(07/08/06) TRENTON ? Governor Jon Corzine (D-NJ) signed an executive order early Saturday morning ending the government shutdown. In a statement Governor Corzine said, ?The lives of the people of New Jersey can now, at long last, begin to return to normal.? The order, signed just after 6 a.m., means that nearly 45,000 state workers will be heading back to their jobs on Monday. Parks and beaches are also expected to reopen starting on Sunday. State officials say it may take a little longer for other non-essential services to be reinstated. While Governor Corzine has ended the stalemate that caused the government shutdown, he has not yet signed the $30.9 billion budget approved by the state Legislature. Corzine says he needs to review the budget carefully and hinted that some points may need further fine tuning.

Related information: Despite agreement, New Jersey lawmakers must still fine tune budget New Jersey casino managers anxiously await gambling green light Governor Corzine, top legislative leaders strike budget deal Senate President Codey comments on the deal Comments from Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. Click here to Sound Off! on the NJ government shutdown News 12 New Jersey In-Depth