| | | | | |  | | By Katherine Landergan | Good Tuesday morning! Gov. Phil Murphy made the news official: New Jersey teachers will have to be vaccinated against coronavirus for this upcoming school year. There are a few caveats. Teachers and staff have until Oct. 18th to get vaccinated. They also have the option of getting regular testing in lieu of vaccinations. Murphy is also imposing this requirement for all state employees. The announcements aren't a surprise. Even more unsurprisingly, New Jersey Education Association, a close ally of the governor, supported the governor's order. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli immediately hit on this, arguing that this is evidence "that powerful Trenton special interests get to play by one set of rules." But could these requirements become controversial? Murphy, for his part, doesn't think so. He says the state has gotten reports that an "overwhelming majority" of education staff have already been vaccinated. WHERE'S MURPHY? —Signing "Timothy J. Piazza's Law" anti-hazing legislation at 1 p.m. in Branchburg. | | | | JOIN TODAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH REP. DAN CRENSHAW: As the Biden administration grapples with the fallout from the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Playbook co-authors Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels will dissect the latest with Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), a former Navy SEAL who deployed five times overseas, including in Afghanistan. Crenshaw will discuss the precarious situation, drawing from his own experience, and detail what he thinks should happen in the coming days, weeks, and months. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | SCHOOL FUNDING — Ciattarelli wants to change New Jersey's school funding plan. His idea may not be that new, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli is eager to tell voters what his school funding plan isn't. According to Ciattarelli, it's not a fully-funded version of the current state aid formula. It's not the flat rate former Gov. Chris Christie proposed before leaving office. It's not Senate President Steve Sweeney's plan to redistribute aid and it's not exactly what Ciattarelli, a former assemblymember proposed when he ran for governor in 2017. But asked directly during a campaign event last week in Jersey City for details about his plan, Ciattarelli spoke in generalizations. "We need a new school funding formula. The current formula is nefarious, it's arbitrary, it's unfair, and I believe it's unconstitutional," he said at the event, which was billed as the roll-out of his "detailed plan to lower property taxes." SHOTS — New Jersey readies booster program as outbreaks surge in long-term care, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: New Jersey is working on developing a network for booster Covid-19 vaccines as the Delta variant drives a new wave of outbreaks in the state's long-term care facilities, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said Monday. The number of active outbreaks in nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care facilities has jumped by almost 100 since mid-July, according to figures reported at the briefing. "We are seeing a continuing rise in the number of outbreaks in nursing homes — 113 active outbreaks today. That's very concerning because we know that our immune systems weaken with age," Persichilli said during the governor's regular Covid-19 briefing in Trenton. "We will be working with nursing home leaders to develop a booster plan for all nursing homes." An estimated 8,447 residents and staff at New Jersey's long-term care facilities have died after contracting the virus and, while vaccination rates within those facilities are strong, community spread of the Delta variant and the fast-growing number of breakthrough cases poses a major health risk. GOVERNOR'S RACE — " Murphy made these 21 promises to make N.J. more progressive. Here's where they stand," by NJ Advance Media's Samantha Marcus and Brent Johnson: "When he was elected governor in 2017, Phil Murphy openly aimed to push New Jersey in a more progressive direction after eight years of Republican Chris Christie. The Democrat promised higher taxes on the wealthy, a higher minimum wage, tuition-free college, and legal marijuana. He even spoke of refashioning the state as the 'California of the East Coast.' It's now four years later, and Murphy is seeking a second term in November's election. So just how many of his progressive goals has he met?" THIS STORY IS WILD — Who pays the ransom for NJ records taken by hackers? Taxpayers, and 'it's all preventable', by The Record's Stacey Barchenger and Dustin Racioppi: " When hackers took over a dozen computer servers at Asbury Park schools, taking them offline for a week just months after the start of the school year, the district paid a $49,000 ransom to restore order. And when someone launched malware on systems that power the government of Wildwood Crest, the beachside borough with 3,000 residents agreed to pay a ransom of 1 Bitcoin, worth at the time about $7,500. Those ransoms aren't all that taxpayers have shelled out because of cybersecurity breaches; both Wildwood Crest and Asbury Park schools also paid tens of thousands more to shore up their security and recover from the breaches themselves. Roselle paid at least $150,000 for lawyers and an internet technology company to respond to a 2019 ransomware attack, according to invoices obtained by the Trenton Bureau of the USA TODAY Network through requests under the Open Public Records Act." MASKED AND VAXXED — Most voters support school mask, vaccine mandates, poll finds, by the New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: "New Jersey voters support requiring masking in schools, and just over half support mandating children over the age of 12 take the vaccine to attend in-person classes, a Monmouth University poll released Monday found. Two-thirds of respondents, 67%, told pollsters they backed the schools mask mandate Gov. Phil Murphy announced in early August. Under those rules, students, faculty, and staff must mask in indoor school settings. Support for a vaccine mandate is a little softer, though it still won backing from 53% of registered voters. A slightly smaller group, 45%, supported mandating vaccines for children under the age of 12." NEW JERSEYANS FINALLY GET TO DO WHAT THEY MISSED THE