SHORE LOCAL | Mainland | June 1, 2023

Jam Packed with June Events

Towns Honor Fallen Heroes

Cape Leaders Vow to Fight Wind Projects

Beer and Music, North to Shore Festivals

Mays Landing Dancer

A Rising Star from Coast to Coast

From the Editor

If you’ve ever found yourself mesmerized by the sun rising over the ocean or caught yourself lost in the sound of crashing waves, you know that our coastline is a powerful and majestic treasure.

For those who have adventured below the surface, you know there is an entire ecosystem of fish, crustaceans, and creatures that call this big ocean home.

Contrary to its beauty, the power of the ocean is fierce. If you’ve ever been caught in a rip current or caught views of the ocean during a n or’easter, you also know that this power is indescribable and the ocean demands respect from all who choose to engage with it.

Despite all safety efforts and the amazing lifeguards that watch over our shores, tragically, we lose some -

Issue 234

one to the water every summer. This almost always occurs when a person is not swimming on a guarded beach or enters the ocean before or after lifeguard hours. As another summer approaches, we want to remind you of the importance of always swimming in front of a lifeguard and watching your children and loved ones closely. Take the time to learn what to do if you are caught in a rip current. Always swim parallel to the shore rather than trying to swim against the current.

There have been recent great white shark pings off our coast, shark sightings, and, most alarmingly, a girl was bitten by a shark in Stone Harbor. While shark bite incidents in n ew Jersey are extremely rare, it is a reminder that when we enter the ocean, we are entering "their world," a vast ecosystem that includes a wide array of marine life. Fortunately for us, the odds are that the greatest risk to ocean-goers at the Jersey Shore is nothing more than a crab pinch. For more information, read the feature on page 31.

The ocean is vast, powerful and valuable beyond measure. It should

Established 2016

be treasured, not industrialized to create jobs.

The proposed industrialization of our coastline, and the speed at which it is being pushed upon us, is extremely alarming. The impact on marine species, the ecosystem, and all the industries that rely on and thrive on it, could be catastrophic.

Cindy Zipf, e xecutive Director of Clean Ocean Action described it best. "I don't think in the history of mankind have we proposed to industrialize an ecosystem this fast and at this magnitude."

Bob and I applaud Cape May County's Resolution 314-23 opposing Orsted wind projects. Read this on pages 8-9. We invite you to voice your opinion on this important issue and we will share it in upcoming issues. Please email shorelocalnews@gmail.com

This edition of Shore Local is packed with local talent, amazing local businesses, noteworthy news, upcoming events, can’t-miss happenings, and so much more. The cover photo is of 12-year-old ballet phenomenon, Lily Sawicki of Mays Landing. Her feature story is on page 10.

For this week’s upcoming events, live music, and dining opportunities, check out Wahoo!, Shore Local’s entertainment & Dining Guide.

As always, we are deeply thankful for everyone who makes Shore Local possible every week. We hope you enjoy this issue of Shore Local n ewsmagazine, and don’t forget to show our advertisers love!

Publisher– Bob Fertsch (609) 334-1691 shorelocalads@gmail.com

Executive Editor - Cindy Christy Fertsch (609) 705-5323 shorelocalcindy@gmail.com

Copy Editors - James FitzPatrick, Holly Fertsch

Staff Writer - Sarah Fertsch Digital Marketing Director - Marc Berman Web Designer - Holly Martin

Contributors –Charles Eberson, Scott Cronick, Dan Skeldon, Tammy Thornton, Rich Baehrle, Steffen Klenk, Nancy Adler, Donald B. Kravitz, Joe Massaglia, Fred Miller, Krystle J. Bailey, Brian Cahill, Dave Weinberg, Doug Deutsch, Elisa Jo Eagan, David Setley, Heidi Clayton, Eric Reich, Keith Dawn, Whitney Ullman, Raymond Tyler, Tim Hawk, John Loreaux, Danielle Davies, Bill Quain

Cover photo of Lily Sawicki by Susan Grace Photography or

Cover photo of Carter Doorly by Dawn Doorly.

Peace & Love, Cindy

The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season has begun. What kind of year is in store?

onshore breeze. But could the early east Coast activity be a harbinger of what’s to come?

‘Tis the season, from June 1 through november 30, every year in the Atlantic, with the traditional peak occurring from late August through early October.

Weather

By Dan Skeldon

And we’re off. Welcome to June, and with it, the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Although more often than not, at least over the last decade, the season has started early, with May tropical systems in the Gulf of Mexico or off the southeastern coast of the united States.

And some, like yours truly, would say that there was some sort of tropical system that battered the Carolinas over the recent Memorial Day holiday weekend. It wasn’t officially named, and it thankfully spared South Jersey everything but some cloudier intervals and an occasionally brisk

First, let’s start with the 2023 list of names for any tropical storms and hurricanes that form in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Remember, there are 21 names used on our list, which is repeated every seventh year. All letters are represented, except Q, u, X, Y, and Z, and names alternate between boy and girl right on down the list. names of english, Spanish, and French origins are selected, as those are the primary languages spoken around the Atlantic basin in areas most often impacted by tropical systems.

The 2023 names are: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, n igel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney.

These names were last used in

2017, and before that, in 2011 and 2005. Remember Irene struck South Jersey in 2011, and that name was retired and replaced with Irma. Then in 2017, Irma devastated parts of the Caribbean and Florida, and was likewise retired and replaced with Idalia. The letter “I” is the most popular first letter of retired tropical systems, with 13 “I” storms retired over the years. Other new names on the list this year are Harold (replaces Harvey), Margot (replaces Maria), and n igel (replaces nate). Those three storms were all retired in the very busy 2017 season, with Harvey causing massive destruction in Texas and Maria the worst storm to ever strike Puerto Rico. nate was a powerful hurricane that struck parts of Central America.

n ow names aside, the next step is forecasting just how active or tranquil of a season lies ahead. And that always begins with the disclaimer that long range forecasting is a challenge, certainly much more so than the typical seven day forecast. That being said, forecasting the number of storms that we will see in an upcoming season has had an increasingly high skill over the last few decades. And whether the forecast is right or wrong in the end, these preseason forecasts serve an important purpose. Quite simply, it raises the awareness ahead of the coming season, and hopefully gets people thinking and better yet preparing for whatever the summer and fall hold in store, tropically speaking.

Let’s also remind you what an “average” Atlantic hurricane season is these days. Our average numbers have ticked up over the last few decades, with active seasons occurring more often than not. While a truly “average” season seldom occurs, we expect around 14 named storms in an average year in the Atlantic, with about half of them (7) strengthening and becoming hurricanes, and about 3 major hurricanes, achieving Category 3 intensity or greater. no matter how many storms there are, it’s always important to remember that it only takes one landfalling hurricane to define a season.

n ow, what may be the two biggest factors in determining this year’s activity is a developing el n ino, the first in years, as well as warmer than average ocean temperatures across much of the Atlantic basin.

Let’s start with the latter, the warmer ocean waters in tropical breeding grounds, including off the Southeast Coast and near the Gulf

Stream. Warmer than average ocean water obviously favors more and/or stronger storms, presuming storms can first organize. So this would be one sign for more activity this year, and perhaps more close in development along and off the east Coast from Florida to the Carolinas.

However, a just developing el nino will likely be the bigger determinant. el n ino, and its counterpart La n ina, are a recurring climate pattern that follow a roughly 7-year cycle in the Pacific Ocean. It impacts water temperatures off of South America, as well as pressures and winds through the central Pacific Ocean. And while thousands of miles away from the breeding grounds of Atlantic hurricanes, the en SO cycle (as it is known) can have a huge impact on our hurricane season.

We’ve had three consecutive years with a La n ina, which favors above average tropical activity in the Atlantic. Conversely, an el nino usually (but not always) leads to below average activity. The main reason: it increases winds that blow the tops off thunderstorms of developing tropical systems in the deep tropics, in turn weakening them and hindering development. But just how quickly this el nino develops is the wild card this year. If it only slowly takes hold, our hurricane season can still be quite active. A more rapidly strengthening el nino would likely limit development.

So the official nOAA forecast calls for a 40% chance of an average season in terms of the number of storms, and says 12-17 storms is the most likely outcome at this point. That seems reasonable given the above factors, with a 30% chance of both a below and above average season, with the strength of the el nino again the main wild card.

As always, only time will tell. But now is the time to prepare and ensure your hurricane readiness, in case a storm turns up the east Coast later this year.

Meteorologist Dan Skeldon has a degree in meteorology from Cornell University. He has forecasted the weather in South Jersey for the last 18 years, first on the former television station NBC40 and then on Longport Media radio. Dan has earned the American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval for Broadcast Meteorologists, and now does television broadcasts on WFMZTV in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley.

Cape May County Board of County Commissioners pass resolution opposing Orsted wind projects

The Cape May County Board of County Commissioners unanimously passed Resolution 314-23. The Resolution contains eight pages of details about the County of Cape May’s efforts to engage with the Danish wind corporation, Orsted, in order to try to find common ground and mitigate some of the negative impacts of Orsted’s Ocean Wind One offshore wind generation facilities project. Orsted has conceded that if it constructs its Ocean Wind One and Ocean Wind Two offshore wind farm projects, windmills will be visible from every beach in Cape May County and from elevated positions offshore.

The Resolution contains references to a conclusion by the u nited States Bureau of Ocean energy management that the construction of multiple offshore wind projects along the east Coast of the united States will have little to no positive impact on global warming and climate change. The Resolution also cites a Harvard university study that concludes that large, offshore windmill arrays will significantly reduce sea breeze and result in warmer surface temperatures, especially in the vicinity of the wind farms. The Harvard study also concludes that the construction and operation of offshore wind industry electric power generation facilities will have a more substantial negative impact on climate change than oil and coal over the next decade.

Perhaps most disconcerting is the Resolution’s reference to the potential negative impacts on Cape May County’s tourism-based economy. A study cited by Orsted itself on its website indicates that an estimated 15% of tourists will not return once the windmills are installed. Cape May County has a $7.4 Billion annual tourism economy. This would amount to a potential $1.11 Billion loss in Cape May County spread across multiple sec-

tors such as food service, hospitality, retail, rental housing and others.

The Resolution also details how the Danish Company Orsted and its partners at the n ew Jersey Board of Public utilities have used the n ew Jersey Offshore Wind economic Development Act to push aside County and local elected officials in an attempt to eliminate local objection and concerns.

The Cape May County Board of Commissioners has authorized the reasonable use of all County resources to oppose the Orsted windmill projects. As of the date of the passage of the Resolution, the County of Cape May has appealed a decision of the nJBPu authorizing Orsted’s state permit applications and taking real property interests from the people of the County of Cape May and transferring them to the foreign offshore wind company. The County of Cape May is engaged in a review of state and federal permitting processes with an eye toward possible legal challenges.

“At first, the County of Cape May was interested in trying to work with Orsted to find a way forward, perhaps with some modifications to the project to reduce visual, environmental and economic impacts,” said Cape May County Board of Commissioners Director Len Desiderio. “We would like to see land-based offshore wind

facilities and supply chain infrastructure built here in n ew Jersey, since that would create good opportunities for trade workers and others. But we cannot sit quietly by as hundreds of windmills are installed off our beaches as state and federal government agencies ignore our legitimate and serious concerns.”

Desiderio continued, “As time went by, it became clear that Orsted was not interested in finding any compromise. It is clear to us now that the approach among this foreign corporation and their partners in the state and federal governments is to build these things as fast as they can despite the potential for devastating environmental and economic impacts. On behalf of the people of Cape May County, we will not let that happen without a fight.”

In the effort to oppose the Orsted Ocean Wind One project, the County of Cape May has engaged the law firm of Cultural Heritage Partners based in Virginia, the environmental consulting group Warwick Consulting based in Wash -

ington, D.C., and for the past two years has had former County Administrator and former n ew Jersey Superior Court Judge Michael J. Donohue serving as Special Counsel and coordinator for offshore wind issues.

“Along with the City of Ocean City, the County of Cape May is fighting in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court,” Donohue said. “The n ew Jersey Board of Public u tilities, with its President, other

members, and staff, after announcing that they are “partners” with Orsted and wearing wind turbine blade lapel pins, deprived the County and Ocean City of required due process and acted in an indefensibly biased and unfair fashion in ruling in favor of the Danish wind company and against the duly elected officials of Ocean City and the County. The Commissioners have

authorized the exploration of legal challenges on all fronts, including challenges to nJD eP permits and a host of federal permits that will be issued over the coming months.

The Commissioners have also authorized an aggressive public education campaign, which the County will be undertaking as we move through the summer months so that all of our second homeowners and small business operators can gain a better understanding of the potentially devastating impacts from the Orsted Ocean Wind One project and other wind projects that are slated to be constructed along our beaches.”

Interested members of the community are encouraged to visit capewindinfo.com as well as the County of Cape May’s social media pages for more information and to keep up to date on the County’s efforts in opposition to the industrialization of the Atlantic Ocean off of Cape May County.

12-year-old ballet phenomenon from Mays Landing dances coast to coast

Connecticut, and n ew York for the local phenomenon as she learns from the best in ballet from coast to coast.

By Krystle J Bailey

The joy on 12-year-old Lily Sawicki’s face as she arabesques her way through her hometown dance studio is palpable. Lily’s love for the intricate art of ballet began at four years old when, like many young girls, she tried a dance class for the first time. As she stepped onto the floor at Dance Works in Mays Landing, she was unaware of how much her life was about to change.

As she prepares to fly across the country to attend the first of three summer intensives at San Francisco Ballet School, Lily looks forward to performing as a guest artist with the school that introduced her to her dance in an upcoming classical variation. From there, it’s off to California,

eight years ago, after watching the Dora The e xplorer Ice Spectacular, four-year-old Lily expressed an interest in ice skating classes. Taking a more cautious approach, her mother, Kari, encouraged her to “try it on land” first, which is where Lily’s ballet journey began.

“She got on stage at her first recital and completely lit up,” shares Kari Sawicki. “From there, it was all she wanted to do. A lot of kids have different hobbies, but for Lily, it’s always been dance, specifically ballet.”

By seven, the dedicated young ballerina embarked on her first dance competition, where she earned the title of Miss Petite True Talent. At ten, she secured a gold medal at the national Ballet Competition. Since then, she has gone on to place as a finalist at the universal Ballet Competition, World Ballet Competition, and Miami International Ballet Competition.

In 2020 and 2021, Lily starred as

Clara in the Atlantic City Ballet nutcracker, and last year, she performed in the recording of a short film out of n ew York.

“When I perform, I feel free of the world,” explains the well-spoken and poised pre-teen. “I like to be in front of people and make other people happy with my joy.”

When Lily competed at the Youth American Grand Prix in Philadelphia last year, judge and internationally renowned ballet teacher Peter Stark offered her a scholarship to attend Rock School for Dance education summer intensive, where she has gone on to study year-round.

Given the natural drive and commitment to ballet that Lily exhibited early on, along with her desire to further her practice, Lily was transitioned to home-based academic education with a full focus on her passion for ballet. unlike most sixth graders, Lily’s day begins with morning coffee and a little bit of schoolwork, followed by a full day of conditioning, technique, and rehearsals.

She begins her mornings at Dance Works, where she hones in on minor corrections and tries new dance variations. From there, she completes more schoolwork on her way to “The Rock” (Rock School for Dance education), where she trains with other teenage dancers six days per week. In the evenings, she focuses on perfecting her technique before winding down with dinner and stretching. As her long days end, Lily shares that she looks forward to a nice big bowl of pasta for dinner, preferably Alfredo.

This summer, Lily is taking her love of dance across the u nited States

on a three-stop summer intensive tour. She applied for 26 different summer intensive programs across the country where select aspiring ballet dancers are invited to learn under the tutelage of the prestigious dance school faculty. All 26 of Lily’s applications were accepted.

With some logistical finessing by her mother, Kari, Lily will begin her summer adventure with four weeks at San Francisco Ballet School, one of her dream companies to work for. After a brief rest, she will head to Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Connecticut for three weeks, ending with two weeks at Ballet Academy east in Manhattan. In between intensives, Lily will make a brief stop in new York City, where she will perform in a twoday showing of Firebird with the nYC Ballet Children’s Cast.

When Lily isn’t dancing her way through big cities, she loves to shop and spend time with her friends and family. She aspires to one day work as a professional dancer for a highly-regarded ballet company.

“I’ve never seen anyone with a work ethic like her,” shares Lily’s mother Kari. “She has a drive and wants to do better all the time. I don’t ever want to stand in the way of that. We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the help of other people, including her grandparents. It seriously takes a village.”

Lily’s ballet journey is just beginning. Keep up with her adventures on Instagram at @BalletLilyRose.

Krystle J Bailey is a multimedia journalist, author and poet. Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5

Fallen heroes honored at Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery

By Julia Train

Almost 7,000 American flags were placed next to the graves of fallen soldiers and blew in the wind as the 38th Annual Atlantic County Veterans Memorial Service took place on Friday, May 26.

The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Color Guard and the Atlantic County Corrections Officers’ Honor Guard

led the procession down a paved pathway as the Sandpipers Pipes and Drums of Atlantic County followed, playing “America the Beautiful.”

Dozens of people gathered under the pavilion at the Atlantic County Veterans Cemetery to commemorate those who’ve either died in battle or from health complications stemming from war.

Facing the crowd, the members of the Atlantic County Board of

Commissioners were seated under a canopy in two rows with a podium and microphone in front of them.

Dennis Levinson, Atlantic County e xecutive, stepped up to the podium and welcomed the attendees.

“You know, it’s foolish to honor the dead. You should thank God for their existence because without them, many of us would not have the life that we have,” Levinson said, quoting someone else.

Levinson asked for those who fought for the country to stand up and applause erupted. He recollected some history of the holiday, which was originally called “Decoration Day.”

He then welcomed Rev. John Ash from Mays Landing’s Presbyterian Church, who said the invocation and benediction.

After Howard and Donna Marie Berchtold sang the national Anthem, Levinson invited the keynote speaker and his longtime friend, Robert Frolow, to speak.

“I went to college and Bob went to Vietnam. It doesn’t sound fair. That’s been the way it is throughout American history,” said Levinson.

Frolow has spent a majority of his life helping his fellow veterans obtain government benefits and other assistance.

He was instrumental in bringing the Vietnam “Moving Wall,” which is a memorial for those who fought in the war, to Somers Point and established the Veterans Resource Center in northfield.

Levinson appointed him as the county’s first veterans services officer and he has held the position for the past 21 years.

In his brief but powerful speech, Frolow spoke about what he’s witnessed in terms of veterans’ mental health after the war.

percent higher among veterans than the general public in 2020.

In 2021, 6 million veterans served and about 10 percent of men and 19 percent of women were diagnosed with PTSD.

Frolow spoke about the statistics related to the mental health issues of veterans, which is something he’s a strong advocate for.

Frolow was then accompanied by members of the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners as they walked it to where the flagpole was.

He spoke about his work helping retired veterans and asked if anyone had questions or statements, converting the speech into a conversation.

One gentleman from the audience mentioned how veterans have a higher risk of suicide.

According to a report from the united States Department of Veterans Affairs, the suicide rate was 57.3

Taps was played as the group stood silently, taking in the moment.

As the group returned to the tent, The Sandpipers Pipes and Drums of Atlantic County played “Amazing Grace.”

Rev. John Ash gave the benediction and the event was complete. The audience dispersed to take pictures with the veterans in attendance in front of the thousands of flags across the cemetery.

Events and Happenings

Multi-Day Events

Holy Trinity Greek Festival

▶Thursday, June 1 – Sunday, June 4

7004 Ridge Ave. e gg Harbor Township

Join Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church hosts their annual Greek Festival this weekend. enjoy all your authentic Greek favorites, with ethnic dance performances Saturday and Sunday evening, and the live Greek band n eo Kyma performing on Saturday, along with amusement rides, church tours, and fireworks

Thursday and Sunday. The festival will be held Thursday and Friday from 5-10pm, Saturday 12-11pm, and Sunday 12-10pm. For more information, visit holytrinityeggharbor.com or call 609-653-8092 ext. 5. Free parking. Admission is $1. Children under 5 are free.

Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival

▶Saturday, June 3rd from 2-6pm & Sunday, June 4th from 12-4pm

Bader Field 545 n . Albany Ave.

Session 1 on Saturday will feature music by the Dropkick Murphys, and Sunday features 311. All attendees must be 21 years of age or older. Produced by Good Time Tricycle Produc-

Drift Day Spa

tions. For a complete list of all festival breweries, musical lineups, activities, tickets and more information, visit acbeerfest.com.

Ocean City Flower Show

▶Friday, June 2nd - Sunday, June 4th

Ocean City Music Pier 825 Boardwalk

See beautiful commercial, amateur and children’s displays at the Music Pier. Show times are Friday 2-8pm, Saturday 10am-8pm and Sunday 10am-4pm. For more information, call

1-800-B e ACH- nJ or visit oceancityvacation.com.

Somers Point Dance Society

▶Tuesdays from 7:30-10pm

Somers Point Fire Co. #1 447 Bethel Rd.

Ready to go dancing again? Come out to Somers Point Fire Co. #1 every Tuesday for social dancing, line dances, dance mixers, and more. Light snacks included in admission. $10 live musical duo each week. Call Rita Voli at 609-408-3619 for information. See you on the dance floor.

Thursday, June 1st

Pop Up Shop for a Purpose

▶11am-4pm

Location To Be Announced

Looking for a unique gift? Plan to visit the Pop up Shop for a Purpose next Thursday. A portion of the proceeds will support Counseling Programs at Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties (JFS). For the Pop u p Shop Open House address, email Development@jfsatlantic.org. For information on JFS programs and services, visit jfsatlantic.org.

Celebrate! An Evening with The Arc of Atlantic County

▶6-9:30pm

The Deck at Golden n ugget 600 Huron Ave. Atlantic City

Join The Arc and “Sail into Summer” with a casual evening on The Deck with friends, supporters, community partners, and business leaders. Chef-curated food, beer, wine & signature cocktails, live entertainment & dancing, silent auction, 50/50 raffle, and prize raffle. To purchase tickets, make a donation, or sponsor a guest, please visit thearcatlantic.org/ celebrate or call 609.485.0800 x 141.

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The Greek Festival in Egg Harbor Township

Wonder’s Birthday Bash

▶6-10:30pm

Gillian’s Wonderland Pier 6th Street and the Boardwalk, Ocean City

Celebrate Wonder Bear’s Birthday; celebrating 93 years on the Ocean City Boardwalk with fireworks at 9pm. For more information, visit oceancityvacation.com.

Friday, June 2nd

Ventnor City Farmers Market

▶8:30am-12pm

St. James Church n ewport & Atlantic Ave.

The Ventnor City Farmers Market is a most delightful place to shop every Friday throughout the summer. You’re greeted by friendly vendors who happily answer questions and offer up some market swag. The parking lot at St. James Church brims with 60+ farmers, food vendors, and crafters who offer fresh, seasonal picks, delicious artisan foods, baked goods, beverages, and beautiful handmade wares. Open Fridays through September 3rd. Visit vcfm. org to see a complete list of vendors and sponsors.

EHT BMX & Mountain Bike Open House

▶6:30pm

Veterans Memorial Park Ocean Heights Ave. egg Harbor Township

eHT BMX is hosting a free open house to the public. The track is located just past the hockey courts. Registration opens at 5:30pm. All riders who sign up for a free 1 day trial membership will be entered to win a free 1 year membership and eHTBMX swag. Bring your bike, helmet, long pants, long sleeve shirt and closed toe shoes. For questions, call 609927-9089.

Saturday, June 3rd

Brigantine Farmers Market

▶8am-12pm

Brigantine Community School parking lot Sheridan Blvd.

The Brigantine Farmers Market will be open to customers this Saturday and will run every Saturday, rain or shine, until Labor Day weekend. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/brigantinefarmersmarket.

Somers Point Farmers Market

▶8am-12pm

Somers Mansion 1000 Shore Rd.

Somers Point Farmers Market returns to Somers Mansion for 2023. For more information, go to visitsomerspoint.com.

Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs

EHT

▶10am-12pm

eHT nature Reserve 317 Zion Rd.

Join eHT Recreation, the eHT Municipal Alliance and nJDeP Department of Fish and Wildlife for a fun day of fishing and prizes at the nature Reserve. Prizes will be given for the biggest fish, smallest fish and most fish. This program is open to anyone under the age of 20. Sign up today at ehtrec.com.

Hooked on Fishing Not on Drugs

Galloway

▶9am-12pm

Patriot Lake 300 e . Jimmie Leeds Rd. Galloway

The Friends of Forsythe national Wildlife Refuge invites you to their annual Les Murray Memorial Free Fishing Derby for Children Ages 5-12. All children must be accompanied by

a parent or guardian. To register, call 609-652-1665 between 10am-2pm Wednesday through Sunday. Registration is limited.

Skato to Kato

▶1pm

Ocean City Skatepark 5th & Asbury Ave.

Come help the Humane Society of Ocean City continue Kato’s legacy of raising money and awareness for all shelter animals in need of forever homes. $20 Registration fee to enter All Ages Skate Camp. Live music by LnJ Sessions, fun, and spectators are free, and donations will be accepted and appreciated. For more information visit hsocnj.org.

Ventnor City Summer Beach Jam

▶6pm

n ewport Avenue Beach

Listen to live music on the beach. The Summer Beach Jam is held behind the Ventnor Library and Cultural Arts Center. This week, enjoy live music by Bob Sterling. Live music begins at 6pm, with food and crafters ready to serve you at 5pm.

Sunday, June 4th

Le Tour de Downbeach

▶9am-12:30pm

n ewport Avenue and the Beach, Ventnor

Join the boardwalk peloton and the wave of yellow shirts at Le Tour de Downbeach. This year, a donation will be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in memory of one of Le Tour’s original organizers, Ann Marie Wiesen. Starting behind the Ventnor Library, the family ride is a chance to enjoy the beauty of our seaside communities. The 14-mile bicucle tour begins in Ventnor and travels through Atlantic City, around Kennedy Plaza, to Margate and Longport and ending with a barbecue at Tomatoe’s on Amherst Avenue. For more information or to registers, visit margatehasmore.com.

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Le tTour de Downbeach

Photo by Tom Briglia

Dorothy Volunteer Fire Company

Chicken BBQ

▶12-6pm

70 Tuckahoe Rd. Weymouth

The Dorothy Volunteer Fire Company will hold its 66th Annual Chicken Barbecue. The event will include a gift basket auction, 50/50, mini-bike raffle and more. Seating will be available in the picnic area. $16 per platter. Tickets are available via eventbrite. For more information, visit www.facebook. com/DorothyVolunteerFireCompany.

Cape Shore Chorale presents Spirituals and Folk Songs

▶3pm

Holy Trinity episcopal Church

2988 Bay Ave. Ocean City

Cape Shore Chorale hosts its June concert at Holy Trinity episcopal Church. The concert will feature many folk songs and spirituals, including music from Bela Bartok, and guest soloist, tenor Paul Spencer Adkins.

Free will offerings and lite refreshments.

Wednesday, June 7th

North To Shore: Quizzo

▶8pm

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall 133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

Are you ready to get your trivia on? Grab a team and get yourself over to the Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall for Quizzo. Free admission.

Thursday, June 8th

Positivity Project: Morning

Refresh

▶10:30am

Learn new ways to boost wellness – mind, body, and soul. Topics include self-care, mindfulness, gratitude, meditation, and resiliency. RSVP by June 5th by contacting Tina Serota at 609-287-8872 or tserota@jfsatlantic. org.

Rides are a main attraction at the Greek Festival in Egg Harbor Township

Somers Point Poetry Society

▶6pm

A Poetry Club will be held monthly on the second Thursday of each month. Contact erin at haikuclubnj@ yahoo.com to register. This is not just for poetry writers, but for anyone interested in poetry. It is also open to the surrounding communities of Somers Point.

North To Shore: Comedy and Open Mic Night w/ Michelle Tomko

▶8pm

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall 133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

Get laughing and share a song at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall’s Open Mic. Free admission.

North To Shore Opening Night Dance Party feat. Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge

▶8pm

Anchor Rock Club 247 S. n ew York Ave. Atlantic City

Bust out your best move at the n2S opening dance party.Celebrate the night on the dance floor as Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge perform a wide range of favorites and classics sure to satisfy music lovers of all stripes.

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Friday, June 9th

North To Shore: Whole Health Pavilion

▶10am-6pm Stockton university, Atlantic City Campus

Join the Whole Health Pavilion at Stockton u niversity’s Atlantic City Campus for a free community health event open to the public.

Somers Point Beach Concert Series

▶7pm

William Morrow Beach

The Somers Point Beach Concert Series is hosting a very special concert next Friday, featuring John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band, the original multi-platinum eddie and the Cruisers recording artists, dedicating their new record “A Day in the Sun.” The show is part of the Victory Celebration as the #1 Best Outdoor Concert Series by uSA Today and kicks off the 30th Anniversary of Concerts on the Beach. View the entire schedule at somerspointbeachconcerts.com.

Montclair Film Beach Screening:

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

▶8:30pm

Chicken Bone Beach at Playground

Pier 1 Oceanic Terrace, Atlantic City

Grab a seat on the sand for a free sunset screening of Black Panther:

Wakanda Forever, produced and presented by Montclair Film.

North to Shore: Yuengs, Wings & Zings Comedy and Open Mic Night

▶9pm

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall 133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

Get laughing and share a song at Yuengs, Wings, and Zings Open Mic, hosted by Michelle Tomko.

Saturday, June 10th

DRCF Paddle for a Cause

▶8am

Ski Beach, Ventnor

Paddle for a Cause features more than 100 stand-up and prone paddleboarders, in addition to competitors in other type of watercraft including outrigger canoes, surf-skis, kayaks and rowboats, embarking on an over20-mile journey designed to test competitors mentally and physically similar to someone battling cancer. This all-day event is comprised of live music, a beer garden, vendors, and is open to the public. Hosted by the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation. Learn more at thedrcf.org.

Light & Sound Healing Experience

▶6-8pm

Absecon Lighthouse 31 S. Rhode Island Ave. Atlantic City

Discover the Light of your Soul at this special event co-hosted by Sea Goddess Healing Arts. enjoy

an evening of education, relaxation, meditation, community and sound healing. enjoy moments of discovering, peace and relaxation on the beautiful Lighthouse grounds; pack a picnic, bring a blanket and stay a while. $20 donation to help keep the light shining. Rain date: Sunday, June 11. For more information, visit abseconlighthouse.org.

Upcoming Bus Trips

▶Phillies vs. Braves

Thursday, June 22nd

Game time is at 1:05pm. $90 per person includes bus, 300 level ticket, a $12 voucher good for anything in the stadium, assorted beverages, and driver gratuity. Pick up locations in Brigantine and Absecon. Contact John Walters at (609) 703-5418 for more details.

Health and Wellness

Dementia Support Group

▶Wednesday, June 7th at 1:30pm

6009 Paul and Thelma Lane, Mays Landing

Held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month from 1:30-3pm. Call Diane Conover at 609-402-6966 for more information.

Group is a support group for adult friends and family members of people with mental health conditions. For more information and to register, please visit www.namiacm.org, or call 609-741-5125. nAMI ACM is a non-profit 501C(3) corporation.

Mental Health Support and Discussion Groups

Online groups are offered daily for a variety of topics, including women, men, LGBTQIA+, individuals aged 18-30. Boomers, anxiety, depression, eating disorder, and many others. Groups are also provided to individuals with a family member who lives with a mental health challenge. To receive a full list and to register, call 609-652-3800 or unitedbywellness@mhanj.org.

Recovery Groups

More than a dozen groups for individuals living with substance use disorder are offered online. Topics range from mental health/wellness to employment, faith, and more. Register for groups through unitedbywellness@mhanj.org or by calling the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County at 609-652-3800.

Wellness Groups

Meetings

for Family Members of Individuals Affected by Mental Illness and/or Substance Use Disorder

▶Thursday, June 8th at 10:30am

This is a workshop style meeting among peers with a new topic each month. Meetings include a presentation segment and an open discussion component. Daytime meetings are 10:30am on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month; evening meetings are the third Thursday at 7pm. Call 609-517-8614 for information on how to participate.

NAMI Connections and Family Support Groups

▶Monday, June 12th at 7pm St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 606 Shore Rd. Somers Point nAMI Connection is a recovery support group for adults with a mental health condition. Family Support

These daily groups include meditation, art, music, journaling, eating healthy, exercise, spirituality, adult coloring, gratitude, and more. Provided by united By Wellness/Mental Health Association in Atlantic County. To register and receive links by email, call 609-652-3800 or unitedbywellness@mhanj.org.

Senior Aging Experts

Information Senior Presentations Available. Panel of experienced professionals that cover many aspects of aging. This is not a sales presentation. Please call to arrange. For more information, contact Diane Conover at 609-402-6966.

Do you have an upcoming event?

Let us know about it! Submit your next event to shorelocalevents@gmail.com.

Dropkick Murphys Bring Rousing Celtic Rock Sounds to AC Beer & Music Festival This Weekend.

Discover Ocean Outdoor Teak and Poly Outlet

Depleted furniture inventory not a problem here

As w e enter into the summer season, many shore homeowners and businesses are thinking of updating their outdoor spaces. When it comes to the indoor comforts of home outside, Ocean Outdoor Teak and Polly outlet is ready to help get the look you want with quality furniture that lasts.

Like many businesses, furniture retailers have faced a shortage of incoming inventory, leaving families and businesses without quality products to make their space look the best. Retailers across the country say that shipment issues are the primary cause of the shortage. Because most patio furniture makers work ou tside the United States, tariffs and taxes along with other international issues have been on the rise. This creates is creating big problems for homeowners and businesses alike. Fortunately, local buyers need not to worry since this is n’t a problem for Ocean Outdoor Teak and Poly Outlet. They have new shipments coming in every week. Truckloads of beautiful, modern furniture are available for customers

quickly overtaking the outdoor market. Poly lumber is built mostly from recycled products and holds its color well. Combine its color retention with stainless steel hardware, a variety of color combinations and styles, and you may find that poly is the best choice for beach homes, vacation resorts or country living. It is extremely durable and resistant to nearly anything Mother Nature throws its way. Poly plastic furniture can be

Poly only needs to be cleaned with some good, old-fashioned soap and water.

Tables, chairs, deep seating sets and pub sets are ready to go to their new home today. Poly pub sets are popular at the shore. Two seat pub sets start at $950 and our fourseat pub sets with a pub table start at $1,400. Pub and bar sets are great because they allow couples and families to see over deck railings so their view is not obsured. These sets have the potential to make Ocean City, Sea Isle, and Margate customers very happy. The popular folding Adirondack Chairs start at $299. They are perfect for fire pits on cool autumn evenings. The Adirondack chairs sit low to the ground and offer a casual, relaxed feel. Alice reports they are selling very well to campers that seek comfort outdoors.

May-Lewes Ferry, Hyatt Penns Landing, Beach Creek Oyster Bar to name of few. Our company has been in the New Jersey shore area for nearly 20 years. Our past stores in Cape May and Somers Point have been combined with one convenient store right in the middle, in Dennis Township. We offer white glove service from LBI to Cape May, Annapolis, Washington DC, and Ocean City Maryland.”

Call (609) 2871767 or check out www.TeakNearMe. com. For up-to-date information, check out their Facebook page, Teak Outlet - Ocean Outdoor Patio. Hurry and get beautiful new outdoor furniture so you can enjoy it this season.

to browse and purchase. “Because the outdoor season is relatively short here in New Jersey, it is important for us to stock enough furniture for our local customers to have immediately,” says store owner Alice DiGiovanni. “We are ready now, with a full selection of colors and designs of both Poly and Teak furniture.”

Teak has always been the gold standard in outdoor tables and chairs but its new rival, Poly lumber furniture is

left outside in the summer and winter without any adverse effects. The plastic is resistant to sun, rain, sleet, snow, wind, saltwater, chlorine and mildew. You can’t say that about furniture made from wood or metal.

Poly furniture is low maintenance and easy to care for; it requires no special coatings, sanding or staining. It does not require hazardous chemical treatments to maintain its durability.

After 15 years in Somers Point, The Teak and Poly Outlet moved to Cape May County. They are located on Route 9 in Ocean View/ Clermont Cape May County. It's a beautiful area two miles south of exit 17 on the Garden State Parkway (Sea Isle exit). “We have a much larger store here and a lot of room to expand, with large outdoor displays, and a large workshop to finish and refinish our teak furniture.” says Alice’s daughter, Allison. “Over the years you may have seen our furniture at the Ocean City Yacht Club, Cape

Ocean City marks Memorial Day

By Donald B Kravitz

Ocean City’s Memorial Day Service on Monday, May 29 at Veterans Memorial Park featured keynote speakers VFW Post Commander Mike Morrissey and American Legion Commander Bob Marzulli. The event attracted a large crowd to pay homage to all the veterans who fought for their country.

Donald B. Kravitz is an Entertainment & Special Events photographer for national publications including Getty Images & Miss America

A Long Tradition at The Music Pier

gloves, marched up the boardwalk from their 10th Street headquarters to the new flagpole on the south side of the Music Pier.

A Look Back at Ocean City

By Fred Miller

War was not far from the coast of Cape May County as summer of 1940 began. nazi troops were in Paris, and they were planning to be in London before summer was over. Ocean City Beach Patrol’s captain, Jack G. Jernee, a veteran of World War I, knew the time was right for a patriotic ceremony.

He led a fundraising drive to buy a flagpole for the boardwalk. The people in Ocean City responded quickly and at nine o’clock on the morning of the Fourth of July, a color guard of ten lifeguards—Roscoe Faunce Jr., Harry Bunting III, Irving Humphrey, James Thompson, Karl Scott, emerson Smith, Victor Bender, Walter Stickel, Monte Burhyte, and Jack Dwight—dressed in white trousers, blue blazers, white belts, and white

From amplifiers atop the flagpole, the people on the boardwalk could hear Kate Smith singing “God Bless America.” As the lifeguards raised the flag, “The Star Spangled Banner” was played. After securing the flag high above the boardwalk, the lifeguards marched back to their headquarters. The ceremony was repeated at six o’clock when the flag was lowered.

This patriotic ceremony was held every morning and evening until Sunday, September 8. On that evening, over 2,000 spectators packed the boardwalk to watch the lifeguards lower Old Glory for the last time that summer.

This patriotic ceremony took place every day during the summer until 1946.

A dedication for the flagpole was held on Memorial Day 2021. This summer, the flag raising ceremony begins at 9:00 am everyday through September 11, 2023.

SHOPPES AT THE ASBURY

By the owners of Staintons Beautifully remodeled at the former Crown Bank

On July 4, 1940, at 9:30 a.m., dressed in their ceremonial uniforms, lifeguards raised the American flag and international signal code flags to the top of the 50-foot flagpole in front of the Music Pier.

S PADAAFORA’S

Groovy Smoothies, Old School Burgers welcomed to OC

The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for Groovy Smoothies and Old School Burgers May 25.

Former Philadelphia e agles offensive lineman Shawn Andrews and business partner Antonne Jones opened Groovy Smoothies at 611 e 8th St. Their menu consists of customized drinks that are made with the freshest fruits and vegetables. The drinks are named after Classic Hollywood movies, but with their own little twist on them.

