Category: Cape May

Cape May, Cape May

Coast Guard Training Center Cape May Celebrates 75 Years of Recruit Training

May 31, 2023

Story by: Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney

CAPE MAY, NJ — The Coast Guard could be considered a “diamond in the rough” amongst the U.S. military branches. It is small but mighty, performing 11 statutory missions across the globe with an active-duty workforce just over 11% the size of the Army. Founded in 1790, the beginnings of the Coast Guard can be traced back to when the very first U.S. Congress – and George Washington himself – authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws and prevent smuggling, a fleet later known as the Revenue Cutter Service.

Despite operating under a different name, the Coast Guard proudly served as the nation’s only armed force afloat until the Navy was established in 1798. It wasn’t until 1915 when Congress merged the Revenue Cutter Service with the Life-Saving Service that the official name “U.S. Coast Guard” was established.

Throughout centuries of successful operation within the maritime domain, the Coast Guard gained popularity and the United States consolidated more and more mission objectives into the service. In 1939, the Lighthouse Service merged with the Coast Guard, and in 1946 the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation was merged into the service as well, which swept merchant marine licensing, merchant vessel safety and aids to navigation maintenance into its already broad purview.

During this rapid expansion of the service, World War I, Prohibition, and World War II came and went, and throughout that time Coast Guard members were entering the service at a rapid rate. Before the start of WWI, basic training for Coast Guard personnel was practically non-existent since the majority of men joining the service were experienced watermen or local mariners. Once WWI started, Coast Guardsmen began getting assigned to boat stations and cutters to receive hands-on training after entering the service.

When the United States entered WWII, the urgent need for lots of trained manpower led to the establishment of training centers and receiving stations across the nation to prepare inexperienced civilians for service in the Coast Guard. Some of the more prominent locations included Port Townsend, Washington; New Orleans, Louisiana; Alameda, California; Manhattan Beach, New York; and the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland. After WWII ended, the Coast Guard’s desire to centralize enlisted recruit training to one location became a top priority.

U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., the Coast Guard’s only accession point for the enlisted workforce, was originally built as an airfield by the Navy in 1917 and was used for reconnaissance operations during World War I. When the U.S. entered Prohibition, the Coast Guard began using the base jointly with the Navy to deter and interdict rum runners in the Delaware Bay. In 1924, the Coast Guard established air facilities on the property and throughout the next 20 years, military operations varied between the Coast Guard and the Navy. But in June 1946, the Coast Guard took exclusive ownership of the base.

At that moment in time, the Coast Guard still had two main locations for enlisted recruit training: one in Alameda, California, and one in Mayport, Florida. In 1948, the recruit training center in Florida closed and relocated to Cape May where on May 31, 1948, Coast Guard Receiving Center Cape May officially opened as a recruit training center. Nearly 48 years later in 1982, the Alameda training base also closed and Training Center Cape May earned its renown as the sole enlisted training center for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Back then, Training Center Cape May was capable of handling up to 200 recruits monthly, and over the years, basic training varied in length from eight to 12 weeks. Over the past 75 years of recruit training, the facilities have expanded rapidly, which has allowed the Coast Guard to increase the targeted number of recruits trained and graduated to approximately 4,000 recruits in 2023 alone. Over 80% of the Coast Guard’s workforce has passed through the gates at Cape May to receive the training necessary to protect, defend, and save the nation they selflessly serve.

“The Coast Guard’s missions have continued to expand and Training Center Cape May has, and will, continue to expand with it,” said Capt. Warren Judge, 33rd commanding officer of Training Center Cape May. “As Coast Guard women and men are deployed worldwide overseeing and carrying out the Coast Guard’s 11 statutory missions, Training Center Cape May continues to work vigorously to produce basically trained, physically fit, fleet-ready women and men for the world’s best Coast Guard. The Coast Guard’s mission and our training mission never stop; therefore, our staff works tirelessly to execute excellence for our fleet.”

Keeping in step with the service’s expansion, Training Center Cape May has more than $50 million in authorized projects to expand its recruit living quarters and begin planning for the construction of a new multi-purpose, all-weather training facility.

“These new buildings would be revolutionary for our program and our people,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Radford Hoffpauir, command master chief of Training Center Cape May. “We’ve needed a new gym and indoor track for our recruits to safely take their physical fitness tests during our rainy, snowy, or extremely high temperature days. This facility would also include a multi-purpose facility for large indoor functions such as our weekly recruit graduations, official ceremonies, and all-hands meetings and inspections. Admiral Linda Fagan, our commandant of the Coast Guard says, ‘Tomorrow looks different, and so will we,’ and we’re really embodying that here because in addition to expanding our facilities, we’re expanding our reach for potential recruits too.”

The Coast Guard has recently found success with the new joint-service English Language Training Program (ELTP), which allows the service to take prospective recruits with limited English language capabilities and send them to school with the U.S. Army to learn English full-time. They return to Coast Guard boot camp once they have graduated the language program and integrate back in with a company to train toward becoming a Coast Guard service member. As of May 2023, five recruits have attended and graduated from the ELTP; all five also successfully completed Coast Guard basic training and are now working in the fleet. Training Center Cape May currently has four more recruits enrolled in the ELTP, with two more slated for the near future.

In addition, Training Center Cape May has also recently tested the limits and capabilities of the current eight-week recruit training program itself by piloting a new 10-week recruit training beta program. With the extended two weeks of recruit training, the training center has incorporated more physical fitness sessions, more stretching and recovery sessions, and has introduced a new “Coast Guard Toughness” program into their new basic training beta company to develop stronger, more resilient recruits to send to the fleet.

Training Center Cape May’s mission is to transform the recruits of today into the Coast Guard men and women of tomorrow. They take civilian volunteers and put them under eight weeks of pressure, sharpening their wits and reaction times, forging them into the hardworking, dedicated servicemembers that shine and embody the Coast Guard’s core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. They forge diamonds for the fleet, and it’s only appropriate that the Coast Guard celebrates their training center’s 75th anniversary – their diamond anniversary – with a bit of a flourish and recognize their most important training asset: Their People.

“As we pay homage to all Coast Guard members and their families for the past 75 years, please know when you visit Training Center Cape May, you are always welcome home,” said Capt. Judge.

Personnel at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May hold a public Memorial Day Weekend Sunset Parade to honor Coast Guard Gold Star families, May 28, 2023, in Cape May, N.J.. The Coast Guard Gold Star Program is the Coast Guard’s official program for providing long-term support to surviving families of Coast Guard members who die while in an Active status. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Personnel at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May hold a public Memorial Day Weekend Sunset Parade to honor Coast Guard Gold Star families, May 28, 2023, in Cape May, N.J.. The Coast Guard Gold Star Program is the Coast Guard’s official program for providing long-term support to surviving families of Coast Guard members who die while in an Active status. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Graduates from recruit company Quebec-203 complete basic training at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., May 12, 2023. Training Center Cape May personnel develop an aligned, positioned and trained workforce employed to provide efficient and effective services, and ensures the workforce receives the tools, resources and training to maximize our mission effectiveness. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Graduates from recruit company Quebec-203 complete basic training at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., May 12, 2023. Training Center Cape May personnel develop an aligned, positioned and trained workforce employed to provide efficient and effective services, and ensures the workforce receives the tools, resources and training to maximize our mission effectiveness. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Graduates from recruit company Quebec-203 complete basic training at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., May 12, 2023. Training Center Cape May personnel develop an aligned, positioned and trained workforce employed to provide efficient and effective services, and ensures the workforce receives the tools, resources and training to maximize our mission effectiveness. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Graduates from recruit company Quebec-203 complete basic training at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., May 12, 2023. Training Center Cape May personnel develop an aligned, positioned and trained workforce employed to provide efficient and effective services, and ensures the workforce receives the tools, resources and training to maximize our mission effectiveness. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Graduates from recruit company Sierra-203 complete basic training at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., May 26, 2023. Training Center Cape May personnel develop an aligned, positioned and trained workforce employed to provide efficient and effective services, and ensures the workforce receives the tools, resources and training to maximize our mission effectiveness. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Graduates from recruit company Sierra-203 complete basic training at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., May 26, 2023. Training Center Cape May personnel develop an aligned, positioned and trained workforce employed to provide efficient and effective services, and ensures the workforce receives the tools, resources and training to maximize our mission effectiveness. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Kearney)

Cape May, State of NJ

Ocean City, NJ, Takes Action to Stop Gatherings of Drunken Teens

May 30, 2023

OCEAN CITY, (CAPE MAY) NJ —Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian on Tuesday signed off on orders that will send a strong message to teens and their parents that the beach, boardwalk and other public areas will no longer be open to mass gatherings that include alcohol consumption and other infractions of the law. 

