As Revelers Return to Jersey Shore, Cops in Shops back for 17th Year
Division of Alcohol Beverage Control graphic
BELMAR – With the business of summer getting back to usual at the Jersey Shore, the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control today joined with other state, county and local officials to announce the summer kickoff of its successful “Cops in Shops” enforcement initiative.
Under the program, local police officers work undercover in participating retail locations. Law enforcement officials either pose as store employees or are positioned outside the establishment to apprehend adults who attempt to purchase alcohol for underage drinkers. Cops in Shops is a program designed by the Century Council, a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers. The New Jersey Cops in Shops program is recognized nationally as a successful program.
“Hurricane Sandy did some damage, but we are proud to be back here at the Shore,” said Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Michael Halfacre. “Given the incredible progress this area has made in the last eight months, people are again flocking to their favorite spots along the Jersey Shore. They’re back, which means we’re back.”
“Attitudes among some adults and young people about the dangers of underage drinking can range from indifferent to dismissive, making our job that much more challenging. But that’s a challenge we embrace at the ABC because we are committed to preserving the physical and emotional health of the young people in New Jersey,” he said.
This summer, 28 Shore police departments are participating in the program, with approximately $61,000 in funding provided by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, left, and Congressman Chris Smith, center, meet with their staff members in Smith’s office on June 6, 2013
FEMA will be reimbursing New Jersey towns impacted by Superstorm Sandy 90% of their cleanup and rebuilding costs, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) announced on Tuesday evening.
The approval will provide an immediate and additional $262 million for already obligated funding and it will cover all additional local government approved funding. Funds will cover: Public Assistance Grant emergency work and permanent work including debris removal; emergency protective measures; road systems and bridges; water control facilities; buildings; contents and equipment; utilities, and; parks.
Consider this post an early preview to this week’s Greg’s List.
On Saturday afternoon June 22 from noon till five the Highlands Business Partnership and over 15 restaurants, including MMM advertisers Chilangos and Windansea, are serving scrumptious menu samples and delectable drinks as they kick off the official start of summer with their annual Taste of Highlands.
The event starts off at Huddy Park at the corner of Waterwitch Ave and Shore Drive where participants will be given a keepsake tote bag with directions to each establishment. Transportation between establishments will be provided for those who prefer to collect their calories rather than burn them off between stops.
Thanksgiving like weather did not keep thousands of people from flocking to the Jersey Shore for the Memorial Day Weekend summer kickoff.
A rapidly slimming Governor Chris Christie braved the cold and dressed for the calendar and cameras. From the looks of the OceanCityPatch photos, there was no lack of warmth for Christie coming from the swarming crowd.
It took 45 minutes for Christie to move from the boardwalk ramp at Eighth Street three doors down to Manco & Manco Pizza through a mosh pit of well-wishers hoping to shake hands or rub elbows with the rising Republican star. Even outside the swarm of onlookers around Eighth Street, the boardwalk was jammed with visitors on the sunny but brisk first day of the holiday weekend.
Christie crept along to the popular pizza store to greet co-owner Chuck Bangle and a host of Ocean City officials and community leaders in a staged photo-op.
Christie’s visit included no speech to the public and no comment on issues related to the storm — just an opportunity for the governor to meet and greet shore residents and visitors.
As a crowd waited for the governor’s arrival, his staff announced that Christie would walk from Eighth Street past Gillian’s Wonderland Pier to Sixth Street. But after about an hour and a half, Christie had not made it to Seventh Street.
As if the weather wasn’t a damper enough to the Jersey Shore kickoff that Superstorm Sandy ravished businesses, their employees and shore area municipalities desperately need, the shore’s biggest newspaper, and its most popular columnist/blogger are working against us too.
What is really insulting, is that the APP blatantly show how ignorant they are about the New Jersey economy, our tax structure and the cost allocation of our various governments.
There is another logical reason for making the beaches free: revitalizing the Shore economy. What better extra inducement to get people to come to the Jersey Shore? Free beaches could mean millions of dollars in additional revenues for towns. More money spent in restaurants and bars, on summer rentals and motel stays, on souvenirs, on gasoline. For some families, beach fees are prohibitive. For a family of four, they can run $40 or more. That kind of expense can make the difference between going to the beach or staying home. Or between going once or twice a summer instead of several times during the season.
Doing away with beach badges would be a logical thing to do if it would bring revenues to shore towns. Duh! Why didn’t the mayors think of that!?
$780 Million Available for Homeowners Impacted by Superstorm Sandy
Trenton, NJ – Marking a major step forward in the recovery from Superstorm Sandy, the Christie Administration today launched the reNew Jersey Stronger housing assistance initiative to assist homeowners impacted by the storm. Beginning today, eligible homeowners can apply for grant assistance at www.renewjerseystronger.org or by calling 1-855-SANDYHM (1-855-726-3946).
The grants are designed to encourage homeowners to resettle in their primary residences and help them reconstruct, rehabilitate, elevate and mitigate their homes.
“We are working incredibly hard to get money out to Sandy-impacted individuals as quickly as possible, and today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to this mission,” said Governor Chris Christie. “Sandy may have damaged homes in New Jersey, but it did not destroy New Jerseyans’ spirits. With the help of initiatives such as reNew Jersey Stronger housing grants, we will be back, stronger than ever.”
Today’s launch of the housing assistance programs comes less than a month after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved New Jersey’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery Action Plan. The Action Plan details how the State will utilize $1,829,520,000 in federal funding to help homeowners, renters, businesses and communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The reNew Jersey Stronger housing assistance initiative will utilize $780 million of the allocation.
By Greg Kelly
