Sunday, January 20, 2013
Christmas trees donated for special project
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Daniel Nee
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Sunday, January 20
Saturday was my birthday, and for a lifelong Ocean County kid like myself, the best birthday gift I could have ever imagined was a day at the beach. Having been born in January, however, that has always been an odd - if not impossible - feat. My family has hosted more than its share of "lite" birthday parties with fewer relatives and friends invited, thanks to snow, ice, or whatever treacherous meteorological phenomenon graced us with its presence Jan. 19. But this year, things were different. My father woke me up about 8 a.m., and with a shovel and tow strap in the trunk of my Land Rover LR2, we motored down Route 35 to Island Beach State Park, where the dunes were in desperate need of a boost. A few days ago, we had delivered in a cart …
Thursday, February 23, 2012
The organization reports on what's been going on and what's due to happen
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
The Ideal Beach Community Association wants you to know what's going on with the organization and what's been accomplished in the past year. Check out the following update: Entering its third year of service, the Ideal Beach Community Association has made ‘great waves’ in positioning its quaint, coastal neighborhood as an up-and-coming community to watch. Boasting its largest number of officers yet, the IBCA swore in nine Trustees and Officers at its January regular meeting and presented its 2012 Plan, Event Schedule, and Budget for the year. “We are launching our best year yet," IBCA President Kathy Grano said. The IBCA has grown in numbers and in stature each year since its inception. New in 2011 was the startup of the community’s …
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The timing is right for a trip out to the Hook for a lot of nature, history, activity and relaxation
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Dw. Dunphy
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Sunday, November 13, 2011
Hey, Sunday driver ... It may be getting a little chilly for this idea, but the thought is a warm one, worth a try, especially with this nice lull in fall weather. The summer season is done. Weather is still nice enough. It's a good idea to soak up whatever's left of sunny days in a natural, pristine setting. So, if you're looking for something relaxing and free (and that's for me) to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon these days, there's always the enigmatic, basically barren Sandy Hook. While natives to our Middletown area may raise objections to a slight chill in the air and cold Atlantic waters (and it does, indeed, seem a little too brisk to brave the clothing-optional Gunnison Beach), we remind them that Sandy Hook, part of the Gateway …
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Federal agency says entrance fee increases are needed to maintain current levels of service at beaches during summer months, but will consider public input.
Sometimes the best things in life, like a little sun, sand and surf in the summer, just can't be free ... or more affordable. In fact, there may be a higher price to pay for it all on Sandy Hook. While price hikes are even more unpopular in a bad economy, Gateway National Recreation Area officials say that if visitors to Sandy Hook beaches want the same amenities they've enjoyed for years, they might have to pony up more cash at the federal park's entrance. Those amenities include lifeguards, regularly cleaned restrooms and showers, security for visitors and overall protection of the peninsula's vast natural resources, according to John Warren, a Gateway spokesman. Because the price of providing those perks has gone up, the proposed …
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The clambake, to be held on Sunday at McLoone's Pier House in Long Branch, will benefit the organization that delivers music, gifts and financial support to those in need.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011
A Middletown family is to be honored at Holiday Express' beach fundraiser this year. The Holiday Express Fourth Annual Sunset Benefit Clambake, sponsored by Shore Point Distributing Company and Holly Crest Wine, will be held Sunday, Sept. 18 from 5 to 9 p.m. at McLoone’s Pier House, Long Branch, on the beach. The cost is $225 per guest and includes an open bar and a lavish buffet including lobster, filet and raw bar. Entertainment will be provided by the Holiday Express Band. Attire is casual so attendees can ditch the tuxedos, ball gowns, and heels for shorts, sundresses and sandals. This year, the clambake will honor the Annarella family of Middletown, who are genuinely committed to the community. Their support of the Holiday Express…
Friday, August 19, 2011
Proposed legislation would strengthen BEACH Act of 2000
Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Congressman Frank Pallone (D-6) held a press conference at Belmar's Taylor Pavilion on Wednesday to announce their planned introduction of what is called the Clean Coast Environment and Public Health Act of 2011. The proposed legislation would be a strengthening and expansion of the Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, which the pair wrote and saw signed into law in 2000. Under the BEACH Act, states were required to routinely test for water quality and to adopt both a set of water quality standards and a monitoring and notification system. Through the BEACH Act, upwards of 3,800 beaches throughout the country, excluding Alaska, are monitored for water quality. Lautenberg lauded…
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Story of the pastel beauties comes down to two different metals
The soft colors of the sea glass in this photo encouraged me to make this week’s column another installation of our color-by-color guide to sea glass — not exactly a natural phenomenon, true, but we can make a case for taking on the topic. Today’s colors: seafoam green and lavender. The spring pastels look lovely in a jar together, and, interestingly enough, you could say the history of the two glass colors is linked. What it is: A piece of seafoam green sea glass isn’t an uncommon find, but the color is so attractive that I always pocket a piece in this shade when I find one. A batch of glass will naturally have a pale bluish green hue because of the widespread presence of iron impurities in glass’ main ingredient — sand. Unless …
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Jersey's beaches ranked among the nation's cleanest
Not even Snooki and the gang could get in the way of the facts. New Jersey's beaches are among the nation's cleanest, according to a report out this week. The Natural Resources Defense Council issued its Annual Beach Report yesterday, just in time for the Independence Day holiday. The report shows that the nation's beaches saw the second-highest number of closing and advisory days in more than two decades last year. New Jersey, however, had among the lowest number of closings, along with the Delmarva region and the southeast. More good news came in the form of water contamination — or, specifically, a lack of it. New Jersey beaches were the second-least contaminated in the country, with a 2 percent contamination rate. Only New Hampshire, …
Monday, June 27, 2011
Christie signs bill amending beach tag law, but local communities must give their own OKs.
With local permission, members of the military and their spouses and children may now access New Jersey beaches for free or at a reduced price. Gov. Chris Christie has signed into law a bill sponsored by a group of Ocean County legislators that amends a state law on the books since 1955 that allows municipalities to except certain groups of people from having to pay to access beaches. Previously, the state law allowed individual towns to let persons older than 65 or younger than 12, and those with certain disabilities, to receive beach badge discounts or free access to paid beaches. But many coastal municipalities from Sandy Hook to Cape May also sought to allow members of the armed forces and their families a similar exception. The …
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Mother Nature makes for great healing power, de-stressing
Did you ever notice how good you feel physically and mentally after a long day on the beach? This is because there are many health benefits gained by spending time on the beach and utilizing all it has to offer. With the sand, the ocean and the full-on sunshine, there is not much more one could possibly need to feel great inside and out. Here are a few aspects of the beach that contribute to living a healthy summer lifestyle and some tips to go along with them. The Sun It’s definitely true that sunburn and skin cancer are real threats to our health. It’s unfortunate that people are unaware of how serious this actually is. All it takes is a day of not wearing sunblock and someone with sensitive skin could be in danger. However, with the …
katie barnett
9:56 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
I love this article! It is beautifully written! Nice work on the article and at your volunteer work on the beach! Wish we would have known it was your Birthday! I would have had everyone sing! Best wished for more happy days at the beach. BTW- another Christmas Tree Dune Planting is scheduled for February 2! - Katie Barnett more ›