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
NJ cop allegedly ran over pedestrian, brought body home to mother
Newark police officer charged with vehicular homicide for allegedly running over a pedestrian on the Garden State Parkway, taking the body away, then returning.
Would South Jersey be better off if NJ Transit splits in two?
South Jersey’s public transit needs might be better served if NJ Transit splits into two separate regional agencies, says a Garden State Initiative report.
NJ finances were nation’s most out-of-balance over last 15 years
Updated datasets from The Pew Charitable Trusts also show New Jersey's employment level suffered the fourth-biggest drop among states during the pandemic.
Expanded COVID data shows over 25K cases among NJ students, staff
NJ Department of Health data now goes beyond school-based outbreaks to report surveillance data on cases regardless of where the virus was caught.
NJ’s Thanksgiving balancing act: ‘Raise hell’ … carefully?
Thanksgiving 2021 will be more normal than last year, but not fully normal. State officials say not to abandon COVID mitigation strategies amid the fun.
Rutgers-Camden faculty votes ‘no confidence’ in chancellor, provost
The resolutions expressing sentiments of the faculty follow last month's firing of the dean of Rutgers-Camden's College of Arts and Sciences.
NJ marijuana regulators asked to loosen rules limiting edibles
Initial rules for legal marijuana sales don't allow for edibles that resemble food, but New Jersey is already inviting input about whether to change that.
NJ awards $75 million in grants for school facilities statewide
The funding can cover capital maintenance or emergent needs. It comes from the state budget, not additional borrowing.
For English-language learners, pandemic made bad situation worse
A report built off interviews with English-as-a-second-language teachers finds the pandemic took a particular toll on immigrant students learning English.
Bill would fine NJ stores for calling out-of-state produce local
Only New Jersey-grown items would qualify as local under a bill advancing in the Senate that would levy $100 to $200 fines for out-of-state imposters.