Voters in North Jersey are using the vote-by-mail option in record numbers for the upcoming primary election July 7 despite issues that have plagued the process in the state. Mail-in ballots have already sent record numbers in Morris, Warren, Essex, Hudson and Sussex. North-JerseyNews.com
The unemployment rate fell as the U.S. economy regained 4.8 million jobs in June. The June unemployment rate registered 11.1% as compared to 13.3% in May. The U.S. labor market is currently operating with about 15 million fewer jobs than in February. The Wall Street Journal
The nation’s unemployment rate will remain higher for the next decade than it was before the pandemic, while economic output will be depressed for years under current tax and spending policies, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Compared to earlier estimates, real GDP will be 3.4% lower for the next decade. The annual unemployment rate, which was projected to average 4.2%, is now projected to average 6.1% during the same period. PoliticoNJ
The New Jersey Economic Development Agency (EDA0 has provided over $25 million in funding to more than 6,700 businesses in the state who have been struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, the EDA’s $45 million grant program has distributed more than $11.8 million in funding to about 3,300 businesses that have applied. NJ.com
Coronavirus cases in the U.S. rose to another single-day high. The U.S. reported more than 52,000 new cases on July 2, about 1,000 more than the previous day as the country’s death toll topped 128,700, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed three executive orders July 2, including the return of the flag to full staff in time for the July 4th holiday. The two other executive orders authorized the lifting of outdoor gathering limits to 500 and the extension of the public health emergency for another month. North-JerseyNews.com
Indoor public and private swimming pools across the state are allowed to reopen with restrictions after being closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Restrictions include capacity limits of 25%, lap swimming is restricted to one direction per lane or one swimmer per lane, and swimmers must maintain social distancing. The Record
The federal investigation into past corruption in the Jersey City Police Department’s off-duty jobs program arrested another officer. Police Officer Gicella Sanchez was charged July 2 with one count of conspiracy to defraud a local government after authorities said she was paid more than $5,000 for off-duty jobs she did not work. At least 11 members of the police department, including former Police Chief Phil Zacche, have pleaded guilty to getting paid for no-show or low-show jobs. Hudson Reporter
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is making $8 million available for projects in Sussex and Warren counties. The competitive grants for the the Paulins Kill and Pequest rivers are available for ecological restoration and enhancement projects by governmental agencies or nonprofit groups for projects on the two streams which feed into the Delaware River. New Jersey Herald
Jersey City’s school district is making plans to resume in-school instruction in the fall. School officials said the district may implement a hybrid learning plan to reduce the number of students in school together, but are concerned another COVID-19 wave could hit New Jersey this summer and jeopardize a resumption of in-school learning altogether. The Jersey Journal
Club Feathers, the River Edge gay nightclub that is the oldest in the state, has set up GoFundMe campaign to avoid closure. The club is looking to raise $75,000 due to lost income when it was closed due to the COVID-19 crisis. The Record
And finally…A guide to events being held on July 4. The Record
