The Messl
If you’ve never had a messl, you’re missing out. We sat down yesterday at Essl’s Dugout (home of the messl breakfast sandwich) to chat with McKinnon Erario about his Instagram project to #SaveMomandPop by drawing attention through his amazing photography to some of South Jersey’s fantastic family-owned eating spots. Check out the story here on Route 40 and if you’ve got a good suggestion of where the project should go next, get in touch with McKinnon via Instagram.
False Immigration Raid Report
Lynda Cohen at BreakingAC has made ‘confirm, then report’ her motto. There was a local example yesterday of why that motto matters more than ever, when Pleasantville’s mayor spent most of the day battling a bad rumor fueled by a Facebook post that fed off the recently heightened worries of immigrants. Despite claims by Atlantic City Councilman Mo Delgado that Immigration and Customs Enforcement was “invading Pleasantville … going door-to-door in search of undocumented immigrants,” it was only a search for one person wanted by the agency, officials said. Read Lynda’s story.
Overdose Death Conviction
A Camden man was yesterday found guilty of causing the death of a Gloucester County man who died from a heroin overdose, NJ.com reports. The verdict is an important one because the New Jersey ‘strict liability’ charge that places the death of a drug user at the feet of the person who provided the illegal substance has been so rarely used (more on that in this 2014 NJ.com story here). Gloucester County prosecutor Sean F. Dalton, said of the case, “We hope prosecutions such as this send a strong message that anyone involved in the illegal and lethal sale of heroin will be held responsible.”
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The rest of the headlines from the last 24 hours include details on Cumberland County jail’s fifth suicide in under three years, a look at the new Mays Landing HomeGoods Store, a column on the Pinelands Pipeline and – finally – this summer you’ll be able to use E-ZPass on Ocean City and other Cape May County bridges.
Atlantic County Food Pantry Needs Help Stocking Shelves–Volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work at Jewish Family Services, or JFS, in Atlantic County Wednesday morning. Half a dozen volunteers were unloading and opening several boxes from the Community Food Bank to stock the shelves at the Jewish Family Services food pantry. www.snjtoday.com
Hold on: Releasing a Helium Balloon in Atlantic City Could Cost you $500–It's now against the law to let go of a helium balloon outdoors in Atlantic City. The city council on Wednesday voted unanimously to ban the release of balloons filled with gas weighing less than air, according to a report on PressofAtlanticCity.com. Violators could be fined up to $500. NJ.com
South Jersey Pinelands Pipeline Draws Protest–Three years ago, the pipeline was struck down by the Pinelands Commission – a preservation group that New Jersey Gov Chris Christie has since restructured. Those opposed to the pipeline said it would set a precedent for future development and could potentially taint the area’s Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system, which provides an estimated 17 trillion gallons of water to more than one million people. Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/02/22/south-jersey-pinelands-pipeline-protests/#hMDUmFJFKwk0B4cL.99 Philadelphia Magazine
Free Hands-Only CPR Classes Offered in Salem County–The Salem County Department of Heath and Human Services is offering free classes in March for Salem County Residents to learn "hands-only CPR," a method of providing CPR without Mouth-to-mouth breaths during a cardiac emergency. The 30-minute classes will be led by an employee of the County Health and Human Services Department who is Red Cross certified. www.snjtoday.com
Wawa-loving geese ruffle feathers in South Jersey–GALLOWAY -- Residents in Atlantic County are complaining that a lake and nearby Wawa store have proven too popular with Canada geese, which just happens to be the origin of the Wawa name, according to a report. NJ.com
Riordan: Pinelands pipeline: How not to preserve a special place–On my first-ever visit to New Jersey, a college friend from Toms River introduced me to the Garden State’s two natural wonders: Bruce Springsteen and the Pinelands. Philly.com
ACA Repeal Would Impact 1M NJ residents, Saddle State with $4B Annually–Repealing the federal Affordable Care Act would have a direct impact on more than 1 million New Jersey residents — and could even kill nearly 800 of them over the next 12 years — while saddling the state with some $4.2 billion annually in additional costs, according to new data released Tuesday by advocates seeking to preserve the landmark law. www.njspotlight.com
A.C. church held Mass Wednesday for local businesses–ATLANTIC CITY — Applause doesn’t break out in church very often. Father Jon Thomas, pastor of the Parish of Saint Monica, accomplished what he wanted with his Mass to pray for the success of the business community. Press of Atlantic City
What to know about controversial South Jersey Gas pipeline–Don’t want fracked natural gas coming here through a South Jersey Gas pipeline? Press of Atlantic City