When someone has thoughtful, kind and generous friends like I have, and if three of those friends…I am so fortunate in having many, but for this story, I’m concentrating on three…. are creative, overly generous and know how much I love very special people, the result is a birthday celebration that can never be forgotten or appreciated enough. Suffice it to say that Kathleen Sweeney and that terrific son of hers Jay Strebb, together with another dear friend, Bobbie Westlake, certainly went overboard to celebrate my 86th the day before Thanksgiving.
Bobbie knows how much I appreciate everything about her, her very thoughtful gift as well as her decorated delicious ice cream cakes, But for this story, I want to concentrate on the unique and over the top generosity of Kathleen and Jay.
I mean, think of this: They opened that luxurious Shore Casino before noon the day before Thanksgiving, called in a chef and a waitress, called a couple of our very close and highly revered friends and let them know it was my birthday, and prepared, served, and enjoyed with me the most splendiferous (is that even a word?) lunch anyone could have shown in her honor. For a very close and intimate group of special people.
Best of all, Ozzie and Ophelia, the staff who came in to prepare and serve this wondrous meal, even got to accept our invitation and sit and enjoy it with all of us.
Of course the buffet luncheon had several kinds of meat and huge portions of my favorite entrée, salmon. It also had mashed potatoes and outstanding young asparagus, but nothing can beat Bobby Garvey’s and Ozzie’s very special and unmatched rice pudding. Indeed, because it was the Shore Casino, there were appetizers in advance, including small pieces of filet Mignon wrapped around mashed potatoes…what a finger licking treat that is!…and a roasted eggplant with brie cheese…life doesn’t get any better. In addition to that rice pudding, which to me can be as easy a breakfast meal as it is a dessert……there was Bobbie’s ice cream cake and enough candles I could blow out rather than the full 86 that might have called in the fire department if all were lit!
And to top it all off, Jay put my name and Birthday up in lights on that rolling neon sign on the Casino exterior wall, so others passing who saw it also stopped in to express happy greetings. How lucky can one woman get? And how many wonderful friends can one person have?
But it was the stories and laughter this very special group of friends shared, some taking time from work simply to stop in for a few minutes, cherished hugs and wishing me well for the next 86 years. There was Irish humor mixed with Italian recipes, there were jokes for the quick-minded and those t hat brought up laughter from the pits of stomach. And there were memories from last week, last month, last year, last decade and then some that made the entire afternoon so very special.
Am I fortunate? Nobody has as much as I. Am I grateful? There are not enough words to express it. Are the Strebbs too generous and too thoughtful to people who love and admire them and are fortunate enough to call them friends?
They show it every day! I’m blessed, I’m grateful, I’m humbled by such generosity and kindness
I should have known trusting the Atlantic Highlands Borough Council or its paid attorney would never resolve a simple request from and 86 year old lady with a vision problem to get some help so she could attend government meetings. I should have known they would never agree to a reasonable accommodation … even though the Federal Government, The State of New Jersey, and the Supreme Court of the United States say they have to. (The Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination)
DELAY AND POSTPONE
Delay and Postpone … The Atlantic Highlands Borough Council is good at it.
Look at regionalization;
Look at cannabis;
Look at St. Agnes School;
I should have realized that asking for a reasonable accommodation for my disability … something that could have been easily resolved with a ten minute conversation … and a cell phone at a government meeting was too much to expect from a governing body which had already proven themselves time and again during the year of delaying and postponing.
This group of elected residents has delayed, postponed, and finally spent a bundle of money but offered no resolution on major issues in town throughout the year … and continues to delay and postpone on other issues.
Why ever would I think they would listen to a lone 86 year old resident who cannot see clearly and doesn’t have any prospect of ever having that corrected and has every appearance it can only get worse?
After all, this is the same council that spent money to look thoroughly at the question of regionalization and got their very valid report, certainly enough information to let the residents vote on the question. But instead, they kind of ignored the expert advice they were given and instead enabled the regional high school board and the two elementary school boards to do yet another report, one, ironically, that flowed with the one the towns together had authorized.
