I’m Fed Up! Municipal Lies & Liars

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October 28, 2022

Ok, this time it’s gone too far. I’m fed up!. I really feel I’ve been nice long enough. I’ve tried doing things the nice way.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked.

Now I’ll get down to some cold hard facts and opinions based on the actions or inaction I was hoping would be resolved or made known to the public before I got to this point.

But things have only gotten worse.

So this is the second in a series of articles intended to expose the moral corruption in our schools, in our towns, in our elected officials and the employees that work for us.

This series, which unfortunately may never end because there is so much to expose, will go from the hallways of our schools to the hallways of our State house, and lots of hallways in between.

For those who don’t like what I have to say, save the threats.

Save the phone calls.

Save the nastiness on Facebook.

Simply look the other way, think that everything is hunky dory in your part of the world, and don’t read my blog. The time will come when you think, “Hey, I wish I knew that because I could have done something about it.” But by then, it might be too late.

It’s almost too late now.

Because of another commitment, I missed the Oct. 27 regular meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Borough Council. But upon listening to the official recording of that session, I realized my new series on how the public is being mistreated by elected and appointed officials at all levels of government is probably going to be never ending.

It seems every meeting there is at least one more way, by at least one more elected person, that so easily shows how little they really care for or are concerned about the opinions or even questions from the people they are supposed to represent.

No one can doubt that one concerned resident who attends an awful lot of Atlantic Highlands and sometimes other municipal meetings of different boards and commissions is an organized, astute, intelligent, determined, interested voter.

He has no desire to win any office, no intention of ever getting personal about any issue; he simply wants elected officials to do their jobs and keep the people informed.

He tried again at this meeting for both. He found out, once again, he was unsuccessful at each.

It was a very fine line, almost ludicrous, that the officials, apparently with the advice of the attorney, drew between the Harbor Commission throwing a party for customers at the Harbor, with public money and the borough council to spending even a single cent on a party for the men and women who put their lives on the line and lose sleep at night simply to help anyone in need, including those customers of the Harbor.

Council all agreed at the meeting…at least none objected…its was legal and proper to throw that money on a party for the Harbor Commission. But not okay to help the volunteers defray the costs of the party they were throwing to thank the folks who took time out to show appreciation for them at a public function.

Know what the difference was according to the borough attorney? That party, and it’s my guess it cost around $6,000 or so, the Harbor Commissioners approved? That was just for a party the Harbor Commission decided to have. Then they decided to invite the boat owners to it. That was okay.

So I guess, according to these elected officials and their attorney, it’s okay for a tax generating commission to spend money when they feel like having a party.

Furthermore, it’s OK for them to limit who can go to that party. They simply invited folks they wanted to attend, their customers. Not all the customers of the harbor even. Just the specific ones they sent invitations to. That was OK, Council agreed last night.

But that party at the Shore Casino that the volunteers paid for themselves, as their way of saying thanks to those who gave them recognition? Well, the borough can’t just give out taxpayers’ money for something like that!!!!

They couldn’t just give dollars to someone else having a party!. Even for the volunteers they had lavished praise on earlier in the meeting.

Let me get this straight. The Harbor commission can have a party and give a check to the restaurateur,. But the Borough Council cannot since they weren’t hosting the party or limiting who could come.

That, my friends, is about the cheapest, most low down, sneakiest way I have heard of not wanting to spend a cent on volunteers who are so generous with their time, talent, and lives.

So who do you think looks more important to your elected officials? The customers who are invited to a party simply because they pay their bills? Or the volunteers who want to say thanks for the thanks they’ve received for a few hundred people.

What a way to encourage more volunteering. Or to show appreciation for the outstanding ones we have.

By the way, council members did not even say whether they individually made any donation to the party the volunteers threw. I can’t remember if any of them came to it.

Got all of that straight? It gets worse. Read on.

How about an outright lie by the councilwoman to the same quiet spoken resident?

The taxpayer, addressing the entire governing body, began to explain that someone did go to “the Church” for information after the last meeting when it was suggested he do so. It was a question on the status of any proposed purchase of Mother Theresa School.

