New Jersey
We can do better for our aging veterans in New Jersey. We have to invest in their care
3-minute read
As I walked into a local diner on a recent July morning, I encountered a trio of gentlemen in their 70s conversing about years gone by, expensive medical appointments, and the cost of a scrambled egg. One of the gentlemen was wearing a U.S. Army Veteran hat, and he reminded me of many of the battered but proud soldiers I have encountered in the Philadelphia VA who are often by themselves or homeless on the streets of cities in New Jersey. I wondered how they were navigating the inflated economic situation in our state with the high cost of living, ridiculous medical bills and rent and mortgage payments that are among the highest in the nation.
The answer is that they often aren’t. As a nation, a disproportionate 13% percent of our homeless population is made up of Veterans. In New Jersey, our veterans are decreasing in number at a rate of -2.4% per year, with less than half remaining by 2048. Suicide rates continue to increase as many veterans feel ineffective in life and a burden on others. In addition, the aging population is experiencing rising rates of disease and mortality in Vietnam- and Cold War-era populations who sacrificed despite the unpopular reception that they received at home.
To address these needs, the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee was successful after 15 years in moving legislation forward on a state level that will assist disabled veterans with the high property taxes they face by increasing the deductions over the next four years to $2,500 by 2028. This is the first proposal of its kind to advance since last century and doesn’t apply to disabled veterans renting property, living in a community setting or those that were discharged in other than honorable circumstances. Other limitations include continued inflation and the fact that it is only a proposal, not a law. If we must wait another 20 years for revision and improvement to this policy or other supportive measures, most of our Vietnam era heroes may be gone.
The Social Security benefits all Americans receive and heavily rely on in their golden years is an excellent example of a policy that considers Cost of Living Allowances, or COLAs, by the state to ensure equity. Conversely, Veterans’ Compensation COLA of 2024 adjusts the rates for Veterans in each state equally but not equitably. For instance, in New Jersey, the average monthly rent or mortgage payment is above $1,800; in North Dakota, it is around $800. A disabled veteran gets the same compensation from the government in both locations with the current scale despite the drastic differences in COLA. This equates to a $1,000 difference monthly while only looking at housing expenses, which could easily result in a Veteran becoming unhoused or unable to support children or grandchildren in their pursuits. New Jersey legislators must push for a policy to adapt Veteran’s disability benefits to match the high tax rates and COLA. Opposition to increases in veteran disability compensation in New Jersey includes a segment of society that feels that the compensation deters the community from working later into life and potentially suffering stress and depression through inactivity. Until other veteran benefits programs like Vocational Rehabilitation are accessible and property tax reductions are enacted, disability compensation is the most feasible solution to avoid veteran poverty. Rep. Andy Kim of the 3rd District said, “We owe it to our veterans to find ways to fill in the gaps in their benefits and deliver the support they have earned,” to which I respectfully respond, “Deeds Not Words.” We should get more familiar with our local legislators when supporting veteran legislation, knowing the devasting outcomes of homelessness, mental health issues and worse that can develop through isolation and struggles at home.
Another example of a New Jersey politician who seems to understand this concept is Assemblyman Brian Bergen, who delivered a package of bills for New Jersey veterans in 2021 to acknowledge the sacrifice of Veterans as they return home. Unfortunately, they appear to have received opposition based on political affiliations alone. These stagnated proposals include state tuition for qualifying veterans, business grants, proportional tax assistance, and relocation assistance for veterans interested in moving to our great state. Ultimately, New Jersey needs to harness the strengths of our service member leaders to benefit our communities versus ostracizing them or forcing them to seek financial refuge elsewhere.
The inability to bypass ideological differences in Trenton reminds me of a song my grandparents introduced about respecting each other called “The Living Years.” In that song, Mike Rutherford (from Mike in the Mechanics) states, “Say it loud (say it loud), Say it clear (say it clear), You can listen as well as you hear, It’s too late (It’s too late), When we die (oh, when we die), To admit we don’t see eye to eye.”
Now is our time to learn from this poignant lesson and recognize and support our nation’s heroes during their remaining living years despite our other differences. As American voters, we must learn how to support local legislators who look past their party lines and listen to our aging veteran’s needs before it’s too late.
Ryan Holak, a veteran and a student in Baylor University’s masters in social work program, is a resident of Delran Township in Burlington County.
For Nora Corthren, the work goes far beyond organizing events or telling stories. It’s about helping people see themselves in hockey.
As the NHL’s Manager of Content, Audience Development, and Social Impact, Corthren works at the crossroads of storytelling and community engagement, helping shine a spotlight on initiatives that make our game of hockey more welcoming and inclusive. From Pride programming to the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award and Hockey Fights Cancer, her role focuses on highlighting the people and organizations making a difference throughout the hockey world.
Over the past four years, Corthren has witnessed meaningful growth across the sport.
“It really has been wonderful to just see the hockey world continue to grow and develop and become more welcoming and more diverse and more inclusive,” she said.
Much of that progress comes from grassroots organizations working to create safe and welcoming spaces for players and fans from all backgrounds. Corthren’s job often involves identifying those stories and using the NHL’s platform to amplify them.
