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T E L L T H E M Y O U S A W I T I N T H E H E R A L D
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — Mayor-elect Peter E. Donoghue has called for the resignation of Borough Clerk David Palamara before the end of the year.Donoghue said Palamara is an extreme Republican partisan and the incoming Democratic administration has no confidence in his ability to perform his job in an even-handed manner. "The people spoke clearly in the Nov. 4th election," Donoghue said. "They want major changes at Borough Hall and one of the changes they want right away is a new borough clerk." The incoming mayor also said there are major doubts about Palamara's ability to do his job effectively. He cited examples of late and unbalanced minutes, regular tardiness, failure to communicate with the borough administrator and the unauthorized seeking of a paid, part-time administrator's job with the Atlantic Highlands-Highlands Regional Sewerage Authority. On Wednesday, Dec. 17, Palamara's was appointed as the top executive of the regional sewerage authority effective Jan. 1, despite objections voiced by Donoghue, Councilwoman-elect Stephanie Ladiana and others. Following the appointment, Donoghue told the authority its action was a "slap in the face to the newly elected Council, the borough administrator and the voters of Atlantic Highlands." Donoghue revealed that he and Ladiana had called for Palamara to resign as borough clerk in a face-to-face meeting on Nov. 21. Palamara is a former Republican councilman appointed as borough clerk by the Republican Council majority four years ago. "The residents of Atlantic Highlands expect the borough clerk to be fair and balanced and someone who will help their elected officials work for the betterment of the town," Donoghue said. "His history tells us they can't realistically expect that from Dave Palamara." Donoghue said he can't understand why anyone would want to stay on where he isn't wanted. "I honestly think Dave Palamara's departure would be the best thing for both the borough and Dave Palamara," Donoghue said. "There would be no advantage to anyone to have this issue hanging over either party for an extended period." Three Democrats elected Nov. 4, Donoghue, Ladiana and Councilman-elect Carl J. Nolan, will join Democratic Councilman Charles Niles on Jan. 1 to end 16 years of Republican majorities. ../news/2003/1225/ah_remove_clerk.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE 
by ALLAN DEAN ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — Mayor-elect Peter E. Donoghue is calling for the resignation of AH Borough Clerk David Palamara. He claims that David Palamara is an extreme Republican partisan."The people spoke clearly in the Nov. 4th election," Donoghue said in a press release. "They want major changes at Borough Hall and one of the changes they want right away is a new borough clerk." Palamara, however, is tenured and says he has no intention of resigning.
Donoghue will name Democrat ex-Councilman Dwayne Harris to a newly created position of Deputy Clerk. The salary range for the new position is still being discussed, according to the Mayor-elect. Mr. Harris will take over the duties of Registrar Lois Young, who is retiring after 20 years. Mrs. Young says she distributes about 50 marriage licenses a year, in addition to cat and dog licenses, among her duties as the Registrar/insurance Coordinator at a salary of $35,977/yr. The salary range for the position is $21,000-$36,000 She will be staying on, for a month or so, to handle the task of training a new insurance coordinator, a human resource position in the borough government. Democrat Municipal Chairman Joseph Hawley will be named to the board of the Atlantic Highlands - Highlands Regional Sewerage Authority. The seat pays a stipend of about $1800 per year. Hawley has railed against Palamara's appointment to head the regional sewerage authority in a weekly column in the Courier newspaper. Palamara, who has served on the board since 1988, recently resigned his seat to take the part-time (8-10 hrs/wk) position of executive director of the Authority, upon the retirement of Edgar Braun. The position will pay about $7000 per year. Hawley said the hiring process was flawed and the position should have been more widely advertised. Mr. Palamara withdrew his application letter in November and resubmitted it in December. There were four other applicants for the position but the board voted 5-1 to hire Mr. Palamara at the December 17, 2003 Authority meeting. After some shuffling of the open seats resulting from Palamara's resignation from the board, Dr. Edward Cetron, was named to complete the two months remaining in the term of Michael Rybeck, who was named to Palamara's seat which expires in 2008. Mayor-elect Donoghue will replace Cetron, a democrat, by naming Joseph Hawley to the board on January 1, 2004 at the reorganization meeting of the Borough. Mayor-elect Donoghue called for Palamara's resignation as Borough Clerk in a press release that stated, "Palamara is an extreme Republican partisan and the incoming Democratic administration has no confidence in his ability to perform his job in an even-handed manner." In a phone interview Tuesday, the Mayor-elect was asked if he thought the appointment of Mr. Harris as Deputy Clerk would be viewed as too partisan. Mr. Donoghue said, "Palamara has a track record as politically partisan." Asked to cite an example, Donoghue said, "No, I think I let the statement stand on its own. People who know him will know what I mean." The press release notes, "The incoming mayor also said there are major doubts about Palamara's ability to do his job effectively. He cited examples of late and unbalanced minutes, regular tardiness, failure to communicate with the borough administrator and the unauthorized seeking of a paid, part-time administrator's job with the Atlantic Highlands-Highlands Regional Sewerage Authority." When asked this week if it was necessary for the Borough Clerk to get authorization to seek a part-time job, Borough Administrator John Phair said , "In the strictest sense, no. But there is such a thing as common courtesy." Mr. Phair, a former Republican councilman, serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council. He will be kept on as Administrator in the Donoghue administration. Democrat Councilman Charles F. Niles II said in an interview Tuesday that Palamara "is fair in some things and slightly biased in other things." Niles, who has been on the council since Palamara's appointment in 2000, said that he and former Councilman Arthur Weimer had commented in the past about the failure of meeting minutes to reflect some of the things the democrats on council had to say during the meetings. "Those complaints fell on deaf ears," said Niles. "After a while you just give up (complaining)." Palamara says he has been balanced and fair and has kept minutes that are far more detailed than required by statute. Michael A. Harmon, who will be stepping down January 1st after 16 years as Councilman and Mayor said, "Mr. Palamara is one of the most multi-talented individuals I have ever worked with both in and out of government. Dave loves his job as Borough Clerk and Atlantic Highlands. For the incoming mayor to single handedly call for Mr. Palamara’s resignation without even giving him a chance is profoundly unfair, undemocratic and most likely illegal." "Dave has been an excellent liaison with the public and our many volunteer groups. He has worked well and closely with both republican and democrat council people for years, without complaint," Mayor Harmon said. Councilman Jack Archibald, who ran unsuccessfully against Donoghue in November said, "I would urge Mr. Donohue not to rush to judgment and once he fully appreciates the scope and responsibilities of the borough clerk, he will understand that Dave Palamara is one of the best municipal clerks in Monmouth County." Palamara said, "I have served the people of Atlantic Highlands and elected officials of all parties equally and well for many years. Atlantic Highlands is my home town, I grew up here, went to war from here, had a town business for over 25 years, married a AH girl, raised my children here, given countless volunteer efforts for the town - I love Atlantic Highlands and my neighbors and have no intention of allowing a few people to destroy my life for their political and personal reasons."
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by ALLAN DEAN RED BANK, NJ — The alcohol-free New Year's Eve Celebration First Night Red Bank will not be held this year. John C. Austin, director of the Red Bank Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, has coordinating the event with the assistance of his wife and numerous volunteers since it's inception in 1993. Austin will retire on December 31 and will be moving to Rome, Italy. As a result, no event was scheduled for this year. The event has brought as many as 5,000 people out on sometimes frigid new year's night to enjoy performances from dance exhibits to ventriloquists to jazz and blues bands at indoor and outdoor venues throughout Red Bank. The event was cancelled first in 1999 due to concerns over Y2K computer issues. Then in 2001, there was difficulty raising needed funds because most charitable giving in the region went to 9-11 victims and their families. This year, the organization was unable to find a coordinator to replace Mr. Austin. They do plan to continue the event in the future after a new coordinator is named.
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MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Michelle Borghese of New Monmouth, a student at Thorne Middle School recently competed in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Region II Soccer Shoot, and placed first in the Girls Age 12-13 category.Michelle has been a consistent champion in the area of Soccer and in Basketball. She plays for the Middletown "Cyclones", a traveling team, as well as for the Thorne School, and plays basket ball with the BY AA. She also enjoys swimming.
This is the fourth year in a row that Michelle has placed in the New Jersey State Elks Association event. It has become a family joke because the first year she placed third (3) ; the second year she placed first (1), and also second in the nation; the third year she place third (3) again in New Jersey, and this year again first (1). Her soccer shirt number is #31, the same as Mike Piazza, for whom she is an avid fan. So to the family "31-31 has been the running joke," says Michelle's mother Lisa, " and she enjoys all the kidding." Michelle is not only an athlete, but serves the community as well. She can be found helping with the food basket distribution for MHIO, and helping with her Dad visiting the Veterans hospital with the Elks Lodge. For further information about the Elks, and their many programs, contact the Lodge at (732) 495-2733 or the lodge website at http://middletownelks.com for more information. The Lodge Soccer shoot falls under the responsibility of the Youth Activities Committee, which is chaired by Past Exalted Ruler John Steakin of Keansburg.
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Patrick W. Parkinson to Serve as Township’s Deputy Mayor MIDDLETOWN, NJ — When Middletown’s governing body reorganizes on January 4th, its members plan to select Joan A. Smith to serve as Mayor. This will be Smith’s third stint as Mayor, a post that she formerly held in 1995 and 2001. She also served as Deputy Mayor in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2003.
Committeeman Patrick W. Parkinson is expected to be selected as Deputy Mayor in January. Parkinson is completing his 16th year as a member of the governing body, having been elected to the Committee in 1988. Parkinson served as Mayor in 1990 and 2002 as Deputy Mayor in 1996. He also serves as co-chairman of the Middletown WTC Memorial Committee and as a member of the Middletown Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Parkinson, who has 30 years experience in engineering, production, marketing, sales and administrative functions, holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from the Newark College of Engineering. Parkinson and his wife, Claire, have three grown children. ../news/2003/1225/mt_mayor_smith.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
FREEHOLD, NJ — The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office is a leader in innovative inmate rehabilitation and education programs, part of a comprehensive campaign to lower recidivism. The program is yielding substantial results, with a reduction to 20.8% recidivism for those inmates enrolled. (Recidivism defines the number of inmates released who return to jail.) Nationwide, the rate of return approaches 50%. “The Monmouth County Sheriff’s has taken a comprehensive approach of combining initiatives such as inmate education, substance abuse treatment and inmate work programs all for the common purpose of creating a vehicle for positive change,” Monmouth County Sheriff Joseph W. Oxley said. “If there are inmates at our facility who make a conscious decision to improve, we will provide the tools to finish the job.”
