New Jersey
6 protesters arrested as onshore testing work for New Jersey wind farm begins
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — Police arrested six protesters Tuesday who tried to disrupt the start of land-based testing for New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm. But the work progressed anyway.
Police in Ocean City, which has become the hub of resistance to offshore wind projects in New Jersey and elsewhere along the U.S. East Coast, arrested demonstrators after the city said they failed to heed four warnings to get out of the roadway.
“There were three people lying in the street,” said Robin Shaffer, a spokesman for Protect Our Coast NJ, a residents’ group opposed to the local project and to offshore wind in general.
Each of the protesters, none of whom lived in Ocean City, was charged with failure to disperse and obstruction of public pathways, city spokesman Doug Bergen said.
Mayor Jay Gillian, himself an opponent of the wind farm project, said he wishes police did not have to arrest anyone, but added, “This is how democracy works. I understand their passion.”
Orsted, the Danish wind energy developer, began onshore testing work Tuesday morning to investigate the proposed route for its power cable connecting the offshore wind turbines with the electrical grid several miles away at the site of a former coal-fired power plant in Upper Township.
The work involved cutting holes into roadways, checking on the location of existing utilities and doing soil and groundwater sampling for the project, called Ocean Wind I, the company said.
“Ocean Wind I continues to progress with today’s commencement of in-road site investigation in Ocean City,” spokesman Tom Suthard said. “We respect the public’s right to peacefully protest. However, the health and safety of the workers and members of the local community is our top priority. We appreciate the support of local law enforcement who work every day to keep our communities safe.”
Orsted has approval from the federal government to build Ocean Wind I, which would put 98 wind turbines off the coast of Ocean City and Atlantic City, generating enough electricity to power 500,000 homes. It also has state approval for a second project, Ocean Wind II, although that project needs numerous additional approvals before it can begin construction.
The company said it still has not made the final decision on whether to proceed with the projects, which it said are costing more and taking longer than anticipated. But protesters promised to keep up the pressure on the company.
“This testing today only proves that Orsted is continuing with the project, and we are going to continue to fight in court and in the streets if we have to,” said Shaffer, a spokesman for opponents and a member of Ocean City’s Board of Education.
The group, along with other similar organizations, oppose offshore wind, claiming it will harm the environment, cost vastly more than anticipated, and ruin views of an unobstructed ocean horizon, potentially damaging tourism.
The wind industry says the turbines won’t always be visible from shore, depending on weather conditions. It says its companies take extensive measures to comply with environmental regulations.
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New Jersey
NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4 winning numbers for Thursday, May 9
The New Jersey Lottery offers multiple draw games for people looking to strike it rich.
Here’s a look at Thursday, May 9, 2024 winning numbers for each game:
Pick-3
Midday: 4 – 6 – 6; Fireball: 5
Evening: Will be drawn at 10:57 p.m.
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick-4
Midday: 8 – 0 – 8 – 9; Fireball: 5
Evening: Will be drawn at 10:57 p.m.
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
More: Here’s a look at NJ’s top 5 big lottery winners in 2023
Jersey Cash 5
Drawings are held daily at 10:57 p.m.
Check Jersey Cash 5 payouts and drawings here.
Cash4Life
Drawings are held daily at 9:00 p.m.
Check previous Cash4Life drawings here.
NJ lottery: Where does all the billions in ticket sales money go?
Pick-6
Drawings are held each Monday and Thursday at 10:57 p.m.
Check previous Pick-6 drawings here.
Winner: New Jersey grandmother of 10 planning Disney trip after winning $1 million in Powerball
Quick Draw
Drawing are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Cash Pop
Drawing are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Beware: No, a lottery jackpot winner isn’t giving you money. How to spot a scammer
Gambling too much? You can get help by calling 1800-GAMBLER or clicking on www.800gambler.org
New Jersey
Lawmakers eye fines for businesses that coerce workers over immigration status • New Jersey Monitor
Immigrant workers are more reluctant to speak out about injustice in the workplace, report injuries, or cooperate in investigations out of fear of revealing their immigration status to authorities.
Now, a new bill would allow the state to levy hefty fines against employers threatening to use their workers’ immigration status against them during labor disputes. An example would be if a boss threatens to tell authorities that a worker came to the country illegally to pressure that worker into not reporting the employer for paying less than minimum wage.
“No worker should be forced to turn a blind eye to their employer’s unlawful behavior out of fear of being prosecuted for their immigration status,” bill sponsor Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) said in a statement.
Businesses found to have exploited their workers based on their immigration status would face fines of up to $1,000 for the first violation, up to $5,000 for the second, and up to $10,000 for any subsequent violations.
The fines would be in addition to any fines related to violations of state labor laws.
But the bill is not enough for immigrant advocates who want to see more enforcement of existing laws and more serious consequences. Erik Cruz Morales of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice said the bill is only a small first step toward tackling a bigger issue.
Morales said New Jersey should consider revoking business licenses from companies with multiple labor law violations. Even a $10,000 fine could be a slap on the wrist for companies bringing in millions of dollars, he noted.
Lawmakers should also look into beefing up the Law Against Discrimination to cover discrimination against immigration status, Morales said.
Morales said many immigrant workers fear filing complaints against their employers for breaking existing law — say, paying less than the state’s $15.13 minimum wage — let alone reporting them for violating a new law related to their immigration status.
“People are avoiding interacting with public government or filing a case, from what we’ve heard from people. They’re like, ‘I’m undocumented, what rights do I have in this country? I’m just going to stay quiet and get my $12 an hour, even though it’s $15,’” he said.
New Jersey is home to more than 2 million residents born out of the country and an estimated 440,000 undocumented immigrants, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
While undocumented workers are protected by federal labor laws to prevent discrimination and are entitled to worker rights like breaks, minimum wage, and overtime, their immigration status often discourages them from fighting unfair work treatment, according to researchers at the University of Chicago. They found that undocumented workers are more likely to face discrimination and exploitation in the workplace.
Ruiz said the bill would protect workers’ rights and “hold businesses accountable for exploitative behavior.” The bill would help employees no matter what their immigration status is, she said.
It unanimously advanced out of the Senate Labor Committee Monday with no discussion. The companion bill still faces a vote in the Assembly Labor Committee.
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New Jersey
Controversial N.J. charter school powerhouse abruptly pulls out of state athletic association
College Achieve Asbury Park’s meteoric takeover of New Jersey high school basketball has come to an abrupt end.
School officials from the controversial, first-year charter school program informed the state’s governing body for high school sports that it will not be renewing its membership with the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association for the 2024-25 school year.
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