Podcast appearances and mentions of john reitmeyer

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: A Newark fish market is one of the first federal targets of President Trump's new immigration policy; The White House blocks refugees from coming to America and threatens New Jersey churches that once offered sanctuary; New Jersey's Republican candidates for governor applaud President Trump's swift actions but separate on whether they'd challenge the President's policies if they disagree; Budget and finance writer John Reitmeyer discusses the labor and economic impact of President Trump's immigration policies.

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: Budget and finance writer John Reitmeyer breaks down the budget bill after it passed through Senate and Assembly committees late Wednesday night; Prosecutors in the trial of Sen. Bob Menendez focus on the gold bars and his alleged lack of reporting of financial disclosures; Gov. Murphy holds a briefing with the heads of Amtrak and NJ Transit to try and get the agencies on the same page in order to prevent future transit disruptions; Washington correspondent Ben Hulac explains what leverage New Jersey lawmakers have to pressure Amtrak to fix issues that have caused recent rail failures; Physician's assistant Ryan Kirker explains how the new LGBTQ Health Care Center that opened in Collingswood this month has been a lifeline for the community.

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: Prosecutors in the trial of Sen. Bob Menendez question Sarah Arkin, a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, about the Senator's secret meetings with members of the Egyptian government; Transit workers join the calls for NJ Transit to provide more reliable service and for legislators to dedicate funding to the agency; NJ Spotlight News budget & finance writer John Reitmeyer discusses the formal spending plan expected to be released tomorrow and voted on Friday as lawmakers stare down a budget deadline; NJ PBS debuts Vegan Pop Eats - a new show that explains where some of your food originates and the process that brings those farm fresh foods right to your table.

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: Protestors at Rutgers reach a deal with the administration to end their encampment as protesters at Princeton launch a hunger strike to force a conversation with school leaders; NJ Spotlight News budget and finance writer John Reitmeyer explains how a Christie-era law triggered a divestment debate for the Murphy administration; Law enforcement along Route 1 in Central Jersey team up to launch a traffic safety initiative as fatal crashes rise in the Garden State; David Cruz sits down with Republican US Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw after his team releases its first TV ad of his campaign; A New Jersey teen connects with a Ukrainian refugee to create a children's book about the search for her cat after Russia invaded her country; Governor Murphy sets a special primary and special general election to fill the seat of the late Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: Congressman Andy Kim secures more Democratic endorsements as he squares off with First Lady Tammy Murphy in a bid for a U.S. Senate seat; A new poll shows the majority of U.S. adults are more concerned about efforts to ban books than the possibility of inappropriate or controversial content that may be found in them; Advocates and members of NJ's LGBTQ+ community hold a vigil in Montclair to honor the life of 16-year-old Nex Benedict; The town of Nutley reinstates a Neighborhood Watch program for the first time in decades; NJ Spotlight News budget and finance writer John Reitmeyer previews the Governor's annual budget address.

Tonight on NJ Spotlight News: Governor Murphy announces the state will use $95 million in settlement money from the opioid industry to expand recovery services and support people battling addiction; Palestinian-Americans in New Jersey whose loved ones are in Gaza make a desperate plea to elected officials to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas; Workers at Anheuser-Busch in Newark stage a "practice picket" outside the brewery as they negotiate a new contract with the company; One south Jersey lawmaker introduces a bill to suspend tolls for drivers who are forced to use the Atlantic City Expressway when Route 40 is flooded; Bergen County joins an ongoing lawsuit against New York's congestion pricing plan; NJ Spotlight News budget and finance writer John Reitmeyer discusses the latest revenue report, which showed tax collections were down in the past six months.

