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Rutgers University is taking sweeping
cost-cutting measures to help the university address the immediate fiscal
challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and called for a budget for the
coming fiscal year with no increase in tuition and fees, according to Rutgers University
President Robert Barchi.  He and the
university’s most senior leadership will take a 10 percent reduction in salary
and that other senior leaders will reduce their pay by 5 percent. The president
called for utilizing all appropriate reserve funds, as well as a freeze on all
new major construction projects, among other steps. President Barchi announced the cost-cutting
measures in a letter at the end of April to the members of the university’s
governing boards, faculty and administration. The changes follow other steps
the state’s flagship university has already taken, including a university-wide
hiring freeze, a ban on non-negotiated and out-of-cycle pay increases, and a
ban on all discretionary travel and other expenses. READ MORE

You can support Highland Park’s restaurants by ordering delivery or pick-up for at least one meal or perhaps many meals this week. For added nourishment, share photos on social media and tag the restaurant you ordered from. Also tag Main Street Highland Park (@mainstreethp) so MSHP can share it! Here is a list of HP food & drink establishments that are offering online or phone orders for curbside pickup or delivery. PLEASE CALL the business you’re interested in for hours and details on their operations, as many businesses are changing them daily. READ MORE

Main Street Highland Park (MSHP) with the Borough of Highland Park and Middlesex County are working hard to bring the Highland Park Farmers Market’s fresh produce and food to Highland Park starting on Friday May 1, but with COVID-19-related health and safety modifications. According to MSHP Executive Director Rebecca Hersh, “We will delay opening of the traditional walk-up market for a bit, but the good news is that we are working to open a ‘pre-order, pre-pay, and pick-up only’ market starting on May 1. We are hammering out the details now – please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and get on our mailing list to keep up with all the latest updates. Stay tuned for more info soon.” READ MORE

Obituary as published in The New York Times, April 11, 2020

Ruth B. Mandel was an infant when she and her parents fled Germany on the eve of World War II. They were among the 937 passengers, almost all of them Jewish refugees, aboard the ocean liner St. Louis on what was often called the Voyage of the Damned. The Nazis had allowed the ship to sail with the expectation that the Jews would never be allowed to disembark — thus, the Nazis claimed, proving Hitler’s point that Jews were unwanted and justifying his persecution of them. Indeed, Cuba spurned them. READ MORE

Irving Elementary School’s principal, teachers, paraprofessionals, counselor, child study team, school district superintendent and Highland Park police officers caught the love and attention of the community by staging a parade throughout town. The theme was “we miss you, we love you, we will be there for you. The parade watchers were parents, most of whom had tears of joy running down their faces, and the school kids who were jumping for joy. READ MORE

Gov. Phil Murphy has ordered all state and county parks to close as social distance measures show early signs of success READ MORE

Dr. Wall, a well-regarded professor at Rutgers University-New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences for nearly 50 years, was 71. READ MORE

“If you are concerned about the outside of food packages being contaminated, I suggest that you wash your hands or sanitize your hands before you sit down to eat any food that you might’ve taken out of those containers. And guess what, washing your hands before you eat is a best practice even when we’re not in a pandemic.” READ MORE

Saint Peter’s University Hospital is in need of surgical masks
and is asking volunteers to sew masks. The masks need to mold around the nose and
have the ability to insert a filter. A tutorial to
make such a mask is available by clicking here (this particular mask
allows the use of elastic or ribbon). 

Local craft and fabric stores sell remnants online and offer
curbside pick-up. If someone is having difficulty acquiring fabric, please
contact Susan Choma at delaneysusan@outlook.com. 

For additional information please contact Jim Choma, at
732-745-8581; JChoma@saintpetersuh.com. 

READ MORE