Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 9/4/2024
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “When you don’t have a leader, you perish. You try to stop chaos.” – Passaic County Democratic Chairman Currie
TOP STORY: NJGOP Tries to Make it a Real Race in Blue New Jersey
Governor Murphy signed legislation expanding the Sexual Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights.
School districts still face teacher shortages as the new school year begins, according to NJ Monitor.
Schools are enforcing new cell phone restrictions on students, according to NJ Spotlight.
Youth mental health is still an issue in the new school year, according to NJ Spotlight.
The state has been slow to adapt to electric school buses, according to the Bergen Record.
The state is giving the Sixers details of a massive Camden arena project proposal, and huge incentives, according to ROI-NJ. Business leaders are fully behind the push, according to ROI-NJ.
The state lost tax-writing advocates in Congress with the death of Rep. Pascrell and resignation of Senator Menendez, according to NJ Spotlight.
ICYMI: Funeral held for the late Rep. Pascrell; smoking still allowed in casinos; Kelly may have helped torpedo Mastro
In CD8, the HPAE endorsed Rep. Menendez.
In CD9, critics say Senator Pou’s nomination for the seat is a good result from a bad process, according to NJ Spotlight. Pou says she’s ready to build on Pascrell’s legacy, according to NJ Spotlight.
Immigration is a key policy issue in NJ races, according to NJ Monitor.
ICYMI: NJGOP wants real race in the state; Gottheimer’s road to Guv goes through Middlesex; Pou by acclamation; Sherrill fielded questions; NJGOP going all in on RFK
Summer is ending with no action on legislation to protect outdoor workers from heat, according to NJ Monitor.
Behind the Ballot: Getting on – and off – the Ballot for President in NJ
In looking at the career of the late Rep. Pascrell, its instructive to consider the 2012 primary battle as a stand-out race.
Al Sullivan’s memories of Rep. Pascrell.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Policymakers publication.
Compliance Corner: Navigating ELEC Investigations and Complaints
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Legal publication.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Lobbyist publication.
In Atlantic City, residents are receiving training to install citywide AI cameras, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Bayonne, the mayor urged the merger of NJCU and HCCC, according to the Jersey Journal.
In Camden, the mayor sees the potential relocation of the Sixers as the culmination of the city’s effort to transform itself, according to ROI-NJ.
In Dunellen, a $14M redevelopment was proposed for the Rescue Squad and a vacant bank, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Paramus, a housing complex was proposed near the GSP, according to the Bergen Record.
In Passaic, the high school will be demolished, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Rahway, the mayor vowed to address library funding issues, according to TAPinto.
In Raritan Township, an ordinance to discourage solicitors was introduced, according to TAPinto.
In South Orange, town halls are scheduled on the potential water system sale, according to TAPinto.
In South River, the town is ready to launch expanded pre-K, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Stone Harbor, the town is looking at shared services amid a budget hole, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Big numbers of parking tickets are now the norm in the town, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Warren, the planning board chair stepped down, according to NJ Hills.
In Washington Township, the final animal census count could be delayed, according to NJ Hills.
ICYMI: In Bedminster, debate prompted ‘kindergarten behavior’
Insider NJ columnist Andrew Leven writes ‘An Intersection of Antisemitism and the War in Gaza That You Can Live With, and By‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Charlie Wowkanech writes ‘Labor Day: It’s Better in a Union‘
AROUND THE WEB:
Which NJ Senate candidate is the real agent of change? Curtis Bashaw? Andy Kim?: Stile
Charles Stile, NorthJersey.com
- The two major party candidates for New Jersey’s open U.S. Senate seat will try to convince voters that they are the credible torchbearer of change. Republican challenger Curtis Bashaw is campaigning on his resume as a hotelier and developer from Cape May who converted a boarded-up hotel into a seaside landmark and created jobs in the process. It’s just the kind of ingenuity and imagination that Congress could use at this perilous moment of political paralysis, he argues.
