In The News
Decried as ‘Garden State Gulag,’ South Jersey military base that will house undocumented immigrants faces continued criticism
The South Jersey military base that’ll become a deportation center for undocumented immigrants has earned a new and uncomplimentary nickname: the “Garden State Gulag.”
Rep. Herb Conaway Jr., a Democrat whose Burlington County district includes what’s now called Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst where the facility will be created, invented the sobriquet in a statement Monday. He serves on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“First, they made 'Alligator Alcatraz,’” Conaway said, referring to a controversial new detention center in the Florida Everglades. “Now, it’s the Garden State Gulag … [which] I oppose … in the strongest possible terms.”
2025 Burlington County Summer Restaurant Week to feature 75+ eateries
Nearly 80 local establishments will come together to celebrate Burlington County’s annual Summer Restaurant Week.
Scheduled to run Aug. 3–9, the promotion will feature special menus, discounts and signature dishes. Participants include restaurants, taverns, breweries, distilleries, wineries and food trucks from across the region.
Event sponsors include the Burlington County Commissioners; state Sen. Troy Singleton, D-7th District; the Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce; and the Burlington County Bridge Commission Department of Economic Development. During the weeklong campaign, the partners will help highlight participating businesses by making visits and posting about it on social media.
‘Mt. Zion has been a pillar’
Friends and relatives gathered at Mount Zion AME Church in Riverton for a solemn occasion in November of 1962, the funeral of longtime parishioner Goldsborough Benjamin Jones.
Suddenly there was a buzz of excitement outside, and someone came into the church and said to Jones’ son, Clarence, “Dr. Jones, Martin Luther King Jr. is here and he wants to speak.”
County, Sheriff, Singleton Hosting Annual School Supply Drive with Bordentown Drop-Off Sites
BORDENTOWN, NJ — New Jersey Senator Troy Singleton, Burlington County Commissioners, and Burlington County Sheriff’s Office want to make sure every Burlington County child is prepared to return to school this fall.
Now through Wednesday, August 13, all three offices will collect donations of new backpacks, school supplies, and other back to school items for local families in need.
“Purchasing all the supplies students need can be a financial hardship for some families under normal economic circumstances, but this summer we’re seeing prices for clothing, electronics and other classroom essentials increase,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, the liaison to County schools. “The economic conditions have made this year’s school supplies drive that much more important, so we’re excited to once again partner with Senator Singleton and the Sheriff’s Office to give struggling families some much needed help.”
ICYMI: Record 424 Municipalities Adopt Fair Housing Plans
CHERRY HILL – According to an analysis by Fair Share Housing Center, 424 New Jersey municipalities have adopted and filed Housing Element and Fair Share Plans (HEFSPs) — which detail how they will meet their legally-mandated affordable housing responsibilities — following the state’s June 30 deadline.
Murphy Administration Celebrates Report on NJHMFA’s Down Payment Assistance and First-Generation Homebuyer Program
State Program Serves as a National Model, Helping Nearly 7,500 Residents Become Homeowners in First Two Years