Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 11/25/2024

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 11/25/2024

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Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “As the governor’s chief of staff back in 2021 – we had done so much, and we had tried to talk to specific groups about what we were trying to do, but the more individually we were trying to target our message, the more everybody else felt like, “You’re not talking to me.” I feel like our economic empowerment message didn’t resonate, because we didn’t broaden the message.” – Senator Helmy

TOP STORY: What Just Happened? Concluding Atlantic City Postscript

Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Power publication.

Gubernatorial candidates discuss the top issues, according to NJ Spotlight.

The feds are looking to add immigration jails in the state, according to NJ Monitor.

The AG Office’s OPIA opposed a bid to dismiss the Norcross charges, according to NJ Globe. AG Platkin punched back at Norcross’ co-defendant lawyers, according to NJ Globe.

The Norcross family bought a stake in Mid Penn Bank with a $26M investment, according to NJ Biz.

There are only a few organic farms in the state, according to NJ Spotlight.

Passaic County will spend $5.3M to create an upcounty health center, according to NorthJersey.com.

Warren County’s library commission voted to post a ‘book review resource’ for patrons.

Senator Helmy sat down for an interview, according to NJ Globe.

Rutgers is launching a ‘Democracy Lab’, according to NJ.com.

Moxie Strategies expanded its team and geography.

ICYMI: Gottheimer launched campaign for Governor; Sherrill launched candidacy for Governor; Democrats lost strength; voters aren’t familiar w/ guv candidates; Murphy addressed the loss of Democratic strength

Insiders tried to make sense of the presidential election and the implications on the burgeoning gubernatorial race.

NJGOP leaders must decide whether Committeeman Palatucci is eligible to remain in his post after staunchly opposing President-elect Trump, according to NJ Globe.

CD11 county and local officials endorsed Rep. Sherrill for Governor. The Morris County Democratic Women’s Caucus endorsed Sherrill.

The North Arlington GOP endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for Governor, according to NJ Globe. Carlstadt Republicans endorsed Ciattarelli, according to NJ Globe.

Jersey City Mayor Fulop’s gubernatorial candidacy could shake up the Bergen commissioner race, according to the Bergen Record.

In LD7, Burlington County Democrats backed a ‘caretaker’ plan to succeed Rep.-elect Conaway, according to NJ Globe. Burlington Commissioner Singh won’t abide by the plan, according to NJ Globe. Moorestown Mayor Gillespie will abide by the plan, according to NJ Globe.

In CD9, Trump won the district but the GOP didn’t invest in candidate Prempeh, who lost by a single point and plans to run again, according to SaveJersey.

Assemblyman Bergen criticized Rep. Sherrill on veterans issues.

Defense Secretary nominee Hegseth visited Franklin Lakes, according to SaveJersey.

ICYMI: Auth playing long game; guv candidates converged at League, Sherrill made the rounds, Sweeney flexed political muscle; Bergen shifted more red; more Assembly candidates joined Fulop slate; Sweeney allies see path to victory; guv race taking shape; Baraka allies energized; firefighter unions split over guv race; Dems ready to find themselves; Hispanic Democratic dissatisfaction has grown; Bramnick faces difficult path; Ciattarelli sees advantages; Duarte looking ahead to 2025

In Trenton, former Councilwoman Caldwell-Wilson endorsed South Ward Councilwoman Kettenberg.

In Atlantic City, casino earnings fell in the third quarter, according to NJ101.5.

In Boonton, a councilman won re-election by 1 vote, according to NJ Globe.

In Colts Neck, a legendary horse farm is on the auction block, according to the Asbury Park Press.

In Glen Rock, Councilwoman Viadro resigned, according to TAPinto.

In Montclair, the CFO who blew the whistle on unlawful perks may face disciplinary action, according to Montclair Local.

In Morristown, Delaney launched a GOP council bid, according to Morristown Green.

In Oakland, the Ramapo Indian schools district will propose a later school start time, according to NorthJersey.com.

In Palisades Park, an out of work employee expects to be terminated, according to NorthJersey.com. The town is investigating possible overpayments of sick leave and vacation time, according to NorthJersey.com.

In Wildwood, the Wildwoods set an all-time record for tourism revenue growth this summer, according to ROI-NJ.

ICYMI: In Marlboro, sign-stealing an issue; in Howell, GOP won election; in Marlboro, voters elected split BOE ticket; in Hoboken, Councilwoman Giattino passed away; in Howell, little unity w/in GOP; in Marlboro, tensions rising in the BOE race; in Somerville, JFK is on the ballot; in Randolph, council control at stake with huge significance

AROUND THE WEB:

Murphy delivers keynote at League of Municipalities

Raven Santana, NJ Spotlight

Local delegates gathered at the 109th State League of Municipalities conference to help their communities through pooling resources, information and innovation. And on its last day, all eyes were on Gov. Phil Murphy as he delivered the year’s keynote speech.

