Daily News Roundup

Jaime Bedrin discusses the first half of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's hearing by NJ News Commons

Mary Galioto of MercerMe discusses her local news subscription program by NJ News Commons

Matt Skoufalos of NJ Pen discusses NJ's new microbrewery regulations by NJ News Commons

Stefanie Murray discusses Jesse Holcomb's latest research by NJ News Commons

March 5, 2018 Partly cloudy with high temperatures in the mid-40s. MURPHY INAUGURATION COST MORE THAN $1 MILLION The committee that planned the inauguration of Gov. Phil Murphy spent $1.1 million on the swearing-in ceremony in Trenton and the inaugural festivities held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.com reports. The Democratic State Committee covered $940,000 of the cost and the remainder was paid with individual donations of no more than $500 each, according to a report filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission. When Gov. Chris Christie took office in 2010, more than half of the $1 million raised for his inaugural ball was donated to charities. CHRISTIE SAYS KUSHNER SHOULD RESIGN WHITE HOUSE POST Former Gov. Chris Christie says that Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, should resign from his job as a senior adviser, the New York Post writes. Kushner has been the subject of press scrutiny after his security clearance was downgraded and reports surfaced that his family’s business received loans from investors after they attended White House meetings. PATIENTS DYING AFTER PROCEDURES AT NJ SURGERY CENTERS New Jersey has 298 same-day surgical centers, which offer lower costs than hospitals, lower infection rates and greater convenience. But dozens of patients have died at the centers since the state began keeping safety records, Lindy Washburn writes in The Record. HUDSON COUNTY WITHDRAWS FROM IMMIGRATION DETENTION PROGRAM Officials announced last week that Hudson County is dropping out of a program that trained corrections officers to determine the immigration status of prisoners and flag those held on serious charges for possible deportation, The Record reports. Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Vainieri said the Trump administration’s vigorous enforcement of immigration laws was a factor in the decision. But County Executive Tom DeGise said bail reform in the state had significantly reduced crowding at the jail, eliminating the need to remove inmates. PSEG, EXELON PUT HOLD ON CAPITAL PROJECTS AT NUCLEAR PLANT Public Service Enterprise Group and Exelon are withholding money for capital projects at the Salem nuclear power plant until the Legislature approves a controversial measure that would have utility customers provide a $300 million-a-year subsidy for two South Jersey plants, NJ Spotlight writes. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, PSEG and Exelon said money for capital projects would be restored if legislation that “sufficiently values” nuclear energy is enacted in New Jersey.

March 1, 2018 Showers with high temperatures in the upper 50s. Storms moving in later. CONDITIONS CALLED ‘INHUMANE’ AT IMMIGRANT DETENTION CENTERS A human rights organization says immigrants being held at three detention centers in New Jersey are subjected to “harsh and inhumane” conditions, The Record writes. A report released this week by Human Rights First says detainees are served raw and spoiled food, given dirty drinking water and provided insufficient clothing and hygiene products. "Legal professionals who participated in the tours were surprised to note that the conditions of detention were poor or worse than those they had previously observed in criminal correctional facilities,'' the report says. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ADVANCES 6 GUN-CONTROL MEASURES The Assembly Judiciary Committee approved six bills that would tighten New Jersey’s gun-control laws, which are already among the strictest in the country, The Record reports. One of the measures, known as a “red flag” law, would allow police to temporarily take guns from people who are ruled by a judge as a threat. Other legislation would impose a 10-round limit on the capacity of gun magazines, expand background checks to include private gun sales and ban bullets capable of penetrating body armor. HEALTH INSURER TO USE PART OF TAX WINDFALL FOR POLICYHOLDERS The largest health insurer in the state says it will use at least $275 million of its federal tax refund to benefit policyholders, NJ Spotlight says. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey provide rebates or discounts to its 3.8 million members. It will also focus on improving mental health services, increasing access to substance abuse treatment, and expanding primary care. The money comes from the Trump administration’s tax overhaul, which changed the process used by some corporation to file income tax. EMAIL THREAT CLOSES TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS Two Gloucester County school districts are closed today after a threatening email message was received by a staff member overnight, NJ.com reports. The Franklin Township and Delsea Regional school districts have been in close contact with each other and the police since the threat was received, authorities said. The threat was directed at a Franklin Township district employee but the Delsea district also closed because its facilities are in close proximity to Franklin Township’s. In a statement posted on Facebook, the Franklin Township Police Department said, "We are working diligently to identify the sender of that email at this time." NOR'EASTER EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAIN, HIGH WINDS It looks like March is coming in like a lion. High wind and flood watches have been issued for most of the state as weather forecasts are indicating a nor'easter is approaching, News 12 says. Rain is expected to move in Thursday evening with urban and coastal flooding possible early Friday through Saturday. In addition, a winter storm watch has been issued for Sussex and western Passaic counties with the possibility of 2 to 6 inches of snow.

February 28, 2018 Partly cloudy with high temperatures near 60. REPORT: ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS IN NJ ROSE 32% IN 2017 A report released Tuesday by the Anti-Defamation League says the number of anti-Semitic incidents in New Jersey increased by 32 percent in 2017, compared with the previous year, MyCentralJersey.com reports. New Jersey had the third highest number of incidents in the country, behind New York and California. Bergen County had the most incidents in New Jersey with 40, up from 28 in 2016. MURPHY CREATES JOBS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Tuesday creating an economic advisory panel modeled on the federal government’s Council of Economic Advisers, NJ Spotlight writes. The 12-member Jobs and Economic Opportunity Council will use data to analyze economic trends and conditions to help guide Murphy’s administration in such areas as job creation and job retention. Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver will be a member of the council. SUBWAY LINK BETWEEN NEW YORK AND NJ TO GET A LOOK The Port Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and NJ Transit have commissioned a study to look at ways of increasing commuting capacity across the Hudson River, and an extension of the No. 7 subway is one of the options that may get a look, The New York Times reports. The Port Authority’s executive director, Rick Cotton, said the subway option was one of a number of possibilities. BLACK LAWMAKERS PUSHING BACK ON LEGALIZING MARIJUANA When he campaigned for office, Gov. Phil Murphy advocated the legalization of recreational marijuana in New Jersey and many residents believe it will be only a matter of time before the Legislature takes action. But the Legislative Black Caucus has taken a skeptical view of the issue, The Record writes. In a three-hour hearing in Jersey City last week only two of the 17 people who testified to the caucus favored the concept of legal marijuana. “It will devastate the African-American community," said Bishop Jethro James of Paradise Baptist Church in Newark. ASIAN TICKS FOUND ON A SHEEP IN NJ The longhorned tick, which is native to East Asia, has been found on a sheep in New Jersey, NPR reports. The tick, which multiplies quickly by essentially cloning itself, was found on a sheep last August in Hunterdon County. This is the first recorded instance of all life stages of the ticks being found on unquarantined animals in the United States, authorities say. How the ticks ended up on the sheep remains a mystery.

February 27, 2018 Sunny with temperatures in the upper 50s. TENSIONS RUN HIGH IN NJ SCHOOLS SINCE FLORIDA SHOOTINGS Since the massacre at a school in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 people were killed, tensions have been running high in New Jersey schools, The Record reports. Dumont High School was placed on lockdown Monday after police became aware of a threat posted on social media. In Nutley, two juveniles were arrested over the weekend after a threat was reported to Abundant Life Academy. And in Mahwah, parents were notified that an elementary student, fearful of an earlier threat, had brought an airsoft gun to school. The Mahwah police chief says a surge in threats and false alarms is common after a school shooting. MURPHY TALKS GUNS AND GATEWAY AT WHITE HOUSE Gov. Phil Murphy joined other governors at a meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday where the discussion focused on gun safety, NJ.com writes. Trump used that forum to promote his plan to arm teachers in schools. In an earlier session with White House officials, Murphy and other governors focused on the administration’s infrastructure plans. Murphy said in a statement after the meeting, “Few issues are more critical to New Jersey's future than ensuring federal partnerships for our infrastructure needs, especially the Gateway project.” NJ HAS WIDE RANGE IN PROPERTY TAX INCREASES, DECREASES In 2017, New Jersey property taxes rose 1.64 percent on average, The Asbury Park Press reports. But while some municipalities saw high increases, other towns had significant decreases. Sea Bright had an increase of nearly 16 percent, while Walpack had a decrease of more than 30 percent. You can check where your local government fell in the full list posted online. NJ ATTORNEY GENERAL MOVES TO MAKE POLICE VIDEOS PUBLIC Police dashcam and body cam videos that document the use of deadly force should be released to the public once an initial investigation is completed, State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said Monday, according to the New Jersey Law Journal. He said he was issuing the directive to promote “transparency in police-community relations.” The new policy will take effect after an analysis for compliance with attorney ethics rules is complete. REPORT ON RED-LIGHT CAMERAS’ VALUE NEVER RELEASED A report from a state engineer that said reviving the state’s red-light camera system could prevent pedestrian fatalities and deadly right-angle crashes was never released by the state Department of Transportation, The Record says. The controversial cameras were scrapped three years ago. The report says: “Despite all its problems, the program had a positive impact on the public. If we had been able to make some modifications, it could have done much more.”

Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources. PROTESTERS PLEAD ‘NOT GUILTY’ TO CHARGES OF DEFIANT TRESPASSING AT REP. LEONARD LANCE’S OFFICE Six protestors who were arrested earlier this month at a demonstration in support of DREAMers at Rep. Leonard Lance’s office in Westfield have pleaded “not guilty” to charges of defiant trespassing. Fred Smith and Jackie Lieberman of TAPinto Westfield say the protesters were arrested after refusing to leave Lance’s office after it was closed. SRHS STUDENTS HOLD WALKOUT TO HONOR PARKLAND VICTIMS Hundreds of students from South Regional High School in Manahawkin gathered on campus on Wednesday for a 17-minute school walkout to honor the 17 people who were killed in the shooting in Parkland, Fla. Kimberly Bosco of Jersey Shore Online says two students, Laura Esposito and Kyra Zdep, organized the event, compiled information on each of the victims, made signs, and spread the word to other students – all in less than two days. IS TAX REFORM AFFECTING HOME VALUES? LOCAL EXPERTS WEIGH IN Alan Grossman and Danielle Santola of TAPinto Livingston published the first in a series of articles that will highlight local perspectives on the ways in which the recent federal tax reforms will affect Essex County residents. This week’s article focuses on real estate issues. FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT: SHOUTS OF RACIAL SLURS BRING POLICE TO SPARTA THEATRE Sparta police arrived at the New Vision Sparta Theatre Sunday night after receiving calls about a woman shouting racial slurs during a screening of Black Panther. Jennifer Dericks of TAPinto Sparta says former state Assembly candidate Michael Grace was in the theater when two people started yelling racial slurs. Police arrived and asked the “extremely intoxicated 57-year-old woman and her boyfriend” to leave the theater. EAST BRUNSWICK RABBI CHARGED WITH ENGAGING IN PROSTITUTION WITH A CHILD Rabbi Aryeh Goodman of the East Brunswick Chabad Learning Center was charged with one count of engaging in prostitution with a child and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. Maureen Berzok of TAPinto East Brunswick says Aryeh was one of 30 men who were charged with having sex with the teenager over the course of four weeks. INSIDE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILL Virginia Citrano of MyVeronaNJ was invited to attend an active shooter drill at a public high school in Livingston. Officers from the Verona Police Department and several other NJ departments also attended the drill, where some spent the entire day training and learning how to deal with an active shooter situation. CAMDEN COUNTY FILES RACKETEERING LAWSUIT AGAINST OPIOID MANUFACTURERS Matt Skoufalos of NJ Pen examines the recent lawsuit filed against Purdue Pharma, which makes the opioid OxyContin, as well as three Purdue executives. The suit alleges that “Purdue collectively, and the Sacklers individually drove the over-prescription of OxyContin for all manner of pain management, even knowing its highly addictive qualities. It further charges the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of the drugs as being complicit in the practice.”

