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July 15-21
New Threat to County Vitality
For those who thought the potential presence of offshore wind turbines was an existential threat to the economic and environmental life of Cape May County, a county-commissioned report on the likely impact of soon-to-be-proposed land use regulations will represent a much greater shock to sensibilities.
A 1,057-page compendium of rules and regulations under the rubric of Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) is scheduled for publication in the New Jersey Register Aug. 5. That will start a clock for adoption of these new regulations by summer 2025.
The REAL proposals would establish new and revised land use regulations that anticipate a 5-foot increase in sea level by 2100. They place almost half of the county’s land area, including the mainland municipalities, in new inundation zones, resulting in new elevation requirements and more extensive areas requiring flood insurance. Stricter development regulations and new stormwater and wetland rules would apply to land absorbed into the new zone.
The barrier island municipalities will see the most significant impact of expanded inundation zones, with some three-quarters or more of the land area so designated. The new climate-adjusted flood elevation (CAFE) requirement included in the regulations is 5 feet plus 1 foot of freeboard to the current FEMA 100-year flood elevation levels. This applies when the regulations are adopted even though the 5-foot sea level rise is projected to occur over the next 75 years if the state’s reading of the science holds.
The county is meeting the proposed regulations with a resolution making its way through each of the 16 municipalities. Cape May included the resolution in its July 16 public agenda packet. The resolution calls for a more incremental approach to climate adjustment. It questions the science behind the 5-foot sea level rise assumption embedded in so much of the new rulemaking. It also argues against the wisdom of using a 75-year planning horizon, out to 2100, as a basis for sweeping regulatory changes now.
Global IT Crash
Across the nation and here in the Garden State chaos enveloped airports, hospitals and numerous businesses due to a major IT disruption that was not the product of a cyberattack or a security failure.
CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company whose software is used by companies across the globe, tried to update its software for Microsoft Windows customers. On Friday, July 19, the company sent its update to corporate customers, and problems cascaded.
Hospitals were among the casualties of the failed update. Across New Jersey the impact was selective depending on the software configuration of the systems that tried to accept the update. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Monmouth Medical Center saw problems, Cooper University Health System did not. At Penn Medicine, some patients arriving for outpatient procedures reported that the hospital had reverted to record-keeping by hand while dealing with the glitch. In some hospitals non-urgent surgeries and procedures were canceled.
Gov. Phil Murphy said Friday that the state activated its Emergency Operations Center at 3 a.m. in response to the outage.
Among the most visible impacts from the CrowdStrike error were the long lines of frustrated passengers at major airports like Philadelphia International. The cascading effects of Friday flight cancellations had planes and crews in the wrong locations Saturday as airlines tried to regroup. On Saturday morning a flight-tracking service, FlightAware, showed 20,000 flight delays on its website.
We have become somewhat inured to cyberthreats caused by bad actors. Recall the recent Change Healthcare ransomware incident that locked up prescriptions and health payments.
Bruce Schneier, a Harvard expert on computer security, addressed the issue in an interview with PBS News. He said the internet is overly reliant on a concentrated number of companies. More importantly, Schneier argued that the redundancies that might better protect the public have been removed because they drag down profits. This leaves a fragile environment open to catastrophic failure.
Now, in our ever-more-interconnected technology world, we learn that widespread chaos can result from simple human error in a software update. This time the glitch was fixed by the afternoon of the day it began. Recovery efforts took longer.
It is a vulnerability to be taken seriously.
The Power of ‘Weak Links’
Over 50 years ago, in 1973, a Stanford professor, Mark Granovetter, wrote a seminal paper on what he called the strength of weak ties, the power of mere acquaintances to gain equal or even elevated standing with friends and long associates when individuals are deciding whether to accept ideas and information as true.
A large 2022 study of 20 million LinkedIn users tested the influence of information from weak associations. It showed similar results to Granovetter’s analysis. The results have profound implications for news delivery.
