Your last chance before Christmas to toast “The Girls” at the Girls Café and to let the new Girls know how much you appreciate them will be Sunday, Christmas Eve, when they will be spreading their usual cheer, hot coffee and spectacular breakfasts and more until 1 in the afternoon.
Better take advantage of it then, because Charley and the rest of the crew are taking a couple of weeks off to celebrate the holiday.
They will be open once again on Monday, January 10, the second Wednesday of the New Year, 2024.
While everyone misses the original girls, Vera and Cathy, we all also realize it’s time for them to sit back and take life easy for a while….something it’s very difficult for any Hartsgrove to do. What a hard working family they have always been.
But Charley, another main stay at The Girls Cafe, is still working her magic on the grill and everywhere else, and has gotten the ever patient Kitty and the rest of the gang, including Sam and Gail…or it Gracie?… .happy to be part of a great staff of cheery, hardworking women! And these days, if you’re lucky, you might even see the Boss Lady cleaning off tables and ensuring every customer at The Girls Café is more than a customer, but rather a close friend.
So the Girls Café will close at 1 p.m. Christmas Eve and re-open at 6 a.m. on January 6, Little Christmas, making it possible for the entire staff to enjoy the peace and contentment of their own homes during a special time.
Besides, the Spirit of Christmas is alive and well throughout the year at The Girls Café, one of Highlands’ great eateries!
Former Councilman Brian Boms was cited and praised at the December meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Council not once but twice for his volunteer activity with the Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad.
Boms, who is also head of the Republican County Committee for the borough, received the Walter B. Curry Award in recognition of his service to the First Aid Squad. He also received the EMS Top Responder Award for all the emergency calls to which he responded this year.
Boms joined the fire department in the fall of 2022 and while serving as a volunteer there was asked if he could drive the ambulance if needed for emergency calls. It seemed “like a logical fit,” the former councilman said, so he joined the First Aid Squad as well.
He was also a member of the borough’s Office of Emergency Management so he felt he could be more involved, more ready to meet any emergency and update on all business and activity by being involved in all three.
Boms attended training at the fire academy for fire and police training, and in January will begin the intensive training as a certified EMT, emergency management technician.
Both the department and the first aid squad hold drills monthly so Boms attended them while also going to the Fire Academy for their training.
When he begins EMT training next month, it will be the start of a program that includes two nights a week as well as Saturdays from January through mid-May.
For his OEM position, Broms completed all the coursework and passed all the exams in more than 30 classes. “But I will continue to take more classes when I have time,” he said, noting the importance of being knowledgeable on all aspects of emergency training.
Boms, who served three years on Council, one of them as council president, said he has taken up the challenge and intensive hours of volunteer service simply because “I l love the town we live in and enjoy giving back to it however I can.”
In addition to his volunteer service to the borough, Boms is a real estate agent with Stack & Stack Real Estate in Hoboken where he heads the distressed property division. A majority of his work focuses on his duties as an appointed agent for the Federal Bankruptcy court and State receivers.
He also is in ownership with a local construction company which does home remodeling, kitchens and baths as well as other construction. That business involvement sprang up from his years of volunteer work helping Hurricane Sandy victims with The Foundation to Save the Jersey Shore. After three years on that board, he was named board president.
I had just turned nine years old the year my mother showed more strength and compassion than anyone could imagine. But I never realized it until I was grown up, married, and had children of my own.
We were a family who loved tradition and our religion. Christmas was especially important to us, after four weeks of Advent, and making all the preparations for Christmas Eve when we would set up the tree, talk about every ornament we put on it, and my mother would be sure every strand of tinsel was perfectly straight.
We never sent Christmas cards out until a few days before Christmas, and for that, we all lined up around the dining room table and took part in the process. Because my parents were both well known and loved, and because my father was a famed newspaper reporter and head of the Draft Board in Union, the largest in the state, we had hundreds of cards to mail. So the four of us, my two older brothers and sister and I, lined up around the table to put the cards in envelopes, address and stamp the envelopes, pile them in neat order and laugh about how we looked in that year’s photo.
