The Jaffe Briefing - July 25, 2017
OUR TAKE ON THE NEWS IN NEW JERSEY
STATEWIDE - There must be plenty of snitches in New Jersey, as the Attorney General is extending a program that handsomely rewards whistleblowers who rat out corrupt public officials. NJ 101.5 reports the program was rolled out in May and was to end by Aug. 1. But, apparently, and to no surprise, there is so much corruption that authorities want to keep this gravy train rolling through Election Day. You can earn up to $25,000 in cold hard cash for tips that lead to the conviction of your local, envelope-grabbing politician. The Attorney General says there have been dozens of leads they are now sniffing out, with the reward cash coming from drug dealers, swindlers and others who have had to sacrifice piles of money to the state. A win-win for all. So, start blabbing today!
TRENTON - Our phones, road trips, purchases and online habits are already monitored, so state Sen. Robert Singer figures - why not our medical records, too? He wants to make it a snap for police to snoop around the state prescription drug monitoring database without court order. This, says Singer, would help the state's opioid fight. Opponents say it further grossly erodes our privacy. The state director of the Drug Policy Alliance told NJ.com that such broad access "to people's private medical records ... is appalling." Fiddle-faddle, says Singer: "Everything is tracked today. The world has changed on privacy."
BRIELLE - Even Chief Brody and crusty Captain Quint might admit it's pretty awesome for a fishing crew to reel in the largest shark in New Jersey history. The crew of the Jenny Lee somehow caught a massive, 926-pound mako shark on Saturday, 100 miles offshore after an epic, exhaustive one-hour tug-o-war that will be exaggerated in bars for years to come. The boat's captain, Kevin Gerrity, told NJ.com that this powerful fish was so big that it nearly yanked the harnessed fishermen overboard. Until catching this "Jersey Jaws," the largest shark caught in state waters was an 880-pound tiger shark off Cape May in 1988.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL - A nice scoop for political writer Max Pizarro, who is reporting that Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver will be named by Phil Murphy as his candidate for lieutenant governor. Widely considered a no-brainer for the No. 2 job, Oliver served as Assembly Speaker for four years and knows how to wrangle bills through the Trenton grinder. She's also from voter-rich Essex County, which sure loves its Democrats. With Murphy way up in the early polls - more than 20 points or so - it looks like Oliver is poised for a huge promotion.
OFF THE FARM - Sure, Jersey tomatoes are just peachy. Each summer, we anxiously await and celebrate our homegrown juicy, red tribute to Jersey soil. But what about the fact that the Garden State is America's fourth largest peach-grower? Philly.com says the state's 92 peach orchards are expecting a bumper crop, perhaps topping 40 million pounds. Peaches are chock-full of fiber and antioxidants, and farm-to-table aficionados know the many ways to enjoy them: from zesty peach-prosciutto pizzas to tangy daiquiris. Here are some recipes sure to turn tomatoes green with envy. (This message brought to you by the Jersey peach.)
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
AT WORK - Think your boss is a little, well, possessive? Then check out this tech company in Wisconsin, ready to micro-chip its employees. Not kidding here, as "Three Square Market" is offering employees the superb opportunity to have a device implanted in their hands to easily access multiple features of the office complex. Want to use the copier? Buy a banana in the office break room? Open a door? Make a phone call? Get access to your health insurance? Share a business card? Just get your hand scanned! Basically, be a cyborg with your own embedded credit card and ID badge. And, at absolutely no cost to you! Fifty "volunteers" are expected to surface for the Aug. 1 launch.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1917 that the feds saw something special in that strange young whipper-snapper, J. Edgar Hoover, giving him an entry job at the Ministry of Justice.
WORD OF THE DAY
Divagate - [DAHY-vuh-geyt] - verb
Definition: To wander; stray or digress in speech
Example: Not to divagate again but...uh, can you remind me what I'm talking about?
WEATHER IN A WORD
Grey