Jersey’s ‘North to Shore’ festival is back for 2024

It’s Friday, New Jersey!

Weather: High 83, mostly sunny, then slight chance of showers

What’s on tap today:

• Jersey’s ‘North to Shore’ festival is back for 2024 

• County to host public hearing about senior services

• Weekend events
  
  Up first…

Jersey’s ‘North to Shore’ festival back for 2024 

June is all about Jersey again! Launched in 2023, New Jersey’s North to Shore Festival is back for a second season, sure to be as successful as the first. Celebrate talent, diversity and creativity during this wow-a-minute statewide arts extravaganza of music, comedy, poetry, theater, film and technology. This epic, multi-faceted event will showcase some of the world’s most spectacular performers in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Newark over the course of three consecutive (and extremely entertaining!) weeks in June.

• Asbury Park June 10 – 16

• Atlantic City June 17 – 23

• Newark June 23 – 30

In keeping with Gov. Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy’s vision to celebrate the Garden State’s legacy in arts and innovation, North to Shore will bring together 50+ stages, theaters and other indoor and outdoor spaces to honor Jersey-wide artistic excellence. Venues include: Asbury Lanes and The Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, Prudential Center and New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall Arena and The Showroom at Tropicana in Atlantic City, as well a multitude of other performance areas in and around those cities.

Currently scheduled to appear: Kevin Hart, Matchbox Twenty, Stephen Colbert, Frankie Valli, Gabriel Iglesias, Lake Street Drive, Gary Clark Jr., Brothers Osborne, Jhené Aiko, Prince Royce & Wisin, Samara Joy, Zarna Garg, Bleachers, Delta Sleep, Dramarama, the B-52s, Barenaked Ladies, Yannis Pappas, Jeezy, Sommore, the Australian Pink Floyd Show, Sam Morril & Chris DiStefano, Sheng Wang, the Happy Together Tour, E-Sports Showdown Tournament, the Clarence Clemons Celebration featuring Jarod Clemons and the Late Nights, and many more. The list of performers continues to grow day by day. Check here for the most updated list.

NJ News Briefs

Public hearing about senior services set

The Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners and the Monmouth County Division on Aging, Disabilities & Veterans Services will host a public hearing session for County residents to obtain information and provide comments on the services provided to Monmouth County’s older adults on Thursday, June 20, at 1 p.m. at the Neptune Senior Center, located at 1607 Corlies Ave.

“The Board of County Commissioners would like to welcome residents seeking information about services provided by the Division on Aging, Disabilities & Veteran Services, as well as give feedback to the Division on how they may better serve our residents,” said Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone. “Additionally, this hearing will provide information about programs funded by the Older Americans Act and other related funding.”

“Monmouth County is committed to providing important services and resources to our seniors and this hearing is a fantastic opportunity for our residents to learn more about the vital work being performed by the Division,” said Commissioner Susan M. Kiley, liaison to the Division on Aging, Disabilities & Veterans Services. “Anyone interested in submitting a written testimony can do so at the hearing or mail it to the attention of Michele O’Shaughnessy, Director of the Monmouth County Division on Aging, Disabilities & Veterans Services at 3000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ 07728.”

For more information about the public hearing, call the Monmouth County Division on Aging, Disabilities & Veterans Services at 732-431-7450. The deadline to submit any written testimony is June 12. To learn more, go to www.visitmonmouth.com.

New law mandates access to cancer screenings for firefighters

Gov. Phil Murphy today signed legislation that mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for firefighters who are not enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP), but who are eligible for enrollment in the SHBP by public employment. 

Current law entitles a paid, full-time firefighter enrolled in the SHBP or a firefighter employed by a public employer that does not participate in the SHBP, to a cancer screening examination every three years. This bill (S2890) now extends this benefit to firefighters who waive their employer-sponsored health care but are still eligible for coverage under the SHBP through their employment with a public employer. The State will now reimburse up to $1,250 per three-year period for each firefighter’s examination, regardless of their participation in their employer’s health care plan.

“Thousands of firefighters across the state put their lives on the line for their communities,” said Gov. Murphy. “We must do what we can to provide these incredible men and women with the health care they deserve. Preventive cancer screenings will not only save lives and reduce unnecessary suffering, but also ensure our public servants remain healthy.”

