Vernon faces busy Election Day

Vernon Township is the busiest area of Sussex County on Tuesday, Nov. 7, as seven people will seek three seats on the Vernon Township Council and 10 people are seeking three seats on the township Board of Education. In the township, incumbents Patrick Rizzuto, Richard Wetzel and Jean Murphy will face challenges from former mayors Sally Rinker and Victor Marotta, firefighter and former DPW worker John Auberger and Corrections Officer Mark Van Tassel.

Speculation rife as first arrest in US Russia probe nears

WASHIGNTON : Official Washington was abuzz this weekend over reports that a grand jury has charged at least one person stemming from the US probe of Russia's attempts to tilt the 2016 presidential elections in Donald Trump's favor. There was no indication, in reporting by CNN that other media later confirmed, of who might be charged or what crimes might be alleged in the ongoing inquiry led by former FBI chief Robert Mueller.

Washington abuzz as Robert Mueller’s Russia probe set to file first …

Official Washington was abuzz this weekend over reports that a grand jury has charged at least one person stemming from the U.S. probe of Russia's attempts to tilt the 2016 presidential elections in Donald Trump's favor. There was no indication, in reporting by CNN that other media later confirmed, of who might be charged or what crimes might be alleged in the ongoing inquiry led by former FBI chief Robert Mueller.

The Latest: Christie says US serious about fighting opioids

U.S. President Donald Trump declares the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency - a step that won't bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills nearly 100 Americans a day but will expand access to medical services in rural areas. An Ohio father who lost his son to a drug overdose and now runs an opioid recovery center, says grassroots effort in the opioid crisis 'is most effective' and doesn't put faith in the federal government to solve the issues.

Trump calls for liberation from ‘scourge’ of drug addiction

President Donald Trump speaks during an event to declare the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Washington. President Donald Trump speaks during an event to declare the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in Washington.

Trump issues limited emergency declaration to combat the opioid epidemic

President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to take on the deadly opioid epidemic, directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday to declare a limited 90-day public health emergency in response to the crisis. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to take on the deadly opioid epidemic, directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday to declare a limited 90-day public health emergency in response to the crisis.

Trump declares opioids a public health emergency

President Donald Trump on Thursday declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency - a step that won't bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills nearly 100 Americans a day but will expand access to medical services in rural areas, among other changes. "This epidemic is a national health emergency," Trump said in a speech at the White House, where he bemoaned a crisis he said had spared no segment of American society.

Trump readies opioid plan, but some worry it won’t be enough

President Donald Trump, escorted by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives on Capitol Hill to have lunch with Senate Republicans and push for his tax reform agenda, in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017. President Donald Trump waves to reporters after a lunch with Republican senator at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, in Washington.

Hillary Clinton campaigns for NJ Democrat in governor race

Hillary Clinton has joined New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy at a campaign fundraiser days after former President Barack Obama campaigned for him. Individual tickets for the event featuring the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee were listed at $1,000, but the invitation asks potential guests to consider giving the top contribution, $4,300.

Menendez defense testimony continues as Pence weighs in

Testimony from defense witnesses in the bribery trial of Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez on Tuesday included a curious story involving the former governor of Florida and a zinger by a prosecutor that left jurors chuckling but earned an admonition from the judge. Earlier in the day, Vice President Mike Pence weighed in on the case, telling a radio host it would be wrong for Bob Menendez to stay in office if he's convicted.

Dollar by dollar, here’s your full breakdown of tax promises by Murphy and Guadagno

The campaign to succeed Gov. Chris Christie centers around the always-important Jersey issue of taxes: who's going to raise them, who's going to lower them, and by how much. Republican gubernatorial nominee Kim Guadagno has said she will lower property taxes for New Jersey homeowners with her plan to replace some of the taxes you're sending directly to schools with $1.5 billion in state aid.

Significant cases on Supreme Court’s agenda

The Supreme Court term that, by law, begins on the first Monday in October includes several high-profile cases dealing with controversial social issues or with the potential to affect millions of Americans. The justices probably will not hear the dispute over President Donald Trump's travel ban, originally scheduled for October, now that he has issued a new policy that has yet to be examined by lower courts.

Democrats are rejecting a report warning about N.J. property taxes

TRENTON -- Top Democrats in New Jersey -- including Phil Murphy , the party's nominee for governor -- quickly rejected a report released Thursday saying a law limiting the raises that police and fire unions can win in arbitration should be renewed in an effort to keep property taxes in check. A spokesman for Murphy called the study a "political stunt" by appointees of Republican Gov. Chris Christie and said it would not sway the candidate to take a stance on the cap until a more thorough review is conducted.

The Latest: Maria floods damaged North Carolina beach towns

The federal government will pick up 100 percent of the costs of debris removal and other emergency assistance to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. President Donald Trump made the change Tuesday as part of an amendment to his earlier disaster declaration authorizing federal aid.

Don’t look now, but Donald Trump’s strategy is beating ISIS in Syria | Mulshine

In recent weeks I read more about the high heels that Melania Trump wore on a trip to Texas than I did about the positive developments in a war that was at the center of the foreign-policy debate in last year's presidential election. In that debate, you may recall, Donald Trump went against most of the candidates from his own party in welcoming the Russian military into the war against ISIS as an ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Latest: Judge signs plan for US to pay for flooding fix

A federal judge has approved an agreement among local, state, and federal officials to construct an underground drainage system to prevent severe flooding on a New Jersey beach that was caused by the federal government's dune construction project. The judge signed the agreement Wednesday that calls for the federal government to build and pay for underground pipes to prevent storm water from collecting in ponds as it did on the beach at Margate this summer, forcing beachgoers to trudge through bacteria-laden water or take blocks-long detours.

GOP launches ad calling on Menendez to resign if convicted

WASHINGTON -- As U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez prepares to stand trial this week on federal corruption charges , the Republican National Committee on Tuesday launched an online ad campaign to force him out immediately if convicted. The goal is to allow Gov. Chris Christie , a Republican, to fill the seat until the 2018 election, giving the GOP a 53rd vote in a 100-member chamber.