An Essex County school district is urging against “unnecessary travel” to lessen the chances of contracting and spreading COVID-19.
Montclair Superintendent Jonathan Ponds declined to explain Thursday whether his request, addressed to families, caregivers and staff, also applies to those who are fully vaccinated.
In his letter last Friday, Ponds reiterated the most recent guidance from the CDC, which recommends holding off on travel until becoming fully vaccinated.
He asked everyone to “please follow the CDC recommendations,” before making what could be interpreted as a broader request.
“I know this is a strong statement, but during this global pandemic, I’m asking you to curtail non-essential travel to the greatest extent possible. We will look at holiday travel and advise you of our stance by the end of October,” Ponds said.
Ponds provided a one-sentence when asked by NJ Advance Media about his letter.
“Keeping our students and staff safe will take a partnership with the community and that is why I spoke out about unnecessary travel,” Ponds said.
In May, New Jersey stopped requiring those returning to the state or visiting to quarantine due to the pandemic.
Ponds, in his letter, outlined the CDC guidelines for process for any returning domestic or international travelers. He noted that domestic travel, for New Jersey residents, is defined as lasting 24 hours or longer to states other than Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware.
“If your children are not fully vaccinated, they should be tested within three to five days of return and quarantine for seven days, even with a negative test. Without a test, the quarantine period increases to 10 days,” Ponds wrote.
Ponds offered an optimistic review of the first month of classes.
“I’ve been visiting schools every day, and I see the power of in-person instruction. People feel good, students are smiling, staff is working together, and it is so important that we continue our multilayered mitigating strategies to keep us in the schools,” Ponds wrote.
The spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey has been decreasing in recent days. The seven-day average for confirmed positive tests as of Thursday was 1,726, down 7% from a week ago, but up 3% from a month ago.
New Jersey on Thursday reported another 2,015 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 28 more confirmed deaths, while hospitalizations dropped below 1,000 patients for the first time in more than five weeks.
If you are a parent, student or work in an N.J. school district, we’d like to hear your thoughts and concerns about schools and COVID-19 this year byfilling out this form.
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One way you’ll be able to tell if the governor’s race is truly getting closer is if “independent expenditure” groups — and I put that in quotes because their actual independence is often questionable at best — actually start investing money in the state.
So far, there hasn’t been all that much of that on either side, save for some modest involvement from the Democratic and Republican governors associations. And we can expect the New Jersey Education Association to get involved, too. We’ll likely see millions of dollars invested in major legislative races too.
Yet, there is one group that caught the attention of a political activist in Hudson County. A group called Garden State Rescue, which as far as I can tell is not a affiliated with the ASPCA, was handing out pro-Ciattarelli/anti-Murphy flyers around Journal Square in Jersey City. So he showed me the flyers, which but for their disclaimer could have easily been mistaken for a Ciattarelli campaign piece.
But who is Garden State Rescue? All I’ve got to go on is a post office box in, of all places, liberal Lambertville. There are no filings available online at ELEC, the IRS, or even the state Treasury’s website. If this group spends more than $1,900, they’re legally required to file with ELEC. If you know, please let me know.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’ll leave it up to your listeners to decide, but it sounds like the person who called in has a number of issues.” — Jack Ciattarelli on a caller to the Brian Lehrer show who asked him for his definition of “white privilege” and then, when Ciattarelli said he didn’t understand the question, accused him of exhibiting it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Saturday for RWJBarnabas’ Michellene Davis, Bloomberg reporter Lisa Fleisher, attorney Paul Josephson. Sunday for Greenwald adviser Jennifer Lehman, former House candidate Josh Welle
PLAYING IN TRAFFIC — Murphy threatens ‘nuclear option’ on congestion pricing, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard and Daniel Han: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy threatened to hold up business at the bi-state agency overseeing the East Coast’s largest port and the region’s major airports unless New York officials back down from a plan to increase tolls on New Jersey commuters going into Manhattan … Asked about congestion pricing at a Thursday “meet the candidate” event hosted by the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, Murphy said, “we’re not going to relent if New Jersey commuters are discriminated against, period.” Congestion pricing would appear to align with Murphy’s oft-stated ambition of reducing greenhouse gas emissions …
“Murphy, who is up for reelection this fall, went on to make a specific threat aimed at New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, using one of the few points of leverage a New Jersey governor has over a governor of New York: the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Murphy said he has “methods” to use against New York “that we will use if we have to — and I hope we don’t have to — including vetoing the minutes of the Port Authority, which is kind of a nuclear option, but if we have to, we’ll do it.”
VFW: WTF? — “Murphy didn’t respond to invitation to discuss veterans issues, VFW says,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “The Veterans of Foreign Wars will host a gubernatorial candidate town hall on Saturday evening with Republican Jack Ciattarelli in attendance, but the group says Gov. Phil Murphy never responded to their invitation. The VFW provided documentation that that their invitation was delivered to Murphy’s campaign headquarters in Newark on September 16. The Murphy campaign declined to comment. Deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic in state-run veterans homes in Menlo Park and Paramus has been an issue in Murphy’s re-election campaign against Ciattarelli. Over 200 residents died as a result of COVID-19, including 11 deaths at a state-run veterans home in Vineland.’”
