Sometimes, making sure your body gets the nutrients it needs to be happy and healthy seems like a full-time job. After all, our bodies are highly complex, dynamic machines. Like most machines and tools, our bodies need plenty of high-quality, potent fuel to operate optimally. Unfortunately, everyday life makes it difficult to get the vitamins, nutrients, amino acids, and antioxidants our bodies need to function correctly.
The truth is most of us live busy lives. That's especially true for busy professionals and working parents who can't take the time to source organic ingredients and nutrient-dense foods. Preparing a delicious dish with lean protein and fresh, yummy veggies sounds great. But do you really have the time to buy, clean, prep, and cook a full meal with all those responsibilities on your plate? A quick trip to the cheeseburger joint is so much easier, especially when you have picky eaters for kids. If you're a parent, you know convincing a child to choose Swiss chard over chicken nuggets is harder than solving a Rubik's cube.
Thankfully, there are much simpler ways to treat your body right with vitamins and nutrients, even if you're constantly on the go. IV vitamin therapy in cityname, state is a new, revolutionary treatment from Juventee that delivers essential nutrients directly into your bloodstream. That way, you can give your body the refined fuel it needs without choking down pills or balancing supplements.
Unlike pills and food, vitamin injections bypass the liver's metabolism, where nutrients are often broken down. When nutrients are processed by your liver, it can decrease the amount your body absorbs. By injecting vitamins directly into the bloodstream, you can be sure that 100% of nutrients are absorbed by your body. Vitamin IV therapy may boost your overall brain and body health in a number of different ways:
Plus, with our NAD+ therapy, patients can improve more of their body's functionality and even prevent muscle deterioration. It might sound like science fiction, but Juventee's IV Vitamin Therapy is as real and effective as it gets. You're probably thinking to yourself, "That's all well and good, but what's in IV drip therapy? Don't worry; we've got you covered.
IV vitamin therapy is a wonderful choice if you want softer, healthier skin, a better immune system, and even a cure for that early-morning hangover from a weekend out. But if you're like most new patients, you're probably wondering what's actually in this type of IV therapy.
The contents are right there in the name, boosted with some extras to make you look and feel great. Some of the most common ingredients include vitamin C, a wide range of B vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids. Let's take a closer look at what these typical ingredients are and why they're included in most vitamin IV therapy sessions:
If you're like most adults, your parents probably loaded you up with vitamin C whenever you had the sniffles or a cold. Your younger self might not have believed it worked, but as it turns out, your parents were onto something. According to doctors, vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins to consume. It might not be the cure-all for the common cold, but it absolutely helps maintain your immune system so you can fight the cold quicker. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C also protects your body from prenatal health issues, cardiovascular problems, eye diseases, and even wrinkly skin.
When your body lacks vitamin C for a long time, you're sure to notice. Though vitamin C deficiency is relatively rare in the U.S., adults who go long periods without it may get sick frequently and suffer from other immune system issues. In extreme cases, people may get scurvy, which causes a litany of issues like joint pain, bleeding gums, and depression.
B vitamins like riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), folic acid (b9), and cobalamin (B12) play a crucial role in keeping you healthy and maintaining your overall wellbeing. If you want a healthier body, B vitamins are critical, as they are literally building blocks that help preserve your brain functionality, cell metabolism, and energy. For pregnant women, B vitamins in IV drips are especially important because they help your new baby's brain develop while in the womb. B vitamins have also been shown to prevent congenital disabilities. Plus, they help ease feelings of nausea, which is a big bonus for moms and dads alike.
When your body is vitamin B deficient, you're putting yourself at risk of many health problems, such as complications with pregnancy, nervous system disorders, amenia, and gastric cancers.
Like the other vitamins and nutrients on this page, magnesium plays an important part in your body's total health. As a cofactor or helper molecule, magnesium has a role in 600+ bodily functions, including protein formation, nerve function, gene function, muscle movement, and energy production. If you're having a stressful day or week, high-potency magnesium has been shown to have relaxation properties that help calm your nerves and muscles. Unfortunately, most Americans don't get enough magnesium in their diets.
