Author: ECCYC

Rabid raccoon tussles with South Brunswick resident’s dogs – New Jersey 101.5 FM

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A township resident reported that their dogs had an “altercation” with a raccoon on Tuesday that later tested positive for rabies, according to police.

In a Nixle advisory, the South Brunswick Township Police Department said the raccoon was the first recorded rabid animal in the municipality in 2022.

One rabid raccoon was previously reported in Middlesex County within the first three months of the year, according to state Department of Health statistics.

NJDOH records indicate just two rabid raccoons identified in the county for all of 2021.

No further information was released about the condition of the resident’s dogs.

Police said the South Brunswick Health Department is continuing to monitor rabies cases, and that residents are advised to avoid wild animals and report any that exhibit unusual behavior, or bite a person or domestic animal.

The health department also recommends that pets be kept up to date on vaccinations and licenses.

South Brunswick Animal Control can be reached at 732-329-4000, ext. 7265, and the municipal Health Department can be contacted via the same main number, ext. 7237.

Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

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Voting for the 2022 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame

These are the nominees for the 2022 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. They come from all walks of live, spanning generations back to the colonial era. The nominees cover the categories of Arts & Letters, Enterprise, Performing Arts & Entertainment, Public Service and Sports.

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!

NJ man sentenced for sending graphic sexual images to young girl – wobm.com

A registered sex offender will head back to prison after sending a series of deeply graphic sexual images and videos to an undercover Detective posing as 13-year old girl in New Jersey.

Joseph M. Graber III, 52, of Marlton claimed to be a 16-year old boy when he went on social media apps and messaged who he thought was a 13-year old girl and then sent “her” pictures of his genitals and a video of himself masturbating to the Detective as well as underage girls, according to a statement Friday from Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

This all occurred in February of 2018 when Graber posing as a 16-year old boy not knowingly sent a detective with the New Jersey State Police Digital Technology Investigation Unit — who was monitoring a children’s chatroom — and started getting messages from the “boy” who was asking the “girl” sexually explicit questions including if “she” wanted to see his genitals, according to AG Platkin, and then he actually sent it over and this behavior lingered on for about a month.

With evidence in hand, detectives traced the IP address to Graber who they learned in this particular investigation was a Tier 2 registered sex offender meaning that he was already subject to parole supervision for life under Megan’s Law following a 2011 guilty plea he entered into for sending a sexually explicit photo to another undercover detective posing as a 12-year old girl.

For that, he was charged at that time with attempted endangering the welfare of a child.

When he committed the similar crime again this time around, Detectives notified the State Parole Board that Graber was continuing to send pictures of himself and his genitals as well as a video of himself masturbating and asking the “girl” to send him some “sexy videos” via a video chat app.

Graber was arrested at his home in June 2018 and investigators searched his father’s home in Medford Township, where he was staying due to guidelines from his previous conviction, while communicating with the undercover detective.

He has now been sentenced to 15 years in prison under the Lunsford Act and will remain a registered sex offender under Megan’s Law, have limited use of the Internet, pay mandatory fines and penalties, forfeit all devices, and will be subject to parole supervision for life, according to AG Platkin, and pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated sexual assault on November 29, 2021.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Rastelli represented the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Cyber Crimes Bureau at sentencing under the supervision of Bureau Chief Jillian Carpenter and DCJ Deputy Director Derek Nececkas.

Defense Attorney: Eric Spero, Esq., Burlington County PD’s Office.

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Englishtown, NJ cops save the day locating missing autistic child – New Jersey 101.5 FM

A missing child can be a very frightening time for a family especially when the child has special needs.

Earlier this week, a grandmother called the police after her 8-year-old granddaughter went missing. Thankfully, the grandmother acted swiftly calling after she spent five minutes looking for her.

Englishtown Police Chief Cooke, Patrolman Zapora, and Officer Garifalos responded to the call at the Stamford Square Apartments. Once informed that the child has autism, the team called in help from the Manalapan PD and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s K9 unit.