Weekend events

June 7 – 9 – Lighthouse International Film Festival (LBI, Ocean County)
June 7 – 9 – Annual Bayshore Greek Fest (Holmdel, Monmouth County)
June 7 – 9 – Annual Feast of St. Anthony (Roselle Park, Union County)
June 7 – 9 – 38th Annual Lebanese Festival (Somerset, Somerset County)
June 7 – 9 – Annual Flemington Opa! Festival (Flemington, Hunterdon County)
June 7 – 22 – Princeton Festival (Princeton, Mercer County)
June 8 – Praise in the Park (Cranbury, Middlesex County)
June 8 – Czig Meister Brewing Company’s 8th Anniversary (Hackettstown, Warren County)
June 8 – Stafford Founders Day (Manahawkin, Ocean County)
June 8 – South Jersey’s History Fair (Gloucester Twp, Gloucester County)
June 8 – Rose Day Festival (Somerset, Somerset County)
June 8 – Westfield Street Fair & Craft Show (Westfield, Union County)
June 8 – Rock Hunger (Nutley, Essex County)
June 8 – NJMP Free Food Truck Festival (Millville, Cumberland County)
June 8 – Festa di San Antonio (Woodbridge, Middlesex County)
June 8 & 9 – Pour Into Summer Wine Festival (Lakewood, Ocean County)
June 8 & 9 – Lions, Tigers and Beers (Forked River, Ocean County)
June 8 & 9 – New Jersey Renaissance Faire (Columbus, Burlington County)
June 8 – 30 – August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean at the Two River Theatre (Red Bank, Monmouth County
June 9 – Polish Heritage Festival (East Brunswick, Middlesex County)
June 9 – Montvale’s Mile Long Street Fair (Montvale, Bergen County)
June 9 – Annual Irish Festival (Oceanport, Monmouth County)
June 9 – Medford Art, Wine & Music Festival (Medford, Burlington County)
June 9 – Paramus Food Truck Fest (Paramus, Bergen County)
June 9 – The Allman Betts Band Live in Concert (Newton, Sussex County)
June 10 – 16 – The North To Shore Jersey festival (Atlantic City, Altantic County)

Navigating Aging

Should You Rent in Retirement? Debating whether or not to rent in retirement? Renting isn’t right for all retirees, but it does offer flexibility and it frees up cash. Kiplinger

Subtle Mental Declines Occur Before Older Folk Quit Driving: One of the toughest decisions seniors face is when to give up their keys and stop driving. Even slight changes to the ability to remember, think and reason can lead a senior to decide to stop driving, a new study finds. HealthDay News

10 Things You Should Know About Estate Planning for Singles: An estate plan lays out what you want to happen to your assets after death and during situations when you can’t make decisions. But if you’ve never married or were married a long time ago and have no children, don’t assume estate planning is a cake walk. Kiplinger

The Safest Places to Retire Overseas in 2024: Beyond safety, visa requirements and financial considerations like minimum income thresholds can significantly impact where a retiree chooses to live abroad. U.S. News & World Report

Etcetera

• ‘As Lonely as a Man Can Get’: The True Story of D-Day, as told by paratroopers. Politico

• D-Day shipwrecks were a WWII time capsule – now they are home to rich ocean-floor life. BBC

• Ranking the most beautiful ballparks in Major League Baseball.

Today in NJ history

• Establishment of the Pine Barrens Preserve: On June 7, 1984, legislation was enacted to protect the New Jersey Pine Barrens, a unique natural area of ecological significance. The creation of the Pine Barrens Preserve helped safeguard one of the largest surviving tracts of wilderness in the northeastern United States.

Today’s birthdays

🎂Arnold Betts of Monroe is 84 today! Happy Birthday, Arnold! Wishing you a fantastic day filled with love, laughter, and wonderful surprises! 🥳🎈🎁

A few other notable people sharing a birthday today with Arnold include Actor Liam Neeson, 72, and singer Tom Jones, 84.

Thought for today

“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.” — Albert Einstein

Thank you for reading today’s edition! Forward this newsletter to a friend and brighten their day too! See you Monday! 🌟📧💌