It has been 240 days since the first reported case of COVID-19 in New Jersey. After eight
months, I understand that we are all suffering from pandemic fatigue, but this virus has
been waiting for us to get lax in our personal responsibilities. As we enter Halloween
weekend, I want to remind everyone that our state is seeing an increase of new cases
linked to small gatherings in private homes, where people are more likely to let their
guard down. If you are celebrating Halloween this weekend, please do your best to keep
your Halloween activities outside and maintain social distancing.
The Mendham Township Recreation Department is hosting a Halloween Party tomorrow at
Brookside Field from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. There will be games, music, a fire safety
demonstration, and lots of fun for the entire family. We look forward to seeing you
dressed up and ready for the festivities!
Tomorrow night, trick-or-treating will take place in the Township from 4:00pm - 8:30pm.
Please trick-or-treat in small groups and make sure that someone has a flashlight. For
those putting out treats, please do your best to arrange your treats in such a way that
they can be quickly and safely accessed without multiple pieces being touched. If you are
trick-or-treating, do not approach a house that has their lights off, a sign posted that
they are not participating or something taped across their door or walkway.
Remember - no Halloween costume is complete without a face mask!
On a different but related note, over the last few weeks there has been an uptick in
burglaries and car thefts across Morris County. The 9pm Routine of locking your car,
setting your alarms, and bringing all of your belongings in every night, needs to be a
routine that you follow all day, every day. Just last week, Mendham Township Police
responded to an attempted break-in during the morning hours. We live in a safe town, but
crimes can still happen.
I hope you have a fun and safe Halloween weekend. Looking forward to seeing your festive
costumes and face coverings!
Sarah Neibart
Mayor, Mendham Township
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On Thursday, November 12th, the Governor reported that there were 3,517 new cases of
COVID-19 in New Jersey and that the cumulative total since March 4th was 266,986. Between
Monday, November 9th to Thursday, November 12th there were 10,472 new cases of COVID-19
reported throughout our state.
In an attempt to mitigate the increasing spread of COVID-19 throughout our communities,
this past week Governor Murphy announced that all restaurants, bars, clubs, and lounges
that serve food and drink must close their indoor premises for business by 10:00pm.
Outdoor dining may continue past 10:00pm, as can takeout or delivery services.
All bar-side seating is also prohibited at all hours for the immediate future. Since some
restaurants have relied upon bar seating to allow themselves to reach the 25% capacity
limit, the state is allowing restaurants to now meet that limit by placing tables closer
than six feet if they are separated by barriers. As the weather trends cooler, the
Governor has allowed heated individual group dining “bubbles” to be set up outside to help
provide our restaurants with greater flexibility.
Youth sports continue to be a challenge. Since the beginning of October, there have been
14 outbreaks among hockey teams in Gloucester, Union, Somerset, Bergen, Morris, Passaic,
and Mercer counties. These outbreaks have led to more than 70 positive cases. The Governor
announced this week that all interstate games and tournaments for indoor youth sports, up
to and including high school, are prohibited for the time being. Indoor sports create a
greater risk of team-wide transmission, and that risk is even greater when teams from
multiple states come together for tournaments or other youth league functions.
New Jersey is back at levels we thought we left behind months ago. I know we would all
love to be done with COVID-19, but unfortunately, COVID-19 is not done with us. We have to
shake off the pandemic fatigue that I know we all feel. We cannot let up on social
distancing, on wearing masks, or on practicing good hand hygiene. We need to get back in
the mindset that helped us flatten the curve in the spring.
Have a good weekend, and be safe.
Sarah Neibart
Mayor, Mendham Township