Supply chain issue forces offshore wind developer to hit pause on N.J. project
Steven Rodas, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- Instead of offshore wind turbines on New Jersey’s horizon, the state is once again seeing challenges in helping the industry prosper here. The latest comes from one of the two project developers that in January got the go-ahead to install blades on our coast.
Officials in NJ warn: Watch out for these venomous snakes
Dino Flammia, NJ1015
- Two types of snakes that call New Jersey home are venomous. One of them has prompted warnings from officials in at least two counties over the past few weeks. Residents are being advised to stay away from the northern copperhead snake, which can grow to a few feet long and can camouflage in leaf litter.
Catholics in New Jersey sue Biden administration
The Center Square
- A group of Catholic churches in New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against the federal government seeking to reverse visa procedures for religious workers, which they say threaten the status of foreign-born clergy. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by the Catholic diocese in Paterson, on behalf of five foreign-born priests, names the U.S. Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Citizenship and Immigration Services as defendants.
These 6 Warren Co. programs are up for some of $20M in U.S. Rep. Tom Kean’s district
Glenn Epps, For lehighvalleylive.com
- U.S. Rep.Tom Kean is endorsing a number of community programs in Warren County next year, including an effort to remediate Phillipsburg’s Delaware River Park as trash from a capped landfill has started leaching to the park’s surface.
The search for Jeff Van Drew’s soul | Moran
Tom Moran, Star-Ledger
- Give this much to Rep. Jeff Van Drew – he knows how to get a good price for selling his soul. He may be a spineless, shape-shifting opportunist, but at least he’s good at it. The latest example is almost comical. Van Drew, a Republican, has won more money for his South Jersey district through the use of earmarks than anyone else in the delegation, according to a recent report from NJ Spotlight News.
New Brunswick center aims to evaluate, improve policing policies | Quigley
Joan Quigley, For The Jersey Journal
- At the edge of the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick is the Paul S. Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience. Recently it consolidated its two operations into one and affiliated with the Eagleton Institute. Well-known and respected among law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security agencies, it’s little known to the rest of us.
Tolls increase on Philly bridges
Matthew Fazelpoor, NJBIZ
- Beginning at midnight Sept. 1, the first toll increase in more than 13 years takes effect on the Delaware River Port Authority’s (DRPA) four bridges connecting New Jersey and Philadelphia. Under the new toll schedule – approved by the DRPA Board of Commissioners in July – tolls for passenger vehicles, small trucks and motorcycles will increase from $5 to $6 on the Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, Commodore Barry and Betsy Ross bridges. Trucks and recreational vehicles will see an increase from $7.50 per axle to $9 per axle; buses will pay $4.50 per axle, up from $3.75.
The forgotten lawmen: The constables who paved the way for Long Hill’s police force
Guy Roshto, NJ Hills
- As Long Hill Township – formerly Passaic Township – celebrates 100 years of its police department, it’s easy to overlook the time before 1924, when ordinary citizens were the ones responsible for keeping the peace and shaping the future of law enforcement in the community.
September is a time to remember those lost to suicide, but also prevent more loss
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Organizations such as Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describe September as a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, acknowledge millions more who have experienced suicidal thoughts, and the many individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by suicide.
Which towns in Central Jersey issue the most traffic tickets? The latest numbers are in
Mike Deak, MyCentralJersey.com
- With both the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway passing through, it’s no surprise that Woodbridge leads the list of Central Jersey towns where the most traffic tickets were issued. These numbers, compiled by the New Jersey Judiciary, show the number of traffic tickets issued in the court year from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. These numbers do not include parking tickets or driving while intoxicated arrests.
Hunterdon officials draft traffic changes where student was killed on first day of school
Mike Deak, MyCentralJersey.com
- The county commissioners are expected to vote Tuesday to make the intersection where a teen was killed on her way to the first day of school a four-way stop. Franklin Township had formally requested the change at the intersection of Route 617 (Sydney Road), Hogback Road, and Lower Landsdown Road after the death 16-year-old Sophia DeTorres in a 7:30 a.m. Aug. 22 accident on the first day of school at North Hunterdon High School.
