New Jersey Designates July 30th as Brian Sicknick Day

Newly signed legislation honors South River native and fallen U.S. Capitol Police officer

Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Joint Resolution 215 (AJR215) into law, formally designating July 30 of each year as Brian Sicknick Day in New Jersey. Sponsored by Assemblymen Robert Karabinchak and Sterley Stanley, the legislation honors Brian Sicknick, a South River native who served in the New Jersey Air National Guard and spent more than 12 years with the United States Capitol Police, including service in the First Responder’s Unit.

According to the U.S. Capitol Police, Officer Sicknick responded to the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, where he was assaulted while defending Congress. He later suffered two strokes and died the following night.

“Designating Brian Sicknick Day ensures that New Jersey formally recognizes the life, service, and sacrifice of a son of our state who answered the call to protect others,” said Assemblyman Karabinchak. “This designation ensures his legacy will always be remembered.”

“Officer Brian Sicknick represented the very best of public service,” said Assemblyman Stanley. “By setting aside this day each year, we ensure that the memory of his service is never forgotten and reaffirm our commitment to honoring those who lost their lives fulfilling their duty to protect others.”

Following the bill signing, Governor Murphy, Speaker Craig J. Coughlin and Assemblymen Joe Danielsen, Karabinchak and Stanley participated in a wreath placement ceremony in Officer Sicknick’s honor.

“A life dedicated to service and country reminds us that the safety and stability we count on never happens by accident, it comes from those who never lose sight of their responsibility to the people around them,” said Speaker Coughlin. “Officer Brian Sicknick showed up, did his duty, and stood firm when our democracy needed defending. A proud son of New Jersey, shaped by his family, his community, and his commitment to serving others, he will forever be remembered and deeply missed by his home state and by all who loved him.”

“Officer Brian Sicknick answered the call to serve with courage and dedication,” said Assemblyman Danielsen (D-Middlesex, Somerset). “Honoring him with this designation is a meaningful way to ensure that future generations remember his service and the sacrifices made by those who protect others.”

Last year, Officer Sicknick’s brother—Craig Sicknick—delivered remarks on the General Assembly floor after receiving a ceremonial resolution honoring Officer Sicknick’s life and service.

Why Are Experiential Mobile Tours the Best Way to Showcase Products?

Experiential mobile tours have emerged as a preferred method for presenting products to audiences. These tours travel directly to consumers, making engagement simple and memorable. Many brands now favor this approach due to its authenticity and reach. Exploring why experiential mobile tours stand out can help businesses make informed decisions about their marketing strategies.

Direct Consumer Interaction

Experiential mobile tours offer consumers a direct platform for interactions with brands. Companies can form more face-to-face relationships when they introduce their products into local communities. This method enables consumers to have first-hand experience in seeing, touching, and trying products. Things like this stick in your mind. Individuals treasure direct interaction; such contact builds trust and curiosity more effectively than advertising.

Creating Memorable Experiences

Mobile tours are not a common option due to their expensive resources and personnel, but setting up these tours can create captivating experiences. When crafted well, an event can turn an ordinary touchpoint into an extraordinary experience. The tour frequently includes fun activities, hands-on demonstrations, and artistic displays. These moments stay with attendees for far longer than a digital ad ever will. Products you can touch tend to linger long in memory and get people talking.

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Statement from Speaker Coughlin on Governor-elect Sherrill’s Decision to Keep Kris Kolluri as Head of NJ Transit and Run New Jersey Turnpike Authority

“From the very beginning of his service at New Jersey Transit, Kris Kolluri has been a tireless advocate for our state’s public transportation system, making sure the agency is not only on firm ground but also moving forward in the right direction. I commend Governor-elect Sherrill’s decision to keep him in place and naming him to lead the Turnpike Authority is a credit to the work already underway thanks to his leadership and experience.

“In New Jersey, our transportation infrastructure is the lifeblood of our economy and a driving force behind our success, keeping our commuters connected and making sure our state maintains its competitive edge in the region. As we stand on the cusp of an unprecedented coordination of our transit system and highways with eight World Cup matches, including the final, continuity of leadership at New Jersey Transit is critical and I look forward to working together to support the progress that keeps our state moving.”

