The Morning Briefing - February 9, 2017
STATEWIDE - If you are like us, you are probably reading this while sitting at your kitchen table, as kids run around, demanding a fourth cup of juice and repeatedly asking where squirrels go in snowstorms. Welcome to an official snow day, as state offices are closed, many companies have "work from home" days and schools, unfortunately, are closed. Stay off the roads, let the guys run their plows and enjoy the fact you cleared the Shop-Rite out of all its remaining milk and bread.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - If you are an aspiring politician who happens to go by the name "Someone Else," you are in luck. That's because Mr. (or Ms.) Else appears to be running neck-and-neck with the Democratic front runner for governor. FDU is out with a poll that shows Phil Murphy has 17 percent support, while 17 percent say they want "Someone Else." The poll also has Sen. Ray Lesniak at 7 percent, and Assemblyman John Wisniewski at 6 percent. Wonder if we will see any "Else for Governor" bumper stickers.
JERSEY CITY - Surely one of the most unpleasant legs into a NYC commute is the jammed PATH train, where you can easily detect if a fellow passenger used, or did not use, Irish Spring this morning. WNYC suspects the trains will be even more crowded at rush hour, if that is humanly possible, as development has exploded around Journal Square and Grove Street. Sure, there is talk of $4 billion in PATH upgrades over the next 10 years. But when you are marketing new residential towers, condos and hotels for the "ease" of a trip into Manhattan, the crush of people on a humid summer morning could become unbearable.
NEW BRUNSWICK - It's sure tough to follow a sitting President as commencement speaker, but we consider Stevie Van Zandt to be rock n' roll royalty in New Jersey. Perhaps that's why Rutgers University deemed the E Street rocker as commencement speaker, appearing May 14 at 10 a.m. at Rutgers Stadium. TAPInto New Brunswick was at yesterday's Board of Governors meeting, reporting the Middletown native is also getting an honorary doctorate in fine arts. Oh, and a pioneering physician who fought the AIDS crisis and rallied for LGBT rights, Harvey J. Makadon, is also being bestowed an honorary doctor of science degree.
PATERSON - Lots of big towns manage to create public safety divisions, an umbrella for their police and fire departments. Yet, this concept - which could actually save money - seems elusive in the Silk City, where no one seems able to answer City Council questions about hidden salary and administrative costs for a new public safety director and deputy director. The Paterson Press says expense questions got a little more than shrugs from city officials this week. And Police Director Jerry Speziale refused to say whether he is waiting in the wings to become public safety director, hiding behind the "personnel issue" excuse. Council President William McKoy said without more info, "we're really just running blind, which is not a good thing for us." But, it happens a lot here.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
HOMETOWN, PA. - Fur-lined handcuffs, the Pickle-Tickler and Uberlube sure are unorthodox bingo prizes. But, adult sex toys like these are making "Naughty Bingo Night" a big money-winner for the volunteer fire company here. Last time it hosted this racy, no-cash-jackpot event, a standing-room crowd of randy players showed up, some trekking from as far away as New Jersey to this tiny village northeast of Harrisburg. Firefighters are gearing up for their next adult-only bingo night on March 11. Organizers assure WNEP-TV: "It's all in very good taste. It doesn't get wild." Likely no open bar.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1990 that "The Bradys" returned to CBS. But there was a new Marcia and Greg grew a freaky mustache, so it was cancelled after six months.
WORD OF THE DAY
Peradventure [PER-ud-ven-cher] - noun
Definition: doubt
Example: I knew beyond peradventure that my car would be plowed in.
WEATHER IN A WORD
White