As part of his solution to New Jersey’s current budget deficit, Gov. Chris Christie announced that, effective yesterday, he will not allow any additional parents to enroll in FamilyCare, our state’s low-cost health insurance program for working families. The governor also ordered coverage canceled outright for 12,000 taxpaying parents who are on the path to citizenship.

TRENTON -- Despite a show of force from hundreds of protesting union workers, the state Senate today easily passed legislation that would dramatically change public employee pensions.

The changes, which now head to the Assembly, are on a fast track and have already been endorsed by Gov. Chris Christie — who has said he wants even stronger reforms. The three bills each passed in 36-0 votes.

ENGLEWOOD — Two nurses from Englewood Hospital and Medical Center returned Friday from Haiti, where they spent an emotionally intense 17 days treating hundreds wounded in a massive earthquake.

Surrounded by their fellow nurses, Cathi Goldfischer and Arlene Keys, who have worked in the hospital’s Emergency Room for more than two decades, held back tears as they described the hundreds of patients who walked several miles searching for help, often with open wounds severely infected with gangrene.

Gov. Christopher Christie has released nineteen reports prepared by his transition team detailing their review of all state departments, agencies and authorities. The reports feature assessments and recommendations to improve, shrink and, in some cases, eliminate wasteful or inefficient government operations.

HPAE filed grievance on behalf of 34 fired nurses
HPAE 5185 filed a grievance with the American Arbitration Association alleging Bayonne Medical Center did not make "a good faith effort to prevent the layoffs." HPAE said that no managers were fired, that employees were not terminated according to seniority and management did not request for volunteers, as required by the new contract signed in June this year. "We are still fighting the layoffs," said Donna Benjamin, president, "They (the laid off workers) can be rehired without loss of seniority. We need experienced people." The Jersey Journal, http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/bayonne/index.ssf?/base/news-5/125489672...