Record crowds close NJ beaches

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Thursday:

⬛ Drug dealing NJ politician faces prison

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FLEMINGTON — An elected local official has admitted to selling illegal drugs to an undercover officer.

On Wednesday, Malik Johnston pleaded guilty to second-degree distribution of cocaine.

The 48-year-old Democrat has also been known as Pippin Folk, according to Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson.

⬛ Male or female? NJ proposes new way to imprison trans inmates

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TRENTON — Where to house New Jersey inmates who are transgender has become a contentious issue over the past few years — with no easy solution in sight.

In the summer of 2021, a policy required the Department of Corrections to house inmates based on their gender identity, New Jersey Monitor reported.

It was part of a case settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union, representing a trans inmate who said she dealt with discrimination, harassment and violence while being forced to live among male inmates.

⬛ $44K staff 'fun day' gets Newark schools dragged by lawmakers

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)(Allison James-Frison via Facebook)

NEWARK — Republican lawmakers in Trenton are blasting New Jersey's largest school district for hosting an expensive staff event while other school districts are struggling to cope with massive drops in state aid.

It's "disturbing" that Newark schools spent $44,000 on the June 1 event at Forest Lodge in Warren, said Assemblyman Alex Sauickie, R-Ocean.

That paid for 275 staff and 140 students to attend, according to an invoice published by TAPinto Newark. It featured food, a DJ, a rock-climbing wall, inflatable carnival booths, a police officer for security, and a rescue squad on standby.

⬛ NJ prisoners get a break with new plan launched by Gov. Murphy

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NEWARK — Certain offenders in New Jersey are moving up in line to possibly receive forgiveness for their crime or a shortened prison sentence.

On Wednesday afternoon, to mark the Juneteenth federal holiday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order creating a new clemency program for granting legal relief to prisoners in a more accessible and equitable manner.