OCEAN CITY If not for a sign posted near the dunes at the south end of Central Avenue, Corsons Inlet State Park would be indistinguishable from the municipally owned beaches north of 59th Street. <\/p>\n
But unlike the local beaches, for the three days before July 4, Corson's Inlet beach was closed, along with all other state-operated non-essential services, due to failure of the New Jersey Legislature to agree on a budget. <\/p>\n
The shutdown ceased late Monday night after legislators came to a deal and the closures sparked a New Jersey senator to introduce a bill to make sure parks are not affected in future shutdowns. <\/p>\n
Sen. Nicholas Scutari Tuesday said he would introduce legislation to keep state parks and beaches open for seven days in the event of a government closure, similar to the law that keeps casinos open. <\/p>\n
The effect is not only that people cannot go to their favorite beach, watch fireworks or camp at a park, but if these crowds do not show up the ancillary businesses that rely upon them also suffer, he said. <\/p>\n
Beachgoers at Corsons Inlet Tuesday were happy that the state-operated beaches were open and many said they had plans to hit the beach even if it wasnt. <\/p>\n
We were planning on coming down here either way, said Amy Huddle, 19, of Glenolden, Pennsylvania. <\/p>\n
Huddle, who said this was her first time at the free, unguarded beach, had heard about the shutdown, but wasnt concerned. <\/p>\n
Neither was Charles Lotka of Marmora, who comes to Corsons Inlet year-round. <\/p>\n
Its like a great secret. Not that many people know about it and it seems to be less crowded down here, he said. <\/p>\n
Lotka said he wasnt happy that the shutdown affected so many services and could have impacted peoples travel plans. <\/p>\n
I thought it was a really big oversight to let this happen on a holiday weekend, he said. People count on this all year. <\/p>\n
Lisa Kirth and Julie Phreaner, both of Philadelphia, made a last minute decision to hit the beach Tuesday morning. If Corsons Inlet was closed, they said they would have just gone to one of Ocean Citys beaches. <\/p>\n
We probably would have sat on an overcrowded beach and been mad, and been cursing (Gov.) Chris Christie, Phreaner said. <\/p>\n
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Read more here:<\/p>\n
Corson's Inlet, other state-operated beaches reopen Tuesday - Press of Atlantic City<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" OCEAN CITY If not for a sign posted near the dunes at the south end of Central Avenue, Corsons Inlet State Park would be indistinguishable from the municipally owned beaches north of 59th Street. Continue reading