These are the eight most ‘old-world’ towns in New Jersey, per ranking

Kyle Morel, NorthJersey.com

When people think of New Jersey, “old-world” is not often the first phrase that comes to mind. The term generally refers to a simpler, quaint lifestyle of previous centuries. For the most densely populated state in the country that is frequently associated — fairly or unfairly — with heavy traffic on busy highways, simple and quaint are usually foreign concepts.

Democrats aren’t above the rule of law either | Editorial

Star-Ledger Editorial Board

The usual election deniers have suddenly gone silent in the wake of Donald Trump’s victory. Imagine that. But in their absence, political disdain for the rule of law seems to have infected some Democrats too, right next door in Pennsylvania. The ugly fight over its close Senate results last week should serve as a cautionary tale.

Addressing N.J.’s drought requires all hands on deck | Opinion

Mark McDonough

New Jersey just endured its driest October on record. Parts of the state didn’t see a single drop of rain the entire month, causing stream, reservoir and groundwater levels to plummet.

New Port Authority bus terminal gets NYC council OK. Are the feds next?

Larry Higgs, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Replacing the midtown Manhattan bus terminal that’s the bane of commuters and the butt of comedians’ jokes took a big step forward Thursday and could hit another milestone next month.

The Race for Governor in New Jersey: Ten Gubernatorial Candidates Declared

TAPinto Neptune/Neptune City Staff

As we close out 2024 in the Garden State, 2025’s gubernatorial field is rapidly expanding. Within the past week, two candidates whose announcements have been widely anticipated, have declared their intent to compete in June’s Democratic primary: Congressman Josh Gottheimer (Congressional District 5) and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (Congressional District 11).

Solomon Touts Increase in Payroll Tax Collections, O’Dea Chimes in with Calls for Additional Action

Daniel Israel, TAPinto Jersey City

Ward E Councilman and mayoral candidate James Solomon announced on Wednesday that over $103 million was raised through the city’s payroll tax, almost double the $67.7 million collected last year by the tax. Solomon said that no taxes were raised on any business or homeowner; instead, the money was collected by cracking down on large corporate tax evaders.

New legal claims offer ‘warning signs’ about energy firm Holtec, critics say

Jeff Pillets, NJ Monitor

New legal claims lodged in recent weeks offer what critics say are disturbing insights into Holtec, the Camden-based company pushing controversial atomic power projects across the United States. A lawsuit filed by Holtec in October claims two senior company executives embezzled hundreds of thousands from the firm in a “rogue” operation that resulted in $65 million in investment losses.

D.C. Dispatch: What N.J.’s members of Congress did in Washington this week

Joey Fox, NJ Globe

Washington is still settling into the reality of Donald Trump’s impending return to power – and the New Jersey congressional delegation is still settling into its new configuration after a year with unusually high turnover. Before skipping town for Thanksgiving, Congress debated bathroom access for transgender members, weapons sales to Israel, adoptions of Ukrainian children, and more. Here’s some of what New Jersey’s members of Congress did in Washington this week.

The O’Toole Chronicles: Thanksgiving Airport Travel Tips

Kevin O’Toole, NJ Globe

As we enter the busy holiday season, staying informed will help the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ensure that travelers’ Thanksgiving journeys are as smooth as possible. Checking the latest updates on construction, traffic changes, and pick-up and drop-off locations will allow travelers to breeze through the airport with ease, even as exciting changes unfold at some of the busiest airports in the country.

Commentary: Ideas for Morristown, from near and far, for a livable city

Linda Stamato

Why not have a look around the world to see if there are promising ideas to adapt to our local circumstances here in Morristown? As I see it, given our community of creative thinkers and doers, we can make some inroads against the impact of our changing climate and improve our quality of life.

At Eddy Awards, a celebration of state’s innovation ecosystem – and the Jersey grit that comes with it

Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com

The moment was so New Jersey, so we-were-Silicon-Valley-before-there-was-a-Silicon-Valley, so fitting of the theme of Thursday night’s 45th annual Edison Patent Awards sponsored by the R&D Council of New Jersey: Jersey Innovates, the World Takes.

Op-Ed: Jersey City’s low voter turnout dragged down Hudson County & N.J.

Hudson County View

In a editorial, Knitty Gritty JC organizing committee member Courtney Walker reviews New Jersey data from Election Day, making the case that low voter turnout in Jersey City dragged down the rest of the county and state.

Trenton victims of police brutality deserve recognition and reforms

LA Parker, The Trentonian

A recent conversation with Andrew Bobbitt ended like many others with the black political insider and mayoral assistant in full defense of Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora. With virtually no way off of an edgy cliffhanger tête á tête, Bobbitt fielded this assessment of his two-time incumbent boss — Reed is just a white dude from Princeton.

