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New Jersey Dethrones Nevada as Top Destination for Sports Betting

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

ATLANTIC CITY NJ,  New Jersey  took in more sports bets last month than Nevada .According to gambling regulators in both states, New Jersey saw $318.9 million worth of bets, edging past Nevada, which took $317.4 million.

Earning New Jersey casinos and racetracks made $15.5 million in revenue, compared to $11.6 million in Nevada. ever since New Jersey won a U.S. Supreme Court case in May 2018 that cleared the way for all 50 states to offer legal sports betting sports betting has  grown very rapidly in the state dethroning Nevada as the sports betting capital of America.

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More NJ Beaches Closed Due to Dangerous Bacteria

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Sparta NJ, Dangerous bacteria blooms are prompting advisories and forcing closures of more public swimming areas in New Jersey. The Spruce Run reservoir in Hunterdon County has been closed to swimmers for all but one day in June because of cyanobacteria blooms. The Hopatcong State Park beach was recently closed because of a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB). Now 7 other Lake Hopatcong beaches have also been closed over bacteria concerns. Lake Mohawk in Sparta is under an advisory, although swimming is still allowed. The Swartswood Lake State Park swimming area has reopened after closing because of a HAB earlier this month.

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NJ State Police Investigate Parkway Crash that Killed Teen

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Brick Township NJ, The New Jersey State Police are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed Rachel Upright, 15, of New Milford, P.A., and seriously injured another on the Garden State Parkway, in Brick Township, Ocean County.

On Saturday, June 22, at approximately 5:22 p.m., a Ford Explorer was traveling northbound on the Garden State Parkway in the right lane. In the area of milepost 93.3, the Ford entered the right shoulder and struck the rear of a parked Hyundai Santa Fe, which then struck the rear of a parked Honda CR-V. The drivers of the Hyundai and the Honda were not in their vehicles at the time of the crash and were not injured.

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16 Foot Great White Spotted off of Manasquan Inlet

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

MANASQUAN NJ, a huge great white shark approached a boat off the coast of New Jersey.The incident Wednesday happened about 30 miles southeast of Manasquan Inlet.

The shark was seen approaching the boat eating the chum bag. Jeff Crilly, owner of the boat, Big Nutz Required II, says the shark was about 16-feet long. Four other fisherman were on board and all were safe .

The great white shark , also known as the great white, white shark or white pointer, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is notable for its size, with larger female individuals growing to 6.1 m (20 ft) in length and 1,905 kg (4,200 lb) in weight at maturity.

On that note we’ll stick to Graydon .

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Assemblyman Rooney: Beware of Vacation Scams

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As summer nears and as we being to plan our vacations, I would like to share with you some tips to avoid getting scammed. By now, all of us have received fake phone calls and emails claiming that we have won a free vacation. So many people have been victimized by these scams. The Federal Trade Commission offers the following tips to avoid being scammed:
Do some research:

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GOP Efforts to exempt the Jersey Shore communities from Renters tax shot Down by Democrats

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey Shore NJ, Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start to summer, Assemblyman Hal Wirths and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso fought to protect consumers and the tourism industry from the so-called “Airbnb tax.” Last July, Gov. Murphy and the Democrat-controlled legislature passed a law that applied an 11.6 surcharge on short-term rentals not booked through a real estate agency.

The Assembly voted on legislation yesterday to limit the scope of the Airbnb tax to rentals obtained through a marketplace, but Wirths and DiMaso say it doesn’t go far enough. The tourism industry is starting to feel the consequences of the tax as short-term rentals at the Jersey Shore struggle and vacationers choose less expensive destinations.

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Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament Sunday, May 19, 2019

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Island State Park NJ, The annual Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament is held on the third Sunday in May at Island Beach State ParkIn 2019 the tournament will be held on Sunday, May 19.

A variety of species are eligible for entry in the tournament each year. Overall length determines the winner. All fish must meet minimum length tournament requirements. Tournament fishing hours are 6:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Continue reading Governor’s Surf Fishing Tournament Sunday, May 19, 2019
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Jersey Shore Lifeguard says small device does the trick no need for legislation

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“As a Jersey Shore lifeguard with 2 decades of experience, I’ve seen at least a dozen injuries from metal umbrella posts that that fly like spears, when blown into beachgoers on windy days or with wind gusts. The answer to the problem is simple and inexpensive. You buy a metal spiral-like helical device that you turn into the sand. Your umbrella goes into the device and is secured with a thumb screw. The device has ‘handles that make it easier to ‘screw’ deeper into the sand, has no pointed end to it and costs about $7”

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U.S. Senator Bob Menendez Leads Charge on Killer Beach Umbrella Safety ahead of Summer Season

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, With the start of the summer season around the corner, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) today led efforts to better inform and protect the public from dangerous, potentially lethal, flying beach umbrellas.  Last summer, a beach umbrella that took off with a gust of wind impaled a tourist on the beach in Seaside Heights, N.J.  In 2016, a woman in Virginia Beach was killed by a beach umbrella that got caught in the wind and struck her in the torso.

