New Jersey braces for an impactful storm affecting all 21 counties, a state of emergency is in effect starting February 22nd at 12pm
New Jersey is bracing for a historic weather event beginning on February 22nd, 2026, with blizzard conditions along the shore and significant snowfall throughout the rest of the state. Safety is essential, and Gov. Sherrill has issued a state of emergency effective on February 22nd at 12 pm and set to expire when conditions are safe and improve. The governor met with five key members of the state in Mapleshade, NJ, today, issuing remarks on the Office of Emergency Management, NJ Transit, and updates on state infrastructure.
Governor Sherrill State of Emergency Press Release:
Key updates:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
154 PM EST Sat Feb 21 2026
BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM SUNDAY TO 6 PM EST MONDAY (February 23rd 2026)
* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations
between 16 and 20 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph.
* WHEN...From 10 AM Sunday to 6 PM EST Monday.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Areas of
blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous
conditions could impact the Monday morning and evening commutes.
Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel,
have a winter survival kit with you. If you get stranded, stay with
your vehicle. The latest road conditions for the state you are
calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.
The national weather service has issued severe warnings across the state due to the threat of life from the storm. All people are encouraged to shelter in place.
ICE targets a Lindenwold bus stop, sparking fear and protests. Gov. officials and neighbors rally for NJ students after a chaotic morning.
Thursday, the eve of the weekend. A typical day for students heading to school. There was no delayed opening, but for many, the school day was disrupted and chaotic, hindering learning. Children screaming, parents alerting their neighbors. A fear-stricken community in Lindenwold, NJ, was targeted by ICE Agents while parents were at the bus stop with their kids.
On February 12th, 2026, ICE agents targeted the bus stop at Woodland Village Apartments for 4th and 5th-graders. The bus driver circulates around the complex, rescuing kids from the dangers posed by Trump’s masked secret police.
On Friday, Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. issued a statement regarding the incident.
“The absolute chaos sowed by this ICE operation in Lindenwold yesterday morning was appalling,” Cappelli Jr. wrote. “At the moment we are short on facts and details about the intentions of ICE and do know at some point they called 911 for support. That said, the impact and fear that struck the children of our county was painful to watch and I can’t imagine the anxiety and trauma that came from this incident. We have a dialogue with our Congressman who is helping us get answers to what happened yesterday. I also want to applaud the work of the Superintendent of the Lindenwold Schools whose staff jumped into action to identify the whereabouts of the students and ensure their safety. Furthermore, as a community, segments of our population are being terrorized and scared to leave their homes. This is no way for any of us to live.”
As you can see, students are running, and community members are shouting “ICE, ICE” to alert neighbors to the dangers outside their doors. For many in this community, they fear that when leaving their homes, they may not come back to their families. With nearly 30% of the community in Lindenwold, NJ, being Latino or Hispanic, a large portion of the community is actively being targeted and labelled as “Illegal”.
The following day, Cooper River Indivisible organized a protest that drew hundreds of people from the broader community and gained the attention of elected officials like Donald Norcross.
Sharon Schultz, a left-leaning progressive from South Jersey, attended the protest. Sharon grew up primarily in Detroit and emigrated to New Jersey when she was fourteen. She had attended a protest with her mother for pro-life causes in high school, but this was her first time at an anti-ICE action.
When Sharon was asked how the atmosphere was at the protest, she shared,
“Super positive! Lindenwold police were on site, supportive in general. People were energized, lots of Bad Bunny. People driving by were very engaged, lots of positive, but also a good amount of negative, thumbs down, middle fingers and such.”
Like Sharon, many others are looking to get involved, and Sharon learned about the protest through an Instagram post and confirmed its legitimacy with Cooper River Indivisible. She was looking for ways to get involved and stand up against Trump’s policies, but kept hearing about events after they had happened. She caught this one in time and showed up to support her community.
Many members of the community cheered for justice, and the main driver of organizing was the strength of Cooper River Indivisible’s individuals.
At the protest, organizers from Cooper River Indivisible interviewed organizer Tatiana, who had these powerful statements.
NJ faces a healthcare cliff: Gov. Sherrill extends emergency rules for APNs & PAs as 9.5M residents face a 45-day countdown to a care disaster.
We learned in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic that healthcare is essential. Millions of people were without work, and countless people died from the disease, which rapidly spread in retirement homes and incarcerated communities. Hospitals were erecting tents in their parking lots to care for patients, and local emergency response teams were burdened around the clock with emergency medical transportation. A lot changed during the pandemic for people seeking care, and telehealth saw a surge never before seen. With that influx of care needed someone had to do it. Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants played a key role in enabling millions of appointments. Even then, the system is still inundated, and we need more care.
