Good morning Route 40’ers! There was a glorious sunrise over Atlantic City this a.m., which I failed to capture through technical incompetence.
Shout-out to the lunatic jogging on the Boardwalk with no shirt.
In realer news…
We take a look at the costs of the aviation park, which is a double bet that the county can draw new businesses to invest locally and add high-salaried workers to the tax rolls. At stake is a still tourism-focused economy and a large bill for existing taxpayers.
The State AG announced an overhaul of the system for collecting use-of-force information across New Jersey’s police departments, of which there are, what, 550?
This came in response to the big database and accompanying reporting put out by NJ.com last week, which was based on a few hundred Open Public Records Act requests and 72,000+ use-of-force reports. The pledge to build a new system was signed by the AG, the president of the County Prosecutors Association and the heads of a few different PBA-type things (how many PBAs are there?) so we’ll see what happens.
Shout out to Buena!
Keep on saying Buena. Who cares how the rest of the world pronounces that word?
Bully for Bonfires!
There’s going to be a bonfire for Atlantic City’s Polar Bear Plunge, set for noon New Year’s Day, in front of Resorts. Shout out to Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who ranks #1 on Route 40’s index of pro-bonfire lawmakers. I don’t know if he’s behind this Polar-Bear thing or not. But I may have to go down there on New Year’s Day and warm my gams.
For more feats of journalism…
DEMS’ DECISION TO PUSH AHEAD WITH REDISTRICTING BILL HAS BLUE BASE FIGHTING MAD–New Jersey’s Democratic leaders are pushing ahead their controversial constitutional amendment to change the way the state’s legislative districts are redrawn every 10 years, even as some of the party’s most ardent supporters are vowing to fight a proposal that they consider undemocratic. www.njspotlight.com
Amazon workers treated after bear repellent releases fumes–Authorities say 24 workers at an Amazon fulfillment center in Mercer County, New Jersey have been taken hospitals for treatment, after bear repellent fell off a shelf and released fumes, including one person who is in critical condition. 6abc.com
EDA taking applications for $250K redevelopment program aimed at vacant malls, office parks–The New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced this week that it is taking applications for its new $250,000 program aimed at helping communities repurpose local vacant or underutilized commercial and retail properties. www.roi-nj.com
Josie Kelly’s Public House Holds Official Grand Opening–A customer walking into Josie Kelly’s Public House in Somers Point might feel as if he or she crossed over “the pond.” www.downbeach.com