The Morning Briefing - October 7, 2016
Welcome to National Smile Day! Here we go…
STATEWIDE – Hurricane Matthew will be nowhere near New Jersey this weekend, but the breathless weatherman still wants us to be very prepared, very scared and glued to the TV, as we cling to bread and milk. Today, be prepared as the gorgeous blue sky includes a cloud or two. (OMG!) Then, it will get grey. (Run to the bunker!) And then, on Saturday, there will be fog early on and then – (hold on…) – there will be rain! Meteorologists are warning: You could very well NEED an umbrella!
TRENTON – The long saga of the 23-cent gas tax may finally reach its final chapter today, as state lawmakers trudge to the Statehouse to very likely raise our taxes. We are talking $1.2 billion a year so we can get some hard cash for much-needed transportation projects. A big point of debate is the fact the Legislature will also be seeking $12 billion in additional borrowing over eight years to pay for all this construction, prompting this agonizing question: Are we raising taxes, and then driving the Transportation Trust Fund toward bankruptcy… yet again?
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Jerseyans like underdogs; we admire dogged optimism and derring-do from guys like Sen. Raymond Lesniak and Assemblyman John Wisniewski, who insist the governor's office is still within reach. Sure, Steve Fulop is out; now Steve Sweeney too. Yeah, a growing groundswell of Democratic honchos tripping over themselves to line up behind Phil Murphy. Undaunted, Wisniewski tells NJ Advance Media he's forming an exploratory committee “to look at the landscape.” A more confident Lesniak told Politico that Murphy's millions don't matter much: “The bigger they are they harder they fall.” Lesniak will appeal “directly to the people.” With the primary still eight months off, we say: Run Ray, run like the Wiz.
NEW BRUNSWICK – Middlesex County Democrats will move swiftly to fill a vacancy on the Board of Freeholders after H. James Polos announced last night he is stepping down to be executive director of the county's mighty Improvement Authority, TAPinto New Brunswick reports. Polos replaces longtime MCIA director Richard Pucci, who retired Jan. 1 from the agency that helps towns finance infrastructure improvements and capital equipment purchases at a cost-savings. Polos, 57, a former Highland Park mayor and a freeholder since 1998, has 26 months left on his current term; he was just re-elected last fall. So, if you are a Democrat with a dream to be a freeholder, now could be that golden moment.
KEYPORT – For more decades than we have the time to research, the mascot at Keyport High School has been the “Red Raider.” Cool name and a cool logo, bringing fear and loathing to all those competing high schools on the Bayshore. But, today, we have all decided to be outrageously offended. Residents packed a school board meeting Wednesday night to debate whether the feather headdress-wearing Native American is offensive to all those Native Americans living in Keyport. (Could reach a dozen people.) A serious note: Keep the Red Raider as the mascot, but maybe redesign the logo of a shirtless Native American charging into war on his horse, about to chuck a spear.
PATERSON – Oh c'mon! What could 236 little kids possibly do to get suspended from school? If school board members are right, a helluva lot. The Paterson Press touched off another powder keg when it reported the district dished out suspensions to 51 kindergarteners, 81 first-graders and 104 second-graders in 2015-16. District officials wouldn't say why, but they now pledge to end out-of-school suspensions for kids who can barely tie their shoes. Board member Jonathan Hodges told his colleagues many 5- to 8-year-olds display shocking behaviors: “They’re bringing drugs to school, weapons, knives … they’re filled with rage and taking it out on classmates.” District administrators plan to step up counseling and find alternate forms of discipline. Standing in the corner, probably not an option.
CEDAR GROVE – Yo judge! I got yer fine right here! With his black Adidas hoodie bulging with $165,000 in cold hard cash, Paterson rapper Fetty Wap appeared in municipal court to settle a July 6 traffic stop and seemed more like he was making a special guest appearance. Cops pulled over the hip-hop star because his car's tinted windows were too dark, then slapped him with two other tickets. Mr. Wap – a.k.a. Willie Maxwell II – pleaded guilty to two of three charges and paid a $350 fine Wednesday, but he told NJ.com his only actual offense was “driving while black and rich.” And he gets to keep those dark tinted car windows. His lawyer told the judge that Mr. Wap has glaucoma and a special state permit for them. That charge got dropped. See here.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
ASHLAND, N.H. – Politics are in the toilet – at least at a New Hampshire farm stand. The owner is urging his customers to let loose on who they think should be President, based on where they choose to, er, go. The outhouse-turned-fake-voting booth features mannequins of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, along with toilets to exercise your democratic right. New Hampshire Public Radio reports voters have been regularly stopping by; the owner has already, um, collected 200 “ballots.” Interesting to see how the votes will be tallied next month.
WORD OF THE DAY
Psephologist [see-FOL-o-gist] – noun
Definition: Someone who analyzes and studies elections or voting.
Example: The 2016 presidential election may befuddle psephologists for decades to come.
WEATHER IN A WORD
Beauty