Essex County’s Resident Groundhog Does Not See Her Shadow, Predicts Early Spring Weather and the Chiefs Winning the Super Bowl
PHOTO CAPTION
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. (center) announced that Lady Edwina of Essex, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo’s resident groundhog, did not see her shadow and is predicting spring weather to arrive early during Turtle Back’s Annual Groundhog Day celebration on Friday, February 2nd. Lady Edwina also predicted the Kansas City Chiefs would defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. With the County Executive are Commissioner Len Luciano (left) and animal keeper Valerie Rapaglia. (Photo by Glen Frieson)
WEST ORANGE – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that Lady Edwina of Essex, Essex County Turtle Back Zoo’s resident groundhog, did not see her shadow and is predicting spring weather to arrive early. Lady Edwina made her prediction during Turtle Back Zoo’s annual Groundhog Day Celebration. This is the third time she has made a prognostication since taking over for her cousin Essex Ed. Essex Edwina also predicted the Kansas City Chiefs would defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
“I’m not a fan of cold weather, so I appreciate Lady Edwina forecasting an early arrival for warmer, spring weather,” said DiVincenzo. “It may still be winter, but Turtle Back Zoo is open and it’s a great time to come out and Experience Essex, and our wonderful Turtle Back Zoo and South Mountain Recreation Complex. Waiting for Essex Edwina on Groundhog Day creates excitement about Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo and highlights its role as an educational resource,” he added.
Essex Edwina’s prediction is as follows:
Happy Friday my friends! Welcome to the Zoo,
We’re open all year, so there’s still tons to do!
Our Alligator Peaches can be seen, in his new warm winter digs,
You can see penguins & sting rays & kunekune pigs.
But enough about the NOW, let’s look to the future to see,
Snow boots or rain boots, do you think all us groundhogs will agree?
I am happy to report, sun is coming in fast,
SPRING will be early, Winter will be part of the past.
As for the game, I’ll join the Chiefs’ wolf pack for the day,
Then maybe at the game, I can hang out with Tay!
This is the third year that Essex Edwina has made mid-winter and Super Bowl forecasts. Her predecessor, Essex Ed, had been predicting the mid-winter forecast since 1997 and the Zoo had various other groundhogs predict before him dating back to the 1970s. New Jersey weather is not always in line with Pennsylvania’s after all, and Ed could easily see his shadow while Punxsutawney Phil does not or vice versa. In the mid-2000s, Essex Ed started adding Super Bowl predictions to his prognostication.
Legend has it that if a groundhog sees his shadow on February 2nd, the winter chill will continue. If the weather is cloudy and he doesn’t see his shadow, we can expect warmer temperatures and an early spring.
Of course, we have to get a reaction from “Local Talk” Content Editor Kristopher Seals, who has a bone to pick with groundhogs that make weather predictions.
“Breaking news – I STILL do not subscribe to the notion that a groundhog can accurately forecast the weather,” said Seals. “It didn’t see its shadow? What a shock! Who would have thought that you wouldn’t be able to see your shadow… ON A CLOUDY DAY WITH NO SUN!
“When it comes to the game, unless this rodent will pay the vig on your gambling debt, I suggest you get your action from somewhere else. SPOILER ALERT: She was wrong about the Eagles last year. (For what it’s worth, ‘Local Talk’ had it right, since we had the Chiefs winning 42-34. I snuck it in the weather forecast. It was 38-35, but we had the winner though.)
“Finally, as far as that little hairball hanging out with Taylor Swift goes, if her cat bites the dust, then maybe she’ll want something else to pet and feed.
“I’m thinking about filing a case against that rodent, because in America, you can sue anyone for just about anything. Better yet, maybe its socials contain something unscrupulous!
“Then again, maybe a lawsuit wouldn’t be a good idea, since it’s hard for a groundhog to survive in this economy like the rest of us. Plus, if I were to engage in cancel culture, then I would be no better than those lames that have no lives of their own to concentrate on.
“Still, my stance remains the same from the last time I discussed this: If this friendly neighborhood rodent can predict the weather, then I predict I’m going to marry Scarlett Johansson!”