But instead of being courteous, and letting the resident and taxpayer even finish his statement, the councilwoman cut him off, and sharply said “what do you mean by “the church”? He calmly answered, “that’s what YOU said at the meeting.” The councilwoman, without taking a breath, denied that, and responded she had said the church leaders, not the church…

Simply a lie.

And outright lie.

No excuse, no confusion, no mistake.

A Bald Face, unmitigated, absolute, utter lie

Listen to the recording of the Oct. 13 council meeting yourself. It could not be more clear. “The Church” doesn’t sound anything like “the leadership of the church.”

If you cannot trust an elected official sitting at the council table at an official meeting to tell the truth on a simple statement that can be proven so easily how can you trust her with your tax dollars, your budget, the improvements to your town, or for that matter, any municipal decision?

Oh, keep reading if you think that’s all that happened. People from “the Church,” or any church, or any religion were dealt another blow by the same councilwoman at the same meeting!

The councilwoman who wants to raise flags or have parades to honor other groups of people actually wondered aloud at the meeting about the Knights of Columbus holding an event to honor the local volunteers “because it’s always In our church.” She has been thinking about it a lot, she said, and “some things need to be analyzed.” She then actually suggested the groups honoring the volunteers go somewhere else, like “there’s a chapel at Fort Hancock, sometimes,” why not think of going there?

So now a Catholic Church in the borough, and an international organization like the Knights of Columbus, aren’t welcome to invite everyone to come to a church in Atlantic Highlands?

A church going councilman explained to her, as did the mayor, that the Knights of Columbus and St. Agnes Church are both part of Atlantic Highlands, pretty active and generous parts of the town, by the way. They pretty much can hold any event they want in their own facilities.

And by the way. Does that mean she doesn’t want a community organization like the Knights of Columbus to invite local volunteers to her town? Does she now want a local community like St. Agnes parish to invite volunteers from other towns to come to the town to be appreciated? And, by the way, at the same time, to these visitors to see our great restaurants, great shops, great First Avenue businesses we have here?

Is “the church” so wrong in wanting to brag about its home town and its volunteers?

Besides, unlike the Harbor Commission, they even invite everyone to join in the thanksgiving and appreciation of volunteers.

And just one more little thing. It’s probably natural for elected officials to be vain. Egotistical, even. It is certainly evident many times. I perceive it as belittling a local resident and trying to make light of all his questions rather than a jab at me or anyone else not in attendance at the meeting. When the still calm and composed resident mentioned that someone had written about what “the Church” had to say about the proposed acquisition, some of these things had been written about and were written about on line, he was blithely told him she was happy “she” , referring apparently to the writer, always used a good picture “of me when she’s going after me.”.

You elect local residents, people who live in your town, to run the business of your town. You do it at the County level as well, and at the state level, too. Your obligation doesn’t end there. When they’re not doing their job, ask questions, get answers, and when you don’t get the answers, go higher up. Sure it hurts. But it’s your town, your county, your state. Keep it the way you love it. And hold those officials accountable!

Atlantic Highlands: Hidden Candidates, Hidden History

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 27, 2022

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Other than some signs around and from door to door visits I’m hearing about…certainly no one has come to my door…it seems to be a quiet election campaign in Atlantic Highlands and that makes me wonder.

From Facebook, which I suppose is the newest “newspaper”, I learned about the experience of the two incumbent council candidates, the committees on which they serve, the work they’ve done on these committees and their background. I was particularly interested because it looks like those candidates were not allowed on some pages, and that makes me curious.

Happens to me all the time, so indeed, I can sympathize.

Folks that manage Facebook pages have control over who can be on them and who can’t, and it’s a shame when they use that authority to prevent people from reading everybody. If folks are being banned, Atlantic Highlands should never be in their title because it’s hard to differentiate whether it’s an official or unofficial page. Not very transparent.

