The annual Fall Festival at All Saints Church in Navesink promises to be a combination of great people, great food, and a bit of Halloween spookery when it is held Saturday, October. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m.
The event will be on the All Saints Memorial Church campus at 202 Navesink Avenue, Navesink, near the five points intersection in Locust.
Included in the festivities is a talk by local author Patricia Heyer highlighting “A Spooky Story”. Her fascinating tale will be followed with a tour through the historic cemetery at the Church, an ages old cemetery that contains stories and names of generations of local families.
The Waterwitch Foundation will provide music for dancing, and the Flying Pig will present a barbecue. The barbecue is by pre-order, which can be done through the National Landmark Trust and Waterwitch Foundation.
There is no charge for the afternoon of fun, food music and fall festivities and all are invited to attend.
There were no objections during the public hearing on the proposed code and plenty of applause and affirmative head nodding after it was official.
In response to a question from resident Mark Fisher, Borough Administrator Robert Ferragina confirmed that once the Center Avenue park is extended to include a portion of the Denholtz property, the ordinance will be amended to include that portion into the Helen Marchetti park.
Patrolman Joseph LaBella was honored as the Employee of the Month. The police officer, who has been on the department for two years, was cited for his positive energy, outgoing personality and spirit of volunteerism all of which are assets to the police department and the borough residents. Council President Lori Hohenleitner, who made the presentation in the absences of Mary Loretta Gluckstein who was ill and did not attend the meeting, said LaBella is “the epitome of small-town police.”
In other business, council introduced an ordinance amending the development regulations in the Central Business and Historic business districts and set the public hearing for the November 20 meeting. Because the ordinance is designed to amend Chapter 150, development regulations to further regulate Development and Design in the districts, it must also go to the planning board for its input before it is finally adopted.
Council members made it clear they are in support of Israel in the current crisis in the Middle East, offering a silent prayer at the beginning of the meeting, the council president offering comment and Councilman James Murphy making a statement during the meeting. Ferragina also noted that in compliance with Governor Murphy’s directive, the borough’s state and national flags are at half staff honoring Israel until sundown October 13.
Jessica Jackson was named payroll clerk on a part time basis and council authorized a state contract purchase of an emergency mobile generator.
Council also authorized a $25, 710 contract with Reily Paving Company for paving the borough hall parking lot, and a $550,928 contract with D’Avellino Contracting Company, Freehold for improvements to East Garfield and Grand avenues.
The weather postponed Atlantic Highlands Day until tomorrow, Sunday, October 15 at the Municipal Yacht Harbor, and still numerous events, activities, foods and beverages will be on hand to draw crowds throughout the afternoon.
The Touch a Truck event, always a popular favorite, will include numerous municipal vehicles from police cares and fire trucks to sanitation vehicles and more.
In addition at the beginning of the event, at noon there will be a ceremony honoring the borough as a Community Wildlife Habitat.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony and take price in have borough residents and business people in our town, we have been able to accomplish the Community certification, a designation given by the National Wildlife Federation and NJ Audubon.
This make Atlantic Highlands one of only municipalities throughout the state who have achieved this honor.
Kristin Hock, Habitat Outreach Coordinator for NJ Audubon’s Garden for Wildlife Program, will be on hand to make the presentation. Visitors will also be able to honor local persons who became and are committed to creating wildlife habitats from the start..
Although thrilled by the accomplishments and support of the entire borough, Wildlife leaders Marilyn Scherfen and Elain Egidio also warn “It feels great, but we have lots more work to do! Birds and bees and butterflies are still disappearing at an alarming rate.” However, they said, “as public awareness is raised, and actions are taken to protect and increase habitat, we can help stem that decline.”
The nature lovers also invite others to have their gardens certified. Interested persons can learn more by going to nwf.org/certify.
Now that a preK-12 regional district has been approved by voters, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands board members have to work quickly to determine who will be the first to serve on the new school board of education. That nine-member board will replace the current three boards of education at Highlands and Atlantic Highlands elementary schools and Henry Hudson Regional School.
