From Gurugram to Somerset County – India Deepens Ties With New Jersey
New Jersey released its statewide Global Economic Index (GEI) in late May, which revealed that, for the second year in a row, India leads the field. Published by the NJ Economic Development Authority, the index focuses on foreign direct investment (FDI). FDI can include a company from abroad opening shop here—whether it’s a pharmaceutical firm setting up a lab in...
Warren Election Heats Up, BHPSNJ Still Spinning, Environmental Concerns on Turf Field, Loretta! and NJ21st Turns Four
Radio Nowhere Two weeks after the township locked down public comments on social media — following backlash over its affordable housing decision — Warren’s election season is spiraling. Now we’ve got distractions about email hacks and farmland sell-offs flying in all directions. Meanwhile, one incumbent still hasn’t agreed to a debate, and the GOP challenger? He’s got a lot to...
New Superintendent, Same Misinformation Problem at BHPSNJ- John’s Notes on the 06/05/2025 BOE Meeting
I’ll start by saying: Shauna should really be writing this. But she’s off at some scouting thing doing good deeds or something, so you’re stuck with me. We can both be annoyed about this together. Last month, district leadership told the community that a new state bill might bring an end to cooperative purchasing. That claim became the backdrop for...
Affordable Housing, Debate Drama, and Farm Feud Define Warren’s GOP Primary
photo credit: McCarey for Warren Township and Warren Township Last month, we reported that a Warren Township official quietly disabled comments on the Township’s Facebook page—without a public vote or any explanation citing a policy violation. In our experience, when a government starts closing down public feedback without warning, it usually means they’re struggling to control the narrative. That may...
This Week at NJ21st: District Games, Scrambled Schedules, Veteran Voices and Sweeney
Melissa Vibes- Feltre’s approach is starting to feel a lot like more of the same. After a disappointing budget process that revealed a clear desire to maintain the status quo, a familiar dynamic emerged between her, Juskiewicz, and Stanley, involving the provision of false crisis information and questionable claims to compel the BOE to reduce accountability. More Melissa Vibes– We...
BHPSNJ Driver Stands Up: Raises Red Flags About Contracts, Scheduling, and Outsourcing
In the clip below, Tamar Their — a district bus driver — shares her concerns about inconsistencies between contract terms and BHPSNJ’s union agreement. Hired in March 2024 as a driver, she points to a strong safety record, consistent availability, and great relationships with students and staff. According to Tamar, the role she was hired for was never clearly defined....
This Week at NJ21st: More Debt in Berkeley Heights, Stanley’s Road Show Rolls On, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Schools Under the Microscope — and NJ21st Joins LION
The Money Bomb Keeps Dropping: In a week where the Township’s latest PR stunt involving waterfowl spectacularly backfired, Berkeley Heights residents were hit with another wave of debt approvals — pushed through with minimal discussion and the usual technical failures. We also published a revealing follow-up on the Fire Prevention Bureau that shows the Township still has loose ends to...
Fire Prevention in Berkeley Heights: A Post-Budget Look at Policy and Funding
Following public pressure and policy changes, questions remain about funding, oversight, and implementation Context After the initial vote this year to approve changes to the Fire Prevention Bureau, NJ21st started a petition that secured over 300 signatures urging the Town Council to keep the Bureau under the Fire Department. Public pressure likely contributed to a compromise in the final version,...
Scotch Plains-Fanwood: A Look at Student Growth, Proficiency, Aptitude and Environmental Indicators
2018 through 2024 About a month back, someone on the Scotch Plains forum asked about how the school district is doing academically. I finally had a chance to dig into the data—sorry for the delay, it’s been a busy stretch here. A few quick notes before getting into it: There’s no state testing data for the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 school...
Fast-Tracked Debt: What’s Buried in Berkeley Heights’ Township $3M Bond
John’s Notes on the 05/20/2025 Town Council Meeting The 4 Million Dollar Bomb…I mean, Bond The May 20th Township Council agenda includes a $3.8 million bond ordinance that was introduced just two weeks ago. It hasn’t been passed yet, but it’s moving fast — and it deserves more attention. Most of the funding — $2.78 million — will come from...
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