Blogfinger

APP:   “It now remains to be seen if DEP commissioner Shawn LaTourette will accept, modify or reject her AG  ruling. On July 18, the New Jersey Attorney General filed objections to Caliguire’s. (Administrative Judge in Trenton)  decision, calling on LaTourette  (DEP ) to overrule it’s original ruling threatening fines. .”

Patch:   “Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association President Michael Badger said he thinks the town is a victim of religious persecution. He said Ocean Grove was founded as a Methodist summer seaside retreat, and is still used by Methodist religious groups today.”

“Keeping the beaches closed leads to a quieter, less crowded and more relaxed Sunday morning in Ocean Grove: You do not have the crowds that you have on a Saturday morning. You don’t have the jingle from the ice cream trucks running up and down the beach. You can get a parking space so you can walk to breakfast or yes, walk to church,” he told Patch in this 2023 article.

“He also argues there are many other Jersey Shore towns that close or partially block off their beaches from time to time — and are not threatened by the state.

“After Long Branch had that problem with the pop-up parties, they closed their beaches at night,” Badger previously said. “And Asbury Park, which just had the Sea.Hear.Now festival, put barricades up at either end of their beaches to prevent people from getting onto the beach. Those barricades were in place all weekend.

(Blogfinger pointed this out in our post about the Festival where they wouldn’t allow me to go on the beach to photograph the news.). Only some received press passes for the event.  (bias)

“In recent summers, both Ocean City and Seaside Heights have closed their beaches at 8 p.m. to discourage teens from gathering there. Neither town was issued a violation notice from the state.”