State Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-40) has introduced legislation that calls for an end to weekly testing for New Jersey public school employees who did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Corrado offered the state currently has the lowest level of risk where no restrictions are necessary as per CDC guidance. “New Jersey’s public health emergency supposedly ended on March 4 and yet public schools are still testing teachers, staff, bus drivers, and other K-12 school employees for COVID-19 on a weekly basis,” said the Passaic County lawmaker on April 6. “Not only does such a policy impose restrictions and undue burdens on educators, it undermines the guidelines of the CDC itself. There is just no rational explanation for this policy whatsoever.” North-JerseyNews.com
A federal appeals court on April 7 reversed a decision blocking the White House from requiring federal workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In September 2021, President Joe Biden said that the vast majority of federal workers had to be vaccinated or they would face disciplinary measures. But a preliminary injunction, instated in January by a federal judge in Texas, stopped the Biden administration from enforcing that mandate. In a 2-1 vote, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the judge in Texas, Jeffrey Brown, did not have the jurisdiction to block the mandate and that the lawsuit challenging the mandate, which was filed by the group Feds for Medical Freedom, should be dismissed. The New York Times
New Jersey on April 7 reported another 11 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 1,710 confirmed positive tests as the stealth omicron variant continues to cause a rise in cases after the initial omicron variant surge subsided. There were 413 patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases across the state’s 71 hospitals—the first time since March 22 more than 400 patients were reported. New Jersey’s transmission rate was 1.13 and statewide daily positivity rate for tests conducted April 2, the most recent day available, was 7.22%. NJ.com
The U.S. Senate on April 7 confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to have a seat on the highest court in the U.S. Judge Jackson is now in line to replace Justice Stephen G. Breyer when he retires at the end of the court’s session this Summer, making her a justice in waiting. The New York Times
Sen. Cory Booker stated the selection of Jackson means “for the first time in America’s history, a Black woman will sit on the highest court in our nation’s land. Like many Americans, I feel immense pride and so much joy at this historic occasion.” Here is a roundup of statements from North Jersey lawmakers. North-JerseyNews.com
A Russian missile attack of a train station killed more than 30 and injured more than 100 people that was being used by thousands of civilians trying to evacuate the country’s Donbas area, Ukrainian authorities said. The bombing comes as the United Nations General Assembly voted to suspend Russia from its human-rights council after dead Ukrainian civilians were found over the past week when Russian troops retreated from towns near Kyiv. Residents of Bucha described how Russian soldiers killed civilians during their monthlong occupation. The Wall Street Journal
The House passed a measure that would replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund by $42 billion, a program that previously paid out $923 million to 3,086 applicants in New Jersey. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate with both U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker as co-sponsors. “Few industries have been hit hardest during the pandemic than the food and beverage industry,” said Rep. Donald Payne Jr. “Many restaurants are family-owned small businesses that have been passed down through generations. We must do everything we can to support these small businesses until our economy recovers.” NJ.com
The Department of Agriculture forecasts grocery store prices to go up another 4.5% to 5% on top of the 9% shoppers are seeing now. The USDA says restaurant prices are forecast to rise even faster, up to 6.5%. Beef and veal will be particularly impacted, which are expected to increase up to 7%. Additionally, the avian flu is causing chicken prices to go up around the same amount. News12 New Jersey
President Joe Biden’s top economic adviser said restoring the federal deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) could be part of the final tax bill even though the White House left the provision out of its 2022-23 budget proposal. Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council, said the President’s proposal contained his priorities, and would support other provisions like the SALT deduction if Congress insisted on including them. “The President has his tax priorities,” said Deese. “The President wants to see those advanced. As you all have seen, the President is not only open to but ready to and demonstrates his ability to compromise.” NJ.com
Construction to replace the Portal North Bridge that carries hundreds of NJ Transit and Amtrak trains over the Hackensack River has been given the green light to start. A “notice to proceed” has been issued to allow contractors to start building the new $1.5 billion bridge. NJ Transit’s construction contract to build the bridge was awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV) in October 2021. NJ1015.com
