Beach photos 5/31/10

Beach grass at the entrance to the Point

The new Twisties!

A message from the Strathmere Improvement Association

To all Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,
In this issue: Trash and Yard Debris Info; SIA Meeting Schedule; Upcoming Events; Strathmere Stuff; Dues Are Due

Frank's boats are back in the water - and that means Flounder Season is almost here and summer cannot be far behind!

The Strathmere Improvement Association includes all residents of and many visitors to Strathmere. It was founded over 50 years ago as a community organization with the simple objective of making Strathmere a better place. We are proud of the organization's many accomplishments over the years.

We're sending this newsletter by e-mail to as many of you as possible. We'll be sending postcards to those for whom we don't have e-mail addresses and pleading with them to give us theirs. We'd like to reduce our postage costs and direct our resources toward - Strathmere Improvement!

We've attached condensed versions of both the Township's trash and recycling information and also the yard debris info. We've tailored it to Strathmere from the Township's website here. We urge everyone to read these carefully (some items may come as a surprise), and then print them out and put them on your refrigerator or somewhere handy. Two things especially: (1) both trash and recycling will be picked up on all Mondays - including holiday weekends - this summer, and (2) please don't put any trash with foodstuffs or other garbage out in plastic bags. Your neighbors don't mind putting away trash cans after you've gone home, but they do mind cleaning up a mess scattered by seagulls! Thank you!

SIA Meeting Schedule - All Are Welcome: We will be meeting at the Firehouse at 8:00 pm on the second Friday of each month; June 11, July 9, August 13 and September 10.

Upcoming Events (mark your calendars):

*Used book sale at the Schiavo Library, May 28 to June 5 - and check out all the new books! http://www.strathmerelibrary.org/
*Twisties Reopens! 12 Noon, Friday, May 28
*Flounder Season opens Saturday, May 29
*Strathmere tee shirts, hats and tote bags for sale at the Post Office, 9:00 to 12:00 Saturday, May 29
*Strathmere Ensemble Concert at the Strathmere Church at 7:00 pm Saturday, May 29
*Citizens for Strathmere & Whale Beach Meeting, 12:00 Noon, Sunday, May 30 at the Firehouse http://www.cfswb.com/  - You may want to first read the CFSWB "Brief" on Deannexation here - or at the Schiavo Library

*Trash and Recycling picked up on Monday morning May 31 (Memorial Day)
*SIA Meeting June 11, 8:00 pm - please come share wine (some beer too?) and cheese with us!
*SIA-Sponsored Community Yard Sale Saturday, June 26 (Still in the Planning Stage - Watch for Details)
*Fourth of July Parade: Sunday July 4, 10:00am - Registration; 10:30 - Judging; 11:00am - Parade Starts
*SIA Meeting Friday, July 11, 8:00 pm
*Jane Shetler Women's Fishing Tournament and SFEC Summer Social Dinner Saturday, July 10 http://www.strathmerefishing.org/
*CFSWB Community Auction at the Firehouse, Saturday, July 31
*SIA Meeting Friday, August 13, 8:00 pm
*Kayak Races Saturday, August 14(date tentative). Check UTBP website when updated for confirmation: http://utbp.wordpress.com/

*"Nightmare in Strathmere" Boat Parade, 6:30, Saturday, August 28
*Kids' Surf Fishing Tournament, Saturday, September 4, 9:00 am
*Strathmere Ensemble Concert at 7:00 pm Saturday, September 4
*Last day of Flounder Season, Monday, September 6 (Labor Day)
*SIA Meeting Friday, September 10, 8:00 pm
*Every Sunday, May 30 to September 26 at the Strathmere United Methodist Church: 9:15 Hymn Sing; 9:30 Service

And at all times, check out Carol Baker's wonderful Strathmere website at http://www.strathmere.net/

Stock up on Strathmere "Stuff": Last year we offered tee shirts, caps and visors, and sold out of almost everything. This year, we'll again be offering a limited number of Strathmere shirts ($10), caps ($15) and visors ($12). Last year, we did not sell as many children's shirts as expected, so we'll be offering them at half-price ($5). These shirts come in children's extra-small, small, medium, large and adult small (same size as children's large but longer).

