SHORE LOCAL | Coastal | October 31, 2024

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November Happenings

O shore Wind Conference Stirs Up Fight

Boardwalk Hall Has Seen It All

The Mad Man of Mozzarella

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY'S NEWSMAGAZINE
Cozy Sectionals
Divine Dinettes
Blissful

From the Editor

As soon as Halloween ends, we’re often swept right into the christmas rush. Stores quickly replace pumpkins and spooky decorations with wreaths, twinkling lights and holiday music. Many of us feel the pull to dive headfirst into decorating, shopping and planning festive gatherings. Yet, in our hurry to embrace the holiday season, we miss an opportunity to pause and appreciate what’s right in front of us.

thanksgiving, with its emphasis on gratitude, connection and the abundance of simplicity, deserves its own time in the spotlight. Skipping over it in our race toward christmas overlooks a holiday that invites us to slow down, give thanks and truly

savor our blessings.

Jumping too quickly into c hristmas risks skipping over one of the year’s most meaningful celebrations, a moment that invites us to pause, give thanks, and truly savor our blessings.

Like many, I get excited for christmas, especially the decorating. Nothing brings me more joy than unboxing ornaments and stringing lights up my staircase. I tend to go overboard, and it’s something I’m working on.

So this year, I’m embracing November as it is, resisting the urge to deck the halls just yet.

While jumping from one season to the next can lead to stress and anxiety, studies show that gratitude can help replace those feelings with peace. It’s difficult to feel both anxious and thankful at the same time, making gratitude a powerful shield against negativity. by taking time to recognize what we already have, our present feels fuller, richer and more complete. contentment is underrated. It’s

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Cover photo of Birch Grove Park in Northfield by Elizabeth Chiola.

the art of feeling good about where you are, what you have and what you’re doing. For high achievers and those in the habit of “doing more,” slowing down to appreciate the present can be challenging. Something I’m working on myself is focusing on enjoying the now rather than rushing toward what’s next. It takes practice, but finding that balance is essential for well-being.

this November, let’s celebrate the small moments that make life rich

and meaningful. Whether it’s gathering with loved ones, admiring the autumn leaves, sharing a cozy evening with a pet or simply enjoying a cup of tea and a good book— these are the joys that truly matter.

In my home, I have a sign that reads, “ take time to appreciate the little things because one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.” It’s a reminder I’m especially grateful for during this season of reflection.

As we enter November, let’s make a point each day to pause, breathe and notice the blessings around us. May this month be a time of fullness and renewal, a chance to find peace in the present instead of rushing to the future. Life’s little blessings often turn out to be the most important. Wishing you a bountiful and restorative November.

Peace & Love, Cindy

What is the winter outlook?

It hasn’t felt like it lately, but winter is coming. With that comes the promise of bone-chilling cold, and yes, at least the talk of snow. After all, our earliest date for measurable snowfall at Atlantic city International Airport is Nov. 5. With that comes the always exciting winter outlook. Interest in the winter ahead is always high.

this is probably my most popular talk of the year, up there with the cape May bubble and the hurricane outlook. In fact, if you want to take a trip up the shore, I will present an in-person winter outlook in bradley beach 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2 in borough Hall.

After speaking with Steve DiMartino, owner of NY NJ PA Weather and a fellow certified digital meteorologist, here are the factors going into this winter’s outlook.

State of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

Are we in el Niño or La Niña? t hat depends on whether the water in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is warmer than average (el Niño), or colder than average (La Niña).

DiMartino says La Niña will come, but will be slow to develop. that typically leads to less snow for the Jersey Shore.

Siberian

October snow cover

this was pioneered by Judah cohen, director of seasonal forecasting for Atmospheric and environmental research in Massachusetts, whom I spoke with this week about winter as well.

New Jersey 2023-2024 winter snowfall was higher than 2022-2023, however it remained below average for the South Jersey shore (Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist).

In short, the more snow in Siberia by the end of the month, the higher the likelihood for snowy conditions in the Northeast. Snow cover in Siberia should be about average, DiMartino said. So, it really has a neutral influence on what this winter will be like for us.

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Hunga Tonga volcano

the underwater, southern Pacific Ocean eruption in 2022 threw a large amount of water vapor into the atmosphere. DiMartino says we’re still dealing with its impacts. He believes that the lower portion of the polar vortex, the semi-perma -

nent “cold dome” of air that usually sits at the North Pole during the winter, should be weak. t hat means it should slip into the Northeast at least once this week. that will lead to an active storm track, and some cold air outbreaks.

Sea ice

For years sea ice has been below the long-term average, and this year will be the same. t his should weaken the polar vortex, too, enhancing the idea that the polar vortex will visit the Northeast this winter.

Hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes view of what long-range meteorologists are looking at as they make their winter forecasts. For the record, I rely on these meteorologists to forecast the season ahead. they spent months and dozens of hours researching, compiling data and then making the forecast (DiMartino started in March). I’ll put a Jersey Shore spin on it when I release our Shore Local winter outlook in November.

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N.J. drought continues to worsen

t he U.S. Drought Monitor now reports New Jersey is in its most expansive drought in seven years.

As of the Oct. 24 update, 69% of the state was classified as being in drought. that includes all of Atlantic and cape May counties. In total, 3.7 million New Jerseyans are in drought. Furthermore, most of Atlantic county west of the Garden State Parkway is in a D2 severe drought on a scale where D1 is moderate and D4 bing exceptional. that joins 32% of the state as being so.

t he last time that much of the state was in severe drought or worse was Jan. 17, 2017. Severe drought gripped the state from October 2016 through March 2017. t he state of New Jersey issued a drought watch for 14 counties, although Atlantic and cape May counties were not included.

It’s just plain dry. Voluntary water restrictions remain in place. Grassy fields feel as hard as the sidewalk and the roads next to them, and the risk for wildfires remains high in the Pine barrens. In fact, on Oct. 24, a red flag warning for the dangerous spread of wildfires was put into place. that was the first time that happened in fall since 2013.

If conditions do not improve, then a drought emergency with mandatory

Snowfall during weak La Niña winters, between January and March. In New Jersey, snowfall is about 5 inches below average when this occurs. For the southern Jersey Shore, that’s roughly 10 inches of snow. A weak La Niña is expected this winter. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

water use restrictions may go into place.

It will get worse before it gets better. However, there could be is light rain at the end of the tunnel.

t he weekend of Nov. 8-10 shows promises for rain.

Spookily warm Halloween? Happy Halloween to everyone cel -

ebrating. Our issue comes out on Halloween, of course. While I don’t know exactly what the high temperature will be for us thursday afternoon, I do know it will be one of the warmest on record.

the warmest Halloween on record at Atlantic city International Airport was 83 degrees in 1946, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than likely we won’t be that warm. However, we should be at or above 75 degrees, which would put us in the top five warmest. records go back to 1944.

At the long-standing Sen. Frank S. Farley State Marina in Atlantic city, the record high is 81 degrees, also in 1946. We should manage to be at or above 74 degrees, which would also put us in the top five warmest. records stretch back to 1874, shortly after the city was incorporated.

Joe earned his Meteorology Degree from Rutgers University. He is approved by the American Meteorological Society as a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and Certified Digital Meteorologist, the only one in the state with both. He's won 10 New Jersey Press Association Awards. You can find him on social media @joemartwx

The fight against offshore wind continues

On tuesday morning, several groups against offshore wind gathered outside of the Atlantic city convention center with their anti-offshore wind signs.

they were protesting outside of the Offshore WINDPOWer 2024 conference and e xhibition, a conference which gathers top developers, government officials and key stakeholders across the offshore wind industry. the fight against offshore wind has been a prevalent issue along the southern New Jersey coast for the past five years.

The background

In 2019, the New Jersey board of Public Utilities (NJ bPU) chose Ocean Wind, an offshore wind energy project proposed by Orsted and backed

by Public Service enterprise Group (PSeG), to enter negotiations for a 20-year offshore wind renewable energy credit for a wind farm with a capacity of 1,100 megawatts.

Orsted had mapped out two of these projects: Ocean Wind 1 and 2. However, the projects have since been scrapped.

On Aug. 14, the New Jersey board of Public Utilities formally vacated all of its orders that approved Orsted’s offshore wind projects. the Danish company said inflation, rising interest rates and global supply chain issues were behind the decision.

the two projects were planned to be built approximately 15 miles off the coast of Atlantic city, and would have generated over 2,200 megawatts of electricity to help New Jersey achieve its goal of 100% clean energy by 2050.

Defend Our b eaches, formerly known as Defend b rigantine beach, hopes Orsted’s decision is partly due to the various lawsuits the nonprofit filed against them and the State of New Jersey.

While Orsted pulled away, Atlantic Shores is still moving forward.

Officials at the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Atlantic Shores South project received final approval Oct. 1. this project, which encompasses two leases, is substantially larger than existing wind energy sites in New Jersey, with plans for up to 197 wind turbine locations situated about 8.7 miles offshore.

e lizabeth Klein, director of the b ureau of Ocean energy Management, the federal agency that oversees offshore energy leases, said Atlantic Shores South would generate enough electricity to power nearly 1 million homes.

chain investments and good-paying, union jobs,” Murphy said.

Meanwhile, republicans, like U.S. rep. Jeff Van Drew, are opposed.

The impact on life

On Aug. 13, Van Drew hosted his third public forum so far on the expansion of offshore wind off the Jersey Shore in brigantine.

Van Drew was joined by local officials, experts and community members to discuss the broader implications of offshore wind energy, including its costs and the overall impact on the state's coastal environments.

“Atlantic Shores is thrilled to receive approval to build our first two projects and deliver sufficient clean power to serve one third of New Jersey households,” Joris Veldhoven, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind’s ceO, told NJ Spotlight News.

construction is scheduled to start next year and the project could serve about one-third of the state’s population, Veldhoven said.

New Jersey Democrats, including Gov. Phil Murphy, praised the approval of Atlantic Shores.

“Offshore wind will strengthen our state’s economy through supply

“ this is not the five windmills that you see coming into Ac ,” he said. “We are talking about hundreds, if not thousands, of wind turbines over 1,000 feet tall that have substances that can leach into our oceans. We are going to decimate our fishing industry, which is the third largest industry in the state, but these people don’t care.”

the turbines’ impact on the state’s fishing industry isn’t the only concern. Also on the list is how it will affect tourism, marine life and electricity prices.

↘Continued on 12

“I proudly endorse Commissioner Maureen Kern for re-election this year. Our partnership is delivering results for the residents of our great county.”

Protecting Taxpayers

Economic Development

Creating Jobs

Responsible

“No matter where you live in New Jersey, if these turbines are constructed, you're going to see a tremendous increase in your electric bills,” said Kate Finnegan, Defend Our beaches president.

Finnegan said that one of the reasons Atlantic city electric bills have increased this summer is because some of the subsidies that have been given for offshore wind are starting to show up.

“No one really knows how much it's going to cost, and it's very intermittent. When the wind doesn’t blow, it isn’t effective,” she said.

A prominent reason given to deter the projects is how the turbines will affect marine life, specifically whales.

In November 2023, Save Lb I, another group against the turbines, published “ t he evidence that the Offshore Wind energy Vessel Surveys are the cause of the recent New Jersey Whale & Dolphin Deaths.”

In that report, several pieces of evidence were gathered, listed and explained.

the group claims that there have been recent unprecedented spikes in whale deaths that began when the number of survey vessels increased, and that those vessels disturb the

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whales’ behavior, leading to serious harm and mortality.

t he group says the concerns are “not meaningfully addressed in survey approvals, nor is the cumulative impact of multiple vessels operating concurrently in the same area.”

wind projects, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“At this point, there is no scientific evidence that noise resulting from offshore wind site characterization surveys could potentially cause whale deaths,” NOAA’s fisheries division says on the “Frequent Questions” section of its website.

Benefits and drawbacks

In the report, the group mentions that “the responsible agencies have summarily dismissed this relationship with various claims.”

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, a global nonprofit, the leading cause of North Atlantic whale deaths is when ships and boats strike them.

Whale deaths are not linked to

Supporters of wind energy highlight several benefits, including reduced reliance on oil and gas, job creation and economic advantages for local communities and the provision of cleaner energy.

However, according to the Office of energy efficiency & renewable energy, the disadvantages include competition with other low-cost en -

ergy sources – its viability can vary in less windy locations, wind farms produce noise, can affect the visual landscape and impact wildlife.

“A lot of the perception is that it's going to do a tremendous deal for climate change. the research that we have done shows that the sea levels have always been rising, and it's not really going to have that much effect on climate change,” said Finnegan of Defend Our beaches. “It's believed to be clean and green energy. And on the surface, it sounds like a great plan, but because it's so expensive and intermittent and not terribly effective, you have to consider, maybe there are other sources of green energy that are better.”

She named solar and nuclear energy as alternatives.

Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain

Firefighters in Atlantic County total more than 20,000 calls for service in 2022-23

Did you see the flashing red lights of the fire engine in egg Harbor township and slow your vehicle to the side of the road?

Or maybe you smelled smoke and dialed 911 to dispatch the fire department.

Perhaps a fire truck visited your child’s elementary school during October, which is Fire Prevention Awareness Month.

In 2022 and 2023, Firefighters in Atlantic county responded to a combined total of more than 20,000 total calls for service, according to data provided by the New Jersey Department of community Affairs (DcA).

And, while the number of fires has decreased nationwide in the last decade, Atlantic county fire officials

say in 2024 that some area fire companies may surpass their previous number of calls for service.

t he theme of Fire Prevention Month 2024 in October is “Smoke Alarms, Make them Work for You.”

In New Jersey, October of each year is designated by state proclamation as “Fire Prevention Awareness Month.”

t he month, the theme and the

drought in New Jersey make it a good opportunity to look at how many calls for service Atlantic county fire companies and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service handled in recent years. the data is compiled by the state’s Division of Fire Safety from reports sent at the end of each year by all fire departments in the state.

Here’s what we know about how many times firefighters responded to calls in Atlantic county: the Atlantic city Fire Department handled the most calls for service in Atlantic county in 2022 and 2023, according to annual reports.

Atlantic city firefighters responded to 7,685 calls in 2023 – an increase from 7,093 calls in 2022. the second busiest firefighters were at the brigantine Fire Department, which according to the D cA handled 2,119 calls in 2022 but decreased to 1,666 calls in 2023.

Pleasantville responded to 1,361 calls in 2022 and 339 calls in 2023, according to information supplied by Lisa r yan, a spokesperson for the DcA.

In Downbeach: Ventnor responded to 1,323 calls in 2022 compared to 501 calls in 2023. Margate responded to 1,597 calls in 2022 and their numbers increased to 1,936 calls in 2023. Longport firefighters received 167 calls in 2023, compared to just 91 the year before.

Firefighters in Atlantic county communities along route 9 responded to hundreds of calls each year during 2022 and 2023, according to the DcA statistics.

Linwood responded to 227 calls in 2022 and 204 fire calls in 2023. Northfield responded to 305 calls in 2022 and 208 calls in 2023. Somers Point responded to 214 calls in 2022 and 290 calls in 2023.

Photo credit: Scullville Volunteer Fire Co. Facebook

Absecon Fire Department responded to 230 calls in 2022 compared to 213 calls in 2023.

In Galloway, the township fire companies responded to hundreds of calls for service in the last two years.

Firefighters in Oceanville responded to 261 in 2022 and 280 calls in 2023. Germania responded to 87 calls in 2022 and 11 calls in 2023. Pomona responded to 258 calls in 2022 and 101 calls in 2023. bayview responded to 353 calls in 2022 and 398 calls in 2023.

Port republic had 18 calls for service in 2022 and 16 calls in 2023.

t he Airport Fire Department responded to 509 calls in 2023, a decrease in the number calls from the year before which was 658.

In egg Harbor township, firefighters from all five fire companies responded to a combined total of over a thousand calls during the last two years.

the bargaintown Fire company responded to 482 fire calls in 2023 compared to 472 calls in 2022.

As of September 30, bargaintown firefighters have handled 436 calls, according to Fire chief Gene Sharp.

t he c ardiff Fire company responded to 548 calls in 2022 compared to 588 calls in 2023. cardiff reports so far in 2024, firefighters have responded to more than 438

calls as of September.

Atlantic county Fire Marshal David buzby said October’s designation of Fire Prevention Month helps bring awareness of fire safety. Some schools participate in special events to teach students about fire safety. October is a good time to remember to change the batteries in smoke detectors, buzby said.

the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported 154 wildfires in Atlantic county in 2022 which burned 78 acres. t here were 109 wildfires in Atlantic county in 2023 which burned 56 acres. So far this year, 92 wildfires have burned 30.25 acres in Atlantic county, according to Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the Department of environmental Protection (D eP).

t he National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also reports a total of 89 on-duty U.S. firefighter fatalities in 2023, representing an 8%t decline over the 97 fatal injuries in 2022.

Of these deaths, 50 were volunteer firefighters and 30 were career firefighters; the nine non-municipal firefighter fatalities included five full-time state forestry rangers or technicians, one state forestry contractor, one full-time federal forest service firefighter, and two military firefighters.

t he 89 firefighter fatalities re -

ported in 2023 are higher than the totals in recent years; it’s also the second-highest number since 2013 when 98 on-duty fatal injuries were reported, according to NFPA. the increase over the past two years reflects the inclusion of cardiac deaths and strokes or aneurysms occurring within 24 hours of duty. t hese deaths were previously not counted unless there was a specific

physical complaint while the firefighter was on duty, NFPA reported.

Stephanie is a freelance writer with 40 years experience covering NJ news for The Asbury Park Press, The Courier Post, The Catholic Star Herald and The Press of AC. Email her at stephanieloder59@hotmail.com

Windjammer Café wins Mocktail Contest: HEROtini Challenge raises $27,000

It was a lively evening at Harbor Pines Golf club on tuesday as hundreds attended the H erOtini Happening Mocktail Awards Night. the festivities were underway early, with over a dozen area bars and restaurants serving up their tastiest Zero-Proof mocktails, all while promoting the John r elliott H erO campaign’s mission to prevent drunk driving. Shore Local’s Whitney Ullman and comedian Matt bridgestone were there to emcee the festivities. the H erOtini Mocktail challenge began on Memorial Day Weekend as a five-month long contest among 27 local establishments, all with the goal of promoting and making non-alcoholic mocktails for designated drivers. this evening’s event marked the end of

winning “Eagletini” green

a

an exciting competition, with guests voting for their favorite mocktails by way of donation.

this year’s winner was the Windjammer café and Grille in Somers Point took home First Place for their “ eagletini” mocktail, a non-alcoholic version

The Windjammer raised more than $6,000 from customers and supporters to win the HEROtini Cup trophy for bartender Kathy Hoover and her “Eagletini”

non-alcoholic

of a bloody Mary, created by bartender Kathy Hoover. the Windjammer successfully raised over $6,000 from customers and supporters such as Ocean city Financial Group. Second place was awarded to tennessee Avenue beer Hall, while Josie Kelly’s Public House came in third.

