The Lingering Impact of Superstorm Sandy

The date itself may not stand out like 9/11 or December 7th but clearly October 29th is one that thousands of Jersey Shore residents will likely never forget. It is the third anniversary of Hurricane or Superstorm Sandy striking our area with a fury whose impact can still be seen today and will so for years to come.

While there’s been substantial progress Sandy’s wrath can still be felt as so many lives were changed and in some cases destroyed. It’s hard to imagine but many are just getting back into their homes while others continue to seek assistance and help in on going battles against bureaucracies where red tape is a way of life.

Who will ever forget those indelible pictures of the Casino Pier roller coaster resting on the bottom of the ocean in Seaside Heights? For the rest of the country they were just pictures but here it was a constant reminder of loss and despair. Eventually it was removed, a sign that it was time to move on and in large part we have done that. However the coast line has been changed forever and so too has our mindset that things like Sandy don’t happen here. Now where more likely to have the attitude of when will it happen again.

A couple of unrelated notes:

Bill Beining is the new head baseball coach at Donovan Catholic and met his players for the first time on Wednesday. Beining is a 1996 graduate of Toms River South where he played under legendary coach Ken Frank and has spent 14 years as an assistant at South and Central Regional. He replaces Paul Murray as the Griffins head coach and will certainly bring a winning attitude to the program. A more detailed story is available at shoresportsnetwork.com

I have seen more than my fair share of high school football games and as a result many bands and halftime shows over the years. Not being an expert I was always impressed with the Toms River North band under the direction of Frank Hughes, especially when they entered the stadium playing “Anchors Away.” Hughes is retired and one of only two band directors in the state to be inducted into the National Hall of Fame.

The other is Jackson Memorial’s Bud McCormick who will direct the award-winning Jaguar Band at his final home football game tomorrow night ending a 33-year love affair with the school. McCormick has built the Jackson band into the largest in New Jersey and without question one of the best and they will be marching and performing at the Thanksgiving Parade in Philadelphia. Take a bow Bud. You deserve it.