When do hummingbirds leave NJ? Learn more about their migration
APP.com
- Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures known for their tiny size, incredible agility and long-distance migrations. hen do hummingbirds leave NJ? Hummingbirds typically begin their migration south in late summer or early fall, around August or September. This timing varies slightly depending on the species and their specific location.
She started in Asbury Park before covering some of the biggest trial stories ever
Dan Radel, Asbury Park Press
- Linda Deutsch, one of America’s best-known trial reporters, died Sunday at the age of 80 from pancreatic cancer at her home in Los Angeles, according to The Associated Press, for whom she reported for since 1967. Deutsch was raised at Bradley Beach and graduated from Monmouth University in 1965 when it was then Monmouth College. While there she was the features editor for The Outlook and the editor-in-chief of Monmouth Letters (now Monmouth Review), an award-winning literary and art magazine. She graduated with a degree in English.
Murphy celebrates “a full week of declining numbers” then says “status quo of lockdown will remain until new cases and fatalities decrease.” So, which of Murphy’s statements is accurate? He said 2 opposite things in a single paragraph of speaking.
He;s “vacationing” at his villa in Italy, while Covid surges and the state is paralyzed by “remote work”…………translation: NO WORK
That is what happens in practicality when they are “suspending their disbelief” (HR Clinton) in real numbers and going on predictive models to make decisions. And then after doing that, they vote with “feelings.”
lmao imagine supporting lockdowns after the largest mass death event in american history and calling that a feeling driven conclusion? maga chuds never fail to disappoint
keeping up with the news
OK
What I — and most of the women I know who are passionate about cosmetics —like about make up isn’t that the right gloss can make your lips poutier or that false lashes can make your eyes more doe-like. Rather, it’s how women can communicate messages and express ourselves through makeup. Certainly it’s not our single factor of communication, but it’s one of many forms of expression that allow us to showcase our individual styles.
keeping up with the news
Longmont Tree Service
Roofing In Brighton
Roofing Colorado Springs
So….about those 56 machines in Bergen… <<>>
Murphy running for President is LAUGHABLE. Nased on what??
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Increasing Use of Cosmetic Products & Their Side Effects
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very informative thank you so much
Murphy doesn’t want to be the president, he wants to be a state trooper.
Nice article! thanks for sharing the post!
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lETS NOT FORGET that during the pandemic Donald Trump sent the MERCY, a fully equipped, COVID prepared Hospital ship to save lives of victims and healthcare workers . But Murphy in his wisdom would rather send Patients back to nursing homes that were ill-equipped to treat these patients so they could die , rather than utilize a life-saving gift and be like NY governor Cuomo, another anti-Trump
tool.
Your blog is a haven of positivity in a sometimes chaotic online world.
Your exquisitely curated blog epitomizes erudition, captivating readers with its intellectually stimulating content and profound philosophical insights.
Gun owners don’t have to talk about guns because they know that they have to come out and vote to protect their constitutional right to bear arms. The Supreme court decision has affirmed that right and somehow our “leaders” haven’t learned how to read.
NJ is one of the most corrupt and racist places to live. There’s “0” accountability for the criminal acts, corruption, and unfair treatment of the people of this state. It starts with our governor who cares less for truth and honesty. Continue to ruin the lives of the citizens of this state.
How about those unintended consequences.
New Jersey mandating that all cars being sold by 2035 be electric is telling us what we can or cannot buy with our own money. There will always be gasoline powered vehicles because of the power produced by internal combustion compared to the power produced by batteries; which is to say the more power the bigger the battery to the point of rediculousness. My thought is that if the state wants fewer gas powered vehicles on the road it should create a mass transit electric powered system that would emphasize convenience for commuters and everyday shoppers. Of course that would mean vehicles weighing tons more because of the size of batteries and that creates a whole other question of where to dispose of them (also for elelectric car batteries), since they are composed of highly toxic materials that can’t be burnt or buried. These are unintended consequences no- one is willing to grapple with until its too late. I think by 2035 th he electric car fantasy will go the same way the offshore wind farm has gone.
