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New Jersey’s Housing Landscape: The Mount Laurel Doctrine and the Search for the Missing Middle

Don Lichterman
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New Jersey’s Housing Landscape: The Mount Laurel Doctrine and the Search for the Missing Middle

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July 30th, 2024 by Tim Evans

The rising costs of housing in New Jersey are affecting everyone, especially individuals and households at the lower end of the income spectrum. New Jersey’s unique Mount Laurel doctrine is meant to address the need for housing for lower-income households, but it also indirectly has a major effect on the supply of market-rate multi-family units in the process. The process by which towns satisfy their affordable housing obligations does not guarantee a full range of housing options for a full range of household types and incomes. The Mount Laurel requirements ought to serve as a prompt for towns to think holistically about their housing supply in general—how much and what types of housing will they need to accommodate the needs of future residents?

Panelists in the session “Knowing the Numbers: Housing Allocation, Patterns of Development and the Future of Housing” at the 2024 Planning and Redevelopment Conference discussed the current state of affairs in housing in New Jersey, for affordable housing and beyond. Moderator Creigh Rahenkamp, Principal of CRA, LLC, and Tim Evans, Research Director at New Jersey Future, gave background about the housing supply in general, and Katherine Payne, Director of Land Use, Fair Share Housing Center; Graham Petto, Principal, Topology; and David Kinsey, Partner, Kinsey & Hand talked about what to expect from the latest changes to the state’s system of incentivizing affordable housing. Panelists all agreed that the Mount Laurel system is necessary but not sufficient to provide the full range of housing options that New Jersey’s future population will need.

 “Mount Laurel” and Affordable Housing

The Mount Laurel doctrine refers to a series of New Jersey Supreme Court decisions that direct municipalities to provide their “fair share” of the regional need for low- and moderate-income housing. For many years, enforcement of the requirements was the responsibility of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), but the Council was effectively dissolved in 2015 when the Court deemed it ineffective and handed enforcement authority back to the judicial system. Payne cited her organization’s 2023 report Dismantling Exclusionary Zoning: New Jersey’s Blueprint for Overcoming Segregation to point out that the annual production of affordable units increased substantially after 2015 under the subsequent more rigorous court oversight. (She pointed out that the vast majority of affordable housing is produced in the form of multifamily housing.) The report also found that most of the overall growth in multifamily housing (primarily apartments) over the same time period has been achieved in inclusionary Mount Laurel projects, projects that contain both income-restricted and market-rate units, to the extent that 81% of all multifamily units built since 2015 were built in connection with the Mount Laurel process. Reinforcing this relationship, Evans cited data showing certificates of occupancy (COs) for multifamily housing rising in the post-COAH era (see Figure 1 ) to the point where multifamily units now account for more than half of all housing production. “This shift in permitting activity is being driven by Mount Laurel-associated re-zonings,” Payne said.

Production of multifamily housing has increased steadily in the post-COAH era. More than 4 out of 5 multifamily units built since 2015 are associated with Mount Laurel projects, either as affordable units or as market-rate units that are part of mixed-income projects.

 

Administration of the Mount Laurel process has recently undergone another significant change with the passage of new legislation, in the form of Assembly Bill 4/Senate Bill 50 this year. Among other things, the legislation sets up an oversight mechanism within the executive branch and directs the Department of Community Affairs to implement a methodology for determining municipal affordable housing obligations, based on three factors—income capacity, non-residential property valuation, and developable land. While the rules will take time to create, Petto said municipalities can and should get started now in preparing plans for compliance, including thinking about where in town the Mount Laurel units will be located and how to earn extra credit for certain types and locations. Kinsey mentioned that the legislation allows for bonus credits for such features as proximity to public transportation, special-needs or supportive housing, and redevelopment of a retail, office, or commercial site.

Redevelopment as the New Paradigm

Many new Mount Laurel units will be constructed in redevelopment areas, if the overall pattern of population growth in recent years is any indication. Evans showed that most of the state’s housing growth over the last decade and a half has been happening in already-built-out areas (see Figure 2 ).

Redevelopment is the new normal: An increasing share of New Jersey’s housing growth has been happening in already-built places.

It is clear that “built-out” does not necessarily mean “full,” and that redevelopment areas offer plenty of opportunities for municipalities to create more housing, both for Mount Laurel and market-rate. As such, the new legislation requires municipalities to develop plans for “conversion or redevelopment of unused or underutilized property, including existing structures if necessary, to assure the achievement of the municipality’s fair share” of affordable housing.

The “Missing Middle” Is Still Missing

Payne reminded listeners that the Mount Laurel doctrine originally arose when the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that municipalities cannot practice “exclusionary zoning,” by which they effectively exclude lower-income households by writing their zoning codes to allow nothing but single-family detached homes, which are less affordable to households of modest means. Such zoning is still very common: “About 75% of land in major US cities is zoned exclusively for single-family housing, which has implications for access to opportunity,” Payne said.

While the Mount Laurel process was set up to ensure the provision of housing for lower-income households, it does not address other types of housing that are left out by exclusionary zoning and are thus in short supply. The wide array of housing options between single-family detached units on one end of the scale and large apartment buildings on the other are often called the “missing middle,” because many places simply don’t plan for them. This includes options like duplexes, triplexes, small apartment buildings, apartments above stores, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), a category that itself includes small, separate units that are attached to or on the same property as a larger unit, like above-garage apartments or “in-law suites.” Evans illustrated how housing units in 2-, 3-, and 4-unit buildings have declined as a share of total housing units, from 30% of all units in 1950 to half that share as of 2021 (see Figure 3 ). Kinsey further noted that the number of units in structures with 2 to 4 units has actually decreased in absolute terms, dropping from about 514,000 in 1970 to about 490,000 in 2020.

“Missing middle” housing options in buildings with 2 to 4 units have declined dramatically since 1950 as a share of total housing units.

Another conference session, “We’re Missing Middle Housing in New Jersey: How to Fix It,” was devoted entirely to these missing options and strategies to bring them back. One of the speakers in that session, Karla Georges of the national American Planning Association, identified states where “missing middle” housing bills have passed, including Washington, Colorado (HB1316 and HB1175, and Arizona. Kinsey mentioned one modest New Jersey effort, bill S2347 currently being considered by the legislature, that would authorize ADUs statewide. Meanwhile, some New Jersey municipalities have legalized ADUs on their own, without waiting for statewide legislation.

In any event, while New Jersey is ahead of most of the rest of the country in having the Mount Laurel doctrine and its supporting legislation, this is insufficient as a mechanism for ensuring the production of a full range of housing types, without which people will continue to migrate out of New Jersey in search of cheaper options. As New Urbanist pioneer Peter Calthorpe has observed at the national level, “We cannot build this country on subsidized housing. We’re never going to get the end result. We have to create the context, the policies, and the zoning that make middle housing viable and located in the right locations.” New Jersey now needs to follow the lead of other states in exploring strategies to break the stranglehold of single-family zoning, so that households of all incomes can afford to call New Jersey home.

Posted in Development and Redevelopment, Housing and Equity

Tags: 2024 NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference, Affordable housing, Housing, housing and equity, missing middle, Redevelopment



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Our Favorite Old-School Dining and Drinking Haunts in New Jersey

Don Lichterman
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Our Favorite Old-School Dining and Drinking Haunts in New Jersey

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Don’t get us wrong—hitting up buzzy restaurants and bars is one of our favorite pastimes. But sometimes, it’s the the old-school, dive-y spots that we crave more than anything else!

Here are some of our favorite homey and historic haunts.

This red-wine, red-sauce, red-checkered-tablecloth establishment is hands down one of the best places to eat in our great state. Chicken Savoy—Frankie Valli’s favorite—was invented here in 1967, the same year it opened. Hospitality and nostalgia oozes from the always-packed Belmont, where you always feel like you belond.

Have you tried the famous deep-fried Ripper hot dog at Rutt’s Hut? Open since 1928, the establishment sits above the intersection of Routes 3 and 21, so if you take your order to go—“traveling,” they call it—you get your hot dog with a side of fumes. Does it get any more Jersey than that?!

It’s gone through numerous transformations, but the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn first opened as a tavern in 1890. Visiting is like stepping back in time: Its farmhouse was built in 1796, and the walls have a palpable history. It’s a nice place for an elegant night out, and there’s even an elevated kids menu.

Open since 1947, Vic’s is the spot to go down the Shore when you’re craving those old-school, absolutely delicious classics your Nonna used to make. The vibes are immaculate, as first signaled by the exterior’s neon signage. Inside, you’re greeted with delightful green leather booths. Oh, and the bar pies are top-notch.

Is it a dive? A burger den? A beer-and-shot joint? Honestly, it’s all three. If you’re feeling sort of mixed up and unsure of things, go to Krug’s, which has been open since 1932. (Get the burger—it’s one of the best in the state.) You’ll emerge from the evening with a renewed sense of calm.

Conte’s, open since 1950, is a constant—and one of NJM‘s favorite restaurants in Princeton. (It was formerly Witherspoon Bar, which opened in 1936.) The thin-crust pizza with zesty sauce is a must-try when you visit this idyllic, historic college town. The space is anchored by a wrap-around bar with glass bricks in red and green; look closely and you’ll spot the restaurant’s name spelled out.

Fishing rods and taxidermied animals dot the walls at this family-owned establishment, open since 1936. (The titular Steve was an avid outdoorsman.) Steaks do indeed come sizzling, and accompanied by fries. You may need a bib to protect your clothes from the famous sauce.

Lee’s is a haunt of the highest order—from the weekend karaoke to the extremely potent tiki drinks to the indoor waterfall to the fumes from the ethanol gel in the Sterno burner underneath the pu-pu platters. A night at Lee’s—which is currently for sale—is one of the top experiences in northern New Jersey.

Atlantic City is best known for its casinos, beaches and first Boardwalk in the country. But for many New Jerseyans, the outstanding White House Subs, open since 1947, doesn’t lag far behind in importance! There’s always a line for these absolutely gigantic sandwiches (and very limited indoor booth seating). The Italian and steak options are popular; we also love the peppers-and-eggs sub!

