Atlantic City’s Still Got It
AC may have been demoted from the World’s Playground to the Entertainment Capital of the Jersey Shore, but people still recognize the Atlantic City brand! 
The (London) Sunday Times ran a feature recently on how sports betting can transform the city – see? We still have international name recognition! (Thanks to reader Joseph Russell for sending us the piece, which was published in the Royal Wedding edition of The Sunday Times, no less). And today it was announced that Atlantic City is in the mix to host the 2020-22 MAAC Tournaments. Post-season college basketball and $10 craps at the Tropicana? The Asbury Park Press wonders.
Town & Gown
The New York Times, meanwhile, has a feature for its real estate column on how Glassboro and Rowan University have worked together to “reap a reward.” It’s worth a read, particularly if you’re interested in all that’s riding on the success of Stockton University’s investment in Atlantic City, too. In Lower Chelsea right now there is a new sub and pizza shop being built, a multi-family building that’s being gut renovated and at least two 1920s large summer homes being restored…
Drug Company Rep Admits To Opioid Bribes
Meanwhile in the ongoing opioid crisis… a New Jersey drug sales rep for Insys Therapeutics has pleaded guilty to bribing doctors in the state to prescribe painkiller ‘Subsys’. The sales rep paid the doctors “speaker fees” but admitted these payments were actually rewards for prescribing more of the drug. The guilty plea follows the state’s move to bring a civil suit against Insys for “evil” practices in prescribing Subsys for conditions it was not intended to treat. NJ Advance’s S.P. Sullivan has the story.
In the rest of the day’s news… Wildwood Police released the bodycam footageIn case you haven’t already seen it, the from the weekend’s viral arrest, Fishermen’s Energy is getting another shot at its offshore Atlantic City wind turbine project, the Linwood ex-teacher in the chair-kicking incident was found guilty of simple assault and Margate police say they kept the lid on “Club Wa” this year. All that and more below:
Atlantic City Fire Department Closed Two Companies On Memorial Day Weekend–A shortage of available manpower forced the Fire Department to close two full companies on Memorial Day weekend. Atlantic City Fire Department Companies 4 and 7 were both closed Saturday due to a high number of sick callouts, according to Chief Scott Evans. www.pressofatlanticcity.com
Fishermen’s Energy Gets “Third Wind” On Offshore Wind Pilot–Fishermen’s Energy is going to get another shot at convincing the state to approve its small, pilot offshore wind project about three miles from Atlantic City. Gov. Phil Murphy yesterday signed without comment a bill (S-1217) that requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to accept an application from Fishermen’s and review it within 90 days. www.njspotlight.com
Could Accelerated Drop In Revenue Lead To Reinstating NJ Estate Tax?–A phaseout out of New Jersey’s estate tax is hitting revenue collections faster than forecasters originally projected. With serious budget talks now underway in Trenton, that could tempt lawmakers to consider reversing — at least in part — the full repeal of the tax that went into effect this year. The Department of Treasury just updated the forecast for all major tax sources last week, showing a slight uptick in overall revenue thanks largely to a booming income tax. www.njspotlight.com
Former Revel Casino Bringing In Heavy Hitter To Run Its Sportsbook–It won’t be open for another month, but the Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City already has booked its first guest. In gaming terms, it has hooked a whale. The William Hill company, the most prolific sportsbook in Vegas, will oversee the Ocean Resort’s sports gambling operations. The Ocean Resort is the former Revel Casino, at the north end of the AC boardwalk. www.philly.com
Margate Police: We Kept The Lid On Club Wa This Year–Police in this busy Shore town say that as usual, more than a thousand visiting teenagers crowded onto the beach near Lucy the Elephant over Memorial Day weekend, but, unlike last year, when fights and loitering outside the nearby Wawa store spiraled out of control, no serious incidents were reported. www.philly.com
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty In Stabbing That Left Girlfriend Critically Wounded In Ventnor Street–A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty to attempted murder in a vicious knife attack on his former girlfriend, who fled his moving car in Ventnor last year. David Legette, 54, of Bristol Township, Pa., admitted to attacking the 49-year-old woman inside an Atlantic City parking garage on July 2, then trapping her inside the car, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner said. breakingac.com
Ex-Linwood Teacher Guilty Of Simple Assault–A judge found a former teacher guilty of simple assault in an incident that injured a Linwood sixth-grader. Kimberly Peschi claimed she was trying to right a student’s chair when he was leaning back during lunch at Belhaven Middle School. breakingac.com
Ex-Ventnor Officer’s Sexual Harassment Case Now Just Against Atlantic City–Jury selection began Wednesday in a civil trial against Atlantic City alleging sexual harassment. Former Ventnor Officer Jamie Pirchio alleges she was sexually harassed while training to be a K-9 officer at the Atlantic County Police Training Center in September 2013. breakingac.com
Wanted Atlantic City Man Arrested With Loaded Handgun–A wanted Atlantic City man was arrested Tuesday with a loaded handgun, police said. Officers Franco Sydnor and Danish Mohammad saw Emanuel Williams in the 1600 block of Atlantic Avenue, and knew that he was wanted, Sgt. Kevin Fair said. breakingac.com
Mays Landing Man Charged With Assault By Auto In Crash That Injured Officer–A Mays Landing man is charged with assault by auto and drunken-driving after seriously injuring a Hamilton Township officer in a crash earlier this month. Officer Leo Rudolph’s car was struck just after 10 p.m. March 2, as he diverted traffic from Route 322 to Route 50 for downed wires. breakingac.com
Atlantic City Man Just Released From Prison Arrested In Two Armed Robberies–An Atlantic City man recently released after serving more than 15 years in prison for armed robberies was back at it again, police said. Victor Durham, 46, was arrested Tuesday in connection with two armed robberies of convenience stores on May 18, Sgt. Kevin Fair said. breakingac.com
Wildwood Police Release Full Body Camera Footage–Wildwood police have released body camera footage from the weekend arrest that went viral. In two videos, what led up to the arrest is shown, along with a close-up view of the arrest in which Emily Weinman is accused of assaulting two officers. breakingac.com
Atlantic City Pays $650K To Settle Claim ‘Rogue Cop’ Beat Casino Patron–Atlantic City will pay $650,000 to settle a claim that a police officer clubbed a man so severely during a 2012 casino melee that he required staples to close a large wound to his head. The federal lawsuit filed by Anthony Moore, of Pennsylvania, painted Detective Franco Sydnor as a one-man internal affairs nightmare. www.nj.com
Authorities Join Forces To Battle Opioid Addiction In Salem County–On Friday, law enforcement and healthcare officials are unifying to accomplish the common goal of gaining and maintaining a state of recovery for our neighbors, family members and friends throughout Salem County who are battling opioid addiction. www.nj.com
NJ’s Oldest Nuclear Plant Is Closing, Begins Booting Workers–The first large group of employees at the Oyster Creek Generating Station in Ocean County are set to leave as the nuclear plant prepares to shut down after nearly a half century of producing electricity. Exelon Corp, which owns the facility, filed notice with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development that 84 of its workers would be ending their employment with the company. www.nj.com