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Olszewski Says Show Me The Money!

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Joanne Olszewski
Borough of Highlands Council President Joanne Olszewski

At the same time the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education is facing harsh criticism and complaints about lack of communication and diminished educational standards from Atlantic Highlands parents, Highlands Council president Joanne Olszewski and the Borough of Highlands are calling on the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to provide relief under state school law, assess its financial situation and correct the disproportionate share of assets and financial reserves the school district provided through records provided by the former Highlands Board of Education.

Briefly, this means the current nine member Board of Education, elected last November and taking office for the first time in January, now faces a series of financial challenges from Highlands taxpayers at the same time they are hearing from Atlantic Highlands parents that education in the Atlantic Highlands elementary school is bad, getting worse, and communications between board and school officials and parents is worse than terrible.

Joanne Olszewski
Borough of Highlands Council President Joanne Olszewski

On the financial issue, Olszewski, who has led the challenge both on her own and as council president in the borough on issues concerning whether Sea Bright can be included in the newly regionalized three school district, said she filed the petition earlier last month since the state Commissioner has jurisdiction in the matter as it arises from school laws and she is seeking an investigation and solution.

In her ten page petition which was filed last month, Olszewski gave the Commissioner the background of the formation of the three school district in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, dating back to 2020 when Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright began their search to find the viability and impact of a regional district that would include the three schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands and the students in Sea Bright which does not have any schools, into a new all-purpose Pk-12 regional district.

The three boroughs commissioned studies and received documented studies that analyzed the options and financial, educational and racial impacts if they formed the proposed K12 district

Two years later, the three boroughs passed resolutions calling for a vote to create a PK-12 district with Sea Bight’s inclusion in it.

That same summer, the three boroughs, together with the three boards of education in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, joined in a single petition to the Commissioner of Education to authorize Sea Bright’s withdrawal from the Shore Regional and Oceanport school districts their children current attend. The purpose was to enable Sea Bright to join the newly former Henry Hudson district as a third member.

Nine months later, in March of 2023, the boards of education in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands amended the petition to the Commissioner and requested it proceed to a referendum to form a Pk-12 district with just the two boroughs of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands.

In support of their petition, the three boards then commissioned another feasibility study from Kean University. And in July 2023, the Commissioners approved a referendum which would,, if approved, establish a regional district including the three schools in the two towns, excluding Sea Bright.

But, the recently filed petition continued, the Commissioner did not discuss the apportionment or accounting of financial assess on the two districts should the three boards be dissolved and a single regional district be formed.

The Henry Hudson Board held an information session before the vote designed to show the financial benefits, efficiency, fiscal responsibilities and tax savings to each of the two towns.

Olszewski’s petition points out that Highlands taxpayers were told that the allocation for each borough’s contribution “would not and could not be changed.”

As a result, Highlands voters, believing the assets and liabilities of both boards of education would be proportional and all players in both school districts of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands would realize similar savings, approved the referendum in September 2023.

The new Pre-K-12 regional district combining the three schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands was formed in July 2024, into the new Henry Hudson Regional Prek-12 school district, including all assets and liabilities associated with the two elementary school boards incorporated into the new school district, including capital reserves and surplus.

However, Olszewski’s petition points out, ‘recent financial information shows the Highlands Board of Education contributed significantly more to the regional school district “in terms of net assets and reserves.”

Further, recent information also noted that “the tax allocation method, which taxpayers had been told could not be changed under the 100 percent equalized property value, was inequitable to the borough of Highlands.

Citing the Statement of Net Position in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the period until the end of June 2024, indications are that Highlands’ net financial position was in actuality approximately $3,052,160 more than Atlantic Highlands financial position. That means Highlands contributed 86 per cent more in net assets to the new PreK-12 school district than Atlantic Highlands.

Highland total reserves, the petition continues, for the same period equaled $3,307,712, whereas Atlantic Highlands total reserves equaled $1,447,369 pr nearly $2 million less That means Highlands contributed roughly just under 70 per cent of all the reserves to the new district.

The first time all of this information was made public by the Regional School District Board of Education was at the January 22, 2025, meeting, when the Board of Education approved its annual Comprehensive Financial Report at a public meeting, Olszewski said in her petition.

