TRENTON, NJ -- NJ Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli today, during the governor's COVID-19 press briefing, warned of a possible “twin-demic” this year during flu season and urged New Jerseyans to get their flu shots.  

“As we enter the fall season, we are also moving into the flu season. This year we are preparing for the possibility of a twin-demic,” ...

TRENTON, NJ – As end-of-summer parties give way to welcome-back-to-college keggers, the cases of COVID-19 among New Jersey’s youngest populations are on the rise.

Residents in the 19-24 age range now represent the highest percent positivity rate in the state, according to State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli.

About 6% of those ages 19 to 24 are COVID-19-positive and those ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ - A skunk captured on Gates Avenue last week tested positive for the Rabies virus, according to Montclair Health Department officials.

There were no reported injuries, however, officials are asking residents to be aware of the signs of an animal with rabies and to report suspicious animal behavior immediately.

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals ...

Closed due to coronavirus, MVC is back with massive delays and a call by Gov. Phil Murphy to make some things more expensive

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

Lawmakers grilled the head of the state’s beleaguered ...

TRENTON, NJ -- NJ Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli today, during the governor's COVID-19 press briefing, warned of a possible “twin-demic” this year during flu season and urged New Jerseyans to get their flu shots.  

“As we enter the fall season, we are also moving into the flu season. This year we are preparing for the possibility of a twin-demic,” ...

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. - Nineteen years to the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a somber and socially-distanced ceremony was held by the Township at Wilmore Park, in front of the Sept. 11 memorial.

Approximately 60 attendees came together and reflected upon the tragic events that unfolded that morning, The monument that has served as the backdrop each year since 2011 to mark the decade ...

Examining the widely varying approaches to the upcoming school year and how best practices can be determined and shared

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

As part of its ongoing series on the changing face of education ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Citing Rutgers-New Brunswick's highly regarded Graduate School of Education, the high number of doctorate degrees it awards annually and other factors, U.S. News & World Report has placed the state university 63rd on its list of national universities.

Rutgers-New Brunswick actually tied for 63rd with two other northeast schools, Penn State and ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Several master’s degree students in Rutgers’ School of Social Work will participate in yearlong field placements at low- and middle-income rental properties around the state, helping families affected by COVID-19.

The students will participate through a plan implemented by Community Investment Strategies (CIS), a Lawrenceville-based organization that ...

HOBOKEN, NJ - Mile Square Theatre, Hudson County, NJ’s premiere professional theatre, has commissioned seven new plays written specifically for the Zoom format. The four-part series begins September 18, and runs every weekend through October 11. The series begins with Lia Romeo’s charming, deeply heartfelt play Sitting and Talking, which follows a man and woman in their 60s as they ...

MADISON, NJ - You never know what you might find when you dig in historic Madison.  Back in May, Jo-Med Contracting Company was digging a trench for a new water main to be placed along Highland Ave between Brittin Street and Rosedale Avenue.   At a point near where Highland intersects with Rosedale, Jo-Med construction foreman, Ruben Amorim, spotted a red-brown object.

CAMDEN, NJ — Six young people of color — whose art spans poetry, the spoken word, painting and music — took the “virtual stage” for the South Camden Theatre Company’s online premiere Friday.

Dubbed “Virtual Variety Slam — Black Lives Matter” the video featurette (available to view here) is the first in a series. 

“The ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Authorities have identified the victims of Sunday morning’s shooting on Delafield Street.

Anthony Robinson 23, of New Brunswick, and Lionel Macauley, 28, of Franklin, have been identified as the two male victims who were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and died from the injuries they sustained in the shooting, according to Middlesex County ...

TRENTON, NJ -- This weekend, 10 firefighters, three fire engines, and a support vehicle from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Forest Fire Service arrived safely in California to help battle the worst wildfires in recent memory.

“As Americans, we’re all in this together, and we stand with California,” Gov. Murphy said.

Check out the ...

TRENTON, NJ  – One-hundred and seventy nine emergency medical services (EMS) teams throughout New Jersey will receive 11,352 free doses of the opioid-overdose antidote naloxone (commonly called Narcan) state officials announced recently. The effort builds upon other naloxone distribution programs to make the life-saving antidote available to those who need it. 

Naloxone ...

TRENTON, NJ - Legislation championed by Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson) that will allow college athletes to earn compensation for use of their name, image or likeness was signed into law Monday by Governor Phil Murphy.

The new law (A-2106), known as the “New Jersey Fair Play Act,” received final legislative approval in July, passing the full Assembly 56-16-2, and full ...

ROBBINSVILLE, NJ – NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association), the governing body for high school sports in New Jersey, has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the NFL. The organization will host a two-day, virtual diversity, bias, and cultural competence workshop for football game officials. The two-day session’s goal is to increase awareness ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Rutgers University has announced that four athletes and one staff member have tested positive for COVID-19.

The athletes are members of the men’s lacrosse, gymnastics and wrestling programs.

Those student-athletes and the staff member have been quarantined and the university, in conjunction with public health officials, is conducting contact tracing to ...

NEW JERSEY - Governor Murphy has updated the travel advisory. As of Tuesday, September 15, the Governor removed California, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada and Ohio. Currently there are 30 states and territories are the travel advisory list. 

Visitors coming from AL, AK, AR, DE, FL, GA, GU, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MS, MO, MT, NE, NC, ND, OK, PR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, ...

LONG BEACH ISLAND - A global pandemic couldn't stop people from enjoying the lovely beaches of Long Beach Island this summer.

Labor Day has passed but don't expect to summer to sizzle out too soon.  

There will be more people at LBI in September this year, primarily because there are many homeowners who will stay put on LBI and work remotely from home. 

Here is the ...

