Ever heard of PJ’s Coffee? Let us introduce you, because one is coming very soon to Linwood, New Jersey.
Coffee…mmmmmm. You can never have too much of a good thing.
via GIPHY
The original PJ’s Coffee shop was founded 45 years ago in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since then, PJ’s has branched out with locations across the country.
New Orleans-style coffee is unique in that it’s reportedly infused with chicory root which gives the roast a richer, nuttier flavor.
For a black coffee drinker like me, that sounds delicious.
PJ’s Coffee is reportedly opening a shop at Cornerstone Commerce Center off New Road in Linwood, placing it just across from Mainland High School.
Locally, PJ’s Coffee has some competition in Barista’s Coffee House and Jessie’s of Linwood.
And while I am really looking forward to trying PJ’s Coffee, I’m more excited that they reportedly serve beignet! PJ’s is native to New Orleans, so of COURSE they serve beignet!
There’s no opening date yet for the new PJ’s Coffee, but we’re keeping an eye out for one!
LOOK: 50 cozy towns to visit this winter
Stacker created a list of 50 cozy American towns to visit each winter. Towns were selected based on visitor opinions, ratings from nationwide publications, and tourist attractions.
16 Awesome Things to Check Out in Northfield, NJ
The City of Northfield in Atlantic County has SO much to offer! From amazing restaurants and bakeries to family-friendly attractions, Northfield is small but pretty freakin’ awesome.
Nobu Hotel at Caesars Atlantic City is accepting reservations as the casino company’s $240 million overhaul of the Boardwalk resort nears completion.
A Nobu Hotel room at Caesars Atlantic City overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. The Nobu Hotel occupies the top three floors of the casino resort’s Centurion Tower. Room reservations are being accepted for stays beginning on Jan. 2, 2024. (Image: Caesars Entertainment/Casino.org)
Caesars Entertainment through its merger with Eldorado Resorts in 2020 agreed to invest $400 million into its Atlantic City casinos. The condition was a component of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission signing off on the companies merging.
Caesars operates its namesake casino, plus Harrah’s and Tropicana. The bulk of the spending was allocated to Caesars Atlantic City, which opened more than four decades ago in 1979, and which was in need of a major upgrade.
Part of Caesars Atlantic City’s $240 million overhaul included repurposing the top three floors of the resort’s Centurion Tower into Nobu-branded guest rooms. The Roman décor on those floors has been ditched in favor of a Japanese-inspired motif to fall in line with the Nobu hospitality brand.
Nobu is named after its namesake Japanese celebrity chef and restauranter, Nobu Matsuhisa, who cofounded Nobu Hospitality in 1994 with actor Robert De Niro and film producer Meir Teper. Billionaire James Packer, who founded Australian casino company Crown Resorts, acquired a 20% stake in Nobu Hospitality in 2015 for $100 million.
January Reservations
Caesars Entertainment reps told Casino.org this week that its Nobu Hotel at Caesars Atlantic City is now taking reservations for overnight stays. Bookings are available beginning Jan. 2, 2024.
Along with the Nobu Hotel, Caesars Atlantic City offers a Nobu restaurant, which opened last October.
We are delighted to partner with a world-class hospitality brand like Nobu to further elevate the experience at Caesars Atlantic City,” said John Koster, Caesars Entertainment’s eastern regional president. “With its unique blend of luxury accommodations and culinary excellence, Nobu Hotel Atlantic City will position the market as a premier travel destination on the East Coast.”
Rooms are quite expensive for Nobu Hotel Atlantic City’s opening weekend. A standard king guest room for Friday to Sunday, January 5-7, costs $608 a night before resort fees and taxes. The total portfolio, inclusive of the $28 per night resort fee and hotel occupancy taxes, comes to $1,460.38, or $730.19 a night. A comparable king room on Caesars-branded floors runs just $204 a night before fees and taxes.
The same Nobu Hotel room for a weekend later in January drops to $553 a night. The three floors of Nobu Hotel rooms feature 85 guest rooms and suites, all of which have ocean views.
Caesars Upgrades
The Caesars Atlantic City overhaul has additionally resulted in a new arrival experience, Caesars officials said, highlighted by a fully renovated hotel lobby.
