Local pickleball enthusiasts aim to practice all year in Beach Haven

The summer may be unofficially over, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Beach Haven residents Ted and Candy Zolcinski are determined to make pickleball a year-round sport on Long Beach Island, mostly because it’s been a huge hit with local visitors and residents alike. The couple began playing the racket sport this past winter in Florida; it uses a perforated Whiffle ball to combine elements of tennis and badminton. Before long, they were hooked.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Candy and Ted Zolcinski play pickleball
against Karl Lombel and Robin O' Brien
at the Beach Haven School courts.

Along with Long Beach Township resident Karl Lombel, the pair started a Beach Haven group of pickleball players in June, which involves neighbors playing neighbors. During the past two months, about 50 people, ranging in age from 12 to 70, have joined the group.

“Once we started, we were basically addicted. We just loved playing it,” Ted Zolcinski told The SandPaper in a phone interview Aug. 29. “It’s kind of crazy. People just can’t get enough of it. Last night it was dark, and people were ready to continue playing. They can’t even see the ball anymore. It’s just that kind of a fun game.”

The group recently received approval to add another temporary court, using court tape, to the skating rink on Nelson Avenue in Beach Haven, where they hope to continue playing throughout the off-season. Zolcinski met with Beach Haven officials a few weeks ago to discuss setting up permanent courts using painted lines instead of court tape. The town is looking into using the remaining funds from the skating rink project, which started over 10 years ago, to repair some cracks and erosion in the area. Borough Manager Richard Crane said about $7,000 is available.

“We’re not adverse to painting as long as it doesn’t take away from the necessary painting and striping that’s required for playing hockey,” he said. “I think we can do it in such a way that both sports can co-exist.

“We encourage all recreational sports; that’s what the parks are for. The more use, the better,” he added.

Throughout the summer, the group mostly played on the courts behind the Beach Haven Elementary School. The strong visibility of that location, Zolcinski said, has contributed to the increase in participants. Another temporary court was also added there a couple weeks ago.

“We got people on the fence watching the games, and a lot of walk-ins, because people didn’t realize Beach Haven had pickleball,” Zolcinski said. “It’s not as strenuous as tennis is, and yet it’s a tennis-like sport. You can play for hours, and you certainly get a workout, but it’s not something that you’re just totally exhausted over.

“The social aspect of it is just tremendous,” he added. “The people that we’ve met, both here and in Florida, is just a great group of people that, three times a week, share experiences. That’s another great part of it.”

Although the group plans to continue playing at the school Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to dark as well as Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, they will eventually have to cut back on their time due to back-to-school hours. They plan to move the weekday games to the rink on Nelson Avenue at the end of September, when it begins to get dark more quickly.

Plans to set up courts at the St. Francis Community Center are also in the works, Zolcinksi said.

The group has received many calls from people before they’ve even arrived in town via the American Pickle Ball Association website, where the group is listed.

“The greatest thing that we found is that it’s intergenerational,” said Zolcinski. “I’ve played against 12-year-olds; I’ve played against 80-year-olds. People can compete in that wide a range with each other and be very competitive. ... It’s just that kind of sport. It’s fun. Families can play it, and a wide range of ages can play each other.”

Zolcinski hopes to eventually host a pickleball tournament on the Island, which he thinks will benefit the overall area.

“There’s tournaments all over, so it’d be a nice thing for next season or even the next season after that, if we can get our courts all lined up, kind of like you have some of the other events like Chowderfest,” he said. “Once you bring those kind of people in, they’re just going to spend money in town.”

Individuals interested in participating in the pickleball group may contact Candy Zolcinski at 908-596-0092 or cazolcinski@yahoo.com.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Search for vacationer's late mother's lost rings more than just a good deed for Harvey Cedars Borough worker

Amanda McKiverkin, 15, of Washington had just come back from relaxing on the beach with friends and family in Harvey Cedars Thursday afternoon, Aug. 21, when she noticed her late mother’s engagement and blue topaz birthstone rings were missing. The jewelry, which belonged to Karen Damico, who died alongside McKiverkin’s stepfather, George Hew, in a motorcycle crash in New York last September, usually adorned McKiverkin’s neck on a silver chain. Before heading into the ocean while on vacation that day, McKiverkin said, she had wrapped the jewelry in a T-shirt and left it near her towel.

Photo by Amanda McKiverkin
Amanda McKiverkin is happy to have her mother's rings
back; she keeps them around her neck on a silver chain.

The pain of losing a parent at a young age as well as an intimate possession of that loved one is something Jimmy Schroeder, 38, knows all too well. A mechanic at the Harvey Cedars Borough yard who also lost his father at age 14, Schroeder said he was especially fond of his dad’s work hat, a ball cap he once received from a salesman at Conway Auto Parts in Manahawkin. The hat was given to Schroeder’s sister, and it was eventually lost. When he heard McKiverkin’s story, he said he wanted to help her find the jewelry.

