2016:

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This Weeks News 9/29/2016

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TURTLE RESCUE: A sea turtle was rescued on Avalon's 12th Street beach Monday evening. Witnesses spotted the turtle stuck on the sand and reported it to police, who contacted the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. No official word as to how the turtle got stuck, or why it had to be rescued from the beach but you can watch a video clip of the rescue here: Seven Mile Times - Amazing Turtle Rescue.
 
COPS AND COFFEE: The Avalon Police Department recently announced its first "Cops and Coffee" session at Uncle Bill's Pancake House. The session will give members of the public an opportunity to speak with police officers in a casual setting, and is scheduled for Friday, October 7th, from 8am to 10am. The public is encouraged to attend. The Stone Harbor Police Department recently became active on Twitter, in addition to Facebook, in order to share community news and public safety information via social media.
 

Sunset on a summer evening!
 
SEAFOOD LOVERS REJOICE! Two great seafood oriented events are just around the corner!

First up is Sea Isle City's Harborfest Saturday, October 1st from 11am to 4pm at 42nd Place and the Bay. At 1pm a Chowder Contest begins, followed by a Blessing of the Fleet ceremony at 2pm, and a raw clam-eating contest at 3pm. 
 
Avalon's Seafood Festival will take place Saturday & Sunday October 8 & 9, from 10am to 5pm both days at 30th Street and the beach. Seafood, music, and crafts will be featured, in addition to the annual Chowder Contest. Beer & wine will be available for sale, and on Sunday, the Eagles game will be streamed live.
 
NEW ARTIFICIAL REEF: The 115-foot Lisa Kim is expected to be sunk 8 miles northeast of Cape May Inlet on Thursday or Friday (depending upon weather conditions), as part of New Jersey's artificial reef program. Another vessel was sunk last week 4.4 miles off Manasquan Inlet. Federal funding of artificial reefs had been cut off for several years due to disagreements between commercial and recreational fisherman, but the Department of Environmental Protection received $119,250 in funding for the sinking of the two vessels after Governor Christie adopted new artificial reef rules designed to end the years-long dispute. Another well-known vessel awaits her fate as a future artificial reef: the US Coast Guard Cutter Tamaroa, which gained notoriety after being featured in the movie The Perfect Storm, is currently in Norfolk, Virginia, awaiting environmental cleaning before she can be scuttled.
 
MARYANN is no longer with The Leiser Group. Please contact me directly with any inquiries on sale or rental properties. As always, I appreciate your business and look forward to hearing from you!

This Weeks News 9/22/2016

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PENDING CONTRACTS UP: August 2016 saw 53 pending sale contracts in the local market, up from 34 last August--a 56% increase! That's a reflection of the recent strength seen in the market. Low and mid-priced segments have been the most active in the last several months.

  View the latest Long & Foster Market Minute Report

Click above for the latest Long & Foster Market Minute report!
 
A NEW COAST GUARD CUTTER will soon be stationed at the Coast Guard Base in Cape May. The newly built 154-foot USCGC Rollin Fritch is named for a World War II era sailor who served aboard the USS Callaway in the Philippines in 1945. The Fritch is part of the Sentinel-class of cutters, and can reach speeds of 28 knots (32 mph), while remaining at sea five days at a time.
 
SAVOR SEPTEMBER, THEN CABARET NIGHT! Saturday, September 24th brings with it two favorite fall events. Savor September kicks off at noon in Stone Harbor's 96th Street shopping district, and offers an array of activities including crafts, music, food, wine & beer, until 8pm. Saturday evening it's Cabaret Night at Avalon Community Hall, beginning at 7pm. The Marinos Band will perform everything from Top 40 to Oldies, R&B, Classic Rock, and Dance tunes.  Visit Avalon Performing Arts Council for info.
 
