A Newark school building that was sold around 2017 when the district was under state control will be turned into a 166-bed homeless shelter that will operate year-round, city officials announced Thursday.

Miller Street Elementary School closed in 2012, but now officials expect the building to become transitional housing for men, women and families by September. The shelter will feature a commercial kitchen and drop-in center for people to use individual bathrooms, showers, laundry, phones and televisions.

“The drop-in center will serve as an opportunity for case managers to engage our shelter-averse population, build relationships and take the steps to build the trust that is necessary to engage them into services,” said Newark Homelessness Czar Sakinah Hoyte.

Infection rates for coronavirus are down in seven counties in Central and South Jersey, a promising sign that may lead to the resumption of nursing home visits, but only if the facilities can show they have been COVID-free for two weeks, state officials said Wednesday.

COVID activity has declined from high to “moderate” levels in Hunterdon, Mercer and Somerset counties in the central-west region of the state, and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester counties in southwest New Jersey, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli announced Wednesday.

New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal on Tuesday announced he’s told law enforcement to end arrests for minor weed crimes and to drop pending cases immediately.

That word was sent to law enforcement officials Monday night after Gov. Phil Murphy signed three marijuana reform laws. One of those decriminalizes possession of up to six ounces of marijuana.

Grewal’s order falls in line with the decriminalization law.

It calls for prosecutors to drop all pending cases for possession of marijuana and hashish, selling less than one ounce, having paraphernalia, possessing marijuana in a vehicle, being under the influence its influence or failing to dispose of it.

More than three years after he took office with hopes of legalizing marijuana in 100 days, Gov. Phil Murphy signed three bills that together legalize marijuana in New Jersey and put an end to thousands of arrests.

But it took more than a marijuana-friendly governor to make reform a reality. There were years of failed legislative attempts, a ballot question that garnered more than 2.7 million votes in favor and three months of negotiations on tax revenue, licensing rules and the ultimate hangup that nearly killed the effort: penalties for those under 21 caught with marijuana.

Murphy signed the bills Monday morning without the usual fanfare, putting his pen to paper just before the deadline to take action struck. If he had done nothing, two measures seeking to launch a legal marijuana industry and to end arrests would have become law without his signature.