What We Covered in 2025
A short year-end series highlighting the stories NJ21st readers turned to most in 2025 and why those stories mattered for transparency, accountability, and local decision-making.
Part 1
When the Storm Hit
- Real-time documentation during severe weather.
- What officials said and what residents experienced.
- Unresolved flood policy questions.
Part 2
Schools, Rankings, and What the Data Really Says
- District comparisons that put state data in context.
- What scores do and do not show.
- How rankings influence perception.
Part 3
Budgets, State Aid, and Making the Numbers Mean Something
- What each budget document is designed to show.
- Why numbers conflict.
- How to read spending clearly.
Part 4
Transparency, Public Records, and Oversight
- How OPRA works and where it fails.
- What residents can access.
- Why persistence matters.
Part 5
Public Safety, Policing, and Institutional Risk
- How misconduct is handled.
- What reports reveal.
- Why oversight matters.
Part 6
Local Resistance and State Mandates
- When towns push back.
- How autonomy collides with policy.
- What power looks like.
Capstone
Accountability Is a Privilege: Politics and the Public Interest in 2025
- A reflection on power and responsibility.
- Why accountability is optional.
- What 2025 clarified.
Financial Transparency
NJ21st Annual Financial Report: Calendar Year 2025
- What it cost to operate.
- How expenses compared to contributions.
- Why transparency matters.
Audience & Impact
How NJ21st’s Audience Grew From 2022 Through 2025
- Year-over-year growth.
- What readers engaged with.
- Why reach matters.