When your body is magnesium deficient, you could be playing with fire. Magnesium deficiency has been linked to chronic health concerns like osteoporosis, diabetes, and even heart disease. If you're feeling unusually weak or suffering from irregular muscle cramps, a vitamin IV session from Juventee could be the solution you need.
Just about every health food and drink in the stores boasts high levels of antioxidants. That's great, but what are they? Antioxidants are substances shown to slow or prevent cell damage from free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules linked to inflammation, disease, and forms of cancer. According to the National Library of Medicine, antioxidants also act as hydrogen and electron donors, as well as enzyme inhibitors.
Most humans get some types of antioxidants naturally through eating and drinking. However, IV vitamin therapy is a much more effective way to fight back against free radicals with antioxidants. When your body lacks antioxidants, free radical production increases, which causes oxidative stress - a harmful situation linked to arthritis, cancers, strokes, and Parkinson's disease.
Thankfully, Juventee's IV vitamin therapy in Teaneck, NJ contains antioxidants that may scavenge and reduce the free radicals affecting your health.
Some additional vitamins and nutrients found in most IV vitamin therapies include:
All IV vitamin injections are applied here at the Juventee office, where our patients are comfortable and at ease. IV vitamin therapy sessions vary in length, depending on the IV therapy you choose and how many applications you need. Vitamin IV injections are administered quickly, with the patient feeling a small pinch from the needle at the injection site.
Patients should not experience any irritation or adverse effects. Once therapy is over, they may leave and go about their day feeling fantastic. While most patients leave our office feeling great, everyone's experiences are different.
What you feel after IV therapy depends on the vitamins you choose and your unique body composition. Most often, however, patients enjoy IV vitamin benefits instantly since their bodies absorb all of the nutrients provided. For optimal results, we recommend you schedule several vitamin IV therapy sessions to thoroughly care for and cleanse your body.
In the past, IV vitamin therapy in Teaneck, NJ was reserved for sick hospital patients and the ultra-wealthy. Today, millions of health-conscious Americans use IV vitamin drips to give their bodies full-potency vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and amino acids. Taking supplements is great, especially if you're not treating your body to a healthy diet. In reality, though, supplements and multivitamins only give you a fraction of the benefit.
Juventee's IV vitamin infusions, on the other hand, are applied directly into your bloodstream. That way, all those wonderful vitamins and nutrients bypass your digestive system, giving your body much-needed care in the blink of an eye.
Getting nutrients in an instant is a benefit on its own, but what other advantages does IV vitamin therapy provide patients? Are there other uses for a vitamin IV drip other than getting your daily vitamins? Let's take a look and see.
If you're like most Americans in modern times, you could afford to lose a few pounds. Weight loss is a big topic these days - being overweight puts you at risk for a long list of ailments and diseases, so it makes sense to shed pounds. Of course, that's much easier said than done.
One savvy way health-conscious people use vitamin IV drips is to help kick start their weight loss goals. Juventee's unique vitamin formula contains metabolic boosters that help convert fat into energy, giving you the "go" needed to finish that workout. By jumpstarting your metabolism, your body can break down fat more effectively, helping you maintain a healthy weight.
In hospital and medical settings, IV nutrient drips can help patients who are too sick to eat. Outside of those settings, it can also be a great way to address certain nutrient deficiencies caused by conditions like:
Generally, people with the conditions above have a hard time getting the nutrients their bodies need via supplements and diet. Because IV vitamin therapy in Teaneck, NJ bypasses their digestive system, these patients can get nutrients that they otherwise wouldn't get.
Are you sick and tired of relying on teeth-staining coffees and chemical-ridden energy drinks to stay awake and focused? Nutrients like amino acids and B vitamins, found in IV vitamin therapies, give you a natural boost of energy, lessening your need for sugar and caffeine.
In addition to helping with weight loss and giving you essential nutrients, vitamin IV therapies may also cleanse your body of damaging toxins and free radicals. Free radicals, in particular, can damage your DNA and speed up the aging process.