3120 Fire Road, Suite 100, Egg Harbor Twp, NJ

Phone 609.317.0801 kap@djd.law djdlawyers.com

finalists included the c rab trap, Harbor Pines, Gregory’s, Hard rock, Steve and cookies, and Ocean casino resort. by the end of the night, a total of $26,250 was raised to promote safe and sober driving throughout our region. the H erO campaign contin -

In the Judge’s choice category, Dock’s Oyster House took home first place for their mocktail creation, the “ radical”. there were celebrity guest judges Nancy Adler, Scott cronick, robin Stoloff, and Nikki b alles to present the award.

Linwood country club took first place in the People’s choice category, winning over the crowd with their ‘Non-Smashed b lackberry Mojito.’ the victors received just over seventy votes from attendees. Other

ues to work with partnerships from schools and colleges, police departments, bars and taverns, professional sports teams, and Uber, ensuring that everyone has a safe ride home.

Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.

green mocktail, a
version of a Bloody Mary cocktail. Photo by Steffen Klenk
Bill and Muriel Elliot, founders of the John R. Elliot HERO Campaign pose for a photo with HEROtini Mocktail Challenge winner Kathy Hoover.
The
mocktail,
non-alcoholic version of a Bloody Mary cocktail. Photo by Steffen Klenk

State Senate passes bill intended to halt book bans, protect librarians

Abill aimed at limiting book bans in public schools and libraries and protecting librarians from lawsuits and criminal charges is now on the governor’s desk.

titled the “Freedom to read Act,” the legislation would require the state’s education commissioner to develop policies on how library materials are selected and how challenges to books on library shelves should be evaluated. Local school boards and library boards would then adopt their own policies using this model.

“You and all New Jerseyans have the freedom to choose what you want to read, and parents have and will continue to have the freedom to choose what their children will read. b ut no one gets to decide that for you — not now, and not ever,” said bill sponsor Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex).

the bill comes as the American Libraries Association says the number of books targeted for censorship has skyrocketed.

the Senate advanced the controversial bill with a vote of 24-15, with heavy opposition from republicans. GOP lawmakers said they feared the law would allow children to access obscene materials and protect librarians who share obscene books with children.

“Putting our children at risk and potentially exposing them to material that they are not prepared for flies in the face of our protective duty,” said Sen. Joe Pennacchio (r-Morris).

“couching such material under the guise of the First Amendment is a very distortion of who we are and what we strive to be as Americans.”

the bill comes as the American Library Association says the number of books targeted for censorship has skyrocketed, many of them because they include LG btQ or sexually explicit content. the number of unique titles targeted for removal from library shelves surged 65% from 2022 to 2023, the organization says. Parents in several towns have lobbied to have certain books removed.

Meanwhile, librarians say they

have faced harassment from parents demanding certain books be removed.

States across the country are weighing similar legislation. the governors of c alifornia and Maryland recently signed similar bills into law, while lawmakers in New York and rhode Island are still voting on those measures.

Under the New Jersey bill, school and library boards would be barred from removing books because of the “origin, background, or views” of the material or those contributing to its creation.

the bill would also provide librarians and library staff with immunity from civil and criminal liability for “good faith actions.”

Sen. Mike testa (r- cumberland) said he interprets the immunity the bill would provide to librarians as an “intentional blanket exemption from New Jersey’s obscenity law or, for that matter, any other law intended to protect our children.”

testa claimed there is already “obscene material” available in New Jersey schools, and he questioned

why Democrats are pushing for an exemption if there isn’t sexually explicit content in schools.

“How exactly does a person distribute obscene materials to a child in good faith? I also think it’s incredibly telling that if some of these very same sexually explicit materials were shown to a child by a neighbor, that individual would be charged with a Megan’s Law offense, and rightfully so,” he said.

Sen. Jon b ramnick (r -Union), co-sponsor of the measure, said the bill would create new standards for libraries that don’t currently exist. “ right now, in the wild, wild west, no board of education is setting the standard, and now we are saying it is time,” he said.

bramnick also defended librarians, stressing that none of them intend to provide sexually explicit material. but if a questionable book does end up on library shelves, there must be consistent guidelines and policies to ensure “we have a standard in this society,” he added.

the bill passed the Assembly in June by a 52-20 vote.

Events and Happenings

Multiday

Events

‘The Lightning Thief,’ The Percy Jackson Musical

▶Saturday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m.

Ocean city Music Pier, 825 boardwalk this production will feature students in Seventh-12th grades. the adaptation of the best-selling book, “ the Lightning thief” by rick riordan, features a thrilling original rock score and action-packed mythical adventure. Presented by the Ocean city theatre company. For tickets and information, visit www.oceancitytheatrecompany.com.

‘The Night Side,’ A Ghost Story

▶Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m.

Gateway Playhouse, 738 bay Ave., Somers Point

“ the Night Side” is a psychological thriller in which Sherlock Holmes obsesses over the mysterious death of edgar Alan Poe. His chilling encounters with the ghost of Poe reveal a horror more shocking than Poe’s own “ tales of terror.” Opens Nov. 2 and runs weekends through Nov. 9. tickets are on sale at www.gatewaybythebay.org.

Friday, November 1

Enlightened Farm Market

▶2-6 p.m.

572 S. Odessa Ave., egg Harbor city

Join enlightened Farms for their weekly markets now through Friday, Nov. 22. check out their fresh harvest, hand-crafted products, florals and more. e xperience the farm firsthand through a tour, you-pick herbs and local vendor highlights.

Dia de los Muertos Celebration

▶6-9 p.m.

Noyes Arts Garage, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic city

Join Noyes Arts Garage for their inaugural Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. the event is free and open to the public and includes traditional and live music, folkloric dances, an altar contest and exhibit, artisanal crafts and activities and refreshments.

Fall Concert Series at Ocean City Library

▶7 p.m.

Ocean city Free Public Library, 1735 Simpson Ave.

Join OcFPL for their free weekly concert series. this week enjoy a live performance by the Package Goods Orchestra. concerts will be held in

the chris Maloney Lecture Hall. Use the entrance closest to 17th Street. For more information, visit www. oceancitylibrary.org or call 609-3992434.

Saturday, November 2

Flemings Pumpkin Run

▶8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Fleming’s Junkyard, 353 Zion road, egg Harbor township

One of South Jersey’s largest automotive, antique engine and tractor shows returns. t he 27th Annual Pumpkin run will include hundreds of show cars and trucks, engines and tractors, a flea market and plenty of great food. registration at the gate is $15 per car. No pets. For more information, visit www.flemingspumpkinrun.com. rain date: Saturday, Nov. 9.

Trail of Two Cities 5K/Walk

▶8 a.m.

Ninth St. bridge in Ocean city to Somers Point this unique point-to-point race travels from Ocean city to Somers Point with spectacular views along the causeway. the race will begin at Ninth and Haven at 8 a.m., traveling along the eastbound lanes of the causeway, concluding at Kennedy Park in Somers Point. registration is open at www.ocnj.us/race-events or by calling 609-525-9317.

Misty Meadow Fall Festival ▶Noon-4 p.m.

Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy, 100 Dennisville Petersburg road, Petersburg enjoy pony rides, sheep shearing, music, face painting, vendors and Ludlam Island b rewery quenching your thirst.

Monday, November 4

Lunch Around Town with JFS Village

▶Noon-1:30 p.m.

Fitzpatrick’s, 650 New r oad, Somers Point enjoy a leisurely lunch with friends

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Photo credit: Flemings Pumpkin Run Facebook

while supporting a local restaurant. this month, Village by the Shore will dine at Fitzpatrick’s Deli & Steakhouse. come prepared for good food and conversation. Order off the menu and pay individually. rSVP by Nov. 1 by contacting tina Serota at 609-2878872 or email tserota@jfsatlantic.org.

Tuesday, November 5

Beginner Yoga Class for Seniors

▶10 a.m.

Somers Point Senior center, 22 N. Ambler road

the city of Somers Point is hosting a beginner Yoga class for Seniors. take part in a relaxed, gentle flow,

with focuses on yoga poses linking movement with breath, increasing strength and flexibility. time will be spent on the mat in seated, kneeling and standing poses. b ring your own mat. register by calling 609-226-4389 or email helbigshore@icloud.com.

Library Book and Bake Sale

▶1-6 p.m.

Longport Library, 2305 Atlantic Ave.

Stop by Longport Library before or after voting on tuesday for some good reads and goodies. Thoughts from the Bookshelf

▶3 p.m.

Margate Library, 8100 Atlantic Ave.

Join JFS Village and Pat Goldstein for their monthly book club gathering in the Margate Library Meeting room. t he group will discuss the novel, “Such Kindness,” by Andre Dubus, III. this story takes readers on a journey from bitter helplessness to finding knowledge in self-worth.

rSVP by Nov. 1 by contacting t ina Serota at 609-287-8872 or email tserota@jfsatlantic.org. Bingo at the Library

▶6:30 p.m.

Longport Library, 2305 Atlantic Ave.

try your luck at b ingo. Available for all ages. c all 609-487-7403 to register or learn more.

Somers Point Dance Society

▶7:30-10 p.m.

Somers Point Fire Hall, 447 bethel road

Admission is $10 and includes snacks, live musical duos, line dancing, dance mixers, social dancing and plenty of parking. come out and kick up your heels, or just listen to good music with good company.

Wednesday, November 6

Holiday Scams: The Unwanted Gift of Seasonal Swindles

▶10:30 a.m.

Katz J cc , 501 N. Jerome Ave., Margate

With the holidays around the corner, many people will increase their shopping, traveling and celebrations with family, friends and colleagues. Join Jcc in welcoming Justin chubb from Jersey Shore Federal credit Union for a presentation on the latest holiday fraud and how to avoid it. An interactive discussion and refreshments will follow. the presentation will be held in the J cc boardroom. rSVP by Nov. 4 by contacting tina Serota at 609-287-8872 or email tserota@jfsatlantic.org.

Thursday, November 7

Sip & Shop

▶5-9 p.m.

Seaview Golf club, 401 S. New York road, Galloway

Jumpstart your holiday shopping and spend the night out with over 40 local vendors under one roof. enter to win one of four giveaways, support local nonprofits and enjoy fantastic food and drinks all night. tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. Hosted by Motivated Mommies. Purchase advance tickets at www. motivatedmommiesnj.com/sip-shop.

Friday, November 8

Toast Pink Presents: Diamonds are Forever

▶6-11 p.m.

the Flanders Hotel, 719 e . 11th St., Ocean city

Save the Date for toast Pink’s annual fundraising gala featuring gourmet dining, auctions and dancing to the e xceptions. toast Pink is a 501c3 charitable organization with a mission to financially assist cancer patients and their families in our local communities. tickets are $150 and can be purchased online at www. toastpink.org.

Saturday, November 9

EHT Holiday Craft Show

▶9 a.m.-3 p.m.

egg Harbor township community center, 5045 english creek Ave.

Join eHt recreation for its 14th Annual Holiday craft Show, featuring a diverse assortment of jewelry,

crafts, home décor, local artists and much more. You are sure to find a special holiday gift for everyone on your list. Admission is free.

Photography Course: Scenic Beauty of the Shore

▶10 a.m.-Noon

Somers Point Senior center, 22 N. Ambler road

t he Somers Point Arts commission is offering a three-session Photography course this fall to capture the Scenic beauty at the Shore. Dates will be Saturdays, Nov. 9, 16 and 30. cost is $30 per person for all three sessions. Anyone 18 and over is welcome to register regardless of skill level. b ring only cameras that have manual controls; no cell phone cameras. You will learn incredible photo taking techniques from an experienced professional, with topics ranging from planning to capturing and editing that perfect seashore photo. Pre-registration and payment required by visiting http://somersptarts.weebly.com.

Meggan’s Fight is Our Fight: Making Moves Against Cancer

▶4-8 p.m.

b rigantine elks Lodge, 400 W. Shore Drive

You’re invited to Join the Fight and Make Moves Against c ancer next Saturday. the b rigantine elks is hosting an event in support of lifelong brigantine resident Meggan and her battle with colon cancer. the evening will be filled with music by Melissa Marshall, food, raffles and a cash bar, with proceeds benefiting Meggan and her family. tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information, contact Dena at 609-377-0688, or Linda at 609412-7020.

Wednesday, November 13

Researching Your Jewish Roots

▶10:30 a.m.

Katz J cc , 501 N. Jerome Ave., Margate

Join Avraham Groll, vice president of JewishGen for the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York city, as he offers archival, historical, contextual and networking components people rely on when exploring their family roots. the presentation is presented by JFS Village by the Shore, Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust resource center at Stockton University and the Katz J cc rSVP by Nov. 6 by contacting tina Serota at 609-287-8872 or email tserota@ jfsatlantic.org.

Health and Wellness

Living in the Moment Group

▶Fridays, 10:30 a.m.

Mental Health Association of Atlantic county, 4 e . Jimmie Leeds road Suite 8, Galloway

Slow down and spend an hour with like-minded people working on developing gratitude, self-love and other character traits that encourage mindfulness. Weekly meetings include meaningful discussions, camaraderie and a group activity. For more information, call 609-652-3800, ext. 0306.

Dementia Support Group

▶Wednesday, Nov. 6, 1:30 p.m.

6009 Paul and thelma Lane, Mays Landing

Held on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 1:30 to 3 p.m. call Diane conover at 609-402-6966 for more information.

MHA Atlantic Family Meetings

▶thursday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.

these virtual support groups and educational programs are for individuals with a loved one affected by mental health and/or substance use disorders. Day and evening meetings include an educational segment as well as stress-reduction, self-care, resources and advocacy. Meetings are held at 10 a.m. on the second and fourth thursday, and 7 p.m. every third Wednesday. contact Gail christian at 609-652-3800, ext. 0301 or gchristian@mhanj.org to receive a meeting link.

NAMI Family Support and Connection

▶Monday, Nov. 11, 7 p.m.

St. Joseph’s catholic church, 606 Shore road, Somers Point

Hosted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). the Family Support Group is peer led for families , caregivers and loved ones of individuals with mental illness; connection is a recovery support group for adults 18+ living with a mental health condition. Participants gain the support of peers who understand their experience and insight into others’ challenges and successes. Visit www. namiacm.org or call 609-741-5125 for more information.

Lung Cancer Screening Event

▶Saturday, Nov. 23, 8 a.m.-Noon Shore Medical center, 100 Medical center Way, Somers Point Shore Medical center, a member of the Penn Medicine cancer Network, and Advanced Shore Imaging Associates are working together to offer free screenings and consultations provided by Shore Physicians Group. If you are between the ages of 50 and 80 and a current smoker or have quit smoking in the last 15 years, a low-dose ct scan may be right for you. call 609-653-3440 for your appointment. Do you have an upcoming event? Let us know about it! Submit your next event to shorelocalevents@gmail.com.

Egg Harbor Township Bags Against Bullies chapter separates from school district

When a local chapter of the non-profit group ‘ bags Against bullies’ was launched three years ago in the egg Harbor township School District, it was greeted with praise, the organizer said.

“ t he outpouring was amazing,” said organizer Dominic Pugliese, a township resident and soccer coach.

Pugliese and wife, Andrea, organized the local chapter of the group to support schools in spreading kindness among students and bringing awareness and understanding of the impacts of bullying through empathy education.

but earlier this year, Pugliese said he came under fire from school district officials and bags Against bullies is no longer supported by the township school district.

Pugliese said he also is facing a harassment charge filed against him by a member of the township school board, Patrick Ireland.

Kimberly Gruccio, superintendent of schools for the district, did not

return a request for comment.

At the end of 2022, two township elementary schools participated in two Weeks of Kindness, an initiative introduced by the Puglieses. t hey provided drawstring backpacks, drawstrings and bracelets with positive messages.

Pugliese said they were so successful that the school district assistant superintendent George West asked them to add two more schools to participate in their anti-bullying program.

In February, Pugliese said he started getting tagged on social media by parents from Linwood and Galloway and egg Harbor township who expressed concerns about bullying in their school districts.

“So, I made a post on our Facebook page and said ‘Hey, we are going to be at barista’s coffee House in Linwood and if anyone wanted to come talk, we would listen,” Pugliese said.

Pugliese said West, the school district’s anti-bullying coordinator, questioned him about the meeting with the parents at the coffee shop.

“ because we offered to talk to parents about their bullying concerns, we

were told by our district’s antibullying coordinator and assistant superintendent that we couldn’t be trusted,” Pugliese said.

“Honestly, we wouldn’t be here at this point if Mr. West didn’t attack us. All it did was raise red flags,” he said.

then came the attacks on social media from an anonymous Facebook page, Pugliese said.

“We were attacked and ridiculed by a fake Facebook profile that has been tied to the school board,” Pugliese said.

the bags Against bullies partnership with the schools ended Feb. 29, he said.

Pugliese met with Gruccio on May 7, and the harassment complaint was filed at the township police department the same day – but not signed until August 2. Pugliese said he has retained an attorney to have the ac

“We wanted to give people an outlet to talk,” Pugliese said of the coffee shop meeting. “One time we went no one came. the next meeting, five people came.”

Pugliese said he would like to see the school district’s administration held accountable for their actions.

“We started off with a great cause,” said Pugliese, who previously had received letters of praise signed by teachers and from West.

“Ultimately we were trying to make an effort to curb bullying or make kids realize your actions have an impact on other people,” Pugliese said.

He claims the school district is avoiding him and trying to intimidate him.

“ they’re actively avoiding me and the issue. they do the same thing ev-

Dominic & Andrea Pugliese, founders of Bags Against Bullies

Local teen excels in a different sport

Up until a few years ago, the only cowboys b ill Ward was familiar with wore stars on their football helmets. His knowledge of bulls was reserved for Michael Jordan. t he closest the b uena Vista township resident had come to a rodeo was driving past cowtown on route 40 on his way to the Delaware Memorial bridge.

