8 South Jersey stories you may have missed | Guiyang Glass Vial Co.,Ltd

A note that took years to deliver got a much faster response when a message tossed into the Irish Sea in 2019 found its way to North Wildwood.

Frank Bolger, of Bellmawr, Camden County, brought a healthy dose of Jersey skepticism to bear when his wife, Karen, picked up a bottle on the beach and saw a note inside.

It took some doing to get the note out. It was folded and worn but was dry in the tiny, clear glass bottle, and remained legible. At the top, it read “Greetings from Ireland.”

“At first we thought, ‘This can’t be true.’ Someone’s playing a joke or something,” Bolger said Monday.

The Bolgers have a summer house in West Wildwood and visit the beach year-round. This month, they had a week’s vacation and were able to walk the beach every day. Frank Bolger said he and his wife have gotten in the habit of picking up litter as they walk. When they were on the beach with their granddaughter, Autumn Pokrywka, they found the little bottle with the cork stopper and it almost went in the recycling.

But Karen Bolger was intrigued by the folded piece of paper and wanted to know more. Getting it back to the house, they worked it out of the bottle.

In neat, looping print, it read, “I have thrown this bottle into the sea for someone to find another day. Maybe it’s traveled down to Africa or up to Iceland! I won’t know if someone found this. But I hope it is found!”

The note is signed with a smiley face, the first name Aoife and a date: July 17, 2019.

In several emails this summer, the crew at MyDatingAdvisor.com repeatedly pitched a story about the site’s listing of the top 13 places for skinny dipping in New Jersey. But the designations seem to be news to those in the communities listed.

Aoife was wrong. She does know that someone found it, and fairly quickly after it was found.

“We found her!” was one of the first things Frank Bolger said when interviewed Monday.

The Bolgers spoke with their friend Dorothy McMonagle Kulisek, who wanted to write a story for her publication, the Sun by the Sea, which includes photos and stories about the Wildwoods. She posted details about the story and images on social media, and it quickly received a strong response.

It was not long before news organizations in Ireland heard the story.

“It exploded in Ireland,” Frank Bolger said.

Aoife Byrne’s father, Martin, heard it on the radio and wondered whether it could have been from his daughter, who is 33.

It was from her, although Bolger said it took a writing sample from her before he was convinced.

“Born and raised in the Northeast, you’re skeptical of everything,” he said.

New Jersey is among the states with the most pedestrian fatalities, reaching a 30-year high in 2021 with about 220 people dying on the state's roads, according to a study that year by Smart Growth America.

He and Karen have spoken with Aoife and her father on a video link, and hope to visit someday. They live in a little town called Bray in County Wicklow, a short distance south of Dublin. Bolger said the description of the seaside town strongly reminds him of North Wildwood, a community where Irish Americans make up a large percentage of the population, and which celebrates an annual Irish festival.

“I told her, ‘Your bottle landed on probably one of the most Irish towns on the East Coast,” he said.

Bolger said Aoife told him she is a songwriter and often goes to the beach for inspiration. She had a notebook with her and decided to write a note in a bottle, in part inspired by the Police song “Message in a Bottle,” a hit before Aoife was born.

The note traveled about 3,292 miles from the Irish beach to North Wildwood, but it probably covered even more miles than that, with Atlantic currents leading from the American East Coast to Ireland, not the other way around. Bolger speculates the little bottle from Aoife Byrne may have traveled south to the Canary Islands to be driven west by a tropical storm or hurricane forming off the coast of Africa to be picked up by the Gulf Stream and brought to North Wildwood.

Karen Bolger has a friend in England who reached out to tell her the story is on every news station, Frank said.

“Aoife is a celebrity,” he said. He feels like the friendship formed by that random note is going to last.

“I think it’s a connection that is going to be there for life,” he said. He expects the story to inspire others to toss their own messages into the wide sea, to make their own connections across the ocean or just a little farther up the beach. But he sees a drawback. He and his wife may have a lot more bottles to pick up on their walks in the future.

Public support of offshore wind has softened amid growing speculation about how its development could affect the Jersey Shore, according to poll results released Tuesday.

The Monmouth University poll found offshore wind has lost the broad support it once enjoyed in surveys over the past 15 years. The most recent polling was done between Aug. 10 and 14, the university said in a news release.

Few also see wind energy leading to major job growth in the state, the poll found.

The results come about two weeks before environmental study work by Ocean Wind LLC, a subsidiary of the Danish energy company Ørsted, is set to begin.

Who backs offshore wind development these days mostly depends on their political alignment, Monmouth said.

“There was a time when wind energy was not really a political issue,” Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement. “It consistently received widespread bipartisan support for more than a decade. That is no longer the case.”

Democrats continue to make up most of those who support offshore wind development, while Republicans have been its top critics.

Conservative approval has plunged from 69% to 28% in the past four years, Monmouth said. Democratic support has remained steady at 79% in 2019 and 76% now.

Earlier this month, the Democratic state Senate president and Democratic speaker of the stat…

Independents also are contributing to the drop in support, according to the university, which found their approval has, over four years, slipped from 77% to 52%.

