What’s Important to Know About NJ This Week –06/22/2024

Jun 22, 2024

Governor Expands Clemency, LEO Access to Baby Blood Limited, NJ Transit is a Mess, NJ Top Ten for Ice Cream

Governor Launches Clemency Program
NJ Monitor

“Murphy’s order, which comes after lobbying by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, directs the board to expedite applications if they pass a two-pronged test based on time and the offense for which they seek a pardon. The governor says he expects the first batch of clemencies to come in roughly six months.

Clemency seekers who are no longer incarcerated would be eligible for expedited review if 10 years had passed since the end of their sentence, including parole, probation, and court diversionary programs. That time bar falls to five years for applicants who are 60 or older or who were no older than 25 at the time of their offense.” Read More

AG Issues Guidelines on LEO’s Access to Baby Blood
The Jersey Vindicator

“Every baby born in New Jersey, and in most other states, must have a bloodspot screen taken within 48 hours of birth to test for 61 illnesses and congenital disorders that can cause serious health problems or death.

The New Jersey Monitor and the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender filed a public records lawsuit in 2022 to obtain records that showed that over a period of about five years, four law enforcement agencies issued five grand jury subpoenas to the state’s baby blood spot program to obtain blood samples. Law enforcement officials used years-old blood spots to help them solve criminal investigations without the knowledge or consent of the families.” Read More

NJ Transit is a Mess
CBS New York

NJ Transit service has been disrupted at least three times this week. On Tuesday, overhead wires caused problems for morning commuters. Later in the afternoon, it was a disabled train.

The next day, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called the situation completely unacceptable and said, “I’m not happy and we’re getting as deep into this as we can.”

In May, a power outage caused by overhead wires falling onto the tracks brought Amtrak and NJ Transit service to a halt for hours at the start of rush hour. Murphy called it “an unmitigated disaster“ by Amtrak. Read More

NJ Represents on Ten Best in Nation for Ice Cream
mycentraljersey.com

Owowcow Creamery, which has a location in Lambertville, was named the third best ice cream shop in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2024.

Starting in Ottsville, Pennsylvania in 2009, the chain has five locations across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Read More

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