A full season of free holiday events in the borough begins Friday, December 5 when Santa and Mrs. Claus will take a 45 minute drive through Highlands before arriving at the annual Christmas tree lighting activities at 5:45.
Mayor Carolyn Broullon and members of Council will light the tree at Huddy Park on Waterwitch and Bay Avenues at 6 p.m. with the Henry Hudson Regional High School choir under the direction of Jennifer Wolf setting the musical tone for the holiday season.
Dancers from the Carol Elaine Dance Studio will also take the stage during the evening’s activities and the Highlands Recreation Department will be serving hot chocolate and cookies.
In the event of inclement weather, the activities will be celebrated the following night, December 6.
Free horse and carriage rides will be offered courtesy of Valley Bank in Highlands, and more holiday music will be provided by event sponsor WRAT 95.9.
The Highlands Business Partnership recognizes its Tree Lighting Sponsor, In the Garden, located at 69 Waterwitch Avenue. Residents are encouraged to shop local for trees, wreaths, roping, flowers, gifts, and more, all of which help support the HBP holiday decorating program.
The Highlands Business Partnership’s Annual Holiday Lights Contest invites residents to show their community pride and brighten the Borough. The contest is open to all residential homes within Highlands Borough limits. Entries may be submitted online at www.highlandsnj.com and must be received by December 18 at 5:00 PM. Judging will take place on Friday, Dec 19, and prizes will be awarded. Anyone interested in assisting with judging may contact hbpadmin@highlandsnj.com.
The Rev. Joseph Donnellly Council of the Knights of Columbus will be joined by the Baymen’s Protective Association and the Highlands Fire Department hosting their Annual Free Pancake Breakfast with Santa Sunday, December 14, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church Hall. The event is free and open to the public, and guests are encouraged to bring a donation of canned or non-perishable food items for the local food pantry..
The Highlands Fire Department will host its annual Visit with Santa – Toys for Tots event on Sunday, December 21, at 1:00 PM at the Fire House on Shore Drive. Attendees are invited to bring a non-glass ornament for Daniel Barden’s Christmas Tree. After the children place their ornaments on the tree, the Highlands Fire Department will bring it to the Daniel Barden Where Angels Play Playground in Veterans Park, in memory of Daniel.
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Agenda The Highlands Borough Council will meet at the Robert D. Wilson Community Center for its regular meeting Tomorrow Night, Wednesday December 3 at 7 P.M.
Mayor and Council have moved the meeting from its regular site at Borough Hall in order to accommodate the crowd anticipated to both listen and speak at the regular meeting because of specific items on the agenda.
The governing body plans to hold the public hearing and take action on the proposed ordinance which would approve the application for a long-term tax exemption for the former Shadow Lawn Trailer Park property off Route 36. The ordinance also would authorize executing a financial agreement with the current owners, who plan to construct on the site. The land, currently vacant, for decades was the site of a trailer park, one of two in the borough. The second trailer park was located off Shore Drive in the area of current high end condo units.
Under terms of the proposed code the redeveloper of the property, designated as an area in need of redevelopment would enter into an agreement under the law to be tax exempt. Rather, the redeveloper would pay an annual service charge to the borough quarterly, based on percentages of its income from the units, a move estimated to mean millions of dollars to the borough over ten years.
Planned construction is for 292 units of which 15 per cent would be designated for affordable housing.
In other business, Council plans on awarding a contract for the South Peak St. drainage improvements project, as well as a contract to Forerunner for its software platform. It also plans to approve a resolution in opposition to moving Monmouth Medical Center from Long Branch to Oceanport.
The public will have opportunities to speak both on the proposed ordinance as well as on all other matters that come before the governing body during the meeting.
Council will have one more meeting this year, the regular meeting set for December 17 at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.
Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon
Reorganization of the governing body, and the swearing in of incumbent Mayor Carolyn Broullon, who recently was elected to aa second term as mayor, will take place at noon on January 1.
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The Borough was selected for two Monmouth County Planning Board Merit Awards which will be celebrated at the County Planning Board meeting Monday, December 15 at 11 a.m. in the Monmouth County Planning Board Conference Room, Hall of Records Annex (2nd floor), 1 East Main Street in Freehold.
Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon
Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon confirmed she has received notice the borough will receive the 2025 Planning Board Merit Award for the Highlands Central Business District Floodplain Design Guidelines. That work was a collaboration among the Construction Official and Certified Floodplain Manager, Steven Winters; Kathleen Shaw of the Downtown Network, the borough’s Community Rating System Coordinator and Broullon.
