FDU Poll: Obama's OK, Women Cool on Romney

About half of poll respondents approve of President Obama's job performance.

Our Republican governor gets good marks from the Garden State, but so does our Democratic president, according to the latest poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind . Barack Obama also has a solid lead over Mitt Romney in New Jersey, according to the poll—especially among women. Read the full statement from FDU below, then take our own poll to let us know what you think? According the latest poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind, 50 percent of New Jersey voters say they approve of the way the president is handling his job, while 42 percent disapprove. These numbers mirror the support expressed by New Jerseyans for their Republican governor, Chris Christie, as reported yesterday: 56 percent approve of the job …

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Ocean City: Still Dry After Landmark Vote

Voters rejected a bid to permit BYOB restaurants in the popular vacation haven.

At the polls Tuesday, Ocean City voters sent a clear message to local lawmakers: Don't change a thing. By a margin of two to one, residents of the popular summer destination defeated a ballot question that asked voters if they wanted to repeal a local ordinance prohibiting BYOB restaurants. The Second Ward, home to the Ocean City downtown, was the only voting district not to oppose the measure. After 16 months of passionate local debate, the election night ended with two rival figureheads shaking hands at City Hall. Chef and restaurateur Bill McGinnity, who spearheaded the BYOB initiative, congratulated his opponent, Drew Fasy, chairman of the Committee to Preserve Ocean City. Both men talked about putting the divisive issue behind them …

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Judge Rules Against Obama Objectors

An effort to have President Barack Obama's name removed from New Jersey's primary ballot was dealt a setback following an administrative judge's recent ruling.

In what attorney Mario Apuzzo is calling a "sham of justice," a state judge has ruled against objectors seeking to remove President Barack Obama's name from New Jersey's upcoming primary ballot . According to Apuzzo, the attorney representing New Jersey residents Nick Purpura and Ted Moran, Deputy Director and Administrative Law Judge Jeff Masin ruled against the ballot challenge following a more than three-hour hearing earlier this week. His decision, delivered to Apuzzo via email, was not based on the issues presented in the challenge, namely that Obama is not a natural born citizen of the United States and that a birth certificate released by the White House last April is fraudulent, but rather on a technicality, Apuzzo said. The judge …

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President Obama's Eligibility Challenged

Two men, including a Monmouth County resident, are challenging President Barack Obama's placement on the state's primary ballot.

Two New Jersey residents, including one from Monmouth County, are challenging President Barack Obama's place on the state's primary ballot, according to the Bayshore Tea Party Group. Nick Purpura, of Monmouth County, has filed a challenge along with Ocean County resident Ted Moran alleging that Obama has never shown adequate proof that he was born in the United States - despite the release of a longform birth certificate by the White House in April of 2011 - and that his father was never a citizen of the United States, meaning Obama is not a natural born citizen, at least according to their interpretation of the Constitution. The challenge will be heard by an administrative law judge Tuesday at the Administrative Law Offices in …

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Camden County Freeholder Won't Run Again

Camden County Freeholder Rodney Greco, of Gloucester Township, decides not to seek reelection. “We will miss his intelligence and integrity on our board,” the freeholder director says.

PART TWO: School Officials Answer Questions About New Legislation

New legislation could move school board elections from April to November, and eliminate a direct vote on school budgets.

Gov. Chris Christie signed new legislation at the state level a few weeks ago, which Collingswood Public School District Board of Education voted in favor of. Changes could move school elections from April to November, and eliminate a direct school budget vote from ballots.  Here, Collingswood Superintendent Dr. Scott A. Oswald clears up questions surrounding the legislation.    What does this new legislation mean for Collingswood voters? In basic terms, the legislation allows the election to be moved (via resolution) by the board of education itself, a resolution by the municipal governing body, or by a referendum by voters. If a board approves a resolution (as Collingswood Board of Education did earlier this month) to move the election, …

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Borough Beeswax

Borough Beeswax: Buzzing About School Board Elections and the 2% Cap

What does Collingswood think about consolidating the school board and general elections?

A new state law allows school districts to move their school board elections to November, from April, and keep the school district budget off of the ballot, provided the spending plan doesn't exceed a 2 percent increase. Proponents call it a way to save money by combining elections and to possibly increase voter turnout for school board elections. Some critics have decried removing direct voter input from the school budget—usually the largest chunk of taxpayers' tax bills.  Last week, Collingswood's school board vote to move the elections. Borough Beeswax asked Collingswood residents and visitors for their thoughts on the impact of this issue. “If it saves money, I would be for it,” said Audubon mother Kelly Paoli. Paoli, who says she …

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Sean Andrew

2:25 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Jaclyn - I agree with what you said on the street and in this last post, except for the Spanish thing. I learned much more Spanish online than from 6 years of Spanish in HS and college. I got all As and Bs and couldn't speak a lick. I guess it depends how you learn, but OUTRAGEOUS it is not.   more ›

Voters Say Yes to Sports Betting in NJ

But now officials will need to convince a judge to overturn a federal law barring gambling on athletics.

Voters appeared to be overwhelmingly approving a statewide referendum Tuesday that will change the state constitution to enable the legalization of gambling on professional and certain college sporting events—but only if a current federal ban is overturned. The Star-Ledger was reporting that with 84% of the ballots counted, the measure was winning, 61 percent to 31 percent. The amendment was supported by Oceanport Borough, home of Monmouth Park racetrack, as well as Gov. Chris Christie and State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), who argues that once the referendum is approved, it will only be a matter of months before the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is ruled unconstitutional. Lesniak has led the crusade for sports …

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