“If I wouldn’t have looked for it, it probably would have bothered me deeply,” Schroeder said. “I just did it. It’s the right thing to do. If you see someone broken down on the side of the road in a snowstorm, you stop and help them. It’s just something you do.

“I know what it feels like to lose a parent,” he added. “I know what kind of meaning those little artifacts or possessions have. Like my dad’s hat; it still bothers me to this day that I don’t have it. It’s gone. Who knows where it went?”

Although McKiverkin’s friends and family tore apart the rental house and sifted through the sand in search of the rings that afternoon, they ultimately came up empty-handed.

“I felt sick to my stomach. My head was pounding,” McKiverkin said. “It was to the point where I could not walk. I had to lay down, and eventually I passed out on my bed, crying.”

The jewelry was reported lost to the local police the following morning. Steve Hew, McKiverkin’s uncle, and Scott Cale, a family friend, checked at the trash bins at the borough yard, which contained debris from the previous night’s beach cleaning. Harvey Cedars Patrol Officer Anthony Abbatemarco, who handled the case, said he even sifted through the beach himself and called around to other local departments. However, the jewelry, which was reported to be worth around $8,500, was nowhere to be found.

“She didn’t even care about the price. She just wanted it for the sentimental value,” Abbatemarco said.

McKiverkin’s mother and biological father, Kevin McKiverkin, divorced when Amanda McKiverkin was just 2 years old. Growing up without a full-time father, McKiverkin said, bolstered a special bond between her and her mother. The two were best friends, and they spent many summers visiting Long Beach Island. Damico had hoped to buy a place on LBI and eventually retire there, McKiverkin said.

Although the family thought Damico was wearing the rings during the fatal crash, the jewelry later turned up with her belongings at home. McKiverkin’s older brothers, Christopher and Michael Damico, insisted their sister keep them, she said.

“I don’t usually wear rings on my hands, so I put them on a necklace so I would always have them with me,” said McKiverkin.

When the last of the debris arrived at the borough yard that day, Schroeder, still perturbed by the young girl’s story, took his 15-minute break to search for the jewelry.

“I saw the necklace come across the debris. I bent down and sifted through it a little more because I saw something funny, and I found it, and I pulled it up, and there it was,” Schroeder said. “Everybody was amazed. It was a weird feeling I got. I was so happy to find it.

“By some coincidence, the beach cleaner got it and did not destroy it,” he added. “I can’t believe it didn’t wreck it. It was still in one piece. The necklace didn’t break; it was still together, and I was able to find it.”

Abbatemarco, who happened to be in the yard at the time, immediately took Schroeder over to the family’s house so he could return it.

“I thought he was kidding, but he (found it),” said Abbatemarco. “There it was. He picked it right up out of there.”

Though McKiverkin said she does not usually have good luck, she said she knew the rings had finally been found when she came downstairs and saw the telling smile spread across her uncle’s face, who had answered the door when the police car showed up.

“I grabbed them and gave him (Schroeder) the biggest hug I could,” she said.

Emotions ran high for the moment, and although the family tried to offer Schroeder a reward, he said he did not want it.

“I didn’t accept anything because there’s nothing they could have given me to make me feel any better than I was feeling at the moment,” Schroeder said. “Contrary to belief, I have a soft heart. Fifteen minutes of my life doesn’t usually make a difference to anybody, but that particular day I was able to make a huge difference to that family. It’s a really good feeling, kind of like the day your kids are born. It’s one of those things that really makes you feel good.”

Schroeder claimed he had been feeling down lately and said finding the jewelry really lifted his spirits.

McKiverkin had wanted to bring part of her mother’s ashes to LBI but said she had not thought of it in time. Losing her mother’s rings at the shore, although devastating, would not have been the worst thing to have happened, she said. However, she is much happier to have the jewelry.

“I’m grateful that I have them, but I would be OK if I didn’t because I know LBI was a big part of our bond,” McKiverkin said. “If her rings were down there, I would have been absolutely OK with that because at least a part of her would be down in LBI. I’m grateful that I have them, though, because I can take a piece of her with me every day.

“I think that it was mostly my mother because sometimes I feel like she’s not there, and I think this was her way of showing me that she is still here,” she added. “I’m just extremely grateful because I do know that Jimmy had lost his father, as he mentioned, and I’m just so grateful that he has such a kind heart about this.”

