Local Philadelphia news, United States of America
Casinos in Atlantic City face huge losses due to Coronavirus closures
According to the figures released on Friday, Casinos in Atlantic city saw a 65% fall in their profits in the first quarter of the year.
The first quarter only covered two weeks of closure in March due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The officials are sure that the numbers will be even worse for the second quarter as casinos were shut all of April and so far, May, with no reopening scheduled soon.
The figures from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement show that nine casinos collectively earned only a profit of $29.6 million in the first quarter this year as they had earned $85.6 million in the same period last year.
The big decline is "not surprising, given that most casinos continued to pay employees for two weeks after the shutdown," said Jane Bokunewicz, coordinator of a gambling studies institute at Stockton University outside Atlantic City. "With only internet gaming and a small number of sports betting revenue to offset payroll expenses, a significant decrease was inevitable."
Three casinos had suffered huge losses as compared to last year's first-quarter profits.
Bally's faced a loss of $8 million this year as compared to $2.8 million last year. Caesars went from 10.8 million profit to a $593,000 loss, and resorts went from a $3 million profit to a $3.4 million loss.
What all charges you can face on violating state stay-at-home orders
The shutdowns caused due to COVID-19 pandemic had completed more than two months, and some of the businesses and some people have been pushing the limits of statewide stay-at-home orders.
Some businesses started reopening their businesses despite shutdowns and are now facing citations and fines.
According to officials, most of the people follow the guidelines, but only some do not follow the orders. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said that some "knuckleheads" cause headaches as the state battles the deadly coronavirus.
This issue was raised after the announcement by Gov. On Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf states that all the counties under the strictest lockdown would move to the next phase of reopening from June 5.
Attorneys from the two states talked to our team and said that it is not beneficial to charge a large number of people as courts had already grown their backlog.
I'm not sure we want to clog the court system up with those kinds of cases," said Michael Donio, a retired New Jersey judge who now works in private practice.
Gov. Wolf said that strict actions would be taken for the people violating an executive order. According to state laws, anyone found violating an emergency order faces a fine up to $200 or jail time of up to 30 days. Those maximum amounts increase to $500 or 90 days for subsequent offenses.
Many Counties in Philadelphia will move to yellow phase by June 5 said Gov. Wolf
Gov. Tom Wolf announced that Philadelphia has a new timeframe for the reopening, which includes the reopening of Pennsylvania's 18 counties. As these counties were strictly locked down as a response to coronavirus, these will move from red to yellow by June 5.
The city with Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, will join other provinces which had already started reopening the businesses and services under the yellow phase of state reopening.
From May 29, eight counties will move to the yellow phase: Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill, and the remaining ten counties will move to yellow on June 5.
In his announcement, Wolf also announced that 17 more counties would move to green phase from May 29, including Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, and Warren.
Even the yellow phase will be strictly implemented as many businesses will continue to remain closed in the yellow period. These closures include gyms, casinos, theaters, and other indoor recreational, wellness, and entertainment venues, and no gathering of more than 25 people will be allowed.
Restaurants and bars are only allowed for limited carry-out or delivery. Businesses also have to follow the state and federal guidelines of sanitization and social distancing.
Atlantic city will reopen the hotels, motels and Airbnb from next week
As the reopening phases had started in the U.S., Atlantic City plans soon to reopen the hotels, motels and short-term rentals. City officials said that these might open from next week.
Mayor Marty Small Sr. said if a business can follow all the regulations for safety, they may start reopening, but they should ensure the safety of customers and employees. Those businesses were closed last month as a part of the pandemic lockdown.
"We depend on all those economic engines to drive our revenue, we are a tourist destination," Small said.
The city's director of licensing and inspections, Dale Finch, said that his department will reach 35 hotels and motels and will tell that they can open. The businesses can restart their businesses from next Friday, March 29.
Finch also said that some online businesses like Expedia and Airbnb have been calling almost every day to know the update on the reopening date.
Fire chief Scott Evans said that if a business did not follow the safety guidelines, then their business will be forcefully closed.
Small did not tell anything about the reopening of casinos, but he said there is a "constant conversation" about the timeline and safety concerns.
Man arrested for being accused of sexually assaulting ponies at an equestrian center in Delaware
A man accused of sexually assaulting ponies at an equestrian center in Delaware got arrested by the Police.
Michael Riego, 31, has charged for two bestialities and two burglaries.
Police started the investigation after receiving reports of injured horses at the New Castle County Carousel Park and Equestrian Center. The staff at the center also told Police that they often arrive to work and see ponies with chords tied around their legs just above the hoof.
Detectives reviewed the surveillance footage and found that a man entered the barn during the night time on the days when incidents were reported.
On April 20, Police were reported about the same man that he was seen near the 31-year-old brown mare in the camera. According to footage, the man wore a mask on his face and entered mare's stall. Then the man tied up the mare's hind legs and sexually assaulted the animal.
All the ponies were treated by a veterinarian and all the well now with normal activities.
Police are still investigating the incidents and had said that Riego might suffer some more charges. Any farmer who has any information related to Riego or had hired him for work contact police. Anyone with any information related to the incident should Detect Brian Lucas at (302) 395-8110 or email him at [email protected], or you can call the New Castle County Division of Police at 302-573-2800.
Woman killed her wife in New Jersey arrested in Houston
According to authorities, a woman in southern New Jersey Apartment killed her wife using a wine chiller last weekend. The police captured her.
The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced on Thursday that Mayra Gavilanez-Alectus, 48, of Brick, New Jersey accused of killing her wife, was arrested in Houston on Wednesday.
Officials also told that she travelled from New York to Houston by bus but did not release any further details.
Gavilanez-Alectus is arrested on the charges for a murder and two weapons offences in the slaying of Rebecca Gavilanez-Alectus, 32.
Police responded to a call from an anonymous person to their apartment and found her body in the bedroom.
According to autopsy reports, she had been killed using a "cylindrical container used for chilling wine," and her death was ruled a homicide.
Authorities did not announce the reason for the killing, and no other injuries were reported.
