Alarming Covid numbers in NJ – POLITICO – Politico

Good Friday morning!

Nobody’s certain of it yet, but there’s a chance that a time we’ve been dreading for a while now is here.

Yesterday, New Jersey recorded 1,301 newly-diagnosed coronavirus cases. Hopefully this is a short spike. Hopefully it doesn’t represent the beginning of a full-blown second wave.

What’s not in question is that the state’s coronavirus case total is well above where it was a couple months ago. The good news so far is we haven’t seen a huge spike in hospitalizations and deaths. But those always lag the case count.

Of course, some of this is inevitable with the loosening of restrictions on businesses and, probably more significantly, the reopening of schools. There’s also, of course, Lakewood that’s accounting for a significant portion of it — and no, it’s not anti-Semitic to point out that by Lakewood we’re talking about its ultra-Orthodox community.

New Jersey isn’t alone here. Pennsylvania and Delaware also recorded their highest numbers in a while, and cases are rising or at least not declining — in the vast majority of the country.

WHERE’S MURPHY?: In Evesham for an 11:30 a.m. announcement with Reps. Andy Kim and Donald Norcross on local government relief funding.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 1,301 newly-diagnosed cases for a total of 211,148. 11 more deaths for a total of 14,373 (not counting 1,788 probable deaths).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: State Sens. Kip Bateman and Jim Holzapfel, Pou COS Carol Cuadrado, who gets two birthday shout outs because I mistakenly listed her yesterday. Saturday for Treasury spox Jennifer Sciortino, GOP operative Pete Sheridan. Sunday for Hidson County GOP Chair Jose Arango.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I believe it probably came from a laboratory.” — U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew , referring to the coronavirus, during last night’s debate with Amy Kennedy.

CORONAVIRUS — Covid-19 cases rising in New Jersey as officials prepare for second wave, by POLITICO’s Katherine Landergan: New Jersey officials say they are bracing for a second wave of the coronavirus, with the state recording 1,301 new Covid-19 cases, the highest amount in a single day since May. In a briefing on Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy described the number as “sobering” and pleaded with residents to practice social distancing and wear masks. “Please, please, please continue to do the right thing as millions of you have. And for those of you who haven’t, wake up, for crying out loud. Wake up,” Murphy said. The state has seen escalating case totals in Monmouth and Ocean counties along the Jersey Shore, particularly in Lakewood, a township of more than 100,000 people. In total, 22 percent of the 1,301 new cases were in Ocean County, and 10 percent were in Monmouth County. The rest were from a smattering of other counties across the state. Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli warned that without proper action the caseload will continue to climb.

STATE WILL GIVE MILLION-DOLLAR CONTRACT TO TED ANTI-BIAS TO WRESTLE WITH PROBLEM — “N.J. bias crimes are skyrocketing. A state report says all kids and teachers need anti-bias training,” by NJ Advance Media’s Blake Nelson: “As bias and harassment claims continue to escalate in New Jersey, a state task force has recommended anti-bias education for all public school kids and teachers, according to two reports released Thursday by the state attorney general’s office. New Jersey logged 994 bias incidents last year, almost a 75% increase from the year before, according to the 2019 Bias Incident Report. It’s both the state’s highest total and largest year-to-year increase since New Jersey began tracking incidents decades ago, which range from bullying during recess to last year’s Jersey City kosher market shooting.”

SD FREAKIN’A — “Schools Development Authority faces another lawsuit in fallout from scandal,” by The Record’s Dustin Racioppi: “The Schools Development Authority created a ‘hostile and bigoted’ work environment for an Indian employee who was denied promotions and then fired after she filed complaints of racial discrimination and retaliation, according to a lawsuit. The complaint filed Monday in federal district court in Trenton by lawyers for Shilpi Kumar is the fifth against the authority in the continuing fallout from a patronage scandal under the former CEO named by Gov. Phil Murphy. The lawsuit comes several days after an independent investigation found the governor’s office had more contact than previously known with the authority throughout the improper hiring there.”