Overall, about 54% of New Jerseyans favor wind-based energy in the Atlantic Ocean, compared with 40% opposed, the poll found.

In 2019, wind energy support reached 76%, with 15% opposed. In prior years, support for offshore wind farms was even higher, ranging between 80% and 84%, based on polls taken from 2008 to 2011.

Offshore wind has been a priority of Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, reiterating its importance this summer at the National Governors Association conference in Atlantic City.

Most of the dwindling support derives from Republican arguments that have assailed offshore wind development as harmful to tourism. Critics also have linked prep work for offshore wind to a spate of marine mammal deaths this past winter, though federal and state agencies have said there is no proven link between the two.

Four in 10 Garden State residents say wind farms off the coast will harm summer tourism. There was little difference in the poll between coastal county residents (43%) and other New Jerseyans (38%) on this point, but there is a partisan difference, the university said.

Specifically, 56% of Republicans say wind energy will hurt shore tourism, compared with 41% of independents and 24% of Democrats. Few New Jerseyans (9%) believe offshore wind will help tourism, with 44% saying it will have no impact.

Opinion on marine mammal deaths has a strong correlation with support for wind energy, Monmouth said. Among New Jerseyans who see a connection between the two, 29% favor offshore wind energy development. Among those who feel marine mammal deaths and offshore wind development are not related, 76% support wind energy, the university said.

Some shore town residents have come forward recently in support of wind power.

The poll also found Republicans continue to have strong support for fossil fuel harvesting off the coast and nuclear energy, compared to Democrats.

Locally, three wind farms are planned to be built off Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties.

Ocean Wind 1, one of the projects linked to Ørsted, would deliver energy to the mainland through 98 wind turbines about 15 miles off the coast. That project currently faces legal battles, including from Cape May County, which earlier this month settled a portion of a lawsuit the company filed against it regarding road permits and easements.

While the county plans to contest a judge’s ruling regarding easements in the project, it agreed to grant open-road permits for work scheduled to begin on or after Sept. 11.

Ørsted also is planning an Ocean Wind 2 farm, while Atlantic Shores is in the approval and permitting process for its own offshore operation.

Meanwhile, wind power developers earlier this month proposed four new projects off the Jersey Shore, a surge that would more than double the number of wind farms built off the coast if they are approved.

UPPER TOWNSHIP — A Friday rush-hour crash killed a local man who was driving on Route 9, State Police said.

Brian K. Dunleavy, 52, of Marmora, sustained fatal injuries after his Jeep crashed into a Toyota about 5:30 p.m., Sgt. Philip Curry said Tuesday.

Curry said both cars were northbound on Route 9 when Dunleavy's Jeep rear-ended the Toyota near milepost 23.1. The impact caused the Jeep to flip over, wounding Dunleavy.

The Toyota's driver, who was not identified, did not report any injuries, Curry said.

The crash remains under investigation by State Police, Curry said.

BRIDGETON — A glass plant in the city was burglarized this past weekend, police said Tuesday.

Officers were dispatched to the Ardagh Group's facility in the 400 block of South East Avenue at 10:35 a.m. Monday. The company is a global supplier of metal and glass products for commercial businesses, according to its website.

Employees at the plant told police a storage warehouse was broken into between Friday and Monday, police said in a news release.

The suspect set off several fire extinguishers and stole a set of forklift keys, costing about $170 to replace the items, police said.

Anyone with additional information can call police at 856-451-0033. Anonymous tips can be shared at bpdops.com/tip/new.

ATLANTIC CITY — Two teenagers were arrested late last week after they were caught with guns on the Boardwalk, police said Tuesday.

Police located the two boys, a 15-year-old city resident and a 16-year-old from Egg Harbor City, about 10 p.m. Friday at Arkansas Avenue.

Both teens fled after being spotted by officers, but both were caught, police said in a news release.

The Egg Harbor City teen removed his handgun from his waistband and turned toward pursuing police, who ordered him to drop the weapon. He did so before being apprehended, police said.

The city teenager dropped his gun when officers converged on him, police said.

Both were charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a defaced firearm, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. The Egg Harbor City teen was additionally charged with possession of hollow-point ammunition. They were sent to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center.

The Coast Guard rescued four people and a dog from a boat taking on water Sunday near the Forked River in Barnegat Bay.

A response boat from Station Barnegat Light discovered the sinking 30-foot recreational boat and transferred the four people and their dog aboard the Coast Guard craft, the agency said Monday in a news release. The recreational boat capsized moments later.

“The boat’s owner believes the boat was taking on water due to a loose plug, but the compartment was not accessible to confirm,” said Chief Warrant Officer James B. Corbisiero, Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light’s commanding officer. “The timing of this rescue was fortunate.”

The Coast Guard crew took the rescued people and dog to a marina in the Lanoka Harbor section of Lacey Township. A commercial salvage company righted the boat and towed it to the same marina, the Coast Guard said.

There were no reported injuries.

VINELAND — Trout National — The Reserve is getting closer to becoming a reality.

Last week, TGR Design released the routing and design for the new 18-hole, par-72 golf course project by Millville baseball icon Mike Trout and golf legend Tiger Woods.