After presenting all this information to the state Education Commissioner Olszewski is calling on the Commissioner to have the regional district provide a complete inventory of all assets, real and personal it received in the formation of the new district, information she said is mandated but she does not believe has yet been received. Absent this accounting, as required by law, Olszewski said taxpayers in Highlands “do not know how the significant issues they brought to the regional school district have been spent, or whether they have been used primarily for the benefits of Highlands students.

Had Highlands voters been made aware they were contributing significantly higher sums than Atlantic Highlands payers for equal education for both boroughs, “Highlands voters may not have voted in favor of the referendum” that created the district, the council president said.

The petition is further calling on the Commissioner to issue an order requiring the new regional district to create a reserve fund for the benefits of the Highlands Elementary School and grant a tax credit applicable to Highlands to equal the disproportionate assets and serves contributed by Highlands to the new regional board, actions the council president said would be “just and proper.”

“The Commissioner has the authority to order an accounting and to provide relief to the Borough of Highlands and its taxpayers,” Olszewski said in filing the petition which was submitted by Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C., the Morristown firm who has been representing both Highlands and Olszewski, with attorneys Vito Gagliardi, Jr. and Kerri A Wright representing for both the borough and councilwoman in the action.

Vito Gagliardi, Jr
Olszewski Olszewski  Olszewski Olszewski

Teachers Are Running for the Doors

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Teachers Running

“There’s clearly a problem in the community”,….”the trend is teachers are leaving…” ‘” examine the leadership” “a definite decline…” goals are not relevant to my child…” “communication problems…”

These were some of the fears and concerns expressed by many Atlantic Highlands parents at last night’s meeting of the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education, as parents called for an examination by outside resources of the leadership at the PreK-12 school district.

While no one spoke at the public hearing after which the board of education approved a $19.5 million school budget, parents rose one right after each other during the public comment at end of the meeting, to issue a variety of concerns ranging from lack of communication to serious concern over the sudden absence of one teacher.

Many of those speaking complained education in the regional district today is in sharp decline compared to four years ago. Using their own children to cite their concerns, parents noted the negative attitude their elementary school children express about going to school today is in sharp contract to how their high school age children eagerly looked forward to going to school five or six years ago.

Parents, most of them from Atlantic Highlands, asked for an examination of the school’s leadership, some challenging why an interim school board last year not only renewed the superintendent’s contract before it expired but extended it to five years.

Matt Sohl told the board there has been a decline in programs and families are losing trust in what had been a wonderful school. He questioned the leadership and called for accountability suggesting an independent study be conducted on the leadership in the district’s officer.

The board took no action on Sohl’s suggestion.

Other parents spoke on how amazing it is that so many teachers have left the district in the past four years and expressed concern about the impact on the education system.

Oceanport Resident and Henry Hudson School District Superintendent Tara Beams

While only one or two persons speaking mentioned the superintendent by name, the obvious center of their attention was Dr. Tara Beams superintendent of the former regional high school .

She had received a five year contract after the board regionalized to include the two elementary schools. That contract was voted on by the board of education that was appointed from among members of all three former boards of education to serve for six months until the current board of nine was elected to oversee the Pre K-12 district.

Many felt at the time there was no need for an interim, unelected board to offer a contract since Beams’ current contract had not even expired, and a new contract could have been offered by the first elected board of the new regional district

Of additional grave concern to many parents at the meeting, in addition to the lack of communication and the fact many of their children do not have the same eagerness for school their older children did, is the absence of fourth grade teacher in the Atlantic Highlands elementary school, James Filoso.

Atlantic Highlands Elementary School teachers Susan Evans (from left), Jim Filoso and Patricia Shea performed in the ‘Faculty Follies’

Parents said Filoso has not been in the classroom, there have been substitute teachers, there are rumors he is not coming back and he has been a teacher in the school for 25 years. “He’s the best teacher ever! He’s wonderful” The Kids love him!” parents said both at and after the meeting. Not having Filos in the classroom is detrimental, one parent said.

After the meeting one parent explained why Filoso has been so popular and why students loved his math, social studies and science classics. Parents spoke of how the teacher would e-mail them praising their child, how he encouraged them to help each other, how he practiced and taught the students to be smiling, welcoming, have compassion. “ He taught the kids, and he showed respect for every one of them every day,” one parent said.

Jess Noonan, of Highlands spoke of her quarter of a century living in Highlands and seeing the changes in the schools in recent years. She has gone through a horrific experience on her own with her own child, she said, and she offered to help anyone who wanted help. “Let’s work together,” she said.