FIDDLING OVER REGIONALIZATION
Then they fiddled some more over that, listened to the paid employee of the three districts explain the school boards needed to have more to say, though none of the boards had said anything at all, and still have not, before letting the voting residents who pay the bills have their say on what they want.
When it got close to a fait accompli, did that happen?
Nope.
They wanted to blame the other town, Highlands, for slowing up the process.
To move it along a little, everybody agreed to mediation. And it was the Atlantic Highlands council’s counsel who was the person selecting the mediator. Even though he couldn’t make a meeting or two because he was busy elsewhere. So here we are, at the end of the year, the residents never got the chance to put the question on the ballot last month, and the mediator has not even been announced, let along started his mediation.
Stall and delay, delay and postpone …
Why did I expect anything different?
THE CANNABIS STALL
Look at the cannabis question.
Same thing.
Spend money, draw up the ordinance, pull it away before the public has had its say, and postpone and delay it until next year.
Why did I expect anything different?
SAINT AGNES SCHOOL PROPERTY
Look at the St. Agnes School property. That’s been three years of pospone and delay and an abominable attempt last month to change the use of the land while right smack in the middle of negotiating the contract for purchase … without informing the seller.
That was not only a postpone and delay, that was downright sneaky. Even the proposed ordinance hid the well known name of the property, identifying it by lot and block rather than as St. Agnes school which would have caught every taxpayer’s eye.
Not only that, but they never clued in the church’s attorney they were doing all of that, and that poor soul only found out about it when the taxpayers heard it for the first time in response to questions from alert taxpayers. You could even hear the gasp of shock about residents at the meeting when they heard it for the first time.
So why did I expect anything different?
THE LIST GOES ON
Look at the parking ordinance, or;
Look at the new million dollar plus Kappa Construction company building at the harbor that did not meet CO requirements but was still leased to tenants almost two years ago. Not sure if all the corrections have even been completed yet. Or the lawyers have agreed on anything.
So why did I expect anything different?
A SIMPLE REQUEST
Why did I expect anything different … because I had faith. When I realized a year and a half ago my eyesight disease was so severe I could not drive at night, I simply asked for a reasonable accommodation that would still enable me to attend government meetings.
My eyes were ill and deteriorating, but my desire to know what’s going on in my hometown and inform others of it were as visible as ever. So I asked for an accommodation under the state laws on handling problems disabled people have.
I was told I couldn’t have anything.
So I tried again.
That’s when a simple phone call and an invitation to stop down borough hall one day and talk about possible solutions would have worked and resolved everything. The Court refers to it as the “Interactive Process”.
But that didn’t happen.
I had no alternative but to file a complaint with the state division on Civil Rights.
I did that 18 months ago.
No surprise
It has taken until November to get to the mediation stage. I had given dozens of dates I could make myself available all day long; the attorney couldn’t make any of these, or any the mediator expected would work.
Instead the attorney said he couldn’t make it until next week. Not only that, but my request, which could have been settled with communication and a cell phone, is now in the hands of not only the borough attorney but the borough’s insurance company’s attorney as well.
Oh, and by the way, both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands have the same insurance attorney. Even though the complaints against the two towns are for different reasons. There’s a lot of irony in that as well, but that will be in the Highlands story.
New Jersey issues a mandate
So back to Atlantic Highlands’ postpone and delay tactics. New Jersey, one of the 50 states that makes up our United States governed under the Constitution, has made it mandatory for me to sign never to talk about the mediation, the agreement that prompted the first chapter of this story. So I asked if they would accept an amendment to their policy of non-disclosure. They agreed, but only if both parties, that’s me and Atlantic Highlands would agree to it and promise to keep the state out of it. I, of course did agree, since I believe the people have the right to know everything their elected officials are doing and how they’re spending their money and wasting time. Atlantic Highlands, of course, would not agree. Did you pick up on the irony? Atlantic Highlands wants to chill my First Amendment Right when discussing violations of my Fourteenth Amendment
Letter to NJ Civil Rights Division
So this week, the Civil Rights Division got another letter on my behalf spelling out how unfair the entire scenario has been and how Atlantic Highlands stall tactics are resulting in more money spent, more time wasted, and still……people with visual disabilities are not being accommodated at government meetings. More than a year and a half after being notified.
