Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County This Weekend–May 3-5, 2013

Photo by Art Gallagher

By Greg Kelly

Friday, May 3

• Manasquan Spring Side Walk Sale – MORE INFO

• Sicilians in the Basement at First Ave Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Noir at NJ Repertory Theater (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• The Electric Baby at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Laughter on the 23rd Floor by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Steel Magnolias by Spotlight Players (Matawan) – MORE INFO

• Spirit of the Artist (Avon) – MORE INFO

• The Cocktail Hour by South Street Players (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO

• Psychic Sylvia Browne at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Nearly New Sale (Morganville) – MORE INFO

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Saturday, May 4

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, April 26-28

By Greg Kelly

Friday, April 26

• Spring Lake Fashion Extravaganza! – MORE INFO

• Marriage Is Hazardous to Your Health at First Ave Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Noir at NJ Repertory Theater (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Guys & Dolls at Spring Lake Community House – MORE INFO

• The Electric Baby at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Fit to Kill by Monmouth Players (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Anything Goes at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Laughter on the 23rd Floor by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Steel Magnolias by Spotlight Players (Matawan) – MORE INFO

• Verdi’s Rigoletto at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Denim Day (Hazlet) – MORE INFO

• Hoops for Hope Basketball Tourney (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Global Understanding 5k Run/Walk at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO

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Saturday, April 27

• COA Beach Sweeps (County beaches) – MORE INFO

*Today Show and Comcast Cares (Highlands)- MORE INFO

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Sheriff Golden: Monmouth Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security, OEM Steps Up Alert In Response To Boston Bombing

Monmouth County Sheriff’s Patrol At Seastreak’s Highlands Ferry Terminal. April 15, 2013. Photo by Art Gallagher. Click for full view.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said that his Law Enforcement Division, the Office of Emergency Management and homeland security personnel are on heightened alert as a precaution in response to the bombing at the Boston Marathon this afternoon.

There is no known specific threat in Monmouth County.

“We routinely patrol transit hubs like the ferry terminals and train stations, as well as they shopping malls, ” Golden said, “when an incident like what happened in Boston today occurs, we take additional precautions. We’ll be monitoring state and federal communications and be on heightened alert at least through tomorrow.  We have emergency response assets deployed throughout the county.”

Sheriff’s Office personnel will be meeting with the police departments of the communities that are hosting the May 5 New Jersey Marathon at the Shore to review security protocols, Golden added,

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Seastreak providing transportation and lodging to NY for family and friends of crash victims

Seastreak LLC has announced that it will provide free transportation to NY, via ferry or car service, to friends and family members of those who were injured in this morning’s accident at Pier 11.   The company will also provide lodging for those who may need to stay in New York overnight.

For additional information and to make arrangements call Seastreak at 1-800-BOATRIDE (800-262-8743)

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Seastreak Ferry Out Of Highlands Crashes at Pier 11

Photo credit: Stephanie Agresta via facebook

Seastreak Manager Jack Bevins told MMM that the ferry that crashed into Pier 11 in Manhattan at 8:45 this morning was out of Highlands, not Atlantic Highlands as has been reported by multiple media sources.

News12 is reporting that 30-50 people have been injured, one critically.

The Star Ledger is reporting that there were 326 commuters and 5 crew members on the boat.

Seastreak issued a statement acknowledging the accident and pledging to work closely with Federal, State and local authorities to determine its cause.  They said their thoughts and prayers are with the injured.

Donovan Mannato of Rumson was on the top deck of the ferry when the crash occurred.

“As we were approaching the pier I was packing up my Ipad and closing the seat tray when I felt and severe impact,” Mannato said, “my head hit on the tray in front of me and I saw a gentleman who was standing fly several feet and land on the ground where he laid for quite sometime. There were two glass doors cracked but still in their frames.  It was obvious that people had hit those windows.

“When I got up to get off the boat I saw a man severely injured with people surrounding him at the bottom of the stairs. When I finally got downstairs, there were many people bleeding and with head injuries being tended to by passengers who were not injured.”

Mannato said he has a shiner under his eye and a stiff neck. He has not yet received medical attention.  He is concerned for the recovery of those more seriously injured.

Seastreak has cancelled the 5:55 departure from E 35th Street and the 6:10 departure from Pier 11.

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Jersey Shore Musicians To Kickoff Rebuilding Tour In Highlands on Sunday

A growing group of Jersey Shore musicians lead by producer Rick Korn and musical director Michael Mancini are raising money and the spirits of Jersey Shore residents with a concert to support the Rebuild The Jersey Shore efforts on Sunday November 25 in Highlands at the Seastreak Ferry terminal, 325 Shore Drive, at 2 p.m.

The Rebuild The Jersey Shore Band And Friends includes members of the Asbury Jukes, Glenn Alexander, Tony Seguso and bass player Tony Tino.   The expanding list of artists scheduled to perform in the Hope for Highlands Concert includes Bob Bandiera, Bob Burger, Lisa Bouchelle, Lisa Lowell, Layonne Holmes, and saxophone legend Tommy LaBella.

Admission to the concert is free.  Food and beer will be sold by local restaurants and merchants at the “Taste of Highlands” food court, with profits going to Highlands survivors.  There is a $10 parking fee at the Seastreak parking lots in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, which will also go to those impacted by Sandy. Seastreak will provide free ferry service to the concert from Atantic Highlands.  There will also be ferry service from New York leaving from E 34th and Pier 11. A $65 fee will include the round trip boat ride, food and the concert.  Excess proceeds will go to support Highlands’ Sandy survivors.

The money raised through the concert will be administered by “Hope for Highlands”, a fund set up through the non-profit Highlands Business Partnership under the direction of Mayor Frank Nolan and Councilwoman Rebecca Kane. The  Hope for Highlands Fund is designed to go directly to the people and businesses in Highlands that need it most.

“Highlands, like so many devastated small towns up and down the Jersey Shore, was hit extremely hard by Hurricane Sandy”, said Nolan,” This half square mile middle class fishing village, has been devastated with severe damage to over 1200 of its 1500 downtown homes and almost all of its businesses.”

Highlands, the first stop on the Jersey Shore, is known for its spectacular restaurants, Sandy Hook, Historic Twin Lights and its fishing and clamming industry.

“The loss of these homes and businesses has had a ripple effect on the community beyond the norm because many of the residents worked and lived in the town”, said Borough Administrator Tim Hill,  “An economically challenged town before the storm, this community is now faced with not only the loss of their homes but many have also lost their jobs.”

Sponsors include Seastreak, Shore Point Distributing, Boulevard Pro, Big Top Tents of Long Branch, Streit Purveyors, Boardwalk Sausage, This Is It! Stageworks and Tri-State LaCrosse.

For more information or to donate to Hope For Highlands  visit www.highlandsnj.com .

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Highlands: No Ferry Service Without Power Or More Police Support

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.

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