Board Chairman Richard Colangelo

While board chairman Richard Colangelo pointed out the board does not get into personnel issues, board member Gena Melnyk said the board, herself included, “clearly has a problem with communication, there is no uniformity.” She cited the difficulty she has had in finding information on social media and was told to be quiet by the board attorney when she spoke of personnel without using names .

Board Member Gena Melnyk

Please don’t interrupt me,” she said to attorney Jonathan Busch. Melnyk is also the only board member who voted against the budget, which approves $9.85 Million to be raised through Atlantic Highlands taxes and $8.08 million to be raised through Highlands taxes.

Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers

 

Strauss House Summer Happenings

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Strauss

The Strauss Mansion, the historic summer cottage in Atlantic Highlands, officially opened its 2025 season  and will now be open every Sunday from now through December.

Hardworking and creative volunteers have already laid out plans for a series of major events in addition to self-guided tours of the mansion that will encourage visitors throughout the 2025 season.

The Mansion is one of the historic sites highlighted by the Monmouth County Historical Commission on their annual Weekend at Old Monmouth. Set for May 3 and 4, the Weekend in Old Monmouth self-guided tour enables visitors to map out their visits of more than 50 unique sites in Monmouth County.

The Strauss House will be open for the tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Mary 3, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 5. Maps of all the sites on the tour will be available at the Strauss House, and volunteers will be on hand to give some of the history of the mansion built as a summer cottage in the 1800s. There are no entrance fees at any of the historic sites on the historic weekend.

The highly popular Music at the Mansion will be held in June with local musician Patty C and the Pints performing again by popular request.  His music genre is a little country and a little rock and roll. 

Check out the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society website for more information on entry fee and ticket purchase for the event. The concert starts at 7:30 and attendees are asked to bring a  lawn chair for supreme comfort and relaxation at the outdoor event on the back lawn, so long as the weather cooperates.

The Society’s Arts and Crafts Fair will be July 19 and the annual historic cruise aboard the Navesink Queen will be held Aug. 10. This year’s cruises will be a sunset cruise to add to the unique beauty of the waterway under sundown colors.

The Museum Port Supper will be held Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. with more information available closer to the event. Guests in the past appreciate the idea of bringing a covered dish of their choice to share with other table guests.

One of the September events will be the annual flea market held September 13 with a September 20 rain date.

Still in the planning and scheduling stages are more events throughout the season, including the annual vintage softball game and the Victorian Tea, highlights of earlier seasons.

Persons interested in joining the Atlantic Highlands Historic Society are invited to visit their website for further information.

Membership keeps their doors open, as proceeds directly benefit the maintenance and restoration of the 130 year-old museum. Members and volunteers are the core of this community organization.

Membership runs January through December.  To become a member, print out the membership form citing type of membership desired and mail to:

Atlantic Highlands Historical Society
PO Box 108
Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716

Strauss Strauss Strauss Strauss

Membership keeps their doors open, as proceeds directly benefit the maintenance and restoration of the 130 year-old museum. Members and volunteers are the core of this community organization.Membership runs January through December.  To become a member, print out the membership form citing type of membership desired and mail to:Membership keeps their doors open, as proceeds directly benefit the maintenance and restoration of the 130 year-old museum. Members and volunteers are the core of this community organization.Membership runs January through December.  To become a member, print out the membership form citing type of membership desired and mail to:Membership runs January through December.  To become a member, print out the membership form citing type of membership desired and mail to:

Clyde E. Lassen Medal of Honor Recipient

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Lassen
Commander Clyde E. Lassen, Medal of Honor Recipient

While the Medal of Honor Society in South Carolina and the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, differ on the precise number of Medal of Honor recipients who were naval aviators, both recognize Clyde E. Lassen as a Medal of Honor recipient, and the only Navy helicopter pilot to earn the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. The Naval Air Station Whiting Field dedicated its auditorium in the officer’s name in ceremonies held in January 2017.

The CDR Clyde E Lassen Auditorium serves as the location where every Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps rotary wing aviator receives his gold wings designating each as a naval aviator It is the busiest air complex in the world, and produces more than 600 winged aviators every year.

This is the second building named for Cdr. Lassen during his lifetime. A flight training building that had been named for him previously was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and had to be bulldozed.

Born March 14, 1942, in Fort Myers, Florida, Lassen enlisted in the Navy in September 1961 and served four years, achieving the rate of Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class (AT3). He was then selected as a Naval Aviation Cadet and completed flight training at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, receiving his aviator wings and commissioned as an Ensign.