Those stall tactics? Well, just to cite the recent ones:
The Attorneys moved this mediation out a full month past the mediator’s suggested time frames.
The Attorneys delayed for a month responding to the state’s inquiry as to which representatives would be attending mediation;
The Attorneys changed the time of the mediation;
The Attorneys ignored the States request for a representative with “full settlement authority”; which means, without that, we could spend a day talking, could agree on something to resolve the issue, but then the attorney would have to go back to the Borough Council to see if it would agree to what we had all agreed on during that day long mediation.
The Attorneys required a Non Disclosure Agreement the one that said I couldn’t even talk about what was going on.
THE STATE ACQUIESCED TO EACH AND EVERY OF THESE CONCESSIONS,
So that’s Atlantic Highlands’ partial history on postponement and delay hoping it all goes away.
THEN THERE’S HIGHLANDS.
They don’t stall, they don’t delay, they simply do some things without even telling the folks. Or they simply don’t do anything at all and believe no resolution is needed because they want to act like they have done nothing wrong…
But that’s the next chapter.
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
You might call this a Tale of Two Cities. Or how an elderly person who cannot see like everybody else can be denied rights and courtesies in two different ways by two different governing bodies of two different towns. And how the state can simply look the other way and say both of their means to avoid action are okay.
Two towns. Two different systems. One result. And the feeling it leaves?
If you’re in the mood for some light reading and a dog that will snuggle right into your heart, pick up “The Art of Racing in the Rain” and see for yourself the talent of Garth Stein when writing a novel. You won’t be able to put it down until you’ve read every one of the 319 pages.
And if you are into any kind of auto racing, you’ll enjoy it even more.
The story is narrated by Enzo himself, the very mature and philosophical dog owned by Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Enzo’s words, his opinions, and his insight into human nature, you get to learn about Denny’s life and problems, as well as his racing career and the people he meets through the track. You’ll meet Eve, Denny’s wife, as well as their daughter, Zoe, and will most likely take an instant dislike to his in-laws, Eve’s parents.
But you’ll laugh at Enzo’s antics, cry over Eve’s illness and feel like talking back to the grandparents who don’t necessarily have their daughter’s or granddaughter’s best interests at heart.
Stein’s style of writing is well worth the read, even if you are not enamored of dogs and auto racing or family life. He makes Enzo come alive, he goes into entertaining and expressive detail about everything from the park where he walks Enzo to the crudely sliced and brown spotted bananas Zoe eats.
In the end, you might be wiping away a few tears, but you’ll have this warm feeling in the back of your mind that you have read of love, danger despair, humility, kindness and love. And you’ll laugh over the fact it’s all presented by a very wise, very old soul of a canine narrator.
About the Author
Garth Stein is the author of four novels: the New York Times bestselling gothic/historical/coming-of-age/ghost story, “A Sudden Light”; the internationally bestselling “The Art of Racing in the Rain”; the PNBA Book Award winner, “How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets”; and the magically realistic “Raven Stole the Moon.” He is also the author of the stage play “Brother Jones.” He has a dog, he’s raced a few cars, climbed a bunch of really tall trees, made a few documentary films, and he lives in Seattle with his family. He’s co-founder of Seattle7Writers.org, a non-profit collective of 74 Northwest authors working together to energize the reading and writing public.
A visit from Santa Claus, a family movie night, and the ever popular story times for all ages are all on tap for the Atlantic Highlands Branch of the Monmouth County Library in December.
Because of their popularity and the large groups they draw, there are two story times on Wednesday, Dec. 7 and 21 at 10 a.m. one on both days for babies under two years of age and another the same days at 10:15 for youngsters between two and three years of age, along with parents, caregivers and any other youngsters who want to attend.
Thursdays, there are two more programs, an after school story-time for kindergarten and up, on Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22 at 3:15 and a preschool program for ages 3 to 5 the same days from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
“We never turn down anyone who wants to join in our story-times,” said Children’s librarian Lauren Garcia.
