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Business
Popular South Jersey Burger Joint Closes: 'Bittersweet' Popular South Jersey Burger Joint Closes: 'Bittersweet'
Popular South Jersey Burger Joint Closes: 'Bittersweet' A hot dog and burger restaurant that was born as a creative response to the pandemic and quickly became a staple in South Jersey will be closing its doors this weekend. Burgertime NJ, located in Audubon, will flip its last patty on Saturday, Oct. 14. The W. Merchant Street joint is owned by Dane DeMarco, who also runs Gass & Main in Haddonfield. Burgertime sold a creative variety of hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches, along with simple classics and sides.  DeMarco announced the restaurant's closing on social media, noting the decision wasn't an easy one. Dear friends and loyal cu…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Viral Smash Burger Tacos Have Customers Flocking To This Family's LBI Cafe Viral Smash Burger Tacos Have Customers Flocking To This Family's LBI Cafe
Viral Smash Burger Tacos Have Customers Flocking To This Family's LBI Cafe "It's like a Big Mac on a taco." That's how Kristin Mailhiot describes the menu item that's been driving traffic to her LBI cafe — both online and IRL. Mailhiot opened Jersey Girl Grill on Long Beach Boulevard 16 summers ago with her husband, Shawn. They now have help running the place from their college-age kids. Mailhiot, who grew up in Philadelphia and Jenkintown, PA, launched the smash burger taco this summer after seeing a chef's fancier take on it on social media last winter.  Once she nailed her own recipe, Mailhiot posted a photo of the finished product to Instagram, and things t…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
'A Taste Of Taiwan': New Restaurant Opens In North Jersey 'A Taste Of Taiwan': New Restaurant Opens In North Jersey
'A Taste Of Taiwan': New Restaurant Opens In North Jersey A North Jersey eatery is aiming to introduce people to the diverse world of Taiwanese cuisine. Bowlba recently opened at 59 Passaic St. in Garfield, bringing the taste of Taipei to the area. The restaurant is the brainchild of Chloe Leung, her husband Clement, and Bosco Won, a partner and chef. "This is my wife's passion project," Clement Leung said. "Her family is from Taiwan and they've worked in the Taiwanese night markets for past 40 years." View this post on Instagram A post shared by BOWLBA Taiwan Eatery (@bowlba.usa) After immigratin…

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by Sam Barron
Business
Bergen Mom Who Sold 80 Dozen Cookies In First Day Of Biz Goes Brick-And-Mortar Bergen Mom Who Sold 80 Dozen Cookies In First Day Of Biz Goes Brick-And-Mortar
Bergen Mom Who Sold 80 Dozen Cookies In First Day Of Biz Goes Brick-And-Mortar Alyson Levine hasn't ever gotten to watch her customers enjoy the ooey gooey deliciousness she makes for them. At best, the Wyckoff mom will get a text saying the chocolate chip cookies were amazing. But it's not the same as watching the joy firsthand. Later this summer, Levine will get to do just that when she brings Hands Down Cookies — the cookie business she launched remotely during the pandemic — to a storefront in Hawthorne. "I'm really excited to be around people and see people smile when they eat my cookies," the mom of two said in a call with Daily Voice. Alyson Levine, of Ha…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
North Jersey Wedding Venue 'The Manor' To Shutter After 66 Years North Jersey Wedding Venue 'The Manor' To Shutter After 66 Years
North Jersey Wedding Venue 'The Manor' To Shutter After 66 Years A North Jersey wedding venue will close its doors after 66 years in business come July. The Manor, in West Orange, announced it will be closing on July 6, 2023. "We are agonizingly aware that there is no 'good' time for this to happen and are doing our sincere best to responsibly and respectfully resolve each and every pending event thoughtfully," the Knowles family wrote on the venue's website, thanking clients for graciousness and understanding. "The scale of those whose lives we’ve touched is truly beyond our fathoming — and we have never ceased to be humbled by it. Through the pandemic…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
‘Dire Situation:’ Warren County Community Supports Elderly Couple Desperate To Dig New Well ‘Dire Situation:’ Warren County Community Supports Elderly Couple Desperate To Dig New Well
‘Dire Situation:’ Warren County Community Supports Elderly Couple Desperate To Dig New Well The Warren County community is coming together during the holiday season to support a beloved couple in desperate need of a new well after years of ongoing medical and financial issues from a head-on crash. Longtime Warren County residents Walter and Brenda Kuntz were in a head-on car accident about 15 years ago that caused them to suffer from life-changing injuries and left them unable to work full-time, according to a GoFundMe launched by their children. Walter Kuntz was “forced to retire early” due to the extent of his injuries and has been in and out of the hospital ever since, the camp…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Scathing Report Says Nurses At This NJ Hospital Wouldn't Feel Safe Being Treated There Scathing Report Says Nurses At This NJ Hospital Wouldn't Feel Safe Being Treated There
Scathing Report Says Nurses At This NJ Hospital Wouldn't Feel Safe Being Treated There A scathing report released by the largest union representing healthcare workers in New Jersey reveals how nurses feel working at one Jersey Shore hospital — and it's largely not great. It all came to a head for Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center nurses during the pandemic, when they found themselves fighting their employer for protection all while working on the front lines under already stressful conditions, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) report says. "Working conditions at Jersey Shore University Medical Center during the pandemic led to many …

