The Morning Briefing - December 3, 2015
TRENTON – With the guns out of control across the country and around the world, today is an interesting time for the state Assembly to be trying – once again – to override a gun control bill that Gov. Chris Christie rejects. It is a simple request: to require anyone who wants to expunge a mental health record in order to buy a gun to first notify the cops. Apparently, that doesn’t play well with the national conservative base, as Christie’s office says his focus is a "comprehensive approach" on mental health legislation instead.
TRENTON – A no-brainer bill has zipped through the state Legislature and Gov. Chris Christie, banning any company that defaults on a subsidized loan from scoring any other grants, tax credits, bonds or loans for more than $25,000, NJ.com reports. Makes tons of sense – likely why the legislation received unanimous support. But what protects state taxpayers from bad business owners who keep starting up new companies and repeatedly applying for more state loans?
ATLANTIC CITY – The “free” summer concerts weren’t very “free,” especially when you had no choice but to park at the casinos. The golden opportunity was not lost on Caesars and Bally’s, which hiked their parking rates to between $40 and $50 for the 2014 shows. State officials said the casinos were only permitted to milk tourists at $30 a car, and now need to shell out $50,000 in fines to the state. To soften the blow, 99-cent shrimp will now be $1.09.
NEWARK – North Star Academy continues to prove it is one of the top charter schools in the country, as one of its teachers is about to get the surprise of his or her life – an unrestricted $25,000 Milken Educator Award at a surprise school-wide assembly today at the high school on Central Avenue. Shhh.
PRINCETON – We wish our own Carol Ann Campbell the best, as she is inducted tonight into Lead NJ’s Class of 2016. It is time, yet again, for the annual “Celebration of Leadership” event for this professional group of 1,300 fellows that brings the state’s best and brightest through a full year of seminars and networking with New Jersey’s leaders. Have no clue what we are talking about? Then you need to visit LeadNJ.org.
RAHWAY – Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz makes a sweep through New Jersey today. Cruz will be at the Rahway American Legion Post on Maple Avenue this afternoon to announce his New Jersey leadership team, dusting off Steve Lonegan. Patch.com says the Texas Tea Party senator will also be at an early-bird $2,700-per-plate dinner, in out backyard, at the Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains, before heading to a private home in Englewood for a $1,000-per-person soiree. Meanwhile, Gov. Christie is still on his tour of Granite State dairy farms to wave around his prized Union Leader editorial.
IN THE MEDIA
STATEWIDE – The public battle between the opinion editor of the Star-Ledger and New Hampshire’s Union Leader is a great study in the shift in journalism – for any student still pursuing the profession. Old, crusty journalism professors banged home the fact that reporters are observers, not news makers. And old, crusty editors at the Star-Ledger reminded us daily to cover the news; don’t make it. But with the advent of social media, the desperate need for “click bait” and financial survival has sent the media in different direction. Is it better? Is it worse? Or is it just different? To begin to answer the question, start with today’s front page story.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It’s unclear what car wash Latrell Sprewell is working at these days, but he will never forget this day in 1997 when he lost his four-year, $32 million contract with the Golden State Warriors for choking coach PJ Carlesimo.
WORD OF THE DAY
Louche (LOOSH) — adjective
Definition: Of questionable taste or morality.
Example: See image here.