He was promoted to Lieutenant JG. and at the age of 26, was a helicopter pilot serving with the Search and Rescue team aboard the USS Preble, an Aegis guided destroyer He was on a mission to recover two downed Naval aviators who were in hiding after their plane had been shot down on a night mission deep inside North Vietnam. Lassen made several attempts but was not able to locate the pilots in the dense tree cover amid enemy weapon fire.

In a bold and brave move, Lassen turned on the helicopter’s landing lights, knowing it would reveal his position to the enemy, but also making himself visible to the downed pilots. The officers made their way to the helicopter now riddled with enemy fire, low on fuel., and managed to escape. Lassen headed to the sea and landed safely aboard the USS Jouett with less than five minutes of fuel remaining in the fuel line, completing a routine search and rescue mission safely.

President Lyndon Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to Lassen in ceremonies at the White House in January 1969.

Upon returning from Vietnam, Lassen continued to serve in the Navy, and served as Commanding Officer of Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (HT-8), an advanced rotary-wing training squadron for student aviators at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. He retired in 1982 with the rank of Commander and was a resident of Pensacola until his death from cancer in 1994.

He is buried at the Barrancas National Cemetery at Pensacola and his Medal of Honor is at the National Naval Air Museum there where the Auditorium named in his honor is located.

In addition to the Clyde Lassen Auditorium, the destroyer USS Lassen was commissioned and named in his honor and the SH-60 Seahawk was painted to commemorate his actions. The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs opened the Clyde Lassen Veterans’ Nursing Home in  St. Augustine and the 120-bed facility offers skilled nursing care and accommodates residents with dementia/Alzheimer’s disease.

Clyde Lassen Veterans’ Nursing Home

The Medal of Honor citation reads

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as pilot and aircraft commander of a search-and-rescue helicopter, attached to Helicopter Support Squadron 7, during operations against enemy forces in North Vietnam. Launched shortly after midnight to attempt the rescue of two downed aviators, Lt. (then Lt. (J.G) Lassen skillfully piloted his aircraft over unknown and hostile terrain to a steep, tree-covered hill on which the survivors had been located. Although enemy fire was being directed at the helicopter, he initially landed in a clear area near the base of the hill, but, due to the dense undergrowth, the survivors could not reach the helicopter. With the aid of flare illumination, Lt. Lassen successfully accomplished a hover between two trees at the survivors’ position. Illumination was abruptly lost as the last of the flares were expended, and the helicopter collided with a tree, commencing a sharp descent. Expertly righting his aircraft and maneuvering clear, Lt. Lassen remained in the area, determined to make another rescue attempt, and encouraged the downed aviators while awaiting resumption of flare illumination. After another unsuccessful, illuminated rescue attempt, and with his fuel dangerously low and his aircraft significantly damaged, he launched again and commenced another approach in the face of the continuing enemy opposition. When flare illumination was again lost, Lt. Lassen, fully aware of the dangers in clearly revealing his position to the enemy, turned on his landing lights and completed the landing. On this attempt, the survivors were able to make their way to the helicopter. En route to the coast he encountered and successfully evaded additional hostile antiaircraft fire and, with fuel for only five minutes of flight

Lassen

125 Years and Going Strong

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Going Strong
Members of the Shrewsbury Towne-Monmouth Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame Memorial at the Soldier On community in Tinton Falls. JF Grodeska

The Shrewsbury Towne- Monmouth Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and continuing to embrace, support and encourage not only historic preservation but education and patriotism as well.Going Strong

The Shrewsbury Towne Chapter was organized in 1935, and in 2004 merged with the Monmouth Chapter in formal moves approved by the National DAR, and thus creating the century old chapter celebrating the same ideals and programs that the DAR throughout the nation holds high.

The Shrewsbury Towne Chapter took its name from Shrewsbury Towne, settled in 1664; the name given to quiet and attractive part of Monmouth County where two trails converged, and business centered at the point of the merger, making it a crossroads in the 17th century.

Four Corners, where the King’s Highway crossed the Burlington Trail, the Indian Trail now known as Sycamore Avenue, was lined with stately sycamores which shaded Washington’s worn and wounded men as they pursued the English in their retreat from Philadelphia to Sandy Hook. The DAR chapter placed a commemorative plaque on one of these sycamores which is still visible on the tree.