Friday Travel and Cruise Industry News April 22, 2022 with Chillie Falls disembarking the Navigator of the Seas in Los Angeles, and John Reitmeyer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Today's Headlines: Prince Edward Island Sees A Cruise ship; Celebrity Beyond in Southampton; MSC Seascape to be named in New York; Wonder of the Seas on TransAtlantic Cruise; Disney Announces Itinerary Changes for Europe; Norwegian Bliss Opens Seattle Season; and much more LIVE at 11 AM EST. Cruise Ships Sailing From North American Ports Today April 22 Boston Norwegian Dawn Baltimore Enchantment of the Seas Port Canaveral Independence of the Seas, Disney Dream, Carnival Liberty Port Everglades Allure of the Seas, Celebrity Edger Miami Carnival Conquest, Norwegian Sky, Freedom of the Seas San Diego Norwegian Jewel, Zuiderdam Los Angeles Long Beach Carnival Radiance Los Angeles San Pedro Navigator of the Seas #cruisenews #travelnews #cruisenewsupdate #cruising #travel #chilliescruises For video feed, GoTo https://youtu.be/5ZPfIGeHz3g Thanks for visiting my channel. To access the Travel and Cruise Industry News podcast; https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/travelcruisenews or go to https://accessadventure.net/ Fly For Free https://bit.ly/35YeWqF Save On Airfare https://bit.ly/3h6lXLf To subscribe: http://bit.ly/chi-fal As always, I appreciate super chats or any other donation to support my channel. For your convenience, please visit: https://paypal.me/chillie9264?locale.x=en_US Chillie's Cruise Schedule: https://accessadventure.net/chillies-trip-calendar/ For your special needs, contact me or Scootaround, https://www.scootaround.com/mobility-rentals, 1.888.441.7575. Use SRN 11137. Special Needs Cruising: https://youtu.be/DWR5kNM2x_g Check out my streaming partner: https://streamyard.com?pal=4889083533852672 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChilliesCruises Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chillie.falls Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChillieFalls Business Email: chilliefalls@gmail.com Accessible Travel Blog: https://accessadventure.net/ Chillie Chats With Sue Bryant, London Times Cruise Editor About Azamara and Ponant https://youtu.be/61ZTnHHl2eY Chillie Chats With Kelly Narowski, Disability Rights Advocate and Avid Traveler https://youtu.be/NFB7LhkJ7go and https://youtu.be/LxbC5UW-Lsk Chillie Chats With Captain Mick, Active Disabled Americans https://youtu.be/B3g17D8Tv6Y Chillie Chats With Ashley Lyn Olson, WheelchairTraveling.com https://youtu.be/N4kCil4xT3M Chillie Chats With Kelly McDaniel About the MS Rotterdam https://youtu.be/cHw2BpO7J4M Chillie Chats With Jordan Taylor, of JJ Cruise https://youtu.be/O5Khw0avcTQ Chillie Chats With Coleen McDaniel, Cruise Critic's Editor-In-Chief https://youtu.be/5mbjRqNcRXk Chillie Chats With Cruise Critic's Adam Coulter from Norwegian jade https://youtu.be/NVEPLIQ-tH0 Chillie Chats with Jeannine Williamson about MSC Seashore https://youtu.be/aZsNm7ElQYE Chillie Chats With Shelby Frenette about TA Training https://youtu.be/OhBRwS5Hp1M Chillie Chats With Cruise Buoys LIVE From Marseilles https://youtu.be/F3K_8W0p5eY Chillie Chats With Bubba Shumard On CDC, RCCL and HAL https://youtu.be/UtFrYjOVkX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travel and Cruise Industry News March 28, 2022 with Chillie Falls LIVE on location from Galveston, Texas. This is embarkation day for Adventure of the Seas so today's show is pre-recorded and will be handled by John Reitmeyer. Today's Headlines: Discovery Princess Sails; Southwest Air To Buck Other Airlines; Advisory Issued For Grand Cayman and Bermuda; Advisory For 2 Ports; 2 crew deaths reported; MSC to allow crew shore; Do you have a Carnival FCC? You need to book it; Voyager of the Seas Coming Home; Tunisia Gets Cruise Ship Visit;  Ambassador Inaugural Delayed;  and much more LIVE at 11 AM EST.  Cruise Ships Sailing From North American Ports Today March 28 Charleston Carnival Sunshine Port Canaveral Disney Dream, Independence of the Seas, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Elation Port Everglades Vision of the Seas, Celebrity Silhouette Miami Freedom of the Seas, Norwegian Sky, Disney Dream, Carnival Conquest Tampa Celebrity Constellation Mobile Carnival Ecstasy Galveston Adventure of the Seas Los Angeles Long Beach Carnival Radiance To view video feed, GoTo: https://youtu.be/tEWrwDOAsBc #cruisenews #travelnews #cruisenewsupdate #cruising #travel #chilliescruises Thanks for visiting my channel. To access the Travel and Cruise Industry News podcast; https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/travelcruisenews or go to https://accessadventure.net/ Fly For Free https://bit.ly/35YeWqF Save On Airfare https://bit.ly/3h6lXLf To subscribe: http://bit.ly/chi-fal As always, I appreciate super chats or any other donation to support my channel. For your convenience, please visit: https://paypal.me/chillie9264?locale.x=en_US Chillie's Cruise Schedule: https://accessadventure.net/chillies-trip-calendar/ For your special needs, contact me or Scootaround, https://www.scootaround.com/mobility-rentals, 1.888.441.7575. Use SRN 11137. Special Needs Cruising: https://youtu.be/DWR5kNM2x_g Check out my streaming partner: https://streamyard.com?pal=4889083533852672 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ChilliesCruises Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chillie.falls Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChillieFalls Business Email: chilliefalls@gmail.com Accessible Travel Blog: https://accessadventure.net/ Chillie Chats With Sue Bryant, London Times Cruise Editor About Azamara and Ponant https://youtu.be/61ZTnHHl2eY Chillie Chats With Kelly Narowski, Disability Rights Advocate and Avid Traveler https://youtu.be/NFB7LhkJ7go and https://youtu.be/LxbC5UW-Lsk Chillie Chats With Captain Mick, Active Disabled Americans https://youtu.be/B3g17D8Tv6Y Chillie Chats With Ashley Lyn Olson, WheelchairTraveling.com https://youtu.be/N4kCil4xT3M Chillie Chats With Kelly McDaniel About the MS Rotterdam https://youtu.be/cHw2BpO7J4M Chillie Chats With Jordan Taylor, of JJ Cruise https://youtu.be/O5Khw0avcTQ Chillie Chats With Coleen McDaniel, Cruise Critic's Editor-In-Chief https://youtu.be/5mbjRqNcRXk Chillie Chats With Cruise Critic's Adam Coulter from Norwegian jade https://youtu.be/NVEPLIQ-tH0 Chillie Chats with Jeannine Williamson about MSC Seashore https://youtu.be/aZsNm7ElQYE Chillie Chats With Shelby Frenette about TA Training https://youtu.be/OhBRwS5Hp1M Chillie Chats With Cruise Buoys LIVE From Marseilles https://youtu.be/F3K_8W0p5eY Chillie Chats With Bubba Shumard On CDC, RCCL and HAL https://youtu.be/UtFrYjOVkXk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  Hear a lively discussion about pressing New Jersey issues from a panel of seasoned journalists. This episode includes highlights from the New Jersey Business and Economic Roundtable hosted at the NJCPA Virtual Convention on June 18. Hear what our panelists — Tom Bergeron of ROI-NJ, John Reitmeyer of NJ Spotlight News and Rhonda Schaffler of NJ Business Beat — have to say about the state budget, outmigration, the commercial real estate market, property taxes, the upcoming elections and more.  

