Posted on 5 Comments

Judge Rules Alina Habba Illegally Serving as New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor

alina habba new york 189928420 scaled

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Newark, NJ — A federal judge has ruled that Alina Habba, former personal attorney to Donald Trump, has been unlawfully serving as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor, throwing the state’s U.S. Attorney’s Office into turmoil.

Continue reading Judge Rules Alina Habba Illegally Serving as New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor

Posted on Leave a comment

New Jersey Faces Soaring Electric Bills: Critics Blame Gov. Murphy’s $1.4 Trillion Green Energy Plan

Electric bills scaled 2954142831 scaled

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton, NJ — New Jersey residents are bracing for a 20% spike in electricity bills this summer, and many are pointing the finger at Governor Phil Murphy’s controversial Energy Master Plan (EMP). The ambitious $1.4 trillion green energy overhaul aims to reshape the state’s power grid by 2050, but critics warn it has already triggered an energy crisis.

Continue reading New Jersey Faces Soaring Electric Bills: Critics Blame Gov. Murphy’s $1.4 Trillion Green Energy Plan

Posted on 15 Comments

Chaos at Rutgers: Mikie Sherrill Heckled, Booed, and Rushed Off Stage During Campaign Stop

OIP 1159023020

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — What was supposed to be a routine campus rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill turned into an embarrassing scene at Rutgers University, where the congresswoman was repeatedly heckled, booed, and ultimately rushed out before engaging with protestors.

Continue reading Chaos at Rutgers: Mikie Sherrill Heckled, Booed, and Rushed Off Stage During Campaign Stop

Posted on 6 Comments

Trenton Democrats Play Blame Game as New Jersey Faces Soaring Electric Bills Tied to Murphy’s $1.4 Trillion Energy Plan

gov phil murphy nj generic 041518 1523813414516 5330616 ver1.0 640 3601

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton, NJ — New Jersey residents are facing steep electric rate hikes this summer, with many pointing fingers at Governor Phil Murphy’s controversial Energy Master Plan (EMP) including Gubnatorial Jack Ciattarelli — a green energy overhaul projected to cost $1.4 trillion by 2050. While Democrats in Trenton continue to blame climate change, data centers, and outside market factors, critics argue the real problem stems from Murphy’s own policies.

Continue reading Trenton Democrats Play Blame Game as New Jersey Faces Soaring Electric Bills Tied to Murphy’s $1.4 Trillion Energy Plan

Posted on 1 Comment

New Jersey Suffers 6th largest Manufacturing Employment Decline in the USA since 2000

trentonmakessign_theridgewoodblog

A new study on behalf of ETQ has identified the U.S. states that have lost the most manufacturing jobs since 2000.

  • New Jersey saw a 38.6% decline in its manufacturing employment between 2000 and 2024—the 6th largest drop in the nation. This translates to a loss of 158,975 jobs during that period.
  • Meanwhile, the state’s manufacturing output fell: manufacturing GDP decreased by 5.6% over the same span.
  • For context, the nation as a whole saw a loss of over 4.5 million manufacturing jobs since 2000 (-26%), while real manufacturing GDP grew by 45%—revealing a sharp disconnect between employment and output.

Edited by the staff of the Ridgewood blog , Report by ETQ

Trenton NJ, After decades of offshoring, the United States is attempting a manufacturing revival. Under the Biden administration, federal programs like the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directed hundreds of billions toward reshoring critical industries. More recently, President Trump’s sweeping tariff agenda has added new pressure to relocate production back to U.S. soil.

Continue reading New Jersey Suffers 6th largest Manufacturing Employment Decline in the USA since 2000

Posted on 4 Comments

Ciattarelli Surges on Local Issues in Tight NJ Governor’s Race

external content.duckduckgo 43

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, New Jersey’s race for governor is heating up, and Republican Jack Ciattarelli is closing the gap on Democrat Mikie Sherrill — thanks to a strong showing among independents when voters focus on local issues.

Continue reading Ciattarelli Surges on Local Issues in Tight NJ Governor’s Race

Posted on 2 Comments

Another Blow to Business? NJ’s New Contractor Rule Sparks Backlash

Travel Nurse Jobs 2616001706

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton, NJ — The Murphy administration is under fire yet again — this time over a controversial Department of Labor proposal that critics say could deal a devastating blow to New Jersey’s gig economy, small businesses, and worker flexibility.

