The Morning Briefing - December 12, 2016
**The Morning Briefing will run its last issue of the year on Friday, proudly returning Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017
WEST ORANGE – So, a minister and a priest run for governor… Sounds like the start of a politically incorrect joke, right? But, it's no laughing matter to city resident Robert Hoatson, a former Christian brother and priest for 37 years. He told the West Orange Chronicle he will offer “real leadership” to a state that elects “fewer and fewer leaders and more demigods, managers and people who can buy elections.” Hoatson is the second clergy member to enter the race behind a Highland Park minister, the Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale. No doubt, both will struggle to raise campaign funds. If they have a prayer of winning, they will need divine intervention.
TRENTON – Could there be “Chris Christie: The Movie” at a theater near you? Well, first, the governor needs to ink the big, fat, tell-all book deal. He’s been eager to sign on with a publisher, but has been hampered by all the pesky state restrictions. So, he figures, let’s change all those pesky state restrictions. The Record reports that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are discussing a bill allowing the governor to cash in while in office. Of course, there needs to be a horse trade to get the Democrats on board – with a proposal of more salaries for legislative staff. See? Bipartisanship!
NORTH BRUNSWICK – As most folks scramble for that hot, new Wi-Fi-enabled coffeemaker to stick under their Christmas trees, shrewd school officials here figure it's a terrific time to ask voters for a $68.4 million gift too. Could they be hoping most of their town's 24,000 voters won't notice or even show up for tomorrow's special bond referendum? Nah. Ridiculous, right? The Home News Tribune says these “Stronger North Brunswick” bonds would pay to build a new middle school, and renovate special-needs classrooms and create brand-spanking-new school district offices in the existing Linwood Middle School. Pleading for voter support, Superintendent Brian Zychowski said: “Our buildings and properties are full. We are out of room.”
STAFFORD – Speaking of festive holiday bond referendums, school officials in this southern Ocean County community are proving just as clever as their North Brunswick counterparts. Tomorrow, they are praying that as few seasonally-distracted voters as possible hit the polls for their $10 million bond issue. The Sandpaper says this district wants to go $10,139,398 in debt for sorely needed security and safety upgrades at five schools. Once all the rum-spiked eggnog is gone and the needles drop off everyone's Christmas trees, many homeowners may be unpleasantly surprised to see next year's school tax bills.
FRENCHTOWN – A newly-elected politician who has yet to take the oath as a Frenchtown councilwoman is already grabbing headlines. NJ.com tells how Liz Johnson wrote about a local arrest on Nov. 22, referring to the occupants of a truck that cops pulled over as "pot-smoking African Americans toting a gun with hollow-point bullets known for doing extensive damage to cops." Police Chief Al Kurylka, who Johnson appeared to have been quoting in her Facebook post Thursday morning, which was a recap of the previous night’s council meeting, told NJ.com, “That was definitely not said by me.”
IN THE MEDIA
TRENTON - There’s no question that Gov. Chris Christie and New Jersey’s media are not the best of pals. As newspapers struggle for survival, the governor now has the power to dismantle much of what remains. The Record reports some talk among Christie and top lawmakers to finally scrap the state law requiring municipalities and counties to publish legal notices in printed newspapers. For many of the smaller papers in the state, legal notices are the only steady income and the only reason they can still afford to publish. So, under such a proposal, Christie keeps those annoying, pessimistic reporters out of government meetings, and the taxpayers save a few thousand dollars in legal notices. In Christie-world, that means a win for everyone.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
AUSTIN, TX – City health workers devised a visible way to raise awareness about safe sex, hanging condoms, lube and health information from trees at a local park. Only one problem: They forgot to inform their bosses. Park officials figured all these bags were litter, not an effort to educate gay men about HIV transmission, and ordered them to be removed on Thursday, reports the Austin American Statesman. The city’s recreation director noted there is a “vetting process” to determine safe sex campaigns, adding, “I'm not sure hanging something from a tree is the best way to get the message across.” Expect the initiative to be mentioned at an upcoming staff meeting.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
There was a whole lot of weirdness going on this day in 1957, when Jerry Lee Lewis – married to his second wife – decides to marry his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown, as his third.
WORD OF THE DAY
Fillip [FIL-up] – verb
Definition: To strike by holding the nail of a finger against the ball of the thumb and then suddenly releasing it from that position.
Example: I often entertain myself at the table by filliping crumbs into an overturned cup.
WEATHER IN A WORD
Puddles