Blogfinger

Haven’t we had enough of this brouhaha? The Asburians have more fun than the Grovers. Paul Goldfinger photo at the Zombie Parade 10/7/23.

War of the Words.  Clash of two small groups.  8/27/23. Sunday morning. Ocean Grove.  Paul Goldfinger photograph.

By Paul Goldfinger,  Editor, Blogfinger.net.   10/18/23

We recently reported that the Camp Meeting was suing two citizens over the Sunday morning beach access issue (9 am to noon on summer Sundays.)   That suit was filed on Oct. 2 in Freehold, and the CMA has asked for an injunction to prevent the public from accessing the beach on summer Sunday mornings as it has done for many years, going back to when the beach was closed all day Sunday.  This morning closure was a compromise.

But  “New Jersey law says beaches must be accessible to the public 24/7.” *

Today the Asbury Patch reports that the NJDEP may be leveling an up- to $25,000 per day fine against the CMA “if the town** does not remove the padlocks on the steps down to their main beach.”

Blogfinger has taken the position that the beaches belong to we-the-people and should be open on Sundays, but we disapproved of the methods used by a small group of Grovers who would forcibly crash the locked entrance every  Sunday morning this past summer.  They would be obnoxious, argue with staff,  and then force their way over or under the locked chain that closed off that entrance.

They even called the police one Sunday (8/27)  when our reporter was present.  And they demanded that we not photograph their leader Shane Martins while he was actively making news that morning.   They wasted the time of the NTPD which  has remained neutral regarding enforcement of CMA rules.

The people of Ocean Grove seem to be largely  unperturbed by the 3 hour Sunday closures, but the DEP should enforce the law.

Also there is the  persistence of the DEP, which evidently is not sentimental over the CMA’s religious arguments or their view that they, as owners of the beachfront, can legitimately make rules to help with management and quality of life issues.

Michael Badger of the CMA says that other beaches open to the public have to obey rules too, such as no nighttime sleeping on the beach, no dogs,  and no swimming where surfers hold sway.  (Ocean Grove has a surfer’s beach where only surfers are allowed.)

The issue is currently up in the air  (which is available  24 hours each day–for free) pending the court’s ruling, the DEP threat with fines, and the CMA’s latest reaction to the possibility of an unsustainable fine for them.

*Asbury Patch report regarding the fine.  10/18/23. This is a good ambitious local news source.  Patch.com. They have posted the actual DEP letter dated Oct 12, 2023.

** Once again a news source refers to the CMA as “the town.”  We blame the CMA for confusing their actual name with the name “Ocean Grove.”    But the Patch needs to do a better job if it intends to report regarding  the Grove.

Time will tell:

IRMA THOMAS  from Treme.