Because of the holidays, there will be no story times on Dec. 28 and 29.
The highlight for all story times and children’s events will be Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 10:15 a.m. but on Dec. 14, come earlier because Santa will be there at 10 a.m. or the regular story-time, and Thursday, Dec. 15 when Santa Claus, who many know as Gordon Saunders, comes to the library to read in person to the children and wish them the magic of the season. His appearance on Wednesday will be at 10 a.m. and twice on Thursday, Dec. 15, when Santa will read at 3:15, and again at 6:30 p.m. The librarian would not disclose which books Santa will be reading, saying the jolly gent likes to keep it as a surprise for his guests.
On Thursday Dec. 22, at 6:30 p.m., the library will present a family movie night. Hosted by the Bayshore Community Success Center, the film “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will be on the screen at the library. The Center, located at the Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center in Leonardo, is a community-based family-centered neighborhood group that focuses on family support, information and services, enriching the lives of children and their parents while making neighborhood stronger.
In addition to all the story hours, and preschool programs, as well as the visit from Santa and the family Movie night, the library also will feature a Take ‘n Make Craft when youngsters can pick up a craft kit to make at home. Dino-Mite! Will be featured as the craft from Dec. 1 through Dec. 14, and Penguin Pal will be the Dec. 15 to 31 craft.
For further information on these and all the programs at the Atlantic Highlands branch, call 732-291-1956.
The governing bodies of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands can continue their apparent disdain for residents; they can continue ignoring any problematic situation that could easily and cheaply be resolved simply by communicating and caring about their towns or its people. The NJ Division on Civil Rights can continue to act like it’s really trying to help people with disabilities. But the truth of the matter is, as horrific and painful as it is for me to say, I am slowly goingblind and nobody in these entities, or at least them and one more that I’ve tried, even want to hear about it, let do anything to help. Even being a senior citizen doesn’t help. The truth is, they simply don’t want me or others to know what’s going on with their tax dollars.
They can continue to delay, put off, and end up doing nothing about things that are in their control or on which they should take action, whether it be for a resident or simply to save money. Or any other reason.
They can continue to conduct all their activities, or so many of them, in secret, like the public doesn’t even have a right to know.
Then they continue to have their paid attorneys or their paid employees or whoever they have making decisions for them, simply demand, not publicly of course, that a resident, a journalist, an honest professional who has been a part of the community since 1955, violate her own ethical standards and professional promises of a lifetime before they will even try to resolve an issue the 86-year old woman with a disability has with attending any government meetings.
But in the end, on top of all of this insulting attitude and action, the state is no better. At least as far as the NJ Division on Civil Rights is concerned. They not only approve of standards any professional journalist finds unethical, but actually demand a directive that violates a core tenant all a true journalists hold essential …the right to let the people know…. In short, sacrifice my Freedom of Speech in order to try to mediate a disability discrimination complaint I have filed.
SEVERAL COLUMNS
This will take several columns to report, but suffice it to say it will give information to the public that at least in the Bayshore, so long as Muriel J. Smith can put pen to paper or fingers to a keyboard, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that will force her to lower her standards, violate her journalistic oath, or take any action that would shame her family’s name, reputation, or history.
LEARNING ABOUT THAT NEEDLE IN THE EYE
It started back in 2021, more than a year and a half ago, when I, this 86-year old journalist and local resident who has lived most of her life in either Highlands or Atlantic Highlands, was suddenly stricken with aging macular degeneration, a disease difficult for anyone to accept, but especially someone who is required to be at night meetings to report on events and happenings the public might not ever get to know otherwise. Ophthalmologists advised her there were no options to cure the disease that had advanced so rapidly, without any notice. AMD, as it is more commonly known, at the sudden stage hers had achieved, could not be cured. It could only be halted. But in this case, even that was doubtful. A possible solution would be a $5,000 needle in the eye every month, or possibly every two months, sometime in the future.