0.000055 MASTRO BONUS — “‘What am I going to do?’: When a signing bonus can’t help the jobless,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “Nicole Squitieri needs the $500 signing bonus New Jersey is using to lure the unemployed back to work. She said she has no choice but to turn it down. Squitieri is a mom with three kids — two of them have already had to stay home from school after coming into close contact with a positive COVID-19 case — and married to a man who works overnights. Her father-in-law just had a stroke, requiring her to provide extra caregiving … Gov. Phil Murphy announced the $500 bonus idea Monday, a bid to jumpstart the state’s economy. The state will pay for the bonus checks and additional subsidies for small businesses … But there’s a swath of people who stand no chance to benefit from the program: single parents, caregivers, and people who weren’t returning to jobs because of health concerns.”
IF HIGH COVID TEST COSTS ARE YOUR ISSUE, GO TO ANOTHER STATE — “Loopholes and ‘profiteering’ off the pandemic: Why NJ has nation-high COVID test costs,” by The Record’s Dustin Racioppi: “For educators and state workers who visited Dr. Bradley Connor in Manhattan, Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford and St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston the past year, they received a complex test for COVID-19 that also checked for two dozen other respiratory diseases. The state picked up the cost, and New Jersey received nearly two dozen bills for more than $1,000 each … But that average of $302 a test in the state has also likely been driven up by providers who have taken advantage of the federal law established at the outset of the pandemic requiring insurers to cover COVID tests no matter the cost, according to health policy experts.”
THIS WILL BE THE EXTENT OF MURPHY’S TAX PLEDGE — “New Jersey gas tax reduction takes effect Friday,” by NJ 101.5’s Michael Symons: “If you need gas for your car but want to save a buck or two, you might want to wait for Friday — when New Jersey’s gas tax goes down by 8.3 cents a gallon. State officials adjust the gas tax each year on Oct. 1 under a 2016 law that sets an annual revenue goal of around $2 billion. Depending on collections over the past year and expectations for the year ahead, the tax can increase, stay level or decrease. This is the first cut since the law went into effect. State treasury officials credited the faster-than-expected recovery from the pandemic in reversing most of the 9.3-cent per gallon hike imposed a year ago.”
BRAMNICK-BERGEN BRAWL — Bramnick criticizes Bergen for ‘happy captives’ comment, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: New Jersey’s outgoing Assembly minority leader is calling out a member who hopes to succeed him for saying Republicans are “happy captives” in the lower house. “I don’t mind if he wants to criticize my leadership. That’s his right. But to criticize the entire caucus, where there’s been many representatives who have fought really hard for their ideals, I think that’s definitely off base,” Jon Bramnick, who has held the post since 2012, said in a phone interview Thursday. “I think to say the entire caucus is like a bunch of hostages and captives is to insult all the Republican members of the Assembly.” Brian Bergen, a first-term Assemblymember from Morris County, used the term while announcing his intention to run to succeed Bramnick during a fundraiser last week where he called for taking “a more aggressive approach” with Democrats, who outnumber Republicans 52-28 in the Assembly.
MEDIA MOVES: @RodrigoTorrejon: “Some personal news: today was my last day @starledger/@njdotcom and covering New Jersey, the state I was born and raised in. I’m beyond grateful to residents who trusted me with their stories and to my colleagues who work every day to help their communities.
HOMEBUYERS URGED TO CONSIDER HOUSES ON DRY LAND — “Buying an NJ home in a flood zone? Your flood insurance rates are about to climb,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Michael L. Diamond: “Homebuyers in flood zones at the Jersey Shore likely will begin paying higher premiums for flood insurance beginning Friday, despite a last-minute plea by elected officials for FEMA to delay the rate changes. The National Flood Insurance Program’s Risk Rating 2.0, managed by FEMA, could lead to rate hikes of 5% to 18% a year — or 25% a year for vacation homes — until the cost is in line with the risk. Lawmakers said the hikes could leave homeowners priced out of the insurance market.”
GUSCOENAS — “NJ AG subpoenas Gusciora administration over abandoned properties,” by The Trentonian’s Isaac Avilucea: “The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has subpoenaed Mayor Reed Gusciora’s administration over the city’s ‘abandoned property abatement program,’ city spokesman Will Skaggs confirmed. The news comes weeks after former housing and economic director Ben Delisle alleged in an explosive lawsuit that he was forced out of his position because he refused to fast-track illegal demolition projects that the mayor wanted completed ahead of next year’s election … Gusciora, a lawyer, has previously bitten back against allegations of corruption by claiming he’d never do anything to jeopardize his law license … His spokesman issued a statement saying the city plans to ‘fully cooperate’ with the AG’s office.”
IT’S NOT AN OUTBREAK. IT’S A FLOURISHING OF VIRAL LIFE—Toms River schools chief ties COVID illnesses, quarantines to activities pre-reopening, by The Asbury Park Press’ Joe Strupp: “The interim superintendent of the public school district, where hundreds of students and scores of staff have been sickened or forced into quarantine by COVID, says in a letter Thursday there was no outbreak of the virus ‘in our district.’ ‘I felt it necessary to reach out and assure our school community that, contrary to what you may have heard, there is no COVID-19 ‘outbreak’ in our district,’ wrote interim Toms River Regional School District Superintendent Stephen Genco. Genco told the Asbury Park Press the district’s masks-optional reopening Sept. 8 wasn’t to blame for the circumstances either; rather, Genco said, the affected students, prior to the schools’ reopening, were infected with COVID or had been near someone who had. It could not immediately be learned whether Genco’s contention — that the students had been sickened elsewhere or had “close contact” with an infected person elsewhere — had been backed up by contact tracing.”