Groups echo healthcare reform as being essential, but where does the healthcare come from if there is not enough care to go around? Per-person spending jumped to $11,319 by 2023, driven by higher prices and increased utilization. Numbers are slowly coming out showing an even more substantial rise in the cost of care. Between 2020 and 2025, New Jersey prioritized expanding its physician workforce, with over 1,500 medical residents finishing their training in 2024, and around 471 (30%) of them choosing to practice in-state. The number of active Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in New Jersey increased by roughly 35%, rising from 12,107 in 2020-2021 to 16,317 in 2023-2024, representing a significant influx of over 4,000 new or newly active APN licenses during that period. Individual state statistics for phycsisan assistants are not available for New Jersey during this period.
New Jersey’s population has rebounded, reversing post-2020 declines, reaching over 9.5 million by early 2025. From April 2020 to July 2025, the state grew by about 2.8%, largely driven by international immigration despite domestic out-migration, making it one of the fastest-growing states.
With the increasing population, healthcare needs have grown. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy issued Executive Order No. 112 on April 1, 2020, temporarily waiving the requirement for Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) to work under a supervising or collaborating doctor. Just before leaving office, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 415 on January 16, 2026, officially ending the COVID-19 State of Emergency.
Now, as the crisis looms over care access, what happens? On February 13th, 2026, Governor Mikie Sherrill signed Executive Order No. 13, temporarily extending the COVID-19 State of Emergency. This will allow APNs and PAs to catch up with the new regulations about to take hold.
“With today’s executive order, we are providing more time for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants to adjust to this new regulatory landscape, delivering on our commitment to make it easier for small businesses to thrive in New Jersey,” said Governor Sherrill. “Many health care professionals across New Jersey are bracing for impact as years-long state of emergency provisions come to an abrupt end. These sudden regulatory changes will have wide-ranging impacts on health care professionals and patients alike – potentially even forcing clinics and small, independent practices to close their doors, making it more difficult for New Jerseyans to access critical health care services.”
There are over 16,000 APNs in NJ, with 84% in primary care and 7% in mental health, making them essential for covering the 1.86 million residents on Medicaid. Not only do those on Medicaid see an APN, but many others with employer-sponsored or private-sector health insurance also use APN care for affordability and convenience.
With so many at risk of a catastrophic healthcare disaster in 45 days, will the government take action to codify care?
Despite the scale of the crash, an ambulance did not arrive for 20 minutes. St. Paul police later confirmed the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening.
A multiple-car crash has been confirmed following a high-speed chase with ICE agents during the pursuit of an individual. The crash occurred outside Nina’s Coffee Cafe in St. Paul.
Over a dozen agents were on the scene at the time of the crash.
“This is just another incident that tells us loud and clear: Operation Metro Surge needs to end immediately,” said St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her,
Brandon Reade said a single federal agent in an unmarked sedan sped by, giving chase – Minnesota Reformer
After the initial crash, an agent was seen exiting a vehicle and chasing the victim on foot, catching up to them. A bystander called 911 to report the incident, and an ambulance arrived twenty minutes later with ICE agents leaving shortly after. St. Paul police reported the victim did not sustain life-threatening injuries.
Another unconfirmed sighting of ICE occurred between Emerson Ave and Fremont Ave off of West Broadway. Neighbors came out and alerted everyone. The ice vehicle left the alley and was headed west on Broadway.
Copyright 2025 Google
Background:
“Metro Surge” initiative began in early December 2025. Some sources specify actions started around Dec. 1. This is a federal crackdown under the Trump administration aimed at arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants. Over 3,000 federal agents were deployed to the Twin Cities.
Following a chaotic morning shooting on Kings Road, Roxbury residents are demanding answers. Between a controversial 470,000-square-foot warehouse proposal and increased ICE activity across NJ
“I was born here, but I’m still nervous. It does not go by me every day to think that I could be stopped,” Roxbury Township resident Sharon Medina said at Tuesday night’s meeting.
ICE has been targeting New Jersey since July of 2025, and residents are fed up. On February 10th, 2026, around 7 am, a shooting occurred in Roxbury, NJ, on Kings Road across from the historic train station.
“I saw a video earlier today where the gentleman was not in a car and there was a gun drawn facing him in the street in our area,” resident Diana May said
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says an ICE officer shot out the tires of a vehicle that rammed a law enforcement vehicle during an immigration arrest on Tuesday in Roxbury. According to a DHS spokesperson, federal agents were conducting a planned operation to take Jesus Fabian Lopez-Banegas into custody.
“In an attempt to evade arrest, Lopez-Banegas rammed into a law enforcement vehicle and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over,” the DHS statement said.
“We recognize that matters of this nature raise concerns within our communities,” Davenport’s statement continued. “Public safety remains our top priority. As Acting Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, it is my duty to protect the safety of residents of this state and uphold the Constitution. I will do everything in my power to fulfill this responsibility.”
ICE has been spotted in Hoptacong, NJ, multiple times over the past few days. Video evidence shows ICE performing vehicle stops in neighborhoods, stoking fear amongst residents.
On February 10th, around 6pm, ICE vehicles were spotted being transported westbound on Route 80. DHS has not disclosed the vehicles’ destinations, and the department has refused to comment on the activity.