A comprehensive package addressing childcare in New Jersey is Teresa Ruiz first major legislative effort since being named State Senate Majority Leader earlier this year. Ruiz (D-29) on April 5 rolled out a suite of bills she said would address the needs of providers, employees and parents with an overall price tag of $350. “As we face worker shortages across industries, reducing the cost of childcare will allow more parents to return to the workforce at a time when we need it most,” said the Essex County lawmaker. “This multipronged approach works to tackle this issue from every angle to ensure the maximum impact on our economy and our children.” North-JerseyNews.com
Detectives have determined the shooting April 7 at the American Dream mall in Bergen County was an isolated incident, and authorities are still searching for the gunman, according to a statement from the New Jersey State Police. Authorities were called to the mall at 5:50 p.m. for a report of a shooting inside, and when they arrived they found one man had been shot, resulting in him being hospitalized. After the shots were fired, the mall was immediately locked down and troopers cleared the building and began escorting patrons outside. The Daily Record
A majority of Garden State residents wants to see Democrats keep control of Congress. A new Monmouth University Poll released on April 7, 43% of the state want a Democratic Congress while 34% favor Republicans to flip control of the Senate and House. Among Independents in New Jersey, preference for partisan control of Congress is evenly split at 29%. With leaners added, the number goes to a statistical tie: 43% for Democrats and 42% for Republicans. The Monmouth poll did not separate data by congressional district. InsiderNJ
Additionally, the poll found most New Jerseyans want a bigger say in presidential primaries. Fifty two percent of New Jersey adults back moving the state’s primaries from June to February, including majorities of Democrats (60%) and Independents (53%). The poll’s findings come as a top New Jersey Democrat last month urged national Democratic leaders to consider adding New Jersey to the list of early primary states, arguing its diverse and compact nature would make it a better venue than overwhelmingly White states like Iowa and New Hampshire that currently occupy the earliest slots. New Jersey Monitor
The New Jersey gym owner who gained national attention in 2020 for defying COVID-19 restrictions informed police that he was running for Congress after he was arrested March 27 on charges of drunken driving in Cinnaminson, video released by police from the traffic stop shows. The dashcam from the police cruiser shows Atilis Gym owner Ian Smith swerved out of his lane on Route 130 north multiple times, including nearly veering into another car before the officer pulled him over and failing a field sobriety test. Smith refused to take a Breathalyzer test at Cinnaminson police headquarters due to his distrust in government and the way he had been treated during the COVID shutdown, a spokesman for Smith said. PoliticoNJ
A Rutgers University law professor seeking the Democratic nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 8th district is testing the limits of a New Jersey law on ballot slogans for candidates running off the organization line. New Jersey has ruled Eugene Mazo can not use slogans he submitted on his nominating petitions. Mazo used the slogan “Supported by the Governor” in the Union County portion of the district and “Endorsed by the New York Times” in Hudson County. The New Jersey Division of Elections rejected those slogans because Mazo didn’t have the consent of Murphy or the New York Times to use their names. New Jersey Globe
Hackensack will meet its remaining affordable housing obligations with the construction of an apartment building on a municipal lot just off Main Street that includes 60 units of low- and moderate-income housing, a Superior Court judge. A settlement between the city and the Fair Share Housing Center was initially approved in 2020, but several projects that were part of that agreement have since fallen through or been delayed. The 60 affordable units, included in a redevelopment plan recently approved by the City Council for a 15-story, 268-unit residential building, will replace the loss of the other low- and moderate-income projects. The Record
Sussex County commissioners won’t support changing the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area’s designation to a national park without more information. A resolution stated the Sierra Club chapters of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, behind the drive to make the recreation area a national park, “have offered limited insight, information, communication and clarification as to the scope and effect of said designation.” The commissioners want to know how the designation change will affect hunting and fishing in the area, what activities will and won’t be allowed, any fee changes and if the designation change calls for “plans for acquisition of public and private lands by eminent domain or any other means.” New Jersey Herald
Stricter cannabis regulations were passed by Hoboken’s city council. The amended cannabis regulations now prohibit cannabis establishments within 600 feet of a school or early childhood facility, limits the total number of establishments to six, excludes them from the C-3 commercial zone and requires notice of public hearings related to cannabis store applications to neighbors within 200 feet of the location. The Jersey Journal
And finally…The Mets won their first game of the season on the road in Washington while the Yankees will face the Boston Red Sox today to kick off their 2022 Season.
