The Morning Briefing - April 5, 2016
PARAMUS – The treatment of puppies before they get cradled in your loving arms is in the spotlight today, after cops confiscated 67 puppies found early yesterday crammed into steel crates, inside a van behind a Paramus dog store. Cops noted some of the dogs were covered in feces, as they sat in the van at 3 a.m. The Record caught up with the store owner, who actually defended his actions, saying the pups were transported in the crates all the way from Missouri and, by the way, the van has both heat and air conditioning. The owner, who recently had his license revoked for his pet store in East Brunswick, added, “It’s not unnormal to leave them [the puppies] in the van, as long as they have air conditioning or heat – depending on the season – and food and water.” No wonder puppies like these are so darn happy to see you.
NEWARK – You work for free, hours on end. Angry, upset parents often shout at you. And you basically have no power. Yet 12 Newark residents are vying for three seats on the Newark Public Schools Advisory Board. Newark residents who want to learn more about these gluttons for punishment will have an opportunity to hear from them tonight as the Newark Trust for Education hosts its annual candidates forum at 6 p.m. at Essex County College. If you plan to attend, please RSVP here.
PRINCETON – The Princeton University community agrees that President Woodrow Wilson was a racist, but that doesn’t mean his name should be erased from the school. You may recall university students demanding last fall that Wilson’s name be scrubbed from school buildings because of his support of segregation and other distasteful views of the time. But following a study by a 10-member committee, it was decided that Princeton must “openly and candidly recognize that Wilson, like other historical figures, leaves behind a complex legacy of both positive and negative repercussions.” Translation: Princeton continues to embrace its former president.
ATLANTIC CITY – As New Jersey’s gaming resort gasps for air, beaten and bloodied in the corner, Gov. Chris Christie continues to wield the hammer. He is now suing the city for $34 million, saying the money is owed to the school district. It appears city officials are daring to use the money to keep the lights on. But the governor believes the city is still funding “rich union contracts they’ve been unwilling to change.” Christie says that city students should not be “collateral damage” in this funding crisis. Agreed, but it also looks like they have become political pawns in this battle between city and state.
EDISON – Last night's knockout rounds on “The Voice” make Edison singer Moushumi Chitre the state’s only remaining contestant heading into the show's live playoffs. The latest eliminations put Nate Butler on a plane back to the Garden State, following Mike Schiavo of Colonia, Joe Vivona of Verona and John Gilman of Bayville. Known simply as Moushumi, she's a 2011 J.P. Stevens High School grad who left Central Jersey to briefly study in India before pursuing a music career. Moushumi's parents, Nitin and Mohini Chitre, an Edison physician and a physical therapist, have garnered some celebrity of their own, often seen backstage cheering on their 22-year-old daughter. The show's knockout recap airs 8 p.m. tonight on NBC. Watch Moushumi here.
PERTH AMBOY – Mayor Wilda Diaz isn't one of the many as-of-yet undeclared candidates for governor, but the outspoken Democrat has strong opinions about who's likely to get her support. Speaking on “The Backgrounder” podcast, Diaz says she wants to hear each candidate's “urban agenda” before she offers an endorsement. “How are they going to help cities with infrastructure, with poverty (and) with education?” asks Diaz, now seeking a third term as mayor. She also talks about restoring her city's financial health, revitalizing its waterfront, and meeting the needs of undocumented immigrants. Listen here to The Backgrounder interview.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
LINCOLN, Neb. – The state’s new license plate is being deemed an epic fail. Not only did the artist use the wrong image he found online, but the art depicts a Nebraska Sower apparently grabbing his freakishly endowed groin area. The art was supposed to be of the Sower, throwing seeds from his sack from atop the state Capitol. The artist did get the sack right, but not much else. To add further insult, the online art was actually from a sculpture at Michigan State University, nowhere near Nebraska. After many, many jokes, the state pulled the new license plate.
AT THE BALLPARK - If Rep Frank Pallone has his way, ballplayers will just have to spit sunflower seeds all over the field. That's because he is trying to ban chewing tobacco from America's ballfields, as he believes it sends a bad message to the wide-eyed kiddies. 'Without a complete ban, smokeless tobacco will continue to receive free advertising from America's pastime," the congressman said.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
How do you know you are a really, really old man in 1869? You’d compare yourself to Daniel Bakeman who died on this day, at age 109, the last surviving soldier of the Revolutionary War.
WORD OF THE DAY
Cinephile - (SIN-ah-file) - noun
Definition: A film enthusiast
Example: My mom complains I waste every waking moment on Netflix. But I consider myself a well-informed cinephile.