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A prominent New Jersey Democrat running for governor this year publicly split from leftist Gov. Phil Murphy’s green “Energy Master Plan” as Garden State residents brace for 20% or worse increases in utility costs by summertime.
Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney called for an immediate halt to Murphy’s comprehensive roadmap to 100% clean energy by 2050, saying his “foremost priority” if elected is to make the notoriously pricy state an affordable place to live.
“The recent increases in utility bills demonstrate how overly ambitious targets for a zero-carbon future can negatively impact our residents. We need to take a step back and reassess policies that could drive costs even higher,” Sweeney said on NJ-101.5FM.
Rate hikes of 17-21% can be expected throughout the state, via Jersey Central Power & Light, Atlantic City Electric, PSEG and New York-based Rockland Electric, according to 101.5.
NJ RESIDENTS HIT WITH DOUBLED UTILITY BILLS AS LAWMAKERS FUME OVER MURPHY’S ‘ENERGY DISASTER PLAN’
In a further statement, Sweeney noted he previously sponsored legislation on solar power development, offshore windmills and reducing New Jersey’s reliance on fossil fuels. He also has encouraged building up the state’s EV infrastructure and promoting EV sales.
But, the Democrat appeared to split with some on his side of the aisle by expressing an openness to pursue natural gas as a cleaner fuel source than oil.
“With our abundant organic resources – from landfills and sewage to farms and food waste – New Jersey has a unique opportunity to harness [natural gas] to generate gas to meet our energy needs,” Sweeney said.
“We must also acknowledge and make effective use of the substantial investments that have been made in our pipeline infrastructure, which represents a commitment that should not be disregarded.”
Meanwhile, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Scotch Plains, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that Sweeney’s public stance shows the left’s green energy plans are “too extreme, even for Democrats.”
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The term-limited Murphy’s plan “wasn’t practical,” said Bramnick, a top candidate on the GOP side to replace him.
“Sometimes, Democrats become more political than practical – and that’s kind of why they’re having more trouble at the polls.”
“I think their heart might be in the right place, but they lack some practical common sense,” Bramnick said.
In a prior interview on Trenton’s green energy efforts, lawmakers such as state Sen. Mike Testa, R-Vineland, derided the idea as the “Energy Disaster Plan.”
State Sen. Jon Bramnick is running for the GOP nomination for New Jersey governor in 2025. (Getty Images)
“Quite frankly, what I think happened is, via the Murphy Energy Master Plan that I’ve often called the energy disaster plan, it seemed that the BPU (New Jersey Board of Public Utilities) and the Murphy administration are working in tandem chasing this green energy dream…. It’s a green energy nightmare,” Testa said at the time.
For his part, Murphy has defended his plan, saying it “comprehensively addresses New Jersey’s energy system, including electricity generation, transportation and buildings, and their associated greenhouse gas emissions and related air pollutants.”
Fox News Digital also reached out to prominent Democratic candidate Steve Fulop, the mayor of Jersey City, and Republican Edward Durr, better known in New Jersey as “Ed the Trucker.”
In Janurary, Fulop released a dozen-page outline of his “environmental and sustainability policy goals,” and has touted Jersey City’s advancements in energy and sustainability endeavors.
Durr, who was then a newcomer to politics, notably engineered the 2021 upset win against Sweeney in Gloucester County that drew national attention.
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Nikki Ogunnaike, the editor in chief of Marie Claire magazine, did not grow up the scion of an Anna Wintour or a Marc Jacobs.
But, she said, “my mom and dad are both very stylish people.”
They got dressed up to go to church every week in her hometown Springfield, Va. Her mother managed a Staples; her father, a CVS. “Presentation is important to them,” she said.
Since landing her first internship with Glamour magazine in college, Ms. Ogunnaike, 40, has held editorial roles there and at Elle magazine and GQ. She has been in the top post at Marie Claire since 2023.
She recently spent a Saturday with The New York Times as she prepared for Milan Fashion Week.
Health
Massachusetts health officials have confirmed the state’s first two measles cases of the year, a school-aged child and a Greater Boston adult.
The Department of Public Health announced the cases Friday, marking the first report of measles in Massachusetts since 2024.
According to health officials, the adult who was diagnosed returned home recently from abroad and had an “uncertain vaccination history.” While infectious, the person visited several locations where others were likely exposed to the virus, and health officials said they are working to identify and notify anyone affected
The child, meanwhile, is a Massachusetts resident who was exposed to the virus and diagnosed with measles out-of-state, where they remain during the infectious period. Health officials said the child does not appear to have exposed anyone in Massachusetts to measles.
The two Massachusetts cases come as the U.S. battles a large national measles outbreak, which has seen 1,136 confirmed cases nationwide so far in 2026, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Our first two measles cases in 2026 demonstrate the impact that the measles outbreaks, nationally and internationally, can have here at home,” Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said Friday. “Fortunately, thanks to high vaccination rates, the risk to most Massachusetts residents remains low.”
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours and may even spread through tissues or cups used by someone who has it, according to the DPH.
Early symptoms occur 10 days to two weeks after exposure and may resemble a cold or cough, usually with a fever, health officials warned. A rash develops two to four days after the initial symptoms, appearing first on the head and shifting downward.
According to the DPH, complications occur in about 30% of infected measles patients, ranging from immune suppression to pneumonia, diarrhea, and encephalitis — a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the brain.
“Measles is the most contagious respiratory virus and can cause life-threatening illness,” Goldstein said. “These cases are a reminder of the need for health care providers and local health departments to remain vigilant for cases so that appropriate public health measures can be rapidly employed to prevent spread in the state. This is also a reminder that getting vaccinated is the best way for people to protect themselves from this disease.”
According to the DPH, people who have had measles, or who have been vaccinated against measles, are considered immune. State health officials offer the following guidance for the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine:
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