George Norcross exploited ‘overwhelming political influence’ to extort rivals, prosecutors say in fight to allow charges to reach a jury

Andrew Seidman and Jeremy Roebuck, Philadelphia Inquirer

New Jersey prosecutors balked at George E. Norcross III’s efforts to recast tactics he used to prevail in Camden waterfront land deals as nothing more than “hardball business negotiations” and urged a judge to allow a jury to decide whether the Democratic power broker had broken the law in his pursuit of lucrative property.

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Robotic Companion Pets Disbursed to Homebound Residents – Morris County, NJ

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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Robotic Companion Pets Disbursed to Homebound Residents – Morris County, NJ

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Published on November 18, 2024

Morris County Offices Partner to Provide Comfort to Seniors in Need

Morris County resident Lynn Biss receives her companion pet dog. With the holiday season approaching, the Morris County Office of Aging, Disabilities, and Community Programming (ADCP) reminds residents of the importance of supporting the senior community and ensuring they feel connected, valued, and cared for during this special time of year.

This year, the ADCP office provided more than 110 “Joy for All” robotic companion pets to qualifying residents and facilities across the county as part of an initiative aimed at alleviating social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive decline among seniors.

The program, which was funded by the Aging American Rescue Plan, allocated 20 robotic companion pets to the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, which distributed them to clients enrolled in its Project Lifesaver program. Additionally, 12 pets were donated to the Cornerstone Adult Day Center and each of the county’s 12 nutrition sites “adopted a pet” to keep onsite. 40 pets were distributed through the Nutrition Home Delivered Meals program, and Hope House will distribute another 25 pets.

In October, Christine Hellyer, Director of the ADCP office and Sheriff James M. Gannon appeared on New Jersey 101.5 FM to discuss Morris County’s “Joy for All” companion pets program.

“When addressing social isolation and dementia care, we wanted something creative approach. The “Joy for All” companion pets have been the focus of rigorous, peer-reviewed studies demonstrating their efficacy to alleviate the many of the effects of loneliness and social isolation,” said Christine Hellyer. “The partnership with the Sheriff’s Office to distribute the pets was an essential component of this program. In total, about 120 companion pets were provided to seniors or senior programs that could benefit from them.”

To qualify for a companion pet, recipients must be at least 60 years of age, homebound, and either socially isolated or experiencing dementia or a similar cognitive condition. Designed to mimic real pets, the “Joy for All” animals aim to provide companionship and comfort for those unable to care for live animals.

“Our aging community is a vital part of Morris County, and their well-being is our priority,” said Commissioner Director Christine Myers, liaison to Human Services. “By providing these companion pets, we’re not only offering comfort but also reinforcing our commitment to honoring and supporting our seniors who have contributed so much to our community.”

Sheriff Gannon, who joined in delivering a companion pet to a Project Lifesaver client, emphasized the importance of this program.

“Anytime the Sheriff’s Office can provide comfort to those in need, we are going to do it. This simple act of support provides aid to those who are homebound,” said Gannon. “We look forward to seeing the tremendous benefits of this program being passed on to a sometimes forgotten population in our community.”

The pets respond to motion and touch: the cats will roll over and purr, while the dogs bark and wag their tails. The pets do not come with names, allowing recipients the personal experience of naming their new robotic dog or cat, which they are welcome to keep for as long as they wish.

“They bring joy without the need for cleanup, which is a great perk,” said Hellyer. “It’s the best of both worlds for these homebound individuals.”

Hellyer expressed hopes to expand the “Joy for All” companion pet program, noting that the county will continue exploring creative strategies and funding opportunities to grow the program to bring joy to even more individuals in need.

Morris County Sheriff James Gannon and a Project Lifesaver client with a companion pet cat.

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Photo 1: Morris County resident Lynn Biss receives her companion pet dog.

Photo 2: Morris County resident Regina Shekon with her companion pet dog.

Photo 3: Morris County Sheriff James Gannon and a Project Lifesaver client with a companion pet cat.

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New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board Elects Seven New Members

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors on Oct. 15 elected seven new board members. These accomplished leaders, from a variety of industries and regions across the state, will contribute to the Chamber’s mission of fostering a dynamic and thriving business environment in New Jersey.

The new board members are:

A. Michael Candido
President, J. Moore & Co. Mechanical Contractors

Diane Conboy-Kirshenbaum
Senior Managing Director, Market President, Peapack-Gladstone Bank

Stephen Dilts
Senior Vice President-New Jersey Office Leader, HNTB Corporation

Lawrence R. Inserra III
President, Inserra Supermarkets

Max Leventhal
Director of Business Development, Fedway Associates

Phillip Vavala
Region President, Atlantic City Electric

Deborah Visconi
President and CEO, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

“There are many opportunities and challenges facing New Jersey – and these individuals will provide counsel and expertise as we work collaboratively to ensure the state reaches its full economic potential,” said Thomas Bracken, president & CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. “They will be joining a Board with an already impressive group of New Jersey business leaders.”

