Fire Dept I + II
Ventnor city council introduced a bond ordinance for $3.3 million to replace the fire house on Wellington Ave., which no longer meets FEMA standards and has “outlived its usefulness,” according to this story from Nanette LoBiondo.
Chief Cahill said he’s leading tours of the facility to show any doubters the place is indeed a wreck. He seemed serious.
Elsewhere in Fires, Lynda Cohen reports that ACFD dealt with two suspected arsons on Saturday afternoon, within a half hour of one another. Both were vacant homes.
Density
NJ.com’s data maven Stephen Stirling has a fun piece on the state’s population density, featuring a 3D map. I appreciated the Marie Kondo reference in graf eight. Do click through to the comments to see how quickly the most innocuous data visualization can turn into a series of hate-filled rants on the electoral college.
Sweeney/Murphy
Steve Sweeney challenged Phil Murphy to a debate or something over their dueling programs for how to not raise taxes on millionaires, which I don’t know about you but I’d pay good money to see those two go at it on purely sociocultural grounds.
But a debate is very unlikely to happen, Matt Friedman at the Playbook notes while proposing that, if they do have one, ex-Camden Mayor Dana Redd should moderate.
Redd is set to get a gigantic pension courtesy of Sweeney, making her, “outlandish example of our state’s political machines using the system for their friends while insisting the little people must sacrifice.” Well-put as always, Mr. Friedman.
For more feats of journalism…
GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS BEHIND MIDTERM BLUE WAVE IN NJ SAY THEY’RE NOT GOING AWAY–It would be easy to imagine that the grassroots political groups that were instrumental in creating a blue wave in New Jersey last November would have closed shop and moved on after their victories in the midterm elections. On the contrary, many have become active at the state and local levels, plan to serve as watchdogs to elected officials, and continue to build their organizations in advance of 2020. www.njspotlight.com
WATSON UNSTOPPABLE AS MAINLAND HOLDS OFF RIVAL OCEAN CITY AT 97.3 ESPN FM SHOOTOUT–Mainland Regional public address announcer Brian Hatz likes to come up with nicknames for the Mustangs’ basketball players. He’s dubbed junior forward Kylee Watson “The Unicorn” for obvious reasons — there’s nobody like her in the Cape-Atlantic League, and perhaps even all of South Jersey. glorydaysonline.com
Judy Collins to headline JCC’s Summer Entertainment Series–MARGATE – The Milton and Betty Katz JCC, 501 N. Jerome Ave., has announced the lineup for its annual Summer Entertainment Series. Grammy winning folk-rock singer-songwriter Judy Collins opens the series 7 p.m. Thursday, July 18 with some of the most memorable songs of a generation. Enjoy her greatest hits, including “Turn! Turn! Turn!” “Someday Soon,” “Both Sides Now” and others from her popular album “Wildflowers.” www.downbeach.com
SJTA passes tiered incentive to lure carriers to Atlantic City International Airport–EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — The South Jersey Transportation Authority is again offering incentives to try to attract another airline to Atlantic City International Airport. www.pressofatlanticcity.com