Corzine Announces Sweeping Ethics Reform Package

TRENTON – Gov. Jon Corzine delivered an ethics reform package Wednesday that he says will promote ethical and fiscal responsibility. The governor originally promised to make a commitment to a more open, honest and accountable government during the 2005 campaign.

Governor Jon Corzine announces sweeping ethics reform package on the statehouse steps in Trenton on Wednesday, Sept. 24. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

“We have an absolute responsibility to give our citizens the most we can from their tax dollars,” said Corzine.  “This is about ethics in government, which is fundamental.  But it’s also about fiscal responsibility, which is essential in light of today’s economic and financial crisis.”

Read Full Post »

Toss Up: Corzine or Christie?

By Michael M. Shapiro

Gov. Corzine may have an upside down 40%-51% approval rating; however, he is still in a dead heat with current United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Chris Christie, in a hypothetical matchup for the 2009 gubernatorial election. 

This disclosure is not new.  In August, a poll showed that Christie would defeat Gov. Corzine by only 1% in a theoretical race.  Given the governor’s low approval numbers, it should give him comfort that his strongest Republican challenger can only muster a tie despite all of the problems facing the New Jersey and the shockingly low approval ratings of the Democratic legislature.  

Christie, a former freeholder and fundraiser for President Bush’s initial campaign for the White House, has made battling corruption his top priority.  During his tenure, a number of high-profile politicians have been indicted and convicted, including Newark Mayor Sharpe James. 

Read Full Post »

Morgan’s Past

by Diane Norek Harrison

SAYREVILLE-In 2007, I received an email from Morgan resident Frances Drake asking me if I had any past information on the Morgan section of Sayreville. She was writing a paper for a class at Rutgers University. She has since sent me a copy of her paper with permission to share her research in my column.

“Welcome to Morgan, New Jersey-The Original Gateway to the Shore”

Farming was another big industry with many farms in and around the Central New Jersey area. Farmers could go to Morgan Beach where a pier jutted out into the Raritan Bay. Small boats from New York would head to the pier and buy goods such as apples, blueberries, and fresh produce from the farmers. In the area of what is now Parker Avenue, on top of the cliff overlooking the Raritan Bay, was Henderson’s Egg Farm. The Henderson family merely needed to walk to the pier to sell fresh eggs to the awaiting boats traveling back to New York or other nearby ports. Interestingly, there are several references to this same area being called “40 Horses” at some time, but as of writing this paper I have been unable top determine the origin of the name.

Read Full Post »

“Ghost Town” – A Haunting Comedy – 3 popcorns

 

by Michael S. Goldberger, film critic

The effervescent reincarnation of a romantic comedy sub-genre that’s been haunting silver screens ever since “Topper” (1937), David Koepp’s “Ghost Town” does its spectral predecessors proud. You know the deal. A cynic can suddenly see ghosts. He’d rather not. Making it worse, concomitant with said power he’s assigned a soul-saving mission. 

Handling the drill this time, literally and figuratively, is Bertram Pincus, D.D.S., portrayed with perfectly defining lack of joie de vie by Ricky Gervais. The sourpuss, who quizzically left his native London for New York because “it was too crowded there,” is entirely bereft of people skills. Oh, that he could stuff cotton wads in the world’s mouth.

Acquiring his apparitional sense following seven minutes of momentary death during a routine colonoscopy, now the loner has to suffer not only the intrusions of the quick, but the dead as well. Leading the charge of this new contingent hell-bent on precluding his much sought isolation is Greg Kinnear’s Frank Herlihy, former pitchman personified.

Read Full Post »