Ms. Shaw said the Mayor’s significant research into how other towns and cities nationwide in flood plains were achieving the higher standards needed to comply with various state Department of Environmental Protection directives enabled the Highlands working together to compile innovative designs which would help investors interested in purchasing property in the Central Business District Area in Need of Redevelopment. These Design Guidelines are an incredible tool that lay out all the information needed in an easy-to-read manner.
The second award, the 2025 Planning Board Merit Award for the New Jersey Asset Activation Plan, was for the $50,000 Economic Development Administration grant written by Shaw and Mayor Broullon. The team for this project was much larger, including members of the public, the Clamming community, Borough Administrator Michael Muscillo; Construction Official Steven Winters, the Highlands Business Partnership, borough planners, Heyer & Gruel, scientists from Sandy Hook; National Park Service; education leaders from Henry Hudson Regional School, Rutgers, Monmouth University, Brookdale Community College and MAST the Marine Academy of Science & Technology.
The mayor prepared both qualitative and quantitative research instruments to gauge public interest in revitalizing one of the borough’s biggest assets: the J.T. White Clam Depuration Plant. Research reports she complied were included in the final Planning Report. Also explored was the possibility of creating a maritime museum with an educational component.
In receiving the notification from the county planning board, the Mayor said she is pleased to share both the award and the work with the Community. “Being honored by the County for these planning projects is very rewarding and to have them honor Highlands with two awards is humbling,.” The Mayor said.
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This year’s celebrations will be both inside and outside of the historic Stone Church in Locust as Winterfest is shining brighter than ever on the historic campus.
Winterfest at All Saints Memorial church will be Saturday, December 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. regardless of weather. The free community event is open to all at the church’s campus on Navesink Avenue.
Guests are invited to attend and find the answer to the question, Who is St. Nicolas? while discovering the magic of the season enjoying charming displays showcasing St. Nicolas celebrations from around the world!
Once again, the church will offer its traditional S’mores Station where guests make their own, as well as the hands-on crafts for kids. Guests re also invited to savor a delicious selection of homemade soups and baked treats available for purchase.
This year, there will also be fresh, custom festive Greenery and Floral Arrangements, perfect for holiday tables, mantle, or for gifting, all set to the joyful sounds of traditional holiday music.
All proceeds from this cherished annual event support the community outreach programs at All Saints’ Memorial Church and help preserve and maintain the beloved National Historic Landmark campus and the mission of All Saints’.
Highlands Walt Guenther, whose family is only here half the year sharing time at their Ohio residence, but has in reality been here for more than a century through five generations… and always in their hearts…. has come out with another great idea to keep Highlands proud of its ancestors. Hometown Heroes
The Highlands Historical Society Facebook Page is now posting Walt’s great stories about some of Highlands heroes, the soldiers and sailors who are on the memorial banners along Bay Ave. Walt has researched each of the Highlands men killed in action during World War II and has posted his stories about each of them on the Highlands Historical Society page. He posts each of the men on the anniversary of their death,
If you have missed the two already observed, read them here; one is Eugene Arnath, a Navy submariner, the other is Edward Minor, a Navy diver.
If you’re thinking of lasting and inexpensive gifts to give friends, the highlands Historical Society is also a great place to start.. A family membership in the Society makes a unique gift, helps support the organization that is doing so much and working so hard to preserve and keep Highlands history alive. It isn’t necessary to attend meetings to be a member; the Society also puts out a terrific newsletter tht keeps yo9u informed of events and even tests your memory or ideas about Highlands at an earlier time. Check out their website at Historical Society of Highlands and think abou9t gifs of family or individual membership.
Seaman 2nd Class Eugene Arnath
On November 19, 1943, US Navy Seaman 2nd Class Eugene Arnath was killed in action when his submarine was sunk by a Japanese warship in the South Pacific.
USS Sculpin
Arnath’s submarine, the USS Sculpin (SS-191), was sunk by a Japanese destroyer on its ninth war patrol north of Oroluk Island, near the major Japanese naval base of Truk in the South Pacific.
The Sculpin was on patrol to attack enemy shipping opposing the upcoming invasion of Tarawa when his ship was sunk by the destroyer, Yamagumo. After his sub attacked a Japanese convoy, it was tracked down and attacked by enemy warships. The Sculpin made it through a 12- hour depth charge attack but was so heavily damaged that its commander ordered it to surface so the crewmen might have a chance to survive by abandoning ship.
