The Morning Briefing - July 30, 2015
WEST LONG BRANCH – You already missed it, but we will tell you about it anyway. At 7:30 a.m., the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 37 years – American Pharaoh – galloped on the Monmouth Park Racetrack for 20 minutes or so. It’s all part of the hype, as the entire region braces for the Haskell Invitational this Sunday, with a $1 million prize. One local man underscored what a big deal this is, noting someone even mowed the grass on Route 36.
TRENTON – There’s a new solution out there for the state pension mess: Have the feds pay the $50 billion tab with low-interest loans to New Jersey. Senate President Steve Sweeney is floating the idea of a $1 trillion federal loan program to support all states that are drowning in pension liabilities. Interesting if Congress would entertain this, posing the obvious question: If you ignored your pensions payments over all these years, how do we know you’ll pay Uncle Sam back?
NEWARK – It seemed the perfect arrangement for fare-weary rail passengers and NJ Transit conductors looking to pad their pockets. Authorities say four conductors would not punch the tickets provided by passengers, and then sold these valid tickets to monthly passengers at a deep discount. The four conductors will be in court on Aug. 18 to answer to the charges, perhaps arriving in Newark via these specially priced rail tickets.
WAYNE – The first big test of marriage has come early for two Wayne newlyweds, married a month ago and ready to move into the house they had spent plenty of time, money and effort renovating. A fire destroyed it early yesterday, the Record reports, as the bride watched firefighters carry her wedding gown out of the smoldering home. Firefighters say the house may be salvageable – but only after another round of extensive renovations.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jumping the fence at a zoo to pet the cougars is idiotic. Posting a video of yourself doing it takes stupidity to a whole new level. An Ohio man will have time to rethink his actions as he spends two days in jail and pays $200 in fines. Authorities arrested him after watching his YouTube video, in which he says “Here, kitty, kitty,” and "That's a good kitty," to entice the cougars at the Columbus Zoo. The man earned himself criminal trespassing charges after he apparently jumped two fences for this stunt. On the bright side, he gets to keep all his limbs.
ON THE ROAD – Carmakers are proud of how well-made their vehicles have become. And that has become a double-edged sword, as the average age of a car on our roads is now a record 11.5 years old. Sure, car salesmen note, the older models don’t have all the high-tech gadgets that have made new cars seem like smartphones with wheels. But your car can’t get hacked when your “entertainment system” comprises a Hawaiian bobblehead and a cassette deck.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
A hearty congratulations to the Tindall family of England, as rugby player Mike Tindall marries the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II on this day in 2011, showing the world the right way to marry up.
WORD OF THE DAY
Impignorate – verb
Definition: No, this word does not mean to impregnate a pig. Rather, it is to pawn or mortgage something.
Example: “I could not pay my mortgage so I impignorated my pig.”