“I knew absolutely nothing about the sport,” said Ward, the varsity wrestling coach at St. Augustine Prep. that all changed during covid.

Unable to play baseball or wrestle during the pandemic, younger son Luke accompanied his mother, Valarie, to a local ranch to try horseback riding.

Luke, now a 14-year-old freshman at St. Augustine, has developed into one of the top young cowboys in the country.

this year, he repeated as chute dogging champion at the New Jersey High School rodeo Association event, then placed 16th out of 150 competitors at the National Junior High Finals rodeo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.

In addition, he teamed with Linwood’s Maddie Allen, 11, to earn sixth place in their heat in ribbon roping at Nationals.

“I really enjoy it,” Luke said. “I’m probably going to focus on wrestling and baseball in high school, but I can also see myself competing (in rodeos). It’s a lot of fun.”

He said he’s found that his wrestling background comes in handy in chute dogging.

In that event, a competitor races out of a chute with a steer, then tries to wrestle it to the ground in a matter of seconds.

Luke qualified for the finals by taking third in his heat in 4.29 seconds. Hence the term, “grabbing the bull by the horns.”

“ b eing involved with wrestling definitely helps,” Luke said. “You have to have the same mindset in chute dogging.”

teamwork is the key in ribbon roping.

In that event, Luke chases a calf out of the chute while aboard his horse, cooper, lassos it, then jumps

Ten ways to make the most of November

As November rolls in, it brings a sense of coziness and reflection. With thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to embrace gratitude, connect with loved ones and indulge in seasonal delights. From experimenting with comforting recipes in the kitchen to enjoying the beauty of nature on crisp autumn walks, the month offers a wealth of opportunities to savor every moment.

Here are 10 ways to make the most of this cozy month.

1. Focus on gratitude reflect on what you’re thankful for as thanksgiving approaches. A fun way to focus on gratitude is by purchasing a notebook and using it as a gratitude journal.

2. Try a new recipe

Another aspect of coziness is comfort foods and baked goods. Whether it’s a creamy mac and cheese or a sweet treat, warm up your kitchen with delicious aromas while experimenting with your taste

buds. Not only will you have something yummy to eat when you’re done, but your home will be filled with the delicious scents.

3. Spend time with friends and family

t he fall and winter months are the perfect time to embrace the spirit of togetherness with gatherings like Friendsgiving or thanksgiving. Share laughter, stories and your favorite dishes with loved ones.

4. Plan a cozy movie or Netflix marathon

Gather your favorite blankets and snacks for a cozy night in. Select classic fall films and t V shows to enjoy with loved ones, making for a perfect way to unwind together. Some fall favorites are “Gilmore Girls,” “ the Vampire Diaries,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “Little Women.”

5. Get started with your Christmas shopping beat the holiday rush by starting your christmas shopping early. Make a list, find thoughtful gifts and enjoy the satisfaction of being prepared for the festive season well before most of your friends and family.

6. Practice some self-care November is the perfect time to focus on self-care. take a warm bath, read a good book or practice mindfulness. Prioritizing your well-being will help you navigate the busy holiday season ahead with ease.

7. Take a cold-weather walk or hike

bundle up and enjoy the crisp autumn air with a scenic walk or hike.

Get some fresh air and appreciate fall’s beautiful landscape.

8. Volunteer

Give back to your community this November by volunteering at a local food bank or shelter. Helping those in need is a meaningful way to spread kindness during the holiday season.

9. Get crafty

embrace the cozy vibes of November by tackling a puzzle, craft project or making your own autumn-themed decorations, like wreaths or table centerpieces, to add a personal touch to your home. It’s a relaxing way to spend time indoors, and you’ll have something to show for your creativity by the end of the month.

10. Attend a sports game

With fall comes football. Whether cheering on your team in the stands or watching from home with friends, it’s a great way to spend a weekend day.

November is a beautiful month that offers cozy activities both indoors and outdoors. Whether you’re making something or focusing on relaxation, there’s something for everyone. Happy November!

Photo credit: Elizabeth Chiola

Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall:

Those of a certain age still call it convention Hall, although it was renamed Jim Whelan boardwalk Hall in 1997, in honor of the former mayor. Whatever one calls it, the cavernous facility at 2301 b oardwalk, which opened in 1929, is one of the last remaining structures from Atlantic city’s golden age.

though rarely used for conventions since the convention center opened in 1997, the 10,500-seat venue is still used for concerts, boxing matches and other sporting events. It is perhaps best known for hosting the Miss America Pageant from 1940 through 2004, and again from 2013 through 2019.

t he building’s stats were in -

credible when it opened and remain incredible today.

According to its original program, “ the barrel ceiling consists of painted aluminum tiles and is decorated to resemble r oman bath tiles. It extends over 196,000 square feet. t he building’s forward section is slightly rotated to align with the boardwalk, while the hall itself is aligned to the street grid.”

Its pipe organ is said to be “the world’s largest musical instrument; a pipe organ with over 33,000 pipes, eight chambers, the world’s largest console with seven manuals (keyboards), and over 1,000 stops used to adjust the instrument’s sounds and timbres.”

Some of the events held there have reached legendary status, including the 1964 Democratic con -

vention, seven Mike tyson boxing matches, and concerts starring the b eatles, the rolling Stones, b ruce Springsteen, celine Dion, the Who, beyonce, Madonna, Lady Gaga, britney Spears, and many others. Last April, the hall hosted the Atlantic city b eer Festival featuring Goldfinger, cliffdiver, Keep Flying, Hot Mulligan, Free throw and Just Friends. Other concerts held there through the years include cher on Dec. 10 of

1999, Luciano Pavarotti and the New Jersey Symphony in June of 1992, a November 1982 show with Kenny rogers and Larry Gatlin; ray charles over the July 4 weekend of 1980; Helen O’connell and a big band salute on July 12 of 1973, and barbra Streisand on Aug. 27, 1964.

two other shows deserve special mention. Still riding high after her April 1961 triumph at carnegie Hall, Judy Garland performed on Aug. 4 and Aug. 8 of 1961 at convention Hall. She stayed at the claridge, where many visiting celebrities of the day stayed. From there, she sold out the Hollywood bowl, repeating many of the numbers performed in the carnegie Hall show on Sept. 16.

Frank Sinatra’s first concert in Atlantic city after gambling was legalized was not at resorts International. Mr. S. performed at convention Hall on Oct. 29, 1978, to benefit the Atlantic city Medical center. His last song was “America the beautiful.” I know. I was there. His first shows at resorts didn’t take place until the week of April 12, 1979.

It’s unfortunate that complete records of pre-1960s events at the convention Hall don’t exist. b ut in the course of doing research for this piece, something quite extraordinary popped up. the Jimmie Lunceford big band, barely remembered today, and one of the most important and influential ensembles to come out of the swing era, performed at convention Hall.

the Lunceford band was an allblack group best known for its tight section work, top-notch soloists, and a rhythmic feel that influenced countless swing bands. Given that Atlantic city was totally segregated until the 1964 passage of the civil right Act, it came as a great surprise to find that the Lunceford band actually played

a concert at convention Hall on Aug. 28, 1941. the band played Atlantic city before and after that date, but those performances took place at club Paradise, a black nightclub which actually catered to a white clientele.

In addition to boxing, a number of indoor events were held there through the years. Soccer, college football, basketball, ice hockey, wrestling matches, midget car races, the Ice capades and tennis tournaments all took place at convention Hall.

t he storied venue was, for decades, an essential presentation venue for all kinds of big events on the major arena circuit. billboard magazine recognized it as the top-grossing mid-sized arena in the U.S. in 2003 and 2004.

Long before it hosted big concerts, convention Hall, as well as many of the city’s larger hotels, was used to train and house members of the military during World War II.

In a 1992 article in t he Philadelphia Inquirer, William H. Sokolic, a Shore Local contributor, wrote, “ convention Hall became a central point for the military, both socially and professionally. the quartermaster had offices in the hall, as did the chaplains and their staff. In May 1942, the city fathers turned the keys to the resort over to the Army.

“ the World’s Playground became camp boardwalk. You stepped out of a hotel and you were in a military camp. Atlantic c ity became the only town in the continental United States that was transformed into a military base. Until January of 1946, the resort served first as a basic training center for Army Air corps and coast Guard recruits, then as a redistribution center for returning airmen.

“All the hotels were taken over for barracks. chalfonte-Haddon Hall was named thomas england General Hospital during the war. It may have

seemed like the cushiest spot in the military: beachfront living in some of the ritziest hotels in the country. but the city’s hotels, from the b reakers on Virginia Avenue to the President on Albany Avenue, were stripped of almost all furnishings.

“Instead of beautifully decorated suites, soldiers found bare walls and concrete floors. Standard Army cots replaced soft beds. each of the major hotels had its own mess hall and PX. troops bunking in the smaller hotels ate their meals in larger ones such as the claridge.

“Almost 300,000 soldiers spent time in Atlantic city during the war. Among the more famous were Glenn Miller, Mickey rooney, b roderick crawford, Henry Mancini and Donald O’connor.”

Fortunately for the city and for those who book shows and events, boardwalk Hall has not been left to deteriorate. A $90 million restoration project took place in 2001. And, as reported by Stephen Klenk in these pages not long ago, the Historic Organ restoration committee, with “fewer than a dozen volunteers who graciously provide their skills and services to the organization,” are in the midst of restoring the famed pipe organ.

boardwalk Hall, was deservedly recognized for its engineering as a Historic civil engineering Landmark in 1983, and as a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987. that is as it should be. After all, it all happened here.

Bruce Klauber is the author of four books, an award-winning music journalist, concert and record producer and publicist, producer of the Warner Brothers and Hudson Music "Jazz Legends" film series, and performs both as a drummer and vocalist.

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Let’s make a wheel: Ferris vs. Somers

Ocean city is losing its beloved Ferris wheel, but it could have very well been an Observational roundabout.

that was the name given by the inventor of the first attraction we know now as a Ferris wheel, according to historians.

George Washington Gale Ferris, a structural steel engineer from Pittsburgh, built the first steel Ferris wheel which he premiered at the chicago World’s Fair on May 1, 1893. t he fair was called the columbian exposition, as it was dedicated to the anniversary of christopher columbus’ first trip to America.

Ferris’ wheel cost over $300,000 to build, rose to a height of 250 feet (by comparison the Wonderland Pier wheel is 144 feet tall), and was a popular attraction that made much more money than it cost to build.

b ut William Somers, from Atlantic county, and part of the famous Somers Family that settled Somers

Point and surroundings, took exception to Ferris’ wheel. born in 1849 to Samuel and rebecca Somers, William’s father was a bayman, oysterman and innkeeper, like many of the locals of that era. eventually William moved to Atlantic city where he married Hannah Middleton of berlin, camden county. they had upwards of 10 children (records on the number vary).

William became a carpenter

and designed an amusement wheel based on an 1870 wheel that was erected on the beach in Atlantic city. He built a wooden wheel in 1891 in Atlantic city, and later, built two more that were set up in Asbury Park, and coney Island, N.Y.

Somers called his wheel an “Observational roundabout.” It held 32 people who paid five cents each for a ride, and rose 50 feet in the air to give spectacular views.

Somers’ Observational roundabouts were powered by coal-fired

steam engines which were as noisy as a train, and drew some neighbors’ complaints. b ut the Atlantic city roundabout was destroyed by fire from an exploding gasoline lamp, though no one was injured.

Somers had his Observational roundabout patented in 1892 so when he learned about Ferris’ wheel in chicago he sued. Ferris acknowledged in court that he rode Somers’ wheel in Atlantic city in 1891, so Somers won the first round in court, but he lost on appeal.

While Ferris became famous,

Somers just faded away. Glenn corbett, an amusement park history buff said, “ the poor guy Somers just gets mowed over.”

Although famous, Ferris didn’t make out too well. He sued the World’s Fair organizers for stealing money from him, and his marriage

broke up. Within three years he was dead of typhoid fever.

Unlike Ferris, William Somers lived a long and prosperous life. He moved to c amden, then collingswood, before he got into the movie theater business, operating the Levoy in Millville before opening the first movie theater in Vineland. He also promoted plays and vaudeville theater.

He retired in 1920 and lived in Audubon until his wife died in 1932 when he moved in with his daughter in Vineland. He died in 1935 and is buried at the Mt. Pleasant cemetery in Millville.

Wonderland Pier was founded in 1965 by roy Gillian, father of the current mayor Jay. While it remains unclear what will happen next to the shuttered Wonderland Pier property, it seems all but certain that the iconic Ferris wheel and carousel, both hallmarks of the

pier and the community, will go as new owner eustace Mita advances his plans. In early 2023 his proposal for a $150 million, 325-room hotel was rejected by the city.

Now the question remains as to what will become of the classic carousel and the landmark Ferris wheel. the new owners have not announced their plans, whether there will be an auction of these treasures or otherwise.

With Wonderland Pier covered in white wash, one can only guess.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Longport Inn: When there was plenty of room at the inn

The b orough of Longport was officially established in 1898. t he record will show that, other than the building of luxury homes and condos, being one of the wealthiest zip codes in the state of New Jersey, and surviving some devastating storms over the years, not all that much has happened in the 126 years since the town was incorporated.

And that’s not a bad thing. Just ask the 900 or so full-time residents (that number is according to the 2020 census). they like their peace and quiet, which is likely why there is no shopping to speak of, and only two restaurants of note: Ozzie’s and catch restaurant & bar.

I have three memories of Longport from my youth: My father took me there to go fishing on what my dad called “the rocks,” I knew it was a place where I could never afford to live, and that Longport was the summer home of former Philadelphia Mayor James H.J. tate and his cronies.

t he truth today is that Longport is a charming, quiet, beautiful and strictly residential stretch of land. However, as a wise sage once said, people can’t live on peace and quiet alone. Hence, circa 1915, an establishment first called Longport Log cabin Inn was built by a couple named Jim and rose Julian.

It changed ownership and names several times through the years. It was known, at various times, as Flynn’s Longport Inn, cook’s Longport Inn, and simply Longport Inn, but for almost a century, it was the place in Longport to drink, dine, dance and gather.

place. It has almost 700 members. Here’s a sampling of remembrances:

“Guests can enjoy a variety of options, from succulent crab cakes to hearty burgers, all prepared with quality ingredients. t he restaurant features both indoor and outdoor seating, allowing patrons to soak in the beautiful coastal views while dining. Longport Inn is an ideal spot for families looking for a casual meal or for anyone wanting to unwind after a day at the beach. With its relaxed vibe and delicious offerings, it has become a beloved local gem in the community.”

Although the inn was much more genteel than Margate’s barbary coast bars and restaurants, it is still vividly remembered, 23 years after it was torn down, as a warm and friendly place for good food, and plenty of good fellowship.

there is a Facebook group called, “I Worked, Ate or Drank at Longport Inn,” that’s totally devoted to the

“Simply the finest martini ever, and I’ve been at some pretty swank watering holes.”

— Marcy brafman.

“I started to go to Cook’s Longport Inn in the early 1950s and we have many fond memories of it.”

— John Montone

“We had a wonderful staff everyone loved, and every Saturday night, all the locals were here to eat, drink and dance. The staff was wonderful and that’s what kept the local people coming back. The food was so delicious and the head chef, Jonathan Karp, was so creative. To this day, I truly believe his food was made with love and passion. I certainly miss those days, the wonderful staff, the wonderful, local people, and people from everywhere else. We thought of everyone as one big happy family. That was one of the greatest times of my life. We miss the good old days, but they can never be repeated. I thank God for one of the best things in my life.”

— Sandy Kanoff-Davidson, third owner, with her husband, Don

“So many fun memories. I was born and raised just down the street in Margate. Enjoyed this restaurant and dancing spot.”

the best descriptions of the venue exist by way of outdated but never-deleted online reviews of the inn.

“Longport Inn is a charming restaurant located in the picturesque town of Longport, New Jersey,” the description read. “Known for its welcoming atmosphere and friendly service, this establishment offers a diverse menu that highlights fresh seafood and classic American dishes.

What was not included in the review, but was casually mentioned by owner Sandy Kanoff-Davidson, was that the inn often featured live music and dancing, with the live music frequently provided by one of more swinging, non-casino groups, Jackie Jordan and the Jackpots, later regulars at the crab trap in Somers Point and Sherlock’s in Atlantic city.

One of the most beloved owners of the inn was billy ray, who acquired the place after owning bill ray’s tavern in Philadelphia and the Searstown tavern in the old Shore Mall, egg Harbor township.

According to a piece in the Press of Atlantic city, written by Martin DeAngelis in December of 2011, ray and his wife, bea, moved to the Longport area full time in the late 1960s.

“He drew a good crowd at the Searstown until he sold it in the early 1980s to relax,” DeAngelis wrote. “ but as a retiree, he was a failure. He had to stay busy, and he just liked the bar business. So a year or so later, he became managing partner of the Longport Inn. It was a full-service restaurant, too, but it still had a lively bar and bill liked running a hometown spot. He retired again after 10 or so years.” bill ray died at the age of 94 in 2011.

Longport Inn, located at 3103 Atlantic Ave., was demolished in 2001. Not long after, the vacant site was zoned for single-family homes, which is what’s there now.

We don’t know for sure why the Longport Inn no longer stands, although property values likely had something to do with it. the six single-family homes that were built on the parcel occupied by the inn added up to much more value than could be generated by an Irish bar and restaurant, no matter how good it was, or how long it stood.

Such is progress.

Enjoy heartfelt hospitality and plant-based dining options at Josie Kelly’s Public House

gluten free, it can be difficult to find a restaurant that offers all these dietary preferences and does it well; a place where you are not just eating a house salad.

enter Josie Kelly’s Public House on Shore road in Somers Point which has something for everyone and is making it a mission to offer healthier options for all tastes.

mer Mac’s restaurant, was sitting dormant since 2016.

When someone in your group is plant based, vegetarian, vegan or

Kathleen and Dermot Lloyd purchased the building in 2018. the for-

5 WEEKENDS OF HOLIDAY FUN

NOV 23

Holiday Kickoff at Mudhen

NOV 27 – JAN 1

Holiday Window Decorating Contest

Display at the Wildwoods Convention Center & Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce – FREE

NOV 29 – DEC 8

Wildwoods Holiday Restaurant Week – NEW!

