AGP Executive Report

Data Center Transparency: Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a law requiring New Jersey data centers to report water and energy use to the Board of Public Utilities every six months, including cooling and IT power, peak daily water, water sources, and backup power—aimed at stopping “operate in the shadows” practices and supporting community benefit talks. Regulatory Scrutiny: A new investigation alleges a Vineland, NJ AI data center (DataOne) ran dozens of unpermitted gas generators, raising health and compliance concerns while NJDEP says it’s investigating. Cybersecurity: CISA warned that in July alone, malicious activity targeted 100+ internet-exposed systems in the U.S. water sector, with PLCs hit across multiple states including New Jersey. Public Safety/Health: Baxter recalled multiple injectables nationwide after potential fiberglass/metal contamination was found, including shipments to NJ. Local Infrastructure: Phillipsburg’s Black Bridge repair work is progressing after negotiations involving NJ DOT and Norfolk Southern, with a senator helping bridge gaps between demands and safety provisions. Consumer/Legal: A suit says an importer duped a NJ distributor to steal a grocery business. Community & Workforce: Seton Hall launched a Peace Corps Prep program for undergrads, building sector training and field experience for international service.

Big Tech & Youth Safety: Meta agreed to pay up to $18B in a landmark settlement with states, including New Jersey, ending the federal trial over claims Facebook and Instagram were built to addict kids; the deal also requires new teen guardrails like default two-hour daily limits, nighttime app blocks, muted school-hours notifications, and removal of public “like” counts. Local Politics & AI/Data Centers: More than 100 students marched in Summit urging Rep. Tom Kean Jr. to return a $7,000 donation tied to Palantir and to stop taking money from AI firms, linking AI growth to higher energy costs and data-sharing concerns. Weather & Infrastructure: A new round of severe storms is set to raise flood risk across NYC and Northeast New Jersey, with damaging wind and an isolated tornado possibility. Water Security: CISA says 100+ internet-exposed water and wastewater systems were targeted in July, including in New Jersey, highlighting ongoing OT cyber risk. Business & Retail: Burlington Stores reported strong Q2 results with 11% sales growth and 15th straight quarter of double-digit EPS growth. Food & Farming: Edible Garden won an expanded Target fresh herb program for the holiday season, signaling continued growth in controlled-environment produce.

Big Tech & Youth Safety: Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1B (and in some reports up to $18B) and overhaul Facebook/Instagram for teens, including default daily time limits, nighttime blocks, stronger age checks, and tighter content/parent controls—a settlement led by states including New Jersey that ends a high-profile federal trial. Local Governance & Energy Infrastructure: New Jersey is nearing 40 municipal data-center bans, with Jackson becoming the latest (plus Stafford, North Brunswick, and East Brunswick), as residents cite electric bills, resource strain, and environmental impacts. Healthcare Costs: A Medicare GLP-1 “$50 bridge” program is leaving some eligible patients out—KFF reports denials can hinge on whether a person’s diagnosis matches FDA-approved uses beyond weight loss. Public Safety & Weather: A flood watch is in effect for the broader Philadelphia region, with the risk of 3–5 inches of rain and possible severe storms. Workplace Safety: Reuters reports Taylor Farms repeatedly failed to submit required workplace injury logs, raising questions about transparency around safety performance. Transit & Local Culture: NJ TRANSIT is temporarily branding the North Jersey Coast Line as the “Bleachers Coast Line” for the band’s Asbury Park festival.

Child-Safety Crackdown on Social Media: Meta agreed to pay up to $16.68B–$17.1B and roll out major Instagram/Facebook reforms after a landmark lawsuit by states, including New Jersey, alleging addictive design and improper data practices involving minors. Local Real Estate Negotiation: A Princeton/Essex-area Compass agent urged buyers and sellers to stay composed in competitive NJ home deals, warning against adrenaline-driven overbids. Cannabis Retail Expansion: LEVIA launched its THC seltzers in New Jersey dispensaries, expanding beyond its Massachusetts base. Aging-in-Place Care: Applause Home Care opened a new Maplewood office to expand non-medical in-home caregiving. Aviation & Jobs: United Airlines said 8 of 10 new international destinations in 2027 will originate in Newark, signaling continued growth for NJ air travel. World Cup Economic Boost: A final analysis put the 2026 World Cup’s economic impact at $3.5B across New York and New Jersey. Health Costs Watch: Reporting highlighted that Medicare’s $50 GLP-1 pilot can still exclude some patients, including cases like severe sleep apnea. Public Safety: A Trenton house fire killed two children, and separate reporting described a fatal crash in Mays Landing after teens allegedly stole a G-Wagon.