According to the October 1, 1945 report written by Lt George Estabrook Brown who survived the destruction of the Sculpin and then spent almost two years in prison camps working in the Ashio copper mines after he was picked up with 41 other survivors by the Japanese destroyer,
Eugene Arnath was killed firing the submarine’s 20mm gun and machine guns at the Japanese to give his fellow crewmen a chance to swim away from the sub before it was scuttled by the American crew.
Arnath is a decorated American war hero. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, for his heroic actions in a combat zone during the sinking of his submarine by the Japanese. His Bronze Star citation states “After his ship had been severely damaged and forced to the surface during a terrific enemy depth charge attack, Arnath instantly manned his gun despite the overwhelming fury of the enemy’s five-inch gun barrage and continued his persistent fire until the Sculpin succumbed to the Japanese superior firepower. By his indomitable fighting spirit and unfaltering devotion to duty, Arnath upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
Eugene Arnath was 19 years old. He lived in Highlands at 72 Miller Street and was the son of Thomas and Clara Arnath. Tom Arnath, Eugene’s father, owned the Congress Radio Shop at 63 Miller Street in Highlands. His mother, Clara, from Highlands, lost two sons in WW II—Eugene Arnath and Charles Rugg. Charles was her son by a previous marriage to Marion Rugg. Eugene is Buried at Sea. His name is listed as Missing In Action on the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) Honolulu, Hawaii.
His Highlands Hometown Heroes Banner is located on Bay Avenue near the intersection with Spring Street.
The Captain of Arnath’s submarine, Captain John Cromwell, knew the details of the upcoming invasion of Tarawa and was afraid that he might reveal the information if he was tortured when he was taken prisoner by the Japanese. For this reason, he chose to go down with his ship when it was scuttled by the crew. For his sacrifice he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest award for heroism.
Metalsmith 3rd Class Edward Anthony Minor
On this day, November 28, 1945, US Navy Metalsmith 3rd Class Edward Anthony Minor was killed in action when his ship collided with another vessel in Hampton Roads, near Thimble Shoals, off Norfolk, Virginia.
Minor’s ship, a floating crane on a self-propelled barge, the YSD-38, was sunk in the collision. The YSD-38 was a 104 foot long, 240 ton Seaplane Salvage Derrick vessel. His military records indicate that he may have been a US Navy Rescue/Salvage Diver. He drowned in the accidental collision of his ship and a merchant tanker as his vessel was responding to a distress call. Twelve other sailors were also killed in the disaster.
Although World War II had officially ended in Europe in May 1945 and in the Pacific in August 1945, the military officially declared all casualties through the end of 1945 as War Dead due to all the dangerous military actions involved in wrapping up hostilities.
Edward Minor was 30 years old. He lived in Highlands at 46 South Bay Avenue, 58 Highland Avenue and 99 Highland Avenue. Minor was a welder prior to entering the Navy. His induction into the Navy was reported in the January 6, 1944 Highlands Star.
He was the husband of Marie Hennessey Minor. He had a daughter, Mary, and a son, Thomas. His sisters were Violet Anthony and Rosemary Kerrigan and his brothers were Thomas and Joseph Minor.
The March 9,1944 edition of the Highlands Star newspaper ran an article reporting that “Edward Minor, noted bowler with Captain Lester Wheeler’s team (Cap’ Wheeler’s Tavern), departed on Tuesday for active duty with the US Navy.”
He is buried in Machpelah Cemetery in North Bergen, New Jersey.
His Highlands Hometown Heroes Banner is located on Bay Avenue near the intersection with Washington Avenue.
We honor his sacrifice for our grateful Nation.
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In the state of Pennsylvania, the neat little laid-back city highlighted as the state’s capitol is Harrisburg. And truly it is, the seat of government not only for the state House and Senate, but the state Supreme Court and the Governor’s office as well.
But what is more intriguing about this magnificent complex in a friendly city, is this public building is also a priceless architectural and artistic treasure that encompasses history, democracy, freedom, religion, and more.
With Harrisburg a little over three hours from Newark on Amtrak, it’s a must see and visit for anyone who would enjoy seeing the blend of Italian, French and English designs blended with Greek, Roman and Victorian influences both in art and ornamentation. There are self-guided tours during the week, complete with a mobile APP to make it easier, and guide tours on both Saturdays and Sundays by appointment. Either way, it’s well worth the time.
