Happening People: Mark Retacco

Mark Retacco Proudly Standing Next To One Of His Great Works of Art

Artist. Downtown Toms River Business Proponent. Ocean County Icon. That’s Mark Retacco.

Since moving to Bayville in 1971, Mark’s commitment to Ocean County has been unmatched. As an adolescent in 1976, Mark first made a local impact when he won a costume award in the Toms River Halloween Parade. It was a small victory for Mark, who had a difficult time fitting in with the other children at school. To Mark, his “refuge” was Art Class. As he described it, “In art class we all seem to have a equality that was surpassed by any other within the wall of school we were unique in our own way we were encouraged to be different. It was there that I found my true self and passion.”

After studying the arts in New York, Mark moved to Hollywood where he worked for Ted Turner and converted Turner’s black and white movies to color. Mark eventually moved back to Ocean County in the 1990s and found great success as an artist. One of his paintings received a special recognition from President Bill Clinton. Mark’s artistic work was also featured in MTV’s Real World Boston in 1997. He even created a special painting for Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard who was beaten to death as part of a hate crime. According to Mark, Mrs. Shepard described the incredible painting (entitled “End Hate Crimes”) as “bitter sweet”. Last year, Mark created a special painting for TV Personality Wendy Williams and presented the painting on her show. (more…)

Could The Federal Government Be Your Next Client?

Did you know that there are millions of dollars worth of contracts that are available to small businesses that sell goods and services to the Federal Government? Topics like this and more will be answered during a FREE Business Seminar on Wednesday February 29^th at 10AM at the Lakewood Municipal Building (231 Third Street) in Conference Room C.

Sherry Rose and Dolcey Chaplin of the NJIT Defense Procurement Center will conduct the Business Seminar entitled “Doing Business with the Federal Government”. This workshop will explain the process of coordinating business opportunities with the Federal Government. This will be followed by a question and answer period. (more…)

Visiting Eno’s Pond County Park

Our next visit on our tour of Ocean County parks was Eno’s Pond County Park in Lacey, NJ. The park first opened in 1998 after serving as a luxury resort since the colonial period. A key aspect of the park is obviously the pond, which you can catch if you go down the trail. The trail features observation decks, picnic areas, a playground and more. It’s a fantastic place to visit on Lacey Road. (more…)

Enter to Win a Free 42” HD TV

With the 2012 NCAA March Madness tournament less than a month away, bracket pools will start up between friends, family, and co-workers alike. Don’t have your picks ready? Don’t worry. For this contest, you won’t need a bracket to win.

In the spirit of the madness of the upcoming March, Power Home Remodeling Group is offering you the opportunity to win a 42” LG 120-MHz LED High Definition television! (more…)

Get Ready For Fat Tuesday!

Tuesday February 21^st 2012 is Fat Tuesday AKA Mardi Gras – one of the biggest celebratory nights this time of year. And you don’t have to be in New Orleans to enjoy Mardi Gras as there are several excellent Fat Tuesday events in Ocean County. Here are some of the best Fat Tuesday events at the Jersey Shore in 2012:

• Emma Havens Young PTA presents a Fat Tuesday Gift Auction at 6PM at Hemmingway’s in Seaside Heights. It’s a great event to help out this local organization, plus there’s a buffet dinner.
• An LBI Fat Tuesday Tradition: St. Francis Community Center in Brant Beach hosts a Mardi Gras Celebration Fundraiser from 6PM-9PM. There’s great food and live music performed by Joe McGrath. Another good event that also helps the community! (more…)

What’s Happening This Weekend In Ocean County

What a great weekend it’s going to be in Ocean County! It’s Presidents Day Weekend at the Jersey Shore, and Southern Ocean County is celebrating with Chocolate Week now. This weekend in Ocean County features the Annual Women’s expo and “Back to the Beach” at Martell’s Tiki Bar. It’s almost like an early summer in February (although there might be some snow in the forecast). Here’s what’s happening in Ocean County, this President’s Day Weekend 2012 (more…)

A History of the US Presidents At The Jersey Shore

With President’s Day here again in Ocean County, it is important to note that the Jersey Shore has its place in Presidential History. Up in Long Branch, for example, Seven President’s Park pays tribute to the Seven US Presidents who visited the Jersey Shore during the summer months in the 19^th Century. But what about in Ocean County? What US Presidents paid a visit here? Let’s take a look:

During the late 19^th Century-early 20^th Century, as the Jersey Shore became a booming tourist attraction during the summer, many Presidents vacationed at the Jersey beaches. Two Presidents in particular, Grover Cleveland and William McKinley, famously stayed in Point Pleasant Beach vacation homes during a few of their summer visits. It is also said that President Grover Cleveland enjoyed hunting and fishing in Waretown. (more…)