NOV 29

Family Holiday Beach Bonfire

NOV 29 – DEC 1

Christmas in North Wildwood – FREE

NOV 30

Wildwoods Holiday Shopping Village/ Small Business Saturday – FREE

DEC 1, 8, 15, & 22

Holidays at HenVille: Shopping Village – FREE

DEC 3

Wildwood Crest Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony – FREE

DEC 6

Greater Wildwood Jaycees Christmas Parade – FREE

DEC 6

Downtown Wildwood Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – FREE

t hey did some major renovations, and renamed it after Dermot’s grandma, Josie Kelly, who is from Adare, a village in county Limerick in Ireland. Josie is a former culinary instructor, pastry chef and amazing cook. Many of the recipes on the menu are hers.

DEC 6 - 7

Greater Wildwood Jaycees Downtown Wildwood Christmas in the Plaza – FREE

DEC 7

North Wildwood Tree Lighting Ceremony – FREE

DEC 7

Santa Paws in North Wildwood – FREE

DEC 7

Wildwood Holiday Spectacular Concert – NEW!

DEC 8

Holiday Tree Jubilee in Wildwood Crest

DEC 13 - 14

Wildwood’s Winter Wonderland at Holly Beach Park – FREE

DEC 14

Family Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Wildwoods Convention Center – FREE

DEC 14

Pinch the ‘GrYnch’ Boardwalk 5K Run

DEC 14 12 Pubs of Christmas

DEC 16

Wildwood Crest Holiday Light Walk – FREE

DEC 20 - 21

Wildwood’s Winter Wonderland at Holly Beach Park – FREE

t he Lloyds are no strangers to the restaurant/hospitality industry. Dermot has a degree in hospitality from University college b irmingham, england, and has worked in the hospitality field for most of his career. Kathleen has worked in food and beverage and attended the Atlantic cape community college Academy of culinary Arts.

I sat down with Kathleen who took the time out of her busy schedule as being mom to three boys, overseeing restaurant operations, doing charity work in the community to see what inspired her to offer vegan options on the menu.

She is focused on health and wellness and the impact that things like pollution are having on our food supply. Kathleen said we are the second generation of consumers who are dependent on packaged food. Noting that her sister has been diagnosed

with celiac, she wanted to have menu options that are safe for those with allergies, and are healthy, delicious and not processed. While they do not use any fake meat products in their menu, they do use vegan replacements like vegan mayo, tofu and nutritional yeast. Josie Kelly’s has a separate menu for gluten free and has the vegan and vegetarian options clearly labeled. they have a dedicated fryer for these items. there are also symbols similar to a caution sign you see in your car when you have a flat tire. the symbols communicate to customers that the dish needs to be modified to adjust to the dietary preference. the trinity knot symbol means the dish is vegan, and the leaf symbol is

for vegetarian options. One note indicates that the balsamic dressing has honey in it, so consider choosing the sherry vinaigrette; it is delicious and vegan.

the most popular menu item for vegans is the garden pie. I was told even non vegans come in for it. the recipe comes from a friend of Kathleen’s who writes a food blog. It is my favorite also and the reason I first started dining at Josie Kelly’s, besides its charming atmosphere.

truck and it can be booked for private events, employee appreciation days and festivals.

the dish includes lentils and veggies topped with vegan mashed potatoes and comes in a cast iron pan with a side salad of arugula. It’s a warming, hardy and so good. I am also a fan of their sweet potato fries with a side of the vegan aioli.

the top seller on the menu is the sprouted flatbread, which is gluten free but vegetarian because there is cheese inside the crust. topped with shaved brussels sprouts and drizzled with vegan aioli, it is a favorite for those who are gluten free. Kathleen said, “ t he key is to make it tasty enough that everyone wants to eat it.”

the vegan fab cakes are not gluten free but are homemade with hearts of palm, panko and are a top seller on Josie Kelly’s Food truck. Yes, I haven’t gotten to that part. they have a food

Another vegan dish on the menu is the Farmer’s Medley and I tried it for the first time on this visit. It includes roasted cabbage, broccoli, red onions, leeks, carrots, with pistachio pesto on top of whipped tofu. I was digging under all the veggies to get to that spread. It was so delicious I wanted a container to go. Kathleen’s favorite dish is the Queen city Salad topped with a fab cake. the restaurant setting is quiet, charming and feels like a place where you would want to stay a while. Hence there are many regulars who dine there. the night I visited there was live music and it made for an enjoyable dining experience. I was even singing along. there are also two private rooms. there is the whiskey bar which holds up to 50 people and has its own balcony with views of the Ocean city bridge. It is great for retirement parties and baby showers. the Adare ballroom holds up to 200 and has live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. It is also great as a wedding venue and they even had a vegan wedding with a custom menu. they did takeout during cOVID when inside dining was closed. they learned some new techniques, including serving some items in brown bags, such as fries, to keep them from getting soggy. It’s these little details with the consumer in mind that Kathleen and Dermot focus on. She feels good when people thank her.

Josie Kelly’s is closed e aster, thanksgiving and christmas which is different than most restaurants, but a nice break for their employees to spend the holidays with their friends and families.

While I was dining and enjoying the live music, a customer came up to talk to me, overhearing that I was

vegan and gluten free. Gerri Shober, from Lancaster, Pa., was there dining with a friend for the first time. She is vegetarian and gluten free and we bonded over the struggles we often face when eating out. We recalled the days of having to carry nuts/seeds for protein and our own salad dressing in our handbags so that we would not impose when we were dining with friends.

She shared that Kathleen had stopped at her table and asked, “did we represent you well?” Gerri said they did and is looking forward to a second visit during the week before heading back to Pennsylvania.

Chef Christina Martin is a dedicated chef educator, passionate advocate for healthy eating, and mother. Christina’s expertise has been spotlighted in Independent Restaurateur Magazine and she has been awarded 2024 Chef Educator of the Year from the Professional Chef Association of South Jersey.

t his quote by the Irish Poet
William b utler Yeats sums up Josie Kelly’s Public House: “ there are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet.”

County completes EHT bridge reconstruction 3 months early

Somers Point-Mays Landing road in egg Harbor township was reopened to motorists Friday, Oct. 25 – three months earlier than expected following the completion of the reconstruction of bridge eH-29 over Lakes creek.

t he detour had been in place on the roadway between Steelmanville road and english creek Avenue since Jan. 22, 2024. During that time, the county received numerous complaints from residents about the inconvenience, especially during the summer months.

the volume of traffic we would experience today.”

He said the county minimizes the inconvenience as much as possible.

“ there are no good detours,” said Atlantic county e xecutive Dennis Levinson. “In Atlantic county, many of our roads evolved from old Indian and horse trails used by wagons and stagecoaches, without any idea of

“In this case, we were fortunate to have had favorable weather conditions and readily available resources that enabled us to keep things moving, so much so that we completed the job ahead of schedule. We’re pleased with this positive outcome.”

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J e s s H i m m e l M e d i u m s h i p & O r a c l e R e a

W e a r e a c o l l e c t i v e o f h e a l i n g a r t i s t s o f f e r i n g a w i d e v a r i e t y o f h e a l i n g s e r v i c e s a n d e d u c a t i o n i n c l u d i n g A s t r o l o g y , A r o m a t h e r a p y , C o a c h i n g , R e a d i n g s , O r g o n e E n e r g y P i e c e s , O n l i n e / I n - P e r s o n C l a s s e s a n d W o r k s h o p s , H e a l i n g C i r c l e s a n d L I V E R e a d i n g s e v e r y T u e s d a y a t 1 1 : 3 0 a m o n o u r F A C E B O O K P A G E !

photo credit Google Maps

Small Business Government Purchasing Event Empowers Local Entrepreneurs

The Atlantic county economic Alliance (Ace A) and the New Jersey Small business Development center (NJSb Dc) hosted a successful Small b usiness Government Purchasing event at Stockton University’s Atlantic city campus. Small business owners from across Atlantic county and beyond attended to learn and network, while industry experts offered insights on government procurement.

Lauren Moore, president of AceA, highlighted the event’s impact: “ today’s gathering was a powerful demonstration of how small businesses can navigate government contracts to grow and diversify Atlantic county’s economy. the enthusiasm from attendees underscores the crucial role these insights play in driving business growth.”

the event aimed to foster economic development by connecting local entrepreneurs with procurement professionals, underscoring the strength and potential of the business community in Atlantic county. It also emphasized the importance of government contracting as a pathway

to expanded opportunities.

Anthony Miller, business development manager at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, shared his reflections on the event: “connecting with local entrepreneurs and discussing strategies for accessing government procurement was incredibly rewarding. the exchange of ideas will undoubtedly help businesses excel in this competitive field.”

Max Slusher, Ace A’s director of business development, expressed his satisfaction with the event's success: “ this event achieved its goal of

empowering regional businesses. by providing practical knowledge and connecting entrepreneurs with key

decision-makers, we are supporting our community’s growth in government contracting.”

t he Ace A is committed to supporting the local business community through initiatives like this, reaffirming its role as a catalyst for economic development.

For more information on the Ace A, visit aceanj.com or contact Lauren Moore at (609) 245-0019 or lmoore@aceanj.com. For details on the NJSb Dc , visit njsbdc.com or contact Stockton Sb Dc regional Director Mark rizzo at (609) 626-3888 or mark.rizzo@stockton.edu.

What’s happening in Ocean City

Registration open for Trail of Two Cities 5K

The trail of two c ities 5-kilometer run/walk will be held for the 29th time on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. the popular 5K (3.1-mile) race offers spectacular views over the length of a point-to-point course from Ocean city to Somers Point. the route travels the length of the route 52 causeway in the lanes usually reserved for cars.

buses will be available at the finish line in Somers Point to transport runners to the start in Ocean city before the race and to transport runners back to Ocean city from Somers Point after the race.

registration is open now, and a discounted pre-registration fee of $25 will be available through 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30. Online registration and further information are available at www.ocnj.us/race-events

Coming up in November and December

Veterans Day Program (Nov. 11): 11 a.m. inside the Ocean city tabernacle (550 Wesley Avenue).

Winterfest by the Sea (Nov. 16): the fifth annual Winterfest b y the Sea Holiday Shopping extravaganza at the Ocean city civic center includes craft vendors, food vendors and a strolling Santa will be present. Shopping hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Earlier than the Bird” Downtown Shopping Extravaganza (Nov. 23): 8 a.m. to noon. Get out “earlier than the bird” and jump-start your holiday shopping the weekend before thanksgiving. Shop in your pajamas for early-bird shopping specials.

Horse and Carriage Rides (Nov. 23, 29, 30 and Dec. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22): Free rides along decorated downtown Asbury Avenue from noon to 3 p.m. with boarding at Sixth Street.

Lucinda Williams and Her Band (Nov. 23): the concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Ocean city Music Pier. tickets available at etix.com.

Fast & Furriest 5K Turkey Trot (Nov. 28): Annual 5K running race on the Ocean city boardwalk benefits the Humane Society of Ocean city. For more information call 609-3989500 ext. 4 or visit hsocnj.org.

Christmas in the Downtown –“Our Miracle on Asbury Avenue” (Nov. 29): 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Join the merchants and chamber in kicking off an old-fashioned Downtown christmas. the Ocean city Fire Department will be ready in case Santa makes his usual landing on the roof of city Hall at 5 p.m.

Photos with Santa in a Lifeguard Boat (Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22): 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ocean city Music Pier.

Christmas Parade (Dec. 6): 6 p.m. on Asbury Avenue from 6th Street to 11th Street.

Santa in the Downtown (Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22): 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Mark Soifer Park (9th Street and Asbury Avenue).

adorned with thousands of christmas lights and shop for some for the best gifts this holiday season.

Anastasia: The Musical (Youth Edition) (Dec. 14 and 15): Presented by the Ocean city theatre company’s Junior company, the musical is a 60-minute adaptation of the b roadway hit specially tailored for young actors. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ocean city Music Pier. tickets can be purchased at www.oceancitytheatrecompany. com.

Train Show (Dec. 7 and 8): 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Ocean city Music Pier. Admission free.

Festive Fridays Along Downtown Asbury Avenue (Dec. 13 and 20): Join downtown Ocean city merchants as they celebrate the holiday season with shopping specials. enjoy horseand-carriage rides from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. departing at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue through the downtown

First Night New Year’s Eve Celebration (Dec. 31): A complete schedule of entertainment and tickets for this family-friendly New Year’s eve celebration are available at www. FirstNightOcNJ.com.

First Day (Jan. 1, 2025): celebrate New Year’s Day with a Shopping e xtravaganza on downtown Asbury Avenue, a 5K run on the boardwalk (1 p.m.) and the annual First Dip in the Atlantic Ocean (2 p.m.).

SEASONS ARE CHANGING IS YOUR SYSTEM READY?

Kitchen, Bathroom

Renovations

TRUSTED SINCE 1949

Tremendous End-of-Season Savings

Dealing with drought in the garden

Let It Grow

We don’t normally associate the month of October with drought, but this

year we have experienced a near record-breaking dry fall coupled with a scary hot Halloween. While our gardens beg for rain, let us consider ways to deal with drought in the garden. One way to conserve water in the garden is to mulch around your plants. Mulch will help retain moisture in the soil and insulate the roots of your plants from both extreme heat and extreme cold. Let’s face it, these beautiful warm days won’t last forever. Winter is coming, and mulch will provide the extra layer of protection your plants need to survive harsh conditions. As the mulch breaks down, it will give the added benefit of providing nutrients to the soil. Mulch will also help control weeds. Keeping your garden weeded will help eliminate competition for water. continue to water your plants when possible. Normally this time of year, the garden takes care of itself and begins to wind down into a peaceful state of rest. but with high temperatures and the lack of rain, you should give your plants a little extra help to get through this unseasonable spell. However, be wise about watering. A deep soaking twice a week will be better for your plants than a quick, daily, shallow sprinkle. Water your plants early in the morning so that the roots have time to absorb water before the hot sun evaporates all of

your hard work. You want to keep your plants as healthy as possible now before they enter the front lines of winter, since stressed plants will be more susceptible to disease, drought,

and cold.

Using native perennials will help your garden overcome drought situations. When planted in their native habitat, these plants will be better adapted to our soil and climate. consequently, they will be able to handle a short time of drought. Normally, fall is an ideal time to add new pe -

rennials to your garden, but choose a cooler day for planting, and make sure you keep newly planted perennials well-watered. e ven drought-tolerant plants will be susceptible to dry conditions until their roots are well-established. Some drought-tolerant native plants to consider are: liatris (blazing star), purple coneflower, catmint, coreopsis, New Jersey tea (shrub), and butterfly weed. Soon enough, winter will be upon us and we will long for the beautiful days of October. enjoy this extra dose of sun and keep your gardens watered. We would love to hear how you have handled dry spells in your garden. Send your comments and questions to shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.

Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.

The Ocean City Theatre Company presents action-packed, mythical adventure with ‘The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical’

The Ocean c ity t heatre company is thrilled to present " the Lightning thief: the Percy Jackson Musical" this Saturday, Nov. 2, and Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Ocean city Music Pier. based on rick riordan's best-selling novel, this electrifying musical adventure will captivate audiences with its blend of mythological storytelling, catchy tunes, and powerful themes of friendship and heroism.

t he creative team consists of Morgan D'Alessio, b rinley edwards, Hannah b reed, James Hartman, Michael Dress and Laura bretherick and the show features a talented cast of 28 students in seventh-12th grades.

he doesn't want, and a mythology textbook's worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus's master lightning bolt is stolen, and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he must find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods."

" the Lightning thief: the Percy Jackson Musical" has received widespread acclaim for its innovative storytelling approach and ability to resonate with audiences of all ages. With music and lyrics by rob rokicki and a book by Joe tracz, the musical brings rick riordan's beloved characters to life in a memorable and enjoyable production. " the Lighting thief" is presented with permission from c oncord t heatricals and was originally commissioned, created, and produced Off- broadway by theaterWorksUSA.

"We are incredibly excited to bring ' the Lightning thief: the Percy Jackson Musical' to the Ocean city Music Pier Stage," said Michael Hartman, Octc's artistic director. " this story celebrates the power of friendship, courage, and self-discovery, and we believe it will resonate deeply with our students and audiences alike."

According to the book: "As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly discovered powers he can't control, a destiny

everything you

to spark your imagination this fall.

In addition to its captivating storyline and infectious music, " t he Lightning t hief: t he Percy Jackson Musical" also offers important messages about inclusivity and acceptance. t hrough its cast of characters and themes of empathy and understanding, the musical encourages audiences to embrace their differences and stand up for what is right.

Don't miss your chance to experience the magic of " the Lightning thief: the Percy Jackson Musical" this Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 3, at 2 p.m. at the Ocean city Music Pier! tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door starting 45 minutes prior to curtain or by visiting oceancitytheatrecompany.com. Questions, please call 609-398-1118.

Photo credit: Greater Ocean City Theatre Co. Facebook
Photo credit: Greater Ocean City Theatre Co. Facebook

Letter gets delivered 80 years later

Many of my readers ask me how I come up with my “Six Words on a b oardwalk b ench” ideas. It’s really just a matter of observing everyday life. things are happening all around us! Most of the time we just ignore them. We might sometimes think, “ that was unusual.” b ut when you are writing a weekly column, the way you hear, see and remember things is different. Suddenly, instead of just barely noticing things in passing, you come across an interesting occurrence and decide to share it with others. that’s where this week’s column comes from.

I’m going to tell you a few stories about “lost letters.” It was easy to find them. I just went to Google and started writing phrases in the search box. You know what I mean… you

want some information, and you just start searching.

I prefer to search with Google instead of c hatGP t. Why? As a columnist, I have to give attribution to the sources of my information. chatGPt is a great way to dredge up all kinds of information, but it is seldom attributed to the source. Instead, it is usually just a summary. Now, don’t get me wrong, chatGPt is excellent for a lot of things. My wife Jeanne is a total pro on the AI machine. I even use it in my college classes, and encourage my students to use it. However, when I’m publish -

ing something, I want to give credit to the original author.

