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Indoor Mask Mandate, Social Distancing Ends In New Jersey Indoor Mask Mandate, Social Distancing Ends In New Jersey
Indoor Mask Mandate, Social Distancing Ends In New Jersey The future looked uncertain this time last year in New Jersey. How long will this last? Will someone I love get sick? Will things ever return to normal? On the morning of Friday, May 28, things in New Jersey felt almost back to normal.  Mandates on indoor mask-wearing for those who are fully-vaccinated and social distancing guidelines were lifted for most public settings for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. Businesses such as restaurants, bars, shopping centers, gyms and movie theaters can operate at full capacity and those who are vaccinated don't have to wear a mask. …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Ditch The Face Mask, Hit The Dance Floor: NJ Relaxes COVID Guidelines Ditch The Face Mask, Hit The Dance Floor: NJ Relaxes COVID Guidelines
Ditch The Face Mask, Hit The Dance Floor: NJ Relaxes COVID Guidelines Social distancing and face mask requirements are so last year -- at least in New Jersey. Come this Friday, face masks will no longer be required at most public indoor spaces in the Garden Sate, and social distancing will no longer be required, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday. Dance floors at bars and restaurants will also be allowed to reopen come and alcohol can be served at bars again on May 28, Murphy said. On Friday, June 4, all indoor and outdoor gathering limits will be lifted. The new regulations come several weeks after the CDC relaxed their face mask guidelines.  "I am proud t…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
PA Lifting COVID Orders Memorial Day Weekend, Masks Required Until 70% Of State Is Vaccinated PA Lifting COVID Orders Memorial Day Weekend, Masks Required Until 70% Of State Is Vaccinated
PA Lifting COVID Orders Memorial Day Weekend, Masks Required Until 70% Of State Is Vaccinated Normalcy is returning in Pennsylvania where officials announced COVID-19 mitigation efforts will be lifted Memorial Day Weekend. Capacity limits on restaurants, bars, indoor and outdoor gatherings will be lifted on May 31, Governor Tom Wolf's administration said Tuesday.  The public mask mandate will be lifted when 70 percent of the population -- including those 18 and older -- are vaccinated. As of Tuesday, 42 percent of Pennsylvanians were vaccinated, with 63 percent of individuals ages 18 and over had gotten at least one dose, federal data shows. Effective May 31, we are lifting CO…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
COVID-19: NJ Announces 'Aggressive' Reopening Steps Effective This Month COVID-19: NJ Announces 'Aggressive' Reopening Steps Effective This Month
Covid-19: NJ Announces 'Aggressive' Reopening Steps Effective This Month Life will look even more normal this month, as New Jersey will lift some of its biggest COVID-19 restrictions, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday. Come May 7, the prohibition on indoor bar seating will be lifted as long as social distancing is in place; prohibition on buffets and and other self-service foods will be lifted along with other self-service foods at restaurants. As of May 19, restaurants can operate at whatever capacity allows them to continue with social distancing in place. Also on that day, the 50 percent capacity limits for indoor and outdoor settings and businesses governed…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Sick Of Snow, COVID? Six Flags Set To Open Next Month Sick Of Snow, COVID? Six Flags Set To Open Next Month
Sick Of Snow, COVID? Six Flags Set To Open Next Month Have you had enough of this COVID-19 epidemic and seemingly endless winter? The good news is you'll have something else to do starting March 27. Six Flags Great Adventure’s opening day in Jackson is a step closer to the debut of its newest ride: The Jersey Devil Coaster, which will become the world’s tallest, fastest and longest single-rail roller coaster.  The Jersey Devil will take riders 13 stories into the air before plunging them down a track about a half-mile long, reaching speeds of 58 miles per hour, as reported here by Daily Voice. The amusement park’s Wild Safari Drive-Thru…

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by Jon Craig
News
NYC COVID-19 Capacities: Yankee Stadium Can Have Fans On Opening Day, All 5,425 Of Them NYC COVID-19 Capacities: Yankee Stadium Can Have Fans On Opening Day, All 5,425 Of Them
