The Morning Briefing - December 1, 2016
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - Expect the ongoing issue of the proposed $15 minimum wage to be talked about in the 2017 race for governor. The lines are clearly drawn; Democrats are pushing for it. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, the likely GOP candidate at this point, says no way. "You go to $15 minimum wage, you're not going to be able to hire that high school kid, or that senior citizen, or that person who is here trying to move here from out of the country," Guadagno said, adding she envisions that our beloved full-serve gas stations would finally be extinct. Minimum wage, she believes, should be a "stepping stone up," not a living wage. Meanwhile, guys like Phil Murphy think a mandatory $15 an hour would help one million New Jerseyans, about a quarter of our workforce.
NEPTUNE - You'd think a doctor could tell regular virgins from extra virgins. When it comes to olive oil, maybe not. That's why the popular host of "The Dr. Oz Show" is being sued by the North American Olive Oil Association (um ... yep, it's real). The Neptune-based trade group isn't pleased with Dr. Oz for dispensing what it claims were "false attacks" about the "quality and integrity of olive oil," Reuters reports. Apparently, Cliffside Park native Dr. Mehmet Oz told TV viewers in May that a "shocking 80 percent" of extra virgin olive oil "isn't the real deal," altered with food coloring and diluted with cheaper oil. The trade group took umbrage at his slip up, saying 90 percent of olive oil on supermarket shelves is definitely extra virgin.
FAIR HAVEN - Likely the most exciting thing lately for an 88-year-old woman was witnessing a contestant get the "Daily Double" on Jeopardy! So, you can imagine her surprise when a large tree crashed through the roof of her bedroom at 1:30 a.m. yesterday, scattering tree limbs over her bed, featuring what we assume is a lovely hand-made quilt. Great-grandma was surprised - an understatement - but luckily not injured. Tea and cookies for all first responders.
IN COURT - C'mon dude, how bad can pot really be? That's the crux of an unorthodox argument two Newark lawyers are making in state Appellate Court. They claim if New Jersey allows marijuana use for medicinal purposes, why should the state still lump it into the same criminal category as heroin or LSD? Philly.com says more than 7,000 New Jerseyans are allowed to use medical marijuana to treat or alleviate symptoms of epilepsy, cancer, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma. If the courts buy the argument and end up reclassifying pot, it could mean lighter sentences for possession - a win on college campuses everywhere. Are we careening toward a slap on the wrist?
RIDGEFIELD PARK - Speaking of using medical marijuana, public school students here can now get their prescribed fix on school grounds. The village school board adopted a new policy Wednesday to let parents or guardians administer medical marijuana to their kids. The policy adheres to a law that Gov. Chris Christie signed last year. It prohibits pot smoking, but lets students consume cannabis oil or other edible cannabis products in school. NJ.com says days after the 2015 law took effect, a Bellmawr school for developmentally disabled kids became nation's first school to permit medical marijuana on campus. And soon, algebra classes may not seem so dull.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
DAYING COUNTY, China - There were 1,503 people who lost their lives on the Titanic, one of the worst civilian tragedies at sea. So, hey, why not make some money off it? The Star Energy Investment Group is throwing good taste aside, launching the construction of a life-sized Titanic somewhere in China's southwestern Sichuan province. Not only can tourists experience being on the ship, but this tourist trap will also smash into an iceberg to give the people the "full experience" of being on the Titanic. Next up: You, too, can experience the Chernobyl disaster! Get the "Go Nuclear" package for only $49.99.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1982 that throngs of fans moonwalked over to the record store to be the first to pick up Michael Jackson's "Thriller."
WORD OF THE DAY
Soporific [sah-puh-RIFF-ik] - adjective
Definition: Causing sleep
Example: This issue of the soporific Morning Briefing prompted a deep, peaceful slumber.
WEATHER IN A WORD
Sun!