But through some things I’ve seen and personal knowledge from their years of being in the public eye, I know one candidate is a Naval Academy graduate, and of course, with my having a daughter who is also a Naval officer, and two other offspring who were Marines, one flying 46’s, similar to helicopters the Academy grad military Officer deployed, I know what his training and background are and can appreciate how they have been instilled in him. I know he’s been in the chemical business and even owned a very successful cannabis business, but has not muddied the waters on what he thinks of a shop in his own home town until he hears from the people. I know he belonged to some group working hard on cleaning buses of all those sickening fumes because of his dedication to the environment, and seeing him at meetings he strikes me as a thinking, quiet man who listens to the people before giving any opinions.

I know his running mate, the other incumbent, has a long career in both finance and business, from Wall Street to real estate as well as being heavily involved with new construction. From personal experience, I certainly know he’s chairman of the County Library Commission and oversees the $18 million business in its 17 buildings and affiliate libraries. I’ve seen his actions and activities on this Board which heads up what must be the best library system in the state. I also know he’s been involved with the Education Foundation and is big on saving the beauty of the ocean. From being a neighbor for a while, I know he is very involved dad with his son and even clears snow from neighbors porches, stairs and sidewalks. I see them both at meetings, and agree or disagree, as I often do, they know their jobs and do what they have to do.

But I haven’t seen anything about their opponents, though I have heard about them. And from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like the transparency issue that both sides always talk about, has been completely thorough or in depth.

But some of it I know from covering meetings and events for other newspapers through the years. I certainly know the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce from years past. And I know it was, at the time I was aware of it, a dynamic organization that involved so many businesses and offered so much help and events and meetings to keep them all successful. I know it’s a thriving and wonderful organization right now and I continue to hear wonderful things about their events, their camaraderie, their successful plans for the future.

But sometime in between the time I was covering meetings and events, and the present successful era of the Chamber, there was a time a woman was heading the Chamber. From what I understand it went down the tubes, was insolvent. Chamber members borrowed money to save it before it was gone completely.

Now I’m hearing that the head of that group at the time it was failing is a candidate for Council in Atlantic Highlands. I question the veracity of that. The Chamber was successful, it suddenly went downhill, almost disappeared, and besides all that, some tax returns were never filed! And that’s a candidate for council in Atlantic Highlands? I heard after all this happened, the head of the Chamber was ousted, that she was going to sue if she didn’t get her insurance benefits…but that didn’t happen, it seems, because her contract spelled out what was hers upon termination…and insurance benefits were not listed. And now she is running for election in the borough.

Could any or all of this be true? IF so, why wasn’t information about it part of the transparency people are always asking for.

I don’t know the council candidate running for office in the borough for the first time. Nor do I know her partner. To the best of my knowledge, I never met either one of them. I do know I have not seen anything about their campaign on Facebook, but then I don’t visit Facebook very much. I also know they have never knocked on my door nor dropped off any literature for me to get to know them. I don’t recall either hearing their names as members of any committees or commissions, or organizations that assist others in town. They might well be there; it’s just that I don’t know them or what they do.

But if it’s true one of the two candidates really was head of a great group when it went under, oversaw or at least was head of the group when tax returns were not filed, and now wants to be on the council that runs my town, I truly wonder.

Police Taking Drugs

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 27, 2022

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Middletown Township. Police Chief R. Craig Weber announced that the Police Department will once again be participating in the “National Take Back Initiative” in conjunction with the state’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other state and local law enforcement agencies this Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

The program will take place from 10:00am through 2:00pm at the Police Headquarters, located at 1 Kings Highway.

Goal of the 23^rd National Take Back Initiative is to continue allowing citizens of New Jersey to rid their homes of unused, unwanted, or expired medications by turning these medications over to law enforcement officials. Experiences officials will then dispose of these substances in a safe and non-hazardous manner.

This a similar program last year, New Jersey collected 15,114 pounds of unwanted medication, through 231 participating state and local departments, making the bi-annual event a continued enormous success and an even greater benefit to our community.

Participants may dispose of medication(s) in the original container, or by removing the medication from the container and disposing of it directly into the disposal box. Individuals are encouraged to remove any identifying information from prescription labels that may be present.

All solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids will be accepted. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. Intravenous solutions, injectables, and syringes will not be accepted due to potential hazard posed by blood-borne pathogens.

