SHORE LOCAL | Mainland | May 1, 2025

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY'S NEWSMAGAZINE

Bursting with Spring Events

Sensory-friendly Hospital Lab Opens

A Mega Resort Coming to Beesleys Point?

Interview with Celebrity Wrestler Coming to AC

Lessons from the Recent Wild res

Riding the wave of support for Autism Awareness

Letter from the editor

As we welcome May, I find myself reflecting on the overwhelming kindness and support shown during april’s autism awareness events. From school fundraisers to communitywide efforts, it’s clear that South Jersey continues to show up—with heart and purpose.

a s many of you know, my husband Bob and I founded an autism support organization called Heart of Surfing in 2014 for our son Jamie, who was on the autism spectrum. When he was growing up, resources were scarce, and we wanted to create something that brought joy, confidence and connection to Jamie and others like him. Surfing became his outlet—a place where he felt free.

land’s Castaway Cove. This weekend marks the start of our adaptive skateboarding program, followed by 12 Surfing Saturdays — where more than 100 individuals with special needs will take to the waves each week with the support of amazing volunteers. We are continually inspired by the people and organizations who make this possible.

Please join us this Saturday, May 3, from 2 to 6 p.m. for Heart of Surfing

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

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

Publisher Assistant - Julia Train

Copy Editors - James FitzPatrick, Holly Fertsch, Julia Train

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

Web Designer - Holly Martin Digital Marketing - Liz Katz

Contributors – Charles Eberson, Scott Cronick, Tammy Thornton, Rich Baehrle, Sarah Fertsch, Steffen Klenk, Rebecca Oldham, Brian Cahill, Dave Weinberg, Doug Deutsch, Rachael Guevara, Elisa Jo Eagan, Joe Martucci, Heidi Clayton, Eric Reich, Jeff Whitaker, Chuck Darrow, Bruce Klauber, Christina Martin, Delaney Crawford, Ursula Duffy, Robin Stoloff, Marjorie Preston, Tynan Hand, Madison Russ Atlantic County cover by Melissa Tyler. Ocean City cover by Offshore Drones.

Tragically, Jamie passed away in 2020, and since then, our mission has only deepened. Today, we carry it forward in his memory, helping others experience the same joy he found in the waves.

Now in our 11th year, Heart of Surfing has already hosted dozens of events including sensory-friendly roller skating and ice skating, visits to the atlantic City Indoor Waterpark, a train ride and a fun-filled day at Play-

Day at The Seed Brewery in atlantic City, co-hosted with Heritage Surf & Sport. This free event features live music by Head High, food, raffle prizes, surf films and the debut of a special beer: “Heartswell.”

Every wave we ride is powered by this incredible community. Thank you for being part of it.

& Love, Cindy

Celebrating Life at The Southern NJ Shore

Peace

Sensory-friendly lab opens at Shore Medical Center

By Steffen Klenk

Shore Medical Center in Somers Point has been making it easier for patients with autism and sensory processing disorders to get care in a welcoming environment. This further advances Shore Medical Center's commitment to inclusive, compassionate care for individuals with autism and sensory sensitivities. The hospital officially unveiled its sensory-friendly outpatient lab on Monday, april 28.

This innovative program offers a calming, supportive environment where patients can receive essential bloodwork and testing with minimal stress. The new testing room is designed specifically with the autism population in mind, ensuring that

patients receive bloodwork and testing without excessive noise and lighting. The lab is equipped with a vibroacoustic lounger, a sensory projector, busy board panels, white noise machine, sensory-friendly toys, and smart TV for easy distraction.

The program comes to Shore Medical Center thanks to the support of Mike Monichetti, owner of Mike’s Seafood. In 2009, Monichetti founded the annual Run Walk for autism, an event that attracts more than 4,000 people to the Sea Isle promenade, including, in recent years, former Eagles center Jason Kelce. He and his wife, Jeannie, have two adult children on the spectrum. “When I started this 18 years ago, you didn’t hear much about autism at the Jersey Shore,” said Monichetti. Since launching the event, the Run Walk for autism has raised over $1 million for local schools, nonprofits, and families in our community. “Every day, I’m grateful for what I have and

I’m grateful that I can help someone with disabilities,” he said. Monichetti hopes to see more hospitals adopt sensory friendly initiatives and raise more money. “I’m not done yet. I’m certainly not done yet.”

The outpatient lab is just one of several sensory-friendly initiatives launched at Shore Medical Center. Three years ago, the hospital launched an emergency pediatric care center for individuals with autism and sensory processing disorders. The emergency room is equipped with specialized communication tools, sound machines, and floor decals, providing a calm environment and making the hospital visit less scary for patients in need. “It really makes a difference in people’s lives”, says CEO David Hughes.

In 2024 alone, the sensory-friendly pediatric department saw 260 patients. according to Sherri Richmond, Director of Emergency Services, that number is up from the 110 children seen before the program’s launch. “I would expect that 2025 will be greater than that number,” she said.

To create the most caring and compassionate environment possible, the staff at Shore are provided with expert training from atlantic County Special Services School District. Jen Cruickshank is a member of the school’s Child Study Team. She and the team at Special Services provide the most comprehensive training and tools with the goal of increasing the number of positive outcomes. “We know in the ER, time is of the essence. It can take a second for a situation to go from positive to negative,” said Cruickshank.

To better serve the needs of the region’s rising autism population, Shore Medical Center is set to open a new sensory care room designed specifically for adults within the Emergency Department. The room will feature many components designed to ease anxiety and minimize

distractions, while ensuring patient comfort during the duration of their stay. More details are set to follow. To schedule an appointment for outpatient lab testing, please call Shore Medical Center at 609-6533737.

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

Jones Road Fire shows how fragile NJ’s Pine Barrens are

By Meteorologist Joe Martucci

The Jones Road Fire, which was first spotted at 9:45 a.m. on april 22, was New Jersey’s largest wildfire in 18 years, swallowing up 23 square miles in Ocean County, or a little over 15,000 acres.

While drought conditions have improved across the area, the fire is a stark reminder that we are in the midst of a wildfire season that has big potential to be severe, if we are not careful.

The Pine Barrens is such a unique landscape that maybe we take it for granted. you learn about it in elementary school, and you might even be told about the Jersey Devil (whose home is in Galloway, according to legend).

In Meteorology School at Rutgers University, you learn the sandy soil makes it cool off quickly at night. Its composition makes it perfect for growing cranberries and blueberries. The forest is so dense, that satellite imagery shows this as a noticeably darker area than the rest of the state. all that dense forest means one fire can spread quickly. a ny forest that has dry ground with low humidity and a gusty wind can increase the size of the blaze. However, the New Jersey Pine Barrens, specifically, have a few factors that make this area uniquely prone to to fine.

Pitch pine

Pitch pine, which the region gets its Pine Barrens name from, is highly flammable. The needles and bark ignite easily.

Quickly drying soil

The sandy soil of the Pinelands, known as sugar soil to the locals, drains water quickly. Think of sand on the beach. you pour a bucket of water on it and a few minutes later, that wet spot pretty much dries out.

The same is true in the Pinelands. The ground dries out faster than most forests. The old adage that it will rain overnight, and you’ll have wildfire by noon is based on this truth. This year’s drought only amplifies that.

Topography and wind

The Pine Barrens in New Jersey are flat, like a big, open field. The trees there aren’t very tall, and their tops (called the canopy) have lots of gaps. This makes fires spread really fast.

Because the trees are shorter, wind from above can blow down to the ground where the fire is, without

getting blocked like in other forests with taller trees.

Forest next to people

The Garden State Parkway is like a big boundary line in New Jersey. It separates the wild, state-protected Pinelands a rea to the west from towns and cities to the east.

In Ocean County, starting at Toms River and going south, the west side of the Parkway is the Pinelands, while the east side has homes, stores, and businesses.

The Jones Road Fire happened in Ocean County. In atlantic County, the Parkway separates the Pinelands from developed areas until about

Mays Landing. In Cape May County, the Pinelands National Reserve follows the Parkway from Marmora down to around Swainton and Goshen.

you don’t have to go far from the Pinelands to find busy places! In Ocean County, right across the Parkway, there are huge neighborhoods with lots of houses. In Lacey Township and Ocean Township, where the Jones Road Fire burned, over 35,000 people live with homes, shops, and more, just a short distance from the forest.

Plus, you have to consider the Garden State Parkway running through there. In 2018, 389 million toll transactions took place on the road, according to NJ.com. When the Parkway closes, it backs up traffic and slows the local economy.

Last Tuesday, I had to go north, through the Jones Road Fire on the Parkway. I was diverted onto County Road 539 in Ocean County.

Thankfully, the traffic was moving north. However, going south on that one lane it was bumper-to-bumper traffic for miles. It’s an issue which could happen in the South Jersey shore area, too.

This drought plays a role

a s of april 25, 662 wildfires have occurred in New Jersey this year –

16,572 acres burned, the vast majority of that the Jones Road Fire.

Last year through by april 25, about half as many wildfires occurred, burning just 315 acres.

The difference is drought. When the Jones Road Fire began, that area was in a transitionary state between drought and no drought, known as abnormally dry conditions, according to the United States Drought Monitor.

all of atlantic and nearly all of Cape May counties were officially in drought.

Plus, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection put forth a drought warning for the state in November.

Drought means, among other things, the ground is dry, and the water table is lower. This only enhanced the spread of wildfire.

There has been no wetter-than-average month in 2025. Statewide, it was the third driest January on record, according to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist (0.92 inch average).

February was below average, too. March then bucked the trend, with nearly average precipitation. a pril

should come in around the same (not known at the time of writing).

last year was nearly the opposite. It was the wettest start of the year, on record, through april 25, at atlantic City International airport, according to the National Oceanic and atmospheric administration. Located on the edge of the Pine Barrens, it’s a good indicator for the South Jersey Pinelands.

In Hammonton, farther into the Pine Barrens, it was the sixth wettest. Records have been kept fairly regularly since 1893.

a s long as drought continues, and I believe it will in atlantic and Cape May

counties into the summer, the potential for another Jones Road Fire is higher than usual.

You can prevent wildfires about 85% of wildfires in the United States are caused by humans, according to the United States Forest Service. Fire is a natural and needed part of our ecosystem. However, humans disrupt Mother Nature’s rhythm, which would typically happen from lightning strikes.

No published research has been done in New Jersey, but in California, researchers found that human-sparked wildfires spread more than twice as fast as lightning-induced burns, according to the University of California-Irvine. What Smokey Bear first said in 1944 holds true in 2025, “Only you can prevent forest fires.”

Joe Martucci, a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and Digital Meteorologist, is the President and Director of Meteorology for Cup A Joe Weather and Drone. You can connect with him at cupajoe.live.

NJDEP update on Jones Road Fire.

Bayfest brings full day of smiles to Somers Point

By Steffen Klenk

Rain was in the forecast, but nothing could dampen the spirit of Somers Point Bayfest, held this past Saturday along Historic Bay avenue. The annual celebration brought thousands of visitors to the heart of town for a full day of music, food, and community fun.

Local bands kept the energy high with live performances throughout the day, while food trucks lined the streets, serving up everything from cheesesteaks and crab cakes to lemonade and funnel cakes. The strolling stilt walker was a favorite among kids and adults alike, adding a whimsical flair to the event.

Dozens of vendors showcased their handmade goods, boutique finds, and beach-themed merchandise, turning the avenue into a bustling open-air market. For local businesses, Bayfest also offered a chance to connect with new customers and share their latest offerings.

a s the unofficial kickoff to summer

at the Shore, Bayfest was a reminder of all the good things to come in Somers Point. From concerts on the beach to weekly farmers markets and waterfront dining, this spring tradition highlighted the vibrant culture and strong sense of community that defines the town.

Photos by Steffen Klenk

EHTSC to remember Ashley Reich with number retirement

By James FitzPatrick

Ashley Reich was just 15 when she died from cancer on March 19 of 2011. She lived life to its fullest before and after her diagnosis with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue disease.

She was a traveler, having visited Costa Rica, the Caribbean, the Hawaiian Islands, and getting to Puerto Rico several times where her mom, Nydia, was from.

She was also a dedicated soccer player for the Egg Harbor Township Soccer Club (EHTSC) Thunder Girls, good enough to be recruited to play for the Spirit travel soccer team.

She worked hard at her game with her dad, Jeff Reich, who enjoyed practicing basketball with older sister amanda, and with a shley and putting her through her soccer paces.

He remembers the moment when all of that hard work paid off. They were having dinner when the phone rang.

“Ray Davis called and asked if a shley would like to join, or try out for the travel soccer team, which was pretty cool,” he recalled. “They only pick a certain kind of player. That was a really exciting moment for us.”

after Saturday, May 3, a shley’s love of soccer will be memorialized forever, or at least as long as they are

playing soccer at Tony Canale Park.

The EHTSC will host a ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday to retire a shley’s jersey number. No.16 will be off limits in perpetuity to any new player, an action that will forever honor a shley, and her family, according to Mike Bongiomo, president of the EHTSC. “Moving forward, anytime a young player like a shley passes (away) in an unfortunate tragedy, I will make sure that they are honored in the same way. I am currently writing this into our bylaws.”

a s a player, a shley spent most of her competitive life on youth soccer fields. That came to an end when she moved on to high school, when she and her teammates made the difficult choice to switch to Egg Harbor Township High School freshman soccer, rather than sticking with the travel team.

It was during recovery from a soccer injury that she found out she had a serious health problem. She bruised a rib during a tumble on the field, but the pain wouldn’t go away, her dad said. after a week they took her to urgent care where they found nothing wrong. But soon they noticed her rib was protruding, so they took her to a pediatrician, who discovered she had a mass under her ribs; he said she needed to go to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia right away.

Ultimately treatments were unsuccessful. a shley, and her family, had to make a choice about her path forward, whether she would suffer through more difficult treatments knowing the chance of recovery was slim, or choose to make the most of her time left.

Reich said a shley, and her family, made a decision to enjoy life.

He said his daughter showed amazing courage and was “a trooper” throughout, hardly shedding a tear in the face of the unthinkable.

He said the decision gave her time, in her few remaining months, to enjoy some priceless experiences.

“My memory is all the vacations, the good times we had and how close a shley and I were,” he said. “and then Make a Wish sent us to Hawaii, which was beautiful and awesome. It was

just a beautiful trip. That was special because she wasn’t sick.”

He said she took pictures of herself, made photo memories –importantly, with her hair intact.

They went on another cruise with the whole family. a shley was even able to do some ziplining, even as her lungs were losing their capacity.

He said his memories with a shley are all positive, fondly recalling that he had time with a shley, and her older sister amanda, when he was a young casino waiter, to do things with them.

“We went skiing all the time, we went to beaches, on cruises,” he said.

When she passed away, he had no regrets because of all of the time they got to spend together.

The tribute at Canale Park there is no ceiling with rafters, no ring of honor, so the tribute will take the form of a mural, painted on a storage shed – a silhouette of a female soccer player outlined in white from behind, right foot on the ball, as if waiting to get onto the pitch. The only writing that can be seen is the name “Reich” across the shoulders and the No. 16.

The eye-catching creation is the work of Brad Green, husband of EHTSC board member Christie Green.

He was originally asked to paint a shley’s name and number on the shed. But when he started to create the concept, he thought it would be more moving and meaningful to do a silhouette.

“If it were my daughter, it would mean more to be able to stand next

to a silhouette instead of just a number,” said Green, who has children who play soccer in the program. “The concept with the silhouette was to show her ‘reflecting’ on something. The idea is that she will be watching generations play on the same fields she played.”

The ceremony will take place from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 3 at Tony Canale Park. Program will include remarks from the Egg Harbor Township Soccer Club, Reich’s family and most likely Mayor Laura Pfrommer. The ceremony is for the unveiling. There will also be games going on.

Reich said he had no idea the tribute was coming until he got a text out of the blue. He was shocked and surprised that it would occur, even after all these years.

Nonetheless, he called it beautiful and “really great.”

Brad Green’s work can be seen at www.bradgreenart.com or @ bradgreen on Instagram.

Copy editor and Contributing Writer James

has been a community journalist in Atlantic and Cape May counties for more than 30 years, including 20 years as editor of The Current Newspapers. He lives in Hammonton.

FitzPatrick

Ashley played left and right wing for the EHTSC Thunder Girls and the Spirit travel soccer team.

Mary Slomine to be honored for lifelong civic engagement and women's leadership

By Julia Train

Mary Slomine will be honored with a Volunteer of the year award from the New Jersey Federation of Democratic Women (NJFDW) on May 3 at the 2025 Peg Roberts Luncheon.

Slomine currently serves as vice president emeritus of the South Jersey Democratic Women’s Forum (SJDWF) and municipal co-chair of the atlantic County Democratic Committee (aCDC) in Margate.

She will be honored with six other women, including First Lady of New Jersey Tammy Murphy.

according to the NJFDW’s website, NJFDW is “an organization of dedicated women committed to supporting

each other and advancing Democratic political goals through networking, community activism and engagement.”

Raised in North Philadelphia during the 1950s and 1960s, Slomine grew up watching neighbors carry even the housebound to the polls on Election Day. In her family, voting was non-negotiable. Her father, a World War II veteran who witnessed the devastation abroad, instilled in her a fierce belief in the power and necessity of democratic participation.

That early exposure set the foundation for a lifetime of political and community involvement. after a long career in customer service and credit management and earning her B. a . from Temple University, Slomine retired in 2003 and moved to Margate.

Recognizing a gap in women's political representation, Slomine set her sights on encouraging and supporting female candidates. She became an active force across atlantic County, helping manage local races, organizing fundraisers and mentoring future leaders. Her work includes supporting Sherri Parmenter, a school board member running for surrogate, and

a ssembly candidates Joanne Famularo and Maureen Rowan.

“I found out that there weren't a lot of women getting elected. and prior to being retired, I never realized how hard it is to run, whether you're a man or a woman, and it's doubly hard sometimes for women because they have extra responsibility sometimes, if they have kids and they also have a career,” said Slomine. “I just really wanted to make sure that there were enough women in the legislature.”

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

Phone 609.317.0801 kap@djd.law djdlawyers.com

Slomine’s contributions extend beyond campaigns. a s a long-time member of the atlantic County Democratic Committee, she served as municipal chair of the Margate Democrats from 2008 until 2024 and now continues as co-chair. She also volunteers with the SJDWF, a group dedicated to training and promoting women for public office.

Slomine said her political journey hit a high note in 2008 when she was selected as a delegate for Senator Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention — a once-in-a-lifetime experience she credits to the mentorship of a ssemblyman Jim Whelan.

“I'm pretty sure that Jim Whelan recommended me because I really didn't give any money to Obama, and there would be no reason why they would pick me,” she said. “That was the highlight of my volunteer life, because most people never get a chance to do anything like that.”

Over the years, Slomine has adapted to modern campaigning, embracing online phone banks and targeted outreach.

Slomine’s goal is to build connections and lower barriers to civic participation. She believes events should be affordable — or free — especially when trying to grow local clubs and inform the community.

One upcoming example is a free public event on May 13 at Nucky’s Kitchen and Speakeasy in Ventnor, featuring Joel Naroff of the Margate Democratic Club, a retired economist who will discuss politics and the Trump economy.

Even as she steps back slightly to take a break this summer, Slomine’s focus remains on empowering the next generation of public servants.

Her inspiration remains rooted in her father's legacy of service and sacrifice. His determination to serve his country — even after being initially rejected due to age and weight — left a lasting impression.

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

(L-R) Victoria Dolceamore, Mary Slomine and Gwenda Burkhardt, president of Margate NJ Democratic Club, at 50th Annual Atlantic County Democratic Convention on March 2, 2025 at Renault Winery Photo by Diane Stefani.

Mary Slomine aims to close the gap in women's political representation.

HugeInventoryof TeakandPolyFurnituretoTake HomeorforImmediateDelivery

SERVINGTHESHORE FOROVER20YEARS

ACUA’s Earth Day Festival offered fun, education for all ages

The atlantic County Utilities a uthority (aCUa) welcomed thousands of guests to its 33rd annual Earth Day Festival on Sunday, april 27. Held at the aCUa Environmental Park, the event ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and brought together families, educators, vendors, and environmental advocates for a day of learning and celebration.

The festival featured more than 200 vendors, including local artisans, nonprofit organizations, and environmental groups. attendees enjoyed live entertainment, interactive performances, free family games, and hands-on educational activities. Popular attractions included bounce houses, a gem and mineral show, a petting zoo, nature walks, and the always-popular Touch-a-Truck display

of aCUa vehicles. Visitors also had the opportunity to tour aCUa’s wastewater treatment facility in atlantic City and view renewable energy projects in action. Free workshops throughout the day covered topics such as sustainability, recycling, and conservation.

Photos by Tynan Hand

Mother’s Day Flower Sale

▶Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Events and Happenings

absecon Lighthouse, 31 S. Rhode Island ave.

Light up your loved one’s day with a beautiful, fresh hydrangea. Proceeds benefit the Hydrangea Trail 2.0 historic beautification trail for atlantic City. The sale will also be held on Saturday, May 10.

Discount Days in Ocean City

▶Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Ocean City Boardwalk and a sbury ave., Sixth-14th St.

Select citywide businesses will be offering special discounts on items throughout the weekend. Visit www. oceancityvacation.com for more information.

Thursday, May 1

Night of 300,000 Meals

▶5:30 p.m.

Community FoodBank of New Jersey, 6735 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Township

This annual event features fine fare, fun spirits and live music, with the goal of raising funds to provide 300,000 meals to South Jersey residents who are food insecure, and to support other

vital programs including nutrition education, product distribution and more. Visit www.cfbnj.org/300kmeals to learn more or purchase tickets.

A Conversation About EHT Outlying Schools

▶7 p.m.

EHT Community Center, 5045 English Creek ave.

Retired teacher and traveling principal Lou Della Barca will lead a discussion of memories for those who attended or worked in the schools. The discussion will also include a short film about the history of the EHT schools. admission is $2 for adults, $1 for students; free admission for GEHTHS members. Hosted by the Greate Egg Harbor Township Historical Society.

Friday, May 2

Martin Z. Mollusk Day

▶11 a.m.

Ninth Street Beach, Ocean City

Will the mollusk see its shadow, or will we see an early summer this year? Come to Ocean City this Friday and find out if summer will arrive early.

Union Hall Arts presents: ‘Art Redux’

▶6 p.m.

2806 atlantic ave., atlantic City

Enjoy this solo arts exhibition featur-

ing the works of pop surrealist and Jersey Shore artist Mike Bell. Best known for his irreverent take on nostalgia, Bell brings a fresh body of work and creative mashups to life. The public is invited to the opening reception this Friday at 6 p.m. The show runs through May 30.

Saturday, May 3

Hamilton Roadside Cleanup

▶8-10 a.m.

Oakcrest High School, 1824 Drive Dennis Foreman Drive Mays Landing

The Hamilton SustainabiliTeam and Oakcrest Science Department will host a roadside cleanup this Saturday. all supplies and snacks will be provided. Volunteers can pre-register by calling 609-625-6311.

Northfield Flea Market ▶9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Northfield Community School, 2000 New Road

If you are seeking amazing bargains and fantastic treasure, this event is for you. Over 35 vendors will be selling clothes, jewelry, books, toys and more.

Ocean City Spring Block Party

▶9 a.m.-5 p.m.

a sbury ave. from Fifth-14th streets

Over 350 crafters, food vendors, music and more will line a sbury avenue for a full day of shopping and festivities.

The event is rain or shine. For more information, call 1-800-BE aCH-NJ. Margate Citywide Yard Sale

▶9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Mark your calendar for a day of bargain hunting and treasure seeking. Dozens of households throughout Margate will participate in the event, selling everything from home décor to furniture, clothing and accessories. you are sure to find something special this Saturday. Visit www.margate-nj.com or call 609-822-5038 to learn more. Rain date: Sunday, May 4.

Hamilton Earth Day Oakfest

▶10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Oakcrest High School, 1824 Dr. Dennis Foreman Drive, Mays Landing

Join the Hamilton SustainabiliTeam and Oakcrest Science Department for their annual event. Enjoy interactive and educational family fun with Smokey Bear, K-9 demos, touch-a-truck, bee demonstrations and strolling entertainment. Check out the local vendors, enjoy a tasty treat, learn more about local green initiatives, participate in free workshops and stop by the re-purpose table. For information, call 609-6256311 or email HTClean@HamiltonatlNJ. gov. ↘Continued on 18

Smithville Kids Day and Scout Showcase

▶10 a.m.-5 p.m.

615 E. Moss Mill Road, Smithville

Join Scouts, friends, family and the public for a unique display of Scouting tradition, games and outdoor programs at this free outdoor event. There will be live demonstrations and exhibits conducted by Scouts of all ages. activities include an archery range, pinewood derby, raingutter regatta, veggie truck, knot station and much more. Hosted by Scouting america Jersey Shore Council. Free Rabies Clinic

▶10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Margate Fire House, 1 S. Washington ave.

The City of Margate is hosting a free rabies clinic to protect local pets. Be sure to mark your calendars for this event and take advantage of this opportunity to ensure your pet is safe and healthy. Visit www.margate-nj.com or call 609-8225038 to learn more.

Heart of Surfing Day

▶2-6 p.m.

The Seed, 801 Baltic ave. atlantic City

Save the date and join The Seed Brewery as they join forces with Heritage Surf and Sport in a special fund-raising event for Heart of Surfing. attendees will enjoy live music by Head High, live raffles, food, surf movies and the release of their new beer Heartswell.

Sunday, May 4

Funny Farm Spring Festival

▶9 a.m.-4 p.m.

6908 Railroad Blvd., Mays Landing

Get ready for a day of family fun for everyone. activities include hay rides, face painting, vendors and crafters, food trucks, raffle baskets galore, music and animal feedings. Laurie Zaleski will be signing books throughout the day. Proceeds benefit Funny Farm Rescue and over 700 rescue animals. Flea Market and Craft Fair in Somers Point

▶9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Somers Point Fire Company No. 1, 447 Bethel Road. Join the fire company for their upcoming flea market and craft fair and find amazing deals. Spaces are $15 for outside space and $20 inside. For more information, call 609-927-7169 or 609-927-3281.

Touch-A-Truck in Linwood

▶11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Linwood Country Club, 500 Shore Road. Bring your kids to this free, funfilled family event. Experience the excitement of seeing fire trucks up close. Climb into the fire trucks, explore police cars and check out all types of cool vehicles. The event is free and open to the public. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Margate Cherry Blossom Festival

▶12-4 p.m.

Margate Community Church, 8900

N. Ventnor ave.

Bask in the warmth of the spring sun, escape hibernation, break out your tie-dye shirts and welcome in the spring season with family and friends. The 3rd a nnual Cherry Blossom Festival will feature kids games and activities, music, tasty treats, wine and beer, arts and crafts. Hosted by the Margate Business a ssociation, alongside Margate Community Church, Sustainable Downbeach and Margate Recreation.

Ocean City Community Wellness Day

▶1-4 p.m.

Ocean City Library and Community Center, 1735 Simpson ave.

The Ocean City Community Wellness alliance kicks off Mental Health awareness Month with a day focused on topics related to your health and wellbeing, with support from the Ocean City Healthy Living advisory Council and OCHS Wellness Team. The event will feature yoga, live music, Reiki demonstrations, blood pressure screenings, smoothies and health snacks, demonstrations and discussions on mental health and wellness topics.

Combined Choir Concert at Stockton

▶7 p.m.

Stockton Performing arts Center, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway Don’t miss Stockton PaC’s season closer as the college’s Choral Program presents its annual concert. This fastpaced evening of music will feature the Stockton Pops, University Chorus and Stockton Oratorio Society. The choirs will present individual and joint performances highlighting a wide range of genres, from Broadway to pop and classical. Purchase tickets at the Stockton Box Office or at www.stockton.edu/pac.

Tuesday, May 6:

Thoughts from the Bookshelf ▶3 p.m.

Margate Library, 8100 atlantic ave.

Join JFS Village for their monthly book club gathering as they discuss the novel ‘The Ladies’ Moonlight Swimming Club’ by Faith Hogan. RSVP by May 2 by emailing Tina Serota at tserota@jfsatlantic.org, or call 609-287-8872. Senior Dance Society

▶7:30-10 p.m.

Somers Point Fire Co. No.1, 447 Bethel Road

Come join in the fun and enjoy an evening of dancing with live musical duos every Tuesday. activities include social dancing, line dancing, dance mixers and more. For more information, contact Sharon at kookiecar@yahoo. com.

Wednesday, May 7

ACAF Spring Arts Mixer

▶5 p.m.

anchor Rock Club, 247 S. New york ave., atlantic City

The atlantic City arts Foundation invites you to support local art on National Mural Day. Immerse yourself in the vibrant local art scene and connect with like-minded people. Festivities will include an art showcase and sale, and sneak peek at this year’s mural restorations. admission is free. Reservations are encouraged. Visit www.atlanticcityartsfoundation.org to sign up.

Somers Point Pinochle Club

▶6-8:30 p.m.

Somers Point Senior Center, 22 N. ambler Road

The Pinochle Club gathers every Wednesday night throughout the year to play. all are welcome to join.

Thursday, May 8

Mother’s Day Open House

▶4-6 p.m.

Maez Wellness, 200 New Road, Linwood

↘Continued on 20

Maez Wellness and Medical Spa is hosting a special Open House. Enjoy an afternoon of wellness, beauty and celebration at their state-of-the-art facility. The event will feature complimentary consultations, swag bags, raffles and Open House specials.

Friday, May 9

Memoir Workshop

▶10:30 a.m.

JFS Village invites you to experience the thrill of capturing life’s adventures, history and ancestry and learn about publishing your work. a laptop or pen and paper is needed for this workshop. The program will be held via Zoom. RSVP by May 7 by emailing Tina Serota at tserota@jfsatlantic.org or call 609287-8872.

Saturday, May 10

Child ID Day

▶10 a.m.-2 p.m.

american Veterans Resource Center, 415 Shore Road, Somers Point

The Somers Point Police Department, NJ aMVETS Post 911 and Knights of Columbus are hosting a Child ID event. a free fingerprinting card will be distributed. Refreshments will be served. Schedule your appointment by calling 609-526-4356. Office hours are Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Saturday, May 17

Jersey Lawman: A Life on the Right Side of Crime

▶7 p.m.

Celebrity Theater at Claridge, 123 S. Indiana ave., atlantic City

During National Law Enforcement Week, a staged reading based on the memoir of former Cape May County Sheriff Jim Plousis will be held for one night only. This ‘pay-what-you-will’ benefit performance will benefit the 200 Club of atlantic and Cape May Counties, and the atlantic City Theatre Company.

Bus Trips

Scott Arboretum and Phillips Mushroom Farm

▶May 20, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Join The Little Gardens Club for a day trip to Scott arboretum and Phillips Mushroom Farm in Chester County, Pa. The bus will depart from Harbor Square Shopping Center, next to Boscov’s, in Egg Harbor Township. Cost is $82 per person. Space is limited. For more information, contact Karen at 609-501-5257, or Deb at 856-285-4876.

Longwood Gardens and Brandywine Art Museum ▶June 14, 8 a.m.

The Ocean City arts Center will host a bus trip to two exciting points of interest in Chester County, Pa. Explore Longwood Gardens, with over 1,100 acres of meadows, gardens and woodlands

and a 4-acre historic conservatory. The Brandywine art Museum is home to a distinguished collection of 20th-century american art, housed in a renovated 19th century mill. Cost is $112 per person and includes all admissions. Call 609-3997628 to reserve your seat.

Health and Wellness

Too Much Stuff

▶Saturday, May 3, 12 p.m.

atlantic Community Wellness Center, 1125 atlantic ave., Suite 617, atlantic City

This twice monthly group is offered to individuals who live with clutter challenges. Strategies, education, support, goal-setting and other related topics will be covered. No cost to participate. or more information, call 609-652-3800 or email jgimbel@mhanj.org.

Depression and Anxiety Group

▶Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m.

atlantic Community Wellness Center, 1125 atlantic ave., Suite 617, atlantic City

This weekly in-person support group is offered to individuals seeking coping strategies, mutual support, self-care, wellness and recovery. Meetings are led by peers who have lived experience. No cost to participate. Offered by the Mental Health a ssociation in atlantic County. For more information, call 609652-3800 or email jgimbel@mhanj.org.

Dementia Support Group

▶Wednesday, May 7, 1:30 p.m.

6009 Paul and Thelma Lane, Mays

Landing. Held on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Call Diane Conover at 609-4026966 for more information. MHA Atlantic Family Meetings

▶Thursday, May 8, 7 p.m.

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

NAMI Family Support and Connection Meeting

▶Monday, May 12, 7-8:30 p.m.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 606 Shore Road, Somers Point. Open to family members, caregivers and loved ones 18+. Participants gain the support of peers who understand their experiences and gain insight into others’ challenges and successes. Visit www.namiacm.org or call 609-741-5125 for more information.

Do you have an upcoming event? Let us know about it! Submit your next event to shorelocalevents@gmail.com.

OCEAN CITY BLOCK PARTY

The South Jersey Transportation a uthority is announcing the first major step in the transition to a ll-Electronic Tolling (a ET) on the atlantic City Expressway, with the installation of the first overhead tolling gantry scheduled for the evening of Thursday, May 1, 2025. Beginning at 7 p.m., crews will begin the offloading process to set up cranes to lift and position the gantry structure over the roadway at milepost 40.1 – 40.3 (between Exits 38 and 41). This complex and carefully coordinated process includes hoisting the gantry into place and securing it onto support columns located on either side of the expressway.

To ensure the safety of both workers and motorists, the NJ State Police will conduct several extended slowdowns for both east and westbound vehicular traffic throughout the night. These slowdowns are expected to cause significant traffic delays, and drivers are urged to plan accordingly, allow extra travel time, and use alternate routes if possible.

The gantry installation is expected to continue through the evening until midnight.

This work is a key milestone in the authority’s move to a more efficient and contactless tolling system, which will improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and enhance safety on the atlantic City Expressway.

Tickets on sale Thursday for 2025 Ocean City Pops shows

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 1 for eight new concerts in the 2025 Ocean City Pops summer season.

The shows will feature the popular Under the Streetlamp ensemble performing the music of Frankie Valli

and the Four Seasons and other doowop, Motown and rock hits (Sept. 6)

and american Idol superstar Lakisha Jones celebrating the great ladies of soul, including Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston (aug. 31).

Tickets are also available for “Star Wars: The Complete Symphonic Saga I-IX” (outdoor show at Carey Stadium on July 2), “Hollywood Blockbusters!” (august 3), “Love, Scandal, and Intrigue: Opera Night at the Pops” (aug. 10), “Rodgers & Hammerstein Extravaganza” (aug. 24), Dueling Pianos (Sept. 3) and Carmina Burana (Sept. 13 at the Hughes Performing arts Center).

With the release of these shows, tickets for the entire 2025 Ocean City Pops season are now on sale. Visit oceancityvacation.com/box-office for more information on how to buy tickets. you can also stop by the City Hall Welcome Center (9th Street entrance at 861 a sbury avenue) during the Spring Block Party on Saturday.

Except where noted, shows start at 7:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Music Pier. The rest of the 2025 season includes:

● June 22: Brian Stokes Mitchell

● June 29:

● July 3 and 4:

● July 6: Good Witch/ Bad Witch

● July 9: Gershwin, Porter, and Kern

— Great american Hit Parade

● July 13: Tony Kishman — Paul Mc-

Cartney Live and Let Die

● July 20: Country Jukebox

● July 27: By the Sea!

● Aug. 5-14: “Footloose” with the Ocean City Theatre Company at the Hughes Performing arts Center

● Aug. 26: Wayne Newton

Ocean City Opening Night Jukebox

Free Patriotic Shows at Carey Stadium

Buzzworthy Books, Events, And More

From best-selling books to workshops, and from online resources to children’s activities, the Ocean City Free Public Library has something for everyone this spring.

Ocean City

Spring Block Party and Martin Z. Mollusk Day Highlight the Weekend

One of Ocean City’s premier events – the Spring Block Party – will return to downtown a sbury avenue from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 3.

But before that, beach lovers will check on the summer forecast. Ocean City’s hermit-crab mascot will seek his shadow in a local version of Groundhog Day at 11 a.m. Friday, May 2, on the beach at Ninth Street. Martin Z. Mollusk has successfully predicted an early summer every year for five decades (sometimes, of course, with the creative use of flashlights by his handlers). Everybody is invited to join the fun as we collectively jump-start the long-awaited arrival of summer.

the early-season promotion by declaring that if Martin sees his shadow, summer will come a week early to Ocean City. Friday’s event will mark the 52nd time that Martin has delivered good news.

Special guest host will be meteorologist “Nor’easter” Nick Pittman. Martin Z. Mollusk will instruct Nor’easter Nick, who had the audacity to name himself after a common coastal storm, on the proper methods of weather forecasting and on the absence of inclement weather in Ocean City. The Cape Shore Chorus Sweet adelines and the String Band Novelties will provide musical accompaniment to the festivities.

The Martin Z. Mollusk Day tradition in Ocean City dates back to 1974, when legendary Ocean City Public

On Saturday, more than 350 crafters, food vendors and entertainers will line a mile of downtown a sbury avenue between Fifth Street and 14th Street for the annual Spring Block Party. The event helps draw tens of thousands of people to Ocean City for a pre-summer weekend of fun.

Entertainers and bands will perform at various spots along the avenue between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Just a few of the perennial favorites the Robert Boney Band (7th Street), Big Daddy (9th Street), Pennsport String Band (13th Street) and Keith Hickman (14th Street). Pony rides for children

www.oceancitylibrary.org 1735 Simpson Ave. | (609) 399-2434

HOURS Mon.-Fri. 9am-9pm Sat. 9am-5pm • Sun. 11am-5pm

CURBSIDE PICKUP Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm Sat. 9am-4pm • Sun. 11am-4pm

Relations Director Mark Soifer created

will be available on the grounds of the Ocean City Tabernacle (at Sixth Street and a sbury avenue) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors including a sbury avenue restaurants will offer food of every variety.

Street parking will be free at all metered spots and downtown parking lots in Ocean City, including at the Transportation Center lot (Ninth Street and Haven avenue) and at the municipal lots on the 700 and 800 blocks of Central avenue. For more information on parking, visit ocnj.us/ parking

The weekend celebration also includes table sales by downtown and boardwalk merchants with discounted merchandise set up between Sixth Street and 14th Street on the boardwalk and a sbury avenue on both Saturday and Sunday.

More May events

in Ocean City

May 10 – Spring Cruisin’ the Boards Car Show: Features a variety of cars from 1990 and newer on display from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Boardwalk from 6th Street to 14th Street. For more information or to register your Roadster, visitcruisintheboards.com or email blinkerfluidproductions@ gmail.com.

Shop local for Small Business Week

Small Business Week starts Sunday, May 4 and runs through Saturday, May 10. That means it is time to shop local and enjoy all that Ocean City boutiques, shops and eateries have to offer. Get ready for discounts, specials and promotions from a host of businesses throughout the island.

May 10 – Ocean City Schools Art Showcase: The Ocean City School District will show off the talents of the community’s young artists at an arts Showcase planned for Saturday, May 10 at the Ocean City Music Pier. admission to the show will be free, and exhibits will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with performances scheduled from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Prints and other art works will be available in exchange for donations to scholarships and arts programs. a reception is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

May 18 – OCNJ Triathlon/ Duathlon: ¼-mile pool swim, 2M Run/16M Bike/2M Run. Plus a kids course 1/8 mile swim, 1m run/8m bike/1m run. Pool Swim 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Run/Bike/Run starts 9 a.m. www.ocnj.us/race-events.

May 23 – Unlocking of the Ocean and Business Persons Plunge: Participants dress in business suits, carry briefcases and march into the ocean to the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” to welcome the new season. Noon at 9th Street Beach.

May 24 – Memorial Beach Challenge for 31 Heroes: The obstacle

course challenge is a soft sand adventure race followed by a kids’ fun run.

Staging at 9th Street Beach. For registration information, visit memorialbeachchallenge. com or call 856-905-0583.

May 26 – Memorial Day Service: 11 a.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Park, between 5th Street and 6th Street on Wesley avenue.

May 27 – National Moment of Remembrance: a mericans, wherever they are at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, pause in an act of national unity for a duration of one minute. The moment of remembrance will take place on the Boardwalk

Registration for summer recreation programs opens May 3

Registration for Ocean City’s popular summer recreation programs for people of all ages opens at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 3.

Information on all 2025 programs and a printable brochure are available now at ocnj.us/summer-recreation-programs. Many of the programs are popular and fill up quickly, so participants are encouraged to take a look at what’s available in advance and be ready to sign up early on May 3.

Online registration will be through

the RecDesk system (ocnj.recdesk. com), and anybody can create an account there to manage program and event registrations, as well as aquatic and Fitness Center memberships. In-person registration will be available at the Ocean City Community Center (1735 Simpson avenue) and the Ocean City Civic Center (Sixth Street and Boardwalk), also starting at 9 a.m. May 3. For more information, call the Ocean City Recreation Department at 609-525-9304.

Pearl Bailey and Louie Bellson: A love story

By Bruce Klauber

It was an unlikely, unique, ahead of its time, and courageous love story, but it was a love story, nonetheless. Pearl Bailey was an internationally beloved entertainer. Louie Bellson was one of the finest drummers in the world of jazz. Pearl was Black. Louie was White. after a four-day courtship in London – after Duke Ellington trombonist Juan Tizol introduced the two, Pearl and Louie married on Nov. 19, 1952.

They were married for 38 years, until Bailey’s death at age 72 in august of 1990.

It wasn’t easy for either of them. Interracial marriages at that time were deemed illegal in many states, to say nothing of the court of public opinion. Because they were both international celebrities, they received hate mail and dozens of death threats through the years. Even Bellson’s father, at the outset, was strongly against the wedding. He wasn’t “in the mood to have a colored granddaughter,” was just one of the things he said at the time. The mothers of the bride and groom, however, were all for it.

Bailey was 34 and Bellson was 28 at the time of their marriage, which took place in London’s historic Caxton Hall. actor Jose Ferrer was

supposed to be the best man, but traffic and bad weather made that impossible.

The reception was held at the upscale Polish Club in Mayfair. among the 50 guests was Bailey’s dear friend, entertainer Cab Calloway, then in the British cast of “Porgy and Bess.”

Just who were Pearl and Louie?

Pearl Bailey, nearly forgotten today, was a superstar in her time. She started out as a singer and a dancer in her adopted hometown of Philadelphia, and appeared frequently in amateur shows in the region. after winning a talent contest at the apollo Theater in New york City, she stayed in the Big apple and decided to pursue a career in entertainment.

Her rise was fast. She worked frequently with bands led by Calloway and Ellington, and often appeared in atlantic City at Club Harlem and the Million Dollar Pier.

She hit the national spotlight by way of her Broadway debut in 1946 in a show called “St. Louis Woman.” From there, she became successful as a recording artist, author, nightclub performer, and star of stage – notably in the all-Black version of “Hello Dolly,” on the big screen and television.

She became increasingly active in Republican politics through the years, and was appointed to the honorary position, “ambassador of Love,” by President Richard Nixon in 1970. In 1988, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

↘Continued on 29

Joan Myers Brown, acclaimed founder of Philadelphia’s modern dance company, Philadanco, worked with Bailey and got to know her well. Myers knew that the pressures of celebrity and being a single, successful, Black woman would get to Bailey from time to time.

“I worked in Pearl’s show as a dancer for two years in the late 1950s,” Brown told me. “I met her when I was dancing at the Club Harlem in atlantic City. She was working on the White side of town and I was working on the Black side of town. after her show, she came to see our show.

She fluctuated. Sometimes she was an SOB and sometimes she was a sweetheart. It was according to how she felt that day. She fired me one day for cursing, believe it or not. The next day, she had the company manager in Philadelphia call me to come back.”

No matter. Louie Bellson had the patience of a saint and he knew, better than most, that it was impossible for anyone who was in the public eye as much as Pearl Bailey was to be sweetness and light 24 hours a day. Upon her passing, Louie was devastated, and could only say publicly, “I lost my best friend.”

He told his long-time friend and colleague, Dave Black, “Dave, this is a

rough one.”

Louie Bellson, born Luigi Paolino alfredo Francesco antonio Balassoni, was one of those rare people in the entertainment industry who was universally loved. Everyone loved Louie and Louie loved everyone.

This is a man who was almost born to be a drummer, as it’s been said he started playing at the age of 3. He won a drum contest sponsored by Gene Krupa when he was 17, beating out 17,000 other contestants. He was soon on his way.

Through the years, he appeared often at the Steel Pier during his tenures with the big bands of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Harry James. But it was with Duke Ellington that he made history, becoming the first White member of the Ellington band in 1951.

cept of the educational “drum clinic.” He loved teaching and loved passing along what he learned from the great drummers in history.

He also made his mark on the drumming world as an innovator, in that he pioneered the use of using two bass drums as a part of the drum set, a setup used by many of today’s rock drummers.

Bellson was also a superb arranger, composer, and educator, and was among the first to introduce the con -

When Pearl and Louie married, he became her musical director, and he served in that capacity on an as-needed basis until her passing.

Pearl and Louis performed in tandem in atlantic City from time to time, notably at the Showboat in 1988, where they shared the bill with Jerry Lewis.

Their 38 years together were busy and happy, and history shows that

Louie and Pearl defied all the odds. years after his wife’s passing, Bellson talked about his late wife to anthony Brown, an interviewer for the Smithsonian Institution’s Jazz Oral History Department.

“Pearl was an extraordinary person, in that everybody loved her,” he told Brown. “I don’t care who it was. If they saw her on television, they felt like holding hands with her to say, ‘We love you.’ They didn’t think about her being Black. They just thought of a person that they loved.”

Happy as they were with their marriage, Bailey and Bellson didn't take long to expand their family. They adopted a boy, Tony, a few years later, and a daughter, DeeDee, born in 1960.

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.

Stroke Awareness Month

One last goodbye: My mother’s story

By Robin Stoloff

Stroke is personal to me. I lost my mom to a stroke in 2021. She had just had surgery to clear a clogged artery in her neck and was looking forward to coming home. When my dad arrived with a cup of coffee and a sandwich in hand, he was stunned to find her unable to lift her arm. She looked at him and said, “Something happened to me.” Nurses and doctors rushed in to help, and that was the last time he spoke to her. They kept her alive on a ventilator so the family could say goodbye. a s she lay surrounded by loved ones, I held her hand and kissed her one final time, tears streaming down my face. It was the worst day of my life.

My mom was a beautiful, warm, and loving woman; a fierce mama

bear who would do anything for her family. But she, like so many americans, was sedentary and overweight. Despite never smoking, she battled throat cancer and survived chemo and radiation. She was also a breast cancer survivor, had emergency gallbladder surgery, and endured a bout of shingles. She was not in peak health, and at age eighty-two, changing lifelong habits felt overwhelming to her. I urged her to take walks and eat a little healthier, but it was an uphill battle. Thinking back on her lifestyle, I wish I pushed harder, but it was not to be.

May is Stroke awareness Month, a time to learn, prepare, and empower ourselves and our loved ones. Every year in the United States, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke, and more than 140,000 die from it, making stroke the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. Worldwide, someone has a stroke every two seconds, and every six seconds, one person dies of a stroke. Those are not just statistics; they represent sons and daughters, parents and friends whose lives are forever changed or

cut short. yet, the most heartbreaking part is that up to 80 percent of strokes could be prevented through lifestyle changes and medical management. We know more than ever about how to prevent strokes, how to spot them fast, and how to treat them before they cause serious damage. That knowledge can help us save lives, including our own.

There’s a critical window in stroke care often called the “golden hour.” During a stroke, roughly 1.9 million brain cells die every minute. That means delayed treatment can lead to irreversible damage in mere minutes. The faster a stroke victim receives medical attention, ideally within the first hour, the greater the chance of minimizing brain injury and maximizing recovery. Clot-busting medications like tPa (tissue plasminogen activator) are most effective when administered within three to four hours of symptoms begin and mechanical thrombectomy devices can physically remove clots if used within six to twenty-four hours under the right conditions. But none of these treatments help unless you reach a hospital immediately. Even with the fastest, most advanced care, as I painfully learned with my mother, a positive outcome isn’t guaranteed. Every minute counts during a stroke. Keep Fa ST in mind:

Remember FAST

● Face drooping: a sk the person to smile. Does one side sag?

● Arm weakness: Can they raise both arms? Does one drift downward?

● Speech difficulty: Is their speech slurred or strange?

● Time to call 911: Even if symptoms subside, dial immediately.

Public education campaigns have shown that by teaching communities Fa ST, we can shave minutes off response times. Those precious minutes mean fewer families facing the heartache and lifelong challenges that follow a severe stroke.

Stroke used to be considered an “older person’s” disease, but rates in younger adults have been rising steadily over the past two decades. High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles are driving this increase—and the good news is that these risk factors are largely within our control. advances in wearable technology now allow us to monitor heart rhythm, blood pressure, and activity levels around the clock. Smart-

watches can detect atrial fibrillation, a leading cause of stroke, prompting users to seek medical evaluation before disaster strikes.

Medical science is also on the move. Mobile stroke units, ambulances equipped with CT scanners and specialized stroke teams, bring hospital-grade diagnostics straight to the patient’s doorstep, cutting treatment times dramatically. New clot retrieval devices allow interventional radiologists to snatch clots from deep within the brain’s vessels, restoring blood flow and improving outcomes even hours after a stroke begins. advance treatment options and knowing the warning signs are crucial—but our strongest defense is preventing a stroke in the first place.

● Know your numbers. Regularly track blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. aim for a blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg, LDL cholesterol under 100 mg/dL, and Hba1c below 7 percent if you have diabetes.

● Move more. Even ten minutes of walking three times a day can lower stroke risk by up to 27 percent.

● Eat smart. a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can reduce hypertension and improve lipid profiles.

● Talk with your doctor. Routine check-ups reveal silent threats like high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation long before symptoms appear.

● Quit smoking. Within two years of quitting, stroke risk drops to nearly that of a non-smoker.

Stroke awareness Month isn’t just another observance. It is a call to action rooted in personal experience and driven by hope. My mother’s story reminds me that every second and every lifestyle choice matters. This May, let’s honor those we’ve lost and protect those we love by staying informed, watching for Fa ST signs, and acting immediately at the first hint of trouble. Together, we can turn awareness into action and save lives, one minute, one heartbeat, one stroke at a time.

Robin is a former television reporter for NBC News 40. She currently hosts a podcast and radio program called Living Well with Robin Stoloff. It airs Sundays at 10 AM on Lite 96.9. You can email Robin at livingwellwithrobin@gmail.com

Historic Smithville represents artists in Artwalk

By Rebecca Oldham

Despite Saturday morning’s rain, artists returned eager and ready to showcase their work this past Sunday, april 27, at Smithville’s bi-annual artwalk. Hosted by Smithville’s own Underground storefront, the event welcomed a turnout of over forty local and non-residential artists. The bi-annual artwalk has been hosted by Underground since its establishment in 2011 and caters towards celebrating all creative forms of art. Vendors are encouraged to apply no matter their artistic background, leading to a wide representation of new and emerging artists.

Dreddful Things was one of the many standout vendors in Sunday afternoon’s crowd. The pair of artists, Cait and Max, specialize in punk rock-inspired printed clothing and jewelry. They curate live

wear for bands and are known for their tailored custom work as well. The couple showed excitement for Smithville’s artwalk, explaining that engaging with other artists and art enthusiasts is important to them.

“Our friends did this event and had nothing but good things to say, so we decided to give it a try,” said Cait. additionally, they said it’s the networking, accessibility and amazing representation that drew them in. The Smithville artwalk hand selects artists to ensure an accurate

representation of all art in the area allowing for a diverse group and welcoming environment.

“The whole thing really lends itself to art,” Cait explained.

“It’s also great to meet people at these events and connect with other artists,” added Max.

Dreddful Things can be found on Instagram @dreddful_things and contacted through Dreddfulthings@ gmail.com.

The representation ranged from traditional painting and pottery to digital and mixed media artworks. The mix of artforms attracted a large crowd, with many shoppers excited

to discover new artists and purchase artwork they connected with. Visitor Zachary Tomlin shared his appreciation for the event, addressing how refreshing it was to see artists still committed to hand-crafted work.

“I like coming to events like this because I enjoy meeting people who still respect and make hand crafted artwork,” said Tomlin. With the rise of aI generated art, it was inspiring for art lovers to browse hand-made work in a lively and creative atmosphere. Many of the artists showcased hand painted portraits, digital and material artistry.

Philadelphia artist april Mansur, owner of Thorn Witch Creations, celebrated her fifteenth Smithville artwalk show. She drove in from Philadelphia with her family to represent her artwork and celebrate artistic passion with like-minded people. Mansur showed enthusiasm about her daughter selling art alongside her at the show and was happy to sell their art together as a family.

“I started with one table on the green and now I do it every year,” explained Mansur, “This is the first year I get to share it with my daughter, so it’s special.”

For many, the artwalk is not just about selling art; it’s about the artists and people behind it. Not only does it create a platform for artists, but also fosters a sense of community, where families can share their passion and connect with visitors of all ages. The artwalk is Smithville’s way of bringing the artistic community together to support and inspire each other.

Ocean city artist Jen Lewis of Twilight Tarot and Illustration expressed her thoughts on Sunday’s event.

“a ll of us artists stick together during these events and it really gives us that sense of community,” she said.

Rebecca Oldham is an emerging journalist and writer located in South Jersey’s Pine Barrens. She enjoys writing about the arts and all things community.

Developer plans to transform former power plant into waterfront community and resort

By Julia Train

A$300 million to $400 million development project is awaiting approvals at the former B.L. England Generating Station site in Beesleys Point, where developers plan to create a sprawling mixed-use community along Route 9 and Great Egg Harbor Bay.

The Beesleys Point Development Group (BPDG) envisions a 180-room bayfront hotel, a 300-seat restaurant, 768 housing units and 80,000 square feet of retail space for the 377-acre property.

a s part of the process, BPDG is seeking an amendment to its redevelopment agreement to include the housing element.

The company submitted an application to the state for a Coastal a rea Facility Review act (C a FR a) permit to develop the property, and the township will receive a formal proposal in May.

Chad Parks, executive vice president of real estate and development for BPDG, said that while the initial

proposal outlines 768 residential units, that number could decrease during the permitting process with the state Department of Environmental Protection and negotiations with the township.

The redevelopment vision extends beyond housing and hospitality.

BPDG’s agreement with the township also includes a marina, waterfront shops, public recreational areas and a nature preserve. Significant portions of the land will be preserved to maintain open space and protect local wildlife.

Chris Wilson and Tim Niedzwiecki, co-founders of BPDG, along with Parks and David Kreutz, director of economic development, have been working toward this goal since purchasing. The site was sold to the developers in September 2021, and the sale was finalized in February 2022.

Following the acquisition, the team spent years demolishing the aging coal-fired plant, which had operated for nearly six decades. The power plant opened in 1961 and ceased operations in 2019.

The group has run three demoli -

tion projects: imploding the cooling tower on Sept. 29, 2022, imploding the boiler units on april 21, 2023, and demolishing the smokestack on Oct. 26, 2023.

Now, Parks said the demolition is complete, and the final closure of the site remediation is waiting on approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Securing environmental permits and approvals for a wastewater treatment plant are among the parallel efforts underway. Parks said timing

is critical as the team hopes to be "grandfathered in" before new state regulations under the New Jersey Protecting a gainst Climate Threats and Resilient Environments and Landscapes (NJPaCT-RE a L) take effect.

If the township committee approves the proposed amendment, the planning board will evaluate whether the plan aligns with the township’s master plan before sending it back for a final approval. Only then will BPDG submit a formal site plan. although the ambitious project is still navigating bureaucratic hurdles, Parks is optimistic.

However, not all elements will move at the same pace. Parks acknowledged that finding a hotel partner may be challenging given the area's seasonal tourist economy. Nevertheless, a hospitality component remains a crucial part of the overall vision.

If all approvals are secured, BPDG hopes to have construction underway by 2026. It’s estimated that the project could take about a decade to complete.

Saturday

Photos credit: John Loreaux Photography

A Senior’s Observations, Opinions and

Rantings

Where does motivation come from?

By Charles P. Eberson Senior Moments

For those of us of advancing age, there is an endless selection of books, magazines, podcasts, youTube channels, etc. available to ostensibly help guide us gracefully through the “Golden years.” Unfortunately, some of the information can be conflicting and suspect, perhaps driven by sponsorship, grants, “likes” or other means of monetizing.

Valuable, credible data on aging is available if you do your due diligence. In addition to gathering such information, I also value the experience of actual face-to-face conversations. While vacationing in a 55-and-over community, I have become friendly with a few septuagenarians, octogenarians and even a couple nonagenarians.

Exposure to these wonderful people is enlightening, encouraging and most importantly, motivating. One of my favorite people is Marty. Marty is around 90, and almost daily enters the pool area with his signature quick walk and exaggerated swinging of the arms.

He greets my wife with a peck on the cheek. I give the Navy veteran a salute, which he returns with a snap to attention. Marty’s schedule is a couple hours of boisterous shuffleboard to which his comment of “very nice” is heard across the pool area. Shuffleboard is followed by a couple of hours of exercising in the pool and soaking in the large outdoor Jacuzzi. I asked him his formula for aging so well. He shrugs and says he keeps moving, and has a shot or two of gin with cranberry juice every night. My takeaway is that I am not drinking nearly enough. He said genetics is also important.

Then there is Herbie. Herbie is a sweet 92 year old. When he heard my wife and I like to do crossword puzzles, Herbie brought a full shopping bag of them to the pool.

Herbie has had more medical procedures than the word count in this column would permit, but he comes to the pool area regularly to swim, socialize, sunbathe and play Cribbage – a card game into which I am trying not to be assimilated.

He recently came out of the pool saying he might have to start taking it a bit easier after he swam the length of the pool without taking a breath. Take a couple breaths, Herbie! Moishe, (Murray) just turned 80. Moishe is an Israeli army veteran and was an international soccer phenom. He can be seen taking a brisk walk every morning, wearing a color-coordinated t-shirt, shorts and baseball hat. Moishe also plays pickleball three times a week with a competitive fervor. He always greets me with a strong handshake and a kiss on the cheek for my wife. Why is everyone kissing my wife?

Going to the gym used to be about building muscle and getting stronger. Now it is about not losing strength

and muscle. I must admit, sometimes I get a bit too comfortable when it comes to being motivated to go to the gym, and getting there can be more difficult than the actual working out. But once I arrive, I see the same people are there on a regular basis, and these people are certainly more compromised than I am.

One man has an artificial leg and the other leg wrapped with an aCE bandage. a woman walks in with a walker and sways from side to side like she is on a rolling ship. She climbs onto a stationary bike and rides it for a half hour.

another man, certainly in advancing years, has sweated through his shirt and is muscled like a braided rope. a similar scenario repeats itself on a regular basis, forcing me to do a little self-reflection.

Where does motivation come from? It is internal, external or a little of both?

I guess it depends on the individual, but when I think of these people who also probably don’t feel much like leaving the comfort of their home, it gives me the added boost I need on some days to join them. all I have left to do now is keep them from kissing my wife.

Charles Eberson has been in the newspaper business for over 25 years. He has worked as a writer, advertising executive, circulation manager and photographer. His photography can be viewed at charles-eberson. fineartamerica.com

Open Thurs, Fri., Sat & Sundays in May

Heart of Surfing Day

Saturday May 3rd from 2pm to 6pm at The Seed Brewery 801 Baltic Ave, Atlantic City

FREE EVENT Live Music by Head High, Raffle Prizes, Food Surf Movies New Beer Release of HEARTSWELL

HEART OF SURFING is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides FREE surfing, skateboarding and more for families touched by Autism and other special needs.

Dead nettle: Love

By Tammy Thornton

If you have been taking care of a yard or garden long enough, you have probably encountered a clump of lamium purpureum. Commonly known as dead nettle, purple dead nettle, or red dead nettle, the morbid names either sound like something that should be avoided or good names for a heavy metal rock band. However, the “dead” moniker refers to the fact that the plant is harmless compared to stinging nettle, which is covered in stinging hairs. True nettles are in a different family than lamium and can give you a stinging, burning rash. you will not forget your encounter with them!

Dead nettle or lamium, however, is harmless, because though it resembles nettle, it lacks the stinging hairs and is not a true nettle. While many people consider purple dead nettle a nuisance weed that must be pulled

or eradicated, others see them as edible plants with medicinal properties. Purple dead nettles are a type of lamium in the mint family, which can give you some insight into the spreading nature of these plants. If you are a gardener who is pulling out your hair over pulling up purple dead nettle, you may want to look at them in a different light. Though they do spread easily, they have a shallow root system, so are easy to dig up and remove if they have grown into an undesirable space. However, purple dead nettle can be a great source of pollen for early pollinators, since they form flowers in early spring when other sources of pollen and nectar are not available. Their tubular pink or purple flowers provide the perfect early food source for long-tongued bees and hummingbirds. In late spring and early summer, as the weather grows hot, purple dead nettle will set seed and die, completing its life cycle. Herbalists sing the praises of this pretty spring-bloomer as a natural remedy for inflammation and digestive issues. Purple dead nettle can be used to make teas and tinctures and can be added to smoothies, soup, stir-fry, or salads. They have an

earthy, aromatic taste which some foragers have compared to the flavor of mushrooms, kale, or spinach.

Purple dead nettles have nutritional value since they contain Vitamins a and C and are a source of iron, calcium, and fiber.

Purple dead nettle is often mistaken for another type of lamium called henbit. They are often found growing beside each other. a s members of the mint family, they both have square stems. While purple dead nettle has fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves, henbit has scalloped, rounded leaves and looks like it is wearing a leaf skirt, ready for a party. Both are cool-season winter annuals that germinate in the fall, bloom in early spring, and die off once they set seed. They both have similar nutritional and medicinal properties, and are both used as a favorite to make a unique pesto.

Isn't it great to know you can eat your way through the weeds in your garden? Next time your kids ask you what’s for dinner, you can stare them straight in the eyes and tell them, “dead nettle”.

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

Dead nettle's tubular pink or purple flowers provide the perfect early food source for longtongued bees and hummingbirds.

Eagles encouraged by draft picks

By David Weinberg

For the 50th consecutive year or so, the Eagles were thrilled with their acquisitions during last week’s NFL Draft.

Just as their predecessors did in the previous decades, general manager Howie Roseman, coach Nick Sirianni and the various assistant coaches and scouts expressed delight over the 10 players they selected. a bout the only difference was their wardrobe. Former Eagles coach andy Reid always celebrated the end of the draft by donning a colorful, Hawaiian shirt, while Sirianni opted for a dark green pullover.

But that’s no reflection on their mood, for they expect the newest Eagles to have a bright, sunny future. On paper and on laptop, the Eagles appeared to fare well. They used

their first five picks to fill the openings in their defense that cropped up in the last few months, starting with alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell with the 31st overall pick.

Campbell, a former South Jersey standout at Timber Creek High School, is expected to challenge Jeremiah Trotter Jr. for playing time at linebacker until Nakobe Dean returns from his knee injury. He then might move over to edge rusher to help make up for the losses of Brandon Graham (retired) and Josh Sweat (signed with arizona).

Second-round pick Drew Mukuba, a safety from Texas, will compete with Sydney Brown for the right to replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson (traded to Texans) in the secondary.

Two other draft picks – Nebraska defensive tackle Ty Robinson (fourth round) and Central Florida cornerback Mac McWilliams (fifth) – should help compensate for the losses of Milton Williams (Patriots) and Darius Slay (Steelers), respectively.

Syracuse passer Kyle McCord replaces Kenny Pickett (Browns) as a

In Today’s Fast Paced Real Estate Market. It Is Even More Important To Choose The Right Agent To Represent You! Over 40 Years of Real Estate Expertise, Knowledge, and Experience to Assist You!

• ABR-Accredited Buyer Representative- Expert Negotiator To Get You The Home That You Want !

• CRS-Certified Residential Specialist-To Optimize The Highest Sales Price For Your Home and Get SOLD Quickly!

• GRI-Graduate Realtor Institute-Continuing Education and Technology Like No Other!

• MRP-Military and Relocation Specialist-Proficient 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.

Your

member of the Eagles’ quarterback factory behind Jalen Hurts. about the only thing they didn’t do was draft a potential replacement for tight end Dallas Goedert.

Most experts thought the Eagles did well, but it’s far too early to tell. It doesn’t make much sense to assign a grade to a player before they even take a test.

Usually, it takes at least two or three seasons, or sometimes longer, before a team can tell whether a player will succeed.

Take the Eagles’ 2016 draft, for instance.

Experts raved about Roseman’s and rookie coach Doug Pederson’s bold move to trade up from No. 8 to No. 2 in the first round to take North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz.

Wentz initially justified the gamble with a solid rookie season and was in the early conversation for MVP in 2017. The stands at Lincoln Financial Field were packed with fans wearing No. 11 jerseys. Seats aboard the “Wentz Wagon” were filled.

Injuries and some questions about his attitude prompted an exit from Philadelphia after five seasons, followed by failed stints with the Colts, Commanders, Rams and Chiefs.

a .J. Brown now wears number 11 in Philly. Wentz was the subject of an april Fools' joke that suggested he had retired from the NFL to become quarterbacks coach at his alma mater.

Four locals headed to NFL Millville High School graduate

LeQuint a llen heads a list of four players from Cape-atlantic League high schools that signed with NFL teams last week.

allen, a standout running back for Syracuse, was drafted in the seventh round by the Jacksonville Jaguars Saturday. He’s the second running back from Millville to be taken by the Jaguars in recent years. Ryquell armstead was Jacksonville’s fifth-round

pick in 2019.

One of a llen’s former Millville teammates, Texas a&M linebacker Solomon DeShields, signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent Saturday. Vineland/Rutgers linebacker Tyreem Powell and St. a ugustine Prep/ auburn nose tackle Isaiah Raikes also signed with the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans as free agents.

They join Titans defensive tackle a bdullah a nderson (a bsegami), Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (Bridgeton), Packers wide receiver Bo Melton (Cedar Creek), Cardinals cornerback Max Melton (Cedar Creek) and Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (Vineland) in the NFL. Veteran defensive tackle austin Johnson (St. augustine Prep) is currently a free agent.

Local boxing update

Smithville heavyweight Bruce Seldon Jr. (6-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated since turning professional 10 months ago with a first-round TKO over Erick Prieto (3-5, 2 KOs), of San antonio, Texas last Saturday in Carteret.

Seldon, son of former WBa heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon, drove Prieto into the ropes and onto the canvas with a barrage of punches. When Prieto got up, referee Eric Dali wisely stopped the bout after 2 minutes, 18 seconds.

another local boxer, Pleasantville super-lightweight Julio Sanchez III (11), suffered his first loss by dropping a four-round, split decision to Las Vegas’ Stephen Barbee (1-4).

Boxing returns to the area on May 10 when R&B Promotions president alex Barbosa brings a card to Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

On May 31, Millville super-middleweight Thomas LaManna (39-5-1, 18 KOs) takes on former two-division world champion Jermall Charlo (330, 22 KOs) at Michelob Ultra arena in Las Vegas.

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.

Top draft pick Jihaad Cambell.

Lucy the Elephant 1881

First Gasoline Powered Car 1889

First Airplane flight 1903

First Philadelphia Phillies Game 1883

Entertainment & Dining at the Shore

Top Weekly Entertainment Picks

By Steffen Klenk

There’s so much happening in South Jersey this weekend. We’re turning a pril showers into May flowers with a celebration of Cherry Blossoms in Margate, the annual Spring Block Party in Ocean City and a benefit to rescue animals in Mays Landing. Plus, we have your scoop on where to watch the Derby and pro wrestlers take over atlantic City.

What : Ocean City Spring Block Party

Where: Downtown a sbury ave.

When : Saturday, May 3

Time: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Website: www.oceancityvacation.

com

The first Saturday of May can mean only one thing: the Spring Block Party is back. More than 350 crafters, food trucks, businesses and nonprofits,

will line a sbury avenue from Fifth to 14th streets. Enjoy an unbeatable day of shopping, grab some food and enjoy incredible discounts.

What : Kentucky Derby Celebration

Where: The VUE Rooftop Bar

When : Saturday, May 3

Time: 3 p.m.

Website: www.claridge.com

Gather your friends and join a Kentucky Derby celebration that promises to be second to none. The afternoon will be filled with Southern charm and bold flavors. Catch the race live on The VUE’s rooftop screens while indulging in craft cocktails, breathtaking views of the beach

and Boardwalk and the vibrant energy of Derby Day. Stylish Derby attire is highly encouraged.

What : Cardinal’s 2nd anniversary and Kentucky Derby Watch Party

Where: Cardinal Restaurant

When : Saturday, May 3

Time: 4-8 p.m.

Website: www.cardinal-ac.com

Celebrate two years of Cardinal and the thrilling excitement of Derby Day with a special Patio Party this Saturday. Southern-inspired cocktails will be served up with classic Derby Day fare, inspired by Chef Brennan’s Charleston background. Guests are welcome to dress in their Derby best. Prizes will be awarded. Plus, enjoy lawn games, a photo booth and plenty of cheering as the Run for the Roses takes place.

What : Brit Floyd

Where: Hard Rock Live at Etess arena

When : Saturday, May 3

Time: 8 p.m.

Website: casino.hardrock.com/atlantic-city

Brit Floyd returns to the stage with one of their most spectacular productions, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s classic album, “Wish you Were Here.” The show will come complete with a dazzling laser light show, circular screen, inflatables and theatrics.

What : aEW Presents: Collision

Where: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall

When : Saturday, May 3

Time: 7 p.m.

Website: www.boardwalkhall.com

all Elite Wrestling comes to atlantic City for an unforgettable night of action. aEW: Collision will feature some of the top professional wrestlers from

across the country as they showcase feats of athleticism with captivating storylines. See the action live inside the adrian Phillips Theater this weekend.

What : Funny Farm Spring Fest

Where: Funny Farm Rescue & Sanctuary

When : Sunday, May 4

Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Website: www.funnyfarmrescue.org

Over 700 rescue animals are waiting to greet you this Sunday. This fundraising event is one of the largest in South Jersey. Take a wagon ride around the farm, enjoy stellar tunes by the South 557 Band, visit the crafters, enjoy some food and take in the festival vibes all day.

What : Margate Cherry Blossom Festival

Where: Ventnor and Thurlow ave.

When : Sunday, May 4

Time: 12-4 p.m.

Website: www.margatehasmore.com

Break out your tie-dye shirts and soak in the warmth of spring as the Margate Business a ssociation hosts its 3rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

This event will feature fun-filled activities. The Dead Reckoning will take the stage, playing classics from the Grateful Dead and Bob Weir-inspired tunes. There will be plenty of food to satisfy all taste buds, including a selection of drinks. Check out the crafters and vendors on site and participate in a Tai Chi demonstration.

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

Cielo

HAPPY HOUR

AEW Collides at Boardwalk Hall with Jersey girl Purrazzo

By Scott Cronick

Wrestling, for me, brings back such nostalgic, happy times in my youth.

When I was a teen, I worked for the Catholic youth Center in Scranton, Pa., where we held a WWF card once a month or so. I have so many stories, but it was nothing for me to get towels for my wrestling idols Don Muraco and Rowdy Roddy Piper, or get yelled at by the rude but legendary andre the Giant. Side note: I own a pair of awesome andre the Giant socks.

Perhaps my favorite story is when former WWF champ Bob Backlund asked if I could take him and George “The animal” Steel bowling on the lanes that were downstairs. I obliged, of course, made them soft pretzels (in the microwave), and took score while they both showed some impressive skills on the lanes.

So, while wrestling isn’t as important to me as it once was, I still enjoy it occasionally, including recently watching WWE’s Wrestlemania.

Deonna Purrazzo took her childhood affinity for wrestling and never lost the passion for it. a nd wrestling fans — whether casual like me or devoted lifers — will get to see her and a slew of muscular, dynamic, talented wrestlers square off 7 p.m. Saturday at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in atlantic City as all Elite Wrestling: Collision arrives for a

night of family fun.

For those not in the know, the aEW is big and getting bigger every day. The entertainment company was founded in 2019 by Tony Khan, who is also the face of the Jacksonville, Fla.-based company much like Vince McMahon was for the WWE for decades.

Since its inception, the aEW has

featured big names including former WWE champ Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega and Matt and Nick Jackson, who are also co-founders. The aEW is available in 220 territories in 50 languages worldwide with an estimated value of $2 billion. In other words, the aEW is no longer considered an independent start-up; it’s a major competitor of the WWE and is the second largest wrestling company in the world with major talent that has wrestled for it, including CM Punk Chris Jericho, Toni Storm and Sting. and Deonna Purrazzo. a Jersey girl, Purrazzo was born in Livingston in a close Italian family, including a twin brother, Dominic. She went to wrestling school right out of high school and quickly climbed in popularity and success, eventually wrestling for TN a , Ring of Honor, Japanese Promoter World Wonder Ring Stardom, TNa — later named Impact Wrestling — and the WWE. She has held several championships during her career, but since joining them in 2022, she has still not put an aEW belt around her waist … something she hopes to rectify sooner than later, whether as a solo wrestler or part of The Vendetta, a tag team with Taya Valkyrie that has become one of aEW’s star teams.

She is known as "The Virtuosa," a nickname she chose to reflect her technical abilities in the ring while also showing off her femininity and elegance.

↘Continued on 44

But through and through, she’s a Jersey girl. When asked what her dream walk-on music would be, she didn’t hesitate: “The theme song from ‘The Sopranos!’” she said immediately, referring to “Woke Up This Morning” by alabama 3. “Hands down, yes!”

Through her career, she has not only won championships, but tons of acclaim. She was named Wrestler of the year in the East Coast Wrestling a ssociation in 2016, a year which she also won Match of the year; ESPN ranked her No. 25 in the Top 30 Best Pro Wrestlers Under 30 in 2023; Wrestler of the year in 2020 by Impact Wrestling; and Women of Honors Wrestler of the year in 2017 for Ring of Honor, which is now owned by aEW; and ranked No. 3 and 7 Top Women Wrestlers by Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

In this interview, Purrazzo talks about her career, what’s it like returning home to Jersey, being married to a fellow wrestler — Steve Maclin from TNa — and what you can expect at Boardwalk Hall on Saturday night.

Q: So what’s it going to be like returning to your home state when you come to Atlantic City?

A: I grew up a little bit more north, so atlantic City is a bit of a trip, but I am hoping some friends and family can make it and there to cheer me on. It’s been incredible. Coming to aEW has been a definite goal of mine, and what’s so interesting is when I joined last January, we were able to have my debut in New Jersey and was able to have my parents, my in-laws and my husband there … all in the front row cheering me on. So, it always feels like a bit of a homecoming no matter where we are in the state.

Q: So, who will you battle on Saturday?

A: I don’t know as of now, so I feel like we are both going to be surprised. It’s different week to week. Sometimes we know in advance (who we are fighting), and sometimes we don’t, but that’s the nature of the industry and figuring it out as we go on that day. Our entire roster is filled with such great challengers, so it doesn’t really matter who you are going to be across from. We are confident we are going to put on a great show no matter what.

Q: A lot of people grow up dreaming they are going to be a firefighter or police officer, but you dreamed of being a wrestler?

A: For me, my dream was to be a professional wrestler. I was 9 years old when I told (my parents) I wanted to be a wrestler one day, and I think they thought I would maybe grow out of that. I never did. I started wrestling the minute I got out of high school at 18 years old. This is all I ever wanted to do.

Q: And your parents supported you?

A: Oh my God, absolutely! My mom always supported the dream. She sat and watched wrestling with me and really got into it like I did growing up. It took my dad a little longer. It wasn’t until he actually came to a Ring of Honor at Hammerstein Ballroom in New york City and saw me wrestle live for the first time in a Ring of Honor environment in a big arena, and he was like, “Wow! I think I get it now.” and he has come to every event that has been in the northeast since. He was at aEW at the Prudential Center (in Newark) last January when I debuted for aEW, and he came to the back after my segment and he said, “I think I’m a wrestling fan now!” So, he definitely got into it.

Live in Touch with Your Soul

URSA ALCHEMY is a unique blend of Astrology, Aromatherapy and Cosmic Guidance co-created with the Cosmos, Plants and Spirit.

Offering Astrological Aromatherapy, a variety of Astrology readings, Aromatherapy consults and products, the Becoming Chiron podcast, downloadable classes and guided meditations.

Ursula is the author of The Cosmic Connection weekly horoscopes and astrology summaries featured here in Shore Local Newsmagazine!

Q: Is it hard for them to watch you in action?

A: My mom and mother-in-law definitely still cringe when they see me or my husband wrestle. They are not fully used to it. and they want to know … “How do I know you are going to be OK? Can you give us a wink or something when you are out there, so we know?” I am like, “No, just enjoy it.” So, it’s harder for them, but this year has been 13 years, so they are slowly adjusting.

Q: What’s it like being married to a fellow wrestler?

A: It works out really well for us because our schedules are different, and because we both wrestle, we understand each other’s lifestyles. My husband is prior military, so his parents are used to him getting roughed up and traveling and things like that. So, it has been a continuous lifestyle for him and his family

Q: What’s it like now that you are successful compared to those early days starting out and struggling to get noticed?

A: When I was younger — from 18 to my early 20s — I would have a goal in mind and that was solely focused on making myself a successful professional wrestler. Now that I have done that and competed at such a high level for so many years, I am able to sit back and enjoy the ride a little

bit more and enjoy the journey and be able to take myself out of wrestling a little bit and have other interests and hobbies. So, I think that’s been a really important part of my life the past few years.

Q: And that includes going back to school?

A: I went back to school (and

graduated with a Bachelor’s of arts Degree in History at Southern New Hampshire University), and I am now working on my master’s degree. It was definitely something I always wanted to do.

I graduated high school and went right into wrestling school at 18. I was also at the time trying to

go to community college part time and working part time to afford to be able to wrestle. and, at 20 years old I had to give up something, and unfortunately for me, that was school because I thought I could always go back but I only had a short time to

CIRCLE LIQUOR STORE

Its Rose Season!

make it successfully in professional wrestling, especially as a woman.

So, back in 2020 during the pandemic, I had more time to dedicate to something else, and I chose to go to school then. It took 3½ years to get my Bachelor’s in History. Now that I am with aEW, they actually encourage you to continue your education and have programs in place for us for tuition reimbursement and things like that, so I thought it would be a great time to go and get my Master’s, so I started that program three semesters ago at Liberty University.

I wanted to prove it to myself, but I know that I can’t wrestle forever –

none of us can — so what does my family’s life look like when I am done wrestling? So, having a Bachelor’s and soon hopefully a Master’s … all that will come into play for my post wrestling life. I am not quite sure yet what that is. I haven’t pinpointed it yet. I loved teaching. Before wrestling took off, I was a preschool teacher for about 3½ years, and I loved that so much. So, it might be teaching. I would love to teach history to middle school students or with a Master’s, I can teach online …

So, my next favorite match might be me winning the aEW Women’s World Championship.

Q: You also wrestled in Japan, right?

something like that would definitely interest me.

Q: Will we see The Vendetta tag team this weekend?

A: There are so many women that have come up in Japan the last few years, and it’s almost 10 years since I was in Japan. a match that sticks out to me was against (Japanese wrestler) Mayu Iwatani (for the WOH Championship), so I would love to have a rematch.

Q; What’s it like having Tony Khan as a boss and leader?

A: Like I said, we are not sure yet, but there is always a possibility you will see The Vendetta. We are always looking to collect and let people know what we are all about.

Q: What has it been like with the AEW?

A: I think as our company continues to grow, more eyes are being brought to our product, and that’s what it’s all about. I will continue to get people out and come see our show and make lifelong fans of professional wrestling, and aEW’s existence goes against established norms in professional wrestling, and we always like to push the envelope and find new, creative ways to get wrestling into the mainstream. and having a platform like HBO Max (which aEW recently signed a contract with) will do that for us.

Q: Have your family and friends gotten used to you being battered, bloody and bruised?

A: My finishing move in wrestling is more technical and is called the Venus de Milo, which is a version of the Fujiwara armbar where I basically take both of your arms and tie them behind your back and force you to quit. I prefer not to have to handle the weapons, but when I have to — and I had to last summer against Thunder Rosa — I do. I was in a Texas bull rope match, which means that we are tied wrist to wrist with a cowbell in the middle of this really long bull rope. That was definitely painful and bloody, and I am glad none of my family watched it because that was one of the most dangerous things I have done in aEW so far.

A: I think working with him is so special because he has this genuine passion and is a lifelong wrestling fan and wants to be involved in the creative process and wants his talent to be happy and fulfilled. So, when we are excited about something, he is equally excited about it, and his energy is so contagious it makes us want to do well and perform well for him and to continue to get that reaction from him. It’s really contagious.

Q: What should we expect next from Deonna Purrazzo?

A: I have yet to win a championship in aEW, so that’s next on my list! I have recently just been announced for the Ring of Honor Women’s Pure Championship Tournament, and we are going to crown an inaugural Pure Women’s Champion, and I think that championship was made for Deonna Purrazzo, and that is next on my bucket list to accomplish. The entire field has not been announced, but I know my partner — my little sister Taya Valkyrie — will be in that tournament, so it’s really interesting to see if she stands in my way.

For now, I am so excited to come home to New Jersey and hope to see everyone there!

AEW: Collision takes place 7 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Tickets start at $60. Go to BoardwalkHall. com or Ticketmaster.com.

Q: Do you have any other favorite matches?

A: I really enjoyed my matches with Toni Storm. I wrestled her last year at Revolution for the aEW Women’s World Championship. It was my first aEW Pay Per View, and it was Sting’s retirement Pay Per View, so it was a really great environment to do it. and I want to remind people that Toni Storm did tap out with that Venus de Milo, and I never got a rematch.

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

Live & Local Music Calendar

Thursday, May 1

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub

Open Mic

7 p.m.

5 N. Shore Rd.

Atlantic City

Bar One at Resorts

Karaoke w/ DJ Joe

8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1133 Boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

DJ Dahve

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

Kristen & The Noise

7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Somers Point Caroline’s by the Bay

Danny Eyer

4 – 7 p.m.

Karaoke Night w/ Mike Dempsey

8:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

450 Bay ave.

Crab Trap Doug Jennings

6 – 9 p.m.

2 Broadway

Gregory’s

Kim & Nate

6 p.m.

900 Shore Rd.

Josie Kelly’s

Toni Teschner + Billy Walton

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Friday, May 2

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub

DJ Will

9 p.m.

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

allie & Tim

6 p.m.

Priceless

10 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock yani

5 – 8:30 p.m.

Garden State Radio

9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk

The Wave at Golden Nugget Inca: Santana Tribute

9 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

Villain and Saint at Ocean Casino

Laura Lea & Trip Fabulous

Atlantic City

5 N. Shore Rd.

Anchor Rock Club

Friends of Jerry: Tribute to the Grateful Dead

8 p.m.

247 S. New york ave.

Bar One at Resorts

Glenn Roberts

6 – 9 p.m.

DJ Chaz

9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

1133 Boardwalk

Council Oak at Hard Rock

Luke Carolos O’Reilly Trio

6 – 10 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Hard Rock Café

Dueling Pianos

8:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

Sky City Social

7 p.m.

audio Riot

10 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

8:30 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

Brigantine

LaScala’s Beach House

Sidestory Duo

6 – 9 p.m.

1400 Ocean ave.

Egg Harbor Township

The Roost Pub & Grill

Steve and Joe from Motts Creek Pickers

6:30 p.m.

500 St. andrews Dr.

Galloway

279 Social Lenahan Duo

7 – 10 p.m.

279 S. New york Rd.

Millville

Levoy Theatre

2U: The World’s 2nd Best U2 Show

7 p.m.

126-130 N. High St.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Bar None Band

8 p.m.

450 Bay ave.

Crab Trap

Joe Staffieri Duo

6 – 9 p.m.

2 Broadway

Josie Kelly’s

Tom Brett

8 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Saturday, May 3

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub

Barbara Lin Band

8 p.m.

5 N. Shore Rd.

Atlantic City

Anchor Rock Club

Grunge Tribute w/ Lounge act, Oceans, and Jar of Flies

7:30 p.m.

247 S. New york ave.

Bar One at Resorts

Killer B’s

6 – 9 p.m.

DJ Gary

9 p.m. – 2 a.m.

1133 Boardwalk

Council Oak Lounge at Hard Rock

ESQ Trio

6 – 10 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Hard Rock Café

Dueling Pianos

8:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

Lisa Bouchelle Duo

7 p.m.

Usual Suspects

10 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Twisted Livin’

5 p.m.

Big Bang Baby

10 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

The audio Files

5 – 8:30 p.m.

3 aM Tokyo

9:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Villain and Saint at Ocean Casino

Brandon Ireland Band

8:30 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

Galloway

279 Social Brendan Marro Duo

8 – 10 p.m.

279 S. New york Rd.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Doug Jennings. 4 – 7 p.m.

The Rooftop Dogz. 8 p.m. – 12 a.m.

450 Bay ave.

Crab Trap

Joe Staffieri Duo

6 – 9 p.m.

2 Broadway

Josie Kelly’s Fish & Whistle Bluegrass Band

5 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Tuckerton

The Lizzie Rose Music Room

Kinderhook

7:30 p.m.

217 E. Main St.

Sunday, May 4

Absecon

Reddog’s Hi Point Pub

Troy David 4:30 p.m.

5 N. Shore Rd.

The Brandon Ireland Band will perform at Ocean Casino's Villain and Saint on Saturday, May 3. Photo credit: The Brandon Ireland Band Facebook

Atlantic City

Anchor Rock Club

Joseph arthur w/ 1adam12

7 p.m.

247 S. New york ave.

Bar One at Resorts

DJ Eric and DJ Proud

3 p.m. – 12 a.m.

1133 Boardwalk

Nola’s Bar at Ocean Casino

Dueling Pianos

8 p.m.

500 Boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

3 aM Tokyo Duo

7 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Porch

4 – 7:30 p.m.

Sean Patrick & The alibis

8:30 – 11:30 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Egg Harbor City

Renault Winery

Hawkins Road

12 – 4 p.m.

72 N. Bremen ave.

Galloway

279 Social

Nancy Malcun

12 – 3 p.m.

279 S. New york Rd.

Margate

Cherry Blossom Festival

Dead Reckoning

12 – 4 p.m.

8900 Ventnor ave.

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

The Turtle Heads

3 – 7 p.m.

450 Bay ave.

Crab Trap

Lew London & Bob Mower

6 – 9 p.m.

2 Broadway

Josie Kelly’s

Traditional Irish Session

1 – 4 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Monday, May 5

Atlantic City

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget Red

7 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Cat 5

7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay Trivia Night with DJ Bill

7 – 9 p.m.

450 Bay ave.

Tuesday, May 6

Atlantic City

Bar One at Resorts

Brittany Lynn’s Cabaret

5 – 8 p.m. 1133 Boardwalk

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Patty & Bugzy

8 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Dane anthony Band

7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Somers Point

Caroline’s by the Bay

Music Bingo hosted by DJ Chris

John

7 – 9 p.m.

450 Bay ave.

Josie Kelly’s

DJ Special K

5 – 9 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Wednesday, May 7

Atlantic City

Rush Lounge at Golden Nugget

Michael Stevens

8 p.m.

600 Huron ave.

The Lobby Bar at Hard Rock

Billy Walton Band

7 – 11 p.m.

1000 Boardwalk

Margate Bocca

Jazz Night w/ 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

7:30 – 11:30 p.m.

450 Bay ave.

Crab Trap

Joe Staffieri Duo

6 – 9 p.m.

2 Broadway

Josie Kelly’s

Jimmy Brogan

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

908 Shore Rd.

Events subject to change.

The Dead Reckoning will be entertaining crowds once again at Margate's Cherry Blossom Festival. Photo by Steffen Klenk

16 Beers on Tap including 4 Seasonals

Entrees, Burgers, Sandwiches, Wraps, Soups, Nachos, Tacos and Fries.

MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH

Reservations are suggested (609) 927-3553 Adults $44.99 Kids $19.99

Dessert Fantasy * Assorted Breads Donuts, Pastries * Fruit Salad *

* Assorted Breakfast Meats * Italian Salad * Potato Salad * Egg Salad * Pasta Salad * Mixed Greens Salad * Caesar Salad * Antipasto * * Assorted Cheese & Cracker Platter * * Homemade French Toast * Homemade Pancakes * Eggs & Omelettes to Order *Tater Tots * Cream Chip Beef * Scrambled Eggs *

Our World - Famous Wings & Tenders

Sliced Roasted Turkey, Sliced Spiral Ham, Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Marsala, Mac & Cheese, Hot Roast Beef, Hot Roast Pork, Pasta Ala Vodka, Clams Casino, Meatballs, Mouthwatering Raw Bar with U-Peel Shrimp, Clams & Oysters on the ½ Shell Scallops Wrapped in Bacon, Shrimp & Scallop Scampi, Crab Fingers, Crabmeat, Much Much More!!

Coffee Tea * Apple, Grapefruit, Orange, Pineapple & Tomato Juices Try a Delicious Mimosa, Fresh Squeezed Orange & Grapefruit Crush, or the Best Bloody Mary in Town!

SAVORY DINNER SPECIALs 4pm til Midnight! Includes a Complimentary glass of Champagne for Mom! (She deserves it!)

Joseph Arthur, 1adam12 to perform at Anchor Rock Club Sunday

Tune In, Turn On

With

Doug Deutsch

Joseph a rthur is an a merican singer who’s also recognized for his skills as a painter. arthur, who will be performing solo with 1adam12 at anchor Rock Club 7 p.m. Sunday, May 4, was first spotted by rock legends Lou Reed and Peter Gabriel in 1996.

He’s at the origin of several bands including The Lonely a stronauts, Fistful Mercy (which he founded with Ben Harper) and RNDM, formed with Pearl Jam bassist Jeff ament in 2012. arthur’s song, “In the Sun” was covered by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe and Chris Martin (Coldplay), as well as by Peter Gabriel.

Here’s an interview we recently did with arthur.

DD: What’s behind the song, ‘Will

Rise Again,’ that you wrote for the people who suffered through the LA Fires?

Ja : My old publisher, Rob Boses, asked me to write that song. He came up with the idea of writing something to help the L a Fires. With an idea like that, there’s sort of an automatic resistance to it, as it can seem opportunistic. When he first suggested I do it, I resisted, but then I thought, ‘hey, why not try.’ Same thing when I did the Lou Reed tribute album. I had a strong inner resistance and then it came out great. So I thought, ‘okay let’s just try,’ and the song came out effortlessly.

DD: How does your solo show, which you’ll be playing at the Anchor, differ from when you perform with your full band?

Ja : With my solo show I do some -

thing I actually pioneered in the mid’90s: sampling myself live looping

onstage. I used drum pads and keyboards and my voice to create orchestration, so there’s a lot of improvisation. When I’m playing solo, I’m free to go in any direction I want. There’s more of a sense of freedom when I’m playing solo.

DD: You were the first artist signed to Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. How did you and he connect?

Ja : I was the first a merican-based artist signed to (Real World Records). I was working at a guitar shop in atlanta, Georgia, and was a member of the 12-step community, you could say. I made demo tapes of the acoustic songs I wrote. The first tape I made I gave to a friend in one of the 12-step groups, interestingly, who had no music business connections. He ended up giving it

Joseph Arthur will perform at Anchor Rock Club Sunday, May 4, with 1adam12. Photo by Andre’ Reis

DD: Can you discuss your involvement with World Central Kitchen?

Ja : That was the organization that Rob Boses, the music publisher, decided to go with to help with the L a Fires. It turns out you picked the location you wanted the funds to go to, and it seemed like a great organization to contribute to and to use for the proceeds of ‘We Will Rise a gain.’

Joseph

Atlantic City Headliners

Saturday, May 3

Brit Floyd

▶8 p.m.

Friday, May 30

Lynyrd Skynyrd

▶9 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess arena

Friday, May 9

Kelly Clarkson

▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess arena

Saturday, May 10

Kelly Clarkson

▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess arena

Friday, May 16

The 80’s Rock Tour

▶9 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Chris Tucker

▶9 p.m.

Tropicana Showroom

Saturday, May 17

Kane Brown

▶7 p.m.

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall

Jess Hilarious

▶8 p.m.

Harrah’s atlantic City

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Saturday, May 31

An Evening with Heart

▶8 p.m.

Hard Rock Live at Etess arena

On Sale This Week

Erykah Badu

▶Sunday, June 15

Hard Rock Live at Etess arena

Damian Jr. Gong Marley & Stephen Marley

▶Saturday, July 26

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Colin Jost

▶Saturday, august 2

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

LIVE & Collective Soul w/ Our

Lady Peace

▶Saturday, august 30

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Get the Led Out

Friday, May 23

▶Friday, Sept. 12

Yachty By Nature

▶9 p.m.

The Music Box at Borgata

Sound Waves at Hard Rock

The Fray

▶Saturday, Sept. 27

Saturday, May 24

Alice Cooper

▶8 p.m.

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars

Martin Amini

▶Saturday, Sept. 20

The Music Box at Borgata

Sunday, May 25

Dead Zep

▶8 p.m.

Celebrity Theater at the Claridge

David Arquette with a screening of Scream

▶Friday, Oct. 10

Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino

Tickets on sale Friday, Apr. 25, 10 a.m.

Wine and wine cocktails for Derby Day

Drink Up!

By David Setley

The 151st Kentucky Derby, the “Run for the Roses,” will take place at Churchill Downs for 10 furlongs (1.25 miles) in what may very well be the most exciting two minutes in sports. By 7 p.m. EST, we will know this year’s champion. Last year’s winner was Mystik Dan. Will this year’s winner go on to win the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, becoming the 14th horse to win the Triple Crown? The last horse to win it was Justify in 2018. Only time will tell! For now, join me in making plans for the beverage(s) that will be enjoyed while watching the race.

Consider making this Derby Day the “Run for the Rosés!” Rosé wine is in full bloom in the spring. Fill your ice bucket with a bouquet of rosés and

let your guests sample wines from around the world. a sparkling rosé, like the Brilla Prosecco Rosé from Italy, or the Gruet Sparkling Rosé from New Mexico, is a great choice. Or, choose an international selection of rosé wines, like the avaline Rosé, or the Lionel Osmin-Cie La Vie En Rosé from France, the Ganeta Rosé from Spain, the Catena Rosé from argentina, the Santa Maria aragosta Rosato, the Tokoeka Estate Pink Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, the Brilla! Pinot Grigio Rosato from Italy, or the very cool McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé. Have your guests select their favorite for the win.

Though my beverage of choice is typically wine, Derby Day also calls for a cocktail. What’s a wine guy to do? Wine cocktails! Surely most of you are familiar with a mimosa, perhaps the most famous wine cocktail made by mixing orange juice with Champagne. But let’s explore some other options. a Bellini is a winebased cocktail made with one part peach puree and two parts Prosecco. I found a delicious variation called a

↘Continued on 56

Blood Peach Bellini, made by mixing one ounce of peach puree (or nectar), half an ounce of Campari, and half an ounce of grenadine and then topping it with four ounces of sparkling wine. Given that the Belini originates in Venice, Italy, my recommendation is to go with a Prosecco, such as the Brilla Prosecco. This very reasonably priced wine is nicely dry with plenty of bubbles that are perfect for this cocktail. a s a bonus, the bottle is beautiful, adding even more pizzazz to your festivities.

of sparkling wine. We honored Italy with Prosecco in the Bellini and Spain with Cava in the Sangria. For this French 75, it is time for Champagne! Charles De Cazanove Brut is a fabulous Champagne that will not break the bank.

Make a pitcher of Sparkling Red Sangria that will please everyone. Core and slice any variety of apple that you like, and wash and quarter an orange. Place both fruits into a pitcher and add one-fourth a cup of orange liquor, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau, and onefourth a cup of apple juice. Then, add an entire 750-milliliter bottle of dry red wine. It is said that Sangria originated in the Iberian Peninsula of Spain and Portugal. a s such, I recommend reaching for a bottle from one of these two countries. a great Spanish option is the Bodegas Breca Breca Garnacha from Spain. This 100% Garnacha wine is dry and has rich berry flavors with smooth tannins and a lingering finish. Or, from the a lentejo region of Portugal, reach for the Monte da Ravasqueira Encantado Red Tinto. This wine is incredibly well-balanced and has the bold flavor of dark fruit with a touch of spice. Of course, any good red wine will do. Finally, top off the pitcher with a sparkling wine to your level of effervescence and taste. My recommendation is The Cune Cava from Catalonia, Spain. This Cava is very dry with persistent bubbles that give outstanding life to this Sangria. Hopefully, you used a glass pitcher, as this wine-based cocktail will be a pleasure to the eyes as well as the palate.

For one last wine cocktail, I’m staying close to the Derby Day tradition. a s many as 120,000 mint juleps are served during Derby weekend, according to my research, making it the most popular drink associated with the event. To make a wine cocktail version, I urge you to try the Hugo Spritz. I became quite familiar with this one in Italy a few years back. The Hugo uses St. Germain Elderflower liquor. add half an ounce of St.

For a cocktail from France, I highly recommend the French 75. Legend says the French 75 cocktail originated in Paris around World War I. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add half an ounce of simple syrup, half an ounce of lemon juice, and one ounce of dry gin. Shake until well blended and pour into a Champagne flute or wine glass. Top it off with your choice

Germain and a sprig of fresh mint to your wine glass and gently muddle to release the essence of the mint. add ice, four ounces of Prosecco, and one ounce of club soda. Garnish it with another mint sprig and a wheel of lemon, lime, or both. These are very refreshing and are a minty variation on the traditional Derby Day cocktail. another of my favorite Prosecco wines for you to try with the Hugo Spritz is the Naonis Prosecco from the Veneto wine region of Italy. I hope you enjoyed these wine and wine-based cocktail suggestions. Whether you watch the Derby or not, I believe you will find making these cocktails easy, fun, and delicious. a s always, contact me with any questions at dsetley@passionvines.com, or stop into the Somers Point store. Until next time, Happy Derby Day and happy wining!

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

Saturday, May 3 Sunday, May 4 Saturday, May 10

Learn how to knit a hydrangea pin for Mom on Saturday, May 10. Instructors on hand and materials provided! 11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM

Students’ artwork chosen to be displayed at Atlantic City International Airport

Two seniors in Stockton University’s Visual a rts program were recently selected out of dozens of entries to display their artwork in the atlantic City International a irport terminal.

Evan Carr, of Bloomfield, and Laura Randall, of Galloway, submitted their proposals to a mural competition that the airport hosted as part of their course “Design for Community Partners” with Professor of art Hannah Ueno. The artwork was unveiled in a ceremony at the airport on april 25.

“We are honored to partner with these students to bring their visions into our terminal, transforming our airport into not just a place of departure and arrival, but a place of expression and connection,” said Stephen Dougherty, executive director for the South Jersey Transportation authority, which operates and manages the airport.

from her professor, friends and family. During the process, she was able to have meaningful moments with travelers, with some children making the same face as the boy in the mural when they came across her artwork.

“all of this has been mind-blowing,” Randall said. “Painting this took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I had a lot of help, and it was really cool seeing it all build piece by piece and come together at the end.”

The theme of the murals is “The Future of aviation.”

Carr’s mural is titled “It’s all Up from Here” and features brightly colored, familiar aviation symbols. In designing his first mural, he was intentional in making the piece feel inviting.

“Travel can be stressful sometimes,” Carr said. “It is my hope that this mural can brighten up the space and bring joy to a good deal of passengers and travelers who see it.”

Randall’s mural takes inspiration from the future generation of pilots and engineers in the aviation industry. Her piece – titled “The aviators of Tomorrow” – features a young boy wearing a pilot’s cap as he looks out of a plane window bursting with color and sparkles.

The process of painting the mural took the student artist around 30 hours to complete, along with help

When Ian Marshall, dean of Stockton’s School of a rts and Humanities, first heard about the mural competition, he was “thrilled” at the idea of a talented student in the Visual arts program receiving recognition for their work. When two winners from Stockton were announced, he was extremely gracious yet unsurprised, referencing how the program has grown over the years.

“We are attracting talented students from across our region and state, who study printmaking, sculpture, graphic design, illustration and photography. Evan and Laura are excellent examples of the quality of students we have,” Marshall said. “Now, travelers from across the country and the world will get a sense of the good work being done at Stockton as they enjoy the beautiful artwork on display.”

according to Ueno, the students’ participation in this competition helps show them that art “has a place beyond the studio.”

“a public art project like this mural art experience challenges students to think conceptually to fit the venue, learn to collaborate with others and do creative problem-solving while overseeing the process from the be -

ginning to the end,” Ueno said.

“It is also important for the student artists/designers to understand that there were many stages and people who have helped in order to bring a project to the finish line,” continued Ueno, thanking various individuals from the airport, Stockton and alpha Graphics for supporting the student artists.

Due to the art world’s constant evolution, Carr wasn’t specific about his future aspirations, but he wants to serve his local community and bring

various artistic visions to life.

“It’s a satisfying moment when you are able to provide a client or friend with the satisfaction of their idea becoming a reality,” Carr said of working with the airport on this project. “What started as a vague theme of envisioning the future of aviation is now a fully realized mural on their walls, looking to brighten the days of travelers from all over. I hope to encounter more endeavors like this in my future.”

Photo credit: Lizzie Nealis

Stockton University senior Evan Carr, of Bloomfield, stands next to his mural titled ‘It’s All Up From Here,’ which was recently installed at the Atlantic City International Airport terminal.

Stephen Dougherty, executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which operates and manages Atlantic City International Airport, talks with Stockton University senior Evan Carr, of Bloomfield, and his artwork ‘It’s All Up From Here.’

Stockton University senior Laura Randall, of Galloway, with her mural titled ‘The Aviators of Tomorrow.’

New Cape May Court House play space where imagination runs wild

Family Tides

By Madison Russ

From fighting fires to running a beauty salon, kids can let their imag-

inations run wild at a newly opened indoor play space in Cape May Court House.

adventure Nook, which opened in april, features interactive, themed playhouses designed to spark creativity and exploration.

Co-owner Jeff Wallace, a longtime local business owner, spent years working with children as a coach and running a mobile enrichment program business. Recognizing the

need for more spaces that encourage imaginative play, he teamed up with co-owner Rachael Fulford to create the nearly 2,000-square-foot venue.

“What I recognized in my experience with kids over the past 20 years is that there is a lack of focus on engaging their creative little mindsets,” said Wallace. “I wanted to create a safe venue where we could foster the type of imaginative and creative growth that I believe is pertinent, par-

ticularly at an early childhood age.”

The venue includes a seating area and party space along with ice cream, a variety of snacks and even coldbrew coffee for sale.

The play space, designed to resemble a miniature village, features several immersive areas: a theater where kids can dress up and put on shows, a construction zone with a ride-on excavator and tools, a safari playground with Jumparoos and a rock climbing boulder with a cave, a post office, a beauty salon, an animal hospital, a barnyard with rideable horses, a supermarket, café and more. Wallace said they also have more features in the works.

Wallace, who hand-built all the structures, said one unique aspect is the ability to switch up the layout and activities to keep the play space fresh and engaging.

“I conceptualized and built them from scratch. One of the things I did is that they’re interchangeable, and I can change the buildings around and stuff like that, so when holidays come around, we can become a Candy Land village or a little haunted house — whatever we want to do that is interchangeable, so it never gets stagnant or old,” he explained.

Wallace said he and Fulford, both parents themselves, designed the space with children and parents in mind, making sure it’s both manageable and secure to put parents at ease.

“One of the things I stress about as a parent going to larger places is ‘Where’s my kid? Where’s my kid? and who's around?’” he said, explaining that adventure Nook is contained in a way that parents can always see where their child is.

↘Continued on 62

“It’s a very clean, well-kept space. It’s contained. The parents are relaxed when they're here, and they appreciate that. They can sit and have a cup of coffee while their child plays and sort of set their mind at ease while the kids are having fun,” he said. “We disinfect every toy in here two times a day, literally. It’s a labor of love, to say the least.”

Wallace credits Fulford with fine-tuning the intricate details that

bring each playhouse to life, such as realistic-looking food in the supermarket and medical gadgets in the animal hospital.

Those touches allow children to fully immerse themselves, and he said it's not unusual for a child to spend an hour or more in just one play area.

“We could just build some buildings and throw a couple of things in and sit at the front and let kids come play, but what fun is that? The need is deeper than that, and that’s what we recognized. So, we’re really honing in on all the details,” he said. “To engage the children on a deeper level, to induce that sort of high-level dynamic and creativity that we’re looking for, you really need to hone in on the details and give them a ton of options within every one option.”

the imaginations of a wide range of ages.

“My main goal here is to allow kids to be kids in a safe environment where parents feel comfortable, and that’s kind of what you can expect when you come here: an area that will keep your child engaged for hours on end,” he said.

While little ones will enjoy the wide variety of toys at adventure Nook, Wallace said the “sweet spot” is children between 2 and 8 years old, though the space is designed to capture

adventure Nook is open seven days a week. admission is $20 per child, with discounts for each additional child. Caregivers are free.

For more information and current operating hours, visit a dventure

Nook’s website at adventurenookplay.com or follow them on Instagram at adventurenooknj.

Madison Russ is an awardwinning journalist, copy editor and adjunct professor of communication based in Atlantic County. An Ocean City native, Madison is passionate about telling stories that matter to locals, often spotlighting nonprofits and exploring the area's vibrant arts scene.

Adventure Nook is a new indoor open play space in Cape May Court House. Photos courtesy of Jeff Wallace

The MBC a Foundation awarded more than $30,000 in scholarships to future area college students along with teacher grants — about 20 in total — at the MBC a Foundation annual Spring Scholarship Luncheon at Resorts Casino Hotel on Monday, april 28.

The atlantic City-based organization, whose mission statement is to make atlantic City a better place to live, work and visit through beautification projects while also awarding scholarships to students, was founded nearly 35 years ago by Gary Hill and John Schultz and has awarded

well over $400,000 over the years to students and teachers.

“We are so thrilled to once again help the students, who will one day be the future of atlantic City and atlantic County, as well as the teachers who are already making an impact in our community,” said MBCa Co-Executive Director Gary Hill. “The scholarship dollars we award increase every year thanks to our awesome scholarship sponsors who make this a reality.”

The event, headed by Scholarship Chairman Chris Mularz, of atlantic Cape Community College Foundation, and Scholarship Chair Emeritus

alex Marino, of Stockton University, honored Dr. Philip Guenther, Superintendent of atlantic County Special Services and Vocational School Districts, with the MBCa’s first Legacy in Education award. The keynote address was delivered by State Department of Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer.

Scholarship Sponsors included the Epicurean Society of Southern New Jersey, atlantiCare, Stage Trip, Glenn Insurance, Inc.,accent aesthetics, The Mariana & anthony Galinu Memorial Scholarship, Martin Wilson arts Music Foundation Scholarship, The Jingoli Scholarship, Mosaic (formerly Seashore Gardens Foundation), as well as new scholarships this year from atlantic Cape Community College, Chelsea EDC, Midtown atlantic City CDC and Cooper Levenson at-

torneys at Law.

The MBC a’s next event is its annual Summer Mixer at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino atlantic City on Thursday, aug. 7.

For more information on the MBCa Foundation and all its events, email Co-Executive Director Scott Cronick at scronick@comcast.net or go to MBCaNJ.com

Photos by Nick Valinote

Dr. Phil Guenther addresses the crowd at the MBCA Spring Scholarship Luncheon.

From left, MBCA Scholarship Chair Chris Mularz, Co-Executive Director Scott Cronick, Dr. Phil Guenther, Kevin Dehmer, Co-Executive Director Gary Hill and Scholarship Chair Emeritus Alex Marino at the MBCA Scholarship Luncheon.

State Department of Education Kevin Dehmer motivates students at the MBCA Scholarship Luncheon.

Are pet insurance plans worth it?

By Heidi Clayton

Ireceived an email asking if pet insurance on dogs was worth it and if I could recommend a company. In my opinion, pet insurance is worth every penny. Rushing your dog during a crisis to the emergency room for injuries like a broken leg or an intestinal obstruction is stressful enough. additional worries about paying the bill can be lessened with the correct insurance policy.

I have had insurance on my dogs for over 10 years. When I first enrolled, there were few options to select from. I chose Nationwide, because they offered a policy through the Bull Terrier Club that I belonged to. This is not an endorsement for Nationwide, but I am most familiar with them, and, at the time, they were one of maybe three companies that offered insurance policies for dogs.

Nowadays, there are dozens of pet insurance companies to choose from. Picking one can seem overwhelming, but here are a few tips to help narrow the field.

The first place I would start is how reliable the company is and who underwrites the policies. you want to select a financially solvent insurance company that will not go under, resulting in having to seek insurance elsewhere, which may result in previous health issues becoming preexisting conditions.

Next, pick what exactly you want from the policy. I have health and wellness, plus accident/injury coverage. Most insurance companies offer accident or illness coverage, accident only, and health and wellness. accidents include torn aCLs, broken bones, or, as a client discovered, a puncture to the eyeball from a stick that resulted in emergency eye surgery. Illnesses like diabetes, cancer or the common bouts of pancreatitis are covered. Make sure, before you enroll with any company, that you understand their conditions for illnesses and read the fine print on preexisting conditions and what they consider to be genetic diseases. For example, hip dysplasia is commonly

accepted as being a genetic fault, and the very costly surgery may not be covered by some companies. a s always, even if you are getting a mixed breed doodle dog, you should always insist on seeing proof from the breeder that the parents were tested for genetic diseases like dysplasia prior to breeding. Health and wellness plans can cover the routine care of going to the vet for shots, medications for upset stomachs, and even spaying/neutering. Before selecting a policy, make sure to read what health and wellness mean to each company. Sometimes, routine dental care is not covered. your premium may also be based on the age of your dog and may increase as your dog ages. Some people opt to drop illness/injury or health and wellness as their dogs age due to high monthly premiums. Read up on how the company you want to use raises their premiums.

There are a few companies that will pay the vet clinic directly instead of you needing to seek reimbursement. I researched switching to one and found that the premiums for

these companies, considering the number of dogs I was looking to insure, were higher than I wanted to spend each month. If you only have one dog, these companies may work best for you. However, you would also have to make sure that the clinic you are visiting accepts these plans before being able to benefit from them. If the emergency room you are visiting does not participate in that specific insurance company's payment plans, you will have to seek reimbursement.

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

May 3rd

When stressed investors say this time is different

By Eric Reich

This is the phrase that makes me cringe more than any other one. The reason is that investors truly believe it to be true, and I know that it absolutely is not. The phrase is a reflection that implies the belief of why the stock market is behaving the way it is, and the belief that, unlike the countless other times the stock market dropped, the reason that it happened this time is going to make it somehow a permanent decline.

Let’s back up to the beginning of the United States stock market in 1792 (the Dutch have had one since 1602) with the signing of the Buttonwood a greement in front of 68 Wall Street, hence the name. That’s 233 years of track record to back up why I know that “this time” is certainly no different than any other normal market decline. Ironically, the first “crash” happened that year. It was followed by another in 1819, then 1837, 1857, 1884, 1893, 1896, 1901, 1907 (which ultimately resulted in the creation of the Federal Reserve), 1929 (which led to the Great Depression) where the stock market fell 90% before finally recovering in 1932, 1937, 1962 (Kennedy), 1973 (Oil Crisis), 1987 (Black Monday) which saw a 22.6% drop in a single day, 1989, 2000-2001 (Dot-Com Crash), 2008 (Financial

Crisis), 2010 Flash crash, and 2020 Covid-19 crash. Today, we have elevated volatility, which has resulted in a mere -6% year-to-date decline as of this writing. Wow, that’s a lot of crashes! a s you can see, they all happened for a number of very different reasons. I can imagine investors saying after each crash, “ yeah, but this time it’s different!”

Now after all of those crashes, and many notable declines I omitted, the stock market has still managed to return 8.6% net of inflation during all of that time. That translates to over 10% per year compounded growth before inflation. Over all of those years, there has never been any rolling 20-year time period where the market was negative, not once.

to grow. Stop trying to guess the market's next move, because nobody can. The markets will ebb and flow, but ultimately, they have always won. Based on 233 years of data, they will continue to do so. and no, this time is not different.

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.

Today, we like to believe that this president or that president is the cause of all of our problems. The reality is that it is statistically irrelevant which party is in office as it relates to the stock market over the course of time. The markets are so much bigger than any politician, contrary to popular belief, and this one won’t be any different in time.

If you want to know how to “win” at investing, then invest as much as you can in low-cost, well-diversified investments, and turn off the news media that is biased toward one party or another. Believing that a political party matters as it relates to the stock market is a sucker bet. What matters is the amount you invest and the length of time you leave it there

Postcards From The Past

Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINR a /SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra a dvisory Services, LLC (Kestra a S), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Reich a sset Management, LLC is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra a S. The opinions expressed in this

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

The B-29 Bar on the Blackhorse Pike in Egg Harbor Township was named after the bomber plane in World War II. A smaller airplane "crashed" and remained on the roof in this photo, circa 1950.

SHORE FUNNY

Murphy's Lesser-Known Laws

He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

If you lined up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them, five or six at a time, on a hill, in the fog

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.

BRAINTEASERS

1. A girl stands on one side of a river, her dog on the other. She calls her dog, who immediately crosses the river without getting wet and without using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?

2. A boy left home running. He ran a ways and then turned left, ran the same distance and turned left again, ran the same distance and turned left again. When he got home, there were two masked men. Who were they?

3. A lady pushes her car to a hotel and tells the owner she’s bankrupt. Why?

4. A man was walking in the rain. He came home all wet, but not a single hair on his head was wet. Why is that?

5. February. It has fewer nights.

4. The man was bald.

5. During which month do people sleep the least? Answers

3. She’s playing Monopoly.

2. The catcher and the umpire.

1. The river was frozen.

SUDOKU

ACROSS

1. College cadet program

5. Comedian Schumer

8. Not square

11. October birthstone

12. Dueling weapon

13. Flambé

15. Capital of a zerbaijan

16. Rugged rock

17. actress Vergara

18. *What many chicks are doing in spring

20. "Me and Bobby McGee" singer-songwriter

21. *What the weather does in spring across the U.S.

22. Make a seam

23. Old name for 5-iron in golf

26. Facing

30. 20s dispenser

31. Bodily fluids

34. Steak choice

35. Dungeness and snow, e.g.

37. "Chapter" in history

38. african antelope

39. Republic of Ireland

40. Made a feline sound

42. 34th U.S. President

43. Knock-at-the-door onomatopoeia

45. ____ the Great, king of Persia

47. Give it a go

48. Fraternity K

50. Dr Pepper, e.g.

52. *The Beach Boys: "Spring ____, good vibration"

55. Member of Nahuatl people

56. #23 across, e.g.

57. articulated

59. Salary increase

60. Umbilical connection

61. Volcano in Sicily

62. Robinson or Doubtfire

63. Bajillion years

64. One-horse carriage

DOWN

1. What highwaymen do

2. Moonfish

3. Bangladeshi currency

4. Type of purse

5. *Simon & Garfunkel: "____, come she will"

6. Wealth

7. Safecracker

8. High quality sound reproduction, for short

9. *Purple flower that starts blooming in spring

10. Fairytale insomnia cause

12. Like repeating tunnel sound

13. Off kilter

14. *"Spring ____, fall back"

19. Spring mattress filler

22. acronym in a bottle

23. Ceremonial staff bearer

24. Skylit lobbies

25. "Designing Women" star Jean

26. *Become soft, as in ground

27. Radices, sing.

28. "Way 2 Sexy" rapper

29. "Battle of the ____" movie

32. Swimming competition, e.g.

33. Not amateur

36. *The ____: "Little darlin', it's been a long, cold, lonely winter"

38. Highly skilled

40. *Official start of spring

41. Make bigger

44. Vanish without this?

46. Elevates

48. Dry plateau in South africa

49. Oak nut

50. Same as tsar

51. "The Dock of the Bay" singer

52. Joe Biden, once

53. Solemn promise

54. Pinta and Santa Maria companion

55. Vegas bandit's body part

58. *It gets longer

See Solution on Page 74

THEME: SPRING'S IN THE AIR

Considering owning a second home?

Real Estate Matters

By Elisa Jo Eagan

For many americans, the dream of homeownership doesn’t stop at just one home; it encompasses a second home as well.

according to National a ssociation of Realtors statistics, the percentage of homes that currently are used as a second or a vacation home has risen considerably in the last few years since the pandemic. In fact, part of this trend has been caused by the availability of the work-from-home policies, making more frequent and long-lasting vacations a possibility for many families. If you have been considering purchasing a second home, you will want to keep in mind the financial and logistical implications so you can get the most benefits from the experience.

A few things you should know

Choosing the location of a second home

Many times, people fall in love with a vacation spot and impulsively decide to set up house in a second home in that area. However, this may or may not be the best place to purchase your second home. Here are some things to consider before you decide whether to buy in your favorite getaway location, or whether to spend that money on a long-term rental there instead.

1. How frequently will you be able to use the property? If the property is too far away or inconvenient to access, then you may find that it is logistically difficult to set aside time to travel there, meaning that you will use it far less than you expect.

2. How will a second home cut into your other travel? If your idea of vacation bliss is fairly consistent, a second home may be a good option. If you like variety, however, you may find that a vacation home becomes a bit ho-hum after a few years.

3. Will a second home work well for your family long-term? If your children are fairly young, will they still

want to go to this vacation home in five years? Ten years? Will changes in your family create changes in the desirability of this destination?

4. How will you manage the property? Is there reliable property management in the area, or will you find yourself constantly traveling to the home to take care of the property or make repairs and check up on its condition?

5. Can you withstand the financial impact of a second home? are you saving adequately for your retirement or for emergencies? Do you have significant credit card debt? Do you have significant equity built up in your primary home? Make sure that you are on a sound financial footing before you take on the expense of an additional home.

6. Is the second home part of a long-term plan? Will you eventually retire there or allow one of your children to live there? This may make a difference in terms of practicality.

7. Have you explored home prices, appreciation and amenities in the area to ensure that this property and neighborhood is the right fit for you?

Financing a second home

Financing a second home may be as simple as financing your first home. you may obtain a conventional mortgage just as you would for a primary residence. However, be aware that most lenders generally see a second home as a riskier proposition than a primary residence, so you will probably pay a little higher interest rate, a larger down payment, and the credit and income requirements may be more stringent.

If you don’t want to take out a brand-new mortgage, you may want to consider the following strategies:

Home equity loan

Today’s record high equity levels and current interest rates may make a home equity loan a good option for financing your vacation home. By tapping into your home’s equity, you may be able to afford a second home while keeping your current monthly payment affordable.

Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

If you would prefer to keep your current home loan, you can apply to open a home equity line of credit to fund your vacation home in full or to fund the down payment for its purchase. This offers you the added benefit of HELOC funds that may be used for other purposes, including

updates and upgrades to your primary residence as needed.

Affording a second home

If you are thinking about how to pay for that second home, you may decide to rent it out for part of the year in order to offset some of its cost. If you have applied for a new mortgage, however, this may turn your second home into an investment property, or an airbnb, creating significant changes to the financing and to the tax structure.

One alternative is to purchase your second home as a joint venture with family members or friends. If you decide to go this route, you will want to ensure that you have everything spelled out in a legally binding written agreement in place, covering the ground rules for the shared use of the home, as well as contingencies in the case of death, divorce, or desire on the part of either party to opt out of the home’s use and financing. While it may feel uncomfortable to have these conversations, they can save you significant heartache and money in the future. By spelling out the rights and responsibilities ahead of time, you will make sure that everyone goes into the transaction with eyes wide open.

Tax implications of a second home

For the purposes of the mortgage application, a second home cannot be used as an investment property. For the purposes of taxes, there is an allowance of a few days of rental each year. Talk with your tax advisor about how you plan to use the home and the impact on your overall tax liability and deductions. If your second home is in another state, ask about how property ownership in that state will affect your tax burden as well.

With proper research and choosing the right property for you and your family’s needs, hopefully your second vacation home will reap many years of enjoyment and financial rewards for you and your loved ones.

Happy Kentucky Derby Weekend everyone! Get outside and enjoy the spring weather, wear your favorite hat and may the best horse win!

With hugs, love and warm regards.

Boardwalk Tram Tours

legacy of Atlantic City

Anew chapter in a tlantic City tourism began Wednesday, a pril 30, with the official launch of Boardwalk Tram Tours’ signature immersive experience. The occasion was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on the Boardwalk at the Stockton University campus, attended by city and county leaders, including atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, a ssemblyman Don Guardian, and other community stakeholders.

Boardwalk Tram Tours reimagines the classic tram ride with a luxury twist. The new attraction offers a narrated journey through the heart and history of atlantic City, weaving cultural storytelling with curated stops that showcase the city's vibrant past, dynamic present, and exciting future.

Founded by local personality and atlantic City advocate Mike “aC Mike”

Guests are treated to a comfortable ride paired with engaging narration and historic insights, highlighting landmarks and sharing untold stories of the resort town’s iconic legacy. The experience is designed to appeal to both first-time visitors and longtime residents looking to see atlantic City from a fresh perspective.

More information is available at boardwalktours.com.

Lopez, along with owner Tim Boland,

The Cosmic Connection with

Astrology, by definition, is the study of time and light. It is an art that has been utilized by humanity for millennia to provide a better understanding of how the cosmos affects life on Earth. One’s personal horoscope, also known as a birth chart or natal chart, is a snapshot of

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Weekly Horoscopes

the sun, moon, planets and more at the moment of one’s birth (date, time and location). This snapshot holds many keys to one’s characteristics and can be considered one’s map and lesson plan for life! Everything in the cosmos continues moving beyond the moment of your birth and influences your life in various, cyclical ways. These cycles, according to the rhythm of the sun, moon, planets, stars, seasons and even at specific ages, can influence your life and possibly your attitude towards life. The weekly horoscopes provided here in Shore Local Newsmagazine are based on your rising sign. These horoscopes are intended to provide insight based on these rhythms and the cosmic connection to your lived experience. So much is written in the stars! It is my intention that these entries will assist you in deciphering what is encoded within you.

Rising Sign Horoscopes for May 1-7

♈ Aries: The reins are finally loosened, and the creative force within you can flow more freely. a s forward momentum builds, always remember the relationship between your goals and your purpose.

♉ Taurus: The ties to anyone, anywhere and anything weighing you down have been severed. a s the new root of your being stabilizes, hold the vision of your future self as attaining everything you desire already.

♊ Gemini: Words can cut like a knife and be your sword and shield. New strategies take practice to become encoded within you. Creative, positive affirmations can position you closer to the goalpost.

♋ Cancer: your confidence and self-esteem have been tested. a s a naturally sensitive person, confronting emotions was part of the process. Repressed energy needs movement; check in with your body.

♌ Leo: Being ruled by the sun, the myriads of lessons have been all about your personal power. at this point in the journey, if you haven’t yet realized how powerful you are, dig deeper into what’s blocking you.

♍ Virgo: you’ve been shown parts of yourself that may have previously been hidden. a s the unconscious becomes more conscious, support the connection with intention and devotion to self-inquiry.

♎ Libra: The qualities you seek in others are also qualities you seek within yourself. a s the canvas of new hopes, dreams and goals dries, an accountability partner could be helpful.

♏ Scorpio: Changes in work, especially when a comfort zone is rattled, require an adjustment period. Unintentionally keeping one foot in that old chapter extends the period. Clear your mind of the clinging noise.

♐ Sagittarius: Life can sometimes feel like being transported to a foreign land without a map. The adventure is in creating your own map through experience. your future self will thank you for the personal growth achieved along the way.

♑ Capricorn: It’s been a passionate journey of meeting yourself with intimacy and vulnerability. Moving forward, fully embracing newfound self-acceptance requires less attention to what others think.

♒ Aquarius: Presence in the moments of life’s journey keeps you centered. However, there are times

when the destination is as important. Where and with whom are you going?

♓ Pisces: Time meditating on and reevaluating your daily life and creativity is well spent. a s this phase ends, there may still be questions and uncertainty. you already have the answers you seek.

Weekly astrology summary:

This week, we will clear the final integration hurdle of the Mars retrograde chapter that began back on Dec. 6, 2024. a nother part of our personal hero’s journey is behind us, and we can reflect on all the battles, the initiations, the challenges and how we’ve met the warrior’s heart within ourselves. Courageous perspectives on how we’ve healed ourselves along the way will also come to light. We will begin to review the beginning of the brand new, freshly written personal and collective transformation chapter as potent Pluto slowly starts returning to the early degrees of aquarius. See the above horoscope for your rising sign for more specific information. If you’re unsure what your rising sign is, you can learn more in my info/tutorial video on my Ursa alchemy youTube channel or cast your own birth chart for free on astro.com.

Ursula Duffy is a Professional Astrologer, Certified Aromatherapist and founder of Ursa Alchemy. Find her astrology readings and astrological aromatherapy services, teachings, podcast, get in touch and more at www.ursaalchemy.com or ursaalchemy@gmail.com.

Ursula Duffy