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The annual Northeast Epidemiology Conference , hosted in November by the New Jersey Department of Health, was a gathering of state epidemiologists and public health professionals from nine states and New York City. The conference occurred two days after the national election. Many present were worried about ongoing funding for public health. All of the programs have state funding, but, on average, 80% of state and local public health funding comes from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Besides personnel, this funding also supports systems to track illness and identify outbreaks. The group shared information on outbreak investigations and strategies to limit infectious and chronic diseases. Among outbreaks investigated this year were toxoplasmosis parasitic illness acquired at venison dinners in New York State; rising hospitalizations for leptospirosis in New York City, likely linked to rat urine; and eastern equine encephalitis , a mosquito-borne virus appearing in most northeastern and New England states. All states are bracing for possible bird flu in cows, with Massachusetts having established a monthly survey system for all of its dairy farms. The young, bright, enthusiastic professionals at the conference are part of our “invisible shield” of protection. Pathogens do not care about political party affiliation or race and ethnicity. While some neighborhoods are more protected than others from some pathogens, no place is fully safe. Parasites and viruses can become “tiny terrorists,” threatening our health and survival. Epidemiologists track their location, pattern of attack, and find ways to eliminate or reduce the source of the threat. This summer, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee released a Fiscal 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill proposing substantial cuts to public health funding for personnel, training, testing and research. The bill, H.R. 9029, has not yet been acted on by the full House. Ongoing support for these services is essential for our health and is a bipartisan concern. Whatever your political perspective, I urge you to contact your representatives in Washington, urging support for public health. Pauline Thomas, M.D. Note: The writer is a professor and the director of the Training Program in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Rutgers Health-New Jersey Medical School. The ‘Big Lie’ gets new life The so-called “Big Lie” that Donald Trump won the 2020 election — now in multiple variations — is back in our public life with a new vengeance. Although some people may dismiss them as “just talk” that won’t be acted upon, the lie and its derivatives have real consequences for people and institutions that are targeted: Individuals can be hounded, hurt financially, or even killed, as on Jan. 6, 2021. As everyone now sees, Trump’s claim that he “knew nothing” about the alleged far-right blueprint for his second term, Project 2025, looks to be false. The president-elect just designated Russell Vought, a major Project 2025 co-author, as director of his Office of Management and Budget. Trump’s current nominee for attorney general, Pam Biondi, has actively supported the original election lie that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection. And, Trump’s billionaire supporter, Elon Musk, is targeting retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the patriot who blew the whistle on Trump’s attempt to shake down the Ukrainian president for political gain. Musk has called Vindman guilty of treason, which, under U.S. law, can be punishable by death. The national media, unfortunately, continues to do a poor job by simply reporting untrue statements, thus accepting them at face value, and leaving the public to make up their minds. However, we cannot function as a democracy if we accept our public arena as an environment for lies and self-serving manipulation, with no commitment to the greater good. This stokes cynicism, confusion, and passivity from citizens. We’ve seen such behavior in nations which were, and are, under authoritarian leaders. It’s not a future that any of us should want for our country. Steven Lestition, Lawrenceville Big Brother is watching you on the bridge If you drive frequently between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, you’ll want to be more careful than usual about your driving. Earlier this year, the Delaware River Port Authority announced that it would allow the New Jersey State Police to install a new generation of high-speed, digital license-plate reading cameras at its four bridges, the Betsy Ross, Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman and Commodore Barry. These cameras are not just an aid for toll collection; they can catch speeders and reckless drivers, and help police identify drivers with non-bridge, unpaid traffic violations. Automatic license plate scanners are becoming popular in law enforcement and can often be found on police cars, road signs and other structures. Historically in New Jersey, traffic violations and deadly accidents are at their peak from the Thanksgiving holiday to New Year’s Day. Drive as though your life depends on it — because it does. Ed Vreeswyk, Yardville A mistake to thwart Trump’s nominees Political pundits, Democrats and some Republicans are making a terrible mistake trying to thwart some of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees for high government offices, such as secretary of defense and the directors of national intelligence and the FBI. Of course, Pete Hegseth , Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel , respectively, are woefully unqualified for those posts, in terms of both morality and competence. But, the Senate needs to confirm these horrendous choices. Only then will Americans realize, maybe, how much harm a second Trump presidency can inflict on America and its world standing. Hopefully, that lesson will be painful enough so that the electorate never makes such a mistake again. Yes, it will be difficult to endure the hardships we are likely to face. But the most compelling way for a child to learn not to touch a hot stove is, unfortunately, to touch a hot stove. Ouch! Rudy Larini, Somerset When Biden said, ‘no’ to pardon, he meant it I am so tired of the attacks against President Joe Biden for pardoning his son Hunter. The reasons are many, but