It also means that the new regional district will begin its first days without any school board of education.
In a letter released today to the Henry Hudson Regional Education community signed by the presidents of the current three boards of education, October 16 is the official date when the new regional school district becomes effective.
However, the three existing school boards will not begin the process of selecting the first Board of Education for the new district until after that date.
The new transitional board, which will remain in effect until a new board is selected for staggered terms in a November 2024 election, will be selected by members of the current three boards from among themselves.
That action is expected to take place next week when each of the three boards holds their regular meetings. Highlands meets October 16 at 6P.M. Atlantic Highlands October 17 at 7 p.m. and Henry Hudson October 18 at 7 p.m.
Each of the boards, at their respective meetings next week, will go into closed session and members will express their interest in serving on the transitional board. If the number of interested board members equals the number that the board can seat on the transitional board, their intentions will be discussed again in closed session followed by a vote at the regular open session. Should there be more board members interested than there are seats on the transitional board, each of the interested candidates will be interviewed by their fellow board members and a decision made and voted on in open session.
For the new regional nine-member school board, there will be three each from both the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands boards of education, and three from the Henry Hudson Board, of which two will be from Highlands and one from Atlantic Highlands to comprise the entire board.
Between now and their respective meeting, each of the interested candidates for the new school board must submit a letter of interest to its president and secretary as well as to school superintendent Dr. Tara Beams.
The votes will take place at the October 16, 17 and 18 board meetings. A meeting next month, at a yet unannounced date, will be the organization meeting to appoint the members approved by their respective boards of education as well as action on other approvals and legal requirements of the new board.
The present boards will remain in place until the date is set for the new regional district to take control of the facilities, a date currently set at June 30, 2024, but which could be sooner. During this time, the transitional board members will also continue to serve on their current boards.
After the November 2024 election, the transitional school board will continue to serve until the re-organization of the elected board sometime in early January 2025. In the meantime, new stationery and at least one new e-mail address have been prepared. Superintendent Beams e-mail is now tbeams@henryhudsonreg.k12.nj.us
It’s spacious. It’s spotlessly clean. It’s customer friendly, and Borough Hall is open for business.
The new Borough Hall on Route 36 at Miller Street is a refreshing and welcome change from what borough employees and residents have endured since Superstorm Sandy wiped out borough hall on Bay Avenue. Through the years, borough business has been accomplished through crowded trailers on Shore Drive.
With plenty of parking both at the front door of Borough Hall…which actually is at the rear of the Route 36 visibly seen building ….facing a backyard on Miller Street….. as well as further away by the entrance to police headquarters, there are both steps and a long ramp for easy access into the main hallway. To the right once inside, employees are behind glass windows, but the counter is filled with stacks of every application any resident could need.
In addition to the rows of applications, for everything from garage sale permits to closing streets for filming, there are business cards available for each of the members of council, as well as the borough administrator, building inspector and other officials residents might need.
The building has been fully inspected and approved by all officials, with the fire code setting 119 persons is the capacity for the main floor of the building, and 64 persons is the capacity for the court room.
Offices for the borough administrator and borough clerk are towards the back of the building on the Route 36 side and an inside staircase gives access to the police department.
The police department is not fully moved into the facility as yet, with Oct. 20 the date set for their final establishment of headquarters there. However, at the downstairs police entrance, there is a panic room which someone in an emergency can access, and a telephone for calling the police for quick response.
Still to be completed by the borough are the police A/V, computer and phone systems, all set for next week.
Still to be completed on the building are some punch-list items and a sound system in the council chambers, also set for installation next week. On the exterior, only the cupola which is currently in the parking lot, has to be raised on the building.
The borough has also offered parking on weekends to members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church for their Saturday evening and Sunday morning masses. Church pastor the Rev. Jarlath Quinn has made the announcement at church services and has expressed his thanks to the borough for their cooperation. The church also has limited parking on its own property with access off Highland Avenue as well.
