Shutdown Leaves Coast Guard Workers Unpaid as Cape May Community Steps Up

Issue #643

April 01, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather

🚢Shutdown Leaves Coast Guard Workers Unpaid as Cape May Community Steps Up

 🏰Ocean City Election Hinges on Future of Former Wonderland Pier

🔌 NJ Residents Face Higher Bills as AI Energy Demand Grows

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Daisy Lane Boutique

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

 April 1

Have an Upcoming Event?

Adventures led by women designed to make a difference.

Trek the Andes with an all-female crew in Peru. Join a women-run tuk tuk tour in Cambodia. Enjoy a traditional hot stone bath experience at a women-owned farmhouse in Bhutan. Intrepid’s new small-group Women’s Expeditions in Peru, Cambodia and Bhutan provide immersive local experiences for travellers while supporting women-run businesses.

Shutdown Leaves Coast Guard Workers Unpaid as Cape May Community Steps Up

A prolonged partial government shutdown is taking a growing toll on U.S. Coast Guard personnel in Cape May, particularly civilian employees and contractors who have gone without pay for weeks. While some Department of Homeland Security workers, such as TSA agents, have resumed receiving pay through executive action, many others remain unpaid since the shutdown began on February 14, 2026. As the situation stretches past 45 days, financial pressure is intensifying for affected families. In response, the Jersey Shore community has mobilized to provide widespread support. Local food banks have reported a sharp increase in demand, with dozens of new families seeking assistance. Community organizations, veterans groups, and nonprofits are collecting donations of groceries, fuel, and essential supplies. Businesses across Cape May are also stepping in, offering discounted or free meals and services to Coast Guard members and their families. Additional financial relief is available through interest-free loans from Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, while a multimillion-dollar donation from USAA is being distributed through the American Red Cross to support impacted workers. The shutdown is also creating operational challenges for the Coast Guard. Civilian employees remain unpaid, and the Training Center in Cape May is struggling to cover basic expenses, including payments to vendors supplying food for recruits. Administrative slowdowns are worsening, with more than 16,000 merchant mariner credentials left unprocessed. At the same time, unpaid utility bills and delayed payments to contractors are putting strain on essential infrastructure and local businesses that rely on government contracts. The ripple effects extend beyond the workforce. The cancellation of the annual Coast Guard Community Festival has removed a major local event, and businesses that depend on Coast Guard-related activity are feeling the economic impact. As uncertainty continues, the situation underscores both the critical role of Coast Guard personnel and the vulnerability of the communities that support them.

Ocean City Election Hinges on Future of Former Wonderland Pier

  Ocean City’s upcoming mayoral election on May 12 is being driven largely by debate over the future of the former Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, a long-standing boardwalk attraction that has ceased operations. With current zoning limiting the site to amusement and retail use, candidates are divided on whether changes should be made to allow redevelopment, including a proposed luxury hotel. Incumbent Mayor Jay Gillian is emphasizing continuity and ongoing infrastructure improvements, supporting a negotiated redevelopment that ensures the property does not remain vacant. Council member Keith Hartzell is advocating for a more restrained approach, opposing large-scale development on the boardwalk and proposing a smaller, set-back hotel with added parking. Council Vice President Peter Madden supports updating zoning rules to allow more flexibility, arguing the city must adapt to modern economic conditions while preserving its character. The race also highlights broader concerns such as municipal spending, parking challenges, and tourism trends. With a redevelopment study expected just before the election, voters will play a key role in determining both the future of the prominent pier site and the overall direction of growth in Ocean City. 

NJ Residents Face Higher Bills as AI Energy Demand Grows

 

A report from New Jersey Policy Perspective is highlighting a sharp rise in electric bills across the state, linking the increase largely to the rapid expansion of AI-powered data centers. These facilities, which require massive amounts of electricity to run advanced computing systems, accounted for approximately 70% of new energy demand in a recent regional auction. That surge in demand played a significant role in driving a 20% spike in utility bills for many residents in mid-2025. As the use of artificial intelligence and cloud-based services continues to grow, more data centers are being built, further increasing electricity consumption. These facilities can use as much power as entire communities, and projections suggest they could consume nearly 10% of all electricity in New Jersey by 2030. This growing demand is putting added strain on PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator that helps determine electricity prices. When demand rises supply costs increase—and those increases are passed directly to consumers.  The report also raises concerns about fairness, suggesting that households and small businesses are effectively subsidizing large tech companies. New Jersey provides significant tax incentives—potentially up to hundreds of millions of dollars—to attract data center development. At the same time, utilities are investing in infrastructure upgrades to support the increased load, and those costs can be shifted onto ratepayers through higher bills. Despite the scale of investment, data centers generally create relatively few permanent jobs compared to other industries.  A Rutgers University study is actively examining how these centers affect local, residential electricity rates, with future facilities in areas like Vineland expected to use five times more energy than current ones. To address these challenges, the report recommends a series of policy changes. These include requiring data centers to pay a greater share of the energy and infrastructure costs they generate, increasing transparency around their energy and water consumption, and scaling back tax subsidies for large tech developments. The goal is to reduce the financial burden on everyday residents while ensuring more accountability from rapidly expanding tech operations.

Which U.S. figure composed a march specifically for Cape May's Congress Hall?

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 Answer to the March 31st Trivia Question

Which of the following is true about Cape May, New Jersey?

A) It was once home to the largest hotel in the world, which burned down before its completion.
B) Cape May is famous for producing diamonds that are sold locally.
C) The entire city is designated as a National Historic Landmark due to its Victorian architecture.
D) All of the above.

Answer: D) All of the above.

Cape May is known for its rich history, including the unfortunate burning of the Mount Vernon Hotel, which was designed to be the largest hotel in the world at the time. Additionally, the city is famous for "Cape May diamonds," which are quartz pebbles found on its beaches. The entire city is also designated as a National Historic Landmark, largely due to its well-preserved Victorian architecture​

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