Manalapan police patch (Manalapan PD)


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Chief Cooke recalled from his training that some autistic individuals are drawn to water and he promptly headed to the stream that runs behind the complex. Within a few minutes, he discovered a pair of sneakers with pink trim stuck in the mud.

Continuing his search he soon discovered the little girl in the stream. She was unharmed and the Chief asked Officer Garifalos to carry her out of the water to safety.

Thanks to the calm, measured and professional response of the Englishtown PD and the chief in particular, a possible tragedy was avoided.

Credit is also due to the grandmother who instead of panicking, called the police.

Always remember, there’s a cop on the other end of 911, not a political activist. Read the whole story from the Englishtown PD Facebook post:

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill’s own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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A rare photo of Dennis Malloy’s prom night – New Jersey 101.5 FM

Prom season is on in New Jersey. The last two prom seasons here and in much of the country were challenging or non-existent. This year, the masks are off along with the high heels on the dance floor and it’s happening right now in many towns.

My niece is graduating from Cherokee High School this year and will be heading off to college in Massachusetts in the fall as a top-performing student athlete. This past weekend their prom was held at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia as it has been for many years.

What’s interesting about proms in New Jersey is where the kids go afterward.

Many kids head straight to the shore for an after-party that is the real attraction. You have to wonder where kids in other states go after their prom.

Here’s some of what they do around the country.

Susan Prentice


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It’s become tradition to go somewhere after the prom and stay overnight. That seems to have developed over the last few decades. We asked our listeners last week where they went after their prom and found an interesting evolution.

People who went to their prom in the ’70s went to the shore the next day if they went at all.

It seems sometime during the ’80s kids were staying overnight at the shore. It started with hotel rooms at less than luxury motels in Seaside or Wildwood. Then by the new millennium, baby boomers had indulged their kids to the point that they were renting whole houses for six or seven couples for the whole weekend.

Some of these soirees turned into a liability nightmare for the parents that signed the weekend lease agreement.

Image Source


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We drove our parents’ cars and went home or to someone’s house or a diner after the prom. It’s evolved into limos, professional makeup and photography and honeymoon style weekends at the shore.

Times changes and traditions evolve. That’s just the way things are in life. Do you think this style and color of tux will ever come back?

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

You can now listen to Dennis & Judi — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite best friends anytime, anywhere and any day of the week. Download the Dennis & Judi show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now:

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West Orange BOE passes budget, will raise taxes by 2.42 percent – Essex News Daily

Interim Superintendent C. Lauren Schoen presents the final 2022-2023 school district budget at a West Orange Board of Education meeting on May 9.

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education passed the West Orange School District’s 2022-2023 budget at a meeting on May 9, finalizing the total of $183,864,691. The budget passed unanimously. There will be a tax impact of 2.42 percent, which is an increase over last year’s budget by a monthly average of $18.14 for the average homeowner in West Orange.

As interim Superintendent C. Lauren Schoen explained at the meeting, the increase is covering rising expenses in the district. Staff salaries will increase by 3.4 percent and health benefits for staff will increase by 10 percent. The cost of out-of-district tuition will increase by between 8 and 10 percent, while transportation for out-of-district students will increase by 30 percent. Transportation costs within the district will increase by 5 percent.

“When we can only go up about 2 percent on our budget, there is often a need to go up more than that,” Schoen said at the meeting. “These are examples of those expenditures.”

According to Schoen, all current staff and all current instructional, extracurricular and athletic programs are being retained. Capital projects include HVAC replacements at Roosevelt Middle School, Edison Middle School and Hazel Elementary School; retaining walls at Hazel and Washington Elementary School; roof replacements at the Gregory Elementary School gym and West Orange High School cafeteria; new intercom systems for RMS and Mount Pleasant Elementary School; the gym floor replacement at RMS; the stage floor replacement at WOHS; the main entrance frame at RMS; and the kiss-and-go lane at Mount Pleasant. The total capital budget is $2,318,493.

