Parks and beaches "overrun" claims media, nj park service, public disagrees

Parks and Beaches “Overrun” Claims Media, NJ Park Service, Public Disagrees

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1 min read
May 5, 2020

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey State Park Service claims several parks and beaches were “overrun” Saturday and Sunday after being reopened this weekend by Governor Phil Murphy.

“REMEMBER, COVID-19 IS NOT GONE,” the service posted on Social media. “In order to keep parks open and all visitors a safe distance from one another, visit close to home, mask up, and make your stay short.”

The parks also added a two-hour limit to park access, “Leave your chairs and coolers home when visiting your local state park or forest,” the department said. “Keep your stay short — 2 hours maximum — as bathrooms are closed and others would like to visit the park too.”

According to the executive order signed by the governor, no time limits were set on park access.  The order allows State parks and forests to open to the public for passive recreation, including fishing, hunting, boating, canoeing, hiking, walking, running or jogging, biking, birding, and horseback riding.  Picnic areas, playgrounds, exercise stations and equipment, chartered watercraft services and rentals, swimming, pavilions, restrooms, and other buildings and facilities, such as visitor centers, interpretive centers, and interior historical sites, shall remain closed at this time. To limit physical interaction, the State parks and forests must implement reasonable restrictions that include:

  • Limiting parking to 50% of maximum capacity and prohibiting parking in undesignated areas;
  • Prohibiting picnics;
  • Requiring social distancing to be practiced except with immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners; and
  • Banning organized or contact activities or sports; and gatherings of any kind.

Thank you for doing your part to keep your social distance while enjoying parks.

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Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

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