NJ21st Is Now a Registered Nonprofit
Founded in 2021, NJ21st (formerly Berkeley Heights Community Watch) emerged in direct response to the secretive and poorly executed reconfiguration of Berkeley Heights Public Schools — a decision our community is still paying for today. We began with a clear promise: to hold every Board of Education member and the Superintendent accountable for the consequences of that process. We kept...
What’s New at NJ21st: Wiki, Archive & Submission Tools Now Live
We’re excited to announce a significant update to NJ21st.com — with new tools, improved design, and expanded ways for the public to explore and engage. Here’s what’s new: Wiki: A Curated Hub for Local Issues and Public Insight Our new NJ21st Wiki is a comprehensive, research-driven platform where readers can explore timelines, topic-specific archives, and source-backed summaries of major issues—from...
New Jersey Education Report Republishes “Tale of Two School Systems”
Our report, “A Tale of Two School Systems,” was republished by @njedreport. It examines the deep disparities in special education placements between suburban and urban districts, revealing patterns that demand more attention and accountability. We’re grateful to New Jersey Education Report for helping bring this issue to a wider audience. See the Article on NJ Education Report
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...
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...
Petition To Keep The Fire Prevention Bureau Under The Fire Department
We have created a petition encouraging Mayor Devanney and the Town Council to keep the Fire Prevention Bureau with the Fire Department. Please review the petition and consider signing if you agree. Link to Petition
Help Us Shine a Light on Local Government
NJ21st is dedicated to expanding its reach and bringing fact-based, independent reporting to more communities. As a nonprofit platform, we focus entirely on local government—Town Councils, Boards of Education, County, and State—ensuring residents stay informed and engaged. We’ve had great success in Berkeley Heights, helping residents stay up to date with local governance, and we want to extend the same...
Spreadsheet of Vendors Approved by Town Council and Contributions to NJ Political Campaigns
Over the past two weeks we’ve published several articles on the three Town Council Meetings to date that involved a whirlwind of Agendas, Resolutions and the Dissolution of the Local Ethics Board. We have compiled a spreadsheet that provides a quick reference that will be updated after each Council Meeting and is available on our Resource Page Link to 2025...
NJ21st Statement on Community Voices Articles
Community Voices articles are contributions from guest writers whose submissions do not undergo the standard editorial vetting process applied to our regular articles. However, this does not necessarily diminish their factual accuracy or significance. Unlike many media outlets, we do not remove Community Voices articles at the request of elected officials or government bodies. There is a troubling history of...
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