| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Thursday morning. You know I’m sad when I don’t include an exclamation point in my greeting. The Star-Ledger, the largest newspaper in New Jersey, a once-proud publication that has won two Pulitzers int he last two decades — will cease print publication in February. That’s an awful symbolic blow to local journalism. But it’s also not a surprise that print media is going away. It’s the culmination of a long trend. What’s worse, the decision “impacts all employees of The Star-Ledger,” according the company . That’s corporate speak for layoffs. That means the editorial board will be gone: Tom Moran, Julie O’Connor and Dave D’Alessandro, along with columnist Paul Mulshine. Those were the only writers left at the old Star-Ledger entity when its parent company shifted reporters to NJ Advance Media about 10 years ago. In other words, The Star-Ledger is essentially dead. Long live NJ.com. But there’s even more bad news. The Jersey Journal isn’t just stopping its print publication. It’s shutting down entirely after 157 years. Sure, the Jersey has faced terrible cutbacks before, but the few remaining staffers continued to produce good and important work. Take its excellent critical coverage of billionaire Paul Fireman’s plans for Liberty State Park. The Star-Ledger in its announcement cited a lot of the great work that’s been published on NJ.com over the last year. But what’s been missing is the nitty-gritty day-to-day journalism about the basic functions of local government. I feel a bit hypocritical writing this from 90 miles away from the New Jersey border (though I argue to myself that I’ve paid my dues and sat through countless boring committee hearings), but just having reporters show up to local government meetings is one of the most important roles of the media. It isn’t happening much anymore. Now, Hudson County has only a smattering of local news websites , including Hudson County View. But there’s not many reporters watching. Luckily, Hudson County is known as the good government capital of the United States. But what if this was somewhere known for political corruption? This hurts. When I was a journalism student nearly 20 years ago, I set my sights on covering New Jersey politics and working for The Star-Ledger. It took me three tries, but I finally got there and worked in the Statehouse Bureau just five years after it won a Pulitzer. My colleagues were dedicated, gifted and wry. I felt a thrill when one of my stories made the front page. Come February, there will be no pages at all. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “She gave the finger and said ‘Suck my **** … I felt so bad for (the poll workers). They’re just trying to do their jobs and people are saying this god-awful stuff.” — A witness at a Hamilton Township voting place who saw a woman vote in her bra because a poll worker asked her to take off her MAGA hat and cover her Trump shirt HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Ralph Caputo, Joann Downey, John Driscoll, Rob Zuckerman, Steve Dougherty WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule
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SEEFER MADNESS — NJ cannabis regulators punt social equity tax decision with commission split, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The Cannabis Regulatory Commission on Wednesday punted — again — whether to increase the state’s social equity cannabis tax. The non-decision decision at the closely watched remote meeting showed the commission clearly divided on how to approach the proposed tax increase. But it also showed that no members of the five-member commission openly embraced the maximum allowable tax increase on cannabis that has been floated. which goes towards communities impacted by the war on drugs, from the current $1.24 for an ounce to $30 an ounce. Cannabis cultivators pay the tax. State law says the fee, known as SEEF, “may” be $30 for an ounce of usable cannabis when an ounce of retail cannabis is between $250 and $350.
