For those interested in celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday in an unusual way this year, the Middletown Historical Society has a great way of doing it! You can be part of the team transcribing pension records of patriots from Middletown during the Revolution.
According to Middletown Historical Society Board of Trustees president Tom Valenti, if you have free time and do not mind reading two-hundred-year-old handwriting, let the Society know if you are interested in volunteering.
Volunteers, on their own time, will transcribe the records on the National Archives website (with an assist from Valenti and AI technology) right from the comfort of your own home. This will make the records more accessible to everyone around the world. You can send a copy to the Historical Society as well, so information from Middletown patriots can be shared with our community in other formats.
A number of records have already been transcribed but more await. For more information on how you can help, simply e-mail the Society and they will be in touch in the New Year! If you already have any experience with historic transcriptions, let Valenti them know that as well.
Serving with Valenti on the Board of Trustees are Peter VanNortwick, vice president, Gail Nelsen, treasurer, James Hinckley secretary, and Raymond J. Veth.
The Middletown Township Historical Society was founded in 1968 and is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of Middletown, one of the oldest European settlements in the state. The Society is independent of the municipality of Middletown and registered as a non-profit 501(c)(3).
Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon, hopeful the school regionalization with Sea Bright question will make it on the ballot in 2026, said the mayors of the three boroughs met the week before Christmas to begin discussions on questions that must still be settled before voters get to vote once again whether to accept Sea Bright into the current three school district of some 700 students.
Bouillon said when she, Atlantic Highlands Mayor Lori Hohenleitner and Sea Bright Mayor Brian P. Kelly met last month, they had the updated enrollment and equalized value numbers from October of 2025, so they can now can update their calculations. “ Everyone was upbeat and seemed willing to finally make this happen this year,” Broullon said.
“ I believe we can finally make this work this year, “ the mayor continued, “ I remain hopeful that we can get it on the ballot AND that the people will vote yes.”
In order to be approved, voters in the three towns must approve a ballot question that includes the tax formula for the three towns to finance education. Voters in both Highlands and Sea Bright in the past gave their overwhelming support to having Sea Bright become part of the district; however, Atlantic Highlands Mayor Hohenleitner had indicated she preferred to wait to see the outcome of the appeals presented by Oceanport and Shore Regional school districts to the question of Sea Bright leaving their school systems.
Oceanport and Shore Regional have been legally opposing the departure of Sea Bright, and have contested every decision by state and education officials up to the New Jersey Supreme Court which also recently upheld Sea Bright’s right to choose.
While she is hopeful and confident Sea Bright will become part of the Henry Hudson district, Broullon, in response to a question on whether a negative vote on that could mean the possibility of the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands schools becoming part of Middletown ‘s current 16 school district, saying “it is always on my mind.”
Recent state laws are geared towards eliminating smaller school districts and creating larger districts because of the ever expanding cost of education. At least one school district, tom River, has declared itself bankrupt, and Middletown itself is facing crucial questions on closing two schools because of extensive renovation and repairs necessary as well as higher taxes.
Middletown is so much larger than Hudson, the Highlands mayor explained, noting there are 8895 students in Middletown’s 16 schools. “ We have shown the legislature that we have merged with Atlantic Highlands and now, hopefully, Sea Bright, so we are doing everything the new law asked us to do.” However, she said, “ with the new Governor, we do not know what she has in store on this subject. “ Our plan, she said, is to plan to control what we can control: to update the numbers and get the question on the ballot.”
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Four of the top five stories in the more than 500 stories in VeniVidiScripto during 2025 dealt with teacher dissatisfaction, loss of teachers, higher salaries for school administrators and general discontent with the Henry Hudson Regional School District.
The story most read in VeniVidiScripto in the past year was posted in April and titled “Teachers are running for the doors,” with the story citing some of the fears and concerns expressed by many Atlantic Highlands parents at a board of education meeting. Parents called for an examination by outside resources of the leadership at the PreK-12 school district.
