Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Voters may not be pleased with this Republican administration, but Democrats may be in an even weaker position. Many of the people who cited concerns about the state of our democracy as their main issue also mentioned their frustration with the Democratic party’s response to these threats. We’re seeing that frustration borne out in the abysmal approval ratings for congressional Democrats from their own voters.” – Hughes Center Head of Research Alyssa Maurice
TOP STORY: Kean Phones in ‘Townhall’ with No Live Questions
A Stockton poll finds President Trump’s approval rating underwater in the state, with 55% disapproving and 44% approving.
NJ residents shell out billions for healthcare, according to NJ.com.
A FDU poll finds residents are split on housing incentives, according to NJ Biz.
A report finds two NJ bridges are at risk of collision with ships, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Rep. Kean held a telephone town hall with no live questions.
Mercury promoted Randy Minniear to partner.
ICYMI: Murphy signed legislation extending primary early voting; judge dismissed Norcross case; Murphy presented record $58.1B budget
The fight to win Trump voters is escalating in the GOP gubernatorial primary, according to NJ Monitor.
The NJGOP’s Leadership Summit energized candidates, according to NJ Spotlight.
Former Senate President Sweeney rolled out a new ad.
Rep. Gottheimer says paper bags will be back in grocery stores if he becomes Governor.
Senator Testa endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for Governor.
A Burlington County Republican is eying education is in his long-shot gubernatorial bid, according to NJ Monitor.
In LD28, Assemblywoman Hall opted against seeking re-election.
EMILY’s List listed CD2 and CD7 as ‘on notice’ districts.
ICYMI: Notable observations from filing day; source describes GOP guv primary as ‘over’; Russo slammed Spiller; guv primary movements sparked intrigue; Fulop to announce LG pick; Sherrill unveiled ‘Affordability Agenda’; Durr ended guv bid; Pennacchio endorsed Ciattarelli; Wimberly hasn’t decided on guv pick
Legislation to advancing to expand the use of medical marijuana, according to NJ.com.
There’s a push to stop rent increases and poverty hoarding in the state, according to NJ Spotlight.
Mayor Baraka called for more progressive and sustainable revenues in the budget.
The NJBIA and other groups urged the Governor to block the NJDEP’s adoption of the PACT rule.
In Atlantic City, police are probing threatening phone calls made to the mayor and schools super, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Barnegat, the BOE’s Facebook page debuted, according to the Sandpaper.
In Belmar, Democrats announced council candidates, according to TAPinto.
In Branchburg, the tax rate decreased but bills are increasing, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Caldwell, a $15.8M budget was introduced, according to NJ Hills.
In Camden, a non-profit is leading the drive for more bus stop benches, according to Burlington County Times.
In Chatham Township, incumbents will see challengers, according to NJ Hills.
In Edison, officials stressed the need to replace vacant stores, according to MyCentralJersey. The budget will be introduced, according to TAPinto.
In Evesham, students and parents spoke out against BOE budget cuts, according to 70and73.com.
In Fair Haven, Griffin and Duva announced their council candidacies.
In Fanwood, Councilwomen Mitchell and Berry will seek re-election, according to TAPinto.
In Florham Park, environmental concerns were raised about a digital billboard, according to NJ Hills. A slight tax increase was proposed, according to NJ Hills. Incumbents will see a challenger, according to NJ Hills.
In Hackensack, a judge dismissed a cop’s free speech lawsuit against the city, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Hawthorne, activists protested DOGE cuts, according to TAPinto.
In Jackson, the town and an Orthodox group are heading to court, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Lakewood, middle school teachers signed a letter decrying student behavior, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Little Egg Harbor, the schools budget faces mounting concerns, according to the Sandpaper.
In Medford, the town is seeking proposals for a former library, according to 70and73.com.
In Middletown, the school district would have to drastically raise taxes to save schools, according to NJ101.5.
In Montclair, the town will spend $5M on library repairs, according to Montclair Local.
In Morristown, pickleball enlivened a council meeting, according to Morristown Green.
