On Illinois only natural shoreline, two midcentury bathhouses sit unused, largely because their beach is being washed away from erosion.

Saturday, Aug. 8, 6 a.m. CT

On Illinois only natural shoreline, two midcentury bathhouses sit unused, largely because their beach is being washed away from erosion.

About 50 north of the Loop, near Zion, lll., two nearly identical, old bathhouses stand with rolling concrete roofs that mimic the waves on nearby Lake Michigan. Jason Marck / WBEZ

Saturday, Aug. 8, 6 a.m. CT

Many people go to Adeline Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park to camp or hike at the only natural dunes remaining on the Illinois shoreline. But they may not expect to find a wild example of Jet Age modernist architecture.

About 50 north of the Loop, near Zion, lll., two nearly identical, old bathhouses stand with rolling concrete roofs that mimic the waves on nearby Lake Michigan.

Except for a few who stop for a photo op, the bathhouses sit unused, largely because their beach has been mostly washed away due to erosion, said Bob Feffer, the superintendent of the state park. The northern building has been closed since at least 1987, and the southern which now sits only about 20 yards from the water closed in the early 2000s.

The buildings were designed only to be used in the summer, with changing rooms and showers for Lake Michigan bathers. The south bathhouse features a tall, spindly lifeguard tower that stretches up toward the sky and both have concrete screens to emphasize their indoor/outdoor characteristics.

The buildings are at opposite ends of a beachfront walkway parts of which are falling into the lake. Along the roughly half-mile walk between the bathhouses, a few picnic structures are scattered that mimic the roll-top roofs. Their kicky architecture is right out of 1960, the year that these structures opened.

And with them opened a new eras approach to state park lodges.

They stand in contrast to older log and stone buildings at other state parks like Starved Rock and White Pines Forest, where the bathhouses were built to be forward-looking.

Illinois State Beach Park opened in 1948 and just a decade later, then Illinois Gov. William Stratton announced a nearly $2.7 million remodel to rival Jones Beach State Park in New York. Thats equal to $25.1 million today. The renovation plans included a new lodge, a small zoo, three bathhouses, campgrounds and more, although not all were completed.

The buildings were designed by Barancick & Cole, the architecture firm that also worked on the Chicago-based Golden Point hamburger chain, a mid-century design with a triangular red roof that touched the ground and a golden steeple poking out of the top. Theyd later build several nice but not particularly fabulous modernist high rise buildings in North Side neighborhoods.

The lodge and bathhouses were a matching set, said Anthony Rubano of the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office. Today, the lodge has been remodeled so many times the resemblance to the original structure is gone. One of the bathhouses has even been demolished.

Feffer, who said hes been told by officials in Springfield the buildings cant be torn down because of their age, wants to see the walls removed and the wave-top roofs retained as picnic shelters. But even that might be hard, because breaking open the concrete construction could have unforeseen consequences.

The park is building a new concession building a little distance away, and for now, these remnants of modernist architecture sit in benign neglect, as they have for decades.

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Whats That Building? The Modernist Bathhouses At Illinois Beach State Park - WBEZ

Commissioner Omari Hardy said residential and commercial customers for Lake Worth Beachs city-owned utility company pay considerably higher rates than FPL customers,

LAKE WORTH BEACH Residential and commercial customers of Lake Worth Beachs city-owned utility company are acknowledged to pay more for service than those of Florida Power & Light.

How much more -- and what that difference means -- depends on who is asked.

The subject has been discussed in the past decade and it came up recently after Commissioner Omari Hardy offered a proposal that included approaching FPL to gauge its interest in buying the city utility.

>> LAKE WORTH BEACH READERS: Sign up for The Posts weekly Lake Worth Beach newsletter here

Hardys idea went nowhere. Instead, discussion of the agenda item during the July 21 city commission meeting degenerated into the petulance, acrimony and incivility that has typified the boards bi-monthly sessions since a heated verbal exchange in March between Hardly and Triolo went viral.

Commissioner Scott Maxwell criticized Hardy for pursuing the issue of shopping the utility company, saying it was "political theater at best, and self-serving. Its despicable."

Triolo, who has struggled mightily to maintain the bodys decorum at recent commission meetings, accused Hardy of threatening the jobs of city utility workers "in the middle of a global pandemic" and leveled a dig at the commissioner by offering to take a five-minute recess during the meeting so that "Commissioner Hardy can get himself together."

Hardy spent much of the meeting bickering with Triolo and Maxwell and even took a swipe at City Attorney Glen Torcivia, alleging the lawyer was "counting his votes" by siding with the majority of Triolo, Maxwell and Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso on a procedural matter.

Triolo, Maxwell and Amoroso have voted as a unified block on every agenda item brought forward by Hardy and Robinson since the March incident.

Before discussion devolved at the July 21 meeting -- and it didnt take long -- Hardy said he wanted to "start a conversation" about the city utilitys future for two reasons: the possible financial benefits of a sale and, what he said, was the utilitys inability to achieve rate parity with FPL.

Citing figures from the Florida Municipal Power Agency, a cooperative of municipally owned electric utilities that includes Lake Worth Beach, Hardy asserted that residential and commercial customers of the city utility pay more than FPL "and not by a little bit."

A chart presented by Hardy showed that Lake Worth Beach residents who used 1,000 kilowatt hours of power paid 12 percent more -- or nearly $140 annually -- than FPL patrons during a 12-month period spanning May, 2019 through April, 2020. Customers using 2,500 kilowatt hours during that time paid nearly 14 percent more than FPL charged, according to the chart, or just under $430 annually.

The percentage difference was even greater for commercial users of the city utility, Hardy said.

"The numbers are extreme," he said.

Thats untrue, according to Utility Director Ed Liberty. While Lake Worth Beach residents and business owners pay more than FPL, Liberty said, the difference is much smaller than Hardy claims.

Liberty, also citing FMPA numbers. said the gap between what city residents and FPL customers paid for 1,000-kilowatt hours was actually $4 in 2019.

That small disparity doesnt account for the $8 million -- including $4.5 to the citys general fund -- that the utility contributes to the city on an annual basis, he said.

