The political problems around the revised health and sex education standards are due to Democrats, according to a trio of North Jersey State Senators. “With all due respect, Governor Murphy is flat out wrong when he accuses Republicans and concerned parents of misrepresenting the new standards,” said State Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-26). “Blame the Democrats. We’re merely citing the absurdity and impudence of rules that reject the term ‘age appropriate’ and disenfranchise parents in the sexual education of their children.” Meanwhile, State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-39) criticized the New Jersey Education Association for a “disinformation alert” that the group distributed on the issue and State Sen. Anthony Bucco (R-25) believes school districts will follow the East Hanover School District model that does not change lesson plans to incorporate the new standards. North-JerseyNews.com
A Murphy Administration official revealed there are now three investigations happening into the coronavirus deaths at New Jersey veteran homes. During testimony in front of the State Senate Budget Committee, Adjutant General Lisa Hou stated the state Commission on Investigation is conducting their own investigation along with the previously known inquiries from the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Jersey Attorney General’s office. NJ1015.com
Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID-19 on April 26. Harris has exhibited no symptoms and will isolate at her residence but continue to work remotely, returning to the White House only when she tests negative for the virus. Neither President Joe Biden nor First Lady Jill Biden was considered a “close contact” of Harris in recent days. Because of their travel schedules, the last time Harris saw Biden was April 18. NJ.com
Sixty percent of Americans, including 75% of children, had been infected with the coronavirus by February, according to new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highly contagious Omicron variant was responsible for much of the toll. A high percentage of previous infections may also mean that there are now fewer cases of life-threatening illness or death relative to infections, according to some experts. The New York Times
New Jersey on April 26 reported 15 new COVID-19 deaths across the state and 1,741 new confirmed positive tests as the number of hospitalizations continue to rise. There were 494 patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases across the state’s 71 hospitals. New Jersey’s transmission rate continued to decline, with the most recent recording at 1.09. The positivity rate for tests conducted on April 21, the most recent day with available data, was 7.4%. North-JerseyNews.com
Atlantic Health System in New Jersey has decided to tighten their visitor restrictions as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. The decision was based on guidance from current employees, the New Jersey Department of Health and the New Jersey Hospital Association. COVID-19 patients will not be allowed to have visitors, except for certain circumstances approved by staff. News12 New Jersey
Russia cut off supplies of natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria, stoking fears that President Vladimir V. Putin would target more countries that have come to Ukraine’s aid. Russia has been particularly angry at Poland because of Warsaw’s support for Ukraine, which has received many of its NATO-supplied arms through Polish territory. Poland said it was ready to be cut off by Moscow, and the European Union has vowed to reduce its large imports of Russian oil and coal over a period of months as it searches for replacements and adjusts to higher fuel costs. The New York Times
President Joe Biden reportedly signaled to House Democrats he is seriously considering taking action to forgive student-loan debt on a large scale. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus said they felt confident President Biden is warming to calls from progressive Democrats to take executive action to erase at least some of the debt held by borrowers with federal student loans, including responding positively when lawmakers pushed him to forgive $10,000 in student debt. Additionally, the President indicated he is open to further extending the current pause on student-loan payments, which is set to expire on Aug. 31. The Wall Street Journal
Drivers in New Jersey who use E-ZPass and pay with a debit card or credit card are getting a $36 million gift from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and other toll agencies. Commissioners of the toll agency that also runs the Garden State Parkway approved paying for three years of credit card processing fees instead of passing them on to drivers who use plastic to replenish or make one time E-ZPass payments. NJ.com
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is looking for a vision guy—or gal—for Newark Airport. Authority officials recently issued a Request for Proposals for a master planner to oversee architectural, planning, engineering, and business development services for the next phase of the redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport. The planning consultant will establish a strategy for the future layout of the airport by anticipating facility and customer demands, identifying new areas for construction and redevelopment, pinpointing potential sustainability and resilience programs, and laying out all other key elements of a master plan for the airport. North-JerseyNews.com