All beaches in Ocean City will be closed at 8 p.m. Carrying backpacks will not be permitted after 8 p.m. on the beach and boardwalk. Boardwalk bathrooms will be closed at 10 p.m. The curfew for juveniles will move from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The new policies come in response to a Memorial Day Weekend in Ocean City that saw the continuation of a trend that began when statewide legislation largely stripped police officers of the ability to question juveniles, search juveniles, and confiscate alcohol. The legislation also eliminates meaningful consequences for juveniles who break these laws.

Over the weekend, police responded to 999 incidents (up from 869 during Memorial Day Weekend in 2022). In addition to underage drinking, police responded to incidents involving vandalism, assaults, shoplifting, confiscation of a firearm, and a variety of other infractions. Ocean City firefighter/EMTs were just as busy responding to several incidents involving teens who drank to the point of unconsciousness, assault victims, mental health issues and other incidents.

“We want parents, grandparents and families to know that we’re all in this together, and we will be holding people accountable,” Mayor Jay Gillian said. “I also want to send a message to our governor and legislators that the laws they forced on all municipalities are a threat to public safety, and they deprive families of the opportunity to enjoy the Jersey Shore.” 

The new beach curfew will apply to people of all ages, as will the evening backpack ban. The new rules will be part of a citywide plan that will include police staffing, more announcements on the boardwalk and a public awareness campaign.

“I understand that these new directives will affect many people who are not teens, but it’s important that we stop this type of behavior now,” Gillian said. “In the end, protecting our reputation as ‘America’s Greatest Family Resort’ will benefit everybody in Ocean City.” 

“I want to support the men and women of our police department,” Gillian said. “They have been doing everything they can – within the law – to address this situation, and I want to give them the tools to get the job done.” 

An emergency meeting of City Council will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 1 in Council Chambers at City Hall. A news conference is scheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday at the Ocean City Music Pier. Mayor Jay Gillian and Police Chief Jay Prettyman will be available to answer questions at that time. 

Cape May

Grand Jury Indicts Wildwood Mayor, Former Mayor, City Commissioner Over Alleged Fraudulent Participation in State Health Insurance Program 

March 29, 2023

WILDWOOD — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today announced a state grand jury has returned a 12-count indictment against Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron, former Mayor Ernest Troiano Jr., and current City Commissioner Steve Mikulski in connection with their allegedly fraudulent participation in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP).

The grand jury has decided criminal charges should be filed against Byron, 67, Troiano, 72, and Mikulski, 57, all residents of Wildwood. They are each facing four counts: second-degree official misconduct, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree tampering with public records and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records. The defendants were charged by complaint in June 2022 in an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) that began with a referral from the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits. All three defendants pleaded not guilty during their arraignment in state Superior Court in Cape May County before Judge Bernard DeLury, Jr.

Since 2010, New Jersey law has required elected officials to be full-time employees “whose hours of work are fixed at 35 or more per week” in their elected positions to be eligible to participate in the SHBP and receive publicly funded healthcare. The investigation revealed that Byron, Troiano, and Mikulski were never eligible because they were never “full-time” employees as defined by state law. They did not receive vacation, sick, or personal days, and maintained no regular schedule. It is alleged, however, that all three fraudulently enrolled in the SHBP and received publicly funded health benefits.

Troiano and Byron were elected to Wildwood’s three-member City Commission in 2011, and Troiano was sworn in as mayor. Both men voted in 2011 to pass a resolution that declared themselves full-time employees working “a minimum of 35 hours per week” for Wildwood. They subsequently enrolled in the SHBP. While Troiano and Byron did not work a regular full-time schedule or work at least 35 hours per week, they allegedly falsely signed and submitted timesheets to the city indicating they worked full days Monday through Friday. As a result, Wildwood and the SHBP paid over $286,500 in premiums and claims on behalf of Troiano from July 2011 through December 2019, and paid over $608,900 in premiums and claims on behalf of Byron from July 2011 through October 2021.

Mikulski became a member of Wildwood’s Commission in 2020. He enrolled in the SHBP and has since received publicly funded health benefits. Wildwood and the SHBP have paid over $103,000 in premiums and claims on his behalf through October 2021. It is alleged that he knowingly made false statements in a “Health Benefits Enrollment and/or Change Form” submitted to the City of Wildwood.

Deputy Attorney General Brian Uzdavinis is prosecuting the case for the OPIA Corruption Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter Lee and OPIA Deputy Director Anthony Picione, with the assistance of Detectives of the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption South Unit. Attorney General Platkin thanked the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits for their referral.

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree offenses could lead to up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Defense Attorneys

For Troiano: Brian A. Pelloni, Esq., Bensalem, Pa.

For Byron: Eric Shenkus, Esq., Deputy Public Defender, Cape May Court House

For Mikulski: David A. Stefankiewicz, Esq., North Wildwood

Mayor Of Wildwood, NJ Pleads Guilty To Two Counts In Preparation Of Fraudulent Tax Returns

Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron Facebook Page

Cape May

Mayor Of Wildwood, NJ Pleads Guilty To Two Counts In Preparation Of Fraudulent Tax Returns

March 24, 2023

CAMDEN, N.J. – The mayor of Wildwood, New Jersey, today admitted that he aided and assisted in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Peter J. Byron of Wildwood, 67, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court to an information charging him with two counts of willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent tax returns to the IRS for calendar years 2017 and 2018.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From January 2017 through December 2018, Byron served as a commissioner for the city of Wildwood, in charge of the Revenue and Finance departments. From June through August of 2017, Byron sent multiple emails to the managing partner of a law firm located in Gloucester County, seeking assistance in obtaining a job. Byron received a letter in October 2017 on the letterhead of the managing partner’s law firm which purported to set forth an employment offer to Byron from a company. According to the terms of the October 2017 letter, Byron was to receive an annual salary from the company for working as a salesman.

From October 2017 through September 2018, Byron received $40,425 in payments from the company. He did not report this income on his tax returns for calendar years 2017 and 2018, resulting in a tax loss to the I.R.S.
The tax charges each carry a maximum potential sentence of three years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 2, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the FBI Atlantic City Public Corruption Task Force which includes the agencies the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, and New Jersey State Police, under the direction of FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Thomas Young Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden

byron.informationDownload

Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron Facebook Page

Cape May, Cape May

New Jersey Man Who Was Warminster Township, PA, Police Officer Faces 55 Years For Sexually Assaulting Five Teen Boys

Carey used his position as a uniformed officer assigned to the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to take advantage of victims who were already facing challenges in their lives.

March 22, 2023

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — James Carey, the former Warminster Township police officer who sexually assaulted five boys, was sentenced on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, to serve 24 ½ to 55 years in a state correctional institution.

Carey, 54, of Cape May Court House in New Jersey, committed the acts while working as a DA.R.E. officer, a volunteer firefighter and while running a program for troubled youth at the township’s recreation center more than two decades ago.

Carey entered an open no contest plea on Oct 27, 2022, to five counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors, seven counts of indecent assault, two counts each of statutory rape and statutory sexual assault and one count of aggravated indecent assault.

Prior to sentencing President Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr., heard impact statements from the five victims who courageously testified about the emotional trauma the disgraced officer inflicted on them.

One man said the damage caused years of anger and resentment, leading to substance abuse, incarceration, and suicide attempts. Another said his chance at a normal life was stolen by a “monster of a human being.”

Another victim said he lived his adolescent years in fear, blaming himself for Carey’s actions. “I spent my whole adult life hating myself,” he said. “This has impacted every aspect of my life: physically, mentally, financially and emotionally.”

Noticing Carey wouldn’t look at the victims as they made their statements or look at their childhood photos projected on a screen in the courtroom, Judge Bateman called Carey a coward who used his “badge and uniform as weapons of his depravity.”

First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said Carey not only used his positions as a police officer and a volunteer firefighter to lure his victims, he also used their families, the community and even the court system. “He ingratiated himself into the lives of his victims, this is how he identified the most vulnerable among them, this is how he got away with perpetrating unimaginable sexual crimes upon children,” said Schorn, describing Carey as a “predator waiting to pounce.”

