NJ21st, Journalism and Ethics
Updated 05/02/2025 1. Truth & Accuracy “Evaluate the value of various sources of information.”We verify every article using public records, OPRA requests, and firsthand attendance at meetings. Even our Community Voices pieces go through this process. Fun fact: we were the only news outlet to submit OPRA requests to the District within the BHPSNJ Business Administrator’s most recent report. “Check...
Fear of Facts: A Response to Councilwoman Poage’s “Fake News” Claim
The March 18th council meeting served as yet another reminder of how some elected officials misuse their platforms to undermine fact-based journalism. Unfortunately, history repeated itself. Councilwoman Susan Poage followed this well-worn path, spinning legitimate reporting with a “fake news” narrative during Tuesday’s meeting. Yet, despite her grandstanding, she failed to cite a single instance of misinformation—because none existed. This...
The Facts They Won’t Print: What Hyperlocal Media Left Out On The Lease Agreement Articles
As our local hyper-local media outlet continues to push incomplete timelines and the false narrative that insurance issues were the reason the Mayor and the Recreation Department locked students out—we believe it’s important to set the record straight. Instead of a productive budget meeting focused on our students, the discussion devolved (yet again) into political theatrics driven by the Mayor’s...
Quick Notes on the 03/18/2025 BHPSNJ Budget and Student Performance Presentations
Budget Presentation: Academics and student achievement ranked as the top budget priority, with a notable investment in textbooks and software. However, during the math presentation at GLHS in February, parents were told that after-hours tutoring would be available. The District should clarify tonight whether this commitment remains in place, as families were led to expect this support. We also seek...
2025 7-District Dashboard Budget Comparisons- All The Articles
Breaking Down The 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard with Images Part One 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Two: Administrative and Legal Costs 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Three: Special Needs 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Four: Transportation and a Note on Special Needs 2025 7-District Budget Dashboard in Pictures Part Five: Facilities, Grounds and Custodial...
NJ21st 03/15/2025 Newsletter
What’s Important to Know About Our Local & State Government This Week…. This week’s newsletter begins with critical coverage of a pivotal BOE meeting, where the 2025 BHPSNJ Budget will be discussed and voted on. At the center of this discussion is Mayor Devanney’s attempt to disrupt the meeting by collaborating with the County-appointed BOE President to force the Lease...
03/15/2025 Update on Fire Prevention Bureau Petition
The Following Email was Sent to Individuals That Signed the NJ21st Fire Prevention Bureau Petition Hi Everyone, This email is going to all who signed the petition and provided an email address. Petition Update Since launching on Saturday, March 8th, the petition has gathered 286 signatures. Seven signatures were removed due to a lack of verifiable information. New Information...
Update on The Mayor’s BHFD Controversy
Following yesterday’s front-page “The Actual Facts” Opinion Piece from the Mayor, we reached out to sources close to the BHFD, who confirmed they plan to respond. However, in the course of our discussions, a noteworthy issue emerged. It appears that BHFD members submitted OPRA requests to the township, yet their requests were delayed until Friday—well after the Mayor’s Op-Ed was...
Work Product from the $30k PR Consultant the Berkeley Heights Town Council Hired
We have to start by acknowledging that the new OPRA Custodian for the Township is exponentially better at handling OPRA requests than the District’s Business Administrator. John has submitted the majority of these requests—and let’s be honest, we all know how frustrating he can be to deal with. One of our latest OPRA requests sheds light on the high-priced Public...
Update on Fire Prevention Bureau Petition
The Following Email was Sent to Individuals That Signed the NJ21st Fire Prevention Bureau Petition Hi Everyone, This email is going to all who signed the petition and provided an email address. I wanted to update you on our community’s effort to encourage the Mayor and Council to reconsider their decision to move the Fire Prevention Bureau from the Fire Department...
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