NYC Covid-19 Capacities: Yankee Stadium Can Have Fans On Opening Day, All 5,425 Of Them Following New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement Wednesday that large arenas in the Empire State can reopen at 10% capacity in less than two weeks, some fans began crunching numbers. We took care of that already (see below). First, know that you’ll have to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the game or event. You’ll also have to wear a mask and social distance, of course. The Bronx Bombers launch the 2021 season with a six-game homestand beginning Opening Day, April 1, against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Metropolitans, who open the season on the road, begin their first …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
COVID-19: Did You Already Have Virus, And Not Know It? Here Are The Signs COVID-19: Did You Already Have Virus, And Not Know It? Here Are The Signs
Covid-19: Did You Already Have Virus, And Not Know It? Here Are The Signs Not everyone who has caught COVID-19 knows it. But there are ways to tell if you got the novel virus sometime since the pandemic touched down in the U.S. during winter 2020. In many people, signs of “Long COVID-19" persist, according to a new study, “Long COVID: a cross-sectional study of persisting symptoms” led by Dr. Swapna Mandal, a respiratory physician, and a growing host of research. There’s only one true way to know if you had COVID-19 - get an antibody blood test to check for signs of COVID-19. However, there are a number of more informal ways to tell if you previously caught t…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
Shore Bar, JC Lounge Among NJ Bizzes Facing COVID-Related Liquor License Suspensions Shore Bar, JC Lounge Among NJ Bizzes Facing COVID-Related Liquor License Suspensions
Shore Bar, JC Lounge Among NJ Bizzes Facing Covid-related Liquor License Suspensions ON THE ROCKS: A dozen New Jersey bars and restaurants could have their liquor licenses temporarily suspended for what state authorities said are violations of Gov. Murphy’s COVID shutdown orders. Although most of the suspensions being sought by the ABC are for less than a month – including three for 10 days – a Jersey Shore bar and grill is looking at a possible 66-day suspension while pouring at a downtown Jersey City nightspot could stop for nearly three months. SEE LIST BELOW (with links to violation notices) New Jersey’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is asking a judge for the …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Shore Bar, JC Lounge Among NJ Bizzes Facing COVID-Related Liquor License Suspensions Shore Bar, JC Lounge Among NJ Bizzes Facing COVID-Related Liquor License Suspensions
Shore Bar, JC Lounge Among NJ Bizzes Facing Covid-related Liquor License Suspensions ON THE ROCKS: A dozen New Jersey bars and restaurants could have their liquor licenses temporarily suspended for what state authorities said are violations of Gov. Murphy’s COVID shutdown orders. Although most of the suspensions being sought by the ABC are for less than a month – including three for 10 days – a Jersey Shore bar and grill is looking at a possible 66-day suspension while pouring at a downtown Jersey City nightspot could stop for nearly three months. SEE LIST BELOW (with links to violation notices) New Jersey’s Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is asking a judge for the …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Police In Northampton County Seek Home For Lost Dog Named After The Way She Walks Police In Northampton County Seek Home For Lost Dog Named After The Way She Walks
Police In Northampton County Seek Home For Lost Dog Named After The Way She Walks Police in Northampton County are seeking a good home for a dog who has not been claimed in a week. The 50-pound dog is believed to be a treeing walker coonhound and was found on Dec. 11, on the 2500 block of Burrowes Street, Palmer police said. She is likely less than two years old, very friendly and high-energy. The pup was named "Prancer," partly for the holiday season, but more so her walking style, police said. Police are willing to set up meet and greets with Prancer in accordance with social distancing guidelines. Call Deputy Chief Wayne Smith (610) 253-5844 Extensio…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
CEO Of Englewood Firm Accused Of Event With 200 Guests, Drugs, Booze, COVID Violations Resigns CEO Of Englewood Firm Accused Of Event With 200 Guests, Drugs, Booze, COVID Violations Resigns
CEO Of Englewood Firm Accused Of Event With 200 Guests, Drugs, Booze, COVID Violations Resigns UPDATE: The chief operating officer of a civically-involved Englewood entertainment company announced Monday that his CEO has resigned in the wake of a raid of an after-hours party where police said they discovered crimes and COVID violations. Rasheed Goins, the chief operating officer of Feenx Entertainment, said he will be "taking over day to day operations going forward" following the resignation of Selom Gbate. Police said they found 200 or so partiers – few wearing masks or social distancing – along with drugs, alcohol and disabled fire alarms during a Nov. 29 pre-dawn raid of a space …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