Two WWII Letters Delivered Decades Later

I found two great examples of wartime letters that took nearly 80 years to arrive. the first was reported by Inside edition on Jan 7, 2024. the story was titled “Lost Letter Gets Delivered to Family Member 80 Years Later.” the letter was found in a post office in Dekalb, Illinois. It had been mailed to Lavena and Louie George in 1943 from Amboy, Illinois, 50 miles away, but had never been delivered. Once the letter was discovered, a postal worker went online and found an obituary for Lavena from 2012, and then located her granddaughter using social media. the granddaughter was thrilled to receive the letter.

A 2016 online article by D.J. MacLennan in MentalFloss.com was titled “15 Pieces of Mail Delivered Decades After they Were Sent.” It told the story of a british serviceman named charles Fleming. He sent a letter to his “dearest” in 1945. Somehow the original envelope had been lost. the letter and several photographs finally arrived at a royal Air Force base … in 2009.

You’ve Got Mail – 100+ Years Later

In the same “15 Pieces of Mail” article, the author told of a letter that was delivered to the 80-yearold great-granddaughter of a French gentleman. It was an order for yarn from his factory, which was only six miles from where the letter was sent. the letter arrived 138 years after it was mailed! remember that, the next time you complain about the U.S. Postal Service!

What Made Me Think of This?

Last week, I received an email from a gentleman named randy. He had just read my Sept. 7, 2023 column about working at Watson’s restaurant. Much of that column was contributed by Pete Davis, who rose from a dishwasher to the manager

BENCH

of Watson’s. randy was just 16 years old when he worked with Pete in 1974. He had some funny stories to share about that summer, like how his pants would get so dirty that he could literally stand them up in his room after a shift.

I received randy’s email during a very busy week, and it took me seven days to respond to him. When I eventually wrote to randy, I apologized for having taken so long to get back to him.

It was then that two things hit me. First, everything is so fast today that I felt a delay of one week needed to be accompanied by an apology. Second, randy found my column about 14 months after it was published, but it was still there, like everything else online. even though it took randy 14 months to read my column, I still thought I should apologize for my tardy response!

“C’mon. I Haven’t Got All Second!”

Years ago, when I was a professor at the University of central Florida, my graduate assistant gave an updated twist to the old saying “come on, I haven’t got all day.” We were waiting for the computer to do something, when he blurted out “ come on, I haven’t got all second!” I use that expression to this day. After all, it’s a new, fast-moving world out there.

You Have One Week to Reply

Okay, let’s hear from you! I’ll give you a week. After that, if you do write to me, you’ll have to apologize!

You can drop me an email to bill@ quain.com. And as I say each week, I’ll see ya in the papers!

Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.

Lucy the Elephant 1881
First Gasoline Powered Car 1889
First Airplane flight 1903
First Philadelphia Phillies Game 1883

Entertainment & Dining at the Shore

Whitney’s Weekly Picks

This week presents an exciting range of events featuring comedian Gary Owen, dancer Derek Hough, Lenny Kravitz and chicago. Dive into the variety of weekend offerings that promise entertainment and funfilled experiences. And don’t forget to share your epic moments with the hashtags #shorelocal, #gotowhitney and #thecitypulse.

Who: Anthony rodia: totally relatable tour

Where: borgata Hotel casino & Spa | the Music box

When: Friday, Nov. 1

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: borgata. mgmresorts.com/ en/entertainment/ the-music-box/anthony-rodia.html

In 2019, rodia left his day job to become a full-time stand-up comic. He hit the ground running and performed 100 shows in just nine months, and within three years Anthony has gained a massive fan base online and around the country. See Anthony rodia the totally relatable tour at borgata’s Music box.

When: Friday, Nov. 1

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.caesars.com/harrahsac/shows

Who: Gary Owen: Deadbeat Where: Harrah’s resort concert Venue

comedian Gary Owen brings his Deadbeat tour to Harrah’s concert Venue. Get your tickets before it’s sold out.

The City Pulse with Whitney Ullman

Who: Derek Hough - Dance For the Holidays

Where: caesars circus Maximus theater

When: Friday, Nov. 1

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.caesars.com/ caesars-ac/shows

Derek Hough of “Dancing With the Stars” will Dance For the Holidays at circus Maximus t heater at c aesars Atlantic city.

Who: Sage thomas

Where: Anchor rock club

When: Friday, Nov. 1

Time: 8 p.m.

Website anchorrockclub.com the singer/songwriter from South

Jersey plays deep, raw music that feels like a dive into her personal journal. Sage’s music is a blend of indie pop with a hint of punk rock.

Her music is angsty and relatable to everyone who listens.

Who: Lenny Kravitz blue electric Light tour 2024

Where: Ocean casino resort

When: 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1; and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2

Website: www. theoceanac.com/lenny-kravitz regarded as one of the preeminent rock musicians of our time, Lenny Kravitz makes a stop on his blue electric Light tour at Ovation Hall. enjoy hits from a musical career

that spans more than three decades. Don’t miss his only east coast show.

Who: chicago

Where: Hard rock Hotel & casino | etess Arena

When: Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2

Time: 8 p.m. both nights

Website: casino.hardrock.com/atlantic-city/event-calendar/chicago the legendary rock band chicago is set to light up the stage. Don’t miss this unforgettable live performance by one of the best-selling music groups of all time. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to their music, this concert is a must-see event.

What: tUSK Fleetwood Mac tribute Show

Where: tropicana Atlantic city

When: Saturday, Nov. 2

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.caesars.com/tropicana-ac/shows ↘Continued on 48

tUSK, a premier Fleetwood Mac tribute band, will perform live at the tropicana Showroom in Atlantic city.

Who: Damn the torpedoestom Petty tribute Show

Where: resorts casino Hotel | Superstar theater

When: Saturday, Nov. 2

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: resortsac.com/entertainment-and-shows/venues/ tom Petty birthday celebration with Damn t he torpedoes, a premier

Petty tribute show, is coming to Superstar theater. It will be a great live retrospective of the Petty music catalog loaded with hits and fan favorites. You will know every tune,

keeping you singing and dancing all the way.

What: 27th Annual Fleming’s Pumpkin run

Where: 353 Zion road, egg Harbor township

When: Saturday, Nov. 2

Time: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Website: flemingspumpkinrun.com

Spectator admission is $10, children under 12 are free. registration at the gate for show vehicles is $15, no pre-registration is required. Vendor admission is $50.

Whitney Ullman, Stockton University graduate, and founder of gotowhitney.com is known as a “go to” resource, content creator, reporter, and influencer with established credibility in Atlantic City, The Jersey Shore, Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. With over 6 million views on her social platforms, she created TheCityPulse.com as a go-to lifeline for all things happening in the city!

David Spade talks podcasts, 'Snake Oil' and Chris Farley biopic

You may best know David Spade from his t V work in “Saturday Night Live” and “Just Shoot Me,” from such film comedies as “Joe Dirt” and “ tommy boy,” or as a standup comic. but these days, he can also claim stardom in the podcast universe.

the Michigan-born, Arizona-raised Spade is co-host--with once-andpresent “SNL” cast member Dana c arvey--of two podcasts, “Fly On the Wall” and “Superfly.” the former, which the duo introduced in 2022, is one of the top 25 (among what seems to be thousands) comedy-focused podcasts. It’s primarily concerned with “Saturday Night Live,” both past and present, and has featured numerous cast members as guests.

Its popularity led to the recently inaugurated “Superfly,” which has a far more freeform blueprint in which Spade and carvey riff on a myriad of topics, show business and otherwise.

“I wanted to do a podcast, but I didn’t want to do it alone,” offered the 60-year-old Spade--who on Nov. 9, performs at Ocean casino resort-during a recent phone call.

“I knew it was too hard. It seems very easy; that's why there's three

million [podcasts]. I didn't know who to do it with. And I was trying to think of people: Do I just get an unknown sidekick? b ut I felt there’s safety in numbers.

“I was casually seeing Dana more than usual; he lived near me after always being in San Francisco. And so I'd hit him up for dinners and we would always crack up. And then we realized we always talked about “SNL.” We have the same manager

and we all discussed it and thought maybe this would be a good way to start a podcast.”

Despite the success the pair were enjoying with “Fly On the Wall,” they weren’t exactly satisfied.

“We wanted to do it on video and they didn't,” he explained. “And so after a while they wanted to do a spinoff and I said, ‘I'll do one if it's

↘Continued on 50

on video.’ So we said, ‘Let's just do current events, and now we just do one called ‘Superfly’ [which can be seen on Youtube]. So it's kind of the same thing. It's just me and Dana. We can have people on if we want, but the core of it's just he and I.

“It’s like when you were on ‘SNL’ you'd always kinda just be aware of what's going on, what feels like a story that's gonna stick around. So, we'll scribble headlines--just stories that are funny to me, like when Kanye West asked his wife if he could have sex with her mom.

“And then we just talk about it: What would you tell your wife? How should she react? And we just riff on that for as long as we can. And we go to the next story. And then sometimes Dana [who has returned to the show to portray President Joe biden] talks about what it was like on ‘SNL’ this week. And then I tell about my weekend on the road.”

“It is a little more fun [than ‘Fly On the Wall’] because Dana and I just blab, like we're at dinner.”

Speaking of serving as a host, last fall, Spade took what is arguably the hardest left turn of his career when he signed on as emcee of the Fox game show, “Snake Oil,” a take-off on “Shark tank” in which contestants were pitched goods and services with

half of them being fabricated. the object was that the contestants had to determine which were real and which were “snake oil.”

It was an interesting career move for Spade because his cool, sarcastic and somewhat chill persona was pretty much the opposite of the game-show template of the upbeat, energetic and unctuous master of ceremonies.

“I said, ‘I’m not right for a game show,’” he recalled. “And they [the production company owned by comic actor Will Arnett] said, ‘We want [a host] where you're almost annoyed with the game. We're trying to find different angles on it.’”

While it’s always been an article of faith that game–show hosts know exactly what’s going on at all times, Spade insisted that for him, part of the fun of “Snake Oil”—which is still streaming on Hulu--was that he had no idea which items were real and which weren’t.

“I said, ‘Don't tell me which ones are real.’ And then when I'm playing the game, I'm like trying to chime in, going, ‘I have no idea,’ I'm not allowed to steer them, but I'm like, I can fully tell you, I will guess wrong on this one because even when I'd watch a rerun, I'd go, ‘I don't remember if this is real.’ “ but that's the fun for me. that's the hook I like,” he said, adding that

“Snake Oil” may return to the airwaves (full disclosure: My daughter, Jolie, was one of the writers of the “infomercials” that were part of the pitches to contestants).

Despite his teaming with carvey on the podcasts, the former “Saturday Night Live” cast member with whom Spade will likely always be most-connected is the late chris Farley, who died of a drug overdose at age 33 in 1997.

When a Farley biopic was announced earlier this year, Spade publicly expressed concern that it would emphasize his close friend’s drug-dependency issues. but, he suggested,

he’s currently feeling a little bit better about the project.

“I've talked to the writers and the director and I think they've got a handle on it.

“It's a big, big story to tackle, and it's not my story to tell. It's whoever's doing a movie about it. b ut I would hope that it goes all right. I think everyone that’s involved seems pretty cool, and they're doing the best they can. So we'll cross our fingers and hope for the best.”

For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com

Chicago back in Atlantic City

Friday and Saturday, c hicago returns to Ay cee. the last time the venerable “jazz-rock” band played in Our town, it was as part of a specialguest-filled “Decades” performance and taping at Ocean.

the 57-year-old rock & roll Hall of Fame-enshrined unit is back on the road and is checking into Hard rock Hotel & casino Atlantic city for Friday and Saturday programs that, it can be assumed, will be typically heavy on the unit’s many hits.

For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com.

Chuck Darrow has spent more than 40 years writing about Atlantic City casinos.

Tony Boloney’s creator goes to the lab to produce Mad Mutz

before opening the now-famous tony boloney’s in Atlantic city, Hauke never even worked in the industry except for a brief stint as a barista at a Starbucks that he was fired from after showing up late on 9-11.

but, that’s a whole other story.

In fact, tony boloney’s came into existence and became the creative pizza palace that it is because everyone basically told Hauke he could never make it if he didn’t do things

that many other pizza places do. He didn’t listen to any of them. He personally and professionally revolted in pretty much every way. And that stubbornness, drive, attention to detail and pure passion led to tony boloney’s expanding to multiple locations around the state.

It also led to his creations like the taco Pizza and an overloaded pepperoni cup pie becoming viral on social media. And his appearances on the Food Network and a slew of national television shows like “Live with regis and Kelly” further propelled the brand and his business.

Now, the hardest working guy in the pizza business — he once booked Questlove to play in his parking lot to DJ a pizza-eating throwdown named Slaughterfest — has another idea that will not only become a viral sensation, but revolutionize a restaurant staple that everyone from 8 to 80 loves …

he Mozzarella Stick.

Mad Mutz is born

Michael Hauke, owner of Tony Boloney’s, debuts his Mozz Lab in Atlantic City that will make fresh mozzarella and mozzarella sticks in a variety of flavors that will be distributed to supermarkets and other outlets around the country.

Hauke, along with business partner Michael burns, recently debuted Mad Mutz, an Atlantic city-based “laboratory” that will produce the best mozzarella sticks that have ever been made available to retailers, restaurants and direct mailed to consumers.

If you are a fan of tony boloney’s, which has other locations in Hoboken and Jersey city, you probably have already had some of Hauke’s mozzarella madness. Flavors that include cacio e pepe, the original Nonna with a Jersey Italian crust, black and white truffle, and the kid-adored Unicorn — multi-colored mozzarella sticks with glitter on the outside — have been offered there for years.

but, since 2020, Hauke has been experimenting with more flavors in his lab and — more importantly — how to go from making enough mozzarella sticks for his restaurants and special events like farmers markets to making them for the masses.

After bringing on burns and making some big investments in equipment — including machines imported from Italy that can produce the quality mozzarella Hauke demands — Mad Mutz is cranking out a variety of sticks in large quantities.

How large? eventually, they will be able to make 60,000 a day if the demand is there.

Mad Mutz will begin to distribute to New Jersey first, along with direct-to-consumer sales around the country through their website, MadMutz.com. that means a variety of Mad Mutz flavors will be available in local supermarkets for everyday shoppers as soon as t hanksgiving, and the egg Harbor township restaurant Depot location on Nov. 11. they also hope to have contracts to food distributors in the state done soon, so restaurants will be able to order them directly as soon as the end of the year.

Quality first

Like any good product, it starts with quality ingredients, and in Mad Mutz’s case, it all starts with the fresh mozzarella.

And if you ever had tony boloney’s fresh mozzarella that is offered at Hauke’s restaurants — as well as from his farm-to-table truck that appears at markets, including Steve & cookie’s, regularly — you know there is no better mozzarella on earth than Hauke’s.

t he mozzarella is made from scratch with milk sourced from Vermont, and sticks feature a higher volume of cheese with less breadcrumbs than the standard mozzarella stick. And everything is made fresh — including the breadcrumbs — right on Fairmount Avenue with no preservatives.

It seems like if you had one mozzarella stick, you’ve had them all. that’s not the case anymore.

Mike Hauke has never played by the rules of a typical restaurateur.

“ basically, most mozzarella sticks taste the same, and it’s hard not to understand because they are the same,” Hauke said. “ they all use the same low-moisture block, dry-aged, processed cheese. there’s nothing wrong with that, but they use low moisture because you can leave them in the fryer and they are durable, but they all taste the same. When people ask, ‘Why isn’t there flavored mozzarella,’ I realized the answer is easy: It’s a pain in the butt to make. So, I started making fresh mozzarella sticks and doing interesting seasonings and elevated the flavors and realized how they are night and day to what’s out there. It’s like eating fresh mozzarella. even when they are not hot and melted, they are still ridiculously tasty.”

When you bite into a Mad Mutz stick, expect a different experience because you will be squirted with some hot milk.

“It’s not oil or water,” Hauke explained. “It’s a genuine product that produces that. We make them stick by stick and bread them one by one. It’s a 12-hour process to make a batch from scratch. We aren’t just making the cheese. We aren’t just making the breadcrumbs. We are baking the bread for the breadcrumbs. We are going overboard to do it right. It’s the only way I know how to do things. If I wouldn’t feed it to my kids, I certainly

wouldn’t feed it to my customers. And there is nothing on the market that even comes close to the performance, the quality and the value.”

Why sticks?

Anyone who has had tony boloney’s might ask why Hauke isn’t selling his incredible pizza to the masses before mozzarella sticks, but the concept of Mad Mutz evolved out of simple demand combined with finding a niche.

“It was one of the most popular items on the menu and people would reach out asking where they can buy them,” Hauke said. “Someone would call and say, ‘Hi, I’m a food truck in canada. can you send me a case, or do you have a distributor?’ Since I was selling direct to consumer, I would say, ‘Sure I can send you 100 sticks.’ And then food suppliers would reach out and say they would love to carry our sticks to sell to restaurants, and supermarket chains would tell us they would love to have our product.”

Hauke admits he knows what he knows and he “certainly doesn’t know what I don’t know, so he reached out to burns, a longtime friend, real estate professional and businessman for help on the numbers side of things.

“We are dealing with the big boys … some of the biggest food compa-

nies in the world, and I realized this deserves a life of its down,” Hauke said. “On top of that, I don’t think I was able to facilitate it the way it needed to be facilitated and kept up with, so I reached out to Michael. He told me what a huge undertaking it was going to be, and I said, ‘I always find a way.’ And along the way he made me realize there is no way to half-ass this, and he agreed to come on board to help on that side of things. And it’s been a great partnership.”

b urns said he was immediately intrigued by the partnership idea.

“We have been friends for a while, and he is an absolute creative genius

when it comes to food, b urns said.

“He is the mad scientist of the lab. I have been following his trajectory and hearing all about the mozzarella, and he was telling me about this lab and what he was doing for a while. So, when he realized it was a standalone business and he needed help, it was a no-brainer for me. And it has definitely been an intereting ride, and I think we have done a pretty good job navigating this world and have some exciting opportunities. I am excited to introduce this to the community and beyond. It’s a new appetizer category we are creating here. these are the only ones that come with all of these different flavors.”

The sticks and where to get

’em

the first way people can try the sticks is at any tony b oloney’s location. In the next couple of weeks, people will start being able to order them online. there is already a waiting list of more than 6,000 mozzarella-hungry consumers who are ready to place an order.