MOST — "Going back to the office in NJ or NY this fall? Here's how your commute may have changed," by The Record's Colleen Wilson: "Transit agencies face the challenge of inspiring the people who have adjusted to the bedroom-to-table commute to get back on transit. The task has become more difficult as the highly contagious delta variant causes COVID cases to surge. Ridership on NJ Transit's system of trains, buses and light rail is on average 60% of pre-pandemic ridership, said President and CEO Kevin Corbett. He said he's pleased with the summer buzz the agency is seeing, particularly with 80% of pre-COVID ridership returning on weekends. But riders are not necessarily returning to their same schedules. The rush-hour curve, he said, has 'flattened out; they're not as peak as they used to be.'" | | BIDEN TIME | | REFUGEES — "N.J. ready to welcome Afghan refugees, Murphy tells Biden," by NJ Advance Media's Matt Arco: " Gov. Phil Murphy said in a letter to President Joe Biden over the weekend that New Jersey would 'warmly welcome Afghan refugees' seeking to escape from the Taliban's swift takeover to the Garden State. The governor called on Biden to accelerate the Special Immigrant Visa program that could help give Afghanistan citizens who supported U.S. troops and other Afghan natives refugees in the U.S. Over the 24 hours that ended early morning Monday, 28 U.S. military flights evacuated approximately 10,400 people from Kabul, according to a White House official." — Asbury Park Press: "NJ leader of program that aided Afghan women watches events unfold. It's 'sickening.'" VACCINATIONS — Biden: Employers must require Covid vaccination, by POLITICO's Sarah Owermohle: President Joe Biden on Monday pressed businesses and public leaders to implement vaccine mandates after the federal government issued its first full approval of a Covid-19 vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration early Monday approved Pfizer's two-dose vaccine for people 16 and older, a step beyond the emergency-use authorization under which the shot has been available since late 2020. "I'm calling on more companies in the private sector to step up with vaccine requirements that will reach millions more people," Biden said in remarks at the White House. "If you're a business leader, a nonprofit leader, a state or local leader, who has been waiting for full FDA approval to require vaccinations, I call on you now to do that — require it. It only makes sense to require a vaccine to stop the spread of Covid-19." NURSING HOMES — Federal vaccination mandate for nursing home workers gets broad support in NJ, by NJ Spotlight News' Lilo H. Stainton: "Nursing homes in New Jersey and nationwide could lose millions of dollars in federal funding if more of their workers don't get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a plan outlined by President Joe Biden last week. National regulators are now drafting emergency regulations to require full staff immunization. Leaders in New Jersey's long-term care industry welcomed the concept of a federal vaccination mandate in addition to the existing state requirement that healthcare workers be immunized or regularly tested, although some said withholding funding was not the right way to increase vaccination. The leader of the state's largest health-care workers union — which has opposed outright vaccination mandates — offered more nuanced support." HENRI — Murphy will seek FEMA aid for N.J. homeowners who 'got crushed' in Henri's flooding, he says during tour, by NJ Advance Media's Katie Kausch: "Each case would be looked at and assistance will be provided to homeowners who needed it, Murphy said. Murphy said he spoke to President Biden on Saturday and FEMA officials on Sunday in an effort to begin the federal aid process. 'This part of the state got crushed,' Murphy said. Nearby Helmetta received nearly 9 inches of rain, among the most in the state." | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | | | LOCAL | | PATERSON — "Paterson councilman Michael Jackson seeks dismissal of election fraud indictment," by the Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Embattled Paterson Councilman Michael Jackson will seek to have his election fraud indictment dismissed, his lawyer said in court on Monday morning. During a brief court appearance, the lawyer, Scott Finckenaur, did not discuss details on why he thinks the indictment should be dismissed. Jackson did not speak during the virtual court session. Finckenaur, who was recently retained by Jackson, said he was in the process of reviewing the state's evidence against Jackson so he could prepare the dismissal motion. The judge, Sohail Mohammed, scheduled the next session in the case for Sept. 27." | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | MENTAL HEALTH — "How schools are racing to respond to a mental health crisis," by Chalkbeat Newark's Patrick Wall: "Many students are eager to finally reunite with friends and teachers, yet nervous about socializing and learning in the flesh. Some are still processing traumatic experiences they endured during the pandemic. The turmoil of the past year, the anxiety-provoking return to classrooms, the pent-up demand for support — all that has experts predicting an unprecedented surge in student mental-health needs. Now, flush with federal money, schools are racing to respond by expanding mental health services that, in the past, often got short shrift." LONGREAD — "How this NJ man's hate-filled rants won him an 'alt-right' following," by Ian T. Shearn for NJ Spotlight News: "Paul Miller provides one of countless modern-day American stories which illustrate how readily a young man's disillusionment can rather easily be transformed into unbridled radicalism in today's social climate. And Miller's story shows how fragile that construct can be and how unceremoniously it can collapse. Public records and a vast repository of his video streams and podcasts provide insight into Miller's particular journey to radicalization. They reveal what appears to be a reasonably intelligent, though conflicted young man, who had experimented and struggled with his identity and purpose before he finally went all in to the extreme." — The Record: "We've investigated unsolved homicides through North Jersey. Here's what we found." — NJBiz: "NJ Chamber adopts vaccine mandate for employees, event attendees."
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