The Jaffe Briefing - March 27, 2019
STATEWIDE - One of the most well-known news columnists in New Jersey, Mark Di Ionno, has plenty of opinions. After all, he has spent most of his career giving a Jersey spin on any and all issues affecting the state, always as a fierce, unapologetic proponent of his readers. After retiring from The Star-Ledger in December, Di Ionno has entered his next chapter: Writing novels and filing a weekly column for the TAPInto hyperlocal news network. Di Ionno visited the Jaffe Podcaststudio to talk candidly about the state's news industry - never a guy to hold back a punch - and about the many, many stories in this state that remain untold. He's also very proud to talk about his latest novel, "Gods of Wood & Stone," that he will be happy to sign for you. Click here to listen.
TRENTON - Fresh off his non-victory in the battle for legal weed, Gov. Phil Murphy figures it is time to quickly change the narrative. So, now the focus is a friendly topic: affordable college. Murphy was at Rutgers-Newark yesterday to hype a part of his proposed fiscal 2020 budget: $35 million in operational aid for the state's colleges and universities. Of course, this is an absolute pittance toward creating real relief for all families who struggle to cover in-state tuition. But the governor vows to spread this proposed cash around, both near and far, to help achieve a very lofty goal: the ability for anyone to become a college graduate in New Jersey, regardless of life circumstances. Thoroughly unclear if any of this will do anything, but notice we didn't mention "legal weed" for at least a few sentences? Pretty sneaky, governor.
TRENTON - Ever since the Great Recession, New Jersey has had a persistently high rate of home foreclosures. In fact, the Garden State continues to lead the nation in the sad category that's a measure of financial distress, empty homes and shattered dreams. Some state lawmakers haven't given up on trying to remove foreclosure from New Jersey's list of most notable features. They've sent Gov. Phil Murphy several bills that try to tackle the stubborn problem, now with 20,000 active foreclosure cases still festering in the state court system, NJ Spotlight reports.
TRENTON - There's no group more thrilling than the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. But there aren't many smiles when it comes to the proposed state budget, with seven out of 10 of these accountants thinking the fiscal 2020 spending plan will make the economy worse. In fact, only 10 percent of these professional bean counters think the proposed budget would get the state on more solid footing. Of particular concern among this bespectacled society is the higher minimum wage, paid sick leave and family leave mandates - all of which hit the bottom line of businesses. They wonder: Is it finally time to pack up the abacus and flee the state?
ROCHELLE PARK - Nice to see a congressman do an honest day's work.That's how Rep. Josh Gottheimer recently spent a day, squeegeeing windshields at an Amoco station here. Gottheimer, 44, tells Roll Call he got a real earful from drivers about everything from nasty potholes to the glaring need for the Gateway Tunnel. The one thing nobody complained about was our full-service gas stations. "They're pretty clear: They want someone pumping their gas," the congressman noted. As part of Gottheimer's year-old "Josh on the Job" visits, he has also waited tables at a Paramus Applebee's; served coffee at a Wyckoff Dunkin' Donuts; mixed paints at a Home Depot; and flipped burgers, scooped ice cream and baked bagels at other eateries in his district. Looks like the congressman has a future.
BRIDGETON - Usually our thieving politicians go to prison for at least a little while. But not 71-year-old Gladys Lugardo-Hemple, the former city council president nabbed for stealing $22,031.97 from the city's housing authority, NJ 101.5reports. Even though she cut herself a bunch of checks, Lugardo-Hemple has been accepted into a pre-trial intervention program. As part of the deal, she needs to quit a $31,200 job with the city school district and never again work in the public sector. Seems the opportune time for this disgraced politician to retire, relieved she isn't spending her golden years playing canasta behind bars.
JERSEY CITY - One Springsteen may be born to run... into burning buildings. The Jersey Journal reports Bruce's youngest son, Sam, 25, was one of hundreds who took the civil service exam to become a city firefighter. He previously served with the Colts Neck F.D., NBC reports. Test results were released last week, but aren't yet public. Important things Sam will need to know: There is no E Street in Jersey City, but an East Street. No 10th Avenue, but a 10th Street. And, sorry, no Thunder Road. (I'm on Fire!)
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - A local man's tonsils smelled like a desperate teenager, after he shot Axe body spray in his mouth. Why? To cover the smell of beer as cops approached him during a traffic stop. The State reports how Spartanburg County sheriff's deputies stopped the 49-year-old driver on Saturday after he zipped past a deputy on Interstate 85 and swerved into another lane. The cops certainly had just cause, finding a 12-pack of beer on the floor, with 10 of the bottles nearly empty. Even worse, the driver had an open bottle between his legs. So, of course, like any normal person, he figured a few shots of Axe spray into his mouth would cover it all up. The driver is now in custody, with others in the drunk tank keeping a nice distance.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1939 that the first NCAA basketball tournament had a winner: the University of Oregon Webfoots. Unclear which gambler was the first big bracket winner in this eight-team tournament that saw a first Final Four of Villanova, Ohio State, Oregon and Oklahoma. Fun fact: Oregon would not return to the Final Four until 2017.
WORD OF THE DAY
Bower - [BOW-ər] - noun
Definition: An attractive dwelling or retreat
Example: I enjoyed our rendezvous at the secluded bower - and I hope you enjoyed the Axe body spray.
WIT OF THE DAY
"Only dumb people try to impress smart people. Smart people just do what they do." - Chris Rock
WEATHER IN A WORD
Pretty
THE NEW 60
A Jaffe Briefing Exclusive by Andy Landorf & John Colquhoun