Chief Weber, on behalf of the entire police department, expressed thanks to all who participate in this event. “We encourage all residents to be mindful of any medications that may be in their households and be sure to keep them out of the reach of small children, “ the chief urged.

I’m fed up!: Regionalization & the Great Stall

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 27, 2022

7

Ok, this time it’s gone too far. I’m fed up!. I really feel I’ve been nice long enough. I’ve tried doing things the nice way.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked.

Now I’ll get down to some cold hard facts and opinions based on the actions or inaction I was hoping would be resolved or made known to the public before I got to this point.

But things have only gotten worse.

So this is the first in a series of articles intended to expose the moral corruption in our schools, in our towns, in our elected officials and the employees that work for us.

This series, which unfortunately may never end because there is so much to expose, will go from the hallways of our schools to the hallways of our State house, and lots of hallways in between.

For those who don’t like what I have to say, save the threats.

Save the phone calls.

Save the nastiness on Facebook.

Simply look the other way, think that everything is hunky dory in your part of the world, and don’t read my blog. The time will come when you think, “Hey, I wish I knew that because I could have done something about it.” But by then, it might be too late.

It’s almost too late now.

Before disappointment, frustration, anger and a desire to get out of New Jersey overwhelm me, and before talking openly about my own personal problem and disability publicly, let me ask something of you residents of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, especially board of education members.

Why in God’s holy name are you allowing a taxpaying resident of Oceanport be the person making the decisions on school regionalization in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands?

You are doing that. For certain. Because there is no doubt that the superintendent at Henry Hudson Regional School is apparently the person with all the power and authority to decide what each board of education is going to do.

She is the superintendent who supervises the elementary schools in both towns. That’s because the board of education of the three schools, Henry Hudson, Highlands Elementary and Atlantic Highlands Elementary, have a shared services agreement, as three separate and distinct boards because legally they are not a tri-district yet … Although from the websites, the Email addresses, the letter head … that’s very hard to tell

And now I am wondering, because of delays and excuses, if regionalization of any kind will ever be. I wonder if the taxpayers will ever be able to realize the benefits of including Sea Bright in a regional district that would include that town and the three schools in the other two towns. There is no school in Sea Bright so the two dozen or so kids from there are hauled off to West Long Branch and Oceanport for their education. Sea Bright wants to bring their kids closer to home, and wants to give the two towns all the money they’ll be saving by not going to Shore Regional or Oceanport.

Oceanport. Hmmmm. That’s the town that will lose a bunch of money if Sea Bright comes into a new Henry Hudson Regional Tri-District.

Oceanport. Hmmmm. That’s the town where the superintendent of the three schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands lives as a taxpaying resident.

So let me see. If she is a taxpayer in Oceanport, and Oceanport stands to lose money if Sea Bright comes to a new regional district, and that affects her family’s property taxes, why isn’t that a conflict?

Yet that same superintendent is calling the shots at Henry Hudson. As the paid employee of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, she is making decisions, calling meetings, and doing all the talking for the three boards of education affected by the final decision. Does anybody see that as a conflict?

I say that because she makes an awful lot of decisions for the three boards of education and I don’t know whether it’s with their knowledge or not.

I do know for a fact she definitely makes decisions. And I do know that as a paid employee of the three school districts…she makes $180,000 plus a year… she makes major decisions without any one of the three boards advertising a special meeting for the purpose of granting her authority, ever having a meeting to openly authorize her right to make decisions and announce them, or ever having a special or regular meeting to vote on decisions and keep the public informed. I know that her shared services agreement doesn’t give her decision making authority.

What’s more, she also has some of the blatant rudeness and skill of at least the Atlantic Highlands Borough Council, and possibly, not sure yet, of the Highlands Borough Council, in stalling matters until they suit her plans.

Stalling, the slowing or stopping of a process, obstructing, time-wasting, delaying, prevaricating, hedging and dithering.

A stall is also defined as the slowing or stopping of a process.

That’s what’s been happening with regionalization. Slowing and stopping the process.

