Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday, May 4th, that all public and private schools in the state will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. His statement read, “This is a difficult decision and I know that many students, parents, and staff would like to be able to return to school." Murphy first ordered all schools in the state closed on March 18th and said repeatedly that remote education would continue until at least May 15th. With Monday‘s announcement, all schools will continue online learning through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. Private schools with longer academic years will remain closed until at least June 30th and a decision on school-sponsored summer programs and Extended School Year services for students with disabilities will be forthcoming. A steering committee will be formed to explore approaches for reopening schools for the 2020-2021 academic year, according to the statement.

Many Camden County residents who receive food assistance through the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NJ SNAP) will receive additional benefits in May to help address critical food needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional $36 million will be provided to about 214,000 New Jersey households in May. SNAP supplemental payments were included in the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. In March and April, Human Services announced $70 million in total additional NJ SNAP benefits that were provided to New Jerseyans to help purchase groceries. If you need food assistance, visit njhelp.org to apply for SNAP online.

Two new testing centers for COVID-19 will open in Camden to increase testing capability and bring it closer to home for many Camden residents. New Testing Site Locations: 2600 Mount Ephraim Avenue in the Camden Division of Motor Vehicle Parking Lot from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. This will be manned by healthcare staff from Virtual Hospital. Opening Day: Wednesday, April 29th.  Second site: 3101 Federal Street at Dudley Grange Park from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.*Monday through Friday. Opening Day: Tuesday, May 5th. Cooper Health System employees will manage the site. “We feel confident that these two new testing locations will help us to better meet people where they are,” said Virtua Health President and CEO Dennis W. Pullin. Each site will test any Camden County resident by appointment who has a referral for testing from a medical provider at Virtua, Cooper, CamCare, or other provider.  To make an appointment, call 856-968-7100, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The new sites will replace the current testing location at Cooper’s Poynt Park, which will close on May 1st at 3:00 p.m. 

On April 28th Comcast announced it will extend its commitments for Xfinity customers through June 30, originally announced on March 13th, to help ensure students can finish out the school year from home and remain connected to the internet during the COVID-19 crisis. These commitments include: No Disconnects and Waiving Late Fees; Xfinity WiFi Free for Everyone; Pausing Data Plans; and, Internet Essentials: For more information and updates from Comcast related to Coronavirus, visit: http://www.comcastcorporation.com/COVID-19/

On Friday, May 1st, the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers will be on Facebook Live to give updates about COVID-19 testing in Camden, community resources, and other important information. Join us at 12:00 p.m. for English and at 12:30 PM for Spanish. The Camden Coalition works to advance the field of complex care by implementing person-centered programs and piloting new models that address chronic illness and social barriers to health and wellbeing. Founded by Jeffrey Brenner, MD, their mission is to spark a field and movement that unites communities of caregivers in Camden and across the nation to improve the wellbeing of individuals with complex health and social needs. El viernes, 1 de mayo, vamos a estar en Facebook Live para dar informes sobre pruebas de COVID-19 en Camden, recursos comunitarios, y otra informacion importante. Unete a las 12:00 p.m. para ingles y a las 12:30 p.m. para espanol.

On Wednesday, April 29th, conforming with new executive orders from Governor Murphy, Mayor Brennan announced the reopening of Merchantville's public parks on Saturday, May 1st. Playground equipment, public restrooms and athletic facilities will remain closed to minimize the risk of overcrowding in congested areas. "All Residents and Members of our larger community: Thank you for your continued cooperation during this difficult time. The Borough appreciates your efforts and we are pleased to provide some good news. Please see the Borough's statement on Borough park reopening and the extended grace period for tax payments. Stay Safe and continue practicing social distancing, we are helping to flatten the curve!" Residents are expected to continue to follow NJ Covid-19 health regulations including wearing masks and social distancing.