"You cant look at this and say, Hey, I can get the same thing for $104 from FPL that I would get for $108 in Lake Worth," Liberty said. "The answer is, No you cant."

Without the utilitys contribution, Liberty said residents would have to go without some services they receive now or "you would have to raise taxes to pay for it."

Liberty, in his post since 2007, is credited on both sides of the commission divide for boosting the utilitys efficiency, reliability and reputation.

Hardy said Libertys leadership has increased the value of the utility, another reason for investigating a possible sale.

"Eds done a fantastic job making this place more profitable.but why are we not giving our residents a choice to have a lower light bill?" Hardy asked. "Given that our residents are paying higher rates, given that theres a potential to benefit from this transaction..I think its incumbent on us to at least approach FMPA and FPL to ascertain their willingness to transact with us and what we might get out of it."

In order to make a deal with FPL, Lake Worth Beach would have to extricate itself from several contracts with the FMPA, which Triolo said would be prohibitively expensive for the city.

Commissioner Herman Robinson said inquiring with FPL and FMPA was worth the effort.

"If we dont ask the question, we dont get the answer," Robinson said. "Are we afraid of an answer? Maybe thats why we dont want to ask the question."

Residents participating in the public comment portion of the July 21 meeting were split on the issue.

One resident wrote that a shift to FPL would not be "cost-effective" for the city. Another resident, who says shes been living in the city for 10 years, complained about high rates and power outages and added that "not having FPL is a deterrent that makes people not want to move here."

But if Lake Worth Beach ever considers selling its utility company and switching to FPL or another utility company, its not going to happen any time soon.

After voting down Hardys proposal in a 3-2 vote, Triolo and Amoroso backed a resolution by Maxwell "in support" of the city utility that included a provision forbidding a sale in "foreseeable future."

Hardy and Robinson voted against it.

"We have no intention at this time of entertaining any conversations [with] FPL or anybody else," Maxwell said.

jmilian@pbpost.com

@caneswatch

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Fractured Lake Worth Beach commission wont consider talking to FPL about city utility - Palm Beach Post

Its another great weekend to hit the beaches at Lake of the Ozarks.

The DNR reports no issues at Public beach #1 or #2 in the State park.

At this time only the Campground Beach remains closed at Harry S Truman State Park in Warsaw due to flood damage.

Its unknown when that park will reopen at this time.

Open beaches

Cuivre River State Park, 678 State Rt 147, Troy

Finger Lakes State Park, 1505 E. Peabody Rd, Columbia

Harry S Truman State Park Day Use Beach, 28761 State Park Rd, Warsaw

Lake of the Ozarks State Park Public Beach 1, 403 Hwy 134, Kaiser

Lake of the Ozarks State Park Grand Glaize Beach, off Hwy 54, Osage Beach

Lake Wappapello State Park, Hwy 172, Williamsville

Long Branch State Park, 28615 Visitor Center Rd, Macon

Mark Twain State Park, 37352 Shrine Rd, Florida, Mo

Pomme de Terre State Park Pittsburg Beach, Hwy 64B, Pittsburg

Pomme de Terre State Park Hermitage Beach, Hwy 64B, Pittsburg

St. Joe State Park Monsanto Lake Beach, 2800 Pimville Rd, Park Hills

St. Joe State Park Pim Lake Beach, 2800 Pimville Rd, Park Hills

Stockton State Park, 19100 S. Hwy 215, Dadeville

Thousand Hills State Park, 20431 State Hwy. 157, Kirksville

Trail of Tears State Park, 429 Moccasin Springs, Jackson

Wakonda State Park, 32836 State Park Rd, La Grange

Watkins Woolen Mill State Park, 26600 Park Rd N, Lawson

Closed beaches

Harry S Truman State Park Campground Beach, 28761 State Park Rd, Warsaw Beach closed due to flood damage.

Additional information may be found on the departments website athttp://dnr.mo.gov/asp/beaches/

Link:

Beaches Open At The Lake Of The Ozarks - krmsradio.com

Honolulus outdoor recreationists young, old and in between expressed disappointment and frustration following Thursdays announcement that city and state parks, beaches and campgrounds would be closed Saturday through Sept. 4.

I was surprised and sad, said Adrien DeGreef, 13, of his reaction when he heard the news at his soccer teams practice in Waialae Iki park, which would be their last practice for at least four weeks, under the mayors and governors new decrees.

Its too bad, because he loves soccer and it has been a life saver, said his mother, Malia Ukishima DeGreef, who has been working full-time remotely at home. It brings him so much joy to be able to be with other children his age, to be out and exercising. Thank goodness he has surfing, too.

DeGreef said the family, including her husband, Xavier DeGreef, and Adriens sister, Lea, 10, loved to swim at the beach adjoining Makalei Beach Park at Diamond Head, and she felt fortunate they and the rest of the public would still be allowed to cross through parks to exercise in the water, even though it would once again be forbidden to linger in the parks or on the sand.

Theyve seen a lot of large gatherings and tents along the beaches and in the parks, and that kind of worried me, because (the authorities) say thats how the virus is spreading.

It seemed to make sense to ban large gatherings, but not individual and small group exercise in the parks, she said. People need to be able to go out and exercise and keep sane.

Honolulu native Sean Steele, who had just come in from surfing at Suicides off Makalei Beach Park, said the closures dont really affect me, I just surf.

But like DeGreef, Steele said he felt sorry for those who dont surf or swim in the ocean and who depend on public parks and hiking trails as places to exercise and enjoy nature.

Can we still get in the water? was the first thing champion bodysurfer Mark Cunningham said when he heard the news from a reporter who called for comment. We can? Very good.

Although parking lots in parks would be closed, Ill park on the shoulder of Kalanianaole Highway for Makapuu or Sandy Beach and walk farther if waves are good, the retired Honolulu City and County lifeguard said. And Ill be respectful of city and state laws during this period of being closed.

