Latest news with #Trenton
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
Georgia police dog dies after being left in hot patrol car for "unacceptable amount of time," sheriff's office says
A newly-deputized police dog died Sunday in Georgia, after her handler left her alone in a hot car for "an unacceptable amount of time," said the sheriff's office where the K-9 provided her services. Named K-9 Georgia, the dog died in the kennel inside of her handler's patrol vehicle as the heat index rose to about 100 or 102 degrees in Trenton, a city in the northwestern corner of Georgia, according to the Dade County Sheriff's Office. The handler had gone into the office building when Georgia was left unattended in the patrol car. The sheriff's office said it fired the dog's handler, who was not identified, and the incident would be turned over to the Dade County District Attorney's Office to determine if charges would be filed. "On July 13th, we tragically lost our newest member of our K-9 team; K-9 Georgia," the office wrote Tuesday in a news release, adding that "a combination" of factors caused the dog's death. The sheriff's office investigated the incident and determined the air conditioning system in the handler's patrol car malfunctioned while Georgia was inside, to the extent that fixing it required "total replacement of the compressor." A compressor is the core piece of an air conditioning unit that allows it to emit cool air. A heat alarm inside the patrol car also malfunctioned, the office said. The alarm is a safety mechanism designed to monitor the temperature in the car and, when it gets too hot, activate its sirens or send notifications to the cell phone of a K-9 dog's handler, according to the National Police Dog Foundation, which notes on its website that "heat exhaustion is a major cause of death for active K-9s." In June 2023, another police dog in Cobb County, Georgia, near Atlanta, died after being left inside its handler's hot car without a functioning air conditioning system. The sheriff's office said the broken temperature systems, "coupled with K-9 Georgia being left unattended for what we considered to be an unacceptable amount of time" inside her handler's car, contributed to the dog's death. It plans to implement new policies for handlers, which will include prohibiting them from leaving dogs in their cars unsupervised "for extended periods of time" during the summer. The Dade County District Attorney's Office is determining whether to prosecute the case. "Our hearts are aching at the loss of K-9 Georgia," the sheriff's office said. "Many of you know that she was donated to us by a local family, at no cost to the sheriff's office. She was an amazing bloodhound who was sweet, goofy, and had all the potential to be the 'best of the best'. She will be deeply missed by everyone at our office, and by anyone who had the pleasure to meet her."
The Independent
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Deputy fired after police dog dies in hot patrol car
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. A Georgia sheriff's deputy has been fired after a beloved police dog died in a hot patrol car. It was about 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Trenton when a member of the Dade County Sheriff's Office's K-9 team died inside the patrol car on Sunday, police said in a press release. The dog, whose name was Georgia, was left unattended in her handler's patrol car for an 'unacceptable amount of time,' the sheriff's office said. The deputy was inside the sheriff's office when Georgia was dying in the car. Police did not specify for how long the K-9 was left inside the patrol car. But other factors led to Georgia's death, such as the air conditioner compressor in the car malfunctioning. There was a heat alarm in the car, but police said it also 'was not functioning.' A Georgia sheriff's deputy has been fired after a beloved police dog died in a hot patrol car (Dade County Sheriff's Office) There have been 55 reports of dogs and other 'companion animals' dying from heat-related causes this year, according to PETA. The animal rights group's numbers appear not to have included Georgia's death. Georgia's handler was fired, and police said they will notify the Dade County District Attorney's Office 'to determine if prosecution is warranted.' The sheriff's office promised '100%' transparency about Georgia's death and listed changes they will be implementing to make sure no other dog is lost on their watch. 'Going forward, any K-9 vehicle we have will be taken out of service if ANY of the essential K-9 equipment isn't in 100% working order,' the sheriff's office said. 'We are also going to overhaul our K-9 handler policy, and K-9's WILL NOT be left in vehicles for extended periods of time during summer.' Georgia was donated to police by a local family, and the sheriff's office said, 'Our hearts are aching at the loss.' 'She was an amazing bloodhound who was sweet, goofy, and had all the potential to be the 'best of the best,' the sheriff's office said. 'She will be deeply missed by everyone at our office, and by anyone who had the pleasure to meet her.' Georgia resident Kaylee Shields called for '#justiceforgeorgia' in a Facebook post Tuesday. 'If a citizen left their dog in a vehicle and it 'malfunctioned,' resulting in death of the dog, the owner would be prosecuted. I hope this officer is held accountable for this,' Shields wrote. Children are also at risk of dying in cars during the summer heat. The National Safety Council said there have been 15 reported heatstroke deaths of children in cars this year. There were 39 deaths in 2024.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A new plan for parking at the NJ Statehouse may surface later this month
After months of discussion, a new parking plan for the New Jersey Statehouse complex may be presented at the next meeting of the Statehouse Joint Management Commission, set for later in July. The joint management commission, a group of legislative directors and administration staffers responsible for managing the complex, established a security committee to examine security at the Statehouse complex in relation to parking and the planned park at the site. There has been talk for months about removing access to the 140 visitor parking spots in the state police-guarded garage, which lies between the Statehouse and its annex on West State Street in Trenton. Removing public access to the garage would force guests to the complex -- which recently underwent a five-year, $283 million facelift -- to find and pay for parking in above-ground lots blocks away. Eric Brophy, a deputy chief of staff for Gov. Phil Murphy who chairs the commission, said there is not a complete plan but said he hopes the committee will have something to present for the commission to take action on at the next meeting. That meeting is scheduled for July 22. The commission discussed the parking plan and security related to parking for more than an hour in closed session during its July 8 meeting. For the duration of the meeting, the state police desk just outside the room sat unmanned. There were a few members of the public who spoke out against the removal of visitor parking from the garage during the meeting. They noted that the commission had yet to make any sort of parking plan publicly available and that removing visitor access to the garage would cause an impediment in visitor access to state government overall. Brophy said in May that relocating visitor parking should be done "in the next four to eight weeks" and that shifting the visitor parking out of the Statehouse garage is a "security issue." According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, there were 931 violent crimes and 1,678 property crimes reported in Trenton in 2023, the most recent data available. Want to visit the NJ Statehouse? You may not be able to park in its garage The Statehouse and parking garage, as well as many of the people working inside, from lawmakers and Cabinet secretaries to state troopers and tech support, are supported and funded by taxpayer money. During both the April and May meetings, the commission discussed five alternative parking options that require about a walk of five to seven minutes for members of the public visiting the complex. Lots currently used by state employees may see their assigned parking spots reassigned to different lots to accommodate visitor parking. That would be the case in the lots known as 5A and 5B, which are near the War Memorial. Parking garages that are not state-owned, such as the Lafayette Garage or Liberty Commons Garage, have daily rates of $7 for two hours, $9 for four hours and $12 for 12 hours. Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@ This article originally appeared on NJ Statehouse parking plan for visitors may surface in 2025
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How many people will lose health care coverage in New Jersey after Trump budget bill?
The 'Big Beautiful Bill,' as it has become known, is sitting on President Donald Trump's desk and is expected to be signed on July 4. The controversial legislation includes significant cuts to Medicaid, which is known in the state as NJ FamilyCare, funding which will have detrimental effects on the service in the state. Lawmakers in Trenton have already made it clear that the state budget does not have the funds to mitigate such losses. According to the state's Department of Health and Human Services, more than 350,000 eligible residents will likely lose health care coverage in New Jersey. There is also a $3.3 billion annual cut in funding to hospitals and public health funding and $360 million annual cut to the state budget due to reductions in federal funding and provider assessments. New Jersey's 12-member delegation in the House of Representatives voted along party lines yesterday when the bill was finally called for a vote in the chamber. Republican Reps. Tom Kean Jr., Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew voted in favor of plan to further Trump's agenda. Their counterparts, Democratic Reps. Herb Conaway, Josh Gottheimer, LaMonica McIver, Rob Menendez, Donald Norcross, Frank Pallone, Nellie Pou, Mikie Sherrill and Bonnie Watson Coleman voted against the measure. In addition to Medicaid cuts, there will also be cuts to SNAP food assistance. More than 60% of the New Jersey's 800,000 recipients are children or seniors. Reactions Garden State lawmakers assess Trump's mega 'big, beautiful' budget bill: What they said The bill will also add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. There is $121.5 billion for ICE as well as detention center and border wall construction. It also includes a four-year increase to the cap on the state and local tax deduction, from $10,000 to $40,000 before it reverts back to $10,000 in the fifth year. The bill would allow for workers to deduct up to $25,000 of tip wages and overtime from their taxes for individuals whose income exceeds $150,000 or couples whose income exceeds $300,000. Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@ This article originally appeared on How many people will lose health care coverage in New Jersey
