Digging up $1.7 million to actually buy a 160-acre spread felt utterly out of reach for Ryan Kocsis and his wife, Kim. They worried a developer might buy the acres. But last year, the Kocsis family applied and qualified for New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation Program. Inspectors checked them out and approved $1.1 million to help buy the farm and place it under ironclad deed restrictions: the Perpetual Harvest Farm will perpetually remain a farm. https://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/nj-takes-steps-keep-farmland-family

In 2012, the Atlantic coast of New Jersey and southern New York were slammed with Sandy and received aid and rescue help from several states and the federal government. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was particularly appreciative of the help and announced that NJ Task Force 1, comprised of police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel - are in Katy, Texas, a suburb approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Houston. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/harvey-rescue-search-emergency-new-york-jersey-sends-teams-a7918826.html

the Townsend Inlet bridge connecting Sea Isle City and Avalon will reopen Friday, after a more than two-month closure. The bridge was shut down indefinitely to vehicle traffic in early April after divers inspecting the support pilings found a crack. The span had been set to undergo repairs in 2017 and 2018. Read about it here.

A major snowstorm will hit the area Friday night and last into Sunday morning, with many parts of our area getting 10” or more snow. The storm will be even more severe in the Washington, DC and Baltimore areas and less severe in New York City and Boston. This will cause a transportation nightmare for much of the East Coast. The storm will start as snow, but not until after 6pm Friday. Many roads will be pre-treated, so it might take until after midnight before conditions really go downhill. Travel Saturday is simply not recommended for most of the area, and the poor travel conditions may continue into Sunday morning. In New Jersey, a Blizzard Watch is in effect for the following counties - Mercer; Middlesex; Somerset; Camden; Gloucester; Northwestern Burlington; Salem; Atlantic; Cumberland; Ocean; Southeastern Burlington; Western Monmouth.

Dangerously cold weather this morning will be followed by a significant snowfall tonight and early Tuesday, and then a return to excessive cold Thursday and Friday. A Week of high impact Winter weather is at hand. This mornings temperatures are in the process of nearing records. Wind Chill was near 35 below zero in the Poconos and 10 to 20 below zero over much of the remainder of our area. A quick hitting snow event occurs tonight and ends by mid morning Tuesday.

A winter storm watch is in place for the Philadelphia metro areas. Moderate to heavy snow likely from portions of the coastal Mid-Atlantic to New England. Peak impacts to Merchantville will be late Monday through Tuesday with accumulations of 1 to 2 feet likely. Blizzard or near-blizzard conditions will make travel impossible.

Winter Storm Iola and its rain and snow could be making an appearance just in time for the weekend. An early Weather Channel forecast shows North Jersey getting the brunt of the storm with 5 to 8 inches of snow, the middle of the state getting 3 to 5 inches and South Jersey getting 1 to 3 Friday night into Saturday morning.Video update. Another storm brewing in the upper midwest is expected early next week. Don't put away those shovels yet!

The state Department of Health confirmed Tuesday five new cases of enterovirus D68 in New Jersey, bringing the total to 14 cases in New Jersey. There are two new confirmed cases in Morris County and one each in Camden, Middlesex and Mercer counties. The typical enterovirus season runs from July through October, so we're in an enterovirus season. What’s unusual about this one is that it’s a virus that hasn’t widely spread through the U.S. before.