South Jersey Oysters
This year’s oyster harvest could be the biggest in two decades as fishing quotas set after a disease and parasite decimated oyster beds in the Delaware Bay have been raised. As oysters are trendier than ever, NPR reports that there is a new buzz around areas like Bivalve and rumors of another large oyster-farming company moving into the area. Read the full feature for a longer look at the history and future of oyster fishing and farming in South Jersey.
Methadone Jail Pilot
Three quarters of the inmates in Atlantic County’s jail are addicted to opioids and the jail is the first in the state to test out a one-year program offering methadone to inmates, reports Joe Hernandez for NewsWorks. The Atlantic/Cape May, Ocean and Burlington court systems in South Jersey run so-called Drug Courts, which help divert some people with abuse disorders to recovery services and away from the criminal justice system, but not everyone is eligible and many still end up in county jails. Under this new Atlantic County jail project, the John Brooks Recovery Center will dispense methadone to a group of inmates that includes opioid-addicted pregnant women, those who’ve been in jail twice in the last year and those already taking methadone. Once the inmates leave jail, they will receive further recovery services at John Brooks. In a separate but related story, read about a Gloucester County suburb’s fight over a substance-abuse treatment facility.
In the rest of the weekend’s news, a group of more than 40 gathered at Atlantic City’s war memorial on Sunday to condemn violence in Charlottesville, there’s been a spike in mushroom poisonings, a new law would mean more follow-up reports from the state comptroller’s office, rabbit poop is a public health issue (Longport residents say), science experiments designed by Stockton University and Waterford Elementary School students are headed to the International Space Station, Longport’s beach patrol won the South Jersey Lifeguard Championships for the second year running, NJ sales of electric vehicles are rising, three Cumberland County men have pleaded guilty to being part of an illegal dogfighting ring, read this feature by The Inquirer’s Kevin Riordan on the White Horse Pike, and South Jersey plays a role in the history of the ‘Garden State’ moniker. All that and more below:
Experts: Lack of Swimming Skills, Not Rip Currents, Causing Most New Jersey Drownings–"Stupidity and inexperience,” not rip currents, are the primary factors in most New Jersey drownings, according to experts. There have been at least 20 drownings in New Jersey this year. But despite a number of news accounts blaming rip tides for many of the deaths, the real cause is often something more sinister: a lack of common sense. PhillyVoice
Former Field Hockey Coach Starts Uber-Inspired Fitness Website–Not long after Ocean City High School’s field hockey team ended its season, Cory Terry formally announced she wouldn’t be returning as the team’s head coach. Press of Atlantic City
Christie Helps Displaced Progresso Plant Workers–338 employees at Progresso Foods lost their jobs as a result of the company shutting down its Vineland plant. But, the good news is Gov. Christie announced Thursday F&S Produce was approved for tax credits under the Grow New Jersey (Grow NJ) Program. NJTV News
New Alzheimer’s Center in Marmora Offers Treatment for South Jersey Patients–The Flora Baker Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Center opened July 25 in a Shore Physicians Group office next to the ShopRite supermarket off Route 9 in Marmora. OCNJ Daily
Rehab Facility Fights to Find Home in Suburb with High Opioid Overdose Rate–Crossroads Treatment Centers took Monroe Township to court after it was denied a use variance for its outpatient rehab facility. NJ.com
Edit”]Man Hit in Road Suffers ‘Life-Threatening’ Injuries, State Police Say–A man suffered "life-threatening" injuries after being struck on an Atlantic County highway early Sunday, state police say. Benjamin Star, 36, of Doylestown, Pa., was "in the middle of the road" on Route 322 when he was hit around 12:38 a.m., according to New Jersey State Police Spokesman Trooper Alejandro Goez. NJ.com
Anonymous Text Leads to Drug and Gun Arrest in Atlantic City–Atlantic City’s tip411 led to 468 bags of heroin, a handgun and a ballistic vest. Terrence Collier was arrested when detectives of the Special Investigation Section searched a home on the 900 block of North Carolina Avenue, following a tip about drug activity. BreakingAC