Mediaboss Marketing

4-minute read

The Red Cross delivers smoke detectors for Dover residents

The Dover FD and the NJ Red Cross organized volunteers, going door to door in neighborhoods to offer free smoke detector check ups and installations

Chris Pedota, Morristown Daily Record

Dover's mayoral election got even more crowded this weekend with two Democrats joining a field that already includes incumbent Mayor Carolyn Blackman and the man she ousted four years ago in a bitter contest.

First Ward Alderwoman Sandra Wittner formally entered the race last week, announcing a "Dover Forward" slate that also includes three candidates for the town's governing board. She hopes to become the first Latina to serve as mayor in a town with a population where 68% of the population is Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census.

"This town is crying out for leadership," said Wittner, an anesthesiology technician with the Atlantic Health System who was first elected to the town board in 2018.

Here's a look at the field, which also includes 11 candidates seeking four seats on the eight-member town board.

Wittner was one of three mayoral candidates who spoke on Sunday before the Dover Democratic Committee. Despite her pitch, the committee voted to endorse another mayoral contender former Third Ward alderman Edward Correa and his "Dover First" slate.

The endorsement means Correa will receive the coveted "party line," the top ballot position in the Democratic primary which often gives candidates an advantage. In solidly Democratic Dover, the June 6 primary is likely to be decisive in the municipal races.

Door-to-door: Dover volunteers deploy to install free smoke alarms

Correa received 12 votes in the closed committee balloting, followed by five for Wittner and two for Blackman, the incumbent. Former three-term Mayor James Dodd, who Blackman unseated in 2019, has also announced he will run, but did not enter the committee race.

Correa said he is running on a platform that includes "public safety, modern and responsible development, effective and responsive government and making Dover an arts and cultural destination in northern New Jersey."

Wittner and Blackman were both part of the Dover First team that unseated Dodd supporters on the board in 2018 and then Dodd himself the following year. Correa was also part of the Dover First leadership and was appointed to replace Blackman as the Third Ward representative in 2020 when Blackman took the mayor's office.

Since then, conflicts within Dover First led some Democrats to create a rival faction, Dover Forward, that does not include Blackman and Correa. With Wittner playing a lead role, Dover Froward candidate Karol Ruiz unseated Correa in last year's primary.

With Dover First, "we won the battle and removed Jim Dodd and his enablers from office," Wittner said. But "instead of change, we got more of the same. Instead of unity, we have even more division. Instead of openness, we've had lies and secrets. Things cannot continue this way."

Wittner touted the accomplishments, experience and youth of her running mates. T.C. McCourt, running in Ward 1, would be Dover's first openly gay alderman. Jennifer Podesta would be the first Latina woman to represent Ward 2. Filling out the slate is Isaiah Strickland in the Third Ward. Well-known in the community as professional DJ who goes by the name DJ525, Strickland would become the first Black man ever to serve on Dover's governing board.

With an average age of 35, "This is likely the youngest slate in Dover history, but don't let our youth fool you," Wittner said. "We have the experience needed to lead this town and give a voice to those who currently feel their government isn't listening to them."

Rather than run a candidate in Ward 4, Dover Forward will encourage supporters to vote for incumbent Alderman Arturo 'A.B.' Santana," Wittner said.

Redevelopment: Can Dover Sportsplex spark a downtown revival with pro wrestling, indoor courts?

Correa touted the experience of his Dover First slate, which also won the party committee's endorsement. The ticket includes Jessica Cruz in Ward 1; Cindy Isaza in Ward 2; incumbent Michael Scarneo in Ward 3; and former Ward 4 Alderman Carlos Valencia, who is seeking his old seat back.

"We are at a crossroads right now," Correa said. "We need strong compassionate and experienced leadership to address the priorities impacting our community."

Correa would become the first Latino Democrat to serve as mayor, and first Latino to hold the office since Javier Marin in 2004 to 2008.

Blackman, speaking during the convention, spoke of her accomplishments. They include addressing a financial crisis that blamed on Dodd's mismanagement and leading the town through the COVID pandemic.

She said people ask her why she wants another term in office in such a politically volatile town.

"Dover is my home," she said. "I have been a resident for over 50 years and raised my family here. I have dedicated over 36 years of public service to the town of Dover. Although many people are power hungry for the mayor's position, I've proven I can represent all the residents."

Wittner disagreed.

"Our town is angry with us and rightfully so," she said during Sunday's convention. "The fact that they are even considering a rerun to the Dodd years should shake all of us to our core. I believed in the mission of Dover First but the leadership was clearly more interested in power and revenge than actually following through on any of our promises."

