New Jersey

South Jersey schools would bear the brunt of state aid cuts, led by Burlington County

Published

2 years ago

May 6, 2024

South Jersey schools would bear the brunt of state aid cuts, led by Burlington County

Singleton and Tiver are sponsoring a measure that would reconfigure how funding is distributed within the state’s school funding formula.

“Essentially, every school district would receive an increase of 4.5%, which is consistent with the consumer price index here in our region,” Singleton said, adding that some districts would get more based on tougher economic climates.

“And then, we’d still – within the existing pot of money in the school funding formula – we would still have an additional pot of money in the neighborhood of about $300 to 350 or so million, that would … be utilized by the Department of Education to provide additional resources to support districts that make a case that, hey, we needed a little bit more for this reason or that.”

A formula for tension and pressure

The numbers that the Education Department calculated are guided by the School Funding Reform Act of 2008, or SFRA. A revision, known in Trenton as “S2,” was added in 2018.

Before SFRA, school funding reform was driven by a series of court decisions, according to Dr. Mark Weber, senior analyst for education policy at New Jersey Policy Perspective, starting with Robinson v. Cahill in the early 1970s and continuing through several Abbott Decisions starting in the mid-1980s.

The formula is based, in part, on a district’s ability to raise revenue.

“[With SFRA] the legislature said, ‘Okay, we’re going to help all districts, every district,’” he said. “We’re going to provide the aid for you that is commensurate with your ability to be able to tax yourself and with the population of students that you are educating,” he said.

Once the formula was executed, the amount of aid given was changed after some districts complained, and lawmakers moved to preserve funding for those districts.

Another factor was when Gov. Chris Christie, in 2010, put in place a 2% cap on annual property tax increases, limiting a district’s ability to raise revenue. A measure to allow districts to exceed the cap was proposed over the winter.

Weber said SFRA is not a “complete disaster,” but it could be better while defending the fundamental core of the law.

“The idea that if you have more students who have greater needs, you should get more funding,” he said. “If you have a community that doesn’t have the ability to raise enough in taxes, you should get more funding.”

Weber believes the problem is in the “nuts and bolts” of the law.

“There are…specific parts of SFRA that are subjected to economic swings and all kinds of volatility that school districts really don’t expect,” he said. “All it takes is a few changes in property values for your district, particularly if you’re a small district, you may be expected to contribute a lot more.”

Better funding targets with real data plus a more careful look at “local fair share” are a couple of ideas that Weber offered to improve SFRA.

What the long-term fix will look like remains to be seen according to Gov. Murphy. During the April edition of WHYY’s “Ask Governor Murphy” program, he said a conversation with all parties would be needed.

“Not just the legislators, but certainly them and our team, but also the stakeholders,” said Murphy. “Whether that’s superintendents, principals, the teachers’ unions, moms and dads; let’s get around a table and figure out where this is working and where it isn’t working.”

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New Jersey

Redesigned New Jersey golf course holes drawing rave reviews

Published

1 hour ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

Redesigned New Jersey golf course holes drawing rave reviews

Mike Dean
| Correspondent

MANALPAN, N.J. – A little more than 3 miles west of the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Monmouth lies Knob Hill Golf Club, a hidden gem among the Shore’s treasure chest of renowned courses.

A rolling par-70, 6408-yard course with its own unique charm and history, the semi-private club stands out among the area’s top-tier private and nationally acclaimed public courses by providing member and public access throughout the week.

This season, two redesigned holes – Nos. 16 and 17 – present new challenges with an aim to improve the course optics and experience and for all comers.

“We are always looking for ways to reinvest in and enhance the course,” said Director of Golf Lou Kubisa. “We understand fees are going up all over and this is an opportunity for us to show we are committed to the membership and public golfers that play here. That’s our niche. We all do a very good job of managing the experience and conditions for our members and the public. This shows our commitment and we are really happy with the way everything turned out.”

The overarching goal with the redesign was to create more playable space on the 16^th hole and to keep golfers’ focus on the course away from other holes and activity outside the existing property lines. That also led to changes for the 17^th green and resulted in both holes being more isolated from each other and from the environment beyond the boundaries.

