Truth Hurts

Letters

To the Editor: Sometimes the truth is inconvenient, ugly or hurts, at least in the short term. Strong men and women of moral character understand this and act accordingly, taking their lumps along the way. Weaker people are more apt to shy away from moral responsibility, hiding behind half-truths promoted by swamp denizens who benefit at the expense of others. […]

Shop Smart, Protect Kids During Gift-Giving Season

Don't Toy With Safety Hazards

The Ocean County Health Department cautions gift givers to protect kids from potentially harmful toys this holiday season. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 183,000 toy-related injuries and 11 deaths were reported in 2014. Ocean County Freeholder Director Gerry P. Little, liaison to the Ocean County Board of Health, says certain toys are not for everyone; […]

Garden Club’s Holiday House Tour an Island Tradition

The Garden Club of Long Beach Island pulled offits 53rd annual Holiday Tour of Homes on Thursday, Dec. 6. The 800 tickets were sold out within days of posting onits website. “The house tour is an enormous amount of work at the busiest time of the year,” said President Teresa Hagan, “but our members are happy to do it, not […]

Where There’s a Celebration, ‘Let It Be a Party’

Stafford Leader
Neighbors In Business

Let It Be a Party is a new storefront at 152 North Main St. inManahawkin whose name gets right down to business. “Gone are the days where parents have the time and energy for planning the celebrations around life’s special events,” says a card listing party package options. “This is where we come in.” Jasmine Holak started as a wedding […]

Elvie and Elsa Have Returned!

It is that time of year again when Santa Claus sends down some watchful elves to help him with his list. The SandPaper’s own Elvie and Elsa have made the long journey back to Long Beach Island to check in on all the little boys and girls. They have been spotted out and about on the Island, checking some local […]

Angelo Takes the Christmas Tree Challenge

SpeakEasy

There’s nothing more appealing to a housebound cat than the Mount Everest challenge of a Christmas tree. I know this for certain because of a longstanding family story about a Christmas tree and a cat. As the story went, my mother, then only 7, heard a crash late on Christmas Eve and ran to the living room. Grandma, Grandpa and […]

Police, Fire Co. Speak at Stafford Library Program Jan. 3

Safety is the operative word at theFriends of the Stafford Library’snext Thursday Adventure program, on Jan. 3 at 10:30 a.m. Guest speakers are Patrolman Chris Fritz, community policing officer, and Heidi Michel, Stafford Volunteer Fire Co. chief and fire inspector.Topics coveredinclude scams, especially thosethat target the elderly, and fire prevention awareness.There will also be aK-9 police dog demonstration. “One of […]

Enormous Christmas Tree Lit Up Again After One-Year Hiatus

When driving through Ocean Acres at night during the holiday season, you’ll find neighborhoods dotted with spectacular Christmas decorations.But onethat is drawing plenty of glances is a 55-foot Christmas treeoutside the home of Thomas and KellyHugg, who live on Topside Road in Stafford Township. They first adorned it in 2016, but had to skip last year due to lighting malfunctions. […]

General Meade ‘Visits’ Barnegat Lighthouse Jan. 5

The Friends of the Barnegat Lighthouse organization hosts its first lecture of the New Year on Saturday, Jan. 5, at 1 p.m. at the visitors center at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park in Barnegat Light. The program will pay tribute to the designer and builder of the lighthouse, George Meade, who was a lieutenant and engineer in the U.S. Army when […]

Kids Have Peanut Butter and Cupcake at the Libraries Next Month

The Ocean County LibraryPuppet Show Players will be staging”Peanut Butter & Cupcake!” at four branches in January. The show will be at the Barnegat branch on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 10:30 a.m.; Stafford branch, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 10:30 a.m.; the Long Beach Island branch on Monday, Jan. 28, 3:30 p.m.; and the Waretown branch on Thursday, Jan. 31,10 a.m. Geared for […]