Friday January 20 News Updates Lakewood

 Weather: Mostly cloudy. High around 25F. Shabbos day sunshine high of 30F

Erev Shabbos Yisro Candle lighting 4:44 pm, Shkiah/sunset 5:02 pm

-- 106 new covid cases in lakewood totals 22903/342

- 67 new covid cases in Jackson totals 11860/133

- 95 new covid cases in Toms River +3 deaths totals  20094/386

-Update on R' Mordy Gelfand By Achiezer:

Sadly, we now have an updated report from the New Orleans Police Department. They believe that an unfortunate accident has taken place and that Mordy seems to have tragically drowned in the Mississippi River.

A massive search and recovery effort is underway and we need the amazing groups of Klal Yisroel to step forward so we can quickly and honorably bring Mordy to proper Kevuras Yisroel. (The local authorities will welcome all the help we can offfer)At this time we are looking for manpower to assist with logistics, boat and shoreline searches and would like to start as early as Sunday afternoon and onward throughout the week.

Please email search@achiezer.org with information on your group and someone from the coordinating group will get back to you. Besuros Tovos.

- Atlantic City will give residents and businesses, including non resident property owners, who were negatively impacted by the pandemic  $500 stimulus checks from the $16.5 million the municipality received from the American Rescue Plan. Lakewood received $30 million and giving a $2500 tuition grant to those who can prove loss of income.

- Ireland to lift almost all Covid restrictions from tomorrow, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced.

- Food prices in Lakewood soar as inflation and supply chain issues keep hitting the market. In NPGS chicken is at $3.99 a lb. Kosher Today reports  Kosher consumers worldwide are helplessly watching creeping inflation. Retailers in the US say that prices on average have been increasing by 7% - 8% a month, including beef and poultry. 

- Israel, where many received 3rd and 4th boosters, reports 69,104 new Covid cases. 638 critical,123 on respirators  The country has the highest daily cases per capita globally now. (JPost/ToI)

- Continued tefillos for Pinya Gittel bas Rochel Shaindel is having surgery this morning

- Texas hostage-taker searched the internet for Rabbis, Gun shops in the days before he took congregants hostage inside a Texas synagogue, according to law enforcement officials. (Wapost)

- Midwinter vacation or yeshiva week begins with families pouring into Orlando and other winter vacation spots. Some Lakewood schools will have off next week Thursday- Monday

- Watch: Frum Yid, Gerald Wittenstein, First Manned Moon Mission NASA Scientist, Moves to Eretz Yisroel gets ovation on Delta flight HERE 

Gov Murphy signed this bills 

- Limits police presence at polling places and ballot drop boxes; prohibits electioneering within 100 feet of ballot drop box

-Requires institutions of higher education to provide students with access to mental health care programs and services and to establish a hotline to provide information concerning the availability of those services

see over 100 bills signed  here 

-  A Toms River man is accused of trying to burn down a business in Lakewood on Cross street early Wednesday in retaliation for being fired, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday. Jorge Euxaque-Ballesteros, 25, has been charged with aggravated arson and burglary Firefighters and police responded to an alert about a sprinkler system alarm about 2 a.m. Wednesday and found a fire in the basement, which Lakewood Fire Company firefighters extinguished, Billhimer said.