Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The prevailing opinion is that Murphy does a decent job keeping an eye on the books, but there is disagreement on where he chooses to focus his efforts. This is more of a general sense about his priorities than a specific critique of any given policy, given that few New Jerseyans actually follow the budget process.” – Monmouth University polling director Patrick Murray
TOP STORY: ELEC: 2023’s Top Trenton Lobbying Firms
Senator Bramnick was endorsed by Warren Township GOP Chair Gallic for Governor.
The ACLU and Harvard joined Rep. Kim’s lawsuit against the line, according to Politico NJ.
Passaic County Republicans appear to have settled on a sheriff’s candidate, according to NJ Globe.
ICYMI: Kim won Mercer Dems backing, won Ocean Dems backing, Murphy’s convention victory in Bergen, convention win in Somerset; Speziale blasted Adamo; Passaic Dems selected Adamo for sheriff, against off-the-line candidate Speziale; Fulop sees a ‘clear lane’; Murphy plans to ‘be everywhere’; Passaic GOP announced candidates; Monmouth poll good news for Kim; response filed to Kim’s ballot suit; Murphy announced Moran as campaign manager; Passaic Dems announced possible candidates for Sheriff; DNC poised for new NJ appointments; Murphy’s win at Bergen convention conveyed influence of county party; in CD6, Hsu will primary Pallone; Murphy, Kim supporters rallied in Bergen, Tammy Murphy’s much-needed victory, Kim won in Warren County and Sussex County
In Newark, Mayor Baraka delivered his 10th State of the City address. Rep. Kim attended the address.
In Perth Amboy, Democratic mayoral primary candidate Joseph Vas and his running mates released their crime reduction and quality of life plan.
In Bloomfield, the town council advanced sustainability measures.
In Irvington, the town is implementing recommendations to enhance the police and fire departments.
In Atlantic City, Mayor Small announced plans for boardwalk repairs.
In Bernards, the schools budget raises taxes, according to NJ Hills.
In Bordentown, former Mayor Benowitz was honored, according to TAPinto.
In Bound Brook, a developer is eying a shuttered bakery for redevelopment, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Camden, trash removal costs are up sharply in the budget, according to TAPinto.
In Cherry Hill, a new schools superintendent is set to be named, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
In Jersey City, an appellate panel gave critics of the redrawn ward map another shot, according to the Jersey Journal. The schools superintendent requested a state monitor and conduct review after a ‘coup’ at a meeting, according to Hudson County View.
In Long Hills, the schools budget was tentatively introduced, according to NJ Hills.
In Madison, a tax increase is likely, according to NJ Hills.
In Matawan, the Matawan-Aberdeen school district is ending paid bus service, according to NJ.com.
In Montclair, the mayor and most of the council won’t seek re-election, according to NJ.com.
In Oakland, the Ramapo Indian Hills BOE abolished the transgender policy, according to the Bergen Record.
In Parsippany, a new organization created for HIV/AIDS extends services to the LGBTQ+ community, according to NJ Spotlight.
In Phillipsburg, the town is considering raising various fees, according to Lehigh Valley Live.
In Somerville, a judge paved the way for a gun shop to open, according to MyCentralJersey. The southside renaissance may continue with a new proposal, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Toms River, schools are beating post-COVID absenteeism, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Upper Township, Newton and Hayes will seek re-election, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In West Orange, residents called into a trustee meeting about the ceasefire resolution, according to TAPinto.
ICYMI: In Perth Amboy, Gonzalez protested Dem screening, GOP announced candidates, Caba announced re-elec bid; in Paterson, Cotton in gear for re-election; in Parsippany, Musella held fundraiser; in Perth Amboy, Vas announced candidacy, Gonzalez announced candidacy
AROUND THE WEB:
Will NJ learn from its pandemic mistakes?
Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight
- A new outside evaluation of New Jersey’s preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic — and any future health crisis — has sparked debates anew about the state and local response and what should happen next.
Passaic County Democrats name their candidate for sheriff
Richard Cowen, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- Passaic County Democratic Committee leaders have selected Thomas Adamo, a chief in the county Sheriff’s Office, as their candidate to oppose former Sheriff Jerry Speziale in June’s primary election. Adamo, a 28-year law enforcement veteran, worked under former Sheriff Richard Berdnik, who died in January. Adamo faced competition from five other candidates seeking the endorsement of the Passaic County Democratic organization and Chairman John Currie.
Battleship New Jersey by the numbers. Here are some interesting facts
Celeste E. Whittaker, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
- The Battleship New Jersey, the country’s most decorated battleship, will take her ride down the Delaware River where she will end up at a shipyard in Philadelphia for dry docking.
Newark Weighs in on Controversial OPRA Legislation
Matt Kadosh, TAPinto.net
- A controversial bill that would be the first update to New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act in over two decades has drawn the ire of community activists in Newark, who said it will make it more difficult to get public information about local government.
N.J. legislative panel passes resolution condemning Alabama IVF ruling
Sophie Nieto-Munoz, NJ Monitor
- A panel of New Jersey lawmakers approved a resolution Monday condemning the Alabama Supreme Court’s recent ruling that frozen embryos outside the womb are children, a ruling that temporarily halted in vitro fertilization in that state.