I won’t bother going over them. Here’s my main reason for writing: When the president promised earlier to abide by the decision of the courts in his son’s criminal cases, and not pardon him, I think he meant it. At that time, I’m sure Joe Biden did not believe Donald Trump would again be elected president and nominate the likes of Kash Patel to head the FBI, as well as other cronies who’ve vowed to weaponize the Department of Justice against of all Trump’s “enemies within.” They’re poised to continue to hunt Hunter to get back at the president, as well as other Democrats, for whatever crimes against their dear leader they’ve imagined. Under these new circumstances, you cannot blame President Biden for pardoning his one and only surviving son. Get off his case and let the man retire in peace. Karen Banda, Bloomfield A special thanks to newspaper carriers We have been subscribers to The Times of Trenton since 1986. (Yes, we’re that old). Since publication of the print version is slated to cease in February, we’d like to send a huge “thank you” to all of the newspaper carriers who have made our daily deliveries over these almost four decades. We started with boys and girls delivering on their bikes and coming to the door to collect payment every week, to men and women driving by in their vehicles, with payment being made online. But the service has always been excellent, on time and covered with protective plastic, even through rain, hail, sleet and snow. We have always included tips in our payments and for Christmas recognition, and I urge those that who are still getting home delivery to do the same, whether or not you have done so in the past. It’s your last chance to show your appreciation. Unfortunately, some of these carriers are losing an important source of income and, at the very least, it would be a nice way to end an invisible, but very appreciated, relationship. RECOMMENDED • nj .com Who would Trump FBI nominee Kash Patel target? He compiled a lengthy list Dec. 2, 2024, 1:22 p.m. Trump loyalist mulled paying piles of cash for tweets to help him land dream cabinet job Dec. 5, 2024, 2:43 p.m. Rochelle Clerkin, Hamilton Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion . Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion . Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion . Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters .The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Jalon Moore scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, freshman star Jeremiah Fears added 19 and No. 12 Oklahoma remained one of the four unbeaten teams in Division I men’s basketball by putting away a pesky Prairie View squad, 89-67 on Sunday. Prairie View cut the Oklahoma lead to single digits on several occasions in the second half, but could get no closer than eight before the Sooners (13-0) eventually pushed the lead above 20 points in the closing minutes. Oklahoma took a 43-32 halftime lead despite hitting only one field goal in the final 10 minutes. The Sooners compensated for that drought by hitting 18 of 19 free throws in the first 20 minutes. Duke Miles was 7 for 7 at the foul line and hit both field goal attempts, both 3-pointers, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the first half. Fears, twice the SEC freshman of the week this season, shot 7 of 11 to eclipse his average of 18 points per game. The loss was the 12th straight for Prairie View (1-12), with its only win this season coming against a non-NCAA team. Tanahj Pettaway scored 22 points and Marcel Bryant had 14. RELATED COVERAGE No. 24 Illinois cruises past Chicago State 117-64 behind Kylan Boswell’s triple-double Backcourt comes up big as No. 6 Florida beats Stetson 85-45 to remain undefeated before SEC play Anderson hits 3-pointer with 6.8 seconds left to lead Utah State past No. 20 San Diego State 67-66 Takeaways Oklahoma couldn’t put the Panthers away despite taking double-digits leads on several occasions in the game. Prairie View will finally return home for the first time in two months after playing 12 straight road games. Key Moment Prairie View cut the Sooners’ lead to nine for the final time with 8 minutes to play, before Moore sparked a 22-9 finish to clinch the victory. Key Stat Oklahoma shot 35 free throws, hitting 32. Prairie View was just 5 for 7. Up next The Sooners open the new year and SEC play at Alabama on Saturday afternoon. Prairie View hosts Grambling in its SWAC opener Saturday afternoon. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and College Basketball News: Rankings, Scores, Stats & More
Politicians and dignitaries from around the world have gathered in Paris for the official reopening of Notre Dame, five years after a fire nearly destroyed the centuries-old cathedral. Follow DW for more. What you need to know French President Emmanuel Macron, who has called Notre Dame's reopening "a jolt of hope," will address hundreds of people in the newly restored cathedral on Saturday. US President-elect Donald Trump, America's first lady Jill Biden and Britain's Prince William are among the 1,500 guests attending the reopening celebration. Pianist Lang Lang, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Pretty Yende are among the artists slated to perform at the ceremony, which will be led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich. Follow the latest on the Notre Dame reopening ceremony below: Macron expresses 'gratitude of French nation' for rapid renovation Speaking before the liturgy began, President Macron said he wanted to first express the "gratitude of the French nation" to those who had worked to restore the 12th century building. "We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility and will, and never forget how much each person counts, and how the greatness of this cathedral is inseparable from the work of all," he said. Macron spoke of the building's central place in France and Paris' history, and in French culture, for instance citing Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" at length. He lauded the speed and quality of restoration work that he said some thought unfeasible after the fire. "We have rediscovered what great nations were capable of: realizing the impossible," Macron said. He also said the cathedral served as a "pleasant metaphor" for the modern French nation and its values like fraternity. "Notre Dame tells us that our dreams, even the most