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Archive for June, 2011

Fortress Ocean Grove, and a Neighborhood in Crisis — Editorial

Posted in Charles Layton, Editorial, Neptune Township News, tagged , , on June 30, 2011| 8 Comments »

By Charles Layton

We have our own little island here in Ocean Grove. We are sequestered by gates to the west and by bodies of water on three other sides – moats, you might say. This blog strives to mirror life within these idyllic confines by savoring the architecture, history, music, street fairs, and just the feeling one gets walking the streets – so different from other parts of Neptune Township.

But I was jarred out of my isolationism at last Monday’s Township Committee meeting, when more than a dozen citizens of Neptune’s Midtown area showed up to complain about persistent incidents of gunfire. In recent weeks, people in that neighborhood have been severely wounded, and at least one was reported killed. Bullets have been fired into houses and passing cars. While we in Ocean Grove complain about bicycle thefts, these people are in fear for their lives.

“People in the neighborhood are telling me, ‘I am afraid to come out of my house’,” Diana Harris, who heads the Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation, told the Committee.

Bonnie Baity spoke of having a bullet pass through the wall of the day care center she owns. Another resident said, “I don’t drive down Heck Avenue. There are only certain places I will drive. I have to circle around the whole neighborhood to get to my house. That’s crazy.”

Others told of the intimidating presence of idle young people who gather nightly at the corner of Heck and Atkins, some of them apparently armed. Cordelia Bullock said the neighborhood has no parks or other recreational opportunities for young people, including latchkey children. “Without positive activities you’re going to have negative activities,” she said.

These witnesses listened politely as Neptune Police Chief Robert Adams told them his department was working with officials in Asbury Park and elsewhere to find new, coordinated approaches to the problem. (Midtown shares a border with Asbury Park.) Committeeman Randy Bishop said a Neighborhood Watch program is being organized; Officer Michael Adam, who is police liaison to Ocean Grove’s NW program, will be involved in that.

Police Chief Adams has met with members of the Midtown community before, as have Mayor Kevin McMillan and others. The discussion Monday night was intense – but it was an adult discussion, free of the grandstanding one sometimes sees when Ocean Grovers complain about parking. There seemed to be general agreement that the problem was deep and complex and the solution would need to be multifaceted. “We want to work with you,” one man said to Adams. But one could hear the desperation in these people’s voices, and see the pain written on their faces. They are truly worried about the future of their neighborhood.

Midtown is a mixture of middle-class and poor residents. But unless the violence is stopped, one can imagine people of means and talent giving up on the place, moving out and leaving the neighborhood to become a festering slum, as I have seen happen in Philadelphia. That would be unacceptable.

We are talking about a neighborhood that is only five blocks from the gates of Ocean Grove. And I came away thinking that we, and the rest of Neptune, owe these people our sympathy and moral support. And if there’s a more substantial way we can be of help, we owe them that, too.

A couple of news stories on this issue can be found on the Asbury Park Press website — go here.   And here.  And today’s Coaster also has an article about it. I would urge everyone to read those.

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From the Archives of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove: “The more things change…”

Posted in From the archives of the Historical Society, tagged on June 30, 2011| 4 Comments »

By Kathy Arlt,  contributing writer    @Blogfinger

Here, in all its glory, is the Osborn House, most likely after William Jimeson moved the building to its location at the corner of Pitman and Central Avenues.

Imagine running a hotel this size, with a restaurant that served three meals a day AND a general store. It’s no wonder that William Jimeson was “prostrated from over-work” halfway through the 1875 summer season. So perhaps Mr. Jimeson had a change of heart before the 1876 season began and didn’t re-open the Osborn House—or perhaps it had developed such a loyal clientele during its first year of operation that it didn’t need to advertise—because the Ocean Grove Record doesn’t show a listing for the hotel again until 1882.

Notice the subtle name change from Osborn to Osborne? This wasn’t an attempt to artificially age the name, like changing “old” to “olde” or “shop” to “shoppe.” The 1875 Osborn House was named for William Osborn, one of the founders of Ocean Grove; the 1882 Osborne House was named for John A. Osborne, who may have owned it at some point between 1875 and 1882. (John Osborne, it’s worth noting, provided the money for the Great Auditorium’s cornerstone.)