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
North Jersey Mom's Babka Business Gets Brick And Mortar Store North Jersey Mom's Babka Business Gets Brick And Mortar Store
North Jersey Mom's Babka Business Gets Brick And Mortar Store A North Jersey mom who had help from her husband and daughters launching a charitable babka business at the height of the pandemic is moving into a storefront. Hoboken's Michal Prevor started Babka Bailout to help pay her housekeeper's rent at the height of the pandemic. On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Prevor will hold a grand opening for Babka Bailout at its new digs on 476 Central Ave. in Jersey City from 1 to 4 p.m. Babka is a dough filled with chocolate then rolled up or braided and baked.  Babka BailoutBabka Bailout Babka Bailout offers a variety of flavors including Nutella-Oreo, cereal…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Popular North Jersey Froyo Shop Closing Due To 'Someone Else's Actions' Popular North Jersey Froyo Shop Closing Due To 'Someone Else's Actions'
Popular North Jersey Froyo Shop Closing Due To 'Someone Else's Actions' A popular frozen yogurt shop that weathered many a storm is closing after a decade of business in North Jersey. Bohemian Raspberry on South Avenue E. in Westfield made the announcement on June 22 in a Facebook post, saying the landlord has plans for our building that do not include them. The last day of business will be Aug. 1. "We persevered through a pandemic but have no recourse for someone else’s actions," the post reads. "The shop opened days before Hurricane Sandy bore down on NJ, leaving the community decimated. As luck would have it, our opening day flags and electric service…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Feds: Postal Supervisor In NJ Sold 400 Vax Cards That She Printed At Work Feds: Postal Supervisor In NJ Sold 400 Vax Cards That She Printed At Work
Feds: Postal Supervisor In NJ Sold 400 Vax Cards That She Printed At Work A U.S. Postal Service supervisor from New Jersey openly sold 400 bogus COVID vaccine cards that she printed at her job -- while claiming that a graphic design degree was "paying off" for her, federal authorities charged. Lisa Hammell, 39, of the South Jersey town of Turnersville, sold the cards for from $20 to $100 after advertising them on social media, an indictment returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Newark says. Two of the buyers were from New Jersey and another was a federal employee in Virginia whose mother needed the card because she worked in a hospital and had to be …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
Iconic NJ Deli Reopening After Pandemic Shutdown Iconic NJ Deli Reopening After Pandemic Shutdown
Iconic NJ Deli Reopening After Pandemic Shutdown A family-owned New Jersey deli is gearing up for a long-awaited reopening, originally reported by NJ Advance Media. Hobby's Delicatessen, in Newark, announced in an April Fool's joke "We are open... ing soon." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hobby's Delicatessen (@hobbysdeli) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hobby's Delicatessen (@hobbysdeli) The Kosher-style deli — whose website says it was "established before you were born" — was bought by Sam Brummer in 1962. His tw…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US COVID-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US
Covid-19: This Key Factor Could Indicate Whether Stealth Omicron Will Cause New Surge In US With the new “stealth” COVID-19 sub-variant emerging from the shadows in the US and overseas, researchers are concerned that one subset of Americans could potentially lead to a possible new surge of infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Omicron, which is known as B.1.1.529, has three sub-variants: the original BA.1 that remains the dominant strain, the “stealth” BA.2, which is picking up steam, and the more elusive BA.3. The new “stealth” variant - named for its difficulty to identify due to a lack of certain genetic characteristics - has been becoming more of a co…

