Gov. Phil Murphy announced the expansion of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in New Jersey to include all those employed by a school district as well as government employees. At a press briefing on Aug. 23, Murphy revealed that by Oct. 18, teachers, administrators and staffers, whether full or part time, face the choice of being fully mandated or face testing of up to twice a week. The order applies to all public, private, and parochial preschool programs and elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools. The same deadline goes for all state employees—including those at state agencies, authorities, New Jersey State Police officers and public colleges and universities. North-JerseyNews.com
Gov. Phil Murphy reiterated that there will be no virtual K-12 school in September other than as a contingency plan in case of COVID-19 outbreaks and the need to quarantine sick students. “It’s been very clear to school districts that they need a contingency plan,” he said in response to several questions on the issue. “We’re taking steps to make sure that kids, educators and staff are healthy. Absent, please God, any outbreak — which would require quarantine — we’re back in business in school in person Monday through Friday, with masks.” The Record
The County College of Morris will switch to mostly online learning for the first seven weeks to start the upcoming semester. A majority of in-person classes in Randolph will resume Oct. 27 when students and employees will have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or show a negative test every week. News12 New Jersey
The U.S. gave full approval for use of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer on Aug. 23. The FDA said its review found the vaccine to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 as well as severe disease, hospitalization and death. The most common side effects by clinical trial participants who received the vaccine included fatigue, headache, joint pain, chills and fever. NJ Spotlight News
President Joe Biden pressed businesses and public leaders to implement vaccine mandates after the federal government issued its first full approval of a COVID-19 vaccine. “I’m calling on more companies in the private sector to step up with vaccine requirements that will reach millions more people,” President Biden said in remarks at the White House. “If you’re a business leader, a nonprofit leader, a state or local leader, who has been waiting for full FDA approval to require vaccinations, I call on you now to do that—require it. It only makes sense to require a vaccine to stop the spread of COVID-19.” PoliticoNJ
Gov. Phil Murphy passed on the chance to commit using federal funding to help pay down the $1.7 billion in a payroll tax increase the New Jersey business community will need to make to help replenish the state unemployment insurance fund. Noting the state signed a law several months ago that would smooth this increase out, Murphy said “Folks should expect we will be doing more. So, whether it’s specific or not to the unemployment insurance question, you should know that we are constantly thinking through how we can continue to plus up help and aid to small businesses.” ROI-NJ.com
State officials did not commit to using federal COVID-19 aid to extend the The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Unemployment Emergency Compensation programs that have provided an extra $300 weekly to claimants since January. Set to end Sept. 6, Gov. Phil Murphy said “No news on the unemployment extension,” while an official at the state Department of Labor said the agency is waiting for forthcoming guidance from the Biden Administration. New Jersey Monitor
A day after offering help with Afghan refugees being transported to the U.S., President Joe Biden is taking Gov. Phil Murphy up on his offer. At a press briefing on Aug. 23, Murphy said the Garden State would “imminently” begin to house Afghans able to escape from the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan at Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst in Burlington County. The governor did not have specifics of the operation but said he expects a “significant amount” of refugees in New Jersey that would initially be housed at the base for an unknown period of time. “We are honored to do our part,” said Murphy. “We want to do the right thing, not just for these refugees but also a statement about our blessed veterans who fought in this war.” North-JerseyNews.com
A Sussex County native was part of a U.S. Air Force crew that gained national recognition earlier this month in a rescue mission out of Afghanistan. Lt. Col. Eric Kut, an Andover Township resident and graduate of Pope John XXIII Regional High School, was the mission commander of the C-17 Globemaster aircraft that brought 823 passengers to safety from the Afghan capital of Kabul on Aug. 15, a record number of passengers for a C-17 plane according to Air Force officials. New Jersey Herald
Taliban leaders rejected a suggestion from President Joe Biden that American forces might remain past an Aug. 31 deadline to finish the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In recent days, that operation has increasingly focused on the Americans still left over the Afghans who worked with the United States. A State Department official reportedly stated that some former Afghan military interpreters or other close U.S. allies, a designated priority group for evacuations, were being turned away from the airport by American officials in order to give priority to U.S. passport and Green Card holders in recent days. The New York Times
A North Jersey woman, who was charged with breaching the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 after documenting her role in the attempted insurrection on Facebook, pleaded guilty to entering the government building. Fairfield resident Rasha Abual-Ragheb admitted on Aug. 23 to parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol, a misdemeanor crime that carries a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment and a $5,000 fine. During her hearing in Washington, D.C. federal court, Abual-Ragheb acknowledged her role but said there were “some other reasons” for why she participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol without offering any other details. NJ.com
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and a group of centrist House Democrats led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer were unable to break a deadlock over the party’s legislative strategy. Democratic leaders on Aug. 23 altered a procedural motion so that if it passes the House, the $3.5 trillion budget framework would pass at the same time as the U.S. Senate passed infrastructure bill. But plans to hold that vote were abandoned, as Speaker Pelosi said the chamber would vote on the measure on Aug. 24 as she left the Capitol after midnight. The Wall Street Journal
The State Senate Transportation Committee approved three bills, sponsored by Joseph Lagana (D-38), which would prevent bad actor bus companies from being awarded school bussing contracts, hinder the hiring of unqualified individuals as drivers and increase transparency. “We made great strides to raise the safety standards required of our drivers and buses in a previous bill package,” said State Sen. Lagana. “However, far too often, there are cases where bus companies have been cited for poor practices and then continue operating under different names.” North-JerseyNews.com
With the coronavirus pandemic spurring a work-from-home modelity, towns in the Pascack Valley are studying what the shift means for their local economies. Officials are surveying local residents, employees and business owners in eight northern Bergen County towns—Westwood, Hillsdale, Washington Township, Emerson, River Vale, Park Ridge, Oradell and Montvale— on how their work-life habits have changed, with an eye toward better planning for downtown parking, commuter services and other needs. The Record
Gov. Phil Murphy believes the state is well-prepared to hold its state elections on Nov. 2, despite the continued effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “We think we’ve got the right protocols health-wise set up,” Murphy said. “We think we’ll have the right amount of manpower.” Between standard Election Day voting, absentee ballots, and newly instituted early voting opportunities, Murphy added he feels the state has “the right package in place.” New Jersey Globe
Hoboken Councilman Jim Doyle is back in the running for four more years after previously planning to step down. Dini Ajmani, a newcomer on the Mayor Ravi Bhalla slate introduced just last week, has exited the race for one of three at-large seats “because of personal reasons that just emerged,” according to campaign officials. Doyle, who will be seeking his third term, joins fellow incumbent Councilwoman Emily Jabbour and newcomer Joe Quintero to fill out the slate. The Jersey Journal
And finally…A complete list of Paralympians with New Jersey ties competing in Tokyo starting today. New Jersey Herald
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