Recent Articles from Daniel J. Munoz
New jobless claims fall for nearly a month straight as pandemic picks up
With cases of and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 surging to levels not seen since May, Gov. Phil Murphy has been repeatedly pressed on whether he will order new state shutdowns.
Murphy signs bill to overhaul corporate business tax
The legislation marks a rare instance in Trenton that found the business community, state Legislature and the Murphy administration in agreement. “While it is of course concerning for our competitiveness that New Jersey’s corporate business tax rate is set to become the highest in the nation on Jan. 1, the technical adjustments made with this law will provide some important benefits ... " NJBI[...]
NJ reports 2,472 new COVID cases, with numbers not seen since May
The Nov. 4 announcement marks the second time since the outbreak's first wave that the state logged more than 2,000 cases while total hospitalizations reached 1,213—a peak not seen since the start of June.
Cannabis arrests must continue ahead of legalization, NJ’s top cop says
Garden State voters gave the go-ahead for recreational marijuana, approving ballot question 1 during Wednesday's general election, but Attorney General Gurbir Grewal says that doesn't mean you can light up without consequences just yet.
Murphy signs bill to ban Styrofoam, single-use plastic and paper bags
Starting in May 2022, businesses like restaurants, convenience stores, food trucks, movie theaters and grocery stores occupying at least 2,500 square feet are prohibited from providing the packaging to customers under the new law, which environmentalists say will be the most far-reaching move of its kind in the nation.
NJ voters approve cannabis legalization
The Associated Press called the race on a ballot question legalizing recreational cannabis for use by anyone ages 21 and over in New Jersey just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Lawmakers now have to decide how the market will be regulated and tested, how many permits and licenses will be given out, the types that will be distributed, and who will get them.
90K New Jerseyans could still be waiting on FEMA jobless relief
All told, 778,000 New Jerseyans are receiving a combined $1.2 billion of federal unemployment under the Federal Emergency Management Agency program, according to the state labor department.
COVID surging among older adults, state health officials say
New Jersey’s young people – ages 18 to 29 – are no longer making up the lion’s share of new cases as was seen over the summer and early fall.
NJ health officials expect COVID’s 2nd wave to peak in early 2021
At its height during the virus' onset, the state reported more than 4,000 new daily cases and close to 400 fatalities a day. Recent surges in the state have seen new daily instances come in at over 1,000 for more than two weeks.
Murphy: Police broke up ‘knucklehead’ Halloween parties during weekend
State health officials warned that indoor gatherings are driving up many of the COVID-19 outbreaks.
Murphy changes COVID rules for sporting events, self-serve buffets
New Jersey logged 1,751 new positive COVID-19 cases on Nov. 1, 1,370 on Oct. 31 and more than 2,000 on Oct. 30. That day's numbers mark the highest daily count the state has seen since early May.
Murphy: 2nd wave not ‘uncontrollable’, despite 6-month record-cases
Gov. Phil Murphy assured that the state still has the ability to bring New Jersey’s second wave of COVID-19 outbreaks under control, even as the state sees more than 2,000 daily cases for the first time since early May.