The board provides guidance to chamber staff on policy issues affecting New Jersey’s short- and long-term economic growth. There is a special emphasis on matters involving Economic Development & Taxation, Education and Workforce Development, Environment & Energy, Government Reform, Healthcare and Transportation.

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Heat, Air Quality, and Hope: Community Research and Resilience in Elizabeth, NJ

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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Heat, Air Quality, and Hope: Community Research and Resilience in Elizabeth, NJ

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July 30th, 2024 by Sabrina Rodriguez-Vicenty

Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsFamartin

Elizabeth is nestled on the shore of Newark Bay in Union County, a dense, urban enclave in the heart of the Meadowlands estuary and wetlands. Our neighbors include: the Newark Liberty International Airport, where planes fly by my apartment multiple times a day creating noise nuisance. The Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the third-busiest container port in North America, and principal facility for goods entering and leaving the Northeastern United States. The Bayway Refinery, a petrochemical complex in operation since 1908 that produces gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, propane, and heating oil. And Exit 13 of the NJ Turnpike, where every day a quarter of a million cars and trucks emit carbon dioxide and release tire particulate matter into the nearby community. Needless to say, Elizabeth has the qualifications to be classified as an environmental justice community by the EPA, and as one of the most polluted municipalities in the nation is recognized by the state as an environmentally overburdened community.

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, a small Caribbean island rich in natural resources that suffers from environmental issues like flooding, hurricanes, heat islands, and lacks autonomy and representation, and therefore financial resources for disaster recovery and mitigation. Two years ago, I moved from Puerto Rico to Elizabeth, to attend Rutgers University to study public policy. When I opened my mailbox for the first time in my new home I was greeted by a startling welcome — I received a postcard for a class action lawsuit, which read: “If you’ve lived in Elizabeth or Linden for 10+ years, you may be eligible for compensation regarding environmental hazards.”

“Elizabeth, New Jersey was part of a nationwide study of five cities where all of the maps showed the same stories, that redline areas were prone to heat and flooding issues as well as air quality, which raised asthma rates and health conditions for its residents,” John Evangelista, Ground Works Elizabeth. As a minority woman of color, it seems that, at least for me, there is no escaping environmentally overburdened places to live, or is there?

The panelists of the 2024 NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference session “Beating the Heat and Bad Air in Elizabeth, New Jersey” contributed a variety of experiences and deep firsthand knowledge that suggests there is reason for optimism. The session moderator was Clinton Andrews from Rutgers University, who led a community-based participatory research study funded by the National Science Foundation and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to better understand heat and pollution effects in Elizabeth. Other panelists included Carmen Rosario, a Master’s in City and Regional Planning student from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Policy, and Jennifer Senick, Senior Executive Director of the Center for Urban Policy Research both at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and Ground Works Elizabeth’s Deputy Director John Evangelista.

Rutgers’ research goal was to monitor the impact of heat exposure both outdoors and indoors in select Elizabeth Housing Authority (HACE) sites. Affordable housing locations include greater vulnerable populations like seniors and people with asthma, among residents with other health conditions. The study uses sensors and micronets to achieve a smart city paradigm that raises awareness to environmental stressors, enables greater community-level advocacy, and builds citizenship engagement. For the outdoor portion of the study, they installed sixteen sensors around HACE sites, a step that should be implemented in other EJ EPA communities. For the second portion of the study, connections were established between indoor and outdoor air quality using personal exposure measurement devices to identify how personally folks are exposed to environmental stressors, such as indoor smoking, cooking and cleaning choices, and (frighteningly) opening windows.

See page for author, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Key partners:

This research brought together two key partners. The Bloustein microclimate class helped in identifying, through geospatial analysis, community asset maps that included: hospitals, cooling stations, adult day centers, senior citizen centers, libraries, and food pantries. Students also identified policy adjustments for community health, and infrastructure focus to mitigate risks. The second partner was Groundwork Elizabeth, a community-based organization that has worked for over twelve years to develop public health and environmental programs for Elizabeth. Recently, Groundwork Elizabeth launched the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Initiative, a community-based task force advocating municipal policies to mitigate climate change impacts.

