OPINION: The Moderate Model. We increasingly hear from family, friends and neighbors that they wish there was a party that was more attuned to their values, their beliefs, and not held hostage by the extremes of each party. We are told this by both Democrats and Republicans alike. But what does that mean and look like? We thought it was time to start defining that as we head toward the midterm Congressional elections this Fall. Among the characteristics we want in a moderate include leadership, value our money, does not degrade our institutions, pushes for reforms, invests in America, puts an end to the culture wars, and works with other side to find commonsense solutions. We as moderate voters need to make our voices heard and that starts with election officials that offer a positive vision for an American future while dealing with the problems of today. If not, there is a growing appetite in this nation for a third party to make the Democratic and Republican parties with less power. North-JerseyNews.com
At a moment of boiling voter frustration with national politics and anxiety about aging leaders in both parties, the politicians asserting their standing as next-generation figures increasingly come from the governors’ ranks was the dynamic on display last week at the Summer meeting of the National Governors Association in Portland, ME. “Because governors are closer to the ground, what we do is more immediate, more — maybe more deeply felt. I think there is frustration that Congress can’t do more,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) added that “Governors are the C.E.O.s…(Washington lawmakers) don’t create new systems. They don’t implement anything. They don’t operationalize anything.” The New York Times
New Jersey donors have kicked in close to $288,000 to support Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) in her primary race. Among the donors are Democrats, prominent moderate Republicans who served with Liz Cheney in the House or have long ties to the Cheney family including former Gov. Thomas H. Kean and political strategist Michael DuHaime. New Jersey Herald
In taking the reins of the National Governors Association (NGA), Phil Murphy unveiled a mental health initiative he will be leading for the next year while reminding those in attendance that Americans do not care about party when it comes to making their lives better. The unveiling of the Strengthening Youth Mental Health initiative comes amid an escalating youth mental health crisis experts say has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Murphy. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that 37% of high school students reported poor mental health during the pandemic and 44% reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. “The youth mental health crisis knows no bounds—neither geographic nor political—and we must similarly transcend state borders and political divisions to protect our children,” said Murphy. North-JerseyNews.com
Gov. Phil Murphy does not see a conflict in leading the bipartisan National Governors Association and becoming chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, a campaign organization dedicated to electing Democrats and defeating Republicans. “I think you can be both,” Murphy said. “You can be a proud Democrat, and you can still find common ground. Politics is the business we’ve chosen, so your job is to go out and win elections … but at the end of the day, elections come and go, and you have to govern.” New Jersey Globe
An independent legislative panel tasked with recommending revisions to New Jersey state law plans to explore changes to a provision that bars election challenges due to certain vote-by-mail processing errors. The Law Revision Commission’s staff wants to investigate allowing judges—in cases of elections where there are missteps in the preparation or forwarding of mail-in ballots—to order such races rerun without relying on their own discretion as they do now. Judges would have to assume that the rule barring election do-overs applies unless shown evidence the errors impacted the results of a race. New Jersey Monitor
The Jan. 6 House select committee will present a minute-by-minute look July 21 at then-President Donald Trump’s activities as the Capitol was attacked, according to lawmakers who will lead the hearing. “(Trump) didn’t do very much but gleefully watch television,” said Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), who expressed frustration at what he called “very conflicting statements” about the availability of evidence the committee has sought from the U.S. Secret Service, which includes text messages from Jan. 6 and the preceding day. The Wall Street Journal
The first comprehensive assessment of the law enforcement response to the deadly school shooting in Uvalde found that blame for the failure to swiftly confront the gunman rested not only with the school police chief, but also with the scores of state and federal officers who gathered at the deadly scene but did not act. Nearly 400 officers responded to the school that day. Yet the decision to finally confront the gunman was made by a small group of officers, including specially trained Border Patrol agents and a deputy sheriff from a neighboring county, the report found, concluding that others at the scene could have taken charge and done so far earlier. The New York Times
Three people were killed and two were injured at an Indiana mall after a man with a rifle opened fire in a food court July 17. The man entered the Greenwood Park Mall in the city of Greenwood, just south of Indianapolis, with a rifle and several magazines of ammunition and began firing in the food court. An armed civilian then shot and killed the gunman. Authorities were still investigating the identity of the gunman and gave no motive for the shooting. News12 New Jersey
New Jersey on July 17 reported another 2,425 confirmed COVID-19 positive tests and no confirmed deaths, the first time in six days that there were less than 2,500 new cases reported. The statewide positivity rate for tests conducted July 13 was 10.71%. New Jersey’s most recently reported rate of transmission is 1.10. There were 938 patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases reported across 68 of the state’s 71 hospitals. NJ.com
U.S. companies that prescribe abortion pills after telehealth consultations are expanding, but only in states that allow the practice, after the Supreme Court last month removed constitutional protections for abortion. Nonprofits based abroad, meanwhile, are mailing more pills to women across the U.S., including patients in states that have banned or restricted medication abortion. The Wall Street Journal
The new, three-digit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now available in the Garden State and nationwide. The 988 number is available for call, text, or chat, providing easier access to the Lifeline network. The national network is comprised of over 200 local, independent crisis centers equipped to help those in need. “988 is more than just an easy-to-remember number. It will be a direct connection to accessible and compassionate support and resources, available 24/7 to anyone experiencing psychiatric or emotional distress or those worried about a loved one. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis will only need to remember these three numbers to reach trained counselors who can help,” said New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman. North-JerseyNews.com
New Jersey Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund, a government agency that insures 637 local agencies in the state, said they see about 30 to 35 cyber attack claims each year. Even that number may be off since it only includes claims filed by its members. Cyberattacks are lucrative business for hackers, and governments, constrained by taxpayer-funded budgets, are often slower to invest in new technology than the private sector. The Record
New college grads are ditching plans to become teachers in New Jersey. Recent grads are having second thoughts about classroom jobs, citing COVID fears, burnout, curriculum changes and harsh criticism of teachers. NJ.com
Proposed zoning changes that could expand several mixed residential-commercial corridors in the Heights section of Jersey City have touched off a debate over the future of the neighborhood. Zoning amendments sponsored by the city planning staff would zone parts of Kennedy Boulevard and Summit Avenue as residential-commercial districts, making it easier to add ground-floor retail businesses. The Riverview Neighborhood Association took credit on social media for getting the zoning amendments postponed from the planning board’s July 12 meeting until July 26, and said the planning board agreed to modify the amendments based its feedback. The Jersey Journal
Total gaming revenue reported by casinos, racetracks, and their partners in New Jersey was $401.5 million for June 2022, a 2.2% increase reported last June. For year-to-date, total gaming revenue was $2.4 billion, rising 15.2% from $2.1 billion reported in the prior period. For the month of June, Internet Gaming Win reported by casinos and their partners was $133.1 million, reflecting growth of 24.4% compared to $107.1 million for the prior period. For the year-to-date period, Internet Gaming Win reported by casinos and their partners was $814.5 million, rising 28.4% compared to $634.2 million for the prior year-to-date period. ROI-NJ.com
North Jersey locales close to New York dominate the list of Garden State municipalities that saw their populations decline most between the 2020 Census and mid-2021. Jersey City tops the list, down 8,485 residents to 283,927, followed by Newark, Union City, North Bergen, Bayonne, Hoboken, Elizabeth, Paterson, Kearny, and Secaucus. NJ1015.com
And finally…Severe thunderstorms, damaging winds are possible today, precursors to a major heat this week. News12 New Jersey
