Archive for December, 2010

One of the key provisions of the Obama administration’s healthcare law has been struck down as unconstitutional by Federal District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson. The decision is the culmination of a lawsuit brought by the Commonwealth of Virginia against Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. »

TRENTON--Winter is coming soon, and that means snow, frozen ponds and wind chills hovering around zero. Before spending anytime outdoors in these conditions, the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services urges everyone to properly prepare themselves for the cold weather and be alert to hypothermia and frostbite - two common winter... »

TRENTON -- The Legislature should wait until a report studying the effectiveness of New Jersey's defunct tax credits for movie companies is completed before resuscitating the program, Assemblyman David W. Wolfe, said Thursday. »

TRENTON – Tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot is worth $123 million. »

LINDEN -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nick Scutari said New Jersey State Supreme Court Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto is in contempt of the law and should step down. »

PLAINFIELD -- Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs fired city administrator Bibi Taylor, removing her from office effective Christmas Day — nine days before she is due to deliver her third child. »

RAHWAY -- A new restaurant is opening in Rahway, in the location where El Bodegon closed in February. »

UNION COUNTY – The county will be accepting bids for a project at the 20-acre Ponderosa Farms property in Scotch Plains early next year, but interested contractors will have to spend $350 to buy a description to find out what the work entails. »

MIDDLESEX COUNTY -- Police have been setting up sobriety checkpoints around the county as part of an effort to keep motorists safe during the holiday season, Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan announced yesterday. »

NEWARK--On Tuesday, Dec. 14, eight-year-old Justin Martin and his father delivered 100 bears from Build-A-Bear Workshop to Children’s Hospital of New Jersey. »

PERTH AMBOY—Raritan Bay Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a newly-expanded and renovated emergency department at its Perth Amboy hospital yesterday. »

NEWARK—Pediatric pulmonologist Sushmita Mikkilineni, M.D., already knew the dangers of secondhand smoke to children from years of treating young asthmatic patients. »

TRENTON – A package of bills aimed at helping New Jersey’s casino and horse racing industries were advanced Thursday by an Assembly panel. »

Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s “The Tourist,” a big, bountiful cat-and-mouser with hardly hidden aspirations to “Charade” (1963) and “North by Northwest” (1959), is like a fully loaded luxury car. While the overindulgence initially impresses, after a while you long for the engineering and élan of a much more sophisticated ride. »

TRENTON -- With colder weather taking hold and the official start of winter less than a week away, the state Department of Environmental Protection is urging New Jersey's residents to be thoughtful of their neighbors when burning wood for heat. »

ROSELAND – Whether you’re short on cash this year or not, the holidays don’t have to break the proverbial bank. Sometimes the gifts that are appreciated the most are the ones that are smaller, carry sentimental value, or are simply the gift of time. »

Overheard at the mall this weekend: “I want new Uggs for Christmas, Mom, and not those knock-off ones because they’re not good. I could also use a new Coach bag and, oh yeah, a navy blue cashmere sweater. And you could tell Aunt Janice she could get me a gift certificate to Sephora. Okay?” »

HACKENSACK – EarthCam, a webcam network headquartered in Hackensack, announced its 12th annual list of the world's “25 Most Interesting Webcams.” »

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Zombie Santa may be arriving in your mailbox this Christmas, thanks to lifelong zombie aficionado Ben Tripp. »

TRENTON – Legislation to permit the development of solar and photovoltaic energy facilities on closed landfills and quarries was advanced Thursday by an Assembly panel. »