Good morning, South Jersey. Weāre in for a wet, cool, cloud-covered week.
Despite that forecast, on this last official day of summer, weāre looking back at how 10 Shore predictions for 2026 turned out ā including one about the stateās confusing new e-bike registration law.
Read more š Fishtownās fuzzy borders | Morning Newsletter
But first: The hockey rink at an Oaklyn park was once the ācenter of the universeā for generations of young players. Now, safety concerns have shuttered the community hub.
Plus, some citations against Bellmawr protesters were dropped after the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey intervened, and more news of the day.
ā Julie Zeglen ([email protected])
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āIt just got worse and worse over timeā
Oaklyn-Lions Park has been a hub for sports-playing communities for decades. Players from across Camden County, including Audubon, Collingswood, and Haddon Township, would gather at the beloved parkās hockey rink to learn the basics and coach younger generations, even as the facilities fell into disrepair.
But in recent years, the conditions of both the rink ā including cracked flooring and gaps in protective fencing ā and the nearby basketball court have spurred concerns about safety. This month, the borough announced the areasā indefinite closure.
āGrowing up in Oaklyn, I played on those courts my whole life as a little kid so itās very sad to see this happen right now,ā Mayor Greg Brandley said of the closures. āItās something for the kids that we have to get reopened again.ā
But itās not yet clear how long renovations might take, or what theyāll cost.
Reporter Lacey Latch has details on what could come next and how community members have been stepping up to help.
About that e-bike law …
Ahead of each Shore season, The Inquirerās Amy S. Rosenberg forecasts how the summer might go, from new real estate developmentsā impact to restaurant news.
Among this yearās predictions: āE-bikers will be hauled off the boardwalks and fill municipal court Zoom hearings.ā
It didnāt quite pan out like that.
Instead, she reports, police were generally light on enforcing the new registration requirements, which still led to thousands of e-bikes getting registered by New Jerseyans ā and just a handful by out-of-state residents.
See how Rosenbergās full list of Shore predictions turned out.
What to know today
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After the ACLU-NJ last month urged Bellmawr police to investigate officers for allegedly targeting protesters engaging in āfree-speech activities,ā the legal nonprofit said citations against several of those demonstrators have been dismissed in court.
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Food hall and meal delivery company Wonder plans to open a facility in Logan Township ā and lay off more than 500 workers in Cranford and Fairfield.
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Cherry Hill leaders said the township will get rid of its 10 Flock cameras when its contract with the controversial surveillance technology company expires at the end of the year.
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Supporters of Xavier Taylor, the 12-year-old who has been in medical care since he was struck by a baseball this spring, gathered for a Maple Shade prayer event in his honor over the weekend.
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Cherry Hill made a deal with Downs Farm Swim Club to take over and replace a closed pedestrian bridge and preserve the club as open space if it ever closes, 70and73 reports.
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Mike Bowe, the Audubon resident and popular longtime radio disc jockey and radio show host at WMGK, WPEN, WHAT, and other stations, died last week at 76.
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The Gaudreau family is honoring their late hockey-star sonsā legacies with a free learn-to-skate program at Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell.
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The Burlington County Health Department is offering free flu vaccines to residents throughout the fall and winter. See the full list of dates and locations.
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š§ Trivia time
According to a recent JD Power traveler satisfaction survey, which airport is the lowest-rated large airport in the U.S.?
A) St. Louis Lambert International Airport
B) Newark Liberty International Airport
C) Philadelphia International Airport
D) Atlantic City International Airport
Think you know? Check your answer.
What weāre …
š§ Listening to: āWawa By the Oceanā by Mary Lattimore.
š¦ Mourning: The impending closure of the Academy of Natural Sciences museum.
š¤¤ Craving: A cheesesteak from Gouldsburgerās at its original location in Haddonfield.
š¬ Your South Jersey view
Inquirer reporter Lacey Latch snapped this picture while out reporting in Oaklyn last Thursday afternoon.
What does your community look like? What South Jersey memory would you like to share? Submit a photo and/or a brief description for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
šļø What other South Jersey residents are reading
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Neshaminy Mall to close this fall
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Opinion: Landon Dickerson revealed the cold reality of the NFL. Does anyone even care?
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A federal judge said he believes D.A. Larry Krasner may have broken the law, and he referred the case to the U.S. Attorneyās Office
Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer. Taylor will be back to bring you the news tomorrow. āTil then, be well.
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