By Joe Calamito

This past September 20th, marked 23 years the River View Observer has been in business, and in the early years we were fortunate to have a lead writer named Tom Dwyer writing our cover stories. He alone was instrumental in keeping our readers interested in all things Hudson County.

Always ready to tackle a new story idea, and creating ideas that made us worthy of our readers attention.

I was heartbroken to find out recently that on April 6th, 2021 the world lost a talented writer and musician when Tom lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

It is hard for me to fathom such a brilliant talent as Tom no longer doing what he loved best, spending time with his beloved wife Susan, traveling, writing and creating beautiful music.

Tom was my friend, and although we hadn’t worked together in years, on occasion he would contact me and offer a travel story he had written and excitedly, I would jump at the chance to have the name Tom Dwyer, grace the pages of our publication one more time.

He would offer advice that I knew would make us a better publication, and in one of our last conversations a few years back, we talked of him writing a regular feature on Travel. Here at the River View we were excited at the idea.

Tom was a talented songwriter and in that last conversation we had, he was proud to let me hear some songs he had written and sold and I was happy he did.

There is no way I can sum up our friendship and working relationship other than to let his work speak for itself, by posting a few of Tom’s stories for you to read. Tom’s earlier stories unfortunately were written before we had the River View Observer website and are only in print , however, I did manage to find some from 2008 and 2009 for you to read.

Tom Thank you for all you did for us-and for inspiring us to push on, you made me a better person and publisher for have knowing you.

I hope you enjoy reading some of Tom’s stories…

Happy Birthday Liberty State Park by Tom Dwyer

Travel Sanibel -Captiva Islands Beauty and Sophistication Fun by Tom Dwyer

The Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor

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The post IN MEMORY OF A FRIEND AND CO-WORKER TOM DWYER first appeared on River View Observer.

Writers Forge a New Frontier with eBooks

River View Observer cover story

 by Sally Deering

 During the 2010 holiday season, Amazon.com sold 2 million Kindles and Barnes & Noble selling 1.5 million Nooks, stats that are a wake-up call to big name book publishers and a “Yahoo!” to writers everywhere who can now self-publish their Great American Novels their way. Ebook publishing is the new frontier for writers to boldly sell their fiction and non-fiction – and find their niche – and a possible income – utilizing 21^st Century technology and the social media network that connects us all.

 Electronic Readers have transformed the way we’re reading biographies, textbooks, cook books, you name it.  Books of every genre are now available via download and ebook publishers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Google (and more) are giving writers the chance to see their books in electronic print not only on Kindles and Nooks, but IPads, IPhones, Droids and other techno gadgets.  Of course, the Big Kahunas of book publishing like Random House, Harper Collins, and Simon & Schuster are still doing big business in hardcovers and paperback, but the stats indicate more and more people would rather click a button on their handy electronic reader than turn the page of a dog-eared book.

International Digital Publishing Forum which tracks wholesale ebook sales reported $304.6 million in ebook sales in 2010, a rapid-growth from the $200 million in ebooks sold from 2002-2009. And in 2010, Amazon.com reported sales of its ebooks outnumbered sales of hardcover books with 180 Kindle books sold for every 100 hardcovers. One ebook industry analyst predicts global e-book sales at Amazon could reach $2.5 billion by the year 2012.

Writer Tom Dwyer of Jersey City took the traditional route with his first two books “Broad Street,” a mystery/crime novel and the children’s book “What the Man in the Moon Saw,” which were sold through publishing houses and did pretty well. For his third book, “’60s Song,” (ebookit.com; 165 pgs,) a gritty coming-of-age novel about three Philly teenagers during the 1967 “Summer of Love” – Dwyer chose to publish it as an ebook that can be purchased through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google and other ebook publishers.

 “It’s a business that’s changing and a lot of people are jumping in,” Dwyer says. “E-books allow writers who tried to get published in the big publishing houses, the opportunity to get their books read. It’s shaking up the publishing industry and the publishing industry now is using ebooks a lot. If they put a book on the bookstore shelf and it doesn’t sell, it’s going to be taken off that shelf and they lose money. So, they test the waters with ebooks now.”

 Dwyer says ebook publishers and book writers have Stephen King to thank for legitimizing the ebook industry to the mass public.

 “Stephen King was one of the first writers to go on Amazon and he put his book up for free,” Dwyer says. “This was a couple of years back and when he did this, he said this is a great tool.”