Continue reading Another Blow to Business? NJ’s New Contractor Rule Sparks Backlash

Posted on 1 Comment

Federal Judge to Review Legality of U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s Appointment Amid High-Profile Murder Trial

alina habba new york 189928420 scaled

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON, NJ — the future of Alina Habba’s role fighting New Jersey’s culture of corruption as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey now rests in the hands of a federal judge in Pennsylvania, after a criminal defendant argued that she was unconstitutionally appointed and must be disqualified from prosecuting his case.

Continue reading Federal Judge to Review Legality of U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s Appointment Amid High-Profile Murder Trial

Posted on 2 Comments

New Jersey Secures Historic $2 Billion Settlement Over PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Contamination

6081145ba94d8c422e09c161 the best drinking fountains for gyms hero image

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON, NJ – In a major environmental victory, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette have announced a record-breaking $2 billion settlement to address widespread contamination from toxic PFAS chemicals and other pollutants. This is the largest environmental settlement ever reached by a single U.S. state.

Continue reading New Jersey Secures Historic $2 Billion Settlement Over PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Contamination

Posted on 1 Comment

Murphy’s Gig Worker Rule Change: Another Tone-Deaf Move That Could Kill NJ Jobs

1780f3d046bba162

O’Scanlon, Scharfenberger, and Flynn Torch Trenton’s Latest Anti-Freelancer Agenda

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton, NJ – July 29, 2025 Just when you thought Governor Phil Murphy couldn’t make New Jersey less affordable or more unfriendly to working residents, his administration is back with another anti-job, anti-reality proposal. This time, it’s a behind-the-scenes push to reclassify gig workers—think Uber drivers, freelance writers, insurance agents, photographers, and even Little League umpires—as employees rather than independent contractors.

Continue reading Murphy’s Gig Worker Rule Change: Another Tone-Deaf Move That Could Kill NJ Jobs

Posted on 2 Comments

Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli Slams Soaring Energy Costs in NJ, Vows to Restore Energy Independence

jackciat 1536x874 1

Candidate Pledges to End Offshore Wind Projects and Reintroduce Natural Gas and Nuclear Power

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Somerville, NJ — Gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli is sounding the alarm on what he calls an “avoidable energy crisis” in New Jersey, pointing to skyrocketing utility bills and failed green energy initiatives as the primary culprits. Ciattarelli took aim at Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill and Governor Phil Murphy for championing offshore wind energy and electric vehicle mandates, which he argues are driving energy costs out of control.

Continue reading Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli Slams Soaring Energy Costs in NJ, Vows to Restore Energy Independence

Posted on 7 Comments

Murphy’s Latest Tax Hikes: Cigarettes, Casinos & Real Estate – Oh My!

external content.duckduckgo 24 scaled

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, “The Only Taxes People Like Are the Ones Someone Else Pays” — But in New Jersey, You’re Probably Paying Them Too . If there’s one thing more certain than death and taxes, it’s New Jersey finding new taxes.

Starting August 1, smokers in the Garden State will find their wallets even lighter as a fresh round of cigarette and vape taxes goes into effect. Yes, that’s right — Gov. Phil Murphy and the Democrat-led Legislature have once again reached deep into the playbook of “creative revenue generation” and pulled out… even more taxes.

Continue reading Murphy’s Latest Tax Hikes: Cigarettes, Casinos & Real Estate – Oh My!

Posted on Leave a comment

School Choice Wins Big: Congress Passes Historic Scholarship Program Empowering Parents and Students

School Choice by ArtChick

photo by ArtChick 

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, in a landmark victory for school choice advocates and families nationwide, Congress has approved the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)—a transformative school-choice scholarship program that will help parents send their children to the schools that best meet their needs.

Continue reading School Choice Wins Big: Congress Passes Historic Scholarship Program Empowering Parents and Students

Posted on 6 Comments

Judges Reject Trump Pick for New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor, Sparking Clash with DOJ

alina habba new york 189928420 scaled

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, a new battle between the judiciary and the Trump administration is unfolding in New Jersey after a panel of U.S. judges voted to reject President Donald Trump’s interim pick for the state’s top federal prosecutor, Alina Habba.

Continue reading Judges Reject Trump Pick for New Jersey’s Top Federal Prosecutor, Sparking Clash with DOJ

Posted on 3 Comments

New Jersey Ranks 30th in CNBC’s 2025 Top States for Business — NJBIA Calls for Bold Reforms

murphy menendez bookerjpg f58e1b5b0959a4a0

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON, NJ — CNBC has released its 2025 ranking of America’s Top States for Business, and New Jersey landed in 30th place overall. While the Garden State scored well in some categories, its persistent struggles with business costs, taxes, and regulations continue to drag down its overall competitiveness.

Continue reading New Jersey Ranks 30th in CNBC’s 2025 Top States for Business — NJBIA Calls for Bold Reforms