— “West Milford students make up 25% of NJ’s school COVID outbreaks, official says,” by The Record’s David M. Zimmer: “Nearly three weeks after a COVID-19 outbreak started at a varsity high school football game, state officials have acknowledged the school district in question is West Milford, a municipal official with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. The cluster, the sole state-confirmed school outbreak in Passaic County, is responsible for 25% of student COVID-19 cases associated with school outbreaks in New Jersey, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said Wednesday.”
EXCHANGE PLACE — “Atlantic City barred from shutting down syringe exchange program until November court date,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Molly Shelly: “The resort’s syringe exchange program has been spared for another month. Hours after the South Jersey AIDS Alliance and three residents filed a lawsuit against the city to stop the program from shutting down, Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez delayed the closure, setting a preliminary hearing on the matter for Nov. 12. The program was originally slated to shut down Oct. 12. In the same order issued Wednesday, Mendez restricted the city from enforcing an ordinance that would repeal the program, allowing the AIDS Alliance to continue operating its syringe exchange out of the Oasis Drop-In Center on Tennessee Avenue.”
TEANECK — “Uncovering Joan Davis: Teaneck council watchdog killed in 2010 cared deeply, lived alone,” by The Record’s Liam Quinn: “Joan Davis did not have many friends in Teaneck. But she was well-known. For years, Davis would attend any public meeting she could. Township council, planning board, school board, you name it, Davis would be there. She would speak her mind, especially when she disagreed with something done by Teaneck’s government. She was a gadfly in the purest sense.When she was seen outside, Teaneck’s enigmatic gadfly was usually in one of two places: inside Teaneck’s council chambers, or in her garden tending to her irises outside of her Tudor-style home on Alpine Drive where she lived on her own. … The mystery that was Joan Davis was exacerbated when she was killed on Aug. 17, 2010. It’s a case that remains unsolved, in a cruel bit of irony.”
JUST MERGE IT WITH ENGLEWOOD — “Judge rules Englewood Cliffs GOP can pick council member’s replacement,” by The Record’s Marsha A. Stoltz: “In the latest round of borough musical chairs, a Superior Court judge has ruled its Republican County Committee can appoint a replacement for former Council President William Woo. Judge Robert Wilson issued the ruling after a brief audio conference Thursday. ‘I think the decision is wrong,’ said Democratic County Committee Attorney Joseph Marinello after the hearing. ‘We may appeal.’ The GOP’s 4-2 dominance on the council was threatened when the borough’s Democratic County Committee filed a lawsuit on Sept. 8 challenging the official date of Woo’s resignation.”
HOSPITAL DE-CANONIZES BARNABAS — “Leon Cooperman Foundation Donates $100 Million to N.J. Hospital,” by Bloomberg’s Stacie Sherman: “Billionaire investor Leon Cooperman donated $100 million to Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey, the largest gift to a hospital in the state. The donation was made through the Leon and Toby Cooperman Family Foundation, Saint Barnabas said in a statement Thursday. The hospital will be renamed Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center … The Coopermans raised their family in Essex County, New Jersey, and have donated more than 100 times to Saint Barnabas, according to the hospital … He’s among the billionaires who have agreed to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropy under the Giving Pledge, a program started by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates.”
BECAUSE OF A $100 MILLION SHORTFALL — “This N.J. hospital fired 4 top execs this month. RWJBarnabas’ CEO reveals why,” by NJ Advance Media’s Spencer Kent: “RWJBarnabas Health fired four executives at Saint Barnabas Medical Center earlier this month because the facility has been underperforming, the head of the hospital network told NJ Advance Media. The Livingston facility’s CEO and three other top administrators were terminated Sept. 7. For weeks, it had been somewhat of a mystery why they were dismissed from the highly rated hospital. NJ Advance Media first reported the departures after obtaining an internal memo announcing the changes to staff.”
NEW JERSEY — Below you will find the most up-to-date information on coronavirus news impacting New Jersey. You can find additional resources and coverage on our coronavirus page.
New Jersey surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases
As of Tuesday, Sept. 28, more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in New Jersey since the pandemic reached the state in 2020.
Pfizer submits data to FDA
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced they have submitted initial data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the Phase 2/3 trial of their COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11.
In the trial, which included 2,268 participants 5 to 11 years of age, the vaccine demonstrated a favorable safety profile and elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses using a two-dose regimen of 10 μg doses.
NJ offers $500 ‘return to work bonus’ to unemployed residents
Unemployed New Jersey residents could earn a $500 bonus to return to the workforce as part of a new program announced by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday, Sept. 27. The “Return and Earn” initiative will offer the one-time bonus to folks who secure a job through the program, including positions that require on-the-job training.
Is it safe to trick-or-treat this Halloween? CDC weighs in
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Face the Nation that kids can trick-or-treat safely this year, adding, “If you’re able to be outdoors, absolutely.”
CDC director overrules panel, backs booster for all adults in high-risk jobs
The panel had voted against saying that people ages 18 to 64 can get a booster if they are health-care workers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.
Walensky disagreed and put that recommendation back in, noting that such a move aligns with an FDA booster authorization decision earlier this week.
FDA OKs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for 65 and older, high-risk Americans
The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger people with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high-risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
J&J booster shot 94% effective 2 months after 1st dose
Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday, Sept. 21, said new data shows a second dose — or a booster shot — of their one-shot COVID vaccine was found to be 94% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 when given two months after the initial dose.
Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11
Pfizer said Monday, Sept. 20, its COVID-19 vaccine works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon — a key step toward beginning vaccinations for youngsters.