The antioxidants in Juventee's IV vitamin therapy help protect your body and its immune system by neutralizing free radicals and eliminating toxins. Some common antioxidants used include:
Ingredients in IV vitamin drips like magnesium sulfate are great for lowering blood pressure and calming nerves. But magnesium has also been shown to:
Magnesium sulfate is also a common ingredient in stress-reducing products like Epsom salts as well.
We've all been there before - it's Friday afternoon, and you and your work colleagues decide to leave the office early. One of your co-workers suggests you go to a bar to let off some steam and reflect on the work week. One or two drinks, you promise yourself. The next thing you know, you're three sheets to the wind, singing bad karaoke and making new friends with everyone at the bar.
You had a great time, but now it's Saturday morning, and it feels like a cinderblock was dropped on your head. Instead of grabbing a can of salty V8, why not treat yourself to vitamin IV therapy from Juventee? The hydration provided by our IV vitamin drips helps fight back against hangover symptoms like:
Fluids from vitamin IVs get to work quick, replenishing the water you lost while you were out partying. Vitamin IVs also have much-needed electrolytes for your body, which may relieve feelings of dizziness, fatigue, and thirst.
If your goal is to nourish your body with nutrients and vitamins, Juventee's IV vitamin therapy in cityname, state is the key you need to unlock success. We believe that balance is key to your health and wellness, which is why our specialists employ the most innovative medical advances in our treatment options and products. Unlike other vitamin IV clinics, our focus is on providing you with a full range of health services to help you reach your full potential.
That way, you can satisfy your aesthetic, physical, and nutritional needs while positively impacting your emotional wellbeing too. If you're on the fence about getting healthy and re-discovering the joys of youth, contact our office today. It would be our pleasure to talk about your concerns and how our preventative, proactive treatments like IV vitamin therapy can help on your journey to health.
Ally Sweeney led with 27 points, including three 3-pointers and by going eight of nine from the line, as sixth-seeded Sparta, No. 19 in NJ.com’s Top 20, downed second-seeded Old Tappan, 62-45, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament in Old Tappan.Sparta (22-7) will face fourth-seeded Teaneck in the final on Tuesday.Bailey Chapman added 16 points while going seven for seven from the line for Sparta, which led 23-18 at the half and finished with a 23-13 run in the final frame to seal...
Ally Sweeney led with 27 points, including three 3-pointers and by going eight of nine from the line, as sixth-seeded Sparta, No. 19 in NJ.com’s Top 20, downed second-seeded Old Tappan, 62-45, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament in Old Tappan.
Sparta (22-7) will face fourth-seeded Teaneck in the final on Tuesday.
Bailey Chapman added 16 points while going seven for seven from the line for Sparta, which led 23-18 at the half and finished with a 23-13 run in the final frame to seal the victory for an eighth consecutive win.
Sparta went as far as the semifinals of the Tournament of Champions last year.
Maya Giordano led everyone with 33 points while going seven of eight from the line to lead Old Tappan (22-5).
Teaneck 53, No. 13 Montville 51
Lexi Carnegie posted a game-high 22 points and six rebounds as fourth-seeded Teaneck upended top-seeded Montville, No. 13 in NJ.com’s Top 20, in the semifinal round of the NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 1, Group 3 tournament in Montville.
Teaneck (19-7) will host sixth-seeded Sparta in the final round on Tuesday. The Highwaymen made it as far as the quarterfinal round in the tournament last year.
Erin Frazier added a double double of 10 points and 10 boards for Teaneck, which led 25-21 at halftime and held off a surging Montville (24-5) in the fourth quarter to win.
Demi Simpson was good in the paint with 10 rebounds in the victory.
Grace Kowalski paced Montville with 15 points.
The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
FRIDAY, FEB. 24Nominate your game changer now in one of 18 categories decided by fans. • Learn more and make a nomination!FEATURED GAMESPrep A FinalSt. Benedict’s 76, Blair 55North 2, Group 1 semifinalsNewark Tech 56, American History 50South, Group 1 semifinalsWoo...
Nominate your game changer now in one of 18 categories decided by fans. • Learn more and make a nomination!