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by Zak Failla
News
NJ Resumes COVID Early Inmate Release Program NJ Resumes COVID Early Inmate Release Program
NJ Resumes COVID Early Inmate Release Program As many as 1,200 New Jersey prison inmates and at least 10 sex offenders could be freed during another round of early pandemic releases, state corrections sources say. No public notice was given by Gov. Phil Murphy’s office of the latest releases, which corrections officials said resumed Thursday with 260 inmates freed. These come at a time when “violent crime me in some of our cities has gotten so bad” that “many urban mayors who supported bail reform are demanding a new law that would keep dangerous criminals in jail until trial,” state Sen. Anthony M. Bucco (R-25) said. An estimated 40%…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
Retro Fitness Abruptly Shutters Another NJ Location Retro Fitness Abruptly Shutters Another NJ Location
Retro Fitness Abruptly Shutters Another NJ Location Retro Fitness is closing yet another location in New Jersey. The gym announced its West Orange location on Prospect Avenue will close for good on Dec. 31.  Memberships will transfer to the Belleville location. The gym made the announcement on Facebook Tuesday, Dec. 28. During the pandemic, Retro Fitness closed its Paramus and Ramsey locations.

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
‘End Of An Era:’ Popular Hopatcong Deli Permanently Shutters ‘End Of An Era:’ Popular Hopatcong Deli Permanently Shutters
‘End Of An Era:’ Popular Hopatcong Deli Permanently Shutters A popular deli in Hopatcong is permanently closing its doors. Hopatcong Deli & Market on Hopatchung Road made the announcement Thursday on Facebook. “Well Hopatcong friends, unfortunately it is the end of an era,” the post says. “Due to the pandemic and the rising costs of everything, this heartbreaking decision had to be made.” The deli’s last day open is Friday, August 27. Well Hopatcong friends, unfortunately it is the end of a era. Hopatcong Deli and Market will close it's doors as of... Posted by Hopatcong Deli & Market on Thursday, August 26, 2021 “We would like to th…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
LAST CALL: Popular Hoboken Bar Frequented By Eli Manning Shutters LAST CALL: Popular Hoboken Bar Frequented By Eli Manning Shutters
Last CALL: Popular Hoboken Bar Frequented By Eli Manning Shutters A popular Hoboken bar frequented by Giant Eli Manning has closed. Hudson Tavern owner Thomas Brennan announced last Saturday was the joint's last day in business. "It has been so gratifying to be that home away from home to several generations in Hoboken," he wrote.  "I am touched and proud that for many of you, when you look back on some of your happiest occasions, they have taken place here. "See you around the neighborhood." The 14th Street bar -- which has closed temporarily a handful of times during the pandemic -- is on the market for $2.4 million. Manning was spotted at…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Fair Lawn's Nabisco Factory Closing Friday Fair Lawn's Nabisco Factory Closing Friday
Fair Lawn's Nabisco Factory Closing Friday The smells of freshly-baked cookies wafting through Fair Lawn will be no more come the end of this week. The long-standing Nabisco factory will bake its last batch on Friday. Last February, Mondelez International announced it would be closing its Nabisco plants in Fair Lawn and Atlanta, Georgia. The closure of the Fair Lawn plant -- the largest producer of Oreos -- meant leaving 600 workers unemployed. “We are going to miss the smell of fresh baked cookies that equates to hundreds of jobs," Mayor Kurt Peluso said. "Our focus over these last few months has been on finding jobs for t…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
‘Financially Catastrophic:’ Veteran-Owned Hunterdon County Coffee Shop Closes After 50 Years ‘Financially Catastrophic:’ Veteran-Owned Hunterdon County Coffee Shop Closes After 50 Years
‘Financially Catastrophic:’ Veteran-Owned Hunterdon County Coffee Shop Closes After 50 Years A veteran-owned coffee shop in Hunterdon County has permanently closed its doors after more than 50 years in business. “Unfortunately our little shop in the heart of Flemington has come to a close,” reads a Saturday message posted to the Facebook page of Flemington Coffee Shop on Reaville Avenue. The post goes on to describe the past year as “extremely challenging and financially catastrophic,” stating that the pandemic “forever changed” the shop’s routines but that “multiple variables” ultimately influenced the decision. Flemington Coffee Shop, which opened more than 50 years ago and se…

