The Jaffe Briefing - October 20, 2017
OUR TAKE ON THE NEWS IN NEW JERSEY
CAMDEN - Troubled. Crime-infested. Failing. Pick your own tried-and-true adjective to describe Camden. But even the haters have a tough time ignoring that plenty is being invested in our southern waterfront city. Just yesterday, a whole bunch of important people broke ground on the Joint Health Sciences Center, a 95,000-square-foot building promising to generate about $72 million in economic impact in this apparently "troubled, crime-infested, failing" city. With word that education and medicine are the strongest growing sectors in New Jersey, and expected to create 24,000 or so jobs over the next decade in Camden, the narrative looks like it is finally changing. Time for new adjectives.
CAMDEN - Well, that was short lived. NJ 101.5 is out with the list of the most dangerous cities in the state and - you guessed it - a certain you-know-who came in at Number One, based on the violent crime rate. That is factored based on the number of crimes for every 1,000 residents in the city. The other violent cities? No. 2 is Trenton, No. 3 is Irvington and No. 4 is Newark. And filling out the Top Five? Elizabeth.
HOWELL - Now, we don't know much about biker culture. But if you are going to get into a bar brawl, ignore the cops and then speed off at 100 mph on your Harley, make sure you take your helmet before you flee. The biker, a 37-year-old New Egypt man, was easily arrested at home yesterday. Howell cops just needed to swing by Tom's Tavern and pick up his helmet, with obvious markings that led the way.
PERTH AMBOY - If you live or work in the greater Perth Amboy area, it is very likely that PRAHD has made a difference in your life. Tonight the non-profit holds its annual Roberto Clemente dinner, a key fundraiser for a human services agency that has expanded into three counties with 10 programs that serve the disadvantaged. The agency is all about youth development, education, affordable housing, health care and all the other critical services that people need. If any organization is worthy of a plug for its annual fundraiser, it is PRAHD.
IN THE MEDIA
PATERSON - You rarely see the dogged journalism of yesteryear these days, as reporters often chase clicks, not stories. But that is not the case with the ever-scrappy Paterson Press, willing to hang out at The Brownstone banquet hall for more than two hours to try to get the simple answer to a simple question: Is disgraced former Mayor Joey Torres working there? Torres, who recently plead guilty to corruption, was apparently working Wednesday in the office of the banquet hall, but a receptionist said he was just too busy to speak with the reporter. So, the reporter, Joe Malinconico waited. And waited. But Torres was not budging. Apparently, he works there, but does not have a set schedule. Expect the Paterson Press to be back.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
STANDISH, Maine - Plenty of awful yearbook photos have been published over the years, but one Maine high school says it needs to draw the line with the kid posing with a shotgun. And so Bonny Eagle High School senior Wade Gelinas will not get his wish. WCSH-TV reports on an obvious school policy: No weapons in yearbook photos. The student says he will submit another photo, but really has high hopes the school district will change its mind and appreciate his love of hunting.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
WORD OF THE DAY
Knee-jerk - [NEE-jerk] - adjective
Definition: Readily predictable
Example: It it safe to say no politician will ever lower property taxes in New Jersey, or is that a knee-jerk reaction to the rhetoric of this gubernatorial campaign?
WEATHER IN A WORD
Perfect