Flavors that will be available to order online – and a rotating list inside tony boloney’s – include the aforementioned the cacio Pepe, the Nonna, the Unicorn and the truffler,

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along with other flavors such as the Gaucho with chimichurri mozzarella with a garlic and herb breadcrumb crust; the Hottie with sharp cheddar mozzarella with a spicy cracker crumb crust; the Ole’ Smokey with deeply smoked mozzarella with an herby Jersey breadcrumb crust; and the Lucifer, a scorching 10-pepper blend mozzarella with 2.9 million Scoville charcoal crust that is twice as hot as the famous Pacqui One chip that makes people literally cry.

“ the mozzarella does calm things down so it’s not as crazy as you think,” Hauke said. “ b ut make no doubt about it … it will get you!”

On Nov. 11, the eHt restaurant Depot will have three varieties: the truffler, t he c acio Pepe and t he Nonna. New Jersey supermarkets, including Shoprite should have those three flavors and possibly more by thanksgiving. And, by the end of the year, those same three flavors and possibly more will likely be sold via food distributors for New Jersey restaurants.

As the business evolves nationally, so will the flavors, but Hauke already has debuted many of the future creations at tony b oloney’s, including Dat Wiri, “Guyanese golden butta flop patty crust and Wiri Wiri peppa‘ fresh mutz with Gwan curry ranch dipping

sauce”; be-Hive Yo’Self with be-HIVe vegan garlic & herb mutz with vegan pecorino and herb gluten-free crust and vegan Ole’ chipotle ranch dipping sauce; Flamin’ Hot with a Hot cheetos crust; and the Angry bee, a collaboration with Mike’s Hot Honey. to use the latter one as an example of the work that goes on in the lab, the Angry bee incorporates Mike’s Hot Honey inot the milk for the mozzarella then crystallizes Hot Honey to make it into breadcrumbs and bakes bread with the product to make even more breadcrumbs before dipping them into a hot honey batter so the entire stick tastes like Mike’s Hot Honey.

The future of mozzarella

Hauke and burns have been overwhelmed by the positive response of everyone, from supermarket and food industry leaders to the local community.

“Across the board, the reaction is insane,” Hauke said. “ they tell us the sticks are amazingly innovative and creative. Ultimately, everything comes from me, and when I bring the heat, I have to really bring the heat and do it right. We have a 2,000-square-foot laboratory making a consistent product with employees from Atlantic city. We are going to do it and spread the A.c . love everywhere.

In the future, Hauke and b urns also want to introduce the world to Hauke’s fresh mozzarella. but that’s down the road.

“ t he world domination of the mozzarella stick,” burns said.

“People are created equal; mozzarella sticks are not,” Hauke added.

’Nuff said.

More information is available at MadMutz.com, or follow them on Instagram @madmutz and Mad Mutz on Facebook. Or get your mozzarella sticks at any of the three Tony Boloney’s locations, including Atlantic City. Go to TonyBoloneys.com

Scott Cronick is an awardwinning journalist who has written about entertainment, food, news and more in South Jersey for nearly three decades. He hosts a daily radio show – "Off The Press with Scott Cronick" - 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays on Newstalk WOND 1400-AM, 92.3-FM, and WONDRadio.com, and he also coowns Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall in Atlantic City, while working on various projects, including charitable efforts, throughout the area. He can be reached at scronick@comcast.net.

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HAPPY HOUR 5PM-6PM (THURSDAY-SATURDAY) SCAN

WILDLY UNMISSABLE EVENTS

NJEA Wine & Dine Bash | November 7th

Supervino Wine Dinner | November 15th

Pajama Brunch | December 1st

Live & Local Music Calendar

Thursday, October 31

Atlantic City

Bar One at Resorts

Karaoke Night w/ DJ Joe

8 p.m.

1133 boardwalk

Council Oak at Hard Rock

Dan Jost Solo

5:30 – 9 p.m.

1000 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino Halloween at Nola’s w/ DJ chris roberts

8 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Dane Anthony

8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

600 Huron Ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Live Music

7 – 11 p.m.

1000 boardwalk

Marmora

Tuckahoe Inn

Steve Mullary

5 – 8 p.m.

1 Harbor rd.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Karaoke Night w/ Mike Dempsey

8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

450 bay Ave.

8 p.m.

247 S. New York Ave.

6 – 9 p.m.

2 broadway

Friday, November 1

Atlantic City

1927 Lounge at Ocean Casino Jeremy Oren

6 p.m.

Kristina Pruitt 9:15 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Anchor Rock Club

Sage thomas w/ the customers, Lane Simkins

Bar One at Resorts

DJ Gary

9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

1133 boardwalk

Hard Rock Café

Dueling Pianos

9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

camille K & Vahe

7 p.m. the Usual Suspects

10 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Amy Faden Duo

6 p.m.

Sidestory

10 p.m.

600 Huron Ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock the benderz

5 – 8:30 p.m.

Sean Patrick & the Alibis

9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 boardwalk

The Wave at Golden Nugget

Flashback Friday: Glass Houses: billy Joel tribute

9 p.m. – 12 a.m.

600 Huron Ave.

Topgolf at Ocean Casino

Dan Jost and Friends

6 – 8 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino Yani

9:30 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Egg Harbor Township

The Roost Pub & Grill

bJam the band

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

500 St. Andrews Dr.

Marmora

Tuckahoe Inn

Jim Fisher

Photo credit: Dane Anthony Band Facebook

5 – 8 p.m.

1 Harbor rd.

Smithville

Fred & Ethel’s Lantern Light

blue Street band

7 – 10 p.m.

1 N. New York rd.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay the O’Fenders

8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

450 bay Ave.

Crab Trap

Doug Jennings

6 – 9 p.m.

2 broadway

Fitzpatrick’s beth tinnon

5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

650 New rd.

Josie Kelly’s tom & bill

6 – 9 p.m.

908 Shore rd.

Tuckerton

The Lizzie Rose Music Room

Singer/Songwriter evening in the round

7:30 p.m.

217 e . Main St.

Saturday, November 2

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub the Phazers

9 p.m.

5 N. Shore rd.

Atlantic City 1927 Lounge at Ocean Casino

Kristina Pruitt

6 p.m.

Dominick Martino

9:15 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Anchor Rock Club

Molly r ingworm w/ teen Idle, babie Julez, cable-Knit

7:45 p.m.

247 S. New York Ave.

Bar One at Resorts

DJ Gary 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. 1133 boardwalk

Photo credit: The Phazers Facebook

ROMANELLI'S Garden Cafe'

Hard Rock Café

Dueling Pianos

9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

Who brought the Dog Duo

7 p.m.

Sky city Social 10 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget brandon Ireland band

5 p.m.

Grooveheart

10 p.m.

600 Huron Ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Dane Anthony band

5 – 8:30 p.m.

Goodman Fiske

9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 boardwalk

Topgolf at Ocean Casino

Dan Jost and Friends

5 – 7 p.m.

Andrew Moorer Duo

8 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Villain and Saint at Ocean Casino

Isn’t it Always

9:30 p.m.

500 boardwalk

Egg Harbor Township

EHT Vagabond

Dead reckoning 8 – 11 p.m.

3016 Ocean Heights Ave.

Marmora

Yesterday’s

Lisa Sasdelli

8 – 11 p.m.

316 roosevelt blvd.

Smithville

Fred & Ethel’s Lantern Light

Steve Gitto

7 – 10 p.m.

1 N. New York rd.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

twisted Livin’

4 – 7 p.m.

99 reasons

8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

450 bay Ave.

Crab Trap

Doug Jennings

6 – 9 p.m.

2 broadway

Fitzpatrick’s

Phil Stocker

5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

650 New rd.

Josie Kelly’s

chris Yoder band

8 p.m.

908 Shore rd.

Tuckerton

The Lizzie Rose Music Room

Stanley Jordan

7:30 p.m.

217 e . Main St.

Waretown

Albert Music Hall

Jersey Devil Show w/ the Wedding Funeral, Please Don’t tell, billy t Midnight, basement Musicians, Lost in brunswick

6 – 9 p.m.

131 Wells Mills rd.

Sunday, November 3

Atlantic City

Bar One at Resorts

DJ eric

3 – 8 p.m.

DJ Proud

8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1133 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

Dueling Pianos

8 p.m.

500 boardwalk

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Night Anthem

4 – 7:30 p.m.

big

1000

1

Tuckerton

The

7:30 p.m.

217

Monday, November 4

Atlantic

Tuesday, November 5

Atlantic

8

Friday,

Photo credit: Richard Shindell Facebook

Rock hitmakers Chicago to play 2 big nights Hard Rock Live this weekend

When I was in my teens, like many

boys my age I discovered those wonderful, intriguing, lovely people of the opposite sex.

the one song we all danced with the girls to as close together as we could, or as they would let us – was “colour My World,” released in 1970 by the rock group known as chicago.

It may be 24 years later, but they’re still going strong, with three original members in the band who continue to tour, dating back to 1967 when

they first formed as chicago transit Authority: robert Lamm (vocals, keyboards), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals), and James Pankow (trombone, backing vocals).

t here’s much to like about this unique group, who play Hard rock Live at etess Arena here in Atlantic city this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2.

their huge string of hits, which still sound good to this day, includes “25 or 6 to 4,” “If You Leave Me Now” (in our opinion, one of the prettiest rock songs ever recorded), “You’re t he Inspiration,” “Saturday In t he Park” (with its iconic piano opening by Lamm, who also sang lead on the track), “Hard Habit to break,” “ baby What A big Surprise,” and many more. the fact they still have three original members in the group on tour is quite impressive, considering that many, if not most of the rock “legacy” groups such as Foreigner, Foghat and Sweet, to name a few, tour with no original members.

How they made horn sections in bands not only cool, but almost essential to this day also sets them apart. Lamm once called chicago “an abnormal rock group” because of their horn section, which was relatively new in a rock group back then. coolest chicago story? the great Jimi Hendrix, after seeing chicago perform, went up to then-band-member, sax player Walter Parazaider, and told him, “your horns sound like one lung. And your guitar player (terry Kath) is better than me.” Hendrix ended up opening some of chicago’s shows.

Guys of a certain age, grab your wife/girlfriend and catch this legendary band one of the two nights they’re in town; gals, same thing (bring your guy). I’d never suggest you do something we ourselves wouldn’t do. So, hopefully, we’ll see you there. chicago performs live at Hard r ock Live at etess Arena, 1000 boardwalk, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1 and 2. 8 p.m. each night. For tickets and info: https://casino.hardrock. com/atlantic-city/event-calendar/ chicago

This ‘N’ That: Anchor rock club

in Ac continues to promote and support local, original music as much as any venue here at the Jersey Shore. this Friday, Nov. 1, local singer/songwriter Sage t homas performs at the spacious New York Avenue club, premiering her new six-song eP of dreamy, ethereal pop, “ emotional crash course” (released last July).

“I am beyond stoked to be able to bring my debut eP to life this Friday at the Anchor rock club,” thomas told us this week. “My eP ‘ emotional crash course’ is full of raw feelings and high energy, and is going to be so fun to play live. I’m so thankful for Greg (Mungan, Anchor booker/head honcho) and the team at the Anchor for being so welcoming. See you this Friday!” Also on the 8 p.m. bill: t he customers and Lane Simkins.

For info and tickets see: https:// www.tixr.com/groups/anchorrockclub

Guitar lovers , don’t miss renowned guitarist Stanley Jordan performing his Greatest Hits show this Saturday, Nov. 2, on route 9 in tuckerton at Lizzie rose Music room.

For info and tickets see: https://www.lizzierosemusic. com/

Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug also hàs experience writing for the one time shore-based weekly publication, Whoot! He also was a team member with Chip Braymes Advertising. Doug loves bicycling and aspires to bring the Blues to Atlantic City. He can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@ gmail.com and www.facebook. com/dougdeutschpublicity.

See Chicago at Hard Rock Live Friday-Saturday, Nov. 1-2.

AtlanticHeadlinersCity

Friday, November 1

Chicago

▶8 p.m.

Hard rock Live at etess Arena

Lenny Kravitz

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Gary Owen

▶9 p.m.

Golden Nugget Atlantic city

Anthony Rodia

▶8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Saturday, November 2

Chicago

▶8 p.m.

Hard rock Live at etess Arena

Lenny Kravitz

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Damn the Torpedoes: A Tribute to Tom Petty

▶8 p.m.

Superstar theater at resorts

Anthony Rodia

▶8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Friday, November 8

Dirty Heads

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Joe Dombrowski

▶8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Saturday, November 9

Theory of a Deadman

▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard rock

David Spade

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Jim Breuer

▶8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Friday, November 15

Morrissey

▶8:30 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Trombone Shorty & Orleans

Avenue

▶9 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Saturday, November 16

Freestyle Free for All

▶8 p.m.

Hard rock Live at etess Arena

Paul Anka

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Taylor Dayne

▶8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Friday, November 22

98 Degrees & Bell Biv DeVoe

▶8 p.m.

Hard rock Live at etess Arena

Wayne Newman

▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard rock

Melvin Seals and JGB

▶8:30 p.m.

tropicana Showroom

Saturday, November 23

KC & the Sunshine Band

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Friday, November 29

Justin Hayward

▶8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Saturday, November 30

Jim Jefferies

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

On Sale Now

Gary U.S. Bonds

▶Sunday, Dec. 28, 7:30 p.m.

resorts Atlantic city

On Sale This Week Widespread Panic

▶Friday, Feb. 14 – Sunday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m.

Hard rock Live at etess Arena

Ginuwine

▶Friday, Mar. 21, 9 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean casino

Little River Band

▶Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.

the Music box at borgata

Billy F. Gibbons

▶Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. the Music box at borgata

We Them Ones Comedy Tour

▶Friday, Apr. 25, 8 p.m.

Jim Whelan boardwalk Hall

Tickets on sale Friday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m.

Photo credit: Damn the Torpedoes- A Tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Facebook

Atlantic City Tinseltown Holiday Experience will be even bigger, more festive this season

NJ CRDA unveils the destination’s festive plans for the holiday season

Atlantic city has been busy making its list for the upcoming holiday season! On thursday, Oct. 24, the destination’s holiday plans were unveiled during a festive press conference at tanger Outlets. Amidst a 40-foot tree, dancing elves, "Nutcracker" ballerinas, a special appearance by Santa, the Grinch and other holiday characters, a sneak peek of the 2024 Atlantic city tinseltown Holiday e xperience was provided, with stakeholders from across the resort sharing details of their holiday events.

Presented by the New Jersey casino reinvestment Development Authority (crDA), this citywide celebration, now in its third year, will light up Atlantic city’s casinos, iconic attractions, and neighborhoods with a range of holiday events, including pop-up experiences, live entertainment, a Holiday Market & Gingerbread Village, tree-lighting ceremonies, themed accommodations, extensive holiday shopping, and a Winter Wonderland Parade along the world-famous boardwalk on Dec. 7.

“Atlantic city is a destination with endless unique and authentic experiences, not just during the summer, but in the fall and winter months, said cr DA e xecutive Director eric Scheffler. “Atlantic city stakeholders are working together to present this wonderful experience for our visitors over the holiday season.”

tinseltown’s official kick-off is Friday, Nov. 22, with a tree-lighting ceremony at the Quarter at tropicana, celebrating its 20th anniversary. A listing of events will be available at Actinseltown.com.

“Atlantic city is packed with things to do that complement our gaming, diverse dining scene, iconic attractions, nonstop entertainment, and premier hotels,” said cr DA Deputy e xecutive Director Maisha Moore. “We invite visitors to celebrate and stay with us and enjoy these special events all the way to the New Year.”

Along with the resort’s extraordinary dining, nightlife, and iconic attractions throughout the season, visitors can also enjoy a vibrant blend of dazzling holiday décor, community displays and casino light shows. A holiday-themed cocktail-Mocktail trail will offer seasonal beverages, with a map available on the tinseltown website.

“We’re thrilled to bring back Atlantic city’s holiday celebration,

bigger and better than ever,” said Karen Martin, director of communications and marketing for the crDA. “ this year’s tinseltown will make Atlantic city the must-visit destination for holiday cheer. Get ready for the coolest time of the year to visit, stay, and play in Atlantic city!”

Visitors will also find numerous holiday gift-buying options in Atlantic city, from the Noyes Arts Garage’s Holiday Market and high-end boutiques in the casinos, to boardwalk shops and over 70 premium outlet stores at tanger Outlets, which also features new venues like Dave & buster’s.

Along with holiday pop-up lounges at bally’s (Winter Wonderland at the Yard), Hard rock (Lobby bar), Harrah’s (tipsy elf), Ocean (Jingle bell bar), resorts (candy cane Lounge) and tropicana (Holidaze Pop-Up b ar at tango’s), some of this year’s tinseltown events will include:

● Santa’s Hideaway AdventureOcean c asino resort (Starting Nov. 9)

● Atlantic city ballet: ‘It’s a Shore Holiday’ - caesars (Nov. 16)

● ‘Disney on Ice’- b oardwalk Hall (Nov. 21-24)

● tinseltown Kick-Off tree Lighting -tropicana (Nov. 22)

● tree-Lighting ceremony – tennessee Avenue beer Hall (Nov. 27)

● Holiday Light Show - Historic Smithville, Nov. 28-Jan. 5

● Ocean’s Holiday Village - Ocean casino (Nov. 30, Dec. 7, 14 and 21)

● community tree-Lighting celebration - O’Donnell Park (Dec. 6)

● Holiday tree Lighting - b ally’s (Dec. 6)

● Winter Wonderland Parade - Ac boardwalk (Dec. 7)

● Absecon Lighthouse Luminary Light Festival (Dec. 7)

● Steel Pier Holiday event (Dec. 7)

● tower of Power Holiday & Hits tour - Golden Nugget (Dec. 7)

● Deck the Hall: Festival of treesboardwalk Hall (Dec. 11-Jan. 2)

● Noyes Holiday Market & Gingerbread Village - Noyes Arts Garage (Dec. 14-15)

● Wayne Newton - Hard rock (Nov. 22)

● Matteo bocelli - Hard rock (Nov. 30)

● ‘cirque Dreams Holidaze’ - Ocean casino (Dec. 1)

● ‘ rat Pack Holiday Show’ - tropicana (Dec. 5)

● Vinter Wonderland tree-Lighting ceremony - renault Winery (Dec. 6)

● Ducktown tree Lighting - Ducktown Park (Dec. 7)

● ‘christmas in concert’ - borgata (select dates from Dec. 7-24)

● ‘John eddie Holiday Ho Ho Hoedown’ - resorts (Dec. 13)

● ‘My b ig Gay Italian christmas’Hard rock (Dec. 13-14)

● engelbert Humperdinck - Harrah’s (Dec. 14)

● Pastry Series: Gingerbread cottages - Hard rock (Dec. 14)

● Atlantic city ballet: ‘ the Nutcracker’ - caesars (Dec. 15)

● John Legend - borgata (Dec. 20)

● reindeer run - renault Winery (Dec. 21)

● And much more throughout the season! For the latest event updates, visit Actinseltown.com. Visitors can also enter to win an Atlantic city tinseltown Holiday Getaway, featuring overnight stays, dining credits, and more at AtlanticcityNJ.com.