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by Valerie Musson
Lifestyle
Support Surges For Elderly Morris County Man Who Lost Everything In Mobile Home Fire Support Surges For Elderly Morris County Man Who Lost Everything In Mobile Home Fire
Support Surges For Elderly Morris County Man Who Lost Everything In Mobile Home Fire Support is on the rise for a Morris County man in his 70s who is living in his car after his mobile home and its contents were ravaged by fire. Jim Kolessar has lived at the Sandy Point Mobile Home Park in the Lake Hopatcong section of Jefferson Township since 1995, according to a GoFundMe launched in his support. Kolessar’s trailer was destroyed in a sudden and fast-moving fire on Tuesday, May 18 around 6:20 a.m., according to the fundraiser, launched Wednesday by Sharon Sutton Leek. “Jim was able to get out just in time before his entire home was engulfed in flames,” reads the page, whic…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
‘Bittersweet Occasion:’ Popular Slate Belt Ice Cream Parlor Opening Under New Ownership ‘Bittersweet Occasion:’ Popular Slate Belt Ice Cream Parlor Opening Under New Ownership
‘Bittersweet Occasion:’ Popular Slate Belt Ice Cream Parlor Opening Under New Ownership A popular Northampton County ice cream parlor will soon open under new ownership. Emmy Lou’s Ice Cream Cafe on E. Main Street in Pen Argyl has been sold, owner Emily Beam wrote in a Thursday Facebook post. “It’s a bittersweet occasion, but I’m ready to move on to the next chapter of my life,” Beam wrote. However, unlike several other small business sales and closures, Beam insists the decision wasn’t directly pandemic related. “So many people have asked, so I want to be clear that selling the shop is not a direct result of the pandemic,” Beam said. “The past year or so has definitely sh…

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by Valerie Musson
Schools
Cliffside Park HS Teacher, Students To Discuss Assignment Turned Memoir On NBC Nightly News Cliffside Park HS Teacher, Students To Discuss Assignment Turned Memoir On NBC Nightly News
Cliffside Park HS Teacher, Students To Discuss Assignment Turned Memoir On NBC Nightly News A Cliffside Park teacher and some of his students who together published a memoir on what it's like living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a teen will be discussing the book Tuesday evening on NBC. Shawn Adler asked his 49 students to document what it's like to be living through a pandemic. Adler and the students took their emotional stories and compiled them into a memoir titled "The Class of COVID-19: Insights from the Inside." "This book touches on all aspects of what it's like to be a teenager during a global plague -- from the young men and woman who have lost the most," the book's …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Hard Rock Hotel Gives Bonuses Worth $1M To 2,200 Atlantic City Casino Workers Hard Rock Hotel Gives Bonuses Worth $1M To 2,200 Atlantic City Casino Workers
Hard Rock Hotel Gives Bonuses Worth $1M To 2,200 Atlantic City Casino Workers More than 2,100 casino workers at Atlantic City's Hard Rock Hotel got some good pandemic news on Tuesday.  Grateful for its workers' efforts despite new challenges from COVID-19, the company announced that its front-line team members will receive individual cash bonuses ranging from $250 to $1,000. Jim Allen, Hard Rock International's chairman and CEO, said Tuesday that the company is giving out bonuses to thank workers for providing good customer service. But they also are an acknowledgment of the extra challenge posed by the pandemic. “The dedication of our team members ha…

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by Jon Craig
News
COVID-19: 2021 Hackettstown St. Patrick’s Day Parade Canceled COVID-19: 2021 Hackettstown St. Patrick’s Day Parade Canceled
Covid-19: 2021 Hackettstown St. Patrick’s Day Parade Canceled The 2021 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hackettstown has been canceled, the local business improvement district announced on social media. “Due to the current pandemic, the Hackettstown BID has regretfully made the decision to cancel the 2021 St Patty's Day Parade,” reads a Thursday Facebook post from the HBID. It’s unclear how the town will celebrate the March 17 holiday — but it “will not be quiet,” officials said. “The town will not be quiet that week,” the post said. “We will celebrate in a safe and festive way! Please look out for details.”