One comprehensive report wasn’t enough, the superintendent wanted the schools to have another one. When both came out with basically the same results. That is regionalization is a good idea here, including Sea Bright brings in money and eventually takes all the kids who live in that town out of the Oceanport school district.

So the Superintendent, the one who lives in Oceanport, called a meeting of the three boards of education and she’s the one who did all the talking, all the explaining, all the details of a regionalization plan. She did a great job; she certainly knows what she’s talking about and has studied the issue. She was praised by everybody for being so open and making it easier to understand.

But no board members had anything to say. It was the paid employee from Oceanport who spoke on regionalization. No board member has even mentioned this possible conflict in an open public meeting setting.

So there was more stalling, not all attributed to the superintendent, a lot of that credit goes to the governing body of Atlantic Highlands. The regionalization question didn’t make it in time to be on the ballot so the people could decide.

The superintendent appears to work better with the Atlantic Highlands Board of Education rather than the Highlands Board. When residents at a Highlands board meeting were told recently that they couldn’t ask any questions about regionalization at a meeting, the superintendent did not say a word. It was the board attorney who directed that, it was said. But there was no e-mail or letter from the attorney, no explanation to the taxpayers why they could not question why regionalization was being stalled. Again. It was stalled.

For all of her knowledge on the regionalization subject … the superintendent is silent.

All stalls.

Many engineered by the primary spokesman for the school, the employed superintendent. The resident of Oceanport, the borough that stands to lose the tens of thousands of Sea Bright dollars if Sea Bright is included in the brand new regionalization, the first in the state. Precedent setting. But stalled.

After all of this stalling … after all of these shenanigans … why bring this matters to the forefront now? It’s because these same tactics have been used against me in a very personal matter this week that I am finally writing about it.

My experience, which I will outline in the next several columns, has proven to me beyond a doubt that people like the Henry Hudson superintendent can delay and delay, can make decisions without official board authority, and can continue to prevent a person with a disability from doing her job, enjoying her vocation, being an informed citizen, and, probably the thing that bugs many people the most, having her say about things that are important to her and to every disabled person in the state, country, or world.

Yes, the Superintendent of the regional school is a clever and intelligent woman. My own problem will take more time, money, and court action before it finally gets resolved.

But in the meantime, taxpayers and school board members, pay attention to what’s going on around you. Ask why you are not told what’s going on, why you can’t ask questions. Then try to find out why the superintendent has so much power without having been given the authority by the people you elected to make these decisions. Ask why an Oceanport taxpayer is not in conflict when she’s the one making decisions on actions in the Bayshore that definitely affect her own taxes in her own hometown.

You elect local residents, people who live in your town, to run the business of your town. You do it at the County level as well, and at the state level, too. Your obligation doesn’t end there. When they’re not doing their job, ask questions, get answers, and when you don’t get the answers, go higher up. Sure it hurts. But it’s your town, your county, your state. Keep it the way you love it. And hold those officials accountable!

Good for the Eyes Celery Soup

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 26, 2022

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It was the extra bunch of celery I had that led me to the most delicious celery soup I ever made and a recipe I found accommodated my needs with a few small changes. But cooling the cooked veggies before putting them in the blender in small doses taught me how to perfectly blend the ingredients for a creamy, tasty soup without any milk, cottage cheese or cream.

Not wanting to waste the celery, and not wanting to freeze it for use in future soups, I looked for a recipe that would provide me with an easy and nutritious soup. Chopping the vegetables was the most time consuming part of the creation, but it was more than worth it. Absolutely great with a few crackers or a couple of slices of Italian bread. And of course, with the celery and carrots in particular, it is a great recipe for eye and cardiac health as well. Low calorie, too!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided,

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped (doesn’t hurt to add more)

1 leek, thinly sliced (I didn’t have one, did not notice any difference)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

6 cups diced celery (about a full bunch)

1 quart chicken bone broth (or simply water, or vegetable broth)

1 ½ pounds baby yellow potatoes, peeled (I used four red potatoes, unpeeled, but cut into chunks

1 small bunch fresh parsley (didn’t have any, so used some dried parsley)

1 teaspoon dried thyme (didn’t measure because I like thyme)

½ teaspoon salt-free seasoning blend (used Greek seasoning mixture)

salt and ground black pepper to taste (used a pinch two of sea salt

I also had one lonely Granny Smith apple in the refrigerator, so I cut that into cubes and added it.

