Dustin Racioppi , State House Bureau, @dracioppiPublished 6:59 p.m. ET Feb. 10, 2017 | Updated 10:42 a.m. ET Feb. 11, 2017
Bill Brennan, a declared candidate for governor who filed a complaint alleging Gov. Chris Christie committed a crime during the George Washington Bridge lane closures, has been raising money for his bid without having filed the necessary paperwork with the state, according to records.
Brennan appears to be one of at least two candidates in the race who are soliciting donations without the legal papers in place to do so.
Glen Rock NJ, Although no one was injured in a head on crash near 594 Broad Street, Glen Rock on Sunday morning, 02/12, both vehicles were heavily damaged and had to be removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Glen Rock PD handled the investigation and crash report.
Ridgewood NJ, Rebuilding Together North Jersey will be hosting a beefsteak dinner on Thursday, March 16, at The Brownstone in Patterson. The mission of
Rebuilding Together is to help needy local homeowners improve the safety and health of their homes and revitalize local communities. The event coincides with the first night of the college basketball March Madness tournament, so guests will have plenty to watch on the big screen while enjoying good food and an evening of camaraderie with friends. As a special treat, there will be a guest appearance by Howard Cross, former tight end of the New York Giants and a current professional sportscaster.
“Rebuilding Together is a great local charity”, says John Bonfiglio, a board member and organizer of the event. “We help needy local homeowners in Bergen and Passaic counties by repairing their homes”.
The Brownstone is located at 351 W. Broadway in Paterson. Tickets for the event are $100 per person, and can be purchased on the group’s website: rtnorthjersey.org. For more information about the event, call 201-447- 8886, or email ‘[email protected]’.
To learn more about Rebuilding Together North Jersey and its mission, visit rtnorthjersey.org.
By The Associated Press
on February 11, 2017 at 11:25 AM, updated February 11, 2017 at 11:26 AM
WELLS, Maine — Scientists working on an assessment of salt marshes along the U.S. coast say half of those they studied will be gone in 350 years if lost ground isn’t regained.
Salt marshes provide vital habitat for animals and are important for their role in coastal protection. But the ecosystems along the coasts are falling victim to pressures such as sea-level rise and changing land uses, and are flooded frequently by seawater.
The U.S. Geological Survey set about to determine the danger erosion poses to eight salt marshes on the two coasts. The agency says it was surprised to find all eight of the marshes losing ground, some severely.
Fair Lawn NJ, The landing gear of a box trailer collapsed while it was parked at the intersection of McBride Avenue and Nevins Road, Fair Lawn, on Friday morning, 02/10. No one was injured in the incident and one (1) lane of the roadway remained passable following the mishap. Fair Lawn PD responded to assist with traffic control and to obtain information to prepare a property damage report. Contents of the damaged trailer were offloaded to another unit prior to it being removed from the scene.
Fair lawn NJ, Only minor injuries were reported following a crash in which a small school bus hit the concrete center divider of Route 4 eastbound near Saddle River Road in Fair Lawn on Friday morning, 02/10. The damaged bus wound up on the highway’s left shoulder, facing the opposite direction; it was removed from the scene by a hydraulic lift tow truck. A portion of the concrete divider was pushed into the left westbound travel lane, which was closed until a front end loader was able to remove it from the highway. Fair Lawn PD was assisted by a unit from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division and Paramus PD. An ambulance from Hackensack University Medical Center also responded, as did a NJDOT crew. Traffic through the area was slowed throughout the emergency response period.
Allison Pries , Staff Writer, @allisonpriesPublished 12:47 p.m. ET Feb. 10, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago
A former Glen Rock police officer who is serving prison time for sexting teenage girls and pawning guns is suing the borough for payment for unused sick and vacation time.
Eric Reamy, 52, pleaded guilty to a second-degree count of endangering the welfare of a child and a third-degree count of failure to make the required disposition of property in March and was sentenced in September to three years in prison. The original charges could have sent him to prison for 15 years.
