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As counties return to in-person meetings, some drop remote viewing options
More than 18 months into the pandemic, county commissioner boards in most New Jersey counties have returned to holding in-person meetings, and a third have ended livestreaming operations that were hailed for expanding access to government. Just five counties — Camden, Essex, Union, Middlesex, and Cumberland — are still meeting remotely. Half of the remaining […]
Four more counties given disaster declaration by FEMA for Ida damages
Residents in four more New Jersey counties will be able to apply directly for federal aid after the counties received a major disaster declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Friday. Hudson, Essex, Mercer, and Union counties were added to the major disaster list, joining six other counties that on Monday received the declaration for […]
Nine days after Ida, counties still waiting on FEMA disaster declarations
Ida-impacted New Jersey counties remain absent from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s list of initial major disaster declarations more than a week after the storm tore through New Jersey. Some counties hammered by floods left by the remnants of the hurricane — like Hudson, Essex, Union, and Mercer — were not initially issued the declaration, […]
Anti-vaccine group seeks judge’s recusal from Rutgers mandate case
Rutgers students and an anti-vaccine group suing the university in an attempt to override its vaccine mandate asked a U.S. District Court judge to recuse himself from the lawsuit, charging his time as a part-time Rutgers lecturer risks the appearance of a conflict. The suit, lodged last month by 12 current or future Rutgers students […]
Residents impacted by Ida get state, federal tax filing extensions
New Jerseyans affected by last week’s Ida-related storms will get some leeway on their tax filings, State Treasurer Liz Muoio announced Wednesday. The Division of Taxation will allow filers to submit tax returns and payments due between Aug. 26 and Jan. 3, 2022, on the later date. That includes quarterly estimated income tax payments due […]
Growing chorus of critics want to hit the brakes on N.J. electric heating mandate
A provision in the state’s energy master plan has critics clamoring for change. The Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey has launched a campaign seeking to head off portions of the state’s energy master plan that would require ubiquitous use of electric heating systems, charging they will cost households several times more than predicted while […]
Memory of 9/11 attacks fading among voters, poll finds
Twenty years later, the 9/11 attacks are further from the minds of New Jersey’s voters than they ever have been. Fewer than 1 in 5 registered New Jersey voters — 18% — regularly think about the attacks, according to a Monmouth University poll released Tuesday. That’s down from 31% of respondents in a 2011 Monmouth […]
Teachers meet school year with excitement, fear
There’s a current of fear beneath the excitement educators typically feel when they return to classrooms in early September. The cause is clear: COVID-19. “People are worried. you don’t want to give it to a young one. You don’t want to give it to an elderly grandparent,” said Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey […]
Renewed focus on N.J. flood dangers in storm’s aftermath
Wednesday’s bout of widespread flooding raised a familiar question: How can New Jersey keep its residents above water? New Jersey is uniquely vulnerable to flooding, with as much as 80% of the state’s 9.3 million residents live in flood-prone coastal zones. On Thursday, many living in those areas woke up to severe flooding and dire warnings […]
State to provide $267M in school virus testing grants
School districts around the state will receive $267 million in state aid to stand up virus testing programs as the school year begins, Gov. Phil Murphy announced this week. The funds, which state officials expect will be reimbursed using federal dollars made available under the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan, will allow schools to […]
Telehealth bill in jeopardy over cost concerns
A broadly bipartisan bill requiring insurers to cover telehealth visits even after the end of the pandemic could come under Gov. Phil Murphy’s veto pen. The measure would require insurance carriers reimburse telehealth customers at the rates used for in-person visits and bar carriers from restricting telehealth coverage based on how it is delivered, among […]
Newark ordered to negotiate vaccine mandate provisions with unions
Newark is permitted to mandate its employees get vaccinated against COVID-19, but the city must negotiate portions of the order with unions that filed to block the directive, per a Public Employment Relations Commission decision released Wednesday. The decision is a partial win for police and firefighter unions, who along with other Newark municipal worker unions […]