Jersey Shore News: August 16, 2022
Marijuana Sales Numbers Are In And It Turns Out Pot Is Popular
Friends of the family of the teen who was struck and killed by a train near Point Pleasant Beach on Jersey Shore have launched a fundraiser for his family. Transit officials say the teen — identified as Raul Cartagena — was struck by a southbound New Jersey Transit train on the North Jersey Coast Line at the Foreman Avenue crossing Sunday afternoon. So far, the GoFundMe account has raised almost 43-thousand dollars.
Today, the Toms River School District will post online the lesson plans for its sex education curriculum — an issue that sparked debate among parents at a hearing last night. State officials say the new curriculum is designed to make school more welcoming about gender identity and sex education so all students feel valued. Some parents at last night’s hearing called it creepy.
The Planning Board in Howell has approved a proposal to build a 239-acre solar farm on top of a former landfill in the township. The landfill — located on Lakewood Allenwood Road in Howell – was capped in 1996. The builder, Monmouth Solar One — says when it’s fully operational, the facility will generate 19 megawatts of electricity. According to an industry organization enough for about 3000 homes. There were no comments from the public at the hearing on the proposal.
Sinkholes on the beach in Bradley Beach have forced the closure of the beach at McCabe Avenue. The town is working with the Army Corp of Engineers and DEP to fill the sinkholes, apparently caused by beaches in an outflow pipe.
New Jersey is changing COVID-19 testing requirements. Governor Murphy signed an executive order today lifting the requirement that unvaccinated school and day care workers, as well as state contractors, don’t need to undergo routine COVID-19 tests. The change goes into effect immediately for school districts and child care settings and on September 1st for state contractors. The move comes after an update on COVID guidelines from the CDC. The state said there were 833 new positive tests yesterday.
In the first ten weeks since the law legalizing recreational marijuana took effect, New Jersey has sold nearly 80-million dollars of the legal weed. State officials say the legal weed has generated more than four-point-six million dollars in tax revenue during that period. They say prices will drop as more marijuana is sold and more dispensaries open. Under state law, part of the tax revenue will go toward cities with rates of high crime and unemployment.