In the section of Kapiolani Park mauka of Paki Avenue, Christy Stanton and a roommate were stretching and exercising on mats 6 feet apart beneath the trees, alone in a wide expanse of grass.

I understand about the need to stop the virus from surging, but I think parks are where people can exercise and keep social distance in small household groups we need it especially when people arent working and are cooped up, Stanton said.

I also surf and run, so at least theres that, but a park was special, so peaceful, such a good place to wind down at the end of the day, she said.

For a foursome of tennis players at the Kapiolani Park tennis center, however, the shutdown meant total deprivation from their only active exercise.

Its unfair, said Anne Shovic. Good tennis players dont get closer than 6 feet, and were outdoors.

We have no other options, said her partner, Paul Chun, while from across the net fellow players Phyllis Tsukayama and Lisa Hankis volubly agreed.

DeGreef said she was also sad that camping had shut down. Her family had gone to a permitted camp ground at Malaekahana state park to celebrate Fathers Day, she said, and it was packed, but people were keeping social distance from other households, and the numbers of infections were so low back then.

They felt safe and happy, she said. Those were the good days.

Continue reading here:

Recreationists react to closures of city and state parks, beaches and campgrounds - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Image caption One boat carrying 14 migrants landed at Kingsdown on Saturday morning

At least 151 migrants on 15 boats have arrived on the Kent coast after crossing the English Channel, the Home Office said.

One boat reportedly carrying 12 migrants, was picked up by Border Force patrols at about 10:00 BST and brought to shore at Dover.

A second boat carrying 14 migrants landed at Kingsdown shortly after.

It is understood there were also landings at Deal and Folkestone although they have not been confirmed.

The Coastguard confirmed it was dealing with "a number" of incidents.

It was announced earlier the Home Office has sent a formal request to defence chiefs asking for help to deal with migrants attempting to cross the English Channel.

The Home Office said it was possible the Royal Navy could be brought in to patrol the migrant traffic.

Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke said: "We've gone into this record number of people crossing over this year all options need to be on the table."

On Friday a record number of unaccompanied migrant children arrived in the UK.

The 23 youths were taken into the care of Kent County Council, on top of the 70 who arrived in July.

Those figures do not include those travelling with their families, and the Home Office has refused to confirm the number of children arriving.

Since January 2019 at least 5,800 people have entered the UK on small boats, and about 155 have been returned to Europe.

The Home Office blamed current regulations - which determine where an asylum-seeker's claim is heard - for the comparatively low number of people to have been returned to Europe.

On Friday Home Secretary Priti Patel said the boats needed to be prevented from leaving France.

A record number of 235 people made the crossing in 17 vessels on Thursday. A total of 146 people arrived on Friday on 17 boats.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.

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At least 151 migrants land on Kent beaches - BBC News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. State Department of Health and Human Resources Secretary Bill Crouch says he had his eyes opened when he visited health department officials in Logan and Mingo counties Thursday who are dealing with the community spread of COVID-19.

Crouch said the work being done in the area of contact tracing is very impressive and its pointing toward a reoccurring theme.

These cases are coming from West Virginians who are traveling out of West Virginia and who are going to Myrtle Beach and other areas, but primarily Myrtle Beach and bringing the disease back with them, Crouch said Friday at Gov. Jim Justices media briefing on the coronavirus.

Crouch says Logan County Health Department officials have whiteboards set up around a room tracing each case.

We are seeing a huge outbreak in southern West Virginia that is of our own doing, Crouch said.

Crouch said he assumed tourists to areas like the Hatfield McCoy Trail were bringing the spread into West Virginia but he said not one case has been linked to tourism.

Tourism is not the problem. They are not bringing it to us. This is West Virginians who are bringing it back, Crouch said.

Gov. Justice has blamed the spread previously on trips to Myrtle Beach and he repeated that Friday.

Think about it, its Myrtle Beach. Thats where a lot of the problem has come from, Justice said.

Logan County had 170 active cases Friday, according to the DHHR COVID-19 dashboard. Mingo County 81, McDowell County 44 and Mercer County 135. Many of the Mercer County cases are linked to an outbreak at the Princeton Health Care Center nursing home.

State Coronavirus Czar Dr. Clay Marsh said while the states virus reproductive rate is now sixth lowest in the nation at .91, the rate is higher in Logan, McDowell, Mercer and Mingo counties.

When people do visit places that have high amounts of virus that they very well might decide themselves to quarantine themselves when they get back and get tested to make sure they are not one of the people that have been infected and they can infect other people, Marsh said.

Crouch said he also learned from his Thursday visit that the virus has spread at a high rate within the same family units.

Clearly the family outbreaks in Logan County are high. There are a lot of families with multiple members of the family who are positive, Crouch said.

Court closings continue

Meanwhile, Boone County Circuit Judge Will Thompson revised an order Friday that will keep the Boone County court system closed for the foreseeable future. A positive case in the prosecutors office caused Thompson to order a one week closure last Friday. The Boone County Commission has since entered an order closing the entire courthouse.

The Lincoln and Logan court systems are also closed temporarily because of the outbreak. Only emergency hearings are being held.

See the rest here:

Crouch: Recent southern counties outbreak linked to Myrtle Beach - West Virginia MetroNews

In July 2020, a video supposedly showing an octopus moving quickly across a sandy beach went viral on social media:

This was not a genuine video of an octopus.

It was actually a digital animation created by Instagram user ghost3dee, a visual effects artist based in Qatar. It was originally shared with the caption Octie Churro taking a stroll on the beach in his new, revamped body and dynamics model as well as several hashtags indicating that this was a digital animation, such as #cgcreature, #creatureanimation, #cgrender, and #animation.

A few days prior to posting the above-displayed video, ghost3dee shared another video that showed an in-progress version of Octie Churro.

While the above-displayed video does not show a genuine octopus moving quickly across a sandy beach, this animation isnt entirely far-fetched. The Abdopus aculeatus, for example, a small octopus found off the northern coast of Australia, can temporarily leave the water in order to travel small distances across land.