February 22, 2018 Rain with temperatures falling from the upper 40s to the mid-30s. NJ STUDENTS HOLD WALKOUTS OVER SCHOOL SHOOTINGS In solidarity with students in Parkland, Florida, students across New Jersey staged walkouts from school Wednesday to demand action on gun control, NJ.com reports. Schools in Manahawkin, Voorhees, Hazlet and Middletown were among the places where students and faculty protested. Meanwhile, New Jersey teenagers are planning to participate in a national walkout planned for March 14, The Record reports. Gov. Phil Murphy has said the state Education Department will issue guidelines to schools so students can safely protest on that day. CAMDEN COUNTY FILES RACKETEERING SUIT AGAINST OXYCONTIN MAKERS In what is being called a legal first, Camden County has filed a racketeering lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, the company that makes the opioid drug OxyContin, and three members of the Sackler family, who own the company, ROI-NJ reports. The defendants “executed an epic scheme to deceive doctors (and the public at large) into believing that opioids can be prescribed for long periods of time, with little to no risk of addiction; a blatantly false premise,” the suit contends. Over-prescribing of opioid drugs has led to the heroin epidemic, and Camden County says its police have been left to deal with addicts and overdoses. $130 MILLION PLAN FOR FORT MONMOUTH FALLS THROUGH A $130 million deal to redevelop an 89-acre tract at the shuttered Fort Monmouth in Eatontown has been called off, the Asbury Park Press reports. The plan called for Paramount Realty Service of Lakewood to redevelop the land into a mixed-use town center called Freedom Pointe. After a year of negotiations, the fort’s redevelopment board and the developer were unable to reach a final agreement. Negotiations will be opened with the second-ranked bidder for the tract. PROTEST PLANNED AT RUTGERS OVER MINIMUM WAGE Student groups and unions are planning a rally and march Friday at Rutgers in New Brunswick to call for a $15 minimum wage for all university employees, MyCentralJersey.com writes. The event, set to begin at 1 p.m. in front of the Brower Commons dining hall, is part of several nationally coordinated days of action. Friday's action is being organized by the Rutgers chapter of United Students Against Sweatshops and the union that represents Rutgers professors. THINK TANK RECOMMENDS WIDENING OF NJ SALES TAX New Jersey Policy Perspective, a progressive think tank, says in a new report that the state should significantly expand the list of services that would be subject to sales tax, NJ Spotlight says. The new report on state tax policy says that widening the list of taxable services would increase revenues and add equity to the sales-tax structure as the state’s service sector expands. Want more? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

February 12, 2018 Scattered showers, clearing later, with high temperatures in the mid-40s. BLACK INFANTS IN NJ DYING AT ALARMING RATE, HEALTH EXPERTS SAY The state’s infant mortality rate for black babies was third-highest in the country in 2015, NJ.com reports. This contrasts sharply with New Jersey’s overall infant mortality rate, which is one of the lowest in the country. Black babies are three times more likely to die before they reach age 1 than white babies. The stats were discussed last week in Trenton in a hearing of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. Afterward, Sen. Joseph Vitale, a Democrat from Middlesex County, said he will introduce legislation to require the state to collect more data on infant and maternity mortality from hospitals. LOTTERY SALES DROP BUT COMPANY THAT RUNS IT STILL CASHES IN NorthStar New Jersey, the private company that runs the New Jersey Lottery, will earn more money even though the amount of revenue the state receives is dropping, The Record writes. The company, whose contract runs through 2029, is on track to earn $1.4 billion while it has successfully lobbied to reduce the revenue targets for the state by $1 billion. PATERSON MAN SUES TO CHALLENGE NO-FLY LIST Adis Kovac, a 28-year-old Paterson resident, is one of five U.S. citizens suing in federal court in Dallas contending that their rights were violated when they were placed on the no-fly list, The Record reports. The plaintiffs say they were placed on the list without notice, even though they have never been arrested or charged with a crime. They say they are stigmatized by being placed on a list of known terrorists and have no meaningful way to challenge the designation. DEMOCRATS URGE REOPENING OF PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL State Sens. Richard Codey and Joseph Vitale introduced a resolution last week advocating the reopening of the Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital in Hunterdon County, which was closed in 2012 by Gov. Chris Christie, NJ Spotlight writes. The Democrats say they are seeking a place to provide proper treatment for elderly people with severe mental illness. MURPHY REVIVING PANEL ON SENTENCING DISPARITIES Gov. Phil Murphy announced Sunday that he is convening a commission to examine racial and ethnic disparities in the state’s criminal justice system, Planet Princeton reports. The Legislature established the commission in 2009, but Gov. Chris Christie never appointed any members. DOG FROM SPARTA WINS WESTMINSTER AGILITY COMPETITION A black and white border collie from Sparta took first place in the masters agility competition Saturday at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, NPR reports. The 7-year-old dog named Fame(US) – pronounced famous – ran an obstacle course in 29.53 seconds to defeat more than 300 competitors.

February 8, 2018 Mostly sunny with high temperatures in the low 30s. NTSB NOTES AIRSPEED IN FATAL TETERBORO JET CRASH The National Transportation Safety Board says the pilots of a Learjet that crashed at Teterboro Airport last year had allowed the aircraft to slow too much, Bloomberg News writes. Cockpit voice recorders indicate that seconds before the crash the co-pilot said, “Airspeed, airspeed.” The NTSB has yet to determine the cause of the accident but the preliminary report raises questions about the actions of the pilots. DEMOCRAT DROPS BID TO UNSEAT U.S. REP. LEONARD LANCE Lisa Mandelblatt of Westfield announced Wednesday that she was abandoning her campaign to win the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican, Tapinto.net reports. Mandelblatt endorsed Tom Malinowski for the Democratic nomination in the 7th Congressional District race. "It is time to put changing our country over my own candidacy and do what is best for our shared goal in November," Mandelblatt said. PENNEAST FILES EMINENT DOMAIN NOTICES FOR PIPELINE The PennEast Pipeline Co. filed eminent domain notices in federal court Tuesday seeking court approval of the company taking immediate possession of rights of way where the pipeline would be built on private property, NJ Spotlight writes. The company is also asking that federal marshals keep landowners and other protesters from hindering construction of the natural gas pipeline. EX-TEACHER ACCUSED OF ORDERING STUDENTS TO EXERCISE NAKED A former teacher at a private school in New Jersey is accused of ordering students to remove their clothes and do pushups and other exercises, NJ.com reports. Former students at the Lawrenceville School say that Bruce Presley, now 79 and living in Florida, said the exercises were alternative punishments in disciplinary matters. The school called the actions “abhorrent, unacceptable, and contrary to all the values of Lawrenceville." ANITA HILL, QUEEN LATIFAH TO ADDRESS RUTGERS CLASS OF 2018 Rutgers announced Wednesday that Anita Hill and Queen Latifah will be keynote speakers at two of the university’s commencement ceremonies in May, WNBC reports. Hill, a leading figure in the #MeToo movement, will be granted an honorary doctor of laws degree and speak at the law school commencement in Camden. Queen Latifah will address the graduating class for Rutgers-Newark at Prudential Center. HEALTH DEPARTMENT: NUMBER OF FLU CASES IN NJ EXCEEDS 10,000 About 3,000 additional confirmed cases of influenza were reported in the state last week, pushing New Jersey’s total to more than 10,000, NJ.com writes. METS SIGN TOMS RIVER NATIVE TODD FRAZIER Todd Frazier, the All-Star third baseman who grew up in Toms River, has signed a two-year contract said to be worth $17 million with the New York Mets, the Asbury Park Press says. The team announced the signing on Wednesday. "This is my home," Frazier said. "I belong here. I belong in New York."

February 7, 2018 Rain and snow with high temperatures in the low 40s. NTSB CITES ENGINEER’S SLEEP APNEA IN HOBOKEN TRAIN CRASH The National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday that the undiagnosed sleep apnea of a NJ Transit train engineer led to a fatal train crash in Hoboken in September 2016, NJ.com reports. The NTSB said that NJ Transit failed to adequately screen and treat employees for sleep apnea, a condition that can lead to fatigue. The safety board also noted NJ Transit’s lack of technology to automatically stop trains on the tracks. FAITH LEADERS ARRESTED AT CONGRESSMAN’S OFFICE Four members of the clergy were among six protesters arrested Tuesday at the Westfield office of U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican, NJ Spotlight says. The demonstrators were urging Lance to support legislation to allow undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children to stay in the country. The protest was organized by an advocacy group called Faith in New Jersey. NJ SEEKS TO JOIN LAWSUIT ON MILITARY TRANSGENDER POLICY State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced Tuesday that he has filed the paperwork for New Jersey to join a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s proposed ban on transgender people serving in the military, NJ.com writes. Last year Trump said he would move to bar transgender people from serving in the military “in any capacity.” BILL WOULD REQUIRE NJ TO INVESTIGATE POLICE KILLINGS OF CIVILIANS Legislation that would put investigations of police killings of civilians in the hands of the state attorney general received approval from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Monday, WNYC says. The Legislature approved similar legislation last year, but the measure was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie. The Attorney General’s office issued a statement saying it was not desirable to mandate that the state investigate all police use-of-force incidents. HEAD OF NJ TRANSIT’S RAIL OPERATIONS TO RETIRE IN MARCH Robert Lavell, vice president and general manager of NJ Transit’s rail operations, will retire in March, The Record writes. A spokeswoman for the transportation agency said Tuesday that Lavell had told NJ Transit’s executive director, Steven Santoro, of his plans to step down. Santoro is leaving NJ Transit in April. Gov. Phil Murphy has called the transit agency a “national disgrace.”

February 6, 2018 Possible snow showers early on, but expect partly cloudy skies with high temperatures in the upper 30s later in the day. GUN RIGHTS GROUP SUES NJ OVER CARRY LAW The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs is challenging in federal court the Garden State’s restrictions on carrying handguns outside the home, Patch.com says. Before issuing a permit to carry a gun outside the home, the state requires that an applicant show a “justifiable need,” like documented death threats or attacks. In January, Gov. Phil Murphy rescinded a rule implemented by the Christie administration that was intended to weaken the standard for “justifiable need.” FLU OUTBREAK KEEPS NJ IN ITS GRIP Confirmed cases of flu have continued to rise in New Jersey, News 12 reports. On Sunday about 60 samples were tested for influenza at Hackensack University Medical Center and about half were positive for influenza. The state Health Department says that the outbreak is widespread in all of New Jersey’s 21 counties. BILL TO RAISE PAY FOR STATE OFFICIALS AND JUDGES ADVANCES A measure that would increase the salaries of high-ranking state officials and judges cleared the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Monday without any discussion, NJ Spotlight writes. Among those who would receive raises if the legislation passes are state Supreme Court justices, cabinet officials, Superior Court judges and county prosecutors. MURPHY STRIKES A BLOW FOR NET NEUTRALITY Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Monday requiring internet service providers who do business with the state to follow the standards of net neutrality, NJTV reports. In December, the Federal Communications Commission dropped the standards that require equal treatment for all internet providers, allowing charges for faster internet service. Murphy also said New Jersey was joining 21 other states in a lawsuit intended to force the FCC to reinstate net neutrality. WOMEN ARE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF NJ POLITICS The Wall Street Journal writes that women are carving out a bigger place for themselves in New Jersey politics by seeking leadership positions in the Democratic and Republican parties. Among the women seeking more of a voice is Colleen Mahr, who is running for chair of the Union County Democratic Committee. In both parties, the committee chair wields significant power in determining who runs for public office. Of the 42 county chair positions in the state, only seven are held by women.

Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources. BEYOND HATE: A CONVERSATION WITH A REFORMED, FORMER KKK MEMBER Chaplain Joe Bednarsky was once the head of the Ku Klux Klan. Today, he preaches love over hate for all at a church in South Jersey, Ahmad Graves-El of SNJ Today reports. ICE OFFICER IMPRISONED AFTER ABUSING POWER FOR BRIBES AND SEX Arnaldo Echevarria of Franklin Township was a deportation officer for ICE before he was convicted of demanding bribes and sexual favors from undocumented immigrants in exchange for shielding them from deportation, reports Charlie Kratovil of New Brunswick Today. Echevarria is now behind bars in a Michigan federal prison. SPARTA COUNCILMAN MURPHY STRIKES DEAL IN DWI CASE Sparta Councilman Jerry Murphy struck a deal with the Hopatcong Municipal Court to avoid conviction on charges of driving while intoxicated, speeding, and careless driving. Jennifer Derricks of TAPinto Sparta says Murphy instead pleaded guilty to a minor charge involving his license plate, nearly two years after he was first arrested. ACTIVIST OUTED BY FRELINGHUYSEN: 'THIS WAS A GOOD DAY' Saily Avelenda, the activist who resigned from her job at a bank after she was "outed" by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, says she was glad to learn that Frelinghuysen had announced his retirement on Monday, reports Kevin Coughlin of Morristown Green. NEWARK COUNCILWOMAN TO INTRODUCE SEXUAL HARASSMENT LEGISLATION Newark Central Ward Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins plans to introduce an ordinance next week that would allow victims of sexual harassment to come forward without fear of reprisal or retaliation, reports Mark Bonamo of TAPinto Newark. The ordinance would also require all Newark City Hall staff and elected officials undergo sexual harassment training and would form a five-member sexual assault and harassment policy task force. JACKSON MAYOR ATTENDS TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE MEETING Republican Mayor Michael Reina of Jackson was one of roughly 50 mayors who attended President Trump's recent meeting of mayors at the White House last week, according to Bob Vosseller of Jersey Shore Online. Reina, an avid Trump supporter, was the only Ocean County mayor to attend the meeting, the theme of which was municipal infrastructure.