It was President Theodore Roosevelt who was there for the building’s dedication in 1906 and described ia as “the handsomest building I ever saw.”
That’s because the building, holding a commanding site at the top of a hill and visible from throughout the city, was designed by local architect Joseph Huston in the American Renaissance style. The architect designed it as a Palace of Art which is obvious through the plethora of paintings, stained glass, and other furnishings that highlight everyone of the government offices.
For openers, it’s hard to miss the 52-million-pound dome that is the centerpiece of the state’s Capitol.
Designed after Michelangelo’s design of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and 272 foot high, the dome was the tallest structure between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia for nearly a century before tall buildings dotted the landscape through several counties.
Beneath the dome in the Capitol Rotunda, you can see the 48 portholes that illuminate the dome along with 4,000 lights, and a huge circular public forum easily capable of seating 50 to 60 people amid the beauty of a grand staircase, three-tiered gallery and huge murals.
Nor do residents of the Keystone State get to forget that it was William Penn for whom the state is named, a Quaker of deep faith whose words to both legislator and citizen are wrapped around the interior walls of the Rotunda: “My God will make it the seed of a nation, that an example be set up to the nations, that we may do the thing that is truly wise and just. “
Once you take your eyes off the Rotunda and the murals, there are even more stories in the floor. It and the corridors around it, are Moravian tile blended with nearly 400 tile mosaics that depict the state’s history, occupations, modes of transportation and animals, a credit to the talent of local Pennsylvania German folk artists.
There are more than 600 rooms in the Capitol, with one side of the building for the House, the other for the Senate, and rooms for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Supreme Court as well as the media and public events.
Like the rest of the facility the Senate chambers reflect not only history to when the state had 18 Senators…today there are 50….but also bronze and glass chandeliers, huge murals reminding visitors of the religious background of Penn and the people, and green floors made of Connemara marble. The Senate is divided by party, the Democrats seated on the left, the Republicans on the right, and each Senator votes by raising his hand and voting with an Aye or Nay, without any electronic tally board, unlike the House. Even the Senate desks, all made of mahogany from Belize, date back more than a century to the opening of the building.
There are ten stained glass windows in the Senate, another 14 in the Assembly, all created by Philadelphia native William Van Ingen, a student of Louis Tiffany. The windows depict a variety of themes that include architecture, education, peace, library, history and justice.
The largest mural in the entire building is in the House Chamber and can’t be missed since it is situated directly behind the Speaker’s podium. This 35-foot square painting features distinguished state residents from Penn, pictured in the middle, and Benjamin Franklin on his right, to spiritual, military leaders, explorers, pioneers and prominent legislators. Yet while Henry Hudson, Peter Minuit, who founded New Sweden after buying Manhattan, native Daniel Boone, several signers of the Declaration of Independence, and Mad Anthony Wayne of Revolutionary War fame are all included, there is no depiction of James Buchanan, the only Pennsylvanian to become President of the United States.
Currently there are 203 members of the Pennsylvania House, and their votes are taken by electronic polling with a light on the board that shows up red or green depending on the aye or nay case. As in the Senate, the walls and ceiling of the House are filled with crystal chandeliers, some weighing as much as four tons and holding more than 1,000 light bulbs, stained glass windows, art work framed in 24-karat gold leaf, and the original wooden desks from 1906.
In addition to the Office of the Governor and Lieutenant governor, reception rooms for each and the Supreme Court all in the same building, overall the Capitol Complex is an orderly, well designed and unified group of this main building and other buildings , statues, memorials, and a museum that make it easy for anyone to have business of any kind at the state level, or simply want to see a coordinated piece of the action and activities that go into state government to visit it all here in Harrisburg.
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Friends Amtrak is my favorite way to travel across the United States, be it a short trip of a little over a three hour ride to a neighboring state to a couple of days to cross the country.
And a trip through Pennsylvania Dutch country to Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania is not only three and a half hours of relaxed transit but also a chance to see the beautiful farms and engagingly named towns and cities of Pennsylvania Dutch country.
But my journey from Atlantic Highlands to Harrisburg for a four-day getaway and opportunity to visit what has to be the most gorgeous capital in the entire country as well as the nation’s largest museum to the Civil War began with the generosity and kindness of a friend, as it usually does.