County Breakdown: NJ Reports Record High COVID-19 Cases Since Onset Of Pandemic County Breakdown: NJ Reports Record High COVID-19 Cases Since Onset Of Pandemic
County Breakdown: NJ Reports Record High Covid-19 Cases Since Onset Of Pandemic An additional 6,046 COVID-19 tests returned positive Sunday in New Jersey -- the highest number the state has seen in a single day since the onset of the pandemic in March. This is the third record-high for New Jersey this week, with 4,913 and 5,673 recorded on Thursday and Friday, respectively. Sixteen deaths were also reported. "These numbers speak for themselves," Gov. Phil Murphy said. "Mask up. Social distance. Wash your hands. Avoid gatherings." Bergen County accounted for the highest number of cases (552), with Hudson and Essex trailing behind at 533 and 520. Camden and B…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
'You're Not Welcome Here': Murphy Slams Congressman, NY Republican Society Over Sneaky NJ Gala 'You're Not Welcome Here': Murphy Slams Congressman, NY Republican Society Over Sneaky NJ Gala
'You're Not Welcome Here': Murphy Slams Congressman, NY Republican Society Over Sneaky NJ Gala A New York-based Republican association and a Florida congressman are receiving backlash from Gov. Phil Murphy for a mask-less event held in Jersey City. Members of the New York Young Republican's Club apparently snuck into Jersey City to hold a gala at the Maritime Parc restaurant "after they couldn't find a venue in their own city due to the pandemic," Gov. Phil Murphy said during Friday's COVID-19 briefing. "From the videos on social media and certainly this picture," Murphy said, citing a photo from the event, "there is no obvious attempt to enforce social distancing or face masks, eve…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
COVID-19: Six Hackensack Firefighters Test Positive, 21 More Also Quarantined Out Of Caution COVID-19: Six Hackensack Firefighters Test Positive, 21 More Also Quarantined Out Of Caution
Covid-19: Six Hackensack Firefighters Test Positive, 21 More Also Quarantined Out Of Caution Six Hackensack firefighters who tested positive for COVID-19 were isolating and 21 others who were exposed to them were quarantining out of an “abundance of caution,” authorities said.  Of the six who tested positive in the past three days, “one had moderate symptoms, two had minor symptoms and the other three were asymptomatic,” Hackensack Fire Chief Thomas J. Freeman told Daily Voice on Wednesday. Although having a quarter of the department’s firefighting force sidelined presents scheduling challenges, “we still have sufficient numbers to satisfy our minimum manning of 18 firefighter…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Popular Bergen County Restaurant Charged Criminally For COVID-19 Violations Popular Bergen County Restaurant Charged Criminally For COVID-19 Violations
Popular Bergen County Restaurant Charged Criminally For Covid-19 Violations Police not only cited the owner of an Oakland restaurant and banquet hall for COVID-19 violations stemming from a two large gatherings this past Monday and Friday: They also charged him criminally. Officers who went to the villa-styled Portobello Feast both nights "observed large gatherings of individuals who, among other things, were not in compliance with social distancing guidelines," Police Lt. Christian Eldridge said Tuesday. In addition to violating two separate provisions of Gov. Phil Murphy's executive orders, owner Frank Amen was charged with two criminal counts of maintaining a …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Englewood PD: Illegal Nightclub Had 200 Guests, Drugs, Booze, COVID Violations Englewood PD: Illegal Nightclub Had 200 Guests, Drugs, Booze, COVID Violations
Englewood PD: Illegal Nightclub Had 200 Guests, Drugs, Booze, COVID Violations Police said they found 200 or so partiers – few wearing masks or social distancing – along with drugs, alcohol and disabled fire alarms during a pre-dawn raid of a rented space above a Domino's in Englewood. Criminal charges and summonses for COVID offenses and building violations were pending after the raid shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday at the space rented by multi-entertainment company Feenx Enterprises above the Domino's on West Palisade Avenue. Officers responding to a noise and disturbance complaint found the throng of attendees, “most not wearing masks or practicing social distancing,”…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Instagram's 'Hottest Doc' With North Jersey Practice Slammed for Maskless Miami Birthday Bash Instagram's 'Hottest Doc' With North Jersey Practice Slammed for Maskless Miami Birthday Bash