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Jersey's Phil Murphy takes heat from all sides in final budget as governor
TRENTON, New Jersey — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday night signed his final budget — and faced rare and biting criticisms from within his own administration and longtime allies. Two members of his own Cabinet called parts of the $58.8 billion spending plan a 'terrible idea' and 'a great disappointment.' And over the course of Monday, unions Murphy counted among his strongest supporters came out to attack the governor — showing how vulnerable the term-limited Democrat is to criticism as he heads toward lame-duck status. "He remains a Wall Street banker at heart and has put the interests of the insurance companies and CEO's above the interests of everyday working people,' Steve Tully, executive director of AFSCME New Jersey Council 63 union, said in a statement related to a disagreement in cuts to health care spending for state workers. 'While Governor Murphy heads to his villa in Italy this summer, tens of thousands of workers will be worrying how they are going to be able to afford the astronomical health care increases that are coming.' Murphy and the state's top legislative Democrats were eager to point out the spending plan includes a full $7.2 billion payment into the state's notoriously underfunded pension fund for public workers, $12 billion in record funding for public schools and a continuation of popular property tax relief programs. And the state surplus stands at $6.7 billion — magnitudes larger than the $409 million surplus Murphy got when he came into office. 'This budget exemplifies our dedication to fiscal responsibility, affordability, and opportunity for all New Jerseyans,' Murphy said in a statement. 'Over nearly eight years in office, we have maintained a steadfast commitment to building a stronger and fairer New Jersey and righting our fiscal ship. I'm proud that this budget caps off an eight-year journey to turn our state around and delivers greater economic security and opportunity to every family.' The final spending plan had similar broad strokes to what Murphy proposed in February, with $727 million added in recent days by Democratic lawmakers. It also has a $1.5 billion structural deficit, meaning it spends more than it collects in revenue. Last-minute additions made public late Friday drew the ire of a top Democratic lawmaker, two members of Murphy's Cabinet and a group of public-sector unions and environmental groups that have traditionally been allied with Murphy and Democrats. Ironically, Murphy also faced criticism from a Senate Republican for not doing enough to prepare the state for Medicaid cuts likely to be imposed by fellow Republicans in Washington. Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, the Monmouth County Republican who serves as his party's chief budget officer, proposed an amendment on the Senate floor Monday to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in 'pork' spending and set it aside in part to deal with federal cuts Democrats have been warning about but this budget deal does not prepare New Jersey for. The proposal was rejected by legislative Democrats. It's the criticism from within the Democratic governor's own house and his longtime allies that is most striking and a sign of Murphy's limited time left in Trenton. The biggest internal criticism came from Attorney General Matt Platkin, a longtime Murphy ally, who called out plans to give hospitals money he helped win in opioid litigation. 'Last night, I learned — to my great disappointment — that the budget the Legislature is considering would deplete our hard-won opioid settlement dollars by sending $45 million to hospital systems for uses that have not been identified,' Platkin said in a statement Monday morning. 'My office fought for years against companies who profited off the deaths and addiction of thousands upon thousands of New Jerseyans.' On Sunday, acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh called out another part of the budget deal that allows state money to go to low-rated nursing homes. 'This budget provision is a terrible idea,' Walsh said in a statement. 'It is a giveaway to the nursing home industry and will worsen care in nursing homes.' The Legislature's top lawmaker was quick to push back against the critiques from cabinet officials. 'When did they run for office? Did they run for office?' Senate President Nick Scutari — who played a key role in budget negotiations — said. 