Point Pleasant Boro Boosts Businesses, Reopens Short-Term Rental

POINT PLEASANT BORO – Point Pleasant Boro has taken steps to boost local businesses while also reopening the local economy.

All Air B&B, VRBO’s and short-term rentals may resume as long as the rental term is for a minimum seven days, said Mayor Robert A. Sabosik

Further, hotels and motels may resume operation at 50 percent capacity.

Sabosik said the Borough Council is also working with the Chamber of Commerce to come up with new ways to help bolster and promote businesses as more and more open back up.

One such way is to loosen some restrictions on the existing outside dining ordinance and rental policies.

"We were one of the first in the area to have a local ordinance like this," the mayor said. "Our intent now is to streamline the process so local restaurants can serve customers without being hamstrung by capacity limits and other restrictions."

Further, the Borough Council is waiving the local permit fee. Those restaurants that have chosen to take advantage of this "have been doing an excellent job," the mayor said.

Gov. Phil Murphy has pointed to the Jersey Shore and the crowds at various bars and restaurants as a reason for why he postponed the reopening of indoor dining this week. Read more: Gov. Murphy Postpones NJ Indoor Dining Reopen Amid Coronavirus

Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Here are the latest local updates from Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach:

CASES:

• Point Pleasant Boro had 246 cases and 36 deaths as of July 12th, and Point Pleasant Beach had 35 cases and 5 deaths, according to the Ocean County Health Department.

ASSISTANCE:

• A Point Pleasant woman has started a Facebook page to make sure the Jersey Shore gets the help it needs amid the outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Woman's 'COVID19 Response' Facebook Provides Help

BEACHES:

• Point Pleasant Beach reopened some beaches on Friday, May 15. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach To Begin Reopening Beaches On Friday
• Point Pleasant Beach's boardwalk and northern beaches reopened Friday, May 29, Mayor Paul M. Kanitra announced. The restart paved the way for Jenkinson's beaches to reopen. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk To Reopen Friday
• Point Pleasant Boro reopened its beaches and park boardwalk. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Beaches, Park Boardwalk To Be Reopened

BUSINESSES:

• Frye Brewing has a new product that even firefighters say is what Point Pleasant needs right now during the crisis. Read more: Frye Brewing's 'Home Flight Kit' Is What Point Pleasant Needs
• Morgan Taylor, a waitress at The Ark, got the "most amazing breath of fresh air" before non-essential businesses were shut. Read more: As Point Pleasant Beach Businesses Shut, A 'Breath Of Fresh Air'
• Stephanie "Petey" Cucci, the owner of PETEY'S US SUBS in Point Pleasant Boro, is doing what she calls a ST. MARY'S SUB. Her sister, Cate, says "wonderful and kind people" have been donating to a fund that allows people who can't afford a meal to get a half sub, a drink and chips. Read more: Petey's In Point Pleasant Is Helping The Hungry Amid Coronavirus
• The Point Pleasant area has participated in #thefrontstepschallenge with EVN FLO photography by Tim McGeough. Tim took pictures of people on their front porch, each of them projecting some semblance of normaliy in a very abnormal world. Read more: See The Photos In Point Pleasant Boro That Could Help Feed People

GOVERNMENT ACTION AND FINANCES:

• Point Pleasant Boro agreed to follow Gov. Phil Murphy's lead and has extended the grace period for paying property taxes. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Agrees To Grace Period For Property Taxes
• Point Pleasant Boro schools warned about a potential "drop off" in revenues as the region continues to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Warns: Budget May Get Worse Amid Coronavirus

HOSPITALS AND TESTING:

• Hackensack Meridian offers COVID19 testing at its nine urgent care centers in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
• Immediate care of Marlboro is offering a drive-thru COVID19 test in the Marlboro Medical Arts site located at 479 Rt 520 in Marlboro. Testing is by appointment only at (855) 925-5467 ext 0.
• The PNC Bank Arts Center is a regional FEMA drive-thru test location and is open for testing every other day from 8 a.m. to 4pm for up to 500 persons per day. Click here for PNC Arts Test Center info & schedule.
• On every Saturday, the PNC Bank Arts Center site will be dedicated to symptomatic health care workers and first responders -- police, fire, and EMS -- with valid credentials only. The general public will not be able to access this site on Saturdays.
• Central Jersey Urgent Care is testing up to 80 patients daily at Eatontown, Howell and Marlboro.

