Montclair, NJ – Friends of Anderson Park has named three winners in its annual short-story contest: Nola Kim from Buzz Aldrin Middle School, and Ana Mejia and Joonkyu Shim from Montclair Kimberley Academy. All of this year’s winners are sixth-graders.
Winners of the Anderson Park Short-Story Contest are, from left: Nola Kim, Joonkyu Shim and Ana Mejia. Photo: Adam Grace/Friends of Anderson Park.
Nola Kim’s story, “Zoom Zoomy Zoom,” is an amusing, incisive take on a pandemic-era classroom; Ana Mejia’s “The Twisty Tree” is a poetic rendering of the stories that trees could tell; and Joonkyu Shim’s “Underground Secrets” is a geological mystery involving the man who donated the land for the park more than a century ago, Charles W. Anderson. The winners were among 26 entrants in grades six through eight.
“Middle schoolers must be at a magic point where they haven’t left behind the imagination of childhood for the certainty and cynicism of adults. I say that because every year their imaginations take us to fabulous places in wild and fascinating ways,” said Ann Anderson Evans, a coordinator of the contest, now in its fourth year, and a Friends of Anderson Park trustee.
Winners each receive $100, and their stories will be read aloud at an awards ceremony at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair on Sunday, May 22, at 3 p.m. Their stories are also posted at FriendsOfAndersonPark.com.
The judges were Judy Newman, president of Scholastic Book Clubs (and known to Montclair residents as “the Book Lady” for handing out books on Halloween); Sharon Dennis Wyeth, author of award-winning books for children and young adults, including her recent “Evette: The River and Me” and the upcoming “Juneteenth: Our Day of Freedom”; Nancy Star, best-selling author of many books, most recently “Rules for Moving” and “Sisters One, Two, Three”; and Ann Anderson Evans, a former professor of freshman writing at Montclair State University and author of the award-winning memoir “Daring to Date Again.”
Friends of Anderson Park in Montclair was founded in 2006 as a conservancy for the historic Olmsted-designed Essex County Park in Montclair. It is a non-profit dedicated to the stewardship of Anderson Park’s natural, cultural, environmental and educational qualities. Its primary mission is to protect and restore the spirit and integrity of the park’s nationally significant landscape.
The contest will be run again next year, and students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades who live in Montclair or attend school in the town, including home-schooled students, are encouraged to keep an eye out for the announcement of the 2023 contest.
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CDC mask guidance: Vaccinated people should wear face coverings in public indoor settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
U.S. headed in ‘wrong direction’ on COVID-19, Fauci says
Is asking about someone’s COVID vaccine status a HIPAA violation?
HIPAA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 during a time when medical records were being computerized. It was created to simplify the administration of health insurance and to prevent unauthorized access to peoples’ medical histories.
In fact, HIPAA doesn’t block anyone from asking another person about their health status, according to Alan Meisel, law professor and bioethics expert at the University of Pittsburgh.
Child tax credit checks: Will they become permanent?
The parents of an estimated 60 million American children began receiving child tax credit payments from the IRS in mid-July in a move expected to lift millions of families above the poverty baseline for the remainder of 2021. Should they become permanent?
‘Pandemic of the unvaccinated’
President Joe Biden was forced to confront the worrying reality of rising cases and deaths — and the limitations of his ability to combat the persistent vaccine hesitance responsible for a summer backslide.
Common cholesterol drugs may significantly reduce risk of death from COVID-19: study
Statins, a common medication for lowering cholesterol, may be saving lives among patients with COVID-19. A study revealed hospitalized coronavirus patients who took statins were much less likely to die from the illness.
WHO chief says it was ‘premature’ to rule out COVID lab leak
The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged on July 15, 2021, that it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak.
Wildfire smoke linked to increased COVID-19 risk, study says
A study released in July 2021 suggested that exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
Global COVID-19 deaths hit 4 million amid rush to vaccinate
The global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 4 million on July 7, 2021, as the crisis increasingly became a race between the vaccine and the highly contagious delta variant.
Unvaccinated made up 99% of US COVID deaths in July 2021
There’s more to the worker shortage than pandemic unemployment, experts say
The workforce shortage is a combination of several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift in the economy, and changes in the workforce demographics, experts say.
Latest official indicators
As of Tuesday, there have been 1,925,710 total positive PCR tests in the state since March 2020, and there have been 30,331 lab-confirmed COVID-19 deaths, according to the state Health Department.
