FEMA Building Standards Saved Windnsea in Highlands

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Thousands Raise Hope and Funds For Highlands

Photography by Paul Scharff

As estimated 3,000 people braved the cold and traveled by land and sea Sunday afternoon to to raise hope and money for the sea side community of Highlands, NJ, much of which was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy,  at the Hope For Highlands Concert.  The concert was held at the Seastreak Ferry parking lot.  Seastreak provided ferry service from Atlantic Highlands and New York City to the event.

13 year old Max Kyrillos kicked off the concert with a Hendrix style rendition of The Star Spangled Banner.

Big Joe Henry, Southside Johnny and Pat Guadagno joined the previously announced talent of the Asbury Jukes, Glenn Alexander, Tony Seguso, Tony Tino, Bob Bandiera, Bob Burger, Lisa Bouchelle, Lisa Lowell, Layonne Holmes, and Tommy LaBella in raising the spirits of the tight knit community and the thousands came out to support their recovery.

Brian Spagnolo and Kari Belusko of Highlands were engaged to be married during the concert.

Over $35,000 has been raised so far.  Click here for more information on how to donate to the Hope for Highlands Fund.

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Hurricane Sandy Aftermath in Highlands

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Voluntary Evacuation in Highlands

The Borough of Highlands has announced a voluntary evacuation of its storm torn downtown area due to the oncoming nor’easter, via reverse 9-11.

Tidal flodding is expected.

Residents in need of shelter should move the to Henry Hudson Regional High School.

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MMM Predictions for Election 2012

By popular demand (from Matt Rooney and a Democratic operative who doesn’t want people to know he/she talks to me) your favorite blogger is shifting his focus away from the Sandy Aftermath and back to politics on this election eve.

Rooney said, “Let’s hear your projection, Gallagher.”  My response: “The power will be off at my house for the rest of the week.”

Here are my predictions:

Read the rest of this entry »

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The Today Show comes to Highlands

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Seastreak Ferry Service to Resume Monday Morning

Limited Service Out Of Highlands Only.  Commuters To Enter Highlands From Linden Ave/Route 36 Only

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno comes through with additional police support

Seastreak LLC will resume ferry service between Highlands and Manhattan on Monday November 5 on a limited schedule.

Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, Mayor Frank Nolan, Police Chief Joseph Blewet, members of the Highlands Borough Council and representatives of Seastreak met this afternoon to resolve the community’s security concerns.  Nolan told MMM that Seastreak has agreed to provide additional security lighting and that Guadagno promised 6 additional law enforcement officers to manage the flow of traffic while protecting the residents and their property.

Downtown Highlands was under 8-10 feet of water during Superstorm Sandy.  Only borough residents and their accompanied guests have been allowed past the police check points at the entrances to the riverside side community since the storm ended.

Seastreak ticket holders must abide by the following restrictions:

• Access to and from the Highlands facility will be limited to Linden Avenue only.
• A checkpoint will be in place which will limit access to ticket holders only, so please have your ticket ready to show at the checkpoint to keep traffic flowing as you arrive into town. 
• Seastreak will have ticketing staff at the checkpoint for customers who need to purchase tickets.
• Seastreak encourages carpooling.
• With the limited access to and from the Highlands facility, please allow ample time to arrive on time for your departure.

“I’m happy to see that even in their darkest hour the residents of Highlands, specifically Mayor Nolan, stepped up to help others,” said Guadagno, “this is what makes New Jersey great.”

Nolan’s home was destroyed in the storm.  He and his family are temporarily living in the shelter in town.

Seastreak announced the following limited schedule:

Departures from Highlands will be:

6:00am, 7:00am, 8:00am and 8:55am

Returns from East 35th St. and Pier 11 will be:

4:15pm E.35th St./4:40pm Pier 11

5:10pm E. 35th St./5:30pm Pier 11

6:30pm E. 35th St./6:45pm Pier 11

7:30pm E. 35th St./7:45pm Pier 11

The ferry service hopes to have their Atlantic Highlands location operating by mid-week

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Highlands: No Ferry Service Without Power Or More Police Support

Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan and Police Chief Joseph Blewet announced to an Emergency Information Meeting this afternoon that the borough’s restrictive access to downtown Highlands will continue for the foreseeable future and that as of now commuters will not be allowed to enter the town on Monday for ferry service to Manhattan.

Highlands has been closed to non-residents all week since the evacuation for Hurricane Sandy.  Police check points are in place at the two entrances to the community…at the base of the Captain Joseph Azzolina Bridge and at the corner of Waterwitch and Linden Avenues…no one without identification with a Highlands address or accompanied by a Highlands resident are allowed beyond the check points.

Blewet said there had been “a dozen or so” looting incidents reported and that the check points would continue until power is restored to the community.  The Highlands Police Department is being supported by officers from the State Attorney General’s office, the State Police, and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

Nolan told MMM that Highlands would need at least three additional police officers inorder to allow commuters into town or the full restoration of power to the borough.  Highlands is not yet on JCPL’s schedule for power restoration, according to the information they provided the Christie Administration.

Seastreak LLC, the ferry service that operates out of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, sent an email to the customers on November 2 announcing that Nolan “will lift the public access restrictions” and that service would resume on Monday November 5.  The same message emailed was posted on the company’s website.

Jack Bevins, the Seastreak manager in charge at the Highlands Connors location told MMM that the company was indeed planning to resume limited service on Monday.  He said the Highlands OEM Director David Parker had given him permission, subject to a conversation with Blewet.  “This is the first I’ve heard there was a problem,” Bevins said when informed of Nolan’s and Blewet’s announcement.  He immediately left his crew that was restoring access to the fleet to speak with Blewet.

In Atlantic Highlands, Mayor Fred Rast and Harbor Commission Chairwoman Jane Frotton laughed at the notion of Seastreak operating out of their harbor on Monday.  The company’s announcement said they “hoped” to be able to resume service in Atlantic Highlands on Tuesday.  Rast and Frotton said the barge would have to be replaced and parking at the Senior Housing cleared before commuters would be allowed into Atlantic Highlands.   Tuesday appears to be a pipedream.

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There is nothing to loot in Highlands

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Images of Sandy

Waterwitch Ave, Highlands

Monmouth Cove Marina, Middletown

Shore Drive, Highlands

Shore Blvd, Keansburg

Clam boat floated into the backyard of this house in Highlands. Note the watermark on the siding

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