B-B-B-BENNIES AND REGRETS — Murphy signs measure to head off health benefits shortfall, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday signed legislation to temporarily avert a crisis in funding local public workers’ health benefits while saying the state needs to address “broader issues” with the fund. The bill, NJ S3838 (24R), allows the director of the Division of Pension and Benefits to temporarily transfer funds between the state employee portion and local employee portion of the State Health Benefits Program if the latter falls so short on cash it can’t cover 10 days of anticipated payments. “While today’s legislation is a necessary measure, broader issues regarding health insurance coverage for local government employees are of concern to my Administration and a large number of constituencies. I look forward to continuing those necessary conversations and finding solutions to these issues in the near future,” Murphy said in a signing statement. POWER PLAY — Murphy and other blue state governors pressure PJM to hold down power prices , by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: New Jersey and other blue states are pushing the regional grid operator to take swift action to curb skyrocketing energy prices. In a letter to PJM Interconnection, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Delaware Gov. John Carney and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker praised the grid operator for delaying a planned auction that could lead to higher power bills for customers in their states and across the mid-Atlantic. But they warned that without changes to the way PJM manages its auctions, where it helps secure electricity for the grid, consumers in the 13-state region could be stuck with $30 billion more in energy costs. “This would be far beyond what is needed to send a price signal encouraging new capacity, at the expense of our consumers,” the governors said in a letter written late last week but announced on Tuesday. DO NO PHARM — Baraka pitches far-reaching overhaul for New Jersey health care, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — who is running for governor in 2025 — is pitching an overhaul of the state’s health care system that would increase stringent government cost-control measures throughout the industry while increasing programs and services for New Jersey residents. Parts of the proposal will likely face strong opposition from the health care industry ranging from hospitals, insurers and drugmakers. It would also mark an aggressively hands-on approach from government to beat back rising health care costs and change how companies are paid for providing their services or drugs. —“Judge allows man who registered one day late to vote ” — “NJ Assembly begins its own process to drop the line from Garden State election ballots” — NJEA elects its next president —“Murphy names Kate McDonnell, 18-year state government veteran, as new chief counsel” —“NJ Transit unveils first rail car to replace aging, unreliable fleet” —“ 6 corrections officers charged with lying about beating of inmate are indicted”
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MUSK WE REALLY? — Elon Musk gave us all a lesson in lying by omission Wednesday when he tweeted a correct figure but left out another one. “Republican early votes now exceed Democrat votes in New Jersey, normally a Democrat-leaning state!!” he tweeted, listing the accurate as-of-Tuesday numbers that showed slightly more New Jersey Republicans turning up at in-person early voting sites. What he didn’t include were the vote-by-mail numbers. (The Musk-backed tweet he quoted did mention the words “in-person”, but it’s pretty clear most of his followers didn’t get the distinction.) Right now there are more returned mail-in ballots than in-person early votes (that could change), and with those ballots Democratic returns are outpacing Republicans by almost three to one. As of Wednesday, registered Republicans led in-person early voting 192,729 to Democrats’ 183,262. But Democrats led mail-in ballot returns by 396,252 to 135,845. So when it comes to the combined early vote, Democrats have cast 579,814 ballots to Republicans’ 328,574. What can we read into that? Not all that much, except that Republicans have embraced early in-person voting. But it’s not a sign that New Jersey is going to swing red.
IT’S P.A.T. — “Policing, abortion, Trump: Inside a tightening race for a key House seat,” by The New York Times’ Tracey Tully: “At a candidate forum last week, the race’s high stakes and the potency of abortion rights as a political issue were on display. Mr. Kean described Ms. Altman’s support for abortion access as ‘abortion on demand,’ the same terminology he used two years ago in his successful campaign against Mr. Malinowski. Ms. Altman supports abortion access and a New Jersey law that codified the right to the procedure throughout a pregnancy. … During the forum, Mr. Kean, who opposed funding for Planned Parenthood while in the State Legislature, twice referred to doctors who ‘commit abortion.’ When asked about the phrasing, which could be interpreted as condemning doctors who perform abortions, he said he had misspoken. … He has also highlighted a comment she made in 2020 on social media that referred to ‘those of us working on #DefundThePolice in Jersey.’ She has apologized for that sentiment and disavowed it, saying she has since gained a better understanding of policing from officers and family members who worked for police agencies. But it is an issue that has resonated. At a town-hall meeting Ms. Altman held in Phillipsburg, on the state’s western flank, a member of the audience, Vinny Panico, challenged her position on policing.” THEY CAN DO SOME QUALITY TIME TOGETHER — “N.J. father, son went to Jan. 6 together and dad assaulted cops, feds say,” by Kevin Shea for NJ.com: “ A father and son from New Jersey have been arrested on multiple federal charges in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, federal authorities said. Richard Andrews, 72, of Brick, threw a chair through a U.S. Capitol window, hitting an officer, and later shoved another in the head outside the building, authorities said. He is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, both felonies. He also faces, along with his son, Keith Andrews, 49, of Howell, several misdemeanors of entering a restricted Capitol building and being disruptive and disorderly, authorities in Washington, D.C. said. The FBI arrested the father and son on Tuesday and they appeared in federal court in Trenton that day. Each was released on $100,000 bond, records show.”