February 1, 2018 Scattered showers with high temperatures in the upper 40s. MENENDEZ WILL NOT FACE RETRIAL IN BRIBERY CASE The Justice Department said Wednesday that it would not retry Sen. Bob Menendez on bribery and fraud charges, Politico.com reports. A federal judge then dismissed the case. Last year a jury was unable to reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared. The decision removes a challenge that Menendez, a Democrat, was facing as he runs for re-election this year. CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN TO HEAD TASK FORCE ON DEMOCRACY Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who was the first female governor of New Jersey, will co-chair the National Task Force on Rule of Law and Democracy, NJ Spotlight writes. The nonpartisan task force, spearheaded by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, will also be co-chaired by Preet Bharara, the former U.S. Attorney who was fired last year by the Trump administration. FLIGHT FROM MOSCOW TO HAVANA DIVERTED TO ATLANTIC CITY Passengers on a Russian flight to Cuba unexpectedly found themselves in Atlantic City when their plane became low on fuel and was diverted to New Jersey, the Press of Atlantic City reports. The 294 passengers and 14 crew members spent more than 15 hours in New Jersey after a leak was found in the fuel tank and they waited for a replacement jet. BAYONNE SETTLES LAWSUIT WITH MUSLIM GROUP OVER MOSQUE Bayonne has reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit brought by the nonprofit Bayonne Muslims, which had been seeking for two and a half years to build a community center on the east side of the city, NJ.com says. Under the settlement, the Muslim group will be permitted to open its community center after a public meeting is held on the matter, within 30 days of the settlement being struck. MAHWAH ERUV WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNDER SETTLEMENT The Mahwah Township Council voted this week to accept a settlement agreement with an Orthodox Jewish group that will allow a controversial eruv to remain in place, The Record reports. Under the agreement, the township will also pay the group $10,000. An eruv is a symbolic perimeter within which Orthodox Jews are permitted to perform tasks that would otherwise be banned on the Sabbath.

January 31, 2018 Mostly sunny with high temperatures in the mid-30s. FLU CLAIMED LIFE OF 4-YEAR-OLD IN NJ, OFFICIALS CONFIRM Health officials confirmed that the flu was the cause of death for a 4-year-old girl, making her the first New Jerseyan to lose her life to the illness this winter, NJ.com reports. The girl, who lived in Central Jersey, had not been vaccinated, officials said. The state has seen more than 4,000 cases of the flu this season, with more than 1,000 new cases in the last two weeks, according to the Health Department. MERYL STREEP, STEVIE VAN ZANDT VOTED INTO NJ HALL OF FAME Actress Meryl Streep, musician Stevie Van Zandt and author Harlan Coben are among the 16 inductees to the New Jersey Hall of Fame, the Asbury Park Press writes. Gov. Phil Murphy made the announcement Tuesday, saying the inductees “remind us how so many of our citizens have transformed the world.” An induction ceremony will be held on May 6. LAWMAKERS CONSIDERING BAN ON MENTHOL CIGARETTES A measure aimed at further reducing the rate of smoking in New Jersey won approval by the Assembly health committee Monday, NJ Spotlight reports. The proposal would ban combustible products containing menthol, including cigarettes like Kool and Newport. If the measure becomes law, New Jersey – which has one of the toughest anti-smoking laws in the nation – would become the first state to ban menthol cigarettes. BACKLOG OF LIBRARY BOOK DELIVERIES TOPS 86,000 Library patrons seeking books and other materials they can’t find at their local libraries have run into a backlog that exceeds 86,000 volumes in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties and even more statewide, The Record writes. The state-funded nonprofit LibraryLinkNJ, which handles interlibrary loans, brought on a new delivery contractor at the beginning of the year and now describes the situation as “catastrophic.” WOMAN BARRED FROM BOARDING PLANE WITH HER PEACOCK The story of a Brooklyn woman who wanted to board a United Airlines flight at Newark Liberty International Airport with her peacock went viral after the airline told the woman her animal did not meet guidelines for traveling in the cabin of the aircraft, Fox News reports. The woman said she had a ticket for the bird, which she said was an emotional support animal, but she ended up driving to her destination after the peacock was barred.

January 30, 2018 Snow showers early and cloudy later with high temperatures near 40 degrees. CHRISTIE JOINS ABC AS CONTRIBUTOR, APPEARS ON ‘GOOD MORNING AMERICA’ Former Gov. Chris Christie made his debut as an ABC News contributor this morning with an appearance on “Good Morning America” in which he talked about the abrupt departure of the deputy director of the FBI and what he expects to hear in tonight’s State of the Union address. FRELINGHUYSEN SAYS HE WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, a 12-term Republican congressman from Harding Township, announced on Monday that he will not seek re-election, Politico.com reports. Frelinghuysen, chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is the second Republican congressman from New Jersey to announce his retirement, joining Frank LoBiondo, who made his announcement in November. NJ DEMOCRATS INVITE ‘DREAMERS’ TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS Elizabeth Vilchis, an undocumented immigrant who was brought to the United States when she was 7 years old, will be Sen. Cory Booker’s guest for the State of the Union address tonight, The Record writes. Vilchis, of Ridgefield Park, is one of three New Jersey residents covered by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy who will be in the gallery for President Donald Trump’s speech. MURPHY TO NAME KEVIN CORBETT TO HEAD TROUBLED NJ TRANSIT In a move that a number of news organizations reported a week ago, Gov. Phil Murphy will introduce Kevin Corbett today as his choice to head NJ Transit, The New York Times writes. Corbett is an executive at Aecom, a global construction and engineering firm. NJ LAWMAKERS TAKING UP ISSUE OF OUT-OF-NETWORK HEALTH CARE COSTS The Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee listened to comments from groups representing patients, business interests, physicians, hospitals, and insurance providers as the issue of high out-of-network health care costs gained renewed prominence in Trenton, NJ Spotlight reports. Meanwhile, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase, which all have operations in New Jersey, announced today that they would form an independent health care company to serve their employees in the United States, The New York Times reports.

January 29, 2018 Mostly cloudy with rain and snow tonight. High temperatures in the mid-40s. U.S. REP. SIRES BOYCOTTING STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS When President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union Address on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires of West New York will not be in attendance, NJ.com writes. "The congressman is not attending the State of the Union because many of his constituents are offended by the president's rhetoric and behavior," said Erica Daughtrey, a spokeswoman for Sires. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross of Camden and Analilia Mejia, executive director of the New Jersey working families alliance, wrote in a guest column on NJ.com that they intended to be in the audience for Trump’s speech. NJ JOINING NY, CONNECTICUT IN LEGAL CHALLENGE TO TRUMP TAX LAW The governors of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut said they are forming a coalition to file a lawsuit over the federal tax overhaul enacted late last year, The Washington Post reports. Specifically, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut contend that the portion of the law that limits the amount of state property tax that can be deducted is unconstitutional. ARRESTS OF IMMIGRANTS SPARK PROTEST IN METUCHEN U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone of Long Branch and Bonnie Watson Coleman of Ewing Township joined hundreds of people demonstrating in Metuchen on Sunday to protest the arrest of two Indonesian immigrants after they dropped of their children at school last week, Patch.com writes. And last week Attorney General Gurbir Grewal called for a federal review of the arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers of the immigrants, Roby Sanger of Metuchen and Gunawan Liem of Franklin Park, The Record reports. Grewal says the arrests violated ICE’s policy of prohibiting enforcement action at sensitive locations. GARDEN STATE HAS HIGHEST FORECLOSURE RATE IN U.S. New Jersey’s foreclosure rate was the highest in the country for 2017, the Press of Atlantic City reports. New Jersey, which had 1.61 percent of its properties with a foreclosure filing, came in ahead of Delaware at 1.13 percent and Maryland at 0.95 percent, according to ATTOM Data Solutions, which curates a property database. Atlantic City had the highest rate of foreclosure of any metropolitan area in the country. NJ RESIDENTS NOT VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OPIOIDS, STUDY SAYS A new study says that most New Jersey residents are not very concerned about the dangers of prescription opioid drugs, myCentralJersey.com reports. The study by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey finds that only 17 percent of the survey participants were very concerned about opioid drugs and 29 percent were somewhat concerned. In the final months of his tenure, Gov. Chris Christie made opioid drugs a signature issue. NJSPCA MUST COMPLY WITH OPEN RECORDS LAW, COURT RULES The state Open Public Records Act applies to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, even though it is a private, non-profit group, a state appeals court ruled on Friday. The ruling came in a case related to the society’s takeover of an animal shelter in Middlesex County, the New Jersey Law Journal says. But the court ruling might not apply later in the year when the society loses its law-enforcement authority.

January 23, 2018 Rain with high temperatures in the upper 50s. COVERING UP POLICE MISCONDUCT COSTS MILLIONS, REPORT SAYS A two-year investigation by the Asbury Park Press finds that various government entities have spent more than $40 million over the last decade to cover up police misconduct. “A veil of secret settlements and nondisclosure agreements” have been used to silence victims of rogue cops, the Press reports. Among the police transgressions are deaths, physical abuse, sexual misconduct, false arrests and harassment. NJ HOME VALUES COULD DROP BY 7.5%, CREDIT RATER SAYS A reduction in the state sales tax combined with recently enacted federal tax cuts could cause a drop in value for the average New Jersey home of 7.5 percent, warns the credit-rating agency Moody’s, according to The Record. The federal tax overhaul limits the amount of property taxes that homeowners can deduct to $10,000, while the average deduction taken in 2015 was $17,850, Moody’s says in a report. And the sales tax cut could reduce state revenue by nearly half a billion dollars, the agency says. DESPITE LOOMING RETRIAL, DEMOCRATS NOT ABANDONING MENENDEZ Even though he is facing retrial on federal corruption charges, Sen. Bob Menendez is seeking re-election and still has the support of the state’s Democratic leaders, Politico.com reports. The Justice Department announced Friday that it would retry the senator on bribery and corruption charges and asked the court to set the matter for “the earliest possible date.” But LeRoy Jones, the Democratic chairman of Essex County, said, “I have a strong belief in Bob Menendez that is, I would say, unflappable.” MEASURE FOR PSEG NUCLEAR SUBSIDY IS REVIVED IN LEGISLATURE Controversial legislation that would provide PSEG subsidies to keep three nuclear power units in South Jersey operating is being revived, even though the bill died in the lame-duck legislative session, NJ Spotlight reports. The Senate Environment and Energy Committee is scheduled to consider the bill on Thursday. The measure would provide the power company up to $300 million a year in subsidies paid by ratepayers. NJ MEDICAL EXAMINER CALLS FOR OVERHAUL OF DEATH INQUIRY SYSTEM State Medical Examiner Andrew Falzon testified Monday at a Senate committee hearing in Trenton that the system used for investigating deaths needs upgrading, NJ.com writes. Falzon said the system, which relies on a mixture of state and county medical examiners, was in “desperate need of updating in order to bring it in line with current forensic pathology practices and guidelines." But officials in various counties contend that their offices are efficient and well financed.

January 22, 2018 Cloudy with high temperatures in the upper 40s. WOMEN MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN NEW JERSEY Thousands of women converged on Morristown on Saturday as part of the Women’s Marches that took place across the country, Morristown Green reports. First Lady Tammy Murphy addressed the crowd, saying she had been sexually assaulted when she was in college, Patch.com said. Meanwhile, archivists at Rutgers University asked people who participated in the march to donate their signs and posters for future scholars to study, The Record writes. GOVERNOR ORDERS AUDIT OF TAX-INCENTIVE PROGRAMS Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Friday calling on the Office of the State Comptroller to conduct full-scale performance reviews of tax-incentive programs to determine their effectiveness in bringing jobs and economic growth to the state, NJ Spotlight reports. Murphy’s order requires reviews of two programs administered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority over the eight years of Gov. Chris Christie’s tenure. LEONIA BANS NON-RESIDENT DRIVERS DURING RUSH HOURS Starting today, out-of-towners who drive on the streets of Leonia between 6 and 10 a.m. or 4 and 9 p.m. will be subject to $200 fines, WCBS reports. The borough passed an ordinance banning non-resident drivers last month in an effort to keep commuters from using its streets as shortcuts. Navigation apps, like Waze and Google Maps, have caused huge traffic tie-ups in the community. BILLS VETOED BY CHRISTIE MAY GET SECOND LOOK UNDER MURPHY NJ.com lists 11 pieces of legislation vetoed in Gov. Chris Christie’s tenure that may be revived by the Legislature now that Gov. Phil Murphy has taken office. Among the measures are the expansion of paid family leave, requirements that firearms retailers stock “smart guns” and Planned Parenthood funding. ‘DREAMERS’ WONDERING HOW TO APPROACH DACA UNCERTAINTY Undocumented immigrants who were brought to New Jersey as children have been struggling to sort out what actions they should take given the uncertainty surrounding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, The Record writes. Some are submitting renewal applications early in case the window for filing is narrow, but others fear that their applications will be rejected if they file too soon. If they make the wrong choice, they could find themselves being deported.

