The pastor of Newark's Metropolitan Baptist Church talks about the sharpened challenges facing minority-owned businesses, the shortcomings in state policy and how the Legislature's recently reconstituted Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Opportunity could help bring about meaningful change.

More than 1.8 million New Jerseyans filed for unemployment since March due to the pandemic. Since Thanksgiving - 15,951 filed the week ending Dec. 5 and 13,546 the prior week - according to federal labor data.

Under the NJ Small and Micro Business PPE Access Program, companies can get discounts of nearly 70% for PPE such as masks, gloves, dividers and floor markings for social distancing, hand sanitizer, gowns, face shields and disinfectant.

Setting limits on the program, known as Grow New Jersey, has long been a point of contention in Trenton. Under the governor’s proposed cap, the state would award a set amount of tax breaks each year.

Gov. Phil Murphy pointed out a worst-case scenario, assuming that there is no change among residents in compliance with wearing face masks or social distancing while in public.

The current 110-year-old Portal Bridge has long been the source of ire for commuters, with congestion and mechanical issues often resulting in NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak delays.

Pushing for legal protection is a key component of the ongoing negotiations for a federal COVID-relief bill ahead of the Friday federal appropriations deadline.

The “New Jobs for New Jersey Act” is meant to act as a lifeline to the record-high unemployment the state is experiencing as a result of the mass business closures over the past nine months.

Dining establishments need monetary assistance from the federal government to survive the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and to stay open.

The first phase of renovations will focus on aesthetics, including the restoration of the classic benches in the waiting room, installation of brighter lighting, updating of the bathrooms, improved HVAC and air-handling, fresh paint and tile, and a deep clean of the limestone exterior to showcase the façade's architecture.

“I'm grateful that there's real discussion about a deal,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “I think the need in the fullness of time, and the fullness of time is measured in a few months here at most, is probably two to three times that, maybe even four times that. “This is plus or minus, in my opinion, a three-ish plus trillion dollar moment.”

Hospitals are claiming that outbreaks involving dozens of health care workers have all been traced outside of their facilities. And they’ve refused to share data on what health care workers have gotten COVID-19.