I don’t like cowards.

I fear people who can’t stand up for what they believe in, and I shudder noticeably when cowards and people who cannot stand up for what they believe in, are also local government leaders.

That is why the local Republican leaders are making it so easy for me to think about switching parties … Or becoming an Independent.

My other option would be to run as independent for a county seat in Atlantic Highlands on the Republican side. But then, why would I want to represent a party whose leaders are so weak and cowardly?

Two years ago, I was approached by local Republicans who asked me if I would consider being a county committee person for the third district. Nobody ever wants the job, they said, so you don’t have to go door to door or anything. We just want you to run and be able to represent Atlantic Highlands as a committee woman.

I agreed. It was at a time when I thought Republican leadership, both in the town and in Monmouth County, was strong, eager to fight for the rights of all people, energetic to win races and had an agenda that was good for Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County, New Jersey and America.

Just as they said, I was elected and didn’t have to do anything to achieve the position.

Now, two years later, I’m so much smarter. I now realize…though as a journalist I admit to having seen it so many times through the decades…leaders of some political parties, maybe all, for all I know, are not in it for the good of the people.

They forget why they got into politics. They forget they are there to help the people who elected them, and even the people who did not elect them.

Once elected, it certainly appears they are in it for prestige, power, recognition so they can run for higher offices, or any number of other self motivated reasons.

They don’t like to upset political leaders at higher levels, either … maybe even score brownie points with them if they boot out people the higher office holders don’t like. Who knows what motivates them once they are in office, once they imbibe in the sweet, intoxicating taste of power.

Monday at 4 p.m. was the deadline for filing to be a committee person for election in the June primary. Our Republican leader in Atlantic Highlands up until a few months ago was my neighbor. He’s the chairman of a county commission where I was also booted out, that because the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners….sans Freeholder Burry….don’t like my politics or journalism or age or disabilities, or something else. That’s why I am currently no longer being paid to do press releases for that Commission.

But that’s another story and there will be far more on that one in the future.

My point is, the local chairman knows how easy it is to get in touch with me. But he did not.

That’s where the cowardice comes in. It’s one thing not to contact me to see if I’d be interested in running again, or, in the alternative, to contact me to tell me he and Republican leaders don’t like my writing or my age or my politics, or my disability.

But the local leader, nor any Republican member of the Borough Council, did not do any of that. They simply hunted out another lady, asked her if she would run and apparently she is.

Don’t know whether she has ever been involved in politics or if she knows what a county committee is. But she is on the ballot for the June primary for GOP county committee person for the third district, along with a sitting councilman, filling the two seats for the district.

It is the cowardice thing that bothers me the most. And that’s why I am warning every Republican in Atlantic Highlands to think whether you want to continue with this leadership or switch to Independent thinking, giving you all kinds of opportunities to select the best from either party to support or back a candidate separate from both.

So let’s consider what this weak, rude, inconsiderate, thoughtless, GOP leadership in Atlantic Highlands is so afraid of that they could not even pick up the phone, send an e-mail, write a letter, or God forbid, face me IN PERSON to say they really don’t like me, my opinions, my age, or something else. I never knew I was so threatening that people, men, would be afraid to tell me they don’t like me.

By my disability, I am slowly losing my vision, but some of those in the Atlantic Highlands GOP seem to already lost sight of theirs.

I am 85 years old, hardly in shape or disposition to get embattled in a physical fight. I’ve done my share of physical fighting already, for higher causes…I beat a life threatening stroke that was fixed, in part by the quick thinking of my friends at the Shore Casino when it occurred, the swift work and attention of the Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad, the perfection of a medical team and my own strong will to live and fight it. I’ve fought breast cancer by daring to participate in a trial as the first person in New Jersey and one of less than a dozen in the nation to undergo cryoablation as a cure. That was so successful I was congratulated and praised by the Israeli company that invented it when I visited their offices in Caesarea, Israel. Now that procedure is accepted in the United States and the company is even on our stock market, trading here as well as in shekels in Israel.

Years ago, I brought a case to the United States Supreme Court because I did not like the way elections were being run in New Jersey. The next year, New Jersey changed their election law and fixed what I complained about.

I’ve experienced and overcome my share of emotional battles as well. I’ve overcome the grief of losing both a husband and a daughter, I’ve sent my other three children off to represent the country in the Navy and Marine Corps, all went to foreign lands, and foreign seas with their military orders. I’ve even been served an eviction notice to leave a home where I was renting. I’ve had my life and that of my children threatened more times than I can count for standing up against police brutality, unfairness, or helping the downtrodden or imprisoned.