Of course, Stephen King can put his book up for free he’s a successful writer with a huge following and millions in book sales. Writers who aren’t as famous, even first-time writers can find their niche publishing an ebook and even earn an income. Amazon.com gives a 70% royalty to writers for each ebook they sell that’s priced from 99-cents to $2.99 and a 50% royalty on books priced $2.99 to $9.99. Reading through the forums of writers who post messages about their book sales, it’s advisable to price your first book in the lower range. A writer can also hook up with  an ebook publishing company that will first publish their book in soft-and-hard-cover and assign it an ISBN number, which is required when publishing ebooks to Google and Barnes & Noble.  (Amazon doesn’t require an ISBN number and therefore allows a writer the opportunity to see their work published right away.)  The advantage of working with an ebook publishing company is that the publisher will have connections to all the outlets and will advertise and market the book, where a self-publisher will have to do all their own marketing. 

“What you’re doing is jumping in there and doing it,” Dwyer says. “You really need to do the marketing, get reviewed, get quotes. One of the biggest things in ebooks are ebook blogs, book reviewers who write blogs. I’m having two reviewed now and will get them back in two or three weeks, I’m spending almost no money to do this, I created the cover myself and photoshopped it.”

In a recent interview with ebook publishers Smashwords.com, Dan Poynter, who has sold millions of ebooks on skydiving and self-publishing and is the author of the “Self-Publishing Manual,” a guide to independent authors, says building a self-publishing career begins with a passion to write and succeeds with social networking.

 “Write what you love and sell to your colleagues,” Poynter pointed out on Smashwords. “This could be the definition of social networking for books. Go where your heart is. Write about your favorite subject: The one that gets you so excited, you wake at four in the morning to find your eyes are wide open and your head is spinning with ideas. You are so jazzed, you can’t sleep. So, you get up and head for the keyboard. I started with books on parachutes and skydiving. Sell your book to people who have an interest in your subject. They are easy to find with online searches and social media.”

Many self-published writers are turning to ebook publishing rather than the typical and very frustrating (and rarely successful) route of getting a literary agent to represent their book and a big publishing house to publish the book. (Publishing houses rarely accept unsolicited submissions from writers and only go through trusted literary agents to secure book deals.) Ebook publishing breaks through those barriers and gives writers the chance to share their stories, their passions, their knowledge and insight with the world.

“If I had gotten this book published by Random House, this book wouldn’t come out for two years, that’s the time it takes,” Dwyer says. “It’s all about people having the freedom to self-publish. I don’t have to have someone tell me I can’t publish my book.”

 Excerpt from “’60s Song” by Tom Dwyer

 “The hot morning sun was already moving through the housing project on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. It created a haze that blanketed the city with a sweltering heat that seemed to have the whole world moving in slow motion. Frankie Johnson, a skinny, black teenager with a slight limp in his right leg, knocked on the front door of his best friend’s house. They had been friends ever since their families moved into the housing project on the same day ten years back. Frankie knocked again and heard footsteps in the house. The door opened, and George Bannon, a muscular Irish kid with wavy black hair and deep dark eyes saw Frankie standing on the steps.

“We going swimming today or what, white boy?” Frankie asked. George looked through the beat-up screen door that was hanging off one of its hinges, and then waved him in. Frankie entered the small two-story house where George lived with his mother and a younger sister. The family was on the waiting list with the housing authority to move to a bigger house up on the hill but it could be years before a vacancy might open up. The small dirty kitchen had dishes in the sink and bags of trash waiting to be put out. George opened the refrigerator and helped himself to a soda for breakfast.”

To order Tom Dwyer’s ebook 60s Song https:www.ebookit.com/books/0000000042/60s-song.html

60s Song is also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and many other internet outlets.

The post How to Publish the Great American eNovel first appeared on River View Observer.

River View Observer’s “Site Seeing” Bringing you interesting posts from arount the internet

Budget Travel has put together an impressive list of Weird Hotels from around the world.

Pictured above Hang Nga Guest House and Art Gallery, a complex that more than earns its local nickname, the Crazy House. (Courtesy upyernoz/Flickr)

To view all of the photo’s World’s Weirdest Hotels, Part Deux

More Travel Stories         Cruise Ship Ratings and Reviews

The post TRAVEL- World’s Weirdest Hotels – Budget Travel first appeared on River View Observer.

 …Itâ€s not just about diving anymore

     Tom Dwyer

 For decades, the island of Bonaire, located in the Dutch West Indies, (Lesser Antilles) has been known as a diverâ€s paradise. Year after year, divers return to the protected waters around this island of 14,000 residents, never tiring of the beauty below the water. But over the past few years, more and more visitors are coming to this 24-mile long Caribbean paradise to take in the beauty above the water as well, and all of the activities it offers.
Location and Climate
 Bonaire is located 30 miles from Curacao, 50 miles north of Venezuela and 86 miles east of Aruba.  Its yearly average temperature is 82 F and its water temperature is 80F, with an arid, desert-like terrain.