Sea Bright’s former Councilman Charlie Rooney, who has been a stalwart leader in his efforts along with numerous others, to have Sea Bright included in a Pre-K-12 regional school district with Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, sees the recent election that creates a PreK-12 regional district as the first step in ultimately enabling the residents of all three towns to vote on whether they now want to include Sea Bright in that newly approved district.
“It’s just important for the people to have their say,” said Rooney, in releasing the letter to newspapers, ” this is an important issue for all three towns, and would bring millions of dollars to the two towns just approved to be in the new district once another election is held and voters approve including Sea Bright. “
Regionalization Step #1 On September 26th, Atlantic Highlands and Highlands voters went to the polls to determine if the two towns would regionalize their 3 school districts into a single PreK-12 education system.
With a very light turnout of approximately 20% of registered voters, the vote was 2 to 1 in favor of regionalization. But many residents were both surprised and disappointed to learn that the referendum did not include bringing the town of Sea Bright into the new district. This is due to the fact that there has been much discussion about the inclusion of Sea Bright and that recent feasibility studies have confirmed that inclusion of Sea Bright would yield the best educational outcome for the students and tax relief for the residents.
But in the confusion and disappointment, there is a silver lining. Now that Atlantic Highlands and Highlands have formed a single purpose PreK-12 district, it clears the path for what is the logical next step which is a second referendum to include Sea Bright.
Key participants in this process including the Boards of Education, Superintendent Tara Beams, Town Council members, and county and state officials have all publicly stated that they look forward to a second referendum to allow voters to decide if Sea Bright will join the new district.
Supporting this eventual outcome, Acting New Jersey State Education Commissioner, Angelica Allen-McMillan stated in her letter dated September 22, 2023, that “If the referendum passes on September 26 2023, Sea bright and the newly formed school district may refile a joint request to form an enlarged regional school district”.
This clearly signals her support for a second referendum vote in the very near future.
Additionally, regarding the legal appeal of Oceanport and Shore Regional to block Sea Bright from joining the new regional district, she goes on to say, “Sea Bright has standing to seek withdrawal from Oceanport and Shore Regional in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:13-47.11”.
This legislation enacted into law through unanimous bi-partisan approval clears the path for towns such as these 3 to legally regionalize and seek to both improve their educational systems while reducing tax burdens on the residents.
The Commissioner’s letter also once again denies Oceanport and Shore Regional’s request to block Sea Bright’s withdrawal from those systems. Oceanport and Shore regional have reaped exorbitant taxes from Sea Bright over the decades and now stand to lose that due to new legislation supporting regionalization which seeks to make education more affordable in New Jersey.
So all of this puts Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, and Sea Bright on a path to finally see their 3 towns unite in a single Pre-K through 12 district. This ultimate outcome aligns with the finding of all feasibility studies recently completed which highlighted expanded educational offerings for our students and significant tax relief for our residents through such a 3 town regionalization.
While Step 1 of the process is complete, it will only see modest savings on the order of $400K per year. With the inclusion of Sea Bright in the new district, it will bring greater than $22M in savings for Atlantic Highlands and Highlands over a 10-year steady state period.
Now it is up to the Boards of Education, Superintendent Tara Beams, and elected officials to follow through on their commitments. That is to advance to Step #2 which would see a new referendum submitted to the Commissioner to add Sea Bright to the newly formed district. All indications are that the Commissioner will approve such a request. Then it will be up to the voters of Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, and Sea Bright to determine if these 3 towns will finally join to form an enhanced education system at significantly lower costs for our taxpayers.
For me, the right path is clear. I hope you join me in demanding that our leaders move out, live up to their commitments, and do the right thing. On to STEP #2!
In the face of the war raging in Israel today, it is also important to remember that Jewish men have fought in every war in the United States and brought honor to themselves for their bravery and their dedication to their fellow man.