ANNUAL DUNE GRASS PLANTING will take place in Avalon on Saturday, October 1st. Volunteers should report to Avalon Community Hall at 8:30am for donuts and coffee, and a brief planting demonstration. Volunteers will be transported to planting sites by borough trucks. A complimentary lunch will follow at Community Hall. If there is still planting to be completed, planting will resume after lunch for those who are able to continue. Please contact Chuck McDonnell at Community Hall (609-967-3066) or Sue Keen at the Mayor's Office (609-967-5924) for questions or to sign up.
 
STONE HARBOR BACK BAY DREDGING: Equipment has been mobilized as the contractor prepares to resume dredging operations in Stone Harbor. For a Borough update on progress, please visit Stone Harbor Back Bay Dredge Update.  Bayfront property owners who wish to have their private slips dredged should visit Stone Harbor Back Bay Project ~ Private Boat Slip Dredging for information.

This Weeks News 9/15/2016

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OCEAN DRIVE and its planned reconstruction will be discussed at an informational meeting hosted by the Avalon Home and Land Owners Association and the Borough of Avalon this Saturday, at 9am. A section of the road from 29th Street to 62nd Street will receive new sewer service, followed by a reconstruction of the roadway. A portion of the roadway will be elevated with new drainage added, to help alleviate nuisance flooding caused by rain. Work is expected to begin in March 2017, then break for the summer season. It will resume in September 2017 until completion. Homeowners and the public are invited to attend the informational meeting, which will be held at the Avalon Community Center.
 
BRIDGE INSPECTIONS began earlier this week on the Avalon Boulevard Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway. Several additional bridges will be inspected over the next couple of weeks, including Sea Isle Boulevard, 96th Street Bridge, and Ocean Drive over Great Channel just south of Stone Harbor. Lane closings will occur as each bridge is inspected; expect minor delays if traversing a bridge while an inspection is taking place.
 

A beautiful September afternoon along the bay in Stone Harbor.
 
STONE HARBOR BACK BAY DREDGING: An update on Stone Harbor's back bay dredging plan has been posted to the Borough's website. Instead of hydraulic dredging, which led to problems dewatering dredge material at the 81st Street Municipal Marina last year, mechanical dredging will be used moving forward. A backhoe on a barge will excavate dredge material, which will be transported to the marina site and eventually mixed with Portland cement, before being hauled away.

  View the presentation slides: Stone Harbor Dredging Status Update and Path Forward (PDF)
 
IF YOU'VE DRIVEN NORTH on Ocean Drive through Sea Isle City in the past, you've probably taken note of the site used to test paint and other coatings in the seaside environment. Ocean City Research has operated the site for many years, but it will not be renewing its lease. Sea Isle City is currently exploring other possible uses for the site.

  For details, see this Atlantic City Press article: Sea Isle 'Paint Test' Site Removed; City Seeks Lessee
 
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER are great months to look at available properties if you're considering a purchase!  Ready to look?  Please give me a call today!

This Weeks News 9/8/2016

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THE "SECOND SUMMER" has begun! Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end to summer, and the start of our "Second Summer" season. C'mon down and enjoy cooler weather, smaller crowds, and a great lineup of fall activities & events! The shore is a bit less hectic at this time of year, but there's still plenty to enjoy while you're here!
 
LAST WEEKEND'S WEATHER turned out to be far nicer than initially predicted, as tropical storm Hermine passed farther off the coast than it was first expected to. This greatly lessened Hermine's impact on the South Jersey Shore, which saw minimal wind, almost no rain, and very minimal coastal flooding. Some have expressed frustration with the forecast...here's your chance to hear from a panel of meteorologists and emergency management officials on that very subject. Press of Atlantic City meteorologist Dan Skeldon will be joined by Fox29's Kathy Orr from Philadelphia, Jonathan Carr of WeatherNJ, Avalon Mayor and Cape May County Emergency Management Director Marty Pagliughi, along with several others, for a two-hour Cape-Atlantic Severe Weather Forum at the Ocean City Music Pier September 15th, from 7pm to 9pm. It's a chance for the public to ask questions and express concerns about severe weather forecasting and the decisions that are made based on those forecasts.
 