Harvard’s Nieman Lab says that before the growth of the internet and social media, news was a “strong-tie game.” People took their news from the local paper and from trusted TV anchors they had watched for years.
Another new study focused on the Strength of Weak Ties and Fake News Believability. The study showed the counterintuitive result that false news stories from weak-tie associations are more often believed than even fake news stories from strong-tie sources like family and friends. Social media users were more likely to believe the fake stories from weak ties.
The authors, professors at Penn State and Indiana universities, feel the study is important in understanding the spread of false news. Subjects in the study showed a preference for accepting the information that comes from relative strangers they encountered online and decided to follow.
Happenings
Avalon has sought bids for the Bay Park Marina revamp, including a new bulkhead, boat launch ramp, ADA improvements, additional boat slips, and an updated marina building. The project, delayed by the pandemic and permit issues, aims to enhance flood resiliency, accessibility, and environmental sustainability, with bids opening in early August.
A private memorial service will honor Richard “Mickey” McPherson, a dedicated Lower Township Little League coach and umpire, who passed away on June 26 at age 90. Known for his commitment to community and youth, McPherson’s life and legacy of service will continue to inspire those who knew him, as expressed by his daughter Sandra Donley.
This spring, North Wildwood residents have noticed an increase in gnats. Entomologist Peter Bosak explains that these seasonal pests, often called “biting midges,” breed in marshes and are influenced by wind conditions. Control methods include repellents like vanilla, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and rosemary oil, as county measures are unlikely.
A judge has granted separate trials for Wildwood officials Ernie Troiano Jr., Pete Byron, and Steve Mikulski, charged with health benefits fraud. All are scheduled to return to court in late August.
The spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest from Asia, has reached Cape May, prompting the city to seek a $20,000 state grant for chemical treatments. The pest’s preferred habitat, the invasive tree of heaven, poses additional eradication challenges, necessitating expert removal efforts.
Cape City Council is proposing an ordinance requiring takeout food businesses to provide and maintain trash and recycling bins near their entrances to address growing trash issues. A public hearing and vote on the measure are set for Aug. 6.
A resident demanded that Wildwood Crest lift parking restrictions at the municipal pool and waive July 4th fines, citing parking shortages. Officials defended the enforcement of existing parking regulations and will review the situation for future improvements.
Cape May City Council approved a resolution for city-owned Lafayette Park lots, including temporary public access and a $275,000 restoration payment from JCP&L. The city is moving forward with park rejuvenation and grant applications.
Sergio Gomez, 22, was indicted on July 17 by a federal grand jury for kidnapping and sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl from Cape May County, whom he transported to Georgia in July 2023. He faces life in prison on charges including enticement, transportation, and kidnapping.
Cape May City Council approved $200,000 for repairs to City Hall after a lightning strike on July 12 caused significant damage. Most costs will be covered by insurance, and funds will also go toward preventive measures to protect the building from future strikes.
Stone Harbor Borough Council is experiencing less public outcry over parking issues compared to last year, despite a high number of tickets being issued. In June 2024, 771 tickets were issued, a decrease from last year’s 843, with many attributing the previous confusion to the ParkMobile app rollout.
New Jersey has added a $250 annual fee for zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), increasing by $10 each year until 2028, alongside a four-year prepayment of registration fees totaling $1,060. Critics argue the fees are high and could hinder ZEV adoption despite broad public support.
Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. is considering a municipal parking garage in Wildwood to address parking shortages during peak times. He is exploring options, including a potential garage at the Convention Center, despite the seasonal nature of the problem.
Myles and Leslie Martel, long-time second homeowners in Cape May, cherish the town’s character, charm, and cultural offerings. Leslie serves on the Cape May Stage board, and Myles chairs the Distinguished Lecture Series at the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts.
Spout Off of the Week
Diamond Beach – Political flags are not welcomed at the beach. We are all here to relax and chill out, we don’t need politics on the sands.
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
