Times Talk
AVALON POLICE DEPT. PROMOTES PAIR
After Avalon Police Department Capt. John Roscoe’s recent retirement, Sean McNair was sworn in as the new captain, and Matthew Ardelean as the new sergeant to take his place. Mayor Martin Pagliughi administered the oaths of office during a recent Borough Council meeting.
“Avalon recognizes Captain Roscoe for his long career of exemplary public service to our community,” Pagliughi said. “Avalon is very fortunate to have young, capable leaders like Sean and Matthew who are assuming important leadership positions within the department. Both individuals have earned their promotions as we maintain the best police department in our region.”
McNair has been a part of the department since 2005, and a full-time officer since his completion of the Cape May County Police Academy in 2008. He has held the position of sergeant since 2014.
Ardelean was first hired as a Class II officer in 2013 after graduating from Stockton University with a criminal justice degree. He is the department’s first Law Enforcement Against Drugs (L.E.A.D.) police officer.
“The Avalon Police Department is extremely fortunate to promote individuals with stellar work ethic and commitment to public service like Captain McNair and Sergeant Ardelean,” said Police Chief Jeffrey Christopher. “Captain Roscoe was an invaluable member of this department for 30 years. He had an impeccable career, and his dedication and experience will be missed.”
Roscoe’s entire 30-year career in law enforcement, starting just a few days after his graduation from the police academy in 1992, was with the Avalon Police Department. He has served in almost every capacity, from his hiring as a Class I officer in 1992 up to his promotion to captain in 2018.
“I feel pretty good after 30 years,” he said. “Proud and honored to serve Avalon – I owe Avalon everything.”
STONE HARBOR HIRES RECREATION DIRECTOR
Shannon MacPherson was announced as Stone Harbor’s new Director of Recreation at a recent Borough Council meeting. MacPherson, who comes from a background in corporate wellness, currently works with the Pennsbury School District as a physical education teacher at the high school level, a lacrosse coach, and a teacher.
Councilwoman Jennifer Gensemer introduced MacPherson at the meeting, and addressed her with a welcome: “We look forward to having you here, and you will greatly improve the quality of life here in Stone Harbor. You have a magnetic personality, and we are so excited to have you as part of the Borough of Stone Harbor.”
In addition to the new appointment, interim recreation director Jenny Olson and interim assistant director Justin Ricciardi offered updates on the department’s improvements, staffing, and capital projects. The resurfacing of the 82nd Street tennis and pickleball courts is in progress, with additional enhancements including shade umbrellas and water coolers.
Also planned is a complete overhaul of all basketball courts. This includes resurfacing and the installation of weatherproof rims for the inside and outside courts at 82nd Street, and rim replacements for the 96th Street court with galvanized materials that will withstand the shore elements. The bocce court is also on the schedule for leveling and maintenance.
Ricciardi also reported that the department will have a dedicated staff member for all courts and surfaces to address facility updates, equipment needs, and required improvements immediately.
Moving forward, the department reported record numbers of sign-ups for seasonal camps and activities, including a waiting list for a number of youth basketball league groups.
MacPherson will begin her tenure at the end of June following the completion of the school year. For more information and current updates for the department, go to stoneharborrecreation.com.
Bob Kelly and Fox29 helped the Borough of Avalon spread the news that the sand back-passing project was complete.
AVALON SAND BACK-PASSING PROJECT COMPLETED EARLY
The completion of Avalon’s sand back-passing project on June 10 was captured live on Fox29, as Bob Kelly was on the scene when the borough pulled the big rigs off the beach. Kelly also visited a number of local businesses during his weekly segment.
Winter storms and the prolonged May nor’easter took their toll on Avalon’s north-end beaches. The Borough partnered with Mount Construction for the spring project to relocate more than 70,000 cubic yards of sand to the north-end beaches. The project was completed ahead of schedule and hauling ended June 9.
“This project was crucial in replenishing our beaches after the harsh winter this year,” said Mayor Martin Pagliughi. “Thank you to Mount Construction for operating a safe and efficient project, and completing ahead of time. And thank you to our residents and vacationers for staying safe and adhering to safety announcements throughout the project.”
DILLER FOUNDATION AWARDs FIRST SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
In celebration of its 50th camp season, the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for Blind Children Foundation, Inc. launched the inaugural Helen L. Diller Scholarship program this spring. The program, open to blind and visually impaired children who have attended the Diller Vacation Home’s summer camp for at least one season, will award five individuals with a $20,000 scholarship, paid in the amount of $5,000 per year, up to four years.
The first recipients are Nick Spohn, Devin Adams, Theo Robinson, Kayleigh Brendle, and Simon Bonenfant.
Spohn attends Penn State Harrisburg, where he majors in project and supply chain management.
Adams recently graduated from Penn State. She will attend National University of Ireland Galway in the fall as a graduate student to pursue an LLM (Master of Laws) in international and comparative disability law and policy.