In Newark, 16 is the new 18 in the historic BOE election, according to NJ.com.
In North Bergen, the police chief was accused of a lengthy list of shocking complaints, according to NJ.com.
In Ocean City, a $25M beachfront resort and complex is coming to the city, according to the Philadelph Inquirer.
In Parsippany, the council reversed course and voted down the censure against Councilman Musella.
In Raritan Borough, candidates were announced, according to TAPinto.
In Readington, the town acquired open space, according to NJ Hills.
In Red Bank, the manager discussed implementing AI-driven infrastructure management, according to TAPinto.
In Stafford, a church was ruled too small for an exra building, according to the Sandpaper.
In Summit, the planning board is grappling with affordable housing and unforseen challenges, according to TAPinto.
In Surf City, summer prep is underway, according to the Sandpaper.
In Toms River, a lawsuit alleges the former fire chief sexually abused firefighters, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Upper, incumbents are unchallenged in the primary, according to the Press of Atlantic City. A new EMS chief was named, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Voorhees, the state allowed, with conditions, the town to save a disc golf course, according to 70and73.com.
In Wharton, shops cut off by I-80 sinkholes say its worse than COVID, according to NorthJersey.com.
AROUND THE WEB:
Banking giant Barclays cutting 78 jobs in Whippany after earlier layoffs
Daniel Munoz, NorthJersey.com
- British banking giant Barclays is laying off another 78 employees in Whippany this year, public filings show, in addition to 69 employees handed the pink slip in January. The layoffs will go into effect between June 23 and July 7, according to public filings.
Spiller’s Run for Governor: Union Funds and Teacher Dissent in New Jersey
Eric Scott, NJ1015
- Many New Jersey teachers are shocked and furious to learn their union dues are being used to fund a candidate for governor. The New Jersey Education Association has said they expect to spend as much as $35 million in the primary campaign. Current NJEA president Sean Spiller is seeking the Democratic nomination.
NJBIZ panel explores evolving landscape for women in business
Kimberly Redmond, NJBIZ
- As part of NJBIZ’s latest virtual discussion, women executives at New Jersey-based companies spoke about where progress has been made for women in the business world — and what challenges remain.
Southern Ocean Drought Situation Improves
Eric Englund, The Sand Paper
- Recent rainfalls have taken Southern Ocean County out of the “extreme drought” category, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. David Robinson, state climatologist from Rutgers University, said the extreme, or D3, rating was placed on the area last November. The rating was the result of a 9-inch rainfall deficit running from May 7 through Nov. 7.
Christ Church’s Rockaway Township food pantry is latest step in $30M community center
William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record
- In just eight months, New Jerseyans will go to the polls in what might be the most-watched governor’s election in our state’s history. That’s because, unlike 48 of the other 49 states, New Jersey elects its governor the year after the Presidential election. Those who want to read the tea leaves and better understand the political winds have only us and Virginia to look toward.
‘Massive undertaking’ to redevelop Brunswick Square Mall has begun. What’s envisioned?
Susan Loyer, MyCentralJersey.com
- The era of the suburban shopping mall is dying. And East Brunswick is taking the first steps to prepare for the reincarnation of Brunswick Square Mall on Route 18.
The 82-year-old baseball ump from Cherry Hill | Inquirer Cherry Hill
Felicia Gans Sobey, Philadelphia Inquirer
- Hello, Cherry Hill! This week, we meet a Cherry Hill man who believes he is one of the oldest umpires in the country, hear Jersey Kebab owner Celal Emanet’s story about coming to the United States for a better life, and share a PATCO update.
Meet the 11 candidates lined up to seek the Dem, GOP nods for governor
Dana DiFilippo, NJ Monitor
- Six Democrats and five Republicans who want to become New Jersey’s next governor officially have met signature requirements to ensure their place on June’s primary ballots, although two surprises Monday shook up the Republican race.