'Because I didn't see that. I think that one of them is the chief law enforcement officer, and the other one is kind of more of an auditor, so I don't think that's within their purview to do.' The nursing home industry — and Murphy — were under considerable scrutiny during the Covid-19 pandemic for poor care in nursing homes and the state's handling of Covid-19 patients. The nursing home industry in particular has been the subject of continued scrutiny in the state and nationwide. It's unusual for one much less two Cabinet members to speak out. Platkin and Walsh, though both nominated by the governor, have offices with independence from the governor. Platkin's criticism was aimed at plans to send $45 million to Hackensack Meridian Health, RWJ Barnabas, Cooper University Health Care and Atlantic Health. The budget language says it must be in line with the opioid settlement requirements. Platkin said the budget deal 'ignores' recommendations released by the state's Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund Advisory Council, which was created to advise how to spend the settlement funds. He also explicitly called on the Legislature and Murphy to 'reject' the proposal. The state is set to receive over $1 billion through 2038 stemming from several settlements related to the opioid crisis, with state leaders adamant that the funds be used to treat opioid addiction and not plug budget holes like the infamous tobacco settlements from decades ago. Senate Budget and Appropriations Chair Paul Sarlo said the funds would help hospitals provide harm reduction services for opioid treatment and suggested that it would help with possible federal Medicaid cuts. 'These hospitals — they're gonna be on the front line of these Medicaid cuts,' Sarlo told reporters. But it wasn't just administration officials that were displeased with the newest changes. Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Chair Joe Vitale said that sending opioid settlement funds to four hospital systems was 'an awful addition to the budget' that he would seek to prevent in following years. He similarly criticized the changes for nursing homes. 'It undermines the ability to make nursing homes safer in a manner that's cooperative,' said Vitale, who went on to vote for the budget. 'This is an attack on public safety. And I'll do everything I can to undo it.' The state's long-term care ombudsperson — who was nominated by Murphy — said the budget deal on nursing homes was a 'complete giveaway to the nursing home industry.' 'The rich get richer and the poor get nothing,' the ombudsperson, Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, said in a statement over the weekend. 'At this point, the Legislature is throwing money at nursing home owners and stripping away the state's own ability to ensure better quality.' The spending plan comes amid the governor's race to succeed Murphy and as all seats in the state Assembly are up for election this fall. Legislative Democrats will be eager to highlight continuation of funding for popular property tax relief programs — like the ANCHOR program, which provides rebates of $1,500 to homeowners and $450 for qualifying renters, with another $250 for seniors. The budget also included $280 million for Stay NJ, the program that will cut property taxes in half for seniors making up to $500,000, and the Senior Freeze program, which also provides direct property tax relief for seniors. But the budget is not without its potential political risks. Another last-minute addition — one of several options proposed by Murphy and agreed upon by Assembly Democrats — requires the state government workers' health program to find $100 million in savings through a committee that has labor and management representatives. The government covers most of the health care costs for employees on the state-run public worker health insurance program, which has seen rising expenses. The program — especially for local governments — is teetering on the brink of insolvency. The $100 million cut has ruptured Murphy's longtime relationship with public-sector unions. After the budget was passed, a group of unions representing state workers — including the CWA, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, AFSCME New Jersey Health Professionals & Allied Employees and Policemen's Benevolent Association — blasted the measure. Tully, the AFSCME director, said Murphy is 'out of touch' and Democratic Assemblymember Wayne DeAngelo, who is closely aligned with labor interests, abstained on the budget over the proposal. In a statement, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said he would hold hearings in July to discuss government worker health insurance and suggested that unanticipated revenues could subsidize increased costs. The budget also redirects $190 million from the Board of Public Utilities' clean energy fund to prop up NJ Transit and pad the budget surplus. Groups like Environment New Jersey and the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters criticized the decision as a gimmick and accused Democrats who are usually their allies of treating the ratepayer dollars the BPU collects like a slush fund. The budget includes modified versions of tax increases sought by Murphy. The two major tax increases raised the tax rate for online sports and online gambling as well as the sale of real estate valued over $2 million. The state budget could soon be upended, with state lawmakers keeping a close eye to the Congressional Republicans' bill that could upend Medicaid or federal funding cuts from the Trump administration. 'I think what concerns people is what's going to come out of the federal government,' Scutari said. 'Far as I can tell, that surplus can't make up for humongous federal budgetary cuts.' The budget passed 26-13 in the Senate and 52-27-1 in the Assembly on Monday. Two GOP lawmakers, Assemblymember Sean Kean and Sen. Bob Singer, crossed party lines to support it.
