Nineteen stores that authorities say illegally sold flavored vape products have been fined civil penalties of $4,500 each.

The stores — 12 of which are in Wildwood — sold flavored electronic smoking devices and products, including mint, candy, fruit, and chocolate flavors, the stare Office of the Attorney General said in a statement. All were issued notices of violations.

The sale of vapor products with a flavor, taste, or aroma other than tobacco has been illegal in New Jersey since 2020. The law was the nation’s first permanent flavor ban, according to the governor’s office.

Undercover investigators bought products and observed flavored vapes being sold during an investigation that began in June.

On Aug. 13, eight Wildwood business owners ranging in age from 27 to 55 were charged by city police with sales of flavored vapor products where prohibited, a disorderly persons offense.

“In the coming months, the city of Wildwood, Wildwood Police Department and Code Enforcement will seek to reeducate and work with tobacco and vape distributors to make sure that they know the law,” city officialw said earlier this month. “Our goal is to protect kids, and we plan to do that in unison with businesses that sell these products.

The stores issued civil penalties are:

• Aloha Convenience & Smoke, Plainfield
• Cruz Grocery Store, Newark
• Shell Food Mart, Parlin
• Still the Dubb on Springfield Convenience Store, Irvington
• Supreme Cloud Smoke Shop, Sayreville
• Wacky Tobaccy Smoke Shop, Asbury Park
• Spirit Gifts, Wildwood
• Spirit USA, Wildwood
• Genesis, Wildwood
• Over the Boardwalk, Wildwood
• Exotics, Wildwood
• Gift World, Wildwood
• High Society, Wildwood
• Gifts 4 U, Wildwood
• Waves, Wildwood
• No Cap, Wildwood
• Golden Gate, Wildwood
• Smoke Factory, Wildwood
• Dolphin, Wildwood

“The ban on flavor vaping devices is in place to protect New Jersey consumers — especially our youth — from the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, nicotine, and tobacco,” said Cari Fais, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “By identifying and taking enforcement action against merchants who illegally sell these products, we are protecting public health and fulfilling our responsibility to safeguard consumers from unlawful business practices.”

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.

A community that chooses the cold waves

To get ready for this feat, Robinson has been swimming 30 miles a week and training with a group of open-water swimmers on the Jersey Shore.

Even after training for hours in the pool, Robinson finds himself drawn to open water.

Brian Shea is the founder and head coach of the Jersey Shore Masters Swim program.

Every weekend, Shea brings people together — from beginners to folks like Robinson — to join mile-long swims across the shore. They’re in open water, running from the spring until November, and for people of all levels.

“Even the person that’s going to do an ocean mile swim that finishes dead last, you know, it’s like saying you’re the dumbest person at Harvard, you still got in, you still made the cut,” said Shea.

The joy of swimming in open water comes from the community it fosters. Not everyone wants to commit to open water swimming beyond a polar plunge. Shea mentioned the people who swim this intensely are driven by a desire to undertake a challenge when sticking to such a discipline.

“That’s the thing with the groups that I have, there’s nobody that has lax motivation that’s walking into my pool tomorrow morning at 4:45 a.m., everybody there is motivated by some goal.”

But for New Jersey–native Nancy Steadman-Martin, the discipline of swimming has always been a part of her life.

“For me, it’s always been part of my family and I think when I swim long distance, I can always hear my father, my coach saying, ‘Good job, Nancy,’” said Steadman-Martin. “I feel like it’s a part of me. I need to do it just the way I need to eat and sleep. I need to swim every day.”

This August marked 20 years since Steadman-Martin set the world record for the fastest woman over 50 to cross the English Channel. She swam the channel with her longtime swimming partner, Michelle Davidson.

The pair have been swimming together almost every day since 1996, and mostly without wetsuits.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) — Monarch butterflies are not on the endangered species just yet, but climate change, the use of pesticides and suburban sprawl have all had negative impacts, decreasing their numbers. 

The Camden County Parks Department hosted a party Tuesday night in an effort to help reverse the trend. 

There was food, face painting, balloon animals, bubbles, music and a call to action to save monarch butterflies.  

“We are here today to help save the monarch butterfly. It’s more to bring awareness, to tell people what they can do and what we have done as a county,” Lauren Bonus, the superintendent of the Camden County Mosquito Commission, said. 

Bonus, affectionately known as “the bug lady” by her colleagues, explained why the monarch is so important. 

“They’re pollinators,” Bonus said. “They’re beautiful, and they are just a spectacle in the insect world because they are the only butterfly to have such a large two-way migration.”

One generation of monarchs migrates all the way down to Mexico, and three to four new generations then migrate back north, she added. 

Potted milkweed, a plant the butterflies need to survive, was handed out to all attendees so they can plant them at home.

“It was great, you get to see the butterflies come out. … It was just a lot of fun, and it was great for the kids,” said Brent Rovner, of Haddon Heights, who was at the event with his family.

Because of the large turnout Tuesday night, there’s already discussions about finding a bigger space for next year’s party.