January 17, 2018 Rain and snow with high temperatures in the mid-30s. NEW GOVERNOR STRIKES NOTES OF OPTIMISM AND URGENCY After taking the oath of office in Trenton on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy invoked themes from the late President John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address, calling for service and inclusion, NJ Spotlight writes. “The public is tired of pessimistic and short-sighted thinking,” Murphy said. He also claimed a mandate for sweeping change and vowed to focus on the stagnant economy, The New York Times reports. GREWAL BECOMES FIRST SIKH ATTORNEY GENERAL IN U.S. Gurbir S. Grewal took the oath of office as state attorney general Tuesday shortly after the state Senate voted 29-0 to confirm his appointment by Gov. Phil Murphy, NJ.com reports. Grewal, 44, the son of immigrants from India, is the first Sikh to become an attorney general in the United States. Previously he was the Bergen County prosecutor. MURPHY SIGNS ORDER AIMED AT EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN In his first official action, Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Tuesday prohibiting managers in state government from asking job applicants about their previous salaries, NJ.com writes. Murphy said the order would help bridge the pay gap between men and women who work in state government. “This is our first executive order – and that’s not a coincidence,” Murphy said. BOOKER CHALLENGES HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF ON RACISM At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, Sen. Cory Booker accused Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen of “complicity” in what some have called the racism of President Donald Trump, HuffPost reports. Nielsen testified that she did not hear Trump use a vulgarity to refer to Haiti, El Salvador and some African countries in a recent White House meeting. Booker replied: “You can’t remember the words of your commander-in-chief? I find that unacceptable.” NORTH JERSEY SCHOOLS CRACKING DOWN ON VAPING In some school districts, the use of electronic cigarettes, known as vaping, is a violation of substance abuse rules, The Record writes, and schools are cracking down. School officials say they are concerned about a rise in the the nicotine-delivery devices by teenagers. Students caught vaping are subject to drug testing in some districts. DEP SEEKS COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC ON WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN The state Department of Environmental Protection is revising New Jersey’s Wildlife Action Plan for the first time since 2005 and is seeking public comment, TapInto.net reports. The plan will be used to guide wildlife conservation efforts in the state over the next 10 years. The deadline for comments is Friday. WHAT CHRISTIE MAY NOT WANT TO ADMIT: HE HAD SUCCESS WITH OBAMACARE Although it may not be what he wants to cop to politically, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's expansion of Medicaid and well-done implementation of the Affordable Care Act has been good for the state, WNYC reports.

January 16, 2018 Cloudy with high temperatures in the mid-30s. Snow possible this evening. AFTER TAKING OATH TODAY, MURPHY EXPECTED TO BRING BIG CHANGES Phil Murphy, a Democrat, will be sworn in today as governor of New Jersey and the state is expected to move to the left as Republican Chris Christie departs, The Washington Post writes. In addition to different political philosophies, Politico.com writes, the two men have vastly different styles, with Murphy being more diplomatic than Christie. But The Wall Street Journal writes that Murphy will still face significant challenges in enacting his progressive agenda because the state has a very tight budget. CHRISTIE SIGNS MORE THAN 100 BILLS, POCKET VETOES OTHERS On his last day in office, Gov. Chris Christie signed more than 100 bills into law, including measures to ban “bump stocks” in New Jersey and to disband the state Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Patch.com reports. Among the bills he didn’t sign was a measure to allow public high schools in the same district to merge sports teams without New Jersey Statewide Interscholastic Athletic Association oversight or review, myCentralJersey.com reports. DEP SAYS IT WON’T CHANGE SEPTIC TANK RULES IN HIGHLANDS The commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, Bob Martin, says that the Legislature acted outside its constitutional authority when it passed legislation abolishing a rule about the number of septic tanks allowed in the Highlands, NJ Spotlight says. The commissioner will be replaced this week as the administration of Phil Murphy takes over. WORKERS RALLY AT NEWARK AIRPORT FOR HIGHER WAGES Airport workers, union leaders and political office holders marched at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday to demand higher wages, NJ.com writes. More than 600 workers marched through Terminal B then headed over to Terminal C, where they heard from Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Sen. Cory Booker. Workers at the Newark airport make less than their counterparts at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport because New Jersey’s minimum wage is lower than New York’s. NJ TRANSIT BOARD DELAYS CONTROVERSIAL VOTE A controversial vote on a waterfront real-estate purchase in Hoboken was removed from the NJ Transit board’s agenda Monday, The Record reports. The board had been criticized for scheduling the vote on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. But Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla said the board’s meeting on the holiday was a “slap in the face” to King’s legacy.

January 11, 2018 Mostly cloudy with high temperatures in the upper 40s. MURPHY ASKS NJ TRANSIT SENIOR EMPLOYEES TO RESIGN Gov.-elect Phil Murphy, who has called NJ Transit “a national disgrace,” has asked a group of senior staff members at the agency to resign. NJ Advance Media reports that Murphy’s transition team sent a letter to NJ Transit’s executive director with the names of about 20 people who are being given until the end of the week to submit resignation letters. Meanwhile, NJ Transit train commuters were facing delays and cancellations this morning because of problems with overhead wires at New York Penn Station. DEPARTING CHRISTIE APPOINTS ALLIES TO STATE POSTS Less than a week before he leaves office, Gov. Chris Christie appointed dozens of his allies and Cabinet members to state boards and committees. Among the appointees are Michele Brown, who worked with Christie when he was the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey; Bob Martin, former commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection; and Cathleen Bennett, the former commissioner of the Department of Health, The Record reports. RUTGERS RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY EPILEPSY-DEPRESSION LINK Scientists at Rutgers University, working with researchers at Columbia University, have identified a genetic connection between epilepsy and depression, according to NJ Spotlight. Links between epilepsy and depression have been suspected for thousands of years. The lead researcher, Professor Gary A. Heiman of Rutgers, said more study was needed to identify the genetics the two conditions have in common. ASSEMBLYWOMAN SAYS SHE WAS VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Outgoing Assemblywoman Maria Rodriguez-Gregg said in a Facebook post this week that she was a victim of domestic violence last year, The Trentonian reports. She posted a photo showing large bruises on her face. Rodriguez-Gregg, who was arrested on drunken-driving charges in April and had a verbal clash with police in September, said the domestic violence and lack of counseling contributed to the chaotic months in her life that followed. NJ MAN FINDS KIDNEY DONOR AFTER TRIP TO DISNEYWORLD A 60-year-old Lawrence Township man who has chronic kidney disease is crediting a trip to Disneyworld for connecting him with a donor. NJ.com reports that Robert Leibowitz wore a T-shirt advertising his need for a donor as he strolled through the Magic Kingdom. Another visitor to the theme park posted Leibowitz’s photo on social media and an Indiana man stepped forward a few days later.

January 10, 2018 Sunny with high temperatures in the mid-30s. IN FINAL STATE OF STATE, CHRISTIE PRAISES HIMSELF In his last official address to the Legislature, Gov. Chris Christie highlighted his accomplishments on urban renewal, property taxes and education, John Reitmeyer writes for NJ Spotlight. The governor, whose approval ratings are in the mid-teens, praised his "fighting attitude" and "pro-growth policies" and said the state is better off than it was when he first took office. But Nina Agrawal writes for The Los Angeles Times that many state residents are saying “good riddance” to the combative Republican. GOV.-ELECT MURPHY TAPS OBAMA OFFICIAL FOR LABOR POST Gov.-elect Phil Murphy nominated Robert Asaro-Angelo, a former U.S. Labor Department official in the Obama administration, to be labor commissioner, Samantha Marcus reports for NJ.com. “We must stand for the rights and protections of all New Jersey workers, regardless of background or profession,” Asaro-Angelo said in a statement. He is the third former Obama official Murphy has chosen for his cabinet. DRY WEATHER BRINGS SERIOUS DROP IN WATER RESERVOIR LEVELS Three drinking water reservoirs along the Hackensack River are under 60 percent capacity when they would normally be at nearly 70 percent this time of year, James M. O’Neill writes for The Record. And the Wanaque and Monksville reservoirs combined are just under 50 percent full, when they would normally be 80 percent full. The reservoirs are lower than they were at this time last year, when the region was emerging from its first drought warning in more than 15 years. LAWMAKER RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT MARIJUANA AND DRIVING Senate Republican Whip Joe Pennaccio says he has “major concerns” about what legalizing marijuana would mean for road safety in the state, Jerry Carino reports for Gannett New Jersey. Pennaccio noted that there is not a precise way of gauging impairment with marijuana, like there is with alcohol, and that could diminish the deterrent to drugged driving. Meanwhile, a majority of the Asbury Park City Council said they would be open to allowing licensed businesses to sell marijuana in the city, Austin Bogues reports for the Asbury Park Press.

January 9, 2018 The thaw is here! Sunny with high temperatures near 40. LAWMAKERS OK INCENTIVE PACKAGE TO LURE AMAZON A corporate-tax incentive package intended to entice Amazon to build its new headquarters in Newark won final approval in the Legislature on Monday and has been sent to Gov. Chris Christie for his signature, John Reitmeyer reports for NJ Spotlight. The governor is expected to sign the measure, which would provide per-job tax credits worth as much as $10,000 annually to any company that is willing to hire at least 30,000 employees and invest at least $3 billion in a corporate headquarters in New Jersey. Amazon, based in Seattle, is looking for a place to build a second corporate headquarters that could employ as many as 50,000 employees. 6,800 SALVADORANS IN NJ MUST LEAVE BY SEPTEMBER 2019 The ending of a humanitarian program for Salvadoran immigrants will require 6,800 people who have lived and worked legally in New Jersey for the past 17 years to leave by September 2019. The ending of the program, called Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans, affects 260,000 nationwide, Monsy Alvarado writes for The Record. Those who stay after the deadline will be considered undocumented immigrants and will be eligible for deportation. CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT REVERSES BAN ON BOOK The state Department of Corrections has lifted a ban on the book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” at two prisons, Vanessa Romo reports for NPR. The ban was lifted after the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter demanding that the book, which discusses the racial disparity in prisons, be available to inmates. LEGISLATURE PASSES BILL STRIPPING NJSPCA OF POLICE POWERS The Assembly passed a measure Monday that would turn over enforcement of animal cruelty laws to local police and county prosecutors and remove police powers from the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, S.P. Sullivan reports for NJ.com. The measure, which won approval in the Senate in December, goes to Gov. Chris Christie for his signature. The NJSPCA was sharply criticized in October in a report by the State Commission of Investigation, which said the society was run by “gun-carrying wannabe cops.” MAN CHARGED WITH CRASHING POLICE SUV INTO HOBOKEN TERMINAL Law-enforcement authorities have ruled out terrorism in an incident Monday in which a 46-year-old man allegedly stole an NJ Transit Police SUV and crashed it into the door of the Hoboken Terminal train station, News 12 reports. Santiago Brito-Avalos is accused of arriving at the station by train, walking into a restricted area and stealing the vehicle before crashing it into the terminal. DEATH OF BELOVED TRENTON BAT DOG MOURNED NATIONWIDE The Trenton Thunder minor-league baseball team announced on Monday the death of Derby, the dog that fetched bats at baseball games -- and media across the country have taken note. “RIP, good boy,” Matt Rosenberg wrote in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Derby, a 9-year-old golden retriever, died over the weekend after a battle with cancer. The dog began collecting bats for the Thunder as a 2-year-old in 2010, ESPN reports.

January 8, 2018 Partly cloudy with high temperatures in the low 30s. Wintry mix of precipitation in the late afternoon. BRENDAN BYRNE REMEMBERED AS CARING AND DECENT Three former governors offered their memories to NJ Spotlight of former Gov. Brendan Byrne, who died Thursday at age 93. Gov. Chris Christie will give the eulogy today at a memorial service for Byrne at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, according to The Associated Press. All the living former governors are expected to attend the service, which was planned by former Gov. Richard Codey, the Daily Record reports. CHRISTIE SAYS NEW JERSEY WILL MISS HIM WHEN HE’S GONE In a three-hour interview with Matt Arco of NJ.com, Gov. Chris Christie said state residents will miss him when his term comes to an end later this month. He also said there are some parts of being governor that he will miss. Reflecting on his time in office, he gives himself a grade of B-plus with “A moments." CAN LOCAL TAXES BE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS? Three municipalities are looking at a way to get around the new federal tax law that limits deductions for state and local taxes, Nick Corasaniti and Alan Rappeport report for The New York Times. Paramus, Park Ridge and Fair Lawn announced on Friday that residents will be able to donate the same amount as their local tax bills to a town-run charity instead of paying property taxes. ACLU CHALLENGING NJ PRISONS’ BAN ON ‘THE NEW JIM CROW’ State prisons in Trenton and Delmont have banned inmates from reading “The New Jim Crow,” an award-winning book published in 2010 that links racial discrimination and the rate of incarceration, Ryan J. Reilly writes for HuffPost.com. The New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says it will send a letter today demanding access to the book. New Jersey’s prisons have the worst black-white disparity in the country, the ACLU says. PROSECUTOR SAYS PROGRAM DISRUPTED HEROIN CYCLE Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal says a week-long program aimed at breaking the cycle of heroin addiction has been successful for some people. The effort involved arresting county residents caught buying heroin in open-air drug markets in Paterson, Passaic and Newark, and encouraging them to participate in a hospital-based detox program. “The way I measure success," Grewal told Steve Janoski of The Record, "is if we break the cycle for one person, that’s one less potential overdose, that’s one less potential death. And I think we’ve seen that happen here.”