Before release from MCCI, inmates construct a transition plan with the help of a counselor, and education is part of the transfer process. Within MCCI, there is a library as well as educational resources that inmates can use during their incarceration. The transitional process also includes housing and legal aid, and inmates are given names and numbers of referrals to other professional resources. Television sets in the 28 housing units at MCCI now broadcast the Corrections Learning Network (CLN) daily in place of other programming. CLN provides rehabilitation-based broadcasts for correctional facilities across the United States. Since 1986, the Corrections Learning Network broadcasts and produces live, interactive, and satellite broadcasts. There is mandatory educational/transitional television viewing each day, during which all other television programming is turned off. The CLN satellite dish and decoder were all supplied through grants. “MCCI is part of the community, affecting how our community is governed and run. Most of these inmates are county residents, and most have made a bad choice in life. They will be returning to society,” Charles T. Boehmer, the Education and Aftercare Coordinator at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, said. “These are the brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers of us all. We’re going to do what we can to make them a productive part of the system. The jail is part of the whole; a part of the fabric of Monmouth County.” For more information, call the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office at (732) 294-5901 or log onto www.sheriffoxley.com.
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MIDDLETOWN, NJ — CBS studios will provide a bus to take Middletown Senior Center members to the see the morning show Living It Up with Ali and Jack on January 26, 2004. Bus leaves from Chuck E. Cheese on Route 35 at 6 a.m. Trip includes continental breakfast and studio tour. Bus returns at noon. Attendees must be a member of the Senior Center and register by December 30, 2003. Call Janis at (732) 615-2265 for details.
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RED BANK, NJ — The Monmouth County Audubon Society will host a field trip to Barnegat Light and the Manahawkin Wildlife Management Area on Saturday, January 17. Michael Casper, board member and frequent trip leader, explains the lure of this particular area. “Many species of ducks which breed in the Arctic spend the winter in the area of Barnegat Light. This is a good place to see some of the rarer winter gulls as well.” Some of the ducks that can be found here in winter include Long-tailed Duck, scoters, loons and several varieties of eider. This is also one of the most reliable locations in New Jersey to see the beautiful Harlequin Duck, another winter visitor. Later in the day, after a “warm-up” break, the group will explore part of the Manahawkin Wildlife Management Area to look for Short-eared Owls. This is perhaps the best place in the state in which to see them, when conditions are favorable. “Even though it can get cold out in the open, you would be surprised how quickly you forget about the weather once you see or hear your first owl!” says Dena Temple, trip co-leader.
Anyone interested in participating in the event can
meet at 12:00 noon in the Barnegat Light parking lot. Follow the Garden State
Parkway south to Exit 63, then take Route 72 East to Long Beach Island. At the
road’s end turn left; follow the main road to the north end of the island and to
the parking lot for the lighthouse. The trip is open to both members and non-members of the Monmouth County Audubon Society, and admission is free. Advance registration is recommended, so participants can be notified in the event of changes or cancellations. To register, contact Debbie Grob, field trip committee, at 732-751-9131 (before 8:00 pm), at (732) USA-BIRD (after 8:00 pm), or by e-mail at dgrob@optonline.com at least 24 hours in advance. Participants should dress appropriately for wintry temperatures and windy conditions, including footwear suitable for jetty-walking. Pets are not permitted.
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FREEHOLD, NJ — Twenty-one new Police Officers were sworn in recently as part of the 66th Graduation Exercises of the Basic Course for Law Enforcement Officers at the Monmouth County Police Academy. It was attended by the families and friends of the graduates as well as numerous dignitaries, including Monmouth County Freeholder Theodore J. Narozanick, Robert J. Dawson, Spring Lake Chief of Police and President of the Monmouth County Police Chiefs Association and Wesley Mayo, Sr., Director of the Police Academy.Graduating Officer James R. Alexander, Howell P.D., was the recipient of the Academic Award for achieving 96.52, the highest grade in the class. The Marksmanship Award was presented to Officer John T. Reiff, Freehold Borough P.D., for attaining a score of 100, the highest score using firearms. The Traffic Officers Association Award went to Officer James R. Alexander, Howell P.D., for attaining a score of 98.8, the Physical Fitness Award was presented to Officer Suresh Madhavan, Wall P.D. with a score of 95.70. Prosecutor Kaye presented the Merit Award to Officer John T. Reiff, Freehold Borough P.D. The graduates were Stephen L. Acquaviva, Monmouth University P.D.; James R. Alexander, Howell P.D.; Robert G. Armento, Asbury Park P.D.; Christopher Cherney, Holmdel P.D.; Robert Derasmo, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office; Jayme C. Higgins, Howell P.D.; Emett W. Idzahl, Wall P.D.; Michael Jastrzemski, Red Bank P.D.; Patrick W. Luke, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office; Suresh Madhavan, Wall P.D.; Joseph A. Marrero, Jr., Brookdale College P.D.; Andrea Mayer, Howell P.D.; Marc L. Micciulla, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office; Frank D. Perrini, Marlboro P.D.; John T. Reiff, Freehold Borough P.D.; Theodore Sigismondi, Jr., Holmdel P.D.; Keith A. Stopera, Manasquan P.D.; David B. Taglietta, Marlboro P.D.; Andrea R. Tozzi, Howell P.D.; Ashon Lovick, Red Bank and John P. Riley, Avon. Two graduates completed the Basic Course via the Alternate Route Program. The Alternate Route Program is for candidates who pay their own way through the Police Academy without an affiliation with a particular police department. The Program is restricted to Monmouth County residents. The Alternate Route graduates were Brian J. Caswell and James M. Raniere. Freeholder Narozanick was the principal speaker at the Graduation Exercises saying, "Today, marks the beginning of whole new challenges - challenges that come at a particularly trying time for all police officers - a time that brings concerns not only of gangs, guns and drugs, but of new and covert violations of public safety, including international and internal terrorism." Narozanick urged the new officers to never underestimate the difference that one police officer can make in improving the quality of life of the community. "At times, a safer, less fearful community may seem unrealistic or unattainable. But, trust the training you have received, and the training and education you will continue to receive throughout your career. Trust the equipment and technology that has been provided - it’s state of the art." The Police Academy was established by the Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1963, and to date has graduated more than 2,095 men and women from the Basic Course for Police Officers. The Course consists of 20 weeks of intensive training, one of which is conducted in the individual’s own police department. The Academy has been approved by the NJ Police Training Commission as a participant in the Alternate Route Basic Course for Police Officers. This program is designed to give individuals interested in becoming police officers the opportunity to attend a police training academy, at their own expense, prior to being hired by a police department. The selection process is basically the same as most municipalities use except alternate route trainees must have at least 60 credits in an institution of higher learning with credits to be accumulated toward an associate or baccalaureate degree. "The goal of the Monmouth County Police Academy is to provide the citizens of Monmouth County with the best trained law enforcement officers possible," Freeholder Narozanick concluded.
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TRENTON, NJ — Hope and goodwill arrived just in time for the holiday season for some New Jersey families, thanks to the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund that provided financial assistance with the uncovered medical bills related to their child’s illness. The Commission which oversees the fund announced its most recent financial grant awards at a ceremony with several representative families in the Governor’s Outer Office at the State House on Thursday, December 18.“The Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund provides New Jersey families with needed financial support, yet does not use taxpayer dollars,” said Governor James E. McGreevey. “The program makes it possible for families to focus upon the needs of their children without worrying about their ability to pay for necessary medical care.” The fund is collected from an annual surcharge of $1 per employee levied on all employers who are subject to the New Jersey Unemployment Compensation Law. In the most recent group of awards, families received grants ranging from $1,833 to $907,585. The range of all years extends from a low of $476 to a high of $907,585. “The fund is available when a child becomes ill and the cost of the medical care is catastrophic for that family. We are proud that this fund is available to help New Jersey families,” said Jane Lorber, Chairperson of the Commission. This year the commission has approved awards that exceed $5 million to help 136 families pay the uncovered expenses associated with their child’s illness. The commission has approved over $83 million in assistance to more than 3,400 families since it began making awards in December 1989. Families in every county in New Jersey have been assisted with extraordinary medical debts. “The fund serves as a safety net for families,” said Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn L. Harris. “The financial benefits of the fund allow families to maintain their family life while dealing with the caring for a sick child and coping with mounting medical bills. Our Department of Human Services is glad to work with the Commission and its outreach efforts to families.” Families of any income may qualify, and the fund does not limit coverage to specific diseases or diagnoses. Eligible medical and related expenses are those not fully covered by insurance, state or federal programs and include hospital and physician bills, medications, medical equipment, psychiatric care, home health care, and specialized home and vehicle modifications. “We define catastrophic in terms of the economic impact the child’s illness has on the family. We look at how high the uncovered medical expenses are compared with the family income,” said Ralph J. Condo, Executive Director of the fund. “A family may have health insurance but coverage often is inadequate and mounting bills can quickly become catastrophic for a family.” Most of the families helped by the fund have been working parents with health insurance, but their out-of-pocket expenses were still greater than 10 percent of their income. “With the help of the fund, families can weather a financial crisis and return to the routine responsibilities of their lives.” A family may qualify for the fund’s help if a child’s unreimbursed medical and related expenses exceed 10 percent of the family’s income up to $100,000 plus 15 percent of any excess income over $100,000. The child must have been 18 years or younger when the medical expenses were incurred and families must be state residents. Expenses must have been incurred during a previous 12-month period, and expenses dating back to January 1988 will be considered. While legislation creating the fund protects the anonymity of families applying for help, five families who have received grant awards from the fund will share their experience and attend Thursday’s ceremony, as a way of encouraging other families in need to apply for assistance. The following families plan to attend: Anthony and Carie Putney of Lakehurst, Ocean County, had to purchase a modified vehicle to accommodate their daughter Lillian’s specialized wheelchair. Lillian, now 5 years old, experienced an episode of influenza when she was a toddler and developed seizures as well as significant developmental delays. The specialized vehicle makes transportation to frequent physical and occupational therapy appointments easier for Lillian and her parents. The Commission approved an award of over $42,000 to alleviate their transportation expenses, including the cost of the modified vehicle and mileage costs to therapies. Michael and MariaGrace Welsh of Lincroft, Monmouth County, were insured when their daughter Christiana, now two, was born with serious heart defects which required multiple surgeries. Their self-insured plan had limitations on its availability to pay claims, leaving the family with significant bills for hospital care, physicians’ services, home care, and other medically-related expenses. The Commission will help relieve them of these expenses in the amount of $245,853. Thomas and Sharon Fitzpatrick of Scotch Plains, Union County, faced many uncovered expenses to accommodate the specialized needs of their 17 year old son, Dennis. Dennis has a condition characterized by involuntary movements and low muscle tone. He requires assistance with all activities of daily living and uses a wheelchair for mobility. In order to make his day-to-day life with his family easier, the family modified their home for ease of care and wheelchair accessibility. They also purchased a modified vehicle to assist with his transportation to medical appointments and therapy visits. The family will receive an award of $75,782 from CICRF to offset these expenses. Jerneau Sullivan of Burlington, Burlington County, had health insurance for her children, including 14-year-old Jasmine who has a neurological disorder and requires a wheelchair. Expenses for co-payments and non-covered services strained the family’s finances, and while the purchase of a modified van to transport Jasmine to medical appointments significantly improved her quality of life, it also compounded the family’s financial stress. The Fund will assist with an award of over $37,000 for this uncovered expense. Stephen and Debora Greene of Mantua, Gloucester County, had health insurance coverage through the father’s union plan when their son Brian, now 15, became ill with leukemia. Due to the complexity of the treatment required, Brian quickly reached his $1 million lifetime insurance benefit. Both parents also experienced loss of employment during this time, and although community fundraising helped them with day-to-day living expenses, they were still left with significant responsibility for Brian’s uncovered medical bills. The CICRF will pay over $14,000 toward physician, home health care and hospital expenses. The CICRF Family Information Line is 1-800-335-FUND.