As it usually is, the largest portion of the budget is spent on salaries; $107,738,876 for salaries makes up 58.6 percent of the total. Benefits take up 16.61 percent of the budget, at a cost of $30,534,951, while special education, including transportation, rounds out the top three most expensive line items at $21,354,291.

The district will be spending $7,274,517 on operations, maintenance and security, which are all under the same line-item umbrella. Instruction and support follow closely behind with a budget of $7,098,203. General education transportation will cost $6,504,903, and capital outlay will cost $2,890,508. The smallest line item in the budget, charter school tuition, will cost $468,442 next school year.

“We pretty much have three major areas that control a significant portion of our budget,” Schoen said. “We have salaries, benefits and special education, which is inclusive of transportation.”

As Schoen explained at the March 24 meeting to introduce the budget, WOSD made room in the budget to allow for the hiring of more staff in the upcoming year: a third-grade teacher at Hazel, a world language teacher, two English as a second language teachers and three new special education teachers. An emotional regulation impairment teacher will be hired for Redwood Elementary School, in addition to a resource teacher at St. Cloud Elementary School, a social studies teacher at West Orange High School and 11 paraprofessionals for the district. The preschool disabilities program will hire an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a behaviorist, a child study team member and three preschool teachers.

“Our tax levy represents almost 80 percent of how we fund our programs and our staff,” Schoen said when speaking about the district’s revenue. “Our second biggest area, which is state aid, represents almost 16 percent.”

WOSD will receive $29,372,985 in state aid for next school year’s budget. It is an increase from the 2021-2022 budget by $9,103,694. Now that the BOE has passed the budget, it will be sent to the county for approval next.

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NJ deciding fate of 70-year-old environmental conservation school, a rural oasis amid density – Gothamist

Nestled inside Stokes State Forest in New Jersey, about a half-dozen children are setting up insect traps, using vanilla cookies and tuna to see what six-legged creatures they snag.

“Doing science is very easy, you can just go to the dollar store like I did,” Denise Manole, 24, said as she led a class on identifying insects on a spring morning. “It’s just going out and doing it and then having fun and loving what you’re doing. That’s all science is about.”

Manole is a New Jersey Watershed Ambassador with AmeriCorps and is leading one of the handful of workshops at the New Jersey School of Conservation.

The 240-acre school is a rural oasis in the densest state in the U.S. The school is located in Sussex County, the state’s northwestern county, close to the state’s border with Pennsylvania and New York. It features single-story red cabins spread across Stokes State Forest, a peaceful enclave 50 miles west of denser Essex County.

During the pandemic, the school’s management shuttered the campus due to budget constraints until a nonprofit group temporarily reopened it. Now state officials are deciding the school’s fate — and who will run it.

Since it opened in 1949, the school has educated more than 400,000 teachers and students on environmental and conservation studies, according to its supporters. But Montclair State University, which was responsible for managing the school, closed the campus in 2020, saying it couldn’t afford to keep running it.

Former Montclair President Susan Cole said the state transferred management and control of the land to the university in 1981 and included an appropriation of annual state funds. But those state funds dried up 10 years ago, Cole wrote in a letter to lawmakers informing them of the school’s July 2020 closure.

“In an era when both the science of conservation, and the education of future generations about conservation, is critically important, it is a matter of genuine and considerable regret to the university that we can no longer maintain the school, but we simply cannot,” Cole wrote.

Montclair State University handed the keys back to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

“[Montclair State] announced they were closing it rather abruptly and without really any warning,” Kerry Kirk Pflugh, president of the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation told Gothamist. “It took everyone by surprise.”

Sprung into action

Pflugh said once she heard about the closure, the Friends group sprung into action, petitioning the governor’s office, lawmakers and state officials to let them keep the campus open. It worked.

The DEP gave the Friends permission to provide “limited public programming” and “establish a regular presence at the school for security reasons,” DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said. The Friends reopened the school in April 2021.