Pictured are Cricket Frank, Danielle Guerriero, Councilmembers

Karen Bergman, Terry Crowley, Tom Rotondi, Bobby Barr, owner Antonne Jones, Mayor Jay Gillian and Bill McMahon Jr.

Old School Burgers is located at 3401 Asbury Ave. The business was conceived out of a desire to provide fresh quality food to neighbors and friends as well as help cultivate a service-oriented team environment.

Pictured are owners Shawn and Terry McCarthy, Chris McCarthy and family, Bill McMahon Jr., Patrick McMahon, Cricket Frank, Mayor Jay Gillian, and Councilmembers Karen Bergman, Terry Crowley, Tom Rotondi, Bobby Barr, Tony Polcini, and Scott Halliday.

Owners Shawn and Terry McCarthy, Chris McCarthy and family, Bill McMahon Jr., Patrick McMahon, Cricket Frank, Mayor Jay Gillian, Council Members: Karen Bergman, Terry Crowley, Tom Rotondi, Bobby Barr, Tony Polcini, and Scott Halliday.

large

Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian on Tuesday signed off on orders that will send a strong message to teens and their parents that the beach, boardwalk and other public areas will no longer be open to mass gatherings that include alcohol consumption and other infractions of the law.

All beaches in Ocean City will be closed at 8 p.m. Carrying backpacks will not be permitted after 8 p.m. on the beach and boardwalk. Boardwalk bathrooms will be closed at 10 p.m. The curfew for juveniles will move from 1 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The new policies come in response to a Memorial Day Weekend in Ocean City that saw the continuation of a trend that began when statewide legislation largely stripped police officers of the ability to question juveniles, search juveniles, and confiscate alcohol. The legislation also eliminates meaningful consequences for juveniles who break these laws.

Over the weekend, police responded to 999 incidents (up from 869 during Memorial Day Weekend in 2022). In addition to underage drinking, police responded to incidents involving vandalism, assaults, shoplifting, confiscation of a firearm, and a variety of other infractions. Ocean City firefighter/eMTs were just as busy responding to several incidents involving teens who drank to the point of unconsciousness, assault victims, mental health issues and other incidents.

“We want parents, grandparents and families to know that we’re all in this together, and we will be holding

people accountable,” Mayor Jay Gillian said. “I also want to send a message to our governor and legislators that the laws they forced on all municipalities are a threat to public safety, and they deprive families of the opportunity to enjoy the Jersey Shore.”

The new beach curfew will apply to people of all ages, as will the evening backpack ban. The new rules will be part of a citywide plan that will include police staffing, more announcements on the boardwalk and a public awareness campaign.

“I understand that these new directives will affect many people who are not teens, but it’s important that we stop this type of behavior now,” Gillian said. “In the end, protecting our reputation as ‘America’s Greatest Family Resort’ will benefit everybody in Ocean City.”

“I want to support the men and women of our police department,” Gillian said. “They have been doing everything they can – within the law – to address this situation, and I want to give them the tools to get the job done.”

What’s Happening in Ocean City Ocean City Flower Show Returns to Music Pier

The Ocean City Flower Show will return to the Music Pier from Friday to Sunday (June 2 to June 4).

The 49-year-old tradition presented by the Garden Club of Ocean City features floral creations and displays from enthusiasts of all ages.

Awards are given in a variety of categories for artistic design and horticulture. This year’s theme is “June in Bloom.” The event also features a small sales pavilion.

The public is invited to check out the beautiful displays. Show hours

are 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free (donations to the Garden Club are optional).

A fireworks display will be launched from the beach at Fifth Street at 9 p.m. Thursday (June 1) to celebrate the 93rd anniversary of Gillian’s amusements on the Ocean City Boardwalk.

The Skato Remembering Kato skateboarding celebration is set for 1 p.m. Saturday (June 3) at the Ocean City Skate Park at Fifth Street and Asbury Avenue. The event features a competition, music and fun. It’s named for Kato, a white German shepherd from the Humane Society of Ocean City, the city’s no-kill animal shelter. Kato passed in January. All proceeds from the event benefit the Humane Society. A concert by Ill Rendition will begin at 1 p.m., and the skate competition starts at 2 p.m.

Admission is free (with donations accepted and appreciated. There will be a $20 registration fee for each skater.

COMI n G u P I n J une

J une 10 — Artisans Hobo Band Concert: 7 p.m. at the Music Pier. This year’s entertainment for the 76th annual Family Weekend of the Artisans Order of Mutual Protection will be a concert by the Original Hobo Band. Admission is free. For more information, call 215-708-1000 or visit www. artisansaomp.org.

J une 17 – Health & Wellness expo: Come explore health food and wellness product vendors, various yoga and fitness classes, western line dance and ballroom dance classes, and enjoy a fashion show highlighting

the newest styles from local merchants from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier.

The event will also feature a Kids Corner. Hosted by the Healthy Living Advisory Council.

J une 17 – Juneteenth: A celebration of the African American communities of Ocean City and the surrounding areas from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Haven Avenue between 7th Street and 8th Street. event will include food, live music, comedy, vendors, youth activities, African dance, drums, storytelling and visual arts. Guest speakers will be Kelly Cornish (mental health, drug addiction) and Michelle Washington Wilson (storyteller in education).

J une 19 – Get The Led Out: The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. Tickets available at Ticketmaster, and a limited number are available (by cash or check only) at the Music Pier Box Office.

J une 20 – Keb’ Mo’: The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. Tickets available at Ticketmaster, and a limited number are available (by cash or check only) at the Music Pier Box Office.

J une 21 – Farmers Market: The weekly marketplace opens for the season at the Tabernacle Grounds. The Farmers Market returns 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday. Crafters in the street at Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue.

J une 23-24 – Book Sale: The Friends and Volunteers of the Ocean City Free Public Library announce a Summer 2023 Two-Day Book Sale to be held in the atrium of the Ocean City Free Public Library, 1735 Simp -

2023 Seasonal Beach Tag Mugs

son Avenue on Friday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, June 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, go to friendsvolunteersocfpl.com. Attendees are requested to provide their own tote bags. Cash only.

J une 24 – Antique Auto Show: Over 300 vintage vehicles. Tabernacle grounds, Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with board -

walk parade after 2 p.m. For more information, visit jerseycape.aaca. com.

J une 25 – Kristin Chenoweth Performing with the Ocean City Pops: The award-winning actress and singer’s career spans film, television and stage, and she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She highlights the Ocean City Pops’ season-opener at 7:30 p.m. at the Ocean

City Music Pier. In 2009, she received an emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in “Pushing Daisies.” In 1999, she won a Tony Award for “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” and she was nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” in 2004. She has been nominated for two emmy Awards and a People’s Choice Award for her role on “Glee,” and she also recently starred in Apple TV’s comedy series “Schmigadoon.” For tickets, visit oceancityvacation. com/box-office.

J une 26 – Bruce Hornsby & The n oisemakers: The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. Tickets available at Ticketmaster, and a limited number are available (by cash or check only) at the Music Pier Box Office.

J une 27 – The Rascals: The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. Tickets available at Ticketmaster, and a limited number are available (by cash or check only) at the Music Pier Box Office.

J une 28 – Wacky Wednesday (Taffy Sculpting): use your creativity to shape and sculpt Shriver’s salt water taffy into your very own unique masterpiece. Contest is free and open to the first 250 participants. Open to all ages. event starts promptly at 10:30 a.m. at the Music Pier.

Ocean City's Business Persons Plunge celebrates 20th anniversary

Photos by Donald B Kravitz

With the ocean officially open, a fully-clothed entourage marched into the chilly Atlantic Ocean to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Business Persons Plunge. The Ocean City High School band played “Pomp and Circumstance” and a banner plane flew by as local business owners and employees took the first swim of the summer -- fully dressed.

The Business Persons Plunge has grown in popularity since it first started in 2004. It’s a chance to get some exposure for your business or organization or just to start Memorial Day Weekend with a splash. Longtime event organizer and promoter John Walton led the event.

Six Words on a Boardwalk Bench

This week’s Six-Word Story: “Welcome to Doggie Meet and Greet”

n o kidding. Again and again, I heard these words: “How was your winter?” And the response was “Great! I have this new dog. Would your dog like to meet her?”

By Bill Quain

I’m writing this column on May 26, the Friday night of Memorial Day Weekend 2023. Late this afternoon, I went for a long walk with my guide dog Trudy. Well, I’m blind, so maybe Trudy took me for a walk! Yesterday the Island was pretty dead, but this afternoon, everyone was arriving. As Trudy and I walked north on Ocean Avenue, deep into the Gardens District, we noticed something very peculiar. Almost everyone we came across had at least one dog, and they were introducing those dogs to their neighbors, and to the neighbors’ dogs!

These were people who spent their summers together, living either on top of, or below, another condo. Or, they lived ten feet away from the house next door. They were all here today, the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, and the very first thing they all did was either introduce new dogs or re-introduce old dog friends.

“Blaine, this is Maverick and Quinn”

Wait, when did dogs get such sophisticated names? It was like being at a Country Club on n ew Members’ Day! Of course, you have to realize that I can’t see any of this. I’m just listening as I walk by big groups of neighbors. So, I’m doing my best to figure out who is a dog and who is just a plain old person. It was so formal that I started imagining the dogs shaking paws and doing a little

curtsy. (Or, do they still just smell each other? It’s hard to say.)

Is a “working dog” socially acceptable?

As a proud owner of a guide dog, I make sure to introduce Trudy whenever possible – and I make certain that everyone knows her status. In fact, a new friend of mine, Brian, called Trudy a “service dog.” “ n o,” I quickly pointed out, “Trudy’s a guide dog. If she hears you calling her a service dog, she’s going to take offense. Then, there is the whole union thing. If they find out she is using ‘service dog’ in her title, she’ll be fined…”

Who is that lady walking Webster?

Many years ago, when Jeanne and I were living in Florida, we used to come up to Ocean City every summer with our kids. We rented a place on 39th Street, and every summer, a woman would walk this giant sheepdog through the alley. The dog’s name was Webster. n o one knew the woman’s name. This

SIX WORDS ON A BOARDWALK

BENCH by Bill Quain

was at least thirty years ago, and I still remember Webster’s name. Why? Because he was formally introduced! n o last name of course, but let’s face it, a first name is all you need for a dog. When I was a kid, the people next to my grandparents’ home at 1753 West had two dogs. I couldn’t tell you the first names of those people, but I still remember Taffy and Tiny Tim. Well, Taffy is easy to remember, because she bit me. I guess if the neighbors had bitten me, I’d remember their names.

↘Continued on 28

A look back to August 26, 1933

Giant Manta Ray Catch Gains Worldwide Attention

A5000 pound

Manta Ray was caught off the coast of Atlantic City around this date 87 years ago. The massive Devilfish Ray became entangled in an anchor line, nearly capsizing a relatively boat with four men aboard. A Coast Guard was called and a vessel came to the rescue. It was shot 22 times from a high powered rifle, dragged ashore and exhibited by boat captain A.L. Kahn. n ewspapers around the world reported on the accidental catch.

As news of Kahn’s catch started to spread, crowds began lining up to get a

glimpse of the enormous creature. Kahn charged 10 cents per head to view the manta ray and raised enough money in the first few days to buy the local fire department a new $3,000 fire truck. The devil fish was then sent to a taxidermist so that it could be preserved for exhibition at various events.

↘Continued from 27

But today, there was a miracle n ow, if you saw those six words above on a Boardwalk bench, you’d probably think, “I wonder if that person was cured of a terrible disease.” Okay, this miracle wasn’t that stunning, but it was almost as rare!

As so often happens when a blind guy and his guide dog go walking in the Gardens, they get lost. (Actually, about ninety percent of all people who walk around those twisting streets get lost, blind or sighted.) Trudy and I were getting hungry for dinner. Since Trudy is a guide dog and has more responsibility than mere service dogs, she has an ironclad contract that she is to be fed at 5 p.m. every day. I was getting nervous about getting her home on time. We came across another couple (yes, Trudy and I are one couple, and the two people were another couple) and asked them for directions. But guess what? The man looked at me and said the most wonderful words. He said, “Aren’t you Bill Quain?” even better, he couldn’t remember Trudy’s name! Oh, happy day!

How did this guy know me?

It turns out we had both worked at Watson’s Restaurant about 50 years ago. no, he didn’t recognize me from 50 years ago. We had crossed paths last summer. In the near future, I’ll be

Buzzing with Excitement

doing a column about the hundreds of people I met while working at the Shore. For now, let me just say, “Hey Pete, you made my day! You knew my name, but not my dog’s!”

Are you second fiddle to Fido?

Dear readers, it may be time to prioritize things. How about we introduce ourselves to each other, and not just to our dogs? As a way to do so, please consider writing a Six-Word story of your own. I’ll put it on my “Boardwalk Bench” in a future column. Just drop an email to bill@ quain.com and put “Six Words on a Boardwalk Bench” in the subject line. Remember to keep your story, advice or question to just six words, but feel free to give me a few sentences of backstory in the body of the email. I know my readers would love to hear your perspective.

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.

Credit: Real Brigantine

Dignitaries Join 17-Year-Old Simon Davies Cuts Ribbon at Grand Opening of The Simon Davies Military Museum

The Simon Davies Military Museum, a private building housing the personal collection of Ocean City High School junior Simon Davies, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting and Memorial Day Ceremony on Sunday. The ceremony was attended by community members, veterans and local dignitaries with a surprise congratulatory video from nJ Governor, Phil Murphy, as well as a plaque donated to him by Cape May County Board of Commissioners. Speakers included Cape May County Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio, Veteran Joseph Altimari and Veterans Advocate Joseph Griffies.

The Simon Davies Military Museum is the private project of Davies, a junior at Ocean City High School, based on a collection he began over a decade ago. His collection, which represents several uS conflicts including World War II, the Vietnam War, the Korean War and more, is housed in a 12 by 20 shed on his parents’ property in upper Township. In addition to uniforms, helmets and military artifacts, many of which have been donated, the Simon Davies Military Museum features various medals, photos and collectibles. The shed itself was partially crowdfunded.

The Simon Davies Military Museum is dedicated to military veterans and all who continue to serve, from all conflicts and all branches of the Armed Forces. Museum tours are by appointment only.

Found on the beach: Sand Collars

During recent beach days, some folks have been coming across mysterious half-circles. The puzzle cried out for some research. After some sifting and googling, we found the answer.

By James FitzPatrick Contributing Writer

This piece of beach-side

“plastic” is very much alive. Beachcombing is always an adventure. every time you walk on the strand is an opportunity for discovery. Keep your eyes peeled, and you will always find something you haven’t seen before.

There are also the tried and true, including the knobbed whelk, n ew Jersey’s official state shell; the surf clam shell, ideal for tossing, decoration, and, when the creature is still attached, bait; and the mussel and crab shells, which always bring to mind a delicious Jersey Fresh seafood meal.

Sometimes though, you pick up something that’s not as ho-hum, like the pointy black shark egg pods that look like something straight out of “Batman” or the razor shells that always feel special when found intact.

They are called sand collars.

So named because of their similarity in shape to old-fashioned, removable shirt collars, sand collars are created when snails lay their eggs.

What may appear to be a broken piece of plastic is actually an egg casing created by the familiar moon snail, also known as the shark's eye. The casing is formed to hold thousands of

eggs and is a combination of mucus, sand and eggs. If you hold the snail shell in the sand collar, you can see how well they fit together.

The sand collar does not last. eventually, it will crumble and disappear into the sand and surf. Another piece of the snail puzzle that people often find in the sand is an almost clear, yellowish plastic-like substance called the operculum, which covers and protects the snail

when it is inside the shell.

These creatures are not unique to n ew Jersey; they have a global presence.

“Although the collar feels hard, plasticky and appears dead, each collar can contain thousands of living eggs,” according to wildsingapore. com. “When the eggs hatch, the collar disintegrates. Thus, an intact collar has living snails in it. Please don't damage the sand collars.”

Learn more from a YouTube video posted by Jace Tunnell of the u niversity of Texas Marine Science Institute:https://youtu. be/6BupVesjp3I. Also see this online article: http:// www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/ mollusca/gastropoda/naticidae/ sandcollar.htm.

Sand collars may look like plastic, but they are actually the beginning of life for moon snails.

Attack in Stone Harbor, great white visitor put sharks front and center

By James FitzPatrick Contributing Writer

Within the span of less than two weeks, two sharks have made headlines locally, including one that bit a 15-old-old surfer.

On May 21, Maggie Drozdowski was bitten on her foot and leg by a shark while surfing in Stone Harbor off of 109th Street Beach. The Chester County, Pa. resident was surfing with her friend, Sarah O’Donnell, when she was attacked, according to CBS Philadelphia.

Drozdowski said at first she thought it might be a crab when she felt something pulling on her leg and pinching her foot. But it was bigger than a crab.

“My whole foot was in its mouth," she told Good Morning America. “I was shaking my foot as hard as I could.”

O’Donnell said Drozdowski was pulled under the water. She thought her friend was drowning until she came up again screaming that she had been bitten. The shark let go after five seconds.

Drozdowski will be OK, requiring stitches in her foot and leg. The Downingtown resident told 6ABC.

The other shark making headlines this week is a 523-pound, 10-foot great white shark nicknamed Penny whose electronic tracking beacon pinged off the coast of Ocean City Monday, May 29, roughly off of 17th Street.

The ocean conservation group OCe ARCH tagged the shark last month off of Ocracoke, n .C. and is watching her journey north for the first time, according to a Twitter post that included the #FactsOverFear hashtag.

“Our Atlantic Ocean is returning to one of the world's great wild oceans due to successful management,” OC e ARCH founder Chris Fischer posted on Twitter.

Despite the obvious excitement about Penny, he also had words of caution.

“When entering the ocean, pay attention to your surroundings. Look for quiet areas to swim and if you see areas full of life, sit on the beach and watch until it passes.”

Ocean City officials believe there is no need for concern when it comes to the sharks, according to Doug Bergen, public information officer.

Bergen notes that great white sharks cover a lot of ocean.

“The shark tracker from OCeARCH (https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/) is pretty fascinating, and if you click on one of the sharks that has been tagged for a couple years (Breton or Mahone, for instance), you realize that great whites go pretty much wherever they want, whenever they want,” he told Shore Local n ews.

The tracker provides good clickbait for media and social media, but there’s no reason to believe that Penny or any

other shark poses any particular threat to beach safety, he said.

“While there are plenty of sharks that live in and pass through n ew Jersey waters, shark-swimmer encounters such as the one in Stone Harbor are extremely rare.”

That statement is confirmed by data.

The Florida Museum of natural History’s International Shark Attack File investigated 108 alleged shark-human interactions worldwide in 2022. ISAF confirmed 57 unprovoked shark bites on humans and 32 provoked bites. Since 1837, n ew Jersey has had 15 unprovoked shark attacks, according to the museum.

According to the national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nOAA, you can make yourself less vulnerable by staying out of the water at dawn and dusk, when sharks are most active. You should also stay out of the water if you have any open wounds.

“If you see a shark swimming nearby, leave the water as quickly and quietly as you can. Then, inform your fellow beach-goers and the closest lifeguard.”

World-record pickleball tour includes EHT match

record attempt has also turned into an opportunity to not only spotlight new pickleball facilities throughout the country, but to show support for the venues and sponsors that made his adventure possible.

By Steffen Klenk

Dean Matt of Sarasota, Fla. has a passion for pickleball.

The former Chicago-area resident has been a regular player for more than a year and has met a bunch of people in the process.

“I play three to four times a week at a local park,” Matt said.

An avid pilot and aircraft owner, Matt recently participated in the 4848-48 Pickleball Challenge, playing 48 matches in 48 states in under 48 days.

With the support of family, friends, sponsors and players, Matt embarked on a stunning trek across the country, playing in diverse locations, sometimes more than one state per day, from The Greenbrier resort in W. Va., to an airport tarmac in Frederick, Md.