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Funk Shway strikes right balance of originals and covers at Lefty's Tavern

The sounds of summer could still be heard Saturday evening at Lefty’s Tavern in Barnegat, when Funk Shway stepped in to play some of the band’s best original music, a mix of surf-rock and funk-reggae tunes. Obviously Long Beach Islanders, sporting bare feet and summer garb, the group played a unique set of feel-good music with beachy vibes. Intricate bass lines laid down by Anthony Capriotti took center stage, while a loud horn section and a few choreographed dance moves led by Sam Lasko on trumpet and Tyler Sprague on alto and tenor saxophones put a matchless spin on the upbeat performance.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
Chelsea Wozniak steps in with the other band
members to sing one of their original songs.

“The bass is definitely a driving force in all the songs,” said drummer Mike Konyha, who claimed he didn’t start playing drums until he was about 20 years old.

“Most other bassists are just bassists. (Capriotti)’s our lead bassist,” Sprague emphasized.

The six-piece band, a group of friends in their upper 20s who mostly live together in Beach Haven, also includes lead vocalist and guitarist Aaron Budd and “lead shake shake” and backup vocalist Chelsea Wozniak, who recently started dating.

A laid-back, easy-going woman with a powerful singing voice, Wozniak, who wore a relaxed maxi dress and had her hair loosely pulled back as she chit-chatted with the audience between songs, said she doesn’t mind being the only girl in the band.

“I just kind of jumped on board with what they were doing, whether or not they wanted me to. It’s the truth,” she said, laughing. “I have a tambourine and a microphone and just sing background and hang out with the guys. It’s great. We have a lot of fun.”

“Chels keeps us organized, too. It’s good to have a woman on the team,” said Sprague.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
Aaron Budd, lead vocalist and guitarist, croons.

Except for Capriotti, who grew up in Barnegat and attended Southern Regional High School, the rest of the band members graduated from Pinelands Regional High School in 2006, playing collectively in concert or marching band or in individual groups.

But the band didn’t form until last summer, when three of the members moved in together and started jamming out for fun at home. Not interested in solely playing cover songs, they began writing their own music and recorded a demo album with friends at Oak Leaf Productions.

“We didn’t want to be the sixth band in the sixth night in a row playing the same songs that five other bands already played,” Sprague said.

“Since we’ve started, we’ve wanted to focus more on playing our own music,” added Konyha. “There’s a lot of bands that we see, on the Island especially, that play the same Top 40 cover songs. We just didn’t want to fall into that category. We wanted to do our own thing and focus on making our own music, even though we do love doing covers.”

While sipping beer between sets, the band belted out a few of their most-loved cover songs, including “Break Down” by Tom Petty, “Bad Fish” by Sublime, The Grateful Dead’s “Franklin’s Tower,” “Fame” by David Bowie and “Love Roller Coaster” by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

“When we play 30 songs a night, we only play 10 covers,” said Capriotti. “It’s primarily original music.”

The band’s original sound is influenced by performers such as James Brown, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder and Sublime.

“We like full bands like that,” said Capriotti. “They always have horns. It ties it together.

“We have so many songs that sound like a summer day,” he added. “When you hear it, it just feels like beach music. It’s good, sunny-day music.”

Since forming, the band has garnered a lot of local popularity for its unique sound, landing gigs at local surfing events, including the Coquina Jam after-party held earlier in August, as well as at other local bars and venues.

“It’s cool,” said Capriotti. “People are actually listening to our demo, and we see regular people that come to our shows. They sing the words; it’s great.”

Some of their most popular original songs include “Cacti,” “Miles and Miles,” “Earl” and “Down South.”

The group has become recognizable off stage as well, the members said.

“We don’t really go anywhere without anyone,” said Sprague. “We don’t really just play music together. When we’re not playing, we’re hanging out together. We all just got back from a music festival. We go to see shows together in Atlantic City, Philly, anywhere we can go to when we have time.”

Sprague, Konyha and Budd began working for Sprague Rudman Construction after Superstorm Sandy devastated the local area.

“We’re together every day, all day,” said Sprague. “We’re fun-loving beach-goers. We’re a bunch of friends who like to hang out and have fun together.”

Their friends and family are also their biggest fans, the band members said. Relatives and friends made up a large portion of Saturday’s audience.

“We’re just lucky enough that we get to actually come out and play for people who actually like our music,” said Konyha.

Although summer is winding down, the group said they’re looking forward to writing and recording new material during the off-season.

Catch them at Breeze’s Bar and Grill in New Gretna Friday, Sept. 12, around 8:30 p.m. The band will also be teaming up with The Billy Walton Band at Breeze’s on Saturday, Sept. 13, around the same time.

