Longtime City Employee to Receive Carousel Award
By ED SALVAS Garrett L. Giberson, better known as Gary, is a life-long Asbury Park resident who’s career as a city employee began in his teens and continues today, four years after his “retirement” as director of public works. Giberson is being honored with the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce Carousel Award presented annually to an outstanding Public Official. The awards ceremony will take place at the Chamber’s Carousel Awards Dinner May 9 at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel. Giberson is currently the part time manager of the city beachfront, a position he’s held since 2010 when he officially stepped…
Asbury Park Chamber Names New Assistant Director
By ED SALVAS The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce created a new job this year in addition to making technology improvements at its office. These are other announcements were made at the chamber’s first 2014 General Membership breakfast meeting at the VFW. Attendees enjoyed a breakfast of scrambled eggs, pancakes and coffee provided by the restaurant Toast. Chamber Executive Director Jackie Pappas said the chamber’s membership stands at 275 and announced that Matthew Whelan has been hired as the chamber’s full time assistant executive director. “We created a job this year,” Pappas said in announcing that Whelan has been…
Landmark Beach Cinema Upgrades to 21st Century
By ED SALVAS When the Beach Cinema in Bradley Beach opened in 1925, it was called the Palace, and the films were silent and in black an white. Movie goers today will discover a 21st century theater, updated with state-of-the-art digital projection and enhanced with Surround Sound as the Beach Cinema completes an upgrade to digital to remain in business. “I’ve been told we had to do this for three years now” said owner John Esposito, who said the Beach Cinema is one of the last movie houses in Monmouth and Ocean counties to still be showing movies on…
A Piece of Asbury Park History Returning to City
By ED SALVAS It’s been more than 100 yeas since a horse-drawn carriage made its way through the streets of Asbury Park delivering the local newspaper. But thanks to the generosity of the Gannett Corporation, publishers of The Asbury Park Press, the carriage may soon return to Asbury Park. The carriage, which dates to 1879 and was used to deliver the Shore Press, the forerunner of the Asbury Park Press, has been on display in the lobby of the Press building on Route 66 in Neptune, but the Press is moving to a new building and needs to find…
Bradley Beach Chamber Foots the Bill for Holiday Lights
By ED SALVAS Main Street in Bradley Beach is starting to take on a Holiday look. Borough employees have started putting up new “snowflake” holiday lights along the borough’s Main Street after receiving a donation of $1,500 from the Chamber of Commerce. Officers of the chamber were at the Borough Council meeting last week and presented the check to Mayor Gary Engelstad. President Brenda Connolly, Vice President John Esposito, chairman of the Beautification Committee, and Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Director Shirley Ayres were thanked by the mayor who praised the business group’s effort and said he believes the relationship between…
After 30 Years Hair Salon Owner Has No Plans to Retire
By ED SALVAS It’s not unusual to find Cissie Giresi at work in her W. Sylvania Avenue salon in Neptune City at 6 a.m. By then, she’s already had a workout at the nearby Retro Fitness center where she generally starts her daily routine. In October, Giresi celebrates the 30th anniversary of the opening if Cissies Touch of Class Hair and Nail Salon at 201 W. Sylvania Ave. She opened the salon after working for 15 years at other shops, including the Hamilton Barber Shop and at the Glemby’s salon at Sears. Giresi sad she was encouraged to go…
“It’s free, eco-friendly local transportation…”
By ED SALVAS Bryan Nesci’s idea of a summer vacation is operating a free shuttle service for beach goers in Avon-by-the-Sea. The 23-year-old senior at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken is wrapping up his second season of business on Labor Day to return to school where he’s studying mechanical engineering. Nesci has been working seven days a week since Memorial Day picking up and dropping off passengers at their cars and taking them to the Avon beach in his six passenger, all electric golf cart, known as an LSV, or low-speed vehicle. “It’s free, eco-friendly local transportation,” Nesci…
QVC Host Finds New Home, Opportunity in Bradley Beach
By ED SALVAS BRADLEY BEACH – Regular viewers of the QVC Shopping Channel will recognize Jane DeNoble as one of the channel’s regular hosts and know that she’s well organized because of the numerous time saving products she’s introduced on the air. Now, the new resident of Bradley Beach has been named head of the town’s Garden Club and is helping organize a beautification effort in the borough. DeNoble says she’s still unpacking in her new home but once she expressed an interest in becoming involved in the beautification effort, her realtor, Brenda Connolly, suggested she call the Chamber…
Dog Park Proposed for Sunset Park
By ED SALVAS ASBURY PARK – Asbury Park dog lovers are moving forward with plans for a new dog park where they can gather and exercise their pooches. Their first plan, for a dog park in Library Square Park between Asbury and First Avenues, drew such vehement opposition from neighbors that they gave up on it. Now they’re back with a new plan for a park to be created in a portion of Sunset Park between Fifth and Sunset Avenues. Word of the new plan came in a letter from the office of City Manager Terry Reidy mailed to area…
Greater Ocean Township Chamber Celebrates 25 Years of Expo
By ED SALVAS OCEAN TOWNSHIP – The rooms of the Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune were jumping Wed., May 19 afternoon for an annual event that brings businesses and their potential customers together. The annual Greater Ocean Township Chamber of Commerce Business and Consumer Expo was also marking its 25th anniversary this year and the chamber was celebrating. The Expo has become one of the largest events of its kind in the area, and this year brought in 80 vendors with displays of everything from new cars to financial services, restaurant placemats and bottled water. Jason Hutzley, President…
