The Morning Briefing - February 18, 2015
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – “You out of your mind?” That’s the common response from New Jerseyans, after Gov. Chris Christie chastised New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan for focusing more on running for higher elected office, as opposed to taking care of her duties as governor, NJ.com reports. Christie made these remarks in New Hampshire, where he is running for higher elected office, as opposed to taking care of his duties as governor. This could be our favorite Chris Christie quote of all time (delivered at a GOP dinner in New Hampshire): “(Hassan) will use this platform as a way to try to increase her own visibility and run for the next job. Let's be careful. You have enough of those types in Washington D.C. already. We don't need you to send anymore there.”
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – As Gov. Chris Christie is sick and tired of these governors shirking their duties to advance their careers, let’s take a quick look at Christie’s travel schedule. We already know he spent one-third of his days in office last year in some other state, campaigning for some other politicians. In just this month, he has been to the United Kingdom (we all know about that), as well as Iowa, Illinois and New Hampshire. He’s also heading off to California and wherever else the wind takes him before the end of the month. Perhaps he will run into Governor Hassan at a Midwest airport; they can use frequent flier mileage to buy matching luggage.
TRENTON – It’s good for lawmakers to pass laws – that’s what they do, right? But there needs to be a fighting chance for the cops to be able to enforce them. The Trenton City Council keeps talking about an ordinance that would ban smoking in city parks and other public facilities, the Trenton Times reports. Makes plenty of sense, but can the city really afford to take a beat cop off the street so he can wander around the park looking for a smoker? The City Council agrees, pulling the ordinance from a vote, the second time since 2013. Maybe it might be easier to just post threatening signs.
NEWARK – Hazy potheads and their supporters will descend on the Newark Club this morning, at some point, to demand “Whatever!” and yell “Dude!,” as part of a rally to introduce the New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform campaign, calling for the legalizing, regulating and taxing of marijuana. Somehow this gaggle includes Jon Henry-Barr, president of the New Jersey State Municipal Prosecutors Association. The Newark Club, on the 22nd floor of One Newark Center, has some great views of the Manhattan skyline – the perfect place to chill and stare, as you demand change. (Sorta)
BAYONNE – Perhaps members of the New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform campaign would have enjoyed sitting on the curb, watching the show last Friday, when a drunk woman desperately tried to park her car on West 9th Street. The Jersey Journal reports she managed to slam into a Honda CRV and a Honda Civic. Police report she was “semi-conscious,” slurring her words and refusing a breathalyzer. Cops wrote as many tickets as the pen ink would allow, including driving drunk within 1,000 feet of John M. Bailey Elementary School.
MAPLEWOOD – Doing this job, we hear countless stories of teachers having affairs with their students, destroying their careers and often ending up in jail. But a Maplewood teacher has apparently set some sort of record, charged with having relations with six boys and now facing 40 counts of aggravated sexual assault. The 35-year-old teacher, who taught language arts (and other things) at Columbia High School, apparently did the deeds on school property and in her car. It gets worse: there is a video of her delivering an, um, oral lesson to one student, as another watched – likely in disbelief. She appears in court March 6. Expect it to be national news.
LOPATCONG – Snow – 1, Snowplow – 0. That’s the current score in Lopatcong, where an operator drove his snowplow into a sinkhole as he was plowing the street. Lopatcong Township officials tell The Express-Times the plow driver was able to get out of the township-owned plow and knocked on a local door with what would initially appear to be a questionable story. The sinkhole apparently was caused by a ruptured underground water pipe.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was one year ago that Coca Cola announced it needed to cut costs by $1 billion to counteract the trend of less soda drinkers, perhaps switching the famous formula for the world-class ingredients in “Dr. Dazzle.”