Instagram's 'Hottest Doc' With North Jersey Practice Slammed for Maskless Miami Birthday Bash A North Jersey family practitioner dubbed "America's Sexiest Doctor" by People magazine was apparently caught breaking his own rules. Footage shows Mikhail Varshavski -- known as "Dr. Mike" -- partying without face masks on a boat surrounded by women in Miami earlier this month for his 31st birthday, the Daily Mail reports. One of Varshavski's representatives told the New York Post he only took his mask off to go in the water. The doctor's fans have been begging him to address the incident in the comment section of his YouTube and Instagram accounts. Varshavski, who practices in Chath…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ’s 1st Social-Distanced Verdict: Philly Man Convicted Of Stealing $17G In Unemployment Checks NJ’s 1st Social-Distanced Verdict: Philly Man Convicted Of Stealing $17G In Unemployment Checks
NJ’s 1st Social-Distanced Verdict: Philly Man Convicted Of Stealing $17G In Unemployment Checks A socially-distanced jury in Trenton convicted a Philadelphia man of conspiring with a state worker to steal $17,206 worth of unemployment checks. The conviction of Phillip Stewart III, 39, was the first verdict obtained by the state Division of Criminal Justice in a socially distanced jury trial during the COVID-19 pandemic, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Tuesday. Participants in the trial wore face masks “to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and maximize safety,” Grewal said. “There were plexiglass barriers between each juror in the jury box …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ Suspends Jury Trials, Grand Juries Amid Second COVID-19 Wave NJ Suspends Jury Trials, Grand Juries Amid Second COVID-19 Wave
NJ Suspends Jury Trials, Grand Juries Amid Second Covid-19 Wave New Jersey's highest court suspended all criminal and civil jury trials and in-person grand jury sessions Monday amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the Garden State. “The increasing rates of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths make it impracticable and unsafe for certain in-person court events to continue at the level reached during the past few months,” State Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote. In-person grand jury panels can continue to convene virtually in all 21 counties, under the order signed by Rabner. Socially distanced jury trials and in-person grand jury session…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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
News
Murphy: 2nd COVID Wave Is Here Murphy: 2nd COVID Wave Is Here
Murphy: 2nd COVID Wave Is Here New Jersey's second COVID-19 wave is here. That's what Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday, urging residents to "double down" on the practices that helped flatten the curve last spring: Stay six feet apart. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Cases and new hospital patients have been on the rise in New Jersey in the last several weeks. Thursday marked the 12th day in a row that more than 1,000 new cases were reported. Murphy reported 1,477 new cases, along with deaths in the past 10 days The recent outbreaks were largely due to small gatherings in homes, the governor said. Dozens of New Jersey scho…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
CANCELLED: Risky Halloween Activities Banned In These North Jersey Towns CANCELLED: Risky Halloween Activities Banned In These North Jersey Towns
Cancelled: Risky Halloween Activities Banned In These North Jersey Towns While Gov. Phil Murphy gave trick-or-treating the green light this year, some towns are giving it the red light amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating, parties, carnivals, or festivals with large crowds were banned in several towns. The first to do so was Bound Brook. The borough's OEM coordinator on Oct. 7 put out a memo saying trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating, hay rides, haunted houses, parties and large gatherings would not be permitted. Virtual activities, drive-thru events and family activities were allowed, though. The f…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
UPDATE: Lakewood DPW Will Sanitize Howell Parks After New COVID Wave UPDATE: Lakewood DPW Will Sanitize Howell Parks After New COVID Wave