The following video from the BBC appears to show A. aculeatus moving from pool to pool across the beach at low tide, hunting for crabs:

The animal kingdom is full of such oddities. Weve previously written about spiders that can swim, fish that can walk, and groundhogs that can fly. OK, we made that last one up.

Link:

Does This Video Show an Octopus Walking on the Beach? - Snopes.com

Image caption One boat carrying 14 migrants landed at Kingsdown on Saturday morning

At least two boats carrying a total of 26 migrants have arrived on the Kent coast after crossing the English Channel.

One boat reportedly carrying 12 migrants, was picked up by Border Force patrols at about 10:00 BST and brought to shore at Dover.

A second boat carrying 14 migrants landed at Kingsdown shortly after.

It is understood there were also landings at Deal and Folkestone although they have not been confirmed.

The Coastguard confirmed it was dealing with "a number" of incidents.

The Home Office has been contacted for a comment.

It was announced earlier the Home Office has sent a formal request to defence chiefs asking for help to deal with migrants attempting to cross the English Channel.

The Home Office said it was possible the Royal Navy could be brought in to patrol the migrant traffic.

Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke said: "We've gone into this record number of people crossing over this year all options need to be on the table."

On Friday a record number of unaccompanied migrant children arrived in the UK.

The 23 youths were taken into the care of Kent County Council, on top of the 70 who arrived in July.

Those figures do not include those travelling with their families, and the Home Office has refused to confirm the number of children arriving.

Since January 2019 at least 5,800 people have entered the UK on small boats, and about 155 have been returned to Europe.

The Home Office blamed current regulations - which determine where an asylum-seeker's claim is heard - for the comparatively low number of people to have been returned to Europe.

On Friday Home Secretary Priti Patel said the boats needed to be prevented from leaving France.

On Thursday a record number of 235 people made the crossing in 17 vessels on Thursday.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.

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At least 26 migrants land on Kent beaches - BBC News

Fresh From The Sea, Port Isaac, Cornwall

Port Isaac has a medieval harbour, which once handled coal and pottery. Now, tourists come to walk the coastal path and visit the neighbouring harbour of Port Gaverne and its rock pools. Fisherman Calum Greenhalgh can often be seen hauling his catch up the hill in Port Isaac, and it is his fish shop and cafe, run with his wife Tracey, that Cornish chef Nathan Outlaw recommends: He catches the crabs and lobsters in the bay and she cooks and serves them. They do the best crab sandwich (9.75) in the world! freshfromthesea.co.uk

Less than 90 minutes by train from London St Pancras lies Broadstairs, with its fishermens cottages and retro ice-cream parlour, Morellis, complete with soda fountain and jukebox. Guardian food writer Felicity Cloake has found a new reason to visit: Flotsam and Jetsam, a pop-up from seafront restaurant Wyatt and Jones, which offers a dizzying array of sauces such as squid ink hot sauce and oyster mayo which are perfect squeezed on to a cone of frites (3.50), as well as crispy crab dumplings (6.50). On Facebook

Going to the village and fishing port of Saint Monans is like a trip back in time, with its 14th-century foreshore church, 17th-century houses nudging the harbourside and salt pans from its industrial past. Its also on the 117-mile Fife Coastal Path (linking the Firth of Forth with the Firth of Tay). Scott Smith, chef and co-owner of Edinburghs Fhior, suggests stopping for lunch: Although its a smokehouse, I always go for the fresh lobster. Half a lobster with tarragon mayonnaise is 14.50. eastpier.co.uk

Fossil hunting on the beaches between Charmouth and Lyme Regis is a fun way to explore Dorsets Jurassic Coast. Food writer and chef Gill Meller knows the region and this cafe is his top tip: Famous for its vegan shakshuka, it opens early so you can have a coffee after a swim, sit outside and look out over the Cobb and the bay. Its unpretentious, inexpensive and where youll find the fishermen. 24 Marine Parade, no website

The Magpie was built in 1750 as a merchants house and overlooks Whitby harbour and is food writer Yasmin Khans favourite: Its an atmospheric place. It has the best fish and chips in the UK, with chips fried in beef dripping. Its also where author Bram Stoker got inspiration for Dracula. (In 1890, Stoker arrived at Mrs Veazeys guesthouse in the town.) The huge menu includes cod and chips (11.50) and Whitby wholetail scampi with chips (12.50). magpiecafe.co.uk

This Devon town is harbourside perfection on a sunny day. A wander to Churston Cove is a good way to start, as is a visit to Berry Head national nature reserve to see the breeding colonies of guillemots. Seafood ambassador and chef Mitch Tonks says there is no need to stray far for lunch. Overlooking the bay, Shoals is part of a salt-water lido. Run by fish merchant Sean Perkes and his wife Sarah, its all about fresh local fish. The skate wing is fabulous. The catch of the day, served with sides, is 13.95. shoalsbrixham.co.uk

Think Dungeness, think shingle beaches, Derek Jarmans garden and the looming nuclear power station on the headland. The local beer is good, too, so visit the tap room at Wantsum Brewery. Food writer Kate Young describes the Snack Shack as a small shipping container featuring a kitchen, surrounded by a collection of weathered wooden picnic tables. Ive thought about the fish baps (on soft rolls, with fresh salad, served with rough chunky chips) at least once a week since I visited. Its tiny, and tentatively open, so steer clear at weekends and peak hours to avoid overcrowding. dungenesssnackshack.net

Anglesey is perfect for paddling, especially Church Bay with its cliff paths and rock pools, or for windsurfing at Trearddur Bay. Food writer and blogger Karen Burns-Booth suggests refuelling in the unlikely setting of a tin shed on a campsite. The Marram Grass is a favourite. It started off serving campers and now does creative but unpretentious restaurant-quality dishes at the seaside. Anglesey crab and lemon tatws rosti is 9, Menai mussels with tarragon basil 10. themarramgrass.com

For Nicola Miller, food writer and columnist, a day well-spent at the Suffolk port town would be an early lunch at Winkles At The Ferry (scampi and chips, 9.95) then a walk along the Deben to where it meets the sea. Follow the coastal path through to Felixstowe proper with its sandy beaches, pier and arcade then to Landguard Fort, near the Port of Felixstowe, which has a nature reserve, empty shingle-and-sand beaches and a wonderful view of the shipping channels. On Facebook

Ballycastle, with its seafront gardens, sandy beach and salt-weathered Pans Rocks, is a beauty: ferries also run to Rathlin Island for seal-spotting. Northern Irish food writer Diana Henry says: My brothers (and me, when Im in town) go to Mortons in the harbour. I take a bottle of champagne to the beach to have with the fish and chips, and my own mayo or tartare sauce, too. The cod supper is 8.10. On Facebook

See the article here:

10 of the UK's best seaside cafes and beach shacks - The Guardian

Were willing to take Mayor pro tem Craig Browns word that city leaders have no plans to close the beaches during Labor Day weekend, as they did with very short notice just before the long Fourth of July holiday.

