Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 4/26/2024
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
TOP STORY: Car Thefts – a Problem
The late Rep. Payne’s legacy includes policies prompted by his own health challenges, according to NJ Spotlight.
Auto insurers are asking for double-digit rate hikes in the state, according to NJ.com.
A 510-acre fire in Wharton State Forest is fully contained, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Passaic County announced $772k in grants, according to NorthJersey.com.
Sussex County commissioners blasted Tech school leaders over budget cuts, according to NJ Herald.
NJPBS will host a group conversation with the Democratic primary Senate candidates.
ICYMI: Fulop celebrates reservoir trail; Kim leading in Senate race; Murphy addressed the First Lady’s Senate exit; majority reject OPRA changes; animosity growing around Sussex’s Hayden; as state wrestles with ballot decision, appeals rejected stay request, Republicans filed lawsuit to expand ruling to GOP ballots; ballot system brought to electoral maturity; poll shows Dems support Rep. Kim; Quraishi ruled county line unconstitutional
GOP gubernatorial primary candidate Jack Ciattarelli is convinced he can win back the Statehouse for Republicans, according to Politico NJ.
Rep. Payne’s death is a wake-up call to reform NJ House special elections, according to NJ Globe.
Jersey City Councilman Gilmore endorsed Mayor Baraka in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, according to Hudson County View.
The LD36 legislators endorsed Chief Adamo for Passaic County Sheriff and Commissioners Bartlett and Lazzara and candidate De Vore.
ICYMI: Fulop launching down-ballot effort; in CD8, Menendez slammed Bhalla; Passaic’s intense primary battle; Moran launched Moxie; Murphy became factor in end of line; Menendez independent candidacy could give GOP best shot; line impact less seismic; Bhalla is going for broke in primary challenge; Sherrill trouncing other 2025 guv Dems; Zisa stepping down; Ciattarelli launched guv candidacy; Bramnick has question for Ciattarelli, Spadea; Bashaw declined to participate in debate; in CD3, Conaway, Murphy battle energized; don’t count out party boss influence just yet
Abortion restrictions puts women’s rights on shaky ground, even in NJ, according to NJ Monitor.
Strong returns boost the state’s public worker pension fund by billions, according to NJ Spotlight.
Consultants will map out reforms for the NJDMAVA, according to NJ Spotlight.
Senator Singer and Assemblyman Kean condemned a anti-Semitic billboard in Howell.
ICYMI: Lawsuit filed alleging state ‘knowingly’ forced casino workers to work in second-hand smoke
An Insider NJ movie review of ‘Civil War’.
Veteran defense attorney Joe Hayden shared his personal recounting of the Bill Musto trial.
Leonard Lance discusses former President Trump on the Julie Briggs Show.
Beware the Ides of March: New Jersey and Rome.
Former Senator and Governor Richard J. Codey shares this thoughts on this year’s presidential race.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Advance and Insider NJ’s 2024 African-American List
NJ towns are moving to allow affordable housing in backyards, according to the Bergen Record.
In North Caldwell, Rep. Sherrill and local officials celebrated a grant to fight car thefts.
In Brigantine, officials inspected erosion at Cove Beach, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Flemington, taxes are rising, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Franklin, the GOP has a primary for council, according to the Bergen Record.
In Garfield, the fate of a bat cave hangs in the balance of the zoning board, according to the Bergen Record.
In Hackensack, two more officers filed lawsuits against the city, according to the Bergen Record.
In Jersey City, the city is eliminating outdated positions, according to Hudson County View.
In Lakewood, the town continues to grow at the fastest rate in the state, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Newark, Mayor Baraka wants to halt plans for an ICE jail, according to NJ Monitor.
In North Caldwell, the budget was introduced, according to NJ Hills.
In North Wildwood, officials rejected canopies on the beach, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Sparta, a judge’s ruling is a red flag for warehouse fights, according to NJ Spotlight.