Child care facilities
Gov. Phil Murphy said all child care workers and facility employees need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 or face regular weekly testing. As of Sept. 24, all employees, students and children in a facility’s care ages two and up will need to wear masks indoors, with limited exceptions.
Moderna vaccine is most effective against hospitalization from COVID-19: study
A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared how effective each of the three COVID-19 vaccines are in preventing hospitalization from the virus. The CDC reported that effectiveness was higher for the Moderna vaccine (93%) than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (88%) and the J&J vaccine (71%).
New Jersey surpassed as state with highest rate of COVID deaths
Mississippi has surpassed New Jersey as the state with the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., with roughly 1 of every 320 Mississippians having succumbed to the coronavirus.
COVID-19 is ‘getting better’ at becoming airborne virus
Recent COVID-19 variants are much more adept at airborne transmission than the original version of the coronavirus, according to a new study. University of Maryland researchers analyzed the Alpha variant first identified in the United Kingdom and discovered that carriers breathe out 43 to 100 times more infectious viral aerosols than those infected with the original strain.
U.S. panel backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters only for 65 and over, high-risk
An influential federal advisory panel overwhelmingly rejected a plan to give Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans, but it endorsed the extra shots for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease.
COVID outbreaks in NJ schools
As of Wednesday, Sept. 15, there were six outbreaks in New Jersey schools, according to Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli. An outbreak is defined as at least three cases that are epidemiologically connected and not from the same household.
The cases are a mix of students and staff, Persichilli said. More information will be released on the state Health Department website in the coming days.
COVID-19 variants significantly reduce protection of vaccines, prior infection: study
A new study confirms that vaccinations and even prior COVID-19 infection provide significantly less protection against newer variants. Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University say in order to protect against the Alpha, Beta, and now Delta variants, these findings stress the importance of doubling down on both vaccinations and public health measures during the pandemic.
Mask debate moves from school boards to courtrooms
The rancorous debate over whether returning students should wear masks in the classroom has moved from school boards to courtrooms. In at least 14 states, lawsuits have been filed either for or against masks in schools. In some cases, normally rule-enforcing school administrators are finding themselves fighting state leaders in the name of keeping kids safe.
Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. New Jersey’s statewide rent moratorium expires at the end of the year.
These foods are extra hard to find right now because of shortages, supply chain issues
Notice your grocery store shelves looking a little bare lately? You’re definitely not the only one. Supply chain issues have created shortages of highly specific ingredients.
‘It’s up to us’: Fauci says pandemic could possibly end by spring 2022
The nation’s top infectious disease expert believes the pandemic’s end is near as long as the U.S. follows the right protocols to contain COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci said he sees the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s only open if the country’s 80 million to 90 million unvaccinated people are convinced to get the shot.
Comirnaty: What’s the story behind the new Pfizer vaccine name?
Comirnaty, who? It’s the same exact mRNA vaccine Pfizer has been producing through the emergency use authorization, but now it’s being marketed under a new name.
Is an earache a new COVID-19 symptom?
Doctors say they’re seeing a new COVID-19 symptom in some patients. According to experts, an earache has been reported more frequently by those testing positive for COVID. Earaches can cause pain, a feeling of blockage and sometimes muffled hearing.
NJ COVID hospitalizations top 1,000 for the first time since May: Gov. Murphy
For the first time since May, more than 1,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey on Wednesday, Aug. 25, Gov. Phil Murphy said. There were 1,012 people hospitalized with COVID, 92 of whom were on ventilators, according to state Health Department data. The last time the state had more than 1,000 COVID hospitalizations was over three months ago on May 11, Murphy said.
Johnson & Johnson: Vaccine booster provides ‘rapid, robust’ response
Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday, Aug. 25, announced new data the company said supports the use of its COVID vaccine as a booster shot for people previously vaccinated with their single-shot vaccine.
J&J said the new data showed that a booster shot of their vaccine generated a “rapid and robust increase in spike-binding antibodies, nine-fold higher than 28 days after the primary single-dose vaccination.”
NJ to require teachers, state workers be fully vaccinated
All school personnel and state workers in New Jersey will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday, Aug. 23.
Will COVID booster shot have the same side effects as the first two shots?
The Biden administration said Wednesday, Aug. 18, that COVID booster shots will soon be available, but how will the Sept. 20 rollout work, and what side effects should Americans expect?
Lambda and B.1.621: New COVID variants could be the worst yet, doctor warns
At least two new COVID-19 variants have hit the United States and they could be worse than the delta variant in their infectiousness and ability to stand up to vaccines, according to a top medical authority.
U.S. health officials call for booster shots for all to battle COVID-19
U.S. health officials recommended all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling. The announcement was made on Aug. 18.
August child tax credit payments issued: Here’s why yours might be delayed
The second installment of expanded child tax credits was issued on Aug. 13 to millions of eligible families, but some payments will likely be delayed due to a technical glitch, the U.S. Department of Treasury said.
Schumer calls for federal crackdown on fake vaccine cards
COVID claims more young victims as deaths climb yet again
The COVID-19 death toll has started soaring again as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population and fills up hospitals with patients, many of whom are younger than during earlier phases of the pandemic.
NJ county opens COVID booster shot appointments
Health care officials in a northern New Jersey county began offering COVID-19 booster shots to qualified residents on Aug. 14. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said appointments for a third shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine were open at vaccination centers at Kmart in West Orange and Essex County College in Newark.
