Medical Weight Loss in New Jersey, NJ

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE NEW JERSEY WINGS IN THE FORM BELOW!

Break out blue cheese and celery — we’re searching for New Jersey’s best wings!

While we typically run a statewide guide to Jersey’s best wings, this year we’re blowing it out and launching the Jersey Wing-Off 2025! A showdown where you, fellow wing-lovers, can help decide which wing spot is truly the greatest.

You’ve got the rest of this week to nominate your favorite wing joints. To do so, you’ll need an account on NJ.com. It’s easy — and free. Just click on the link below to create a username and password. After that, you’ll be taken to a form that allows you to write in your candidate.

READ MORE: New Jersey’s 55 best wings of 2024

Nominations close on Jan. 19. We’ll roll them all up toss in a few contenders of our own and publish a full list in a poll on Jan. 20. Then the voting begins. You’ll have until Jan. 26 to cast your ballot. You’ll need a free NJ.com account to vote.

We’ll tally the results and announce the top 10 vote-getters on Jan. 27. Then NJ.com’s own New Jersey wing expert will visit all 10 finalists, and select the winner of the 2025 Jersey wing-off based his evaluation of the flavor and quality of cooking, creativity, price and atmosphere.

The winner will receive a Jersey Wing-Off plaque and be featured on NJ.com.

Click here for guidelines on nominating and voting.

Bobby Olivier may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook.

2-minute read

NorthJersey.com

New Jersey's population topped 9.5 million people in 2024, a state record, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The estimates, released this month, show that the state’s population climbed to an estimated 9,500,851 in July 2024. The 1.3% increase from 2023 was the largest year-over-year growth rate in the Northeast.

“This census data is a testament to the important work being done every day across the administration to support our workers and continue building a stronger, fairer New Jersey,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “We’re incredibly proud that New Jersey is among the top 10 states for population growth.”

Primarily driven by a national trend of rising international migration, the population growth is counter to the annual United Van Lines National Movers Study. Also recently released, that report found that New Jersey led the nation in outbound disparity for the seventh year in a row, with twice as many households using the company's service to leave for other states than to arrive from them.

High costs of living, systemic inequities in education and increasing property taxes are pushing many middle-class families and retirees to seek more affordable regions, various reports have said. The MIT Living Wage Calculator estimates that a single adult in Bergen County must be paid more than $51,500 annually to support themselves, while two adults with a child need more than $104,500.

Still, due to an influx of residents arriving from out of the country, the population continues to rise. In the three years before July 2024, New Jersey added 311,544 residents from foreign nations. The state's total net growth since the 2020 census has been roughly 211,837 residents, Census Bureau records show.

To support the increasing population, state officials continue to push for economic growth. Officials with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority in particular are seeking to accelerate job and wage growth beyond that of neighboring states and increase venture capital investment, records show. Revitalizing urban centers and addressing poverty are other short-term goals for authority officials.

To achieve their economic goals, state officials are promoting programs including the NJ Aspire Tax Credit and NJ Forward Tax Credit to create jobs in high-growth sectors. Moreover, there are tangential initiatives such as the NJ Innovation Evergreen Fund, which is designed to invest in life sciences and financial technology with proceeds gained from the sale of state corporate tax credits.

More:What is middle class in New Jersey? Here's what it takes to make it

State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio said in a recent statement that New Jersey has strong appeal as a hub for businesses and families due to "its dynamic business community, top-rated schools and ideal location at the crossroads of the Northeast."

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 4,391,600 jobs in the state as of November 2024, and 284,200 employers as of Sept. 30, 2024. Both were the highest totals in New Jersey’s history, state officials said.

Despite these successes, infrastructure challenges loom. A 2023 report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that New Jersey will need $31.6 billion for water infrastructure improvements over the next 20 years. Housing, transportation and energy systems are also under strain.

More:Why do people move to the New York metro area? This report breaks it down

In December, Murphy and the State Planning Commission unveiled a preliminary update to the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, which aims to address some of these issues. The plan focuses on sustainable growth, housing affordability and climate resilience. Peter Kasabach, executive director of New Jersey Future, a nonprofit advocating for smart growth policies, called it "a blueprint for a fairer New Jersey where people can thrive while protecting our natural resources and supporting economic growth."

