The Jaffe Briefing - February 4, 2019
PEMBERTON - Psst: Wanna buy a college? There's a former Rowan College campus for the taking. Your school could sit on 225 woodsy, gently-rolling acres near the Rancocas Creek, the Philly Inquirer reports. Amenities for the glossy brochure: a 575-seat theater, a library, and a gym with a fitness center, a basketball court, and an Olympic-size pool. Your school would also feature seven tennis courts, two baseball diamonds, a soccer field, and, heck, even a boat launch on the Rancocas for your stellar crew team. Rowan officials are eager to make a deal, noting they have gotten inquiries from people with big dreams and no money since the school relocated operations to the Mount Laurel campus in 2015. Plenty of opportunity here for the right buyer. Perhaps Trump University can finally have a home?
STATEWIDE - Ground-level ozone - smog to you and me - is obviously bad for kids, the elderly and anyone who enjoys breathing. New Jersey has some of the toughest anti-smog regulations, but it has never met the federal air-quality standard for ozone, a taint it blames on upwind pollution from states with coal-burning plants that belch pollution in our direction. We're talking about YOU: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. New Jersey is joining five other states and New York City in litigation on the issue. NJ Spotlight reports they're trying to force the Environmental Protection Agency to impose stricter ozone-emission standards on the upwind states. State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said, "Without emissions reduction in other states, we cannot meet our emissions targets. We demand EPA work with us, not against us, on this public health issue.'' Splutter your way through NJ Spotlight's report.
STATEWIDE - Our airports, tunnels, bridges, terminals, PATH and seaport are busier than ever, NJ.com reports. So, does that mean across-the-board cuts in tolls? Ha, that's a funny one. Let's just celebrate the fact we have one of the most bustling transportation networks in the world. Newark Airport? 6 percent growth in passengers, to 137.9 million, last year. The PATH? 81.7 million passengers last year, the second-highest year on record. The Goethals? 16.6 million vehicles to Staten Island last year. E-ZPass participation is also bursting, as well as record-high container shipments at the ports. The Port Authority is ready to spend $32 billion to maintain and improve this mega-network. So, New Jersey, keep paying those tolls.
JERSEY CITY - Say farewell to another record store. If you can tell an LP from a 45, or you're an indie music fan, there's a good chance you've made at least one pilgrimage to Iris Records on Brunswick Street. The chance to eyeball all its vintage music memorabilia or flip through its $1 record selection ends Feb. 16 when owner Stephen Gritzan plans to close his iconic record shop after a 22-year run. Gritzan laments to the Brooklyn Vegan blog that sky-high rent and "the internet are killing us." While his store may soon be gone, its online sales will continue at its Discogs Page, and Gritzan still plans to sponsor the city's annual outdoor "Record Riot" event.
AFTER MIDNIGHT - The "Year of the Pig" is just hours away. Millions of people around the world, and nearly 425,000 across New Jersey, will ring in the lunar New Year at a minute past midnight. Often called the Chinese New Year, it's 4717 on the lunar calendar, signified by "the pig" on the Chinese zodiac's 12-year cycle. While Middlesex, Bergen and Hudson counties have the greatest number of Chinese-Americans, there aren't any colorful local parades or splashy fireworks. But, many towns and libraries are offering events. And, you can always celebrate with a big, family-size takeout order. No fireworks, please.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was this day in 1957 that the marketing gurus at Smith-Corona announced the super-convenient, extra-light typewriter - weighing "just" 19 pounds.
- An unamused toddler
- A 5-quart KitchenAid mixer
- A car tire
- A medium-sized bag of dog food
- 80 sticks of butter (Thanks, Costco!)
- 19 pounds of merkins
WORD OF THE DAY
Merkin - [MƏR-kin] - noun
Definition: A public wig for women
Example: You'd never guess why we just put that merkin on a scale.
WIT OF THE DAY
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"Don't be so humble - you are not that great."
- Golda Meir
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WEATHER IN A WORD
Awesome
THE NEW 60
A Jaffe Briefing exclusive
by Andy Landorf & John Colquhoun