BUS-TED — “School bus company charged with fraud, theft days after USA TODAY NETWORK report,” by The Record’s Mike Davis and Suzanne Cervenka: “Days after a USA TODAY NETWORK investigation into the ‘rogue operators’ in New Jersey’s private school bus industry, the Attorney General’s Office has charged one of the companies highlighted with contract fraud, theft by deception and other charges after allegedly hiring unqualified bus drivers and failing to perform background checks or drug tests. From 2015 to 2020, F&A Transportation — also doing business as Smart Union, Inc. — allegedly ‘knowingly hired drivers who did not hold valid commercial driver’s licenses or required license endorsements, as well as drivers who had criminal histories or were using illegal drugs,’ New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a news release. The company also falsified vehicle inspection forms to indicate that the buses passed required inspections, he said. F&A Transportation and Smart Union held about $3.5 million in contracts with school districts in Essex, Passaic, Morris and Union counties, he said.”

LOCAL REPORTER UNDERSTANDS BUT WOULDN’T MIND A YEAR DELAY IN HAVING TO COVER REDISTRICTING — “Redistricting question on NJ ballot opposed by good government groups,” by WNYC’s Nancy Solomon: “A redistricting question on the New Jersey ballot that is meant to address a delay caused by the pandemic is pitting good government groups against Democratic legislative leaders. State Public Question No. 3 asks voters to delay the redrawing of state legislative districts by two years if results from the U.S. Census haven’t come in by February 15th. Because New Jersey holds off-year statewide elections, once a decade the contests are held just as the census data is being released. The Census Bureau usually tries to provide the data to New Jersey (and Virgina) earlier than it does to the other 48 states. But several good government groups in New Jersey oppose the proposed constitutional amendment, because a two-year delay in redistricting could disenfranchise Latinx and Asian voters, communities that have grown by 400-thousand since the last census.”

WHEN MURPHY IS SAYING NICE THINGS ABOUT CHRISTIE, HOW CAN YOU NOT WORRY? — “Ex-N.J. Gov. Chris Christie stays in hospital for 6th day with COVID-19. Murphy calls him a ‘Jersey fighter,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson and Matt Arco: “As former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spends his sixth day in a hospital being treated for COVID-19, current Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday his predecessor is ‘the quintessential Jersey fighter.’ Christie’s exact condition remains unknown and it’s still unclear what course of treatment he’s receiving. The 58-year-old old hasn’t tweeted since Saturday, and doctors, family, and friends have not made any announcements about how he’s doing. But a source familiar with the situation told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday that the 58-year-old ex-governor was in good spirits, getting good care, and is not on a ventilator. Multiple sources said there were no changes as of Thursday afternoon.”

BECAUSE CAMPAIGNS AREN’T JUVENILE ENOUGH — “New law allows candidates campaign funds to pay for child care,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Public officeholders and candidates can use political contributions to pay for childcare related while they are campaigning or on official business after Gov. Phil Murphy signed a new law [Thursday] … One of the sponsors of the bill, Senate President Pro-Tempore Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), says that ‘parents, and especially women who are traditionally the main caretaker, will have the support they deserve to make the dream of running for office a reality.’”

—State lawmakers move to make tuition-free community college program permanent

—Customer advocates concerned as utility shut-off moratorium nears expiration

—“VFW demands that special prosecutor investigate COVID-19 deaths at NJ veterans homes”

—“‘A complete shift’: Not just ventilators, doctors now use a range of COVID-19 treatments”

—“Experts want new health standard for likely carcinogen in NJ drinking water”

—Mulshine: “Think you can vote by machine on Nov. 3? The Murphy administration doesn’t agree”

SAILY AV-AGAIN-DA — Congressional candidate contacts employer of online critic, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Rosemary Becchi, a candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s 11th District, recently became so fed up with an online critic that she wrote to his employer and accused him of “stalking” her, according to that critic. His employer didn’t see a problem. “Thankfully, my firm is supportive of the First Amendment,” David Steketee, a 43-year-old Madison resident who works in IT at a major international company, said in an interview. “They said ‘you did absolutely nothing wrong. We think this claim is completely without merit.’” But Becchi’s decision to complain to Steketee’s employer is reminiscent of another flap in the same district in 2017, when then-Republican Rep. Rodney Frelinghyusen wrote a fundraising letter to a board member of a bank and pointed out that one of its executives was a “ringleader” against him. (The executive, Saily Avelenda, is now executive director of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.) Becchi is challenging freshman Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who defeated Frelinghyusen in 2018.

WHAT ABOUT RIK MEHTA? — “Some who attended Trump’s N.J. fundraiser remain unaccounted for, Booker says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jonathan D. Salant: “The New Jersey Health Department is missing names and contact information of some of those who attended President Donald Trump’s Bedminster fundraiser last week, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said Wednesday as he asked the Secret Service Wednesday to fill in the blanks … the list that the Republican National Committee provided to the state ‘was not an exhaustive accounting of all individuals who accessed the event, nor did it include complete contact information,’ Booker, D-N.J., said in a letter to Secret Service Director James Murray. He asked Murray to provide state health officials ‘with the necessary contact information for all individuals who attended or otherwise had access to’ the fundraiser.”