audacious, are only possible with the will of each and the engagement of all. Our cathedral reminds us that we are the inheritors of a past that is greater than us, which can disappear on any day," he said. WATCH LIVE — Official ceremony for Notre Dame reopening You can watch the proceedings in full on our YouTube site. Standing ovation for firefighters, hymns, music in opening minutes Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich commanded the cathedral "open your doors" on entry for the ceremony. Macron and US President-elect Trump both sat in the front row for proceedings. A long standing ovation and period of applause for Paris firefighters who had battled and ultimately controlled the blaze dominated the opening minutes of the ceremony. The remainder was punctuated by musical performances and hymns. Ceremony starts at Notre Dame The cathedral's bells rang out a little after 7 p.m. local time as the ceremony was set to begin. DW's Lisa Louis in Paris said the sounds were met with cheers from those waiting outside. President Macron and his wife Brigitte stood outside the entry to the building as members of the clergy paraded past them an into the buidling. Trump, Zelenskyy, Macron meet at Elysee Palace Zelenskyy and Trump met while visiting French President Macron at the Elysee Palace on Saturday, ahead of attending the Notre Dame opening ceremony. The three leaders posed for a picture before the meeting. Zelenskyy called the meeting "good and productive" on social media. "We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace," he said in a post on X. Reacting to the discussions, Macron wrote on social media: "Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security." The three leaders then headed out of the palace, as the ceremony was due to start. The Paris visit is Trump's first international trip since he won the presidential election last month. He met with Macron first, before they were joined by Zelenskyy. "We had a good time together and we had a lot of success, really great success," said the president-elect of his meeting with Macron. "It certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now, and we'll be talking about that." The visit comes as NATO allies try to learn more about Trump's likely stance on the war in Ukraine after his inauguration on January 20, after he repeatedly called for a rapid end to the conflict on the campaign trail. Macron to host Trump, Zelenskyy trilateral meeting, Elysee says French President Emmanuel Macron will host a meeting between US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , the Elysee announced on Saturday. The meeting comes as both leaders are in Paris to attend the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral. Trump met with Macron earlier on Saturday, and Zelenskyy was scheduled to join them shortly, the French AFP news agency cited an unnamed source as saying. Ukraine's Zelenskyy arrives in Paris Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral. He is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron at 5 p.m. local time on Saturday (1600 UTC). Macron is also set to meet with US President-elect Donald Trump an hour before discussions with Zelenskyy. During his election campaign, Trump cast doubt on US military aid to Ukraine and called for a swift negotiated settlement with Russia . "We expect a good decision from today's meeting with Macron," the French AFP news agency quoted a Ukrainian delegation source as saying, speaking on condition of anonymity. Paris awaits 'jolt of hope' The time for the reopening of Notre Dame de Paris has finally come, and there's a sense of excitement in the air in the French capital. “Paris without Notre Dame is just not Paris — it's really touching to see it reopen," one Parisian lady told DW, beaming with joy, as she was walking along the Seine riverbank, not far from the monument. Starting on Saturday morning, people began taking up places in the front rows of what the authorities are calling "boxes" — fenced-off areas around Notre Dame with space for some 40,000 people. The spectators will be able to watch tonight's ceremony on giant screens put up along the Seine. A large area around the 800-year-old monument has been cordoned off with a heavy security perimeter in place, similar to the buffer zone set up during this year's Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games. President Emmanuel Macron is hoping Saturday's event will be similar to the Olympics in another way, with the French capital turning into a bubble of happiness during the summer. Macron, during a televised speech on Thursday night, said he hoped the Notre Dame ceremony would also bring about a "jolt of hope." That's something France desperately needs after opposition parliamentarians this week ousted its government over the vote for the 2025 budget. The move has thrown the country into political and economic uncertainty and brought additional turmoil to Europe in times of international conflict and divisions. Wars are raging in Ukraine and the Middle East. And with Trump soon back at the White House, trade wars are likely to gain speed. Tonight's ceremony won't solve these issues. But at least, it'll be a moment of respite. Notre Dame Cathedral reopens after five years The iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is set to reopen its doors on Saturday for the first time in five years. The 861-year-old cathedral was nearly destroyed in a devastating fire in April 2019. Over €840 million ($888 million) was raised in donations in the aftermath of the fire to restore the monument. Authorities said the opening ceremony would be held inside the structure due to a forecast of strong winds. According to the Elysee Palace, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with US President-elect Donald Trump for bilateral talks on Saturday afternoon and will also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later in the day. Both are among the thousands of guests expected to attend the ceremony. Pianist Lang Lang, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and soprano Pretty Yende are among the artists slated to perform in the ceremony, which will be led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich. Reopened: The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video sdi/rmt (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
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