Schorn credited detectives and their unrelenting pursuit to locate victims and praised the victims as some of the most courageous men she’s ever met as a prosecutor.

Carey was arrested on April 7, 2021, following a lengthy investigation by Bucks County Detectives and an inquiry by a Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury that found Carey sexually assaulted four boys between 1989 and 2009.

The next month following the publicity of his arrest, a fifth victim came forward and Carey faced additional charges. The victim in that case said he was 13 when Carey sexually assaulted him. 

Carey used his position as a uniformed officer assigned to the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to take advantage of victims who were already facing challenges in their lives.

At a preliminary hearing in June 2021, the victims, now in their 30s and 40s, testified about the repeated abuse by Carey. Most of the assaults happened while Carey was in uniform, the victims testified.

Carey was a police officer for Warminster Township from 1989 to 2009, and previously and briefly worked for the North Wales Police Department in Montgomery County (June 1988 to August 1988) and the Warwick Township Police Department (July 1988 to May 1989).

“It doesn’t get much worse: When someone in a position of trust does what he did, it shakes the community to its core,” Schorn said. In addition to the sentence, Carey was also deemed a sexually violent predator.

During Tuesday’s sentencing, Bateman also criticized the actions of the police department during the time Carey worked there for failing to do more for the victims. “When a young man goes into the police department to make a report I would expect a more professional response,” he said.

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer M. Schorn and Deputy District Attorney Brittney Kern.

Cape May, Cape May

Missing New Jersey Sailboat Found Two Men Rescued At Sea 214 Miles Off Delaware

December 13, 2022

CAPE MAY, NJ –The U.S. Coast Guard, with assistance from the tanker vessel Silver Muna, located the sailing vessel Atrevida II, approximately 214 miles east of Delaware.

Found were Kevin Hyde, a 65-year-old male, and Joe Ditomasso, a 76-year-old male. They were last in contact with family and friends on Dec. 3, 2022, when they departed Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. Hyde and Ditomasso were traveling aboard Atrevida II from Cape May, New Jersey to Marathon, Florida.

The Atrevida II was found to be without fuel and power, rendering their radios and navigation equipment inoperable. Hyde and Ditomasso gained the attention of the Silver Muna crew by waiving their arms and a flag.

Hyde, Ditomasso, and a pet dog were brought aboard Silver Muna at 4:18 p.m. They were evaluated by the vessel’s medical staff with no immediate concerns. Hyde and Ditomasso will remain aboard Silver Muna as it proceeds to its next port of call in New York, New York where they will be transferred to a Coast Guard vessel for further evaluation and reunification with their family and friends.

On Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Fifth District command center were notified of Hyde and Ditomasso being overdue. The Coast Guard began urgent marine information broadcasts and direct communication with commercial vessels in the area in an attempt to locate them. The Coast Guard launched multiple aircraft and cutters to search for the Atrevida II. Additionally, vessels from the U.S. Navy’s Second Fleet and commercial and recreational vessel traffic within in the search area contributed to the effort.

Coast Guard, Navy, and maritime partners searched a combined 21,164 square miles of water, spanning from northern Florida to the waters east of New Jersey.

“This is an excellent example of the maritime community’s combined efforts to ensure safety of life at sea,” said Cmdr. Daniel Schrader, spokesperson for Coast Guard Atlantic Area. “We are overjoyed with the outcome of the case and look forward to reuniting Mr. Hyde and Mr. Ditomasso with their family and friends. We also want to highlight the importance of proper safety equipment and preparedness when going to sea. Having an emergency position indicating radio beacon, or ‘EPIRB’, allows mariners to immediately make contact with first responders in an emergency.”

Search and Rescue assets involved in this effort included:

  • Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules airplane and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews 
  • A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules airplane crew 
  • A Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crew
  • A Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew
  • USCGC Oak (WLB 211), homeported in Newport, Rhode Island
  • USCGC Richard Snyder (WPC 1121), homeported in Atlantic City, North Carolina
  • USS San Jacinto (CG 56), homeported in Norfolk, Virginia
  • Multiple commercial and recreational vessels along the U.S. eastern seaboard
Barnegat, Cape May, East Brunswick, Freehold, Hamilton, Jackson, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Toms River, Trenton

Police Respond To Schools Around The State On Multiple Swatting Incidents This Morning

October 14, 2022

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Hamilton Township Police quickly responded to Hamilton High School West this morning on an apparent “swatting” incident. The school was quickly placed on lockdown as police checked the school to make sure everyone was safe.

New Jersey State Police reported, “The New Jersey State Police has been made aware of numerous active shooter threats targeting various school districts throughout the state.

Several schools have been placed on lockdown and after thorough investigations by local, state, and county authorities, the threats have proven to be unfounded.

The Regional Operations Intelligence Center is currently monitoring the situation and has not deemed any of the threats as credible.

The State Police and our law enforcement partners take all threats seriously and will utilize every asset at our disposal to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, administrators, and the public.

We urge everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to your local law enforcement agency.”

Hamilton Police say that on October 14 2022 at 10:02 a.m. Hamilton Police Dispatch received a telephone call from a person with a thick Middle Eastern or Indian accent stating “there are people trying to get into the door of Hamilton West”.  The School Resource Officer along with several responding police units searched Hamilton High School West after initiating a “Lock Down” of Hamilton High School West.  After the incident was deemed safe, the “Lockdown” was lifted.

Hamilton Police gained information that other municipalities were affected by the same type of call with a party having a similar accent.  Hamilton Police along with the Hamilton Twp. Board of Education determined the phone calls were hoax calls.

No injuries were reported during the incident, no suspicious parties were located in or around Hamilton High School West.  Police Units remained on scene until the situation was calm.

Swatting is defined as: “The action or practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address.”

In a letter to parents from Hamilton Township Schools Superintendent Scott R. Rocco, Ed.D. stated:

Today, there were two calls made to 911 that indicated an incident was happening at Hamilton High School West. This resulted in a large police presence inside and outside of the school. It also resulted in the school being put into a shelter in place for one of the calls and a lock down for the other call. 

Neither of these calls were real. They have been deemed a hoax. Neither of these calls were generated inside of our school. At no time were any of our students or staff in any danger. Although that is a relief, it does not lessen the fear or scared feelings of our students and staff.

I have been informed that this same situation has happened to other schools in New Jersey today. 

I would like to thank the faculty and staff of Hamilton High School West for their efforts in ensuring our students’ safety and I would like to thank our Hamilton Township Police Department for their quick response and constant presence.  

We take school safety very seriously in our district. We have safety plans and we practice those plans. Our police department also works collaboratively with us in our planning, drills, and situations that arise in our district. That being said, our best safety measures are when our students, staff, and community say something if they see, hear or know of a problem. Please continue to do so.

Toms River Police said in a Facebook Post, “A short time ago Toms River Police dispatch received a phone call regarding a potential shooting at High School North. Officers responded and the school was locked down as a precaution. The call was deemed unfounded and is being investigated as a swatting incident. We are requesting no one respond to the school as there is no active threat.”

Monmouth County Sherriff’s Office reported, ** POLICE ACTIVITY ** Freehold Twp- Biotechnology High School & Monmouth County Career Center – Kozloski Road Freehold Twp – there is no threat or danger to students.

Jackson Township Police reported, “About an hour ago Jackson Police dispatch received a phone call regarding a potential shooting at Jackson Liberty High School. We had already received information via the FBI that a handful of schools within New Jersey were experiencing the same calls from the same suspect prior to this phone call.

Regardless school security and our School Resource Officer sought out the location given by the caller, and it was deemed not to be a threat as the location given by the caller was inaccurate. Due to the totality of the circumstances, the decision was made not to put the school in lockdown. The call was deemed unfounded and is being investigated as a swatting incident. We are requesting no one respond to the school as there is no active threat.”