 Controlled but steady growth is the name of the game in Bonaire. From luxury resorts to intimate inns and bungalows, the Bonaire government (which is part of the Dutch Kingdom) believes that all development on the island should lift the quality of life for the Bonairean population. With eight hotels on the island and a ninth (an all inclusive Divi resort) to be built in 2009, Bonaire offers ccommodations to meet every pocketbook from hi-end vacationers to backpackers.

Luxury Digs
 The Harbor Village Beach Club features 30 remodeled and elegantly appointed rooms and luxurious beachfront suite accommodations.  It was recently accepted as a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Its amenities include a private beach, beauty salon, spa services, tennis courts, and a 60-slip marina, meeting facilities and its own dive shop.  www.harborvillage.com  The Plaza Resort, another luxury resort, offers air-conditioned suites with 2 queen size beds, TV, telephone, large bathrooms, mini-fridge, room safe and hot water pot for tea or coffee. Larger Grand suites offer beachfront access and ocean views. All 174 suites and villas have patios or balconies with ocean or lagoon views. They also have the only casino on the island, as well as its own 5-star dive shop.  www.plazaresortbonaire.com   Both resorts are family friendly and honeymoon destinations.
 

Dive Resorts
 With two dozen dive shops scattered over the island, and over 80 dive and snorkel sites, itâ€s easy to get diving no matter if one is looking to shore dive, boat dive, night dive, or family dive. In 1979, the entire coastline of Bonaire was declared a protected marine park.  A $10 fee for snorkelers and $25 for divers is charged to enter the water.
The three most visited dive resorts on Bonaire are the Sand Dollar Condominium Resort, www.divesanddollar.com   Captain Donâ€s Habitat www.habitatdiveresorts.com  and the Buddy Dive Resort www.buddydiveresort.com.  These resorts welcome thousands of divers a year, all looking to get in as many dives as possible during their stay. All offer dive packages for both the seasoned diver and beginner. Many dive shops offer dive certification on site. I stayed at the Sand Dollar for a week and found the resort comfortable, and the diving and snorkeling excellent.  At Sand Dollar, every condo faces the ocean. All rooms are situated to catch the trade winds and bedrooms are air-conditioned and kitchens are fully equipped.  There is a restaurant on site for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Located directly in front of the Sand Dollar is the Bari Reef, considered one of the finest reefs in the world, and voted the number one reef in the Caribbean with over 300 species of fish.  Shore dives to the reef are one of the great sells of this resort.  Andre Nahr, the owner and director of Bonaire Dive & Adventure, the dive shop located at Sand Dollar has been in operation for over twenty years.  He sees a lot of repeat business to Sand Dollar and his dive facility. “The divers we see like Bonaire very much. They like the people of Bonaire and the diving you can do here is very easy. And anyplace you enter the water here; you can experience a very beautiful dive.”  At the Sand Dollar, all divers must do a check out dive before going out on their on.  They also offer a kids snorkeling program. Ocean’s Classroom is a discovery-based program for children which combine snorkeling with hands-on learning about the ocean and its inhabitants.

Tourism Development and other Activities
 On April 23, 2007, Tourism Corporation Bonaire in cooperation with the local government, officially launched the Tourism Awareness Program, an initiative that will be implemented throughout the next three years to enhance tourism awareness among the entire population of Bonaire.
The Tourism Awareness Program will educate the Bonairean community of the important role that it has on the tourism product and will encourage small acts of kindness such as greeting visitors with a smile.  Components of the program already in place include: the official slogan “Smile, Boneiru ta Dushi,” which translates in English to “Smile, Bonaire is Sweet;” a 30 second jingle that is played on local radio stations; and a mascot named Mama Smile, who promotes the program by visiting residents around the island with her Bonairean community ambassadors.
More and more visitors are exploring Bonaire by car, bicycle and hiking, which allows them to experience close up, the diversity of the island.  From the Washington  Slagbaai National Park, a 13,500 acre wildlife santuary where birds, lizards, goats, donkees and iguanas are viewed in their natural habitat, or learning how to windsurf  at Lac Bay, the internationally known windsurfing beach, as well as horse backriding on the beach, sea kayaking and birdwatching. And spending time in Kralendijk, Bonaireâ€s largest town with its  historic buildings and a growing nightlife, is a great place to shop and dine, or just have a drink at the dock and watch the sun go down. The week I was there the 3rd annual Bonaire Heineken Jazz Festival was in full swing with top local and international musicians. Bonaire is maturing into a sophisticated destination with a great deal to offer travelers.
One of the biggest influx of tourism to Bonaire has been  the arrival of cruise ships.  In the 2007/2008  tourism season, the tourist board expects 160,000 visitors to step off ships and spend money.  Ronella Croes, the Director of Tourism for Bonaire, believes that controlled growth is essential, especially with the cruise lines. “ Itâ€s very important that Bonaire not be taken over by  the large cuise ships. We are marketing to the smaller ships, 100 to 300 passengers. I also want the tourism board to be ready for this growth.  Itâ€s imporant that we not only educate the people already working for the tourism board here in Bonaire, but many new jobs will be created due to the  growth of tourism over the next few years. And having friendly, professional  people greet and serve our visitors,  is the most important thing we can do.”
 

