Friday July 31 News Updates Lakewood

 Friday, July 31, 2026 / י״ז אב תשפ״ו ערב שבת פרשת עקב

Candle lighting: 7:53 PM 

Shkiah/sunset 8:11PM

weather 87° Mainly sunny and a few afternoon clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower.

Shabbos day 86° Partly cloudy.

A  slow-moving storm system brings heavy rain and thunderstorms starting Sunday night.

No Yated Neeman, FJJ, Lakewood shopper thos week.

- WSJ: Trump has ordered a fresh full bombing campaign against Iran, including strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and oil refineries, with the strikes beginning as soon as this weekend and in cordination with Israel, per WSJ

- Kamala Harris calls for revisiting the Electoral College, expanding the Supreme Court, & granting statehood to Washington, D.C., & Puerto Rico.

- MBD  talks about his upbringing, his musical career, and the legacy oyIf his mentor; the Holy Rivnitzer Rebbe see full interview Here 

- Bein hazmanim travel Over 1,191 flights delayed, 108 canceled as travel disruptions impact U.S. airports due to forecasted summer thunderstorms. 

- President Trump announced that more than 7 million children have been enrolled in the new tax-free investment savings accounts launched under the “Great Big Beautiful Bill.” He said many accounts include $1,000 from the U.S. Treasury or private contributions aimed at investing in children’s futures.

- Kosher meat prices are expected to rise significantly due to a shortage, though local stores say they are working with new suppliers to ensure shelves remain stocked. Retailers say they are committed to maintaining the same strict kashrus standards while adjusting to the supply challenges.

- Starting August 1, restaurants in New Jersey will no longer automatically include single-use utensils, napkins, or condiment packets with takeout and delivery orders. Customers must now specifically request these items. Businesses that do not comply will face a graduated penalty structure within a 12-month period

- Several Yerushalayim kehillos, including Perushim, Breslov, and Zichron Moshe, have announced a joint Shabbos protest against Shabbos desecration. The hafgana is scheduled for Shabbos at 10:30 a.m. outside a coffee shop on Rechov Agripas that is operating on Shabbos.

- TRUMP: "We heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack and they blame it on Iran. I don't think so. I blame it on Minnesota because they're grossly incompetent. Iran's got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota."

- This shabbos 18 Av is the yartzeit of The 1929 Chevron Massacre where 67 Jews were killed, 24 of whom were from the Chevron Yeshiva.

- A Middlesex County, NJ, police department used an officer disguised as a shrub to crack down on distracted driving Wednesday, issuing 74 citations. The Dunellen Police Department conducted a distracted driving enforcement operation on the 100 block of North Washington Avenue, an area with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The goal was to enforce New Jersey’s handheld cellphone law and increase safety in the community.

- New Jersey renters are facing rising housing costs, according to a new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The state's 2026 housing wage increased to $43.89 per hour, up $3.90 from last year, meaning that's what a full-time worker must earn to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment without spending more than 30% of income on rent. Meanwhile, the average renter earns just $24.92 per hour, highlighting a growing affordability gap.

- Israel Minister Ben Gvir: "My congratulations to the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for his strong commitment to welcoming immigration and 'human diversity.' As someone who has shown great concern for Hamas and the residents of Gaza, I call on him to turn words into action: open Spain's doors and grant refuge to Gaza residents seeking to emigrate. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute a little more to Spain's 'human diversity.'"

- RFK Jr. reveals Fauci’s diary was found in emails after he sent years of government-computer journal entries to himself for a planned book.

- Spanish Interior Ministry: Approximately 49,000 migrants arrived in the Spanish city of Ceuta in the last 24 hours

- New Jersey ranked the safest state for drivers in a new national study, earning the top overall score for low crash rates, traffic fatalities, speeding-related deaths, and alcohol-related fatal crashes. The state had the nation's lowest share of fatal crashes involving impaired drivers, with alcohol contributing to just 21.8% of fatal crashes. Researchers credited New Jersey's road design, enforcement, and infrastructure, while cautioning that the busy summer driving season remains the year's most dangerous period.

- Spanish authorities now say at least 34 people died after tens of thousands of mostly Moroccan migrants surged into the Spanish territory of Ceuta, prompting the military to deploy as officials called the situation unsustainable. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez blamed criminal networks and human traffickers, saying Spain is working with Morocco to return those who entered illegally while calling for additional measures to prevent future crossings. President Trump called the situation "terrible," warning, "Remember that picture. That's going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in."

- Following the bankruptcy of Simad Holdings, the 30 sleepaway camp portfolios, entered a court-supervised sale process. Several camps have already found buyers, including Camp Achim in the Catskills, sold for about $7 million, while Camp Lokanda, Camp Chen-A-Wanda, Camp Echo, and others reached agreements with operators and organizations. A $68 million bid was submitted for Camp Mohawk by a group connected to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Camp Mesorah a frum camp is also under agreement with a new buyer.

The sales are aimed at preserving camps for the upcoming seasons, with many buyers being current operators or community groups familiar with the camps.

- This coming Sunday, Lakewood will host a promotional event for the new Nachal residential development in Yerushalayim, located near the Ramat Eshkol, Sanhedria, and Givat Hamivtar neighborhoods. The event will feature a community run and walk through Pine Park, followed by a free family festival with finisher medals, branded T-shirts and visors, complimentary food, carnival games, snow cones, popcorn, photo magnets, live music, and a festive finish-line celebration for participants and their families. 

-  Dr. Simone Gold: 

Fauci was wrong about virtually everything. We were right all along.

-Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine worked—safe, early treatments that were deliberately suppressed.

-Masks were theater, not science.

-Lockdowns caused far more harm than good.

-Remdesivir was, and remains, harmful.

-The mRNA injections carried serious risks that were never honestly disclosed.

-Six-foot “social distancing” was an arbitrary invention with no rigorous basis.

-PCR testing was massively overused and produced huge numbers of false positives that were treated as real infections.

-The case fatality rate for most people was low.

-COVID originated from the Wuhan lab, and NIH funding flowed into gain-of-function research there.

Fauci funded and defended that research while publicly denying it.

He lied to protect his position, his funding streams, and his power. He harmed ordinary Americans patients, families, children to advance his own money and control.

This man should face real accountability. Put the villain in prison.