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by Valerie Musson
News
Beach Passes Already Sold Out For This Jersey Shore Town Beach Passes Already Sold Out For This Jersey Shore Town
Beach Passes Already Sold Out For This Jersey Shore Town Beach passes for the 2021 season are already sold out for one Jersey Shore town. The 5,500 passes that were allotted for this year were on sale for $110 in December, NJ.com reports.  Not many knew the passes were on sale, as they had been announced last month in a newsletter, read mostly by locals. Even more frustrating to residents, more than half of the passes were allegedly sold to out-of-towners. An announcement on the Spring Lake website says the borough reached its sales total, which equate to the numbers sold during Summer 2020. "Due to the uncertainty of the ongoing Pandemic…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Reports Single-Day Record For New COVID Cases, Figures Listed By County NJ Reports Single-Day Record For New COVID Cases, Figures Listed By County
NJ Reports Single-Day Record For New COVID Cases, Figures Listed By County New Jersey health officials on Thursday reported a single-day record of 6,314 new confirmed positive COVID-19 test results in the state – only the third time the number has exceeded 6,000 since the pandemic began. Hudson and Middlesex counties each topped 600 new confirmed positives. Bergen, Essex and Monmouth each exceeded 500. Passaic, Ocean and Camden counties each had 400 or more. Nine counties each had less than 200. The good news: Hospitalizations are beginning to drop again. The numbers reported Thursday increased the seven-day average for new confirmed positives in New Jersey to 4…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
Bergen County Mom, Beloved Business Owner Antonella Maniscalco Dies, 53 Bergen County Mom, Beloved Business Owner Antonella Maniscalco Dies, 53
Bergen County Mom, Beloved Business Owner Antonella Maniscalco Dies, 53 The community is coming together in support of a Bergen County family mourning the loss of their rock: Antonella Lucia Romano Maniscalco. A caring wife, loving mother and passionate businesswoman, Antonella died on Dec. 12, after a bout with cancer. She was 53 years old. More than $31,700 had been raised on a GoFundMe for her family as of Wednesday.  The campaign was launched by Antonella's husband's longtime friend by Daniel Briganti. "To know Antonella and Alex is to know a true love story," Briganti writes. "Their love for each other is genuine, selfless, comp…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Stop & Shop Hiring For More Than 5,000 Positions Stop & Shop Hiring For More Than 5,000 Positions
Stop & Shop Hiring For More Than 5,000 Positions Stop & Shop is looking to fill more than 5,000 regional positions. The available positions across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are permanent and include store roles in bakery, deli, grocery, seafood, produce, front end, night crew and online pickup.  Stop & Shop is also hiring home delivery drivers and shoppers, as well as selectors at its distribution centers. These 5,000 new positions are in addition to the 5,000 Stop & Shop sought to fill at the start of the pandemic in March.  In total, Stop & Shop has invested more than …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Murphy Addresses Restaurant Hecklers With Compassion For Those Stressed By Pandemic Murphy Addresses Restaurant Hecklers With Compassion For Those Stressed By Pandemic
Murphy Addresses Restaurant Hecklers With Compassion For Those Stressed By Pandemic Gov. Phil Murphy said he was largely unaffected by the group of women who harassed him and his family over the weekend while dining out Saturday in Red Bank. The governor addressed the 36-second encounter that began circulating Sunday afternoon on social media during Monday's COVID-19 briefing. "I would say, one, that I'm a big boy and I have thick skin," Murphy said. "It doesn't impact me at all." The only part that seemed to bother him, though, was that the women involved his family. "Leave my family out of it," he said. The governor, his wife Tammy Murphy, and their four children were…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ COVID-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge NJ COVID-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge
NJ Covid-19 Scammer Pocketed $1.8M In Taxpayer-Funded Rescue Loans, Feds Charge A North Jersey businessman fraudulently secured nearly $2 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic loans he wasn't entitled to, then diverted the money into accounts held by family members, including his young children, federal authorities charged. Rocco A. Malanga, 48, of Hackettstown, “used a variety of false statements to fraudulently obtain approximately $1.8 million in federal COVID-19 emergency relief funds meant for distressed small businesses,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Thursday. He then diverted the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) money to “accounts under the control of his …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
COVID-19: CDC Updates Thanksgiving Guidelines COVID-19: CDC Updates Thanksgiving Guidelines
Covid-19: CDC Updates Thanksgiving Guidelines The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has updated previously released guidelines for Thanksgiving during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Unfortunately, the COVID-19 epidemic is worsening, and small household gatherings are an important contributor to the rise in COVID-19 cases," the agency said in a statement released Monday, Nov. 9. "Traditional Thanksgiving gatherings with family and friends are fun but can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu." The CDC says "the safest way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is with people in your household." 'If you…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Murphy Announces New COVID-19 Restrictions, Says Vaccine Coming Spring 2021 Murphy Announces New COVID-19 Restrictions, Says Vaccine Coming Spring 2021
Murphy Announces New Covid-19 Restrictions, Says Vaccine Coming Spring 2021 Gov. Phil Murphy announced new COVID-19 restrictions in the midst of New Jersey's second wave. Murphy also said he spoke with Dr. Anthony Fauci over the weekend, who was "unequivocal" when he said a vaccine will be ready in April or May. "We're in a sprint for the next six months," Murphy said. The governor remained hopeful a vaccine would be ready for wide distribution in Spring 2021, as long as "all the tires have been checked. "A vaccine doesn't mean we're back to where we were," Murphy said. "But it [will be] a hugely different environment. We've got to use that. "We have a plan rea…

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by Cecilia Levine