Over the years, the hotel’s owners and proprietors changed many times. In 1883, for example, Charles Hornor was out, and the new proprietor was J.H. Goodwin. Yet it remained a hotel well into the 20th century.

But 20th century guests began demanding 20th century accommodations, like en suite bathrooms, closets and air conditioning. So the Osborne House went the way of so many other grand hotels in Ocean Grove, and the corner of Pitman and Central is now the site of the Allenhurst apartments.

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Doo Wops Initiate Saturday Night Great Auditorium Concert Series

Posted in Music, tagged on June 26, 2011| 4 Comments »

The Doo Wop crowd. Saturday night June 25, 2011. Ocean Grove. Photo by Paul Goldfinger, suspended in mid-air for this photo shot.

By Paul Goldfinger

It was a beautiful evening for the Doo Wops.  All the doors were open, and sea breezes were keeping the large audience comfortable. We were sitting towards the rear of the orchestra section, and  I used ear plugs because the sound system roared as if it were designed at Cape Canaveral.  A new lighting array directly above the stage  poured  colored lights vertically down through the smoke machines and horizontally in a moving pattern like giant measles.

Four groups performed including The Platters, The Drifters, The Toys and The Passions.  The most interesting of the acts was the “girl group” The Toys.  The original Toys, from Jamaica, New York, had a few hits, most notably “A Lover’s Concerto” from 1965.  They only were together for about five years back in the 60’s, but the lead singer, Barbara Harris, who is now eligible for Medicare, has assembled  a new three-woman version of the Toys, and they were lively and fun last night.

The best and most unique part of their act was a medley of greatest hits by a variety of “girl groups” including the Bobbettes (Mr. Lee), the Chantels (Maybe), The Shirelles (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? ), the Crystals (Doo Run Run) and the Supremes (Stop in the Name of Love).

Music removed because of copy-write issues.

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MEDICAL: Does a Low Fat Diet Prevent Heart Disease?

Posted in Medical topics, tagged on June 24, 2011| 3 Comments »

Artery model showing fatty atherosclerotic plaques, with one straddling a bifurcation and causing partial obstruction. Paul Goldfinger, M.D. photo.

 

Grilled octapus with extra virgin olive oil, and orzo with olive oil and lemon: the perfect delicious heart healthy dinner–it was Eileen’s at Niko’s Greek Grill in Long Branch.  (now closed 2023)   Blogfinger photo

By Paul Goldfinger, MD, FACC

During the early evolution of the new specialty called “preventive cardiology,” the concept of  good nutrition as a tool in the quest to halt atherosclerosis began to take shape as far back as the 1950’s.

Years later, in the 1970’s, families began to adopt the notion that they should reduce fats in their diets, particularly the saturated fat, high cholesterol kind found in red meats and dairy products.  McDonald’s and other fast- food places introduced salads, and trans-fats were abolished from commercial products and restaurants.

It is now widely accepted that low fat diets will help prevent heart disease and some cancers. Unfortunately, as of 2011, there have been no large scale diet trials that conclusively prove the point.

Several years ago, some new clinical trials suggested that reducing total dietary fat may not be the most important goal in prevention.  In our book, “Prevention Does Work: A Guide to a Healthy Heart” dated 2011, we made the following observations: “…the type of dietary fat may be more important than the amount of total fat.” Also, “Most low fat diets generally lower cholesterol levels by only modest amounts.”  Such statements are based on recent science regarding the value of low fat/low cholesterol diets in cardiovascular disease prevention.

Recent  studies have shown benefits from purposefully using  “good fats” of vegetable origin such as monounsaturated olive and canola oils;  and polyunsaturated fats such as corn oil, to help reduce risk— rather than reducing all dietary fats.  Fish oils have also been found to be specifically beneficial.

From this  new start, we have come to believe that  Mediterranean diets might be the best choice in prevention, even though no large scale trials have proven this to be the case.  In one small French study,  (the 1999 Lyon Heart Study)  of Mediterranean diets, the use of canola oil enriched with omega-3 fatty acids helped prevent heart disease even without any change in blood cholesterol levels.