Getting Around
A car is a must to get around the island. There are many rent-a-car businesses scattered  around the island, as well as at the airport.
 

Getting There
 Bonaireâ€s Flamingo International Airport  has gone through a major overhaul over the past few years.  Airlines that service Bonaire from the United States are American Airlines and  American Eagle from San Juan.  Continental Airlines offers a number of flights to Bonaire including a direct weekly non-stop flight from Newark.
Bonaire website
www.infobonaire.com

The post August Travel- Bonaire first appeared on River View Observer.

Anthony Caputo, the port director for Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, could not be more proud of the success of the partnership of the city of Bayonne and Royal Caribbean Cruises.  In just three short years, Cape Liberty Cruise Port has become one of the busiest cruise ports in the country. The port is ranked second among Northeast and mid-Atlantic coast ports in passenger volume. In 2006 it hosted 71 cruise ship calls, with 321,000 passengers during the 2006 season which ran from May to November. The port was also recognized as one of the top three-rated ports, worldwide, for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, which merged in 1997.  “When you take into consideration that we only have one berth and we are home-porting passengers which means that the passengers sail from here and return here unlike port–of-calls, our growth is really incredible,” Caputo said. The 2007 season, which begins in May, will commence year-round trips to its destinations.

Cruise passengers are arriving by trains, planes and automobiles to get to Cape Liberty Cruise Port. Even Caputo is surprised by the distances guests are traveling to set sail from Bayonne. “They are coming as far away as Texas, and as far north as Canada, and as far south as Florida. If you just look at the license plates that come here itâ€s incredible. We have many guests who drive here and we have international guests who fly into Kennedy and Newark airports. And we have many domestic flights where we try to target Newark as our primary airport,” Caputo explained.

As more passengers travel to Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, itâ€s important to make their journey as convenient and economical as possible, Caputo believes. Parking rates at Cape Liberty Cruise Port are the same as many ports across the country, and half the price of parking in Manhattan. Cab rates from Newark and Kennedy airports are strictly enforced, $35 one way from Newark and $70 from Kennedy.  The cruise lines also offer route buses that go through New England and one that starts in Washington DC that pick up passengers in specific locations who rather travel by bus to the port.  Buses will also go to specific cities like Philadelphia if a large group needs transportation. The cruise lines will also work to find local lodging for guests who might want to spend a few days sightseeing before or after sailing.

What made this incredible transformation of growth possible, from the once vacant military terminal to a world-class port, is the partnership of the city of Bayonne with the cruise lines. “I believe our relationship with the city of Bayonne is fantastic,” Caputo said. “Iâ€ve heard nothing but positive things from the city and residents of Bayonne on the cruise port. We are part of an economic engine of the city of Bayonne. We are helping to revitalize it by the money we bring in, not only in Bayonne but the county and the state. We are creating jobs, and we are helping to change the way Hudson County and Bayonne are perceived. Hudson County is now a legitimate contender. I grew up in Hoboken where we were laughed at—not anymore.”

As the word spreads about the services offered by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises from the Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne, more and more types of groups are taking advantage. From families, to seniors with more time on their hands, to honeymooners and singles, all are taking advantage of specific packages. One of the fastest growing trends is marriages onboard.  “Iâ€ve seen a big jump on ceremonies being held onboard.” Caputo explained. “People can now rent out a hall or a lounge onboard and invite all of their guests. They can have the ceremony either performed by the captain or a chaplain or priest of their own choice. They can have the wedding reception on board.   A number of guests will leave the ship after the ceremony while others will stay onboard and sail with the newlyweds. Last year we probably had one ceremony a week; and sometimes two or three weddings a day on the ship.”

Looking toward the future, Caputo sees nothing but growth. “Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises just signed a 35-year contract with the city of Bayonne. We are doubling our investment into passenger amenities and on processing passengers faster—as one is processed on an international  flight in an airport, one will be processed here — which makes it much easier and faster, and  will bring the port up to the latest government standards.” Cape Liberty Cruise Port is also in the process of building another berth, so they will have the capability to have two large ships in at a time by the end of 2007. But Mr. Caputo is always looking toward the future and how to make the port the best it can be. “Iâ€d like to see our port become as large as Miami in the sense of number of ships sailing from here in the next five years.  I think the future is very bright for us.”

