In the first of what is hopefully a series of actions to keep the public better informed about goings on with the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education, the board has instituted a policy of having all meetings videotaped by school personnel.
Until now, the board of education neither offers its meetings virtually nor recorded or videotaped them.
John Sierchio, who is a senior at Henry Hudson and lives on Seadrift Avenue, Highlands, brought, set up and operated equipment at last week’s regional board meeting and photographed the entire meeting.
Sierchio, an honors student and student of Michael Boylan’s digital and video class, said after the meeting it was “interesting and exciting” to attend and he was surprised to see so many residents attend board meetings.
While his favorite classes in school are in math, the senior said photography and video have been a hobby of his and he has learned from his classes at Hudson.
In addition to his hobby with video, Sierchio also attends any sports events, as he does the financial reports for several of the Henry Hudson sports teams.
Following graduation, Sierchio is hopeful of continuing learning more and improving on his video and digital techniques as well as going on to college, with an eye on Stevens Institute of Technology.
Superintendent Tara Beams said that personnel are in
the process of processing the video. We intend to have the link ready and published on our district website within 48-72 hours of the meeting.” Dr. Beams added that the TV production teacher is on vacation but will generally handle the upload; however, for this meeting, ” we are working with our outstanding student, John Sierchio, to get this uploaded. We are really hoping to have this completed today or by Monday at the latest. Once it is posted, it will be located here: Board Meeting Recordings on the Henry Hudson Board of Education site.
Borough Councils in Highlands and in Sea Bright both want voters to weigh in the November election and are seeking public opinion on whether Sea Bright should join the school district .
But Atlantic Highlands borough council chooses to wait before finding out the opinions of its residents at the ballot box. That, in spite of the fact Council has already approved another non-binding question on the November ballot concerning raising taxes.
That is what happened this week after the Highlands Borough Council voted unanimously to put a non-binding referendum on the November ballot to let the public express their opinions on whether they want Sea Bright to be a part of the Henry Hudson Regional school district.
The Sea Bright Borough Council is calling a special meeting for the upcoming week to take similar action and learn from their residents if Sea Bright should become a part of the Henry Hudson Regional School District.
But the Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Council said No. They will not have any such question on the November 5 ballot. Rather than get the opinion of the residents now, as the other two councils feel is necessary, that council prefers to wait for definite proof that Sea Bright will be able to get permission from the Commissioner of Education to join the school district before hearing from their own residents.
“We look forward to that opportunity to formally confirm our community’s commitment at that time,” Mayor Lori Hohenleitner said, in response to a question on whether Atlantic Highlands would take similar action for a non-binding referendum.
A non-binding referendum is a question placed on a ballot simply to get the opinions of voters. It is frequently used for informational and research purposes so a governing body knows the feelings of their constituents and can move forward with a better idea of what their residents really want.
There are no fees, charges or costs for including a non-binding referendum on the November ballot.
The question on the Highlands ballot calls for a yes or no response on the question, “Do you support the Borough exploring tax relief for Highlands by having students from Sea Bright attend the Henry Hudson Regional School District?
The Sea Bright non-binding question will be similar, asking its residents if they support their students being in the regionalization district.
Mayor Hohenleitner said she understands both Highlands and Sea Bright are asking the public to express their opinions in November and Atlantic Highlands has been asked to do the same.
However, she continued before indicating it will not be a question on Atlantic Highlands’ ballot, “the Mayor and Council of Atlantic Highlands are steadfast in their support of the Henry Hudson Regional School District and for adding Sea Bright to the District as soon as it is legally permissible to do so.” She noted the governing body has “publicly expressed this support and communicated it to the community we were elected to serve.”
Still, she indicated, this governing body does not feel the opinion of the public should be sought at this time and should wait until Sea Bright has permission to become a part of the district. When that happens, she said, “The question will be put to our voters in a binding referendum when Sea Bright gets permission….”
Based on the actions of the three governing bodies, it seems apparent that Highlands and Sea Bright mayors and council want to hear from their residents during the entire process and feel that involving them through the entire proceedings not only keeps the residents informed but enables the governing bodies to take action with knowledge they are acting as the majority of people they represent want.
On the other hand, many question why Atlantic Highlands does not feel the same way about keeping the public aware and able to have input into the future of education for their local families.
