The AAUW Half Price Book Sale will be held at the lower level of the Old First Church 69 Kings Highway, Middletown Saturday, Jan. 25 featuring half price on everything in the shop from books and CDs to audiobooks puzzles, games and DVDs with the exception of new releases.
Access to the popular shop which offers all its merchandise at low prices throughout the year is by outside stairs.
The AAUW also invites volunteers to assist at the store, commending the Brookdale Community College class which has been volunteering as part of their community service requirements.
The shop is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on all but holiday weekends. In addition to offering everything for sale, the volunteers also accept donations during those hours.
To learn more about the the AAUW program, to inquire about becoming a member, or to learn about their book donation policy, call 732-275-2237.
There all several kinds of squash, both yellow and green, winter and summer. And they all have great benefits to good health, primarily because of the potassium, vitamin K and A, terrific for eyesight and for those with macular degeneration in particular, as well as magnesium, great for stopping those shocking painful leg cramps so many experience every now and then.
Yellow squash is considered one of the summer group of squash, and is a cousin of another squash, its green cousin, the zucchini.
They two are quite similar too. For instance, both zucchini and yellow squash are almost all water, and that means they’re both low in calories, low in carbs, and are loaded with vitamin C, along with Vitamin A, and potassium, along with a healthy dose of fiber.
On top of that, they really taste great, are quite versatile in how they’re prepared, and easy whether you like it hot or cold. If you eat the exterior peel as well as the insides, that’s even more vitamins, good health and great taste you can experience. There’s a lot of beta-carotene along with lutein in the skin alone!
Iif you’re looking for new recipes,, think air fryer as well! Again, easy, quick, and healthy, even if you like your veggies crispy and coated with bread so they have all the taste of French fries without all the fat and bad stuff.
Try this nice, easy and delicious recipe using the air-fryer, yellow squash, unpeeled and thinly sliced, and its taste accented with a pint of grated Parmesan cheese.
Air-Fryer Yellow Squash
4 cups thinly sliced yellow summer squash . (Slice squash in half lengthwise, slice into thin piece (take 2-3 squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper add salt if you must as well.
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat air fryer to 350°. Place squash in a large bowl or plastic bag. Add oil and seasonings; toss to coat. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs and cheese. Dip squash in crumb mixture to coat both sides, patting to help coating adhere. In batches, arrange squash in a single layer on tray in air-fryer basket. Cook until squash is tender and coating is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
“There are still too many things going on, too many things we’re in the middle of accomplishing, I have to continue!” said an enthusiastic Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon after announcing she will run for a third term as Mayor in November. Hat Trick
The Mayor had also served four years on the Borough Council before leaving that position to which she had been elected twice to win her first three year term as mayor in 2019.
Nor did the Mayor lose any time in outlining all her initiatives for her next term, first assuring that all ongoing initiatives still under completion will be continued and completed within the scheduled time frame.
In the upcoming years, Broullon assured residents she will negotiate developer agreements, continue the process of entering the CRS program for lower flood insurance, validate all Borough-owned property, seek forestry grants to stabilize the slope with native flora and remove unused phone and cable lines throughout the Borough.
Broullon, who hails from California and lived in New York before discovering Highlands and deciding to settle permanently in the borough with her wife, Danica, cited only some of the accomplishments the borough has achieved during her tenure. Among those she cited are completed infrastructure projects including the North St pump electric mitigation improvements, the Kerry E. McEntee Gowan Off-Leash Dog Run at Popamora Point, a new platform to Marine Place on the Snug Harbor side, upgrades to Huddy and Veteran’s Parks playground areas, reconstruction of South Bay Avenue, King and Matthews Streets, the Area of Redevelopment process for Bay Avenue and the Municipal Building completion and dedication ten years after the borough offices and much of the lower section of Highlands were destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.
Once the new borough hall was completed, dedicated and open for routine business, the Mayor also reinstated the building and housing departments as well as the Municipal Court in the Navesink Avenue facility as well as the updated police headquarters and modern facilities on the entire lower level of the building.
The current governing body under Broullon also were notified of a more than $12 million pre-award for the grant to enable the borough to move forward with mitigation to correct runoff issues from Monmouth Hills, a problem the borough has faced for more than a century.
Also completed with the last three years are the Waterwitch pump upgrades and a generator to ensure operations, storm water projects from the 2021 flood mitigation Resiliency Plan, an Landscape Architect’s design for resilient flora on all borough properties as well as the Snug Harbor skate park, Gertrude Ederle Park upgrade and the first phase of sanitary sewers and paving along Bay Avenue.