The protests in Roxbury, New Jersey, were triggered by reports that the federal government plans to convert a massive local warehouse into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility.
The controversy began in late December 2025 and continued into January 2026 after The Washington Post reported leaked Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents. These documents identify a 470,000-square-foot warehouse on Route 46 as a possible site to hold up to 1,500 detainees. Many protesters contend that warehouses are meant for “packages, not people,” pointing out issues such as inadequate ventilation, lack of natural light, and poor sanitation. Local residents and the all-Republican town council are worried about the impact on infrastructure, including water supplies, sewers, and emergency services like police and fire. On January 13, 2026, Roxbury’s town council unanimously adopted a resolution firmly opposing the facility.
The Legal Battle
Although New Jersey enacted a law in 2021 that prevents towns and counties from contracting with ICE, private companies such as Dalfen Industrial, owner of the Roxbury warehouse, can still collaborate with the federal government. Protesters are now urging the town to utilize zoning ordinances and land-use laws to block the facility, contending that, despite the federal government’s “supremacy,” private corporations are still required to adhere to local building and safety regulations.
Getting Involved
Protests will continue, and on Presidents Day 2026, a protest will take place at Ledgewood Commons in Ledgewood, NJ.
The flyer distributed by the activist group No Ice Roxbury is as follows.
Grappling with the president’s involvement in the Epstein case
The Department of Justice released over 3.5 million additional files from the Epstein Files mandated by law. This comes 45 days after they were required to release the documents in a press conference held by Deputy AG Blanche. He states that all photos of women have been redacted, but the DOJ made redaction errors, took files down in real time, and links began expiring. The government partnered with Akamai to deliver the files using a content delivery network. As the files were indexed, President Trump was mentioned over 38,000 times.
Controversy arose when initial files showed witnesses attesting to “Calendar Girls,” an auction at Maralago, where Trump auctioned off girls measuring their vulva by placing a finger to see tightness. The tip implicates multiple Trump family members, including Elon Musk. In June of 2025, Elon posted on X (Formerly Twitter) stating that the files had not been released because they contained Donald Trump’s material.
Elon asked to visit Epstein at his New Mexico ranch along at his island.
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As more digging is happening, the Truth will be uncovered. The victims over the years have participated in interviews, with many committing suicide, under the pressures of surviving horrendous suffering at the hands of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump recently has distanced himself from Epstein and has called the files a Democratic hoax. Evidence suggests close ties between Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump, with Trump even calling Epstein a terrific guy.
“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” Mr. Trump told New York magazine in 2002. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Portrait Jeffrey Epstein (left) and real estate developer Donald Trump as they pose together at the Mar-a-Lago estate, Palm Beach, Florida on February 22, 1997. Davidoff Studios/Getty Images
George Houraney and his girlfriend attended a dinner with Trump in 1992, during Trump’s first presidential bid in 2016. Houraney participated in an interview and made an assertion that he had to ban Jeffrey Epstein from his events and could not sign on to deals because of Epstein’s conduct. Houraney also goes on to explain the business deals that failed due to Trump’s inappropriate conduct with girlfriend, Jill Harth.
Donald Trump with Jill Harth in 1992.Credit…George Houraney
Jan. 24, 1993, Harth and Houraney visited to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for a contract-signing celebration, At the request of Trump “Calendar girls” were brought along. He offered Harth a tour of the estate and then pulled her into the empty bedroom of his daughter Ivanka. In the FBI tips released in the latest files calendar girls can be attested by multiple sources. Trump has denied this claim.
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NY Times reporter Nicholas Kristof asked Harth in 2016, “Why would a woman who accused Trump of attempted rape ever go out with him?”
Harth replied
“I was scared, thinking, ‘what am I going to do now?’” she says. “When he called me and tried to work on me again, I was thinking maybe I should give this a try, maybe if he’s still working on me, I should give this rich guy a chance.”
Documents released as part of this new trove of files showed prominent international figures such as Prince Andrew and Jack Lang working with Epstein. Lang began a non-profit, with Epstein spearheading the founding and an initial donation of $75,000. Sylvie Aubry, A long-time friend of Jack Lang and a co-founder of the non-profit, also runs a floral business in France. Jack Lang was previously the minister of Culture, who also states that the non-profit was created to fund a movie. The movie funding was never disclosed. Other Associates of the non-profit, such as the president, treasurer, and secretary, were described as long-term staffers or friends of Lang.
Bill Gates can be seen in multiple photos with Epstein and world leaders, with some of the pictures of Gates with redacted women discovered during an FBI raid of Epstein’s Island. Recently, in the files, documents state that Gates contracted an STI from Russian girls, but Gates has denied the claims.
Gates on emails released from files:
“These claims are absolutely absurd and completely false,” a spokesperson for Gates said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Further, Gates’s statement states that the files show only Epstein’s frustration at not obtaining a long-term business partnership with Gates.
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As more information comes out from the files, be sure to check back at this article for updates.
