Unraveling The Jersey Shore's Turmoil: Insight From A Local Resident

I'm 60 years old and I love the Jersey Shore. As a kid growing up in East Windsor (Mercer County), I have wonderful memories of summers and going down the shore.

People in my area used to go to Seaside Heights and Belmar.

We'd spend the day playing pinball and skeeball in the arcades, stuff our faces with Kohr's Ice Cream (Orange Swirl was my fav), and scratch up our bodies, belly surfing in the waves.

The only trouble we ever got into was when some of us got caught with a bottle of really bad alcohol or a pack of Marboro's.

Oh, and there was that time we got caught skinny dipping at Island Beach State Park.

Times sure have changed, haven't they?

Last weekend was a sad day for those of us who love the shore.

Hundreds of unruly kids made the shore experience a nightmare. There was a stabbing South, a reported shooting North, and general mayhem up and down the coast.

I applaud the men and women of law enforcement and the first responders who were left to deal with this mess.

Events like what we witnessed last week can have a long-lasting, negative impact on the community.

These are family vacation destinations. Who wants to bring their family to a place where they risk being victimized?

Incredibly, officials say Trenton is partially to blame for creating rules that limit the amount of contact police may have with teens.

Are you kidding?

I don't know how many arrests were made last weekend, but I'm guessing the number is low. Maybe this needs to change.

Maybe, we need to create laws that make parents liable for their kids' actions. What if parents were forced to come to headquarters and retrieve their kids?

How about fines including service fees? These fees would go directly towards funding the cost of services used to deal with the kids.

Most importantly, it's incumbent on us, the locals, to remain vigilant, support law enforcement, and refuse to give in to those who want to wreak havoc.