Local News Notes
For the week of Oct. 22, 2009
Oct, 21-2009 5:14 pm
County F.O.P. dedicates new lodge in Wildwood
WILDWOOD—More than 300 officials, invited guests and members of the public attended the dedication of the new Cape May County Fraternal Order of Police (F.O.P.) Lodge 7 in Wildwood on Friday, Oct. 2. The lodge is located at 3207 Pacific Avenue, between Wildwood and Pine Avenues in the downtown business district.
Attendees included Sen. Jeff Van Drew, Assemblyman Nelson Albano, Wildwood Commissioner of Public Safety Bill Davenport, F.O.P. Lodge 7 president Lt. Christopher Howard and representatives of police departments throughout the county.
The exterior of the new lodge is a retro mid-century design, with blue and white ceramic tile, iconic globe lighting and neon signage. Philadelphia architect Richard Stokes, whose services were provided through the Wildwood Business Improvement District, worked on the plans following design guidelines developed for Pacific Avenue.
“We wanted to do something special that would become an attraction for downtown Wildwood,” Sgt. James Nanos, a Lodge 7 board member, said. “The building was vacant for years. We put a lot of money and effort into it, but the result has been worth it. We’ve gotten tremendous positive feedback. People love the facade.”
The renovation recently received an award from the Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce and has become one of the most photographed buildings in all the Wildwoods, according to Main Street Wildwood,
F.O.P. Lodge 7 was founded in 1957, but lived a largely nomadic existence, never having a place to call home. The new building has meeting space and office space to serve the needs of the 250 members of both active and retired police officers. Crest Savings Bank, who renovated and preserved its own historic building nearby on Pacific Avenue, provided financing for the project.
The Fraternal Order of Police is comprised of active and retired law enforcement officers of all ranks from all branches of government. Members work side by side to improve the profession and serve the public. F.O.P. members strongly believe in community involvement, and support such organizations as Easter Seals, Special Olympics and in New Jersey, the Deborah Heart and Lung Center.
“Our lodge is very involved with serving the community,” Shawn Yuhas, Lodge 7 secretary, said. “The new building enables us to offer meeting space for some local non-profit groups. We also use the lodge to plan work on community projects such as our annual Christmas toy drive.”
For more information about F.O.P. Lodge 7, their members, activities and mission, visit their website at http://mysite.verizon.net/foplodge7nj.
Nature Center offers Open House and Halloween Fun
CAPE MAY—Join the Nature Center of Cape May for two entertaining events this month. On Friday through Sunday, Oct. 23 through 25, the Nature Center will offer a free Open House Weekend, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The event coincides with the New Jersey Audubon Society’s annual Autumn Weekend in Cape May.
Visit the Trucksess Welcome Center to meander through our children’s garden, browse the nature store and see the stunning views of Cape May Harbor and East Cape May from the second-story deck and three-story observation tower. Explore our classrooms and grounds and look for Monarch butterflies in our wildlife-friendly gardens. Light refreshments will be served throughout the Open House Weekend. The event is free and open to the public.
Then on Friday, Oct. 30, get in the Halloween spirit at the Pumpkin Fest and Campfire, beginning at 6 p.m.
The event will be a “pumpkin-a-rama” of fun for the whole family, including designing and carving your own wickedly funny or scary and spooky jack-o-lantern for Halloween. Then meet a few “not so scary” critters and learn a bit about what makes them so interesting. Of course, we’ll also sit and toast marshmallows around the campfire. Wearing your scariest costumes is optional, but we sure would enjoy seeing them. Come on out for some spooky silliness, freaky food, ghoulish games, creepy crafts, and fascinating facts about the natural world around us.
The fee for the Pumpkin Fest and Campfire is $15, reduced to $10 for New Jersey Audubon Society members and includes a medium-sized pumpkin. Pre-registration is required, and children under 6 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. To pre-register, call the nature center, at 898-8848. Both the Open House Weekend and Pumpkin Fest will take place at the Nature Center’s environmental education campus, located at 1600 Delaware Ave., in Cape May.
County schedules H1N1 vaccination clinic
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE—Freeholder Gerald Thornton announced on Monday, Oct. 19 that the Cape May County Department of Health will offer H1N1 flu vaccinations to persons in the CDC priority groups on Friday, Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Atlantic Cape Community College’s Cape May County campus, located at 341 Court House-South Dennis Road in Cape May Court House.
This clinic is for Cape May County residents in CDC priority groups only. These groups are: pregnant women, healthcare workers, anyone ages 6 months through 24 years, persons 25 to 64 years old with a chronic medical condition that places them at high-risk for influenza complications, parents or caregivers of infants less than 6 months old.
