SHORE LOCAL | Mainland | February 22, 2024

Wave of Green Expected for Parade

Proposed E-bike Law Mandates Insurance

Jason Kelce Makes Surprise Appearance

Local Nonpro t Fights Bullies

Meet McKee City's Namesake

AC Fashion Week Struts In

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY'S NEWSMAGAZINE

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Registration would be facilitated through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and require annual renewal.

being

state mandating both registration and

for e-scooters. The legislation stipulates the acquisi -

Importantly, the bill specifies that e-bike and e-scooter operators would not need a driver's license and would be permitted on all road types, including highways.

From the Editor

Like many adults in this world, I wear many hats. I have a closet full of them, including the wife hat, the mother hat, the daughter hat, the caregiver, the writer, the editor, and more. On any given day, I’ll switch between several hats, usually leaving myself depleted at the end of the week. I spend most of my time caring for or serving others except for one hour per day that is dedicated solely to my own selfcare. This is the “me” hat. For those 60 minutes, I take care of the one person that I am most responsible for. Whether I am at the gym, in the yoga studio, or walking my dogs, I dedicate that time to my physical and mental well-being. It’s a daily appointment with myself that has become non-negotiable and a moment in each day I look forward to.

Some may call it self-care, fitness

Publisher

Executive

Nurturing your health

or even a form of therapy. at times I've felt selfish or even overindulgent for claiming this sacred time as mine. but if there’s one thing I’ve learned the hard way, it’s that you cannot pour from an empty cup. It is up to me to make sure my cup stays filled. I am well aware that if I do not

a s the old saying goes, it takes 21 days to develop a habit and 90 days to establish a lifestyle. a s we fall into the rhythm of 2024, I challenge you to do something for you that will nurture your health for years to come. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

preserve and nurture my own health, I will have nothing to offer the others in my life.

Many people take their health for granted until a problem strikes. I recall the first time I was made aware of how fragile my health could be. I was a young mother and as I bent over to pick up a Cheerio (yes, a tiny piece of cereal!) off the floor, I felt

Fertsch (609) 705-5323 shorelocalcindy@gmail.com

Copy Editors - James FitzPatrick, Holly Fertsch

Advertising Sales - Meg Perry (609)425-5407 shorelocalmeg@gmail.com

Web Designer - Holly Martin

Contributors – Charles Eberson, Scott Cronick, Tammy Thornton, Rich Baehrle, Sarah Fertsch, Steffen Klenk, Fred Miller, Krystle J. Bailey, Brian Cahill, Dave Weinberg, Doug Deutsch, Elisa Jo Eagan, David Setley, Heidi Clayton, Eric Reich, Whitney Ullman, Raymond Tyler, Bill Quain, Gabriella Bancheri, Dr. LaToya Roberts, Chuck Darrow, Bruce Klauber, Julia Train

something in my back slip. I had performed this painstaking act of motherhood countless times already, yet this time my body chose to react differently. I was in agonizing pain. every tiny move that I had taken for granted was painful and laborious. It was in this season of my life that I decided my health would become a top priority for the rest of my days. your health truly is your wealth. Without it, everything quickly becomes meaningless. Our health is multifaceted and complex. Mental health, physical health, spiritual well-being, and preventive healthcare all play vital roles in our overall wellness.

In light of this topic, I am thrilled to announce that next month’s Shore Local Women’s Network meeting will include a health and beauty panel with five incredible local professional women ready to share thoughts, ideas, and inspiration on the topic of wellness. Join us from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on March 7 at Josie Kelly’s Public House for a morning of networking, delicious lunch, and conversation. Visit tinyurl.com/SLWMarch for tickets.

Wishing you a healthy and happy week, Shore Local! be sure to check out our wonderful advertisers and stories by the contributors that make Shore Local possible every week. Visit us online at shorelocalnews.com and on all social media platforms. Peace & Love, Cindy

Cover photo by Glenn Bergin

Atlantic City St. Patrick’s parade expected to draw up to 30,000

By William Kelly

March Madness isn’t just about college basketball; it’s also about Irish marching.

They will be marching down the atlantic City b oardwalk again in what is expected to be the biggest and best St. Patrick’s Day Parade ever on Saturday, March 9. beginning at 1 p.m. at the Ocean Club Casino at 500 b oardwalk, they will finish 2 miles later at albany avenue.

It’s no longer just St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), or even St. Patrick’s week; now it’s pretty much St. Patrick’s month as different towns and establishments have their own St. Patrick’s celebrations throughout March.

The atlantic City St. Patrick’s boardwalk Parade began in 1986 with a meeting in the second floor ballroom of the Town Tavern on Pacific avenue. bally’s bartender Joe Shields; al McMahon, the owner of the Circle Tavern in brigantine, and Mrs. Cassidy of Cassidy’s bar on arctic avenue ran the meeting. They couldn’t get insurance for cars or floats on the

boardwalk, so everyone marched.

Without a grand marshal, then e gg Harbor Township Mayor James “Sonny” McCullough, and then atlantic City Mayor James usry led the way. McCullough still has his badge patch from that parade, and is now the head of the parade committee.

The parade is held before the actual March 17 holiday to allow the bars, restaurants and casinos to extend the party, and to attract the marching and pipe bands that march in other parades on St. Patrick’s Day itself.

after the parade was canceled for three years (2020-2022) because of COVID, McCullough called atlantic City Mayor Marty Small last april and asked if the parade could be resumed. The mayor said yes, and was quite enthused about the idea, even though some had their doubts.

according to McCullough, “everyone said we couldn't do it in 30 days.” b ut McCullough was adamant and said, “We can do it,” and they did.

McCullough, who was mayor of egg Harbor Township for nearly 30 years, called a few friends and in less than a month, organized the parade. It was a huge success, attracting some 20,000 people to the boardwalk.

This year, with plenty of time to plan, the parade committee met at the Irish Pub, of course, and has organized what should be the largest and best atlantic City boardwalk parade ever. The parade committee, led by McCullough, includes Cathy b urke, owner of the Irish Pub; Scott evans; Tim Friel; Jon Henderson; Jamie Hoagland; Denise and Dan Gallagher; Tim Kelly; P.J. McGettigan; Jack McGowan and Trish Mooney.

at a press conference held on the boardwalk at St. James Place, just up from the Irish Pub, Mayor Marty Small, Sr. said: “I’m a mayor that’s all about entertainment. I’m all about bringing families in the community together. So when approached by the committee to talk about the possibility of bringing the parade back, I said, ‘absolutely, and I’m going to support you 100 percent’.”

Small continued, “I had the opportunity to be in the parade last year, and it was a great turnout and everyone was motivated, so we can make it bigger and better this year. We’re going to do it again.”

The parade operates under non-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt status. Much of the money goes toward paying the expenses of the bands to travel to atlantic City, and a number of fundraisers have met the needed expenses.

With the support of sponsors like the City of atlantic City, the Casino Reinvestment authority, South Jersey Transit authority, and private donors like Chickie’s & Pete’s, Good Time Tricycle, the Doughertys (owners of Dock’s Oyster House, Knife & Fork and Linwood Country Club), Ducktown Tavern, Vagabond’s, McGettigan’s 19th Hole, adelaide’s Place, Maynard’s in Margate, Jose Kelly’s in Somers Point and numerous others, they have an impressive lineup.

Steve Troiano of Maynard’s, and TV star Kelsey Garmmer will be co-grand marshals and lead the parade. Steve’s father, big al Troiano, was an early supporter of the parade and was a grand marshal. and since St. Patrick himself was Italian, it’s not just an Irish thing. besides his notoriety as the star of the hit comedy series “Frasier,” Grammer started the Faith american beer brewing company in the Catskill Mountains. He has been promoting his beers as a guest bartender throughout New Jersey, including the Irish Pub in atlantic City where he usually works behind the bar on bag Day, the day after St. Patrick’s Day when everyone wears a bag on their head, apparently embarrassed by their behavior the night before.

Following the grand marshals down the 2-mile stretch of the boardwalk will be seven floats, including floats from each of the b oardwalk casinos, and a number of bars and restaurants, eight string bands, five bagpipe bands, and numerous local high school marching bands including atlantic City, Pleasantville, egg Harbor Township and Mainland, who will feature their state champion football team.

Three Dublin, Ireland policemen will march, and a bagpipe brigade from the New york City Fire Department has been invited, but has yet to commit.

McCullough, who was the grand marshal in 1999, said this year’s parade is expected to draw up to 30,000 spectators. “This event is going to challenge the other towns that have great parades, and it's going to be the largest St. Patrick’s parade in the history of atlantic City.”

For more information see: www. acstpatricksdayparade.com

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center reported that the male grey seal pup rescued last week from the streets in Ocean City has died. The pup was stranded on February 7, after hauling out from the bay and traveling a quarter of a mile down 42nd Street. Over the past two weeks, the young seal was being treated by MMSC’s veterinarian for parasites and a possible respiratory infection. Staff provided nutritional support for the underweight pup. although they had seen some initial improvements, on the evening of February 19, the pup showed a very sudden and rapid decline, and despite the extraordinary efforts by MMSC

to resuscitate him, the pup passed away only a few minutes later. a full necropsy will be performed to provide insight on what may have caused the death.

Atlantic Cape

Mays Landing Campus baseball field

If you build it, they will come! atlantic Cape Community College officially broke ground on its new $1.48 million baseball field of dreams on its Mays Landing campus on February 15. This will permanently bring the b uccaneers’ baseball program home in time for the 2025 season after spending the past decade playing its home games at Surf Stadium in atlantic City.

To drum up support for this ambitious project, the atlantic Cape Foundation created the “ b ring it Home” fundraising campaign in 2020 and thanks to the generosity of its donors raised $186,000. after several years of planning, fundraising, architectural design, environmental approvals, community and alumni outreach, construction began in early February as excavators descended upon the parcel of land situated behind the Rutgers Lifelong Learning Center. atlantic Cape, which is currently the only community college in the State of New Jersey to not have a baseball field on its campus, leaving the college at a distinct disadvantage as local student athletes decided to

commit to other colleges and universities to continue their studies and baseball careers, is confident that constructing a state-of-the-art National Collegiate athletic a ssociation (NCaa) regulation baseball field will entice student athletes from across atlantic and Cape May counties to consider atlantic Cape first when deciding upon which undergraduate institution of higher education they want to commit to.

Head Coach Craig Muckle, who was hired last summer to lead the b uccaneers’ baseball program into the future, spoke of his excitement at giving local student athletes the chance to play the sport they love in their home county while earning their associate’s degree.

“To be able to have a home field, as a young athlete, is huge. atlantic Cape, first and foremost, is about academics, but we realize that along with those academics that you only

get to play sports for so long,” Muckle said. “To be able to have a field and a team with camaraderie for a few more years along with that pride and connection to your school, friends and county is amazing.”

On hand to revel in the celebration of the dawning of this new era of atlantic Cape athletics were three alumni and former buccaneer baseball players from the Class of 1968, Ricky Williams, bobby Woods, who was drafted professionally by the Chicago Cubs in the fourth round of

the 1969 draft and the b uccaneers’ head coach in 1976 as well, and Nehmad.

Once completed, the new baseball field will feature a state-of-theart digital scoreboard in center field, a mericans with Disabilities act-compliant bleachers along both baselines for spectator seating, two enclosed dugouts and two 80’x30’ bullpens. The field dimensions will measure 330 feet down the left and right field lines and 400 feet to straight away center field. Lights and a clubhouse, which were featured in the original architectural renderings, will be added at a later date.

“ b eing on the baseball team at atlantic Cape involves more than just playing ball. It is about building character and being successful academically. Over the last decade our coaches have worked tirelessly to guide our players to grow as athletes, students and citizens,” Gaba said.

Mexiquila brings a Mexican culinary adventure to Somers Point

Business Buzz

By Rich Baehrle

The owners of the new Mexiquila Restaurant and bar, located at 101 e . Maryland ave. in Somers Point, have created a true masterpiece.

Renovations were made to every detail of the building inside and out. The new look includes a totally unique, open-air build. The outside features an outdoor patio with a fully stocked bar where they make authentic street tacos on the patio in front of the guests on an open grill.

The owners of this fantastic Mexican restaurant came up from Cape May where they had operated a beach bar and grill, which featured fine dining for 20 years. a s time went on, Cape May eventually had several

establishments that were offering similar concepts.

The original intent was to duplicate the exact same template in Somers Point, but a developer bought that brand and concept in 2021. This left the team to recreate a separate identity and brand. Hence, Mexiquila was born with a collaborative and extremely creative effort.

The owners realized that there is no shortage of excellent food in Somers Point. However, there is one

sought-after cuisine that is significantly harder to come by: Mexican.

They invite guests to explore the vibrant essence of Mexican cuisine with a touch of elevated sophistication.

Mexiquila represents a culinary adventure that tantalizes the taste buds and elates the spirits, while placing tequila at the forefront of their beverage offerings. They are there to create more than just a meal; they are there to create a remarkable, fun-filled and unforgettable dining experience.

I was there last weekend and I will tell you firsthand the place was packed. Together with our friends, we were thoroughly impressed with not only the food, but the entire atmosphere.

at Mexiquila you will find what is quite possibly the most eclectic selection of tequila, mezcal, and Mexican distillations in the area. Their culinary team strives to create innovative dishes that are every bit as unique and creative as they are delicious.

Stable Hospitality Group’s Sharleen Walters and Payton b owman announced the opening of Mexiquila, their newest restaurant, in late January. Prepare to be enthralled by the newest addition to SHG’s exceptional resume of restaurants, which includes past favorites Martini beach, Cabanas b each bar and Grill, Taco Caballito, Iron Pier Craft House and the Draught Horse Restaurant and Pub. Occupying the former Clancy’s

by the bay, Mexiquila is 12,000 square feet of space and features 240 dining seats, three bars plus an outside patio bar.

“Our vision for Mexiquila is establishing a fun but heightened Mexican inspired concept with a coastal vibe enhanced by american cooling techniques,” says bowman. Think elevated, high-energy tequila bar and restaurant with a bit more flair.

