Talkshow host Harry Hurley this morning had Atlantic City’s new boss from the state, Jeff Chiesa, in to talk all things takeover related. Among Chiesa’s crazy new plans for turning the cash-strapped casino town around: An effort to make more of the city’s “great things” including the ocean. He also said that fixing the city’s finances is a “significant challenge” and he’ll be working with all parties involved. There’s no story up yet, but here’s Harry Hurley’s site and here’s Christian Hetrick’s Twitter feed, with all the details.
About 1,000 students at the Star Academy learned this week – some via a casual text message – that their school in Egg Harbor Township was closing. Atlantic Cape Community College is holding an open house to see if some students might be able to transfer into its programs, but more than a few have been left stranded, with a lot of training completed but nothing to show for it, according to this Press of Atlantic City piece. Beyond that, the school’s closure is a further blow to efforts to revive an increasingly sad-looking stretch of the Black Horse Pike.
In other news, Atlantic City’s Wednesday Council meeting progressed as smoothly as usual in spite of the state takeover, there’s a Thanksgiving weather forecast and a former governor says the state should have taken over AC 40 years ago… Read more below.
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It’s ‘Business As Usual’ At 1st Atlantic City Council Meeting Since State Takeover–Business as usual, for now. That was the message at the first City Council meeting since the state officially took over earlier this week. Press of Atlantic City
Thanksgiving Weather: An Early Look At What To Expect–It's still a week away, but the Thanksgiving holiday weather forecast is starting to come into focus. Press of Atlantic City
Exploring Camden County’s Presidential Write-Ins–You get a unique look into the psyche of the electorate when they have a blank space to put in their best hopes and dreams, or perhaps whatever they’re randomly thinking about at the time. All told, there were 1,848 total write-in votes just for the office of president over 47 1/2 pages. southjerseyist.wordpress.com
Watch Very Close Encounter with 50 FT. Humpback Whale Off Wildwood Coast–If you have wondered if they ever really see any whales on those whale watching tours out of Cape May, the answer is a big yes! Cat Country 107.3
Hard Rock Not Giving Up On Idea Of Meadowlands Casino–Hard Rock International's boss says his company will wait years if need be to open a casino in the northern New Jersey Meadowlands. CEO Jim Allen told The Associated Press on Tuesday he's prepared to wait two years or even much longer to build the casino his Florida-based company wants to add to the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, where the NFL's Jets and Giants play home games. NJ.com
Former Governor Says Atlantic City Takeover 40 Years Overdue–ncreased state oversight of Atlantic City is something that should have happened four decades ago when voters approved gaming in the city, according to former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco. “It would have been better to do in 1977,” said DiFrancesco, who served as governor from Jan. 31, 2001, through Jan. 8, 2002. Press of Atlantic City