Lessons learned:

There were many various stakeholders in the project, each with their own needs. Researchers quickly identified the need to create a customized user experience for the community members. The project used community engagement in system design, including product design—hearing and listening sessions and brainstorming workshops—to answer varied demands. As Elizabeth has a predominantly Hispanic population, it was important to meet the community in their community centers, translate to Spanish, and provide multilingual engagement sessions. The student researchers and future planners learned the importance of conciseness when presenting findings by using relatable language. Another lesson learned is that developing connections and trust requires time. It is not possible to drop sensors into a community by parachute; Groundwork Elizabeth’s more than a decade of community involvement work, along with related relationships, all contributed to the project’s growth and development.

There are troubling connections between race-based housing segregation and climate change. Those who have contributed the least will pay the most. With increasing technological advances and accessibility to micronets and sensors, the hope is that this study is replicated in other environmentally overburdened communities. Although the model requires expertise, deep engagement, and grant support, it’s transferable and replicable across New Jersey and the nation. It is important to use socio-ecological systems framework to connect social and natural sciences; which can identify solutions to complex challenges like heat exposure and find diverse partners to solve them. It is imperative to continue research and present findings to communities that suffer from environmental hazards, so they can make informed decisions about their health.

Posted in Climate Change and Energy, Development and Redevelopment, Environment and Agriculture, Housing and Equity

Tags: 2024 NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference, Affordable housing, air pollution, clean air, climate change, extreme heat, health, Housing, housing and equity, pollution, public health, segregation

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5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Guests Feel at Home

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Guests Feel at Home

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Governor orders departments to freeze hiring, salary increases – and reduce budgets by 5%

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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Governor orders departments to freeze hiring, salary increases – and reduce budgets by 5%

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In the latest acknowledgement that the long anticipated ‘fiscal cliff’ is coming, the Murphy administration, in an email sent last week, notified the heads of all the cabinet departments that the state will pause approvals for discretionary salary increases and that each department should limit new hire requests to those that are “mission critical” to the functioning of the department, ROI-NJ has exclusively learned.

ROI-NJ also has learned the email, sent last Thursday afternoon, comes approximately seven weeks after the administration told all the department heads, in an email sent Oct. 1, that they should be prepared to cut their operating budgets by 5% for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

Both emails were seen by ROI-NJ.

The governor’s office acknowledged the emails but declined a request to comment.

Someone who is familiar with the situation but is not authorized to speak publicly on the directives, said the emails are intended to reinforce the idea that the state does not have unlimited funds and must adjust the way it spends money.

“They are warnings about the state of the budget,” the person said. “The governor is really focused on tightening the belt in terms of state spending.”

Thursday’s email, sent by the governor’s chief of staff, Tim Hillmann, said the freezes were being made to “conserve state resources.” It noted that the directive comes “effective immediately and with limited exception.”

Those exceptions include anything required by law, court order or collective bargaining. People who have been hired and are in the process of being on-boarded are excluded from the request.

The email on Oct. 1, which was sent by the Office of Management and Budget, asked each department head to submit their 5% savings proposals by Nov. 12. It is unclear how many departments did, though there is no reason to believe any did not.

The need to cut government spending should not necessarily be seen as a surprise. Those in state government have long known that New Jersey (as well as many other states) would be facing a “fiscal cliff” while preparing their Fiscal Year 2026 budget, as nearly all of the government funding from the pandemic will have run out – among other reasons.

How all of this will impact the governor’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026, his final budget, remains to be seen.

By nearly every metric, the state’s finances are in better shape now than when the governor took office in January of 2018. The state has made a full pension payment for the past four budgets (after decades of underfunding) and had a $6.1 billion surplus following the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

Both of these actions are among many reasons the state has earned repeated upgrades by the credit ratings services during Murphy’s time in office.

That being said, the budget for Fiscal Year 2025, which was passed at the end of last June, was for $56.6 billion – or more than $20 billion more than the last budget of his predecessor, Gov. Chris Christie. It was an alarming total for some, considering the expected cliff that was ahead.

The Fiscal Year 2025 budget also came in at $1.8 billion more than the expected revenues, according to N.J. Spotlight’s John Reitmeyer, an undisputed expert on all things involving the budget.

Some have been suggesting this type of government spending freezes – and cuts – for some time. The governor appears to be agreeing with them.

At least that’s the view of the person familiar with the situation.

“This should be seen as the first warning shot,” the person said.

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Who Is Responsible For What In Atlantic City? And How Can Citizens Have Their Say?

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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Today is Democracy Day, and Route 40 is joining newsrooms across the country to shine a light on threats to democracy and what action is needed to protect it.

Atlantic City is different from other municipalities in New Jersey. Citizens can directly elect the mayor and a local council representative, but planning and development for large swathes of city property are under state control through the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. In addition, all spending by the city government is overseen by the state, under emergency powers enacted in 2016 and extended in 2021.