To hear some of their music, visit soundcloud.com/funk_shway.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

11 area towns to receive combined $85,000 through Ocean County Recycling Revenue Sharing Program

Local municipalities that participated in this year’s Ocean County Recycling Revenue Sharing Program will receive a combined $84,887 of the more than $441,000 generated during the first six months of 2014. Barnegat Township will receive $13,573; Barnegat Light will get $1,134; Beach Haven is expected to see $2,956; Eagleswood Township will receive $1,397, and Harvey Cedars, $909. Little Egg Harbor Township will receive $16,216; Long Beach Township will get $5,846; Ship Bottom is expecting to see $2,533; Stafford Township will receive $34,609; Surf City will get $2,157; and Tuckerton will receive $3,557.

Photo via Google
The materials are dumped at a covered holding site.

“Recycling continues to pay a dividend in Ocean County,” Freeholder James F. Lacey, who serves as liaison to the county’s recycling program, said in a press release. “We have been able to return money to our municipalities every year, twice a year, since implementing the recycling revenue sharing program. This is a great incentive that results in economic benefits and environmental benefits,” he added.

Through the program, municipalities are provided a portion of the recycling revenues based on the amount recycled. So far this year, nearly 37,000 tons of old newspapers, tin cans, aluminum and plastics were recycled by 33 municipalities. The payout per ton for this period was $11.97.

The amount returned to the towns is based on the amount of recyclables collected and brought to the county and the price per commodity in the current market. The prices of commodities such as corrugated cardboard and newspapers have had minor decreases while the prices of other commodities have risen, Lacey said. Other materials such as aluminum continue to have a high demand, selling for $1,336 a ton, which is a $250 per ton increase from 2013.

“I want to commend Freeholder Jim Lacey and all of our municipalities for promoting recycling in Ocean County,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “Our residents have embraced recycling. We encourage our citizens to continue this effort, which truly improves our quality of life here in the county.”

Because of these recycling efforts, municipalities collectively saved more than $2.6 million by not dumping those materials in the landfill, where they would have to pay a tipping fee.

Since 1995, the county has distributed nearly $15 million to participating municipalities. Although towns can use the money as needed, many invest it back into the recycling program, Lacey said.

“If a road needs to be fixed or a park needs to be upgraded, this money can help with those projects. This is a return on their recycling effort,” he added.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

'Movies at the Beach' in Beach Haven ends season with 'E.T.'

Photo via Wikipedia
"E.T" will play on the big screen in Beach Haven.

“E.T.: The Extraterrestrial” will be the last movie playing outside on the big screen during the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Science’s Movies at the Beach summer program. The showing will begin at dusk on Sunday, Aug. 31, at Veterans Bicentennial Park, located on Beach Avenue between Engleside Avenue and Amber Street in Beach Haven. Ice cream and coffee will be available for purchase.

“It’s the perfect movie to end the summer,” said Amy Carreño, LBIF’s director of public programs. “It’s a fun night to spend with friends and family. Watching a movie outside is more exciting for everyone, especially on a summer evening,” she added.

Film participants are encouraged to bring a $5 donation for LBIF as well as a nonperishable food item, which will be contributed to a local food bank.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Pancake breakfast to benefit Beach Haven Fire Department

Photo via Google
A variety of breakfast foods will be available.

Members of the Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Co. will be serving up stacks of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and fruit salad during its annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser Sunday, Aug. 31. Coffee, juice, water, milk and more will also be included. The buffet-style event will take place at the firehouse, located at the corner of Amber Street and South Bay Avenue, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Beach Haven Fire Chief Matt Letts said the money raised during the event will help cover costs for training and equipment. A portion of the proceeds will also be used to cover the purchase of a pumper truck as the former truck was damaged due to Superstorm Sandy.

Tickets to the fundraiser cost $10 for anyone 12 years old or older. The entry fee for seniors and for children ages 4 through 12 is $8. Tickets are free for children younger than 4.

–Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

'The Good Shit Shindig' includes a shopping sale at School of Vintage in Surf City, Aug. 31

The Good Shit Shindig, an end-of-summer celebration hosted by School of Vintage co-owners Jeannine Errico and Erin Buterick, will be held at the store’s Surf City location at 1509 N. Long Beach Blvd., on Sunday Aug. 31, from 6 to 9 p.m. All items in the shop will be 40 percent off. Inventory includes vintage and handmade clothing and accessories as well as housewares.

Photo via Facebook
Most of the Surf City inventory will be moved
to the new Tuckerton location, which will
remain open during the off-season.

The Surf City shop will close for the season on Labor Day, before reopening in the springtime. The owners will still be available for bridal, consignment and alterations appointments.

The store’s second location, at the Tuckerton Emporium, located at 2 East Main St., which opened in March, will remain available to the public year 'round.

