The Cape May County Emergency Management Department has called for a MANDATORY evacuation of all visitors and residents of Cape May County (not just the barrier islands)- except for essential personnel.
This order will be enforced- important to comply. We must all leave by tomorrow.
It can be hard to believe the weather forecasts when it appears so calm. However…
The Mayor of Avalon strongly suggests that tenants due to check out Saturday leave by Friday night, and weekend visitors (including new tenants due to check in on Saturday) stay home until the storm passes our coast.
We will know more about the projected path of Irene by tomorrow. In the meantime, secure your deck furniture, trash cans, etc. and have a plan. I will be posting on my blog and Tweeting regular updates http://twitter.com/AnnDelaneyBeach
This week, Tim Kerr and the sales agents of Power Play Realty will distribute $6000 to local organizations helping children in our community.
One percent of all sale commissions funds the charity. We are proud to report a total of $36,609 has been distributed from the Power Play Charity since 2005.
For more information on our charity: http://www.powerplayrealty.com/pages/charities
Ahhhh….
We can finally turn off the air conditioning and open the windows after WEEKS of high temperatures.
The strong north west breeze =Â cool, dry air.
P.S. A seabreeze as of mid- afternoon…our favorite 🙂
Beautiful this morning on the beach.Â
Rays of sunshine peeking out behind the clouds provided a dramatic backdrop over the ocean.
Busy weekend ahead- the Home/Health Show at Avalon Elementary School on Saturday http://www.caperegional.com/ and a Seafood Fest at St. Mary’s Church- 95th and Third Avenue in Stone Harbor (lunch and dinner Saturday).
A light mist turned in to a steady drizzle during my beach walk.
Still dreary this morning…hopefully the sun returns later today for our vacationers.
The tents are already in place on the 80th Street field for this weekend’s Arts & Crafts Show.  This is a BIG event…secure your parking spot early!
There is a note on my calendar to pay 3rd quarter property taxes on August 1st. Â
Due to delays with the state, municipal 2011/2012 tax bills have not been mailed. An article in yesterday’s paper mentioned an automatic 25 day grace period (and the the hardship it causes local government waiting for cash flow).
Avalon and Stone Harbor property owners should look for their municipal tax bill in the coming weeks.
P.S.  Our tax bill arrived yesterday; and the grace period for payment is extended to September 9th.
I estimate that only 1/3 of our rental property owners provide beach tags for their tenants; and the number of tags varies based on the owner’s own personal use.
If a tenant has rented homes in prior years with beach tags included, they are disappointed to find no tags at the current rental.  I understand their perspective- they paid a substantial rental fee, and are surprised by an additional expense when they arrive.Â
As a local resident and taxpayer, I purchase at least 6 tags every summer to help off set the town’s cost to maintain and guard the beaches. I consider this a “user fee”. If my family didn’t go to the beach, tags wouldn’t be needed (but of course, we do!)
The revenue generated by beach tag sales is used specifically for the care of municipal beaches. Therefore, it makes sense for all who enjoy the beach to chip in.
Sincere statement: There is nothing more peaceful than an early morning beach walk in the heavy fog…(now, for the sarcasm) until, a barking German Sheppard appears out of the mist!
Just as my heart rate returned to normal, a Great Dane lumbered onto the beach. Seriously?
I recently shared my dog experiences with a member of Borough Council, and received a quick response from the Chief of Police.  He agreed that the regulations are not clear to our visitors (leashed dogs are only permitted on Stone Harbor beaches from 7pm to sunset). And, the leash laws need to be enforced.
I appreciate the difficult role of the police force- a fine line between ambassadors and enforcers. So my mission is to share the point of view of the “dog-less” walkers and ask dog owners to abide by the leash laws 😉
Like most seashore towns, Avalon and Stone Harbor have restrictions for dogs on the beach.
In Avalon, leashed dogs are permitted on the the beach only in the off season-Â between September 30th and March 1st.
Stone Harbor allows leashed dogs on the beach between 7pm and sunset from June 1st through September 30th; and this year, installed doggie clean up bag dispensers at some beach paths.Â
Now for my rant: my early morning walks on the beach technically should be “dog free”.  I am not a dog owner, but I understand the appeal of taking a dog for a run on the beach, or a swim in the ocean.  And dog owners may genuinely feel they can control their pet, and therefore, remove the leash.
Unfortunately, when a dog is charging at me, I see aggression. I don’t believe “he is just saying hello”, or “she won’t hurt you”.  I have even tried Dog Whisperer techniques- avoid eye contact, walk farther away, make the chhhhttt noise…without success. My fear may not seem rational to the dog owner, but it’s based on prior experiences with other “friendly” dogs.
So I will appeal to my readers. If you own a beach dog, please follow the local leash laws. It will make for happier blog posts 😉
One of our tenants compared driving around town today to playing a video game…at the master’s level!
People, bikes, and beach carts everywhere.Â
The Islandman/ Islandkids Triathlon took place this morning- over 600 participants in this popular, annual event. The Power Play Realty agents worked along with the large team of volunteers (including Borough workers, summer residents, and visitors).Â
Fireworks tomorrow night in Avalon (30th Street); and Monday night in Stone Harbor (80th Street). Enjoy the weekend!