The cards were always photos were of the family in a Christmas setting. Uncle Len, Len Morgan, was a photographer for the New York Journal American newspaper, and he and my parents always set up an appointment for him to come and create that year’s photo. In 1945, we had taken the photo around Dec. 10th and were waiting for Uncle Len to bring the finished product so we could do the procedure.
But my father came home from work Dec. 15, and said he had pains in his chest. He went up to rest while my mother called the doctor and prepared supper for all of us, reminding us to be quiet so “Daddy can rest.”
Our friend, Dr. Imbleau, came shortly after, assured us Daddy would be fine but needed a lot of rest before he would be better. We all went to bed saying special prayers for Daddy.
It was after 1 a.m., with us children all asleep, when my father died. There was not much help for heart attacks those days. My mother called each of us into her bedroom as we awoke the next morning to let us know God had taken Daddy to heaven with him. It was nine days before Christmas.
This nine-year-old grew up a lot in the next few days. There were two days of visitation, both afternoon and evening, and though my mother did not have us at the funeral parlor each day, we knew that hundreds of people passed my father’s casket to shake my mother’s hand, hug her, or simply express sympathy and tell her what a wonderful man he was.
The day of the funeral was blizzard-like, with inches of snow in the street and lines of cars processing from the Leonard Funeral home in Elizabeth to Saint Michael’s Church in Union with half a dozen or more priests were on the altar and the church filled to overflowing. The trip to Saint Gertrude’s Cemetery in Rahway was long, filled with snow and lines of cars. My mother told us to say a fond farewell to our father.
It was now five days before Christmas. The Christmas cards did not get mailed that year.
We put the reindeer up on the mantelpiece, nestled the stable in the fireplace, decorated the tree Christmas Eve and hung our stockings before saying our prayers and going to bed. My mother was telling us how much fun Christmas would be as she put the finishing touches on all the decorations.
In the morning, as usual, we all came down the stairs together to gasp and giggle over the array of presents under the tree. My mother watched silently as she sat on the landing of the living room steps watching and hearing us delight over our gifts.
For me, all l saw was the two-wheeler. My first bike. It was blue and black, with shiny handlebars and a basket. I forgot about the sadness of losing my father. I was excited and ran and hugged my mother.
“That’s the last Christmas gift Daddy bought,” she said calmly. I did not even see the tears in her eyes.
I was nine years old and just happy to have a bike.
The years passed, I finished school, got married, moved to Highlands and Jimmy and I had a Christmas tree of our own.
It was not that First Christmas, but the next one, the first one for our first child, Kathy. That was when it hit me.
As Jimmy and I thrilled over Kathy, not quite a year old, so excited by the lights, the music, the toys, the bright colors, gurgling and chattering with joy, I suddenly asked myself: How did my mother do it?
How did my mother, only 45 years old, married 20 years, with four kids, ever put up a front for us nine days after her very loved husband died, so we could enjoy Christmas?
How did my mother, only five days after she cried out in agony as they lowered my father into the grave, pull it together so she could get all our gifts under the tree.
How did my mother make the house seem festive so her children would have a happy Christmas?
How did my mother have the strength I would never have to tuck her own grief inside her heart and pour out so much love and care for her children?
My mother lived another 50 years after my father died. She never remarried; she waited until we were all in high school, then, in those days of just start-up social security, went to school herself to get her real estate license and begin work selling houses so we could still keep our house at 1039 Bertram Terrace.
As each of us married and had our own families, she hugged and loved all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren. She told them stories about her own growing up, about happy Christmases, about some of the traits and talents they inherited from their grandfather, and she shared photographs and stories about him.