The event name stems from a blog the owners started called, “Shit People Say to Us,” which chronicles “ridiculous statements made by customers that are usually very rude and leave us scratching our heads,” Errico explained. At the end of the year, the owners donate $1 per blog post to the Southern Ocean County Animal Shelter in Manahawkin, “to try and turn a negative into a positive.”

“As another way to be positive, we started posting the ‘good shit’ people say in our store to our Facebook page, which is just as entertaining but less rage-inducing,” Errico said. “In fact, it usually leaves you feeling pretty good inside. So the name of the party is a direct homage to all the good shit people say and all the good shit people want: a big sale, food, drinks and music.”

Live music includes a solo performance by local singer/songwriter Patrick Sullivan and an acoustic show by Nicotine and Brown.

Tickets to the event cost $5. One dollar from each ticket will be donated to the Manahawkin animal shelter. Due to space, a limited number of tickets are available via the store’s website, schoolofvintage.com. Tickets are also available at the door but are first-come, first-served.

For more information, call 609-494-1171.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Manahawkin Lake Park central location for Stafford's Town-Wide Yard Sale

Stafford residents will have a chance to clear out some of the clutter in their homes during Stafford Township’s Town-Wide Yard Sale, Saturday, Sept. 13. The event will be held rain or shine, from 8 a.m. to 3 pm.

“So often people think, ‘Oh, I’ll have a yard sale,’ and then they just never get around to it. But we feel that when it’s a community-wide event, especially when you have more than one person on your street who has a yard sale, it attracts more customers,” said Debbie Budesa, administrative assistant for Stafford Recreation. “A lot of people go out when they find out there’s a town-wide yard sale, and they just go out looking for whatever they can. It’s a way to bring the community together, and last year was very, very successful. People were anxious to have it again,” she added.

Photo via Google
The community event will take place
during the last few weeks of summer.

Over 200 families participated in last year’s event, which was the first in many years, said Budesa. She said she hopes even more families will participate this time.

New this year, the township is allowing residents who live in an out-out-the-way location to set up their items at the Manahawkin Lake Park, located on Route 9 in downtown Manahawkin. Participants must bring their own tables and chairs.

“The township is so far-flung that there are sections that people don’t really get to,” said Budesa. “Our township extends to Warren Grove, which is well off of Route 72. We also have sections of our waterfront, Beach Haven West, where people live quite a distance away from the main drag. So that’s why we wanted to offer that to them.”

Yard sale participants with leftover, unwanted items can leave them at the curb for township pick-up starting Sept. 15.

Anyone interested in partaking in the event must register by Sept. 5. The usual $5 permit fee will be waived.

Registration forms can be picked up and dropped off at the Bay Avenue Community Center, located at 775 East Bay Ave., or mailed to Stafford Recreation, at 260 East Bay Ave. Online forms can also be emailed to dbudesa@gmail.com.

A log of each participant’s street address and the items available will be listed on the township’s website at staffordnj.gov. Names and phone numbers will not be visible.

“Lots of people will be out and about looking because they know the yard sale’s going on. And with the lists of addresses and items available, then people can see if they’re looking for something in particular, maybe books or sporting goods or something,” said Budesa. “It’s a great way to get out there what you have.”

For more information, call 609-489-0913.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The Forked River Gazette.

Raquel's Closet And More offers boutique clothing without the boutique price

Lisa White and her 20-year-old daughter, Raquel, have always enjoyed shopping in boutique clothing stores, yet they were never satisfied with the high prices. Knowing others felt the same way, they decided to open Raquel’s Closet and More. Dedicated to “The Queen City’s Hottest Fashions,” the shop offers elite, fashionable clothing for young misses, women and men.

“We love boutiques, but we could never afford the boutique prices. So I researched to see if there was good, quality items at affordable prices, for teenage girls especially, and there was,” said White, who co-owns the shop with her husband David. Both are local residents who graduated Southern Regional High School in 1983. “Everything in my store is under $100. You could buy a dress for $40,” she added.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Raquel White hangs up the
shop's new fall inventory.

The shop, which opened next to Chicken or the Egg in 2011 and had to be refurbished after 5 feet of floodwater damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012, originally carried apparel for teenage- and college-aged girls only. It was relocated to Bay Village in March, and the inventory has expanded to appeal to more people in the family.

“When you have a family come in, you have Mom, Dad, your 16-year-old daughter and even Grandma sometimes. They actually can all find something in the store,” White said.

Raquel, whom the shop was named after, helps pick out the inventory, which is bought on a selective basis, added White.

“I order six pieces of one style, and when that goes out, it goes out. I don’t keep reordering it and having the same things in year to year, or week to week,“ said White. “I have a big turnaround; every week I’m getting new inventory in. There’s a lot of locals that shop here, too, from the mainland. So I want to keep it moving for them, too.”