Photo credit: Photography by Exposure / Michelle Stella Riordan

Community college registration opens Nov. 11

Registration for Atlantic cape community college’s upcoming winter session, spring semester and two eight-week spring sessions opens on Monday, Nov. 11 for students taking classes in-person and online at the Mays Landing, Atlantic city and cape May county campuses.

returning Atlantic cape students who have earned 30 or more credits may register for classes starting Nov. 11 while students who have earned 15 or more credits may register starting Nov. 12. All other returning students are eligible to register for classes starting Nov. 13 while new incoming students may register beginning Nov. 14.

For Atlantic c ape students or university students returning home for the holidays seeking to use the holiday break as a time to continue their academic progress, Atlantic c ape’s accelerated winter session runs Jan. 2-16 with more than 20 credit classes available online and at our Mays Landing campus.

t he spring semester runs Jan. 21-May 17. Meanwhile, the cape May county campus offers a 13-week spring session that runs Jan. 21-April 26. two accelerated, eight-week

spring sessions run Jan. 21-March 15 and March 24-May 17, respectively. classes will be in recess from March 17-22 for spring break.

Atlantic c ape offers four convenient ways for students to attend classes at any of the college’s three locations in Mays Landing, Atlantic city and cape May county. Students may choose from the traditional on-campus option, a hybrid on-campus/ online option, a remote option where students attend live classes via Zoom or b lackboard Learn, and an online option where coursework is assigned due dates and times.

thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.; and at our c ape May county campus Monday through thursday 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

learn about degree and career training programs, take a student-led tour of the campus, and speak with college staff for information about the enrollment process, financial aid opportunities and our Academy of culinary Arts. Whether you're a current high school student, incoming freshman, transfer student, or adult learner, Atlantic cape has something to offer you. register for these Open House events atlanticcape. edu/openhouse.

Visit Atlantic c ape’s One-Stop Welcome centers to register early and guarantee your spot in the classes you want. Students may register in-person at our Mays Landing campus Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., at our charles D. Worthington Atlantic city campus Monday through

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Atlantic c ape will host Open House events at our Atlantic city campus on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 5 - 6:30 p.m. and at our c ape May county campus on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 5-6:30 p.m. Meet college faculty,

Atlantic cape center for Student Success (cSS) will be sponsoring a registration rally on tuesday, Nov. 12 and Wednesday, Nov. 13, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at our Mays Landing campus in J b uilding room c3. Meet with our cSS staff, enjoy free food, games and music too.

Visit atlanticcape.edu/registration to register for classes online at any time.

Orange wines for October holidays

Drink Up!

Happy Halloween! Pumpkin-spiced lattes, pumpkin ales, ginger-spiced cookies, and candy corn are as synonymous with the holiday as witches, ghouls and goblins. How about wine? t his time of year, I look for wines that com plement the colors of autumn and are in some way representative of the traditions, stories, legends, and tastes of the fall holidays: Halloween and the Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos). the traditional colors of late October are black and orange. If you have never tried an orange wine, you are in for a treat. Juice from wine grapes is nearly always clear, so where does a wine’s color come from? contact between skins and juice! to make a red wine, the skins of red grapes remain with the juice in a process called maceration. the red color comes from tannins, a phenolic compound in grape skins. For rosé wines, the skins of red grapes are only in contact with the juice for a short time to give the wine its familiar pink hue. the color of orange wine is created when the skins of white grapes remain in contact with the juice during maceration.

You may be wondering if this is a new-fangled marketing trick to sell wine in the fall. Not so! Orange wines are as old as wine itself. the first orange wines were produced over 8,000 years ago in the Middle- e astern country of Georgia. Winemakers crushed white grapes and fermented them in a large clay vessel called a qvevri. t he top of the qvevri was sealed with beeswax and then buried in the ground for temperature control. the result was an orange, dark amber-colored wine with a tannic structure similar to a light red wine.

ered this unique varietal. to pronounce the name, use your best english accent and say, “Our cat’s (on) the telly.” the timothée rkatsiteli is a testament to meticulous winemaking. the aroma is a complex bouquet of floral and fruit aromas. t he flavors include notes of ripe apricots and honeydew melon with a touch of citrus and green apple. It also has delicate minerality with subtle hints of white flowers and a touch of spiced apple. rkatsiteli is ideally served at about 50°F and pairs well with grilled seafood or poultry dishes, especially those with light, creamy sauces. It also complements a range of vegetarian dishes, including salads dressed with citrus vinaigrettes or creamy risottos. the Montinore estate L’Orange from the Willamette Valley of Oregon is an enjoyable orange wine as well. It is made from Pinot Gris and Muscat grapes, resulting in a dry wine with aromas of orange blossoms, honey, and chamomile tea. the flavor is bright with notes of tangerine, melon, and a touch of tarragon, perfect for the fall season. For another popular orange wine, try the Gulp Hablo Orange Wine, an organic and vegan-friendly wine from the castilla-La Mancha region of Spain. this one is a natural wine, also called a minimal intervention wine, meaning there are no added sulfites and only natural yeasts used in producing the wine. t he flavor profile is similar to that of the Montinore L’Orange, albeit a bit more robust. both vineyards employ biodynamic farming techniques. either will add color and flavor to your holiday festivities.

dark chocolate, and coffee, with notes of pepper and minerality. the result is a full-bodied yet amazingly smooth and elegant wine. If you are unfamiliar with this varietal, take advantage of this holiday to become acquainted. You will not regret meeting the dragon! the label will add to your Halloween fun as well.

Finally, you are likely familiar with the legend of the Jersey Devil from the Pine b arrens of New Jersey. Valenzano Winery of New Jersey has immortalized this legend with Valenzano Jersey Devil Forte red

For a taste of wine history, try the rosha Winery-timothée rkatsiteli 2020 from the Kakheti region of Georgia. On a trip to the Finger Lakes a few years ago, my wife and I discov-

I have two final recommendations for your Halloween pleasure that are not orange wines. First, try the rocca Del Dragone ( t he rock of the Dragon) from c ampagna, Italy. the vineyards from which this wine is grown are low-yield, high-quality grapes with vines averaging 20 years of age. the rocca Del Dragone is a deep red wine made from hand-selected 100% Aglianico grapes that are harvested in late October. It has aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry,

Wine, a deep, rich, and velvety red wine fortified with brandy and aged in oak for three years. If you enjoy Port Wines, you will love this devil! t he label has an awesome image of the Jersey Devil that will complement your holiday get-together. I hope you enjoyed this introduction to orange wines and will consider celebrating Halloween with some of these recommendations. Whether you are planning a trick-or-treat night, a festive party, or just keeping things simple, any of these wines would be a treat; no tricks! As always, if you have questions, contact me at dsetley@ passionvines.com or stop by the wine bar. Until next time, Happy Halloween and happy wining!

David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.

A delicious celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month

When I’m not in my kitchen testing recipes for my food column, I’m substitute teaching somewhere in Atlantic county. Last week, while subbing as a reading specialist at texas Avenue School in Atlantic city, I was also served a meal with deep roots in Mexico, central and South America, as part of a combo celebration: Hispanic Heritage Month and a Staff and teacher Appreciation Lunch.

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latino and Hispanic communities. President Lyndon b . Johnson issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation on Sept. 17, 1968. In 1989,

President George H.W. bush became the first president to declare the 31day period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

t he minute I stepped into the cafeteria I was handed a heavy duty paper plate and encouraged to sample some of the foods prepared by parents for the annual event. t he foods of seven countries, many of which are countries of origin for texas Avenue School students and their parents, were represented including Mexico, Honduras, Venezuela, Peru, costa rica, ecuador and columbia.

“Our school parents are so grateful for everything their teachers and staff do for their children,” said Hilda Llerena, Spanish teacher at school. “We combine celebrating them with celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. the result is the teacher Appreciation Lunch.”

Llerena helped parents set up the food, label the dishes’ countries of origin, and keep the hot foods hot and the cold foods cold. As teachers, staff and administrators entered the cafeteria, the aroma and the overflowing buffet of delicacies from

Mexico, central and South America widened eyes.

t he hosting parents graciously identified each dish for each new diner. t he authenticity was spoton, and the full flavors of each dish followed every bite. tamales were wrapped in cornhusks and taquitos perfectly fried and presented with a choice of toppings. Arepas were filled with chicken salad that combined

shredded chicken, a little chopped red onion, mayo and cilantro.

Pollo con mole (chicken in a mole sauce), sopes and a Peruvian cheese sauce called huancaina were among the favorites. A separate table displayed desserts with the star of the sweet table – creamy, sweet, perfect flan.

When asked to share a recipe, parent Ariana cruz and her cooking

partner, Florecita, were more than happy to share the recipe for taquitos below. If you make and serve this delicious recipe for taquitos, with every delicious bite, perhaps you can think about a Hispanic American who has contributed to the world.

take a quick look around the school and you’ll find tributes to Lin-Manuel Miranda (playwright and composer), Sonia Sotomayor (Supreme court justice), rita Moreno (actress and dancer), Selena Quintanilla (singer), Jordan chiles (gymnast), and ellen Ochoa (astronaut), to name just a few.

Disfrute de su comida – enjoy your meal!

Taquitos a la Florecita (texas Avenue School mom) Makes 20 taquitos

Ingredients:

● Vegetable oil (corn oil or canola oil, your choice)

● Veggies: tomatoes (roma or your choice) onion and fresh garlic

● Seasonings: ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt and ground black pepper

● Shredded chicken: a rotisserie chicken works or you can make your own

● Mexican crema: (sour cream is a fine substitution). You can also add a little water to sour cream to

thin it out to be the consistency of Mexican crema.

● Shredded cheese: use Oaxaca, chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend or any shredded cheese you have.

● tortillas: corn tortillas are traditional, but flour tortillas are also delicious. Use whichever you prefer.

Ingredients:

● ½ cup oil (if frying, just some oil to brush if baking)

● ⅓ cup diced tomato

● ¼ cup diced onion

● 1 teaspoon minced garlic

● 2 cup cooked and shredded chicken

● 1 ½ cups shredded cheese

● 1/4 cup onion finely chopped

● 1 tablespoon minced garlic

● ½ teaspoon cumin

● ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

● ¼ teaspoon salt

● ¼ teaspoon black pepper

● 5 ounce can diced green chiles, finely chopped

● 1 teaspoon ground cumin

● ½ teaspoon chili powder

● ½ teaspoon garlic powder

● salt and pepper to taste

● 20 corn or flour tortillas

Deep Fry Method:

Pour about 3 inches of oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat. In a large bowl combine cooked shredded chicken, green chiles, diced onion, cheddar cheese, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the corn or flour tortillas by wrapping them in a towel and placing them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.

Spoon about 1½-2 tablespoons of the mixture into a line on the tortilla and tightly roll it up. Place fold-side down onto a baking sheet or use a toothpick to ensure it won’t unroll. Deep-fry in the oil that is approximately 375 degrees for 3-4 minutes or until the exterior is more golden in color.

remove and set on paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Let cool 1-2 minutes and enjoy!

Baking Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl combine cooked shredded chicken, green chiles, diced onion, cheddar cheese, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder together. Salt and pepper to taste.

↘Continued on 74

Warm tortillas one at a time in a skillet sprayed with some oil over medium heat until flexible, about 10 seconds per side.

Spread about 1 heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture over half of a warmed tortilla. roll tightly to form a taquito starting at the filled side of the tortilla. Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. repeat with remaining tortillas. bake in the preheated oven until golden crisp and to your liking, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Air Fry:

Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees. Place the taquitos in a single layer, in the air fryer basket, seamside down. Mist the outsides with cooking spray. Air fry for 4 minutes.

Flip the taquitos and lightly mist them with oil again, then air fry for 2 to 3 more minutes until crispy. transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining taquitos.

Optional Toppings:

Prep a toppings bar for your family or guests with any or all of the addons below:

● pico de gallo

● Mexican crema or sour cream

● guacamole

● salsa ranchera, salsa verde, or

restaurant-style salsa

● cilantro

● shredded lettuce

● diced tomato

● diced onion

● crumbled Mexican cheese (cotija or queso fresco)

Store Leftovers: taquitos are best served fresh. Once they’re stored, they begin to soften. However you can refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheat: to reheat them, place them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes, for best results.

Freeze: For longer storage, pre -

pare them and skip the frying. Place them in a freeze-friendly bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months. thaw for 30 minutes before baking or frying as usual.

Prep-ahead: roll the taquitos as usual but don’t fry them. Keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days and fry right before serving or freeze.

Don’t overstuff: It’s tempting to add a lot of filling to your tortilla, but this will make them impossible to keep closed and fry.

Use toothpicks: Pin the taquitos closed with a toothpick if they’re opening up. this way you won’t have a taquito disaster once they hit the

oil, with the filling falling out.

Spice them up: Want to add some heat? You can add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

Choose your cheese: I like Oaxaca, chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend. However, you can use any shredded cheese you like.

Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@ gmail.com

PUP STRUT

Dogs lending a paw to help seal pups!

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9th

Rain date November 10th

16th Street & the Beach Brigantine Check In 9AM Walk 10 AM

REGISTER

REGISTER NOW FOR EARLY BIRD PRICE! $25 per dog $40 TWO DOGS learn how YOU & your pup can help protect seals!

One mile fun walk • Educational displays

Photos with “Luseal” • Goodie bags

Astrology, by definition, is the study of time and light. It is an art that has been utilized by humanity for millennia to provide a better understanding of how the cosmos affects life on earth. One’s personal horoscope, also known as a birth chart or natal chart, is a snapshot of the sun, moon, planets and more at the moment of one’s birth (date, time and location). t his snapshot holds many keys and secrets to one’s personality and characteristics. It can be considered one’s map, guidebook and lesson plan for life! everything in the cosmos continues moving beyond the moment of your birth and influences your life in various ways. the rhythm of the sun, moon, planets, stars and seasons influence your life and attitude towards life. the weekly horoscopes provided here in Shore Local Newsmagazine are written based on your rising sign. these horoscopes are intended to provide guidance and insight based on these rhythms. So much is written in the stars! It is my intention that these entries will assist you in deciphering what is encoded within you.

Horoscopes for Oct. 31 – Nov. 6

♈ Aries: Once a year, the energy is ripe for you to set goals and intentions related to your contractual

Weekly horoscopes

agreements with others. this year, think critically about your emotional investment and creating more balance between your public and private life.

♉ Taurus: Your hopes and dreams about your closest relationships or partnerships are calling for your attention this week. Answer the call with an emphasis on attracting someone new or deepening an existing bond. A true soulmate inspires personal growth.

♊ Gemini: A refresh in your day-today life is incoming. this can apply to many different themes including your job, health, charitable endeavors, habits and even household pets. Welcome in something new, ensuring that it adds value to your life.

♋ Cancer: It’s time to invite more joy and pleasure into your life. Ponder what tantalizes your senses and do more of it this week. You could even embark on a journey to find or try something new and have fun with the process.

♌ Leo: You may be feeling the stirring of moving or needing a change of scenery. It’s a good time to get clear about what you want most out of your surroundings and how location relates to being or becoming the most authentic version of you.

♍ Virgo: Methods of communication are getting a reset. ensure your voice is being heard by those that matter to you, that you are communicating your deepest desires and remember that artwork is also a form of expression.

♎ Libra: Ways to increase your personal income and resources have new potential. being truthful with yourself about your level of satisfaction with your current work is important. It’s OK to make waves and be open to change.

♏ Scorpio: there’s great courage and strength in being yourself. Let down your guard a little more and shine from your greatest depths. cycles of transformation include beautiful rebirths.

♐ Sagittarius: It’s good to take things more seriously at times, especially when the arrow is pointed at your frame of mind. Getting close to the bull’s-eye will require a keen focus on having a positive outlook and giving yourself some time alone.

♑ Capricorn: Dream big! Dedicating your resources, effort and energy to your passions is very important this week. consider the people around you and whether they have your best interests at heart. It may be time to find a different tribe.

♒ Aquarius: If you’re feeling as if there’s a job or career change on the horizon, then now’s the time to get the ball rolling. reality checks on earnings, schedules and fulfillment from your work will be helpful.

♓ Pisces: Satisfy your sense of adventure! Whether it’s embarking on a new journey, learning something new or deepening your spiritual practices, be intentional about beginning anything that’ll lead to broadening your horizons.

Weekly summary:

Diving deeply into Scorpio season continues this week with the Scorpio new moon on t hursday, Nov. 1 (8:47 a.m.). the element of water is predominant, which relates to emotion, going with the flow, intuition, receptivity and feelings. there are undercurrents and potential metaphorical riptides that will present challenges to our ability to swim and tread water. Powerful, opposing forces are present, which will bring themes of safeguarding our basic needs, self-pres ervation and protection amidst occurrences and power struggles that may seem beyond our control. When there are extremes in the cosmos, it’s up to us to do our best personally to maintain maturity and be mindful of our triggers, responses and opportunities for personal growth. the best choice this week may be to “sit on the beach or onshore” rather than going into the grips of the undertow. See the above horoscope for your rising sign for more specific information. If you’re unsure what your rising sign is, you can learn more in my info/tutorial video on our Sea Goddess Healing Arts Youtube channel or cast your own birth chart for free on astro.com.

The Cosmic Connection

An Autumn Feast: Savoring seasonal splendor at Beach Plum Farm's Harvest Dinner

Candlelight flickers across the barn, and golden light illuminates the rustic space. Your feet settle over the hay-covered floor as you take your seat at the family-style long table. It smells like amber and fresh herbs.

