Podcasts about atlantic county

In this episode of Icons of Real Estate Podcast, host Karen Roberts sits down with Georgeanna Newmones, President of the Atlantic City and County Board of Realtors. Georgeanna Newmones brings over 27 years of experience, specializing in Atlantic County and beyond. Georgeanna Newmones shares her personal journey in real estate, from buying her first home at 19 to becoming a leader in the industry. Learn about her passion for educating clients, promoting collaboration, and her unique approach to the ever-changing market. Georgeanna Newmones also dives into her work with investors and first-time homebuyers and offers advice on the challenges and opportunities in today's real estate landscape.

Forced Sex Slaves, Prostitution and Human Trafficking Prosecution. Special Episode. Forced prostitution of both boys and girls by pimps and other forms of human trafficking remains a brutal and far-reaching crime, often underestimated in its scope and brutality.  Danielle Buckley, a seasoned legal expert and former Chief Assistant Prosecutor of Atlantic County, is renowned for her expertise in prosecuting such cases. Certified by the Attorney General's Office to instruct on human trafficking investigation and prosecution, Buckley sheds light on this seldom-discussed but widespread issue. With a career marked by dedication to law enforcement and public speaking, Buckley's advocacy is deeply victim-centered and trauma-informed. She possesses a wealth of experience in professional writing, advocacy, and litigation, earning her national recognition as an expert in the field of human trafficking. Forced Sex Slaves, Prostitution and Human Trafficking Prosecution. Buckley's commitment to combating human trafficking extends beyond the courtroom. She has utilized her certification to educate diverse audiences nationwide, including law enforcement, child protective services, school administrators, and faith-based organizations. Her efforts aim to unravel the complexities surrounding human trafficking cases and empower communities to take action. Recognized as an Advocacy Champion by the NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking in 2020, Buckley's journey in the fight against human trafficking dates back to the enactment of New Jersey's Human Trafficking statute in 2005. Her groundbreaking work includes being the first prosecutor in Atlantic County to bring charges of human trafficking in 2009 and securing the first conviction in 2015. Forced Sex Slaves, Prostitution and Human Trafficking Prosecution. Through decades of unwavering dedication, Danielle Buckley has emerged as a staunch advocate for the rights of victims of Forced Sex Slaves, Prostitution and Human Trafficking  exploitation, and violence. Her legacy serves as a beacon of hope in the ongoing battle against this insidious crime. Be sure to check out our website. Get the latest news articles, without all the bias and spin, from the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on the Newsbreak app, which is free. Background song Hurricane is used with permission from the band Dark Horse Flyer Find a wide variety of great podcasts online at The Podcast Zone Facebook Page, look for the one with the bright green logo. Follow us on MeWe, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. Forced Sex Slaves, Prostitution and Human Trafficking Prosecution. Special Episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Purim! The holiday when Jews dress up in fun costumes, eat cookies, read stories of Jewish revolt, and drink tons of alcohol. Sound accurate to your experience? What if we told you all of that was untrue? Rabbi Raps returns to the podcast to teach the truth behind the beloved holiday of Purim. Join host and birthday boy, Chaz Volk, as he learns about the deeper meaning behind our rituals, the several layers of the Megillah reading, and the relevant part Purim plays in our day-to-day lives as Jews. 00:00 Introduction and birthday blessing to the guest and audience 05:01 The nature of Jewish holidays 08:52 What Values Does Purim Embrace? 12:54 Jews and Alcohol 16:02 The Megillah Reading 18:56 G-d's presence in the Megillah Reading 20:42 The Jewish Empowerment Story 23:17 Hidden Layers of Meaning 29:01 The Rebbe's Final Thoughts on Purim 29:54 Conclusion About Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport: Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, AKA @RabbiRaps Rabbi, Influencer, Film Maker & Motivational Speaker. The TikTok Rebbe. With more than 330k followers across Instagram and Tictok and videos with Millions of views, @Rabbiraps is one of the fastest-growing Jewish social media influencers in the world today. "Community Rabbi becomes an Influencer by accident. Since 2016 Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport has served as the Spiritual Leader of the Chabad at the shore in Atlantic County, NJ. He is a graduate of the Rabbinical College of America and received his Rabbinical Ordination in 2003. In 2021, during the COVID-19 epidemic, Rabbi Rapoport began creating videos to communicate with his community. After a few videos went viral, he realized the power of social media and began creating content on a daily basis." Connect with Rabbi Raps: IG and TikTok @RabbiRaps Connect with Bad Jew: BadJew.co https://linktr.ee/badjew BadJewPod@gmail.com Ig @BadJewPod TikTok @BadJewPod

There's something uncanny happening in the background of the Israel-Hamas war right now. Do you see it? The Torah seems to be predicting... everything. In the recent Torah portion of Noah's Arc, "Hamas" is mentioned twice... TWICE! Since then there have been other important correlations that have acted as milestones in this conflict. With the eyes of the world focused on the Middle East, Torah-observant Jews have made it clear that there's something to be said about the coincidental appearance of Hamas in this story and in other parts of the Torah. As someone who regularly observes and studies the Torah, Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport (also known as Rabbi Raps) connects the dots and helps us understand why there's no such thing as coincidence. In a dvar Torah unlike any other, Rabbi Raps teaches host Chaz Volk why this occurs and what it means for the future of the Jewish state. About Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport: Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport, AKA @RabbiRaps Rabbi, Influencer, Film Maker & Motivational Speaker. The TikTok Rebbe. With more than 330k followers across Instagram and Tictok and videos with Millions of views, @Rabbiraps is one of the fastest-growing Jewish social media influencers in the world today.  "Community Rabbi becomes an Influencer by accident. Since 2016 Rabbi Avrohom Rapoport has served as the Spiritual Leader of the Chabad at the shore in Atlantic County, NJ. He is a graduate of the Rabbinical College of America and received his Rabbinical Ordination in 2003. In 2021, during the COVID-19 epidemic, Rabbi Rapoport began creating videos to communicate with his community. After a few videos went viral, he realized the power of social media and began creating content on a daily basis."  Connect with Rabbi Raps: IG and TikTok @RabbiRaps Connect with Bad Jew: Connect with Bad Jew: BadJew.co https://linktr.ee/badjew BadJewPod@gmail.com Ig @BadJewPod TikTok @BadJewPod

Steven Dash has been a longtime employee and advocate of the Humane Society of Atlantic County where he continues to make a huge difference in giving back and helping the lives of animals. Listen as Steven Dash discusses the process of adoption, volunteering and more

