MIDDLETOWN - Is Jon Bon Jovi the latest New Jersey millionaire to flee to Florida? Media reported the rocker bought a five-bedroom oceanfront villa in Palm Beach for $10 million last March. And now his 18,000-square-foot Middletown mansion is up for sale. The price is only available "by request," and you can bet the realtor won't consider us a serious buyer for the 15-acre estate gloriously perched on the Navesink River. You can't blame Bon Jovi for heading south; it was reported the Middletown estate carried $281,477 in property taxes last year. And the property taxes on the 6,000-square-foot home in Florida? Just $46,466 last year, plus no state income tax for full-fledged residents. Any shrewd kid from Sayreville can do the math on this one.
TRENTON - Sex crime convictions can now get elected officials and public employees stripped of their state pensions. Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law adding sexual assault, harassment and lewdness to the offenses that could cost officials and state workers a lifetime of benefits. Sponsor Sen. Kristin Corrado tells NJ.com that anyone who's "guilty of ethics violations or sex offenses ... does not deserve" this tremendous taxpayer-funded perk. Public employees can already forfeit pensions for first-degree convictions (but not lesser, similar offenses) for bribery, money laundering and extortion. An important note: state law - new or existing - does not close pension loopholes for anyone who takes a plea deal or retires before they get convicted. But at least this is a start.
TRENTON - Former Gov. Chris Christie grabbed plenty of headlinesand lots of controversy nearly a decade ago when he unilaterally announced that school superintendents were paid too much. His solution? A $175,000 cap on salaries for most of them.
NJ Spotlight reports that with much less fanfare - in fact, with zero fanfare - his successor Phil Murphy undid the restriction on Friday. Democratic lawmakers behind the measure say not to worry - "egregious contracts" won't happen this time around because the state will be responsible for keeping salaries in check. Here's hoping taxpayers don't get schooled.
SHORT HILLS - Clocked at 142 mph, a New Jersey physician told New Hampshire cops he was simply in a big hurry to get home to the Garden State. While doing helicopter surveillance along Interstate 95 on Saturday morning, New Hampshire troopers tell the Boston Herald they saw the doctor's Jeep Grand Cherokee streaking south at astonishing speeds in a 65 mph zone. When cops finally caught up, the 51-year-old Short Hills surgeon ended up charged with reckless driving and now must appear in a court up there on Sept. 23. Looks like he can make that 285-mile trek in about two hours and still be back for some late-afternoon surgery.
NUTLEY - Naked and clinging to a big orange traffic barrel is how cops found a 30-year-old Clifton man. Why and how this guy - wearing only an ankle bracelet and a big grin - ended up on Chestnut Street remains a mystery. TAPinto Nutley says the nude guy refused to answer questions from officers who found him on July 9 after passing motorists made complaints. Once he got identified at headquarters, cops arrested him on an outstanding Essex County warrant. He's now wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, courtesy of the county jail, at least for this moment.
BENNINGTON, VT - And there's more naked news: A nude tourist's coffee purchase got caught on camera at a family-owned convenience store. The man - driving a car with Pennsylvania tags - nonchalantly strolled into the "Bringing You Vermont" store looking for a caffeine fix last week. Without missing a beat, or sneaking a peek, or even snickering, the owner's 19-year-old daughter casually chatted with the customer, even directing him to a local swimming hole as she rang up his purchase. Public nudity is perfectly legal in and around Bennington, but store owner Ryan Hassett tells NBC News he'd rather not see (or have his daughter see) too many more au naturel customers.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 2017 that a couple of quick snips could cut 30 days off jail sentences for non-violent offenders in backwater White County, TN. Male inmates who voluntarily get vasectomies, or females who agree to a birth control implant, would get out early. The county judge concocted this taxpayer-funded sterilization program, telling ABC News that local inmates - many addicted to drugs and/or alcohol - should not have kids. By this day in 2017, 38 men and 32 women signed up. Opponents argue it is not the court's role to steer family planning, even when it may make perfect sense.
Al desk [AL DESK-oh] - adjective
Definition: Eaten at one's desk
Example: The cleaning crew hates all of our sloppy al desko writers.
WIT OF THE DAY
"The true genius of a Woman is her subtle flair in creating the illusion that you are the smart one."
|
|
WEATHER IN A WORD
Cooler
THE NEW 60
A Jaffe Briefing Exclusive
by Andy Landorf & John Colquhoun