My Dear Friend, Jane Frotton
Not everyone has a friend like Jane Frotton, who doesn’t mind driving me to the Middletown station at 7 in the morning so I don’t have to worry about long term car parking, and can take advantage of the easiest and quickest way of getting from Monmouth County to Newark Penn Station to board Amtrak for pretty much anyplace. Jane’s also always willing to pick me up on the return trip, regardless of the time of evening. But for this trip, she was even more thoughtful. Keep that in mind until the end of this story.
It doesn’t matter whether NJ Transit’s schedule doesn’t coincide with every Amtrak schedule, since the station is always clean, comfortable and well-guarded by railroad police and their trusty canines. In fact, it’s relaxing and downright enjoyable to arrive early enough before the Amtrak departure to take advantage of some of the great eateries located in the station or simply watch how friendly both Amtrak and Transit staff members are too busy or first-time travelers not sure of where to go. Unlike airports, even with holiday traffic making for larger crowds, there are no long lines, no going through checkpoints, and no rushing at the last minute, since well-lit and easy to read signs get everyone updated as to specific train arrivals, departures, locations they’re heading and track number.
Once aboard Amtrak, it’s about three and a half hours to Harrisburg, with only one or two stops after Newark in New Jersey, with some trains stopping at MetroPark and all stopping at Trenton, before arriving in Philadelphia. There it’s a brief stop for changing crews and engineers and picking up passengers before proceeding west. There’s a café aboard all the westbound trains and business class cars as well, though paying the higher price for a wider or possibly more comfortable seat isn’t worth the extra cash to me.
Once in Harrisburg, the station is only a few blocks from the center of the city. It’s not a busy station for a good part of the day, and there are few personnel around to find how close one of the two hotels in the city is located.
Enter Uber, another great find for modern day travelers, especially for women traveling alone; though it’s been a boon for many younger drivers who would rather Uber a safe ride home after a long day or long evening of partying and imbibing.,
If there’s a downside to Uber, it’s that it has pretty well put the taxi business out of business in many places. But it has done it with speed, efficiency, and ease that seems to be everywhere they provide services. The company is officially Uber Technologies, founded and based in San Francisco in 2010 and offering ride hailing, freight and food order services in more than 15,000 cities and 70 countries.
It doesn’t cost anything to sign on, give them your credit card and have an App on your phone forever. Then, when you need it, you simply make contact on your phone, tap in the address you’re heading to….Uber already knows where you are and where they will pick you up.
Through the wonder of modern technology and great service and systems, you learn what time an Uber driver will be picking you up, what the drivers name is, what kind of car he or she is driving, the license plate, and the cost of the trip you’re taking. The message also tells you how long the trip will be. There are times you also have an option…the trip could be a little cheaper if you opt to wait a few minutes longer. That’s it.
It’s a little easier in New Jersey where all cars have license plates in the front, but many Ubers also have signs in their windshield identifying them. Once he arrives, and each identifies himself to the other, it’s simply a pleasant drive to your destination. Once you’ve arrived, Uber asks on your phone, but by no means demands, if you want to add a tip to the bill. The driver simply says thanks and waits until you alright. Life doesn’t get any easier than that.
Taking an Uber from the hotel for the ten minute drive to the National Civil War Museum one day, service was indeed literally door to door, in spite of the fact this massive and excellent museum its high on a hill, and up a long and curved private road that took almost half as long to ride as the road to get there from the hotel. What was even better, upon completing the museum visit, a simple message to Uber for a ride back was even easier; they already knew where I was coming from and where I was going. That 10-minute drive through a couple of miles of the city of Harrisburg to the Museum? It cost $8.95.
National Civil War Museum
Now back to Jane Frotton from the beginning of the story. After a few great days in Harrisburg, Jane and I had earlier agreed I would call her when I was back in New Jersey and ready to board NJ Transit back to Middletown and she would be there once again to pick me up for the drive home. But it did not work out exactly that way.
While I was gone, Jane had a serious fall and was taken to the hospital. In spite of her situation, this did not deter her from remembering her promise to a friend. So from the hospital, she called Highlands Bill Osborne, a mutual friend who is best known in the driving world for being the absolute best driver for rides to Newark Airport or other destinations. Bill was quick to assure Jane he’d take care of that for her, and Jane e-mailed me from the hospital to tell me to give my return information to Bill when I got back to Newark.
