STONE HARBOR'S first annual "Stone Harbor
Shiver" was a success as fearless swimmers plunged into cold ocean water
last Saturday, while onlookers cheered. In case you are wondering what
you missed, the surf temperature was a chilling 43 degrees.
OCEAN DRIVE MARATHON: the annual event will be
held Sunday, March 27. Runners will begin in historic Cape May and
will follow Ocean Drive north through the Wildwoods, Stone Harbor, and
Avalon, then finish on the Promenade in Sea Isle City.
A FARMERS MARKET may open at the Cape May
Lewes Ferry terminal in North Cape May. The Delaware River & Bay
Authority, which operates the ferry and terminal, hopes to open the market
on the terminal green, just outside the terminal building. A decision
is expected in the next month or so.
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! Did you know
that Cape May County's population is 24 percent Irish-American? That's
the highest percentage in the state. Sea Isle City, with 50 percent of
its population reporting Irish heritage, is the "most Irish" town in the
county.
C'MON DOWN! Has the recent taste of warm
weather given you spring fever? Make an early trip to the Island!
Each week more and more people return to enjoy spring weather and
activities. Don't have a place of your own? Contact the Golden
Inn (866-343-6111) for weekend getaway packages, then contact me to look for
a place of your own!
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS issued in Avalon during
2010 totaled 591, up from 534 in 2009. Stand on nearly any street
corner and you'll see a construction project going on nearby.
ORDER YOUR BEACH TAGS! Seasonal beach tags
may be ordered by mail at preseason rates!
For Avalon tags, send a stamped, self addressed envelope, along with a check
for $21 per season tag, payable to the Borough of Avalon. Mail it to
Borough of Avalon, Avalon Tax Office/Beach Tags, 3100 Dune Drive, Avalon, NJ
08202. A receipt will be mailed to you; on your next trip to Avalon,
redeem your receipt for the number of tags you ordered.
For Stone Harbor tags, send a check payable to the Borough of Stone Harbor,
9508 Second Avenue, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247. The tags will be held in
your name at the beach tag office at 95th Street & the beach.
FREE BEACH MOVIES! Continuing the tradition,
Avalon will present its "Best Ever" line up of free beach movies during the
2011 season. This year's movies include "The Karate Kid," "Shrek
Forever After," and "Clash of the Titans." Movies will be shown on
Tuesday evenings on the 30th Street beach. They are free and open to
the public.
BIGGER BEACHES will be in store for Avalon and
Stone Harbor this summer. The US Army Corps of Engineers is expecting
to award in mid-March a contract for emergency beach replenishment on Seven
Mile Island. Under the plan Avalon's beaches from 16th to 30th Streets
would receive 120,000 cubic yards, while Stone Harbor's beaches from 90th
Street to Stone Harbor Point would receive 280,000 cubic yards. Sand
will be pumped by a dredge from both Townsend's Inlet and Hereford Inlet.
Since the project is considered an emergency beach fill, it will be funded
entirely with federal money. However, the towns may elect to expand
the project, thus saving "mobilization" costs since the dredge and other
equipment will already be in place. The expense of any expanded beach
fill would be covered under the usual funding formula: 65% by the federal
government, and 35% by state and local government. Of the 35%, New
Jersey would pay 75% and the towns 25%.
SPRUCE UP NOW! Beat the rush--contact
your service providers now and schedule repairs, painting, or other "get
ready" jobs before spring weather hits. Contractors and repair
services aren't swamped right now, but they soon will be.
If you should need a recommendation for a contractor or other service
provider please let me know.
D
UNE GRASS PLANTING will occur in Avalon on
Saturday, April 30. Volunteers are needed--report to Avalon Community
Hall at 8:30am that day, where coffee and donuts will be served, followed by
a demonstration on how to plant dune grass. After planting, a
complimentary lunch will be served to volunteers at noon at Community Hall.
CHARGE IT! Avalon will host a new
electric vehicle charging station for those that own electric vehicles. The
recharging dock will be located in front of the Public Safety Building at
30th Street & Dune Drive. Users of the recharging dock will be able to
pay via credit card. The borough will soon be seeking bids for the
project.
BULK TRASH will be collected in Avalon and
Stone Harbor.
Stone Harbor: March 21. Place items curbside up
to 72 hours prior.
Avalon: April 30 through May 9. Place items
curbside no later than 7am on May 9.
SPRING FORWARD! Set your clocks forward
by one hour at 2am Sunday, March 13.
THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY BRIDGES over Great
Egg Harbor Bay will receive repairs to their steel and concrete structures.
Work is expected to begin this summer with completion due by the fall of
2012. Eventual replacement of the 55 year old southbound bridge is
being planned for the future. Legislators have also called for the swift
demolition of the nearby Beesley's Point Bridge, which carries Route 9 over
Great Egg Harbor Bay between Upper Township and Somers Point. The
Beesley's Point Bridge has been closed for several years due to structural
problems.
"OUTSPOKEN LIBRARY": Avalon's Library
will feature talking books to assist those who cannot read due to vision
problems. A kiosk at the library will provide access to
thousands of audio books that can be downloaded to portable digital book
players. Major newspapers and magazines are available, too, all at no
cost to the library or its patrons. The "Outspoken Library" program's
expense is borne by the National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped.
MARKET STATS: 31 new purchase contracts
were written in the local market from January 1 through February 15, 2011,
up 72% over last year's figure of 18 for the corresponding period.
Also up during the same period was the average sale price of $1,342,500, up
15.7% over last year's figure of $1,159,805. Data was obtained from
the Cape May County Multiple Listing Service.
PHOTOGRAPH THE SHORE! Tune up your
photography skills at a two-day nature photography workshop offered at the
Wetlands Institute on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7. The cost is
$50 per person, and some knowledge of photography and cameras is necessary.
Call (609) 368-1211 for information.