Barnegat Police Department made several reports on Facebook, “We received an unfounded report of a “shooter” in the Barnegat High School. Officers were quickly on scene and in the building and have found no indications or reports of anything occurring. Bengal Blvd will be closed as we continue to ensure the security of the building. All other district schools were placed in shelter in place status as a precautionary measure. Parents who are responding to the area are asked to go to the Collins school where we will provide any additional information. It appears that at least one other district in the county has received a similar “report”. Again, we have significant resources on scene to ensure the safety of the kids and staff at BHS and there are no indications that anything has occurred. Updates to follow. –Chief”

The students from BHS are being evacuated and will be bussed to the Collins school for reunification with parents. While we believe this was a swatting incident, officers continue to follow-up with secondary searches of the building. Again, the students and staff are safe and we have significant resources on scene to ensure it stays that way. –Chief

BHS evacuation is complete. Officers have completed the secondary search of the first floor and are wrapping up the second floor. Once that’s done, we’ll open up Bengal Blvd. The school district will then bus any driving-age BHS kids from the Collins school reunification point back to get their cars if needed. Very much appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation.– Chief

Freehold Township Police Reported, “At 10:13am, the Freehold Township Police Department responded to the Biotech High School for a possible report of shots fired. This incident was deemed to be a hoax and is currently under investigation. As part of the response both the Biotech High School and neighboring Career Center were locked down and both buildings were cleared by officers from Freehold Township, Freehold Borough, and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. All students and staff are safe. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective George J. Baumann at 732-252-1950.”

Message from East Brunswick Schools Superintendent Dr. Valeski:

October 14, 2022

Good Morning East Brunswick Community,

This is Victor Valeski, Superintendent of Schools, with a very important message regarding an incident at our high school this morning…and I want to assure everyone that every student and every staff member is safe.

Our 911 police dispatch operator received a phone call reporting an incident occurring at our high school that required immediate police assistance.  This warranted a large police response to the high school and the building was immediately placed in a “Shelter in Place” status.  Central Elementary School also exercised a “Shelter in Place” because of it’s close proximity to the high school. 

Members of our district Central Office leadership responded to the building to support the HS administration.

Ultimately, the call was determined to be a hoax, also known as SWATTING, but the continuous training with our students, staff, administrators, security team and EBPD was evident today.

Lower Township Police in Cape May County reported, “Lower Cape May Regional High School is in a shelter in place for what we believe is a HOAX. Law Enforcement is conducting a search of the school to confirm.”

Other towns with swatting incidents this morning were Newark at Weequhaic High School and another Paterson.

The scene this morning at Hamilton High School West in Mercer County, NJ

Cape May, Cape May

Missing Boater Located In Dennis Creek Area

CAPE MAY, NJ–The Coast Guard and New Jersey State Police searched for an overdue boater Tuesday approximately 1 mile east of Cape May Villas, New Jersey.

Missing was Christian Johnathon Hosford, Jr., 33, last seen around sunset on Monday in a 10-foot John boat near his home in Cape May Villas. Hosford reportedly did not have a life jacket, a whistle or any other safety gear with him at the time.

Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay watchstanders received a call at 9:50 p.m. Monday, from Hosford’s friend stating he had not come back in at his expected time of about 6:30 p.m.

The missing boater was located and found safe overnight about a mile north of the search area in Dennis Creek.

Rescue crews searching were:

  • Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter
  • Coast Guard Station Cape May 29-foot Response Boat-Small
  • Coast Guard Station Fortesque 29-foot Response Boat-Small
  • Coast Guard Cutter Rollin Fritch
  • New Jersey State Police helicopter
  • New Jersey State Police boatcrew

Cape May, NJ, Looking at Delaware Bay from beach, File photo by: Dennis Symons

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter file photo. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class David Micallef)
Cape May, Cape May

Booker Visits Harriet Tubman Museum in Cape May, New Jersey

August 8, 2022

CAPE MAY, NJ –Today, as part of his 2022 Jersey Summer Road Trip, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) joined stakeholders and local elected officials for a tour of the Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey in Cape May.

The Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey opened their doors on Juneteenth 2021 and features artifacts and art from Harriet Tubman’s time in New Jersey when she worked as a cook in a Cape May hotel and raised funds to rescue enslaved people. The museum also highlights the history of Cape May as a crucial stop on the Underground Railroad and a center of abolitionist activity.

“Harriet Tubman is a personal hero of mine and was a harbinger of hope for many,” said Sen. Booker. “Even after securing her own freedom, Tubman led hundreds of other people held as slaves out of bondage, a testament to her unfathomable courage and righteous calling. I am proud to see her incredible life memorialized at this museum and am grateful for the stakeholders and members of the community who led a grassroots effort to preserve the rich history of the African American community in Cape May and New Jersey’s legacy as a beacon of freedom.”

“Senator Booker has been an important supporter of the Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey since its inception,” said Cynthia Mullock, Executive Director of the Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey. “Considering his own inspiring advocacy for issues of social justice and human dignity, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to share Harriet Tubman’s time in Cape May, the narratives of the abolitionist community who supported her, and our “small museum with a big story” with him today.”

Booker’s 2022 Jersey Summer Road Trip features a series of events spanning the Garden State that will highlight the priorities he continues to fight for in the Senate on behalf of state residents.

Booker at the Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey

Previous story at the Harriet Tubman Museum:

Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Designating the Howell House as the Official New Jersey Harriet Tubman Museum
Cape May

22 Removed By Good Samaritan After Charter Boat Takes On Water In Townsend Inlet

July 11, 2022

SEA ISLE CITY, NJ (CAPE MAY)–U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic reports that a good Samaritan helped remove 22 passengers from the charter boat STARFISH tonight after the boat began taking on water near Townsend Inlet Bridge, in New Jersey.

STARFISH reportedly collided with the Townsends Inlet Bridge and suffered a gash in the starboard hull, causing a few compartments to flood.

The good SAM removed all passengers and took them to the docks in Sea Isle City where EMS was waiting to assist. There were no reported injuries.

Local commercial salvage is currently working to dewater STARFISH and will remain with the boat overnight while a damage and tow plan are created.

Dive ops were conducted and confirmed there is no damage to fuel tanks. No pollution has been reported.

U.S. Coast Guard Mid-Atlantic thanks all who responded to help out the passengers and crew.

U.S.C.G. Photo
Cape May

Acting AG Platkin Announces Charges Against Wildwood Mayor, Former Mayor, and City Commissioner for Fraudulently Participating in State Health Insurance Program

June 24, 2022

WILDWOOD, NJ — Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today that Wildwood Mayor Peter J. Byron, former Mayor Ernest V. Troiano Jr., and current City Commissioner Steven E. Mikulski have been charged criminally for fraudulently participating in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP).

Byron, 67, Troiano, 71, and Mikulski, 57, all residents of Wildwood, N.J., were each charged today by complaint-summons with second-degree theft by unlawful taking and third-degree tampering with public records or information. The three current and former city officials were charged in an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) that began with a referral from the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits.

“Today we bring charges against current and former public and elected officials for what we allege are breaches of the public trust,” said Acting Attorney General Platkin. “We will work tirelessly to root out public corruption and restore faith in our institutions.”

Since 2010, New Jersey law has required elected officials to be full-time employees “whose hours of work are fixed at 35 or more per week” in their elected positions to be eligible to participate in the SHBP and receive employer-provided healthcare. The investigation revealed that Byron, Troiano, and Mikulski were never eligible because they were never “full-time” employees as defined by state law. They did not receive vacation, sick, or personal days, and maintained no regular schedule. It is alleged, however, that all three fraudulently enrolled in the SHBP and received publicly funded health benefits.

Troiano and Byron were elected to Wildwood’s three-member City Commission in 2011, and Troiano was sworn in as mayor. Both men voted in 2011 to pass a resolution that declared themselves full-time employees working “a minimum of 35 hours per week” for Wildwood. They subsequently enrolled in the SHBP. While Troiano and Byron did not work a regular full-time schedule or work at least 35 hours per week, they allegedly falsely signed and submitted timesheets to the city indicating they worked full days Monday through Friday. As a result, Wildwood and the SHBP paid over $286,500 in premiums and claims on behalf of Troiano from July 2011 through December 2019, and paid over $608,900 in premiums and claims on behalf of Byron from July 2011 through October 2021.

Mikulski became a member of Wildwood’s Commission in 2020. He enrolled in the SHBP and has since received publicly funded health benefits. Wildwood and the SHBP have paid over $103,000 in premiums and claims on his behalf through October 2021. It is alleged that he knowingly made false statements in a “Health Benefits Enrollment and/or Change Form” submitted to the City of Wildwood.

Deputy Attorney General Brian Uzdavinis is prosecuting the case for the OPIA Corruption Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter Lee and OPIA Deputy Director Anthony Picione, with the assistance of Detectives of the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption South Unit. Acting Attorney General Platkin thanked the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits for their referral.

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Defense Attorneys

For Troiano: Undetermined.

For Byron: Undetermined.

For Mikulski: John Tumelty, Esq., Marmora, N.J. 