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FREEHOLD, NJ — Monmouth County Sheriff Joseph W. Oxley is proud to announce the addition of Sheriff’s Officers Robert Derasmo, Marc Micciulla, and Patrick Luke to the Law Enforcement Division.Marc Micciulla is 22 years old born August 3, 1980 in Staten Island, NY. Micciulla graduated from Monmouth University with a BA in Criminal Justice and the Monmouth County Police Academy’s Special Officers Class I and II courses. He was previously employed as a Class II Special Officer with the Eatontown Police Department. He is single and resides in Red Bank. Robert Derasmo is 24 years old born on April 25, 1979 in Livingston, NJ. Derasmo graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English and was previously employed by the Vitamin Shoppe located in Eatontown as an Assistant Manager. He is single and resides in Middletown. Patrick Luke is 21 years old born July 9, 1981 in Montclair, NJ. Luke graduated from Brookdale Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice and was previously employed as a Dispatcher with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office. He is single and resides in Freehold Township with his parents. For more information, please contact Sheriff Joe Oxley at (732) 294-5901 or log onto www.sheriffoxley.com.
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FREEHOLD, NJ — The Board of Chosen Freeholders has adopted a resolution setting dates for the Sine Die, Reorganization and Budget Meetings scheduled for January 2004, in the Hall of Records, Freehold. A Budget Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6th, at 2:00 p.m. in the Freeholders Meeting Room, 2nd floor, Hall of Records. The Sine Die Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6th, at 3:30 p.m., in the 2nd floor Court Room of the Hall of Records. The Sine Die Meeting is held to complete county business for the year 2003. The Reorganization Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 6th, at 4:00 p.m., in the 2nd floor Court Room of the Hall of Records. A Budget Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 15th, at 11:00 a.m., in the Freeholders Meeting Room, 2nd floor, Hall of Records. ../news/2003/1225/mc_freeholder_meetings.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
RED BANK, NJ — The Monmouth County Audubon Society will present a forum entitled “Land Acquisition and Conservation in Monmouth County” on Wednesday, January 14, at 8:00 pm. The meeting will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, on White Street in Red Bank. The public is welcome; admission is free. 200 years ago, Monmouth County was a farm community whose entire population could be seated in the present day PNC Bank Arts Center. Now the county sits in the heart of the eastern "megalopolis" containing one-fourth of the nation's population. To the citizens of 1778 there would always be enough land, water, and air; today we know these resources are finite and delicate. This forum will address how two important organizations are helping to preserve open space here in Monmouth County. The mission of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation's is to acquire, hold, preserve and protect the open lands in Monmouth County. Since its beginning, the Foundation has conveyed to the County of Monmouth and its communities over 3,000 acres of land dedicated to open space preservation. The impressive list of success stories include land tracts ranging in size from one acre to 416 acres. Courtney Wald, project coordinator, will represent the Monmouth Conservation Foundation at the January 14 forum. She oversees the Foundation’s priority acquisition projects, conservation easements and land use inquiries and also administers the Foundation’s outreach program. Another organization working to preserve open space is the Monmouth County Park System. Thanks to strong public support and the efforts of the Monmouth County Freeholders and Recreation Commissioners, more than 13,000 acres of open space have been preserved as part of the Park System. The Park System's ultimate goal is to preserve over 20,000 acres to meet the county's recreation, conservation and open space needs of the future. The Monmouth County Park System has a vision for the future that includes the continued preservation of regionally significant land, as well as the creation of a countywide open space system. Ken Thoman will represent the Monmouth County Park System. He has been working in the Planning Section of the Acquisition and Design Department for the Park System for the past 15 years, applying his ecological assessment and restoration skills to the management of our county parklands. Specific projects include developing and managing the 80 miles of trails; preparing management and restoration plans for forests, wetlands and fields, and helping to develop park policies that respect the environment. Presentations by both groups will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
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Marie Muhler Receives Award From Her Peers FREEHOLD, NJ — The Monmouth County Surrogate, Marie S. Muhler, has been selected to receive the "2003 Gill C. Job Award" from the New Jersey Constitutional Officers Association. The Award was presented to Surrogate Muhler at the Association’s recent Conference in Cape May.The NJ Constitutional Officers Association is comprised of all the County Clerks, County Surrogates and County Sheriffs from the State’s 21 counties. Each year the Constitutional Officers select one of its members for special recognition. The Gill C. Job Award is given each year to a member who has distinguished himself/herself during their term of office. In presenting the award to Mrs. Muhler, Diane Gerofsky, President of the Association, said, "I am very pleased to present the Gill C. Job Award to Marie Muhler for her dedicated service and hard work in advancing the ideals, principles and philosophy of the Constitutional Officers of New Jersey." In accepting the award Mrs. Muhler said she felt gratified by the honor bestowed upon her by her fellow elected constitutional officers. "I’m honored that the Constitutional Officers Association, whose members are renown for their commitment to their work, would select me for this award." The County Surrogate is a constitutional officer, authorized by the Constitution of the State of New Jersey, and elected for a five-year term. The Surrogate presides over the Surrogate Court of the County. She is both the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate Court. In addition, the Surrogate serves as Clerk of the Probate Division of the County Court. The County Surrogate has the authority to qualify executors and trustees named in wills, to appoint administrators for those who die without wills, and to appoint guardians for minors and legally incompetent persons. The Surrogate is the custodian of the records of such estates, wills, guardianships, adoptions and acts as the Clerk of the Superior Court, Law Division, Probate Part. This is the court that hears cases involving disputed estates or incompetency proceedings. Further, the Surrogate acts as the Clerk of the Family Part of the Court, Chancery Division, when acting in adoption matters. Marie S. Muhler has been Surrogate of Monmouth County since 1992. She is a former Assemblywoman, having served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1975-1986, and as Assistant Minority Leader from 1982-1983. In 1986, she was appointed by Governor Thomas Kean to serve as New Jersey's first Public Guardian for the Elderly. On numerous occasions throughout her career, Ms. Muhler has been honored for her dedication to the citizens of Monmouth County by many advocacy and civic organizations.
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MATAWAN, NJ — You'll Want to Sing for Spring - So come to the open auditions for the Arcadian Chorale, on Tuesday, January 20th and 27th, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Matawan, Rt. 34 at Franklin Street!The Chorale continues it's 11th season with rehearsals for its spring concert "One Hand, One Heart." The repertoire includes Faure's Requiem, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, and his choruses from West Side Story. Membership in the Chorale is FREE. Rehearsals begin January 20th at 7:00 p.m., Matawan, following the auditions. For more information, contact director Marina Alexander at 732-583-4007 or visit the group's website, www.arcadianchorale.org. COME GROW WITH US!
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by Chris Papa NEPTUNE, NJ — About three dozen people, survivors and their mates, celebrated the closing of another year and the advent of the holiday season on the evening of December 18 at the Neptune Prostate Cancer Support Group’s facility. It was a joint meeting which drew participants from several of the area’s support groups. Missing, due to unavoidable personal circumstances, were Frank Reedy and Bob Carter, who have regularly attended the year’s meetings, and all the prior parties. The attendees noted their absence and wished them well.
It is always wonderful to see the prostate cancer survivors enjoying themselves and reaffirming the value of the support functions of the groups. It certainly ended the year on a high note.
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ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — Boy Scout Troop 22 collected and delivered toys to Jersey Shore Medical Center on December 20.For about an hour, ten scouts and four adults visited with the 10 children who were in the hospital that day. The Scouts who participated in the visit were Greg Charpek, Jeffrey Gluckstein, Steve Mego, Chris Molicki, Kevin Morgan, Dan Myers, Tom Pagnotta, Dan Poltrictzky, and Joe Poltrictzky; the adults along on the trip were Scoutmaster Allen P. Resch, Assistant Scoutmaster Jeffrey Poltrictzky, Nancy Charpek, and John Morgan.
During the visit, scouts took turns picking out toys and bringing them to the children, whose ages ranged from one month to 16 years. The nurses received a dancing Santa Claus statue, a holiday snow globe, and a box of candy canes, all of which were donated. All toys that were left over were given to Jersey Shore to distribute to new patients, hand out on Christmas morning, and add to their toy room. Among the toys donated were Care Bears, puzzles, roller skates, action figures, Barbie dolls, and stuffed animals. The scouts said they’d like to repeat the project next year, and hope to participate in more community service events in the coming year. Troop 22 thanks those who donated to the drive after reading about it in this publication. ../news/2003/1225/scouts_toys_hospital.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
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MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Daniel P. Maloney, Past Exalted Ruler of the Middletown Elks Lodge #2179, and local event director for the Elks Hoop Shoot has announced the winners of the recent event. Held at the Croydon Hall gymnasium, the children competed in their respective age group, and scored more “free throw” baskets that others in their group.
These local champs will all be recognized at the Elks Youth Awards Breakfast to be held March 14th at the Elks Lodge. Their families will all be invited to the awards presentation and a great breakfast prepared by fellow Elks.
The Middletown Elks Lodge #2179 is located in the Belford section of Middletown,
and is a fraternal organization dedicated to helping those less fortunate than
themselves. Their major programs center around the youth, Handicapped Children,
Scholarships for academic students, and Hospitalized Veterans. For further
information about the Elks, and their many programs, contact the Lodge at (732)
495-2733 or the lodge website at
http://middletownelks.com for more information. The Lodge Hoop Shoot falls
under the responsibility of the Youth Activities Committee, which is chaired by
Past Exalted Ruler John Steakin of Keansburg.