But it is not only the history of the name of the chapter that is meaningful to its members, rather it is the work they do on a regular basis that continues to pride to both Shrewsbury Towne and modern-day Shrewsbury as well.

Chapter members throughout the year work on projects specifically to promote the three pillars of the DAR, historic preservation, education and patriotism. Offering opportunities for people of all ages to gain more knowledge about the nation’s history, their programs are innovative, highly popular and in conjunction with the national DAR’s high standards.

One of the Shrewsbury Towne DAR’s major projects is a multiyear plan they have designed under the Historic Preservation Pillar.

With National DAR approval, the chapter is marking all of the nearly 20 graves of Patriots who fought in the American Revolution and are buried in the Shrewsbury graveyards at Historic Four Corners.

Chapter members plan to hold one large service to honor these Patriots with official DAR Patriot grave markers when all the approvals are completed.

Several times a year, DAR members are in the graveyards cleaning the headstones of those buried in Shrewsbury and ensuring they are honored once again by upholding their mission of education and preservation.

Continuing to practice their three missions, with an accent of education, the chapter collects thousands of books every year for their Bridge of Books foundation. In addition, they have been working on a Little Free Library which will be installed soon and will be kept stocked by chapter members.

The Chapter also nominates an Outstanding Teacher of American History many years, and every spring awards the top ROTC cadet at Rutgers, Princeton, and Seton Hall Universities with the DAR Gold ROTC Medal.

The chapter also awards 8th grade students with the DAR Youth Citizenship medal for Honor, Service, and Courage, making the presentation at their graduation ceremony. One student from more than a dozen local schools is chosen by their faculty and administration for this award.

They also awarded Cindy Zipf the National Medal for Conservation and have a chapter team which cleans the beaches twice yearly during Clean Ocean Action’s Beach Sweep.

The chapter is proud also of the honor it pays to all veterans with both luncheons and celebrations. Members visit Soldier On, a facility for homeless vets, monthly bringing snacks, games, and companionship. Annually, Constitution Week celebrates exhibits in several local libraries. 

One of the Chapter’s most recognized and appreciated events each year is its American History Essay Contest, when students in local schools submit their essays for judging by a distinguished panel of DAR members who select winners who could then compete further at state and national competitions for the DAR.

The Chapter meets monthly at the Shrewsbury Historical Society Museum, alternating between weeknights and Saturdays. Persons wishing more information on the DAR chapter or to see if they are eligible to become members can visit the Shrewsbury-Town Monmouth Chapter link at

www.njdar.org/shrewsbury-towne-monmouth-chapter

 

Going Strong Going Strong Going Strong Going Strong Going Strong
Going Strong Going Strong
Going Strong Going Strong

Good Books and Good Conversations

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Books

The Our Lady of Perpetual Help St. Agnes Book Club will meet Wednesday, May 7 at 1 p.m. in the pastor’s room at St. Agnes Church , Center Avenue, Atlantic Highlands.

The club is currently reading Bishop Robert Barron’s “Seeds of the Word: Finding God in the Culture.” But it is not necessary to have read the book to attend a meeting of the club.

Organized and conducted by Joseph Bullwinkel, the club meets on a regular basis when members select their own choices of books to read, then discuss them in depth at their meetings.

Everyone is always invited to share in the discussion or ask questions about the impact of any particular book. Guests are also invited to make suggestions for future books to read and discuss.

For further information on the Book Club, contact Bullwinkel at 732-291-8804.

Muriel

Naval Aviator Designation Ceremony

By
Muriel J. Smith
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Aviator

Navy Captains Kenneth M. Kerr and Ryan T. Keys, Lt. Colonel Daniel E. Bowring, USMC, and Navy Commanders Darin L. Stockman and James W. Gelsinon all participated in the Training Air Wing Five Naval Aviator Designation Ceremony at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Florida, last week, when 12 naval officers, two Marine Corps officers and one Coast Guard  officer each received their gold wings , bringing the total number of naval aviators to 37837, since the Naval Aviator Wings were ever designed prior to World War I.

Commander Clyde E. Lassen, Medal of Honor Recipient

The formal ceremony was held in Commander Clyde E. Lassen Auditorium at the Naval Air Station and a dinner party for the aviators followed the formal ceremonies.

Commander Gelsinon commanding officer of Helicopter Training Squadron Twenty-eight welcomed the officers and their families to the ceremony and introduced the guest speaker, Captain Keys.

