A Campaign We Can All Agree On

Boardwalk Breakfast Empire. photo via facebook

This is a first.  I’ve found a ticket of candidates that all MoreMonmouthMusing readers can rally behind.

Joanne Distefano Garelli and her friends Timothy Boulous and Ilene Winters are in the running  to win $50,000 and a food truck in the Food Network’s  The Great Food Truck Race.

Garelli and her husband Steve operated Steve’s Breakfast and Lunch in Sea Bright for 37 years before Superstorm Sandy destroyed the business that served up great omelets and muffins.

Now Joanne has joined with Timothy and Ilene as Boardwalk Breakfast Empire to compete against seven other teams from across the United States in the reality TV show that premieres for the season on August 18.

Boardwalk Breakfast Empire is leading in the fan voting with 44% over its closest competitor, Aloha Plate of Los Angeles and Hawaii.  Let’s join the All About Sea Bright facebook group in keeping our hometown team on top.

Voting is Hudson County style.  Fan voters are encouraged to vote 10 times per day.  Vote here.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend — July 19-21, 2013 #STTS

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Sunday, July 21

• Red Bank Food & Wine Walk – MORE INFO

• Discover Disc Golf (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Blacksmith Demonstration (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• La Cage Aux Folles (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Canoeing on Marlu Lake (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Dawn Patrol at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

• Asbury Fresh Local Artisan Market – MORE INFO

• A Chorus Line (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO

• The Music Man at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

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United Arab Emirates Donates $4.5 million to Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund

photo by Art Gallagher. Click on image for larger view.

Governor Chris Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie visited Highlands Elementary School this morning to accept a $4.5 million dollar gift to the Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba made the presentation and, along with the Christies, met with students of the school’s Summer Camp Program.

The UAE Embassy gift, made on behalf of the people of the UAE, will help address critical technology needs, such as infrastructure construction to increase internet bandwidth capacity, wiring and hardware for instructional areas, acquisition of mobile computing devices for faculty and students, and additional training for teachers and administrators.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, July 12-14, 2013 #STTS

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Sunday, July 14

• Shakespeare on the Lawn by BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• The Diary of Anne Frank by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Rock Climbing (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Asbury Fresh Local Artisan Market – MORE INFO

• Ocean Grove Choir Festival – MORE INFO

• Freedom Fest State Fair (Upper Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Shakespeare on the Lawn by BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• The Music Man at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Manasquan Reservoir Boat Tours – MORE INFO

• Canoeing on Marlu Lake (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Bradley Beach Lobster Festival – MORE INFO

• Warmth at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Dawn Patrol at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

• NY Yankees vs. Twins via Seastreak Ferry (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Haskell Classic Car Show at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

• 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Israel Film Fest (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Diva on the Shore Dodgeball (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Run-Swim-Run Competition (Avon) – MORE INFO

*     *     *

And Next Weekend . . .

Friday, July 19: Ocean Grove House & Garden Tour – MORE INFO

Saturday, July 20: Arts & Crafts Festival (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

Sunday, July21: Red Bank Food & Wine Walk – MORE INFO

Greg Kelly is a longtime Monmouth County journalist. He welcomes comments or questions at [email protected]

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Christie Order Allows Teenagers To Volunteer In Rebuilding Efforts

photo courtesy of Samaritanspurse.org

Teenagers are allowed to perform construction work as volunteers for non-profit organizations assisting New Jersey residents in rebuilding from the devastation of Superstorm Sandy thanks to an Executive Order signed by Governor Chris Christies yesterday.

Many of the young people assisting homeowners clean up and rebuild over the last 9 months have been doing so in violation of New Jersey’s Labor Law which prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from coming within 30 feet of construction work.   As the law became more common knowledge, charities were turning young volunteers away.

Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini (R-Monmouth) and Marlene Caride (D-Bergen and Passaic) proposed legislation last month that would permit youthful good works, but the bill could take a year or more to pass and become effective.

Christie’s order, which can be viewed here, permits minors between 14 and 17 years of age to volunteer for non-profits engaged in housing construction through the end of this year.

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Jon Bon Jovi Gives $1 Million to Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund

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Sea Bright Wins Benjamin Moore Contest

The Borough of Sea Bright is one of twenty towns throughout the United States and Canada named as winners of Benjamin Moore’s Main Street Matters contest. 

Sea Bright and 19 other town’s business districts will be revitalized over the next year by the paint manufacturer working with their local retailers and painting contractors. The winners were selected by voters on the company’s website.

Mayor Dina Long announced the award in the All About Sea Bright facebook group this morning:

Woohoo! We won!! THANK YOU everybody!!! Email received minutes ago:

 

We’re thrilled to let you know that Sea Bright is a 2013 Benjamin Moore Main Street Matters community. It’s a testament to the passion your community members have shown us over the course of the voting period. All of the 20 towns on the final list got here because of the outpouring of support we heard at a local level, so you should be very proud both of your Main Street area and all of your supporters.

 

We will be delivering a package to your town later today with more information. But we wanted reach out to congratulate you first thing today.

Best,

The Main Street Matters Team

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Greg’s List: Things Do In Monmouth County This Holiday Weekend July 4-7, 2013 #STTS

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Thursday, July 4

• OceanFest (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Atlantic Highlands Firemen’s Fair – MORE INFO

• Ocean Grove 4th of July Parade – MORE INFO

• The Angeltones in Concert & Fireworks (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Bradley Beach Fireworks – MORE INFO

• Holiday Racing at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

• Independence Day Concert & Fireworks (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Fireworks on the Beach (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• “I Love New York Brass” Concert (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• Estate & Multi-Family Yard Sale (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Firecracker 5-Mile Race (Wall Twp) – MORE INFO

• “Everything” Yard Sale (Marlboro) – MORE INFO

• Fireworks Schedule in Monmouth County – MORE INFO

• New Jersey State Fair (Meadowlands) – MORE INFO

Friday, July 5

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Watch Carefully For Rip Currents Today

From the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office:

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ABC, Cops in Shops, Preventing Underage Drinking

As Revelers Return to Jersey Shore, Cops in Shops back for 17th Year

Division of Alcohol Beverage Control graphic

BELMAR – With the business of summer getting back to usual at  the Jersey Shore, the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control today joined with other  state, county and local officials to announce the summer kickoff of its  successful “Cops in Shops” enforcement initiative.

Under  the program, local police officers work undercover in participating retail  locations. Law enforcement officials either pose as store employees or are positioned  outside the establishment to apprehend adults who attempt to purchase alcohol  for underage drinkers. Cops in Shops is a program designed by the Century  Council, a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers. The New  Jersey Cops in Shops program is recognized nationally as a successful program.

“Hurricane Sandy did some damage, but we are proud to be back here at the Shore,” said Division  of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Michael Halfacre. “Given the incredible  progress this area has made in the last eight months, people are again flocking  to their favorite spots along the Jersey Shore. They’re back, which means we’re back.”

“Attitudes among some adults and young people about the dangers of  underage drinking can range from indifferent to dismissive, making our job that  much more challenging. But that’s a challenge we embrace at the ABC because we  are committed to preserving the physical and emotional health of the young people in New Jersey,”  he said.

This  summer, 28 Shore police departments are participating in the program, with approximately $61,000 in funding provided by the Division of Highway Traffic  Safety.

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