Author

Dana DiFilippo

Dana DiFilippo

Dana DiFilippo is a reporter for the New Jersey Monitor, a sibling site of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. She formerly worked at WHYY, Philadelphia’s NPR station, and the Philadelphia Daily News, a paper known for exposing corruption and holding public officials accountable. Prior to that, she worked at newspapers in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and suburban Philadelphia and has freelanced for various local and national magazines, newspapers and websites. She lives in Central Jersey with her husband, a photojournalist, and their two children.

Pennsylvania joins states accusing Meta of fueling children’s social media addiction

By: - October 24, 2023

The states claim that Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta knew its platforms psychologically harmed youth but hid those harms and added more to fuel youths’ social media addiction.

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver dies at 71

By: - August 1, 2023

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Y. Oliver, who made history as the first Black woman to lead the state Assembly, has died, her family announced Tuesday. Oliver, 71, has been hospitalized since at least Monday. Her family did not disclose her cause of death or other details. “She was not only a distinguished public servant […]

Johnson & Johnson, the New Brunswick-based pharmaceutical giant, faces paying billions of dollars to resolve lawsuits by people who say they got mesothelioma and other cancers from asbestos-tainted talc powders the company sold until 2020. (New Jersey Monitor)

Johnson and Johnson bankruptcy claim is a ruse to limit liability, cancer victims say

By: - July 10, 2023

The New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant, faces paying billions of dollars to resolve lawsuits filed by people who say they got cancer from its products.

Offshore windmills

Effort to expand tax incentives for wind power in New Jersey moves forward despite outcry

By: - June 28, 2023

Protester packed the statehouse to urge lawmakers to block a tax credit bill.

State prisons require visitors to call to schedule a visit, a pandemic-era hurdle some say has kept them from seeing incarcerated loved ones. (Getty Images)

A leftover pandemic restriction in N.J.’s prisons deprives some of ‘lifeline’ family visits

By: - June 8, 2023

More than three years after the state closed New Jersey prisons to visitors as a pandemic precaution, they’ve opened them up again — but a lingering requirement to schedule visits has kept visiting rooms at many facilities largely empty.

ersey Shore officials are again accusing Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers of preventing police from cracking down on underage drinking and cannabis use. (Photo by Daniella Heminghaus for the New Jersey Monitor)

Rowdy teens at the Jersey Shore shine light on controversial aspect of N.J.’s marijuana law

By: - June 5, 2023

''There has to be an honest assessment of whether there have been some unintended consequences from the laws,' an official said.

As New Jersey’s prison population grays, calls grow for ‘geriatric parole’

By: - May 23, 2023

1 in 5 people behind bars in the Garden State's state prisons are older than 50. The cost of their care is soaring.

Freight train generic

What hazardous materials travel on trains around New Jersey? It’s a secret

By: - March 22, 2023

The Association of American Railroads lists 18 pages of hazardous materials transported by rail around the country.

PRISON CALLS ART

N.J. lawmakers propose eliminating the cost of calls for incarcerated people

By: - February 27, 2023

Reformers have long called on policymakers to reduce the cost of communications in correctional facilities.

New Jersey races to meet expedited deadline to distribute water assistance — or lose it

By: - February 8, 2023

Pa. could be a downstream beneficiary of the federal funding if Garden State officials fail to act.

The New Jersey Senate voting during its session on 2/2/23. (Hal Brown for New Jersey Monitor).

N.J. lawmakers pass bill to make ‘sextortion’ a crime

By: - February 5, 2023

TRENTON, N.J. —  Using sexual images to extort victims could soon become a crime in New Jersey after lawmakers in the Senate unanimously passed legislation last week to criminalize “sextortion.” Sextortion can involve someone hacking into a person’s computer or phone to steal sexual material and threaten to distribute it, or coercing a victim into taking […]