The one question Atlantic Highlands is putting on the ballot this November as a non-binding referendum for opinions on whether property owners should be assessed an additional two cents on assessed valuation for a special fund for preservation, maintenance and acquisition of open space in the borough.
Highlands also has another non-binding resolution on its November ballot, that one asking for opinions on the flood gate and wall presented by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Mayor Carolyn Broullon held an open informational to ensure the public received all the information on the proposal from the Army Corps and had the opportunity to ask questions. That session was held at Henry Hudson Regional School to accommodate the anticipated crowd who attended. More than 100 local residents attended, asked questions, and expressed a variety of opinions on the proposal.
Sea Bright is also now planning to submit an updated petition request to the state Education Commissioner shortly. It is expected that this will satisfy all the requirements to proceed to a formal referendum. The only remaining requirement will be securing the endorsement of the Henry Hudson Board of Education which they have previously said they would do once the Commissioner’s approval has been obtained.
When 14-year-old Ava Addotta took first place in the annual Andy Rooney Swim Meet last week, it was at the front of a team that included many of her friends, including fifth place swimmer Hayden Gill.
But it was more emotional at the award ceremony following the meet that attracted 104 swimmers when Hayden Gill presented the Amy Lynn Gill Award to her friend and fellow swimmer.
The Award is named for Hayden’s mother, Amy Lynn,who was the long-time swimming coach of both young women and a respected role model and coach for numerous swimmers throughout the Monmouth County area. Amy Lynn died earlier this year and her family established the award together with an annual college scholarship award for a Hazlet high school graduate. Amy Lynn taught at Raritan High School for 24 years in addition to starting a swim team and serving as a certified lifeguard.
Addotta’s finishing time of 23.15 for the one-mile ocean swim on a triangular course into the ocean, was 62 seconds faster than second place finisher Kylie Newton of Spring Lake. Siara Celentano of Lincroft finished third at 24:18, Salena Huang of Brooklyn fourth at 24:23 and Gill fifth at 25.29.
The fastest male swimmer was Santiago Massone of Wall, also 14 years of age, who finished the mile in 21.50.
“The entire meeting was emotional and meant so much to all of us,” said Brian Gill of Locust, Hayden’s father and the widower of Amy Lynn. “Ava is one of my daughter’s best friends and to have Hayden present the award to her was so meaningful and unforgettable.”
The winning swimmer was also very close to Hayden’s mom as Ava’s mom Christi and Amy Lynn took turns driving both girls to swim practices and swim meets for several years.
Hayden & Ava with their friend Luna on the left
Both teenage athletes hold records of their own as well. Ava’s win at 14 years of age makes her the youngest female to ever win this event, and Hayden has been swimming in the event for five years, ever since she was nine years old, the youngest swimmer to ever compete in the Andy Rooney meet.
In addition to Ada’ sand Hayden’s wins, numerous other members of their swim team NJRC placed among the top ten male and female overall swimmers.
More than 50 family members and friends turned out for watch the friends and club members compete for the top awards in both the male and female eventsl, and all decided their former swim coach was definitely present, in their midst and out on the ocean course.
The day started with a forecast for rain, and showers and at times a heavy downpour before the first swimmers were set to go into the water at 7:30. But showers that were coming down at 7 a.m. and threats of further storms abruptly came to an end before the 7:30 start, and all agreed “Amy had something to do with that,” Gill said.
“We are so grateful to Charlie Rooney and the entire swim meet organization that enabled us to give the Amy Lynn Gill Award at the event,” Gill said, “it is an honor we so appreciate and will be doing every year from now on. Our deepest thanks to all who made this possible.”
The Swim Meet coincidentally came within hours of what would have been Amy Lynn’s 50th birthday. The Gill family coordinated their celebration with the meet and held a Celebration of Life for Amy at the Proving Ground in Highlands the afternoon of the swim meet. More than 150 people turned out for that event, which also raised funds for the Amy Lynn Gill Scholarship for a graduating Raritan high School senior next year. Applicants for that award must be Raritan students, must be in the swim club and in addition to scholastics, must also donate 15 hours in their senior year to community service. This year’s Celebration of Life for Amy Lynn raised approximately $4,000 for the scholarship.