In 2006, a report from a $415 million federal study of 49,000 postmenopausal women, carried out over 8 years, concluded that low fat diets do not prevent heart disease or cancer. But that trial, as amazing as it was, looked at low fat diets which were not rigorous enough and it did not look at cholesterol lowering drugs. It also did not get enough compliance in the area of eating more fruits, vegetables and other nutrients. Finally, it did not distinguish between the various kinds of fats— the good, the bad and the ugly.   For those who hoped  that saturated fats would someday be found to be healthy (as Woody Allen predicted in the movie “Sleeper”), the trial did not conclude that low saturated fat diets could be discarded.

The bottom line, as far as I am concerned, is that the best nutrition for prevention is still a Mediterranean style diet with significant reductions in animal fats and with the use of “good oils” without restriction. This plan includes an emphasis on vegetarian food sources, fiber, seafood, portion control to combat obesity, and other diet components such as nuts, red wine, chocolate, green tea, plant stanols and other nutrients which may help reduce risk.  Protein can be obtained from fish, turkey, chicken, and small amounts of lean meats such as buffalo, ostrich,venison,  or lean beef. Portion size for meats should be 4 ounces. Cholesterol levels must be brought down to “target” numbers that your doctor should be acquainted with, and this usually must be accomplished with statin drugs.

I am sorry to say that most doctors know little about nutrition and prevention, and their patients do not know enough about how to prevent heart trouble through eating and cooking properly.  That is why Eileen and I wrote our book over 15 years ago and we believe that it can save lives.  Young families as well as heart patients need this information.   This is our fourth and best edition. We will donate all profits to the American Heart Association.  It is available at Amazon.com and the Comfort Zone in Ocean Grove, NJ.

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Grand Re-Opening: Historical Society of Ocean Grove Museum

Posted in Ocean Grove history, Ocean Grove news, tagged on June 22, 2011| 3 Comments »

Display area showing the time-line (on the wall) , the souvenir collection (r.) and the spoon and paper weight display (l)

By Paul Goldfinger (text and photos)

Raymond Russomano is the former president of the HSOG, but he has been quite busy lately planning and then implementing the remodeled museum of the HSOG.  Today they officially reopened, and Blogfinger was given the privilege of previewing the results of all the work. According to President Gail Shaffer, the organization recently received a grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust. That grant plus some funds from the group’s own resources enabled them to redesign and re-work their space on Pitman Avenue.

The result is impressive, and a number of objectives were achieved.  According to Ray, the layout was the result of brainstorming by members of the group. The cooperative effort included the executive board’s voting on the color for the walls—it is greenish-gray.   In the end, the overriding goal was to improve the “flow” of the facility.  Visitors will be shown around by a docent— a decent job if you can get it.

Betty Whalen and Frank Spataro from Somerset, NJ. The first visitors to the remodeled museum check out an itchy, woolen Victorian swim suit. Betty declined to try it on.

In front is a new reception area where Susan Roach, the administrative assistant, will preside.  In that area is an expanded retail function where all sorts of souvenirs are available for purchase. Then you enter the main display area by walking around a new partition wall with a welcome banner done in purple, with photographs of Ocean Grove.  As you proceed, on the right side, is an impressive time-line showing Ocean Grove history with pictures and other fascinating historic objects.

New office: Ray Russomano, Pres. Gail Shaffer (l) and Sue Roach (administrative assistant) HSOG

Behind the partition is the group’s extensive collection of OG souvenirs from 1890-1910. Nearby in a special display case is the spoon and paper weight collection.

In the rear of the facility is a new research center where Grovers can investigate their home’s history. A computer station is available to review old OG Record newspaper articles and the extensive postcard and stereograph collections.  There are many other fascinating items on display including Diamond Jim Brady’s desk, an old organ and Rev Stokes’ chair. John Phillip Sousa is still hanging around in the rear. (see our article about that painting)

Because the grant was for “financial stabilization,” the group decided to expand the retail component of their operation.  In a surprise announcement, it was revealed to us that the museum will also function as an eBay consignment store which will specialize in collectibles and antiques, but don’t bring Grandma’s huge dresser over; they mostly want small items.

