O cials Make Sure Boardwalk Games Are Fair

By Bob Vosseller BRICK – Independence

Day is observed in a variety of ways across the country but for Bob Mrozek who lives in the Normandy Beach section of the township, it has become a community event.

This year marked the 36th year for the Flag Raising and Veterans Appreciation ceremony held at the veteran’s home at the corner of 6th Avenue and

Ocean Terrace.

Mrozek served in the United States Army from 1961 to 1962 in the 10th Calvary during the Korean War. He told Jersey Shore Online.com that the event started “with four guys sitting around wondering what they were going to do that Fourth of July. We tried to get our fathers to put their World War II uniforms on, they’d put theirs uniforms on, and all raise the flag at 1 p.m. ”

By Bob Vosseller SEASIDE HEIGHTS

– Making sure rubber frogs have all their limbs and arcade game claws are actually able to grab stuffed animals keeps games of chance fair and honest.

“The next year they got more veterans on board, and the rest is history,” he added. Within their first 10 years the event added the Shamrock (Flag Raising - See Page 4) (Games - See Page 4)

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd, Division of Consumer Affairs Acting Director Cari Fais and numerous members of her department came out to the borough boardwalk to promote a safe summer, honest shopping and a fair chance of winning a prize. Their visit at Blaine Avenue was part of the Division’s annual enforcement initiative designed to promote a family-friendly environment at the Jersey Shore. The “Safe Summer” program includes summer-long inspections of boardwalk games for fairness of play, and to ensure they have not been modified to the disadvantage of players.

“Mr. America” anked By Town

By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER

– A familiar figure at parades, Joseph Placente was thanked for his patriotism as well as for his help with a recent police project. With nicknames like “Uncle Sam” and “Mr. America,” Placente is known for walking in parades for Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

He wears red, white, and blue and holds aloft a flag, usually at the front of the procession. If the parade was cancelled, such as when COVID precautions limited large gatherings, he’d walk anyway. Sometimes, others would hear of this and join him and create an impromptu parade. He was honored at a

Township Council meeting. Police Chief Mitch Little thanked him for “keeping our spirits up in Toms River.”

“It’s been a long run, it’s been a great run, though – 91 years worth,” Placente said.

“God bless you and God bless America!”

He left school when he was 16 to join the Air Force. He served during the Korean War as a radio operator. Upon his return, he got his GED. He worked in his father’s barber shop, inheriting it upon his father’s death until it burned down in 1968. He owned a few businesses and was a school bus driver, dispatcher and then supervisor.

(Mr.AmweicaSee Page 5)

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Flag Raising:

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& Thistle Pipes & Drums, followed by the American Legion Riders who buzz by his house on their motorcycles. The crowd also grew.

What started with just 10 people now draws more than 1,000 spectators - most wearing red, white and blue or military attire.

This year once again featured the Ocean Black Sheep fly over, bagpipers, and more than 50 American Legion Riders which are units attached to local American Legion Posts.

Mike Maino, the public affairs officer for the Ocean Air Support Squadron, Inc. Ocean Black Sheep noted the mission of the group as airborne search and reconnaissance. “Some of you are familiar with their missing man formation. You’ll see it today.” came dressed as President Thomas Jefferson and he joined others dressed in Civil War, World War I and World War II uniforms. They were joined by a rather short but spirited Uncle Sam for the occasion.

“You can Google us at oceanblacksheep.com to see what we do. I am the safety officer and recruiting officer and we are looking for anyone who wants to sit in the right seat with a camera during the summer,” Maino added.

“DJ Johnny has been for many years providing music here,” Ceresi said. When Ceresi’s effort to get the crowd to sing a cappella to Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” failed to draw voices from the crowd, DJ Johnny was asked to play The Village People’s classic “YMCA” instead that got the crowd singing as they awaited arrival of the Ocean Black Sheep.

Ceresi also noted the presence of “92-year-old Jim Nichols, a veteran of the Korean War, the forgotten war. We are very honored to have him here.”