Local residents and citizens have limited opportunities to engage with state decision-makers in Atlantic City. The state-appointed Atlantic City Restart And Recovery Working Group does not meet publicly or publish meeting minutes. A spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Community Affairs said on Sept. 15 she did not know when their next meeting would take place. This group is the last remaining vestige of more substantial state involvement in the city that included the Atlantic City Executive Council, the Atlantic City Coordinating Council and the Atlantic City Initiatives Office, which were folded into the Restart and Recovery Working Group earlier this year. Meeting details from the Executive Council’s meetings since 2018 are available here.

The City Of Atlantic City Government

The City of Atlantic City’s council and mayor is directly elected by local resident citizens. They make decisions about planning and spending in the city’s neighborhoods that are outside of the tourism district.

Council and committee meetings are open to the public and are also broadcast live to the city’s website.

We are reaching out to members of the council about how they would prefer to be contacted and we will update this page with their details.

Mayor Marty Small was appointed mayor in 2019 after previous Mayor Frank Gilliam resigned. He was elected to a one-year term in a special election in 2020 and re-elected in 2021 to a four-year term
1^st Ward Councilman Aaron “Sporty” Randolph is serving his third five-year term and will face re-election in 2025. His phone number and email address are available on the city’s page (we tried emailing him today and received no immediate response)
2^nd Ward Councilwoman LaToya Dunstan . She can be reached via Facebook (we tried today and received no immediate response)
3^rd Ward Councilman Kaleem Shabazz was first elected in 2015. His current term ends in 2023. His phone number and email address are available here
4^th Ward Councilman Md. Hossain Morshed was first elected in 2019. He was arrested on Sept. 1 2022 and did not respond to a request for comment as of Sept. 15. He can be reached via Facebook
5^th Ward Councilman Muhammad “Anjum” Zia was elected in 2019. He can be reached via Facebook
6^th Ward Councilman Jesse Kurtz was first elected in 2015 and his current term expires in 2023. His contact details are available here
Council President and Councilman-at-large George Tibbitt was first elected in 2014. His contact details are available here
Councilwoman-at-large Stephanie Marshall was first elected in 2021 on a ticket with Mayor Small, Councilman Weekes and Councilman Tibbitt. No contact details are available for her and we could not reach her
Councilman-at-large Bruce Weekes was elected with Marshall, Tibbitt and Small in 2021. No contact details re available for him and we could not reach him

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority

The CRDA controls planning and “clean and safe initiatives” in the tourism district, which is about half of the entire city and encompasses the area around the Bboardwalk and marina-district casinos, Stockton University’s Atlantic City campus and the central business district, which comprises Tanger Outlets’ The Walk as well as the convention center and planned ShopRite.

CRDA is a state authority with a board of directors that makes decisions about its budget and staff, alongside an executive director who is directly appointed by the governor. Current Executive Director Sean Patwell was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy in March 2022. The executive director and most of the board members live outside of Atlantic City, and their contact details are not shared with the public.

CRDA holds public meetings usually on the third Tuesday of each month at 2pm. The authority may also hold public planning hearings.

The board of 17 directors is structured like this:

Six public members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the State Senate for four-year terms
Two members appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the State Senate for a four-year term
Two members appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly for a four-year term
Two casino representatives appointed by the Governor for two-year terms.
One member of the Casino Control Commission appointed by the Governor, currently CCC Chairman James Plousis
The Mayor of Atlantic City Marty Small
The State Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio
The State Attorney General Matthew Platkin
One member appointed by the Governor, who shall be either the Commissioner of the Department of Commerce and Economic Development or the Department of Community Affairs, or the Governor may appoint, in lieu thereof, an additional member of the Casino Control Commission as a voting member: currently, Lieutenant Governor and Commissioner for the Department of Community Affairs Sheila Oliver

State Legislators

New Jersey is divided into 40 different districts and Atlantic City is part of District 2. Atlantic City’s state representatives from District 2 are Senator Vincent Polistina (Republican), Assemblyman Donald Guardian (Republican) and Assemblywoman Claire Swift (Republican). Their contact details are publicly available and you can check their voting records on the state legislature’s website.

Polistina won a general election in November 2021, replacing previous state Senator Chris Brown, who retired. Polistina’s term ends in 2024.

Guardian and Swift were also elected in the November 2021 general election and their term also expires in 2024.

Federal Officials

The current members of the U.S. Senate from New Jersey are Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat) and Senator Cory Booker (Democrat). Atlantic City is part of New Jersey’s District 2, which is represented in Congress by Representative Jefferson Van Drew (Republican).

Menendez has been a senator since 2006 and his current term expires in 2024, while Booker has been a senator since 2013 and his current term expires in 2027. Van Drew was first elected as a Democrat in 2019 and re-elected as a Republican in 2020. He will be up for re-election again in the November 2022 general election.