The Pool at Caesars, a rooftop pool complex above the Boardwalk with views of the Atlantic Ocean, has also been renovated, though that amenity won’t be open until summer 2024.
Caesars says its $240 million investment in Caesars Atlantic City and $160 million in upgrades to Harrah’s and Tropicana shows its “ongoing commitment” to the New Jersey casino town.
#15 Mercer County 50% of the residents were born here.
Mercer County is about as central New Jersey as it gets. Half the population of the county comes from out of state. This county is attractive to newcomers who are looking for a nice place to raise a family that is close enough to New York. Mercer County has a huge commuter population.
#9 Atlantic County 57% of the residents were born here.
Most people in Atlantic County own their homes. Presumably, this has created roots in the community that are passed down through the generations. The crime rate in the county is below the national average. The proximity to the shore, plenty of shopping and entertainment, makes it understandable why people would want to stay.
#4 Salem County 64% of the residents were born there.
Salem County ranks high in native residents, but you get the feeling that may be changing. Reading reviews by residents on niche.com is sad. People talk about how good things were back in the day but don’t seem optimistic about the current state of the county.
#3 Ocean County 67% of the residents were born there.
There’s good reason for those born in Jersey to choose to stay in Ocean County. There’s much to do here. Ocean County boasts great restaurants and shopping. Oh, and of course there’s the beach, of course the beach.
One obstacle to young folks who want to stay is the cost of living. Everything seems more expensive in Ocean County, but certainly, if you can afford it, its a great place to call home.
Find out which two New Jersey counties have the most native Jerseyites at stacker.com.
New Jersey’s born and bred residents are most likely to live in these counties (msn.com)
A Wonderful Visit Back to 1965 Atlantic City Boardwalk
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This list of ultra-luxury homes for sale in New Jersey offers something for everyone- assuming you can afford the price tag.
Tropical Storm Rina has become the newest named storm in the hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season of 2023. A disturbance called Invest 91L in the central tropical Atlantic was upgraded to Rina by the National Hurricane Center at 11 a.m. Thursday. With top sustained winds of 40 mph, Rina was located about 1,200 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, moving north-northwest at 10 mph.
Rina’s formation brings the total 2023 activity in the Atlantic to 18 named storms (including an unnamed subtropical storm in January that was belatedly recognized), as well as 6 hurricanes, 3 major hurricanes, and an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index of 121.5. The 1991-2020 averages for this date are 10.7 named storms, 5 hurricanes, 2.3 major hurricanes, and an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index of 91.7. Only 11 other seasons since 1851 have had as many as 18 named storms. If 2023 manages to record just two more named storms, it would be tied with 1933 for fourth-busiest year on record behind 2020, 2005, and 2021, which had 30, 28, and 21 named storms, respectively. On average, three named storms form after September 28.
Has the Atlantic basin felt busy for weeks now? Well… it has been! Emily was first named on August 20, and we’ve had at least one active Atlantic tropical cyclone every day since then. pic.twitter.com/tcnA1sI4pW
The Accumulated Cyclone Energy, or ACE, is at about 132% of average for the date, and 99% of an average full-season’s total. Impressively, today is the *40th* consecutive day of ACE accrual… the activity has been nonstop from Emily through Rina! https://t.co/b3RJYl5Ocs pic.twitter.com/tXsAtsl4xH
The Fujiwhara effect will complicate forecasts of both Philippe and Rina
Rina has developed in unusually close proximity to another tropical storm, Philippe, which was located about 560 miles east of the northern Leewards at 11 a.m. EDT Thursday. Philippe’s sustained winds were 50 mph, and it was drifting west-northwest at just 2 mph.
The next several days are likely to see a classic example of the Fujiwhara effect playing out in the Atlantic. This phenomenon is when two tropical cyclones are close enough to influence each other’s motion and sometimes interfere with each other’s development. There is no accepted maximum distance for triggering Fujiwhara interaction, but according to the Hong Kong Observatory, the outer limit is no more than about 1,350 kilometers (850 miles). On Thursday morning, Philippe and Rina were already within 1,000 km (620 miles) of each other, and Philippe’s slower westward component means that the two will be getting even closer. It’s not out of the question that the two storms could eventually merge, with one of the storms essentially swallowing up the other in its circulation.
