Public Safety Rally
There will be a rally today at noon in the Atlantic City Hall lobby, to highlight the impact the state’s cuts are having on the city’s police and fire department and how, with peak tourism season around the corner, the new status quo is rather bleak. Christian Hetrick of The Press of Atlantic City reported yesterday that the state has dialed back – a tad – from its police pay-cut project (which went into effect Wednesday) to make a special exception for AC Police Officer Josh Vadell who was shot in the head last year. The police department, unsurprisingly, was unimpressed: On Twitter, PBA Local 24 criticized the state’s statement, Hetrick wrote. “Oh ok so each officer that gets shot going forward will we just have to sue to get this same ‘determination.’ Thanks,” the tweet said.
Monopoly Board Properties
NJ.Com has revisited an old favorite activity in these parts, with a piece looking at Here’s What Property on the Monopoly Streets of Atlantic City Sells for Today. Two comments: One, the piece was written by a staff photographer who must have come down back when the weather was great, which definitely helped. Yes, there’s a lot of blight in the city but this listicle also shows off properties that you have probably driven past 100 times and never looked twice at. Two, I swear all the city needs is a faster rail line to Philly with more frequent trains. There really are people like us around that would love to live in some of those places.
Peaches
The warm-cold whammy of the last couple of weeks had some speculating it could damage the peach crop in New Jersey, but it seems like the delicate fruits are, well, just peachy, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. No word on the similarly delicate blueberry crops – the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture last week gave farmers permission to use open burns and smudge pots to protect the plants as they flower.
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In the rest of the headlines from the last 24 hours, the Ocean City school district now has an opioid antidote policy, there’s a circus in Egg Harbor Township and, in case you missed it, read this “New Jersey Blockbuster” on Sweeney and Norcross’ bustup with an ally. All that and more below:
Straub has yet to Meet CRDA Conditions for Permit–Glenn Straub, owner of the casino formerly known as Revel, has yet to meet the conditions the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority set for his land-use certificate, an authority spokeswoman said. “Those conditions include providing a traffic plan from their traffic consultant and a landscaping plan that outlines the existing plant inventory and what they intend to add or change,” spokeswoman Elaine Zamansky said. Press of Atlantic City
Olive Garden Included in $13 Million Commercial Vineland Development–The state on Thursday approved a $13 million development plan that includes construction of what Vineland officials said is a much-desired Olive Garden restaurant. The restaurant, along with a Raymour & Flanigan furniture store, Gabe’s discount clothing store and other businesses, will occupy the Delsea Drive location of a Kmart that closed in October 2015. Press of Atlantic City
3 Charged in Crystal Meth Distribution Bust; 2 May Face Deportation–Three men have been arrested and charged with allegedly taking part in a drug trafficking organization that acquired crystal methamphetamine from Mexico and distributed the drugs throughout the Camden and Atlantic county areas, the Camden County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday. Israel "Gato" Colin-Castaneda, 38, of Atlantic City, Felix Gutierrez-Armenta, 30, and Jose Coronel, 55, both of Hammonton were arrested earlier this month while allegedly attempting to distribute the two pounds of crystal methamphetamine. NJ.com
WorkAC to Help Atlantic County Residents Find Jobs–The Atlantic Cape Community College Workforce Development Department, the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board and the Greater Atlantic City Chamber have partnered to form WorkAC,an initiative to help Atlantic County residents find employment. The WorkAC office, located at the college’s Worthington Atlantic City Campus, 1535 Bacharach Blvd, in Room W105 in the Caesars Entertainment Hospitality and Gaming Studies Wing, will be open until June 30. www.accommunicator.com
For Undocumented: Fear, Worry and Wariness–As fear of detention and deportation grow, some worry South Jersey immigrants may hesitate to turn to police when they need to. Courier-Post
45 people charged in 100-count indictment for alleged drug trafficking ring–FREEHOLD - A 100-count indictment was handed up by a county grand jury on Thursday that accused a dozen people of distributing 2,500 bags of heroin a week and 33 people of regularly buying the narcotics, the county prosecutor said. Asbury Park Press
Did You Know a Circus is Headquartered in Egg Harbor Township?–Apparently, right there in the heart of a residential area of Egg Harbor Township, it's the real headquarters of a real live circus! Cat Country 107.3
Yes, this wave was in N.J., and it was spectacular–SOMEWHERE ON LONG BEACH ISLAND -- Ocean City pro surfer Rob Kelly has surfed all over the world, but a wave he rode in New Jersey during the nor'easter on Tuesday is getting a lot of attention online. NJ.com
Ocean City school board adopts opioid antidote policy–OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City School District adopted a new policy Wednesday, March 15 that allows its high school nurses to store and potentially use an opioid antidote in school. Shore News Today
Jersey peach crop seems to withstand cold snap just fine–This week’s arctic blast was bad news for the explosion of flowering magnolias and cherry trees that brought springlike color to the region earlier this month. Philly.com
Making a Priority of Getting Lead Out of Drinking Water in Schools–With more schools finding lead contamination in drinking water, legislators and advocates are calling for more aggressive steps to identify problems and fix them when unsafe levels are found. www.njspotlight.com
Jersey Blockbuster: Norcross and Sweeney Accuse Former Ally Bill Castner of Treason–or the last several years, a phone call has taken place every Friday morning at 8 am that includes some of the biggest names in New Jersey politics. Observer
Afghan man who helped military waits in NJ as judge halts deportation order–A federal appeals court blocked the deportation of an Afghan man who received a special visa to the U.S. for helping the U.S. military abroad. NJ.com
Under Obama, They Were Check-ins. Under Trump, They Could Mean Deportation–Why a New Jersey man who rebuilt homes in areas affected by Sandy fears deportation under President Trump's immigration policy. WNYC
Injured officer Josh Vadell will speak at Atlantic City public safety rally Friday–ATLANTIC CITY — Officer Josh Vadell, who was shot in the head in the line of duty, will speak out Friday against proposed cuts to public safety. Press of Atlantic City