I’ve spent a career in journalism that has taken me many places, allowed me to do many things, won me many awards and accolades, and a generous share of criticism. It’s the criticism I love the best. You’re not telling the truth, you’re not telling the real story, you’re not covering the events if everybody agrees with what you say. I often say in politics I love it best when both parties tell me how unfair I am. That means I’m straight down the middle, and it’s so nice they recognize and appreciate it.

So am I strong? I suppose I am. At least I suppose the Republican leadership thinks I’m strong. So strong, in fact, that not a single one of them had the courage or courtesy…the two virtues are so much alike…. to tell me they didn’t want my name on the ballot with theirs. Imagine. An entire partisan leadership of a borough scared of an 85 year old woman with a pen, a mouth, and a desire to support the best there can be for a town I truly love.

The good news is the Highlands Borough Council held a terrific meeting last night giving everyone the opportunity ask whatever questions they wanted about what’s happening next or what could happen or what can’t happen on the school regionalization questions.

The bad news is only about 50 residents, though they came from all three towns, made it to the Community Center to learn about it. Can’t help but wonder whether more people would have gotten educated and been able to ask their own questions if the meeting was virtual or hybrid..

Lots of praise for Mayor Carolyn Broullon for handling the meeting in a highly professional way, though, nipping it in the bud when it appeared there would be outbursts or two people talking at the same time or trading any barbs at each other. The great thing was it happened early in the meeting; the mayor took an immediate step to let it be known it wouldn’t be tolerated, and the rest of the meeting was quiet, orderly and informational!

Also liked the way the mayor gave a brief history of when and how often regional plans have been discussed for the Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright. There are those of us who remember when Hudson was built and the question of Sea Bright was part of it then, more than half a century ago.

Liked Atlantic Highlands Councilman Brian Boms’ questions about whether Shore Regional could sue Sea Bright for getting out of their district’s school, but liked attorney Vito Gagliardi’s answer better. The new state law signed into effect in January is designed to negate any such suit, but of course you cannot ever guarantee someone won’t sue ..for this or any other reason.

Also loved Mr. Gagliardi’s quick thinking response when another resident, a member of the Henry Hudson Board, started talking figures and said it’s so easy a third grader could figure it out, to which the attorney politely and quietly said that “third graders don’t vote” and continued his explanation of the costs and ratios.

The best news is that in the end, it appears that even if that regional school study isn’t finished until May, and if Atlantic Highlands acts after reviewing that report, there would still be time for Atlantic Highlands to pass a resolution asking for it to be on the ballot and getting it up for a November vote…here’s an idea….so that all the residents of all three towns can have their say on what they think is the best solution.

Waiting for the school regionalization study being done by the Henry Hudson school district should still allow sufficient time for the Atlantic Highlands governing body to pass a resolution requesting the question on the November ballot if the Hudson study is completed and released by mid-May.

That was the opinion of Attorney Vito Gagliardi, Jr. of the Porzio, Bromberg & Newman law firm, who gave presentations and answered questions from the public along with Kerri A. Wright, both attorneys in the Porzio Bromberg & Newman law firm that already conducted studies of the regionalization question.

Both Highlands and Sea Bright passed the necessary resolutions earlier this year asking the Commissioner of Education to consider whether they and Atlantic Highlands could be regionalized as a pre-K through 12 district with a single board of education. Atlantic Highlands has not yet passed a similar resolution, preferring to wait on any action until a study being done for the Henry Hudson district is completed, something that is anticipated sometime in late April or May.

Should Atlantic Highlands decline to pass a similar resolution, the other two boroughs could act on their own, and if voters approved the regionalization of those two communities, it would lead to Atlantic Highlands students being tuition-paying students at Henry Hudson and maintaining their own PreK through 6th grade with its board of education, a possibility no one appears to favor.

The deadline for having any question on the November ballot is Aug. 15. In order for that to happen, the resolutions submitted to the Department of Education would have to be approved by the Commissioner and the wording and information of the specific question would have to be determined by the governing bodies. The question would have to include specifics on the tax levy for each municipality, and all would have to be completed in to meet that Aug. 15 deadline for a vote in November.

That was one of several questions answered at a special meeting of the Highlands Borough Council called to enable residents of this borough, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright to learn more and ask questions about the process to be established under which voters can make a determination on whether they want to eliminate the three local boards governing the three schools in the two boroughs and also enable Sea Bright to become a third municipality in the district, all under one regional board of education.

Mayor Carolyn Broullon opened the meeting with a brief history of how often local towns have considered further regionalization. She added it was an opportunity for the law firm attorneys retained to do a study already completed to answer questions that have been raised because of recent numerous articles and the “always correct Facebook” comments.