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Text of Letter Approved Oct. 22 by Home Owners Association

Posted in Blogfinger News on June 22, 2011| 1 Comment »

To: Joseph Shafto, Chairman of the Planning Board

From: The Ocean Grove Home Owners Association

On September 9, 2011, the Master Plan Committee of the Ocean Grove Home Owners Association (“OGHOA”) sent a letter to the Planning Board detailing the Committee’s concerns about the draft Master Plan. The letter was presented to the membership of the Association at the September membership meeting for discussion. At the October membership meeting, our membership voted to address its concerns to the Planning Board in a letter not only from the Committee, but on behalf of the entire membership of the OGHOA.

The OGHOA members agree with the expressed concerns of the Historic Preservation Commission about the Proposed Historic Preservation Element Section of the Master Plan, especially regarding the need to preserve within the Master Plan a clearer, more extensive explanation of Ocean Grove’s unique historical importance.

The members of OGHOA would like to reiterate their concerns about the Land Use Element.

We value the draft’s many statements of intent to protect the character of the Historic District of Ocean Grove. However, we are concerned that some language in the proposed Land Use Element may actually weaken safeguards in the current Master Plan. For this reason, we strongly recommend that the language in the land use of the draft Master Plan remain as it is in the 2000 Master Plan.

In addition, we are concerned about the lack of clarity in important passages regarding zoning regulations, density limits, the flared setback and other crucial matters. Our fear is that, coupled with the recommendation for a Land Use Advisory Committee, ambiguous language, such as “reviewed,” “evaluated,” “redrafted,” “reconstituted” or “updated” in the draft Master Plan, would give present and future administrations too much discretion making changes to the zoning regulations. We fear that this draft opens the door to a weakening of existing protections.

We can find nothing in the draft itself nor in the record of the Master Plan Subcommittee’s deliberations to explain the need for so many broad and indefinite statements of intent. The draft does not make clear what is to be the mandate of the proposed advisory committee, or who will be in charge of this extensive reviewing and redrafting. Neither does it guarantee that such important changes would be developed under full public scrutiny, or with ample opportunity for the public to absorb the import of these proposals and respond to them prior to their enactment.

In addition to these general concerns, we respectfully comment on a few specific issues within the draft document:

(1)  One of the goals of the Land Use Element (Goal #5, at the bottom of Page 11 of that element), is to “Prevent to the maximum extent practicable the intrusion of nonresidential uses in residential neighborhoods.” The 2000 Master Plan says unequivocally that such intrusion should not be permitted. We suggest keeping that stronger prohibition, at least as it pertains to Ocean Grove.

(2)  We suggest shortening Goal #16 (page 13) to read: “Develop a separate zoning ordinance for the Nationally Registered Historic District area.”

(3)  We suggest shortening Goal #27 (page 14) to read: “Work to reduce sign pollution.”

(4)  Page 41 of the Land Use Element recommends that the Township review and evaluate the boundaries and requirements of the “Hotel Overlay District.” The Hotel Overlay District no longer exists on the current zoning maps. That issue aside, we are unclear as to why such a review is needed. One of our fears is that relaxing these requirements could lead to the return of the flophouses in Ocean Grove, which the Home Owners Association has worked so long and hard to eradicate.

(5)  We strongly oppose the proposal (Page 41) to create a new Township Land Use Advisory Committee. Such a body would usurp the authority of the existing citizens boards, replacing their judgments with the judgments of various executives of the Township. This would potentially allow for more decisions to be made outside the public’s view, and would be an invitation to more political influence and insider dealing.

(6)  We do not oppose the proposal (Page 42) to update definitions in the Township’s Land Development Ordinance; however, we hope that this review – and other such reviews proposed in this draft – will be done in full public view and with opportunity for public input.

(7)  Regarding the regulations on height and/or number of stories (page 42), our committee urges that the existing height and story limits be maintained. We, like many Ocean Grovers, are concerned about recent trends toward greater height and greater density.

We thank the members of the Planning Board and its subcommittee and staff for their attention to our concerns.

Sincerely,

The members of Ocean Grove Home Owners Assn.