In the world of City Clubs, Jeff McFadden is well known and well-respected. As the CEO of the Union League of Philadelphia he has developed a national reputation as a club leader. Ask GM's who know him and they use adjectives to describe him like "Brilliant", "Visionary" and "remarkable." In this episode, Jeff shares his involvement in transforming the Union League from a club in financial trouble generating about $7 million in annual revenue to a club that does about 100 million annually. He also shares his perspective on breaking away from old financial models and how to engage new, younger members with long-time club personalities. Is now the time to double down and invest in your club? Listen to Jeff's thoughts on that topic as well.  Noteworthy Moments: Jeff talks about making the leap to the Union League - 3:45 Park it! The Union League buys a parking garage - 9:07 Building your granddaughter's club - 13:21 Thinking differently about the financial future and the "right way to run a railroad" - 15:25 Change management and getting the right people on the bus - 19:03 The city club and more. Building an investment portfolio - 25:52 How Jeff views appealing to different member demographics - 35:06 Is this the time to invest in your club? - 39:28 Episode Summary: For club leaders who feel stuck in the "same old, same old" Jeff provides a fresh take on some long time issues. He also offers some insightful thoughts around managing the issue of engaging younger new members while keeping long time members excited about the club. As the General Manager, now CEO of the Union League of Philadelphia, Jeff is gone from managing day to day operations of a city club to running a $100 million business. If you're someone hoping to create this kind of growth at your club and this type of career track for yourself, you'll appreciate Jeff McFadden's Perspective Let's Connect If you find Crushing Club Marketing helpful please share it with a friend and be sure to subscribe and rate this podcast. Also, find more information on private club marketing services from StoryTeller, check out our website here. If you'd like to connect with Ed Heil on LinkedIn, feel free to send a request! Transcript Ed Heil: [00:00:00] You're listening to Crush and Club Marketing, a podcast for progressive club leaders looking to increase their club's revenue. Time for Change begins right now. In the world of city clubs. Jeff McFadden is well-known and well-respected as the CEO of the Union League of Philadelphia. He's developed a national reputation as a club leader, as GM's who know him and these adjectives to describe him like brilliant, visionary and remarkable. In this episode of Crushing Club Marketing, I catch up with Jeff to learn more about his involvement in building the Union League from a club in financial trouble to a club that does about 100 million in revenue annually. He calls it accidental brilliance, but there's more to it than that. [00:00:44][44.7] Ed Heil: [00:00:46] Your name has come up in so many conversations regarding just what a strong leader and visionary you are and in the work you've done at the Union League. And I know that it's difficult to talk about yourself in that way. But there was a quote that I read from Jason Straka from the Frye Straka, a global golf course design firm and Jason Straka, said Union League CEO Jeff McFadden is one of the most respected general managers associated with the golf business. He's credited with vastly expanding the Union League's social and business opportunities, knowing that many of their members on a vacation home down on the Jersey Shore and or vacation there quite a bit. Jeff saw an opportunity for a second golf facility, and obviously this is referring to one of the the golf clubs that the union now owns. But when you hear those kind of accolades, and that, what goes through your mind. [00:01:46][60.0] Jeff McFadden: [00:01:47] Well, first of all, what goes through my mind is I pay Jason, which is a good thing. And that's probably why he had those nice accolades about us. But when he and Dana Frye did at Union League, National is just over the top. It's the Disney World of golf. It's spectacular. Over the last year, 27 holes. And now we're proud. I'm very proud of what I did. I think a lot of what we've done over the last 25 years was accidental brilliance through really just perseverance, hard work, you know, trying to get the right strategy and then keeping your head down and, you know, working through what you could do and keeping a smile on your face to, you know, that's. [00:02:27][40.1] Ed Heil: [00:02:27] Yeah, well, you make it sound simple and, you know, I guess when it comes second, nature probably feels simpler. Although I know it's not always been super easy, as is. Most jobs are when you're there that long. But 25 years, you know, that's a long run. And your first two jobs in you know as I think GM and both both jobs five years and three years which is pretty typical, right. I mean, is that do I have that right? Help me out with that. [00:02:56][28.7] Jeff McFadden: [00:02:56] Yeah. No, When I graduated the hotel school at Cornell, I went to the Cosmos Club as food and beverage manager, got promoted to assistant GM clubhouse manager. And then my first GM job is in Denver, Colorado, at the University Club, which I never thought I'd move back to the East Coast from Colorado. But I did. Yeah, right. When I got headhunted to go to the Union League at at age 30. So good times. [00:03:20][24.1] Ed Heil: [00:03:21] Guess, you know, at age 30. What did the Union League see in you at that age, especially looking back now? I mean, what's it like looking back now and, you know, knowing what you were like then? I mean, what do you think they saw in you that time? [00:03:34][12.4] Jeff McFadden: [00:03:34] Well, I think in in reality, I think I was the fifth person they offered the job, too. So, you know. [00:03:40][5.2] Ed Heil: [00:03:40] You sort of you I wish I got I got a vet that won out. But yeah. [00:03:44][3.5] Jeff McFadden: [00:03:45] You know, right place, right time, situation. It just worked out well. The league was struggling in the late eighties, 1990s, as Philadelphia was struggling quite a bit before Ed Rendell, who was a gregarious mayor, wind up becoming governor of Pennsylvania. Just a terrific leader, inspirational type of person. So, you know, when I was young enough, probably dumb enough and not experienced enough to know what I was getting into. And the the more senior statement statements in the club industry probably looked at the league and said, I don't want to touch it. Right. It's it had sort of had terminal cancer. At the time it wasn't bankrupt, but it was very close to bankrupt. But I saw that it had great bones as well. It had a great foundation. You know, at 30, you think you can change the world? I think I've done well in changing the league. And it was just being again at the right place at the right time for the right situation. And we made a bad decision or a mistake. We were young enough to outhustle the mistake or the bad decision. Right. [00:04:57][71.7] Ed Heil: [00:04:57] That's interesting. So what has made you successful for so many years? I mean, if you just take the years alone, that's an incredible achievement in in the private club space to be at one place for 25 years. What do you think has made you successful in that role? [00:05:13][15.8] Jeff McFadden: [00:05:13] Well, I think the way we acquired and operate the club as sort of, you know, being an innovative type organization. Now, when I did my independent study at Cornell, I studied close to 5000 city clubs throughout the world. It was from the 15 person City Club to the to the club that had 5000. And you needed three things. You needed to have parking, you needed to know, because I gave members assurance coming in from the suburbs that they had a place to park. As you get older, you have more net worth to spend. You get a little worried about where you're going to park. The data showed that that was a huge part of being a successful city club. Yeah. So we bought a parking garage right when I got there, and then we just doubled our revenues in in less than one year. While the number two thing at the greatest city clubs in the world shared was they never sold their land and built the site skyscraper and put their club at the top of the building because eventually the I guess after the data shows after three days that you went away and then the elevator became a barrier to entry, there were a few clubs in New York, Manhattan and Tokyo that buck that trend. Windows on the World, that was a public restaurant. There was a small private club component of Windows on the World. But truly, if you were successful, members had to walk into your club, right? So the league had that as well. And then you need overnight rooms. You have all the expenses running a club, marketing, administration, engineering, you name it. If you add some overnight rooms to the equation, the profitability or the surplus that they could throw off departmentally, you know, $0.60, $0.70 on the dollar really were work well. So I was able to. Run those three things when I first got there and then reinvest into the club with incredible dining business centers, cigar bar, you know, fitness centers, that sort of thing. And so for if I look at my 25 years, the first ten or 15 was taking that incredible foundation that the league was all about. Investing in that. Growing, growing the institution. And then after ten or 15 years, we use the profitability or the surplus that was gained to really have a longer strategic plan that we entitled "Building Your Granddaughter's Club". Yeah. And and that was you know, that was sort of a light bulb moment, like, okay, are we just going to be the greatest 1965 club in 2005? Right. Or, you know, in in 2025, were we going to be what your granddaughter and great granddaughter are going to want in a private club? You know how to how do they socialize? How do they use it? You know, we started asking ourselves all those questions. [00:08:13][179.3] Ed Heil: [00:08:13] I love that. I want to come back to that next, but if we just step back to you being 30 years old, when you took that job and, you know, you come in and, you know, buying the parking structure and then you started, it sounds like, you know, in the first ten years, there's a lot of innovation and things moving forward. And I know that some of the games that will pay attention to our conversation, they're younger. There's definitely a trend towards a lot of younger jobs or it seems that there is. How did you get their trust, at that you know, I mean, and what was the mindset of the board? Were they just like, hey, we've done our homework, We know Jeff's the right guy, let him go do it. But, you know, there are a lot of clubs out there who are like, Yeah, we'll get him in there, but we'll just tell him what to do. I mean, how do you know what I mean? How do you get in there and earn their trust and really go like that? [00:09:06][52.7] Jeff McFadden: [00:09:07] So and is fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time, as I said, because of their how they were struggling financially. But with that said, you can't go in and change the world overnight. You need to start small, you need to show a small victory and then capitalize on each of those victories. You know, as they say, having, you know, having, you know, one bite at a time, you know, you just that's way you have to do it. I think we we had, you know, coming in in 1998 on the heels with Ed Rendell being the mayor of the Republican National Convention, was held in Philadelphia in 2000. We had a tradition as a Republican club. So that was really, you know, helped us springboard into reinvesting in our facilities. But I convinced them to do little things, that the garage was a big thing. But we had already started putting new carpeting, new wallpaper, you know, one dining room at a time, hiring younger, more robust, enthusiastic, vibrant servers and studying what people wanted on food menus and that and so forth. And we just basically started with one dining room and then did another dining room and then did a bar and then bought the parking garage. And the parking garage was, was a struggle. We it was a first assessment we had at the league in 50 years. We did not have a lot of support for it. Yeah. So we, we did wind up getting about 67%, 68% in favor of it. Yeah. And, and I figure just a quick story. I was very transparent because I was I was very young at that time. So I shared everything. I still and I still am as transparent as they come. I just don't lead with my chin. Right. What's actually going on in things? [00:11:01][113.7] Ed Heil: [00:11:01] I gotta remember that. [00:11:01][0.6] Jeff McFadden: [00:11:02] Yeah. You know, it makes talking so much or sharing so much as being transparent. I know that's not necessarily people want to be let right. Need to be led and you want to be transparent in everything you do. You just don't need to tell everybody everything every minute of the day. Right? [00:11:19][17.4] Ed Heil: [00:11:20] Right. Yeah. No doubt. [00:11:21][1.1] Jeff McFadden: [00:11:21] With social media and, you know, it just seems that's what the next generation is doing. Right. So we were we were we were trying to figure out we needed to do an assessment. It was very was it very much about $2,000 a member. And we you know, they were hemming and hawing about paying that. And and one member said, could I get my money back at a town hall meeting? And I said, Mr. Grossman, you are absolutely brilliant. That's a great idea. We're going to make your assessment refundable. All you have to do is propose a new member. And it was like a light bulb went off and we ran with that. You had actually proposed two members you got $1,000 back for your first member, 1000 for your second. I love it. This is back in 1999. And basically all the naysayers and we still had it still 30 to 33% of the people voted against it. I would say to them, I said, you don't have any friends or colleagues or business people that you could propose to become a member of the league to help us out, to make sure, you know. And that was on top of all the importance of parking, obviously. Right. And then we were about a $7 million operation. We bought the parking garage. And I think the next year after it opened, we were 21, $22 million operations. Wow. Doubled, tripled what we were doing. And all it is is take the you know, the folks from the mainline or from South Jersey who are uncomfortable coming into an urban environment. Yeah, we just assured that they had parking. Right. We just said we have valet parking. It's right next to the club. [00:12:59][97.8] Ed Heil: [00:12:59] Yeah. Safety and convenience. [00:13:00][1.1] Jeff McFadden: [00:13:01] Yeah. [00:13:01][0.0] Ed Heil: [00:13:02] Exact easiest things. [00:13:02][0.8] Jeff McFadden: [00:13:03] Wow. So and so. I rode that pony for a long time,Ed, the parking garage. You know, work magic for me for the next ten years. [00:13:11][8.5] Ed Heil: [00:13:11] Yeah, no doubt. I love that. Let's talk about building your granddaughter's club. When did you come up? When did you, like, come up with that phrase that I love that I read that one of the articles. [00:13:20][8.6] Jeff McFadden: [00:13:21] Yeah. It just, you know, obviously being a men's club for so long, over 125 years of the men's club, we allowed women in 1986. The idea is there's there's so much connotation in that phrase granddaughter building your granddaughters time, meaning that we're becoming progressive more, you know, more forward thinking, more inclusive. And I also got everyone thinking not about themselves, but about the next generation and the generation after them. So I think that's almost more important than than the gender identification of saying building your granddaughters club the to show and to get the culture of our members to think that yes, we've been here 162 years, we're going to be here another hundred and 62 years. Let me not get tied up in minutia of today, but think about tomorrow and you see this and golf clubs and country clubs where they fight over a new irrigation system, you know, an 80 year old to say, hey, I don't want to pay for the new irrigation system. I'm not going to be here. Right, right, right. And you say to that person, well, you're not paying for the new irrigation system, you're paying for the irrigation system you consumed over the last 30 years. Right. And and and that's the sort of the mindset that we started to and now people are like they're proud when we build we have built into their views a capital do structure but they're proud with the the advancements that we have made, the investments that we've made and they don't they don't think of it as for them. They think, Wow, my granddaughter and my grandson are going to love this place. And it's just a little nuance, a little change. [00:15:05][104.6] Ed Heil: [00:15:06] But I've not heard people position it like that. What has been your overall philosophy, you know, and how do you share that as far as like keeping people thinking forward? Like, is there an overarching sort of, I don't know, almost like value or belief that you have that you sort of, you know, live by that way? [00:15:24][18.3] Jeff McFadden: [00:15:25] That's a it's a great question. Yeah. I think it's it's always thinking about the future. And I and I and I tell members and a lot of clubs do not do this. We have $54 million in debt, which people are like, Oh, oh, that's a lot of money. And then I don't know. And we also have $20 million in the bank, right? And if we had saved a dollar per member per month since our inception in 1862, yeah, we'd have $1,000,000,000 in the bank. And when you tell stories like that to members and you know it resonates and it gets to them that, you know, you're you're not just here to enjoy the club, but you are a steward of the club. You are a steward of the institution. You know, you need to think of it in that capacity. And for 100 years, clubs never did. Right? Right. They matter of fact, to this day, your investment income of a 501c7 is taxable. So I'm trying to tell people that they need to start a foundation to do a charitable set aside for their foundation. Do you know, do well by doing good in your community and people? Some of the greatest clubs. And I'll say, Jeff, we don't have any investments, we don't have any investment yet. I said, What do you mean? You're Aronomik, you're Marion Golf, you're Pine Valley, you don't have investment income. Like now we don't have any debt, We don't have any savings. We live hand to mouth, right? And then we assess for when we want to build something. I said, I just don't think that's the right way to run the railroad. I think, you know, you you boil the frog slowly, you add capital dues monthly into your regular dues, and you always plan for the future. You don't you don't pay off your mortgage without saying without saving for your kids college education. Right. It's right. It's not rocket science. [00:17:26][121.7] Ed Heil: [00:17:27] Yeah, well, but why don't more ask why is it so commonsense? You But I mean, so many clubs operate exactly how you just explain it. [00:17:35][7.3] Jeff McFadden: [00:17:35] Because they let emotion get in the way. You know, they bail They they you know, we're all self-serving, though, don't get me wrong. I'm self-serving as well. But, you know, if you don't have the mentality that you're part of a greater good. You know, you can easily get into. You know? You know, what are we spending today and how can I have the best results and the best experience at the least cost and. And group think happens, very quickly, you know, great leaders, you know, can change culture quickly and then you can get into the abyss quickly as well. In that group thinking and psychology of pricing, whether it's dues or golf fees, food and beverage, menu prices, whatever is important to understand because people want value, right? They still want value, and yet they're going to do that. And we're trying you know, we're trying to ride the wave, tap into a new way of thinking, a new way to run finances and hopefully don't take off. [00:18:37][61.9] Ed Heil: [00:18:38] And I mean, what you're saying just makes so much sense. But let me throw a wrinkle in on this where it's like a lot of times people will join committees of clubs, they'll join boards and clubs because they have something they have an agenda that they are pushing, right. And they want to get one. I get that. I'll make sure this gets done. How do you how have you been able to manage that? Because that's like that's such a reality that people struggle with. [00:19:03][24.8] Jeff McFadden: [00:19:03] Well, that takes investment, believe it or not. And here's the investment. The answer is yes. Now ask me the question, says a club professional. You have to have the ability to take no off the table. Not that you can say yes to everything, but a lot of people get into committees and committee services because they haven't been satisfied by the team or by the professional folks they weren't listened to. More often than not, it's not one or the other, right? It's not, you know, should we have sesame seeds on our bun or should we not have sesame seeds on it? But by the way, I've had that conversation at the board level, which is idiotic. You know, you have to believe the right thing. So love it, right? We always tell folks, don't waste your time getting on a committee, because the answer is yes. What do you need? What do you want? We're here for you. And I train everyone never to say no. Even if you know it's impossible. You always say, Let me figure it out. Let me see if I can get back to you and come up with a couple of solutions that may not get you all the way to yes, but takes no off the table. Sure. The other thing we do with committees, which I think is brilliant and I thought it because I stole it from the Missouri Athletic Club and it's worked really well, is that we don't allow anyone to serve on a committee unless they have proposed successfully proposed amendment. Interesting. So one of the things you have, I mean, if you get in a very domineering type member who wants to get on committees and has very strong opinions about something. Nine times out of ten, they have not proposed a member because they usually have a bombastic attitude or they're so aggressive. Nobody wants you know, they're just they're a bull in a china shop. And so we put that qualification in that you have to successfully propose the member to serve on a committee. You need to answer a whole bunch of questions, fill out an application and send us your CV, which is another high hurdle to get over. And then we limit our committees just to 3 to 5 people with two professionals. So the total committee will be 5 to 7 and the two professionals have a vote and we only put on committees those who have an expertise and whatever the committee is doing, you know, which drives me nuts when you have the dentist, you know, as chair of the Green committee, you know, and the gardening and all of a sudden he's an expert on agronomy. [00:21:35][151.7] Ed Heil: [00:21:36] Right, Right. [00:21:36][0.4] Jeff McFadden: [00:21:36] Yeah, right. So we'll have that. Instead. We'll have the person that owns the garden center. Right? That's the excuse me. That's the national alert. We were talking about getting a. You know, we want to make sure. So on our food and beverage committees, we have restaurateurs, we have hotel people, we have staffing h.r. Directors who staff for hotels. So we we're pretty smart. We try to put the right people in the right, in the right position. We try to push decision making down to the subcommittee level as best we can. And then quite frankly, the answer is yes. And it defuzes a lot of that tension that you have between members. And then if you couple that with a capital dues at party or regular dues, you don't have to ask for assessments where you could get the tennis racket players fighting against the golfers and the golfers fighting against the wine, people on the wine, people fighting gets the fitness people and the older folks fighting against the younger folks who have kids. And you're putting money into child care and baby pools and that sort of thing. Yeah. So by building the capital into it, into the, you know, you hopefully can trigger projects that are the right decision at the right time. I have a woman right now who is a member, I love her to death, you know, a part of our ten year master plan. We have we are not going to build a outdoor family pool at one of our locations until 2029. And she looked at me and she goes, Jeff, I have an eight year old, ten year old and 12 year old building in 2018. 2019 is not going to serve me a purpose, right? Yeah, exactly. So, yeah, you know, so I have to understand that I have rationalized that over. [00:23:26][110.4] Ed Heil: [00:23:27] The course of the last. Gosh, what since you've been there in the last 25 years, you've the club has purchased restaurants and golf clubs, and for a city club you don't hear city clubs doing that often. What, what was behind this and what is behind it? And is this just part of the mission and what you see going forward, you know, for years to come? [00:23:49][22.2] Jeff McFadden: [00:23:50] So we were studying city clubs for a while and you know, back in 1967, we served 2500 lunches a day. Right? It was it was, if you remember, the old movie Trading Places with Eddie Murphy. That was the Union League, right? It was Mortimer and Randolph. Duke and Duke. Yeah. And so lunch was losing. You know, the urban downtown environments were changing, becoming much more residential. The younger kids were moving in and we started to think long term, how is your granddaughter going to use the club versus your grandfather? And we and we just we really started to just think and do some studying about trends and and thought patterns. And it really dawned on us that these younger generation wanted more experiences. Right? They didn't they didn't do the same thing over and over and over. Their grandfather would dine at the same table, you know, every Saturday night, 50 weekends a year, right at Philly Country Club and sort of have the same menu item. Their grandfather had five friends. Their granddaughter now has 500 friends. Right. So the way he or she socializes in a club is totally different than the grandfather, though you typically would find the grandfather on the board making decisions. Right? [00:25:10][80.2] Ed Heil: [00:25:10] Right. Totally. [00:25:11][0.4] Jeff McFadden: [00:25:12] We had to kind of think through that. And they and then we thought, you know, the granddaughter only eats out at her favorite restaurant three or four times a year where the grandfather again, a 50 times that is her, right? Yeah. At their favorite restaurant, you know, And then they saying that the granddaughter wants a condo in Manhattan and a condo in Manhattan Beach and it has more of a lock and load mentality, experience driven versus a $10 million house. You know, we're in Grosse Pointe with ten bedrooms on ten acres, and the next generation just doesn't want that. [00:25:51][39.2] Ed Heil: [00:25:52] For sure. [00:25:52][0.2] Jeff McFadden: [00:25:52] So we started to to to to think about what could the league become and we started to think a lifestyle club. So can we get them in? It's not just a city social lunch club, but it could be more of a lifestyle club offering more experiences, more amenities. At the same time, we realized that because we had increased our revenues by so much with the parking garage and some of the smaller investments we've made, we realized scale was important. So not only was the next generation changing how they wanted to use the the club and socialize within a club environment, we realized scale is important because clubs have just gotten downright expensive to operate 100, 125 years ago, in the golden age of private clubs, immigration was inexpensive, labor was cheap. There was no environmental laws. There was no. Health care. So you. You know. Tom, Dick, Harry, Sally could start a club back in the early 19th century or 20th century and be very well and be very successful at it. If you look at Detroit or Boston, Westchester, New York, Philadelphia, there are a lot of clubs that were started from 1890 to 1920, the Golden Age. And so that that hit us like like, like a sledgehammer. We needed to increase our top line because our expenses were more were very high. But we also started small. I don't want to anybody think we had this grand strategy or, you know, we have three country clubs now. We'll soon have 81 holes of golf, two independent restaurants that are members only that are really cool, tony type restaurants that you you can't eat in unless you're a member. But it didn't start that. It was very slow. As you said, I've been there 25 years. And people say, Jeff, what you've done to the league overnight is incredible. Like time. It's been like the Bataan Death March in some respects, though, obviously we respect veterans and everyone who gave their life for this country. You know, a quick story about our first acquisition was this little 100 seat restaurant in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, a block from the beach called the Bungalow. And it was just truly accidental brilliance and luck. And we started very small in branching out from from Center City, Philadelphia. I was down staying down the shore with a board member of the league. My wife and I were staying there and we were playing golf. It was July when Philadelphia was just completely empty because everybody goes down to the shore. And I figured that out. You know, I didn't realize it at the time. I figured out shortly after this new swanky hotel called the Reeds, it was just built in on the harbor of Stone of Stone Harbor. So the board members, let's go over, have a drink. After topside went over their back deck overlooking the water with all the boats. And I run into like 20 members. I'm like, Oh, Mr. Turner. Mr. Smith. Oh, man. It was like, Oh, and it was great. Brand new. They put like, you know, 80 million into this place and it was fantastic. They said to Jules, my wife, I said the next night before we go to dinner, let me, let's, let's go show you the reeds and we go back to The Reeds, back to the back bar on the deck overlooking the harbor. And I run into like 20 more members that were magnificent. The numbers are around on Friday, and I'm like, Wow, A light bulb went off. Yeah, where everybody's at. And so we quickly did some data analytics realize that over 65% of our members spent two or more weeks at the Jersey Shore. We then did some zipcode analysis. We found that most of the wealth was moving from Atlantic County, which is home of Atlantic City, little north of Cape May, down to Cape May County, the Avalon Stone Harbor, Cape May area, Ocean City area. Yeah. And we bought a $600,000 restaurant that was in a fire sale because there was a tax lien on it, put about another 600,000 in. So it was a million to investment. And it just took off. We had we had it. And it not only took off as a great place to eat because you can't get into a restaurant down there. Plus, you as a restaurateur, you wouldn't start a restaurant there because the season is so short. So it was a real conundrum. You couldn't get. There were enough restaurants seats from July 4th through Labor Day. But you couldn't make enough money as a restaurant tour to open a restaurant because there was only a ten week season. Right? We had 500 net new members join the league because of the bungalow. [00:30:56][303.8] Ed Heil: [00:30:57] Wow. [00:30:57][0.0] Jeff McFadden: [00:30:58] So what I said and then with an equity focus group, the whole bunch of them, we found out that they they loved the Union League in Center City, Philadelphia, but they just didn't get there enough to use it. But now you couple the bungalow down the shore in a marketplace, you can't go out to eat because you can't get a reservation and all of that, except I'm willing to join the league, pay dues because you have Center city. And the Bungalow brought us to buying Torresdale buying Sand Barrens which became Union league National. Buying the Ace Golf Club and Chubb Conference Center and buying the guardhouse in Gladwin. So we just kind of over the next ten years, kept adding properties that grew our membership, our net membership. And if you think about layering that onto the thought process that your your grandchildren are going to have 500 friends. And you need scale because clubs are expensive. It just started to click win, win, win win, Right. You know, and and and these cranky old small clubs that the kids don't want to belong to. They all want to belong to the league now. And we just changed our strategic plan to be called from 28 to 88. And that the concept is not only are we a great club, but we want to be a great club that you're a member of for six years. Yeah. So we get you we get you in Center City when you move in after university in college, we keep you when you move out and have kids. And when your parents die, you inherit the house down the shore. We have we have two properties down there to keep you until you're 88. Wow. That's the concept. [00:32:45][106.8] Ed Heil: [00:32:46] That it's remarkable. I mean, and so far, no regrets. [00:32:50][3.2] Jeff McFadden: [00:32:50] No, no regrets. It's just it's a it's not fun for me or not as rewarding for me as much as when you operate one location. You know, I got into hospitality, pealing potatoes at the age of ten and sort of never look back on it when I talk at universities across the country. So how did you decide to get into hospitality? Well, I never did. I just started working and just never stopped working. Right. I just I didn't I didn't conscientious like, think I was going to stay in hospitality. The one regret, though, is that, you know, we have 1200 employees now. We're over 100 million in annual revenue. I miss the satisfaction of day to day operations and people. Jeff, you have the greatest life. You know, you're not responsible. But yeah, but you don't realize, you know, it's the intrinsic value you get from. [00:33:44][53.8] Ed Heil: [00:33:46] That intimacy. [00:33:46][0.2] Jeff McFadden: [00:33:46] Location. Right? And one one. So I miss that. [00:33:50][3.1] Ed Heil: [00:33:50] Yeah, for sure. Interesting. What a machine, though. It's amazing. I got to call you on this show because you've used the term accidental brilliance and luck in a somewhat different spot here. At some point, it's no longer an accident, and it's probably not luck either. But what I'm wondering is, you know, 28 to 88, you know, that is something that I think that a lot of clubs would aspire to be, you know, to say or to to be able to pull off. And yet it's also very difficult for whatever reason, you know, for the reasons you've talked about as far as like appeasing the, you know, just two different generations or maybe three different generations in many cases, for people who are listening to this podcast who are like, you know, you don't have as well. Yeah, well, McFadden has this or he's done that or, you know, somebody who knows you have to. It starts with a vision. It starts with a belief. It starts with great membership, obviously, and, and visionary people. But for people that are listening, that are struggling with how to how to make changes to their club, to appeal to a younger membership, but also engage their aging membership. What what do you say to them? [00:35:05][75.0] Jeff McFadden: [00:35:06] Well, you got to figure out how to bring those two groups together, right? If you want people to live longer, you've got to surround them with younger people. Right. And that's the easy part. The hard part is getting the young folks to value older folks. So we look at multiple activities that an eight year old and now being very, what your eight year old can do that, an 80 year old. So that's them. But things like bowling. Right. I mean, as silly as that is, it's a thing that a young person can do. An old person do pickleball. Young person can do and an old person can do. Yeah. You know. Lectures and education. Social programs are real important to bring in those young, young people. Go. I try not to think of serving a younger market. I'm serving an older market. I'm serving a club market and try to bring the two generations of three generations together and then keep things lighthearted and fun. The crankiest old guy, you know, will respond with the young folks surrounded around them in an enjoyable environment. You know, cranky, cranky old club members make more cranky old club members. So you have to just stop that cycle, right? You got to you got to put everybody together and try to get them to enjoy each other's company in light hearted activities that everybody can do. You also have to be, as I say, you can't be all things to all people, but you have to offer enough niches at your club to satisfy multiple generations, right? You need to have. You need to be adding pickle at the same time. You're putting Padel in, you know. You need to have a resort style pool. You know, at the same time, you need an Olympic or half Olympic lane pool. So people in their seventies can stay limber and flexible. So it's not one or the other. The answer more, more often than not, is both. [00:37:12][126.4] Ed Heil: [00:37:13] You kind of create like a win win in that environment. I mean, is that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It just that is one of those those challenges I think so many people are perplexed with is the do I have to make a decision of one over the other instead of saying, is there a way that you can actually kind of make both parties happy? But like you said, you're never going to please everyone all the time. We all know that, too. [00:37:41][28.0] Jeff McFadden: [00:37:42] Right. Yeah. And that's the hard part. But with the manager, you know, one of the one of the things that I always tell tell members or other managers is, is I never write a member newsletter. You never see my face in our newsletter. I am not, you know, I hope I'm the like the little I am little short and fat, my wizard behind the curtain. I want I want other I want other folks and basically the president of the club to take all the glory, to be the mouthpiece and so forth. So I think being are 25 years and part of my success of being here 25 years is that I'm not front and center. I am I'm sort of front and center on the professional side, but certainly not on the membership side. You'll never I have never written a column and newsletter. I never write an email from from the CEO or from the general manager. It's always from the president or or from a department head or from a vice president or standing committee chair. You'll never see anything from myself to the membership. [00:38:46][63.5] Ed Heil: [00:38:46] Awesome. Well, last question for you. With so many clubs doing so well, is this I'm going to ask you a question. I probably feel like I know what you can say, but is this the time to really say, let's invest? Is this the time to take some chances? Is this a time with clubs healthier maybe than they were for sure before the pandemic, to maybe look at some things and making changes and having a little more courage? Or is it, what's your general mindset, especially for those clubs that maybe aren't as healthy and those that are, you know, really trying to figure out how best to take advantage of this time? That is better than it was before the pandemic? [00:39:27][40.7] Jeff McFadden: [00:39:28] I think the time is right to create the right strategy of constant improvement. I don't think it's the right time to do major, major improvements unless you desperately need it. You know, sometimes you just need to knock a clubhouse down to rebuild it because you're going to spend, you know, good money after bad money, so to speak. But I do think the strategy at all private clubs needs to be we are going to have constant improvement over the next ten, 15, 20 years. We're going to continue to change and adapt and better our product. If you spent if your budget over ten years was $100 million, but that's obviously ridiculous to say your budget was 10 million over ten years. If you spent all that 10 million in year one by year three, your members would say, What are you doing for me now? Right. So I think good leadership will put a strategy in that recognize this is the best of times or one of the best. And it's important for us to realize that we need to have constant improvement. And that's the right strategy. So don't give them it's like your kids. Don't give them everything right out of the bat, you know? Give it to him a little at a time. Keep them excited. You know, don't. If you're going to build some paddle courts, you know, don't build paddle, pickle, padel, hydro, clay courts all in the same year. Now you say, Well, Jeff, it might be easier. Well, do the master plan and then, you know. Dole it out a little bit at a time. Keep people excited about, you know, make sure you have something going on for multiple generations, you know, for the old folks, the middle folks, the young folks. I don't think clubs because we always relied on assessments every 10 to 12 years to do major projects. I think if we get in that we should be constantly improving each and every year and share that with them. And I think you'll keep members and members will enjoy your club so much more. [00:41:33][124.9] Ed Heil: [00:41:34] Jeff, thanks so much. It's so much fun talking to you today and hearing your perspective on what you've done in the industry in general. [00:41:40][6.5] Jeff McFadden: [00:41:41] I appreciate that. You're doing a great job. Thanks for having me on. [00:41:43][2.6]

In today's third hour, Dom welcomes in Denny Levinson, Atlantic County Executive, onto the Dom Giordano Program to hear his thoughts on the decision to relocate 60,000 migrants to Atlantic County as the flood at the southern border continues. This comes after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy deemed the state a ‘Sanctuary State,' enabling this shipment after New York decided that they could not handle the influx. Levinson explains that Atlantic County is one of the poorer counties in the State without the capacity to handle this situation, explaining that he's confident that they wouldn't be able to handle it even if they had the most money in the State. (Photo by Getty Images)

Full Hour | In today's third hour, Dom welcomes in Denny Levinson, Atlantic County Executive, onto the Dom Giordano Program to hear his thoughts on the decision to relocate 60,000 migrants to Atlantic County as the flood at the southern border continues. This comes after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy deemed the state a ‘Sanctuary State,' enabling this shipment after New York decided that they could not handle the influx. Levinson explains that Atlantic County is one of the poorer counties in the State without the capacity to handle this situation, explaining that he's confident that they wouldn't be able to handle it even if they had the most money in the State. Then, Dom returns to the topic of schools closing due to the extreme heat advisory in Philadelphia, telling why he's against the decision. This leads Dom into a conversation about school district leadership both in Philadelphia and the suburbs, asking how, with inflated budgets, schools continue to find themselves without proper cooling systems. Also, Dom returns to the debate about whether a monument honoring the SS should be removed from Elkins Park, a Philadelphia suburb. (Photo by Getty Images)