With an eminent career and a rich background in culinary arts, Chef bill Fausey and Chef Gelasio a guilar bring a wealth of experience and innovation to Mexiquila. Fresh and locally sourced menu ingredients, bold and spicy flavors, and colorful and thoughtful plate presentations combine to elevate the guest experience. The dining style is casually elegant, where the spirit of the tapas creates a party in a contemporary Mexican-inspired setting that sets the mood: Hot, spicy and salty.

you’re invited to meet the Team Chef bill Fausey (Somers Point local) along with e xecutive Chef Gelasio (from eHT), General Manager Kristine Schmidd and a ssistant Manager Jim Taggart now and in the spring when there will be open air dining. There will also be live daytime music, and happy hours. Hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, 4-10 p.m.; Saturday noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. Closed on Wednesdays.

Look them up on facebook@ mexiquila, Instagram or visit online at mexiquilanj.com and call 609-9276868. One way or another you gotta get to Mexiquila!

Remember to support your local small businesses!

Jason Kelce among thousands showing support for autism

By Steffen Klenk

On President’s Day weekend, Sea Isle City was brought to life as thousands attended the annual Mike’s Seafood Run and Walk for autism. Held annually on the Promenade, it is one of the city’s most popular winter events, raising over $1 million for autism support services, organizations, special service school district programs, and South Jersey families.

children, two of whom are diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Those who attended the festivities at e xcursion Park were also introduced to various autism service organizations serving our region. More information on the event can be found at www.polarbearrunwalkforautism.com.

This year’s event was marked by the appearance of Philadelphia eagles center Jason Kelce, who participated in the day’s festivities. Kelce is a regular fixture in Sea Isle City, and has served as celebrity bartender at the Ocean Drive in recent years, raising proceeds for the eagles autism Foundation.

The event was founded by Sea Isle resident Mike Monichetti, the longtime owner of Mike’s Seafood. He and his wife, Jeannie, have four

Event founders Mike and Jeannie Monichetti

Jason Kelce participated in the annual Mike’s Seafood Run and Walk for Autism.

Jason Kelce

Photos by Steffen Klenk

Birch Grove Park: from bricks to beauty

By Gabriella Bancheri

Nestled inside the corner of Fire and Mill roads in Northfield, b irch Grove Park has quite an interesting history, composed of several curious turns of events.

Historically used for clay mining in the 19th century, the 271-acre park now sits in the quite well-developed suburban neighborhood of Northfield, not far from the Parkway.

In the mid-1800s, Hubert Somer bought about 300 acres of land. The beginning of the Somers b rick Company was marked in 1900. That’s when Somers’ company began clay mining and manufacturing brick. The team began to dig into the earth and extract the clay, leaving massive holes in the middle of the park.

The company was unable to survive the Great Depression, and nature

The Autobrick Machine. In 1847, Hubert Somers purchased the land that is now Birch Grove Park, and started the Somers Brick Yard which began manufacturing bricks. This land was suitable for brick making due to the high quality and huge quantities of clay and sand materials found there. The 21 ponds which exist at the park today were hand dug by workers in order to excavate clay to produce an average of 80,000 bricks per day.

took the reins, filling the holes with rain, eventually mending the eyesore of the holes, and turning them into ponds. With the halt of production, reforestation began, and the park’s natural state was restored to a more attractive.

The park, now owned by the City of Northfield, is home to vibrant wildlife and illustrious trails and paths, making for great outdoor visits and even, formerly, a campsite. u p until

During the depression the plant closed and the city took over the 300-acre property for back taxes in 1951. During that period of dormancy, it became an area of classical woodland beauty.

about five years ago, campers enjoyed the rustic outdoor experience of camping in the park through the spring and summer seasons for a small fee.

a s of 2019, however, camping has been prohibited due to the need for significant improvements, as the City of Northfield’s website explains. Visi -

tation to the park is still permitted, as well as a variety of activities including picnics, seasonal fishing (with the correct permits), and even summer concerts.

The park is currently open daily, albeit weather permitting, and a variety of wildlife can be seen with the changing of the seasons. Gatherings of 10 or more are permitted in the park as well, with the submission of the proper paperwork.

The Northfield Museum and historical Casto House are also located in the park for those interested in the town’s history (more on the lakes here, of course). For those more interested in the nature of the space, the gardens at Casto House are quite a sight when in full bloom.

From the Old School Room, which celebrates memorabilia from the old Mill Road School to the Casto family house and the gallery, which include multimedia displays of historical artifacts.

Whether you’re a history buff or a general nature enthusiast, b irch Grove Park is a perfect attraction to spend a day off without going too far from home. you’ll just have to leave your camping supplies behind for the day and say farewell to the park when the day is over.

Gabriella is a Ventnor City resident and graduate of the University of London with an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. Her writing is featured in a variety of digital publications ranging from food and beverage to literature to ecotourism.

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Events and Happenings

Multiday Events

Attales Middle School Drama Club presents Frozen Jr.

▶Thursday, Feb. 22 & Friday, Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m.

Marsh Cafeteria 800 Irelan ave. absecon

Join anna, emma, and all of your favorite characters as they embark on an epic, ice-filled journey of self-discovery, camaraderie, and the real meaning of true love. Open at 6 p.m. both nights. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.

Princesses on Ice

▶Friday, Feb. 23 – Sunday, Feb. 25, 6 – 8 p.m.

Renault Winery 72 b remen ave. egg Harbor City

Come out to Vinter Wonderland and watch your favorite princesses perform on the ice, presented by the atlantic City Figure Skating Club. View the complete schedule of events at www.renaultwinery.com.

2024 Discover Boating Atlantic City Boat Show

▶Wednesday, Feb. 28 – Sunday, March 3

atlantic City Convention Center 1 Convention blvd.

The atlantic City b oat Show is the one-stop shop for boats, boating

Shore Local Shore Local Women’s Network Women’s Network

Join us on March 7th for our monthly meeting featuring a panel discussion with five powerful local business women.

accessories, and on-the-water adventures. This event has something in store for every boater, with hundreds of vessels on display, and interactive boating exhibits the whole family will love. The show will run Wednesday through Friday 12-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Visit www.acboatshow.com for tickets and information. New Jersey State High School Wrestling Championships

▶Thursday, Feb. 29 –

Saturday, March 2

Jim Whelan boardwalk Hall 2301 boardwalk

The state’s most decorated wrestlers will make their way to boardwalk Hall. With a state title on the line, attendees will cheer on their favorite high school stars as the mat is rolled out. Tickets and information are available at www.boardwalkhall. com.

Thursday, February 22

Piano Bar with Michael McAssey

▶7 p.m.

Gateway Playhouse 738 bay ave.

Join Gateway Playhouse for an unforgettable evening of music, featuring New york’s own Michael Mc a ssey on piano. This is an open mic evening. If you have any music, bring it along. www.gatewaybythebay.org.

Friday, February 23

Movie at the Library ▶2 p.m.

Longport Public Library 2305 atlantic ave.

Relax and enjoy a romantic musical journey with “Priscilla”, a film that pays tribute to the legend of elvis Presley. Please call (609) 487-7403 to register or learn more.

Vinter Wonderland Family Fun Night

▶6 – 8 p.m.

Renault Winery 72 b remen ave. egg Harbor City enjoy winter festivities at Renault, with a night of face painting, popcorn, hot chocolate, ice skating, and a family-friendly movie playing on the big screen. This week, families can enjoy watching the movie “Coco”. View the complete schedule of events at www. renaultwinery.com.

Saturday, February 24

South Jersey Indoor Rowing Championship

▶8 a.m.

Ocean City Music Pier 825 boardwalk

Hosted by the Ocean City Crew b oosters, this is the only indoor

competition held over the atlantic Ocean, with over a dozen schools representing the state of New Jersey and beyond. www.ochscrew.com.

Pancake Breakfast

▶8 a.m.

Ocean City Masonic Lodge 940 Wesley ave.

breakfast includes specialty pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, and juice. $12 for adults, $8 for children, and $10 for veterans. Walk-ins welcome. First come, first served. all proceeds will benefit the Masonic Lodge restoration fund.

Adult Art Workshop Series:

Landscape Painting

▶10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Somers Point Senior Center 22 N. ambler Rd.

Presented by the Somers Point arts Commission. Instructors alissa Petrella and Ginny Swift will guide each class step-by-step on how to paint a beach-themed acrylic painting. Participants may register for all dates or Saturday, March 2. Participants must be 18 or over. Register

online by emailing somersptarts@ gmail.com

Girls Day Out

▶12 – 4 p.m.

Renault Winery 72 b remen ave. egg Harbor City

u nwind and have some fun with your friends at Renault Winery. Girls Day Out will feature music by John King, drink specials, and one-of-akind photo opportunities. www. renaultwinery.com.

Remembering Jamie Italian Night Dinner

▶4 – 8 p.m.

elks Lodge 1815 Somers Point Rd. egg Harbor Township

Join the Remembering Jamie Foundation for their annual Italian Night b uffet. admission includes salad, entrée, dessert, beer, and soda, plus a silent auction, and music. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children. Purchase tickets at the door or online at www.rememberingjamie. org.

↘Continued on 18

Photo by Steffen Klenk

Sunday, February 25

Michael Pedicin Concert Series

▶2 p.m.

Ocean City Free Public Library

1735 Simpson ave. Ocean City

Michael Pedicin presents: “an Homage to the World’s Important Jazz Saxophonists”. This week, enjoy live music by saxophonist adam Niewood and the Jim Ridl/andy Lalasis/bob Shomo

Trio. Free admission. No reservations required. www.oceancitylibrary.org.

Black Art Matters: Film Screening and Discussion of The League

▶2:30 p.m.

Noyes a rts Garage 2200 Fairmount ave. atlantic City

This month’s b lack a rt Matters program will feature a film screening and discussion of “The League: Changing the Game, Changing amer-

ica”. The film is rated PG with a runtime of 1 hour 43 min. Complimentary baseball-themed snacks will be available for those attending. Register at noyesmuseum.org.

Professional Chef’s Association Scholarship Ball

▶5 – 10 p.m.

Renault Winery 72 b remen ave. egg Harbor City

1735 Simpson ave. Ocean City

Join the Library for an after-school movie in the Lecture Hall N110. This week, enjoy a screening of “The Hunger Games: The ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” (PG-13). Free snacks. www.oceancitylibrary.org.

Somers Point Pinochle Club

▶6 – 8:30 p.m.

Triple

Join the Professional Chef’s a ssociation of South Jersey for an evening of celebration and support as they commemorate the 50th anniversary of their Scholarship ball. Guests will enjoy a wide array of activities, including live music and delectable cuisine, with the stunning ambiance of Renault Winery as the perfect backdrop for this special evening. www.acpcasj.com/events.

Tuesday, February 27

Concert at the Library

▶6:30 p.m.

Longport Public Library 2305 atlantic ave.

Spend your evening enjoying music from Jay Daniels as he brings to life the classics of Sinatra and basie. Please call (609) 487-7403 to register or learn more.

Wednesday, February 28

After School Movies

▶3 p.m.

Ocean City Free Public Library

Somers Point Senior Center 22 N. ambler Rd.

a ll are welcome to attend. For more information, go to visitsomerspoint.com and click on events.

Thursday, February 29

Education Breakfast on Gut Health

▶10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Linwood Country Club 500 Shore Rd.

Shore Physicians Group will host a free breakfast on gut health in continuation of its “ be Well Connected” community education series. The breakfast will feature a presentation by three esteemed experts. Guests will enjoy a buffet breakfast. RSVP wellness@shoremedicalcenter.org by Feb. 22. For more information, call (609) 365-5257.

Throwback Thursday: Synagogues of Atlantic City and Downbeach

▶10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Katz JCC b oardroom 501 N. Jerome ave. Margate

in All Aspects of Veteran and Active Military Real Estate!

• Full Time Awarded Professional Realtor Since 1985

• NJ Real Estate Broker Since 1989!

• Lifetime Membership in the New Jersey Association of Realtors Distinguished Sales Club and National Association of Realtors.

attendees tour the rich Reform and Conservative synagogues in atlantic City and Downbeach in this interactive presentation packed with nostalgic stories and photographs. RSVP by Feb. 26 by calling (609) 2878872 or email tserota@jfsatlantic.org.

Health and Wellness

Cancer: Thriving and Surviving

▶Tuesdays through Feb. 20, 4:30 – 7 p.m.

Shore Cancer Center Shore Rd. & Medical Center Way, Somers Point

and strategies to manage their health and lead fulfilling lives. Participants who complete the series will receive a $25 Wawa gift card. Class size is limited. Interested individuals should register by calling (609) 653-3923.

NAMI Basics Program

▶Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Now through March 14, N a MI atlantic Cape May is pleased to announce their new educational program for parents of children and adolescents, ages up to 21, with symptoms of mental illness. This

MHA Atlantic Family Meeting

▶Thursday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.

This support group is open to individuals with a loved one who is affected by mental health and/or substance use disorders. Three online meetings are available each month, with both day and evening options. To receive a link, contact Gail Christian at (609) 652-3800 ext. 0301 or email gchristian@mhanj.org.

Dementia Support Group

▶Wednesday, March 6, 1:30 p.m.

6009 Paul and Thelma Lane, Mays Landing. Held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month from 1:30 - 3 p.m. Call Diane Conover at (609) 402-6966 for more information.

NAMI Connections and Family Support Groups

▶Monday, March 11, 7 p.m.

St. Joseph Church 608 Shore Rd. Somers Point

Participants gain the support of their peers who understand their ex-

Do you have an upcoming event?

event to shorelocalevents@gmail.com.

The First 'Wealthiest Man of Color' in America developed McKee City, in Hamilton and

By Mari D’Albora Dattolo

Col. John McKee, known in his day as “the wealthiest man of color in a merica,” developed McKee City in Hamilton and egg Harbor townships, not long after his union army service in the Civil War. McKee was both a Civil War veteran and visionary in the development of South Jersey communities.

born in Virginia in 1821 to freed former slaves, he moved to Philadelphia at the age of 21 where he married emeline Prosser, the daughter of a successful Market Street restaurateur for whom he had worked for more than 10 years. In 1863 he enlisted in the 12th Regiment of the u.S. Colored Infantry of the Pennsylvania National Guard. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 13th Regiment, serving under Gen. Louis Wagner.

Following the war in 1866, Col. McKee became involved in real estate in Philadelphia, marketing land parcels, and leasing housing to freed slaves who were looking to resettle in Northern states. The colonel’s 1884 McKee City plan was originally for a

farming community for freed slaves complete with a sawmill, a schoolhouse, a general store, a community hall and several farms near the former West Jersey atlantic Railroad. His simple, dormitory-style frame homes were without plumbing or heating.

In a similar scheme in South Jersey, u nion Gen. Gano b urbridge, a decorated Civil War veteran from Kentucky, planned a community for a location 3 miles south of Mays Landing in a colony named estellville for Russian Jews. For $600, each Russian family was given a two-room cottage, 15-acre lot for farming, tools, farm animals, seeds and furniture. It, too, was a failed attempt to survive the South Jersey winters and poor quality sandy soil.

by 1870, McKee’s real estate holdings had grown to $190,000. His vast land holdings included 4,000 acres in atlantic County, 400 properties in Philadelphia, 66 acres along the Delaware River, 23,000 acres in New york, and some 300,000 acres of coal, oil and farmland holdings in Georgia, Kentucky and West Virginia. by today’s standards, his financial worth would be roughly $52 million.

In his 27-page will, Col. McKee stated that his intent was to continue the development of McKee City. additionally, he set aside 10 acres of land for the Roman Catholic Church, on which would be built St. Katharine Drexel Parish in egg Harbor Township 100 years later. He named archbishop Patrick Ryan of Philadelphia as executor of his estate as a tribute to the care he re -

Harbor Twp.

ceived from nuns when he contracted typhoid fever in 1896. He appreciated the kindness displayed by Catholic nuns to people of color suffering from the disease, as opposed to what he received from other white caregivers who would often avoid ministering first aid. a second executor was Joseph P. McCullen, later a judge of the Philadelphia courts, who had been McKee’s legal adviser throughout his adult years.

In an attempt to ensure his legacy, McKee stipulated that a naval academy for orphaned young men be built on the Delaware River, prominently featuring a bronze statue of him on horseback. He included in his 1899 will a photo of himself in his Civil War uniform. Due to legal wrangling, neither of these two directives came to fruition.

To the surprise of his own family, McKee was considerably less generous with his daughter and grandchildren than he was with his intended academy.

To his daughter, with whom he lived, he left a cottage and a $300 annuity. To Henry McKee Minton, a grandson by his deceased daughter, Jennie, he bequeathed a watch with

Col. John McKee, 1821-1902

an annuity of $50. Grandsons from his living daughter a bbie named Theophilus, Douglas, Marcellus, ernest and John McKee Syphax, were bequeathed annuities of $50 per year each. Following the death of their mother, McKee’s great grandchildren disputed the will in 1952, however their claims were dismissed.

One of the colonel’s goals was to establish his namesake institution, “Colonel John McKee College,” to be built only after all of his children and grandchildren had died. In his vision for the future, he wanted to give the world a lasting memorial to himself so he would be “remembered for as long as the world stands.”

He left instructions that the curriculum should follow the same naval education as provided at the Naval academy in annapolis, Md. at the entrance to his college, visitors should be greeted by a bronze statue of McKee, identical in style to the statue of Gen. John F. Hartrantt in City Hall Plaza in Philadelphia with the inscription, “Colonel John McKee, Founder of this College.” and finally, on Decoration Day and Founder’s Day, students were to parade and decorate the statue with flowers.

The colonel left detailed funeral plans in the will. The first directive stipulated that services for the colonel should be conducted at the

Cathedral basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, including the celebration of a Requiem Mass. This did not occur because the will was not read until after he was given a Presbyterian funeral at the Central Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, with burial at the eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pa., a few miles outside of the city. It was later determined that his funeral could not have been observed in the cathedral anyway, nor his remains buried in hallowed ground because he had not been baptized in the Catholic faith.

The will instructed that 25 carriages were to be hired to take mourners to the funeral services. He specified that his coffin should be black walnut and that his remains should be placed in a vault below ground with a 12-foot-high, granite monument above ground. It is doubtful that 25 carriages were needed for the amount of mourners that attended.

McKee instructed that accounting reports of his estate be published in two newspapers annually in perpetuity.

Today this South Jersey community retains the reference “McKee City,” but few signs of his anticipated empire remain.

He brought in the West Jersey Railroad with a small station in

1880 at english Creek (egg Harbor Township). at the same time, Mays Landing’s city-to-shore route was established. In august 1966 the service was formally abandoned.

In 2000, the long-awaited Catholic church was erected at 6077 West Jersey ave. in egg Harbor Township as his lasting legacy of McKee City. It was named for St. Katharine Drexel, the patron saint of racial justice and philanthropists. St. Katharine is buried in the Cathedral basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia.

a lthough McKee was heralded as the wealthiest man of color of his time, he took advantage of uneducated freed slaves, trading cheap housing opportunities for their postwar-issued property titles and rents,

and transferring the power of land ownership from the plantations to himself.

Recognizing that he had contributed to the victimization of his own people – including his own family – history does not look kindly upon him. a newspaper report on his death in 1902 described him as “a man absolutely devoid of sentiment. He viewed life and individuals from only one standpoint and that was what they were worth to him.”

Today little remains of McKee City. Many of the original buildings burned or were torn down. Part of the land holdings became what was the former atlantic City Race Course and the Hamilton Mall.

b ill b oerner owns the last remaining farmhouse from McKee City, which his family purchased nearly a century ago. He still grows apples and other produce on his Pleasant Valley Farms property off of Route 40 in Hamilton Township.

Col. McKee died on april 6, 1902, of a paralytic stroke at the age of 81. His legacy continues to fund an estimated 20, $250,000 scholarships yearly for orphaned young men from Philadelphia area institutions.

For further information on Col. John McKee see Newspapers.com or the atlantic County Library, Mays Landing branch.

Atlantic City shines as Fashion Week hits the runway

By Ava Holly

The room began to get silent as guests made their way to their seats. Once again, we found ourselves at the Showboat, atlantic City, in the beautiful new Terminal Convention area for atlantic City Fashion Week.

For 24 seasons executive producers Lamont and Jeana bowling have been bringing their “Passion for Fashion” to atlantic City. This season did not disappoint with beautiful models and fashions from over 80 designers.

The venue was set up perfectly with a small food vendor area, retail vendors from a wide variety of products and of course, the beautiful runway which was laid out like a maze. Shiny white tile adorned the runway itself, surrounded by the seats for guests, the media pit and the VIP front row exclusive.

This season, the center of the runway area was adorned with yellow balloons/balls displaying the aCFW theme. Gracing the runway on Saturday was supermodel and actor Gio Delavicci. Catch him in episodes of “John Wick” and “The b lacklist,” among other things. Way to go Gio.

Music was provided by the ever popular DJ Luna as models graced the elaborate runway to give us a glimpse of all the designers’ hard work.

There were a lot of bold patterns displayed this season as well as bridal and couture looks. It was interesting to see the models walk straight out, then turn down another path, then turn again to head towards the media pit, where the action happens for them, and then turn back to complete a course around an innovative runway layout.

Students from Rowan and more showcased designs on Thursday evening along with kids’ fashions. Then Friday and Saturday took off with shows presenting street wear, bridal wear, swimwear, and couture to name a few of the highlighted looks.

Hats off to all of the people who make this event so special including front end supervisor Manny bowling, event director Mercedes

b . Franklin, media director John Staples, hair and makeup, music, creative directors and more.

The evening would not run smoothly without production assistant Sherrye Smith Hawkins who oversees everything that is going on.

If you were a VIP ticket

holder you not only got to sit in the front row, you also got the swag bags and a fresh new copy of Industry magazine.

Lamont and Jeana are excited to be coming back to atlantic City in May. Follow them on social media outlets to see when designer applications are being accepted and for model castings.

you can also find them at www.atlanticcityfashionweek.com for more information.

Let’s talk about color

Let It Grow

By Tammy Thornton

Color is a critical aspect of the garden. We may get carried away at the garden nursery and become enchanted with soft-pink roses, then turn the corner as bright orange dinnerplate dahlias catch our eye. We fill our shopping cart with this array of must-haves, only to realize that the color clash hurts our eyes and these two plants must live on opposite sides of the garden. So, while we can always find a place for new plants, some planning should come into play. This time of year, when the anticipation of spring seems almost unbearable, dreaming of perfect color combinations can keep us from idle minds.

If you think back to your grade school art class days, you may remember lessons on the trusty color wheel. Colors on opposite sides of the color wheel are called complementary colors. Normally, you wouldn’t think to use these contrasting colors side-by-side. Walk into a kitchen painted bright yellow and purple, and you may lose your appetite! However, placing flowers with complementary colors next to each other in the garden (that are opposite each other on the color wheel) will create a dramatic visual effect. Picture a yellow-green lady's mantle

(alchemilla mollis) growing among the spikes of violet-red salvia. The stunning contrast somehow works. On the other hand, grouping flowers with colors that are next to each other on the color wheel will give a harmonious effect. Think how seamlessly yellow and yellow-orange paints would flow together when used next to each other in a watercolor painting of a sunset. you can be an artist in your garden by choosing analogous color flowers to grow together.

From here, we also consider the different sections of the color

wheel. Would you like your garden to have bold colors of reds, oranges, and yellows from the hot side of the color wheel? Or do you prefer the softer, more peaceful look of pinks and lavender from the cooler side of the color wheel? Fortunately, you don’t really need to choose. One of my favorite things about gardens and

garden

the changing seasons is that this color scheme can drastically transform from month to month. The garden is a living thing that is always changing and evolving. In spring, pink tulips and bluish grape hyacinths may show the softer side of the garden’s personality. b ut come summer, this same section may blaze with red hot poker flowers and scarlet red crocosmia ‘Lucifer’. On the other hand, you may have a summer garden full of hot pink or white, but as the flowers fade and fall approaches, the leaves of your plants may turn to shades of yellow and burgundy. The laburnum walk at barnsley House in england created by Rosemary Verey is a beautiful example of this drastic change from season to season. In spring, white-flowered honesty blooms among bright red tulips. a s those flowers fade, the purple heads of allium rise up just as butter-yellow flowers of the laburnum cascade downward. Within months of each other, the same location has a vastly different mood.

another option when planning your garden would be to use a monochromatic color scheme. Now texture and shape form the contrast and interest. The use of unique foliage can make a monochromatic garden of green become a work of art. Hostas and ferns in various shades and hues would just be the start of creating this greenon-green garden. The White Garden at Sissinghurst Castle is a model of isolating color in the garden. Strange as it might seem, instead of giving a boring appearance, these types of gardens make quite a statement. However, careful attention must be given to contrasting shapes and forms.

If a combination of colors is more to your liking, think about how some colors serve as neutrals in the garden. Lavender, gray, green, and white can work with a variety of other colors. Gray can look beautiful with shades of purple, pink, red, or yellow. Picture lamb’s ear leaves with deep burgundy dahlias. but the gray fuzzy leaves would look equally stunning with hot pink rose campion flowers. In my garden, the soft lavender-colored flowers of catmint (Nepeta) make dreamy companion plants with most flowers in my garden and are my go-to flowers when making a bouquet since their light color and airy appearance look good with a variety of colors.

For maximum impact, use swaths of color instead of a single plant to begin your palette. When you stand back to admire your garden, blocks of color will be more noticeable. Propagating your plants can be an inexpensive way to multiply your plants. Planting duplicates of the same plant will also help pollinators spy their favorite flower when flying overhead of your garden.

If you are just beginning to plan your garden, don’t become overwhelmed. Gardeners are always learning and making changes based on new knowledge. Start small and focus on what you love. Most of all, enjoy the journey.

We always love hearing from our readers. Please send your questions, comments, and garden pictures to shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.

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

The purple from these Johnny-jump-ups blend beautifully with the gray leaves of the succulent and the dainty flowers of sweet Alyssum.

Contrasting colors make a stunning impact.

The fun is ‘corntagious’ with Margate Cornhole League’s winter and spring events

What better way to knock off the winter blues, wake from hibernation and loosen your frigid muscles than with two great cornhole outings? The 2024 season of the Margate Cornhole League, sponsored by The Silva Group at OCF Realty, kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 25 with the indoor Winter Classic Tournament hosted by the Milton and betty Katz Jewish Community Center. Players can register in advance at margatehasmore. com or in person at the JCC beginning at 11:15 a.m. Play begins at noon. entry is $50 for this double-elimination tournament. each two-person team will vie for cash prizes for first through third place. Food, courtesy of Dino’s Subs and Pizza, and beverages from Sunrise Wine & Tequila b ar will be available for purchase throughout the afternoon. It’s the perfect opportunity to get out with friends, sharpen your eyes and get in shape for the upcoming season!

In what has become a rite of spring, the thaw begins in earnest with Speed bag Saturday presented by Marketplace Realty on Saturday, april 6 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. This annual favorite puts a new spin on cornhole as teams play for 10 minutes at each of the four host sponsor locations, and try to accumulate as many points as possible to win great prizes for the top 3 teams. Games will be played at Ventura’s Greenhouse, Robert’s, bocca. and Maynard’s. each will provide a free appetizer and drink

New arrivals daily.

specials. even better, no worries about driving to each location and parking hassles; Free jitney rides between all the venues are provided by the Margate business a ssociation. The cost for each team is $25 and registration is at margatehasmore.com.

Teams can now also register at margatehasmore.com for the spring,

summer and fall seasons of the Margate Cornhole League which will run from May 13 – Oct. 28. Single season fee is $100, 2 seasons cost $190 and all seasons cost $240. all participants will receive an MCL T-shirt. Games will be played on Monday nights at Ventura’s Greenhouse, Robert’s, bocca, Maynard’s, and Sunrise Wine & Tequila bar. Participants must be 21 or older. For information on board sponsorship opportunities, email mba@margatehasmore.com.

What's Happening in Ocean City

Graham Nash and John Lodge to Join 2024 Summer Concert Series

Ocean City and producers b R e Presents and b ob Rose Productions announced two new shows for the 31st anniversary of the popular Summer Concert Series at the Ocean City Music Pier this year: Graham Nash and the Moody blues’ John Lodge.

Graham Nash will perform at 7 p.m. Monday, aug. 26. John Lodge’s show is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 15. Tickets go on sale through etix.com at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23. a special presale (use code b R e) will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday (Feb. 21) through 10 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 22).

Nash has performed for six decades and reached stardom as part of the Hollies and Crosby, Stills, Nash and young. He will perform a mix of his group and solo hits. His 2024 tour is titled “More evenings of Songs and Stories.”

Lodge will perform the classic Moody blues album “Days of Future Passed” in its entirety, along with a selection of other hits.

The Summer Concert Series features a lineup of rock and popular

music concerts, typically on Monday nights at the Ocean City Music Pier. Look for new show announcements in the coming weeks.

The current lineup includes:

Let's Sing Taylor – A Live Band

Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift

Ocean City Music Pier

On Sale Now

5 p.m. Monday, June 24

7:30 p.m. Monday, June 24

Kenny G

Ocean City Music Pier

Tuesday, June 25 – 7 p.m.

On Sale Now

Killer Queen – A Tribute to Queen

Ocean City Music Pier

Monday, July 1 – 7 p.m.

On Sale Now

The Wailers

Ocean City Music Pier

Monday, July 8 – 7 p.m.

On Sale Now

The Moody Blues’ John Lodge

Ocean City Music Pier

Monday, July 15 – 7 p.m.

On Sale Feb. 23

The Beach Boys

Ocean City Music Pier

On Sale Now

6 p.m. Monday, aug. 5

8:30 p.m. Monday, aug. 5

6 p.m. Tuesday, aug. 6

8:30 p.m. Tuesday, aug. 6

Graham Nash

Ocean City Music Pier

Monday, aug. 26 – 7 p.m.

On Sale Feb. 23

OCEAN CITY JOB FAIR (March

Coming Up This Winter MARKET MADNESS (March

9-10): The annual Market Madness days on March 9 and 10 will bring together all of Ocean City’s favorite stores under one roof at the Ocean City Music Pier for two days of pre-season shopping specials. The Music Pier will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

The Place to be This Winter

16): The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Ocean City High School to assist businesses in filling seasonal employment positions. The Ocean City Job Fair is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the Ocean City Music Pier. The event is open to everyone and the Chamber strongly encourages employers and potential employees to sign up now. businesses can register to participate and students can register to attend by calling the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce at 609-399-1412.

Bags Against Bullies offers empathy education in EHT classrooms

By Krystle J Bailey

Andrea and Dominic Pugliese of egg Harbor Township are the creators of two local nonprofit organizations. Last year, we featured b uilt with Love, an organization that was created over 12 years ago to bring love and comfort to children in hospitals through stuffed animals. Just two years ago, the Puglieses founded a second organization when they were deeply moved by the loss of a young boy named Drayke from utah.

bags a gainst b ullies, a 501(c)(3), exists to support schools in spreading kindness among students and bringing awareness and understanding of the impacts of bullying through empathy education. Over the last two weeks, several egg Harbor Township

schools participated in Two Weeks of Kindness, an initiative introduced by the Puglieses.

Drayke Hardman, a 12-year-old boy from utah who faced relentless bullying, made the devastating decision to take his own life two years ago, which led his grieving mother to share his story on Facebook. When the post went viral, and the Puglieses got wind of the tragic loss, they felt compelled to give back to the Hardman family.

after a four-hour-long conversation with Drayke’s mother, they agreed that rather than supporting the family through monetary donations, they would begin a program to spread awareness about the effects of bullying and provide resources to

help encourage empathy in classrooms.

each year, more than 3.2 million students report being bullied, with an estimated 160,000 students reported as missing school due to fear of being bullied. It is no secret that bullying can have long-lasting effects on a child, and yet, with the rise of social media, bullying continues to be an ongoing phenomenon both in and out of the classroom. empathy and emotional education aim to show students how caring for someone makes it hard to intentionally hurt them.

drawstring bags, and wristbands.

In its first year, the Two Weeks of Kindness initiative began at Swift and Slaybaugh schools in egg Harbor Township. This month, Davenport and Miller elementary schools also participated in the incentive-based kindness program. During the two weeks, students were encouraged to earn purple tickets for doing something above and beyond that exhibits kindness. The tickets earned students prizes, including bookbags,

b ags a gainst b ullies also partners with Children Mending Hearts, a nonprofit organization out of California that offers empathy education programming for educators. This year, 30 local classrooms are implementing the program. The 20- to 30-minute lesson plans offer teachers a flexible and easy way to encourage kindness and empathy in the classroom.

each of these initiatives offered by bags a gainst b ullies comes at a cost, which the Pugliese Family has self-funded and conducted fundraisers to support. To continue the expansion of the programs and to continue to work to eradicate bullying in the classroom, bags a gainst bullies is seeking additional support. bags a gainst bullies merchandise and apparel designed by Drayke’s three sisters, along with a ndrea and Dominic’s sons, can be found at bagsagainstbullies.com. Proceeds fund anti-bullying initiatives for local schools. additionally, this June, bags a gainst b ullies will be hosting a cornhole fundraiser at Stockton university.

“We would like to get the program in as many schools as we can,” shared andrea Pugliese.

Get involved at bagsagainstbullies. com or send a monetary donation via Venmo to @bagsagainstbullies.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of

By Julia Train

Big b rothers b ig Sisters of atlantic County opened its doors in 1965. In the mid1970s, the nonprofit expanded to include girls and in 1980, it included Cape May County and changed its name to represent that. according to their website, b ig b rothers b ig Sisters of atlantic & Cape May Counties “currently serves over 200 children in atlantic and Cape May Counties through our community and school based mentoring programs.”

The nonprofit’s mission is to help children who are facing adversity realize their potential and build a successful future, with one-on-one mentorship.

Kids in the program range from 6-18 years old, but enrollment is cut

off at 15, in order to give anyone who may want to be a member a chance to get paired up with someone before they age out of the program. There are two types of mentoring services: a community program and a school-based one.

both programs pair the children (“littles”) with either an adult or a high school mentor (“bigs”). The pairs will spend a few hours every month enjoying a wide range of activities together, like homework, getting food, walking the boardwalk or riding bikes.

“Our hope with the whole brother, sister thing is that they kind of become like a sibling to one another in the same way a sibling would be that you can talk to them about anything, you look up to them. you want to do all the things that they're doing that kind of stuff.”

During the matching process, the nonprofit makes sure the pair lives near each other and that their personalities mesh well, based on phone calls. They also want to make sure that if the child has any specific need, it’s met with a volunteer who has the skill set to take on that challenge.

Those who wish to volunteer can go on the website to apply. after the application is sent in, then there’s the interview, background checks and personal references.

“We want to make sure that they're a safe person to put with a child. So we definitely kind of run them through the wringer. We train them so they receive training on relationship development… how to partner with the parents, and that way they go into the relationship feeling prepared,” said Roorda.

The goal is for the bigs and littles to stay paired for at least a year, but most of the matches go for longer. One has even gone on for seven years.

Roorda said that these relationships have helped children build their self-esteem, connect better at school, make better choices and envision a successful future.

“I think it is so important for a program like ours to provide a child with one caring person in their life, who's going to be behind them and support them no matter what they do, because it has been shown that just having that person in your life, no matter what else is going on around,

you can just make all the difference and make sure that you're successful as you grow up,” said Roorda.

In addition to being a “big”, anyone can donate their clothes to the big brothers big Sisters clothing bins located around the two counties. The donated clothes and textiles are taken out of the bins by the nonprofit’s bin partner, Global Textile Recycling, who organizes the clothes and gives a donation to big brothers big Sisters.

For those who wish to get involved at b ig b rothers b ig Sisters of atlantic & Cape May Counties, visit their website www.bbbsatlanticcape.org, to see how you can help in other ways!

Local sports scene heating up

By David Weinberg

This is the best time of year for local sports fans.

This week marks the start of a six-week stretch that features a variety of high school, college and professional events in the area.

High school basketball gets into full swing this week with the opening rounds of the state tournament.

On the boys side, look for Middle Township – which won the Cape-atlantic League tournament for the first time since 1998 – to make a charge in South Jersey Group 2.

In Group 3, Mainland Regional and Ocean City are the top two seeds. They split their two earlier meetings this season, including a 55-50 Mustangs win in the CaL semifinals.

Wildwood, the No. 4 seed in South Jersey Group 1, has traditionally been

a contender in its division. Defending Group 4 champion egg Harbor Township is seeded 14th this year.

Sadly, atlantic City will not get an opportunity to compete in the Group 4 tournament. The Vikings would have been a threat for a sectional title, but were disqualified from the tournament after a controversial incident in early January.

are automatically banned from the state tournament. The state denied the Vikings’ appeal.

atlantic City had five players leave the bench during a brief altercation in a game against Mainland. No punches were thrown and no technical fouls were issued, but according to an NJSIaa rule, teams who have three players leave the bench during a game

In girls basketball, C aL tournament winner Mainland is the top seed in Group 3 while Wildwood, Middle and Wildwood Catholic are No. 2 seeds in Group 1, 2 and Non-Public b , respectively.

Middle and Ocean City are defending champions. The Red Raiders are the 14th seed in Group 3 this year after beating Mainland in last year’s South Jersey final.

Most of the area’s top wrestlers are competing in the Region 8 tournament this week at e gg Harbor Township High School. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state individual championships at James Whelan boardwalk Hall.

That group includes a pair of undefeated grapplers in Lower Cape May: sophomore Chase Hansen at 132 pounds and Ocean City senior Nick Layton at 175.

Girls wrestlers will compete in the South Region tournament this weekend at Pennsauken High School in hopes of earning berths in the state tourney at boardwalk Hall.

Cedar Creek’s Riley Lerner, who last year became the first local girls wrestler to win a state title, is vying for a repeat title. She competes at 120 pounds. Ocean City’s Olivia Guy (107 pounds), a bsegami’s Lamiah b erry (132) and b uena Regional’s Shea aretz (132), are all contenders.

College basketball fans will be heading to the boardwalk for the fifth consecutive year on March 12-16 for the Metro atlantic athletic Conference (MaaC) tournaments for men’s and women’s basketball.

Quinnipiac is currently in first place in the men’s standings with an 11-3 conference record, followed by Fairfield (10-5), Niagara (10-5) and Marist (9-5).

Fairfield leads the women’s stand -

ings at 14-0.

Professional boxing hits the area on March 2 with a card at Showboat Hotel in atlantic City. Former I b F super-featherweight champion Tevin Farmer (32-5-1, 7 KOs) is scheduled to headline the show. Pleasantville welterweight a nthony young (23-3, 8 KOs) is also slated to fight.

On March 30, the u FC returns to atlantic City for the first time in six years with a card at b oardwalk Hall. The main event will pit flyweight contenders erin blanchfield (6-0) vs. Manon Fiorot (6-0).

u FC Fight Night will be the organization’s 10th event in atlantic City and first since april 21, 2018, when lightweight Kevin Lee defeated edson barbosa via fifth-round TKO.

besides those events, you can also count on seeing me later this month at the atlantic City boat Show at the Convention Center.

I visit it every year as an homage to my late father-in-law Charles Newton. upon marrying his daughter, Karen, in 1982, I enjoyed several fishing trips off the coast of Cape May with him and his good friend the late John b ell aboard the “Shirley e .” which was named after my late mother-in-law.

We occasionally caught a keeper flounder, but always had fun regardless.

Since those trips in the mid1980s, my only fishing experience was aboard “Krazy Salts” during the Mid-atlantic a few years ago.

The experience of being 100 miles out in the atlantic, was one I’ll never forget. I grew up riding Steger’s rafts and bodysurfing in the waves in Cape May and still go almost every day in the summer and fall, but the water is different out there.

It’s a place where all the canyons are grand, where white and blue marlin play hide-and-seek with anglers in a deep blue ocean.

Poseidon has a heck of a playground.

David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points.

Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.

Enjoy FREE-buary!

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Entertainment & Dining at the Shore

Whitney’s Weekly Picks

There are some really fun happenings, so make sure to support your local venues. 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.

Who: The usual Suspects

Where: Nola’s Ocean Casino Resort

When: Friday, Feb. 23

Time: 7 p.m.

Website: www.theoceanac.com/ entertainment/concerts-live-music/ usual-suspects

Listen to live music from the usual Suspects at Nola’s bar & Lounge.

Who: The Fab Four - The ultimate Tribute

Where: Harrah’s Resort

When: Friday, Feb. 23 & Saturday, Feb. 24

Time: Friday, 9 p.m. and Saturday, 8 p.m.

Website: www.caesars.com/harrahsac/shows

The ultimate Tribute is bringing the best beatles tribute ever to The Concert Venue.

What: Time Machine Glow Night with DJ Dramadik

Where: Showboat

When: Saturday, Feb. 24

Time: 4 - 8 p.m.

Website: www.showboathotelac. com/atlantic-city-event-calendar

What: Girls Day Out

Where: Renault Winery

When: Saturday, Feb. 24

Time: Noon - 4 p.m.

Website: www.renaultwinery.com/ events/girls-day-out-2024-02-24 It’s time to unwind and have some fun with your girlfriends! Girls Day Out at Renault Winery will feature John King’s entertainment, covering all the best hits from your favorite boy band days. There will be options to purchase a wine tower with chocolate-covered strawberries or your own Renault b arrel Stave Shotski. Create unforgettable memories and

take one-of-a-kind photos with your best girlfriends.

Who: Headcase Hair Show

Where: anchor Rock Club

When: Sunday, Feb. 25

Time: 6 p.m.

Website: www.anchorrockclub.com

Join the fun at anchor Rock Club for the Headcase Hair Show with music by DJ Carl Michaels, live demos and drinks ready all night long!

What: b lack a rt Matters: Film Screening and Discussion of ‘The League’

Where: Noyes arts Garage

When: Saturday, Feb. 25

Time: 2:30 p.m.

Website: www.theleaguedocumentary.com

“The League” is a Magnolia Pictures’ documentary about the formation and evolution of the Negro League through the early 1900s in america. The film also mentions the Negro League-winning baseball team the bacharach Giants, which existed in atlantic City in 1928.

Who: Sommer Ray

Where: HQ2aC Ocean Casino Resort

When: Saturday, Feb. 24

Time: 10 p.m.- 4 a.m.

Website: www.hq2ac.com/nightclub/sommer-ray

The City Pulse with Whitney Ullman

a merican model and social media sensation, Sommer Ray, takes over the deejay booth at HQ2 Nightclub. you are invited to party with Sommer as she lights up the room with sets that will keep you dancing all night long.

