Good Wednesday morning!

One-third of New Jersey adults are using weed, and most of them are getting it legally. And surprisingly — to me, at least, considering the prices — the vast majority say they’re satisfied with the experience. A 43 percent plurality of those say it’s because they know what they’re getting is “safe.” And presumably the rest of them had just eaten a Snickers and misunderstood the question.

This is according to a Stockton University poll released Tuesday (full results here). Unfortunately, I know of no poll that measured New Jerseyans’ use of weed before it was legalized recreationally, so I don’t have anything to compare it to.

I have a couple takeaways from these numbers that aren’t measured.

For one, the fact that 69 percent of New Jersey weed users bought from legal dispensaries shows how different legalization has gone in New Jersey than in New York, where there are still barely any recreational shops open and illegal pot shops abound.

I would someday like to see a poll on how New Jerseyans feel about the ban on growing their own. Let me know if you know of one.

Also: It’s great that people feel safe purchasing their weed at a dispensary. I do wonder how those same customers would feel if they saw the much lower prices in states with more mature legal weed markets. The same goes for quality. Once New Jersey allows the smaller players into the market, will there be smaller batch, better quality weed? Just think about how much better beer is now compared to when you could only find a few bland macrobrews at the store. Speaking of which, the poll also shows the public opposes the food and event restrictions on breweries.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m not a fireman, but 99 percent of them don’t live here and I’m sure they all go down the shore and have fires in their backyards and everything and they’re telling the people of Jersey City [they can’t]: this is wrong.” — Jersey City Councilmember Richard Boggiano on an ordinance to ban fire pits.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Tiffani Llerandi-Rodriguez, Michael Murphy

WHERE’S MURPHY? The White House for a state dinner honoring the president of South Korea and for the Brady Action Awards

CHILD WELFARE — “N.J. child welfare declared ‘transformed’ 20 years after unspeakable tragedy spurred lawsuit,” by NJ Advance Media’s Susan K. Livio: “When Newark Police discovered the mummified remains of 7-year-old Faheem Williams in a basement closet in January 2003, he was one of the 100 children his child protection caseworker had been assigned to visit every month. The overwhelmed worker lost track of his family for nearly a year. Alarmed by what transpired in the Williams’ case, then-Gov. Jim McGreevey agreed to settle a long-running, class-action lawsuit that had accused New Jersey of neglecting its foster children. Enforcing caseload limits became one of the most essential mandates under the state’s agreement to overhaul its entire child protection system. Today, average caseloads for front-line child welfare workers in New Jersey range from 12 or 15. After 20 years of biannual reports measuring the progress on four dozen goals during five governors’ administrations, U.S. District Court Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark on Tuesday declared the lawsuit was finally over. ‘It is apparent to me this is an agency that has been transformed,’ Chesler said during a brief but celebratory hearing.”

THIS GROUP WILL BE NO MATCH FOR THE ‘ELECTIONS TRANSPARENCY ACT’ — “New dark money group formed to boost Sweeney,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “A new dark money group formed four weeks ago is raising money from labor unions to benefit Steve Sweeney, a former Senate President who is expected to seek the Democratic nomination for governor of New Jersey in 2025. The fledgling group, the New Jersey Participation Project, held a fundraiser in Washington last night, honoring Sweeney at an event held during the North American Building Trades Union legislative conference. The International Association of Ironworkers sponsored the event – Sweeney is the general vice president – along with the Sheet Metal Workers’ Union, and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers. The invitation to the event, which did not include a ticket price, notes that ‘public disclosure of donors is not required for contributions made for the general purpose of New Jersey Participation Project.’ It noted that the 501 (c)4 non-profit ‘can accept unlimited contributions from corporations and individuals.’”

HERE COMES THE BRIBE — “Justices skeptical of New Jersey bribery law’s loophole for unelected candidates,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biryukov: “Leo Hurley Jr., an attorney for Jason O’Donnell, argued the former three-term Assemblyman could not be charged under state law because he held no elected or party office when he accepted the money, which was given to him in a Baskin-Robbins bag. O’Donnell could not perform an official favor because he was unelected, Hurley said, and “one who is not an official cannot have official duties.” But Chief Justice Stuart Rabner pointed to provisions in the Model Penal Code, which holds that anyone charged with accepting a bribe cannot base a legal defense on their inability to follow through with a deal because they lacked jurisdiction, had not assumed office, or ‘for any other reason.’ The 1962 document drafted by the American Legal Institute is the foundation of New Jersey’s current criminal code.”