Logistics Expansion: GOFO opened a bigger Dallas Central Primary Hub, adding 200,000 sq. ft. and a double-deck cross-belt sorter that doubles capacity to 800,000 parcels per day, with NJ’s Super Hub and a Los Angeles anchor forming its U.S. network. Courts & Insurance: A Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling says public policy won’t automatically block insurance coverage for sex-trafficking-related claims, a decision tied to questions from the Third Circuit. Transportation Safety: Two women died after a tractor-trailer overturned onto a stopped sedan on I-78 in Newark; the crash remains under investigation. NJ Transit Finance: NJ Transit’s World Cup shuttles ended with a $4M loss, but cost recovery hit 93%—with losses capped at 7 cents per dollar spent. Tech & Kids Safety: Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified in Meta’s teen addiction trial, saying the “Take a Break” feature helped but had low uptake before becoming a default. Energy & Grid: Clean-energy advocates argue renewables are the fastest path to lower NJ power bills, warning against building more fossil infrastructure. Industrial Services: Tri-State Laser Cleaning announced mobile laser cleaning across NJ/NY/PA for rust, coatings, and surface prep at customer sites. Public Health & Agriculture: Scientists warn about the spread risk of the Asian longhorned tick, first found in NJ in 2017, as it expands through more states. Workplace Safety Policy: Oregon proposed a healthcare workplace violence prevention rule, requiring assessments, programs, and annual training.

Paid Leave Policy: A new expert look at permanent paid family and medical leave highlights how the federal Employer Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave (45S) can help businesses manage costs while improving recruiting and retention. Public Health & Retail Pharmacy: Stop & Shop says flu vaccines for 2026-2027 are now available at all its Northeast pharmacies, with pharmacists administering shots and other respiratory vaccines. Healthcare Access & Costs: A Medicare GLP-1 “Bridge” pilot is leaving some New Jersey patients out, with one denied applicant citing obstructive sleep apnea as a disqualifier. Blood Supply Crunch: New Jersey Blood Services reports an “unprecedented” shortage and urges donations; the state health commissioner is scheduled to donate at a Freehold center. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure: A policy-focused warning flags cyberattacks as a major threat to water, pipelines, supply chains, and power grids, pointing to recent port disruptions. Last-Mile Delivery Rules: A NYC push tied to the Delivery Protection Act could reshape gig and subcontracted delivery models nationwide, with Amazon at the center of the fight. Tech, Finance & Growth: Capital Numbers completes a New Jersey-based Epitome Cloud acquisition to expand Salesforce and enterprise transformation services. Community & Services: Paterson’s library plans a 24-hour self-service kiosk to extend access for residents without nearby branches. Local Education Disputes: Deptford’s Gloucester County Institute of Technology faces fresh lawsuits over staff cuts and alleged discrimination. Construction Watch: A slow Watertown construction season shows how permitting delays can stall retail projects. Business & Labor: Valley National Bancorp signs to acquire Providence Financial in a deal aimed at accelerating retail and small-business growth. Lottery: Seventeen NJ players won $10,000+ in recent Powerball/Mega Millions/New Jersey Lottery drawings.

Food Safety Watch: A multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak tied to imported jalapeños has sickened 431 people across 32 states, including New Jersey, with Chipotle and Qdoba-linked recalls underscoring how one contamination event can trigger multiple product alerts. Coastal Resilience: Acting NJDEP commissioner Ed Potosnak toured the Shark River basin and pushed “living shorelines” as a nature-based fix for more frequent nuisance flooding, including a 2,000-foot project in Neptune Township. Burlington County Infrastructure: Residents can weigh in on a $30M boardwalk-style Rancocas Creek Greenway extension under Route 130, aiming to connect Delanco to Willingboro and Delran. Public Safety Tech Debate: Westfield residents are vandalizing Flock license plate reader cameras amid surveillance concerns, while police say the data helps track stolen cars and missing persons. FTC Consumer Data Scrutiny: The FTC is seeking comment on a personalized pricing enforcement policy that could target retailers using personal data to set individualized prices. Energy & Industry: Ocean Power Technologies will join a Water Tower Research fireside chat on its growing backlog and Coast Guard-related recurring revenue. Legal/Insurance: A NJ federal court ruled an AIG unit owes primary coverage for a $4.75M ambulance crash settlement. Local Business: Aldi is moving into a former Price Chopper site in Taylor, reflecting ongoing retail turnover in the region.

