Michael Symons

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.

States move to ban TikTok – could New Jersey join them?

Maryland, South Dakota and South Carolina decided the security threat posed by TikTok relative to China's government is too great to allow use of the app.

Does NJ have too much standardized testing in its schools?

A legislative committee questions if New Jersey requires too many state standardized tests and takes too long to announce results.

Bill would make NJ first with bike helmet mandate for adults

Legislation introduced this week would expand the bicycling helmet law to people over age 17 in New Jersey.

How bad are car thefts in New Jersey? The real numbers for 2022

An Assembly committee advanced a four-bill package aimed at car thefts Monday. The big spike in that crime began to subside in August, state data indicates.

NJ sex offender’s defense: I can’t be guilty because I’m gay

A state appeals court has denied a bid to overturn a guilty plea from someone who says he couldn't have done the crime because of his sexuality.

How they voted: NJ Assembly approves new limits on carrying guns

After narrow approval in the Assembly, the legislation now awaits two additional votes in the Senate.

Vote restores NJ bear hunt, sets its December 2022 start date

Dozens of opponents turned out at the meeting of the Fish and Game Council, which voted unanimously to restore the annual hunt.

Cruel Summer: Temps Topped 90 degrees in NJ Prisons Without AC

Nearly one-third of New Jersey's state inmates live in prison housing without air conditioning. Around 3,000 correctional officers work in those units.

Wawa Pays NJ $2.5M to Settle Credit Card Data Breach

Hackers got access to credit card data for as many as 34 million transactions in six states and D.C. in 2019, both in Wawa stores and at its fuel pumps.

Human trafficking in NJ increased during pandemic, lawmakers told

The Assembly homeland security committee kicked off the new legislative session with a hearing Monday looking at the issue of human trafficking.