Salute and you have mastered your first word — “hello”— in American Sign Language.
While the Academy Award-winning film “CODA” (an acronym for child of deaf adults) has put a fresh spotlight on signing, ASL has been gaining prominence in New Jersey since Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill in 2015 allowing high schools to credit it as a world language.
“The well-deserved recognition for ‘CODA’ was a great moment for the Deaf community,” said Elizabeth Hill, executive director for the Department of Human Services Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. “We hope that this recognition inspires others to learn some ASL and more about Deaf culture.”
The 2015 law gives that goal an extra boost in New Jersey, which requires high school students to take five credits of a world language to graduate.
The state Department of Education estimates there are at least 19 public high schools teaching American Sign Language in Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Morris counties. Ridgewood High School aims to add it to the curriculum in fall.
Those signing up for these classes are hearing students. Some are taking it out of an interest in the grammatically sophisticated language. Some students with special needs also gravitate toward ASL.
“It started in 1996 for students with severe speech issues, but now it’s a very popular class for hearing students,” said Laurie Lasler, who teaches a two-level ASL course for juniors and seniors at Clifton High School. “It’s a good choice for students who are not good audio processors. For others, it’s just unique and visual.”
History of a language
American Sign Language got its start when Jonathan Lambert, a deaf resident of Kent, England, immigrated to Martha’s Vineyard in the early 1700s. He brought with him a form of signing and a gene for deafness, which he passed on to his deaf children.
Lambert’s deaf descendants eventually constituted up to 25% of some communities on the island. His signing method was part of a unique hearing/Deaf culture that survived there until the 1950s.
However, it was not until Thomas Gallaudet brought deaf French signing student Laurent Clerc to Hartford, Connecticut, in the early 1800s that the American School for the Deaf was founded. They combined Martha’s Vineyard and French signing methods to create American Sign Language.
An estimated 500,000 Americans nationwide are culturally deaf (meaning sign language is their native language) and use America Sign Language, said Arlene Romoff, co-founder and past president of the Hearing Loss Association of America in New Jersey.
The value of teaching ASL to hearing students, Romoff said, is it can “allow some rudimentary communication with people who do use sign language,” but that it also creates “awareness of a community of people who use this visual language.”
Romoff noted that most deaf people do not use sign language, but use assistive listening systems, captioning, hearing aids and cochlear implants.”
Mountain Lakes school district includes the Lake Drive School founded in 1969 for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Because its students are integrated into mainstream classrooms as well as after-school sports and activities, all students take a semester of ASL in eighth grade and can continue on to three levels of ASL in high school.
“At the third level students are required to attend at least one deaf event, such as deaf bowling,” said Colleen Buckley, a Mountain Lakes ASL teacher. “This way they get involved outside of school, and can work on their sign language.”
Buckley says students start out learning the signing alphabet and quickly graduate to signing words and phrases.
Story continues below the gallery
“There are five elements,” said Buckley. “Hand shape, palm orientation, movement, location and non-manual elements such as body language and facial expressions.”
Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale began offering ASL in 2019 and now offers three levels to a total of 87 students, said Director of Curriculum Robin Knutelsky. They have 117 students registered for four levels next fall.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth,” Knutelsky said. “Students are interested in that seal of biliteracy on their diplomas. Even if they are interested in colleges that will not accept signing as a world language, they get their credit in another language, then start ASL as a junior or senior.”
Highlands senior Nicole started taking ASL as a sophomore in addition to Spanish.
“I have always been interested in sign language,” she said. “It’s not just the language, it’s the whole Deaf culture. I’m going to Scared Heart [University] and they have a large signing club so I will be able to continue.”
Story continues below the video
Ridgewood, the largest school district in Bergen County with 5,779 students, hopes to offer an ASL class starting next year. Humanities supervisor Mark Ferreri said 72 students have expressed interest, but he is still negotiating for staff.
“It’s difficult to find certified ASL teachers,” Ferreri said. “We’ve had a lot of staff turnover retirements due to COVID, and there aren’t many colleges that offer the courses. Certified teachers are looking for full-time positions, and prefer schools with multiple staff.”
Schools that have been able to establish ASL programs say they do more than teach a language.
“The popularity of our American Sign Language classes has created an understanding of deafness and a fluency with ASL that has promoted lasting friendships between hearing and deaf students,” says the Governor Livingston High School website in Berkeley Heights.