Denis McCarthy, president, OGHOA

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From the Archives of the Historical Society of Ocean Grove: “It’s summertime, and the living is easy…or not.”

Posted in Historical Society of Ocean Grove, tagged on June 21, 2011| 5 Comments »

By Kathy Arlt, contributing writer  @Blogfinger

School’s over; the beach is open every day. Visitors are arriving in Ocean Grove, and entrepreneurs are looking forward to a profitable season. One such gentleman, in 1875, was William Jimeson, who owned a hotel and a general store.

Mr. Jimeson was probably already exhausted when that summer began. He’d just finished renovating his hotel, the Osborn House, after moving the whole building to a new location (more about this next week).

Plus, he had to stock his general store, so that the more permanent seasonal visitors would have supplies. Check out the range of mattress materials: hair (probably horse), husk (probably corn) or excelsior (wood shavings).

So perhaps it’s no wonder that Mr. Jimeson found himself “prostrated from over-work” during the 1875 summer season. Happily though, by July 24th, the Ocean Grove Record reported he was feeling somewhat better.

We can only hope that Mr. Jimeson had a very profitable year.

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Historical Society Awards Go To Local Home Owners — Blogfinger Is Also Honored

Posted in Ocean Grove news, tagged , on June 20, 2011| 5 Comments »

Blogfinger staffers celebrate at Days garden: Charles Layton, Yvette Blackman, Mary Walton, Paul and Eileen Goldfinger

By Charles Layton

The Historical Society of Ocean Grove gave out its annual Beersheba Awards on Monday evening, honoring local home owners for their work in preserving the town’s architectural heritage.

Blogfinger and its editor in chief, Dr. Paul Goldfinger, received the organization’s individual civic award. Ted Bell, the MC for the awards dinner, praised Paul for founding the website two years ago and building it into a local hub for the sharing of information about our town. Bell also passed along a copy of a joint resolution of the New Jersey legislature recognizing Blogfinger for “its significant contributions to the preservation, natural resources and cultural life of the community.” And Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. gave Paul a similar certificate of recognition from the U.S. Congress.

Speaking as his friend and colleague, I can tell you that Paul had a great time at this dinner and was genuinely touched. “We believe we’re doing something unique in this town,” he told me later, “and it’s good to get some recognition.” (Secret insider fact: we had a terrible time persuading Paul not to sprinkle his acceptance speech with old vaudeville jokes.)

A group civic award went to the Fletcher Lake Commission for its efforts toward preserving and maintaining that body of water.

The owners of eleven homes won Beersheba awards for their renovations, and a new construction award went to John and Theresa Raziano of 132 Franklin Avenue. The HSOG also presented a commercial award for the work on Dr. Dale Whilden’s dental office on Main Avenue.

In the coming months, Blogfinger plans to post full stories, one at a time, about the award-winning houses and their owners.

The Monday dinner marked the 16th year the HSOG has handed out preservation awards. Bell said a total of 170 houses have been recognized during that time. The dinner was held in the Days ice cream garden, with some 70 people attending.

Fans of historic preservation at Days garden. Photo by Paul Goldfinger

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Comment of the Day. Mary Beth Jahn

Posted in Blogfinger Comment of the Day, tagged on June 11, 2011| 6 Comments »

We are instituting a new department:  Comment of the Day.  We will post a comment which strikes us as being particularly important, well said, quirky, pithy, beautiful or funny, but we will do that only occasionally.     Paul  @Blogfinger

This comment from Mary Beth Jahn (Committeewoman, Neptune Township) dated June 10, 2011, was in response to our post “Beatrice Fails to Appear in Court—Question: Is This the Second Time?”

“The Township will continue to pursue this case until the house is fixed and/or sold to someone who will fix it. We will not continue to allow this owner or any other owner to willfully ignore Code citations or court orders and endanger the lives of other, law abiding neighbors, no matter how long it takes or how much money it costs. We cannot and will not put a price tag on the safety of our residents, plain and simple – lives are absolutely irreplaceable. We will not play Russian roulette with the health and well-being of this property’s immediate neighbors. We have no lives to spare to the selfish whim of derelict homeowners.”

