Pinelands Pipeline II
The Pinelands Commission on Thursday approved a second natural gas pipeline through the protected pinelands, even as some of the commissioners said it went against their oath to safeguard the area, NJ Spotlight reports. The 30-mile ‘Southern Reliability Link’, run by New Jersey Natural Gas, will run across the state through the northern part of the Pine Barrens.
Atlantic City from a different perspective, via @themoonbeast.
Wetlands
A major storm, a cop trying to win redemption, and a local crime lord are the subjects of ‘Wetlands’, a film made in and around Atlantic City and released today. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Nick Vadala interviewed director Emanuele Della Valle on the movie. Della Valle lived in a hotel in AC during the winter and went riding with local police in order to write the script. The writer and director had to fight to film it in Atlantic City – New Jersey does not give tax breaks to film crews, so it can be expensive to film here – but he was set on the city as a backdrop, saying, “Visually, it is so interesting — this desolate, Americana-style place…It makes for striking cinematic imagery.” Del Valle said it’s a shame Atlantic City hasn’t been filmed more often. (That could start to change – a locally-based team is pitching a TV serial called ’48 Blocks’ and also believe that Atlantic City is a compelling backdrop.). You can catch ‘Wetlands’ at the AMC at the Hamilton Mall or at the Frank Theatres Town Stadium in Pleasantville through Sept. 21. More details on the film here.
Boost!
“A flat, thick, weird-tasting soda you’ll only find in Jersey” – that is how the Philadelphia Inquirer bills ‘Boost!’, an unusual sugary drink found in a handful of towns in Burlington County, where it has been made for more than a century. If you haven’t tried some Boost! you’ll probably want to read this.
In the rest of the day’s news, hundreds attended the memorial service for former Atlantic City mayor and state senator Jim Whelan, the Pinelands Commission yesterday approved a map of roads in the Wharton State Forest deemed appropriate for recreational motor vehicles, three Cumberland County corrections officers are facing criminal charges in connection with two suicides at the county jail this year and Rowan’s business school just got a $5 million gift for scholarships. All that and more below:
Ex-South Jersey Cop Says He Drank Beer That Nearly Killed Him, Court Filing Says–It took only one sip of draft beer at a New Jersey restaurant for retired Lt. Richard Washart to believe that he had been poisoned. But the former cop still couldn’t believe how close he came to death as a result of drinking beer drawn from a tap system line that may have contained a powerful caustic cleaning solution, according to a news release from Washart’s attorney, D’Amato Law Firm. patch.com
Kennedy, Jefferson Health Systems Announce Regional MergerKennedy, Jefferson Health Systems Announce Regional Merger–Two big-name health-care systems have joined forces to provide care to residents in both South Jersey and Philadelphia. On Thursday, September 14th, leaders from Kennedy Health and Jefferson Health met at Kennedy Hospital in Sewell to celebrate the official merger of the two health systems. www.snjtoday.com
Investors Foundation Gives $5,000 to Camden’s Community Gardens–The Woodland Community Development Corporation, or Woodland CDC, has been providing fresh produce to families in Camden thanks in part to a generous donation from a local organization. The Investors Foundation, which supports nonprofit organizations throughout southern New Jersey, awarded the Woodland CDC a $5,000 grant to help the group's two community gardens in Camden grow and thrive. www.snjtoday.com
Linwood Police Department Holding DWI Checkpoint–Local police and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office will conduct a DWI checkpoint beginning Friday. The checkpoint will begin at 7 pm and end at 1 am Saturday. www.pressofatlanticcity.com