Icahn In Talks To Sell Taj Mahal
According to the New York Post, one of Atlantic City’s least-favorite billionaire investors Carl Icahn is in talks to sell one of his three casinos in the resort town. The Taj Mahal, which Icahn closed in October after a bitter contract dispute with UniteHere local 54 ended in a summer-long strike, is on the block – apparently. Other casino operators might be interested, according to the report. Route 40 reported back in November that the mere act of closing the property almost halved its value. You can read that story here.
Ridesharing Almost, Almost Regulated in NJ
Legislation that will introduce background checks and other regulatory standards for ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft in New Jersey is close to coming into effect, NJ Spotlight reports. The bill, which attracted some controversy although it is broadly supported by the ride-sharing companies, is now on Gov. Christie’s desk.
Earthquakes, too
Philly.com digs deep into those sonic booms you keep experiencing (ok, it’s more like once or twice a year). While maneuvers by military aircraft explain most of the shaking and rattling, there have also been minor earthquakes in the area.
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The rest of the day’s headlines include news on a discrimination suit against the EHT school district, a drop in Salvation Army collections, an EHT heroin bust, and new video game gambling machines at the Tropicana. You can read more below:
Plan To Expand Cell Phone Service in Ventnor Raises Concerns About Aesthetics–With an increase in the use of Internet-based hand-held devices, it seems there may not be enough connectivity in the city. Verizon Wireless has approached the city asking for approval to install small network nodes atop existing utility poles, and another company has asked the city to approve installation of a cell phone tower in a residential neighborhood. Shore News Today
EHT School District Sued For Allegedly Discriminating Against Transgender Student–EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – A 17-year-old transgender Egg Harbor Township High School student and his parent have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the school district, alleging that the district permitted and failed to deter gender identity or expression harassment of this student. The civil suit was filed in August 2016 in Superior Court of Atlantic County on behalf of the family of a student identified by the initials T.D. by the law firm of Costello and Mains, a civil rights and anti-discrimination firm based in Mount Laurel. Shore News Today
Children’s Museum In Cherry Hill To Take Over Area Nature Center–The Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill will manage Mount Laurel's PAWS Farm Nature Center under an agreement reached this week. The township, which acquired the nature center in 1979, will continue to own it, Mayor Linda Bobo said in a statement, but the museum will "take over all aspects of facility management." Philly.com
Keeping Safety First for New Jersey’s Ridesharing Passengers–New Jerseyans who depend on Uber, Lyft, and similar alternative taxi services to get around are one signature away from safer rides, now that a somewhat controversial bill has made it to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk. And while it’s not clear if he will sign A-3695/S-2179 — his office did not return a request for comment — more than two-thirds of the states and the District of Columbia already have adopted similar legislation, as has Newark. www.njspotlight.com
Atlantic Cape Taps Gaba As New President–Barbara Gaba, of Princeton Junction, was unanimously approved as the ninth president of Atlantic Cape Community College at the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday. Gaba is currently provost and associate vice president for Academic Affairs at Union County College in Cranford, a position she has held since 2002. Press of Atlantic City
EHT Man Charged With Possession Of Heroin–An Egg Harbor Township man was arrested and charged with drug offenses after police allegedly found him in possession of 178 packets of suspected heroin. Shore News Today
Video Game Gambling Now At Tropicana–GameCo, Inc., creator of the world's first video game gambling machines, announces today its expansion to the Tropicana Atlantic City in New Jersey. As casino gaming evolves to appeal to the next generation of players, GameCo is strategically aligning itself with casino partners who share the same vision of combining the entertainment, engagement, and excitement of video games, esports, and gambling to create an all-embracing destination for future casino customers. www.prnewswire.com
Salvation Army Sees Drop In New Jersey Red Kettle Donations–The bright-red kettles suspended from tripods in front of supermarkets, usually accompanied by ringing bells, have many people automatically reaching into their pockets in search of loose change. This December, however, the Salvation Army is ringing the alarm bell. North Jersey
New Report Questions New Jersey’s Juvenile Justice System–If you take a look inside New Jersey’s juvenile justice system you’ll see the racial disparities laid bare. Seventy-five percent of incarcerated kids are black. NJTV News