BARNEGAT, NJ – The Barnegat Recreation Department is ushering in the fall season with the help of local business owners. The inaugural year of the “Business Scarecrow Tour Contest” starts October 17 and ends on October 30.

Businesses taking part in the contest will display a scarecrow of their own creation in front of their establishments.  The Barnegat Recreation ...

BARNEGAT, NJ – Pirates Day, always a favorite between locals and visitors, has been called off this year.  Captain Kidd’s descendants did not dock due to inclement weather a couple of years ago. The 2020 Annual Event is cancelled this year as regular buccaneers evaluate the threat of too many masked attendees walking the streets.

As legend has it, the notorious Captain Kidd ...

NEW JERSEY —  Arts and tourism covers some of our state's beloved assets. ArtPride NJ and the NJ Tourism Industry Association has put the call out to remind the Murphy Administration that even with a limited budget, appropriations for the upcoming 2021 should be retained. In February when Governor Murphy presented a full twelve-month budget for FY21, it marked the ...

SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY — The Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce has been working with consumers and the business community to assist with a safe reopening and summer season. With the fall approaching, the 106-year business organization is taking their popular Women in Business series outdoors to resume in person events. The September 29 meeting will take place at Sassafras ...

LONG BEACH ISLAND REGION —  The Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce has been working with consumers and the business community to assist with a safe reopening and summer season. With the fall approaching, the 106 year business organization is taking their popular Women in Business series outdoors to resume in person events. The September 29 meeting will take place at ...

LBI Region, NJ - This year the Southern Ocean County Chamber joins the US Small Business Administration in celebrating National Small Business online with a series of virtual conferences running from Tuesday, September 22 at 1 pm through Thursday, September 24. This year's National Small Business Week activities will include numerous educational panels providing retooling and innovative ...

WARETOWN, NJ - The first part of last night’s Ocean Township Board of Education meeting was once again a workshop session.  Mary Ann Friedman from the New Jersey School Board Association presented an overview of the local board’s role in budgets and finances within the district. The subject matter will prove to be critical as the year progresses.

Board members admitted to ...

WARETOWN, NJ – The Ocean Township Board of Education meets tonight at the Priff School. Those not able to make it in person have until 5:00 pm today to submit questions or comments to boe@otsdk6.org.

Tonight’s meeting is available realtime by Zoom at 6:15 pm.  Directions are on the district’s website and can accessed by the link ...

BARNEGAT, NJ – Barnegat voters eager to have their votes counted may want to wait until at least October 7th to submit their mail-in ballots.  TAPintoBarnegat/Waretown will host a candidates’ forum on October 6th featuring the seven individuals seeking to fill three open Board of Education positions.

The forum, which will be held in person at Barnegat High School, begins at ...

BARNEGAT, NJ – Barnegat voters eager to have their votes counted may want to wait until at least October 7th to submit their mail-in ballots.  TAPintoBarnegat/Waretown will host a candidates’ forum on October 6th featuring the seven individuals seeking to fill three open Board of Education positions.

The forum, which will be held in person at Barnegat High School, begins at ...

BARNEGAT, NJ - No evidence of apathy when it comes to candidates willing to give up their time to serve on the Barnegat Board of Education. Seven candidates are slated to vie for three open seats on the board. TAPintoBarnegat/Waretown will host a forum event next month to introduce the candidates.

The terms of Doreen Continanza, Robert Geddes, and Maria Peirera all expire this year.

NEW JERSEY — Less than two months from Election Day, Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday said a new website will allow New Jersey residents to register to vote and track their mail-in ballot all while on the go or from the comfort of their home.

“This online form is safe and secure, and can be accessed anywhere – whether from a library computer or your smartphone,” Gov. Phil ...

WARETOWN, NJ – The pandemic impacted local businesses in the worst of ways – with one exception.  It opened up the concept of outdoor dining in Waretown.  Even with the return of some indoor dining, many appear hopeful they can still offer a table outside.

Ocean Township authorities moved fast in mid-June to pass a resolution allowing outdoor dining within the community.

LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ - The Tide Table Group has announced today a statement regarding the status of NJ and indoor dining that Governor Murphy has not budged on. 

The Tide Table Group owns the family of restaurants: Ship Bottom Shellfish, Mud City Crab House, Old Causeway Steak & Oyster House, Black Whale Bar & Fish House, Bird & Betty's and Parker's Garage & ...

TRENTON, NJ -- NJ Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli today, during the governor's COVID-19 press briefing, warned of a possible “twin-demic” this year during flu season and urged New Jerseyans to get their flu shots.  

“As we enter the fall season, we are also moving into the flu season. This year we are preparing for the possibility of a twin-demic,” ...

TRENTON, NJ – Sue Fulton read a recent tweet from a man who had arrived at his local Motor Vehicle Commission agency site and, in short time, gleefully walked away with his new license plates.

Even Fulton, the head of the much-maligned and often-mocked state department, had to admit that such words of praise are few and far between these days.

Amid a storm of complaints of long lines ...

LBI Region, NJ - This year the Southern Ocean County Chamber joins the US Small Business Administration in celebrating National Small Business online with a series of virtual conferences running from Tuesday, September 22 at 1 pm through Thursday, September 24. This year's National Small Business Week activities will include numerous educational panels providing retooling and innovative ...

BARNEGAT, NJ – The name of the initiative actually speaks for itself. Barnegat’s Communities that Care (CTC) a coalition of local groups that share a common goal. Their emphasis is on promoting positive youth development while coordinating their efforts.

Representatives from twelve different sectors make up the CTC community board. These range from the governing body, the schools, ...

SOUTHERN OCEAN COUNTY, NJ – Lacey Township Mayor Steven Kennis joins a select group of state officials this month as the newest member of the Oyster Creek Safety Advisor Panel. Governor Phil Murphy appointed Kennis to the panel led by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe.  

Local residents have lobbied for the creation of a Citizens ...

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ – If animals could talk, they might offer a different viewpoint on their experiences amid the pandemic. Many would brag they enjoyed more encounters with their humans. A whole host of former occupants of Ocean County animal shelters would likely credit COVID-19 with connecting them with fur-ever homes and families.

 “The two Ocean County Animal Facilities ...

TRENTON, NJ —    September is Hunger Action Month, which includes New Jersey Food Waste Prevention Day on September 17 and the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction on September 29. Today, the New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher  announced the Department is partnering with statewide food banks and service agencies to help prevent ...

LONG BEACH ISLAND - A global pandemic couldn't stop people from enjoying the lovely beaches of Long Beach Island this summer.

Labor Day has passed but don't expect to summer to sizzle out too soon.  

There will be more people here in September primarily because there are many home owners will stay put here on LBI and work remotely from home. 

Here is the current ...

TRENTON – The Division of Highway Traffic Safety is celebrating milestone anniversaries of New Jersey's nationally acclaimed teen driver laws. In a recent press release issued by the Office of the Attorney General the state recognized successes by launching "Stick to It" campaign.  As crashes involving teen drivers continue to trend downward in New Jersey, ...

Long-term slowdown in land development could be derailed by exodus to suburbs

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

New data confirms that New Jersey has recently been using a lot less land for new development than it did 20 ...