Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 2/26/2021 – InsiderNJ
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing for 2/26/2021:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I can only surmise that because you did not expect to have the votes at the convention you decided to take your ball and go home.” – Bergen County Democratic Chairman Juliano responding to LD37 Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle
TOP STORY: Juliano Responds to Vainieri Huttle
Follow Insider NJ’s COVID-19 Information Update Center and Insider NJ’s County COVID-19 Data Center.
The statewide COVID-19 count stands at 692,981 cases and 20,816 fatalities (and 86,032 probable cases and 2,331 probable fatalities) as of Thursday; the viral transmission rate is .88. There have been 1,866,988 COVID-19 vaccinations administered.
Most school districts will see state funding increases this year, with cuts to nearly 200, according to Politico NJ.
The NJDHS announced that SNAP recipients will continue to receive enhanced benefits in March.
The NJDCF and Rutgers University launched a new data dashboard.
The Delaware River Basin Commission passed a regulation prohibiting fracking in the Delaware River Basin.
Essex County’s Board of Commissioners debuted a smartphone app.
Middlesex County awarded over $2M in arts, history, preservation, and capital grants.
Morris County Commissioners introduced the 2021 budget with no tax increases.
Warren County Commissioners approved a resolution supporting a 13-ton weight limit on Routes 519 and 521.
Senator Menendez mourned the passing of Hispanic community leader Dr. Orlando Edreira.
Senator Booker introduced legislation to expand access to tutoring for underserved students. Booker reintroduced the ‘United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation’ resolution.
The Pascale Sykes Foundation committed $1M to the African-American Chamber of Commerce of NJ and NJ Community Capital.
Brookdale Community College joined the Pathway To Kean Program.
ICYMI: Murphy’s $4.8B election-year proposal; performance venues can allow 10% capacity; Senator Cardinale passed away; InsiderNJ’s Sloan won 3rd place NJPA award; Dougherty pleaded guilty; UE payments surpassed $22.8B; Menendez touted newly introduced legislation to reform the immigration system; Murphy extends emergency; Murphy announced $100M investment clean transp. projects; Grewal announced indictments against four pols
CWA leader Hetty Rosenstein is departing her position in April.
In LD21, Democratic Senate primary candidate Jason Krychiw points to his pandemic expertise as uniquely prepping him for elected office at this point in time (video). The progressive candidate is challenging incumbent Senator Joe Cryan in the three-way primary that includes Assemblyman Jamel Holley.
In LD26, GOP Assemblymembers Webber and Decroce filed their petitions for re-election.
In LD37, Bergen County Democratic Chairman Juliano fired back at Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle’s blistering letter in which she decried the convention process and accused Juliano of ‘pulling strings’; Juliano said he’s ‘deeply troubled‘ by the ‘nefariously dishonest accusations, misrepresentations of the facts and seemingly deliberate omissions’ and defended the BCDO’s nominating process. Assemblyman Johnson, now unopposed for the BCDO’s endorsement, expressed gratitude to the county committee members, saying the process ‘it’s not rigged, it’s not predetermined, it’s an election’. The HPAE endorsed Vainieri Huttle, who rolled out her runningmates earlier this week.
Jack Ciattarelli filed an OPRA request seeking communication records between Governor Murphy and DOH Commissioner Persichilli and NY Governor Cuomo, according to SaveJersey.
Hunterdon County Commissioner Holt will run for re-election this year.
Listen to Politically Direct Episode 123 with host Fernando Uribe and guest Stephen Dobbins, LD30 Assembly candidate.
ICYMI: In LD21, Donnelly won’t run for Senate; Becchi relaunched Jersey 1st; Stepien, Bonforti launched NJPA; in LD2, Polistina clears the field (iLine post), as Guardian heads back to Assembly bid after switching gears to Senate, following Brown’s retirement announcement; in LD16, Jaffer announced bid for Assembly; in LD26, Barranco held campaign kickoff; Passaic GOP endorsed candidates; in LD3, GOP has challenger to Sweeney (iLine post); in LD20 primary, CWA endorsed Cryan; Ciattarelli gets Somerset line (iLine post); Murphy announced campaign members; Ciattarelli plans outreach to minority communities; in LD13, Solemeno announced bid for Senate; Holley’s Insider NJ interview; Schepisi committed to jousting; Dressler’s career and adversity
In Atlantic City, Geoff Dorsey announced his council candidacy.
In Bergenfield, the town will raise the Dominican flag next week in honor of Dominican Independence Day.
In East Orange, Mayor Green announced his re-election bid.
In Fair Lawn, Governor Murphy visited a middle school to discuss school funding investments in his FY2022 budget proposal.
In Hoboken, Mayor Bhalla urged residents to avoid travel outside of the state to prevent COVID-19 spread.
