The
SOUTHERN OCEAN Times Vol. 8 - No. 6
In This Week’s Edition
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
JERSEYSHOREONLINE.COM
Report Examines Beaches Most Impacted By Pollution
BREAKING NEWS @
jerseyshoreonline.com
Community News! Pages 8-11
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News Page 14
Dear Pharmacist Page 15
Inside The Law Page 17
─Photo by Wendy McClure The sun sets over Ship Bottom. A new study shows what beaches are clean and which ones need work. Last year, bacteria levels is too many. We need to By Bob Vosseller that have exceeded the NEW JERSEY – Even Environmental Protec- at New Jersey beaches keep our beaches safe in a summer featuring tion Agency’s bacteria indicated that water was for swimming by workpandemic restrictions contamination threshold potentially unsafe for ing with shore towns to which have limited for safe swimming, using swimming there on at build the infrastructure least one day 73 times, that will keep the water beach attendance at cer- data from 2019. tain beaches, bacteria The solution to the bac- according to the new clean.” He added, “the shore is pollution at ocean and teria problem is increased report “Safe for SwimBarnegat Bay beaches water infrastructure to ming?” by Environment packed this summer and remains a health concern, prevent this pollution, New Jersey Research & our natural areas have been never been more local environmentalists they said. They were Policy Center. Environment New Jer- crowded. In the summer said. joined by Clean Ocean Environment New Jer- Action, Save Barnegat sey Research & Policy of COVID, let’s commit sey Research & Policy Bay, the Surfrider Foun- Center Director Doug to practicing social disCenter released a report dation and the Sierra O’Malley said, “one tancing, beating the virus (Beach - See Page 4) day of a beach closing identifying local beaches Club.
Offshore Wind Could Be In Jersey’s Future
By Bob Vosseller N EW J ER SEY – Clean Ocean Action members, fellow environmentalists and guests got a glimpse at a future powered by clean renewable energy recently. COA hosted a July 22 webinar that was open to the public and is available to be watched
on their website, cleanoceanaction.org. The environmental organization which promotes climate and clea n energ y goals addressed the topic of offshore wind as a prominent option. “Sea level rise, warming seas and ocean acidification is why reducing climate change
formation is critically impor tant issue for Clean Ocean Action and a pr ior it y. T he number one solution is to ramp up efforts to stop using fossil fuels. Achieving this goal is multi-faceted but it begins with each one of us reducing our own use of fossil fuels,” the group’s executive di-
rector, Cindy Zipf said. Most offshore She added that the wind far ms employ solution also means fi xed-foundation wind utilizing renewable turbines in relatively energy sources which shallow water. As of i n c l u d e s o f f s h o r e this year, floating wind wind energy. This is t u rbines for deeper the use of wind farms waters are in the early constructed in bodies phases of development. of water, usually the The total worldwide ocean, to utilize wind offshore wind power energ y to gener ate capacity at the close electricity. (Windmill - See Page 7)
August 1, 2020
LBI Lifeguards Positive For COVID After Parties
By Chris Lundy LONG BEACH ISLAND – State officials again urged young people not to go to indoor parties after a few dozen lifeguards attending social gatherings outside work tested positive for COVID-19. In one of his daily coronavirus press conferences, Gov. Phil Murphy urged parents and children to wear masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. He also asked them to have their gatherings outdoors because the virus is known to spread less frequently outside. “Although they don’t experience what we would call severe illness as often, young people can still transmit COVID-19 to those that they love. We need them to take this public-health threat seriously,” said Department of Health Commissioner Judith M. Persichilli. In an interview with WHYY, Long Beach Island Health Department director Daniel J. Krupinski said on July 24 that 11 Harvey Cedars and 12 Surf City lifeguards tested positive. Krupinski said that the virus spread from social gatherings on July 12 and 14. Symptoms started around July 18. A few days after that interview, Harvey Cedars’ website noted that 18 of their lifeguards tested positive. However, they noted that they have more than 70 in total, so the beaches remained fully staffed. “They were taken off duty as lifeguards and isolated,” Harvey Cedars said. “Close contacts and attendees of this gathering have been quarantined. Individuals will not be eligible to return to work, at the earliest and at management discretion, until they meet discharge criteria established by the LBI Health Department.” When on the clock, the lifeguards sat in separate chairs, six feet or more apart, with their own equipment, and were instructed to follow a strict protocol of social distancing, Harvey Cedars’ website read. Surf City’s web page also said that the beaches will remain protected from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and that “Adjustments may be made from day to day to ensure the safety of all patrons and guards.’’
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