He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano and his most famous Monmouth County scenes were in Sea Bright and Asbury Park, but James Gandolfini kept working here after the HBO classic ended in 2007.
Gandolfini starred in the independently produced Down the Shore which was shot in Keansburg, Hazlet and Atlantic Highlands in 2008. The film grossed only $4800 when it opened last April.
While shooting in Down the Shore, Gandolfini shopped at IEI, Victor Scudiery’s retail electronics outlet at Airport Plaza in Hazlet. Scudiery tells us that the actor bought a stereo receiver for his trailer. IEI’s staff let Gandolfini be, not bothering him for autographs or pictures, but they excitedly saved the security footage of his purchase.
Sen. Joe Kyrillos and Mayor Fred Rast greeting voters in Atlantic Highlands. Photo by Art Gallagher. Click for larger view.
State Senator Joe Kyrillos said he won the U.S. Senate primary without the Bayshore Tea Party support, “by the largest margin in half a century,” and that he is confident that 13th legislative district Republicans will nominate him for another term in the June 4th primary election.
“We’re working hard,” Kyrillos said of himself and his running mates, “probably harder than we need to, but it is energizing and gratifying to meet with so many constituents.”
Rast was a supporter of Bayshore Tea Party backed candidates in previous GOP primaries. “Not this time,” said Rast as he and Kyrillos greeted residents at garage sales along Highland Ave.
Kyrillos said he saw no evidence that the BTPG backed challengers were making an impact on the campaign trail.
The challengers cancelled their door to door efforts today due to the weather. Instead they made phone calls and had a picnic at Assembly candidate Edna Walsh’s house.
If Mom is a baseball fan, Seastreak is repeating its BOGO 2 for 1 special. This week they are sailing to the Met’s game on Sunday. The boat leaves from Atlantic Highlands Harbor at 10:30 am and arrives at CitiField in time for the first pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:10 pm.
For many, taking Mom out to the ball game would lead to an out at home. If your Mom is foul on baseball or the Mets, here’s a tip for you.
The Inlet Café in Highlands reopens today after rebuilding from Superstorm Sandy. The weather is supposed to be beautiful on Sunday. Waterside dining on the Shrewsbury with views of New York City returns to this outstanding restaurant that is completely rebuilt and beautiful.
The Monmouth County Democratic Organization swept races across the county yesterday! U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. for a big 65% district-wide victory! Congressman Pallone also comfortably carried the Monmouth County portion of the district with over 55% of the vote. President Obama and Senator Menendez nearly matched Governor Romney and Senator Kyrillos vote by vote in what analysts had predicted earlier in the year would be a Republican blowout in Monmouth. They were wrong! Monmouth County Democrats delivered over 125,000 votes for President Obama, the 6th highest amount of votes in the state of all 21 counties. Turnout for the election was at an impressive 58% of registered voters despite half the county still not having power and with thousands of people still displaced from their homes.
Monmouth County Democrats scored major municipal wins, defeating 7 incumbent Republicans. NO Democratic incumbents were defeated. Monmouth Dems scored major wins in the Bayshore this year, with wins in Highlands, Atlantic Highlands, Hazlet, Keyport and Matawan, setting up a strong foundation in the Bayshore for future years. Here are some of our major wins
In Atlantic Highlands, Roy Dellosso and Bob Sutton were re-elected, topping two Republican challengers by over 350 votes.
In Belmar, Councilwoman Jennifer Nicolay won nearly 60% of the vote, trouncing her Republican challenger.
In Eatontown, incumbent Councilman Anthony Talerico was top vote-getter by nearly 1,000 votes defeating his Republican challenger. In addition, Janice Kroposky comfortably defeated Republican incumbent Kevin Gonzalez to win the second seat. Welcome to the Eatontown governing body, Councilwoman-Elect Kroposky!