THE JOHNNY CASH ESTIMATE — “Will sea level rise 5 feet by in a few decades? Group opposes new NJ land-use rules,” by NJ 101.5’s David Mathau: “The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection could soon announce public hearings for proposed land use standards that are based on a Rutgers University report projecting sea level to rise by 5 feet over the next 80 years. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association is strongly opposed to the proposed changes. ‘The study is outdated, no one else in the entire world is making these predictions. The real level of predictions are closer to 2 feet,’ [Ray Cantor] said.”

MALINOWSKI: THE FAMOUS MR. SEX ED — “In NJ, progressives mobilize against ‘right-wing extremism’ on sex ed, LGBTQ school policies,” by Harrison Malkin for WNYC: “Some of New Jersey’s most powerful political fundraisers and an increasingly organized wave of progressive parents and activists are working to defend the state’s controversial sex education standards, LGBTQ-centric curricula and diversity initiatives they say conservatives have a head start in opposing. The efforts to organize are already having visible impacts. In February, the year-old New Jersey Public Education Coalition — which describes itself as a non-partisan group to ‘protect our public schools and communities from right-wing extremism’ — called on its network to send dozens of people to a Colts Neck Board of Education meeting. Group members opposed a policy board members considered to impose bathroom restrictions on transgender students, and require schools to notify parents when students newly assert or question their gender identities. The K-8 district’s board shot down the policy 7-2. … ‘We noticed that the MAGA extremists in a lot of our school districts simply got organized first [with] a lot of voters,’ said former 7th District Rep. Tom Malinowski, who in March converted his campaign committee into the ‘Districts for Democracy’ PAC.”

ROSEMAN PLUCKED — “Roseman will depart Murphy staff for post at Federal Reserve Bank,’ by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Derek Roseman, who has served as Gov. Phil Murphy’s speechwriter since 2016, will depart the administration on Friday to take a post at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. He will be the senior speechwriter and advisor to Patrick T. Harker, the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which conducts economic research for a region that includes eastern and central Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the nine most-southern counties in New Jersey. Roseman holds the record for writing the most speeches delivered by a Governor of New Jersey before a joint session of the New Jersey Legislature: 14”

—Photos: “Rally against gun violence led by former state Sen. Loretta Weinberg”

—Lassiter: “5 easy ways to (help) fix NJ’s broken cannabis industry”

—Moran: “A dangerous temptation in Trenton”

—Snowflack: “LD-26 incineration”

—“Restaurant owner: Here’s a fix for our broken liquor license system | Opinion”

—“‘Serious issue’ as K2 drug gets into NJ prisons by mail”

NEW JERSEY BOWS TO STRONGER NEIGHBOR DELAWARE — “Murphy, Booker quickly endorse Biden for re-election. What that means for the N.J. politicians,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson: “Murphy and Booker were both considered potential 2024 presidential candidates if Biden, a fellow Democrat, didn’t run again. But each quickly endorsed the president after he released a video Tuesday morning formally announcing his campaign. … The endorsements end months of speculation about Murphy and Booker being part of a large pool of possible contenders for the Democratic nod if the 80-year-old Biden chose not to seek it.”

—“Biden makes it official, announces 2024 reelection bid”

—“Why Democrats say the NJ, Atlantic coast is under threat from oil and gas drilling”

SAYREVILLE — “Sayreville official wants Attorney General to investigate slain councilwoman’s death,” by WNYC’s Nancy Solomon: “Sayreville Council President Christian Onuoha, a Republican, said he is frustrated because he believes the investigation into the Feb. 1 killing of Eunice Dwumfour has not focused on any of her political work in town. Instead, Ohuoha believes investigators are focused on Dwumfour’s church and her friends in Newark. ‘The church conveniently is majority African American in Newark,’ said Onuoha, who like Dumfour has served as a pastor with the Nigeria-based Champions Royal Assembly’s congregation in Newark. ‘If you’re going to spend all your time there, sending Sayreville police there, which is what you believe is your due diligence, fine. But it’s been two months now, right? Going to three.’ But a spokesperson for the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said it doesn’t have any plans to take over the case from the the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, which is leading the investigation with the participation of the Sayreville police.”

