By Andrew Collins

In the age of The Shallows and Bowling Alone, which raise concerns over Americans’ tendency toward isolation and distraction, many citizens are pushing back through the Little Free Library movement. The idea is simple: foster community and literacy by sharing books, usually presented in a crate or small structure in one’s front yard where neighbors can access them at their leisure.

It’s hard to image such a movement stirring up controversy, but that hasn’t stopped local governments from using every technicality and clause in their ordinances to crack down on the popular book-sharing system. In a recent piece for The Atlantic covering the travails of Little Free Libraries, Conor Friedersdorf summarizes the problem in a scathing indictment of the governing class.

RESIDENTS ASKED TO VOLUNTARILY CONSERVE WATER

(15/P80) TRENTON -Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin today issued a drought watch for New Jersey\’s Northeast, Central, and Coastal North water supply regions, urging residents in the affected areas to voluntarily conserve water and for the rest of the state to practice wise water use due to continued dry weather and above-average temperatures.

The drought watch is prompted by continued rainfall deficits that have decreased reservoir, ground water and streamflow levels in the three regions. 

The purpose of the watch is to raise public awareness, formally alert all water suppliers in the region of the situation, and to seek voluntary cooperation to preserve existing supplies in the affected regions, with water demand still high.

The three affected drought regions include all or parts of 12 counties, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union.

DOVER (Sept. 23, 2015) – DNREC Secretary David Small has signed a Secretary’s Order that formally adopts an open season for Delaware’s recreational black sea bass fishery that ran May 15 through Sept. 21, and from Oct. 22 through Dec. 31. The changes keep Delaware’s tidal finfish regulations consistent with final federal recreational black sea bass season regulations published in June.

 By Eric Boehm 

A regulatory panel in Washington, D.C., could vote this week on a series of new licensing requirements for personal trainers, supposedly in an effort to promote public health and safety through government nannyism.

But a closer look at the panel charged with making the new rules exposes the real reason why regulatory boards flex their muscles with regulatory schemes like this one.

Shutterstock image

FLEXING THE REGULATORY MUSCLE: The Washington, D.C., Board of Physical Therapists, which is writing the new rules, just happens to be composed of five members – four of which are required by statute to be licensed physical therapists. And that board has now been given the power to regulate – potentially even to shut down – businesses that are in direct competition with the board’s own members.

As Watchdog reported last week, Council of the District of Columbia recently empowered an obscure regulatory panel, the Board of Physical Therapy, to create a new set of licensing rules for personal trainers working in the nation’s capital. A vote on the new rules is expected to take place at the city council’s meeting Tuesday night.

during MS Society’s \”Bike to the Bay\” fundraiser

 LEWES (Sept. 23, 2015) – Delaware Seashore State Park will host the annual MS Society’s \”Bike to the Bay\” fundraiser Saturday, Sept. 26, requiring a rerouting of traffic entering and leaving the park from late morning through mid-afternoon, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today.

 RELATED CATEGORY: Science/Medicine

WOODBURY NJ–The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office is again offering defensive driving classes that can save county residents money on their motor vehicle insurance premiums and remove penalty points assessed for driving violations.

One class is scheduled on two consecutive nights, with attendance required both evenings to receive a certificate of completion. The first night is Monday, October 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. and the second part of the class is Tuesday, October 27 from 6 to 9.

The location is Room 443 of the Instructional Center at Rowan College at Gloucester County, formerly Gloucester County College, 1400 Tanyard Rd., Deptford Township NJ.

GLOUCESTER CITY NJ SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 —The Gloucester City Police announced that the Gloucester City Marina parking lot and Freedom Pier will be closed to the public beginning at 12:00 pm on Friday, September 25th until 12:00 pm on Monday, September 28th in conjunction with the security measures in effect during the Papal visit. Anyone who owns a boat docked at the marina can park their vehicles outside the marina and access their boat. Please be aware that boat traffic will be restricted on the Delaware River north of Gloucester City during this time period as well.

http://www.cbsnews.com/…/coast-guard-out-in-force-ahead-of-…

For the first time ever, the public can see the graduation rates for Pell Grant recipients at over 1,000 schools

by Annie Waldman
ProPublica, Sep. 24, 2015, 3:33 p.m.