As formal invitations and directions are being received in the mail and excitement mounting for the commissioning of the USS New Jersey (SSN-796) on September 14, the Submarine Commissioning Committee has announced the possibility early risers might get a glimpse of the submarine as she comes to Leonardo Friday morning. September 6.
Commission Chaiman Peter Engelman issued notice this week that the New Jersey will be coming into the Leonardo pier on Friday, September 6 in preparation for the ceremony at 11 a.m. September 14.
Engelman said the best viewing spot would be from North Beach at Sandy Hook’s Gateway National Recreation Area.
He suggested parking at Parking Lot M on Sandy Hook at 8:30 a.m. and walking the approximate mile on the trial to North Beach.
Engelman said the sub should come within 100 yards of that beach.
Spectators should recognize that a submarine is generally no higher than 25 to 30 feet above the water line. Binoculars could be a help.
Viewers along the waterfront in Belford would be further distant but might also be able to see the boat as it most likely would find the Hook close to the edge of the channel before heading into one of the piers at the Navy facility.
It is estimated the boat might be passing around 9:30 a.m., Engelman said.
On the day of Commissioning, only those persons with official guest tickets will be eligible to be on Earle for the ceremony. Guests will pass through a security checkpoint and must have a federal or state issue photo identification for base access. Military identification, a driver’s license or passport would be sufficient.
The checkpoint will include metal detectors, bag inspections and military working dogs; bags must be no larger than small diaper bags, purses or small folding umbrellas. All are subject to search for weapons including knives or sharp pointed objects of any type.
Base access will open at 7 a.m. to ensure a smooth security process and ample time for seating in advance of the ceremony, so guests are urged to arrive early. Parking passes have been issued for parking site information and further instructions.
For all those unable to attend the ceremony, it will be livestreamed and can be viewed on line at
A greater ability to advocate for the needs of students and educators, help them achieve their highest potential, as well as improve transparency between the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education and the communities it serves are the primary reasons why Bonnie Knechtel is seeking election to the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education in the November election.
Knechtel is seeking the single two-year term for an Atlantic Highlands resident on the new nine-member board to be determined in the November election. She faces competition for the position from two other candidates, Noreen Higgins and Justin Thomas.
Although filing as an individual Knechtel has already said discussions with another parent of children in the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School Chelsea Witkowski, has shown the two share similar values. And priorities.
Witkowski is vying for the single one-year term on the board and is being challenged by two other candidates, Richard Colangelo and Allison Jacobs.
Since they share values, ideals and the need for transparency and more community involvement in the board, Knechtel and Witkowski are supporting each other in the election and in many ways are campaigning together.
Knechtel, who lives on Ocean Blvd with her husband, Karl and three children ranging in age from 6 to 9, is seeking election for the first time, though has served in various positions on the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School PTO for five years and is currently in her second term as president.
The candidate grew up in Canada and received her first degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Guelph there.
In the United States, she studied for her master’s degree in nutrition as well as her Doctor of Chiropractic at the University of Bridgeport. She had her private practice in chiropractic in Manhattan for several years before beginning to raise a family.
The couple has lived in Atlantic Highlands for 12 years, seeking a town with a sense of community and a great school system to raise their children and term the borough a “wonderful town with a strong sense of community.”
While she believes the Henry Hudson district offers many benefits for education, including a small class size and student/teacher ratio that promotes an individualized learning experience, Knechtel also sees it faces other challenges she can help overcome.
“As a small school district we don’t always have the same resources that bigger districts may have. School sports, extracurriculars, and advanced placement classes are available to students, but access to some may take some concentrated navigation,” she pointed out.
Including Sea Bright in the district could assist this disadvantage she believes, saying “My educational background has made me very research focused. Based on the feasibility studies done and all the areas they focused on I think Sea Bright should be included in the district.”
Knechtel also has plans to repair other problems within the educational system, once again relying on her personal experience as a parent and her knowledge of the programs available.
She is aiming to advocate for the best curriculum and specific programs available for every student. “Some children are struggling to be challenged appropriately “she pointed out, “while others are struggling to meet standards. I want to help change this”. Her ideas include promoting changes to support every student achieving at their highest by timely development of these programs.
As an example of areas in need, Knechtel cited the Quest/EXELerate program introduced as a gifted and talented program at elementary school..” While it offers some benefits to gifted learners, it has yet to deliver a curriculum that has tangible structure and evidence of advanced curriculum that these learners need,” she explained. “We can’t expect high achievement in our upper schools without facilitating excellence in our lower schools,” she added.
Transparency between the board and the community is another aim where Knechtel has ideas for improvement. The community should be aware of the things the board is working on, she explained noting that increased understanding of board decisions and rationale will help engage the community and facilitate changes the community needs.
Her ideas include advanced access to agendas, pre-polling the community for questions, providing a comprehensive review of meetings in understandable language and varied formats, and offering live streamed meetings for those who cannot physically attend due to work or other constraints. All of this, the candidate said, will help eliminate redundancy in meetings and lack of communication from the board.
Knechtel said some challenges she has faced from the boards have led her to seek election and make improvements. Some answers she has received when asking the board have been contradicted by live experience, she said, primarily when discussing academic matters at elementary school. She has also noticed responses at board meetings…and she has attended meetings for the past six years, have made it difficult to get a direct answer to questions asked., often a reply being “things take time”, or “talk to the principal”.
The candidate continued that she has experienced changes in leadership, challenges with access to services, and varied curriculums which have both have negatively and positively impacted students. However, she added, “our ratings are slipping, our children aren’t always being challenged or supported appropriately. Our schools have the ability to improve,”
As part of their support for each other, Witkowski, seeking the one-year term, and Knechtel, seeking the two-year term, will have a table at Saturday’s Flea Market sponsored by the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society.
The two candidates will be at the table throughout the Market hours to answer questions, introduce themselves and distribute literature. They also plan to have a Meet and Greet at the Highlander bike shop in October and invite people to contact them directly on their Facebook page HERE
Raise a Pint One of the many local businesses and individuals, as well as communities, looking forward with pride to the commissioning of the USS New Jersey (SSN-796) at NAD Earle is Belford Brewing at Campbell’s Junction in Leonardo.
New Jersey SSN 796 Sea Trials from the tug
What’s more the highly creative and hardworking family that incorporated the Belford Brewing Company in May 2013 has an unusual history of its own and a heartfelt connection to Naval Weapons Station Earle, especially its pier side facilities extending from Route 36 into Sandy Hook Bay.
On Commissioning Day, September 14, Belford Brewing will be serving an incredibly special beverage to honor the third naval vessel and first submarine to bear the name of the state.
After the ceremony, the company will be serving two of their beers on the three mile long pier, the Earle Riser and another selection, most likely Honey Hudson Ale. That’s their beverage named after the Henry Hudson Trail that crosses right in front of Earle’s front gate on Route 36.
You might say it started when brothers Michael and Kevin Emmy were growing up in Belford. Their father was a Marine who had served in the Korean War, so they already had respect and admiration for the nation’s military.
The brothers remember well, as does every kid who grew up within earshot of Leonardo base, when it was 8 a.m. every morning. That’s when the lower Sandy Hook Bay was flooded with the bugle reveille and the National Anthem.
It is traditional that the Anthem would be played loud and proud on base reminding the sailors and Marines stationed there it is the start of another day, and they were needed.
There came the time when newcomers to the area complained the National Anthem was too loud and was “annoying”.
Those comments irked many on the Bayshore who enjoyed the reveille daily, especially those who had served in the military.
The complaints on Facebook were met with comments like “Sorry to disturb your beauty sleep but keep playing the National Anthem as loud as possible.” In the end most comments showed the majority of residents were happy when the commanding officer in Colts Neck ignored the complaints and continued the patriotic Good Morning to the neighborhood and his military.
So a couple of years after the brothers opened the brewery, they designed the Earle Riser, a new beer with a good dose of lemon that wakes up tastes buds and brings them to attention.
The name, Earle Riser, is itself a play on words. Pronounced Early, it’s a wake-up call; pronounced Earl, it’s a reminder the United States Navy installation protecting our country is located right here in the Bayshore at a base named after Rear Admiral Ralph Earle, who was Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance (BUORD) during World War I . Rear Adm. Earle served in the early part of the 20th century until his retirement in 1927. It is the only installation in the Navy named for a person rather than its location.
The Earle Riser, even before it will be served on the pier September 14, has a tradition of its own. It’s the beer the brewery makes for St. Mary’s annual Spring into Summer 5k Run sponsored by the New Monmouth Church. The brewery is the official gathering spot after the race, which starts at 10:30 a.m. so a breakfast pale ale ‘wake-up” beer seems appropriate.
Until now, the Earle Riser has only been brewed in the spring, but it has been added to the fall season specifically for the commissioning.
The brothers Emmy are natives of Belford and take pride in being brought up in the shadow of the naval base, and even more pride today in knowing the Submarine will be commissioned right where the National Anthem woke them up every morning.
Belford Brewing beers are available in several local restaurants and bars, as well as at their own brewery in Campbell’s Junction.
The brothers’ vision back in 2013 when they opened the business was to create a nano-brewery based in and on the local area that creates good, tasty, and, more than anything else, drinkable beverages.
Their brewery is a small five-barrel brew house with a down-home, family atmosphere. They offer tastings tours, and the opportunity to purchase a pint or growler at a spot they consider to be among the best in New Jersey.
They are located at 84 Leonardville Road and have a website at BelfordBrewing.com
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A desire to expand the opportunities for Henry Hudson Regional students is the primary reason why Chelsea Witkowski is seeking her first term in office on the new Henry Hudson Regional School Board of Education.
The married mother of two children believes her past experience, understanding of the inner workings of schools, and background in education combined with being a parent of school-aged children gives her insight that makes capable and eager to do the job.
Witkowski is vying with two other Atlantic Highlands candidates for the single one-year term on the board which will be decided in the November election. Also seeking that one-year term for an Atlantic Highlands resident are Richard Colangelo and Allison Jacobs.
It was the school system that first attracted the Witkowski’s to move to Atlantic Highlands. They rented an apartment in the borough to enable their daughter to attend the local kindergarten while searching for a home to purchase.
Chelsea became active in the PTO and spent time at the Elementary School and loved the fact faculty members love their work and the school, resulting in a large number of experienced teachers “who continue to teach because they love it.”
She would like to be a part of promoting a positive educational environment for both teachers and students.
The candidate also believes Sea Bright would be a benefit in the newly formed PreK-12 regional school district for both students and taxpayers but concedes she has limited access to any reasoning why it should not be included especially after the LEAP grant feasibility study which was done.
It’s because of her lack of information on this subject which has been a leading issue in both this borough and Highlands since last year, Witkowski said she is also a strong advocate of more transparency from the board and is making that a pivotal point of her platform.
The current school system has many benefits, she pointed out, primarily the dedicated teachers, some of whom have been teaching in the district for their entire careers. The small-town community is beneficial to the school, not only for the number of community events and fundraisers that are held by various organizations, but also the support of businesses, families and organizations give the school a strong sense of community.
Students also benefit from small class sizes and a lower student to teacher ratio which give high school students more opportunities for scholarships, leadership positions in clubs, and more visibility in sports.
Even with all its attributes, there are also problems, the candidate said. She believes the major problems focus on a reduction in special services, students’ access to enrichment programs and low enrollment at the high school level.
A top priority for her would be meeting the diverse learning needs of all students; as a board member, she would accomplish that by providing access to services, interventions, and programs that expose students to a challenging curriculum.
Furthermore, teachers should be encouraged to communicate their ideas, needs, and experiences in the classroom to the board, Witkowski said, so the board could then provide resources and support.
Witkowski, who is seeking office for the first time, is currently co-corresponding secretary at the elementary school and a volunteer on the school’s library committee.
She holds a master’s degree in special education from Arizona State University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University.
She began her professional career as a substitute teacher and paraprofessional in Middlesex County shortly after graduating from Rutgers, moved to Arizona with her husband and worked as a paraprofessional while working toward her special education teaching degree.
She then taught second and third grades in Arizona and worked as a behavior therapist in both school and home environments. before moving back to the east coast. Before choosing to be a stay-at-home mom, she was also employed in a therapeutic alternative education program for children with special needs.
Although they did not file a ticket with a single slogan for the Henry Hudson election, Witkowski noted she and Bonnie Knechtel, who is seeking one of the two-year terms for an Atlantic Highlands candidate, have similar ideals and aims and are supporting each other’s candidacy for their respective terms.
The two candidates are planning a Meet and Greet at the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society flea market Sept. 14 from 10 am to 4 p.m. at Atlantic Highlands Harbor. They will have a table at the market, will answer questions, hand out flyers, and have a suggestion box for residents to cite the three things they like and three things they would change about Henry Hudson schools. “We think this will be a good way to hear from community members and get a better idea of common likes and concerns,” Witkowski said, in noting that responses that day can be anonymous.
Witkowski and Knechtel also established a page on Facebook page which can be accessed HERE
Atlantic Highlands Councilman James Murphy is not seeking re-election to borough council in November, with Ellen O’Dwyer Woods stepping in to run for one of the two seats on Council for the Republicans.
Former Councilman Brian Boms is seeking the second seat for the two three-year terms to be decided at the polls.
According to the records filed at deadline with the Monmouth County Board of Elections, Murphy is not listed as a candidate. He is apparently not seeking another term when his current term expires January 1, 2025.
The two Republicans will face incumbent Council President Brian Dougherty and newcomer Jose Pujals in November, with Democrats maintaining control regardless of the results. Currently, Murphy is the only Republican on the governing body.
Borough voters will have contests for the school board election for three of the four seats to be determined for the new Henry Hudson Regional Board which will take over from the interim board appointed this year. The nine-member board to be determined in November will be the first board elected for the new Prek-12 regional school district. Four of the new board seats will be Atlantic Highlands residents, the other five will be decided by Highlands residents.
There were only two candidates who filed for the two three-year terms on the regional board, so incumbent and current board president Cory Wingerter and Claire Kozic will most likely be elected to those full terms.
Noreen Higgins, Bonnie Knechtel and Justin Thomas have filled for the one two-year seat on the board, and Allison Jacobs, Chelsea Witkowski and Richard Colangelo have filed for the single one-year term. This means voters will have choices for the single one year and single two-year seats to be decided.
Voters will have the opportunity to give their opinion on whether they would approve a two-cent increase per $100 assessed valuation in their tax rate to provide funds for open space.
Unlike Highlands voters, however, Atlantic Highlands voters will not have the opportunity to give their opinion on whether Sea Bright should be included in the regional school district. Mayor Lori Hohenleitner had said that question would be ‘frivolous’ in indicating she did not approve it being placed on the ballot.
Residents of the Care One at Middletown Care Center have been entering the Monmouth County Arts and Crafts Fair for more than ten years and every year come home with several prizes.
This year was no different when the summer fair was held in Freehold, and residents worked both individually and in groups to garner award winning ribbons in several categories.
Two residents, Sandra and Jean also had entries in the Middlesex County Fair at the same time and came home with awards for second and fourth place.
All the residents at Care One celebrated the awards to their artists at an in-house fair activity complete with cotton candy and popcorn so all residents could enjoy a display of the artwork that gained County-wide attention.
Many of the artwork pieces remain on display at the care center, located on Route 36, Middletown, between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands
Middletown Mayor Tony Perry is doing one terrific job of reminding residents of the area how important Middletown and Monmouth County have always been in the history of the nation.
He’s also been pretty terrific in combining that history with all the modern events that are continuing to make this area so important in the United States.
All those proud banners the township’s Public Works department is hanging along Route 36 are a reminder that the nation’s third naval vessel named for the Garden State will be commissioned right here at the Leonardo pier next month.
It’s also another sign to Captain Steve Halle, the commanding officer of the nation’s newest submarine, that the Navy is truly welcome in Middletown. Captain Halle was honored at a recent Township Committee meeting when he came to visit the pier.
Mayor Perry noted that the banners going along the highway for the New Jersey (SSN-796) will showcase the patriotism and pride this township has for the military and every veteran who has ever served in any of the wars or is still active duty today.
He showed that same pride and patriotism once again this month when the Daughters of the American Revolution were celebrating the 200th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to America 200 years ago.
Lafayette was a young Frenchman who certainly aided the USA in the Revolution and helped us form a new nation; his tour around the country really did begin right here in Middletown.
But the mayor shows pride in history even before we became the United States as well, as is evidenced by his talk at Stories around the Campfire and learning more about native Americans, recalling the Lenni Lenape were the earliest settlers in and around the Bayshore.
Nor is Captain Halle the only nationally known personality who just visited Middletown. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was also the Mayor’s guest at a township meeting, and our own former State Senator Joe Kyrillos was right there with him.
Yet with all the pride and activity for the past, Mayor Perry keeps in mind all the folks who are keeping Middletown such a great township today.
What a great idea to honor all those school crossing guards before they get out on those street corners every morning and afternoon during the school year to ensure safety for all our kids. Congratulations also to Cheryl Amodio Wilson whom he honored for being on the job for 30 years. Cheryl is a popular and beloved figure in the Navesink school area and loves all those kids as much as they love and appreciate her.
Mayor Tony Perry Mayor Tony Perry Mayor Tony Perry Mayor Tony Perry
The Knights of Columbus are inviting sponsors to sign up to celebrate the 4th annual Oktoberfest & comedy night set for Saturday, October 12, and offering the highly requested comedian, German Oktoberfest menu and music that has marked the event for the last three years.
Not only that, said an enthusiastic chairman of the event, Mike Napolitano, the prices will remain at the same $40 per person of the past, with a special discount for children 12 years of age and younger.
Tickets for the event, which always draws a full house crowd, are available online, and sponsors are invited to be recognized for supporting the fund raising event that enables the Knights of Columbus to continue its many philanthropic efforts in the Bayshore and in the Our Lady of Perpetual Hep St. Agnes parish.
The expanded menu for this year’s Oktoberfest will include Belford Brewing Company providing a special Oktoberfest Craft Beer Tasting of the Top 3 Oktoberfest brews, Black Forest Bratwurst Company providing their local artisan-made gourmet German provisions including knockwurst, bratwurst and smoked Pork Chops, and Bahrs Landing providing its highly popular Pea Soup as well as its German Potato Salad, both made with recipes that have been in the Bahrs family for the century the restaurant has been a part of Highlands.
Napolitano also said the Knights of Columbus will once again include a free ticket for a drawing on a flat screen tv with every admission ticket purchased.
Sponsorships, tickets, and reservations can be made now at
The Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education is holding a special meeting Wednesday, September 4 to get legal advice on pending litigation.
Although the original legal notice of the meeting indicated it was a meeting of the Boards of Education, and a roll call vote would be taken for each board, school administrator Janet Sherlock confirmed that these were typographical errors which have since been corrected.
She confirmed this is a meeting of the current board and its professionals and no one else will be present at the executive meeting. The new Board of Education will assume office in January after nine members are selected in the November election.
Matters to be discussed in closed session, with no action being taken that evening, include the litigation brought by Highlands Council president Jo-Anne Olszewski against the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands boards of education, as well as the Henry Hudson Regional Board. The council president’s action was taken before the two elementary school boards were dissolved and the Henry Hudson board expanded.
Also being discussed in executive session is a matter involving Dr. Secil Onat, assistant Commissioner of the New Jersey Board of Education Division of Finance and Henry Hudson, in a matter apparently brought by Henry Hudson. Since it is a matter of litigation, the administration could not address the matter.
The board’s third legal matter to be discussed with counsel is the amended petition filed with the state Commissioner by the boroughs of Sea Bright and Highlands.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the gym at Henry Hudson School and no action will be taken
On August 26 at approximately 3:06am, Middletown Township Police responded to Motorcycle Mall of Monmouth, located at 656 State Route 35 on a report of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival of the officers, two subjects were taken into custody as they were standing beside one of their vehicles. A third subject was apprehended after a short foot pursuit.
Police investigation revealed that the subjects were using two stolen work vans to facilitate their attempt to steal the motorcycles. Inside the vans, police observed five stolen motorcycles and one ATV that had been removed from the business with a total value of $56,000.
Arrested on scene was Joshua Hueston, 28, of Union City. He was charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, burglary tools, two counts of receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to commit burglary. Also arrested was Ronald Terry, 33,of Newark and charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, burglary tools, two counts of receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to commit burglary.
Luis Ruben Cuevas, 30, of Brooklyn, NY, was charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, burglary tools, two counts of receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to commit burglary, and obstruction. All three were processed and lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending a retention hearing in the Monmouth County Superior Court.
Chief of Police R. Craig Weber stated, “I would like to commend the great police work and the professionalism of all the officers who responded to this crime in progress and assisted in the follow-up investigation.”
Anyone who may have witnessed or has information about the incident is asked to contact Detective First Class Keith Hirschbein at (732) 615-2120.
Any persons arrested or charged with offenses are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Additionally, except in specific circumstances, arrest and complaint information and names of those charged may be released.
