The New York Times sent four reporters out to do this story on Mayor Gilliam and the FBI raid, and there are some interesting details about the inaugural fund-raiser, for example, that Dennis Rodman wore tinted shades.
It also took eleven graphs to get to the inevitable Boardwalk Empire reference, which is braggable. On the other hand they quote Donnie Russell, owner of the Pic-a-Lilli, a “working-class bar near the shore,” which is Timespeak for something, though we still can’t figure it out.
Elsewhere in the mayor, Michelle Brunetti Post has a nice piece giving historical perspective on Atlantic City’s small size, and the vast sums of money that flow through town, creating “opportunities for corruption” that have resulted in an unusually high number of indictments among political leaders.
Atlantic City, Ventnor and Margate are petitioning the New Jersey Department of Transportation to elevate West End Avenue/Wellington Avenue and improve the intersection with Route 40, which is under water too much for anyone’s liking.
Nanette LoBiondo has details and pictures. There are plans to elevate other sections of Route 40 and Albany Avenue by the Stockton campus but apparently not this stretch. For those playing along at home, you may remember that West End Avenue was resurfaced not so long ago at a cost of more than $1 million, which came from NJ Transportation Trust funds and county money…
Chris Christie’s cap on school superintendent salaries did not save the state money and increased turnover, Joe Hernandez at WHYY reports, citing a study from Rutgers. The policy, “which only limits the salary of one person in districts with sometimes hundreds of employees and massive budgets, was never a smart way to cut costs.”
Route 40 did a hard-hitting expose over the weekend about one of the old curators of the Boardwalk Hall organ who may or may not have dropped his ID into a big pipe 20 years ago. It was found last week. But you should go check out the organ.
NJ Transit exploring sale of air and land rights around train stations–New Jersey Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett said the state is looking into ways to sell air rights — or development rights — above and adjacent to rail stations in New Jersey. www.roi-nj.com
About 250 get ‘Fresh Start’ without warrants at Galloway event–“It’s like a Christmas present,” said Tanicsha Birts, as she left Friday’s Safe Surrender event with a weight lifted in the form of three warrants. breakingac.com
Sailboat stranded on Jersey Shore beach freed thanks to generous strangers–With temperatures expected to hover around freezing this weekend, Erik Wade has two things on his mind – staying warm and repairing his sailboat after it was pulled free Thursday after spending five days beached in Sea Isle City. www.nj.com
Stockton establishes college-bound program for area high schoolers–ATLANTIC CITY – Stockton University has been awarded a state grant to establish a college bound program for students in Atlantic City and Pleasantville. The program will be based at the new Atlantic City campus starting in early 2019. www.downbeach.com
All you need to know about that controversial, fast-tracked plan that could give N.J. Dems even more power–It's not as high-profile or easy to digest as the fight to legalize marijuana or raise the minimum wage. But there's another big battle raising lots of heat in Trenton right now: a controversial plan Democratic state lawmakers have suddenly resurrected to ask voters to approve an overhaul of how New Jersey draws its legislative districts. www.nj.com
ICE arrests 105 immigrants in the latest large-scale operation in New Jersey–Immigration officials on Friday announced the arrest of 105 people in New Jersey over a five-day period that began a day after the state Attorney General ordered state, county and local law enforcement to limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities. www.northjersey.com