Filthy Fuhrer, and Four Others of the White Supremacist Gang 1488s Sentenced

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (CNBNews) February,2023– Filthy Fuhrer, formerly Timothy Lobdell, 46; Roy Naughton, aka Thumper, 44; Glen Baldwin, aka Glen Dog, 41; Colter O’Dell, 30; and Craig King, aka Oakie, 57, were sentenced this week in Alaska to life in prison without the possibility of parole. All five defendants were convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping conspiracy. Fuhrer and Naughton were also each convicted of an additional two counts of kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping, and assault in aid of racketeering.

Evidence presented at trial showed that the defendants were leaders, members, and associates of the 1488s. This violent, prison-based Neo-Nazi gang operated inside and outside of state prisons throughout Alaska. The 1488s used Nazi-derived symbols to identify themselves and their affiliation with the gang, including a 1488 “patch” tattoo that depicts an Iron Cross superimposed over a swastika. The tattoo was awarded to members who gained full membership by committing acts of violence on behalf of the gang. The gang enforced discipline through written rules and a code of conduct, including the boast that “the only currency we recognize is violence and unquestionable loyalty.”

The trial testimony established that Fuhrer founded and led the 1488 gang from inside a maximum-security prison, where he was serving a 19-year sentence for the attempted murder of an Alaska State Trooper. In addition to directing acts of violence to establish the gang’s dominance in the prison hierarchy, Fuhrer ordered gang members to commit violent kidnappings and assaults in the “free world” outside of prison. As part of a plan to impose greater organization and structure among non-incarcerated members, Fuhrer insisted on punishing members that he perceived to be defying the 1488 code of conduct thereby diminishing the power, influence, and reputation of the gang. Fuhrer sent out a trusted lieutenant with a list of directives, culminating in the kidnapping and assault of two lower-level gang members on April 2, 2017, and July 20, 2017, and the kidnapping, assault, and murder of Michael Staton on Aug. 3, 2017.

According to the trial evidence, on April 2, 2017, defendant Roy Naughton and other 1488 members, acting at the direction of Fuhrer, lured a victim to a gang meeting at Naughton’s residence. Once there, the victim was taken into a basement, held at gun point, tied up, and assaulted. As part of the assault, the gang members shattered a lightbulb in his mouth and tattooed him with a racial epithet. The victim was threatened with more violence if the incident was reported to police.

In addition, the evidence at trial demonstrated that on July 17, 2017, Fuhrer called Naughton from prison. During the call Naughton boasted about the April 2 assault and reported to Fuhrer that another member would be assaulted in the next few days. On July 20, 2017, a second victim was similarly assaulted and had his 1488 membership patch burned off.

Evidence also showed that in 2016 Naughton asked for and received permission from Fuhrer to impose exceptionally severe discipline on 1488 member Michael Staton, who held himself out as a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, for stealing from both the 1488’s and defendant Craig King.

Naughton, King, and defendants Glen Baldwin and Colter O’Dell worked with other 1488 members to locate, kidnap, and murder Staton. On August 3, 2017, 1488 members, including Baldwin and O’Dell, lured Staton to Wasilla where they beat him and took him to King’s duplex. After arriving, Staton was taken to an empty room which had been lined with plastic sheeting. Inside the room King and the 1488s beat and tortured the victim, including cutting off his 1488 tattoo with a knife that had been heated with a propane torch. The defendants wrapped Staton in the plastic and carpeting, and Baldwin and O’Dell drove him to a remote section of Wasilla, where they shot him and set fire to his body. O’Dell was awarded full membership in the 1488s for his role in the murder.

Delaware Looking to Legalize “Pot”

February 27, 2023

By Christian Wade | The Center Square contributor

(The Center Square) — Delaware lawmakers are making another push to legalize recreational cannabis, but the effort faces an uncertain path amid opposition from Gov. John Carney.

A pair of bills filed in the state Assembly would, if approved, legalize recreational pot for adults over 21, and set up a system of regulation and taxation for the drug that would allow retail sales. It’s similar to proposals filed in previous legislative sessions, all of which have failed to win

The bill’s main sponsor, Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Dover, said Delaware is missing out on tax revenue and jobs from the legal weed market as other states around them approve retail sales.