At 9.1 percent, New Jersey’s default rate is 11th in the country, particularly good news given that students tend to carry a heavy debt burden.
Students from New Jersey’s colleges and trade schools default on their federal loans at a relatively low rate overall, although the proportion of defaults exceeds the national average at four of 10 schools.
This news comes as a package of bills designed to help New Jersey students — particularly those who borrowed through the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority — deal with loan repayment problems and the high cost of college in general awaits further action in the Legislature.
Data from the website Student Loan Report put the state’s default rate at nearly 9.1 percent, the 11th lowest in the nation for borrowers who had to begin repayment in the 2013 fiscal year, the most recent year for which data is available because the U.S. Department of Education uses a three-year period to define defaults. Of nearly 90,000 students who borrowed money while at a New Jersey school, 8,153 were in default, defined as nine months of nonpayment.
The national default rate was 11.3 percent, a drop from 11.8 percent the previous year and the third year in a row of declines, from 14.7 percent in 2010. Nationally, more than 5.2 million borrowers entered repayment status in 2013 and nearly 600,000 of them have defaulted.
One reason for the state’s relatively low default rate could be that many students take out New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students loans through HESAA. According to the authority’s 2015 annual report, it distributed more than $163 million for 10,686 students in and out of state that fiscal year. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, New Jersey is one of three states — the others are Texas and Minnesota — with significant state student loan programs.
Paramus NJ, Paramus FD units battled a smokey blaze in a single family home located at 734 Gerald Street on Wednesday morning, 02/08. Hazardous materials were reportedly being stored in the attached garage of the structure. Paramus PD, EMS, and Rescue Squad personnel were also dispatched to the scene. Members of the Oradell FD’s truck company were also observed operating at the scene.
By Claude Brodesser-Akner | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 09, 2017 at 9:28 AM, updated February 09, 2017 at 1:56 PM
TRENTON — A new poll that has the potential to shake up this year’s race for New Jersey governor shows still-undeclared Joe Piscopo is just six points behind Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno among Republican primary voters.
The Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll released on Thursday found at least half of Republican and Democratic primary voters in the state haven’t made up their minds about who to support in this very early going.
But it gives Guadagno, the Republican frontrunner, just an 18 percent to 12 percent edge over comedian Piscopo. State Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-Somerset) and Nutley township commissioner Steve Rogers each got support from 2 percent of GOP voters.
For the fifth year in a row, New Jersey has the highest average auto insurance costs in the country.
The figures are from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Christine O’Brien, president of the Insurance Council of New Jersey, says this is a result of New Jersey being such a densely-populated state.
“The chances of accidents are high. The frequency is high, the severity can be high. The cost to repair your car, to pay for your medical bills while in an accident, are all high in New Jersey.”
O’Brien says we have the good fortune of owning fairly decent cars in New Jersey, but they cost a lot to maintain.
“We also have a number of them on the road in record numbers,” she adds.
O’Brien says the average premium runs about $1,200 a year. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners report said Jersey drivers pay an average of $1,263 a year as of 2014. They say the national average for auto insurance is $866.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Remember to remove all ice and snow from your vehicle before driving, especially from the hood, windows and roof. It’s the law in New Jersey! Motorists who fail to do so face fines of $25 to $75 for each offense, regardless of whether the ice and snow is dislodged from the vehicle. If flying ice or snow causes property damage or injury to others, motorists face fines of $200 to $1,000 for each offense. There are approximately 500 fatalities in the United States per year due to icy road conditions.
Winter Driving Tips
Drive slow (at or below the posted speed limit) and adjust your speed for the changing road conditions.
Turn on your headlights, using low beams when traveling in snow.
Increase your following distance. In winter weather, travel at least eight to 10 seconds behind the car in front of you.
Give snowplows plenty of room to work. Don’t tailgate and try not to pass. If you must pass, take extreme caution in doing so. Remember, a snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see him, but they don’t always see you.
