News Archive

Whitesboro, N.J. – The Cape May County Health Department, in partnership with Middle Township and local organizations, will hold a second Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Event on Thursday, May 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Center in Whitesboro.

The Health Department prefers if people pre-register for vaccines, but walk-ins will be welcome. Those who would like to pre-register can contact the Middle Township Senior Center at 609-465-8865.

A light dinner will be provided to those attending the vaccine event. More details will be announced when available.

Memorial Day Parade returns to Middle Township this year

Traditional holiday event includes bike-decorating contest

After observing Memorial Day from their porches last year, Middle Township residents can look forward to the return of the Memorial Day Parade on May 31.

The summer kick-off parade will begin at 10 a.m. at Memorial Field on Pacific Avenue. The route proceeds from Memorial Field to Boyd Street, going north on Boyd Street turning left onto Mechanic Street, then turning left onto Dias Creek Road, ending at the American Legion Post 198. The parade will be followed by the Memorial Day Ceremony

A kids’ bike-decorating contest also will be held at Memorial Field, with judging at 9:20 a.m. Divisions are for 3- to- 6-year-olds; 7- to 9-year-olds and 10- to 12-year-olds.

Last year’s Memorial Day parade was canceled amid strict COVID restrictions. Instead of gathering for an event, residents were encouraged to create “Patriot Porches” at their own homes by displaying flags and other red, white, and blue decorations. The Memorial Day Ceremony and a virtual concert were streamed through the Recreation Department Facebook page.

Although last year’s alternative event kept the community connected, Township officials are happy to welcome back the traditional parade.

“We are very happy to be able to safely and sensibly return to the great Middle Township traditions of Memorial Days past,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “Now, more than ever, it is proper and important that we gather as a community to honor and remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the liberty and freedom that defines America.”

Those who wish to participate in the bike-decorating contest and the parade must be pre-registered before May 27. Registration forms can be returned via email to nmcdevitt@middletownship.com or completed at middletownship.recdesk.com/Community/Home.

All attendees and participants are required to practice social distancing and wear a mask when unable to socially distance. Middle Township reserves the right to manage the capacity of the event if needed for health and safety reasons.

Those who don’t attend the parade in person can watch the live stream on the Middle Township Facebook page.

Notice of lane restriction along Avalon Boulevard (C.R. 601)

Beginning Monday morning May 3, 2021 and continuing until Friday May 14, 2021, the
Ingram’s Thorofare Bridge along C.R. 601 will be restricted to a single lane with alternating
traffic. Motorist will be able to cross the bridge, however, travel will be limited to a single lane
as workers grind the new concrete deck surface for enhanced rideability and cut grooves in the
deck for traction and drainage.

During the closure of one of the bridge lanes, traffic will alternate around the construction
zone and be controlled by a temporary traffic signal. The road will remain open, however,
motorists should expect delays. This traffic pattern will be in place throughout the two-week
period of construction.

Middle Township to offer summer basketball programs

Recreation department aims to create direct feeder program for High School

Children participate in a Middle Township basketball program last winter at Martin Luther King Community Center. The Township will offer a variety of summer hoops leagues and camps as part of its plan to become a feeder program for Middle Township High School basketball.

Cape May Court House, N.J. – There will be no excuse to stay on the bench – or in the house – this summer in Middle Township.

For the first time, the Township’s Recreation Department will offer basketball day camps and a summer basketball league. The Township also will run a new travel AAU basketball program in conjunction with Middle Township High School.

Aside from the clear benefit of expanding summer activity options for kids, there’s another purpose to the programs, explained Superintendent of Recreation Dustin Sturm.

“Our main mission is to become a direct feeder program for Middle Township High School. Over time, athletes have left the confines of Middle Township to compete and play in other towns that provided these leagues and camps,” Sturm said. “This led to a lot of these same athletes going to different high schools eventually and not going to Middle Township to play high school sports.”

The Township will start its participation in highly competitive AAU basketball with a 10-and-under team. The goal is to develop additional teams, paving the way for athletes to play in high school.

