In Wildwood, protester tells Gov. Murphy: ‘Stop the nonsense’ and open beaches by May 1

WILDWOOD — Gov. Phil Murphy was at the Jersey Shore on Tuesday to survey blocks of storm damage to the Wildwood boardwalk, but that was far from the number-one thing on people’s minds.

“Open the beaches by May 1, 2020!" shouted Staci McGregor, 48, of Wildwood Crest, holding a sign that read, “Stop the Nonsense!”

“It’s not crowd control," she told reporters gathered for Murphy’s visit, citing the governor’s rationale for closing state parks and other areas of recreation. "I get closer to people in the grocery stores and the liquor stores than I do on these beaches.”

But Murphy said he was not yet ready to make any statewide decision about the beaches, some of which have been closed by mayors while others, including those in Atlantic City and Margate, remain open.

He noted that the state’s decision on keeping the schools closed had only been made through May 15.

“That should tell you something," he said.

And he noted that even as some areas show a flattening of the curve, other areas are seeing dramatic increases. Murphy cited a story in The Inquirer that showed a 2,925% increase in confirmed cases in Camden City since March 31.

» READ MORE: Coronavirus is spreading faster in Camden than anywhere else in the Philly suburbs

Murphy walked the few blocks of the boardwalk torn apart by the April 13 storm that brought winds upward of 72 mph to the Shore in a late-morning fury but that seemed tame compared with the ruin threatened by the coronavirus.

“Golly,” he said, looking at the twisted guardrails and turned-up wood, as he walked with Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron. “Was there a particular reason right here? Was it a little burst or twister?”

» READ MORE: As the coronavirus shutdown inches toward summer, Jersey Shore renters and homeowners hold their breath

Fixing the boardwalk five weeks before Memorial Day seemed like a much more manageable challenge than figuring out what a beach season will look like under an ongoing coronavirus crisis and shutdown.

Murphy, with a paper mask and a security detail, spoke facing a group of reporters and camera operators all hemmed in tight on the windy boardwalk, six feet from the governor. His security detail ordered some to bunch in even closer, declaring a yellow line on the boardwalk the boundary.

In Wildwood, beaches are closed to anyone sunbathing, sitting in chairs, lying on blankets, playing organized sports, or otherwise being in a group on the beach. Walking and running are still allowed. The Wildwood boardwalk is closed.

Byron said Wildwood would be lifting certain restrictions this week for food businesses on the boardwalk to allow them to do takeout.

As for saying what to do about the coming warm weather, and Memorial Day, he said no decision had been made.

The city’s hotels and motels are shut down, and short-term rentals are prohibited, and Byron said any high school seniors thinking of trying to salvage some kind of traditional senior week in Wildwood should reconsider.

The owner of a nearby hotel said she was worried about the economic impact on seasonal workers, who may not qualify for unemployment or other benefits.

“There is a whole huge subset of the population here, 44% in the coastal towns, that depend on seasonal tourism,” Ann Marie Roman said. “There’s going to be a lot of people out on the street and a lot of kids hungry.” She said the safety of employees and guests was paramount.

» READ MORE: N.J. Gov. Phil Murphy tours Atlantic City field hospital

The town, which was last filled with people in late January when President Donald Trump held a rally there, was nearly all shut down Tuesday.

“It could not have happened at a worse time, right at the cusp of the season,” Roman said.

McGregor acknowledged that the beaches of the Wildwoods are unusually wide for the Jersey Shore, making social distancing an attainable, even unavoidable, reality.

Other beaches, like Sea Isle City’s or Ventnor’s, typically have people rather close together during busy times, especially at high tide. “My concern is the beach that I live on,” she said.