Ginger Kemp, the owner of Four Seasons Travel, the oldest travel agency in Hudson County, is a great fan of the cruise operation in Bayonne. “Each year the number of people booking to take cruises out of Bayonne goes up exponentially.  We went from hundreds the first year to thousands a year now, and we expect that to grow,” Ms. Kemp said. “And the year-round cruises that will start this year are very exciting and I credit that to Mr. Caputo and his operation for making this all work.” Ms. Kemp believes that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are good corporate neighbors. “They have supported many of our not-for-profits very generously, and have stepped into Bayonne with two feet on the ground ready to be involved in many different ways. And I do see passengers and crew members in town shopping, which is helping our economy.”

One of the first to believe in the Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne was Mayor Joseph Doria, of Bayonne. His desire and vision to move the project forward has proven him right. Today, he believes even more, that a winning partnership with Royal Caribbean is good for Bayonne and the surrounding area. “The Cape Liberty Cruise Port in Bayonne is creating more jobs and greater opportunities for the City of Bayonne.”

The Cape Liberty Cruise Port website www.cruiseliberty.com had over a million hits last year and was number one on Google for cruise sites. It covers all cruise packages and destinations offered and just about everything a traveler needs to know if they are interested in sailing out of Bayonne.

The post Royal Caribbean Cruises & Bayonne – 4th Year and Going Strong! first appeared on River View Observer.

I first met Dan Morgenstern more than five years ago when I picked him up one Saturday morning outside his Journal Square apartment in Jersey City. Our destination was the Catskill Mountains home of the late George Handy, a genius experimental jazz composer/arranger from the 1940s†and 50s†with whom I had studied piano after getting out of the Army in 1970. Dan and I had never met until Handyâ€s widow, Elaine, asked us to drive up together that day to discuss archiving his scores, albums, and memorabilia with the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University in Newark. Dan Morgenstern is the director of the Institute, where he oversees the worldâ€s largest collection of jazz-related material. Our two-hour drive to the mountains, that included a few wrong turns, was like my own personal history of jazz, in fast time. During the duration of our trip, as I asked Dan about some of the jazz greats and not-so-well-known players he had met over the years, he recalled stories and memories about the many musicians he was “lucky enough to meet.” We returned home to Jersey City that night; Dan had secured George Handyâ€s collection for the Institute, preserving his legacy for future generations of music lovers. And it was a ride that opened my eyes to a man whose life is jazz; and who loves every moment of it.

Morgenstern, who is 77 years old, is widely considered one of the greatest advocates of the preservation and promotion of jazz music. For nearly half a century, he has relentlessly pursued his love of jazz—and it is a love—as a jazz historian and archivist, author, editor and educator. He has been the editor of Downbeat Magazine and Metronome, he has written seminal books on jazz, and has won six Grammyâ€s for jazz album liner notes. Morgensternâ€s extensive knowledge of jazz led documentary film-maker Ken Burns to ask him to act as senior adviser to his 10-part PBS series, “Jazz”.

So it is more than fitting that Dan Morgensternâ€s latest honor is one of the most prestigious of his career. On January 12th, in New York City, he will be honored by the National Endowment for the Arts with its Jazz Master Fellowship Award for his work as an advocate of jazz. Itâ€s the jazz worldâ€s Pulitzer Prize. Morgensternâ€s reaction to this award is summed up in his typically humble manner. “Iâ€m still somewhat overwhelmed at having been shown this great honor, but of course proud and delighted, especially so since this is in recognition of jazz advocacy. Itâ€s a blessing to have been able to make a living and a life involved with something one loves, and the music has never lost its magic. Jazz brings people together. Itâ€s Americaâ€s gift to the world.”

Morgenstern was born in Vienna but his Jewish family fled to Copenhagen ahead of the approaching German army during World War Two. His first real introduction to jazz was a true eye opener. “It was in Copenhagen in the fall of 1938 when my mother took me to see Fats Waller, and seeing Fats at nine-years-old was an experience. I knew very little English but that didnâ€t matter because Fats was such a communicator and had such tremendous time, that it affected me in a way that I went out and got his records.”