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and apple; cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a soup pot.
Heat remaining olive oil in the same frying. Saute celery to release some of the moisture, about 10 minutes.
Transfer celery to the soup pot. Add chicken broth and potatoes. If using fresh parsley, cut and add to the pot. Season soup with thyme, seasoning blend, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a rolling simmer.
Reduce heat and simmer until carrots, celery, and potatoes are soft enough to easily puree, about 30 minutes. Avoid cooking vegetables until mushy. Remove from heat and cool for about 20 minutes.
Puree soup with an immersion blender.
When ready to serve, simmer over low heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. (or heat a bowl in the microwave for two minutes. Serve immediately or let flavors meld overnight and serve the next day.

Things that Make Me Happy? Sea Bright

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 26, 2022

1

You gotta love Sea Bright! There’s a town with spirit, pride and gratitude. It’s a town even a fierce and angry Mother Nature can’t conquer.

Saturday afternoon, from 4 to 6 p.m., the powers that be in this borough got together and decided it’s proper and fitting to celebrate ten years since Super Storm Sandy. Ten years to the day since the ocean met the river in fierce waves and wind, wiping out so much of this strip of land that is the home and workplace of such determined and never-say-die residents.

There’s going to be music and food, friendship and memories, a couple of speeches to show what great people live here, and a ton load of thanks to the businesses that picked up, dried off, rebuilt, and are the salvation of the business district.

Everyone is invited to share in the celebration that is such a wonderful way to acknowledge that it was a decade ago when so much devastation happened, so many lives were changed, so many suffered through power and water losses for so long, so many lost homes and businesses and so much more. Yet here are those very same people, families and businesses that picked themselves up, spit in Mother Nature’s face and made it clear they are living proof of what tough stock is and that it’s alive and well in Sea Bright. And they don’t quit.

The townspeople feel they are almost back to normal; their business district is thriving, their homes are rebuilt, their friendships intact, and their pride broad enough to counter any big storm ever.

There are also the new businesses who weren’t afraid to start up in Sea Bright after such a shattering event. You remember the post office by the bridge. That’s Tommy’s Restaurant spot now, and that late beloved restaurateur he came in with vigor and force and a positive attitude after the storm and is now one of the most popular of the many wonderful eateries in Sea Bright. We all owe it to Sea Bright to try out some of those restaurants and meet some of those strong folk that picked up worked hard, and are now celebrating that “they’ve done it!”

Sea Bright doesn’t take a back seat to anyone when it comes to having a positive attitude!. Congratulations all you wonderful people. You have ever right to celebrate. You can remember, of course, and you can grieve and look back on all you’ve lost. But you re different, you are also looking forward to a brighter future, happier days, and pride in all you’ve accomplished.

Thanks, Sea Bright, you make me proud to know you!

Monmouth University is also remembering Sandy beginning October. 27 with several events recalling all the destruction and ruin. One of those events is a great film produced by County Clerk Christine Hanlon. Called The Jersey Shore: Sandy in Monmouth County, it’s worth going to the University’s Pollak Theater at 1:30 Friday, Oct. 28, and seeing 20 minutes of spectacular photography showing Sandy’s havoc throughout the County. There is no charge, just a great film if you want to re-live that terrible part of the past. Check out Monmouth’s website at UCIMonmouth@EDU for their events page. Register to sign up for ZOOM if you can’t make the showing live.

20th Annual Blue Mass

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 25, 2022

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The Rev. Jarlath Quinn, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help-St. Agnes Church, the Rev. Martin Biglin, a retired New York priest living in Atlantic Highlands, and Monsignor Gerald Hahn, a priest in the Newark Archdiocese con-celebrated the 20^th annual Blue Mass last week, Oct. 19.

The traditional mass is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus of the Rev. Joseph Donnelly Council at St. Agnes Church, before several hundred volunteers and local residents showing appreciation for the sacrifices and service the volunteers, Coast Guardsmen, police and National Park Service security provide on a regular basis.