Dodd's ticket in the June Democratic primary includes current Fourth Ward Alderman Santana; Claudia Toro, owner of the First Ward business Toro Taxes; Sergio Rodrigues in Ward 2; and Jhon Londono in Ward 3.

"This town is in a stalemate because no one from Dover First or Dover Forward has the courage to make difficult decisions and we the taxpayers suffer from it," he said.

William Westhovenis a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community,please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email:wwesthoven@dailyrecord.comTwitter:@wwesthoven

Read more:
Dover NJ mayor's election: Three Democrats race to unseat Blackman - Daily Record

DAVE & DUJANOVIC

UPDATED: MARCH 27, 2023 AT 4:56 PM

FILE - Proud Boys members Zachary Rehl, left, and Ethan Nordean, walk toward the U.S. Capitol in Washington, in support of President Donald Trump, Jan. 6, 2021. Federal prosecutors disclosed Wednesday, March 22, 2023, that a witness expected to testify for the defense at the seditious conspiracy trial of former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four associates was secretly acting as a government informant for nearly two years after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a defense lawyer said in a court filing. Carmen Hernandez, a lawyer for Rehl, asked a judge to schedule an immediate emergency hearing and suspend the trial until these issues have been considered and resolved. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

SALT LAKE CITY Democrats and Republicans live in the same neighborhoods and work the same jobs. However, political extremists have hijacked the dialog and are pitting people who would otherwise agree with one another to contempt for the other.

During the first stop on the statewide, 29-county Connecting Utah tour, Gov. Spencer Cox stopped at Tooele High School.

Republicans are wrong about Democrats, and Democrats are wrong about Republicans, he said.

What were doing now is were only listening to the most extreme voices in those parties. So Republicans are only listening to the craziest Democrats and assuming that all Democrats are like that. Democrats are only listening to the craziest Republicans and assuming all Republicans are like that when the difference between the average Democrat and the average Republican really isnt that big, Cox said as reported by Deseret News.

Boyd Matheson, host of Inside Sources, joins co-hosts Dave & Dujanovic to take a deeper plunge into that statement on political division.

Boyd said the similarities between the two political parties never make the headlines, but the differences between the two drive the narrative of politics and drive the wedge of anger between them.

If you look at a basic Democrat and a basic Republican, they live in the same kind of neighborhood, with the same kind of family structure, with the same kind of job, so theres actually very little difference in terms of their everyday lives, he said.

The only Republicans we hear are the 10% most extreme, Dave Noriega said. The only Democrats we hear from are the 10% most extreme.

Boyd said he thinks the number is more like 3% on each extreme.

We amplify them in our own conversations. We amplify them in the media, and we amplify them on cable news, Boyd said.

By amplifying the extremists in politics, their bad behavior is rewarded, and that continues to drive the wedge, which keeps the non-extremists of both parties (center-left and center-right) from having the needed conversations where there is agreement.

Also, the political extremists go beyond only disagreement; they drive the wedge to reach contempt of the other.

Contempt is that belief in the worthlessness of another person because they disagree with you, Boyd said. And so if I disagree with Dave, and I have contempt for Dave, I can say anything I want about Dave.

I can blow up his social media. I can melt down his Facebook. I can attack his Twitter, and I can still sleep at night, go to church on Sunday and feel good about myself because hes evil.

Okay, so if we are agreeing with the governor where he says, Republicans are wrong about Democrats, and Democrats are wrong about Republicans [then] where do we come together? Dave asked.

While working as chief of staff for Utah Sen. Mike Lee, Boyd said he was baffled how quickly both parties came together on immigration.

We sat in a room and everybody agreed. Democrats, Republicans, everybody agreed. Everyone knows we need to have a border because we are a country. So we need to have a secure border. We need to have a way to tell who comes in and who who goes out.

If Disneyland can tell you, Dave, where your kids are at any point in time in the park for a three-day period, surely, the greatest country on Earth can figure out who comes in and who leaves the country, Boyd said.

But the road to agreement on immigration (or Medicare and Social Security) starts with the courage to try to understand the perspective of the other side, he said.

Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.

Here is the original post:
Democrats and Republicans need to silence the extremists in their parties - KSL NewsRadio

Donald Trump

House leader Hakeem Jeffries condemns former president over behavior related to expected indictment in New York

Donald Trumps incendiary rhetoric over his expected indictment in New York could get someone killed, the Democratic leader in the US House warned.

The twice-impeached former presidents rhetoric is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible, Hakeem Jeffries, from New York, told reporters at the Capitol in Washington.