For a woman, a self-supporting widow of 16 years, brought up with strong Christian ideals and a history of writing award winning stories in every field from society and athletics to hard news and murders … it was and awful choice.
Take that needle in the eye and continue to report the news. Did I really want to go through that? Did I want to see whether I had the money for it, or if hospitalization would cover that $5,000 per shot cost of the medicine along with the other costs for the eye surgeon who administers it, the tests that had to be done before each shot, or the ancillary other costs it would mean every month or so? Could I face this, or simply sit back and “look“, no pun intended, to a future when I would be totally blind?
I knew, because of their love and the fact they, too were raised with these high standards, I would always have my children, even my grandchildren, to look out for me for however many years I have left. So maybe avoiding a shot in the eye all those times wouldn’t be worth the possibility it might not get any worse.
A FAMILY NAME TO UPHOLD
But then I thought of my background. I thought of my father, Vincent de Paul Slavin, the Newark Evening News Police reporter, who reported for all of New Jersey on everything as diverse as Dutch Shultz being killed in front of that tavern in Newark, to the Hindenburg explosion off Lakehurst Naval Air Station in 1937. I thought of my father at the same time he was a newspaper reporter also volunteered and was named by President Roosevelt to head the largest draft board in New Jersey during World War II. I thought of how he wrote to the President shortly after his appointment to let him know he disagreed with his draft program. He wanted the President to know he would not be sending any married men with children to war until after every eligible single man was drafted first.
His strength got the law changed and kept families together.
I thought of how he was vilified and as a kid I heard the threats he faced from angry parents for drafting teenagers. I thought about the three of my four children who all enlisted to serve our country, knowing of their grandfather’s heroism in standing up for what he knew was right as well as learning from their parents the importance of patriotism, honesty integrity and helping others. How could I dare tell my kids to be strong and face any adversity with hope and prayer and then me not do it myself?
I thought of Matthew J. Gill, the publisher of The Courier, that beloved weekly newspaper he published in Middletown and for which I covered news and everything else for 22 years. He sent me out to cover every untoward report of any official doing anything wrong, and supported … no … encouraged, my covering the story no matter which official would be ousted when the truth came out.
I thought of how Matt put the future of his newspaper on the line but nonetheless financed the editor and this reporter to get a decision on a story that urged “Kick out the Mafia” when there appeared to be a problem with bids for a garbage collection contract. Or the time I went all the way to the United States Supreme Court for a decision on who could vote in municipal elections in Highlands or any place else in the state. The Supreme Court said it was a state decision, and the following year, the state law was changed as the suit said it should be.
I thought of the years I worked for Malcolm Forbes as a reporter and editor for his Somerset County newspapers and how he was so proud of the integrity of his staff that we were bused to his funeral and remembered in his will.
THE FINAL DECISION …BUT STILL NO HELP
With these memories embedded in my heart, could I take the easy way out and simply sit back, grow old gracefully and depend on my kids to take care of my remaining years?
Of course not. I agreed to the shots in my eye. Now, a year and a half later, I still get the shots in my eye … and I still try to do my job as a reporter.
NOT THE SAME ETHICS
But in spite of all this, the boroughs of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands … whoever their powers may be, and the New Jersey State Department of Civil Rights don’t have those same memories or subscribe to those standards of ethics.
Getting the shots in my eye is a piece of cake compared to how all three have treated me in the year and a half since this disaster began. So much for a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.
Because now all three…the state of New Jersey, the borough of Highlands and the borough of Atlantic Highlands, want to not only prohibit me from having a cheap, easy way of finding out like everybody else what goes on at government meetings, I just learned that if I try to fight it, they all have another trick up their sleeve to muzzle the First Amendment rights of an 86 year old journalist.
They want to shut me up me if I attempt to get it fixed.
NEXT: Atlantic Highlands history of delay and do nothing
We often think of Henry Hudson Regional as a school with terrific kids, great athletes, wonderful artists and great academics. But once they get on stage and do one of their presentations, we all get to see, up close and personal, just how truly spectacular they are as actors, singers, musicians, and actresses as well.
