OPINION

New Jersey – home to the Sopranos, the Jersey Shore, full-service gas stations and the long-running debate over pork roll versus Taylor ham.  Gritty, smart as hell, and loyal to our Jets . . . or Giants . . . or Eagles – that’s Jersey.  As a proud New Jersey native, I’ve fiercely defended our great state to those interlopers who criticize us as merely “that place between New York and Philly” (but with better beaches).

New Jersey is so much more than the memes and tropes that fly around the internet.  Often overlooked is the fact that for nearly 150 years, New Jersey has been one of the most important places on Earth when it comes to saving lives and improving the quality of life for patients, families and our loved ones all over the world.

Our long, proud and storied (but often unrecognized) history of leading the world stretches from Thomas Edison opening his laboratory in Menlo Park in 1876, to Johnson & Johnson establishing itself in New Brunswick in 1886, to Bell Labs opening its headquarters in Murray Hill in 1967.  The advances resulting from such a research-oriented state include the first steam locomotive to actually pull a train, the world’s first submarine, first light bulb, first movie, and even the first brewery in America.

The crown jewel of these transformative contributions – the one that also serves as the beating heart of New Jersey’s workforce and economy is our vibrant and robust life sciences ecosystem.  Our state’s medical technology, biotech, diagnostic, pharmaceutical and medical device companies have been at the forefront of cutting-edge medical innovations that have transformed global health, helping patients live longer, with less pain, with more independence while enjoying a greater quality of life.  These companies are the envy of our neighbors.  Rarely does a week go by without states like Pennsylvania or California, or other countries like Singapore or Ireland, trying to lure the operations of these great companies away from the Garden State.

These and other life sciences companies have driven breathtaking advances in medicine that have delivered new treatments and cures for some of the world’s most dreaded diseases.  For the first time in human history, we have cured hepatitis C – the days of liver transplants and life-long treatments are over.  We now have a simple vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, something unheard of less than two decades ago.  HIV/AIDS has become a chronic, manageable condition instead of the death sentence it once was.  A few years ago, we saw the first-ever Ebola vaccine – a life-saving advance for millions of people in Africa and around the world – followed a few years later by a vaccine (and diagnostics and treatments) for COVID-19 as well as the first-ever treatment to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s.

These are merely some of the latest extraordinary breakthroughs in health care these companies work so hard to discover.  New Jersey’s life sciences companies are working at breakneck speed to discover new treatments and cures for diabetes, any one of 7,000 rare diseases such as Pompe disease and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, many types of cancer, and a vaccine against HIV/AIDS.  Drug discovery is a highly risky and costly proposition, with only one out of every 5,000 researched compounds making it to market after a 10-to-15-year development process at an average cost of $2.6 billion.  However, recent successes and cutting-edge advances in research and technology signify that we’re on the cusp of even more astounding medical progress than was imaginable even a few short years ago.

Recently, I became the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ – www.hinj.org), a trade association representing the New Jersey companies that are working so hard to research and discover the next generation of treatments and cures.  Our mission – and one that I am immensely proud to help champion – is to ensure that New Jersey and our life sciences community continues to do what we’ve done so extraordinarily well for over a century – help patients around the world by finding cures here in New Jersey.

The New Jersey Devils are going to be looking at the biggest names on the trade market this season. This isn’t just for a goalie, which they will be targeting. The Devils will be in on names that come out as they do their best to erase what was an awful 2023-24 season. However, to get a star it’s going to cost a ton. 

So, Devils fans, get ready to see a lot of Simon Nemec in trade proposals. We’re not saying this is even being requested by other teams, and it’s definitely not being offered by Tom Fitzgerald, but just about every mock trade including a star will also include the former Devils number-two overall pick. 

We’ve already talked about it in terms of Brady Tkachuk. The Ottawa Senators captain is going to need a massive haul to get, and Nemec would likely be the haul. The Sens could use another superstar defensive prospect to play alongside Jake Sanderson. However, this isn’t happening. 

Now, we’re going to hear about it when it comes to Mitch Marner. We’ve already seen some desperate Toronto Maple Leafs fans “offering” Marner’s services for the simple price of Nemec, Alexander Holtz, Nolan Foote, and two draft picks. Thanks? Marner is a great player who would help the Devils, but that contract and the fact that he plays wing does not help his value and definitely doesn’t get Toronto Nemec and more. 

Honestly, the Devils shouldn’t trade Nemec for anything. What this team needs is a good goalie, and there is no goalie worth a defenseman as talented as Nemec who is still on his entry-level contract. He will be key in the short term in helping the cap and in the long term in giving the Devils consistent defensive play.

There is no available star worth Nemec at the moment. We would love to have Tkachuk on the Devils, but losing Nemec just causes an even bigger hole when a winger isn’t the need here. Same goes for Marner. If another superduper star becomes available, then this conversation could change. However, for now, there’s no one available the Devils should even consider trading Nemec for. 

A New Jersey food pantry’s future is uncertain as it looks for a new home, so it can continue to feed residents of Monmouth County – a need that has increased in recent years.

Leaders hope the Bradley Food Pantry can find a new home either before or after May 17, when it is expected to leave its current space at the St. James Episcopal Church on 4th Avenue in Bradley Beach. The pantry has spent 40 years at the church, said Linda Curtiss, its executive director.

That anticipated shutdown comes while the all-volunteer pantry said it has been overwhelmed with public demand, one that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, when millions of Americans were left to navigate social distancing protocols that limited the U.S. economy, forcing many out of work.

An email to the church from NJ Advance Media for comment was not immediately returned.

With rising consumer prices coupled with inflation, about 500 families have weekly relied upon the pantry to stave off hunger, according to its website.

In 2023, the pantry had 2,753 distinct families visiting for goods, leading the volunteers to shell out more than 850,000 pounds of food, according to the pantry.

“Thousands of families were disadvantaged because of this, but we cannot continue to offer food and hospitality at the current location,” Curtis said in a statement.

The pantry’s leaders have been at odds with the church, saying both have “differing viewpoints” without elaborating. Those differences led the pantry to begin searching for a new space to distribute meals since last August, the pantry said. It has already weighed over 100 locations without making a final decision.

The pantry needs about a 2,000-square-foot space, but finding one under needed zoning laws has been daunting, its leaders say.

In its last weeks at the church, the pantry will operate under an altered schedule – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But, the limited schedule has placed an unprecedented challenge on the pantry’s ability to serve the community, Curtis said.

The executive director said that despite recent hurdles, she and her team are striving to make the looming closure only temporary.

“The Bradley Food Pantry will not rest until we find a location where we can come back better and stronger than before, ready to help families in need once again,” Curtis said.