The president and Gov. Phil Murphy informally broke ground on the long-stalled $1.6 billion Portal North Bridge project, which would replace the century-old swing drawbridge that often gets stuck in the open position and snarls rail traffic into Manhattan.

The Emerson College/Pix 11 survey released Oct. 21 shows 50% of New Jersey voters favoring the incumbent, while 44% prefer Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli.

The state added another 21,500 jobs to its workforce in September, marking a total of 488,100 positions that have been recovered since the worst of the COVID-19 recession in March and April last year, according to data gathered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and released by the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

“Each has been proactive in their support for employers and employees, particularly in a time when there is no blueprint for action,” President and CEO Tom Bracken said of the organization's Legislative and Business Awards honorees, who were recognized at Bell Works in Holmdel on Oct. 20.

The governor had no estimate on how many workers the move would affect, but suggested that it would climb to the thousands over time.

Investors have until Nov. 1 to apply for the Angel Investor Tax Credit, a $35 million initiative meant to alleviate fears about putting money behind startups by offering a 20% guaranteed return on investment.

Christine O’Hearn boasts 30 years of legal experience at Brown & Connery, where she became a partner in 1992.

The project is part of the Complete Streets Initiative, a pedestrian safety scheme developed by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, geared at designing roadways that account for the safety of all people, vehicles and bicycles.

Mom and pop shops aiming to recover and expand following the COVID-19 pandemic can start applying this week for a $10 million pot of money meant to help cover leasing fees.

The mandates are part of an effort by the Murphy administration to overcome resistance to the inoculation, which helped fuel delta variant outbreaks in the late summer and early fall.

The organization's “Business Advocate of the Year” will go to New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli and WithumSmith+Brown CEO William Hagaman, while the “Legislator of the Year” award will be bestowed on two Republicans and three Democrats.

By most accounts, last week’s debate between Gov. Phil Murphy and former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli went as expected. Both candidates swung at each other over topics such as masking, COVID-19 vaccines, abortion and LGBT issues, and were frequently interrupted by applause or jeers from the audience. But the lack of policy details left many observers wondering just how the state would be run over the next four years.