Going by @MuchoDeanAero on social media, Matt got into aviation at

a young age and has been a low-level owner since 1998. He has been a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) for over 46 years. One of the stops on his tour included a match at AOPA’s headquarters, Frederick Municipal Airport.

“They had the court taped out on the tarmac,” Matt said. “I landed the plane, we played our game, and I was up in the air at 11 o’clock.”

Last Tuesday, May 23, Matt flew into South Jersey by way of his Turbo Cesna 206H and was greeted by staff at Proshot Pickleball in egg Harbor Township, one of the area’s newest facilities dedicated to the growing game, where he played a pair of matches with the support of Jimmy Santangelo of California, against Proshot employees and area firefighters.

What originally started as a world

After playing one of two sets at Proshot, Matt described the atmosphere in a few simple words: “This is a great facility.”

Going up against both amateurs and professional players, even a few ex-governors, participating in a round of pickleball or two has a way of bringing people together.

After 26 days in the air and on the court, Dean Matt completed his pickleball world-record-breaking quest with one final match in Sarasota last Friday.

You can follow his complete journey and all of his upcoming adventures by going to http://muchodean-aero.com.

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.

GET

Dean Matt of Sarasota, Fla. plays a pickleball match at Proshot in Egg Harbor Township.

Jimmy Santangelo and Dean Matt on the court.

Vogel would have been perfect fit for Sixers

By David Weinberg

The 76ers' coaching search ended too soon.

Instead of hiring n ick n urse to replace Doc Riv-

ers, they should have taken a road trip to the Jersey Shore. If they had, the Sixers might well have decided to hire Wildwood Crest's Frank Vogel. Given his last name, 76ers President Daryl Morey should have had no trouble finding the town. But just in case the Maps app on his phone didn't work, he could have simply followed the crowd over the Walt Whitman Bridge on some Friday afternoon, headed to the bottom of the Garden State Parkway, veered left at the base of the Cape May Bridge and cruised along Ocean Drive.

If he had time, maybe the trip could have included a stop at Mooncussers, the Harbor View or Two Mile Landing for an Orange Crush and some fish tacos before venturing into Wildwood Crest.

That's where they would have found Vogel.

To me, Vogel, a Wildwood High School graduate, would have been the perfect fit to coach the Sixers.

Vogel knows what it takes to win a championship, having guided Lebron James and the Lakers to the n BA title in 2020. He also coached the Indiana Pacers to back-to-back appearances in the nBA eastern Conference Finals, something the Sixers haven't sniffed since Allen Iverson and coach Larry Brown lost to the Lakers in the n BA Finals 22 years ago.

There are other Sixers-Wildwood connections.

Among the fans who watched the Sixers in 2001 was the late Paul Franco. Franco, a Wildwood Crest native who passed away in 2021, was a longtime season-ticket holder whose family has owned the Bal Harbour Hotel in the Crest since 1973.

In 2018, when James was opting out of his contract with the Cavaliers, Franco put up a billboard on Route 47 on the way toward Wildwood that read, "PHILLY WAnTS LeBRO n " in giant letters. Just below it, in smaller script, the advertisement said, "An D SO DO TH e BAL HARBO u R HOTeLS."

James wound up signing with the Lakers, where he was coached by Vogel, who owns a 431-389 career record as head coach of the Pacers, Magic and Lakers.

Perhaps most importantly than Vogel's coaching resume is his intangibles.

Having coached the Pacers and Lakers, he's used to dealing with superstars such as James, Anthony Davis and Paul George. He knows how to handle stars, which would come in handy with Joel embiid and James Harden, should he somehow wind up staying in Philly.

But more than anything, Vogel understands the Philly sports culture. Being from the area means he has thick skin, which is a prerequisite for coaching in front of a demanding fan base. He could handle the boos and the calls into sports talk radio.

He learned that during a two-year stint as an assistant under former Sixers head coach Jim O'Brien in 2004-05, not to mention spending his boyhood summers on the Wildwood Boardwalk.

Wa-Wa-Watch the Tram Car Please.

Gambits close to hitting jackpot

Atlantic City hasn't seen a professional sports franchise win a league championship since 1999, when the Seagulls won their third consecutive united States Basketball League title behind coach Kevin Mackey and uSBL MVP Adrian Griffin.

The Atlantic City Gambits have a chance to end that drought this year.

The Gambits, members of the 49-team The Basketball League (TBL), earned the top seed in the n ortheast Division playoffs after posting a league-best 21-3 regular-season record. They were scheduled to face fourth-seeded Syracuse Stallions in a divisional single-elimination game on Tuesday at Atlantic City High School. A victory would mean a berth in a best-of-three n ortheast Division championship series.

Former Penn State standout Brandon Taylor leads the Gambits, averaging 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Former Atlantic City star Frank Turner averages 13 points and six assists.

elsewhere on the local sports landscape, the semi-pro Atlantic City FC soccer club was scheduled to hold its home opener Wednesday against FC Monmouth at Stockton university’s Galloway campus.

ACFC is a member of the national Premier Soccer League, which features over 90 teams in 40 states. The n PSL is the fourth tier of professional u.S. soccer, which is comparable to Single A in baseball.

Young's winning streak ends Pleasantville welterweight Anthony Young (24-3, 8 KOs) saw his 13-fight winning streak end last weekend with a fifth-round TKO defeat against top-rated Alexi Rocha (23-1, 13 KOs) at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.

Young, who's ranked eighth by the World Boxing Organization, gave a respectable performance against Rocha, who is the WBO's no. 1 contender for the first four rounds. Rocha took control in the fifth, dropping Young with a straight left. Young beat the referee Thomas Taylor's 10-count, but Taylor wisely called a halt to the fight at 2 minutes, 15 seconds of the round.

" no excuses," Young said on Facebook. "He was the better man that night."

Summer 2023 reading list

By Krystle J Bailey

Endless beach days and long summer nights are right around the corner. The unofficial start of summer at the Jersey Shore has arrived. There is nothing quite like getting lost in the romance of a summer novel or taking your imagination to a faraway land. Before you hit the sand or the pool this summer, be sure to add these titles to your 2023 reading list.

Local authors

Eve-0 by Danielle Gomes

eve-0 is an action-packed thriller set eight years post-Covid. The world has been ravaged by pandemic after pandemic. Masks and social distancing have become the new norm, as the human race is living in a perpetual state of fear of the next virus. When a group of scientists discovers a devastating revelation about a protection gene known as eve-0 or “the evolution gene,” they set out on the quest for a cure.

Don’t Give Up: The Stan Adams Jr. Story by Karyn Adams

This heartfelt memoir written by Stan Adams' mother tells the story of a young athlete living with autism who overcame the odds to become a celebrated swimmer at Absegami Highschool. The story includes their struggle to find the right doctors, challenges through elementary school, and a list of resources for other parents of special needs children.

place in 1880 Mays Landing. The story offers a vivid account of a train crash during the inaugural season of the West Jersey & Atlantic Rail Line that killed 30 people. using archival research, regional reporting, and fictional imaging, Dottolo captures this fateful excursion's light and darkness.

“Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life With 600 Rescue Animals” by Laurie Zaleski

Written by the owner and founder of Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary, a non-profit charitable organization located in Mays Landing, n .J, the memoir tells a story of promises kept, dreams fulfilled, and 600 rescue animals who found their way to the 15-acre farm in n ew Jersey’s Pinelands.

Between the Shore and the City: Tragedy at Mays Landing by Mari D’Albora

Dottolo

In 2021 novella combines 19th-Century journalism with 21st-Century research to deliver a nearly forgotten tragedy that took

Summer 2023 Popular Reads

Happy Place by Emily Henry

When Harriet and Wyn, the ex-perfect couple, find themselves sharing a bedroom in Maine on their annual friends trip, things get juicy. Secretly broken up for the last five months, the duo can’t stand the idea of breaking their friends’ hearts, so they decide to play their role as a couple. Follow them through a blissful week of relaxation, copious amounts of wine, and well-kept secrets.

All The Dangerous Things by Stacy

Willingham

Author of n ew York Times bestseller, A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy

Willingham delivers another nailbiting thriller about a grieving and desperate mother determined to find her kidnapped son. Challenged by the incessant questions of a local podcaster, Isabelle Drake finds herself doubting her recollection of the night her son was taken.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Hailed as a “best book of the year” by The new York Times, Washington Post, n PR, Oprah Daily, entertainment Weekly, and newsweek, Lessons in Chemistry introduces readers to elizabeth Zott, a 1960s chemist on a predominantly male research team. elizabeth breaks the

glass ceiling and challenges women to change the status quo in this laugh-out-loud novel. Take a journey with her as she falls in love and pushes boundaries.

The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley u ntil the loss of her parents, Aretha had only one obsession in life - success. The Survivalists takes readers on a journey as the habitually single lawyer falls in love with a local coffee entrepreneur and watches her dreams begin to slip away as she is lost to his world of friends and finds herself preparing for doomsday.

Happy reading, Shore Local!

Serve up delicious strawberry shortcake this summer

By Sarah Fertsch Staff Writer

Draw in your neighbors like moths to a flame with homemade, rustic strawberry shortcake. n ew Jersey has an incredible reputation for their fresh blueberries. However, homegrown strawberries give the state fruit a run for its money.

Strawberry season starts in early June, which perfectly aligns with Memorial Day, Independence Day and the peak weather for picnics. Strawberry shortcake has brought smiles to generations. It represents classic Americana and family fun in the sun.

Surprisingly, strawberry shortcake is one of the easiest desserts to make. u nlike tarts, there’s no need for clean lines and delicate design. Strawberry shortcake is a family-friendly, messy, sticky and lip-puckering rite of passage into the summertime.

It’s all too easy to take shortcuts in your baking process, like buying canned strawberry filling and squirting whipped cream from a canister.

However, in my opinion, store-bought fillings and toppings taste bland, processed and flat. I highly recommend investing a few extra minutes in making a quality, handmade treat.

Homemade whipped cream is subtly sweet without being overpowering, and strawberry jam made over the stovetop is tangy and soft, broken up by large berries (not fully cooked down). The shortcake is buttery, rich and crumbly in the best way.

Here’s my well-loved recipe for strawberry shortcake:

Homemade Shortcake:

● 4 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted

● 3 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

● 1 tablespoon of salt

● 2 tablespoons of baking powder

● Half a cup of white sugar

● A splash of heavy cream

In a large mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and slowly add butter and cream. use your hands to incorporate the ingredients while preserving larger pads of butter.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into hand-sized cakes and place in a buttered pan. Top with a sprinkle of sugar and bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 24 minutes.

uncover the cakes and set the oven on broil for 3-5 minutes to brown the tops of the cakes.

Remove from the oven and combine with strawberries and whipped cream to serve.

Strawberry Jam:

● 3 cups of fresh strawberries, roughly chopped and cleaned

● The juice and zest of one lemon

● 1 cup of white sugar

● 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

● The juice and zest of one tangerine

● A pinch of salt

Chop and clean strawberries and place in a saucepan over low heat on the stove.

Add lemon juice/zest, tangerine juice/zest, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Cover and let cook down for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The jam is complete when it's reduced by a third, thickened (to stick to a spoon dipped in the jam), and strawberries are almost fully cooked down.

Keep warm until ready to serve. Leftovers remain good for up to two weeks in the fridge.

Hand-whipped Cream:

● 2 cups of heavy whipping cream

● A sprinkle of white sugar

● 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract

Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. use a stand mixer or hand mixer on high and whisk until soft peaks form.

Cover and keep chilled until ready to serve. enjoy!

When it comes to loans, one size

Margate welcomes new businesses

The summer season kicked off in Margate with lots of grand opening celebrations for new businesses and Margate Business Association members, Betty’s Seafood Shack, Famous Cookie Creamery, Aneu Kitchen and Catering and Sunrise Wine & Tequila Bar and Packaged Goods.

Betty’s Seafood Shack is the brainchild of Steve Marchel of Water Dog Smoke House fame. Intent on meeting the demand for fresh seafood in Downbeach, Betty’s offers favorites like steamers, shrimp cocktail, lobster rolls and even jumbo lump crab meat lettuce wraps. If you pull into a Margate marina with fresh catch from a day fishing, Betty’s will even prepare up to 1 lb. per person with two delicious sides. Visit bettysseafoodshack.com

Directly adjacent to Betty’s, is the Famous Cookie Creamery, a bayfront establishment that celebrates the delicious bond between two iconic Philadelphia brands: Famous 4th St. Cookies and Bassett’s Ice Cream. Build your own mouth-watering treats combining any of Bassett’s array of flavors between 2 fresh Famous Cookies for an unbeatable end to a summer dinner. The new Margate location joins Ocean City and Wildwood as Jersey Shore mainstays. Sunsets are free. Visit them at famouscookiecreamery.com

On Friday Margate Mayor Michael Collins and Commissioner Catherine

Horn helped to kick off the grand opening of Aneu Kitchens on South Gladstone Ave. The Friday afternoon celebration was highlighted by a ribbon cutting, live music, delicious food, juice and wine samples and gift bags!

Sunset Wine and Tequila Bar which also sells packaged goods located right next door to the new location of Tony Boloney’s Pizza on Ventnor Avenue had a celebration complete with tasty appetizers, an assortment of beverages from their fully stocked bar and music. https:// sunrisewineandtequila.com/

Photos

Views from the Shore

By Brian Cahill

Early in my marketing career, I was lucky enough to work for Ken Goldin, a world-renowned leader in the collectibles industry who is the star of a new n etflix show called “The King of Collectibles.” Ken is a pioneer in many

ways, including being among the first to market a product to a mass audience on television. Ken was doing this in the late 1990s, long before smartphones, let alone streaming services, were part of the mainstream.

It had been a long time since I met someone like Ken, that is, until our most recent Somers Point Business Association networking breakfast. During the “round robin” introduction, a new face in the crowd emerged. He

introduced himself as Dillon Pearson, founder of a new business in Somers Point called Holographic Hobbies.

As a former hobbyist myself, I was intrigued by his business, so I went to check out this new shop. There I met Dillon and his colleague Alex Henry, a former Military Police Officer in the uS navy whose childhood dream was to work in a Pokémon store.

The store shelves and display cases (built by Dillon) were filled with boxes of cards, card accessories, Funko Pops, model kits and paints, stuffed Pokémon characters, legos, and anime characters.

“We focus on the gamer side of collectibles,” said Dillon. “We have the resources to fulfill almost any request a customer has. If they want it, we will get it.”

While the store itself is worth checking out, the true gem is their streaming business. Its studio inside the store and allows them to reach audiences around the world.

The main attraction of their streaming is “ripping and shipping” card packs via Drip Shop. Like Goldin used to go on TV and sell sports collectibles, Dillion appears live on camera and “rips” packs of cards. Among the most popular “rip and ships” is Pokémon, which counts Pikachu among its stars, as well as other collectible cards.

“Pikachu is timeless – here’s right up there with Mickey Mouse at this point,” said Dillon with a smile.

He then went on to explain how the business works. “We schedule a time to live stream the ‘ripping’ of a

pack of Pokémon cards. A viewer of the stream buys the pack, and then we ‘rip it’ (that means opening it) in front of the audience. When the pack contains a rare ‘chase’ card, it’s like the lottery just hit, and the audience goes nuts. It’s awesome. We then take that pack and ship it to the buyer.”

Dillon connects with his audience – both via stream and in person – because, as he puts it, “everyone has good vibes, and there’s a sense of community and nostalgia among those who enjoy collectibles.”

Holographic Hobbies is located at 426 Shore Rd, Suite A, in Somers Point. Open Tuesday through Sunday, noon - 7 p.m. To learn more, call 609904-6560 or visit www.holohobbies.

Brian Cahill is the Director of Marketing for Shore Medical Center and Shore Physicians Group. He serves on the Board of the Somers Point Business Association and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Business at Stockton University.

By Tammy Thornton

Years ago, while my husband and I were on a n ew england vacation, we realized that a lavender farm was located near the town we were visiting. What a glorious detour from our original plans. Walking through the purple fields while bees happily buzzed around was the stuff that dreams are made of. You could almost imagine that you were living in Provence. Fortunately, under the right conditions, you can grow beautiful lavender right here at the Jersey Shore. Run your hand over lavender flowers and you will be smitten. The

Refreshing lavender lemonade with whimsical flower and mint ice cubes.

unique calming aroma, beautiful purple flowers, and gray-green foliage can transport you to a peaceful state of mind. The airy purple flowers serve as a neutral, combining well with other colors in the garden and

as a cut flower in bouquets. not only does fresh lavender appeal to the senses, but dried lavender flowers can happily find their way into soap, candles, and sachets. Bring lavender into your kitchen, and the possibilities are limitless.

Of course, I’ve always wanted to possess this alluring plant in my own garden, but struggled to keep lavender alive. As you may know, this Mediterranean plant needs loads of sun and well-drained soil. In my garden, sunny spots come at a premium. Though I am fortunate to have sprinklers watering my garden, lavender is extremely susceptible to root rot, and constant watering will cause its certain demise. When our neighbor’s tree fell from a nasty storm, the missing tree turned my part-shade corner into a full-sun zone. This little secret garden spot is also beyond the reach of our sprinklers, making it the ideal place for sun-loving lavender to thrive.

Keep in mind that though lavender must have well-drained soil, this doesn’t mean it shouldn't be watered. n ew plants should be watered once or twice a week, until they are established. When the plant matures, you can decrease watering to every two to three weeks, until you see buds forming. At this point return to watering once or twice a week until harvest. Our sandy South Jersey soil provides the perfect conditions for well-drained soil. If you have a slope to your garden, plant the lavender where the water will drain downwards, away from the plant. I have found that I can achieve better results by planting my lavender in pots instead of in the ground. u nglazed ceramic pots will dry out quickly, which is a good thing when it comes to lavender. As a plus, potted plants will give the look of a Mediterranean garden. Lavender can thrive in poor to moderately fertile soil, but be sure to add small stones or pebbles to the bottom of the pot and sand to the soil mix to increase drainage.

n ow that I have been relishing in the fact that I have successfully grown lavender in my garden, thoughts have turned into the many delightful uses of lavender indoors. A few sprigs of lavender look beautiful in a vase with the soft pink of new Dawn roses, and I’m hoping a little sachet under my pillow will help my insomnia. But once your lavender dreams take you away, you’ll want to add lavender to everything. You can dry lavender and add it to oils, scones, cakes, and ice cream. Add lavender to sugar for baking in cookies or making a DIY body scrub.

Though the possibilities are endless, I decided to start small for quick results. Lavender lemonade was a fun way to begin my culinary lavender

adventure. Of course, before using lavender for consumption, be sure that you are only using lavender that has not been treated with pesticides. For the lemonade, I cut a handful of lavender flowers including the stems and gave them a good rinse under the faucet to make sure no buggy hitchhikers were around. Then I covered the stems and flowers with boiling water in a small pot and steeped for about 15-20 minutes. At this point,

strain out the solids and you’ll be left with a purplish “tea”. I added the strained lavender water back to my little pot and dissolved a bit of sugar, creating a lavender simple syrup. Once this cooled off, I poured my base into a glass carafe and squeezed the juice of two lemons into my concoction, which instantly changed the color to almost pink. (Some people add food coloring to give their lavender a more purple color, but I felt this was

cheating). Then I filled the carafe with more water and chilled my lemonade in the refrigerator. For an extra fun touch, I made flower ice cubes by adding lavender flowers, mint, and pansies to ice cube trays. These flower ice cubes added a whimsical touch and were an easy way to embellish the lavender lemonade. My on-site food critic staff (husband and kids) agreed that this lavender lemonade was a refreshing, tasty summer drink. I’m definitely going to include this fun lemonade at my next garden party. The flower ice cubes really sealed the theme.