Strathmere "stuff" may be purchased from any officer and will be available in front of the Post Office from 9:00 to 12:00 on Saturday, May 29.

Dues are due at $10 annually per adult. The dues and the fund raisers provide for the trash regulations, mailing the post cards, funding the Fourth of July Parade, and our share of the Star Party and Christmas Party. We also donated money to help pay for extra State Police protection. If you have adult children or relatives (or visitors) who visit Strathmere, please forward this message to them - perhaps they'd like to be members and receive these e-mail messages also.

Please send dues payments to SIA at PO Box 57, Strathmere, NJ 08248. Remember to tell us your e-mail address!

Also, please let us know if you have comments or suggestions for the newsletter or for SIA in general, or if you'd like us to change your e-mail address in our records.

You can contact us by responding to this e-mail sia6@comcast.net  or by mailing SIA at PO Box 57.

Thanks to all for your continuing support!

Butch Vandegrift - President

Ken Weaver - Vice-President
Donna Diefenderfer - Treasurer
Debbie Vandegrift - Secretary 

Strathmere Library - May newsletter

Used Book Sale:
Our first used book sale this year will be held over Memorial Day Weekend and the following week: May 28th – June 5th. We will have our large sign out front to remind you! Stop in and see our selection of adult and children’s books, magazines and VHS tapes for sale.

Summer Programs
Our summer programs are now being organized and dates will be announced next month.
Look for:
• Book signing by children’s author – Carol Plum-Ucci
• "Traveling Turtles” program from the Wetlands Institute
• Kids Book and Craft Night
• Storybook Time
• Children’s Movie Morning
• Adult Computer Instruction


Membership Renewal!
Remember, your membership may be up for renewal May 31st. Stop in and renew soon!


Save the Date:
Our First Anniversary Celebration will be on June 25th. Mark your calendar! More information will be available in June.

Strathmere Favorites:
Jessica Weaver recommends: The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Shaffer & Barrows, “I have to admit, I initially chose the book because of its title. The book is a series of letters describing the conditions on Guernsey during the German occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II. I laughed at the characters and admired their stoic endurance and heroism.“ (available in Large Print and audio in our library)


Christine Rohrman, Library Director
http://www.strathmerelibrary.org/

Spring message from the Strathmere Improvement Association

In this issue: Signs of Spring (Summer?); New Firehouse Look; Twisties' Progress; Bayview Drive Reconstruction;
SFEC Legislative Forum; Beachcam; Schiavo Library; School Budget Election; Trash Rules; SIA Planning

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To all Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors, Hello! This is our first newsletter since we sent out Christmas and Holiday greetings, so we'll try to bring you up to date on the signs here of Spring...

Yesterday (Wednesday, April 7), the temperature in Strathmere shot up to 81! Then in mid-afternoon the wind shifted to the south (off the 47-degree ocean) and by dinnertime the temperature had dropped back down below 60. Today at lunchtime it's not yet gone back above 60.

If you have not visited Strathmere since the winter snowstorms, please note that the snow, ice and wind brought down many service wires to homes. Rather than repair these, both Verizon and Comcast have simply cut the wires at pole and house, so when you return you may not have (landline) telephone and/or cable service.
The trailers are returning to the Ocean Beach Trailer Resort:

Mildred's is now open on weekends:

and the Deauville will go back to a seven-day schedule at the beginning of May (they are now closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

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Next, our Firehouse has a "new look". Here's both an old and a new view...

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Work on Twisties continues, despite an unbelievable amount of high water on Bayview Drive this winter. The bar, the house (kitchen) and the shed have all been moved back onto new pilings. Pilings have been driven for the handicapped ramp in the front and south side (they've been cut down lower than this picture shows) and for the fire door exit on the north side. Finally, pilings are also in for the raised deck in front of the bar. The gray primer color will be painted the traditional red. Twisties is planning to open the week before Memorial Day.

Speaking of Bayview Drive, we continue to hear resident concerns about the resurfacing project by Upper Township. We had an e-mail discussion with Township Engineer Paul Dietrich to learn the latest thinking.

