This Week at NJ21st: Forensic Fowls, School Rankings, Phantom Sidewalks and Hard Times Ahead?

Oct 11, 2025

Know Your County Government
We’ve published the second installment of our Know Your NJ Government series, breaking down the different forms of county government in New Jersey and how roles and powers differ in each.

Shadowy Sidewalks
Laura’s second installment in the series – despite millions in state grants and years of lofty promises, Berkeley Heights has failed to deliver key sidewalk projects meant to improve safety and access for students and pedestrians. She traces missing construction, shifting justifications, and public information buried deep in the Township’s website, all while officials refuse to answer basic questions.

Niche
The least meaningful of the annual rankings, but still very clicked. We break down how our 7 District Dashboard schools ranked and where Union County schools landed.

Jersey Jobs
New Jersey’s employment picture continues to trail the national average. We break down the latest numbers and highlight which sectors grew and which ones struggled.

Chicken Fatalities
The Town Council meeting was another wild time. On the agenda: another problematic audit (we covered that last week), piles of money being pumped into no-bid contracts, and a flood task force with lots of (nameless) PR fanfare but little substance, and only set to act after the election. And how did the Mayor and Council actually spend their time? Mostly debating how to track and report dead chickens.

Press Releases and Candidate Statements
We published a press release from Assemblywoman Muñoz and Assemblywoman Matsikoudis on NJ Transit, as well as a candidate statement from Berkeley Heights BOE candidate Arik Samson on the strategic plan and referendum.