“Delaware has been missing an opportunity to participate in the adult recreational marijuana market,” Osienski said. “We’ve missed out on hurting the illegal market, creating a new industry with good-paying jobs, and bringing tax revenue into our state that is currently going to nearby states like New Jersey.”

HB 1 would remove all penalties for possession of a personal use quantity of marijuana, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of cannabis flower or 12 grams of concentrated cannabis products.

HB 2 would create a state-regulated system of licensed retail outlets, cultivation facilities and testing and set an excise tax on marijuana sales. The retail pot market would be regulated by a new Office of Marijuana Control Commission under the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement.

The bill would authorize up to 30 retail pot licenses to be issued initially, but cities and towns would be allowed to ban pot shops within their borders by passing local ordinances.

Neither bill would change existing state laws on driving under the influence of drugs, lawmakers said. Home growing and public consumption would still not be allowed.

Last year, a similar proposal was approved by the state Assembly, but Gov. Carney vetoed the bill, citing the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational use of the drug and law enforcement concerns.

At the time, the Democrat said he supports the state’s medical marijuana program, but doesn’t believe legalizing recreational cannabis is “in the best interests” of the state.

But supporters say they’ve spent the past year working to resolve issues that were raised during debate on the previous bill, and say they are “optimistic” it will pass.

“Every year we don’t pass these bills, Delaware misses out on millions in revenue,” said state Sen. Trey Paradee, D-Dover, lead Senate sponsor of both bills. “From both an economic and a criminal justice perspective, legalizing and regulating the sale of marijuana is the right thing to do.”

A report by State Auditor Kathy McGuiness, released during last year’s debate on legalization, estimated Delaware could generate $43 million annually in revenue from authorizing recreational sales and imposing a 20% excise tax. The legal weed market could also create an estimated 1,000 new jobs over five years, according to the report.

To date, at least 18 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territory of Guam have legalized recreational marijuana, to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Thirty-six states have medical marijuana programs.

Delaware decriminalized cannabis use in 2015, making it a civil penalty subject to $100 fine. Medical use of cannabis is permitted for adult patients with certain serious illnesses.

The fight over retail sales in Delaware has pitted legalization advocates against the state’s budding medical marijuana operators, who came out publicly against last year’s proposal.

After medical marijuana operators testified against the proposal, a group of Delaware pot activists led a boycott against the state’s six existing medical pot shops.

Recent polls have shown a majority of the state’s voters support legalizing recreational cannabis sales.

New Jersey Menopause Coverage Act Signed Into Law

Governor Murphy today signed Bill A5278, the “New Jersey Menopause Coverage Act,” into law. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Heather Simmons, Assemblyman Roy Freiman, and Assemblywoman Lisa Swain, this legislation would require health insurers to cover diagnosis and treatment of menopause symptoms.

Under the bill, health insurance carriers will be required to cover medically necessary treatment for perimenopause, menopause, and symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause. This includes hormonal therapies, non-hormonal treatments, behavioral health care, pelvic floor physical therapy, bone health treatments, preventative services, and counseling and education regarding treatment.

“For too long, menopause has been treated as a private burden rather than a public health issue,” said Assemblywoman Simmons (D-Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland). “This legislation sends a clear message. Your symptoms are real. Your health matters. New Jersey is stepping up.”

According to data cited by the National Institute for Health, approximately 1.3 million people become menopausal each year. The Mayo Clinic estimates that menopause related symptoms result in $1.8 billion in lost productivity annually across the United States.

“This bill is about applying common sense to an overlooked part of healthcare,” said Assemblyman Freiman (D-Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset). “Menopause affects a significant portion of our population each year, and it’s time our insurance policies reflect that reality. Providing coverage is not just good health policy. It’s smart, equitable, and long overdue.”

Currently, insurance coverage for menopause in New Jersey depends on the specific plan and treatment. Coverage is ultimately determined by the insurance provider.

“Menopause care has been overlooked for decades,” said Assemblywoman Swain (D-Bergen). “Women deserve access that supports their health, careers, and quality of life. This bill is about fairness, dignity, and updating our healthcare system to match reality.”

