Close to Our Fundraising Goal in Sponsoring a High School Newsroom
Our commitment to independent journalism is growing – and we’re proud to announce we are only $300 away from our fundraising goal of sponsoring a newsroom in the 21st! Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we’re now in a position to directly invest in the next generation of writers, investigators, editors, and journalists. Our goal is to gift...
Invest in Facts, Transparency, and Student Journalists
In 2020, what started out as a small group of strangers seeking to be a voice in keeping local governing bodies transparent and fair led to a non-profit civic journalism organization, NJ21st. We began primarily as a watchdog group and found purpose in helping our neighbors, friends, children, school staff, administrators, and everyone in between. To this day, we continue...
This Is Journalism: What NJ21st Stands For and Why Calling Us A Blog Won’t Stop Us
Some local representatives unhappy with our coverage consistently refer to us as a blog, which is their right. These references have been made in emails to us and in text messages to each of our staff individually. It is also our right to respond. In an email to Berkeley Heights BOE and Town Council, I took the time to explain...
Don’t Worry — Our Substack Is Still Free
A good number of readers subscribe to our Substack so content is delivered directly to their email. The next time you log in, you may see a prompt for a paid subscription. Choosing the free option still gives you the same full access as everyone else. We simply wanted to set up a way for those who can to support...
NJ21st is now officially operating as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit and we’re accepting Contributions.
This step allows us to grow and make our civic journalism model more sustainable. We aim to support local writers, mentor student contributors, and expand coverage across more towns in our district. Contributions are not tax-deductible, but they directly support accountability reporting, public records work, and the people doing the work — including students learning how to cover civic life...
Videos and Images of 07/14/2025 Storm Throughout Union County
Residents of various communities in Union County have been sharing pictures and videos of flooding in their communities. You can view them through this link. This post will be updated with additional images and video as we receive them. Consider staying off the Roads as water levels will continue to rise and rain is expected to continue throughout the night.
Four Years of Shining a Light
This past year reminded us why we started NJ21st in the first place. We wanted to create a space where the community could get the full story — not just the one pushed out by press releases and polished PR. A place where people could freely challenge those in power, ask hard questions, and speak to authority confident in the belief that...
Independent but Not Alone: NJ21st Joins LION Publishers
We’re so happy to share that NJ21st has been accepted as a member of LION Publishers. LION is dedicated to bringing local journalism back and reversing the rise of news deserts by helping independent publishers build sustainable news organizations. Their board includes respected leaders from across the journalism and media landscape, and their vetting process is rigorous—making this a particularly...
Candidate Statements, Endorsements, and Your Role in the 2025 Elections
With the election fast approaching, we want to clarify NJ21st’s approach to the 2025 campaign season. We’ve reached out to all declared candidates running for office (contested races) in the 21st Legislative District and invited them to use our platform in sharing substantive candidate statements. Dunellen and Middlesex Borough Candidates email addresses weren’t available so we submitted OPRA requests to...
New OPRA Tool Available from NJ21st
In light of recent changes to New Jersey’s OPRA law, we’ve made it easier for residents of the 21st District to request public records from their Municipalities, School Districts, County Government, and State Departments. These user-friendly online forms are fully compliant with the updated law. Every municipality—including Westfield, Scotch Plains, Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, and Warren—is included. A copy...
nj21st.com (with the exception of featured images and logo) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