From banning cell phones in schools to offering free, full-day kindergarten in every district, Gov. Phil Murphy said improving the state’s public schools will be a central part of his plans for his final year in office.

During his annual State of the State address, Murphy said increasing funding for public education has been a priority throughout his time in office, making his administration the first to fully fund the school funding formula, bringing school aid to almost $12 billion.

But Murphy said the work isn’t done yet, and proposals like expanding preschool for all three- and four-year-olds could make a big difference for students and families.

“Here in New Jersey, we have always believed that nothing is more important than nurturing the growth and development of our children,” Murphy said. “That is exactly why we have invested record sums into strengthening the crown jewel of New Jersey: our best-in-the-nation public education system.”

The following are some education-related highlights from his address:

School funding

Murphy patted his administration on the back for becoming the first to fully fund the school funding formula since it was adopted in 2008, including directing more money to districts that have been historically underfunded.

Local educators plead for changes in state aid formula

“We are saving taxpayers money because every dollar the state spends on public education is a dollar our families and seniors get to save in property taxes,” Murphy said, repeating a common refrain of his administration.

An NJ Spotlight News analysis from August 2024 found that taxes rose in all but a small number of municipalities, regardless of whether a school district’s state aid was increased or cut.

Murphy did not propose any changes to the school funding formula, despite calls from superintendents and lawmakers to make state aid amounts more stable and predictable. Just hours before Murphy’s speech, dozens of school officials and advocates gathered at the New Jersey Department of Education to testify on the school funding formula in a hearing organized by the Murphy administration.

‘Listen, you can fully fund the formula, but if the formula is broken to begin with, [it] doesn’t help.’ — Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco

State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), who chairs the Senate education committee, has introduced a bill to update the formula.

“Now that the school funding formula is complete, as far as its phase-in of all the years, this is the appropriate time to go and do this,” Gopal said in December. At the time, advocates called on government officials to move quickly to avoid another tumultuous budget cycle for certain school districts that will likely lose funding.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco (R-Morris) told NJ Spotlight News that even though the formula is fully funded, some schools are losing millions of dollars and cutting teaching positions.

“Listen, you can fully fund the formula, but if the formula is broken to begin with, [it] doesn’t help,” Bucco said.

Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) said she is open to tweaks to the formula so long as they don’t hurt districts that have long been underfunded. Districts must be able to create their budgets earlier in the school year, she added.

The amounts of state aid for each district are released two days after the governor’s budget address in February but not finalized until June. School budgets are typically certified in May.

Early education

Throughout his time in office, Murphy has also increased funding for preschool with the goal of achieving universal preschool for all three- and four-year-olds in the state. Under Murphy, 229 school districts have created preschool programs, according to his office, bringing the total to 293 or roughly half of New Jersey school districts.

On Tuesday, he announced plans to keep working toward universal pre-K and to ensure every school district offers free, full-day kindergarten. Fewer than a dozen of New Jersey’s nearly 600 school districts do not offer full-day kindergarten programs. Murphy said children and families in these communities are being left behind.

Politics

“We will save every parent money by offering them a free, safe, and enriching environment to leave their child during the workday, whether it be full-day K or universal pre-K,” Murphy said.

He singled out Jen Lai, a nurse and mother of four children in Hillsborough, one of the towns that does not already offer full-day kindergarten.

“I believe that Jen and Vince’s children deserve every opportunity in the world. And by ensuring that they can enjoy a full day in the classroom — early in their academic life — we will set them, and every child, on a path to lifelong success,” Murphy said.

Ruiz, former chair of the Senate education committee, said universal full-day kindergarten is a “no-brainer.” She introduced a bill in November that would establish a framework for preschool expansion aid that prioritizes at-risk students. Under the bill, districts that do not already have free, full-day kindergarten would not be eligible for preschool expansion aid.

Ban cellphones in K-12 schools?

Murphy also proposed restricting, and even banning, cellphones in K-12 schools, drawing his first extended ovation from lawmakers.

“Today, our children are inundated with screens. And if you ask just about any educator, they will tell you that mobile devices are a distraction in the classroom. They are fueling a rise in cyberbullying. And they are making it incredibly difficult for our kids, not only to learn but to retain the substance of what they learn,” he said.