Citing off and on discussions of regionalization with Sea Bright or between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands rather than the current three boards for the three schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, Broullon said the question surfaced again in 2019, leading to the present action and the consideration of Sea Bright becoming a part of a regional preK through 12 school district.

Atlantic Highlands Councilman Jon Crowley took exception to the meeting saying “this shouldn’t be happening tonight,” but rather should be waiting for the Hudson report which, he said, will include more information on facilities, transportation and other issues not included in the Porzio report. But Gagliardi explained the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss how each of the aspects of both reports would be handled but rather the more timely information on what has to be done to get the question on the ballot and the time frame that must be followed in order to let the voters decide. There would still be time for informational sessions in all communities to inform residents of all ramifications before the November election, he said.

Dr. Tara Beams, superintendent of the current tri-district in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, questioned the timeliness and accuracy of the Porzio researched study, saying bringing in Sea Bright to the current tri-district “comes with complications.” She said the study still underway at Hudson incorporate either the current tri-district regionalizing itself into a PreK through 12 district rather than the current three districts, and as another alternative, also includes a study of regionalizing with another community, mainly Sea Bright. There are a lot of unknowns, the superintendent said, and said it would be five to ten years before the redistricting would actually be completed, because of Sea Bright obligations to Oceanport, where their elementary school children attend school and Shore Regional High School.

Gagliardi corrected Beams, explaining the recent law which was co-sponsored by State Senator Declan O’Scanlon, unanimously approved by both legislative bodies and signed by the Governor in January, prevents such a long term delay and established a mechanism which approves the departure of Sea Bright from the other former districts.

The law provides for Sea Bright students to be incorporated into the new regional district in a manner so as not to disrupt students, he said. This is accomplished by enabling the students currently in one school to complete the grades within that school, then, when they move from the elementary to the middle school, or the middle school to the high school, it would be then they would make the move to the tri-district schools, rather than that the schools in Oceanport or Shore Regional. Such a process would be completed within six years and would allow for tax changes to be established now, not in ten years.

With only a handful of questions posed by the fewer than 50 people in attendance at the meeting, the meeting lasted less than 90 minutes and ended with Mayor Broullon thanking everyone for attending, and reminding residents regionalization is not only a question of economics but also socialization and educational opportunities for the children

Author, historian and local resident Steven Schwankert will open the 2022 Speaker Series presentations of the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society with a unique view of a small group of passengers aboard the ill-fated Titanic when he addresses the Society Wednesday, April 20 at 7:30 pm.

The club is featuring shipwrecks and maritime disasters as its central theme for the 2022 series, and Schwankert’s presentation on the Titanic passengers presents a unique and surprising view of six survivors as well as Titanic owner J. Bruce Ismay.

Eight Chinese passengers sailed aboard the Titanic’s maiden voyage, neither crew nor stowaways. Despite being the most obviously foreign of all the passengers, six managed to survive, a surprising number for a group of men traveling in third class. One of the six was pulled from the water, perhaps the last person rescued from sinking ship, and the inspiration for one of modern cinema’s most iconic moments. Schwankert’s presentation will look at the sinking as a whole, and specifically the experience of key Titanic figures, including Ismay.

A fellow of The Explorers Club, Schwankert is the East and South Asia Chapter Chair and co-creator of “The Six,” a book and documentary project about the Chinese passengers aboard the Titanic. His book, “Poseidon: China’s Secret Salvage of Britain’s Lost Submarine” was published in 2013 by Hong Kong University Press.

Presentations on the maritime theme will be held the third Wednesday of each month through October, and are presented at the Strauss Museum, 27 Prospect Circle. No reservations are needed, all presentations begin at 7:30, and this year feature the Titanic and other shipwrecks and maritime disasters. Talks are on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from April to October. They are given at the Strauss Museum, 27 Prospect Circle, Atlantic Highlands, start at 7:30 and are free and open to the public.

For more information on this and all programs, events, and hours at the Strauss House, visit the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society website at http://www.ahhistory.org.

If you’re planning on enjoying Easter at the Shore Casino in Atlantic Highlands, better make your reservations soon, because it’s limited seating and already filling up! This will be the first Brunch Buffet for the Atlantic Highlands Harbor restaurant, and owner Kathleen Sweeney and executive manager /son Jay Strebb have gone all out to make this a truly special First Easter Buffet. There’s no doubt Bernie is looking back with great pride at what’s happening at his beloved Casino. And so proud of Jay’s new ideas and Kathleen’s strength! Call 732-291-2900 for reservations, prices, and time schedules for this bountiful board!