Democrats target GOP districts for town hall events
David Cruz, NJ Spotlight
- U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman recently called her Republican congressional colleagues “cowards” when it became clear that GOP lawmakers were avoiding in-person town halls as a strategy. New Jersey members of Congress like Watson-Coleman (D-12th) and U.S. Sen. Andy Kim have joined Democrats across the country holding in-person town hall meetings in Republican districts.
No Senate vetting of Trump’s interim US attorney for NJ
Benjamin J. Hulac, NJ Spotlight
- President Donald Trump found a way to sidestep congressional scrutiny during his first term: using federal officials in acting, or temporary, roles. “I like ‘acting.’ It gives me more flexibility. Do you understand that? I like ‘acting.’ So we have a few that are ‘acting,’” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn in 2019, one of many instances when he talked about his “actings.” Trump’s latest “acting” is Alina Habba, his pick to be New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor. Habba is an ardent Trump loyalist, a campaign surrogate and a political lieutenant who has vowed revenge on elected Democrats and people who cross the president.
What’s impacting NJ commercial real estate?
ROI-NJ Staff
- New Jersey’s commercial real estate industry is navigating an evolving regulatory landscape, and insights from NAIOP New Jersey’s annual Public Policy Symposium provided critical guidance on what lies ahead. Held at the Northeast Carpenters Apprentice Training Center in Edison, the event gathered developers, legal experts, and policymakers to discuss the state’s legislative priorities and the impact of regulatory shifts on the built environment.
The Watcher: South Jersey progressive no-shows
David Wildstein, NJ Globe
- Here’s something. Let it slip through your fingers. For the last several years, South Jersey progressives led the fight against the county line, challenging the powerful Camden County Democratic machine in countywide contests. They lost them all by rather substantial margins and argued vociferously that they could win if not for the advantages of preferential ballot positions, phantom candidates, and the practice of ballot Siberia that sometimes made their slate difficult to find.
NJ Transit taps Super Bowl lessons to move MetLife crowds for 2026 World Cup
Colleen Wilson, NorthJersey.com
- When the world’s largest sports spectacle descends on New Jersey in 2026, there will be much more on display than soccer players competing in the World Cup. The performance of NJ Transit will be scrutinized as much as any team on the pitch at MetLife Stadium, where some 80,000 fans could pack the house on game days.
Who’s running for NJ governor in 2025? Primary filing deadline passes
Katie Sobko, NorthJersey.com
- The filing deadline for this year’s gubernatorial primary was Monday and while petitions are still being verified, six Democrats and five Republicans submitted paperwork with the intent to run. Former state Sen. Ed Durr dropped out of the race earlier in the day Monday, hours before the deadline.
Worried for Veterans Amid “DOGE” Firings, Locals Make Their Voices Heard
John Van Vliet, TAPinto Hawthorne
- “Fire DOGE, Not Vets” was the message Hawthorne and local area residents want to get out to their neighbors. A group of concerned citizens banded together to organize what they described as a “visibility event,” waving American flags and attaching their signs to the chain-link fence along a Route 208 overpass. The purpose of the gathering was to raise awareness about the plight of veterans losing access to VA services and their jobs.
Op-Ed: Three ways to improve NJ Transit train service
Andrew Macurdy, NJ Spotlight
- Each week, my wife and I drop our son and daughter off at daycare, search for a parking space, and head (sometimes running) to our local station to ride a New Jersey Transit train toward New York City for work. Like countless other families across New Jersey, we are completely reliant on public transportation to make our livelihoods possible — and to deliver us back home in time to pick up our kids.
Rutgers study debunks argument that guns make people safer
Briana Vannozzi, NJ Spotlight
- The future of three facilities operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and one U.S. Fish Wildlife ecological field office in New Jersey are in question, after being caught up in the cuts to the federal budget initiated by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
Frank L. Cahill, Parsippany Focus
- Robert (Bob) Charles Garofalo, a successful and highly respected attorney and developer from Brielle, NJ, passed away peacefully at 91, surrounded by his wife and family. Bob is survived by his devoted wife of nearly 65 years, Nina (Annette) Garofalo; son Robert C. Garofalo; daughter Gabrielle Garofalo; adoring grandchildren Luca Constantinos Chokas Garofalo; Micaella Chokas Garofalo; step-grandson David A. Chokas; and Andrew P. Chokas.
