Good morning Route 40! Sorry no roundup yesterday. I know you missed us.
I got up and watched Chris Christie on Morning Joe or whatever it’s called and wrote 3,000 words with smoke coming out of my ears about our sick, sick political culture. Then I walked down to the beach and screamed at the waves like King Canute or something. It felt super.
In realer news, the Press has a great story about the town hall put on by Jim Johnson yesterday. Libby Wills said they need to get off it and develop the South Inlet. A sophomore at the high school, Tahani Muhammad, said in order for the youth of today to succeed, the road must be paved for them, “like the casinos had roads paved for them.” Beautiful!
I don’t know anything about Tahani but I already know I’d rather listen to her than two rich guys talk about Bruce Springsteen on MSNBC.
https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/town-hall-draws-hundreds-to-work-on-atlantic-city-challenges/article_a86852d8-90f6-51e2-95f5-2f6e8403ca72.html
Medical Marijuana on the Boardwalk?
Is the Atlantic City Boardwalk getting two medical marijuana dispensaries? I read this story a few times, but I’m still not 100% certain, even though it says, “the state has given the green light for two dispensaries to open on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.”
Sometimes these bigtime media people have funny ideas about where the Boardwalk is/isn’t.
https://www.nj.com/marijuana/2019/01/will-dueling-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-on-the-ac-boardwalk-be-too-much-of-a-good-thing.html
Outmigration
Remember that story about people moving out of New Jersey that made such a fuss? Colleen O’Dea at the valuable Spotlight has a newer, more robust story that’s not based on data from the moving-van company. Overall the state population is increasing slightly, but “outskirt counties — Cape May, Atlantic in particular, Salem, Cumberland, and then up in the north, Warren and Sussex counties,” are shrinking.
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/19/01/29/outmigration-myth-or-reality-for-new-jersey/
For more feats of journalism…
3–The subject of immigration policy has become an incandescent element of political debate in the United States, with no sign of a cooling off... www.njspotlight.com
Owner of iconic South Jersey eatery who served burgers with a smile dies–“The guy had a heck of a smile when he turned around and looked at you,” said Santiago, 56, a retired police officer who had eaten at Jim’s Lunch, Maul’s restaurant, for 39 years. “I remember he would turn around and he would have a spatula and his lips would be closed tight but there would be a smile. Of course, right after that would be the laugh. That’s what I will remember most about Mr. Maul." www.nj.com
New CFO ‘a gift’ Mayor Holtzman says–VENTNOR – Hiring Albert Stanley to replace Chief Financial Officer Toro Aboderin, who left earlier this month to take a job in Atlantic City, was an easy choice, Mayor Beth Holtzman said. www.downbeach.com
Atlantic City mayor, councilman have assault case adjourned for discovery–NORTH WILDWOOD — Two Atlantic City officials charged with simple assault and harassment for their roles in a November fight outside a casino nightclub were silent during a less-than-five-minute appearance in municipal court Tuesday afternoon. www.pressofatlanticcity.com