“This is our attempt to keep offering programs that we would historically have offered, but in a kind of cliff notes approach,” Pflugh said, adding that she hopes the group gets permanent management. “Sort of the mantra of the school conservation has always been discovery through field study, we are a big proponent of experiential learning.”

Pflugh, whose father served as the school’s director for 38 years, said lawmakers gave the Friends group $1 million to oversee emergency repairs and capital improvements to the 57-building campus. The buildings include a cafeteria, offices, classrooms and cabins for overnight student stays.

In January, the DEP put out a call for proposals from groups interested in managing the school; Hajna said they’re still in the review process. The DEP said three entities submitted proposals, including the Friends group, DiamondPREP — and Montclair State University.

But Montclair State told Gothamist last week it was withdrawing its proposal for the process to proceed “without conflict.”

“We believe that our model will support the development of New Jersey’s green economy while embracing the powerful legacy of the School of Conservation. However, the last thing we want is to shift the focus from the School and its mission,” university spokesman Andrew Mees said in a statement.

“We wish great success to whomever is chosen to lead this important resource, and we will provide any historical information that may help them succeed in its management.”

The DEP did not confirm whether Montclair State officially withdrew from the process or say when the state would select a new manager for the property.

A pending proposal

Two lawmakers have also proposed bills that would transfer the management of the school to the Friends.

Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, said the school has so much potential and could serve as a resource for future generations.

“We have the most concrete and pavement of other states per square mile,” he said. At the school “the educating really happens out in the wild … and connecting that up with what is human’s role in preserving this? Whether it’s a day trip or an overnight experience it can be very formative for young people.”

Years of teachers, school-age students, master’s students and doctoral students have attended summer camps, day programs or conducted their field studies here. But these days, the school is mostly empty, with occasional programming like fly fishing lessons for adults, foraging for edible plants or spotting migratory rainforest birds from Central and South America.

At an insect workshop in April, 7-year-old Clara Lovell colored a cutout picture of a grasshopper to camouflage it in some bushes.

“I’ve been hearing the word thorax — the middle of the insect — a lot, so I can actually remember it,” Lovell, 7, said. “Here, my classroom is outside and like in the forest. That’s why I like this place so much, because it teaches me a lot about nature.”

Lovell visited with her grandfather Mike Roche, a former science high school teacher who says he used to bring his students to the School of Conservation in the 1980s and 1990s.

“For more than a dozen years, I would bring classes during the school year to take advantage of the residential program,” he said.

Parent Allison Pohorence said she brought her daughter and niece and nephew after seeing the event on Facebook.

“This place has a lot of history,” she said. “When you go in, you could tell there’s like, happiness in here. There’s like a bunch of maybe happy kids stayed here or something.”

Top Cannabis Commission staffer faces lawmakers- POLITICO – POLITICO

Good Friday morning! 

State lawmakers finally had the chance to question the top staffer of the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Thursday’s legislative hearing with Jeff Brown, the CRC’s executive director, and Senate President Nick Scutari, had been highly anticipated, as Scutari had announced it shortly after the CRC declined to authorize recreational sales in March. Since then, recreational sales have launched at 12 dispensaries across the state.

Both Democrats and Republicans probed Brown about workplace regulations, specifically the development of guidelines around how to examine whether someone is high on cannabis in the workplace. The CRC, which is tasked with creating regulations for the experts that would make those determinations, has not done so yet.

“I would only ask you that the word expeditious come across in capital letters and you get this thing done, like ASAP,” Sen. Fred Madden (D-Gloucester) said. “Get something out to us so that we can start providing the people some direction. It is extremely, extremely critical.”

