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March 1-7:
Case Numbers Continue to Improve
The long-term care facilities that, early in the pandemic, were at the heart of Covid infections improved so dramatically that they boast one active case, according to the March 7 county Covid report.
The county’s long-term care locations had 506 cases since the start of the pandemic, 7% of the total case count. Yet, given their vulnerable population, they were plagued early on with Covid fatalities.
Over the last several months, the caseload and fatality rate at the facilities dropped significantly. High staff vaccination rates may be part of the answer.
Countywide, the numbers for the week continue to retreat to pre-second wave levels. There were 200 new cases reported this past week.
The county lost three residents in the battle with Covid this week, bringing the total to 184 deaths. All three were community-based, with two in Middle Township and one in Ocean City.
There are 304 active cases in the county at the end of this week, the lowest number since Nov. 11, 2020. The county is averaging around 30 new cases a day, but the trend is in the right direction.
Part of that progress may be due to the vaccine. Several private pharmacies were added as vaccine locations. The county site in Avalon continues to use its allotted doses efficiently. All vaccine sites combined managed to administer 36,851 doses to county residents.
With roughly two-thirds of those doses being the first shot of the two-dose regimen, it means that over a quarter of the county’s population had at least one dose of the vaccine.
Dr. Paul Offit, an internationally recognized expert on vaccines, took questions during a virtual presentation, as part of Stone Harbor Connections. Offit’s informative discussion is available on video to those who did not participate: https://bit.ly/2Pz7cqf.
The Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center announced Johnson & Johnson‘s one-shot vaccine will soon be available at VA clinics.
This week, Gov. Phil Murphy continues to ease pandemic-related restrictions, including capacity limits at weddings. The governor also expanded eligibility for the vaccine, with teachers and school personnel joining the eligible pool, beginning March 15.
Municipal, County Happenings
Middle Township introduced a $2.7 million bond ordinance to maintain momentum in its sewer system modernization effort. The municipality also shared a plan it is considering that, if adopted, would provide tax abatements for residential properties whose assessments rise due to home improvements.
Municipal officials received an update on county road projects that are within the municipality.
In several county municipalities, the introduced 2021 budgets carry with them tax rate increases. That was the case this week in Lower Township, Wildwood Crest, and North Wildwood.
In Stone Harbor, the proposed increase, due in large part to move to paid firefighters, may require a waiver from the state. The borough is benefiting from rising assessments, as the real estate market remains chaotic.
Wildwood is seeing a delay in a residential project on the site of the former St. Ann Rectory due to the unexpected need for a state permit. Plans for a commercial development and a J-1 student housing complex were also delayed over state permit issues.
The city moved ahead with removing parts of the Boardwalk to make room for a new pump station.
In North Wildwood, a back-passing project will help prepare beaches for the coming summer. The city is also making significant changes to its north-end beach infrastructure, with plans to move the existing bulkhead and add a seawall.
Wildwood Crest agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle litigation with a former police officer. The payment will be shared evenly between the borough and the Joint Insurance Fund. The borough is looking into reduced space metered parking for golf carts and motorcycles.
In Ocean City, Castaway Cove plans to open March 27 despite damage incurred in a recent boardwalk fire. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing funds to help elevate several structures in the city.
Cape May adopted two ordinances that clear the way for the city to purchase the fire-damaged Allen African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, on Franklin Street. A whistleblower lawsuit is shaking things up in the city’s beach patrol.
The state enacted new civil rights legislation to protect the rights of LGBTQI+ residents of long-term care facilities.
The proposed cuts to state aid for most county school districts add to those incurred over the last two years. They come as schools struggle to put budgets together after the chaos of 2020.
Atlantic Cape Community College plans to begin the move of its small unmanned aircraft degree and certificate programs to the college’s Court House campus as early as fall 2021.
Crime
A request to check on the wellbeing of three small children led to the need for Wildwood police to deal with their mother, who was experiencing a drug overdose.
A California woman’s appeal of a conviction for money laundering and theft from an Avalon title company was denied.
A former teacher at Ocean City High School was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child related to an alleged assault on a student, in 2016.
And…
The Cape May County Zoo is the new home for Lydia, a one-and-a-half-year-old zebra, who arrived from a zoo in Minnesota. If all goes well, Lydia will be the right mate for Ziggy, the lone stallion in the zoo’s herd.
A Lower Township resident asked the municipality to be more flexible with its rules governing farm birds in an owner’s backyard.
The state Department of Transportation is kicking off its annual pothole campaign. Thus far in fiscal year 2021, the department repaired over 90,000 potholes, with the busiest part of its season starting.
Spout Off of the Week
Seaville – I wish that people in the media would stop talking about Donald Trump. It’s over. Move on. Nothing to see.