Concerts, outdoor events still risky as delta variant surges, experts say
Concerts and outdoor events are returning, and many are requiring proof of vaccination as part of new safety protocols designed to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. But while experts say being outdoors is less risky in general, they continue to recommend additional precautions for those visiting crowded outdoor venues.
Biden weighs stiffer vaccine rules as delta variant spreads rapidly across U.S.
When the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. first began to slow, President Joe Biden backed incentives like million-dollar cash lotteries if that’s what it took to get shots in arms. But as new COVID infections soar, he’s testing a tougher approach.
Who doesn’t need the COVID-19 vaccine?
It has been eight months since the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to health care workers nationwide. Since then, the vaccine has become available to anyone over the age of 12. Experts explain the few instances in which a person would not qualify for, or should delay getting vaccinated.
Extra COVID shot OK’d for immunocompromised individuals
With more than 600 colleges and universities now requiring proof of COVID-19 inoculations, an online industry has sprung up offering fake vaccine cards.
COVID vaccines would be required for military under new plan
Members of the U.S. military would be required to have the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Sept. 15, under a plan announced by the Pentagon on Aug. 9 and endorsed by President Joe Biden.
What to do if you lose your COVID-19 vaccine card
Don’t worry if you’ve lost your COVID-19 vaccine card, there are several ways you can get it replaced. No matter where you got your shots, getting a replacement card is possible.
Will NJ reinstate a travel advisory?
Gov. Murphy said on Aug. 9, a new travel advisory is not off the table, but for now he encouraged mask wearing, which is mandatory in all airports and on flights, and other COVID safety protocols. “You gotta use your head,” he added.
Will NJ mandate masks indoors?
Despite CDC data showing New Jersey falls under its guidance to wear masks indoors, Gov. Murphy said he will not yet mandate face coverings but added, “we leave all options on the table.”
COVID transmission levels call for indoor masking under CDC guidelines
Indoor masking is advised in areas with COVID transmission rates considered “substantial” or “high” under recently updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Aug. 8, all of New Jersey falls under those categories.
How do you know if you have the delta variant of COVID-19?
So you’ve tested positive for COVID – but which COVID exactly? Is there a way to tell if you have the highly transmissible delta variant? There is a way to tell, but there’s not really a way for you to tell.
COVID breakthrough cases: Is one vaccine better than others?
Are kids more vulnerable to the delta variant of COVID-19?
Hospitals around the United States, especially in the South, are starting to fill back up again as the delta variant tears though the country. With previous waves of infection, we’ve been most worried about the elderly being vulnerable. Now, it’s younger people – even children – starting to show up in hospital beds.
U.S. averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day as delta surges
The United States is now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone last seen during the winter surge in yet another bleak reminder of how quickly the delta variant has spread through the country. The U.S. was averaging about 11,000 cases a day in late June. Now the number is 107,143.
NJ schools mask mandate: Teachers’ union backs, Republicans slam Murphy decision
New Jersey Republicans have largely trashed Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Aug 6 that masks will be required in all schools in the upcoming academic year.
NJ health care workers must be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19
Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Aug. 6 mandating that all workers in state and private health care facilities either be vaccinated for COVID-19 or tested for it twice a week.
50% of U.S. population is fully vaccinated, White House says
The United States reached a vaccination milestone on Aug. 6: 50% of the population, all ages, were fully vaccinated, the White House COVID-19 data director confirmed.
CDC says people who’ve had COVID should get shot or risk reinfection
Even people who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to get vaccinated, especially as the extra-contagious delta variant surges — and a new study shows survivors who ignored that advice were more than twice as likely to get reinfected.
‘You have lost your minds’: Murphy lashes out at anti-vax protesters
Warning of more delta mutations, Fauci urges vaccinations
The White House COVID-19 response team said the delta variant continues to surge across the country. During a briefing on Aug. 5, Dr. Anthony Fauci called on Americans to take precautions to stop the virus from mutating. “The ultimate end game of all this is vaccination,” he said.
The latest surge in COVID-19 infections is fueled by the highly contagious delta variant first identified in India late last year. Now, a variation of that variant is beginning to generate headlines. Here’s what we know about the COVID sub-strain being called delta plus.
Vaccine mandate for state colleges?
Currently, some state colleges in New Jersey are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff and some have made it optional. Murphy said a universal mandate “is certainly an option,” but for now individual universities can make their own call.
More ‘pain and suffering’ ahead as COVID cases rise, Fauci says
Dr. Anthony Fauci warned on Aug. 1 that more “pain and suffering” is on the horizon as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get their shots.
Walmart requiring COVID vaccination, masks for many employees
In a memo, Walmart announced that associates who work in multiple facilities, and associates of its campus office, will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. Walmart also required associates, including those fully vaccinated, to wear masks in its stores.
Iconic NJ restaurant The Fireplace closes after 65 years
The Fireplace, like many other restaurants across the country, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and temporarily shuttered its doors before reopening in May, when they implemented drive-thru, takeout and curbside pickup followed by indoor dining in October.
New delta variant research makes strong case for vaccination
A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized the delta variant is more dangerous and fast-spreading than first thought. The findings also made clear why efforts to get more people vaccinated are vital.
CDC data shows delta variant spreads as easily as chickenpox
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new information on July 30, saying the coronavirus delta variant can spread as easily as chickenpox.
Pfizer: COVID vaccine protective for at least 6 months
The effectiveness of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine wanes slightly over time but it remains strongly protective for at least six months after the second dose, according to company data released on July 28.
