COVID-19
Courts must do more to ensure defendants’ right to speedy trial, N.J. Supreme Court says
COVID restrictions and judicial vacancies are leading to yearslong trial delays, with defendants' liberty at stake, the chief justice warns
Insurers not liable for businesses’ pandemic losses, N.J. appellate panel rules
The businesses' insurance policies did not provide coverage for losses sustained during virus-related government shutdowns, the judges noted in their ruling.
Senate rejects Democrat’s request for probe of nursing home deaths
State Sen. Nia Gill on Thursday demanded lawmakers vote in favor of forming an oversight committee with subpoena power to investigate the 9,100 COVID-19 deaths in New Jersey nursing homes, but Gill’s move was rejected by a narrow vote. Gill (D-Essex) characterized a probe into the deaths as one of “transparency and accountability” for the […]
Public school enrollment dropped 18K since start of pandemic, state data shows
Enrollment in New Jersey’s traditional public schools fell by about 18,000 in the two years since the pandemic led to school closures and other classroom disruptions, according to new enrollment data from the state Department of Education. The losses came in the state’s urban centers and suburban districts alike. In October, Passaic reported 800 fewer […]
New lawsuits over nursing home COVID deaths claim ‘state-created danger’
The families of two women who died after catching COVID in the private nursing homes where they lived have sued state officials, saying the state ignored repeated warnings in the pandemic’s first weeks that its controversial approach to containing COVID in long-term care facilities would be deadly. The lawsuits come nearly five months after the […]
N.J. labor department chief again criticized for handling of unemployment claims
Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo took another beating from lawmakers during a budget hearing Wednesday, with legislators criticizing his department for taking so long to dole out jobless benefits during the pandemic. Nearly every lawmaker on the Assembly Budget Committee shared a story of someone who has reached out to their office in need of help […]
Lawmakers grill N.J. health commissioner on N.J.’s COVID response
Lawmakers sparred with Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli during a budget hearing Monday, criticizing the state’s COVID response and blasting Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration for the high death toll in the state’s nursing homes. Persichilli appeared in front of the Assembly Budget Committee to discuss some of the initiatives the Department of Health wants […]
CDC concludes a mask mandate is still needed for travelers, clearing way for court battle
The Biden administration will fight a court decision for the authority to mandate masks on airplanes, trains and other public transit, following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation Wednesday night that a mandate was still needed. The CDC said in a statement that the mandate keeps transportation safer for immunocompromised people and the greater public. […]
Use federal COVID relief for housing, education, and health care, activists urge
New Jersey is flush with federal pandemic relief funds, sitting on $3 billion still undesignated. Progressive activists see that as an opportunity for state officials to reach out to vulnerable populations and help all residents recover from the pandemic. During a virtual event Tuesday they dubbed a “People’s Hearing,” the activists criticized the state Legislature for […]
Biden administration will appeal ruling on travel mask mandate — if CDC says it’s needed
The Biden administration will appeal a federal judge’s order striking down a mask mandate for air travel and public transit, subject to a decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Justice Department said in a Tuesday night statement. The CDC has yet to conclude that the mandate — which applied in […]
Masks no longer required on public transit in N.J., governor says
Passengers are no longer required to wear masks on NJ Transit and other forms of public transportation in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Tuesday morning. The end of New Jersey’s two-year mask mandate for train, bus, and other public transit users comes less than a day after a federal judge tossed the national mask mandate […]
Federal judge in Florida throws out national mask mandate for travelers
A federal judge in Florida voided the nationwide mask mandate for airline and public transportation passengers Monday, saying the requirement was beyond the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s authority. A Biden administration official said that agencies are reviewing the decision and potential next steps. “In the meantime, today’s court decision means CDC’s public transportation […]