Its understandable, however, that some in Galveston, especially in the business community, are skeptical and worried about a repeat of that last-minute July decision, which delivered a substantial financial blow to many attempting to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once bitten, and all that.

Part of the problem is city leaders cant or wont talk in any detail or with any assurance about what might make them close the beaches again. Thats not unique to them; its a problem with the whole pandemic management program at every level.

The thing that will call the tune and decide our fates is a nebulous, pulsating cloud of mostly unnamed, much less defined, data points. Its somewhat akin to being back in the hands of the oracles and at the mercy of signs and portents.

We all must suck it up and drive on, but for how long and to where exactly; who knows?

No matter whether that was inevitable or because of some avoidable systemic failure, it has inevitably caused people to doubt and divide into camps of believers and non-believers. In fact, the story of COVID-19 every day reads more like a tale of religious schism.

Be that as it may, its not on the heads of local leaders.

The uncertainty Galveston leaders have expressed about managing tourism during this pandemic is the most understandable and forgivable.

The city council is made up of volunteers with no special expertise in epidemiology, or necessarily business, for that matter, attempting to navigate their own professional and personal lives through an environment well beyond their control.

Theyre in the same boat as the rest of us, except theyre caught between constituencies whose agendas and recommendations, or demands, are both valid in context and exactly opposite in effect open, close, now, later, do, dont.

One decision might kill people, the other kill businesses and jobs.

Its hard to find a spot to build compromise in a landscape of such diametric absolutes.

We have to give leaders, especially the local volunteers, some room to err on the side of caution.

What we reasonably can expect even from them, however, is refrain from dropping anything heavy on our heads just out of the blue, as Galveston leaders did before the Fourth of July Beach closures.

This is not just a question of inconvenience. Businesses such as those accepting reservations must be able to communicate with customers or face their wrath.

It was wrong for the city of Galveston to have allowed hotels and beach rental operators, to name a couple, to continue booking rooms without even an honest heads-up that closing the beaches was under serious discussion.

Whatever else it does, the city cant do that again.

More broadly, the keepers of the data points should consider maybe cooking them down to something digestible.

If its too soon to reopen schools, just for example, whats the basis of that argument and what should we look for to change?

A few benchmarks would, if nothing else, give us something to root for.

Michael A. Smith

Read the original post:

Galveston must keep its word on sudden beach closures - Galveston County Daily News

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) A 17-year-old girl was airlifted to the hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries during a crash Friday night in Virginia Beach.

The call reporting the incident came in around 10:25 p.m. Friday in the 3900 block of North Landing Road.

Initial investigation say an SUV was traveling northbound on North Landing Road from Chesapeake into Virginia Beach at a high rate of speed.

After the vehicle crossed the North Landing Bridge, it went off the road and struck a pole and several objects, which caused it to overturn.

The driver, a 17-year-old boy sustained non life-threatening injuries and was sent to the hospital.

His passenger, however, a 17-year-old girl, suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted by first responders.

North Landing Bridge was shut down for several hours in both directions following the single-vehicle accident, but reopened just after 9 a.m. Saturday.

Police have not release additional details.

Stay with WAVY.com for details.

Read more from the original source:

17-year-old girl airlifted with life-threatening injuries following crash on North Landing Bridge in Virginia Beach - WAVY.com

Ask anybody who spends lots of time on the waters off the New Jersey coast and they'll tell you there are big sharks not far off the beach. This summer has seen more shark sightings and attacks in waters of the Northeast Coast than in recent years.

Over the weekend, a commercial fisherman out of LBI found a massive Great White Shark in his nets. It was already dead and he suspects it had been already caught by a recreational fisherman on hook and line and released. He returned the shark back into the water after he took these shots. He was pulling his nets about two miles off of the Barnegat Inlet at the northern end of Long Beach Island.

A friend of mine was tuna fishing a few miles out off the coast of Point Pleasant and hooked a nice size yellow fin. As he was pulling the big fish in closer to the boat, he noticed his line felt a little lighter. By the time he got the tuna on board, it was obvious a shark had enjoyed a little sushi for lunch before my friend could reel the fish in.

Shark attacks in New Jersey are rare and you shouldn't be anymore afraid to swim on our beaches than usual. Just keep your eyes open and we thought you'd like to know what's out there.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis' own.

More from New Jersey 101.5:

Go here to read the rest:

Great White Sharks may be closer to the NJ beaches than you think - New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, youll find many beach-goers putting their toes in the sand and surfing in the waters of Myrtle Beach.

But, theres some rules youll need to follow if you plan taking a trip to Myrtle Beach in the near future.

People from all over the country come to Myrtle Beach. The beach is just really fun, said beach-goer Noah Brunty. With little kids, they can go boogie board, run around, whatever, like, Ive always had fun making sandcastles and stuff, and also, when youre older its cool to like come and relax and everything.

Before you go, theres some rules that are in place, and it starts with fireworks.

Theyre not only illegal, but theyre also very frustrating for people that live here and who are visiting here, and we get a lot of reports of fireworks going off at 2 or 3 oclock in the morning, and thats just completely unacceptable, said Myrtle Beach Police Department Public Information Officer Cpl. Tom Vest.

