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
NJ law would alert victims when seized guns are returned
People who petition for extreme risk protection orders or are victims of domestic violence would have to be given a heads-up before seized weapons are returned.
NJ considers allowing COVID vaccines at dentists, eye doctors
Lawmakers look to expand access points to the COVID-19 vaccine. Skeptics worry about doses being wasted at individual offices as opposed to mega-sites.
Plan advances to boost indoor capacity of NJ restaurants
An Assembly committee Wednesday endorsed a six-bill package aimed at helping restaurants and other small businesses.
With lots of changes, anti-bullying bill advances in NJ
"Mallory's Law," the bill's now-unofficial name, would increase the potential fines levied on families that blow off required anti-bullying classes.
Shortage may prompt NJ to accept out-of-state teacher licenses
The pandemic has made a growing problem even worse: A shortage of candidates for teaching positions. Making it easier to recruit from out of state may help.
From K-12 to college, concern about pandemic’s mental health toll
Nine bills advance through Assembly committees aimed at preparing for what one lawmaker calls New Jersey's next crisis.
Packing peanuts: The next thing NJ might ban
Fresh off the enactment of a ban on single-use plastic and paper bags, lawmakers seek to increase the recycled content in plastics such as drink bottles.
Big wineries delivering in NJ? Legislature mulls the idea
Bills are being considered that would allow large wineries to directly ship to consumers and for permits for wine consultants who oversee private tastings.
Tell your county if you get ballots for dead or former residents
Voter registration rolls aren't fully accurate, so ballots have been mailed to people who have moved or passed away.
Mail-in voter fraud ‘exceedingly rare,’ says Rutgers expert
Professor says voter fraud doesn't happen much, especially at a scale to sway elections. It's far more common for legitimate votes to be excluded.
Miracle-Gro helps NJ marijuana supporters outspend opponents 131 to 1
Campaign finance reports filed with the state show backers of legalized recreational marijuana have raised more than $131 for every $1 by opponents.
NJ ban on plastic and paper bags approved — now it’s up to Murphy
Single-use bags and polystyrene food packaging will be phased out in the spring of 2022, and plastic straws will be only on-demand in a year, if it's signed.