“I think it’s something that a lot of people who do the grassroots work of trying to make the game a more inclusive and welcoming space, they don’t do it for the attention,” she said. “They very much do it for the impact.”
That ability to elevate organizations and individuals making a difference has become one of the most rewarding parts of her work.
Among the initiatives closest to Corthren’s heart is the NHL’s continued involvement in Pride celebrations, including the annual New York City Pride March. For years, the league has marched alongside local hockey organizations and teams from across the New York metropolitan area, including the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Sirens, and New York Rangers.
For Corthren, the importance of that presence cannot be overstated. Seeing the NHL shield, the NHL teams’ logos, and even, yes, NJ Devil, are important parts of representation to a marginalized community.
A notorious mob hitman who once testified against John “Junior” Gotti before cleaning up his life and becoming a councilman in New Jersey has been arrested on extortion and loansharking charges that, if proven, reflect a return to the lifestyle of his youth.
John Alite, 63, was arrested on Friday in New Jersey, where he was sworn in early last year as a councilman in the borough of Englishtown. Released after a court appearance Saturday, Alite is scheduled to return to court for a detention hearing Wednesday.
His attorney, Douglas Anton, responding to an email seeking comment, said he did not want to speak about the case before the next court appearance.
Alite faces multiple counts of extortion, corporate misconduct, loansharking and terroristic threats.
Alite provided loans at exorbitant rates before threatening violence to collect on them, authorities said, citing the discovery in his home of metal knuckles, an expandable baton, six baseball bats and about two dozen knives, including switchblades.
The baseball bats, authorities said, included one stored near his home’s front door and five more in a kitchen storage bench.
An officer of the New Jersey State Police, an investigative arm of the attorney general’s office, said in court papers that it appeared that the weapons found in Alite’s residence were intended for use in collecting debts.
According to court papers, Alite had threatened one person he had lent money to, saying he would strike him across the head with a baseball bat if he didn’t meet his demands.
Alite also had bragged that he had in the past endeavored to “gut” people like “fish,” the court papers said.
In a release, prosecutors said Alite carried out crimes in part through his corporation, Straightened-Out Entertainment Inc.
They said he illegally obtained property and money from his victims by threats of violence in ways that reflected his 2009 testimony at a Gotti trial that ended with a deadlocked jury.
Alite told a Manhattan federal court jury that he killed a childhood friend to earn respect from fellow mobsters.
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The Garden State set a record for monthly iGaming revenue in May. Read how much for the biggest month ever in New Jersey iGaming.
New Jersey online casinos have been going strong all year, but May 2026 was especially notable. The Garden State’s iGaming market earned a record-breaking $276.3 million last month. This amount eclipsed the previous record of $273.2 million set in December 2025.
NJ online casino revenue for May 2026: $276.3 million
The $276.3 million earned in May 2026 represents an 11.9% year-over-year (YoY) increase from May 2025, when NJ online casinos earned $246.8 million.
This was yet another strong month and double-digit increase for New Jersey iGaming. The state had an identical 11.9% YoY uptick last month, when iCasinos made $263.1 million.
Year-to-date earnings for New Jersey gaming sites are $1.32 billion through May 2026. That’s up 14.4% compared to the same time period last year, when New Jersey had $1.16 billion through May 2025.
Golden Nugget enjoyed the strongest month
According to the May 2026 New Jersey iGaming revenue report, the Golden Nugget brand led all NJ iCasinos with $86.45 million. Of the three online casinos operating under Golden Nugget’s license, FanDuel made the most with $63.24 million from casino games online. BetRivers and Golden Nugget Online earned $12.43 million and $10.79 million, respectively.
Resorts Casino Hotel had the second-best month with $53.89 million. It doesn’t break down revenue by each online casino. But DraftKings is the biggest operator on this license on account of its progressive jackpot slots.
Retail casinos stay flat
Last month, brick-and-mortar casinos joined in the party with an 11.7% YoY increase. This month was a different story. New Jersey land-based casinos made $265.6 million in May 2026, just a 0.1% increase over the $256.3 million made the previous May.
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa had the best month among NJ retail casinos, earning $72.9 million. Hard Rock Atlantic City also had a solid month with $49.9 million, while Ocean Resorts rounded out the top three with $46.8 million.
Sports betting sees a big revenue decrease
In April 2026, sports betting had the largest growth out of New Jersey gambling verticals with a 12.8% YoY increase. However, May 2026 was a different story since NJ bookmakers earned $85.2 million—a 16.9% decrease from the $102.5 million made in the previous May.
The Garden State isn’t an outlier here since other states, like New York and Pennsylvania, also struggled with sports gambling revenue last month. US sportsbooks largely saw a smaller hold in May 2026 and are also dealing with increased competition from prediction markets.
iGaming continues to lead the way
Total gaming revenue for the state was $627.1 million in May 2026, representing a 2.0% YoY increase from the $614.7 million made in the previous May.
iGaming definitely looks to carry the torch moving forward. Many gambling operators are banking on real-money online slots to boost their revenue, while retail casinos and sports betting are currently struggling.
Responsible gambling
Legal US online casinos promote responsible play by allowing players to limit losses, sessions, wagers, and logins. They also offer timeout options for account breaks lasting days to weeks. Self-exclusion is a long-term option that shuts off access to an account for months or years.
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