The Hollow9ine Network is BACK ONLINE with our Spotlight Interviews Podcast!!Listen in as Dave “The Klone” Maresca attends various events and sits down with celebrities, artists, authors, creatives, creators, cosplayers, journalists…and just about anyone with a story to tell.On this episode, Dave sits down with Jay from Atlantic County Exotics...NJ HorrorCon's first Cannabis vendor in the new era of legalized Marijuana.  Enjoy this quick, high level conversation...Follow Atlantic County Exotics on Instagram: @cannabis_culture_from_aceSupport us on RedBubble:https://www.redbubble.com/people/Hollow9ine/shop?asc=u Follow us at... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hollow9ineNetwork/ Twitter: @Hollow9ineCast Instagram: @the_hollow9ine_network Email: hollow9inepodcast@gmail.comRead Dave's Blog on Medium: https://medium.com/@davetheklone 

Welcome to a special episode of MightyMERP! On May 25th, 2023, Melissa was installed as the President of the Atlantic County Bar Association. ⚖️ Please enjoy her remarks from the evening, and don't forget to subscribe. Episode Page: https://www.mightymerp.com/atlantic-county-bar-association-president  ⚖️ Follow the podcast: https://mightymerp.com ⚖️ Law Office of Melissa Rosenblum: https://www.mrp-law.com/ Niche Business Podcasts: https://nichepodcastpodcast.com

Frank Morano tosses the dice with Will Reynolds, Atlantic County Prosecutor for the AC Report.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Showing Up with Compassion for Autism with Author and Educator Patrice J. Dawson, PhD & Director of community outreach at the Atlantic County prosecutors office, and Director of the Atlantic County Special Needs Registry Raymond Royster as we share our experiences raising neurodiverse children and advocating for making the world more accepting. Here's the video version— https://streamyard.com/p6aypy2b7y5v Link to The Atypical Help Desk: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091977113493 Link to Atlantic County Prosecutor's office page: https://www.facebook.com/ACProsecutor Link to Patrice's radio show: https://fb.watch/kk_PElp_-c/ with Debra Vines

Record rain, record warmth, record tornadoes. April was spring pumped up to the max in South Jersey. The tornadoes on April 1st was a tie the state's biggest one day outbreak, with seven, including one in Hamilton Township, Atlantic County. Just ten days later, summer time heat sizzled everywhere from the bridges to the beaches. Records highs were set along the way and 80s even came to Atlantic City for two consecutive days, the first time's that happened since 1976. The month then ended with a very wet bang. Inches of rain from a pair of storms took monthly rainfall totals from well below average to near the top of the charts. Millville's rainfall was even record breaking.  Join the guys, Meteorologist Joe Martucci and Dr. Dave Robinson, May 13th birthday buddies on their birthday month, in the April 2023 Weather Roundup.  ABOUT SOMETHING IN THE AIR Take a look back at the month of weather that was in South Jersey! Meteorologist Joe Martucci and Dave Robinson, the New Jersey State Climatologist, Joe's “meteorological father” and birthday buddy do just that around the start of the new month. The show is two-time New Jersey Press Association award recipient. Find the show wherever you get your podcasts, The Press of Atlantic City's website, YouTube or The Stockton Channel on Comcast's channel 9 locally in Southeastern New Jersey. Music Credit: Riptide by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons by Attribution License 3.0. Go to www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 for more.Subscribe and get full weather access: http://www.pressofac.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surveyor Keith Ludwig, PLS was the special guest for this episode of Title Nerds, in which he discussed with co-hosts Mike O'Donnell and Bethany Abele his experience of over 42 years in the industry.  With a specialty in researching ancient deeds and surveys, Keith shared some of the more fascinating matters he has encountered while conducting land surveys, including serving as a surveyor for a defendant in Atlantic County where title had gone back and forth between the same two families numerous times over 200 years.  He noted that a major misconception about surveyors is that it is their responsibility to determine if a particular easement or covenant affects the property in question.  That is not true.  The surveyor can only state where the easement/covenant lies physically, but cannot advise whether it affects the property; that is the responsibility of the attorney to determine. Keith noted the importance of looking back at mother deeds when preparing boundary surveys, no matter how much time had gone by, and also discussed the interesting issue of streams and tidelands as boundary lines, when the water flow may have shifted. Mike and Bethany were interested to hear how surveying has changed during the course of Keith's career, with GPS revolutionizing modern surveying procedures. Mike then interviewed Riker Danzig's newest associate on our Title Insurance team, Kori Pruett, who provided an overview of a New York case involving AirBNBs.  In West Mountain Assets LLC v. Dobkowski, the New York Supreme Court held that the plaintiffs, who were using their home as an AirBNB, were violating a deed restriction limiting use to “single family residential purposes” only.  The plaintiff had brought a suit for alleged interference with its tenants' (various AirBNB clients) free use of the property, claiming that the defendant neighbors were interfering with use of the road servicing both properties. Defendants counterclaimed for a declaration that the plaintiff's use of the property for short-term rentals violated the deed restrictions, which stipulated the property could only be used for single family residential purposes, could not be used for commercial activity, and could not be used for “noxious, dangerous, offensive or unduly noisy activity of any nature.”  Defendants also counterclaimed for adverse possession of a portion of the road parcel. Kori explained that the defendants were granted summary judgment on the first counterclaim, with the Court holding that the “transient living” nature of AirBNB tenants fell outside the scope of a single-family residential use.  The adverse possession claim was dismissed. Kori cautioned that this case demonstrates that property owners need to pay attention to any deed restrictions before renting out their home as an AirBNB or VRBO type of rental.

was an Atlantic City, New Jersey political boss, a sheriff of Atlantic County, New Jersey, a businessman and a crime boss who was the leader of the political machine that controlled Atlantic City and the Atlantic County government from the 1910s until his conviction and imprisonment in 1941. His rule encompassed the Roaring Twenties when Atlantic City was at the height of its popularity as a refuge from Prohibition. In addition to bootlegging, the criminal aspect of his organization was also involved in gambling and prostitution.

On tonight's edition of The Other Side of Midnight: Frank kicks the show off by discussing whether or not the death penalty should be given to people who are mentally ill and comit murder and then spins the wheel of topics. After, Armond White, film and music critic for National Review and the author of the new book “Make Spielberg Great Again: The Steven Spielberg Chronicles” joins the show to talk about has Hollywood become dominated by politics, an Oscars recap, and movie reviews. Then, Frank counts his chips with Dennis Levinson, County Executive for Atlantic County in New Jersey for the AC Report. Later, Frank talks about the lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings over if their buffalo wings are actually wings and then Brian Kilmeade, New York Times best-selling author, co-host of Fox and Friends on Fox News and a radio talk show host heard every morning from 10am-Noon on 77WABC about the news of the day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Morano counts his chips with Dennis Levinson, County Executive for Atlantic County in New Jersey for the AC Report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frank Morano shuffles the deck with Michael Suleiman, Chairman of the Atlantic County Democratic Party for the AC Report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to the Mighty MERP podcast, and part-one in this conversation with paralegal, Jessica Fama. ⚖️ Jessica works with Melissa, and therefore could not refuse when solicited as a podcast guest. In Jessica's own words: I recall having a strong interest and passion for the criminal justice system as early as middle school. While I was in high school, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career within the criminal justice system. Specifically, I wanted to specialize in victimology to eventually assist victims of crime and domestic violence. I graduated from Stockton University in 2020 with my Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Victimology and Victim Services. During the height of the pandemic, I successfully landed my first post-graduate job as a Paralegal for the Law Offices of Melissa Rosenblum, LLC. Since then, I have broadened my knowledge on the criminal justice system, specifically the criminal defense side of the system. I have also had the opportunity to use my specialization in victimology and victim services to assist clients in temporary restraining order domestic violence matters, along with clients who are victims of crime. I grew up in Howell, Monmouth County New Jersey for the majority of my life. Upon my graduation from Stockton University in 2020, I moved to Atlantic County. I presently reside in Hamilton Township, New Jersey with my mom and two beloved cats, Mila and Josie.

Welcome back to the third and final part in this series with paralegal for the Law Office of Melissa Rosenblum, Jessica Fama. ⚖️ This is a fun wrap up to the conversation, and ultimately the week! In Jessica's own words: I recall having a strong interest and passion for the criminal justice system as early as middle school. While I was in high school, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career within the criminal justice system. Specifically, I wanted to specialize in victimology to eventually assist victims of crime and domestic violence. I graduated from Stockton University in 2020 with my Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Victimology and Victim Services. During the height of the pandemic, I successfully landed my first post-graduate job as a Paralegal for the Law Offices of Melissa Rosenblum, LLC. Since then, I have broadened my knowledge on the criminal justice system, specifically the criminal defense side of the system. I have also had the opportunity to use my specialization in victimology and victim services to assist clients in temporary restraining order domestic violence matters, along with clients who are victims of crime. I grew up in Howell, Monmouth County New Jersey for the majority of my life. Upon my graduation from Stockton University in 2020, I moved to Atlantic County. I presently reside in Hamilton Township, New Jersey with my mom and two beloved cats, Mila and Josie.

Welcome to part II in this series with MERP's own paralegal, Jessica Fama. ⚖️ In this segment the ladies discuss call handling and various duties in a bustling criminal law-firm. In Jessica's own words: I recall having a strong interest and passion for the criminal justice system as early as middle school. While I was in high school, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career within the criminal justice system. Specifically, I wanted to specialize in victimology to eventually assist victims of crime and domestic violence. I graduated from Stockton University in 2020 with my Bachelors of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Victimology and Victim Services. During the height of the pandemic, I successfully landed my first post-graduate job as a Paralegal for the Law Offices of Melissa Rosenblum, LLC. Since then, I have broadened my knowledge on the criminal justice system, specifically the criminal defense side of the system. I have also had the opportunity to use my specialization in victimology and victim services to assist clients in temporary restraining order domestic violence matters, along with clients who are victims of crime. I grew up in Howell, Monmouth County New Jersey for the majority of my life. Upon my graduation from Stockton University in 2020, I moved to Atlantic County. I presently reside in Hamilton Township, New Jersey with my mom and two beloved cats, Mila and Josie.

On this episode of the Hope Exists Podcast, Sheriff Scheffler discusses youth programs with special guest Hector Tavarez, Executive Director of the Egg Harbor Township Police Activities League. The EHT PAL provides the space and leadership for incredible STEM and Robotics programs and many other activities for Atlantic County youth. Learn what they offer and about their exciting new Buddy's Adventure Zone.

Heirloom tomatoes are called heirlooms because the seeds were passed down for generations, across oceans. Some tomatoes grow until the weather says stop, while others only grow to a set height and number of fruit. That is some of what Fred and Julie Akers shared to Joe Martucci at their greenhouse in Buena Vista Township for this first in the field Something in the Air podcast.  With this Jersey favorite crop in full swing, Joe and the Akers' take you through best growing practices, breeds of tomatoes and more. The Akers have lived in Atlantic County for decades and are also active members of the Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association.  New episodes of the Something in the Air podcast are released the first and third Wednesdays of the month. See the video and audio only version of the show on www.pressofac.com/weather. Or, go to your favorite podcast app to download the latest audio episode.  Subscribe and get full weather access: http://www.pressofac.com/subscribe See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Spa Life Show, Diane's guest is Riana Milne. Riana Milne is a professional Relationship Coach, licensed Professional Counselor, and interfaith minister with a Master of Arts in Applied Clinical Psychology. Her own problems with dysfunctional men she loved lead her to discover the exact fundamental issues surrounding disturbed, toxic relationships and to set out the way to greater boundaries, awareness, personal healing, and marital success as a marriage and couples therapist for more than 13 years. Riana's home and therapy practice, Therapy by the Sea, are both in Atlantic County, New Jersey.Important topics discussed:What are the distinctions between love over 40?Childhood Love and TraumaResearch Statistics on the occurrence of Childhood TraumaType of TraumaChildhood events that sabotage youChildhood traumas being passed down up to three generationsTrauma altering gene expressionsCouples unable to communicate problemsRepetition Syndrome and CodependencyBullyingQuote:[00:27] In these times of uncertainty, it's time for you to move past the distractions and start trusting yourself more through your God-given knowingness.[05:52] I went deep into psychological research; I needed to understand why was I attracting people who had toxic personality types that were sabotagers[09:13] If there is trauma in your relationship or some dysfunctional patterns that aren't serving you, the marriage, the relationship, or the children, learn what those are and take action to change those patterns.[09:53] Kids don't have the mental capacity to handle their emotions when they're upset. So they need a trusted adult.[10:43] A lot is going on in our world that makes our teenagers feel very insecure. So if you see the sign in your kids, please get them help.[17:36] If your parents were yellers or if they shut down, they were mad at you, they didn't talk to you for hours or days to punish you, then you learn this is how we handle things by being passive-aggressive.[23:54] You teach them to believe in their dreams. There are too many other people telling them no, that's stupid, or you don't want to do that. When your kids get older and believe in their dreams, they'll find a way.[27:45] Meditation increases the brain's alpha waves, no matter what your age. So that's more attention and focus and calm. And it lowers the cortisol level, which is the fight-flight or freezes response.[35:51] You don't settle for less. You build your life first, self-love, self-empowerment, confidence, and self-esteem. You feel terrific about yourself, and when you do, you would never settle for less.[36:19] Knowledge is power, and that brings freedom.Links and Resources:CERT.GLOBAL LIFE & LOVE COACH, CHILDHOOD & LOVE TRAUMA SPECIALIST - https://rianamilne.com/

The story of a ghostly encounter between the woodcutter Minokichi and a snow white lady. Minokichi's life is spared, but he must never tell the story of seeing her. Can he keep his promise? Source: KWAIDAN: Stories and Studies of Strange Things by Lafcadio Hearn Narrator: Dustin Steichmann Sound FX: Wind blowing » wind-noise.wav by jorge0000 on Freesound.org Music: Japanese Communities - Nenbutsu ceremony - part 1 by https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Japanese_Communities Nenbutsu ceremony - part 1 by Japanese Communities is licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-NoDerivatives 2.0 France License. Podcast Shoutout: Driving with Randy Every Friday, ride passenger with your host Road Rage Randy. He's your average Joe trying to make it in the world of podcasting. Starting from scratch with a terrible mic and a terrible idea. Have a listen to a plethora of his personal anecdotes while being interrupted with commentary of his nightly commute. Listener Shoutout: Pleasantville is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 20,249, reflecting an increase of 1,237 (+6.5%) from the 19,012 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,985 (+18.6%) from the 16,027 counted in the 1990 Census. Via Wikipedia --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sandman-stories/message

Tom Piotrowski is a media teacher at Atlantic Institute of Technology in Atlantic County, NJ.  He has spent most of his life around young people and knows the way they think and interact.  In this episode, we have a frank conversation about the dangers social media can pose to our kids and what we, as parents can do about it.  He recommends visiting the Center for Parents and Youth Understanding or cypu.org. The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is a nonprofit organization committed to building strong families by serving to bridge the cultural-generational gap between parents and teenagers.  For a technology that is supposed to bring us together, it sure feels at times that the internet brings us further apart, especially for our teens and tweens.  We have all heard the reports of how social media and other tech can lead to a variety of concerns about their mental health. For many teens, social media can become almost addictive. Social media can activate parts of the brain associated with pleasure and rewards causing them to want to use social media more.  In addition, the pandemic has kept our kids separated as they spent more time learning on screens.  All of it can add up to feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety.  While social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, it also is not the same as face-to-face interactions. Many teens get so wrapped up online checking their cell phones, that they often overlook the people right in front of them. This lack of communication in the real world can cause difficulties in friendships, dating, and other relationships.  While there are some positive aspects of social media, there are many pitfalls.  We, as parents, as well as other adults in their lives,  need to be aware of what our kids are doing online and how we can play a positive role in keeping them safe and helping them live happy, productive lives.

On this episode of the Hope Exists Podcast, Sheriff Scheffler discusses the role that local Community Health Workers (CHW's) play in Atlantic County. Special guests include Karajenae Peak, Mike Davis from the Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club, and Victoria Martinez from the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office.

On this episode of the Hope Exists Podcast, Sheriff Scheffler discusses the current state of food insecurity and community feedings with special guests Andre Murphy of the Community Feeding Tour, and the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City's very own “Chef Pam.” Both of their organizations have helped feed and nourish the people of Atlantic County during the ongoing pandemic.

Would you know the warning signs of a mental health issue in someone you love?  Sometimes they are very subtle. Suicide and mental illness are on the rise, but being armed with the correct knowledge gives us the tools to help someone in need.  Jaime Angelini is in statewide Disaster Relief and Special Projects Manager for the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County. She shares important information we all need to know.

This month's special guest for the Something in the Air podcast is Fred Akers, Administrator of the Great Egg Harbor River Watershed Association. "Watershed Fred" and Meteorologist Joe Martucci go through the history of the programs and activities that keep the river pristine and clean. Joe also talks to Fred about his colorful garden of tomatoes and him being the original Atlantic County community rainfall spotter. 1:34 - Fred's tomatoes 2:58 - Fred's life, before being involved in the watershed. 5:24 - Importance of the watershed being locally managed 6:52 - Recreational, scenic and wild rivers 9:38 - The dollars and cents of protecting the river 17:05 - Fred's thoughts on the Army Corps of Engineers' Back Bay Study Project, which will impact the watershed. 19:35 - How Fred believes we should protect against sea level rise 23:46 - How volunteer rain and snow measurements help the watershed, right here in South Jersey. 27:05 - "The Map" of New Jersey Something in the Air comes out the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Listen to the podcast wherever you get them, or watch on www.pressofac.com/weather as well as on The Press' YouTube Channel.  Subscribe and get full weather access: http://www.pressofac.com/subscribe See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jaime Angelini is the Statewide Director of Disaster Services and Special Projects at the Mental Health Association in NJ (MHANJ). For two decades she has worked as a mental health advocate and mental health educator. Jaime has extensive knowledge in disaster mental health and community response. Jaime has experience in successfully building capacity for peer-led programs at MHANJ and has assisted the organization's growth in implementing new peer roles, as well as providing training, leadership, and mentorship for NJ peers. After Superstorm Sandy, Jaime provided oversight to MHANJ's mental health disaster response. As she spoke of Sandy, I remembered the devastation that it brought my family, with the loss of our home, materialistic possessions, and a great deal of mental anguish and fatigue. As I said to Jamie, "I only wish my mom knew that your organization existed, she suffered extreme mental distress and felt overwhelmed and unsure about her future or a vision to move forward." Jaime is a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, QPR-Suicide Prevention Instructor, FEMA Trainer, Parent Educator, Anger Management Facilitator and Certified Disaster Response Crisis Counselor. She currently oversees the statewide New Jersey Hope and Healing (NJHH) program. NJHH provides crisis counseling to those impacted by COVID-19, and the organization had new challenges to dealt with among the instability of the deadly virus. Though with extreme optimism Jamie exudes that her team was able to support the many who needed and continue to need emotional counseling. Jaime also went on to say that re-entering the workforce is now an issue that needs to be addressed, as we all move forward to resuming our lives, but not the "normal" lives we may have lived prior to the pandemic. Thank you Jaime for being on the episode! You can contact Jaime via email at jangelini@mhanj.org, and you can find more information about the Mental Health Association in New Jersey online at www.mhanj.org. To find a course or contact an Instructor for Mental Health First Aid in your area, visit MentalHealthFirstAid.org or email Info@MentalHealthFirstAid.org. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV1CQaTTvzE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIIDqNSxlbs Thank you to our partners: Play Out Apparel: Use code HEARTPODCAST when you check out & 20% of the proceeds will be donated to IMMIGRATION EQUALITY which is the nation's leading LGBTQ+ Immigration Rights Organization. Greek Glasses: Use code ALBE40 for 40% off your order! Shout out to our amazing sound engineer Alex Wiederock for editing the podcast! Also, shout out to Xixuan Hei for the original and beautiful soundtrack she composed (@xixuan_hei on Instagram). Please join our community and follow us on: Instagram: @coming_fromtheheartpodcast Twitter: @cfthpodcast Facebook: Coming From the Heart Podcast https://linktr.ee/coming_fromtheheartpodcast Please subscribe, rate, review, & share with the ones closest to your hearts!

