President Joe Biden is reportedly considering a plan to release one million barrels of oil a day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for as long as 180 days, a move that would add a large amount of oil to the global market. The President is scheduled to deliver remarks March 31 on the administration’s “actions to reduce the impact of Putin’s price hike on energy prices and lower gas prices at the pump for American families,” a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Oil prices fell after the plan was reported with the price of West Texas Intermediate, the American crude oil benchmark, was about 5.7%t lower and Brent crude, the global benchmark, down 4.3%. The Wall Street Journal
Private-sector employment increased by 455,000 jobs from February to March, according to the March ADP National Employment Report released on March 30. According to the report, job growth was broad-based across all sectors for the month, contributing to the nearly 1.5 million jobs added for the first quarter in 2022. ROI-NJ.com
Activity in China’s manufacturing and services sectors contracted in March, the economic cost of efforts to contain the highly transmissible Omicron variant in some of the country’s most important industrial hubs. Economists at Goldman Sachs estimate the regions experiencing the worst COVID-19 outbreaks account for around 30% of China’s annual national output, underlining the strain the virus is putting on an economy already grappling with weakening overseas demand for its exports, surging commodity prices as the war in Ukraine roars on, and a homegrown property slump. The Wall Street Journal
With the Winter surge firmly in the rearview mirror, Americans are ready to return to their normal routine understanding the coronavirus will play a role in their lives. In a recent national Monmouth University poll, 73% of respondents agree with the sentiment that “it’s time we accept that COVID is here to stay and we just need to get on with our lives.” Identical numbers of respondents prefer adjusting COVID guidelines in response to new variants as they say they want no regulations at all (42%). Another 14% of those who say it is time to get on with life want to choose a consistent set of guidelines. “Our working hypothesis was that many people who support mandates simply wanted consistency in the guidelines. This new data suggests that is not necessarily the case,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute. North-JerseyNews.com
There are several bills working their way through the New Jersey legislature that would make changes made during the pandemic for dining in the Garden State permanent. The bills include extending the time period that restaurants, bars, distilleries and breweries are allowed to use tents and outdoor seating in their outdoor spaces; continue offering beer, wine and cocktails for home delivery; and getting rid of the fee for serving drinks in newly set-up outdoor dining areas. The Record
President Joe Biden stepped up pressure on Congress to approve billions of dollars in emergency coronavirus relief aid, warning that U.S. progress against COVID-19 would be at severe risk if Congress failed to act right away. “This isn’t partisan. It’s medicine. Americans are back to living their lives again; we can’t surrender that now. Congress, please act. You have to act immediately,” said President Biden. A package of $15.6 billion is being negotiated, matching the size of the smaller package that Democrats removed from a spending bill earlier this month when rank-and-file lawmakers and governors objected to clawing back state aid to help pay for the deal. It remains unclear how the package will be paid for—a Republican demand that has delayed passage. The New York Times
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will vote to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to a seat on the Supreme Court, becoming the first Republican to pledge her support for President Joe Biden’s pick to replace retiring Associate Justice Stephen Breyer. Collins said in a statement Jackson had “sterling” academic and professional credentials. While Collins disagreed with Jackson occasionally during two private meetings, and would likely disagree with some of her decisions on the bench, the Senator said “that alone, however, is not disqualifying.” New Jersey Monitor
Newark students have made scant academic progress so far this school year, according to new test scores. Based on mid-year assessments, no more than 6% of students in any grade from 3-7 are expected to reach the “proficient” level on the state math tests slated to begin next month, according to data from Newark Public Schools officials. By contrast, 27% of students in grades 3-8 met the state’s benchmarks on the annual math tests in 2019. Reading scores on the mid-year tests, which students in grades 1-7 took in February, were only slightly higher—about 10% of students or fewer are expected to meet state English standards this year. NJ Spotlight News
The New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously agreed to allow a wrongful arrest and imprisonment lawsuit against two Newark police officers to proceed, rejecting the city’s repeated efforts to shield the officers from liability. The case centered on whether public officials can continue to claim qualified immunity if a judge has already denied that protection. The State Supreme Court, in an opinion written by Justice Anne Patterson, affirmed lower courts’ rulings that held police officers accused of misconduct do not have an automatic right to appeal an order denying qualified immunity. New Jersey Monitor
A very frustrated State Senate President Nicholas Scutari says he wants an explanation as to why legal marijuana sales still are not happening in New Jersey, despite getting the nod from state voters in a November 2020 referendum. Scutari, the architect of both New Jersey’s medical and recreational cannabis laws, said he plans to form a bipartisan special committee and will ask the Assembly if members want to participate. “These delays are totally unacceptable,” said Scutari. “We need to get the legal marijuana market up and running in New Jersey. This has become a failure to follow through on the public mandate and to meet the expectations for new businesses and consumers.” North-JerseyNews.com
Cannabis entrepreneurs can now apply for a retail or medical business license in Morristown. Town officials will award licenses for two marijuana businesses in the town’s core district along Morris and South streets and in the mixed-use district near Martin Luther King Avenue under regulations approved in December 2021. Applicants have until April 13 to submit their proposals to Morristown. The Daily Record
Seven Jersey City retail cannabis applicants received planning board approval during a special meeting March 28, setting them on the path to do business in the city. The applicants are spread out across the city, located in neighborhoods such as the Heights, Journal Square and Downtown, and if approved by the city’s cannabis board and state regulators, would be among the first line of retail marijuana stores in the city to open up following the legalization of marijuana in New Jersey last year. Hudson Reporter
Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R-13) is planning legislation that would protect athletes, coaches and referees from unruly sideline conduct. Flynn said it would aim to deter bad behavior through punitive measures, and seek to add an investigatory element when harassment or unruly conduct happens at sporting events. Another component of the bill may seek to punish coaches who engage in unhealthy practices toward children, including mental and emotional abuse. NJ.com
A coalition of more than 20 environmental groups has sent a letter to demanding Montclair State University release details of its proposal to manage the New Jersey School of Conservation at Stokes State Forest, including plans to build a “green innovation center” on the site. Montclair State’s proposal has not been made public, but while presenting to the DEP, officials touched on the university’s plans to build a multimillion-dollar “green innovation center” in the rustic setting in Sussex County. “This information raises serious questions about MSU’s commitment to protecting the unique ecological and scenic assets of the school, which is located in a state forest, and appears to contradict DEP’s own request that proposals avoid ‘creating new buildings or structures’ on the site,” the letter reads. New Jersey Herald
Essex County Republicans have awarded their organization line for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th district to Morris County commissioner Tayfun Selen. Selen now has the line in Morris and Essex counties, which make up most of the Republican primary vote. Passaic County Republicans—the new congressional map includes Little Falls, Totowa, Woodland Park and part of Wayne—are backing Paul DeGroot, a former assistant Passaic County Prosecutor. New Jersey Globe
With construction wrapping up at the Newark Liberty International Airport new Terminal A, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is turning its attention to what happens at the rest of the airport. To do that, the authority is looking for a master planner with airport experience to oversee architectural, planning, engineering, and business development for the next phase of Newark Airports redevelopment. The agency put out a request for proposals for a planner or company up to the task on Monday. Proposals are due to the authority April 25. That move comes as replacement of Newark Airport’s Terminal B is the next on the schedule and as the authority looks for new air cargo opportunities. NJ.com
And finally…New Jersey native Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after an aphasia diagnosis. NJ.com