Stephen Brickman
206 Stonehenge Dr
Phillipsburg,NJ 08865
Stephen.Brickman@gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone
The military serving in the Middle East represents every state in the Union. Those are our sons and daughters, Moms and Dads and yet we are very little to protect them, or REALLY retaliate when they’re attacked. Governor Murphy is the Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, and past chair of the National Governors Association and yet you never hear him mention about any requests either organization makes to Biden to be more aggressive about protecting our kids in harms way. It’s as though it doesn’t seem to matter to them. No wonder we look so weak to the rest of the world.
Teaneck property taxes pays for the school budget. Teaneck High School students walk out. Is a Hamas military shuffle march property tax bill included?
I’m a conservative and I do believe life begins at conception but the problem is that each mother is responsible for that life and it is in the realm of her mental and physical health that she will either bring it to term or abort it. This should not be a political decision and should not be be dictated by thousand of strangers. The Supreme Court turned it over to the states but it still remains personal for the mother and her family.
I don’t think it should be an “agenda item” for any political party. A state medical society may want to impose a time frame within which an abortion can occur but even that may be subject to the mother’s doctor’s discretion.
I say just quit discussing it and leave it up to the mother a father.
Voting should be based on understanding what’s actually happening and knowing who would make life safer and more livable. The only way to do that is to get both sides of the information remembering there are always two sides to a story. Mainstream media in my area includes the Star Ledger and the Easton Express. If you look at the bylines of the opinions you will find writers from the Washington Post and Bloomberg, both notoriously on the left. Even the political cartoons are a dead giveaway. CNN and CNBC are also left leaning. So what are the options for getting opinions and news from the right? Fortunately cable news has Fox, which is near center, and Newsmax, and NewsNation which are full right. Watching these even just occasionally will show a much broader picture and give the reader more information with which to make an informed voting decision. And remember you DONT have to vote party if you feel there’s a wiser choice.
The governor signed off on having Narcan available in all schools grades 9 through 12. But what about the idea
of having Narcan available in ALL SCHOOLS in New Jersey?
How’s his for an idea? Uncover the identities of the un-elected advisors to Pres. Biden, and publish their names. That way there is actually someone to blame when we lose valuable lives from unanswered attacks by terrorist organizations. We know Biden isn’t making these decisions on his own. My guess is that these advisors will quit the team rather than take the heat for poor decisions, revealing a big weakness in this administration. It might lead to improvements to the decision-making process.
Note to Concealed Carry permit holders: make sure you subscribe to one of the insurance companies that specialize in CCP, ie: US LAW SHIELD. If you ever have to fire your weapon , that has to be the first phone call you make. The second is 911, the third is your family. With so many new permit holders there will probably be an increase in discharges until word gets out that it’s actually unsafe for criminals to be in New Jersey and crime will take a nosedive.
Now unless you have a conviction in your background you can get that CCP and really defend yourself and your family. And more women are applying which is great for family defense. The stats that record gun violence will have to be re-organized into guns used for crime and guns used to prevent crime. A lot of get-always here because sometimes just brandishing a firearm is enough to stop a crime. But it should be reported anyway..
The liability limits for taxi cabs are extreme starting July 1. It was a plan in place through the insurance banking committee and it was abruptly changed with an amendment. The guys are barely making a living today and you’ve increased their insurance. What’s fair is fair and this is not it was an incremental increase, which was fair, and was removed by the governor please refer back to the original plan
Iowa gets it right. What better school security is there than trained, armed teachers with concealed carry permits. You wonder what parents and local government officials when they oppose this idea. Apparently they would rather wait for some demented individual, either a student or maybe an ex student pulls out a handgun of his backpack , or a long gun out of a duffel and starts firing do they can call it in and wait for help to show up. This move would save many lives and I would heartily endorse this idea nationwide. Of course I’m just an average gun owner who believes that our kids are our most valuable asset and need real protection.