Alcohol isnt allowed either, no matter what container its in, and the City of Myrtle Beach details its leash law policy on its website.

And as far as the COVID-19 pandemic goes, Cpl. Vest says theyre continuing to encourage everyone to follow safe practices.

We have a beautiful beach, its a beautiful place. We want everybody to come here, be safe, have fun and obey our laws, he said.

And for those whove been coming to Myrtle Beach their entire lives, its a great place to pick for a vacation.

If youre looking for a beach to come to thats still like a nice city also, and has the best quality beach and has the best selection of restaurants of any beach town in South Carolina that Ive been to, then here is like where youre going to want to be, said vacation homeowner Charles Hodgson.

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We have a beautiful beach: Myrtle Beach officials remind vacationers of beach rules - ABC27

People oblivious to the world around them are likely to take risks that can hurt them and others.

My family lives in Northern Virginia, and we took a trip to Virginia Beach to see the town, experience the wonders of the ocean again, and just spend some time out of the house. In terms of sights, experiences, food, and more, we got all we could ask for. But in terms of an education on why the US cannot shake the Coronavirus, we learned a lot even though we werent thinking of this as we headed out.

CV101 started when we parked near the beach. We donned our masks and stepped out of the car, and immediately noticed that almost no one else was wearing a mask. Now, it was a sunny and warm day and we didnt see big crowds or lack of reasonable distancing. But coming from the DC Metro where wearing a mask is the norm and not wearing mask is likely to get you accosted, this was surprising to us. As we walked around we noticed that all of the stores and restaurants had clear and big signage stating that masks were necessary for entry, so we let this pass and continued our day.

Our concerns were temporarily put to rest when we checked into the beautiful Cavalier hotel. All of the workers wore masks and gloves, and the check-in was done across a leather stanchion rope by workers clearly trained in staying safe and virus mitigation. During check in, we were told how our rooms would not be serviced during the day but that we could request anything needed and it would be brought to the room. But then, as we turned to walk to the elevators, we saw a middle-aged father and his three 20-something daughters with no masks on the girls, and the man barking to another check-in agent with a mask on his mouth but not nose. Then we saw another group of five or six people, also 20-something, dressed nicely for a time out but wearing no masks. We watched as the doorman, wearing a mask and gloves, opened the door for them to leave.

CV201 began after we left our room to experience the Virginia Beach boardwalk and beach. For those who may not know, the Virginia Beach boardwalk is a three-mile wide paved path for walkers with a parallel path for bicycle riders. Look to one side and see the beach and ocean, and the other side to see all kinds of commerce including restaurants, shops, and hotels. As we strolled on the boardwalk, it was shocking to see almost zero mask wearing by people who could not reasonably be claiming to exercise. The level of complacency with what is going on the country was disheartening at best. The boardwalk is wide but not wide enough to keep good distancing with plenty of people moving in each direction. All the stores along the boardwalk also had a lot of signs saying masks were required and yet we saw people everywhere entering and exiting stores and restaurants with no masks. At some point I started expecting people to chide us for wearing masks, but at least that didnt happen. We spent less time than we had hoped on the boardwalk largely because we did not feel comfortable enough to continue.

The education watching people ignore common sense behavior, resulting in school closings and a ... [+] weakened economy, was an unexpected result of a simple two day mini vacation.

After many more similar-experience hours of walking, eating, and enjoying the beach and ocean, we enrolled into CV301 when we went to dinner at a restaurant along the way home. Its a nice family Italian place we had been to before, usually on trips to Kings Dominion park. The doors had signs clearly saying that masks were required for entry, and we were greeted with a server in a mask that directed us to a table. We noticed that a lot of tables had reserved signs on them, and realized that this is how they were enforcing distancing in the dining areas. The menus were available via a QR code taped on the table. We sat at a table far from others thanks to this, so the restaurant gets high marks for doing things right. We can't say the same about the patrons, however, as most people we saw getting take-out pizzas and more walked in without masks to pay for and pick up their food. Then, we watched as a family of four walked in with no masks, and were seated at a properly distanced table. My wife asked the nice server how they deal with people who come in without masks. She told my wife the manager usually takes care of this, but he isn't here tonight. I get cussed out all day by people when I ask them to put on their masks. It struck us as unfair to put this high school or early college aged woman in the position to have to enforce a policy, and not surprising at all that rather than deal with it, she would choose to not create the conflict. Yet in the process, servers are putting themselves into potentially more danger. We thought we were done with our education when we left, but we had one more surprise coming.

CV401 started when we pulled off the highway to get some gas and use the restroom. We stopped at a well-lit gas and convenience store complex, and my wife waited in the car while my son and I went inside. We saw people in the store wearing no masks, standing very close to each other in the checkout queue, and bumping into each other in the crowded aisles. We quickly walked to the restrooms and left, wearing our masks of course. My wife told us that while we were in the store, she saw a dozen people walk in and walk out, not a single one wearing a mask. And yet the door signs were clear - masks required for entrance. We had graduated with honors in the class of finally figuring this out.

People are being blind to the effect of mask guidance, and this is slowing our economy and stopping ... [+] us from controlling virus spreading.

It looks like this: many people either dont know or dont care about the common sense guidance given to limit the spread of this virus. Many, but not all, of the oblivious people we saw were young. Yet this behavior is why the virus is not contained and likely wont be, why our kids cant safely go to school in a few weeks, and why the economy will stay mired in a quagmire. The fix is not changing what would should do, but actually doing it! On airplanes and in theme parks, places Ive also visited and written about, the enforcement is real and the consequences of non-compliance matter. While my wife was driving the final miles home, I read a story about Delta Airlines flight that returned to the gate when several passengers refused to wear their masks onboard. Bravo, Delta, as one way to change behavior is to provide a meaningful consequnce to non-compliance.

