Route 40 (https://rtforty.com/page/10/)
The data team at NJ.com has another story from their use-of-force database, this one focused on racial disparities, which found that, statewide, based on population, “a black person is 229 percent more likely to have any type of force used on them compared to someone who is white.”
Minority Officers
Joe Atmontavage reports on the lawsuit the Atlantic City Police union, PBA Local 24, filed to halt promotions of officers, which seems on the surface like an odd thing for a union to do, but the union is arguing the promotions would violate the Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act (aka the state takeover) and don’t follow the Civil Service Act (if I read that right). In May, when eight Caucasian officers were promoted as captains and deputy chiefs, the union did not object to the process and wrote a letter affirming the “stance of the PBA is to remain neutral and not become involved in a matter which will ultimately pit member against member.” This time around there are 14 minority officers up for promotions. Also, apart from Chief Henry White, there are no minority officers above the rank of lieutenant. One of the minority candidates (if I’m reading this right) filed a motion saying the union’s turnaround is discriminatory.
$900 Million
The City of Atlantic City City Council met for the first time since the mayor’s house was raided by the FBI, and Amy Rosenberg reports, on twitter, that the Council President Marty Small (who lost a bet and had to wear a Cowboys blanket) met with developers on a $900 million non-casino project. https://twitter.com/amysrosenberg/status/1072993789957074945
Who remembers Glenn Straub’s Phoenix Project ($500 million) when he was going to bring “extreme sports,” super yachts, equestrian entertainment and a bunch of other weird sh*t to the Southeast Inlet or Bader Field? Something tells me the current dudes are more credible. Supermarket
In possibly related news, the City Council President Small said the governmental and administrative affairs committee, which he chairs, met with CRDA Monday to discuss a possible 2019 groundbreaking on a major supermarket! (Video here: 17:30 mark)
Close readers of this space will recall that Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, in an interview with ROI-NJ last week, said Atlantic City residents are “yearning” for a suburban-style super-center supermarket or something, since we lack the “diversity” of produce available in Somers Point or Absecon or something.
New Jersey’s the fourth-worst state in the nation for drivers, behind Hawaii, Connecticut and California, according to the Spotlight, which also has another one of those interactive maps, this one showing internet access across the state.
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.
Last Monday Nathan Bryson, who is the Curator of Organs at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, was surveying a damaged section of the 85-year-old pipe organ in the main auditorium when he noticed an object at the bottom of one of the pipes, Major Diapason, Pedal Left division.
Josh Vadell is one of ten Atlantic City Police officers suing over breach of contract after they were not paid for unused sick time.
The state capped payouts for unused time at $15,000, arguing, if I remember correctly, it had the right under the Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act if doing so would assist in the stabilization and recovery of Atlantic City.
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?
A brand-new office and research space for aviation companies is slowly appearing on the edges of the Atlantic City Airport. It is a $26 million bet for Atlantic County and its taxpayers.
Lynda Cohen has a story on Frank Gilliam’s latest travails, and it involves an interview with Craig Callaway, which makes it extra-worth reading. Also there’s an interview with Nicky Scarfo’s old lawyer, which also makes it extra-worth your time. Moral of the story seems to be: The Mayor’s in some genuine sh*t and that sh*t is speeding fanward rapidly.
There are few new details about the raid yesterday at the mayor’s house. Lynda Cohen reports FBI agents were there for five hours and removed a printer, among other things. The Press says it was a little over four hours, included IRS agents, and they removed an Apple desktop.
Amy Rosenberg reports on Twitter that Federal Agents are unloading boxes at Mayor Gilliam’s house. Presumably they don’t contain Girl Scout cookies. Lynda Cohen says the ACPD are on the scene too (for crowd control purposes). Ted Greenberg says special agents for the IRS are there.
ICE Order
State A.G. Gurbir Gurwal announced those new rules on how/when local law enforcement should work with ICE, directing law enforcement, “not to enter into so-called 287(g) partnerships that essentially deputize local law enforcement as immigration agents or detain immigrants for ICE without a warrant signed by a judge,” as the Spotlight puts it. Gurwal said the new directive drew a “bright line” between immigration authorities and local law enforcement and was a signal to “our friends and our neighbors who have been living in fear” that they could trust state law enforcement. St. Joe’s-Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit and St. Joe’s play for the state championship (in the football) tonight at the Meadowlands, which seems a bit odd to me but I’m an old fogie.
Mayor Fight
Prosecutors declined to pursue criminal charges against Mayor Gilliam and Councilman Fauntleroy over the fight outside the Golden Nugget, but there’s still a municipal court matter, scheduled for December 11 in Wildwood. Meanwhile a 9+ minute surveillance tape of the incident(s) was released, so you can parse that if you want. I’m old enough to remember the Spinks-Tyson fight from Convention Hall that kept people trying to figure how who hit whom, when, for weeks, and that only lasted 91 seconds. Maybe we can get Jim Lampley and Sugar Ray Leonard to call this one for old time’s sake. AC Monies
Developer Bart Blatstein and the owner of the Claridge and the Atlantic Club are behind on their taxes, according to the city’s tax sale list.
Real estate developer Bart Blatstein and Florida-based hotel company TJM owe Atlantic City almost four million dollars in unpaid taxes from this year, according to the city’s tax sale list.