Category Archives: News you should know

The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity from unchecked scientific and technological advances and the panel usually announces changes in January. ThereContinue reading “With grim news around the globe, the Doomsday Clock is due for a change”

Following the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change sounding the alarm on cryptomining companies’ soaring energy use, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) introduced the Crypto-Asset Environmental Transparency Act. The legislation would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a comprehensive impact study of U.S. cryptomining activity and requireContinue reading “Lawmakers would make crypto-mining facilities report CO2 emissions”

Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Patricia Wild refused to set a bond for a woman accused of shooting her husband dead on Christmas night. Marylue Wigglesworth, 51, is accused of murder for the Dec. 25, 2022, shooting death of 57-year-old David B. Wigglesworth, a one-time Republican Party candidate for local office in the Town ofContinue reading “Marylue Wigglesworth faces murder charge for shooting her husband”

Algernon Ward Jr., who tied with Republican municipal chair Jennifer Williams in the December voting has now requested a recount after his opponent was declared the winner of a seat on the Trenton City Council. Voters cured technical deficiencies in three mail-in ballots which were counted on December 29, 2022, giving Williams a one-vote victory.Continue reading “Algernon Ward Jr. seeks recount after Republican declared Trenton Council winner”

The former manager of the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury Fund (TBI Fund) and one of his conspirators today admitted their roles in a long-running scheme to defraud the fund, a publicly funded health care benefit program, of more than $4.5 million. Harry Pizutelli, 64, of Edison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S.Continue reading “Brain Injury Fund manager & conspirator plead guilty in $4.5 million scheme”

House Republicans, in turmoil, were unable to elect a speaker as GOP nominee Kevin McCarthy failed on the sixth ballot. Republicans have a majority but 20 hard-core extremists kept McCarthy from getting a sufficient number in the sixth round of voting for a speaker over two days. After the latest tally, the House adjourned untilContinue reading “House adjourns without a speaker as Kevin McCarthy fails on sixth ballot”

A South Jersey mother was found guilty on Wednesday in the death of her 23-month-old son. Jurors convicted Nakira M. Griner, 28, of all charges for murdering her 23-month-old son. Authorities said not only did the mother beat her young child to death, but she dismembered his body and burned the remains. The boy, DanielContinue reading “Mother guilty of murdering her 23-month-old son”

A state grand jury has voted to file a criminal charge against a Trenton police officer in connection with the officer’s use of pepper spray during an encounter with a 64-year-old grandfather with underlying medical conditions, who died 18 days after being pepper sprayed during his arrest in 2020. The Office of the Attorney General todayContinue reading “Trenton police officer charged for chemical attack that resulted in death”

Kevin McCarthy to become speaker dragged on for a second day as Republican foes kept him from getting close to a majority of votes in another round of voting. Even a last-minute plea from former president Donald Trump for Republicans to unify around McCarthy (Calif.) failed to sway 21 Republicans. Instead, 20 backed a newContinue reading “McCarthy loses 4th vote as GOP speaker standoff continues”

by Nikita Biryukov, New Jersey Monitor An appellate panel last week ruled that public university students whose in-person instruction was upturned by school pandemic rules aren’t entitled to a refund. The Dec. 30 decision affirms a trial court ruling that found the two universities in question did not have to partially refund tuition to students because in-personContinue reading “Court denies tuition refunds to students who sued over pandemic rules”

by Dana DiFilippo, New Jersey Monitor Four New Jersey police departments used blood samples from the state’s newborn disease screening program to help them investigate five criminal cases in recent years, a controversial use that civil rights advocates have decried as an abuse of police powers. A judge on Tuesday ordered state health officials to reveal withinContinue reading “Judge orders state to release information about police use of baby blood spots”

by Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey Monitor Regulations intended to tackle greenhouse gas emissions that have been slammed by environmental justice advocates as not aggressive enough were adopted by the state Tuesday.  The rules require new power plants to keep their carbon dioxide emissions below 860 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt hour, ban the sale ofContinue reading “N.J. implements new rules targeting power plants”

Republican loser Kevin McCarthy claimed that there’s no situation in which he’ll abort his thus far failed bid to become House speaker. Despite failing to win during three rounds of voting Tuesday, McCarthy promised to fight to the end. The historic defeat brought the first day of the new Congress to an abrupt, messy end.Continue reading “Chaos in Congress continues”

Coast Guardsmen assigned to the Coast Guard cutter Polar Star recently enjoyed a swim call in the Pacific Ocean soon after crossing the equator—getting a short break as they make their way to Antarctica. The United States’ only heavy icebreaker, the Polar Star heads there every year, breaking miles of ice up to 21-feet thickContinue reading “Coast Guardsmen in hot water as they make their way towards Antarctica”

Prosecutors investigating Sen. Bob Menendez suspect that his wife received gifts or services from individuals in exchange for favors from the New Jersey politician who was previously indicted for bribery and corruption related to his effort to cover up the biggest Medicare fraud case in history. The Wall Street Journal reported in November that theContinue reading “Prosecutors think Sen. Bob Menendez swapped bribes paid to his wife in exchange for political favors”

Around 2 million years ago, climate in Greenland resembled the forecast of a future under global warming: with trees such as poplars and birch and animals like hare, lemmings, mastodons and reindeer. Paleoclimatic records show strong polar amplification with annual temperatures of 11–19 degrees Celsius above current values. The biological communities inhabiting the Arctic duringContinue reading “Environmental DNA uncovers a 2-million-year-old ecosystem in Greenland”

Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy was unable to crack the 218 vote threshold he needs to claim the gavel as Speaker of the House of Representatives, even after three attempts. The new House GOP majority is locked in a chaotic once-in-a-century fight to determine who will serve as the next speaker after McCarthy failed to secureContinue reading “Kevin McCarthy defeated in third round of voting for US House speaker”

The Wisconsin man accused of shooting 10 people during a harrowing attack on the New York City subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, last spring pleaded guilty to terrorism charges Tuesday. Frank R. James, 63, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, entered his plea in front of U.S. Judge William Kuntz in federal court in Brooklyn, days after heContinue reading “Subway shooter pleaded guilty today”

The parents of a toddler have been charged with endangerment after the one-year-old boy experienced a suspected drug overdose in Hazlet, where a search turned up more than 1,000 Xanax tablets and other illegal substasnces. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said the child was revived by responding police officers and was in stable conditionContinue reading “Toddler’s parents charged after one-year-old boy overdosed on their drugs”

The House is set to go to a third ballot after the first ballot awarded Hakeem Jeffries with 212 votes, Kevin McCarthy only 203 votes, Andy Biggs got 10 votes and nine votes went to other candidates, including Jim Jordan. The House failed to elect a speaker on a second round of balloting, in aContinue reading “Speaker stalemate: McCarthy suffers second defeat in House disorganization”