While no one spoke during a public hearing before the board unanimously approved a $19.5 million budget for the approximate 700 student district, parents spoke at the end of the meeting to issue a variety of concerns ranging from lack of communication to serious concern over the sudden absence of one specific teacher.
In the past three years, close to one million people from 119 countries around the world have read some of the thousands of stories in Veni Vidi Scripto, with the vast majority of readers coming from the Bayshore, notably Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Middletown. Most read more than one story when they log on to VeniVidiScripto.com, and more read stories on Wednesday mornings around 6 a.m. than any other day or time of the week. People tend to read more on overcast or cloudy days rather than days filled with sunshine, and most do not comment or criticize anything they have read. VeniVidiScripto.com has been read in 68 different languages, of more interest, the blog has been read in 25 different time zones.
While the most popular stories were read primarily by residents of Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Middletown, thousands of others read stories of travel, recipes, American and local history, opinion pieces, and feature stories. Readers from other countries came from Australia to Zimbabwe, with the vast majority of them coming from each of the countries in the British Isles, Ireland having the European most readers. A total of 167,662 times stories were read this year, by more than 131,000 people.
The second, third and fifth most popular stories during the past 12 months also dealt with dissatisfaction at Henry Hudson, with a story in May, “Fear and loathing at Henry Hudson” second only to the teacher dissatisfaction story. In March, a story on Atlantic Highlands failing to put the question of regionalization with Sea Bright on a non-binding ballot similar to action already taken in Highlands and Sea Bright also drew thousands of readers, while a June story, “Survey says Henry Hudson not the place” concerned the Education Association’s Climate Survey summary that shows 44 per cent of the educational staff at Henry Hudson considered leaving the district .
Only a story in October when a procession of vehicles and residents from throughout New Jersey came to the Yacht Harbor to memorialize the late Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA prevented stories on Henry Hudson Regional from being the top five most read of the more than 2,000 stories read by close to one million readers.
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Whether you are superstitious or not, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are synonymous with a variety of beliefs about actions or deeds that ‘guarantee’ to bring either very good fortune, or very bad incidents to happen during the upcoming year.
For instance, the Scots believe the First-Footer is the first person who steps into your home after midnight. He or she sets the tone for the year ahead…it’s especially fortunate if that first-footer is a tall, dark-haired man.
Or be like the Greeks. Break a pomegranate on the floor on New Year’s Eve. Let every family member take a whack at it with a spoon, smashing it in the 13th round. That’s once for every month and an extra one for added prosperity!
Breaking a glass on New Year’s Day is believed to chase away evil spirits for the year as well as clear the air of any negativity. In Denmark family and friends visit each other’s homes to throw plates or glasses against the homes on the Eve. By morning, the bigger the pile of broken glass, the luckier will be that year for the family inside.
For the Irish, New Year’s Eve is the time to take that mistletoe hanging from the ceiling and tuck it under your pillow. It’s a sure thing you’ll dream of your future love. They say it works as well with holly or ivy if you haven’t got mistletoe.
Lots of food things are associated with New Year’s superstitions, The Scots believe Haggis, that pudding they love made with from minced sheep is said to bring a heap of good luck in the new year. Chicken is a no-no on New Year’s Eve in some places, since chickens have wings and eating them will cause good luck to fly away for the year.
On the other hand eating donuts is a must on New Year’s!. Many believe eating ring-shaped foods like donuts, bagels, and cakes will bring good fortune full-circle. In Greece, a special sweet bread called vasilopita is served at midnight. A coin is placed inside the batter and whoever finds it in their slice will have extra luck!
The Spanish believe you should put down that champagne at midnight and eat 12 grapes instead. Bound to bring you good luck every month of 2026.
For some, obviously none of those who ever visits the Lobster Boss at Bahrs Restaurant in Highlands, think eating lobster on New Year’s brings bad luck. It’s only those who believe that because crustaceans move backwards, it could mean setbacks in the year ahead.
On the other hand, there are those who believe pork is a must on the menu, especially among those of Chinese culture. They hold the pig high on good fortune and prosperity anyway, and like the Germans, believe pork is lucky since pigs look forward when they eat and that represents progress in 2026.
