NJ News Commons:BIDEN BACKS PHIL MURPHY
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
SAYS NJ GOVERNOR'S RACE 'MOST IMPORTANT' IN NATION
Former Vice President Joe Biden has thrown his weight behind Phil Murphy's campaign to become the next governor of New Jersey. Politico New Jersey says Biden described the upcoming election to replace Gov. Chris Christie as the "single most important" race in the next three years, including the 2018 midterm elections.
AS NJ WELFARE PROGRAMS SHRINK, ADVOCATES RAISE CONCERN
Several state welfare programs have seen their funding shrink by 50 percent since fiscal 2015, including assistance for people at immediate risk of becoming homeless, while other programs have remained at 1987 levels. Philly.com says the cuts have advocates in the state raising concerns and pressing lawmakers to increase benefits in the upcoming state budget.
PSEG POWER RETIRES TWO BIGGEST COAL-BURNING PLANTS IN NEW JERSEY
PSEG Power is preparing to shut down and retire the two largest coal-burning plants left in New Jersey as of tomorrow. NJ Spotlight says this is part of a larger, national trend as low-cost natural gas continues to crowd out coal, the fuel that once provided the majority of electricity and the bulk of pollution.
GUADAGNO BREAKS FROM CAMPAIGN AFTER MOTHER'S DEATH, REPORT SAYS
New Jersey's Lieutenant Governor and the GOP frontrunner for governor, Kim Guadagno, is reportedly breaking from the campaign trail in the wake of her mother's death over the long weekend. The Record says the cause of death had not been disclosed to the media as of Tuesday morning.
REPUBLICAN REP. RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN AND THE ‘POISONED CHALICE’
WNYC looks at Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen's scribbled footnote on a fundraising letter to the board of directors of a New Jersey bank that outed one of the bank employees as a member of an opposition group, leading to the employee's resignation. The footnote quickly spread across social media and resulted in an ethics complaint against Frelinghuysen.
NEW JERSEY EIGHTH-GRADERS OPT OUT OF PHOTO WITH PAUL RYAN
Nearly half of the students in a group of South Orange Middle School eighth graders on a tour of the Capitol in Washington D.C. last week refused to take part in a photo with House Speaker Paul Ryan. The Village Green says the students offered several reasons for their choice to opt out of the photo, many of which revolved around Ryan's policies and political positions.