One of the last COVID-19 mask mandates has been rescinded in New Jersey. Gov. Phil Murphy removed the mask requirements in public transportation settings, including on NJ Transit buses and trains as well as Newark International and Teterboro airports. “We’ve followed the feds from moment one,” said Murphy. “I don’t have a sense as to whether or not the administration is close to changing that. I’ll bet you there’s not a lot of appetite for that.” The move comes the day after a federal judge in Florida struck down the mask order, less than a week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had extended it through May 3. North-JerseyNews.com
The Biden Administration intends to appeal the ruling that struck down a federal mask requirement on public transportation—but only if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decides that extending the measure is necessary. The Justice Department and the CDC released a statement that it disagreed with the district court’s decision and will appeal “subject to C.D.C.’s conclusion that the order remains necessary for public health.” The New York Times
New Jersey on April 19 reported 11 new COVID-19 deaths and 1,357 confirmed positive tests as two new “stealth omicron” subvariants have been detected in New Jersey. The state Department of Health said New Jersey had 80 confirmed cases of the “stealth omicron” subvariants BA.2.12 and BA.2.12.1. There were 393 patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases across the state’s 71 hospitals with the rate of transmission declining from the day before to 1.28. NJ.com
Ukraine’s allies are scrambling to deliver more advanced weapons to bolster the nation’s defense against an escalating Russian campaign to capture the east. Russia’s new offensive—and the ability of Ukraine’s trench-based forces in the Donbas region to fend it off—is expected to rely on long-range missiles, howitzers and armed drones. President Joe Biden said after a call with allies on April 19 that the United States would send more artillery designed for such attacks. He is expected to announce more military aid soon. The New York Times
Sen. Cory Booker is joining several of his colleagues this week on an overseas trip to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Booker, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is part of a delegation meeting with foreign leaders and U.S. troops on their visit to Germany, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, India and Nepal on their eight-day trip. “This strong congressional delegation will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. military leadership and troops in Poland in order to learn how the U.S. can continue to support Ukraine and our NATO allies against Russia’s unprovoked and unwarranted war,” the delegation said in a statement. NJ.com
New Jersey’s revenue collections were up again for the month of March and the state added 17,800 nonfarm jobs, but the state Department of the Treasury pointed to an “impending slowdown” in collections. March revenue collections for the major taxes totaled $3.553 billion, an increase of $732.0 million, or 25.9% above March 2021. Fiscal year-to-date collections of $29.4 billion were up $5.1 billion or 20.9% above the same nine months last year. In addition to predicting slowed revenue growth in the future, Treasury said March collections were “artificially elevated to a certain degree because payments last March were lower due to the extended May income tax filing deadline.” North-JerseyNews.com
Thursday’s debut of recreational marijuana sales in Paterson won’t generate any additional money for city government as municipal officials never adopted an ordinance imposing a local tax on the recreational cannabis purchases. Councilman Al Abdelaziz said he was working with City Council President Maritza Davila and the municipal law department to expedite an ordinance that would put in place local taxes on the recreational marijuana. Davila said the council would address the cannabis tax void in the “near future.” The Record
New Jersey Democrats paid a political price for being “off mainstream” in the last election, according to State Senate President Nick Scutari. “I think whenever a political party gets too off mainstream, they pay a price for it,” Scutari (D-22) said during an event at Rowan University April 18. “You hear people … loud from the left, loud from the right. And then there’s this kind of mainstream America, which I’m a believer is where most people are. I thought that the campaign in New Jersey was almost a primary election that was run instead of the general election. I think that was reflected at the polls. A much closer election than we had anticipated.” PoliticoNJ
State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11) plans to introduce a bill to make sure curriculums are published on New Jersey school district websites in the Summer, ensuring families can ask questions about the lessons, and reinforce parents’ right to opt their children out of sex education classes. Gopal, chair of the State’s Senate Education Committee, said the move is needed as politicians and political operatives have “purposely spread misinformation and false claims that cause concern for well-meaning parents” about such classes. NJ1015.com