In Hackensack, the ‘For Hackensack’s Future’ slate announced their candidacies for council.
In Jersey City, Mayor Fulop announced an agreement with Lyft to increase the city’s transportation network.
In Newark, the NAACP penned an open letter regarding the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility abuses.
In Old Bridge, the Democrats approved a resolution encouraging residents to follow science on COVID-19 vaccines.
In Brick, the town is close to breaking ground on a superdome sports complex, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Edison, the hybrid schools plan is unfazed by parents and teachers, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Fairfield, the mayor and council plan limits on residential signs, according to NJ Hills. The school board referendum will take place on April 20th, according to NJ Hills.
In Hawthone, Jen Ehrentraut was selected to serve on the BOE, according to TAPinto.
In Mount Olive, the snow trust fund’s depletion won’t boost the tax rate, according to NJ Hills.
In Randolph, new ordinances pave the way for affordable housing projects, according to NJ Hills.
In Ridgewood, the pickleball ruckus prompted the village to hike fees and ban non-residents, according to the Bergen Record.
In Ventnor, schools are transitioning to four full days of in-person learning, according to Downbeach.
In Edison, Bhagia won the Democratic Committee’s endorsement; in Parsippany, accusations are flying early in already-intensifying local election; in Jersey City, Hudnut will run for Ward E council; in Red Bank, Yassin, Triggiano launch reelec (iLine post); in Middlesex, DiMura sentenced to prison; in AC, Langford won’t challenge Small (iLine post); in Edison, Joshi won’t screen for mayor (iLine post); in Hillside, Vertreese launched re-elec bid
AROUND THE WEB:
N.J. gym owner at odds with Gov. Murphy to speak at nation’s top conservative activist conference
Jonathan D. Salant, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- The co-owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, who defied Gov. Phil Murphy’s orders to shut down to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, is joining former President Donald Trump, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at this weekend’s annual gathering of conservative activists.
Sweeney: ‘I’m looking for more manufacturing in N.J., not less’
Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com
- State Senate President Steve Sweeney wasn’t afraid to admit it: When John Kennedy, the CEO of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, first approached Sweeney about creating a manufacturing caucus, Sweeney didn’t understand why it was needed in New Jersey.
Hundreds of Paterson residents told there’s no Covid-19 vaccines
Jayed Rahman, Paterson Times
- Hundreds of residents lined up to get their Covid-19 vaccines at International High School. They were told vaccines had run out on Thursday afternoon. Mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration curved out a one-hour window from 2-3 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays for residents. A flier states residents could start lining up at 1 p.m. Little after 1 p.m. on Thursday, they were told there were no vaccines left for them.
Rent control rules to be decided by Jersey Shore town council, if voters reject proposal
Steve Strunsky, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- Two months before Asbury Park residents are scheduled to vote on a stringent rent control ordinance sponsored by affordable housing advocates, the city council on Wednesday introduced what members called a compromise measure more palatable to landlords.
Teaneck just banned facial recognition technology for police. Here’s why
Isaiah McCall, NorthJersey.com
- The Township Council has banned the use of facial recognition software by police in a unanimous vote, joining a nascent movement to banish a technology that has been criticized as potentially biased.
NJ towns back at square one on marijuana bans amid new state laws
Erin Vogt, NJ1015
- Bridgewater appears poised to become the first municipality in the state to propose a fresh ban on legal weed within a town’s limits, following the state’s new marijuana laws signed on Monday. Mayor Matthew Moench slammed the trio of legalization and decriminalization measures as “anti-child, anti-family and anti-police,” noting the lack of parental or guardian notification after a first offense by a minor.
Princeton University plans to host an outdoor commencement ceremony in May
Krystal Knapp, Planet Princeton
- Princeton University is planning on holding an outdoor commencement ceremony on May 16 at Princeton Stadium.
Despite Jersey City CCRB measure being withdrawn, several speak in favor of its implementation
Daniel Ulloa, Hudson County View
- Although the Jersey City Council established on Monday that they would be withdrawing an ordinance that would lay the groundwork for a civilian complaint review board, several people still spoke in favor of its implementation at last night’s meeting.
What does state and national data show about Hudson’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts?
John Heinis, Hudson County View
- With as many as two months have gone by since some Hudson County COVID-19 vaccination centers have launched, state and national data provides some insight on how they’ve fared to date compared to other parts of New Jersey.
Raishad Hardnett, Lauren Schneiderman, and Astrid Rodrigues, Philadelphia Inquirer
- The former site of Trump Plaza in Atlantic City was a pile of rubble less than 20 seconds after a series of explosives rattled and imploded the empty main tower. For locals, last week’s implosion of Trump Plaza was the end of an era in a city that once proudly displayed the Trump name in lights across a beachfront skyline.
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