Read about the back and forth from POLITICO’s Daniel Han here.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE’S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 87

WHERE’S MURPHY? — No public schedule. First Lady Tammy Murphy will visit a Newark elementary school.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"mailto:mfriedman@politico.com","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93900f0002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93900f0003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>[email protected]

NEED MORE PLAYBOOK? — Sign up here for NJ Playbook PM","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.politico.com/newsletters/new-jersey-playbook-pm","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93900f0004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93900f0005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Sign up here for NJ Playbook PM and get more news in your inbox care of POLITICO’s Jonathan Custodio, minus the snarky headlines

DISMISSED — DWI charge against Cunningham dismissed,","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2022/05/dwi-charge-against-cunningham-dismissed-00032083","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>DWI charge against Cunningham dismissed, by POLITICO’s Carly Sitrin: The DWI charge against state Sen. Sandra Cunningham was dismissed on Thursday, her office confirmed. Prosecutors told a Bergen County judge the state lacked sufficient evidence to prove their case and the driving-while-intoxicated charge was dropped, NJ Advance Media reported. Cunningham (D-Hudson) was charged March 4, 2021, after police said she sideswiped two parked cars at 9:30 a.m. on Culver Avenue in Jersey City, not far from her home. Cunningham was uninjured in the accident, but police body camera footage showed her sometimes appearing disoriented and having trouble keeping her balance. The lawmaker told police she thought she had struck a snowbank.

ABORTION — “Anti-abortion advocate decries Murphy’s push to strengthen abortion rights","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/anti-abortion-advocate-decries-murphys-push-to-strengthen-abortion-rights/","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Anti-abortion advocate decries Murphy’s push to strengthen abortion rights,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Briana Vannozzi: “In New Jersey, where abortion rights are already codified, Gov. Phil Murphy proposed expanding those rights to include mandatory insurance coverage of abortion, among other items. That drew quick criticism from anti-abortion advocates, who say New Jersey has an ‘abortion problem.’ New Jersey has some of the highest abortion rates in the nation, according to nonpartisan research. In an interview with NJ Spotlight News, New Jersey Right to Life director and anti-abortion advocate Marie Tasy, said, ‘We’re happy for the pro-life fortresses in states like Texas and Florida and South Dakota, and certainly other states as well that are moving in that direction. And we do believe that eventually New Jersey will get there.’”

— “Vitale initially noncommittal on Murphy abortion package","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://newjerseyglobe.com/legislature/vitale-initially-noncommittal-on-murphy-abortion-package/","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110006","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110007","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Vitale initially noncommittal on Murphy abortion package,” by the New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “State Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge), the chair of the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee, said [Thursday] that he won’t yet take a stance on Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed package of abortion access legislation, which was unveiled in broad terms [Wednesday] but has yet to be put in writing. ‘I haven’t had any conversations [with the governor], and I haven’t seen anything in real detail,’ Vitale said. ‘Until I do, I can’t really take a position on it.’ Pressed for his opinions on two of the governor’s plans – an insurance coverage mandate for abortions and an expansion of the pool of potential abortion providers – that had already been laid out in detail in last year’s Reproductive Freedom Act, Vitale still did not lay out a clear opinion.”

JUDICIAL PICKS — “Murphy to nominate six new Essex judges","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://newjerseyglobe.com/judiciary/murphy-to-nominate-six-new-essex-judges/","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110008","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390110009","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Murphy to nominate six new Essex judges,” by the New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Gov. Phil Murphy will nominate six new Superior Court judges in Essex County – five of them women — a move that will substantially reduce the number of Essex vacancies if the Senate confirms his picks. The judicial nominees include a career federal prosecutor, two veteran government lawyers, two former elected officials, and a former assistant counsel to a New Jersey governor. Three of the picks are young enough to serve more than two decades on the bench, if they are confirmed by the Senate.”