LOCAL ARTIST DORIS ZOGAS passed away last week in Reading, PA. Her well known watercolor paintings featured many Seven Mile Beach icons such as Hoys 5 & 10, the Avalon Hotel, Smuggler's Cove, The Windrift, Uncle Bill's Pancake House, and The Princeton, as well as many other island scenes. Mrs. Zogas took up painting after attending a watercolor workshop in Stone Harbor in 1978. 
 

Taking the plunge! Why not take your own plunge and purchase your own place at the shore? Whether you need a Bayfront home to park your boat, a low maintenance condo, or a palatial beachfront, I'll help you find the perfect place! Call me today!
 
CLEANING OUT? It's time for bulk pickup in both Avalon & Stone Harbor! In Avalon, bulk items may be placed curbside through September 11th, for collection on September 12th. (No construction or remodeling materials will be collected.) In Stone Harbor collection will occur on September 12th; items may be placed curbside up to 72 hours in advance. (No construction or remodeling debris will be collected; no hazardous waste, propane, or paint will be collected.)
 
FALL MIGRATION FESTIVAL: The Wetlands Institute's annual Fall Migration Festival will take place September 17th & 18th. The yearly favorite highlights Cape May County's nature & marine life through a variety of presentations and tours.  Butterflies, birds, fish, turtles--come and learn about the beautiful creatures right in our own backyard. More Info - Fall Migration Festival at The Wetlands Institute

This Weeks News 9/1/2016

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HIGHER RATES? Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen speculated recently that one or more interest rate hikes could come soon, based on recent economic activity and job gains. One thing is certain--current interest rates are very attractive by an historical measure. Consider refinancing properties you already own to lock in low rates. If you're considering purchasing a vacation home, do it now to secure low financing costs for the duration of your ownership! Ready to start looking? Please call me today!
 

What a fun way to beat the heat on a hot August afternoon!
 
FISH TALES! A 754-pound blue marlin was weighed in at Cape May during last week's 25th Annual MidAtlantic Fishing Tournament. The fish earned a $531,513 prize for the captain & crew, who hail from Lighthouse Point, Florida. The vast majority of billfish caught were released, with only the heaviest being weighed in. Other notable catches included a 236-pound tuna and a 53-pound mahi mahi. The total prize money payout for the MidAtlantic event was $3.16 million. Elsewhere in Cape May County, a fisherman caught an 11.68-pound flounder on the beach in Corson's Inlet (behind Strathmere) last week.
 
45 MILLION AND COUNTING: The Cape May-Lewes Ferry transported its 45 millionth passenger last week. A family from northern New Jersey purchased tickets for passage to Delaware, and were then presented with free passage, plus a certificate for future free passage, as well as some Cape May-Lewes Ferry branded gift items. Ferries began making the 17-mile Delaware Bay crossing on July 1, 1964. Whether travelling long distance, making a day trip, or crossing the Bay as a foot passenger, the ferry ride is always a delight. Beautiful panoramas, sunsets, and dolphins are among the many sights to be seen.
 
HARBOR SQUARE THEATRE recently opened in Stone Harbor after the aging theatre was fully renovated. There's a new twist though--in addition to traditional movie favorites such as popcorn and candy, patrons can enjoy appetizers, beer, and wine from the Harbor Burger Bar, which can be taken into the theatre. Info & Showtimes - Harbor Square Theater
 
AIRFEST returns to Naval Air Station Wildwood Friday through Sunday, September 2-5. Highlights include World War II era aircraft such as the B-24 Liberator, B-17 Flying Fortress, and the P-51 Mustang. A $14 ticket gets you a walk-through tour of the bombers. Flights can be arranged at an additional cost. More Information - Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum
 
EXTEND YOUR SUMMER SEASON--enjoy beautiful fall weekends at the shore! From cooler weather to smaller crowds to great activities, the fall is a delightful season! See below for a list of fun activities!