Prep A Final
St. Benedict’s 76, Blair 55
North 2, Group 1 semifinals
Newark Tech 56, American History 50
South, Group 1 semifinals
Woodbury 48, Pitman 44
Central, Group 3 semifinals
Ewing 77, Colts Neck 41
North, Non-Public A quarterfinals
Bergen Catholic 63, Seton Hall Prep 52
South, Non-Public A quarterfinals
Rutgers Prep 78, St. Augustine 74 (OT)
2-Shore 48, 3-Point Pleasant Beach 37 - Box Score
1-Eagle Academy 51, 4-Keyport 47 - Box Score
2-Nottingham 73, 6-Robbinsville 57 - Box Score
1-Ewing 77, 5-Colts Neck 41 - Box Score
3-Paterson Charter 65, 2-Park Ridge 45 - Box Score
1-Cresskill 72, 4-West Caldwell Tech 59 - Box Score
1-Ramapo 55, 4-Pascack Valley 53 - Box Score
2-Teaneck 63, 3-River Dell 42 - Box Score
1-Newark Tech 56, 4-American History 50 - Box Score
2-Hoboken 63, 3-Weehawken 48 - Box Score
4-Colonia 64, 1-South Plainfield 45 - Box Score
6-Snyder 76, 7-Payne Tech 62 - Box Score
2-Woodbury 48, 6-Pitman 44 - Box Score
4-Burlington City 49, 1-Wildwood 46 - Box Score
4-Moorestown 32, 1-Mainland 29 - Box Score
10-Ocean City 56, 11-Absegami 39 - Box Score
3-St. Peter's Prep 74, 6-DePaul 48 - Box Score
1-Don Bosco Prep 43, 9-Hudson Catholic 41 - Box Score
5-Bergen Catholic 63, 4-Seton Hall Prep 52 - Box Score
7-St. Joseph (Mont.) 49, 2-Delbarton 40 - Box Score
1-St. Thomas Aquinas 99, 8-Timothy Christian 40 - Box Score
4-Roselle Catholic 98, 5-Morris Catholic 63 - Box Score
6-Montclair Immaculate 81, 3-St. Mary (Ruth.) 45 - Box Score
2-Gill St. Bernard's 64, 7-Saddle River Day 59 - Box Score
5-Union Catholic 64, 4-Paul VI 58 - Box Score
6-St. Joseph (Met.) 71, 3-Immaculata 68 - Box Score
7-Rutgers Prep 78, 2-St. Augustine 74 - Box Score
1-Camden Catholic 62, 8-Red Bank Catholic 33 - Box Score
4-St. Joseph (Hamm.) 77, 12-Doane Academy 72 - Box Score
3-Ranney 86, 6-Gloucester Catholic 54 - Box Score
2-Bishop Eustace 48, 10-Trenton Catholic 43 - Box Score
1-St. Rose 65, 8-Holy Cross Prep 47 - Box Score
1-St. Benedict's 76, 2-Blair 55 - Box Score
The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
The public sectional semifinals in the NJSIAA girls basketball tournament wrap up this weekend. The North Non-Public A/B semifinals are scheduled for Monday.Here are the North Jersey teams headed to the finals in their respective sections.SCOREBOARDLive NJSIAA gir...
The public sectional semifinals in the NJSIAA girls basketball tournament wrap up this weekend. The North Non-Public A/B semifinals are scheduled for Monday.
Here are the North Jersey teams headed to the finals in their respective sections.
SCOREBOARDLive NJSIAA girls basketball brackets from every section in North Jersey
WHEN/WHERE: Monday, 4:30 p.m., at No. 1 Union City
WHAT TO KNOW: After winning Saturday’s sectional semifinal at No. 2 Morristown, 45-40, the No. 3 Ghosts (24-5) will face the team that knocked them out in the 2022 North 1, Group 4 semis.
The good news for Eastside is, during its current run of 22 wins in 23 games, one of those victories came against Union City, 49-39, in the Jan. 7 HUrban Legends Showcase in Paterson.
