The Morning Briefing - June 19, 2015
LODI - Just shut up and go to Harvard. That's the prevailing message for the outspoken valedictorian of Lodi High School - now a national news story for being banned from graduation. School officials apparently suspended their Number One student after a veiled threat at a guidance counselor and some previous disciplinary issues, telling him "no thanks" to a valedictorian speech. The student says he won't fight the ban anymore, a wise decision as the bow-tied Harvard admissions officer is likely giving his folder another cautious look-over. For those who care, NJ.com has the kid's speech here.
SEAVILLE - Authorities say a father and son team of volunteer firefighters hosed their fire department, submitting bogus receipts for reimbursements. The dad, the former volunteer fire chief, admitted to reaping about $46,000 in fake training and clothing reimbursements and is looking at five years in jail. (Pilfering the town's fire department is disgusting, but we've continually heard of harder criminals who serve less than five years.) Meanwhile, junior is still facing charges of getting a $1,275 reimbursement for a training class he never attended, the Press of AC reports.
ROBBINSVILLE - Plenty of eyes today on Amazon, as corporate heads give the first public tour of its massive, "eighth-generation" fulfillment center that opened last year. It is more than one million square feet of space, with robots, 2,500 employees and every possible product you could conceivably purchase. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno leads 100 local dignitaries and a gaggle of media through the latest and greatest Amazon enterprise.
TRENTON - For years, we have cringed when government has referred to people with disabilities as being "handicapped." Such archaic language originated from a time when the term "moron" was an actual medical diagnosis. The state also wants to finally get rid of "crippled" and "mute" and "drug addict." So, thank you, Mr. and Ms. Legislator, for pushing a state law to strike all this pejorative language and move New Jersey into a kinder and gentler 21st century, with hopefully no more morons.
NEW BRUNSWICK - Rutgers basketball fans are always grousing about the lousy, outdated RAC, which looks like a giant toaster they stopped manufacturing in 1970 because of chronic malfunction. The Board of Governors agrees that something needs to be done to recruit some decent Big 10-caliber talent, approving the concept of an adjacent facility for basketball, volleyball and wrestling. It is part of a laundry list of suggested improvements to the RU athletic facilities. All good, but it will be up to donors to pony up more than $100 million to make it happen. Or perhaps the expense can be tacked to the mysterious fee section of the student bill and hope no one notices.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
OREM, UT - Ever get stuck behind some yahoo who mindlessly walks as he texts? Utah Valley University - a school we never heard of either - has a solution. The school has created designated walking lanes for texters at its rec center. The neon green lane now separates the runners, the walkers and the texters. It's gone viral on social media, as expected with all those texters ambling down their lane.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was one year ago today the U.S. Patent and Trademark office declared it is not a Washington Redskins fan, canceling trademarks for the team, calling the Redskins "offensive to Native Americans."
WORD OF THE DAY
Sialoquent - adjective
Definition: Spitting while speaking
Example: The sialoquent senator never figured out why the front row of his press conferences was always empty.