With Harry Hurley today were Jim Ferguson, Atlantic County council, to discuss a proposed countywide court system; and Charles Cain from The Auto Plaza at English Creek.

¿Te gusta leer la ciencia ficción (también conocida como "sci-fi" en inglés) o soñar con viajes espaciales? Entonces, ¡el episodio de hoy es para ti! Recuerda, aprender un idioma es una travesía para toda la vida. Embrace it, Enjoy it, and Share it! LAS NOTAS DEL PODCAST: © 2021 por Language Answers, LLC Blog del Episodio 51 Música de la introducción y conclusión por Master_Service de Fiverr Música de la transición para el Consejo Cultural editada de la canción por Tim Moor de Pixabay. Los Recursos de Investigación Del Episodio Episodio 50: Tiempo de Celebrar Wordreference.com "Hipermotor" de Stars Wars Fandom "Curvatura (Desplazamiento)" de Wikipedia Consejo Cultural "The Most Famous Mythical Creature of Every Country in the World — Illustrated" de The Gate with Brian Cohen "Why is the Unicorn Scotland's National Animal?" de Visit Scotland "The Unicorn – Scotland's National Animal" por James Walsh de National Trust for Scotland "Champ, the Lake Champlain Monster" por The Lake Champlain Region "Jersey Devil - Fact or Fiction?" por Atlantic County, NJ "The Jersey Devil and Folklore" por el Pinelands Preservation Alliance "New Jersey Devil" por NJ Gov. Todos enlaces a: https://www.languageanswers.com/post/episodio-51-el-vocabulario-para-leer-la-ficci%C3%B3n-parte-2-la-ciencia-ficci%C3%B3n

¿Te gusta leer la ciencia ficción (también conocida como "sci-fi" en inglés) o soñar con viajes espaciales? Entonces, ¡el episodio de hoy es para ti!Recuerda, aprender un idioma es una travesía para toda la vida.Embrace it, Enjoy it, and Share it!LAS NOTAS DEL PODCAST: © 2021 por Language Answers, LLCBlog del Episodio 51Música de la introducción y conclusión por Master_Service de FiverrMúsica de la transición para el Consejo Cultural editada de la canción por Tim Moor de Pixabay. Los Recursos de InvestigaciónDel Episodio  Episodio 50: Tiempo de Celebrar Wordreference.com "Hipermotor" de Stars Wars Fandom "Curvatura (Desplazamiento)" de Wikipedia Consejo Cultural "The Most Famous Mythical Creature of Every Country in the World — Illustrated" de The Gate with Brian Cohen "Why is the Unicorn Scotland's National Animal?" de Visit Scotland "The Unicorn – Scotland's National Animal" por James Walsh de National Trust for Scotland "Champ, the Lake Champlain Monster" por The Lake Champlain Region "Jersey Devil - Fact or Fiction?" por Atlantic County, NJ "The Jersey Devil and Folklore" por el Pinelands Preservation Alliance "New Jersey Devil" por NJ Gov.

Since the pandemic began, there has been a surge in depression, anxiety, loneliness, and substance use.  This is not surprising when we consider the tremendous challenges associated with the COVID-19.  It affected people who were already struggling before the pandemic as well as others who developed mental health issues. In this frank conversation, I talk with Jaime Angelini, Statewide Director of Disaster Services and Special Projects of The Mental Health Association in Atlantic County about the importance of taking care of our mental health, how it is affecting our kids, and the free services offered by her organization.  We also discuss "Mental Health First Aid" a public education course that teaches us how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. I took the course with Jaime, and I believe it is something all of us should know.                                  Jaime and I at a pre-COVID event for the Mental Health Association in Atlantic County

John Paul went from high school drop out to the military to super successful real estate investor.    During this episode, JP will help you figure out what your time is worth…down to the HOUR!  He will make it CRYSTAL clear that the easiest way to scale your business is to pass off mundane tasks to virtual assistants.  JP works with a company called REVA Global Virtual Assistants where even control freaks like Jen will find it easy to cut the cord on tasks that are not making enough money for the full value of her time.   If you are considering adding some VAs to your team, you do NOT want to miss this episode!    John Paul started his journey of personal and professional development back in 2008 when he attended college to obtain an Associates Degree in Applied Science and Computer Networking. He continued his education in 2016 when he joined Fortune Builders – the #1 Real Estate Education company. John Paul’s journey through real estate has been guided by the personal and professional skills the military has instilled in him. He has excelled in the real estate industry by implementing the education and executing the action items and coaching to the highest level. During his first year of real estate John Paul founded Anchored Homes which he used to complete four flips and four wholesales. He has gone on to grow a team of 8 team members that work remotely across the world and has completed 100+ real estate transactions while adding 40+ rental units to his long term holdings portfolio. After only two years of being a student of Fortune Builders, John Paul was recognized as a top-performing student and community influencer and was invited to become a Real Estate and Marketing coach. As a coach John Paul was top-rated by students, peers and staff for his incredible energy, creativity and genuine interactions. Having coached more than 3,000 students first hand John Paul has had the distinct privilege of evaluating businesses and markets across the country which has expanded his knowledge and resources. In 2016, John Paul attended his first real estate networking event where he was greeted with judgement, cold shoulders and closed minded individuals. His passion for collaboration and abundance mindset inspired him to found the South Jersey Real Estate Investor Network in Atlantic County. His passion to inspire and share all his tools and experiences have been a driving force in growing the group from one investor at the first event to a group that has over 1,300 members and hosting more that 30 events. Investors in the group have completed more than 100+ deals since its inception. In 2020, John Paul co-founded Social Soaring, a Social Media Management company for Real Estate entrepreneurs, with his Marketing Team Lead from Anchored Homes. After coaching busy entrepreneurs since 2018, he realized there was a massive gap between learning the strategies and tools and then finding the time to execute on what they were learning. He set out to create an affordable customer service oriented company that would help these busy entrepreneurs execute on their online presence. In 2020, John Paul co-founded Best Skip Tracer, a company that provides contact information for lead lists typically provided by Real Estate professionals. As a real estate entrepreneur John Paul has bounced around as a customer between several skip tracing companies that have all charged premium rates for low quality, recycled information. Setting out to find a better solution for Anchored Homes he collaborated with his business partner to develop a solution and then replicate it for other entrepreneurs so they didn’t have to experience the same pain. In 2020 John Paul co-founded Love My Stay, a Short Term Rental Business in Florida, that he operates with his wife (Carrie) and their lifelong friends. John Paul is using the rental arbitrage strategy that allowed him to quickly build his portfolio with little money out of pocket. The company specializes in helping landlords have a better experience with a premium tenant, like Love My Stay, that will bring the property to its full potential and then offer it up as a short-term rental to traveling professionals and families. John Paul currently lives in Virginia and operates all of his businesses remotely.   Social Media Links:  FB: https://www.facebook.com/inspiredables IG: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredable/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspiredable   Website:  https://revaglobal.com/jpk/

Aye Tias was born into a family of NYC immigrants, they migrated from the Bronx, NYC to Atlantic County, New Jersey. From an early age he grew up in a household of music. His mother was a pianist. He grew up as a child idolizing Michael Jackson. In his pre-teens Tias began making hip hop music. He enjoyed 90s hip hop and wanted to emulate the throwback sound. His main influence who made him want to rap was Redman. He was also influenced from the Rawkus Records era of hip hop including artists such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch as well as Common. His brother was into the hardcore scene so Tias was also exposed to heavier musical acts such as Candiria and Shai Hulud. His household in his childhood was difficult due to personal family issues. His father had been permanently crippled in a motorcycle accident so his mother was left to take care of the family. Growing up Tias worked odd jobs at gas stations and grocery stores. At age 15 Tias started taking rap serious when he had heard an older friend “Shrine B” making hip hop music. He felt a huge inspiration and began writing everyday. Around this time Tias participated heavy into the battle rap scene. He would take the train up to NYC and attend Smack URL events for years on end. He made records with the likes of battle rappers such as Charlie Clips, Goodz Da Animal and Math Hoffa. He went by the stage name “Hindsight” but later changed it to “Aye Tias”. Tias attended Mercer County Community College where he took fine arts. After graduating he then attended NYFA in Manhattan. Shortly after Tias and a few of his friends from NYC & DC got together and moved out to Los Angeles together. He spent the next 5 years there working on set for indie films as well recording more music. He had started his own group called “Cult 45” which consisted of R&B singer “Modern Philosophy”, DC rapper “301Lo” and Brooklyn rapper “Reel”. The group was short lived due to each members personal lives conflicting with the schedule. Aye Tias went back to being a solo act. He then dropped his debut release “Grasshopper” which was a combination of an EP and a mixtape. The project was engineered by rapper/singer Kris Misfit. He also released his own shortfilm titled “Corey” which showcased school bullying awareness. Aye Tias migrated to the Bay Area where He is working on his upcoming project “1-0”. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_6aenoRLlIGeXWgZDdGstw https://www.instagram.com/troy_tias https://soundcloud.com/user-536058572?fbclid=IwAR2mzGUTlAdCHXwZPQJAoBf5Hept6Mov-7PzZNNzQ7HOVTSR7RbQHtwQ910 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Meet the men that are responsible for making sure your roads are clean in Atlantic City. Meteorologist Joe Martucci brings on Greg Brookins and Jay Steinmetz of the Atlantic County Department of Public Works onto the podcast. Greg and Jay, who's been with the DPW for years, debunk common questions about snow and ice treatment and tell some stories along the way. Subscribe and get full weather access: http://www.pressofac.com/subscribe See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So many people are feeling stressed, worried, and even depressed during this difficult time. People are struggling with financial worries, health concerns, school, work, and a variety of other issues.  If you or someone you know is one of them, NJ Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling is a special support program now available through a New Jersey grant that provides live online group support, individual counseling, and text messages to help you cope. Text NJHOPE to 51684, call 866-202-HELP, or contact them through The Mental Health Association in Atlantic County.  Jaime Angelini, Director of Consumer Services, Mental Health Association of Atlantic County, shares important information about this support program and how it is helping people in our state and local community. 

BEST-OF: Harry discussed efforts to close Garden State Parkway Exit 30 in Somers Point and issues regarding vote-by-mail problems in Atlantic County during the recent primary election.

Harry began Friday's show in open forum, discussing a wide range of topics from listeners across South Jersey. At 8:00, Somers Point Councilman James Toto was Harry's guest; he discussed the vote-by-mail issues in Atlantic County and the race for freeholder. At 9:00, Gary Aldrich, Sr. FBI Agent (retired) was on the program to discuss national issues, including the upcoming election in November.

Just as we need CPR training for physical problems, Mental Health First Aid offers valuable training for us to recognize and help people with mental health issues. This global, lifesaving program is now taught in a one-day online course.  I took Youth Mental Health First Aid and plan to take Adult Mental Health First Aid Soon. Jaime Angelini, Director of Consumer Services for The Mental Health Association in Atlantic County, explains why we all need this important program. WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID?Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders. The training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis.WHO THEY HAVE REACHEDMore than 2 million people across the United States have been trained in Mental Health First Aid by a dedicated base of more than 15,000 Instructors. Mental Health First Aiders are…Teachers, first responders and veterans. They’re neighbors, parents and friends. They’re people in recovery, and those supporting a loved one They’re First Ladies and Mayors. Mental Health First Aiders are anyone who wants to make their community healthier, happier and safer for all. If you or someone you know is in a crisis situation and having thoughts of death, dying and/or suicide, contact the following resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.NJ Hopeline: 1-855-654-6735National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255National Crisis Text Line: text the word “BRAVE” to 741-741Trevor Lifeline (LGBTQ specific crisis line): 866-488-7386 or text “Trevor” to 1-202-304-1200Veteran’s Crisis Line (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline): 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255 Jaime Angelini, MA, DRCCJaime Angelini is the Director of Consumers Services at the Mental Health Association in NJ. For close to two decades Jaime has worked as a mental health advocate and mental health educator. She pvides support, education and advocacy to individuals in NJ living with mental health challenges and substance use disorders.Jaime is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, QPR Instructor, Parent Educator, and Disaster Response Crisis Counselor. She is Co-chair of the Atlantic County Hoarding Task Force and has a special interest in working with individuals living with Hoarding Disorder. Additionally, Jaime spends a considerable amount of time at high schools and colleges educating students and young adults on the topic of mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and the importance of self-care.Jaime has strong ties to the community and participates in a variety of boards and advocacy committees. When Super Storm Sandy hit in 2012, she was very actively involved in recovery efforts for more than 3 years.  In recent months, Jaime has spent a lot of her time providing emotional and mental health support to those impacted by COVID19.     

Harry Hurley started the show today in open forum taking calls about topics in South Jersey. At 7:00, former NJ Assemblyman Kirk Conover was in to discuss the news of the day. At 8:00, it was Chuck Malamut's weekly "All About Financial Matters" program. At 9:00, Hamilton Township Deputy Mayor Charles Cain was joined by Atlantic County Republican Party Chairman Keith Davis to discuss the slow vote-by-mail counting in Atlantic County.

 This is the 3rd part of our 4 part episode from inside the Neck of the Woods Brewery at the Summer Swelter Beer Festival. In this episode, Chuck from Death of the Fox Brewery talks with us about the only coffeehouse/brewery in NJ and how the new ABC special ruling affects his business.  Next up is our interview with John from Hidden Sands Brewery, a large production brewery located in Atlantic County. He brought Amy her favorite beer of the festival, a watermelon sour. We talked about the water that they use for their beer and where they get it from. Thanks again to Neck of the Woods Brewery for hosting us. 

With over 16 years of public service, Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo from Atlantic County joins Dan Skeldon for this week's edition of Tidal Flooding Talk where they talk about Atlantic City's property taxes, flooding, rebuilding infrastructure, and more. Tidal Flooding Talk is recorded live via Facebook at 7 p.m. every Sunday at The Irish Pub in Atlantic City and presented by the New Jersey Coastal Coalition - a nonprofit organization committed to building more resilient communities at the Jersey Shore. Follow the New Jersey Coastal Coalition on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe on YouTube and anywhere you get podcasts. Join the conversation online by commenting on the live stream on Facebook and #TidalFloodingTalk

This week, follow our dynamic duo down an old country road to the 4-H Fair! Leslie and Charlee broadcasted live from the Atlantic County 4-H fair in this week’s edition of Volume Up, and by the end of the episode, you’ll be wishing you were there! The ladies are joined by Hailey, who’s running for Atlantic County Ambassador, to talk about her campaign and the leadership she’ll bring to her position if she’s elected. Leslie’s mom Joyce (a lifelong 4-H member) gives us a crash course in the 4-H pledge and the significance of becoming a member. We also hear from Albert & Mae, who have been 4-H members for over 50 years. It was a joy to talk with this couple about the niche clubs they started and nurtured, how 4-H has changed over the years, and how it stays just as relevant today. What’s your favorite kind of pie? The gals judge their first-ever pie eating contest in the second hour, and you don’t want to miss it. Three sets of contestants leave it all on the table (some literally) in this highly competitive race against themselves and each other. Stay tuned for a short interview with each of our winners on their game-winning strategy. If you LOVE Volume Up with Leslie Jespersen, let us know! Share us with your friends on social media, drop us a line, and tell us why! And if you’d like to have our show broadcast at your next event, get in touch at volumeup@marsolluna.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/volume-up/support

The Tropicana Atlantic City's Executive Chef Demetrios Haronis discusses one of their signature charitable events, "Taste of the Quarter" which benefits the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey in Atlantic County. Now in it's 12th year, the event will be held on August 19th from 6:00 to 9:00PM. Tickets available here!

This week's Tidal Flooding guest is Atlantic County Assemblyman, John Armato. He speaks with host Dan Skeldon about lessons from Sandy, preparing for future floods, and more. Tidal Flooding Talk is recorded live via Facebook at 7 p.m. every Sunday at The Irish Pub in Atlantic City and presented by the New Jersey Coastal Coalition - a nonprofit organization committed to building more resilient communities at the Jersey Shore. Follow the New Jersey Coastal Coalition on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe on YouTube and anywhere you get podcasts. Join the conversation online by commenting on the live stream on Facebook and #TidalFloodingTalk

Vince Jones, the director of the Atlantic County Office of Emergency Mangement joins cohosts Dan Skeldon and Palma Accardi for this episode of Tidal Flooding Talk, recorded live, Sunday, May 19, 2019 at The Irish Pub in Atlantic City. They discuss emergency preparedness from a county standpoint and down to neighborhoods, as well as the county's response during a major storm event. Tidal Flooding Talk is recorded live via Facebook at 7 p.m. every Sunday at The Irish Pub in Atlantic City and presented by the New Jersey Coastal Coalition - a nonprofit organization committed to building more resilient communities at the Jersey Shore. Follow the New Jersey Coastal Coalition on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe on YouTube and anywhere you get podcasts. Join the conversation online by commenting on the live stream on Facebook and #TidalFloodingTalk

As the annual FaithFull food drive kicks off across the diocese this weekend, our hosts travel to Atlantic City to speak with a true gentleman, Joe Viecelli of Catholic Charities. Our guest shares his experiences of 15 years in onsite service management in Atlantic City, serving poor and needy individuals and families from all over Atlantic County, and fostering relationships with them over the years. As well, Joe, Mike, and Pete talk facial hair, baseball, and their love of music. Learn more about the April 7, 2019 FaithFULL food drive here: https://www.camdendiocese.org/faithfull/