Robinson is enrolled at Clark Atlanta University, where is he majoring in psychology.
Brendle, who is enrolled at the Diller Home this summer for alumni week, just completed her freshman year at Villanova University where she is studying writing, rhetoric, and peace and justice.
Bonenfant currently attends Chestnut Hill College and is majoring in communications.
“The Helen L. Diller Scholarship program is such a positive and life-changing extension of our mission as an organization,” said Emily O’Donnell, the camp’s supervisor. “Not only do we provide a week of summer vacation to some of the most deserving children, but we also now have the honor of financially supporting their educational and career goals through these scholarships each year. We are so grateful that we are able to provide such impactful opportunities to our campers as a result of our generous community.”
The 2022 scholarship recipients will be formally recognized at the Diller Vacation Home’s annual Barefoot Ball on Saturday, Sept. 10 at ICONA Windrift. For sponsorship and ticket information, go to dillerblindhome.org.
“reTURN the Favor” celebrates 10 years of horseshoe crab rescue on New Jersey’s Delaware Bay beaches, rescuing overturned horseshoe crabs such as these and returning them into the bay.
HORSESHOE CRAB RESCUE PROGRAM NEARS MILESTONE
With more than 150 trained volunteers ready, The Wetlands Institute’s horseshoe crab rescue program, “reTURN the Favor,” is expected to hit the 1 million crabs rescued milestone this year — just in time to celebrate its 10th season.
The program has grown significantly since its first year, when volunteers rescued 5,000 crabs across eight New Jersey beaches. Last season alone, that number was more than 150,000 horseshoe crabs returned to the Delaware Bay after being stranded upside-down or trapped in debris.
“A lot of what we’re doing is turning crabs over,” said Lisa Ferguson, The Wetlands Institute’s director of research and conservation. “So, the whole name of the program came from giving back to the horseshoe crabs for the many ways that the species influences and contributes to our lives in positive ways.”
Volunteers go on beach walks at all hours, often in the middle of the night, to make sure they rescue the crabs that wash up at each high tide. They cover New Jersey beaches throughout the Delaware Bay, from Cape May all the way up to Sea Breeze.
They also play a critical role in gathering data on the crabs they rescue, which helps identify beaches that need restoration work, from sand replenishment to debris removal.
“It’s very gratifying to see how much has grown and how dedicated so many people are to getting out and helping crabs,” Ferguson said. “People are learning and getting involved, and it feels wonderful to be a part of it.”
The Wetlands Institute’s program partners include the executive office of Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, Citizens United for the Maurice River, Friends of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, The Nature Conservancy, the New Jersey Audubon Society, and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. The program is currently supported by Ocean Wind (an Orsted and PSEG project) and the Marshall Reynolds Foundation.
Anyone interested can participate in self-directed programs, provided they attend a training session. There are no more training sessions available this year, but anyone can attend a public walk, led by a coordinator, without a training. For information on programs and training, go to wetlandsinstitute.org.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY … THANKFULLY!
It seemed like a nice, normal Saturday afternoon fishing trip in June for Jim Piazza. Piazza and his young son were taking their center-console outboard out for a day of fishing. Under the Ocean Drive Bridge, they settled about six miles off Townsend’s Inlet and fished the reef.
“We hadn’t caught very much,” Piazza said, “so we decided to pack it in.”
What happened next would make him an instant celebrity. Television stations in Philadelphia, New York City and as far south as Washington would soon be telling his story. That, and there were thousands of hits on social media.
On their way in, Piazza’s son and his friend spotted something in the water. “I damn near ran it over,” Piazza said about a week later. They were about a half-mile off the coast, just outside the inlet, near the first red buoy. That’s when Piazza’s son pointed in the water, just beside the boat. What they were seeing was a great white, or, as they are also known, a mackerel shark! Yup, just like the one made famous back in 1976 in the movie “Jaws.” This one was about 12 feet in length, meaning that it was probably just a youngster.
Although Piazza’s sighting was a bit unusual and attracted media attention from all over the East Coast, sharks just off Cape May County are not unusual. We may not like to admit it, the ocean, even close to our shores, is their natural habitat. But relax, the movie was fiction, for the most part.
This type of shark is very productive; it helps to keep our oceans healthy. You may not be aware, but when a shark biting a human occurs, it’s usually the result of mistaken identity. Sharks typically do not hunt humans. In fact, you are more likely to be struck by lightning than to be bitten by a shark along our coast. It might surprise you, but in contrast, humans are a greater threat to sharks than sharks are to humans. Hundreds of thousands of sharks are killed by humans each year.
According to Piazza, the shark that he sighted “just kept swimming. It wasn’t aggressive at all. It swam nice and easy beside the boat for a little bit. We circled him for a bit, but he just kept swimming north.”
At the very least, armed with their photos, Piazza and his son have a fish story to last a lifetime.