Of course, making Hoppin’ Johns is a very old tradition and superstition. Hoppin’ Johns have roots in African and West Indian traditions and haves been a popular MUST in the South since the 1800s. Black-eyed peas represent coins and collard greens stand for cash. Eating Hoppin John’s assures the diner of both during 2026 when eaten on New Year’s Eve.
In Poland and Scandinavia, and many other places, it’s pickled herring at midnight that brings prosperity for the year to come. It’s a sure thing because of course the fish is silver like coins! So tuck some herring into that smorgasbord platter along with any other smoked fish.
On the other hand,. There are those who think that simply families banging loaves of Christmas bread against the walls and doors will ward off evil spirits and pave the way for a healthy and prosperous new year.
Then there are the energetic superstitions. In Denmark, jumping off a chair at midnight means a leap into the new year filled with good fortune. Rising early on New Year’s Day in Poland ensures one will wake up easily throughout the year and be a fortunate early bird. Stepping forward with your right foot first at midnight is said to bring good luck for the year in a number of different cultures.
For those of us near the ocean, and ready to brave frigid temperatures and icy water, jumping over seven waves on New Year’s Eve and making one wish on each wave, is a guaranteed they’ll all come true in 2026. Of course, that superstition started in Brazil where today’s temperature is 78 degrees, compared to New Jersey’s 29 degrees.
Italians believe by tossing out old dishes, clothes or anything else on New Year’s Eve is the same as getting go of the past and making room for good fortune in the new year.
In the Philippines, they make it easier.. Simply wear polka dots to ensure wealth.. Polka dots look like coins, so wearing the pattern is good enough to have the real thing come in during the coming months, right? If you’re looking for luck in your clothing, start with underwear. Red, white, and yellow pairs of underwear have their own symbolism in Mexico; red means romance, white stands for peace and yellow brings wealth.
Cleaning up your house on New Year’s Eve day is not a good thing; it is similar to swiping away a loved one in the coming year, something those in doubt of whether to accept that marriage proposal look to. On the happier side, it’s a great excuse for not cleaning before the New Year comes in. Either way, open doors and windows just before midnight lets the old year out and the new one in.
Depending on your belief, either carrying cash in your wallet on New Years, as well as getting your finances in order and settling past debts are a sure thing for good fortune in 2026. On the other hand, carrying an empty suitcase guarantees lots of travel adventures next year; but filling your cabinets with plenty of foods means there will be a scarcity there for you in 2026.
Either way, be sure not to cry on New Year’s Eve as it may well set the tone for the coming year.Instead, make lots of noise at midnight; that scares away all those evil spirits, so smile when those noisemakers go over the limit.
Regardless of whether it’s attached to superstition or not, it’s always good to share that midnight kiss with someone you love. It’s probably the oldest of traditions, dating back to when the Roman’s celebrated Saturn.
As for me, simply leaving a Christmas card with the Three Kings on it over the front door year round absolutely guarantees a year filled with friends, love, thoughtfulness of others and enough good fortune to look forward to another year of peace and happiness.
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Among the most meaningful sites to visit in Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, is just outside the main streets of the city, Reservoir Park.
While the magnificent Capitol building and all the state offices in a majestic and stately complex that also includes a state museum are the highlights in the city itself, a short drive outside the downtown area is Reservoir Park, the oldest and largest park in the state capital and 85 acres of natural beauty at the highest point of the city.
Dating back to 1845, It contains an underground 30 million gallon reservoir and two six million gallon above ground reservoirs that feed freshwater, gravity style, to the city’s water system. When built, it was known as Prospect Hill, now Allison Hill and known as one of the best vantage sites to see the Capitol complex, Susquehanna Valley and even the Blue Ridge Mountains. The park is popular to locals for all its outdoor festivals and performances in season and is known as a main part of the Capital Area Greenbelt, the 20-mile greenway that surrounds a good portion of the city.
But for visitors, more important and memorable is at the very top of the Park where the National Civil War Museum is located.
