Sister Jean’s soup kitchen got broken into the other day and there’s a GoFundMe page to restock. As of press time, they were $5 short of their $1000 goal. (Update: Someone just gave them $100).
Here are four stories on marijuana reform, arranged conveniently by Matt Friedman at the NJ PlayBook.
In them:
* A health commissioner says alcohol’s more dangerous than marijuana.
* A former superintendent of the state police channels Nancy Reagan and actually uses the phrase “illegal Woodstock weed inhaled or ingested by the Baby Boomers of the 60s.”
* After reading the state police superintendent’s piece, it may not surprise you to know that NJ police who are asked where it’s legal to use medical marijuana “often do not know the guidelines or – in some cases – that medical cannabis is even legal in New Jersey.”
* Phil Murphy’s pro-legalization argument pits him against Ronald Rice “the state’s longest-serving black senator and the leader of its Black Caucus” who’s opposed and says, “It’s clear there is big, big money pushing special interests to sell this to our communities.”
Spoiler: “A statewide coalition of black pastors, the N.A.A.C.P. and the New Jersey chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance is pushing for legalization as a social justice issue, but only if it is linked to some type of compensation for the harm they say was done to black and brown families whose sons were incarcerated,” the New York Times reports.
For what it’s worth, Mayor Gilliam seemed to say basically the same thing when we interviewed him the other day.
You want Millennials? The New Jersey press corp’s got em.
The valuable Spotlight spotted and then interviewed (!) several actual Millennials, or their representatives, to ask them why they’re leaving New Jersey in such droves.
For more news from around your region, see below:
Phil Murphy Orders Investigation Into Utilities’ Storm Response–New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Thursday that he’s ordered an investigation into how state utility companies responded to back-to-back winter storms that left hundreds of thousands of residents without power. observer.com
Toto wins Salem line for LoBiondo seat–The Salem County Republican line in the race for Frank LoBiondo’s congressional seat went to Somers Point Councilman James Toto. newjerseyglobe.com
Lanternfly migration could mean trouble for New Jersey–New Jersey is putting up a fight to keep a new Asian pest from crossing the Delaware River and setting up housekeeping here. www.pressofatlanticcity.com
TEN YEARS ON, NEW JERSEY EMPLOYMENT FINALLY BACK TO PRE-RECESSION LEVEL–It took a full 10 years, but it looks like New Jersey may have finally made it all the way back to the same employment level that was measured just before the Great Recession began in late 2007. www.njspotlight.com
Trump’s latest EPA pick works for company linked to NJ Superfund site–The candidate that President Donald Trump has picked to oversee the cleanup of Superfund sites around the country is currently employed by one of the companies responsible for some toxic sites in N.J. www.nj.com
OVER THE TOP: SPECIAL-INTEREST LOBBYISTS SPEND $90.8M IN 2017–The two biggest spenders of special-interest groups lobbying on issues affecting New Jersey residents this past year surprisingly were focused on the same number: $300 million, but for different reasons. www.njspotlight.com
Ventnor to leave ice cream vendor policy as is–VENTNOR — The Board of Commissioners announced March 8 the city will not change its ice cream vendor policy and will continue selling individual licenses to veterans. www.shorenewstoday.com
New Jersey Lawmakers to Consider Earned Sick Leave Bill–New Jersey lawmakers are moving to enact a statewide sick leave law now that Democrat Phil Murphy is in the governor’s office. observer.com
Atlantic City Area Fishermen Vs. Army Corp of Engineers–It’s not just Jersey Shore homeowners that hate dunes, dredging and beach work. Recreational fishermen are now joining the fight against questionable, expensive work by the Army Corp of Engineers and the NJ DEP. acprimetime.com
Nearly $850,000 In Drugs Seized, 31 Charged–A street-level drug deal in Ocean County ended up disrupting flow of drugs into seven counties, and the dismantling of nine drug-production facilities, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato announced this week. breakingac.com