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TSA Drops Mask Mandate For Planes, Public Transit... For Now TSA Drops Mask Mandate For Planes, Public Transit... For Now
TSA Drops Mask Mandate For Planes, Public Transit... For Now Face masks will no longer be enforced on airplanes and other modes of public transport after a federal judge ruled the order unconstitutional Monday, April 18. The decision comes after U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said in a 59-page decision that the CDC overstepped its authority by enforcing the 14-month directive. The Biden administration was in the process of reviewing and deciding whether or not to appeal it as of Monday evening, multiple news outlets report. The Amtrak rail system and TSA both rescinded the mandate, but the CDC – which extended the mask mandate through …

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by Nic Acosta & Cecilia Levine
News
This COVID Variant Is Dominant Strain In NJ This COVID Variant Is Dominant Strain In NJ
This COVID Variant Is Dominant Strain In NJ The subvariant of the Omicron strain is the most dominant in New Jersey, and it is already the most prevalent strain in the US. The so-called "Stealth Omicron" strain was found in more than 70 percent of all sampled cases in New Jersey between March 13 and March 19, according to the state health department. From Feb. 6 to Feb. 12, the BA.2 subvariant was found in only 7 percent of the cases examined, the health department said. It is unlikely that the latest variant will result in another wave of cases or lockdowns, NJ Advance Media says citing health officials. The BA…

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by Nicole Acosta
News
Central Jersey HS Dismissed Early, Requiring Masks Due To COVID Outbreak Central Jersey HS Dismissed Early, Requiring Masks Due To COVID Outbreak
Central Jersey HS Dismissed Early, Requiring Masks Due To COVID Outbreak A Central Jersey high school was being dismissed early to avoid the further spread of COVID-19, officials said. In this letter to the community, South Brunswick Schools Superintendent Scott Feder announced the dismissal on Friday, April 1 after 150 students came down with COVID this week. A concert at the school last Saturday purportedly triggered a spike in coronavirus cases, Feder also said masks are now required for students and faculty through the end of next week. “We will reevaluate the need for masks at that time,” the superintendent’s letter said. South Brunswick High School's ea…

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by Jon Craig
Schools
This NJ High School Is Starting Later So Students Can Catch More Z's This NJ High School Is Starting Later So Students Can Catch More Z's
This NJ High School Is Starting Later So Students Can Catch More Z's Students attending one New Jersey high school next year will soon have an extra 40 minutes of shut-eye before starting their first class, thanks to a new proposal from state lawmakers. Chatham High School’s starting time will be pushed back from 7:40 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. for the 2022-23 school year, according to a letter sent to parents from Schools Superintendent Michael LaSusa. The change also affects the other schools in the district, aside from Chatham Middle School, which will keep its starting time of 7:55 a.m., LaSusa said. A new proposal from state lawmakers is asking for high school …

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Notorious Gym Owner Who Defied COVID Orders Charged With DUI Years After Deadly Crash: Police Notorious Gym Owner Who Defied COVID Orders Charged With DUI Years After Deadly Crash: Police
Notorious Gym Owner Who Defied COVID Orders Charged With DUI Years After Deadly Crash: Police The South Jersey owner who drew national attention for defying Gov. Phil Murphy’s coronavirus orders in 2020 was charged with drunken driving in Burlington County — years after a crash that left another man dead, authorities said. Ian Smith, co-owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, was charged after an incident near Route 130 north and Andover Road at 12:25 a.m. on Sunday, on Sunday, March 27, Cinnaminson Police Chief Richard Calabrese told Daily Voice. Smith, of Camden County, is running for Congress as a Republican in New Jersey’s 3rd District. His congressional campaign co…

