I'm the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5, covering the governor, Legislature and state politics, and had previously covered the Statehouse for Gannett newspapers for more than 15 years. I'm a lifelong New Jerseyan -- raised in Bergen, living in Hunterdon, Rutgers graduate. I'm co-author of the 2012 biography 'Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power.' I am not the Iron Chef with a similar name though sometimes get tweets meant for him, especially around Thanksgiving. Believe me, you don't want my cooking tips.
Michael Symons
Lawmakers look to crack down on nursing homes that don’t improve
Sponsors say the intention isn't to be punitive, but the escalating penalties could include the loss of beds for Medicaid-paid residents.
NJ election results: How voters decided most-watched races
New Jersey voters returned incumbents to Congress in most of the state's districts in the 2022 election, though the Republican challenger moved ahead in the too-close-to-call 7th District.
Report finds lots of problems with training at NJ State Police
A periodic report by the state comptroller says the State Police are shortening or eliminating training courses and not vetting some instructors and coaches.
NJ town blocks show by Proud Boys founder, fearing confrontation
Rutherford officials stepped in Thursday to block the founder of the far-right Proud Boys from holding a comedy show at a downtown arts center.
Murphy changes his mind about NJ bear hunt after scary encounters and backlash
Last year was the first in New Jersey without a bear hunt since 2009. With complaints of bear interactions rising, a vote next week could restore it.
Who covers crashes involving car-sharing rentals? NJ may set up rules
Peer-to-peer car sharing – like Airbnb, but for cars – has state lawmakers thinking about the need to establish insurance rules in case of accidents.
As military signing bonuses soar, NJ congressman rips vax mandate
The Coast Guard raised its maximum bonus from $40,000 to $50,000, matching a level the Army, Navy and Air Force started in January.
Election 2022: The House races to watch in New Jersey
Democrats currently hold 10 of the 12 House seats in New Jersey. They're on defense to varying degrees in four that Republicans have targeted to regain.
First monkeypox-related death reported in New Jersey
A North Jersey resident who tested positive for monkeypox in September died last month. Cases have declined significantly, but the virus is still circulating.
Here’s where over $70 million was spent on NJ races for Congress
One district has seen more than $18 million in spending, between its candidates and independent expenditures from outside groups.