Which location came first remains up for debate—but the deliciousness of the burgers at both spots does not! The Jersey City location on Tonnelle Avenue was originally built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

Open since 1975 (and currently on the market), Lucille’s is known for its pies as well as its country-style comfort food with Jersey touches, like pork roll and a clam chowder nicknamed after the Pine Barrens.

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Career Classroom: High School Biotechnology Programs Support New Jersey’s Dominance in Health Sciences

Don Lichterman
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Career Classroom: High School Biotechnology Programs Support New Jersey’s Dominance in Health Sciences

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As the “medicine chest of the world,” New Jersey has a rich life sciences community with pharmaceutical, research, medical technology and other industries all finding homes in the state. “They are here for the skilled workforce,” Chrissy Buteas, president and chief executive officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, said. “So, a real focus for us is supporting that skilled workforce.”

Buteas addressed school leaders from New Jersey’s 21 county vocational-technical schools over the summer, sharing current and emerging job opportunities in health care throughout the state and the need to continue offering programs that encourage and train students for such opportunities.

Buteas commended the vocational-technical schools for broadening program offerings in health sciences to prepare students for a range of careers and next steps. She added that the expansion of biotechnology programs specifically addresses many of the sought-after skills in health sciences. In fact, an analysis by the New Jersey Department of Labor over the summer showed biotechnology among the top five specialized skills required for health sciences job postings.

With such demand, the timing was ideal for the September opening of the Passaic County Technical Institute’s John Currie Biotechnology Innovation Center. Made possible with funding from the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, the state-of-the-art 55,000-square-foot facility increases capacity in the career program for hundreds of additional students from grades 9-12. Inside are highly specialized learning spaces, including New Jersey’s first DNA Learning Center.

The DNA Learning Center is equipped, licensed and operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and supported by InnovATEBIO, a global leader in biomedical research and education. Such industry involvement makes it possible for students to gain hands-on experience in a rapidly advancing sector of biotechnology. (See video here.)

Michael Petruccelli, supervisor of the PCTI Biotechnology Program, said both Cold Spring Harbor and Passaic County Community College played roles in developing a curriculum to prepare students for a wide range of career opportunities, such as lab technicians, researchers, biophysicists, geneticists and more. Depending on the students’ ambitions, they also can earn an associate degree and industry valued credentials as part of their high school learning experience.

Chrissy Buteas. (File photo)

Buteas said relationships between industry and academia are so important for workforce development that they have become the focus of a new Life Sciences Industry Partnerships initiative led by the New Jersey Department of Labor. “It’s important to create partnerships that help students realize the career paths available in the life sciences and support them in pursuing those paths,” she added.

While the Department of Labor is moving this initiative forward on a state-wide level, the county vocational-technical schools have long incorporated industry partnerships into their educational models. Schools build dedicated Advisory Boards for their career programs, whose members review curriculum, serve as guest speakers and even open their doors for student visits. Most schools also designate individuals or full departments to place students in work-based learning and positions with help from their industry connections.

“Our School-to-Careers Department makes us unique in that we have an entire group of employees dedicated to placing students in industry before or after graduation,” Petruccelli said.

At Biotechnology High School (BTHS), part of Monmouth County Vocational School District, Principal Sharon Bryant, Ed.D., said partnerships are critical for students’ culminating learning experiences. “All seniors participate in a mentorship capstone experience before graduation, and our numerous partners support our students in applying their skills and knowledge in a workplace.” She added that the high school’s alumni and Advisory Board members, as well as area companies like Team Life, Inc. and Sunrise Senior Living, hospital systems and municipality EMT programs, all work closely with BTHS to secure mentors for students. (See video here.)

“The local experiences during mentorship also introduce our students to the relevance and local contribution of nearby companies and facilities in enhancing this field,” Bryant said. She and the BTHS instructors emphasized that their collective goal is to “immerse our students in community engagement and retention within the biotechnology field, while promoting international skills and communication through the International Baccalaureate curricula to grow biotechnology from a global perspective.”

Biotechnology High School in Freehold, part of Monmouth County Vocational School District, was ranked fifth best high school in the state and the 37th best public high school in America by U.S. News & World Report. ­— BTHS

BTHS’ approach has earned the high school impressive results. U.S. News & World Report ranked it the fifth best high school in the state and the 37th best public high school in America. 

BTHS instructors recently polled a small group of students about their motivations to enter such a highly focused, rigorous program. The students: Nicholas French, Alay Galvankar, Emily Gerchak, Annika Raj, Ella Stastney and Kaanchi Utpat said they believe the future is wide open in the field and that new pathways will open that “don’t yet exist or that we don’t even know we need yet.” They also said that working in the biotechnology field will allow them to “make an impact for many people, whether directly in the sciences or changing policy.”

This is the exact sentiment Buteas hopes to instill in bright, ambitious young people as they consider a future in the health sciences. During a recent speaking engagement with the Department of Labor, she addressed student attendees, saying, “This industry is really special; you have the opportunity to either greatly improve or save someone’s life by working in this industry.”

Conversation Starters

Reach Passaic County Technical Institute at pcti.pctvs.org/pcti or call 973-790-6000.

Reach Biotechnology High School at bths.mcvsd.org or call 732-431-7208.

If you’re an industry professional looking to support life sciences programs, including those in biotechnology go to careertechnj.org/become-an-employer-partner.

This series on education and industry is presented by the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools.



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Atlantic City Looks To Repeat Summer Camp Success

Don Lichterman
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Atlantic City Looks To Repeat Summer Camp Success

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Hundreds of Atlantic City kids this year got their first ever taste of city-run summer camps. Now the city is looking to make sure it can replicate the experience next year as well as expand its recreation services to seniors and other underserved residents.

Years of financial difficulties and, more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic meant that Atlantic City was unable to staff a recreation department. This spring, however, the city began hiring to build out its youth services, senior services and multicultural offices. Mayor Marty Small said this had been a passion of his and he had been determined since taking office to make more services available to both young people and senior citizens in Atlantic City. Small also wanted available activities to go beyond sports, he said. “Yes, being an athlete is great, but one day those days are over,” Small, a former college basketball player, said. “We wanted to focus on all children, and give them an opportunity.” The city received a $1.5 million anti-violence grant from the state and put some of that money to work running the programs. Small said that while by August last year there had been nine deaths due to gun violence in the city, this year to date there have been none.

Small hopes to expand the camps for next summer and to provide more free services for everyone in the city year-round. Although funding is not yet in place to run camps next summer, the city is confident it will be. “No parent under this administration will be able to say there’s nothing for kids to do in Atlantic City,” Small said. “That just won’t happen.”

The Whelan’s Whales swimming program (photo provided by Atlantic City)

The free programs this July included an NFL Flag Football camp every Friday, as well as an all-sports recreation camp, a youth services camp and a multicultural camp that ran Monday-Thursday afternoons. There was also a swimming program run by a local nonprofit. The camps were held at different neighborhood schools, so that parents and guardians whose children were enrolled in the morning-only summer school program would have childcare through the afternoon.

Although Small’s wife is the superintendent of the Atlantic City school district, city officials said they had to coordinate with the school board and apply for permission to use the school buildings. This was no small task, since all of Atlantic City’s school facilities including playgrounds, sports fields and swimming pools are closed to Atlantic City students outside of school hours and the school district has long been reticent to open its facilities to provide non-school services. The camp kids, however, appreciated the access to the air-conditioned gyms and auditoriums and parents appreciated knowing their kids were safe inside familiar buildings.

NFL Flag Football (photo provided by Atlantic City)

The turnout for the camps was impressive: 300 children registered for the sports camps and the Whelan’s Whales swimming program had 100 students as well as a waitlist of another 100. The smaller multi-cultural and youth services camps were also oversubscribed. Outreach in Atlantic City can be a challenge because of language barriers but Tasha Devonish, assistant director of youth services, said the city worked hard to get the word out about the camps in the two months between the end of April and June, when registration began. “We utilized social media, word of mouth, we passed out flyers. We knocked on doors, we walked through the neighborhoods, we went into stores,” Devonish said.

Photo provided by Atlantic City

The city’s recreation department is now working in collaboration with the school district to offer more sports to children. Before this summer, school sports teams only existed at the high school level but now there are soccer and basketball teams for middle-school-aged students and the city’s Jarrod Barnes hopes to make more sports available. “We want to be able to bring baseball, soccer, lacrosse, pickleball…Pickleball is huge now,” he said.

The youth services and multi-cultural services departments are also working on fall and spring activities, while the city’s department of senior services will host its first senior boat ride day on Monday. Plans for weekly zumba classes are in the works, too.

(Paragraph two of this article was edited on August 22 to reflect the correct size of the anti-violence grant received by the city)



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Police Officer Job  | Cherry Hill Township, NJ

Don Lichterman
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On November 11, 2024, the Cherry Hill Police Department will begin accepting applications for the position of Police Officer. Below is a list of the minimum qualifications needed to be eligible to apply:  

 Minimum Qualifications:

  •             18 years of age and hired on or before their 35th birthday
  •             US citizen and resident of New Jersey with unrestricted NJ driver’s license when hired
  •             60 college credits, or 30 credits with 2 years Full Time law enforcement/military experience
  •             Pass background, psychological, medical and drug test
  •             Be of good moral character

 The following is a list of components you must pass:

  •             Written Examination
  •             Physical Ability Test
  •             Interview

 The Cherry Hill Police Department utilizes the National Police Officer Selection Test, additional information can be found at the Stanard and Associates Inc. web site:

            https://www.applytoserve.com/study/

 Minimum testing standards for the Physical Ability Test:

  •             Sit-ups (28 repetitions in one minute)
  •             300 Meter run (70.1 seconds or less)
  •             Push-ups (24 repetitions in a minute)
  •             1.5 Mile run (15:55 minutes of less)

 Qualified applicants may click on the Module I application link below and submit the form.   Applications may be obtained in person from Police Records during normal business hours or email chpdjobs@cherryhillpolice.com and request an application be emailed.  

 APPLICATIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN December 16, 2024 at 4:00 PM

 

Apply here: https://www.chnj.gov/FormCenter/Cherry-Hill-Police-9/2025-Module-I-Cherry-Hill-POLICE-OFFICER-211

Cherry Hill Township is an Equal Opportunity Employer

===============================================================================================

If you are a NJ PTC certified applicant, use the below Module I Application form.

Click on Module I Application(FOR NJ PTC CERTIFIED APPLICANT ONLY)  to complete and submit

 Cherry Hill Township is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Rutgers Hosts Leadership from the Federated States of Micronesia : Newsroom

Don Lichterman
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Rutgers Hosts Leadership from the Federated States of Micronesia : Newsroom

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Federated States of Micronesia’s Secretary Andrew Yatilman and Secretary Elina Akinaga visit Rutgers Plant Biology labs.

As one of America’s longest serving and renowned land-grant institutions, Rutgers University empowers food producers worldwide with cutting-edge scientific expertise. The university’s acclaimed “Jersey Roots, Global Reach” initiative shines through in its exceptional partnership with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), a vast island nation in the North Pacific.

To celebrate this landmark collaboration, Rutgers had the privilege of hosting two esteemed FSM dignitaries, Honorable Secretary Andrew Yatilman and Honorable Secretary Elina Akinaga, on September 21. Guided by Jim Simon, Dena Seidel, Ramu Govindasamy, AJ Both, Mark Robson, Roland Hagan and Julie Lockwood, the distinguished guests toured SEBS’s premier plant and marine science labs, research fields, and greenhouses, showcasing Rutgers’ advanced research facilities and innovations.

“I am truly grateful to finally visit Rutgers and see first-hand the breadth of scientific expertise that has been assisting our country these past few years,” said Andrew Yatilman, FSM’s Secretary of Environment, Climate and Emergency Management.

The Rutgers interdisciplinary food systems science team began its work with FSM in 2020 and is led by Jim Simon (Plant Biology) in concert with Ramu Govindasamy (DAFRE), Dena Seidel (Plant Biology) and Oscar Schofield (Marine and Coastal Sciences). Rutgers has been supporting FSM’s sustainable food production goals on several projects that include food security policy and assessing climate change’s impact on FSM’s farming families and strategies for the development of local food processing.

Core collaborating scientists from several Rutgers departments include Yariv Ben Naim (Plant Biology), AJ Both and James Shope (Environmental Sciences), Rolan Hagan and Dave Bushek (Marine and Coastal Sciences), and collaborating ethnobotanist Mike Balick from the New York Botanical Gardens as well economist Dr. Surendran Arumugam from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, and Nolan Lewin and Julie Elmer from the Rutgers Food Innovation Center.

FSM’s Secretary Andrew Yatilman and Secretary Elina Akinaga visit Rutgers research greenhouses.

Additional Rutgers faculty who have contributed significantly to the projects for the FSM include Ethan Schoolman (Human Ecology), Emily Merchant (Public Health) and Daniel Hoffman (Nutritional Sciences). In 2022, Rutgers Global awarded this science team with a $10,000 seed grant to develop a replicable and sustainable food system model in partnership with FSM’s state of Pohnpei.

Rutgers work in the FSM builds upon decades of experience supporting food production in developing countries. “Tackling complex food system challenges internationally requires a multi-pronged approach with teams that include experts from many disciplines with varied skills. At the same time, we work very closely with local partners to ensure that the food production strategy that is developed and implemented is culturally relevant, environmentally and economically sustainable and what the community wants and needs,” said Simon.

To support holistic food system development, Rutgers departments of Plant Biology, Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics (DAFRE) and Marine and Coastal Sciences have joined together.

“Supporting food system development in Micronesia requires addressing food production challenges not just on land but also in the sea. Their ocean is their main resource and so monitoring also becomes key to protecting it,” added Schofield, whose team hosted the guests’ visit to Rutgers Center for Ocean Observation Leadership (RUCOOL).

Oceanography graduate students Mya Sharpe and Leah Hopson demonstrate Rutgers glider robots used for ocean monitoring to the visiting dignitaries from the FSM.

The Rutgers Food System Science team has undertaken its fifth project with the Pacific nation. Their current “Food Systems Solutions” initiative, in collaboration with the FSM Department of Resources and Development and Office of Trade, is funded by the US Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. Led by Assistant Secretary Florian J. Yatilman and his team, Stanley Raffilman and Keenen Weirlangt in the FSM, Ramu Govindasamy leads the Food Systems Solutions data collection and research as principal investigator, with Simon and Seidel as co-leaders from Rutgers.

 

The Food Systems Solutions project aims to drive economic growth and job creation by enhancing local food production and processing. A critical element of this effort involves collecting and analyzing data from ten community stakeholder surveys, designed within the United Nations’ multi-stakeholder framework for sustainable food system development. “Our data shows that over 70% of FSM household expenditure is going toward imported foods which is making them food insecure. This project supports the states and the nation in transitioning to local food production and processing to strengthen local economies, create jobs and increase the health of the people of FSM,” said Govindasamy.

 

Past projects include the Green Climate Fund Baseline Assessment featuring data from extensive surveys with more than 600 farming families as well as crop forecasting and steps to enhance climate smart agriculture with a foreword by FSM’s President Wesley Simina. Building upon their original data, the Rutgers team was also asked to prepare the FSM’s Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change outlining the impact of a changing climate on all sectors of FSM’s society published on the UN website. The Rutgers team also worked closely with Pohnpei state’s department of Resources and Development to prepare that state’s Food Security Policy and Master Plan.

L-R: Dr. Jim Simon, Secretary Elina Akinaga, Secretary Andrew Yatilman, Dr. AJ Both, Dr. Ramu Govindasamy and Dena Seidel at the Rutgers agrivoltaics research farm in New Brunswick.

 

This transdisciplinary approach has been exciting and lead to student engagement of Rutgers graduate students that have been invited to collaborate on design, project data preparation and analysis and public policy. While graduate students Tori Rosen and Maxx Guazabara Rivera analyzed the nutritional content of moringa plants from the FSM; other students and visiting scientists have assisted with the data collection and analysis including Lara Brindisi, Eric Gomes, Martin Zorde, Nisha Khanna, and Erin Quinn (from Plant Biology), and  El Hoima Barthelus (from Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics (DAFRE), and Dr. Rahmiye Figen Ceylan, a visiting DAFRE professor from Akdeniz University in Turkey.

Rutgers’ partnership with the FSM is facilitated and coordinated by Dena Seidel, a researcher and cultural anthropologist in Rutgers’ Plant Biology department, who has long worked in Micronesia and has served as the Honorary Ambassador at Large for Research and Academic Partnerships for two of the FSM states. “It’s exciting to see our scientists and students involved in the co-creation of sustainable food system development with the farming and fishing families of the FSM,” said Seidel.

During the dignitaries’ visit, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Distinguished Professor of Plant Biology Mark Robson led a discussion on ways the Rutgers-FSM partnership could grow to include faculty, student and curriculum exchanges. “We are excited to explore how Rutgers and FSM can learn from each other and help strengthen the strong ties that have developed over these last few years,” said Robson.

At the end of their Rutgers visit, Honorable Secretary Elina Akinaga of FSM’s Department of Resources and Development said, “FSM is a developing nation and we are in need of scientific expertise to help us reach our sustainable development goals. We truly appreciate the Rutgers science team’s hard work and dedicated commitment to working with our nation and our states and we look forward to growing this partnership.”

A contingent of Rutgers faculty, staff, students with the visiting dignitaries from the Federated States of Micronesia (wearing leis) at RUCOOL.



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Across the political divide, we are connected by the arts | Opinion

Don Lichterman
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Across the political divide, we are connected by the arts | Opinion

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By Pamela E. Barnett

The Presidential election is next Tuesday, which means many of us will spend the rest of the month obsessively analyzing the victor’s path and reading informed accounts about what the future could hold.

I hope some of us will take a break from the exhausting news cycle and turn to the arts, which are exactly what we all need in the wake of this highly polarizing and divisive campaign and election season. Artistic experience affirms and expands our humanity. Art connects us.

We need that now more than ever. In an “Arts Talk” for the National Endowment for the Arts, singer and composer Josh Groban made the case that “art matters because it is a hate-killer. Art matters because it is the one true great connector in a world that seems to be very unconnected, and it’s important now more than ever to shine a huge light on that connectivity that we have, that we often forget.”

Art enriches, deepens and elevates all of us. When we truly engage the expression of others – their words and stories, their images and designs and music – we are giving our own consciousness over to the experience, perspective and vision of others. We can feel connection and empathy for people from other nations or other cultural backgrounds. Anyone who has watched a Greek tragedy in horror or sung along to an early American hymn or spiritual knows how art can enable us to connect with others across the very ages.

As NEA staffer Victoria Hutter put it: “The arts matter because I learn something about people and places I would have never known otherwise. The arts make my brain and my heart stretch to make room for newness. Sometimes, parts of me are displaced and replaced by wiser stuff. And that’s a fine thing.”

In the aftermath of this election, art and music can affirm our common humanity, beyond political partisanship. And to go a step farther, I want to direct attention to two specific works that inspire feeling about American democracy: Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” and Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait.”

We don’t always think of the orchestra as the place to go for national unity, but here is why we can and should.

Dvorak was a Czech composer who studied American folk songs during his time in the U.S., from 1892 to 1895. “From the New World” was his endeavor to write a truly American symphony. Dvorak said his classical orchestration incorporates “the spirit” of both African American spirituals and Native American folk music as a way to express the richness of the North American story after the Civil War. His symphony also captures the beauty and expansiveness of vistas in the American Midwest. Astronaut Neil Armstrong took a recording of the symphony to the moon, making it a soundtrack for his “giant leap for mankind.”

The Lincoln Portrait (1942) was commissioned at a time of national crisis; on Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked and the U.S. mobilized to enter World War II. Copland was commissioned to “celebrate the spirit of the American people.” This orchestra seeks to convey the character of the Great Unifier, and also inspire great feeling about the preservation of the union, with liberty for all. It includes narration from Lincoln’s famous speeches addressing war, freedom, nation and democracy.