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on New Jersey’s businesses as well as the state budget. In this episode, Jeff talks with Senator Steven Oroho and NJ Spotlight budget reporter John Reitmeyer about the fiscal and economic health of the state. Sponsored by Provident Bank. Learn more at www.provident.bank.

In this episode, we talk with NJ Spotlight reporter John Reitmeyer about the controversial issue of creating a state-owned bank in New Jersey. Governor Murphy recently issued an executive order establishing a State Bank Implementation Board tasked with creating an outline of what types of loans such a bank would issue and how it would operate. Listen to learn more about the details as well as what those who support the idea and those who oppose it are saying. Gov. Murphy’s executive order Follow John Reitmeyer: NJ Spotlight | Twitter

Governor Murphy signed a bill on Feb. 4 to raise New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by the year 2024. In this episode, we conclude our talk with John Reitmeyer who, in his role as budget and public policy reporter for NJ Spotlight, has covered the topic extensively. If you haven’t heard part one, listen to episode 9. In episode 10, we talk about the possibility of property tax increases as towns absorb the higher minimum wage; what we’ve seen in other states that have raised their minimum; and what – if anything – John thinks should have been included in the bill that wasn’t. In other news: Legislation to protect members of professional boards is continuing to be pushed by NJCPA | NJCPA proposed changes to New Jersey’s tax code if cannabis is legalized | NJCPA continuing to support a bill that would allow pass-through entities to be taxed on an entity level in New Jersey | Register for our free IssuesWatch broadcast about Gov. Murphy’s proposed budget on March 21, March 27 or April 1.

  Governor Murphy signed a bill on Feb. 4 to raise New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by the year 2024. In this episode, we talk with John Reitmeyer who, in his role as budget and public policy reporter for NJ Spotlight, has covered the topic extensively. Hear what John has to say about the pro and con arguments for the minimum wage bill; whether businesses might cut jobs, hours and benefits as they try to absorb the higher wage rate; the possible implications to consumers in the form of higher prices for products and services; and some of the exemptions, or carve-outs, that did and didn’t make it into the final bill. In other news: Accountancy Act bill signed into law | A bill opposed by NJCPA that would ban all arbitration employment agreements has been passed by the New Jersey Legislature | Updates to the New Jersey State Board of Accountancy regulations are open for comments through March 8 | Legislation to remove the SALT deduction cap and restore the 39.6 percent tax bracket was unveiled on Feb. 11  

John Reitmeyer on WHYY by NJ Spotlight

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Recorded at NJ Spotlight On Cities, held October 16th, 2015 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Panelists: Gordon MacInnes, President, New Jersey Policy Perspective Michele Siekerka, President, New Jersey Business & Industry Association. Moderated by John Reitmeyer, Public Finance writer, NJ Spotlight.

52 times the New Jersey legislature attempted to override a Christie veto. 52 times it ended in failure, with nearly every Republican legislator voting against an override. But streaks are meant to be broken. And this time things were different. NJPR's Matt Katz and Bergen Record columnist Charles Stile join us to consider what this moment means for New Jersey. Also: The New York Times editorial board called Christie's comments about the Black Lives Matter movement “racially poisonous.” And much has been said about the extreme statements he made about the movement and President Obama on CBS's Face the Nation this weekend. But what about his assertion that he's the law and order candidate – and, by extension, the one that cares most about police? John Reitmeyer with NJ Spotlight joins host David Furst to discuss the governor's relationship with cops in New Jersey. Check out the WNYC Data News App: The Christie Tracker.