—“NJ-2: Democrats outpacing GOP returned VBM ballots by 7 points”

—Snowflack: “Gottheimer tries to Shore Up Sussex and Warren”

—“Q&A with Gottheimer and Pallotta, both vying for control of NJ’s 5th District”

—“Trump downplaying COVID-19 after hospitalization is ‘extremely’ disappointing, Murphy says”

AN ATTEMPT AT BANNING BANNING IN THE WILD WILD WEST WILDWOOD — “Voter challenges roil West Wildwood,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Bill Barlow: “The registrations of more than 80 voters in this small community were challenged over questions of residency, including the registration of a candidate for Borough Commission. John Banning, part of a three-person slate challenging the incumbent governing body this year, saw his voter registration challenged over a question of residency. He said he has lived and voted in the borough for years, and was on the ballot last year in a close race to fill an unexpired term. In a lengthy hearing Tuesday morning, the Cape May County Board of Elections upheld two of the challenges and dismissed 23. More were tabled because the voters had not completed a residency questionnaire sent out by the board. The challenge to Banning’s residency was dismissed, clearing him to remain on the ballot.”

SUBURBANITES WHOSE PARENTS FLED NEWARK IN THE 1960S ARE OUTRAGED — “Newark to replace Columbus statue with Harriet Tubman, rename Washington Park in her honor,’ by TAPIntoNewark’s M.E. Cagnassola: “Mayor Ras Baraka revealed Wednesday that Newark will commission a statue of abolitionist Harriet Tubman to replace one of Christopher Columbus it removed over the summer in Washington Park, which will be renamed Tubman Square. Just in time for Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 12, the announcement comes several months following the overnight removal of the Columbus statue in June, which was met with applause from community members. Baraka said during his sixth annual State of the City address at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center that the move is more than window dressing. ‘Newark played an integral role in the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman’s journey to freedom led her to our city many times in that very area in a state that was one of the last to acknowledge freedom,’ Baraka said.”

MUHMAMMED AKIL: ‘THIS IS THE KIND OF SH*T….’ — “Jersey City Council has plan to flush away filthy port-a-johns,” by The Jersey Journal’s Joshua Rosario: “Jersey City residents may not have to ‘just hold it’ when they pass a portable toilet in the future. The City Council introduced an ordinance Wednesday that will establish maintenance and cleaning standards for portable lavatories, flushing away unkempt porta-johns around the city. The legislation would require portale toilets to be cleaned at least once a week, including the removal of waste from toilets, deodorizing and sanitizing the interior, as well as restocking hand soaps, sanitizers and hand towels.”

SEXUAL ABUSE — “Five new sexual abuse lawsuits filed against Delbarton School in Morristown,” by The Record’s Nicholas Katzban: “As more survivors of sexual abuse come forward to file lawsuits against the Delbarton School in Morristown, the cascade of accusations against the Benedictine boys school has led to allegations that its leadership knowingly covered-up an ongoing problem. Two firms have filed five new lawsuits alleging abuse against clerics at Delbarton, as well as the Order of Saint Benedict New Jersey and the Diocese of Trenton. Several of the clerics charged have faced accusations from former students before … The new complaints concern abuses said to have taken place in the 1980s and ’90s.”

FUTURE GUEST OF HONOR AT NJ GOP FUNDRAISERS —“Maskless woman allegedly slaps Wawa employee after being asked to leave store,” by LeHighValleyLive’s Sarah Cassi: “A New York City woman not wearing a face mask is accused of assaulting a Wawa employee who asked her to leave the store. Hackettstown police said Ashanty Niang, 23, of the Bronx, was not wearing a face covering early Saturday morning at the Wawa at 299 Mountain Ave. An employee asked Niang to cover her face, and she used her jacket, police said. Niang kept taking the jacket down, uncovering her mouth, and the Wawa employee asked her to leave the store, according to police. Niang allegedly slapped the Wawa employee on the face.”

—“Cardinal Tobin refuses to take questions on Reproductive Freedom Act”

—“Transgender man in N.J. sues Amazon for pregnancy discrimination”

—“Crime in NJ down slightly in 2019, down again so far in 2020”