Changes come to Wildwood as city commission toughens rules for teens
WILDWOOD, N.J. - A mid-summer change in Wildwood, as the popular shore town voted Wednesday to toughen the rules when it comes to teens.
Mayor Pete Byron walked the boardwalk just after the city commission voted to change Wildwood’s curfew from 1 a.m. to midnight for teens under the age of 18. He says, although there hasn’t been an increase in juvenile calls over the summer, the city wants to be proactive in light of recent problems in other shore towns.
"All we did was change it from 1 a.m. to midnight. That’s just being proactive," Mayor Byron stated. "But, we don’t want to go any less than midnight because then it starts effecting the local economy, piers and the businesses."
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Boardwalk business owners don’t mind the change and many welcome it.
"It’s just better for the kids. Safer for the kids. At the same time, safer for the business owners," manager at Waves, Andrew Nabi, said. "Some of those kids, at that time, come in and steal and do all the extreme stuff."
"10 o’clock. 11 o’clock for youth. What are you doing out on the streets at that time," Rachel Wyatt questioned.
Some think the problem with teenagers out late at night could be solved not with a curfew, but with the parents.
"It’s just parents think it’s a free opportunity for them to go out and hang out and let their kids do whatever they want," Imaani Mati stated. "I’m 18 years old and I know that."