If you skid, don’t brake or accelerate. Remove your foot from the gas, and gently steer your car in the direction of the skid (the direction the rear of your vehicle is sliding.) When your car starts heading in the desired direction, carefully straighten the wheel.
Slow down before exiting the highway. Exit ramps often have icy patches, sharp curves and stalled or stopped vehicles.
Have a personal safety kit easily accessible in your vehicle that includes: an ice scraper/brush; shovel; jumper cables or battery starter; blanket; sand, salt or kitty litter for traction; lock de-icer; flashlight and new batteries; extra windshield wiper fluid; safety flares/warning device; cell phone with spare battery; water and non-perishable food (i.e., granola or protein bars); and paper towels or a cloth.
If your vehicle does become disabled, pull off the road as far as possible and turn on your emergency flashers. Remain with your vehicle until help arrives. If you can’t get your vehicle off the road and are uncertain about your safety, do not stay in your vehicle or stand behind it. Proceed carefully to a safe location away from traffic.
While rest of country showed strong 25 percent growth in solar jobs, New Jersey’s solar employment fell by 14 percent
The solar sector helped the economy grow last year by creating 51,000 jobs across the nation, but not in New Jersey, once one of the biggest success stories in the industry, where more than 1,000 jobs were lost.
While the rest of the country witnessed a 25 percent increase in job growth in the sector, New Jersey solar employment fell by 14 percent, according to the nonprofit Solar Foundation. It is one of only four states to experience a drop in jobs in the field, its annual report said.
The annual survey is startling given that the state experienced its second-biggest growth year ever, installing 353 megawatts, according to data compiled by the New Jersey Clean Energy Program. The state has more than 66,000 solar projects deployed.
For years, solar has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the economy, but the annual report by the foundation suggests otherwise. Its survey of thousands of solar businesses said total jobs in New Jersey fell as of November 2016 to 6,056, a drop from 7,071 over the previous 12 months.
James — you should post this and then seek comment from the progressive Clinton/Gottheimer fans. How much are they willing to pay Hudson County over and beyond the Abbott money already going there?
By Steve Strunsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on February 07, 2017 at 8:06 PM, updated February 08, 2017 at 9:27 AM
UNION CITY — New Jersey lawmakers from immigrant-rich Hudson County on Tuesday announced a bill that would provide state aid to sanctuary cities denied federal funds for failing to comply with immigration rules.
The bill was introduced in both houses of the legislature on Tuesday by State Sen. Brian Stack, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji and Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, all Democrats from the 33rd District.
The three held a press conference in the garage at City Hall in Union City, where Stack is also the mayor.
“Union City, technically, has always been a sanctuary city,” said Stack. “We have never turned away anybody, documented or undocumented, when they come in looking for help.”
The difference now is that President Donald Trump issued a Jan. 25 executive order intended to, “ensure that jurisdictions that fail to comply with applicable Federal law do not receive Federal funds, except as mandated by law,” specifically targeting sanctuary cities and states.
“Saw a large triangular craft and other small round craft in the sky. Likely not of this earth.”
“It was perfectly still, hovering right over a highway.”
“White ball of light flying very fast then disappeared.”
If there’s life beyond this world, they must love the Garden State.
More than 120 sightings of unidentified flying objects were reported in 2016 throughout New Jersey, according to the National UFO Reporting Center. In 2017, there’s been more reported UFO sightings than there have been weeks.
Many of them cite quick bursts of light, or “orbs” of different colors and sizes that lingered just long enough to be captured in a photo. But others specifically point to physical aircraft that look unlike anything they’ve seen before.
“When I was in the Air Force, we chased them regularly,” Medford resident George Filer, New Jersey State Director of the Mutual UFO Network, told New Jersey 101.5. “A lot of us in the military or intelligence agencies chased or saw UFOs and believe in their existence.”
According to Filer, most citizen reports are submitted during the warmer months when people are more likely to be outside. He said in the summer, an estimated 1,000 UFO sightings are reported per month nationally.