The hallmark Fujiwhara interaction is for two tropical cyclones to essentially rotate counter-clockwise around a common center between them. In a case like Philippe and Rina, this would tend to push Philippe more southwestward and Rina more northwestward, and this is pretty much what is being predicted by the National Hurricane Center.
Forecast for Philippe
The westerly wind shear that has plagued Philippe for several days has pushed most of its showers and thunderstorms (convection) toward Rina and well east of its amorphous low-level center, and the strongest winds are associated with that convection. However, wind shear has lessened to around 5-10 knots, and although the mid-level air around Philippe is only moderately moist (relative humidity around 50-60 percent), the storm is located over unusually warm waters of around 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit).
Philippe’s future will depend in large part on how it interacts with Rina. If the convection well east of Philippe’s center ends up in Rina’s orbit, Philippe’s low-level circulation could become little more than a swirl heading slowly toward the nothern Leeward Islands. If Philippe can maintain itself as a tilted but distinct entity, it has a chance to intensify. In fact, experimental ensemble guidance from the HAFS model—the most recent state-of-the-art intensity model, operationally adopted by NOAA this year—shows the possibility of Philippe strengthening into a major hurricane (see embedded animation below), or weakening into a tropical depression.
Worth emphasizing again just how much uncertainty there is in the current #Philippe forecast.
In fact, the experimental HAFS ensemble guidance shows the intensity spread has drastically increased over the past day. 📈 pic.twitter.com/qtyMPg1NJE
Assuming Philippe remains distinct, the Fujiwhara influence would likely keep the storm drifting slowly west or even southwest. With steering currents weak, any potential approach to the Lesser Antilles would be at least several days away. Given the vast uncertainty in Thursday’s forecast, the official National Hurricane Center forecast keeps Philippe as a 50-mph tropical storm into the weekend.
Forecast for Rina
Although Rina was the weaker of the two tropical storms on Monday, it may have a more straightforward future. Rina is enveloped in extensive convection and a moist mid-level atmosphere (relative humidity 70-75 percent), and like Philippe, it will be passing over warmer-than-average waters for this time of year of around 29 degrees Celsius (84°F). Strong wind shear will keep any strengthening gradual, and as noted above, there is a high degree of unpredictability in how Rina and Philippe will interact. The Fujiwhara effect will tend to propel Rina toward the northwest into the weekend and beyond, so there is little chance that Rina will pose any threat to land areas, although Bermuda should keep an eye on it.
Tropical Storm #Rina has formed in the central tropical Atlantic – the 13th Atlantic named storm to form since August 20. That’s the most on record to form between August 20 – September 28, breaking old record of 12 Atlantic named storm formations set in 2020. #hurricanepic.twitter.com/KLvTg54k3T
King tides and Ophelia’s remains bringing coastal flooding
The upcoming full moon on Friday will occur when the moon is near perigee (its closest approach to the Earth), bringing much of the U.S. East Coast “king tides” for the remainder of the week – some of the highest high tides of the year. The high tides are coming during strong onshore winds caused by a combination of high pressure over Atlantic Canada and low pressure from the remains of Tropical Storm Ophelia, located offshore of the Carolinas.
The high astronomical tides and onshore winds led to “minor” to “moderate” coastal flooding during the Wednesday night high tide cycle at many sites along the U.S. East Coast, from Georgia to New Jersey; “major” flooding was observed along the North Carolina Outer Banks at Duck. More minor to moderate coastal flooding is predicted for the Thursday night high tide cycle, with major coastal flooding predicted at Charleston, South Carolina. Minor to moderate high tide flooding is expected to continue into the weekend at many locations along the East Coast.
In the New Jersey/New York City/Long Island/Connecticut region, coastal flooding will be augmented by very heavy rains as moisture and rainbands from Ophelia’s remnants stream northward into the area. Up to three to fie inches are predicted by the National Weather Service through Saturday, and ensemble models on Thursday morning suggested that localized totals could push into the five- to 10-inch range or even beyond that (see Figure 1). Residents should be on alert for sharp differences in rainfall totals and flooding across small areas, and New York metro residents in particular need to be prepared for flash flooding that could be locally intense and dangerous. Central Park has already received three inches of rain over the five days ending on Wednesday, and more than eight inches for September thus far.