Marsha Stoltz is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Tax day has come and gone, but New Jersey residents can still claim thousands of dollars in expanded state and federal tax credits that have helped to lift some out of poverty during the pandemic.
The two organizations held a virtual press conference Wednesday alongside New Jersey Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Woodbridge.
Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
The statewide cumulative COVID-19 count stands at 1,927,349 cases and 30,338 confirmed fatalities (and 307,685 probable cases and 3,018 probable fatalities) as of Wednesday (an increase of 1,634 confirmed cases, 654 probable cases, 8 lab-confirmed fatalities, and 3 hospital-reported fatalities from the previous day). The viral transmission rate is 1.21. There are 425 total hospitalizations, with 54 in intensive care units. There are 6,852,329 people fully vaccinated.
Adult-use cannabis sales commences today in the state.
Dispensaries may run out of recreational weed on the first day of sales, according to NJ.com.
The DCA announced nearly $1M in Main Street NJ Transformational Grants.
The US Attorney’s Office charged Dion Marsh with hate crimes for a spree of violent assaults against Orthodox Jews in Lakewood.
Essex County municipal clerks were celebrated at an annual conference, according to TAPinto.
The state comptroller says Monmouth County skipped bid rules in a landfill contract, according to the Asbury Park Press.
A lawsuit alleges that Passaic County Prosecutor Valdes punished a staffer who didn’t process ‘inappropriate’ photos, according to NorthJersey.com.
More than a fifth of NJ motorists drive distracted, according to NJ Spotlight.
Senator Menendez urged Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to combat Russian media Spanish-language disinformation on Ukraine.
Rep. Van Drew slammed the Biden Administration’s appealing of the court decision to end the travel mask mandate.
In CD3, the Cook Political Report shifted the race from ‘Likely Democratic’ to ‘Lean Democratic’, according to NJ.com.
In CD7, the NJ 2nd Amendment Society endorsed GOP primary candidate Assemblyman Peterson. Former Secretary of State Pompeo endorsed Senator Kean, according to SaveJersey.
In CD8, Democratic primary candidate Rob Menendez was endorsed by the Committee For Hispanic Causes’ BOLD PAC.
The Morris County GOP welcomed former Morristown Democratic Chair AJ Oliver into the party, following his switch of affiliation.
The HCDO endorsed Hudson Clerk Maldonado in the primary, according to Hudson County View.
In Belleville, former GOP gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli issued an endorsement of Mayor Melham in the May election; Melham, an independent, backed Ciattarelli in last year’s gubernatorial election.
In Bayonne, Mayor Davis expressed support for banning off-duty cops from consuming marijuana.
In Edison, the township joined Middlesex County’s emergency radio system. Construction began on the town’s first community garden.
In Newark, West Ward council candidate Dupre Kelly released a revitalization plan for the ward. The ‘Moving Newark Schools Forward’ BOE slate are the likely winners of the election, according to TAPinto.
In Berkeley Heights, two bond ordinances were introduced to fund capital improvements, according to TAPinto.
In Chester, the budget squeezes just under the 2% cap, according to NJ Hills.
In Denville, a resident pleaded with the council to help stop severe harassment of the his family by local high school students, according to TAPinto.
In Fredon, the BOE budget was rejected and BOE members were elected, according to NJ Herald.
In Hackensack, Rev. Davis worries that new development could push out longtime residents, according to the Bergen Record.
In Hanover, the budget was adopted with a slight tax increase, according to NJ Hills.
In Howell, primary candidates may get knocked off the ballot as lawsuits are filed, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Long Hill, departments presented capital items requests, according to NJ Hills.
In Jersey City, police officers won’t be permitted to use marijuana off-duty, according to Hudson County View.
In Mendham Township, taxpayers will see a slight decrease in municipal taxes, according to NJ Hills.
In Middletown, the new budget calls for a $6.6M tax hike, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Montague, BOE members were elected, according to NJ Herald.
In Orange, thirteen candidates are running for four ward seats, according to TAPinto.
In Paterson, Mayor Sayegh has a massive edge in fundraising over his rivals, according to Paterson Press. Councilman Mendez allegedly threatened a freelance reporter, according to Paterson Times. Mendez was the only person issued sanitation tickets throughout the city for an entire week, according to Paterson Press. Plans were unveiled for a $40M mixed-use development, according to NJ Biz.
In Phillipsburg, the budget was approved, according to TAPinto.