January 5, 2018 Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources. OAKLYN FD RESCUES DOG FROM FROZEN CREEK, SAVES CHICKENS FROM BURNING COOP On the historic 300th call of the year, the Oaklyn Fire Department rescued a dog from a frozen Newton Creek, just minutes after extinguishing a fire that had engulfed a local chicken coop. Matt Skoufalos of NJ Pen says just after firefighters extinguished the "fully involved" chicken coop, they barely had time to regroup when another call came in for an animal rescue: a dog trapped on the ice about 150 feet out on the frozen Newton Creek. BOOKER, DOUGHERTY PRAISE DIVERSITY, UNITY AS MORRISTOWN WELCOMES FIRST LATINO COUNCILMAN Senator Cory Booker brought his star power to an historic New Year's Day in Morristown, where he swore in the town's first Latino councilman, David Silva. Kevin Coughlin of Morristown Green says Booker suggested that former Morristown resident, George Washington, would be proud of Morristown's embrace of diversity, which could serve as an example for a divided country. A CAREER BEHIND THE TV CAMERAS Verona High School alumnus Rachel Yeager never dreamed that she would return to her childhood home to film a television show, let alone that she would be working alongside some of the biggest names in reality TV. But as of late last year, Virginia Citrano of MyVeronaNJ says Yeager has wrapped shooting on the latest season of Cake Boss, right in the middle of her old high school gym. WESTFIELD'S NEW MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS SWORN IN Westfield's first female mayor was sworn in this week. Jackie Lieberman of TAPinto Westfield says sub-freezing temperatures didn't stop a huge crowd from gathering on the lawn of the municipal building to witness the swearing in of Mayor Shelley Brindle and Council Members Dawn Mackey, David Contract, Linda Habgood and Michael Dardia. NEW JERSEY REQUIRES SIX-MONTH REFILS OF BIRTH CONTROL A new birth control bill signed by Gov. Chris Christie will require insurers to pay for six-month supplies of birth control for women in New Jersey. Jeanette Beebe of WHYY says the bill's sponsors argued that having a half-year's supply of birth control on hand isn't just about convenience, it's about staying consistent.

January 3, 2018 Partly cloudy with high temperatures near 30 degrees. NJ BRACES FOR STORM THAT COULD UNLEASH ‘BOMB CYCLONE’ Watch for milk and bread to disappear from supermarket shelves today, as New Jerseyans prepare for a significant snowstorm that is moving up the Atlantic Coast. Len Melisurgo reports for NJ.com that depending on the track the storm takes, as much as a foot of snow could be dropped on parts of the state. The storm could become a so-called "bomb cyclone" because of the way it is expected to rapidly intensify as it moves up the coast from Florida. REPORT: MARIJUANA REVENUE COULD REACH $1 BILLION IN NJ If New Jersey taxed legal marijuana aggressively, the state could take in $1 billion a year, according to a law firm’s projections. James Nash writes for The Record that the estimate from the Roseland law firm of Brach Eichler is based on projections of sales tax and license and franchise fees. But police are already expressing concerns about the possibility of legalizing marijuana for recreational use in the state. Meanwhile, several municipalities in Ocean County have passed or are considering bans on sales of marijuana, Mike Davis writes for the Asbury Park Press. LONG BRANCH COMMUNITY TRIES TO MAKE SENSE OF SLAYINGS More than 200 people braved sub-freezing temperatures to gather Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil for the four victims of a New Year’s Eve shooting in Long Branch, Dan Radel reports for the Asbury Park Press. Scott Kologi, 16, is accused of killing his father, mother sister and a family friend with a semiautomatic rifle, Chelsia Rose Marcius and Rich Schapiro report for the Daily News. Kologi’s first court hearing, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed until today, after a media request was made to open the juvenile proceeding. DAUGHTER OF EX-MAYOR SENTENCED IN $940,000 THEFT Kim Bogan, the daughter of a former Brick Township mayor, has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty in October to stealing more than $940,000 from the township’s health insurance program, Spencer Kent reports for NJ.com. Bogan, who worked for the township for 30 years, submitted claims for chiropractic services from her brother, despite never receiving the treatments. NJ MAY BECOME FIRST STATE TO BAN CIRCUSES WITH EXOTIC ANIMALS The Assembly is scheduled to vote this week on a measure that would ban circuses with wild animals from traveling to or around the state, Colleen O’Dea writes for NJ Spotlight. The Senate passed the bill in October. The New Jersey state director of the Humane Society of the United States said the measure would “essentially make New Jersey the first state in the nation to comprehensively ban circuses with live animal acts.”

January 2, 2018 Sunny with high temperatures in the mid-20s. NEW LAWS TAKE EFFECT ON SALES TAX, ESTATE TAX, MINIMUM WAGE The state sales tax has dropped to just over 6.6 percent and the estate tax has been eliminated, now that 2018 has arrived, Patch.com reports. The minimum wage in New Jersey has been raised 16 cents to $8.60 an hour. And in an effort to cut down the length of lines at the Motor Vehicle Commission offices, driver’s licenses and state ID cards will expire every four years on the numerical day of the holder’s birthday instead of at the end of the month. The driver’s license change should take effect by February. STATE’S FIRST SIKH MAYOR TAKES OATH OF OFFICE IN HOBOKEN Immediately after being sworn in on Monday, Hoboken’s new mayor, Ravi Bhalla, signed his first executive order, declaring the municipality a “fair and welcoming city,” News 12 New Jersey reports. Under the order, police and other officials will not use city resources to enforce federal immigration laws except when they are legally required to do so. Bhalla, who was the subject of racist fliers in the mayoral campaign, is the first Sikh to be elected mayor in New Jersey. LAWMAKERS MAY REVOKE RULE ALLOWING DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHLANDS The state Senate and the Assembly are expected to vote Thursday to rescind a rule adopted by the Department of Environment Protection last summer that eased restrictions on the number of septic tanks in the New Jersey Highlands, Tom Johnson writes for NJ Spotlight. The regulation would have opened up some of the forested land to more development. If the Legislature revokes the rule, it would be a rare rebuke to the administration of Gov. Chris Christie in its final days. TEENAGER FACES HEARING TODAY IN LONG BRANCH SLAYINGS A 16-year-old boy was arrested after the killings of his parents, his sister and a family friend on New Year’s Eve, Jessica Remo reports for NJ.com. Prosecutors said they would seek to have the teenager tried as an adult in the fatal shootings. Authorities have not commented on a motive in the killings. TEMPORARY HOUSING IN NJ ENDING FOR PUERTO RICANS The federal program that has housed in hotels and motels nearly 4,000 families who were displaced from their homes in Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria is ending this month, Monsy Alvarado writes for The Record. New Jersey hotels have been the temporary home to 72 of the displaced families in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Transitional Shelter Assistance Program, which ends Jan. 13. Puerto Rico's governor, Ricardo Rosselló, has asked federal authorities for an extension. TETERBORO AIRPORT: VITAL LINK, NUISANCE OR DANGER? When Teterboro Airport opened in 1919, it was the first airport in the New York metropolitan area. But now there are clashing views on whether the airport run by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a vital economic driver for the area or an outdated facility whose noise disturbs neighbors and whose low-flying jets pose dangers. Vivian Wang of The New York Times takes a look at Teterboro’s history and future. ATLANTIC CITY BEGINNING YEAR WITH WAVE OF OPTIMISM Beleaguered for the last decade with casino closings and dropping property values, Atlantic City may be heading for a resurgence in 2018, Nicholas Huba writes in the Press of Atlantic City. Set to open this year are more than $800 million in private investment projects, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, the Stockton University Gateway project, the Beach at South Inlet and possibly the reopening of the Revel. And if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the federal ban on sports betting, that would open more opportunities for casino operators.

Below is a roundup of some of the best Local Beat stories from 2017. Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources in New Jersey. NOTE: This will be our last newsletter until we return from the holiday break on Jan. 2, 2018. Link to full newsletter text: http://mailchi.mp/njnewscommons/we-asked-for-your-favorite-local-beat-stories-from-2017-here-are-the-results Want more? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Partly cloudy with high temperatures in the low 40s. CHRISTIE: KUSHNER ‘DESERVES THE SCRUTINY’ OF MUELLER Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, “deserves the scrutiny” of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russia’s ties to the administration, Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday in an interview on MSNBC. “He deserves the scrutiny,” Christie said. “You know why? Because he was involved in the transition and involved in meetings that call into question his role.” This is not the first time Christie and Kushner have been at odds, Brett Samuels writes for The Hill. The New Jersey governor has said previously that he believes the president’s son-in-law had a role in his removal as head of the Trump transition. ONE-WAY TOLLS COMING TO PARKWAY EXIT IN EAST ORANGE In an effort to reduce the crash rate at a busy toll plaza, NJ Turnpike Authority officials approved on Tuesday a plan to bring one-way tolls to Exit 145 of the Garden State Parkway in East Orange, Larry Higgs writes for NJ.com. The northbound toll plaza will be demolished and the $1 toll at the southbound plaza will be doubled. Construction is scheduled to begin in late April or May. MURPHY CHOOSES ASSEMBLYWOMAN AS BANKING COMMISSIONER Gov.-elect Phil Murphy announced Tuesday that he is nominating Assemblywoman Marlene Caride of Ridgefield Park to be state banking commissioner, John Reitmeyer reports for NJ Spotlight. The position is likely to have increased significance because Murphy has pledged to create a state-run bank. Today, the governor-elect is expected to name Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, Brent Marcus and Samantha Marcus report for NJ.com. CASINO COMMISSION APPROVES HARD ROCK ATLANTIC CITY DEAL A management agreement between the owners of the former Trump Taj Mahal and the operators of the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City won approval Tuesday from the Casino Control Commission. Under the 10-year agreement, Hard Rock will operate the property, which is owned by Boardwalk 1000, Nicholas Huba reports for the Press of Atlantic City. STATE APPROVES SALE OF MEADOWLANDS HOSPITAL The acting state health commissioner has approved the sale of Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus to Yan Moshe, a real estate developer who owns a Bergen County surgical center. Although concerns were raised about the hospital’s operating losses, its small number of patients and the financial viability of the sale, Christopher R. Rinn, the acting commissioner, said that blocking the $12.2 million sale could deny residents of Hudson County access to health care, Lindy Washburn reports for The Record. The new ownership is required to continue operating the medical center as a general hospital. Want more? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

December 19, 2017 Partly cloudy with high temperatures in the low 50s. CAP ON POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER RAISES SET TO EXPIRE A 2 percent cap on the raises New Jersey police and firefighters can win in arbitration is set to expire at the end of the year -- and if the Legislature doesn’t extend it, property owners may see big increases in their taxes, Samantha Marcus reports for NJ.com. But the lame duck Legislature shows no signs of taking action. Before the cap was put in place, raises set in arbitration ranged from 2 to 6 percent. FORMER PASSAIC FREEHOLDER CHOSEN FOR SECRETARY OF STATE Gov.-elect Phil Murphy has nominated Tahesha Way, a former Passaic County freeholder and administrative law judge, as secretary of state. Way, 46, will be the third woman and second black woman to head a state department if she is confirmed, Colleen O’Dea writes for NJ Spotlight. “We will ask her to stand up for the rights of New Jersey voters against pressures from President Trump’s voter suppression panel and others who want to restrict access to the ballot box,” Murphy said Monday. ATTEMPT TO OVERRIDE OIL TRAIN VETO FALLS SHORT Since July, when Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill to provide more information to first responders about hazardous material being moved through communities by rail, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg has been working to override the veto. On Monday, she withdrew the override measure as it became clear that it was 6 votes short of the 27 needed for success, Curtis Tate reports for The Record. HOSPITAL’S PATIENT INFORMATION SOLD ONLINE A computer hard drive containing information about patients treated at Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains has been sold online, Michael Izzo writes for the Daily Record. The hard drive contained patient information, which may have included names, dates of birth, addresses, medical record numbers, allergies, and medications the patient may have received, but it did not contain Social Security numbers of financial information, hospital officials said. DELBARTON STUDENTS BURY REMAINS OF ABANDONED BABY The body of a stillborn boy that was found in Mine Hill in October was laid to rest Monday because of the efforts of a group of students at Delbarton School, a college preparatory school in Morris Township, Peggy Wright reports for the Daily Record. Wave-4-Live, a student group at the Roman Catholic school, honors unclaimed bodies by providing burial. A small white coffin with the boy’s remains was buried at the historic Orchard Street cemetery in Dover. PATERSON TEACHER PROVIDES GIFTS FOR 500 CHILDREN Almost 90 percent of the children at Community Charter School of Paterson come from families living below the federal poverty level, school officials say. That means many do not receive any Christmas gifts. But Jennifer Olawski, a teacher at Community Charter School of Paterson, decided to do something about that, writes Joe Malinconico of the Paterson Press. She raised money through a GoFundMe campaign and on Monday she delivered gifts to 500 kids.