Curbs and sidewalks along Linden Avenue were replaced after a half century lifetime, and there were further updates on Marie Avenue and Bayside Drive. Planning the way for major updates and renovations for the James T. White Clam Deputation plant was the result of an Asset Activation Planning grant also secured by the Broullon administration.
Broullon has kept the borough aware through resources including Facebook and the borough webpage of progress, improvements and changes in the borough throughout her tenure, and is always open to residents who stop in her local Bay Avenue business with personal concerns or suggestions.
While she did not mention it among her accomplishments, the Mayor has also brought a renewed interest and appreciation for the borough’s place in national history as well as the role its seafood industry has played in the past century or more. The Borough was one of the first municipalities in Monmouth County to pass a resolution supporting 250America, the Monmouth County -wide program of celebration and respect that will continue throughout 2026 as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Although first seeking a vacation home in Highlands while living in her New York apartment, Broullon discovered she would rather live her full time along the Shrewsbury River, got to know her neighbors, then began streaming borough meetings, before responding to a move to switch the borough from partisan to non-partisan government, which it had practiced once before. After researching the subject, Broullon said “We met as strangers with different ideas and party affiliations but banded together to make our town more than just Democrats and Republicans,” and the new form of government was approved by voters. The process works well, she pointed out, because “political party leaders do not choose who is on the ballot, Highlanders do.”
A graduate of Notre Dame Academy in New York, Broullon she earned a degree in business with a concentration in marketing from the City University of New York, Sunnyside, working full time while attending nighttime and weekend classes fulltime and maintaining a position on the Dean’s List o a regular basis.
She began working in market research in 1992, coordinating international fieldwork, conducting focus groups, and managing staff. She worked in research at Data Development, now Radius Global Market Research, one of the largest independent market research firms in the US, then Research International, a part of TNS in the WPP Group, a worldwide recognized market research firms . She then ran her own research business for seven years before becoming Vice President at Gazelle Global.
In 2016, with her wife Danica, the couple embarked on a new venture, purchasing the former A&P building at Miller Street and Bay Avenue, renovating the building and opening Feed & Seed, a pet food, supply, and general store in operation since 2017. Two years later, she left Gazelle and started her own research consulting company.
For more information on Mayor Broullon, her accomplishments and plans for the future, visit her site at www.carolynbroullon.com
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One of the best Christmas presents I got this year was a book, “Cooking with the Saints” by Alexandra Greeley and Fernando Flores.
The book is a combination of history, biographies of saints and recipes from Scotland, Greece, Italy Spain, Israel and more countries around the world. The recipes include ideas for all kinds of great things to eat, from desserts and soups to a Native American lunch and a typical farm meal.
That food and faith go together is also explained in detail in a separate section of the book that talks about the Tree of Life, of course Adam and Eve’s story with the apple, and the fact that bread and wine are intricate parts of Christian religions.
The book, published by Sophia Institute Press in Manchester, NH., is dedicated to the Rev. Edward Hathaway rector of the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, Virginia. The parish had a Cooking with Our Saints cooking class the rector supported, and it was those classes that inspired the book.
The book is divided into chapters by months of the feast days of the saints who inspired each recipe. For each of the Saints included, there is a biography of the Saint, a paragraph on the country and nature of the recipe, along the full recipe and many photographs.
Some of the Saints are well known, including Ireland’s St. Patrick, France’s Joan of Arc and Israel’s John the Baptist, but there are others including St Damian of Molokai, Junipero Serra of Mexico and Kateri Tekakwitha, that Native American lunch that includes Indian Corn soup, Native American baked bread, apple cobbler and maple syrup baked squash and honors the Lily of the Mohawks born near Lake Ontario.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
With the feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas of Italy, scheduled to be celebrated on January 28, the Star-shaped cookie recipe is easy and ordinary enough and in this book is known as the ‘Holy Name of Mary cookie.
Ingredients:
3 ½ cups flour
2 tsps. Baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 Cup sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
¼ cup milk.
Preheat over to 400 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, whip butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Stir in eggs, vanilla and lemon extract.
Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture, being until well combined. Add milk and continue beating until dough clumps together.
Divide the dough in half. Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. Using a star-shaped cookie cutter, cut the shapes and place them on baking sheet, leaving space between each. Repeat for all the dough.
Bake for 10 12 minutes or until the edges turn golden. Remove from the oven, cool on wire racks. Enjoy.
If adding any decorations, wait until cookies are completely cool.