Photo: City of Wildwood New Jersey Facebook Page

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Burlington, Cape May, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Other Towns, Somerset, State of NJ

Blizzard Warning Issued for Parts of New Jersey

January 28, 2022

TRENTON, NJ–A significant winter storm will impact the area tonight and tomorrow. See the official National Weather Service Page for updates. The current briefing product can be found here. This is a dangerous storm follow directions from State and Local Officials. State of New Jersey Office of Emergency Management

Governor Phil Murphy has declared a State of Emergency:

A blizzard warning has been issued for Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May Counties in NJ and coastal Sussex County DE.

NWS Graphics
Blizzard Warning

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST
SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations of
  8 to 15 inches. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph.

* WHERE...The coastal counties of New Jersey, and coastal sections
  of Sussex County in Delaware.

* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 7 PM EST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Areas
  of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. Gusty
  winds could bring down tree branches.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow is expected to begin on Friday
  evening, with snow becoming heavy after midnight. The most
  likely time for blizzard conditions is late Friday night through
  midday Saturday. Blizzard conditions are primarily expected at
  or within a few miles from the coast. Snow will wind down
  Saturday afternoon.
Official NWS Graphics
Official NWS Graphics
Atlantic City, Cape May, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Other Towns, State of NJ

Legislation supported by Smith to forgive more than $8.1 million for Jersey Shore towns in Fourth District passes House, signed into law

September 30, 2021

WASHINGTON – Legislation supported by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to provide more than $8.1 million in Community Disaster Loan (CDL) forgiveness for Jersey Shore towns in the Fourth Congressional District impacted by Superstorm Sandy passed the House of Representatives and was signed into law today as part of a stopgap measure to avoid a government shutdown.

            “This long-awaited Community Disaster Loan forgiveness is greatly welcomed and much-needed relief for our local towns and communities that were devastated by Superstorm Sandy,” said Rep. Smith, who voted for the measure on the House Floor. “Nearly nine years after Sandy, our towns have finally received the reprieve they both need and deserve—and were originally assured—from these difficult payments.” 

            Mayors from Point Pleasant Beach and Manasquan, two of the towns in Smith’s district slated to receive CDL forgiveness, thanked Smith for his tireless efforts to secure the significant relief that will free up funds for critical municipal projects and other needed local improvements.

            “Point Pleasant Beach is so grateful to have an attentive and hardworking member like Congressman Chris Smith representing us,” said Mayor Paul Kanitra. “He listened to our needs regarding CDL forgiveness, and he and his staff put in countless hours to make this a reality. We expect the effects of this to save the Borough close to $1 million dollars.

            “This is a big deal,” said Manasquan Mayor Ed Donovan. “This represents hundreds of thousands of dollars that we would’ve had to repay, that we can now use for other needed projects and improvements in Manasquan. There is no lack of projects we need funding.”

            In addition to securing relief for New Jersey towns, the legislation will also provide assistance to other eligible towns across the country with outstanding Community Disaster Loans.

            Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the CDL program provides operational funding for local governments to continue basic operations after substantial revenue loss caused by a major disaster, such as Superstorm Sandy, that adversely affects their ability to provide essential municipal services.

Hurricane Sandy File Photos
Cape May, Cape May, State of NJ

Governor Murphy Directs U.S. and New Jersey Flags to Fly at Half-Staff in Honor of Cape May Beach Patrol Lifeguard Norman V. Inferrera, III

August 24, 2021

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Governor Phil Murphy today ordered that the U.S. and New Jersey flags be flown at half-staff at all state buildings and facilities on Friday, August 27, 2021 to honor Cape May Beach Patrol Lifeguard Norman V. Inferrera III, who passed away at the age of 16 following a tragic accident while on-duty. 

“Norman’s passing at such a young age is a devastating loss for his family, the Cape May community, and our state,” said Governor Murphy. “As a lifeguard, Norman took on a special responsibility to help others and that is what he was doing when he was tragically fatally injured. We will forever be grateful to him for his selfless service to the people of Cape May. Tammy and I would like to express our sincere condolences to Norman’s family and friends during this tremendously difficult time.”

Copy of Executive Order #254

Update: 16 Year Old, Cape May Beach Patrol Lifeguard, Norman V. Inferrera III. Passed Away From Injuries Sustained In Lifeguard Boat Accident

Cape May, Cape May

Update: 16 Year Old, Cape May Beach Patrol Lifeguard, Norman V. Inferrera III. Passed Away From Injuries Sustained In Lifeguard Boat Accident

August 21, 2021

CAPE MAY, NJ (CAPE MAY)–It is with great sadness that the City of Cape May announces the passing of Lifeguard Norman V. Inferrera III. 

Inferrera was involved in an incident which occurred off our Reading Avenue Beach on August 19, 2021. Based on current information, while rowing a lifeguard boat in the ocean, the boat was broadsided by a wave and flipped over. Inferrera was knocked unconscious. Fellow lifeguards responded immediately to his aid.

“My heart, prayers, and condolences go out to the Inferrera family”, said Mayor Zachary Mullock. “Even at such a young age, Norman was loved by his fellow Lifeguards. No words can express the sadness suffered by all of our Beach Patrol family.  Norman chose to protect others. He did so professionally and worked hard at it. That is an extraordinary attribute for anyone, especially at 16 years old. The Cape May community cares so deeply for those who protect us. I know this entire community is going to do anything it can for Norman’s family and friends.”

Cape May Beach Patrol Chief Harry Back expressed his condolences. “My thoughts and prayers are with the Inferrera family. He was a beloved member of our Beach Patrol family. Norman had a permanent smile on his face and was living out his dream to be a lifeguard.”   

City Manager Mike Voll said, “Chief Back and the entire Beach Patrol have shown the utmost professionalism, while simultaneously providing care to all those touched so deeply by Norman. I want to thank all of the Beach Patrols who gave their valuable assets and gave our Patrol help in this time of need.”

As we collectively grieve the passing of this bright light from our world, far too soon, we remind and encourage those needing an ear to listen or a shoulder to lean on, to reach out to their support system and seek counseling. The City & Chief Back immediately provided grief counselors for all Beach Patrol staff. Those who may have already returned to their winter locales are always members of our Cape May family, and we stand ready to wrap our arms around all who need it.

A GofundMe was set up prior of Norman passing away by his aunt: 16 yr old Lifeguard loses his life

“The Lord called my beautiful nephew Norman home last night. The family is overwhelmed with sorrow. The bright light in this tragedy is the support and prayers that have been pouring in. We send love and blessings to each and every one of you.

Thank you for the continued acts of kindness as the hospital bills are going to be astronomical.” –Kathleen Inferrera Price

Infrared File photo of City Of Cape May lifeguard stand

Atlantic City, Burlington, Cape May, Fishing, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Outdoors, State of NJ

Coast Guard sets Port Condition YANKEE for New York and New Jersey

August 21, 2021

NEW YORK — The Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) has set Port Condition YANKEE for the Ports of New York and New Jersey, due to the expectation of gale force winds from Tropical Storm Henri expected to arrive within 24 hours.

Mariners are advised that the COTP will further manage tropical storm conditions in the ports through vessel traffic control measures. These measures will limit vessel movement in accordance with the Standard Severe Weather Practices outlined in the Captain of the Port New York Hurricane and Severe Weather Plan. These measures will be implemented by the Vessel Traffic Service based on observed and predicted wind conditions as the storm progresses.

All facilities and vessels within the Port of New York and New Jersey shall cease cargo operations, lightering and bunkering when directed by the COTP. All commercial self-propelled oceangoing vessels over 500 gross tons desiring to remain or depart port must contact the COTP if their departure time is later than 12 hours after setting of Hurricane Condition YANKEE. Vessels bound for the port of New York and New Jersey are advised to contact the COTP at (718) 354-4088 for additional guidance. 

Please refer to Coast Guard Advisory Notice (CGAN 2021-13) for details.

The Coast Guard is advising the public of these important safety messages:

Stay off the water. The Coast Guard’s search and rescue capabilities degrade as storm conditions strengthen. This means help could be delayed. Boaters should heed weather watches, warnings, and small craft advisories.

Secure belongings. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or to sustaining damage. Trailer-able boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to remove EPIRBs and to secure life rings, lifejackets, and small boats. These items, if not properly secured, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources be diverted to ensure people are not in distress.