December 14, 2017 Snow with high temperatures in the mid-30s and lows in the teens. NJ TRANSIT PAID $4.4 MILLION TO BUY EMPTY FLOOR IT HAD LEASED NJ Transit paid $4.4 million to buy office space in Newark that it had leased but had not used, Curtis Tate reports for The Record. The agency had leased the 10th floor of Two Penn Plaza East in Newark for two years. The purchase of 34,423 square feet of space was recorded on Oct. 11. EX-RUTGERS STUDENT ADMITS ROLE IN CRASHING THE INTERNET A former Rutgers student pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Trenton to helping create computer code that caused internet outages around the world in 2016, Kelly Heyboer and Ted Sherman report for NJ.com. Paras Jha, 21, of Fanwood, also admitted that he repeatedly disabled the internet network at Rutgers then taunted school officials on social media. The disruptions at Rutgers cost the school millions of dollars. NJ HAS LARGEST BLACK-WHITE INFANT MORTALITY GAP IN NATION In New Jersey, babies born to African-American women are more than three times as likely to die before their first birthday than those born to white women, no matter what their mothers’ income level or educational attainment, Lindy Washburn reports for The Record. The racial disparity is larger in New Jersey than in any other state and shows no sign of shrinking. JACKSON TOWN COUNCIL OKS INTERIM AGREEMENT ON ERUVIN By a vote of 4-1, the Jackson town council agreed Wednesday to allow Orthodox Jews to seek permission from utility companies to place eruvin on utility poles, Austin Bogues writes for the Asbury Park Press. Eruvin – wires strung between utility poles – symbolically extend the area considered to be part of the homes of Orthodox Jews, allowing them to perform certain tasks on the Sabbath and religious holidays. In Mahwah, the council will consider tonight the repeal of an ordinance that bans eruvin, Daniel Hubbard writes for Patch.com. PAT DINIZIO, LEAD SINGER OF THE SMITHEREENS, DEAD AT 62 The New Jersey rock band The Smithereens announced that its lead singer, Pat DiNizio, died Tuesday at the age of 62, Daniel Kreps reports for Rolling Stone.

December 13, 2017 Cloudy with high temperatures barely above freezing and lows in the mid-20s. Brrr! MURPHY NOMINATES INDIAN-AMERICAN SIKH FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL Gov.-elect Phil Murphy is nominating Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal for state attorney general, Nicholas Pugliese reports for The Record. If the state Senate confirms the nomination, Murphy said at a news conference Tuesday, Grewal would be the first South Asian attorney general in New Jersey and the first Sikh attorney general in the country. “The American dream is alive and well in New Jersey,” Grewal said at the news conference in Trenton. Murphy is also expected to nominate Assemblywoman Elizabeth Muoio, a Democrat from Mercer County, as state treasurer today, Brent Marcus and Samantha Marcus report for NJ.com. BON JOVI TO BE INDUCTED INTO ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME In an honor that many music fans say is long overdue, Bon Jovi has been voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone reports. The rock band with roots in New Jersey has sold more than 130 million records and its last four new albums have reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Keyboardist David Bryan quipped, “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame carrier pigeon dropped by my house and delivered the note.” HACKERS HIT PSE&G PARTNER THAT STORES CUSTOMER DATA As many as 2.5 million customers of Public Service Electric & Gas may be affected by a potential data breach, the state’s largest utility announced late Tuesday. PSE&G said it had been notified by PayPal that there had been unauthorized access to the TIO Networks system that stores customer information for the utility, Tom Johnson writes for NJ Spotlight. Customers who believe they may be affected or have questions should visit www.tio.com or call 1-800-436-7734 for more information. IMMIGRATION ARRESTS AND DEPORTATIONS RISE SHARPLY In a five-day sweep across North Jersey, immigration officers arrested 101 foreign-born residents, a majority of whom have criminal records, federal authorities announced. The arrests were in line with increased immigration enforcement across the country in the Trump administration, Monsy Alvarado writes for The Record. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operations unit based in Newark says its officers arrested 3,189 people in fiscal year 2017, a 34.7 percent increase over the previous year. NORTH ARLINGTON NAMED BEST PLACE IN U.S. TO RAISE A FAMILY Step aside, California and Massachusetts. Money magazine has named North Arlington the best place in the United States to raise a family. The magazine says the Bergen County borough delivers “a small-town feel” along with “the perks of a big city.” It also cited a 95 percent graduation rate and the availability of professional sports and big-name concerts at MetLife Stadium in nearby East Rutherford.

December 12, 2017 Showers with high temperatures in the mid-40s. Colder Wednesday. WESTFIELD CORPORATION, OWNER OF GARDEN STATE PLAZA, TO BE SOLD In a deal worth nearly $16 billion, a European property company has agreed to buy Westfield Corp., the Australian company that owns the Garden State Plaza and malls across the United States. Unibail-Rodamco would also obtain the shopping center in the Oculus at the World Trade Center in Manhattan under the deal announced today, Chad Bray reports for The New York Times. The combined company, based in Paris and the Netherlands, would control property valued at more than $72 billion. COURTHOUSE ARRESTS OF IMMIGRANTS RISING, LAWYERS SAY Arrests of undocumented immigrants inside New Jersey courthouses have risen sharply this year, a survey of immigrant advocates and lawyers indicates. The survey, conducted by the immigration nonprofit Make the Road New Jersey, says that people who work with immigrants report that many are afraid to be witnesses in criminal cases because they fear arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the courthouses, Matt Katz writes for NJ Spotlight. A spokesperson for ICE said the rise in sanctuary cities across the country has prompted the increase in arrests at courthouses. RAIL TUNNEL IS A TOP PRIORITY, MURPHY, MENENDEZ AND BOOKER SAY Gov.-elect Phil Murphy, joined by Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, said that obtaining federal money for the Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson River is a “top of the list” priority, James Nash of The Record reports. Murphy said he would also appeal to Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York in the push to revive the multibillion-dollar project that was derailed by Gov. Chris Christie seven years ago. "It's a game changer for New Jersey and it's a game changer for New York," Murphy said at a news conference Monday. MURPHY AND CHRISTIE CLASH OVER FINANCIAL MATTERS So much for a smooth transition in Trenton. Gov.-elect Phil Murphy, a Democrat, and Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, exchanged missives in the last week revealing tension between the two politicians, Katherine Landergan reports for Politico NJ. Murphy started the exchange by writing to Christie and asking that he refrain from any discretionary spending in his last month in office. Christie fired back that the state’s finances were in far better condition than they were when he took office. He added, “I will continue to take the actions I believe to be in the best interests of the 9 million citizens of our State as long as I remain Governor.” ICYMI: BOOKER CALLS FOR TRUMP TO RESIGN While campaigning in Alabama for Senate candidate Doug Jones on Saturday, Sen. Cory Booker called for President Donald Trump to resign, Alexandra Jaffe writes for Vice News. “I just watched Sen. Al Franken do the honorable thing and resign from his office,” Booker said in an interview. “My question is, why isn’t Donald Trump doing the same thing — who has more serious allegations against him, with more women who have come forward.”

December 11, 2017 by NJ News Commons

December 8, 2017 Mostly cloudy with highs in the lower 40s. Expect light snow showers tomorrow morning. Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources. NEWARK'S EXECUTIVE PROTECTION UNIT RACKED UP MORE THAN $1M IN OVERTIME, RECORDS SHOW There are 27 Newark police officers assigned to the city's Executive Protection Unit, which provides 24-hour security for the mayor. Elana Knopp of TAPinto Newark obtained documents through an Open Public Records Act request that show those 27 officers racked up a combined total of approximately $1.12 million in overtime pay during the first eight months of 2017 alone. POLICE REPORTS CONTRADICT PROSECUTOR STATEMENT ON HIGHLAND PARK DEATH Documents released as part of a lawsuit filed against the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office (MCPO) revealed inconsistencies in the official story of a man who died last year after an encounter with Highland Park police officers. Police found Daniel Nagahama, 28, alive when they arrived on the scene, but the man died just hours after he was taken to a hospital in New Brunswick by police. Charlie Kratovil of New Brunswick Today says the documents appear to confirm that instead of reviving the man, police instead punched the man and sprayed him with a "chemical/natural agent." MAURICE 'MICKEY' CARROLL, WHO COVERED JFK ASSASSINATION AND PUSHED FOR MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, DIES AT 86 Longtime journalist and Morris Township resident, Maurice "Mickey" Carroll has died at the age of 86. Carroll covered everything from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to a range of local issues for seven different newspapers. Carroll also "taught generations of journalists at four universities and, for the last two decades, translated the Quinnipiac University Poll into plain English," writes Kevin Coughlin for Morristown Green. TAX BILL PROTESTERS GATHER IN WESTFIELD, FIND CONGRESSMAN LANCE IN AGREEMENT A "flash protest" against the Senate GOP tax bill brought dozens of Westfield residents to the office of Republican Congressman Leonard Lance on Monday. Jackie Lieberman of TAPinto Westfield says the protesters descended upon Lance's office, only to find themselves in relative agreement with the Republican congressman when it came to his opposition to the tax bill. MONTCLAIR HS FOOTBALL WINS 2017 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP The Montclair High School football team won the 2017 NJSIAA State Championship last week in the North 1 Group 5 category. The Montclair Dispatch says Montclair took home the trophy after defeating Union City, with a final score of 35-14. BADER FIELD IS NOW BEING USED FOR... STORAGE Atlantic City's Bader Field, once home to an airport, a minor league baseball team, and numerous Thanksgiving Day rivalry games has been vacant for years – until now. Elinor Comlay of Route 40 News says the city has finally found what they have determined to be the "highest and best use" for the property: a storage yard.

Partly cloudy and colder today with highs in the mid-40s. MARS WRIGLEY MOVING U.S. HEADQUARTERS TO NEWARK Mars Wrigley Confectionary announced Tuesday that it will move its U.S. headquarters from Chicago to Newark. The candy maker will occupy a 110,000-square-foot space in the Ironside Newark center and renovate its facility in Hackettstown, Vince Calio reports for NJBIZ. The company, which makes M&M's and Snickers, will receive $31 million in tax credits over 10 years through the state’s Economic Development Authority’s Choose NJ program. Mars Wrigley's global headquarters will remain in Chicago. SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINES SEEING INCREASE IN CALLS Sexual assault hotlines in at least six counties have seen significant increases in the number of calls since The New York Times reported in October on sexual harassment allegations against the movie producer Harvey Weinstein, Erin Banco reports for NJ.com. In Burlington County, the number of calls from sexual assault victims requesting accompaniment to the hospital has tripled in the last two months. Surges in calls have also been recorded in Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Salem and Warren counties. NJ TRANSIT WITHHOLDS DOCUMENTS SUBPOENAED BY LAWMAKERS A legislative committee investigating NJ Transit safety and financial problems issued subpoenas for agency documents in September, but many of them are being withheld, Elise Young reports for Bloomberg. Reports by NJ Transit’s auditor general covering eight years haven’t been delivered to the panel. And records about delays in the installation of safety technology, like positive train control, have not been provided. “Why play games with us?” asked Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, a member of the committee. TAX BILL COULD THWART PART OF MURPHY’S AGENDA In his campaign for governor, Phil Murphy pledged full funding for the state’s transportation network, public schools and public pension system. The governor-elect said the state would raise taxes on millionaires to pay for those measures. But the federal tax legislation Congress passed may thwart Murphy’s plans, Nick Corasaniti writes for The New York Times. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney and the incoming Assembly speaker, Craig Coughlin, have both said they want to reassess the plan to raise taxes on millionaires since many state residents will be seeing higher federal tax bills. ICE CREAM SHOP’S SEXY LOGO GETS COLD RECEPTION A new ice cream shop in Montclair says it will change its cartoon cow logo after some people complained that it was offensive and sexist, Linda Moss reports for Montclair Local. The logo for Dairy Air shows a cow wearing a beret and displaying human-like hindquarters, which have been described as hyper-sexualized. The controversy developed after Montclair merchant Amy Tingle posted a letter on Facebook criticizing the logo. Dairy Air’s manager, Natalie DeRosa, said the complaints were being taken seriously and the logo would be revised to be “more fun and less sexy.”

