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New Jersey governor says he'll 'fight to the death' against Trump actions 'contrary to values'

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New Jersey governor says he'll 'fight to the death' against Trump actions 'contrary to values'

In a Q&A following President-elect Trump’s victory, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy warned he will “fight to the death” against the administration if he detects behavior “contrary to our values.”

“[A]s we respect the peaceful transition of power, if there is any attack on the Garden State or any of its communities from Washington, I will fight back with every fiber of my being,” Murphy said.

“If there’s an opportunity for common ground, we will seize that as fast as anybody,” he conversely added. 

State Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio, R-Hackettstown, told Fox News Digital that Murphy is “missing the message” voters sent Tuesday with the initial rhetoric.

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“It’s time for the governor to recognize that his values may not reflect the values of New Jerseyans as widely as he assumes,” he said.

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy meets with former President Trump. (Getty/File)

“While Murphy is prepared to spend resources on political battles with Trump, it’s hard to see how that aligns with the priorities of struggling families, working taxpayers and business owners who want more focus on their needs,” DiMaio said.

Murphy, who will begin his final year in Trenton after Trump is inaugurated, credited Trump with his “uncanny ability to connect with people, even if it’s not in their own interests,” after the Republican came proverbially close to taking the blue bastion.

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While Murphy rejected a reporter’s query about New Jersey being in play in the future, he commented that Trump only lost it by 4%, compared to 16% in 2020.

“I do not believe we are a swing state,” he said, adding that outside of Rep. Tom Kean Jr.’s victory along the Route 22 corridor, he was happy with the down-ballot results. Kean is a Republican.

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He pointed to Republicans’ success in messaging on the immigration crisis, adding the caveat that their winning rhetoric may not have matched the facts on the ground.

Trump won Passaic County, an ethnically diverse New York City suburb, but down-ballot races skewed Democrat. Murphy pointed to that as an example of voters selecting Trump personally rather than Republicans writ large.

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He suggested the same was true in North Carolina, noting Trump won the state but Democrat Attorney General Joshua Stein was elected governor.

“Just as it is our responsibility to continue to stand up against any threat to our state or to our people, it is also our responsibility to take any opportunity that presents itself to work with [Trump] to protect and uplift the people of our state because that is what responsible leaders do,” Murphy added.

He also credited Trump with quickly approving the new Portal North Railroad Bridge in Secaucus and assisting during the coronavirus pandemic.

A view of the entrance to Trump National Golf Club. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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As for responding to Trump’s governance, Murphy said that during the last administration, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was reportedly conducting raids in search of illegal immigrants, he took an inventive tack.

“There was a time when ICE was just randomly showing up on street corners and apprehending … brothers and sisters from the immigrant community,” Murphy said.

The governor, who lives in Middletown Township near Sandy Hook, said he heard an “area near where I live was at-risk.”

“I just went there one night with my [security] detail and just hung out there,” he said, noting ICE then didn’t show.

“Whether that scared them off or not I don’t know, but it’s an example of a small step that we’re willing to try anything if it’s contrary to our values.”

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As the 2025 gubernatorial race to replace him is about to heat up, Murphy said his three-point win in 2021 may have been “the canary in the coalmine” for Democrats in the state to assess the political landscape.

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Maine

Rangeley Heritage Trust creates Friends of Western Maine Dark Sky

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Rangeley Heritage Trust creates Friends of Western Maine Dark Sky


The ‘Friends of Western Maine Dark Sky’ group meets March 3 at the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust office in Rangeley. They discussed the formation of the group as well as the process for designating the town as a dark sky community. (Quentin Blais/Staff Writer)

Looking up at the night sky in northern and rural Maine, it is a sight to behold, almost unique in today’s lit-up world. The Rangeley region is one of the last areas in the Northeast largely untouched by light pollution.

It is also a draw for many tourists and stargazers who come to the region for the clear view of the night sky.

A new group called Friends of the Western Maine Dark Sky hopes that by limiting the amount of light pollution, those views will be preserved for generations to come.

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The group gathered at the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust on March 3 to talk about ways to educate the community on the importance of dark skies to the region.

One of their primary efforts is to try to designate Rangeley as an official Dark Sky community.

The designation will require a few steps. First, an application will be submitted to DarkSky International expressing an interest. Then, the town of Rangeley will need to adopt a new lighting ordinance at the June town meeting.

A new state law taking effect in October will require publicly funded outdoor lighting across the state to be dimmed at night to protect wildlife and dark skies. This includes using warm, yellow-toned bulbs, dimming or turning off nonessential lights and shielding lights so they don’t shine upward into the sky.

The town ordinance would create guidelines similar to the state laws on the kinds of lights used in town, as well as restrict some signs, such as LED message boards. Existing boards would be allowed to remain in place.

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“The fact that the existing signage is grandfathered in perhaps bodes well for getting an approval of the town meeting,” said Linda Dexter, Dark Sky community certification coordinator at the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust, who is leading the effort. “It’s going to impact businesses in the town … right out of the gate, folks will tend to not vote for it.”

Even if an ordinance passes, change would likely be slow. Most of the group’s efforts will be on community education, such as informing seasonal residents to turn off the lights at their camps while they are gone for the winter. Also, the application may not be approved for up to six months after it is submitted, Dexter said.



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Massachusetts

School closings and delays for Massachusetts on Friday, March 6

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School closings and delays for Massachusetts on Friday, March 6


Several school districts in Massachusetts have delayed the start of classes for Friday, March 6 because of a mix of sleet, freezing rain and snow.

Take a look below for the full list of school closings and delays.

The list displays all public schools in alphabetical order, followed by private schools and then colleges and universities.

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Delays on this page are current as of

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New Hampshire

NH National Guard activated in connection with Iran war

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NH National Guard activated in connection with Iran war


The federal government has activated the New Hampshire National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing in connection with the war with Iran.

“I’ve had a briefing myself, a classified briefing, but it’s really important on the messaging on this that we really coordinate with the Pentagon,” Gov. Kelly Ayotte told reporters during a press briefing following Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting.

Ayotte said she was unable to share additional details about the nature of the New Hampshire National Guard’s activity related to the conflict, including how many guard members have been activated or what role they are playing.

“We’re going to respect what messaging comes out of the Pentagon just to make sure that our men and women in uniform are fully protected and that we aren’t providing any information that could be used in a way that would be harmful to them,” Ayotte said.

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In a statement Thursday, Ayotte said the unit had been deployed in late February to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of the operation.

Pease Air National Guard KC-46 Pegasus air refueling aircraft in June 2023.

Earlier this week, Pentagon officials confirmed that members of the Vermont National Guard were involved in attacks against Iran over the weekend, though our news partners at Vermont Public were not able to confirm additional details on the nature of the operation.

During the briefing with local reporters, Ayotte also stressed her support for servicemembers and those close to them.

“I have such respect for our men and women in uniform,” Ayotte said. “As you know, I come from a military family, and they have our full support, and we appreciate them and their families, and obviously anyone who is serving right now, and my thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost someone that they love.”

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