Happy to see all of you

This week, Ben, John, and Ryan explore the art of understanding new real estate markets -- including what drives appreciation, occupancy, and rent growth.   (Transcript below.)   Ep. 11 - Location, Location, Location - Deciding Where to Invest   Ben Shelley: [00:00:07] Welcome to the Brick x Brick Podcast. I'm Ben and I'm here with John and Ryan for today's episode. We're going to discuss the geographic area of choice for most investors when they're first deciding where they want to make their first real estate investment. We're going to talk about markets in submarkets timing of purchases and how to source those deals and the process itself of narrowing down your search. As an individual investor begin to decide where it is you want to allocate your capital both for your first investment for intermediary investments and for future investments. So guys let's jump right into it maybe we can talk a little bit about our own processes and how we got into the first markets we found and what drew us to those markets I think that might be a good place to start. Ryan you want to take a crack at it.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:00:49] Sure. The way that I break down this discussion is starting at the top we're looking at things on a market level and then beneath that you begin to consider these submarket. And then beneath that you have different neighborhoods or other areas within that submarket. So when I was making my investment decisions locally or at least most recently what I was originally contemplating was which market I wanted to be in which for me was an easy decision because I was pretty limited in that I wanted to do it close to where I was geographically located. And beyond that I was looking at a variety of factors such as the entry point on the on a purchase which limited me or at least precluded me from buying in let's say an area like Manhattan. And then lastly I was looking for neighborhoods that kind of struck a balance between something that had a a little bit of a positive outlook moving forward but that wasn't so saturated it wasn't so competitive nowadays that I felt liked where I got to where I felt future opportunity or future values had kind of passed me by.   John Errico: [00:02:05] Yeah I think where to invest is a broad topic.   John Errico: [00:02:09] And the way that I got started was just I mean if you listen to the podcast before my investing story is like I just wanted to buy a place near where I was already living. So you know I was living in Manhattan and I wanted my place in the Greater York City area. So I bought a place in New Jersey which was the closest affordable place at the time to where I was living. But the factors that go into where you want to invest I think depend a little bit on your investment thesis. So maybe we can get in a little bit to that. You know I think from a very high level the easiest way to say where I want to invest is I won't invest in a place that makes me the greatest returns. But that may not exactly be the greatest returns monetarily it may not be correlated with your goals in doing real estate investing. So for example if you can make great returns in a city very very far away from where you live that might be nice but if you want to get into doing investing say full time we're going to be a real operator totally outsourcing your investments to a third party in a different city is not going to fulfill the goals that you have of being a real estate operator. I don't Ryan actually started investing not locally right your first deal was in Nashville Memphis Memphis.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:03:25] I wish it was a outflow of appreciated walking and whether it is Memphis.   Ben Shelley: [00:03:29] It was it was a turnkey investment right.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:03:31] And it was it was a construction on it was the single family purchased it for right around 50 grand and rented for like six seventy five a month. How did you find that. So that was that was back when I was wrapping up college my brother and I were looking for a turnkey investment to get something under our belts and we had kind of perused a few different markets outside of New York because we were a little bit more capital constrained.   John Errico: [00:03:54] And what is peruse exactly, perused, perused. How did you go about it   Ben Shelley: [00:03:59] This is why the geography map placed them in New Jersey because if you're outside of New Jersey you don't use the word Peru's center.   John Errico: [00:04:05] I mean I mean how how did you peruse I know I'm just certain at the time.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:04:09] Well we were first and foremost looking for something or for an area where we could buy something by a single family house for under K and building it rents that were obviously able to support the investment and yield a decent return but also to know that we're not buying in what we would have considered a war zone or an area where we wouldn't have really felt comfortable owning property especially remotely. So I think at the time we were looking at Memphis I think we had briefly considered some areas of Atlanta. I think there were some I think either Dallas or Houston there were some providers over there that we had explored very briefly but ultimately Memphis was the first one that we it seemed to take all the boxes. It was also easy to get to which for us was kind of important because we figured if if our manager wasn't holding up their end of the bargain and we had to physically go there we wanted somewhere where it wasn't gonna cost us a thousand dollars to take a roundtrip flight to go for two days just to make sure that the house wasn't on fire.   Ben Shelley: [00:05:09] Yeah it's funny you guys mention both the geography and familiarity with certain areas because I know while I am not as far in my career as either of you what brought me to Ryan first and then John was the fact that I had an interest in college and was seeking in college. My first investments particularly in the Hudson County area across the water in West New York in Union City in North Bergen and the reason for that was twofold. One of them was that the market was strong there was consistent rental growth and sales growth over a certain period of time which I was tracking and was was excited about as an investor. But there is also a familiarity factor in the sense that the person and partner that I was planning on going into this business with had family and friends who had been contractors in the area for many years. And so I understood that I was going in for myself. Looking at the market and having a familiarity with how to source deals and underwrite deals but had a partner who had experience with construction and understanding how much things cost. So I think it's probably important to also think about how do you know in certain areas. I mean it's natural to want to invest I think close by. And if the numbers can work for you and what are the other mitigating factors that might bring you closer to pulling the trigger on a deal in that neighborhood or maybe making you look a little bit further away.   John Errico: [00:06:20] Well yeah I think a really high level the way that I think about geography is so a lot of times I look at an area I'm looking at it for buy and hold purposes at least that's how I've been traditionally doing it I think for flips it's a little bit different we can talk about that but for a buy and hold area I like to come up with a thesis for investing in that area and if I don't have a thesis that I feel comfortable with or if I can't think of one then that's probably a bad sign. So the greatest example for me is then the Tri-State area like the New York City suburb. So the thesis for investing in New York or in New Jersey or in Connecticut anywhere around New York City is New York City. So obviously not everybody who lives in New Jersey or Connecticut or even New York works in New York City but the reason why this region is what it is is because of New York at some point. The reason why it's going to be sustained is because of New York. So when you're betting on when you're buying real estate around New York City you're betting on you know in a sense in New York City you're saying do I think people are going to keep living in New York City traveling a working culture whatever. And for me the answer is yes. Some people might disagree about that but probably a lot of people believe that New York City is going to be a great thing. We also invest in new haven Connecticut which is a little bit of a different market tertiary market not a New York City suburb per say but the reason why invest in new haven is because of Yale. So Yale has a ton of money. It owns a bunch of property in the area and it has the second largest endowment and other university in the entire nation.   Ben Shelley: [00:07:50] Here we go.   John Errico: [00:07:51] But so investing in real estate in New Haven particularly around Yale is betting on Yale and do I think that Yale is going to be a place where people want to go that's gonna have a lot of money that's going to keep care about the city. Yes I think that's a good that's a good answer. So you can take that analysis and say well you know what's my thesis for investing in a small city in Iowa. I don't know maybe the returns look great on paper but I'm wondering why people live there.   Ben Shelley: [00:08:17] Well I think it's going to I think a good example of that is the way that that you John identified and how we as a group are identifying properties in Atlantic City because I think what people would look at as mitigating factors to keep them away from the market things like the environments obviously the fact that the city could be underwater things like a generally I guess maybe you would say some are literally underwater literally underwater figured. So so so a market that is more based on what they deliver in the summertime so vacationers and people come in for maybe weekends or natural parties obviously there's the casinos down there and you found a model the Airbnb which has generated returns well above I think what you would generally get at market rate when you're talking about traditional rentals and so when I like your description of the thesis you bring to the table because that is a perfect example of looking at an area like Atlantic City that to a traditional foot through traditional metrics may maybe you say even if you live further way I don't know about this and turns that into that somewhere that I want to try to source deals and pick things on the cheap.   John Errico: [00:09:17] You can also tease out your assumptions and your risk factors that way right. So if you say I would invest in an area and the only reason why people live in the area is because there is this one big thing like there's a big manufacturing plant or there's this big type of industry. Then your sensitivity is well if that industry or manufacturing plant or whatever closes that's it there's no other reason to live in the area. So I'm not saying that's a bad reason to invest somewhere but it's helpful to have the knowledge of saying here's what I'm sensitive to and if any of those things happen then it's gonna be bad for me. And you know Detroit has an example right. So what.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:09:53] Or another example of that today or I mean quite timely as Long Island City and Amazon HQ2. There's a lot of hype and a lot of I think probably a lot of speculation that went on over the the last few weeks the last few months since each Q2 was announced for Long Island City and obviously the sensitivity there is a little bit different than it is in some other locations where you don't have such a diverse subset of industry but nonetheless I'm sure there is plenty of speculative work that was done in advance rather either for developments or for just people who thought Oh the rents are going to go through the roof because people who are coming in are going to have quite a bit of money.   Ben Shelley: [00:10:35] To piggyback off that real quick to the L train I think is even a greater example because that was two years in the running and people say new leases and moved businesses and sold homes.   Ben Shelley: [00:10:43] I had friends who were involved in the real estate business who were considering going in with partners and buying up homes or along that area at a discount to market. Given what everybody was anticipating so that's it's a great point.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:10:54] Or or the Upper East Side of Manhattan where you've had the Second Avenue subway in the works for I think it's been like 30 40 years since I really like or 60 plus or two. But yes it did.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:11:07] Finally it finally came on line over the last few years from 96 to 72.   Ben Shelley: [00:11:12] So it's getting married. So in another 80 years maybe it'll have to have more than three stops but it is amazing and it does do a lot for congestion as well and for pricing along that line. But it's funny because when I was working for a property manager actually we used to rent two homes that were literally right on Second Avenue on 83rd Street where the hub on eighty third was being built and the no and.   Ben Shelley: [00:11:35] I hate to say this I probably shouldn't put this on record but we would probably strategically not bring people during the height of working hours because it's unconscionably loud. However. At the same time people were then getting a discount to market and frankly if someone had come to us given how delayed that process was had come to my boss and offered a reasonable price maybe a little bit discounted to market. I wouldn't be shocked if she would have maybe considered something like that given the circumstance so it's all considerations to take into account and it's not just from an investing standpoint.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:12:03] It's interesting to think about how many deals were consummated over the last 20 30 40 years with the assumption that this redevelopment was going to be a success because over the long term that Second Avenue Subway was going to be a boon to the area.   John Errico: [00:12:18] And the other thing about it is you can never truly anticipate what's going to happen in a market you know again that the HQ to example is so great because now that you two is not happening in Long Island City police the time is recording so you can reference this was going to happen with the market and that's OK. But I think it's important to at least have the knowledge of the factors that might implicated. So even if you can't control them and don't know what's going to happen it's at least a modicum of control to have knowledge of what the factors are. So for me the first step in thinking about an area to invest in is is the thesis. Can I come up with a thesis that I feel comfortable with. Is there a reason why it's going to happen. And then along to dovetail with that something that we brought up earlier for me is what is my goal in investing is my goal to maximize the amount of money that I'm investing is my goal to learn about investing is my goal to make this one of many projects to two by only this type of asset to buy different types of assets to do buy and hold stuff to flip stuff but that depends on you. My goal Getting Started in real estate was to do more real estate investing. And for me that meant it was conducive to invest near where I was because if I was investing that's the country even if I had to do a lot of that just physically getting there would be very very hard and it would take me a long time to ramp up because even if I got comfortable with an area I would have to get very very very comfortable off sourcing all of that work to a third party living in wherever it might be before I really got started whereas living in New York and investing in new jersey as I started I mean that's a 15 20 minute trip over that I can do it any time. And did many many times before I moved here.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:13:59] There's also some calculus involved with what your risk tolerance is because the Amazon HQ2 example highlights the resiliency of the New York market where frankly that's probably not going to make much of a ding in the economic viability of of those areas. But if you're talking about an area. In if you're talking about you know a 1 manufacturing plant town in rural Pennsylvania and your investing thesis is that there are 5000 jobs in that specific area that are tied to that plant at the moment that plant shuts there are going to be very few things to pick up the slack for you. And so the risk is like it's truly a boom bust is either it's going to go well because you have that or you're going to be. There's going to be no suitors for your for your property as tenants and there will probably be very few end buyers should you decide to liquidate.   John Errico: [00:14:54] Yeah it's one of the things that annoys me but sometimes I'll encounter people who say oh man I'm making a killing investing in city I've never heard of in state that is you know among the 10 least populated states in the country and it's like well maybe I mean maybe the returns are great but why do people live there. You know like what what's going on in that. I I don't say that cynically because maybe there is some reason they just don't fully understand. But you know I bet that you could find a multifamily property in small town come a small state that's going to look great on paper but what's going to happen to that property in two five 10 years. I have no idea. I'm probably not sure that market enough nor can I come up with a thesis as to why it's going to do well so that's that's a pretty risk investment to me even if the numbers might bear out as being very conservative.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:15:42] To what extent this is kind of shifting gears a little bit. But John look to what extent if you have vetted a particular market let's say you're talking about New Haven. To what extent do you try to validate some of your assumptions with data you get into some of the demographic data do you get into average incomes. Do you look at home prices like what what's your what's your next step.   John Errico: [00:16:03] I don't I haven't really looked at demographic data per say. What I'm most interested in would be the rents versus price of homes for a buy and hold. So that information is extremely readily available it's literally going on Zillow or anything looking at what homes are and then going on Craigslist or rent on Twitter or any of these other Web sites and seeing what the average rents are. That alone is a pretty good starting point. I think crime data is very helpful. I think crime is probably one of the prerequisites to a lot of. I mean you can have great returns on paper but if you can't walk outside your door nobody is going to know it's going to live there. There's a big distinction in my mind between what the returns could be on paper and what they actually are. A lot of areas that have bad crime you look at whatever analytical model you want to look at cap rate cash on cash return or whatever and you say oh my gosh it's so great. Even if you assume vacancy of 10 percent or whatever and then you go in and it's insane because you just can't get anybody to live there you know your vacancy is like 50 percent or 80 percent or whatever you want to say.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:17:10] It's funny you mentioned that because I have a theory that oftentimes the best deals the best returns that you can actually realize fall at that intersection between the areas where people have these preconceptions about maybe there being too much crime or it just being undesirable for one reason or another so that you know it scares out a certain class of person. But at the same time the reality is when you investigate it there are still plenty of people who do live there and the perception of crime perhaps is overblown. And so I think that's really where you can maximize returns and that's where that kind of like artistic or subjective metric of like intuition comes into play where you actually go somewhere and you see it and you understand what the living breathing fabric of that is.   John Errico: [00:17:56] Yeah. Davies is a concrete example. So I started investing in Union City New Jersey and I think Union City and Jersey City as well very much had fit that these. So even now there's a perception in parts of Jersey City but certainly 5 10 years ago in many parts of Jersey City and Union City that the area was dangerous and unsafe and it certainly was in the 90s. But if you physically go to the area if you walk around and you talk to people you say do you like living here. You kids like living here if you ever experience bad crime you know whatever. No one says anything at all if you look at the news reports. I mean there's maybe domestic issues or maybe small property crime type stuff but not anything that would really disincentive someone to live there. But there's this widespread perception that the air is not good. And to your point. Absolutely. You can make it you can make a killing.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:18:43] We've also talked about this in the context of comparing certain cities that have the reputation for being kind of like the worst of the worst. But even within that classification there are big differences. I think we were we were talking about with some of the cities up here where people around here may say like What are you doing buying in so-and-so town or so-and-so city. But when we go there we feel pretty comfortable during the day there's you know there's people coming to and from work. People just kind of hanging around and talking and no hostility no obvious. Signs of threats really. But there are other places where where we've been where you go and you'll be. You'll go like two or three blocks and all you see are vacant abandoned houses and just like the absence of life which is perhaps the scariest thing. And as far as that concerns and actual investment my my theory with a lot of these places up here is that while there are certain tiers of desirability at the end of the day there's a shortage of housing and people want to live where there is a safe clean quiet comfortable place to live. And if you can provide them with that even if it might not be an area where you personally would live that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of reasonable nice qualified people who will live there.   Ben Shelley: [00:20:00] And I think it's an important point too because you want to try to fight your own biases. As you look at these for an area. So I think it's very easy to fall into this sort of ideal especially if you're coming from outside of the real estate business that somebody says something about maybe Irvington or East Orange. Both places that were either invested in or doing work in and you just say Oh yeah. Why would I go there. Or what could possibly be there and then when you put your boots on the ground you learn that there's actually opportunity whether it be in construction or investment and I think that just actually just the other day I was talking to friends who were from the summit New Jersey area describing work we were doing in some of those municipalities and they were stunned. I mean they were flattered that Irvington and what are you doing there. Obviously there are different areas that have different levels of crime. What have you and all these different cities and townships. But fundamentally if you build as Ryan just alluded to safe good fundamentally sound homes there people will come especially as these towns and areas begin to get younger over time. I think you'll see generally speaking a shift in all of these different areas because at one point or another they did thrive.   John Errico: [00:21:02] Yeah I think it's a great point. So something that occurs to me is a lot of what we're talking about is very specific to the northeast and I don't want to gloss over it. There are listeners who are not from the Northeast and I think it's hard to describe exactly how block by block a lot of these neighborhoods are so kind of within that observation is to go back to Ryan's first point something that I really like to look at when I'm looking at cities or blocks or whatever it might be is the build quality of homes because a lot of these homes you know we're not buying new construction in this area. These homes were built 40 50 60 100 plus years ago and by looking at the homes you can say well this area used to be very wealthy or this area was never particularly wealthy or this you know unhealthy area now has become wealthy for some reason. So what a good example for me is East Orange East Orange is a an area New Jersey that has a I would say quite negative perception just in terms of housing and demographics and crime and whatever else you want education the educational system definitely has some problems. However the build quality of a lot of homes any storage is quite nice and there are some areas of East Orange where you look at homes that are on half an acre of land which for this area is a tremendous huge lot. And you say what is a beautiful home. I mean beautiful original woodwork that you could just never reproduce today never would reproduce today. And that gives you some sense to say well this area at one time was wealthy maybe it could be wealthy again. What are the reasons why it became on wealthy. How does that work. And truly I could walk three blocks. I mean the literal blocks in any direction from that and being a totally different area I mean a totally where I live right now where I'm physically located right now literally I could throw a stone across the river and go into an area that is totally demographically economically socially educationally different than where I'm living. That's pretty rare and should inform people that one invest in areas like this that say I need to do my homework to figure out not only that the city not the neighborhood but the block that I'm interested in investing in.   Ben Shelley: [00:23:07] Yeah I mean listen we just had that happen with also a property this is a little bit of a different area on the border of Nutley and Clifton and talking about OK on a macro level right you want to just know what's the neighborhood like. So we've talked about crime we've talked about education and we've talked about socioeconomic and cultural history of the area but also within that is OK so what is the designation SEO been in different counties means you might be designated for different public schools in different zones. So these are the kinds of obviously different costs affiliated with mainland so what have you based on the history of the area and the build of the homes in the area. So these are all things that you have to consider and I know when I'm looking at comps even in these areas and I'm used to growing up in New York City where truly I mean it's I mean just block by block it's lot by lot it's building by building the values change coming in New Jersey where a lot sizes tend to be a little bit smaller probably on aggregate than the rest of the country it's still the same way in many respects and looking at at Garfield the other day I mean I was looking near the water I think on River Drive and again in certain areas a lot by lot. I see sales of similar like properties at the same square footage with similar lot sizes going variant ranges of 100 to 150 thousand dollars. So do your due diligence on the specific area the specific building the specific lot. And John hits the nail on the head with that one.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:24:22] And if you're going outside of outside of what you know if you're investing remotely and looking at an area where maybe you didn't grow up or maybe you don't currently live it's also important to take into account some other factors that may may be variable depending on the region. So for example in in northern New Jersey it's it's very common that when you buy a house you'll do an oil tank sweep and confirm that there is not an oil tank on the property or an underground oil underground or oftentimes there you may see them in the basement do. But of bigger concern is the. Underground variety. But if you're you know if you're investing from somewhere where that fuel source was never prevalent you would never even think to. To call someone out to do a tank sweep. Likewise if you're in New Jersey and you're looking to buy something in Florida you should. You're going to be thinking about hurricane preparedness and and whether it is like hurricane compliant. Likewise in. California you're going to be taking into account certain seismic issues and concerns. So there are a lot of nuances to different areas that you should at least know to be aware of or know to ask about.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:25:31] If you are investing from out of town.   John Errico: [00:25:32] What you guys think about school districts because that's something that people talk to me about a lot and I have various thoughts on it. New Jersey has a lot of school districts because their municipality by municipality which in some states it's not the case. But what do you guys think about the value importance of that.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:25:48] I mean it's huge. I think they're the way that I think about it is it is quite possibly the most important factor that a particular subset of buyers will consider when making their housing decision. But in a lot of ways I also think that the respectability or the clout of a school district is already embedded in the price of real estate in that area. So just because I'm to I'm looking at one property in one school district and another property in another school district. That are priced the same I'm not immediately going to say I'm going to buy the one in a better school district. There may be other reasons why someone would live in an area that has a less desirable school district. You may be renting to primarily. Seniors or you may be. Looking at something in a vacation community where schools just don't matter as much. So I think it's certainly it's certainly a factor. And it's one that I would weigh considerably. But it also has to be consistent with what your strategy is.   John Errico: [00:26:49] The funny thing about school districts is that it's the perception of the school district that cares right now. No there's no like definitive rating of this is the absolute number one best school district in the state or whatever. It's just your perception of it. If it's a good school district right. So vote for me because it's a perception thing. I think that school districts school districts are the best insulator of value positive or negative. If you have a bad school district and you're trying to make the area better I think that's going to be really hard because this is a far afield from real estate. But I think that it's hard to change the quality of the school district and if you're in a good school district or perceived good school district your value is going to maintain that level because for better or for worse people are going to continue to perceive that school district as being good.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:27:36] Yeah. I have two points to make from different ends of the spectrum. On the pro side of why to invest in an area with a good school district no matter what the market is no matter what point in the economic cycle we're at. If you are a young family with kids who are entering your you know who are turning four or five six years old and looking to be are going to be going to school soon. They're going to be they're going to be interested in areas with good school districts and that is going to be more of a guiding light than whether. Whether they're buying at the best time or whether this particular properties ticks every box on their checklist. On the flip side to my point earlier about considering school districts in the context of what your investing strategy is if you look at an area like Jersey City or Hoboken years ago those were not desirable school districts whatsoever. And I think to a large extent at least based on what their property values are they're are still quite poor school districts. But what drove development in those towns was the demographic changes of getting very very young and catering to a class of people that are not necessarily concerned with school districts because they're only living there in their years prior to having kids school age children.   Ben Shelley: [00:28:55] I mean I think it's worth noting where we're Jersey City and Hoboken as good examples are concerned is that there is spill over areas though as well. So you know when you're already we're already constantly weighing all these different factors. And I think that's a perfect example of where a lesser school district isn't going to deter you from a certain neighborhood. But I think it's worth noting for new investors or even intermediate investors that when you're looking at these areas you talk about John talked about right at the beginning of this episode the resiliency of the Tri-State area and a lot of why that makes everywhere around this very appealing. And I think that if you're identifying an area just outside a city oftentimes your bias is going to take you towards thinking well look what happened to Long Island City or is happening to Long Island City look at what's happened to Jersey City and you'll extrapolate and say that's going to happen in my area. And just to be careful about that so so to look at the school districts for example if if you're looking at a spillover area in a really good city if the school district is bad now seeing some of these other areas doing your due diligence of like kind cities areas municipalities townships you might be more inclined to take the leap.   Ben Shelley: [00:29:57] And looking at an investment like that.   John Errico: [00:29:59] I want to frame this too by saying it is the case that there are areas that are not. Not only are they not getting better but they're getting worse. I mean I think we maybe look at real estate a little bit like we being the three of us with rose colored glasses because we've been investing in the longest kind of bull market that has been in a very long time fought for real estate specifically.   John Errico: [00:30:22] But there are you know not to pick on Newark but Newark is a city many parts of Newark have been economically depressed since the 60s and are still that way. And I bet you could go back to 1965 and talk to somebody like you know what it's gonna be in five 10 years the city is coming back and we're doing is do that. And you know I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen to Newark in five or 10 years certainly some areas of Newark have gotten better but I would say some mayors have stayed the same or maybe even gotten worse so it's OK to come to conclusion that look I mean statistically Connecticut people are leaving Connecticut people are I'm moving to Connecticut anymore so you could say well I mean some areas of Connecticut like I mentioned New Haven I have a thesis about. But Connecticut broadly I don't really want invest in a place where there's a net outflow of people. There's some reason why people are leaving Connecticut. And that concerns me. So it's OK to say look this is an area that isn't getting better it might be getting worse for some a thesis about why it might get worse. So I mean how do you guys feel about that.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:31:23] Well I think this also comes back to just having a having an investment strategy and choosing a market based on what your strategy is. If your bank. Banking on appreciation I think would be quite unwise to look at a market where all of the demographic factors and shifts are trending in the wrong direction. I don't think I don't think it's wise to assume that your property value is going to skyrocket when all of you know when you're facing all of these headwinds. Having said that if you're looking at an area if you're looking for an area where your primary goal is cash flow and you're making reasonable assumptions on what your vacancy is going to be and you're not assuming 10 percent annual rent growth which would be you know pretty absurd in an area that is an appreciating and isn't trying new blood every year it's it's a matter of being consistent with what your strategy is. If you're looking at an area that's going to appreciate over the long haul you should have a thesis that is consistent with that and you should have some data to back it up.   John Errico: [00:32:22] What do you feel about investing in college towns.   Ben Shelley: [00:32:25] It's funny junkies because I was actually sent an article about this a couple of years ago even a buddy of mine who I went to the shack program with me him and his program at NYU and we had some very procedures for a notice how I pointedly do not name the school I'm just joking I love NYU love that school in Goshen New York universe I believe in careful and wide I think is the offer but I'm not really sure Bob Gates who when you go to our football team undefeated that's all that matters because we don't have a football team.   Ben Shelley: [00:32:54] So it's interesting so I got an article sent to me a couple of years ago by this this buddy of mine and his dad and they were very interested in this concept and again the theory goes well these school towns are young they're generally thriving within the nucleus of where the the school owns buildings. Generally speaking if it's a good academic institution they're going to look to eventually expand because they're all looking to bring profits up so they need to bring in more people who can pay full tuition so they'll expand outwards. And we see a little bit of that in New Haven. And and it's been maybe slow and maybe not expended as far as some people would think. But this is the question because as I now know having been introduced to the neighborhood to John within a certain radius that is true the margins still work out for. For new and intermediate investors but it hasn't come all the way I think within a margin.   Ben Shelley: [00:33:42] And when I say margin I mean the geographic margin that I think most people would have predicted giving the prestige and the academic successes that surround a school like Yale and the perception.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:33:50] To me no matter what what your thesis is it's almost impossible to accurately predict appreciation because any appreciation that you are assuming. Okay let's say let's say your thesis is Temple University is expanding here. That's going to catalyze the area and there's going to be a lot of growth it's going to drive property values up. The other thing that can counteract that is if there are 30 other developers who have the same theory that you have and they go snatch up all developable land and they build way and act like an overall excess of supply relative to what the increase in demand will support. So just because things are happening and things are trending in the right direction in that scenario you may actually see a decrease in property values. So I think appreciation is always very difficult to predict. And I think it's foolish to make an investment solely based off of that thesis.   John Errico: [00:34:48] What do you think about. So I often have this problem. I think even recently we were talking about this and I run where you'll look at an area and you'll just run the numbers and you'll see these returns like monster returns like 10 percent cap rate ex and sometimes I look at that and it's like why don't I just buy everything in this city you know like why why am I even bothering and other places where you know I'm not getting those returns I can come up with reasons right now like as to why I wouldn't but I wonder how you guys feel about that if you've seen places   Ben Shelley: [00:35:17] like that. Well I mean I think diversification is the name of the game I think people talk about this term a lot but to me the first thought I have is Atlantic City is a perfect example. The returns that we see cash on cash the cap rates particularly for our model and our thesis in that area is quite substantial.   John Errico: [00:35:34] Of course hurricane cynic everybody's gonna start investing you like I just like your audience just like you can't right now. Just somebody has to go about it.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:35:42] Also keep in mind that a lot of these models that we're running are predicated on an Airbnb model which is highly susceptible to regulatory risk.   Ben Shelley: [00:35:49] Do we have right give a disclaimer. Listen you go out you try your best see if you could do in line. We are trained professionals under closed or delay.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:35:57] The reason I bring this up we in in 93 the reason I bring this up is because I actually texted John about this the   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:36:05] other day. There's I think there are rumors swirling that Newark is potentially clamping down on Airbnb. I don't if you saw the article that I sent you because. Again John what he's ignored me.   John Errico: [00:36:17] No I I didn't ignore you. In fact I've been thinking about it constantly. So that's it. I'm just getting emails.   Ben Shelley: [00:36:24] We are always thinking about them.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:36:25] I'm not bitter not ignored means I just like you know doing it. I just I just actively didn't respond.   Ben Shelley: [00:36:31] Let me just let me just say because that was that sort of a parlays to the point that I wanted to make I hate to keep bringing up Atlantic City but the reason I do that is look what happened in 2012. Hurricane Sandy hits the entire area was ravaged and destroyed it could happen where Atlantic City or Atlantic County completely clamps down on Airbnb BS and throws the thesis out the window. So the idea is diversification you want to be invested in a number of different areas with a number of different hopefully successful theses so that if in any scenario the worst case risk factor occurs you're hedging and you're able to continue to sustain positive net cash flow throughout   John Errico: [00:37:06] your entire portfolio. Yeah I mean.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:37:07] I mean what what other arbitration are you guys why is this I think a lot of that's I think a lot of that is predicated on underwriting to an Airbnb Airbnb context which I would argue is not necessarily as much of a real estate play as it is a quote unquote business play because the end of the day your income is going to be driven by the fact that you are effectively running a hospitality business despite what Airbnb will be lobbyists What.   Ben Shelley: [00:37:35] What do you mean by that. Because to me I understand the distinction you're making between an as a true real estate versus just generally business hospitality play but like when I look at different areas underwriting New Haven is different in underwriting Hudson County is different underwriting Bergen County and so still diversification is diversification because it's a cash flow play doesn't get an appreciation.   John Errico: [00:37:54] It's really like you. It's not. I see what you look like you could use it right or just depending on how good or bad you are at doing it. I mean to some extent strip management in general. Yeah. Much more so in Airbnb sorry.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:38:06] Well I think what I'm but I was also getting it as I think the baseline underwriting assumption in any real estate deal should be more of a conventional strategy whether it's I would say more of a conventional strategy know if it's a 2-family house underwrite it as to stabilized apartments renting out on twelve month leases and then if you think that there's opportunity to employ a strategy like Airbnb be with one or both of those maybe that's your upside case. But I think it's a super risky investing thesis to have all of your eggs in that one basket. And I think that kind of gets back to our overall investing strategy being a little bit more diversified and not having all of our eggs in that one.   Ben Shelley: [00:38:48] It's a good point and I want to be clear that most of what we look at is not for that business model and the idea being that if it works conventionally it's probably going to work with other means.   John Errico: [00:38:56] I mean it's an interesting broader topic for me we've been talking about this a lot in the context of our private equity fund which is how to quantify risk. And I I like the idea of baking in risk in an analytical model in a numerical model in some way. But I think that's really difficult to do. Like I so we're talking about say regulatory risk with European bee or maybe we're talking about a risk involved with some industry being the only driver for people to live in a certain city. How do you quantify that. How do you say Well I think there's like a 20 percent chance of this happening or 10 percent or higher. I mean it's hard for me to do that. And so it can be hard to build a portfolio so you have you know you're trying to buy 10 homes and you want to have a risk adjusted diversified kind of portfolio. I think it's really difficult to come up with the right allocation.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:39:47] Well I think the mitigant to that is on the portfolio level and it's on the strategy side. I don't know that even the smartest quantitative minds I think would struggle to come up with a model that accurately depicts the risk associated with that but I think the beauty of working in the space where we work where our assets are smaller and you know we're talking about maybe a portfolio of 100 different properties in 15, 10 different markets versus another fund that is working on a portfolio with a similar asset size. But that is tied to one physical property with you know one hundred and fifty units. I think the benefit to being in our shoes is that we can we can diversify risk across that portfolio and say OK to mitigate the risk like the regulatory risk of the Airbnb model we're going to only allocate 15 percent of our portfolio to properties whose cash flow is tied to that strategy. We're also going to mitigate risk. We're going to mitigate the risk of let's say Amazon HQ to influence on our on our portfolio and on our returns by only limiting exposure to 10 percent of our portfolio in Long Island Cityetc.   John Errico: [00:41:03] Yeah I'm glad that we got here. I think because even if you don't have the answers to these questions I think it's it's fair to consider them. You know I think there are a lot of investors that start out and you know the one might have like don't worry but all these things because then you'll never do anything on the other hand. I'm like Well don't you know don't invest in a place just because your buddy says it's a cool place to invest right. Like we think because it's just that our level of experience and what we do professionally with being the three of us here are more analytical about it than I think a beginning investor should be or could be. But even even knowing you even having this thought process I think it is novel for a lot of investors just getting started because they're not thinking about risk and investing theses and things like that in   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:41:53] an area. I think under Understanding risk is a difficult topic but I think there is or maybe quantifying risk is next to impossible but Understanding risk is a little bit different. And I think that is a goal that every investor should strive towards when like prior to making a significant investment decision. And what I mean by that is you may say you may be looking at something in New Haven and you may be looking at something next to another town that is heavily driven by like a smaller university. You may say oh like college towns are great as an overlying thesis but I think to understand the risk of hitching your wagon to an institution like Yale versus the University of Phoenix which is you know a quasi education a quasi educational institution.   John Errico: [00:42:45] No I totally agree.   John Errico: [00:42:46] I think the reason why I brought up investing in college towns and not to go everywhere but what I wanted to say about it was that there's a big difference in investing in a established university than a community college even if they're both might be in a college town not there's anything wrong with the community college at all but in terms of your long term idea is this place going to be around. I mean I've a pretty good idea that you know the second oldest university in the country that has the scholars now is gonna be around.   John Errico: [00:43:15] I don't know that about a school that was maybe started three years ago that has no money that is just trying to make a quick buck or something like I don't I mean it's.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:43:23] I think it's also worth worth at least throwing out there the fact that maybe education down the road won't look like what it looks like today. So I think an institution like Yale it's prestigious enough that they will probably find a way to stay relevant and to live on. But you know if in 20 30 years down the road education may not take the same form that it does today we may I think we kind of take for granted the assumption that four year colleges are kind of the norm these days. But that wasn't always the case and it may not always be the case in the future. And it's interesting to contemplate a world in which that is not the case especially if you are especially your hitching your wagon to investing in quote unquote college town.   John Errico: [00:44:07] It's a really exciting point and I want to actually touch on one thing very related which is that there's so many things like this that are going on that that are limited perspective having invest in real estate only for a few years. Can't really observe it but one thing that always blows my mind is the influence of ride sharing Uber and Lyft that they have had on suburban America I think is is tremendous. I mean it's changed a lot. What it means to live in a suburb and still be able to go out and say drink or do whatever else that you maybe couldn't do if you had to drive and imagine what say we you know someday soon maybe we'll have autonomous vehicles what might that change for people living in a suburb or people that have to commute you know what if we have the Elon Musk you know Hyperloop dream or we can get from San Francisco to New York in an hour or something like what what how might that change.   Ben Shelley: [00:45:02] I am just so inspired right.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:45:03] It's funny that it's funny that you brought these up because I had if we could live on Mars.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:45:07] I got I had those same two thoughts running through my head as winter as this conversation was evolving and I don't know the extent to which either of you are familiar with like Black Swan Theory Black Swan investing.   John Errico: [00:45:19] But it's a great film. I've actually surprise surprise.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:45:27] But the I think as human beings we are we are uniquely poor at quantifying the risk of outlier events. And there are a lot of things that in our minds are probably perceived as impossible that are really just improbable which means there are enough of these improbabilities that eventually something is going to stick and that's going to be something transformative and it's going to be something that turns on its head. All of these things that we take for granted like something like a Yale falling off the face of the earth or something like you know Washington DC ceasing to be the political capital of the United States or New York ceasing to be the most relevant city in the state here in the country.   Ben Shelley: [00:46:13] And this is kind of a diversion from where we're going because these two are inspiring me with the words of wisdom about the future. But I do want to also address to newer investors kind of like myself as well and go back to a point about not necessarily being overly cautious but but understanding sort of where you're at in terms of your equity means and in terms of the amount of research and experience you have in certain areas. Even looking beyond what the future holds because one of the things I come back to because I think about all of these potential changes that are going to occur in society and cities and suburbs etc which will affect markets and I would just encourage I think investors when you're identifying the geographic location are going to to just be real with yourself within your means and not to necessarily extrapolate beyond what the numbers and area and people who are on the ground are telling you because you may believe in a lot of these things that are coming to these areas but it's very easy to fall into the confirmation bias cycle of saying of believing a certain ARV for a flip or believing a 2-family is going to generate you know X Y Z market when really it's rent control or rent stabilized and I realize this seems like a huge diversion from from where we work. But I do want to get back to sort of this idea that when you're looking at some of these areas to be that maybe that first project isn't always saying well this this and this is going to happen so I'm going to be super aggressive and invest in you know a 5000 square foot commercial space station in for example the multi-family market might be the best idea for you as you're analyzing the geographic area that you want to invest in for the first time.   John Errico: [00:47:45] Yeah it's all for me it's a it's a risk reward sort of calculation right. I mean it goes back to one of the first things that we were talking about for me which is just to define your goals you know if your goal is to learn more than that dictates where you are going to invest if your goal is to make as much money as you can then that's a very different goal. If your goal is to make as much money as you can in a year versus in 10 years in a hundred years that's a very different goal to make your goal is just to house hack and not have to pay rent to try and get a little ancillary income on the side.   John Errico: [00:48:17] That's a different thesis that I mean and honestly if your thesis is law if you're investing horizon is long you can make some pretty fantastic investments I mean there are families in New York that have generational investing theses. So I mean they literally bought property in World War 2 that only now are they really cashing in on. And good for them. You know I mean that's you know probably in 1950 buying a very large piece of land in Times Square might have been very speculative and it probably looked like a horrible investment until you imagine you know the Giuliani administration let's be honest no it looked like a bad investment or pretty recently and and now it's it's really pay dividends.   John Errico: [00:49:04] I don't know what the return on investment might be but it's substantial it's probably not.   John Errico: [00:49:08] So you know but if your thesis is I want to do a flip and sell it in three months then you know don't invest in Manhattan but I mean there are different categories of things that you should buy.   Ben Shelley: [00:49:20] I think the word that I was looking for the phrase I was looking forward to to sort of tie in all these different points is as been as a as a newer investor or even an intermediate investor a cautiously aggressive both in actually allocating your capital in your equity and also how you analyze these deals don't be aggressively cautious though don't be aggressive. Alan let me try to figure out that pretzel in my head. Don't be aggressively coy. I like that. Yes I agree. Yeah I learned some new from these guys every day.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:49:47] Yeah I guess the way that I would frame this in my mind is before you look at a specific deal and before you decide they're going to make an investment first understand what you are investing in you're investing in market you're investing in maybe that school system you're investing in that economy and it's not just is this property going to on paper show that it's going to be profitable there. There are a variety of inputs and there are a variety of factors that are going to contribute to whether those rents are going to stay the same over the next 20 years whether they're going to maybe increase or decrease whether your vacancy is going to increase or decrease or stay stable and and whether the appreciation on the property is going to be what you hope it will be whether it's going to be stable or whether it's whether you're going to be stuck down the line with a property that there just aren't as many buyers for it as what you were expecting.   Ben Shelley: [00:50:44] Yeah I think to that point and that's what we talked about the fact that the three of us look at things perhaps more analytically than your your most common investor which makes sense because this is what we do for a living. But I think kind of moving into the next episode. That's where I get excited about talking with our listeners and everyday investors about both from a basic intermediate and expert level. What are the best ways to analyze the numbers that you're seeing in front of you. Because like we said there are a million outside factors that affect whether or not an investment is good both forward looking backward looking and in the present. So just sort of understanding. You know we say cash on cash when we say cap rate not just what those means but how to get those numbers and whether and how that will inform your decisions. After you've decided on which geographic location you want to invest in.   John Errico: [00:51:33] Yeah. And one thing I mean as I've said in many many podcast episodes are that we have very many but something that I've said several times as I still think it's very important just to do it and get started. So what I hope people would take away from this is not that I need to be sucked into this analysis vortex of numbers and thoughts and risk and everything else but that these are important things to consider. I don't have the answers we don't have the answers to many the questions that we posed. But it's important to answer to them. However the end of the day if you want to get started just get started and do it. So that's how I got started with not any of this analysis or thought process that I've backed into it and it's been fortunate for me but I wouldn't have had been in that position been in this position if it didn't just start.   Ryan Goldfarb: [00:52:16] I would also just think about the risk that you are taking. I think a lot of the reason why this kind of analysis paralysis or the these kind of these kinds of mental models are there for quote unquote market analysis those are in large part driven by developers who are looking at building 600 units in an area and where at the margins the difference between. Two percent population growth and two and a half percent population growth are going to be the difference between whether they have enough people to live in their building or not. If you're talking about a two or three unit building in a town that's been around for hundreds of years and where there are dozens and dozens of large employers chances are the landscape is not going to change that much. So if you've got a decent deal which will discuss how to find in the next episode you can pretty safely pull the trigger knowing that the variables that are outside of your control are likely not going to move the needle too much.   Ben Shelley: [00:53:16] Guys. Thank you for your time and your expertise as always I appreciate it. For the folks listening at home make sure you subscribe to us wherever you get your podcast reach out to us on the brick by brick. That's brick X brick Facebook and make sure to listen to us on iTunes and Spotify. Thanks for listening.  

