Pinelands Pipeline Update
It can be confusing, trying to keep on top of environmental issues in the Pine Barrens. There are now two different proposals to build a pipeline through the pinelands: the first one, green-lighted by the Pinelands Commission amid much public controversy, has now been dealt another delay by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. NJ Spotlight reports that review of the project has been held up because PennEast (a consortium of energy companies that includes South Jersey Industries) failed to submit information requested by the DEP. Meanwhile, a public hearing on the second pipeline, proposed by New Jersey Natural Gas, will be held next month.
The $2.5 Mln Bill
The law firm in charge of the Atlantic City takeover has now billed the state $2.5 million for its work, reports Amy Rosenberg for The Inquirer. Route 40 got a similar data-dump of invoices from the state yesterday as a result of our own public-records request and we are working on another report. Stay tuned.
Atlantic City skyline, taken from Brigantine via @themyrtleturtle_pbk on Instagram.
Film Festival
The Garden State Film Festival, lured to Atlantic City with $300,000 from CRDA, is now leaving AC for Asbury Park because of a lack of suitably-sized venues*. This year’s festival was held largely at Resorts and Dante Hall and apparently the Resorts space is unavailable for 2018, and the new Hard Rock casino would not be open on time. But still, really? Atlantic City is filled with great venues of all sizes. Asbury Park? This is a loss of about 25,000 visitors, The Press of Atlantic City reports. *We wonder if what they meant to say was that there was a lack of suitably-priced venues…
Funeral arrangements have been set for Atlantic City Firefighter Albie Mallen – details here.
In the rest of the day’s news, a New Jersey shutdown is looming closer as there’s still no budget deal, the overall level of homelessness in NJ is down 5 pct this year, The Inquirer is running a new Shore series for locals and shoobies, and some fireworks in New Jersey are now legal. All that and more below:
Teen Arrested in Attack on Elderly Woman in Atlantic City–An Atlantic City teen allegedly threw an elderly woman to the ground and robbed her this week. The 16-year-old was arrested Tuesday, after he was identified through a flyer with his picture on it from surveillance footage, Sgt. Kevin Fair said. BreakingAC
10 Questions with Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner: Hurley–Damon Tyner was nominated by Governor Chris Christie, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate and sworn-in on March 15, 2017 to be the Atlantic County Prosecutor. Shore News Today
AtlantiCare Opens New Manahawkin Health Complex–A few swipes on an iPad and a scan of your fingerprint — that’s all it will take for an established patient at AtlantiCare to sign in for an appointment, procedure or test at the health provider’s new campus in Manahawkin. The AtlantiCare Health Park Manahawkin Campus opens to the public today after nearly three years of development. Press of Atlantic City
Man Arrested After Gunshots Fired At Car in Atlantic City–Atlantic City police arrested a Gloucester County man who allegedly fired a gun early Wednesday morning. The ShotSpotter audio gunshot-detection system alerted police to the 3100 block of Fairmont Avenue at 4:35 a.m., Sgt. Kevin Fair said. BreakingAC
Pleasantville Police Investigating Shooting That Wounded Man–A Pleasantville man was wounded in an early morning shooting Wednesday. Denzell Davenport, 24, was found shot at 301 W. Delilah Road at about 1:15 a.m., Capt. Matt Hartman said. BreakingAC
Kauffman Attorney Awaiting Appeal Decision in Weapons Case–The attorney for an Egg Harbor Township doctor jailed on weapons offenses is awaiting news after filing an appeal last week. Dr. James Kauffman was arrested at his Ocean Heights Avenue office after he pulled a gun June 13, when investigators came with a search warrant to seize evidence in an ongoing investigation into medical fraud, according to the warrant. BreakingAC
Ex-Pleasantville Housing Authority Manager Admits Stealing Money–A former Pleasantville Housing Authority manager admitted this week that she stole money intended for tenants in Atlantic City. Cheryl Bradshaw, 60, of Atlantic City, was arrested in April on charges of official misconduct and theft by failure to make required disposition of property received. BreakingAC
DEP Tables PennEast Application, Another Delay for Troubled Pipeline–The PennEast pipeline project yesterday suffered a setback when the state Department of Environmental Protection stopped reviewing its application, citing the company’s failure to submit information sought by the agency. In administratively closing the application, the state essentially delayed the project once again, making it more likely the ultimate review of the key water permits the developer needs may come down to a decision for the next administration early next year. www.njspotlight.com