New Water Park Opens While Fans Await Carousel Experts: Watch Out For Clinging Jellyfish

By Alyssa Riccardi

JERSEY SHORE – Of- ficials are warning New Jersey swimmers about the potential dangers of clinging jellyfish that have been found in the Shore area this summer.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, clinging jellyfish are a small jellyfish capable of inflicting an extremely painful sting. Officials said they are present in bays and estuarine waters

Seaspray Park is the newest attraction on the Seaside Boardwalk. The new 5,000 square-foot spray park is located at 1800 Boardwalk Avenue, Unit 12 in Seaside Park.

By Bob Vosseller JERSEY SHORE –

Boardwalk attractions new and old help mold the landscape of the summer season, leaving fond and special memories for children and adults alike.

Both Seaside boardwalks have some attractions that fit that description – a water park that just opened while a historic carousel will reopen in the months ahead.

The latest addition to the area is Seaspray Park, a new 5,000-square-foot spray park prominently located on the boardwalk between Seaside Heights and Seaside Park.

A grand opening event was held on July 6 with family-friendly activities, deals and some splashing fun and it helped to kick off the summer season.

The attraction comes complete with slides, a Mega Bucket Dump, Fun Bus, cascading water flowers, water slides and other water features. The facility also offers families another place to cool off and have fun to beat the summer heat. The facility is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

“We are so proud to bring a vibrant, fun and safe entertainment option to our part of the Jersey boardwalk with the opening of Seaspray Park,” owner DJ D’Onofrio said.

He described it as “a place for families to gather, beat the heat, enjoy some lunch and take in the beauty of the boardwalk and the Jersey shore that we all love so much.”

He is no newcomer to the area. D’Onofrio is the owner of the iconic boardwalk restaurant The Sawmill which is just a few steps away. There is a menu at the Seaspray Park Snack Shack that includes burgers, chicken fingers,

(Seaside - See Page 4)

“Fortunately, populations of clinging jellyfish and their distribution have been largely stable since the species was first confirmed in New Jersey in 2016,” Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette said. “However, clinging jellyfish pack such a potentially powerful sting that it is important for the public to be vigilant and take precautions when recreating in coastal bays and rivers where they are found.”

Clinging jellyfish are a non-native species that originated from the Pacific Ocean. Officials said they likely came to the area in ballast water from ships or being attached to ships’

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Are Car Crashes Getting Worse?

By Chris Lundy OCEAN COUNTY

– It seems that news of serious crashes are constantly flooding social media and news apps these days. Multi-car pileups, flipped cars, and worse make it to our news feeds –each one a cautionary tale.

For example, in one recent weekend, Toms River Police responded to 36 crashes. It begs the question: are we seeing more crashes – and more severe crashes these days?

A car catching fire after being hit is dramatic and scary, even if no one is hurt in it.

But police don’t have a statistic for serious crashes. However, fatalities are recorded.

So far this year, in Ocean County, there’s been 27 fatal crashes that resulted in 28 deaths. Monmouth County saw 19 crashes resulting in 19 deaths. These numbers are on pace to match or exceed the last few years.

In 2022, Ocean had 48 crashes resulting in 52 deaths. Monmouth had 46 crashes with 55 deaths.

In 2021, Ocean had 43 crashes with 44 deaths. Monmouth had 32 crashes with 34

(Crashes - See Page 5)

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Seaside: Continued From Page 1

salads, ice cream and beverages.

Borough Mayor John Peterson and several members of the council were present for the kickoff. The mayor brought some large sheers to cut the ribbon. “We are very happy to welcome another new business and it is a symbol of the rejuvenation and rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy and the fire.”

The site previously housed some shops and small stands. The new attraction opened on Memorial Day weekend.

“It is our first year. I have no experience in running a venue like this,” D’Onofrio said. “Give me a restaurant, I got that - but this is different and we’re learning as we go along and we’re doing well.”

Ocean County Tourism Advisory Council Division Director Sandra Lazzaro presented D’Onofrio with a framed certificate from the county. She noted attractions like this that bring in tourists “are the backbone of Ocean County. This is what drives our economic engine.”