Yet while airlines and theme parks and likely other places can enforce rules or effectively not allow participation, its hard to ask a restaurant or small business owner to reject business when it has undoubtedly faced huge shortfalls in revenue over the past months. And why should the onus be on them anyway? We are all tired of being at home all of the time, wearing masks out, using hand sanitizer, and not seeing family and friends too. Whats worse is that people have died and will die from this virus. Our kids cannot return to school making us unable to return to work as normal. Come on, people. We can do this. If what we learned in these lessons is commonplace in the hotspots, its no wonder were losing this fight. Stop being selfish and put on your mask and wash your hands so we can all get back to life, work and school! As individuals we can enjoy our freedom while recognizing that we get this freedom because we all agree to behave in certain ways. Right now, some of that means wearing a mask and being conscious of others around you in regards to transmitting a scary virus. Compared to this simple trip, I cant wait to be on an airplane again to feel really safe!

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A Trip To Virginia Beach Showed Why We Arent Beating This Virus - Forbes

In a typical summer, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are popular tourist destinations, and a big reason for that is their miles of beautiful coastline and beaches.

But this year, due to the ongoing pandemic, both states have a number of restrictions in place in order to reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Heres a breakdown of the rules and regulations currently in place in both states:

Rhode Island

When Phase 3 began at the end of June, Gov. Gina Raimondo put new travel restrictions in place, which included a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone coming into Rhode Island from a state with a positivity rate of 5% or higher. A running list of those states can be found here, which is updated weekly and currently consists of 32 states and Puerto Rico.

Anyone who can show theyve tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours is exempt. Travelers, even if asymptomatic, can sign up for a free test here.

If you get tested after entering Rhode Island, the state asks that you quarantine until you receive your results.

Starting on Sunday, anyone from those states who checks in at a hotel or rental property will need to sign a certificate of compliance stating they have had a negative test result or intend to quarantine.

The following people are also exempt from the restrictions, according to Raimondos office:

As of August 4, Rhode Islanders are no longer exempt from the travel orders in place in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey due to increases in the states positive test rate and cases per 100,000.

Massachusetts

Beginning August 1, anyone entering Massachusetts (visitors and returning residents alike) from a state considered high-risk for COVID-19 has to fill out a travel form and self-quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative test result.

Those found to be in violation of the order could be fined $500 per day.

There are exemptions, which include people traveling from one of six lower-risk states most of New England, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii along with people commuting to work or school, people receiving specialized medical treatment, and military personnel.

However, workers or students who travel out-of-state for personal or leisure reasons cannot rely on that exemption, according to Massachusetts officials.

Rhode Island was removed from that list on Tuesday, August 4, due to increases in the states positive test rate and cases per 100,000.

To be considered lower-risk, a states average daily cases must be below six per 100,000 people and the positive test rate has to be below 5%. The Mass. Department of Public Health will continue to update the list based on public health data.

VisitMass.govor text MATraveler to 888-777 for more information.

Rhode Island

The parking lots at state beaches are currently limited to 75% capacity with the exception of Misquamicut and Scarborough, which are capped at 25% due to recurring reports of overcrowding.

Real-time parking information is posted on RIParks.com.

Related: Ocean, Bay & Beach Forecast and other Resources

Beachgoers must maintain at least six feet of distance from other household groups, which should be limited to 15 people.

Visitors should also have a face covering handy and wear it when in the vicinity of others, such as in the restrooms or at the snack bar.

And if you feel sick stay home.

Massachusetts

All state beaches are open to the public but may have reduced parking areas to limit crowds.

Beach blanket groups should be no larger than 10 people and spaced at least 12 feet apart, while visitors are required to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between other beachgoers.

Picnic areas should be closed if adequate social distancing cannot be maintained, and shuttle services to the beach may operate at 50% capacity.

Face coverings are required but should not be worn while swimming.

Stay Informed | Coronavirus Updates

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Travel/Beach Restrictions: Heres what you need to know for RI, Mass. - WPRI.com

Fierce winds from Tropical Storm Isaias destroyed the outdoor venue at Long Beach Islands Surflight Theatre.

Already reeling from the coronavirus, forcing the Beach Haven theater to hold performances outdoors, the cyclone added insult to injury as it barreled through Long Beach Island, where a 109-mph wind gust was reported by the National Weather Service late Tuesday morning.

The Surflight Theatre announced the news on its Facebook page, and the Ocean Professional Theatre Co., the nonprofit organization that operates the Surflight Theatre, described the destruction in a GoFundMe fundraiser.

A successful inventive outdoor season was well underway, with the musical Cabaret just having closed, many childrens theatre shows having played, (and) Frozen Jr. and Mamma Mia about to open, a statement read.

The gale force winds did them in by destroying their outdoor tent, collapsing entirely the venue, stage, props and the electric light and sound equipment, it continued.

The statement said the theater, in its 71st season, is hoping to undertake repairs and reopen the outdoor venue this week.

A phone call requesting comment from a Surflight Theatre representative was not immediately returned.

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Isaias destroys outdoor venue at Long Beach Islands Surflight Theatre - WHYY

Last month, the East Bay Regional Park District celebrated the completion of the Albany Beach and SF Bay Trail Project. Even before the official opening, many local residents had already discovered the beautiful new shorefront trail, which is open to walkers and cyclists.

Berkeleyside sent contributing photographer Pete Rosos and intern Jerome Paulos to document the new trail segment and bridge, the magnificent views it provides, and the people who are enjoying using it.

The $18.9 million project included restoration of the Albany Neck shoreline and trail improvements, beach habitat and public access improvements at Albany Beach, including a new shoreline staging area with parking, walking trails, picnic tables and restrooms; and one mile of new segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail along the waterfront. By removing a major gap this new section has created 18 miles of continuous Bay Trail running from Oakland to Richmond.

Getting the project done was not without its obstacles, according to EBRD, who said a two-year effort by the park district and local community included having to challenge right-of-way negotiations with Golden Gate Fields, navigate tricky design and engineering issues, undergo a lengthy environmental permitting process, as well as find the funding to underwrite it.

Access the trail from the Albany Beach trailhead, via Buchanan Street. Tracey Taylor

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A day in the life of the newly opened SF Bay trail at Albany Beach - Berkeleyside

EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation with 10 bidders, Searchlight Television, along with Darren Aronofsky and his Protozoa Pictures, have won the television rights to David Gauvey Herberts New York Magazine article Boss of The Beach for series development.