Its dangerous, and if he keeps it up, hes going to get someone killed.

Trump faces indictment in a Manhattan investigation of a hush money payment to the porn star Stormy Daniels. Daniels claims an affair, which Trump denies.

Trumps former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, served jail time after admitting making the payment shortly before the presidential election in 2016, then being reimbursed by Trump when Trump was president. Trump first denied then admitted the payment. Cohen is now a key witness in the Manhattan case.

Trump claims the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is politically and racially motivated. Bragg, a Democrat and the first Black man to fill the prestigious post, is believed to be considering charges including falsification of business records, campaign finance violations and tax fraud.

Trump has falsely predicted his own arrest, mused on wanting to be seen handcuffed and called for supporters to protest. Security preparations have been made around the courthouse in lower Manhattan but no serious protest has emerged.

On Thursday, Trump upped the ante, using his Truth Social platform to post a composite picture of himself wielding a baseball bat next to Bragg.

Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics tsar now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, responded: Threatening a prosecutor is a crime in New York. In fact MULTIPLE crimes: Harassment in the first degree menacing in the second degree stalking in the fourth or third degree and thats just for starters.

But Trump kept going. Early on Friday, he claimed potential death and destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our country.

He also called Bragg a degenerate psychopath that truely [sic] hates the USA.

Earlier this week, bomb threats were made in lower Manhattan. It was not clear if they were related to the Trump payment case, though one of the threats forced the postponement of a hearing related to a separate court case involving the former president.

On Friday, an envelope containing white powder and marked Alvin was delivered to Braggs office in New York. The powder was found not to be hazardous.

The civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton told the New York Daily News the powder delivery was alarming but not surprising given the kind of rhetoric that we heard by some of the supporters of Trump and by Trump himself posing for a picture with a [bat] next to Alvin Bragg.

In Washington, Jeffries said: Weve already seen the consequences of incitement from the former president. He is principally responsible for inciting the violent insurrection that happened on January 6. But clearly he has not learned his lesson.

On 6 January 2021, Trump told supporters to fight like hell to overturn his defeat by Joe Biden, based on his lie about electoral fraud.

A mob attacked Congress, seeking to stop certification of election results. Some rioters sought lawmakers to capture. Targeting Trumps vice-president, some chanted Hang Mike Pence as makeshift gallows went up outside.

Nine deaths have been linked to the riot, including a Trump supporter shot by police, an officer who collapsed the next day, and officer suicides in the following months.

More than 1,000 people have been arrested and hundreds convicted. The Department of Justice has indicated more charges to come.

Trump was impeached but acquitted when enough Republican senators stayed loyal. Despite wide-ranging legal jeopardy, he is the clear frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Senior Republicans including Trumps chief rival for the nomination, the Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, have rallied to his defense over the New York case.

Most have accused Bragg of political bias and linked him to the progressive philanthropist George Soros, an attack with established antisemitic overtones. On Thursday Bragg hit back, telling Republicans to back off.

Using Trumps campaign slogan, which stands for Make America Great Again, Jeffries said: Its also very unfortunate that the extreme Maga Republicans in the House of Representatives continue to back President Trump and his reckless, and his violent, and his hateful and his disgusting rhetoric.

{{topLeft}}

{{bottomLeft}}

{{topRight}}

{{bottomRight}}

{{.}}

See the original post here:
Reckless Trump rhetoric could get someone killed, top Democrat warns - The Guardian US

Arkansas Republican, Democrat have differing opinions on prison reform bill

Updated: 9:20 AM CDT Mar 27, 2023

Arkansas lawmakers are disagreeing over a planned prison reform bill. The bill would require prisoners to serve the full length of time they were sentenced. They will also be mental health programs and help for people being released back into society.Phil Reed, of 40/29, talked to a Republican and a Democrat to hear what they have to say on 40/29 News On The Record.Sen. Bart Hester, a Republican from Cave Springs, is working on the bill, which he says will be filed Monday. The portion about what he calls "truth in sentencing" has been his focus."When everybody opens up the paper or watches you on the news, and you talk about some guy that's brutalized some child and got 50 years, we all believe he got 50 years," Hester said. "But the reality is in Arkansas that they got one-sixth of 50 years, they're eligible for parole."Hester said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wants mental health programs to be in the bill."We're adding some more of that in this week to make sure that when somebody gets out of prison, and we all believe that most people going to prison should get out at some point, that they're ready to be back and functioning citizens in society, and a lot of that will be revolved around mental health," Hester said.Rep. Andrew Collins, a Democrat from Little Rock, said he supports reentry programs."After all, most every person who serves a prison sentence will at some point reenter society, and we need to help smooth that transition best we can because they're going to be part of our society," he said.However, Collins disagrees with the sentencing portion of the bill. He said research shows that longer prison sentences don't effectively deter potential criminals."There are things that are proven to work," he said. "Increasing policing, especially quality policing with well-paid, well-trained officers on the streets. That can actually help prevent crime."Collins said that addressing the root causes of crime by supporting education, families, and communities and providing legal ways to make a living are better and more affordable long-term solutions.