Morgenstern arrived in New York in 1947, and headed directly to 52nd Street (the jazz mecca of the world at that time) to hear the lions of jazz like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie play at smoky clubs like Jimmy Ryanâ€s and The Three Deuces. But it was after the Korean War when Morgenstern attended Brandeis University on the GI Bill that he began to write about jazz. “I became the editor of the school newspaper. But actually it was really about getting some of the student activity money so that I and a few others could promote jazz events at the university.” At that time, jazz promoter George Wein (who later went on to produce the Newport Jazz Festival) was booking big acts for the well-known Boston jazz club, Storyville. Morgenstern and Wein made a deal. Storyvilleâ€s acts would play side gigs at Brandeis if the musicians agreed. Before long, Morgenstern was getting acts like Stan Getz for the university. But it was the booking of Art Tatum, considered by many to be the greatest jazz piano player, which set Morgensternâ€s course on jazz journalism. Tatum was playing at Storyville with a trio but Morgenstern asked him to appear at Brandeis as a soloist. They got the best piano on campus. When he drove Tatum back to Boston that evening and thanked him for a great show, Tatum said, “No, I have to thank you because this was the first time Iâ€ve ever done a solo concert.” Dan Morgenstern learned he had a gift to shine a light on jazz. It has been his passion ever since.

Morgenstern is deservedly proud of the nearly five decades of work he has accomplished in the jazz field as a writer and educator. But the one thing that brings the most satisfaction is his position at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University. Although he has threatened to retire many times, his co-workers wonâ€t hear of it. The Institute, which is walking distance from the Newark PATH station, is a growing entity of jazz concerts, research studies, and a protector of the works of the great jazz musicians for generations to come. “This is not a dusty, dry museum,” Morgenstern said. “We have a lot of music be it albums, scores, photographs, memorabilia and have one of the greatest collections of the works of Mary Lou Williams in the world. But this stuff is here to be used; itâ€s not just to tuck it away. Itâ€s here to keep the music alive.”

It will be a room filled with applause and accolades from jazz lovers and educators around the world when Dan Morgenstern receives his Jazz Master Fellowship Award. But for Dan Morgenstern, the true reward is much closer to his heart. “To do something positive for this art, known as jazz, is wonderful. And if people think thatâ€s what Iâ€ve done, then that makes me feel very good.”

The post NEA Honors Jersey City resident — Dan Morgenstern first appeared on River View Observer.

On Saturday, April 14th, hundreds of caring citizens and employees of companies in Hudson County and elsewhere will volunteer their time to do much needed repairs on other homes in Jersey City. Rebuilding Together Jersey City is part of a national program, Rebuilding Together, the nationâ€s largest volunteer-based provider of home-repair services. For over a decade their mission has been to rehabilitate the homes of low-income, elderly or disabled persons, or families with children, at no cost to them, so they may live in safety, warmth and independence. This year itâ€s marking the rehabilitation of its 100,000th house with a six-month-plus celebration that highlights rebuilding events in cities and communities throughout America.

The “100,000th House Celebration,” which involves the participation of affiliates across the nation, was launched Oct. 14, 2006, the celebration will culminate with media events across the country on National Rebuilding Day, April 28, 2007. The goal is to focus attention on the work done by more than 3 million volunteers and the delivery of approximately $1 billion in home rehabilitation services since the creation of Rebuilding Together 18 years ago.

Joan Kowalski, the co-president of Rebuilding Together Jersey City, has been involved with the program for eleven years, along with her husband. This year, Ms. Kowalski expects at least five hundred or more volunteers, which has been the average for the past five years. “We get the local unions, businesses, law firms, developers, banks, and financial firms. And of course we get individual volunteers from around the area. We are very grateful for the support from companies and individuals.” The staging area where volunteers meet is St. Patrickâ€s School on Bramhall Avenue in Jersey City. “They allow us to store our supplies there as well as allow us to use the school as a staging area for our volunteers. And, we actually do work on the school as well,” Ms. Kowalski said.

When it comes to why people and companies do volunteer work like this in their own community Ms. Kowalski believes itâ€s just being good neighbors. “Itâ€s great team building. Itâ€s a way to see no matter what kind of projects you are working on that you need to come together as a team to complete the project and itâ€s truly helping your neighbor. I think people really learn to take stock and appreciate what they have when they go into the homes they are working on and see how some people are living.”

There is a pre-screening application each year available to Jersey City homeowners who are interested in being considered for the program. “We look at the financials and make sure they fit our mission and then we go to the house and create a wish list. As people age we really like to keep them in their homes so we try to fix their houses for both comfort and safety,” Ms. Kowalski explained. This year Rebuilding Together Jersey City received thirty-four applications. They expect to repair eleven homes and three or four not-for profits.

Rebuilding Together Jersey City would not be possible without the financial help of a number of local and national businesses and organizations like the Jerramiah T. Healy Charitable Foundation for a Better Jersey City. The foundation is a non-profit with the mission to help needy individuals and causes within the city limits. True to that mission, the foundation recently gave Rebuilding Together Jersey City, a generous grant.

