I'm the Statehouse bureau chief for New Jersey 101.5, covering the governor, Legislature and state politics, and had previously covered the Statehouse for Gannett newspapers for more than 15 years. I'm a lifelong New Jerseyan -- raised in Bergen, living in Hunterdon, Rutgers graduate. I'm co-author of the 2012 biography 'Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power.' I am not the Iron Chef with a similar name though sometimes get tweets meant for him, especially around Thanksgiving. Believe me, you don't want my cooking tips.
Michael Symons
Most edibles out as NJ opts for slow start to legal marijuana
Initial rules for the first year of the adult-use marijuana industry in New Jersey don't allow for edibles such as brownies and cookies popular in other states.
Biden calls Ida damage in NJ ‘incredible’ after touring Manville
The president met officials in Hillsborough and families in Manville and says the damage caused by Ida underscores need to improve America's infrastructure.
Ida ranks among deadliest weather disasters in NJ history
Superstorm Sandy is the only natural disaster on record that caused more deaths in New Jersey than the driving rains and floods from the remnants of Ida.
With pot opt-outs, NJ towns keep residents from entering business
The majority of owners and employees at entry-level microbusinesses must be from the town or neighboring town of where the business would be located.
Eviction moratorium ends for moderate-income renters in NJ
Eviction protections remain in place for New Jersey tenants with incomes at least 20% below their county's median through the end of December.
Menendez, Booker push for tests to prevent flying beach umbrellas
The United States senators from New Jersey and Virginia are pushing product safety regulators to include beach umbrellas in their standards testing.
‘Knot in their stomach': Towns hit by Henri fear sequel from Ida
It's been just over a week since parts of New Jersey, such as southern Middlesex County, got flooded from a tropical system. Another flood threat looms.
Flash floods possible across all NJ from soaking remnants of Ida
After former Hurricane Henri and other rain over the past week, the possible half-foot of rain will fall on wet ground – especially in north and central NJ.
Van Drew: Censure Biden for ‘terrible disgrace’ in Afghanistan
Rep. Jeff Van Drew is introducing a concurrent resolution with a dozen colleagues that condemns President Joe Biden for the handling of the end of the war.
Despite NJ population gain, people are fleeing from these 200 towns
While New Jersey added nearly a half-million residents between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, not all parts of the state are expanding.
NJ adds most COVID cases since April, spread high in all counties
CDC rates all counties as having high COVID transmission rates. State reports over 3,200 more cases: 2,407 from PCR tests and 832 from antigen tests.
Over 63% of NJ towns block marijuana businesses, at least for now
An unofficial count shows 360 municipalities have opted out of legal marijuana industry and 90 have opted in. But new state rules could sway the reluctant.