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New Jersey ‘failed’ to have an adequate response to COVID-19 pandemic, report finds

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New Jersey ‘failed’ to have an adequate response to COVID-19 pandemic, report finds


Emergency plans are no good if they are on the shelf and forgotten

The New Jersey Department of Health created a “Pandemic Influenza Plan” in 2015, which the report stated “was extremely accurate in predicting what would eventually happen during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“It included specific recommendations about actions that could be taken; organizational structures for emergency management; and detailed factual, legal, and regulatory resources that could be consulted,” the report found.

Yet, no one knew the plan existed when the pandemic hit.

“Several people in government told us they thought ‘some other agency’ ought to have an Emergency Preparedness Manager,” the report stated. “In fact, that position exists (and is staffed) in the other agency, but the people we spoke with were unaware of that fact.”

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‘Cynical’ attacks on basic information were ‘a tragedy’

According to the report, communities were polarized over the decision to mask, socially distance or get vaccinated.

“The decision[s]…[were] freighted with political overtones,” the report found. “Lives were lost to the misinformation — both deliberate and unintentional — which surrounded the pandemic.”

Masking was discouraged in the early days of the pandemic in favor of surface cleaning. Officials did not know that COVID-19 could be transmitted through the air at the time.

Even if state officials were aware of that fact, the report found the state’s stockpile of facemasks and other personal protective equipment was “insufficient” and that global supply chain breakdowns “prevented quick acquisition of additional supplies.”

“While New Jersey had a small stockpile of old masks left over from a prior health crisis, these were expired,” the report stated. “As a result, many who should have had access to multiple masks per day were required to improvise and either re-use masks — meaning that the masks themselves could be carrying the virus into a new environment — or go without.”

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The state needs to have a plan and improve health equity

Among the recommendations, the report calls on state officials to create emergency plans and train on them, invest in improving health equity in the state, and build partnerships with community organizations, the health care industry, local health departments, and beyond.

The report also recommends improving collaboration and communication during an emergency response and investing in technology to support a response.



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Woman charged with theft for taking dog outside N.J. home, police say

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Woman charged with theft for taking dog outside N.J. home, police say


A woman has been charged with theft for taking a dog outside a Clifton, New Jersey, home in April, police say.

Last month, William Chan told CBS News New York his dog, a 7-year-old Shih Tzu-Yorkshire Terrier mix named Rocky, somehow got out of the house on April 5 while his nephew was dog-sitting.

The Clifton Police Department said investigators determined that while Rocky was loose, he ran down the street and was running in or near the road at times.

Video shows Rocky did eventually return to his own yard, and a child holding a blanket can be seen chasing the dog before a woman gets out of a black SUV parked in the road. Rocky then runs onto the back porch of his home, where the woman and child corner him, grab him with a blanket, take him back to the SUV, and drive away.

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The family said Rocky was wearing a harness and ID tag at the time.

Police said the woman did not make any attempt to talk to anyone inside the home or any neighbors, and neither animal control nor police received any calls about a loose dog being found on that day.

Chan called police on April 6 to report that Rocky had possibly been stolen, and investigators were later able to identify 29-year-old Mery Cepeda-Chevalier, of Newark, as a person of interest.

Officers spotted Cepeda-Chevalier’s vehicle in Passaic on April 8 and pulled her over, police said.

According to police, Cepeda-Chevalier cooperated with detectives, admitted she had Rocky, and agreed to have the detectives follow her back to her home. She then handed over the dog, and detectives reunited Rocky with his family.

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On Thursday, Cepeda-Chevalier was charged via summons with one count of theft of a domestic companion animal.



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Browns Hand Out New Jersey Uniform Numbers for All 10 Draftees, Plus a Dozen UDFAs

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Browns Hand Out New Jersey Uniform Numbers for All 10 Draftees, Plus a Dozen UDFAs


The Cleveland Browns announced jersey numbers for all 10 draftees, as the team’s rookie minicamp is underway at the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. 

While First-round picks Spencer Fano and KC Concepcion had already shown off their numbers — 55 and 17, respectively .. at their introductory press conference a few days ago, the jersey numbers for other rookies hadn’t been disclosed until today. 

Second-round wideout Denzel Boston will now wear No. 12, quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ old number. Sanders, a fifth-rounder last year, had previously announced a switch to his old college No. 2 beforehand. 

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Fifth-round linebacker Justin Jefferson has been assigned jersey No. 10, which was used by last year’s second-round running back Quinshon Judkins. No announcement has been made yet on Judkins possibly changing his number, though. He wore No. 1 at Ohio State.

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Not all jersey numbers are available in Cleveland, as the team has officially retired five of them: 14 (Otto Graham), 32 (Jim Brown), 45 (Ernie Davis), 46 (Don Fleming) and 76 (Lou Groza).

Jersey

Round

Pick

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Name

Position

School

55

1

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9

Spencer Fano

OT

Utah

17

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1

24

KC Concepcion

WR

Texas A&M

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12

2

39

Denzel Boston

WR

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Washington

28

2

58

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

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S

Toledo

58

3

86

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Austin Barber

OT

Florida

52

5

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146

Parker Brailsford

C

Alabama

10

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5

149

Justin Jefferson

LB

Alabama

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18

5

170

Joe Royer

TE

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Cincinnati

15

6

182

Taylen Green

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QB

Arkansas

48

7

248

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Carsen Ryan

TE

BYU

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At this point in time, eiht of the 10 rookies drafted by Cleveland in last months 2026 NFL Draft have signed their contracts. The only still-unsigned draftees are wideout Concepcion and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

In these cases, players sign a participation agreement that covers the team’s liability during the event, ensuring players are covered for injury.

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Browns officially add 12 undrafted free agents

Cleveland also announced the formal signing of 12 undrafted free agents to complete it’s rookie class. 

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The most notable name on this list appears to be Logan Fano, a defensive end out of Utah who just happens to be Spencer Fano’s brother. 

All undrafted free agent rookies were also assigned their numbers for the Browns’ rookie minicamp.

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Jersey

Name

Position

School

29

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Davon Booth

RB

Mississippi State

34

Zion Washington

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S

Boise State

36

TJ Harden

RB

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SMU

36

Wes Pahl

P

Oklahoma State

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38

Kole Wilson

WR

Baylor

43

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Nate Evans

CB

Delaware

47

DeCarlos Nicholson

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CB

USC

60

Izavion Miller

OT

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Auburn

64

Tyreak Sapp

DE

Florida

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66

Bernard Gooden

DT

LSU

90

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Khordae Sydnor

DE

Vanderbilt

97

Logan Fano

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DE

Utah

Other players that have reportedly accepted invites to Browns’ rookie minicamp include Utah State quarterback Bryson Barnes, West Virginia linebacker Reid Carrico, Fordham linebacker James Conway, and Bowling Green tight end Jyrin Johnson.

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Crash closes Route 38 in Hainesport, New Jersey

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Crash closes Route 38 in Hainesport, New Jersey



A serious crash in Hainesport, New Jersey, has forced Route 38 to close Thursday night.

The crash happened on Route 38 near Creek Road at around 9:30 p.m. Chopper 3 was over the scene, where two cars were badly damaged. 

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CBS News Philadelphia


According to Burlington County dispatch, several people were injured in the crash. 

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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