🗞️ Are You Up, New Jersey?

What Happened Yesterday — February 20, 2026 Edition

Lo Sontag

Feb 20, 2026

🎙️ From The D10/11 Podcast: Your citations

🔹 PASSAIC COUNTY

The land where black ice and developers roam freely.

• There Was A Black Ice Alert:
The National Weather Service woke up and chose chaos, warning Passaic residents at 7:46 a.m. that they had about 74 minutes to avoid breaking a hip. Slip at your own risk.
🔗 https://www.nj.com/weather-alerts/2026/02/be-prepared-for-black-ice-in-passaic-county-until-thursday-morning.html

• Totowa Glow-Up:
A 27,000 sq. ft. industrial building at 611 Union Blvd. is getting “modernized” into mixed-use commercial space. Developers paid an undisclosed amount.
🔗 https://re-nj.com/legacy-commerce-park-buy-27000-sq-ft-industrial-property-in-totowa/

🔹 ESSEX COUNTY

Always doing the most.

• Newark vs. Bad Landlords:
Mayor Ras J. Baraka signed an executive order creating an annual list of the city’s worst landlords.

• Roseland + ICE??
Patch is reporting that Roseland may lease office space to ICE. Nothing says “affluent suburb” like a secret immigration office tucked between Pilates classes.
🔗 https://patch.com/new-jersey/livingston/ice-plans-lease-office-space-affluent-essex-county-suburb-report-says

• $42M for Safer Streets:
Essex County secured $42 million from NJTPA to fix 36 intersections.
🔗 https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bloomfield/sections/essex-county-news/articles/essex-county-receives-42-million-from-njtpa

• Maplewood Housing Plan Rejected:
Legal challenges plus a planning board vote = Maplewood must redo its affordable housing plan. The saga continues.
🔗 https://patch.com/new-jersey/maplewood/maplewood-s-affordable-housing-plan-jeopardy-changes-may-be-needed

🔹 UNION COUNTY

Water, housing, and door‑knockers.

• Summit Lead Line Assessments:
Contractors from CDM Smith will be knocking on doors for NJ American Water’s lead service line replacement program.
🔗 https://www.tapinto.net/towns/summit/sections/government/articles/nj-american-water-contractor-conducting-lead-service-line-assessments-in-summit-nj

• Summit Housing Plan Approved:
A Superior Court judge greenlit Summit’s affordable housing plan.
🔗 https://www.tapinto.net/towns/summit/sections/government/articles/affordable-housing-update-summit-moves-forward-after-court-approval

• Plainfield’s $3.5M Water Upgrade:
NJ American Water is replacing pipes from the 1930s.
🔗 https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/union-county/2026/02/18/plainfield-nj-water-mains-to-be-replaced-in-3-5m-upgrade/88742035007/

🔹 HUDSON COUNTY

The drama capital of New Jersey politics.

• Bhalla & Brennan vs. ICE:
After a raid at a Jersey City light rail station, Assembly members Ravi Bhalla and Katie Brennan is presenting a bill package to limit ICE’s powers.
🔗 https://hudsoncountyview.com/after-raid-in-jersey-city-light-rail-bhalla-brennan-sponsor-bill-package-to-fight-ice/#google_vignette

• Menendez Jr. Says Divest:
Rep. Rob Menendez is urging the State Investment Council to pull $130 million out of Palantir because of its ICE contract.
🔗 https://hudsoncountyview.com/menendez-urges-nj-state-investment-council-to-divest-from-palantir-citing-ice-deal/

• Jersey City Budget MELTDOWN:
The city claims former Mayor Fulop left behind a “fiscal house of cards” while chasing the governor’s mansion. The deficit is bigger than the combined cost of the police AND fire departments.
🔗 https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=6189744&pageId=21168043