helping her beat alcohol addiction at the Recovery Centers of America at Raritan Bay?, located in South Amboy.

SOUTH AMBOY, NJ — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from Julie Mitchell who nominated Marguerite Warner of Matawan-Aberdeen. Mitchell nominated Warner because she said Warner helped her beat drug and alcohol addiction at the Recovery Centers of America at Raritan Bay, located in South Amboy.

Here is their story:

Local hero’s full name

Marguerite Warner

Local hero’s home state

New Jersey

Local hero’s Patch

Matawan-Aberdeen

How do you know the local hero?

I met Marguerite when I became a member of the Recovery Centers of America (RCA) alumni program, which I believe to be the most crucial component of RCA, and invaluable in my own recovery from addiction. As the head alumni coordinator, she offers RCA alumni so many opportunities to have fun in recovery and building meaningful friendships, through all of the alumni activities the organization plans FOR FREE every month. I've been bowling, hatchet throwing, golfing at TopGolf, to a sober dance night in Staten Island, to a minor league baseball game and to a women's weekend retreat. Marguerite has also provided me with so many opportunities to be of service to new clients in treatment. I'm at RCA Raritan Bay so often people think I work there. LOL. They also honor alumni who are of service to RCA by taking us for lunch each month. It's really unbelievable!

What does the local hero do?

Marguerite is the Senior Alumni Coordinator at Recovery Centers of America at Raritan Bay, a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center located in South Amboy. She has worked in treatment for nine years and joined the RCA at Raritan Bay team in May 2019 as a 12-Step recovery instructor, educating patients on how to effectively work a program of action, treating the mind, body and spirit. Marguerite’s passion for recovery and understanding of the importance in developing a strong sober network is what led her to her role supporting patients and their families throughout their journey to achieving long-term recovery.

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

Marguerite Warner should receive this nomination because of her never-ending efforts in supporting anyone who wants to recover from alcoholism and addiction. If someone wants recovery, she'll work as hard as that person in providing the path they may choose to walk. I've seen and experienced her willingness to go to extraordinary lengths to support those in need. For example, I had a loved one I wanted to get into treatment. Marguerite stayed quite late at work, making sure I not only got my loved one into treatment, but that I was able to ground myself. I’ll never forget how concerned she was for my own welfare. It was an emotionally draining event and her complete focus was to make sure I was safe. I could provide many examples of instances like this, where she is of service to the community.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

The one thing I want everyone to know about Marguerite is that she's not only committed to helping others, but she's also gracious, loving, honest, direct and hysterically funny. OK, maybe that’s five things, but she’s worthy of them all.

Thank you for all you do, Marguerite Warner!

This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile.

Know someone making a difference in town?

Nominate" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://tz7z86w5db5.typeform.c... them here.

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YORK, Pa. - The Washington and Lee University wrestling team completed the first day of the New Standard Invitational and Cameron Blizard (Greensboro, N.C. / Ragsdale) advanced to the semifinal match after posting a 3-0 day in the 184 bracket.

Blizard received a first round bye and posted two decision wins over Nolan Gerwitz (Averett) and Kyll Roper (Johnson and Wales). In the round of 16, Blizard defeated Gerwitz 11-5 by posting four takedowns and recording a nearfall then edged Roper 4-3 in the quarterfinal bout with a takedown and a pair of escapes.

Six wrestlers in addition to Blizard will continue to compete in the invitational's consolation brackets.

Riley Parker (Virginia Beach, Va. / First Colonial) was knocked out of the championship bouts after a 3-1 loss to Averett's Mason Barrett in the quarterfinals following a 7-3 victory in his opening match over York's Delvecchio.

In the 133 weight class, David Rubin (Matawan, N.J. / Matawan Regional) and Isaiah Wilson (Winston-Salem, N.C. / Robert B. Glenn) will both compete in the consolation round of eight. Rubin advanced by way of 10-1 and 6-1 decisions while Wilson posted a 5-3 decision in the round of 16 and win by default in the first round of 8.

Harrison Kelly (Berkeley Heights, N.Y. / Governor Livingston) posted a 12-0 fall over Ivan Corral (U.S. Merchant Marine Academy) in the opening round of 32 for the 165 lbs weight class but was knocked into the consolation bracket after losing a 9-2 decision to TCNJ's Nick Saccon. He then recorded a 17-0 Technical Fall (4:25) over Averett's Wyatt Dowdy and a 5-1 decision over Xavier Swason from Averett.