In Pleasantville, the council review of a solid waste transfer station is still stalled, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Red Bank, the ‘Broadwalk’ may return even as pandemic rules drop, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Saddle Brook, the police chief says the town ‘deserves better‘ in reference to an unkempt hotel, according to the Bergen Record.
In Totowa, the school budget was passed, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Trenton, Council VP Caldwell-Wilson resigned as VP, citing a broken relationship with Council President McBride, saying that it ‘doesn’t matter what I do or say‘, according to the Trentonian. A councilman wants to return to in-person meetings, according to the Trentonian.
In West New York, the ‘Your Children’s Future’ BOE slate dominated, according to Hudson County View.
In West Orange, the council introduced an ordinance to amend street cleaning and maintenance, according to TAPinto.
In Westfield, police supervisors are suing the town alleging retaliation, according to MyCentralJersey.
Ready or not, New Jersey will step into the brave new world of legal marijuana on Thursday, with local cops set to provide the security at dispensaries where anyone 21 or older can walk in and buy the once-illegal weed.
Most states that approved the use of recreational cannabis have exclusions for those employed in “safety-sensitive” professions. These are individuals who hold such jobs as train operators, air traffic controllers and those working on utility pipelines. That group also includes police officers. It is sound reasoning to have such an exclusion for the safety of the workers and the public they serve. But, until there is a change in the law in New Jersey, police officers and other “safety-sensitive” employees here can use recreational cannabis during their off-duty hours and then report to work.
Recreational marijuana sales start Thursday in New Jersey, the culmination of a more than decade of advocacy efforts and the debut of what’s expected to grow into a multi-billion-dollar industry. It’s happening at 13 medical dispensaries that are expanding their operations, generally owned by the nation’s larger marijuana businesses. Six of the seven companies starting adult-use sales are among the 15 largest cannabis companies in the country, and none are small, local mom-and-pop businesses.
After a day of mask confusion on mass transit in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy hopes to have and “wrinkles” worked out soon. When New Jersey Transit announced masks would still be required on trains and busses after a federal judge struck down the Biden administrations mass transit mask mandate, Murphy stepped in and said that was not the case.
As Biden’s poll numbers continue to plummet and Election Day nears, I can’t help but ask this group of allegedly ‘moderate’ Democrats suddenly willing to buck their party’s leadership a very simple question – “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS?”
A Camden County Superior Court judge is in hot water over a temporary assignment in the vicinage’s family division. The Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct filed a formal complaint Tuesday against Judge Michael J. Kassel, saying he violated court rules and impinged on the judiciary’s integrity by failing to familiarize himself with family law, complaining about his temporary assignment, and repeatedly telling parties he lacked the expertise to adjudicate their cases.
Resuming the battle against harmful algae blooms that have closed New Jersey lakes in recent years, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced a new $10 million grant program to support waterbody conservation and combat pollution.
Fusion centers are intelligence-gathering centers that few Americans know much of anything about, and the New Jersey Regional Operations Intelligence Center in West Trenton is no exception. One of 79 fusion centers in the U.S., it is notoriously untransparent.
For two years Alberto Volpe rotated between crashing on friends’ couches, bunking in Newark shelters where he felt unsafe, sleeping on the street, or using his paycheck for a night or two of reprieve in hotels.
Recreational marijuana sales in New Jersey arrive Thursday after the Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved the applications of seven medical marijuana dispensaries, formally known as alternative treatment centers, to also sell adult use weed at 13 stores.
Easton-based defense attorney Gary Asteak has advice for any Pennsylvania resident who has an inkling about buying marijuana in New Jersey once recreational sales begin on Thursday. Make a doctor’s appointment instead.
Three years after New Jersey promised to expand retirement benefits to thousands of Garden State workers, the program remains in limbo, with no set timeline to start and no firm idea of how many will opt in.
New Jersey has long been known as the crossroads of the American Revolution, but historians say it’s more accurate to say the Garden State was in the crosshairs of the War of Independence. New Jersey has numerous historic war sites, but until recently, there was no central location that listed all of them.
Authorities asked a judge to drop charges against one of three Missouri men convicted of a bungled kidnapping plot 12 years ago that led to the mistaken-identity abduction of Newton business owner Jeffrey Muller.
Motorists on River Road next to the South Branch of the Raritan River across from the Neshanic Station section of Branchburg will be facing major traffic disruptions because of two construction projects.