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Born to Rock and Roll: Two Grovers Tell It Like It Was

Posted in Feature article, Jersey shore, tagged , on June 10, 2011|

Jean and Stan, with Springsteen memorabilia. Photo by Mary Walton

By Kat Cavano and Mary Walton

Stan Goldstein’s fate was sealed with nine words. “The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle.”  It was Bruce Springsteen’s second big album. And for Goldstein, 51, hearing it marked the beginning of a lifelong passion. A Neptune native, 51-year-old Goldstein has attended over 300 Springsteen concerts.  He has seen his idol in Paris, London and Barcelona, and has spent so much money on Springsteen that in his words, “I could’ve bought a house.”

He did buy a condo, however. Today he lives in the Embury Arms on Lawrence Avenue. His coffee table is stacked high with CDs and every inch of wall space is covered with memorabilia. There are testaments to the Beatles and his favorite sports teams. But Springsteen dominates. Why? you might ask. His answer seems as relevant today as it did four decades ago. “It was the coolest thing to hear a guy singing about Madam Marie. He was our local hero and we liked the music.”

Meanwhile, a young girl in Cherry Hill was similarly blinded by the light. Jean Mikle’s first Springsteen concert was in early 1978.  She was overcome by “the passion, the commitment. When you’re younger and you get struck by music, it feels like a life-changing experience.” Not long afterward her mother died.  In August of that year she had tickets to a second concert. Still in mourning, she hesitated, but decided to go. Listening to Springsteen gave her faith in the future. “I felt like I was going to be okay.”

Mikle and Goldstein discovered their mutual passion while both worked at the Asbury Park Press.  Mikle, 50, is now a member of the Press’s investigative team and Goldstein is a copyeditor at the Newark Star-Ledger.  Mikle also lives in Ocean Grove, on Cookman Avenue.

In 1999, on a whim, the pair advertised a free Rock & Roll Shore Tour on an online Springsteen fan site.  They had no idea if anyone would turn up.  To their surprise, about 60 people met them at The Stone Pony for a tour that wound around Asbury Park, to E Street in Belmar and to Springsteen’s childhood home, Freehold. Goldstein and Mikle now give about 12 to 15 tours a year, often to groups of Europeans who, according to Goldstein, are just “thrilled to be seeing this stuff.” The tour specializes in hidden landmarks like the Upstage Club, a psychedelic late night spot on Cookman Avenue where no liquor but plenty of music was served up.

Goldstein and Mikle are also the authors of Rock & Roll Tour of the Jersey Shore. Now in its third edition, the book allows readers to take an armchair tour of sites in Asbury Park, Long Branch, Red Bank, Freehold, and Belmar where Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny Lyon and Jon Bon Jovi have left their mark. Featuring never-before-seen photos from private collections, and personal anecdotes and stories, the book brings to life a time in history that many people may not have realized was happening right in their own backyard.

-0-

Music by Bruce:

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MEDICAL: One in three adults unaware too much sun exposure causes eye health risks.

Posted in Medical topics, tagged on June 10, 2011|

 

  USA Today (6/9, Healy) reports that wearing a hat and protecting eyes “from harmful UV rays” is as much a part of sun protection as slathering on sunscreen. “A 2009 survey by the American Optometric Association found that one in three adults are unaware of the eye health risks of spending too much time in the sun without proper protection.” Excessive UV exposure may result in pterygium, macular degeneration, or cataracts. And, “even a few hours of intense, unprotected exposure can have consequences, says optometrist Sarah Hinkley of the American Optometric Association,” possibly leading to painful photokeratitis.    

Blogfinger Medical Commentary:

Photokeratitis is like a sunburn on the conjunctiva, which is the membrane that covers the white part of the eye. It is a worrisome injury which is uncomfortable, although it is usually reversible. A pterygium is a scarring on the eye’s surface which could require surgery to repair.

