New Jersey
New York-New Jersey Wildfire update: Teen Forest Ranger dies fighting blaze
A New York Parks and Recreation worker died while battling one of several wildfires raging in New Jersey and New York amid dry conditions prompting air quality warnings in both states, authorities reported on Sunday.
New York State Police identified the state Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department employee as 18-year-old Dariel Vasquez, who was among those battling the fire Saturday in Greenwood Lake, near the New Jersey border. Officials said a tree fell on him.
The New York Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department released the following statement Sunday:
“At approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday, an 18-year-old Wildland Fire Crew Member was fatally injured while working the fire line of a brush fire in Sterling Forest State Park near Greenwood Lake. The injury was the result of a fallen tree in the vicinity of the fire. Lifesaving measures were administered at the scene but were unsuccessful. The Crew Member, an employee of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation working in the Palisades Region, was later pronounced deceased by the Orange County Medical Examiner. The incident remains under investigation by New York State Park Police and New York State Police.”
Newsweek has reached out to the New York Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department Sunday afternoon for more information.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Forest Fire Service reported that the extensive blaze had covered over 3 square miles (about 8 square kilometers) near the border in Passaic County’s West Milford and Orange County, New York. Named the Jennings Creek wildfire, it posed a threat to two homes and eight buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District.
New Jersey officials reported that they have achieved 75 percent containment of a 175-acre (70-hectare) fire in the Pompton Lakes area of Passaic County, which was posing a threat to 55 homes, though no evacuations have been ordered.
Additionally, progress has been made on other fires in the region, including those in the Bethany Run area along the border of Burlington and Camden counties in Evesham and Voorhees townships, a fire along the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Englewood Cliffs in Bergen County, and the Pheasant Run wildfire in the Glassboro wildlife protection area of Gloucester County.
On late Saturday afternoon, Ocean County prosecutors announced arson and firearms charges related to a 350-acre (142-hectare) fire in Jackson Township that began on Wednesday. The fire was ignited by magnesium shards from a shotgun round on a shooting range berm. Officials noted that the use of “incendiary or tracer ammunition” is prohibited in the state. The majority of the fire has been contained as of Friday, officials reported.
Health advisories were issued for parts of New York and northeastern New Jersey due to unhealthy air quality from the smoke, urging people, especially the young, elderly, and those with asthma or heart disease, to limit strenuous outdoor activities.
The fires come amid a prolonged drought in the region, which city officials say is worsening the risk of fire and hampering containment efforts. Zachary Iscol, New York City’s commissioner of emergency management, told The New York Times that region’s drought would continue over the next two months.
Update: 11/10/2024, 12:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
Update: 11/10/2024, 12:34 p.m. ET: This article has been updated to correct Daniel Vasquez’s employer and job description.
New Jersey
NJ lawyer thrown out of town council meeting for waving American flag to protest new ban
A New Jersey lawyer was tossed out of a town council meeting by cops last week for waving an American flag to protest a “stupid” new rule that bans so-called “props” from being used during the meetings.
Joel Bassoff, a local resident and attorney, was ordered to be removed from the Edison Township Council meeting after he pulled out the star-spangled banner while addressing council members on Nov. 25, footage obtained by New Brunswick Today shows.
Bassoff was among the slew of furious locals who were voicing their objections over the township’s new ordinance that prohibits them from using any props — including the flag and even the US Constitution — during the public comment section of town meetings.
“I’m holding up an American flag to represent the constitutional values,” Bassoff said during the meeting as Council President Nishith Patel banged his gavel to give him an official warning.
“It’s my constitutional right to do this,” the lawyer continued. “If you get sued, you will lose. My suggestion to you is that you get a second opinion from competent counsel because you are wrong.”
“You are interfering with the decorum of this meeting by interfering with the right to speech of a member of the public. And it should stop now,” Bassoff raged as other residents cheered in support.
Seconds later, two cops approached Bassoff as the council president called for him to be removed from the chambers.
One resident could be heard shouting “Shame on you” as Bassoff agreed to step away from the podium.
After the lawyer tried to take his seat again, the council president ordered cops to toss him out altogether.
Earlier in the meeting, another resident was also removed from the proceedings after holding up the US Constitution.
“To consider the American flag and the Constitution a prop when someone raises it is an insult to what the flag is, what the flag stands for and what this country is,” another resident, Maryann Hennessey, told council members.
“For you to consider the use of the American flag a prop is disgusting.”
The apparent prop ban, Ordinance 2239, was recently enacted in a bid to establish rules that maintain decorum at the township’s often raucous meetings.
While the rule doesn’t specifically ban the American flag or constitution, the council president argued to residents during the meeting that such items would be “considered not conducive to good order.”
In addition to banning any props, the ordinance also now limits the amount of time residents have to address the body.
New Jersey
New Jersey's gas tax climbing by nearly 3 cents starting New Year's Day
Filling up your vehicle’s gas tank in New Jersey will cost an extra 2.6 cents a gallon starting on New Year’s Day.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration said Monday the state’s gas tax will climb about 6% to 44.9 cents a gallon.
The change stems from a review required under a new law to support the state’s fund for transportation infrastructure through 2029. State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio said that in order to hit a statutory target of about $2 billion, the law requires the tax on petroleum products be adjusted to meet the revenue requirement.
The increase would keep New Jersey among the top 10 or so states with the highest tax on gasoline in the country, according to nonprofit Tax Foundation.
New Jersey
Gottheimer hosting 21-county diner tour – New Jersey Globe
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) has visited diners in 17 counties as part of a Jersey Diner Tour for his campaign for governor.
Gottheimer said he’s talked with New Jerseyans about the cost of living in the state and lowering taxes — he has dubbed himself the “Lower Cost, Lower Taxes” candidate. The Democrat plans to visit a diner in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties.
“At each diner I go to, I hear from folks about how much they love Jersey, but that they’re clearly worried how expensive our great state has become,” Gottheimer said in a release. “Jersey is too expensive for too many folks, but as Governor, I’ll change that. I’ll work to cut income and property taxes, lower utility bills, and make childcare more affordable.”
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