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The identity of a transgender inmate responsible for impregnating two female prisoners at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility is now public and one of the mothers likely will never be able to raise her child.
All three are at the state’s only women’s prison. Their relationships were consensual even though sexual contact is not allowed, according to the state Department of Corrections.
One of the pregnant women named in the letter has no release date. She will be eligible for parole in 2104.
Now 31 years old, she was convicted of murder and felony murder for the April 2010 double-killing of a Hudson County couple. The victims were killed in a carjacking on their way home from their engagement party.
The other pregnant woman is just 20 years old, according to the letter. She is set for release in 2027 and is currently at Edna Mahan on three separate aggravated assault charges.
The transgender woman at the center of the controversy has been publicly identified as Demi Minor. She spoke to NJ.com through a volunteer prison advocate and an app called JPay.
Minor is set for release in 2037 and is not eligible for parole, according to the state Department of Corrections.
Her lengthy sentence comes from two separate crimes committed in 2011 at the age of 16. Minor pleaded guilty to carjacking and aggravated manslaughter charges.
In the second case, she admitted in court to stabbing her male victim repeatedly. The victim was Minor’s foster father, who she stabbed 24 times while burglarizing his home.
Minor told NJ.com that she is undergoing hormone therapy. She has also reportedly requested for orchiectomy to remove her testes.
It’s also unclear what will happen to the inmates’ future children. Minor noted one of the mothers has a support team.
“Many of my advocates and support team have already said they will ensure this child will never touch a foster home,” Minor is quoted as saying.
In the text interview, Minor gave details about her experience with gender-based discrimination at Edna Mahan. She added the guards have called her a “predator” and others view her as dangerous only because of her gender identity.
“I do not think I am a threat to my fellow inmates, because I never harmed anyone. I chose to love,” Minor is quoted as saying. “I have my own childhood trauma and plights that have made me just as vulnerable as the women here. My institutional record while here must speak for itself.”
The state DOC did not respond to a request for comment from New Jersey 101.5 Wednesday afternoon.
NJ beach tags guide for summer 2022
We’re coming up on another summer at the Jersey Shore! Before you get lost in the excitement of sunny days on the sand, we’re running down how much seasonal/weekly/daily beach tags will cost you, and the pre-season deals you can still take advantage of!
LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita
Every NJ city and town’s municipal tax bill, ranked
A little less than 30 cents of every $1 in property taxes charged in New Jersey support municipal services provided by cities, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Statewide, the average municipal-only tax bill in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from more than $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to $9.22 billion in municipal purpose taxes, special taxing districts that in some places provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development levied $323.8 million in 2021.
NEWARK, NJ — It’s been nearly two years since New Jersey voters legalized recreational cannabis. But the state is ready to begin legal marijuana sales on Thursday, and there are more than a dozen dispensaries that have been cleared to serve the general public – including two in Essex County.
In all, 13 medical marijuana dispensaries will be opening their doors to all customers 21 or over on April 21. The list includes RISE in Bloomfield (26-48 Bloomfield Avenue), and Apothecarium in Maplewood (1865 Springfield, Avenue).
Consumers should check the websites of the approved retailers for specific information on their hours of operation.
The other dispensaries that will begin serving the general public on Thursday are:
Apothecarium, 55 South Main Street, Phillipsburg
Ascend Wellness, 174 Route 17 North, Rochelle Park
RISE, 196 3rd Avenue, #3C, Paterson
Zen Leaf, 117 Sprint Street, Elizabeth
Zen Leaf, 3256 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township
The Botanist, 100 Century Drive, Egg Harbor Township
The Botanist, 2090 N Blackhorse Pike, Williamstown
The Cannabist/Columbia Care, 1692 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford – 5 PM Open for recreational
The Cannabist/Columbia Care, 1062 North Delsea Drive, Vineland – 5 PM Open for recreational
Curaleaf, 640 Creek Road, Bellmawr
Curaleaf, 4237 US-130 South, Edgewater Park
While possession of up to six ounces of marijuana has been decriminalized in New Jersey, recreational cannabis customers will only be able to buy a maximum of:
One ounce of dried flowers
Five grams of concentrates, resins or oils
10 packages (100 mg each) of ingestible items, otherwise known as “edibles,” in a single transaction
Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, said that people should expect all the above locations to be “extremely busy” on Thursday.