You’re here to taste the freshest farm-to-table dinner in South Jersey, and it won’t disappoint.

beach Plum Farm, a cape resorts property, offers back-to-nature experiences on the working farm. Adorned with quaint cottages and garden beds, the farm welcomes guests to connect to fresh food and homestead service.

t he farm hosts farm-to-table dinners throughout the year and

Shore Local News attended the Autumn Harvest Dinner as part of a series that takes place between September and November annually.

Hosts served apple cider sangrias and appetizers, while guests perused the farm. Dahlias blossomed across from the pear tree, nestled beside the market. chickens pecked seeds near their roost under shady trees, leaves vibrant in orange and red.

At 6 p.m., guests settled into their seats and were served sourdough loaves with elderberry butter. the bread was soft in the middle with a delicate crust, and the butter’s smooth richness was cut by the tart berries. the elderberries gave the butter a beautiful periwinkle color.

the event was bYO b , so waiters poured chilled bottles of wine into glasses for guests. Folk music played in the background as dusk settled over the farm.

As the diners mingled, they tasted the first course: Pear and radicchio

Salad, with turnips, radish, and honey vinaigrette. the watermelon radish was sliced so finely that it looked like flower petals. the dressing was subtle and the radicchio was earthy and bitter, which paired nicely with the sweet pear.

t he second course featured charred broccoli over celeriac paste with black garlic vinaigrette and crispy shallots. t he celeriac paste reminded diners of mashed potatoes with its smooth, creamy texture and mild flavor. the broccoli with shallots and vinaigrette was savory and hearty, with an almost steak-like mouthfeel. the perfect bite, which included every element of the dish, was balanced and perfectly-seasoned.

r ainbow carrots were the star of the third course, featured both as puree and roasted whole. It was served on a bed of farro and topped with homemade scallion ranch dressing. the color of the carrots popped. t he squash-like flavors whet the palate for the entree.

a cabbage and bacon side. t he skin of the pork was crispy and the meat was flavorful and tender. When the mustard au jus was poured over the meat, the taste was heavenly. the combination of components was an ode to Pennsylvania Dutch/ German flavors, and it all felt very local.

And yet, the dessert was the grand finale. A creme brulee was baked into miniature butternut squash and topped with creme fresh and a pepita crumble. It tasted like pumpkin pie. the creme brulee was perfectly caramelized on top and custardy in the middle.

Our chef shared that it takes nine hours to make these special treats and that the farm has considered swapping out this dish because of its labor-intensive nature. When the diners raved about the offering, the staff said, “If it’s worth it, it’s worth it!”

A short break was included between the third course and main course, and guests chatted with their tablemates.

the writer of this article was seated beside Darlene, a long-time lover of beach Plum Farm.

“I’ve loved the foraging experience and the farm-to-table dinner at the gazebo in the forest,” she said. “I’m a beach Plum addict. the food is always fantastic and the staff are really personable.”

When the entree was served, guests gasped. b eautiful chops of Heritage Pork were presented with

every group, from coworkers enjoying a company retreat, to couples traveling hours to attend this special meal, smiled between bites. A young couple celebrated an engagement proposal at the table, and their tablemates applauded. Laughter echoed across the barn.

After a practically perfect farmto-table experience, guests (including this writer) were already planning their next meal at the farm. b each Plum Farm hosts thanksgiving dinners, holiday dinners and New Year’s eve dinners.

For more information on dinners and offerings, check out beach Plum Farm online at https://beachplumfarmcapemay.com/.

beach Plum Farm is located at 140 Stevens St, West cape May.

Tips for charitable giving in the upcoming holiday season

With thanksgiving and the holiday season soon upon us, now is a great time to think about charitable giving. I have always felt that it is important to give back, no matter how big or small. Sometimes that may mean a donation of your time. However, if you can afford to give monetarily to a cause that you feel strongly about, those donations can make a big difference. Fortunately, my staff is also very charitably minded. It is also something that my wife and I have instilled in our children at an early age. While I feel it’s important to practice gratitude year-round and help those in need whenever you can, this time of year always feels even more important.

charitable giving should be an altruistic act. However, in some situations, there may be a tax benefit to the giver. Now is a good time to start thinking about year-end tax planning. Waiting until the actual year-end can cause you to miss deadlines or make mistakes in your giving efforts. the biggest reason to give, however, is because so many organizations and the individuals they help are in need. Many have struggled since the global pandemic and inflation certainly hasn’t helped the situation. charitable organizations need donations more than ever. Since every person has different needs and different desires when it comes to giving, here’s a list of several ways that you can give.

1. Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

In my opinion, one of the best ways to give is to gift your I r A or your required Minimum Distribution (rMD) from your I r A. You can gift up to $105,000 per year this way. Also, you must be age 70 ½, and you cannot gift funds from an employer-sponsored plan. It’s important to note that

the transfer must go directly to the charity from the I r A, not to you first.

2. Life Insurance

You can gift a current or new policy. t his option allows you to give more than you otherwise might. Gifting a policy you no longer need or want is a great option. the charity can keep and maintain the policy or possibly sell it. Many times it can be sold for much more than the cash value, and you may get a much larger deduction if they do. consult your tax advisor!

9. Pooled Income Fund

3. Charitable Lead Trust (CLT)

With a charitable lead trust, the charity gets all the income from the trust, and upon death, your beneficiaries get the trust assets.

4. Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT)

this is the opposite of a cLt. You get the income, and the charity receives the assets upon death. this may be good for people who need the income and deductions to possibly reduce taxes but have no heirs.

5. Charitable Gift Annuity

this gives you a guaranteed income for life via an annuity and a portion of it goes to the charity. the balance goes only to that specific charity unlike a crt, which can fund multiple charities.

6. Real Estate/Collectibles

You gift the property (usually highly appreciated), then the charity sells it. Use caution, though; not all charities have the resources to handle these transactions, so discuss it with them first. regarding collectibles, they must be highly marketable.

7. Appreciated Stock

You gift your stock to a charity, and they can sell it tax-free. You get a deduction without paying the taxes due if you were to sell it yourself. this can be a great way to avoid paying taxes on highly appreciated tech stocks that have seen a large run-up in values in recent years.

8. Donor-advised Funds

t he fund is managed by the organization, but you direct which investments within the funds you want. they do all the work for a fee. Your deduction is limited to 60% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) for cash donations and 30% on donated securities.

this is similar to a DAF, but you have no investment control. there is a limited deduction based on your life expectancy and the fund’s performance.

10. Private Foundation

You are the DAF. the deduction is limited to 30% of your AGI for cash donations and 20% for securities. this is designed for ongoing family-giving.

You should consult with your tax advisor and financial advisor to discuss these gifting strategies.

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLc (Kestra IS), member FIN r A/SIPc . Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLc (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. reich Asset Management, LLc is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS. the opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLc or Kestra Advisory Services, LLc t his is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regard to your individual situation. to view form crS visit https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures.

Eric is President and founder of Reich Asset Management, LLC. He relies on his 25 years of experience to help clients have an enjoyable retirement. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Investment Management AnalystSM (CIMA®) and has earned his Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designations.

How to handle puppies getting scared for seemingly no reason

Iwould like to remind everyone that raising a puppy is a marathon, not a sprint. Many people, particularly those with large-breed dogs, tend to equate physical size with emotional maturity. Dogs are not full-grown physically until they are roughly 18 months of age. It’s important to remember that mental maturity can take just as long. Having patience with your puppy and all of the issues that go along with raising them will pay off in the long run.

A very important part of puppy development is recognizing when your dog is going through a fear period. every dog regardless of make, shape, or size goes through two fear periods in life. the first fear period occurs when the puppy is between 8 and 12 weeks of age. I have found in my own litters of puppies that

their first fear period occurs at roughly 8 to 9 weeks of age, which is why I don’t place my puppies in homes until they are 10 weeks. A good breeder will already be safely exposing their young puppies to people, places, and things. they will recognize right away when one of their puppies is suddenly shy or afraid of something that is normally no big deal. My preferred method of handling the fear is to comfort my puppy and give them lots of treats and love when in the presence of what is suddenly scaring them. I also dial back their mental stimulation for a day or so. Most fear periods at this age do not longer than 24 to 48 hours. t he second fear period normally takes most puppy owners by surprise. Most times, you are rolling along raising your puppy, and then suddenly loud noises, cars, the vacuum or even plastic bags that normally do not faze your puppy become the scariest things they have ever seen. the second fear period is typically between 6 and 14 months of age.

I just had my 7-month-old puppy at a trunk or treat event, where I did not expect her to have an issue as she has been to several dog shows without a hint of hesitation. Suddenly, while walking

along as happy as could be, she heard loud noises and began to cower and shake. For a puppy that is otherwise on the tip of her toes looking for loud fun, I knew straight away she was entering her second fear period.

First of all, don’t panic when you see it. Your calm and confident manner will send the message to your puppy that they are going to be OK. comforting a scared puppy is never wrong and does not cement fear because the fear is already there. telling your young puppy that they are OK helps them learn that looking to you for guidance is safe and that you will help them.

After seeing Kabuki shake, I decided to turn around and take her back to the van where the stimulation was at a lower threshold. I talked to her and gave her treats during the return walk and assured her that all was well. Once back at the van, I let her decide who and what she wanted to interact with.

Never force a scared puppy to confront what is scaring them. Allowing them to set the pace and rewarding them with both food and treats for interacting with the scary thing is the way to go. Forcing a puppy to do something scary can per-

manently scar them from trusting you. Once back at the van, Kabuki recovered quite quickly and was happily jumping around and greeting people within about 10 minutes. I made sure to praise her for being happy. I also gave her treats for checking in with me.

t he adolescent fear period is a normal part of puppy development. It is an unavoidable part of the emotional development of all dogs. If your puppy starts to display fears, have patience and show them lots of love. before you know it, it will pass.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at heidi@fouronthefloordogtraining.net.

Heidi Clayton started Four On the Floor Dog Training to provide positive, rewardbased dog training in South Jersey. She breeds, trains and shows bull terriers under the SoraBully’s Bull Terriers kennel name. Email questions to heidi@ fouronthefloordogtraining. net or learn more at https:// fouronthefloordogtraining.net

Shore Local Trivia

Test Your Local Knowledge

1. “Dog Beach” is located in:

a) egg Harbor twp.

b) Ocean city

c) Somers Point

d)Longport

2. What network was TV 40 affiliated with?

a) Abc

b) FOX

c) cbS

d)Nbc

3. Parkway Exit 25 drops you off in:

a) Marmora

b) Somers Point

c) Galloway

d)egg Harbor twp.

4. Miss America contestants paraded down the boardwalk showing off their:

a) crowns

b) Shoes

c) Gowns

d)State Flags

5. This mainland town does not have a golf course:

a) Somers Point

b) Northfield

c) Linwood

d)Absecon

6. The Mark Etress arena holds some of the biggest concerts. It is in what casino?

a) borgata

b) Hard rock

c) tropicana

d)caesars

7. Most people call them sprinkles but folks from Philly name this ice cream topping:

a) Dots

b) Jimmies

c) Pebbles

d)Specs

8. This lake has its own lighthouse:

a) Patcong

b) bargaintown

c) Patriot

d)Lenape

9. What is the name of Ocean City’s boat parade?

a) Harbor Lights

b) Nautical Nights

c) Nights In Venice

d)bayfest

10. The oldest building in Atlantic County is:

a) b en Franklin summer cottage

b) Pitney House

c) Somers Mansion

d)Jimmy Leeds tavern

All Correct - SU reLY LOcAL. You’ve got sand in your toes and pines needles by your feet.

8 or 9 correct - SOLID LOcAL. You know your way around.

6 or 7 correct - SeMI

LO c AL. Not born and raised, but not bad.

3 or 5 correct - NeWbIe take another exit. You should get around more.

0 to 2 correct - SHOObIe – Welcome to South Jersey. the beach is that way.

SUDOKU

Solution on page 86

THEME: FAMOUS BUILDINGS

ACROSS

1. Performer's time to shine

5. Selfie, e.g.

8. One of five Ws

11. trиs ____, or very stylish

12. Mandolin's cousin

13. Knitter's unit

15. Aren't, colloquially

16. Mimicked

17. *Like House with Oval Office

18. *the Hunchback's home (2 words)

20. Listening devices

21. Flirtatious stares

22. Salt, in Spanish

23. *____ State building

26. tV shows, e.g.

30. Will Ferrell's "Funny or ____"

31. Steve McQueen's "the Great ____" (1963)

34. toss a coin

35. ____ & Young financial services company

37. Kimono tie

38. Sweating room

39. Short skirt

40. batter (2 words)

42. Lake, in French

43. Anise seed (1 word)

45. *____ of Versailles or buckingham

47. ____ of war

48. Sinbad the Sailor's home

50. Not good

52. *St. basil's in Moscow or St. Paul's in London

56. *the Parthenon in Athens is made of this

57. capital of Norway

58. Aeneas' lover

59. More slippery

60. Animal protein

61. Independent chieftain

62. High degree

63. tV program interruptions

64. retired, abbr. DOWN

1. cAt or Pet, e.g.

2. *Key tower, tallest building in this buckeye state

3. Laundry room fire hazard

4. type of local tax

5. Pupa, pl.

6. things

7. Give up a state

8. Dam-like structure

9. Not misses

10. Football's extra point

12. Soup scoopers

13. Make a solemn promise

14. *burj ____, tallest building in the world

19. Wading bird

22. "Monkey ____, monkey do"

23. bodily swelling

24. rice wine

25. 1/100th of Finnish markka

26. rotisserie skewer

27. Spurious wing

28. cancer-treating machine, acr.

29. *____ Needle, Seattle

32. For boys and girls

33. Lawyers' org.

36. *____ chapel, Vatican city

38. Flat replacement

40. "____, borrow or steal"

41. eventual outcome

44. Leonhard ____, Swiss mathematician (1707-1783)

46. Portable stairs

48. Headquartered

49. road-tripping guide

50. carve in stone

51. emptiness

52. Vegetative state

53. Ice crystals

54. Passage in a coal mine

55. Voldemort's title

56. Small amount of drink

Construction of second building at NARTP awarded $14.3 million contract

Construction of the second building at the National Aerospace research and technology Park (NArtP) in egg Harbor township is moving forward with the award by the Atlantic county Improvement Authority of a $14.3 million construction contract to t.N. Ward.

construction of the 40,000 sq. ft. research and office facility is expected to be completed in 16 months prior to fit-out of office suites.

the 58-acre park is located adjacent to the Federal Aviation Administration’s William J. Hughes technical center. together with the Atlantic city International Airport, the three facilities are co-located in the state’s only designated Aviation District that anchors a developing aviation and aerospace industry.

“ the first building is fully occupied and continues to attract interest. Space was recently modified to accommodate three new tenants,” explained county e xecutive Dennis Levinson. “We built it and they did come, despite the naysayers. And now we are building again as demand grows to take advantage of the assets we have here in Atlantic county.”

Occupants of the first building include General Dynamics, Woolpert, the National Institute of Aerospace, the FAA and Atlantic county Institute of technology. General Dynamics consolidated its space to provide space for two new tenants: Applied research Associates, a federal scientific research and engineering

contractor, and Quecon, Inc., an engineering consultant. A third new tenant, Signature Sciences, took the space previously occupied by thunderbolt.

Funding for the second building has been attained with support from federal, state and county governments, including a $3 million grant from US economic Development Administration; a $5 million grant from the NJ Department of community Affairs; $2.5 million from Atlantic county; and an anticipated $8 million investment from the NJ economic Development Authority. A portion of that building will include the Aerospace Innovation center, the state’s fifth Strategic Innovation center, with connectivity to the FAA’s advanced aerospace data systems and laboratories.

the NArtP is receiving increasing interest from Unmanned Aerial Systems and Advanced Air Mobility related companies following the FAA’s multi-year agreement with NASA to use space at the park for advanced air mobility projects. research focuses on safety implications and emerging technologies needed to support the development of new regulatory standards.

“It’s an exciting time to be in Atlantic county and serve such an integral role in the evolution of the aerospace industry,” stated Levinson. “ the dedicated efforts of the NArtP, the Atlantic county economic Alliance and their supportive partners are making an undeniable impact that will not only benefit our residents but individuals throughout the country and around the world.”

Officials ceremoniously break ground to signal the start of construction on a second building in the National Aerospace Research & Technology Park in Egg Harbor Township.

“If these walls could talk…” is an often heard sentiment when it comes to telling the story of a home. It may be a place for simple everyday living, but it’s also where we experience the drama of life’s ups and downs, the bad times and the good. For the people who experience their lives in your home – the ones who call it “H ere” – the story can be profound.

On Nov. 1, a new movie called “H ere,” directed by robert Zemeckis, and starring tom Hanks and robin Wright, is being released into theaters across America. It tells the story of the various things that happened in the living room of a single house over 100 years. It depicts multiple generations and how their lives are tied together by the moments that unfolded in that singular space. this movie, much like the real-life experience of home ownership, captures the memorable times that take place there. It tells the stories of family and friends as they experience landmark events such as weddings, births, deaths, love, health, good times and bad times, sad times and the humorous occasions, throughout the decades of life in a home – all in the process of creating their “H ere .” these memories featured in the movie, as in our own homes, are created one moment at a time, one day at a time, one year at a time, and one person at a time.

these moments are paralleled in each treasured photographs that we take, kept in a frame to remember the joy and togetherness shared with our loved ones within the walls of our home. It shows how loved ones, shared emotions, and treasured memories, and time itself can all be tied together in a single vital space – something as simple as the living room depicted in the movie. the timeless popular song “Our House,” is incorporated into the movie. Written by Graham Nash and

recorded by crosby Stills Nash and Young in 1970, the melodious words come to mind:

I'll light the fire

You place the flowers in the vase That you bought today…

Staring at the fire

For hours and hours while I listen to you…

Such a cozy room (such a cozy room)

The windows are illuminated By the evening sunshine through them

the line brings to us the warmth of the living room by the fireplace, the simple lyrics about ordinary moments and domestic bliss which make for the memories that last in your heart for a lifetime, making you feel the importance of your own family home “H ere .”

When reflecting on our own Shore Local area and the place that we call home, this is what choosing and creating your own “H ere” is all about. Love one another, enjoy, and make those memories “here” in our own Shore Local area.

For More Real Estate Questions, Information and Advice Contact Elisa Jo Eagan "The Real Estate Godmother" (609)703-0432 and Remember..."There's No Place Like Owning Your Own Home!"

Real

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