Regional Briefs – November 17, 2019

NJ Adds 10,000 Jobs But Jobless Rate Climbs To 3.2%

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey added more than 10,000 jobs in October, though the jobless rate rose from 3.1% to 3.2%.

That’s according to data released by the New Jersey Labor and Workforce Development Department. It says the rate went up — despite the increase in the number of workers — in part because more people began looking for work.

Sectors adding jobs included leisure and hospitality, education and health services as well as trade, transportation, and utilities.

The national unemployment rate is 3.6%.

Lawmakers To Take Look At Early Voting In New York

NEW YORK (AP) — New York is taking a look at how its first experiment with early voting went.

The Democratic-led Legislature is holding a Wednesday hearing on the start of early voting in New York this month.

New York introduced its new system in a quiet election year, ahead of the 2020 presidential contest.

The state Board of Elections has said over 256,000 people cast their ballots before Election Day between Oct. 26 and Nov. 3 under early voting.

Off-Duty Officer Killed In NYC Crash

NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say an off-duty police officer was killed in a single-car crash in New York City that left the vehicle a mangled pile of metal.

Police say the 25-year-old officer was speeding on the northbound FDR Drive at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday when he lost control and mounted the center median. Officers responding to a 911 call found the driver unconscious and unresponsive.

Police say two passengers were ejected from the car and landed in the southbound lanes.

All three victims were taken to Bellevue Hospital. The driver was pronounced dead. His name was not immediately released but police said he was a New York Police Department officer.

The two passengers, a 25-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, are in serious but stable condition.