Brown said each company has assured state officials that their locations will be able to meet the new demand without disrupting access to patients registered with the state medical cannabis program – one of the conditions they needed to meet to be able to sell to the general public. Read More:New Jersey Marijuana Patients Need Lower Prices, More Weed
Dispensaries are required to put patient access policies in place so that registered patients don’t have to wait on long lines or risk not getting their medicine. Facilities are expected to implement special lines or hours, online ordering, curbside pick-up or home delivery to ensure patient access is uninterrupted.
ADVICE FROM NJ OFFICIALS: ‘GO SLOW’
If it’s been a while since you’ve partaken, it may pay off to “go slow,” Brown cautioned, reminding people that the state’s laws against impaired driving also apply to cannabis.
“Our guests from neighboring states should remember it is illegal to transport cannabis across state lines,” he added.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission offered the following advice for anyone who plans to buy legal marijuana on Thursday:
Be patient – expect long lines and wait your turn to be served.
Start low and go slow – follow product instructions and remember ingestible products can take longer to take effect than smoking or vaping. Call NJ Poison Center at 800-222-1222 if you are concerned you may have ingested or used too much.
Store your legal cannabis products securely, out of the reach of kids. Legal cannabis products are in child safe packaging, but always keep them secure and out of the reach of anyone under the age of 21.
Don’t drive while high. Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and dangerous.
Don’t cross state lines. It is illegal to transport legal cannabis products from New Jersey outside of New Jersey.
Don’t buy more than one ounce. Consumers can’t purchase more than an ounce in a single transaction, and legally cannot possess more than one ounce at any time. Consumers could face criminal penalties if they disregard these limits.
Now, adults 21 and over are allowed to consume cannabis on private property. Similar to New Jersey’s alcohol laws, it’s still illegal to smoke or consume marijuana in a public place, such as a park or the beach.
New Jersey residents can’t grow marijuana at home under the state’s current law.
The state’s cannabis laws provide limited protection for employees. New Jersey employers can’t fire or refuse to hire a worker if they use cannabis on their own time. But bosses will still be able to discipline or fire employees if they get high on the job, and can order them to take a drug test if they have “reasonable suspicion” that they did. Random workplace testing and pre-employment drug screenings will still be allowed.
“We recommend that employees clarify workplace rules with their employer’s HR department,” a NJCRC spokesperson told Patch.
CANNABIS 101
There are three main types of cannabis (sativa, indica and hybrid), which are categorized into different “strains.” Some can make people feel energetic and talkative, while others can make them feel sleepy and relaxed.
Many people are familiar with the most common way of consuming cannabis: smoking it in joints, blunts or pipes. But marijuana can also be taken orally in tinctures or eaten in foods such as brownies, a popular option among many medical users who have trouble inhaling it. Some people also opt to “vaporize” their cannabis, a method of heating that uses lower temperatures.
Cannabis can be made into “concentrates” such as hashish, wax or oil, which increases its potency.
It’s difficult to define an average dosage for marijuana, as the drug can have different effects from person to person. The effects usually last anywhere from an hour to six hours.
Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com
NEWARK, NJ — It’s been nearly two years since New Jersey voters legalized recreational cannabis. But the state is ready to begin legal marijuana sales on Thursday, and there are more than a dozen dispensaries that have been cleared to serve the general public – including two in Essex County.
In all, 13 medical marijuana dispensaries will be opening their doors to all customers 21 or over on April 21. The list includes RISE in Bloomfield (26-48 Bloomfield Avenue), and Apothecarium in Maplewood (1865 Springfield, Avenue).
Consumers should check the websites of the approved retailers for specific information on their hours of operation.
The other dispensaries that will begin serving the general public on Thursday are:
Apothecarium, 55 South Main Street, Phillipsburg
Ascend Wellness, 174 Route 17 North, Rochelle Park
RISE, 196 3rd Avenue, #3C, Paterson
Zen Leaf, 117 Sprint Street, Elizabeth
Zen Leaf, 3256 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Township
The Botanist, 100 Century Drive, Egg Harbor Township
The Botanist, 2090 N Blackhorse Pike, Williamstown
The Cannabist/Columbia Care, 1692 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford – 5 PM Open for recreational
The Cannabist/Columbia Care, 1062 North Delsea Drive, Vineland – 5 PM Open for recreational
Curaleaf, 640 Creek Road, Bellmawr
Curaleaf, 4237 US-130 South, Edgewater Park
While possession of up to six ounces of marijuana has been decriminalized in New Jersey, recreational cannabis customers will only be able to buy a maximum of:
One ounce of dried flowers
Five grams of concentrates, resins or oils
10 packages (100 mg each) of ingestible items, otherwise known as “edibles,” in a single transaction
Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, said that people should expect all the above locations to be “extremely busy” on Thursday.
