Jean Bredin photo. The shortest distance between two points…”

ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO’OLE.

Paul Goldfinger photo. Ocean Grove, NJ.  Click to enlarge.

THE CROWS:

Ocean Grove 2019. Fletcher Lake by Paul Goldfinger   A foggy future.  Blogfinger.net.

By Paul Goldfinger, MD.    Editor@Blogfinger.  This  re-post from January 2020.    This conversation has been going on for some time on Blogfinger.net.  We are engaged in our  Modern History series because many of our readers are new to town and need  historical perspective.

When we first moved to Ocean Grove in 1998, we admired the spiritual currents that ran through the town.  We liked the idea of a religious temperament in the Grove emanating from the Camp Meeting culture including such elements as the Live Nativity, ringing church bells, Santa in the park, the Choir Festival, teenage and children’s programs, and the Great Auditorium with its classical and pop concerts.  We believe that religion is generally a force for good in our society.

But we were rattled by the turmoil and clashes of 2007, and years later we began to see the cultural balance shift in the Grove as secular programming was largely discontinued in the Auditorium and as religious programming was increased, potentially changing the sense of balance in our community.   The CMA didn’t seem to appreciate the presence  of a secular community which makes this town its home and they seemed to think that whatever they did would be perfectly fine for everyone else in town.

We became aware of the growing throngs of religious tourists drawn into the Grove by CMA programs.

These large crowds coupled with growing numbers of Chamber programs often crowd those who live here and want to promote their own lifestyles with an emphasis on neighborhoods, families, porch culture, and down-home events such as art shows, lectures, farmers markets, etc.  which enhance the  lifestyles of the locals—not tourists.

Some of us were surprised when the Founders Park fountain dedication last summer became a religious service with sermons and hymns,  and when Illumination Night morphed from a community event for all to a religious happening.

And now we see that the CMA will allow their North End property to be used to create a commercial and residential conglomerate which will cause congestion and will compromise the comfortable neighborly feel for those who live there. It will be more like Asbury Park South.

We recently saw the CMA step into the public space to threaten a law suit over parking.

President Badger showed up in Neptune when the BPA was presenting a new parking plan, but he would not cooperate in the discussion. Instead he declared that the CMA would hire its own parking consultant and he went off the rails discussing parking with a newspaper instead of with the citizens.

This past year the CMA  cancelled their usual Labor Day community report with opportunity for questions by the public.

Blogfinger has maintained an interest in the cultural and demographic currents in the Grove, and instead of seeing a blending together and a balanced community, we see increased isolation by the CMA, as if they were still dominant as they were from 1869 to 1980.   Yet when they were fund raising, they asked for financial help from everybody.

The tilting of the community scales will have a negative impact on good will in Ocean Grove—to what extent is unknown.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT:

a. Parking games people play:   We have been collecting examples of parking exploitation that makes our parking issues more severe such as warehoused cars, inappropriate handicapped parking, abuse of beachfront parking, and exploitation by Asburian workers and visitors.  You can search  above for  “games people play.”

Holding a space. Bring a chair and a good book. Blogfinger photo.  

Just when I thought we have heard it all, I read a comment on Facebook that alleged that people who want to save money on airport parking will park on our streets and leave their car. They then take a train to the airport.  When they eventually return they take the train back to Asbury, walk to their car in OG and drive away—another parking space exploited by outsiders.

And one other variation on a theme is when homeowners in town get permission to close their streets for block parties, especially when only certain people–residents and visitors–get invited.  And of course such events make many spaces unaccessible.    This is wrong. Let them have a private party at some private location.

The parking planners in OG have ignored all these games which further reduce available parking.  The parking “sub-committee” cannot even solve the Asbury Park issues.  All they need to do is to ignore the CMA and install paid parking in vulnerable  zones 1 and 2 areas, leaving some electronic bypass for residents.  The Neptune Township Committee always sides with the CMA instead of we-the -people.

I guess there is no end in sight for parking games that people play including our own citizens and a police department that won’t or can’t  even enforce  pre-existing ordinances on parking.  And a Township Comedy which will not give OG a break having callously  refused to allow a trial of permit parking.   The Groaners should sue the Township over that.

Why are we giving TAKA free parking for their patrons?  Blogfinger photo. 2023

Pride Parade in A. Park. Every time Asbury has an event on a weekend our parking problems multiply in Zones 1 and 2. Why do we empower Asbury to schedule all sorts of  crowd producing events?  This parade is great fun, but let’s discourage North End parking with “meters.” Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

b.  Those 65 and over should make sure that they are taking advantage of all New Jersey  property tax relief  to help our seniors.   The Governor is proud of these plans including Anchor and Senior Freeze.  Call 800 882 6597 or go to http://www.state.nj.us.

c.  Summer rentals in OG.  Reserve now–it’s already late.

