Louis Hochman

3 weeks ago | gothamist.com | Catalina Gonella |Louis Hochman

New Jerseyans’ electricity bills are about to get more expensive — jumping more than $20 for an average customer starting Sunday. The rate increases affect residents and most businesses served by of all four of New Jersey’s investor-owned utility companies. Bills for PSE&G customers — largely in northeast, central and southwest New Jersey — will go up by an estimated 17.24%, according to the state Board of Public Utilities, which regulates energy companies in the Garden State.

1 month ago | gothamist.com | Samir Ferdowsi |David Giambusso |Louis Hochman

If the NJ Transit strike has you worried about how to get in and out of New York City this weekend, the good news is that there are any number of ways to get yourself to the New York islands that do not involve a rowboat or swimming. The bad news is that NJ Transit says even stepped-up alternative services will just barely help account for its 350,000 daily rail riders, so it advises you to work from home if that’s an option.

1 month ago | gothamist.com | Louis Hochman

Judging by the latest polling, New Jersey's crowded Democratic primary for governor is a toss-up. As of April, about a third of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters still weren't sure who they'd prefer to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy, the Eagleton Institute of Politics found. Current U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill led a field of six candidates — but with only 17% of those polled backing the congressmember, there's a lot of uncertainty in the race.

1 month ago | gothamist.com | Louis Hochman

It's been more than 60 years since New Jersey voters sent the same party to the governor's office for three terms in a row. The three Republican candidates hoping to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy have to feel pretty good about that. But before they can face off against the winner of the overcrowded Democratic primary, they'll need to face one another. On Wednesday evening, former Assemblymember Jack Ciattarelli, former radio show host Bill Spadea and state Sen.

1 month ago | gothamist.com | Charles Lane |Louis Hochman

One of the six guards charged in the deadly, caught-on-camera beating death of Robert Brooks at an upstate prison has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, according to the Associated Press and the Brooks family lawyer. Christopher Walrath, 36, entered the plea Monday morning, the AP reported. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he would serve a 15-year prison sentence.