But she never told them of our own strength that first Christmas nine days after she lost him. They each learned on their own, in their own way, as I had done, just what a strong and wonderful woman she was
Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry gave a festive dinner in celebration of her many years of dedication and service to Monmouth County and was deluged with love, congratulations and dozens of stories of how she has helped people, organizations, education, and history, all with a genuine love for Monmouth County.
Every One But …
None of the other county commissioners Director Tom Arnone, Deputy Director Nick DiRocco, Susan Kiley, Ross Licitra, accepted invitations to attend, though all asked to be excused because of prior meetings or other commitments.
Service
Commissioner Burry has served on the board for more than 15 years, including three as freeholder director. Prior to that, during more than a half century of service, she was on the borough council in Matawan and Mayor and council member in Colts Neck.
The event, with more than 100 in attendance, was at Eagle Oaks Country Club in Farmingdale.
Every Level of Government
Former New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno
Former Monmouth County Sheriff and former New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno led a host of political leaders from every level of government in recounting how Commissioner Burry helped her and so many others through the years, noting how she regarded the commissioner as a mentor and leader who gave her both inspiration and knowledge. Current Monmouth County Sheriff Shawn Golden was not present at the event.
Former State Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso reiterated Guadagno’s praise and told more instances of her own when Mrs. Burry was her inspiration. DiMaso served on the Board of Freeholders with the commissioner before she served in Trenton as a state legislator.
Assemblywomen Kim Eulner and Marily Piperno were both at the event, and State Senator Vin Gopal joined Republican State Senator Declan O’Scanlon and other senators in introducing a special resolution in the Legislature to honor Burry’s tenure and half century of service.
Monmouth County Administrator Gerry O’Connor was also in attendance to honor the commissioner; County Clerk Christine Hanlon was not able to attend.
Former Freeholder Pat Impreveduto congratulated the commissioner and was present for the event along with Colts Neck Mayor Sue Fitzpatrick, and councilmembers Michael Viola, J P Bartolomeo and Tara Torchia Buss, Monmouth County Counsel Michael Fitzgerald and County Engineer Joe Ettore as well as Deputy County Administrator Chris Marion and Public Works John Tobia. Also attending were County Surrogate Maureen Raisch and County Surrogate Maureen Rausch showing their appreciation for all the commissioner’s volunteerism and activities.
Brookdale President Dr. David Stout spoke of her dedication to education and the higher education offered at Brookdale, and Congressman Chris Smith aides Jo Schloeder and Mary Noonan brought the congratulations and best wishes of the Congressman who was in the nation’s Capital.
Jim Giannell, who has served as Burry’s campaign manager in numerous elections over the years, served as master of ceremonies as guests throughout the room raised their hands to add their own platitudes to all that were showered on the smiling commissioner.
There were numerous other guests, many from organizations that Commissioner Burry has aided or been a member, including the National Park Service, with retiring Parks Superintendent Peter McCarthy knowing Mrs. Burry’s hard work not only for the Fort Hancock 21st century Advisory Committee but also in leading the movement to have two buildings restored historically for use by the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) NJROTC cadets. One of the buildings has been completed and is in use. The larger building, designed to be an open drill space, classrooms and bathrooms, is now scheduled to be completed by June 2025.
From Around the Country
Other organizations and causes represented were the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, Soldier On, the 4H and Agricultural board, FMERA at Fort Monmouth, the Maser Gardeners, the Monmouth County Park Service, as well as the current chairman and several members of the Colts Neck Historical Preservation Committee, where Mrs. Burry was chairman and founder.
The commissioner’s longtime friend, Christine Saavedra, flew in for the celebration from California, explaining it was an event honoring a woman she highly respects, and she could not have missed it.
Continuing to shower more praises and admiration for their boss were Teri Kneler, Commissioner Burry’s aide at her Freehold office and Michele Battista,, her assistant at the Colts Nek Realty office the commissioner also operates and maintains.
