Media

Bullying Down, Violence Up In N.J. Schools, In Latest State Report

TRENTON -- New Jersey schools reported fewer bullying incidents for the fourth straight year in 2015-16, but violence in schools climbed to a five-year high, according to new state data. 

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OP-ED: Protecting Freedom Of The Press — Starting In Middle School

In this age of fake news, students can’t learn too soon to fight editorial censorship. At the Garden State Scholastic Press Association conference at Rutgers, a week before Halloween last year, Alfred P. Doblin, the editorial page editor of “The Record,” asked the student journalists whether any of them had faced censorship. Hands shot up.

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COMMENTARY: Property Taxes Are New Jersey’s Ugly Poster Child

When most people achieve a No. 1 ranking, it’s a cause for joy, accompanied by a feeling of pride and a license to bragging rights.

Unfortunately, New Jersey’s ironclad grip on the No. 1 property tax rate in the nation elicits none of these responses. Few issues, if any, evoke such a unanimous feeling of negativity. The refrain is familiar: “They’re too high,” followed by the increasingly popular, “I’m going to move out-of-state.”

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Shattering A Tradition Of Transparency

tt151-feb-9-2017.jpgFor decades, a fundamental expectation in politics has been that candidates who run for the presidency and vice presidency of the United States disclose their tax returns. That is until the unprecedented campaign of 2016, of course. President Donald Trump has adamantly refused to release his taxes to the public, which while is his prerogative, is a dangerous sign with regards to the transparency of the most powerful position in the world.

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Bus Cameras Would Protect Schoolchildren, Promote Safer Driving

A lot of effort and money go into making stopped school buses as eye-catching as possible to drivers of other vehicles. They’re painted a unique high-visibility color, National School Bus Glossy Yellow. Large lights in front and back flash prominently. An arm with a stop sign swings out from the bus on the traffic side. And still drivers illegally pass buses loading and discharging students, putting them in danger.

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Muoio, Benson, Singleton, Greenwald, Pinkin, Downey & Sumter Bill to Boost State Response to Elevated Lead Levels in Children Now Law

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Elizabeth Maher Muoio, Daniel Benson, Troy Singleton, Louis Greenwald, Nancy Pinkin, Joann Downey and Shavonda Sumter to strengthen the state's response to elevated blood lead levels in children was signed into law on Monday. 

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Tougher N.J. Law Targets Kids' Lead Paint Threat

Christie signs law lowering amount of toxic metal allowed in kids' blood before a homeowner must take action. More landlords and other homeowners likely will be forced to remove lead paint from their properties under a law signed by Governor Christie on Monday designed to limit children’s exposure to the toxic metal.

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Gov. Christie OK's Tighter Lead Screening Levels Based On CDC Recommendations

Using federal guidelines will cut acceptable levels of lead in kids’ blood by half. New Jersey’s lead-screening standards for children will soon be twice as strong — and tied to federal guidelines in the future — under a law signed by Gov. Chris Christie Monday.

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Black History Month: When Every Color is Beautiful

tt150-feb-2-2017.jpgYesterday, Feb. 1, we began Black History Month, a period that serves as a full-month reminder about the accomplishments of African Americans in our country.

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Assembly committee advances bill to move fire district elections to November

TRENTON — Legislation to give local fire districts the option of moving their typically low-turnout elections from February to November took another step toward potentially becoming law.

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