Their latest production, 9 to 5, the musical with all that fantastic work of Dolly Parton, is indeed special when it’s presented by the Henry Hudson Admirals.
Whether it is the experienced theatrical students who are once again displaying their talent, or the new and up and coming freshmen who are more than able to hold their own in excellence, Henry Hudson’s theatrical team can take a back seat to no one. The same goes for its creative backstage team, those students and faculty and friends who can create authentic and realistic looking sets at minimal cost and maximum creativity.
Dolly Parton would indeed be proud of Ellie Conover, the senior giving her final performances at Hudson and a Metro Scholar at Two River Theater earlier this year. She’s also apprenticed at Surflight Theater and her talent and the sweetness and frustrated Doralee Rhodes aka Elie in 9 to 5 has the sensitivity and charm of Dolly herself.
Lydia Smith, a junior and a member of the Drama Club, shows outstanding talent as Violet Newstead, Doralee’s friend, the smart though impoverished widow who teams up with her friends to get even with their sexist boss Franklin Hart, played by Michael DelDuca. Lydia has so much musical talent wrapped up in one determined actress and a host of credits to her name… she’s in the Brookdale Concordia Chorale and performed with them at Carnegie Hall, she takes acting classes at Axelrod Performing Arts Center, and she’s got several plays in her acting background.
Hanna Ardolina makes the third of the trio of feisty and determined women, Judy Bernly, and her participation in this play shows her own energy and determination. Hanna is a sophomore at Allie Health and Science, which means she does a lot of commuting to be present for all the practices and everything else at Hudson as well. She’s been in community theater productions as well as playing the lead role in Zoe Butterfly. Hanna studies vocal as well as piano and you might love to hear the School of Rock Red Bank House band.
DelDuca, that sexist boss in 9 to 5, comes off great in the role, in his second performance at Hudson. He‘s a junior and was in Chicago in his premiere performance.
The supporting cast is well up to providing the rest of the talent in a stage filled with talent. Maddy Ilarraza, who plays Hart’s assistant, is also a junior and has been involved in musical theater for eight years and has performed at the Atlantic Highlands Playhouse; freshman Alex Belusko already shows talent performing in his first Hudson production, but certainly not his first involvement with the team. Alex has been a part of so many crews in other productions at the high school and knows his way around the stage.
Another freshman, Danny Neno has also appeared in other presentations, including some summer presentations with both First Avenue Playhouse close to home and Middlesex County College.
Emily Ramos is wrapping up her Hudson theatrical career with 9 to 5, graduating this year, after being in stage crews and a well as performing as Mary Sunshine in Chicago and in the ensemble of other presentations. She is a member of Tri-M Music Honor Society, a great honor on its own.
Freshman Aurora O’Neill has been on stage lots of times in the past, and her talent as Missy in 9 to 5 shows her experience and ease on stage. She’s been in A Collection of Fairytales as well as You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown among others.
Going from Sister Mary Luke in Nunsense to Kathy in 9 to 5 is quite a switch, but nothing’s too difficult for Maddi Tidswell, who has also been in Frozen, Jr. and was a crew member in last year’s Chicago presentation.
Also talented and versatile, Olivia Dabb is adding 9 to 5 as a junior to her past credits in Chicago, Mary Poppins and Al Shook Up as well as Mary Poppins.
The musicians in the pit provide all the talent anticipated at this regional school that is so terrific in the arts, and their presentations in 9 to 5 are nothing less than superb.
But on top of it all, the crew, from the director and choreographer, TJ Bodnar, who also was the creative set designer, and stage manager Aleea Newell through to the head usher Kathryn Denzler and concessions assistant Leo Koernig all showed that excellence is achieved when everyone works together as the Hudson Admirals team these very talented and very dedicated faculty and students are. Luke Ferrell took on extra duty, as lighting, sound designer and technical director, making outstanding use of all the technical, audio and visual equipment available for these unforgettable productions. Corinne Kelleher was assisted ant manger to Aleea Newell, and Dan Shultz of On Cue Costumes received the very able assist from Matthew Kane, Others in the crew that made it all happen seamlessly were Krista Phair for set painting, Nicole Kohlhepp as props designer, Shannon Kenny as props manager, Addison Krzycki who was lighting assistant along with sound assistant Calla Graiff. Blake Lewis and Savannah Roman operated the spotlights, and that backstage crew that was so timely and perfect included Dalila Ardolina, Lake Gulian, Levi Hernandez, and Elanor Weiss-Doust.