A “Live Like Amy” team was also put together for the Navesink 5K run scheduled for December with those proceeds also benefiting the scholarship fund.
“Both Hayden and I are so grateful to so many people,” Gill said after the celebration, “not only for remembering Amy in such warm and loving ways but contributing to a scholarship fund that will continue to help young people grow, maintain high values and know the importance of friendship. Amy’s legacy is truly overwhelming…she is missed by so many people.”
Read More Stories About This Amazing Woman … Amy Lynn Gill HERE
There was good and bad news from the Public Works Department at last week’s council meeting, Councilman James Murphy reported.
The bad news was the announcement that Niles ‘Jere” Stewart is retiring from the department in October. The assistant street department superintendent has been with the borough for 33 years and is most often recognized for his assistance in every storm and emergency situation, answering every call and task assigned. “Jere has been a valued member of the team and will certainly be missed,” the councilman said.
The good news is the department, under director James Phillips, continues to be the outstanding department it is, regardless of storms, sweeping materials, and grass and debris materials accumulated throughout the borough. The new buildings and grounds utility vehicle recently acquired were on display in front of borough hall during the July meeting.
The June storm created a significant amount of damage throughout the borough, Murphy said, and required a town wide brush pickup schedule to maintain neighborhoods.,Phillips set up and announced the schedule which has been completed. The department then used its sweeper to cover many roads in the borough prior to the Fireman’s Fair and July 4 celebration which drew many visitors. That brush, leave and log debris from the June storm weighed 630 tons, Murphy said, or more than 450 compressed yards.
Sweeping material collected during 2023 has been removed, totaling nine 20-yard tandem loads.
Murphy also reminded residents that grass clippings and other materials should not be blown into the roadways and urged residents to caution their contractors before any violations are issued.
The borough yard remains active for recyclables collection as well as a box for American flags past their prime. The flags are then properly disposed off through the local boy scout troop efforts.
The borough yard is open Mondays through Fridays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. with special weekend hours for leaf and brush drop-off in November and December. Information on bulk pickup, brush, metals, electronics’ and other materials are listed on the borough calendar.
The Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad continues to be an outstanding volunteer unit for the borough, Councilman James Murphy reported at the last council meeting. Their ‘new’ ambulance and record number of answered calls are evidence on a daily basis of the dedication of the men and women on the squad.
In his monthly report to Council, Murphy noted that in addition to their volunteer services for emergency assistance, the squad had installed a Little Free Library bookshelves at the First Aid Squad building.
The Little Free Library is an effort throughout the country to make books available to anyone at any time. Numerous little ‘bookcases’ are installed at various locations and everyone is invited to take out a book, put in a book and simply enjoy some reading. There is a similar little free library near the Seniors Center at the Municipal Yacht Harbor and other locations around the area.
The First Aid Little Free Library will have donated books as well as First Aid information available to all. More information on the program can be found at https://littlefreelibrary.org.
Murphy reported the squad was active and available throughout the Fireman’s Fair last week and managed a number of small cases of scrapes and bruises as well as two seizures and one electrocution emergency,
The Squad responded to a record 63 calls during June, the first time this has happened since June 2017. In both instances, Captain Lance Hubeny was chief of the volunteer unit.
The Squad has responded to 213 calls in the first six months of this year, Murphy’s report continued, in addition to another 40 calls during the first 11 days of July. “This is an outstanding response,” Murphy said in the midst of his report, noting it was made possible because of the participation of all 20 members of the unit.
It’s so easy to be happy living in the Bayshore, not only because of the beauty of the ocean, river and hills but also because of how kind, thoughtful and generous people always seem to be.
The Andy Rooney Swim meet is only one example of how close these communities and their people are. Teenagers certainly got to strut their stuff at that meet with so many entering into a competition that attracted all ages up through athletes in their late 70s.
What accomplishments. Charlie Rooney was so instrumental so many years ago in keeping alive what was originally the Andy Manning Swim Meet. It sprang back to life with his own hard work and that of others, and he did it in honor of his dad, the former Mayor who instituted the Swim in the first place.
Then the traffic along Shrewsbury Avenue in Highlands was literally brought to a standstill that same afternoon as so many turned out for the Amy Lynn Gill Celebration of Life honoring that late swimmer’s would-be 50th birthday. Her husband Brian got it right when he said she indeed left an overwhelming legacy.
