The Morning Briefing - May 13, 2016
LEONIA - One dinosaur is extinct, once again, as fire tore through a 90-foot-long lifelike robotic dinosaur that was going to be part of a theme park. The Record reports the animatronic Argentinosaurus dinosaur was left as a pile of charred rubble yesterday at Overpeck County Park in Leonia. The creator says a welder was putting finishing touches on the Argentinosaurus when a spark somehow started the devastating fire. The big exhibit, which includes 33 other dinosaurs, is still set for a Memorial Day opening. But, sorry kids, you'll have to bring your own Argentinosaurus.
PATERSON - It seems if you stand on any street corner in New Jersey these days, you will likely run into a smiling, back-slapping Clinton. Bill and Chelsea will likely be somewhere near you today, as the clan builds up the Clinton machine for the the June 7 primary. Bill will be hyping Hillary's plan to raise all our wages and break down all our barriers at events in Paterson and Ewing. Chelsea will attend the opening of the "Middlesex County Hillary for New Jersey" office in Metuchen, while whipping up the volunteer base in Bloomfield. Hillary was in Blackwood yesterday and is likely coming to dinner at your house tonight.
BLOOMFIELD - Finally cleaning out the basement could net you a cool million bucks. OK, likely not. But that's what happened to a set of Essex County siblings, cleaning out their parents' house and discovering one of Rembrandt's earliest paintings, "The Unconscious Patient," a 1624 masterpiece long thought lost. Shrewd art collectors identified the terrific find, originally thought to be worth no more than $800. The eventual winning bid? More than $1.1 million. "I was stunned," said auctioneer John Nye, who described the painting's condition as "dark" and "discolored." Stay tuned for our upcoming auction of "discovered" items from our basement, including several decomposed rat carcasses, an Atari 7800, and a souvenir portrait from Six Flags. Read more here.
WEALTHY SUBURBAN DISTRICT? - Every student from the graduating class got up in front of their classmates and announced where they were headed to college: Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Pomona, Middlebury, Bowdoin, Brandeis, Boston College and on and on. It wouldn't be such a big deal if this were Millburn or Livingston high schools. But this was in Newark at North Star Academy College Preparatory High School, where 94 percent of the students are African American or Hispanic and 87 percent qualify for free or reduced price lunch. All the graduates were accepted to a college. But this shouldn't come as a surprise from a ranked as one of the best in New Jersey by U.S. News and World Report.
WOODBRIDGE - If spirits move you, head over to New Jersey's biggest paranormal event at Woodbridge High School tomorrow. New Jersey Paranormal will host its third-annual NJ ParaUnity Expo from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., featuring mediums, psychics and celebrities from spooky TV shows like The Dead Files, Ghost Hunters and the Haunted Collector. Mayor John McCormac, who often raises people's spirits and has even exorcized some local political demons since taking office in 2006, told the Home News Tribune he'll be haunting the event: "I totally believe in ghosts ... I believe they are all around us." Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for kids under 12. Casper gets in for free; like we have a choice.
BELMAR - Shhhh. That's what Belmar officials are saying, as they hold the 30th annual New Jersey Seafood Festival this weekend. This 1.6-square-mile Jersey shore town cleverly moved up its festival, traditionally held in June, after 200,000 visitors flooded into town last year, causing Mayor Matt Doherty to halt incoming traffic because his town was overwhelmed with cars and people. This weekend's festivities - from 11-8 p.m. Saturday and 11-6 p.m. Sunday - at Silver Lake Park promises to be more people-friendly and manageable. No need to come, say Belmar officials, noting the N.J. ParaUnity Expo seems like a great way for you to spend the day.
EDISON - The good people of Middlesex County's 18th legislative district are now have a new assemblyman. Democrats from the district's seven towns last night picked veteran Edison Councilman Robert Karabinchak to fill the Assembly vacancy when Patrick Diegnan stepped up to the state Senate last week. Karabinchak, who bested a field of three challengers, must now run for a full term in the November general election. His departure from the Edison Council now creates a vacancy that local Democrats must temporarily fill. Whoever is chosen to serve must run in a special election this fall.
IN THE MEDIA
NEW BRUNSWICK - Temerity paid off for the editor of Rutgers' daily student newspaper, scoring an exclusive phone interview with Barack Obama on Monday, ahead of the President's keynote address at the university's big 250th commencement this weekend. Daily Targum editor Daniel Corey, a sophomore, worked up the courage to ask Obama for the interview when he visited the White House last month for College Reporter Day. The President fielded 15 minutes worth of questions on topics ranging from tuition aid and the economy to voter turnout. Read a transcript of the interview here.
ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Sick of all those advertising circulars that companies chuck on your driveway? So is the government of Orion, which has slapped the Detroit Free Press with two littering tickets for continually dropping a weekly shopping guide in those annoying pink plastic bags. But this newspaper is not backing down, suing the suburb in federal court for violating the U.S. Constitution. The Detroit Free Press is also demanding millions of dollars in punitive damages, which could become the biggest revenue-generator for this struggling publication. Town leaders dismiss the lawsuit as "bullying" and an "absolute joke." Legally speaking, that is.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
So much for travelling the world as a celebrated international diplomat, as demonstrators battered Vice President Richard Nixon's limo with rocks and spit on him, as he travelled the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, on this day in 1958.
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Happy Birthday to Michael Aron, the dean of the New Jersey press corps and NJTV Chief Political Correspondent, who turns 70 today.
WORD OF THE DAY
Paraskevidekatriaphobia - (para-skevy-decka-TRY-ah-sko-viah) - noun
Definition: An irrational fear of Friday the 13th.
Example: If a real therapist can't cure your paraskevidekatriaphobia, head on down to the N.J. ParaUnity Expo for a nice potion or magical incantation.
WEATHER IN A WORD
Clouds.