Scattered showers with high temperatures near 60. Colder weather ahead.  INSIDE BLOOD-TESTING SCANDAL: BRIBES FOR DOCTORS Ten months after the head of a medical laboratory testified in federal court in Newark that his company bribed doctors to get business, Ted Sherman reports for NJ.com that the scheme to pay off doctors was even wider than initially disclosed. Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services paid off dozens of doctors, NJ.com says, with expensive cars, concert tickets, trips to the Caribbean and prostitutes. Although 38 doctors have been convicted in the case, many more may have been involved. CHRISTIE OPTIMISTIC AFTER SUPREME COURT HEARING ON GAMBLING After the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in New Jersey’s lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Gov. Chris Christie expressed optimism about the effort to legalize sports betting in the state. "I thought the hearing went great," Christie said outside the courthouse in Washington, according to The Record. "We're going to do well." Although the governor stopped short of predicting an outcome in the case, he did say that if the state prevails it would take about two weeks before gamblers could start wagering on sports. A ruling in the case is expected before the court’s term ends in June. DEMOCRAT STEPS FORWARD TO CHALLENGE MENENDEZ IN PRIMARY A former member of Hillary Clinton’s campaign staff is stepping forward to challenge Sen. Bob Menendez in the Democratic primary. CBS News reports that Michael Starr Hopkins, a lawyer, filed a statement of candidacy for Senate with the Federal Election Commission on Nov. 30. He also wrote an Op-Ed article published by The Hill on Monday citing Menendez’s recent corruption trial, in which the jury was unable to reach a verdict. “I’m taking the first steps towards challenging Bob Menendez because I believe New Jersey deserves a fresh start, the chance to vote for someone who hasn’t been tainted by the culture of corruption in Trenton and Washington, someone who doesn’t owe any favors to the political establishment or powerful interests,” Hopkins wrote. DEMOCRATS: TAX OVERHAUL WOULD RAISE COSTS FOR STUDENTS The federal tax overhaul passed by Congress would force graduate students to pay thousands of dollars more in taxes and could discourage them from seeking advanced degrees, Democrats said Monday. Students, administrators and Democratic officials, speaking at the Newark campus of Rutgers University, predicted the state could lose teachers in training, graduate students doing science research and future doctors, according to Hannan Adely and Dustin Racioppi of The Record. “We’re going to constrict the number of people who can go to graduate school, except the personally wealthy,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., a Democrat from Paterson. “The proposal will be a devastating blow to students, especially in graduate school, and make it more expensive and further out of reach for the low- and middle-income families of America.” NJ SCHOOLS VOTE TO CHANGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Change may be coming to the way the New Jersey state football playoffs are conducted. Members of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association voted Monday to allow high school football teams to schedule 10 regular-season games instead of the current nine, Greg Tufaro reports for MyCentralJersey.com. That change is expected to bring changes to the football playoffs format, which the NJSIAA executive committee may consider in April. Want more? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Mostly sunny with high temperatures in the upper 40s. U.S. SUPREME COURT HEARING SPORTS-BETTING CASE TODAY Gov. Chris Christie is in Washington, D.C., today to listen in as the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments about whether sports betting should be legal in New Jersey. Christie has a lot at stake in the case, Kevin Draper and Nick Corasaniti write in The New York Times, as the governor – who has very low approval ratings – looks for something to cement his legacy. If New Jersey loses in court, Christie’s reputation could take another hit. BEAR HUNT UNDERWAY, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE LAST ONE The second part of the 2017 bear hunt began this morning, and if Gov.-elect Phil Murphy fulfills his campaign pledge, it will be the last for a while. In a statement, Murphy said before authorizing any more hunts, he wants a better understanding of the effectiveness and "proof it works better than non-lethal options," Bruce A. Scruton reports for the New Jersey Herald. In the first part of this year's bear hunt, held in October, hunters bagged 244 bears. THE TRAFFICKERS NEXT DOOR: DRUG CARTEL GETS A FOOTHOLD Members of the Mexico-based Sinaloa drug cartel are living in New Jersey, often going unnoticed in local communities, Ken Serrano reports for the Asbury Park Press. “They’re in sleepy towns,” State Police Detective Sgt. 1st Class Larry Williams said. “They’d rather be in a Willingboro or another place where they can’t be robbed or can’t be found. They want to blend into their surroundings.” It’s estimated that the cartel controls about 90 percent of the wholesale heroin that comes into the state. SHOULD FAILURE BE AN OPTION IN NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS? A growing number of school districts are adopting “no zero” grading policies, in which any student who shows up and makes a reasonable effort will earn a grade of at least 50 percent. This has opened debate about the purpose of grades, Carly Sitrin writes for NJ Spotlight. Are they meant to be rewards and punishments, or measures of proficiency? Newer approaches to grading, like no-zero and second-chance testing, are drawing objections from students as well as some teachers and administrators. DISCUSSION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT TAKES TO NJPAC STAGE When Stephen Colbert, host of “The Late Show,” and Samantha Bee, host of “Full Frontal,” took the stage at NJPAC on Saturday night for the annual Montclair Film Festival fundraiser, the conversation quickly turned to the flood of sexual harassment reports in the news, Sharilyn Johnson writes for Vanity Fair. “The speed and velocity of which everything is coming forward is impressive to me,” Bee said, “and I’m happy to be alive in this moment where people are feeling freer with their stories.” ICYMI: BILL TO BAN BUMP STOCKS ADVANCES IN ASSEMBLY Legislation to ban the bump stock, a device that allows semiautomatic weapons to fire more rapidly, was advanced Thursday by the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee, Brent Johnson reported for NJ.com. The bump stock was used in the mass shooting two months ago in Las Vegas in which 58 people were killed. The proposed legislation calls for penalties of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources. COST OF NEW BRUNSWICK POLICE CORRUPTION AND RACISM CASES TOPS $2M Taxpayers in multiple New Jersey counties are footing the multi-million dollar bill for the team of lawyers representing New Brunswick's mayor and top police officials in two court cases. Charlie Kratovil of New Brunswick Today says the cases represent two types of discrimination within the embattled police department: one based on race and another based on politics. GREATER MORRISTOWN CHURCH VANDALISM 'A CRY FOR HELP,' SAYS FAMILY OF DEFENDANT The family of a man charged with the vandalism of five African American churches in Greater Morristown over the weekend is coming out in the man's defense, according to Kevin Coughlin of Morristown Green. $36M PENNSAUKEN SCHOOL BOND TO IMPROVE ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS, JOB TRAINING The Pennsauken Board of Education announced a $35.6 million district-wide bond measure this month, reports Matt Skoufalos of NJ Pen. The proposal would affect all 11 schools in the district, and would create an early childhood education center, a new neighborhood park and a magnet high school to attract high-achieving students looking for college credits in math and science. FORMER WESTFIELD GYMNASTICS INSTRUCTOR CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD Union County officials announced Wednesday that a former instructor at Surgent's Elite School of Gymnastics in Westfield has been accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old student over the course of more than six months. TAPinto Westfield says Jose Rodriguez has been charged with second-degree sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. UNIVERSAL ENROLLMENT CREDITED FOR DISTRICT-WIDE IMPROVEMENTS BUT DEBATE CONTINUES District officials in Newark say recent improvements to universal enrollment in the city's One Newark program have created more equitable access to schools while ensuring that 100 percent of the seats in each elementary school are filled with the children of families that live in the neighborhood or have a sibling in the school, reports Elana Knopp of TAPinto Newark. Others, however, view the program's effectiveness in a different light.

Partly cloudy with high temperatures in the low 50s. 25% OF NJ TRANSIT RAIL MANAGERS LEFT OVER 2 YEARS A quarter of NJ Transit’s rail managers left the agency in the two years before the deadly crash at Hoboken Terminal, Curtis Tate reports for The Record. The railroad reported the turnover to the Federal Railroad Administration in documents The Record obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request. Tate writes: “The list backs up public testimony from former agency officials who say a drain of institutional memory from the country's third-largest commuter agency may have contributed to operational and safety problems.” MENENDEZ SEEKING CHANGES IN TRUMP TAX LEGISLATION Calling President Donald Trump’s tax proposal a “hit job” on New Jersey, Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez said Wednesday that he’s seeking changes to the Republican-backed legislation, David Levinsky says in the Burlington County Times. In a speech on the Senate floor, Menendez voiced his objection to the bill’s elimination of tax deductions for state income, sales and property taxes. “I cannot and will not support a tax bill that reads like one giant hit-job on New Jersey’s middle class,” Menendez said. New Jersey’s property taxes are among the highest in the nation. MURPHY SAYS HE’LL LOOK FOR WAYS TO PRESERVE OBAMACARE Gov.-elect Phil Murphy said Wednesday that he'll look for ways to preserve health insurance coverage for New Jerseyans if parts of the Affordable Care Act are repealed, Claude Brodesser-Akner reports for NJ.com. The governor-elect, a Democrat, said that he would consider emergency measures similar to the regulations Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued in New York but that his first priority is to pressure Congress to keep the mandate requiring individuals to maintain health insurance. STATE JOINING INTERSTATE WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT Beginning Friday, the state will have new tools for protecting wildlife from poachers and others who violate laws governing hunting, fishing and trapping. That’s when New Jersey’s membership in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact begins, Michelle Brunetti writes for the Press of Atlantic City. As a member of the compact, the state will be notified of violations in other states, allowing the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife to consider license suspensions. New Jersey will also share information about violations with other states. U.S. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR SPORTS-BETTING CASE ON MONDAY Gov. Chris Christie, who advocates the legalization of sports betting, will attend arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday when lawyers present arguments in Christie v. National Collegiate Athletic Association. The governor says he is “cautiously optimistic” that New Jersey will prevail in its effort to bring sports betting to the state to help ailing racetracks and casinos, Matt Arco writes for NJ.com. The N.C.A.A., Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League support the federal ban on sports betting, which has exceptions only for Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon.

Sunny with high temperatures near 60 degrees. Cooler weather on the way. MURPHY CONFIDENT LAWMAKERS WILL PASS MILLIONAIRES TAX Gov.-elect Phil Murphy says he fully expects the Legislature to pass a millionaires tax, even though enthusiasm seems to be softening among some Democratic leaders. State Senate President Steve Sweeney has said he would reconsider his support if Congress enacts federal corporate and income tax cuts while repealing the federal deduction for state and local property, income and sales taxes, Nicholas Pugliese reports for The Record. STATE MAY HAVE TO REPAY $600 MILLION IN MEDICAID MONEY New Jersey could be forced to repay more than $600 million to the federal government in Medicaid funding. An audit, released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the state received $300.5 million for school-based Medicaid services that were not allowed, Lilo H. Stainton writes for NJ Spotlight. An additional $306.2 million is under review. Officials at the state Department of Human Services said they would contest the audit's findings. CONGRESSIONAL PANEL HEARS PLEAS ON TRANSIT SECURITY FUNDING Officials from agencies responsible for keeping New Jersey’s transit system safe urged a congressional subcommittee to block proposed cuts in federal financing for transit security. President Donald Trump’s proposed federal budget would cut national security grants to $48 million, from $88 million. Christopher Trucillo, the chief of NJ Transit Police, said the cuts could put people in harm’s way, Brenda Flanagan writes for NJTV. CHRISTIE VOWS TO CONTINUE FIGHT AGAINST OPIOID ADDICTION Gov. Chris Christie told a congressional committee Tuesday that he will continue his efforts against opioid addiction after he leaves office in January, Jonathan D. Salant reports for NJ.com. "I'll play any role that leaders of both the Congress and the administration want me to play as a private citizen in 49 days to be able to continue this fight," Christie, a Republican, told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. FBI SEARCHES WILDLIFE REFUGE IN CASE OF BOYS MISSING SINCE 1975 The FBI searched a wildlife refuge in Burlington County on Tuesday in connection with the disappearance of two boys in 1975, the Press of Atlantic City reports. About a month ago federal authorities said they had received “promising new information” in the disappearance of David Williams, 12, and Steven Anderson, 17, who went missing April 7, 1975, from a state facility in the Pinelands. The FBI did not announce any results of the search.

Mostly sunny with high temperatures in the mid-50s. LEGALIZING MARIJUANA COULD BRING HIGHER CAR INSURANCE RATES In his campaign for governor, Phil Murphy pledged to legalize marijuana in New Jersey. If the governor-elect succeeds in that effort, New Jersey drivers can expect to see their car insurance rates rise, Bob Jordan reports for the Asbury Park Press. The Highway Loss Data Institute, a nonprofit research organization financed by auto insurers, says that after marijuana was legalized in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, collision claims rose about 3 percent higher than would have been expected without legalized pot. Meanwhile, Lodi officials are trying to prepare for new statewide laws on marijuana by reviewing borough ordinances on smoke shops, Sara Jerde writes for NJ.com. NEW MARKERS TELL OF CAMDEN’S TIES TO SLAVERY From 1727 to the mid-1760s, more than 800 slaves were sold at auction in Camden. On Monday, the city acknowledged that history with the unveiling of a historical marker in Johnson Park near the site of the first documented slave auction in the city, Avalon R. Zoppo writes for Philly.com. Two more markers will be added in the spring. MENENDEZ SAYS HIS BETRAYERS ‘KNOW WHO THEY ARE' After a jury was unable to reach a verdict in his federal corruption trial, Sen. Bob Menendez said he would not forget the people who were "digging my political grave so they could jump in my seat." When Herb Jackson of The Record questioned the Democratic senator on Monday, Menendez declined to give up the names of the people he believes betrayed him, saying: "I said for those who were digging my political grave, I know who they are, and I won’t forget." But Rep. Albio Sires (D-West New York), an ally of Menendez, identified two people he says are on the list. CAR THEFTS SURGING IN BERGEN COUNTY, PROSECUTOR SAYS Car thefts are on the rise in Bergen County, causing Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal to remind residents to lock their cars, take their keys and keep valuables out of sight. Joshua Jongsma reports for The Record reports that in the past month, 30 thefts have been reported in 19 different Bergen municipalities, the prosecutor’s office says. In two instances, multiple vehicles were taken from the same home. JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK TO THE SHORE ... MTV announced Monday night that “Snooki,” “The Situation,” JWOWW and the rest of the “Jersey Shore” cast will be reuniting next year in “Jersey Shore Family Vacation,” Variety.com reports.