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Murphy’s proposal appears to align with a bill that unanimously passed the Senate on Tuesday afternoon just before his speech. The bill, which has not yet come up for a vote in the Assembly Education Committee, would direct the state Department of Education to devise a cellphone and social media policy that is then adopted in K-12 schools. The policy would prohibit nonacademic use of cellphones during class while allowing phones to be used if there is an emergency or perceived threat.

“In today’s day and age, cellphones and social media have advanced far from their original concepts and, unfortunately, have been widely reported as heavy contributors to the youth mental health crisis,” said Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-Passaic), a sponsor of the bill. “With this policy, students will be able to better focus on their schoolwork and we can help ensure our children do not fall victim to the perils of social media at such a young age.”

Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Morris), said that while the proposal sounds good to legislators, it was not popular with the two high school students seated next to him. He said there are better ways to solve student mental health issues than banning phones in school.

“They just throw that out there,” he said afterward. “We should really vet that, talk to parents and get their support… I think they should just have flip phones, myself, personally.”

Cellphone policies currently vary by district, with some allowing use for educational purposes and others requiring students to place their phones in locked pouches for the duration of the school day. At the start of this school year, the state Department of Education shared a memo urging districts to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of different types of cellphone policies.

The research on the effectiveness of cellphone bans for students isn’t clear, since much of it focuses on specific schools and not the general practice.

Education

Questions over possible NJ school cellphone ban

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2025 STATE OF THE STATE CELLPHONE BAN FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN GOV. PHIL MURPHY NJ EDUCATION NJ PUBLIC SCHOOLS NJ STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

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Inside Gov. Murphy's proposed cell phone ban in schools

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has proposed a statewide ban on smartphones in K-12 classrooms during his final State of the State address Tuesday afternoon.

The Brief

NEW JERSEY - New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy delivered his final State of the State address before leaving office Tuesday afternoon.

During his address, he proposed a ban that would make all K-12 classrooms in the state phone free.

What we know:

Seeing the impact of smartphone use on his own teenage children, Murphy is proposing to ban device use in all K-12 classrooms across New Jersey.

More than 600 New Jersey School districts would be required to introduce policies to ban devices, but they would also be able to determine how the policies are implemented and enforced.

The backstory:

Citing distractions, cyberbullying and social media pressure, Murphy wants to join a growing number of states banning smartphones in classrooms.

Some local New Jersey districts like Cherry Hill and Woodbury have already banned smartphone and devices from the classrooms.

Some schools assign students smartphone pouches that are kept with them during the day but stay locked.

What they're saying:

"Every parent knows the damage these devices can cause. Enough is enough it is time for action" said Governor Murphy.

"They are fueling a rise in cyberbullying. And they are making it incredibly difficult for our kids, not only to learn, but to retain the substance of what they learn. Honestly, is it any surprise that the rise in smartphone usage has coincided with a growing youth mental health crisis?" Murphy added.

In a statement, President of New Jersey Education Association Sean Spiller released a statement saying:

"We also applaud Gov. Murphy for highlighting the concerns that so many educators and parents have about the detrimental effects of cellphones in classrooms. As New Jersey moves to limit the distraction that they pose during the school day, we call on the New Jersey Department of Education to issue guidelines directing districts to work with parents and educators in each community and at each school level to determine what specific policy will best serve students’ academic, safety and mental health needs. Shared input and community buy-in will help ensure the success of those policies better than any one-size-fits-all ban imposed from above.

Local perspective:

"I can understand the distractions with phones in schools especially this time of age everyone is on social media and quick to record something" said Jamel Coley of Camden.

FOX 29 spoke with some New Jersey parents who had mixed feelings about their child giving up their phones in class.

"No I don’t agree with the Governor. I mean we don’t feel safe as it is in school with security" said parent Dominique Nguyen.

"If I want to be able to get in touch with my kid I should be able to" added Wesley Lebouef who has a 10-year-old son he plans to buy a smartphone for next year.

"I do agree there shouldn't be the distractions and they should be learning and not being on their cell phones" added Emilo Ramil of Bellmawr.

What's next:

If passed, the law would take effect immediately and be implemented by the fall of this year.

The Source: Information in this story is from Governor Murphy and his office.

Phil MurphyNew Jersey