University Operating Status

WEATHER UPDATE: The university remains open. For changes to schedules on Thursday, February 6, including remote instruction and operations due to expected weather conditions, check rutgers.edu/status

Halloween Treats Win over Inflation

October 27, 2022

Nationwide, the price of candy was upabout 13% in September compared with a year earlier, according to figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Datasembly, a research firm that tracks consumer prices, found one of the sharpest increases among grocery items in the candy aisle.

While there’s no data on Halloween costumes in particular, the cost for apparel and clothing rose 2.2% between September 2021 and last month, according to federal statistics. That includes a 5.5% jump over the summer.

Americans are expected to spend $3.6 billion on costumes, $3.4 billion on decorations, $3.1 billion on candy and $600 million on greeting cards for Halloween this year, the trade group said in a recent survey.

Enough people “want to get away from the gloom” of the pandemic that they may be willing to grit their teeth and pay up, said James W. Hughes, dean emeritus of Rutgers’ Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. “It looks like this is sort of a post-pandemic expression of wanting to get back to normal,” Hughes said in a phone interview. 

northjersey.com, October 27, 2022

Recent Posts

Public Policy and Surveillance Tech

By Marc Pfeiffer ICMA.org, February 1, 2025 I asked Claude.ai to define surveillance technology. In response, it replied, “devices, systems, or software that are used to monitor, track, and collect information on people, places, or things.” Municipalities use a wide...

Lindenfeld & Mauri Find Uptick for MOUD at FQHCs

Introduction To reduce morbidity and mortality among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD), the evidence is strongest for medications for OUD (MOUD), which include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are essential...

NJSPL: Ensuring Accurate & Equitable Vaccination Info

By Yonaira Rivera and Vivek Singh  In today’s digital world, large language models like ChatGPT are important sources of healthcare information, particularly for those who face barriers like insurance issues or language constraints. As part of the IMPACT-NJ project,...

2025 IHC Grant Program Funding Opportunities

The New Jersey Inclusive Healthy Communities (IHC) grant program has announced its latest Request for Proposals (RFP) for grants to local governments and nonprofit organizations to advance policy and systems change through the inclusion of people with disabilities to...

Ralph et al. Review e-Scooter Pilot Projects

Abstract Problem, research strategy, and findings Pilot projects are an increasingly popular tool for dealing with opposition to new ideas. The premise is simple—let experience change minds—but it belies considerable uncertainty. How do opinions evolve during a pilot...

Upcoming Events

Event Series CAREERS

Virtual Career Drop-ins

Virtual

Stop by virtually on Mondays (except for holidays) beginning February 3 through April 28 between 11 am and 1 pm to ask a quick (15 min) career-related question of Bloustein […]