On the first segment of Co-Ed Conversations, crew members Alyssa, Avari, Logan and Melissa share what it's like to be black teens in America and Atlantic County! They also discuss natural hair- interracial dating and the “N” word. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

What's happening in Atlantic County? Tune in to find out who building what & where. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Lori La Bey host of Alzheimer's Speaks Radio talks with Christine Marie Meehan, Publisher and Editor in Chief of Dementia Care 101 Magazine for Cape May and Atlantic County in New Jersey.  Christine is a former elementary school teacher and business owner of Sitters at the Shore, LLC and a caregiver for Joe a man with Frontal Temporal Degeneration for 4 years. Contact Information For Christine Marie Meehan: Email:  Dementiacare101mag@gmail.com  Subscriptions to magazine is $15.00 for the year or contact me with questions at 609 741-7307 PayPal (sitters at the shore)  Credit cards accepted   or check made out to:   Sitters at the Shore, LLC., 305 N. Third Street Rio Grande, NJ 08242 Additional Resources from Alzheimer's Speaks Website Blog Memory Cafe Keynote/Trainer/Consultant Become Dementia Friendly Dementia Chats free video where the experts are those diagnosed

This Sunday, Jen and Ronnie Daughtery and their family will join us at Lifetree to share about the work God is doing through them in Atlantic County, NJ, through the Rise City Church!

Tonight on New Jersey Revolution Radio, Brian checks in with Heather to follow up with the Interview with Helen and Gail from the Atlantic County democrats. Then Heather issues a request for help from listeners to call Catherine McCabe from the NJDEP and Gov Murphy to tell them not to extend the 4 year old...