Family
The Commissioner was also surrounded by three generations of her own family, her sister Alba DiBell and her husband, Pat, her daughter Lenore Manicoto and her husband Bob Burns, and her granddaughter, Stephanie Manicoto and James Concepcion.
Commissioner Burry with her sister Alba DiBell
The surprise and highlight of the evening was when Donald Burry, the Commissioner’s husband of more than 70 years, spoke in praise and awe of his wife’s involvement with everyone who ever sought her help. Burry, a retired Captain in the Coast Guard, is a constant companion for his wife at all her events, but has never been known to address her attributes in public, nor enter into any public discussion.
Don Burry
At the celebration dinner, however, he spoke of her work with Congressman Christ Smith and the impact she has had on various programs and assistance for active duty and retired members of the military. He also received thunderous applause for his words as well as dedication and patience with his wife’s tireless hours helping others. Burry said he did it all not only because he loves her but admires her drive, dedication and enthusiasm for making things and situations better than when she finds them.
Commissioner Burry chose not seek election to another term on the County Board of Commissioners, and will step down at the annual reorganization of the board in January.
Because of the demand, the Friends of the Library are continuing their gift wrap and free books offer at the Atlantic Highlands Library in borough Hall, 100 First Avenue, this afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m.
Lauren Gormly, co-president of the Friends of the Library, praised the students from both the Atlantic Highlands Elementary School and Henry Hudson Regional school who are volunteering Thursday to wrap Christmas gifts for all coming into the library. The Friends of the Library provide wrapping paper and all proceeds from donations benefit community programs and events.
During Thursday’s wrapping session, Santa Claus was in the library to greet visitors and to oversee the gift wrapping by the volunteers. He then attended the Atlantic Highlands Borough Council meeting where he was honored as the Volunteer Employee of the month.
Catherine Miller, a sixth-grade student at the local school, said “It just feels good to help,” as her reason for spending several hours wrapping gifts for library visitors. “I just wanted to help because it feels good and it’s nice to make people happy,” she said.
Catherine said there in her first day of volunteering, there were only a couple of packages brought in that were difficult to wrap. “They were odd shapes, and I just had to figure out to fold the paper to get around them and have them look perfect.” Most were square or rectangular boxes, she said, “and they were easy and fun to do.”
The coin design created by Highlands resident Russell Karshmer,the son of Gary and Jill Karshmer, has been selected to be on the reverse side of the official USS New Jersey (SSN796) Commissioning coin.
The announcement was made by Julianne Dods, a trustee on the Submarine’s Commissioning committee in a letter to the teenager and to MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, where he is a junior.
Karshmer’s award coin design was selected by the Commission from more than 300 designs submitted by high school students from throughout New Jersey. He was one of four students from MAST who submitted unique designs representative of the soon-to-be commissioned submarine and the state for which it is named.
The coin design depicts the view from Mount Mitchill, recognizing it as the highest point on the Eastern seaboard. From that vantage point, he portrays the Eastern Goldfinch, the state bird of New Jersey, perched atop a branch of the state tree, the Red Oak, and holding the state flower, the Violet, in its beak. The bird is observing the approach of the USS New Jersey (SSN 796) into Naval Weapons Station Earle in Leonardo for her commissioning. In the background, the Sandy HookLighthouse, the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States, illuminates the newest submarine to join the fleet from her post in historic Fort Hancock, a former U.S. Army Base.
Other design considerations are the three oak leaves, three acorns, and three piers at Earle, symbolizing that USS New Jersey is the third warship to bear the name USS New Jersey, and New Jersey being the third state to join the Union.
The colors of the water and sand illustrate the official state colors of Jersey Blue and Buff respectively and the banner outlines the location and date of the USS New Jersey’s commissioning in April, 2024.
In congratulating Karshmer for his creativity and drive in taking the effort to enter the tough design competition, Commander Tracie Smith-Yeoman United States Navy (ret), Senior Naval Instructor at MAST, also commended the three other MAST students who created designs for entry in the state-wide competition. “These cadets all went above and beyond what is required of them as MAST students, all of whom are in the NJROTC program. Once again, they have given MAST another opportunity to be so proud of what they achieve.”
We’re just over the moon!” said Mrs. Karshmer, when her son called her from MAST to let her know of the award. We’ knew he did well, but we are so proud of him and what he designed.”
The family moved to Highlands from Jersey City, and Russell went to MAST primarily for the marine science program. “But when he attended his first Naval Science class, he knew he wanted to serve the nation.” Russell is looking to join the Coast Guard and will apply for scholarships to all of the military academies
Christmas Eve Masses will be at 4 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and at 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m./. at Saint Agnes Church.
Mass Christmas morning will be 8 a.m. at Saint Agnes, 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and once again at 11 a.m. at Saint Agnes.
Mass on Jan. 1, the Solemnity of Mary, will be at Saint Agnes at 9 a.m.
Confessions are held Saturdays regularly at 3 p.m… at OLPH every Saturday, and at 6 p.m. at Saint Agnes. Appointments can also be made with the pastor, the Rev. Jarlath Quinn, by calling 732-291-0272
The pastor explained the light from the oil lamps in the Church of the Nativity at the site where Christ was born, have never been extinguished though they have been transferred from one lamp to another over the two thousand years.
In 1986, the Austria Broadcasting Company organized the Peace Light and began a tradition of a child traveling to Bethlehem to light a candle from the oil lamp. Boy scouts from throughout Europe then lit their own lights from the candle lit from the oil lamp and gave it to others, signifying peace and unity among people of all races, creeds and colors. The Peace Light brings light to the darkness by encouraging peace and unity throughout the world.
The light has been coming to the United States for more than 20 years, and this year it arrived at JFK Airport in early December.
It arrived at the United Methodist Church on Third Avenue on December 9 and will be available for all to light their own candles until the Feasts of the Three Kings on January 6.
Interested persons can bring a candle to the church office Tuesdays through Thursdays between 9 a.m. and noon or schedule a time with Pastor Nicole for another time convenient to both.
MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, is the only high school in the state, and one of only a few in the region, where every student is a member of the NJROTC and must pass the Naval Science classes in order to receive a MAST diploma. The Monmouth County Vocational School was one of the five full time county vocational schools that was named among the top ten schools in New Jersey for academics.
Commander Tracie Smith-Yeoman, a retired Navy officer who served as a salvage diver during her 23 years in the Navy, retired eleven years ago to become the Senior Naval Science instructor at MAST. A graduate of the University of South Carolina where she was in the ROTC, Commander Smith-Yeoman knows the importance of a solid foundation in all academic studies and sees the advantages of an NJROTC program that also teaches discipline, orderliness, attention to detail and communication.
While she candidly concedes every student at MAST is not enamored of drills, uniforms, or marching in formation on Pershing Field when the weather is either too hot or too cool, she is reminded constantly how their training there made their college days so much easier, their job searches so much better, and their futures so much brighter. Every year, MAST receives notices of graduates being accepted into one or more of the nation’s military academies, while numerous graduates earn ROTC scholarships to colleges throughout the country.
The Naval Science instructor is reminded of this because so many graduates of MAST come back and tell her of how their MAST years have impacted their lives. Commander Smith-Yeoman enthusiastically invites the alumni to her classroom to share their experiences. She also regularly sends updates she receives from graduates with the rest of the faculty, the students, and anyone wondering whether their 8th grader should apply for high school at MAST.
As an example, Commander Smith-Yeoman shared information she received from recent MAST graduates.
There was Dan, who graduated from MAST eight years ago and went on to Cornell for his degree. He is now a Navy lieutenant on the Navy’s newest guided missile destroyer, the USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125.) She pointed out Dan is a plank owner, meaning he was a member of the commissioning crew of the destroyer, and she included a link so all the faculty and students could see and hear Dan talk about his ship and the Medal of Honor recipient for which it was named.
There is Leor, another 2015 grad and the brother of Dean, a 2017 grad who graduated from Michigan. Leor graduated from the Naval Academy and received his Wings of Gold. He is now an F/A-18 fighter pilot with the Navy. The instructor included a photo of him flying over the head of his brother.
There is AJ, a 2018 grad and a Merchant Marine Academy grad last year. He is an ensign in the Navy Reserve, and a Merchant marine officer on a civilian merchant ship. The MAST instructor said she is looking forward to when he is expected home later this month and the visit he promised to make to MAST.
There’s the MAST grad who went on to graduate from Embry Riddle in 2022 and is now a Second Lieutenant in the Army. Commander Smith-Yeoman said Mike also received the German Armed Forces Badge for military proficiency, and explained how heavily physically demanding a course it is.
The list goes on as recent grads continue telling MAST leaders how well they’re doing and how grateful they are for their MAST education.
Jill is a lieutenant (junior grade) now after graduating from MAST and RPI and is serving as an Industrial Hygiene officer with the Navy. She’s married to Kyle, a Navy pilot serving in Virginia.
Both Jack and Liam are doing well, the commander reports from their letters and visits. Jack is an ensign in Navy flight school in Pensacola, while Liam is a second lieutenant after graduating from DeSales and is currently attending the Marine Corps’ Infantry Officer Course.
Ryan, class of 2018 and the University of South Carolina last year, is also finishing Marine Basic School and will be a ground intelligence officer. The commander attached a photo so MAST students could see Gamecocks Jack, Liam and Ryan along with Matt, another 2018 MAST alumni.
Nick, a senior about to graduate from West Point in May, just found out he has been selected to enter the Military Intelligence field, his top choice for career assignments.
Mary Catherine, who is in her second year at the Naval Academy and a member of the crew team, was part of the squad that ran the game football from Annapolis to Foxboro, Massachusetts, the site of last weekend’s Army-Navy game. A year’s long tradition, the academy’s 13th Company hand carries the ball to the rivalry game, no matter the location.
Commander Smith-Yeoman told her classes that both Alexis and Tyler are doing great as plebes at the Naval Academy, and that Jimmy, who just graduated MAST last year, was left rifle on the color guard that presented colors at the University of Texas/Oklahoma football game and was broadcast on ABC. She added he’s doing great even though his Longhorns lost the game.
“It is so wonderful to hear from our graduates and share in their good news and successes,” said the commander. “Over their four years here at MAST, all of the teachers get very attached to the students, and of course, the Naval Science Instructors – Senior Chief Vaccarella, Chief Fetherman, and I — get particularly close with those grads who choose to enter the military. We love that they keep in touch with us and often come back to speak to current students. These grads don’t just inspire our current MASTies; they inspire us, too!”
More Stories on MAST and the REMARKABLE Students and Graduates HERE
If you have an update on a graduate or graduates that you would like to see a story on …Like the story on US Naval Academy Cadet Smolensky, please Email me at venividiscripto@gmail.com
A recount of the November election held at by the Monmouth County Bord of Elections today names Councilwoman Lori Hohenleitner as winner in her bid for election to the post of mayor, it was confirmed this afternoon.
Hohenleitner won the election by five votes, defeating Councilman James Murphy for the position.
Since Murphy is serving in the second year of a three-year term, he will continue to hold his seat as a member of the six-member council.
When the newly elected are installed during reorganization ceremonies January 1, Murphy will be the only Republican on the seven-member governing body.
Mayor Loretta Gluckstein did not seek a second term.
The council members, in addition to Murphy, will be Jon Crowley, elected to another term, Vito Colasurdo, Eileen Cusack, Brian Dougherty and Alyson Forbes, who won election to her first term in the election.