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Queen City Apparel tank tops are
currently available in women's sizes.

Currently geared more toward women’s fashion, the shop offers a variety of stylish apparel and accessories inspired by the latest trends from vibrant-colored tops and chic, detailed skirts to drapey kimonos perfect for layering.

“They’re fashionable,“ said White. “There’s a lot of must-haves to put in your wardrobe that I carry, including basic Sugarlips tank tops. They come in all colors, and you can put them under a sheer dress or something. A lot of things are sheer now, or crocheted. Everybody’s doing a hint of crochet everywhere. It’s so pretty. I love it. The boho style is really coming back for the fall,” she added.

Beach bags, purses and coverups with a beachy or nautical flair have also been popular among summer customers, said White. Lindsay Phillips flip-flops that have interchangeable snaps have been a huge hit.

“I have the basic pieces, but then I have the pieces that almost look vintage, but they’re brand new, which is the style,” she said. “There’s a lot of day into night outfits. You can get a sundress or a maxi dress for the day, and at night you can switch it up and put a piece of chunky jewelry with it, and you’re good to go. I love the fashion. I love putting outfits together, pretty much from head to toe,” she added.

The store owners also recently introduced Queen City Apparel, their own brand of clothing, which White said local apparel company Jetty helped design and print. Women’s tank tops were the first to launch this summer. The burnout tops, “good for hanging out at the beach, at home, or the gym,” come in charcoal gray, blue and light gray colors. Ladies yoga pants and men’s shirts are expected to be introduced next.

“Rather than ‘We’re in Beach Haven,’ I wanted to catch attention to ‘It’s in the Queen City,’” said White.

The shop, located at 213 N. Bay Ave., is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. After Labor Day, store hours will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Saturday. The owners expect to keep the shop open until Christmas, before closing for the season.

For more information, call 609-207-6684.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

New law increases towns' capability to manage vacant, foreclosed properties

Legislation that would permit towns to adopt ordinances to regulate the care, maintenance, security and upkeep for the exterior of vacant and abandoned residential properties that have been foreclosed on has been signed into law. The now-enacted S-1229/A-1257 bill was prime sponsored by Sen. Christopher J. Connors and cosponsored by Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove of the 9th District delegation.

Photo via Google
Unmaintained, foreclosed properties
are an eyesore for neighbors.

Under the provisions of the legislation, an ordinance would also provide that the creditor liable for the residential property, if located out of state, would be accountable for assigning an in-state representative or agent to collaborate with the municipality. The provisions of the new law take effect immediately.

Upon the signing of S-1229/A-1257, the 9th District delegation released the following statement: “Unmaintained, vacant properties continue to cause deep frustration for residents who, as homeowners, want their property values protected in these difficult economic times, especially on the real estate front. Our delegation was strongly supportive of this initiative largely due to the concerns raised by residents of age-restricted communities for whom unmaintained, vacant properties serve as a consistent source of agitation. Residents with whom we have spoken took issue with the decision-making process by banks in that these properties will only be more difficult to sell if left unmaintained, especially for a prolonged period.

“Meanwhile, as banks did little to nothing in terms of maintenance, many vacant properties fell into disrepair and stood out as eyesores. Understandably, local residents and municipalities impacted by this issue called for action to hold banks accountable. Based on the broad bipartisan support for the legislation, which was passed overwhelmingly by both Houses, this is a serious issue throughout the state.

“Existing law already requires creditors in the process of foreclosing on properties to be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the property. However, requiring a bank to designate an agent streamlines the process and better enables municipalities to enforce local ordinances by avoiding certain jurisdictional issues. To that end, there is a greater likelihood of resolving serious issues linked to vacant properties that communities and municipalities were increasingly forced to contend with since the housing crisis hit.”

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

Structure fire at The Gazebo Restaurant in Beach Haven ruled accidental

Photo via Facebook
The restaurant was reopened
six hours later.

The Gazebo Restaurant, located in Schooner’s Wharf in Beach Haven, suffered a structure fire at the start of Labor Day weekend Friday, Aug. 29, around 11 a.m. About 25 firefighters from the Beach Haven and Ship Bottom fire departments responded to the scene.

The fire, which was contained to the kitchen’s exhaust hood, was ruled accidental by the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office.

“The suppression system that’s in the hood system extinguished the fire. The fire departments just did precautionary measures afterwards,” explained Bill Gee, deputy fire marshal.

Small pockets of fire, farther up the hood toward the roof, had to be extinguished, said Beach Haven Fire Chief Matt Letts.

“For the most part, it was pretty fast to put out,” he said. “The biggest issue that we had was trying to find the trapped pockets of fire inside the wall.”