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See the impact. | | | —Stile: “ What do Tom Kean Jr. and Sue Altman allege in their last attack ads? ” — “Indian Americans could play key role in swing states this election. How NJ is mobilizing” —“ Housing matters a lot to Hispanic voters in New Jersey” —Data broker offers access to voters likely to back Jan. 6 and right-wing militias —Astronaut Buzz Aldrin endorses Trump for president | | LOCAL | |
HEALTH — CarePoint announces deal to have HRH run its three hospitals, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han : CarePoint Health on Wednesday announced the formation of a new health system with Hudson Regional Hospital for the second time this year. Under the deal approved by CarePoint’s governing board, HRH — which currently operates a hospital in Secaucus — HRH will operate CarePoint’s three hospitals in Bayonne, Jersey City and Hoboken under what will be called Hudson Health System. HRH will also own the land under the hospitals in Jersey City and Hoboken, resolving potential leasing issues that have plagued CarePoint’s Bayonne hospital since HRH owns the land it sits on.
THIS CALLS FOR A GRAND MARQUIS-ITION — “DEP investigating tampering of samples in Upper Township mercury case,” by The Press of Atlantic City: “State officials are investigating a potential tampering of samples that led to high levels of mercury being detected in some wells in the township. ‘Someone with access to the initial samples is believed to have knowingly tampered with those samples that resulted in high mercury readings,’ Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, said during a meeting Monday night. ‘To be clear, the actions are shameful. ... It is downright inexcusable.’ DEP officials attended a special Township Committee meeting virtually and gave a report on the situation. Recent tests found levels of mercury in private wells above the concentrations considered safe for consumption, prompting a response from the DEP.” LORENZO’S TOIL — “I was fired for fighting for English-as-a-Second-Language classes for kids, N.J. teacher says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Anthony G. Attrino: “A former Wood-Ridge School District teacher has filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired after repeatedly raising concerns about students not receiving mandated English-as-a-Second-Language instruction. Natalia Lorenzo, an ESL and World Language teacher, alleges the district violated New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act. … Over several months, Lorenzo reported the issues to her principal, saying the lack of ESL instruction violated New Jersey educational regulations, according to the lawsuit. The school was specifically ignoring guidelines stating multilingual learners must receive at least one period of ESL instruction daily, she said. The complaint alleges Lorenzo was progressively removed from teaching ESL classes after making the complaints. In May, she was informed her contract would not be renewed due to declining student scores, according to the lawsuit.” —“The [Mount Holly] school where an 11-year-old died by suicide is the subject of a civil rights investigation” —Snowflack: “The collision in Morris, with time ticking down” —“ Four running for Hillsborough Township Committee. Here's a look at the candidates” —“North Hunterdon-Voorhees schools quickly taps new superintendent ” —“Holmdel school board candidates battle over test scores, parental rights, keeping staff” —“Atlantic County Republicans say independent ACUA may need to be dissolved to solve landfill odor” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
A WHALE OF A PROBLEM — “ Offshore wind industry says ‘misinformation’ from foes is a strong headwind it must fight,” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “The U.S offshore wind energy industry says it needs to fight back against disinformation being spread by opponents of wind farms. During the first day of a national offshore wind conference Tuesday in New Jersey, which has become ground zero for vocal, well-organized opposition to such projects, numerous industry officials said they are in a difficult battle against deliberate falsehoods. These include thus far unsubstantiated claims that offshore wind preparation is killing whales along the East Coast. ‘We know it wasn’t us, and we have the research to back it up,’ said Crystal Pruitt, an external affairs official with Atlantic Shores, which plans two offshore wind farms off the New Jersey coast. 'But the hardest thing to do is prove a negative.'”
NOT UNTIL THEY OPEN A WAWA IN MAHWAH — “QuickChek wants to come to this South Jersey community. It's up to a township board,” by The Courier-Post’s Celeste E. Whittaker : “If it has its way, QuickChek will add a second convenience store in South Jersey. The new store could rise at the intersection of Route 541 and Irick Road as part of a new project called Fountain Square, which is to include retail as well as warehouses in both Westampton and Burlington Township. … Currently, there’s a QuickChek at 500 Route 130 South in Bordentown Township, which is on the northern edge of Burlington County, near Mercer County.” —“ N.J. man charged with death threats against political commentator” —“NJ ports getting $400M to cut air pollution”
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