In Farmingdale, 4 Democrats faced 4 Republicans in a showdown for the Western Monmouth community. Democrats Richard Geffken and newcomer Carly Immen defeated their Republican opponents to win 2 of the seats. Democrat Jan Zientek currently trails by just 5 votes behind his Republican challenger for the 3rd seat. Absentee ballots and Provisionals still need to be counted and Monmouth County Democrats’ attorneys are weighing a re-count for Jan’s seat. Still, winning these 2 seats is a huge breakthrough in a town where Republican voter registration outnumbers Democrats 2 to 1.
In Freehold Borough, Democratic newcomer Ron Griffiths outsed Republican incumbent John Newman while Democratic incumbent Sharon Shutzer was re-elected.
In Hazlet, Democrats Jim DiNardo and Barbara Ronchetti beat Republican incumbent Mayor David Tinker and Committeeman Jim Brady to take a 3-2 majority of the Hazlet governing body, a big win for the Bayshore community.
In Highlands, Democratic Councilman Kevin Redmond was re-elected and Democrat Tara Ryan was elected, winning a Republican held seat.
In Keyport, Democratic Councilman Ken McPeek was re-elected and Sophia Lamberson was elected. Councilwoman-Elect Lamberson will take the seat of Council President Christian Bolte who did not seek re-election. The duo beat their GOP challengers by more than 500 votes.
In Matawan, Democratic newcomer Kim Daly was elected to the Borough Council defeating incumbent councilman Andrew Lopez. Democrat Nicholas Nellegar was narrowly defeated for the 2nd seat by just 80 votes. Monmouth County Democrats Attorneys are currently reviewing absentee ballots and provisionals but Democrats have broken the all GOP stronghold in Matawan.
Atlantic Highland Police Chief Jerry Vasto announced via reverse 9-11 call this morning that the borough in not subject to a mandatory evacuation due to the coming nor’easter, contrary to news reports.
Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan and Police Chief Joseph Blewet announced to an Emergency Information Meeting this afternoon that the borough’s restrictive access to downtown Highlands will continue for the foreseeable future and that as of now commuters will not be allowed to enter the town on Monday for ferry service to Manhattan.
Highlands has been closed to non-residents all week since the evacuation for Hurricane Sandy. Police check points are in place at the two entrances to the community…at the base of the Captain Joseph Azzolina Bridge and at the corner of Waterwitch and Linden Avenues…no one without identification with a Highlands address or accompanied by a Highlands resident are allowed beyond the check points.
Blewet said there had been “a dozen or so” looting incidents reported and that the check points would continue until power is restored to the community. The Highlands Police Department is being supported by officers from the State Attorney General’s office, the State Police, and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.
Nolan told MMM that Highlands would need at least three additional police officers inorder to allow commuters into town or the full restoration of power to the borough. Highlands is not yet on JCPL’s schedule for power restoration, according to the information they provided the Christie Administration.
Seastreak LLC, the ferry service that operates out of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, sent an email to the customers on November 2 announcing that Nolan “will lift the public access restrictions” and that service would resume on Monday November 5. The same message emailed was posted on the company’s website.
Jack Bevins, the Seastreak manager in charge at the Highlands Connors location told MMM that the company was indeed planning to resume limited service on Monday. He said the Highlands OEM Director David Parker had given him permission, subject to a conversation with Blewet. “This is the first I’ve heard there was a problem,” Bevins said when informed of Nolan’s and Blewet’s announcement. He immediately left his crew that was restoring access to the fleet to speak with Blewet.
In Atlantic Highlands, Mayor Fred Rast and Harbor Commission Chairwoman Jane Frotton laughed at the notion of Seastreak operating out of their harbor on Monday. The company’s announcement said they “hoped” to be able to resume service in Atlantic Highlands on Tuesday. Rast and Frotton said the barge would have to be replaced and parking at the Senior Housing cleared before commuters would be allowed into Atlantic Highlands. Tuesday appears to be a pipedream.
