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May 10-16:
Mixed Messages
Murphy in Talks to End Health Emergency
Gov. Phil Murphy said he began talks with legislative leaders about ending the public health emergency declared March 9, 2020, which was extended every 30 days since. It would currently expire in mid-June.
Murphy is seeking legislation that would preserve the “necessary tools to manage the ongoing threat, meaning he seeks powers he would not otherwise have if he allowed the emergency to expire.
Murphy used authority under the Health Emergency Powers Act to impose mask mandates, business restrictions, limits on gatherings, and, early in the pandemic, stay-at-home orders. It is unclear exactly what “tools” he is seeking in the legislation.
NJ Keeps Mask Mandate
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offered new guidance, stating fully vaccinated individuals can go without masks indoors and outdoors, except in limited circumstances.
Murphy responded to the CDC change by maintaining the state’s mask mandate, producing confusion on the part of many who heard the national news from the CDC and assumed it defined permitted behavior in all states.
Major retail chains are grappling with mask and social distance policies, the state judiciary declared a return to in-person jury trials and grand jury proceedings, and the state announced new easing of restrictions, beginning May 19.
Conflicting messages have some state residents confused with Murphy saying, “We are not there yet,” while state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-3rd) said this is “the beginning of the end of a crisis.”
Vaccine Progress Continues Slowing
The Cape May County Health Department May 10 ended its daily reports on Covid cases. In that press release, the county said 56% of the county’s adult population was fully vaccinated.
The county went to a weekly summary of Covid activity. The first May 14 announced 57% of the adult population was fully vaccinated.
The growth in vaccinations is still present, but it has definitely slowed. If the rate does not slow further, the county is looking at reaching the goal of 70% of adults vaccinated in the days leading up to the Fourth of July.
A map of county vaccinations on the state’s Covid dashboard shows the highest percentages of fully vaccinated individuals are in the island communities, except Wildwood. Upper and Lower townships show the highest levels for mainland communities.
The areas which the map shows as having a lower percentage of individuals who are not fully vaccinated are Wildwood, Middle and Dennis townships, and Woodbine.
Skepticism Grows Regarding Wind Farm Plans
Environmentalists, business leaders and representatives of the county’s fishing industry areincreasingly voicingtheir concerns regarding Ocean Wind, a 99-turbine wind farm planned for the southern New Jersey coast.
Orstead, the Danish company seeking to construct the wind farm, needs federal approval, so construction can begin in 2023 and power generation from the farm can commence in late 2024.
Some county communities, Avalon among them, began planning municipal-level public meetings on the issue. They are putting those plans on the shelf.
In a recent Avalon Borough Council meeting, the public was informed the county would be organizing a meeting, at which the publiccan get answers to questions. The date has not yet been set.
Less Than 2 Weeks to Go
Memorial Day weekend, the official start of the summer tourist season, is less than two weeks away. Communities across the county are busy getting ready for the influx of visitors.
Cannabis Unwelcome
Two more shore communities took a hard stand on cannabis issues. Wildwood Crest adopted an ordinance ending public smoking on its beaches, including tobacco. The borough also banned the use of cannabis products in public places.
Wildwood Crest, Upper Township, and Sea Isle City are the latest municipalities to take a hard stance regarding the cultivation, manufacture, or sale of cannabis products within its boundaries.
Ocean City is planning a town hall meeting on the revised cannabis laws to educate the public on what authority the municipality has and does not have.
Back-passing Projects Proceed
Back-passing projects moving tens of thousands of cubic yards of sand are underway to feed areas with badly eroded beaches. Projects in Avalon and North Wildwood have become recurring activities in years when federal beach nourishment projects aren’t scheduled.
The next federally sponsored project is expected in fall 2022. Litigation continues over the Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to use federal funds to borrow sand from Hereford Inlet.
If that litigation is not resolved in a way that permits the inlet sand to be used, North Wildwood and Stone Harbor could beleft out of the federal project.
And…
The terrapin nesting season is fast approaching, and conservation efforts are in high gear. Each year, diamondback terrapins enter their active nesting season, as the roadways fill with travelers.
A series of development projects in Wildwood were suddenly stopped when the state Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) changed its position regarding their approval. Efforts are underway to resolve the issues and put construction back on track.
A Cape May citizen advisory committee urged the city to increase its municipal occupancy tax, from 2% to 3%, and to impose the tax on transient space marketplaces, like real estate rentals through Airbnb.
Meanwhile, Stone Harbor’s governing body charged the borough’s administrator and chief financial officer to evaluate whether the borough should make use of the occupancy tax, as allowed by state law.
Spout Off of the Week
Stone Harbor – Since it looks like the mask mandates are gradually being lifted in the country I have noticed that we have lost interaction among our fellow citizens. With the mask some people did acknowledge their fellow citizens with a wave or head nod. Others who never acknowledged others used it as a excuse to ignore others. I don’t believe this will change with mask removal and I regret we have transformed into a nation of unfriendly citizens.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
