The Morning Briefing - February 11, 2016
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – In what’s likely the last piece of negative news coverage from the “Christie for President” campaign, The New York Times chronicles Gov. Chris Christie’s trip yesterday to a United flight in Boston, headed to Newark. First, the newspaper accidentally (and ironically) describes him as the governor of New Hampshire, not New Jersey. Then, a reporter describes how a plane of passengers patiently waited for the governor to arrive and meander onto the flight. “Out the window, an S.U.V. limo motorcade led by Massachusetts state police swept across the tarmac, pulling directly up to the steps of the waiting plane. Mr. Christie and family alighted, and stood for a moment. Then the New Jersey governor…made his unhurried way up the steps, talking on his cellphone….But at least he stalled traffic in someone else’s state this time.”
EATONTOWN – Why drive all the way down Route 36 to Pier Village when the same experience is right off the Parkway? Sure, there is no glorious ocean awaiting you in Eatontown, but developers still want to drop $500 million into the Monmouth Mall to compete against the tourist destination. The Monmouth Mall would become the Monmouth Town Center, a 24/7 open-air hub of stores, apartments, a hotel, dining, entertainment, etc. Lots of zoning board approvals needed here, of course, and this could take plenty of years. But there is a plan. Pier Village: You’ve been warned.
HOWELL – There’s an update to the biggest news story to hit Howell. Charges have been mercifully dropped against a local woman who nursed two abandoned baby squirrels back to health. The animal lover was looking at a $500 fine, after she used social media to chronicle her efforts to save the little fuzzy things. State Fish and Wildlife officials were not impressed with her efforts, citing her for being illegally in possession of wildlife. NJ.com reports a judge dismissed the charges, saying she was issued a summonses for an incorrect charge. The woman vowed to save the lives of squirrels again – no matter what the state says.
PATERSON – City employees are getting a dose of what it’s like to work for a struggling small business, as the payroll office says it doesn’t exactly have the cash for direct deposit tomorrow. The City Council is expected to have a special meeting tonight to squeeze out $7.9 million for payroll, after its members rejected the administration’s proposed $22.5 million budget appropriation for February because spending cuts weren’t deep enough, the Paterson Press reports. Now the administration needs to drop other basic expenses, like health insurance payments, to appease the City Council. Is this the way to run a city?
NEWARK – It is Newark vs. Uber. The city is waging war on the company’s drivers who sneak around Penn Station and the airport, stealing customers from licensed cabbies. The city’s prosecutor says Uber drivers will be towed beginning Feb. 22 if they are discovered doing business, the Record reports. Response from Uber? “Instead of trying to restrict competition and consumer choice, Newark should be welcoming the thousands of drivers who use Uber to earn income and support their families,” a company official says, adding Uber will happily reimburse its app-based drivers for whatever fines and citations the city writes.
BERNARDS TWP. – The show will go on! But not on stage at a long-delayed theater proposed for the 257-unit Fellowship Village retirement community. Lively public performances – 14 so far with more to come – are dragging on before the Planning Board. Some Fellowship seniors went all NIMBY over plans for a new 240-seat community center. A repertory company and an opera group hope to use the center as a public theater for up to 24 shows, the Bernardsville News says. Naysayers cite common concerns: Noise, traffic and parking. Theater-going cars might block ambulances and early show times might cut short the mystery meatloaf dinners on theater nights. It looks like three more planning board performances, free and open to the public, on this application. Bring your own popcorn.
IN THE MEDIA
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - There's probably nobody in America - aside from those living in the Christie household - who's more disappointed about the governor's withdrawal from the presidential race than WNYC reporter Matt Katz, who recently completed a book on Christie, "American Governor: Chris Christie's Bridge to Redemption." The book has been well received, but with Christie no longer in the national spotlight, the potential audience for a tome on Christie has been greatly reduced. Perhaps a book about Sen. Cory Booker would've had a greater shelf life.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
PHILADELPHIA – Teen-aged skateboarders are not known as a major constituency for lawmakers. But that has not stopped Mayor Jim Kenney from temporarily lifting the ban to skateboard in Love Park before it closes Monday for a $20 million renovation. Some adults even admitted to the Philadelphia Inquirer about plans to ditch work so they can skateboard in freezing February temperatures throughout Valentine’s Day weekend. Apparently, Love Park is about skateboard lovers.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
You always thought Joey Tribbiani was somewhat of an idiot. But he and the other five “Friends” were able to score $24 million apiece from NBC for the ninth and final season of the sitcom, on this day in 2002.
WORD OF THE DAY
Defenestrate (dee-FEN-i-strate) — verb
Definition: To throw out of a window
Example: I made up my mind that Joey needed to be defenestrated.