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This is Mary, a Grover sitting at the edge of Main Avenue, at Firemen’s Park, wondering where the parade was at 10:45 am and where were all the parade watchers. Hardly any parade fans were around.    5/29/23.  Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

 

We suspected something was amiss when the annual Neptune Memorial Day parade was not listed on the Township calendar.  Even 4 days before the event on 5/25/23 there was no official  announcement.

Finally I contacted a NTPD officer who inquired and found a flier for us which we posted when we got it and posted it on May 24. It described the route as the same as before, so one would expect the parade to appear on Main Avenue between 10:30 and 11:00.

The official Neptune email from acurtis regarding the parade appeared on 5/28, the day before, but no mention that the parade would be late to reach the Grove.

I got there at 10:30 am on Memorial Day. (5/29,) and only a handful of people were present. This was unusual. Usually a nice size crowd would have assembled by then.

When I arrived a bicyclist from Asbury was busy picking up the floral wreaths which had fallen over from the wind.  No firemen were around to keep an eye on them.

At 10:48 I interviewed the Urgiuolos from Neptune who were waiting on a bench in Firemen’s Park. They were determined to stay because  grandpa was driving an OG fire truck  They were very patient and they eagerly waved flags at noon along Main Avenue.   The kids are Ali and Jake.

At 11 am—no parade, so only a few patient folks stayed.  3 OG fire trucks rode slowly by us.  The police did not close down the street then, and the trucks were unusually quiet–no sirens.

A few relatively quiet OG trucks rolled by at 11 am.  . One driver flashed us a V. Then it got quiet again.

Nothing further happened, so I and a Grover couple standing by me left for home.    Mary and her friend were going to wait and they did get to see what there was of the parade at noon.  And the Urgiuolo’s managed to stay and wave flags at noon.

At 11:54 am the  parade finally appeared  led by  (according to two eye witnesses) a color guard, Neptune ROTC, NHS marching band, some OG fire trucks and some official other vehicles.  The timing was ridiculous. The crowd–very small where we were by Firemen’s Park.

I heard the drums and went back over to get a couple of photos. But I missed the kids in the band and the ROTC unit.  They were already on their way east.

Later I found out that the route had been changed, but I never heard that news or the explanation.

I should have stayed in bed.

 

ADDENDUM. . On the morning of the parade, 5/29/23, a notice was sent out by Neptune Township about the parade, and this is what it said–below;  So whatever happened to screw up the parade for Grovers was a last minute decision.  Why?  Click on  comment below. They did wind up on Main Avenue, but at noon–at least an hour late.

 

CAROLE KING

 

 

Maurice Scott and his society band. Metropolitan Hotel c. 1950's. Blogfinger file photo courtesy of the Scott family. ©

Maurice Scott and his society band. Metropolitan Hotel c. 1960’s. Blogfinger file photo courtesy of the Scott family.   Hotel photographer unknown.

 

Internet photo.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor@Blogfinger

Most hotels in resort areas such as Asbury Park and the Borscht Belt (Catskill Mountains) had their own bands because ballroom dancing was popular in that era and because guest entertainers needed backup.

Maurice Scott, a highly regarded New York bandleader and trumpet player, worked with the biggest names in entertainment in Manhattan, but in the summer he would perform at the Metropolitan, a well known hotel in A. Park, which was torn down in 2008  after being closed for a number of years.

He and his family stayed in the hotel all summer, and the life of a musician there was very good.  They played music at night, often backing up well known singers and dance teams.  During the day they enjoyed the amenities of the hotel.  Maurice also was a fine singer and master of ceremonies. His trumpet playing was remarkable, with a big sound reminiscent of Harry James.

And, speaking of memories, don’t forget “Stardust Memories” a film by Woody Allen shot in Ocean Grove and Asbury Park.

Here’s a link to the 2011 Blogfinger post about that film. Photos from the video by Paul Goldfinger.

 

Stardust Memories Blogfinger post 2016

 

 

VINCE GIORDANO AND THE NIGHTHAWKS  with “Stardust”    The trumpet solo sounds like Maurice Scott in his prime.  This version is from the film soundtrack “The Aviator.”