Asm. Clinton Calabrese’s Statement on Selection of Kris Kolluri to Lead NJ Transit & NJ Turnpike Authority

“I commend Governor-elect Sherrill for selecting Kris Kolluri to continue leading New Jersey Transit and for her decision to expand his responsibilities to include the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. This is a forward-thinking and strategic choice that reflects the need for unified leadership as New Jersey works to modernize its infrastructure and meet the needs of a growing and mobile population.

“Mr. Kolluri brings unmatched experience and a proven record of results across the public transportation sector. From his tenure as New Jersey’s Transportation Commissioner to his leadership of the Gateway Development Commission and now NJ Transit, he has demonstrated a deep understanding of our state’s complex transit systems and a strong commitment to improving them for commuters, businesses, and future generations.

“As Chairman of the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, I look forward to working with Mr. Kolluri in his expanded role to enhance coordination between our state’s largest transportation agencies. This collaboration will be especially critical as we prepare to host global events such as the FIFA World Cup, which will test the capacity, safety, and efficiency of our transit system on an international stage.

“Mr. Kolluri’s dual appointment presents a unique opportunity to break down silos, streamline operations, and rethink how we move people and goods across New Jersey. I am confident that under his leadership, we will see a transportation strategy that is innovative, accountable, and focused on delivering real-world results for the residents of our state.”

Quota Transfer: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category Fishery

NOAA Fisheries adjusts the Atlantic bluefin tuna General category January through March 2026 subquota by transferring quota from the General category December 2026 time period to the General category January through March 2026 time period. This action provides further opportunities for General category fishermen to participate in the January through March General category fishery, which began on January 1, 2026.

The resulting adjusted quotas are:

January through March time period subquota = 63.7 mt
December time period subquota = 11.0 mt

Note that NOAA Fisheries intends to take separate rulemaking action as soon as possible in 2026 to consider modifying the baseline Atlantic bluefin tuna quota consistent with the quota adopted at the 2025 International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas annual meeting.

Who is affected?

This action applies to Atlantic Tunas General category permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species Charter/Headboat permitted vessels with a commercial sale endorsement when fishing commercially for bluefin tuna.

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PHONE SCAMMERS ARE WAITING TO PREY ON YOU! WHEN IN DOUBT HANG UP

William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNews

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (Cleary’s Notebook News)January 9,2026)–Today I had the unpleasant experience of being scammed — or at least, almost being scammed.

A man who called himself Bryant, phoned my cell to warn me that my TD Bank credit card had supposedly been used. He asked whether I had been in Chicago recently and if I had charged $630 at a Best Buy there.

That should have been the first warning sign.

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Bally’s Atlantic City Turns Up the Heat With Winter Warm Up Cocktail Menu

Phil’s Carousel Bar at Bally’s Atlantic City has debuted its Winter Warm Up cocktail menu, featuring a lineup of handcrafted cocktails inspired by bold flavors and wintertime indulgence available now.

The Winter Warm Up menu features a mix of classic favorites and playful seasonal sips, including:

Snowbird Margarita, made with Patrón Reposado, blood orange, vanilla and lime, garnished with a spiced rim.
Cupid’s Bow, crafted with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Baileys Strawberries & Cream, Caffè Borghetti and espresso.
Fireside Old Fashioned, made with Elijah Craig bourbon, orange-clove syrup, orange and Angostura bitters.
Frosted Cosmo, shaken with Grey Goose vodka, Cointreau, lime and white cranberry, with a cranberry garnish.
Midnight on Pacific, made with Bulleit Rye whiskey, Averna Amaro, chocolate bitters and orange bitters, garnished with a Luxardo cherry.
Painchiller, blended with Bacardi spiced rum, blood orange, pineapple, cream of coconut, spiced syrup and nutmeg.

Each Winter Warmup cocktail is priced at $16, joining the bar’s extensive lineup of beer, wine and signature sips. Guests can also enjoy live entertainment by local acts from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. every Friday and Saturday.

Phil’s Carousel Bar brings the nostalgic charm of a carousel into a sleek, modern setting. The 24-seat rotating bar is the first of its kind in New Jersey and offers 360-degree views of Bally’s Atlantic City casino and hotel lobby. More information about Phil’s Carousel Bar is available at casinos.ballys.com/atlantic-city.