Arkansas lawmakers are disagreeing over a planned prison reform bill. The bill would require prisoners to serve the full length of time they were sentenced. They will also be mental health programs and help for people being released back into society.

Phil Reed, of 40/29, talked to a Republican and a Democrat to hear what they have to say on 40/29 News On The Record.

Sen. Bart Hester, a Republican from Cave Springs, is working on the bill, which he says will be filed Monday. The portion about what he calls "truth in sentencing" has been his focus.

"When everybody opens up the paper or watches you on the news, and you talk about some guy that's brutalized some child and got 50 years, we all believe he got 50 years," Hester said. "But the reality is in Arkansas that they got one-sixth of 50 years, they're eligible for parole."

Hester said Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders wants mental health programs to be in the bill.

"We're adding some more of that in this week to make sure that when somebody gets out of prison, and we all believe that most people going to prison should get out at some point, that they're ready to be back and functioning citizens in society, and a lot of that will be revolved around mental health," Hester said.

Rep. Andrew Collins, a Democrat from Little Rock, said he supports reentry programs.

"After all, most every person who serves a prison sentence will at some point reenter society, and we need to help smooth that transition best we can because they're going to be part of our society," he said.

However, Collins disagrees with the sentencing portion of the bill. He said research shows that longer prison sentences don't effectively deter potential criminals.

"There are things that are proven to work," he said. "Increasing policing, especially quality policing with well-paid, well-trained officers on the streets. That can actually help prevent crime."

Collins said that addressing the root causes of crime by supporting education, families, and communities and providing legal ways to make a living are better and more affordable long-term solutions.

Originally posted here:
Arkansas Republican, Democrat have differing opinions on prison reform bill - 4029tv

Mike Wolanin | The RepublicJohn Foster, second right, moderates a forum between Democrat candidates for Columbus City Council District 3 Jerone Wood, left, Michael Kinder, second left, and Tony Hayden, far right, during a Columbus Rotary Club meeting at Donner Center in Columbus, Ind., Monday, March 27, 2023.

COLUMBUS, Ind. The three Democratic candidates for Columbus City Council District 3 met in a candidate forum hosted by the Columbus Rotary Club Monday to talk about city projects and plans for the future.

The forum, featuring Democrats Tony Hayden, Michael Kinder and Councilman Jerone Wood, occurred with just about a week left until in-person absentee voting begins for the May 2 city primary.

The winner will face Republican candidate Sue Norman-Chapple in the November general election. Norman-Chapple is running unopposed in the GOP primary.

The three Democratic candidates discussed a variety of topics at Mondays forum, including city projects.

Lot of new projects underway that will soon require funding when the new council takes office, said moderator John Foster. Are you committed to continuing these projects? Are there ones you would like to see discontinued?

Wood replied that hes a strong believer in current projects, including NexusPark.

Im also a big backer of the riverfront project, he said. I really think that could do great things for our city as well, stuff like that. I know thats one project we dont talk about too much. I know it was hot for a while, but I think that thats something that, if we put our funding and our energy behind, along with NexusPark, thats going to put us in a really great direction as a city.

Kinder also expressed support for the two projects.

I think those big projects are what we need to focus on in the next seven years, he said. We have Envision Columbus, again, another great thing that went through with the community, and to focus on those projects and making sure that they are still mapped and aligned with the new world were in now, post pandemic.

Hayden said that he has some questions about NexusPark and other projects, though he is generally supportive of anything that benefits the city. He is in favor of the riverfront project, though he noted that the initiative has been slow moving.

Hes also passionate about transparency and accountability for city projects, including how they will be paid for.

And also being accountable to the citizens, because a lot of people I walk around and talk to, theyre very, still, confused about NexusPark and the need for it, said Hayden. So I just want to have the answers for them and explain the benefits for NexusPark. I like the current projects that were working on, and I cant wait, hopefully Im on the council to see some future projects in Columbus.

For the complete story and more photos, see Tuesdays Republic.

Originally posted here:
The three Democratic candidates for District 3 council talk about the ... - The Republic