Merchant Marine's James Cruz took the championship round of 16 from John Ryan Sedovy (Lexington, Va. / Rockbridge) 6-4 to send the ODAC's 197 lbs Wrestler of the Week into the consolation bracket where he edged Brockport's Nick Franco 3-2 after posting a takedown in the final period.

In the heavyweights, Matt Majoy (Syosset, N.Y. / Syosset) went 3-1 on the day and will compete in the second consolation round of eight.

Through the first day W&L has earned 18 points as a team and competition will resume tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

125 Riley Parker (W&L) F Jacob Delvecchio (York), 5:37 125 Mason Barrett (Averett) DEC Riley Parker (W&L), 3-1 133 Wesley Wydick (Usmma) DEC Isiah Wilson (W&L), 9-2 133 David Rubin (W&L) F Francisco Muriel (Ithaca), 4:54 133 Larry Melchionda (Tcnj) DEC David Rubin (W&L), 10-3 133 Isiah Wilson (W&L) DEC Andrew Minko (Ursinus), 5-3 133 David Rubin (W&L) MD Austin Long (Averett), 10-1 133 Isiah Wilson (W&L) M FOR Anthony Bistany (Stevens) 133 David Rubin (W&L) DEC Michael Adams (Ursinus), 6-1 141 Harris Foad (W&L) F Landon Neal (Averett), 4:07 141 Justin Ciliotta (Stevens) DEC Vincent Ziccardi (W&L), 5-2 141 Mateo Hernandez (Marymount) DEC Harris Foad (W&L), 6-5 141 Drake Torrington (Tcnj) DEC Harris Foad (W&L), 16-9 141 Zach Weiner (Jwu) DEC Vincent Ziccardi (W&L), 7-1 149 Eddie Pinc (Usmma) F Colin Bridges (W&L), 3:55 149 Jake Rosenthal (Tcnj) DEC Colin Bridges (W&L), 4-2 157 Austin Manning (Usmma) F Alex Winant (W&L), 6:04 157 Harper Meacham (W&L) DEC Charles Loucks (Brockport), 6-5 157 Will Hughes (Jwu) F Harper Meacham (W&L), 0:25 157 Adrian Rosario-beato (Ithaca) DEC Nick Alejandro (W&L), 2-1 157 Alex Winant (W&L) DEC Ryker Permann (Averett), 10-6 157 Nick Alejandro (W&L) DEC Charles Loucks (Brockport), 8-3 157 Shea Parkis (Usmma) F Harper Meacham (W&L), 1:06 157 AJ Devries (York) F Alex Winant (W&L), 3:28 157 Connor Doherty (Tcnj) M FOR Nick Alejandro (W&L), 2-0 0:40 165 James Snyder (Stevens) MD Jak Krouse (W&L), 11-1 165 Harrison Kelly (W&L) F Ivan Corral (Usmma), 4:20 165 Christian Murphy (Jwu) DEC Mark Troni (W&L), 16-11 165 Nick Sacco (Tcnj) DEC Harrison Kelly (W&L), 9-2 165 Mark Troni (W&L) F Marcus Lewis (Marymount), 3:35 165 Jak Krouse (W&L) DEC Brian Bienus (Ithaca), 5-2 165 Harrison Kelly (W&L) TF Wyatt Dowdy (Averett), 17-0 4:25 165 Mark Troni (W&L) DEC Gabe Degraffinreed (Jwu), 17-10 165 Joshua Mitchell (York) DEC Jak Krouse (W&L), 10-6 165 Harrison Kelly (W&L) DEC Xavier Swanson (Averett), 5-1 165 James Snyder (Stevens) F Mark Troni (W&L), 3:50 174 Jackson Brandt (Ursinus) DEC Jud Cummings (W&L), 10-9 174 Michael Gabbard (Averett) DEC Jud Cummings (W&L), 8-3 184 Cameron Blizard (W&L) DEC Nolan Gerwitz (Averett), 11-5 184 Cameron Blizard (W&L) DEC Kyll Roper (Jwu), 4-3 197 James Cruz (Usmma) DEC John Sedovy (W&L), 6-4 197 John Sedovy (W&L) DEC Nick Franco (Brockport), 3-2 285 Matt Majoy (W&L) DEC Nick Galka (Ithaca), 3-2 285 Peter Wersinger (Tcnj) DEC Matt Majoy (W&L), 3-1 285 Matt Majoy (W&L) F Dustin Uribes (Apprentice), 4:39 285 Matt Majoy (W&L) DEC Samuel Rodriguez (York), 8-3