Continue reading U.S. Senator Bob Menendez Leads Charge on Killer Beach Umbrella Safety ahead of Summer Season
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Memorial Day Weekend is just weeks away and so is Murphy’s New 11.625% Short Term Rental tax

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ocean Township NJ, With Memorial Day Weekend and the unofficial start of the summer season just weeks away, Legislative District 11 General Assembly candidates Mike Amoroso and Matt Woolley are pressuring Democratic leadership in Trenton to repeal the 11.625 percent sales and occupancy taxes on homeowners – largely in coastal communities – who directly rent their properties during the summer season.

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Alcohol and smoking ban now in place at Gateway’s Sandy Hook

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Highlands NJ, A man fell four feet off a loading dock because he thought it was a short cut between the snack area and the bathroom. A motor vehicle accident resulted in the injury of all four occupants, two of whom had to be medevacked to the hospital. Another man passed out in the sand with waves breaking over his head. These were three of the 328 alcohol related incidents at the Sandy Hook Unit between 2016 and 2018.

“Sandy Hook has become a party beach,” said Chief Ranger Greg Norman. “People don’t come here for a beer, they come here for a six pack.”

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Jersey Shore community says that paying seasonal workers $15 per hour as minimum wage will hurt the town and drive up prices

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Toms River  NJ, News 12 New Jersey is reporting that the mayor of a Jersey Shore community says that paying seasonal workers $15 per hour as minimum wage will hurt the town and drive up prices.While New Jersey’s economically challenged Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation earlier this year to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour over the course of the next five years. The governor has said that a higher minimum wage will strengthen the middle class and give security to working families. The reality is middle class families try to send their kids to collage or  trade school  so they don’t have to work for minimum wage . The minimum wage is for starter jobs and part time jobs raising the bar eliminates those jobs , skills and work ethic that go along with them .

Continue reading Jersey Shore community says that paying seasonal workers $15 per hour as minimum wage will hurt the town and drive up prices
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Murphy Grants Tax break to Hollywood ,but Raises Taxes on Jersey Shore Rentals

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) questioned Governor Murphy’s motive to provide a multi-million dollar tax subsidy to Hollywood’s film industry while simultaneously increasing taxes that negatively impact New Jersey’s shore homeowners and the summer tourism industry.

“Governor Murphy’s tax break for the Hollywood film industry stands in stark contrast to his tax hike on New Jersey shore house renters,” Pennacchio said. “While the Hollywood-connected elite will enjoy $425 million in subsidies, beach renters could pay up to an additional 14 percent in taxes. This could amount to hundreds of dollars in fees on what was once an affordable family vacation. The owners of these shore rentals are also paying an unfair price, on top of the already high taxes and operational costs required to maintain their properties.

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New Murphy Tax Chasing Away Tourists

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the staff if the Ridgewood blog

Sea Side Heights NJ, Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin (all R-10) said Governor Phil Murphy should listen to the concerns of homeowners and small businesses owners along the Jersey Shore who are raising the alarm about the impacts already being felt due to a tax increase the Governor approved last year on short-term beach rentals.

“You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire like Governor Murphy to vacation down the shore,” said Holzapfel. “To charge a family that already stretch to pay thousands for a summer vacation an extra ten to fourteen percent in rental taxes is ridiculous. We’re already hearing that potential customers are responding to the new tax by booking at a much slower pace, which is concerning to the many tourism-driven businesses that make the bulk of their income during the summer months.”

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Charges against the Whale are Pending in Jersey Shore Boat Sinking

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Photo courtesy of the NJ State Police

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Deal NJ, the New Jersey State Police have reported :

“that suddenly the great beast was before them! He was ten stories high if he was a foot!”

Yes, folks, earlier today, two people in a 20-foot boat were fishing approximately one mile off of Deal, Monmouth County when they had a close encounter with a whale. The whale surfaced beneath the vessel, causing it to capsize.
Both occupants fell overboard as a result, but fortunately no one was hurt. Troopers from the New Jersey State Marine Services Bureau are conducting the vessel accident investigation.
Charges against the whale are pending its apprehension.