Route 40 (https://rtforty.com/2017/08/page/3/)
Too many emails to read? Away last week? Catch up on the news you missed with our roundup podcast (thanks to our intern Steve Harrison of Rowan University for preparing this).
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Local 54
The casino workers’ union Unite Here Local 54 Unite Here yesterday said it would endorse Assemblyman Chris Brown’s run for state senate, the Press of Atlantic City reports. Union President Bob McDevitt explains the decision is related to Brown’s support of the No North Jersey Casinos campaign, which McDevitt said helped lead to Hard Rock’s decision to open an Atlantic City casino. “Thanks to Chris’s efforts, Hard Rock is now investing in Atlantic City, creating over 3,000 new job,” said McDevitt. I suspect there is another Chris who wants credit for that, too. Prescription Probe
Ted Greenberg reported yesterday for NBC 10 that the investigation into prescription drug fraud by municipal workers in Atlantic City, Margate and Ventnor, has expanded.
Nighttime Economies
Atlantic City isn’t the only city in the United States that has to manage noise and antisocial behavior issues related to its nighttime businesses. Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in Florida have recently appointed officials – ‘nighttime economy czars’ – charged with figuring out how best to manage relations and the issues that crop up between tourists, locals and the nighttime businesses. Route Fifty has an interview with the expert in Orlando – it’s worth reading for those of you involved in the bar/restaurant/casino industries, or just interested in city planning issues. Rabbits
There are bunnies everywhere, as our two-year-old keeps pointing out. Maybe it was the warm-ish winter.
Dune Project Delayed
Margate’s dune project has been temporarily suspended by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez, who described drainage problems related to the project as the cause of “irreparable harm” to the city, according to an article published by the Press of Atlantic City. The lack of proper drainage has resulted in 15 inches of stagnant water locked behind the newly constructed dune. Mayor Michael Becker has stated tests have shown the pooled water to be loaded with bacteria, and two lifeguards have been treated for infection and fever due to extended contact with the water. New Online Portal Aims to Combat Opioid Epidemic
New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs announced the launch of its Suspicious Activity Report portal on Thursday in a press release. The Division described the portal as the latest feature of the NJ Prescription Monitoring Program.
AC Tax Settlements
Although state oversight and advice to Atlantic City has cost taxpayers more than $6 million and led to costly litigation over public safety staffing, the state’s lawyers-in-charge have succeeded in removing one of the dark clouds that had been hanging over the Queen of Resorts: Casino tax appeals. Yesterday, Gov. Chris Christie announced the settlement of the remaining outstanding tax appeals filed by seven current and former casinos. The settlements will be covered by an $80 million bond ordinance that the city introduced last month, Christie’s statement said. A few small details from the last paragraph of that press release (linked above) detailing the “steady progress” in the city may be worth noting (you decide). 1.
Prescription Probe
There are a couple of new details on the federal – and now state – investigation into the cost of public employees’ prescriptions in Margate, Ventnor and Atlantic City. Lynda Cohen of BreakingAC reported that state grand jury subpoenas issued yesterday likely mean that alleged lower-level suspects in the case would be charged by the state and not federal prosecutors. Meanwhile, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said hundreds could be charged in a late Sunday interview with NBC’s Ted Greenberg. Tyner also said the investigation involves anyone “who played a role in deceiving the insurance companies.” The insurance companies have fraud detection units.
Solar in the Pines
An appeals court on Monday upheld a decision that conveyed a chunk of deed-restricted Pinelands to be developed as a solar farm, NJ Spotlight reports. The solar project, first proposed 11 years ago, was contested by environmental groups who said it went against the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan. It was not immediately clear what kind of ramifications the appeals court opinion might have for the controversial gas pipelines that have also been challenged by local environmental groups. Margate Lake
The lake that formed between the recently-constructed (and long-protested) dunes and beach houses in Margate after heavy rain over the weekend has now been dubbed Lake Christie. And Margate Commissioners will be meeting tonight to discuss legal action, reports Amy Rosenberg for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The lake’s development was forecast by a civil engineer who testified in court last year on behalf of residents who launched a legal battle to challenge the dunes.