Advocates calling for urgently needed upgrades to New Jersey’s water infrastructure are asking lawmakers to allocate $1.2 billion in federal funds to help replace lead pipes, shield the system from bigger storms coming with climate change, and remove toxic “forever chemicals” from drinking water. The State Senate Budget Committee heard testimony that pipes, drains, sewers and pumps should get almost half of the $3 billion left over from New Jersey’s share of funding from the American Rescue Plan. NJ Spotlight News
A man wanted for shooting another man during a robbery attempt inside the American Dream mall in New Jersey earlier this month was arrested April 25. Anwar Stuart, 20, of Brooklyn, was charged with attempted murder, attempted robbery, conspiracy and weapons-related offenses. According to the New Jersey State Police, an investigation revealed that Stuart shot the man during an attempted robbery. NJ.com
Gov. Phil Murphy visited Saint Luke Baptist Church in Paterson on April 19 to renew a call for a comprehensive gun safety package first introduced in April 2021. The package of bills Murphy wants considered include requiring completion of a firearm safety course to receive a permit to purchase a gun or receive a firearm ID card; gun owners would be required to store guns in a lockbox or gun safe; banning .50 Caliber Firearms; and establish an electronic mmmunition sales recordkeeping. “I hope to work with my Legislative partners to continue making New Jersey a national leader in gun safety and prevent the meaningless violence and loss of life that results from the gun violence epidemic,” said Murphy. North-JerseyNews.com
State judicial officials are working on an alternative to a bill passed by the Assembly that would make it easier to jail people charged with gun crimes until their trials. Judge Glenn Grant, administrative director of the New Jersey courts, said at State Senate Budget Committee meeting that conversations have taken place between the judiciary, Attorney General’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey “to see if we can come up with a way of enhancing how people who have gun offenses are treated in our system….There is a need to try to tackle this issue in a way that makes sense, but you cannot detain 90% of the people who have not committed a serious offense in the hope of preventing the 10%.” NJ1015.com
President Joe Biden granted clemency to nearly 80 individuals charged with nonviolent crimes and unveiled an administration strategy to help formerly incarcerated people secure employment. The three pardons and 75 commutations were the first of Biden’s presidency, with a majority of the individuals that are receiving sentencing commutations have already served an average of 10 years in prison for nonviolent drug offenses. Additionally, the White House rolled out a $145 million dollar partnership between the departments of Justice and Labor for job training and intensive reentry programs in federal prisons. New Jersey Monitor
Reports of antisemitic incidents in New Jersey climbed to a record high last year, returning to pre-pandemic levels and seemingly boosted by heightened Middle East tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. There were 370 such incidents in the state last year, a 25% increase over 2020 and part of a nationwide trend of rising harassment and violence against Jews, according to a report April 26 from the Anti-Defamation League. The report came a day after the Council on American-Islamic Relations said complaints of harassment against Muslim Americans had also reached a record high last year, rising 28% to 6,700 in all. The Daily Record
Hillsdale approved the construction of self-storage units in addition to mixed-use residential units on an industrialized site north of downtown where some residents want a community center to be built. Amending the borough’s 2020 Hillsdale-Patterson Street Redevelopment Plan to let a developer build self-storage units would bring in tax revenue without affecting the schools or emergency services. In addition, the council approved amendments that allow residential development of 28 units per acre, which could include affordable housing, and lowered the density bonus — the maximum number of units allowed for the entire site — to 60 units from 68. The Record
Bayonne has adopted a redevelopment plan for an industrial area in Constable Hook, including the former Exxon site off New Hook Road, clearing the way for potential warehouses. The redevelopment area not only includes the Exxon site, but the International Matex Tank Terminal (IMTT) site to the north. In total, the area encompasses 140 acres of land in Bayonne, with 90 acres being the Exxon site, 40 acres being the IMTT site, and the other 10 acres being a Conrail property for a rail line that separates the two sites. Hudson Reporter
And finally…Ireland made its pitch for Rutgers to play a Big Ten Conference football game there next season. New Jersey Globe