Once you explore the potential uses of lavender, you’ll want to experiment and grow even more. Fortunately, you can get “free” plants by taking cuttings of your existing lavender to increase your stock. If you really want some inspiration, you can visit lavender farms found right here in n ew Jersey. We would love to hear about your lavender adventures. Please send your comments, questions, and photos 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.

Dreamy lavender fields

Somers Point remembers those that served on Memorial Day

By Steffen Klenk

The City of Somers Point held its annual Memorial Day Parade and Service on Monday, May 29. Hundreds lined Shore Road, many decked in red, white, and blue, waving American flags, to honor and remember those that sacrificed their lives for our freedoms. The American Legion Riders led the procession down Shore Road, with assistance from the Somers Point Police Department. City officials parades down the streets as the AMVe TS carried a huge American flag, while Mainland Regional High School Marching Band performed patriotic songs. Families and kids on decorated bikes led the back of the parade with local fire departments.

Shortly thereafter, the service was held at Patriot Park, just off Bethel Road, led by Mayor Jack Glasser. Pat Moshetta led the crowd in a rendition of the national Anthem and God Bless America. One of the most poignant moments of the service came in the reading of the names of Somers Point residents who died in the line

of duty. Lt. Col. Justin Krowicki of the 177th Air national Guard Fighter Wing spoke of the importance of remembering the fallen in a powerful testimony, followed by a flag raising by local resident Alex Corson.

Photos by Steffen Klenk

Egg Harbor Township parade honors veterans

Summer Camps for Creative Students!

Quality classes with highly educated faculty and professional artists!

Dance

Princess Ballet, Hip Hop & Broadway - One Week Sessions

Each week long session will end with a performance on the last day.

NEW SUMMER ARRIVALS!

Theater

Clothing and Accessories – Jewelry – Candles - Handbags

Shoes from Steve Madden, Vintage Havana and Archies!

Brands including Hidden, Unpublished, Free people, Z supply, Michael Stars, Bishop and Young, Lucy Paris and so much more!

15% off any item*

Visual Arts

WE CAN DRESS YOU FOR ANY OCCASION!

Linwood Greene Plaza, 210 New Road, Linwood (609) 365-2140

Movements of an Actor

Navigate through character development, movement and audition practices.

Ages-Middle School: Jun 29-Aug 24 • Thurs 6:00-8:00pm

Intro to Screen Acting

Learn fundamentals including basic scene work and utilizing acting on camera.

Ages-Middle School: Jun 28-Aug 23 • Wed 6:00-8:00pm

Pastels, Watercolor Mixed-Media & One-of a kind art projects! Explore and create with a variety of materials during half day summer camp sessions. All supplies included.

Kaleidoscope Fantasy: Ages: 6-12yrs. • Jul 10-14 • 9:30am-12 Noon

By The Sea: Ages: 6-12 yrs • Jul 17-21 • 9:30am-12 Noon

Wildlife Adventures: Ages: 8-12yrs • Jul 25-29 • 9:30am-12 Noon

Summer Collage: Ages: 8-12yrs • Aug 1-5 • 9:30 am-12 Noon

Music Private Music & Vocal Lessons

Private lessons are year round. Students ages 5-100yrs will learn and perform at individual pace. Vocals, Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Guitar, Trumpet, Drums, Ukelele and Mandolin are taught for all levels and experience.

Registration Open, visit: CygnusArts.org Or call 609.272.1199 or stop by

Photos by Cindy Christy Fertsch

at the Shore

Whitney's Weekly Picks

Time: Thursday, June 1, and Friday, June 2, 5-10 p.m.; Saturday, June 3, noon-11 p.m.; Sunday, June 4, noon-10 p.m.

Tickets: Admission and parking are free.

What: Dueling Pianos

Where: Spirit Bar at Showboat Resort in Atlantic City

When: Friday, June 2, and Saturday

June 3

Time: 7-11 p.m.

There are some really fun happenings this week, so make sure to support your local venues and get your tickets in advance so you don’t miss out on any fun. Oh and feel free to tag me in your photos and videos.

What: 39th Annual Greek Festival

Where: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in egg Harbor Township

When: June 1-4

Featuring all your Greek food favorites, homemade pastries, and a live band Saturday evening. There will be Greek dance performances, amusement rides, and fireworks Thursday and Sunday night.

What: Disco night Fever Mania

Where: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino

When: Friday, June 2

Time: 8 p.m.

Tickets: $69 - $99 + applicable fees

Website: www.hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com

For one night only, experience the groove of the 70s and 80s with nonstop hits and performances.

Website: www.paulpiano.net

Check out the dueling pianos featuring the talented Paul Marturano Fridays and Saturdays from 7 to 11 p.m. in June. In July and August it will be Wednesdays-Sundays. See the full schedule at www.paulpiano.net.

What: Pure Petty n orth to Shore event

Where: Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, Atlantic City

When: Saturday, June 3

Time: 9 p.m. - midnight

Tickets: FRee

Website: www.facebook.com/

PurePettyBand

O ffering the premier Tom Petty the Heartbreakers experience. Pure Petty delivers a memorable and astounding salute to one of the greatest American singer/songwriters of all time. expect incredible performances and impressively spot-on renditions of Petty classics, including Stevie n icks/Tom Petty duets featuring Kathy Mattson with the renowned Stevie nicks sound.

The City Pulse with Whitney Ullman

Who: Chris Young Tour 2023

Where: Ocean Casino Resort

When: Saturday, June 3

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: www.theoceanac.com/ entertainment

“American Idol” star Chris Young takes the stage at Ovation Hall. Don’t miss one of Billboard’s top country singers in Atlantic City. Get your tickets before it’s sold out.

What: Tournament of Survival 8

Where: Showboat Resort

When: Saturday, June 3

Time: 5-8 p.m.

Website: www.gcwtos8.eventbrite. com

The grand daddy of all DM tournaments, GCW presents Tournament of Survival 8 at Showboat in Atlantic City.

What: The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival

Where: Bader Field, Atlantic City

When: June 3-4

Time: 2-6 p.m. June 3, noon-4 p.m. June 4

Tickets: $62 - $159

Website: www.acbeerfest.com

Ocean Casino Resort presents the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival this weekend featuring over 100 breweries, 400 beers, The Dropkick Murphys and 311, Tasty Grub and lots of fun shenanigans. All attendees must be 21 years of age.

When: Sunday, June 4 and Wednesday-Sunday, June 7-11

Time: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tickets: FRee

Self-taught artist Melvin Lee returns to AAHMSnJ with a new exhibit that lets us revisit significant moments in African-American history and culture.

What: n orth to Shore Festival

Where: Various Venues Across Atlantic City

When: June 4-11

Website: www. n orthtoShore.com

n ew Jersey’s newest, month-long festival features all the talent, diversity and creativity this great state has to offer. Hosted by three incredible and unique cities: Atlantic City (June 4–11), Asbury Park (June 14–18) and n ewark (June 21–25), the n orth To Shore festival will bring together 50+ venues for an over-the-top showcase of Jersey-wide excellence.

Who: Ricardo Arjona Tour

Where: Boardwalk Hall

When: Sunday, June 4

Time: 7 p.m.

Website: www.boardwalkhall.com

Ricardo Arjona is one of the most successful and best-selling Latin American artists in the world. Come see this Grammy and Latin Grammy nominated artist live on stage at Boardwalk Hall as part of the north to Shore Festival.www.northtoshorefestival.com

Where: Tomatoes in Margate

When: Tuesday, June 6

Tickets: Free for members of participating associations or $25pp for non-members

Time: 5:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.

Website: www.business.acchamber. com

This is your chance to mix and mingle with fellow community members. Participating associations include: Somers Point Business Association, Brigantine Chamber of Commerce, Greater Atlantic City Chamber, Margate Business Association, Venter Business Association.

What: Ventnor Summer Beach Jam

Where: n ewport Avenue Beach

When: every Saturday until Sept. 2

Time: 5 - 9 p.m.

Website: www.ventnor.recdesk.com (to be a vendor)

This Ventnor City Summer Beach

Concert is a FR ee family friendly, outdoor live music experience which includes food trucks and crafters. It’s on the beach between the Ventnor Boardwalk and the Ventnor Library which includes a playground.

What: AC Jokes Comedy Clubs

Where: Kiss Kiss nightclub and Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City

When: every night

Time: Various Times

Website: www.ACJokes.com

AC Jokes is a hand picked team of some of the east Coast's best comedians and producers. The team includes Mike Merk, Zach Pickert and Buda the Comedian. Pulled together by 20-year comedy veteran Matt Bridgestone, their combined experience delivers innovative street smarts and a guerrilla marketing style that has made AC Jokes a unique entity in the city.

What: The 7th Annual Hops Trot 5k at the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival

Where: Ocean Casino Resort

When: 10 a.m. Sunday, June 4

Website: www.runsignup.com/Race/ nJ/AtlanticCity/HopsTrot5k

Open to runners both professional and amateur and beer drinkers both professional and amateur, you’ll start the day at Ocean Casino Resort with your first brew, and walk 3.1 miles along the Boardwalk to enjoy some of AC’s finest watering holes along the way. And the finish line will be inside the festival just in time for 311 to take the stage. Oh and costumes are encouraged!

What: Black excellence: Art by Melvin Lee Smith

Where: The n oyes Arts Garage of Stockton university, 2200 Fairmount Ave., Atlantic City

What: GCW Presents Cage of Survival 2

Where: Showboat Hotel

When: Sunday, June 4

Time: 5-8 p.m.

Website: www.eventbrite.com

The Cage of Survival returns to GCW during TOS Weekend at The Showboat in Atlantic City.

Who: The e xceptions

Where: The Deck at Golden nugget

When: Sunday, June 4

Time: 2:30 - 6 p.m.

Sun DAY Fun DAYS are back at The Deck so be ready for a summer filled with good music, great food, and fantastic drinks. every Sunday 2:30-6 p.m.

What: Multi-Association n etworking Mixer hosted by the Margate Business Association

Atlantic City Headliners

Friday, June 2nd

Disco Night Fever Mania w/ The Trammps, Lime, Tavares, Evelyn

Champagne King, Musique and More 8pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Puscifer w/ Night Club 8pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Saturday, June 3rd

Atlantic City Beer and Music

Festival: Dropkick Murphy’s w/

Dentist & Jesse Ahern 2-6pm

Bader Field

Chris Young 8pm

Ovation Hall at Ocean

Sunday, June 4th

Atlantic City Beer and Music

Festival: 311 w/ phoneboy & SensaMotion 12-4pm

Bader Field

Ricardo Arjona 7pm

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall

Friday, June 9th

North 2 Shore: Colbie Caillat +

Gavin DeGraw 8pm

Adrian Philips Theater at Board -

walk Hall

Daryl Hall and the Daryl’s House Band w/ Todd Rundgren 8pm

Borgata event Center

Umberto Tozzi 8pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Saturday, June 10th

America 8pm

Ovation Hall at Ocean

Chelsea Handler: The LBB Tour 8pm

Borgata event Center

Christopher Cross & Justin

Hayward 8pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Jay Wheeler 8pm & 11:30pm

Tropicana Showroom

Tina Fey & Amy Poehler: Restless

Leg Tour 7pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Sunday, June 11th

Tina Fey & Amy Poehler: Restless

Leg Tour 7pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Friday, June 16th

Nancy Wilson’s Heart 8pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Buddy Guy 9pm

Ovation Hall at Ocean

Saturday, June 17th

50th Anniversary of Hip Hop Mix

Tape Live w/ DJ Jazzy Jeff, Doug

E. Fresh, Melle Mel and More 7pm

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall

Sunil Grover 8pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

The Platters, The Coasters and The Drifters Revue 9pm

Golden nugget

Friday, June 23rd

38 Special 8pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Gladys Knight 8pm

Borgata event Center

Tears For Fears w/ Cold War Kids

8pm. Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Fifth Dimension 9pm Superstar Theater at Resorts

Saturday, June 24th

Lettuce & Steel Pulse w/ Makua

Rothman 7:30pm

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Diana Ross 8pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Friday, June 30th

Kevin Hart: Reality Check 8pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Joe Satriani 9pm

The Music Box at Borgata

The Australian Pink Floyd Show:

Darkside 50 9pm

Ovation Hall at Ocean

Saturday, July 1st

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

7pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

Sunday, July 2nd

Bryson Tiller 8pm

Hard Rock Live at etess Arena

On-Sale This Week

The Guess Who Saturday, September 23rd at 9pm

Golden nugget

On-Sale Friday at 10am

JUNE 9 VICTORY CELEBRATION: #1 ON OUR 30TH!

JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND ORIGINAL MULTI PLATINUM "EDDIE & THE CRUISERS" RECORDING ARTISTS DEDICATING THEIR NEW RECORD

“A DAY IN THE SUN”

JUNE 16 CURTIS SALGADO

“THE MAN WHO TAUGHT THE BLUES TO THE BLUES BROTHERS” MULTI AWARD WINNING R&B, FUNK AND SOUL BLUES STAR

JUNE 23 THE TONY MART ALLSTARS “EVERYBODY LOVES ERNIE” CLASSIC ROCK GUITAR TRIBUTE TO CLAYPTON-SANTANAHENDRIX-THE ALLMAN BROTHERS-JOE WALSHSTEVIE RAY VAUGHN-GEORGE

HARRISON-JOHN LENNON-STEVEN STILLS

JUNE 30 MARTIN BARRE’S MUSICAL HISTORY OF JETHRO TULL FOUNDING MEMBERS TRIBUTE TO THEIR OWN PROGRESSIVE BRITISH ROCK LEGACY

THE SSP’S START THE ROCK ‘N ROLL PARTY

JULY 4 THE BILLY WALTON BAND

MICHAEL “TUNES” ANTUNES

SAXOPHONE STAR OF “EDDIE & THE CRUISERS”

JULY 7 MARDI GRAS IN JULY STARRING JAMES ANDREWS FROM “TROMBONE SHORTY” AND “TREME” TV MUSICAL FAMILY JOE KROWN TRIBUTE TO DR JOHN, PROFESSOR LONGHAIR ALLEN TOUSSAINT & JAMES BOOKER

JULY 14 THE WEEKLINGS BEATLES MUSIC WITH GLEN BURTNIK-STAR OF BROADWAY’S BEATLEMANIA, STYX AND ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

JULY 21 THE DANE ANTHONY BAND PREMIERE NORTHEAST PARTY DANCE BANDTODAY'S DANCE, FUNK, CLASSIC ROCK, MOTOWN, DISCO

JULY 28

GARY US BONDS AND THE ROADHOUSE ROCKERS DICK CLARK TO BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: LIVING LEGACY & MILLION SELLING CLASSIC ROCK STAR THE HILARIOUS REV BILLY C. WIRTZ ROCKIN’ BOOGIE WOOGIE PIANO ENTERTAINER

AUG 4 STANLEY JORDAN “STANLEY PLAYS JIMI”

ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST GUITARISTS PAYS TRIBUTE TO HENDRIX THE BRANDON IRELAND BAND WITH “BIG BOB” ERNANO

AUG 11 TERRANCE SIMIEN & THE ZYDECO EXPERIENCE

2 TIME GRAMMY WINNERS:

WORLD MUSIC, REGGAE, CLASSIC ROCK

AUG 18 TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAIN KILLERS

MULTI AWARD WINNING

“BB KING ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR”

AUG 25 TOM HAMBRIDGE & THE RATTLE SNAKES

FOUR TIME GRAMMY WINNER PERFORMED WITH BUDDY GUY, MICK JAGGER, PRESIDENT OBAMA, BB KING & HUNDREDS OF STARS

THE E STREET SHUFFLE

PREMIERE SPRINGSTEEN TRIBUTE PARTY BAND

SEPT 1 RED

HOT NEW ALLSTAR SUPER GROUP WITH PATTY BALBO 80’S TRIBUTE – HEART-PRETENDERS-PAT BENATARJANIS JOPLIN CLASSIC PSYCHEDELIC ROCK

SEPT 8 CYRIL NEVILLE WITH OMARI NEVILLE & THE FUEL

GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVMENT AWARD RECIPIENT

WORLD RENOWN STAR OF NEW ORLEANS R&B, FUNK & SOUL THE ONLY “NEVILLE BROTHER” STILL PERFORMING!

THE JIMMY BROGAN BAND

POPULAR JERSEY SHORE ROCKIN’ PARTY BAND

Live & Local Music Calendar

Thursday, June 1st

Danny Eyer 5:30pm

Tuckahoe Inn

1 Harbor Rd. Beesley’s Point

Atley Moon & The Say Somethings

6-9:30pm

The Yard at Yesterday’s Creekside

Tavern

316 Roosevelt Blvd. Marmora

Beth Tinnon 6-9pm

Ftizpatrick’s Deli and Steakhouse

650 n ew Rd. Somers Point

The Feel Good Music Band 6:30-

9:30pm

Josie Kelly’s Public House

908 Shore Rd. Somers Point

Al Olivero 7-11pm

The Point

998 Bay Ave. Somers Point

Karaoke Hosted by Mike Dempsey 8pm-12am

Caroline’s by the Bay

450 Bay Ave. Somers Point

Friday, June 2nd

Brian McConnell 4-7pm

The Point

998 Bay Ave. Somers Point

Gold Dust Woman: A Stevie Nicks

Tribute w/ Beth Tinnon 5-8pm

Bar One at Resorts Casino

1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Twisted Livin’ 5-9pm

The Yard at Yesterday’s Creekside

Tavern

316 Roosevelt Blvd. Marmora

Doug Jennings 5:30-8:30pm

Atlantic County Country Club

1 Leo Frazer Dr. northfield

Jim Fisher 5:30pm

Tuckahoe Inn

1 Harbor Rd. Beesley’s Point

First Friday w/ Tom & Bill 6-9pm

Josie Kelly’s Public House

908 Shore Rd. Somers Point

Steve Luhmann 6pm

1927 Lounge at Ocean

500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Greg Clark 6:30-9:30pm

Bocca

7805 Ventnor Ave. Margate

Steve Moore & The MIA Band

6:30-10pm

Ventura’s Greenhouse

106 S. Benson Ave. Margate

Dane Anthony Band 7pm

n ola’s Bar at Ocean

500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Knockouts 7-11pm

Sweetwater Riverdeck

2780 7th Ave. Sweetwater

Poor Mouth Henry 7-11pm

McGettigan’s

500 S. n ew York Rd. Galloway

Space Camp 7-11pm

The Point

998 Bay Ave. Somers Point

Bruce Klauber Celebrates Frank

Sinatra and Friends 7:30pm

Ryfe

4101 Atlantic Ave. Atlantic City

Dylan Perry 7:30pm

Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern

316 Roosevelt Blvd. Marmora

Steal the Sky 7:30pm

The Deck at Golden nugget

600 Huron Ave. Atlantic City

For Those Who Can See feat. TETHER 8pm

Anchor Rock Club

247 S. n ew York Ave. Atlantic City

NJ British Invasion 8pm-12am

Caroline’s by the Bay

450 Bay Ave. Somers Point

The Notion 9pm-12am

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall

133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

Cat 5 10pm

The Yard at Bally’s

1900 Pacific Ave. Atlantic City

Frisky 10pm

Villain & Saint at Ocean 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

The Loop 11pm

n ola’s Bar at Ocean 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Saturday, June 3rd

