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Howell GOP mayoral candidate proposes framework for high school graduations

Suzanne Brennan, left, and her son Andrew, June 2019

By Suzanne Brennan

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on every New Jersey resident. As such, I fully support all responsible measures necessary to protect our residents during the pandemic. That being said, we simply must advance solutions that allow for the safe re-opening of our state on a clear and more accelerated basis. Governor Murphy’s actions to date have been slow and ineffective; we lack crucial details about how and when we will get NJ back online. Among the many more disappointing aspects of the Governor’s response has been his decision to prohibit high school graduations. While we must protect against unmanaged large gatherings, there is no question we that can design safe and efficient solutions to allow for graduation ceremonies. Our high school seniors deserve this.

Toward that end, I am calling on the Governor to set up a state-wide task force of education and school business leaders to design Guidelines for Safe Graduation Ceremonies (“Guidelines”). While we have been given a glimmer of hope that there “may” be graduations in late July, we need to work hard now to ensure that this will become a reality and not an empty promise. Below is a suggested preliminary outline for the task force and certain items for consideration:

Read the rest of this entry » Posted: May 12th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, Howell, Monmouth County News | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Howell GOP mayoral candidate proposes framework for high school graduations

Impreveduto calls for COVID-19 appropriate high school graduation ceremonies

2006 Secaucus High School Yearbook

Monmouth County Freeholder Patrick Impreveduto, a retired high school educator, is calling upon Governor Phil Murphy to allow New Jersey’s high schools to commemorate the accomplishments of their graduating seniors with modified commencement ceremonies.

Read the rest of this entry » Posted: May 12th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, Education, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth County News | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Rep. Smith: CARES Act Funding Critical for New Jersey Fishing Industry

WASHINGTON, DC—New Jersey’s hard-hit fishing industry, rocked by the coronavirus restrictions that have all but brought their businesses to a standstill, will receive assistance to the tune of $11,337,797 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and economic Security (CARES) Act, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04).

Read the rest of this entry » Posted: May 11th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Smith, COVID-19, New Jersey, Press Release | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Rep. Smith: CARES Act Funding Critical for New Jersey Fishing Industry

Dead people are getting coronavirus stimulus checks. Do families have to send the money back? Maybe not.

PHILADELPHIA — Mary Johnson died in 2018. Last week, her heirs received a stimulus check in the mail for $1,200 payable to “Mary L. Johnson Decd.”

“We had a good laugh about it,” said her son, Tim Martin Johnson of Philadelphia. “She’s been gone two years. We laughed about how the check actually said ‘Deceased’ on it.”

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Posted: May 11th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, IRS | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Dead people are getting coronavirus stimulus checks. Do families have to send the money back? Maybe not.

May 10: Monmouth County has 6,938 positive COVID-19 cases, 443 deaths

There were 83 new COVID-19 cases reported in Monmouth County on May 10, for a total of 6,938, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Director Sue Kiley announced.

The New Jersey Department of Health reports that 443 Monmouth residents have succumbed to the virus, an increase of 4 from the May 9 report.

A town by town breakdown is a follows:

Read the rest of this entry » Posted: May 10th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: , , | Comments Off on May 10: Monmouth County has 6,938 positive COVID-19 cases, 443 deaths

Kane Proposes State Tax Credits to Compensate NJ Small Businesses For COVID-19 Losses

Harold V. Kane

By Harold V. Kane

The State of New Jersey is doing its utmost to fight off the ravages of Covid-19. Most of the efforts are being done voluntarily (social distancing) but other efforts are being done at the direction of the governor. Governor Philip Murphy, by edict, has closed most of the smaller retail establishments in the state. It’s obvious that with fixed costs and no revenue many of these establishments will not reopen. Murphy’s edicts “that you will close” do not seem to have any weight in law. The proprietors close because of fear of the local police or county sheriff paying them a visit. Using the threat of arrest, prosecution, and possibly, incarceration Murphy was wildly successful in getting the “little people” to toe his line.

Read the rest of this entry » Posted: May 10th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, New Jersey, Opinion | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Kane Proposes State Tax Credits to Compensate NJ Small Businesses For COVID-19 Losses

5 things to know about the home coronavirus saliva test developed at Rutgers

With the much-heralded Rutgers University saliva test for the coronavirus garnering the Food and Drug Administration’s blessing late Thursday, people can now collect their own test samples at home and send them out to be processed.

The FDA approved an amended emergency use authorization for Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics that allows the expansion of the saliva tests well beyond official collection locations that have been located throughout the state.Here are five things you need to know:What is a saliva test?The saliva test allows health care workers to collect samples from each individual by… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 10th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, New Jersey | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on 5 things to know about the home coronavirus saliva test developed at Rutgers

New Jersey Restaurants Transform into Mini Grocery Stores

For many of us, hours have become days and days have become weeks. Sure, the idea of “opening the economy” is nice. The reality, however, is that we could be far from any real change in the situation. For the struggling restaurant industry, this is devastating.

As we have previously reported, some restaurants are responding to this with newly started curbside pickup. Some are using delivery services like Grubhub, Door Dash, and UberEats to get food to customers.

Others have even created DIY, interactive food kits to sell their wares.Another type of much appreciated transition that’s happening f… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 10th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19 | Tags: , , , | Comments Off on New Jersey Restaurants Transform into Mini Grocery Stores

Fauci headed to ‘modified quarantine’ after exposure to White House staffer with coronavirus

Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, is putting himself in “modified quarantine” after possibly being exposed to a White House staffer with coronavirus, CNN reported Saturday.

Fauci, 79, told CNN correspondent Jake Tapper that the contact was “low risk” — meaning he did not have direct contact with the sick staffer.

A test Friday found Fauci did not have COVID-19, CNN reported.

Fauci plans to be tested every day, and will work from home wearing a mask, the network said. Fauci might eventually go to his office at the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious … Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 10th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19 | Tags: , , | Comments Off on Fauci headed to ‘modified quarantine’ after exposure to White House staffer with coronavirus

ON MOTHER’S DAY, PLEDGE TO DO MORE TO PROTECT STATE’S ELDERLY

U.S. Army Spc. Jabari Ashanti, a Combat Medic with the 1st Battalion, 114th Infantry Regiment, New Jersey Army National Guard (NJARNG), checks a resident’s blood pressure at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park in Edison, N.J., April 17, 2020. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley)

By Randy Bergmann

Many New Jerseyans in today’s COVID-19 world will have to observe Mother’s Day Sunday without their mother – and not just because of social distancing requirements. Coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on elderly moms (and dads).

The state’s nursing homes and long-term care facilities for the elderly have accounted for more than half of New Jersey’s 9,116 coronavirus fatalities. Additionally, through Saturday, 26,031 COVID-19 cases have been reported at 515 long-term care facilities across the state, making it impossible for many thousands of Jerseyans to give thanks to their mothers in person.

Read the rest of this entry » Posted: May 9th, 2020 | Author: | Filed under: COVID-19, New Jersey, News, Opinion | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment »