Wednesday & Thursday

Thursday, April 29

The Toms River-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce will hold its 47th annual reception and dinner tonight at Eagle Ridge Golf Club. I will serve as Master of Ceremonies during an evening which will find Stephan & Judi Leone honored as “Distinguished Citizens of the Year” and the J. Phillip Citta Regional Cancer Center at Community Medical Center saluted as “Organization of the Year.” Tonight’s gala will be the last for chamber President Lucy Greene, who is retiring from the full time position in June after 38 years of service.

Toms River South has ended Toms River North’s two-year reign as Ocean County Girls Golf Champions. The Indians captured the team title in the 3rd annual event on a windy Wednesday at Eagle Ridge in Lakewood, finishing three shots ahead of North with Lacey coming in third. The key for South was having three players finish in the top ten, led by senior Carlie Himelman who placed second. Dominique Bushong finished sixth and Chelsey Schiffermiller tenth for coach Brian Wilkinson’s squad.
The individual title went to sophomore Jess Kavanagh of Point Pleasant Boro, who shot a 92…three shots better than Himelman, whose father Bruce won the Ocean County Championship playing for Lakewood in the mid 70’s. Keeping it in the family…Kavanagh’s sister Kelsi was second in the first two county championships and is now a freshman at Monmouth University where she finished 23rd in the recent Northeast Conference Championships. The top three teams and top ten individuals qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament in early June.

Couldn’t help but notice a story that drivers in New Jersey pay more for vehicle repairs due to bad roads than any other state in the nation. A study revealed we pay almost $600 a year for problems related to bad roads which is well over the national average of $335. Based on what many of our roads look like after this winter and spring I would expect that number will rise even more in the future. It’s refreshing to know we in New Jersey lead the nation in something.


Wednesday, April 28

Some random notes and thoughts:


As I’ve done just about every year for as long as I can remember I participated in yesterday’s Career/Human Relations Day at Monsignor Donovan High School. The annual event is one I always enjoy as I spoke to three classes about the importance of career choice, even though its one they don’t have to be concerned with just yet. It was refreshing to be with students (well at least some of them) who seemed interested in what I had to say and appreciated the fact that people were volunteering their time to be with them. What was a real kick was talking with another career presenter who reminded me that I spoke to his class about ten years ago and tried to convince him and others not to pursue a career in communications. Fortunately he did not listen to me as he’s doing just that and very happy.

It may be temporary but if you glance at the Major League Baseball standings this morning you will see that first place in the National League East belongs to the New York Mets. They have won 6 straight and 8 of 9 on their current home stand which ends this afternoon against the Dodgers.
Considering the dreadful start they had Mets fans have to be very happy (and we are).

Happy to hear that Tony Caravella will among those honored at Brick Township High School School’s 7th Annual Wall of Fame Induction Ceremony on May 19th. Caravella wrestled for the Green Dragons and finished 4th in the 1974 state tournament before earning All American honors at Bloomsburg University. He is best known as the architect of the great wrestling program at Brick Memorial where he guided the Mustangs to three state titles and 12 Shore Conference Tournament championships before retiring from coaching. Caravella is the Supervisor of the Social Studies at Brick Memorial and spends much of his time rooting for his beloved New York Yankees. Others being inducted during the May 19th banquet at The Crystal Point are Barbara Brightly Ebner, Milton Estelle and James Rutter. For ticket information you can contact Bill Kleissler at Brick Township High School at (732) 262-2500, ext. 2023.