Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 9/24/2021 – InsiderNJ
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “New Jerseyans acknowledge there have been missteps over the past eighteen months, some of them very serious, but that has not noticeably weakened their overall view of his Covid performance.” – Monmouth polling director Patrick Murray on Governor Murphy’s handling of COVID-19
TOP STORY: Casha Jumps into the CD-11 GOP Primary Ring
The statewide cumulative COVID-19 count stands at 992,586 cases and 24,515 confirmed fatalities (and 149,033 probable cases and 2,773 probable fatalities) as of Thursday (an increase of 2,040 confirmed cases, 462 probable cases, and 24 lab-confirmed fatalities from the previous day). The viral transmission rate is 1.05. There have been 11,961,373 COVID-19 vaccinations administered (with 5,804,009 people fully vaccinated).
A Monmouth University poll finds Governor Murphy continues to get generally positive reviews for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by a majority of voters, though a majority also feels his administration bears some responsibility for the pain of small businesses and nursing home fatalities.
The Cumberland County Jail warden’s resignation adds a legal twist to the fate of the jail and inmates, according to Burlington County Times.
Rep. Pascrell spoke out in favor of Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.
ICYMI: Murphy says child care center mask mandates ‘brings us no joy‘; Gottheimer: ‘hectic few days ahead‘; NJDOL paid out over $35B; Murphy signed an executive order requiring masks in child care settings; Watson Colemans’ in-depth interview; protesters rallied Gottheimer’s office; Pascrell on SALT: ‘we’re taking the gloves off, I’m telling you‘; Murphy announced Pre-K commitment;Murphy established the ‘Wealth Disparity Task Force’; Payne confident on infrastructure bill; Murphy thinks post-mortem warranted on Ida; feds sign off on disaster relief; Malinowski says ‘make or break moment‘ for climate; Kim discusses Capitol riot; Biden lands in NJ in hard-hit Manville, as some welcomed him, others rallied against
In Jersey City, Mayor Fulop expanded the city’s COVID-19 rental relief program.
In Atlantic City, AC Pride’s new initiatives aim to celebrate AC’s gay history, according to the Press of Atlantic City. The council passed a 2% tax on recreational cannabis sales, according to the Press of Atlantic City. The city received a $50k planning grant to aid in the redevelopment of the former Trump Plaza site.
In Bloomingdale, a park was renamed in honor of the late former Mayor Dunleavy, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Essex Fells, the town shut three water wells due to contamination, according to NJ Hills.
In Lakewood, the police chief blamed a Twitter hack for pro-Trump anti-Biden posts, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Montclair, the council amended parking rules for the Montclair Center, according to TAPinto.
In Palisades Park, the schools will launch universal Pre-K, according to the Bergen Record.
In Tinton Falls, the town is preparing a pilot program to allow backyard chickens, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Toms River, downtown traffic could be fixed with a roundabout solution, according to the Asbury Park Press.
ICYMI: In Newark, city unveiled a statue of history-making former Mayor Kenneth Gibson; in Newark, no clear alternative to Baraka, sources say Amador won’t seek re-election; in Newark, James considers the impact of the extraction of troops; in North Arlington, former Mayor Kaiser passed away; in Paterson, officials toured Ida shelter; in Penns Grove, former councilman charged w/ underreporting income; in Newark, DOJ reached settlement with schools; in Hoboken, workers rallied for benefits; in Chatham, key issue revolves around Nazis and Elie Wiesel.
AROUND THE WEB:
Orphaned, infected, in crisis: How the pandemic is traumatizing kidsgate incident during Ida, legislators say
Laura Olson, New Jersey Monitor
- The coronavirus pandemic has brought heartbreaking consequences for millions of U.S. children, even as most avoided serious illness themselves, pediatric experts told Congress on Wednesday. Take, for instance, a young girl from Tennessee named Sophia, whose story was relayed by Dr. Margaret Rush, president of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University.
Shame on you, Rutgers. How did New Jersey’s university sink into $265M in debt? | Asszony
Carl J. Asszony, Special to the USA TODAY Network
- Thanks to the dedicated and persevering effort of the investigative reporters Jean Timbach and Abbot Koloff of NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY Network, the hidden financial transactions at Rutgers University would not have been made public.
Murphy’s tyrannical ways will worsen if he wins re-election
Dennis Malloy, NJ1015
- Mask mandates, limits on commerce, and social interaction will all make a huge comeback if Murphy is reelected in November in New Jersey. Odds are pretty good that he will be reelected with polls showing him with a healthy lead over Republican challenge a Jack Ciattarelli.
Who runs the world: The 2021 Best 50 Women in Business honorees
NJBIZ Staff
- The NJBIZ Best 50 Women in Business Awards program recognizes women who are shattering stereotypes, and the glass ceiling, with the significant impacts they’re making on New Jersey business and the community at large. Already one of our most popular events, for 2021 NJBIZ received an unprecedented number of nominations from quality candidates doing big things in the Garden State.
Will Passaic County’s jail close?
Leah Mishkin, NJ Spotlight
- The fate of Passaic County’s jail is hanging in the balance. A formal committee, put together last month, is assessing whether to shut down the 60-year-old prison with a troubled past. Its closure would join the list of several other county correctional facilities that now send their inmates to nearby jails. And it will potentially enable those county officials to end controversial contracts with ICE to house immigrant detainees.
Polluters pick up tab for restoration of threatened tracts of white cedar trees in N.J.
Wayne Parry, The Associated Press
- New Jersey plans to restore vast tracts of a coastal tree species threatened by climate change, and will pay for it with money from polluters of groundwater. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said Thursday its plan to restore 10,000 acres of Atlantic white cedar would be the largest restoration effort involving the species in U.S. history.
The details on Somerset County’s new effort to build a strong economic environment
Brad Wadlow, MyCentralJersey.com
- Somerset County recently announced it will merge the Planning Division and Office of Economic Development to create a new Office of Planning, Policy and Economic Development. The new office will be the central hub working with the Board of County Commissioners, county divisions and departments, local governments, nonprofits and the business community.
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