Provident Bank, a responsible business neighbor in Hudson County for years has also been a sponsor in supporting Rebuilding Together Jersey City for about ten years. Mike Parcell, a vice president at Provident Bank in Jersey City has been involved in the program with other Provident employees. “Each year Provident donates money to Rebuilding Together Jersey City. We also have employees of Provident who give their time and work on renovating one of the homes. Itâ€s a great cause, and it just makes people feel good.”

One of the most generous grants (30,000 dollars) came from the Jersey City Division of Community Development. Ms. Darice Toon-Bell, its director, believes that Rebuilding Together Jersey City is a very worthwhile program. “This program helps low income families, disabled people and senior citizens to make critical repairs to their homes and without this assistance these homeowners would probably not be able to bring their properties up to code.” JC Division of Community Development which handles both federal and state entitlement grants has been helping this program for a number of years. “We give them money to help purchase supplies for repairs, and the wonderful thing about this is that we get a lot of bang for the buck. We give them what I would consider a small amount of money but they are able to leverage this money with sweat equity, which is the bottom line. Itâ€s a perfect marriage.”

Some of the other local institutions that volunteer their time and donate money are United Water, Morgan Stanley, Pershing, Honeywell and others.

If you are interested in volunteering your time or donating money for Rebuilding Together Jersey City please call 201-222-2636 for more information

The post Rebuilding Together Jersey City first appeared on River View Observer.

By Tom Dwyer

Liberty State Park will celebrate its 30th birthday on June 10th, and considering that last year alone 5 million people visited the park — this could turn out to be one heck of a birthday party. If youâ€re one of the lucky people who have already discovered Liberty State Park, then you might want to take a moment to honor Morris Pesin, the driving force behind turning a once-desolate Jersey City dumpsite into one of the greatest parks in America. Mr. Pesin, who passed away in 1992, was honored by President Ronald Reagan at the White House in 1985 with a Volunteer Action Award for creating Liberty State Park, the Gateway to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

How his greatest vision took shape is the stuff of legend. Morris Pesin trained as a lawyer and ran a childrenâ€s clothing store in Jersey City. One day, in 1957, he decided to take his family on a visit to the Statue of Liberty. It was a family excursion that would change history. After driving two-and-a-half grueling hours through terrible traffic from their home in Jersey City through the Holland Tunnel to New York City, they arrived at Battery Park where they then had to take a ferry to the statue. When they finally arrived at the Statue of Liberty, Morris Pesin looked across the Hudson River and saw how close the statue was to Jersey City. His son, Sam (now the President of The Friends of Liberty State Park) remembers the drive home that day and how furious his father was about the long car trip. But what really infuriated Morris Pesin, says his son, was the deplorable shape of the Jersey City waterfront behind the statue, “a pure eyesore of the worst kind and not acceptable as the backdrop to the greatest symbol of freedom in the world.” From that day on, Morris Pesin — always the advocate– knew he had to do something to change the situation.

A year after he had traveled to the Statue of Liberty with his family, Pesin rowed out in a canoe with Gus Lockwood, then editor of the Jersey Journal, who had the brilliant idea to paddle out to the statue to dramatize its close proximity to Jersey City. They arrived at the Statue of Liberty in a mere eight minutes. Morris climbed out of the canoe and onto the rocks and heard someone call out his name. It was his nephew, who just happened to be visiting from Chicago. He was dumbfounded to see his Uncle Morris climbing out of a canoe in the mist and rain. After explaining to his nephew what he was trying to prove, Pesin climbed back into the boat and disappeared. His nephew, stunned to see his Uncle Morris disappear back into the fog, went to a phone booth on the island and immediately called his mother and said, “Iâ€m not sure we will ever see Uncle Morris again. He just rowed off into the mist and fog.” Far from it…from that fateful day in 1958 until Liberty State Park became an official state park on Flag Day, June 14th, 1976, Morris Pesin persevered to help create one of Americaâ€s great treasures. At a recent The Friends of Liberty State Park dinner, Bernard Kenny, New Jersey State Senator, acknowledged the great accomplishment made by Pesin and others, including Audrey Zapp and Ted Conrad. “Liberty State Park is right up there with the Grand Canyon when it came to Americaâ€s great parks.”

Today, Morris†son Sam, who has the same Pesin fire when it comes to protecting and maintaining “The Peopleâ€s Park,” carries on the fight his father started. He talked with The Riverview Observer about his dad and the upcoming 30th anniversary of Liberty State Park.

Tom Dwyer
Liberty State Park officially became a state park on Flag Day 1976. That had to be a great day for your dad.

