Why are whales dying in record numbers, advocates ask.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
Downbeach.com is committed to providing local news of interest to the communities of Ventnor, Margate and Longport. Here’s a list of our most-read stories during each month of 2023. It’s interesting to reflect on what our readers found to be worthy of a click-through to read the big and little news stories of the month.
January
The year started off with the death of whales that many wind farm detractors believe is being caused by testing procedures being done by offshore wind developers. This story, written by our colleagues at OCNJDaily.com and SeaIsleNews.com, would permeate the news throughout the year.
But there were several other big news stories in January, including Margate’s plan to move forward with a welcome center at Lucy the Elephant, the developer of Ventnor Plaza revising plans for the massive redevelopment project to suit the needs of neighbors, and Ventnor Mayor Beth Holtzman announcing she would step down after selling her house and moving out of town.
February
The Margate Business Association makes an announcement that it would hold a new family friendly springtime event on March 26 called The Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival was planned for a time when the Kwanzan cherry trees are in bloom along the Parkway. Only, when time came for the festival, the cherry blossoms had not yet bloomed. Is a date change in the mix for 2024?
Margate to celebrate first-ever Cherry Blossom Festival on Parkway
The second most-read story during February was about the Atlantic County Board of County Commissioners calling for a moratorium on offshore wind development until such time as the cause of recent whale deaths is confirmed. Also, Ventnor Commissioner Lance Landgraf announced he would fill the role of mayor following Holtzman’s resignation.
March
Local sand sculptor John Gowdy creates a life sized sculpture of a whale on the beach near the Ventnor Fishing Pier to create awareness of the plight of the whales, which many believe are dying from offshore wind testing.
John Gowdy creating life-sized whale sculpture on Ventnor beach
Running a close second in popularity is a story about the Margate Planning Board denying variances to create a mixed-use development. The main issue was a lack of parking. Has the tide turned in granting variances for parking in Margate? After revising the plan to reduce the number of bedrooms in the residences, the developer would later get approvals to build at the former Chinese restaurant site.
Additionally, a new slate of candidates is announced for the May Margate Commission nonpartisan election. Margate Deserves Better team announced it would challenge the Friends of Margate team announced in January. The campaign would be contentious leading up to the election.
April
A little story about a Christmas movie being filmed in Longport goes viral. More than 14,000 people logged on to read about the filming of “So Fly Christmas,” which would be broadcast on cable TV in time for the holiday season.
Also, plans to build a welcome center at Lucy the Elephant undergoes revisions to suit her next door neighbors. Also popular was the MBA announcing its list of events for the remainder of the year, Ventnor announcing it would soon open the newly built Ventnor Beach Patrol Headquarters building and Ventnor Fountain Friends announcing it would start a capital campaign to replace the fountain at the Ventnor Water Works site.
May
Our most-read story this month was a press release about a young man going to West Point. Calvin Donahue, a 2022 summa cum laude graduate of Mainland Regional High School, was awarded an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Margate resident Nick Kurilko, a 1968 West Point graduate.
Also, during May, the city swears-in the winners of the non-partisan election. Following a contentious campaign season, the Friends of Margate team of Michael Collins, Cathy Horn and Maury Blumberg win the election and elect Collins to serve as mayor for the next four years.
June
The most-read story in June was Correspondent Brooke Feldman’s story about Victoria Mozitis of Northfield being crowned Miss New Jersey during the final night of competition held at Resorts Hotel Casino. The story provided a unique perspective, as Feldman was a contestant in the competition in the previous year.
Also, popular among our readers was a story about the rebirth of the Ventnor Plaza shopping center with the opening of an all new restaurant, called Provenza. The two-story end unit that once housed a Chinese restaurant and a movie theater, includes a 98-seat restaurant, coffee shop and 120-seat banquet hall on the first floor. The banquet space on the second floor will accommodate 250 people when the second phase is completed.
