A week before Christmas and I’m bouncing around this morning looking forward to purchasing my first legal Cuban cigar.

Route 35 in Ortley Beach in the days after Supersstorm Sandy
Route 35 in Ortley Beach in the days after Supersstorm Sandy (Township of Toms River)
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It doesn’t take an Ivy League education to know that the Route 35 road project has not been good to many local businesses and that’s especially true in Lavallette.

As work continues to fix the roadway along the barrier island following Superstorm Sandy comes speculation that the project will not be completed in time for the influx of summer residents and visitors. What is most concerning to local businesses is the possibility that the massive road project will continue right through the summer months resulting in road closings, detours and parking restrictions.

The Department of Transportation insists a final decision has not been made but most concerning is they have not said construction in the summer months will be suspended like it was last summer. Businesses are struggling in the post-Sandy era and the feeling is many will not survive without a strong summer in 2015.

Residents and business owners will gather Saturday morning at 9 a.m. in front of the new Borough Hall on Grand Central Avenue as part of what they are calling “Enjoy Lavallette.”  The idea is for all to get together, show their support for one another send a message to state officials that they need to work with and not against the local business community and residents.

Lavallette's new borough hall during construction
Lavallette's new borough hall during construction (Borough of Lavallette)
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Sometimes the right decision is the one right in front of you. The Toms River Regional Board of Education has named Dan Dietrich the head baseball coach at High School East succeeding the retired Bill Frank who won 520 games over a 30-year career.  Dietrich had been a loyal assistant for all of those seasons and now gets the chance to run his own program.  The Raiders were 17-8 last spring and shared the Class A South title with Jackson Memorial.

The University of Michigan has reportedly offered 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh a six-year $49 million contract to leave the NFL and become head coach at his alma mater…and we wonder sometimes about how college sports has gotten out of control.  It’s all about the haves and have nots and what determines that is money.

If Harbaugh takes the job it won’t be because he knows the words to the Michigan fight song but rather the $8 million plus annual salary which would make him the highest paid college coach in the nation.`

 

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