N.J. legislators inching toward override of Christie’s gay marriage veto

N.J. legislators inching toward override of Christie’s gay marriage veto (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Under the din of a bustling election season, there’s a quiet movement afoot to make gay marriage a reality in New Jersey by the end of the year. Advocates have been working to convince state lawmakers — including a number of Republicans…

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Steve Lonegan praises Rahm Emanuel, bashes Cory Booker in Jersey City

Steve Lonegan praises Rahm Emanuel, bashes Cory Booker in Jersey City (via NJ.com)

JERSEY CITY — Steve Lonegan was hoping to scrap with Rahm Emanuel in Jersey City. Instead he ended up complimenting him — sort of. “I want to commend Rahm Emanuel,” Lonegan said, standing outside of the downtown restaurant where Emanuel and…

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Booker Insists T-Bone Is Real, Says He Put Drug Dealers Up In His House While Mayor

In an interview with NJTV’s On The Record with Michael Aron aired yesterday, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, insisted that T-Bone is a real person and not a composite or archetype as has been previously reported.

The mayor said the Newark police told him there are currently five people in the city using the alias “T-Bone.”  He went on to say that he, as an attorney prior to entering public office, “and after I became mayor”  would hold meetings with drug dealers, “100’s of guys involved in the narcotics trade,” in his house, ” even putting them up with me.”

The Booker interview can be viewed here.  Aron starts the T-Bone questioning at the 9:15 mark.  Booker talks about his meetings and his hospitality for drug dealers, while mayor, at the 11:29 mark.

Booker said he was dealing with non-violent drug dealers.  Aron did not ask him how he knew they were non-violent drug dealers.

When MMM first reported the T-Bone controversy, we asked, Did Booker Fabricate A Drug Dealer Or Did He Harbor A Fugitive?  Last week, I argued that Booker’s “story telling” to make a point or to inspire action was not a big deal and was politically insignificant.

However, if Booker is telling the truth in his stories, as he insists he is, it is a big deal.  It seems to me that Booker is confessing to his own crimes of harboring fugitives and maybe even aiding and abetting.

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A Second Highlands House Collapses

49 Second Street, Highlands. Click for larger view.

For the second time in less than a month, a home being lifted above the floodplain has collapsed in the borough of Highlands.

At 9:43 this evening the Highlands Police Department received a call that the house at 49 Second Street had collapsed.

The Highlands Fire Department  and eight volunteer members of the Highlands First Aid Squad are on the scene.  There were no injuries reported.  Gas and electric utilities were shut off.  The utility companies have not been notified and neighboring homes have not been evacuated.

The home had already been lifted.  A resident on the scene told MMM that the cause of the collapse is believed to be wind.

On August 23, a house being lifted onto its temporary cribbing collapsed in the borough.  The contractor on the scene of the August

49 Second St, Highlands on July 26. Photo courtesy of Kerry McEntee Gowan via facebook

23rd incident said it was an accident.

There was no contractor on the scene in Highlands tonight.  A lawn sign for Jerome Homes House Lifting was on the Second Street property.

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Rand Paul slams Booker and his ‘imaginary friend’ as he endorses Lonegan

Rand Paul slams Booker and his ‘imaginary friend’ as he endorses Lonegan (via NJ.com)

CLARK — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a leader of the tea party wing in Congress, today endorsed Republican Steve Lonegan in New Jersey’s U.S. Senate race and came out swinging against Newark Mayor Cory Booker and “his imaginary friend T-Bone.” “There’s 15…

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Seaside boardwalk fire is still smoldering; no cause determined yet

Seaside boardwalk fire is still smoldering; no cause determined yet (via NJ.com)

By Lisa Rose and Seth Augenstein/The Star-Ledger OCEAN COUNTY — The flames along the Seaside boardwalk appear to be out. But some of the burnt businesses are still smoldering – and the smell of burning wood still hangs heavy along the shore, mixed…

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More financial troubles at New Jersey’s newspapers

The Asbury Park Press’s building is for sale.  The Press of Atlantic City is for sale.

This morning, The Star Ledger announced that they are laying off 34 people, including 10% of the newsroom.

In a poll published on January 8, Monmouth University’s Patrick Murray said that since 2005 newspapers as the primary source of news has decline from 48% to 27% among New Jerseyans.  The shift has favored the interent where 28% now get their news, up from 6% in 2005.  Television as a news source has also declined since 05, according to Murray.  48% got most of their news from TV in 05.  Now 34%, still the highest percentage, are informed by television.

There is not much good news for the industry looking forward, according to Murray’s report. 45% of 18-34 year olds now look to the net as their primary news source, up from 33% in 2009.

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