July
The month brought the most shocking and sad story about the death of Board of Education Vice-president and popular local dentist and athlete Joel Frankel, who died unexpectedly at age 43. Public officials and residents all expressed sadness and provided accolades for Frankel’s community service and commitment to his patients. His funeral service was held at the Dominick A. Potena Performing Arts Center with hundreds of people in attendance.
The Borough of Longport also learned that it would permanently lose its Post Office. The site will be sold for residential development.
August
A story about the lineup for the annual Atlantic City Airshow was upstaged by a local story about the Save Lucy Committee requesting funding to build its proposed interpretive center next to the Lucy the Elephant National Historic Landmark. Save Lucy Committee Executive Director Richard Helfant asked the Margate Board of Commissioners to match the funds the committee has raised to build a visitors’ interpretive center to meet the needs of the estimated 150,000 visitors who visit the site every year.
Also popular with readers was a story about the retirement of Andy and Penni Starer, who started the Ventnor City Farmers Market seven years ago. The couple moved to Florida, and next season, the third original Market Manager Maria Gatta, will be joined by John Dowd.
September
The City of Ventnor got mixed reviews for its plan to take a side-street parking space to install a “parklet,” which is a postage stamp sized area where shoppers and restaurant goers can enjoy takeout. The Commission approved the purchase of the first-ever “streetdeck” modular unit at a cost of $14,912 and it will be installed on Martindale Avenue near Ventnor Avenue next to Cookie Till’s No. 7311 small batch bakery. Commissioner Tim Kriebel said the parklet will create a more vibrant, communal and safer environment for downtown businesses.
Coming to a neighborhood near you: Ventnor to get its first ‘parklet’ in South Beach section
Another story that caught the attention of our readers was a story recounting how two Margate City Police Officers in full gear ran into the ocean to rescue a 58-year-old woman and her 12-year-old granddaughter from drowning in the ocean off Wilson Avenue. The officers would later be honored for their heroism and bravery.
October
One of our most-read stories of all time went viral when Margate resident Ari Goldberg decorated his Parkway area home as a haunted mansion. Goldberg turned the front yard of his home into a spooky graveyard with hundreds of creatures, all to honor his deceased sister who loved Halloween. It took more than a month to erect the display.
Another sad loss is announced, this time in Longport with the passing of Doug Farrell, a podiatrist, children’s book author and longtime Beach Patrol supporter who sang the national anthem at numerous Downbeach community events and services. He was a good friend to Downbeach.com, and partnered with the Capt. Turner Memorial Swim to raise more than $100,000 for the International Multiple Myeloma Foundation.
November
Sometimes, it’s the little stories that get the most attention. This month, it was recognizing Eleanor Thomas, 10, of Longport, a student in the Margate schools, who designed Margate’s 2024 beach tag. Eleanor’s design is a giant wave with a surfer on top and a very bright sun above.
Also, popular this month was a story about eight new welcome signs being erected at various Margate locations. The signs were designed by Egg Harbor Township artist Jon Baker, who is popular for his paintings of Lucy the Elephant. Margate’s favorite pachyderm can be seen at the entrances to the city on Ventnor and Atlantic avenues, at the foot of the Margate bridge, the Lucy playground on Jerome Avenue, surf boat at the Sigmund Rimm Recreational Complex, and near Marven Gardens and Shalom House.
December
Longport gets a big Christmas present from a prominent citizen who willed two beach-block lots behind her home to the borough with the stipulation that the lots be turned into a park. Dorothy McGee, the borough’s former school board secretary who died in November, stipulated in her will that the lots, valued at more than $3 million, should be deed restricted in perpetuity as a public park and be equipped with a gazebo, 3-foot fence and appropriate landscaping. Hundreds of people responded positively to the story, which they hope will provide a little green space amid one of the most developed areas on Absecon Island.
Longport woman bequeaths 2 beach-block lots for borough to create public park
A park of another kind got lots of attention in Ventnor when the city announced it was awarded a $200,000 grant to begin efforts to create an eco-park at the Ventnor West bayfront area.
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