HASSLE-FREE HOLIDAY TIPS FOR PARENTS - PART THREE A series by the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect… Preface: Part III. Visiting Holidays with babies or very young ones How exciting! Your first winter holiday season with a new member of the family! You’re eager to show off your new baby or newly adopted child. Whatever the circumstance, you feel like you will have to make this a very special holiday. For first-time parents, you may have to forego some past practices in order to accommodate your new baby. Depending on baby’s age, the weather conditions, and everyone’s overall health, you will have to gauge how careful to be. Keep it simple for baby. Baby is too young to know or care about gifts, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, or Menorahs, much less about meeting five aunts, three uncles, a brood of cousins, plus neighbors who only drop by during holidays. They will be eager to coo over baby and want to hold or play with baby. You must be kind but firm and restrict the touching, kissing and holding. Your baby’s health and welfare comes first. When baby is older, the cousins can take turns holding him. Use your judgement. If your baby is old enough to hold her head up and does not seem alarmed or uncomfortable around the new “strangers,” you can increase the interaction with certain people. If baby seems frightened, stay back a bit from the relatives and comfort her in a quiet place. Let baby gradually get used to having more than just mommy and daddy in his/her immediate universe. Use standard calming practices if the holiday bustle becomes too much for baby. Go to a quiet or empty room. Hold baby close to you and slowly walk around the room or rock in place. Take baby for a walk outside. Lower noise and lights in the room. This may help reduce your child’s stress over this new holiday experience. No Rough Play Remember… young children have weak neck muscles, heavy heads, growing brains, and thin skulls. Shaking, bouncing or tossing them around can cause blindness, loss of hearing, internal bleeding, paralysis, lasting brain damage, or death. Children UNDER age 2 are most at risk. Making Special Allowances for the Adopted Child
It might be wise for you to facilitate or referee first meetings with relatives from afar who may be meeting your new child for the first time. While your birth children may be used to Aunt Selma’s squooshy bearhugs, your adopted child may not trust such close contact with a “stranger.” So you will need to gently temper Aunt Selma’s enthusiasm and let your child warm up to his newfound relatives gradually. Making Special Arrangements for Children (and
Adults) with Disabilities… Include your child in the planning. Everyone likes to feel important, so if your child is old enough, let him/her help you make the guest list, plan the menu, bake some holiday foods, decorate the house, go gift shopping, etc. This will bolster his/her self-esteem as well as create a wonderful family tradition. Watch out for room arrangements. Is there room for a wheelchair around the dinner table or in the room where guests will be visiting? Make table arrangements with special needs in mind. Round tables are easier for those with hearing disabilities to see others’ faces. Check with local or state agencies to see if there are table or menu items in Braille, or make your place cards with extra large typeface that is easy to read. Your elderly guests will appreciate this, too. Make sure the person using a wheelchair can easily move to and from the table without causing a traffic hazard for others or for those bringing the food to the table. Keep the music down. Your child or a guest with a hearing impairment will have difficulty hearing with music in the background. Many people have mild (and sometimes undetected) hearing loss that doesn’t affect them until music or multiple conversations flood the room with cacophonous noise. If your child or guest uses an FM listening device, discreetly place a microphone in the centerpiece arrangement, as it can help them pick up more table conversation. Is the room well-lit so that those with limited sight can see a bit better? On the other hand, lots of blinking lights can trigger seizures, in case your child or guests have any conditions that could lapse into a seizure. Too big a crowd or too much physical activity or running around can be a problem for those with ADHD or certain phobias or mental disorders. Perhaps a gathering that is somewhat calm and sedate would be better for such children or guests. Is the entrance to your home accessible for those using a walker, cane or wheelchair? Are bathroom towels and toiletries within easy reach for those who must feel their way or those in a wheelchair? Ideally, all bathrooms should have grab bars near the toilet for anyone needing that stability, but most homes do not come equipped this way. If yours does not, perhaps someone can be assigned to quietly aide anyone needing assistance to avoid any embarrassing fuss. Does one of your guests have a problem with alcohol or drugs? If so, perhaps your menu can include only non-alcoholic beverages so that there is no temptation, nor need to “abstain” in front of others, as all will be drinking the same non-alcoholic drinks. People taking certain prescription medicines cannot consume alcoholic drinks, so creative, decorative non-alcoholic punches and holiday drinks would help avoid dangerous medication interactions or levels. Simply, just think ahead. Put yourself in others’ situations -- consider the total sensory and physical arrangement/environment, plus accessibility -- for your holiday activity. Your event will be more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone! Be Aware of Everyone’s Feelings For children who break the rules Several important messages come across to children when you use this approach. First, no problem is so great that you cannot solve it. Second, you are responsible for your own behavior. Third, it is not the child, but their behavior, which brings disapproval. When adults lose their temper REMEMBER: What adults do always teaches children what to do. If you lash out, your children will learn to do the same. If you do lash out, apologize to your child. “I’m sorry” teach them what to do if they offend others. And if adults are unable to mask their feelings or past grudges, make it clear to them that it is inappropriate to air them or to negatively act upon them in front of the children.
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THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS December's annual Ocean Grove Christmas House Tour opens its doors to the past and inspires visitors. Tucked upstairs on the second floor of the restored home of John and Martha Inskip, now the Ocean Plaza Hotel, sits a small and inspiring reflection of the meaning of Christmas.
Nancy's tree rises up from a light base of beach sand where a starfish and shell rest. She points out the gentle curve that meanders like the roll of a wave along the front surface. "I feel like I was guided," she says, then steps back and shakes her head amazed at her ability to create the lovely tree. Perhaps, Nancy's tree is a gift from the house's former owner, John Inskip who was the President of the National Holiness Movement and Civil War chaplain for the 14th Brooklyn regiment. Whatever the tree's origin, the tradition of gift giving in celebration at this time of year tends to make us more aware. Many times, we overlook tiny gifts of love given to us: like Nancy, we should learn to gather and mold them together, to use our talents year-long creating greater gifts to share with others.
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“ALL WITHIN THE
LAW” Christians know that God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son. 1 This was the price that had to be paid for the forgiveness of our sins so that we can aspire to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. He continues to tell us, “My Fathers house has many mansions, I have a place for each one of you. Had it not been so, I would have told you.” 2 Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, one could do Penance through prayer, fasting, good works and thereby be reconciled with the Lord. Regarding the life or death of Mrs. Terry Schiavo, perhaps her present medical condition is a Penance that she has to go through for her to attain Heaven. Very often family members or friends who have been estranged for years can again come together through their effort of prayer for the hurting loved one. This is often a result of the miracle of prayer albeit not necessarily the healing of the afflicted person, dependent of course upon the will of our loving God. People who suffer, often offer up their afflictions to God. The Jewish people still have a great love for God, even though they had suffered for centuries at the hand of the Egyptians, the Romans and right through recent history and on May 14, 1948 the sun shined on the land of Israel and they again became a nation. Who among you can deny the love of the Lord by Black Christian Churches? Brought here in chains, torn from their homes and families, suffering the worst kind of human degradation and deprivation they, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, have risen above human logic to embrace the promise of Christianity and hold fast to God’s promise; “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 3 They continue to climb God’s mountain, to embrace the vision and realize the fulfillment of Dr. Martin Luther King’s inspired dream. Their praises of the Lord in music, scripture and preaching of the Word of God are second to none. Indeed, a black man from Nigeria could be next to inherit the Throne of St. Peter at Rome. No one can explain the reason for Mrs. Schiavo’s condition. But the law must protect her life. The laws of our country and the Law of God must act in concert to overcome the Secular Humanist culture of death that persists in our society today as almost any reference to the God of Abraham, Isaac and John becomes anathema as “everyone, as scripture predicts, does what’s right in their own eyes.” 4 In July 1933, the Third Reich enacted a law, “Prevention of Progeny for Those with Heredity Disease.” Included in this madness was the mentally retarded, mentally ill (schizophrenics, manic-depressives), hereditary epilepsy, the deaf, the blind and alcoholics. That same year Hitler’s personal secretary received a letter from a Herr Kauss from Leipzig. Herr Kauss heard of this new “Program.” He had a child born blind, apparently idiotic, loss of a leg and half of one arm. He deemed his son’s life not worthy of living and asked the Government to put his son to death. Hitler sent his personal physician Dr. Karl Brandt to Leipzig to evaluate the boy. Dr. Brandt concurred with the father thereby giving Hitler a moral victory. Racial Hygiene had one of its first and youngest victims, an innocent child who just didn’t fit in. A Project Code Name “T-4” was instituted. It was basically the elimination of the undesirable by The Prevention of Progeny Act of 1933. But “T-4” dealt only with children. By 1937 over 5000 children were murdered from over 30 Pediatric Hospitals. Many of the victims were chosen by Dr. Brandt himself. The children’s names were called. They were led off the premises of the hospital and into the airtight back of Kaiser Coffee Trucks. Once inside, Carbon Monoxide canisters inside the trucks were opened and the children died within minutes. Parents were notified that their loved one had died suddenly of an infectious disease and that the body had to be cremated to prevent the spread of the disease. Of course, condolences were given and accepted on all sides, no questions asked. “T-4” was a huge success. So much so that the egotistical Hitler now did two things: first he expanded the law from only children to include adults, specifically Jews and Gypsies and secondly, he replaced carbon monoxide with Nitroprussic Acid, or the infamous Zyklon B. These were the precursors of the gas chambers and crematoriums at Auschwitz and Birkenau years later. So if the law of the land deems that removal of Mrs. Schiavo’s feeding tube is for the benefit of society and morally acceptable, do we then withhold long term I.V. feedings for the dehydrated and malnourished? Do we withhold Anti-arrhythmic Medications for patients, or cardiac monitors? Do we stop suctioning patients with long term tracheotomies? Of course the work is very tedious and goes, at times on and on. But when it comes to human life, “The Lord giveth and The Lord taketh away.” That’s His law, and this shall never change.* 5 What comes next? Will someone think of crushing babies skulls as they consciously pass through the birth canal, sucking out their brains simply because they’re neither loved, nor wanted or perhaps the infant may fit the criteria of the infamous “T-4”? Heaven Help Us! Dr. Richard Commentucci is an Internist practicing in Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ
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THE SAME JESUS WILL COME BACK An Episcopalian friend who is known for his love of the Scriptures and meticulous attention to facts wrote this to his congregation: “Christmas and Advent are distinct yet inseparably intertwined. They have to do with the first and second appearings of Christ. Secular culture sentimentalizes and commercially exploits the former while it denies and ridicules the prospect of the latter. The Church of God affirms and celebrates both and understands them as two essential parts of one whole – God’s plan of redemption.”Paul, writing to the Galatians says: “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons”. ( 4:4-5, KJV). This is one of the most concise Incarnation stories we have outside the Gospels. It is of great importance to see that the redemption that God planned through his Son did not arrive early or late – it arrived at the precise time that God had established it. One of the carols with which we begin the Advent Season here at Central Baptist Church is “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”:Come, Thou long expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free; From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art; Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart. Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a king. Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit, Rule in all our hearts alone; By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne. As you can see it combines the two appearances – the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being lifted to be with God forever. This combination reflects one of the Patristic saints who said: “He became like us so that we may become like Him”. I was amazed as I studied the Christmas carols again this year to see how many of them combine the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, his birth in the manger of Bethlehem, with His second coming on the clouds of heaven with great glory. The angels that announced the birth story tell the disciples when the Lord Jesus Christ is leaving this earth: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
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SANTA'S GRAB BAG A peek into Santa’s bag a few days early revealed the following gifts: NJ Attorney General Peter Harvey- season tickets to the World Wrestling Federation Assemblyman Joe Azzolina- an early retirement party Atlantic Highlands Mayor Michael Harmon - an uninterrupted family vacation. Camden County State Senator Wayne Bryant- one more relative for the taxpayers payroll Democrat Presidential Candidate Howard Dean- George McGovern’s playbook NJ Senator Frank Lautenberg- one notable accomplishment for our citizens Saddam Hussien- A cellmate with a NAMBLA membership Former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler- recognition from Trenton Republicans Incoming AH Mayor Pete Donoghue- a gag order on a certain AH Herald columnist State Senator John Bennett- a newspaper of his own Keansburg Mayor Mike Minervini- some pro bono legal advice Monmouth County Attorney Malcolm Carton- a round of drinks on the house Republican State Chairman Joe Kyrillos- a seminar with James Carville Governor Jim McGreevey- a year without a hidden tax increase New York District Attorney Elliot Spitzer- a no load mutual fund Atlantic Highlands Democrat Chairman Joe Hawley- a shopping spree at sun glasses hut. Osama Bin Laden- A January reservation on Saddam’s cell block Freeholder Ted Narozanick- one half hour of downtime Middletown Mayor Rosemarie Peters- “Open Space: Person of the Year” Award President George W. Bush- a new tie, a round of applause and 4 more years in the House AH Herald Publisher Allan Dean- a staff that understands deadlines Body Politic Readers- A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS SONG Is there a perfect Christmas song? Is there one song that embodies all the wonder and joy of Christmas? The very first Christmas song I remember hearing was “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” My mother couldn’t wait to start singing that song to my sister and me the millisecond after Thanksgiving was over. To tell you the truth, that song made me nervous. I used to get a stomach ache every time I heard it. I didn’t like the idea of Santa spying on me. I pictured him way up in Heaven looking through a giant telescope that pointed straight down to our house. How could I get to sleep if Santa was watching my every move and knew that I was awake? And how was I supposed to be “good” if I was sleep deprived the entire month of December? (For goodness sake!) I didn’t like the part about him “making a list,” either. I thought I was the one who was supposed to be making a list. And I couldn’t figure out why I had to go to Macy’s every year to see him, if he was watching me 24/7. Didn’t he already know what I wanted for Christmas? Why did I have to wait in a line for two hours to tell Santa something he could have easily found out just by looking through the lens of his telescope? The list was right on top of my dresser, in plain view. I was so happy when Bruce Springsteen covered that tune and gave it a fun connotation for me. To this day, I can still hear the Chipmunks’ harmonies in my head singing, “The Chipmunk Song.” Remember?
“Want a plane that loops the loop, I loved that song, but I always felt bad for poor Alvin, who was always getting yelled at. The only two things on the Chipmunks’ Christmas list were a plane and a hula hoop. I felt selfish after hearing that. I felt bad for “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” too. I could have cried, thinking about him getting laughed at, being called names and never getting to play “reindeer games” (whatever they are). And I never understood why the other reindeer “loved” him, but only after he was able to guide them through that fog. Did they really love him or did they just need him? “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” confused me, too. I’ll bet that song put a lot of kids into therapy. It wouldn’t have been a “laugh” in our house if Daddy had seen Mommy kissing Santa Claus. It would have been a murder. “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” is probably keeping the therapists busy, too. I feel sorry for any kid whose grandmother dies on Christmas Eve. No matter how hard everyone tries to convince him that Santa had nothing to do with it, that kid will never get the image of “hoof prints on her forehead” and “incriminating claw marks on her back” out of his head. I could never figure out why “Frosty the Snowman” is considered to be a Christmas song. There isn’t a single line about Christmas in it. And that song depressed me, too. Those kids no sooner finish building Frosty and he starts to melt? If there was so much “magic” in that hat that brought him to life, why couldn’t it keep him frozen? I needed a translator to help me figure out what they were talking about in, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” What’s a “partridge” doing in a “pear tree” and why would anyone want one for Christmas? My mother wouldn’t let us have a dog, never mind a partridge, a turtle dove, a French hen, a calling bird, a goose, or a swan. She wouldn’t allow any dancing ladies or milking maids in our house, either (especially if the milking maid came with a cow). The only thing on that list that seemed like a normal Christmas present was the golden ring. While everyone was dreaming of a “White Christmas,” I was praying for rain. If we got even a “dusting” of snow on Christmas day, my father’s car wasn’t leaving the driveway. That meant that everyone was going to my Aunt Joan’s house without us. Every time I heard Bing Crosby’s voice coming out of the radio, I wanted to stick my hand right inside it and cover his mouth. For obvious reasons, I wasn’t crazy about “Winter Wonderland,” or “Jingle Bells,” either. I wanted to knock the two front teeth out of the person who wrote, “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” the Christmas that my two front teeth fell out. So many people told me that my two front teeth was all that I was getting for Christmas, that I started keeping my mouth shut. I felt guilty asking for anything else, if that other kid was only asking for teeth. I loved “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” the first time I heard it. I thought it was the perfect Christmas song – until the end, when I found out that the person really can’t make it home and he’s just dreaming the whole thing. It’s too sad to even think about. I know that the perfect Christmas song should be a song about the baby Jesus. But I didn’t even know that Jesus had anything to do with Christmas until I was about seven and started going to Catechism classes. My parents weren’t what you’d call, “churchgoers.” There wasn’t even a manger under our Christmas tree. So, I was really confused when I heard songs like, “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World!” The only thing I wanted to know was if Santa was sharing his telescope with Jesus. The only Christmas song that made me truly happy when I was a kid was, “Here Comes Santa Claus.” But I later found out that Gene Autry got the inspiration to write it while he was riding in a Christmas parade in Hollywood, California. Hollywood California? It figures. It took me a long time to find the perfect Christmas song, but I’ve finally found it. It’s “The Christmas Song.” That song makes me happy from beginning to end. I also love the unexpected twist the melody takes in the bridge. I wouldn’t change a single word or note. It’s just perfect the way it is. So, I’d like to thank Mel Torme for writing a song that doesn’t scare me, doesn’t depress me, doesn’t confuse me, doesn’t make me feel guilty or selfish, and doesn’t make me want to knock someone’s teeth out. “And so I’m offering this simple phrase to kids from one to ninety-two. Although it’s been said many times, may ways, Merry Christmas to you!”
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DIAMONDS IN OUR OWN BACK YARD Many years ago I heard or was told the story of the pheasant farmer in South Africa that sold his small farm in order to go off and search for diamonds. He wandered the country side for years but never found the riches he sought. Upon returning home years later, tired and broke, he learned the very farm he had sold contained a small diamond mine that would have made him rich. He had neglected to search his own back yard first. Many of us are guilty of not searching for the riches we seek close to home. For some reason we feel we must travel great distances to find them. In the early years of my life I traveled all over the country and down to the Islands trying to find those “riches.” It took a number of friends visiting me from other parts of the country to call to my attention to what our town is all about. I would take them on a boat ride down the river and they would constantly say to me, “Danny, you don't know what you have here.” I looked to other towns and places to start another business other then the one I had here. I didn't realize that all the riches I could want were right here in my home town. If I had seen with older eyes what was going on around me I would have recognized the diamonds in our own back yard. I would have focused earlier on this one mile square town that is just the best place I can think of the live, work and play. I coined this phrase in 1978 when I worked with Larry Waxberg and produced three one minute commercials on Red Bank. The title was “Red Bank the Small Town with the big City Flavor.” It was those commercials shot from the roof tops of our down town buildings that brought into focus all the things my friends from out of town had been telling me. We didn't realize what we had here. From that time on I worked to promote this town of ours as one of the best in the state. I no longer travel in search of something I am trying to find. These thoughts meandered through my mind yesterday as I shopped, as I have for years for Christmas gifts, here in Red Bank. While friends of mine wander pell-mell from mall to mall fighting traffic, parking and long lines, I sip wine and snag cookies that are in most of our stores as I shop for loved ones. And those diamonds are all over the place. I went through 7 jewelry stores in 20 minutes searching for something. From the newest store in town to one of the oldest…let me tell you…those diamonds are everywhere.
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TWILIGHT OF CHRISTMAS Christmas has become a 4-letter word in America. I don’t mean the common abbreviation, Xmas, but the reality that the name of the day commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ is becoming increasingly unwelcome in public discourse. It is already verboten in the public schools. Soon public mention of Christmas might vanish entirely. What used to be called the Christmas Season is now generically termed, The Holidays. The greeting, Merry Christmas – once on the lips of every clerk, or doorman, or neighbor during December – has morphed into Happy Holidays. Courts have banned Christmas symbols from government-controlled spaces. Christian symbols have been outlawed from government schools. (Didn’t they used to be “our” schools?) And a rich cultural heritage of Christmas celebration and meaning – passed down over centuries to nations, families, and individuals – is being officially forgotten in the nation that once wrote the book on religious freedom. How did we lose Christmas? Can we get it back? And do we want to? These are questions worth addressing in AD 2003. Christian symbols and values are being purged, wholesale, from the public life of the Republic. The de-Christianization of America is nearly complete. And yet, wasn’t it just two years ago – only days after the catastrophe of 9/11 – that the President, his cabinet, the Congress, Justices of the Supreme Court, and others gathered solemnly to worship in the Washington Cathedral? They asked for God’s mercy and guidance and sang hymns of faith. “O God, our help in ages past/Our hope for years to come…”, sang the mighty of our land in a stirring chorus of faith. Was that the God of the Bible? The same God whose Ten Commandments may no longer be displayed in an Alabama courthouse? The God whose son, Jesus Christ, originated the day we once called Christmas? – but whose name is now considered offensive to American ears if spoken in any way except as profanity? Yes, it was that God. We usually remember Him when the bad guys are coming down the chimney. God has imprinted Himself on our nation. He made us what we are. We seek Him – not Buddha or Allah or Vishnu – because, deep down, we know He is the Real Article. How – notwithstanding all this – did we lose the name and public celebration of Christmas? As with so many things, we lost it by neglect – by not caring, by not being vigilant, by not contending for it. We lost it by not wanting to “make a scene”. Should similar attempts be made to suppress any aspect of Judaism, I can assure my readers (being partly Jewish myself) that we should never hear the end of it. All pretense of civility would be discarded, as outraged Jews united against this tyranny. (Through experience they have learned not to keep silence in the face of oppression.) But Christians are meek and polite. They don’t want to offend anyone. (Such nice people.) And so, one by one, the great traditions and symbols and names of their faith have been surgically extracted by unaccountable courts. Meanwhile, our elected representatives sit idly by, claiming that these matters are “out of their hands”. The courts are, of course, a sore point with Christians. The U. S. Supreme Court has waged a fifty-year assault on both the Constitution and Christianity. It is characterized otherwise by commentators who agree with the rulings. Politicians, journalists, and most pundits also avoid mentioning that while state legislatures and the Congress can restrict the purview of state and Federal courts, they have not done so. Matters are not, in fact, out of their hands. Only the political will to overcome the iron hand of the courts is lacking. That will must come from the people. This is what government of the people, by the people, and for the people means. It also answers the question of how we can regain free exercise of our faith – including reinstatement of Christmas to its place of honor in our nation. At the end of the day, the proverbial Buck stops with us. No Deliverer will regain Christmas for us. There is no Magic Bullet. We don’t have Deliverer-government. We have republican government (note the small “r”) – where laws are passed by bodies of elected representatives, and approved by the Executive (or enacted over his veto by a legislative supermajority). In many ways, it is an ungainly system. Enactment of controversial law is very difficult to achieve. But this is the government we have – the one written in the Constitution. And, as the Founders knew, the Wild Card in the deck is the people. Only the people can exert pressure enough to make the Congress (or the legislature) act – to pass legislation or to restrict the purview of the courts. Only the people can give these legislative bodies the backbone needed to defeat the court’s unopposed, half-century deconstruction of our society and our Constitution. All that is the polite solution to the Christmas problem. It’s what the nice people do to change things they think are wrong in our society. People on the political left don’t do this. When they’re upset about an issue, they hit the streets. They knock things over. They call officials rude names. They lie down, get arrested and have to be carried away. And they keep on until they get results. Leftists don’t mind disobeying the law. If they disagree with legislation or a court ruling, they ignore it. California Initiative #209, prohibiting racial bias in state hiring and university admissions, is being circumvented by liberals who believe the ruling was wrong-headed and “immoral”. In justifying this opposition, Jewelle Taylor Gibbs, UC Berkeley professor emeritus of social welfare, says 209 preserved “…long-standing advantages of the white population”. Similarly, California educators who advocate bilingual education are resisting Initiative #227 – which severely limits bilingual programs in schools – despite studies clearly showing that students learn better in an English-immersion environment. For people this committed, a contrary legislative or judicial result is not the end. It is only the beginning of a long campaign of resistance, disobedience, subversion, and expected triumph. When the nice people step out of character to become activists, the establishment is shocked. An incident during the 2000 Presidential election Florida Recount showed this. A crowd of angry, white-collar demonstrators invaded a county office building where a controversial recount was underway. No violence – but they made a lot of noise. Intimidated officials bailed out, and the recount halted. News commentators were visibly shaken as they showed footage of well dressed demonstrators – they called them “rioters” – shouting and waving signs. How dare these Republicans use tactics that belong exclusively to the left? (How dare they care enough to make a scene!) Evidently, about 100 Florida people decided at breakfast that morning that they had to do something to stop the election from being stolen. A handful of people willing to make a scene probably saved Florida (and the Presidency) for George Bush. This brings us to the third (and key) question: do we really want to reclaim free exercise of Christianity – symbolized by Christmas – in America? It recalls something my old coach said: ‘Saying you want to win is easy. It’s also meaningless. The real question is whether you are willing to do what it takes to win.’ How much we want something influences what we are willing to do to get it. In 2003, being nice and working politely through the system might not be enough. During the last half-century, blacks worked hard to change a social system that was biased against them. They didn’t care how many nasty names people called them. They didn’t act nice. And they didn’t give up. If Christians don’t like society’s treatment of their faith – and they shouldn’t – they can take a lesson from civil rights activists. They will have to compute how much they care. And they will have to decide what they are willing to do. To reverse the elimination of Christianity from public life, Christians will have to do more than leave the fight to “others” and hope for the best. We are the others. If we do nothing, things will slide inexorably downward. And if we’re worried about losing our “niceness”, we should consider this – had Christians relied on the nice approach in the 1860s, black people might still be chopping cotton down south. There is a time to contend for great issues. If things continue unchanged, public school students fifty years hence will have no clue that America was founded on Christian principles and had a strong Christian framework for 170 years. All mention of this will be gone from history texts. Many students will not know what Christianity is, but will have heard all about Islam, Wickam, Hinduism, Taoism, and Kwanza. December will be a charming season of lighted trees, red-suited elves, sleighs, and gifts. The name, Jesus Christ, will be used exclusively as profanity. (Some might wonder who he was.) Indifferent secular Americans – busy tracking their investments, driving SUVs, and watching their giant-screen TVs – might have convinced themselves that dismantling the nation’s Christian framework is of no consequence. But they are mistaken. Court-ordered abortion was our first wake-up call. Abortion on demand – rabidly defended by fanatics who see infanticide as a “woman’s choice” – has destroyed 45 million children (an entire generation) over 30 years. Last summer, court-legalized sodomy was the next alarum. It denied Communities the power to set their own standards of decency. Homosexual marriage lies just ahead. Over the horizon, polygamy. Eventually, legal sex between adults and children – the ultimate objective of organizations like NAMBLA (The North American Man-boy Love Association). Beyond these, who knows? Christian broadcasting banned from the airwaves? The Bible labeled hate literature? Workers fired for religious speech? By this time, hopefully, no Christians are still saying, ‘that’s ridiculous.’ It’s here. It’s happening. (It’s a nightmare, but we can’t wake up.) No objective standard remains to stem the tide. The Constitution is just a “scrap of paper” subject to the Supreme Court’s dominion. Christmas was more than a warm, nostalgic link with our past. It is not about a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. National celebrations of Christmas were the outward sign that we were a “nation whose God is the Lord”. Our Faith meant care for the needy, protection for the helpless, defense of the oppressed. It produced civility, decency, generosity, order and safety. It was the Breastplate of Righteousness, the terrible, swift sword of justice. It was the Breath of the Lord that melted all the hosts of the wicked. Who (or what) will take the place of God and the Faith of our Fathers? G. K. Chesterton, the great Christian apologist, warned of a time of great danger – not because men believed in nothing, but because they would believe in anything. That time is here. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)
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DOWNSIZE GOVERNMENT TO DOWNSIZE PROPERTY TAXES New Jersey taxpayers can no longer afford their bloated, wasteful governments – from the federal and state governments, to the county and municipal governments. As a reporter/columnist in New Jersey since 1959, I have covered local school boards, town councils, and county, state and federal governments and bureaucracies. With more than 10,000 published articles and nine books under my belt – not to mention hundreds of television programs as a TV host and guest on other shows – I have come to the realization that Big Government has become the taxpayers No. 1 problem. Since government is the problem, it is no longer part of the solution. Government must get back to the basics and stop pretending to be “Big Brother” by constantly raising taxes to pay for social programs and “entitlements” that cannot be found in either our State or U.S. Constitutions. Since my career as a newsman began more than 40 years ago, I have seen government bureaucracies double and triple in size and scope of responsibilities. Each time another bureaucracy was created by Congress or the State Legislature, I kept asking myself, “How much is too much? Are our demands ethical?” The people – the voters, the taxpayers, and the working class – must get back the kind of government our nation’s founders established after the American Revolution of 1776. Our citizens must accept the responsibility of governing themselves by relying less and less on government to do everything for us. By governing, I mean less taxation, bureaucracy, waste and excessive regulations on just about everything that happens in one’s life. By seriously downsizing government, we will see income taxes and property taxes declining, proportionately. A revolt against unproductive taxation is what created the greatest nation the world has ever seen. Government today is the No. 1 employer in New Jersey and the No. 1 employer America. How could the working, voting taxpayers let this happen? Easy. They let government take over our lives, tax after tax, regulation after regulation until, today, this wasteful system is out of control and might require a benevolent dictator to save it from imploding. California is the best example of how to destroy a great state with incredible resources, both physical and intellectual. It will take a fiscal miracle to save California from bankruptcy. New Jersey and other urban states are not far behind at the rate of growth of government. Government today outspends the economy by more than 50 percent. Until we balance budgets without borrowing, government will grind to a halt just to pay interest rates on the public debt. The mayors are the starting point when it comes to taxation. Property taxes are the lifeline of school, municipal and county budgets. Municipalities can set the example by merging into regional partnerships and streamlining their educational and infrastructure operations. Do we really need 566 municipalities in New Jersey? Or 610 school districts? Or 21 county governments? Does New Jersey really need 21 State departments or bureaucracies? There was half that number when I started covering government activities in 1959. Money alone does not buy quality education. If that were true, cities like Newark and Camden would have the smartest students in New Jersey. Real education begins at home with a whole family that cares about learning and hard work. But the real problem is public apathy when it comes to government. Half the eligible voters no longer vote. That’s the most important “right” a citizen has, and when they don’t invoke that “right,” they become the losers and the politicians the winners. That leads to widespread corruption. Politicians seize upon every opportunity: ‘Hey, if the voters don’t care, we can do what we want – and get away with it!” And that’s the state of our political system today. By overhauling excessive, corrupted government from the bottom up, or top down, we can cut our tax burden by at least 50 percent. In the process, we will have to give up most of our unconstitutional “entitlements” and learn how to survive, as did my grandparents who came to America with only a bundle of their modest possessions in hand and the clothes they were wearing. Yes, during America’s historic legal immigration “melting pot” at the turn of the 20th Century, there was no income tax, no sales tax, no “hidden” taxes or fees, and little if any property taxes. It was truly the land of the brave and the free! The socialist tax explosion came after World War II – and it’s been all downhill since. (Gordon Bishop, a national award-winning author, historian and syndicated columnist, is New Jersey’s first “Journalist-of-the-Year” – 1986/New Jersey Press Association. He is the former Environmental Editor/Columnist of The Star-Ledger – 1969-1996.) ../bishop/2003/gb031225_downsize_government.htm PRINT THIS ARTICLE
LAW IS GOOD MEDICINE FOR SENIORS President Bush recently signed into law the most extensive changes to the Medicare law since it’s inception in 1965. Starting in 2006, the new prescription drug plan will be available for those on Medicare. The new law will cost $400 billion over the next 10 years, but will allow Americans to receive the medicines they need and deserve. This was a long sought after goal of many senior citizen advocacy groups. Beginning in May 2004 seniors can buy a Medicare-approved discount card which will offset the growing cost of prescriptions. (See www.medicare.gov.) Democrats seemed to be annoyed that Republicans, particularly President Bush, are working on social issues. Democrats claim that this new initiative will lead to the privatization and destruction of the Medicare system altogether. They complain that the gaps in coverage are unfair and that this was a giant favor to the insurance companies. The President and Republicans consider this victory to be an example of a fulfilled campaign promise. You will recall in 2000 when George Bush campaigned across America, he guaranteed that, if elected, he would overhaul the Medicare system and he has done just that. What the law will do is allow thousands of seniors’ access to prescription drugs they were previously unable to receive. The AARP supported this bill and its passage. AARP CEO Bill Novelli said, “The AARP supported this legislation because it will provide important prescription drug coverage and financial relief for millions of current and future Medicare beneficiaries.” Although it has been reported the 35,000 AARP members nationally have withdrawn their memberships, please keep in mind that New Jersey alone is purported to have 1.5 million AARP members. Republicans in both Houses of Congress touted this bill as an example of bipartisan efforts. In the House of Representatives it passed by a vote of 220 to 215 and 54 to 44 in the Senate. House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi said, "This morning, the President declared the signing of this bill to be a historic event. It was -- a historic mistake.” Bush insists that this is continuing the work of Lyndon Johnson who signed into law the Medicare Act of 1965, that we are “keeping our promise to seniors”. Now, while I agree that this legislation is a good start, I believe that there are better solutions to the drug costs faced by seniors. In New Jersey, we have two excellent programs to reduce prescription costs. The first is the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled. This plan covers seniors, and disabled people, with an annual income of $20,437 if single, and $25,058 if married, to purchase prescriptions for a $5 co-pay per prescription. The second plan, Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program, covers seniors only, with an annual income or $30,437 if single, and $35,058 if married. The co-pay for this program is $15 plus 50% of the remaining cost of the prescription or actual drug cost, whichever is less. These programs have worked very well in containing medical costs for seniors in New Jersey, and have no “doughnut hole,” a very contentious element of the Bush plan. Perhaps, prior to the implementation of the new Medicare prescription act, some of the plans on the state level can be examined to determine what is going to benefit seniors. In his budget address last year, Governor McGreevey proposed the addition of an “asset test” for participants in the PAAD program and Senior Gold program in an effort to move more people to the Senior Gold program. In the 2003-2004 budget battle, New Jersey State Republican legislators fought the administration to prevent the reduction of Senior Gold applicants.
This week I would like to begin extending the wishes of the Mayor and council to every one. May you all have a happy Holiday season no matter which holiday if any, it is that you and your family will celebrate. I would also like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. The Keansburg Borough Council voted to finalize and approve our budget during a special council meeting this past Thursday. The budget was amended to include the 300,000 dollars of extraordinary aid from the state. In addition, our borough liquidated additional reserved from the 2003 operating budget to realize another 300,000 dollars for this years budget. There was an adjustment made in the salary line of the police department reflecting savings of overtime costs since the implementation of the new duty schedules. An additional adjustment was made in the budget of the recreation department where salary had been allocated for the librarian that will not be needed now until much later in the budget year. At the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Keansburg Borough Council on 1/8/04 there will be public hearings on three ordinances specifically related to Keansburg Moving Forward. These are the first three ordinances to be introduced in support of some initiatives included in the plan. Upcoming Council meetings. There will be two regularly scheduled meeting of the Keansburg Borough Council for January. The first will be on 1/8/04 at 5:30 PM and the second on 1/2204 at 7 PM. Both meetings will be in the council chambers at Borough Hall. Upcoming Borough Events. Nothing scheduled at this time.
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No reports this month. Fire Companies and EMS Squads are encouraged to contact us about posting your calls.
CHRISTMAS BREAD PUDDING Various pudding recipes, especially bread pudding, have been traditional Christmas dishes since the 19th century. Before discussing bread pudding we must first illuminate what pudding in general is, and that’s the real challenge. According to the culinary encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique, pudding is “Any of numerous dishes, sweet or savory, served hot or cold, which are prepared in a variety of ways.” I think that’s the broadest definition I’ve ever encountered. With those parameters, a McDonalds Happy Meal could be considered pudding. The problem is the word “pudding” has been applied to multifarious preparations over the centuries. Buckle your seatbelts and get ready for a winding culinary ride. The earliest puddings were created during the medieval period and were very similar to sausages. Seventeenth century English puddings were meat based and savory or sweet from a combination of flour, fruit, nuts and sugar. They were encased in a dough made from flour and suet, (animal fat from the kidneys and loin), and then boiled in a mold or special bag. In fact, at one point the word pudding referred to all boiled dishes. In France, the word pudding referred to a type of cake made from bread sweetened with milk, raisins, rum, eggs and oranges. Yorkshire pudding is a type of popover made from eggs, milk and flour baked in beef drippings. Rice pudding is based on rice, tapioca on, you guessed it, tapioca, Nesselrode pudding uses cream enriched custard and chestnut puree and soufflé pudding employs choux paste to name a few variants. What we think of today as pudding has its genesis in 1840’s America when people began to thicken custard-based desserts with either custard powder or cornstarch. This thickened custard was then flavored with various items such as vanilla, chocolate, fruit, etc. Custard is a cooked mixture of eggs, milk and sugar and dates back to the middle ages. Pastry cream, crème brulee, flan, and crème anglaise are all custards. Bread pudding was born in the 13th century. Known as “poor man’s pudding” it was created as a means of salvaging stale bread. The bread was soaked in milk or water, then sugar, butter, fruit, and/or spices were added, and then it was baked. Sometimes the mixture was housed in a “sop,” a hollowed out loaf of bread. Modern bread pudding is made by pouring custard and other flavorings over cubed bread and then baking it. Many of our current Christmas traditions, including culinary ones, can be traced back to Victorian age England. Various puddings, including bread pudding became classic Christmas fare. In Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol, Christmas dinner is highlighted by the presentation of Mrs. Cratchit’s plum pudding, which Bob Cratchit proclaimed “the greatest success achieved by Mrs. Cratchit since their marriage.” Hmmmm. Well I can’t guarantee your spouse will feel the same, but this bread pudding recipe will at least make their tummy happy. First, we must make the custard: 1 quart half and half. (Yes you can use regular milk but c’mon, it’s
Christmas.) Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and place the pod and the seeds in a saucepan with the milk and sugar. (If you’re using vanilla extract add it at the very end). Bring the milk mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and egg yolks. When the milk has boiled remove the vanilla pod. SLOWLY pour the milk mixture into the eggs, in a thin stream, whisking CONSTANTLY. You can even pour it intermittently. If you pour it in too fast you will scramble the eggs. Strain it into a bowl and skim any foam off the surface. If you’d like, you can add some of your favorite liqueur to the custard now. For the bread pudding: 2 oz. raisins
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Series on Career Growth (Part 4): THE MOMENTUM OF LUCK Some people get all the breaks. Conversely, once you get up on the wrong side of the bed, everything seems to go wrong. There is a momentum factor to good and bad luck. If you think about various times in your life, you will see times when you were getting all the breaks and times when nothing seemed to go right. The times when things go well make you confident, and this confidence gives you power, and this power makes more things go well. We must take advantage of this momentum of luck. Shake off bad luck as soon as possible. When you are down, you notice problems. When you are hopeful, you notice opportunities. If you focus on maintaining hopefulness, bad luck will turn more quickly. If you’re down, watch a comedy, call an upbeat friend, treat yourself extra well – whatever works to get you humming again. In the professional arena, the momentum of luck can propel a career. We all get breaks along the way. The “lucky” few are actually the few who take advantage of these breaks. Recognize good fortune in however small a package it may now seem (a different role, a new client). Let luck propel you to new experiences, new relationships, and new opportunities for good luck. You don’t just have to work harder (although that helps). You also need to welcome the luck that comes your way. If you’re not lucky, change your luck. Do something new. Have you met anyone new lately? Have you checked out the new business in your neighborhood? Have you listened to what people around you are talking about – is there a new market opportunity, a better way to do something, a potential career opening? Pay attention. Look for the upside. Are you feeling lucky yet? Caroline Ceniza-Levine, head of career consultancy CL Search Services, is also an adjunct professor of Professional Development at Columbia University and a career/life coach. Caroline can be reached at 212-502-8593 or at her website at www.thinkasinc.com.
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WHAT'S IN YOUR NAME? Your name is an important factor in the story of your life. It may even predict and deliver your destiny. Some people believe that one's name serves as a guiding beacon throughout your life. Does it shed its light whether you know your name's significance or not? I think so. I think the universe persists in doing its thing whether we're aware of its goings on or not. I believe that other generations gave more thought to name meanings than we do. I'm always surprised when some folks tell me that they don't know what their name means. Perhaps that's a little hindrance to the fulfillment of their destiny to date. But we can always find out now and change all that. If there is any truth to horoscopes, to that one-time position of all the heavenly bodies, to the unique and never again duplicated vibrations of the universe's energy at the moment of your birth, therein might lay the reason for your name too. Finding out about it may answer some questions and solve some riddles.
Among the more popular names for the first decade of the twenty-first century
are: Those listed above are good selections for starting a new millennium. They bode well for keeping our world safe.
Here are some names that have been popular throughout the years:
Here are some name meanings associated with the people who are shaping our
Some previous Presidents - - *That was a surprise meaning! I hope I included your name here. If I didn't, let me know and I'll check it out. See what meaning your name may have in your life. If you've got a good story, please tell me.