Disney World requires masks indoors regardless of vaccination status
Beginning July 30, Disney World required all visitors ages 2 and older to wear a face covering while indoors as well as in Disney buses, the monorail and the Disney Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status.
CDC mask guidance: Vaccinated people should wear face coverings in public indoor settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
U.S. headed in ‘wrong direction’ on COVID-19, Fauci says
Doctors warn about slightly different symptoms with delta variant of COVID
As concern grows regarding the COVID-19 delta variant, health leaders are warning about somewhat different symptoms that come with it.
Most unvaccinated Americans unlikely to get COVID-19 shots, new AP poll finds
A new poll shows that most Americans who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 say they are unlikely to get the shots. About 16% say they probably will get the vaccine.
Is asking about someone’s COVID vaccine status a HIPAA violation?
HIPAA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 during a time when medical records were being computerized. It was created to simplify the administration of health insurance and to prevent unauthorized access to peoples’ medical histories.
In fact, HIPAA doesn’t block anyone from asking another person about their health status, according to Alan Meisel, law professor and bioethics expert at the University of Pittsburgh.
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Delta now dominant COVID variant in New Jersey
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Will one dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine protect me?
Yes, but not nearly as much as if you had both doses. Experts recommend getting fully vaccinated, especially with the emergence of worrisome coronavirus mutations such as the delta variant first identified in India.
Workers enjoy the upper hand as companies scramble to hire
With the economy growing rapidly as it reopens from the pandemic, many employers are increasingly desperate to hire. Yet evidence suggests that as a group, the unemployed aren’t feeling the same urgency to take jobs.
As of Thursday, there have been 1,003,612 total positive PCR tests in the state since March 2020, and there have been 24,640 lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths, according to the state Health Department.
Women Aware is the state-designated comprehensive domestic violence service agency for Middlesex County. The organization shelters 200 women and children in imminent danger and serves an additional 1,800 women, children and men in safety-net programs.
The vigil, which will stream on social media, will be held at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public and free to attend. Register to attend at bit.ly/3onIGrK.
Uyar will detail Yasemin’s history of abuse by her alleged killer, Tyler Rios, who she met when they both attended Highland Park High School.
Uyar said her focus is on the lack of police support for domestic violence reporting and victims, as well as the need for harsher penalties and no deals for repeat offenders.
The vigil will include an advocate address from Siyan Bradley, the founder of the Renee J. Bradley Foundation for Domestic Violence and a member of Women Aware’s board of directors, and music by Sami Stevens from Music for All Seasons, a longtime partner of Women Aware whose mission is bringing the healing power of music to those in need.
The need for Women Aware’s services to survivors of domestic violence has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the agency’s delivery of services has expanded. Donations to the organization’s vigil help support services for survivors and their children.
Rios, 27, of East Orange, was indicted by a Union County grand jury Wednesday in the July killing of Yasemin Uyar, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his then 2-year-old son, as well as the kidnapping of the boy, both first-degree crimes.
Rios also is charged with one count each of desecrating human remains, endangering the welfare of a child, contempt by violating a domestic violence restraining order and theft.
“We are extremely grateful for those charges,” Uyar said.
The indictment alleges Rios kidnapped his son, Sebastian, and murdered Yasemin on July 8.
A New Jersey State Police Amber Alert was issued after the boy failed to show up for day care on July 9 and Yasemin, a Rahway resident, didn’t report for her scheduled work shift. A multi-state investigation led to the boy’s safe recovery on July 10 and the discovery of Yasemin’s body later that day in Tennessee, with the assistance of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
An autopsy revealed Yasemin had been strangled and suffered blunt-force trauma two days before her remains were recovered.
Court papers revealed that before being taken into custody, Rios called someone he knew and allegedly admitted to having possession of his son and allegedly reported he had killed Uyar, and that her body had been in the vehicle “for days” before he disposed of it off Interstate 40.
New Jersey State Police were able to determine the phone call was made from the area of the Bethel Inn and Suites in Monterey, Tennessee, where local law enforcement officers found Rios had rented a room. After he refused to leave the room, police went in and took him into custody and moved the toddler to a safe location. Yasemin’s car was found in the motel parking lot and her debit card was in the room.
Rios later led law enforcement officers to Yasemin’s body. He was brought back to New Jersey on July 16 and remains in custody at the Essex Couny Jail in Newark. An Oct. 12 post-indictment arraignment is scheduled before Superior Court Judge John M. Deitch in Newark.
“We are grateful for the collaboration with the many local and federal law enforcement agencies who assisted our office in not only apprehending Mr. Rios, but also in safely recovering Sebastian Rios, locating Ms. Uyar’s remains and bringing them both home to their family” Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said. “And we hope that this can bring some small measure of comfort to all those grieving Yasemin.”
How you can help
Women Aware seeks financial support to continue to provide free and confidential services 24/7 to anyone in Middlesex County who seeks help moving beyond abuse.
Donate online at bit.ly/3onIGrK; text donate to 202-858-1233, Code WA2021; or mail donations with checks payable to Women Aware, 2021 Candlelight Vigil, 250 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
A corrections officer at Bayside State Prison in Cumberland County finds himself on the wrong side of the law after being arrested for allegedly assaulting and physically punishing inmates.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig says 41-year-old John Makos of Millville was charged with participating in a conspiracy to deprive inmates of civil rights.