Just the statue in front of the multi-story building that tells the horrors and pain of the Civil War is a story in itself. It’s a story you can’t forget, yet we as 21st century people continue to fight wars in efforts to secure peace.
The Moment of Mercy is a sculpture by Terry Jones and depicts the outcome of the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia in December, 1862, three years before the war ended.
It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, at least until that time, as 3000 Confederates fought from behind stone walls resisting Yankee assaults, and another 2,000 or so troops were up on the hill. After five hours of terrible combat, there were 6300 Union soldiers spread across the battlefield, either dead or wounded. Night came, along with a snowfall, battling soldiers refrained from killing during the night and temperatures dropped to close to zero degrees.
By the next morning, conditions were no better, and Yankee soldiers who had been crying out in agony, screaming for help from their wounds, or simply water to quench their fevered mouths continued, with no help in sight.
A 19-year old Confederate soldier, Sgt. Richard R., Kirkland from the 2nd South Carolina Infantry could stand it no more. By noon, he decided he had to do something to quell his own anguish and appealed to his commander to let him take water and supplies to the injured the troops had spent the previous day battling. His captain agreed, and Kirkland gathered as many canteens as he could carry, climbed over the stone wall that had been protecting the Confederates and headed for the fallen Yankees.
Seeing an enemy soldier coming into their midst, federal troops its began shooting at Kirkland. Until the Union commander recognized what was happening. He sent out the order to his Union forces: ““Don’t shoot that man, he’s too brave to die. “
For the next 90 minutes, the battlefield was quiet as Kirkland went from fallen solder to fallen soldier giving them all he could….sips of water, blankets when he could and a comforting hand. It was truly a Moment of Mercy.
Soldiers from both armies continued to do this throughout the war, at first fighting for what both they and their governments felt was right, then recognizing the anguish it involved as individuals, and doing what they themselves felt would bring comfort, even to the enemy.
Sgt. Kirkland, who had already seen battle at numerous other sites before Fredericksburg, went on to fight in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg and continued to distinguish himself for his courage. After being promoted to lieutenant, he and two other men took command of a charge during the Battle of Chickamauga, and in attempting to move his unit forward, was shot. His last words were, “I’m done for… save yourselves and please tell my Pa I died right.”
His body was returned home to Kershaw County, South Carolina, and he now lies in the Old Quaker Cemetery in Camden, the burial place of General Joseph Kershaw, General John Bordenave Villepigue, and two World War I Medal of Honor recipients,John Canty Villepigue,and Richmond Hobson Hilton. The Sons of Confederate Veterans posthumously awarded Kirkland the Confederate Medal of Honor, which was created in 1977.
The sculptor of the statue in front of the Civil War Museum, Terry Jones, has been a sculptor since the mid-1960s, studied at the Hussian School of Art in Philadelphia and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France. He sculpted more than 600 bas-relief coins and medals for various private mints and was one of few American artists to be invited to show at the International Exhibit of Medallic Art in Florence, Italy. In 1984 the American Numismatic Association named him Medallic Sculptor of the year. He also sculpted the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl coin-toss commemorative and portraits of Gov. Tom Ridge and Lt. Gov. Mark Schweiker for the 1999 PA Inaugural Medal.
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The Atlantic Highlands Chamber of Commerce is inviting increased membership in the busy and active chamber and offering a $10 discount for all new members who sign into the Chamber as members by the end of the year.
The Chamber offers a variety of benefits for the growing business community and encourages more members to share in the work of strengthening the community and its residents by working together as its business community.
The chamber is designed to help local businesses get increased visibility and make additional connections in business circles as well as stay informed on a variety of areas of interest both in the community and in the business world.
The Chamber promotes all its members through their website and on line member directory as well as through social media channels and this blog, VeniVidiScripto. The Chamber also spotlights members in high visibility local groups to help drive awareness and food traffic.
