Students, educators, staff and visitors will be required to wear face masks indoors for the start of the 2021-2022 school year, according to an executive order from Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Aug. 6. The rule will apply to the indoor premises of all public, private, and parochial preschool, elementary, and secondary school buildings, with limited exceptions. “While this announcement doesn’t give any of us or me great pleasure…it is the one we need to make right now,” said Murphy at a press briefing. “Anyone telling you that we can safely reopen our schools without requiring a mask is quite simply lying to you. Because we can’t.” North-JerseyNews.com
Face masks should be worn indoors in all corners of New Jersey, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest masking guidelines. All 21 counties now either have “high” or “substantial” rates of coronavirus transmission, meaning masks are recommended for indoor public settings regardless of vaccination status, the CDC says. That number has risen substantially in the past eight days as just ten counties had virus levels high enough to warrant masks. Warren County was the last county to see its rates pass the threshold. NJ.com
Top U.S. public-health officials and the head of a national teachers union voiced support for COVID-19 vaccination mandates imposed at the local level. “Mandates at the local level need to be done,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Once COVID-19 vaccines receive full approval from the Food and Drug Administration, a step that Fauci said he hoped would come in a few weeks, “you’re going to see the empowerment of local enterprises giving mandates. That could be colleges, universities, places of business—a whole variety—and I strongly support that.” Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, added, “As a matter of personal conscience, I think that we need to be working with our employers, not opposing them, on vaccine mandates.” The Wall Street Journal
New Jersey Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, are slamming Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s face coverings mandate for students and teachers to wear when they return to school this Fall. Members of the GOP called it a step backwards in the state’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic and a measure that does more harm than good to children. Additionally, they believe whether a student wears a mask is a decision best left to parents—not the governor. “The science is clear: nearly all children who contract COVID-19 are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and wearing masks for children is terrible for their social and emotional development,” Ciattarelli said. North-JerseyNews.com
A New Jersey gym owner pleaded guilty in federal court Aug. 6 for his role in the attempted insurrection of the U.S. Capitol. Sussex County resident Scott Fairlamb became the first person from New Jersey to admit to taking part in the violent Jan. 6 attack and the first time someone has pleaded guilty to attacking the police during the riot. Fairlamb, held in jail since his January arrest, entered the guilty plea to one count of obstruction and one count of assaulting an officer. As part of the plea, Fairlamb agreed to cooperate with the FBI were they to request an interview, which his attorney asked to be present for. New Jersey Herald
The New Jersey Lottery Commission posted a record $3.68 billion in sales, the highest in lottery history and 14.6% higher than the previous fiscal year that ended on June 30. Lottery Executive Director James A. Carey, Jr., explained that the high sales were the result of several factors—most significantly, lottery sales were boosted because consumers had fewer options for entertainment spending during the coronavirus pandemic. The commission took several steps to adjust its operations during the pandemic leading to the record increase, including selling games over the Internet, changing draw times and conducting promotional events on social media. North-JerseyNews.com
A federal judge temporarily blocked Hackensack Meridian Health from acquiring Englewood Health. The judge sided with the Federal Trade Commission, which argued that the merger would raise prices and lower the quality of healthcare for local residents. It’s unclear whether the hospital system will press ahead with its plan to acquire Englewood, a 541-bed hospital located just eight miles from the system’s flagship Hackensack University Medical Center, and pull it into its statewide constellation of hospitals. The Record
The New Jersey Supreme Court picked John Wallace, Jr. as the tiebreaker for the Congressional Redistricting Commission, siding with the choice of Democrats for the post. “The Court considered the two persons recommended by the Commission … and, by a majority vote, selected John Wallace, Jr. to serve as the independent member,” Clerk of Court Heather Joy Baker wrote in a certification to the state. The state’s top court was tasked with picking a 13th member of the commission after Democrats and Republicans failed to arrive on a consensus choice. Wallace is a former justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. New Jersey Globe
Hoboken Councilwoman Vanessa Falco will not seek re-election, so that she can head a new Division of Housing in the city. Falco stated that devoting her full-time attention to affordable housing in the city will be the more effective outlet for her passion on the issue. The housing department will absorb the soon to be reintroduced rent control office while expanding the city’s affordable housing efforts, according to city officials. The Jersey Journal
New Jersey moved forward with new law to provide comprehensive eviction prevention for renters who were financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. What’s more, the bill will provide a level of utility assistance for those suffering under the financial strains caused by the pandemic and related shutdown measures. The legislation will appropriate an additional $500 million for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program and $250 million for utility assistance. “We have heard the continuing calls for help from New Jerseyans who are struggling to pay their rent and utilities. COVID-19 has put tenants and landlords in a difficult place, and I am pleased to say that more assistance is on the way,” said Gov. Phil Murphy at the bill signing in Union City Aug. 4. North-JerseyNews.com
New Jersey’s largest film studio opened its doors in Jersey City that is expected to host up to four “major” TV and film productions a year. The Criterion Group converted a warehouse in the industrial part of Jersey City into Cinelease Studios, Caven Point, with nearly 70,000 square feet of stage space across three sound stages. ROI-NJ.com
Jersey City will be increasing the minimum wage for municipal employees to $17 from $15 an hour, which will go into effect on Aug. 23. The minimum wage increase will affect 400 city employees, including parking enforcement and crossing guards. Hudson Reporter
The Paterson City Council temporarily moved to ban all recreational marijuana businesses despite Mayor Andre Sayegh’s plan that would have allowed as many as 36 businesses to cultivate, manufacture, sell and deliver marijuana that is projected to produce $1.5 million in annual fees. In an 8-0 vote, the council gave preliminary approval to opting out of the state’s recreational cannabis program, but members of the council have made it clear that they eventually would like to strike some sort of compromise to allow strongly regulated cannabis businesses in Paterson. The Record
Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes vetoed the borough council’s decision to ban marijuana business in the city. Wildes had 10 days to sign the veto after the council approved a ban on July 29 that would prohibit the cultivation and sale of marijuana. “I think it is ridiculous given the circumstances of this. Both Teaneck and Fort Lee have approved the sale in some capacity,” Wildes said. “I think that it would be foolish not to monetize something that will be in the city… there will be generations to come that will judge us for missing the opportunity to put money from this in the treasure chest.” The Record
And finally…The former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne was imploded Aug. 8 to make way for a large UPS distribution center to be built in their place. NJ.com
