In The News
Residents in Pa., N.J., and Del. are way behind on their mortgages
The percentages of "seriously underwater" mortgages in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware all exceeded the national average in the second quarter of 2016,according to new data.
Willingboro Jazz Festival Weekend starts Friday
The 33rd Annual Willingboro Jazz Festival weekend will kick off on Friday night with bowling and continue on Saturday with music and food trucks. On Sunday, the main event will include more than nine hours of festival fun that will culminate with what is promised to be a spectacular fireworks show.
NEW REPORTS ON PFCS IN DRINKING WATER RAISE PRESSURE ON REGULATORS
The Garden State’s water supplies have one the highest levels of PFC contamination in the United States two national reports on drinking-water contamination by the toxic PFC family of chemicals are adding to pressure for more detection and cleanup at affected sites, including those in New Jersey, and for tougher regulation by state and federal governments, amid growing concern about the chemicals’ effects on public health.
EDITORIAL: Stop censorship of student journalists
Censorship must be resisted on all fronts, at all times, wherever conflict occurs. Nowhere is that message more important than in our schools, and that’s why we applaud a newly reintroduced bill aimed at preventing administrative censorship of student newspapers in New Jersey high schools and public colleges and universities.
AGENDA: STATE BOARD TO FINALIZE HS GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Busy August: The August meeting of the State Board of Education is often among the sleepiest of the year, but not this year. The board will take its final vote on new high school graduation requirements, starting with the Class of 2021, and also act on new rules for the teacher performance tests as well. In addition, it has slipped in a resolution to shift additional powers to the Newark public schools, an incremental step but significant in its own right.
PUBLIC-EMPLOYEE PENSION SYSTEM WON’T INVEST SO HEAVILY IN HEDGE FUNDS
Unions score big victory as investment managers decide to scale back allocations by more than half New Jersey’s public-employee pension system will significantly scale back its stakes in hedge funds over the next several months, a big victory for worker unions who’ve been lobbying hard against such investments because of pricey fees.
When It Comes to Declawing, Reality Bites
New York could have become a more humane state for cats had two bills to ban declawing passed. The bills, introduced in New York’s Assembly and Senate, sought to prohibit declawing unless medically necessary to treat injured or diseased paws. It would have made New York the first state to ban this veterinary surgery.
N.J. student newspapers should not be muzzled
Editorial
A bipartisan bill making its way through the state Legislature would make it harder for public schools and universities in New Jersey to muzzle student journalists.
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS UNITE ON NEW TAX-CUT PLAN TO BALANCE GAS-TAX HIKE
Sweeney and Prieto hope to appeal to legislators from both parties — and maybe even Gov. Christie — or to pick up enough support for an override a new agreement to renew state transportation funding has reunited the Legislature’s top two Democrats in a push either to win support from Gov. Chris Christie for a plan featuring a 23-cent gas-tax hike or to secure enough backing from members of the governor’s own Republican Party to override him.