Stay clear of beaches. Wave heights and currents typically increase before a storm makes landfall. Even the best swimmers can fall victim to the strong waves and rip currents caused by tropical storms or hurricanes. Swimmers should stay clear of beaches until local lifeguards and law enforcement officials say the water is safe.

Be prepared. Area residents should be prepared by developing a family plan, creating a disaster supply kit, having a place to go, securing their home and having a plan for pets. Information can be found at the National Hurricane Center’s webpage.

Stay informed. The public should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio, and the Internet. Updated weather forecasts for the New York area can be found at the National Weather Service’s webpage. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF radio channel 16. Information can also be obtained on small craft advisories and warnings on VHF radio channel 16.

Don’t rely on social media. People in distress should use 911 to request assistance whenever possible. Social media should not be used to report life-threatening distress due to limited resources to monitor the dozens of social media platforms during a hurricane or large-scale rescue event.

Vessels and facilities may contact the Vessel Traffic Service at SECNYVTS@uscg.mil or (718) 354-4088 with additional questions or concerns.

National Weather Service Images
Atlantic City, Cape May, Fishing, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Other Towns, Outdoors, State of NJ

Coast Guard sets Port Condition X-ray for New York and New Jersey Ahead Of Tropical Storm Henri

August 20, 2021

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) has set Port Condition X-ray for the Ports of New York and New Jersey, due to the expectation of gale force winds from Tropical Storm Henri expected to arrive within 48 hours.

These ports currently remain open with no restrictions. Mariners are advised that the COTP will further manage tropical storm conditions in the ports through vessel traffic control measures. These measures will limit vessel movement in accordance with the Standard Severe Weather Practices outlined in the Captain of the Port New York Hurricane and Severe Weather Plan. These measures will be implemented by the Vessel Traffic Service based on observed and predicted wind conditions as the storm progresses.

At this time, the COTP is not requiring vessels and barges desiring to remain in port to complete a Remaining in Port Checklist. However, port users should monitor local weather broadcasts and implement their heavy weather procedures and take immediate action to safeguard personnel and property to minimize the damage caused by high winds, unusually high tides and heavy rain. 

Please refer to Coast Guard Advisory Notice (CGAN 2021-11) for details.

The Coast Guard is advising the public of these important safety messages:

Stay off the water. The Coast Guard’s search and rescue capabilities degrade as storm conditions strengthen. This means help could be delayed. Boaters should heed weather watches, warnings, and small craft advisories.

Secure belongings. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or to sustaining damage. Trailer-able boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to remove EPIRBs and to secure life rings, lifejackets, and small boats. These items, if not properly secured, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources be diverted to ensure people are not in distress.

Stay clear of beaches. Wave heights and currents typically increase before a storm makes landfall. Even the best swimmers can fall victim to the strong waves and rip currents caused by tropical storms or hurricanes. Swimmers should stay clear of beaches until local lifeguards and law enforcement officials say the water is safe.

Be prepared. Area residents should be prepared by developing a family plan, creating a disaster supply kit, having a place to go, securing their home and having a plan for pets. Information can be found at the National Hurricane Center’s webpage.

Stay informed. The public should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio, and the Internet. Updated weather forecasts for the New York area can be found at the National Weather Service’s webpage. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF radio channel 16. Information can also be obtained on small craft advisories and warnings on VHF radio channel 16.

Don’t rely on social media. People in distress should use 911 to request assistance whenever possible. Social media should not be used to report life-threatening distress due to limited resources to monitor the dozens of social media platforms during a hurricane or large-scale rescue event.

Vessels and facilities may contact the Vessel Traffic Service at SECNYVTS@uscg.mil or (718) 354-4088 with additional questions or concerns.

Images from the National Weather Service
Cape May, Cape May

City Of Cape May Lifeguard In Critical Condition After Lifeguard Boat Accident

Update: 16 Year Old, Cape May Beach Patrol Lifeguard, Norman V. Inferrera III. Passed Away From Injuries Sustained In Lifeguard Boat Accident

August 20, 2021

CAPE MAY, NJ (CAPE MAY)–The City of Cape May released a statement today about an accident involving a lifeguard yesterday. See statement below:

The City of Cape May wishes to extend our thoughts and prayers for one of the members of our Beach Patrol and his family.  An incident occurred off our Reading Avenue Beach on August 19, 2021, leaving one of our lifeguards in critical condition.

Based on current information, while rowing a lifeguard boat in the ocean, the boat was broadsided by a wave and flipped over. The guard was knocked unconscious. Fellow lifeguards responded immediately to his aid. Out of respect for the family’s wishes, no other information is available at this time.

The positive impact he has had on our beach patrol is evident based on the large outpouring of love and support from his fellow guards and the Cape May community. The City of Cape May would like to thank the quick actions of the Cape May Beach Patrol, Chief Harry Back, and all first responders. The City would also like to send our deepest gratitude to all South Jersey Beach Patrols who have sent their lifeguards to the City to assist.

A file photo of a Cape May, NJ lifeguard stand
Atlantic City, Cape May, Monmouth County, Ocean County, State of NJ

Coast Guard urges preparedness for Tropical Storm Henri

August 20, 201

The Coast Guard urges all mariners to prepare for Tropical Storm Henri before its predicted Sunday landfall.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts Henri to have wind speeds equal to or exceeding 39 mph.

The Coast Guard is reminding the public of these important safety messages:

  • Stay off the water. Hurricanes and tropical storms can be deadly and our ability to conduct rescues can be diminished or non-existent at the height of a storm. Be prepared, stay informed and heed storm warnings.
  • Be prepared. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or to sustaining damage. Mooring lines should be doubled in case of high winds. Boats that can be trailered should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to remove EPIRBs and to secure life rings, life jackets, and small boats. These items, if not properly secured, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources to be diverted and may put first responders in harm’s way to ensure people are not in distress.
  • Evacuate as necessary. If mandatory evacuations are set for an area, the public should evacuate without delay. Coast Guard personnel and other emergency responders may not be able rescue those in danger during the storm. 
  • Stay informed. The public should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio, and the Internet. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF radio channel 16. Information can also be obtained on small craft advisories and warnings on VHF radio channel 16.
  • Lookout for rip currents. As the storm approaches, rip currents will become more prevalent. Rip currents typically reach speeds of 1 to 2 feet per second-this makes rip currents especially dangerous to beachgoers as these currents can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Because rip currents move perpendicular to shore and can be very strong, beach swimmers need to be careful.

    For more information on hurricane preparedness visit Ready.Gov and NOAA websites, as well as following them on Twitter.

Port conditions change based on weather forecasts, and current port conditions can be viewed on the following Coast Guard homeport webpage:

Atlantic City, Cape May, Monmouth County, Ocean County, State of NJ

U.S. Coast Guard to swimmers, boaters: be aware of dangerous rip currents created by Tropical Storm Henri

August 20, 2021

The Coast Guard is advising boaters and all persons enjoying the water this weekend to be aware of the dangers presented by the possibility of increased sea states and the potential for increased rip currents as Tropical Storm Henri passes through the Mid-Atlantic region.

Boaters who are anticipating going out over the weekend should ensure they check conditions before launching, and ensure it is safe for their vessel. In addition, wearing a life jacket, having a reliable form of communication like a marine band radio and filing a float plan are simple ways to increase survivability and direct rescuers to you accurately if you encounter trouble.

Rip currents are created from turbulent sea conditions offshore.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an estimated 100 people are killed each year as a result of rip currents. With the arrival of Tropical Storm Henri off the Mid-Atlantic coast, rip current potential can increase.

Beachgoers should only swim where there are on-duty lifeguards and follow guidance from local authorities on surf conditions.

If you see someone in danger, do not hesitate to contact your local 911 operator. 

For more information on rip currents, click here.

For more information on Tropical Storm Henri and its impacts, click here

The above images are provided National Weather Service.
Cape May, Cape May

Coast Guard medevacs diver 46 miles east of Cape May, NJ

July 29, 2021

CAPE MAY, N.J. – On Wednesday July 28, 2021, The Coast Guard medevaced a diver 46 miles east of Cape May on Wednesday.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay command center received a report via VHF channel 16 that a 50-year-old woman was unresponsive after returning from a dive off the dive vessel Gypsie Blood. The diver dove to a depth of 150- feet before resurfacing unconscious.

Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay dispatched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Station Atlantic City to the scene.

The aircrew medically evacuated the woman and transported her to the closest decompression chamber available at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

“Without the proper communication that we had, we would not have been able to safely conduct the mission especially considering the distance offshore that the vessel was,” said Lt. Anthony Barletta, the command duty officer in the command center. “A marine band radio is the best way to get first responders on scene when an emergency arises.”

