Demolition is on the rise in Atlantic City, for the first time since the financial crisis. It could possibly – just possibly – be a positive sign that some more private construction projects are coming soon. But most of the demolition has been carried out by public agencies. Read the Route 40 story here.
NJ Spotlight takes a look at New Jersey’s water infrastructure, which leaks an unbelieveble amount – almost a third – of its water before it even reaches the tap. Read that here.
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The rest of what we’re reading today includes the weather forecast (it’s going to get even colder), a look at what really started an Atlantic City fire, a house lifting that went awry and a piece on some run-away donkeys. The headlines are below:
Someone Set Atlantic City Fire, But Still Not Ruled Arson, Chief Says–A fire in an unoccupied Atlantic City building was set by someone, but the intent is not clear, Fire Chief Scott Evans said Wednesday. Firefighters were called to the blaze on the first block of S. North Carolina Avenue after 7 am, and found flames coming out of the first floor, according to the report. BreakingAC
Man Injured, Pinned In Frigid Water When Part Of Shore Home Collapse–A man injured in a partial home collapse on the shore had to be rescued when he was pinned underwater. The Wildwood Fire Department said the man was suffering from multiple injuries after the accident Tuesday morning. NJ.com
Murphy Gets Another Backer in His Run for Governor, Releases Tax Return–With almost a year to go before New Jersey’s 2017 gubernatorial election, Democratic front-runner Phil Murphy keeps piling up endorsements. Yesterday he added one from the influential Communications Workers of America District 1 union, which represents 70,000 workers in the Garden State. www.njspotlight.com
Obesity Dips Among Poor Children In New Jersey–New Jersey’s multipronged efforts to reduce worrisome childhood obesity rates may be starting to pay off, a new federal report suggests. But too many low-income youngsters remain at a dangerously high weight, and comprehensive wellness programs must be sustained to ensure long-term benefits to the state’s population, experts agreed. www.njspotlight.com
Burlington County To Be Reimbursed For Mail-In Ballot Misprint Costs–Burlington County will be reimbursed nearly $30,000 after it had to pay its employees overtime and hire additional workers to hand-count about 20,900 faulty paper mail-in ballots last month. Election Graphics Inc. of North Bergen, N.J., has agreed to pay the costs after acknowledging it had printed ballots that could not be properly scanned because they were missing part of a bar code, said Eric Arpert, a county spokesman. The company had a $214,000 contract to print the ballots. Philly.com
Police Corral 4 Suspicious Donkeys in New Jersey Town– Police in a New Jersey town scrambled after getting a report of four suspicious donkeys loitering behind a home. The donkeys made a run for it, albeit more of a slow trot, when Mount Laurel officers arrived on the scene Saturday. Philly.com
Atlantic City Activists Announce Reverend Al Sharpton Coming to City–In Atlantic City, members of the National Action Network of South Jersey are already trying to sway people to join in their cause ahead of a visit from Reverend Al Sharpton planned for the weekend. The famous civil rights activist will be inviting area residents to march on Washington D.C. next month before the presidential inauguration. www.snjtoday.com
Arctic Air Now, Weekend Snow and Rain–Thermometers will drop and winds will become fierce on Thursday, with dangerous wind chills expected Friday morning and snow arriving by Saturday morning. New Jersey 101.5 – Proud to be New Jersey – New Jersey News Radio
Casino Revenues Decline 3.5 Percent in November–In the first full month after the closure of the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City casinos' total revenue declined in November by 3.5 percent compared to a year ago. However, the seven remaining casinos saw their combined revenue increase by 3 percent. www.snjtoday.com
Atlantic Cape Community College Raises Scholarship Funds–For the first time, Atlantic Cape Community College joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide on Nov. 29. A total of $2,565 from 61 donations was raised toward scholarships on the day of giving. #GivingOpporTuesday, a play on the college’s tag line, “Opportunity Starts Here,” was used on social media leading up to and on the day to encourage engagement from donors and participants in the college community. The Hammonton News