Players as young as third-grade will get a preview of Middle Township’s high school basketball program through the new summer camps.

“The camps we are having will introduce the young athletes in Middle Township to the coaches and players involved in the high school basketball program. These relationships are important to creating a successful feeder program and portal for our high school sports,” Sturm said.

Although the summer programs will help start serious athletes on a track to high school hoops, Sturm said the activities also are ideal for kids who just want to have fun.

“The leadership and vision shown by Dustin Sturm, (Program Coordinator) Kyle Morinelli, and the rest of our recreation staff has been astounding,” said Committeeman Jim Norris, who oversees the Recreation Department. “This year has been so difficult for many, especially our youth. Our new summer sports programs will not only bring back activities for our kids, but also reinvigorate our Middle Township community spirit.”

Here are the summer basketball programs. To register, go to www.middletownship.recdesk.com. Call the Recreation Department with any questions at 609-465-8743 or 609-465-8747

 Co-ed Summer Basketball League

Held at Martin Luther King Community Center. Cost is $30 per player for all three age divisions. No outside coaches needed for the two older divisions; Recreation Department will coach the teams and run the score clock and book.

K-2nd Grade

Dates: Thursdays from July 8-Aug. 12

Format: Same model as winter program. Six teams with 10 players each.

3rd-5th Grades

Dates: Mondays and Wednesdays from July 5-Aug. 9

Format: There will be 12-minute running clock games. Eight teams with 10 players each. Every team participates in the playoffs which begin the first week in August. Championship is Aug. 9.

 6th-8th Grades

Dates: Mondays and Wednesdays from July 5-Aug. 9

Format: There will be 14-minute running clock games. Eight teams with 10 players each. Every team participates in the playoffs which begin the first week in August. Championship is Aug. 9.

Hoops Basketball Camps

Instructional camps will be held at the Goshen Sports Complex. Registration for each camp will be $160.  All players will bring their own lunch. Camp will be run by recreation staff and players from the high school. The camp will include fun games, skill games, full court 5v5 games and prizes. A ceremony to honor all the players will be held on the last day of camp.

3rd-5th Grades: July 12-16, 9 a.m-1 p.m.

6th-8th Grades: July 26-30, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Phoenix AAU Basketball Team

New travel program will be run at the Martin Luther King Center by the Recreation Department in conjunction with the high school. Training and clinics included. The program will launch this year with a 10-and-under team, with the goal of adding more age groups.

Tryouts: May 17 and May 20, 7-8:30 p.m.

Highlights: State tournaments and showcase games that will take place on weekends through August.

Cost: $300; players must be registered to try out.

The Township of Middle announced that it is considering consolidation of the municipalities two Fire Prevention Bureaus. The proposed plan would shift the designation of the fire code enforcement agency from the Township’s Fire Districts to the Middle Township Construction Office.

The purpose of the proposed restructuring would be to reduce costs, increase uniformity of enforcement throughout the community and better integrate the fire inspection protocols into the broader construction permitting process.

Currently, Fire Prevention and Fire Code Enforcement are administered through two separate offices, operated by the Fire Commissioners in Fire District 1 (Cape May Court House) and Fire District 2 (Rio Grande). Fire District 1 provides Fire Prevention services for Fire District 3 (Green Creek) and Fire District 4 (Goshen).

“We appreciate the good work that both offices have done for the Township,” Mayor Tim Donohue said. “But as the Township grows and the regulatory burden on projects and renovations increases, it is vital that we streamline our permitting and inspection processes and ensure that policies and enforcement are uniform throughout the municipality.”

The proposed changes are part of a broader initiative by Township Committee to restructure and improve the Construction and Zoning function by bringing all permitting processes, including sewer and fire prevention under one roof.

“With the hiring of our new Construction Official, cross-training of staff and upgrades in technology, we are working to remove any hurdles to responsible and sustainable development,” Deputy Mayor Ike Gandy said. “By consolidating all permitting in one location, under the authority of the Construction Official, we plan to create a one stop shop for our builders, developers and residents.”