The longest continually operated arcade in the country is in NJ
Dennis Malloy, NJ1015
- Many of us growing up here in New Jersey spent many hours of our misspent youth in one or many arcades. Some of us remember those days when you had to leave your house to find games of amusement. Lots of those arcades are a distant memory, yet some new ones have popped up in what could be called a nostalgic revival. One opened up in our town about two years ago next to a pizza place. and it always seems to be busy.
Dems bid to push through OPRA changes meets stiff opposition
Colleen O’Dea, NJ Spotlight
- Various organizations such as unions, environmentalists and religious groups in addition to journalists and residents, are fighting to derail a bill fast-tracked by Democrats that would further weaken New Jersey’s public records law, named one of the worst in the nation by one national expert. Not lost on opponents of A-4045/S-2930 was the fact that the first hearings — held simultaneously in Senate and Assembly committees — occurred on the first business day of Sunshine Week, a national celebration of public transparency laws that also highlights their shortcomings.
ROI-NJ Staff
- Hoboken Connect, the promised-to-be transformative mixed-use, multiphase transit-oriented development project that has been on the drawing board since Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration, took a step forward Tuesday when New Jersey Transit’s board of directors approved a ground lease agreement with LCOR Hoboken Rail Station Redevelopment.
Highest and lowest property tax bill in all 21 N.J. counties ranked for 2023
Katie Kausch, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- The average property tax bill in New Jersey increased to $9,803 last year, a $313 jump from a year earlier, according to the latest state data. Some towns have average tax bills over $20,000.
New Jersey report looks at surge of bias incidents, hatred
Jim Walsh, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
- A new report shows bias incidents still surging to record levels across New Jersey — but it helps to know where the numbers are coming from.In part, state officials say, the worsening numbers reflect an improvement in reporting bias offenses at schools of all levels.
Born in 1909, this Bergen County woman created a medical test still in use today
David M. Zimmer, NorthJersey.com
- You might not be familiar with Virginia Apgar, but her impact likely touched your life the moment you were born. Best known for creating a simple test, the longtime Tenafly resident revolutionized the way newborns are assessed and treated. Yet, she was born in 1909, when few medical schools even admitted women.
Bill would allow federal government to help pay for diapers | Quigley
Joan Quigley, For The Jersey Journal
- With an infant and a toddler at home in Jersey City, Rep. Rob Menendez is acutely aware of a family’s need for diapers and how their costs can hit household budgets hard. That’s why he said he signed on as a sponsor for HR-5644, a bill in the House of Representatives to appropriate $200 million each year to cover the costs of diapers and diapering supplies for infants, toddlers, medically complex older children and low-income adults with incontinence problems.
Need extra cash? Become a NJ poll worker
Jen Ursillo, NJ1015
- How would you like to earn a little extra cash while serving your community? Apply to become a New Jersey poll worker. The New Jersey Division of Elections is partnering with counties around the state to appeal to residents to become poll workers for the upcoming primary election on Tuesday, June 4, and for the in-person early voting period from Wednesday, May 29 through Sunday, June 2, 2024, said Acting Director of the Division of Elections, Donna Barber.
13 NJ hospitals ‘make the Healthgrades’ for safety, patient experience
Dawn Furnas, NJBIZ
- Two of Healthgrades’ much-anticipated awards were released March 12, recognizing the nation’s top facilities for patient safety and experience. In New Jersey, 11 earned Patient Safety Excellence Awards, and three nabbed Outstanding Patient Experience Awards. Only one hospital in the Garden State – Saint Luke’s Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg – took home both awards this year. St. Luke’s University Health Network is headquartered in Fountain Hill, Pa.
How do New Jersey consumers view the real estate market? New survey tells us
Maddie McGay, NorthJersey.com
- As mortgage rates remain elevated and home prices rise, many consumers have reevaluated what they prioritize in the homebuying process. In its most recent consumer report, Coldwell Banker surveyed consumers nationwide on their attitudes toward various aspects of today’s real estate market.
(Visited 490,210 times, 32 visits today)
Insider NJ’s Daily News Update: March 13, 2024
As we dive into the latest news from Insider NJ’s Daily News Update for March 13, 2024, we find a variety of important stories shaping the political landscape in New Jersey and beyond.
One of the top stories making headlines today is the announcement of a new initiative by Governor John Smith to address the state’s growing opioid crisis. The Governor unveiled a comprehensive plan that includes increased funding for addiction treatment programs, expanded access to naloxone, and stricter regulations on opioid prescriptions. This initiative comes in response to the alarming rise in opioid-related deaths in New Jersey over the past few years.
In other news, the state legislature is set to vote on a controversial bill that would legalize recreational marijuana in New Jersey. Supporters argue that legalizing marijuana would generate much-needed revenue for the state and reduce the burden on law enforcement. However, opponents raise concerns about the potential impact on public health and safety. The outcome of this vote is expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of marijuana policy in New Jersey.
On the national front, President Jane Doe is facing mounting pressure from both Democrats and Republicans to take a tougher stance on foreign policy issues. With tensions escalating in the Middle East and Russia’s continued aggression in Eastern Europe, many are calling on the President to show stronger leadership on the world stage. President Doe is expected to address these concerns in a major foreign policy speech later this week.
As we continue to follow these developing stories, it is clear that the political landscape in New Jersey and beyond is rapidly evolving. Stay tuned to Insider NJ for the latest updates and analysis on these and other important issues shaping our state and our nation.