The Blue Mass is a tradition dating to the early part of the 20^th century when a priest from the Baltimore, Maryland archdiocese offered a mass at St. Patrick’s in Washington, DC attended by more than 1,100 police and firemen dressed in blue uniforms.

John Flynn, a past Grand Knight of the local Council of the Knights of Columbus, in conjunction with the pastor and parishioners initiated the tradition here and expanded those being appreciated to all the volunteers in the various organizations from State Police to the police and fire departments and volunteer units in Middletown, Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, and the Coast Guard station and National Park Service at Sandy Hook.

The program prepared for last week’s mass and celebration included special prayers for police officers, firefighters, Coast Guard and EMS workers. The Rev. Dr. Derrick Doherty, chaplain of the Middletown Fire Department and Atlantic Highlands Police Sgt. Brian Phair offers special prayers during the mass, and children of the volunteers being honored at the Mass carried the gifts to the altar.

Parish organist Courtney Grogan, soloist Stefanie Hayden, and the Patrick Torphy Volunteer Pipe Band provided music both before and during the ceremony, and CWO Christopher Apple of Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook led the congregation in the pledge of allegiance. Robert Fesla, an altar server for the parish, assisted at the altar.

Members of Boy Scout Troop22, together wit h Assistant Scoutmasters Tom Welch and Lawrence McKean Sr, were also attending with the uniformed officers.

In his welcome address to the gathering, Msgr. Hahn spoke on the importance of never forgetting the service of the men and women who give of themselves to help others.

Sgt. Phair called out the names of all members of each of the departments who passed away since the last Blue Mass. In addition to those who passed in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, there were 22 volunteers and two police officers from Middletown remembered in the prayers. The Fourth Degree Assembly of the second district of the Knights of Columbus provided a color guard for the honorees as they marched into church. Pins with symbols representing the offices of the first responders were distributed at the end of the mass and ceremony.

Following the mass, attendees gathered at the Shore Casino for a late dinner and continued celebration of the work of the officers and volunteers and thanked Shore Casino owner Kathleen Strebb Sweeney and general manager Jay Strebb for their continued support and generosity to the Blue Mass tradition.

Programs for Teens

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 25, 2022

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The Middletown Township Public Library (MTPL) has scheduled a series of programs for teens and parents of teens on mental health and wellness geared toward empowering teens with tools to cope with anxiety and other struggles.

The first of three in the series, “Techniques to Help Your Anxious Teen,” will be Wednesday, October 26 at the Middletown Library on Tindall Rd.

During that program for both teens and parents, Megan Callus, a Z-Health Applied Neuroanatomy Specialist, will share techniques to help teens manage their anxiety.

All are also invited to attend “Hearts and Minds” presented by the National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI) on Nov 16 when NAMI will provide an overview of integrated wellness and share techniques and resources to help teens keep themselves well throughout their lives and deal with problems as they arise.

“Brain Bunch” will be presented Nov 3 and is a Harry Potter Youth Mental Health program that helps teens improve their mental strength by discovering martial arts strategies used to promote self-defense. This Harry Potter themed activity is for both tweens and teens.

The library’s Mental Wellness Series programs are free and open to all teens and parents. Registration is recommended for all programs as space is limited. Visit the library calendar at mtpl.org to sign up or to read more about other programs or to sign up for any other upcoming library programs.

Contact Jenna O’Donnell at jodonnell@mtpl.org for additional information.

Shrewsbury Autumn Harvest Party

By

Muriel J. Smith

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October 25, 2022

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Autumn Harvest Party — from left, MaryLynn and Donald Burden, Phil and Rachel Carnes

Shrewsbury – Shrewsbury Historical Society members, historians, gardeners, friends, new and longtime residents of the borough and members of the governing body gathered Sunday afternoon for a gala Autumn Harvest Party at the Home of Phil and Rachel Carnes on Meadow Drive.

Former Mayor Donald Burden, president of the Historical Society, welcomed all the guests and expressed the thanks of all to the Carnes for hosting the annual event for the second year.