Brown said each company has assured state officials that their locations will be able to meet the new demand without disrupting access to patients registered with the state medical cannabis program – one of the conditions they needed to meet to be able to sell to the general public. Read More:New Jersey Marijuana Patients Need Lower Prices, More Weed
Dispensaries are required to put patient access policies in place so that registered patients don’t have to wait on long lines or risk not getting their medicine. Facilities are expected to implement special lines or hours, online ordering, curbside pick-up or home delivery to ensure patient access is uninterrupted.
ADVICE FROM NJ OFFICIALS: ‘GO SLOW’
If it’s been a while since you’ve partaken, it may pay off to “go slow,” Brown cautioned, reminding people that the state’s laws against impaired driving also apply to cannabis.
“Our guests from neighboring states should remember it is illegal to transport cannabis across state lines,” he added.
The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission offered the following advice for anyone who plans to buy legal marijuana on Thursday:
Be patient – expect long lines and wait your turn to be served.
Start low and go slow – follow product instructions and remember ingestible products can take longer to take effect than smoking or vaping. Call NJ Poison Center at 800-222-1222 if you are concerned you may have ingested or used too much.
Store your legal cannabis products securely, out of the reach of kids. Legal cannabis products are in child safe packaging, but always keep them secure and out of the reach of anyone under the age of 21.
Don’t drive while high. Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and dangerous.
Don’t cross state lines. It is illegal to transport legal cannabis products from New Jersey outside of New Jersey.
Don’t buy more than one ounce. Consumers can’t purchase more than an ounce in a single transaction, and legally cannot possess more than one ounce at any time. Consumers could face criminal penalties if they disregard these limits.
Now, adults 21 and over are allowed to consume cannabis on private property. Similar to New Jersey’s alcohol laws, it’s still illegal to smoke or consume marijuana in a public place, such as a park or the beach.
New Jersey residents can’t grow marijuana at home under the state’s current law.
The state’s cannabis laws provide limited protection for employees. New Jersey employers can’t fire or refuse to hire a worker if they use cannabis on their own time. But bosses will still be able to discipline or fire employees if they get high on the job, and can order them to take a drug test if they have “reasonable suspicion” that they did. Random workplace testing and pre-employment drug screenings will still be allowed.
“We recommend that employees clarify workplace rules with their employer’s HR department,” a NJCRC spokesperson told Patch.
CANNABIS 101
There are three main types of cannabis (sativa, indica and hybrid), which are categorized into different “strains.” Some can make people feel energetic and talkative, while others can make them feel sleepy and relaxed.
Many people are familiar with the most common way of consuming cannabis: smoking it in joints, blunts or pipes. But marijuana can also be taken orally in tinctures or eaten in foods such as brownies, a popular option among many medical users who have trouble inhaling it. Some people also opt to “vaporize” their cannabis, a method of heating that uses lower temperatures.
Cannabis can be made into “concentrates” such as hashish, wax or oil, which increases its potency.
It’s difficult to define an average dosage for marijuana, as the drug can have different effects from person to person. The effects usually last anywhere from an hour to six hours.
Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com
JERSEY CITY — An elderly couple were both found guilty of fourth-degree bias intimidation for threatening a neighbor over a period of about two years, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday.
A release from the prosecutor’s office said Jersey City residents William Ong, 76, who was found not guilty of an additional charge of terroristic threats, and Beverly Ong, 73, were accused of making the “threatening and harassing” statements in multiple instances between 2016 and 2018.
The nature of the Ongs’ comments, according to the prosecutor’s office, dealt with the male neighbor’s religion, which they believed to be Muslim.
Further specifics detailing what the Ongs said to the neighbor were not provided.
William and Beverly Ong are both scheduled to be sentenced June 7.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit instructed anyone who feels they may have been the victim of a bias crime to contact them at 201-915-1234.
LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita
The 2002-2003 New Jersey Nets: The last time the NBA Finals came through NJ
In 2012 the Nets made their Brooklyn debut, but before that, New Jersey was the home of the Nets dating back to 1977.
The franchise was born in 1967, under the name the New Jersey Americans. They played their games in Teaneck as part of the American Basketball Association. One year later they moved to Long Island, becoming the New York Nets.