Reaction to Trump meeting with NJ candidates for governor
Danny DeCrescenzo, NJ1015
- The president seems to be wading into the New Jersey gubernatorial race. Donald Trump met with leading GOP contenders separately at his golf club in Bedminster last week. Trump and Jack Ciattarelli shared a few minutes over dinner on Friday, while Bill Spadea had a private conversation with Trump in the club’s Men’s Grill Room the following day.
Tom Paine-Themed Group Castigates Kean for Silence with Protest in Westfield
David Sexton, TAPinto Westfield
- Local political protest with a colonial twist came to Westfield on Saturday as the Tom Paine Brigade sought to hold Congressman Tom Kean Jr. to account at his Westfield residence. Calling for Kean to hold an in-person town hall and act as a check on the President, the period-themed demonstrators marched from Mindowaskin Park to Kean’s Westfield home.
Eleven candidates lined up to seek Dem, GOP nods for governor
Dana DiFilippo, NJ Monitor
- Six Democrats and five Republicans who want to become New Jersey’s next governor officially have met signature requirements to ensure their place on June’s primary ballots, although two surprises Monday shook up the Republican race. Former Sen. Ed Durr dropped out, citing fundraising challenges, while Justin Barbera, a Burlington County contractor who made an unsuccessful bid for a House seat last year, filed enough signatures to join the race, according to nominating petitions that were due Monday.
Daibes, Hana will testify at Nadine Menendez’s trial. Judge delays their prison terms
Katie Sobko, Kristie Cattafi, NorthJersey.com
- Edgewater developer Fred Daibes and Egyptian American businessman Wael Hana will now report to federal prison on May 19, after U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein granted a 45-day extension on Tuesday afternoon. This extension will allow them to prepare and then testify at the trial of their co-defendant Nadine Arslanian Menendez, the wife of their co-defendant and former U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez.
Golden Nugget owner will resign from casino company if confirmed as US ambassador to Italy
Wayne Parry, Press of Atlantic City
- The billionaire owner of Golden Nugget Atlantic City says he will resign from his casino company if he is confirmed to become the U.S. ambassador to Italy and San Marino. Tilman Fertitta, in a March 16 letter to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, wrote that he will resign as CEO of Fertitta Entertainment LLC if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the ambassadorial post.
Insider NJ’s Daily Briefing for March 27, 2025
Insider NJ is a leading source of news and information for New Jersey residents, providing daily updates on politics, business, and current events in the state. The Daily Briefing for March 27, 2025, offers a comprehensive overview of the latest news and developments impacting New Jersey.
One of the top stories featured in the Daily Briefing is Governor Smith’s announcement of a new initiative to improve public transportation in the state. The governor unveiled plans for a major infrastructure project that will upgrade and expand New Jersey’s public transit system, including improvements to trains, buses, and light rail services. This initiative is expected to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance the overall quality of life for residents.
In addition to transportation news, the Daily Briefing also covers updates on the state’s economy. Recent data shows that New Jersey’s unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in over a decade, signaling a strong and growing economy. This positive trend is attributed to a combination of factors, including job growth in key industries such as technology, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Another key highlight in the Daily Briefing is a report on the state’s education system. New Jersey recently received high marks in a national ranking of K-12 schools, with several districts earning top scores for academic achievement and student success. This recognition reflects the state’s ongoing commitment to providing quality education for all students, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.
Overall, the Daily Briefing for March 27, 2025, offers a comprehensive snapshot of the latest news and developments shaping New Jersey’s future. From infrastructure improvements to economic growth and educational success, the state is making significant strides in key areas that will benefit residents for years to come. Insider NJ continues to be a valuable resource for staying informed and engaged with the latest happenings in the Garden State.