Holding signs near the ribbon cutting arc were a trio of children from Nutley: Salvatore Herbert, 6, Frankie Alessio 3, and his younger sister Vivian Alessio who are staying at their grandparents’ home in Ortley Beach. Their mom said this was their first visit to Seaspray Park. “We’re having fun,” she said.

On the other end of the boardwalk in Seaside Heights is the site of the historic Dentzel-Looff carousel.

The vintage attraction that dates back to the

Jellyfish:

Continued From Page 1 hulls, as early as the late 1800s in New England. Today, they can be found from Maine to New Jersey. Clinging jellyfish prefer shallow, slow-moving estuarine waters, where they attach themselves to algae or marine vegetation such as eel grass.

In New Jersey, environmental officials have found clinging jellyfish in several locations across shore towns. A huge population can be found in the Metedeconk River, close to areas along Princeton Avenue in Brick Township as well as on the opposite side of the river alongside residential properties off Mantoloking Road.

According to the NJDEP Jellyfish map, clinging jellyfish have also been found in the Barnegat Bay near Lavallette and Island Beach State Park.

In the Shrewsbury River, clinging jellyfish can be found in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach. Officials have even documented them as far south as North Wildwood and the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge.

What other jellyfish can you run into at the Jersey Shore?

Although it is unlikely for clinging jellyfish to be found in ocean waters or beaches in New Jersey, there are several types species that do inhabit our coast.

The most common jellyfish beachgoers can encounter are moon jellies (Aurelia aurita), which look like a round disk-shaped pad that may be frequently seen washed up on beaches. Even though they are not harmful, they can produce some discomfort if you are stung.

Many other jellyfish you can come across at the shore are not harmful. However, just like clinging jellyfish found on the bayside, there are harmful jellyfish found in oceans.

1910s will revolve once again but not as soon as officials had hoped. They were planning for its reopening at its new location to be this summer. The target date for that was July 25, National Carousel Day.

Some work still has to be performed before the famed carousel is available to the public.

In 2021, it was taken apart and some of its pieces were placed in a local commercial storage facility while other pieces were sent to Ohio to be restored.

The restoration involved the repainting of the horses, carriages and other features of the carousel. The restoration work is a service offered by a single company and they only work on one carousel at a time.

Another obstacle is the New Jersey inspection process. New Jersey is one of only a few states that require inspections and certifications for amusement rides to operate, and there is backlog. There is a limited number of state employees responsible for those inspections.

Seaside Heights Mayor Tony Vaz said a different celebration is now being planned for sometime this fall.

According to Lavallette, Ortley Beach and Seaside ShoreBeat, the Borough’s planning board recently approved two attractions that will be based on a vacant pier on the south side of the boardwalk.

The Board approved the addition of a fourway bungee trampoline attraction and a separate “animal scooter” ride to the Dupont Avenue pier for the rest of the summer. It is expected that next year, the pier will have a restaurant, which had been approved back in 2020.

Over the years, the Portuguese man-o-war (Physalia physalis) has been spotted along the Jersey Shore. Although uncommon, they are harmful and sometimes fatal.

In 2018, it was reported a Portuguese man-o-war washed up on the shores in Cape May County. There was also one that washed on in Beach Haven in 2017.

If you plan on going for a swim, know that most jellyfish are found from June to September/ October.

“Jellyfish appearance and abundance is dependent on water temperature and prey density; most species prefer warmer water. Storms and offshore wind and water currents (eddies branching off of the Gulf Stream) can bring uncommon species close to shore,” DEP Research Scientist Joseph Bilinski said. “Subtropical species such as Portuguese man-o-war end up on our shores when warm currents come toward our coast.”

What do you do if you get stung?

Bilinski recommends that the affected area be lightly scraped with a plastic card or rubbed with a towel, then rinsed with sea water and not fresh water.

“(Freshwater) will cause the nematocysts or stinging cells to rupture and cause more discomfort,” Bilinski said. “If pain persists or is severe, the individual should seek immediate medical attention.”

To learn more about jellyfish in New Jersey waters, NJDEP has a general NJ Jellyfish Information webpage at storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/28df946 61dd245f792e1b79170100975. To learn more about clinging jellyfish, visit nj.gov/dep/docs/clinging-jellyfish-factsheet.pdf.

Crashes

deaths.

