Letter from the Editor
Dear Readers,
Welcome back! I realize that spring has only just sprung, but I want to be the first to welcome you to the Summer of 2023! Memorial Day weekend will be here before we know it.
This is our first issue for 2023 and it’s jam-packed with lots of great features. Thanks to you, our readers and our amazing advertisers, this may be our biggest spring issue in our 32-year history. So, thank you – and get ready for lots of great, entertaining, and informative reading.
First, don’t forget to check out our Events at a Glance. Check it out and you won’t miss a single important event happening on the island this spring. Be sure to make us your go-to source. Don’t forget there’s an election in Avalon on May 9. Mary Byrne Lamb will tell you all about the candidates. You’ll no doubt love learning all about Sam Ascolese. Sam was a beloved grocer in Avalon for four decades. Dave Coskey digs into Sam, his shop, and his family.
Speaking of digging, Dave Bontempo will go deep and bring you up to date on the dredging project scheduled for this spring on the Seven Mile
Beach, and an inside look at the lives of some of the workers. Then, learn about the historic religious painting that’s been restored and brought back to life at St. Joseph Church in Sea Isle City thanks to Stone Harbor’s own Vince Lamanna Jr. and Ocean Galleries. A great story, how this painting has survived more than a century.
Dr. Bianca Charbonneau has an interesting story about those cute little cacti that many of us have in our backyards. She’ll tell us all about New Jersey’s native cactus. Who knew that you could eat the fruit? And who knew there was so much to learn about pickleball? Thankfully, we have Danny Lopriore who has been a sports writer for 30-plus years. In each issue, Danny will explore all there is to learn about the game in his Pickleball 101 column. Follow along all summer and you’ll advance from novice to expert by the time the major tournament arrives in September.
Feeling creative? Jean Miersch will walk you through how to make some incredible wreaths and Kathy Todaro from Fred’s will introduce to some even more incredible Italian wines. Sticking with the great food and drink, our restaurant profile this issue is on Capt’n Chucky’s and those scrumptious crabcakes.
From crabs to octopus, Lenore Tedesco will introduce you to the newest (albeit eight-armed) resident of The Wetlands Institute. Great place to take the kids, too!
You’ve probably heard that Angelo Cataldi retired from 94WIP. We have a fascinating feature on him from our sister publication, Sea Isle Times. And our Legacy story this issue looks at the remarkable life and times of the man who was the headliner who opened Phil’s Rock Room back in 1972, The Geator with the Heator, Jerry Blavat.
Plus, all our other features you’ve come to expect. What a great time of year, and what a fantastic issue!
Sincerely,
Monica Coskey
Publisher & Editor
Seven Mile Times
mcoskey@7milepub.com