Author

Dana DiFilippo comes to the New Jersey Monitor from 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.
High court hears arguments in case of Catholic teacher fired for premarital sex
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 24, 2023
A Catholic teacher's 2014 firing for premarital sex pits state discrimination-protection law against a federal religious-freedom exception.
Crisis pregnancy centers, New Jersey clash over claim of deceptive advertising
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 20, 2023
Four months after the state issued a consumer alert about crisis pregnancy centers, several centers sued and called the alert political.
Prisons commish defends ‘gobsmacking’ costs during budget questioning
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 19, 2023
New Jersey's prison population has fallen by half in the past decade, but the system's cost has remained static. Lawmakers aren't happy.
Dry winter leads to busy wildfire season in New Jersey
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 19, 2023
More than 500 wildfires have burned over 7,600 acres of New Jersey's woodlands already this year, far more than recent years.
U.S. Supreme Court backs New Jersey’s bid to quit Waterfront Commission
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 18, 2023
New York fought for five years to maintain the port-oversight partnership, citing crime concerns.
New ‘environmental justice’ rules now in place to protect pollution-choked communities
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 17, 2023
New rules took effect enabling N.J. officials to implement an "environmental justice" law to protect marginalized communities from pollution.
Abortion clinics brace for busy days ahead, as uncertainty over abortion pill mounts
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 14, 2023
Abortion advocates want more state funding after conflicting federal rulings threw the fate of abortion drug mifepristone into question.
New Jersey revamps prison mail delivery to fight drugs
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 14, 2023
N.J. corrections officials plan to digitize incarcerated people's mail to reduce drugs in prison. Critics have privacy and cost concerns.
Using state aid to end Rutgers strike could be ‘Pandora’s box,’ lawmakers warn
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 12, 2023
As Rutgers University's faculty strike heads into a fourth day, lawmakers had mixed opinions on any plan for a state bailout.
Rutgers strike forces union-loving governor onto ‘tightrope’ of competing interests
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 12, 2023
Gov. Phil Murphy's well-known support for unions puts him in a pickle as he tries to resolve Rutgers University's first faculty strike.
‘We are playing a role here,’ Governor Murphy says of Rutgers contract impasse
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 11, 2023
As Rutgers University's faculty strike ended its second day, Gov. Phil Murphy said he would use state funding to resolve the labor dispute.
As Rutgers strike heads into Day 2 without contracts, union vows continued picketing
By: Dana DiFilippo - April 10, 2023
Leaders of Rutgers University's faculty unions reported no substantial progress in contract talks Monday night. Pickets will resume Tuesday.