Alarm Bells Are Going Off; Recovery’s Uneven, Possibly Threatened; Calls for Community Involvement in Policing Continue; School Begins Soon

‘The Wrap’ is a new feature from the Herald that offers our take on the news of the week. Get it in your inbox every Monday by signing up at https://bit.ly/HeraldWrap.
July 27-Aug. 2:
Alarm Bells Are Going Off
Gov. Phil Murphy July 31 reported 699 new cases of COVID-19 across the state. Perhaps more important to the governor is the steady rise in one of the key metrics the state uses to make decisions on easing economic and social restrictions – the transmission rate. 
“Alarm bells are going off,” Murphy said. 
The transmission rate for the virus moved to 1.49, its highest level in months. It means that two new cases are likely to transmit the virus to three additional individuals.
Despite the heightened concern among state officials, Cape May County continues to report moderate controlled growth in cases, with 35 total new positives this week, 17 of which involved non-residents and 29 residents.
The state is blaming indoor parties of young people for much of the spike in case numbers. Cape May County was not immune to such charges. 
At a Stone Harbor rental home, a group of Avalon lifeguards partied, leading to the self-quarantining of 25 of them after one tested positive.
As an aid to the frontline county Health Department, the state announced new funding for local public health offices.
Other legislation, in Trenton, would protect first responders from liability for damages caused by the need for forced entry of a home or building during the pandemic.
Local leaders are taking steps to encourage the observance of appropriate health protocols. Sea Isle City’s mayor urges the use of masks when sensible distancing is not possible. The county also entered the second phase of its “Safely Together” public health campaign.
Recovery’s Uneven, Possibly Threatened
Businesses across the county are trying to cobble together an acceptable summer with indoor dining, movie theaters, indoor entertainment gatherings and so much more still off-limits. The recovery is fragile and vulnerable to devastating pressures when the virus makes a confirmed appearance. One hotel, in Avalon, closed its beverage and dining due to an employee’s positive test. It has since resumed service.
The expansion of the travel advisory, a listing of states from which travelers are asked to quarantine for 14 days when arriving in New Jersey, was cited as a source of canceled reservations at local hotels.
The closed border with Canada has also cost county businesses, eliminating the steady stream of Canadian tourists who have been a reliable and increasing source of tourist revenue.
The state announced an increase of $15 million in its small business loan program. So far, applications for loans and grants by COVID-19 impacted small businesses overwhelmed the resources of the state Economic Development Authority.
No one understands what the impact will be, in the county, with the end of the federal booster to unemployment benefits this week.
Federal protections against eviction have ended, although state protections are still in place. The rights and needs of landlords and tenants will become an increasingly urgent issue. An initiative of the state judiciary is an attempt to provide information and links to appropriate services. The state has also put in place additional food assistance funds.
One serious worry is that continued spiking in new case numbers statewide could lead the governor to roll back some of his easing of restrictions, further damaging an already fragile and uneven economic recovery.
Calls for Community Involvement in Policing Continue
Calls for police reform continue at national and state levels. Locally, Middle Township Mayor Timothy Donohue issued a call for the establishment of a Law Enforcement Community Engagement Committee, a nine-member group that Donohue sees as the next step in already ongoing efforts at community policing.
The Cape May Promenade was the scene of the latest demonstration against racial injustice and bias in policing. A crowd of about 100 individuals marched peacefully.
In Trenton, a bill advanced that would remove the title of “freeholder” from county officials, designating them as “county commissioners” instead. The supporters of the action say that the freeholder title is a vestige of an earlier era, arguing that the move advances the cause of removing “systemic bias” in county public offices.
School Begins Soon
School districts continue to develop their plans for the start of a school year that promises to be like no other. Districts are attempting to meet the need for in-person instruction while also balancing public health demands. 
While Murphy stresses the value of models that include in-person classes in some form, a bill in Trenton would have the school year begin solely with remote instruction. The sponsors claim the public health dangers outweigh the pedagogical benefits of in-person instruction.
Sen. Michael Testa (R-1st) proposed a bill to increase access to high-speed internet in rural areas of the state. Uneven access to broadband internet services is a major impediment to remote instruction models.
Coinciding with the start of the school year, the state Department of Health issued guidance urging residents to make vaccinations a priority, stating that routine vaccinations must be maintained during the pandemic.
To combat an alarming rise in mental health issues in public schools, a bill is advancing, in Trenton, that would have schools annually responsible for depression screening of certain students.
And…
The Diocese of Camden, of which Cape May County is a part, says it suffered a “precipitous decline” in revenue due to the pandemic. As a result, the diocese is ending its participation in the Independent Victim Compensation Program for the survivors of clerical abuse. This is one of the more unusual consequences of the pandemic.
The pandemic forced the cancellation of the Coast Guard Community Festival, but residents found other ways to show their support.
COVID-19 garnered all attention for months, but those pushing New Jersey’s support for wind energy are acting to move their cause forward. Clean Ocean Action, a non-profit concerned with the quality of the waters off New Jersey’s coast, supported wind farms and the energy they produce as one important step in dealing with the problems besetting the ocean.
County Clerk Rita Fulginiti reported the final results of the July 7 primary July 28. She blamed the delay on the significant volume of mail-in ballots due to state restrictions caused by COVID-19. 
More ominously, Fulginiti said, “… the potential of fraud is there,” words that place her squarely in the center of a national debate about the November elections.