Ashtyn Asay New Jersey is making moves on housing, healthcare, and infrastructure this week, with a massive new Hudson River tunnel project officially getting underway and the state proposing millions in aid for farmers hit by this spring’s freeze. In business news, Newark is getting its first Chick-fil-A, and PopUp Bagels is preparing for its first Bergen County location. Meanwhile, American Dream has reached a deal with East Rutherford over a long-running tax dispute, and New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell has officially resigned. Keep reading for the biggest New Jersey news stories from the week of October 1st.
PS: Every week, we round up the top news stories of the week from both our site and aggregate across the web from various sources because there’s SO much happening. You can read more at the links below, and always feel free to submit any news tips to or via DM @thenewjerseygirl on IG. Our email newsletter also shares more of our top stories on a twice-weekly basis, which you can sign up for here.
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– Starting next year, New Jersey workers are getting another pay bump: The state’s minimum wage will increase by 56 cents to $16.48 per hour for most employees beginning January 1st. (The New Jersey Girl)
– Hoboken residents reported hearing possible gunshots near the uptown Walgreens on Wednesday, September 30th. Police had not confirmed the incident or whether anyone was injured as of publication. (Hoboken Girl)
– PopUp Bagels is preparing to open its first permanent Bergen County location at 6-8 Washington Street in Tenafly, with October 2nd currently listed as the opening date. (The Bergen County Girl)
– Newark is getting its first Chick-fil-A this fall: The restaurant is under construction at 2 Clay Street on Broadway, although an exact opening date has not yet been announced. (The Montclair Girl)
– Diwali celebrations are already popping up across the Garden State. This year’s Festival of Lights falls on November 8th, with community festivals, cultural events, shopping and religious celebrations planned throughout October and November. (The New Jersey Girl)
– Looking for a fall date that isn’t just dinner? The Hoboken Girl rounded up seasonal ideas ranging from fall festivals and cocktail classes to drive-in movies, foliage cruises and candle-making. (The Hoboken Girl)
– Montclair’s biggest film event is coming back this month. The 15th annual Montclair Film Festival will run October 16th–25th with films, panels, Q&As and special events at venues throughout town. (The Montclair Girl)
– Stephen Kalyn, who plays Dean on Amazon Prime’s Off Campus, was reportedly seen around downtown Hoboken on September 28th and 29th. (The Hoboken Girl)
– New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell resigned on September 25th after an investigation found sexual harassment and multiple ethics violations, ending a months-long controversy surrounding the administration. (The New Jersey Girl)
– A fundraiser is being organized for 11-year-old Sophia Walter, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in August, with a November 13th event planned at Snack Bar by Schmitty’s in Hoboken. (The Hoboken Girl)
– Newark is expanding access to groceries with five new nonprofit stores. The city has opened one community-partnered grocery store in each of its five wards, building on the emergency food hubs created during last winter’s government shutdown. (The Montclair Girl)
– A proposed bill would create a statewide Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program through the Department of Education to send free, age-appropriate books to children from birth through age 5. (The New Jersey Girl)
– The Jersey Shore is still recovering from a rare September nor’easter, which brought major coastal flooding, high winds, beach erosion, and evacuations to parts of New Jersey, particularly along the Shore. (WHYY)
– A $45 million project is planned to address safety issues at the runway where a plane famously clipped a truck, with improvements aimed at preventing similar incidents. (NJ.com)
– New Jersey is taking a major new approach to its housing shortage. Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s administration unveiled a five-part plan that includes doubling planned housing on state-owned land from 20,000 to 40,000 homes and speeding up the permitting process. (NJ.gov)
– A proposed bill would set aside $60 million in state grants for growers whose crops were damaged or destroyed by the April freeze, which caused an estimated $300 million-plus in losses statewide. (New Jersey Monitor)
– Some New Jersey residents are seeing changes to their health coverage starting today. New federal Medicaid eligibility rules taking effect October 1st are expected to make roughly 15,000 to 25,000 people in the state ineligible for NJ FamilyCare based on their immigration status. (FOX 5 NY)
– Crews have started boring a new Hudson River rail tunnel as part of the $16 billion Gateway project, which will eventually replace the aging tunnel used by about 200,000 passengers a day. (Associated Press)
– Plans for an immigrant detention center at a South Jersey military base have been scrapped. The federal government confirmed that it will not move forward with plans to build a detention facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. (WHYY)
– American Dream has agreed to pay East Rutherford $7 million to settle a long-running tax dispute. The agreement also calls for $62,500 in annual payments, while neighboring Meadowlands communities say they are still owed millions. (NorthJersey.com)
– New rules for independent contractors are now in effect. The regulations clarify how the state will apply its existing ABC test for determining whether workers should be classified as employees or independent contractors. (NJ101.5)
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