Radio personality Bill Spadea from Town Square Media who served in the U.S. Marine Corps was present to greet the crowd and to wish everyone a happy Independence Day. Public officials from Brick Township were present and Toms River Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill and Brick Mayor Lisa Crate were acknowledged during the afternoon.

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The flag raising was held around 1:30 p.m. this year. Despite the heat some came dressed in their military uniforms, such as Mrozek, who was there to greet and shake hands with every veteran who attended. Tunes like “Coming to America,” “I’m Proud To Be An American” were heard along with, “God Bless America.”

The Shamrock & Thistle Pipes & Drums added their cadence once more during the Independence Day activity. Normandy Beach resident Laurie Hofstetter sang “God Bless America” while fellow Normandy Beach resident Bob Ceresi served as master of ceremonies.

The street was filled with attendees dressed in red, white and blue. Others like John M. Stewart

Games:

Continued From Page 1

Bruce Hurlbunt, an investigator for the Legalized Games of Chance Commission, was among those looking over the games that day and one of their first stops was the flying rubber frog attraction. “We’re making sure they are all level.” He noted that the attraction which involves customers slamming a small hammer that causes the rubber frogs to fly on metal lilly pads needs to have a proper balance.

The group spent about an hour touring various spots on the boardwalk to run some tests, check retail prices, check the scales at a candy shop and to even throw a few basketballs. Even though no one was able to score, the game was deemed to be fair. Platkin was a bit luckier at Sonny and Ricky’s Arcade, checking out a game machine that netted him a T-shirt prize.

“It is a beautiful day here on the boardwalk. I want to thank everyone that are here with me. The boardwalk is iconic in New Jersey for everyone who lives here and comes here and the boardwalks throughout the state,” he said. “When you come to pay the games at the boardwalk, we want you to know that you have a fair shot. When you are buying stuff at the stores you know the prices are fair, you know what they are and if you need to return something, you know how to do it.”

“That is what this is about - making sure people know what their rights are and that we take it seriously,” Platkin said. He said the inspectors examine “basketballs to see if they are too inflated, frogs at the frogger game have limbs. If so we’ll make sure those things get fixed.”

A 40-page program book was made for the event and featured additional information. The flag that was raised that afternoon had previously flown over the Freedom Tower and was presented to Mrozek and his fellow organizers for this celebration.

The program book included photos of various area veterans including Mrozek who served as a tank platoon leader in 1962 and is seen standing on top of his command tank while serving in Korea.

“As we raise the flag and proudly watch as our veterans stand at attention and salute, we are all reminded of the indomitability of our American spirit. Happy Fourth of July to all,” Mrozek said.

“We want people to know that if you are good at those games, you are going to win,” he added.

It was noted that a Safe Summer Task Force was made up of investigators and community outreach members from the Division of Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection (OCP). They make periodic visits to the state’s shore boardwalks to conduct compliance inspections and also hold public education events.

The inspections and events are held in conjunction with inspections by the Division’s Legalized Games of Chance Commission (LGCCC) and with help from the county consumer affairs offices and other county and local enforcement agencies. The inspections are held all summer long.

According to a breakdown of boardwalk enforcement activity in 2022, the OCP inspected 42 stores during Safe Summer events in the borough, Atlantic City and Point Pleasant and $6,500 in penalties were assessed from 14 violations cited in 12 stores.

The infractions involved the pricing at 10 stores and pricing and refund policies at two stores. Last year 20 stores were inspected in Seaside Heights and only three were cited with violations for their pricing and refund policy.

Chief Boyd remarked, “We’re happy the Attorney General and the Prosecutor are here today making sure everything is safe and everything is legit. People come to Seaside to enjoy themselves and we also want them to win.”

There have been many renderings of the Jersey Devil over the years.

Mr. America:

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Placente joined Toms River Fire Company #2 in 1958 and is a lifetime member. He was honored in 1968 by New Jersey as “Fireman of the Year” for heroic action in saving a life. He joined the Toms River First Aid Squad in 1976 where he was a volunteer for several years.

He entered the New Jersey Senior Olym-