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by Jon Craig
News
COVID Mask Seller From Brooklyn Pleads Guilty To Gouging NJ Grocers At 400% Markup COVID Mask Seller From Brooklyn Pleads Guilty To Gouging NJ Grocers At 400% Markup
COVID Mask Seller From Brooklyn Pleads Guilty To Gouging NJ Grocers At 400% Markup A Brooklyn company admitted that it illegally made a killing off a New Jersey grocery store chain by selling it COVID masks during the pandemic at a 400% markup, federal authorities said. Milk & Honey Ventures and two partners bought 250,000 KN95 filtering facepiece respirators from a foreign manufacturer, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said Tuesday, March 29. MHV had never sold personal protective equipment before, Sellinger said. The company and one its partners sold 100,000 of the masks to a chain of New Jersey grocery stores at $5.25 per mask -- far in excess of prevailing marke…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
COVID-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant COVID-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant
Covid-19: These Are Most Common Symptoms For New 'Stealth Omicron' Variant With the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the subvariant of the Omicron strain on the rise, attention is turning to its symptoms. The so-called "Stealth Omicron" strain now accounts for about 35 percent of new COVID cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Those infected with the BA.2 subvariant have been mainly reporting symptoms common to Omicron, NBC News reported. They are: Cough Fatigue Congestion Runny nose In addition, dizziness that may come and go during the day has been reported among those infected with the BA.2 sub…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
NJ Landmark 'Palace Of Depression' To Reopen NJ Landmark 'Palace Of Depression' To Reopen
NJ Landmark 'Palace Of Depression' To Reopen A Depression-era mansion built from stone and junkyard parts in New Jersey aims to reopen this summer, according to the president of its restoration association. A two-decade dream to rebuild the Palace of Depression in Vineland, Cumberland County, by Kevin Kirchner is nearly complete. However, Kirchner died of COVID-19 complications on Christmas Ev. His son, Kristian, has taken the reins as president of the project. "We have a ton of repairs, maintenance, and renovations going on right now that need to be completed first," Kristian Kirchner told Daily Voice.  The son explained that "…

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by Jon Craig
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
1,700 More NJ Inmates Set For Release With COVID Emergency Ending, Crime Rising, Union Says 1,700 More NJ Inmates Set For Release With COVID Emergency Ending, Crime Rising, Union Says
1,700 More NJ Inmates Set For Release With COVID Emergency Ending, Crime Rising, Union Says Another 1,700 New Jersey prison inmates are scheduled for early pandemic release this weekend even though COVID-19 "is now practically non-existent" in the state's correctional facilities and crime is running rampant, the president of a law enforcement supervisors union said. Given the circumstances, Gov. Phil Murphy should discontinue the practice immediately, said William Lanoza, the president of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Supervisors Association. "Once this large group of inmates [is] released, the total number of prisoners that will have been prematurely released under this program …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Events
Lady Gaga Books MetLife Stadium Stop On International Tour Postponed Due To Coronavirus Lady Gaga Books MetLife Stadium Stop On International Tour Postponed Due To Coronavirus
Lady Gaga Books MetLife Stadium Stop On International Tour Postponed Due To Coronavirus Lady Gaga has announced her 2022 stadium tour after a two-year delay due to coronavirus. While most of the shows are in Las Vegas, the 12-time Grammy winner made sure to schedule a stop at MetLife Stadium on Thursday Aug. 11 as part of the "Chromatica Ball" tour. Tickets start at $129 on StubHub. The concert series was scheduled in 2020 after the release of Gaga's album "Chromatica." It was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. Popular songs from the album include "Stupid Love" and "Rain on Me" with Arianna Grande. The tour will begin in Düsseldorf and finish in Los Angeles.  Cl…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Dee Snider Backs Ukrainians Using Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' As Battle Cry Dee Snider Backs Ukrainians Using Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' As Battle Cry
Dee Snider Backs Ukrainians Using Twisted Sister's 'We're Not Gonna Take It' As Battle Cry Dee Snider says it's twisted thinking to wonder why he endorses Ukrainians blasting the popular anthem "We're Not Gonna Take It" in their fight against the Russian invasion after he opposed its use by COVID anti-maskers. “I absolutely approve of Ukrainians using ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ as their battlecry,” Snider tweeted. "My grandfather was Ukrainian before it was swallowed up by the USSR after WW2. This can’t happen to these people again!” Snider, the 66-year-old frontman of Twisted Sister (the heavy metal pride of Bergen County), got initial blowback for using the hashtag #F***RUSSIA …

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by Jerry DeMarco