Emil Delettoe, owner of The Gazebo Restaurant, said he was able to open up again six hours later.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.

LBI's revival after Superstorm Sandy captured during live filming of 'Good Day Philadelphia' in Beach Haven

The sunshine made a brief, strategic appearance Friday morning, Aug. 22, in Beach Haven, when local residents, officials and business owners gathered around the newly rebuilt beach patrol headquarters building on Centre Street to celebrate the area’s recovery following Superstorm Sandy. Overlooking the beach crowd – a mix of lifeguards in blue swimsuits and families and friends dancing and toting beach gear – the Billy Walton Band kept the beat going atop the watch deck as Fox 29’s “Good Day Philadelphia” show aired live.

Quincy Harris, one of the show’s entertainment reporters, was filling in for regular host Jennaphyr Frederick who left at the last minute for vacation. Harris interviewed the audience for the station’s second to last “Comeback Down the Shore” segment, a special series that began in Cape May in July.

Photo by Ryan Johnson
Elvis gets a little help from Jon Runyan
in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

“A lot of my family is from South Jersey, and Sandy really hit hard,” Harris told The SandPaper in an interview. “Last year was the resurgence, but I feel like this year everyone’s kicking in and kind of getting back to normal here. We’ve been to a ton of beach towns this summer. Last year was the bounce-back, but this year it’s about getting back to normal.

“This is a good time,” he added, peering around at the ocean, where kids frolicked in the drift and surfers rode in the waves. “It’s a really good time just to have everyone back at the beach, everyone participating, helping the economy, relaxing and really just continuing family traditions that they started before Sandy happened, and just having a good, old time in the summer.”

The day started bright and early at 7:45 a.m. with a mock lifeguard rescue led by Beach Haven Beach Patrol Chief Mike Lawrence. Town Mayor Robert Keeler was particularly proud of the segment.

Photo by Ryan Johnson
Steve 'Smiley' McNamara and Chris Esibell
of the Beach Haven Beach Patrol dig into
16 scoops of ice cream.

“One of the areas I feel unappreciated is the lifeguards,” he said. “I think it was good just to see what happens. They do so much; most of these kids are fully trained in CPR and paramedics. They’re extremely busy during the summer, and very few people actually see what they do. So I thought it was a real positive segment, watching them go through a drill and telling them step by step what was going on.”

As children waved their  arms in front of the TV camera, thoroughly enjoying their 30 seconds of fame, cast members from Surflight Theatre’s “Spamalot” show were filmed during the second segment, which highlighted the part of local businesses. A treasure hunt hosted by Barry’s Do Me a Flavor sent kids in search of gift certificates. Fantasy Island’s Mayor Gator joined in the fun, as other local merchants handed out coupons and other goods.

“We’re a small town with small-town values,” Keeler emphasized to The SandPaper. “These businesses here are mom and pop businesses that were homegrown, and the people have been here all their lives. I think the reason people enjoy coming down to Long Beach Island, and hopefully spend time in Beach Haven, is because there is a difference. We don’t have (many) franchise businesses. We’re all local, homegrown people here, and I think little by little small towns are disappearing. They’re being taken out, and I think the fact we have these small-town values shows through in the business, how we greet the vacationers when they come down here and appreciate the fact they’re here.

Photo by Ryan Johnson
Fox 29 entertainment reporter Quincy Harris
fills in for regular host Jennaphyr Frederick.

“I think getting them a little visibility on TV is nice,” he added. “I always like to see the people in town here, who work so hard, to get any type of press because if our businesses are healthy, even in a very short season, our town is healthy. I obviously feel very good that (Fox 29 has) come to Beach Haven to spend time with our business people. Anything done on the Island, whether it’s Beach Haven, Harvey Cedars or Barnegat Light, is good for LBI as a whole.”

During the event, Keeler unveiled the town’s new T-shirts, adorned with the logo, “Visit Beach Haven: The Heart of Long Beach Island,” and “Eat Shop Beach Repeat.”

During the culmination of the show, the crowd gathered around to cheer on contestants who volunteered to stuff their faces during a food-eating challenge. Local resident Nolan Andersen and Joe Mangino, founder of Stafford Teachers And Residents Together, went head-on in a Chicken or the Egg wing-eating contest. At the next table, Chris Esibell and Steve “Smiley” McNamara, both members of the Beach Haven Beach Patrol, teamed up against Lauren Liquori from the Beach Haven Borough Clerk’s office, and BG Braun of the Beach Haven Police Department in a Boardwalk ice cream challenge. Local resident Emily Frank took on Pat O’Donnell, a member of the local fire department, in Uncle Will’s “Clean Plate” pancake challenge.