An exciting Sinatra Night Dinner and Comedy event is on tap for Saturday, May 21 at the Charles J. Hesse Parish Center 55 South Avenue, with doors open at 5:30 p.m. and offered by the Rev. Joseph J. Donnelly Council #11660 of the Knights of Columbus.

“I’m thrilled to announce that popular comedian and master of ceremonies “Broccoli Rob” will be coming back for his second appearance with us,” said Mike Napolitano, Deputy Grand Knight and Event Chairman. “He was so well received when he opened for “Uncle Floyd” Vivino last year at our Oktoberfest event, that we wanted to bring him back to Atlantic Highlands for even more laughs.”

Featured headliner Eric DeLauro is slated to perform the Sinatra Night portion of the evening’s dinner and entertainment in his Bayshore area debut.

DeLauro was a New York City Manhattan Club DJ moving audiences on New York dance floors, before his Rat Pack Band created music for all eras. A native of Frank Sinatra’s hometown of Hoboken, he performs from Mr. Sinatra’s songbook among others and is renowned within the genre both in Northern NJ and NYC.

“Eric DeLauro is undoubtedly the top Frank Sinatra tribute artist in New Jersey. I have had the privilege of booking him previously for other organizations and he has graciously accepted to perform and DJ at our event,” Napolitano added.

Taliercio’s Gourmet Deli will provide much of the Special Event menu for the evening, featuring sumptuous pasta dishes, mouthwatering entrees of flounder and crabmeat, chicken rollatini, sausage and broccoli rabe, stuffed pork roast and chicken murphy. Dessert menu items include Tiramisu, Limoncello Mascarpone Cake and more. “Brooklyn Style” Italian bread, salad and Soft beverages are also included and guests are invited to bring their own libations as well.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Rev. Joseph J. Donnelly Parish Assistance Fund.

Tickets, at $40 per person, are available by printing them from the Parish website (www.olphstagnes.org), on flyers distributed at both St. Agnes and Our Lady of Perpetual Help churches, by e-mailing mikenap1962@gmail.com or calling Napolitano at (862) 368-0801. Each purchased ticket comes with one free chance in a drawing for a flat screen tv (issued during check-in).

The Parish Assistance Fund which was established by the Knights Council under Past Grand Knight John Flynn, helps defray essential maintenance and repairs for the church.

Looking for your TV remote, car keys, $20, dentures, or air pods? Clean Ocean Action (COA) Beach Sweeps volunteers found them and more on the beaches of New Jersey.

Their finds include a record number of 513,605 items, according to its 2021 Beach Sweeps Report released this week.. The premiere of the report occurs each Spring to rally more volunteers to attend the upcoming Spring Beach Sweeps on April 9, and to highlight the data that is collected during the event.

Clean Ocean Action is calling for volunteers to flock to beaches on Saturday, April 9, from 9am to 12:30pm, to give the beaches a good clean sweep before the summer, just as many marine species return to the shore.

Volunteers can sign-up to sweep at a record 75 locations along the coast.

To help COA reduce the use of plastic trash bags, volunteers are asked to bring their own repurposed bucket, bag, or other receptacle for trash collection; volunteers should also wear gloves and closed-toe, hard-soled shoes. Interested volunteers must pre-register at https://cleanoceanaction.org/aboutbeachsweeps

“Last year, over 10,000 volunteers welcomed the opportunity to gather safely, get outside, and give back by participating in the Beach Sweeps. As always, their hard work and diligent data collection provided COA with interesting insights about litter at the Jersey Shore. This is the first step toward identifying solutions to prevent these latest ‘ocean offenders’ from littering our beaches,” said Alison Jones, Watershed Program Manager.

The found items were collected at 70 locations in six hours during last year’s biannual Beach Sweeps. The report includes data highlights and trends, the twelve most commonly collected items, the most outrageous finds as well as the impact of the data.

The April and October Sweeps are part of New Jersey’s largest volunteer-driven, citizen science and environmental event with 70 site locations in 2021. The site locations are from Perth Amboy to Cape May with additional sites along the Delaware River and in Northern NJ. Over the years, 157,863 volunteers have contributed 947,178 volunteer hours to remove and record debris from NJ’s beaches and waterways.

“If you want to change the world, people power is the answer,” said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director, Clean Ocean Action. “The Beach Sweeps is proof positive of that fact. We are grateful and inspired by the dedication and true-blue spirit of volunteers.”