Remember all these Henry Hudson names. You’re going to be seeing them again off-Broadway, on-Broadway, in local presentations, local theater, and, with recollections of how great they are, in your heart as well.
As the Henry Hudson Board of Education said in their congratulatory message in the Playbill for the presentation, “Life is NOT a dress rehearsal. The curtain is up and you are on, so go out there and give it your Best Shot.”
The Hudson Admirals did just that!
Cranberries- We’re getting close to holiday time, and between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Cranberry, hardly ever noticed the rest of the year, is the fruit du jour!
But unlike their cousins the blueberry, who are so plentiful in spring and summer, the cranberry reigns in the winter months and is equally terrific for eye health.
Cranberries are very versatile as well and can be prepared in jellies, relishes, muffins, cakes, appetizers, pies and almost anything else. They blend well with brie cheese, but I’m hearing that that is a rather acquired taste and some folks think it’s terrible. I say try it yourself and see what you think.
Like many fruits and vegetables that are good for your eyes, cranberries are also great for cardiovascular health and certainly help improve night vision. They’re loaded with both Vitamin A and C, and recent studies show they provide great benefits to those suffering urinary tract infections. That is because they are big enemies of E.coli bacteria, so they don’t let it build up along the urinary tract wall. Worth a try, for sure.
But for the eyes, we already know they’re sensational. Like blueberries, they have lots of lutein which has long since been proven to help prevent aging macular degeneration as well as cataracts.
Eyes are the most the most delicate organs in the entire body so rather than take them for granted, we should pay attention nutrition-wise to ensuring their continued health and their part in fighting aging problems with vision and eye diseases or infections.
Cranberry juice is a sure way of absorbing all that Vitamin A and C, and at holiday time, it’s fun mixed with ginger beer or warm cider for a holiday drink.
But sample one of these recipes to see other ways of celebrating the holiday with this delicious little red fruit, be it dried, fresh, frozen, or in a can. There’s more than cranberry sauce that meets and treats the eye!
Cranberry and Brie (for appetizer or dessert)
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp vinegar
4 oz. blue cheese, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbl. butter
1 pie crust (made or purchased) (frozen is easiest)
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
Preheat oven to 450°. In a saucepan, combine cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice, flour and vinegar. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, have crust in a 9-in. metal pie plate; flute edges. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 8 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Reduce oven setting to 350°.
Remove cranberry mixture from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into crust. Dot with butter.
For topping, in a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake about 30-35 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly (cover edges with foil during the last 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning ). Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.
Cranberries and avocado Appetizer
1 Tbls. Lime juice
2 Tbls. Honey
1/4 Cup chopped onion (try red onion for flavor and color)
2 avocados, cut in ½ inch pieces
1 minced jalapeno (optional, adds extra tang)
¾ Cup cranberries
1 Tbls. Chopped cilantro
Pepper and salt to taste
Directions
Whisk together lime juice, honey, jalapeno and onion.
Add avocados, cranberries and cilantro. Season with salt and ground pepper; toss gently to combine.
Serve with Pita Crisps or tortilla chips, as desired.
If you want pita crisps, preheat oven to 350 degrees, split 2 pitas in half horizontally, brush both sides with 3 tablespoons olive oil; salt and ground pepper. Cut into triangles; spread on a baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until crisp, 10 minutes.
Local residents and council members were eager to share great reports at last night’s meeting of the Mayor and Council, all proving that the borough is indeed a close knit community where people really care for one another.
It started when council unanimously declared November Native Americans month, honoring the first settlers in the Bayshore, members of the Lenni Lenape tribe, and other Native Americans who worked together and formed communities where we now have Atlantic Highlands. The proclamation also praised Native Americans both past and present for their contributions to the nation, and promotes self-determination, trust and treaty responsibilities to tribal nations.