In the midst of the five-minute time allotment, special guest Congressman Jon Runyan, who stopped by to talk football, doused cold water on a local Elvis performer in honor of the ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Ice Bucket Challenge, which has been circulating the Internet as well as up and down the Island.

The Billy Walton Band played until the show wrapped up and the crowd headed back to work or home, closing out another summer at the shore in celebration of the revival after Sandy.

“We’re one of many towns that were highlighted (in the show), and I think it’s very important for tourism in New Jersey that people get to see that all these towns, not only Beach Haven, have done a wonderful job trying to get back after Sandy,” said Keeler. “It’s been two years; we’re in our second summer, and I think if people see in some way that we’ve come back, we’re actually even better than we were before Sandy. We have new buildings; people’s attitudes are great. I think it’s just wonderful that Fox 29 did this because a lot of people just don’t have the time to get down to see it, and they really have no idea what’s happened here after the storm.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Kids wearing bike helmets in Beach Haven 'ticketed' for ice cream reward

The Beach Haven Police Department has been issuing a lot of tickets to children. Thankfully, it’s for ice cream.

Sgt. Thomas Medel, who spearheaded the program to reward kids age 17 and younger who are following New Jersey’s bicycle helmet law, said he has already handed out about 25 tickets since the joint effort with Beach Haven ice cream shops began in August. The department’s other patrol officers are also pulling kids over and partaking in the effort.

Photo via Beach Haven Police Department
Children under 18 years old are required
to wear a helmet in NJ while on a bicycle.

“Most of the time they think they’re getting in trouble,” said Medel. “It’s really quite fun with the kids because their faces light up. It’s not often that you’re told from a police officer, ‘Hey, you’re doing something really good.’”

Bicycle safety is especially important during the summer months when the town is full of vacationers from out of state, Medel said.

“A lot of other states don’t have helmet laws like we do. It’s really important for the kids to wear their helmets and follow the rules of the road,” he added. “We have people riding their bicycles everywhere now. It’s actually dangerous for the people driving their cars as well as the bicyclists.”

The idea began when the owner of The Boardwalk, an ice cream parlor and bike shop, suggested rewarding kids for their efforts to follow the law, Medel explained. When Medel approached other business owners about the idea, he said they were all “on board.”

The tickets are good for one ice cream at Barry’s Do Me a Flavor, Ben and Jerry’s, The Boardwalk, Carmella’s Ice Creamery and Coffee Shop, Country Kettle Fudge, Fantasy Island Amusement Park, Happy Skipper, Lainie’s Ice Cream Porch, POPularity Pops or Thundering Surf Waterpark.

“Without the businesses generously offering the ice cream to the kids, this wouldn’t be such a success,” said Medel.

He claimed his younger daughter has been more aware of who is following the law and who is not since she received a ticket.

“You’d be surprised. When a little kid tells you you’re doing something wrong, you might think twice about it. The kids do know the right thing to do.”

Although the program will end around Labor Day, when school begins again, Medel said he hopes to start the program earlier in the summer next year.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.

Creation of New Jersey's first state forest topic of 'Lectures at the Lake' series Aug. 23

Bass River State Forest’s 2014 “Lectures at the Lake” series will continue Saturday, Aug. 23, with a free program on the history of the forest, which was the first acquired by the state of New Jersey for public recreation, water conservation and wildlife and timber management. Park Superintendent Cynthia Coritz will lead the discussion at the Lake Absegami beach breezeway, located at 762 Stage Rd. in Bass River Township, at 8 p.m.

Photo via West Jersey History
Swimming in Lake Absegami is allowed
Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

A photo history of the creation of the forest, which was established in 1905, will cover three chapters in the life of the forest: why and how it was created, how the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1933 to 1942 affected the forest and what it currently offers to the public.

“Other areas in the New Jersey State Park System have history that goes back prior to 1905, but there were no other state parks, state forests, or recreation areas before Bass River State Forest was established,” said Coritz. “We all love our state parks, forests and recreation areas and may know their histories, but the history of the whole park system began here with about 870 acres purchased from the Mathis family in 1905.”

One of her favorite parts of the discussion, Coritz said, is that Gifford Pinchot, the forester hired to survey South Jersey and make recommendations on what to do with the land that had been burned down and cut over, went on to become “the father of forestry,” head of the U.S. Forest Service and governor of Pennsylvania. Coritz said she also loves sharing information about the importance of the Civilian Conservation Corps-era and how hard those men worked, despite receiving “very little recognition.”

Insect repellent, a flashlight and something to sit on are recommended for the event. The venue is ADA accessible. Donations to the forest’s Interpretive Program are welcome.

For more information, call the forest office at 609-296-1114 or visit njparksandforests.org.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.