The Biden Administration will make it easier for lower-income student-loan borrowers to get debt forgiveness through an existing program that has enrolled millions of people, but provided few with relief. The changes would apply to an income-based program for repaying student loans, allowing around 3.6 million people—nearly 10% of all student-loan borrowers—to receive at least three years of credit toward eventual debt forgiveness. The program, referred to as income-driven repayment plans, permits borrowers to pay a certain percentage of their income on loans for 20 to 25 years and have the rest of their balances forgiven. The Wall Street Journal
With two weeks until New Jersey’s plastic bag ban goes into effect, residents still have questions because very few residents know “a lot” about the law, a new poll found. While 7 in 10 residents know stores will be barred from handing out single-use plastic bags starting May 4, just a third say they know a lot about the ban, according to a poll released by Monmouth University. Overall, residents support some type of plastic bag ban, with about 58% saying they should either be banned, or available only for a small fee. New Jersey Globe
Progressive activists want state officials to use the $3 billion in unused federal pandemic relief funds to reach out to vulnerable populations and help all residents recover from the pandemic. During a virtual event, activists criticized the state Legislature for failing to hold public hearings on how the billions would best serve the state and listed potential ways they hope state officials will use the American Rescue Plan funds to directly help struggling residents, including renters, essential workers, houseless residents, and people of color. New Jersey Monitor
The state is attempting to obtain environmental justice for the residents of Lodi. The state’s offices of Attorney General and Environmental Protection recently filed suit against Connecticut-based Hexcel Corporation, allegedly the chemical company is responsible for damaging New Jersey’s precious natural resources by contaminating groundwater at the site of its former manufacturing plant at the Main Street location it once operated a plant out of. “Actions like the one we take today send a clear and important message to parties responsible for contaminating the public’s natural resources: when you pollute the environment, not only must you stop and clean up your pollution, you also must restore the natural resources that were injured and compensate the public for their loss,” said New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. North-JerseyNews.com
Gov. Phil Murphy renewed his call for state lawmakers to pass a package of bills to further tighten New Jersey’s gun-control laws, a few months after the proposals stalled in the state Legislature’s last session. Murphy, speaking at Paterson’s Saint Luke Baptist Church, said “it’s outrageous their state government in Trenton is not doing everything they can to stem this violence.” The third gun violence package offered by Murphy as governor, it includes measures such as banning the future sales of .50 caliber guns in the state and requires gun dealers in the state keep logs of ammunition sales. NJ.com
A labor union has filed for an election at an Amazon warehouse in Bayonne. The International Brotherhood of Trade Unions Local 713 filed the petition with the National Labor Relations Board on April 13 requesting an election to be held on May 4. The 200-person bargaining unit would include full-time and part-time fulfillment center associates. Other workers like truck drivers, seasonal and temporary employees, and maintenance employees would not be included. The Jersey Journal
North Bergen has introduced its 2022 calendar year budget. The approximately $106.0 budget is roughly $6 million more than the budget adopted for 2021. Chief Financial Officer Robert Pittfield said “The local tax amount that has to be raised to support this budget is going up about $1.1 million or in effect 1.59%.” Hudson Reporter
A political action committee led by former U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has endorsed Tom Kean, Jr. for the Republican nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district. “Tom Kean, Jr. is the model of a true public servant,” said Pompeo, the chairman of Champion American Values PAC. “Tom has an unmatched record of standing up for his constituents and his home state of New Jersey, and I am proud to endorse him to take the fight down to Washington on behalf of the people of New Jersey.” The endorsement gives Kean the backing of one of the most visible members of former President Donald Trump’s administration seven weeks before a Republican primary against more conservative opponents, including Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-23). New Jersey Globe
Sussex County Prosecutors asked a judge to drop charges against a Missouri man convicted of a kidnapping plot 12 years ago that led to the mistaken-identity abduction of Newton business owner Jeffrey Muller. Prosecutors cited the ailing health as the reason to close the case against Douglas Stangeland, who faced up to life in prison after a jury convicted him in May 2015 of conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, robbery and other charges. A day after the verdict, Stangeland suffered a heart attack, fell into a coma and was placed on life support. He regained consciousness in late 2018, but he was still unable to communicate. New Jersey Herald
And finally…Among the nominees for the New Jersey Hall of Fame this year are Anthony Bourdain, Bebe Neuwirth, Michael B. Jordan and Paul Rudd. NJ.com
