The Morning Briefing - June 21, 2016
OUT WEST – Hard to imagine writing this sentence just five years ago: The Senate’s Judiciary chairman is inviting a delegation of his colleagues to Colorado this fall for a “fact-finding mission” to witness, first-hand, the many, many benefits of marijuana. Sen. Nicholas Scutari wants a bipartisan group of state lawmakers to tour the dispensaries and gather a full, deep understanding of how legalized marijuana can directly benefit New Jersey. Politicker reports the senator was out in Colorado for four days earlier this month to explore the issue and, with his colleagues, is eager to get back. “I believe this is the best way for legislators to get an in-depth understanding of the industry,” Scutari says.
TRENTON – One pet-loving lawmaker thinks it would be the cat's meow for New Jersey to become the first state to outlaw the declawing of our furry feline friends. Assemblyman Troy Singleton has introduced a bill to make the surgical removal of a cat's front claws an act of cruelty, punishable by hefty fines, jail and civil penalties for veterinarians or cat owners. The procedure is usually done to prevent cats from shredding their owners' new couch or wedding dress, but animal-rights activists say it is a brutally painful, unnecessary surgery. A spokeswoman for Singleton told N.J. Advance Media it's like “amputating the first knuckle on a human hand.” If this bill becomes law, Precious will have to pick which neon color she likes best for her vinyl claw caps.
EAST ORANGE – Kids see Lego Star Wars fulfilling all their dreams. An East Orange man sees them as a way to fund his cocaine habit. TampaBay.com reports the man is now sitting in the Pasco County jail in Land O'Lakes, FL., busted for stealing thousands of dollars worth of Legos tucked in a toy chest at a Toys "R" Us. He told cops he has stolen the Legos before in New Jersey, because, you know, cocaine ain’t cheap. So, he is imprisoned on $7,300 bail in a jail cell that looks like something from the Death Star, just without all the homey touches.
HACKENSACK – A contentious battle for Bergen County's GOP chair ends tonight with nearly a thousand Republican committee members deciding whether to return Bob Yudin as or dislodge him in favor of former Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano. The run-up to tonight's choice has been marred by claims of death threats, voter fraud, backroom deals and ethnic slurs. (Call it a typical Tuesday in North Jersey.) DiGaetano blames Yudin for a series of election losses that cost the GOP its grip on county government. Now, three freeholder seats, plus the county clerk, surrogate and sheriff, are up for grabs this fall. And Republicans are just hoping to keep a toehold.
ATLANTIC CITY – It’s being billed as the “Great Atlantic City Real Estate Auction,” the grand opportunity for you to buy a piece of the city for as little as $100. Max Spann is putting 120 city properties on the auction block at 11 a.m. Thursday at the convention center. You can pick up a boarded-up townhouse, vacant parcels of commercial and residential land or, in one case, a whole city block. “The price is right and we think we’ve got some properties for you,” Mayor Don Guardian says. So, could you spend a day with the family on the Wildwood boardwalk. Or, if you are looking to save some money, go to Atlantic City and buy a house. Learn more here.
JERSEY CITY — Persistence may still pay off for an assemblywoman who won't give up her quest to see President Barack Obama's name on a city school. Assemblywoman Angela McKnight lost her bid to get the 44th President's name on a new $54.6 million school at Ocean and Cator avenues. The school board opted instead to honor Maya Angelou, the late poet, essayist and civil rights icon. Now, McKnight tells the Jersey Journal she is redirecting her push, hoping to get older School 34 renamed for Obama. If not, there are plenty more opportunities to come in the form of plazas, libraries, boulevards and bus shelters.
IN THE MEDIA
NEWARK – It was considered the preeminent high-end glossy magazine to showcase all the best of Newark when Radius rolled off the presses three years ago. Paul Profeta, a wealthy real estate investor, published the magazine, in part, as a kick to the Star-Ledger, providing “a positive antidote to the numbing, distorted depiction of Newark printed daily.” But Profeta now sees no profit in the magazine, saying he is losing $50,000 an issue, NewarkInc reports. When he started the magazine, Profeta said he locked in 31 "founders" to subsidize the production costs, each buying a glossy full-page ad for $4,000. In his latest edition, he is down to just 17 founders and Profeta is calling it quits at the end of the year.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
PHILADELPHIA – The City of Brotherly Love hates soda. Philly just became the first major American city to slap a sin tax on sugary and diet soft drinks. Berkeley, CA. is the only other city with such a tax. Beverage distributors will get hit with the 1.5-cent per ounce tax starting Jan. 1, The Inquirer says. For soda drinkers, the price of 12 ounces may go up 18 cents and $1.44 for a six-pack of 16-ounce bottles. City officials cited all these fizzy hopes of curbing soda consumption to improve public health, but what really sweetened the pot for City Council members was Mayor Jim Kenny's promise of $90 million in new tax revenue for public schools, recreation programs and for some of the council's pet projects. So, bottoms up Philly.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
As hard as it is to believe, it was this day in 1987 that an enraged Mike Tyson punched a parking lot attendant and tried to kiss another.
WORD OF THE DAY
Taradiddle – (TARE-a-did-ul) – noun
Definition: An itty-bitty petty lie
Example: OK, so, yeah, I had her home by 8:30 p.m. But, hey, what’s a taradiddle among us friends? Right?
WEATHER IN A WORD
Summer.