The Morning Briefing - September 7, 2016

EAST RUTHERFORD – That big unfinished Meadowlands mega-mega-mall keeps taking hits. The latest assault on the American Dream mall comes from a non-profit group that's going to court to block $1.15 billion in bonds needed to keep that construction project going. The N.J. Alliance for Fiscal Integrity has an 11-page list of gripes about the deal that it claims was rushed through the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Basic stuff, like interest rates and maturity rates on the bonds, were not disclosed, as well as how it affects the state’s credit rating. And there are also questions about how Wisconsin taxpayers are somehow involved in this latest funding scheme to finally push this $5 billion boondoggle to the finish line.

LAMBERTVILLE – Grab your favorite Jesus sandals and c’mon down! This artsy Hunterdon County town is now New Jersey's “most hippie town,” says the online travel site Thrillist. Lambertville “is scattered with hippie ex-New Yorkers who escaped” seeking a bohemian lifestyle of drum circles, yoga studios, shops selling tie-dye shirts and peasant skirts, and a concentration of vegan eateries, natural foods and roadside organic produce stands. Lambertville also sits across the Delaware River from New Hope, where Patchouli oil stings your eyes, white people wear dreadlocks and everyone seems to be named “Moonbeam.” New Hope is also what Thrillist calls Pennsylvania's “hippie capital,” where counter-culture throwbacks can find even more thrift stores, head shops, art festivals and music venues. Soap – as always – not required.

IN THE LAB – New Jersey makes everything a little tougher, so not surprised that our researchers have found the one bacteria that just won’t die. Researchers from Rutgers in Newark recently identified a super E.coli bacteria that is impervious to known treatments. Moreover, this stubborn guy also has the genes to teach other bacteria how to outsmart our silly little antibiotics. This “nightmare bacteria” first appeared in 2014 when a 76-year-old man showed up at Newark's University Hospital with a persistent urinary tract infection. The medical school's top researcher told NJ.com: “The good news is it did not cause a major outbreak of drug-resistant infections. The bad news is … there are clearly other strains out there we haven't detected yet.” 

TRENTON – Just in time for school teachers returning to the classroom, Gov. Chris Christie is blaming them for why he needs to raise taxes on 100,000 people. If the NJEA finally got in line, he says, and allowed him to save $74 million next year through a “Medicare Advantage” retiree program, perhaps he wouldn’t need to end the reciprocal agreement with Pennsylvania to reap tens of millions of dollars in new revenue. The interstate deal had historically saved about $1,000 a year in income taxes for New Jerseyans who work out west, NJ.com reports. Meanwhile, in other news, Christie says, teachers in failing districts should work longer days and longer years.

STATEWIDE – If you are sitting home this morning, hopelessly unemployed and unable to convince Uber to authorize your rusting 1985 Toyota Corolla for its ride sharing network, there is still a chance for you. NJ 101.5 reports there is a bit of a shortage of school bus drivers this year. Apparently, it more difficult these days to get a commercial driver’s license, prompting more drivers to fail the test or opt for a substitute teacher gig. It is prompting public school districts – with 1.4 million kids to schlep – to reach out to one another, hoping there are extra drivers around to handle the shortage, mostly involving after school sports. So, now you’ve lost another excuse to get off the couch. Just wait until mom hears.

NEW BRUNSWICK – If you want to capture all the excitement that is Sen. Tim Kaine, keep your eyes peeled for more information about a fundraiser on September 28 in the New Brunswick area. There will also be a dinner for big-deal donors, who can have a thrilling conversation with the VP candidate about the merits of the chicken vs the sirloin.

IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS

EUCLID, Ohio – Ever wonder the punishment for pelting your neighbor’s house with eggs? Probably just a smack on the wrist, as an Ohio judge let this one guy serve only probation, after egging a neighbor’s house more than 100 times in a year. There was some talk of a six-month jail sentence for the serial egger, but things are now sunny-side up, after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for probation. The defendant’s defense? His brain is scrambled, not fried.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

It was this day in 2011 that 1,000 local school kids were stranded at Hershey Middle School, as heavy rains soaked the chocolate capital of the free world.

WORD OF THE DAY

Plinth – noun

Definition: The lowest point of the base of an architectural column.

Example: Your dog better not pee on my plinth!

WEATHER IN A WORD

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