a. Real estate news on Ocean Pathway:
b. Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA) presents:
Clara Gerdes, Organist
Wednesday August 11 – 7 PM – Great Auditorium – FREE
As part of its ongoing free organ recital series, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting will present CLARA GERDES on Wednesday, August 11 at 7 PM, who will perform on the historic Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ. This is a free recital. For more information visit https://www.oceangrove.org/organ.
Ms. Gerdes is a 2021 graduate of the Yale Institute of Sacred Music where she studies with Martin Jean. She recently graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with Alan Morrison.She has an impressive musical pedigree. Go to Oceangrove.org for more information.
c. Great blue heron photographed on the aerator of Wesley Lake
8/5/21. Wesley Lake. Stephen Goldfinger photo
Wildlife in town more evident: Foxes catching geese, for dinner; baby raccoons (4) climbing telephone pole at 4 am on Mt. Hermon
d. When was the last time the Township of Neptune organized an event for its highly taxed Grovarian residents? Here is an example of what they do for other parts of town.
I get the impression that Neptune will never organize a much needed secular event like this, because they leave it to the Camp Meeting and the Chamber of Commercials to dominate Ocean Grove, and we know what their events are about.
As we have pointed out many times, our small “town” needs more small town activities for residents, while cutting off the massive events promoted inappropriately by Neptune, CMA and the CC regularly.
And where’s our marina or equivalent? Neptune would not even help with the beachfront cleanup after Sandy. And they chronically leave our parks in a state of misery. Neptune should spend some money here such as pruning trees, fixing sidewalks, providing parking permits for residents, and lowering taxes according to how much is actually spent on Grover residents, especially in the schools.
This church/state mix-up in this town is unfair. Grovarians are underrepresented at the Mother Ship and these issues need to be reviewed by the State of New Jersey.
And why is there no diversity shortage problem in Neptune other than in Ocean Grove? It’s partly because the CMA religious dominance discourages some from living here. Look at the signage which promotes “God’s Square Mile” and the “Christian Seaside Community.” We need a more open society in the Grove to attract more diversity.
e. Blogfinger stats: In July we had 20,633 “visits.” On July 31 we had 615. On August 5, we had visits from 20 countries including Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Norway , and our old friends in American Samoa, and others.
We write so much about the CMA, that we at Blogfinger were disappointed not to be on the “Top Religious Landmarks” list.
Paul Goldfinger editor is now a member of the New Jersey and National Society of Professional Journalists.
This is added to our founding membership in the Blogfinger Society of Irreverent Muckrakers. (Note: The muckrakers were reform-minded journalists in the Progressive Era in the United States who exposed established institutions and leaders as corrupt. )
From Carousel: “A Real Nice Clambake:”