Not everybody has a friend who is still there to help a friend even when she’s enroute to and in the hospital.
That is why when I stepped off NJ Transit in Middletown the night after a terrific few days in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, there was Bill Osborne, ready to provide the ride service Jane had told him was necessary.
Travel is wonderful, educational and exciting while relaxing. But coming home and having friends like Jane Frotton and Bill Osborne is even better.
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Now open and inviting the community to explore its thoughtfully curated selection of high-quality, affordable goods, the business owners welcome all to join the celebration of this family owned business.
Not 2 Shabby Thrift is operated by a mother and her three daughters, longtime residents of Highlands who have lived in the community since 2014. Inspired by a desire to create an accessible, inviting retail space, they envisioned a shop where customers could enjoy a boutique-like experience without boutique prices.
Inside the store, shoppers will find a wide assortment of clothing for men, women, and children, including cruise wear, evening attire, casual apparel, and one-of-a-kind pieces that rotate daily. Every item undergoes a detailed quality control process, washed, pressed, and repaired whenever possible, to ensure great value.
Beyond clothing, the shop offers toys, puzzles, small furniture, linens, household goods, décor, and a frequently refreshed selection of gift-worthy items. Inventory moves quickly, and customers often discover exactly what they have been searching for, sometimes within hours of making a request.
Supporting local creativity is also central to the shop’s mission. Through its monthly featured-artisan program, Not 2 Shabby Thrift showcases handcrafted items by local makers, offering them one month of display space with no rental fees or commissions. Recent and upcoming artisans include Wicked Good Candle and CellaBella Creations, with additional creators scheduled in the months ahead.
Giving back plays a key role in the shop’s identity as well. Each quarter, Not 2 Shabby Thrift donates 10% of its proceeds to organizations throughout the Bay Shore Corridor, from Highlands to Keyport. For the fourth quarter of 2025, the shop is supporting the VFW and the American Legion in honor of local veterans. The owners believe this model not only strengthens the community but also demonstrates how small businesses can make a meaningful impact.
Since opening, Not 2 Shabby Thrift has received an overwhelmingly positive response. Many visitors describe the store as warm, inviting, and boutique-like, distinct from a traditional thrift-shop environment.
The shop is also exploring partnerships with organizations that support high-functioning young adults seeking workplace experience. Through this initiative, participants may learn valuable retail skills including folding, sorting, organizing merchandise, and customer service in a supportive setting.
Though new to Bay Avenue, Not 2 Shabby Thrift has quickly become a collaborative family and community effort. With its welcoming atmosphere, rotating inventory, artisan partnerships, and strong commitment to giving back, the shop is already enriching the Highlands business community.
Not 2 Shabby Thrift is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is closed on Sunday and Monday. Follow Not 2 Shabby Thrift on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with their latest finds, events, and community initiatives.
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“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude”
That is a quote from award winning author Cynthia Ozick. But it is a fact that hit home with stunning and immediate realization for me personally this week.
There is no doubt I have deep gratitude for the happiness in my life, the family who every day continues to make it even happier, and the world I live in surrounded by natural beauty, great friends, a happy life and so much more. I do say thanks and am grateful for that every day.
But this week I learned that it perhaps is more that coincidence that my birthday falls so close, or actually on, Thanksgiving every year. It is because I am so grateful for so many things. Sometimes I feel the day was made simply to remind me of all I have.
But this year a couple of new things were added.
The amount of birthday greetings, happy messages, and best wishes that literally hundreds of my friends shared in e-mails, in person, by phone, on Facebook, in private texts and just about every other public media was not only stunning and a bit overwhelming … but also shocking.
So many times I get hateful, abusive messages on Facebook from those who don’t like my style of writing, my opinions, or my truths. I get hate mail from people who have plenty of negativity to spout but not enough courage to put their signatures to it. There are insults and cuss words, an occasional threat, caustic and vitriolic criticisms, all opinions from people who, as hateful as I seem to be to them, they continue to read. None of it deters me from believing everyone has the right to not only have an opinion, but to express it as well.
But on this birthday, things were different.
I received greetings from people I have not seen or talked to in years. There were many more from friends I knew as kids who still call me Mrs. Smith. There were greetings from elected officials, both from mayors and other officials no longer in office as well as county and state officials still serving … as if they have the time to send a greeting to someone who has even criticized them in print or on my blog in the past, though I always respect them.