First of all, this project is now in a holding pattern as are all major capital projects as a result of current budget constraints. It is possible the Township will "bond" this work instead of putting it in the regular budget, but the timeline is unclear.

Second, it looks like instead of beginning at the boat ramp end of Bayview, the reconstruction will probably start with the portion between Tecumseh and Webster, where drainage problems are the worst.

Third, it is unclear just how much the road can be raised, but it will only be several inches at most . It will depend upon how much grading will be required at side streets and with property owners' driveways.

Finally, the street reconstruction will not require homeowners to do anything like add new sidewalks at existing homes; that is only required with new home construction.

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On March 13, the Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club www.strathmerefishing.org/  held its annual Legislative Forum on fishing issues at the Firehouse. There was a great turnout despite the flood tides that day.
Shown below, left to right, are Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Assemblyman Nelson Albano, Assemblyman Matt Milam, State Senator Jeff Van Drew, Captain Adam Nowalsky, Chairman of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) of New Jersey and Captain Tony Bogan, Member of Executive Committee of the Save the Summer Flounder Fishery Fund (SSFFF).

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Ed Tettemer has asked us to let you know that the beach webcam on the "Octagon" is back up and running after a few weeks of technical difficulties. Also, there's a new birdhouse worth keeping an eye on (and he would love to see someone move into it). Visit http://www.strathmere.tv/

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Over the winter, the Schiavo Library -  http://www.strathmerelibrary.org/  has about doubled the number of books available for your pleasure. Stop in at the library to see!

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The School Budget Election will be held on Tuesday, April 20. The Upper Township School Board is proposing a tax increase of 4% (the maximum permitted by the State) and is also proposing construction of a new school. A 4% increase would mean a $454 annual increase for a home assessed at $1 million (going from school taxes of $11,350 to $11,804).

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Trash Regulations for Upper Township may be found here: www.uppertownship.com/Road_Dept/bulk_trash_2010.html  With the availability of all this information on the Internet, we are trying to come up with some abbreviated version that will save printing costs and actually be useful on your Strathmere refrigerator!

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The SIA Officers will hold a planning session for the coming year on April 24. If you have ideas you think we should consider, or would like to volunteer to chair a committee targeting some area that needs improvement, please let us know before then by responding to this e-mail message.


Please note that all previous SIA newsletters may be found at: http://strathmere.blogspot.com/search/label/Strathmere%20Improvement%20Association
Please contat the SIA directly at - sia6@comcast.net

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The Strathmere Improvement Association includes all owners in Strathmere and Whale Beach and many visitors. It was founded over 50 years ago as a community organization with the simple objective of making Strathmere a better place. We are proud of the organization's many accomplishments over the years.

Once again, thanks for your continuing support!

Butch Vandegrift - President
Ken Weaver - Vice-President
Donna Diefenderfer - Treasurer
Debbie Vandegrift - Secretary

Schiavo Library: April Newsletter

Renewal Time!
Hooray, spring is finally here and summer is just around the corner! If you were one of our first members, your membership will be up for renewal May 31st. Please stop in anytime and renew! We look forward to seeing you.

April 11 – 17th: National Library Week
Since 1958, National Library Week has been observed by the American Library Association (ALA) to encourage the use and appreciation of our libraries. In the mid-1950’s research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios and televisions. The ALA created National Library Week to increase awareness of libraries. Fifty-two years later we’re competing with even more electronic devices, but we still need to protect our libraries. National Library Week at the Schiavo will feature a Book Lovers Trivia Quiz and Raffle. Stop in for details.

New Feature: Strathmere Favorites
We would like to hear from you – tell us about your favorite book (fiction or nonfiction) and why you think someone else would enjoy it. We’ll feature it in upcoming newsletters and have a copy available at the library. What better way to share your love of books! Email us: info@strathmerelibrary.org

Audio Book Collection
Our audio book collection is expanding thanks to donations from patrons, especially Veronica Roash. Thanks and keep listening and sharing!



Christine Rohrman, Library Director
http://www.strathmerelibrary.org/