Councilman James Murphy then informally told of a recent incident involving First Aid Squad President Lance Hubeny when he encountered an elderly woman walking along Ocean Blvd. late one evening and concerned for her welfare, stopped to investigate further. It appears the woman was disoriented, was not attired for the cold weather and could not find her way to her own residence. He contacted the police, an investigation and conversation ensued, and the woman was brought safely to her home without any serious effects or further trauma for her. Murphy said Hubery’s swift actions and concern may well have averted a serious situation and urged all residents that when they see something that appears unusual or untoward, they should take action of some kind, such as notifying police, to avoid serious or dangerous situations.
Councilwoman Lori Hohenleitner relayed an incident she observed recently as well, drawing more praise to the police department for their action when a vehicle on Grand Avenue whose driver apparently recognized some vehicular malfunction and the vehicle ended off the road. She praised not only the Public Works Department whose curbing prevented a more serious problem as well as a local landscaping company who was on scene and helped the driver get the car moved and the incident secured with no injuries or further damage.
Praise of the Public Works Department and its chairman James Phillips came up once again when Councilman Brian Boms praised the department for its road cleaning and leaf cleaning efforts, and urged, as did both the Public Works Department and the Police Department, residents to keep catch basis near their homes clear. Boms, newly recognized as a volunteer fireman though he has been active for some time prior to last night’s meeting, also reminded motorists not to park their vehicles over piles of leaves because of possible fires.
Another resident praised the Public Works Department, noting their cooperation with the Green Team setting up a place in the Recycling yard for pumpkin recycling, noting undamaged pumpkins used during the holidays can be brought to the recycling yard for further distribution to the New Life Farm where pigs quartered there not only eat pumpkin but use them in play. The Green Team has also established and promoted other uses for pumpkins in any condition including as bird feeders.
Eileen Cusick, who take take office as a Councilwoman in January after winning election earlier this month, also inquired about health grants Ferragina mentioned during the meeting, and already indicated her interest in working with the administrator on the best use for the grants.
Wednesday November 23 … Happy 80th Birthday SPARS! The Women’s Coast Guard Reserve, or SPARS, was established November 23rd, 1942, the start of the Women in the US Coast Guard Reserve. SPARS stood for Semper Paratus, the motto of the US Coast Guard….Always Prepared
More than 10,000 women volunteered for service between 1942 and 1946
So many things are making me happy this week and so many stories to write so you can get an idea of how much happiness simply surrounds us and is there for all of us to grab if we just pay attention and appreciate.
First, wait for my story on the spectacular 9 to 5 music staged by those incredible Henry Hudson students, both on stage and in the pit as musicians. And the backstage crew is no slouch either, but wait for my story and you can see who all the stars are. Dolly Parton herself would be proud!
Then there was that spectacular wedding of two local incredibly wonderful and talented folks. It was at the Shore Casino, certainly the most lavish and spectacular of any wedding I’ve seen there, and with a couple who simply enjoyed sharing their love and happiness with all their friends, it was something to be remembered.
Closer to home and more personal to me was the outstanding neighbor who heard my pleas for heat in the house and dropped everything and came over to ensure that everything was all right…and to correct anything that was not.
Then there was the disappointment for all of us, but sheer happiness of Vera and Cathy of The Girls Café who decided to celebrate Thanksgiving for more than one day, simply buy closing the Café Wednesday and giving themselves a well deserved mini vacation. Never fear the doors will be open bright and early Saturday morning once again. And if you haven’t tried it yet, Vera’s very secret recipe for her oatmeal takes the chill out of any air! That’s enough to make you thankful! And warm and cozy to boot!
That should be enough to give you a hint into happy stories that will soon follow, hopefully happy enough to at least enjoy the holiday without worry over regionalization, mediators, redevelopment plans, backroom decisions, over expensive borough halls, meetings not open to all the public…the list goes on.
Residents of every town should get more involved in learning what’s going on in their towns. You may be surprised!