In the days before and after the election, you can type these orchestral works into your preferred music streaming service. You could also hear them performed live at The College of New Jersey on November 8, three days after the election.

Conductor Uli Speth shares the rationale behind this repertoire: “Both pieces celebrate American history and American culture in a way that all citizens can feel good about, regardless of their backgrounds or political views. After a time filled with divisive rhetoric this will hopefully make everyone feel that they belong to the same country.”

We should all be looking for ways to heal our country, and that includes opting out of disrespect and denigration of fellow citizens who voted differently. Art can lead the way. After all of the partisan battle and divisive rhetoric, art calls us to feel our shared humanity and even our common love for American democracy.

Pamela E. Barnett is Dean of The School of the Arts & Communication at The College of New Jersey.

To comment on this op-ed, send a letter to eletters@starledger.com.

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Mays Landing Country Club

Don Lichterman
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Mays Landing Country Club

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Mays Landing Country Club

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Atlantic City Launches Its Most Festive Season Yet With the CRDA’s 3rd Annual Tinseltown Holiday Experience

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Atlantic City Launches Its Most Festive Season Yet With the CRDA’s 3rd Annual Tinseltown Holiday Experience

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Atlantic City Launches Its Most Festive Season Yet With the CRDA’s 3rd Annual Tinseltown Holiday Experience




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originally published: 11/27/2024

Atlantic City launched its citywide Tinseltown Holiday Experience, presented by the New Jersey CRDA, with a spectacular Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony inside The Quarter at Tropicana on Friday, November 22, 2024. Photo by Tom Briglia/PhotoGraphics

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) — Get ready for a festive season ahead during the coolest time of the year to visit, stay, and play in Atlantic City! Now in its third year and presented by the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), the Tinseltown Holiday Experience is lighting up Atlantic City’s casinos, iconic attractions, and neighborhoods with a range of holiday events, including festive events, pop-up experiences, live shows, and even themed accommodations.

Recently named one of the “25 Best Christmas Towns in the U.S.” for the third consecutive year, Atlantic City officially launched its Tinseltown Holiday Experience with a spectacular Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Tropicana Atlantic City on Friday, November 22, 2024.

The event took place inside Tropicana’s The Quarter, which marked its 20th anniversary in style with a dazzling 35-foot tree illuminated by a stunning light show synchronized to holiday music. Guests were treated to holiday-inspired small bites from The Quarter’s renowned restaurants, a performance by the Mainland Regional High School Choir, and a visit from Santa Claus.

CRDA Deputy Exec. Dir. Maisha Moore, photo by Masterpiece Advertising

CRDA Deputy Executive Director, Maisha Moore, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., and Joseph Giunta, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Tropicana were among the dignitaries who joined the celebration, which also included an official proclamation from the City of Atlantic City commemorating The Quarter’s milestone anniversary.

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“The Tinseltown Holiday Experience truly showcases all the excitement of the holiday season in Atlantic City,” said Eric Scheffler, Executive Director of the CRDA. “The celebration brings all of Atlantic City’s businesses and community members together and invites our visitors to discover why Atlantic City is one of the top holiday destinations in the entire country.”

Visitors will also find a vibrant mix of dazzling holiday décor throughout the destination, as well as numerous gift-buying options, from holiday markets and high-end boutiques in the casinos, to Boardwalk shops and over 70 premium outlet stores at Tanger Outlets.

CRDA Deputy Executive Director Maisha Moore added, “Atlantic City is packed with things to do that complement our gaming, diverse dining scene, iconic attractions, nonstop entertainment, and premier hotels. We invite visitors to celebrate and stay with us and enjoy these special events all the way to the new year.”

The bigger-than-ever citywide celebration brings authentic holiday fun to town for all ages. Some of the holiday season highlights include:

* Pop-Up Holiday Lounges: Get in the spirit of the season at themed lounges like Tropicana’s “Holidaze Pop-Up Bar,” Resorts’ “Candy Cane Lounge” and “Landshark Christmas Island,” Hard Rock’s “Rockin’ Holiday Bar,” Harrah’s “Tipsy Elf,” Ocean’s “Jingle Bell Bar,” and Bally’s “Holiday Cheer Pop-Up Bar”

* Winter Wonderland Parade: Don’t miss the festive procession along the world-famous Boardwalk with floats, bands, and special guests (December 7 at 11:00am / rain date December 8)

* Absecon Lighthouse’s Luminary Light Festival:  Enjoy caroling, astrologist readings, specialty cheeses & wine tastings, and decorate and light a personal luminary. (December 7 from 5:00pm-7:00pm)

* Steel Pier’s Santa at The Wheel: Family fun event with free photo opportunities with Santa (December 7 from 2:00pm-4:00pm)

* Deck the Hall: Festival of Trees: Free public viewings daily of dozens of decorated trees inside Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall (Dec. 12-Jan. 3, starting 9 a.m.)

* Noyes Holiday Market & Gingerbread Village: Explore artist-created gingerbread displays alongside unique shopping experiences from local craftspeople and vendors at the Noyes Arts Garage (December 14-15 from Noon-5:00pm)

* Tinseltown Cocktail-Mocktail Trail: Download the map and grab a cup of cheer along a trail of holiday-themed drinks (now through December 31)

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., photo by Tom Briglia/PhotoGraphics

Atlantic City’s Tinseltown Holiday Experience continues to sparkle with more tree lighting ceremonies across the city in the coming weeks. Everyone is invited to come celebrate the season at the following locations:

* Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall (November 27 at 5:30pm)

* Hard Rock Atrium (November 28 at 7:00pm)

* The Yard at Bally’s (December 6 from 4:30pm-6:30pm)

* Chelsea Neighborhood Celebration (O’Donnell Park, December 6 from 6:00pm-7:30pm)

* Ducktown Neighborhood Celebration (Ducktown Park, December 7 at 5:00pm)

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Plan your holiday getaway and see the full list of events at ACTinseltown.com. Don’t forget to enter theTinseltown Holiday Getaway contest at AtlanticCityNJ.com for a chance to win overnight stays, dining credits, and more!

Photo by Tom Briglia/PhotoGraphics

The only agency of its kind nationwide, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority’s mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA’s expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process.


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Santa’s Holiday Market at the Palace

Saturday, November 30, 2024 @ 12:00pm
The Historic Palace Theatre
7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857
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Holiday Spirits: Festive Cocktails and Cheer

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 @ 5:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
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Tuesday Night Book Club – Percival Everett, James

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 @ 7:30pm
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Light of Day WinterFest 25: A Celebration of Music, Legacy, and the Fight Against Parkinson’s Disease

Don Lichterman
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Light of Day WinterFest 25: A Celebration of Music, Legacy, and the Fight Against Parkinson’s Disease

The Light of Day WinterFest is gearing up to celebrate its milestone 25th anniversary in style, bringing together an incredible lineup of musicians for an unforgettable series of concerts in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Taking place in January 2024, WinterFest 25 will feature a stellar mix of legendary artists, exciting up-and-coming talent, and unforgettable performances, all in support of the Light of Day Foundation’s ongoing mission to raise funds and awareness in the fight against Parkinson’s disease, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), and PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy).

With 45 years of Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, the iconic Tangiers Blues Band Jam, Willie Nile, Joe D’Urso & Stone Caravan, Adam Ezra Group, and the Next Generation of artists leading the charge, this year’s festival promises to be a music lover’s dream and a key part of the foundation’s continuous efforts to support groundbreaking research, patient care, and treatments for these devastating diseases.

A Milestone for Music and Charity

WinterFest 25 is not only a celebration of exceptional music but also a testament to the incredible journey of the Light of Day Foundation. Since its inception in 2000, the foundation has raised over $6.5 million through annual concerts and events, helping fund research to find cures for Parkinson’s disease and related illnesses. What started as a single concert in Asbury Park, NJ, has grown into an international movement, with concerts now held in 13 countries across North America and Europe. This year’s WinterFest marks a special moment in the foundation’s history as they celebrate 25 years of using music to make a difference.

The Music: An Unbeatable Lineup

Light of Day WinterFest 25 is headlined by a group of artists whose music has made a lasting impact on the rock and roll landscape. Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, known for their iconic blend of heartland rock and gritty, soulful storytelling, are celebrating 45 years of music. Their performance is sure to be one of the highlights of the festival, bringing together fans of classic rock with those new to their sound.

Other standout acts include Willie Nile, a legendary figure in American rock and folk music, who is celebrated for his evocative lyrics and unforgettable melodies. Joe D’Urso & Stone Caravan will bring their rootsy rock vibes, while the Tangiers Blues Band Jam is sure to deliver a high-energy, soulful performance that will have the crowd dancing all night long.

Newer voices will also be featured, including the Adam Ezra Group, a dynamic ensemble known for their energetic, genre-blurring performances, and the Next Generation of talent, showing the next wave of artists who are carrying the torch forward in the fight against Parkinson’s and related diseases.

A Full Schedule of Unmissable Performances

The festival spans five days, offering multiple performances each day at some of Asbury Park’s most iconic venues. The lineup is packed with talent from a variety of genres, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy:

  • Thu, Jan 16 – James Maddock, Matt O’Ree, Williams Honor, and more at the Wonder Bar
  • Fri, Jan 17 – Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Willie Nile, Tangiers Blues Band, and more at The Stone Pony
  • Fri, Jan 17 – Dramarama, The Weeklings, Bobby Mahoney, and others at the Wonder Bar
  • Sat, Jan 18 – Billy Walton Band, Joe Bonanno & Godsons of Soul, Stormin’ Norman, and more at the Wonder Bar
  • Sun, Jan 19 – Light of Day Next Generation, featuring new talent from the Wonder Bar
  • Sun, Jan 19 – Cover Me: The Best NJ Tribute & Cover Bands at the Wonder Bar

Tickets for each event are available for $32 in advance (plus applicable surcharges) and $37 at the door. These shows are expected to sell out quickly, so fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets early and be a part of this incredible celebration for a great cause.

