NJ kids still have to mask-up on school busses

New Jersey school kids still have to mask up on busses, for now.

The Murphy administration clarified rules on Monday, saying the mask rules remain in place on busses until March 7. That is the same day Gov. Phil Murphy is lifting the mask mandate for students and staff inside school buildings.

There was some confusion after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new mask guidance last week.

The CDC said masking is no longer recommended "universal indoor mask wearing" in K-12 schools or on "busses or vans operated by public or private school systems."

Despite the CDC guidance, Murphy has refused to lift mask mandates before March 7.

A statement issued from the governor's office said school districts should continue to require masking on buses "until March 7, when the state's in-school mandate ends."

Many districts will set their formal mask policies this week, but the majority have signaled masking among students and staff will be voluntary.

Newark, Plainfield, South Orange, Paterson, Hillside and Camden schools have announced they will continue to require masks among students and staff beyond March 7.

Regardless of the clarification from Gov. Murphy's office, it is not clear how much enforcement there is of the mask mandate on busses.

A number of New Jersey 101.5 listeners have commented that mask wearing on busses is spotty, at best, and little effort has been made to force kids to mask up on the ride to and from school.

Some districts have already ended the mask policy on busses. The Holmdel and Mount Olive districts have informed parents masks are no longer required to board the school bus.

Eric Scott is the senior political director and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at eric.scott@townsquaremedia.com

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2022 Seaside Heights Polar Bear Plunge photos

More than 6,000 people took the plunge into the Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 26, 2022 to raise more than $2 million for the Special Olympics New Jersey.

Best coffee shops & cafes near NJ beaches

When it comes to food, New Jersey is known for many things such as pizza and pork roll. Don't count us out when it comes to coffee.

With all the hustle and bustle involved in the average New Jersey resident's day, coffee is essential. It doesn't matter whether you're living in the cities of North Jersey or the vacation spots at the shore.

In fact, as the former owner of two Jersey shore coffee houses, Coffee Dot Comedy in Sea Isle City and the Daily Grind in Ocean Grove, I know firsthand how much people at the Jersey shore love their coffee.

With respect to that, I asked my social media following where the best coffee houses at the Jersey Shore were, especially since my two places no longer exist.

Below is what they came up with. (And see this other article for their coffee shop and cafe recommendations for Central Jersey.)

The Ultimate Guide to New Jersey Brewpubs

From the website that gave you the "Friendliest bars" and places to watch the game, comes the ultimate guide to New Jersey brewpubs.

So what's a "brew pub"?

According to Thompson Island's Article on the differences between a craft brewery, microbrewery, brewpub & gastropub, it says:

"A brewpub is a hybrid between a restaurant and a brewery. It sells at least 25% of its beer on-site in combination with significant food services. At a brewpub, the beer is primarily brewed for sale inside the restaurant or bar. Where it's legally allowed, brewpubs may sell beer to go or distribute it to some offsite destinations."

New Jersey has tons of Brewpubs, some of which have been around for years and some that have just opened in the past year.

Here is a full list of the 21 brewpubs in New Jersey according to New Jersey Craft Beer: