| 2012: | Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |
August 30, 2012
STONE HARBOR Borough Council has formed two separate committees seeking public input on the Stone Harbor library project. One committee will focus on the design of the physical structure, while another will focus on programming and content. The new library will be built on Second Avenue between 93rd Street and 94th Street.
NJ GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE arrived in Sea Isle City last week as part of his "Jersey Shore Boardwalk Tour." After arriving by helicopter the governor walked along Sea Isle's Promenade, stopping for photos and handshakes along the way, before holding a press conference at JFK Boulevard.
AVALON'S PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER Scott Wahl will conduct an information session describing Avalon's emergency notification plan for storms, flooding, and other events. Scott will also discuss the borough's new emergency management website, www.AvalonEmergency.org, as well as registering your cell phone to receive Reverse 911 alerts. The meeting will be held at the Avalon Free Public Library on September 13th at 7pm.
The number of properties sold in the local market is up 23% over last year. How about you--are you ready for your own place at the shore? Call or email me!
CATCH A SUNSET PARADE at the Cape May Coast Guard base on Sunday, September 2 at 7:05pm. You'll witness marching troops, the Recruit Silent Drill Team, the Recruit Band, cannon fire, and a low-level helicopter flyover. The event is free and open to the public. Call the Cape May Coast Guard base information line at (609) 898-6700 for details.
August 23, 2012
STRONG MARKET ACTIVITY has continued with 195 properties having sold in the local market through August 1st, up 23% over the 158 sales that occurred during the same time last year. This year's average sold price was $1,206,462, down 5.4% from last year, while this year's median price was $920,000, up 5.7% from last year.
AVALON'S DUNE GRASS will be fertilized between October 15th and 19th, on the day with the most favorable weather conditions. As before, an airplane will drop non-toxic fertilizer pellets onto the dunes at 20-30 minute intervals.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE to assemble an F-16 fighter jet? Not long, apparently, if you know what you're doing. Volunteers from the nearby 177th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard spent two days assembling an F-16 at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum. The surplus jet was donated by the military and arrived at the museum on a flatbed in June, and remained in pieces until the volunteers completed its assembly. Naval Air Station Wildwood, located in Erma (Lower Township) is well worth the visit! All kinds of aircraft are on display, appealing to kids young and old.
CATCH 'EM IF YOU CAN! Two great summertime adventures are available in nearby Cape May:
1) Take a trip back in time along rails once traveled by steam trains. Cape May Seashore Lines is offering rides aboard track speeders once used by track maintenance crews. Get an up-close, open-air view of the rails, wetlands, and the movable railroad bridge over the Cape May Canal. You're likely to see plenty of wildlife, too! CMSL is running the speeders in Cape May just two more weeks, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays till September 1st.
2) Discover sailing the way it was years ago aboard the AJ Meerwald, New Jersey's tall ship. The Meerwald is berthed in Cape May through September 2nd and is offering numerous public sails. Enjoy an afternoon ride or catch a beautiful sunset under sail!
THE "SECOND SUMMER!" It's not too late to schedule a vacation at the shore this year! In just a couple of weeks our delightful fall season will be upon us, bringing smaller crowds and cooler weather, but many of the same fun activities that are available in the summer.
August 16, 2012
WARM WATER TEMPERATURES are delightful for beachgoers but also affect marine life. Back bay waters have been in the 70s and 80s for most of the summer, which has caused most flounder to move to the inlets or ocean, seeking cooler water. Offshore species, such as mahi-mahi, arrived earlier this summer than normal, as they are accustomed to the warmer water temperatures we've experienced all season.
CLAMSHELL TOSSING: the Avalon Historical Society hosted the third annual W. Norman Mackey Memorial Clamshell Tournament this past Saturday. Clamshell tossing, in which competitors toss clamshells into holes spaced twenty feet apart, is an old-time beach activity that fell out of favor after World War II. Allan Mackey, now 74, used to play the sport with his father, for whom the tournament is named. "We're still having fun," he said about tossing clamshells. Fans of the game report that finding large, whole clam shells before playing is the hardest part!
AVALON BEACHFILL: the Borough of Avalon will receive a major beachfill for its north end beaches this fall. Beaches from 10th to 20th Streets will receive 75,000 cubic yards of sand. An alternate bid could result in as much as 190,000 cubic yards of sand being added to the beaches. The beachfill project will be funded solely by the federal government.
Hang up your shoes, kick back, and relax on the beach! My kids, Paul, Dan, and Grace, like to do just that!
SPEEDERS AT THE SEASHORE! Cape May Seashore Lines has brought track speeders to Cape May City and is offering round-trip rides between the train station and the Cape May Canal. Two powered speeder cars (originally used by track maintenance crews) pull a pair of open-air flat cars with bench seating, providing passengers with an up-close look at the rails and surrounding wildlife. You'll enjoy the same view seen by passengers who rode steam trains a hundred years ago! Even non-railroad fans will have fun! The track speeders are running Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 1st. Learn More About Cape May Seashore Lines
August 9, 2012
"SOME OF THE WORLD'S SMARTEST INVESTORS, including Warren Buffet...are placing big bets on a continued recovery in the housing market." Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2012.
AVALON has unveiled a new website dedicated to emergency management for use in notifying the public about coastal flooding, blizzards, hurricanes, or other emergency events. "It is very important to provide a single source of information during a major event," said Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi. "This new website does just that." Learn More at AvalonEmergency.org
THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS are in Wildwood through Saturday night! Last chance! To save $5 on each game ticket, use the code "TROTTER" at the box office or purchase online (not valid on courtside tickets). The Globetrotters are entertaining for fans of all ages!
THE AJ MEERWALD, New Jersey's tall ship, will be sailing from Utsch's Marina in Cape May through September 1st. The Meerwald will offer public sails daily except Wednesdays. On Wednesday's the Meerwald will offer "Sailor for a Day" camp for kids ages 10-16 years old. Campers will spend the day on the water sailing, tying knots, learning navigation, and taking a turn at the helm. For more information check www.bayshorediscovery.org or call (856) 785-2060.
AVALON'S LIFEGUARD TEAM took first place in the 29th Annual David J. Kerr Memorial Lifeguard Races held on Avalon's 35th Street beach on Tuesday. Avalon's team won with 24 points; second place was taken by Sea Isle City with 11 points.
DICK WILSEY, our longtime friend and former colleague, passed away this week at the age of 86. Dick spent 35 years working for Avalon Real Estate Agency, and could be seen nearly everyday taking property photographs or installing lawn signs, among his many other responsibilities, before retiring in 2002. Dick was also a proud World War II Navy Veteran.
August 2, 2012
PENDING SALE CONTRACTS were up 9.5% nationwide in June over a year ago, according to a National Association of Realtors report in the Wall Street Journal. In our local market the first half of the year saw 170 closed sales, up 23% over the first half of last year, which saw 138 closed sales.
ON AUGUST 3, 1912, an airplane carried a batch of US mail from Ocean City to Stone Harbor, the first such flight between the two towns. Stone Harbor will commemorate the event on Friday, August 3, at 10:30am, with a flyover at the 95th Street beach. Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian are expected to attend the ceremony along with Congressman Frank Lobiondo.
This airplane made the first flight carrying mail from Ocean City to Stone Harbor in 1912.
SEA ISLE CITY property owners will see 20% savings on flood insurance premiums beginning this fall, thanks to flood mitigation efforts by the city. Mayor Len Desiderio said the city has been working on improving its flood insurance rating for nearly 20 years. Avalon has been working on flood mitigation for years, and its residents are already enjoying 20% discounts on their flood insurance premiums.
AUGUST FREEBIES: back by popular demand! I've assembled a list of more than 40 free activities to enjoy while you're visiting the Island this summer. From concerts to beach movies...from bird watching to wine tasting, there are free activities for everyone. Call or email me for the list and I'll send it to you!
THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS will play 4 games and host 2 Skills Clinics for kids at the Wildwoods Convention Center from Wed, Aug 8 to Sat, Aug 11. To save $5 on each game ticket, use the code "TROTTER" at the box office or purchase online (not valid on courtside tickets). The skills clinics are $49.99 and includes a complimentary ticket voucher valued at $42. The clinic on Wednesday, August 8 is nearly sold out, but another has been added for Thursday, August 9 from 10a-12p and spots are still open. Learn More
SEE US ON THE BILLBOARD BOAT! We're excited to have exclusive real estate advertising aboard the Billboard Boat, which travels up and down the beach every other day. Selling your house? We'll tell everyone on the beach about it!