Home Care In Deal, NJ

RWJBarnabas Health and Englewood Health have signed a Definitive Agreement under which Englewood Health will become part of RWJBarnabas Health, officials announced.

The agreement is expected to enhance healthcare services for residents in Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties, as well as surrounding communities, according to the health systems.

The transaction is subject to approval from state and federal regulatory agencies before it can be finalized.

RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest academic health system, providing care to more than five million people annually, officials said. The system includes 14 hospitals, more than 45,000 employees, and 9,000 affiliated physicians delivering care at over 700 locations statewide.

Officials said the system is nationally recognized for quality and safety and maintains a major partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Under the agreement, Englewood Health’s role as a comprehensive healthcare provider for Bergen County will be strengthened, officials said. RWJBarnabas Health plans to make significant capital investments in Englewood while expanding outpatient services and community health programs currently offered by Englewood Health.

“Englewood Health has a long history of providing superior care to the residents of Bergen County and surrounding communities,” said Mark E. Manigan, President and Chief Executive Officer of RWJBarnabas Health. “We look to build upon this history together to enhance access to world-class academic medicine and cutting-edge cancer treatment, as well as expand community programs and vital resources for the most vulnerable.”

“Englewood shares a perspective and culture consistent with our mission of improving and sustaining the health of all New Jersey residents,” Manigan said. “The changing health care landscape presents new challenges, but also great opportunities. We are eager to explore the many opportunities for collaboration signaled by this Definitive Agreement.”

Englewood Health President and Chief Executive Officer Warren Geller said the agreement will allow the system to deliver expanded services with additional resources, [ensuring] Englewood Health’s ability "to deliver world-class care to the communities we serve in a broader way, with greater resources and more cutting-edge technologies," Geller said.

RWJBarnabas Health and Englewood Health have signed a definitive agreement under which Englewood Health would become part of RWJBarnabas Health, the organizations announced Jan. 5.

The health systems said the relationship is intended to enhance health care services for residents in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties and surrounding communities. The transaction is subject to approvals from state and federal entities before it can be finalized.

RWJBarnabas Health described the agreement as a way to expand access to academic medicine and specialized services in northern New Jersey, while strengthening Englewood Health’s role as a comprehensive provider for the Bergen County community.

“Englewood Health has a long history of providing superior care to the residents of Bergen County and surrounding communities,” Mark E. Manigan, president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health, said in a statement. “We look to build upon this history together to enhance access to world-class academic medicine and cutting-edge cancer treatment, as well as expand community programs and vital resources for the most vulnerable.”

Under the terms outlined in the announcement, RWJBarnabas Health said it will make “significant capital investments” in Englewood and will bolster and expand Englewood Health’s outpatient services network and community health programs. The organizations said the planned investments and program expansion are aimed at increasing access and raising the level of care available in the community.

Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health, said the agreement is designed to add resources and technology to support care delivery.

“This transaction will ensure Englewood Health’s ability to deliver world-class care to the communities we serve in a broader way, with greater resources and more cutting-edge technologies,” Geller said. “Through this partnership and by combining resources, we will have the ability to greatly enhance the services we provide to our communities in a way in which we would not be able to accomplish alone.”

RWJBarnabas Health said it cares for more than five million people annually and includes 14 hospitals, more than 45,000 employees and 9,000 affiliated physicians providing care at more than 700 patient care locations. The system also cited its partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — described as the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center — and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Englewood Health operates Englewood Hospital and an integrated network that includes the Englewood Health Physician Network, described as more than 800 office-based and hospital-based providers across more than 100 locations in five counties in northern New Jersey.

Bailey: Trump’s AI Executive Order is a Bad Deal for New Jersey

Last month, President Trump issued a sweeping executive order prohibiting state-level regulation of artificial intelligence. As a member of New Jersey’s General Assembly, I strongly oppose this decision. This is broad federal overreach that undercuts New Jersey’s ability to create guardrails around an industry that is evolving faster than our regulatory structures can keep up with. It is also a clear signal that the Trump administration is prioritizing the interests and profits of the tech industry over the well-being of my constituents and the 9.5 million people who live in our state.

I usually avoid weighing in on federal issues. It is my job to work for the people of Salem and Gloucester and Cumberland counties who have asked me to be their voice in the state house. I try to do that job to the best of my ability every single day. There is very little I can do as a state legislator about the dysfunction of Washington.

However, I have spent considerable time over the past year working in the Assembly to do exactly what the President is trying to ban.

I have been outspoken about the need to regulate AI, and for our state to prevent AI data centers from driving up our electric bills. Earlier this year my legislation to study and mitigate the effect of data centers on our grid and electricity prices was signed into law. My bill requiring data centers to pay their fair share for their huge energy and transmission demands passed the Assembly this June. Both received significant bipartisan support.

I recently joined state legislators from across the 13 state PJM region in submitting a proposal that would prioritize ratepayer affordability, not the bottom line of Meta or Google or large power generators, in determining how new data centers are connected to the grid.

Meanwhile, there has been almost no federal leadership in preventing ratepayers from paying exorbitant utility bills that subsidize the enormous growth of the artificial intelligence industry. In fact, the federal government has pushed policy that would expedite the interconnection of data centers and ignore strains on prices, infrastructure, and local communities.