Blogfinger photo. Summer rental on Ocean Avenue. 2023.

Now is the time to reserve a summer rental in the Grove.  Give preference or discounts to those who don’t bring a car.

d.  Free passive solar energy:

This is the winter position of awnings to help heat your home. Blogfinger

Get free energy if your home faces south.   Did you hear of “passive solar?”   Just put awnings on your homes which face south.  Use the awnings to help heat in winter and cool your porches and front rooms in summer.  For some reason, few shore home owners have awnings.  They were more common in the past.  There is an awning place on Main Street in Asbury, but others in the vicinity.

Quite a few OG homes have steam heat, This song is from Pajama Game:

Paul Goldfinger photo.  11/03/21

THOMAS HAMPSON  sings Cole Porter with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Notice the sign does not say “Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association”. c. 2020. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

The above sign at the entrance to town  emphasizes that we are a historic town.     But in June 2021,  the CMA added a line, above the  historic line which says “Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association” implying that we are a religious town.   This park-like public setting should be free of religious labels, especially those that might mislead a visitor to town or a newcomer.

June 2021. Why the change?  Please explain.

MAX RAABE.  “One Cannot Kiss Alone ”

All photos by Paul Goldfinger, taken from the YOU TUBE video 3/17/23

Paul Goldfinger.  Editor Blogfinger.net.  And graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson U.

This is a remarkable sports story, and the FDU Knights can bask in this amazing victory: a 16 seed beats a 1 seed.    I found this on the Net:

POLITI:     “Fairleigh Dickinson’s first-round victory over No. 1 seeded Purdue is the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history and maybe college basketball history. Go ahead and comb through the record books, if you must. What happened last night in Columbus, Ohio, between the tiny commuter school from Teaneck and the Big Ten powerhouse from Indiana is basically unparalleled.”

But for most colleges and universities, sports  is not the major preoccupation in students’  lives.  I was a student at FDU Teaneck in the 1960’s. I was a commuter as were most of the students. They had no football team, but there was a basketball team.

The undergrads tended to be older than most, and many were attending the business school which was quite eminent. Many students had jobs and college classes.  College life wasn’t much, although I did belong to a secret frat.  Do you see the swan in the logo above?  Well my frat brothers stole a swan, temporarily from the pond on campus in Teaneck and created a minor incident.

And I had a part in Antigone and a girlfriend who was learning to speak Russian.   Music was my main interest there, playing sax  in a number of groups.  My own quintet played for the Spring Weekend, and on the bill were Carmen McCrea and Gene Krupa.

Here is link regarding that era:

https://wp.me/pqmj2-wd2

In Rutherford , NJ  they had no July 4 parade, but they did have a big Memorial Day parade, and the University recruited me to ride the float. The school originated in 1942 in Rutherford.

I’m in front with the crew cut and white mouthpiece.

Anyhow, basketball was an obscure preoccupation.  The team mostly played at the Rutherford Campus, so I paid little attention to it. It was, as far as I was concerned, small potatoes.

But then, I saw a headline in the campus newspaper about how the basketball coach was complaining that he needed more money for scholarships. I thought this was obnoxious because the school had a weak academic scholarship program, and not even the valedictorian at Teaneck High could get a full ride to attend school at FDU.  So I wrote a letter to the editor suggesting that they take the basketball money and do some academic recruitment for the school .I even suggested that they buy a few more famous professors to populate the library.

My letter created a minor uproar.  My frat buddies kidded me endlessly about how my “library professors” were doing.  And my English professor stopped me on campus to complement my writing and then suggesting that the basketball players should be paid to play for the school.

But it was a tempest in a teapot then, but now–wow!   FDU  broke a record for the NCAA tournament which has been run since 1939.

And boy, was I wrong about FDU sports.  I enjoyed watching the FDU coach be interviewed post game, and they played a video of his speech to the team before the Purdue game was to start, and he said that he sincerely believed that they could win the game. Impressive.

But, then again, the idea of paying college athletes is still a good one and an honest one. There still those who advocate that.

So Go Knights,    Could they win in Round Two?   Why not?  I am a fan now–better late than never.

The school cheer or school song?  I have no idea.

But here’s a song; I have no responsibility for the lyrics, but it’s called “The Girls of Fairleigh Dickinson”  by the Down Cows.

ADDENDUM:  I have just learned that college athletes will be able, starting soon, to make money capitalizing on their names, autographs and other means.  You can Google The NY Times article on this.