Members are also invited to include materials in the Chamber’s “Welcome to Atlantic Highlands” tote bags and receive coverage for ribbon cuttings and grand openings. The Chamber also promotes members’ special events through Chamber channels and its in town kiosk. There are also opportunities to meet fellow business owners at quarterly networking events and informal get-togethers that help build relationships, and give an opportunity to exchange ideas, and grow together.
This year, for the first time, the Chamber will distribute thousands of glossy, full-color rack cards throughout the Bayshore area. Each card includes a QR code linking its exclusive 2026 Online Member Directory—a go-to resource for visitors and residents searching for merchants, restaurants, and places to go in the Atlantic Highlands area.
Chamber administrator Heidi Hacket invites interested business owners who want to become chamber members to drop off a check to the Atlantic Highlands Chamber of Commerce at 68 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 or stop between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at their secure mail box. Please note ‘One -yr Membership’ in the memo area of your check. If paying on or before December 31, you qualify for a $10 discount so the check should be for $165!
For further information, call 762-872-8711 or visit info@AHchamber.org
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Both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands will hold their annual reorganization meeting on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2026 at noon at their respective borough halls. Congressman Frank Pallone will be present in Atlantic Highlands to swear in two new council members during the meeting.
Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon
Mayor Carolyn Broullon will be sworn in to her second term as Mayor by Judge Anna C. Little, an Immigration Judge in the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) within the U.S. Department of Justice.
Judge Little is a former Mayor of Highlands s well as a former Monmouth County freeholder. Mayor Broullon recently won re-election over Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education member and former fire chief Rebecca Wells.
The Middletown Township Committee will hold its reorganization meeting Sunday, January 4 at 10 a.m. in the court room of Township Hall. Their meeting will be available through a link on the Middletown official website.
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And it’s a good thing the governing body listens to him during the meeting’s two public comment sections, an action which saves taxpayers both time and money.
There is no doubt Fisher does his homework, keeps records, and reminds the governing body of promises made in the past.
The local resident is calm, clear, occasionally comical and totally impartial when asking his questions during both sections of the meeting. At the December meeting, it could well mean an increase in contribution for LOSAP (Length of Service Award Program) personnel.
In authorizing increases for LOSAP contributions for volunteers, Fisher questioned why the action was being taken by resolution, rather than by the ordinance which established LOSAP in the first place. In discussing the question with borough attorney Peg Schaefer, he pointed out, and she agreed, that a resolution cannot supersede an ordinance.
Fisher also pointed out the ordinance in place, which he had reviewed prior to the meeting, also placed a maximum on the amount that could be allocated to LOSAP and questioned whether the approved increases would be above that maximum.
The mayor and council agreed they did not know the answer to that, but tabled the resolution until further study and investigation could be done. The attorney agreed.
Fisher also questioned why there was a difference in the amount of funds and the years they are allocated between EMS volunteers and the fire department volunteers and opined they should at least be the same. When he asked why the fire department gets the maximum amount the first year, but EMS volunteers only receive $600 the first year and not the maximum for three years, Hohenleitner said “because they have asked.”
In a second appearance at the meeting, both Joshua Leinsdorf and Fisher assailed the conditions on Bayside drive during a recent fire which highlighted one more time the lack of communications between Monmouth County and emergency services.
Leinsdorf also complained about the dead-end road that caused danger to all the emergency vehicles responding, to say nothing of emergency transfer of residents should any be injured. He urged the governing body to have the road re-opened to connect to Highlands and an alternate means of leaving that portion of the borough. He called for a letter from the governing body to Monmouth County saying, “this needs to be fixed.” The borough has been talking about it for ten years, he said, but nothing has happened. “Got it!” Mayor Hohenleitner told him.
Fisher noted that four different fire departments responded to the fire, which fortunately, he said, was comparatively small. There was zero communication, he said, and the Sea Bright fire chief had to go to Sandy Hook to relay communications to the county.
The tower which was proposed as a possibility on property in Highlands on Henry Hudson Regional school property would have helped, he said, but without it, or some communication better than what the Sea Bright volunteer had to do to get communications through Sandy Hook, must be done. He strongly suggested a letter to the Sheriff to ask for immediate action and a solution for county communications with all parts of the borough.