The need to regulate extends well beyond the material costs to consumers. Legislators in other states have worked to ban AI-generated child pornography and malicious deepfake videos. Some states have passed laws to protect democracy by prohibiting the use of AI in political ads. Here in New Jersey, I have introduced legislation to prevent AI chatbots from being represented as therapists in response to several incidents where these “therapists” encouraged young people to self-harm or take their own lives. To strip states of the ability to prevent the worst uses of artificial intelligence is irresponsible and dangerous.

The President’s preferred punishment for defying his executive order is pulling Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding. The BEAD program is designed to bring high-speed internet to people who still lack access, people who mostly live in poorer and rural communities. Salem County, where I am from, recently received $19 million from the program to upgrade broadband infrastructure, which will be transformative for thousands of the county’s residents.

Now the Trump administration is telling me that if I try to pass laws that lower electric bills or protect kids struggling with mental health, they will prevent the people I represent from having the same opportunity to get online that the rest of the country takes for granted. The irony here is barely worth mentioning.

None of this is to say that I am against AI or that I don’t recognize the economic or educational opportunities it presents. What I am saying is that we are not currently equipped to deal with the worst consequences and excesses of the AI boom.

It is the job of our state legislature to act quickly and develop policy that can effectively address the new AI landscape and the infrastructure it requires. Trump’s executive order, if legal, makes that impossible. It takes power away from the people, giving it instead to the CEOs of giant tech companies.

Washington is promising a “national standard” for artificial intelligence regulation. However, that does not yet exist. Even if it did, I’m not sure it would serve the best interests of the people of New Jersey.

Dave Bailey, Jr.

Assemblyman, 3rd Legislative District

If you’ve stepped outside in New Jersey this week, you already know: it’s the kind of bitter cold that hits your fingers first — that sharp, why did I leave the house kind of cold.

Which is exactly why this 40% off deal on the Ocoopa Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers is such a clutch, right-now buy.

The top-rated 2-pack is down to just $18 from $30, and more than 90,000 people grabbed them in the past month (me included — leading to the biggest hit of my family’s white elephant exchange!).

These things are basically a tiny, pocket-sized survival kit for the winter season.

They heat up in five seconds, which is exactly how long it takes for your hands to go numb when you’re scraping ice off your windshield or walking from the train to your office. And with three temperature settings that climb up to 126 degrees Fahrenheit, you can crank the warmth to match just how frozen you feel.

Even cooler is how they magnetically snap together. You can pull them apart and use one in each hand or keep them doubled up for that ultra-toasty, both-sides-warmed feeling. And when you’re done, they click back together and slip into a pocket, bag or even inside gloves since each one is under an inch thick and weighs only a couple of ounces.

They’re also UL-certified and have a built-in temperature control chip to prevent overheating — something your fingers and your peace of mind will appreciate. You can charge via the included USB?C cable, and you don’t even have to worry about tossing them into your tote, because the port has a dust cover.

With your purchase, you’ll get the 2-pack of warmers, the charger, a soft storage pouch and an instruction guide.

For morning commuters, dog walkers, parents standing on icy sidelines at sports practice or, honestly, anyone just trying to blink and wake up in spring, you can’t go wrong with this under-$20 find.

The 40% off limited-time deal only extends to the Black colorway, but you can still get most of the other options on sale, too. You’ll just need to pay a little more!

More winter survival deals for the cold season

New Jersey-based OceanFirst Financial Corp. has announced a merger with Flushing Financial Corporation that will create a regional bank with $23 billion in assets across New Jersey, Long Island and New York markets.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of this year. OceanFirst is based in Red Bank in Monmouth County and is one of New Jersey largest regional banks.

The all-stock transaction values Flushing at $579 million based on OceanFirst’s Dec. 26 closing stock price of $19.76, according to a statement by OceanFirst.

Investment firm Warburg Pincus has committed to invest $225 million in newly issued equity securities when the merger closes.

The combined bank will operate 71 retail branches and hold approximately $17 billion in total loans and $18 billion in total deposits.

The deal expands OceanFirst’s presence in Suffolk, Nassau, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan counties.

“This acquisition represents a natural extension of our proven growth strategy,” Christopher Maher, chairman and chief executive officer of OceanFirst said in a statement.

“We are bringing together two highly complementary organizations, leveraging Flushing’s 95+ year distribution channel in Long Island and New York alongside OceanFirst’s relationship-driven business model and robust products and services.”

Under the agreement, Flushing stockholders will receive 0.85 shares of OceanFirst common stock for each share of Flushing stock.

After the merger closes, former Flushing shareholders are expected to own approximately 30% of the combined company, Warburg Pincus will hold about 12%, and existing OceanFirst shareholders will retain approximately 58%.

Maher will serve as chief executive officer of the combined company.

John Buran, president and chief executive officer of Flushing, will become non-executive chairman of the board.

The board will consist of 17 directors: 10 from OceanFirst, six from Flushing and one from Warburg Pincus.

OceanFirst will sell approximately 9.7 million shares of common stock and additional non-voting shares to Warburg Pincus at $19.76 per share.

The transaction requires regulatory approvals and shareholder approval from both companies.

OceanFirst Bank, founded in 1902 and headquartered in Red Bank, currently has $14.3 billion in assets.

Flushing Bank has operated in New York since 1929, serving customers in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island.