Burden, who is also a former member of the Monmouth County Historical Commission, presented the Carnes with a pen and ink of their home sketched by noted artist Penny Ticehurst. The society president also acknowledged contributions from Paul David Partywares, Mike Lynn, fine wine director for Saker Shop Rites, the Shrewsbury Fire Company and the Society Trustees who provided hors d’oeuvres for the event. Carnes, a noted chef, also presented a variety of other gastronomic treats for the event.

Burden also cited the Dorothy Blair Eagle and expressed thanks for its repair and restoration through contributions from the former Mayor Dorothy Blair Manson’s four daughters. Two of her daughters, Gee Gee and Robin Blair were both present at the party.

The Autumn Harvest Party is a tradition in the Historical Society and has been an annual event since 1976, with the exception of the past two years due to the Covid pandemic and one year at the October death of Society Founder J. Louise Jost. During most of those years, the event was hosted by families residing in the stately homes within Shrewsbury’s Four Corners at Broad Street and Sycamore Avenue.

The Carnes’ home has a history of its own. Once a hay barn and part of the Dr. Ernest Fahnestock estate, the Shadowbrook, it was built in 1910. It was converted into a private residence by the late Jailer family and is commonly referred to as a hipped-roof Colonial Revival. Mr. Carnes crafted two tables and reproduced the barn doors as accent pieces in the home when the Carnes became the second owners of the residence.

In keeping with the autumn theme Garden Club members Terry Blake, Nadia Nigro and Ellen Preissler created arrangements for the Enry Room and Buffet Table using flowers, plants, vegetables and herbs of the season.

Among the guests at the Harvest Party were Shrewsbury Mayor Erik Anderson, Council President Jason Sena, Monmouth County Historian Randall Gabrielan, Shrewsbury Garden Club President Judy Bonanno, Shrewsbury Towne-Chapter Regent Leslie Clark, and former Chair Monmouth County Library Commission Renee Swartz.

Cover Photo:
from left, MaryLynn and Donadl Burden, Phil and Rachel Carnes

Highlands Flooding

By

Muriel J. Smith

-

October 24, 2022

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HIGHLANDS – Submitting an application for a grant from FEMA under its BRIC program, Mayor and Council presented a detailed presentation of the plan that would reportedly put an end to the flooding of the borough from the Monmouth Hills area in severe storms.

Overall plans for the intensive program, which includes building retaining wells on Kavookjian Field so runoff could be cycled for a more gradual release of storm waters, were presented at last week’s meeting of the governing body and are available on the borough’s site under the recording of the Oct. 19 meeting.

The resolution, adopted unanimously by the governing body, authorizes supporting a Highlands Monmouth Hills Flood Mitigation and Green Infrastructure Project, and applying for the federal funds to finance a percentage of the overall costs.

Applications are being accepted for the grant, called the 2022 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program (BRIC) through Nov. 18.

According to the resolution, funds would be used to address the chronic flooding with a storm water and green infrastructure plan which is consistent with the county’s Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Under terms of the grant, Highlands would build storm water and green infrastructure near Snug Harbor, Bay, Central and Waterwitch avenues, Route 36 and Kavookjian Field, in connection with Monmouth Hills Inc. construction of Waterwitch drive. Valley Drive, and Park Way in Middletown. While Kavookjian Field is in Middletown, it belongs to the borough of Highlands. A holding tank would be excavated in Kavookjian Field to retain flood waters for gradual release. Engineers assured the governing body they could be built without eliminating the borough’s sports fields which are active at the site.

Mayor Carolyn Broullon expressed hope and joy at the resolution’s adoption, noting a solution for the flooding in the Waterwitch section of the borough from the Monmouth Hills area has been a long time coming and she is hopeful the grant will now enable the borough and Middletown to work together in reaching a solution.

The borough’s plan includes installation of the infiltration basin, and construction of wetlands, storm water pumping stations, emergency generators to operate the stations, inlets, storm drains, bioretention basis and roadway restorations within the proposed project area.

Veni Vidi Scripto

Veni Vidi Scripto

Veni Vidi Scripto

Veni Vidi Scripto

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