"NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Will New Jersey voters support their incumbent congressional representatives in this fall’s contentious midterm elections?

"Their answers depend on how the question is asked, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released today.

"If the question is framed in terms of incumbency – will you vote for your current congressman? – voters who have made up their minds are split nearly evenly between incumbents and challengers.

"But, if the question is framed in purely partisan terms – will you vote for a Democrat or a Republican this fall? – voters who have made up their minds are favoring Democrats."

http://news.rutgers.edu/medrel/news-releases/2010/08/new-rutgers-eagleton-20100817

"As of January 1, 2011, the oldest, most polluting trucks servicing the New York and New Jersey ports will finally be laid to rest, thanks to the Clean Trucks Program, a collaboration of the Port Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NRDC, and industry and labor groups. (A similar program was recently implemented successfully at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, California.) Under the terms of the plan for the Port of New York and New Jersey, all pre-1994 trucks servicing the port -- about 636 vehicles -- will be replaced by newer, cleaner models. This step alone will reduce soot pollution from trucks by two-thirds and smog-forming nitrogen oxides by half. To facilitate the transition, the Port Authority and the EPA will provide truck drivers with $28 million in direct grants for up to 25 percent of the purchase price of new vehicles, as well as low-interest loans to cover the remaining costs."

http://www.onearth.org/article/in-major-us-ports-the-cleanup-begins

Lautenberg joins Holt in fight to better protect mental health of returning soldiers

"New Jersey political leaders have intensified efforts to revamp treatment resources within the Veterans Administration.

"Members of both the House and Senate have now proposed legislation in hopes of reducing the rate of suicide among returning veterans. Two new initiatives, spearheaded by Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Rep. Rush Holt (N.J.-12th District), would improve mental health support services for all veterans, as well as allocate funds for suicide prevention outreach."

http://ebs.gmnews.com/news/2010-08-12/Front_Page/Bean_inspires_Senate_bill_for_vets_services.html

"Claudia Addesso and Jill Laskowski lost their Spotswood teaching jobs in June to budget cuts, but haven’t unpacked their supplies... Each said they have been waiting, hoping for a call from the school district saying some funding has been found and they have been reinstated.

"With the two teachers smiling behind him, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12th Dist.) said today that call could come in a matter of weeks. Holt said a one-time federal cash infusion of $268 million being made available to New Jersey could be doled out to state school districts, still reeling after massive budget cuts, shortly after the beginning of the school year."

http://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2010/08/federal_funds_could_send_spots.html