In 2020, when there were a lot of COVID quarantines, Ocean had 30 crashes with 30 deaths. Monmouth had 33 crashes with 34 deaths.

In 2019, Ocean had 37 crashes with 39 deaths.

Monmouth had 33 crashes with 36 deaths.

In 2018, Ocean had 31 crashes with 39 deaths.

Monmouth had 28 crashes with 29 deaths.

In 2017, Ocean had 52 crashes with 53 deaths.

Monmouth had 40 crashes with 43 deaths.

In 2016, Ocean had 39 crashes with 41 deaths.

Monmouth had 47 crashes with 50 deaths.

Sgt. Philip Curry of the New Jersey State Police said that the NJSP Fatal Accident Unit comes out when injuries seem serious. Looking at this data, certain trends emerge.

“Driver inattention, pedestrian violations and unsafe speed are typically the top three contributing factors in fatal crashes,” he said.

It’s important to note that driver in - attention could mean cell phone use, a distraction in the vehicle, or even falling asleep at the wheel, he said.

“Driver inattention” is also marked as a contributing circumstance when a vehicle runs off the road with no other explanation as to why.

If a pedestrian violation is noted, it means that the pedestrian’s action caused the crash, such as crossing where prohibited, he said.

“Based on the top 3 Contributing Circumstances year after year, crashes could potentially be reduced if drivers avoided distractions and drove defensively. Pedestrians should cross roadways designated for pedestrian crossing and should always use due caution for their own safety,” he said.

Statewide Deaths Rise

Statewide, the fatalities follow similar trends to Ocean and Monmouth counties. On the years that Ocean and Monmouth were really bad, the rest of the state is really bad, too.

2023 to date: 295 crashes causing 310 deaths

2022: 650 crashes causing 694 deaths.

2021: 667 crashes causing 697 deaths

2020: 550 crashes causing 587 deaths

2019: 524 crashes causing 558 deaths

2018: 524 crashes (same two years in a row) causing 563 deaths

2017: 591 crashes causing 624 deaths

2016: 570 crashes causing 602 deaths

New Jersey looks at these figures much deeper in their annual Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash Report. The most recent report available at this time is from 2021.

In 2021, roadway fatalities increased a frightening 18.7% over the previous year in the nation’s totals. There were 697 deaths in 2021 in New Jersey alone, 110 more than 2020. It is the highest number in 13 years.

The 2021 report put some of the blame on COVID-19 regulations fading. Regardless, it was still estimated that it was the worst since 2005.

The report explained that this works out to an average of almost two deaths per day.

Of these deaths, 97 involved motorcycles, 36 involved tractor trailers, 26 involved bicycles, and 217 (almost one-third) were pedestrians.

There was alcohol involved in about 30 percent of the crashes, and in 12 percent of them, a driver was legally drunk.

Perhaps there are some trends that follow a pattern. For example, in 2016 and 2017 – locally and statewide – the numbers of deaths were very high before they dropped. Then, they rose again coming up to today. It could be that the statistics are cyclical and rise and fall regularly.

It’s not just in New Jersey. The nation saw an increase of 10.5% in fatalities from 2020 to 2021. There were 42,915 motor vehicle fatalities across the country in 2021.

Toms River Senior Center Seeking New Members

By Alyssa Riccardi

TOMS RIVER – The Toms River Senior Center, located at 652 Garfield Avenue, has just announced that they are currently seeking new members to join their community.

The Center offers seniors ages 60 and over a free membership to their active community, with no residency requirements. Activities at the Center includes scheduled games like canasta, bridge, Rummikub and several exercise groups like yoga, chair exercise, tai chi and Zumba. Members are always looking for new friends to play casual games like poker, pinochle and other card games. In addition, bingo is scheduled twice a week.

The Center also offers a weekly watercolor class and Coffee Klatch that includes edu- cational presentations and fun activities. Monthly activities and programs consist of educational speakers, day trips and movies with refreshments. Other programs include wellness events, health fairs, drug take backs and much more.

Activities are free at the Senior Center and some transportation to the Center may be available for members who do not drive.

Toms River residents who need assistance and information about senior benefit programs can take advantage of Senior Outreach services.

For more information on programs and services offered at the Toms River Senior Center, call 732-341-1000 ext. 8460. The Toms River Senior Center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.