Today’s big regional headline is a 22.5% increase in gross operating profit by Atlantic City’s casinos, which the A.P. calls “good news for the seaside gambling resort” and a “jackpot” for someone. Could have fooled me! Who are the six people left in Atlantic County who think casino profits still correlate with local happiness/security/contentment?
The valuable NJ Spotlight has a bunch of stories very much worth reading today including this one on the rise in newborns exposed to opioids, or this one on how South Jersey towns get the shite end of the stick in state aid. Isn’t the NJ Dem political machine headquartered down here? Who are they looking out for?
Elsewhere in Steve Sweeney news, Will Cunningham–who is one of the three very compelling Ds who were challenging Jeff Van Drew in the primary–suggested Sweeney was maneuvering to help Van Drew out by holding off a vote on gun control until after the primaries. Read today’s Playbook for analysis.
Elsewhere in Steve Sweeney news, FERC, the energy regulator, says a PSE&G subsidiary made false statements when bidding in power auctions over a nine-year period. PSE&G wants $300 million? $3 billion? in subsidies and the Senate President really wants to give it to them.
Founding Fishies
Shad season is upon us! Pay homage to the “founding fish” at ShadFest in Lambertville. But first read about it here. Maybe this’s the year I finally get some shad roe.
Lastly, there’s been a management and staffing shakeup at the Pic-a-Lilli, the beloved cinderblock box on Tennessee Ave that cranks out amazing chicken wings and associated wing-type products. Sorry to see you guys go. They better not F*&% that place up.
For more feats of journalism from across your region, see below:
Tom MacArthur and Andy Kim campaigns battle over pledge to refuse corporate PAC money–The debate over Democrat Andy Kim’s pledge to refuse corporate PAC contributions is the latest back-and-forth between the two campaigns in what national experts say is becoming an increasingly competitive race between Kim and Republican incumbent Tom MacArthur. www.burlingtoncountytimes.com
Phil Murphy Orders Public Reports on New Jersey Gun Violence–New Jersey will publish reports about the state’s gun violence and where the weapons in those crimes come from under an executive order signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday. observer.com
Campaign Contributions From NJ Contractors Were Up 4 Percent in 2017–Campaign donations by New Jersey public contractors rose for the first time in four years in 2017, thanks to a gubernatorial race and a historically expensive legislative election. observer.com
SPARTANS GET NONE OFF NUNAN; OCEAN CITY’S BIG LEFTY TOSSES CG SHUTOUT–OCEAN CITY — In the top of the seventh inning of Ocean City’s home opener Monday against Holy Spirit, Spartans first baseman Jimmy Pasquale ripped a lined shot up the middle. It was hit so hard it knocked the glove off Red Raiders senior southpaw pitcher Dan Nunan. Nunan picked the ball up and threw out Pasquale, then retired the next two batters in order to seal a tidy, 1-0 complete-game shutout victory. glorydaysonline.com
Read the N.J. concert review Bon Jovi didn’t want us to write–I’ve covered hundreds of performances over the years, providing my fair share of criticism, and only twice have I personally been denied access to a show, due to what was deemed unsavory previous coverage: both denials came from New Jersey’s own rock icons, all because I noted that Jon Bon Jovi’s voice is shot — which it is. www.nj.com