Members got their first swings at the new holes on the morning of May 2. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

“I love it! I parred them both,” said Colts Neck resident and long-time member Gene Maresca. “It took a little longer than expected with the rough winter but everything came out great.”

“I didn’t play them very well today but I love the aesthetics of both,” said Plainsboro resident and member Len Bellezza. “On 16 there used to be a lot of trees up the right side and it seems the wind is always blowing left to right there so most people would slice into the trees. Now the trees are out and it’s uphill so it plays much longer and it’s wide. It’s beautiful.”

The redesign was something Kubisa had been thinking about for some time. The project went into motion last fall with an eye toward early spring finish. The extreme cold and winter storms pushed construction back several weeks to the early May opening.

“As a golf professional here, I always wanted to enhance the 16^thhole,” said Kubisa. “It was kind of a claustrophobic tee shot with trees along the boundary. So we shifted everything toward the center of the course rather than along the edges.”

Tasked with creating more space on the par-5 16^th while keeping golfers’ sightlines focused on the course and away from property edge, architect Jim Ryan also repositioned the 17^th green to accommodate the change. The major changes stemmed from lowering 16’s tee boxes, shifting its fairway left toward the interior of the course and building up its boundaries, resulting in an entirely new, somewhat isolating experience for golfers.

The repositioned and still reachable 275- to 300-yard par-4 17^th hole also features new green-surrounding amphitheater mounds. Designer Ryan aimed to keep the hole’s driveability by rewarding golfers for carrying the now green-fronting water hazard with embankments designed to gently coax wide shots back on the green. It worked.

“I love 17,” said member Anthony Parrente from Jackson. “I hit a cut on the right side above the bunker, hit the hill and it rolls down to five feet of the hole.”

Originally designed by Marc McCumber and opened in 1998, Knob Hill consistently ranks near the top of NJ’s semi-private courses given its challenging layout, excellent condition and scenery, placing 2^nd in NBC Golf Pass and Golf Choice rankings for 2026. The clubhouse and the Sycamore Grille restaurant are open to the public throughout the year, featuring comedy shows, live music, trivia, wine tastings and theme nights.

The course history before Knob Hill’s opening in 1998 remains sketchy with speculation and searches dating it to post-WWII golfing boom of the 1950s and 1960s, akin to the Monmouth County-owned Hominy Hill course.

The club’s logo and restaurant Sycamore Grille are a tribute to the 185+ year-old sycamore tree outside the clubhouse with an old metal “Hole 14” this-way arrow sign embedded in its trunk. The historic tree draws flocks of tourists year-round.

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New Jersey

PureCycle’s New Jersey Approval Links PureFive Resin To Revenue Potential

Published

14 hours ago

May 16, 2026

Press Room

PureCycle’s New Jersey Approval Links PureFive Resin To Revenue Potential

PureCycle Technologies (NasdaqCM:PCT) received temporary regulatory approval for its PureFive resin as postconsumer recycled content under New Jersey’s Recycled Content Law.
This approval allows PureFive resin to be used in products aiming to comply with New Jersey’s recycled content requirements.
The decision positions PureCycle as a potential supply partner for brands seeking to meet state recycled content mandates.

PureCycle Technologies focuses on recycling polypropylene into higher quality resin that can be used in consumer and industrial products. With more states adopting recycled content requirements, suppliers that can offer compliant material are increasingly relevant for brands managing packaging and sustainability commitments. New Jersey’s approval gives PureCycle’s PureFive resin a clearer pathway into these compliance driven demand pools.

For investors tracking NasdaqCM:PCT, this regulatory milestone provides another data point on how the company is progressing from technology development toward broader commercial use. Future decisions by other states or regulatory bodies, if they occur, could influence how widely PureFive resin is adopted across packaging and consumer goods supply chains.

Stay updated on the most important news stories for PureCycle Technologies by adding it to your watchlist or portfolio. Alternatively, explore our Community to discover new perspectives on PureCycle Technologies.