“I’m pretty sure the gameplan will be different on both ends, because we’re not the same team that we were when we played them earlier in the year,” Eastside coach Brandon Pilgrim said. “And I don’t think that they’re the same team – they’ve been playing great basketball.”
POSTSEASON HISTORY: The Ghosts are in their first sectional final since 2016, which came a year before the program was rocked by a recruiting scandal. Prior to that, they won six titles from 2002-14. Union City is the defending champ.
KEY PLAYERS: Guard play has carried Eastside all season long, with Symiaha Brown-Cobb, Nevaeh Banks and Nyasia Pauldo passing and shooting. But don’t forget about forward Ron’Shanae Austin, who had a big game (16 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) against Morristown.
QUOTABLE: “For my five seniors that are playing, they wanted to leave a legacy, because they were the class that came in after everything went on at Eastside [in 2017]. So, they wanted to be the class that turned everything around, and they have been.” —Pilgrim
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, 7 p.m., home against No. 6 Sparta
WHAT TO KNOW: The No. 4 Highwaywomen (19-7) knocked out top seed Montville in Friday's semifinals, 53-51, holding on after the Morris County finalists whittled down an eight-point margin in the final minute.
Teaneck faced Sparta (22-7) on the road two weeks ago, and despite trailing by just two with three minutes to play, dropped a 61-48 decision.
"As a young team, you learn, and we made some mistakes down the stretch," coach Brad Allen said. "We learned that they're a very disciplined team, very efficient, and they shoot really well. And their Division I point guard, Ally Sweeney, makes them go."
Sweeney reached 1,500 career points in a 62-45 semifinal win at Old Tappan. The Spartans have been without Brynn McCurry all season due to an ACL injury, though Teaneck agreed to allow the Villanova commit to score one final basket ? uncontested ? in Sparta's Feb. 13 Senior Night game. (The Highwaywomen were then given a free basket to start the game even at 2-2.)
POSTSEASON HISTORY: Sparta is the defending champ, while Teaneck is in its first North 1, Group 3 title game since 2014, which was the last of eight consecutive sectional-final appearances.
KEY PLAYERS: Teaneck junior forwards Erin Frazier and Demi Simpson tallied 10 rebounds apiece against Montville, while freshman guard Lexi Carnegie (22 points, 6 rebounds) had the sixth 20-point game of her young career.
QUOTABLE: "The girls are pretty excited. They are really, really hyped to bring back the legacy of the program, and the boys are also in the sectional final as well. So we have the support of their program and the community." —Allen
WHEN/WHERE: Tuesday, 6 p.m., home against No. 5 Boonton
WHAT TO KNOW: The No. 3 Owls (17-13) seemed headed for another showdown with NJIC Patriot rival and top seed Cresskill, before the Bombers (22-5) pulled a semifinal upset, 42-33 on Friday.
"I wasn’t surprised that they came away with a win," Park Ridge coach Ryan Dennis said of Boonton. "I know they have an outstanding starting five, and they play a very good base [half-court] game."
In their semifinal win, the Owls were able to withstand the pressure defense of No. 2 Passaic Charter (20-6) and kept the Panthers from putting together big runs.
POSTSEASON HISTORY: Park Ridge fell to Cresskill in the 2019 North 1, Group 1 final and remains in search of its first sectional title. Boonton, which lost to the Owls in the 2020 first round, last won a sectional crown in North 2, Group 2 in 1990.
KEY PLAYERS: While sophomore Allie Shenloogian (968 career points) makes the Park Ridge offense go, junior guards Mary Grace Craffey and Abigail McManus have been unsung heroes. Dennis called them "great leaders," adding, "their ability to grind on the defensive end helps make us successful."
QUOTABLE: “We’re excited it's at home," Dennis said of the sectional final. "It's an exciting thing for Park Ridge… the girls have never won it, and the boys last won it in 1965." —Dennis
? Secaucus gave the NJIC two sectional finalists by besting Jonathan Dayton (Springfield), 64-43, in Saturday's North 2, Group 2 semifinals. One round after surpassing 1,000 career points, junior guard Alyssa Craigwell netted 22 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals to propel the top-seeded Patriots (27-3) to the final, where they will host No. 2 Madison (22-4) on Monday.