The Mission: Fighting Parkinson’s and Beyond

The Light of Day Foundation’s efforts extend far beyond just raising money for research. The funds raised through the WinterFest and other events go directly toward helping those who are living with Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and PSP, as well as their families and caregivers. These diseases are all incredibly debilitating, and there is an urgent need for more effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Through the power of music and community, Light of Day works tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of those affected.

Get Your Tickets and Join the Fight

WinterFest 25 is shaping up to be an event you won’t want to miss. With an amazing lineup of musicians, a heartwarming cause, and the chance to be part of a major milestone in the fight against Parkinson’s disease, this year’s festival is set to be one of the best yet. Whether you’re a longtime supporter of Light of Day or a newcomer to the cause, the festival promises an unforgettable experience, filled with great music, incredible energy, and a powerful sense of community.

Get your tickets today and join the Light of Day Foundation in celebrating the past 25 years of music and charity while looking ahead to an even brighter future. Let’s come together to make a difference and help defeat Parkinson’s and related diseases once and for all!

For tickets and more information, visit the Light of Day Foundation website.

Don’t miss out on this incredible celebration – join us in Asbury Park this January for WinterFest 25!

Thanksgiving rivalry to be played as scheduled – Star News Group

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Thanksgiving rivalry to be played as scheduled – Star News Group

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Despite potential adverse weather concerns ahead of Thursday’s Thanksgiving rivalry football game between Wall and Manasquan, the game will be played as scheduled, according to the Manasquan School District Facebook page.

The annual game will kick off at 11 a.m. on Manasquan’s home turf, Vic Kubu Warrior Field at Manasquan High School. 

Tickets to the game cost $5 and are available on site on game day. Gates open at 9 a.m., with shuttle buses starting at 8:30 a.m. Buses will run from Wall Intermediate School and Wall Municipal Complex to the Manasquan High School.

For those unable to make it to the game it will be live streamed on Youtube, at https://youtube.com/@ManasquanHighSchoolStreaming/streams.

The Manasquan School District also posted to Facebook, “…we expect Wednesday night’s parade to proceed as scheduled at the discretion of the Manasquan Borough Recreation department.”

For more on this story, read the next edition of The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.

 

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NJR Clean Energy Ventures Sells Residential Solar Business

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NJR Clean Energy Ventures Sells Residential Solar Business

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Solar

Energy

On Nov 26, 2024

NJR Clean Energy Ventures (CEV), a clean energy subsidiary of New Jersey Resources (NJR), has announced the sale of its 91 megawatt (MW) residential solar portfolio, to Spruce Power Holding Corporation for a total of $132.5 million.

NJR expects to record a gain on sale in fiscal 2025, and will use the proceeds to pay down corporate debt and for general working capital purposes.

“Renewable energy investments are an integral part of our business and will continue to be a key driver of NJR’s long-term growth strategy,” said Steve Westhoven, president and CEO of NJR. “Following this transaction, Clean Energy Ventures will have a sharpened focus on the strong opportunities for growth within its commercial solar portfolio, driven by a nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) pipeline of diverse investment options.”

CEV’s residential solar program, which operated under the brand of “The Sunlight Advantage®,” provides qualifying homeowners with the opportunity to have a solar system installed at their home with no installation or maintenance expenses. The existing lease agreements will be assumed by Spruce in full for the approximately 9,800 participating homeowners.

Since 2009, CEV has invested over $1.2 billion in solar projects, becoming the largest owner-operator of commercial solar in New Jersey. CEV has begun to diversify regionally and now has assets in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Indiana, and Michigan.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

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Medical Reserve Corps | Burlington County, NJ

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Medical Reserve Corps | Burlington County, NJ

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Welcome to the Burlington County 
Medical Reserve Corps

The mission of the Burlington County Medical Reserve Corps (BCMRC) is to improve the health and safety of communities by organizing and utilizing public health, medical and other volunteers. One aspect of the BCMRC is to enhance the County’s emergency preparedness by ensuring that a trained group of healthcare professionals and community volunteers are ready to respond to public health emergencies.

Anyone with an interest in health issues can volunteer. We need licensed or certified health care professionals, practicing or retired, living or working in Burlington County. 
We also need community volunteers such as interpreters, chaplains, social workers and support staff.

 To become a Burlington County Medical Reserve Corps member, go to:

https://njmrc.njlincs.net/

Please be sure to select Burlington County as your location to volunteer. You will then be contacted to finalize the application process. 
Please visit the new State MRC Site! https://nj.gov/health/er/njmrc/

BCMRC Handbook (PDF) 

nurses 2020

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Public Works | New Jersey League of Municipalities

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Public Works | New Jersey League of Municipalities

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Sample Position Descriptions

Director of Public Works

A management role responsible for planning, organizing, and coordinating functions of the Public Works Department. Public Works provides services such as road and bridge maintenance and construction, snow removal, infrastructure projects, maintenance of stormwater systems, and fixing utility issues. The Director is responsible for the administration, budgeting, and supervision of this department.

Laborer

This hands-on position is often responsible for buildings and grounds maintenance, grass cutting, operating a variety of motor vehicles, including dump trucks and other equipment, snow and ice removal, leaf collection, repairing potholes, and maintaining stormwater systems. Emergency overtime work is sometimes needed.

=""Typical Education Levels

High School – Bachelor’s Degree

Certifications/Continuing Education

Certified Public Works Manager

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New Jersey Devils Should Keep an Eye on Potential for a Taylor Hall Reunion – The Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils Should Keep an Eye on Potential for a Taylor Hall Reunion – The Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils have gotten off to a solid start to the season, going 14-7-2, but we’ve seen levels of dominance from them that would potentially warrant a record even better than that. Offensive inconsistency has plagued them at times; they’ve already been shut out three times, almost tying the four times they were shut out all of last season. A large reason for this is a lack of consistency from some of their depth forwards.

It feels like just adding one middle-six forward could help balance the lineup and add that extra touch of offense. Insert Taylor Hall, who is already one of the most-beloved players to the Devils’ fanbase.

A Hall Return to New Jersey? Are You for Real?

Yes, I know the idea kind of sounds like some fantasy scenario. But there’s a few reasons why the idea could work especially well, and heck, they’ve already achieved success in reviving a former fan favorite in Stefan Noesen. What’s one more?

Hall appeared to be unhappy with the Chicago Blackhawks when unexpectedly being named a healthy scratch on Saturday, Nov. 16th. “I was surprised. It was unexpected, from the standpoint of I just didn’t know I was even close to being in that spot, really. If there were some conversations in the days leading up about my game, or if I was constantly being shown video, that would be one thing. So I was a bit surprised,” he said after the contest.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson and New Jersey Devils left wing Taylor Hall
Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson and New Jersey Devils left wing Taylor Hall (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The surface numbers aren’t great: He has just two goals and four assists in 20 games. But when the Blackhawks started off the season more competitively, Hall had all of those points in a 13-game span. Then he tailed off, going point-less in his last seven and seemingly checking out, along with most of the team, in what has been a tough stretch.

The Blackhawks don’t really produce much offense; they’ve lost five of those last seven while giving up just 2.57 goals per game. They’ve averaged 1.71 goals themselves over that span. It’s hard to fault Hall while he’s mostly played on a line with Tyler Bertuzzi and Philipp Kurashev, who have both arguably struggled more than Hall.

Related: New Jersey Devils’ Sheldon Keefe Commends Luke Hughes’ Improved Defense

He may never again come close to his Hart Trophy season in 2017-18 for the Devils where he put up 93 points in 76 games, practically dragging them to the playoffs single-handedly. But from 2020-2023 with the Bruins, he posted a very respectable 111 points in 158 games. He dealt with an ACL surgery that kept him out most of last season but proclaimed that he was “100% healthy again” coming into this one. 

It’s a very small sample (around 25 minutes), but he’s had a 71.42 expected goals for percentage (xGF%) with tinkered lines (with Connor Bedard/Bertuzzi and Ryan Donato/Ilya Mikheyev) – which both would make for the most effective line in hockey if they were eligible (min. 70 minutes ice time). The flashes of old dominance have been there. (via MoneyPuck.)

Hall’s Contract & Underlying Numbers

Hall would just be a rental, as he’s on the final year of his four-year, $24 million deal ($6 million annual cap hit). But with the counting numbers not being too great, his asking price should be extremely low. It should be pretty easy for the Devils to get Chicago to eat a good chunk of that salary. The Blackhawks are likely still years away from contending, so taking anything they could get for Hall would be better than nothing.

And based on some decent underlying numbers, it would not be a surprise to see Hall get back to playing consistent, solid hockey in New Jersey. The forward group would look something like this:

LEFT-WING CENTER RIGHT-WING
Ondrej Palat Jack Hughes Jesper Bratt
Timo Meier Nico Hischier Stefan Noesen
Taylor Hall Erik Haula Dawson Mercer
Tomas Tatar Paul Cotter Nathan Bastian / Curtis Lazar*
(*Assuming at least one of Bastian/Lazar are healthy by the acquisition)

They could even attempt to bring back the Hall, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt line that played 49 games together during Hall’s MVP season. They had the highest expected goals for of any forward line on the team that season. While Hall may not be the same player he was then, Hischier and Bratt are much better now.

Many Devils fans clamored for Adam Henrique to return at last season’s deadline but didn’t get their wish. If Hall returned, that would quickly be forgotten. At the very least, it’s worth keeping an eye on. If his underlying numbers are consistent enough and the price and retention are right, that could end up becoming a move that pays dividends for New Jersey.

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It Happened in Hudson: After Prez Debacle, Can They Restart Engine in Time for Guv?

Don Lichterman
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It Happened in Hudson: After Prez Debacle, Can They Restart Engine in Time for Guv?

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Every college philosophy student inevitably encounters that showdown for the soul of the 19th Century between Hegel and Kierkegaard, although Hegel would argue there is no such thing as the soul, much less the soul of a century. When the materialism of the former would almost surely prevail, the student would find himself leaning again toward the Dane and some compelling reason to follow his Leap of Faith. So, it went: Hegel and Kierkegaard, Kierkegaard and Hegel, their rivalry of the mind persistent in the ongoing afterlife of ideas.