According to Honig’s office,
From at least April 2019 through December 2019, while working as a corrections officer, Makos conspired with others at Bayside State Prison to assault and punish certain inmates in a cruel and arbitrary manner by using excessive force that caused physical injury and pain to the victims. Makos and at least one other corrections officer established an ad hoc regime of physical punishments for actual and perceived violations of the prison’s rules and customs and meted out such punishments in a cruel and degrading manner, at times with the assistance of other inmates.
Honig said in a statement, “Prisoners are entitled to be treated with basic dignity, not pummeled and humiliated at the whim of correctional officers. We once again affirm our commitment to uphold the civil rights of all persons, including those living in a correctional setting.”
“Our investigation alleges that the actions in this case included beatings of people without provocation or justification in violation of their civil rights,” FBI Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch, Jr., said, following the arrest.
The conspiracy to violate civil rights charge carries up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Makos was scheduled appear before a judge Friday afternoon.
The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts
Over the past few years, state lawmakers have taken on the challenge of dealing with accused child predators among the ranks of teachers and educators.
In 2018, the so-called “pass the trash” law went into effect, requiring stricter New Jersey school background checks related to child abuse and sexual misconduct.
The follow individuals were arrested over the past several years. Some have been convicted and sentenced to prison, while others have accepted plea deals for probation.
Others cases are still pending, including some court delays amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Yesterday, a Union County Grand Jury returned a six-count indictment against a man charged with killing his former girlfriend and kidnapping their minor child, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Thursday.
Find out what’s happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwood with free, real-time updates from Patch.
Tyler Rios, 27 of East Orange, is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree kidnapping, and one count each of desecrating human remains, endangering the welfare of a child, contempt by violating a domestic violence restraining order and theft in connection with the kidnapping of his son and murder of the child’s mother, 24-year-old Yasemin Uyar of Rahway. The indictment alleges that on July 8th of this year, defendant kidnapped their child, Sebastian Rios and murdered Uyar.
The July incident that resulted in a widely broadcasted Amber Alert launched a multi-state investigation which led to the recovery of the child and the discovery of Uyar’s body in Tennessee.
Find out what’s happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwood with free, real-time updates from Patch.
An investigation led by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office – and assisted by members of the FBI’s Newark Field Office and satellite offices, the New Jersey State Police, and the Rahway Police Department – led to Rios being identified as a suspect in the case after Sebastian Rios did not show up for daycare on July 9th and Uyar did not arrive for scheduled work shifts, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Grady, who is prosecuting the case. A welfare check was conducted on Uyar’s home by members of the Rahway Police Department, but no one was found inside, Grady said.
Shortly thereafter, the State Police issued an Amber Alert that was sent to privately owned cell phones, broadcast on electronic billboards along highways in New Jersey and beyond, and widely shared via social media.
Through the tireless efforts of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and the above-named agencies — as well as a result of the extraordinary assistance from the Putnam County Tennessee Sheriff’s Office – Sebastian Rios was found unharmed in Monterey, Tennessee on July 10th, when Tyler Rios was taken into custody without incident. Later in the day, investigators located Uyar’s body in a wooded area nearby, off of I-40.
An autopsy performed on Uyar revealed that her death resulted from strangulation and blunt force trauma.
Rios was extradited back to New Jersey on July 16th and remains housed in the Essex County Jail pending an October 12th post-indictment arraignment before the Honorable John M. Deitch of the Union County Superior Court.
“We are grateful for the collaboration with the many local and federal law enforcement agencies who assisted our Office in not only apprehending Mr. Rios, but also in safely recovering Sebastian Rios, locating Ms. Uyar’s remains and bringing them both home to their family” Prosecutor Daniel said. “And we hope that this can bring some small measure of comfort to all those grieving Yasemin.”
Convictions of crimes of this nature can be punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Jeannie O’Sullivan (September 30, 2021, 4:37 PM EDT) — The New Jersey Supreme Court has signaled its agreement with a judicial conduct committee that a jurist who was criminally convicted in a dispute with her daughters’ school should be removed from the bench, but it is giving her another chance to rebut the ethics accusations.
In an order Wednesday, the justices instituted formal removal proceedings for Union County Superior Court Judge Theresa A. Mullen following ethics charges over her trespassing conviction at a Catholic school in Kenilworth. However, the order, which was signed by New Jersey Supreme Court Clerk Heather J. Baker, gives Judge Mullen the opportunity to appear before a…
UPDATE: The next step in the high-profile prosecution of an East Orange man accused of killing his former girlfriend and kidnapping their minor child this summer was taken when a Union County grand jury indicted him on murder and other charges, authorities said.
The six-count indictment returned by grand jurors in Elizabeth also charges Tyler Rios, 27, with desecrating the remains of 24-year-old Yasemin Uyar of Rahway after killing her.
Authorities began searching for Uyar and Sebastian Rios on July 8 after he didn’t show up for daycare and she didn’t arrive for scheduled work shifts.
Tyler Rios was identified as a suspect in the case, and a welfare check by Rahway police found them gone from Uyar’s home.
New Jersey State Police issued an Amber Alert that was sent to privately owned cell phones, broadcast on electronic billboards along highways in New Jersey and beyond, and widely shared via social media.
Union County prosecutor’s detectives also called their colleagues at the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee and said they believed Rios — who has relatives in the area — was in the vicinity.
Within minutes, local police spotted Uyar’s silver Ford Fiesta at the Bethel Inn Hotel off Route 40 in Monterey, a tiny town of 2,850 on land once owned by Thomas Jefferson between Nashville and Knoxville.