In Wildwood, the town says the Trump campaign paid the city in full already for upcoming rally, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
ICYMI: In Roxbury, BOE decision to rescind transgender protections
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson writes ‘Health Care Access: We Need to do Better‘
Insider NJ columnist former Senator Bernard Kenny writes ‘America 2024: A Matter of Life and Death‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Senator Timberlake writes ‘Heroes Who Walk Beside Us: Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.‘
Insider NJ columnist Bob Hennelly writes ‘Immigrants: New Jersey’s Secret Sauce‘
AROUND THE WEB:
Princeton students protest university’s investments in Israel
Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight
- Some pro-Palestinian student protesters at Princeton University say they plan to remain at an on-campus encampment until the school fully divests from companies associated with Israel. They are among similar student movements at campuses across the country.
Rep. Donald Payne Jr. remembered as quiet champion of progressive causes
David Cruz, NJ Spotlight
- Rep. Donald Payne Jr., a native son of Newark’s South Ward who carried the progressive banner through multiple elected positions before eventually succeeding his late father in Congress, died on Wednesday at the age of 65.
Trenton mission statement easy to speak difficult to achieve
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- West Ward Councilwoman Teska Frisby makes a point of reading this City of Trenton mission statement: “Recognizing that the people of Trenton have made us guardians of the public trust, we are committed to govern with integrity and fiscal responsibility, to seek excellence in the City’s operations, and to serve all of the City’s people with respect and compassion. We are committed to enhance the quality of life throughout the City and to provide quality services to all citizens, particularly those in greatest need.
Newark’s new Terminal A got a 5-star rating, but a NJ senator says it needs some pork roll
Colleen Wilson, NorthJersey.com
- The talk of the week for officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was that Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport received a five-star rating — and best new terminal in the world designation — from this year’s Skytrax World Airport Awards.
President Biden: Call Chris Christie | Moran
Tom Moran, Star-Ledger
- In an interview this week, Chris Christie again vowed that he will not vote for Donald Trump, a man he describes as a maniac with no moral scruples on a mission to destroy American democracy.
These are the 15 best places to retire in New Jersey, an investment website says
Amanda Wallace, NorthJersey.com
- Retirement can be a troubling topic to think about, with a lot of unknown questions such as where to live and how much will be need to save to be comfortable.
After Ramapo College kidnapping, victim has turned her experience into advocacy
Kaitlyn Kanzler, NorthJersey.com
- Alexis Ruhlen grew up surrounded by a loving family and aspirations to be a nurse, just like her mother. She was athletic, playing volleyball and softball, and dreamt of being a NICU nurse before deciding she wanted to work in an emergency room.
Why it’s harder to care for a disabled child in NJ: State funding is ‘broken,’ parents say
Gene Myers, NorthJersey.com
- In New Jersey, families of children with severe disabilities have two main options for their care: a group home system that many see as unsafe and understaffed − or paying for care at home. But there’s a catch: Thanks to state rules, they won’t be able to pay their home aides nearly as much as group-home agencies can pay their staff.
Electrifying the N.J. Transit bus fleet is a public health imperative | Opinion
Aviva Gans
- We all know that feeling when an NJ Transit bus spews soot at riders and pedestrians. You want to hold your breath for as long as possible, but the damage is done. This toxic diesel emission is a stew of chemicals including carbon dioxide/monoxide, nitrogen dioxide/oxide, sulfur dioxide, particulates, benzene, hydrocarbons, and more.
Op Ed: What Must Be Done to Turn New Jersey into a Real Democracy?
Julia Sass Rubin, TAPinto Princeton
- For much of the last century, New Jersey has been a political machine state, controlled by a handful of men who run our largest county party organizations. Political machines are transactional rather than ideological. Their goal is staying in power so that they can benefit financially, not proposing public policies to improve the world.
Noncompetes: Do they stifle entrepreneurship — or will eliminating them hurt free enterprise?
Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com
- New Jersey Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Bracken will always be on the side of business. When it comes to the potential elimination of noncomplete clauses, Bracken said he has to take a new side: the free enterprise system. The recent ruling by the Federal Trade Commission — a 3-2 vote that will eliminate most noncompete clauses if it survives court challenges — was based partially on the idea that freeing up workers will create more entrepreneurs.
New ‘noncompete’ ban will shake up NJ workforce and economy at large
Briana Vannozzi, NJ Spotlight
- The Federal Trade Commission’s decision this week to ban most “noncompete’ agreements could have a big impact on not just workers but the economy as a whole. So says Rutgers professor James Cooney, who focuses on labor studies and employment relations. Speaking with NJ Spotlight News, Cooney said the ban means “over $400 billion being pumped into the economy over a decade. So [FTC officials] really take the position that this is going to help improve the economy overall.”
NJ Training School in Montgomery was ‘notorious’ for child sexual abuse, lawsuit says
Mike Deak, MyCentralJersey.com
- Five men between the ages of 49 and 54 are suing the state over sexual abuse they allegedly suffered while they were confined in the 1980s to the New Jersey Training School at Skillman in Montgomery.
Murphy celebrates “a full week of declining numbers” then says “status quo of lockdown will remain until new cases and fatalities decrease.” So, which of Murphy’s statements is accurate? He said 2 opposite things in a single paragraph of speaking.
He;s “vacationing” at his villa in Italy, while Covid surges and the state is paralyzed by “remote work”…………translation: NO WORK
That is what happens in practicality when they are “suspending their disbelief” (HR Clinton) in real numbers and going on predictive models to make decisions. And then after doing that, they vote with “feelings.”
lmao imagine supporting lockdowns after the largest mass death event in american history and calling that a feeling driven conclusion? maga chuds never fail to disappoint
keeping up with the news
OK
What I — and most of the women I know who are passionate about cosmetics —like about make up isn’t that the right gloss can make your lips poutier or that false lashes can make your eyes more doe-like. Rather, it’s how women can communicate messages and express ourselves through makeup. Certainly it’s not our single factor of communication, but it’s one of many forms of expression that allow us to showcase our individual styles.
keeping up with the news
Longmont Tree Service
Roofing In Brighton
Roofing Colorado Springs
So….about those 56 machines in Bergen… <<>>
Murphy running for President is LAUGHABLE. Nased on what??
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Increasing Use of Cosmetic Products & Their Side Effects
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Murphy doesn’t want to be the president, he wants to be a state trooper.
Nice article! thanks for sharing the post!
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lETS NOT FORGET that during the pandemic Donald Trump sent the MERCY, a fully equipped, COVID prepared Hospital ship to save lives of victims and healthcare workers . But Murphy in his wisdom would rather send Patients back to nursing homes that were ill-equipped to treat these patients so they could die , rather than utilize a life-saving gift and be like NY governor Cuomo, another anti-Trump
tool.
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Gun owners don’t have to talk about guns because they know that they have to come out and vote to protect their constitutional right to bear arms. The Supreme court decision has affirmed that right and somehow our “leaders” haven’t learned how to read.
NJ is one of the most corrupt and racist places to live. There’s “0” accountability for the criminal acts, corruption, and unfair treatment of the people of this state. It starts with our governor who cares less for truth and honesty. Continue to ruin the lives of the citizens of this state.
How about those unintended consequences.
New Jersey mandating that all cars being sold by 2035 be electric is telling us what we can or cannot buy with our own money. There will always be gasoline powered vehicles because of the power produced by internal combustion compared to the power produced by batteries; which is to say the more power the bigger the battery to the point of rediculousness. My thought is that if the state wants fewer gas powered vehicles on the road it should create a mass transit electric powered system that would emphasize convenience for commuters and everyday shoppers. Of course that would mean vehicles weighing tons more because of the size of batteries and that creates a whole other question of where to dispose of them (also for elelectric car batteries), since they are composed of highly toxic materials that can’t be burnt or buried. These are unintended consequences no- one is willing to grapple with until its too late. I think by 2035 th he electric car fantasy will go the same way the offshore wind farm has gone.