The course will run through two unique natural landscapes, giving distinct character to the course. Trout National, which is being built on the site of a former silica sand mine and is surrounded by forest and farmland, is expected to be open for member play in 2025.

The wait is over. Excited to share the latest from Trout National - The Reserve. We've finalized course routing and are continuing to make progress on this unique and exciting project with @TigerWoods and @tgrdesignbytw. pic.twitter.com/rpu2on1KUg

“Some of my favorite golf experiences have been ones that have challenged my game while still having fun, and that’s what we wanted to create at Trout National — The Reserve,” Trout said in a statement announcing the design of the course. “Tiger, John and I walked hole by hole, and this course will do just that. Our vision and his design is creating something special here in my hometown.”

Trout — center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels, perennial All-Star and three-time American League MVP — announced plans for the course, located off Hance Bridge Road, on March 27.

In July, the Vineland Planning Board approved an application for the construction of a 7,260-square-foot administration building, a 7,600-square-foot equipment building, a 3,870-square-foot storage and wash building, a 2,890-square-foot storage bin building, a 4,950-square-foot outpost building and a 940-square-foot pump station at the site.

During the meeting, representatives of the project said they would be back in front of the Planning Board in six months.

Woods and Trout are partnering with local developer John Ruga, owner of Northeast Precast, for the project.

“The land that is home to Trout National — The Reserve has great history here in the city of Vineland,” Ruga said in a statement. “Tiger and his team were able to incorporate the history and let the land shine through in this championship golf course. It will truly be a memorable experience on the course.”

Options + risk/reward + fun = 3 components of a great golf course pic.twitter.com/CNHY4y5BiT

In addition to the 18-hole championship course, Trout National will include a practice range, short-game area, clubhouse, restaurant, lodging and a wedding chapel.

“Mike and John found a site with a lot of character to make some outstanding golf holes,” Woods said in the statement. “The sandy and diverse terrain has so many great natural features that have given us a lot of options on how to create a world-class golf course.”

Traffic in Atlantic County will be heavily impacted Sept. 10 by the Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City triathlon, police said.

The triathlon features three portions that include swimming, biking and running. The swim will take place in the bay off Bader Field. The biking will take place throughout the county. The run will be along the Boardwalk in Atlantic City and Ventnor, Atlantic City police said Monday in a news release.

In Atlantic City, motorists on Albany Avenue will experience heavy delays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Heavy foot traffic is expected on the Boardwalk between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., police said.

Closures include Atlantic City Expressway exits 1 through 5, police said. Motorists attempting to reach the Downbeach communities via the Black Horse Pike will be redirected either to West End Avenue or the Downbeach Express toll road to keep Albany Avenue clear for triathlon participants.

The Brigantine Connector tunnel also will be closed.

Detours will be in place in Pleasantville and Egg Harbor Township along Delilah Road, Westcoat Road, Fire Road and New Road from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., police said. In Absecon, a detour will be in place along Mill, Fire and Westcoat roads, as well as Ohio Avenue, from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

For more information on the triathlon, visit ironman.com/im703-atlantic-city.

The sixth Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City was held Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022 and took competitors through the resort and neighboring towns in Atlantic County. (JOHN RUSSO / Staff Writer)

Top overall finisher Aaronn Gu crosses the finish line Saturday at the Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City after completing the race in 4 hours, 14 minutes, 12 seconds.

An exhausted Aaronn Gu, who was the top overall finisher Saturday at the Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City, lies in the sand after crossing the finish line in 4 hours, 14 minutes, 12 seconds.

Vincenzo Marchione, who finished second, congratulates an exhausted Aaronn Gu for being the top overall finisher Saturday at the Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City.

A fallen competitor, right is helped across the finish line Saturday. "We are able to give people an opportunity to be the best versions of themselves. And sometimes that means helping someone else cross the finish line and not worrying about yourself, which is beautiful," race director Stephen Del Monte said.

Top female finisher Katie Rodger finished the 70.3-mile race in 4 hours, 37 minutes, 2 seconds Saturday.

Top female finisher Katie Rodger is greeted by friends at the finish line Saturday. Rodger finished the 70.3-mile race in 4 hours, 37 minutes, 2 seconds.

The top women finishers, from left, Leah Roberts (fourth), Alice Cote-Allard (second), Katie Rodger (first) and Sharon Schmidt-Mongrain (third).

Del Monte

Race director Stephen Del Monte, left, shakes hands with one of the competitors, Phil Schaffer, at the finish line.

A family holds up signs of support for runners as they job by on the Boardwalk on Saturday for the Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City.

The sixth Ironman 70.3 Atlantic City was held Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022 and took competitors through the resort and neighboring towns in Atlantic County. (JOHN RUSSO / Staff Writer)

Read through the obituaries published today in Press of Atlantic City.

The full, blue and super moons will link up Wednesday, Aug. 31 for a moon trifecta not seen since Jan. 31, 2018 and not seen again until Jan. …

Read through the obituaries published today in Press of Atlantic City.

The 2023 general election is scheduled for Nov. 7. As part of our coverage, The Press of Atlantic City will preview races that will impact loc…

Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Press of Atlantic City.