Italy. Chianti vineyards. By Paul Goldfinger ©

Tuscany, Italy. Chianti vineyards.
By Paul Goldfinger.   Click and you will be there.

 

 

AL MARTINO.   from “The Godfather, Part I”

 

 

PEGGY LEE:

 

Husband and wife, Sunday morning, Detroit, 1950. By Gordon Parks. © The Gordon Parks Foundation

Husband and wife, Sunday morning, Detroit, 1950. By Gordon Parks. © The Gordon Parks Foundation

 

Paul Goldfinger, Photography Editor @Blogfinger

Gordon Parks, 1912-2006, was a photojournalist on the staff of LIFE magazine and he often did photo essays for them about social issues.  He grew up in segregated Fort Scott, Kansas where he was the youngest of 15 children.

The magazine asked him to look at the realities of life in the African-American part of town where he lived.  He returned to his hometown to cover this story,”Back to Fort Scott,” and he got to visit his old friends and the places that he knew, such as the segregated schools there.  His images revealed the life of this community in the 1940’s before the Civil Rights movement began. He also included photographs obtained of his childhood friends who, despite their problems with society, lived lives of dignity and productivity, and he followed them to their homes elsewhere.  Many images show the families of his old friends.

Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks

Parks became famous  and he was one of the few African-Americans in the photojournalism profession.   He also was a movie director and a composer. This exhibit in Boston  (Jan. 17 to Sept. 13)  is of importance because this work was never published by LIFE magazine and thus is not well known.  The photograph above was one of the first pictures acquired by the curators for this museum show.  See link below to see a slide show of the exhibit and a video of the curator.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

BIG MAYBELLE

Big Maybelle

Big Maybelle

 

 

 

Paul Goldfinger still image from Band of Brothers. Right before drop zone over Normandy.

 

BAND OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION with music from the movie Band of Brothers.

 

a.

This is the Mt. Hermon way. Gams galore on the porch  for a sunny morning at OG North End. Click to enlarge.     Don’t forget “Art on the Porch” June 10, 2023.   11-4.  Signs all over town with details.

 

b.

 

The sign is useless since there have been no poop bags at Firemen’s Park for days.   All photos by Blogfinger.net

 

c.

Atlantic Wind Ensemble in the GA. 5/27/23.

d.

New Lectric Bike XP 3.0 step-thru foldable model for sale. Contact Blogfinger@Verizon.net for more information.

 

BILLY HOLIDAY:

 

 

 

 

 

BILL CHARLAP.    “American Anthem” from the documentary  The War by Ken Burns:

 

 

National Geographic 2001 cover story about our zip code.  You can see what they focused on during their visit. Blogfinger.net

 

By Paul Goldfinger, MD,  Editor Blogfinger.net. April 22, 2022.   Re-post by request. May 28, 2023

 

Today, 4/22/23,  the OGHOA conducted a meeting. (live and ZOOM).  having to do with beach issues including such topics as beach badges and the Public Trust Doctrine. (See our coverage below)

 Blogfinger was covering these topics and related matters years ago. Much of it was nothing new.

However one subject of perpetual interest has to do with the Sunday morning  beach closures, and that was addressed today:

 

During the Q & A, a woman named Pam Valentine took the microphone and made a statement—a disclosure.  She has kept this story secret until now.

Ms. Valentine wanted to challenge the Sunday beach closures, so one Sunday morning (I believe it was last year)  she went to the OG beach and went into the water.  The CMA jumped onto the situation and ordered her out.  She refused, so they threatened to call the police. She stayed in the water, and a Neptune cop showed up.  So did Michael Badger. (I may not have the sequence exactly right because none of us present expected that this was coming.  I was on  ZOOM, and the sound system sucked.).

The police did nothing, but Badger took over.   He is the President of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.

Pam was determined, so Badger made her an offer that she didn’t refuse. He promised that she could go on the beach on Sunday mornings, but she would have to be escorted by him or someone of the CMA.  In exchange he made her promise to say nothing about this incident or his offer.