Captain Keys, a graduate of the US Naval Academy and a retired officer, earned his Naval Aviator wings at Milton in 1997 and served on the staff of Commander, Carrier Strike Four. He also commanded the Dragonslayers of Helantisubron Eleven and deployed in support of Operation Noble Anvil in Kosovo in 1999, as well as Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Shore side, Captain Keys was an instructor pilot at the Air Force Air War College, commanded Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two and the staff of Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic.

Before his retirement in 2024 after 29 years of service, Captain Keys also served as Military Faculty to Joint Forces Staff College in the Joint & Combined Warfighting , and among several awards, received the 2008 Leadership Award for Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic Detachment, Jacksonville.

Commander Gelsinon, a native of Tucson, Az., is also a Naval Academy graduate and was designated a Naval Aviator in 2008. He served aboard the USS John Stennis (CVN 74) and was selected with the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two One as the 2018 Navy and Marine Corps Association Leadership Award winner for Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Pacific. He has accumulated more than 2,4000 flight hours, including 235 combat hours in Iraq.

Captain Kerr is the Commodore of Training Air Wing Five, a graduate of the Naval Academy and also holds a master’s degree in military studies from the American Military University. – Joint School. He accumulated more than 3,900 mishap free flight hours across four airframes.

Lieutenant Colonel Bowring, USMC, is commanding officer of Helicopter Training Squadron 18, a native of Maryland, and a Naval Academy graduate and assumed Command of HTS 18 last October after serving as the Executive Officer and Helicopter Training Squadron 18 executive officer before assuming command. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps commendation medal with gold star and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal

Commander Stockman is commanding officer of Helicopter Training Squadron Eight a native of Chesapeake Virginia and a graduate of Drexel University, commissioned through the NROTC program.

He earned his Naval Aviator Wings in 2009 and made his first deployment aboard the USS Dewert (FFG73), participating in Standing NATO Maritime Group Two. More recently, he continued to prepare fleet crews for the Basic phase as the Training Department Head and Operations Department head during a Department Head Tour with HSM-70, the Spartans. He has accumulated more than 2,000 flight hours in seven different aircraft and holds four Navy Commendation and two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal awards in addition to various service awards and ribbons.

The benediction for the designation ceremony was given by Lieutenant LaToya T. Smith, CHC, the Navy Chaplain at NAS Whiting Field.

Lieutenant (JG) Angus Yeoman being Pinned by his Mother Commander Tracie Smith-Yeoman USN (ret) while his Father Chief Chris Yeoman USN (ret) Looks on

The 15 new aviators were each introduced, along with their families and family members of each of the officers pinned their aviator amid applause, photographs, and congratulations from the officers who had trained them.

This year provided compliments of the Naval Helicopter Association, date back to the early 20th century when it appeared there was a need for a distinguishing mark for aviators. Army Aviators had worn ‘badges’ in 1913, and others felt Naval Aviators also received recognition.

Several years later, in 1917, a design was submitted for a suitable Naval Aviators recognition design, but it was rejected Several other designs were then proposed and submitted for approval; bronze was rejected in favor of a gold and silver combination. That was changed to an all-gold design and the in October, 1917 the gold wings were approved at just under three inches

It is required that the Aviator’s name, branch of service and Aviator number be engraved , a directive which was discontinued during World War I. The final design, with no stars, and with dimensions modified minimally, the Naval Aviator Wings have changed very little since 1923.

Aviator

Mary, the Mother of God, May Crowning

By
Muriel J. Smith
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May Crowning

The Our Lady of Perpetual Help St Agnes parish will hold its annual May Crowning Mass on Sunday, May 4 with ceremonies at the 9:30 mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Church on Navesink Ave., Highlands.

The Crowning is an annual event throughout the catholic church when Mary, the Mother of God, is honored with the month of May one of two months throughout the year, October being the other, with special dedication to the Blessed Mother.

At the May crowning Mass, a statue of Mary is symbolically crowned with flowers in recognition of her place as the Mother of God and queen of heaven and earth.

During the Mass, religious Education Director for the parish, Mary McKelvey, will recognize and make presentations to students in the CCD program. Catholic Education scholarships will be presented by the Rev. Joseph J. Donnelly Council 11660 of the Knights of Columbus and the Vincent Lombardi Columbiettes, the Women’s Auxiliary for the Knights will continue the support they give to all Knights and parish functions and events.