Hello Listener! Thank you for listening.  If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger.   Jersey Wooly The Jersey Wooly is a breed of Domestic rabbit weighing about 3 pounds with a bold head and easy-care wool fur on their body. They are noted for their docile nature, and gentle disposition. History Bonnie Seeley of High Bridge, New Jersey started breeding for the Jersey Wooly in the 1970's She wanted to produce a small wooled breed. In the 1970’s and 80’s, an influx of very small and dwarf breeds were introduced to the ARBA membership. Bonnie Seeley of High Bridge, New Jersey crossed a Netherland Dwarf and a French Angora in the hopes of producing a small bunny with an easy-care wool coat. The Jersey Wooly was developed by crossing the Netherland Dwarf and the French Angora. The result of this cross was a petite rabbit with a wool coat. Early Jersey Woolies still maintained the oblong body shape of the French Angora, made smaller by the influence of the dwarfing gene. It took some careful selection, but by 1984 she had the breed down to the size and type she wanted, and presented it for the first time at the ARBA convention in Orlando, Florida. Bonnie said that the early crosses produced about 90% of the progeny with mismatched toenails. Bonnie Seeley introduced the Jersey Wooly at the 1984 American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) Convention in Orlando, Florida where it was accepted, although several of the presentation animals shown had mismatched toenails. At the second presentation of the following year in Houston, Texas, the standards committee rejected the animals for disqualifying toenails. Three passing presentations would see the Jersey Wooly recognized as a breed at the Madison, Wisconsin Convention in 1988, and the breed never looked back. Today, the Jersey Wooly is one of the most widely-exhibited rabbits at local and national shows in the United States. They are also renowned as highly docile pets. The Jersey Wooly, are exhibited at both local and national shows throughout the country in much the same manner that dogs and cats are shown. Each rabbit is compared to the Standard of Perfection for its breed, and competes against others of its own breed for BEST OF BREED [BOB] honors. Then, each BOB is judged against one another for the coveted BEST IN SHOW [BIS] title. The Jersey Wooly is one of the very few breeds that was developed primarily for the pet trade. However, in spite of its intended use, the Wooly has become quite popular as a show animal. It has a very short body with a chunky head and small, upright ears. Like the American Fuzzy Lop, the Jersey Wooly wears a coarse, short wool coat that requires little grooming. The breed has a maximum senior weight of 3 ½ pounds. In just a short time, the Jersey Wooly rose to the list of the ten most popular show rabbit breeds, pet owners seem to prefer lops most of all, and most don’t understand how easy-care the Jersey Wooly coat really is. Daily grooming is not necessary. At all times, the coat should be kept clean and free of debris. Otherwise little grooming is required except a quick brush before a show to remove dead hairs. Watch for signs of wool block during a molt. As is the case in several breeds, fanciers disagree as to the proper Jersey Wooly type. Some breeders prefer a “Netherland Dwarf with wool on,” while many others argue that a slightly lower head mount and different body shape from the Netherland Dwarf makes the Jersey Wooly what it is. In any case, the head should be broad and bold, the ears thick and under 3 inches, and the body shape very compact. Coat length must be at least 1 ½ inches, though a 2-3 inch length is preferred. A high ratio of guard hairs to underwool produces the coarse texture. Wool is mostly restricted to the body; it’s disqualified when found excessively on the ears or feet. The Jersey Wooly comes in an array of colors that are grouped in to five categories for show: Agouti, Any Other Variety (AOV), Self, Shaded, and Tan Pattern. Appearance and personality A full grown Jersey Wooly weighs 1 - 1.5 kg (2.5 - 3.5 pounds) with 3 lbs being considered ideal. They have compact body type. The ears are small and erect, standing about 2 1⁄2 inches long. 3 inch ears are the maximum length allowed for exhibition stock per the ARBA's Standard of Perfection. When showing a Jersey Wooly, people must know that the head and ears have the most points. The head is bold and squarish which led the breed to being affectionately referred to as the "Mug Head". These rabbits are very affectionate and playful. Most Jersey Woolys have very friendly personalities. As pets they range from laid-back lap bunnies to outgoing explorers. Lifespan The average life span of a Jersey Wooly can depend on many factors, including genetics and care. It is not uncommon for a Jersey Wooly to live 7-10+ years when properly cared for. There is a common myth that those who have had litters die sooner, but this has not been scientifically proven. Many rabbit breeders have healthy Jersey Woolys who have had multiple litters live just as long as pet Jersey Woolys who have never had babies. It is also believed that neutering and spaying these rabbits will add years to their life span. Without neutering or spaying, rabbits can develop cancer and tumors that are life-threatening. A competent, experienced exotics veterinarian is the best way to minimize surgical complications. Care A Jersey Wooly's coat should be brushed regularly. Brushing the wool with a sharp wire brush is not recommended, as the wire can damage the Wooly's very sensitive skin. Jersey Woolies can be housed in a hutch or cage with suitable space. Rabbits are easy to litter box train and litter boxes should have an absorbent material underneath such as paper litter, with plenty of hay on top. Rabbits should have access to hay 24/7 and hay should be a good quality and mold free. Also, they should have a healthy pelleted food and treats such as green vegetables (not lettuce unless Romaine) and the occasional small piece of fruit (not citrus or tomato). All rabbits enjoy being cuddled and played with by their owner when held properly, romping in a safe environment outside their habitat, and playing with rabbit-safe toys. Handling and petting your rabbit helps you to know their body. If any unusual nodes or masses show themselves, you may be able to get a jump on treatment. Don't be afraid to ask for treatment. Clubs The NJWRC website. This site is dedicated to the promotion, development, and improvement of the Jersey Wooly -- "The Fluff of the Fancy." The NJWRC boasts members across the USA, Canada, Malaysia and Japan. NJWRC members have the privilege of competing in the annual sweepstakes contest which measures to a degree, the success of members exhibiting at local, state, and national all breed and Jersey Wooly specialty shows. Wooly Jersey's have a club membership of over 700 worldwide The Jersey Wooly is only found in countries that use the ARBA standards. Some countries recognize a Dwarf Angora, and though it is similar, there are distinct differences between the two breeds. Broken Jersey Woolies were accepted as a recognized variety at the 2004 ARBA Convention in Rhode Island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Wooly http://rabbitbreeders.us/jersey-wooly-rabbits http://www.njwrc.org/ Oryx and Crake is a novel by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood. She has described the novel as speculative fiction and "adventure romance" rather than science fiction because it does not deal with things "we can't yet do or begin to do" and goes beyond the realism she associates with the novel form. Oryx and Crake was first published by McClelland and Stewart in 2003. It was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction that same year, and for the 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction. The novel focuses on a post-apocalyptic character with the name of Snowman, living near a group of primitive human-like creatures. "Across the clearing to the south comes a rabbit, hopping, listening, pausing to nibble at the grass with its gigantic teeth. It glows in the dusk, a greenish glow filched from the iridicytes of a deep-sea jellyfish in some long-ago experiment. In the half-light, the rabbit looks soft and almost translucent, like a piece of Turkish delight; as if you could suck off its fur like sugar." - Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryx_and_Crake THE GREEN RABBIT BEGINNING The cleanup of the Chemical Insecticide Corporation (CIC) Superfund site was the first project the EWA undertook. This 5-acre chemical wasteland was previously a manufacturing facility for agent orange. The land’s toxicity had a severe impact on human health and the environment, which led it to be featured in Molly Ivins’ bestselling book “Bushwhacked.” In 1989, EWA got involved after hearing that the only living things on the site were green rabbits poisoned by a chemical called Dinaseb. This Superfund site is located in a residential neighborhood of Edison, NJ. Children were playing on this land and families were hunting the animals coming off of the CIC site. The chemical runoff was draining into homes, major roadways (Interstate 287, Route 1), and waterways that drain into the Raritan River, the longest river solely in New Jersey and food source to thousands. EWA staff worked with the federal Superfund program to first get the offsite areas downstream in the residential communities identified and cleaned up, and next get the site covered with a plastic tarp until detail studies could be done to determine the best cleanup option. In 2015, EWA is working alongside the Township of Edison and Metuchen to create a dog park and other recreational amenities on this land to bring the community together and provide much needed open space. After more than 20 years of hard work, EWA is extremely pleased to bring this chapter to a close, taking what was once a toxic threat and turning it into a community asset. http://www.edisonwetlands.org/history/the-green-rabbit-story/ The story behind this summer's 'rabbit explosion' at the Jersey Shore They're multiplying and multiplying and multiplying By Brian Hickey PhillyVoice Staff Once you notice the first one, they’re everywhere you look. In what one Jersey Shore wildlife-rescue expert termed “an explosion,” the rabbit and bunny population has grown by leaps and bounds this summer. Granted, there are no concrete statistics available on their numbers. Their notoriously quick and voluminous breeding patterns make that a virtual impossibility. Still, animal-control workers, locals, shoobies, rabbit-rescue volunteers, civic officials and the state Division of Fish & Wildlife all agree that hares have seized land from the southern tip of Atlantic County to the northern end of Ocean County, inland and beyond. The shore-rabbit onslaught first surfaced in July 2016. That was when the Longport Board of Commissioners approved a six-month contract for an animal-control agency “to round up rabbits which are eating the manicured lawns and lovely flowers planted by residents in this wealthy hamlet by the sea.” The effort ceased less than a month later when Longport Mayor Nicholas Russo suspended the program because of backlash that prompted this quote: “Even my own daughter said, ‘Dad, there can be too many negative consequences to this bunny relocation.’ How can I ignore my own daughter and all my young constituents?” While Russo didn’t return a few calls seeking comment about the 2017 rabbit-population increase, Suzanne Fenton of the Wildlife Aid non-profit organization sees a distinct connection. “We’re getting calls mostly from Longport, Margate and Ventnor about rabbits,” she said. “We’ve never kept figures on it, but how many people call animal control when they have raccoons, possums and other predators for rabbits just not because they’re sick or injured, but just because they’re in their yard? “They’ve taken away all the predators in Longport and we’ve had an explosion of small things: chipmunks, moles, skunks. A raccoon in your yard is not the worst thing in the world, but some people call anyway. They would eat the baby rabbits, which is a sad thing to say, but people just don’t want (the predators) in their yards, so they call and have them taken away.” To be sure, the lack of predators is a common explanation for the “rabbit explosion," cited by everyone from Sam Holland of Animal Control of South Jersey, Lisa Kirk with Stafford Township (Ocean County) Animal Control and Andrew Burnett, wildlife biologist with the N.J. Division of Fish & Wildlife. It’s more of a curiosity than a menace, though. At their worst, the rabbits feed off people’s gardens, and set up living quarters in backyards in shore resorts. Those detriments are merely shrugged off by some locals. Maybe that is what Chris Christy was doing when he closed the New Jersey Beach last year.... http://www.phillyvoice.com/story-behind-why-rabbits-have-taken-over-jersey-shore/ Spook Rabbits Bloodthirsty bunnies dwell along a hill in Harmony Township, attacking hunting dogs to avenge the deaths of fellow cottontails. Harmony Township is the home to the urban legend of the spook rabbit. Spook rabbits are bloodthirsty critters out on the prowl. Supposedly, bullets can't stop these fluffy killers. The rabbits were first reported in 1891, when hunting dogs returned to their owners with bloody scratches all over their bodies. Even the most sharp-eyed sportsman cannot kill these hopping predators, locals say. A New York hunting columnist first reported the "spook rabbit" phenomenon in 1891. He ventured out to Harmony and fired at the elusive critters for more than an hour, failing to hit a single target. He remained skeptical, however, explaining that rabbits were protected by dense undergrowth. The wounded dogs, he added, were not the victims of fluffy fiends. Thorn-laced shrubbery along the trail was the likelier culprit, and the likeliest reason behind the dog’s injuries. https://www.ranker.com/list/new-jersey-creepy-stories-legends/chadglapion THE RABBIT AND THE RAM There was once a ram who liked to roam in a bean patch. He was very mischievous, and when they weren't paying attention, he would abandon his companions and end up eating in the bean patch. One day he stayed there enjoying eating the bean plants when the sun set. His stomach was full but he kept on eating. When it got dark he wanted to go back but his horns had become tangled up in the bean tendrils. He kept trying to free himself, but the tendrils wouldn't release him. He was beginning to move from one side to the other among the bean plants when the rabbit arrived. "What's the matter, friend?" the rabbit asked the ram. "Just look at what happened to me, just because I was looking for food. I'm in a real predicament," said the ram. "Don't worry, my friend, I'm going to untangle you right now. There's no problem. After all, aren't we friends?" asked the rabbit. "Thanks, friend, if you hadn't come, who knows what would have happened to me," said the ram. The rabbit finished setting him free and then told him this: "Let's go and eat far from here at a place I know where there's food." The rabbit took the ram to that place. After they were through eating, they looked for a place to spend the night. "Listen, my friend, we're going to look for a good place to sleep, so we won't have any problems and nothing will happen to us tonight, for there are some people who hate us. Not everyone is kind," said the rabbit. They were near a big rock. "It's a good idea to get on top of that rock," they said. They got on top of the rock to sleep. At midnight some big animals began to approach the foot of the rock that they had climbed onto: the lion, the jaguar and the coyote. "My friend, what's going to happen to us? Maybe they'll finish us off." "Don't move, because if you move they'll know someone is up here," said the rabbit. The ram felt the need to pass water. "I feel like passing water, friend, I'm going down to pass water, so as not to wet myself up here," said the ram. "Something could happen to us, friend. Maybe you ought to leave well enough alone. If they hear you climbing down, that'll be the end of us. Lie on your back and relieve yourself that way. Look how thick your wool is: the wetness will disappear into your wool. If I were like you, I wouldn't have to worry about that," said the rabbit. "I'm going to try now," said the ram. The ram tried to lie on his back, but he didn't have any hands to hold on with and he fell down among those who were at the foot of the rock. They were all asleep when the ram fell among them and they all fled out of fear. The rabbit and the ram spent the night in the other animals' house. When dawn came those who had been sleeping at the foot of the rock came back. From afar they were looking to see if the rabbit and the ram were still there. They saw that the rabbit was moving his paws from side to side, and beginning to lick them. So they said to each other: "The little one is the most rascally one, and the big one keeps saying 'yes, sir; yes, sir.' When they look at us, it is as if they're telling us that they're going to knock us down. They're gesturing with their hands," they said. They were all very frightened. But the rabbit was just shooing away flies. That's why he was moving his hands to and fro, and the ram was just complaining. Later they went to eat some more where they had eaten the previous afternoon. The other animals had fled out of fear that night and they never saw them again. After they had gone out to eat again, the ram's master arrived. When the ram realized that he was out looking for him, he said to the rabbit: "Now, my friend, we're going to part company, they're coming for me, take care. We'll meet another time," said the ram. "All right, my friend, you take care of yourself too." And so they parted. This is what happened to these two animals, the ram and the rabbit. http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maya/rabbit.html     © Copyrighted

The infamous PILOT bill is finally being challenged. Liberty & Prosperity, a constitutional advocacy group lead by Seth Grossman, has teamed up with Atlantic County Exec Denny Levinson. Both sides presented arguments in front of Superior Court Judge Mendez on Nov 30. Both are convinced that the PILOT is un-constitutional. Grossman, a Somers Point attorney and former Atlantic City councilman, refers to the PILOT as 'Payment in Lieu of Peanuts Taxes.'  The goal of the Casino PILOT was to stabilize Atlantic City’s tax-collection base. Wildly inaccurate assessments contributed to Atlantic City's near bankruptcy and eventual state take-over. The PILOT bill allows casinos to collectively pay $120 million per year instead of actual property taxes and allows them to upgrade their properties without tax implications. County Exec Denny Levinson said Seth Grossman was outstanding in front of Judge Mendez. 'He was terrific.' The current PILOT allows a private entity to gaining at the expense of the average taxpayer. Not review-able for 8 years. Every non-casino property will see tax hikes, says Levinson. Listen to Levinson on WOND Radio, Dec. 1, 2017 WOND PILOT COURT HEARING Dec 1 2017 Other notes: The Chiesa firm representing the STATE is out, effective Jan. 2018. Til then, it's another payday for that law firm, says Denny. Most recently, the Levinson family took a personal hit by standing up against Gov. Christie. With the County fighting the PILOT in court, the outgoing and very unpopular Governor pinked slipped the very capable Matt Levinson, son of the County Exec. Matt was not re-appointed to his position on the Casino Control Commission. That’s how Christie rolls. In addition, Atlantic County believes it should receive at least 13.5% of PILOT revenues, based on agreements with both AC Mayor Don Guardian, and Gov. Christie. (WATCH VIDEO) https://youtu.be/QBxXpvT1bek Everybody in legislature agrees. 13.5% should be given to taxpayers. Something that was verbally guaranteed by the outgoing Governor Christie. Press of Atlantic City thinks 10% is fine? Levinson pointed out that the Press of Atlantic City printed inaccurate data on the morning of Dec. 1, 2017. Was this just an error on the editor's part?  

Rick and MaryAlice chat with three Democrats recently elected to public office who say they were inspired by recent events to make a change. Guests: Ravi Bhalla, Mayor-Elect of Hoboken, NJ (2:00) Ashley Bennett, Freeholder-Elect in District 3 of Atlantic County, NJ (11:40) Wilmot Collins, Mayor-Elect of Helena, Montana (25:50) Please leave us a review! ----> http://bit.ly/2kI0pXP Check out our other podcasts ----> http://bit.ly/2eBJMNa * ABOUT JONATHAN KARL: Jonathan Karl is ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent and Chief White House Correspondent, contributing to all ABC News broadcasts. Karl has covered every major beat in Washington, including the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and the State Department. Karl covered all the major candidates in the 2016 election, including the first interview with Donald Trump of the 2016 election cycle. * ABOUT RICK KLEIN: Rick Klein is Political Director of ABC News, leading the network's political coverage and planning, and serves as an on-air political analyst across ABC News platforms. Klein joined ABC News in 2007 from The Boston Globe, where he most recently covered Congress and national politics. Read more ABC News politics coverage: http://abcn.ws/2fRRGC2 Follow Jon on Twitter: http://abcn.ws/2cK8Pv4 Follow Rick on Twitter: http://abcn.ws/2d00npb

Listen to the ACprimetime podcast. Back on OCT. 16, 2017, there was a debate between NJ State Senator Colin Bell and Assemblyman Chris Brown. It was held on WOND Radio, a small AM station in the Atlantic City area. Coincidentally… a struggling radio station that’s up for sale. Both candidates want your vote to be a NJ State Senator for the next 4 years. BrownFactCheck.com Here are some clips from the recent radio debate between Senator Bell & Assemblyman Brown. Fair warning: I'm not playing and commenting on these clips to sway your vote. Rather…. I hope you’ll see that FAKE NEWS and BIASED NEWS is a real problem. Not just at the national level…… but especially here at the local level. Biased media is a real problem, especially when the local news radio station….is partnered with the local newspaper. The Atlantic City news radio station is up for sale. The local newspaper is bleeding readers and advertisers. Kinda creepy…..a little too comfortable relationship between the moderator…and Assemblyman Brown. Moderator Scott Cronick….calls Chris Brown 'Buddy'…..laughs along with Mr. Brown. Yes, this is the same radio station moderator that took sponsorship money from Mayor Don Guardian, the incumbent candidate in a critical Atlantic City mayoral debate a few weeks ago at Dante Hall. As the 2016 presidential election proved…..mainstream media plays a major role in what info is shared with voters….what people should know, what they should think….and potentially how they should vote. Even with the non-stop trump bashing by national TV & Newspaper…..we know what happened as we selected our 45th president of the USA The rise of fake news, Independent minded voters of South Jersey. The land of Nucky Johnson. Nucky Johnson (1883–1968) was an Atlantic City, republican political boss, Atlantic County Sheriff, businessman, and racketeer. He was the undisputed "boss" of the political machine that controlled Atlantic City and the Atlantic County government from the 1910s until his conviction and imprisonment in 1941. Many believe Nucky invented the well-oiled GOP political machine here in South Jersey. 'Republi-crats' …..Those that vote one way at the national level…but cast their vote another way…..at the local level. Fake news. Control the narrative. Biased media & moderators. Collusion. Not just with those pesky Russians, but between the failing mainstream media too. Rhinos…..Republicans in name only. Senator Colin Bell Vs Assemblyman Chris Brown.

