Pipeline Problems
The perennially problematic pipeline is facing a new challenge in the form of an injunction to stay its construction while the Apellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court considers various pending appeals, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Each delay raises the financial costs for the companies involved in the project, which include Atlantic County’s South Jersey Industries. One company, PSE&G, sold its stake in the project March. The completion date for the 100-mile natural gas pipeline was pushed back to the second half of 2018 and further delays look likely.
Brigantine, photo by @michael_danila, editing by @timmcglynn via Instagram.
Sick-Pay Boat Checks
Following up on NJSpotlight’s awesome data journalism that showed which towns in New Jersey are running up the highest liabilities in the form of accumulated sick-pay checks owed to their local employees, NJ.com has this piece polling all the governor candidates on the issue. Most favor some kind of cap for new public employees. Guadagno is in favor of a cap because these liabilities drive up property taxes, while Murphy similarly says he would work for a cap and a deal that is fair and “protects taxpayers”.
Oh CRDA
Robert Mulcahy, the chairman of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, has received almost $30,000 this year in back pay and compensation for his hard graft sitting at the head of a boardroom table, but he’s not all that happy about it. “Actually, somebody should thank me for doing it for those years for nothing,” Mulcahy told me (Elinor) in an exclusive interview. As one commenter suggested to us, maybe he should ask the CRDA employees he fired earlier this year whether they would like to throw him a party? Or perhaps the $11-an-hour maintenance staff could pool their 28-cent raises for a thank-you gift? Or maybe, just maybe, the Atlantic City fire and police departments could write him a nice thank you note? Especially since the mind-bogglingly undemocratic CRDA board also approved the addition of 15 new class II officers to the tourism district yesterday, (read that story here by the Press of Atlantic City). The board also approved a new master plan (read about that here via The Philadelphia Inquirer), and Mulcahy promised that the rules and ordinances needed to enact that plan will be published before the end of the year.
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In the rest of the news from the last 24 hours, Straub resurfaces and says Revel could open by June 15, here’s a neat story on a Stockton summit addressing the black-male student retention crisis, and read this analysis of the future of ‘abuse-deterrent opioids’. All that and more below:
Linwood School District Moves to Dismiss Teacher Charged with Assault–The Linwood Board of Education voted unanimously at a special executive session April 12 to file tenure charges against a Belhaven Middle School teacher charged with assault on a student, interim district Superintendent Michelle Cappelluti said Tuesday. Press of Atlantic City
Atlantic City Planner Elizabeth Terenik, Credited With Helping the City Rebuild, Leaving for Another Job–Public officials can become punching bags at City Council meetings, where angry residents vent about crime, high taxes and other quality-of-life issues. But since taking over the Planning and Development Department in 2014, Elizabeth Terenik has been lauded for acting as a liaison to the business community and helping make the city’s many project renderings into reality. Press of Atlantic City
ACUA 27th Annual Earth Day Celebration Set for Sunday, April 23–The Atlantic County Utilities Authority will hold the 27th annual Earth Day festival 10 am through 4 pm Sunday, April 23 at the ACUA Environmental Park, 6700 Delilah Road, Egg Harbor Township. Shore News Today
Environmental group asks court to block work on Pinelands pipeline until appeals are heard–Citing “imminent environmental harm,” the Pinelands Preservation Alliance on Tuesday asked the Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court to block the start of construction of South Jersey Gas’ pipeline through the Pinelands while the court considers several appeals against the project. Philly.com
Can ‘Abuse-Deterrent Opioids’ Help Stem NJ’s Drug Epidemic?–Abuse-deterrent opioids are being pushed by manufacturers as a tool to combat drug use, but on the national level some physicians and scientists have raised new questions about their effectiveness. www.njspotlight.com
New A.C. master plan puts real-life Monopoly Board in play–ATLANTIC CITY — A state agency that controls zoning in nearly all of Atlantic City's prime real estate has approved a new master plan that officials insist will finally loosen land regulations that have stalled development. Philly.com
Unused sick pay in N.J. is near $2 billion. Here’s what N.J. governor candidates would do about it.–Public workers across New Jersey are owed almost $1.9 billion for unused sick days. Here's where the 11 major-party gubernatorial candidates stand on the matter. NJ.com
CRDA to fund 45 Class II officers for Boardwalk and Pacific Avenue–ATLANTIC CITY — The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved spending $1.5 million to hire 45 Class II officers as it looks to supplement the city’s Police Department and improve safety inside the Tourism District for the summer. Press of Atlantic City
“Trump” Taj Mahal sign case ends–CAMDEN — The legal battle over who owns two “TRUMP” signs from the former Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort is over, according to a lawyer involved in the case. Press of Atlantic City