Highlands Council president Joann Olszewski was presented a framed copy of the Monmouth County 250 proclamation by Monmouth County Director Tom Arnone and Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon at the event the Monmouth 250 Committee held for local municipalities in Freehold this week. Sail4th250
Commissioner Thomas A. Arnone
Highlands was one of the first towns to adopt a resolution in support of Monmouth 250, the county wide program planning, organizing and coordinating a year long series of events for next year, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Commissioner Thomas A. Arnone, Highlands Council President Joann Olszewski and Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon
Arnone also announced during the meeting, where local leaders also shared ideas and programs, began planning events together and coordinated preliminary schedules, that the OPSail 76 that was such a Monmouth County tourist attraction in 1976 will again feature Tall Ships from nations around the world in an ocean procession under sail into New York Harbor on the Fourth of July 2026. Sail4th250 will make an overnight stay off Sandy Hook July 3 before the morning sail into New York Harbor.
Olszewski said Mayor Carolyn Broullon is working with council and local historians in coordinating a series of activities and events in Highlands to celebrate the borough’s history with the 250th anniversary the highlight. However, the borough also has other historic significance throughout its history and Council is continuing to work on each of those other projects as well.
Significant during 2026 and the Revolution is the fact that patriot Joshua Huddy was hung within the borough’s limits in retaliation for the hanging of a British soldier.
Olszewski has already written and the Highlands Historical Society has produced on more than one occasion, a presentation put on by Society members of the intrigue and negotiations for the life of a British soldier scheduled to be hung for Huddy’s death after Huddy was hung for the Patriots reportedly slaying Philip White.
The British also fled from Freehold through Middletown to reach Highlands in order escape across the river to Sandy Hook, which was held by the British at points during the Revolution.
If the New Jersey Department of Transportation has its way, there will no longer be American flags and lighting along the median barrier along Memorial Parkway in Atlantic Highlands.Tear Down
Borough Administrator Robert Ferragina reported at Tuesday’s meeting of the Mayor and Council he had received word from the DOT that both the flagpoles that gave that section of Route 36 its name and the poles for the lights along that section of the highway must be removed no later than April 23.
While the governing body did not address the historic or patriotic significance of the American flags, nor the residents who had donated them decades ago, they agreed with Ferragina informing the DOT they had no jurisdiction over the light poles, inasmuch as they belong to JCP&L and are under their maintenance.
Nor are borough workers covered by insurance or have the authority to do work in the middle of a state highway.
Council members agreed, however, that should the lights be removed, the DOT should replace them inasmuch as there is no other lighting on that section of the state road, presenting a possible dangerous situation in itself.
Borough attorney Marguerite Schafer concurred with Ferragina’s response to the DOT.
None of the council members made any reference to the historic or memorial significance of the flagpoles, nor whether Memorial Parkway would remain the name of that section of the state highway once the flags honoring all those killed or missing in America’s wars are removed from the median.
The American flag will be seen flying both full staff and half-staff during the inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States on January. 20.
Both displays of the nation’s national symbol may be deemed correct regardless of which of the two positions they are flying.
Under the Federal Flag Act PL 93-444, while there are no federal penalties involved, all American flags are governed by the procedures set by the law which gives the President of the United States the right to issue directives on flag displays for ceremonial and symbolic reasons. State Governors also have the right to issue directives for within their own states.
The purpose of the American flag display is both ceremonial and symbolic.
This January 20, however, there is a conflict on the ceremonial celebration surrounding the inauguration of the President of the United States and the symbolism of showing respect for the passing of a leader of the nation.
Since President Jimmy Carter died December 29, the flag code, and President Biden, said the flag, as tradition, should be flown at half-staff for 30 days in his memory. That mourning period does not expire until January 27, 2205.
On January 20, 2025, with Trump being sworn in as President, Speaker of the House Michael Johnson has issued, correctly, a directive that the flag on the Capitol building be flown at full staff during the Inaugural ceremony to honor the inauguration. President Biden issued no order for other federal property, which means every other federal building shall keep the flag at half-staff during the inauguration, maintaining no break in the proper 30-day period for President Carter.
That means that for that ceremonial time, while the flag at the Capitol will be at full staff, the flags at all other federal buildings, all military installations, and all post offices, will be flown at half-staff.
To date, only Texas and Alabama have issued directives that the American flags on their state properties shall be flown at full staff during the inaugural ceremony and will be lowered to half-staff for the remainder of the Carter memorial time. Absent gubernatorial directives before January 20, all other states will continue to fly their banners at half-staff without interruption to honor President Carter through January 27.
The confluence of the two major events honoring Presidents only occurred once before at the inauguration of Richard Nixon as President. When he was sworn in as President in January 1973, he ordered the flags of federal buildings would be flown at full staff. They had been at half-staff since December 26, 1972, to honor the death of former President Harry Truman. Nixon served as President until August, 1974.