? Monday's North Non-Public A semifinals will bring about the fourth meeting of the season between division rivals Holy Angels (17-9) and Immaculate Heart (22-4). The No. 5 Angels upended No. 4 Newark Academy in Friday's quarterfinals, 61-42, while No. 1 IHA dispatched No. 9 Paramus Catholic, 60-35. The Blue Eagles' three wins against Holy Angels this winter have been by an average score of 57-42.
? Two North Jersey teams remain alive in North Non-Public B. Four-time defending champ and top seed Saddle River Day (20-5) hosts No. 4 Immaculate Conception of Montclair in one semifinal on Monday, while No. 3 Immaculate Conception of Lodi (21-4) visits No. 2 Morris Catholic, last year's runner-up.
"A complete disaster" were the words custom cake shop owner Justin Ellen used to describe the first cake he ever made just seven years ago.Self-taught and inspired by baking shows on YouTube, the Passaic native didn't start with a simple, single-tiered cake. No, Ellen went big: Three tiers.Ellen was less than pleased with his results, time and time again, but he learned far more than he lost and, eventually, the success he saw was beyond his wildest dreams.At 16, Ellen launched his business, "Everything Ju...
"A complete disaster" were the words custom cake shop owner Justin Ellen used to describe the first cake he ever made just seven years ago.
Self-taught and inspired by baking shows on YouTube, the Passaic native didn't start with a simple, single-tiered cake. No, Ellen went big: Three tiers.
Ellen was less than pleased with his results, time and time again, but he learned far more than he lost and, eventually, the success he saw was beyond his wildest dreams.
At 16, Ellen launched his business, "Everything Just Baked." He missed out on prom and high school graduation to film "Is It Cake?" on Netflix.
Ellen was raking in a six-figure salary as a teen and now, at 20, Ellen is making headlines once again: This time for making Mary J. Blige's 52nd birthday cake.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Everything Just Baked ! (@everythingjustbaked)
Ellen, however, has no time to sit around thinking about his past. He's focused on the future.
"I still feel early in my career," said Ellen, who has 121K followers on Instagram, and says baking tools, mixes and custom cakes on his website. "I'm still deciding what I want to be seen as."
He's certainly got time to figure that out.
Ellen started baking when he was 7 years old old alongside his mom and grandmother. They made lots of pies and cookies, but not cakes.
"We weren't a cake family," Ellen said with a laugh.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Everything Just Baked ! (@everythingjustbaked)
A freshman in high school and inspired by Yolanda Gampp's wildly popular baking tutorials "How To Cake It," Ellen learned cakes himself.
"It was definitely hard," he said. "I couldn’t make a one-tier but I went right to making three tiers. I was like, 'What's the worst that could happen?'
"It was a complete disaster."
Every day after school, Ellen set up shop in his family's kitchen and practiced, and practiced, and practiced.
By junior year, his cakes were in good shape, looking and tasting better every time. That's when he launched "Everything Just Baked," selling six-inch cakes for about $60, according to CNBC.
Ellen put his cakes on social media, where producers for Netflix's "Is It Cake?" found him. The premise was to bake cakes that look like everyday objects. Ellen made a raw steak cake and a taco box cake.
The show boosted both his self-esteem and his career, he said.
"I knew a lot of people were going to watch but I didn't realize how many," he said. "I was in Mexico and people were recognizing me. I was all the way from Jersey but I was being seen in Florida."
While his peers enrolled in college, Ellen attended "YouTube University," he joked. While there were times Ellen felt like he was missing out on the college experience, he didn't want to undo any progress he'd made with his business. And so, he continued baking.
"I kept practicing and the more I posted, the more orders I'd get," he said. "I spent a year working on the business, posting more cakes, putting myself out there, going to wedding expos, and trying to get more clients."
The same year he graduated high school, and was making enough money to support not just himself, but a whole family. Ellen was starting to get more press, and more orders. Finally, he felt his hard work was paying off.