Since the Congressional Medal of Honor was first presented after the Civil War, 18 military members of the Jewish faith have been presented with the highest award for military bravery awarded by the United States. Jewish military have earned Medals of Honor in the Civil War, the Indian and Haitian Campaigns, World Wars 1 and II, Vietnam, Korea and the War on Terrorism.
Among them is New Jersey native William Sawelson who received his Medal of Honor for crawling through machine gun fire to give a dying soldier a canteen of water. He was the only New Jersey native among the four Jewish soldiers who received the Medal of Honor during the First World War.
Sawelson, who was born in Newark in Aug. 5, 1895, was serving with the Army in France as a sergeant with Company M 312th Infantry of the 78th Division, known as the Lighting Division.
Sgt. Sawelson had been serving in No Man’s Land with the Lightning Division at Grand Pre, France as a supply sergeant. When he heard a comrade calling for water he lost no time in crawling through enemy fire to give him his canteen. It was when he was returning to the soldier with more water that he was struck by enemy fire. Both he and the man he was giving aid to died on the battlefield.
In April, 1919, General Jack Pershing was called upon to present 43 Distinguished Service Cross awards to members of the 78th Division for a variety of acts of bravery and heroism during World War I. At the same time, ,General Pershing was requested to present the Division’s sole Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously to Sgt Sawelson. Reports in all newspapers at that time said the army sergeant’s bravery and attention to the needs of a fellow soldier would go down in history.
The Sergeant’s Medal of Honor is accredited to Harrison, where he first entered the Army, in Hudson County.
Sgt. Sawelson is buried at Meuse-Argonne Cemetery at Romagne Meuse, France.
His citation reads:
CITATION
Hearing a wounded man in a shell hole some distance away calling for water, Sgt. Sawelson, upon his own initiative, left shelter and crawled through heavy machine-gun fire to where the man lay, giving him what water he had in his canteen. He then went back to his own shell hole, obtained more water, and was returning to the wounded man when he was killed by a machine-gun bullet.
Want to read about other Recipients of the Medal of Honor from New Jersey? Click HERE
Tickets are available now for the Knights of Columbus Oktoberfest and Comedy Night featuring Broccoli Rob and a tribute to Uncle Floyd set for Saturday, October 21 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School Hall, Miller Street.
Grand Knight of the Father Joseph Donnelly Council of the Knights of Columbus Mike Napolitano is chairman for the third consecutive year of the annual event and anticipates it will be a sold out affair as in previous years.
Napolitano urges persons interested in securing seats for the event, which also includes featured Craft Beers from Belford Brewing Company and a German dinner, to contact him now for reservations.
Tickets are $40 each and can be acquired by calling 862-3367-0801 or e-mailing mikenap1962@gmail.com. Checks can also be made payable to K of C #11660 and mailed to 180 Navesink Ave., Highlands NJ 07732.
Sponsored by the local Knights of Columbus Council, the event features an upgraded Hot Buffet menu along with the Specially Selected Craft Beer tasting. The Grand Knight notes that despite rising prices, through the generosity of local businesses the Council has been able to maintain last year’s pricing to ensure a value-packed evening of entertainment.
German fare will include knockwurst and bratwurst along with sauerkraut, smoked pork chops, and an onion gravy from the Black Forest Bratwurst Company, together with the Bahrs Restaurant of Highlands specials of German Pea Soup, German potato salad and more. There will also be Oktoberfest chicken, red cabbage, pretzels and baked breads of several varieties on the menu.
Desserts will feature an assortment of German chocolate, and Black Forest carrot and cheesecakes from Pellman Bakery, the noted Pennsylvania Dutch country bakery, together with soft beverages including apple cider. Patrons are also invited to bring their own adult beverages for consumption at their own tables.
Doors open at 5 p.m. for 6 to 9 p.m. event.
Broccoli Rob, as master of ceremonies, will perform the comedy tribute to Floyd Vivino, the legendary New Jersey comedian.
Call it bizarre, call it an anomaly, call it something different, but in actuality Wild in the Treats is truly a gluten-free bakery and vegan shop that opened Saturday at 183 First Ave, Atlantic Highlands with an official ribbon cutting ceremony that drew dozens of local residents to attend and sample scones, muffins, cookies and more at a shop filled with family, friends, and plenty of good things to eat.