Middletown Mayor Tony Perry and Ofakim Mayor Danino
A Class Act The recent ceremony officially naming Ofakim in the Southern part of Israel and Middletown New Jersey sister cities was nothing short of emotional, wonderful, symbolic of the friendliness of Middletown, meaningful to a mayor in a foreign country who is still picking up the pieces of last year’s October 7 tragedy and Hamas presence there. It was done with class, style, lots of cooperation from all the township departments, and a lot of hard work from a staff who seem to make hard work look run of the mill since they do it all the time.
But there was even so much more to please Mayor Danino and have him bring back to Israel in stories about how wonderful the United States is. Because make no mistake about it, when visiting another country, one judges the entire nation by the personal experience and the particular location visited.
In the Sister City celebration, there was even more than that hour or so formal ceremony with state, county and local officials present.
For instance, when Mayor Danino arrived for the day at Town Hall, Mayor Perry and his crew had already made arrangements with a most cooperative group of others that : he came with an escort by an honor guard of Middletown’s finest so the Mayor, the Middletown Township Committee, the rest of the police department and Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guards could welcome him.
He was accompanied by members of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, the nonprofit that helped organize his visit to the United States. There was then a private breakfast in the Mayor’s Conference Room with legislators and community leaders and a presentation by Duvi Honig, founder and CEO of the Jewish Chamber of Commerce, to Mayor Perry. That was the gift of a unique mezuzah crafted from the Iron Dome scrap metal that intercepted missiles targeting Ofakim civilians.
As a symbol of the spiritual and cultural connection between Middletown and Ofakim, Rabbi Shmaya Galperin of the Chabad Jewish Center of Holmdel then affixed a mezuzah to the door of the Mayor’s Office.
“This sister city pact represents the two cities’ commitment to fostering cultural, educational, and economic bonds,” the mayors agreed. “This ceremonial joining of our two towns is only the beginning of the work we plan to do together,” Perry said “This alliance is a testament to our common aspirations to stand together to denounce terrorism, deepen economic connections, share best practices to enhance public safety, and build bridges through education that promote cultural enrichment and understanding.”
“The partnership with Middletown is a moving expression of solidarity and friendship,” said Mayor Danino. “Mayor Perry chose to visit Ofakim amidst the pain and destruction which demonstrated what true friendship between cities, and people, looks like. The sister-city signing event was both emotional and dignified, and I am confident that it will continue to bear fruit for both our communities in the future.”
Nor did it all end when the last bit of applause died down and the handshakes and farewells stopped.
As part of the sister city pact, Middletown and Ofakim will form a committee of representatives from both cities to uphold the principles of their agreement.
The committee will meet on an annual basis to review their progress and discuss technology, agriculture, and sustainable development practices, encourage business partnerships, share first responder training tips, and promote research opportunities and educational innovations throughout the year.
The Middletown-Ofakim Sister City Pact is a pledge between the two cities to not only rebuild upon their foundations but also thrive, despite the challenges they have endured.
That’s a class act. And Mayor Perry and his team deserve praise, congratulations and thanks for putting Middletown in the forefront of what it takes to be friendly, compassionate, and thoughtful.
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Remembering The Smith and Gill families of Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Middletown issued reams of thanks and gratitude along with great wishes for a happy and successful 2025 to all those who have helped make their Memorial programs that will help others successful projects in this year in memory of the late Amy Lynn Smith Gill.
“As EXTREMELY rare of a cancer that took our Amy, it is NO MATCH to what an EXTREMELY rare and caring soul that she was,” said Brian Gill, widower of the former Hazlet school teacher who died last year. “Although mother nature threw us a “cold curve ball”, everyone showing up is a testament of your love for Amy and how JERSEY STRONG you are all,” Gill continued, referring to the Navesink 5 K that helped raise more funds for the Amy Gill Scholarship Fund.
Since his wife was a teacher in her professional career at Hazlet, in addition to starting the swim team there in 2006, Gil started the Scholarship fund to enable donors help the non-profit group he had formed to offer scholarships to Raritan High School graduates as well as Monmouth and Ocean County Special Olympics. Amy was well known and highly regarded for all her work with children in a variety of phases of their lives throughout her lifetime.
Gill said in the first year of the Run, the program set a record for its 156 members, the most teams ever. That inspired him to set a goal for 200 next year, along with the hope and wishful guarantee the weather will be more seasonable than this year’s event.
Congratulations Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon was unable to attend the reorganization meeting of the Henry Hudson PreK12 Board of Education last week and sent a letter congratulating the officers of the new board and expressing her pleasure, and that of the governing body, at the organization. In her letter the Mayor said
“On behalf of the Council, I would like to congratulate you and the other members of the first ever elected Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education. Our towns have been waiting for this for so many years, and to see it happen is very satisfying. Please know, if the Borough can ever be of any assistance, we are eager to help in any way. It is our desire to continue to grow our partnership to help support the District in providing the very best education to our students.”
