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June 27-July 3:
Pick Your Fear
This week, McKinsey and Company released its 2022 global survey oneconomic conditions. If you sometimes wonder which of the potential catastrophes in the news is the one to worry about most, you are not alone.
This survey showed that inflation, geopolitical conflicts (Ukraine) and supply chain disruptions all loom large and cast a gloomy perspective on the global economy. It is the first of these regular surveys in which the pandemic has not been cited as a top risk.
Meanwhile, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communications, supported by Meta (aka Facebook), released a report. In developed countries, a consensus is building that climate change is indeed happening and is something to be worried about. Even where climate change is acknowledged as a significant concern, there is no unanimity on whose job it is to tackle the problem.
In the U.S., 83% of respondents said climate change is happening, but only 42% agreed that it is largely caused by human activity. The survey results show only about a third (32%) of U.S. respondents say they are very worried about it, with another 36% somewhat worried. A majority of respondents (56%) feel that climate change will hurt future generations “a great deal.”
The McKinsey survey of global executives shows the coronavirus dropping down the list of concerns facing both global and domestic economies.
Covid
Health officials expressed concern this week that the virus may still have more impact than the McKinsey survey results expect. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now predicting that new subvariants of the omicron virus, namely BA.4 and BA.5, are rising rapidly in surveillance sequencing data. In July, the CDC expects that BA.5 will become the dominant variant found in Covid infections nationwide.
The fear from some experts is that the new variant is more transmissible, allowing for more breakthrough infections; more evasive, harder for either vaccine or disease immunity to identify and attack; and potentially more pathogenic, enabling a greater percentage of symptoms and illness.
Other health pundits argue that the disease is becoming milder, as the variants become more transmissible. They see a future where Covid vaccination becomes part of a “new normal.”
Either way, news reports show many of those with the greatest vulnerability to serious complications from a Covid infection feel “abandoned” by a majority seeking a return to normal.
Cape May County is still rated high risk by Covid Act Now, one of only four New Jersey counties so ranked. The county receives the same rating in the state weekly surveillance report for June 30.
A new concern is that struggles over Covid vaccinations have led to a decrease in common childhood vaccinations. The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging parents to return to routine childhood vaccinations.
Roe v. Wade
The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade led to cries of outrage across the county, while it also prompted calls for maintaining the pro-life battle against abortion in New Jersey. The struggle is far from over, but the decision by the court now makes each state in the union the battlefield.
Gov. Phil Murphy pledged continued access to abortion services in New Jersey, while the Catholic Diocese of Trenton issued a statement saying that pro-life Catholics “still have much work to be done.”
For many women’s groups in the county, the decision was a blatant taking of a constitutional right that had been guaranteed 50 years ago. A rally June 30 on the steps of the Cape May County Courthouse had those opposed to the court’s ruling pledging “we won’t go back.” Those same courthouse steps served as the site of an anti-abortion rally in April.
Happenings
It is a time for local winners. Cape May County resident Jessica Johnson became the first ever New Jersey National Marbles Tournament champion. Meanwhile, Miss New Jersey is, again, a Court House resident, as Augostina Mallous won the crown.
A pedestrian was killed in a Middle Township traffic accident, bringing the total crash fatalities to nine for the county in 2022. There were 12 in all of 2021. Meanwhile,a cyclist was struck in Cape May and airlifted to a trauma center. Two others were injured this week in a head-on crash on Fulling Mill Road in Lower Township.
Lower Township’s governing body renewed the liquor license for a Sportsman’s Clubdespite the fact that the state Department of Environmental Protection is seeking to evict the club, which is located on state property.
School taxes are the largest share of most county property tax bills. In the county, that tax levy comes to over $170 million, with district per pupil costs varying greatly.
A group of Avalon residents are questioning the way in which the Planning Board is approaching a potential boutique hotel overlayon the borough’s business district.
Middle Township has introduced an ordinance that would lead to regulation of the booming short-term rental marketplace that is posing a safety and services challenge for many of the county’s municipalities.
The Stone Harbor Property Owners Association held its annual membership meeting with a focus on the sustainability challenges facing the borough.
It was not a good week for cars. In pursuit of a stolen vehicle, police discovered the owner of the vehicle clinging to the roof. The man was later thrown from the moving car. In another incident, a car was set on fire on Bayshore Road. Two men have been charged with aggravated arson.
A Superior Court judge denied a Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office detective’srequest to have his case of records tampering dismissed. Meanwhile, a former police sergeant in Middle Township entered into a diversion program after being charged with witness tampering.
Two fires consumed homes in Court House within one day of each other. Numerous fire departments responded to provide aid to the Cape May Court House Volunteer Fire Company.
Spout Off of the Week
Cape May – After multiple accidents already happening involving pedestrians and bikers, why not make the entire Island of Cape May 25 MPH? Wouldn’t take many signs to change Pittsburgh, Sunset, New England, Bayshore and the Island Freeway Seashore Roads. Where’s our county representatives?
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
