Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update 8/14/2020
Governor Murphy Says School Districts Can Employ All-Remote Education in September:
Governor Phil Murphy today announced a new Executive Order allowing public and nonpublic pre-K through grade 12 schools and colleges and universities to immediately reopen for in-person classes for the upcoming academic year.
However, the Governor also announced that school districts that cannot meet all health and safety standards for safe in-person instruction will begin their school year with ALL-REMOTE LEARNING.
To do so, school districts must show:
- Plans for satisfying these standards
- Anticipated date to resume in-person instruction
“When our schools open in September, they must be ready to safely provide the high-quality education to all students that is a hallmark of New Jersey,” Governor Murphy said in his daily public briefing.
“We know the first day of school is not going to be like any other in our history. We’re fully committed to getting this right. Our focus on protecting students, families, and educators has not changed. Our commitment to meeting the conditions on the ground with flexibility has not changed.”
The Governor said that the New Jersey Department of Education has developed strong guidelines for school reopening that put a premium on the health & safety of students and staff while providing avenues by which in-person instruction can safely resume.
Public and nonpublic schools, he said, must certify to the DOE that they are able to meet these standards.
The Governor reiterated his position that “no one size fits all plan” can work in New Jersey and that school districts and educational institutions have differences that will require varying solutions for the coming school year.
County of Bergen Announces Extension to Small Business Grant Program:
Due to the success of the Bergen County CARES Small Business Grant Program for non-essential Bergen County businesses, the County of Bergen is happy to announce that they have extended the program and reopened the application portal for an additional week. Eligible business owners who missed the first opportunity can now apply!
The application portal, which can be found at www.BergenCountyCares.org, reopened this morning, and will close next Friday, August 21st at 5p.m. The Bergen County CARES grant program was established to help provide relief to small businesses straddled with expenses related to COVID-19.
Businesses deemed “non-essential” per the Governor’s Executive Order that were forced to close as a measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 will be eligible to receive up to $10,000 in financial relief to cover rent, property mortgage, and utilities expenses.
The Bergen County CARES Small Business Grant Program is funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Federal relief fund. All administrative questions can be sent to BergenCountyCares@co.bergen.nj.us.
Ponds Food Pantry Open for Confidential Assistance:
As a reminder, Ponds Food Pantry is well-stocked (thanks to the generous donations of the community) and ready to assist anyone in need. Those seeking confidential assistance, please call Ponds Church or email food@pondsnj.org (Monday-Friday) with your grocery order and it will be filled within one to two days. For those unable to leave their home, groceries are available to be delivered to your home.
General Election Update:
Today Governor Murphy announced that the November 3rd General Election will be primarily vote-by-mail. All active registered New Jersey voters will automatically receive a prepaid return-postage vote-by-mail ballot. All ballots will be mailed from County Clerks no later than October 5, 2020. Voters will be able to hand-in vote by mail ballots by either mailing, dropping off at to be determined drop box locations, or hand to a poll worker at a polling location in your district.
Oakland Police Department Announces New Community Outreach Program:
The Oakland Police Department would like to announce a new community outreach and involvement program called “Project Spotlight”. The purpose of Project Spotlight is to provide Oakland residents with an opportunity to identify a problem or concern in their neighborhood and bring it to the attention of the police department. The issue should be a problem that is capable of being solved by a police presence, enhanced police visibility or police enforcement of a motor vehicle law or a borough ordinance. Examples of issues that may apply to the Project Spotlight program would be a speeding issue on a specific roadway, a consistent disregard of a traffic control device or sign, not following the proper overnight parking procedure or other quality of life issue. The results of the project will be reported back to the resident and in certain circumstances, the results will be advertised on the police department’s Facebook page. For more information about Project Spotlight, visit the police department’s page on the Borough’s website and click on the Project Spotlight tab.
Upcoming Board, Committee, Commission Meetings:
Meeting Links and Passwords for upcoming Board, Committee, and Commission Meetings are posted here.
- Sustainable Oakland Green Team 8/25 at 7:30 p.m.
- Borough Council Meeting 8/26 at 7:30 p.m.
Coronavirus Positive Tests in Oakland:
Today the Borough of Oakland was notified by the Bergen County Health Department that there are a total of 249 individuals in Oakland who tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Bergen County has a total of 20,719 positive Coronavirus Cases, and the State of NJ has 187,164 positive cases.
If anyone has questions about COVID-19, you can call the 24-hour New Jersey Hotline at (800) 222-1222. You can also visit the State of NJ Coronavirus Website Here.
Important Resources:
- The latest data on coronavirus infections in New Jersey are available on the New Jersey COVID-19 Dashboard. The dashboard has been updated to provide more information on scope of the virus and hospitalizations, including the number of patients hospitalized, discharged, in critical care, in intensive care, and on ventilators, along with data on statewide ventilator capacity, numbers of positive/negative tests, and more.
- New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub includes valuable resources and information for families, workers, and employers who have questions or needs arising from the current crisis.
- Testing Sites: To locate a testing location, specifics on how to get a test, and the hours of operation, click here.
- Information for businesses impacted by COVID-19.