Global Investment Push: Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel wrapped a week-long U.S. and Canada trip with a stop at BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Jersey and a “Garvi Gujarat Global New Jersey” event urging the Gujarati diaspora to invest in sectors like manufacturing, exports, semiconductors and fintech. Food Access in Camden: A FEED NJ-funded program is giving Camden residents free door-to-door rides to grocery stores in Cherry Hill, aiming to close gaps left by the city’s long-running lack of a full-service supermarket. Transportation Disruption: A tractor-trailer overturned early on the southbound Turnpike exit ramp to Route 18 in East Brunswick, shutting down lanes and snarling the morning commute. Lottery & Pop Culture: The New Jersey Lottery is partnering with Jon Bon Jovi for statewide scratch-offs launching Oct. 5, with $5 tickets offering prizes up to $200,000. Local Business Expansion: Crust, a pizza concept targeting the Northeast, says it’s eyeing northern New Jersey for future franchise growth. Public Safety: Middlesex County prosecutors are investigating a police-involved shooting in Sayreville after officers responded to reports of a knife-wielding man. Real Estate & Demand: A new report says foreign buyers pulled back from U.S. existing homes in 2026, with international purchases hitting the second-lowest level since 2009.

Film & Tourism: The Location Managers Guild International Awards crowned Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” and Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” with “Marty Supreme” credited for shooting across New Jersey and the Hudson Valley. Workforce & Trust: A new report highlights “ghost jobs” that never lead to interviews, with Greenhouse analysis finding roughly 19% of online postings show no real hiring activity—fueling frustration for job seekers. Energy & Industry: Tariffs and geopolitical tensions are clouding manufacturing supply chains, pushing companies to think in longer horizons and adding uncertainty for ports and industry leaders. Business Deal: Powers sold regional HVAC/control divisions in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alabama to New Jersey-based Albireo Energy, aiming to protect customer relationships and staff culture. Local Economy: New Jersey lost an estimated 25,600 jobs in July, though officials warn the drop may be overstated; unemployment edged down to 4.4%. Public Safety & Weather: NWS confirmed a 6th tornado tied to Thursday’s storms, including an EF-1 in Delaware and additional impacts across the region. Consumer Alerts: Fromm recalled wet dog food over possible metal contamination; pet owners are urged to check lot codes and stop feeding affected cans. Infrastructure & Growth: NJEDA approved up to $75M in tax credits for Asbury Park’s $130M Convention Hall restoration, targeting a reopening as a year-round performing arts center.

Cybersecurity & Energy: Iran-linked hackers reportedly shut down a UK power plant for four days, prompting the British government to brief power executives and issue guidance; the outage was tied to a broader wave of US water-infrastructure attacks. NJ Business & Community: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel used a New Jersey stop to court the Gujarati diaspora for investment, including meetings with industry leaders and a visit to BAPS Akshardham in Robbinsville ahead of Vibrant Gujarat 2027. Film & Education: Rutgers’ New Jersey Film Festival is adding two free, in-person workshops in September—one on getting started in film and another on the law and business of motion pictures. Public Safety: The National Weather Service confirmed five tornadoes across its Mount Holly area, including Atlantic County, NJ, as storm surveys continued. Local Economy & Food: NJ Sen. Cory Booker visited Warren County farmers to push on food access and affordability. Consumer Watch: Two dog-food recalls hit New Jersey distribution—one for possible Salmonella and another for potential metal contamination.

Weather & Infrastructure: The National Weather Service confirmed five tornadoes tied to Thursday storms, including an EF-1 near Dover, plus additional tornadoes in Marydel (Kent County) and Estell Manor (Atlantic County), with damage reported to homes, a motel, and a warehouse. Energy Security: Iran-linked hackers reportedly shut down a UK power plant for four days, raising alarms about foreign cyber threats to critical infrastructure. Immigration Courts: A federal judge vacated a Trump policy that suspended visa processing from 75 countries, saying it exceeded statutory authority and improperly blocked eligible applicants. NJ Public Life & Industry History: Paterson unveiled “Carriers of Light and Labor,” a public art exhibition funded by a Mellon Foundation grant and tied to Rutgers’ work on immigrant labor history and industrial roots. Manufacturing/Materials: Princeton Critical Minerals says its brine-based lithium platform is scaling from pilot to active production in Chile, targeting higher yields for a growing critical-minerals demand. Retail/Real Estate: Fogo de Chão announced a new New Jersey location in Monmouth County at Freehold Raceway Mall, adding to its Paramus, Wayne, and Bridgewater footprint.

Local Land Use: Jersey City Council voted to ban data centers as a primary use of industrial property, joining Howell and other NJ towns that say the facilities bring heavy power and water demand with limited local jobs. Consumer & Privacy Policy: New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a children’s online safety package, including an Age-Appropriate Design Code that adds privacy and design requirements for covered platforms starting Sept. 1, 2027, plus a Social Media Research Center and related studies. Tech & Courts: A former Meta product design manager sued in NJ, alleging retaliation after he refused to sign an immigration support letter for a Chinese engineer and raised concerns about Meta’s immigration assistance practices. Real Estate: A 334-unit West Orange complex tied to Thomas Edison’s battery work sold for $131M, highlighting continued demand for historic industrial-to-mixed-use conversions. AI/Manufacturing Talent: A 17-year-old Swedesboro student used AI and 3D-print cooling patterns to predict plastic strength, aiming to improve how parts are tested.