Then at the Atlantic Highlands Council meeting, the well-known Zack and Morgan expressed disappointment but immediately had a solution for the problem they just encountered apparently caused by either a neighbor’s complaint or an over zealous code enforcement officer.
Regardless, they will appear to hear their case in court, and weren’t complaining about that. They simply wanted, in the meantime, to point out some very serious problems with the code under which they were charged . So they simply called on the governing body to review it and make changes.
The Mayor immediately agreed, and referred the directive to two separate committees to review and respond. Seems kind of ironic they were charged in the first place, considering this is a Tree City and more importantly, a National Wildlife Habitat community. One man’s weed may be another man’s flower, but both are vital to keep around and admire if we want happy birds,, honey-producing bees and a wonderful environment to surround us.
Then something else happened at the library, which always seems to be the site of so many fascinating ideas and intriguing programs for all ages. A lady came in to sign up as a new member of the library but brought along with her a beautiful, arranged vase of flowers to display in the library. So she got to see first hand just how wonderful that staff is and the many resources this library branch has for fun and learning and left behind a beautiful sign of nature for all to appreciate and admire..
If you’ve been to St. Agnes or Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, in the past couple of weeks, you’ve already seen how wonderful, friendly and ever smiling the new pastoral assistant, Father Thomas is. He’s also a walker, it seems, and thinks nothing of an evening stroll between Atlantic Highlands and the Captain Azzolina Bridge, with a stop in downtown Highlands to see how friendly those folks are as well.
Overall winners in the male and female Andy Rooney Swim Meet Saturday were both 14 year old athletes in Sea Bright Saturday. Watch the video HERE
Santiago Masson of Wall took the men’s award and Ava Addotta of Atlantic Highlands won for the women in the one mile swim.
With 104 participants in the one and two mile ocean swims in the Andy Rooney Ocean Swim Meet, Massone’s time was 21:50, 36 seconds in front of second place finisher in that competition Daren Chen of Belmar.
Addotta’s time of 23.14 was one minute and two seconds faster than second place finisher Kylie Newton, a 16 year old swimmer from Spring Lake.
Liam Gallagher was first place finisher in the two mile ocean swim, finishing the course in 22.38, with Andrew Robinson of Neptune City placing second with a time of 23.55.
Nancy Steadman Martin, a 70 year old athlete from Oceanport, finished first for women in the two mile ocean swim with a time of 25.26, besting New York swimmer Emma Hansen whose time was 27.40.
Swimming in wetsuits, John Palmer took first place in the one mile swim in 30:35, followed by Howard Ross in 25:09. In the two mile swim in wetsuits, Max Betz placed first in 1:06.45 and John Crowley second in 1:07.40. Christian In Cremona was third in 1:23.47.
Many of the swimmers compete regularly in a series of swim meets throughout the tri-state area. The next swim in New Jersey is in Manasquan on July 20, with other swims also in Sea Isle City and Avon. On July 27, there are meets in Spring Lake, Ocean City and Barnegat Light, and another one in Avon on July 28. Locally, there is a swim meet in Long Branch on August 4. All of the swims are one mile distance, with the Andy Rooney Swim the only one offering both one and two mile distances.
Charlie Rooney, who also swam in the two mile meet, presented awards with Hayden Gill following the Andy Rooney meet, named for two former mayors, Andrew Manning and Rooney’s father, who first started the competitions in the 1980s.
Putting politics aside, everyone should learn a little more about J.D. Vance, just selected as President Trump’s running mate for the vice-presidency in November. The American Dream
In addition to only being 39 years old, he is the first former Marine to ever nominated for the nation’s second highest honor and served in Iraq. He’s also a Catholic, so praying in public should not be a concern if he is elected.
But most important, it would seem, is looking into the life he has led from birth to becoming a Senator last November for the state of Ohio.
He certainly did not grow up in the same circumstances as the GOP Presidential candidate, not even close.
His own story, Hillbilly Elegy, was a New York Times bestseller when published a few years back and gives a background of what life was like for his grandparents after World War II, dirt poor in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky before moving to Ohio.