Rios refused to surrender, so police and FBI agents stormed the hotel room, seized him and recovered Sebastian, who they said was unharmed.
Rios then led federal agents and sheriff’s officers to a wooded area less than 10 miles away on Route 70, near Cookeville, TN, where they found Uyar’s body.
She died from strangulation and blunt force trauma, an autopsy found.
Rios had previously been convicted of aggravated assault on a domestic violence victim and was sentenced to 180 days in jail with three years of conditional probation in February 2020, court records show. Yasemin Uyar was the victim, a close family friend told Daily Voice. Rios had agreed as part of a plea deal to complete anger management classes and not have any contact with Uyar again.
Records also showed that Rios had been arrested at least twice in Arizona in 2019, once on assault and unlawful imprisonment charges and another time for allegedly firing a gun.
Tyler Rios, Yasemine Uyar
INSET: Maricopa (AZ) Jail / FACEBOOK
Karen Uyar said her daughter and Rios had known each other since she was in high school but hadn’t been involved since after Sebastian was born. She said he could become violent, particularly when he drinks.
Rios was extradited back to New Jersey on July 16 and remains held in the Essex County Jail, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel said Thursday.
He’s scheduled for an Oct. 12 arraignment on the indictment in Superior Court in Elizabeth, Daniel said. In addition to the other counts, Rios is charged with kidnapping, child endangerment, violating a restraining order and theft, the prosecutor said.
“We are grateful for the collaboration with the many local and federal law enforcement agencies who assisted our [d]ffice in not only apprehending Mr. Rios but also in safely recovering Sebastian Rios, locating Ms. Uyar’s remains and bringing them both home to their family” Daniel said. “And we hope that this can bring some small measure of comfort to all those grieving Yasemin.”
Tyler Rios, Yasemin Uyar with Sebastian.
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A Union County grand jury has indicted a Highland Park man on charges that he murdered his ex-girlfriend and kidnapped their child in July.
Tyler Rios, 27, is accused of strangling Yasemin Uyar, 24, in her Rahway apartment on July 8, then taking their 2-year-old son and driving more than 700 miles to Tennessee with Uyar’s body in the back of his car.
He allegedly disposed of the body near a campsite.
An Amber alert was issued for the abducted child after he wasn’t dropped off at daycare on July 9 and Uyar didn’t arrive for work.
Police were able to track down Rios in Tennessee after he called two people following the killing. He phoned a relative on July 9 and said he had a dead body in his car. In the other call, he allegedly admitted killing Uyar.
Mourners attend memorial service at the Reformed Church of Highland Park for Yasemin Uyar, who was found dead in Monterey,Tennessee, after she was abducted and murdered by her former partner Tyler Rios. Highland Park,N.J. July 23, 2021. Noah K. Murray | for NJ Advance
The child was found unharmed in a Monterey, Tennessee, motel on July 10 and Rios was arrested without incident.
Rios told them where to find the body, which was located 2,300 feet away from the motel in a duffel bag.
An autopsy determined she died of strangulation and blunt force trauma.
At the time of her death, Uyar had a restraining order against Rios.
He previously served county jail time for violating his parole after being charged with strangling Uyar. He was charged with assaulting her and violating a restraining order at least five other times in the last few years, according to court records.
The grand jury indicted Rios on first-degree charges of murder and kidnapping, along with counts of desecrating human remains, endangering the welfare of a child, contempt by violating a domestic violence restraining order and theft.
He was extradited to New Jersey on July 16 and remains in Essex County Jail pending an Oct. 12 post-indictment arraignment hearing.
Mourners attend memorial service at the Reformed Church of Highland Park for Yasemin Uyar, who was found dead in Monterey,Tennessee, after she was abducted and murdered by her former partner Tyler Rios. Highland Park,N.J. July 23, 2021. Noah K. Murray | for NJ Advance
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Officials in Middle Township say a bicyclist who was injured in a hit-and-run accident earlier this month has died and the driver who struck him is now facing upgraded criminal charges.
Cops say 21-year-old Paul Koscinski of Middle Township has now been charged with vehicular homicide, knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death, endangering an injured victim, and obstruction.
According to police, late Sunday night, September 19th, Middle Township officers were called to the area of Shunpike Road and Stites Avenue for the report of an accident involving a vehicle and a bicyclist. Cops say Koscinski, the driver of the vehicle, left that scene and then crashed into a car in a driveway in the 300 block of Stagecoach Road minutes later. From there, Koscinski fled only to then hit a retaining wall in front of a house on Route 47 South. After that crash, he ran away on foot, according to a press release, but was later apprehended.
The bicyclist, 39-year-old Christopher Pietrusza of Cape May Court House, was taken to AtlantiCare Medical Center-City Division with life-threatening injuries. Police say he died the next day.
Koscinski had originally been charged with assault by auto prior to Pietrusza’s death.
The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Can You Answer These 9 Nearly Impossible 2021 New Jersey Jeopardy Questions?
Let’s. Play. JEOPARDY!
NJ teachers and educators caught in sex crime busts
Over the past few years, state lawmakers have taken on the challenge of dealing with accused child predators among the ranks of teachers and educators.
In 2018, the so-called “pass the trash” law went into effect, requiring stricter New Jersey school background checks related to child abuse and sexual misconduct.
The follow individuals were arrested over the past several years. Some have been convicted and sentenced to prison, while others have accepted plea deals for probation.
Others cases are still pending, including some court delays amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