What: Primal Men Male Revue

Where: Kiss Kiss Nightclub

When: Saturday, Feb. 24

Time: 7-10 p.m.

Website: www.primalmenlive.com

Prepare to live out your wildest fantasies as the Primal Men show you the true nature of male entertainment with a tantalizing, sexy and energetic show. Tickets include admission to Kiss Kiss Nightclub after the show.

What: Taco Thursday

Where: Gregory’s Restaurant & bar

When: Thursdays

Time: 3-6 p.m.

The Original Taco Thursday! Gregory’s will be serving up their famous hard shell beef tacos every Thursday starting at 3 p.m.

What: Motown Forever

Where: borgata’s The Music box

When: Sundays until april 28

Time: 4 p.m.

Website: www.borgata.mgmresorts. com/en/entertainment/the-musicbox/motown-forever.html

Motown Forever is a Motown Tribute show featuring a highly talented cast of singers, dancers and musicians. Performing the greatest hits from

The Temptations, The Jacksons, and many more, this show creates a true celebration live on stage. you'll see it, hear it and feel it all at borgata's Music box.

What: 2024 Discover boating atlantic City boat Show

Where: atlantic City Convention Center

When: Wednesday, Feb. 28-Sunday, March 3

Website: www.acboatshow.com

The Discover boating atlantic City boat Show has a wide selection of boats, an abundance of must-see attractions and fun features for all ages.

Who: Lovesick Featuring The Looms & The Willamsboy

Where: Rhythm & Spirits

When: Thursday, Feb. 29

Time: Doors open at 6 p.m., opening

acts at 6:30 p.m.

Get ready for a musical journey to the heart of Italy! The sensational Italian band Lovesick is gracing the stage at Rhythm & Spirits on Feb. 29! Save the date for a night filled with soulful melodies, infectious rhythms and an unforgettable experience.

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

Sunday, February 25

Motown Forever

▶4 p.m.

Music box at borgata

Saturday, March 2

Disco Night Fever Mania

▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

Starship feat. Mickey Thomas

▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Atlantic City Headliners

Saturday, March 9

Tamia & Joe ▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

Napoleon Dynamite Live ▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Friday, March 15

Voyage: Celebrating the Music of Journey ▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Friday, March 8

One Vision of Queen feat. Marc Martel

▶9 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Jubin Nautiyal

▶8:30 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

Saturday, March 16

Bert Kreischer

▶7 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

Tony Orlando ▶8 p.m.

Superstar Theater at Resorts

Jerry Seinfeld ▶8 p.m.

borgata event Center

Voyage: Celebrating the Music of Journey

▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Friday, March 22

Breaking Benjamin

▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

Saturday, March 23

Yacht Rock Revue

▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

Friday, March 29

Brit Floyd

▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

Saturday, March 30

Brit Floyd

▶8 p.m.

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

On-Sale Now

Gary Chaw

▶Sat. april 27, 10 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

On-Sale This Week

Ludacris w/ T.I.

▶Sat. July 27, 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at etess arena

A Brother’s Revival: Tribute to the Allman Brothers Band

▶Sat. May 25, 8 p.m.

Tropicana Showroom

All tickets on sale Friday, Feb. 23, 10 a.m.

Nugget invests in room renovations

By Scott Cronick

For any casino to be successful in atlantic City – or anywhere for that matter – property owners have to constantly reinvest.

We have seen that happen consistently throughout the city, and those reinvestments not only maintain existing customers but hopefully attract new ones.

a nyone who knows me knows that I have a particular passion for Golden Nugget atlantic City. One of the smaller casinos in town – particularly when it comes to room inventory with only 717 guest rooms – I love its coziness, charm, great restaurants, awesome pool, stellar location overlooking the marina and, most importantly, attentive and personable staff that proves that bigger is not always better.

b ut, the Nugget has been a little slow when it comes to renovating its room product. I don’t stay there very often, but the last time I did, it was obvious that the rooms needed an extensive makeover. and, to be honest, its public areas could also need some refreshing.

So, it thrilled me earlier this week when the Nugget finally announced it will begin a three-phase, multi-million-dollar hotel and room renovation project that has already begun.

The press release stated the renovations are aimed at enhancing the overall guest experience and that transformative hotel upgrades will be carried throughout the hotel, including rooms and suites featuring a refined color palette, first-class furnishings, entirely refreshed bathrooms with expansive showers, new corridors and more. This newest remodel comes on the tail end of other recent upgrades at the property including the addition of the all-new authentic Mexican restaurant Dos Caminos, enhanced redesign of the popular Chart House restaurant, as well as significant meeting space and casino floor upgrades.

“We are eager to launch this new, multi-phased hotel renovation project for our atlantic City Casino property,” said General Manager Tom

Pohlman. “We are excited to continue to enhance our property and unveil a refreshed and elevated room product that guests will enjoy.”

Highlights of the room renovations encompass numerous interior enhancements such as all-new designer furniture and lounge seating in soothing neutral tones that invite guests to unwind in style. New lighting includes accent sconces and contemporary floor fixtures, providing bright workspaces, while maintaining a cozy atmosphere for relaxation. bedside convenience is also at your fingertips with integrated uSb and uSb -C outlets, catering to the everyday needs of today's traveler. The bathrooms are a true testament to luxury, showcasing spacious walk-in showers enclosed in modern glass, deluxe showerheads and backlit mirrors over sizeable vanity sinks which create a spa-like oasis and meet the heightened wellness expectations of today’s guests. Luxury flooring spans the entirety of each space uniting the interior decor and adding a touch of modern practicality to the guestroom experience.

I can’t wait to check out the new rooms, and as soon as they are ready, I will update you like I always do. Congrats to Pohlman and the entire Nugget team!

All aboard the

Captain’s Table

One of my favorite events of the year, the Captain’s Table at the Progressive atlantic City boat Show, returns to atlantic City Convention Center, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29.

If you haven’t been to any of these awesome events, the 9th annual version plans to be the best ever as the Cooper Levenson team led by Donna Vecere and Ken Calemmo work very hard to raise money for their charity, Let us eat, Please, a nonprofit working in conjunction with the Community Food bank of New Jersey, Southern branch, that feeds

children in need during the summer when schools don’t provide those fundamental meals.

Guests will enjoy delectable food selections from about two dozen local restaurants, including Tennessee avenue beer Hall, Dock’s Oyster House, Steve & Cookie’s, various casinos and many others while sampling spirit tastings provided by local breweries, wineries and distilleries. The dine around will be just part of the experience, as there will also be live music and activities, including a wine pull and area organizations offering handmade crafts to benefit the nonprofit.

and, if you buy a ticket, that also includes all-day admission to the boat Show. So, plan to arrive early or take the day off and spend the whole day perusing one of the biggest and best

boat shows in the country.

Let us eat, Please was founded by the late James L. Cooper when he learned from his daughter, a teacher, about New Jersey children who regularly attended school hungry. Cooper, who already devoted much of his time advocating for community, civil rights and philanthropic causes, formed Let us eat – Please just after his 82nd birthday. Cooper Levenson, attorneys at Law, continues the work of Let us eat, Please in memory and honor of its founding partner. Since starting the charity, it has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to feed children in the summer.

a s always, I will broadcast my radio show, Off The Press with Scott Cronick on Newstalk 1400-aM, 92.3FM WOND, from 4 to 6 p.m. on the day of the Captain’s Table and will feature Vecere, Calemmo, local chefs and members of the Professional Chefs a ssociation of South Jersey, which is instrumental in making this event happen.

The Captain’s Table at the Progressive Atlantic City Boat Show takes place 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, at the Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Blvd., Atlantic City. Admission includes an all-day admission to the Boat Show on the

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Easter SundayBunnyBrunch

day of the Captain’s Table. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased at CFBNJ. org

Tenn Ave. Brunch Party expands to Beer Hall

Since opening nearly five years ago, Rhythm & Spirits not only offered brunch, but they redefined the atlantic City brunch experience.

If stuffy, less-than-creative buffets were previously the norm, Rhythm & Spirits brought the party to brunch, melding creative cocktails with overthe-top culinary indulgences along with a DJ to provide the soundtrack.

It was an immediate hit, attracting locals, industry folks and tourists alike.

The brunch became so popular that it outgrew its original digs, and last week the “a .C. Famous brunch” moved two doors down to Tennessee avenue, where it will enjoy a bigger arena, particularly in the spring, summer and fall, when the brunch party can head outdoors to the beer Hall’s famous b eer yard, providing a brunch experience that no one else in the city can come close to offering.

If the Presidents Day weekend crowd was any indication, the move to the beer Hall was a wise one. The place was packed, the party was

jumping, and Chef Charles Soreth, Rhythm Co-Owner Lee Sanchez and their teams delivered in a big way from all angles.

Food is priority

While the move may be alarming to some at first, Sanchez has gone through every detail of “a .C. Famous b runch” to make sure that the beer Hall’s representation not only meets expectations, but exceeds them.

Of course, the food is the main focus, and Sanchez worked closely with Tennessee avenue e xecutive Chef Charles Soreth to devise a menu that mixes brunch favorites from Rhythm with new offerings to showcase Soreth’s talents.

The brunch, offered 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, is now the best of both worlds: a conglomeration of the Italian specialties people love from Rhythm and its sister operation, Cuzzie’s Pizzeria; the sweetness and creativity of items from its other sister operation, bar 32 Chocolate; and the cool, casual gastropub style from the beer Hall.

Some of the Rhythm favorites that made the transition include Colorado Hatch Chili Hash with fresh hatch chilies, tomatillos, red and yellow onions,

cilantro, garlic, Nueske’s bacon, sweet Italian sausage and roasted potatoes topped with two sunny side-up eggs; the prosciutto omelet with roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella and home fries; steak and eggs featuring a grilled skirt steak, two eggs any style, chimichurri and home fries; the indulgent (to say the least) bar32 Waffle with a belgium pearl waffle, bruleed marshmallows, vanilla ice cream, warm chocolate, brown butter chocolate chip cookies, graham crackers, brownie crumbs and whipped cream; and the Sinatra Salad with arugula, parmesan cheese, lemon, eVOO with option to add steak or chicken.

New breakfast section items include my favorite, the chicken and donuts, Southern fried chicken over a glazed donut that has been buttered and lightly grilled on the flattop, topped with Sambal honey; and the b eer Hall b reakfast Sandwich with choice of pork roll, bacon or sausage with a fried egg and american cheese on a Formica brioche roll served with home fries.

There’s also a brunch of beer Hall favorites that customers can order at brunch, providing a totally new experience for the brunch customer, including their famous wings – in TK and Sweet Soy styles, their French Fry b oard with multiple dipping sauces, the Pennsylvania avenue soft pretzel, the b &O Railroad Chili, the famous Crispy Phish sandwich, the Kentucky avenue Chicken Sandwich, a gorgeous and acclaimed lobster roll, Phish Tacos, crab cake sliders, and two burgers, including the appropriate Hell in a b ucket with pork roll, fried egg, bacon, american cheese, caramelized onions and chipotle ketchup.

There’s also a new dessert menu offering New york-style cheesecake, a giant cinnamon sugar pretzel and an apple crisp with baked apples, toasted oat strudel and caramel drizzle,

Drinks, anyone?

If you are a beer drinker, the beer Hall b runch is definitely for you as it features the best beer list in the city with 40 taps of draught beer and another 60 or so in bottles and cans.

The b eer Hall also features their well-known cocktails, including the a .C. Tea, and the Perfect Tenn Margarita, also on tap.

but, if you don’t like beer and always loved Rhythm cocktails, the new brunch has many of those, too, including The Ghost Gimlet with Ghost Face Spicy blue a gave Silver Tequila with lime and a touch of simple, shaken and served up on a chipotle salt busted coupe glass with a hot pepper stuffed olive; the Italian Job with Jack Daniels Single barrel shaken hard with Carpano antica vermouth, house-made intense orange simple and fresh basil served up with orange bitter mist; the albany avenue Old Fashioned with The Iron Room’s Old Fashioned and Sazarec Rye; pitchers of mimosas or aperol Spritzes; my favorite, Drop It Like It’s Gin with alibi Gin, fresh lemon, sugar, served up with crystalized lemon and electric Dust; the endless Summer with Coconut Cartel Rum, pineapple juice and coconut water shaken hard with vanilla cream and served up; the espresso Martini with Stormfather 2.0, 48 blocks espresso and handshaken cream; and many others.

and, for a limited time, those mimosas are just $1 to introduce everyone to the new but familiar brunch.

Setting the scene

If one of the reasons you loved the brunch at Rhythm was the service, fear not. General Manager Domenica Polillo and her team worked closely with Sanchez to ensure the same personable, attentive service would be part of the experience at the beer Hall, too, waiting on your every need and anticipating your next round. and it wouldn’t be the “a .C. Famous b runch” without music as DJ Skyline sets the beats and mood of the brunch environment by reading the room and adjusting to the scene. Whether it’s a quieter crowd looking for some Sinatra, a family who might hear Skyline mix in “ baby Shark” with some Rihanna, or a party-hearty bachelor or bachelorette party looking to kick it up a notch, Skyline’s setlist evolves with the crowd.

So, come check out the “a .C. Famous brunch,” which is about to get more famous as the size increases, the menu expands, the drinks get flowing and it eventually moves outside as the weather gets warmer.

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall’s “A.C. Famous Brunch” is offered 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations accepted for large parties. Call 609-541-4099 or go to TennesseeAvenueBeerHall.com

How Dennis Gomes left an indelible mark on Atlantic City

By Chuck Darrow

For many in atlantic City, this is a month that will always be tinged

with melancholy as it was in February, 2012 that the city lost a true visionary.