Atlantic City Beer & Music

Festival Acoustic Stage: Ryan

Zimmerman, Don’t Panic, The Looms, Second Half Comeback

2-6pm

Bader Field, Atlantic City

Brandon Ireland Band 12-4pm

Sweetwater Riverdeck

2780 7th Ave. Sweetwater

Grooveheart 12-4pm

Renault Winery

72 n . Bremen Ave. egg Harbor City

Flip Like Wilson 2-6pm

Bally’s Beach Bar

1900 Pacific Ave. Atlantic City

Breck 2:30-6:30pm

The Deck at Golden nugget

600 Huron Ave. Atlantic City

Glenn Roberts 5-8pm

Bar One at Resorts Casino

1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Independence Day 5-9pm

The Yard at Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern

316 Roosevelt Blvd. Marmora

The Deep End 5-8pm

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall

133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

Atley Moon 5:30pm

Tuckahoe Inn

1 Harbor Rd. Beesley’s Point

Beth Tinnon 5:30-8:30pm

Atlantic County Country Club

1 Leo Frazer Dr. northfield

Ventnor Summer Beach Jam: Bob

Sterling 6pm

n ewport Avenue Beach

Adam Holcombe Trio 6pm

Villain & Saint at Ocean

500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Plan A 6-10pm

Sweetwater Riverdeck 2780 7th Ave. Sweetwater

Tony Day & Across the Globe Band

6:30-9:30pm Kelsey’s 1545 Pacific Ave. Atlantic City

Chaos on the Coast 7pm

n ola’s Bar at Ocean

500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Epic Soul 7-11pm

The Point

998 Bay Ave. Somers Point

Rob Lipkin 7:30pm

Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern

316 Roosevelt Blvd. Marmora

The Knockouts 7:30-11pm

McGettigan’s

500 S. n ew York Rd. Galloway

Beardfest Pre-Party with Beardspace and Euphonious 8pm

Anchor Rock Club

247 S. n ew York Ave. Atlantic City

Groove Heart 8pm

The Deck at Golden nugget

600 Huron Ave. Atlantic City

Jim Shaw 8-11pm Bocca

7805 Ventnor Ave. Margate

Pure Petty: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Tribute 9pm-12am

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall

133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

Glenn Roberts 10pm

Villain & Saint at Ocean 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Gypsy Wisdom 10pm

The Yard at Bally’s 1900 Pacific Ave. Atlantic City Garden State Radio 11pm n ola’s Bar at Ocean

Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Sunday, June 4th

Atlantic City Beer & Music

Festival Acoustic Stage: Buncha

Scrubs, The Record Keeper, Chris Rockwell Collective, Friend Hospital 12-4pm Bader Field, Atlantic City

Brian Clayton 12-4pm Renault Winery

72 n . Bremen Ave. egg Harbor City

Traditional Irish Open Session 1-4pm

Josie Kelly’s Public House

908 Shore Rd. Somers Point

Bullzeye 2-6pm

Sweetwater Riverdeck

2780 7th Ave. Sweetwater

The Exceptions 2:30-6:30pm

The Deck at Golden nugget

600 Huron Ave. Atlantic City

DJ Eddie Tully 5-9pm

Vagabond

672 n . Trenton Ave. Atlantic City

Chris Yoder Trio 5:30pm

Tuckahoe Inn

1 Harbor Rd. Beesley’s Point

John Wood 6-9pm

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall

133 S. Tennessee Ave. Atlantic City

The Verdict 7-11pm

The Point 998 Bay Ave. Somers Point

Cheezy and the Crackers 8pm Mountain Bar at Caesars

1900 Pacific Ave. Atlantic City

DJ Chaz 8pm

Bar One at Resorts Casino 1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

DJ Pat Conlon 8pm

n ola’s Bar at Ocean

500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Los Donny’s & La Furia

Oaxaquena 9:30pm

Anchor Rock Club

247 S. n ew York Ave. Atlantic City

Monday, June 5th

Red 7-11pm Rush Lounge at Golden nugget

600

Five Places to Dock & Dine

By Danielle Davies

As we’ve reached the end of May and the unofficial start of summer here at the Jersey Shore, it’s hard

not to notice some things — there’s more traffic, there are more open restaurants and bars, and there are lots and lots more boats. If you’re lucky enough to have one yourself — and let’s face it, simple access to a dinghy is all you need to uplevel your summer experience — there’s only one thing better: being able to dock and dine. Here, a few of our favorite dockside dining establishments.

The Back Bay Café at The Tuckahoe Inn not everyone makes it over to the u pper Township side of the

bay, but a stop at The Tuckahoe Inn’s Back Bay Cafe is well worth the boat ride. With a beautiful new outside bar and a stage that features loads of live music, the atmosphere is reason enough to warrant a visit. But it’s the Jalapeno Margarita, made with in-house steeped fresh jalapeno tequila, fresh lime, a splash of orange liqueur, citrus juice blend and a splash of fresh squeezed orange juice, that will keep you coming back for more. Located at 1 Harbor Rd., Marmora. TuckahoeInn.com

FRIDAY - JUNE 2

British Invasion 8pm - 12am

SATURDAY - JUNE 3

Doug Jennings 4pm - 7pm

Scream Band 8:30pm - 12:30am

SUNDAY - JUNE 4

Rooftop Dogs Band 3pm - 7pm

FRIDAY - JUNE 9

Jump the Line Band 8pm - 12am

SATURDAY - JUNE 10

Twisted Livin Band 3pm - 7pm Bar None Band 8:30pm - 12:30pm

SUNDAY - JUNE 11

Brandon Ireland Band 3pm - 7pm

The Lazy Bass Located near the Grassy Sound Marina between Stone Harbor and n orth Wildwood, The Lazy Bass is the epitome of a summer spent kicking back. With loads of tables and umbrellas as well as a large bar smack in the middle of the action, The Lazy Bass is known for its rotating selection of both live music and food trucks, as well as yummy drinks like the Lazy Summer, made with Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey, Muddled Fresh Strawberries and lemonade, garnished with a mint leaf. Located at 5 Old n . Wildwood Blvd. east, north Wildwood. LazyBass.com

Buckets Margarita Bar & Cantina If you’re cruising along the bay in Avalon and Stone Harbor, there’s no better place to dock than at Buckets Margarita Bar & Cantina. Sure, you could swing next door to its sister property, the Water Star Grille, but then you’d miss the colorful chairs and fiesta-like ambiance of this taqueria style locale. You’d also miss the burritos, and just as important, the margaritas — specifically the cucumber mint margarita made with Corazon Blanco Tequila, Mr. Boston Triple Sec, simple syrup, lime juice, cucumber and mint. Located at 9631 Third Ave., Stone Harbor. BucketsStoneHarbor.com

Crabby Jack’s Bayside Bar at The Crab Trap The Crab Trap is an iconic Somers Point restaurant, perfect for dates or any time you want a vat of creamy and thick clam chowder. Come summer, however, the place to be is outside at Crabby Jack’s. While the menu is more limited out there, it’s a small price to pay for the bayside breezes, the always hopping crowd and the delightful drinks. Our faves? The specialty crushes. Crabby Jack’s has multiple flavors of crushes including Oranj, Lemon, Mango, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Fuzzy (peach), Pineapple and Island Crushes (made with Malibu

Mango, Banana Liqueur, Triple Sec, fresh orange juice and triple sec. Located at 2 Broadway, Somers Point. CrabbyJacksnJ.com

The Deck at Golden Nugget When you want serious entertainment, cruise over to The Deck at

Golden n ugget, where the casino is a backdrop to all the summer fun, including lots of live entertainment, weekly theme nights, plenty to munch on, and loads of cocktails to wash it all down. The Deck is the perfect place for soaking in the summer fun. We recommend doing so with an icy Tito’s Frozen Lemonade in hand. A refreshing cocktail made with lemonade and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, it’s the quintessential summer drink. Located at 600 Huron Ave., Atlantic City. Goldenn ugget.com

Danielle's been a writer and storyteller for the past fifteen years—her work has appeared everywhere from Philadelphia Style Magazine and The Press of Atlantic City to Cape May Magazine and The WC Press in West Chester. Nationally, her short stories have been published in Typehouse Magazine and Scary Mommy. She lives in South Jersey with her husband and two children.

Outdoor Deck Now Open!

Memorial Day Ushers in Start of Downbeach Dining Season

over the place 22 years ago at the urging of her husband, George. She’s survived damage from Superstorm Sandy and struggled through the Covid-19 pandemic. But she’s still here and so is Ozzie’s.

By William Sokolic

Some restaurants have a long track record in Downbeach. Some are new for 2023. All add something to the stew that marks the growing number of dining options in Ventnor, Margate and even Longport.

In 1952, Ozzie Lenzsch expanded his family's small market in Longport to create Ozzie's Luncheonette. Over the years, Ozzie's has had its ups and its downs as the focal point of the one block commercial district in Longport. It went through different owners, but always as Ozzie's. It's one of the stalwart locales for breakfast and lunch on the island, along with Gilchrist’s, The Dorset, Hannah G's, Downbeach Deli and more.

The latest owner, Likie nika, took

The restaurant got bigger during the prior owner’s tenure. It’s become more health conscious. Ozzie’s menu has changed over the years. "It's more health conscious," nika says. Ozzie's maintains staples on the menu like Granola French toast and Oatmeal waffles.

Ozzie’s usually runs 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., common for breakfast and lunch places. “We tried expanding to dinner for a couple of years. It didn't catch on and I did not have the stamina to work 16 hours,” nika says.

There is an agreement that when the adjacent Catch Restaurant & Bar opens for the evening they get to use Ozzie's tables. Catch reciprocated for breakfast.

So far, the season is everything nika hoped for and more.

"I never seen this so busy,” she says. “It’s going to be a bang-up summer.”

e xcept for the month of January, Ozzie's remains open all year, even with the chilly and sparsely populated

island.

But it’s for the staff, whose core is local. "They have families, bills, mortgages," nika says.

While Ozzie’s is a long time fixture in Downbeach, Betty's Seafood Shack Is one of the new dining spots for Margate.

“My wife, Robin and I traveled to n ew england a lot and we loved seafood shacks. I said why not open something like that on the island if we found the right location,” says co-owner Steve Marchel. That location is on the bayfront on Amherst Avenue, across the street from Sofia’s, Tomatoes and Steve and Cookies, veteran restaurants all.

"We went for it." says Marchel, who also owns Water Dog in Ventnor. e xcept for a lobster roll and burgers, the two places have very differing menus.

But both places will likely close for three months in late fall.

"Anyone down year round knows the seasonal period grows each year,” Marchel says.

↘Continued on 58

PRIME Steak and Seafood. Sammy Silver on the left. Lizzie Peteraf on the right

A new owner and a new name have replaced Done, which specializes in prepared food to go. ”What I did was bought out the owner in April. But we’re adding to something that has always been here,” says Steve Bachman, owner of PRIM e Steak & Seafood Market.

Bachman has formal culinary training during the seven years in the military, where he learned how to cook for multiple people, like a party of dignitaries.

“When the opportunity came up I purchased a business with a proven track record. We added our own touch.”

The chef prepares everything fresh every morning like blackened and grilled salmon and filet of shrimp.

“We have local steaks you can cook on your own, or have it cooked,” Bachman says. He relies on local farms for the products, and a lot of the farms are in the Vineland area.

“There is a strong local following in Ventnor and Longport as well, Coming and going to work. The reception has been very good. This weekend there were a lot of people in town. Very busy,” Bachman says.

A restaurant renaissance of sorts in Ventnor began to lay seeds then the city put consumption liquor licenses on the ballot in n ovember of 2016. “That allowed Ventnor to auction three liquor licenses to the highest bidders,” says Lance B. Landgraf, Ventnor City Mayor. “We now have Santucci's Pizza and restaurant with an outdoor deck, and $5 million renovation of the Ventnor Square theatre and n ucky's Speakeasy and Restaurant. Our third license has not yet been finalized.”

Santucci’s Original Square Pizza was founded by the late Joseph and Philomena Santucci.

Their original location was in South Philadelphia but relocated in 1959 to n ortheast Philadelphia, according to the company website. Their family recipe for making pizza in a square pan with the sauce on top of the cheese was considered unconventional at first, but quickly became a pizza staple for lunch and dinner at restaurants in Philadelphia.

Santucci's Original Square Pizza

6413 Ventnor Ave. - Ventnor City, nJ 08406 - (609) 493-7202

Nucky's Kitchen & Speakeasy

5211 Ventnor Ave. - Ventnor City, nJ 08406 - (609) 289-8305

PRIME Steak & Seafood

8007 Ventnor Ave. - Margate, nJ 08402 - (609) 428-7562.

Betty's Seafood Shack

9315 Amherst Ave. - Margate, nJ 08402 - (609) 246-7411

Ozzie's Luncheonette

2401 Atlantic Ave. - Longport, nJ 08403 - (609) 487-0575

Alicia and Blake, Frank Jr. and Anthony represent the third generation of the family to be in the Santucci tradition. The company expanded, including a multi-level restaurant and bar on Ventnor Avenue in Ventnor. n ot your father’s pizza parlor. n ot your father's pizza parlor. Or your grandfather’s.

William Sokolic is a veteran journalist who has written for daily, weekly and monthly publications. He’s covered a wide range of news, features and entertainment stories. Much of his work concerns tourism, Atlantic City, and the gaming industry.

Co owner Robin Kramer in front of Betty's Seafood Shack

North to Shore Festival celebrates music, film, comedy and technology

By Tim Hawk

Artists have used many of Atlantic City’s buildings and homes as a canvas for their work to highlight culture and the community. now the state of new Jersey will use Atlantic City as part of its canvas to showcase the talent, creativity and diversity of the Garden State during a first-of-its-kind threecity festival in June. The month-long north to Shore Festival will celebrate music, film, comedy and technology across three cities — Atlantic City (June 3-11), Asbury Park (June 13-24) and n ewark (June 20-25).

In March Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy, along with n ew Jersey Performing Arts Center (nJPAC) president and CeO John Schreiber and the three mayors of the host cities, announced the multicity festival during a press conference in n ewark.

“This superstar event, held over three weekends in June, will attract folks from all over, creating another great reason for tourists to visit the Garden State as well as opportunities for local businesses in three of our iconic cities to shine,” said Murphy through a press release.

Since then the festival has expanded as more people wanted to get involved.

nJPAC, a nonprofit arts organization, is producing the festival in collaboration with multiple partners that include Montclair Film, Live n ation, and Platinum Productions.

north to Shore will feature homegrown talent in music, comedy, and art to go along with headliners such as The B52’s performing at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, Alanis Morissette with special guest Aimee Mann at the Prudential Center in n ewark, and n ew Jersey’s own Halsey at nJPAC in n ewark.

In all, more than 50 venues will offer the opportunity for people to experience the talent, creativity and diversity n ew Jersey has to offer.

The multi-city festival officially kicks off Saturday, June 3, with the DropKick Murphys headlining Session 1 of the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival. Atlantic City’s part of the

festival ends the next weekend with more than 12 events to choose from on Sunday.

“I understand that it's big and it's new,” said Tom Hall, artistic director of the Montclair Music Festival. “People aren't sure where they fit."

Hall has experience running large festivals — he heads the Montclair Film Festival that’s now in its 12th year — and offered a tip for seasoned and beginner festival-goers attending n orth to Shore in Atlantic City.

His number one piece of advice is for people to check their calendars and find what they are interested in, then find that pocket of time in their schedule.

“Anytime there's a big broad schedule like this with so much happening, I think it's really important for individuals to say to themselves, ‘what do I want to do and then when can I do it.’”

Atlantic City will offer a number of events throughout the week — some are free and some require tickets — that most anyone can find some interest in.

Help create a mural alongside local artists or enjoy a few laughs during a night of comedy at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall and the Atlantic City Comedy Club. enjoy a mix of local live music and pottery making while sampling local craft beers at The Seed: A Living Beer Project.

e xpand your music tastes and check out indie rock acts Miss Cantaloupe and Molly Ringworm at the Anchor Rock Club, or Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Caillat at Boardwalk Hall.

There is something special about finding a spot on the beach and watching a movie as the last light of the day fades into the ocean. north to Shore will offer that with free screenings of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Top Gun: Maverick” on historic Chicken Bone Beach.

If you are looking for a night of dancing look no further than Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge at the

Anchor Rock Club. The former Psychedelic Furs keyboardist and Atlantic City native first played in his hometown 40 years ago and will be back June 8 for an opening night party.

“It’s just going to be two sets of, you

know, slamming classic disco hits,” he said, noting that the Loser’s Lounge has been performing tribute nights in n ew York City for approximately 30 years.

even though McGinty is in the area a lot — he owns a house in Ventnor — playing in Atlantic City is "like coming full circle” and said he would be interested in playing in the area more often.

“I'm excited that this (festival) is happening in Atlantic City, and it's just a nice coming together of different worlds,” said McGinty.

One event he is looking forward to is the screening of “Primal Scream,” a sci-fi thriller directed by William Murray, which was filmed in Atlantic City in the1980s.

“It’s gonna be a great weekend,” said McGinty.

Hall said he hopes the festival will bring out the curiosity in people so they experiment and try new things because it’s not everyday that such a diverse lineup is open to explore.

He also wants people to have a good time and hopes the festival helps build community and foster conversation around the arts in Atlantic City.

“The most important part is the audience and the community and what you can build together,” said Hall.

Tim Hawk has been a photojournalist for more than 30 years, covering South Jersey and the Jersey Shore. He is also an adjunct professor at Rowan University he teaches photojournalism.

Red wines and bubbles perfect for summer

Drink Up with David Setley

Despite what the calendar says, Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of Summer – a truth felt by all here at the Jersey Shore. When you think of summer wines, the image of lighter whites, like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, or rosé wines likely comes to mind. no question, these wines have a place on your summer table, but for the next few minutes, let’s explore other options.

For those of you who have been to one of my wine events, you know that my favorite way to start any occasion is with a cold, crisp welcome wine. Sparkling wines make great summer welcome wines, are produced around the world, and are sold in a variety of prices that fit any budget. You can’t go wrong with a Champagne from France, although they can be on the pricier side. For a more budget-friendly, yet

delicious option, consider Cava. Cava is the sparkling wine produced in Spain. (If you didn’t know, only Champagnes produced in the Champagne region of France may bare that name; sparkling wines from other countries carry other monikers.) The naveran Cava 2021 from the Penedes wine region near Barcelona is made from organic grapes. It has flavors of tree fruit with a lovely, creamy mouthfeel that pairs perfectly with shellfish and cheese platters. Or, try Italy’s contribution to sparkling wines: Prosecco. The Brilla! e xtra Dry Rosé Prosecco 2021 is a beautiful addition to any summer event. It has a lovely salmon color, brings the flavors of red berries, yet is unexpectedly dry. There are countless options for bubbles that fit any taste-preference and budget. They’re sure to lighten up your next summer soiree.

For many, summer also means grilling season. Grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables can be overwhelmed by heavy red wines or those with higher tannins. However, lighter- and medium-body reds can do very well with a summer menu. Consider the Minervois Rouge Sentinelle de Massiac from the Languedoc-Roussilon wine region of Southern France. A blend comprised of three-quarters Syrah and one-quarter Carignan, this

wine is nicely dry with more subtle tannins than you may find in heavier reds. The flavor-profile has fruit that is a touch sweeter and a bit more forward.

Another French option for a Summer red is the L. Tramier & Fils Gamay 2020 from Beaujolais Villages. I have written about my love of Gamay wines in previous articles, as it is a varietal that is extremely underrated but worthy of your consideration. There is more to Beaujolais wines than the Thanksgiving Beaujolais n ouveau! The lighter body and acidity of the L. Tramier & Fils Gamay 2020 is similar to Pinot noir, but a bit smoother. The aroma has tones of dark fruit, violets, and soil; the flavor is currents and black raspberries with that distinctive French earthiness. The tannins are relatively light, allowing this wine to pair well with anything from salmon or tuna to chicken, pork, or grilled or roasted vegetables. You won’t regret taking this recommendation. It’s an excellent addition to your summer wine list.