MAST teachers (Marine Academy of Science and Technology ) Liza Baskin and Claire Ng compile data collected by hundreds of volunteers at Sandy Hook . Included in items documented on New Jersey beaches which the Sweeps call “Ocean Offenders,” are cotton swab sticks, dental floss picks, disposable wipes, dog waste bags, e-cigarette cartridges, plastic food takeout containers, disposable and reusable face masks and disposable gloves. Plastic bottle caps and lids were the number one item picked up, replacing the former head of the “Dirty Dozen,” plastic pieces, which this year came in second. On a positive note, plastic beverage bottles, cigar tips, glass pieces, and plastic store/shopping bags all fell in the rankings, suggesting that the prevalence of these littered items may be on the decline.

Spring break can be celebrated at the Middletown Township Public Library (MTPL) with a full week of fun, in-person programs for all ages! Special programs for teens and tweens include the Job Series, Talewise, and Leap into Science.

Fly! Bessie! Fly! features a Bessie Coleman performance by American History Theater on April 18 at 6:30pm, telling the story of the first African American woman to earn her pilots license in a live history performance.

Leap Into Science: Light and Shadow Family Workshop is planned for April 20 at 11:00am, featuring light and shadow programs with a related book and hands-on activities!

The Teen Job Series will be “Create a Business Card with Canva” on April 20 at 7:00pm, using the Canva program.

Talewise will present Heroes: The Sword in the Stone on April 21 at 11:00am, an interactive retelling of the legend of King Arthur, with an emphasis on showing the importance of making good choices every day and how those choices define character. The Cardboard Challenge for Teens & Tweens on April 21 at 3:30pm will give young people the opportunity to turn ordinary cardboard into magical things.

Teen Haiku Poetry on April 21 at 3:30pm is a teen program for National Poetry Month, where attendees can learn about and practice writing Haikus in the Teen Room!

Author Stacy Stokes will make a virtual visit to the library April 27 at 7 p.m. to discuss and answer questions about her new fantasy novel, “Remember Me Gone,” a popular novel for young adults that takes place in Memory House in Tumble Tree, Texas. The author will discuss the writing process and how the book came about This program is virtual but will also be live streamed in the community room. For more information or to register for a program, please visit calendar page at mtpl.org. Contact Jenna O’Donnell at

jodonnell@mplmain.mtpl.org for additional information.

The library is located at 55 New Monmouth Road.

Deputy Chief Paul Bailey is presented his graduation certificate by FBI Director

Christopher Wray at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia on March 17, 2022

On March 21, 2022, Chief of Police Craig Weber announced that Deputy Chief Paul Bailey had graduated as a member of the 281st session of the FBI National Academy. The graduation took place at the National Academy in Quantico, Virginia on March 17, 2022. Deputy Chief Bailey is the eleventh officer in department history to complete this prestigious program. Nationally, fewer than one percent of officers have the opportunity to attend the program.

Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy offers 10 weeks of advanced training in communication, leadership, and other contemporary courses of study. Participants must have proven records as professionals within their agencies to attend. On average, these men and women have 21 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions. The 281st session consisted of two hundred and fifty-eight law enforcement officers from 45 states and the District of Columbia. The class included members of law enforcement agencies from 32 countries, five military organizations, and six federal civilian organizations.

The FBI National Academy is a very prestigious and highly selective executive development program for law enforcement leaders. The professional development training provided at the FBI Academy is the gold standard within the profession of law enforcement and serves to further enhance the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to succeed in today’s complex world. Chief Weber, who is a graduate of the National Academy’s 229th session, said, “The Middletown Police Department has a strong partnership with the FBI and we are grateful for this unique opportunity which was afforded to our agency. I would like to congratulate Deputy Chief Bailey for attending and graduating from the FBI National Academy. It is a very significant and noteworthy accomplishment.”

Deputy Chief Bailey began his career with the Middletown Twp. Police Department in 2000 as a Patrol Officer. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2009, Lieutenant in 2015, and Deputy Chief of Police in 2020. Deputy Chief Bailey currently serves as the Commander of the Investigative and Special Services Division which includes Investigations, Professional Standards, Training, and Community Relations.

Deputy Chief Bailey stated, “It was a true honor to be selected to attend the National Academy. The education and insights gained, coupled with the professional partnerships that are developed make the NA a truly unique experience.”

About The FBI Academy

The FBI Academy instructional staff includes Special Agents and other staff members holding advanced degrees, many of whom are recognized internationally in their fields of expertise, provide training for the program. Since 1972, National Academy students have been able to earn undergraduate and graduate credits from the University of Virginia due to the accreditation by the university of the many courses offered. A total of 53,181 graduates now represent the alumni of the FBI National Academy since it began in 1935.