When, at age 68, he died unexpectedly during a dialysis treatment on Feb. 23 of that year, Dennis Gomes left behind a legacy unparalleled in the local legal-gambling era. While he came to town from Las Vegas in the early 1990s to take over a floundering Trump Taj Mahal (now Hard Rock atlantic City), he began to make his mark in earnest later that decade

after assuming the CeO position at what was then Tropicana Casino Resort atlantic City (now Tropicana atlantic City).

u nder his leadership, the Trop became a veritable petri dish of marketing innovation. For instance, he brought in several long-running public expositions, including those dedicated to the HMS Titanic and President John F. Kennedy, with each offering visitors a chance to eyeball scores of seldom-seen items. These two subjects were pretty much no-brainers (especially the former, which was staged in the wake of the release of the blockbuster film, “Titanic”). but another Tropicana exhibit

and games and the chance for a brief respite from reality are generally the goals.

b ut Gomes saw the importance of the thought-provoking and difficult-to-digest—but fascinating—collection, and it spent the summer at his property.

This is not to suggest he didn’t understand that fun was what people sought when they entered a casino. and he certainly went all-in on that when, in 2001, he introduced a TicTac-Toe-playing chicken (patrons who beat the bird won $1,000, but that seldom happened).

The promotion garnered huge amounts of publicity (which was the

complex. but Dennis being Dennis, he couldn’t resist having some fun with the project: Fidel Castro appeared on billboards advertising The Quarter.

Gomes’ final atlantic City act began in 2010, when he and real estate developer Morris bailey purchased what is now Resorts Casino Hotel. Not content with the status quo at the oldest legal gambling den outside Nevada, he was inspired by the setin-Prohibition-era-ayCee H bO series “ boardwalk empire” to re-brand the property with a 1920s motif. His outof-the-box thinking for the property also included Prohibition, the first LG bTQ-focused nightclub ever established in a casino.

However, his time in atlantic City was just part of Gomes’ extraordinary tale, which actually took root in the 1970s in Las Vegas.

u nlike most gaming-industry executives, who come from business-school and/or hospitality-industry backgrounds, Gomes first encountered the casino realm from an entirely different vantage point: He was an agent and division chief for the Nevada Gaming Control board (and later served as the chief of the Special Investigations Division of the New Jersey Division of Gaming enforcement). Most significantly, it was he who initiated the investigation of organized crime’s control of various

Vegas casinos that formed the basis for Martin Scorcese’s acclaimed 1995 film, “Casino” (although the flick only credited the Fb I).

The scene in which a high roller, who had won a couple-million dollars at the fictional Tangiers casino, is told the casino’s private jet has mechanical issues and can’t take him back to Japan--which forces him to return to the gaming hall, where he loses his winnings and then some-- came straight from Gomes’ time running the long-gone Dunes casino on the Vegas strip.

His standing in the gaming industry was such that he was involved in 14 properties during his career. and he was considered by gambling-biz

magnate Steve Wynn to be so valuable that when, in 1991, Donald Trump lured Gomes away from Wynn’s Golden Nugget in Las Vegas to run the Taj, Wynn sued Trump (an undisclosed outof-court settlement was reached in ’94).

but what made Dennis Gomes special wasn’t his obvious brilliance as a gaming-industry executive. It was the way he presented and conducted himself that made his death such a huge loss.

For instance, he mostly eschewed the bespoke-suit style that most casino heads adopt as a uniform: One was much more likely to encounter him in a sweatsuit (even during business hours) than in a tie and jacket. and on a personal level, Dennis was a joy to cover, for he was never less than accessible, accommodating and happy to help this reporter. because so many casino suits have been either uncomfortable with, or outright contemptuous of, the media, he was a breath of fresh air.

a nd it goes without saying his constant innovation and eye for the attention-grabbing stunt provided plenty of fodder for those who covered the casino beat back in the day. but no one who knew him would argue against the proposition that

most important of all was Dennis’ dedication to family—and make no mistake, anyone who worked for him was considered part of his family— and community.

a s Jean Price, who spent 16 years as Gomes’ executive assistant, put it in an email:

“I had the privilege of working side-by-side with Dennis for 16 years, and saw firsthand his genuine love of his beautiful wife, b arbara, and family, as well as friends, employees and community.

“Whenever he was made aware of a dire situation, he immediately stepped in and made it a priority to help. Whether it was assisting a family with a terminally ill child or helping those facing difficult decisions and hardships, Dennis was always there.

“So many of his good deeds and acts of love and kindness were done quietly behind the scenes. Dennis had the biggest heart, and led his life daily with his philosophy: ‘Love is the most powerful force in the universe.’

“It truly made a difference. May God continue to bless Dennis as he is dearly missed by all of his family and friends. He was the best.”

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

From left: Entertainer Joe Piscopo, Sherry Amos, who was Dennis Gomes’ top marketing lieutenant, Gomes and his former executive assistant, Jean Price, in a 2011 photo. Credit: Jean Price

The grape unknown: Pinotage and Tannat

By David Setley

Tthat may not be high on your list of

well-known wine countries. Read on as I discuss two unique wines that come from these countries: Pinotage and Tannat.

South african wine originated in 1655 when members of the Dutch east India Company planted the first grapevines near Cape Town. In 1659, Jan van Riebeeck, founder of the city of

THURS. MARCH 7TH • 7:30 PM

FRI. MARCH 8TH • 8 PM

high-yielding grape varieties to ensure plentiful wine. Though initial results were not great, as more colonists arrived, they brought more knowledge and a tradition of viticulture and winemaking with them. In 1679, Simon van der Stel, Governor of the Cape, arrived in South frica from Holland, bringing with him both an extensive passion for wine, as well as firsthand winemaking experience. In 1685, he established the first winemaking farm in an area behind Table Mountain, known today as Groot Constantia. This large estate went on to produce a world-famous wine that earned the attention of nobles and royals around the world. South frica earned its place on the global wine map.

try in the early 1800s, though there are records of Jesuit Priests making sacramental wine there as early as the 1720s. That said, uruguay’s wine industry didn’t find footing until the end of the 19th century when there was an influx of european immigrants who brought grapevines from their homeland. b y 1889, 70 percent of adults in u ruguay were immigrants. There was land to be planted, workers willing to work, and more than 80 grape varietals passing through the docks. Northern Italian varietals, like barbera and Nebbiolo, Spanish varietals, such as Garnacha, and French varietals like Gamay, Cabernet, and Tannat, became common in uruguay’s vineyards.

Winemaking prospered until the 1880s when the disastrous insect Phylloxera arrived, devouring virtually all of the vines in the country and bringing winemaking to an abrupt halt. by the time a solution was found nearly 2 decades later, many wine producers were out of business or had been bought out by fruit farms. Then, in 1924, abraham Izak Perold, the first professor of viticulture at Stellenbosch niversity, invented a new varietal of grape through the process of grafting. Grafting is a horticultural technique that joins together two or more plants. In viticulture, grafting is done to create a new varietal that reflects the best characteristics of multiple other varietals. Perold grafted Pinot Noir and a grape that he believed to be Hermitage, a grape from the Rhone Valley of France. He called his creation “Pinotage” as a combination of the two. It took nearly a century and the availability of genetic testing for the wine world to realize that Perold had not, in fact, combined Hermitage with Pinot Noir. a s it turned out, he was using Cinsault, a varietal that had been brought to South africa in the early 17th century. Regardless, the name Pinotage had already stuck.

a n awesome Pinotage to try is called Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage from Stellenbosch, South africa. This 100% Pinotage wine is deep red in color and medium-bodied with well-structured and smooth tannins. It is well-balanced with flavors of red raspberries and plums and notes of sweet baking spices. This wine pairs perfectly with pastas, meats, or roasted vegetables. If you are a red wine lover who has not yet tried this wine, the time is now!

uruguay’s wine history developed in tandem with its founding as a coun -

Tannat (pronounced Than-naht) has become known as uruguay’s national grape and has put the nation on the global wine map. according to records, Tannat was first planted in uruguay in 1861, near Concepción. Pedro Jáuregui brought cuttings in from Southern France. argentina has attempted to lay claim to the first Tannat planting in South america, but research has led viticultural historians to believe that the varietal was present in uruguay at least a few decades prior to its arrival in argentina. Tannat’s name is believed to have been derived from the high tannins in the wine produced from this grape. The color is dark red, and its flavors of raisins, plums, licorice and smoke are intense. an outstanding example is the Tannat Reserva from bodega Garzon in uruguay.

I hope you enjoyed this exploration into a few new “grapes unknown.” a s always, contact me with any questions at dsetley@passionvines.com, or stop into the Somers Point 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.

SUN. MARCH 17

Live & Local Music Calendar

Thursday, February 22

Atlantic City

Council Oak Lounge

Jeremy Raves

5:30 – 9 p.m. 1000 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

DJ Luap. 8 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Dane anthony

8 p.m. – 12 a.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Sean Patrick & The alibis

7 – 11 p.m. 1000 boardwalk

XO Bar at Resorts

Karaoke with DJ Joe

8 p.m. – 12 a.m. 1133 boardwalk

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Karaoke Hosted by Mike Dempsey

9 p.m. – 1 a.m. 450 bay ave.

Gregory’s

Carlos Morales

6 – 8 p.m. 900 Shore Rd.

Josie Kelly’s

40 North. 6 p.m. 908 Shore Rd.

Queen Jayne’s

Sidestory Duo

6 – 9 p.m. 264 New Rd.

Ventnor

Ventnor Coffee

Open Mic w/ Pete Glaze

6:30 – 9 p.m. 108 N. Dorset ave.

Friday, February 23

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub

Live Karaoke. 8 p.m. 5 N. Shore Rd.

Atlantic City

1927 Lounge at Ocean Casino

Kristina Pruitt

6 p.m. Steve Luhmann

9:15 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Anchor Rock Club

hazy Cosmic Jam: a Tribute to David bowie.

8 p.m. 247 S. New york ave.

Council Oak Lounge

eSQ Trio

6 – 9:30 p.m. DJ Muve

10 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

Hard Rock Café

Dueling Pianos

9 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

usual Suspects

7 p.m. audio Riot

11 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Danny Lynch

6 – 10 p.m. Jumper

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Cheers The band

5 – 8:30 p.m. Goodman Fiske

9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

The Wave at Golden Nugget

Who’s Next: The Who Tribute

9 – 10:30 p.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Yard at Bally’s

DJ Freezie

7 p.m. – 12 a.m. 1900 Pacific ave.

Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino

The Way Outs Duo

9:30 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Wild Wild West

Coming alive

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. DJ Redline

8:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. 2100 Pacific ave.

XO Bar at Resorts

Glenn Roberts

5 – 8 p.m. DJ Chaz

8 p.m. – 2 a.m. 1133 boardwalk

Egg Harbor Township

The Roost Pub & Grill

bJam Solo

6:30 – 9:30 p.m. 500 St. andrews Dr.

Marmora

Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern

Dean Dunlevy

7:30 p.m. 316 Roosevelt blvd.

Smithville

Fred & Ethel’s Lantern Light

Smokey Starr

7 – 10 p.m. 1 N. New york Rd.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Steve Moore & The MIa band

8 p.m. – 12 a.m. 450 bay ave.

Josie Kelly’s

Rocktologists. 7 p.m. 908 Shore Rd.

Saturday, February 24

Atlantic City

1927 Lounge at Ocean Casino

Jeremy Oren. 6 p.m. Steve Luhmann

9:15 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Anchor Rock Club

Te Vista, Jette Planes, Spud Mack, Super Jack. 8 p.m. 247 S. New york ave.

Council Oak Lounge

Paul Jost Trio

6 – 9:30 p.m. DJ Dave brubeck

10 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

Hard Rock Café

Dueling Pianos

9 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

The Original Copy Trio

7 p.m. band of Make believe

11 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Tommy & The Heatflashes

5 – 9 p.m. Party Wave

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. 600 Huron ave.

Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall

Vertigo breeze

8 – 11 p.m. 133 S. Tennessee ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Turning the Tide

5 – 8:30 p.m. The Cliffs

9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

The Royce Social Hall

Justin Moreno. 9 p.m. 2831 Pacific ave.

The Yard at Bally’s

DJ Patrice Mcbride

8 p.m. – 1 a.m. Lost in Paris

9 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. 1900 Pacific ave.

Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino

Cheezy & The Crackers Trio

9:30 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Wild Wild West

Garden State Radio

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. DJ aiden Scott

8:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. 2100 Pacific ave.

XO Bar at Resorts

Shaun Laboy

5 – 8 p.m. DJ Gary

8 p.m. – 2 a.m. 1133 boardwalk

Marmora

Yesterday’s Creekside Tavern

Marc Wass

7:30 p.m. 316 Roosevelt blvd.

Millville

Levoy Theatre

We May be Right: billy Joel Tribute

8 p.m. 126-130 N. High St.

Northfield

Taproom at Atlantic City Country Club

Ralph Michaels

5:30 – 8:30 p.m. 1 Leo Fraser Dr.

Smithville

Fred & Ethel’s Lantern Light

blue Street band

7 – 10 p.m. 1 N. New york Rd.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Doug Jennings

4 – 7 p.m. Radio Revolution band

8 p.m. – 12 a.m. 450 bay ave.

Josie Kelly’s

The Jenny barnes band

8 p.m. 908 Shore Rd.

Sunday, February 25

Atlantic City

Anchor Rock Club

Headcase Hairshow

6 p.m. 247 S. New york ave.

Council Oak Lounge

Sarah Crowell

5:30 – 9 p.m. 1000 boardwalk

Kelsey’s

Tony Day & across the Globe

6:30 – 9:30 p.m. 1545 Pacific ave.

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

adam Holcombe Duo

7 p.m. Liquid a

11 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

3 aM Tokyo Duo

7 – 11 p.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Se7en band

4 – 7:30 p.m. Morning after 8:30 p.m. – 12 a.m. 1000 boardwalk

The Yard at Bally’s

DJ Vito G

8 p.m. – 1 a.m. 1900 Pacific ave.

Villain & Saint at Ocean Casino

yani. 9:30 p.m. 500 boardwalk

Wild Wild West

Sean Patrick & The alibis

10 p.m. – 2 a.m. DJ aiden Scott

8:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m. 2100 Pacific ave.

Margate

Bocca

bob Starner

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 7805 Ventnor ave.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

3 Suspects band

3 – 7 p.m. 450 bay ave.

Josie Kelly’s

Traditional Irish Open Session

1 – 4 p.m. 908 Shore Rd.