OTHER CANCELLATIONS/CLOSURES

• Point Pleasant Beach announced that parking east of the railroad tracks will essentially be for residents only for the time being. The order eventually expired. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Defends Residents-Only Parking Near Beaches
• All recreation and pre-school programs were closed in Point Pleasant Boro because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Closes All Recreation Programs, Pre-School
• Point Pleasant Boro decided to close several summer camp programs because of the coronavirus crisis. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Closes Summer Camps

PERSONAL STORIES:

• She currently added sewing face masks and has been handing them out in Point Pleasant to protect her community from COVID-19. Read more: 'A True Blessing:' Point Pleasant Woman Makes Slippers, Blankets
• With balloon bombs, Kristine has been using her spare time to spread joy to the children in her hometown by taking custom orders. Read more: Point Pleasant Woman 'Spreads Joy To Children' Amid Coronavirus
• This Point Pleasant nurse goes to work to take care of patients with COVID-19 without thinking twice. She puts her heart and soul into taking care of her patients. Read more: 'Heart And Soul:' Point Pleasant Nurse, Mother Is Hero
• This Point Pleasant resident was/is sewing masks and giving them away to those in need. She volunteered her time and financial resources to do so. Read more: 'Action-Oriented:' Point Pleasant Mask-Making Hero
• A Point Pleasant Boro resident paid to sanitation and postal workers who arrived at her door, or pulled her cans. Read more: Sanitation, Postal Workers Saluted In Point Pleasant Boro
• A tribute to a great nurse friend and mother. Read more: Point Pleasant Hero Is 'Great Nurse And Mother'
• Point Pleasant residenrs paid tribute to First Aid and other EMS heroes. Read more: 'They Come To Our Aid:' Point Pleasant Medical, First Aid Heroes
• A Point Pleasant Beach woman talked to The Asbury Park Press about the anguish she went through when her son, 3, contracted the virus. Read more: Point Beach Mom's Reported Coronavirus Scare With 3-Year-Old Son

SCHOOLS:

• Point Pleasant Beach schools say they are planning outdoor graduations. Here's what's planned so far. Read more: Point Beach Superintendent Offers Update On Graduation Ceremonies
• Point Pleasant Boro schools say they are planning outdoor graduations. Here's what's planned so far. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro Is Planning In-Person, Outdoor Graduation
• All schools in Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach will remain closed through the academic year. Read more: New Jersey Schools Closed For Rest Of Academic Year: Gov. Murphy
• Money is coming from the CARES Act as Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach wrestle with the fallout amid the coronavirus. Read more: Coronavirus Relief: Point Pleasant Area Schools Get Money

TRIBUTES:

• The Bay Head Fire Co. announced the passing of firefighter Dave Clark, who died following a long and tough battle with the COVID-19 virus. Read more: Bay Head Firefighter Dies From Coronavirus

VIOLATIONS:

• The owner of a Point Boro e-cigarette shop was charged with breaking the stay-at-home order in the coronavirus outbreak, police said. Read more: Point Pleasant Boro 'E. Cig' Shop Broke Coronavirus Order: Police
• A Point Pleasant Beach woman was charged with yelling "pigs! oink, oink!" at cops and blowing on EMTs, saying she had the coronavirus. Read more: Point Beach Woman Yells Coronavirus, 'Pigs! Oink!' At Police: PD
• A woman in Point Pleasant Boro was arrested after she implied she has the coronavirus – and even repeated the words "corona" and "virus" when she attacked officers, police said. Read more: Woman Attacks Point Pleasant Boro Cops, Saying 'Coronavirus:' PD
• A Point Pleasant Beach man was charged with the theft of N95 respirator masks from a business, prosecutors said. Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Man Charged With Theft Of Respirator Masks
• Two people were charged for having a home rental in Point Beach that violated local restrictions amid the coronavirus crisis. Read more: 2 Charged For Point Pleasant Beach Home Rental Amid Coronavirus
• A business owner was charged with breaking New Jersey's coronavirus outbreak restrictions because she allowed workouts at her gym, police said. Read more: Gym Workouts In Point Pleasant Boro Broke Coronavirus Order: Cops
• A 37-year-old resident was charged with saying, "Do you want corona? Do you want to die?" to a woman at Sundaes ice cream, according to the Office of Attorney General. Read more: Woman Told 'Do You Want Corona?' Outside Point Boro Ice Cream: AG

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How It Spreads

The virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading from person-to-person. Someone who is actively sick with COVID-19 can spread the illness to others. That is why CDC recommends that these patients be isolated either in the hospital or at home (depending on how sick they are) until they are better and no longer pose a risk of infecting others.

There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.

While the best way to prevent illness is to avoid virus exposure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention always recommends taking preventive actions to contain the spread of viruses. This includes:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.