Atlantic City, Browns Mills, Burlington, Cape May, Mercer County, Robbinsville, Robbinsville, State of NJ

Dunkin’ of Philadelphia Awards Six South Jersey Students with Academic Scholarships

July 27, 2021

Philadelphia, PA. (July 26, 2021) – Dunkin’ and its greater Philadelphia-area franchisees, in partnership with Scholarship America, today announced the recipients of its twelfth annual Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program. The program helps high school seniors and college students in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Kent and New Castle counties in Delaware pursue a part-time or full-time undergraduate degree at the institution of their choice.

From over 900 applicants, Dunkin’ and Scholarship America selected 25 students to receive a $2,000 academic scholarship to an accredited two or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school of their choice for fall 2021. Dunkin’s Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program was open to current part-time and full-time undergraduate students and high school seniors. Dunkin’ awarded a total of $50,000 to the 25 recipients who were selected based on their academic records, demonstrated leadership skills, and overall commitment to their schools and local communities.

To date, the Dunkin’ Philadelphia Regional Scholarship Program has awarded $500,000 in scholarships to 300 outstanding high school seniors and college students. The program was founded in 2009 by Dunkin’s Philadelphia-area franchisees as a way to ease the financial burden of college for students throughout the region.

“On behalf of my fellow Philadelphia franchisees, we are honored to award these 25 exceptional students with the 2021 Dunkin’ Philadelphia Regional Scholarships,” said Perry Shah, local Dunkin’ franchisee and Philadelphia regional advertising committee chairman. “We are proud to continue the tradition to further students’ educational goals in our community as well as celebrate a major milestone this year: providing over half a million dollars to our local students since the program’s inception in 2009!”

The 2021 Dunkin’ Regional Scholarship recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at Cherry Street Pier. More details on the awards ceremony to come in the following weeks.

The 2021 Dunkin’ Regional Scholarship recipients are as follows: (Six South Jersey below out of 25 total) Photos provided by: Dunkin Scholarship Program:

  • Abigail Smith

Atlantic County 

Recipient: Abigail Smith

Hometown: Hammonton, NJ

High School: Hammonton High School

University: Stockton University

Bio: Abigail Smith is a recent graduate from Hammonton High School, where she was the National Honor Society Vice President. In addition, Smith was a Team Captain for Field Hockey and Track & Field and earned nine Varsity Letters in three sports throughout high school. In her free time, Abigail enjoyed participating in a variety of service-oriented clubs. This fall, Abigail will attend Stockton University, where she plans to pursue a degree in Health Sciences. 

  • Amanda Neve

Burlington County

Recipient: Amanda Neve

Hometown: Browns Mills, NJ

High School: Pemberton Township High School 

University: University of Miami

Bio: Amanda Neve is a recent graduate from Pemberton Township High School and Rowan College at Burlington County, Class of 2021, where she received her Associate’s Degree in Biology. Neve graduated with high honors in high school and college and graduated top 10 in her class at Pemberton Township High School. This fall, Amanda will attend University of Miami, where she plans to pursue a degree in Biochemistry And Molecular Bio. 

  • Raphael Littwin

Camden County 

Recipient: Raphael Littwin

Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ 

High School: Cherry Hill High School West

University: University of Pennsylvania

Bio: Raphael Littwin is a recent graduate from Cherry Hill High School West, where he was the Valedictorian of his graduating class. Littwin was involved in Student Government, Peer Leaders, National Honor Society, and a member of the Varsity Volleyball Team. Raphael also held leadership positions throughout high school, including DECA Chapter President, Principal’s Advisory Council Member, Spanish Honor Society President, and Jewish Student Union President. This fall, Raphael will attend the University of Pennsylvania.

  • Julia Knopp

Cape May County 

Recipient: Julia Knopp

Hometown: Ocean View, NJ

High School: Ocean City High School 

University: Northeastern University

Bio: Julia Knopp is a recent graduate from Ocean City High School where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Knopp was a member of the National Honor Society and a 4-Year Varsity Spring Track Athlete. In her free time during the summer, Julia worked at an ice cream shop. 

  • Kelly Wei

Gloucester County

Recipient: Kelly Wei

Hometown: Sewell, NJ

High School: Washington Township High School

University: Brown University

Bio: Kelly Wei is a recent graduate from Washington Township High School. She held leadership roles during high school, including Class Charge of Class Council Executive Board, Asian American Club President, Yearbook President, Co-President of Freshmen Transition, Secretary of Business Education Honor Society. Wei was also a member of the National English Honor Society. Kelly was awarded Senior Hall of Fame recipient. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and boba. This fall, Kelly will attend Brown University, where she plans to pursue a degree in Computer Science.

  • Alyssa Deevey

Mercer County

Recipient: Alyssa Deevey

Hometown: Robbinsville, NJ

High School: Robbinsville High School

University: Ramapo College of New Jersey

Bio: Alyssa Deevey is a recent graduate from Robbinsville High School, where she was a four-year Principal Honor Roll Student. Deevey participated in Field Hockey and Lacrosse. Alyssa enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, the beach, community service, and church in her free time. Alyssa is a current employee at Dunkin’. 

This fall, Alyssa will attend Ramapo College of New Jersey, where she plans to pursue a degree in Nursing.  

Note: All photos provided by Dunkin Scholarship program.

Cape May, Cape May

U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 7 From Sport Fishing Boat South East Of Cape May

July 26, 2021

CAPE MAY, N.J. — The Coast Guard rescued seven people from a sport fishing boat beset by weather 69 miles southeast of Cape May Sunday.

A small craft advisory for the area indicated 4-to-6-foot seas with winds gusting up to 30 knots. 

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received the initial report from Coast Guard Sector Virginia at 1:19 p.m., stating that a 40-foot sport fishing boat with seven people aboard had been beset by weather with seas reaching approximately 10 feet.

The crew of the vessel activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) when conditions continued to deteriorate. Coast Guard crews aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk and an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Station Indian River were launched to assist.

All seven people were hoisted and taken to Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City where local EMS was standing by to assist.

“One of the scariest and most unpredictable places you can be is out on the water in a storm,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Petrenko, an operations specialist with the Sector Delaware Bay command center. “Fortunately, they had life jackets, a registered EPIRB and a radio, which they used to call for help. If any one of those pieces had been missing, we might not have been as successful as we were.”

Aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C. rescue seven people aboard a 40-foot sport fishing boat beset by weather 60 nautical miles southeast of Cape May, N.J., July 25, 2021. Mariners are encouraged to check weather forecasts before heading out on the water. U.S. Coast Guard video.

Atlantic City, Cape May, Other Towns, State of NJ

Banner Plane Makes Emergency Landing on Ocean City, NJ Causeway

July 19, 2021

OCEAN CITY, NJ — At 12:38 p.m. Monday (July 19, 2021), Ocean City police and fire crews responded to a call that a banner plane made an emergency landing on the Route 52 Causeway between Ocean City and Somers Point.

Landon Lucas, an 18-year-old flying for Paramount Air Service, reported that his plane began to experience engine trouble as he was flying near Steel Pier in Atlantic City. He released his banner into the ocean and was attempting to reach Ocean City Municipal Airport when he spotted a gap in traffic in the westbound lanes of the causeway.

The pilot successfully landed with no damage to the plane and no injury to himself or any motorist.

Investigators are on the scene, and crews are working to remove the wings and tow the plane away.

Both inbound lanes to Ocean City are open, and a single lane of outbound traffic is now open while the investigation continues.

Atlantic City, Cape May, East Windsor, Eatontown, Ewing, Howell, Mercer County, Monmouth County, Princeton, Robbinsville, Trenton

National Police Week: 2021 Police Unity Tour Chapter 10

March 13, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

Riders of the 2021 Police Unity Tour Chapter 10 biked hundreds of miles over a period of three days, despite not being able to ride into Washington, DC.

Organized in May 1997, The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour “We Ride For Those Who Died” is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty. They also raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC.

This years ride began on May 9. Bikers began their first day by riding from Eatontown, NJ to Atlantic City, NJ, totaling 97 miles. During this ride, they made stops at the Ocean County Police Academy for a memorial ceremony, and did a ride-by at the Trooper Castellano Memorial on Route 195 in Howell, before ending their first day in Atlantic City.