Monday, February 26

Atlantic City

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Red. 7 – 11 p.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Cat 5. 7 – 11 p.m. 1000 boardwalk

Tuesday, February 27

Atlantic City

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Patty & bugzy

8 p.m. – 12 a.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Jexxa. 7 – 11 p.m. 1000 boardwalk

Somers Point

Josie Kelly’s

DJ Special K. 5 – 9 p.m. 908 Shore Rd.

Wednesday, February 28

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub

acoustic Wednesdays

FRIDAY - FEB 23

Steve Moore &

SATURDAY - FEB 24

Doug Jennings 4pm-7pm

8 – 11 p.m. 5 N. Shore Rd.

Atlantic City

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Michael Stevens

8 p.m. – 12 a.m. 600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock Daddy Pop

7 – 11 p.m. 1000 boardwalk

Margate Bocca

bob Sterling & The bocca boys

7 – 10 p.m. 7805 Ventnor ave.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Open Mic Night hosted by blue eagle

7 – 11 p.m. 450 bay ave.

Events subject to change.

Second

Radio Revolution Band 8pm-12am

SUNDAY - FEB 25

3 Suspects Band

FRIDAY - MARCH 1

SATURDAY - MARCH 2

Somers Point Pub Crawl! DJ Jim

Sacred Sword, Billy Walton Band reimagining the Jersey Devil story

Tune In, Turn On

By Doug Deutsch

We’ve known area musician Johnny Higbee a long time, back to when his rock-metal group, Sacred Sword, was one of the most popular bands at the Jersey Shore.

When Tune In Turn On learned that Higbee and Sacred Sword were recording a new song, “The Jersey Devil,” with special appearances by two of the most in-demand musicians in the Tri-State area – b illy Walton and Destinee Monroe (pictured above) of the popular b illy Walton b and, we had to get the 411 from Higbee himself.

“I wrote this because I wanted to write my own rock and roll version

of The Jersey Devil,” explains Higbee, who recorded the track locally at Kit Worton’s Right Touch Studio in Northfield. “I believe (the Jersey Devil) wasn’t a monster; rather, a whiskey-drinking Jersey kid who helped fight the british in the battle of Chestnut Neck. He and his friends would dress up to scare the b ritish. They were called ‘land pirates.’

“My plan is to pitch this song to documentaries about the Jersey Devil. I asked billy (Walton) and Destinee (Monroe) to be on the recording because I respect their talent and belief in music. They are the hardest-working band around. They helped bring the song to the next level. Our styles are different, but collaborating sometimes makes magic. I plan to make a video (of ‘The Jersey Devil’) in the fall,” concludes Higbee.

besides Walton and Monroe, current Sacred Sword members are Dave Lefko (guitar), John Grasso (bass), angelo Martelli (drums), and Higbee (lead vocals, rhythm guitar).

Last april, area residents might recall Higbee’s song, “Save The Whales,” which became a rallying

WINTER SPECIALS

cry for all of us here who are against offshore wind development activity, which has been found to be very dangerous to whales and other animals in the ocean.

besides the success the aforementioned Sacred Sword enjoyed in the mid-80s; for a few decades, Higbee and his childhood friends - former aC sound engineer pro bumper DeMari, and angelo Martelli, Higbee was the recipient of a leasing deal with New World Pictures in Los angeles via a meeting set up by longtime aC drummer Jimmy Paxon (Stevie Nicks). That resulted in four of his songs being used as background music for the soap opera, “Santa barbara,” which aired on N bC from 1984 to 1993.

Higbee and Sacred Sword opened for many big rock acts in their time, including David Lee Roth at the borgata Casino, Johnny Winter and Robin Trower; and many of the famous South Jersey clubs including Dunes Til Dawn, b londie’s and The Stone Pony.

We Won’t Forget Remember

Jones: Took in a fabulous performance last weekend by a musical

ensemble called Remember Jones, who performed an amy Winehouse tribute as part of the atlantic City Theatre Company’s annual Fundraising Gala at The Claridge’s Celebrity Theatre.

CHEESE RAVIOLI 18

with tomato fennel sauce

CRAB CAKE PLATTER 25

with French fries and coleslaw

BACON WRAPPED MEAT LOAF 21

over garlic mash & asparagus topped with mushroom gravy

SALISBURY STEAK 18

over garlic mashed potatoes & grilled asparagus with mushroom gravy

CHICKEN MARSALA 18

over garlic mashed potatoes & grilled asparagus

MAPLE SALMON 23

over sun-dried tomato and goat cheese risotto

SAUSAGE & RICE STUFFED

PEPPER 18

topped with cheddar cheese over mashed potato and grilled asparagus

CHICKEN A LA KING 18

over mashed potatoes and asparagus topped with creamy chicken gravy with carrots, onions and peas

SHORT RIB MAC AND CHEESE 20

Braised short ribs in creamy mac & cheese with side of asparagus

DESSERT A LA CARTE

Chocolate Mousse Cake 8

Heart Shaped Macaroon 5

With a full orchestra and five featured vocalists, Remember Jones lovingly and wonderfully reimagined the classic 2008 Winehouse album, “ back to black.” Terrific choreography and solid solos by each of the musicians made for a very enjoyable concert. Go see this New Jersey-based group next time they’re around.

Upcoming Shows: Our favorite David bowie tribute, HaZ y Cosmic Jive, debuts at anchor Rock Club Feb. 23…what do you get when mixing classic Italian and american country, rock and Western swing? The Italian band Lovesick, an internationally-acclaimed trio who play Rhythm & Spirits on Tennessee ave. on Feb. 29. The Looms (indie-folk trio we love) and The Williamsboy open.

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.

From left: Johnny Higbee of Sacred Sword; plus Destinee Monroe and Billy Walton of the Billy Walton Band are working on a new song that tells the story of the Jersey Devil.

Bassist Andy Lalasis: A career surrounded by greatness

By Bruce Klauber

Bassist andy Lalasis is known as a “first call player.” For those not in the music business, when any top-tier singer, band, orchestra or ensemble is in need of a bass player – whether the genre is pop, jazz, fusion, rock, funk, country music or symphonic music –andy Lalasis is called first.

On May 28, 1978, Resorts International Hotel/Casino, the first legal gambling casino in New Jersey, opened. Musicians in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas flocked to the shore. Lalasis was one of them, moving to Smithville, where he still resides.

“I went down the shore around 1979, not long after Resorts was opening. I left Rowan (then Glassboro

State College) early and I didn’t complete my degree because they were opening the casinos, and I knew that playing down there was my calling,” he recalls.

He got his start at all That Jazz, a place on Pacific avenue, playing from 2 to 5 a.m. The band was led by an artist who would become a giant in atlantic City and elsewhere; reedman Michael Pedicin, Jr. bobby young, who would become the contractor at Steve Wynn’s Golden Nugget, wandered in one night and was so blown away by Lalasis and the rhythm section that he offered him a job.

Lalasis admits that he didn’t even know who bobby young was, but he showed up on the appointed day. This was around 1983, and it marked the beginning of a long and stellar career.

The spot within the Golden Nugget was elaine’s lounge where the rhythm section backed a different

act each week including buddy Greco, Keely Smith, Joanie Sommers, b illy Daniels, Frank D’Rone, and many others.

The rhythm section became known as the best in town. In addition to Lalasis on bass, Paul Jost played drums, and the trio used a number of pianists including a 20-year-old Dean Schneider, Demetrios Pappas, John DiMartino and Dave Hartl.

Steve Wynn sold the Golden Nugget to the bally’s in 1987, and for a while the music policy in the lounge continued unchanged. eventually Lalasis realized that his time there was coming to an end. There was talk of bally’s selling the property, and live music was being cut to one and two nights a week.

Then, as now, the always-in-demand Lalasis got the call. This time it was from Joe Seidman, then contracting for Resorts International. The year was 1988 and Resorts was just purchased by Merv Griffin.

The Resorts musical policy was similar to the one used by the Golden Nugget. Lalasis recalls playing “noon to 6 every day with different acts. Then we would stop for dinner at 6, rehearse with the headliner who was starring in the main room, and then play again. We worked from noon to midnight six nights a week.

“Soon after I went over to Resorts, Merv Griffin bought it and I ended up being his bass player. Merv loved the music. He was very involved in it.

He was nice and he was kind. I played for everyone, from Davy Jones to Robert Goulet and Don Rickles. There wasn’t anybody we didn’t play with.

“When we got into the later 1990s, I saw things start to change in the lounges. b ut it was still an amazing time for me. I cut my teeth in atlantic City and it was an experience I never dreamed I would have.”

b ecause he is not a musical snob, and because he listens to and appreciates all kinds of music, he became experienced in virtually every genre on both electric and upright basses. That’s one reason his phone continues to ring.

These days he’s hard at work in the recording studio with Grammy award-winning record producer and South Jersey Jazz Society artistic Director/Vice President Joe Donofrio. The project, which will feature some of the region’s finest players, will be a jazz-focused take on songs made famous by TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia).

In the live performance arena, Lalasis has found a fabulous musical situation that’s a throwback to the Golden Nugget/Resorts days. bordentown’s Ristorante LuCCa & Piano Lounge is a world-class Italian restaurant and likely the only real, elegant supper club anywhere. Leading the house trio at Lu CCa is none other than Lalasis’ partner from his time at the Golden Nugget, Dean Schneider. Schneider, drummer Lew Leabman, and Lalasis back up different singers each week.

When asked to sum up his stillin-progress musical career, Lalasis replied, “I learned what it was like to be around greatness all the time. I was in some magical Oz or something where I got to play with all of them all the time. It was an incredible time.”

Note to andy Lalasis: It still is.

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

How to avoid a ‘snaccident’

By Dr. LaToya Roberts

“Snaccidents” happen. That is, binging on unhealthy snacks is a tough habit to break. Here are eight tips that can help.

1. Definitely don’t skip meals!

Skipping meals only contributes to cravings and increases the risk of late-night snacking. eat balanced meals during the day to give your body the energy it needs to do all the things. It’s also better to adhere to a regular eating pattern. e ating more whole unprocessed foods (such as protein, fruits, veggies, and whole grains) and increasing daily fiber intake will also leave you feeling fuller longer. Choose smoothies, veggies, fruit and nuts as snacks that are easy to prep in advance and take on the go. Have these snacks on hand in between meals.

2. Keep unhealthy snacks out of sight.

To take it even further, avoid the

temptation to bring unhealthy snacks home in the first place. Make it as inconvenient as possible for you to indulge in your indulgences. We no longer purchase sodas or juice. Potato chips and cookies, which are used for school snacks and are always accompanied by fruit or veggies, are kept out of sight in the spare room. Force yourself to have to go out of your way to indulge. For me, by the time I get dressed to leave the house with a kid, the craving has subsided. That’s a win for me!

3. Distract yourself.

When thoughts of food or snacking preoccupy your mind, distract yourself, which works well especially if you have a specific time that you like to snack after hours. When that craving hits hard, hit it back with a good distraction like a brisk walk or stroll outdoors. Play games by yourself or with others, such as board games, card games, word puzzles, etc. Read, journal, draw, paint, or crochet. The list goes on.

4. Gamify it!

Make it into a game and have a fun reward for yourself. The trick is that the reward for overcoming your craving must be something you can enjoy doing or wearing. However, the reward should not be something you enjoy eating because that defeats the purpose!

For example, reward yourself with a massage, mani/pedi, or buying yourself that new shirt you saw. It helps practice delayed gratification. The brain loves to be rewarded for something it did.

5. Have healthy options available.

If you have to give in, have healthy options available in advance. Create a “picky platter” where you include a bit of fruit like apple slices or fresh berries, some veggies like carrots, baby cucumbers, celery sticks and snap peas, a handful of lightly salted mixed nuts or a few cheese cubes and a little hummus dip all on a small plate or platter. you can be as creative as you like, but the key is to indulge the flavors in small amounts that satisfy your craving with healthier readily available options.

6. Brush your teeth.

b rushing your teeth is part of the

bedtime routine and can send signals to the brain that you’re winding down. Have you noticed that foods or beverages just don’t taste great after you brush your teeth? We can use that to our advantage in this particular situation.

7. Drink water or herbal teas. your body can mix up hunger and thirst cues. Drinking adequate amounts of water throughout the day is an effective way to curb cravings and avoid overeating. enjoy a hot cup of herbal tea. I add chia seeds to my tea to make it more like boba or Japanese bubble tea.

8. Use accountability.

Finally, it helps to summon the support of other household family members and get them involved. When family members are aware of the changes you’re making for yourself, they may be motivated to follow your lead and get on board. If you need their support, ask for it.

LaToya Roberts, DO practices internal medicine at Harbor Internal Medicine. Her office is located in Bayside Commons suite 105, 501 Bay Avenue.in Somers Point.

By Bill Quain

Higher heights than world record holder

In the spring of 1967, I was a high school freshman pole vaulter. I managed to leap higher than the 1963 world record holder, Russian athlete Valeriy brumel.

How is it possible that a skinny kid from Philadelphia could outjump the world record holder, not once but many times? Well, it has to do with leaping and leveraging. you’ll get the details later in this column. First, let’s talk about the leap we’re about to take on Feb. 29.

Leap, leverage, dream, and dare daily

In the 2012 leap year, I released my book, “Happy Leap year – Leap, Leverage Dream & Dare,” which is available on amazon. I had a goal for that book – to become a No. 1 best-

to leap

seller on amazon.

To achieve this, I called on Ocean City b roadcast Television engineer Steve Trauger. He set up a temporary studio in my house in Ocean City. We did one of the world’s first livestreaming events on Facebook. While I delivered my “Happy Leap year" presentation, many of my book fans began to place their orders. It was exciting! We watched as the book climbed from total obscurity up through the top 1,000, to the top 100, and finally, it broke through to a top10 position. We were working the phones, emails, and Facebook itself to get that coveted No. 1 spot. Late in the day, we moved to No. 2 in our category… and we stuck there. I can’t remember which book title held first place, but they must have had a pretty good set of salespeople, because try as we might, we never beat them out. However, No. 2 in an a mazon category was pretty good. I learned a lot from the experience – and sold a pile of books!

The real prize came when we repeated our sales efforts, throughout the year. We didn’t just leap one day and then stop. We kept on leaping for all 366 days.