NasdaqCM:PCT 1-Year Stock Price Chart

Is PureCycle Technologies’s balance sheet strong enough for future acquisitions? Dive into our detailed financial health analysis.

This one year conditional approval in New Jersey gives PureCycle a clearer regulatory footing for PureFive resin in a state that directly ties packaging requirements to recycled content thresholds. For brands that want to comply with New Jersey’s rules using polypropylene, PureCycle now sits on the list of suppliers whose material can count toward those targets, subject to ongoing documentation around feedstock and end uses. For you as an investor, that creates a more visible link between PureCycle’s technology and potential contract volumes, especially when combined with recent packaging wins in items like coffee lids.

How This Fits Into The PureCycle Technologies Narrative

The approval supports the existing narrative that recycled content mandates can drive demand for PureCycle’s food contact ready polypropylene, by tying PureFive directly to a live state law.
The conditional nature of the ruling, and the need to secure permanent approval within 12 months, reinforces the narrative risk that regulatory support can be slower or more complex than management hopes.
The New Jersey specific ruling may not yet be fully reflected in prior narratives, which focus more on broader US and European regulation rather than state by state accreditation steps.

Knowing what a company is worth starts with understanding its story.
Check out one of the top narratives in the Simply Wall St Community for PureCycle Technologies to help decide what it is worth to you.

The Risks and Rewards Investors Should Consider

⚠️ Analysts have flagged that PureCycle has less than one year of cash runway, so even positive regulatory outcomes sit against a tight funding backdrop.
⚠️ The approval is temporary and limited to New Jersey, so any issues with documentation, audits, or renewal could restrict how much revenue is ultimately tied to this ruling.
🎁 The decision supports the view that recycled content laws can translate into tangible demand channels for PureCycle’s resin in real world packaging applications.
🎁 Regulatory recognition in one state can sometimes make it easier for brands to justify trials or offtake discussions in other regions that are considering similar rules.

What To Watch Going Forward

From here, the key questions are whether PureCycle converts this regulatory milestone into long term contracts with packaging converters and consumer brands, and whether it secures permanent approval from New Jersey within the one year window. Investors should watch for updates on PureFive volumes sold into New Jersey compliant products, any pricing commentary tied specifically to recycled content mandates, and how these developments sit against the company’s recent quarterly loss of US$33.44 million. Progress on these fronts will help show whether regulatory traction is feeding through to the income statement or remaining mainly a pipeline story.

To stay informed on how the latest news impacts the investment narrative for PureCycle Technologies, visit the
community page for PureCycle Technologies to keep up with the top community narratives.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data
and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your
financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data.
Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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New Jersey

Furious NJ customer accused of threatening to blow up Lowe’s store over a lawn mower he bought

Published

1 day ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Furious NJ customer accused of threatening to blow up Lowe’s store over a lawn mower he bought

🚨 NJ man is accused of threatening to blow up a Lowe’s and “shoot everyone” inside.

🚨 The East Amwell resident is accused of being angry over a lawnmower he bought.

🚨 Police say multiple firearms and a hoax explosive device were at the man’s home.

A 45-year-old Hunterdon County man faces criminal charges for violently threatening a home improvement store after becoming upset over a lawnmower he bought, according to prosecutors.

Peter W. Randolph, of East Amwell, is charged with second-degree false public alarms and third-degree terroristic threats, for vowing to blow up the Raritan Township Lowe’s store, as well as “shoot everyone” inside.

Hunterdon County man accused of threatening Lowe’s after lawn mower complaint

On Tuesday, Raritan Township Police were called about a menacing message to the Lowe’s corporate call center.

Investigators said Randolph was unhappy with the delivery service a lawn mower he bought at the Raritan Township store along Route 31 — and was also not satisfied with Lowe’s response to his issue.

He threatened to make a bomb using a 55-gallon drum of ammonia nitrate, according to an affidavit filed by investigators.

Lowe’s staff said that Randolph also threatened to “shoot everyone” inside, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said.