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Aug. 29-Sept. 4
Hotels
Tourism continues to thrive in Cape May County. In 2021, the industry bounced back from the impact of the pandemic. Business owners in the Wildwoods now tell the Herald that activity is returning to pre-Covid days.
Eustace Mita, CEO of ICONA Resorts, points to a need to support tourism with more hotel space. He argues that the county’s namesake resort, Cape May, has lost a large portion of its hotel rooms to condo conversions and the sale of property for residential subdivisions. His solution is a new hotel, built in the grand styleprominent in Cape May at the turn of the twentieth century.
Recently, Cape May residents, opposed to the building of a new hotel opposite The Cove at the end of Beach Avenue, packed city planning board meetings to fight an extension of approvals originally granted to the Jetty Motel in 2019. That fight is likely to continue.
In Avalon, a new website was created by a group of property owners opposed to a change recently approved by the borough planning board to allow a boutique hotel overlay on the central business district. The planning board made the change to the municipality’s master plan to permit the overlay. Changes to the necessary ordinances still require the approval of the governing body.
Substance Abuse
Overdose Awareness Day was Aug. 31, a day of annual reflection meant to bring attention to the problem of drug addiction and overdose. This year, many of those who work on drug addiction in the county spoke of a need to remove the stigma that goes with substance abuse illness and treatment.
Cape May County has had a long and oversized problem with substance abuse. In 2020, substance abuse hospital admissions of county residents involved 1,121 separate individuals.
The county’s 2020 substance abuse overview report showed heroin as the primary drug of abuse, followed closely by alcohol. The characteristics of those admitted for treatment tell a tale by themselves. Over half fell in the age group from 30 to 45. The vast majority, 84%, were single or divorced and only 18% had any education beyond high school. Two-thirds of the individuals were unemployed or out of the workforce.
The Cape May County Needs Assessment Report of 2020 listed substance use disorder services as a priority service need. It noted that part of the problem with getting individuals to seek and stay with treatment is the stigma.
The New Jersey Overdose Data Dashboard shows the problem is persistent. In the year between Aug. 1, 2021, and Aug. 1, 2022, there were 221 Naloxone (Narcan) incidents in the county. The average age of the individuals was 43 years old. The largest percentage of those incidents occurred in Wildwood, followed closely by Villas, Cape May Court House and Rio Grande.
Covid
Covid was back in the news this week as the FDA approved Covid booster shots that target the omicron BA.5 subvariant. The new shots are expected to roll out to the public in early-to-mid September.
Earlier in the pandemic, Cape May County rolled up an impressive record for vaccinating residents. Once the county passed 70% of the population fully vaccinated, the program slowed markedly. This week, the county announced new Covid vaccine clinics.
Fully vaccinated, in the parlance of federal health officials, means an individual has had the two-shot regimen by Pfizer or Moderna. The single shot from Johnson and Johnson also is considered fully vaccinated. It does not include any booster shots. On boosters, the county’s record is less impressive. According to COVID Act Now, only 37% of the population in the county has elected to get at least one booster.
Both COVID Act Now and the CDC dashboards show New Jersey at a moderate or medium community risk level. Both also show Cape May County as one of only two counties in the state that remains at a high level of community risk.
On a related front, cases of polio have returned. Scientists say the culprit is probably a retreat from vaccination for the disease. They say the reappearance of the virus shows the need to stay current with vaccination protocols.
Happenings
A Route 9 crash brought the number of individuals who have died on county roads in 2022 to 10. There were 12 such deaths in 2021.
A road rage incident led to a woman being strangled by another driver. The driver has been apprehended by police.
The Pond Creek project in Lower Township will include a significant recreational component. The main goal of the effort is habitat restoration.
American Rescue Plan funds will be used by the state in order to create blueprints of schools to enhance security.
Beach patrols are winding down their protection of county beaches in some areas as another season ends.
Wildwood Crest is moving ahead with a list of capital projects while also planning the first public EV chargers on 5-Mile Island.
Ocean City has contracted with Pinelands Construction for solid waste removal, ending the city’s contract with Gold Medal. This is a sign that Gold Medal may lose county municipal business as a result of its insistence on added inflation-driven compensation in the last year.
Many county municipalities have done away with remote participation in governing body meetings. In all but four county municipalities, a member of the public who wishes to offer comment at a public meeting must physically be at the meeting to do so.
An Upper Township resident questioned the governing body on its 2022 budget saying the “spending was out of control.”
Sea Isle officials continue to seek solutions to the problem of disruptive juveniles in advance of the next summer season.
The Wildwood Boardwalk restoration project is entering Phase II.
Spout Off of the Week
Court House – Americans, we all want a great country. Let’s stop being Democrats and Republicans. Let’s stop letting the politicians tell us who to hate. We don’t need hate. We need to ignore the politics and see the humanity in each one of us. We are tired of being political puppets. We are Americans. Let’s start behaving as such and leave these tired old politicians behind!
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