Italy also has a number of great reds for summer, but I’d like to emphasize n ebbiolo from the Piedmont region. n ebbiolo is the grape used to make Barolo, the “King of Wines and the Wine of Kings.” Don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a King’s ransom to enjoy this outstanding varietal. nebbiolo is a medium-bodied red with higher tannins than you might expect for a summer suggestion. However, it has two great characteristics that make it perfect for summer enjoyment: high tannins and high acidity. The potent blend makes for a special and versatile wine that pairs with a wide range of foods. The aroma and flavor of n ebbiolo is classic OldWorld with more earth than fruit notes. Piedmont is the region where white truf-

fles are found in the forest floors, and those notes are clearly present in this wine. For meat lovers, you can pair this wine with beef, chicken, turkey, pork, cured meats, or sausage. If you are a fan of duck, n ebbiolo should be your new best friend. If you are plant-based, it is equally veggie-friendly and compliments dishes with roasted garlic, truffle, wild mushrooms, butternut squash, zucchini, cannellini beans, braised leeks, wild rice, and roasted fennel bulb. If you like mushroom pizza, get to know this wine. Try the G.D. Vajra - Langhe n ebbiolo 2021 as a great example of this varietal. If bold red wines are your preference, there’s no need to stray from them during the summer months. I have two recommendations that are great for summer grilling or sitting around the campfire. California Zinfandel pairs very well with meats or vegetables coming off the grill. The taste is fruit-forward but dry, with bold tannins and low acidity that results in what is often described as a “jammy” feel. The Ancient Peaks-Zinfandel 2020 is my pick. Or, for the Italian version of this grape, Primitivo is the wine for you. I love the Càntele-Primitivo Salento 2019 from Puglia.

I hope this article shows you that there are great red and sparkling wines for you to enjoy in the warm summer months. As always, contact me with any questions at dsetley@passionvines.com, or stop into the store. until next time, 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.

Showboat waterpark, Orange Loop ready to rock for the summer

At the top of the list, hands down, nothing else close, is the debut of the Island Waterpark at Showboat in Atlantic City.

It looks like it may be opening a little later than everyone expected, but with a project this massive, delays are not surprising.

By Scott Cronick

Happy summer, everyone!

Yeah, I know we still have a few weeks until that’s official, but with the limited time we get with tourists

Tickets are now on sale online at IslandWaterparkAC.com, and the first tickets available are for Monday July 24.

The site lists three ticket tiers: All Access VIP Day Admission ($130 to $140), General Day Admission

at the Jersey Shore, we have to extend that summer any way we can. Here’s a bunch of updates that are going to definitely make Summer 2023 one to remember.

Island Waterpark inching closer to opening

($99.99, $129.99 for Paradise Island Adult), and Twilight Admission ($79.99 to $109.99 GA, $109.99 to $139.99 Paradise Island Adult). There are also cabana rentals ($900), and activities like Wild Wave Flowrider Lessons ($25).

Park hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the site says an opening date will be announced soon, so it’s possible Island Waterpark will open sooner than July 24.

When it does open, it’s an absolute game changer for Atlantic City. There will be the Island Drift Lazy River; Wild Wave Flowrider for those wanting to surf that constant perfect wave; a sports activity Adventure Pool; Barracuda Blaster, a tube slide with crazy acceleration; Sonic Serpent, another tube slide that wraps around the building and other waterslides; electric eel, a slide full of tight corners and high-banking turns; Slide Island, featuring five waterslides for the youngsters; Tidal Racers, dueling, head-first mat racers looking for speed; Kids Cove, a perfectly sized kids retreat with slides and interactive water activities; and the gorgeous Blue Cascade Waterfall, one of the largest custom aqua forms in the world.

Paradise Adult Island will feature the Tree House, a 30-foot-tall indoor tree house and exclusive tropical escape in the heart of the action; and Bliss Pool, a pulsating, adults-only pool facing the ocean with two dry bars, swim-up bar and DJ.

There will also be the first-ever zero-gravity coaster and zipline inside and indoor waterpark featuring panoramic views of the waterpark and ocean. For an extra cost, visitors can experience Coconut Zero Gravity Coaster, a thrilling, single-rail suspended coaster that features a bird’s eye view of the entire waterpark; Rip Tide Zipline, featuring a 300-foot zipline through the waterslides and water activities; and the Boardwalk, an indoor promenade with world-famous Jersey Shore food and beverages.

The Showboat is also renovating many of its rooms and suites to offer families the full experience. Combined with the Lucky Snake Arcade and Raceway, Showboat will be one of the most attractive family destinations in the northeast.

Owner Bart Blatstein’s vision – and investment – here is nothing less than extraordinary. I know when people see it in person, they are going to be wowed.

I know I am.

Tennessee Avenue updates Memorial Day weekend was slammed on Tennessee Avenue in Atlantic City, and the businesses experienced the best Memorial Day weekend since opening five years ago.

That’s a great sign of the summer to come.

Part of the success was the debut of Chucktown, the new BBQ joint in the rear back corner of Tennessee

Avenue Beer Hall featuring smoked goodness from Chef Charles Soreth. Chucktown has its own seating, but Beer Hall guests can order Chucktown wherever they sit.

Featuring pulled pork, brisket, sau -

sage, chicken thighs and ribs, a choice of three sauces – east Coast vinegar style, West Coast ketchup-based and The OG mustard base – along with sides including baked beans, collard greens, vinegar cole slaw and potato

salad. Sandwiches are also available. Chucktown opens 11 a.m. Fridays to Sundays and is open until it sells out. So, get there early.

The Beer Hall will be slammed this weekend since The Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival – get tickets at ACBeerFest.com - hits Bader Field, and beer drinkers know the Beer Hall is the place to go before and after each session. e xpect some rare beauties on tap, including Dogfish Head 120, Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout and more.

Another reason it will be slammed is that the Beer Hall is the official kickoff party for the n orth 2 Shore festival. On Saturday, June 3, the incredible Tom Petty tribute band Pure Petty, featuring well-known journalist and superb bassist Chuck Darrow, will perform from 9 p.m. to midnight. There is no cover.

We

single origin, 100% organic coffee every single day.

Black Turtle Coffee's subscription service is now available for the convenience of having fresh, high-quality coffee delivered right to your door. (609)887-5017

Our entire menu is chef-curated, with only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Hand-crafted and made-to-order burgers made fresh, never frozen with 100% natural Certified Angus Beef steak patties.

Shoobie Shake® milkshakes are shaking up the game! A milkshake topped with a big slice of cheesecake? A magical cloud of cotton candy? Oreos, M&M’s, or Nerds pressed into the side of the glass? Yes, indeed. Our Shoobie Shake® milkshakes are truly works of art, and you probably need one.

“The best

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Then, on Monday, June 5, Dogfish Head Brewery founder Sam Calagione will host a beer lunch from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Beer Hall.

The $45 ticket includes lunch and four DFH beers, including some really rare selections like a 2018 DFH 120 and a 120 aged in utopia barrels. Get tickets at TennesseeAvenueBeerHall. com.

any of the shows.

For those Rhythm & Spirits fans out there, here’s some good news: the Italian restaurant with a beautiful secret garden is now open seven days a week. That means delicious Italian goodness for dinner whenever you want it, brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and the famous Iron Room halfprice whiskey night on Tuesdays. And if you haven’t tried Cuzzies Pizzeria

Then the north 2 Shore Fest continues at the Beer Hall with Quizzo on Wednesday, June 7, Open-Mic Music and Comedy with Michelle Tomko on Thursday, June 8, the fantastic Amanda and Teddy Duo 9 p.m. Friday, June 9, an outdoor market with 20 vendors 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 10, followed by the Anthony Krizan Band featuring the former Spin Doctors guitarist at 5 p.m., and Resurrextion, an Allman Brothers tribute at 9 p.m.; and then the Weir Wolves will close things out 6 p.m. Sunday, June 11. There is no cover for

and Bar 32 Chocolate yet, you are sleeping on some true awesomeness. Go to RhythmAndSpirits.com.

Cardinal opens outdoor space

Two streets over on the Orange Loop, Cardinal is enjoying early success with Michael Brennan’s upscale menu and a killer cocktail list.

And now there’s more good news as The Garden at Cardinal opened over Memorial Day weekend, offering a family-friendly, outdoor dining and drinking experience on the lawn outside of Cardinal on new York Avenue.

The beautiful space will feature

art, live music and a menu designed to appeal to families, beachgoers and guests seeking an al fresco alternative.

“We’ve built a beautiful, spacious garden with a delicious all-day menu that gives our guests the quality they’ve come to expect from Cardinal, just in a more casual, laid-back way,” Brennan said.

Food sharing choices include a mezze plate, charcuterie board and guacamole with tortilla chips. Sandwiches include grilled chicken with prosciutto, honey mustard, spinach and goat cheese; roast pork with comte cheese, broccolini and garlic aioli; Lebanese chickpea wrap with roasted bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, lemon, feta cheese and lemon basil aioli; and crab cake sliders with Cajun remoulade. And the kids menu includes chicken tenders and a grilled cheese. There’s also two salads and a great cocktail list.

The Garden is open noon to 10 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays. Go to Cardinal-AC.com.

Sinatra anyone?

If you’re looking for a great Frank Sinatra tribute, look no farther than RYFe in Atlantic City, which hosts a Frank Sinatra Celebration 7:30 p.m. every Friday through Labor Day weekend.

The leader of this Pack is Bruce Klauber, a fantastic crooner and drummer who is also the biographer of jazz icons Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, contributor to “Jazz Times” and “Down Beat” magazines, a concert and record producer, publicist and working jazz drummer and vocalist since childhood. He also served as tech advisor on the Oscar-winning film “Whiplash.”

“Our celebration of Frank Sinatra and Friends at RYFe is not an impersonation,” Klauber said. “As a jazz musician, I try to carry on Mr. Sinatra's jazz spirit through song, and I've always used the finest jazz musicians in the region as accompanists.”

This season, Klauber will be joined by pianist James Dell'Orefice, guitarist Tom Glenn, bassist Bruce Kamin -

sky and a bunch of special guests who will be stopping by all summer.

“I started this last summer for several reasons, with the main one being that grown-ups have nowhere to go at the shore to listen to grown up music of the Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Count Basie, nat Cole variety,” Klauber said. “ not to down the casino lounges, but with rare exception, the majority of those spots are rock/pop focused. I wanted to give people an alternative. Perhaps that's why we were mobbed every Friday last summer.”

There is no cover.

RYFe is located on 4101 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City. Go to RyfeAC.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.

Somers Point kicks off summer concert series with a celebration

30th Anniversary season of Concerts on the Beach in Somers Point n amed n ation’s Best Outdoor Concert Series by uSA Today

June 9 - Victory Celebration: n o. 1 on Our 30th!

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band Original multi-platinum band from “ eddie and The Cruisers.” Dedicating their new record, “A Day In The Sun.”

June 16 – Curtis Salgado “The man who taught the blues to the Blues Brothers.” Multi-award-winning R&B, funk, and soul, blues star.

June 23 – The Tony Mart Allstars, “Everybody Loves Ernie” Classic rock guitar tribute to Clapton, Santana, Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, Joe Walsh, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Stephen Stills.

June 30 – Martin Barre’s musical history of Jethro Tull founding members plus a tribute to their own British rock legacy. The SSP’s start the rock ‘n’ roll party.

Tuesday

July 4 – The Billy Walton Band with Michael “Tunes” Antunes Sax-

ophone star of “ eddie and the Cruisers.”

July 7 – Mardi Gras in Ju -

ly Starring James Andrews

From “Trombone Shorty” and “Treme” TV Musical Family. Joe Krown tribute to Dr. John, Professor Longhair Allen Toussaint and James Booker.

July 14 – The Weeklings Beatles music with Glen Burtnik, star of Broadway’s “Beatlemania,” Styx and electric Light Orchestra.

July 21 – The Dane Anthony Band Premier northeast party, dance band playing your favorite funk, classic rock, Motown, disco, and dance.

July 28 – Gary US Bonds and the Roadhouse Rockers Dick Clark to Bruce Springsteen, Living legacy of classic rock. The Hilarious Rev. Billy C. Wirtz Rocking, boogie-woogie, piano, entertainer.

Aug. 4 – Stanley Jordan “Stanley Plays Jimi.” One of the world's greatest guitarists pays tribute to Hendrix. The Brandon Ireland Band with “Big Bob” Ernano.

Aug. 11 – Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience Two-time Grammy winner, world music, reggae, classic rock.

Aug. 18 – Tommy Castro and the Pain Killers Multi-award-winning BB King entertainer of the Year.

Aug. 25 – Tom Hambridge and The RattleSnakes Two-time Grammy winner performed with Buddy Guy, Mick Jagger, President Obama, BB King, and hundreds of stars.

The E Street Shuffle: Premier Springsteen tribute band.

Sept. 1 – Red Hot new allstar super supergroup with Patti Balbo 80s

tribute. Heart, The Pretenders, Pat Benatar, and classic psychedelic rock with Janis Joplin.

Sept. 8 - Cyril Neville With Omari Neville & The Fuel Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. World renowned star of n ew Orleans R&B, funk, and soul. The only “ neville Brother” still performing.

Saturday

Sept. 9 – Good Old Days Festival in Kennedy Park.

The Jimmy Brogan Band i Popular Jersey Shore rockin’ party.

Adjacent Festival rocks the AC Beach

By Steffen Klenk

Last weekend, tens of thousands took to the sand in Atlantic City for one of the most popular beach concerts so far this season. The inaugural Adjacent Festival brought in some of the biggest rock and alternative bands in the country. The two-day excursion was headlined by Blink-182, who have recently re-united with founding member, vocalist and guitarist, Tom DeLonge. The band is currently touring the east Coast

and brought a full set of their most popular hits, including “All the Small Things,” “I Miss You” and “What’s My Age Again?”

n ight one featured Paramore, best known for their 2007 smash hit “Misery Business.” The pop-punk group, fronted by Hayley Williams, has been on tour promoting their sixth studio album titled This is Why.

Other headliners included Jimmy eat World, who performed their most popular single “The Middle.” Maryland punk rockers Turnstile made their Atlantic City debut with hard-hitting

riffs and blistering vocals, while Coheed & Cambria made their first visit to South Jersey in nearly 10 years. Their last performance was at the former House of Blues in 2013. Last weekend’s lineup included a slew of n ew Jersey-based rock band including Bleachers, Thursday, Royal & The Serpent, and Jersey Calling, a punk band fronted by Philadelphia firefighter Randy Ballinger.

Last week’s festival marks one of two Live nation-produced concerts on the Atlantic City Beach. Tidalwave Music Festival will make its return August 11-13. Some of country’s biggest names are on the bill, including Thomas Rhett, Jason Aldean, and Brooks & Dunn. To purchase tickets and see the complete schedule, go to tidalwavefest.com.

Photo provided by Live Nation

All other photos by Steffen Klenk

Photo provided by Live Nation

Photo provided by Live Nation

All other photos by Steffen Klenk

Tune In, Turn On

By Doug Deutsch

Iremember when my buddy Mike hipped me to a live broadcast of Boston’s Irish-tinged punk rock royalty, the Dropkick Murphys, playing a Streaming Outta Fenway concert at the venerable home of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

The concert – which took place May 29 that year – included a twosong cameo appearance by rock legend Bruce Springsteen and was viewed by 5.9 million people, making it the third-most-viewed livestream concert in 2020 as compiled by live concert giants, Pollstar.

It also solidified this writer as an avowed fan of this longtime group, who headline Session n o. 1 of the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival, taking place at Bader Field in Atlantic City this Saturday, June 3 (longtime rockers 311 headline Session no. 2 on Sunday, June 4).

“We’ve been playing in AC since the late 90s and have always had a blast there,” said DKM drummer

Matt Kelly in a recent email interview, when asked about the band’s many gigs in Atlantic City (they performed at Caesar’s Casino last September).

“With the great bands like n iblick Henbane, The Boils, The Bouncing Souls, Stormwatch, and countless other punk bands. Since the early days and beyond to festivals and our own gigs there, we’ve always felt welcome in Dirty Jersey!"

They’re also big fans of folk legend Woody Guthrie (as is the aforementioned Springsteen), recently releasing a tribute album of sorts to Guthrie, “Okemah Rising.”

"We were in the studio last n ovember, and we recorded twenty tracks using the unpublished lyrics of Woody Guthrie, as provided by his daughter n ora,” explains Kelly. “While about half the tracks were of a bit of an Americana influence, dare I say country-flavored, the other half of the songs had more of the softer side of our normal sound, that of Irish folk music.

“So rather than put all the songs on one album, with the short attention span of today’s average listener and not wanting to let stronger songs cancel each other out and get lost in the shuffle, we decided to group the songs into two columns, effectively having two albums’ worth of material,” Kelly said.

“As far as interest in Woody Guthrie’s material, the band has been using his lyrics with the blessing of

his daughter since the songs 'I’m Shipping up to Boston' and 'Gonna Be a Blackout Tonight.' Also, the door was open for us to use more of the unpublished lyrics at our disposal, and with our lead vocalist, Al Barr, taking a hiatus to care for his ailing mother, we figured, instead of making a traditional DKMs album, we would take the opportunity, as it were, to do something different,” he said.

“Dropkick Murphys and 311 might rule the main stage at the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival this year, but the Acoustic Stage will steal the show!,” promises Stephen Weiss of n orstep Productions, who is curating the latter. “Catch the unplugged sounds of some of our area's most talented bands.”

These include Second Half Comeback, Ryan Zimmerman, Chris Rockwell Collective, Don’t Panic, and Tune In Turn On faves, The Looms. Presented by Ocean Casino Resort. www.acbeerfest.com; http://theoceanac.com/; https://www.facebook.com/norstepproductions.

Also This Weekend and Beyond: Surf and Turf at Kaycee Ray’s in Vineland this Friday, June 2, featuring Red Meat Conspiracy and Baked Shrimp

(hence the Surf and Turf moniker). www.kayceerays. com for info… Beardfest Festival Pre-Party at Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City on Saturday, June 3, with music by Beard Space and jam-rockers euphonious, and Afterparty at the Full Moon Beach Rave. www.anchorrockclub.com…

Also at Anchor this Friday: For Those Who Can See Record Release Party, appearing along with SJ bands Gravelord and Tether…. Mark n ewman Band at Betsy’s Backyard Spring Concert Series (Inside edition) 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 6. https://www. facebook.com/betsy.paisley; www. marknewman.us.

n ext Week: Our interview with soul/blues singer extraordinaire Curtis Salgado, “the man who taught the blues to the Blues Brothers,” who performs at Concerts on the Beach in Somers Point June 16.

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.

Dropkick Murphys Session No. 1 of the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival at Bader Field in Atlantic City Saturday, June 3

Brigantine business owner releases new book, 'Black Resilience'

By Krystle J Bailey

30-year-old Braeden Anderson, owner of Brigantine’s Black Turtle Coffee Co. and Kook Burger, released his 2023 book, Black Resilience, this April. The restauranteur, lawyer, philanthropist, and father has overcome seemingly impossible situations throughout his young life.

In Black Resilience, Anderson shares his stories and experiences as a young, Black man who immigrated to the united States from the metropolitan city of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Based on his own story of childhood abuse, homelessness, and countless encounters with racism, Anderson shares how he paved his own road to success with a few replicable tools.

“It boils down to one fundamental concept,” explains the former n CAA athlete. “That, in order for us to make progress as a society, specifically in the Black community, we need to better combat the concept of learned helplessness and acknowledge the ways in which the mainstream approaches to combating racism have contributed

to that.”

Broken down into 10 chapters, Black Resilience challenges the status quo and answers the burning question that millions of Black Americans ask every day, “Where do we go from here?”

Through first-hand storytelling and a unique vantage point, Anderson reveals the strategies that helped him face every roadblock on his journey from homelessness to his life as a business owner, lawyer, and entrepreneur. Topics include asserting your identity, employing empathy, transcending learned helplessness, and building one community.

In Black Resilience, Anderson shines a light on the traditional approaches to combating racism, such as the awareness campaigns that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020.

“The most effective way of running an awareness campaign is to tell stories of victimhood and pain,” explains Anderson. “Whether it’s received in one way or another doesn’t matter if it brings awareness.”