Sometime last year, a caterer that Ellen knew through the industry mentioned that she was close with Mary J. Blige, and that he should bake her birthday cake in January 2023.
Ellen designed a multi-tiered black, white and gold cake with sparklers for the party, enjoyed by Blige and other music artists. Ellen made a smaller, simpler cake for a smaller birthday event Blige held for close friends and family.
"Saturdays and Sundays were cleaning days when I was younger, and my family would be playing her music," Ellen said. "Now it's like, I make cakes for her."
Ellen hopes his story will serve as inspiration to other youth and people in the Black community.
"You don't have to go the traditional route," he said. "Selling cakes might not seem like a possible career, but the opportunities are endless.
"Five years ago, 'Is It Cake?' didn't even exist. So today, what you're dreaming of might not even be here yet. You might create something."
Click here to shop Ellen's website.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Teaneck and receive free news updates.
Weeks after a train derailed in a small town in Ohio, spilling toxic chemicals into the air and water, a New Jersey lawmaker wants a renewed look at a train-safety bill she introduced in September.The bill (A4442) would require certain train operator...
Weeks after a train derailed in a small town in Ohio, spilling toxic chemicals into the air and water, a New Jersey lawmaker wants a renewed look at a train-safety bill she introduced in September.
The bill (A4442) would require certain train operators to provide cleanup plans to the Department of Environmental Protection in the case of any hazardous material leaking or a derailment similar to the Feb. 3 one in East Palestine, Ohio. A copy of the plan would be shared with local officials and the state Office of Emergency Management.
“Trains go within 100 feet of different businesses, homes, places of worship. It’s a big concern to know how to react to accidents as quickly as possible,” said Assemblywoman Ellen Park (D-Bergen), sponsor of the legislation. “We want to make it transparent so that in case of an emergency, we know exactly what’s on the train.”
While Park said the bill is garnering more support among lawmakers as questions continue to swirl around the Ohio train derailment, she’s been paying attention to the issue for a long time as a nearby Englewood Park resident.
For years, residents have reported freight trains idling hundreds of feet from their homes, she said. A 2015 CBS News report says residents complained about the possible release of carcinogens into the air from freight trains that carry crude oil and idle for hours at a time.
Last year during a meeting to call attention to the issue, Park said she could hear the loud trains rumbling close by.
“It could just take a second for an accident to occur. Maybe it’s not all 10 cars exploding at once, but it takes just one leak, or running over an animal, or something like that, and we’d have a huge disaster on our hands,” she said in a phone interview.
The bill wouldn’t address the original cause of the East Palestine crash — officials believe it may have been caused by a wheel bearing on a rail car that overheated — but it could have avoided problems surrounding the cleanup, Park said.
The trains cars that derailed Feb. 3 carried vinyl chloride, a carcinogenic material, and toxic fumes were released during a controlled burn that authorities said was meant to prevent an explosion. Residents within one mile of the burn were temporarily evacuated.
Park’s bill would apply to “high hazard” trains hauling 200,000 or more gallons of petroleum or petroleum products, or 20,000 or more gallons of other hazardous substances.
The bill would require train operators’ cleanup plan to include information on the type of emergency response measures they plan to use in the event of a spill of hazardous material, the type of equipment they have available for such a cleanup, a list of names and addresses of all emergency response coordinators they plan to employ, and more.
Ohio and federal officials have told residents of East Palestine that they have not detected dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or municipal water, but residents there have continued to report lingering chemical odors in the air and continued rashes and headaches.
If a similar derailment happened anywhere in densely populated North Jersey, Park said, the impact would potentially be more devastating.
“We’re more condensed, so it’s a big concern to us,” Park stressed. “We’re really trying to push this as a priority now, because should anything like this happen in a place like Teaneck, we want to have protocols set up.”
The bill has been previously introduced, sponsored in prior years by former Sen. Loretta Weinberg, who represented Bergen County. Now, she said, Sen. Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen) plans to sponsor a Senate companion bill.
“It’s got to get done — it’s something we need to prepare for because we have a lot of trains running through Jersey that are carrying these high hazardous materials,” she said.