Due to the current Covid situation The Blue Monkey Tavern will temporarily be closing our doors until early January 2021. We are saddened to miss the holiday season with our beloved customers who have become like family to us. You have rallied behind us before and we’re asking for your patience and understanding once again. We thank you for your support! We’re not monkeying around. We will take the proper precautions needed to clean and disinfect so we can open again as soon as possible. We promise to keep you updated and please have a healthy, safe, and happy holiday season!

COVID Alert NJ is New Jersey's free and secure mobile app that anonymously alerts users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The app also provides users with up-to-date information on New Jersey reopening news, key COVID-19 metrics, and a user-friendly symptom tracking tool. COVID Alert NJ uses Bluetooth proximity technology. The app will never record any identifying data. All users will remain anonymous. When your app senses a close contact, your phone will exchange a secure random code with the close contact's phone. Each day, the app will compare your list of close contact codes to the list of codes associated with positive COVID-19 app users. If there's a match you will get an Exposure Alert, along with appropriate next steps. It's important to note that your location and name are never disclosed

Dr. Paschal Nwako, Camden County Health Officer, has provided the following recommended links and documents for COVID-19 information from the CDC, the State of New Jersey and Camden County websites which is in line with our 2020 Local Board of Summit “Better Health Outcomes in Your Own Back Yard for COVID-19" and best practices. The goal is for each mayor to be in partnership with Camden County Department of Health in getting the word out and providing resources to the residents of their municipality. Resources include: COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit, Vaccine Roll Out Information Site from The State Of New Jersey, CDC: Benefits of Getting the COVID Vaccine: Vaccine Facts, New Jersey Department of Health Communicable Disease Service Website, Camden County Website, Camden County COVID-19 Updates and Resources, Camden County COVID-19 Dashboard, COVID-19 Vaccine Information, and Camden County Needs You: Medical Professionals Sought for COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics.

In-person learning is increasingly being put on hold at school districts throughout the state because staff and students are testing positive for coronavirus or coming into close contact with people who have. Here’s the most comprehensive list yet of N.J. schools teaching remotely because of COVID-19. On September 30th NJ launched a dashboard that identifies counties, number of schools and cases that were transmitted in school buildings or through school activities. Currently, 88 schools have had a total of 388 cases. In some cases, the switch to all-remote classes is temporary, but many districts have opted to go remote through January. The district will be fully remote 11/30-1/15/21. Haddon Heights: Students in grades 4 through 12 will learn remotely from 12/14-12/23.

As our community prepares for an unprecedented effort to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to hundreds of thousands of residents in 2021, the Camden County Department of Health is providing vaccination information and seeking registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and medical professionals to support this once-in-a-century undertaking. All candidates for this task must have active licenses and certifications for facilitating and deploying vaccines. “Next year’s challenges will be much different than this year’s, but coordinating and executing the administration of this vaccine will be our highest priority,” said Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. If you are qualified and interested in joining this effort, please call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at (856) 374-6000, or by visiting here.

Charles Edward Schank, of Wilmington, NC passed away on December 4th, 2020. Born February 15th, 1935 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Charles and Gladys Schank, he spent his early years in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After graduating high school in Merchantville, NJ he attended Rutgers University, earning a degree in philosophy. He was then accepted to Yale Divinity School and received his Masters of Sacred Theology in 1959. He was ordained into the New York East Conference of the Methodist church in June, 1959. Full obituary.

This week students from Merchantville School received in-person and virtual school year first trimester awards. Congratulations go out to MES 6th graders who received First Honors - students who received straight A's. Keep up the great work Daisy, Caroline, Elliot, Julia, Frankie, Massimo, Jillian, Julian & Grayden. Shout out to 7th grade Principal's List students who received straight A's for the first trimester. Keep up the great work David, Isabella, Ella, Audrey, Eric, Abbie, Owen, Maddie, & Luke. And to our 8th grade Principal's List students who received straight A's for the first trimester. Great job Mikayla, Eli, Jai, Will, Dylan, Isaiah, Milan, Catherine & Spyrandreas. Merchantville School also announced Knights of Honor for the first trimester - students who exhibit the characteristics we expect from all of our students. Great job Heaven, Spyandreas, Peter, Audrey, Sasha and Marlowe!

Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, advises municipalities that Camden County will be under a Code Blue Alert from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. on Thursday, December 17th from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 7 p.m.Thursday until 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 18. “Current forecasts project temperatures under 30 degrees throughout the week, with a mix of winter precipitation expected Wednesday into Thursday,” Rodriguez said.  “When temperatures reach this low, it is important to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, and to ensure that they are warm and safe. Even inside, cold conditions can quickly become dangerous for vulnerable populations, especially those who lack heat or electricity.” Each municipality has identified its own location to accommodate those in their community seeking shelter from the severe weather. Persons seeking shelter in a warming center should contact their local municipality.