The tri-state area is getting its chance to see the beauty of the Northern Lights right at home, with New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut seeing a cosmic phenomenon brewing now.

It would first appear later in the night this Friday and reports claim that it is possible to see this cosmic display of lights this weekend, which typically takes place in far northern areas. 

Aurora Borealis is a rare light show in North America, offering a glistening, iridescent, and majestic display. 

Northern Lights in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center reported in its Planetary K-Index that the magnitude of geomagnetic storms coming this Friday, May 10, will reach 7.5 to 9kp. 

This means that Aurora Borealis would appear in the skies of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, starting from around 3:00 PM and peaking at around 9 PM until the wee hours of the night. 

Typically, the northern lights only need a magnitude of 7kp to appear over a certain location in the world. 

According to CBS News, New York will experience an 8kp geomagnetic storm magnitude, a new record high since 2005. 

Read Also: Northern Lights-Like ‘Airglow’ Can Now be Artificially Recreated with Science

How and When to Watch Tristate’s Northern Lights

The Northern Lights in the US’ tristate area would peak at 2:00 AM on Saturday, May 11, and this is when the 9kp geomagnetic storm would occur.

 It was also reported that it is possible to appear through the weekend to view it, but it remains unknown when to expect it. 

CBS reported that users need not be directly under the Aurora Borealis to see it, as it is visible up to 600 miles away. However, it is recommended that they travel out of the city to avoid light pollution that could hinder its visibility. 

Aurora Borealis: The Glamorous Sky Show

One of the most coveted and frequently occurring lights show from space is the Aurora Borealis, and its breathtaking display and otherworldy colors are some of its most coveted experiences for many.

There are many places to see the Aurora, whether in the European region, with Iceland being one of the most famous, or in North America, in various US states and Canada. 

The Northern Lights are known as a natural occurrence from space. The phenomenon has been the subject of many studies, including why it brings out its unique colors and glows above the Earth. 

When the magnetosphere, a three-dimensional space, receives solar winds from the Sun traveling at 250 to 500 miles per second, charged particles from the planet’s magnetic field interact with it, raising electrons to higher states. The excess energy portrays radiant light. 

Many bucket lists include seeing the Aurora Borealis and planning trips to certain cities or regions where it is widely visible and can be enjoyed.

However, this recent cosmic event is coming to the US, particularly in the tri-state area, and can be easily spotted without equipment. 

Related Article: Beautiful Northern Lights Could Happen Around the Globe, Scientists Warns What Comes After

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A bill that would gut access to public records is set be voted on by both chambers of the New Jersey Legislature on Monday after it cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday afternoon.

The state Senate Budget Committee advanced the bill on Thursday after a sequel of sorts to the bill’s first hearing at a March meeting played out in a Trenton committee room: Advocates delivered hours of testimony against the bill, multiple lawmakers expressed opposition to it and ultimately the same outcome — the bill advanced.

When draft amendments were posted by the Legislature late Friday afternoon, they differed from the version made available to the press before the state Senate committee hearing on Thursday.

The most recent version available on the Legislature’s website removes the presumption of access clause at the beginning of the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, which notes that “government records shall be readily accessible.”

“It’s crazy to me that they pulled this bill in March to claim they would fix it, only to end up with a process and a bill that’s much worse,” CJ Griffin, an attorney and prominent OPRA advocate, said. “The reprint today contains new amendments which were not even before the committee, including gutting Section 1 of OPRA, which required agencies and courts to construe OPRA in favor of access. There’s no explanation for deleting that other than an extreme hostility toward transparency.”

In addition to that change, the implementation of the bill will now cost $10 million instead of $8 million.

What happened at the Assembly hearing?

Friday’s hearing before the Assembly Appropriations Committee was no different from Thursday’s in the state Senate. Dozens of advocates pointed to flaws with the bill. They questioned lawmakers’ motives and called for a more collaborative discussion to further amend the bill.

“Even with limited time to review the amendments, however, we can see that many problematic provisions remain — sort of wolves in sheep’s clothing,” said Evelyn Murphy, president of the League of Women Voters for Monmouth County. “You changed the language, but you did not address the core issues.”

Marleina Ubel, an analyst at the New Jersey Policy Perspective, said that the amendments do “little to address failings of the bill” and “place the onus of the burden on the public rather than on the agency.”

“New Jersey is already a disgraceful 48th in the nation for public access laws and will no doubt slip even further,” she said. “Fewer than 37% know their congressional representative. How many people know the names and the titles and all of the things we are going to be asking them to do to get access to these records?”