NEW JERSEY - West Virginia has been added and Ohio and Maryland have been re-added to New Jersey's travel advisory list, announced Governor Murphy.  Governor Murphy announced the added and re-added states during the Tuesday September 8 press conference.

Travelers who are coming from the following states and territories are being asked to self quarantine for 14 days: AL, AK, AR, ...

LIVINGSTON, NJ — When Livingston sisters Victoria and Lauren Belcuore saw a young woman sitting at the edge of a bridge in Seaside at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they did not hesitate to pull over—risking their own safety until they successfully convinced her not to jump.

In an essay written about the incident, Lauren, a senior at Livingston High School, ...

CEDAR GROVE, NJ — Cedar Grove residents Joe and Giselle Mongiello are asking for support for the third annual NICUSTRONG Walk on Sept. 13.

Last year's walk was at Van Saun Park in Paramus, but, because of government-imposed crowd restrictions due to COVID-19, this year's walk will be held virtually.

Founded by the Mongiellos, money raised through the walk will be donated ...

WESTFIELD, NJ — Eight of the 30 fiberglass butterflies that comprise the town’s inaugural Public Arts Commission exhibit “Art Takes Flight” have been sponsored by the Madeleine Sanford Memorial Fund, named for town resident Maddie Sanford who lost her battle with pediatric brain cancer in March 2019 at age 18.

“Maddie was born, raised and went to school in ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – The Daily Targum, the newspaper written and managed by Rutgers University students who have covered the events and people in and around the school for 151 years, is planning a significant reduction in its print run and will print on a monthly basis.

Editor in chief Andreana Loukidis said that the staff remains committed to covering important issues such as the ...

PATERSON, NJ - For three Paterson men, Diayaa Khatib, Mohammed Hlal, and Samir Al Khawaldah the challenge of overcoming the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19 was secondary to the one that saw them arrive from Syria less than five years ago to build new lives for themselves.

On Monday, those new lives, in what may be the ultimate manifestation of the American Dream, culminated in them ...

NEWARK, NJ — Job seekers in Newark and the surrounding area have a few more options as of Monday — more than 6,000, to be exact, in light of Amazon’s North American hiring expansion. 

The e-commerce company announced it’s adding 100,000 new full and part-time jobs across its operations  in the United States and Canada, meaning sites in New Jersey will be ...

With plenty of fresh-from-the farm fruits and vegetables around in the summer, dips are the way to go. Nutrition experts at Atlantic Health System offer two recipes below: one for veggies and the other for fruit. Grab a cooler or some ice, and you can take them both along to the pool or beach.

CREAM CHEESE MOUSSE GREEK DIP

The scallions and pepper might surprise you, but give this treat a ...

Treehouse Foods, Inc is voluntarily recalling certain Chewy Granola Bars due to mislabeling. The company stated that the recall was initiated because the outer carton stated the product was Chocolate Chip, however, some individually wrapped product inside the carter contained the Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip variety.

People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the ...

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey’s much-anticipated wait for indoor dining looks to be over and just in time for Labor Day.

On Friday after nearly five months, restaurants will once again be able to serve indoors while following coronavirus limits, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday at his press briefing at the George Washington Ballroom in Trenton. 

“I know that it has been ...

As summer transitions into fall, it is time to help lawns recover from summer stress. Let the weather and the condition of your lawn help you develop a plan suited to your landscape.

Continue mowing actively growing lawns. Mow high, leaving cool season grasses like bluegrass and fescues at least 2 ½ preferably 3 ½ inches tall after cutting. Warm season grasses like ...

NEW JERSEY — With all the extra time at home lately, lots of New Jerseyans are trading travel plans for house projects, starting gardens, and finding ways to make our yards a little more cozy, colorful, and self-sufficient. The right kind of landscaping — including utilizing native plants and knowing which plants are invasive — can also make a better home for ...

Enjoy the spicy heat hot peppers add to your meals without concern for the many myths surrounding these garden vegetables. Here are a few you may have heard but are not true.

Growing both hot and sweet peppers in the garden will not add spicy heat to the sweet varieties. Peppers are normally self-pollinated. If an insect happens to move the pollen from a hot to sweet pepper, it will not affect ...

FAIR LAWN, NJ - What were these furry kids thinking? Trying to break into Forrest Elementary School when they really should have read the sign better. Fortunately, the police saved the day by getting the furry children to their probable true destination: the forest.

All kidding aside, it was a tip from some real children playing near Forrest School on Hopper Avenue on September 5 that caused ...

Nature’s Menu® Super Premium Dog Food with a Blend of Real Chicken & Quail is being voluntarily recalled due to possible contamination, announced Sunshine Mills, Inc. The recall is due to the possible contamination with Salmonella, they announced.

The contamination was noted after a sample of a single 3-pound bag of the product was collected and tested positive for ...

NEW JERSEY — Less than two months from Election Day, Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday said a new website will allow New Jersey residents to register to vote and track their mail-in ballot all while on the go or from the comfort of their home.

“This online form is safe and secure, and can be accessed anywhere – whether from a library computer or your smartphone,” Gov. Phil ...

LONG BEACH ISLAND — A potentially record-breaking boat rally took place on Saturday at the Jersey Shore. Saturday’s Jersey Shore parade began at 9:30 a.m. in Toms River. According to a Facebook post promoting the event, the parade split into different groups, with one ending at Morrison’s Marina in Beach Haven.  One group of boaters headed north of Toms River and the ...

Postage, drop boxes and PPE will add to the tab for an election to be held nearly entirely through the mail.

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

November general election is going to cost millions more than usual, in large ...

Long-term slowdown in land development could be derailed by exodus to suburbs

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

New data confirms that New Jersey has recently been using a lot less land for new development than it did 20 ...