The next day, riders began in Atlantic City, and ended their day in Lewes, DE, including the ferry from Cape May, NJ to Lewes. On this day, bikers rode a total of 72 miles.

On day three, the last day of the tour, riders continued from Lewes, DE to Annapolis, MD, totaling 90 miles.

All together, bikers rode nearly 260 miles to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

The Police Unity Tour usually consists of four days, however this year the fourth day was stolen from them by officials of Washington, DC. Unfortunately, officials would not grant the organization permits for the ride, nor ceremony at the memorial, claiming covid concerns and that it could “incite unrest.”

Despite politics stealing their ride through DC, riders did a great job this year to raise support for the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice when they left their families to protect ours.

Mercer County agencies that participated in the ride are Princeton Township Police, East Windsor Township Police, Robbinsville Township Police, Trenton Police, Ewing Township Police, and New Jersey State Police.

Day 1 of the 2021 Police Unity Tour
Day 2 of the 2021 Police Unity Tour
Day 3 of the 2021 Police Unity Tour
National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial, where day four was supposed to take place. Photo by National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Burlington, Cape May, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Somerset, State of NJ

NJ State Police Release Thanksgiving Weekend Tips for Motorists

November 25, 2020

Post by Tyler Eckel

West Trenton, N.J. – The day before Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year, but this holiday season has proven to be anything but typical. Although we expect fewer motorists on the road this year, the message of the New Jersey State Police remains the same. If you must travel during the holiday, we encourage you to take the time to prepare for unexpected emergencies by following a few safety tips that will surely come in handy if you find yourself in a jam. Before you head out, please consider the following:

•Fill up your gas tank
•Check fluids (including windshield washer fluid and antifreeze)
•Check tire pressure
•Bring a mobile phone charger
•Carry a flashlight with new batteries
•Bring bottles of water and nonperishable snacks
•Do not drive drowsy. Symptoms of driving tired are similar to those of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Use service areas to rest, stretch your legs, or grab a cup a coffee
•Let someone know your travel plans
•Check the weather forecast and plan accordingly

The easiest tip to follow to ensure not only your safety, but the safety of fellow motorists and pedestrians this holiday is to not get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. During the 2019 Thanksgiving holiday period, there were six fatal crashes that resulted in six deaths on New Jersey roadways. Drug and/or alcohol impairment was found to be a contributing factor in two of the crashes. These types of tragedies can be easily avoided by making responsible decisions and staying at home if you plan to drink alcohol.

The New Jersey State Police will have more than 90 additional troopers statewide during the holiday period in addition to normal patrols. Troopers will focus their efforts on speeding, aggressive driving, seatbelt usage, cell phone violations, distracted driving, and DWI.

“Although we will be celebrating the holiday differently this year, DWI education and enforcement remain a top priority for the New Jersey State Police,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Safety starts with sober driving, so we ask that you do your part by making responsible choices this holiday. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and please do not drink and drive.”

The 2020 Thanksgiving holiday period begins on Wednesday, November 25, at 6:00 p.m. and ends on Monday, November 30, at 6:00 a.m.

Cape May

State Police Seek Public’s Assistance with Identifying Suspects who Vandalized Fallen Trooper’s Memorial

October 8, 2020

DENNIS TOWNSHIP, NJ (CAPE MAY) –The New Jersey State Police is seeking the public’s assistance with identifying the suspect(s) who vandalized Trooper Bertram Zimmerman’s memorial in Dennis Township, Cape May County.

Trooper Zimmerman died as a result of injuries sustained in an on-duty motor vehicle crash on February 5, 2004, while responding to a robbery call.

On Wednesday, October 7, troopers responded to the memorial located on State Highway 83 when they observed the memorial was defaced. The suspect(s) used white caulk to write a derogatory phrase on the pavers and to deface the front of a granite monument in the center of the memorial.

The State Police unions have offered a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s).

Anyone with information is asked to contact Woodbine Station at 609-861-5698. Anonymous tips are welcome.

Burlington, Cape May, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Ocean County, Somerset

Today Is National “Thank A Police Officer Day”

September 19, 2020

“Thank a Police Officer Day” is a national observance honoring law enforcement on the third Saturday in September. If you happen to see a police officer in your travels today, thank them for their service.

Thanks you law enforcement for keeping us safe.

Cape May, Cape May, Other Towns

Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Designating the Howell House as the Official New Jersey Harriet Tubman Museum

September 17, 2020

CAPE MAY, NJ (CAPE MAY)–Governor Phil Murphy today signed legislation (A3201), which designates the Howell House on Lafayette Street in Cape May, New Jersey as the official New Jersey Harriet Tubman Museum. The Governor participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony today for the museum. The Howell House is owned by the Macedonia Baptist Church. In 2018, the church gave Robert, Zach, and Cynthia Mullock permission to renovate the house into a museum honoring Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman has a special connection to Cape May, having spent a significant amount of time during the 1850s in the area, gathering funds to support her work through the Underground Railroad. The museum will inform current and future generations of the great sacrifices and efforts that Tubman made on her mission to save enslaved African-Americans and bring them to the free North.  The museum opened virtually on June 19, 2020, a date recognized as “Juneteenth” and recently designated an official State holiday in New Jersey.

“It gives me great pride in announcing that the Howell House in Cape May is now the official Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “Harriett Tubman’s extraordinary efforts helped establish and run the Underground Railroad, and her fearless actions during her lifetime led to the freedom of many. I am proud of the role that New Jersey and Cape May were able to play in her mission to free Black men, women, and children from slavery. This is just one small step in acknowledging the plight and struggle of the Black community, and we will continue to recognize and fight against all forms of racism.”

“Harriet Tubman was arguably the most well-known activist and abolitionist in US history. Her intellect, determination and iron will saved the lives of many enslaved Americans. She is our North Star. When we fight for equality, we think of her name,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs. “This museum, which is dedicated to her legacy, will now officially ensure that her name will forever be revered and honored in New Jersey history.”

“Our work here in Cape May for the last two years has been dedicated to preserving and creating a space worthy of magnifying Harriet Tubman’s life, and the life of so many luminaries who worked with her or followed in her footsteps in the struggle for racial and social justice.” said Cynthia Mullock, Executive Director of the Harriet Tubman Museum. “Among our many supporters was the Murphy administration. In particular, we want to thank Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver, Secretary of State Tahesha Way, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the New Jersey State Historical Commission, and the grant programs through the Cape May County Department of Tourism, as well as the State’s neighborhood preservation program.

Primary sponsors of A3201 include Assemblymembers Carol A. Murphy, Gordon M. Johnson, and Antwan L. McClellan, and Senators Ronald L. Rice, Michael L. Testa, and Shirley K. Turner.

“Harriet Tubman was a hero who not only freed herself, but returned to the South over a dozen times to lead at least 70 other slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Despite personal health problems and the threat of enslavement or death if caught, she courageously risked her own life in order to rescue others from slavery,” said Assemblywoman Carol Murphy and Assemblyman Gordon Johnson in a joint statement. “It is a source of pride for our state that such an inspirational figure spent time in Cape May, earning money to support her Underground Railroad operations. Cape May is further connected to these historical efforts with countless escaped slaves having passed through the town on their way to freedom and the area having served as a center of abolitionist activity. This museum will honor her legacy and recognize our state’s connection to an important movement, while simultaneously preserving this historic building. It’s only fitting that we recognize Howell House as the official New Jersey Harriet Tubman Museum.”

“I am excited and proud that Harriet Tubman is being honored and that there is a dedicated place here in New Jersey where people can go to learn more about this extraordinary woman who truly is an American hero”, said Assemblyman Antwan McClellan. “The more we learn about the Underground Railroad and the dangers faced, the more we understand the heroic, brave actions of the men and women who worked to abolish slavery.”

“Harriet Tubman was fiercely committed to equality for all people, black or white, male or female,” said Senator Michael Testa. “Through her tireless persistence, this determined woman helped bring about two historic society advancements that changed American society forever – she personally helped lead dozens of southern slaves to freedom in the north, and she was instrumental in the women’s suffrage movement.”

“Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist, a hero and a conductor of the Underground Railroad that ran through New Jersey. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition. Ever since they began renovating the Howell House, there has been mounting excitement around the new museum, even being highlighted as one of the most anticipated museum openings of 2020 by the Smithsonian Magazine,” said Senator Shirley Turner. “On the date of their opening, the formal designation is a small token of our gratitude for the work their team has done to memorialize Harriet’s time in New Jersey, and educate us on its significance.”