Mayor Lori Gluckstein cut the ribbon to officially open the new bakery, along with its owner, Tony Panzica III, a former chef in a health food store who is fulfilling his life dream to own his own vegan business.
Atlantic Highlands Mayor Loretta Gluckstein cut the ribbon to officially open Wild innthe Treats for owner Tony Panzica, along with Chamber of Commerce officer Diane Marks and Councilman Jim Murphy and one of Panzica’s four employees.
Council members Lori Hohenleitner, James Murphy and Jon Crowley were there with Gluckstein to congratulate the owner and his staff, along with officers of the Chamber of Commerce.
It’s a proud Tony Panzica, Jr., the father of Tony III, who was among all the family members congratulated by Atlantic Highlands Council members Lori Hohenleitner and Jon Crowley at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the gluten free bakery, Wild in the Treats on First Ave., Saturday.
Chamber official Diane Marks, who presented a certificate to Panzica, noted the new business owner became a member of the Chamber even before he opened Wild in the Treats, saying he wanted to be part of the large and unique number of businesses that thrive in the borough.
Panzica was profuse with praise and thanks for his family and friends who helped him get the unique shop underway, particularly praising his father, Tony, Jr. of Middletown, and his sister, Dawn, as well as his late mother, who passed away four years ago and had been the baker at home who inspired him from childhood. The owner’s father, Tony, beaming with pride for his son, took some credit for Wild in the Treats, jokingly saying, “He wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. I’m his father!” The baker’s friend, Pam Valentine, designed the shop’s logo.
It’s clear that family and friends are uppermost in the bakery owner’s mind and heart, as he listed all those who helped redesign the building for the new business and helped ready it for the grand opening event.
But a gluten based and vegan bakery is already filling the needs of those who like desserts but have to watch their intake of this protein that is present in most wheats, rye and barley and can be serious,, even fatal for health, weight, or allergic reasons. It’s present in all breads, chips, cakes, cookies and pies and cakes. Health officials in the 21st century are urging either gluten free or less gluten in everyone’s diets for health reasons and to avoid serious intestinal disease.
Minutes after the official opening, Wild in the Treats buyers were in line out to the street to sample everything from granola bars and scones to a chocolate whiskey ganache and brownies. There are several varieties of scones, jelly bars, biscotti, muffins and turnovers. There are bags of granola and even applesauce molasses dog treats.
Panzica said though he is not a pet owner himself, he added the dog treat to his variety for the number of friends and customers he knows have dogs. “I just thought they would enjoy having a special treat for them as well,” he smiled. The baker said he has not yet added loaves of bread to his menu because of the size of the on-premises kitchen where he prepares all his recipes. The supply of more than two dozen varieties of baked and granola goods is only one portion of what while be offered on a regular basis, he said.
Large cakes, cheesecakes and bundts are currently sold by the slice, but whole cakes and breads like banana bread will also be offered in the future, he said.
Wild in the Treats will be open Wednesdays through Sundays every week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit them on Facebook, call and place orders, expect special offerings for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and welcome a new business to the borough. Located at the intersection of First Avenue and Route 36 in the mini mall that also houses a pizza restaurant, nail salon and Chinese restaurant, Panzica said there are parking both in front and at the rear of the building, with access to rear parking from W. Garfield ave.
However, hosing his pride in being a part of the borough and its Chamber of Commerce, he added “or you can walk up First Avenue and see some of the other businesses that make this town so great as well.”
There is no telling why things happen or why you meet and find a new friend.
A little over seven years ago, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was asked if, rather than surgery, I would like to participate in a trial of cyroablation. That is the means by which a frozen needle is inserted directly into the tumor, causing it to shrivel up, die and slough out of your body in routine fashion.