Elections

Atlantic City residents can vote in school board, municipal, state and general elections if they are eligible to register to vote. Atlantic County publishes an election guide on its website that includes details about who is eligible to vote, how to register and when and where elections take place.

The Incarcerated Population

Atlantic City residents who are incarcerated are now counted at their address prior to incarceration for both congressional and state legislative redistricting, under legislation enacted by Governor Phil Murphy in 2021. This matters because Atlantic City has the state’s second-highest rate of incarceration, with 479 residents in state prisons in 2020.

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Gold Card Discount Directory | Cherry Hill Township, NJ

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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Gold Card Discount Directory | Cherry Hill Township, NJ

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CONWAY & SARDINA COSMETIC & FAMILY DENTISTRY

1500 N. Kings Highway, Ste. 100 A, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
856-795-0900
www.conwaysardina.com

10% senior citizen discount. This offer does not apply to patients with dental insurance. Cannot be combined with other discounts and offers.

DR. INSANA’S WELLNESS CENTER, LLC

2028 Chapel Ave., Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
856-662-4848

Free initial consultation ($90 value) and free spinal screening.

JAG PHYSICAL THERAPY

170 Barclay Farms Shopping Center, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
856-795-9515
www.jagonept.com

Outpatient physical therapy.

JAG-ONE Physical Therapy offers complimentary consultations and complimentary balance screenings.

LYLE M. BACK, MD COSMETIC SURGERY CENTER AND COSMETIC SKIN CARE SPECIALISTS OF CHERRY HILL

1942 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
856-751-7550
www.ilovelyleback.com

The Lyle M. Back, M.D. Cosmetic Surgery Center and Cosmetic Skin Care Specialists of Cherry Hill is a “California style” plastic surgery destination. We offer the most modern cosmetic procedure techniques available. Dr. Back works with you to achieve your goals and to create that artistic balance between enhancement and looking natural – a look that suggests you “always looked this good.”

Our services include surgical procedures such as Face Lift, Neck Lift, Eyelid Lifts, Rhinoplasty, Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation, Liposuction, Male Breast Reduction; non-surgical procedures such as Facial Fillers (Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse, Belafill, Voluma), Botox, Xeomin, Dysport, Facial Laser Rejuvenation, Microneedling Skin Rejuvenation, Verju Green Laser for Cellulite and Fat Reduction, Nourishing Skin Facials, Obagi Blue Radiance Peel, Microdermabrasion.

Complimentary Consultation ($100 value)
5% off all surgical and non-surgical procedures
15% off all in office skin care product purchases (Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount. The offers listed have no cash value.)

MITCHELL BRUDNO, DMD

1021 Marlton Pike W., Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
856-429-4249
www.drbrudnodmd.com

10% senior discount on all services.

ORIENTAL HEALING

10 W. Ormond Ave., Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
856-857-9494

$20 off of the first visit for acupuncture services
One free Tai Chi class

SPECIALIZED PHYSICAL THERAPY, LLC

1919 Greentree Road, Suite B, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
856-424-0993
www.specializedphysicaltherapy.com

Specialized Physical Therapy, LLC is an independently owned and operated physical therapy private practice located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We emphasize a hands-on individualized approach for our patients and clients focused on achieving optimal results that you need and deserve! Our clinical staff is highly trained and skilled and ready to help you improve your quality of life.

Free computerized balance assessment ($100 value)

3D PHYSICAL THERAPY

496 Kings Highway North, Suite 110, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
856-438-5633
www.3dpt.com

We specialize in rehabilitation for non-operative treatment of arthritis and post-operative rehabilitation following total joint replacement. Medicare and most insurances accepted.

Free consult with a physical therapist for any joint, spine or muscle pain
Free balance screen and risk for falls assessment.

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Rutgers-created F.I.R.E Hot Sauce Packs a Punch : Newsroom

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

0

Rutgers-created F.I.R.E Hot Sauce Packs a Punch : Newsroom

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This little bottle of hot sauce is used to tell the FIC story of bringing new value-added products to market and is not available for sale to the public.

Like “The Little Engine That Could,” this small bottle – just 5.5 ozs – of hot sauce is meant to convey the enterprising work of the team at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center (FIC) in their quest to bring hope to entrepreneurs looking for commercial success for their food-related products.

A unique business incubator that is part of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), the center supports start-ups as well as established businesses, here in the US and globally. FIC offers a deep well of resources to support clients from concept to commercialization and has successfully helped 3,000 businesses over the past 24 years.

Recently, the FIC team turned the tables and created their own new innovative product – Rutgers F.I.R.E. Hot Sauce, which derives its label from the original name of the center, the Rutgers Food Innovation Research and Extension Center, F.I.R.E.

Some of the team members who developed the Rutgers F.I.R.E. hot sauce. Not pictured: Nolan Lewin and Cory Piccioni.