New Jersey needs a leader in its next governor, someone who can help influence national politics and change rhetoric around major issues facing the state, agreed a group of Atlantic County residents last week. The post Voting Block Pleasantville: We’re Looking For A Leader appeared first on Route 40.

Margate residents want a stop to the dangerous, harmful and un-needed dune work on their beaches. Packed house this morning, inside special Margate Commissioner Meeting at Old City Hall. Commissioners will hire outside counsel to file injunction against the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corp of Engineers. Jordan Rand of Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg will represent the city. “Stop the project until the ARMY CORP can prove competence” The Army Corps of Engineers and DEP have pumped out most of the contaminated water from the drainage gully. The water has been pumped to the other side of dune. Suffering irreparable harm. Will Margate sue for damages? Pumping contaminated water into the surf. Margate & Ventnor beach patrols have to patrol hidden areas behind the dunes. One Margate lifeguard has been home sick , reportedly from a bacterial infection caused by the contaminated water. Bulldoze the whole stupid dune system. Stop the Army Corp from wasting taxpayer dollars. Nobody wants this....except for a small handful of Jersey politicians, Ventnor Commissioners, contractors and insiders. “There’s nothing more important than our beach,” said Margate Commissioner Maury Blumberg Mayor Becker. “I want this project stopped immediately.” Margate plans to file an injunction on Thursday in Superior Court in Atlantic County. Local politicos; Frank Lobiondo, Chris Brown & Vince Mazzeo....have yet to step up and voice their opposition to this project. All three are invisible. Ventnor commissioners are still pro-dune....at this point. Margate biz has 14 weeks to make money. Store traffic is down. Restaurant traffic is down. Worries about property values and ratables. Summer rental business is way off. Who da thunk it? The real threat to Margate & other shore towns isn't stormy waters & mother nature... but... it's the Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps of Engineers is destroying Margate, in order to save it. Rep Frank Lobiondo sits on the House committee that funds the ACOE, who in turn contracts out with the State and local gov'ts and the private contractors that do the work. This project is being funded with Federal dollars. Rep Lobiondo got the ACOE to do Margate first and during the summer instead of Ventnor, where he is a resident, (wink, wink) because something broke. One nasty storm in 50 years. This was the opening for Mr Christy & Mr Lobiondo to make the case, for a one size fits all dune dump. Pumping out the dirty water is a short term fix. When it rains, it’s going to happen again. The incompetence of the Army Corp of Engineers is beyond comprehension. Any high school kid knows what will happen when dunes are built by digging out sand from behind. The number of lawyers in Margate should file multiple law suits in State and federal courts. Bring the media here and expose the sham and stupidity of those who approved this. Follow the money. What reporter wants this story?

HAVEN / Beat The Street Inc. is a non-profit organization that is designed to assist all categories of people in need ie. homeless families, singles, the impoverished. Focusing on solutions such as rental assistance and subsides, utility assistance (not cable), transportation, emergency shelter, nutritious food, information and referral (INR). We are the last option but often the first solution. Our faith is the reason for our existence Matthew 25:31-38 To remember that we can always do something for a person in need. We never run out of options because there is always a solution. It just may take time to find and/or create. To always seek God for help in our efforts and to treat those we serve as if they were our Lord Himself. We are working toward securing a site to work with people in Ocean and Atlantic County and to develop a shelter system. Ocean County at present has a total of 25 shelter beds with a census of over 500 homeless in need of shelter each and every day. Our hope is to overcome the public sentiment of, Not in my back yard, to a front yard experience in which the homeless are helped visibly, immediately and provided with a safe warm place with a roof and four walls. What We Need We need the cooperation of each locale’s citizenry, its government and its society. Once we establish our community connections the next major need is funding to be cultivated, secured, to create projects that become solutions to the homeless condition of every individual. No more than 12% of donations will be spent on non direct services of those we serve. Thank you for considering us to partner with you to be your homeless advocates and missionaries in Ocean County, Monmouth County and Atlantic County. Help us help the homeless take back their lives. Donations are tax deductible. No more than 10 percent will be used for overhead We are dedicated to helping the Least of our brothers and sisters. in and out of Christ. The bible says we are the salt of the earth what good is it if we lose our saltness? Can we be made salty again. Or are we good for nothing but to be trempled on by men.Matthew 5:13 Awards 2014 Humanitarian Of the Year. Martin Truex JR Foundation HAVEN/BEAT THE STREETS INC. 231 North New Road Absecon New Jersey 08201 www.havenstreets.org www.facebook.com/Havenstreets

Robin Scott of Ray Scott's Dock in Margate Proposed regulations using faulty research could put another nail in the coffin for flounder fishing along the South Jersey shore. New proposed regulations would force people to throw back any flounder less than 19 inches. Those 19 inch flounder are the female breeders. Regulators want the mama flounders to be the keepers. It doesn’t make sense. Listen to the Fish Jersey Shore Podcast for April 21, 2017. Robin Scott of in Margate is not backing down. She, along with Dick Herb, Chairman of the Marine Fisheries Council, and Bucktail Willie aka Bill Shillingford were guests on the recent Shep on Fishing radio show on WOND Radio. They have steam coming out of their gills.... I mean ears..... as they impatiently wait for a May 10 decision that could destroy the summer flounder season for recreational fishermen. SHEP ON FISHING Show notes: Second biggest industry in New Jersey. Fishing. Makes sense. We're next to a lot of water…fresh & salt Who wants to kill this critical portion of the NJ economy? We’re chasing away recreational fishermen to Delaware and Maryland in the Outer Banks. Did ya know… licensed Delaware anglers can pillage New Jersey's flounder since they're able to take home a 17-incher....even in NJ waters. NJ boaters can't do that in Delaware. Are we dealing with faulty flounder research? Is the management and monitoring of our New Jersey fisheries accurate? There's no shortage of Seabass or Flounder. That's what most fishermen say. But under new proposed regulations, any flounder that you're allowed to keep is going to be a 19 inch female... which is a breeder. The regulators use a vessel called THE BIGELOW....to fish alongside the big commercial fishermen. Many think they're not fishing properly. They're either using the wrong equipment... or they're just poor fishermen. Robin Scott: We look like fishing villages, without absolutely no fishing. The economic impact of harmful fishing regulations in South Jersey is going to be significant. Even though the Angelou Economics Report from last year….made it very clear that diversification of the Atlantic County economy was critical. Fishing is still being overlooked as key economic driver that needs better awareness. While we placed so much focus on casinos and real estate…everything else was withering. 40 years of casino focus, almost totally & literally killed much of Atlantic City. Look at how Gardner's Basin was was ignored…. Please, take a moment to join our email list. Sign our online petition as we join forces to protect fishing, crabbing & boating in South Jersey. Visit FishJerseyShore.com

Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian says Atlantic County non-casino taxpayers should be OK with a smaller share of the hated, casino-friendly PILOT  bill. The good Mayor likely got un-friended and lost many Facebook followers after that statement got out. LISTEN to Atlantic County Exec Denny Levinson. He responds on the Don Williams Radio Show. WOND 1400am. In 2015, the Mayor signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Atlantic County Exec Denny Levinson for 13.5%. (SEE DOCUMENT BELOW) As AC's financial outlook sunk ever further, Guardian had a change of heart about that 13.5%. The Atlantic City Mayor now wants to offer the county just 9.92 % – that's $4 million less per year for the county taxpayers. That's more than $40 million less... over life of the PILOT’s 10-year term. https://youtu.be/VN72PdRZJ28 All of this could be a moot point. The signed document (MOU below) needed OK from City Council. That never happened. Many were miffed that Guardian went rogue and did a deal with Levinson. County Exec Levinson says he's got a 13.5% deal. Mayor Guardian says 9.92%. The State says: you guys battle it out among yourselves. Levinson says the Mayor of Atlantic City misses two important points. All 22 other county municipalities were opposed to the PILOT because they believed it unfair they should bear any costs for Atlantic City’s financial mismanagement. Second, as a result of the PILOT, casino valuations are artificially low. Atlantic County Mayors are being blackmailed by Denny Levinson, so says Mayor Guardian. 'The Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce is getting political' says Mayor Don on the Harry Hurley Radio Show. Guardian is disappointed and downright rattled with the confusing actions of Chamber President, Joe Kelly. A frustrated Chamber membership is also scratching their heads. Why doesn't Kelly focus more on local business, tourism and new biz dev... instead of playing politics? Listen to the FEB 8 edition of the WPG 1450am Harry Hurley Radio Show: ‘Ask The Mayor’. LISTEN > Borgata Atlantic City sold 50 percent ownership for $900 million, while its total assessment is $880 million The County Exec Levinson continues: The mayor also ignores the fact that since 2008, county taxpayers will have refunded the city $65 million because of improper assessments. Although property tax refunds are not unusual, the magnitude of these are – more than 40 times higher than the county with the lowest refund and three times higher than the highest in New Jersey. This cost must be paid by non-casino taxpayers. The PILOT, payment in lieu of taxes freezes Atlantic City casino taxes until 2026. Atlantic County, along with the Mayors Association agreed to 13.5 percent so taxpayers wouldn't have to pay a larger share of taxes...due to Atlantic City’s fiscal mess. We recognized the PILOT was flawed and would negatively impact taxpayers. But the state and Atlantic City insisted it was vital. The county and municipalities gave their reluctant support only when the 13.5 percent was guaranteed. Dennis Levinson, County Executive  

Ventnor Mayor Bagnell Ventnor Mayor Mike Bagnell visited ACPrimetime Radio to recap his last 4 years of serving this Downbeach community. Bagnell; a 61 yr old Ventnor lifer and former fireman, talked about everything from the Ventnor Fishing Pier and Jitney service, to the recently settled dune dilemma with neighboring Margate. Ventnor Mayor; Mike Bagnell, recapped his 4 year run at City Hall. Click to listen to these topics discussed > Downbeach Margate Atlantic City Jitney service Eco-tourism park & Jim Rutala - grant writing guru Why vote for Imagine Ventor team of Kriebel, Holtzman & Landgraf Reduce use of plastic bags & Liquor licenses The amazing Ventnor Boardwalk, updated special events ordinances = more fun Infamous nay-sayer / hater gave farewell gift to Mayor Bagnell Shared services and Atlantic County executive Denny Levinson Ventnor Master Plan, Sustainable New Jersey Downtown Ventnor, Streetscapes & business districts Flipping burgers on the beach with Adam Joseph & Melissa Magee of Action News

Atlantic City Gateway Project LISTEN > Developers of a new Stockton Boardwalk campus are ready for shovels in ground that once occupied Atlantic City High School. Indeed, this Chelsea neighborhood of Atlantic City is ready for a reboot & revival. A non-profit lead by Chris Paladino of ACDevco, is going to kick-start it this spring. By Fall of 2018, 1,500 students will utilize this beachfront facility. LISTEN to Paladino address the SJ Chamber of Commerce on APRIL 19, 2016 Atlantic City Development Corp will oversee the building of the new Stockton Boardwalk campus, along with adjacent South Jersey Gas HQ. The Jingoli Development firm is partnering in this out-of-the-box project/campus on the Boardwalk. Also involved is Real-Estate developer Jon Hanson, who sees benefit in the 'Devco' model where complex projects have better chance of being developed. Academic buildings, student housing and a spiffy new parking garage will provide another step in the diversification of both Atlantic City, and Atlantic County. Who's gonna pay for all of this? The Stockton Atlantic City campus on Albany Avenue is a public-private partnership. Stockton will pony up $18 million. The CRDA will contribute $17 million from monies derived from the Atlantic City casinos, currently taxed at 9.25 percent — 8 percent of gross revenues and a 1.25 percent "investment alternative tax." The remainder of funding will come from $70 million of tax-exempt debt approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and $28 million in tax-credit debt. The Atlantic County Improvement Authority (ACIA) could bond a portion of the overall debt as well.

LISTEN: Senator Jim Whelan spoke to 130 business leaders on April 19. It was an event hosted by the Southern New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. The day of panel discussions were held at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel. Whelan warned the crowd, along with AC's Mayor Guardian: they might not like what they're about to hear... Whelan sharply criticized Atlantic City on a variety of topics. Senator Whelan: The public unions want to protect their collective bargaining agreements. The Mayor & City Council want to their preserve power & influence. Notable Quotes: 100 towns have privatized their water. On 3 different occasions, Atlantic City could have taken action with their water company (MUA). 'It's hard to make the case that Atlantic City is getting it's act together', says Whelan. Bader Field is a 150 acres of mismanagement. It's even degrading....with portions slowly becoming wetlands. Fortunatley, the city will finally auction off properties like Bader Field on June 17. The starting bid is a hopeful $150 million. TV expose by Action News....showing Councilman George Tibbit using city vehicle to drive to Home Depot. Prieto does not have the votes to pass his bill. He does not have the 41 needed, otherwise he would post the bill. Prieto bill...the county would get $4 mil extra per year.....from broke city. There is no meaningful incentive for early retirement (public employees) Take-over is better than bankruptcy Howard Kyle (Chief of Staff for Atlantic County Executive Levinson) pitched public-private partnerships, agriculture, the airport and colleges. The best way to save Atlantic City.... is to save Atlantic County, says Kyle.

Max Slusher of the ACIA In an effort to stimulate economic growth and development, Atlantic County and the City of Atlantic City are offering two loan programs for businesses in Atlantic City and portions of the county to promote job creation, revitalize communities and increase the ratable base. Funding for the loans that are administered by the Atlantic County Improvement Authority (ACIA) is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 108 program which allows communities to leverage their Community Development Block Grant funds into federally guaranteed loans for economic revitalization. “We’re very pleased to offer these programs for the purpose of growing our local businesses and generating jobs for our residents,” stated County Executive Dennis Levinson. “As our current lead economic development agency, the ACIA has taken the initiative to pursue and successfully acquire the use of $6 million in federally-guaranteed funding.” The 108 Loan Program can provide for-profit businesses with loans up to 40 percent of the project cost at a maximum of $400,000 with repayment terms of 10-20 years. One job must be created for every $35,000 spent. A non-refundable $200 application fee is required. LISTEN > MAX SLUSHER OF ACIA ON MEL TAYLOR RADIO SHOW The Micro Loan Program offers loans between $1,000 and $35,000 to start up businesses that meet the HUD criteria of low to moderate income. Preference is given to borrowers with at least six months to one year experience. Fifty-one percent of an applicant’s new hires should be of low to moderate income and should preferably live within Atlantic County. A non-refundable $100 administrative fee is required at time of loan processing. Both loan programs are available to businesses located in municipalities that participate in the Community Development Block Grant as well as Atlantic City. For more info visit:Atlantic County Improvement Authority or call Max Slusher, ACIA Economic Development Director, (609) 343-2157. The post Atlantic County & Atlantic City to Offer Local Business Loans appeared first on Atlantic City Prime Time.

Straub at City Council, March 16, 2016 WATCH VIDEO > On Tues, March 15, Atlantic City officials toured the Revel property. “Amazingly intact and in great condition” is what they reported after the 90 minute tour. Much of what they saw was in direct conflict with daily inaccuracies being reported by local news radio. For the past 15 months, media pundits regularly questioned Glenn Straub's sanity, as well as his interest/ability to re-open Revel in Atlantic City. One particular news director virtually swore Straub & Revel were doomed. One by one, those rumors, accusations and innuendo are proving to be wrong. Really wrong. When no one else could or would, Florida real estate developer Glenn Straub stroked a $82 mil check. He took ownership of Revel. Jealousy ensued, as cold, hard cash snagged this premium, 20 acre plot along the Atlantic City Boardwalk. https://youtu.be/08mACPfvXE0 Instead of being seen as an economy-boosting hero, Straub endured 15 months of red tape, fines, electricity shut-downs and eminent domain threats. Glenn Straub has often been the target of taunts from manipulated Radio newscasters, reporters and politicians. Some are not shy about wanting Straub to sell Revel and cash-out with a big payday...even if Revel and it's jobs supply would sit dormant even longer. Officials from Atlantic City toured Revel property on March 15, 2016. Dale Finch; Director of Licence & Inspections Elizabeth Terenik; Director of Planning & Development Scott Evans; Fire Chief Wally Shields; Construction Official After some face time with Straub, the city's team was escorted through the building by Revel's facility manager. It was a comprehensive inspection that took about 90 minutes. Finch & Terenik deserve credit for that smart reach-out to Straub, effectively 'scooping' the local news outlets. The Real Facts About Revel: Revel is 99% ready for business. 500 guest rooms are ready. (out of 1500) There is now a 'Ropes' course in the lobby. Clubs are ready. HQ is not part of re-opening plan. Swimming Pool prepped and good to go. Jobs. Lot's of them. At least a few hundred. Job fair is planned. Public safety, inspections & planning execs say Revel is “amazingly intact” & in “great condition”. Gaming machines, tables & chairs in place, like-new condition. Hotel rooms are clean with perfect beds, furniture, light fixtures, drapes, artwork. Restaurants, hotel rooms and gaming floors look ready to go. Everything in place. BS exposed. Haters denied. Rumors proven false. Tractor trailers taking valuables OUT of Revel? Nope. They were actually bringing stuff IN to Revel. Kitchen appliances and related items were being delivered from satellite storage areas. Rumors about mold due to lack of AC & Heating? Total nonsense. Today, Straub is now on the verge of finally opening the former Revel as a 500 room resort and casino. More rooms will come online soon. June 15 is target opening date. His application is currently under review by New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.  Will somebody try one last time to thwart Glenn's approval for a NJ casino license? Probably. Would some short-sighted nitwits try to effectively kill the much needed positive press and 500 jobs this re-opening no doubt would produce? Probably. But they will ultimately fail. A new Revel could eventually put 2000 - 3000 people to work, according to Straub as he addressed City Council on Wed. night, March 17. Some have tried to position Straub as slightly eccentric. He's in good company. Steve Jobs, Steve Wynn, Henry Ford, Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg, Carl Icahn and Albert Einstein all had and still have the same problem. The Atlantic City economy needs the former Revel property to be up and running asap. Atlantic County would benefit too.  

Listen To The Interview Listen > Local Real Estate exec Carlo Losco thinks a 'Free Trade Zone' in and around the Atlantic City International Airport would provide great benefit to the Atlantic County economy. http://acprimetime.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WPG-Carlo-Losco-Mel-Taylor-12.4.14.mp3 Losco is stepping up efforts to assist the newly formed Atlantic County Economic Alliance. Losco met recently with The Port Authority of NY & NJ and the South Jersey Transportation Authority. Talks included how many could benefit from a FTZ; a free trade zone. Mark Callazzo Local developer and entreprenuer; Mark Callazzo joined the conversation. Mark was our in-studio co-host for the hour on The Mel Taylor Show on WPG Talk Radio 1450. Mark is owner of The Iron Room and Atlantic City Bottle Company. Callazzo is also a developer / financing guy via Alpha Funding. Listen below to Mark Callazzo on the Mel Taylor Radio Show. WPG 1450. http://acprimetime.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/WPG-Mark-Collazzo-Mel-Taylor-12.4.15.mp3 Topics: A new restaurant row in AC? Property valuations. What is 'Re-Development' status, and why is it so important? The need for better marketing. Prudent risk-taking in Atlantic City. Learn more about Alpha Funding Solutions

Max Slusher & Coach Mindy on WPG Talk Radio 1450 It's not easy being Max Slusher.  He's the director of Economic Development at the Atlantic County Improvement Authority. Growing jobs is a top priority for Slusher. Click and listen to Max as he hangs out on The Mel Taylor Show on WPG Talk Radio 1450. Show Date: Oct 30, 2015. Max Slusher talks about: Reversing South Jersey Educational 'Brain Drain' Low-Hanging Fruit: Aviation Opportunities Angelo Angelou Report Boosting Local Entrepreneurship Seeing Coach Mindy everywhere. Future of Atlantic City, Atlantic County & South Jersey His love of Queen, Pink Floyd & Barry Manilow Bart Blatstein's potential as an underwear model Click to Listen. MAX SLUSHER interview with Mel Taylor & WPG Talk Radio 1450 http://acprimetime.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/WPG-SLUSHER-10.30.15.mp3     Coach Mindy Halloween Costume    

Click to Play The full version of the National Anthem as performed by Michelle Taylor-Buster, Gospel recording artist from Atlantic County, NJ, at the grand opening reception for Walmart Store #3339, located at 1070 W. Landis Avenue in Vineland, Cumberland County, NJ. The store phone number is 1-856-205-9940.