According to optician Ed Faust at Optical Concepts in Chester, NJ, ultraviolet light can also cause injury to the cornea. He says that a hat offers protection mostly to the skin— with less eye protection. What is needed to protect the eyes are sunglasses for adults or children with lenses that block the high energy UV rays.  Polarized lenses are the best, but your eye-care professional can suggest other types of blocking lenses.  A solid frame with wide side pieces helps to cut down rays coming from the sides                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              By Paul Goldfinger MD, FACC

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Neighbors Petition Township Over 24 McClintock

Posted in Uncategorized on June 8, 2011| 2 Comments »

By Charles Layton

Twenty-nine neighbors have signed a petition urging that Neptune Township take action, “without further excuses or delays,” against the absentee owners of the house at 24 McClintock Street.

“We fear that, in its untended condition, a fire might break out that could spread  to other homes, as has happened elsewhere in Ocean Grove in recent years,” the petition says.

It was delivered to the township clerk’s office on Wednesday.

Neighbors have been concerned about the property for several years. Township officials inspected it in 2009 and found a host of maintenance violations. When the owner, Jason Richelson of Brooklyn, NY, failed to address those violations, the Township issued a summons. However, no court action resulted. Last year, in July, the Historic Preservation Commission asked the Township to pursue action once more, which, after some delay, it did. Only recently has the Municipal Court set a date — June 23 — for Richelson to answer the charge of failure to comply.

According to the neighbors’ petition, “the house has rotting wood, many parts are bare of paint, parts of the roof appear to be in a failing condition, and windows are not secure. Water enters the building with every rain… Animals and birds have been observed entering and leaving the house. We can only imagine conditions in the interior.”

24 McClintock -- Could this be OG's "next disaster," petitioner asks

The 29 signers reside on McClintock Street, Pitman Avenue, Beach Avenue and Ocean Pathway. Lynn Merry, who lives on Pitman just behind the derelict property, wrote the petition and went door to door collecting signatures. Merry, a 4th-generation Ocean Grover and a former tent dweller, said her family received a serious scare two years ago when the house across the street from theirs caught fire and was destroyed, damaging the homes on either side of it.

“The subsequent fires on Ocean Pathway and Surf Avenue only reinforced our need to speak up,” she said, “to try to prevent the next disaster. 24 McClintock, through obvious neglect, is quite possibly that next disaster.”

According to Monmouth County online sales data, Richelson purchased 24 McClintock on July 11, 2005, for $400,000. It was assessed in 2011 at $355,200. It was built in 1895, according to those records. Richelson said in a comment published on Blogfinger last August that the house “doesn’t appear on the maps at the Historical Society we consulted and the ledgers and files there and the former owner told us it was not original to the site” — meaning it was built elsewhere and, at some point, moved to its present site.

In that same posting, the owner said his efforts to renovate the house had been tied up in court and bureaucratic processes. “The building is also for sale,” Richelson wrote, “in the event there is someone more experienced with navigating this process that we are who wants to take on this project. If anyone is interested, they should contact us…”

To all appearances, no repairs have been made since that time.

The petition delivered to the Township on Wednesday requests that the Township “respond to this petition by explaining how it intends to proceed, and to keep us informed at every step in the process until this threat to our safety and well-being is remedied.”

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Quotes on Blogfinger: A Random Collection From the Comments Department. (All taken completely out of context)

Posted in Blogfinger News, tagged on June 8, 2011|

Oh Gee:  “They are young, drunk and clueless”

Vicki:  “I’ve known Wally 39 years, so he was 11 when I met him.”

Anon. 1:  “Oh. Picky, Picky, Picky.”

Denis:  “I love Blogfinger.”

Appleation: “ME TOO !!!!”

Anon 2: ” OOOOO You missed the Shark Head!”

Adelevis:  “Haha I love that thing!”

Nancy: “Oh-My-Heaven. Is that retouched?”

Ken: “Come to think of it, you two do seem to fit the ‘terrorist’ profile.”

Denis:  “Next you’ll be complaining about the train whistle.”

Oh Gee: “The people at the Stone Pony must be going deaf.”

Tom: “There are some very interesting people in OG.”

Anon 2: “The neighborly approach was taken….love was given a chance.”

Meredith: “If you see something—say something.”

Anony 3:  “It isn’t that they don’t take Blogfinger seriously, Nancy…”

Monica:  “My husband bought a CRAPPY JUNKER BIKE.”

Mary Beth: “We could do a better job at transparency.”

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