The dark days of Atlantic City are behind it and Borgata could consider new developments, says the guy at the front of MGM, which runs the city’s most successful casino. Discussing the land that MGM owns around Borgata, Chief Executive Jim Murren said it could be developed. “We’re going to grow our business,” he said. Read more at NJ.com.
Meanwhile, a new bill designed to prevent casino owners from holding licenses after shutting down a casino – apparently in an effort to prevent the Taj Mahal from reopening with new labor contracts – will get a hearing today. NJ 101.5 has the story.
Route 40 took a trip to Richland Village in the Pinelands to see what the story was behind a centennarian oak tree’s death and a decision to turn the tree into a monument. We also profiled the doctors who have worked the sidelines of Holy Spirit High School football games for parts of five decades. (Mater Dei beat Holy Spirit 26-20 in the championship game on Saturday – you can see photos from the game here.)
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For the rest of today’s South Jersey headlines – including a new look at prescribing opioids to kids and a raw sewage problem in Atlantic City – see what we’re reading below:
Bipedal Bear’s Apparent Death Motivates Bear Hunt Opponents–New Jersey's long-debated black bear hunts have stoked strong passions, blasted by animal rights activists as inhumane and supported by hunters and wildlife officials who say they help control the population and minimize run-ins with humans. But the death of a bear presumed to be one that walked on two feet and became a social media darling has become a rallying cry for hunt opponents as they prepare to stage protests during the second segment of this year's hunt, which starts Monday. It's scheduled to run through Saturday, but officials said it could end early depending on how many bears are culled. Philly.com
Misled By Rumor of Cash Payouts, 1,800 Former NJ Inmates Sue Jail–The lawsuits were sparked by a rumor that spread wildly through the streets of Camden and beyond: Anyone who was held in a crowded jail cell can get a check if he or she files a lawsuit. Philly.com
Trying to Get Doctors to Think Twice Before Prescribing Opioids to Minors–Support appears to be building for a measure designed to reduce the flow of prescription painkillers to young patients, while also decreasing the potential for illicit diversion of these addictive substances. The proposal is backed by a growing number of lawmakers and drug policy advocates, but has raised questions for some medical providers — including a key Assembly leader who is also a doctor. www.njspotlight.com
Water System Reformers Rally Support for Huge Infrastructure Campaign – NJ Spotlight – http://www.njspotlight.com/–Advocates for a major overhaul to New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure are gathering more supporters from a range of interest groups amid growing concern that leaks, storms, and sewage overflows are threatening public health, flooding cities, and driving up costs for municipalities and private system operators. Jersey Water Works, a collaborative that spans different sectors, is now supported by some 270 organizations or about twice the number it had when it started a year ago, officials said at the group’s second annual conference in Newark on Friday. www.njspotlight.com
Officials Probe Death of Hundreds of Blackbirds in South Jersey–Hundreds of red-winged blackbirds were found dead last week in a farming area near Bridgeton in South Jersey. The Cumberland County Health Department and the New Jersey Departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection are looking into whether toxins killed the birds. Newsworks.org
Raw Sewage an Unwelcome Neighbor at A.C. Apartments–The worst part of Terri Forrest-Kelsey’s Venice Park apartment isn’t the mold or the mice. It’s the raw sewage that leaks out of the pipe from the side of the building off Sheridan Avenue. Press of Atlantic City
Realtor Convention Back in Atlantic City for 100th Year–More than 8,000 real estate professionals from three states are scheduled to be in Atlantic City this week for the annual Triple Play Realtors Convention and Trade Show. This year makes the 100th straight year the trade group has held its convention in Atlantic City, said Allison Rosen, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Realtors. Press of Atlantic City