Defense & Media: The Pentagon moved to fire Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, escalating a fight over editorial independence inside the Department of Defense. NJ Manufacturing & Defense Tech: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Rep. Tom Kean Jr. visited Hunterdon County’s Magna-Power Electronics, touting a $17.8M Air Force grant tied to hypersonic wind-tunnel power systems. Consumer Protection & Health Policy: A federal trial is underway over whether Meta designed Facebook/Instagram to addict youth, while separate coverage highlights Medicare payment pressure that’s pushing cataract surgery toward higher-cost laser options. Energy & Data Centers: Project Gold’s data-center plan in Pennsylvania was scaled back after community pushback over density and power/water impacts, and NJ’s own data-center debate continues with local bans and state-level scrutiny. FTC & Pricing Rules: The FTC is seeking public comment on “personalized pricing,” signaling potential enforcement if consumer data-driven pricing isn’t clearly disclosed. NJ Courts & Privacy: NJ Medicaid fee rules face legal challenges, and a separate privacy fight blocks a federal push for massive CDL driver data. Local Business & Community: Bayonne advanced in the Little League World Series with a 3-1 win over host East Side.

Abortion Policy Clash: Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed S2260 expanding protections for NJ abortion providers while limiting cooperation with investigations tied to out-of-state abortion laws, drawing sharp criticism from pro-life groups. Data Centers & Local Power: Howell Township became the 33rd NJ municipality to ban data centers, adding to the growing fight over energy demand and grid strain. Energy & Costs: AAA says crude-driven fuel prices pushed the national regular gas average to $4.10, with California at $5.59. Housing Wealth Snapshot: A LendingTree study finds Americans hold a record $34.9T in home equity; NJ ranks mid-pack with a median reported equity of about $295K. Consumer Pricing Watch: The FTC warned businesses that secretly using personal data to set individualized prices could violate federal law. Aviation & Tourism: BermudAir will launch nonstop Newark–South Caicos service this winter, boosting regional connectivity for travelers. Business Growth: Core Development Group, an NJ EPC firm, landed on the Inc. 5000 list for fast growth in complex energy projects. Local Safety/Enforcement: Point Pleasant council said it had “no information” about an ICE-related incident that led to a pedestrian being struck while fleeing agents. Healthcare Community Grant: Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center’s advisory board awarded $10,000 to Summit Area YMCA’s LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA cancer-survivor program. Tech & Legal Pressure: A landmark Meta youth-addiction trial is underway, with NJ among states participating in the case. Bankruptcy Watch: Poolin’s Bitcoin mining assets are headed toward a court-supervised auction process in NJ, with a September 10 target date.

Meta Child-Safety Trial: A former Meta engineering director testified that Zuckerberg’s culture put growth and engagement ahead of child safety, as states including New Jersey press claims Meta designed Instagram and Facebook to hook users under 13 and mishandled data/privacy. NJ Weather & Power: Thursday’s severe storms hit New Jersey with flash-flood warnings, heavy rain (over 1.5 inches in multiple towns), road flooding, and power outages affecting more than 9,000 customers. Reproductive Health Law: Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed a bill creating new criminal and civil penalties for alleged “interference” with abortion and transgender medical procedures, drawing warnings from pro-life groups about chilling prayer outside clinics. Local Economy: New Jersey reported a July nonfarm jobs drop of 25,600, though the state labor department says the decline may be overstated due to seasonal adjustment issues. Clean Water Tech: A NJ-linked research nonprofit partnership highlights simpler, community-ready clean water treatment approaches for places struggling with turbidity and unreliable water access. Education: Newark Public Schools outlines the new school year’s priorities and budget pressures as literacy remains a top issue and leadership changes roll out.

Meta Child-Safety Trial: A former Meta engineering director testified in Oakland that Instagram used a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach for kids under 13, with product design driven by profit and engagement despite internal mental-health concerns; the multi-state case led by California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey seeks major penalties and could force platform changes. Consumer Data & Pricing Rules: The FTC is seeking public comment on how “personalized pricing” should be disclosed, warning that undisclosed data-based price differences could be unfair or deceptive. Cybersecurity for Water Systems: Federal agencies warn hackers are targeting Siemens S7 controllers used in water and wastewater, with AI helping generate exploit scripts—raising risks for downtime and safety. Local Tech Infrastructure Fight: Jersey City’s council voted unanimously to ban standalone data centers, while developers are increasingly taking similar bans to court. Energy Jobs in NJ-Linked Supply Chains: INNIO announced a $300M Waukesha expansion tied to decentralized power demand, including for data centers. Business & Housing: Hovnanian reported fiscal Q3 results; and NJ’s cannabis labor peace agreement mandate was ruled preempted by federal law.