If such a place actually exists, it doesn’t reside in Hudson, decidedly the domain of Stack versus Sacco, Sacco versus Stack, their political rivalry less a material consequence of Hegel (and even less Kierkegaard) and probably more in line with the school of Thomas Hobbes, for “the state of society cannot be secure unless at the disposal of an absolute sovereign.” Sons of Hobbes, then, their mind games of two decades have kept them mostly intent on maintaining an edge in the political annals of North Hudson, the rough Hudson equivalent of Hegel and Kierkegaard.

Both state Senator/Mayor Brian P. Stack (D-33) of Union City and North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco derived from a school whereby two seats were better than one, and like the titans before them, they occupied two at a time, namely mayor and state senator, embodying the late period of dual office holding, which enabled a local elected official to simultaneously serve as a lawmaker in Trenton, in the name of “best representing the people.” Widely publicly derided before dispensed with, dual office holding served as a supposed example of power overreach. But in the years since, as a few bosses who do not hold elected office became more powerful, wielded control from the shadows, and overlorded elected officials who lacked any particular amassed power, politics watchers make a case for the value of stacked (pun intended) offices to empower those who actually put their names before the people on a ballot.

North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco
North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco (Picture by Al Sullivan).

 

Grandfathered in, Stack (pictured, top) and Sacco would labor together, side by side in mutual muscle-flexing North Hudson mode, until 2021 redistricting – arguably engineered by those sympathetic to Stack – retired Sacco as a Trenton presence with a map that broke up his legislative district, leaving him to consolidate his local empire only, while Stack carried on as Hudson’s last walking duopoly of the senator-mayor variety. Following ten years of cutthroat politics back and forth between North Bergen (Sacco) and Union City Stack), the years leading up to redistricting proved mostly amiable. Then Stack won and Sacco lost, and the rivalry resumed, Sacco leveraging with a vengeance solely from the local level. If the days of Frank Hague deciding national elections for Democrats died in the 1930s, only very marginal wins for Kamala Harris in North Bergen and Union City, with Latinos in Hudson going for Donald Trump, proved, perhaps, transcendent regional politics producing a national-level vacuum, or at least vacuity.

In such a time, with Democrats widely in despair and disarray, it looked like the perfect opportunity for Hudson to use the springboard of its own friction and make another play for statewide relevance. If the days of Augie Torres HCDO unity seemed but a memory, the two bosses appeared happy to play a Mad Max-like game of chicken over next year’s gubernatorial contest and Jersey City mayor’s race, with Sacco allies a little more collectively coy, delighting in early Stack moves that – at the very least – appear to have made matters more politically complex for Stack, and for the county.

Partly in anyone but Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop mode, Stack indicated an early preference for U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer in the 2025 Democratic Primary, but few followed him with any particular committed zest. Sacco, of course, let that endorsement hang out there, as he did Stack’s backing of former Governor James McGreevey (ironically, another of the last dual office holding guys from Woodbridge, bucking for a comeback) for Jersey City Mayor. As McGreevey tried to gain traction, Sacco was even seen enjoying the cozying up of Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea, McGreevey’s rival, and taking pleasure in publicly flirting over dinner.

Of course, Fulop running for governor threw a wrench, because he appeared to have the conviction of running against the establishment, while coming out of the most established political county, and that gave more license to Stack and Sacco to zigzag in the vicinity of others with a better shot at power. It’s pretty unresolved. In the words of one Hudson insider, “both sides are trying to put the toothpaste in the tube” at the moment regarding mayor and governor, seeking more time and – with apologies to Augie Torres – some semblance of political intelligence if not the unity of the millennium’s second decade.

“Nobody in Hudson wants a war,” the source added, acknowledging Hudson County Executive Craig Guy desperately playing footsy with all sides, even as U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill gained traction out of the gate of her gubernatorial announcement in other key counties, while Gottheimer allies considered what a path would look like if they too, like Fulop, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, could make a case (but for Bergen, where his own party chair backs him) for a boss conglomerate contributing little more than institutional corrosion. Then again, if Stack backed one ticket, Sacco – at least at this moment – appeared content to go in another direction. Old philosophers persistently at odds. By the end of it, without resolution, if the two remain intent on opposing sides, one of them could be he who makes the case against a supposedly worn-out establishment, personally representing that dwindled footprint of bossism, organizationally leading an insurrection – not with Fulop but with a Fulop-like message – against The Man.

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Morris County Promotes Shopping at “Small Businesses” on Saturday – Morris County, NJ

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Morris County Promotes Shopping at “Small Businesses” on Saturday – Morris County, NJ

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Published on November 26, 2024

Support Morris County’s Local Businesses This Holiday Season

Downtown Madison The Morris County Board of County Commissioners has officially designated Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, adopting a special resolution to observe Small Business Saturday, recognizing the essential role small businesses play in driving the county’s economy and enhancing the overall quality of life for our communities.

Small Business Saturday®, launched by American Express on Nov. 27, 2010, has evolved into a national movement encouraging holiday shoppers to patronize local businesses. This year marks the 15th annual event.

“In Morris County, small businesses are vital to our communities, serving as the backbone of our local economies,” said Commissioner Director Christine Myers. “We are proud to have helped many of them after the pandemic through a Small Business Grant program that issued nearly $11 million in aid in 2022, and we continue to invest in marketing campaigns to drive visitors and tourists to our many downtown shopping areas. Small businesses are indispensable to our county’s economic strength and quality of life.”

Small businesses also are a cornerstone of the U.S. economy.  According to a July 2024 report by the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 34.7 million small businesses nationwide, representing 99.9% of all businesses and employing nearly 59 million people. These businesses have created more than 20 million net new jobs since 1995.

Speedwell Ave Morris Plains “We support several key resources that help to drive our area’s growth,” said Commissioner Tayfun Selen, liaison to the Morris County Economic Development Committee. “The work of organizations such as the Morris County Economic Development Alliance, Morris County Tourism Bureau, Morris County Economic Development Corporation, and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce are crucial to growing local businesses in our community.”

This year, the Morris County Economic Development Alliance has partnered with American Express as an official community partner for Small Business Saturday®. The partnership reinforces Morris County’s commitment to fostering local business growth by encouraging residents to Shop Small® and support the unique character of the county’s small business community.

“We’re proud to support Small Business Saturday and celebrate the many small businesses that give Morris County its unique charm,” said Meghan Hunscher, President and CEO of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. “We invite everyone to use our online business directory, a year-round resource to discover and support local businesses throughout the county.”

Residents and visitors are encouraged to support small businesses throughout the holiday season. “Shopping small” not only bolsters the local economy but also preserves the charm and character that makes Morris County a special place to live, work and raise a family.

The final paragraph of the resolution reads:

“Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Morris and State of New Jersey, in recognition of the crucial role small businesses play in our economy and quality of life in Morris County, hereby proclaims November 30, 2024 to be “Small Business Saturday 2024” and urges communities across the nation to “Shop Small®” not only on that day, but throughout the year.”

For more information about “shopping small” in Morris County, visit the Morris County Tourism website.

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Photo 1: Downtown Madison, N.J.

Photo 2: Speedwell Ave. in Morris Plains, N.J.

 

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Let’s Get to Work on Jobs and the Economy

Don Lichterman
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Let’s Get to Work on Jobs and the Economy

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Thomas A BrackenA Message from President & CEO Tom Bracken

This month’s elections underscored that economic concerns are a top priority for voters. As we move forward, it’s critical for policymakers – at both the state and federal levels – to prioritize initiatives that foster economic growth and stability.

The Murphy administration took an important step on the economy by issuing the recently announced executive order creating a state Economic Council – a concept the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce has long championed. The Council, composed of state government leaders and members of the business community, will focus on a critical goal: finding actionable ways to make New Jersey a more attractive place to do business.

We view the executive order on the Economic Council as a first step that we hope transcends administrations, and includes legislative leaders from both sides of the aisle. Regular and sustained dialogue between the business community and government is essential to solving our economic challenges.

The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is eager to contribute to this effort, representing the interests of our member companies. Additionally, we will urge all of New Jersey’s gubernatorial candidates – both Democrats and Republicans – to commit to continuing the Council’s work in future administrations.

The timing of this announcement came just as the Tax Foundation released its annual report, ranking New Jersey 49th out of 50 states in tax competitiveness. Simply put, New Jersey’s tax structure is among the least favorable in the nation, second only to New York. 

The Tax Foundation’s findings were stark:

  • New Jersey endures some of the highest property tax burdens in the country;

  • It has the nation’s highest corporate income tax rate, and one of the highest individual income tax rates;

  • The state imposes an inheritance tax, aggressively taxes international income, and maintains some of the most poorly structured individual income tax systems in the country.

Against this backdrop, it was surprising last week to see a progressive group in New Jersey proposing further tax increases to address the state’s structural deficits. Their recommendations include new business taxes, new tax brackets for high earners, an expanded sales tax, and a revived estate tax.

We find these proposals deeply troubling. Raising taxes will almost certainly stifle job creation, drive businesses away, and further shrink our economy. The progressive group’s proposal to raise taxes in this environment is from their tired playbook that just does not work. Worse, it ignores the wishes of voters who indicated in this month’s elections and polls, that they want leaders, on the local and federal levels, to improve the economy, not raise taxes.

Instead of debating tax hikes, let’s shift the conversation to strategies that attract and retain businesses, create jobs, and make New Jersey a better place to live and work. We hope the Economic Council tackles this aggressively. With thoughtful policies and strong partnerships, we can ensure New Jersey’s economy begins a path to reach its full potential.

Tom

 This message was originally published in ROI-NJ

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Stormwater Pays No Mind to Municipal Borders—Why Should You?

Don Lichterman
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“Stormwater follows watershed boundaries, not political boundaries,” said Dr. Dan Van Abs, Professor at Rutgers University, during the 2024 New Jersey Planning & Redevelopment Conference (PRC). Many of New Jersey’s 564 municipalities grapple with flooding issues. For some, it is not uncommon for as little as three inches of rainfall to grind daily life to a halt.

