Governor murphy just canceled your large thanksgiving dinner

TRENTON, NJ – If you were planning on having a large family gathering at your home this coming Thanksgiving in New Jersey think again. If you planned on having more than 10 guests in your home, you will be violating the Governor’s latest executive order that puts a cap of 10 guests indoors at private gatherings. Once again, as during the spring the Murphy administration is following the lead of New York Governor Mario Cuomo who also put the kibosh on large Thanksgiving dinners.

“I’m signing an Executive Order retightening restrictions on gatherings to help stop the spread of COVID-19,” Murphy said. “Effective tomorrow, indoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 10 people. Effective November 23rd, outdoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 150 people. The following indoor gatherings may continue under the current rules, limited to 25% of a room’s capacity, up to 150 people. Religious services/celebrations and political events.”

Violating an executive order issued by the governor carries big penalties. You can be fined up to $1,000 and receive up to six months in the county jail for breaking the rules, so start figuring out now who is going to tell Aunt Edna and Uncle Jimmy they are guests 11 and 12 and no longer allowed to come.

If there’s a bright side in the order, the fine could have been $15,000 if a bill introduced by Ocean County Republican Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and John Catalano had their way. The trio tried to increase the fines for violations to $15,000, but after public backlash, backed off their bill and eventually pulled it.

“There must be a stronger penalty for violating the social distancing orders during this outbreak,” said Assemblyman McGuckin when he proposed the stiffer penalty. “The strong financial penalties that would be imposed by our legislation should discourage people from hosting gatherings in violation of the prohibition during this crisis.”

Murphy scaled back the reopening of New Jersey as positive COVID-19 cases hit a record high of 4,450 cases in a single day.

“As we begin the holiday season, plan accordingly and keep social distancing and safety in mind,” Murphy said. “We MUST redouble our efforts and crush the curve like we did last spring. Our lives literally depend on it.”

Phil Stilton Latest posts

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.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.