Heavy rain w/flash flooding possible late tonight-Sat. 2-3″ of rain is forecast with locally higher 3-5″ possible. This could lead to isolated to scattered flash flooding, but confidence is low as to where exactly the heaviest will fall. #NYwx#NJwx#CTwxpic.twitter.com/CCQVwgpLM1
Figure 1. Total precipitation for the 48-hour period ending at 8 a.m. EDT (12Z) Saturday, September 30, from the 8 a.m. EDT Thursday, September 28, run of the WRF-ARW model. Rainfall amounts in excess of 10 inches (orange colors) were predicted to occur near New York City. Any such localized totals could end up being displaced slightly from the locations shown here. (Image credit: Tropical Tidbits)
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — High-risk problem gambling in New Jersey declined slightly even as sports betting took off in the state, according to a report issued Thursday.
But the report by Rutgers University and paid for by the state’s gambling enforcement division found that such problem gambling remains three times higher in New Jersey than the national level.
Compiled between Dec. 2020 and April 2021, the report examines 15 types of gambling, including in-person or online casino gambling; buying lottery tickets or scratch-off instant tickets; betting on sports or horses; playing bingo, keno or fantasy sports, and engaging in high-risk stock trades, which it considers a form of gambling.
“We are taking a comprehensive look at the pervasiveness of gambling across the state,” said Attorney General Matthew Platkin, adding the report may better identify challenges for at-risk populations and spur the creation of programs to help them.
Lia Nower of Rutgers University’s School of Social Work, Center for Gambling Studies, said the state is trying to learn as much as it can about gamblers’ activities to spot problems and offer help.
“New Jersey has led the nation in evaluating every bet placed online, and addressing the impact of wagering on its residents,” she said. “This report provides evidence to guide prevention and education efforts for those at highest risk for gambling problems: Younger adults, members of ethnic and racial minority groups, and those who gamble on multiple activities and bet both online and in land-based venues.”
It is the first such report since 2017, an initial study commissioned to evaluate the impact of internet gambling, which began in the state in Nov. 2013.
The report found that even as sports betting grew rapidly in New Jersey — whose U.S. Supreme Court challenge to a federal gambling law cleared the way in 2018 for an explosion of such activity in more than two-thirds of the country — the overall rate of high-risk problem gambling decreased from 6.3% to 5.6%.
But that’s still three times the national rate, the report said. Low to moderate-risk gambling also decreased from about 15% to about 13%.
New Jersey has taken several steps to address problem gambling, including making it easier for people to self-exclude themselves from betting; naming a statewide coordinator in charge of all responsible gambling efforts; setting advertising standards for casinos and sports betting companies; and working with companies to use technology to monitor online betting and to offer assistance to at-risk patrons.
The report found that 61% of New Jerseyans took part in at least one gambling activity in the previous 12 months, down from 70% in the earlier report.
It also found that participation in sports betting increased from 15% in 2017 to over 19% in 2021, ad that the percentage of people doing all their gambling online tripled over that period, from 5% to 15%.
At the same time, the percentage of people whose gambling was done solely in-person at casinos dropped from nearly 76% to 49%, mirroring concerns from Atlantic City casino executives worried about the fact that many of the nine casinos have not yet returned to pre-pandemic business levels in terms of money won from in-person gamblers.
The most popular form of gambling remained purchasing lottery tickets (73%), which declined about 7% in popularity, and instant scratch-off tickets (59.1%), which also declined by about 5%.
About 25% of those surveyed engaged in high-risk stock trading, including trading in options or margins, a nearly seven-fold increase over the prior survey.
The report also found that participants who gambled were significantly more likely than non-gamblers to use tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs; to binge-drink, and to report drug use and mental health problems.
Researchers from the Rutgers University School of Social Work, Center for Gambling Studies surveyed 3,512 New Jersey adults by telephone or online questionnaires, and analyzed their self-reported patterns of gambling activities.
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