According to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request via immigration law groups, over a dozen protests in New Jersey and more than 40 protests in New York appear on a list prepared for the Department of Homeland Security's "State Fusion Centers" network, which assists law enforcement seeking "threat-related" information. The list details rallies that protested the Trump administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration and child separation policy last summer. The Jersey locations are below. (The Record)
Asbury Park
Bedminster
Bridgeton
Clifton
Edison
Englewood
Flemington
Glen Ridge
Glen Rock
Lambertville
New Brunswick
Newark
Princeton
Red Bank
Rutherford
Toms River
FORECLOSURE LAW TARGETS BLIGHT IN CAMDEN, NEWARK
Our state has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation: it's second only to Delaware, according to RealtyTrac's March 2019 report. It takes longer to move through foreclosure here than it does in other states because foreclosure is a judicial process in New Jersey. Yesterday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a package of bills designed to improve the situation. One bill (A4999) aims to remediate so-called "zombie" (that is, abandoned) properties that "remain in disrepair due to the lack of information found on owners or creditors after foreclosure proceedings,” its sponsors said in a statement. (TAPinto Newark)
JERSEY CITY BOE SUES STATE OVER SCHOOL FUNDING CUTS
Yesterday, the Jersey City Board of Education filed a lawsuit against the state's Department of Education in an effort to overturn the planned $27 million cuts to the local school district's budget. Several other districts are suing, too. Briana Vannozzi's story features a parent who took her son out of the public district in the sixth grade. "I am having a hard time paying it, but I don’t trust Jersey City public schools to give my son the education he needs,” she said. (NJTV News)
RABBI WHO LAUNDERED $200K WON'T GET PRISON TIME
In a Middlesex County courtroom yesterday, a rabbi with significant community support — a crowdfunding campaign with nearly 3,500 donors has raised almost $600,000 for his legal defense fund — was found guilty of "using $200,000 in school funds in a money laundering scheme designed to make it appear that he used personal funds to repay debts he owed" to a private special education school in Lakewood he directed, Amanda Hoover reports. She adds though the jury found him guilty of a second degree crime, the judge chose the "rare sentence of probation." He will serve 60 days in jail. (NJ.com)
Advocacy groups warn EDA to not destroy records or delete emails, because a lawsuit may be coming over billions in state grants (NJ.com)
Menendez calls for $2.5B to strengthen election systems (NJTV News)
Don't negotiate with developers, Council members told (TAPinto Newark)
Elmwood Park mayor arrested for election tampering (The Record)
Transportation
Here's who's supposed to make your NJ Transit commute better (NJ.com)
It will cost you $1 more to cross the Delaware Memorial Bridge (NJ.com)
published gloucestercitynews.net | April 30, 2019
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PRIVATE FIRM HIRED BY DHS TRACKED PROTESTS IN NY, NJ
According to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request via immigration law groups, over a dozen protests in New Jersey and more than 40 protests in New York appear on a list prepared for the Department of Homeland Security's "State Fusion Centers" network, which assists law enforcement seeking "threat-related" information. The list details rallies that protested the Trump administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration and child separation policy last summer. The Jersey locations are below. (The Record)
Asbury Park
Bedminster
Bridgeton
Clifton
Edison
Englewood
Flemington
Glen Ridge
Glen Rock
Lambertville
New Brunswick
Newark
Princeton
Red Bank
Rutherford
Toms River
FORECLOSURE LAW TARGETS BLIGHT IN CAMDEN, NEWARK
Our state has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation: it's second only to Delaware, according to RealtyTrac's March 2019 report. It takes longer to move through foreclosure here than it does in other states because foreclosure is a judicial process in New Jersey. Yesterday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a package of bills designed to improve the situation. One bill (A4999) aims to remediate so-called "zombie" (that is, abandoned) properties that "remain in disrepair due to the lack of information found on owners or creditors after foreclosure proceedings,” its sponsors said in a statement. (TAPinto Newark)
JERSEY CITY BOE SUES STATE OVER SCHOOL FUNDING CUTS
Yesterday, the Jersey City Board of Education filed a lawsuit against the state's Department of Education in an effort to overturn the planned $27 million cuts to the local school district's budget. Several other districts are suing, too. Briana Vannozzi's story features a parent who took her son out of the public district in the sixth grade. "I am having a hard time paying it, but I don’t trust Jersey City public schools to give my son the education he needs,” she said. (NJTV News)
RABBI WHO LAUNDERED $200K WON'T GET PRISON TIME
In a Middlesex County courtroom yesterday, a rabbi with significant community support — a crowdfunding campaign with nearly 3,500 donors has raised almost $600,000 for his legal defense fund — was found guilty of "using $200,000 in school funds in a money laundering scheme designed to make it appear that he used personal funds to repay debts he owed" to a private special education school in Lakewood he directed, Amanda Hoover reports. She adds though the jury found him guilty of a second degree crime, the judge chose the "rare sentence of probation." He will serve 60 days in jail. (NJ.com)