Cape May Proposes Earlier Curfew for Juveniles Amid Safety Concerns

Issue #772

August 09, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather 

🛩️Cape May Proposes Earlier Curfew for Juveniles Amid Safety Concerns

🎺Conservation Groups Challenge Horseshoe Crab Harvesting in New Jersey

⚽ Sunset Beach Lookout Tower Set for Extensive Rehabilitation Project

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Cape May Antique Center

👇 Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇

 August 9

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Cape May Proposes Earlier Curfew for Juveniles Amid Safety Concerns

Cape May officials are moving to strengthen regulations aimed at addressing large gatherings of teenagers on the city's Promenade and beaches.

The Cape May City Council recently introduced an ordinance that would establish an earlier curfew for anyone under the age of 18 and create additional restrictions on nighttime beach access for unaccompanied minors.

According to city officials, the proposal follows reports from the Cape May Police Department of large groups of juveniles gathering along the Promenade and on local beaches. Authorities say the crowds have, at times, obstructed pedestrian walkways and contributed to safety concerns during the busy summer season.

City leaders also cited incidents involving assaults, underage alcohol possession and consumption, and other disruptive behavior as factors behind the proposed changes.

If approved, the ordinance would move the city's general juvenile curfew from midnight to 10:30 p.m., with restrictions remaining in place until 6 a.m. In addition, unaccompanied minors would be prohibited from accessing city beaches between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Officials say the measure is intended to improve public safety, preserve access to public spaces, and promote a safe environment for both residents and visitors. The proposal would also emphasize accountability for juveniles and their parents or guardians while they are in the city.

The ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and final vote on Aug. 18 at Cape May City Hall.

 

Conservation Groups Challenge Horseshoe Crab Harvesting in New Jersey

Environmental organizations are urging New Jersey regulators to investigate whether a Cape May County biomedical company, Limuli,  is violating state protections designed to safeguard horseshoe crabs and the migratory shorebirds that depend on them.

The Center for Biological Diversity, joined by numerous conservation groups from New Jersey and neighboring states, has petitioned the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to review the practices of Limuli Laboratories, a company that collects horseshoe crabs and extracts their blood for use in medical testing.

Horseshoe crab blood, which contains a substance, limulus amebocyte lysate, used to detect bacterial contamination in vaccines, medical devices and other pharmaceutical products, remains highly valuable to the biomedical industry. Although the animals are typically returned to the water after the extraction process, conservation advocates argue that many are injured or die as a result of collection, handling and blood removal procedures.

According to records obtained from the state, the petitioners contend that thousands of horseshoe crabs are injured annually and that hundreds die during the process. The groups also argue that additional crabs may perish after they are released back into the wild.

Environmental advocates claim that some of the company's collection methods, including lifting crabs by their tails and returning them to areas different from where they were originally collected, may conflict with New Jersey law. State regulations generally prohibit harvesting horseshoe crabs but provide an exemption for biomedical purposes as long as the animals are returned unharmed to the same waters from which they were taken.

Officials with the Department of Environmental Protection said the company operates under an annual permit issued by the state's Bureau of Marine Fisheries. Permit requirements include collection limits, reporting obligations and restrictions established under regional fishery management guidelines.

Scientists remain divided over the impact of biomedical harvesting. Some researchers argue that the practice represents only a small percentage of overall horseshoe crab mortality, pointing instead to habitat loss and environmental changes as more significant threats. Others maintain that reducing or eliminating blood harvesting would strengthen the species' long-term recovery.

The debate extends beyond horseshoe crabs themselves. The species plays a critical role in the ecology of the Delaware Bay, where the eggs serve as a vital food source for migrating red knots and other shorebirds. Red knot populations have declined sharply over the past several decades, prompting New Jersey lawmakers to adopt stronger protections for horseshoe crabs in 2008.

Conservation groups are also renewing calls for pharmaceutical manufacturers to adopt synthetic alternatives that can perform the same testing functions without relying on horseshoe crab blood. Although those technologies have been available for years and are increasingly used in other parts of the world, adoption in the United States has been slower.

The Department of Environmental Protection has not yet announced whether it will issue the formal ruling requested in the petition.

 Sunset Beach Lookout Tower Set for Extensive Rehabilitation Project

A towering piece of Cape May County's World War II history is set to receive significant upgrades as local officials move forward with plans to preserve the historic structure for future generations.

The 71-foot World War II lookout tower, officially designated Fire Control Tower No. 23, stands near Sunset Beach in Lower Township within Cape May Point State Park. Constructed in 1942, the concrete structure once served as a critical observation post used to spot German submarines and enemy vessels approaching the New Jersey coastline.

The Cape May County Open Space Review Board plans to contribute $172,626 toward repairs and rehabilitation work. County commissioners have reviewed the proposal and are expected to formally consider the funding request. The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC), which operates the site, is overseeing the project. Additional funding is being sought through the New Jersey Historic Preservation Trust Fund, bringing the project's total estimated cost to $345,252.

County officials said the restoration effort is intended to protect both the physical structure and the historical legacy associated with the tower's wartime mission.

The renovation plans include extensive concrete repairs, restoration of 19 wood awning windows, replacement of sections of the elevated walkway and supporting structure, installation of a new split-rail fence, improvements to the roof membrane, and the addition of a roof vent.

Built between June and September 1942 as part of the Harbor Defense Modernization Program, the tower worked alongside a companion installation at Fort Miles in Delaware. Together, the facilities monitored Delaware Bay and helped safeguard important military and industrial assets throughout New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania during World War II.

Today, the site serves as both a tourist attraction and an educational landmark. The tower is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. Visitors can explore exhibits detailing its wartime role and view a Wall of Honor recognizing more than 160 local veterans.

The project has earned support from numerous public officials and community organizations, including Congressman Jeff Van Drew, state Senator Michael Testa, the City of Cape May, the Cape May County Coast Guard Community Foundation, the Wildwood Naval Air Station Museum and the New Jersey Audubon Society.

Since reopening after a major restoration in 2008, the tower has become one of the region's most recognizable historical sites. Approximately 8,000 people climbed the structure in 2025 alone, underscoring its continuing importance as both a cultural attraction and a symbol of the region's wartime history.

 

What was the original name of Congress Hall when it was first constructed in 1816?

What was the original name of Congress Hall when it was first constructed in 1816?

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 Answer to the August 8th Trivia Question

What significant event boosted tourism in Cape May, New Jersey in 1863?

A) The opening of the Cape May Canal
B) The completion of Congress Hall
C) The designation as a National Historic Landmark
D) The opening of the Tuckahoe and Cape May Railroad

Answer: D) The opening of the Tuckahoe and Cape May Railroad

The opening of the Tuckahoe and Cape May Railroad in 1863 significantly boosted tourism in Cape May by making the area more accessible to visitors​ (Wikipedia)​​ (Wikipedia)​.

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