The Morning Briefing - February 18, 2016
NEWARK – It is of absolutely no surprise that the Newark Public Schools are plagued with chronic absenteeism. (Just walk around downtown at 2 p.m. weekdays.) But now there is an official report about it, which is prompting an official response. Superintendent of Schools Christopher Cerf is forming an official "Attendance Committee," comprising school and community leaders, to focus on causes and effects of kids ditching school. The report shows about half of high school students missed 18 or more days during 2014-15 – up 8 percent over the last three years, NJ.com reports. Time for an official response.
NEWARK – Federal prosecutors ignored Mark Twain's advice to “never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel” and have asked a U.S. District Court judge to deny the news media access to names of “unindicted co-conspirators” in the Bridgegate mess. Prosecutors aren't wrong: Justice Department policies prohibit them from outing uncharged third parties. And sure, some names may not have an ounce of evidence value or relevance at trial. But the media doesn't play by rules of evidence. Plenty of ordinary people are itching to know which other public officials may have trampled their trust. The Star-Ledger, the Record, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and news outlets see a clear mission: Name those names, and let the public judge for itself.
BAYONNE – Everybody's heard of school dropouts, but school board dropouts? Well, school trustees here seem to be dropping out with some frequency. Another unexpected resignation on Tuesday makes the third trustee to quit the nine-member board since Dec. 31st, N.J. Advance Media reports. The latest trustee to depart – to care for a gravely ill family member – was among the first five members to be elected since the 2014 switch from an appointed board. Media reports say he was also among six trustees with conflicts-of-interest involving the teachers union. Luckily, there is no shortage of willing replacements. So far, 18 people have applied to fill the first few vacancies. More are likely to crop up for this third empty seat.
BERNARDS TWP – Plenty of towns make homeowners keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice, but Bernards won't be among them. After hearing residents gripe about hardships for seniors and enforcement challenges, the Township Committee rejected a shoveling ordinance for the third time in a decade. Because some homes have sidewalks and others don't, the Bernardsville News says, one committeeman thought it may cause an “inequitable burden.” The town has 81 miles of sidewalks and DPW already clears 31 miles closest to schools. One calculator-wielding homeowner figured it would just cost $4 per home for DPW to go those extra miles.
PATERSON – The Vista apartment complex seems like it would be an amazing place to live – 13 three-story buildings rising above the Great Falls. Yet the City Council is not so enamored of the plans, worried residential development would impact the federal park designation of this national landmark. So the City Council has sprung into action, the Paterson Press reports, denying the developer a sewer connection. Pretty sneaky, sis. Expect lawsuits.
IN THE MEDIA
From Michael Symons:
“A bit of personal news: I'm switching jobs, starting next week, when I'll start as the Statehouse reporter (bureau chief, of a bureau of one) for New Jersey 101.5. Looking forward to the opportunity and challenge.
It's been a fun ride with Gannett -- not just the 15+ years in the State Bureau and all the great friends who've come and gone through this office, but also my time before that at the Home News Tribune and its varied other names and incarnations. (I still miss the ampersand.) It surely wasn't an easy decision to move -- though the commute becomes shorter, as I'll only have to walk halfway down press row.”
TO OUR READERS, FROM NJ SPOTLIGHT
“No secret that journalism is in tough straits, and increasingly relying on the generosity of others. Whether it’s out of ingenuity or desperation -- or both -- NJ Spotlight has gone one step further and launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $30,000 for a year-long project around immigration in New Jersey. Certainly a hot topic, and after just a week, the campaign has passed the $10,000 mark. But the clock is ticking, and it needs to raise the full sum to qualify for dollar-for-dollar match by the end of the month. So for those who love good journalism, here's the page and give what you can.”
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
MASSAPEQUA PARK, N.Y. – Generous, smart people can support crowdsourcing campaigns for worthy endeavors like NJ Spotlight, or they can use their hard-earned dollars to help a local family keep their snowman from melting. Newsday reports a Massapequa Park family wrapped their 14-foot snowman tightly in plastic before heavy rain hit Monday. Then, they put a beach umbrella over its head. But they need your generosity to purchase snow, as they try to keep the snowman intact through March. A similar crowdsourcing campaign helped keep last year’s snowman standing through April 20 – money that was obviously very well spent.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
We would have loved “I Love Lucy” too on this day in 1953, as her popularity inks a deal for Desi to produce the sitcom through 1955 for $8 million. (Equal to $71 million in 2016 dollars.)
WORD OF THE DAY
First of all – adverb
Definition: First
Example: First of all, why do people say “first of all” when they just need to say “first”? How often do you hear people say “second of all” or “third of all”?