The mass will also celebrate those who have received Baptism and Confirmation during the year, as well as first time celebrants of the H oly Eucharist.

The Knights regularly hold a breakfast monthly, inviting all in the parish and area to attend and meet with Knights, other parishioners and celebrate the numerous activities and celebrations that are ongoing in the parish. There is no charge for breakfast and the public is invited to attend following the 9:30 mess until noon.

Persons wishing further information abou9t the Knights of Columbus can contact Grand Knight Ian McGinniss at 732-500-6706. Women wanting information on the Columbiettes can contact Louise Welch at 732-397-5601 or Ann Dimaira at 732-500-1785 or visit their website at www.vtlcolumbiettes6552.com

May Crowning May Crowning

 

Anyone for a Spot of Tea?

By
Muriel J. Smith
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tea

With the music, square dancing and country western theme of the Country Hoedown sponsored by Our Lady of Perpetual St. Agnes Knights of Columbus Saturday night now a happy memory, a more old-fashioned yet contemporary Mother’s Day Tea Party is being offered for moms, grandmoms and all others on Saturday, May 3 at St. Agnes Church Hall, Atlantic Highlands.

Tickets are $30 for this event that will also include flower bouquet demonstrations and a hat contest.

The event will be traditional with tea, sweets and savories and contemporary with its flower bar, door prizes and chances on gift basket and flower bouquet raffles.

Tickets can be purchased at the rectory office. For more information, call the parish office at 732-291-0272

Tea

New Jersey on Fire

By
Muriel J. Smith
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New Jersey

Congressman Chris Smith joined firefighters from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) today at the site of the Jones Road Wildfire, which has so far ravaged over 15,000 acres in Southern Ocean County.

“The work of the firefighters has been amazing,” Smith said. “These men and women have fought and are continuing to fight until this wildfire is out. They have certainly saved many homes and businesses—and lives—by steering the fire away from populated areas.”

Still, “ Smith continued, “the fire crossed the Parkway and Route 9 and even reached some bulkheads on Barnegat Bay before it was stopped. The firefighters have worked long and hard, but are absolutely determined.”

Smith said firefighters said they were counting on as much rain as possible Saturday to help douse the blaze, which is about 60 percent contained, but were wary of Sunday’s expected winds, predicted to be gusts of 40 mph, which threaten to rekindle some areas and keep crews very busy. One firefighter said that on Sunday it would be “all hands on deck.”

The Congressman surveyed areas of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, electric high towers, and the Garden State Parkway and Route 9, where the fire skipped over both roads to threaten homes to the east before being stopped at the edge of Barnegat Bay past South Main Street in Lacey Township. 

He also stopped at the Liberty Door and Awning business, the only known main structure to be destroyed by the blaze. Smith offered assistance to owner, Bob Nosti.

Smith was joined by State Senator Carmen Amato, Lacey Mayor Peter Curatolo and former Committeeman Mark Dycoff. Only a few blackened support beams remained standing through a pile twisted metal and charred debris at the awning business

Smith noted the Trump Administration quickly okayed a request by the State to be approved to apply for future funding through FEMA’s Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG).said Friday. Additionally, Smith was informed Friday by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that though the plant had been threatened by the blaze at one point, it was now secure.

“The Trump Administration acted quickly so the community can recover, for which I am grateful,” Smith said. “In the weeks and months ahead, State, County and local governments can now seek this grant to reimburse the costs of fighting this fire. It will take a full effort by all levels of government to beat this fire and make the communities whole.”

Smith noted there are public information resources available to track the fire and any remaining danger to air quality. Concerned residents can make use of these available resources to keep themselves and their families safe, including: the Ocean County’s Public Health Advisory with information about health risks associated with smoke; the EPA’s AirNow mobile app includes a map showing the status of the fire and smoke and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service updates on its Facebook page and X account.

“I am hopeful air quality will improve and be restored as the fire continues to shrink and winds disperse smoke,” Smith said.

Additionally, the Ocean County OEM and Red Cross have said N-95 masks for any residents who would like one them due to poor air quality are available at the Barnegat Township Town Hall lobby at 900 West Bay Avenue, Barnegat, Additionally, the shelter at Southern Regional High School has been relocated to Saint Mary’s Parish Center at 100 Bishop Avenue, Manahawkin

New Jersey New Jersey  New Jersey  New Jersey New Jersey
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