Update: Lakewood DPW Will Sanitize Howell Parks After New COVID Wave UPDATED: An uptick in coronavirus temporarily closed public parks and ballfields in one Monmouth County township. But the Lakewood Department of Public Works has offered to come to the rescue and sanitize parks in Howell, reversing its previous park closure announcement. Howell Township's Office of Emergency Management announced on Tuesday that all parks are ordered closed immediately. "This is due to the recent uptick in COVID cases combined with the large number of complaints being received that the parks are filled to capacity, with users not social distancing and with most in…

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by Jon Craig
Sports
Nearly 36 NJ Students Switched To Remote Learning After HS Party Cancels Football Opener Nearly 36 NJ Students Switched To Remote Learning After HS Party Cancels Football Opener
Nearly 36 NJ Students Switched To Remote Learning After HS Party Cancels Football Opener The Bulldogs and the Bluejays' home opening football game was cancelled after a high school party where guests were not wearing masks or social distancing, officials said. As a precautionary measure, Metuchen High School administrators nixed this weekend's opener, even though no one at the party was suspected of having COVID-19, NJ.com reports. Approximately 36 individuals who attended the party -- many of them football players ready to rumble this weekend -- were switched to remote learning out of an abundance of caution, the report says. Metuchen Superintendent Vincent Caputo told t…

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by Jon Craig
Business
Freehold Trader Joe's Announces Opening Date Freehold Trader Joe's Announces Opening Date
Freehold Trader Joe's Announces Opening Date Freehold's long-awaited Trader Joe's has announced an opening date. The Route 9 market will open for business Oct. 2, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:55 a.m. The store marks the company's 19th location in New Jersey. A celebration with music and giveaways will continue after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Store Captain Casey Latsko, a 14-year veteran of the company, and Trader Joe’s employees will be on-hand to welcome customers. Like all Trader Joe’s locations, the nearly 10,000-square-foot store has implemented a number of social distancing measures to keep both crew members and custo…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
COVID-19: CDC Releases Halloween Guidelines For Trick-Or-Treating COVID-19: CDC Releases Halloween Guidelines For Trick-Or-Treating
Covid-19: CDC Releases Halloween Guidelines For Trick-Or-Treating New guidelines for trick-or-treating on Halloween have been released by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). The guidance was published on the CDC website Monday night, Sept. 21. "Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses," the CDC said. "There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween.  "If you may have COVID-19 or you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities and should not give out candy to trick-or-treaters." The CDC offered several …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Jackson Memorial High School Student Tests Positive COVID-19: Jackson Memorial High School Student Tests Positive
Covid-19: Jackson Memorial High School Student Tests Positive A Jackson Memorial High School student tested COVID-19 positive. The case was reported less than a week after the reopening of public schools for the first time in six months, according to APP.com. "There is nothing you need to do at this time," said Principal Kevin DiEugenio , who urged students to wash their hands often and practice social distancing. Parents will be informed if their child is considered a “close contact” of the student who tested positive. Exposed areas throughout the school have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected in adherence with district protocols. Click here …

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by Valerie Musson
News
Movie Theaters In NJ Can Reopen This Week: Here Are The Rules Movie Theaters In NJ Can Reopen This Week: Here Are The Rules
Movie Theaters In NJ Can Reopen This Week: Here Are The Rules Movie theaters across New Jersey are able to reopen this week after more than five months of being closed due to COVID-19, state officials said. Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday said theaters can reopen with specific rules on Friday, the same day restaurants can resume indoor dining. Indoor theaters must cap attendance at the lesser of either 25 percent capacity or 150 movie-goers, and face masks must be worn at all times. Families and groups of people who purchase tickets together can sit together, however, all other customers must keep maintain six feet of social distancing. Last month, …

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by Cecilia Levine