Gandy, a Supervising Foreman in the Carpenters’ Union, oversees the Construction and Zoning Offices in the Township.

“The proposed changes in Fire Prevention services would require a revision to the existing Ordinance 1206-05,” Gandy said. “The Township will be seeking input from throughout the community on the best practices to institute going forward.”

Notice of Temporary Lane Restrictions for 96th Street Bridge (C.R. 657)
Borough of Stone Harbor and Township of Middle

The 96th Street Bridge along Stone Harbor Boulevard leading into the Borough of Stone Harbor has been undergoing emergency repairs to the bascule span (movable span) throughout the spring and early winter of 2020. However, due to unfavorable winter temperatures, the entire work scope could not be completed during the winter, leaving about a two week duration of work uncompleted. The outstanding work is scheduled to resume on the bridge in order to complete the project before Memorial Day. Work will occur beginning on Monday May 3rd thru Friday May 13th. The work will proceed Monday thru Thursdays for the next two weeks between the hours of 6:00am thru 4:00pm.

The daytime work will require that one lane of the bridge be temporarily closed during these work hours. The contractor will maintain eastbound and west bound traffic using flaggers and alternating traffic patterns. Motorists will always be able to cross the bridge but there may be slight delays. The flaggers will attempt to keep traffic backups to a minimum. Emergency vehicles will be given priority if they need to cross the bridge. Motorists are advised to allow for a little more time to cross the bridge and to use caution for the safety of the workers. All work is limited to Mondays thru Thursdays and no work will occur on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. Work is expected to be completed by May 13, 2021.

Middle Township partners with conservationists to improve beaches

Earth Day projects part of ongoing work to protect horseshoe crab habitat

Top: Volunteers and staff from the American Littoral Society conduct an Earth Day dune grass planting and cleanup on South Reed’s Beach in Middle Township. The society works to preserve the ecology of Middle Township beaches. Middle: Middle Township Mayor Tim Donohue digs in to plant dune grass. Bottom: Middle Township Mayor Tim Donohue and Business Administrator Kim Krauss volunteer on Earth Day.

Cape May Court House, N.J. – Each spring, the American Littoral Society takes the lead on the intricate work of protecting Middle Township beaches for residents – and not just the human ones.

The environmentalists blend innovative strategies and manual labor in the fight to protect the beaches’ horseshoe crab habitats. Red knots, one of the furthest-migrating bird species in the world, rely on the precarious supply of the crab eggs. The shorebirds stop at Middle Township beaches each spring on their 9,000-mile trip from South America to their breeding grounds in the Arctic.

“A healthy ecosystem is the Delaware Bay’s foundation of economic well-being. People come to see the natural phenomenon from all over the world.” said Tim Dillingham, the executive director of the American Littoral Society. “Supporting habitats is in everyone’s best interest.”

The nonprofit conservation group plans a variety of cleanup projects and pursues grants to fund sand replenishment. Middle Township government also embraces the “tremendous responsibility” of caring for the area’s natural resources, Dillingham said.

Partners in preservation

On Earth Day, Middle Township Mayor Tim Donohue and Business Administrator Kim Krauss put their hands in the sand, joining the society in planting dune grass along South Reed’s Beach to protect the horseshoe crab habitat. The day also included a beach cleanup, with Township staff hauling away the trash.

“It’s important to protect our natural resources,” noted Larry Niles, a wildlife biologist who works with the Littoral Society and this month oversaw the addition of just under 5,000 tons of sand to repair breaches at Reed’s Beach, Pierce’s Point and Kimbles Beach.

Flooding causes the breaches in the sand, creating conditions where crabs can get stranded and die. Replenishing the sand and rebuilding dunes is essential to saving crab habitats.

“We want to thank Larry Niles and the team from the American Littoral Society, including Tim Dillingham, Quinn Whitesall and Shane Godshall, for their years of hard work to protect the fragile ecosystem on our Delaware Bay shoreline,” Donohue said. “Administrator Kim Krauss and I were honored to join a great group of volunteers for some Earth Day dune grass planting in support of this good work.”

The Township has provided logistical support to help the conservationists in their mission.

