Quorum Call
News from the District

From the office of Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney
February 2019 Newsletter
A Message from the Assemblyman:
Dear Friend,

As we bundle up in the cold weather and move into February, we have a lot to look forward to - we're one month closer to Spring! Tomorrow is Groundhog's Day so hopefully winter will be over soon. But don't worry, the cold hasn't stopped us from working hard for you in District 40.

I'm happy to report a lot of great progress down in Trenton this past month. I'm excited to share success on several bills, including the passage of my resolution to commemorate January as NUT Carcinoma Awareness Month. Another bill that I sponsored, which eases the certification process for out-of-state nurses to come work in New Jersey, was signed into law.

We also had the State of the State Address earlier in January. Governor Murphy outlined several policies he plans to implement this year. We look forward to hearing how the Governor plans to implement his policies that he outlined during his State of the State Address when he holds his Budget Address on March 5th. My District 40 colleagues and I are dedicated to sound, fiscal, responsible measures. I vow to continue to fight for making our state more affordable.

Other news from the District and about my activities this past month are included below.
I've also included a brief section detailing February's Observances as Presidents Day and Groundhogs Day. Finally, our Spotlight feature this month highlights Nicole Richardson of Long Branch, the first female African American helicopter pilot in New Jersey!

I hope you enjoy this month's edition of Quorum Call, and remember to wish your loved ones a Happy Valentines Day later this month.

Sincerely,

Kevin J. Rooney
Assemblyman
Rooney's Recipes
Assemblyman and winner of Food Network's "Chopped" shares his favorite recipes
Super Bowl Party Baked Buffalo Wings

Serves 6-8
Ingredients for wings:

  • 3 pounds chicken wings
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder, this will crisp up the skin.
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 cup hot sauce, use your favorite
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional sweetness tempers heat)
  • Celery sticks and Carrot sticks.
  • Blue cheese dipping sauce, see recipe below.
Ingredients for dipping:

  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1-teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and place a non-stick oven safe wire rack on top of the pan.

Place the chicken wings in a bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and onion powder. Toss to coat the chicken evenly with the baking powder and spices.

Place the wings on the rack in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes or until wings are light golden brown and crispy.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for "dipping sauce" in a small bowl and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, butter and honey. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat evenly. Serve with celery sticks, carrots and blue cheese dipping sauce.
Recent News
Recent Legislation and News from Trenton
Here is some of my recent activity at the State House.
District Events
Eagle Scout Court of Honor
Senator Kristin Corrado, Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips and I attended Evan Robert Sadowski Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Congratulations Evan!
District 40 Pancake Breakfast
Senator Kristin Corrado, Assemblyman Chris DePhillips and I held our District 40 Republican County Committee Pancake Breakfast! We had an excellent turnout from the 15 towns out of 4 different counties we represent. It was great to get everyone together under one roof. Thank you to everyone who came out, especially Jack Ciattarelli who made a special trip to join us.
Meeting with the NJEA
Meeting with members of the NJEA from District 40 to discuss their continuing issues with Chapter 78, potential resolutions, and other topics of concern.
Bergen Women's Republican Club 96th Annual Luncheon

Attending the 96th Annual Meeting and Luncheon of the Bergen County Women’s Republican Club honoring Celeste Homaychak as the 2018 Outstanding Republican and Woman of the Year. Attending with me were Senator Kristin Corrado, Assemblymen Christopher DePhillips and Bob Auth, and Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi.  
Meeting with Restaurant Franchise Owners Discussing Minimum Wage
I met with franchise owners of Dunkin Donuts, Wendy’s, and McDonalds from across the state to discuss the impacts raising the minimum wage to $15 will have on their businesses.
Meeting with Deputy General Consul for Israel
I had the opportunity to meet with Israel Nitzan, the Deputy General Consul for Israel. Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Deputy General Consul Nitzan, and I discussed the importance of strengthening the relationship between New Jersey and Israel, and creating new opportunities for us to work together.
Wyckoff Ambulance Corps Reorganization
I was honored to swear in the Wyckoff Volunteer Ambulance Corps 2019 Officers.
February Observations
P residents Day

The origin of Presidents’ Day lies in the 1880s, when the birthday of Washington—commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States—was first celebrated as a federal holiday. In 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved a number of federal holidays to Mondays. The change was designed to schedule certain holidays so that workers had a number of long weekends throughout the year, but it has been opposed by those who believe that those holidays should be celebrated on the dates they actually  commemorate .

During debate on the bill, it was proposed that Washington’s Birthday be renamed Presidents’ Day to honor the birthdays of both Washington (February 22) and Lincoln (February 12); although Lincoln’s birthday was celebrated in many states, it was never an official federal holiday. Following much discussion, Congress rejected the name change. After the bill went into effect in 1971, however, Presidents’ Day became the commonly accepted name, due in part to retailers’ use of that name to promote sales and the holiday’s proximity to Lincoln’s birthday. Presidents’ Day is usually marked by public ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and throughout the country.

On this day in 1887,  Groundhog Day , featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney,  Pennsylvania . According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicting six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal–the hedgehog–as a means of predicting weather. Once they came to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition, although they switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were plentiful in the Keystone State.

Groundhogs, also called woodchucks and whose scientific name is Marmota monax, typically weigh 12 to 15 pounds and live six to eight years. They eat vegetables and fruits, whistle when they’re frightened or looking for a mate (they’re sometimes called whistle pigs) and can climb trees and swim.They go into hibernation in the late fall; during this time, their body temperatures drop significantly, their heartbeats slow from 80 to five beats per minute and they can lose 30 percent of their body fat. In February, male groundhogs emerge from their burrows to look for a mate (not to predict the weather) before going underground again. They come out of hibernation for good in March.

In 1887, a newspaper editor belonging to a group of groundhog hunters from Punxsutawney called the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club declared that Phil, the Punxsutawney groundhog, was America’s only true weather-forecasting groundhog. The line of groundhogs that have since been known as Phil might be America’s most famous groundhogs, but other towns across North America now have their own weather-predicting rodents, from Birmingham Bill to Staten Island Chuck to Shubenacadie Sam in Canada.
In 1993, the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray popularized the usage of “groundhog day” to mean something that is repeated over and over. Today, tens of thousands of people converge on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney each February 2 to witness Phil’s prediction. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club hosts a three-day celebration featuring entertainment and activities.
Consumer Tips
Tips, scam alerts, and other advice about every-day situations for consumers
Sp otlight: Nicole Richardson
First Female African American Helicopter Pilot in New Jersey
Ms. Nicole Richardson was recognized yesterday on the floor of the General Assembly. Nicole, who was raised in Long Branch, is the first African-American woman to become a helicopter pilot in the history of the State of New Jersey. Nicole has worked incredibly hard on her path to success. A graduate of Colts Neck High School, she joined the Army National Guard to help with her college expenses. After several years of service, she began the process of becoming the first female pilot in New Jersey in Spring 2015. She attended aviation school in 2016. During her training she became a mother, and completed her training and graduated in 2018. She proudly pilots Blackhawks and is now stationed in New Jersey. Thank you for your service!
Office Information
1211 Hamburg Turnpike
Suite 301
Wayne, NJ 07470
Office: (973) 237-1362
Fax: (973) 237-1367
Email: AsmRooney@njleg.org
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