REST IN PEACE — “Jack McGreevey, veterans advocate and former N.J. governor’s father, dies at 93","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/05/jack-mcgreevey-veterans-advocate-and-former-nj-governors-father-dies-at-93.html","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf939011000a","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf939011000b","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>Jack McGreevey, veterans advocate and former N.J. governor’s father, dies at 93,” by Brent Johnson and Susan K. Livio: “Jack McGreevey, a proud U.S. Marine, dedicated advocate for military veterans, and father of former Gov. Jim McGreevey, died Thursday. He was 93. Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement that McGreevey ‘so perfectly represented the selflessness of all who wear our nation’s uniforms.’ ‘He put our nation above all and his fellow New Jerseyans before himself,’ Murphy said. ‘We should all endeavor to be such an example.’ His wife of 62 years, Veronica ‘Ronnie’ McGreevey, a respected nurse and educator, died in 2018. They had three children: the former governor, Caroline Jones, and Sharon McGreevey. McGreevey enlisted in the Marines on his 17th birthday and later served in both World War II and the Korean War. He was also a drill sergeant in San Diego.”

LET THE RAIN (NOT) FALL DOWN — “We need better rainfall predictions after Ida, N.J. lawmaker says. Her bill just cleared the House","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/05/we-need-better-rainfall-predictions-after-ida-nj-lawmaker-says-her-bill-just-cleared-house.html","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>We need better rainfall predictions after Ida, N.J. lawmaker says. Her bill just cleared the House,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jonathan D. Salant: “The remnants of Hurricane Ida slammed into New Jersey last September, bringing torrents of rain, heavy winds, extensive flooding, and power outages. A tornado touched down in Mullica Hill. At least 30 people died. Perhaps better data could have helped the state prepare for the storm, and legislation that passed the U.S. House Wednesday would provide that information. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., would provide new funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to conduct studies and collect data that take into account the impacts of climate change, and to help develop the best way to estimate precipitation.”

CHRIS SMITH — “NJ’s most veteran GOP congressman faces dual challenge from the right","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2022/05/nj-4th-congressional-district-rep-chris-smith-faces-right-wing-challengers/","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>NJ’s most veteran GOP congressman faces dual challenge from the right,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Colleen O’Dea: “The Republican primary in New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District showcases virtually all sides of today’s GOP political discourse, including pro-Trump rhetoric, conspiracies about COVID-19 and complaints about critical race theory. Rep. Chris Smith has been in office since Jan. 3, 1981, in the last days of Jimmy Carter’s presidency. That he has spent 41 years in Congress is reason enough for voters to replace him, argue opponents Mike Crispi and Steve Gray. Both challengers also espouse positions that put them much further to the right than Smith. While the incumbent is still considered a conservative, given the party’s overall shift, he’s now ranked as among the most moderate Republicans in the House by govtrack, an independent Congressional monitoring website. Crispi, who hosts a conservative talk show on YouTube, and Gray, a former FBI agent who says he now runs a small family business, are both using many of the talking points heard in right-wing media.”

JUDICIARY RIGHTS — “GOP senator blocks bill named for slain son of N.J. jurist that aims to protect federal judges","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/05/gop-senator-blocks-bill-to-protect-federal-judges-that-is-named-for-slain-son-of-nj-jurist.html","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>GOP senator blocks bill named for slain son of N.J. jurist that aims to protect federal judges,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jonathan D. Salant: “Just days after the U.S. Senate sped through legislation to boost protection for U.S. Supreme Court justices, a Republican U.S. senator on Thursday blocked U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez’s effort to increase security for the rest of the federal judiciary. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., objected to Menendez’s motion to pass the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act, which would keep judges’ personal information secret. The bill, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in December with only one dissenting vote, was named after the 20-year-old who was gunned down at U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas’ home in North Brunswick in July 2020 by someone claiming to be a FedEx delivery driver and had planned to kill the judge.”

— NJ Advance Media: “Trump rips Christie over Georgia election. Christie slaps back.”","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/05/trump-rips-christie-over-georgia-election-christie-slaps-back.html","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150006","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390150007","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>“Trump rips Christie over Georgia election. Christie slaps back.”