It was there the team won two ABA championships in 1973-74 and 1975-76. The very next year the Nets, along with three other basketball franchises, were absorbed into the NBA as part of a merger deal, abolishing the ABA.
When the Nets first moved to New Jersey, they played their home games at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway. Then in 1981, they moved into the home many of us remember them in the most, the Brendan Byrne Arena in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford (later named the Continental Airlines Arena, then Izod center).
After years of losing, The Nets made it to two straight NBA Finals in 2001-02 and 2002-03. In 2002-03, the final time they sniffed the championship, the team lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
It would be the last time the Nets sniffed the title, but their efforts added them to New Jersey lore forever.
Every NJ city and town’s municipal tax bill, ranked
A little less than 30 cents of every $1 in property taxes charged in New Jersey support municipal services provided by cities, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Statewide, the average municipal-only tax bill in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from more than $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to $9.22 billion in municipal purpose taxes, special taxing districts that in some places provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development levied $323.8 million in 2021.
7 in 10 residents are aware there’s a ban coming on single-use plastic bags. How is it not 9 in 10 if not 10 in 10? This law passed in 2020 and was only delayed by the pandemic. And it was long-debated prior to 2020. How do this many people not know what’s happening in their own state?
It gets worse.
(Townsquare Media photo illustration)
(Townsquare Media photo illustration)
Very few people in New Jersey know that at grocery stores paper bags won’t be an option either. Only 28% understand this. Does anyone follow the news anymore?
Here’s why this matters on a practical level. People are going to be showing up on May 4 (and May 5 and May 6) at grocery stores without bringing their own bags. They’re going to have a week’s worth of groceries and be blindsided at the checkout lane.
And a certain number of them are going to act obnoxious about it.
So allow me to offer some helpful advice for all the Karens out there.
7 rules Karens need to abide by when NJ’s bag ban begins
BLAME ONLY YOURSELF
If you have been too goshdarn busy fighting with managers over expired coupons and not staying open when you came through the door a minute before closing time to bother paying attention to the New Jersey news that single-use plastic bags are banned beginning May 4, you have only yourself to blame.
DO NOT YELL AT THE CASHIER
We understand you feel the world is your punching bag and you are the fulcrum of the universe. But see point A and don’t blame cashier B for your lack of knowledge and preparedness. They’re not getting paid to hear you blame them for the bag ban. They didn’t sign this into law.
LOOK AROUND
There are signs everywhere now warning you of the bag ban and when it begins. If you’re not reading news you’re certainly at least going into stores. Don’t assume those signs are just there for the steerage class. Read them.
BUY BAGS NOW
If you DO finally notice what’s starting May 4 don’t assume they really mean May 10. Don’t treat this like that expired coupon you argued with the manager about. This is a law. You’re not above it. Be ready.
EXPRESS YOUR KARENNESS WITH YOUR BAG CHOICE
Here’s a real opportunity for you, Karen. Pick reusable bags that give a statement about what you expect from the world. Like maybe this…
Cafe Press
Cafe Press
DO NOT NEGOTIATE
If you show up on May 4 without your own reusable bags, under no circumstances try to negotiate with the cashier to “find you some.” We can hear you already arguing how “there must be some still here in the back somewhere.”
DO NOT ASK TO SPEAK TO A MANAGER
May 4 is likely going to be a storm of stress for retailers and grocery stores across the state. Their managers are going to be busy popping Excederin like they’re candy and dealing with other pompous idiots like you who think the new law shouldn’t apply to them. It’s a $5,000 fine for 3rd and subsequent offenses if they’re caught caving in to your demands. So Karen, please, put away the attitude. That’s one thing we might let you put in a bag.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.
You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now:
NJ beach tags guide for summer 2022
We’re coming up on another summer at the Jersey Shore! Before you get lost in the excitement of sunny days on the sand, we’re running down how much seasonal/weekly/daily beach tags will cost you, and the pre-season deals you can still take advantage of!
LOOK: States With the Most New Small Businesses Per Capita
Every NJ city and town’s municipal tax bill, ranked
A little less than 30 cents of every $1 in property taxes charged in New Jersey support municipal services provided by cities, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Statewide, the average municipal-only tax bill in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from more than $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to $9.22 billion in municipal purpose taxes, special taxing districts that in some places provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development levied $323.8 million in 2021.
