Bubba Mac
Local musician (and restaurant owner) Herb “Bubba” Birch died Tuesday. Birch’s Bubba Mac Blues Band, which featured some of the best of the best South Jersey musicians, last performed at the Ocean City Spring Block Party on May 6. Read (and watch) SNJ Today’s piece on his career here.
Beer Garden
The first beer garden on the Atlantic City Boardwalk could open for July 4, The Press of Atlantic City reports. (I’m calling it the first beer garden, since surely we could replace
Old Beesley’s Point Hotel via @cweisman284 on Instagram.
some of the vacant lots or shuttered souvenir stalls with more outdoor drinking and eating establishments?) Anyway. As we reported last week, the beer garden still has to get licenses and permits from the city, but work has already begun to demolish the existing wall on the site and install grass, fire pits, a bar and other facilities.
Gyros
In more news from the Boardwalk, the “never closed” Bill’s Gyros at Kentucky Ave has in fact been closed for a while. We tracked Bill down and he says he’ll reopen in June. Business has been beyond tough at that end of the Boardwalk since the Taj Mahal closed last fall. Bill is 81 and amazing – read the story.
In the rest of the headlines from the last 24 hours, a pilot was able to walk away after crashing a vintage plane in southern Ocean County, errr, there’s a projected state budget shortfall of $527 million, if you’re into Miss America read about her special trinket, and New Jersey is getting a new chief federal judge. All that and more below:
EHT Airman Makes Final Overseas Trip–Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Donovan of the 177th Fighter Wing of the N.J. Air National Guard wanted to experience one more overseas trip to the Korean peninsula before his military career ended. Press of Atlantic City
Bike Bash Returns to the Nugget–It seems like for the month of May, “bashes” are suddenly en vogue at Golden Nugget Atlantic City. The Deck at Golden Nugget will play host to “Bike Bash” at 6 pm Wednesday, May 24, featuring everything from live music and beer specials to tattoo contests. Atlantic City Weekly
Real Estate Firm Promotes Anti-Bullying Campaign at Atlantic City School–Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore Team partnered with the Texas Avenue School in Atlantic City on Red Day, May 11, to promote the school's anti-bullying program, “Live the Pledge.” Shore News Today
Crying Baby Deer Rescued From Hole by Animal Control–A crying baby deer has been rescued by two New Jersey animal control officers, who pulled her out of the hole that trapped her and separated her from her parent. Officers Joe Antonella and Jose Munoz say they responded to a Tuesday call in Trenton reporting a crying deer, finding the baby deer trapped in a hole. Philly.com
Housing Authority Director Fired After Embezzlement Plea–A housing authority leader in New Jersey has been terminated following her guilty plea on charges of embezzling federal funds. Alesia Watson, the now-former executive director of the Ocean City Housing Authority, was terminated by a unanimous vote by the board of the Ocean City Housing Authority. Philly.com
The PILOT and Atlantic County Taxes: From the Mayor’s Chair–The dispute among Atlantic County government, Atlantic City officials and the governor has been in the news lately and there is a lot of confusion swirling about what is in dispute regarding the PILOT legislation which essentially permitted Atlantic City casinos to pay the City a flat payment in lieu of taxes (hence the term PILOT) instead of tax payments like all other property owners. What has become clear though is that while this dispute plays out, county government has just introduced a budget which will require taxpayers in every municipality to pay this year between 5 and 15 cents more per $100 in additional taxes. Shore News Today