The post Stormwater Pays No Mind to Municipal Borders—Why Should You? first appeared on New Jersey Future.

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Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Foolproof Ideas for Everyone on Your List

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Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Foolproof Ideas for Everyone on Your List

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N.J. American Water Foundation makes $25,000 award to help those battling hunger

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N.J. American Water Foundation makes $25,000 award to help those battling hunger

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New Jersey American Water and its foundation recently announced that the Foundation has awarded a combined total of $25,000 in State Strategic Impact grants to five nonprofit organizations that are battling food insecurity throughout New Jersey.

American Water is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S.

Mark McDonough, president of New Jersey American Water and board member of the American Water Charitable Foundation, said the company’s commitment goes beyond providing quality service.

“Food security and water security go hand in hand,” he said. “We are proud to provide clean safe reliable water to our customers’ taps and we are happy to support our community food banks in their mission to provide healthy nutritious food to residents in our service areas throughout the state.”

Five organizations across New Jersey American Water’s footprint received donations totaling $25,000:

  • Community FoodBank of New Jersey
  • The Food Bank of South Jersey
  • FulFill NJ: Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties
  • Mercer Street Friends Food Bank
  • Norwescap

Torrina Bennett-Michael, director of External Affairs at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, expressed profound gratitude for the support.

“This donation, coupled with the year-round support from New Jersey American Water for our events, enables us to enhance our efforts in providing essential assistance to nearly 675,000 individuals in our 15-county service area who are facing hunger,” she said.

Funding provided by the American Water Charitable Foundation was provided through the 2024 Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program’s State Strategic Impact grant. State Strategic Impact grants support high-impact projects and throughout American Water’s national footprint.



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Everything Else We’re Watching – Aug. 19

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Everything Else We’re Watching – Aug. 19

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Baltic Ave Canal. The city is seeking bidders for the second phase of the Baltic Avenue drainage canal project. This phase will see the pump station built out at Atlantis Ave. Bids are due on Sept. 20.

Hmmm, Bader Field activity… Speaking of the Baltic Ave canal — the engineers that did the work on phase one of that project, Remington & Vernick, just recently won a contract to prepare a remedial action workplan for Bader Field.

Donut Update. The Lower Chelsea “coming soon” Drip N Scoop project finally got some good news: $380,000 in loans from the city, backed by HUD, to put toward the total $1.8 million project cost. We updated our piece from last month with the news.

What’s Coming Up?

The C.R.O.P.S. markets in Chelsea’s O’Donnell Park are back! Featuring food, produce and locally-made chocotacos (among other local vendor specialties) as well as music and entertainment. (Aug. 20 and following Saturdays through October.)

DJ Envy presents Drive Your Dreams Atlantic City, a car show with rides, celebrities and a whole lot more at Bader Field. (Aug. 20)

Local chocolate spot Bar 32 takes over Little Water Distillery for a night of specialty cocktails. (Aug. 25)

Further Reading

Read this strangely fascinating ACUA blog post about the history of wastewater treatment in Atlantic County.

The post Everything Else We’re Watching – Aug. 19 appeared first on Route 40.

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Home Improvement Program | Cherry Hill Township, NJ

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Home Improvement Program | Cherry Hill Township, NJ

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The Camden County Improvement Authority (CCIA) administers a Home Improvement Program (HIP), which provides substantial rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes for income-eligible homeowners.  It is a 0% interest, deferred repayment loan program.   The loan is not repaid until the property is sold or otherwise changes ownership.  The Program is currently accepting applications.  

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility is restricted to residents who own their homes, meet the gross annual income requirements listed below, and who need repairs to one or more of their major systems such as heating, plumbing, electrical, and/or roofing. Please see flyer below for additional information.

Home Improvement Program Flier, explaining the program and its eligibility requirements

The maximum incomes allowed are established by the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). 

Applications

To apply to the Home Improvement Program, please request an application directly from the County by contacting the Camden County Improvement Authority at 856-751-2242 or via email.  

Other Home Improvement Programs:

State NJDCA Program:  Lead-Based Paint Assistance

Free Lead Based Paint Testing Program

Application for Lead Hazard Reduction Services of Occupied Units
Application for Lead Hazard Reduction Services for Vacant Units

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Plant Biology Graduate Students Win Accolades at 2024 International Agronomy, Crops and Soil Science Meeting : Newsroom

Don Lichterman
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Plant Biology Graduate Students Win Accolades at 2024 International Agronomy, Crops and Soil Science Meeting : Newsroom

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L-R: Plant Biology graduate students Mark Labarge, Ryan Earp, and agricultural agent, RCE of Monmouth County, William Errickson, won accolades at the 2024 ASA, CSSA and SSSA International Annual Meeting.

From November 10-13, leading scientists, researchers, educators, policymakers, students, exhibitors and government institutions gathered at the 2024 International Annual Meeting of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA), the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) to discuss cutting-edge developments in agronomy, crops and soil science. The theme for this year’s meeting was “AI Innovations for a Changing Climate.”

The annual meeting, which was held in San Antonio, TX, offered scientific sessions, workshops, poster sessions, an exhibit Hall, and student-focused programming that ensured numerous opportunities for students pursuing studies in these fields.

Plant Biology graduate student Mark Labarge.

Plant Biology graduate student Mark Labarge won second place in the graduate student oral presentation competition for Turfgrass Breeding, Genomics, Physiology, and Molecular Biology for “Evaluation of Improved Cold Hardy Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass for Use in New Jersey,” with Christopher Tkach, Eric MacPherson, Matthew Elmore, James Murphy, and Stacy Bonos.

According to Lebarge, “turfgrass managers in New Jersey face numerous challenges, such as heat and drought, that are becoming more intense with the growing effects of climate change. Plant breeders have made significant improvements in bermudagrass and zoysiagrass that make them a promising option for utilization in the state. This presentation and the associated research aim to provide information on the performance, benefits, and shortcomings of these species for turfgrass managers in New Jersey.”

Plant Biology graduate student Ryan Earp.

Graduate student Ryan Earp won second place in the graduate student poster presentation under the Turfgrass Breeding, Genomics, Physiology, and Molecular Biology category for “Comparison of Genotype Calling Methods for Kentucky Bluegrass,” with Juan Gonzalez, Christine Kubik, Jennifer Vaicinus, Josh Honig, and Stacy Bonos. 

“I presented on my preliminary thesis work evaluating different software to conduct genetic evaluation of Kentucky Bluegrass, a common turfgrass used in the northern United States. This grass has a complex genetic makeup which makes leveraging genetic information difficult,” said Earp. “My work aims to help bridge the gap between genetic information and sustainable turf traits to assist in advancing the breeding goals of the Rutgers turfgrass breeding program.”

RCE county agent William Errickson.

William Errickson, agricultural agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County, won the Outstanding Paper in Turfgrass Science Award as the principal author of the article: Errickson, W., Huang, B., Zhang, N. Promotive Effects of Endophytic Rhizobacteria on Tiller and Root Growth in Creeping Bentgrass During Drought Stress and Post-stress Recovery Involving Regulation of Hormone and Sugar Metabolism. Crop Science, 63(4), 2583-2593. The article was selected from among all papers in turfgrass science that were published in 2023 in Crop Science, the flagship journal of the Crop Science Society of America, and was noted for “its scientific merit, innovation, and contribution of novel or new approaches in the field.”

According to Errickson, “the article discusses innovative research from the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, in which a native strain of beneficial root bacteria from the New Jersey Pine Barrens was used to improve drought stress tolerance in turfgrass. Turf plants that were inoculated with this bacterium were able to maintain higher quality and grow bigger roots with less water. This research can help to conserve important freshwater resources while still maintaining healthy turfgrass in New Jersey.”



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TCNJ researcher looks into a toddler’s world of possibilities

Don Lichterman
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TCNJ researcher looks into a toddler’s world of possibilities

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A new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences sheds a new light on how young children think about possibilities.

The study, led by Aimee Stahl, associate professor of psychology, found that children as young as two can intuitively distinguish between impossible events and possible but improbable events — and that they learn better from impossible events.

In an experiment involving three toy-filled gumball machines and 335 two- and three-year-olds,

gumball machines full of pink and purple toys
Through play with these gumball-style machines, researchers determined that toddlers understand the concept of impossibility.

Stahl and research partner Lisa Feigenson, co-director of the Johns Hopkins University Laboratory for Child Development, taught children that, like a regular gumball machine, inserting a coin would yield a prize. One machine contained equal parts pink and purple toys; another contained mostly purple toys but one pink toy; and a third machine contained only purple toys. Regardless of the machine the child was presented with, the prize dispensed was always the same: the pink toy.

Once dispensed, the researchers taught the children a novel word for the pink toy — “blick” — and then measured how well they learned that new word by asking them to pick the blick from a lineup of other toys.

When a blick was dispensed from a machine that contained a pink toy — even if just one pink toy — the kids seemed unfazed and often forgot the toy’s name. But when the blick came out of the machine full of only purple toys, the kids usually remembered the toy’s name when later asked to pick it out of the lineup.

“When the pink toy appears out of nowhere as if by magic, kids are driven to explain that event,” Stahl says. “They’re curious about it. Our results show that young children are keen to seek information about these events that violate their expectations, which impels them to learn more effectively.”

A child’s ability to reason about what is possible, even if it is statistically improbable, is an impressive feat, Stahl says, since they do not yet have the language to express these concepts.

Stahl started this research as a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and is carrying it forward in her work in TCNJ’s Cognitive Development Lab — or “Baby Lab” as it is known on campus — housed on the first floor of the Social Sciences Building.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences, is an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences. The journal is global in scope and submission is open to all researchers worldwide.

— Emily W. Dodd ’03

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Atlantic City Golf Vacations New Jersey Golf Package

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Atlantic City Golf Vacations New Jersey Golf Package

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Talk Birdie to Me – Starting at $389
Midweek stay at Sheraton Atlantic City
Round of golf at LBI National (After 1pm)
Round of golf at Brigantine Golf Links
Round of golf at Renault National
Dinner at Tun Tavern ($50pp)

Starting at $389.00 per person is based on 2 people sharing a room, midweek, Sunday through Thursday.