The story isn’t a pretty one, with Vance openly talking about the poverty, family struggles, abuse, alcoholism, and sad times that occurred in his family. But it’s also a story showing this kid from a broken home graduated from high school, went into the Marine Corps for four years, got out and went to college, finishing with a couple of degrees from Ohio State and a cum laude diploma before going on to Yale to earn a degree in law.
In writing the book, Vance readily admitted it was more ordinary than extraordinary and went on to say he couldn’t understand why people would even read it. But he said, he wrote it because “I want people to know what it feels like to nearly give up on yourself and why you might do it. I want people to understand what happens in the lives of the poor and the psychological impact that spiritual and material poverty has on their children. I want people to understand the American dream as my family and I encountered it…. What an upward mobility really feels like…. and that for those lucky enough to live the American Dream, “the demons of the life we left behind continue to chase us.”
Vance was 30 years old when he wrote the book, not knowing then he would even be in politics, let alone a vice-presidential candidate. And he said he identifies not as a WASP of the Northeast, but more with the working-class white American of Scots Irish descent with no college degree. With them, he said, “poverty is a family tradition” with ancestors who were day laborers in the Southern slave economy, sharecroppers, coal miners, later machinists and millworkers. They’ve been called “hillbillies, rednecks or white trash,” he says in his book but to him, “I call them neighbors, friends and family.”
However he is received as a candidate there is one thing for certain. J.D. Vance has a far different background from any candidate from either party in several generations. And his life story is truly the American Dream.
Nationally known and recognized historian and author Dr. Camilla Townsend will present stories of the Lenape at the Middletown Library Tuesday, July 23 at 7 p.m.
The program will be offered both in person at the library as well as online by registering in advance at MiddletownNJHistory.org.
Dr. Townsend is a Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of History at Rutgers University and specializes in Native American history.
She is the author of several books on the Native American communities and history as well as history of Latin America. One of her books, Fifth Son, won the 2020 Cundall History Prize in 2020.
Speaking on “On the Turtle’s Back: Stories of the Lenape.” , Dr. Townsend will highlight Lenape folklore stories that were written down when the Lenape language was still fully vibrant.
The stories were originally collected from Lenape people who sought to record their legends before their language and cultural traditions died out. Dr. Townsend and a Lenape co-author, Nicky Kay Michael, carefully researched the lives of the storytellers and have recently published the tales for the first time.
The author’s work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Philosophical Society and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
After graduating from Stuyvesant High School in New York, Dr. Townsend graduated summa cum laude from Bryn Mawr College and received a Ph.D. in comparative history from Rutgers University.
From 1995 to 2006 she taught history at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. While teaching there, she enrolled in a summer course of Classical Nahuatl offered at Yale and became aware of how many primary and secondary sources were available in Nahuatl, a language of the Uto-Aztec family still spoken in central Mexico but also recognized as a literary language with works during the 16th and 17th centuries.. It is recognized as among the most studied and best documented Indigenous languages of the Americas.
Under a Guggenheim Fellowship, the historian analyzed the Naval works in their own language when they used the Latin alphabet taught by Spanish friars to enable them to read the Bible.
Middletown Township Police received a call yesterday morning, July 15, shortly after 9 a.m., about a man who had been pulled from the waters between Sandy Hook and New York City. The man was observed by a Port Monmouth commercial fisherman and his son approximately 2 miles away from the shoreline of Sandy Hook.
After observing the swimmer in distress, the fisherman and his son brought the subject aboard their boat, provided assistance, and transported the man back to the Monmouth Cove Marina in Port Monmouth.
Officers arrived at the marina and spoke with the subject, who identified himself as Pete Ordane, 34, of New York City. Ordane advised officers that he had gone into the water in New York City, most likely in the area of Breezy Point in the Borough of Queens. Ordane stated that he was pulled out by the tide and had been treading water for several hours until he was found by the fishermen.
Upon arrival at Monmouth Cove Marina, Ordane was seen by emergency medical personnel, found to be in good condition and subsequently released after he refused further medical treatment. Officers provided Ordane a fresh set of dry clothes and some food prior to his arranging for transportation from the area.
The Middletown Police commend the Port Monmouth man and his son, who wish to remain anonymous, for taking such valiant actions and undoubtedly saving Ordane’s life.