NEWARK — “And Now For Round Two: How Runoffs Work in Newark Municipal Elections","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newark/sections/elections/articles/and-now-for-round-two-how-runoffs-work-in-newark-municipal-elections","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390170001","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390170002","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>And Now For Round Two: How Runoffs Work in Newark Municipal Elections,” by TAPintoNewark’s Mark Bonamo: “The results of Tuesday’s citywide nonpartisan municipal elections are a reminder that under certain conditions, Newark voters get to speak not once, but twice. Voters, get ready for the runoff election season. The campaigning won’t last long since Runoff Election Day is June 14. The tallies tabulated in the East, South, and West wards, which are still unofficial, show no clear winner. A candidate must receive 50% plus one vote to be declared the winner of a race.”  

SUSSEX ED STANDARDS — “Sussex County commissioners pass resolution against NJ’s sex education standards,”","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2022/05/12/sussex-county-approves-resolution-against-nj-sex-education-standards/9740397002/","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390170003","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf9390170004","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>“Sussex County commissioners pass resolution against NJ’s sex education standards,” by the New Jersey Herald’s Bruce A. Scruton: “Sussex County commissioners voted to back proposed legislation dubbed ‘The Parents Bill of Rights’ in opposition of the state’s newest sex education standards at their meeting Wednesday night. The Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution that takes issue with the teaching of ‘sexually specific and highly sensitive curricula to New Jersey children generally and Sussex County children particularly, as early as grades K-2.’ The resolution demands that Gov. Phil Murphy, the state Legislature and the Department of Education ‘ban the sexually specific and highly sensitive curricula.’ The commissioners, who have no authority over schools, said they want parents to be notified of the curricula being taught to their children in schools and allow parents to ‘make their own informed decisions regarding their children’s education and exposure to sensitive information’ … Much of what the commissioners’ resolution outlined is already part of how the new sex education standards will be rolled out this fall.”

 

PRICE DROP — “These N.J. gas stations to offer price drop Friday to promote self serve","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nj.com/news/2022/05/these-nj-gas-stations-to-offer-price-drop-friday-to-promote-self-serve.html","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93901b0000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93901b0001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>These N.J. gas stations to offer price drop Friday to promote self serve,” by NJ Advance Media’s Larry Higgs: “Dozens of New Jersey gas stations plan to offer discounted fuel on Friday in the latest push to convince state leaders to allow for self-service. You won’t have to pump your own gas to get the price break from record high gas prices during the Fuel Your Way NJ coalition’s Self-Serve Day of Awareness. The cost drops will vary by location, but are meant to reflect how much consumers could save per gallon with self serve available. ‘With the cost of gas prices continuing to rise, it’s taking a bigger and bigger bite out of people’s wallets,’ Sal Risalvato of Fuel Your Way NJ said in a statement. ‘We want the public to know that one of the quickest ways we can reduce gas prices is to allow gas stations the ability to offer self-serve in New Jersey.’”

— NJ Spotlight News: “How are parents coping as shortage of baby formula continues?”","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/how-are-parents-coping-as-shortage-of-baby-formula-continues/","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93901b0002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93901b0003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>“How are parents coping as shortage of baby formula continues?”

— POLITICO: U.S. cannabis industry on track to top $52B by 2027","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/article/2022/05/u-s-cannabis-industry-on-track-to-top-52b-by-2027-00031828","_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93901b0004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000180-bd13-d42c-abc8-bf93901b0005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}”>U.S. cannabis industry on track to top $52B by 2027

Good News In Essex County: Neighbors United + Acts Of Bravery – Bloomfield, NJ Patch

Community Corner

The world is filled with humor, inspiration and beauty. Here are seven stories to make you smile from Essex County, NJ.

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A spring cleanup event in Bloomfield united hundreds of residents under a common goal: making the town a nicer place to live.
A spring cleanup event in Bloomfield united hundreds of residents under a common goal: making the town a nicer place to live. (Photo courtesy of the Bloomfield Beautification Committee)

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The world can be a scary place. But it’s also filled with humor, inspiration and beauty. Let’s focus on that second part. Take a look at some recent good news stories in Essex County below. (Click the headlines to read).

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