North Wildwood bar owner charged after patrons violate social distancing orders

The staff at Flip Flopz and Tiki Topz allegedly failed to enforce health and safety guidelines, police say

The owner of a Jersey Shore bar Flip Flopz was charged with a "disorderly persons order" after patrons violated social distancing guidelines required by Gov. Phil Murphy's Executive Order #150.
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The owner of a Jersey Shore bar is being charged after crowds of patrons were seen gathering with at the North Wildwood establishment. 

Staff of the popular Jersey Shore bar Flip Flopz and its connected rooftop bar Tiki Topz failed to enforce ignoring social distancing orders last weekend, local police said.

North Wildwood police were called to Flip Flopz around 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 9 and discovered bar patrons gathered in groups and standing within 6 feet of one another. The incident was reported to the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office reviewed the event, North Wildwood police said in a statement.

Owner of both bars ,Joseph Mahoney Jr., is charged with a disorderly persons offense,for violating New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order that restricts social gatherings during to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

The order requires that staff remind patrons to wear masks when possible and maintain 6 feet of social distancing. North Wildwood police said they had received multiple complaints of social distancing violations at Flip Flopz in the past.

"The police department received complaints for repeated violations of the Governor's Executive Order on prior occasions before this incident and had warned Flip Flopz management of the same," said police. 

Mahoney, a resident of Mt. Laurel, was later served a summons.


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