EVERYBODY WINS IF TURNOUT EXCEEDS 3% — “Newark Board of Education 2023 election: Voters choose from among eight candidates for three school board seats,” by Chalkbeat Newark’s Jessie Gomez: “Three years after Newark Public Schools returned to local control, voters in the city are choosing between new and returning candidates for three seats on the eight-member school board. This year, two incumbents are vying to keep their seats and six challengers are hoping to secure a spot in Tuesday’s election. Newark residents are also voting on next school year’s $1.3 billion budget, which includes an additional $114 million in state aid and is slated to help fund more teachers and provide more tutoring for students. …Historically, voter turnout for the annual school board election has been low. Last year, less than 3% of registered voters cast their vote.” (Results here)

THE UMPIRES STRIKE BACK — “Deptford Township Little League starts new rule to cut down on spectators yelling at umps,” by 6 ABC’s Trish Hartman: “A new rule at a South Jersey Little League organization is being implemented to cut down on spectators fighting with volunteer umpires. For years, officials with the Deptford Township Little League say a small number of spectators yell at the umpires for calls they don’t like. Now league officials say if you fight with the umps, you could find yourself making the calls. … [Deptford Township Little League President Don Bozzuffi] says it’s gotten so bad, two volunteer umpires have quit in the past week. … And so this season, Deptford Township Little League is trying out a new rule: if you fight with the umps during a game, you have to volunteer your time to umpire three games before you’re allowed back as a spectator. ‘The main purpose is not for them to be able to call a baseball game, but for them to see what’s going on out here and it’s not that easy,’ said Bozzuffi.”

JAIL DEATH — “Two Atlantic County corrections officers charged with manslaughter in death of inmate,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Nicholas Huba: “A grand jury on Monday indicted two Atlantic County corrections officers in the death of a man after he was lodged in the Atlantic County jail in 2019. Atlantic County Correctional Sgt. Eric Tornblom and Correctional Officer Mark Jenigen are charged with manslaughter. Tornblom also is charged with aggravated assault. Corrections Lt. Jesse Swartzentruver, Tornblom and Jenigen were all indicted on an official misconduct charge, Attorney General Matt Platkin said in a news release. In addition, the grand jury indicted Hamilton Township police Sgts. Michael Schnurr and Nicole Nelson, along with Officers Servando Pahang, Cory Silvio and William Howze, on official misconduct charges in connection with their handling of Mario Terruso on the day he died.”

SALEM COUNTY — “N.J. county pays employee over $118K to settle 3 claims of racial discrimination in 8 years,” by NJ Advance Media’s Matt Gray: “For the third time in his career with Salem County’s road department, a worker has reached a settlement with the county over allegations of racial discrimination and retaliation. Grady Butts, who is Black, sued Salem County last year, alleging he was subjected to repeated verbal abuse and denied promotions because of his race. That suit was settled last month for $37,500, according to settlement paperwork obtained by open public records advocate John Paff, who first reported on the new agreement. To date, Salem County has paid Butts $118,500 to settle three claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation filed over eight years.”

—“N.J. school board to file ethics charges against member suspected of transphobic tweets”

—“Edison schools ready to launch $100 million project to address overcrowding”

—Op-ed: “A participatory economy in Paterson is worth considering”

—“Jersey Boy Frankie Valli will see Newark street dedicated in his honor”

—“Raritan comes up with ‘cost-effective solution’ for new borough hall”

MUTUALLY ASSURED CONSTRUCTION — “Atlantic City investments a must as New York casinos loom, gaming panel says,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Eric Conklin: “Addressing fears of profits lost to emerging New York City casinos, a panel of executives hosted by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber at Stockton University’s City Campus suggested ways to stay competitive. Atop Tuesday’s question list was how competition from New York City gaming could affect the resort. That concern lingers while casino revenues are flat and costs have risen from inflation, the panelists said. … The panelists said to keep the resort a top destination in travel books, more investments must be made to improve the city’s image, such as the new indoor waterpark being built next to the Showboat hotel.”

—“Veteran trauma surgeons sue Hackensack University Medical Center over age discrimination”

—“Monmouth University sued by student over alleged on-campus sex assault”

—“N.J. college students deserve a safe campus. Here’s how we get that done. | Opinion”