The SandPaper

The Long Beach Island and Southern Ocean County News Magazine.

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Coast Guardsmen Caught Red-Handed

2 days ago | thesandpaper.net | Anita Josephson |Thomas P. Farner

By the time Ship Bottom became a town in 1925, the U.S. Life-saving Service had become part of the U.S. Coast Guard. As the town celebrates its centennial we should remember the bad with the good. The revelation that the U.S. Coast Guard on Long Beach Island had organized to conspire with the rum runners shook the nation in much the same way that the news of the 1919 World Series having been fixed rocked the sporting world. On July 21, 1926, the Asbury Park Press ran a small story.
Peace, Love and Community at Stafford Founders Day This Year

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | David Biggy

It’s almost time to celebrate “Flower Power: Peace, Love and Community.”On Saturday, June 14, Stafford residents are invited to gather for the township’s 61st Founders Day festivities to wish their beloved town a happy 276th birthday, for which the celebration will last all day long. Join friends, family and neighbors and see why for centuries the township has been such a special place for generations to call home.
Garden State Surf and Art to Rebrand as Smith Brothers Woodworking

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | Victoria Ford

Brothers Jim and Terence Smith have established their Beach Haven Crest retail store and workshop, Garden State Surf and Art, as a destination for fine art and other handcrafted, vintage and antique wonders, including jewelry as well as home and garden decor. As their tagline reads, “Local art, custom work. Dig it.”Heading into their 12th summer, they have announced they are rebranding their multifaceted venture as Smith Brothers Woodworking.
Slow Crawl - The SandPaper

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | Gail Travers

To the Editor:Last week, I left my home in Harvey Cedars around 8 a.m. and headed off the Island, only to pass a massive line of trucks and vans trying to get onto LBI. Many were clearly marked as plumbers, electricians and contractors. Others were unmarked work vehicles or delivery vans. Most seemed to be headed to jobs on the Island – and all were stuck in a long, slow crawl of traffic. It likely took them 30 to 45 minutes just to get over the bridge.
Another Spectacle

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | Gail Travers

To the Editor:Donald Trump’s proposed Military Appreciation Day, conveniently scheduled on his birthday, is less about honoring service members and more about glorifying himself. While the spectacle of military parades has been a hallmark of authoritarian leaders, Trump’s past disrespect for the military makes his sudden push for a grand display deeply hypocritical. Rather than demonstrating genuine appreciation, Trump has repeatedly mocked and insulted service members.
Mixed Review - The SandPaper

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | Gail Travers

To the Editor:The new paint job on the Surf City water tower is outstanding and looks clean and nice with a simple but perfect beach theme design, kudos. Then there’s the bay beach fence. The town removed the broken-down and banged-up chain link fence and replaced it with another chain link fence. While it’s new and clean and straight versus the old one, chain link fences are ugly, outdated and a bit white-trash looking.
Three Ways to Cut Little Egg Harbor’s School Budget

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | Gail Travers

To the Editor:The following are three common sense proposals to reduce the 2025-26 Little Egg Harbor school budget. This list is not conclusive and serves as a mere recommendation. At the very least, the budget should be broken down and made easily publicly available if it is not already. From what is easily accessible online, there is almost no mention of preschool funding. These proposals are not personal; they are meant to be practical.
Stafford Township School Board Approves 2025-26 Budget

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | David Biggy

Even though the Stafford Township School District portion of the average property owner’s tax bills will increase by more than $200 per year, not a single resident spoke in opposition of the hike at the board of education’s budget hearing on April 30. Nobody spoke in favor of it, either. Nonetheless, the school board unanimously approved the 2025-26 budget, following a short presentation by Superintendent George Chidiac and Business Administrator Lourdes LaGuardia.
Special Needs Sports, Fitness Camp Debuts

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | David Biggy

Courtesy of the Stafford Recreation Department and several partner programs, parents of special needs children have sports and fitness camp options this summer, but space is limited, so register soon. The Manahawkin Mavericks Challenger League will be running an eight-week adaptive sports clinic that will feature rotating softball and kickball games, for children ages 5 through 15 every Thursday from July 10 through Aug. 28. Each session will be held at Doc Cramer Sports Complex’s Field No. 5.
LIFF Volunteer Meeting Set for May 18

1 week ago | thesandpaper.net | Rick Mellerup

The 17th annual Lighthouse International Film Festival will be held from June 4 through 8, which means it’s time to rally its veritable army of volunteers. A volunteer information meet and greet will be held from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 18 at the Surf City Firehouse, located at 713 Long Beach Blvd. “We are actively seeking volunteers who share a commitment to the LBI community, support the arts, and enjoy working with others,” reads a LIFF press release.