According to a Pew Research Poll,

70% of Black Americans agree that the awareness campaigns have done nothing to change their lives for the better. This is why Braeden Anderson continues to assert that there are other paths available and that Black Americans have the power to forge a path for themselves, despite any systemic roadblocks.

“I love America,” declares Anderson. “I’m an immigrant. I came with nothing and fought and scratched for everything, and I cried like a baby when I was able to raise my right hand and become an American Citizen.”

He goes on to explain, “We all want the same thing, for America to hold its rightful place as the best country on earth. That takes work. In order to retain that status, we’re going to have to work together to figure it out.”

Anderson’s non-traditional approach empowers Black Americans through the honest and vulnerable recounts of his own experiences with racism as he pursued his life goals. He shares ways he may have mishandled past situations, as well as how he looked for opportunities to build bridges along the way.

Written from the perspective of someone who has faced many incidents of racism and trauma, Black Resilience represents a tactful and dynamic ideology for the reader who is open to receiving a solution-oriented mindset.

“It’s a noble endeavor to work towards the complete extermination of racism,” explains the father of two. “But what about the little Black boy or girl who grew up in a bad part of town and wants to become a doctor, an architect, or an engineer? What about that person that wants to succeed today? Are you supposed to tell your kids, ‘We’re working on it’? Or try to give them a mentality that nobody can stop them from success?”

In addition to the release of the book, Anderson founded the Black Resilience Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the mission of the book and helps people in Black communities achieve their goals.

Purchase a copy of Black Resilience on Amazon. Limited copies are available at Black Turtle Coffee in Brigantine. For more information, visit BlackResilienceBook.com.

The cost of procrastination

By Eric Reich

When it comes to investments, budgeting, financial planning, etc, many people fall victim to procrastinating. They are often stressed out by these tasks, and unfortunately, procrastinating tends to only magnify that stress. Instead of having a plan in place that can help measure your financial goals and help create smaller, more quantifiable tasks, people tend to get stuck and overwhelmed. In addition to the increased stress and potential negative impacts on your mental and physical health, this can end up being more costly in the long run when it comes to your financial future in the following ways:

1. Missing out on compound interest: By starting to save and invest earlier, your money has more potential for growth by way of compound

interest. With compound interest, the interest you earn on your savings or investment account balance is reinvested, which helps you earn more interest. By delaying saving and investing, you can miss out on the opportunity to earn interest on interest. There are many online calculators that you can use to see how compound interest works. It’s a great way to help map out your savings goals.

2. Having to save more in a shorter time-Depending on your goals, you may need a longer time horizon for saving. For example, if you delay saving for retirement, you will need to save more money in a shorter amount of time. This can impact your retirement timeline (see below). Also, if you don’t have enough saved for a big purchase or expense, you may have to end up borrowing more money, which could cost you more if interest rates are high.

3. A less ideal retirement-As mentioned above, delaying saving and planning, can impact your retirement timeline. You may find you have to work longer or have to get a job after you retire. This is not to say that a lot of retirees don’t end up working in some capacity, but if

you can do it on your own terms, it can make that work feel less like “work”. Also, having less money in retirement because you didn’t plan accordingly, can prevent you from enjoying travel, time with grandkids, leisurely activities, etc.

n ow that you’ve seen how procrastination can negatively impact your financial health and goals, here are some tips for combatting it:

1. Set specific goals-Whether it’s saving for a house, paying off debt or saving for retirement, setting clear financial goals can help you stay motivated and focused on your financial future. A great way to do this is by using SMART goals, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. By having specific, measurable goals, it can take an overwhelming goal or task and help make it more achievable. Also, starting with small goals can help you build momentum for tackling larger ones.

2. Automate your savings-By automating your savings and/or investments, it is one less task that you have to complete. Once you start, you may notice that you can save more and make adjustments as needed.

3. Seek professional advice-Many people procrastinate when it comes to asking for help. They don’t want to burden others with their problems or questions. But just like you utilize your doctor for your health plan, a financial advisor can help you create a financial plan that is customized to help meet your needs and goals. They can also help you stay on track and make adjustments as needed. Having an accountability partner is a great way to help combat procrastination.

4. Make your financial health and well-being a priority: Take the time

to make financial planning a priority in your life. It’s easier to put it off until tomorrow, but think of the potential negative effects it can have if you do.

By understanding the costs of procrastination and taking some of these steps to overcome it, you can create a financial plan that helps you achieve your goals and live the life you want.

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/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. This 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. A lifelong resident of Cape May County, Eric resides in Seaville, NJ with his wife Chrissy and their sons ,CJ and Cooper, and daughter Riley.

Funeral Service, Part

of options available to a family member as to what to do with the ashes of a loved one, but that is another article, so we will stick with the urn itself.

By Andrew Hoffman

Hello all and welcome to the third part of how you can personalize your funeral service. In the last two articles, I was talking to you about all the different and unique caskets and how you can use them to personalize your services. Moving right along I would like to focus on the Ying to the Yang of the burial process which is the burial vault. The vault as you know (or maybe you don’t) is the outer container that the casket goes inside of at the cemetery. It is typically made of concrete but can also be made of metal which is used in bell vault construction. I will be focusing on the concrete versions or the burial vault as they are the ones that you can personalize more easily. How are the vaults personalized, you ask? Well, you can start with the exterior paint color of choice. Or perhaps you would like the colors of a favorite sports team. If the deceased was a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan it would be Black and Gold. Then, there is the option of having an emblem on the top of the vault lid. Most traditionally, there are religious emblems to choose from such as a Cross or Star of David. You can also have things the deceased enjoyed like fishing, golfing, flowers, etc. A new option of personalizing the vault with photos and pictures is becoming popular. You can literally have a photo and artwork collage of the deceased on the lid of the vault. This may be a theme for the deceased, such as a golfing theme with the 18th hole or a military theme with the American flag. We can do a theme for a police officer with his shield and squad car on the vault lid, or a fireman with a picture of his fire house on the vault lid. The possibilities are endless.

Continuing on, we move to the cremation side of funeral service. n ow if you want to talk about personalization, cremation gives you a huge number of possibilities for families to honor their loved one. What I am referring to is the vast, and I mean VAST, number of options of urns. I could also get into the huge number

u rns are the receptacle that holds the cremated remains of an individual. One option to personalize these vessels is what they’re made of. Typical urns are made of wood, metal, granite and plastic. Of the wooden urns the species of wood are Mahogany, Cherry, Oak, Poplar, Walnut and Pine. The metal urns are made up of Bronze, Copper and Steel. The granite is just that, granite, but there are different colors and the same for plastic urns. A lot of people are drawn to certain materials for personal reasons, such as if the individual was a wood worker or carpenter. We’ll go into more detail in my next article. Bye for now.

Andrew B. Hoffman is a funeral director at Jeffries and Keates and Keates-Plum Funeral Homes. He is a twenty-two year veteran of the funeral industry.

Select your dog’s kibble with care

is wide range of formulas from breed specific, adult maintenance, puppy, limited ingredient, grain free, to raw coated. Protein sources vary from beef, to chicken, and even kangaroo.

wrote excellent articles on the studies conducted that debunk grain free foods causing cardio myopathy.

By Heidi Clayton

The internet offers no shortage of advice on what diet is best to feed your dog. Between homemade, fresh, raw, or kibble, the options seem endless. This week, I will focus on feeding kibble.

Feeding kibble became mainstream roughly around the time of World War II when the price of meat soared and a cheaper option was needed to feed the family dog. Industrialization and the loss of family run farms led to kibble becoming a cheap and easy way to feed the dog. The benefits of feeding kibble for most people is the ease of buying a bag of food that stores well. Feeding kibble can also be the most cost effective with a variety of low budget options available. There has also been a virtual explosion of kibble options available in the past few years. There

The downsides of feeding kibble can include that most are carbohydrate heavy with little to no moisture and can have more fillers than proteins. Fillers such as grains, peas, legumes, and potatoes can be the cause of skin allergies or stomach issues. Also you must trust that the companies making kibble are actually following quality control methods and are producing a food that consists of what is actually printed on the bag.

When picking a kibble consider your individual dog’s needs such as their activity level and health concerns such as sensitive stomachs, allergies, or kidney issues. I have found that the amount of peas, legumes, and potatoes in most kibbles give my dogs a skin “funk,” so I avoid feeding foods that contain those ingredients. My 13-year-old girl recently decided to dine on a dead rancid snake that landed her in the hospital with gastritis for several days. Richer foods now upset her stomach so she gets a mix of a hydrolyzed protein kibble and

a raw meat diet. Bottom line is that there is no one perfect diet, every dog has different nutritional needs.

In 2018 the FDA released a statement that feeding grain-free kibble caused dilate cardiomyopathy in dogs. The statement caused widespread panic in owners that feed grain free kibble and a backlash from companies that produce them. Since then there have been actual science based studies that show that as of now, there is no proof that feeding grain free diets causes cardio myopathy in dogs. If your dog has skin issues due to grains in kibble and actually needs to eat grain free, don’t panic; it is safe to do so and it does not mean your dog will get cardio myopathy. For more information on the grain free food scare visit thesciencedog. com. Canine nutritionist Linda

TheWholeDogJournal.com is another helpful source of information that maintains a yearly “best of” list for each diet available for dogs. They review dozens of kibble brands yearly as well as having many other helpful nutrition articles. Locally run businesses that offer a wealth of knowledge are The Animal House in Ocean City and english Creek Pet Supply in eHT. Shani and Liz at Animal House and John of english Creek know their products extensively and are always available to help you pick the best food for your dog. And always consult with your veterinarian to talk about your dog's specific needs.

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

Case

Making your move smooth for your pets

in the area and socialize your animal too.

Manage The Environment

Real Estate Matters

By Elisa Jo Eagan

If the process of moving to a new home is stressful for you, imagine what it must be like for your precious pets. Check out these tips to make your move safer and less stressful for you and your furry friends.

Finding The Right Vet For Your Pet

Before your move, discuss the safest options for moving with your pet. Gather vet records, ask for extra prescription refills, etc. Knowing that your pet is in good health buys you time to research a new vet where you're moving.

When researching a new vet, it is a good idea to ask your current vet for a referral to your new location and look for recommendations from local neighborhood social media groups. It is also a good way to meet new people

Stockpile

Your Pets Favorite Specialty Food

In case you cannot find your pet's favorite or special foods right away in your new area, bringing an ample supply will help avoid delays and emergencies. Animals generally do not do well when switching foods quickly, so if you are opting for a new brand, mix half of the new food and half of the old food for a while to wean them off.

Update Your Pets Tags

Make sure that your new address and phone number are visible on any tags, and if you haven't already, this is a good time to consider a microchip for your pet. Your vet can help you to reassign the contact information if your pet already has a microchip.

Do Your Homework

Find out what is required in your new community. There may be stricter leash laws, specific tags required for pet sitting and walking services, or your pet may need new medications to avoid localized pests, like ticks.

Manage Your Pet's Stress

Having multiple people moving items in the house can cause stress for pets. Ask a friend to watch your animal companion while this is going on.

Keep as many of your pet's belongings as possible with you during the move, and pack what you must last.

n ever leave your dog at home alone in an empty house - a barren environment can be extremely stressful, causing behavioral and anxiety issues. If you have to keep your home empty with a pet at home, consider crating them and putting a blanket and toys in with them if it is suitable for your animal. A hack for making them comfortable in a crate sometimes is draping a towel or blanket over the crate to make them feel safer and enclosed in a new space.

Protect Your Pet During Travel

Always talk to your vet about the safest possible option for traveling, based on size and breed. Look for dog seatbelts for smaller dogs, cats, or puppies that will hold them to the seat with little room to wiggle around and wander in the vehicle. For bigger animals, try a backseat hammock that will restrain them from entering the front of the vehicle while you are focusing on the road and protect your seats from fur.

Road Trip Basics

Keep your pet safe and secure in a well-ventilated crate or carrier. Your

vet may also recommend a calming, all-natural vitamin to reduce stress and help your pet relax. Pack an onthe-go traveling kit with your pet's food, water, medications, a leash, waste bags, vaccination records, and a toy or blanket to give your pet a sense of familiarity.

Your four-legged friends are just as anxious as you may be during moving day. I hope these tips can help you ease their anxiety and get them and you happily to their new home safely. With hugs, love, and warm regards…

For real estate information and advice, contact Elisa Jo Eagan, the “Real Estate Godmother,” at 609-703-0432. Learn more at www.TheRealEstateGodmother. com.

ACROSS

THEME: NIGHT AT THE THEATER

1. *Treble or bass ___

5. Pharaoh's cobra

8. *Zeus' sister and wife, and character in Broadway musical "Xanadu"

12. Hair-dwelling parasites

13. Quinceañera or bat mitzvah, e.g.

14. Puts money in the bank

15. Pearl Harbor locale

16. Flair

17. Inuit boat

18. *Record-holding musical for most awards received by a single production, with The

20. *Broadway hit "Jagged Little ___"

21. *Comment to the audience

22. Web address

23. ____'er ____, at the pump

26. Private chapel

30. Keats' poem

31. Quit

34. Medley

35. ____ ____ or do nothing

37. Right-angle building extension

38. Razor nick

39. Like lemon

40. Make a choice

42. 1960s teen idol, Bobby ____

43. Give authority

45. Bias crime perpetrators

47. *Theater, e.g.

48. Cordial disposition

50. Surrender

52. *non-musical with record number of Tony nominations

56. Shredded cabbage dishes

57. *Melpomene, e.g.

58. Just a little

59. Gold unit

60. Lodge fellows

61. "Game of Thrones" bastard

62. Without purpose

63. Past tense of "is"

64. Short-term employee

DOWN

1. Hoof sound

2. Yarn spinner

3. Canyon sound

4. Like medieval european society

5. Was sick

6. Fixed look

7. Montblanc and such

8. *Musical with record number of Tony nominations

9. Like most fairytale stepmothers

10. Madrid's Club de Fútbol

11. Pose a question

13. Chef's prescription

14. Toyota sports car model

19. Shylock's practice

22. Coffee pot

23. *Bob ____, choreographer with most Tony awards

24. *"Break a leg" or "have two left feet," e.g.

25. Reduce pressure (2 words)

26. eye up and down

27. Mediterranean appetizer

28. Type of potato masher

29. Ox connectors

32. *Tiresias in "Oedipus Rex," e.g.

33. Feverish

36. *nYC district

38. Washington, e.g.

40. Sun's descent

41. Onion-like herb

44. Seize by force

46. Obsolete office position

48. Spurious wing

49. *Comedy and tragedy, on a Tony medallion

50. Attired

51. *James ____ Jones, multiple Tony winner

52. Old World duck

53. Like Silver's owner

54. H or O in H2O, e.g.

55. Make a raucous noise

56. Mogul equipment

See Solution on Page 84

Shore Local Talent: Bilal Grate

By Krystle J Bailey

Local photographer Bilal

Grate knew he was meant to carve his own path when he found himself in deep discussion about LLCs, taxes, and business ownership with his professors as a college sophomore. He had discovered a love for photography a few years earlier while working on self-promotions for his former clothing line, ADO Lifestyle.

“We started that brand to show people that anything you want to do, you can achieve it,” explains Grate about ADO, which stands for Acting Dreams Out. “We were selling t-shirts out of cars and selling clothes in other states.”

Before the days of instant social media sales, Bilal and his business partner would send mass texts of pictures that showcased their new inventory each week. In an effort to level up the quality of photos, Bilal dusted off a camera he had won at a raffle.

“The creativity clicked,” explains Grate. “All of a sudden, I was out looking for scenery and pulling up in random locations for impromptu photoshoots."

As the professionalism of his work on ADO improved, other brands began requesting his photography services. Meeting the demand, Bilal turned his basement into a photography studio where other clothing lines and models would come to work with him. Clients included brand work for a Canadian

Football League Player who mailed merchandise to the u nited States for Bilal to shoot.

The demand for his skill set introduced him to maternity shoots, weddings, and sweet 16 parties, but his love for working intimately with brands and his love of fashion has remained his true passion. He has completed personal shoots for models at Philly Fashion Week, Atlantic City Fashion Week, and several college fashion shows.

Growing up in Atlantic City, the self-taught photographer and founder of Grate Vision had a full-circle moment when he was invited back to AC High School for career day.

“That was one of the first times I felt like I was on the right trajectory; like I was making it and I did something from the ground up,” shared Grate.

While he has moved forward in his career and ADO is in the past, he continues to live with the mindset that, with a little hard work, anything is possible. He has worked with brands including The Frank Gabriel Collection, Just Hoops, Mashhur La Vie, Alls Fair uSA, Fidelite Couture, and several more.

The father of two now primarily focuses on continuing to build his brand portfolio while working alongside Luke Witherspoon at eden Compound, producing unique South Jersey events and opportunities for creatives to collaborate.

Follow Bilal Grate on Instagram at @gratevision.

The next generation of business leaders

Teach basic financial literacy: Introduce the students to the fundamentals of finance, such as budgeting, saving, and the concept of profit and loss. This will provide them with a solid foundation for understanding the financial aspects of business.

By Keith Dawn

Irecently participated in the 2 nd Annual Wildwood Sixthgrade Career e xploration Fair. These students expressed interest in several careers, and I had the pleasure of speaking with the ones who are interested in business management. Wait! Sixth grade? I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in my fourth year in college. So that’s 10 full years prior to them even entering the workforce. Ten years for them is like a lifetime, but from my perspective, it goes by in a flash.

If you ever have thoughts like “Kids these days just don’t get it,” or “I’m worried about the future of the next generations,” fear no more. At least from what I witnessed, I think we’ll be in good hands.

Today’s sixth-graders are about 12 or 13 years old. They’re part of Gen Z. Some of their characteristics include being avid gamers (duh), prone to anxiety, loving travel, and being money-driven and ambitious. After meeting these future business leaders, I was not surprised by them being money-driven or ambitious. What impressed me most was the thought-provoking questions asked. Aside from the frequently asked question of “How much money will I make?”, some of them asked things like “What skills are important for a business manager?”, “What’s the difference between a manager and an owner?”, and “Can anyone start their own business?” I thought these to be very good questions.

It's wonderful to see that these sixth-graders are already showing an interest in business management as a potential career path. encouraging and nurturing their curiosity at this stage can help set them on a path to success in the future. As mentors, coaches, teachers and parents, here are a few suggestions on how we can support their interests.

Encourage exploration: This can include reading books, watching educational videos, or even attending local business-related events. Help them understand different roles within businesses and the skills required for each.

Foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Business requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills. encourage the students to think critically about real-world business challenges and come up with creative solutions. This can be done through group discussions, case studies, or even small business simulations.

Promote entrepreneurship: Consider introducing the concept of entrepreneurship to the students. encourage them to think about innovative business ideas and create simple business plans. This can help develop their entrepreneurial mindset and provide valuable insights into the world of business management.

Connect with business professionals: If possible, arrange for guest speakers from the business community to visit the class or set up virtual meetings with professionals in the field. This can give the students a firsthand perspective on business and inspire them through real-world examples.

Provide mentorship opportunities: Seek out mentorship programs or connect the students with local professionals who work in business. Mentors can offer guidance, share their experiences, and provide valuable advice as the students navigate their interests and potential career paths.

Remember, at this age, it's important to provide a well-rounded education and exposure to various fields of interest. encourage them to explore other subjects as well, so as to develop a broad range of knowledge and skills.

until next time, have a successful week.

Keith is a seasoned media executive and former publisher for The Press of Atlantic City.

Keith is now a business coach/ advisor and CEO of his own consulting firm called Strategic Growth Partners. He’s passionate about helping businesses grow. He can be reached at keith. dawn@sgpCoach.com or you can visit his website for more detailed information at https://www.sgpcoach.com.

You Won't Leave Hungry!

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