1/12/21
In Election Year State Of The State Speech, Murphy Touts His Record, Accomplishments
Gov. Phil Murphy delivered his annual State of the State address on Tuesday, calling for unity as he embarks on his reelection campaign in the midst of a pandemic that continues to rage in New Jersey. Reflecting on the toll the coronavirus has taken on them, small business owners, a Trenton public school teacher who lost a loved one to Covid-19 and an emergency room nurse were among the state residents who appeared in video clips just before the governor delivered his address to an empty auditorium at the Trenton War Memorial. . .Though key planks of his 2017 campaign platform remain unfulfilled - most notably marijuana legalization and the formation of a state bank - Murphy used his remarks Tuesday to focus on major policy achievements of the last three years as he kicks off a reelection campaign against a surprisingly narrow Republican field.

1/12/21
N.J. To Expand Covid Vaccine Eligibility To People 65 And Older, Murphy Says
New Jersey will expand the COVID vaccine eligibility to people 65 and older within days following a change in federal guidelines, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday morning. "We were already headed in that direction and we'll have news on that midday," Murphy said during a live interview on PIX-11. "You should assume we'll be all over that and we're going to open this up. I'm happy and gratified the CDC has come to the same conclusion. It'll be very soon, in the next day or two." . . . People 65 or older who live, work or study in New Jersey will be eligible. They will still need to pre-register on the state's website and then make an appointment.

1/12/21
Consumer Spending At C-stores Strengthens
Shoppers at U.S. convenience stores opened up their wallets a bit more in the lead up to the year-end holidays, and the foodservice, general merchandise and hot dispensed beverages categories benefited from the increased spend per transaction compared with the year-earlier period, according to the latest monthly report from PDI and NACS on how COVID-19 is affecting consumer behavior. . . In an encouraging sign, the battered foodservice category inched up +2.9 points on a dollar basis because of a steady increase in trips, while general merchandise climbed +7.3 points, and hot dispensed beverages eked out a +0.3 point gain. Still, foodservice and hot dispensed beverages remain in negative territory, while general merchandise has benefited throughout much of the pandemic.

1/12/21
COVID-19 Took a Bite From U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2020
America's greenhouse gas emissions from energy and industry plummeted more than 10 percent in 2020, reaching their lowest levels in at least three decades as the coronavirus pandemic slammed the brakes on the nation's economy, according to an estimate published Tuesday by the Rhodium Group.

1/11/21
N.J. Covid Vaccine: Can Employers Require That Workers Take The Coronavirus Vaccine?
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, some New Jerseyans have been able to work at home. But as vaccination efforts continue to ramp up in the state, officials say we're probably only a few months away from widespread vaccine availability. That could be a game-changer for employees who have spent months away from the office. It also raises a lot of questions. Employers are required to keep their workplaces safe, but what happens if some workers don't want to take a vaccine? Can your boss require it? What if you take the vaccine but your coworkers don't? Do you have any rights? Here's what you should expect.

1/11/20
New York Tobacco Flavor Ban Would Hurt Small Businesses
Outlawing the sale of flavored tobacco products for adults-such as cherry pipe tobacco and menthol cigarettes-would deepen New York State's budget hole, threaten the survival of thousands of mom-and-pop retailers, and place the jobs of frontline workers at these businesses at risk. That's the conclusion of an economic study performed by Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI) for the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS). . . Legislation introduced in the state Senate and Assembly would bar New York's 21,000 licensed tobacco outlets from selling flavored tobacco products to age-verified customers. A law that took effect July 1, 2020, already prohibits them from selling flavored vaping products. New York City additionally bans the sale of flavored non-cigarette tobacco products.

1/8/21
With Congress Approving Up To $284 Billion To Loans, Small Businesses Can Apply For Paycheck Protection Starting Jan. 11
The Paycheck Protection Program will reopen on Jan. 11, offering forgivable loans to small businesses and allowing certain cash-strapped firms to borrow a second time, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Congress authorized up to $284 billion toward the small business loan program as part of the sweeping Covid relief act that went into effect near the end of 2020. That measure also included additional aid for small businesses in the form of tax deductibility for expenses covered by PPP, as well as tax credits for firms that kept their employees on payroll and simplified forgiveness for loans under $150,000. This time, the SBA and Treasury Department have staggered the reopening.That means at first only community financial institutions - this includes banks and credit unions that lend in low-income communities -- will be able to initiate PPP loan applications on Jan. 11.

1/6/21
N.J. COVID Vaccine: Here Are The 21 Questions You Need To Answer To Pre-Register For The Vaccine
Now that New Jersey's vaccine portal is open, only 21 questions and less than ten minutes in front of the computer stand between you and pre-registering for a vaccine. "COVID-19 vaccines are on the way to hospitals and clinics across New Jersey. You can reserve your spot to get a vaccine now by pre-registering here," reads a message before the questionnaire begins.