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REPORTS OF RIVER, BAY AND OCEAN
FISHING Read
the latest report in the archive
THE BAYSHORE ALMANAC: Last Monday (December 22nd), at 2:04 AM EST, the winter season officially started. In bygone weeks with substantial snow, gusty winds, and frigid cold temperatures, physical conditions have made it feel to most of us that winter arrived long ago to the Bayshore region. While this December has been one of the snowiest in recent memories, it is actually typical for December months to be cold. This is because the meteorological winter begins on December 9th. The coldest 90 days of the year follow. When the winter solstice arrives on December 22nd, the Sun is at its farthest point from the equator. With the low solar elevation and the sun being at a greater distance from North America, the shortest day of the year occurs with less than 9 ½ hours of sunshine. Compare this to about 15 hours of sunshine on the longest day of the year around June 21st. Not only is the duration of daylight at its shortest in December, but cloudiness is at its peak along the Jersey Shore. Thus, with clouds, cold, and diminishing sunlight, this is perhaps why the start of winter invariably seems so melancholy and dismal to many people. Yet, as always nature prevails. Wildlife in the Bayshore region have long endured harsh wintry conditions. For thousands of years, numerous species have had to live with snow, ice, wind, and cold. They adapted to these physical conditions for their survival or became extinct. My suggestion is for all of us to go outdoors this winter and explore the Bayshore region for its many wonderful natural interactions between living beings and the cold environment. As Henry David Thoreau, the great naturalist, wrote in January 25, 1860, “The finest winter day is a cold but clear and glittering one. There is a remarkable life in the air then, and birds and other creatures appear to feel it, to be excited and invigorated by it.” We should all be so excited to experience the joy and wonder of winter in the Bayshore region. Below is a list of some natural events to look for this winter season as you explore the Bayshore region from South Amboy to Sandy Hook: • Some of the fish to be found off the coast of Sandy Hook Bay and Raritan Bay include winter flounder, striped bass, blackfish, and whiting. During the winter, the winter flounder use the shallow waters of coves as a nursery. The ability for this species to tolerate cold water is an evolutionary scheme to reproduce when few predators are around. • Harbor and gray seals begin to reach their greatest abundance within bay waters during the winter. See them now through April. • At lakes including Natco Lake in Hazlet Township and Lake Lefferts in Aberdeen Township, look for certain animals to be active beneath the ice and along the edges, such as bullfrog tadpoles, muskrats, and different types of water insects, such as backswimmers and waterboatmen. • Along Atlantic coast beaches of the Jersey Shore, look for humpback whales, which are occasionally sighted off Sandy Hook or Sea Bright. • During January nights, listen for the low piercing hoots of courting Great Horned Owls, one of the earliest birds to breed. • In forest ecosystems or along their edges, such as in Lenape Woods Nature Preserve in Atlantic Highlands or in Cheesequake State Park, look for many birds to be active including Blue jays, American crows, Downy woodpeckers, Red-bellied woodpeckers, Red-tailed hawks, Northern Cardinals, Black-capped chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, and Mourning doves. • On February 1st, winter is half-over. • On Friday, February 6th, the full snow moon will occur. Certain Algonquian Indian groups called the February full moon to be the snow moon, because February is generally the snowiest month of the year. • Yet, February is also known for longer days to combine with a bit milder weather. Thus, look for male red-winged Blackbirds to start returning to wetlands and meadows to stake out breeding territory. • Also in February, look for Eastern tiger salamanders to start laying eggs in vernal pools, for Red foxes to begin courting (listen for their yaps at night), and look for raccoons to become especially active, as their breeding season begins. • By early March, spring peepers (one of our smallest frogs) and wood frogs begin calling in search of a mate. Egrets begin arriving at rookeries, and Piping plovers begin arriving along ocean beaches at Sandy Hook. For the most part, the hardest part of winter is over in the Bayshore region by St. Patrick’s Day. Look for ospreys to start returning from their winter home in the tropics and begin repairing nests in or near bay waters that will eventually accommodate newly deposited eggs.
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The Volunteer Center of Monmouth County, (732) 728-1927, offers hundreds of unique volunteer opportunities. The Center is now located at 1900 Highway 35, Oakhurst, NJ, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See Volunteer
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LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY LUCY... Now that we’re home from Guatemala and life is getting back to a new “normal”, let me tell you about my Lucy… She has the biggest most beautiful eyes, like a doe, as dark as black olives, with long lashes to frame them. Her cheeks are chubby and she lets me kiss them over and over and over again. On top of her round head are the most beautiful silky baby curls, black as night, wispy and adorable, curling just around her ears. And when Lucy smiles, she shows her four teeth, pearly white, and with those cheeks she looks like a happy chipmunk! Lucy’s skin is so soft, especially her round belly. She likes to inspect her toes when I change her diaper. Sometimes when she’s in a playful mood she clicks her tongue and claps her hands and squeals loudly just to hear her voice! Her fingers are little, but they perfectly grasp little mini-marshmallows and cheddar cheese fish crackers. When Lucy giggles, my heart dances! And when I put her to bed at night, rocking her in my arms, I can’t help but think that life just doesn’t get any better than this. God blessed me with a special gift, and I am cherishing her with all of my heart and soul. Now I am an experienced mom. I read all the baby books the first time around eleven years ago when my Miranda was born, and back then I cringed plenty when I had to incorporate “tough love” and let Miranda cry in the crib for a time until she got used to the crib and falling asleep by herself. But I just can’t bring myself to do this with Lucy. At least not yet. It’s not because I want to indulge her or spoil her. It’s not because I’m lazy or just don’t have the patience. It’s because I feel she’s been through enough trauma. For thirteen months she was living in a foreign country with a foster family. Their customs and habits, language and foods are very different from ours here in the U.S. So while most babies start to acclimate themselves to their families from the day of their birth, Lucinda had to start all over again, do it twice in a lifetime. She doesn’t remember the first time, when she was only two days old, given up for adoption by her birth mother and taken home to the foster family’s dwelling to live her first year of life. And she surely didn’t know that December morning when she went with them to the Marriott Hotel in Guatemala City that she would forever be leaving them, the only family she had ever known and loved. Despite the fact that Lucy didn’t outwardly react strongly to this loss doesn’t diminish the fact that it was a huge, monumental moment in her life. Even though she didn’t seem to react strongly to the loss of her foster mother whose tears streaked her cheeks when she had to say goodbye, she has attached herself like glue to me. If I leave the room, Lucy whines. If Dave or Miranda holds her and I’m in the room, she puts her arms out and whimpers for me to take her in my arms. When she goes to sleep, it is safely snug in my arms while I rock her back and forth, singing softly in her ear. This is when she finds the comfort to let go and relax, sleep and dream of more fun days to come. She hasn’t been home with us long, but I sense that she is afraid all of this will go away. She fights sleep as if she’s afraid that if she closes her eyes, when they open, everything may be different. We may disappear…just like the other family that disappeared. Everything that she knows may change. Her world could turn upside down again if she doesn’t keep a close eye on things. Am I exaggerating? Projecting? Imagining? I don’t know. Adoption is new territory for me. But I do know that the experts in the field say there is a traumatic loss that children feel when they are adopted. There will always be a before and an after for Lucy. So should I let her cry it out, scream at the top of her lungs as she stands in the crib, her hands grasping the bars, feeling desperate and afraid, angry and alone? It may be the “right” thing to do in terms of parenting and teaching her to be independent, but I just can’t do it. My heart won’t allow me to let her cry. She’s been through enough already. All I want for her right now is to feel tremendous love, safety, comfort, and a sense of belonging. I want her to be happy. So does Dave. When Lucy wakes up at 2 a.m. in her crib, crying with her eyes closed, still asleep as if dreaming a bad dream from which she cannot awaken, I immediately scoop her up in my arms and bring her back to our bed where she sleeps in between us until morning. Dave moves way over to his side, and I move way over to my side, and in between us sandwiched between pillows is Miss Lucy, sound asleep. Dave and I look at each other in the morning and smile as we gaze at the snoring little nugget of love that is lodged between us. She’s been through enough, and so have we. And then there’s the sisterly bond that is forming. Miranda adores her little sister. And Lucy adores her big sister. At dinnertime, the two like to laugh at each other. Lucy will throw something on the floor and laugh, and Miranda breaks out in giggles at the sight of this little munchkin laughing at her own mess. This causes Lucy to giggle, too, and that causes Dave and me to laugh. Lucy likes to taste everyone’s food. She sits in her high chair at the end of the table, directly across from Dave, and acts like a queen. When she puts out her little pudgy hand for a taste, you better give her a pinch of what you’re eating! And if she likes it, you better be ready for seconds and thirds… In a show of generosity, Lucy, too, likes to share her food with everyone, and it doesn’t matter to her if her daddy has to get up from his chair to walk over to hers in order to taste the mashed up mess that is gripped in her extended hand just for him. Her eyes dance when you like what she has to offer. Her smile is our dessert. Miranda asks what we’re having for dinner in the mornings so she can look forward to what she can offer her little sister from her plate. And that’s usually when she’s giving Lucinda the marshmallows from her Lucky Charms cereal during breakfast… Miranda is smitten. Toys have taken over our family room. Everything that can be put up high is jammed on a shelf. There are fingerprints on the coffee table and mouth prints on the glass door. But we’ve never been happier. Lucy is just another word for love. And we four keep smiling, feeling like the luckiest people in the world to have each other.
../adoption/2003/adpt031225_lucy.htm
'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the boats,
At home children waited, all snug in their beds
When up on the deck there arose such a clatter,
The moon left a current in the waters below
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
Now Dasher! now Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
The contrail he left as his sleigh swiftly did fly,
And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
He was dressed all in fur, from his toe to his hair,
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
The stocks had all risen through the year for this fellow
He lifted his bag and went straight to his plan
He then sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle
Adapted from the poem of
REASONED SEASON Seasons come seasons go, Roger W Hancock www.FoolBay.com
../poet/2003/pl031225_reasoned.htm
(editors note: Do you have poetry to share? Send your submission to editor@ahherald.com.)
Picture This!
../picture_this/2003/pt_031225.htm or click herePicture This! We'll show you a photo each week and you tell us where in Monmouth County that photo was taken. If you have not won in the last 30 days and you know the answer, send your response to editor@ahherald.com along with your name and the town where you live. Be the first person to respond with the correct answer before next Thursday and we will publish your name and the town where you live. In addition, we'll send you a gift certificate for $25 from Bahr's Landing Marina and Restaurant in Highlands, NJ. Only those responses received on, or after, the date above will be accepted. Last Week's Picture This! Answer
The AH Herald provides this space for community commentary on issues of local importance. The extended format of our Readers Write page will remind many of the Op-Ed pages in print newspapers. We hope you find the information compelling and informative. If you have something to say about a LOCAL issue, send your comments, along with your name, street address and daytime phone number to: editor@ahherald.com VIEW ARCHIVECIVIL AIR PATROL (CAP) IS CELEBRATING 62 YEARS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE TO AMERICA Since December 1st 1941, when the organization was formed, CAP has protected the home skies. In the early days of World War II, CAP performed anti-submarine patrols and was responsible for saving countless lives and merchant ships from disaster. Today Civil Air Patrol, as the US Air Force Auxiliary, is involved in Homeland Security with over 64,000 trained volunteers, 1,700 operational units, 530 aircraft and 1,000 vehicles. September 11th 2001 was a tragic day for America. CAP responded with the first aerial survey of the World Trade Center disaster site and provided air transportation for Federal Officials days after September 11th. CAP patrolled the waters off Cape Kennedy prior to the last shuttle and provided homeland security support during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City flying 534 hours of airborne reconnaissance. CAP conducts 95% of all inland search and rescue in our country as tasked by the US Air Force saving an average of 100 lives per year. Our units provide airborne imagery of critical infrastructures such as dams, pipelines, bridges, power plants, seaports and more. The CAP Cadet programs offer our nation's youth the opportunity of aerospace education, college scholarships, powered and glider flight training scholarships, International Cadet Exchange program and more. Aerospace Education initiatives support the community with hundreds of workshops at colleges and schools. Classroom materials, teacher training and other educational aids are provided at no cost to America's teachers by CAP. The Civil Air Patrol is a vital organization that prepares our youth morally, physically and mentally as leaders of tomorrow. New Jersey has 27 units based throughout the state. We are looking for cadet and adult members who want to make a difference in their personal lives while contributing to a strong America. To find a squadron close to you, please visit our website: http://www.cap.gov.
Lisa Van Clief, Major, CAP
../readers_write/2003/031225_civil_air_patrol.htm P L E A S E T E L L T H E M Y O U S A W I T I N T H E H E R A L D
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