Leap years: Officially qualified as uncommon Non-leap years are called “common years". a s I was writing my book I did a lot of research into leap years and discovered why we have them. It seems that the earth doesn’t rotate around the sun in exactly 365 days. It’s actually 365 and ¼ days. We need to add an extra day every four years just to keep the calendar straight.

a s I read the history of leap years, I thought – why not turn every year into an “uncommon year”? When you look back on 2024, do you want to look back on a common or uncommon year? When you look back on any year, do you want to see a common or uncommon year in your rearview mirror? I can tell you, I want every single year that I’m lucky enough to live through to be as uncommon as possible.

Most people never take a leap.

If I see an obstacle, I know there are just two decisions I want to make.

Do I want to get a ladder and struggle up one rung at a time, or do I want to get a running start and leap over that sucker? I find that leaping is more fun.

Many people are afraid to leap because they don’t want a bad landing. The secret is to choose the landing spot first. In every situation, you need to know where you are going. Have a solid, identifiable goal. In my book, we call it a dream. If you know exactly where you want to land, you can muster up the energy you need to get there.

Did I break the world record?

Remember Valeriy brumel’s 1963 world record leap of 7 feet, 6 inches? That is pretty high. brumel was tall, but not that tall. yet he ran up to that bar, leaped over it, and set the world record. That record was still standing in 1967 when I ran down the runway and flew way over that height, landing safely in the pit. How did I do it? you see, brumer was a high jumper. However, I was a pole vaulter. I had learned to leverage my leaps! I wasn’t even that good at pole vaulting! but there I was, jumping higher than the world champ.

Next week, we learn to leverage.

Do you want a leap year every year? If so, you need to learn to use leverage to turn your limiting leaps into terrific triumphs! It’s just a matter of changing your thinking.

Feb. 29 is the perfect day to begin an uncommon year. Why stop there? When you learn to leap, leverage, dream and dare, you can look back every 366 days and see the difference you made by changing the way you think. you’ll see an exciting year of “uncommon” achievement!

Tell me about when you leaped. Shoot me an email with your “Leveraging over Leaping” story. a s I say each week, “I’ll see ya in the papers!”

The unsettled world and economic implications

By Eric Reich

The world has certainly seemed unsettled lately. We are still in the middle of Russia’s invasion of ukraine. China’s economy is a mess and squarely in a recession. europe’s economy is better but still in a recession. Iran is trying to cause chaos, first in Israel by sponsoring the Hamas attack and now in the Red Sea by supporting the Houthi rebel attacks on ships. Inflation is declining, but still an issue and causing market upheaval. Of course, we are also all too well aware that this is an election year. For obvious reasons, investors are left wondering what to do with their money in this unsettled world.

First, let’s address the implications of all of the above for the u.S. While the u.S. is not in a recession, there is certainly still a possibility of one happening. Higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve raising rates will

cause spending to slow down. Lower spending means a weaker economy.

While this was the intent of the Federal Reserve in order to control inflation, there is a fine line between reducing inflation and causing a recession. So far, the Fed has done a good job of walking that line recently but I’m not certain we will entirely avoid some problems later this year. The reason is that while inflation is pesky and just won’t seem to go away, there is a lot of pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.

The obvious reason why is that this is an election year, and they need to make their guy look good. There is, however, a far more impactful reason that I don’t really hear people talking about very much. 30% of all u.S. government debt comes due in 2024. Go ahead, read that again. The u.S. currently spends roughly 15% of its revenue servicing debt. The higher interest rates are when that debt comes due, the more the u.S. must allocate towards paying their debt service. The u.S. has allocated 18% for 2024 in anticipation of higher interest rates which may or may not be enough. That said, if the Federal Reserve lowers rates, the amount needed to service the debt decreases as well. These two reasons combined will certainly lead to lower rates in 2024, but I do

not believe we are looking at 6 rate decreases this year for an anticipated 1.5% overall reduction in the Federal Funds Rate. I think four cuts for a total of a 1% reduction is more likely unless conditions change, which can certainly happen.

If we believe that the above is at least partially likely, then what do investors do with their money? Well, since everyone’s situation is different, you should talk to your financial advisor about your specific situation. That said, here are a few things that I am doing for myself. I firmly believe that the days of 5+% money markets and CDs are soon to be over. I would expect much lower rates on those instruments by the third quarter of 2024. My alternative to that is intermediate-term bonds. I really think bonds in the 5- to 7-year range look attractive to me right now. I still believe that for stocks, u.S. large company growth will likely be the leader this year. However, be warned that while the S&P 500 returned 26% last year, if you carve out the “magnificent 7” stocks (apple, Microsoft, amazon, Nvidia, Meta, Tesla, and Google), which had a combined performance of 111%, the rest of the market only equaled 6%. I expect them to continue to lead the rest of the S&P in 2024.

One of my favorite quotes is, “When you don’t know what the market will do, do nothing.” Don’t make radical changes to your portfolio in times of uncertainty. This is a surefire way to get burned. I believe 2024 will be just fine. yes, it will be bumpy along the way, but that is to be expected. Don’t make big moves. above all, call your financial advisor and make sure your current portfolio is right for you and your risk level.

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.

Are dog parks good for teaching socialization?

By Heidi Clayton

Iwas asked via email if I took my dogs to a dog park for socialization and play. The short answer is no. I am lucky that I have a large fenced yard for my dogs and have no reason to go to dog parks. The long answer is I think dog parks are an awful place for a dog to learn “socialization” in the truest sense of the word. your dog can actually learn very bad habits from the dog park.

One such habit I see develop in dog park dogs is leash aggression or reactivity. Dogs start to assume that when they are leashed they are going to the park. Thus, the leash becomes associated with overarousal, particularly when they see another dog but aren’t immediately allowed to interact with them.

In nearly every doodle mix I work with, overarousal shows itself with a screaming bark and teeth being

shown. The tail may be wagging, but another dog hearing that noise may take it as aggression or prey. Other dogs may gang up on the dog if they think it is fearful.

If your dog is nuts when you arrive at the park, rewarding them with off-leash running and play teaches them that being reactive is OK. It also teaches them that ignoring you on a leash and going berserk is completely acceptable. My dogs are conditioned that looking at me while on a leash and being calm is the only way they will get a walk.

Overarousal rewarded with being taken off leash to run in my opinion can go horribly wrong. a client's dog has taken to barking incessantly at other dogs and showing her teeth while snapping as a perfectly normal way to greet other dogs when on a leash. Lucky for her, she hasn’t met a dog snapped back… yet! When I watched her behavior with one of my own dogs that I trusted to ignore it, in my head I rambled off a list of dogs I know that would find that

greeting offensive and tackle her to the ground. I also thought of dogs that suppress the fear of their space being invaded and would run for their lives. a gain, not being in tune with your dog, you might view the running in circles as them having fun. She learned this from how she reacts to other dogs at the dog park. She arrives barking and snapping. When off leash, she does the same thing. a gain, she is lucky she hasn’t met the wrong dog yet.

I understand that not everyone has an acre of fenced yard for their dogs

and may need a fenced-in dog park area to let their dogs blow off steam. If you must take your dog to the dog park, your dog should have a solid foundation of not becoming overstimulated when restrained on a leash. They also should only be let loose to play when their behavior is under control. My personal rule would be that one-on-one play is safest. Stay off of your phones and stay in tune with the dogs.

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

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

Playing In The Band

Find

N N S O W S M J F A H A E

A D G P O H Y M I F E W Y E

V M S A W O O O M D R D J T

S T T N T A B A M V O C Z S

J K O W E S H N Y B S I O G

X C N C E S C N B F M U Q N

V H E A L I A O U W I X V I

O Q S K F K E D F I T X B R

S E L T A E B A F P H D D P

S W E H T T A M E V A D A S

L U X D P V M N T O G P C Z

K E A G L E S S O G H Z C P

M J F A C I L L A T E M E X

EAGLES

Shore Local Trivia

Tribute Band Trivia

The Atlantic City area is a mecca for cover bands. Some specialize with a look and a sound just like the original rockers. Who are these bands a tribute to?

1. Heavy blimp

2. Light Violet

3. Trek

4. The What

5. Dark Sunday

10. Queen

9. The Cars

8. Judas Priest

7. Pearl Jam

6. Grateful Dead

6. Thankful Souls

7. Oyster Jelly

8. Rabbi

9. The Trucks

10. Her Majesty

5. lackb Sabbath

4. The Who

3. Journey

2. Deep Purple

1. Led Zeppelin

609-645-0500

SUDOKU Solution on page 58

THEME: FINISH THE LYRICS

ACROSS

1. Fake deal

5. Dashboard acronym

8. Oxen connector

12. Guesstimate phrase (2 words)

13. Give a darn

14. exhibitionist

15. It's OTaN in French

16. Carbon monoxide lacks this

17. Geometry class prop

18. *Lou Reed: "She says, "Hey babe, take a walk on the ____ ____"

20. european "curtain"

21. Mustangs, e.g.

22. Campaign pro

23. Cause of wheezing

26. Men's Colonial headgear

30. Fib

31. *bon Jovi: "Take my hand, we'll make it I swear. Woah, livin' on a ____"

34. The only thing to fear?

35. Small and round, eyes description

37. Future fish

38. alabama civil rights site

39. Tangelo

40. Shape clay, e.g.

42. James Corden's network

43. awaited deliverer

45. Same as lathees

47. 0 meridian acronym

48. World-weary

50. Prefix with legal

52. *aerosmith: "Sing with me, sing for the year. Sing for the ____"

55. Siberian prison

56. Pakistani language

57. *Dionne Warwick: "I think I'm going out of my ____"

59. Rapidly

60. Cheese app

61. "Cogito, ____ sum"

62. Diamond's corner

63. european economic Community

64. Whiskey grain, pl.

DOWN

1. *Kansas: "Carry on, my wayward ____"

2. "Stick in one's ____"

3. Italian wine region

4. Dough

5. *The buggles: "Video killed the ____"

6. Cattle controls

7. bébé's mother

8. *elton John: "and it seems to me you lived ____ ____"

9. Capital of Norway

10. Hiking sandals brand

11. Mess up

13. Show's other star

14. Rap sheet listing

19. Negative house description

22. p in #5 across

23. Michael Jackson's "Thriller", e.g.

24. Military blockade

25. bluish greens

26. banana leftover

27. ____'s, grape jelly brand

28. Many iambs

29. *Guns N' Roses: "Take me down to the paradise city where the ____"

32. Missouri capital tourist attraction

33. *abba: "Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with ____"

36. *Queen: "you got mud on your face, you big ____"

38. Hiding place

40. aptitude test acronym

41. black Death

44. Picture

46. Restraint

48. ballet rail

49. Playful

50. Immature butterfly

51. unfortunately, exclamation

52. Jiffy's grease

53. Spooky

54. uncontrollable anger

55. Loquacious person's gift

58. Not don'ts

Making the most of open houses

By Elisa Jo Eagan

Prior to the onset of COVID-19, attending open houses was a common Sunday activity for would-be homebuyers. However, as the pandemic put a halt to almost all in-person activities, the number of open houses dwindled. Sellers did not want strangers in their homes, and buyers didn't want to be in the company of too many people. although just 4 percent of buyers purchase their homes through open houses, 41 percent of potential buyers still want to visit open houses as a step in the home buying process. In addition, to accommodate buyers’ needs and schedules, Realtors began providing virtual open houses for their clients. Due to the lack of inventory during these past few years, it even became common for buyers to make offers and/or purchase a home sight unseen.

Now, in the first quarter of 2024, inventory is still “slim pickins.” buyers who had been sitting on the sidelines eyeing up homes for sale online are now beginning to return to the homebuying process and we Realtors are realizing the need to conduct open houses on a more frequent basis.

Buyer Tips

With busy schedules and juggling day-to-day activities, attending open houses may be more suitable for a buyer’s lifestyle in the homebuying process. The flexibility it offers to view a home at your own pace is often a desirable option. Open houses are also a great way for buyers to obtain information about a home in a more relaxed, stress-free environment.

Ask Pertinent Questions

Viewing a home on the internet is not the same as visiting it in person. So when you attend an open house, the agent will ask you to sign in and inquire if you have a Realtor to represent you as a buyer’s agent.

Since the agent hosting the open house is most likely the seller’s agent, come prepared with questions to obtain in-depth knowledge of the home. When was the home built? What is the age and condition of the roof? How old are the water heater and HVaC systems? These are all good places to start. by asking the right questions, a potential buyer is able to obtain necessary information about the home.

Take Notes

When visiting several open houses, make a list in order of their locations to make your day as efficient as possible. Keep a notebook handy to jot down information about each property, as it is easy to forget details when viewing multiple homes in a short span of time. Later, you can look over the information with the notes you have gathered to help you in your decision-making process.

Revisit the Home

This is an opportune time to revisit a home that you are on the fence about. It enables you to walk through the home at your leisure, weighing the pros and cons, and envisioning yourself and your family living there. be sure to let the agent at the open house know if you already have a Realtor and/or that you have previously toured the home with your agent.

Seller Tips

an open house will increase the overall foot traffic into your home and create more visibility. The more exposure your home gets, the more likely you will receive multiple offers, possibly driving the sale price higher.

Stage to Sell

Staging is a key part of the selling process. Preparing your home for sale is essential to fetching the highest and best price.

The National a ssociation of Realtors (NaR) reports that 82 percent of buyers find it easier to envision themselves living in the home when it is staged. Things like rearranging furniture, placing floral bouquets around the home, decluttering and doing a deep clean will help accentuate your home’s best features for potential buyers to see.

Elevate Curb Appeal

The appearance of your home’s exterior is crucial to creating a posi -

tive first impression. In fact, elevated curb appeal can increase the price of your home by an average of 7 percent. be sure your lawn is well manicured, bushes are trimmed, weeds are pulled, a fresh layer of mulch has been applied and the entryway is free of dirt and grime.

Scheduling An Open House

you and your real estate agent should agree on the best days and times to have an open house. If possible, ask your agent to schedule your first open house the week your home is listed, which typically generates a lot of traffic. also, consider scheduling an open house on a Saturday or a Sunday to maximize foot traffic.

Stay Away

Sellers should do all that they can to be absent from the home during an open house. buyers are more apt to explore and ask the agent more pointed questions when sellers are not present.

For real estate advice and questions, call/text elisa at 609-703-0432 or see TheReal e stateGodmother. com.

VENTNOR