Phil Murphy
September 14, 2020
George Washington Ballroom
Trenton War Memorial
1 Memorial Dr., City of Trenton, Capital of the State of New Jersey
Statement issued at 1:00 PM

Coronavirus Report

“Good afternoon!
I am joined today by Dr. Ed Lifshitz, Medical Director of the Communicable Disease Service, and Colonel Pat Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

I would like to begin today with a couple of items not directly related to COVID.

First, tomorrow marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, the annual celebration running from September 15 through October 15. Across New Jersey, Hispanic Heritage Month is one of our most colorful and meaningful celebrations. And, like so many other things this year, we will have to celebrate a little differently. I, for one, will especially miss gathering with our state’s Hispanic leaders at Drumthwacket. Regardless of how we celebrate, the contributions of our Latino communities are unmistakable and provide much of the color that makes up the rich, vibrant tapestry that is New Jersey. That’s who we are as New Jerseyans. We are diverse. We don’t all speak the same language. We come from different places. We have different stories. But here, we are one family—and at a time like this, that is something worth celebrating. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

Next, on Friday I announced that ten firefighters from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, along with three fire trucks and an additional support vehicle, would be deployed to California to assist state and local firefighters battling the worst wildfires in recent memory. I am proud to report today that all team members departed on Saturday and have safely arrived in California. Their arrival comes not a moment too soon, as numerous fires continue to burn out of control. We wish them nothing but the best as they take on the difficult task ahead, we pray for their safety, and we look forward to their safe return home to their families and friends.

It’s worth noting that the western wildfires have now burned an area roughly equivalent to the entire size of our state. More than two dozen Americans have lost their lives. Thousands have lost their homes—and in many cases, nearly everything they owned. Let that sink in for a moment: with everything else happening around us, these families are now facing the horror of these fires. That is why I am proud that New Jersey can help. As Americans, we are all in this together, and we stand with our brothers and sisters in California and across the West.

Now, let’s take a look at the latest numbers from overnight.

Today, we are announcing 346 additional positive test results, bringing our cumulative total to 196,968. The positivity rate for all tests recorded on September 10 was 1.82 percent, and the statewide rate of transmission is currently 1.06.

Across our hospitals, there were 216 confirmed COVID-positive patients as of last night, with an additional 204 awaiting test results, for a total of 420 patients. Of these, 91 required intensive care, and 41 ventilators were in use.

Today, we report three additional confirmed deaths, bringing our statewide total to 14,245 confirmed fatalities. The number of probable deaths remains unchanged at 1,789. Of the deaths we are reporting today, one occurred on September 10 and two on September 9. Our hospitals reported 14 in-hospital deaths yesterday; however, as always, those are not lab-confirmed and are therefore not included in our official count.

Let’s take a few moments now to remember three members of our New Jersey family whom this pandemic has taken from us.

We begin this week by remembering Richard Gould, a longtime resident of Woodbridge, whom we lost at the age of 81. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Richard served in the United States Marine Corps from 1956 to 1959. He moved to Woodbridge in 1961 after marrying his wife, Marie Ann, where they raised their family. Richard worked in the alarm security industry and owned and operated State Alarm Company in Edison for 20 years. Last year, he received the Pioneer Award from the New Jersey Electronic Security Association.

But it is Richard’s community service that truly stands out. He was a member of the Woodbridge Fire Company #1 for 48 years, served as Fire Commissioner for 15 years, and took special pride in his work with the Fire Prevention Bureau. He was an active member of Saint James Catholic Church and belonged to Knights of Columbus Council #857 and the Cpl. Reinhard Detachment of the Marine Corps League.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marie Ann; his children Rick and Thomas, Eileen and Amy; and five grandchildren. He also leaves behind two brothers and countless extended family members and friends — ten godchildren in total. We thank Richard for his years of service to our nation and his community. May God bless him.

Next, we remember Marie Dykstra Lilore, who passed away just two weeks before her 95th birthday. Born in Jersey City, she married a young soldier, Leonard Dykstra, in 1944. After his return from serving in Europe in World War II — where he was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge — they settled in Hasbrouck Heights. Sadly, Leonard passed away in 1984. Marie later found love again with a widower, Ralph Lilore, whom she married in 1988. They made their home in Rutherford and later in assisted living in Woodcliff Lake until Ralph’s passing in 2017.

In Hasbrouck Heights, Marie managed her children’s busy schedules — Susan, Paul, and Peter — while volunteering at Hackensack Hospital and teaching religious classes at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church. Her sense of community continued in Rutherford, where she remained active as a volunteer at the Kip Senior Citizens Center. She is survived by her sons Paul and Peter and their families, including four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Her family was her foundation through good times and bad, to the very end. May God bless Marie and watch over her family.

Finally, we remember Lymas “Rob” Robinson. Born in Harlem, Rob served his country in Vietnam. In 1977, he and his wife, Leora, moved to Englewood, where they opened what Leora described as the first Black-owned bakery in Englewood — A & R Bake Shop — with Rob working behind the scenes. In the 1980s, they moved to neighboring Teaneck, where they raised their children, Steven and Felicia. Rob worked as a bus driver for several years before joining the Department of Public Safety at University Hospital in Newark, where he later received the Grand Cordon Medal for saving the life of a fellow officer who was attacked by a man inside the hospital.

Rob is survived by his wife, Leora; his children, Steven and Felicia; his daughter-in-law, Natalie; and his beloved grandchildren, Jaiyla, Ryann, Kyle, and Dakota. He is also survived by his sister, Thelma, as well as nieces, nephews, in-laws, and extended family. Rob was 80 years old. May God bless his memory, and may all those we have lost to COVID-19 be remembered and their families find comfort in their memories. Let us never forget those we’ve lost—they are our friends and neighbors—and let us remain mindful of the simple steps we can take to slow the spread of this virus and save lives.

Next, I want to thank another of New Jersey’s small business leaders who partnered with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to stay strong through these unprecedented times. On Friday, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kyung Sung, founder of Computer Connections Inc., based in Cherry Hill. Kyung’s flagship product, WinCleaners, has been the leading software management system for the dry-cleaning industry for the past two decades. Constantly updated and improved as technology advances, it remains the gold standard, used not only across the United States but around the world.

To keep his business open, Kyung worked with the EDA to secure a Small Business Loan, ensuring that Computer Connections remains ahead of the competition and that WinCleaners continues to set the industry standard. Kyung, thank you for making New Jersey the home of your business — we look forward to your continued success.

And finally today, I want to close by recognizing a local hero whom the First Lady recently had the pleasure of meeting — Carlos Roldan, Director of the Catholic Charities Food Pantries in Paterson. Before the pandemic, Carlos and his volunteer team served between 5,000 and 7,000 residents in a typical month. By April, that demand had doubled; in May, it tripled; and by June, July, and August, they were serving nearly 25,000 children, women, and men. Over these months, Carlos has overseen the distribution of more than 100,000 pounds of food.

Like everyone associated with Catholic Charities, Carlos is working tirelessly to end hunger — and his efforts have never been more vital than now, as countless families rely on him to put food on their tables.

To you, Carlos, and everyone at the Paterson food pantry: thank you for your generosity and compassion. You are truly an inspiration. Keep up the good work.

And I extend the same gratitude to all of you working every day to keep your communities safe and help us defeat this virus. Thank you for everything you are doing — and please, keep it up.

Now, it’s my pleasure to turn things over to Colonel Callahan.”