Search is underway for a writer to pen the adaptation, which Herbert will executive produce.

Herberts June 23, 2020 article, published in New York Magazines Intelligencer, chronicles the hopes, dreams and scandals of the New York City lifeguard corps over the last 40 years. The article has a particular focus on the tumultuous career of Peter Stein, who has run the NYC lifeguard corps for four decades.

Herbert writes about crime, subcultures, and general weirdness for New York Magazine and Bloomberg Businessweek, among other publications. He is also a two-time grant winner from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. He previously covered foreign policy as a staff writer at the National Journal in Washington, DC.

At Searchlight TV, the project is overseen by Gina Kwon, head of TV development and production; and Danny Samit, VP of TV development. For the company, the rights deal was made Jennifer Gonsky, head of business affairs.

Herbert was repped in the deal by UTA. Aronofsky is repped by CAA.

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Boss Of The Beach TV Series Based On New York Magazine Article In Works By Darren Aronofsky & Searchlight TV - Deadline

LONG BEACH ISLAND - As of 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, all of Long Beach Island remains without power. Atlantic City Electric is reporting that someof LBI might not regain power until 11 p.m. Saturday.

However, the outage map reported that Ocean Acres residents without power would not be restored until Saturday at 11 p.m. Last evening and early morning just about all of Ocean Acres and Stafford Township residents regained power.

So here is to hoping that the wait for our residents and vacationers on the Island will receive quicker relief.

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The Atlantic City Electric outage map can be accessed here.

Atlantic City Electric just posted the following statement on their Facebook page:

Our crews are responding to outages for approx. 72k customers across the region. So far, crews have restored service to more than 117k customers and will continue to work through the day & night until all are restored.

"We will continue to work around the clock until every customer is restored," said ACE Regional President Gary Stockbridge. "This storm was incredibly destructive, and we will continue to keep our customers informed as we complete our assessments of the damage."

Originally posted here:

All of Long Beach Island Remains Without Power - TAPinto.net

It was a welcome sign that no beach-goer headed to Long Beach Island for a summer vacation wants to see.

Power out to the entire island.

Hours after Tropical Storm Isaias barreled through the New Jersey, LBI restaurant owner Mike Batista was faced with the unknown whether or not his power would come back on before he would be forced to toss his inventory of fresh seafood at his two restaurants, Packaged Goods Oyster Bar and The Marlin Restaurant & Bar.

Tuesdays storm spawned two tornadoes including one in Barnegat Township, just off the island and took down trees and power lines across the state leaving 1.4 million without power and no real estimates on how quickly it would return. It also dealt another devastating blow to business owners along the Jersey Shore.

Once the power comes on, Batista said hed still have to wait for a whole new set of the deliveries, a process that takes almost another day and a half.

It is bad because a weekend in August is like a months worth of revenue for us, he said.

It is devastating but it was devastating before we were not allowed inside, Batista added. We were doing only curbside and some takeout business and its very, very difficult. ... There are going to be a lot of people that do not make it.

Relators, Matt Kulinski, Lisa Dandrow, and Kristen Giuliano, from the G. Anderson agency in Haven Beach wait outside for customers the day after Long Beach Island lost power from Tropical Storm Isaias, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Sitting outside in beach chairs where they could catch a cool breeze, real estate agents Matt Kulinski, Lisa Dandrow, and Kristen Giuliano from the G. Anderson agency in Beach Haven were waiting for the power to return. August is one of the busiest rental months for the agency, and the lack of electricity was impacting business.

We cant get phone calls, Kulinski said. Thats why we are here just in case. We had a couple of people check out already because they just wanted to go home. We are also here just in case any tenants or owners who happen to be down here need to get ahold of us.

The three said that while there was not a lot of rain associated with the storm, the wind played a heavy role. Some tenants and owners reported damages to houses, a couple broken windows, patio furniture, and barbecue grills.

Usually if we lost power, which we do from time to time, its back on within an hour or two, Kulinski said. I have been here for 20 years, and short of Sandy, Ive never seen a storm knock out power for as long as it has, especially in this time of year.

A family from Connecticut relaxes by the pool at The Engleside Inn and Restaurant the day after Long Beach Island lost power from Tropical Storm Isaias, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020. The Inn was running off a generator. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Some who didnt have power were seeking refuge at local hotels that had generators, like the Engleside Inn.

The lodging location, as well as the adjacent pool and bar, has been able to continue to operate because of a generator that takes 500 gallons of diesel fuel. Tuesday night alone, they used more than 280 gallons.

Were fortunate that we actually have a generator, so we have a good backup system that allows the property to function normally provided we have fuel, which we do, manager Michael Smith said. Being also that were open year-round, and weve been in the COVID operating circumstances now for four months. Everyone is pretty used to it.

He said some guests were actually happy to be able to escape their house.

Staff, cast and volunteers of the Surflight Theater in Beach Haven rebuild the back of set the day after Tropical Storm Isaias destroyed the theater's outdoor venue, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Elsewhere on the island, Steve Steiner wasnt so happy. The producing artistic director of Beach Havens Surflight Theater said the company was already in a rough spot this summer.

Unfortunately, just in lost revenue with the shows that have to be canceled, we are going to lose at least between $10,000 to $12,000, he said.

Then on Tuesday, he watched from his office as 90 mph winds battered the island, taking down a tented outdoor stage that the theater company had set up to host performances this summer in accordance with coronavirus restrictions. A GoFundMe page was set up to help the theater group raise money to recoup its losses.

But he was optimistic that power would be back on by Wednesday and the show would still go on. On Wednesday, the stage was being rebuilt with the help of volunteers.

If that is the case, then we will have our childrens show at six oclock and Mamma Mia at 8:30, so things are ready to go.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.

Tim Hawk may be reached at thawk@njadvancemedia.com.

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Jersey Shore businesses dealt devastating blow as power wiped out on all of LBI - NJ.com