“The Department of Health is following CDC and State Health Department guidelines to offer the vaccine first to those groups at highest risk of infection and severe disease. The H1N1 flu is different than seasonal flu. Persons 65 years and older are not at greatest risk of infection for H1N1 flu because they may have some immunity from a previous flu strain,” Health Officer Kevin Thomas said.
The Department of Health will be holding other public clinics at locations around the county starting in November. Additionally, the Department will be offering the H1N1 flu vaccine in every County school for children to get vaccinated during the school day. Information on all H1N1 flu clinics will be posted on the Department’s website at www.cmchealth.net and on the flu hotline, 463-6581.
“Once the H1N1 flu vaccine has been offered to persons in the high-risk groups,” Thomas added, “we will offer it to healthy persons 25 to 64 years of age and then to persons 65 years and older. There will be plenty of H1N1 flu vaccine available for everyone who wishes to get vaccinated.”
“However, we’re getting the initial vaccine shipments gradually, which is why we are following CDC’s recommendations to offer it to the highest-risk groups first until there is more vaccine available,” he said
Certain persons should not receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. Similar to seasonal flu, persons with a severe allergy to eggs, any of the vaccine components, or who have been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome will need a prescription from their physician to get a flu vaccine.
Patient consent forms will be available on the department’s website, at the Department of Health and at county libraries. Out of county residents should contact their local Department of Health for flu clinic in their community. The Atlantic Cape Community College is accessible via NJ Transit Route 552.
Coast Guard aircrew medevacs one near Cape May
CAPE MAY—The Coast Guard medevaced a 38-year-old man from aboard 78-foot boat 40 miles off the coast of Cape May, Friday, Oct. 9.
The Coast Guard received a call at 6:41 p.m. from a crewmember aboard the scallop fishing boat Carolina Queen II, home ported in Seaford, Va., reporting Guillermo Rivera Jr., one of the crewmen aboard, had fallen and injured his head.
A rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City arrived on scene and hoisted Rivera aboard their helicopter.
Rivera was flown to Air Station Atlantic City and transferred to awaiting emergency medical personnel who transported him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City for treatment.
Church of Advent hosts rummage sale
CAPE MAY—The Episcopal Church Women of the Church of the Advent in Cape May is holding a rummage sale in the Parish Hall, 612 Franklin Street, on Friday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and accessories, household items, bric-a-brac and books will be for sale.
County woman joins Community FoodBank of New Jersey Advisory Board
WEST CAPE MAY—Susan Lotozo of West Cape May has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey –Southern Branch. Lotozo is the owner of The Flying Fish Studio and is active in civic and community organizations including the Mermaid Guild of Cape May, a group of civic–focused women business owners who hold fundraising events for charity.
“We are thrilled that Sue has agreed to join us in our efforts to raise funds and awareness for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey,” Advisory Board Chairman Ken Eisenberg said. “She brings with her some great energy and ideas that will help us to help others in need.”
Lotozo is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and lives in Cape May with her husband Joe, a chef, and their two daughters Eliza and Izabela.
“I am honored to be working with this distinguish group of men and women who are so very compassionate about helping others,” Lotozo said.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey Southern Branch is located in Egg Harbor Township and serves more than 300 partner agencies in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and southern Burlington counties. The CFBNJ-SB Advisory Board is comprised of representatives from civic-minded area businesses, serving voluntarily and includes the following: Chairman Kenneth Eisenberg from UBS Financial Services, Inc.; Robyn Begley from AtlantiCare Health System; Christine Brown from D. Benjamen Brown Productions; Kathleen Corbalis from Atlantic Cape Community College; Beverly DiMeglio from CDC Food Brokerage; Richard Dovey from Atlantic County Utilities Authority; Mary Giberson from Cape Bank; Frank Kearns, EdD, community representative; Susan Lotozo from Flying Fish Studios; Victor Nappen from Atlantic City Linen; Sharon Pennington from South Jersey Industries; Edna Pramov from Seaside Haven; Paul Savini from Rastelli Seafood; Richard Schneider from Bally’s Atlantic City; Rita Wade from TD Bank and Evelyn Zarus from Committee of Labor to Improve the Community.
City gears up for Solarium move, Convention Hall construction
CAPE MAY—With the anticipation building for the new Convention Hall, some residents are still wondering about the future of the solarium that sits adjacent to the hall now. In August, Mayor Ed Mahaney said that the solarium will have to be moved off the beachfront to undecided location, as per CAFRA regulations and it looks like those plans are moving forward. Council approved a resolution during its Oct. 20 meeting to terminate its leases with three businesses in the Solarium. The leases will be terminated one year early using a contractual clause known as the right of recapture. The city will be forfeiting $137,310 in lease payments for the 2010 fiscal year.
At that same meeting, Mott Associates was approved by council to perform professional design services for the Solarium relocation project. The Solarium cost the city $400,000 in 1993 to rebuild and that debt service was just paid off in 2008.
