FIRST NEWS PLUS for Wednesday, June 25, 2014
New Jersey's First News, hosted by Eric Scott, written and produced by Matthew White and Patrick Lavery. Full podcast available below. Digital support, with additional links, by Dan Alexander.
ALAN KASPER'S FORECAST:
TODAY: Warm and humid. Watch for a shower or t-storm.
TONIGHT: Any evening t-storms end, but expect some showers around overnight with some lows in the low 70s.
Alan's Audio Blog:
NEWS:
Black Bears - We're getting more big bear sightings in central jersey this morning. Residents are saying it's one of the biggest bruins they've seen. The 500-pound black bear has been spotted in East Brunswick, South Brunswick, and Monroe. If you do see it, call police, don't approach it. If you can safely do so...take a picture and send it to us. We'll post them at nj1015.com.
Budget Showdown (Continued) - The stage is being set for final legislative passage of a state budget tomorrow. It's not the budget Governor Christie wants because it's a Democrat budget that includes a tax hike that Christie definately doesn't want.
- NJ Dems agree on millionaire’s tax / NJ1015.com
- Senate Budget Committee releases S-2015: the Democrats' $34.1 billion budget /PolitickerNJ,com
Town Hall #122 - Protestors are expected to greet Governor Christie as he holds his latest town hall meeting...this time in camden county. State and local workers are upset over the governor's plans to scale back payments into thier pension fund. Christie will kick off his town hall meeting pushing for additional pension and health benefits reforms
- Christie to talk pension reform at town hall / NJ1015.com (Associated Press)
More Bridgegate Allegations - The Christie Administration has mainatained no one realy took the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge seriously in the early days of bridgegate. But the phone logs of Governor Christie's top man at the port authority may suggest otherwise. David Sampson made repeated calls to the governor's Chief of Staff and others. Now, it was not uncommon for Sampson to stay in contact with the Administration but Demcorats are trying to suggest something more sinister.
Pension Suits in Court - This afternoon a judge will hear arguments in the lawsuit seeking to stop Governor Christie from drastically slashing this year's payment into the public workers' pension fund. Christie says it's necessary to keep the budget balanced, but union leaders say he's breaking the law.
- Judge to hear arguments in NJ pension case / NJ1015.com
3 Die in Crash - A nasty accident has left three dead on Interstate 28 7. It happened near the new york/new jersey border when a tractor trailor carrying bricks hit a broken down cement truck. The driver of the cement truck and two repair workers were killed. The big rig also hit a Toyota but a husband and wife escaped before their vehicle burst into flames.
- 3 dead in accident on I-287 / NJ1015.com (AP)
- Police reopen northbound Route 287 lanes in Mahwah after deadly accident / The Record
Helping to Fight Back - U.S. officials are trying to persuade Sunni militiamen in Iraq to fight back, as they did nearly 10 years ago against al-Qaida. The Sunni militiamen sided with U.S. troops and were a pivotal force in defeating al-Qaida during the war. But they've been sidelined by the prime minister, who's lost much of Iraq to Sunni insurgents.
- A challenging job for US special forces in Iraq / NJ1015.com (AP)
Headed Down Again? - Initial concern over Iraq's oil supply in light of the ongoing fighting there has subsided somewhat. That first pump price spike may have been the worst of it
- Iraq drives gas prices higher; what’s next? / NJ1015.com
Promoting Electric Cars - On the heels of the state Assembly giving Tesla the OK to sell cars directly in New Jersey an environmental group wants to see more electric car on New Jersey's roads.
- Charging stations needed for electric cars/ NJ1015.com
SCORES:
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