Sunny with high temperatures in the low 50s. REMNANTS OF MORRIS CANAL BEING REBORN AS HIKING, BIKING TRAILS North Jersey’s Morris Canal was once the main mode of transportation for goods headed to New York. But time, transportation advances and development turned it into a relic, with only pieces of the original 102-mile footprint remaining, James M. O’Neill writes for The Record. Now the disjointed sections are being reclaimed as the Morris Canal Greenway, with a goal of creating hiking and biking parks stretching across six New Jersey counties. SCIENTISTS URGING STATE TO LIMIT CHEMICAL IN DRINKING WATER New Jersey scientists are urging the state to strictly limit a chemical that has been linked to cancer, developmental problems, and changes to the human immune system in the drinking water supply, Jon Hurdle reports in NJ Spotlight. This week the Drinking Water Quality Institute is considering a recommendation to set a limit of 13 parts per trillion for perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, as the level at which human health would be protected over a lifetime of exposure. The limit would be the strictest set by any state. HELP WANTED: GOV.-ELECT PHIL MURPHY HAS JOB OPPORTUNITIES Looking for a job in state government? The transition team for Gov.-elect Phil Murphy would like to see your résumé, Dustin Racioppi reports for The Record. Murphy said in a statement: “New Jersey’s greatest asset is its people. I call for all those interested in serving our administration to visit the Transition2018 website and submit their résumé for consideration. We will put an administration together that reflects New Jersey’s rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences, and we are committed to making those opportunities open to all.” LIGHTHOUSE IN NORTH WILDWOOD CAUGHT IN SQUABBLE A dispute between the city of North Wildwood and a nonprofit organization has left the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in a state of flux, John DeRosier reports for the Press of Atlantic City. The city is set to take over operation of the 143-year-old lighthouse on Jan. 1, contending that the nonprofit Friends of Hereford Inlet Lighthouse has failed to provide annual reports and that mistakes in a grant application cost the city $17,000. Mayor Patrick Rosenello also says that the nonprofit’s chairman, Steve Murray, has been rude to city employees. Murray disputes the city’s claims. UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE BACKING OUT OF DEAL WITH SCHIANO Former Rutgers head football coach Greg Schiano and the University of Tennessee signed on Sunday a memorandum of understanding for the Wyckoff native to take the helm of the Volunteers’ football program, Pete Thamel of Yahoo! reports. But Tennessee backed out of the deal later in the day after backlash from fans. Even White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders criticized the choice of Schiano, Keith Sargeant of NJ.com reports. Much of the criticism centers on allegations that when Schiano was an assistant at Penn State he kept quiet about Jerry Sandusky’s sex abuse of children. Schiano has vehemently denied those allegations. ‘STRANGER THINGS’ STAR TO APPEAR IN PROSECUTOR’S VIDEOS “Stranger Things” star Gaten Matarazzo will appear in two installments of public safety videos aimed at teenagers, Amanda Oglesby writes for the Asbury Park Press. The “Right Turns” series, produced by the Ocean County prosecutor’s office, are shown at high schools throughout the county. The videos featuring Matarazzo, 15, of Little Egg Harbor, will address distracted driving and what to do when pulled over by the police.

November 22, 2017 For this heavy travel day, cloudy with occasional rain. High temperatures in the low-50s. Cooler on Thanksgiving. CHRISTIE STAYS FEISTY ON RADIO CALL-IN SHOW With less than two months left in his term as governor, Chris Christie used his monthly radio call-in show to take swipes at former Govs. Tom Kean, a Republican, and Brendan Byrne, a Democrat, Dustin Racioppi reports for The Record. Christie said Kean and Byrne had not done enough to stave off the state's pension debt crisis. He also criticized Gov.-elect Phil Murphy for his positions on legalizing marijuana and tightening gun control laws. But Christie added that he was willing to work with Murphy to ensure a smooth transition. INCOMING LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR EXPECTS TO HAVE MORE CLOUT Lt. Gov.-elect Sheila Oliver expects to wield more political clout than her predecessor, she told David Cruz Tuesday in an interview for NJTV. Gov.-elect Phil Murphy has chosen Oliver to also be commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Public Affairs. Oliver said: "DCA has a major responsibility for working with the 565 municipalities in this state. And, I think for the past eight years, not every municipality got the attention nor the support that they could’ve had." AGENCY GIVES PRELIMINARY OK FOR $5.6 MILLION TO RAZE CASINO A state redevelopment agency has given preliminary approval for a $5.6 million payment to billionaire Carl Icahn to help cover the cost of demolishing part of the Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City, The Associated Press reports. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority still has to hold a public hearing before giving final approval to using money from a tax fund to which casinos make payments. The razing of the casino is expected to cost $13.2 million and is scheduled to start in the spring. Experts say the demolition would open several acres of oceanfront property for development, Nicholas Huba writes in The Press of Atlantic City. MEETINGS SET ON PATH LINK OF NEWARK AIRPORT AND MANHATTAN The Port Authority is holding two community meetings in Newark next week on its proposal to extend PATH train service to Newark Liberty International Airport, John Reitmeyer reports for NJ Spotlight. The $1.7 billion needed to complete the proposed extension was included in the 10-year, $32 billion capital plan approved by the Port Authority’s commissioners earlier this year. The plans call for construction to begin in 2020 and be completed by 2026. BERGEN COUNTY RAISES MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 FOR ITS EMPLOYEES Full-time employees of Bergen County will be paid at least $15 an hour, Daniel Hubbard reports for Patch.com. On Tuesday, County Executive Jim Tedesco signed an executive order on the minimum wage and said, "Good people are essential to good government, and good managers understand that their employees need to be valued." The county estimates that the wage increase will cost $360,647 in the first year, or less than 1 percent of the county's $52.8 million budget, Richard Cowen writes for The Record.

Hey folks! I’ll be on vacation for the next several days, so there will be no audio version of the Daily News Roundup until I get back. In the meantime, you can still get daily New Jersey news and information via our regular email newsletter. Click here to subscribe: www.bit.ly/ccmroundup See you next week! Joe

November 9, 2017 Mostly cloudy with highs in the low 50s. But colder weather is on the way. MENENDEZ CONFIDENT AS JURY DELIBERATIONS REACH THIRD DAY After the second full day of jury deliberations in his bribery trial, Sen. Bob Menendez said Wednesday that he is confident he will be cleared of wrongdoing. "I am convinced we will be exonerated, and that’s worth waiting for,” the New Jersey Democrat said outside the courthouse, according to Talking Points Memo. But if a verdict isn't reached today, Menendez may have to wait even longer. The judge has promised to excuse one juror who has vacation plans, and if an alternate is seated deliberations would need to start from scratch. SLEEP APNEA DIAGNOSED IN 44 NJ TRANSIT ENGINEERS Over the last year, 44 NJ Transit engineers were taken off duty because of sleep apnea, NJ.com reported. Engineers were required to undergo screening for sleep disorders after the fatal crash in September 2016 at the Hoboken train station. A spokeswoman for NJ Transit said that 44 engineers were found to have sleep apnea and that all but three have returned to work after beginning treatment. MURPHY EXPECTED TO MOVE QUICKLY WHEN HE TAKES OFFICE Gov.-elect Phil Murphy campaigned on strengthening the state's economy and he is expected to act swiftly when he takes the oath of office in mid-January, John Reitmeyer writes for NJ Spotlight. With a bigger Democratic majority in the Legislature, there may be few roadblocks for a $15-an-hour minimum wage and a higher income tax rate on earnings over $1 million. MARIJUANA CALLED BIG WINNER IN 2017 ELECTION The election of Democratic governors in New Jersey and Virginia and the success of ballot measures in a number of states on Tuesday will have an impact on efforts to legalize marijuana, Forbes writes. On election night in New Jersey, Gov.-elect Phil Murphy said: "The criminalization of marijuana has only served to clog our courts and cloud people’s futures, so we will legalize marijuana. And while there are financial benefits, this is overwhelmingly about doing what is right and just.” CONVICTIONS OVERTURNED, 2 FREED AFTER 24 YEARS BEHIND BARS Two Paterson men whose murder convictions were recently overturned walked out of the Passaic County Jail on Wednesday after 24 years of incarceration, The Record reports. The convictions of Eric Kelley, 53, and Ralph W. Lee, 55, in the killing of a video store worker in 1993 were overturned based on new DNA evidence. “I waited, I waited, and I waited," Lee said. "And now, we finally made it. I’m a great believer in Jesus. He kept me sane. I’m just thankful, man.”

November 7, 2017 Partly cloudy with highs near 50 degrees. VOTERS DECIDING TODAY ON CHRISTIE'S SUCCESSOR Polls are open until 8 p.m. across the state as voters choose the next governor and consider two ballot measures. NJ.com offers a guide to the governor's race, in which Republican Kim Guadagno and Democrat Phil Murphy are the major party candidates. News 12 New Jersey provides information about the ballot questions. Don't know where to vote? You can find your polling place here. LOCAL ELECTIONS REFLECT DIVISIVE POLITICAL CLIMATE The stark divisions that have marked national politics over the last year are also reflected in New Jersey's local elections, NJ Spotlight reports. Fliers have been distributed anonymously in Edison calling for two candidates in the school board election, a Chinese-American and an Indian-American, to be deported. In Hoboken, mailers have suggested that a Sikh mayoral candidate is a terrorist. JURY DELIBERATING IN MENENDEZ BRIBERY TRIAL After an eight-week trial, jurors began deliberating Monday about whether Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat, was guilty of bribery when he accepted gifts from a wealthy doctor, Salomon Melgen, NJTV said. In a three-hour summation, Menendez's lawyer contended that the two men are friends and that any gifts from Melgen to Menendez were given with no strings attached. $1 MILLION EFFORT AIMS TO HELP CHILDREN AVOID ASTHMA ATTACKS For children with asthma, a sudden attack can force them to miss school or send them to the hospital. With money from the Nicholson Foundation, a pilot program will send health workers to the homes of children with asthma to identify triggers, like cigarette smoke and dust mites, and emphasize the importance of medication, The Record reports. The state will provide money for a three-year evaluation of the program. BLOOMFIELD SCHOOLS WEBSITE HACKED; ISIS VIDEO POSTED An "ISIS-sponsored YouTube video" was displayed on the website of the Bloomfield School District for about two hours Monday, The Record reports. The district said that the company that hosts its website was hacked early Monday morning. The FBI and other agencies are investigating the incident, the district said.

November 6, 2017 Mostly cloudy and rainy today with highs in the mid-60s.  NEW JERSEY PREPARES TO GO TO THE POLLS FOR ELECTION DAY 2017 Tomorrow is Election Day in New Jersey, and many people are still unsure who they will vote for – some still don't even know who is running. With that in mind, WNYC published two stories to help voters understand the two major candidates on the ballot: Democrat Phil Murphy and Republican Kim Guadagno. SOUTH JERSEY DEM MACHINE, TEACHERS' UNION BARREL TOWARD ELECTION DAY In South Jersey, two of the most powerful political forces in the state are going head-to-head: Sen. President Steve Sweeney and the New Jersey Education Associate. Although Sweeney's opponent on the ballot is technically Republican Fran Grenier, Philly.com says his real opponent is the 200,000-member NJEA, which vowed to defeat Sweeney back in March and has spent millions of dollars trying to accomplish that goal. HOW SECURE ARE NEW JERSEY'S VOTING MACHINES? You know those claw machines on the boardwalk in Atlantic City? Ever taken your laundry to a cleaners and weighed it on the scale? You might be surprised to learn that both of those seemingly innocuous devices are actually subject to more state regulation that the voting machines in New Jersey. The Record has the full story on how and why this is the case. FOREST HILL RESIDENTS: NEWARK AND NEW JERSEY MUST LOCK ARMS TO EMBRACE THE FUTURE Brick City Live takes us into the heart of Newark's Forest Hill neighborhood to speak with residents there about their thoughts on tomorrow's election as part of the ongoing Voting Block collaboration. As is the case with many voters in New Jersey, the biggest issues on their minds were taxes and the relationship between their city and the state of New Jersey. VOTING BLOCK: APATHY, ANXIETY AHEAD OF TUESDAY'S VOTE Last month, NJ Pen spoke with neighbors on East Stiles Avenue, a small, tightly knit street in the Camden County Democratic stronghold of Collingswood, about how they handle politics in their neighborhood. In the latest installment in the Voting Block project, Matt Skoufalos tries to figure what it takes to get them to the polls. WEST NEW YORK RESIDENTS DISPLAY RESILIENCE THEY EXPECT FROM NEXT GOVERNOR The mile-long, densely populated town of West New York – nestled in the heart of the North Hudson – is represented by some of the most passionate residents in the state. On the eve of the upcoming gubernatorial election, Kevin Castillo met with residents to hear their opinions and the expectations they have for the next governor of New Jersey as part of the Voting Block reporting project. Want more? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.