Sam Pesin
It was great day. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts raised up all of the 50 state flags. My dad was a councilman at that time, the only independent councilman in decades in Jersey City. The governor was going to take a picture without my dad, but the mayor insisted and called my dad over and said, “Get in here Morris, you were the one who spearheaded this whole campaign.” I think at the time the park was only 35 acres. (Today the park consists of 1200 acres). That summer, my father started the free music concerts that still run in the park today. People were just amazed that they could come to this park and hear the New Jersey Symphony for free. Thirty years later the free music concerts are still held. My father predicted that a beautiful park would be the catalyst for economic development on the waterfront. And I think his words came true.

TD
Over the years your father had to fight to keep developers from turning Liberty State Park into profit-driven enterprises. What were some of the big battles?

SP
When the park was a year old, then-Governor Byrne wanted to turn the park into an amusement theme park. And along the way there was the push to put a golf course in the park, and then in 1984 the state created the Liberty State Park Development Corporation, and its sole purpose was to privatize the park. But Governor Whitman terminated the golf course idea in 1995 and in 2003 Governor McGreevey dismantled the Liberty State Park Development Corporation.

TD
The new Liberty National Golf Course is set to open up this summer right next to the park. Did they need Liberty State Parkâ€s permission to develop that land?

SP
Well, that golf course is fine because itâ€s on private property; itâ€s outside of the park. But they do have to build a continuation of the Hudson River Walkway. Some of the walkway near the golf course is completed, but the state and the developers are currently talking about what else the developers still need to do for this walkway.

TD
There is a September 11th memorial going up right now in front of the CRRNJ railroad terminal. But your organization, The Friends of Liberty State Park, is speaking out against it. Why?

SP
The governorâ€s office wanted to do an official New Jersey Memorial. So they came up with a design contest and they had 300-plus entries. Then a panel selected eight finalists, and then the victimâ€s families from New Jersey picked the winning design. And just let me say that in the last month The Friends of Liberty State Park are calling for a public meeting on the design. There was no public input and it has not been built yet, and itâ€s not too late to change the design. Many feel that the design and the hill they created for it to sit on is not right—it blocks the view. At this point we are saying we want a public meeting and we want to get rid of the hill.

TD
The Friends of Liberty State Park seems quite powerful regarding the direction of the park. Youâ€re the president of the organization – describe it for us.

SP
There are over 800 people who are members of The Friends of Liberty State Park. The organization was created in 1988. There were many people involved in the beginning including my mother Ethel, who is 91, and John Tichenor, who helped start the organization. Senator Robert Menendez has been a great friend of the park. And again, there were thousands of citizens and dozens of organizations over the years who have fought to keep this park pristine, especially the NY/NJ Baykeeper Association. Right now, weâ€re in a positive, peaceful era and because of this we are able to focus on our two main goals right now, our garden volunteer program and fundraising. The great thing about not having to fight all the time is that we can concentrate on projects like a new picnic area and athletic fields, and the wetlands restoration project, a 250-acre interior natural wetlands. The Interior, the nationâ€s largest urban nature restoration project, will make LSP an even more amazing state park.

TD
Your father would be very proud of you. What are you hopes for the future of Liberty State Park?

SP
Liberty State Park is my fatherâ€s greatest legacy. This is not just a Hudson County park but an American park. The Friends of Liberty State Park feel that this park is sacred ground. Not only is the park next to the great symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty, but the park itself is a symbol of freedom, a symbol of America, because people from all cultures, backgrounds and colors use and enjoy this park together. My hope is that the park continues to be the peopleâ€s park—and not private interest.

TD
Will you always be involved in caring about the park?

SP
Until the second I die. I will do my best to be a good advocate and friend of Liberty State Park.

QUICK FACTS
On June 10th, the 30th anniversary of the park, there will be a WALK FOR LIBERTY STATE PARK— 9am to noon. The Friends of Liberty State Park will hold a scenic 3-mile roundtrip walk starting at CRRNJ Terminal. Please help to raise awareness and money for your park. Check-in at 9am.There is a $20 dollar registration fee up to June 5th–$30 dollars after that. Children under 12 are free. Call 201-915-3440.
On June 24th and 25th there will be a two-day music fest in the park ( LIBERTY JAM) with some of the top musicians in the world showing up including Patti Smith, George Clinton, Cheap Trick and Los Lobos…and many more. Go to www.libertyjam.net to find out more. Part of the money will go toward maintaining and preserving Liberty State Park.
For more information on Liberty State Park and the festivities on the 30th anniversary go to www.folsp.org

The post Happy Birthday Liberty State Park! first appeared on River View Observer.