Stephen Brickman
206 Stonehenge Dr
Phillipsburg,NJ 08865
Stephen.Brickman@gmail.com
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The military serving in the Middle East represents every state in the Union. Those are our sons and daughters, Moms and Dads and yet we are very little to protect them, or REALLY retaliate when they’re attacked. Governor Murphy is the Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, and past chair of the National Governors Association and yet you never hear him mention about any requests either organization makes to Biden to be more aggressive about protecting our kids in harms way. It’s as though it doesn’t seem to matter to them. No wonder we look so weak to the rest of the world.
Teaneck property taxes pays for the school budget. Teaneck High School students walk out. Is a Hamas military shuffle march property tax bill included?
I’m a conservative and I do believe life begins at conception but the problem is that each mother is responsible for that life and it is in the realm of her mental and physical health that she will either bring it to term or abort it. This should not be a political decision and should not be be dictated by thousand of strangers. The Supreme Court turned it over to the states but it still remains personal for the mother and her family.
I don’t think it should be an “agenda item” for any political party. A state medical society may want to impose a time frame within which an abortion can occur but even that may be subject to the mother’s doctor’s discretion.
I say just quit discussing it and leave it up to the mother a father.
Voting should be based on understanding what’s actually happening and knowing who would make life safer and more livable. The only way to do that is to get both sides of the information remembering there are always two sides to a story. Mainstream media in my area includes the Star Ledger and the Easton Express. If you look at the bylines of the opinions you will find writers from the Washington Post and Bloomberg, both notoriously on the left. Even the political cartoons are a dead giveaway. CNN and CNBC are also left leaning. So what are the options for getting opinions and news from the right? Fortunately cable news has Fox, which is near center, and Newsmax, and NewsNation which are full right. Watching these even just occasionally will show a much broader picture and give the reader more information with which to make an informed voting decision. And remember you DONT have to vote party if you feel there’s a wiser choice.
The governor signed off on having Narcan available in all schools grades 9 through 12. But what about the idea
of having Narcan available in ALL SCHOOLS in New Jersey?
How’s his for an idea? Uncover the identities of the un-elected advisors to Pres. Biden, and publish their names. That way there is actually someone to blame when we lose valuable lives from unanswered attacks by terrorist organizations. We know Biden isn’t making these decisions on his own. My guess is that these advisors will quit the team rather than take the heat for poor decisions, revealing a big weakness in this administration. It might lead to improvements to the decision-making process.
Note to Concealed Carry permit holders: make sure you subscribe to one of the insurance companies that specialize in CCP, ie: US LAW SHIELD. If you ever have to fire your weapon , that has to be the first phone call you make. The second is 911, the third is your family. With so many new permit holders there will probably be an increase in discharges until word gets out that it’s actually unsafe for criminals to be in New Jersey and crime will take a nosedive.
Now unless you have a conviction in your background you can get that CCP and really defend yourself and your family. And more women are applying which is great for family defense. The stats that record gun violence will have to be re-organized into guns used for crime and guns used to prevent crime. A lot of get-always here because sometimes just brandishing a firearm is enough to stop a crime. But it should be reported anyway..
The liability limits for taxi cabs are extreme starting July 1. It was a plan in place through the insurance banking committee and it was abruptly changed with an amendment. The guys are barely making a living today and you’ve increased their insurance. What’s fair is fair and this is not it was an incremental increase, which was fair, and was removed by the governor please refer back to the original plan
Iowa gets it right. What better school security is there than trained, armed teachers with concealed carry permits. You wonder what parents and local government officials when they oppose this idea. Apparently they would rather wait for some demented individual, either a student or maybe an ex student pulls out a handgun of his backpack , or a long gun out of a duffel and starts firing do they can call it in and wait for help to show up. This move would save many lives and I would heartily endorse this idea nationwide. Of course I’m just an average gun owner who believes that our kids are our most valuable asset and need real protection.