The problem with the Line is that there is no vetting process. Whoever pays the most and/or is specifically unqualified and therefore relegated to the status of puppet is who the county bosses support and threaten the committee members to support. My opponent said on-air that he will do whatever they tell him. What kind of leadership is that. I have 8-10 organizations endorsing me to his zero. I have served many statewide for almost 4 years while he has never helped anyone but himself. No-brainer who is qualified, and they know it. That’s why they are getting nasty and vile while I continue to take the high road.
With the mainstream media touting the current president and suddenly discovers he’s been lying to us all about how supportive he is of Israel when it is reported he is receiving BIG donations from Soros and Rockefellers , both proven anti-American donors, to become pro Palestinian and Pro Hamas and Anti Israel by holding up ammunition shipments to Israel. And solidly answering the question of why he never goes directly against Iran. Is the MSM party to this also. How can the general public now know who and what to trust. They warn us how terrible a trump administration will be as if they have totally forgotten how good we had it under Trump. All I can say is put on your big boy pants and tell us how it really is.
Studies show that recreational cannabis is responsible a 10% increase in motor vehicle accident deaths. These studies show that cannabis impairs driving ability and driving while high is common among regular users. Since cannabis is still an illegal drug, insurance companies are within their rights to deny coverage in for an accident ruled a DUI due to cannabis. However a state that approved its recreational use should be held accountable for any and all the consequences of that DUI. States are more interested in the money they make but they should accept the responsibility for having approved the use of recreational cannabis.
Could you please fix your “bay blood spots “ typo. It sounds like a horror movie. Although “baby blood spots” isn’t much better. Maybe there’s a clearer and less distressing turn of phrase for all of our sensitive readers, lol. Please and thank you.
Reclassifying marihuana from CI to any other category will involve Pharmacy because by law only a Pharmacist with a DEA license can purchase or sell any drug with a CII to CV
Classification. (CI is exempt because it’s heroine or any other drug with no medical purpose). This is a National problem because it is all under the DEA. And since marihuana is a hallucinogen among other things it requires control. The whole weed issue has put the cart before the horse and really requires reining in to have it conform
to the legal requirements. (Sorry Mr. Weedman). And recreational use will get the biggest hit because it will require a prescription
for medicinal use, but that cuts out the recreational aspect. Maybe in the future Pharmacists may be able to prescribe it but not yet. And how many physicians and Nurse Practitioners will want to be involved in the weed industry, I wonder? Lots of questions and few answers so far.
Changing the regulations to allow Optometrists to perform surgery is foolhardy and dangerous. Their training is doing vision tests and prescribing the correct glasses to improve vision. Only an MD in ophthalmology should be the one to do eye surgery.
That’s like asking the fellow filling your gas tank to fix a ball joint suspension.
This is not the answer to a shortage of ophthalmologists
Can’t seem to access the Steinberg column on Sam Alito, Sr. on your website. Suggestions?
Stop complaining about taxes ,our schools , our crime, ,after all folks we keep voting in the same Democrat party politicians each time .
For instance who would think that every Democrat who represents us in congress would vote for men playing in woman sports ,but they did , ask yourself are you the kind of a person who would kill ( sorry to use that word kill but hard not to since the law is that is a human being and if the mother is murdered it’s a double homicide ) a baby up to the moment of birth sorry to tell you that is the law in New Jersey.
So stop complaining your part of the problem.
NOTE TO SENIORS
I was 85 when I got my Carry permit. If you want to protect yourself and your family you are never too old to carry. As log as you can pass the test at the range, which is pretty simple, and you have a handgun you can handle (which is why I purchased a Walther CCP M2 PLUS which is easy to rack) and you have no police record or mental health problems, you can qualify. Of course you need to get a Federal weapons ID card, if you don’t already have one. We are targets because we are older and look easy. Well surprise , surprise. The more folks that are carrying the less crime because the bad guys wont know if you are armed and might not try something. By the way
it doesn’t matter- male or female!!