There’s a potentially significant week ahead in terms of Bergen County politics plus some interesting anti-human trafficking events.
Here are a few things I’ll be watching for:
1. I’m told that Surrogate Michael Dressler is nearing a decision on whether or not he will run for County Executive this year. His decision could impact several other Democrats who are said to be mulling a run if Dressler opts out.
2. The State Attorney General’s office will conduct a two-hour training session on Monday at 2 p.m. at the Hasbrouck Heights Hilton to help hotel workers recognize the tell-tale signs of human trafficking during the Super Bowl.
3. County officials will mark Korean-American Day with a ceremony at 4 p.m. Monday in the Freeholder Public Meeting room on the first floor of the Bergen County Administrative Building at One Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack.
The day marks the 111th anniversary of the arrival of 103 Korean immigrants in Hawaii, the first entry of Koreans into the U.S. territories.
4. The Freeholders hold their 4:30 p.m. work session on Wednesday followed by a 7:30 p.m. public meeting. No word yet on the agenda.
5. The New Jersey Coalition against Human Trafficking will host an event on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bergen PAC in Englewood.
The free program will include the New Jersey premier of “A Day in the Life” written and performed by teenagers based on survivor stories and an appearance by Courtney Wong, a singer/songwriter and anti-human trafficking activist. For more information, go to njhumantrafficking.org.
6. Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, R-River Vale will be our guest for a Record Talk Radio broadcast scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday. (NOTE: this broadcast has been rescheduled to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22.
We’ll talk about the controversy over the George Washington Bridge/traffic jam scandal plus bills she sponsored during the last legislative session.
7. Democrats gather at the Rockleigh County Club Thursday night for a “victory” celebration
The Democrats held onto all of their legislative seats in November while adding one freeholder despite running against a Republican ticket topped by Gov. Chris Christie, who had a landslide victory in Bergen County.
8. Join us for a special edition of Record Talk Radio Friday with a roundtable discussion among reporters who have been covering the controversy over the apparently politically-motivated closure of two lanes of the George Washington Bridge for four days in September.
Watch for more details on the broadcast later this week.
9. Superior Court Judge Menelaos Toskos is expected to rule by Friday on a request for an injuction in the lawsuit County Executive Kathleen Donovan filed against the freeholders last year.
Donovan has asked the judge to stay implementation of a merger of the County Police into the Sheriff’s Office that the freeholders approved in October. She also seeks to block the freeholders’ attempt to re-write the county administrative code, pending the outcome of her lawsuit.
Do you know of a story on the Bergen County beat not listed here? If so, let me know. My email: johnensslin@gmail.com.