For reasons which I missed, she decided to offer this disclosure today.  We did not get to interview her, but if she wants to discuss it further here, she can contact me via email at Blogfinger@verizon.net.

As for Badger, he, as always, can offer his side on BF, but he never responds to articles about the CMA on Blogfinger. He seems to prefer canned press releases for  the Coaster . That usually gets him on the front page.

I don’t know if he heard Ms. Valentine’s bombshell because he left early.

 

ANNE MURRAY.   “I’m Confessin'”

 

 

Pride parade June, 2022. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

 

Pride Parade. June 2022. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net

 

Event is from 12-7 PM.

 

MADONNA:

 

Heck Avenue Town Wide Yard Sale. 2019. Blogfinger photo.

 


We now have 14+ yard sailors including a multifamily on Mt. Pisgah.

This number alone would be attractive to shoppers, but we expect many more to sign up:  Blogfinger@verizon.net.   Don’t forget to send us your nearest cross street.

Also, we will post your items for sale one week ahead of the sale on 6/17.  You can send your items to us anytime, and we can add more up until June 16 inclusive.

You will need a $5.00 permit from our friends at the Building Dept.  Tell them you are from a group sale.

Tell your neighbors: grouping sales will attract buyers.

There will be a big craft show at the Pathway that day, but our sales will attract Grovers who are walking and biking. Also some sellers will open a sale without telling us in hopes of attracting Pathway shoppers.  But they can do both

We have a yard sale tab at the top of the homepage where you can see the “list.”  You can share that home page listing by using this link:

 

Town Wide Yard Sale Home Page and List

We can use help in publicizing the 6/17 event. If you want a flier, let us know.  I can email you one or you can get one at 113 Mt. Hermon Way.

Yard Sale Music:

FATS WALLER:

 

 

Pray 4 our troops.

At the Great Auditorium prior to the Memorial Day concert. 5/27/23 Paul Goldfinger photo.

 

Showtime: Deb Cuddhy of OG arrives with out of town guests. Paul Goldfinger photo.

 

Paul Goldfinger, Editor.  Blogfinger.net.  5/27/23

There were only  a few hundred people at the concert including some from the local assisted living.   It wasn’t well advertised. The ensemble needs polishing, and the song selection was at times peculiar for a patriotic program.  However there were some outstanding musical highlights.

One person in the audience called it “boring.”   That wasn’t me…my adjective would be “lackluster.”  Someone else in the crowd called the program “awful.”   And, many in the audience did not get a program–they ran out.

Also they collected donations as we entered the GA.  Shouldn’t that happen on the way out?  What was the money for: CMA or the musicians?  Maybe the missing  program explained. We dropped $10 into the basket—that’s trust.

As far as patriotism, 2 selections early in the program had Russian roots. Wasn’t this supposed to be a celebration of America?

And some stood for the Battle Hymn of the Republic because of its religious lyrics, and there were some hymns in the program.

Finally, the 2 man color guard from Spring Lake was late and their presentation sloppy.   Couldn’t the CMA find a proper color guard in Neptune or Asbury?   They do exist.

And finally, since the Home Groaners are so concerned about diversity in the Grove, why were there only a few African-Americans in the audience? Weren’t they invited?  

Was the HOA program yesterday which focused on the Midtown community of Neptune  and the gay community in the Grove just blather? How about some real results?

 

US Marine Band   “Semper Fidelis”.  A Sousa march below.  Was Sousa’s ghost there, or did it leave early as we did?  Did you know that his portrait hangs in the OG  Historical Society. And the CMA ran Sousa out of town after he made too many jokes about Prohibition,

 

 

Remember.

Ocean Grove. December 7, 2013. By Paul Goldfinger © Ocean Grove. December 7, 2013.  Neptune High School honor guard.   Photo by Paul Goldfinger ©  left click.  Pearl Harbor Day on the pier.

 

Memorial Day Parade.  Monday, May 29, 2023.   About 10: 45  am arrival in OG.   Watch for Neptune High School Marching Fliers  and the NHS military contingent  (US Navy sponsored.)  

 

NORMAN BLAKE   (From O Brother Where Art Thou?)