Dr. Kenneth Tomkovich was the gutsy Freehold radiologist who dared to try something new and convinced me easily enough I should be the first in the state to try out this painless, easy, 28 minute procedure I could even watch while it was underway.
Since it was new, a representative from the company was also present to observe the procedure; because the doctor infused me with so much confidence and the procedure requires no anesthesia, we chatted easily in the room during the procedure. I jokingly warned Dr. Tomkovich he better know what he was doing, because I was leaving for Israel with a group from my church in two weeks.
That night, the company representative called me on the phone and asked if I was really going to Israel.
It was then I learned that IceCure, a company in Caesarea, Israel, had created the breast cryoablation needle and procedure, and since it was still undergoing trial in the US, had never met anyone who had it done. Would I be interested in meeting them when I was in Israel?
To be able to meet the company that cured me of breast cancer without pain, surgery, chemo, radiation or even a day in the hospital? You bet I would!
Once in Jerusalem, I connected with the company who had been awaiting my arrival and made arrangements for them to pick me up at the hotel and take me to their firm. We had to alter the original plans where we were going to meet, since the hotel where we were staying was in the Palestinian section and my new Jewish friends could not enter there.
So it was a 90 minute drive by one of the Ice Cure employees who came to pick me up and take me to Caesarea. While enjoying the magnificent area and history we were traveling through, we became friends, and I got another glimpse into how friendly and nice the Israeli people are.
Once in Ceasaria at the Ice Cure office, I met the entire staff…most of them women in the 30s and 40s, all friendly, all anxious to meet an American, all so happy to hear how their invention had cured me.
I met the entire staff, toured their facility and watched a simulation of the procedure I had just two weeks before. We laughed, we chatted, we marveled at modern-day medicine, and the very wonderful Tlalit, one of the officers of the small but very intelligent firm, and others, then took me for dinner in a wonderful outdoor restaurant directly on the Mediterranean. After more talk, more opportunity to get to know each other, and more thanks from me, we took photos and a driver brought me back to my hotel .
Since then, several of the Ice Cure employees and myself have kept in touch via e-mail and Facebook, all happy we had made new friendships. And they cheered louder than anyone else every year when my annual checkups showed Ice Cure had done its job, I am free of cancer.
Tlalit and I continued our e-mails since that trip to Israel. I saw how her company grew, how trials in other countries of this wonderful cancer cure were advancing and being accepted.
I ventured into the stock market simply because I had the chance to own a little piece of this company that cured me of cancer so easily. It’s still a struggling company, but it’s an Israeli company. That means it’s loaded with intelligent medical men and scientists, it’s dedicated to Improving life, and it’s a company that even weighs heavily on a female staff to accomplish all it has done.
I’ve followed Tlalit as she has gone from country to country, the professional, yet warm and friendly woman who works so hard to share the magic Ice Cure offers.
While all of America is grieving over the brutal and savage attack on a the people of nation whose primary resource is the intelligence of its people, not the rich oil fields of its surrounding neighbors, my thoughts are with the few individuals I have met there, the warm, loving and hard working intelligent people who not only cured me of cancer but delighted in showing me how they do it.
I cannot fathom how these warm-hearted and life-loving people can comprehend mindless people who are not only bombing homes and hotels, but also kidnapping soldiers, grandmothers and babies.
Then I saw on Facebook the sorrowing pleas of another Israeli woman. She had a photo of her son on Facebook, and a tearful and emotional plea to help her find her son; he was among the missing. A handsome Israeli, somewhere perhaps in his 20s or early 30s, all of a sudden missing.
His mother is a friend of my friend Tlalit . I could feel her grief.
So I wrote my friend Tlalit an e-mail to express my thoughts and prayers. She wrote back within hours. I was shocked. With all that her nation, her city, her family is undergoing, this gracious lady took the time to respond. And with that stalwart Israeli brave spirit, she did not elaborate on the grief she was feeling; she did not mention what her friend was going through. She did not show her own pain.
She simply wrote
Dear Muriel,
thank you for your kind words of concern and encouragement. Situation is terrible.