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Hidden Creek Golf Club to be Sold to Dormie Network By Brad King

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Hidden Creek Golf Club to be Sold to Dormie Network By Brad King

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Ole Hansen and Sons Chairman and Hidden Creek Golf Club Owner Roger Hansen has announced the sale of the golf club to Dormie Network. The renowned Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw designed course was recently named among “America’s 100 Best Modern Courses” by Golfweek Magazine for the 18th consecutive year and was home to the prestigious U.S. Senior Amateur Championship in 2015. The sale of Hidden Creek Golf Club to Dormie Network is expected to be completed in mid-January.

“My wife Edwina and I felt that now is the best time to pass the ownership along to someone else, but only to a new owner who shares the same vision for the club that we have,” said Hansen. “While it was a difficult decision, we feel confident that we are doing the right thing for the club, and leaving it in the hands of an ownership group that has a passion for the game of golf and will continue to build on the tradition of quality, service and camaraderie we have established at Hidden Creek.”

“We have long admired Hidden Creek Golf Club and are very excited about the pending purchase of the club,” said Dormie Network President Zach Peed. “Hidden Creek is a world-class golf club in every way. Our vision is to bring Hidden Creek into the nation’s premier network of private destination golf clubs, further enhancing the member experience for all.”

Dormie Network provides full-service hospitality at world-renowned facilities featuring golf courses designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Coore & Crenshaw, and Lester George. The fast-growing network was founded in 2016, and currently includes five critically acclaimed clubs, each ranked among the best in its respective state. Those clubs include the network’s namesake, the Dormie Club, another Coore-Crenshaw design in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Also part of Dormie Network’s portfolio are Victoria National (a Tom Fazio design ranked among the world’s best) in Indiana; Ballyhack Golf Club in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains; ArborLinks, an Arnold Palmer Signature design in Nebraska; and the acclaimed Briggs Ranch Golf Club in Texas.

Dormie Network membership extends full member privileges and complete access to every club in the network-an arrangement that will include Hidden Creek once the sale of the club is finalized.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be welcoming Hidden Creek and its members and staff to the Dormie Network family in January,” said Zach Peed. “It’s an absolutely exceptional club and a perfect fit.”


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Celebrate the Holiday Season with the New Jersey Chamber Singers: “The Waiting Sky” Concert

Don Lichterman
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Celebrate the Holiday Season with the New Jersey Chamber Singers: “The Waiting Sky” Concert

As the holiday season blankets New Jersey with its festive spirit, there’s no better way to embrace the magic of this special time of year than with an unforgettable afternoon at the New Jersey Chamber Singers (NJCS) concert. This year, the ensemble presents a heartwarming and festive performance titled “The Waiting Sky”, an event that promises to fill the air with beloved holiday favorites, beautiful choral music, and the uplifting spirit of caroling.

A Seasonal Celebration of Music and Joy

The Waiting Sky concert is a perfect blend of traditional holiday tunes and the soul-stirring harmonies of choral music, all wrapped in the signature artistry of the New Jersey Chamber Singers. In this special concert, audiences will be treated to a range of festive classics—think Silent Night, O Holy Night, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, alongside more intricate choral arrangements that evoke the wonder and anticipation of the season.

One of the highlights of the concert will be the Messiah Sing, a beloved tradition that invites the audience to join in the singing of Handel’s iconic Messiah. Whether you’re an experienced singer or simply a lover of the music, the collective joy of raising your voice alongside the NJCS will be a memorable part of this festive afternoon.

The afternoon will also feature NJCS-led caroling, encouraging everyone to participate and share in the joy of singing together. The holiday season is all about connection, and there’s no better way to build that community spirit than through the universal language of music.

A Premier Vocal Ensemble at the Jersey Shore

The New Jersey Chamber Singers are a well-respected and premier vocal chamber ensemble, proudly based at the Jersey Shore. For over three decades, the NJCS has been known for its sensitive artistry, imaginative concert themes, and eclectic repertoire. Whether performing classical masterpieces, contemporary choral works, or holiday favorites, the ensemble’s versatility and passionate performances create a truly unique and enriching experience for all in attendance.

Their ability to blend vocal precision with emotional depth makes them a standout ensemble in New Jersey’s vibrant arts scene. This concert, “The Waiting Sky”, will surely reflect the NJCS’s signature style—delivering performances that are at once technically impressive and deeply moving.

A Welcoming and Inclusive Event

One of the most wonderful aspects of this concert is that no tickets are required for entry. This makes it a perfect event for families, friends, and community members of all backgrounds and ages to come together and enjoy a beautiful afternoon of music. While attendance is free, the NJCS will accept a free-will offering, allowing attendees to contribute in support of the choir’s ongoing efforts to bring high-quality choral performances to the community.

The NJCS’s commitment to accessibility ensures that the concert is open to all, making it an event that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their financial situation. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience world-class music in an inviting, non-judgmental setting—just the kind of warmth and inclusivity we all seek during the holiday season.

A Perfect Way to Spend an Afternoon in New Jersey

The holidays are a time for gathering, for creating memories, and for basking in the joy of togetherness. Attending the New Jersey Chamber Singers’ concert in the spirit of the season offers a chance to experience all of this and more. With its festive repertoire, beautiful choral harmonies, and the unique experience of participating in a Messiah Sing, the concert is sure to become a cherished part of your holiday traditions.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan of the NJCS or discovering them for the first time, “The Waiting Sky” promises to be an afternoon filled with wonder, warmth, and the joy of shared music. Join the New Jersey Chamber Singers for a holiday celebration you won’t soon forget.

Event Details:

  • Event: The Waiting Sky Holiday Concert
  • Tickets: No tickets required, free will offering accepted
  • Featuring: Beloved holiday favorites, choral music, caroling, and a Messiah Sing

For more information and updates on the concert, visit the New Jersey Chamber Singers’ website or their social media pages.

Celebrate the season with song, community, and the New Jersey Chamber Singers!

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company Awarded $40,000 by the New York State Council on the Arts

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Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company Awarded $40,000 by the New York State Council on the Arts

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originally published: 11/26/2024

(NEW YORK, NY) — Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company announced a grant award totaling $40,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to support the nonprofit arts and culture sector. Through New York State’s continued investment in arts and culture, NYSCA has awarded $82 million this year to 509 artists and 1,497 organizations across the state.

“As the unparalleled leader of arts and culture, New York’s creativity and innovation inspires the world,” Governor Hochul said. “Our continued investment in our dynamic creative sector will further boost tourism, strengthen our local economies and continue New York’s success as a rich and vibrant place to live, work and visit.”

Executive Director of NYSCA Erika Mallin said, “On behalf of the Council and staff, I am so proud that we are supporting the critical work of so many nonprofit organizations all across the state, including work of Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. New York State’s art and culture nonprofits make us a global leader, strengthening our connections to each other and the larger world. I thank you for your dedication and service and look forward to all your work in the coming year.”

The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award $162 million in FY2025, serving organizations and artists across all 10 of the state’s regions. The Council on the Arts further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. It was created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch.

Celebrating over 30 years of dance-making, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a rare Asian American female-created touring company that honors and advances the dynamic spirit of Chinese American cultural tradition. Led by Nai-Ni Chen, a visionary in Asian American dance, the company emphasizes the immigrant experience through multicultural performances. Founded in the early 1990s, the company’s diverse repertory bridges Asian and American arts, collaborating with musicians like the Ahn Trio and artists such as Myung Hee Cho. Recent works like “A Quest for Freedom,” developed with the Ahn Trio, exemplify the Company’s commitment to innovative, cross-cultural productions. Nai-Ni Chen’s unique choreographic styles reflect the grace and splendor of the Chinese cultural traditions she studied in Taiwan and the dynamic spirit of modern and contemporary dance she acquired in New York.

Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info

The Company’s contribution to the community has been honored by OCA, the leading national Asian American advocacy organization, New Jersey Chinese American Chamber of Commerce and the International Institute in Jersey City. The Company has toured extensively in the United States and at international festivals around the world. Their global presence includes performances in Mexico, Canada, Russia, and China, supported by esteemed institutions and foundations. Nai-Ni Chen has been honored with over 20 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, and prominent institutions – including the Lincoln Center Institute, the Joyce Theater, Dancing in the Streets, New Jersey Ballet, Ballet Met, Dancing Wheels and Baraka Sele at NJPAC – all have commissioned notable works.

Programs of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company have been made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey Cultural Trust, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, DanceNYC Dance Advancement Fund, the Hyde and Watson Foundation, E.J. Grassman Trust, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, New Music USA, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, American Dance Abroad, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ Cultural Exchange Fund, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, PSEG, Proskauer, WAC Lighting and the Glow Foundation. WQXR is a media partner of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info

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Patricia ‘Trish’ Anne King

Don Lichterman
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Patricia ‘Trish’ Anne King

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Patricia A. King, 80, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend passed away at home in Myrtle Beach, S.C., following a courageous battle against cancer. Trish was born in Ocean Township, N.J. and lived in Manasquan and Lake Como prior to retiring to Myrtle Beach in 2012. Trish taught pre-school for the Brick Township Board of Education for over 25 years. Helping children was her passion. She is survived by her husband Bill of 61+ years, sons Bill Jr. and wife Denise of Neptune City, N.J. and Derek Jon at home, grandson William D. King of Philadelphia, PA., granddaughter Kimberly Raheb and husband Rob of John’s Island, S.C., with great-granddaughter Eloise Reine Raheb. She is also survived by her loving brother Carl Embrey and wife Robin of Long Branch, N.J.

Trish lived life to the fullest as she loved the beach, traveling, skiing and rooting for her favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles. She also flirted in the sporting world competing in several marathons including New York City and the Marine Corps 26.2 in Washington D.C., a number of 100-mile bike tours, and a few sprint triathlons; although her greatest accomplishment was seeing her students achieve their goals and prosper in life.

In accordance with her wishes, a private cremation is being held, and in lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made in Trish’s memory to a charity of your choice. A celebration of life will be planned in the future at the family’s convenience.

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