A culinary expert, Craig Peck is the senior manager for business development at FIC. He and colleagues created this new product, in part, in recognition of the center’s origins.

However, he’s quick to point out that the new product also had a practical aim. As Peck and colleagues engage the public about what the center does, they found that trying to explain the concept of innovation hard to quantify.

“Innovation can mean different things to different people,” explained Peck. So, the idea was to have a giveaway as they deliver their ‘elevator speech’ about the capabilities of the center but also highlight its value to New Jersey agriculture and commercializing new and exciting food-related products.

Peck calls the creation of the new hot sauce a “true team effort” that includes Nolan Lewin, executive director, Julie Elmer, associate director for food technology, Zuri Masud, food technology associate, Mellonie O’Neill, who is responsible for Quality Assurance Compliance and Training, and Corey Piccioni, senior manager of production planning and facilities.

Peck talks about what makes the FIC special and how the team came up with its own in-house innovation, the new Rutgers F.I.R.E. Hot Sauce.

What makes FIC different from other food innovation and incubator facilities?
One of the big points of difference that makes FIC unique is that they are an FDA and USDA inspected facility. The products produced in our facilities are commercially viable, meaning the products can be sold to consumers.

How did the idea to create a new product come about? And why create a hot sauce?
We wanted to create a product that could be used to talk about the center and highlight our capabilities and what we do best. So, being able to market the center with a product made a lot of sense to us. We have no plans to make this commercially, but the team is considering using it for fundraising in the community in the future. We felt a hot sauce was the right product and a good fit to demonstrate our capabilities. That the product is packaged in glass, is shelf stable and an acidified hot-fill product were all appealing to the team.

How did you go about creating the recipe for the sauce?
The cross functional team worked closely together and developed and tasted many iterations of the product. Part of the process was trying different ingredients and peppers. During the process, a suggestion was made to include cranberries in the formulation, and this was a key turning point in the development of the product.

In thinking about how to create the product we knew we wanted to highlight New Jersey ingredients and tie in the agriculture in the state. The cranberries used are grown in New Jersey and are sourced from the Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research, one of the NJAES research centers located in Chatsworth, NJ.

The variety of peppers we used are pumpkin habanero peppers sourced from Rutgers Gardens and the honey in the hot sauce was from our own Nolan Lewin’s hives in Hammonton, NJ.

We also wanted this product to demonstrate how to create value-added products utilizing the agricultural products grown within the state. Doing so directly helps local farms and agriculture, and this leads to economic growth and job creation. This is an important part of what we do at FIC.

How does the Rutgers F.I.R.E. hot sauce compare to other hot sauces?
FIC has worked with many hot sauces over the years. In addition, the team typically tastes about 200 to 300 hot sauces a year, so it is a category we are very familiar with.

The Rutgers F.I.R.E. Hot Sauce has an interesting flavor profile, different from many other hot sauces. The cranberries in the product give the hot sauce an interesting tart flavor and a richer ruby red appearance.

What has been the reaction from people who’ve tasted the product?
Nothing but rave reviews. We keep getting requests for additional samples. This kind of enthusiastic reception is motivating us to come up with new products. Stay tuned.

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TCNJ dedicates Emergency Operations Center to former police chief John Collins

Don Lichterman

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25 November 2024

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TCNJ dedicates Emergency Operations Center to former police chief John Collins

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The College of New Jersey recently unveiled a plaque dedicating Room 103 in the Administrative Services Building, also known as the Emergency Operations Center, in honor of former chief of campus police John Collins, who passed away in April.

The EOC is a central location for command and control of first responders in the event of a large-scale event or emergency on campus. The center is typically activated for events that require a higher level of coordination and resource management, such as natural disasters or other major incidents affecting the campus community. It serves as a centralized location for responders and college personnel to collaborate, make decisions, and ensure a coordinated approach to resolving the incident.

Collins served as chief of TCNJ campus police from January 2008 through December 2016. During his tenure, he transformed the department, bolstering its operational effectiveness and forging strong partnerships across the campus and throughout the region.

He placed an emphasis on community policing and leveraged his emergency services expertise to build the college’s critical incident team.

Collins also helped lead the college’s local response to Superstorm Sandy in 2012, serving as a trusted advisor to campus leadership and a valued resource to the campus community.

Prior to his arrival on our campus, Collins was an officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department. It was in this capacity that he responded to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, a tragedy that took the lives of 37 of his PAPD colleagues.

“John’s leadership elevated the professionalism of campus police,” said Tim Grant, current chief of TCNJ campus police. “His heroic sacrifice in the aftermath of September 11 stands as a testament to his unwavering commitment to selfless service. We dedicated the Emergency Operations Center in his honor with deep respect and profound gratitude.”

— Luke Sacks

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