Township Committee passed an ordinance in April 2020 to prohibit driving on the shoreline and beaches along the Delaware Bay, including Cook’s Beach, Norbury’s Landing, Pierce’s Point, Reed’s Beach and Sunset Beach. There are select exceptions, such as for NJ Department of Environmental Protection staff and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Environmentalists had supported the measure to prevent beach damage and protect migrating birds.

The Township also has helped secure permission from local land owners for the Littoral Society to work on their bay shore property.

Edge of extinction

While federal and state support is critical to environmentalists, local municipalities can become closely involved with the cause, Dillingham explained.

“We see the communities as stewards of these animals that have been around for 450 million years and the birds that have been stopping here on this migration for thousands of years.”

But after 450 million years on earth, horseshoe crabs’ numbers have dwindled on Middle Township beaches. Overharvesting in the late 1990s dramatically reduced the crab population. Then, in 2012, Hurricane Sandy wiped out much of the crab spawning habitat. Niles said blustery storms over last winter had similar effects to Sandy.

Warming temperatures also have left the beach line more vulnerable, he said. “The bay isn’t freezing anymore, so there’s a lack of ice to shield the shoreline.”

The horseshoe crab numbers are still about half of what they once were, but conservationists say having the Township’s full support has helped them expand the habitats – and save the birds that feed on the crabs’ eggs.

“The partnership is key to the success that we’ve had to keep the red knots from going over the edge of extinction,” Dillingham said. “Middle Township has been such a leader in collaborating with everything we do. “

Tons of sand, endless dedication

The constant addition of sand requires a steady influx of funding. The Littoral Society joins forces with Niles’ Wildlife Restoration Partnerships and Stockton University’s Coastal Research Project to pursue grants in support of their work.

The conservationists received a $250,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation last year and this year is seeking cash from the state to match grants.

In the meantime, the work continues. The environmental advocates are now experimenting with breakwaters – barriers made of stone with oyster shells backing them – to tame waves and protect the beach.

“Our projects are trying to bring serious science to this. It’s adaptive management. We’re monitoring everything so that whatever we do will inform the next project,” Niles said.

The team is also committed to involving the community.

A breakwater project is planned for Pierce’s Point and the process will include a stakeholder meeting, Niles said.

The conservationists’ research to provide better habitats for crabs can get down to minute details, such as measuring eggs and checking the coarseness of sand.  But there’s a payoff for those who love to see nature in action, Niles said.

“Because of the protection that we provide, people who want to see the migration can come to see the red knots.”

Overnight Lane Closures on Garden State Parkway for Middle Township to Wildwood Reliability Project

 Who:                     Atlantic City Electric

What:                   Lane closures on Garden State Parkway to safely complete a reliability improvement project serving customers in Cape May County. Lane closures will occur from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to limit traffic disruptions.

When:  April 26, 2021 – May 2, 2021

                10 p.m. – 4.a.m.

Where: Garden State Parkway in Middle Township between exits 4 and 6

Atlantic City Electric is currently rebuilding a critical transmission line running from Middle Township to the Wildwoods to improve service reliability for Cape May County customers. The project includes replacing existing utility poles with new, stronger steel poles and modern equipment that will improve the resiliency of the local energy grid.

To safely perform this work, intermittent overnight lane closures will occur between exits 4 and 6 on the Garden State Parkway beginning Monday, April 26 through Sunday, May 2, resulting in potential traffic delays. Lane closures will occur from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to limit traffic disruptions. All work is weather permitting.

This project is upgrading four miles of critical transmission line between Middle Township and the Wildwoods, strengthening the local energy infrastructure against more extreme weather and improve reliability for more than 24,000 customers. These infrastructure upgrades will strengthen the region’s energy grid and will lead to fewer storm-related outages and better reliability for customers.

Atlantic City Electric is committed to minimizing potential impacts on local traffic, businesses and the community, and appreciates the cooperation and understanding of local residents as it continues to perform this important reliability enhancement work. For additional information on reliability projects, visit atlanticcityelectric.com/Reliability.