There was the greeting from the son I barely knew, but his late mom was not only a joy to know but an inspiration with her strength, bravery and vitality. There was that wonderful remembrance from a man to whom I wrote 20 years ago when he was a prisoner….but is now an upstanding citizen, a guy who went wrong as a kid but paid his debt and had the fortitude to rise above it.
There were wonderful messages from folks I worked with and also from more some pretty terrific sailors who were stationed at NWS Earle when I volunteered and worked there two decades ago; there was the loving note from a high school friend who I knew and loved before I even knew about Atlantic Highlands where she was from. There were so many greetings from people I met and loved while living in Freehold, not only those at the Hall of Records or city hall, but also in the library, as neighbors, folks I met in church or at the American Hotel.
There were many messages from people I know at church and from other churches, heartwarming wishes for a holy celebration, and prayers for a continued good, happy and health life.
There were the wonderful notes from the couple who made such a difference when they lived in the Bayshore, he as the superintendent at Gateway at Sandy Hook, she as a teacher in one of the Bayshore’s friendliest and most innovative schools. Hers were those awesome words, so unmerited, that described me as “a seeker, a learner, a wanderer — a beautiful Sagittarius soul.”
There were the reporters, the writers, the friends I made through years of being at The Courier or writing for the Record, the Register, the Press.
Of course there were also the heartfelt messages from relatives that distance prevents me from seeing often, but who do keep in touch through my blog or Facebook…one of its few attributes. There were messages from folks I know pretty much through New Jersey, as well as Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, California, Utah and Montana; there were relatives of my children who also thought enough to send me happy birthday greetings.
I took advantage of a few days celebrating on my own in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania an Amtrak trip away to several more stories. But even there, I was once again surprised with a very special greeting.
Walking near the hotel in the center of town, I met an elderly couple walking in the opposite direction; she stopped to say hello and tell me how she enjoyed walking. We got to spend a bit of time chatting about the weather, health, and age, and I mentioned that that day was my birthday.
Right smack in the middle of Market Street in the heart of the state’s Capital, this lady began singing “Happy Birthday to You.” And, noticing she was winging it alone, she nudged her husband’s arm and said, “sing with me.”
And for two glorious moments, I was serenaded by a thoughtful and very happy couple in the middle of the main street in the city, a couple who just wanted to make someone else feel as happy as they were. It worked!
The greetings, the song, the memories, the friendships, the family, the thoughtfulness of so many, gave me one more gift. I am more aware now, and with the help of God, I will never “ take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude”
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“In my opinion, elections and government are conversations. Those conversations do not end on election night.” Winner
Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon
These were the words of highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon after the election of three weeks ago was finally declared official and she earned another full term as the Highlands Mayor.
“ The elected and the People need to have constant dialogue about all matters that impact us. Meaningful interactions spur the best outcomes because we are all in this together.” Broullon continued.
The incumbent mayor beat long time Highlands resident, active volunteer, board of education member and former councilwoman Rebecca Kane Wells in an election that brought 2150 votes to the polls and give Broullon 66 more votes than her opponent. Broullon tallied 1104 votes to Wells 1,038 .
The mayor won in three of the four districts that comprise the voting areas of Highlands, with Wells scoring higher in the second district, the downtown area. Oddly, only 51.3 percent of the voters in district 2 went to the polls, while more than 60 percent voted in each of the three other districts.
The turnout, though large, was nowhere near as large as the 2024 presidential election which brought 3,173 out to vote.
Broullon, who had declined to make any comments on the outcome while the count was still unofficial and provisional ballots still had to be counted, said she was not surprised by the outcome. Declining any specific comments, she said simply, “ I feel I’ve done a good job for Highlands.”
While both candidates campaigned actively, Well was far more prominent on Facebook and other media. Both made appearances at private gatherings and both campaigned in person throughout town., Brou9llon aid, however, she did not campaign as completely as she had planned, saying she wanted to get all her walking and meeting resident in during the summer, however, her spouse Danica’s leg injury sidelined those plans as she had to devote more time and energy to the pet shop the couple own on Bay ave. Undeterred, the mayor said, “now she’s healthy, so that’s all that matters.”
As to her opinion on what she feels are the primary reasons why voters chose to keep her in office and continue to serve, Broullon said, “What many told me over the course of the campaign was, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
Mayoral Candidate Rebecca Wells
As of this writing, Ms Wells has not responded to an invitation to make any statement. She will continue as a member of the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education.
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