TOP NEWS
Pinelands Alliance launched an online petition urging Gov. Mikie Sherrill to place a three-year statewide moratorium on the approval and construction of large-scale data centers. It cites DataOne Vineland, a data center located in Vineland, as an example of failed environmental assessment, community input, and regional evaluation. The petition explains that a moratorium would allow the state to evaluate environmental, energy, and public health risks associated with data centers, and set statewide standards for siting, noise, energy sourcing, and environmental protection.
Pinelands Alliance
“College Tuition Sponsorship” webinar planned with Disability Rights NJ on May 4. It begins at 2 p.m. and will discuss ways people with disabilities can receive funding from NJ Vocational Rehabilitation agencies. Registration is required. Free admission.Add to 📅.
Disability Rights New Jersey
Sen. Andy Kim’s office is hiring a casework manager. Responsibilities include resolving issues with federal agencies, screening and referring cases, and assessing problems and solutions. It is a hybrid position with in-person work required in Jersey City or Barrington. Applications are available online and are due May 4.Add to 📅.
Senator Andy Kim
Public officials clarified that a derailed freight train in North Bergen did not leak hazardous material. Thirteen rail cars derailed on Apr. 14 near Tonnelle Avenue, and the reason for the derailment is not known, according to a spokesperson for CSX, the rail company. There were no reported injuries. City officials first identified the leaked substance as ethyl acetate, but later said it was polyethylene, which does not pose a public safety hazard. An investigation into the cause of the derailment is ongoing, CSX said.
Gothamist
Analilia Mejia won the special general election for N.J.’s 11th congressional district, according to the Associated Press. Mejia received 77,856 votes. She ran against Joe Hathaway, who received 52,324 votes and Alan Bond who received 596 votes. Mejia will represent parts of Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties through Jan. 3, 2027.
New Jersey Monitor
New Jersey’s first Crisis Receiving Stabilization Center recently opened in Rutgers-Newark. It is part of the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline continuum of crisis services, and the Newark location marks the first of five centers. It will provide behavioral health care for adults ages 18+, specifically to alleviate crisis and reduce symptoms. Center admission is voluntary. It will be staffed 24 hours each day with a prescriber, registered nurse, clinician, behavioral health technician, and peer recovery specialist. It is located in the Behavioral Health Sciences Building, 183 South Orange Ave. Services are open to all people, regardless of insurance.
Patch Newark
Gov. Mikie Sherrill published an online budget transparency portal, N.J. Report Card, that outlines proposed statewide spending plans for 2027. It includes descriptions of proposed funding for programs and a breakdown of costs. In March, Sherrill presented a $60.7 billion budget proposal for 2027 with investments towards education, transportation, and property tax relief. The proposed annual budget is 4.5% higher than last year’s while the annual rate of inflation is at 2.4%, meaning that spending increases are adjusted to keep up with rising costs. The final state budget draft is due on Jun. 30.
New Jersey Monitor
Nutley Family Service Bureau offers telehealth therapy to people living in N.J. People can schedule a virtual session by calling 973-667-1884, option 1.
Nutley Family Service Bureau
