Monroe Township vs. data centers | Inquirer South Jersey
And Cherry Hill schools’ lawsuit over public records has been dismissed.
Good morning, South Jersey. I’m sorry to share we may get the worst of both worlds: heat and the possibility of more storms.
Monroe Township officials are not budging their stance on data centers as they push for the dismissal of a $300 million lawsuit from a developer challenging the municipality’s recent ban.
And a judge tossed out the Cherry Hill Board of Education’s lawsuit against a journalist for filing too many public records requests.
Plus, two New Jersey municipal water systems were targeted in a nationwide cyberattack, and more news of the day.
— Taylor Allen (southjersey@inquirer.com)
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Monroe Township is doubling down on its data center ban.
Officials recently requested to dismiss a $300 million lawsuit from Hexa Builders — a Princeton-based real estate developer that wants to build a 1 million-square-foot data center — that challenges the municipality’s ban.
The saga continues as Hexa Builders pushes for the case to go back to state court instead of federal.
Meanwhile, Collingswood pursued its own ban through an ordinance that would amend the borough’s code.
Other South Jersey municipalities to consider and pass similar bans include Cherry Hill, Millville, and Medford.
The Inquirer’s Sarah Nicell has the latest on the ongoing data center sagas.
Freelance journalist Benjamin Shore can file as many public records requests as he wants in South Jersey.
When the Cherry Hill Board of Education filed a 128-page lawsuit back in February, it claimed the “numerous, repeated, and vexatious” requests he filed under the state’s Open Public Records Act qualified as harassment.
Superior Court Judge Michael Mikulski disagreed. On July 31, the judge dismissed the case and stated the district failed to provide evidence of ill-intent.
How did the district’s lawsuit get this far?
Reporter Lacey Latch draws a line from a 2024 state law that made it possible.
What to know today
Hackers targeted two New Jersey municipal water systems in a nationwide cyberattack. Three state officials, according to a report, said some analysts highly suspect the attack could be traced to Iran amid the ongoing war.
A teenager has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and other crimes after allegedly shooting at a family member while in a moving vehicle in Willingboro Township, according to officials.
The rehab work on Collings Avenue Bridge that would close it for three months is postponed until further notice. The bridge on the border of Gloucester City and Camden will remain fully operational until a new project date is determined, according to Camden County officials.
According to Gov. Mikie Sherrill, the best cheesesteaks are in Jersey at Donkey’s Place in Camden. She said they are better than the “million” she’s tried in Philadelphia.
Some Gloucester Township residents are organizing to oppose a proposal for a housing development at the site of the former Freeway Golf Course, CBS Philadelphia reports.
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🗓️ The best things to do this week
🍽️ Burlington County Restaurant Week: The county’s restaurant week ends on Saturday. Check out the list of participating restaurants for special discounts for the last few days. ⏰ Through Sat, Aug. 8 💵 Pay as you go📍Various locations.
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🧠 Trivia time
Which celebrity from Cherry Hill is searched the most on Wikipedia, according to 2025 data?
A) Lauren Cohan
B) Cristin Milioti
C) Ali Larter
D) Dominic Sessa
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re ...
🏠 Ogling: A previous House of the Week in Cherry Hill.
💭 Wondering: Did Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper secretly get married?
🍴 Considering: Food writer Kiki Aranita’s perspective on the lack of food focus in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey.
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