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It took an ill Councilman Jon Crowley to be on line at the December meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Council in order to have a quorum, in spite of it being one of the five months during the year Council had scheduled only one monthly meeting.
Mayor Lori Hohenleitner and Council members Eileen Cusick and Vito Colosurdo, both of whom did not seek re-election and whose terms end this month, were the only elected officials present for the meeting at borough hall, with Crowley creating the four-member quorum appearing for a portion of the meeting on line. The recording does not indicate when Crowley left the meeting after giving his monthly report.
Borough Attorney Margurette “Peg” Schaffer
Adding to the problem was the, once again, inconsistency of the audio system for the ZOOM input from both Crowley and borough attorney Peg Schaefer, also appearing virtually for the regularly scheduled meeting.
Members present in the council chamber took several minutes at the beginning of the meeting trying to make the audio effective; however, it was still difficult to hear Schaefer’s report completely, and Hohenleitner stopped Crowley’s report at one point explaining he was ‘frozen’ or cutting out.
The council’s adoption of meeting dates at the reorganization meeting 12 months ago set five months when meetings would be the first and third Mondays of the month, two when they would be Wednesdays, and five when there would only be one meeting.
Hohenleitner expressed thanks to all borough employees, especially the Police Chief, Borough Clerk and Public Works Director for their unanticipated extremely heavy workload in the sudden departure of borough administrator Robert Ferragina. She noted that in addition to all the professionals making up for the absence of an administrator without sufficient planning, she, too, spent more time at borough hall assisting.
Borough Administrator Robert Ferragina
Ferragina, who had been appointed to the position four years ago when Loretta Gluckstein was mayor, gave two weeks’ notice he was leaving Atlantic Highlands effective the end of the year, and was not present at the meeting.
The mayor said his resignation comes at a good time of the year since the borough had received many applications for the position. She explained the series of meetings and discussions both by committees , other officials and the entire council are having before a new administrator is named to the post, hopefully by the end of January. The mayor said communications between the administrator and members of the public, council, and all employees and committees are of utmost importance in making a new selection.
In response to a question from a resident, the mayor said legal advertising would continue in local newspapers until March at the least. Borough Clerk Michelle Clark noted the borough, in keeping with the new state law that ends legal advertising in newspapers by March, said the borough will most likely begin advertising all their legals on the borough website next month in addition to continuing in the newspapers until that time.
The mayor, in response to another question, said she has not been able to learn where or how the non-profit organization formed by one newspaper in which the borough places legals uses its funds, since its status has not been in effect a full year and the firm has not filed the paperwork to see the information.
In other business, council approved resolutions renewing membership in Monmouth Municipal JIF, adjusting water and sewer utility bills, renewed the agreement with Highlands for a part time ambulance service, renewed its agreement for Public Health Services, appointed Michael Cassidy to the sanitation department, authorized $40,000 for a Professional Service Contract with Colliers for the water system, and approved payment of more than $2.1 million in bills for the month
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Outgoing Atlantic Highlands Councilwoman Cusack was the Mayor’s Senior Citizen of the Month at the last regular 2025 meeting of the Mayor and Council for the year, with Cusack expressing her thanks and appreciation for the award.
Mayor Lori Hohenleitner, Cusack and Councilman Vito Colosurdo, whose term also ends this month, were the only council members present at Borough Hall for the scheduled meeting. It took Councilman Jon Crowley, ill at home, to appear at the meeting virtually to constitute a quorum.
Colasurdo, in making remarks at his final meeting as a councilman, noted “we are not perfect, but we’re perfect for us,” referring to how the borough residents and officials always work together in helping each other, in spite of national politics driving us further apart. He said Atlantic Highlands is a borough with “love in our hearts” which I what is needed for peace everywhere.
Mayor Hohenleitner presented framed photographs to both outgoing council members in expressing her thanks, and the thanks of the residents for their service for the past three years.
Neither of the newly elected officials was present at the meeting.
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