Representatives from agency organizations such as the League of Municipalities, New Jersey Conference of Mayors and New Jersey Association of Counties were in support of the bill, though they said that if it were up to them, they would have implemented even more restrictions on access to public records.

“We don’t think this bill goes far enough but this is a legislative process. You don’t get everything you wanted all the time,” said William Caruso, legislative counsel for the New Jersey Conference of Mayors.

Many had hoped for lightning to strike twice — and wanted the bill to again be pulled from consideration at the last moment, as had happened in March.

Instead, the meeting — which featured just the OPRA bill — went on as planned and ultimately the bill advanced with a final tally of 8-1 with Assemblyman Jay Webber abstaining.

Our view: Amended OPRA bill an absolute sham. Gov. Murphy, veto this affront to democracy

What would the ‘reform’ do to roll back OPRA?

Since the bill was first heard in committee in March, Republicans in both chambers have joined as sponsors — state Sen. Anthony Bucco in the upper chamber and Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn in the lower chamber.

The updated bill includes the renewed ability to make anonymous requests and the removal of exemptions for call and email logs and digital calendars.

It also implements stricter requirements on how to request things like texts and emails including specific accounts, times, topics and titles.

There are modifications to the provision limiting access to metadata to allow for access only to the “portion that identifies authorship, identity of editor, and time of change.”

Language restricting data brokers and commercial entities that resell information obtained through OPRA was removed.

Among the parts that remain mostly intact include one of the most controversial, known as the fee-shifting provision. This provision previously required public record custodians that had not, according to a judge, properly provided records to pay the requesters’ attorney fees.

The bill initially changed that to say winners of OPRA lawsuits “may” be entitled to legal fees if the public agency is found to have knowingly violated the law or unreasonably denied access. In its amended form, the bill still eliminates the attorney fee requirement but does allow for judges to decide that fees are warranted if the denial was unreasonable, if the agency “acted in bad faith, or knowingly and willfully violated” the law.

The amendments also include language that would allow for a court to “issue a protective order limiting the number and scope of requests the requester may make” if they “sought records with the intent to substantially interrupt the performance of government function.”

The legislation was first enacted in 2002 and requires local, county and state government entities to provide the public with access to government records in New Jersey.

This bill is slated for a full state Senate vote on Monday and is expected to appear before the full Assembly on Monday as well.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com

It’s a reminder of the “Gilded Age”, a time of opulence in America; two stately homes fit for the wealthiest citizens of the US.

The first is Shadow Lawn mansion, a 90,000 square foot estate in West Long Branch.

The estate’s history dates back to the early 20th century when it was first developed by John A. McCall, president of the New York Life Insurance Company. The original mansion served as the summer White House for President Woodrow Wilson in 1916, where he planned his reelection campaign.

After a devastating fire in 1927, Hubert T. Parson, president of the F.W. Woolworth Company, commissioned the construction of the current Shadow Lawn Mansion as a replacement.

It is the eighth largest home in the US.

It’s now part of Monmouth University and was used in the movie, “Annie.”

The other massive New Jersey home is a mansion called “Florham” and it was built by a Vanderbilt,

It was constructed during the 1890s for Hamilton McKown Twombly and his wife, Florence Adele Vanderbilt, a member of the illustrious Vanderbilt family.

Here are some of the pertinent facts about the mansion:

🏡 Architectural Style: The mansion is designed in the English Baroque Revival style.

🏡 Architects: The renowned firm McKim, Mead & White, known for designing notable buildings such as the original Penn Station and the Rhode Island State House.

🏡 Landscaping: The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the co-designer of New York City’s Central Park.

🏡 Construction: The mansion was built between 1893 and 1899.

According to 24/7 Wall Street, it cost $5 million to build, which translates into $146 million in today’s dollars.

Don’t worry if you think you can’t afford it; it’s not for sale. In the 1950s, the estate was broken up and Fairleigh Dickinson University acquired the house and 138 acres of the grounds.

The mansion is now the centerpiece of the campus.

The estate originally spanned over 1,200 acres, meticulously assembled through 37 separate purchases to create a contiguous property on Madison’s “millionaire’s row.” This area was also home to other Gilded Age luminaries such as the Rockefellers, Dodges, and Mellons.

When used as a residence, it had 110 rooms. Thomas Edison, a close associate of the family, personally designed the mansion’s heating system and boiler.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

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